Minor NFL Transactions: 5/19/21
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Claimed off waivers (from Cowboys): OT William Sweet
Chicago Bears
- Signed: G/C Adam Redmond
- Waived: G Gage Cervenka
New England Patriots
- Signed: LS Wes Farnsworth
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/21
A roundup of today’s mid-round draft pick signings:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DE/LB Jordan Smith (fourth round; UAB)
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Chris Rumph II (fourth round; Duke)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- LB Buddy Johnson (fourth round; Texas A&M); OL Dan Moore Jr. (fourth round; Texas A&M)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/18/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: K Jake Verity
- Waived: LS Brian Khoury
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Julian Stanford
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: OL William Sweet
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Damion Willis
Los Angeles Chargers
- Claimed (from Vikings): WR Austin Proehl
New England Patriots
- Waived: OL Najee Toran
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/retired list: OL Alex Hoffman
- Re-signed: S Eric Burrell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OT Casey Tucker
Washington Football Team
- Claimed (from Cardinals): S Chris Miller
Broncos, Patrick Surtain II Agree To Deal
The second cornerback off the board in this year’s draft, Patrick Surtain II signed his rookie contract Tuesday. Surtain and the Broncos agreed on the four-year slot deal (feat. the fifth-year option), Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This year’s No. 9 overall pick is set to make $20.9MM over the course of his rookie pact.
Denver certainly held Surtain in high regard, passing on a glaring quarterback need to land the former Alabama standout at No. 9. The Broncos did not speak with Surtain during the pre-draft process, but new Denver GM George Paton was with Miami when the Dolphins employed Surtain’s father — Patrick Surtain, a Pro Bowl cornerback in the 2000s.
The younger Surtain became the most significant piece of this year’s Broncos cornerback overhaul. Having seen their Super Bowl-winning No Fly Zone secondary splinter in recent years, the Broncos were thin at corner last season. By the end of the 2020 slate, the Broncos were without their top two corners — A.J. Bouye and Bryce Callahan. They were thin here in 2019 as well, with Callahan missing the season due to injury. Surtain and free agent signings Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller now join Callahan in Denver.
A 6-foot-2 cover man, Surtain started 38 straight games for the Crimson Tide and finished as a consensus All-American as a junior in 2020. Scouts Inc. slotted Surtain as this year’s top cornerback prospect, just ahead of Jaycee Horn, who went eighth overall to the Panthers.
Despite not yet being under contract, Surtain attended Denver’s rookie minicamp last weekend. Here is how the Broncos’ rookie class looks:
Round 1: No. 9 Patrick Surtain II, CB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2: No. 35 (from Falcons) Javonte Williams, RB (North Carolina)
Round 3: No. 98 (from Saints): Quinn Meinerz, OL (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Round 3: No. 105 (from Saints) Baron Browning, LB (Ohio State)
Round 5: No. 152 Caden Sterns, S (Texas)
Round 5: No. 164 (from Bears via Giants) Jamar Johnson, S (Indiana) (signed)
Round 6: No. 219 (from Falcons) Seth Williams, WR (Auburn) (signed)
Round 7: No. 237 Kary Vincent Jr., CB (LSU) (signed)
Round 7: No. 239 (from Giants) Jonathon Cooper, LB (Ohio State)
Round 7: No. 253 (from Browns) Marquiss Spencer, DL (Mississippi State) (signed)
Giants Release QB/WR Joe Webb
The Giants claiming Ryquell Armstead will result in the team moving veteran Joe Webb off its roster. The Giants released the quarterback/wide receiver/special-teamer Tuesday.
An 11-year veteran, Webb caught on with the Giants late last season. The team then signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January. Webb, however, will return to free agency.
Webb, 34, has been one of the NFL’s more versatile players during his career. He started a playoff game at quarterback — a Vikings first-round loss to the Packers — and has seen action at receiver and extensive work on special teams. The Giants signed Webb after Daniel Jones went down with an injury last year. He played in two games with the team, seeing brief time on special teams.
The Lions parted ways with Webb during the 2020 season, doing so after the Texans cut him loose earlier last year. Webb has played 104 regular-season games — with the Vikings, Panthers, Bills, Texans and Giants — over the course of his career.
Broncos Waive WR DaeSean Hamilton
Last week, reports indicated the Broncos were ready to waive DaeSean Hamilton. But the team found a trade taker for the fourth-year wideout. Hamilton’s subsequent ACL tear nixed that deal.
The Broncos are making Hamilton’s exit official Tuesday. They waived the former fourth-round pick, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This transaction will come with a non-football injury designation, with Hamilton having suffered the serious knee malady Friday morning.
Denver was prepared to move on because of its depth at receiver. The Broncos became the first team since the 2003 Cardinals to use first- and second-round picks on receivers in the same draft last year, taking Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler. That duo joins contract-year talents Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick, and the Broncos drafted Auburn’s Seth Williams in this year’s sixth round.
Hamilton was not able to become a consistent target in Denver, failing to surpass 300 receiving yards in any of his three seasons. He is expected to miss the rest of this season due to injury, one that could become a point of contention.
Like Ja’Wuan James, Hamilton was working out on his own — during the time the Broncos going through Phase 1 of their offseason workouts. James and Hamilton were following the NFLPA’s recommendation for veterans to boycott teams’ voluntary offseason programs. The Broncos are not expected to pay James his $10.58MM base salary, setting up a potential grievance. While Hamilton was set to make far less in 2021 ($2.183MM), it will be interesting to see if the team takes the same stance with its second player who suffered a major injury working out on his own.
Giants Claim RB Ryquell Armstead
After seeing COVID-19 wipe out his 2020 season, Ryquell Armstead will have a chance to resume his career. The Giants submitted a successful waiver claim for the running back Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
A 2019 fifth-round pick, Armstead saw action behind Leonard Fournette as a rookie in Jacksonville. Going into his second season, however, Armstead encountered perhaps the NFL’s most severe coronavirus case and needed to be hospitalized twice for significant respiratory issues. The Jaguars cut Armstead on Monday.
The Giants already handed out a notable backup running back contract, giving Devontae Booker a two-year deal worth $6MM. They also selected Gary Brightwell in the sixth round and signed Corey Clement over the weekend. The team did lose top 2020 rusher Wayne Gallman, however. Armstead, 24, will join the mix of players vying for a spot behind Saquon Barkley.
The Jags drafted Armstead 140th overall out of Temple. A Matt Rhule-era Owls recruit, Armstead played a key role for the American Athletic Conference program in his final three seasons. In 2018, he amassed 1,098 rushing yards and totaled 13 touchdowns. Armstead did not opt out in 2020, so two seasons remain on his rookie contract.
Bengals Sign Second-Rounder Jackson Carman
The Bengals have signed rookie offensive lineman Jackson Carman, per a club announcement. With Carman in the fold, the Bengals now have eight players signed from their ten-man class.
Carman, taken in Round 2 with the No. 46 overall pick, made his mark as Clemson’s starting left tackle. But, as a pro, the Bengals will shift him over to guard. It’s new territory for Carman, but it’s his best bet to see the field as Jonah Willaims and Riley Reiff man the outside.
Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 335 pounds, Carman already has an NFL build. Some scouts were unsure about his ability to play LT at the next level, but few could knock his natural ability. As a five-star prospect coming out of high school, he was was nationally known before he even arrived on campus.
With the fierce blocker under contract, the Bengals will move on to inking first-round wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and third-round edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
Browns Sign Rookie James Hudson III
The Browns have another one in the books. On Tuesday, the Browns formally inked fourth-round pick James Hudson III, per a club announcement. Per the terms of his slot, the offensive tackle will earn $4.16MM over the course of four years, including a $677K signing bonus.
The Cincinnati product began his college career as a defensive tackle. Then, the Bearcats asked Hudson to switch sides. In his lone year as the team’s left tackle, Hudson allowed zero sacks and only six quarterback pressures. Now, the No. 110 overall pick will aim to take his game to the next level behind starters Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin.
In addition to Hudson, the Browns have already signed fellow rookies Demetric Felton (RB, sixth-round), Richard LeCounte III (S, fifth-round) and Tony Fields II (LB, fifth-round). They still have four rookies to go, including first-round cornerback Greg Newsome II and second-round linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramaoh.
Jaguars Trade CB Josiah Scott To Eagles
The Jaguars have agreed to trade cornerback Josiah Scott to the Eagles (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). In exchange, the Eagles will send fellow cornerback Jameson Houston to Jacksonville, along with a 2023 sixth-round pick. 
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Scott will help to solidify the Eagles’ CB group, although it’s a less splashy than their reported interest in veteran Steven Nelson. The ex-Chief/Steeler has been a solid starter in the league, ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 cornerback over the last two years. Scott, meanwhile, is heading into his second year after appearing in six games as a rookie reserve. The 2020 fourth-round pick finished last year with a grand total of eleven tackles, including one tackle for a loss.
Houston, meanwhile, went undrafted last year. Then, he got a mini-tour around the country by signing deals with the Browns, Panthers and Eagles. The 5’11” corner saw his first live action with Birds, suiting up for three games down the stretch. The bulk of his time came in Week 16, when he was on the field for 35% of the snaps against Washington.