Bills agree to terms with 14 undrafted rookies

Statement from the Bills website.

The Bills agreed to terms with 14 undrafted rookies Monday. Below is a brief description of the newest additions to Buffalo’s roster with some expert assessments from the Bills scouting staff.

LB Bryson Albright (6-5, 239) – Miami – OH
Played defensive line for the Red Hawks, and was 2nd-Team All-MAC in 2015. He was Miami’s Defensive Lineman of the year in 2014, but projects to linebacker for the Bills.

Scout Brian Fisher - “Very long, high motor player who is tough. He’ll need to get bigger and stronger. A 34 outside linebacker for us. Great effort and you like his instincts. Had a brother in the league for a while.”

WR Davonte Allen (6-1, 208) – Marshall 
The Thundering Herd wideout had 100 catches in his career for just over 1,600 yards to average better than 16 yards per reception. He also had 13 career touchdowns.

Scout Marcus Cooper – “Smooth, possession type receiver. He played outside and inside at Marshall, but here he’d primarily be an inside guy. Good hands, probably more quick than fast. Not a dynamic run after catch player, but he has some sneaky quickness.”

WR Gary Chambers (6-3, 211) – Arizona State 
Appeared in 34 games making seven starts for the Sun Devils. Had 36 career receptions for 690 yards and four touchdowns.

Scout Matt Hand – “A height, weight, speed prospect. He had limited snaps in his time with the Sun Devils, but he competed when he had opportunities.”

LS Reid Ferguson (6-1, 240) – LSU
Four-year starter at long snapper for the Tigers. Appeared in 51 games for LSU and had just one errant snap out of 497 in his career.

Scout Pete Harris – “The thing with Reid Ferguson is he snapped for his entire career at LSU and now his younger brother is taking over for him. He’s solid. His ball location is consistent on both short and long snaps. The snap times are good enough. His consistency is what will give him a chance.”

FB Glenn Gronkowski (6-2, 239) - Kansas State 
A three-year starter for the Wildcats, Gronkowski’s five career touchdowns were all of the receiving variety. Earned All-Big 12 honors over his three seasons on the field for Kansas State.

Scout Chuck Cook – “Tough, physical college player who just overachieved. Not the greatest athlete in terms of flexibility just a hard-nosed football player. A goal line receiving threat with that fire pass. Special teams is his ticket.”

RELATED: Williamsville native Glenn Gronkowski agrees to terms with Bills

C Robert Kugler (6-3, 300) – Purdue 
The son of Bills former offensive line coach Sean Kugler, converted from tight end to center and earned honorable mention All-Big 10 honors as a senior. He made 43 straight starts in his college career.

Scout Brian Fisher - “He is exactly what you would think of a coach’s kid. Elite intangibles, smart, great work ethic. His instincts and feel for the game is what you want to see from the center position. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s able to compensate because of his instincts and technique. He finds a way to be productive.”

G/C Jamison Lalk (6-6, 304) – Iowa State
Lalk earned 2nd team All-Big 12 honors in 2015 after making a full-time switch from guard to center as a senior. After the position switch the Cyclones averaged 182 rushing yards a game, their highest figure since the 2000 season.

Scout Brian Fisher - “At some point he played tackle, guard and center at Iowa State so he has versatility. Another guy who is extremely smart. He’s got good short area quickness. You like his length and he plays with good technique. You like the way he battles and competes.”

DE Claudell Louis (6-5, 294) – Fresno State 
A JUCO transfer, Louis logged 57 tackles and 5.5 sacks in his two seasons with the Bulldogs and earned All-Mountain West Honorable Mention accolades as a senior in 2015.

Scout Matt Hand – “Originally from Haiti, Louis has a limited football background. A former soccer player turned football player while at the junior college level. A super raw guy who has some size and upside ability as an athlete.”

OT Marquis Lucas (6-3, 319) – West Virginia
The emotional leader on the Mountaineers offensive line, Lucas played tackle as a senior, but also has experience at guard.

Scout Marcus Cooper – “He’s a 6-3 guy who played at left tackle. He excelled in pass protection. He’s not overly powerful in the run game, but very good feet, good functional positioning. He’s been in that zone scheme at West Virginia so he hasn’t really had to come off the ball and road grade and snap his hips and grind off the ball. He looks like he has the demeanor to do so.”

OT Keith Lumpkin (6-8, 320) – Rutgers 
A three-year starter at left tackle for the Scarlet Knights, Lumpkin made 38 straight starts. He earned Big 10 Honorable Mention honors as a senior in 2015.

Scout Marcus Cooper – “He’s a big man. He’s 6-8 300-plus pound man so he has excellent length so he’s a left tackle candidate. His feet are average and he has to clean up some of his technique, but because he’s so big he gets by. If he puts the effort in and improves his footwork we might have something. He’s just a bit raw right now. He’s got 35-inch arms.”

K Marshall Morgan (6-2, 198) – Georgia
Morgan had a career success rate of just over 76 percent at Georgia, with his best season coming in 2013 when he was 22-24 on field goal attempts. This past season he was 4-8 on attempts of 40-yards plus.

Scout Tom Roth – “The reason he wasn’t drafted was probably because his last two years there were more inconsistencies his last two years than his 2013 season. His 2013 season was unbelievable. Good overall leg strength, field goals as well as kickoffs. He really wants to get in the mix on coverage. He’ll stick his head there.”

ILB Erik Striker (6-0, 221) – Oklahoma
A 1st team All-American (Sporting News, Sports Illustrated), Striker has a specialized pass rushing role for the Sooners and excelled racking up 23 career sacks and 46.5 tackles for loss in his time in Norman.

Scout Shawn Heinlen – “Hybrid player. Excellent pass rush ability. He’s got short area quickness, good burst. Powerful guy, solid speed. He’s going to have to transition to play true linebacker. Big thing will be finding a home for him. He played on the edge for Oklahoma. It’ll take time for him to adjust to playing behind D-linemen. He’ll be a special teams monster.”

CB Julian Whigham (6-1, 187) - Syracuse
Whigham has experience at cornerback and safety. He had 65 tackles, eight pass breakups and four interceptions in his college career.

Scout Marcus Cooper – “He’s a classic, height, weight, speed type guy. He had some inconsistencies, but when he’s playing with the proper technique and ball skills he’s flashed. They played some press and some off so you saw him in different situations. I’m really intrigued with the height and the weight and the length that he has. I think he’ll come in here and really compete. He’d give us size outside.

DT Justin Zimmer (6-3, 302) – Ferris State 
A three-year starter, Zimmer had a career-high 81 tackles and 13 sacks as a senior in 2015. He also set a school record with 26 tackles for loss last season and earned All-American honors and 1st Team All-GLIAC honors for the third straight season.

Scout Brian Fisher - “He is as tough and hard working as you’re going to see. Elite workout numbers. He was 302 pounds and ran a 4.92 and did 44 reps on the bench press. He’s a thickly built, powerful guy and has played defensive end and defensive tackle. He will battle and fight and give maximum effort on every snap.”

Panthers agree to terms with seven college free agents

Statement from the Panthers website.

CHARLOTTE - Linebacker Jeremy Cash and wide receiver Keyarris Garrett head the list of seven undrafted rookie free agents who have agreed to terms with the Panthers. The agreements won't become official until the players sign their contracts when they report for rookie minicamp, scheduled for May 13-14.

Cash, who played safety at Duke, was at or near the top of several lists of best undrafted rookies. He was an aggressive playmaker for the Blue Devils for three seasons after transferring from Ohio State, winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year last season over top-five overall draft pick Jalen Ramsey. Cash registered 333 total tackles, 38.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, six interceptions and nine forced fumbles during his college career.

Cash was first and Garrett was second on Pro Football Focus' list of top 50 undrafted free agents. The 6-3, 220-pound Garrett led the nation with 1,588 receiving yards for Tulsa and caught 14 passes against both Oklahoma and Memphis, racking up 268 yards against the Tigers. Garrett compiled 3,209 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns during his college career.

Florida tight end Jake McGee was 12th on the Pro Football Focus list, and Florida Atlantic wide receiver Jenson Stoshak was 47th.

The Panthers now have 85 players on their roster. The limit is 90.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All seven signed players were TE Andrew Bonnett, LB Jeremy Cash, WR Keyarris Garrett, FB Devon Johnson, TE Jake McGee, LB Jared Norris and WR Jenson Stoshak.

Report: Redskins, Cornerback Josh Norman Agree To Terms

Statement from the Redskins website.

Josh Norman

Josh Norman needed only one visit to make up his mind as to where he wanted to play.

NFL Network's Rand Getlin is reporting that the Redskins and Norman have agreed to terms to bring the All-Pro cornerback to Washington.

In a move that sent shockwaves through the entire league, the Carolina Panthers rescinded his franchise tag on Wednesday, immediatley making Norman an unrestricted free agent.

Norman, 28, visited the Redskins on Friday amidst reports that Washington and the San Francisco 49ers were the top suitors for his services.

The Redskins wouldn't let him go without making sure he left with a new contract in hand.

In four season with the Panthers, Norman amassed 181 tackles with 37 passes defensed, seven interceptions, four fumbles forced and two touchdowns.

During the 2015 season, Norman was named Pro Football Writers Association Most Improved Co-Player of the Year along with Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The Coastal Carolina product finished the season with 56 tackles along with 19 passes defensed, four interceptions and two touchdowns.

He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September after totaling 15 tackles along with three passes defensed, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a touchdown.

Norman recorded his first career touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13, when he intercepted quarterback Blake Bortles and returned it 30 yards for a score.

The next week, Norman once again recorded an interception, nabbing a pass from New Orleans Saints quarterback Luke McCown.

Norman earned his first career NFC Defensive Player of the Week award after he intercepted Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jameis Winston twice including a 46-yard pick-six on Oct. 4.

Norman became the first player in Panthers history to record four interceptions in the first four games of a season and first NFL cornerback with two interception return touchdowns in the first four games of a season since Charles Woodson in 2008.

According to ProFootballFocus.com, opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of 54 against Norman during the 2015 regular season, the lowest among all cornerbacks.

In the Panthers’ run to Super Bowl 50, Norman totaled nine tackles and four passes defensed in Carolina’s three playoff games.

Norman appeared in 14 games during the 2014 season, tallying 48 tackles with 11 passes defensed and two interceptions.

His first interception of the season came off of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, when he gobbled up a pass that running back Marshawn Lynch couldn’t keep a handle on at the goal line.

The six-foot, 195 pounder hauled in his first career interception on Oct. 28, 2012, picking off Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler at the Panthers’ three-yard line.

Norman started his first career NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9, 2012.

He was selected with the No. 143 pick in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Coastal Carolina.

With the addition of Norman, the Redskins currently have 10 cornerbacks on their roster after the team announced the signing of free agent Greg Toler last week.

Will Blackmon was also re-signed during the offseason while Chris Culliver continues to work his way back from a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered during a practice in November.

Bashaud Breeland, meanwhile, has quickly established himself as one of the top young cornerbacks in the NFL over the last two seasons.

The 24-year-old, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, was named to NFL.com’s All-Rookie Team two years ago and led the Redskins with three forced fumbles and two interceptions during the 2015 season.

The Redskins also have cornerbacks Quinton Dunbar, Deshazor Everett, Jeremy Harris, Al Louis-Jean and Dashaun Phillips on the roster, while DeAngelo Hall and Kyshoen Jarrett – listed as defensive backs – also have experience at the position.

Norman will face off against his old teammates on Monday, Dec. 19 when the Redskins host the Panthers on Monday Night Football at FedExField.

Browns sign QB Griffin III

"The 100 Yards" Staff Report

The Cleveland Browns added some much needed depth to their QB position on Thursday by signing former Washington Redskins quarter back Robert Griffin III.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to join the Dawg Pound and help build something here in Cleveland," Griffin said. "Coach Hue and Pep, I had a great meeting with them. I really believe in what they preach and how they can help not only me as a player but this team win games and that's what we're all about.

"I'm just excited to come in and compete. Nothing's ever been given to me in my life, so I just want to go out and compete with the guys and grow with this team.

The 2016 season will be Griffin's fifth season coming out of Baylor.

Colts sign CB Patrick Robinson

"The 100 Yards" Staff Report

The Indianapolis Colts added depth to their corner back position on Thursday by agreeing to terms with former Chargers and Saints veteran CB Patrick Robinson.

"We've been interested in Patrick since early in free agency and we're glad it finally came together," Colts GM Ryan Grigson said in a team release. 

"We have some strong ties on our coaching staff with him so that familiarity is always a plus. He is a versatile, experienced and steady corner that gives us immediate help opposite Vontae. He was a fit on a number of levels in regards to overall skill, but also adds some strong intangibles. We're happy with this addition to our team."

Alfred Morris signs two-year deal with Cowboys

"The 100 Yards" Staff Report

Former Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris on Tuesday opted to sign a two-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys after visiting the team on Monday afternoon.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

The Cowboys still have Darren McFadden under contract for one year, and the team also re-signed Lance Dunbar to a one-year deal at the end of last week.

Even with those two signed up, the Cowboys will still definitely get a pro-bowl-caliber player out of Morris.

Bills sign free agent TE Jim Dray

Statement from the Bills website.

It didn't take long for the Bills and free agent tight end Jim Dray to find common ground. Buffalo signed the blocking tight end to a contract the same day he made his visit to One Bills Drive on Wednesday.

Dray, 29, spent the last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns serving mainly as a blocking tight end. At 6-5 and 255 pounds that's expected to be his role in Buffalo in Greg Roman's run-oriented attack.

The seven-year veteran is familiar with Buffalo's offensive coordinator, as Roman was Dray's tight ends coach at Stanford during his senior season in Palo Alto in 2009.

Dray has 56 career receptions in 87 games with three touchdowns. The tight end has made starts in 33 of his last 48 games. He spent the first four years of his career with Arizona after the Cardinals made him a seventh-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

With Dray's signing Buffalo now has six tight ends on the roster.

Jets sign RB Matt Forte

Statement from the Jets website.

The Jets got their 2016 free agency underway with the signing of veteran RB Matt Forte. A versatile performer for eight seasons with the Bears, Forte will join former Bears teammateBrandon Marshall in New York.

The 6'2", 218-pound Forte has reached the 1,000-yard rush mark on five occasions including three of the past four seasons. A receiving threat out of the backfield, Forte established an NFL single-season record for receptions by a running back with 102 in 2014. He can be flexed around the field and Forte has proven to be durable while missing only eight games since being drafted out of Tulane in 2008. Forte earned Pro Bowl selections in 2011 and '13 and he ranks second on the Bears rushing list with 8,602 yards. His 487 receptions also rank second in team annals.

Despite missing three games last season with a knee injury, Forte still combined to amass 1,287 total yards. Forte had 45 rushing touchdowns and 19 receiving scores with the Bears, ranking third on Chicago's all-time list with 64 total touchdowns. Since entering the NFL in 2008, Forte ranks first among all NFL players in yards from scrimmage (12,718).

In Forte, the Jets have just added one of the most productive backs in football.

Raiders sign Sean Smith

Former Miami Dolphins corner back Sean Smith and and the Oakland Raiders reached agreement on 4-year, $40 million deal on Thursday.

Forte to sign with Jets; Osweiler signs with Texans

"The 100 Yards" Staff Report

On Monday, Brock Osweiler signed a 4-year, $72 million contract with the Houston Texans.

The Jets are going to sign former Bears running back Matt Forte.