HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Key Dates Remaining On 2023 NFL Calendar

June 20th, 2023 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL recently announced important dates for the remainder of 2023. Here are the dates to file away:

  • Deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions: 3pm CT, July 17
  • Roster cutdown from 90 to 53 players: 3pm CT, August 29
  • Post-cutdown waiver claims due: 11am CT, August 30
  • Fall owners’ meetings: October 17-18
  • NFL trade deadline: 3pm CT, October 31
  • Vested veterans, if cut, become subject to waivers: November 1
  • Deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign tenders: 3pm CT, November 14

Two of the six players tagged this year — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne — has reached an extension agreement. Tony Pollard is the only other player to sign his franchise tender. Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Evan Engram have not put pen to paper yet. Pollard, Barkley, Engram and Jacobs will have until July 17 to sign extensions. Absent any deals by July 17, these players must wait until January 2024 to resume negotiations. Teams are still permitted to trade tagged players after July 17, but only if they have signed their tender.

After revisiting the three-tiered cutdown structure over the past two years, the NFL will opt for a late-August transaction flurry. Rather than having teams trim their rosters from 90 to 85 players and then from 85 to 80 and 80 to 53, the league will reintroduce the 90-to-53 cut.

While rumors of the NFL considering moving the trade deadline back from its usual spot — the Tuesday after Week 8 — it is sticking with its modern setup. The rumored talks were to included dialogue about moving the deadline back one or two weeks, seeing as the league has extended its season by a week since slotting the trade date post-Week 8 back in 2012. Major League Baseball and the NBA have their respective trade deadlines beyond the midseason point, but the NFL will stick with its date just before that juncture.

Any vested veteran released before Nov. 1 will pass straight to free agency, which separates this class of player from those without required service time. However, all cuts will be grouped together — with players of any experience level subject to the waiver wire if cut — from Nov. 1 through season’s end.

If Barkley, Jacobs and Engram do not sign their respective tenders by Nov. 14, they will be ineligible to play in 2023. Only one player this century — Le’Veon Bell (2018) — has taken this route, though two did so in the 1990s — Washington defensive lineman Sean Gilbert (1997) and Kansas City D-lineman Dan Williams (’98).

Rams Bring Back RB Sony Michel

June 20th, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a season with the Chargers, Sony Michel will have another chance with Los Angeles’ NFC team. The former first-round pick reached an agreement to rejoin the Rams on Tuesday, according to the team. It is a one-year deal, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue adds.

Michel spent the 2021 season with the Rams, leading the eventual Super Bowl LVI-winning team in rushing. Brought in via trade following Cam Akers‘ summer Achilles tear, Michel provided a signification contribution to that championship squad. He will now aim to help out a team that has a different outlook. Veteran additions have been scarce for a regrouping Rams team this offseason. Michel follows wideout Demarcus Robinson as recent signings, however.

The Rams are coming off a down year on just about every front, with their run game struggling for most of last season. An Akers-Sean McVay disagreement led to trade talks, but the team held onto the former second-round pick. Now nearly two years removed from his Achilles setback, Akers is expected to remain a key part of Los Angeles’ rushing attack. But the Rams cut Darrell Henderson midway through last year. Michel, 28, will bring a veteran presence to a backfield full of rookie-contract cogs.

Michel’s 845 rushing yards in 2021 represent the top single-season mark of the Rams’ post-Todd Gurley stretch. Michel worked as a Henderson backup for much of that season, but after the ex-third-rounder sustained an injury that November, the trade acquisition stepped in and seized the job. While injury-prone in New England, Michel played all 21 Rams games during their most recent Super Bowl year. Michel topped 90 rushing yards in three of his six starts, including two 100-yard efforts in December 2021, but gave way to a rehabbed Akers by the time L.A.’s playoff effort began.

Last year, Michel initially joined the Dolphins as a free agent. While Miami guaranteed the Georgia alum $850K on a $1.75MM deal, Mike McDaniel‘s team did not carry him through to its 53-man roster. The Chargers picked up Michel and used him as one of Austin Ekeler‘s backups. Michel did not fare particularly well with the Bolts, totaling 106 rushing yards on 36 carries. Michel only played 10 Chargers games, and the team waived him on New Year’s Eve.

Michel played a central role in the Patriots’ 2018 Super Bowl charge, which ended with a 13-3 win over the Rams. Although the top pick ran into knee trouble in 2019 and 2020, he exceeded 900 rushing yards in ’18 and ’19 and compiled six postseason rushing TDs as a rookie. That total is tied for second in a single postseason, trailing only Terrell Davis‘ eight from 1997.

That accomplishment and a productive 2021 aside, Michel is unlikely to be a Rams roster lock. Akers returns for his contract year, and the team used a fifth-round pick on Kyren Williams last year. Ole Miss running back Zach Evans joined the Rams as a sixth-rounder in April. Ex-UDFA Ronnie Rivers is the other back on L.A.’s roster. Michel does provide some insurance, and it is not difficult to see the five-year vet sticking around as an Akers backup this season.

Bears WR Velus Jones On Roster Bubble

June 20th, 2023 at 12:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears figure to have an improved receiving corps in 2023 given the team’s moves at the position this offseason. One returning member of the unit could face a signficant challenge to remain on the roster during training camp, however.

Velus Jones will need to prove his worth as both a kick and punt returner during the remainder of the offseason, writes Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic (subscription required). Jones was a third-round pick last year, something which was met by some with surprise given his age (25) at the time, and raised expectations for him both on offense and special teams as a rookie. The Tennessee alum was used as a receiver, rusher and returner, but his main impact was in the latter category.

Jones totaled just 210 scrimmage yards on offense, seeing limited opportunities in a Bears offense which featured more established players ahead of him on the depth chart and which was among the league’s most run-heavy. He did find success in the kick return game, though, recording 607 yards on 22 runbacks (good for an average of 27.6 per return).

With respect to punt returns, though, veteran Dante Pettis occupied the Bears’ lead role. He returned 18 punts for 163 scoreless yards, and that special teams position is one he would likely be limited to in 2023 if he were to remain in the Windy City following roster cuts. Jones figures to have a higher overall upside and is under contract for the next three years, but Fishbain notes he will need to put together a notable training camp performance to avoid finding himself a cut candidate.

Chicago’s WR room is of course topped by D.J. Moore, part of the return the team got from the Panthers in the blockbuster trade involving this year’s No. 1 pick. Moore was a must-have for the Bears in large part due to his contract status, and his addition should boost what was the league’s least-productive passing offense in 2022. When at full health, Chicago will also have Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown and fourth-round rookie Tyler Scott available at the receiver spot.

If he remains a gadget-type player on offense, Jones will be hard-pressed to earn much in the way of playing time and touches this season. With a role mostly limited to special teams, the presence of Pettis could lead to a legitimate competition for a single returner role. As a result, Jones’ footing on the Bears’ roster may not be as secure as his age and draft stock would initially suggest heading into Year 2.

XFL Confident In Long-Term Financial Future

June 20th, 2023 at 10:40am CST by Adam La Rose

The XFL has its immediate future in place with plans to hold a 2024 season. Beyond that, many questions remain regarding the viability of the spring league’s third iteration, though its ownership remains confident it will soon be on sold financial footing.

The 2023 campaign marked the first of the XFL’s latest format, one made possible by the ownership tandem of Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia. The pair purchased the league, one which had one-off seasons in 2001 and 2020, with the intent of establishing a long-term professional alternative to the NFL for players along with a partnership regarding rules testing. After the past season, more than two dozen XFL players have landed contracts in the NFL, illustrating the potential the former has as an effective pathway.

However, finances could represent an obstacle to long-term stability. Forbes’ Jabari Young reports that the XFL lost roughly $60MM in 2023, a figure which likely helps explains recent layoffs and cannot be repeated over consecutive years if the league aims to remain in place for the foreseeable future. However, its owners have struck an optimistic tone on that front and signs are pointing to a reversal of those losses.

The XFL is projecting $100MM in revenue for next season, Young notes. Part of the reason for that estimate is the continued partnership with ESPN as a broadcaster, along with other financial commitments made for the league’s first four years of operation. The addition of new corporate sponsors for next season should also help put the league in the black. Garcia said the XFL is “extremely well-capitalized for the long-term.”

Gerry Cardinale, owner of XFL co-owner RedBird Capital, has echoed Garcia’s confidence in the league’s ability to firmly establish itself as a permanent fixture on the spring football calendar. No American league has been able to do that over an extended period, but if Cardinale’s estimate of the XFL becoming cash-flow positive by 2027 holds true, it may indeed accomplish that goal. Much remains to be seen regarding the league’s short- and long-term future, but a path to financial stability appears to be in place.

Patriots CB Jack Jones Arrested

June 20th, 2023 at 9:49am CST by Ben Levine

JUNE 20: Jones posted bail, valued at $30K during his arraignment, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss (Twitter link). The 25-year-old pleaded not guilty on all counts, and attorney Rosemary C. Scapicchio said (via the Globe’s John Ellement and Sean Cotter) he had “no intention of bringing any guns onto an airport.” Jones’ next court date is set for August 18. In the time leading up to that point, it will be worth monitoring what developments, if any, take place with respect to his tenure in New England.

JUNE 19: Jones will be arraigned Tuesday, according to the Boston Globe’s Travis Andersen and Nicole Yang. If convicted and sentenced consecutively on each of the counts, Jones could face more than 30 years in prison, James Borghesani, a spokesperson for Suffolk (Mass.) District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden’s office, told the Globe. This outcome is unlikely, Andersen and Yang add, but the second-year cornerback’s NFL future might be in doubt.

JUNE 17: Patriots cornerback Jack Jones was arrested last night at Boston Logan International Airport after trying to bring two loaded firearms on a plane, according to Lindsey Thorpe of Boston 25 News.

Per Thorpe, Jones is facing charges of “possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.” Jones was released from jail on $50K bail, and he’s set to be arraigned next week.

“We have been notified that Jack Jones was arrested at Logan Airport earlier today. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not be commenting further at this time,” the Patriots said in a statement (via Thorpe).

Jones had a tumultuous college career. He was booted off the USC squad for academic reasons, leading to him playing at Moorpark College, a California junior college, for the 2018 campaign. That season, Jones was arrested following an incident at a Panda Express, and he served 45 days of house arrest after pleading guilty to commercial burglary, which is a second-degree misdemeanor.

He spent the following three years at Arizona State and managed to rehabilitate his NFL stock. He ended up being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft by the Patriots, and he quickly showed that he was capable of being more than a depth piece in the secondary. Jones got into 13 games last season (two starts), finishing with 30 tackles and two interceptions (including a pick-six on Aaron Rodgers). Pro Football Focus ultimately graded him 17th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks.

However, things weren’t all positive in New England. Jones was hit with a two-game suspension to end the 2022 campaign after a violation of unspecified team rules. This spring, Bill Belichick noted that the suspension was in the past, and Jones has emerged as one of the top cornerbacks on New England’s depth chart.

Considering the lack of patience Belichick and co. have for off-the-field issues (coupled with Jones’ prior suspension), there’s a chance that the player may simply be done in New England following yesterday’s arrest. Jones isn’t owed a whole lot of money on his fourth-round rookie contract, although the Patriots would be left with more dead cap than cap savings for the 2023 campaign if they decided to cut the cornerback.

If Jones is cut or faces a suspension, the Patriots may need to lean on some inexperienced depth at cornerback. First-round rookie Christian Gonzalez should lead the depth chart, and the team also has veteran Jonathan Jones at nickelback. 2022 third-round pick Marcus Jones showed out as a special teamer during his rookie campaign, but it remains to be seen if he can contribute as a full-time starter on defense. He would likely compete with Shaun Wade for the leftover snaps at CB2, with rookies Ameer Speed (sixth round) and Isaiah Bolden (seventh round) also potentially getting looks.

Giants’ Saquon Barkley A Threat To Skip Training Camp

June 19th, 2023 at 9:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants now have less than a month to hammer out an extension with Saquon Barkley. With the Giants having pulled their offer and Barkley having expressed frustration at the leaks coming from the team’s side, this process has traversed a rocky path for a while.

Barkley remains hopeful for a long-term deal, noting the time still remaining between now and this year’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions (July 17), but word out of Giants headquarters is they would be content letting their two-time Pro Bowl back play this season on the $10.9MM tag. While it will be interesting to see which side blinks, Barkley looks to be making preparations in the event no deal comes together.

Franchise-tagged players are not subject to fines for missing training camp, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during a recent SportsCenter appearance (h/t Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari) Barkley is “a real threat” to skip camp. This tactic would be both aimed at avoiding the extra work come July and August, while penalizing the Giants — via services withheld — for not completing a deal by the deadline.

When the Steelers tagged Le’Veon Bell the first time (2017), he skipped training camp and reported September 1. Bell did start the season slowly, by his standards at the time, but finished with his second first-team All-Pro honor. No backs received the tag from 2019-22, leaving Barkley and Josh Jacobs as the only candidates to skip camp free of penalty since Bell. (Tony Pollard signed his Cowboys tender in March.)

What Bell did the following year generated far more attention. Barkley has referenced skipping the season, as Bell did in 2018 in protest of being tagged a second time, as a viable option. Bell has since expressed regret for doing this. Although Bell prevented a major injury affecting his 2019 market (when he scored $27MM fully guaranteed from the Jets), he missed out on $14.5MM by not signing his franchise tender. Bell is the only player to skip a season on the tag since the 1990s, when defensive linemen Sean Gilbert (1997) and Dan Williams (1998) did so. The salaries they passed on paled in comparison Bell’s, and the ex-Steeler great remains the poster boy for this rare course of action.

Barkley should not be considered likely to take this route, though he is in a better financial position than Bell was in 2018 or his 2023 tagged RB peers are. Barkley being chosen second overall locked in $31.2MM. The Giants exercised his fifth-year option ($7.2MM), putting the former Offensive Rookie of the Year near $40MM in career earnings. If a back were to try the Bell move, Barkley is positioned as well as anyone has been since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts. Taking this route would mean punting on $10.9MM and skipping an age-26 season. Seeing as Barkley’s prime is unlikely to last too much longer, this will be a valuable year.

The Giants are not introducing a new offense, with OC/play-caller Mike Kafka not being hired in this year’s cycle. The prospect of missing their starting back during camp and the preseason would not be especially damaging, with the looming threat of missed game checks hanging over Barkley in the event he tries to extend his absence into the regular season. That said, Barkley remains New York’s top skill-position player and occupies that role for a team without a top-flight quarterback. The Giants are thin behind Barkley, rostering Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and fifth-round rookie Eric Gray. They could also bring in a veteran insurance option. A number of accomplished backs remain unsigned, but signing a starter-caliber veteran after failing to come to terms with Barkley by July 17 also runs the risk of Joe Schoen and Co. alienating the locker room.

Guarantees remain a key issue in this Giants-Barkley standoff, and while deadlines spur action, the low tag price and this year’s running back market not taking off did not do anything to convince the team to put its $13MM-AAV offer back on the table. This keeps Barkley in a tough spot at a pivotal career point. These negotiations continue to represent a prime storyline during an offseason in which the running back position has absorbed some significant blows.

AFC West Notes: Jackson, Jones, Broncos

June 19th, 2023 at 8:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

J.C. Jackson suffered a ruptured patellar tendon during an Oct. 23 Chargers-Seahawks matchup. While this injury is among the toughest to surmount for an NFLer, the high-priced Bolts cornerback expects to be ready for training camp. Jackson has an appointment with the surgeon who performed his surgery, Dr. Neal El Attrache, this week, ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry notes. The sixth-year cornerback did not participate in the Chargers’ minicamp practices and will be a candidate to begin camp on the team’s active/PUP list. The Chargers could remove him from that list once he is cleared to practice. Only a placement on the reserve/PUP list once 53-man rosters are set would delay Jackson’s 2023 debut.

The Chargers, who gave Jackson a five-year deal worth $82.5MM in 2022, did not draft a cornerback or sign a notable free agent. The team has not re-signed veteran slot defender Bryce Callahan, though Asante Samuel Jr. has experience playing both inside and outside. A Callahan return would provide some insurance for the Bolts, but the 31-year-old cover man remains a free agent. Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • In talks with the Chiefs about a third contract, Chris Jones skipped minicamp and is lobbying to become the NFL’s second-highest-paid defensive tackle behind Aaron Donald. While these negotiations might bring complications — due to Donald’s AAV being $8.2MM north of the current second-highest-paid DT (Jeffery Simmons) — SI.com’s Albert Breer expects it to be finalized before training camp. It does not sound like these are particularly acrimonious negotiations. It will be interesting to see if Jones makes an aggressive push to approach a Donald-level salary, since the Chiefs would be unlikely to franchise-tag him in 2024 because of the 120% rule. The team tagged Jones in 2020, making his 2024 tag price 120% of his 2023 pay. That would give Jones a $33MM-plus cap figure if re-tagged, providing the All-Pro with leverage ahead of his latest platform year.
  • Shifting back to the secondaries in this division, the Broncos did brought back one of their veteran DBs midway through the offseason. Kareem Jackson re-signed for a fifth year in Denver. But the 14th-year pro only secured $153K guaranteed. That opens the door for the Broncos to move on, and 9News’ Mike Klis notes Caden Sterns is making his strongest effort yet to unseat Jackson for the safety gig alongside Justin Simmons. A 2021 fifth-round pick, Sterns has worked as Denver’s top backup safety for two seasons. A season-ending hip injury halted that run last year, and while Sterns entered the offseason as no lock to be ready for training camp, he made it back during Denver’s OTA sessions and participated in minicamp. Simmons and Jackson, 35, have been Denver’s safety starters since 2019.
  • The Chargers also added to their staff recently. They hired Noah Evangelides as a football research analyst, Neil Stratton of Insidetheleague.com tweets. Evangelides most recently served as a Northwestern graduate assistant.

Latest On DeAndre Hopkins’ Free Agency

June 19th, 2023 at 7:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following their free agency visit, the Patriots were making a push to sign DeAndre Hopkins. The former All-Pro wideout is believed to be intrigued by the idea of joining the Pats, but he remains unsigned.

Visits with both the Patriots and Titans are believed to have gone well, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, and veteran NFL reporter Mike Giardi offers that each team told the high-profile UFA he still offers “elite” capabilities (Twitter link). Like Dalvin Cook, however, Hopkins is taking his time surveying the market. Waiting on a potential injury or a team suddenly growing concerned about its receiving corps — scenarios that could come to pass during training camp — is also factoring into Hopkins’ decision-making, Giardi adds.

Hopkins and Bill Belichick spent time in one-on-one meetings during the Pats summit, per Breer, who adds the 10-year veteran remains close with Titans HC Mike Vrabel. That said, it looks like Hopkins is holding out hope teams with better Super Bowl LVIII odds will re-enter the equation. Absent big money, Hopkins is aiming to join a contender, Breer added during an NBC Sports Boston appearance (video link).

The Ravens’ Odell Beckham Jr. contract blew up Cardinals-Chiefs negotiations for Hopkins, who would have been bound for Kansas City on an adjusted deal. With Beckham securing $15MM fully guaranteed despite missing all of last season and having suffered two ACL tears since October 2020, Hopkins balked at taking a pay cut. Cardinals talks with the Chiefs and Bills ceased, and both Buffalo and Kansas City have drifted a bit compared to their spots on the Hopkins radar when Arizona first released him. But neither Tennessee nor New England appears to have blown Hopkins away with an offer, per Breer, potentially reopening the door for the Chiefs or Bills.

The Bills created some 2023 cap space by extending Ed Oliver but used that savings to add Leonard Floyd. They hold $5.5MM in space. The Chiefs are at just $651K, carrying the league’s lowest figure exiting minicamp. But Kansas City remains at work on a Chris Jones extension. While Jones is likely asking for a contract closer to Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM per year than Jeffery Simmons‘ No. 2 defensive tackle deal ($23.5MM AAV), the Chiefs extending their All-Pro lineman would drop his cap number from its present $28.3MM place. That would create cap room for Kansas City to potentially re-enter the fray, and Hopkins — who has spoken highly of teaming with Patrick Mahomes on multiple occasions this offseason — can afford to be patient.

Regarding the New England fit, Hopkins and Bill O’Brien look to be back on favorable terms despite the 2020 Houston separation. And Belichick likely addressed potential concerns about Hopkins’ recent history of not practicing fully, famed ex-Patriots O-line coach Dante Scarnecchia said (via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian). In-season practice schedules certainly do not present the grind they once did, with the CBA capping the number of padded workouts to 13 over the course of the regular season. But Hopkins has battled multiple injuries since his most recent Pro Bowl season (2020) and has missed nine games for health reasons over the past two years.

Although Hopkins did not begin his visit itinerary looking to take much of a discount from the $19.4MM salary he was due to make with the Cardinals, the first two meetings not producing take-notice money adds intrigue to this situation. The Bills and Chiefs could be back in the mix soon, but for now, the Titans and Pats are still interested.

Bengals Still Eyeing Joe Mixon Pay Cut

June 19th, 2023 at 6:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after the draft, fifth-year Bengals HC Zac Taylor indicated Joe Mixon‘s future is “here with the team.” The Bengals have employed Mixon as their starting back since his 2017 rookie season, and Samaje Perine declined their offer before signing with the Broncos.

But the prospect of a Mixon pay cut surfaced before Taylor’s comments. Despite the coach’s endorsement, the team is still planning on a Mixon pay reduction, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes (subscription required).

[RELATED: Mixon Facing Misdemeanor Charge]

Although Mixon and Dalvin Cook were each part of a deep 2017 running back class, the former is a year younger. Mixon will turn 27 in July. But the Bengals are following the Vikings and Packers leads in aiming to adjust their seventh-year starter’s extension. Mixon and Cook signed their respective re-ups just before the 2020 season, with the Packers matching the Bengals’ Mixon AAV for Aaron Jones ($12MM). Cook’s is no longer an active contract, while Jones accepted a trim in exchange for more 2023 guarantees. Mixon’s deal calls for a $9.4MM 2023 base salary and a $12.8MM cap hit.

The Bengals remain ready to give Mixon, whose $12MM-per-year deal runs through 2024, a late-offseason ultimatum. Mixon refusing the reduction will likely lead to a release and the team searching for outside help, Dehner adds.

While this is certainly not an optimal time for Mixon to be forced into a salary trim, his 2023 status has been a talking point since the Combine. The Bengals, however, have the most significant contract in franchise history to hammer out before clarity emerges. Joe Burrow and the team have been in talks on what will almost certainly be a record-setting extension since late March. Burrow’s re-up will change Cincinnati’s blueprint, and it may well affect how the team navigates its receiver situation. And Mixon’s future will be impacted by Burrow’s deal.

But the Bengals went through their offseason program with Mixon looking again like a central figure in their offense, per Dehner. The former second-round pick has started 71 games and ripped off three 1,000-yard seasons. Last year was not one of them, with Mixon totaling just 814 rushing yards and missing three games. Mixon’s rushing yards-per-game number dropped from 75.3 in 2021 to 58.1 last season. That said, the Oklahoma alum did add a career-best 441 receiving yards. Mixon has logged 1,545 career touches. Since 2017, only Ezekiel Elliott, Derrick Henry and Alvin Kamara have topped that. His age aside, Mixon is on the downside of his career.

Mixon may reluctantly agree to the Bengals’ terms, seeing as this marks the best opportunity to remain a full-time back — especially with Perine out of the mix. While he could also hold the line and see if a Bengals team aiming to dethrone the Chiefs is keen on losing a proven upper-echelon back, the Bengals would have free agency options as well. Four-year Browns back Kareem Hunt still available. Cook also is taking his time, waiting for a competitive offer on a contending team. Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson are also available. As for in-house options, the Bengals drafted Illinois’ Chase Brown in the fifth round. He joins fifth-year back Trayveon Williams and 2021 sixth-rounder Chris Evans on Cincy’s depth chart.

The batch of accomplished backs on the market also will probably factor into the Bengals’ Mixon price point. So will the 2023 developments at the position. No back secured more than $6.5MM per year this offseason; the Cowboys and Vikings moved on from their pricey starters; Austin Ekeler was forced to accept a low-level Chargers incentive package after requesting a trade; the Giants have pulled Saquon Barkley offers off the table. While it will be interesting to see how this Mixon saga ends, it seems a near certainty his contract will be adjusted before Week 1.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/19/23

June 19th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: LS Rex Sunahara

This marks a return to Pittsburgh for Sunahara, whose most recent playing experience came for the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this year. The Steelers brought in Sunahara late during the 2021 season, adding the specialist to their practice squad. Pittsburgh gave the West Virginia alum a reserve/futures contract in January 2022 but waived him the following May. Despite working out ex-Ravens tight end/long snapper hopeful Nick Boyle this offseason, the Steelers look like they will hold a Sunahara-Christian Kuntz snapper competition.

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