Rams Sign Second-Round Pick Taylor Rapp
In recent years, the Rams have been the last team to start signing their incoming rookies. On Friday, they finally put a dent in their draft class by signing second-round safety Taylor Rapp as well as seventh-round picks Nick Scott and Dakota Allen. 
Rapp, a University of Washington product, notched 59 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, and three fumble recoveries last season. In his first year with the Rams, he’s expected to support starters Eric Weddle and John Johnson.
Rapp profiled as one of the best open-field tackling safeties in this year’s class and has a strong football IQ for a player of his age. After he opened his collegiate career with four interceptions but saw that number tail off with time, it’ll be interesting to see if he has a nose for the ball at the pro level.
With Rapp, Scott, and Allen signed, the Rams are left with five unsigned rookies to go, as shown in PFR’s tracker.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/6/19
On one end of the Thursday transactions: Carson Wentz. On the other: today’s minor moves.
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: T Andrew Lauderdale
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Ka’John Armstrong
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Jordan Smallwood
Washington Redskins
- Waived: TE Manasseh Garner
Eagles, Carson Wentz Agree To Extension
The Eagles did not waste much time. They have come to terms on a four-year extension with Carson Wentz, the team announcing the deal. Negotiations commenced for at least a few weeks, and the 26-year-old quarterback is now committed to the Eagles through the 2024 season.
Wentz’s new-money figures: four years, $128MM, with more than $107MM in total guarantees and $66MM guaranteed at signing, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The contract can escalate to $144MM in new money, Schefter tweets. Two years remained on Wentz’s rookie deal, so in totality, this is a six-year, $154MM pact. While Wentz did not reach Russell Wilson‘s $35MM-per-year agreement — though, he did eclipse Wilson and all others in total guarantees — he comes in just below Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers in average annual value.
As a 2016 draftee, Wentz only became extension-eligible in January and has dealt with season-ending injuries in each of the past two years. But the Eagles continue to show tremendous faith in their centerpiece player. Wentz no longer has any limitations from the back injury that halted his 2018 season, but a player who also missed much of his senior season at North Dakota State due to injury (broken wrist) obviously brings risk to extend at a top-end price.
Torn knee ligaments ended Wentz’s bid to become the 2017 MVP, and Nick Foles proceeded to play so well in the playoffs a statue of he and Doug Pederson now stands outside of Lincoln Financial Field. Foles, whose late-season work keyed another Philadelphia playoff berth last season, is now in Jacksonville. The Eagles are clearly confident Wentz is their future. He will be 32 when this deal expires.
The Eagles gave the Browns plenty in trading up to the 2016 No. 2 slot to select a Division I-FCS quarterback, but his 2017 revealed immense potential. Wentz threw 33 touchdown passes in 13 games, and his 78.5 Total QBR ranked second that season. Last year, Wentz’s touchdown percentage predictably regressed — going from 7.5 to 5.2 — but his yards-per-attempt and completion percentages figures went up (7.7 yards and 69.6 percent, respectively). He finished an abbreviated 2018 season with 21 touchdown passes and seven interceptions, but the Eagles were just 5-6 in his starts (and 4-1 in Foles regular-season outings).
Howie Roseman has done well to keep the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII core in place long-term, having finalized 2019 deals with Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce as well. Key members of the championship team now signed through at least 2021: Wentz, Graham, Kelce, Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffery, Lane Johnson and Fletcher Cox.
A promising young passer now signed long-term, this agreement will certainly change the quarterback market. It will provide a clearer road map for fellow 2016 draftees Jared Goff and Dak Prescott, the latter being a 2020 free agent, along with Patrick Mahomes when that time comes.
Redskins Sign Terry McLaurin
The Redskins have officially wrapped up their 2019 NFL Draft class. On Thursday, the club announced the signing of third-round wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
McLaurin’s 35 catches for 701 yards last year don’t necessarily jump off of the page, but he proved to have a presence in the red zone with eleven touchdowns. After selecting Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round, the Redskins are hopeful they can keep the chemistry going at the pro level. For now, he projects to sit somewhere behind Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, and Cam Sims on the wide receiver depth chart. Fellow rookie receiver Kelvin Harmon will also battle for playing time, but McLaurin’s special teams acumen should work in his favor.
Here’s the full rundown of the Redskins’ draft class, courtesy of PFR’s tracker:
- 1-15: Dwayne Haskins, QB (Ohio State): Signed
- 1-26: Montez Sweat, DE (Mississippi State): Signed
- 3-76: Terry McLaurin, WR (Ohio State): Signed
- 4-112: Bryce Love, RB (Stanford): Signed
- 4-131: Wes Martin, G (Indiana): Signed
- 5-153: Ross Pierschbacher, C (Alabama): Signed
- 5-173: Cole Holcomb, LB (North Carolina): Signed
- 6-206: Kelvin Harmon, WR (North Carolina State): Signed
- 7-227: Jimmy Moreland, CB (James Madison): Signed
- 7-253: Jordan Brailford, DE (Oklahoma State): Signed
49ers, Joe Staley Agree To Extension
Joe Staley is no longer in a contract year. The longtime 49ers left tackle agreed to a two-year extension to stay with the team through 2021, the 49ers announced Wednesday night.
Back in April, the six-time Pro Bowler had not yet decided about playing beyond the 2019 season. Evidently, he now has. This new deal will tether Staley to the 49ers through his age-37 season. At the 49ers’ state of the franchise event, Staley indicated a desire to play for only one NFL team (video link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Staley’s two-year extension includes $27.6MM in new money, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). With the add-on, the veteran can now make $36.15MM total over the next three years.
The 34-year-old lineman has started all 174 regular-season games he’s played since being a 2007 first-round pick. He sits 13th on the 49ers’ all-time games-played list and is on the cusp of climbing into the top 10. Staley playing out this extension would give him a chance to trail only Jerry Rice on this list. Among non-quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters, only Larry Fitzgerald has started more games (232) for the team that drafted him than Staley.
Despite being in his 12th season in 2018, Staley graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 overall tackle. And that lofty grade represented a slight dip from his performances for most of this decade. The 49ers are clearly comfortable beginning their full-fledged Jimmy Garoppolo era with their longest-tenured player serving as his top protector.
The 49ers now have Staley, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, guards Laken Tomlinson and Mike Person, and center Weston Richburg signed through at least 2021. Staley was set to count $10.95MM against the 49ers’ cap this season; that number can be expected to go down due to this extension.
Texans Finalize Draft Class Deals
Another team has completed its rookie contracts. Third-round tight end Kahale Warring represented the final piece of that puzzle for the Texans.
Warring joins the other six Houston 2019 draftees, four of which coming from non-power-conference schools, at Texans OTAs. The Texans are set to convene for minicamp next week, when they will see three tight ends drafted in the past two years in action.
The 6-foot-5 target joins a thin Texans tight end corps, which also houses veteran Darren Fells and 2018 third- and sixth-round picks — Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas. The latter caught four touchdown passes as a rookie. Warring hails from San Diego State, where he played three seasons. He caught 51 passes for 637 yards and eight touchdowns with the Aztecs, almost all of his relevant work coming over the past two seasons.
Here is the Texans’ 2019 draft class:
- 1-23: Tytus Howard, T (Alabama State): Signed
- 2-54: Lonnie Johnson, CB (Kentucky): Signed
- 2-55: Max Scharping, T (Northern Illinois): Signed
- 3-86: Kahale Warring, TE (San Diego State): Signed
- 5-161: Charles Omenihu, DE (Texas): Signed
- 6-195: Xavier Crawford, CB (Central Michigan): Signed
- 7-220: Cullen Gillaspia, RB (Texas A&M): Signed
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/5/19
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nate Becker, DT L.T. Walton
- Waived: TE Moral Stephens, DT Quindarius Thagard
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Javien Elliott
- Waived: G Brendan Mahon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Taj McGowan
- Waived: DL Khairi Clark
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Trae Elston
- Waived: LB B.J. Bello
Browns Release OT Desmond Harrison
The Browns have waived tackle Desmond Harrison, according to a team announcement. Harrison joined the Browns as an undrafted free agent last year and went on to start eight games at left tackle, so his release comes as a surprise. 
Harrison was released because he was late and even missing appointments with the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. And, when addressing reporters, head coach Freddie Kitchens explained that Harrison missed the start of the team’s mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Given his talent and inexpensive contract, there’s a high probability of Harrison being claimed off waivers in the next 24 hours.
Harrison, 25, opened the 2018 season as the starter at left tackle before Greg Robinson took over in the second half of the season. This year, Harrison was expected to be a key sub, but the 6’6″ lineman will try to make it work elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Browns will likely turn to Kendall Lamm as their first tackle off of the bench.
Ravens To Sign First-Round Pick Marquise Brown
The Ravens announced that they’ve verbally agreed to a deal with first-round pick Marquise Brown. In accordance with his slot, the wide receiver will receive a four-year, $11.8MM deal with a $6.6MM signing bonus. 
The Ravens have yet to get Brown on the field, but he’s expected to have a big role in the offense once he heals up from his February foot surgery. After the Oklahoma product cracked 1,000 yards receiving with an average of 19.2 yards per catch last year, the Ravens are expecting big things from the man they call “Hollywood.”
There are some concerns about Brown’s durability due to his aforementioned foot malady and his skinny frame, but his speed should allow him to excel from the jump. There was no true consensus on the draft’s top wide receiver this year, but Brown could easily prove to be the best of the bunch.
With Brown (effectively) under contract, that leaves third-round wide receiver Miles Boykin as the lone unsigned player from the Ravens’ draft class.
Jaguars Sign DT Datone Jones
The Jaguars have agreed to sign free agent defensive tackle Datone Jones, according to his agents at DEC Management (Twitter link). In a corresponding move, Jacksonville has waived defensive end Shane Bowman, per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The club has since confirmed the transaction.
Jones, 28, was selected by the Packers with the 26th overall pick of the 2013 draft, but he’s never been able to put it all together at the NFL level. In four seasons with Green Bay, Jones appeared in 60 games, but made only seven starts and never topped 600 snaps in any individual campaign. Jones posted just nine total sacks with the Packers, who subsequently declined his fifth-year option and allowed him to hit free agency in 2017.
After reaching the open market, Jones signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, but didn’t make Minnesota’s final roster. He bounced around the NFL, spending time with the Lions and 49ers before landing with the Cowboys midway through the 2017 season. Jones played Dallas’ season opener last year, but a hamstring injury ended his season in early September.
Jones will face an uphill battle to make the Jaguars’ roster. Fellow defensive tackles Marcell Dareus, Abry Jones, and Taven Bryan are locks for Jacksonville’s 53, so Jones will likely compete with rookie seventh-rounder Dontavius Russell for a roster spot.