Chris Harris To Sign With Chargers
Another key domino will fall, and the Chargers now have another key commitment from a veteran. Chris Harris will sign with the Bolts, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. 
The Harris sweepstakes included numerous teams. The Eagles and Saints joined the fray later in the process, but Harris will defect from his nine-year post as one of the Broncos’ best players to join another AFC West team. Harris follows the likes of Trai Turner, Bryan Bulaga and Linval Joseph as experienced cogs headed to Los Angeles.
The path for Harris to join the Chargers was cleared earlier today when the team decided to roll with Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback and put their cash elsewhere. Harris is set to earn $20MM over two years, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets.
Harris, 31 in June, has spent all nine of his NFL seasons to date with the Broncos. In the past, the Broncos have made an effort to keep him, though their offer of a $12MM/year deal before the 2019 trade deadline fell short. Reportedly, that offer included only one guaranteed season. Even though he didn’t play up to his usual standards in 2019, Harris set out to find something better.
“I didn’t really do what I’ve done in the past,” Harris said recently. “I (previously) played everywhere on the field on the defensive side, getting everybody lined up, telling them what’s about to happen and things like that. But when really, when you just have me at corner, I’m just playing corner. I’m not doing everything that I’m doing on the football field.”
The Chargers weren’t the AFC West rival to chase Harris. The Raiders also made a play for him, Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears (via Twitter), but he did not want to play for them.
Redskins To Sign Sean Davis
The Redskins continue to add to their defense. Washington has agreed to terms with linebackers Thomas Davis and Kevin Pierre-Louis as well as cornerback Kendall Fuller over the past couple of days, and now they’re adding a safety.
The ‘Skins will sign Sean Davis to a one-year deal worth $5MM, his agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). New Washington coach Ron Rivera is a defensive-minded coach, so it’s not a surprise that he’s making revamping that side of the ball a priority.
The Steelers drafted Davis 58th overall in 2016, and he became a solid starter for the team. He started 31 games from 2017-18, racking up 172 tackles, 15 passes defended, and four interceptions in those two years. Unfortunately his 2019 campaign was ended after just one game due to a serious shoulder injury.
Davis played closer to the line of scrimmage his first couple of years in the league, but moved to free safety in 2018. The Redskins have had a lot of talent on paper on defense the past couple of years, but it never really materialized. They’re hoping that with Rivera and new DC Jack Del Rio’s presence, as well as these additions, the unit can finally take a big step forward.
Raiders Agree To Terms With CB Eli Apple
The Raiders continue to spend money revamping their defense. Las Vegas has agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Eli Apple, Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune tweets.
Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have been handing out big contracts left and right to defenders, already signing defensive end Carl Nassib, linebacker Cory Littleton, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and safety Jeff Heath. We also heard that the Raiders offered more money for corner Byron Jones than the Dolphins did before Miami signed him to his record-breaking contract, so they’ve certainly been bold.
The Raiders have been low on talent on that side of the ball during Gruden’s first two years back coaching the team, but this flurry of activity is still wild. They’ve now essentially added a player at every defensive position, and Paul Guenther’s unit is going to look entirely different when they take the field at their new stadium for the first time.
Apple was drafted tenth overall by the Giants back in 2016, and things didn’t go smoothly in New York. Although he flashed talent his tenure there was strained from the start, and he frequently clashed with teammates and coaches over a perceived lack of effort on his end. Eventually he was traded to the Saints for fourth and seventh-round picks midway through the 2018 campaign.
The change of scenery seemed to do him some good, and he developed into a somewhat consistent starter opposite Marshon Lattimore in New Orleans. Apple was only 20 when he was drafted and is still only 24, so he should have more room to grow. He’ll now be a key piece of a very young and intriguing Raiders secondary that includes last year’s early picks Trayvon Mullen and Johnathan Abram.
Rams To Re-Sign Austin Blythe
The Rams have seen a mass exodus of players on defense in recent days, but they’re keeping a crucial offensive piece around. The team has agreed to terms on a new one-year deal with interior lineman Austin Blythe, they announced in a release.
Blythe provides some nice versatility for the Rams, as he has started at both guard and center over the last couple of seasons. Originally a seventh-round pick of the Colts in 2016, Blythe got the axe after just one year in Indianapolis. The Rams quickly scooped him off waivers, and he’s turned into a nice find for general manager Les Snead. After serving as a reserve in 2017, Blythe started all 16 games the following year.
Jamon Brown was suspended for the first two games of 2018 so Blythe took over his starting spot at right guard, and played well enough to keep the gig even after Brown returned. He missed one game this past season with an ankle injury, but started the other 15. He started last year at guard but moved to center when Brian Allen went down with an injury. Terms of his new deal weren’t immediately available.
Bills Sign RB Taiwan Jones
Taiwan Jones is joining the Bills for his second stint with the organization. The veteran running back is signing a one-year deal with the Bills, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
Jones has been kicking around the NFL since 2011, spending time with the Raiders, Bills, and (most recently) the Texans. He’s appeared in 91 career games.
While Jones primarily served as a return man during his first stint in Buffalo (2017 through 2018), he played a “bigger” offensive role with the Texans in 2019. He ultimately finished the campaign with 40 rushing yards on nine attempts, and he added a single reception for nine yards.
Of course, as Bills fans know, Jones also had a clutch catch in the Bills and Texans’ double overtime playoff game. The 34-yard reception set up Houston for the game-winning field goal.
Rams Sign OLB Leonard Floyd
The Rams are making their first big splash of free agency. Los Angeles is signing outside linebacker Leonard Floyd to a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
It’s a $10MM deal that can be worth up to $13MM, Schefter reports. Floyd was cut by the Bears yesterday when Chicago signed fellow outside linebacker Robert Quinn, and it didn’t take him very long to find a new home. We heard word that the Giants were interested in Floyd, so Rams GM Les Snead likely had competition for his services. Floyd would’ve earned $13.2MM in 2020 under his fifth-year option had the Bears kept him, so his release won’t end up hurting him too much financially if at all.
The ninth overall pick back in 2016 Floyd was a bit of a disappointment in Chicago, but he’ll now get the chance to prove himself and re-enter unrestricted free agency at this time next year. The Georgia product became a starter as a rookie and showed plenty of flashes, racking up seven sacks in 12 games in his first year as a pro.
Unfortunately he never really progressed from that point, and his sack totals actually declined in each of the past three years. Still only 27, he has a lot of theoretical talent. He’ll slide in more or less as the replacement for Dante Fowler Jr., who just left the Rams to sign a three-year, $48MM deal with the Falcons less than an hour ago.
When the Rams next take the field looking to put their disappointing 2019 season behind them, their defense is going to look quite a bit different. Not only did they trade away cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib midway through last year, they’ve now seen a string of departures in free agency.
Safety Eric Weddle retired; Cory Littleton, Michael Brockers, and Fowler Jr. have now all departed in free agency, and the team just declined their option on usual slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman. They’ve also replaced defensive coordinator Wade Phillips with Brandon Staley, so it’s safe to say that side of the ball is getting a complete makeover after Sean McVay’s dissatisfaction with the previous structure became evident.
Ravens Sign Sam Koch To Extension
Sam Koch isn’t going anywhere. The punter is staying put in Baltimore with a two-year extension, the Ravens announced in a tweet.
Koch still had a year left on his previous deal, so Baltimore was being proactive here. The Ravens have been aggressive the past few days, landing Calais Campbell in a surprising trade with the Jaguars and doling out big money to free agent defensive lineman Michael Brockers. Koch might get overshadowed by Baltimore’s other specialist, league-best kicker Justin Tucker, but he’s been a reliable option himself.
A sixth-round pick all the way back in 2006, Koch has been with the team for the past 14 seasons. He’s never reached elite status but has been solid the entire time, earning the only Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods of his career in 2015. Terms of the deal weren’t immediately available, but we’ll pass those along to you as soon as we get them. The Nebraska product will turn 38 in August, and it’s possible this extension takes him right into retirement.
Panthers Sign WR Seth Roberts
Seth Roberts is heading to Carolina. The wideout is signing with the Panthers, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
The former undrafted free agent spent the first five seasons of his career with the Raiders, and he finished with at least 30 receptions and (basically) 400 receiving yards each year between 2015 and 2018.
Roberts was cut by the Raiders last offseason, and he ended up catching on with the Ravens. He saw a reduced offensive role in his 16 games with Baltimore, hauling in 21 receptions for 271 yards and two scores. He also added a pair of catches in Baltimore’s playoff loss to the Titans.
The Panthers offense is going to look a whole lot different next season. Besides adding quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the organization also hired offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Falcons To Sign Dante Fowler Jr.
Dante Fowler Jr. has agreed to sign with the Falcons, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s a three-year deal for the pass rusher (per Rapoport). Fowler will be getting a whopping $48MM over the three years, ESPN’s Vaughn McClure tweets.
The former third-overall pick joined the Rams via trade midway through the 2018 season. He finally exploded for a career season in 2019, finishing with career-highs in tackles (58), sacks (11.5), passes defended (six), and forced fumbles (two).
Fowler had spent the first four-plus seasons of his career with the Jaguars, including a rookie campaign that was wiped out thanks to a torn ACL.
In Atlanta, he’ll be playing under head coach Dan Quinn, who actually worked with Fowler when the two were at Florida. He’ll immediately provide some reinforcement to a pass rush that recently lost Vic Beasley via free agency.
With the Falcons being low in space space, the past two days have mostly been highlighted by players they’ve released, including running back Devonta Freeman. Otherwise, they’ve extended defensive tackle Tyeler Davison and traded for tight end Hayden Hurst.
According to Rapoport, the Rams tried to retain Fowler. The team has already seen several key defensive free agents leave, including linebacker Cory Littleton (Raiders) and defensive lineman Michael Brockers (Ravens).
Jets Re-Sign Brian Poole
The Jets will retain one of their own. New York is re-signing cornerback Brian Poole on a one-year fully guaranteed deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Poole will be getting $5MM for the 2020 season, he reports. Poole signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent back in 2016, and quickly made a name for himself in Atlanta. He started nine games in his first pro season, and he signed with the Jets on a one-year contract worth $3.5MM after his initial rookie deal expired.
Poole appeared in 14 games for the Jets this past season and made ten starts, racking up 59 tackles, five passes defended, and a pick-six he got off Derek Carr in a blowout win over the Raiders. Poole played pretty well for Gregg Williams’ defense last season, earning strong marks from Pro Football Focus, and the Jets have some solid pieces in their secondary. Despite being on his third contract now, the Florida product is still only 27.