NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/1/19
Today’s draft pick signings:
- The Redskins have signed seventh-round defensive end Jordan Brailford, according to his agents at DEC Management (Twitter link). Brailford, the second-to-last pick of the 2019 draft, should ink a four-year deal worth roughly $2.595MM, per Over the Cap. In his final season at Oklahoma State, Brailford appeared in 13 games and posted 38 tackles (17 for loss) and 10 sacks), but Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says he lacks the size and speed needed to play in space. Brailford will likely compete for backup and special teams duties during his rookie campaign.
Ravens DT Michael Pierce Signs RFA Tender
Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Pierce will now earn $3.095MM for the 2019 season.
The deadline has already passed for NFL teams to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets, so Pierce didn’t have the ability to leave Baltimore. A rival club would have had to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Pierce, and while he’s an excellent player, the relatively low positional value for run-stuffing defensive tackles made such a scenario unlikely.
Pierce, 26, has appeared in 46 games for the Ravens since going undrafted in the 2016 draft. The 6’0″, 340-pounder played behind stalwart Brandon Williams on Baltimore’s interior defensive line last season, managing four tackles for loss on 389 total snaps. Pro Football Focus graded Pierce as the fifth-best defensive tackle in the league, and also ranked him 11th among interior defenders in run-stop percentage.
With Pierce now under contract, the only restricted free agents yet to sign their tenders are Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson, Rams linebacker Cory Littleton, and Rams cornerback Troy Hill.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/1/19
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: G David Bright
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB D.J. Alexander
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: T Darrell Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: CB Dee Delaney, QB Luke Falk, DE Jeremiah Valoaga
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: LB Asantay Brown, G Kaleb Johnson, CB Chandon Sullivan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S P.J. Locke (undrafted college free agent)
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: OL Marcus Henry
Steelers To Decline CB Artie Burns’ Option
The Steelers are not expected to exercise cornerback Artie Burns‘ fifth-year option for the 2020 season, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
[RELATED: 2020 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
Burns turns 24 years old today, so Pittsburgh’s decision comes as an unwelcome birthday present. Had the Steelers opted to pick up his option, Burns would have been scheduled to earn $9.954MM in 2020, but that total would have guaranteed for injury only. If Burns had remained healthy but underwhelmed with his play during the upcoming season, Pittsburgh could have cut bait with no financial ramifications.
The 25th pick of the 2016 draft, Burns started 25 games during his first two years with the Steelers, posting four total interceptions during that time. Things fell apart in 2018, as Burns was benched multiple times and ultimately started only six contests. Football Outsiders charted Burns with just a 42% success rate in coverage, which would have ranked him in the bottom-third of the league had he posted enough snaps to qualify.
Burns isn’t necessarily a lock for the Steelers’ 2019 roster, as the club would incur only ~$1.3MM in dead money by waiving him in the coming months. If he does return, Burns is likely to be buried on Pittsburgh’s secondary depth chart. Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, and free agent addition Steven Nelson project as the Steelers’ starting corners, while 2017 third-round pick Cameron Sutton and rookie third-rounder Justin Layne will also compete for snaps.
Texans To Sign S Jahleel Addae
The Texans have agreed to sign free agent safety Jahleel Addae, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. 
Addae, 29, was released by the Chargers just prior to the start of free agency after spending six years with the club. While a number of other safeties found hefty — and in Landon Collins‘ case, record-breaking — contracts on the open market, Addae hadn’t generated any known interest since being cut loose by Los Angeles.
The fact that he’s nearing 30 years of age may have softened Addae’s market, but his sub-par play in 2018 likely also had something to with his lack of suitors. Addae started all 16 games for the second consecutive season, but Pro Football Focus (which had previously assigned Addae high marks) graded him as just the No. 76 safety among 93 qualifiers. That rating was almost all a result of a precipitous decline in his pass coverage grade, although his run defense also took a slight step backward.
Where exactly Addae will play in Houston is unclear. The Texans have already replaced Tyrann Mathieu with free agent addition Tashaun Gipson, while 2018 rookie Justin Reid will return after playing nearly 1,000 snaps during his debut campaign. All three of Addae, Gipson, Reid played primarily free safety last season, but Addae spent the most total snaps (207) in the box, so he could play something of a third linebacker role if needed.
Redskins Decline WR Josh Doctson’s Option
The Redskins have declined wide receiver Josh Doctson‘s fifth-year option for 2020, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).
[RELATED: 2020 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
Doctson was part of a 2016 first-round receiver class that has — for the most part — failed to live up to expectations. Of the four wideouts selected in the top-32 of that draft, only the Texans’ Will Fuller had his fifth-year option exercised. Vikings pass-catcher Laquon Treadwell joined Doctson in having his option declined, while Corey Coleman‘s option wasn’t even applicable given that he’s been released multiple times.
Had the Redskins picked up his option, Docston would have been due $10.162MM for the 2020 campaign, an untenable figure given his lack of NFL production. Doctson appeared in only two games in his rookie season due to injury, and he averaged just 40 receptions, 517 yards, and four touchdowns in each of the past two years. Efficiency was a problem for the 26-year-old in 2018, as he ranked 96th out of 107 qualifying receivers in yards per route run, per Pro Football Focus.
Washington added two receivers in the 2019 draft, taking Ohio State’s Terry McLaurin in the third round and North Carolina State’s Kelvin Harmon in the sixth. They’ll join a roster that already includes Doctson, Paul Richardson, Brian Quick, and Trey Quinn, among others.
Bills To Decline Shaq Lawson’s Option
Shaq Lawson is on track for unrestricted free agency following the 2019 season. The Bills will not pick up the defensive end’s fifth-year option, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Lawson, a 2016 first-rounder, was a trade/cut candidate last offseason, though he ultimately remained with the club. He performed reasonably well despite the uncertainty, compiling four sacks for the second year in a row across 14 games (six starts). Lawson also set a career-high in defensive snaps, and graded out as an above-average edge defender, per Pro Football Focus, but ultimately didn’t do enough to coax the Bills into picking up his pricey option for 2020.
In the draft, the Bills added top defensive tackle prospect Ed Oliver in the first round to further bolster their front seven. Next year, they could be in the hunt for edge help.
You can keep track of all fifth-year option decisions for 2016 first round picks by going here.
Titans To Decline Jack Conklin’s Option
The Titans will not pick up Jack Conklin‘s 2020 option, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). This was not necessarily the expected outcome for the former First-Team All-Pro. 
The 24-year-old (25 in August) started in every possible game in his first two seasons in the league. However, things turned a bit in the Titans’ divisional round loss to the Patriots following the 2017 season. Conklin’s torn ACL sidelined him for the offseason plus the first three games of 2018. Then, Conklin landed back on IR in December of last year.
In between the maladies, Conklin was not as sharp as his rookie self. Reading between the lines, it sounds as though the Titans have doubts about how well Conklin can recover from his knee injuries and concussions.
Last year, Conklin graded out as the 45th ranked tackle in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. That positions Conklin as a starting-caliber tackle, but not an elite one, making his would-be $12.866MM salary for 2020 a bit too rich for the Titans’ blood.
Raiders Re-Sign Doug Martin
The Raiders have agreed to re-sign running back Doug Martin, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). With that, Oakland has a “replacement” for Isaiah Crowell, who is likely done for the year after suffering a torn Achilles. 
Last year, Martin led the team with 723 yards on the ground and averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry. This time around, he may not be the team’s top ball carrier. On Thursday, the Raiders used a first round pick on Josh Jacobs and all indications are that they have big plans for the Alabama product.
Back in November, Jon Gruden indicated that he wanted Martin back for another season. It took longer than anticipated, but the veteran has himself a deal for 2019.
“He’s a good back. I think I’ll say it again and again, he’s a very good player,” Gruden said. “He’s been a great player in this league. He’s running it. He’s catching it. He picked up some blitz that were flushed. We did a lot of good things on the film that I look at.”
Still, Martin should be able to carve out a decent role, particularly in the wake of Marshawn Lynch‘s retirement. In addition to Jacobs and Martin, the Raiders have Jalen Richard, Chris Warren III, and DeAndre Washington on hand to keep the chains moving.
Saints To Decline Eli Apple’s Option
This will be a prove-it year for cornerback Eli Apple. The Saints will not exercise the former first-round pick’s option for 2020, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The Saints had until Friday to exercise the 2020 option for Apple, which would have paid him $13.7MM (guaranteed for injury only) in the additional season. Given that Apple has missed time in the past, the extra year would have been a bit of a gamble.
Still, Apple has given the Saints reason to believe in his abilities. After coming over from the Giants in a midseason trade, the 23-year-old (24 in August) logged two interceptions and started in all ten of his games in New Orleans. Apple graded out as just the No. 64 ranked corner in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus, but it’s clear that the change of scenery has helped him.
For now, Apple will earn just $2.5MM in base pay for 2019, making him a solid value as a starter. If he takes another step forward in 2019, a more lucrative deal could be in his future.