Minor NFL Transactions: 7/20/20
Here are Monday’s minor moves, coming out of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: WR Khalil Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Dax Raymond
- Waived: TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
Eagles Sign Jalen Hurts, Wrap Draft Class
That’s a wrap. On Monday, the Eagles formally announced the signing of second-round quarterback Jalen Hurts, plus five other draft picks. With that, the Eagles have formally inked all ten of their rookies in advance of training camp.
[RELATED: Eagles, Jalen Reagor Agree To Terms]
The Birds surprised everyone with their selection of Hurts at No. 53 overall. Few saw the QB2 role as a priority, but Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson couldn’t pass up the chance to grab the Oklahoma star.
“I think this player, obviously with Jalen Hurts, he has a unique skillset and you see what Taysom Hill has done in New Orleans,” Pederson said earlier this year. “And now he and Drew Brees have a connection there and a bond there. You look at with (Joe) Flacco and Lamar (Jackson) in Baltimore in the short period of time, how they gelled together. It’s just something we’re going to explore.”
During his lone season at Oklahoma, Hurts ran for 1,298 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 233 carries. He also had five receptions during his collegiate career, including two for 25 yards and a score during the 2019 campaign. His versatility is a major plus, and so is his salary – he’ll make just $6.025MM over the course of his four-year deal, allowing the Eagles to spend elsewhere and save in advance of their 2021 cap crunch.
The Eagles also inked deals with third-round linebacker Davion Taylor, fourth-round guard Jack Driscoll, fifth-round receiver John Hightower, sixth-round linebacker Shaun Bradley, and seventh-round linebacker Casey Toohill to round out the group. Here’s the full rundown, via PFR’s Tracker:
1-21: Jalen Reagor, WR (TCU): Signed
2-53: Jalen Hurts, QB (Oklahoma): Signed
3-103: Davion Taylor, LB (Colorado): Signed
4-127: K’Von Wallace, S (Clemson): Signed
4-145: Jack Driscoll, G (Auburn): Signed
5-168: John Hightower, WR (Boise State): Signed
6-196: Shaun Bradley, LB (Temple): Signed
6-200: Quez Watkins, WR (Southern Miss): Signed
6-210: Prince Tega Wanogho, T (Auburn): Signed
7-233: Casey Toohill, DE (Stanford): Signed
Antonio Brown Retires (Again)
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. On Monday, Antonio Brown announces his retirement from the NFL. This marks at least the third time Brown has publicly called it quits since September of last year. 
[RELATED: Patriots, AB Settle Grievance]
“At this point, the risk is greater than the reward,” Brown tweeted. “Thank you [to] everyone who [has] been a part of this journey. I sincerely thank you for everything!”
Brown, of course, isn’t the only player who is concerned about the risk involved with playing this season. Still, it remains to be seen whether his latest farewell will stick. Less than three weeks ago, Brown was lobbying the Seahawks to pair him with friend and workout partner Russell Wilson. There were also rumblings of AB and Tom Brady getting together in Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers weren’t interested in the drama that comes with the controversial wide receiver.
Brown, 32, remains under NFL investigation for multiple incidents, including two alleged acts of sexual misconduct. His own safety concerns aside, there was little guarantee that a team would take on the risk of signing him. Brown’s availability for the coming year was also highly questionable.
If this is truly a wrap for Brown, he leaves the game with a complicated legacy. Over the course of his ten-year career, Brown tallied 841 receptions for 11,253 yards and seven Pro Bowl appearances. Before things turned ugly, Brown was a surefire Hall of Famer and regarded as one of the game’s most dangerous offensive talents. Now, (we think), he’ll focus on other endeavors, while untangling some of his off-the-field matters.
Bucs To Sign Rookies Tyler Johnson, Khalil Davis
The Buccaneers are chipping away at their rookie class. Sixth-round defensive tackle Khalil Davis has agreed to terms, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (on Twitter). Meanwhile, fifth-round wide receiver Tyler Johnson has formally inked his deal, per an announcement from his agency (via Twitter). 
The Bucs sent several scouts to the 2020 Outback Bowl between Minnesota and Auburn. At that game, they watched Johnson turn in the best game of his collegiate career – 12 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Clearly, that left an impression. With the No. 161 overall pick, they snagged Johnson to help round out their WR group. This summer, he’ll look to carve out his spot on the depth chart behind stars Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Davis, meanwhile, figures to support starting nose tackle Vita Vea. Even though he was a late pick, the Bucs are high on Davis’ skillset – at 308 pounds, he managed to run the 40-yard-dash at 4.75 seconds, good for sixth among all defensive linemen at the combine.
Here’s the full rundown of the Bucs’ class, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft tracker:
1-13: Tristan Wirfs, T (Iowa)
2-45: Antoine Winfield Jr., S (Minnesota)
3-76: Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB (Vanderbilt)
5-161: Tyler Johnson, WR (Minnesota): Signed
6-194: Khalil Davis, DT (Nebraska): Signed
7-241: Chapelle Russell, OLB (Temple)
7-245: Raymond Calais, RB (LSU)
Eagles, Jalen Reagor Agree To Terms
The Eagles and first-round pick Jalen Reagor have reached agreement on a deal, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Once finalized, the wide receiver will be set to earn $13.3MM over the course of his four-year contract. 
Early on, Reagor was mocked as a second- to third-round pick. But, as the draft approached, the TCU speedster bolted up draft boards around the league. The Eagles pounced on him at No. 21 overall, giving them a potent deep threat who can take the baton from DeSean Jackson.
“I feel like I’m a great vertical threat. I can run any route in the route tree. I’m an electric player. I’ll make an immediate impact when given the chance,” Reagor said earlier this year (via the team website). “So, I’m coming in ready to work and ready to learn. I’m a great teammate and I won’t be a cancer to the locker room. Ultimately, I just show love, and I’m going to continue to elevate my game and continue to try to grow and become a better player.”
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver stood out with a 1,000-yard campaign in 2018. Last year, he posted 43 catches for 611 yards and five touchdowns.
Here’s the full rundown of the Eagles’ draft class, via PFR’s tracker:
1-21: Jalen Reagor, WR (TCU): Signed
2-53: Jalen Hurts, QB (Oklahoma)
3-103: Davion Taylor, LB (Colorado)
4-127: K’Von Wallace, S (Clemson)
4-145: Jack Driscoll, G (Auburn)
5-168: John Hightower, WR (Boise State)
6-196: Shaun Bradley, LB (Temple)
6-200: Quez Watkins, WR (Southern Miss): Signed
6-210: Prince Tega Wanogho, T (Auburn): Signed
7-233: Casey Toohill, DE (Stanford)
NFL Suspends LB Kentrell Brothers
The NFL has suspended former Vikings linebacker Kentrell Brothers for the first nine weeks of the 2020 season, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This marks the second suspension of his career.
[RELATED: Vikings’ Harris To Play On One-Year Deal]
Brothers, who spent the past four seasons with the Vikings, is a free agent. The story behind his latest ban isn’t immediately clear, but it certainly won’t help his case as he looks for work.
Brothers has appeared in 51 games for the Vikings since entering the league as a fifth-round pick. Two years ago, he was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. Brothers accepted the punishment without appeal, though he said he did not knowingly take a banned substance.
In other Vikings news, safety Anthony Harris is on course for free agency. Now that the franchise tag deadline is in the rear view mirror, Harris will play out the 2020 season on a one-year, $11.4MM deal. The two sides will have to wait until next year before resuming extension talks, at which point he’ll be in line for a sizable raise.
A.J. Green Signs Franchise Tender
Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green has signed his franchise tender, the team announced. With that, the soon-to-be 32-year-old will report to training camp on-time later this month.
It seemed unlikely that the two sides would agree to a long-term deal prior to Wednesday’s deadline given Green’s age and his recent injury history. But Cincinnati was not about to let him walk in free agency this year, so the club slapped the seven-time Pro Bowler with the franchise tag.
Green had previously expressed that he was not a big fan of the tag, but he also said he would not hold out if he did not get the multi-year pact that he was seeking. However, the fact that he signed the tender is still notable. Prior to signing it, he could have skipped training camp and the preseason and still earned his full salary, and there was recent speculation that the Bengals might consider rescinding the tag because of how much it costs (roughly $18MM) and the current financial climate. Considering Green’s abilities and the fact that the team will have rookie QB Joe Burrow under center, rescinding the tag never felt like a real possibility, but now both sides know they will be together from training camp forward.
Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic says the Bengals still want to sign Green long-term (Twitter link). While they of course cannot negotiate again until after the 2020 campaign, Dehner expects the team to make a “hard push” for a new deal at season’s end if Green looks anything like his old self.
And the interest, apparently, is mutual. Green said he wants to play for another four seasons and retire as a Bengal (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com). If he does, Green will surpass Chad Johnson to become the team’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving TDs. He is currently trailing Johnson in all three categories, but not by much.
Cardinals To Sign Kelvin Beachum
The Cardinals have agreed to sign Kelvin Beachum, according to John Gambodoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (on Twitter). The former Jets blocker will ink a one-year deal and compete for a first-string job opposite of D.J. Humphries.
There was no room for Beachum in New Jersey after the Jets revamped their offensive line. Before the remodeling, Beachum started in 45 of his 48 games for the Jets across four seasons. For his career, Beachum has 99 starts under his belt for the Steelers, Jaguars, and Jets, with mixed results.
Beachum has struggled with penalties over the years. In 2018, he tied for the Jets’ team lead with seven accepted penalties and nine flags in total.
Some of his best work came with the Steelers early on in his career, though a 2015 knee injury sidetracked him. In 2014, he performed as an elite left tackle, ranking No. 5 on Pro Football Focus’ list. When he returned in 2016, he graded as just the league’s No. 63 ranked tackle out of 78 qualified players.
The Cardinals likely won’t be getting the 2014 iteration of Beachum, but he should provide solid backup support, at the very least. At maximum, he could be the club’s new starting right tackle.
Jaguars Sign C.J. Henderson
The Jaguars have signed first-round draft choice C.J. Henderson, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link). Per the terms of his slot, the former Florida corner will take home a four-year, $20.5MM contract (fully-guaranteed), and Rapoport notes that the deal does not include offsets.
While Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah was the most-heralded member of this year’s CB class, Henderson had plenty of fans in NFL front offices. One GM said back in April that he believed a dozen or more of the league’s 32 teams had Henderson ranked higher than Okudah, and the Falcons were trying to trade up from their No. 16 slot to land Henderson.
But the Jags snapped him up with the No. 9 overall pick (Okudah went to the Lions at No. 3). Cornerback was a major need for Jacksonville, as the team traded A.J. Bouye in March after dealing Jalen Ramsey to the Rams in advance of last year’s deadline. The Jags did add several more corners in the draft and signed veteran Rashaan Melvin, but Henderson will open his professional career as a CB1.
He certainly appears ready for the challenge. The 6-1 defender led the Gators with 11 pass breakups in 2019, doing so despite missing three early-season games due to a sprained ankle. He also picked off six passes between his freshman and sophomore seasons, returning two of them for TDs. His length and technique suggest he can be a strong cover corner in the NFL, though he will need to clean up the occasional mental lapse and improve his tackling abilities.
The Jags now have over half of their 12-man rookie class under contract. Here’s the full list, courtesy of PFR’s tracker:
1-9: C.J. Henderson, CB (Florida): Signed
1-20: K’Lavon Chaisson, DE (LSU)
2-42: Laviska Shenault, WR (Colorado): Signed
3-73: Davon Hamilton, DT (Ohio State): Signed
4-116: Ben Bartch, OT (St. John’s (MN)): Signed
4-137: Josiah Scott, CB (Michigan State)
4-140: Shaquille Quarterman, ILB (Miami): Signed
5-157: Daniel Thomas, S (Auburn)
5-165: Collin Johnson, WR (Texas): Signed
6-189: Jake Luton, QB (Oregon State)
6-206: Tyler Davis, TE (Georgia Tech): Signed
7-223: Chris Claybrooks, CB (Memphis)
Browns Sign Round 2 S Grant Delpit
The Browns wrapped up their draft class signings Wednesday, coming to terms with second-round pick Grant Delpit on his four-year deal.
Selected 44th overall, Delpit will be expected to compete for a starting safety job with the Browns. Cleveland allowed Damarious Randall to defect to the Raiders but brought in ex-Raider first-rounder Karl Joseph on a one-year deal. Delpit, however, becomes the team’s top long-term safety investment.
Viewed by most as a first-round pick going into his junior season at LSU, Delpit demonstrated the ability to lock down defenders in both man and zone coverage. While his stock slipped a bit, allowing Cleveland to take him with its second-round pick, Delpit was productive throughout a three-year career. He registered 199 tackles (17.5 for loss) and seven sacks.
The Browns attempted to install Jabrill Peppers as a long-term cornerstone of their defense, but the team traded the 2017 first-round pick to the Giants in the Odell Beckham Jr. deal. Delpit represents the team’s latest effort to bring a high-ceiling talent into the fold at the position.
As training camp approaches, here is another look at the Browns’ 2020 draft class:
1-10: Jedrick Wills, T (Alabama): Signed
2-44: Grant Delpit, S (LSU): Signed
3-88: Jordan Elliott, DL (Missouri): Signed
3-97: Jacob Phillips, LB (LSU): Signed
4-115: Harrison Bryant, TE (Florida Atlantic): Signed
5-160: Nick Harris, C (Washington): Signed
6-187: Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR (Michigan): Signed