2023 July - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

Cardinals Work Out RB Damien Williams

July 27th, 2023 at 3:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

An early-season injury wrapped Damien Williams‘ Falcons tenure at one game, but the former Super Bowl-winning running back remains on the NFL radar. The Cardinals brought in the veteran for a recent workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Arriving in the NFL as a UDFA back in 2014, Williams catching on with another team would make him the rare 30-something runner — amid a tough offseason for the position — still going in 2023. Williams turned 31 this offseason and has not worked as a regular starter since before his 2020 COVID-19 opt-out call.

The Falcons released the eight-year veteran from IR, via injury settlement, rather than factor him into decisions regarding the eight-activation limit. Tyler Allgeier had seized control of Atlanta’s backfield by that point. Williams, who suffered a rib injury last year, did not catch on anywhere else last year and ended up taking just two handoffs in 2022.

Also having spent time with the Bears, Chiefs and Dolphins, the Oklahoma alum is best known for his stint in Kansas City. Moving into a starting role not long after the Chiefs waived Kareem Hunt midway through the 2018 season, Williams totaled 10 touchdowns during the ’18 and ’19 postseasons combined. This included a two-score Super Bowl LIV performance that had some calling for MVP consideration. The 5-foot-11 back averaged 5.1 yards per tote in 2018 and 4.5 in 2019. But the Chiefs, who had drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the 2020 first round, ended up cutting Williams shortly after the 2020 season ended.

The Bears gave Williams 40 carries in 2021, when he worked as a David Montgomery backup. Although Williams has only totaled 58 touches during the 2020s, that could work in his favor as he attempts to play another season. For his career, Williams still has only 490 regular-season touches.

Most running backs tied to upper-market contracts were connected to pay cuts or releases this offseason; the Buccaneers were among those, ditching Leonard Fournette‘s $7MM-AAV deal a year after authorizing it. The Cardinals, however, did not touch James Conner‘s $7MM-per-year pact. Conner leads Arizona’s backfield, which is lacking for a proven backup. Corey Clement, Ty’Son Williams and 2022 sixth-rounder Keaontay Ingram are in place behind Conner. Ex-Williams Chiefs teammate Darrel Williams, who signed a one-year Cardinals deal in 2022, is no longer with the team.

Cardinals, S Budda Baker Reach Resolution

July 27th, 2023 at 3:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:39pm: More specifics on this agreement have surfaced, thanks to GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer. The Cardinals are guaranteeing Baker’s $13.1MM base salary for this year, which had previously been nonguaranteed. Seeing as salaries for vested veterans become guaranteed days before Week 1, this is a modest concession regarding a player of Baker’s caliber.

Additionally, the team included up to $200K in per-game roster bonuses this year and sprinkled in a $400K workout bonus in 2024, Balzer tweets. The incentive package reaches $750K in each of the next two seasons, per Balzer, with $500K coming Baker’s way if he earns All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition. Baker’s 2024 base remains nonguaranteed.

12:07pm: Budda Baker issued a trade request months ago, expressing dissatisfaction with his contract. While the standout Cardinals safety remains tied to the through-2024 deal he inked in 2020, the team has provided some sweeteners.

The Cardinals and Baker agreed on an incentive and bonus package Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The update totals $2.4MM for this year, per Rapoport, who adds the seventh-year safety will receive a $300K signing bonus. An unspecified raise is also in place for 2024.

The benchmarks included here are unclear, but a compromise will keep Baker in the fold in Arizona for the time being. Baker’s 2020 extension (four years, $59MM) had tied him to base salaries of $13.1MM for 2023 and $14.2MM for ’24. An updated report noted Baker was not demanding to be the NFL’s highest-paid safety — as he was when he signed this contract three summers ago — but the 27-year-old defender has sought a deal that would place him near the top of the market.

This disagreement also hinged on Baker’s desire to play for a contender. The Cards’ defensive leader relayed that desire to the team’s previous regime before the start of last season. At that point, Arizona was coming off a playoff berth and had extended Steve Keim, Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray the following offseason. After a 4-13 season, the organization is starting over. Key defensive pieces from last season — J.J. Watt, Zach Allen, Byron Murphy — are gone, and a new coaching staff and front office are in place. Signs point to a rebuild commencing in the desert. But the Cards clearly wanted to keep Baker in the fold.

A compromise here may not be enough to dissuade Baker from seeking a trade again, but for now, he will be a training camp participant with the team that drafted him.

The Cardinals have relied on Baker’s production and leadership for years and have continued to receive Pro Bowl-caliber play from the former second-round pick. Baker has started 83 games for the team. As Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derwin James and others have secured extensions, Baker’s has dropped in the position’s pecking order. The one-time position-record deal has slipped to seventh, with James’ record-setting AAV more than $4MM higher than Baker’s ($14.75MM). But standouts at just about every position see their deals leapfrogged as time passes. With two years remaining on Baker’s pact, the Cardinals agreed to a short-term solution rather than complete a full-on redo.

While the Cardinals have moved on from the above-referenced veteran defenders and released DeAndre Hopkins this offseason, they still employ their longstanding Baker-Jalen Thompson safety pair. James Conner, Zach Ertz, D.J. Humphries, Kelvin Beachum, Will Hernandez and Marquise Brown represent the veteran contingent on offense. Murray and Ertz are on the team’s active/PUP list, and the Pro Bowl quarterback may well miss time to start the season. But the Cards do have a number of veteran holdovers from the Keim-Kingsbury era set to debut with Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort. Baker sits at the top of that list and is now set for his seventh season with the franchise.

Several Teams Sent Falcons Calvin Ridley Trade Offers

July 27th, 2023 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Attempting to complete a bounce-back effort after a season-long gambling suspension, Calvin Ridley will do so in a preferred landing spot. The Falcons sent Ridley to the Jaguars and worked with the former first-round pick to find an acceptable trade partner.

The Falcons traded Ridley to the Jags for a two-pick package that will hinge on how the veteran wide receiver’s Jacksonville tenure goes. The Jags, however, received offers from “six or seven” teams in total, Dan Pompei of The Athletic reports (subscription required). While the Eagles and Falcons were close to a trade before Ridley’s gambling ban surfaced, it appears a number of non-Jaguars suitors were still interested midway through the suspension.

“I think it’s a perfect spot for me,” Ridley said, via Pompei. “I had an opportunity to choose from a bunch of different teams, and that’s why I chose this one. I felt like it was Florida, back home. I liked the roster a lot — Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Engram, [Travis] Etienne, Trevor [Lawrence], [Jamal] Agnew. I love the roster.

“I also thought they have a great chance to go far, and I want to be a part of that. I came from Alabama. I’m about winning. I’m not a cheater. I’m about winning games. I want to go to the playoffs, and obviously I want to go to the Super Bowl and win. I think this organization has what it takes to do that.”

A national champion in college, Ridley has not played in a playoff game since the Falcons chose him in the 2018 first round. The Jaguars snapped a playoff drought last season, winning the AFC South. After franchise-tagging and then extending Engram, they now have four skill-position players signed to deals worth at least $8MM per year. Ridley, 28, is tied to an $11.1MM fifth-year option salary.

It should be assumed none of the other offers were outside the Jags’ value range, as Ridley’s rookie contract obviously did not contain a no-trade clause. The Jags and Falcons had discussed the deal for months. A Florida native, Ridley also agreed on Jacksonville when the team stood just 2-6. His early vision of a rosier Jags outlook has aged well, with the Jags favored to win the AFC South again.

The Jags’ coaching staff eased Ridley back into action during the offseason program, as the recent trade get has not played consecutive games since September 2021. If the team extends or re-signs Ridley before the 2024 draft, it owes Atlanta a second-round pick in addition to the 2023 fifth-rounder it already sent over in the uniquely structured trade. Ridley meeting performance- and participation-based thresholds but not re-signing in Jacksonville would move the pick to the third-round level. Appearing on the Jags’ 53-man roster this year but not hitting the benchmarks or re-signing would see a fourth-rounder transfer to the Falcons.

Latest On Colts, RB Jonathan Taylor

July 27th, 2023 at 2:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the franchise tag extension deadline in the rearview mirror, the Colts’ negotiations with Jonathan Taylor may bring the next major checkpoint for a freefalling running back market. This partnership may be experiencing turbulence.

The Colts and the 2021 rushing champion have held extension discussions, though those did not sound especially serious. And Jim Irsay has interjected regarding the recent effort by running backs to assess their options as a group.

“We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category wants another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate [sic],” Irsay said (via Twitter). “Some Agents are selling ‘bad faith.'”

As the Jeff Saturday decision and recent Colts quarterback endeavors have shown, Irsay is not afraid to speak his mind and make demands of his front office. Irsay’s comments obviously carry weight, given his position as the team’s longtime owner, and Taylor’s agent has chimed in. Hired this offseason, First Round Management’s Malki Kawa replied (via Twitter) to Irsay, indicating “Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player.”

Since that response, Kawa has liked a few tweets suggesting a Colts-Taylor separation could happen and responded to a post from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport by indicating he doubts the situation can be salvaged (Twitter link). Taylor had said in June he wanted to retire a Colt. The direction of the running back market does not provide much leverage for Taylor, whose contract expires after the season. As the Cowboys, Giants and Raiders showed, the Colts can also use a low-cost franchise tag to keep Taylor off the 2024 market.

Following last week’s tag deadline that left Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard tied to $10.1MM tenders for 2023, Taylor expressed disappointment in the state of the running back position. Although it took many years for the league to collectively catch up with the thinking Mike Shanahan showed with the Broncos in the 2000s, when the Super Bowl-winning HC responded to Terrell Davis‘ career-altering knee injury by plugging in a handful of backs in an effort that saw six players surpass 1,000 rushing yards from 1998-2006, the NFL has effectively labeled this position as disposable.

While the 2020-21 round of extensions went better for teams than the Todd Gurley–Ezekiel Elliott–David Johnson–Le’Veon Bell batch did in the late 2010s, no back has approached the Christian McCaffrey–Alvin Kamara salary tier since those contracts were agreed to in 2020. The Giants-Barkley talks settled in at barely $13MM per year and steadily decreased, as New York upped its guarantee number. Jacobs, McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler and others have joined Taylor in expressing dismay at what has happened to their position’s market. It actually cost more for the Steelers to tag Bell in 2017 ($12.1MM) than it did for the Cowboys, Giants and Raiders to cuff their top backs this year.

“The market is what the market is,” Colts GM Chris Ballard said, via The Athletic’s James Boyd (subscription required). “But saying that, like I’ve always told you, you pay good players. You pay guys that are gonna help you win, regardless of the position. We think very highly of Jonathan. … We think that’ll play out over time and work out the way it should either way.”

Taylor won the 2021 rushing title by more than 500 yards but missed six games due to injury last season. Despite Irsay saying Taylor was “healed up” from his offseason ankle surgery, the Colts stashed the fourth-year back on the active/PUP list to start camp. A big year would seemingly give Taylor some momentum to push for the McCaffrey-Kamara tier, especially as the salary cap keeps climbing, but this offseason’s wave of setbacks to the RB market presents an unstable future for the position’s veterans. This exchange between Irsay and Taylor’s agent will increase attention on how the Colts proceed with their All-Pro talent.

Giants-Saquon Barkley Fallout: Negotiations, Incentives, Trade, RB Coalition

July 27th, 2023 at 1:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The long-running Saquon Barkley-Giants saga has hit a pause, with the Pro Bowl running back signing a revised franchise tag that includes a small incentive package. Unable to negotiate a long-term deal until January, Barkley returned to the team for the start of training camp.

Barkley relayed his disappointment about the talks failing to produce an offer he deemed respectable, indicating Thursday (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) if the Giants had submitted worthwhile terms he would have signed an extension. Rumors pointed to the Giants upping their guarantee offer past the $22MM mark but decreasing the deal’s AAV below $12MM. Previous reports had placed an earlier Giants proposal past $13MM-per-year territory. But Barkley will enter this season on the $10.1MM tag, being in the same boat as Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs.

While Barkley did not express dissatisfaction about the Giants paying Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas — on deals worth $40MM, $22.5MM and $23.5MM per year, respectively — and not him, he did note (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the continued devaluation of the running back position is unfair. He took part in the recent Zoom call involving several running backs, and Chargers standout Austin Ekeler recently confirmed (via USA Today’s Tyler Dragon) more discussions among RBs are on tap.

Declining to discuss details of the proposals each side made during the negotiations, the sixth-year running back said (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) the Giants having the leverage from the tag led to no deal commencing. But the Giants reached out to Barkley for a way to bring him back into the fold, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Had the incentive package — worth $909K — emerged, Vacchiano echoes previous reports by adding Barkley was considering not showing up until just before the season.

The 26-year-old RB said skipping regular-season games would be an option, but it does not look like he strongly considered that path — one that would have meant passing on $561K game checks. Barkley could have taken the Le’Veon Bell route to preserve his body for a free agency bid, but considering the state of the RB market five years after Bell’s gamble, it is unlikely a Jets-like parachute would have awaited had he done so.

“If I sat out this year and we didn’t have a good record, do you think that’s gonna make another team in free agency or the Giants want to have me come back the next year after I sat out a whole year?” Barkley said, via SNY.com. “‘We want to give you $15MM a year now.’ I don’t think that’s how it’s going to work.

“After having conversations and really breaking it down, you say the only way that I’m going to make a change or do something that’s gonna benefit for myself and my family is doing what I do best. That’s showing up, playing the game I love and do it at a high level.”

As for Barkley’s incentives, they are classified as not likely to be earned. As such, the $909K number will not go on New York’s 2023 cap sheet. If Barkley hits any of the benchmarks, those numbers will go on the team’s 2024 payroll. Each number is tied to Big Blue making the playoffs, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, who notes the rushing yards (1,350), receptions (65) and touchdowns (11) totals are each worth $303K and only vest if the team reaches the postseason (Twitter links).

Barkley last hit 65 catches in 2018, which was also his only season with 11-plus TDs. He has never rushed for 1,350 yards. If the Giants tag Barkley again, the incentives would be part of that agreement as well, Albert Breer of SI.com adds. But the base value of a 2024 tag would still be $12.1MM.

A report indicated the Giants heard from two teams — one of them the Dolphins — on a prospective Barkley trade following the failed extension talks, but GM Joe Schoen insisted no discussions occurred. The Giants listened on Barkley trade interest last year, but he bounced back from an injury-plagued stretch and drew the franchise tag. The team can still trade Barkley before this year’s deadline, though no extension agreement can commence. The Giants trading the New Jersey native would leave them vulnerable at running back, hence the decision to keep him via the tag in March.

“We never had a conversation about trading Saquon Barkley. Never,” Schoen said, via Raanan. “We get calls all the time. We’ve already gotten them this offseason, whether it’s our 10th corner … or one of your top guys. We get those calls all the time, even in June.

“… We talked for over 9½ months, and we came to a landing spot and they came to a landing spot. We couldn’t bridge the gap [on a long-term deal]. Like I said, that’s OK. Saquon has to do what is best for him and his family. I respect the hell out of Saquon.”

Broncos RB Javonte Williams Avoids PUP To Start Camp

July 27th, 2023 at 12:56pm CST by Ely Allen

JULY 27: Williams confirmed (via 9News’ Mike Klis) Thursday he has been cleared for contact work. The North Carolina alum said he was told his recovery timetable could last around a year. Instead, he has been cleared before the 10-month mark. Sean Payton said the team will proceed cautiously with Williams, who has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

JULY 23: The Broncos delivered some good news as they announced some injury list placements today, leaving third-year running back Javonte Williams off of any lists as he continues to work his way back from last year’s season-ending injury. While there’s still work to be done, Williams’s continued participation in this offseason points to a Week 1 return for Denver’s lead back.

Williams suffered a blow to his sophomore season when he suffered a torn ACL after only four weeks of play last year, ending his season. The initial diagnosis was dire enough, but further reports detailed that Williams had also torn his LCL and posterior lateral corner, making his road to recovery a bit longer.

As Denver entered into the offseason, the goal became clear: get Williams back in time for training camp. Things were looking positive as Williams was on the field for spring activities. He only worked out in a limited capacity, but getting Williams on the field at all that early was a big step. Earlier this month, Williams expressed much of the same optimism that his team had been expressing publicly, believing himself that he’d be able to make a return by training camp. His absence from any designated injury lists today is yet another good sign of where he’s at in his recovery.

Williams injury had originally occurred during a season in which he was expected to take on much more work after splitting carries with Melvin Gordon as a rookie. When he returns this season, though, there won’t be too big of an expectation to work as a bell-cow in the Broncos offense. New head coach Sean Payton is certainly familiar with two-headed rushing attacks dating back to the Pierre Thomas–Reggie Bush duo and the Alvin Kamara–Mark Ingram combinations in New Orleans. While Gordon is now in Baltimore and Mike Boone found his way to Houston, Denver plans to pair Williams with former Bengals rusher Samaje Perine, who signed with the team in March. Perine has a history of being a strong RB2 over his career, which should take a bit of the pressure off of Williams’s shoulders.

While Williams’s absence from any lists is the main news, the Broncos did move four players from the active roster, according to Broncos lead writer Aric DiLalla. Outside linebacker Baron Browning and wide receiver Kendall Hinton were placed on the physically unable to perform list, while wide receiver K.J. Hamler and nose tackle Mike Purcell were placed on the non-football injury list.

Browning underwent knee surgery in June, but he hasn’t yet been ruled out from returning in time for the regular season. Hinton also went through a knee procedure, so his placement on the list is no surprise. Hamler was expected to be ready in time for training camp as he works his way back from a pectoral tear, but Denver will have to wait a little longer.

AFC South Notes: Titans, Colts, Ryans, Jags

July 27th, 2023 at 11:13am CST by Sam Robinson

The max-value figure in DeAndre Hopkins‘ Titans deal emerged when he committed to the team, but guarantee numbers had been elusive. No longer, as the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin details Tennessee’s true commitment to its new WR1. The two-year, $26MM pact contains $10.98MM guaranteed at signing (Twitter link). The Chiefs and Patriots preferred incentive-laden contracts that did not come especially close to the guarantee figure the Titans authorized.

The contract also includes three void years. The void numbers allowed the Titans to keep Hopkins’ 2023 cap number low ($3.67MM), and the team can move on — via a post-June 1 cut designation — in 2024 fairly easily. Tennessee could create $14MM in 2024 cap space by using the June 1 mechanism, as it did with Julio Jones last year, should this fit not work out. This decision will likely come in March, as OverTheCap notes Hopkins is due a $4.06MM bonus if on the Titans’ roster by Day 5 of the 2024 league year. That setup stands to prevent Hopkins from another summer free agency stay.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

Careful not to divulge too much about the Colts’ QB plan, Shane Steichen confirmed Gardner Minshew and Anthony Richardson would rotate with the first team during training camp. Minshew began that rotation as the first-teamer to start camp, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 notes. Although Richardson did not gain much seasoning as a Florida starter and is considered a rawer prospect than Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, his draft slot points to extensive rookie-year work. Jim Irsay confirmed as much earlier this month, indicating Richardson needs to play early. Minshew, who worked with Steichen in Philadelphia, signed a one-year, $3.5MM deal in March.
DeMeco Ryans will not work as a CEO-type coach with the Texans, with NFL.com’s James Palmer noting he will call the team’s defensive plays this season (Twitter link). The former Houston linebacker called San Francisco’s defensive plays from 2021-22, becoming a hot HC candidate after the 49ers’ defense ranked first across the board last season. Matt Burke will serve as a non-play-calling Texans DC.
Both Joey Porter Jr. and Will Levis were in the mix for fully guaranteed rookie contracts, but neither received such terms. Levis did fare better than last year’s No. 33 overall pick, however, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting the Titans QB’s four-year deal is 91.5% guaranteed. That is up from the $80.4% guarantee last year’s No. 33 choice (Buccaneers D-lineman Logan Hall) received on his rookie deal. Levis also secured training camp roster bonuses totaling $1.76MM from 2023-26. Those figures are fully guaranteed through 2025, Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger tweets.
The Titans’ first-rounder, Peter Skoronski, spent time at guard and tackle during the team’s offseason program. But Mike Vrabel provided some clarity about the No. 11 overall pick’s NFL path. The college tackle is working as a guard right now. Considering the Titans brought in tackles George Fant and Chris Hubbard on visits last week and have Nicholas Petit-Frere set to return to his right tackle post once his six-game gambling suspension ends, it makes sense the Titans would keep Skoronski at guard. Neither Fant nor Hubbard have signed with the team.
Evan Engram‘s three-year, $41.25MM Jaguars extension includes three void years, with Wilson noting (via Twitter) the deal will void 23 days before the 2026 league year. Pro Bowl incentives — worth $250K per year — are also present in the tight end’s contract.
Veteran tight end Luke Stocker‘s playing career wrapped after 11 seasons (2011-21), and Vrabel said during a recent appearance on Taylor Lewan and Will Compton‘s Bussin’ With the Boys podcast that he is part of the Titans’ coaching staff. Stocker, 35, was with the Titans from 2017-18, overlapping with Vrabel during the latter season. He also played with the Bucs, Falcons and Vikings.

Bengals Extend DE Trey Hendrickson

July 27th, 2023 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

Trey Hendrickson was not entering a contract year, but the Bengals will push the defensive end’s current agreement into an additional season anyway. The team announced Hendrickson’s deal, via a one-year add-on, now runs through 2025.

The former Saints draftee signed a four-year, $60MM deal in 2021 and has become an impact player for the Bengals. This agreement will likely provide more guaranteed money for Hendrickson, and it stands to create some cap space for Cincinnati this year. The deal will indeed raise Hendrickson’s 2023 payout, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that Hendrickson will earn $21MM in new money, including a $5MM raise this year and a $16MM payout in 2025 (2024 remains unchanged).

Hendrickson’s initial Cincy contract includes a $15.5MM 2023 cap number and a $17.5MM 2024 cap hit. Conversations about a new deal took place last year, per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., and an unexpected resolution emerged. With Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert having signed, the final QB extension domino resides in Cincinnati.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals have been in talks for months on an extension that almost definitely will make the former No. 1 overall pick the NFL’s highest-paid player. The Bengals also have Tee Higgins and Logan Wilson going into contract years. This Hendrickson agreement should help on these fronts.

Hurts, Jackson and Herbert each raised the AAV bar this offseason, with the Chargers quarterback setting it at $52.5MM on his Tuesday extension. It will be interesting if Burrow aims to create a bit of a gap between himself and the field, seeing as he has quarterbacked the Bengals to back-to-back AFC championship games — a franchise first — and changed the trajectory of a previously downtrodden team. Mike Brown has mentioned the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes model as a potential target, but no QB extension since has followed that path. Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450MM Kansas City extension in 2020, but only one passer since — Josh Allen — has even committed to six years.

As for Hendrickson, he has shown his Saints contract year was no fluke. After not producing much during his first three seasons, the former third-round pick totaled 13.5 sacks in 2020. He collected 14.5 sacks in his Bengals debut, adding 3.5 more during the team’s run to Super Bowl LVI. Last season, Hendrickson finished with eight sacks and 24 QB hits.

Although this agreement will increase Hendrickson’s 2023 earnings, it is interesting Florida Atlantic alum would sign off on pushing a $15MM-per-year contract beyond its previous endpoint. The edge rusher market will continue to rise, especially after Nick Bosa‘s upcoming extension, and Hendrickson could have increased his leverage by entering a contract year in 2024. A 2025 free agency trip could have certainly been lucrative, assuming Cincinnati’s top pass rusher keeps up his current pace. Hendrickson is now tied to the Bengals through his age-31 season.

Then again, Hendrickson was tied to a nonguaranteed 2024 payment and would have turned 30 before a potential free agency bid anyway. Now, the productive pass rusher — whose 2021 deal included just $16MM fully guaranteed — will pick up more cash while still in his prime.

Jones: Cowboys Submitted Long-Term Offer To RB Tony Pollard

July 27th, 2023 at 9:51am CST by Sam Robinson

Receiving far less attention than the other two running backs hit with the franchise tag this year, Tony Pollard signed his tender early and has been with the Cowboys this offseason. After not reaching an extension agreement before the July 17 deadline, Pollard will be attached to the $10.1MM tag salary this season.

The Cowboys are not believed to have engaged in serious negotiations with Pollard, but executive VP Stephen Jones confirms (via the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken) the team submitted an offer. Jones said the team made Pollard a long-term proposal, but it is unknown if the dual-threat back gave serious consideration to accepting it.

Not averse to seeing players spend seasons on the tag, the Cowboys also made a multiyear offer to Dalton Schultz. That proposal was believed to be a longer-term deal than the 2022 tag recipient preferred, though Schultz joined Dolphins 2022 franchise player Mike Gesicki in not doing well on this year’s open market. After being tagged at $10.9MM last year, Schultz signed a one-year deal worth $6.25MM (with the Texans) in March. The Cowboys also saw DeMarcus Lawrence (2018) and Dak Prescott (2020) play on the tag. Both players eventually signed extensions.

Jones did not confirm Pollard is firmly in the team’s long-term plans, but unlike Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, the former fourth-round pick does not have significant tread on his tires. Ezekiel Elliott‘s former backup has only logged 510 career carries, along with 121 receptions, in four seasons. The Cowboys depended on Pollard last year — a season in which the former fourth-round pick totaled 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns — and will rely on him again in 2023, assuming his recovery from a broken leg and high ankle sprain finishes smoothly.

The team has higher priorities on the extension front. Trevon Diggs just signed an extension that pays him top-five money at his position. CeeDee Lamb‘s eventual payout will cost the Cowboys more, and the team has Terence Steele on its extension docket as well. Perennial All-Pro Zack Martin is also waging a holdout.

Considering where the RB market went this offseason, Pollard residing in limbo does not separate him from most of the other standouts at his position. The Cowboys can re-tag Pollard at 120% of his 2023 salary. The team went to this well with Lawrence in 2019, and the talented defensive end signed an extension that offseason.

Pollard, 26, signing his franchise tag locks him into that $10.1MM amount this year. As they did with Prescott in 2021, the Cowboys can also reach an extension agreement with Pollard that keeps him off the market next year. The team must wait until January to resume talks, however.

Colts Sign DE Al-Quadin Muhammad

July 27th, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 27: The Colts will bring Muhammad back on a league-minimum deal, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). For a player with six years of service time, that number checks in at $1.1MM. Indianapolis will guarantee the veteran edge defender $500K.

JULY 21: Al-Quadin Muhammad is set to make a return to his most productive NFL home. The veteran defensive end agreed to a one-year deal with the Colts, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey confirmed the reunion.

Muhammad had been on the open market since February. He was released by the Bears after one season spent under head coach Matt Eberflus in Chicago. The pair had previously spent time together in Indianapolis when Eberflus served as defensive coordinator of the Colts. Muhammad’s final season there saw him record six sacks, leading to expectations he would carry over that production into the Windy City.

However, the 28-year-old registered only one sack with the Bears while playing a signficant role on the team’s underwhelming pass rush group. He, like many other veteran edge rushers, remained unsigned through the summer while evaluating opportunities ahead of training camp. A deal sending him back to Indianapolis could help him regain his previous form while maintaining the team’s pass rush effectiveness.

In a 2022 season in which hardly anything went according to plan, the Colts finished in the top 10 in sacks with 44. Free agent addition Samson Ebukam and 2021 first-rounder Kwity Paye will be leaned on heavily off the edge, but Muhammad should be expected to serve a notable rotational role in his return. His snap shares ranged between 42% and 73% during his four-year Colts stint (2018-2021).

Muhammad’s second tenure in Indianapolis will be his first under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The latter’s first year in place of Eberflus drew mixed reviews, but he is in place for a second season in charge of the unit. A rebound from his disappointing Bears stint could help Muhammad’s free agent prospects next year on the open market while giving the Colts’ defensive boost a front.

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