Month: January 2025

Patriots To Sign RB Antonio Gibson

Antonio Gibson will be on the move when free agency begins. The dual-threat running back is set to join the Patriots, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Patriots will not devote too much money to complementing Rhamondre Stevenson, but the team will still authorize a deal north of the veteran minimum. Gibson will sign a three-year, $11.25MM pact, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed tweets.

The former Washington back will receive $5.3MM guaranteed, per Kyed, who indicates the contract can max out at $17MM. The Pats are guaranteeing $1.2MM of Gibson’s 2025 base salary ($2.35MM) at signing. This deal brings a bigger commitment than the Patriots gave Ezekiel Elliott last year, though Stevenson should still be expected to lead the way in his contract year.

Gibson, 25, has a history of operating as a supplementary option. The Memphis product, however, was not especially consistent in Washington. Gibson rushed for 1,037 yards in 2021, and he added 1,042 scrimmage yards as a rookie. The Commanders turned more to 2022 third-rounder Brian Robinson over the past two years, and Gibson will do fairly well on the contract front considering he only gained 265 rushing yards last season.

Eric Bieniemy‘s offense minimized Gibson, though last year’s 65-carry season also can be interpreted as a conservation effort through a long-term lens. While the Commanders are moving on, the Patriots will see if the former third-round pick can bounce back in what will still be a low-cost backfield. New OC Alex Van Pelt, after all, did spent four years in Cleveland, where a running back duo (Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt) played a major role.

Vikings Eyeing QB Sam Darnold

The Vikings are not only set to lose Kirk Cousins; they are starting at a $28.5MM dead money hit stemming from the void years it used to afford the experienced quarterback previously. Minnesota is set to regroup here.

As the Vikings aim to transition from Cousins, a cheaper alternative is on the radar. Minnesota is eyeing a Sam Darnold addition, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. The recent 49ers backup has other suitors — on a market filled with bridge-type QB options — but it is clear the Vikings are one of them. And they would now present an appealing offer: a chance at a starting role.

The 49ers re-signed Brandon Allen earlier today, completing a rumored move that is likely to send Darnold elsewhere. It is likely the former No. 3 overall pick will make more than the $4.5MM he did as a San Francisco backup.

Darnold joins Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew and Joe Flacco as bridge-type options or high-end backups. In addition to Minnesota, Denver and Las Vegas make sense for such a passer. The Patriots may be in the market for a QB on this tier as well. Teams who need backups will be pursuing this group, potentially driving up prices. But it is unlikely Darnold will be incredibly expensive based on his history.

Although Darnold has been in the NFL for six seasons and has made 56 starts for the Jets and Panthers, he is still just 26. It is possible a team in need of a low-cost option will add him hoping for a Baker Mayfield-like resurgence. Darnold showed less than Mayfield’s pre-Tampa peak, however. The Vikings did not accomplish what they wanted with Cousins, advancing further with Case Keenum at the controls. Their next QB will have Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison to target, which would stand to appeal to many of the available arms.

Panthers To Move On From S Vonn Bell

Vonn Bells time with the Panthers has proven to be short-lived. The veteran safety will be traded or released, ESPN’s David Newton notes.

Bell inked a three-year, $22.5MM deal with the Panthers just last offseason. He was due a $3MM roster bonus later this week, and the Panthers decided to ultimately cost their losses and move on.

Bell’s lone season with the Panthers wasn’t a disaster by any means. He started each of his 13 appearances, finishing with 69 tackles and one interception. Pro Football Focus ranked the veteran only 61st among 95 qualifying safeties, although that ranking was partly dragged down by his poor run defense score.

Pro Football Focus previously gave Bell much higher scores, ranking him as an above-average safety in four of his five seasons between 2018 and 2022. Bell spent three of those five campaigns in Cincinnati, starting all 48 of his appearances while compiling five interceptions. He also started all seven of his playoff appearances for the Bengals, including the 2021 AFC Championship Game where he had a key overtime interception on Patrick Mahomes. The defensive back began his career with the Saints, with the former second-round pick starting 45 of his 61 appearances.

With a new general manager in Dan Morgan and new head coach in Dave Canales, the Panthers have been focused on shaving some of the fat off their roster. The organization is also set to move on from the likes of tight end Hayden Hurst, center Bradley Bozeman, and cornerback Donte Jackson.

Broncos To Re-Sign K Wil Lutz

Wil Lutz had a three-year deal in place with the Jaguars earlier today, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Instead, the veteran kicker has elected to remain with the Broncos on a two-year agreement, Mike Klis of 9News reports in an update. Lutz will stay on a two-year deal worth just more than $8MM, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

This marks the second straight offseason the Broncos and Jaguars are intertwined at kicker. Denver’s release of Brandon McManus prompted a Jacksonville offer. The Jaguars only gave McManus a one-year contract, opening their kicker position for next season. Lutz has worked with Sean Payton on two occasions now, and the partnership will continue.

Denver acquired Lutz from New Orleans just before last season, scrapping Brett Maher plans. The Broncos struggled in the red zone at points in Wilson’s second season, and Lutz became a key part of the team’s five-game midseason win streak. Lutz memorably missed a game-winning field goal in Buffalo, only for a Bills offside infraction to give him another chance. Overall, Lutz made 88.2% of his FG tries; that marked Lutz’s best connect rate since his 2019 Pro Bowl campaign.

The Lutz pursuit is interesting due to Riley Patterson‘s presence back on the Jags’ offseason roster. Jacksonville’s primary kicker in 2022, Patterson bounced between Detroit and Cleveland last year. The Lions booted Patterson once again after giving the job back to Michael Badgley; the Jags gave Patterson a reserve/futures contract in January.

The Broncos have enjoyed kicker continuity on par with the Packers’ quarterback timeline. The team only employed three primary kickers (Jason Elam, Matt Prater, McManus) from 1993-2022. Lutz’s age (29) and relationship with Payton qualifies him as a potential long-term option, as the two worked together for six years in New Orleans.

Texans To Bring Back CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.

Lonnie Johnson Jr. started his career with the Texans, and he will now return to Houston. The veteran corner is signing a one-year deal, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Johnson himself confirmed talks on a new Saints deal did not produce an agreement.

This comes after the former second-round pick has bounced around. The Texans traded Johnson to the Chiefs in 2022. After the Chiefs cut him, he finished that season on the Titans. Last year, Johnson served as a Saints backup.

Working as both a cornerback and a safety during his career, Johnson has spent more time with the Texans compared to any other team. The former No. 54 overall pick — during Brian Gaine‘s second and final draft as GM — has played 44 games with Houston. The Texans used Johnson as a starter in 19 of those, but the Kentucky product — now 28 — has settled onto the backup tier. The Titans and Saints did not use Johnson as a starter at any point.

The Saints used Johnson on 76% of their special teams plays last season. The Texans have Derek Stingley Jr. and the recently re-signed Desmond King in place at corner. Another Steven Nelson deal is on the radar as well. This will be an interesting homecoming for Johnson, though new front office and coaching staffs are in place this time around.

Rams To Sign TE Colby Parkinson

As part of a spending spree on offense, the Rams will add to their pass-catching corps. Los Angeles is set to sign tight end Colby Parkinson on a three-year, $22.5MM deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The pact includes $15.5MM in guaranteed money.

This gives the Rams a tight end to pair with Tyler Higbee, who has been in Los Angeles for eight seasons now. Should Parkinson reach certain performance thresholds, he can void the deal after two years, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.

[RELATED: Rams Agree To Terms With Jonah Jackson]

The Seahawks opted to re-sign Noah Fant, but the team will move on from both Parkinson and Will Dissly. Seattle cut Dissly last week, seeing him land in Los Angeles under Jim Harbaugh. Parkinson will join Dissly in L.A., and this contract suggests the Rams have bigger pass-game plans for the Stanford alum than the Seahawks did.

The Rams also could have some decisions to make at tight end, where 2023 trade pickup Hunter Long joins Dissly and now Parkinson. A former fourth-round pick, Parkinson served as an auxiliary Geno Smith weapon over the past two years. After playing little on offense from 2020-21, the 6-foot-7 pass catcher caught 25 passes in each of the past two seasons, catching two TDs in each campaign. Parkinson’s market certainly points to other teams believing there is more meat on the bone here. A 6-7 receiving option with Matthew Stafford does provide intrigue, though Parkinson’s next 350-yard season will be his first.

Parkinson rounds out a Rams receiving corps returning its top receivers, thanks to the Demarcus Robinson re-signing, and regular tight ends. One season remains on Long’s rookie contract, which the Rams obtained in the Jalen Ramsey trade.

Eagles To Sign DE Bryce Huff

Bryce Huff‘s primary wardrobe color will not change, but the ascending defensive end is leaving New York. The Jets will lose their 2023 sack leader to the Eagles.

Philly will pick up Huff on a three-year, $51.1MM deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Although the Eagles are big on fortifying their offensive and defensive lines, the Huff addition would seem to point to one of the team’s trade candidates being moved. The team has dangled Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat in potential deals thus far this offseason.

This contract will make Huff the highest-paid UDFA in NFL history, Schefter adds. Huff broke out during a 2023 contract year, leading the NFL in pressure rate. The Jets did not seem to trust Huff as an every-down player, as suspect run defense was an issue for the former post-draft find. But he played well enough last season to advance beyond the “prove it” tier of free agency. The Eagles will bet on Huff on a deal more expensive — on a per-year basis — than Reddick’s.

The Eagles have let Reddick seek a trade and have taken calls on Sweat. Both players are going into contract years, with Reddick having outplayed the $15MM-per-year deal he signed with his hometown team in 2022. While Reddick has not requested a trade, he will certainly take interest in Huff making more than him.

As the Eagles sift through some moving parts here, they will rely on Huff, who had not compiled more than four sacks in a season during his first three years with the Jets. Armed with a quick first step, Huff posted a 21.8% pressure percentage but did so on just 480 defensive snaps. That fell outside the top 70 among edges last year, and Pro Football Focus graded the Memphis alum as a bottom-tier run defender.

It will be interesting to see how the Eagles navigate their DE setup, but after the team saw Reddick and Sweat go cold as its defense cratered late last season, it will invest in a Jets-developed sack artist going into his age-26 season.

Packers Expected To Sign RB Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs-Raiders reunion will not take place. The former rushing champion is expected to join the Packers, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The four-year deal is worth $48MM, the pair report in a follow-up.

Vegas had an offer on the table as of earlier today, proving the team’s intention of working out a multi-year deal. The threat of free agent departure has existed since last offseason, of course, when Jacobs received the franchise tag and talks on a new deal did not produce an agreement.

Vegas ultimately ended Jacobs’ training camp holdout by agreeing to a revised one-year deal which upped the value of the tag slightly. Coming off his best season, expectations were high in 2023 for the former first-rounder. However, he produced a career low in rushing yards (805) and yards per carry (3.5).

In spite of that, Jacobs represented one of the top backs on the market. The 26-year-old sat in the middle of the pack in terms of age amongst high-profile options who were available, many have whom have quickly landed deals. Terms of the Jacobs deal are roughly in line with many other notable RB deals given out today given the nature of the 2024 market, but to little surprise he has topped the list in terms of length and total value. The Alabama product will immediately take on an every-down role in Green Bay.

For a brief period on Monday, it appeared the Packers would have both Jacobs and incumbent starter Aaron Jones in the fold. However, the latter has been released after attempts to work out a pay cut fell through. With AJ Dillon set to depart in free agency, plenty of backfield carries and targets will be heading Jacobs’ way in 2024. Green Bay enjoyed success on the ground late in the season and into the playoffs, and continuing that production will be a key priority.

Doing so will take on a different dynamic with Jacobs (and not Jones) leading the way, not to mention the O-line departures which the Packers have seen. In any case, Green Bay’s offense will be built in large part on the ground game during Jordan Love‘s second year as a starter.

Jaguars To Sign S Darnell Savage

Jacksonville’s busy day continues. The Jaguars are set to add to their secondary by inking safety Darnell Savage to a three-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

While Savage enjoyed an inconsistent run in Green Bay, it stood to reason a team would bet on the former first-rounder’s talent. Jacksonville will do so. The Jaguars made multiple moves to help their offense Monday, adding Mitch Morse and Gabriel Davis. Savage will be added shortly after the team released Rayshawn Jenkins.

Biceps and groin injuries led to Savage missing seven games last season, but Pro Football Focus viewed it as a bounce-back offering from the talented but inconsistent defender. PFF slotted Savage as the NFL’s No. 15 overall safety last season. That represented a big improvement from 2022, when the Packers benched the 2019 first-round pick.

The Jags moved on from Jenkins after three seasons, but the team still has 2021 draftee Andre Cisco in place as a starter. Savage is poised to join the Syracuse alum as a first-stringer under new DC Ryan Nielsen. The team struggled last season on defense, having brought back most of a unit that underwhelmed in 2022.

Following a late-season collapse, the Jags fired DC Mike Caldwell and a host of other assistants. Savage will be part of the Jags’ solution in what could be a pivotal year for Doug Pederson‘s future. The Packers moved on in a big way from Savage, giving Xavier McKinney the third-most lucrative safety deal in NFL history.

Rams, G Jonah Jackson Agree To Deal

One of the top guards in the 2024 free agent class is coming off the market. Jonah Jackson has agreed to terms on a three-year, $51MM deal with the Rams, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The pact includes $34MM in guaranteed money.

The Rams are betting big at guard, giving Jackson this money after authorizing a three-year, $48MM payment for Kevin Dotson. With Matthew Stafford‘s 2022 injuries submarining the Rams’ Super Bowl title defense two years ago, they will do more to protect him this coming season.

This move may well move Steve Avila off his guard spot, but the 2023 second-round pick has experience at center. TCU deployed Avila at center during his 2021 junior season. He also saw time there as a sophomore. The Rams look to be designing a Jackson-Avila-Dotson interior. This move probably means 2023 starting center Coleman Shelton will be out of the picture.

While guard represented one of this free agent class’ deepest positions, it is interesting one team will nab two of the top players here. This combination will be the most costly guard duo in NFL history, topping that of the Browns’ Joel BitonioWyatt Teller tandem, which comprises just more than $30MM in combined AAV. The Rams are at $33MM between the Dotson and Jackson signings.

The Lions have Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow on upper-crust accords, with Penei Sewell squarely on the extension radar. With Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown payments coming as well, Detroit had been expected to pass on extending a player it developed from the third round.

Jackson has started all 57 games he has played as a pro. He has been a better run blocker compared to his pass-pro work, which would bode well for a Rams team that saw Kyren Williams take off during his second season. This is a surprising commitment to the guard position, but the team still has Alaric Jackson in the RFA pay window and Rob Havenstein on an affordable deal. If the Rams keep that setup intact for 2024, this is an affordable scenario — even around Stafford’s $40MM-AAV contract. But choices will need to be made come 2025.