After not selecting a quarterback with any of their 10 picks in the NFL draft, the New England Patriots have signed two undrafted quarterbacks.
New England has agreed to a contract with Brian Lewerke, who went undrafted out of Michigan State. Lewerke’s agent, Mike McCartney, announced the deal via Twitter on Sunday afternoon.
The Patriots already had agreed to a deal with undrafted quarterback J’Mar Smith out of Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
Lewerke is 6-foot-2, 213 pounds. He completed 260 of 436 passes (59.6%) for 3,079 yards in 2019 as a senior. He threw 17 touchdowns passes and 13 interceptions.
Smith completed 64.3% of his passes for 2,977 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. Smith, who is 6-1, 218, was a three-year starter. The Patriots spoke with him during the draft process. The NFL Network first reported his deal.
The additions of Lewerke and Smith give the Patriots four quarterbacks on their roster, as they join Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer.
According to media reports, New England also signed 12 other undrafted free agents: wide receivers Will Hastings of Auburn, Isaiah Zuber of Mississippi State, Sean Riley of Syracuse and Jeff Thomas of Miami (Florida); linebackers De’Jon “Scoota” Harris of Arkansas and Kyahva Tezino of San Diego State; defensive back Myles Bryant of Washington; running back J.J. Taylor of Arizona; tight ends Rashod Berry of Ohio State and Jake Burt of Boston College; and defensive linemen Bill Murray of William & Mary and Trevon Hill of Miami (Florida).
Thomas, a 5-9, 170-pound speedster was suspended multiple times for undisclosed team-rule violations at Miami and at one point was dismissed from the team by former Coach Mark Richt. He concluded his college career with 83 catches for 1,316 yards and eight touchdowns in 34 games.
He also was an exceptional return specialist, averaging 24.6 yards on nine punt returns as a sophomore in 2018, with one touchdown. He averaged 26 yards on 10 kickoff returns that season.
SAINTS: New Orleans and quarterback Jameis Winston are working on a contract proposal to make the former Buccaneers starter a backup to Drew Brees, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
Winston and the Saints are in “advanced” talks, the person said, but declined to say whether there was any agreement on either the length of the contract or financial terms.
Meanwhile, the Saints announced that dynamic reserve QB and utility player Taysom Hill has a new two-year contract.
Winston is coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 5,109 yards passing and ranked second with 33 touchdown passes, but he also led the NFL in interceptions with 30. That made Winston the first QB in NFL history to have at least 30 TDs and 30 interceptions. Tampa Bay allowed Winston, whom it drafted first overall out of Florida State in 2015, to enter free agency and replaced him with former Patriots QB Tom Brady.
Now it appears Winston is open to going from five-year NFL starter to being Brees’ understudy in hopes of rebuilding his credentials as a prospective franchise quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater recently did just that, serving as Brees’ backup for two seasons before the Carolina Panthers signed him last month to replace their longtime starter, Cam Newton.
SEAHAWKS: Veteran offensive lineman D.J. Fluker said he has been released by the team after two seasons as their starting right guard.
Fluker posted on Twitter that he had been informed by Coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Schneider of the decision. The move came two days after Seattle drafted Fluker’s heir apparent in LSU guard Damien Lewis in the third round. Carroll said over the weekend that Lewis could be in competition for the starting spot with Fluker.
DOLPHINS: Safety Kavon Frazier, who missed most of last season because of a pectoral injury, signed with Miami, his agent said.
Frazier was limited to four games in 2019 for the Dallas Cowboys before going on injured reserve. In four seasons with Dallas, he played 44 games, starting twice, and also contributed on special teams.
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