Broncos To Sign Theo Riddick
Running back Theo Riddick will sign a free agent deal with the Broncos later this week, a source tells Mike Klis of 9 News (on Twitter). The Saints and other teams were also in on Riddick, but he’ll join up with Denver and Joe Flacco instead. 
The Broncos already have a No. 1 running back in Phillip Lindsay, but Riddick’s soft hands could make him a strong No. 2 companion. Last year, Lindsay caught 35 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield. Riddick, meanwhile, has averaged a 62/474/2.5 stat line over the last four years, including a showing of 80/697/3 in 2015.
Riddick generated immediate interest, despite being a running back going into his seventh season. Despite the constantly depressed market, Riddick’s pass-catching ability stood out – his 285 catches since his 2013 slate is the third-highest of any RB in that span. Meanwhile, his 2,238 receiving yards is No. 4 among backs.
The Broncos now have some extra firepower in their artillery, while the Saints may or may not continue their search for backfield help. In the last week, they’ve lost out on both Riddick and Alfred Morris, who signed with the Cowboys.
Bills G Isaac Asiata Retires
Bills guard Isaac Asiata has retired from the NFL, according to an announcement on Twitter. Retirement is often tough on players, but for Asiata, it’s a step towards improved mental health.
“I have lived the last two years of my NFL career waging war with myself mentally,” Asiata wrote. “With constant anxiety, persistent worry and fear of the unknown and of what comes next? If i were to be done. I also placed the unnecessary burden on my shoulders of never wanting to let people down or to disappoint those around me. Afraid of being a ‘draft bust’ or just another guy who couldn’t cut it in the league.”
Asiata was drafted by the Dolphins in the fifth round (No. 164 overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft. After appearing in just two games for the Fins, they released him this offseason. He hooked on with the Bills just over a week ago, but he has decided against pursuing one of the final spots on their 53-man roster.
To take his place, the Bills inked guard Nico Siragusa, a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in 2017. Siragusa spent his rookie season on injured reserve and most of last season on the Ravens’ taxi squad. He finished out the year on the Packers’ active roster, but did not appear in any games.
There’s a real opportunity for Siragusa to make the roster. In the last week, the Bills have lost Asiata to retirement and Jeremiah Sirles to injury (he’s since been released). Meanwhile, center Mitch Morse is in the concussion protocol and guard Spencer Long has been out this week with a knee injury.
Panthers To Sign Tre Boston
Tre Boston‘s lengthy tenure as a free agent is over. The Panthers are signing the veteran safety to a one-year, $3MM deal, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
For the second consecutive offseason, Boston had to wait until late July to land a new contract as a free agent. Last year, Boston landed only a $1.5MM deal from the Cardinals, so he’ll now realize a 100% raise for the 2019 campaign, one in which he’ll play for the club that originally drafted him.
Boston was a fourth-round choice of the Panthers in 2014 and subsequently spent three seasons in Carolina, starting 10 games in his final year with the team. He was cut with one year remaining on his rookie contract, and was then signed to subsequent one-year pacts by the Chargers and Cardinals. In both campaigns, Boston started at least 13 games, played at least 950 defensive snaps, and graded among the top 30 safeties in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
In 2017, Boston was caught up in a stagnant free agent safety market which saw several starting-caliber players — including Boston’s new teammate Eric Reid — languish on the open market for months. This offseason, however, defensive backs Landon Collins, Tyrann Mathieu, Earl Thomas, Lamarcus Joyner, and Adrian Amos each landed at least $9MM in free agency, but Boston was nonetheless left without a deal.
Carolina can use all the help it can get against opponents’ deep passing attacks, and Boston — who is deployed as a deep safety on nearly snap — can help. Last season, the Panthers ranked just 29th in yards per play allowed on passes of more than 15 air yards, and finished 27th in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA against deep passes.
Some of the blame for that lackluster performance can be placed on Mike Adams, who served as the Panthers’ primary free safety in 2018. Adams, who last year at age-37 posted arguably the worst season of his lengthy career, was not re-signed this offseason. He’ll be replaced by Boston, who along with Reid will form one of the league’s most underrated safety duos.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/19
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Nicholas Grigsby
Buffalo Bills
- Released from injured reserve: OL Jeremiah Sirles
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Justin Phillips
- Waived: G Larry Allen Jr.
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers: DE Markus Jones
- Waived/injured: CB Javien Hamilton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Devante Mays
- Waived/injured: RB Taj McGowan
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: P Stone Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Claimed off waivers: WR Brandon Reilly
- Waived/non-football injury: CB Alexander Myres
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Daniel Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed off waivers: T William Poehls
- Signed: WR Matt Eaton, TE Scott Orndoff
- Waived: TE Donnie Ernsberger, T Riley Mayfield
- Waived/injured: S Orion Stewart
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Tanner McEvoy, WR Papi White
- Waived: WR Joe Parker
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Cameron Batson
Redskins Sign G Hugh Thornton
The Redskins announced that they’ve signed free agent guard Hugh Thornton, who hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2016 campaign. Washington also formally announced the previously-reported signing of offensive tackle Donald Penn, and waived center Casey Dunn and guard Tyler Catalina.
Thornton, now 28, was a third-round draft pick of the Colts in 2013. Over his first three seasons in the NFL, Thornton was a contributor, starting 37 total games and earning mostly positive grades — especially in the run game — from Pro Football Focus.
After spending the 2016 season on injured reserve, Thornton inked a one-year deal with the Falcons in May 2017, but announced his retirement just two months later. He ended that retirement earlier this year to play for the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football.
Ereck Flowers, who’d been filling in as Washington’s left tackle until Penn arrived, is penciled in as the club’s starting left guard. Despite Flowers’ run of failure in the NFL, it’s difficult to envision Thornton overtaking him for a starting job, but he could add depth to the Redskins’ line.
Ravens Release Jordan Lasley
The Ravens released wide receiver Jordan Lasley, according to a team announcement. When speaking with reporters, head coach John Harbaugh explained that the 2018 fifth-round pick was cut because of football reasons and not his conduct in a chippy practice on Monday. 
Earlier this week, Lasley traded blows with cornerback Cyrus Jones and the two had to be separated by players and coaches. Soon after he returned to the field, Lasley caught a touchdown pass and launched the ball over the fence into a nearby pond.
“When you score in the red zone [and] you get a touchdown, you launch it in the pond,” Lasley said. “I learned that from Michael Crabtree.”
Still, it was not the airborne ball that got Lasley cut, nor was it the scrap. Harbaugh explained that he’d never cut a player for getting into a fight at practice. Rather, Lasley, who did not play last year, simply wasn’t a fit for Baltimore.
Without him, the club still has Willie Snead, Marquise Brown, Chris Moore, Miles Boykin, Michael Floyd, and a host of other wide receivers to consider.
Saints, Michael Thomas Agree To Deal
It’s a done deal. And it’s one for the record books (for now, at least). 
On Wednesday morning, the Saints and Michael Thomas agreed to a five-year, $100MM extension with $61MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The new deal makes him the league’s highest-paid receiver of all-time on a yearly basis.
With the new deal, Thomas is tied to New Orleans through the 2024 season. In 2019, he’ll still earn a paltry $1.148MM in the final year of his rookie contract, but he’s already locked in plenty of dough at signing.
The deal marks plenty of firsts for the Saints as well. They’ve never paid a non-QB skill-position player more than $10MM per year, but they’re now paying Thomas $20MM per annum. The previous watermark was owned by tight end Jimmy Graham, who banked $10MM/season before being traded to the Seahawks in 2015.
Last season, Thomas set Saints records with 125 catches and 1,405 yards while adding nine touchdown grabs. He was wildly efficient, too – Thomas’ catch rate of 84.5% was the highest of any NFL receiver since at least 2001.
With Thomas’ deal done, the attention will now shift to fellow standout wide receivers in search of their own monster contracts. Unlike Thomas, Falcons star Julio Jones has participated in training camp, but he is expecting a contract that will either match or exceed Thomas’ in average annual value. There’s also Bengals star A.J. Green to consider, though his recent injury may be a barrier in talks.
Down the line, Thomas’ new deal will also have ramifications for the Cowboys and Chiefs as they consider extensions for Amari Cooper and Tyreek Hill.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/19
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: OLB/DE Markus Jones
Buffalo Bills
- Retired: OL Isaac Asiata
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DT Frederick Jones
- Waived: WR Brandon Reilly
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Roger Lewis, OG Ian Silberman
- Waived: LB Drew Lewis, OG William Poehls
New England Patriots
- Signed: OT Martez Ivey
- Waived/Injured: OL Cole Croston
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Ryan Anderson, CB Dee Delaney
- Waived: LB Jeff Allison, OL Toa Lobendahn
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: TE Troy Niklas
Seahawks Extend LS Tyler Ott
The Seahawks are making sure their long snapper sticks around a while longer. Seattle is extending Tyler Ott, they announced on Twitter.
Terms of the deal weren’t immediately disclosed, but the team’s announcement said it was a “multi-year” contract. An undrafted free agent from Harvard, Ott originally signed with the Patriots back in 2014. He never made the 53-man roster and after a brief stint with the Rams, he landed with the Giants. After a short stay in New York and another one with the Bengals, he finally settled in Seattle.
He’s snapped in all 16 games for the Seahawks each of the past two seasons. As Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times pointed out in a tweet, Ott would’ve been a restricted free agent after this season prior to this extension. Seattle should have a solid special teams unit for years to come with Ott, punter Michael Dickson, and kicker Jason Myers all in the fold.
Cardinals Sign Andre Branch
The Cardinals are bringing in another veteran edge defender. Former Jaguars and Dolphins defensive end Andre Branch agreed to terms with the Cardinals on a one-year deal, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes.
Branch spent the past three seasons in Miami but was one of the many veterans the Dolphins jettisoned this offseason. The Cardinals recently released Matt Longacre, and Branch looks like the team’s latest veteran depth option in its Chandler Jones– and Terrell Suggs-fronted group. Branch, 30, met with the Cardinals in June.
While Branch has only played in 4-3 schemes, the Cardinals are likely adding him to rush the passer. So, his role in their 3-4 scheme likely does not stand to be too different. Branch also played under new Cardinals DC Vance Joseph in 2016. No other team was connected to the seven-year veteran this offseason.
The former second-round Jaguars pick has 25.5 career sacks (1.5 in 14 games last season). He registered 10 between the 2016 and ’17 seasons, with the Dolphins previously signing him to a three-year, $24MM deal. Branch joins Suggs and Brooks Reed as Jones complementary cogs Arizona added this year.