HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Cowboys To Re-Sign S Donovan Wilson

March 14th, 2023 at 9:30am CST by Adam La Rose

Donovan Wilson was considered one of the Cowboys’ top priorities heading into the free agent period. After a quiet start to the frenzy yesterday, they have retained the safety on a three-year deal worth up to $24MM (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network). $13.5MM in compensation across the first two years is fully guaranteed.

The 28-year-old had been expected to hit the open market, after little progress had recently been made concerning contract talks. That pointed to Wilson, like fellow notable free-agents-to-be Dalton Schultz and Leighton Vander Esch, fielding offers from outside teams and quite possibly pricing themselves out of Dallas. Instead, Wilson will remain in place as a key member of the team’s safety group.

Wilson saw a major increase in his snap share in 2020 compared to his rookie year, but his playing time dropped the following season. He was utilized on 84% of defensive plays in 2022, though, allowing him to put together the most productive season of his career. The former sixth-rounder racked up 101 tackles, five sacks, an interception and a pair of forced fumbles while starting every regular season and playoff game.

The Cowboys used Wilson, along with fellow safeties Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker, on a near-permanent basis in 2022. That made keeping the trio intact a key priority for a defense which enjoyed plenty of success in the secondary. Each of the latter two have one year remaining on their current deals, so this news means continuity will be ensured for at least the 2023 season on the backend.

Wilson was set to be one of several members of this year’s safety class which was relatively unheralded after Jessie Bates. His AAV, along with two years’ worth of guaranteed money, speaks to how highly valued he is on the Cowboys’ part, and the potential market remaining for other pending free agents at the position. In any case, Wilson has a pact in place which will comfortably exceed his career earnings in each year, and allow the Cowboys to maintain a strong safety corps.

Raiders, WR Jakobi Meyers Agree To Deal

March 14th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

The first major wide receiver domino of the free agent period has fallen. Jakobi Meyers is set to sign with the Raiders on a three-year, $33MM contract (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

The pact includes $21MM guaranteed, and will give Vegas another notable new piece on offense. The Raiders agreed to terms yesterday on a deal with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He, just like Meyers, will be reunited with head coach Josh McDaniels after working alongside the latter in New England when he served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator.

Las Vegas’ Meyers accord contains $16MM fully guaranteed, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets, with the remaining $5MM being an injury guarantee. Meyers has the final $5.5MM in guarantees coming to him in 2024, via a roster bonus. Like Garoppolo, the team could escape this contract — with a bit of dead money — next year. Beyond the fully guaranteed roster bonus, $5MM shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2024 league year, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Meyers, 26, enjoyed a noteworthy career ascension across his four seasons spent in New England. The former UDFA became a starter by his second season, and has been one of the few constants in the Patriots’ underwhelming passing attack in recent years. Meyers comfortably led the team in receiving yards (804) in 2022, and was expected to headline a less-than stellar class of free agent wideouts this offseason.

The $11MM AAV of this pact falls short of what some reports indicated he could receive on the open market. Meyers has put up consistent totals in a number of categories over the past three seasons, but his yards-per-catch average sits at 11.7 for his career. That figure pegs him as a high-end complimentary wideout in an ideal role, something which will be possible with the Raiders.

Vegas already has Davante Adams atop their WR depth chart, and highly-regarded slot man Hunter Renfrow on the books after he signed a new deal last offseason. The Raiders also have Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, so Meyers represents the latest addition to a multi-faceted pass-catching corps. He will have the opportunity to continue his steady production with a familiar scheme.

For the Patriots, this news marks the second straight day of a pass-catcher departing. New England traded away tight end Jonnu Smith yesterday, and will now have a hole to fill at wideout with Meyers defecting. That position was already a weak one even with Meyers and fellow veteran Nelson Agholor, who is reportedly expected to leave in free agency as well. New England will have considerable work to do to upgrade their passing efficiency, but the Raiders will have another impact playmaker in place when they look to rebound in 2023 with a new-look offense.

Texans To Acquire G Shaq Mason From Buccaneers

March 14th, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

It was learned yesterday that the Buccaneers would be moving on from veteran guard Shaq Mason in the immediate future, via either a trade or release. The former route will be taken; Tampa is trading Mason to the Texans, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal will see Houston and Tampa Bay swap sixth- and seventh-round picks. By moving on from Mason, the Buccaneers will see $5.3MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of $4.3MM. The Texans, meanwhile, will acquire a consistent performer at right guard who has one year remaining on his current contract.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports (via Twitter) that Mason is likely to be extended upon his arrival with the Texans. That would come as little surprise, as the 29-year-old is set to carry a cap hit of just over $9.5MM in 2023. A new contract aimed at lowering that figure would help the team’s cap situation and secure his future there over the course of multiple years.

Mason logged 98 starts during his seven-year stint with the Patriots to begin his career. He was traded to Tampa Bay last offseason, and started every game as part of the Buccaneers’ revamped interior o-line. His 1,200 snaps were a welcomed sight considering the multitude of injuries the team had to deal with over the course of the season. Mason was charged with 25 pressures allowed by PFF, however, which resulted in an overall grade of 68.9, the second-lowest of his career.

In addition to agreeing to acquire Mason, the Texans are moving on from A.J. Cann, Wilson reports. A longtime Jaguars starter, Cann signed with the Texans last season and immediately became a full-time starter for the team. Cann started 16 games with Houston and has been an NFL first-stringer throughout his eight-year career, lining up at guard and center. The veteran guard joins center Justin Britt as O-line starters who will not be in the Texans’ 2023 equation. The team released Britt, its starting center for the past two seasons, ahead of free agency. Britt is expected to retire.

Houston used a first-round pick on Kenyon Green last April, and he served as their left guard. Presuming Mason is extended on a new multi-year deal, that pair will serve as the Texans’ guard tandem for at least the intermediate future. With center Scott Quessenberry having just been re-signed, the interior of Houston’s offensive line is firmly in place.

Vikings Expected To Re-Sign QB Nick Mullens

March 14th, 2023 at 8:16am CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings saw some notable departures on defense yesterday, but they will see continuity under center in 2023. Minnesota is expected to re-sign backup quarterback Nick Mullens, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

Mullens spent last season in Minnesota but arrived in the Twin Cities after initially committing to a Las Vegas stay. The Raiders ended up trading him to the Vikings, where he spent the season as Kirk Cousins‘ backup. The latter’s durability led to Mullens riding the bench throughout, after he had seen some action as a Browns reserve in 2021.

The team’s Mullens acquisition preceded a trade of 2021 third-round pick Kellen Mond, who spent the season in Cleveland. Mullens, 27, completed 21 of 25 passes during his initial Vikings season, which ended Sean Mannion‘s run as Cousins’ backup. Minnesota also released Mannion just before Week 1.

Best known for his work as a Jimmy Garoppolo fill-in with the 49ers, Mullens has 17 starts on his resume. Sixteen of those came with San Francisco, with which he sported a 25-to-22 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. Kyle Shanahan turned to Mullens, despite the presence of former third-round pick C.J. Beathard, frequently in 2018 and 2020 — as Garoppolo dealt with multiple major injuries — and he completed 64% of his passes during the three-season Bay Area stay.

Mullens profiles as an inexpensive backup. While the Vikings could certainly land a higher-profile QB2 option on a crowded market here, Cousins has not missed a game due to injury during his five-season run in Minneapolis.

Raiders, Jimmy Garoppolo Finalizing Deal

March 13th, 2023 at 11:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Minutes after a report indicated mutual interest existed between the Raiders and Jimmy Garoppolo, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports the team is closing in on a deal with the ex-Patriots and 49ers passer.

The Raiders had shown some interest, and The Athletic’s Jeff Howe noted Garoppolo had become receptive to rejoining Josh McDaniels. It now looks like the Raiders will replace Derek Carr with McDaniels’ former Pats pupil. This signing is happening, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini.

Las Vegas is landing Garoppolo at a reasonable rate. He is signing a three-year, $67.5MM deal, Schefter reports. While this pact includes $34MM guaranteed, the AAV puts Garoppolo squarely in between the franchise-QB tier and backup money. Tom Pelissero of NFL.com places the base value higher, indicating (via Twitter) it comes in at $72.75MM.

An $11.25MM bonus on Day 3 of the 2024 league year is also guaranteed, per Pelissero, and ESPN’s Field Yates adds Garoppoplo will carry base salaries of $11.25MM in both 2023 and ’24 (Twitter link). Annual incentives of $1.5MM are also present in the deal. Garoppolo stands to be locked in with the Raiders through 2024, with Pelissero noting the guarantees effectively cover the 2023 and ’24 campaigns. The deal includes $45MM in total guarantees and $22.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.

Garoppolo’s 2023 base salary and 2024 roster bonus are guaranteed at signing, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. No other full guarantees are present, his 2024 salary — guaranteed for injury at signing — shifts to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the ’24 league year. The deal’s 2025 base salary ($22.5MM) is nonguaranteed. It also includes $1.53MM in per-game roster bonuses per year. Garoppolo being healthy next March does open the door to this being a one-off pact for the Raiders, who just exercised a Carr escape hatch after a 2022 extension.

The Raiders cut Carr instead of recommitting via a $40.4MM guarantee, which was to vest Feb. 15, and the Saints picked up the 10th-year veteran. Garoppolo (and Tom Brady) were on Las Vegas’ radar weeks before Carr’s release. It took $60MM fully guaranteed for New Orleans to land Carr, while the Raiders needed to guarantee barely a third of that total to sign Garoppolo. Carr only missed three games due to injury in his career; Garoppolo has missed 30 for health reasons since his 2018 ACL tear.

Garoppolo, 31, spent three-plus seasons in McDaniels’ offense in New England, backing up Brady throughout that time (save for the Deflategate stretch). But Garoppolo showed in San Francisco he could be an effective starter. Although a top-tier defense backed him up, Garoppolo piloted the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV and the 2021 NFC championship game.

Carr provides more security than Garoppolo, with the latter suffering injuries during the 2018, 2020, ’21 and ’22 campaigns. But McDaniels did not end up viewing the nine-year Raiders starter as a good fit for his offense. It will now be Garoppolo tasked with distributing the ball to Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Co. This contract also gives the Raiders some flexibility regarding a quarterback draft choice. Holding the No. 7 overall pick, the Raiders have been connected to using it on a quarterback. That still should be a situation to monitor, though it will be interesting to see how McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler — who was also in New England during Garoppolo’s stay — categorize this signing.

QBR placed Garoppolo 16th last season; he has ranked higher — including in his 2019 Super Bowl-bound year — but injuries did well to sidetrack his run with the 49ers. He battled multiple maladies by the time he reached the NFC title game in Los Angeles during the 2021 season, and a broken foot brought in Brock Purdy last season.

The Raiders had been linked to Aaron Rodgers, though far more loosely compared to the Jets, but they will go with a younger option that will not cost them any draft capital. Garoppolo could be positioned as a multiyear bridge, depending on how the Raiders view this QB class. The team has not used a first-round pick on a passer since the disastrous JaMarcus Russell choice in 2007.

For the Jets, this raises the Rodgers stakes. The team was interested in Carr, bringing him in for a visit, but communicated to the longtime Raider he was their second choice. Some in the Jets’ organization viewed Garoppolo as a better fit compared to Carr, but both are now unavailable. If Rodgers ends up turning down a chance to join the Jets, the team’s long-expressed plan to acquire a major veteran upgrade will be thrown off axis.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/23

March 13th, 2023 at 11:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Did not tender:

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/23

March 13th, 2023 at 10:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

 

Nixon was a first-team All-Pro returner for the Packers this year. He’s signed to a new one-year deal with a maximum value of $6MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Wharton’s new one-year deal is reportedly worth $2.03MM, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $850,000 consisting of a $500,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of the base salary (worth $1.01MM total).

Colts, K Matt Gay Agree To Deal

March 13th, 2023 at 10:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts made a kicker change ahead of Week 2 last year. They will make a signing to move toward stability in 2023. Indianapolis will add Matt Gay, Peter Schrager of NFL.com tweets.

Gay is signing a four-year, $22.5MM deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Considering the Colts’ kicker path since Adam Vinatieri‘s final season, paying up for a proven specialist makes sense. Gay, who spent the past three years with the Rams, is a Pro Bowl kicker who has made at least 93% of his field goal tries in each of the past two seasons. Gay is the fifth-most accurate kicker in NFL history.

Gay’s contract tops any accord ever given to a kicker in free agency, though Justin Tucker‘s latest Ravens re-up still leads the field overall. But Gay’s $5.62MM-per-year average checks in as the position’s second-highest figure. The soon-to-be 29-year-old specialist eclipses Jason Myers‘ recent Seahawks extension for second place behind Tucker.

Over the past two seasons, Gay has made 60 of 64 field goal attempts. Last season, Gay went 7 of 9 from beyond 50 yards. Although Los Angeles does not present one of the tougher kicker environments, Gay going from an outdoor venue to Lucas Oil Stadium should not exactly provide a higher hurdle for him. He will be expected to stop the Colts’ kicker carousel, one Vinatieri’s 2019 struggles and retirement started.

Vinatieri’s injury-induced retirement ended a 13-plus-season run in Indianapolis for the league’s all-time scoring leader. The Colts brought in Chase McLaughlin to finish out the season but added Rodrigo Blankenship as a UDFA the following year. A Blankenship 2021 injury, however, threw off Indy’s blueprint again. Michael Badgley kicked in the final 12 Colts games in 2021, and McLaughlin returned to Indy’s active roster — after illegal procedure penalties and a missed field goal led to a tie in Houston — in September 2022.

After beginning his career on a Buccaneers kicking merry-go-round, Gay will be tasked with finishing this weird kicker period for the Colts.

QB Jacoby Brissett Drawing Interest From Bucs, Eagles

March 13th, 2023 at 10:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett was signed to a one-year contract in Cleveland a year ago for the sole purpose of filling in until Deshaun Watson was free from his suspension. After doing the job that was asked of him, Brissett is again set to hit free agency and is drawing early interest from both the Buccaneers and Eagles, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

The interest from the Buccaneers is fairly straightforward. Having just lost star quarterback Tom Brady to retirement, Tampa Bay doesn’t have a clear plan at quarterback moving forward. With three-year backup Blaine Gabbert headed to free agency, the only remaining passer on the team’s roster is their second-round pick from 2021, Kyle Trask.

The Buccaneers certainly seem to like Trask, but with the 25-year-old only ever having appeared in one game for limited playing time, he certainly doesn’t have the experience to instill confidence as the franchise quarterback. Bringing in Brissett does two things for Tampa Bay: provides them with an experienced, capable backup quarterback if the plan is to move forward with Trask and/or provides them with an experienced, capable starter who can get you through a transition year, much like he did this year in Cleveland.

The Eagles interest in Brissett is even more straightforward. Philadelphia easily has solidified Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback. After a season that saw Hurts receive MVP votes, receive second-team All-Pro honors, and lead his team to the Super Bowl, there is no doubt in anybody’s mind of who will be leading the Eagles’ offense next season.

In Philadelphia, Brissett would solely be a backup. It’s a role that Brissett is familiar with. and perhaps a bit overqualified for, but it’s not unreasonable for the Eagles to reach out for a backup quarterback of his caliber. Situations such as we saw in San Francisco and Baltimore this year prove just how imperative it is to have a backup quarterback capable of winning football games.

In San Francisco, the 49ers had not only one but two capable backups who went a combined 12-3 when starting quarterback Trey Lance went down after two weeks of play. Not only did they win in the regular season, but they went to the Conference Championship game on the arm of rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy. The Ravens, on the other hand, saw their two backups combine for a 2-3 record as they limped across the finish line for a 10-7 finish and an early playoff exit.

These two examples show precisely why a backup quarterback is one of the most important positions on a roster. Injuries happen and, when they do, teams need to be prepared with a contingency plan. The Eagles’ experienced backup, Gardner Minshew, is headed towards free agency, and the only other quarterback on the roster is Ian Book, whose only NFL playing time had disastrous results in 2021. Brissett would easily provide an upgrade over Book and likely an upgrade over Minshew, as well.

Brissett has now delivered three strong seasons in a row and, while many may consider it offensive that he’s being considered as a backup plan or for a backup job, the jobs he’s being considered for are a testament to his recent level of play. He is being pursued because he has plenty of starting experience and is capable of good play.

He may not be able to reach the $15MM per year that he got to start in Indianapolis, but Brissett should be due an impressive deal that includes plenty of incentives that are attainable if he earns the starting job. Wherever Brissett ends up, he should take pride in his status as one of the league’s best backup quarterbacks.

Browns To Sign DT Dalvin Tomlinson

March 13th, 2023 at 10:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns were viewed as the favorites to sign Cleveland native Dre’Mont Jones, but the Seahawks look to have presented a better offer. Cleveland will still leaving Day 1 of the legal tampering period with a big name at defensive tackle.

Dalvin Tomlinson plans to sign with the Browns, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The deal will be worth $57MM over four years, representing a longer commitment than the Vikings gave the run-stopping D-tackle in 2021. Tomlinson will receive $27.5MM guaranteed.

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah expressed interest in keeping the veteran defender in Minnesota, but he is heading to Cleveland on a deal worth nearly $13MM per year. This will bring a raise for the former Giants second-round pick, who was tied to a two-year, $21MM Vikings pact from 2021-22.

Minnesota moved Tomlinson’s void-years vesting date back, aiming to extend him and not be hit with the void bill. With the Browns beating them out for the interior defender, the Vikings will be tagged with $7.5MM in dead money as a result of the 29-year-old defender’s previous contract structure.

For the Browns, this is an overdue signing. Cleveland struggled against the run last season, which came after the team curiously passed on doing much to staff its defensive tackle positions. Tomlinson, at 325 pounds, is one of the NFL’s best run-defending D-tackles; his contract reflects that. The Browns ranked 25th in rushing yards allowed and in terms of yards per carry (4.7) last season.

Previously a part of a Giants D-line that housed Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence and B.J. Hill, Tomlinson has been a starter throughout his career. Pro Football Focus has rated Tomlinson as a top-30 interior D-lineman in every season of his career. The Alabama product also tallied a career-high 10 quarterback hits last season. A Vikings defense that fared worse than the Browns’ in 2022 will certainly miss Tomlinson, who joins Eric Kendricks and Patrick Peterson in leading the team. The Vikings also may be parting ways with Za’Darius Smith.

Last year, the Browns effectively stood down at defensive tackle. They signed ex-Jaguars first-round bust Taven Bryan and used Jordan Elliott as a 17-game starter. PFF ranked Elliott as a bottom-tier D-tackle last season; Browns contributor Perrion Winfrey joined him in ranking outside the top 115 at the position. Tomlinson now joins Obo Okoronkwo up front for Cleveland alongside Myles Garrett.

Load More Posts