Bengals’ Jessie Bates Signs Franchise Tender
Franchise-tagged Bengals safety Jessie Bates is back with the team. The fifth-year defender is at Cincinnati’s facility Tuesday and intends to sign his franchise tender, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (on Twitter). The Bengals subsequently announced Bates signed his tag.
Bates represented the NFL’s last 2022 no-show, but it has long been expected the former second-round pick would not miss any games. Bates and Bengals coaches kept in touch during his stretch away from the team, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, noting the team expected him back in time to ramp up for the regular season.
While Bates and the Bengals cannot resume negotiations until 2023, the Wake Forest product continuing to stay away into the regular season would have cost him. Despite Bates voicing frustration about the tag, the $12.9MM salary represents a massive raise for the four-year starter.
The Bengals and Bates have negotiated for two offseasons but have failed to come to terms. The team’s first-round selection of Daxton Hill could be viewed as a move that separates the two sides come 2023, though fellow veteran Bengals safety Vonn Bell is also in a contract year. The Bengals are open to continuing their Bates negotiations in the 2023 offseason. However, it is far from certain if the parties will forge a long-term partnership.
Cincinnati could still trade Bates, but the defending AFC champions are not expected to do so. Bates, 25, has started all 63 Bengals games he has played. He stands to be an integral part of their veteran-laden defense in 2022. Bates missed Bengals training camp and nearly a month worth of practices. He is, however, hardly the first franchise-tagged player to have stayed away from his team during preseason workouts.
“Zero progress” is believed to have occurred during this offseason’s round of talks, which produced an offer Bates’ camp deemed unsatisfactory. The Bengals are believed to have offered a deal that included just $16MM fully guaranteed. That figure ranks outside the top 12 at the position. The safety market has also changed since the Bengals and Bates began talks this offseason. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James have signed deals north of $18MM per year, with the Chargers defender moving the market to $19.1MM on average. It is highly unlikely the Bengals will go there for Bates, who can be kept on a 2023 tag worth $15.5MM.
For now, it appears the sides will continue a year-to-year partnership. Bates is coming off a year in which he delivered a modestly productive regular season before being one of the team’s top performers during the playoffs. Bates, who graded as Pro Football Focus’ top safety in 2020, intercepted two passes and broke up six more in Cincinnati’s four postseason games this year. Although the Bengals’ decision to tag Bates spoiled a chance to cash in on a long-term deal as a 2022 free agent, another strong season would put him in position to be one of the top defenders available on the 2023 market.
Ravens Sign WR Demarcus Robinson
TODAY, 6:05pm: Robinson has officially signed his contract with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the receiver worth $1.035MM, including $895K in guaranteed money. This is a significant bump on the $320K guarantee Robinson got from the Raiders, who ended up releasing him last week.
August 19, 3:35pm: Demarcus Robinson‘s stay on the open market appears to have been very short-lived. The veteran wideout met with the Ravens earlier today, and is expected to sign with them, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
Robinson signed with the Raiders in March, remaining in the AFC West after playing in Kansas City for the first six years of his career. Over that time, he saw a regular role in the team’s passing game (with the exception of his rookie season), seeing the field for between 40% and 70% of offensive snaps.
His most productive campaign came in 2020, when he hauled in 45 catches for 466 yards and three touchdowns. That contrasted with quieter seasons like 2021, though, which resulted in just 264 receiving yards. Nevertheless, the Florida alum was expected to somewhat comfortably make Las Vegas’ roster as a secondary piece to the team’s passing attack. Instead, he was among the Raiders’ first round of cuts earlier this week.
In Baltimore, Robinson will provide a veteran presence to one of the least experienced receiver rooms in the league. Baltimore has long been considered a landing spot for at least one veteran wideout, after the team lost Marquise Brown, Sammy Watkins and Miles Boykin this offseason and declined to draft any replacements. 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman is set to take on the No. 1 role, but the rest of the depth chart consists of unproven recent draftees Devin Duvernay, James Proche and Tylan Wallace – the latter two of whom are currently dealing with injuries.
Robinson should therefore have a relatively clear path to a roster spot and a rotational role with the Ravens. He might not start on a full-time basis, but he should provide the team with insurance behind Duvernay and Proche in particular. The Ravens entered the day with just under $9.5MM in cap space, leaving plenty of room for an addition such as this one. Given Robinson’s recent release, the deal likely won’t eat too much into that total, but it could prove to be worthwhile in filling a widely-perceived roster hole on a potential AFC contender.
Commanders Activate TE Logan Thomas From PUP
Logan Thomas is back on the practice field. The Commanders announced that they’ve activated the tight end from the physically unable to perform list.
Thomas suffered a torn ACL and MCL in early December, but he was recovering quickly enough that there was hope he would avoid the PUP. The Commanders ultimately gave him some extra time, and while he was back at practice today, Thomas still isn’t participating 11-on-11 drills. It’s uncertain if the tight end will be able to take the field for Week 1.
“I’d love to be out there Week 1, but I know myself and if I’m not ready to go or don’t feel like a full version of myself we can buy another week or two weeks,” Thomas told ESPN’s John Keim.
Thomas bounced around the NFL a bit before a breakout season in Washington during the 2020 season. That year, he finished with 72 receptions for 670 yards and six touchdowns. His production was down in six games last season, although that could have been attributed to a nagging hamstring injury that forced him to miss a chunk of games early on in the year. He ultimately finished the 2021 campaign with 18 catches for 196 yards and three touchdowns.
Washington hasn’t had much luck keeping tight ends on the field this preseason. John Bates is nursing a calf injury, while rookie fifth-round pick Cole Turner has been sidelined since the beginning of the month with a hamstring issue. To that, the Commanders made a handful of additional moves today to address the position. They signed tight end Jake Hausmann and claimed tight end Kendall Blanton off waivers from the Rams. The Commanders also placed tight end Eli Wolf on IR while releasing fullback/tight end Alex Armah from injured reserve. Defensive end Bunmi Rotimi also landed on IR today.
Bills Cut WR Tavon Austin
The Bills released a pair of veterans today. The team announced that they’ve cut wideout Tavon Austin and punter Matt Haack.
Austin had his most productive season in years in 2021. In 13 games (three starts) with the Jaguars, the veteran hauled in 24 receptions for 213 yards and one touchdown. He ended up joining Buffalo in June, and there was hope that he’d be able to slide into a back-of-the-depth-chart role behind Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Isaiah McKenzie. That didn’t end up being the case, and with the veteran out of the picture, this will probably secure an opening day roster spot for at least one of Jake Kumerow or Jamison Crowder.
There’s a chance Austin could catch on elsewhere. While he’s bounced around the NFL a bit recently, he’s still seen time in nine NFL seasons, hauling in 244 receptions and 16 touchdowns. The veteran also has extensive special teams history, although it’s been a while since he’s been a full-time punt returner.
Haack’s spot on the roster always seemed to be in risk following the emergence of ‘Punt God’ Matt Araiza. Haack was the Bills’ punter in 2021, averaging a career-low 42.9 yards on his 52 punts. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins, where he had an average punt distance of 44.7 yards.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/22
Teams have until 3pm CT Tuesday to cut their rosters from 85 to 80 players. Many franchises have started doing that early. Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: RB T.J. Pledger
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: WR Jaylon Moore
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: T Austen Pleasants, LB Khalan Tolson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: WR Jaivon Heiligh, WR Jack Sorenson, TE Scotty Washington
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: P Joseph Charlton, S Luther Kirk IV, T Wyatt Miller, CB Parnell Motley, TE Marcus Santos-Silva
Denver Broncos
- Claimed (from Saints): RB Devine Ozigbo
- Waived/injured: DE Marquiss Spencer
Green Bay Packers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Dominique Dafney
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: WR D.J. Montgomery, DT Caeveon Patton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: WR Marvin Hall
- Waived: OL Beau Benzschawel, CB Shabari Davis, TE Grayson Gunter, OLB Wyatt Ray, WR Lujuan Winningham
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: CB Brandin Dandridge, DB Nasir Greer, OL David Steinmetz
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Tae Davis
- Placed on IR: DE Jordan Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: G Cameron Hunt, K James McCourt
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Jordan Brown
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T Adrian Ealy
- Waived: T Jordan Tucker
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived/injured: WR Austin Mack
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: LB Cam Gill, G Aaron Stinnie (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Released: OLB Justin Lawler
- Waived: WR Terry Godwin
- Waived/injured: CB Shakur Brown, DB Shyheim Carter
Cardinals Acquire G Cody Ford From Bills
After three-plus years, the Bills are ending their run with Cody Ford. Buffalo is trading the former second-round pick to Arizona, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Cardinals are sending a fifth-round pick for the Bills offensive lineman. Ford has played tackle and guard as a pro, having been stationed at the latter spot more recently. The Bills have announced the trade. Monday’s transaction will reunite Ford with Kyler Murray and fellow 2019 Oklahoma draftee Marquise Brown.
This move comes not long after a report indicated Ford was on Buffalo’s roster bubble. The former No. 38 overall pick, who enticed the Bills to move up two spots for him three years ago, had struggled to hold a spot in the Bills’ starting lineup. After starting for almost all of his 2019 rookie season, Ford saw his second campaign end early. But the ex-Sooner still started all seven games he played. In 2021, the Bills used Ford as a part-timer. His inability to play tackle as a swing backup affected this deal, per The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia (on Twitter).
This does add a younger blocker to an aging Cardinals offensive line. The team saw two of its interior O-line starters — guard Justin Pugh and center Rodney Hudson — consider retirement this offseason. Pugh is 32, while Hudson and right tackle Kelvin Beachum are 33. While Ford is far from a proven commodity, he is going into his age-26 season. It also marks the second straight offseason in which the Cards have traded a pick for a starter-level O-lineman; they sent the Raiders a third-rounder for Hudson and a seventh last year.
Pro Football Focus has never been impressed by Ford, rating him outside the top 60 at his position in each of his three seasons. Last season, PFF slotted Ford as the fourth-worst guard (among regulars) — a mark that came in one spot behind Cardinals starter Josh Jones. The team used a third-round pick on Jones in 2020 but added four-year Giants starter Will Hernandez — a 2018 second-round pick — this offseason.
Hernandez entered Monday viewed as the team’s right guard starter opposite Pugh, but the team is in need of reinforcements up front. Injuries have sidelined Justin Murray, Danny Isidora and rookie Marquis Hayes. Murray, a Cards regular starter during the 2019 and ’20 seasons, has not returned to regular work after missing most of last season due to injury.
To make room on their 85-man roster, the Cardinals released veteran wide receiver Marcell Ateman. The former Raiders backup signed with the Cards earlier this month.
Vikings Release WR Albert Wilson
Teams have until Tuesday to trim their rosters from 85 to 80 players. The Vikings included veteran wide receiver Albert Wilson in their second wave of cuts.
Minnesota added Wilson in late May, signing the former Kansas City and Miami pass catcher as a possible depth option. Nearly three months later, the partnership appears complete. The Vikings also waived defensive lineman Jullian Taylor with an injury designation.
Wilson, 30, returned to football in 2021 after making the decision to opt out in 2020. Working as a Dolphins part-time starter, the former UDFA caught 25 passes for a career-low 213 yards. More productive during his run with the pre-Patrick Mahomes-era Chiefs and in his early Dolphins years, after signing a three-year deal worth $24MM with Miami in 2018, Wilson has logged seven seasons as an NFL wideout.
The Vikings did not guarantee Wilson anything to sign, giving him a one-year deal worth $1.12MM. The team has K.J. Osborn in place as its top complement to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, while the likes of Bisi Johnson and recent Day 3 picks Jalen Nailor (sixth round, 2022) and Ihmir Smith-Marsette (Round 5, 2021) complicating Wilson’s active-roster path.
Because Wilson is a vested veteran, he will bypass waivers and move back into free agency. Despite coming into the league in 2018, Taylor does not have sufficient service time. He will revert to the Vikings’ IR (in a transaction that could well preceded an injury settlement) if unclaimed. A former seventh-round 49ers pick, Taylor has not played since the 2019 season.
49ers To Sign S Tashaun Gipson
Not long after they hosted him for a workout, the 49ers are indeed adding a veteran to their safety room. San Francisco is signing Tashaun Gipson, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
The 32-year-old auditioned for the 49ers last week, so the deal comes as little surprise. Gipson is coming off of a two-year stint in Chicago where he posted a pair of interceptions in each campaign. His age and struggles in pass coverage left him on the open market deep into the offseason, however, a stark contrast to the regard he was held in earlier in his ball-hawking career.
The former UDFA has recorded at least one pick in each of his 10 seasons in the league, including six in his lone Pro Bowl campaign in 2014. Especially if he plays a more limited role than he is accustomed to (he has logged a snap share of at least 91% during every year since his rookie season), then, Gipson should be able to provide quality play on the backend for the 49ers.
San Francisco may, at least temporarily, need the Wyoming alum to start, however. Jimmie Ward is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, and his Week 1 availability remains in doubt. The questions surrounding Ward likely drove the team’s search for a veteran insurance policy, especially one like Gipson who has 132 starts to his name. Other options on the roster include Tarvarius Moore and George Odum to pair with Talanoa Hufanga at safety during Ward’s absence.
The 49ers will be the fifth team Gipson suits up for, joining the Browns, Jaguars, Texans and Bears. He likely won’t be able to replicate the success of earlier in his career, but could prove to be an effective addition especially if Ward ends up missing any significant time.
Raiders To Trade QB Nick Mullens To Vikings
The Raiders faced a decision with respect to their backup quarterback position at some point before the start of the regular season. They have apparently made it, as the team is sending Nick Mullens to the Vikings in exchange for a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). 
His colleague Ian Rapoport adds that Mullens must be active for one game this season for Vegas to receive the pick. The Raiders signed Mullens this April as an insurance policy for starter Derek Carr. The former UDFA spent three seasons in San Francisco, wining five of his 16 starts filling in for Jimmy Garoppolo. He then joined the Eagles briefly, but spent last season in Cleveland, where he made one start as the Browns were dealing with a long list of COVID-related absences.
One month after signing Mullens, though, the Raiders also traded for Jarrett Stidham. The former Patriots fourth-rounder got an opportunity to once again work with Josh McDaniels in Vegas, and has impressed in training camp and the preseason to the point where he has won the competition with Mullens for the No. 2 spot.
The Vikings, meanwhile, will likely be able to accommodate Mullens for their backup gig. Minnesota drafted Kellen Mond in the third round last year, but have also rostered Sean Mannion. The two have been receiving equal work so far in training camp, indicating that neither has significantly distanced themselves from the other. With Mullens, who has familiarity in the kind of offensive system new head coach Kevin O’Connell will install, the Vikings will have more of a known commodity behind Kirk Cousins.
The team will be likely to try and retain Mond as well, given his draft status. His hold on a 53-man roster spot has now become much less certain, though, as both the Raiders and Vikings look for clarity in their QB rooms in the build-up to campaigns carrying significant expectations.
Raiders Place OLB Jordan Jenkins On IR
Two AFC teams have now moved Jordan Jenkins off their 90-man roster this week. After the Texans released the veteran pass rusher, the Raiders have placed him on IR.
Jenkins, 28, suffered a torn ACL in the Raiders’ game against the Dolphins on Saturday, Wilson adds (on Twitter). This news certainly deals a blow to the veteran edge defender’s chances of showing a quality pass-rushing gear again. Jenkins sustained a season-ending knee injury, a PCL tear, in November 2021. The 2020s have brought injury misfortune for Jenkins, who suffered a torn shoulder labrum near the end of the 2020 season. He was also battling a calf issue during Texans camp.
This marks another setback for the Raiders’ edge-rushing situation, which has seen some unavailability affect it in recent weeks. The Raiders previously placed free agency addition Kyler Fackrell on IR and have been without Clelin Ferrell for a stretch due to injury. The latter is not a roster lock, despite being a former top-five pick.
A former third-round pick, Jenkins was a productive pass rusher for the Jets in the late 2010s. He combined for 15 sacks from 2018-19, but has not matched that work during his two 2020s campaigns. The seventh-year veteran has registered 4.5 combined sacks in 23 games with the Jets and Texans since 2020.
The Raiders still have edges Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones set to anchor their front seven, but they are thin behind this high-priced duo. Malcolm Koonce, a 2021 third-rounder, and Tashawn Bower represent other options here. Fackrell and Jenkins, however, offered veteran presences who had shown, at points, quality pass-rushing capabilities.
The Raiders should be considered likely to explore other outside options for a top bench rusher in the near future. Jason Pierre-Paul and Trey Flowers are the top free agents available, though waiver claims — once teams pare their rosters from 85 to 53 over the next nine days — may be Vegas’ preferred method to bolster its roster.