Washington To Sign TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Logan Thomas‘ productive season lessened Washington’s need at tight end, but the team will still add some depth to the position. The defending NFC East champions are signing Ricky Seals-Jones, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Seals-Jones spent last season with the Chiefs but did not factor into the AFC champions’ offense much. He played in just two games and wound up on the waiver wire in January. While the Chiefs brought the young tight end back to their active roster, he did not catch a pass in 2020. Washington also signed recent Chiefs tight end Deon Yelder earlier this month.
The team still figures to rely on Thomas as its starter, but it did use a fourth-round pick on Boise State’s John Bates this year. Washington entered the 2020 season with a gaping hole at tight end, having Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis‘ tenures end in the same offseason, but Thomas’ 72-reception, 670-yard season established the ex-quarterback as a viable starter going into 2021.
Originally a Cardinals UDFA who converted to tight end after playing wide receiver at Texas A&M, Seals-Jones served as a part-time starter in Arizona in two seasons with the team. He totaled 46 catches for 544 yards and four touchdowns as a Cardinal and played a role for a 2019 Browns team that was without David Njoku for most of that season. Seals-Jones added four TD grabs that year and averaged 16.4 yards per catch. The 26-year-old pass catcher figures to vie for a depth role in Washington.
Washington Cuts Morgan Moses, Geron Christian
After attempting to trade Morgan Moses, Washington will instead send its longtime right tackle to free agency. The team is releasing its six-year right tackle starter, Sam Fortier of the Washington Post tweets. Washington is also waiving tackle Geron Christian, according to the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (on Twitter).
Rarely a player brought up here at Pro Football Rumors, Moses signed an extension in 2017 and has gone six straight seasons without missing a game. Moses’ relative anonymity came to an end this week, with Washington making him available for trade. No takers, however, will lead to a release.
Washington added two presumptive tackle starters over the past month, drafting Samuel Cosmi in the second round and signing longtime Bears left tackle Charles Leno. The WFT will save $7.74MM by cutting Moses, who will immediately become one of the top free agents available.
Pro Football Focus graded Moses as a top-20 tackle last season. While the advanced metrics site viewed Moses as a middle-of-the-road tackle from 2017-19, the 30-year-old blocker certainly proved dependable. As Trent Williams frequently missed starts and Washington cycled through tackles after Williams’ run ended in 2019, Moses continued to suit up for games. After finishing his rookie season on IR, the former third-round pick has made 96 straight starts.
A 2018 third-round pick, Christian started eight games at left tackle with Washington. Six of those came last season. Although a Brandon Scherff extension remains a goal for the defending NFC East champions, Washington’s new regime has rebooted the team’s tackle situation.
Washington Signs Joe Walker, Cuts Josh Harvey-Clemons
Washington is shuffling their linebacking depth chart. They’ve signed free agent linebacker Joe Walker and cut Josh Harvey-Clemons, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.
Walker spent 2020 with the 49ers where he was a core special teamer and reserve, playing over 60 percent of the special teams snaps. He didn’t play much on defense, but the year before in 2019 he started 11 games for the Cardinals. That year in Arizona, he finished with 65 tackles, five for a loss, and a forced fumble.
He was originally a seventh-round pick of the Eagles in 2016, and started three games for Philly in 2017. Washington drafted Harvey-Clemons in the seventh-round back in 2017. He played a real role in 2018, when he had a sack and three passes defended, but his playing time was reduced in 2019.
Harvey-Clemons then opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Linebacker was a weakness for Washington’s strong defense last season, and they just used their first-round pick on Jamin Davis from Kentucky.
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
WFT Gives Morgan Moses Permission To Seek Trade
The Washington Football Team is ready to move on from Morgan Moses. This week, the front office granted the longtime starting tackle permission to seek a trade (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
Moses is currently slated to earn $7.75MM in 2021. That’s not an unreasonable sum, but it’s more than WFT will pay Charles Leno on his brand new one-year, $5MM pact. Leno, 29, is now the leader to man Washington’s left tackle spot with second-round pick Samuel Cosmi positioned to take over in the long run. Now, Washington may look to slot Cosmi in as the RT starter while turning Moses into a bit of future draft capital.
“It gives us more depth,” head coach Ron Rivera told reporters after signing the ex-Bears starter. “It gives us more opportunity to fill some of the other basic needs we have and having another guy that’s been a very durable, veteran player. I just don’t think you can have enough quality offensive line depth.”
Moses hasn’t been a world-beater. But, to his credit, he hasn’t missed a start since his rookie year. He did so while playing through some painful injuries over the last few seasons. Moses’ medical chart includes ankle and Lisfranc surgeries, plus pectoral tears.
Eagles Sign Ryan Kerrigan
Ryan Kerrigan is staying in the NFC East. On Monday morning, Kerrigan bid farewell to the Washington Football Team. And, minutes later, we learned that he’s agreed to join up with the Eagles (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Eagles have since confirmed the signing as a one-year deal. 
“I’ll never be able to sum up what these past ten years have meant to me in an Instagram post, but what I can say is that they have been some of the best of my life,” Kerrigan wrote (Instagram link). “I hope you had as much fun watching me as I did playing for you. Thank you, Washington, for everything.”
Up until now, the former first-round pick had spent his entire career in D.C. Along the way, he collected four Pro Bowl nominations and 95.5 sacks to top Dexter Manley for the franchise record. Kerrigan started every game for his first nine seasons with the club. But, last year, he was mostly relegated to a reserve role and notched just 5.5 sacks for Ron Rivera. As a result, it was widely expected that he would move on.
Now, the 32-year-old (33 in August) will suit up for his longtime rival. The Steelers and Bengals (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter) also showed interest, but he felt that the Eagles would be his best fit. Currently, he profiles as the Birds’ No. 4 DE, likely behind Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat.
With Kerrigan off the board, other edge-needy teams can still consider the likes of Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston, Everson Griffen, Olivier Vernon, Ezekiel Ansah, Dion Jordan, and Adrian Clayborn.
Washington To Sign DB Bobby McCain
After meeting with the Washington Football Team earlier this week, Bobby McCain will join the defending NFC East champions. The parties agreed to a one-year deal Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Dolphins released the veteran defensive back last week. Now, McCain will follow Ryan Fitzpatrick to the nation’s capital. McCain has worked as both a starting safety and cornerback in his six seasons as a pro.
A former fifth-round pick, McCain joined the Dolphins two regimes ago. But he endured and signed an extension with the Chris Grier-era front office. The Dolphins moved McCain from cornerback to safety in 2019. After an injury-shortened season, the veteran bounced back to play in 16 games for the 2020 Dolphins edition. He will join Washington’s Landon Collins-led safety corps.
Washington may be lining up McCain, 27, to play alongside Collins. The team has Kamren Curl, a seventh-round pick last year, in place at safety and used a fifth-round pick recently on Darrick Forrest. Although McCain ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 55 overall safety last season, he brings considerable experience (55 pro starts) and possesses the versatility that would allow Washington to use him in multiple capacities.
WFT Signs First-Round LB Jamin Davis, Rest Of Draft Class
All 10 WFT rookies are now under contract. The team announced that they’ve signed each of their draft picks to rookie contracts.
This grouping is obviously highlighted by first-round linebacker Jamin Davis. The Kentucky product used a strong 2020 campaign to jump from a potential Day 3 pick to the No. 19 selection in the 2021 draft. Davis ultimately finished this past season with a team-leading 102 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and three interceptions. This standout performance earned him First-Team All-SEC honors from Pro Football Focus. Considering the rookie’s versatility and pass-rushing prowess, it won’t be long before he’s secured a consistent role on Washington’s defense.
Texas offensive tackle Sam Cosmi was selected by Washington with the No. 51 pick. The former Texas standout played both right tackle and left tackle in college, so WFT offensive line coach John Matsko will have plenty of opportunities to play the rookie.
The rest of the team’s draft class includes:
- Round 3: No. 74 (from 49ers) Benjamin St-Juste, CB (Minnesota)
- Round 3: No. 82 Dyami Brown, WR (North Carolina)
- Round 4: No. 124 John Bates, TE (Boise State)
- Round 5: No. 163 Darrick Forrest, S (Cincinnati)
- Round 6: No. 225 (from Eagles) Cameron Cheeseman, LS (Michigan)
- Round 7: No. 240 (from 49ers via Eagles) Will Bradley-King, DE (Baylor)
- Round 7: No. 246 Shaka Toney, DE (Penn State)
- Round 7: No. 258 (from Chiefs through Dolphins) Dax Milne, WR (BYU)
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/21
Today’s late round signings:
Buffalo Bills
- G Jack Anderson (seventh-round; Texas Tech), OL Tommy Doyle (fifth-round; Miami Ohio), WR Marquez Stevenson (sixth-round; Houston), CB Rachad Wildgoose (sixth-round; Wisconsin)
Carolina Panthers
- DT Daviyon Nixon (fifth-round; Iowa), CB Keith Taylor (fifth-round; Washington), OL Deonte Brown (sixth-round; Alabama), Thomas Fletcher (sixth-round; Alabama), WR Shi Smith (sixth-round; South Carolina), DT Phil Hoskins (seventh-round; Kentucky)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Demetric Felton (sixth round; UCLA), LB Tony Fields II (fifth-round; West Virginia), S Richard LeCounte (fifth round; Georgia)
Dallas Cowboys
- DT Quinton Bohanna (sixth round; Kentucky) WR Simi Fehoko (fifth round; Stanford), OL Matt Farniok (seventh-round; Nebraska), DB Israel Mukuamu (sixth-round; South Carolina)
Denver Broncos
- S Jamar Johnson (fifth round; Indiana), DL Marquiss Spencer (seventh round; Mississippi State)
Detroit Lions
- DT Alim McNeill (third round; North Carolina State)
Green Bay Packers
- OL Cole Van Lanen (sixth-round; Wisconsin), RB Kylin Hill (seventh-round; Mississippi State)
Kansas City Chiefs
- DE Joshua Kaindoh (fourth-round; Florida State), WR Cornell Powell (fifth-round; Clemson), TE Noah Gray (fifth-round; Duke), OL Trey Smith (sixth-round; Tennessee)
Los Angeles Chargers
- OL Brenden Jaimes (fifth-round; Nebraska)
Miami Dolphins
- OL Larnel Coleman (seventh-round; UMass), RB Gerrid Doaks (seventh-round; Cincinnati)
Minnesota Vikings
- WR/KR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (fifth-round; Iowa), DL Jaylen Twyman (sixth-round; Pittsburgh), TE Zach Davidson (fifth-round; Central Missouri
New England Patriots
- S Joshuah Bledsoe (sixth-round; Missouri)
San Francisco 49ers
- OL Jaylon Moore (fifth-round; Western Michigan), CB Deommodore Lenoir (fifth-round; Oregon), S Talanoa Hufanga (fifth-round; USC), RB Elijah Mitchell (sixth-round; Louisiana)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- LB K.J. Britt (fifth-round; Auburn), CB Chris Wilcox (seventh-round; BYU), LB Grant Stuard (seventh-round; Houston)
Washington Football Team
- CB Benjamin St-Juste (third-round; Minnesota), S Darrick Forrest (fifth-round; Cincinnati), DE Shaka Toney (seventh-round; Penn State)
WFT To Sign Charles Leno
The Washington Football Team has agreed to sign former Bears left tackle Charles Leno (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Once finalized, it’ll be a one-year deal for $5MM. 
The Bears cut Leno earlier this month after investing a second-round pick in tackle Teven Jenkins. Washington, meanwhile, chose Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi in Round 2. Cosmi may be the long-term solution at LT, but they’ll ease him into the role with Leno as the stopgap starter.
Washington hasn’t had a solid left tackle since things went south with Trent Williams. Leno isn’t on Williams’ level, but he has been an LT starter for the past six seasons, serving as Chicago’s blindside protector from 2015-20. Pro Football Focus graded Leno as a top-25 tackle in three of the past four seasons, including the 2020 season. He’s durable, too; Leno hasn’t missed a game since his rookie year.
The Broncos also had Leno on their radar as they look to replace the injured Ja’Wuan James. Now, they’ll consider other veterans such asBobby Massie, Dennis Kelly, Jermaine Eluemunor and Cameron Fleming.