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Month: January 2025

Contract Details: Tunsil, Ogunjobi, Thompson, Tomlinson, Bradbury

March 25th, 2023 at 2:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on contracts signed since the start of free agency:

  • Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): Three years, $75MM. The extension, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, includes a guaranteed amount of $60MM, $50MM of which is guaranteed at signing. The $50MM amount in composed of a $30MM signing bonus, Tunsil’s 2023 base salary of $2MM, and his 2024 base salary of $18MM. The remaining $10MM, which comes out of his 2025 base salary (worth a total of $20.95MM), is guaranteed for injury at signing and becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2024 league year. His 2026 base salary is worth $20.95MM. The contract also includes annual workout bonuses of $150,000 and annual per game active roster bonuses that can potentially total $250,000 each season.
  • Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Browns): Four years, $57MM. The contract, according to Florio, includes a guaranteed amount of $26.29MM consisting of a $15.09MM signing bonus, Tomlinson’s first year base salary of $1.08MM, and his 2024 option bonus of $10.13MM. Of the 2024 option bonus, $8.84MM is guaranteed at signing with the rest fully guaranteeing on the third day of the 2024 league year. His 2024 base salary of $1.21MM is guaranteed for injury at signing and will fully guarantee along with the second part of the 2024 option bonus. His 2025 and 2026 base salaries are both worth $13MM, and both have roster bonuses of $750,000 due on the third day of their respective league years. In the first two years of the contract, Tomlinson will receive a per game active roster of bonus of $14,705 worth a potential season total of $250,000. The following two years see the per game active roster bonus rise to $44,117 for a potential season total of $750,000. The deal includes a potential out, allowing the Browns to cut Tomlinson after 2025 with $12.11MM in dead money but $14.5MM of cap savings over the next three years, including two voidable years.
  • Larry Ogunjobi, DT (Steelers): Three years, $28.75MM. The new deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, includes a guaranteed amount of $12MM at signing consisting of a $10.6MM signing bonus and Ogunjobi’s first year base salary of $1.4MM. His second year base salary of $5MM is guaranteed for injury and his 2025 base salary is worth $4MM. The contract includes roster bonuses of $4.75MM (guaranteed on the third league day of 2024) and $3MM (guaranteed on the third league day of 2025). Pittsburgh also put a potential out in the contract that would allow them to cut Ogunjobi after 2023 with $7.07MM of dead money but with $16.75MM in cap savings over the next two years.
  • Garrett Bradbury, C (Vikings): Three years, $15.75MM. The new contract, according to Wilson, includes a guaranteed amount of $9.8MM, $4.9MM of which is guaranteed at signing. The initial $4.9MM is composed of a $3.82MM signing bonus and Bradbury’s first year base salary of $1.08MM. The remaining $4.9MM consists of his second year base salary which fully guarantees on the third day of the 2024 league year. The deal includes an annual workout bonus of $100,000 and a per game active roster bonus of $14,705 for a potential season total of $250,000. The deal also includes a potential out that allows the Vikings to release Bradbury after 2023 with zero dead cap, resulting in $13.05MM in cap savings over the next two years.
  • Shaq Thompson, LB (Panthers): Two years, $12.6MM. The reworked deal, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, includes a guaranteed amount of $8.5MM consisting of a $5.3MM signing bonus, Thompson’s first year base salary of $1.2MM, and $2MM of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $3.8MM). He’ll receive a $1MM roster bonus guaranteed in March of 2024 and a per game active roster bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000. There are also possible incentives concerning a Pro Bowl selection and playoff wins. The deal includes three void years to reduce his current cap hit. His cap number in 2023 was reduced from $24.5MM to $14.06MM.

Latest On Panthers’ Plans For No. 1 Pick

March 25th, 2023 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers are likely keeping the No. 1 pick and they’re likely using that selection on a signal-caller. Beyond that, their plan is up in the air. Naturally, the organization is doing their due diligence on the draft’s top quarterback prospects.

The organization had dinner with Alabama QB Bryce Young earlier this week, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). Kentucky QB Will Levis also dined with a Panthers contingent that included owners David and Nicole Tepper, general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich, assistant GM Dan Morgan, VP Samir Suleiman, and coaches Jim Caldwell, Thomas Brown, and Josh McCown, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (on Twitter). And, unsurprisingly, the Panthers will use one of their 30 prospect visits on Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter.

According to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, several team executives believe Tepper is leaning towards Young. However, if the decision was up to several coaches, Stroud would likely be the pick at No. 1. While the front office will surely factor in all of these opinions before the draft, they’ll also be leaning on Caldwell, the team’s new senior assistant. A source said the former coach and QB guru has “a huge voice in this process” and “might have even more say than the head coach.” Ultimately, one rival official believes the decision will ultimately be made by Tepper.

“The owner is going to win that one if he falls in love with one of these kids,” the source told La Canfora. “He’s seen enough misevaluations of the position already.”

After the Panthers sacrificed a pair of firsts, a pair of seconds, and wideout D.J. Moore for the first-overall pick, some pundits have wondered if Carolina could look to flip the pick again. “No one is buying” that the Panthers would consider trading the pick, according to La Canfora, with the reporter citing Tepper’s desire “to get to this point.” Indeed, Fitterer confirmed to Joseph Person of The Athletic that the organization hasn’t received any calls about the top selection (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Seahawks, Eagles, Carter, Steelers

March 25th, 2023 at 11:51am CST by Ben Levine

Armed with a pair of top-20 picks, the Seahawks have been busy evaluating their first-round options. This past week, the organization was busy scouting some of the draft’s top quarterback prospects.

According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter), the Seahawks sent a “contingent” led by head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Schneider, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson to meet privately with Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the Seahawks also checked out the Pro Days for C.J. Stroud and Will Levis.

The Seahawks inked quarterback Geno Smith to a three-year extension, but the team-friendly nature of that deal shouldn’t preclude the organization from selecting a QB prospect in the upcoming draft. Seattle is in possession of picks No. 5 and No. 20, meaning they even have the ammo to trade up for one of the preferred targets. The more realistic route would see the organization staying pat at No. 5 and potentially selecting a signal-caller.

More draft notes from around the NFL…

  • One of the league’s most dynamic offenses is eyeing one of the draft’s most dynamic playmakers. Texas running back Bijan Robinson had a predraft visit with the Eagles earlier this week, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). The Eagles lost top RB Miles Sanders this offseason, but they’ve added Rashaad Penny to a RB room that still features mainstays Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott. As Garafolo warns, Eagles GM Howie Roseman has never selected a running back in the first round, and the organization hasn’t taken a first-round RB since 1986.
  • Jalen Carter has had a concerning predraft process. He had to leave the combine while facing charges of reckless driving and draft racing following a deadly car accident that killed a Georgia teammate and staffer. As Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes, the defensive lineman also “put on considerable weight” before his pro day, and his performance was described as “less than stellar.” When coupled with the potential run on QBs, Carter could fall out of the top-five, something that was unthinkable only a few months ago. However, one executive doesn’t believe Carter will experience a significant fall down draft boards and attributed the poor performance to tough coaching. “It really wasn’t as bad as how it was reported,” the exec told La Canfora. “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. [Chiefs defensive line coach] Joe Cullen was leading the drills, and he went pretty hard on the kid. I don’t know if he was trying to make a point, but he had him doing the same drills as [much smaller linebacker] Nolan Smith, and he was really trying to wear the kid out.”
  • The Steelers could use the draft to add a defensive tackle, and the organization has already met with Michigan lineman Mazi Smith. Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com believes Pittsburgh would select Smith over Clemson’s Bryan Bresee at pick No. 17, but there’s a “a battle between the two.” Ultimately, Wilson says Smith’s “rough-and-tumble style” would better fit the Steelers’ mold than Bresee’s “finesse.” Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that Minnesota OL John Michael Schmitz met with the Steelers earlier this week, so the team is definitely keeping their options open in the middle of the first round.
  • Before yesterday’s pro day, Boston College wideout Zay Flowers met with the Saints and Giants, according to Pelissero (on Twitter). The projected first-round pick has put on 13 pounds of muscle during the pre-combine process, and Pelissero believes the wideout could add even more weight before the draft.

Steelers Re-Sign TE Zach Gentry

March 25th, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers are bringing back one of their top tight ends. Zach Gentry is re-signing with Pittsburgh, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Gentry is signing a one-year deal, per Ray Fittipaldo and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The 2019 fifth-round pick has spent his entire career with the Steelers. He was limited to only six games through his first two seasons in the NFL thanks in part to a knee injury, but he hasn’t missed a game for Pittsburgh over the past two years.

Gentry has started 26 of his 34 appearances over the past two seasons, hauling in 38 receptions for 299 yards. More than half of his 577 offensive snaps during the 2022 campaign came on running plays, and while Pro Football Focus has never been particularly fond of his blocking ability, he’s likely earned his latest contract thanks to that role. Gentry got into a career-high 139 special teams snaps during the 2021 season, but he was limited to only 72 ST snaps in 2022.

Pat Freiermuth will continue to soak up the majority of the tight end targets on offense, with Gentry likely sliding in as the TE2/extra blocker. The Steelers are also rostering 2022 sixth-round pick Connor Heyward and 2022 UDFA Rodney Williams, so there could be some competition at the bottom of the depth chart.

Patriots Notes: Bailey, Front Office, Peppers, Cardona

March 25th, 2023 at 9:53am CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots hit punter Jake Bailey with a two-game suspension late during the 2022 season, with the two sides disagreeing on the player’s ability to return from injury. This decision was especially relevant considering Bailey’s $2MM in guaranteed money for 2023, money that would be void via a suspension. As a result, Bailey filed a grievance against the organization.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe passed along the outcome of that grievance (on Twitter). The Patriots owe Bailey no money but will be left with a $2.37MM cap hit for the 2023 campaign. This cap hit is likely a result of the Patriots’ expected decision to cut Bailey after the season. The team will also get a cap credit worth a bit more than $40K for the 2022 season.

Bailey recently acknowledged that the suspension caught him by surprise.

“You know, there’s a lot to unpack,” Bailey said (h/t Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post). “And a lot of it is between them and me, partly. I’ve talked to coach (Bill) Belichick about this and how, you know, we want to talk about all this stuff. Obviously, you don’t want to end up on a list like that, ever. And, you know, confusion was a lot of it. And I think we’re just past it, now at this point. It was something that happened. And it was something that was unfortunate for both sides. And you know, now I think both parties are in a better situation.”

The veteran punter later caught on with the Dolphins, signing a one-year, $1.23MM deal. Bailey brings plenty of experience, having seen time in 58 regular season games for the Patriots since 2019. Bailey earned a Pro Bowl nod and first-team All-Pro recognition for his performance during the 2020 campaign. He inked a four-year, $13.5MM extension with New England last offseason, but a back injury ultimately spelled the end of his career in New England.

More notes out of New England…

  • The Patriots have been busy reshuffling their coaching staff this offseason, but the team has also made some changes to their front office. According to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter), the Patriots are expected to add former Panthers vice president of player personnel Pat Stewart. The long-time executive previously had a 10-year stint in New England, winning a pair of Super Bowl rings. Per Wilson, Stewart was pursed by a number of teams around the NFL, especially those with connections to the Patriots organization.
  • Jabrill Peppers‘ new contract with the Patriots will see him earn a $1.08MM fully guaranteed base salary in 2023 and a $3.18 base salary ($1.82MM guaranteed) in 2024, per Wilson (on Twitter). The former first-round pick joined the Patriots last offseason and proceeded to get into all 17 games for his new team, collecting 60 tackles. He signed a new two-year, $9MM deal with New England at the start of free agency.
  • Joe Cardona‘s new contract with the Patriots made him the league’s highest-paid long snapper, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). The veteran signed a four-year, $6.3MM pact, and the deal can max out at $6.7MM with incentives. Cardona also set positional records with his $1MM signing bonus and $2.6MM in guaranteed money. The former fifth-round pick has been with the Patriots since 2015.

Teams View Ravens As Likely To Match Lamar Jackson Offer Sheet

March 24th, 2023 at 10:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

More than a week has passed since Lamar Jackson‘s negotiation window opened. No offer sheets have emerged, with several teams showing immediate indications they would not pursue the superstar quarterback. Only the Colts have kept the door open, and that it does not sound like the AFC South team is seriously considering an offer sheet.

As the offer sheet would need to be fully guaranteed or featuring guarantees far north of Russell Wilson‘s $124MM — currently the league’s second-most fully guaranteed number — to entice a unique player who has long been connected to seeking a figure in the Deshaun Watson neighborhood ($230MM). Teams also appear hesitant to extend an offer to Jackson due to the Ravens’ ability to match it.

The current belief around the league is the Ravens would match a Jackson offer sheet that comes either before or after the draft, PFT’s Mike Florio said during a recent Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link). The Ravens would have five days to match an offer; their refusal to do so would mean the team that lands Jackson would send over two first-round picks. Baltimore and another team could also agree on a separate trade, which may be the preference for QB-seeking squads.

Extension-eligible since January 2021, Jackson became the rare high-end QB draftee to play a fourth season on a rookie deal and joined the rarer club of passers to play on a fifth-year option. His $32.4MM cap number has hamstrung the Ravens in free agency, but as a nonexclusive franchise tag recipient, he is free to talk to other teams. The agent-less QB has not been connected to doing so, but a person claiming to represent Jackson now has.

Florio initially reported this Jackson associate, now believed to be Ken Francis, has attempted to negotiate on the quarterback’s behalf with multiple teams in an attempt to increase interest. The NFL, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, sent a memo to teams instructing them not to negotiate with Francis, who is not an NFLPA-certified agent. Francis is a Jackson business partner on a fitness endeavor, and while Jackson plugged the duo’s venture Thursday, he denied Francis is negotiating on his behalf (Twitter links). Under the CBA, only Jackson — since he does not have an agent — can speak to teams regarding a contract.

Francis was believed to be telling teams Jackson is ready to move on from the Ravens, Florio adds, and that the sixth-year player does not want a fully guaranteed deal. Even in the event Jackson is not asking for a fully guaranteed contract, he is believed to want guarantees well north of where non-Browns teams have authorized for a player.

Another team that could conceivably be interested should not be expected to meet Jackson’s price point. While the Patriots could make a significant upgrade by replacing Mac Jones with Jackson, the former being under rookie-contract control — potentially through 2025 — will likely lead to, per the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, the Pats steering clear of a monster offer sheet for the former MVP. Will there be a team that does come forward as a serious suitor?

Dolphins Re-Sign CB Justin Bethel

March 24th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins are bringing back some secondary depth and a key special teamer in cornerback Justin Bethel, according to the team’s official Twitter account. The veteran defensive back had largely been relegated to special teams but found new life on defense with the Dolphins last year.

After a long opening tenure in Arizona, Bethel has bounced around from the Falcons to the Ravens to the Patriots before finally landing with the Dolphins last year. Although he used to get many more defensive playing opportunities early in his career, Bethel was always known as a special teams savant. In his second, third, and fourth seasons, Bethel made three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances as a special-teamer.

As he moved on from the Cardinals, and as time went on, Bethel’s snap count on defense grew smaller and smaller. 2022 saw a resurgence for the 32-year-old as the Dolphins allowed Bethel more playing time on defense than he had seen in the previous four years combined, since his time in Arizona. Bethel wasn’t the team’s best defender but delivered as a depth option, totaling one interception and four passes defensed.

Miami now boasts two stars at the cornerback position and retained many of their talented backup pieces, as well. Bethel’s role projects to be similar in 2023 as it was last year. With the added talent at the position, he may not be required as much on defense, but he provides the Dolphins with veteran depth and his usual stellar special teams play.

Texans Add WR/KR Steven Sims

March 24th, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans continue to be one of the most active teams in free agency this offseason, signing wide receiver and return specialist Steven Sims, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Sims is, at the very least, poised to take over the kick return duties in Houston for 2023.

A former undrafted free agent out of Kansas in 2019, Sims signed with Washington and made the initial 53-man roster as a rookie. His first year in the league was his strongest offensively as he caught 34 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns. The versatile weapon added nine rush attempts for 85 yards and a touchdown. He also showed off his proficiency in the return game, fielding 32 kickoffs for 819 yards and a touchdown on a 91-yard return. In 2020, his offensive and kick return production diminished a bit, but he shouldered an increased workload returning punts.

Sims was released just prior to the 2021 season and spent six days with the Bills before getting released in final roster cuts. He was eventually signed to the Steelers’ practice squad but only appeared in one game that season. Sims would find his way back to the field in 2022, appearing in 12 games for Pittsburgh and starting two. Last year, his versatility was on full display. He only had 104 receiving yards but added 70 on the ground. He also spent equal time returning both punts and kicks for the first time last season, totaling 19 punt returns and 17 kickoff returns.

Sims projects as a depth piece offensively in Houston. The Texans receiving group should be led by Robert Woods, Nico Collins, and Noah Brown, with John Metchie, Amari Rodgers, and others competing for snaps behind them. With cornerback Tremon Smith signing a new deal with the Broncos, the Texans needed a new kick returner. That’s where Sims comes into play. Houston used cornerback Desmond King to return punts last season, but if the Texans can rely on Sims for punt returns, too, it would free up King to focus more on defense.

Sims probably won’t have fans chanting “MVP,” but he fills a need on the Texans roster. With his versatile abilities, Sims is low-risk, high-reward signing. He provides Houston with a needed who has the potential to be a Swiss Army knife on offense.

Panthers Trade K Zane Gonzalez To 49ers

March 24th, 2023 at 8:01pm CST by Ely Allen

After allowing kicker Robbie Gould to walk in free agency, the 49ers have figured out Plan No. 1 for the position for next season. According to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt, Carolina has traded kicker Zane Gonzalez to San Francisco in exchange for a conditional late-round 2025 draft pick. Some reports describe the deal as a conditional swap of late-round picks.

Gonzalez has not kicked in the NFL since 2021. A former seventh-round pick for the Browns in 2017 out of Arizona State, Gonzalez spent just over a year in Cleveland, getting waived after 18 games with a 68% field goal conversation rate and having missed three of 31 extra point attempts. He would rebound with the Cardinals, with whom he’d spend the next three years of his career.

In Arizona, Gonzalez was signed to the practice squad and elevated to fill in for an injured Phil Dawson. Gonzalez’s performance in substitute duty was rewarded with a new contract to stay with the team. He remained the Cardinals’ kicker in 2019 and going into 2020. Late into the 2020 season, though, Gonzalez found the injury bug, was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season, and was released at the end of the league year.

Gonzalez spent three weeks in Detroit during the 2021 preseason before getting waived and signed to the practice squad. After letting go of Ryan Santoso, who kicked for Carolina in Week 1, the Panthers signed Gonzalez off the Lions’ practice squad. Gonzalez would kick for the Panthers until suffering a quad injury during warmups in a Week 15 game in Buffalo. The team was forced to play without a kicker for the game and depended on Lirim Hajrullahu for the remainder of the year.

Gonzalez was ready to retake his spot as the team’s placekicker when his injury woes continued. In the team’s final game of the 2022 preseason, Gonzalez once again injured his quad in warmups, forcing him to miss the entire season. The next day, Carolina signed kicker Eddy Pineiro to fill in for the season. Pineiro went 33-for-35 in field goal attempts and 30 for 32 in extra points and was rewarded with a two-year contract extension to remain the Panthers’ kicker, effectively marking the end of Gonzalez’s tenure in Carolina.

Instead of just releasing Gonzalez, the Panthers have been able to get some value for the superfluous special teamer in the form of San Francisco’s late draft pick. The 49ers were in need of a solution at placekicker after Gould’s departure. The longtime Bears kicker had just concluded his sixth year as a 49er. Gould had excited early in the Bay Area, converting 72 of 75 field goal attempts in his first two seasons with the team. He missed eight field goals the following year and struggled to repeat his early success with the 49ers.

Enter Gonzalez. The 27-year-old is coming off his strongest season, making 20 of 22 field goals in 2021, but is also coming off of a severe injury that held him out of the entire 2022 season. If Gonzalez can shake off the injury bug, he has promise to become the next franchise kicker in San Francisco.

Latest On Commanders Bidders, Potential Sale Timeline

March 24th, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the NFL’s owners’ meetings approaching, attention is increasingly being turned to the potential sale of the Commanders. The shortlist of bidders in the running to purchase the embattled franchise appeared to be set, but a few notable changes have become clear in recent days.

Josh Harris’ bid has gained a noteworthy and familiar ally in the form of Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson. The NBA legend has joined the Harris group, as first reported by Sportico’s Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams. It is unclear at this point how much capital Johnson could be contributing, but he has a long history of becoming a minority in other pro sports franchises.

The 63-year-old has a stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers, WNBA’s LA Sparks, as well as Major League Soccer club LAFC. Last offseason, Johnson became a part of Harris’ ownership group attempting to purchase the Broncos, which ultimately came up short on that occasion. The pair will now partner once again in their latest effort to join the NFL’s ownership ranks, though they will be facing increased competition.

Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos has joined the list of interested suitors to tour the Commanders’ facility and emerge as potential new owners, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Adam Schefter and John Keim. That makes him the third known bidder, along with Harris and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who was identified last month as one of the finalists to purchase the team.

The ESPN reports notes that Apostolopoulos, a Harvard graduate whose personal net worth sits at an estimated $3.9B, had shown an interested in purchasing the Charlotte Hornets. Instead, he has now turned his attention to the NFL, and the possibility of being involved in what is expected to be another record-shattering sale in terms of total price if the Commanders are sold in full.

Lurking over this ongoing process, of course, is Jeff Bezos. The Amazon founder has long been considered the top name to watch amongst potential bidders, given his immense wealth and proximity to the franchise as owner of the Washington Post. The latter factor, along with the personal tension it has caused between Bezos and Commanders owner Dan Snyder, however, has been named as the top reason why Bezos has reportedly been blocked from participating in the bidding process to date.

As Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports tweets, though, many around the league still believe “it’s only a matter of time” before Bezos submits a bid the other suitors cannot compete with at the eleventh hour to secure ownership of the Commanders. For now, at least, he remains on the sidelines with respect to potential new owners, however.

The upcoming league summit has been floated as a time for a sale to become finalized, since it would require approval from the NFL’s other owners to earn ratification. While Snyder’s recent actions have led to reports of a sale being imminent, it might not be in place in time to be finalized by the end of the month, according to Nicki Jhabvala Mark Maske and Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. They nevertheless reiterate that Snyder is expected to sell “in the coming weeks or months,” so a resolution to this saga could be on the horizon.

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