Contract Terms: 1 year, $1.1 million
Running back Rachaad White will have competition for touches in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers backfield. According to Fox Sports’ Greg Auman, the Buccaneers signed Chase Edmonds to a veteran minimum salary.
Edmonds will play for a third team in a year.
Last offseason, the Miami Dolphins signed Edmonds to a two-year, $12.1 million contract, but they quickly soured on him. In a blockbuster trade before the 2022 deadline, Miami sent the running back along with a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 fourth-rounder to the Denver Broncos in exchange for edge-rusher Bradley Chubb and a 2025 fifth-rounder.
Shortly after Edmonds arrived in Denver, he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 11, landed on injured reserve and returned in Week 16. Edmonds finished the season with 402 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos released him last week.
Now, Edmonds starts a new career chapter in Tampa Bay, where he’ll likely play a role on passing downs as a complement to White.
Grade: C-
Other Signings
Here’s a rundown of Thursday’s other signings.
Jets Sign IOL Wes Schweitzer
For those who have been living under a rock, quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants to play for the New York Jets. As Gang Green works with the Green Bay Packers on a trade agreement, general manager Joe Douglas has to fortify key areas on the roster.
With a 39-year-old quarterback on the way, the Jets added depth to the interior of their offensive line. The team announced that it signed Wes Schweitzer, who has experience at both guard positions and at center. He’s started in 60 out of 80 career games with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders.
The Jets have a question mark at center with Connor McGovern on the free-agent market. Because of his experience, Schweitzer has a shot to earn the starting job.
Grade: C+
Seahawks Re-Sign QB Drew Lock
The Seattle Seahawks will retain Geno Smith’s former competitor for the starting job. The front office re-signed Drew Lock on a one-year, $4 million contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Unless Smith, who won 2022 Comeback Player of the Year, goes down with an injury, Lock will continue to hold the clipboard as an experienced backup with 21 starts in his career (all with the Denver Broncos).
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll hasn’t dismissed the idea of taking a quarterback in the first round. If that happens, Lock’s chance to see snaps in a backup role could evaporate well before Week 1 of the 2023 season.
Grade: D
Bengals Sign OL Cody Ford
After a late Wednesday splash, signing offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cincinnati Bengals continue to put the finishing touches on their offensive line group. They signed a versatile backup in Cody Ford, the team announced.
In four seasons, three with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Arizona Cardinals, Ford has played both guard spots and right tackle, though he’s lined up mostly on the interior after his rookie term.
Last season, the Bengals dealt with injuries on the right side of their offensive line with guard Alex Cappa and La’el Collins sidelined late in the campaign. Ford gives them an insurance policy at both positions, but he’s shaky in pass protection, allowing three sacks while on the field for 350 snaps with the Cardinals in 2022, per Pro Football Focus.
Grade: D
Browns Expected to Sign DT Trysten Hill
In an effort to reshape their defensive line, the Cleveland Browns added another interior tackle. They’re expected to sign Trysten Hill, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Hill hasn’t played up to expectations after the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2019 draft. He started in five games in 2020 before he tore his ACL, which sidelined him from October through the remainder of the season.
In total, Hill has suited up for only 31 games in four years, and he’s yet to play more than 228 defensive snaps in a single campaign. The Browns can only hope to tap into the 24-year-old’s potential if he can stay healthy and maintain his composure.
Grade: D
Ravens Re-Sign S Geno Stone
The Baltimore Ravens opened up some opportunities at safety when they traded Chuck Clark to the New York Jets last week. According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, the club re-signed Geno Stone, who could soak up some playing time behind Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton.
In 2022, Stone started in seven out of 17 games, recording 38 tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble while on the field for 41 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps. Also a core special teamer over the past three seasons, the 23-year-old should take the field for a fair number of snaps in 2023.
Grade: C
Jaguars Re-Sign DB Tevaughn Campbell
The Jacksonville Jaguars will need some reinforcements at cornerback after they cut Shaquill Griffin. They announced Thursday that they’ve re-signed Tevaughn Campbell.
Between 2020 and 2021, Campbell had a knack for finding the football on the back end of the Los Angeles Chargers defense. He logged 62 tackles, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, a pick-six and a fumble return for a touchdown.
The Jaguars will likely add to their cornerback room via the upcoming draft, though Campbell has a shot to play a decent number of snaps on the boundary and in the slot.
Grade: C
Bengals Re-Sign PR/WR Trent Taylor, RB Trayveon Williams
The Cincinnati Bengals are retaining one the league’s top punt returners from last season.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the club re-signed Trent Taylor, who ranked third in yards per punt return (10.3) and fourth in total punt return yards (340) for the 2022 campaign. He’s back on a one-year deal.
The Bengals also re-signed Trayveon Williams on a one-year deal, the team announced. He played 58 percent of the Bengals’ special teams snaps last season.
Grade: C-
Dolphins Sign KR/PR/WR Braxton Berrios
The Miami Dolphins added an All-Pro special teamer to boost their return game by signing Braxton Berrios to a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Berrios played his previous four seasons with the New York Jets and led the league in yards per kick return (30.4) for the 2021 campaign. He also had the longest kick return (102 yards) that year.
In the passing game, Berrios can add a spark out of the slot. Between 2020 and 2021, he caught 83 passes for 825 yards and five touchdowns. He could see a lot of space in the middle of the field with speedy wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle drawing a lot of attention from safeties over the top.
Grade: C+
Patriots Sign LB Mack Wilson
The New England Patriots apparently liked what they saw in Mack Wilson after they acquired him from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Chase Winovich last March. The Patriots re-signed the linebacker on a one-year deal worth up to $2.2 million, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
This past season, Wilson started in three out of 17 contests, playing 21 percent of the defensive snaps (236 plays). He’s a two-down linebacker who will continue to fill gaps in the Patriots’ run defense.
In 2022, Wilson registered 36 tackles, two for loss, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
Grade: C-
Dolphins sign IOL Dan Feeney
The Miami Dolphins added depth for their offensive line early Thursday. NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reported that the team signed Dan Feeney to a one-year deal.
Feeney spent his previous two years with the New York Jets in a backup role on the interior of the offensive line, taking snaps at both guard spots and center. With Gang Green, he started in seven out of 33 contests, though the 28-year-old has ample starting experience from his Los Angeles Chargers days between 2017 and 2020 (57 starts at left guard and center).
In 2022, Dolphins offensive linemen Liam Eichenberg and Robert Jones split time at left guard, but neither one solidified themselves as a bona fide starter. Feeney may be able to compete for that position at the training camp.
Grade: C-
Rams Re-Sign IOL Coleman Shelton
The Los Angeles Rams retained a key offensive lineman by signing Coleman Shelton to a two-year extension, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue.
In 2022, Shelton made starts at both guard positions and center. He logged most of his snaps at the pivot as a replacement for Brian Allen, who missed several games while on the mend from a knee operation and because of thumb, ankle and calf injuries.
Shelton allowed four sacks and committed five penalties in 720 offensive snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus. He’s a borderline starter who may compete for the first-string job at left guard with David Edwards still available on the free-agent market.
Through his first three seasons with the Rams, Shelton started in only two out of 43 contests, but his versatility and playing experience from the previous campaign could lead to more time on the field in 2023.
Grade: C+
Browns Sign DT Maurice Hurst
The Cleveland Browns added some bulk to the interior of their defensive line by signing Maurice Hurst Jr. to a one-year contract, per Brad Stainbrook of Orange and Brown Report.
Hurst has had a two-year stroke of bad luck with injuries. He suffered a high ankle sprain during the 2021 preseason and suited up for only two outings that year. The 27-year-old then missed the entire 2022 season after tearing his biceps during training camp.
If Hurst can stay healthy, the Browns may see more glimpses of the player who flashed in his first two NFL campaigns with the Las Vegas Raiders. Between 2018 and 2019, he registered 7.5 sacks, 18 pressures and seven tackles for loss. As a rookie, Hurst led the Silver and Black with four sacks.
Grade: C
Dolphins Re-Sign CB Nik Needham
The Miami Dolphins maintained quality depth at cornerback to round out a unit that will feature Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard next season. The club re-signed 2019 undrafted gem Nik Needham on a one-year deal worth “just under” $2 million, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Needham tore his Achilles in Week 6, which prematurely ended his 2022 campaign. He allowed only a 52.6 percent completion rate in coverage before the season-ending injury, though.
Needham recorded two interceptions in each of his first three campaigns with the Dolphins, showing off the ball skills that helped elevate his status on Miami’s depth chart early in his career. Assuming he fully recovers, look for him to push for snaps in the slot and on the boundary in a reserve role.
Grade: C
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