Tag: 2022 free agency

Cowboys FA safety Damontae Kazee to sign with Steelers

One of the team’s last remaining free agents, the 28-year-old Kazee will sign a 1-year deal in Pittsburgh; Dallas has 3 new UDFA safeties. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Despite bringing in several safeties as undrafted free agents over the weekend, the Cowboys nevertheless got a little thinner at the position in terms of their veteran depth.

Damontae Kazee is signing a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 28-year-old was a fifth-round pick for Atlanta in 2017 and spent four seasons there before joining the Cowboys in 2021.

Kazee came to Dallas recovering from an 2020 Achilles tear, eager to reunite with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who had coached him with the Falcons. He saw heavy usage with the Cowboys, playing over 78% of the team’s defensive snaps during the season.

The San Diego State product started 15 games for the Cowboys, getting in on 52 tackles, picking off two passes, and forcing a pair of fumbles.

But while Dallas chose to re-sign Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker during free agency, Kazee remained on the open market entering draft weekend.

The Cowboys did not use any of their nine draft selections on a safety, yet signed Florida A&M’s Markquese Bell, Georgia Tech’s Juanyeh Thomas, and TCU’s La’Kendrick Van Zandt following the close of the seventh round.

The Steelers did not draft a safety, either. Kazee is now expected to replace Mike Hilton in Pittsburgh, joining Minkah Fitzpatrick, Karl Joseph, and Terrell Edmunds among others at the safety position.

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5 veterans Cowboys should sign following 2022 NFL draft

Now that the 2022 NFL draft is over, the Dallas Cowboys could fill their roster holes by signing any one of these five veteran free agents. @BenGrimaldi has some suggestions.

The Dallas Cowboys have the same offseason plan every year. Attempt to re-sign players they want to keep, let others go and supplement them with lower cost external free agents to build their team. The process breaks down into months.

In March, the Cowboys will test the open market, but only if it comes cheap and after all the top free agents are gone. The month is strictly for patching up holes on their roster. Come late April when the draft arrives, the franchise tries to cover any holes they haven’t addressed. The draft is rarely used for the best player available, but rather filling the biggest needs on the team.

When the draft is over, the Cowboys begin to look for more veteran help in May when it won’t hurt the compensatory pick formula. Dallas will try to grab some extra depth or strengthen any position they didn’t sufficiently address in the draft.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

The draft is now over, and the Cowboys did a solid job of filling most of their question marks, but the job is not done. It’s May and the Cowboys could be looking to add some veteran help to improve the depth and quality of their roster.

Here are five veterans they should consider signing.

Cowboys visit with former Chargers, Colts OL Sam Tevi

After 44 starts with the Chargers, Tevi signed with Indianapolis, but a torn ACL sidelined him for 2021; he met with Dallas this week. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys continue to explore veteran options in free agency, even in the final days leading up to the draft.

Offensive tackle Sam Tevi visited with Dallas staffers this week, according to several reports. Tevi was a sixth-round draft pick out of Utah and spent four seasons with the Chargers, beginning in 2017. He made 44 starts in 58 game appearances with the club.

He signed a one-year deal with the Colts in March 2021 before suffering a torn ACL in the preseason. He was placed on injured reserve in late August.

Tevi is a Texas native, having grown up in the Metroplex suburb of Euless. And while the Cowboys ostensibly already have starting tackles in Tyron Smith and Terence Steele, they may be considering Tevi purely as depth or in a swing tackle role.

That is, if his ACL is healed or at least on track. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News categorized Tevi’s visit in Dallas as “more of a medical check-in” and said that “no deal is imminent,” at least as of Friday evening.

With the 24th overall pick in the upcoming draft, the Cowboys are thought to be in the market for a young offensive line prospect. But Tevi’s visit demonstrates that the front office may not rely on the college ranks to fill all of their roster’s holes.

Tackle La’el Collins was cut by Dallas this offseason; he signed a new contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. Thirty-six-year-old tackle Ty Nsekhe is still an available free agent. Guard Connor Williams left for Miami in March.

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Saints earn ‘B-minus’ grade for 2022 offseason moves

New Orleans Saints earn ‘B-minus’ grade from Bleacher Report for their 2022 offseason moves so far, via @DillySanders:

Before we get to draft week, Bleacher Report’s Ian Wharton went through the NFL and gave every team’s off-season a letter grade for what has happened so far. As for the New Orleans Saints, Wharton gave the team a ‘B-‘ grade. Here is what he had to say for his reasoning:

“Everyone knew the day would come when the constant cap restructures and manipulation would cost the New Orleans Saints some talent. That day came in 2022 even as the franchise found itself as a finalist to land Deshaun Watson via trade. It’s impressive New Orleans was even in the mix, and this grade would be dramatically higher had Watson chosen New Orleans.

Instead, Watson opted for Cleveland and Terron Armstead quickly signed with Miami. Losing Armstead isn’t disastrous considering his injury history, but when coupled with the departures of Sean Payton and Marcus Williams, it’s easy to forecast a lower ceiling for 2022 than 2021. There’s a lot riding on new head coach Dennis Allen and Jameis Winston’s recovering ACL.

Nevertheless, New Orleans could have a relatively simple path to an NFC wild-card spot. Allen should be able to maintain the defense’s performance level, and retaining offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael should ease any transition concerns. And don’t forget the return of star receiver Michael Thomas from ankle surgery will be a welcome boost to the offense.”

Personally, I feel like it is a generous grade. The whole goal of an offseason, is to make your team better, and so far the team has only got worse. Yes, there is potential to upgrade on losses in the draft, but we haven’t seen their choices yet.

Losing Marcus Williams was not ideal, but it did come with the signing of Marcus Maye. Maye is a player whose game I like a lot and think he will bring a lot to this defense, but it is still a downgrade. Terron Armstead is another crucial vet who left the team this off-season, leaving them with James Hurst at left tackle. While Hurst is serviceable, it is not sustainable long term. This will likely get addressed in the draft. There were also two major retirements in Malcolm Jenkins and Sean Payton, losses that will be felt in multiple ways.

Wide receiver is a major hole for New Orleans and the team has failed to bring in a vet, despite some good names being available early on. The best thing that the team has done, is locking up Jameis Winston for two more seasons at a good price. He looked fit to lead the team, is popular in the locker room, and will allow familiarity to the position. This was legitimately a great move.

Some of these losses or deficiencies will be addressed to during the draft, but if we were grading purely on the moves so far, I think the team would deserve something directly in the middle, such as a ‘C’ grade.

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Cowboys safeties Damontae Kazee, Darian Thompson meet with new teams

The Cowboys signed Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker to stay in 2022, Kazee met with Seattle, while Thompson visited Indianapolis recently. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys could be losing some of their safety net at the safety position as two of their deep-defensive backs have reportedly visited with other clubs in recent days.

Damontae Kazee was scheduled to meet with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That news comes on the heels of Darian Thompson’s in-person visit with the Indianapolis Colts late last week, courtesy of NFL Network’s Mike Garofalo.

Longtime safety Keanu Neal, who was listed as a linebacker on the Cowboys’ 2021 roster, already left in free agency to sign with Tampa Bay. He’s said to be returning to the safety position with the Buccaneers.

The Cowboys have re-signed free agent safeties Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse to new contracts this offseason, ensuring their return to the team. They’ll join veteran Donovan Wilson, late-round draft pick Israel Mukuamu (now in his second year), and 2021 practice squad call-up Tyler Coyle.

Kazee came to Dallas last March eager to reunite with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who coached him in Atlanta. Coming off a 2020 Achilles tear, he saw heavy usage in 2021, taking over 78% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps on the season and was in on 52 tackles, logging two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Thompson had been with the Cowboys since 2018, following two seasons with the Giants. The former third-round pick has amassed 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pick in his four seasons in Dallas, but he played only sparingly in 2021. He saw action in just five games, mostly on special teams.

There are several safeties still available on the open market, including Tyrann Mathieu, Landon Collins, and Terrell Edmunds. The Cowboys have not been big spenders in free agency, though, especially with other teams’ castoffs.

Among this year’s draft class, Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton is the top prospect. Georgia’s Lewis Cine, Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker, Baylor’s Jalen Pitre, and Michigan’s Daxton Hill are also among the standouts, though the Cowboys historically stay away from drafting safeties until the late rounds.

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Cowboys ‘not done yet’ in free agency, says Stephen Jones

Jones maintains the team is “all in on stretching” the salary cap to bring free agent talent to Dallas, but they haven’t exactly done so. | From @ToddBrock24f7

“I don’t think you ever win the Super Bowl in the offseason.”

So said Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones on Tuesday, speaking on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. That’s stating the obvious. But a team can certainly take themselves right out of the running with the wrong spring and summer roster moves, making a couple of bad draft picks, or by simply doing nothing during free agency.

“You need depth in all areas, whether it’s via the draft or free agency,” Jones said. “You hope you get that accomplished.”

To that end, the team’s chief operating officer maintains that they’re “not done yet” in free agency, though the current list of veterans still on the open market would indicate that they’re quickly running out of time… and players to choose from.

After starting off drastically over the cap figure, the Dallas front office made some strategic cuts and restructured a few deals. Ultimately, they found themselves plenty of cap space to work with, but have thus far chosen not to add more than wideout James Washington, defensive end Dante Fowler, and running back Ryan Nall.

None is what would would be referred to in modern parlance as “a splash play.”

Jones says the approach isn’t about the money, though, and he claims the team is more than willing to spend top dollar on the right players.

“If we see the player that makes the difference in terms of whether we’re going to win or lose games,” Jones said, “then we’re all in on stretching it, in terms of the salary cap and making something work.”

Jones acknowledged the frustrations that some (most) fans may be feeling at a Cowboys offseason that has seen the roster’s overall talent level take a dip, but he suggested that, despite the wildest free agency period many can remember, there were just few veteran options that made sense for the team this year.

With every big name that comes available, Jones says it’s about more than just looking at a player’s stats and throwing out an attractive contract offer.

“We have to make the decision- in collaboration with our coaching staff, in collaboration with our personnel staff- is that good value for your cap dollars? And what that enables you to do, if the right situation comes to you, then you can certainly make that decision. I understand completely that there’s situations out there where our fans have thoughts as to where they would be spending the cap dollars, but I like the situation that we’re in. I think we’ve made some really good decisions. I like where we’re headed.”

Where the Cowboys are headed now is into the draft, with nine selections currently but a seemingly much larger number of thin spots and outright holes on the roster.

Some of those spots and holes could have been filled in free agency, in moves that would not have won the Cowboys a Super Bowl… but they might have made it feel like a more attainable goal.

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Jets hosting former Saints linebacker Kwon Alexander for free agent visit

The Jets are hosting former Saints linebacker Kwon Alexander for a free agent visit, potentially reuniting him with his old coach Robert Saleh:

Well this is interesting: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the New York Jets are hosting former New Orleans Saints linebacker Kwon Alexander on a free agent visit Tuesday. Alexander, 27, has played really well for New Orleans after the team acquired him in a midseason trade with the San Francisco 49ers back in 2020. He’s been an ideal compliment to Demario Davis as an athletic playmaker who can make plays in coverage.

And that 49ers connection helps explain the sudden interest from New York. Alexander played for Jets head coach Robert Saleh in San Francisco when Saleh was defensive coordinator, so they’ve got a shared history and an easy fit for him in the Jets defense.

There are some Jets players who can attest to the impact Alexander brings, too — his former Saints teammates Sheldon Rankins and Justin Hardee Sr. are both signed with New York for the upcoming season. So it’s looking like a friendly situation for him between the coaching staff and the team that would be around him.

It didn’t take long for Alexander to achieve fan-favorite status in New Orleans, so there’s a big push from fans to re-sign him, but he’s still available this late in the offseason for a reason. Part of that could be his injury history; Alexander has played 12, 12, 8, and 6 games in each of the last four seasons. His contract parameters may also have been too big for the Saints to agree to right away, so this is an opportunity for him to test the market and see what’s out there. If the Jets aren’t willing to pay Alexander what he’s worth, maybe he returns to New Orleans.

But if Alexander is signed away the Saints could recoup a 2023 compensatory draft pick — but not for him. If Alexander leaves on a deal averaging more than $2.5 million before the NFL cutoff date (May 2), he would balance out the Saints’ signing of Andy Dalton, which wiped out a projected third-round comp pick they would have received after letting Terron Armstead leave for the Miami Dolphins.

That’s a small consolation, and the Saints may look to get another linebacker to back up Pete Werner in the starting lineup (unless Zack Baun is finally ready), but the second-year pro played well as a rookie and appears ready to get full-time snaps next to Davis. As we can see, it’s an interesting situation, and there are a lot of possibilities that branch off depending on how it turns out. Stay tuned for movement.

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Bears signed James O’Shaughnessy, and fans had plenty of tight end jokes

The Bears have four tight ends on the roster with the addition of James O’Shaughnessy. But for fans, it feels like a lot more.

The Chicago Bears signed veteran tight end James O’Shaughnessy to a one-year deal on Monday, adding another homegrown tight end to the roster alongside Cole Kmet.

O’Shaughnessy, a former fifth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, has played seven NFL seasons with the Chiefs (2015-16) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-21). He has 112 catches for 1,108 yards and three touchdowns.

The move doesn’t come as a surprise given the Ryan Poles connection, as Poles served as a college scouting director in Kansas City when the Chiefs drafted O’Shaughnessy.

As you can imagine, there were plenty of tight end jokes being thrown out with O’Shaughnessy’s addition — which feels like tradition after former general manager Ryan Pace once collected a myriad of tight ends.

For the record, the Bears currently only have four tight ends on the roster (Cole Kmet, Ryan Griffin, Jesper Horsted and O’Shaughnessy). But for Bears fans, it seems more like seven. (Guess it’s hard to drop old habits).

Here’s how fans are reacting to the Bears adding another tight end in O’Shaughnessy:

Bears sign TE James O’Shaughnessy to 1-year deal

The Bears added another homegrown Chicago tight end in James O’Shaughnessy, who signed a one-year deal with the team.

The Chicago Bears added another veteran tight end in James O’Shaughnessy, who signed a one-year deal with the team on Monday.

O’Shaughnessy, a former fifth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, has played seven NFL seasons with the Chiefs (2015-16) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-21). During that span, he has 112 catches for 1,108yards and three touchdowns.

There’s an obvious connection between O’Shaughnessy and new Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who was a college scouting director in Kansas City when the Chiefs drafted O’Shaughnessy.

Last season, O’Shaughnessy played just seven games after sustaining an ankle injury. He caught 24 passes for 244 yards.

The Bears are getting another homegrown Chicago native in O’Shaughnessy, who grew up in Naperville and attended Illinois State University.

O’Shaughnessy joins a tight ends room led by third-year pro Cole Kmet, as well Jesper Horsted and fellow newcomer Ryan Griffin.

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Cowboys Weekend News: Draft prospects aplenty, Joseph not among those arrested

Debates on top cornerbacks, Cowboys’ fits for the top receivers, details on BC’s Zion Johnson and two arrests made in the Joseph situation.

With the 2022 NFL Draft 11 days away, the Cowboys’ decisions at No. 24 and beyond looms large. Boston College offensive guard Zion Johnson seems to be the overwhelming pick, but will Dallas surprise anyone and go after another weapon?

Alabama’s Jameson Williams and Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore are receivers to keep an eye on for the Cowboys, especially Williams if he slips down the board for Dallas to make a decision. On the other side of the ball, LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. and Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner are the most recent draft debate for Mike Crum, and he goes back and forth with LP Cruz about who’s the best in this draft.

Two arrests were made after Kelvin Joseph met for several hours with homicide investigators and the second-year cornerback currently faces no charges in the March 18 murder.