Tag: 2024 NFL Free Agency

Lions sign veteran TE Parker Hesse after rookie minicamp tryout

Lions sign veteran TE Parker Hesse after rookie minicamp tryout

There is another addition to the Detroit Lions tight end room. After a rookie minicamp tryout, the Lions have signed Parker Hesse to a contract. The team announced the signing on Monday morning, with no contractual terms revealed.

Hesse was one of the veterans working in the weekend rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. The 28-year-old spent the 2023 season on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad and was active for three games. He started seven games and played in all 17 for the Falcons in 2022, catching nine passes for 89 yards.

Lions fans might remember Hesse catching a touchdown pass from Desmond Ridder in a preseason game against Detroit in Ford Field back in 2022.

The 6-foot-3, 251-pound Hesse played college football at Iowa, but was not a tight end. Like former Lions OT Matt Nelson, Hesse was a defensive lineman for the Hawkeyes. He switched to the offensive side of the ball as an undrafted rookie in Tennesee Titans training camp back in 2019.

 

Former Ravens CB Anthony Averett signs with Steelers

With former Ravens CB Anthony Averett now joining the Steelers, he becomes the latest example of Jerry Seinfeld’s we cheer for clothes bit 

With former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Anthony Averett now joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, he becomes the latest example of Jerry Seinfeld’s legendary “we cheer for clothes” routine.

“You’re basically standing and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city,” Seinfeld famously quipped. “This is the same human being, in a different shirt.”

The principle certainly applies in any situation where a player switches sides from one hated rival to the other, and Ravens-Steelers is as heated a rivalry as it gets.

According to multiple outlets, including the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Averett will now get a chance to make the Steelers’ 53-man roster. He was first signed on a mini-camp tryout arrangement, but obviously he impressed the coaches enough to earn a more conventional deal.

He is expected to potentially be a contributor in special teams, and maybe in nickel and dime type packages. It is possible, in certain situations that he could slot in at a safety position in addition to cornerback.

“I definitely know this division, been around four year, I know when they play Renegade, the stadium goes wild. It’s a good rivalry, love the tradition here,” Averett told reporters at rookie minicamp.

“I know when I was on the Ravens, we always respected Pittsburgh and I know the feeling is mutual.”

Averett was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round in 2018. He spent four years with the club before moving on to the Raiders before then have practice squad stints with Detroit and San Francisco.

PFF suggests Bengals add veteran free agent at key area

Should the Bengals go after a free agent at this position?

The Cincinnati Bengals, after adding 10 draft picks and 14 undrafted free agents, figure to be pretty much done with roster additions before training camp.

Still, more depth at critical spots is something the team will continue to evaluate.

Gordon McGuinness at Pro Football Focus looked at one more move for each team after the draft and suggested the Bengals go after cornerback depth:

Cincinnati lost veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie in free agency and will now rely on the continued emergence of Cam Taylor-Britt, who earned a 70.3 PFF coverage grade in 2023, and DJ Turner, who earned a 48.4 PFF coverage grade last season. A veteran addition at outside cornerback would be wise.

It’s certainly not a bad idea. The trio of Cam Taylor-Britt-DJ Turner-Mike Hilton could be the top three next year.

But former first-rounder Dax Hill has now changed positions to cornerback, so he could be in the mix inside or out and, at worst, the fourth corner. Hyped rookie Josh Newton will likely be the fourth or fifth.

Even then, having five-plus capable corners feels like a must these days, especially in the pass-happy AFC.

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Kyle Peko: What the Lions are getting in their new DT

Breaking down what new Lions DT Kyle Peko brings to Detroit as a free agent signing

There is another big body on the Detroit Lions defensive line after Tuesday’s addition of DT Kyle Peko. Detroit added the 30-year-old Peko as a free agent on a reported one-year contract.

The Lions will be Peko’s fifth NFL team since he joined the league as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon State following the 2016 NFL draft. The 6-foot-1, 305-pounder is a cousin of longtime NFL DT and former Michigan State standout Domata Peko.

To say Peko has bounced around is an understatement. When Detroit signed him on Tuesday, it was Peko’s 85th appearance on the NFL’s transaction log since his initial signing, with more than half being practice squad elevations or released. That includes 11 in 2023 alone, beginning with his signing and subsequent waiver by the Las Vegas Raiders, where he had also played in 2022. The Tennessee Titans brought Peko back to where he played eight games in the 2021 campaign.

Last season was far and away the most productive of Peko’s NFL career. After serving as a practice squad promotion in the first two weeks, Peko not only signed onto the 53-man roster but was thrust into the Titans starting lineup. He played more than twice the amount of defensive snaps in 2023 (352) than he had in any prior season.

Peko notched 22 total tackles while playing primarily as a 3T or 2i-tech in Tennessee’s base odd-man front. He did that while serving under DL coach Terrell Williams, who now holds that position with the Lions.

There isn’t a lot of pass rush or twitch in Peko’s game. He’s quick off the snap and shows some jolting initial power, and he uses that nicely to get himself into the gap in run defense at times. When unencumbered, Peko can close on the ball nicely too.

The issues come when Peko doesn’t win that initial hand combat or get the advantage off his first step on the inside. While he gives good effort and doesn’t quit, Peko just doesn’t get off blocks well or anchor as strongly as hoped. Top-heavy interior player. He also doesn’t always feel the down block or pulling blockers well, and it leads to him getting a hand or a shoulder on the ball carrier but not being able to finish the play. This was evident in the Titans’ midseason games against Pittsburgh and Jacksonville; the effort is there, but the results are not.

Peko’s PFF profile for 2023 reflects this. They charted Peko with 10 missed tackles and a missed tackle rate of over 30 percent. He ended the season missing the final four games with a calf injury.

Reuniting with Coach Williams is probably the best-case scenario for Peko to keep the NFL career alive. In Detroit, Peko should compete for interior reserve reps with Levi Onwuzurike, Brodric Martin, Mekhi Wingo and Chris Smith.

 

Bengals lose core special teams player to Cardinals in free agency

A former Bengals defender has signed elsewhere as a free agent.

When it came to offseason projections, one of the seemingly obvious points was the Cincinnati Bengals finding a way to retain linebacker Markus Bailey.

But in the wake of the 2024 NFL draft, that simply isn’t the case.

Tuesday, Bailey inked a deal with the Arizona Cardinals, meaning the former seventh-round pick out of Purdue will play with a new team for the first time.

Bailey had been key depth for the team in the base defense but had a critical role on special teams. Last year, he logged 309 snaps on special teams — 68 percent of the possible snaps.

Considering special teams turnover has been a problem point for Darrin Simmons’ unit over the last few years, the Bengals will need to move forward quickly with the likes of Joe Bachie.

This also opens the door for undrafted free agents Maema Njongmeta and Aaron Casey — the Bengals gave both guys big signing bonuses.

Bailey posted about his departure on social media:

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Titans’ updated WR depth chart after Tyler Boyd signing

Bryce Lazenby breaks down the Titans’ current situation at wide receiver and makes a prediction for how things will ultimately shake out.

The Tennessee Titans made another addition to the wide receiver room on Tuesday, officially agreeing to terms with veteran Tyler Boyd.

This news comes after the Titans met with fellow receiver Zay Jones on Monday. Boyd originally visited with the Titans last week, so it looks like the team wanted to meet with Jones before making a decision.

Boyd comes to Nashville after eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Since 2017, Boyd has had at least 55 catches and 660 yards in each season. Boyd eclipsed the 1000-yard mark in both 2017 and 2018. The former Bengal is not a burner, but he’s a reliable route-runner with sure hands.

The Titans made their first notable addition to the WR room by signing Calvin Ridley shortly after the beginning of free agency. Boyd and Ridley join DeAndre Hopkins, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Treylon Burks, among others, in a revamped receiver room.

With these new additions, let’s take a look at the current Titans wide receiver depth chart.

Position Starter Backup Backup Backup
WR1 DeAndre Hopkins Treylon Burks Colton Dowell Tre’Shaun Harrison
WR2 Calvin Ridley Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Kearis Jackson Mason Kinsey
WR3 Tyler Boyd Kyle Philips Jha’Quan Jackson

This group is much improved over the 2023 iteration. In fact, this could be the most talented wide receiver group the Titans have ever fielded.

Hopkins and Ridley are a perfect complement to one another. Hopkins is one of the best contested-catch receivers in the league and Ridley is a burner who can be a weapon on deep balls. Boyd adds another distinct element as a possession receiver who is a savvy route-runner.

Behind that top three, the Titans have to be hoping for former first-round pick Treylon Burks to finally play up to his draft pedigree. The addition of Boyd could be seen as insurance in case Burks continues to struggle. I believe Burks will get one season with the new staff before any decisions are made about his future.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was brought back this offseason and should make the team as a reliable depth option. The team also rosters several speedy receivers who will battle for the return job in Mason Kinsey, Kearis Jackson, and 2024 draft pick, Jha’Quan Jackson.

Ultimately, I believed the final depth chart will look something like this:

Position Starter Backup
WR1 DeAndre Hopkins Treylon Burks
WR2 Calvin Ridley Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
WR3 Tyler Boyd Jha’Quan Jackson

I have the rookie Jackson making the team for now, but a sixth-round pick is not guaranteed a spot. Kearis Jackson impressed before getting injured in 2023, so either he or Philips could realistically win the final roster spot over the Tulane product.

This is a much more competitive group than it was a year ago. It will be fascinating to watch these guys battle for spots this summer.

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Former Bengals WR Tyler Boyd signs with Titans in free agency

Tyler Boyd finds a new team.

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd has landed in one of the more oft-predicted locations in free agency.

Tuesday, word broke that Boyd has signed elsewhere in the AFC with the Tennessee Titans.

That means Boyd reunites with former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, now head coach of the Titans.

The odd man out in the Ja’Marr Chase-Tee Higgins equation at wide receiver, Boyd finished his Bengals career with a fitting 513 catches for 6,000 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Cincinnati moves forward at the wideout spot with third-rounder Jermaine Burton, sophomores Charlie Jones and Andre Iosivias and even veterans such as Trenton Irwin.

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Lions add veteran defensive tackle as a free agent

The Lions have signed veteran defensive tackle Kyle Peko as a free agent

The Lions have added another veteran to the mix at defensive tackle. Detroit has signed DT Kyle Peko, the team announced on Tuesday.

Peko is a 30-year-old veteran who played the 2023 season with the Tennessee Titans. It was his meatiest role since entering the league in 2016, with Peko starting 10 games and recording 22 tackles and two TFLs. All those figures are career highs for the one-time undrafted free agent from Oregon State.

Peko has also played for the Raiders, Bills and Broncos in his career, which includes two separate seasons (2021 and 2023) with the Titans. In Tennessee, Peko played for new Lions DL coach Terrell Williams.

In the same transaction announcement, the Lions also confirmed they have re-signed safety CJ Moore.

Lions to bring back safety CJ Moore after his gambling suspension

Moore was recently reinstated from his year-long ban and returns to the Lions

The Detroit Lions are expected to bring back veteran safety CJ Moore, per Ian Rapoport and other reports. It’s not official yet, but the indications are that Moore will sign a one-year deal to come back to Detroit.

Moore, now 28, played 5 games for the Lions from 2019 through 2022 after joining Detroit as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Ole Miss. He missed the entire 2023 season after being suspended for a full year by the NFL for violations of the league’s gambling policy.

The league reinstated Moore and three other former Lions players who were all released by Detroit after the year-long suspensions for the gambling violations. It’s the same situation that cost wide receiver Jameson Williams four games in 2023 after an initial six-game suspension.

While Moore didn’t play a lot on defense — only 344 snaps in four seasons — he was a fixture on special teams units for Detroit across two different coaching regimes. Given the current depth chart at safety, Moore could be counted on to play more defense in 2024 even though special teams figures to still be his forte. Detroit has starters Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu at safety and no other player who has ever taken a snap in the NFL at the position backing them up.

Top available NFL free agents represent very slim pickings for the Lions

There are very few available NFL free agents who hold any appeal at all for the Detroit Lions after the 2024 NFL draft

Sometimes the path doesn’t lead where you expect to walk…

Originally, I set out here to write a piece on some number of current NFL free agents who can help the Detroit Lions. I pulled up one available player list to find some potential names, and then another. And another. After looking at three lists, I had exactly four players written down.

“That can’t be right,” I thought. The Lions still have some holes to fill across the roster. While the starting 22 is pretty set in stone, or at least features worthy players competing, the depth at positions like wide receiver, offensive tackle and safety remains concerning. Surely there are some veteran free agents who can help!

And then I referenced another free agent ranking list, thinking maybe I missed something. Nope. So I walked away and dove into a different project, hoping that coming back later with a fresh perspective might lead to more beneficial conclusions on the free agent front.

In that time, one of the top free agent wide receivers, Odell Beckham Jr., signed with the Dolphins. Beckham is a player I know well from when I covered his Browns days, and I generally like and respect OBJ for both his game and his misunderstood persona. But it got me thinking about whether Beckham would even be an upgrade in Detroit.

The short answer: Nope.

Beckham has battled a lot of injuries over the years, from torn ACLs to core muscle surgeries, that have left him a shell of how a lot of fans remember him from his Giants prime. It might surprise Lions fans that Detroit’s own Kalif Raymond has more catches (130 to 79) for more yards (1,681 to 1,102) and fewer drops (five to six) than Beckham over the last three seasons.

Raymond is projected to be the Lions’ No. 4 wideout in 2024, behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Donovan Peoples-Jones. If you want to argue that Raymond belongs ahead of Peoples-Jones, I wouldn’t find fault. The larger point remains that in the Lions offense, continuity and chemistry matter a lot, and the incumbent foursome has that. Beckham has rather famously struggled to adjust to changing offenses and passers, something I watched firsthand with Baker Mayfield and then Matthew Stafford (in L.A.).

OBJ might sell more jerseys and be more recognizable than Kalif Raymond or Donovan Peoples-Jones, but that doesn’t make him a better player for Detroit in 2024.

The same is true for some of the bigger-named free agents still out there at other positions. Take Stephon Gilmore, a prominent name at cornerback who plays in the same style the Lions like to run. Gilmore turns 34 in September and is coming off shoulder surgery in January. He’s been on four teams in as many seasons and is looking for a fifth, and he’s never really recovered from the speed he lost after a torn quad in the 2020 season.

I’d rather see what his brother, Steven, can do in Detroit than pay for what Stephon used to be five years and two serious injuries ago. I feel the same about bringing a guard like Dalton Risner to be a reserve; let’s see what Colby Sorsdal, Giovanni Manu and Christian Mahogany can do on bargain-basement contracts and some developmental coaching instead.

Nothing against Risner, who is probably a better player today than anyone else the Lions have in reserve at guard. Will that still be true in November? And how much would that impact the development of the younger guys, or possibly even expose them to waivers from another team because there’s one less roster spot for them?

The Lions have done such a good job at crafting a culture and developing talent that it’s difficult to give up on younger talent with a more promising long-term future. Bringing in a wideout effectively means the team is giving up on 2023 draftee Antoine Green. Bringing in a defensive tackle is potentially throwing in the towel on Brodric Martin, Levi Onwuzurike, or sixth-round rookie Mekhi Wingo. Looking at the list of available names, there’s no guarantee anyone currently available is better in Detroit in 2024 than any of those guys.

The only four available free agents I’d have any real interest in signing right now–before any minicamp or early training camp injuries–are all on defense. Safety Justin Simmons, EDGE Carl Lawson, safety Quandre Diggs and safety Micah Hyde all make some sense if the price is right: one-year deals with low guaranteed salaries and no assurance of playing time, nothing more. The 2023 versions of Lawson and Diggs aren’t better than anyone already presumably on the 53-man roster, either.

Maybe it’s just the afterglow of a good Lions draft. Maybe I’m too confident in the revamped coaching staff in the secondary and defensive line spots. Maybe I’m undervaluing some of the veteran free agents, or some motley stew of all those factors. Maybe I’ll feel differently after seeing the newcomers in action in the coming minicamps. But I’m just not feeling the appeal of the available free agents for Detroit, not right now.