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Falcons Sign Round 2 DT Ruke Orhorhoro

May 13th, 2024 at 5:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons continue to add to the number of 2024 draftees on the books. Second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro signed his rookie deal on Monday, per a team announcement.

Atlanta provided the NFL world with the biggest surprise of the draft’s first night by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. The team added an eventual Kirk Cousins successor in the process, but they also tried to move back into the first-round order. The latter move would have seen the Falcons acquire No. 10 overall, thus allowing them to add a defensive player.

Edge rush was seen as a glaring need for Atlanta ahead of the draft, and the team has been linked to Dallas Turner with respect to its trade-up efforts. The same is also true for defensive tackle Byron Murphy, however. The latter was ultimately selected 16th overall (with Turner going one spot later), and he certainly would have been a logical target for Atlanta given the team’s later draft moves.

Upon trading up the second-round order, Orhorhoro was selected with the No. 35 pick. That surprisingly meant he heard his name called one slot before Jer’Zhan Newton, whom many viewed as a strong Day 1 candidates. Nevertheless, Orhorhoro and fourth-rounder Brandon Dorlus will have a notable role in the short- and long-term future on the defensive line.

The former spent five seasons at Clemson, developing as a pass rusher along the way. Orhorhoro posted eight tackles for loss in each of the past three years, totaling 11.5 sacks during that span. The 6-4, 295-pounder will earn just over $9.9MM across the next four campaigns, as noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Orhorhoro will split reps with Dorlus as well as veterans Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata along the Falcons’ defensive interior.

Here is an updated look at the Falcons’ rookie class:

Raiders Sign OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Finalize Draft Class

May 13th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders announced on Monday that second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson has inked his rookie contract. As a result, all eight members of the team’s draft class are now attached to their initial NFL deals.

The offensive tackle class was a headliner in 2024, but Powers-Johnson was one of the top interior blockers available. The Oregon product served as a full-time starter over the past two seasons, establishing himself as one of the most well-regarded interior linemen in college football during that span.

Powers-Johnson spent much of his time at right guard in 2022, but last season he was used exclusively a center. That produced a stellar campaign for the 6-3, 328-pounder; Powers-Johnson won the Rimington Trophy as the country’s top center (becoming the first Pac-12 player to do so). He was also named a unanimous first-team All-American, helping cement his draft stock.

Graham Barton was the only center to hear his name called on Day 1 of the draft, but Powers-Johnson (just like Zach Frazier) was selected in the second round. Starting roles likely await all three players in their rookie seasons, but Powers-Johnson is positioned to start his NFL tenure at right guard. The Raiders used Greg Van Roten at that spot last season, but he is unsigned.

Vegas has added Cody Whitehair to the fold as an interior blocker with starting experience. The same is also true of Andrus Peat, who has seen time at both tackle and guard and signed a deal last week. Those veterans will give head coach Antonio Pierce a number of potential combinations (alongside Powers-Johnson) to consider as training camp takes place.

Here is the full breakdown of the Raiders’ 2024 draft class:

Jets Sign First-Round T Olu Fashanu

May 13th, 2024 at 12:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets entered Monday without any of their 2024 draft picks having been signed. That has now changed, however, with first-round offensive tackle Olu Fashanu inking his rookie deal.

As ESPN’s Field Yates notes, this four-year pact will carry a value of $20.51MM. Like with all other Day 1 draftees, New York will have the ability to extend the contract by one more season via the fifth-year option. If the team does so, Fashanu will remain in place through the 2028 campaign.

Offensive line was a concern for the Jets entering the 2023 season, one in which Aaron Rodgers‘ debut New York campaign was cut short four plays into the season opener. After struggling with poor performance and injuries up front, adding at the tackle and guard spots was a priority this offseason. As a result, Morgan Moses was re-acquired via trade to regain his old right tackle spot.

That move was followed in short order by the signing of Tyron Smith. The former Cowboys All-Pro joined on a one-year deal, and he is in place as New York’s starter on the blindside. Both Moses and Smith are 33, however, and the former is also a pending free agent. A long-term investment at the tackle spot was thus a main concern entering the draft. While New York was high on wideout Rome Odunze, it came as little surprise when the team used the No. 11 pick (acquired in a swap with the Vikings) on Fashanu.

The Penn State product was seen as one of the top tackle prospects in the 2023 class, and it came as a surprise to many when he elected to remain in school for one more year. Nevertheless, Fashanu was squarely on the first-round radar this year despite being part of an extremely deep O-line class. The Jets also had interest in fellow tackle Troy Fautanu, but like other teams they had injury concerns which steered them elsewhere.

Fashanu does not have an immediate path to playing time as a rookie, but injuries have been a constant in Smith’s career and the usually-durable Moses missed three games last season. The 6-6, 313-pounder could therefore find himself on the field in relatively short order this year. Even if not, though, Fashanu should be a fixture up front for the team in 2025 and beyond.

Steelers, CB Anthony Averett Agree To Deal

May 12th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Anthony Averett was one of several experienced players who used rookie minicamps as a way to earn an NFL deal. The veteran corner spent the past few days at the Steelers’ camp, and that has indeed produced a contract.

[RELATED: Steelers Met With Cameron Sutton]

Averett’s agent told Pro Football Talk a one-year Pittsburgh agreement has been reached. The 29-year-old will thus spend the remainder of the offseason looking to earn a 53-man roster spot. The Steelers already have Joey Porter Jr. and trade acquisition Donte Jackson in place as projected starters, but Averett has notable first-team experience of his own.

The latter entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in 2018. Averett was used sparingly during his first two Baltimore campaigns, but he logged 18 starts across the 2020 and ’21 campaigns. That led to a one-year, $4MM Raiders agreement during his first trip to free agency. He was limited to just six games in 2022, however, something which hindered his market value.

Averett began last year with the 49ers, but he was let go amidst further injury issues. That led to a brief Lions practice squad agreement before San Francisco checked back in. No agreement was reached the second time around, though, and the Alabama product did not see any regular season action in 2023. He will aim to bounce back this season on a Steelers team which has made a number of moves on defense.

The team’s draft was centered mainly on offense, however, and sixth-rounder Ryan Watts represents Pittsburgh’s only rookie in the secondary. Veteran Patrick Peterson – who played with the Steelers last season but was released midway through his $14MM pact – remains unsigned. Head coach Mike Tomlin is open to bringing Peterson back into the fold, but it will be interesting to see if this Averett addition changes that stance.

Pittsburgh entered Sunday with over $18MM in cap space. With most of the team’s draft class having been signed already, the Steelers thus have the flexibility to make post-draft veteran additions such as this one. Averett’s pact will no doubt be a low-cost flier, but his previous starting experience gives this move a degree of upside.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/24

May 12th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Ely Allen

One draft pick from yesterday got missed, so we’ll mention them today:

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers felt lucky to have Wilson fall to them in the draft, and they were right to. Initial draft rankings listed Wilson as the class’s fourth-best off-ball linebacker. The three ahead of him were the first three linebackers taken in the draft, but lower projected linebackers Ty’Ron Hoppper and Marist Liufau heard their names called before Wilson, as well. Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, Pittsburgh selected Wilson near the end of the third round.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/24

May 12th, 2024 at 5:50pm CST by Ely Allen

Sunday’s minor transactions to wrap up the weekend:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With the conclusion of rookie minicamps, a number of teams have made a few additions from minicamp auditions of undrafted rookie free agents. Sweeney is a rare example of a non-rookie getting a second chance from a minicamp audition. After collapsing on the practice field with the Giants last year due to a “medical event,” Sweeney will attempt a comeback to the NFL in Chicago.

Jones (undrafted out of Arkansas State), Sirmon (undrafted out of Northern Colorado), Chatman (undrafted out of SMU), Hayes (undrafted out of Central Arkansas), and Jefferson (undrafted out of Kentucky) all earned roster spots for the offseason after successful minicamp tryouts. Mosely and Stenberg were waived to make room for Hayes and Jefferson.

Saints To Sign OL Lucas Patrick

May 12th, 2024 at 4:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

New Orleans’ offensive line has seen a number of changes this offseason, but the team is set to make an addition up front. The Saints will sign veteran Lucas Patrick on Monday, per his agents (via Nick Underhill of New Orleans.Football).

Patrick spent his first five seasons in Green Bay before making the intra-divisional move to the Bears in 2022. Over the past two years, the 30-year-old has logged 20 starts in 23 appearances. That includes 15 starts in 16 games in 2023, matching Patrick’s largest single-season workload in his career.

The former UDFA saw time at both guard spots in 2022, but last season he served exclusively at the center position. Patrick’s PFF evaluation was in line with his previous campaigns in terms of run blocking, but his pass protection was rated much poorer. That led to an overall grade of just 50.5, something which helps explain how he remained on the open market well after the draft.

Chicago has invested up front during the past two years, and the team’s moves in 2023 make it little surprise Patrick will not be returning. The Duke alum met with the Seahawks in April, making him one of several veteran interior O-linemen the team checked in on. Instead of heading to the Emerald City, though, Patrick will join a Saints team which is in need of starting-caliber options at multiple spots.

The left tackle spot is a question mark with Trevor Penning struggling early on in his career (although 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga could step in on the blindside as a rookie). Longtime RT starter Ryan Ramczyk faces an uncertain future based on his knee issues. Andrus Peat was an option at both tackle spots while representing a guard option, but he recently signed with the Raiders. Patrick will look to at least replace Peat’s potential as a guard starter.

New Orleans has Erik McCoy on the books through 2027, so he is positioned to continue serving as the team’s center starter. The Saints also have guard Cesar Ruiz attached to a lucrative deal. Patrick could compete with offseason addition Shane Lemieux for a starting position at the opposite guard spot or provide the team with a veteran backup across the three interior positions.

Patriots Name Eliot Wolf As Top Personnel Executive

May 11th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

The writing’s been on the wall for some time now, but the long-rumored favorite to take over lead front office duties in New England, vacated during the exit of former head coach Bill Belichick, will officially be taking the job.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was the first to report that director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who had been acting this offseason as de facto general manager of the Patriots since Belichick’s departure, has officially been named the team’s executive vice president of player personnel.

The news may seem a bit underwhelming giving the lack of a “general manager” title, but it appears that Wolf’s promotion is essentially the Patriots’ action to fill that general manager role. New England has long been without an official general manager after owner Robert Kraft hired Belichick as head coach and name him “de facto” general manager, as well. That trend appears set to continue, according to Pelissero, as the team still won’t have a general manager in title.

That doesn’t lessen the importance of Wolf’s new position, though. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Wolf will oversee the overall direction of the player personnel department, will oversee management of the salary cap, and will be in control of the team’s 53-man active roster, all roles that are generally filled by a team’s general manager.

At 42 years old, Wolf has been in working in the NFL for 20 years. He first broke into the league as a pro personnel assistant with the Packers in 2004 before being promoted to assistant director of pro personnel in 2008 and assistant director of player personnel in 2011. A year later, Wolf was elevated to director of pro personnel before receiving promotions to director of player personnel in 2015 and director of football operations in 2016.

After two seasons in that role and 13 years in Green Bay, Wolf spent two years as the assistant general manager for the Browns under then-general manager John Dorsey. When Dorsey and the Browns parted ways, Wolf joined the Patriots in 2020 as a scouting consultant. For the last two years, Wolf has served as New England’s director of scouting. Wolf may not have been around for the era of the Patriots’ dynasty, but he does hold a Super Bowl ring from his time in Green Bay that saw seven NFC North titles and 10 playoff appearances.

Together with newly promoted head coach Jerod Mayo, Wolf helps to form a new, young top two under Kraft. Several years removed from the reign of Tom Brady and now without Belichick, it will be up to Mayo and Wolf to bring in a new era of success in New England.

Chargers Sign OLB Bud Dupree

May 11th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Bud Dupree‘s recent visit with the Chargers has produced an agreement. The veteran edge rusher has signed a deal with Los Angeles, his agency announced on Saturday.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports this two-year agreement has a base value of $6MM. The pact can reach a maximum of $10MM, he adds. Dupree had a few other suitors, something which no doubt helped his leverage in negotiations with Los Angeles.

The former Steeler and Falcon was reported to be on both Pittsburgh and Atlanta’s radar when news of his Chargers visit came out earlier this week. Rather than returning to one of his old teams, the 31-year-old will head to a new environment this season. Dupree will provide the Bolts with another veteran presence off the edge to complement Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.

Both Bosa and Mack agreed to restructures this offseason to remain in the fold for 2024. The period leading up to free agency required new general manager Joe Hortiz to make a number of cost-cutting moves to achieve cap compliance. Efforts on that front were ultimately punctuated by the release of Mike Williams and the trade sending fellow wideout Keenan Allen to the Bears after talks on a new contract did yield a resolution. Those moves paved the way for the Bosa-Mack pairing to remain intact atop the depth chart.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes a return to the Steelers was a “strong consideration” on Dupree’s part. Pittsburgh already has T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in place as starters along the edge, something which would have limited Dupree’s usage in Pittsburgh. In Los Angeles, that same issue could arise if Bosa and Mack remain healthy, something the former has had an issue with over each of the past two years.

Los Angeles ranked sixth in the league in sacks last season (48), faring far better in that regard than Atlanta did. The Falcons relied on Dupree as a key member of their edge contingent, and he tied for the team lead in sacks with 6.5. His running mate in that regard – Calais Campbell – remains unsigned. Dupree’s 2023 performance represented his most productive one since 2020, his last season with the Steelers.

The former first-rounder faced major expectations with the Titans following his Pittsburgh stint. Dupree underwhelmed in Tennessee, however, recording just seven sacks in two years with the team. That led to his release and a one-year, $3MM Falcons deal last offseason. Dupree has now parlayed his bounce-back campaign into a multi-year Chargers pact.

Buccaneers Add 16 UDFAs

May 11th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tampa Bay’s rookie minicamp will feature seven draftees, but also 16 UDFAs. Here is the full list regarding the latter additions:

  • Zack Annexstad, QB (Illinois State)
  • Marcus Banks, S (Mississippi State)
  • Judge Culpepper, DL (Toledo)
  • Xavier Delgado, G (Missouri)
  • Kalen DeLoach, LB (Florida State)
  • Tyrek Funderburk, CB (Appalachian State)
  • Antonio Grier, LB (Arkansas)
  • Daniel Grzesiak, OLB (Cincinnati)
  • Kameron Johnson, WR (Barton College)
  • Avery Jones, G (Auburn)
  • Latreal Jones, WR (Southern Mississippi)
  • Tanner Knue, WR (Eastern Michigan)
  • Chris McDonald, CB (Toledo)
  • Shaun Peterson, OLB (UCF)
  • DJ Williams, RB (Arizona)
  • Rashad Wisdom, S (UTSA)

Culpepper is the son of Brad Culpepper, who played six seasons in Tampa Bay. The younger Culpepper transferred from Penn State to Toledo in 2021. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2023, leading the team in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (10.5). He received $100K in guarantees, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.

Rocket teammate McDonald has also landed a notable commitment from Tampa Bay. He received $95K in guaranteed money, Wilson reports. McDonald spent his entire college career at Toledo and he racked up 32 pass breakups (including eight in 2023). He earned a third-team All-Conference nod last season, and will look to earn a depth spot in the Bucs’ secondary this summer.

The top of Tampa Bay’s QB depth chart is set given the investment made in Baker Mayfield this offseason. The team also has Kyle Trask and John Wolford in place as backup options, but Annexstad will aim to compete for the QB3 role or a practice squad place as a developmental option. He earned the starting spot during his freshman season at Minnesota, but the campaign was cut short through injury. The 6-3, 220-pounder transferred to Illinois State in 2022 and during his time there he racked up 3,547 passing yards along with a 27:12 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

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