Steelers Sign LB Nick Kwiatkoski
Nick Kwiatkoski‘s minicamp audition with the Steelers will lead to an agreement. The Pittsburgh-area native agreed to terms with his hometown team Tuesday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).
The veteran linebacker will head back to Pennsylvania after spending the 2022 season in Atlanta. Kwiatkoski joins Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts as veteran linebackers added to the Steelers’ equation this offseason. It is a one-year deal, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).
This marks the third Kwiatkoski contract agreement in four years, though the West Virginia alum also agreed to multiple Raiders restructures. The Raiders signed the former Bears part-time starter to a three-year, $21MM deal in 2020, but after the team cut bait in 2022, worse terms awaited from the Falcons. But Atlanta still afforded an opportunity — on a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum. Considering this is a June addition after a minicamp tryout, Kwiatkoski’s Steelers terms are likely similar to what he received from the Falcons.
Drafted in the 2016 fourth round by the Bears a month after their Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman signings, Kwiatkoski ended up moving into Chicago’s starting lineup frequently over his first two seasons. He started 13 games from 2016-17, and even after the Bears made Roquan Smith a top-10 pick in 2018, they still needed Kwiatkoski for eight starts during his 2019 contract year. He parlayed that into the Raiders accord, with the Silver and Black signing he and Cory Littleton in March 2020. Neither deal worked out, and both off-ball ‘backers were gone as the Dave Ziegler–Josh McDaniels regime took over last year.
Kwiatkoski, 30, played 12 Falcons games last season, working mostly as a special-teamer. He logged 228 special teams snaps, marking his third season with at least 200 ST plays. While Kwiatkoski has started 34 career games, he profiles as a depth piece in Pittsburgh. The Bethel Park High alum joins offseason addition Tanner Muse and 2022 seventh-round pick Mark Robinson as the Steelers’ top non-Holcomb and Roberts options. Depth could be key here, with Holcomb coming off a December foot surgery.
Additionally, the Steelers released wide receiver Anthony Miller. A former Kwiatkoski Bears teammate whom the team chose in the 2018 second round, Miller has been unable to find his NFL footing since a promising 2019 season (656 receiving yards). The Bears traded Miller to the Texans in July 2021, but Houston waived him soon after. The Jaguars and Steelers took subsequent fliers later that year, and Miller ended up sticking with Pittsburgh for a bit. But he only played in one game with the Steelers. The ex-Chicago slot suffered a shoulder injury while competing for a Steelers job in training camp last year and spent the season on IR.
Rams Bring Back RB Sony Michel
After a season with the Chargers, Sony Michel will have another chance with Los Angeles’ NFC team. The former first-round pick reached an agreement to rejoin the Rams on Tuesday, according to the team. It is a one-year deal, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue adds.
Michel spent the 2021 season with the Rams, leading the eventual Super Bowl LVI-winning team in rushing. Brought in via trade following Cam Akers‘ summer Achilles tear, Michel provided a signification contribution to that championship squad. He will now aim to help out a team that has a different outlook. Veteran additions have been scarce for a regrouping Rams team this offseason. Michel follows wideout Demarcus Robinson as recent signings, however.
The Rams are coming off a down year on just about every front, with their run game struggling for most of last season. An Akers-Sean McVay disagreement led to trade talks, but the team held onto the former second-round pick. Now nearly two years removed from his Achilles setback, Akers is expected to remain a key part of Los Angeles’ rushing attack. But the Rams cut Darrell Henderson midway through last year. Michel, 28, will bring a veteran presence to a backfield full of rookie-contract cogs.
Michel’s 845 rushing yards in 2021 represent the top single-season mark of the Rams’ post-Todd Gurley stretch. Michel worked as a Henderson backup for much of that season, but after the ex-third-rounder sustained an injury that November, the trade acquisition stepped in and seized the job. While injury-prone in New England, Michel played all 21 Rams games during their most recent Super Bowl year. Michel topped 90 rushing yards in three of his six starts, including two 100-yard efforts in December 2021, but gave way to a rehabbed Akers by the time L.A.’s playoff effort began.
Last year, Michel initially joined the Dolphins as a free agent. While Miami guaranteed the Georgia alum $850K on a $1.75MM deal, Mike McDaniel‘s team did not carry him through to its 53-man roster. The Chargers picked up Michel and used him as one of Austin Ekeler‘s backups. Michel did not fare particularly well with the Bolts, totaling 106 rushing yards on 36 carries. Michel only played 10 Chargers games, and the team waived him on New Year’s Eve.
Michel played a central role in the Patriots’ 2018 Super Bowl charge, which ended with a 13-3 win over the Rams. Although the top pick ran into knee trouble in 2019 and 2020, he exceeded 900 rushing yards in ’18 and ’19 and compiled six postseason rushing TDs as a rookie. That total is tied for second in a single postseason, trailing only Terrell Davis‘ eight from 1997.
That accomplishment and a productive 2021 aside, Michel is unlikely to be a Rams roster lock. Akers returns for his contract year, and the team used a fifth-round pick on Kyren Williams last year. Ole Miss running back Zach Evans joined the Rams as a sixth-rounder in April. Ex-UDFA Ronnie Rivers is the other back on L.A.’s roster. Michel does provide some insurance, and it is not difficult to see the five-year vet sticking around as an Akers backup this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/19/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LS Rex Sunahara
This marks a return to Pittsburgh for Sunahara, whose most recent playing experience came for the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this year. The Steelers brought in Sunahara late during the 2021 season, adding the specialist to their practice squad. Pittsburgh gave the West Virginia alum a reserve/futures contract in January 2022 but waived him the following May. Despite working out ex-Ravens tight end/long snapper hopeful Nick Boyle this offseason, the Steelers look like they will hold a Sunahara-Christian Kuntz snapper competition.
Rams, Cooper Kupp Agree On Restructured Contract
The Rams were able to free up some cap space on Wednesday by restructuring wide receiver Cooper Kupp‘s contract, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The team has a number of options for how to use that money, and we should see it spent in the coming weeks. 
Kupp signed a three-year, $80.1MM contract extension almost exactly a year prior after winning the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Award. The Eastern Washington product earned the award for leading the league in all major receiving categories with 145 receptions for 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
The restructured deal converted $13.92MM of Kupp’s base salary into a signing bonus. The move opened up $10.44MM in cap space for Los Angeles. While Kupp’s cap hit for this year reduced by that amount, it still looms large at $17.36MM, and his future cap hits each increased by $3.48MM apiece.
The cap relief leaves the Rams with approximately $10.75MM of cap space for the 2023 season. While many LA fans held hopes that the move to open up space was a signal that the team was gearing up for a run at free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, they’ll likely end up disappointed. The more likely scenario is that the Rams need that money for players already in-house.
The Rams have a massive 40-man rookie class on their roster this summer. 26 of those rookies were signed as undrafted free agents, but the remaining 14 were draft picks. So far, Los Angeles has only signed four of those draft picks, leaving 10 rookies who still need to sign their initial four-year contracts. After getting those 10 rookies under contract, the team likely won’t have much of that cap space left over.
After missing eight games in 2022, Kupp will attempt a strong comeback in the coming season to live up to his massive contract. In the meantime, the cap space opened up by his restructured deal has some potential in-house responsibilities before the team can go shopping.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/16/23
Friday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Chris Blair, DL Albert Huggins, K Matthew Trickett
- Placed on IR: RB Avery Williams (story)
- Released: QB Austin Aune, WR Justin Marshall
New York Giants
- Waived (injury designation): TE Andre Miller
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: S Scott Nelson
Trickett’s deal is three years in length, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That represents a sizeable commitment considering the Falcons are already set at the kicker position with Younghoe Koo. Trickett will have training camp and the offseason to earn himself an extended look on Atlanta’s practice squad during training camp and the preseason following his five-year college career. He spent time at Kent State and Minnesota, converting 79 of 100 field goal attempts and all but three of his 179 extra point kicks.
T Tristan Wirfs, S Antoine Winfield Jr. Agree To Buccaneers Restructures
As has been the case for much of the 2023 offseason, the Buccaneers finished minicamp near the bottom of the league in cap space. A pair of moves made this week will give them some financial breathing space, however. 
Tampa Bay restructured the contracts of left tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield Jr., as noted by Greg Auman of FOX Sports (Twitter link). The team added three void years to the former’s contract, along with four for the latter. In all, the pair were scheduled to make $5.8MM in salary this season, but their cap hits will come down as a result of this move.
Both Wirfs and Winfield are still on their rookie contracts, making it something of a rarity that they have seen their deals re-worked. Both figure to be mainstays on the team for years to come, however, having started every game they have played in during their first three years in the league. Winfield will be eligible for free agency next March, but Wirfs is already on the books for 2024 since Tampa Bay made the expected decision of picking up his fifth-year option.
The latter will look to transition to left tackle this season, after spending his first three years on the right side. Expectations will be high for Wirfs, who has earned a Pro Bowl and All-Pro nod (one first-team, one second-team) in each of the past two campaigns. Veteran Donovan Smith was one of several departures this offseason, after he was released in a cost-cutting move. A successful year on the blindside for Wirfs would go a long way toward earning him a sizeable raise on his next deal.
Winfield, meanwhile, is again in line for a central role in the Buccaneers’ defensive play in 2023. The 24-year-old has a Pro Bowl invitation to his name, and has emerged as a highly productive player against the run and pass. Tampa Bay lost Keanu Neal in free agency while adding former Seahawk Ryan Neal; veteran Logan Ryan remains unsigned. The retention of cornerback Jamel Dean will give the team continuity in the secondary, though, and allow Winfield the opportunity to play his way into a multi-year extension.
Second contracts for both Wirfs and Winfield will present the Buccaneers with a new financial challenge, having already navigated the 2023 offseason with more than $75MM in dead cap charges to overcome. Long-term commitments to those two will no doubt be a priority down the road, but the team’s outlook for the immediate future has been improved.
Raiders Sign CB Jakorian Bennett, Complete Draft Class Signings
With the break between minicamp and training camp now upon them, the Raiders have become the latest team to finish the business of signing all members of their rookie class. Fourth-round cornerback Jakorian Bennett has agreed to terms on his first, four-year, NFL deal, per a team announcement. 
Bennett had a three-year career at Maryland, where he teamed with fellow corner Deonte Banks to great effect. The latter drew signficant acclaim during his final season in particular, and was unsurprisingly a first-round selection in April. The former needed to wait much longer to hear his name called, but he will nevertheless enter the NFL with a track record of production as well.
Bennett led the Terrapins in interceptions with three in 2021, and he added 11 pass deflections along the way. That ball production continued into last season, when he notched a pair of picks and again complied 11 PBUs. The Mobile, Alabama native added a blocked field goal to his statline and his overall reviews for being a high-energy player capable of contributing both on defense and special teams.
At 5-11, Bennett does not possess the length many teams seek in a shutdown outside corner, but he should have a path to at least a rotational role early in his career. He joins a Raiders secondary which struggled mightily in 2022, ranking 29th in the NFL against the pass and registering only six interceptions. The team’s cornerback setup has changed as a result, with Brandon Facyson, Duke Shelly and David Long being added in free agency. Free agent Marcus Peters remains unsigned at this point, but a deal with Las Vegas appears to be on the horizon. The latter would add a starter at the CB spot for 2023, but Bennett should make an impact over the course of his Raiders tenure.
Here is the complete breakdown of Vegas’ 2023 draft class:
Round 1, No. 7: Tyree Wilson, LB (Texas Tech) (signed)
Round 2, No. 35 (from Colts): Michael Mayer, TE (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 3, No. 70: Byron Young, DT (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 3, No. 100 (from Chiefs through Giants): Tre Tucker, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 4, No. 104 (from Texans): Jakorian Bennett, CB (Maryland) (signed)
Round 4, No. 135 (from Patriots): Aidan O’Connell, QB (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 170 (from Packers through Jets): Christopher Smith, S (Georgia) (signed)
Round 6, No. 203 (from Texans through Giants): Amari Burney, LB (Florida) (signed)
Round 7, No. 231 (from Patriots): Nesta Jade Silvera, DT (Arizona State) (signed)
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/15/23
Today’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: WR Javon Wims
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nick Guggemos
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Davidson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Greg Mabin
- Claimed off waivers (from Cardinals): S Josh Thomas
- Waived: S Vernon Scott
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Kekoa Crawford
- Signed ERFA tenders: QB Shane Buechele, TE Joe Fortson
- Waived: DB Anthony Witherstone
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: DB Collin Duncan, K Christopher Dunn
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Kobe Smith
- Waived/injured: WR/TE Dre Miller
Greg Mabin is the biggest name on the list, with the cornerback having appeared in 45 career games. The former UDFA has spent the past two seasons with the Titans, collecting 23 tackles in 11 total games. The Panthers have gotten an extended look at their cornerback depth during minicamp with Jaycee Horn (ankle) and Donte Jackson (Achilles) sidelined, so the team has probably decided they needed some veteran reinforcement at the position.
Javon Wims will now be looking for another opportunity after getting cut by the Cardinals. The former seventh-round pick showed a bit of a potential with the Bears, including a 2019 campaign where he had 18 catches for 186 yards and one touchdown. After getting into 13 games with the Bears in 2020, the wideout has only seen time in one game over the past two seasons. He spent most of the 2022 campaign on Arizona’s practice squad.
Saints Sign C Billy Price
The Saints aren’t done making moves on offense. After adding a pair of pass-catchers earlier today, the team has now added an offensive lineman. The team announced that they’ve signed veteran offensive lineman Billy Price.
[RELATED: Saints Sign WRs Keke Coutee, Lynn Bowden]
Price was a first-round pick by the Bengals back in 2018. The lineman missed a chunk of his rookie season due to a foot injury, but he otherwise started all 10 of his appearances. After that, he found himself in and out of Cincy’s lineup. Price started 10 of his 16 appearances during the 2019 campaign, and he started only one of his 16 games in 2020 (while appearing in a career-low 207 offensive snaps).
The lineman had his fifth-year option declined before getting dealt to the Giants for the 2021 season. He started 15 of his 16 appearances in New York, but he still had to settle for a practice squad gig with the Raiders to begin the 2022 campaign. He eventually caught on with the Cardinals and proceeded to start all 11 of his appearances for his new squad. Pro Football Focus didn’t love his performance in Arizona, grading him as the 35th center among 36 qualified players.
Price didn’t grade much better at his previous stops, but he’ll still provide New Orleans with some experience at the position. Per Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com (via Twitter), the Saints have been hunting around for some reinforcement at center. Erik McCoy has a firm hold of the starting center gig, but the lineman has missed nine games over the past two seasons. If McCoy goes down again (and if the team hopes to keep Cesar Ruiz permanently at guard), then they’d be looking at UDFA Alex Pihlstrom as their only option at center.
Earlier today, the team added Keke Coutee and Lynn Bowden to their squad. The team also cut wideout Malik Flowers, running backSaRodorick Thompson, and offensive lineman Yasir Durant.
Bears Sign Gervon Dexter, Tyrique Stevenson, Complete Rookie Signings
The Bears have signed both of their second-round picks. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports (via Twitter) that Chicago has signed defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. With these two signings, the Bears have officially inked their entire draft class to rookie contracts.
The Bears selected Dexter with the No. 53 pick, acquired in the team’s haul for Roquan Smith. After playing sparingly in 2020, the defensive tackle took on a bigger role at Florida during the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. In 26 games between those two seasons, Dexter compiled 105 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Scouts were wary of his so-so pass-rushing ability and lack of speed, but Chicago was still plenty intrigued in the prospect’s six-foot-six, 310-pound makeup.
Justin Jones will be back in 2023 after starting all 17 games for Chicago last season, and the team added nose tackles Andrew Billings and third-round rookie Zacch Pickens. Dexter will surely be used as a rotational piece at both DT and NT, but the Bears will have the luxury of bringing him along slowly considering their depth in the middle of the defensive line.
Chicago ended up trading up with their other second-round pick to select Stevenson. The defensive back earned third-team All-ACC honors in 2022 after defending seven passes and picking off a pair of passes in 11 games for Miami (FL). The prospect has the size to be a top cornerback in the NFL, and he’ll probably get the first shot at the starting gig opposite Jaylon Johnson.
The Bears were one of the most active teams during and leading up to the NFL Draft, highlighted by their trade of the first-overall pick. When all was said and done, the team ended up selecting 10 rookies:
- Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, OT (Tennessee) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida)
- Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami)
- Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)