REPORT: SAINTS AGREE TO TERMS WITH ROOKIE QB TYLER SHOUGH
The New Orleans Saints reached an agreement on a fully guaranteed contract with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, ESPN reported on Saturday.
The Saints, who have experienced a significant number of difficulties at the quarterback position this offseason, prioritized getting a deal done with their second-round draft choice rather than quibbling over the guarantee amount.
Helping the deal along, the pick just ahead of Shough at No. 40 overall was Luther Burden III with the Chicago Bears (at No. 39), who likewise inked a fully guaranteed deal Friday.
The four-year, $10.795 million deal puts all of the Saints’ 2025 draft picks under contract with training camp set to begin on Wednesday.
For Shough, getting a deal done early gives him a better chance to earn the starting role over second-year player Spencer Rattler. The two are considered co-favorites to start for new coach Kellen Moore’s debut when the Saints host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1.
Derek Carr, the team’s starting quarterback the last two seasons, announced his retirement on May 10 due to a right shoulder injury. His status prior to that point had been in doubt, helping prod the Saints into taking a quarterback in the April draft.
“I think that’s all you can ask for is an opportunity at any position and I’m going to treat it the same way, as if, whoever was on the roster, I’ve got to continue to grow and get better and do my best to elevate the quarterback room,” Shough said following Carr’s retirement.
Shough, 25, led Louisville to a 9-4 record while passing for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in his senior season.
Rattler, 24, was a fifth-round pick out of South Carolina last year. He was 0-6 as a starter, completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions as a rookie.
Other returnee Jake Haener recently suffered an oblique strain, costing him several offseason workouts. He completed 18 of 39 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown and an interception in eight games (one start) last season.
PAWN SHOP OWNER PLEADS GUILTY TO FENCING JOE BURROW’S STOLEN PROPERTY
A New York City pawn shop owner has pleaded guilty to buying and selling luxury items stolen by a national burglary crew whose victims including Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York.
Burrow was playing a road game last December against the Dallas Cowboys when items were stolen from his home. The pattern of athletes’ homes burglarized while they were publicly scheduled elsewhere includes Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and NBA stars Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and Mike Conley Jr. of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The pawn shop owner, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, of North Bergen, N.J., pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property in a Brooklyn federal court. He admitted knowingly purchasing stolen property, including high-end watches, jewelry and handbags.
Nezhinskiy, whose sentencing date has not been determined, faces a maximum of five years in prison and restitution and forfeiture of more than $2.5 million. In addition, because he is from the country of Georgia while legally residing in the United States, Nezhinskiy faces federal charges and the possibility of deportation, District Judge William F. Kuntz said.
“This defendant ran a black-market pipeline, buying stolen luxury goods from organized theft crews that targeted homes and businesses,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a news release on Friday. “It was a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people.”
Co-defendant Juan Villar, 48, who co-managed the pawn shop, pleaded guilty in June to the same charge, per Friday’s news release. The two men worked together between 2020 and this year, according to the release, as “fences” to receive and buy stolen goods from outside of New York. Villar, of Queens, N.Y., also is awaiting sentencing.
The news release said that South American Theft Group traveled the United States and targeted homes in affluent neighborhoods as well as jewelry vendors. The investigation involving multiple states has resulted in six arrests.
Nezhinskiy and Villar haven’t been charged with specific burglaries. Police searched the pawn shop as well as storage units owned by Nezhinskiy in New Jersey and found suspected stolen property including sports memorabilia, artwork and fine wine as well as luxury goods and clothing and “power tools consistent with those commonly used in burglaries and opening safes,” according to the news release.
Three men arrested in a series of burglaries, including the one of Burrow’s home, were indicted in February by a federal grand jury in Cincinnati, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
49ERS RELEASE VETERAN SAFETY, SPECIAL TEAMS STANDOUT GEORGE ODUM
The San Francisco 49ers released veteran safety George Odum on Saturday, one day after placing him on the active/non-football injury list.
Odum, 31, played 12 games for the 49ers last season (two starts) and recorded 11 tackles on defense and a career-high four passes defended, as well as five tackles on special teams.
He made The Associated Press’ Second-Team All-Pro for special teams in 2022, when he led the league with 21 special teams tackles in his first season with San Francisco. He also made the AP First-Team All-Pro in 2020 with the Indianapolis Colts, also for special teams.
Odum has totaled 200 tackles, three interceptions, nine passes defended, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 105 games (12 starts) for the Colts (2018-21) and 49ers (2022-24).
TEXANS AGREE TO DEAL WITH ROOKIE OT AIREONTAE ERSERY
After signing one of their top rookies — second-round wide receiver Jayden Higgins — to a fully guaranteed deal earlier this week, the Houston Texans reportedly agreed to terms with another Day 2 pick Saturday. KPRC 2 Houston reported that the Texans have reached a deal with offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, whom the team traded up to select with the 48th overall pick in April.
Wilson reported that Ersery’s rookie deal is worth $9.2 million over four years, though the full makeup of the contract has yet to be announced.
Ersery started 38 games at left tackle at the University of Minnesota, emerging as an anchor on the Golden Gophers’ offensive line. He was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2024 and a third-team All-American, also participating in the 2025 Senior Bowl. Pundits believe he’ll compete for playing time right away in Houston, with veteran tackle Cam Robinson currently above him on the depth chart.
Houston traded Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders in March, creating a massive void up front they’re hoping Ersery can someday fill. Having him signed in time for full training camp is a good sign for GM Nick Caserio.
This week’s rookie signings support the Texans’ commitment to building around their young talent, particularly third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, who had an inconsistent 2024 season after winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.
BENGALS ROOKIE SHEMAR STEWART DOESN’T REPORT TO TRAINING CAMP, REMAINS UNSIGNED
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart did not report to training camp on Saturday with the rest of the team’s rookies. The Texas A&M product remains the only first-round selection who has not agreed to a rookie deal.
Stewart was the 17th pick and sat out of all offseason workouts because of a contract dispute stemming from guaranteed money. He’s projected to receive a signing bonus of $10.4 million if he agrees to a contract.
Rumors about Stewart returning to Texas A&M began to swirl when he was spotted working out in College Station with his former college teammates. Aggies head coach Mike Elko stated on “SportsCenter” that Stewart does not have any intention of returning to college.
“In my case, I’m 100% right,” Stewart said in June. “I’m not asking for anything [Cincinnati] hasn’t done before. But in [the team’s] case, y’all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games, in my opinion.”
Stewart posted 1.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, 31 combined tackles and a forced fumble in his junior season at Texas A&M.
RAMS INK ROOKIE TE TERRANCE FERGUSON, FINALIZE 2025 DRAFT CLASS
The Los Angeles Rams officially signed tight end Terrance Ferguson to a four-year, $9.71 million rookie contract on Saturday, finalizing their 2025 draft class just ahead of training camp.
Ferguson, the 46th overall pick out of Oregon, received approximately $8.05 million in guaranteed money, roughly 83 percent of the total deal, setting a new benchmark for his draft slot.
The contract reflects a growing trend among second-round picks who are demanding and receiving more guaranteed money, following several top selections in the round securing fully guaranteed deals.
Ferguson appeared in 53 games for the Oregon Ducks, recording 134 catches, 1,537 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns over four seasons. The 2024 season was his best from a statistical standpoint, catching 43 passes for 591 yards with Dillon Gabriel under center for the Ducks.
Now under contract, Ferguson is expected to integrate into the Rams’ offense quickly. He will enter camp as the presumed No. 2 tight end behind veteran Tyler Higbee.
Rams training camp will begin on July 23 at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Their preseason schedule begins Aug. 9 with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys.
