HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Chiefs To Bring Back TE Blake Bell

March 24th, 2023 at 10:31am CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs have lost several offensive contributors this offseason, but they will bring back one of their backup tight ends. Blake Bell agreed to terms to stay in Kansas City on Friday.

Bell and the Chiefs agreed on a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Bell, who is going into his ninth NFL season, is now in position to play a fourth season with the Chiefs.

Although Bell’s Chiefs tenure has been split up into two stints, he was on both the team’s recent Super Bowl-winning teams. The former 49ers draftee caught on with the Chiefs in 2019 but signed with the Cowboys in 2020. He wound up back in Kansas City a year later and has now agreed to remain in place as a Travis Kelce backup.

The Chiefs have used Bell, 31, as a starter in 13 games. He was unable to make much of a contribution last season due to a preseason hip injury. Bell landed on IR before the start of last season and missed 13 regular-season games. The eventual Super Bowl champions, however, used one of their injury activations on Bell once he was ready to return. The 6-foot-6 tight end re-emerged to catch his first career touchdown pass — a 17-yarder against the Broncos on New Year’s Day — and play in each of the Chiefs’ three playoff games. During Bell’s most recent full season (2021), he played 322 offensive snaps.

Bell’s career has also included stops with the Vikings and Jaguars — from 2017-18 — but he is best known for being one of Kelce’s sidekicks. The Chiefs have a younger player in that role now, in 2021 fifth-round pick Noah Gray. The second-year player emerged as an interesting receiving option in the Patrick Mahomes-piloted offense last season, catching 28 passes for 299 yards, but the Chiefs are still freeing up a spot for Bell to come back.

Lions Re-Sign QB Nate Sudfeld

March 24th, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions picked up Nate Sudfeld after he failed to beat out Brock Purdy for the 49ers’ third-string job last summer, and the NFC North team will stay the course behind Jared Goff.

Detroit agreed to terms to bring back Sudfeld for a second season, the team announced Friday. Sudfeld is back in position to be Goff’s primary backup.

Sudfeld losing a job to Purdy no longer looks strange, given the rise of last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, and the ex-Eagles third-stringer backed into some job security after missing out on a 49ers third-string gig. The Lions cut David Blough to make room for Sudfeld last summer, and both Tim Boyle finished last season with the Bears. The Lions also brought in Josh Dobbs for a bit but let the Titans poach him off their practice squad. Dobbs is now back in Cleveland, while Boyle is unsigned.

Goff has missed just four games due to injury over his seven-year career. Three of those came during the 2021 season. Boyle replaced Goff for those games — all losses — but the resurgent starter played all 17 Lions contests last season. Sudfeld, however, remained on the roster throughout the year.

Perhaps best known for being the player at the heart of the Eagles’ much-discussed decision that may well have decided the 2020 NFC East title, Sudfeld is now heading into his eighth NFL season. Since Doug Pederson benched Jalen Hurts for Sudfeld in that Week 17 game two seasons ago, Sudfeld spent a year in San Francisco and a year in Detroit. Sudfeld played behind Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance in 2021.

Sudfeld, 29, operated as Nick Foles‘ backup during the Eagles’ 2017 Super Bowl LII run and in the following playoffs, after the team lost Carson Wentz to injury in both years. The Indiana alum spent four years in Philadelphia. The former Washington sixth-round pick has thrown just 37 regular-season passes, completing 25, in his pro career. He has one career touchdown pass.

Long thought to be preparing to draft a quarterback in 2022 or this year, the Lions are no longer believed to be strongly considering using one of their two first-round picks on a passer. This does not mean Detroit will punt on the position throughout the draft, but even if the team does select a later-round QB, Sudfeld would seemingly be in position as a mentor-type player in that scenario.

AFC East Notes: Ramsey, Patriots, Hardman

March 24th, 2023 at 9:49am CST by Sam Robinson

A year after acquiring Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb via trade, the Dolphins added another standout in Jalen Ramsey. Miami became a destination for Ramsey, whom Albert Breer of SI.com notes had zeroed in on landing with the AFC East club. Sean McVay met with Ramsey in January and informed him the Rams would explore trade options, mentioning the team would explore a deal as a way to restock its draft capital and reduce costs. Rams GM Les Snead called teams two weeks before the Combine to gauge interest, and after Dolphins GM Chris Grier confirmed his team might be, Vic Fangio provided a positive opinion of Ramsey’s place in his defense.

After Ramsey’s agent informed him about a Miami deal, the All-Pro cornerback instructed his representative to make sure he ended up there. The Rams may not have traded Ramsey to the Dolphins just because he wanted to be there, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets, but they did want him out of the NFC. Snead’s price point was initially too high for the Dolphins, per Breer, but the sides settled on a package of a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long. A far cry from what the Rams sent the Jaguars for Ramsey in 2019 — two first-round picks and a fourth — but the Dolphins now have the eighth-year veteran on the roster and have since adjusted his contract.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • The Patriots discussed DeAndre Hopkins with the Cardinals early this offseason, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, but they backed off due to Arizona’s ask (subscription required). The Cardinals are rumored to be seeking a second-round pick and change here. The NFC West team is not expected to land that, as Howe adds other teams believe the Cards want to dump Hopkins’ salary ($19.45MM in 2023). The Bills and Chiefs are now the closest links to the former All-Pro wideout.
  • Mecole Hardman committed to the Jets after Aaron Rodgers indicated he wanted to be traded to New York, but the ex-Chiefs wideout said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) the four-time MVP’s intentions did not affect his decision. While it would seem that would have at least moved the needle a bit — compared to a world in which Zach Wilson was on track for a third QB1 Jets season, at least — Hardman said he was excited to play with Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard. Hardman added (via the New York Post’s Brian Costello) the Jets showed interest throughout his free agency, which ended with a one-year deal worth up to $6.5MM. Hardman did not elaborate on a Chiefs offer to bring him back, but he seemed to confirm the defending champions’ previously reported plan to move on.
  • A faction of the Patriots‘ locker room voiced support for Bailey Zappe during last season’s brief QB controversy, Devin McCourty confirmed during a WEEI interview (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “It was just a back and forth, which to me, spoke more about what we had on offense than the quarterback,” McCourty said. “We never were solidified as an offensive group that guys had full confidence in anything we were doing. There was never true hope.” The Pats, who regressed on offense in 2022, have since rehired Bill O’Brien as OC. While Mac Jones won his job back amid a dysfunctional season, the Pats will give Zappe a chance to push him this year.
  • The incentives in Mike Gesicki‘s one-year, $4.5MM Patriots contract include $300K bumps starting at the 40-reception mark, Doug Kyed of AtoZSports.com tweets. Gesicki could collect $1.2MM if he reaches 70 catches in 2023. There are also up to $1.2MM in available yardage incentives, with that escalator package starting at 450 yards and ending at 750. Playing-time incentives are also included in the package.
  • Up to $4MM in incentives are present in Riley Reiff‘s one-year, $5MM deal. He will earn $800K by playing 53% of the Pats’ offensive snaps, per Kyed (on Twitter). These figures decrease the higher the snap rate goes, but Reiff can earn all $4.5MM by reaching an 80% snap rate.

Vikings S Harrison Smith Accepts Pay Cut

March 24th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 24: Although Smith accepted a pay cut to stay, Goessling notes he received $6.25MM of his 2023 base salary guaranteed. That is up $1.25MM from his previous arrangement (Twitter link). Overall, Smith’s 2023 base checks in at $7.5MM; $500K in incentives are available as well.

MARCH 16: Harrison Smith will be back for a 12th season with the Vikings. The sides agreed to a reworked contract Thursday, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (on Twitter).

The Pro Bowl safety was set to count $19.1MM against Minnesota’s cap in 2023. Smith signed a four-year, $64MM extension before the 2021 season; that deal runs through 2025. Thursday’s new agreement looks to be a pay cut. Smith was set to earn $14.7MM in base salary, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes he will now make $8MM and have the opportunity to collect an additional $2MM via incentives (Twitter link). The restructure will save the Vikings $6.7MM, Goessling tweets.

Rather than testing the market in his mid-30s, Smith agreed to a salary trim will keep him in Minneapolis for his age-34 season. Strong interest did come from elsewhere, per Rapoport, but Smith prefers to stay in Minnesota (Twitter link). A 2012 first-round pick, Smith has only played for the Vikings.

Drafted during Leslie Frazier‘s HC stay, Smith is among the last of the team’s Mike Zimmer-era defensive cornerstones. The Vikings have moved on from almost everyone else from their late-2010s defensive units, including a recent release of Eric Kendricks. Only Smith and Danielle Hunter remain in place from those defenses that helped the Vikes to three playoff berths — with three different starting QBs — from 2015-19.

The Vikings are transitioning to Brian Flores‘ defensive scheme, moving on after Ed Donatell struggled in his lone season in the position, and they want Smith a part of it. It can be assumed Smith will be on a year-to-year relationship with the Vikings going forward, given his extension’s terms for 2024 and ’25. He is set to make $14.5MM in 2024 and $17MM in 2025. It is unlikely the six-time Pro Bowler will be attached to either base salary, but after letting Patrick Peterson defect to the Steelers, the Vikings are hanging onto their other veteran piece in the secondary.

Helping a struggling Vikes defense hang on for the NFC’s No. 3 seed, Smith intercepted five passes last season to move his career total to 34. Pro Football Focus slotted Smith just inside the top 40 at safety last season. Given the way the market has developed for non-Jessie Bates safeties this offseason, the Vikings asking Smith for a pay reduction makes sense.

Barring injury, Smith will still move into rare territory among Vikings defenders this season. Smith (158 career starts) will have a chance to pass Kevin Williams (170) for the third-most starts by a Minnesota defender. Catching Purple People Eaters Jim Marshall (270) or Carl Eller (201) appears unrealistic (definitely in Marshall’s case), but Smith has a chance to be the longest-tenured Vikings defensive piece in nearly 45 years.

Eagles To Extend RT Lane Johnson

March 24th, 2023 at 8:26am CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles entered the offseason with just one of their four cornerstone linemen under contract, but Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce have since signed new deals. The other member of this quartet, Lane Johnson, has since followed suit.

Philadelphia’s 11th-year right tackle agreed to a fourth contract with the team Friday morning. Johnson signed an extension that runs through 2026, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The former first-round pick was already under contract through 2025, making this a one-year bump. But Johnson will collect a chunk of guaranteed money and reduce his 2023 cap hit in the process.

Johnson’s new deal includes $30MM guaranteed, Schefter adds, noting this can be classified as a one-year, $33.45MM accord. The agreement will reduce Johnson’s 2023 cap hit by more than $9MM, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). The All-Pro blocker was set to carry a $24.2MM 2023 cap number. This new signing bonus will drop that cap figure to approximately $14.8MM. The next two years of Johnson’s contract are now guaranteed, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane tweets.

Graham, Cox and Kelce each agreed to new one-year contracts this month. Johnson is the only member of Philly’s core four signed beyond 2023, and his agreement will help the team afford the deals for his veteran teammates. The Eagles are the rare team with four players drafted 10-plus years ago still on the roster, and this contract does not necessarily lock in Johnson through 2026, as that will be his age-36 season. But it rewards a player who played at a high level through a significant injury to close last season.

Johnson, 32, is recovering from offseason adductor surgery. The Oklahoma alum played through a torn adductor in the playoffs, tabling surgery until after Super Bowl LVII. Although Johnson’s 2022 regular season wrapped after 15 games, he earned his second first-team All-Pro honor. The dominant right-sider has not given up a sack in two seasons.

The Eagles had already adjusted Johnson’s contract — a four-year, $72MM deal agreed to in November 2019 — a whopping four times. Three void years are already attached to the deal. While one of those is no longer a dummy year, Johnson’s deal technically runs through 2028 for cap purposes.

Graham, 35, agreed to a one-year deal worth $5MM. Kelce, 35, is back for a 14th season, signing a one-year extension worth $14.25MM. The Eagles let Cox, 32, hit free agency, but he is back on a one-year, $10MM accord. Although injuries and early-career PED issues have interfered with Johnson’s NFL path, he has managed to remain an elite lineman into his 30s. Johnson has missed six regular-season games over the past two years, bouncing back after missing nine in 2020. The Eagles, who lost veteran starter Isaac Seumalo to the Steelers late last week, will still return four starting O-linemen.

Bills Interested In DeAndre Hopkins

March 23rd, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering free agency with rumored receiver interest, the Bills have added two depth pieces (Deonte Harty, Trent Sherfield) to their pass-catching equation. They appear to be considering a much bigger swing.

The Bills are interested in trading for DeAndre Hopkins, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports (on Twitter). Buffalo joins Kansas City as teams believed to be in on the Arizona wideout, but Wilson adds Baltimore is not part of this pursuit. Hopkins appears to have heard Bills rumors as well (audio link). Extensive Hopkins interest exists, but his contract is an obvious impediment.

[RELATED: Hopkins Trade Market Accelerating?]

The Cardinals are believed to want a second-round pick and an additional asset for the 11th-year veteran, but Albert Breer of SI.com hears that type of return is not expected to be in the cards. No contract adjustment has occurred, though it should be expected. Hopkins is open to that. As of now, however, Hopkins is tied to a $19.45MM base salary ahead of his age-31 season. While Breer adds Hopkins should fetch the Cardinals more than the Texans obtained in their Brandin Cooks pick-swap deal with the Cowboys — one that sent a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth to Houston — he expects the return to be closer to the Cooks price than what the Cardinals are seeking.

Connected in trade rumors since before the 2022 deadline, Hopkins now no longer has a no-trade clause. Due to language in the former All-Pro’s contract, his 2022 PED suspension voided it. The Bills would seemingly appeal to veteran wide receivers, given the presences of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Hopkins and Diggs were traded on the same day in March 2020. Hopkins has not been viewed as a No. 2 wideout since his early days with Andre Johnson in Houston; he would certainly be classified as such in Buffalo.

It would undoubtedly take a contract adjustment for Hopkins to land on the Bills’ cap sheet. Diggs is tied to a $24MM-per-year deal. Only the Chargers have two receivers earning at least $20MM per year, and each is tied to $20MM-AAV deals. Buffalo’s No. 1 target is tied to a long-term extension; Hopkins’ 2020 Cardinals re-up runs through 2024. His $27MM-per-year contract calls for $19.4 and $14.9MM base salaries over the next two years. The Bills have more than $9MM in cap space, though the team did add guard David Edwards earlier today.

Buffalo rosters Gabe Davis as well, but the former fourth-round pick is going into a contract year. Davis and the since-released Isaiah McKenzie battled inconsistency last season. Hopkins’ PED suspension and his injuries over the past two years have injected unreliability into his career path, one that previously had the contested-catch maven entrenched as one of the NFL’s steadiest stars. Hopkins ripped off three straight first-team All-Pro seasons (2017-19) and topped 1,000 receiving yards six times in seven years. He has not surpassed 800 in a season since 2020; the ban and injury trouble limited him to nine games in 2022.

The Ravens are not in too much worse cap shape than the Bills are, sitting at just more than $7MM. But they also must factor in the chance of needing to match a monster Lamar Jackson offer sheet, which could feature the second-most fully guaranteed money in NFL history. Baltimore does need receiving help far more than Buffalo or Kansas City do, seeing Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay each go down with injuries.

Kansas City has been connected to both Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. The Bills hosted Beckham on a visit in December but have not been linked to him this offseason. The Chiefs have lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency, seeing each head to the AFC East (Patriots, Jets). The Bills hold one draft choice in each of the first five rounds and carry two in the fifth. They obtained a fifth from the Cardinals in last summer’s Cody Ford swap and sent their own to the Colts for Nyheim Hines. The Chiefs are in slightly better shape, holding an extra fourth-round pick due to their Tyreek Hill trade.

While Diggs and Davis’ presences would make Hopkins a bit of a luxury item for the Bills, they have seen the Chiefs impede their Super Bowl pursuits. Hopkins as an additional weapon would add more intrigue to this rivalry. The Bengals have now leapfrogged the Bills in the AFC hierarchy as well, and the AFC East figures to be stronger in 2023 thanks to Jalen Ramsey and, most likely, Aaron Rodgers entering the mix. As the competition intensifies, the Bills are seeing what it will take to add a proven pass catcher.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/23/23

March 23rd, 2023 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Washington Commanders

Woods and Cole both served as special teams contributors to start their careers. The former is making his first move outside the NFC North, having previously played for the Bears and Lions. Likewise, the latter is set for his first stint with a non-AFC South squad, after beginning his career with the Texans and Titans. They each bring considerable third phase experience to their new teams.

Sweeny, 27, is making the New York-to-Buffalo trek several have made before him recently. He will reunite with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who served as the Bills’ offensive coordinator during their time together in Buffalo. Sweeny served in a backup role during each of his three heathy seasons to start his career, making a total of 18 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown. He will look to continue operating as a secondary option at the position in New York under Daboll as the Giants incorporate Pro Bowler Darren Waller into their new-look offense.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/23/23

March 23rd, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s lone tender decision in the NFL:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Patterson will be extending his stay in Jacksonville, having kicked for the Jaguars full-time in 2022. The 23-year-old went 30-for-35 on field goal attempts last season, making all but one of his extra point attempts. Those figures will earn him the opportunity to hold down the top spot on the depth chart again in 2023, as he and the Jaguars look to build on their shared success from last campaign.

Packers Re-Sign OLB Justin Hollins

March 23rd, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers claimed Justin Hollins off waivers midway through the 2022 season, and his play upon arrival has earned him an extended stay. Per a team announcement, the veteran pass rusher has re-signed on a new deal in Green Bay.

Hollins, 27, was a draftee of the Broncos but only spent his rookie campaign in Denver. He was waived ahead of the 2020 season and claimed by the Rams, with whom he took on an incrementally larger role in each season. Hollins registered seven starts across 34 games in Los Angeles, working his way up to a 50% snap share in his 10 games in 2022.

The former fifth-rounder notched only one sack in that span, however, leading the Rams to waive him in November amidst their general struggles in the pass rush department. No player outside of Leonard Floyd managed to record more than one sack for the Rams’ edge rushers, so the position figures to be a position of interest in the secondary waves of free agency and the draft.

With the Packers, Hollins saw a lesser role in six games compared to his workload with the Rams earlier in the year. He was more productive in Green Bay, though, notching 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss. He added nine total tackles and four QB hits, numbers which will earn him a full season with the team in 2023.

The Oregon product will look to maintain a rotational role amongst the Packers’ edge rushers next season. Green Bay has Rashan Gary and Preston Smith at the top of the depth chart, but the former suffered an ACL tear in November. Hollins could serve as an insurance policy if Gary is unable to return in time for Week 1, and provide a depth option for the team when he is available moving forward.

Patriots Sign P Corliss Waitman

March 23rd, 2023 at 8:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have found their new punter shortly after moving on from a four-year contributor at the position. New England has signed Corliss Waitman, per a team announcement.

New England waived incumbent Jake Bailey earlier this month in a move which came as no surprise. Michael Palardy, who was used as Bailey’s replacement when he was injured during the year, is a pending free agent. That left the Patriots in search of a new option, and they have landed on Waitman.

The 27-year-old Belgian spent time on New England’s practice squad in 2021 before joining the Steelers. His first full season of NFL duty came in 2022 with the Broncos. Given Denver’s offensive struggles, Waitman was the busiest punter in the league, being called into action a league-leading 96 times last season. He averaged 46.6 yards per punt, and pinned 30 of his kicks inside the 20 yard line.

The Broncos decided to reunite with Riley Dixon earlier this week, however, which allowed them to move on from Waitman. The latter had been tendered as an exclusive rights free agent, but with Dixon back in the fold, that was rescinded. Waitman’s latest spell in free agency did not last long.

A left-footed punter, the South Alabama product falls in line with head coach Bill Belichick‘s preference in that regard. Now, with a new deal in place and Joe Judge set to once again coach the Patriots’ special teams, Waitman will look to repeat his 2022 performance and help the unit deliver a bounce-back performances from last year’s struggles.

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