Saints Sign Entire Draft Class, Restructure Marshon Lattimore
The Saints just knocked out a big order of business. New Orleans has signed their entire draft class to their rookie deals, as Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football tweeted.
To create the cap space necessary for these deals, the team restructured cornerback Marshon Lattimore‘s contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. They converted his “$10.2M fifth year option to a $990K base salary and the rest in a roster bonus with voidable years,” he reports. Rapsheet adds that the team will “keep working on an extension” with Lattimore.
The six-man draft class includes defensive end Payton Turner (first-round; Houston), linebacker Pete Werner (second-round; Ohio State), cornerback Paulson Adebo (third-round; Stanford), quarterback Ian Book (fourth-round; Notre Dame), offensive tackle Landon Young (sixth-round; Kentucky), and wide receiver Kawaan Baker (seventh-round; South Alabama).
It’s great they got this out of the way as the offseason starts to heat up with mandatory minicamps. The Saints had been in a terrible cap situation at the end of 2020, but GM Mickey Loomis has always been able to work some magic.
Bucs Sign Second-Round QB Kyle Trask
A potential Tom Brady successor is officially under contract. The Buccaneers have inked second-round pick Kyle Trask to his rookie deal, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
It’s a four-year pact worth $5.535MM with a signing bonus of $1.385MM for the Florida product. The move comes right as the Bucs are starting their mandatory minicamp. It’s a welcome development for the most recent 64th pick, as he’ll need to focus on all the practice time he can get as a backup quarterback not likely to see the regular season field anytime soon.
Trask had an unusual path to the pros, as he didn’t start a game in high school after his freshman year while backing up eventual Houston and Miami star D’Eriq King. Trask was recruited by Florida nonetheless, and became the starter in his junior year in 2019 after an injury to Feleipe Franks.
Trask thrived under Dan Mullen, and became a Heisman contender in 2020. He set numerous records for the Gators, throwing for 43 touchdowns in 12 games.
In the early draft process there was some buzz he could sneak into the first-round, but he ultimately almost slipped to the third until Tampa nabbed him with the last pick of the second. The Buccaneers also have Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin on the roster behind Brady, who are likely competing for one backup spot next to Trask.
49ers Justin Skule, Tarvarius Moore Suffer Injuries
The 49ers got a double whammy of injuries on Monday. During practice, offensive Justin Skule tore his ACL. And, soon after, safety Tavarius Moore went down with a ruptured Achilles (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Athletic).
Skule’s injury will rule him out for 2020. It’s a bad blow for the former sixth-round pick, who was competing to serve as a top backup behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey. With Williams out of practice, Skule was practicing with the first-string team, a promising sign that he’d make the cut and return for his third season. Instead, he’ll go under the knife, rehab, and switch his focus to 2022.
Moore, meanwhile, has at least some chance of returning later in the year. Similar to Skule, Moore had been practicing with the starters while Jaquiski Tartt deals with a toe ailment. Fortunately, the 49ers do have Tony Jefferson on hand. The veteran — who once inked a four-year, $34MM contract in free agency — agreed to a low-cost deal with SF earlier this week. Now, he’s the odds-on favorite to serve as the No. 3 safety on the team, behind Tartt and Jimmie Ward.
Broncos Sign LB Peter Kalambayi
The Broncos added linebacker Peter Kalambayi today, the team announced. To make room on the roster, the Broncos waived defensive back Chris Cooper.
Kalambayi, a 2018 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, ended up seeing time in 41 games for the Texans between 2018 and 2020. He had 31 combined tackles during his rookie and sophomore seasons, and while he saw the majority of his field time on special teams, he still played 122 defensive snaps during those two campaigns. The linebacker saw a lesser role on defense in 2020, appearing in only 10 snaps. As a result, Kalambayi was limited to only a pair of tackles.
The 25-year-old was waived by Houston back in February. He’ll compete with the likes of Pita Taumoepenu and seventh-round rookie Jonathon Cooper for a role as a weakside linebacker and special teamer.
Cooper, a former undrafted free agent out of Stony Brook, has yet to see time in an NFL game. He’s had stints on the practice squads of the Bengals, Chiefs, Falcons, and Broncos.
WFT Signs DT Gabe Wright, OL Najee Toran
WFT added players on both sides of the ball today. Washington announced that they’ve signed both defensive tackle Gabe Wright and offensive lineman Najee Toran.
Wright has bounced around the NFL since being selected in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, spending time with six different teams. The last time he saw the field for an NFL game was 2018 when he got into a pair of contests with the Raiders. Since that time, he’s had a cameo in the XFL and a short stint with the Jaguars. After joining Jacksonville’s practice squad in December, he was waived by the team back in March.
In total, the 29-year-old has seen time in 15 games (one start), collecting 12 tackles and two tackles for loss. This could very well be Wright’s last chance at an NFL gig, and there’s a chance he sticks around the roster as defensive line depth.
Toran, 25, went undrafted out of UCLA in 2018. He spent most of his rookie and sophomore seasons on the 49ers and Patriots practice squads (respectively), and after sitting out the 2020 campaign, he was waived by New England in May.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/7/21
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: G Marquel Harrell
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: TE Nick Guggemos
Tennessee Titans
- Reverted to IR: OT Anthony McKinney
49ers Cut CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun
After adding one defensive back earlier today, the 49ers are letting go of another. San Francisco has waived cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, reports Cam Inman of The Mercury News (via Twitter).
[RELATED: 49ers To Sign Tony Jefferson]
Boddy-Calhoun joined the 49ers practice squad last December, and he ended up appearing on 16 special teams snaps in Week 14. He re-signed with the organization back in March, but the addition of Tony Jefferson (along with the selection of third-round rookie Ambry Thomas) made Boddy-Calhoun expendable.
The 28-year-old cornerback has spent time with five organizations during his five-year career, including the Jaguars, Browns, Texans, Colts, and 49ers. He appeared in 43 games (21 starts) for Cleveland between the 2016 and 2018 seasons, collecting 138 tackles, three interceptions, and 19 passes defended. He’s appeared in only four games since leaving the Browns in 2019.
With Boddy-Calhoun out of the picture, the likes of Ken Webster, Mark Fields II, and Tim Harris will have an increased chance of making the roster.
Lions Sign LB Reggie Gilbert
Reggie Gilbert will have a chance to return to a regular-season role soon. The Lions signed the veteran pass rusher, according to the team.
A knee injury during Titans training camp last year sidetracked his run with the team, and a waived/injured transaction took place soon after. Gilbert caught on with the Cardinals and Jaguars but did not play in a game with either team.
The Titans traded for Gilbert just ahead of the 2019 season and used him as a spot starter that year. The outside linebacker played a role for a Titans team hurting for edge presences opposite Harold Landry, starting in five games. He recorded 2.5 sacks in 16 games with the Packers in 2018, working as a backup with the NFC North squad from 2017-18. Green Bay loaded up on outside ‘backers in the 2019 offseason, however, and sent Gilbert elsewhere.
Detroit re-signed Romeo Okwara in free agency this year but went most of last season without Trey Flowers on the field. Flowers is set to return, and the Lions have 2020 third-round pick Julian Okwara in the mix as well. The Lions are moving to a 3-4 defense this year; Gilbert’s game action has come exclusively for teams who have used that scheme. The 28-year-old defender will now vie for a Detroit depth role.
Cardinals Bring Back DT Xavier Williams
Xavier Williams is set to return to the desert. The Cardinals are bringing back the veteran defensive tackle, according to a team announcement. Williams began his career in Arizona but has played elsewhere over the past three seasons. It’s a one-year deal.
The former UDFA interior lineman left to join his hometown team in 2018, signing an RFA offer sheet with the Chiefs. That alliance lasted two seasons, with Kansas City not re-signing Williams last year. Williams played with the Bengals and Patriots in 2020.
Prior to Williams’ defection to Missouri, the Cardinals used him as a role player in the middle of their 3-4 defense. He played for three of Arizona’s James Bettcher-run defenses, but the Cards have seen some defensive coordinator turnover since. Williams will now attempt to make the Cards’ 53-man roster as a nose tackle in Vance Joseph‘s 3-4 scheme.
Williams, 29, worked as a regular for the Chiefs’ 13-3 team in 2018 and returned from injury to contribute to their 2019 team’s Super Bowl-winning march. Last season, the 6-foot-2 nose played 11 games (three starts) with the Bengals. He will join 2020 fourth-round pick Leki Fotu among Cardinals D-tackles. Corey Peters remains unsigned, though the veteran D-lineman said he has spoken with the Cardinals about returning for a sixth Arizona season.
To make room on their roster, the Cards waived linebacker Shareef Miller. Originally a fourth-round Eagles pick, Miller has played in one regular-season game.
Ravens To Sign Ja’Wuan James
In a surprise move, the Ravens have agreed to sign offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). James is unlikely to play anytime soon, due to his ruptured Achilles. Still, the Ravens moved to sign him with the hope that he’ll be 100% healthy for 2022. The deal could pay up to $9MM in total. 
[RELATED: James Files Grievance Against Broncos]
The deal is still pending a physical, though the exam will account for James’ primary injury. If all goes well, James will put pen to paper this week and collect $500K in guaranteed money for 2021. In essence, he’s getting $500K to rehab under team supervision this year and agreeing to play for $8MM in 2022. Beyond that, James can reach the full $9MM via incentives.
After spending his first five years with the Dolphins, James inked a four-year, $51MM deal with Denver to serve as their long-term starter. But, due to knee injuries, the former first-round pick only appeared in three games in 2019. Then, he opted out of the 2020 season. Now, he’s moving on to Baltimore, though he’s still hashing out some financial matters with his old club.
The Ravens see James as a potential heir to the right tackle job. They’ve got Alejandro Villanueva under contract for the next two years, but he’s unlikely to match Orlando Brown‘s level of performance. James, in theory, could provide better protection in 2022 with Villanueva serving as a backup.