2021 March - Pro Football Rumors

Bears Release CB Kyle Fuller

March 20th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Ben Levine

SATURDAY: No 11th-hour trade ended up taking place. Fuller’s release became official Saturday. The Bears will save $11MM in cap space by cutting the seven-year veteran while incurring $9MM in dead money.

THURSDAY: An All-Pro cornerback is unexpectedly hitting the open market. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bears are releasing veteran Kyle Fuller.

It sounds like the transaction was mostly a financial decision, with Rapoport noting that “this is Chicago’s only cut due to cap space.” ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets that the Bears wanted Fuller to take a “very significant paycut,” but the player preferred to test the open market. The 29-year-old was due $14MM next season, and he had a pricey cap hit of $20MM.

The 2014 first-round pick became a fan favorite in Chicago, earning a pair of Pro Bowl appearances and one first-team All-Pro nod during his seven-year stint with the organization. Fuller departs the organization ranked fourth on the franchise’s all-time list in passes defended (82), and he’s ranked in the top-20 for tackles (390) and interceptions (19).

After getting his fifth-year option declined for the 2018 season, Fuller was slapped with the transition tag. He ended up inking a four-year, $56MM deal with the Packers, including $18MM guaranteed. The Bears matched the contract, keeping Fuller under contract through the 2021 season. Last offseason, the front office reworked the veteran’s contract. While the move saved the team $6.5MM at the time, it meant Fuller’s 2021 cap hit would jump from $18.5MM to $20MM.

While Fuller failed to earn his third-straight Pro Bowl nod, he still had a productive 2020 campaign. The cornerback started all 16 games for Chicago, compiling 65 tackles, eight passes defended, and one interception. He also started Chicago’s playoff loss to the Saints.

Fuller will surely be a popular target now that he’s hit free agency. William Jackson (Washington, three years, $42MM), Shaquill Griffin (Jaguars, three years, $40MM), and Patrick Peterson (Vikings, one year, $10MM) were among the top free agent cornerbacks heading into free agency. Cornerbacks like Xavier Rhodes and Kevin King remain unsigned.

Chargers Sign OL Oday Aboushi

March 20th, 2021 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Oday Aboushi will make his way to a sixth team. The veteran offensive lineman signed with the Chargers on Saturday, the team has since announced. It’s a one-year, $1.75MM deal, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Primarily a guard, Aboushi has been used as a starter and a backup throughout his career. This includes eight starts with the Lions last season. In between being drafted by the Jets and his two-year Lions stay, Aboushi also played for the Texans, Seahawks and Cardinals.

While Aboushi has never started more than 10 games in a season, he did open all eight of the games he played last season as a first-string Lion. Pro Football Focus gave the ex-Virginia Cavalier a top-30 grade among guards for his work. Overall, Aboushi has started 42 games in eight seasons. The 2021 season will be Aboushi’s age-30 campaign.

Aboushi represents the latest in a string of Bolts offensive line investments. He will follow All-Pro center Corey Linsley in going from the NFC North to Los Angeles, and ex-Steelers starter Matt Feiler committed to join the Bolts as well.

The Chargers are retooling up front. Mike Pouncey‘s retirement preceded the release of Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner and the free agency defection (to the Jets) of fellow guard starter Dan Feeney. The Bolts should still be expected to address their O-line in the draft and may continue to do so in free agency, but Aboushi — despite this low-end contract — may have a path to Los Angeles’ starting lineup.

Cowboys To Host Malik Hooker, Damontae Kazee

March 20th, 2021 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:23pm: Even after the Cowboys agreed to terms with Neal, they still intend to visit with Hooker and Kazee, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter).

1:25pm: Although their Keanu Neal interest may not be for a role as a full-time safety, the Cowboys appear interested in bolstering this position soon. They are set to meet with Malik Hooker and Damontae Kazee, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News tweets.

Despite the latter two defenders being on Dallas’ docket, the team remains in the mix for Neal, Watkins adds. Neal, however, appears to be on the cusp of a position change. Hooker and Kazee would then profile as potential Cowboys replacements for Xavier Woods, though the recent Cowboys starter remains unsigned. And both the safeties set to visit Dallas are coming off severe injuries. Each tore an Achilles’ tendon early last season.

While Hooker played out his rookie contract with the Colts, the Cowboys’ interest in Neal and Kazee certainly makes sense. The Falcons drafted Neal in the 2016 first round and added Kazee in the 2017 fifth round. New Cowboys DC Dan Quinn was the Falcons’ HC for most of the free agent safeties’ respective Atlanta tenures.

Hooker entered the NFL with injury trouble and has not been able to shake those concerns over the course of his career. While the former Colts first-round pick did bounce back from a seven-game rookie season to suit up for 27 regular-season contests from 2018-19, he is coming off a two-game 2020 slate. Hooker suffered his Achilles injury last September.

Neal’s Falcons teammate for four seasons, Kazee delivered a breakthrough season replacing an injured Neal in 2018. Kazee intercepted an NFL-most seven passes and posted 10 passes defensed, and he started 29 games for the Falcons — all in place of Neal, who suffered major injuries in back-to-back seasons — from 2018-19. Kazee’s four-start 2020 screeched to a halt after his October Achilles tear.

The Cowboys have featured a need at safety for years; Woods’ UFA status has now magnified the void at this position. They signed Ha Ha Clinton-Dix last year but cut him ahead of Week 1. The Cowboys proceeded to allow the most points in franchise history.

Giants, Kenny Golladay Agree To Terms

March 20th, 2021 at 2:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants brought Kenny Golladay in for a lengthy visit, and arguably the top free agent still left on the board will play in New York next season. Golladay has agreed to sign with the Giants, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets.

Even after the salary cap’s significant reduction, Golladay secured a deal near the top of the wide receiver market. He will sign a four-year, $72MM deal with the Giants, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Golladay will receive $40MM guaranteed, Rapoport adds, noting that this contract can max out at $76MM. Dan Duaggan of The Athletic passes along the full details in a Twitter thread, noting that Golladay gets a $17MM signing bonus and that the deal includes a voidable fifth year for cap purposes. The 2021 cap hit will be just $4.5MM, but that number jumps to $21.15MM in 2022.

Although the Bears were the first team to bring Golladay in for a visit, the Giants extended their summit with the 6-foot-4 wideout to nearly three days. Golladay began meeting with the Giants on Thursday. Two afternoons later, he will become the team’s new No. 1 wide receiver.

The Bears made a strong push to have Golladay stay in the NFC North, attempting to find salary space for to form an elite Golladay-Allen Robinson tandem. Ultimately, this came down to Bears and Giants for the Northern Illinois product, Rapoport tweets. While Rapoport notes the Bears were prepared to incorporate void years to create cap space for a Golladay deal, their effort proved to be for naught (Twitter link). The Ravens also pursued the talented wideout, perhaps further increasing Golladay’s price.

Months ago, the Lions offered Golladay a deal in this $18MM-per-year ballpark, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Golladay opted to wait and hit the market. Despite the likes of Will Fuller and JuJu Smith-Schuster taking one-year deals at lower rates, Golladay managed to secure a deal in the top 10 among receivers.

Linked to Golladay weeks ahead of free agency, the Giants will land their top target. The longtime Lions pass catcher entered the week with interest in joining the Giants, with SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano reporting (via Twitter) he had them atop his list for a bit now. The Giants gave Golladay the option of a long-term pact or a one-year contract, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.

Golladay, 27, will replace ex-Lions teammate Golden Tate in three-receiver sets alongside Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton. Golladay will be easily the team’s highest-profile receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. It took an OBJ-level contract to move this past the finish line. The Giants released Tate earlier this offseason, ending a two-year partnership that did not ultimately work out. Going into his fifth season, Golladay profiles as a more natural heir apparent to Beckham as Big Blue’s WR1. This receiver trio will join the Giants’ new Evan Engram–Kyle Rudolph tight end tandem. Along with the returning Saquon Barkley, Daniel Jones‘ next skill-position crew looks substantially better than the one with which he played last season.

While Golladay missed most of his final Lions season — due to hamstring and hip injuries — he posted two 1,000-yard seasons and became Detroit’s top boundary threat since Calvin Johnson. The jump-ball standout ventured to the Pro Bowl in 2019, doing so despite Matthew Stafford going down midway through that season. The Lions will be starting over at wideout, having now lost Golladay and Marvin Jones this week. Jones joined the Jaguars.

Steelers To Sign OL Joe Haeg

March 20th, 2021 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers are making a second Saturday-afternoon signing. They agreed to terms with veteran offensive lineman Joe Haeg, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Haeg will come over from Tampa, where he worked as a swing backup and spot starter for the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. However, most of Haeg’s NFL experience came in Indianapolis (though his most notable NFL play came when he dropped a Tom Brady pass in the end zone last month). The Colts drafted Haeg in the 2016 fifth round and retained him throughout his rookie contract.

One of Carson Wentz‘s O-linemen at North Dakota State, Haeg was a regular starter from 2016-17. But the Colts demoted him the following season, with Braden Smith taking over at right tackle. However, Haeg brings experience at guard and tackle. That stands to help a Steelers O-line that has more questions at present than it has faced in many years.

Thus far this offseason, the Steelers have lost perennial Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey and versatile starter Matt Feiler. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva is a free agent. Pittsburgh, however, has made three midlevel signings to compensate. Prior to securing a Haeg commitment, the Steelers reacquired center B.J. Finney and re-signed tackle Zach Banner.

It is uncertain as of now how Pittsburgh will configure its new line around stalwart guard David DeCastro, but it appears likely at least one of these low-cost signings will be called upon to start. Perhaps more.

Cowboys, Keanu Neal Agree To Deal

March 20th, 2021 at 2:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Keanu Neal made his decision Saturday. He will stick with Dan Quinn, opting to sign with the Cowboys. Dallas agreed to terms with the ex-Atlanta safety on a one-year deal worth $5MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The former first-round pick played five seasons with the Falcons, working in Quinn’s defense for most of that run. While injuries hijacked two seasons from the ex-Florida Gator, Neal returned last season and re-established his value to some degree.

Neal will receive a $3MM signing bonus, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets, with ESPN.com’s Todd Archer noting the deal maxes out at $5MM. It appears the Cowboys secured the ex-Falcon defender at a slightly lower rate. The Jets were the other team mentioned as a Neal finalist, and several other teams inquired about the veteran.

Friday night, Anderson noted Neal was a candidate to work as an outside linebacker on his new team. But with the Cowboys having two three-down ‘backers and a clear need at safety, Neal may make more sense to stay at the position he played in five years under Quinn. It turns out the Cowboys have a layered plan for Neal, with Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noting (via Twitter) he will be used at both safety and linebacker.

Still just 25, Neal worked as a Falcons starter immediately after joining the team. And in his three non-injury-marred seasons, Neal recorded at least 100 tackles. He posted 106 last season, with a career-high nine tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus graded him as its No. 33 overall safety. He will have a good chance of carrying those talents over to Dallas, considering the scheme familiarity he has with the team’s new defensive coordinator.

Multiyear Cowboys starter Xavier Woods remains a free agent, and the team plans to visit with Malik Hooker and former Neal teammate Damontae Kazee soon.

Marcus Williams Signs Franchise Tender

March 20th, 2021 at 2:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

No franchise tag-related training camp absences are set to commence this year. Each member of the 2021 tag contingent has now either signed his tender or agreed to terms on an extension.

Shortly after Marcus Maye signed his Jets tender, Saints safety Marcus Williams signed his, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This will prevent the Saints from rescinding Williams’ tag. His $10.6MM tender is now fully guaranteed. A former third-round pick, Williams has been a Saints starter since his rookie season. He has become one of the NFL’s top safeties, leading to the Saints’ tag decision.

Tagged players are often not in a rush to sign tenders, leading to belated camp arrivals on some occasions. This year, Williams, Maye, Taylor Moton, Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Cam Robinson and Brandon Scherff signed their tenders within a week of being tagged. Justin Simmons and Leonard Williams have agreed to extensions. So did Dak Prescott, but his second franchise tag was a formality that ensued after he signed a long-term Cowboys deal.

Even as franchise tag prices (for first-time tag recipients) dropped this year, it made more sense for players to protect themselves against teams rescinding their respective tags. With the salary cap reduction resulting in a less lucrative market (in most cases), a team rescinding a tag now could result in a player being thrust into free agency at an inopportune time.

The Saints surprised many by tagging Williams, doing so after creating a staggering amount of cap space entering the 2021 league year. New Orleans has been quiet on the market, as could be expected, and would be better off by extending Williams to drop his 2021 cap hit. But they found a way to use their franchise tag despite a historic cap crunch. They have until July 15 to extend Williams, who joins Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk and Marshon Lattimore in remaining with the team from the 2017 draft class. The Saints can also create cap space with extensions for Ramczyk and Lattimore, who are attached to fifth-year option salaries.

Steelers To Sign Miles Killebrew

March 20th, 2021 at 1:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

After spending five years with the Lions, versatile defender Miles Killebrew will join the Steelers. The special-teamer committed to Pittsburgh on a one-year deal Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This signing would seemingly be for a special teams role, with Killebrew playing less than 90 snaps on defense over the past three seasons. Last year, the former safety played just one defensive snap.

A former fourth-round Lions pick, Killebrew has missed just two games throughout his career. While the Southern Utah alum has only started four games in five seasons, the Lions valued him for his special teams acumen. Even after his role on Detroit’s defense evaporated following his second season, Killebrew continued to make 53-man rosters as a niche player.

Detroit re-signed Killebrew on a one-year, $2MM contract in 2020, but with a new regime having arrived, the soon-to-be 28-year-old safety/linebacker will depart.

Jets S Marcus Maye Accepts Franchise Tender

March 20th, 2021 at 12:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Marcus Maye is sticking around New York via the franchise tag. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the safety has accepted his franchise tender, locking him in to a $10.61MM deal.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to play the 2021 season on that franchise value. Rather, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Maye’s camp will continue working with the Jets towards a long-term deal.

Following the the Jamal Adams trade, Maye became the centerpiece of the Jets secondary. The former second-rounder ultimately broke through with the best season of his career; Pro Football Focus graded the former second-round pick as its No. 5 overall safety. Maye also finished the season with career-highs across the board, including 88 tackles, two sacks, two picks, and 11 passes defended.

With this signing, each of the nine players who were slapped with the franchise tag have either accepted the tender or signed an extension.

Texans To Sign LB Jordan Jenkins

March 20th, 2021 at 11:21am CST by Ben Levine

Jordan Jenkins is leaving the Jets. The free agent pass rusher is signing with the Texans, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). It’s a two-year, $6MM deal for Jenkins, and the veteran has the potential to earn up to $8MM.

The 2016 third-round pick had spent his entire five-year career with the Jets, missing only eight of the team’s games over that span. The veteran has compiled 22.5 sacks throughout his career, including 15 sacks between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

He took a bit of a step back in 2020. Jenkins started all 12 of his appearances, but he finished with career-lows in tackles (32) and sacks (2). He also compiled six QB hits. The 26-year-old’s season ended on the injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

As Field Yates notes on Twitter, the Jets roster has seen a complete makeover under GM Joe Douglas. Safety Marcus Maye, the team’s second-round pick in 2017, is now New York’s longest-tenured player.