Tag: free agency

Steelers signing former Broncos offensive tackle

The Steelers are signing former Broncos offensive tackle Calvin Anderson after losing Troy Fautanu to a knee injury.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing veteran offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, 28, after losing Troy Fautanu to a knee injury, according to a report from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Anderson (6-5, 305 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Texas with the New England Patriots in 2019. After being waived by the Patriots, Anderson was picked up by the New York Jets, who placed him on their practice squad to begin the 2019 season.

The Denver Broncos signed Anderson off the Jets’ practice squad to their active roster four games into the 2019 campaign. He went on to spend the next three seasons with the Broncos, serving as a backup swing tackle.

Anderson dressed for 41 games in Denver, earning 12 starts. After his contract expired with the Broncos in 2023, Anderson returned to the Patriots. He appeared in five games last fall, earning two starts. New England released him from injured reserve in August and Anderson will now get a fresh start in Pittsburgh.

After losing Mike McGlinchey to a knee injury, Denver brought in tackles Braeden Daniels and Cameron Fleming for workouts but did not sign either of them. Alex Palczewski started in the place of McGlinchey on Sunday and he played well, so the Broncos seem set at the position for now.

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Broncos bring in familiar face for offensive line tryouts

The Broncos brought in Cam Fleming and Braeden Daniels for tryouts following the Mike McGlinchey injury.

After losing right tackle Mike McGlinchey to a knee injury, the Denver Broncos brought in two offensive linemen for tryouts on Thursday, including a familiar face.

The Broncos worked out Braeden Daniels and Cameron Fleming, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. Both players have experience at right tackle.

Fleming (6-5, 320 pounds) played in Denver from 2021-2023. He started 20 games for the Broncos over three seasons, including 15 starts in 2022 (splitting time between right and left tackle). Fleming dressed for six games last fall and had one fill-in start. He has been a free agent since March.

Daniels (6-4, 297 pounds) played left tackle, left guard and right tackle at Utah before being picked by the Washington Commanders in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft. After spending his rookie season on injured reserve with a torn rotator cuff, Daniels failed to make Washington’s 53-man roster this summer.

Daniels then signed with the Houston Texans’ practice squad in August. He was cut on Tuesday and is now a free agent.

If the Broncos add an offensive tackle, they will need to make a corresponding move as the active roster and practice squad are both full going into the team’s Week 3 showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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5 offensive tackles Broncos could sign to replace Mike McGlinchey

After losing Mike McGlinchey to an MCL injury, the Broncos should consider these free agent offensive tackles.

After losing right tackle Mike McGlinchey for “about a month” to a sprained MCL, the Denver Broncos must now find a replacement.

Matt Peart might be the in-house favorite to start while McGlinchey is sidelined, but the Broncos would be wise to at least bring in more depth at the position. Alex Palczewski filled in for McGlinchey for two snaps on Sunday, but those were the first two snaps of his career, and rookie Frank Crum was inactive for each of the team’s first two games this season.

Here’s a quick list of five outside players Denver could consider bringing in for workouts this week.

Free agent offensive tackles

1. Billy Turner: The 32-year-old vet had two previous stints with the Broncos and has experience at both tackle and guard.

2. Cam Fleming: Another ex-Denver tackle, the 32-year-old Fleming filled in for one game in 2023 and started 15 games in 2022.

3. D.J. Humphries: A 30-year-old former first-round pick who started 98 games for the Arizona Cardinals from 2016-2023, including 16 games last season.

4. Donovan Smith: He started 12 games for the Kansas City Chiefs last season. The 31-year-old former second-round pick won Super Bowls with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chiefs.

5. David Bakhtiari: The decorated 32-year-old veteran has struggled with injuries, playing just one game last season and one game in 2021. He was healthy for 11 games in 2022. If healthy, Bakhtiari would be an intriguing option for the Broncos.

Denver will likely bring in tackles for tryouts in the coming days. If McGlinchey is placed on injured reserve, that would free up a roster spot for a potential signing this week.

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Rams are signing veteran CB Ahkello Witherspoon

The Rams are bringing back Ahkello Witherspoon to help fill out their banged-up cornerback group

Ty Nsekhe isn’t the only player the Los Angeles Rams are reuniting with. The team is also bringing back a familiar cornerback.

According to Jordan Schultz, the Rams are signing veteran corner Ahkello Witherspoon. Jake Ellenbogen of Downtown Rams was first to report the move. He played all 17 games with the Rams last season, leading the team with three interceptions and 14 pass breakups.

The Rams are getting thin at cornerback after losing Darious Williams to a hamstring injury that landed him on IR for at least four games. Cobie Durant also injured his toe in Week 1 and is considered day-to-day.

If Durant is unable to play on Sunday against the Cardinals, it’s possible Witherspoon will step in opposite Tre’Davious White as a starting cornerback for Week 2.

4 wide receivers worked out for Broncos, including Denzel Mims

The Broncos brought in four wide receivers for workouts, including former second-round draft pick Denzel Mims.

The Denver Broncos brought in four wide receivers for workouts on Tuesday, including former second-round draft pick Denzel Mims.

The Broncos hosted Kaden Davis, Leon Johnson, Lance McCutcheon and Mims, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson.

Davis (6-1, 190 pounds) entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Northwest Missouri State with Denver in 2022. After spending time on the Broncos’ practice squad that fall, Davis spent the following spring playing in the USFL with the Michigan Panthers. He spent last year on the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals and this summer with the Detroit Lions.

Johnson (6-5, 207 pounds) signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State this spring. He was waived when L.A. set its 53-man roster in August.

McCutcheon (6-3, 202 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Montana State with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. He has since spent time with the Houston Texans and New York Jets.

Mims (6-3, 207 pounds) was picked by the Jets in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Baylor. He hauled in 42 receptions for 676 yards in three seasons with the Jets before being traded to the Lions in 2023. After being waived/injured by Detroit, Mims spent time on the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers last fall. He went to training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars this summer but did not make their 53-man roster.

The Broncos seem to be looking for reinforcements at receiver after their WRs struggled to create separation in the team’s season opener on Sunday. Another name that might be worth watching in the coming weeks is former New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas, who has now completed his one-game suspension. Thomas (6-3, 212 pounds) played for the Saints from 2016-2023, spending six years playing for coach Sean Payton.

Denver’s 53-man roster is full, so if the team adds any receivers, the team will have to make room on the active roster.

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Panthers reportedly planning to sign former 1st-round pass rusher

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Panthers are set to add former first-round pick Charles Harris.

The Carolina Panthers may be set to add some veteran presence off the edge.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Panthers are planning to sign free-agent defensive end Charles Harris. The 29-year-old, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, worked out for the team in late August.

A two-time Second-team All-SEC selection at the University of Missouri, Harris was selected with the 22nd overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. He spent three seasons there, recording 3.5 sacks over 41 games.

Harris has also gone on to play for the Atlanta Falcons (2020) and, most recently, the Detroit Lions (2021 to 2023). Over his seven-year NFL career, he’s amassed 171 combined tackles, 16.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.

With outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum beginning the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, the Panthers have been on the hunt for pass-rushing help to put alongside 11th-year veteran Jadeveon Clowney. Other than Clowney, the active roster currently features just three more edge rushers—DJ Johnson, Eku Leota and Jamie Sheriff.

Carolina is also dealing with a possible season-ending injury to Pro Bowler defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who tore his meniscus in Sunday’s regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

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Pat Surtain’s record-breaking contract has already been topped

Just two days after the Broncos gave Pat Surtain an average of $24M per year, the Dolphins gave Jalen Ramsey a deal worth $24.1M per year.

Pat Surtain’s reign as the highest cornerback in NFL history only lasted about 48 hours.

Two days after the Denver Broncos gave Surtain a four-year, $96 million contract extension that averaged $24 million per season, the Miami Dolphins gave Jalen Ramsey a three-year, $72.3 million deal that averages $24.1 million per season.

Similar to the quarterback market, the highest-paid cornerback is often the most-recently paid cornerback.

Surtain’s contract already looked like a bargain because he had two years left on his existing deal. That essentially made PS2’s contract a six-year, $119 million deal worth an average of just under $20 million per season.

As the NFL’s salary cap continues to go up each year, Surtain’s contract will age well. Sauce Gardner is still playing on his rookie contract. When it comes time for an extension, Gardner’s agent will want to top the Ramsey contract, dropping PS2’s average even lower in the highest-paid rankings.

When it comes to big extensions for star players, getting a deal done sooner than later is always cheaper, as has been demonstrated with Surtain.

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