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Ravens Sign 17 UDFAs

May 4th, 2025 at 6:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Going stride-for-stride with the Seahawks in competition for the league’s largest rookie crop, the Ravens, much like Seattle, have signed 17 undrafted free agent rookies to join their 11-man draft class. The newest additions to Baltimore’s 28-man rookie class are:

The Ravens are notorious for finding undrafted free agents who have potential to make the 53-man roster. That will be a tall task for this year’s group as 17 of them compete with the 11 draft picks. That goes double for the several small school signees like Hutchinson, Jackson, Lowery, Ntoh, Penning, and Pitz, who will have to show what they can do in camp after playing inferior competition in college.

Christian-Lichtenhan certainly stands out as a possible contender for a roster spot. After the Ravens entered the draft needing to add bodies at tackle, Christian-Lichtenhan has volunteered his 6-foot-8, 315-pound frame for the job. After graduating from Colorado with a degree and 19 starts at left tackle to his name, Christian-Lichtenhan transferred to Corvallis, where he started all 12 games as the blindside blocker for the Beavers.

In Higgins and Martin, the team brings in two inside linebackers, a position at which Baltimore usually harbors hard-working UDFAs for their special teams value. Higgins was projected to be a late-Day 3 pick but just slipped out of the draft. In his two years as a starter (out of five total with the Hawkeyes), Higgins notched 295 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles, 14 passes defensed, and five interceptions. After his only season as a starter at East Tennessee State, Martin leveraged a strong year into a transfer to Memphis. For the Tigers, Martin started two seasons, tallying 206 tackles, 33.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, nine passes defensed, and three interceptions. Both are undersized backers who display sideline-to-sideline ability and strong coverage abilities.

Jackson stands, perhaps, the strongest chance to make the roster from the small schools. Jackson started three of his five seasons in Normal. His final two years (172 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, and four interceptions) were his strongest. His versatility earned him first-team All-MVFC honors, and he was recognized at the Senior Bowl as the National team’s Top DB. His versatility gives him a strong chance to compete for a roster spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/25

May 4th, 2025 at 5:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s only minor NFL transactions to close out the week:

Philadelphia Eagles

After announcing their initial undrafted free agent signing class earlier this week, Philadelphia has tacked on a late addition in Jackson. After five years of finding his footing (two seasons at Michigan and three at Washington), Jackson finally broke out as an impact player in his sixth year of college (his fourth with the Huskies). He reeled in 85 passes for 893 yards and seven touchdowns, adding a score on the ground, as well, in 2024.

Davis-Price, a former third-round pick out of LSU, will now have a chance to join his third team in as many years. If he clears waivers, he could have his choice of where he signs.

Chiefs Add 16 UDFAs

May 4th, 2025 at 2:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs made a total of seven selections during the draft, and they will be joined by 16 undrafted free agents at rookie minicamp. Here is a look at Kansas City’s 2025 UDFA class:

Of the names on this list, at least six have received a six-figure commitment from Kansas City. The most lucrative pact – in terms of guarantees – is the one for Briningstool, with Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reporting he received a total of $264K locked in. Watson, meanwhile, landed $249K in guarantees (per Wilson). They will both look to earn a roster spot as a depth tight end option.

Wilson reports Cooper secured a $20K signing bonus as part of his $259K in total guarantees. The 24-year-old spent the first four seasons of his college career at Texas State before playing pair of seasons with the Cowboys. At 6-6 and 326 pounds, he could look to earn a place on the roster as a swing tackle or compete for playing time at guard.

Izzard landed $225K in guarantees, Wilson adds. His 4.85 40-yard dash time from Penn State’s Pro Day is an indication of his athleticism, something which could earn him a spot on the D-tackle depth chart. According to Wilson, meanwhile, Knowles received a $20K signing bonus along with $200K in guaranteed salary.

Czaplicki’s base salary for 2025 includes $95K locked in; Wilson adds his pact also contains a $5K signing bonus. Matt Araiza operated as the Chiefs’ punter last season, producing a net average of 41.5 net yards per punt. 25 this season, Araiza will have competition during training camp.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/3/25

May 3rd, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s lone draft pick signing:

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles inked four of their draftees to rookie deals yesterday, and they have taken care of another pierce of business on that front. Half of Philadelphia’s selections are yet to be signed, including each of the team’s first three picks.

Seahawks Announce 17-Man NFL UDFA Class

May 3rd, 2025 at 5:40pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks added one of the NFL’s largest draft classes this year with 11 rookies selected last week. After there was a heavy focus on offense in the draft (nine offensive players to just two defensive), Seattle announced a 17-man undrafted free agent signing class that leaned much more heavily towards defense (11 players) than offense (six players). Here are the 17 newest additions to the team’s 28-man rookie class:

The Seahawks are bringing in four names at edge rusher, a position of need they failed to address in the draft. They felt so strongly about O’Toole that they gave him $234K guaranteed on his undrafted rookie deal, including a $30K signing bonus, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. O’Toole was a mildly impactful defensive end during his time with the Utes, logging only 8.5 sacks and 15.0 tackles for loss over his four years in college.

Ivey was projected to be an early-Day 3 selection before falling out of the draft. A former Georgia Tech transfer, his last two years with the Rebels were extremely productive, seeing him tally 12.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. Coleman was a three-year starter in six years with the Fighting Illini. Over his three years as a starter, Coleman logged 13.5 sacks, 21.0 tackles for loss, and 13 batted passes.

Woodard was projected to be a late-Day 3 pick but just slipped out. His final two years with his Rebels were extremely disruptive as he had 26.0 tackles for loss (17.0 in 2024), 21 passes defensed (16 in 2024), and five interceptions (four in 2024). His elite production in coverage could help him land a role as a pass defending linebacker in today’s pass-happy NFL.

At cornerback, Alexander was another projected early-Day 3 pick. After a couple elite seasons at Southeastern Louisiana, Alexander transferred to LSU and became an immediate starter. Though a knee injury limited him in 2023, he tallied an impressive 44 tackles, nine passes defensed and two interceptions. He kept that production alive in 2024, as well, with six passes defensed and two more picks and was rewarded by Seattle with $249K in guaranteed money, including a $15K signing bonus, per Wilson. Waxter has a chance to be an impact defender out of Nova. After elite production in 2023 that saw him log 11 passes defensed and three interceptions, quarterbacks threw his way a lot less in 2024, but that didn’t stop him from leading the team in forced fumbles and earning first-team All-CAA honors.

On offense, Maranges showed enough during his time with the Owls to earn $250K in guarantees, per Wilson. A Puerto Rico-native, Maranges qualifies for an international roster exemption as a participant of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. The IPP program stipulates that NFL teams can include a 17th player to their practice squad (normally capped at 16 players) as long as that player qualifies for the international roster exemption.

Ravens Sign T Joseph Noteboom

May 3rd, 2025 at 1:51pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have had a busy morning of paperwork today. After announcing the signing of nine of their 11 draft picks, they’ve now announced that they’ve added some starting offensive tackle depth by agreeing to terms on a contract with Joseph Noteboom. Though contract details are not yet known, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec tells us that the soon-to-be-30-year-old will be on a one-year deal in Baltimore.

A former third-round pick out of TCU, Noteboom has had a seven-year career so far, with all seven seasons coming in Los Angeles with the Rams. After spending his rookie season mostly on special teams as a backup, Noteboom began his sophomore campaign as the team’s starting left guard before suffering a torn ACL and MCL.

His 2020 season opened the same way after recovery, but he was placed on injured reserve after only two starts with a calf injury. When he was activated later that year, he started the remainder of the season filling in for an injured Andrew Whitworth at left tackle, his first starts at tackle since college. In 2021, though, the Rams returned to their reliable pair of Whitworth and Rob Havenstein as Noteboom only started two games at tackle for the year, including his first start on the right side of the line.

With the retirement of Whitworth, Noteboom opened the 2022 campaign as the Rams’ new starter at left tackle under a new three-year, $40MM extension. Unfortunately, after only six games, his season ended with a torn Achilles tendon. Los Angeles had Alaric Jackson take over the starting left tackle role in 2023, and though Noteboom began the year as the starting right guard, he was ultimately moved around the line as a swing tackle, starting three games at right guard, three games at right tackle, and two games at left tackle. Noteboom began last year starting at left tackle as Jackson served a two-game suspension, but an ankle injury knocked him out of the game in Week 1 and would limit him as he only started and played in three games for the remainder of the season.

Luckily, in Baltimore, Noteboom’s injury history isn’t of much concern. The Ravens are certainly set at the tackle positions with veteran Ronnie Stanley re-signing on a three-year, $60MM deal this offseason and the team drafting Roger Rosengarten in the second round last year. After the free agency departures of Patrick Mekari and Josh Jones, the Ravens have been in need of a swing tackle to add depth and starting experience to the line, and Noteboom fits that bill to a T.

While seemingly a minor role on the offense, the swing tackle role has become a crucial one in Baltimore. Mekari proved the importance of that position as a Swiss Army sixth-man early in his career. Mekari started games at every position along the offensive line during his six years with the Ravens, proving to be extremely valuable during a tenure that saw Stanley miss 38 games over that stretch of time.

Even with Stanley returning to health to start all 17 games last year, and with Mekari becoming a mainstay at left guard, Jones saw plenty of action as a sixth-man on the offensive line for Baltimore in 2024. Jones didn’t make any starts last season, but his versatility allowed the Ravens to use him everywhere, as he’s started games at every position but center during his NFL career. A Baltimore offense that led the NFL in rushing in 2024 often depended on jumbo sets including a sixth offensive lineman, and Jones was often the man called to fill that role.

With Mekari and Jones both gone, the Ravens will now turn to Noteboom to man that job. Noteboom has similar versatility as Mekari and Jones — he’s also missing starts at only center — and should be utilized in a similar manner. The Ravens spent two draft picks on rookie tackles Emery Jones Jr. (third round, LSU) and Carson Vinson (fifth round, Alabama A&M) this year, and both should help add depth, but Noteboom’s starting experience and versatility should prove to be incredibly valuable in 2025.

Ravens Sign 9 Of 11 2025 Draft Picks

May 3rd, 2025 at 1:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens have officially signed nine of their league-high 11 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, per a team announcement.

Today’s signings include third-rounder Emery Jones, fourth-rounder Teddye Buchanan, fifth-rounder Carson Vinson, and seventh-rounder Garrett Dellinger. The team also signed all five of their sixth-round picks: Bilhal Kone, Tyler Loop, LaJohntay Wester, Aeneas Peebles, and Robert Longerbeam.

As prescribed by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, all nine players have four years on their first contracts. With escalating cap hits for key players in the next few years, the Ravens are hoping that several members of their rookie class can play significant roles in the team’s future.

Jones and Dellinger both started for LSU’s stellar offensive line across the last three years at right tackle and left guard, respectively. Jones’ best fit might be at guard, where he could compete for a starting job as a rookie. He’ll also provide valuable depth behind Roger Rosengarten at right tackle, though he’ll have to make significant strides to have a chance at replacing Ronnie Stanley on the blindside at the end of his rookie deal. Dellinger will be fighting for a roster spot before he gets a shot at a starting job, but he brings a high-floor as a backup guard, the likes of which the Ravens have consistently turned into starters in recent years.

The Ravens prized Buchanan’s athleticism and intangibles enough to prioritize him on Day 3, but predictions of him supplanting Trenton Simpson in the starting lineup may be premature. After just one year at the FBS level, Buchanan face another, more significant jump to the speed of the NFL, which is especially significant at the linebacker position. He’ll likely be a core special teams contributor as a rookie, but his passing down abilities in coverage and as a blitzer will give him a strong chance at long-term playing time.

Baltimore double-dipped on Day 3 cornerbacks when they had 11 picks in 2022, taking a boundary corner in Jalyn Armour-Davis and a prospective nickel in Damarion Williams. They did so again this year with the long, speedy Kone and a likely slot-convert in Longerbeam. The Ravens have plenty of defensive back depth after signing Chidobie Awuzie and drafting Starks, so their Day 3 DBs will likely begin on special teams as they acclimate to their new defense and train to battle for starting roles in the future.

General manager Eric DeCosta values all of his draft picks, so using one on Loop is a clear sign that the team is seriously considering replacing Justin Tucker this year. Loop was widely considered the most powerful kicker in the draft, but he made less than 80% of his field goal attempts in his last two years at Arizona. He’ll need to quickly take to the tutelage of special teams coach Randy Brown to win a roster spot.

Head coach John Harbaugh said before the draft that the team wanted to add a punt returner, and they found one in Wester. He returned 66 punts for 740 yards (11.2 yards per return) in college and could take over a similar role right away in Baltimore. The Colorado product will be blocked on the offensive depth chart at first, but he was very productive in college and could develop into a rotational contributor out of the slot.

The Ravens surprised many by waiting until the end of Day 3 to address the interior of their defensive line after the retirement of Michael Pierce this offseason. Peebles is too undersized to fill Pierce’s role as a behemoth, space-eating nose tackle, but his pass-rushing chops could help him carve out a situational role as a rookie. While he may never be big enough to anchor the defensive line against the run, his athleticism and active hands give him three-down potential in the long-term.

The Ravens still have to sign their first two picks – first-round safety Malaki Starks and second-round edge rusher Mike Green. Starks’ fully-guaranteed contract should be a formality, but Green may wait for players drafted ahead of him to sign to ensure he gets a commensurate guarantee structure.

Here is a full list of Baltimore’s 2025 draft class:

  • Round 1, No. 27: Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
  • Round 2, No. 59: Mike Green (OLB, Marshall)
  • Round 3, No. 91: Emery Jones (T, LSU) (signed)
  • Round 4, No. 129: Teddye Buchanan (LB, Cal) (signed)
  • Round 5, No. 141* (from Titans): Carson Vinson (T, Alabama A&M) (signed)
  • Round 6, No. 178 (from Titans): Bilhal Kone (CB, Western Michigan) (signed)
  • Round 6, No. 186 (from Jets): Tyler Loop (K, Arizona) (signed)
  • Round 6, No. 203: LaJohntay Wester (WR, Colorado) (signed)
  • Round 6, No. 210*: Aeneas Peebles (DT, Virginia Tech) (signed)
  • Round 6, No. 212*: Robert Longerbeam (CB, Rutgers) (signed)
  • Round 7, No. 243: Garrett Dellinger (G, LSU) (signed)

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/2/25

May 2nd, 2025 at 7:15pm CST by Ely Allen

We’re getting our first batch of 2025 NFL Draft pick signings, and more are soon to come with rookie minicamps on the horizon. Here is our first group of mid- to late-rounders to sign their four-year rookie contracts:

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Philadelphia Eagles

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/25

May 2nd, 2025 at 6:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s only minor NFL move:

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Dwelley returns home to California with today’s signing. The SoCal native spent the first six years of his NFL career with the 49ers after signing with them as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego. He spent his first season with a new team last year when he signed with the Falcons.

Cowboys Add Nine UDFAs

May 2nd, 2025 at 5:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys’ rookie minicamp began on Friday. The group of players taking part included these undrafted free agents:

Clark received a notable commitment from the Cowboys to take part in their offseason program. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports his deal contains a $25K signing bonus in addition to $234K in guaranteed base salary. A transfer from Rutgers following his freshman season, Clark racked up 183 tackles and nine pass breakups during his time at Syracuse.

Barron began his college career as a receiver before transitioning to defense in 2020. Over the remainder of his time with the Orange, he saw time at safety and slot corner in addition to linebacker. The 6-5, 224-pounder posted at least 90 tackles over each of the past two years and his special teams experience will give him a strong chance to earn a roster spot.

Before and after the draft, receiver has been named as a position of need for the Cowboys. Holden saw his production increase every year during his college career, which included time at Alabama from 2020-22. At 6-2, he will look to provide the Cowboys with size at the WR spot if he makes the team. Kelly – who played at Fresno State and Washington State before his single campaign with the Red Raiders – topped 1,000 yards in 2024 and will aim to parlay that production into a roster spot this summer.

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