Patriots Re-Sign Danny Shelton
The Patriots have re-signed defensive tackle Danny Shelton, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known. 
Shelton hit the open market for the first time this offseason after the Pats declined his fifth-year option. He played well in a part-time capacity last season, grading as Pro Football Focus’ No. 27 overall interior defender. But it’s worth noting that Shelton was also a healthy scratch for multiple Pats games.
A better run defender than pass rusher, the 6’2″, 345-pound Shelton played on roughly a third of New England’s defensive snaps a year ago, the lowest playing time percentage of his career. In 13 games, Shelton 21 tackles (one for loss) and one quarterback hit.
The Patriots originally acquired Shelton and a fifth-round pick from the Browns in exchange for a third-round selection in March 2018. This offseason, his market was pretty quiet outside of a meeting with the Bengals.
Jets Sign P Matt Darr
On Monday, the Jets announced the signing of punter Matt Darr. This officially marks the first signing by interim GM/head coach Adam Gase.
Gase coached Darr in Miami, so he’s already familiar with his skill set. For now, he’ll give Gang Green a second punting option to evaluate alongside Lachlan Edwards.
Darr beat out Brandon Fields to become the Dolphins’ punter in 2015 and held the job in 2016, Gase’s first season in Miami. He was out of work in 2017, but hooked on with the Bills for five games last year. For his career, Darr owns 45.4 yards per kick average.
This is Gase’s first signing as the placeholder GM, but his second transaction –his first move came hours after Mike Maccagnan‘s dismissal when he shipped linebacker Darron Lee to the Chiefs for a late draft choice. Meanwhile, the Jets appear to be eyeing Peyton Manning for the permanent post, but it’s not clear if the QB is interested.
Colts Sign QB Chad Kelly
The Colts have signed quarterback Chad Kelly, according to a team announcement. In a related move, the Colts waived defensive tackle Jordan Thompson to make room. 
Kelly attended the team’s rookie minicamp as a tryout player earlier this month and showed enough to get a longer look. Given his history, this could be his last opportunity to make things work in the NFL.
Kelly was once considered one of the top QB prospects in the nation, but he was kicked out of Clemson and his senior season at Ole Miss was cut short by a torn ACL and lateral meniscus. The Broncos made him “Mr. Irrelevant” in 2017 with the final pick in the draft, but he had an opportunity to be very relevant and supplant Case Keenum as the club’s starter in 2018. That never came to fruition thanks to a bizarre October arrest and his subsequent release.
With the Colts, Kelly will try to stick as a backup behind Andrew Luck and Jacoby Brissett. Brissett is likely to pursue a starting job next offseason, so Kelly could conceivably have a path to being the No. 2 QB behind Luck in 2020 if all goes well.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/17/19
Here are today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: QB Jalan McClendon
- Waived: DT Kalil Morris
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Isaiah Johnson
- Waived: CB D.J. Killings
Texans Release TE Ryan Griffin
The Texans have released tight end Ryan Griffin, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Griffin was arrested last month in Nashville after allegedly punching a hotel window. 
The incident occurred near the site of the NFL Draft and made headlines for the Texans at an inopportune time. Hotel security reported Griffin to police, and the tight end was subsequently arrested and charged with vandalism and public intoxication. The player was also reportedly bleeding from his left hand, although the extent of the injury is not clear. Instead of writing Griffin a citation, police decided to arrest the player “for his own safety.” The tight end was ultimately released from jail after paying his bond.
The 2013 sixth-round pick has spent his entire six-year career with the Texans, serving in mostly a backup role. His best season came in 2016, when he hauled in a career-high 50 passes. Griffin started a career-high 11 games (in 14 appearance) in 2018, compiling 24 receptions for 305 yards. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance last season, ranking him 56th among 70 eligible tight ends.
After selecting San Diego State tight end Kahale Warring in the third round and adding free agent Darren Fells this offseason, the Texans had little reason to keep Griffin. By releasing him, the Texans have brought an early end to the three-year, $9MM extension ($3.22MM guaranteed) he inked back in 2017.
Patriots To Sign Brandon King To Extension
The Patriots are signing linebacker Brandon King to a 2-year extension, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). King will earn $3.5MM over the course of the two new years, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter).
King is a hybrid defensive back and outside linebacker, but hasn’t seen much time at either position. Instead, he has been a key cog in the third facet of the game for the Patriots since joining them as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn in 2015. King has appeared in 57 career games for the Patriots and has already won two Super Bowl rings in his young career.
Last year, King recorded 13 special teams tackles, good for ninth in the NFL. On the Patriots, he was third behind Nate Ebner (15) and Matthew Slater (14).
Quinton Dial Retires From NFL
Former 49ers and Packers defensive tackle Quinton Dial announced his retirement late Thursday night, via social media. Dial leaves the sport after five seasons and a recent knee surgery that made him reconsider his future. 
“I want to thank the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers for the opportunity that you gave a country boy from a small town in Alabama when no one else would,” Dial wrote. “To the fans, thanks for the countless memories that have made the last five years something special…I knew this day would come, but I didn’t know when. That is why I’ve prepared myself since becoming an NFL player; because you are one play away from your career being over. I’ve faced a lot of injuries throughout my career and I feel it is in my best interest to hang up the cleats and pursue another career.”
Dial notched 145 tackles with 4.5 sacks over the course of his career. He was out of the league in 2018, so today’s news doesn’t come as a huge surprise.
Panthers Sign WR Aldrick Robinson
The Panthers signed wide receiver Aldrick Robinson, according to a team announcement. Robinson, 31 in September, believes that he can provide Carolina with a reliable deep threat. 
“They want to stretch the field. They want me to add to that. They like my speed and my ability to open things up,” Robinson said. “I can create separation and get by defenders.”
Robinson ran a 4.43 at the NFL combine in 2011, leading the Redskins to draft him in the sixth round. The speedster has bounced around since then and spent the 2015 season out of football, but he managed to score five touchdowns with the Vikings in 2018. For his career, Robinson boasts a 16.9 yards per catch average, showing that he can open things up when given an opportunity.
With D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, Jarius Wright, Torrey Smith, and Chris Hogan also on hand, it’s not a given that Robinson will make the 53-man cut.
Ravens Sign WR Michael Floyd
The Ravens will sign wide receiver Michael Floyd to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Floyd, who was once a standout in the Cardinals’ offense, spent last season with the Redskins.
[RELATED: Ravens To Sign Shane Ray]
Floyd didn’t see a whole lot of action with Washington, making just three starts and notching only ten catches for 100 yards. But, he has three 800-plus-yard receiving seasons on his resume dating back to his time in Arizona.
Floyd’s best season came in 2013 when he hauled in 65 grabs for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. He following that up with a solid 47/841/6 showing in 2014 and averaged a career-high 17.9 yards per grab, a number that was topped only DeSean Jackson.
Ravens To Sign Shane Ray
The Ravens have agreed to sign Shane Ray, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The edge rusher’s deal is pending a physical, which may be more than a formality given his history. 
Ray has missed 13 games over the last two seasons with the Broncos due to various injuries. The LB/DE, who turns 26 on Saturday, hasn’t exactly lived up to his draft pedigree, but he has shown flashes of promise. The former first-round pick amassed four sacks as a reserve in his rookie season and tallied a career-high eight sacks in 2016.
Despite the setbacks, Ray drew interest from a handful of other teams this offseason, including the Seahawks, Colts, and Raiders. The Ravens arguably needed him more than any of those clubs after losing 2018 sack leader Za’Darius Smith to the Packers and all-time franchise sack leader Terrell Suggs to the Cardinals.