Jets Sign CB Brian Poole
The Jets have agreed to sign cornerback Brian Poole to a one-year, $3.5MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Poole, 26, was recently non-tendered by the Falcons as a restricted free agency. Financially speaking, however, Poole is going to come out ahead on his new deal with New York. The original round tender would have netted Poole only $2.025MM and wouldn’t have come with any guarantees. He’ll earn more with the Jets, and likely secured some level of guaranteed money.
In line to replace Buster Skrine as the Jets’ slot corner, Poole set new career highs in in tackles (74), sacks (three), and interceptions (three) last season. However, most advanced metrics weren’t complimentary of Poole’s play. Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 81 CB among 112 qualifiers, while Poole ranked as bottom-three corner in success rate, per Football Outsiders’ charting data.
Poole had drawn other interest around the league before signing with the Jets, taking a visit with the Bengals on Wednesday.
49ers Sign WR Jordan Matthews
The 49ers have signed free agent wideout Jordan Matthews, the club announced today. 
The fifth-year wideout should slide right into a serviceable role as receiver who can play both on the outside and in the slot. He figures to feature primarily inside, with Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis serving on the outside.
The 49ers definitely had a need at the position, with only Goodwin, Pettis, Trent Taylor and Kendrick Bourne the only receivers on the team with much experience.
Matthews broke into the league in 2014 and immediately impressed, logging 67 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. He followed that up with another eight scoring grabs and a career-best 85 catches in 2015 before logging 73 receptions in 2016. He then spent a year in Buffalo after being traded for cornerback Ronald Darby.
After a year with the Bills, Matthews signed a one-year deal with the Patriots but was cut before the start of the 2018 season. He then returned to the Eagles, and added 20 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
Giants To Sign Markus Golden
The Giants have agreed to a one-year deal with edge rusher Markus Golden, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Golden will leave the Cardinals to follow former Arizona defensive coordinator James Bettcher to New York. At only 28 years of age, Golden had developed a market in free agency, with the Raiders, Buccaneers, and Chiefs all expressing various levels of interest.
In 2016, Golden notched 12.5 sacks for the Cardinals. Unfortunately, a torn ACL ended his 2017 campaign early and cost him time in 2018. He managed to return for eleven games last year, but he wasn’t the same player – Golden had just 2.5 sacks and 30 tackles and graded out as one of the lowest-ranked edge defenders in the league, per Pro Football Focus.
Golden should get plenty of opportunities to rush the passer in New York. No other Giants player has posted more than 10 career sacks, and Big Blue finished 31st in adjusted sack rate a year ago.
Cardinals Sign WR Kevin White
The Cardinals will sign free agent wideout Kevin White after meeting with him on Thursday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The Cardinals also confirmed the signing and announced that it is a one-year pact.
It’s difficult to call White anything other than a first-round bust at this point. Many observers were high on White’s talent when he left West Virginia to enter the 2015 draft, and that upside made him the seventh overall pick of the Bears. But he simply hasn’t been able to stay on the field.
Various injuries have cost White time over the past four seasons, with shin and shoulder ailments doing the most damage. White missed the entirety of his rookie campaign, and subsequently appeared in only 16 games in the following three years. 2018 actually marked White’s healthiest years (he played in nine games), but he only posted four receptions for 92 yards.
Arizona is looking to surround its quarterback of the future — be that Josh Rosen or Kyler Murray — with weapons. At present, the club’s wide receiver depth chart is topped by Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and Chad Williams.
49ers Cut Brock Coyle, Who Will Retire
The 49ers released linebacker Brock Coyle on Thursday, the team announced. San Francisco also signed linebacker David Mayo to a two-year deal and announced linebacker Elijah Lee has signed his exclusive rights tender. 
Coyle later announced his retirement from football due to the back injury that cut his season short in 2018 [Twitter link].
Injuries are a part of this game and it is a risk all players willingly take when we step onto the field. Unfortunately, the injury I sustained last season is one that will prevent me from returning to the field again.
Coyle, 28, joined the 49ers in 2017 on a one-year deal and impressed, starting 10 games and appearing in all contests while registering a career-high 62 tackles. He signed a three-year deal in the ensuing offseason but only played in one game in 2018 due to the injury.
Mayo, 25, was a fifth-round pick by the Panthers out of Texas State in 2015. He has appeared in all but one regular season game in the last three seasons with Carolina, making four starts and logging a combined 35 tackles. While he didn’t see a ton of action on the defensive side of the ball, Mayo is a strong contributor on special teams.
Lee, 23, was a seventh-round pick by the Vikings in 2017. The 49ers signed the Kansas State product off Minnesota’s practice squad that same season and he has appeared in 30 of a possible 32 games in his career. In 2018, the linebacker made five starts and logged 65 tackles with a sack and forced fumble.
Saints Re-Sign Teddy Bridgewater
The Saints have re-signed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the team announced. The news was first reported by Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
It’s a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $7.25MM for Bridgewater, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The pact has a maximum value of $12.5MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The Dolphins were also interested in Bridgewater, and met with him when the free agent period opened on Wednesday. Miami likely could have offered Bridgewater a starting role, but he only would have joined the Dolphins for “life-changing money,” tweets Russini. Bridgewater may see himself as Drew Brees‘ heir apparent, although Brees has shown no signs of slowing down, and Bridgewater’s pact will only keep him with the Saints for a single season.
Bridgewater, of course, suffered a gruesome leg injury in 2016 that knocked him out of action for the following two seasons. He inked a one-year deal with the Jets last offseason, but was eventually dealt to the Saints for a third-round pick. Bridgewater started New Orleans’ final regular season game, completing 14-of-22 passes for 118 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Bridgewater started 28 games for the Vikings from 2014-15, averaging 3,075 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions during that time. Among the 30 quarterbacks who attempted at least 500 passes in those two seasons, Bridgewater ranked 22nd in passer rating, 25th in adjusted net yards per attempt, and 29th in touchdown percentage
Giants To Re-Sign CB Tony Lippett
The Giants have re-signed cornerback Tony Lippett to a one-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Lippett, who transformed from a collegiate wideout to an NFL corner, was a 13-game starter for the Dolphins in 2016, but didn’t make it through final cutdowns in 2018 after missing the previous season with a torn Achilles. He worked out for a number of teams last season, and ultimately landed with the Giants in October. Although he appeared in three games, Lippett saw only 12 snaps on defense.
Lippett could potentially be in for more work in 2019, as the Giants don’t have much at cornerback behind Janoris Jenkins, especially now that B.W. Webb departed via free agency. Still only 26 years old, Lippett will fight Sam Beal, Antonio Hamilton, and others for playing time.
Patriots To Sign Mike Pennel, Matt LaCosse
While some teams are splurging, the Patriots are spreading the wealth. On Thursday afternoon, the Pats agreed to sign former Jets defensive lineman Mike Pennel and former Broncos tight end Matt LaCosse, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a two-year deal for Pennel, per his agent (Twitter link).
Pennel was a staple of the Jets’ defense in recent years, appearing in every game over the last two seasons. His Jets stint, which included ten starts, yielded an average of 31 tackles per season with zero sacks. His traditional stats did not jump off of the page, but the advanced metrics were very high on his work in 2018. Pennel was tied as the 14th best defensive tackle in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus, though his 358 snaps were the lowest sum of anyone in the top 40. Earlier this month, the Jets turned down his option.
LaCosse had 24 catches and 250 yards while filling in as the Broncos’ starting tight end for a period last year, but Denver non-tendered him this offseason. With Rob Gronkowski‘s status for next year still up in the air, LaCosse could be an option to help fill the gap, albeit one with less star power.
Patriots To Sign WR Maurice Harris
On Thursday morning, the Patriots met with Redskins free agent Maurice Harris and fellow free agent wide receiver Bruce Ellington. After agreeing to sign Ellington, they said, “Why choose?” 
The Patriots have agreed to sign Harris, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known.
Harris had 28 catches for 304 yards last season, but the Redskins opted against tendering him as a restricted free agent. The Patriots, in need of wide receiver help, have moved to add two solid options in one day. Of course, they aimed higher earlier in the week, but pursuits of Golden Tate, Cole Beasley, and Adam Humphries came up short.
Currently, the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart is topped by Julian Edelman, Ellington, and Harris. With the draft and the second wave of free agency still ahead, you can expect that to change.
Lions To Sign Andrew Adams
After meeting with him earlier today, the Lions will sign former Tampa Bay safety Andrew Adams per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). It will be a one-year pact for the 26-year-old free agent.
Adams had four interceptions last season, but he did not receive a restricted free agent tender from the Bucs. He did play for Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni at UConn, so he could be a natural fit in Detroit. He will help to replace Glover Quin, who was released in February.
Adams, a former undrafted free agent, compiled nine passes defended and 38 tackles in 2018, giving him his third-straight season with at least 30 tackles. On the flip side, he ultimately ranked 78th in Pro Football Focus‘ safety rankings, and he earned his worst score in three years.