Cardinals Select Jalen Thompson In Supplemental Draft
The Cardinals have selected Washington State defensive back Jalen Thompson in the fifth round of the NFL’s Supplemental Draft, according to multiple reports. By doing so, the Cardinals will give up their fifth round pick in the 2020 draft. 
Thompson was one of five entrants in this year’s second-chance draft and was universally regarded as the best prospect of the bunch. The Packers and Texans also showed interest in the youngster, but the Cardinals won out. It’s not yet known if the Packers or Texans placed bids on Thompson, but we do know that their draft priority (Nos. 10 and 26, respectively) was behind the Cardinals’ (No. 4).
Thompson attained freshman All-America status in 2016, was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection as a sophomore, and wrapped up his Cougars career with six INTs. In 2018, he picked off two passes, made 66 tackles and forced a fumble.
Thompson lost his final year of NCAA eligibility when he reportedly purchased an over-the-counter supplement at a local nutrition store. A source told Theo Lawson of The Spokesman-Review that the supplement in question was not a steroid, but it was enough to bring the defensive back’s collegiate career to an end. If not for that, Thompson might have been a fourth or fifth-round talent in the 2020 class.
Some in the Cardinals organization believe that Jalen Thompson is a better safety prospect than Deionte Thompson, the club’s fifth-round pick in April. If J. Thompson can impress this summer, there could be big things in store for him in Arizona.
Raiders Sign RB Josh Jacobs
It’s a done deal. The Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs have agreed to terms, according to Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal (on Twitter). 
Per the terms of his slot as the No. 24 overall pick, it’ll be a four-year, $11.9MM deal for the Alabama product. And, because Jacobs is a first-round pick, the Raiders will hold a team option on a fifth season. The additional year is guaranteed for injury only, giving Oakland flexibility in the event that things do not work out.
Recently, we heard rumblings of a major stall in negotiations between the Raiders and Jacobs. There was reportedly concern that the running back would not show for training camp on July 23, but the two sides apparently worked out a disagreement over the payment schedule of his signing bonus.
It’s a fully guaranteed deal, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), meaning that the top 24 picks in this year’s draft will have completely guaranteed pacts. That’s an uptick from 2018, when the top 22 got full guarantees.
Jacobs, the first running back to come off of the board in April’s draft, averaged 5.9 yards per carry over the course of his career at Alabama. Evaluators believe that Jacobs has the ideal size and frame to be an every-down back at the next level, though there is concern about his overall speed.
With Jacobs in the fold, all of the Raiders’ draft picks are now under contract. His signing leaves just five unsigned first-round picks around the league: Nick Bosa (49ers, No. 2 overall), Quinnen Williams (Jets, No. 3), Devin White (Buccaneers, No. 5), Daniel Jones (Giants, No. 6), and Brian Burns (Panthers, No. 16).
Former Lions Safety Glover Quin Retires
Former Lions safety Glover Quin announced his retirement early Monday morning. At the age of 33, Quin has decided to move on to other endeavors. 
“Playing professional sports was always a dream of mine. Football was the route I chose and God blessed me to be able to persevere through all the hardships and play 10 years in the NFL,” Quin wrote in a text message to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity I had to play in the NFL with such great players and two great organizations.
“Football was never who I was as a person. It was always what I had done. I wanted to use football as a stepping stone into the rest of my life and not let football be my life. I always only wanted to play 10 years. Said if I was able to walk off the field after the last game in Year 10, it would be really hard for me to walk back on. I’m young, I’m healthy and I got a lot of life to live. So I’m walking away from the game of football.”
The Lions released safety Glover Quin in February, but his run with Detroit could have ended much sooner. Quin actually asked the team to release him in the previous offseason, shortly after the team hired Matt Patricia However, the Lions obviously declined, and kept Quin for the 2018 campaign before cutting ties.
Quin started in all 16 of the Lions’ games in 2018, but saw some of his play time eaten into by rookie Tracy Walker down the stretch. Although his performance dipped near the end, he left the game with a 148-game starting streak, the highest of any active safety in the NFL up until his retirement.
The New Mexico product enjoyed the best season of his career in 2014 when he earned a Pro Bowl nod and registered seven interceptions. Over his decade in the NFL with the Texans and Lions, Quin recorded 24 interceptions and 740 tackles in total.
Bucs Sign Third-Round CB Jamel Dean
With rookies set to report to training camp in two weeks, the Buccaneers have almost finished signing their entire draft class. Today, the organization announced that they’ve signed third-round cornerback Jamel Dean to his rookie contract.
Dean struggled through knee injuries early in his collegiate career, but the defensive back improved his draft stock over the past two seasons. In 26 games at Auburn, Dean compiled 73 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and 17 passes defended. The cornerback’s measurables (six-foot-one, 206 pounds) already impressed scouts, but he stole the show at the NFL Scouting Combine after running the best 40-yard dash time among cornerback prospects.
The Buccaneers’ secondary struggled in 2018, meaning Dean should have an opportunity at a role heading into next season. Vernon Hargreaves and Carlton Davis are projected to start on the outside, while Ryan Smith or M.J. Stewart will have first dibs at the nickel spot. However, Dean will have a chance to compete with second-round rookie Sean Murphy-Bunting for backup reps.
Following today’s signing, first-round linebacker Devin White is the only Buccaneers rookie left unsigned. The Buccaneers’ entire draft haul is listed below:
- 1-5: Devin White, LB (LSU)
- 2-39: Sean Murphy-Bunting, CB (Central Michigan): Signed
- 3-94: Jamel Dean, CB (Auburn)
- 3-99: Mike Edwards, S (Kentucky): Signed
- 4-107: Anthony Nelson, DE (Iowa): Signed
- 5-145: Matt Gay, K (Utah): Signed
- 6-208: Scott Miller, WR (Bowling Green): Signed
- 7-215: Terry Beckner Jr., DT (Missouri): Signed
Saints DT David Onyemata Suspended One Game
It’s an otherwise slow Friday afternoon, but we already have our second suspension of the day. Not long after Rams center Aaron Neary was slapped with a four-game ban, Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata is being suspended for the first game of the 2019 season, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Schefter reports that it’s for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Onyemata was cited for Marijuana possession back in February, and the suspension likely stems from that incident. Onyemata was drafted in the fourth round back in 2016, and he’s taken on a big role in New Orleans. He played nearly 60 percent of the defensive snaps for the Saints last year, so this is a big loss.
Onyemata had an interesting path to the NFL, as he grew up in Nigeria. After moving to Canada, he became a breakout football star despite never having played the sport prior to moving. He was invited to the East-West Shrine Game despite never playing American college football, and the Saints drafted him 120th overall.
After playing a rotational role as a rookie, he started playing a lot more the last couple of years. In 2018 he racked up 35 tackles and 4.5 sacks while appearing in all 16 games and starting four. He received very strong marks from Pro Football Focus, grading out as their 24th-best defensive lineman last year. Sheldon Rankins tore his Achilles at the end of last season, and with Onyemata now on the shelf the Saints could be pretty thin at defensive tackle in Week 1.
Rams OL Aaron Neary Suspended 4 Games
The Rams’ offensive line depth is getting a bit thinner. Center Aaron Neary has been suspended for the first four games of the 2019 season, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
Neary originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington back in 2016. He’s been with the Rams for most of the last two seasons, and spent almost all of last year on the practice squad. The suspension was for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and it almost certainly stems from his arrest back in September for DUI.
The Rams stuck by him after that arrest, so this suspension shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise to them. They recently re-signed him to a reserve/futures deal back in February. The Rams let starting center John Sullivan walk in free agency, and will be rolling with unproven second-year player Brian Allen as the starter. Neary was going to compete for a backup role in camp, and the Rams are now a bit thin at center.
Neary originally signed with the Broncos back in 2016, and has bounced around a few stops. He’s had stints with the Eagles and Browns as well, but the only regular season action of his career came when he started a game for the Rams in Week 17 of 2017.
Chargers sign OT Brant Weiss, waive OT Koda Martin
The Chargers shuffled around the bottom of their roster Friday. The team is bringing in offensive tackle Brant Weiss, and waiving offensive tackle Koda Martin with an injury designation to make room for him.
Weiss went undrafted out of Toledo back in 2018, and signed with the Cardinals. After spending training camp and the preseason in the desert, he was cut by Arizona. He latched on with the AAF, playing for the ill-fated Arizona Hotshots. After the AAF folded, Weiss was re-signed by the Cardinals, but didn’t last very long on their roster.
Martin is a rookie undrafted free agent out of Syracuse. He started his college career at Texas A&M before moving on to Syracuse, where his father-in-law Dino Barbers is the head coach. Martin earned a third-team All-ACC selection for his work last season protecting Eric Dungey.
While neither of these players were ever likely to make much of an impact, Weiss can’t be counted out yet. The Chargers have an uncertain situation at tackle, to say the least. Right tackle Sam Tevi graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 74th-best tackle last year, and we still don’t have an update on left tackle Russell Okung‘s mysterious injury. The Chargers might end up needing tackle depth, and it wouldn’t be shocking if Weiss stuck around.
Buccaneers Sign C Josh LeRibeus
The Buccaneers have signed center Josh LeRibeus, according to a team announcement. LeRibeus, a former third-round pick of the Redskins, most recently played for the Saints. 
LeRibeus was one of five veteran players who took part in the Buccaneers’ minicamp in early June on a tryout deal. The SMU product profiles as a depth option for the Bucs and offers some experience in the way of 28 career appearances with 12 starts.
In 2015, LeRibeus was the starting center for the Redskins and helped them place 10th in scoring. He also made three starts at left guard for the Saints last year, but the Bucs probably plan to use him in the middle after referring to him as a center in their press release.
With LeRibeus in the fold, the Bucs are back to the 90-man roster max. Last week, they dropped down to 89 players with the release of running back Shaun Wilson.
Bengals Wrap Draft Class
The Bengals wrapped up their 10-man 2019 draft class today by signing third-round draft choice (No. 72 overall) Germaine Pratt. Pratt will earn just over $4MM over the life of his four-year deal and will pocket a signing bonus of a little more than $1MM.
Pratt, an NC State product, spent five seasons with the Wolfpack due to a 2016 redshirt season. He led the team in tackles (104) last year and earned First Team All-ACC honors. Cincinnati parted ways with Vontaze Burfict this offseason, and it does not appear that the club will re-sign former starter Vincent Rey, so linebacker was a clear need. Pratt, who has strong coverage skills in addition to his tackling abilities, should have a chance to contribute right away.
Here’s the full rundown of the Bengals’ class, courtesy of PFR’s tracker:
- 1-11: Jonah Williams, T (Alabama): Signed
- 2-52: Drew Sample, TE (Washington): Signed
- 3-72: Germaine Pratt, LB (North Carolina State): Signed
- 4-104: Ryan Finley, QB (North Carolina State): Signed
- 4-125: Renell Wren, DT (Arizona State): Signed
- 4-136: Michael Jordan, OL (Ohio State): Signed
- 6-182: Trayveon Williams, RB (Texas A&M): Signed
- 6-210: Deshaun Davis, LB (Auburn): Signed
- 6-211: Rodney Anderson, RB (Oklahoma): Signed
- 7-223: Jordan Brown, CB (South Dakota State): Signed
The Bengals recently received devastating news on Jonah Williams, who is likely to miss the entire 2019 season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder. Given that Sample may need some time to develop as a receiver, it looks like Pratt has a chance to be the Bengals’ most impactful rookie this year.
Jets Sign Chuma Edoga
The Jets have signed third-round pick Chuma Edoga, according to a team announcement. The offensive tackle will earn $3.4MM over the course of a four-year deal, in accordance with his slot. The deal also includes an $867K signing bonus. 
Edoga, one of the final draft picks to be made by Mike Maccagnan, protected quarterback Sam Darnold at USC. He started in 25 games for the Trojans, including 12 games as Darnold’s shield in 2017.
Edoga is remarkably athletic for a 308-pound lineman, but questions persist about his NFL potential. His core power is said to be substandard for the position and some teams red-flagged him for perceived maturity issues. In 2016, Edoga shoved an official to the ground and received a one-game suspension from the team.
With Edoga signed, the Jets have just one straggler remaining in No. 3 overall pick Quinnen Williams.