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Month: January 2025

Jets, LB Quincy Williams Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets have taken care of some internal business days before free agency officially opens. New York has agreed to terms on a three-year, $18MM deal with linebacker Quincy Williams (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).

Pelissero adds that the deal has a maximum value of $21MM. SNY’s Connor Hughes tweets that the pact also includes $9MM guaranteed at signing. It allows the Jets to retain the 26-year-old without him being able to test the open market. Williams’ rookie contract was set to expire on Wednesday, but his stay in New York will now continue after his arrival with the team two years ago.

Williams was drafted by the Jaguars in 2019, but his tenure in Duval County was short lived. The former third-rounder logged a starter’s workload as a rookie, but saw his defensive playing time drop considerably in his second season. He was waived on roster cutdown day in 2021, and claimed by the Jets in a move which reunited him with his brother, 2019 third overall pick Quinnen Williams.

That also helped the Jets shore up the middle of their defense, and give them a productive linebacker to pair with C.J. Mosley. Williams has logged 1,672 snaps in New York, a major step up in usage compared to his Jaguars tenure. His has responded by notching 100-plus tackles in each of his Jets seasons, adding a total five sacks during that span. As such, a new deal keeping him in the fold was a priority for the team, and this pact accomplishes one of several goals they have this offseason.

Another of those – aside from a franchise-altering quarterback acquisition, of course – is a new deal for the younger Williams brother. Quinnen is due for a substantial pay raise given his production, and the effect on the DT market likely to be seen from today’s massive deal given by the Commanders to Daron Payne. The Jets are optimistic that an extension with Williams could be in the cards soon, which would secure the financial future of another major member of their defense. Regardless of what happens on that front, the elder Williams will be able to continue his stay with his second NFL team for the intermediate future.

No Extension Imminent For QB Kirk Cousins In Minnesota

March 12th, 2023 at 4:38pm CST by Ely Allen

As we prepare for the madness of free agency at the opening of the new league year, the Vikings are also attempting to keep their quarterback off of the free agent market for next year. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, it’s looking more and more likely that Kirk Cousins will be testing free agency a year from now.

A year ago, the Vikings ensured they would have Cousins under contract through the 2023 season by extending his existing two-year deal an additional season. In each of the two years of that original deal, Cousins held a cap hit of just over $31MM. The additional season sees him once again with an egregious cap hit of $36.25MM.

With those hefty hits on the salary cap, the Vikings are attempting to work with Cousins to figure out an extension that could benefit both parties, earning Cousins a payday while relieving some of the cap pressure on the team. Garafolo’s reports indicates that, as of right now, no deal appears to be imminent.

The team is working with a soft deadline by which they would prefer to have an extension done. Cousins’s current contract includes a 2023 roster bonus of $20MM that becomes guaranteed this week. He’ll be paid $15MM of the bonus next week with the remaining $5MM to be paid out in September. The existing deal also holds two automatically voided years that carry $18.75MM of cap hits into 2024 and 2025.

With no momentum towards a new deal getting done, it’s looking like Cousins intends to play out the last year of his contract, flirting with the idea of free agency this time next year. Minnesota will likely continue to try to work something out, as they are currently near the bottom of the league in cap space for the 2023 season. A failure to reach a new extension with Cousins will make things difficult for the Vikings as we approach the start of free agency.

Commanders Agree To Terms With DT Daron Payne

March 12th, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Daron Payne became the first of six players to receive the franchise tag this offseason. That move has not led to a lengthy wait for a lucrative multi-year pact. Payne is signing a four-year, $90MM contract with the Commanders including $60MM guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old defensive tackle was already slated for a significant pay raise via the one-year franchise tag worth just under $19MM this season. Instead, he will now vault himself into second at the position in terms of compensation, behind only Aaron Donald. While the deal is striking due to its size, it comes as little surprise in terms of the sentiment coming from Washington in the build-up to their decision to tag Payne.

Head coach Ron Rivera spoke last month about Payne’s situation, and confirmed that reaching agreement on a long-term deal was among the team’s top priorities. That made him a logical tag candidate, and using it allowed the team to lengthen their negotiating window. Now, before the start of free agency, they have the former first-rounder in place for the foreseeable future.

Payne proved himself to be a productive pass rusher right away, notching five sacks as a rookie. He failed to match the figure over the following three seasons, but he put up a career-best 11.5 in 2022. By adding 64 total tackles and 25 pressures, the Alabama product set himself up well for a payday. That has now arrived on a deal with an annual average value of $22.5MM, making Payne the fifth defensive tackle to eclipse the $20MM-per-year mark.

Donald is comfortably in a league of his own, but Chiefs star Chris Jones is one of several veterans angling for a new deal which could close that gap. Multiple DTs now eligible for new contracts – like Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Christian Wilkinsand Dexter Lawrence – are also likely to be affected by this deal. Payne translating his age and production into a deal of this size will boost the market league-wide.

One of several former first-rounders on the Commanders’ defensive front, Payne represents the latest major investment in the unit. While their expensive tandem of Payne and Jonathan Allen at the defensive tackle spot will hamstring their efforts to add at other positions this offseason, Washington still figures to be able to make at least one splash in the coming days, especially if they hold true to their intention of not committing substantial funds to the quarterback position.

Payne will look to remain a productive mainstay of the Commanders’ defense, as the team aims to take a step forward in 2023, a season in which Rivera figures to be on the hot seat. Expectations will be raised for both, with the former now on the books for the long-term future at a substantial price tag.

Giants To Re-Sign WR Sterling Shepard

March 12th, 2023 at 2:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:07pm: A tweet from Shepard himself suggests that a deal is now in place, albeit one which marks a step down from his previous compensation. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports, to little surprise, that the Giants have signed the receiver to a one-year pact worth the veteran’s minimum (Twitter link).

2:17pm: The Giants have already been busy this offseason by retaining two pillars of their offense. Another veteran member of the unit will likely be in place for 2023, as well. New York is expected to re-sign wideout Sterling Shepard, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link).

The 30-year-old entered the 2022 season as the Giants’ lonest-tenured player, making him a veteran presence relied upon both on and off the field. His career has been marred by a number of injuries, however, including an ACL tear which ended his season in Week 3 this year. That was a disappointing end to his contact year, and marked a threat to his playing future.

Shepard has also dealt with an Achilles tear previously in his career, and has been able to put together a fully healthy campaign just twice in his seven seasons in the Big Apple. When on the field, he has been a consistent producer, however, and one who has been leaned on by multiple Giants QBs. Shepard has drawn at least 83 targets in a season five times.

The former second-rounder agreed to a restructured contract last offseason which made 2022 the final season of his deal. That move included a pay cut, something which, coupled with his ACL tear, will no doubt keep this new contract short on term and compensation. It will nevertheless allow him to continue his Giants career while giving the team a familiar face in the receiving corps.

New York’s pass-catchers were not a celebrated group at full strength to begin the season, and several of them suffered major injuries as the season went on. Shepard will best be suited to fill a complimentary role alongside the recently re-signed Isaiah Hodgins as the Giants aim to become more efficient through the air in 2023. Their offense will, of course, feature both quarterback Daniel Jones after he signed a long-term deal and running back Saquon Barkley, who will play this coming season on the franchise tag in the absence of a new pact of his own.

Shepard has a well-known relationship with free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. The Giants have been linked to a reunion with the latter this offseason, and were one of several teams in attendance for his workout conducted on Friday. Signing Beckham and Shepard would in no way preclude the team from targeting a wideout with their top pick in the upcoming draft, but it would give their offense more veterans as they transition into an era of Jones and Barkley being more expensive than in the beginning of their careers.

Bills, LB Matt Milano Agree To Extension

March 12th, 2023 at 11:56am CST by Rory Parks

The Bills have inked linebacker Matt Milano to a two-year extension that will keep Milano under club control through 2026, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). The transaction will create $6MM of salary cap relief for cap-strapped Buffalo, with Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reporting that Milano is due to earn $14MM per year over the 2025-26 seasons (Twitter link).

Milano, whom the Bills signed to a four-year, $44MM contract in March 2021, has given the club a good return on its investment. He and Tremaine Edmunds have combined to form one of the league’s top ILB duos, with Milano racking up 86 tackles and three sacks in 2021 en route to a solid 70.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

The 2017 fifth-rounder hit another gear in 2022, notching 99 total tackles and three interceptions — including one pick-six — and earning First-Team All-Pro acclaim for his efforts. He bumped up his PFF grade to 73.2, thanks in large part to his improved work in pass coverage.

Edmunds, whom PFR recently ranked as the ninth-best free agent in this year’s class, is reportedly set to hit the open market despite some discussions about a new contract with the Bills. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com hears that, even in a crowded linebacker market, Edmunds could be in line for a $20MM/year contract, and he confirms that Edmunds is unlikely to remain in upstate New York even if he does not quite hit his asking price (subscription required).

Buffalo, which already restructured Milano’s contract last offseason for cap purposes, views the 28-year-old as a star at his position, and his presence is one reason why the club is comfortable with letting Edmunds walk. In addition to Edmunds, though, the Bills’ could lose another key member of its top-six defense in safety Jordan Poyer, who should find a robust market for his services.

Milano, at least, will be around for the foreseeable future as GM Brandon Beane tries to retool around him.

Bucs Expected To Pursue QB Baker Mayfield

March 12th, 2023 at 11:51am CST by Rory Parks

The Buccaneers are expected to pursue free agent quarterback Baker Mayfield when free agency opens this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Given its difficult salary cap situation, Tampa Bay is in need of an experienced starting QB option with a fairly low price tag, and Mayfield — whose market value is roughly $6.5MM per year on a two-year contract, per Spotrac — fits that bill.

Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick of the Browns in the 2018 draft, had an up-and-down tenure in Cleveland. After a promising rookie campaign and a sophomore slump, Mayfield appeared to breakout in 2020 in the offense installed by new head coach Kevin Stefanski. He led the club to an 11-5 record and a playoff victory, throwing for 26 TDs against just eight interceptions and posting a 95.9 quarterback rating.

However, a regression in 2021 precipitated the Browns’ aggressive pursuit of Deshaun Watson last offseason, and Cleveland ultimately traded Mayfield to the Panthers in July. Though the Oklahoma product beat out Sam Darnold for Carolina’s QB1 post, his time in Charlotte was an unmitigated disaster, and he was waived in December.

Mayfield rebuilt his stock a bit with a decent five-game run with the Rams to close out the 2022 season, though it seems unlikely he will simply be handed a starting job somewhere. In Tampa, he would at least have a real chance to become a starter again, as he would be competing with Kyle Trask, a 2021 second-rounder who has thrown a grand total of nine passes in his pro career.

The Rams’ apparent rebuild has led some to wonder if veteran starter Matthew Stafford would be traded in a cost-cutting move, something which would open the door to Mayfield being able to carry on from where he left off in Los Angeles. GM Les Snead recently made it clear, however, that Stafford is one of a few core players who are likely to be retained over the coming years.

That leaves Mayfield as one of many signal-callers set to hit the open market, one which already features Carson Wentz and Marcus Mariota since they were released by the Commanders and Falcons, respectively. Mayfield joins that pair in terms of highly-drafted QBs who have fallen well short of expectations given their draft stock, but who could still provide some upside under the right circumstances. Other options remain on the table for the Buccaneers, however.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Bucs have interest in not only Mayfield, but Jacoby Brissett and Blaine Gabbert as well (Twitter link). The latter served as Tom Brady‘s backup over the course of their three seasons spent in Tampa, so he would of course be a familiar face if he were to be re-signed. The former had a stint as the Browns’ starter while Watson was suspended in 2022, and will be looking to parlay that into a deal allowing him to compete for playing time.

The Dolphins will not be suitors for Mayfield, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. Miami will have Tua Tagovailoa on the books for at least the next two years, since they are picking up his fifth-year option. However, a veteran insurance policy is expected to be a high priority for the Dolphins; their search will lead them away from Mayfield, but he still figures to have suitors aiming to give him an opportunity to resurrect his career.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post. 

Vikings Considering Dalvin Cook Trade?

March 12th, 2023 at 11:17am CST by Rory Parks

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah recently stopped short of guaranteeing that RB Dalvin Cook would be back with the team in 2023, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says multiple clubs believe Minnesota has entertained trade discussions on the four-time Pro Bowler (subscription required).

Cook, 27, is under club control through 2025 thanks to the five-year, $63MM extension he signed in September 2020. That accord makes him the fourth-highest-paid RB in the league in terms of AAV, but his production has justified the splurge on a generally devalued position. Over the past four seasons, which all culminated in Pro Bowl acclaim, the Florida State product has averaged 1,256 rushing yards per year while maintaining a YPC rate over 4.6. He has also added roughly 350 receiving yards per season, and he amassed 30 total touchdowns across the 2019-20 campaigns.

On the other hand, the Vikings are in a difficult salary cap situation despite the recent cuts of Cameron Dantzler, Adam Thielen, and Eric Kendricks, and trading Cook would result in a cap savings of nearly $8MM (though it would also come with a dead cap charge of over $6MM). Plus, Cook’s YPC dropped to 4.4 in 2022, which is a solid mark but which nonetheless represents the lowest single-season average of his career. He did suit up for all 18 of Minnesota’s games in 2022 — the first time he ever enjoyed perfect attendance — though he typically misses at least some time due to injury and could be sidelined for much, if not all, of the offseason program and training camp due to shoulder surgery.

Longtime Cook backup, Alexander Mattison, is eligible for free agency for the first time in his career. As Fowler notes, Mattison is in line for a role as a full-time starter somewhere, and that might just be in Minnesota. The 2019 third-rounder would doubtlessly be much less expensive than Cook, but he has shown promise as an understudy and is obviously already familiar with the team’s offense. Fowler reports that the Vikes are indeed attempting to re-sign Mattison.

Cook is the second high-profile, well-compensated back whose name has surfaced in recent trade rumors. Last week, we heard that the Titans were shopping Derrick Henry, though a subsequent report suggested otherwise.

Titans Shopping RB Derrick Henry?

March 12th, 2023 at 10:36am CST by Ely Allen

MARCH 12: Sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that Tennessee is not, in fact, shopping Henry. Despite a number of recent (and expected) cuts, the Titans should again be able to compete for a playoff spot in a suspect AFC South, and dealing the focal point of their offense would obviously undermine those efforts (though new GM Ran Carthon indicated he is open to spreading some of Henry’s workload around to other players, as Terry McCormick of The Portland Sun writes).

MARCH 6: Although the free agency period has not officially begun, teams often engage in light conversations with other teams at the NFL scouting combine, gauging interest and market value in certain assets. Team officials will also start shopping players that they might be willing to trade, as was the case this past week with the Titans shopping star running back Derrick Henry, according to Michael Silver of Bally Sports.

Silver claims his sources were all current NFL general managers who report that Tennessee was attempting to deal their bell cow back. Henry is currently headed into a contract year, in which he will hold a $16.37MM cap hit. The veteran running back has already far exceeded the average career of most NFL running backs, an exceedingly impressive feat considering the physical nature of Henry’s playing style. There’s nothing to suggest that Henry doesn’t still have plenty of gas left in the tank.

That’s not for lack of trying on the Titans’ part. In three of the last four years, Henry has led the NFL in rush attempts. In that fourth year, Henry had 219 carries in eight games before suffering a season-ending injury. In a 17-game season last year, Henry was on pace for 465 carries, which would’ve been an NFL record. This excessive usage has resulted in some very strong seasons for Henry. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2019 and 2020, breaking the 2,000-yard rushing mark in the latter season. In the 2021 injury-shortened season, Henry was on pace to be approach 2,000 yards rushing for the second straight year. He’s also recorded double-digit touchdowns every season since his second year in the league, including the eight-game 2021 season.

Which teams might be interested in acquiring the bruising runner? There certainly are some strong options for Henry. He may find himself joining Sean Payton‘s first team in Denver. The Broncos have plenty of names under contract next year with Javonte Williams, Chase Edmonds, Damarea Crockett, and Tyler Badie. Williams is expected to be the starter, but after a strong rookie season, injuries held Williams back in Year 2. The Dolphins are another team that could utilize Henry. They currently don’t have any running backs under contract as Salvon Ahmed, Myles Gaskin, Raheem Mostert, and Jeff Wilson are all headed towards free agency. Lastly, the Saints could certainly find themselves in need of a lead running back, depending on what happens with Alvin Kamara.

Even at 29 years old, Henry would be a huge addition to any of these franchises. For one whose past career would indicate a player with not much tread left on the tires, Henry shows no signs of slowing down. The Titans may not be willing to shell out for Henry’s final year, but odds are that some team will.

C Ethan Pocic Likely To Return To Browns?

March 12th, 2023 at 9:59am CST by Rory Parks

In 2022, the Browns planned to have Nick Harris operate as their starting center, and they added veteran Ethan Pocic on a modest one-year pact as Harris insurance. That turned out to be a savvy acquisition, as Harris suffered a season-ending knee injury in August, and Pocic stepped in to start 13 games — he missed a few contests due to a knee ailment of his own — and solidify Cleveland’s O-line.

Pocic, 27, finished the season as the third-best pivot in the league, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. That performance put him in line for a big payday when free agency opens this week, with Spotrac suggesting that he could land a four-year deal worth over $7MM per season.

Although Pocic indicated back in December that he would like to re-sign with the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says it recently seemed that the team was more likely to allow him to walk and turn the reins back over to Harris. However, with a number of other quality centers still on track to hit the open market or having been recently added to the market, Pocic could be more affordable than expected. Indeed, Cabot now reports that Pocic is a “good bet” to return to Cleveland.

The Browns ended the 2022 campaign in the middle of the pack in terms of total offense, a ranking they expect to improve with a full season of a less rusty Deshaun Watson under center. The club did boast the sixth-best rushing attack, and while the talents of top RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and the capable legs of quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Watson were doubtlessly the primary reason for that showing, Pocic’s efforts as a run-blocker were also a contributing factor.

Pocic, a 2017 second-round pick of the Seahawks, played most of his snaps at guard over his first few professional seasons, and he largely struggled there. He established himself as a credible starting center over the 2020-21 seasons in Seattle, though his improvement did not generate much of a market last March. Under the tutelage of renowned OL coach Bill Callahan in Cleveland, Pocic finally lived up to his draft status, and it appears the Browns will be able to bring him back and maintain some consistency in the middle of their line.

Bills, Bengals, Jets Interested In RB Jamaal Williams

March 12th, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Rory Parks

Running back Jamaal Williams would like to return to the Lions, and the team would like to have him back. However, it appears that Detroit will have competition for Williams’ services.

Per Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com, the Bills, Bengals, and Jets are all interested in Williams, who will turn 28 in April and who is due to hit the free agent market on the heels of a 2022 campaign in which he led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns (Twitter link). His YPC rate of 4.1 was solid, if unspectacular, and he did not make much of an impact in the passing game (12 catches for 73 yards). Backfield mate D’Andre Swift is the more dynamic receiver, and the Lions utilized him accordingly.

Even if he is not an every-down player, Williams can be a quality addition to just about any rushing attack, particularly if he is deployed in conjunction with a shiftier, outside-the-tackles player. As Dunne observes (via Twitter), the Bills have invested a great deal of draft capital in the RB position in recent years, selecting Devin Singletary (third round, 2019), Zack Moss (third round, 2020), and James Cook (second round, 2022). Moss, though, was traded to the Colts in a deadline deal that brought fellow RB Nyheim Hines to Buffalo, and Singletary is, like Williams, days away from free agency.

After a promising rookie season, Cook could be poised to take on more of a workload in 2023, and the Bills should make more use of Hines, who saw just 66 offensive snaps in nine games with the club. Williams’ physical presence and abilities in short-yardage and goal-line situations would nicely complement the skillsets of Cook and Hines, but with limited cap space, Buffalo may not be able to afford a player like Williams that would represent more of a luxury than a need.

The Jets hope to have Breece Hall back at the top of their RB dept chart in 2023, and while Hall expects to be ready for Week 1 after his terrific debut campaign was cut short by an ACL tear, a proven performer like Williams would allow Gang Green to ease Hall back into action. New York does have 2022 UDFA Zonovan Knight and 2021 fourth-rounder Michael Carter under contract, though both players posted a disappointing 3.5 yards-per-carry average last season.

Meanwhile, the Bengals’ reported interest is notable in light of recent reports suggesting that Joe Mixon‘s days in Cincinnati could be numbered. Mixon has not been particularly impressive from a YPC standpoint since 2018, and the team could save over $7MM by releasing him. However, with the Bengals eyeing another deep postseason run in 2023, it is perhaps more likely that Williams would take over Samaje Perine‘s role as Mixon’s running mate should Cincinnati go that route.

Spotrac estimates that Williams can command a two-year contract worth a little over $4MM per year.

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