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Two days after the end of the draft, it was a busy Monday for the Cardinals.
In addition to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins being suspended by the NFL for the first six games of the regular season, the team:
- Re-signed unrestricted free-agent safety Charles Washington to a 1-year contract;
- Received a roster exemption for the second straight season for tight end Bernhard Seikovits as part of the International Pathways Program;
- Agreed to contract terms with 12 undrafted free agents. Those players, along with the team’s draft picks, are expected to be in town for a rookie minicamp May 13-15.
Washington has played 34 games the last three seasons, including seven in 2021. He was limited by a hamstring injury last season and was on reserve/injured from Sept. 29 until Dec. 18.
Seikovits was on the practice squad with an exemption for the entire 2021 season. It also means recently signed tackle Haggai Chisom Ndubisi is part of the 90-man offseason roster.
The 12 undrafted free agents include four wide receivers, three defensive ends and one running back, tight end, linebacker, cornerback and safety.
Virginia Tech WR Changa Hodge
Hodge played 14 games in two years for the Hokies after starting his college career at Villanova. With the Wildcats, he totaled 87 receptions for 1,462 yards and 14 touchdowns in four seasons (2016-19). He played in nine games in 2020 before injuring his knee.
He played in five games last season with the Hokies.
Hodge's biggest season was in 2019 with Villanova, as he had 65 catches for 1,118 yards and 13 touchdowns.
LSU WR Jontre Kirklin
Kirklin played 57 contests with the Tigers over five years as a wide receiver, quarterback and defensive back.
Last year, the utility man played in nine games, including starting at quarterback in LSU’s Texas Bowl game against Kansas State. Kirklin also added 10 tackles on defense and had three kick returns for 38 yards.
Tennessee WR JaVonta Payton
Payton had 18 receptions for 413 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last year with Tennessee. He previously spent two seasons at Mississippi State where he played in 21 games and had 28 receptions for 372 yards.
He led the Bulldogs with 20 special-teams tackles in his two seasons at the school and also returned six kickoffs for 121 yards (20.2-yard average). Payton started his collegiate career at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Northwestern WR Stephon Robinson Jr.
Robinson Jr. played in 11 games last season and caught 46 passes for 625 yards. At Kansas, where he played from 2018-20, Robinson played in 27 games and caught 75 passes for 1,092 yards and nine touchdowns. He spent his freshman year at El Camino Community College in 2017 where he recorded 62 receptions for 1,274 yards and eight touchdowns.
Colorado State DE Manny Jones
Jones finished his career with 181 total tackles, 13.5 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, one interception, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 49 career games over the past five seasons. He started all 12 games and had 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and one fumble recovery last season, his senior campaign.
Jones set career-highs with 54 tackles and 5.0 sacks, including a three-sack performance at Wyoming, in 2019.
Central Methodist DE Will Miles
Miles played the last two seasons with the Eagles and had 90 tackles, 12.0 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 19 games. Miles played 12 games last season and had a team-leading 7.0 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
Miles started his college career at Arizona Western, where he won two WSFL Conference championships while also playing basketball.
Oklahoma DE LaRon Stokes
Stokes appeared in 32 games and had 35 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks with the Sooners. Stokes played in 11 games and collected eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry while also earning Academic All-Big 12 first-team honors in 2021.
As a freshman in 2019, Stokes earned Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year after recording 15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a half sack in 13 games.
Boise State S Kekaula Kaniho
Kaniho appeared in 60 games during his five-year career, a school record. He was a three-time All-Mountain West selection after totaling 217 tackles, 5.0 sacks, six interceptions and 22 passes defensed. Kaniho had 34 total tackles (25 solo), one interception and one pass defensed in 2021 for the Broncos.
Vanderbilt TE Chris Pierce Jr.
Pierce appeared in 55 games the past five seasons as a wide receiver with the Commodores. He finished with 109 receptions for 1,398 yards and nine scores. Last year, he started all 12 games and set a career high with 57 receptions for 654 yards and two touchdowns.
Fresno State RB Ronnie Rivers
Rivers finished his college career as the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns scored with 52. He is also second in program history in carries with 672, third in career rushing yards at 3,417 and fourth in career all-purpose yards with 5,208.
Rivers played in 53 games in five seasons and caught 150 passes for 1,417 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention after leading the team with 788 rushing yards on 162 carries and five touchdowns while also recording 34 receptions for 364 yards last year.
Auburn LB Chandler Wooten
Wooten played 43 games and recorded 140 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, five passes defensed and a fumble recovery in his career with Auburn.
He was a team captain last year and played in 13 games, collecting 94 tackles, five tackles for loss, one interception and one pass defensed. Wooten was also named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
He opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns.
More must-reads:
- J.J. Watt reveals his thoughts on a potential NFL comeback
- Three offseason moves the Vikings must make
- The 'AP First-Team All-Pro tight ends' quiz
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