Eagles sign QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, three other players
The Eagles signed four players on Thursday, including quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. The 27-year-old journeyman has been on eight NFL rosters since 2011.
The Eagles signed four players on Thursday, including quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. The 27-year-old journeyman has been on eight NFL rosters since 2011.
They also added wide receivers Seantavius Jones and wide receiver Xavier Rush, and defensive back Aaron Rhymes.
Bethel-Thompson was most recently on the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad. He spent parts of 2012 and 2013 on the Minnesota Vikings' active roster, although he has never attempted a pass in a game. The 6-foot-3, 236-pound passer also played in the Arena Football League.
Bethel-Thompson even moved around in college. He started at UCLA and finished at Sacramento State before going undrafted in 2011. In 12 preseason games since 2011, Bethel-Thompson has three touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
With Sam Bradford and Thad Lewis set to become free agents next month, the Eagles have only Mark Sanchez under contract at quarterback for next season. Bethel-Thompson will add offseason depth, similar to what Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne provided in 2013.
Among the other three signings, only Jones has NFL experience. Jones, 23, spent the past two seasons bouncing between the New Orleans Saints' practice squad and active roster. He played three games for the Saints last season, although he did not record a catch. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Valdosta State product worked with Eagles wide receivers coach Greg Lewis in New Orleans.
Rush did not play football last season after his college career at Tulane ended in 2014 because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Rush, 23, had 15 catches for 295 yards and three touchdowns in seven games with the Green Wave during his senior season before the injury. All the touchdowns were for at least 60 yards, and Rush also ran track in college.
The Eagles have eight wide receivers under contract for 2016.
Grymes played cornerback for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos during the past three seasons. At 5-11 and 185 pounds, he was a CFL all-star last season with four interceptions. Grymes, 24, played at Idaho in college. He becomes the first CFL player the Eagles signed since Phillip Hunt in 2011.