2024 March - Pro Football Rumors

Seahawks, Tyler Lockett Agree To Restructure

March 14th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

TODAY, 9:00pm: ESPN’s Brady Henderson has passed along some details on Lockett’s reworked contract. The receiver will receive an $8MM signing bonus for his effort. Lockett will be attached to a $4.66MM base salary in 2024, and he can earn another $4MM via incentives.

In 2025, Lockett will earn a $10MM base salary, and he can earn another $1.7MM via per-game roster bonuses. He’ll also earn a $5.3MM roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2025 league year.

MARCH 9, 8:30pm: Tyler Lockett‘s future has achieved clarity for at least the 2024 season. The veteran Seahawks wideout’s contract has been restructured, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

The new deal is two years in length and has a base value of $30MM. That figure includes almost $13MM guaranteed for the 2024 campaign, Garafolo notes. Lockett can reach a maximum of $34MM in earnings over the course of the restructured contract, which will take the place of his previous one.

Lockett had two years remaining on his former deal, but his compensation in 2024 and ’25 ($17MM) was far outweighed by his cap hits for those seasons ($26.9MM). As a result, the 31-year-old could have found himself as a cap casualty (particularly with a post-June 1 designation) as part of the Seahawks’ financial maneuvering. Seattle has cut ties with several veterans recently, but Lockett will not join them for at least this offseason.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap predicts this new pact will lower Lockett’s 2024 cap hit by roughly $10MM, something which will be welcomed for Seattle. The team entered Saturday with $42MM in cap space, but added flexibility on the open market could allow for more outside additions in the hopes of rebounding from the 2023 season failing to produce a postseason appearance. The move will also give Lockett at least a 10th campaign in the Emerald City while also providing an opportunity for a personal bounce-back.

The former All-Pro posted 894 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. Both figures marked his lowest since 2018, and the presence of not only D.K. Metcalf and 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba made a mark on his role. Lockett drew more targets (122) than Smith-Njigba (93), but that balance could shift toward the latter as time goes on. Each member of Seattle’s top receiver trio is under contract through at least 2025, although Lockett could again face questions about his future next offseason. It will be interesting to see the details of his new contract and his ability to earn an extended stay through his play in 2024.

Steelers To Re-Sign DL Montravius Adams

March 14th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Montravius Adams has found a home in Pittsburgh in recent years, and the Steelers will continue to hang on to the defensive lineman. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Steelers are re-signing Adams. The veteran will get a new two-year deal from the Steelers.

Adams spent parts of the 2021 campaign in New England and New Orleans before catching on with the Steelers. He started four of his five appearances down the stretch of that season, and he’s started 17 of his 30 appearances over the past two campaigns.

The 28-year-old has combined for 50 tackles over the past two years, and he finished this past season with a forced fumble and a pair of tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus ranked him 72nd among 130 qualifying interior defenders this past season, with the site being particularly bullish on his pass-rush skills.

Rookie Keeanu Benton leaped Adams on the depth chart this past season. When the veteran returned from a midseason leg injury, he was playing on about a third of his team’s defensive snaps. Barring a move, Adams will likely be eyeing a similar backup role in 2024.

Saints To Sign WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.

March 14th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Cedrick Wilson Jr. is back in the NFC. Following a two-year stop in Miami, the wide receiver is set to sign with the Saints, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Wilson will be inking a two-year deal with New Orleans.

Wilson made a name for himself in Dallas, transforming from little-used sixth-round pick into a consistent member of the offense. The receiver had a career year in 2021 despite playing alongside CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup. Wilson finished that campaign with 45 catches for 602 yards and six touchdowns, and he added another five receptions in his lone playoff game.

Wilson parlayed that performance into a three-year, $22.8MM deal with the Dolphins in 2022. Unfortunately, he could never establish himself as the true WR3 behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. While Wilson got into 30 games through his two seasons with the Dolphins, he was limited to only 34 catches for 432 yards and three scores. The veteran restructured his deal last offseason, making him a free agent following the 2023 campaign.

Michael Thomas was cut by the Saints earlier this week, leaving the team with a barren WRs depth chart. The grouping is still led by Chris Olave, but the rest of the WRs room consists only of Rashid Shaheed and A.T. Perry. The team will surely add more depth before the offseason is through, but Wilson should have an opportunity to contribute regardless of any future acquisitions.

Panthers To Meet With Jadeveon Clowney; Jets, Ravens Interested

March 14th, 2024 at 8:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 14: Clowney has another suitor in the Jets. The defensive lineman will visit with the Jets next week, according to Garafolo. The veteran will consider “multiple options” before making his decision. Clowney’s Jets visit is set for Tuesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

The Jets are in natural need of some reinforcement on the edge. The team lost Bryce Huff to the Eagles, opening close to 500 defensive snaps alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers.

MARCH 13: Known to take his time during free agency, Jadeveon Clowney has spent the 2020s journeying the league on one-year deals. The South Carolina alum’s next trip will be in a familiar region.

The Rock Hill, South Carolina, native is set to make a trip to visit the Panthers, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. A few teams are monitoring the Clowney market; this includes the Ravens, who coaxed a quality season from the nomadic pass rusher in 2023. The Panthers are meeting with Clowney, Chase Young and D.J. Wonnum on Thursday, ESPN’s David Newton tweets.

It took Clowney until mid-August to land a deal last year, and the former No. 1 overall pick’s Baltimore pact was worth only $2.5MM. After another bounce-back season, the South Carolina alum can aim higher. Clowney has never secured a long-term deal since the expiration of his Texans rookie contract, but he has done well for himself on this bevy of one-year agreements. Though, the edge defender has never come especially close to the kind of top-market contract that once seemed in play while he was in Houston.

En route to a No. 1 defensive ranking, the Ravens received Clowney’s top sack season. Known more for an all-around game, Clowney has never reached double-digit sacks in a season. His three Pro Bowls came back in Houston. But the once-elite prospect has four seasons with at least nine sacks on his resume.

Injury issues and inconsistency have impeded Clowney on the contract front, as he was not especially productive in Seattle, Tennessee or during his second year in Cleveland. But he did total nine sacks opposite Myles Garrett in 2021 while helping a previously edge-deficient Ravens team thrive — opposite September addition Kyle Van Noy — last season. Clowney totaled 19 QB hits for the second time in three years.

The Panthers made a rather surprising decision to accept second- and fifth-round picks from the Giants to wrap their years-long Brian Burns saga. That tag-and-trade transaction leaves the Panthers with next to nothing at edge rusher, with former second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos agreeing to a two-year, $18MM 49ers deal as well. Clowney would help, though the move would remind — to a degree, at least — of last year’s Justin Houston stopgap addition.

Mentioned as being interested in retaining Clowney earlier this week, the Ravens are again in need on the edge. Their most recent band-aid pass rushers — Clowney and Van Noy — are both free agents. While Baltimore extended Justin Madubuike on a deal that set up the big-ticket Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins contracts, the team needs to fill out its outside linebacker depth chart once again.

Chargers To Sign DL Poona Ford

March 14th, 2024 at 8:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a one-year stop with the Bills, defensive tackle Poona Ford will be joining Jim Harbaugh’s first Chargers squad. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, Ford is signing a one-year deal with the Chargers.

The defensive lineman joined the Bills on a one-year deal last offseason. There was optimism that the sixth-year player could provide some consistency on Buffalo’s defensive line. Ford previously started 63 games for the Seahawks between 2019 and 2022, and that experience was a big reason why the Bills brought him on.

Things couldn’t have gone much worse for Ford. He was inactive for more than half of Buffalo’s games, and he was limited to only a part-time role in his eight appearances. He was firmly behind Ed Oliver, Tim Settle, and Jordan Phillips on the depth chart, and Linval Joseph eventually got an extended look ahead of the free agent acquisition. Ford ultimately finished the campaign with nine tackles and one sack.

In Los Angeles, Ford will look to rehabilitate his value following a down season. The five-foot-eleven, 311-pound lineman will provide the Chargers with some defensive line depth, although he could earn himself a larger role. The team’s DL depth currently consists of the likes of Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, and Christopher Hinton.

Seahawks To Sign LB Tyrel Dodson

March 14th, 2024 at 7:53pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a career-best season in 2023, Tyrel Dodson is heading west. The former Bills linebacker is signing with the Seahawks, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

The former UDFA out of Texas A&M had spent his entire five-year career with the Bills. A suspension and a practice-squad stint led to a redshirt rookie campaign, and Dodson mostly played a special teams role in 2020 and 2021. After seeing an uptick in defensive snaps in 2022, the fifth-year player took off in 2023.

Dodson started 10 of his 17 appearances this past season while getting into more than half of the Bills’ defensive snaps. He finished the campaign with 74 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus was especially fond of his performance, ranking Dodson as their top linebacker for the 2023 season. The 25-year-old’s PFF grade was brought up by elite scores for run defense and coverage.

The Seahawks have lost some significant linebacker depth in free agency, with both Jordyn Brooks and Bobby Wagner signing elsewhere. Dodson provides the organization with some experience at outside linebacker. The team’s other options include Patrick O’Connell, Jon Rhattigan, and Drake Thomas; that trio has combined for 23 career defensive snaps.

Chiefs To Re-Sign DL Derrick Nnadi

March 14th, 2024 at 7:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Derrick Nnadi will continue his career in Kansas City. The veteran defensive tackle is re-signing with the Chiefs, his agency announced.

The former third-round pick has spent his entire career with the Chiefs, starting 86 of his 98 regular-season games and 12 of his 15 playoff appearances. Nnadi hadn’t missed a game since the 2020 campaign, but a triceps injury limited to only one playoff contest in 2023. The Chiefs would go on to win the Super Bowl, Nnadi’s third championship victory.

The 27-year-old finished this past season with 29 tackles and one sack while getting into 46 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus only ranked him 122nd among 130 qualifying interior defenders, although the site was more favorable of his past performance.

The Chiefs will have plenty of options to choose from to play opposite Chris Jones on the defensive line. The team’s depth at defensive tackle also consists of Tershawn Wharton, Mike Pennel, Matt Dickerson, Neil Farrell, and Isaiah Buggs.

Titans To Re-Sign WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

March 14th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has spent his entire career with the Titans, and he has once again elected to remain in Nashville. The former undrafted free agent wideout has a new one-year deal in place with Tennessee, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

As has been the case since 2022, this will be another one-year agreement, Garafolo notes. Westbrook-Ikhine earned $895K in 2022, and he saw that figure rise to $1.26MM last year. Another low-cost investment has no doubt been made this time around, but the 26-year-old has proven to be a consistent complementary piece of the Titans’ passing game over the past three years.

Westbrook-Ikhine has posted 38, 25 and 28 receptions from 2021-23 while seeing a regular workload on offense. His best season came in 2021, when he recorded 476 yards and five touchdowns. The Indiana product’s yards per catch average spiked to 15.9 the following year, and he will attempt to remain a deep threat on an offense which will be guided by new head coach Brian Callahan and feature a number of new players.

The Titans have made a number of investments on that side of the ball, including a $92MM deal for wideout Calvin Ridley. Running back Tony Pollard has been added as Derrick Henry‘s replacement, while the team’s O-line will feature center Lloyd Cushenberry on a lucrative pact of his own. Those additions will lead to increased expectations for Tennessee, a team which struggled on offense in 2023.

Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins headline the Titans’ WR room, and they will be the focal point of the team’s passing game. Westbrook-Ikhine will compete with third-year tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo for targets as a secondary pass-catching option, though. The latter posted an intriguing 54-528-1 statline last season, and he could be in line for a larger role in 2024. Even if that turns out to be the case, Westbrook-Ikhine will provide quarterback Will Levis with a familiar target on the perimeter.

Eagles To Sign LB Devin White

March 14th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Ben Levine

As expected, Devin White won’t be returning to the Buccaneers in 2024, but the linebacker will be sticking in the NFC. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, White is signing with the Eagles.

It’s a one-year deal for the linebacker, according to Schefter. The contract has a max value of $7.5MM.

The former first-round pick had a productive first four seasons in Tampa Bay. After forcing three fumbles and scoring two touchdowns as a rookie, White followed that up with three-straight seasons of 120-plus tackles. He earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020 after compiling nine sacks, and he added 38 tackles in three playoff games en route to a Super Bowl championship. That Super Bowl win also featured a crucial pick-six on Patrick Mahomes.

White made a Pro Bowl after finishing with a career-high 18 QB hits in 2021, and he added another 124 tackles and 5.5 sacks to his resume in 2022.

Set to play the 2023 campaign on his fifth-year option, the former fifth-overall pick sought out a massive extension last offseason. A deal didn’t materialize, and White ended up requesting a trade from the organization. Little interest was shown around the league, and White ultimately played out the 2023 campaign on his expiring contract.

The linebacker did little to increase league-wide interest with his play. He ended up splitting snaps with K.J. Britt down the stretch, and he didn’t start either of the team’s two playoff games. White finished the campaign with a career-low 83 tackles, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the league’s third-worst linebacker in 2023.

White should have an opportunity to bounce back in Philadelphia. The team only returns a pair of inside linebackers in Nakobe Dean and Ben VanSumeren, so White should be in line for a significant role in 2024.

Commanders To Re-Sign DL Efe Obada

March 14th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Efe Obada is sticking in Washington. The Commanders announced that they’ve re-signed the veteran edge rusher.

Obada is now inking his third contract with the organization after signing contracts in each of the past two offseasons. He had 24 tackles and four sacks during his first season in Washington, but he was limited to only five games in 2023 thanks to a knee injury and later a leg fracture.

Born in Nigeria, Obada started his football career by spending time with the British American Football Association National Leagues. He had brief stints with the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Falcons before joining the Panthers via the International Player Pathway Program in 2017.

He ended up spending three seasons in Carolina, including a 2020 campaign where he finished with a career-high 5.5 sacks. He spent the 2021 campaign in Buffalo, adding 3.5 sacks to his resume.

The Commanders have been busy adding DL depth, signing Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell, and Dante Fowler Jr.. Obada will likely compete for backup reps in 2024.