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Month: December 2024

Cowboys, Trevon Diggs Agree To Extension

July 25th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

5:10pm: Providing an update to the max value of the pact, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets that is it actually $100MM, rather than $104MM. While that lowers Diggs’ ceiling slightly, he is still assured of a signficant windfall through this deal. ESPN’s Todd Archer notes that the extension includes $43.2MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link).

2:28pm: The Cowboys have taken care of an important piece of business with one of their top young players. Cornerback Trevon Diggs has agreed to terms on a five-year, $97MM extension (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).

Pelissero adds that the contract has a maximum value of $104MM, and that Diggs will receive a signing bonus of $21.25MM. The 24-year-old is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, so today’s deal means he will now be on the books through 2028 as one of the league’s highest-paid corners.

The $19.4MM annual base value of the pact matches that of the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore. By reaching incentives, Diggs will be able to join the three-member CB group which averages over $20MM in annual compensation. His three-year tenure in Dallas has established himself as one of the league’s top ballhawks, and the team has recognized that with this deal.

Diggs has racked up 17 interceptions in his career, including a league-leading 11 in 2021. His ball production has resulted in 49 pass deflections as well, making him an obvious candidate for a lucrative pact. The Alabama product earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod last season, despite his coverage statistics taking a step back from what they were in his first two years.

The former second-rounder was named as one of the up-and-coming producers the Cowboys intended to extend ahead of training camp. To no surprise, they have worked out a deal just in time for camp to open up, and Diggs can be penciled in for a continued starting role opposite trade acquisition Stephon Gilmore in the short-term, and as an anchor of Dallas’ secondary for years beyond that.

Wideout CeeDee Lamb and right tackle Terence Steele are also names to watch with respect to new deals being worked out in the near future. The former is on the books through next season via the fifth-year option, which likely helps explain why Diggs’ deal has been worked out first. The team’s corner room has its leader in place for the long-term future as a result. While the Cowboys have a more complicated situation on their hands with one of their veteran leaders, a member of the team’s young core has been rewarded with multi-year stability.

49ers QB Brock Purdy Cleared To Practice

July 25th, 2023 at 9:23pm CST by Ben Levine

After suffering an arm injury during the NFC Championship Game and subsequently undergoing offseason surgery, Brock Purdy is ready to return to the practice field. General manager John Lynch announced today that the quarterback has been cleared to practice without any restrictions (per Tyler Dragon of USA Today). However, Lynch did caution that Purdy will be on a pitch count during training camp.

“Brock is cleared and ready to go. He’s been cleared and gonna be without restrictions,” Lynch said. “Now having said that, we’re sticking and adhering to a plan that’s been put in place for some time. He got after it the last couple days. We upped his pitch count.

“He’ll take off Day 1 but we believe in that plan. He’s cleared without restrictions, but there will be some time off due to pitch count. But the great news is Brock has worked his tail off and he’s ready to go.”

Purdy suffered a complete tear of his UCL, and while he managed to avoid Tommy John surgery, he still faced a lengthy rehab. While the 49ers added some extra insurance at the position in Sam Darnold, the team has also provided optimistic updates about Purdy throughout the offseason.

Last we heard, the quarterback had resumed throwing and was still on track to start in Week 1. Considering he’s set to be a participant for the start of 49ers training camp, we can probably still count on Purdy’s availability heading into the regular season.

The Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 draft had a rookie season for the ages. He went 5-0 as a starter, completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He continued his strong play in the postseason, helping the 49ers win a pair of playoff games while tossing three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Considering his injury and lack of NCAA pedigree, it was uncertain if Purdy would retain his starting role heading into 2023. However, the 49ers have been adamant that the second-year QB is set to lead their depth chart, with Darnold serving as the primary backup. This means former third-overall pick Trey Lance is set to be the third-string quarterback heading into the 2023 campaign. The 23-year-old was limited to only two games last season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, and with Purdy emerging late in the season, several teams reach out to the organization to check on Lance’s availability.

Seahawks Sign Second-Round RB Zach Charbonnet

July 25th, 2023 at 8:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks are one step closer to signing their entire draft class. The team announced today that they’ve inked second-round running back Zach Charbonnet to his four-year rookie pact.

Following two up-and-down years at Michigan, Charbonnet put himself on the NFL map at UCLA. Over the past two years, the six-foot-one, 220-pound running back compiled 3,014 yards from scrimmage and 27 touchdowns. After earning FWAA first-team All-American honors in 2022, Charbonnet declared for the NFL Draft.

Charbonnet ended up being the third running back off the board when the Seahawks selected him with the 52nd-overall pick. With Bijan Robinson going No. 8 and Jahmyr Gibbs being selected at No. 12, Charbonnet was the only RB selected in the span of about 60 picks.

The Seahawks organization seems to be high on the rookie running back, with Pete Carroll indicating that Charbonnet should have a role right away. Kenneth Walker is still expected to be the starter in Seattle, but the rookie should be more than second fiddle. DeeJay Dallas, seventh-round rookie Kenny McIntosh, and Bryant Koback round out the current RB depth chart.

With Charbonnet signing, that leaves first-round cornerback Devon Witherspoon as the team’s only unsigned draft pick. The rest of the team’s draft class includes:

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/23

July 25th, 2023 at 7:43pm CST by Ben Levine

With a number of teams preparing for the start of training camp, a long list of players were placed on inactive lists today. We’ve compiled all of those and today’s other minor moves below:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Free Agents

Isaiah Wilson hasn’t had an NFL gig since he was released by the Giants in January of 2022. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the free agent lineman was slapped with a three-game suspension, but it’s uncertain what led to the temporary ban. Wilson was a first-round pick by the Titans in 2020 but got into only one game with Tennessee before getting shipped off to Miami. He was waived by Miami after showing up late to his team physical, and his practice squad stint with New York only lasted one season.

Max Garcia is an experienced addition to the Saints OL room, with the veteran having most recently started seven of his 12 appearances with the Cardinals in 2022. The 31-year-old has 59 games of starting experience, although Pro Football Focus was iffy on his production last year (63rd among 77 qualifying offensive guards).

Following a three-year stint in Cleveland, Terrance Mitchell has spent the past two seasons bouncing around the NFL. He got into 14 games (13 starts) for the Texans in 2021, finishing with 60 tackles and 10 passes defended. He spent the 2022 season with the Titans, finishing with 39 tackles in 11 games (five starts). 49ers fifth-round pick Darrell Luter Jr. is set to miss some time with a knee injury, providing Mitchell with an opportunity during training camp.

Cardinals Sign OL Pat Elflein, TE Geoff Swaim

July 25th, 2023 at 5:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals have added a veteran center to their OL grouping, with the team announcing today that they’ve signed Pat Elflein. The Cardinals also added tight end Geoff Swaim, wide receivers Davion Davis and Kaden Davis, and long snapper Jack Coco. To round out the transactions, the team placed long snapper Matt Hembrough on injured reserve and released tight end Chris Pierce.

Swaim received a higher guarantee, per GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer, who notes (via Twitter) the base value ($1.7MM) and signing bonus ($450K) figures for the veteran tight end. Elflein’s contract checks just above the league minimum. The former Vikings, Jets and Panthers blocker signed a one-year, $1.15MM deal with just $25K fully guaranteed, Balzer tweets.

Elflein, 29, was a third-round pick by the Vikings back in 2017 and ended up spending three-plus seasons in Minnesota, starting 43 of his 44 regular season appearances. He had a brief half-year stint with the Jets before catching on with the Panthers via a three-year contract. During his two years in Carolina, the veteran was limited to only 15 starts while dealing with hamstring and hip injuries.

The Panthers cut Elflein back in March, and he’ll now join a Cardinals group that features Hjalte Froholdt as the starting center and Lecitus Smith and rookie Jon Gaines II as backups. Elflein’s ability to play guard could ultimately afford him a backup role in Arizona, but it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank. After finishing 37th among 39 qualifying centers on Pro Football Focus’ rankings in 2021, Elflein would have landed in the bottom-third of the position in 2022 had he earned enough snaps.

Swaim, 29, is an experienced addition to the tight ends room, having started 57 of his 86 games since entering the NFL in 2015. After playing as mostly a backup during his time with the Cowboys and Jaguars, Swaim emerged as a starter in Tennessee, starting 37 of his 43 appearances for the Titans over the past three years.

Following a 2021 campaign where he hauled in a career-high 31 receptions, Swaim was limited to only 12 catches for 58 yards in 2022. He’ll be joining a depth chart led by Zach Ertz and Trey McBride. According to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter), the tight end will be signing a one-year deal with the Cardinals.

Steelers Agree To Terms With CB Joey Porter Jr., Finalize Draft Class Deals

July 25th, 2023 at 4:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers have become the latest team to wrap up their rookie deals in advance of training camp. Second-round corner Joey Porter Jr. has agreed to terms on his first NFL deal, per Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Porter’s case was quite unique, since he was selected with the No. 32 pick. The Dolphins’ forfeited Day 1 selection made the Penn State alum a second-rounder despite his draft slot traditionally being that of a first-rounder. The matter of guaranteed money in particular emerged as a sticking point as negotiations went on, with Porter having a legitimate case to secure a fully guaranteed pact.

That did not take place, but he still secured a signficant financial windfall. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets that the first three years of the four-year, $9.62MM deal are guaranteed in full. Porter will receive a signing bonus of just under $4MM, and, like a number of high-profile members of the 2023 draft class, he will see it paid in full upfront.

The son of former Steelers player and coach Joey Porter, the 22-year-old should be expected to immediately hold down a starting spot. The CB room underwent signficant changes in Pittsburgh this offseason, with free agent signing Patrick Peterson representing the most accomplished veteran amongst the additions made. Corner was long thought to be a position of need entering the draft, and things fell perfectly into place for the Steelers to add left tackle Broderick Jones with their first selection and Porter with their second.

The latter spent four years in college, during which time he established himself as one of the top members of a deep corner class. While Porter only recorded one interception, he routinely displayed the physicality made possible by his 6-2, 200-pound frame. Translating that to the NFL level will go a long way in helping a new-look Steelers secondary attempt to bring the team back to the postseason.

Here is the full Steelers’ draft class:

Round 1, No. 14 (from Patriots): Broderick Jones, OT (Georgia) (signed)
Round 2, No. 32 (from Bears): Joey Porter Jr. CB (Penn State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 49: Keeanu Benton, DT (Wisconsin) (signed)
Round 3, No. 93 (from 49ers through Panthers): Darnell Washington, TE (Georgia) (signed)
Round 4, No. 132 (from 49ers through Panthers): Nick Herbig, LB (Wisconsin) (signed)
Round 7, No. 241 (from Vikings through Broncos): Cory Trice, CB (Purdue) (signed)
Round 7, No. 251 (from Rams): Spencer Anderson, G (Maryland) (signed)

Dolphins Inquired On Saquon Barkley Trade

July 25th, 2023 at 4:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

More news concerning the process by which Saquon Barkley arrived at his current position has come out. Conflicting reports have emerged, but one key takeaway is the interest shown by a team long thought to be in the market for a different veteran running back.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that, upon the Giants’ decision to use the franchise tag on Barkley, his agents requested the team shop him in an effort to find a suitable trade partner. The Giants themselves (along with several outlets, as well as Barkley himself) have denied that New York ever intended to move on from the two-time Pro Bowler, who has repeatedly stated his intention of spending his full career in the Big Apple.

Providing clarity on the matter, the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy notes that teams called the Giants to explore the possibility of a trade. Specifically, two clubs inquired about Barkley’s availability, and New York turned down the offers which were made. One of those, per Dunleavy, was the Dolphins.

Miami has long been connected to Dalvin Cook, by far the most high-profile name left on the open market amongst running backs. A deal sending the four-time Pro Bowler to his hometown team is something for which mutual interest is believed to exist, though the current offer on the table is not sufficient in Cook’s view. Miami has a number of backs on the roster already, but winning the Cook sweepstakes would provide a considerable boost to their ground game.

Intra-divisional competition in the form of the Patriots and Jets has emerged, so the Dolphins’ attention will likely remain on Cook for the time being. In any event, it is certainly notable they went as far as to make an offer for Barkley when his long-term Giants future was in doubt. The latter team’s approach kept Barkley’s market quiet, though, paving the way for today’s resolution to his short-term situation.

The 26-year-old agreed to an adjusted franchise tag which includes $900K in incentives above the $10.1MM he was set to earn by playing on the tender. That move has not addressed Barkley’s long-term future in New York (seeing as the team could simply tag him again next season), but it marked an end to an offseason in which the Giants fielded calls on what would have been a franchise-altering trade.

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney Undergoes Knee Surgery

July 25th, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

On the first day of training camp, Kadarius Toney suffered a knee injury which puts his availability for the beginning of the regular season in doubt. The Chiefs wideout underwent surgery to address the issue, head coach Andy Reid said on Tuesday.

Toney suffered the injury while returning a kick on Sunday before practice began. His resultant procedure was aimed at cleaning up cartilage in his knee, Reid added (Twitter link via Nate Taylor of The Athletic). The news represents the latest in a string of injury setbacks for the 24-year-old, who was acquired via trade last year in a disappointing end to his Giants tenure.

The former first-rounder played only 12 games in New York, battling hamstring issues along the way. Those followed him to Kansas City, and an ankle injury threatened to keep him out of Super Bowl LVII. The Florida product was able to suit up, though, and he played a pivotal role in the championship game. Toney scored one fourth-quarter touchdown and set up another with a long punt return. Now, however, his Week 1 availability is in doubt.

“There’s a chance for the first game,” Reid said when detailing Toney’s situation. “We’ll just have to see how the recovery goes with him. But I mean he’s bound and determined he’s going to be there for the first game. We’ll see how it goes” (h/t ESPN’s Adam Teicher).

The Chiefs lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to the Patriots and Jets, respectively, during the offseason. That has led to increased expectations for Toney in his first full season in a Kansas City offense known for amplifying the strengths of its pass-catchers (especially those with the kind of speed the latter posses). This week’s setback will limit (if not eliminate) his ability to practice during the summer, however, which could impact his effectiveness upon his return.

Zack Martin Not In Attendance At Cowboys’ Training Camp

July 25th, 2023 at 1:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

In a development which at this point comes as little surprise, the Cowboys’ offensive line will not be at full strength as training camp begins. Zack Martin is not with the team, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Multiple reports indicated yesterday that the six-time All-Pro guard did not board the team’s flight to Oxnard, California for camp. That decision comes after it was learned recently that Martin was unsatisfied with his contract status, and the team’s lack of desire to engage in talks on adjustments to his deal other than restructures. That position left open the possibility of a hold out.

Martin, 32, is now subject to daily mandatory fines while he remains absent. His current deal averages $14MM per season, a figure which ranks him outside the top five amongst all NFL guards. That makes his desire for an extension understandable, but with two years remaining on the pact it is likewise easy to see why Dallas has shown little interest in working out a raise.

The former first-rounder delivered another strong season in 2022 and added an eighth Pro Bowl to his resume. He remained durable in the process, suiting up for all 17 regular season games and each of Dallas’ playoff contests. Over the course of his nine-year career, Martin has only missed eight games, helping make him a foundational member of the team’s offense throughout his tenure with the Cowboys.

Dallas has Matt Farniok and Josh Ball in place as options to replace Martin at the RG spot during his absence. Ball saw considerable time there during spring practices, so he may be the favorite for first-team reps until Martin returns. The Cowboys already have an unsettled situation at left guard, owing in large part to the uncertainty of where All-Pro Tyron Smith and 2021 first-rounder Tyler Smith will be used.

The latter two, along with Martin, are certainly amongst the team’s best five linemen. Barring a sudden change in approach on the Cowboys’ part, however, it may be quite some time until each of them are in place together in the build-up to the campaign.

Commanders, WR Byron Pringle Agree To Deal

July 25th, 2023 at 12:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

For the second straight year, Byron Pringle has found a new home on a one-year deal. The veteran wideout is set to join the Commanders, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Pringle won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs as a rookie, but it was not until his third and final season in Kansas City that he delivered a notable statistical performance. The former UDFA totaled 568 yards and five touchdowns on 42 receptions in 2020, while adding 621 kick return yards. Those totals earned him a path to continued signficant playing time in free agency.

The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Bears last March, earning $4MM guaranteed. The move came after former Chiefs exec Ryan Poles had been hired as Chicago’s new general manager. Pringle logged a snap share of 46%, his second-highest total, but a calf injury led to an IR stint and limited him to 11 games played with the Bears. Pringle made just 10 catches operating in one of the league’s lowest-volume passing attacks.

Now, he will again look to earn a spot on a new team while attempting to remain healthy in the process. By joining the Commanders, Pringle will reunite with Eric Bieniemy. The latter served as offensive coordinator of the Chiefs during Pringle’s time there, and he is now at the helm of the offense in Washington. Pringle could emerge as a capable depth option if he is able to replicate his success in Bieniemy’s offense.

Washington has Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin set atop the WR depth chart, along with veteran Curtis Samuel and recent draft picks Jahan Dotson (first round, 2022) and Dyami Brown (third round, 2021). Pringle will spend training camp looking to carve out a role amongst that group, knowing that a solid season could boost his free agent market next year.

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