Clemons, who was signed to a futures deal earlier this offseason, was one of the candidates for a backup safety role, although he was always considered a longshot.
The remaining safeties on Tennessee’s roster include Kevin Byard, Amani Hooker, A.J. Moore, Theo Jackson, Chris Jackson (cornerback also), Shyheim Carter, Rodney Clemons and Michael Griffin II.
In our training camp preview for the safety position, we had Byard, Hooker, Moore and both Jacksons making the cut.
Tennessee’s rookies report to training camp on Saturday, July 23, veterans on Tuesday, July 26, and the first practice of 2022 training camp will be held on Wednesday, July 27 at Saint Thomas Sports Park.
The team announced it has signed defensive backs Shyheim Carter and Rodney Clemons, and linebacker Nate Hall to futures deals.
Carter played collegiate football at Alabama, becoming a regular starter over his last two years on campus and racking up 86 combined tackles (six for loss), and three interceptions over that span.
He was just one of two Alabama defensive backs who were not selected in the 2020 NFL draft. After going undrafted, Carter was signed by the New York Jets, and also spent time with the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons.
At 6-foot, 209 pounds, Clemons played his college ball at SMU, where he was a four-year starter. The Katy, Texas native recorded 78 tackles in his senior season, including three for loss, and had a team-leading four interceptions.
Hall has bounced around several clubs in a short amount of time. The Dallas Cowboys signed the former Northwestern linebacker as an undrafted free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft.
Since then, he’s spent time with the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Arizona Cardinals. Hall has played in three NFL games, recording ten total tackles and two sacks while forcing a fumble.
Here’s a look at the full list of 16 players the Titans have signed to futures contracts so far this offseason:
Three more players added to the mix for the 2021 offseason in Kansas City.
The Kansas City Chiefs continue to add pieces for the 2021 offseason roster.
According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Chiefs have signed DB Rodney Clemons, RB Derrick Gore and DT Tyler Clark to reserve/future contracts. All three of the players visited the team recently ahead of Super Bowl LV.
Both Clemons and Clark have spent time on the Chiefs’ practice squad this season, while Gore spent time on the Chargers’ practice squad this season. Gore was among the group of seven players who first visited the team in early January.
If you’re not familiar with reserve/future signings work, they allow players to join teams prior to the beginning of the new league year. Those players won’t count against the 53-man roster at all. As soon as the new league year begins and the 90-man offseason roster is opened up, each of Clemons, Gore and Clark will be activated to the roster.
A few familiar faces and one new face were in Kansas City for a visit on Thursday.
The Kansas City Chiefs continue to work on their roster of the future, hosting three free agents for visits.
According to the NFL’s official transaction report, the Chiefs hosted DB Rodney Clemons, OL Darryl Williams and OL Justin Britt at team facilities for visits on Thursday. The team is very familiar with Clemons and Williams as both were UDFA signings following the 2020 NFL Draft. They each spent the regular season on the practice squad in Kansas City and were released recently. Bringing these players back on visits signals that they intend to sign them to reserve/future contracts or keep them in the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols should they need to return to the practice squad.
Britt, 29, is a former second-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks by the way of the University of Missouri. He has experience playing all over the offensive line including center, left guard, right guard and right tackle. He started in 86 career games over the span of 2014-2019 but spent the 2020 NFL season as a free agent as he recovered from a serious knee injury suffered late in the 2019 season.
The Chiefs have some future needs along the offensive line at a number of positions and having a versatile player like Britt in the fold could be valuable. If the visit went well, expect the team to sign him to the practice squad or possibly even a reserve/future deal. If you’re not familiar with reserve/future contracts, they allow players to sign with a new team prior to the beginning of the new league year without counting them toward the 53-man roster.
How does SMU DB Rodney Clemons fit with the Kansas City Chiefs?
A two-star recruit out of James E. Taylor High School in Katy, Texas, Clemons was a First-Team All-District player during his senior season in high school. He had a setback in his true freshman season at Southern Methodist University when he suffered an injury during the fourth game of the season. Thankfully, he was granted a medical redshirt and made a quick recovery.
In each consecutive season with the Mustangs, Clemons improved his game statistically. As a senior, he had the most ball production of his career, leading the SMU defense in interceptions. His performance culminated in Second-TeamAll-AAC honors to close out his college career.
Stats:
2015: One tackle prior to a medical redshirt.
2016: Started 12 games. 56 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, four passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble.
2017: Started 13 games. 66 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, 10 passes defended, one interception and one fumble recovery.
2018: Started 12 games. 72 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble.
2019: Started 13 games. 77 total tackles, three tackles for loss, nine passes defended, four interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Clemons ran the second-slowest 40-yard dash time of any defensive back at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. To his credit, he looks much faster on tape. He’s not going to be playing deep safety in the NFL either way. He’ll be tasked with playing much closer to the line of scrimmage, playing against the run, carrying tight ends up the seam, blitzing and the like. If he does play deep it’ll be in quarters or Cover 2 looks as opposed to single high. He also has some upside in that hybrid nickel and dime linebacker spot typically occupied by Daniel Sorensen.
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t exactly have the most depth at the safety position beyond the four players who were on the 53-man roster in 2019 (Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill, Daniel Sorensen, and Armani Watts). That depth might be tested early given Thornhill’s recovery from an ACL injury which ended his season in Week 17. Clemons will be competing with recently re-signed DB Andrew Soroh for a roster spot, assuming Thornhill starts the season on the PUP list.
Clemons was on the PAT and field goal block unit at SMU and had two blocked kicks during his career. I anticipate that’s an area that he’ll need to continue to find success if he’s to make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster or the practice squad.
The Bears have met with six prospects during East-West Shrine week, including two safeties, two receivers, a linebacker and a quarterback.
The offseason is in full swing with free agency and the NFL Draft on the horizon. The college All-Star games are about to kick off starting with Saturday’s East-West Shrine Bowl.
The Bears have met with six prospects during practice this week, according to Walter Football, including two safeties, two receivers, a linebacker and a quarterback.
Chicago was among a handful of teams that met with FIU quarterback James Morgan, who figures to be an intriguing developmental prospect for the Bears. He’s got an impressive arm with good size and mobility.
The Bears also met with a pair of speedy receivers in Virginia’s Joe Reed and Ohio State’s Binjimen Victor. Reed has excelled as a kick returner, but he’s established himself as a complete receiver. Victor is a big target at 6’4 and a playmaker in the red zone, which the Bears could certainly benefit from.
While offense figures to be a focus, defense has some needs of its own, including the need of depth in the secondary. The Bears met with two safeties in Auburn’s Jeremiah Dinson and SMU’s Rodney Clemons. Dinson is perhaps the most versatile player in Auburn’s defensive backfield, and Clemons is one of the more underrated players at his position.
Chicago also met with Miami linebacker Michael Pinckney, who has good size and speed to play linebacker. While at Miami, Pinckney played on the edge, and he projects to do the same at the pro level.
