Broncos Sign 13 Undrafted Free Agents
The Broncos have been busy signing their draft picks in recent days, but that didn’t stop the front office from adding 13 undrafted free agents to their roster:
- OLB Christopher Allen, Alabama
- CB Cortez Davis, Hawaii
- WR Kaden Davis, Northwest Missouri
- OT Sebastian Gutierrez, Minot State
- WR Brandon Johnson, UCF
- ILB Kana’i Mauga, USC
- RB Tyreik McAllister, Charleston
- CB Ja’Quan McMillian, East Carolina
- G Michael Niese, Temple
- TE Dylan Parham, NC State
- WR Jalen Virgil, Appalachian State
- TE Rodney Williams, Tennessee-Martin
- ILB Kadofi Wright, Buffalo
Allen got a chunk of money to join Denver, earning $180K in guaranteed money (per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com on Twitter). The linebacker had a productive collegiate career, earning two National Championships during his time at Alabama. He also earned a second-team All-SEC nod in 2020 after finishing with 24 tackles and six sacks. He missed his entire rookie season after suffering a broken foot, leading to him going undrafted.
Meanwhile, Mike Klis of 9News in Denver tweets that McMillian got $75K, while Mauga got $60K guaranteed (Twitter link).
Falcons Sign First-Round WR Drake London
The Falcons first-round pick has officially signed his contract. The team announced that they’ve signed receiver Drake London to his rookie pact. The first four years of London’s contract are fully guaranteed.
London was the first receiver off the board after the Falcons used the No. 8 pick on the USC product. This feat came despite London appearing in only eight games this past season, as a fractured ankle ended his season prematurely. London still put up impressive numbers, reeling in 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and 7 touchdowns. Before he missed any time, he led the NCAA in receiving yards, contested catches (19), and missed tackles (22) and was the highest-graded receiver according to Pro Football Focus.
At the time of his injury, London was widely considered a top wide receiver in college football, and the injury clearly did nothing to impact his draft stock. Fortunately, the wideout didn’t suffer any ligament damage, so his recovery and future outlook are both promising.
The Falcons offense will look a whole lot different next season with Matt Ryan no longer in Atlanta. Veteran Marcus Mariota will replace him under center, and London should instantly be one of his preferred targets, especially with Calvin Ridley suspended. The Falcons used their 2021 first-round pick on tight end Kyle Pitts, and the offensive weapons should highlight Atlanta’s offense for years to come.
The Falcons have now inked half of their draft picks to contracts after signing running back Tyler Allgeier (fifth round), offensive guard Justin Shaffer (sixth round), and tight end John FitzPatrick (sixth round).
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/22
Thursday has featured several rookie deals finalized. Here are the mid- and late-round draftees to sign their four-year contracts today:
Arizona Cardinals
- RB Keaontay Ingram (sixth round, USC)
- OL Lecitus Smith (sixth round, Virginia Tech)
- LB Jesse Luketa (seventh round, Penn State)
Atlanta Falcons
- RB Tyler Allgeier (fifth round, BYU)
- G Justin Shaffer (sixth round, Georgia)
- TE John FitzPatrick (sixth round, Georgia)
Buffalo Bills
- LB Terrel Bernard (third round, Baylor)
Cleveland Browns
- CB Martin Emerson (third round, Mississippi State)
- DE Alex Wright (third round, UAB)
- WR David Bell (third round, Purdue)
- RB Jerome Ford (fifth round, Cincinnati)
- WR Mike Woods (sixth round, Oklahoma)
- DE Isaiah Thomas (seventh round, Oklahoma)
- C Dawson Deaton (seventh round, Texas Tech)
Dallas Cowboys
- DT John Ridgeway (fifth round, Arkansas)
Denver Broncos
- WR Montrell Washington (fifth round, Samford)
Detroit Lions
- TE James Mitchell (fifth round, Virginia Tech)
Houston Texans
- RB Dameon Pierce (fourth round, Florida)
- DT Thomas Booker (fifth round, Stanford)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Snoop Conner (fifth round, Ole Miss)
- CB Gregory Junior (sixth round, Ouachita Baptist)
- CB Montaric Brown (seventh round, Arkansas)
Las Vegas Raiders
- G Dylan Parham (third round, Memphis)
- DT Matthew Butler (fifth round, Tennessee)
- T Thayer Munford (seventh round, Ohio State)
- RB Brittain Brown (seventh round, UCLA)
Miami Dolphins
- DE Cameron Goode (seventh round, California)
Minnesota Vikings
- DE Esezi Otomewo (fifth round, Minnesota)
- RB Ty Chandler (sixth round, North Carolina)
- T Vederian Lowe (sixth round, Illinois)
- WR Jalen Nailor (sixth round, Michigan State)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- RB Rachaad White (third round, Arizona State)
- CB Zyon McCollum (fifth round, Sam Houston State)
- TE Ko Kieft (sixth round, Minnesota)
- OLB Andre Anthony (seventh round, LSU)
Tennessee Titans
- RB Hassan Haskins (fourth round, Michigan)
- WR Kyle Philips (fifth round, UCLA)
- CB Theo Jackson (sixth round, Tennessee)
- LB Chance Campbell (sixth round, Ole Miss)
Jaguars Sign Round 1 LB Devin Lloyd
The Jaguars made a tremendous commitment to their off-ball linebacker positions this offseason. The highest-profile addition is now under contract.
First-round pick Devin Lloyd agreed to terms on his rookie deal Thursday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The No. 27 overall pick, Lloyd will score a fully guaranteed rookie contract — one that can run through 2026, via the fifth-year option. The Utah product, for whom the Jags traded up six spots (via the Buccaneers) to land, will earn more than $13MM on his rookie pact.
Jacksonville now has both its first-round picks under contract, having signed No. 1 overall choice Travon Walker earlier Thursday. Lloyd figures to be fast-tracked to the Jags’ starting lineup. The team made Myles Jack a cap casualty and will have a third defensive coordinator in three years (Mike Caldwell). The Jags paid up for ex-Falcons starter Foyesade Oluokun, giving the productive linebacker a three-year deal worth $45MM, and then drafted Wyoming linebacker Chad Muma in Round 3. It is safe to say the Jags viewed this position as a weakness entering the offseason.
Lloyd delivered a dominant senior season with the Utes, recording 111 tackles and registering seven sacks. He added four interceptions and 22 tackles for loss, offering up Micah Parsons-type versatility. Lloyd also tallied 6.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2019. It remains to be seen if Lloyd will be capable of a Parsons-esque NFL debut, but a Jags Lloyd-Oluokun three-down linebacker pairing presents the opportunity for a major upgrade from recent years.
Lions Sign Round 1 WR Jameson Williams
Jameson Williams agreed to terms on his fully guaranteed rookie contract Thursday, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Lions now have both their 2022 first-rounders signed, after having inked No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson to his rookie deal earlier this week.
The No. 12 overall pick, Williams will be tied to his rookie deal for at least three seasons and can be under Lions control through 2026 (via the fifth-year option). He is set to earn around $17.5MM on this contract.
Detroit traded its Nos. 32 and 34 picks to Minnesota to climb up for Williams, who zoomed onto the draft radar after his dominant season at Alabama. Williams joins DJ Chark as key offseason receiver additions for a Lions team that featured one of the NFL’s worst wideout situations in 2021.
Playing behind the likes of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave at Ohio State, Williams transferred to an Alabama squad that had just lost DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The Crimson Tide put the slender speedster to work immediately, and Williams posted a monster season — 79 receptions, 1,572 yards, 15 touchdowns — as a junior to help the SEC powerhouse to another national championship game.
The torn ACL Williams suffered in that loss to Georgia did not impact his draft stock much, but the 179-pound pass catcher is expected to begin the season on the PUP list. Many NFL evaluators expect Williams to be out until November, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, though the rebuilding Lions are likely fine playing the long game with the recovering prospect.
In addition to signing Williams, the Lions and third-round safety Kerby Joseph agreed on the terms of his rookie contract. The Lions took Jones 97th overall out of Illinois. His four-year deal is worth just more than $5MM, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes.
Falcons To Sign LB Nick Kwiatkoski
Nick Kwiatkoski met with the Falcons last week and huddled up with the Raiders’ new staff this week. The former Bears and Raiders linebacker is going with his first visit.
The Falcons are signing Kwiatkoski to a one-year deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This will reunite Kwiatkoski with former Bears GM Ryan Pace, who joined the Falcons’ front office this offseason. The then-Pace-run Bears used a fourth-round pick on Kwiatkoski in 2016.
Given a three-year, $21MM deal in 2020, Kwiatkoski worked as a Raiders starter that year but operated as a depth piece last season. The Raiders added multiple new pieces on their defensive second level, one that already included fellow 2020 signing Cory Littleton, and Kwiatkoski did not start any games in 2021. With the Raiders transitioning from their Jon Gruden–Mike Mayock power structure, it led Kwiatkoski back to free agency. Las Vegas’ new regime cut Kwiatkoski and Littleton this offseason, though it showed interest in reuniting with the former. Littleton signed with the Panthers.
Atlanta has addressed its off-ball linebacker spots extensively this offseason, signing ex-Titans starter Rashaan Evans and using a second-round pick on Troy Anderson. Although the team is in the early stages of a rebuild, it still rosters highly paid inside ‘backer Deion Jones. Kwiatkoski, 29 this month, stands to represent depth, at worst, for the Falcons. He made 81 tackles in 2020 and has started 34 career games.
Titans To Sign DL DeMarcus Walker
DeMarcus Walker‘s partial tour through the AFC South will lead to a Titans agreement. The sixth-year veteran defensive lineman, who met with the Colts and Titans recently, will latch on with the latter, according to his agent (Twitter link).
A former second-round pick, Walker spent last season in the AFC South as well. The Texans used the Florida State alum as a rotational defensive lineman. He will continue to work in a 3-4 scheme, transitioning from the one in Denver to Houston and now Tennessee.
While the Broncos tried the ex-Seminoles defensive lineman as an outside linebacker during his rookie year, he fared better at his natural interior defender position. Walker started slow but compiled eight sacks and 10 tackles for loss from 2019-20. The Broncos did not opt to re-sign him, as they transitioned from the John Elway regime to current GM George Paton, and Walker landed with the Texans on a one-year deal worth $1.5MM.
This Titans pact likely comes in at a similar price. Tennessee returns starters Jeffery Simmons, Denico Autry and Teair Tart up front. Walker will look to position himself as one of Simmons and Autry’s D-end backups. Tennessee did not draft a defensive lineman this year, increasing the need for depth here.
Jaguars Reach Agreement With No. 1 Pick Travon Walker
The top pick in this year’s draft is about to sign his rookie contract. The Jaguars have agreed to terms with Travon Walker, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
Walker gained steam throughout the pre-draft process as a member of the class’ deep edge rusher pool. One month before the draft, though, he was named as a candidate for the Jaguars to be selected first overall. Even at that time, many still believed the team would lean towards the more known commodity in Aidan Hutchinson, or look to bolster their offensive line by choosing either Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu.
One day before the first round, Jacksonville signed left tackle Cam Robinson to an extension, a move which took the latter two prospects out of consideration. By that point, Walker had become the favorite for the top pick, having been identified as an attractive blend of size and athleticism for general manager Trent Baalke. While there was a reported disagreement between he and owner Shad Khan on the Walker-Hutchinson debate, Baalke ultimately landed his preferred option.
Across three seasons at Georgia, Walker flashed his potential as a disruptive force against both the pass and the run. His final season was his most productive, as he totalled 33 tackles, including 7.5 for a loss, along with six sacks. The contrast between those numbers and those of more accomplished pass rushers like Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux were weighed against Walker’s perceived ceiling and the limitations placed on him in the Bulldogs’ highly-talented defense.
As a result of being the top pick, Walker will earn a fully-guaranteed $37.4MM over four years. The deal also includes a $24.4MM signing bonus. In Jacksonville, he will look to pair with 2019 first-rounder Josh Allen as the focal points of a re-vamped defensive unit.
Patriots To Trade Jarrett Stidham To Raiders
After they added more depth to their quarterback room, the Patriots were likely to make a move with Jarrett Stidham. They have done so today, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports (on Twitter) that New England is trading him to the Raiders. 
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds that New England is sending a seventh round pick along with Stidham in exchange for a sixth-rounder from Vegas (Twitter link). The deal represents a new beginning for the 25-year-old, but it will reunite him with a familiar face on the Raiders’ staff in Josh McDaniels.
After being drafted in the fourth round by New England in 2019, Stidham worked with the new Vegas head coach when he served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. That season marked Tom Brady‘s last with the team, so it came as no surprise that he only attempted four passes in the regular season. After Brady’s departure, though, expectations were raised for Stidham to be able to take over the starting role.
That didn’t end up happening, however, as the Baylor and Auburn alum sat behind Cam Newton. Stidham made five appearances, completing 22 of 44 passes for 256 yards, a pair of touchdowns and three interceptions. Between the level of play showed by both signal-callers, the Patriots entered the subsequent draft needing a new quarterback. They filled that need by selecting Mac Jones in the first round.
This year, the team selected Bailey Zappe in the fourth round to further add to the depth chart. Given the presence of the Western Kentucky product, as well as veteran Brian Hoyer, Stidham would have faced stiff competition for a roster spot. The same could be true in Vegas, as he will join Nick Mullens, Garrett Gilbert and Chase Garbers in vying for the backup job behind Derek Carr.
Contract Details: Addison, Michel, Chargers
We’ve compiled some updated numbers on recent NFL signings:
- Mario Addison, DE (Texans): two-year deal. Contract has a $7.7MM base value, including a $2MM signing bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.
- Bryce Callahan, CB (Chargers): signed. It’s a one-year deal worth $1.27MM, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). The deal has a cap hit of $1.04MM thanks to the veteran salary benefit. Callahan will earn a base salary of $1.12MM and a signing bonus worth $152.5K.
- Mike Davis, RB (Ravens): signed. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran running back, per Yates (on Twitter). The deal is worth a bit more than $1.20MM, meaning Davis’s cap hit will qualify for the veteran salary benefit contract.
- Tyrann Mathieu, CB (Saints): three-year, $33MM deal ($18MM guaranteed). The deal features a $9.5MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed base salaries in 2022 and 2023. The contract is effectively a three-year pact worth $27MM, with $18MM guaranteed and $2MM in yearly bonuses (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).
- Sony Michel, RB (Dolphins): one-year, $2.1MM deal. The contract includes a $1.75MM base value, including a $350K signing bonus (per Yates on Twitter).
- E.J. Perry, QB (Jaguars): signed. The UDFA received $230K in guaranteed money from Jacksonville, including a $23K signing bonus and a guaranteed $207K salary, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
- Kyle Van Noy, LB (Chargers): one-year deal. The contract’s base value and cap hit are worth $2.25MM. Includes $1.5MM base salary and $750K signing bonus, per Yates on Twitter.