2024 March - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

Patriots To Place Transition Tag On S Kyle Dugger

March 5th, 2024 at 1:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Amid a flurry of franchise tag decisions, the transition tag will make a rare appearance. The Patriots will take this route to keep Kyle Dugger off the market, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

A rumored franchise tag candidate, Dugger will become just the fifth player transition-tagged over the past 10 years. It will cost the Patriots $13.8MM to use this tag; a franchise tag would have cost them $17.1MM. Considering New England has extended at least one offer on a multi-year pact so far, the team will no doubt continue negotiating on that front moving forward.

Previous extension talks have not gained much traction, but Dugger would have courted numerous suitors had he reached the open market. The Patriots have prevented that from taking place, although today’s move confirms highly-regarded offensive lineman Michael Onwenu will not receive a tag. That comes as little surprise in the latter’s case, but it still sets him up for free agency.

Onwenu is on New England’s radar for a new contract, but his ability to play both tackle and guard will no doubt help his market. Regardless of if he departs in the near future, however, Dugger is set to remain in place as the Patriots aim to repeat their strong showings in a number of defensive categories from 2023. The 27-year-old has been a full-time starter for most of his four-year career, racking up nine interceptions and 20 pass deflections along the way. Better used near the box than as a traditional safety, Dugger eclipsed 100 tackles for the first time in 2023.

Issues in coverage have hurt the Lenoir-Rhyne alum’s PFF evaluations – particularly last year – but he has cemented his status as a key figure in New England’s secondary. Attention will now turn to the latest round of extension talks. $13MM was the reported AAV of the Patriots’ last offer, a figure which falls short of what Dugger will receive in 2024 if he plays on the tag. It will be interesting to see how far the team is willing to go with respect to length and guarantees on a multi-year pact, and the degree to which outside suitors monitor the situation.

Players hit with the non-exclusive franchise tag are allowed the negotiate and sign offer sheets with outside teams. In that event, parent clubs receive two first-round picks as compensation if it is not matched, something which serves as an effective deterrent. New England would not be compensated if Dugger were to sign an unmatched offer sheet due to the transition tag, though. For the time being, he is in place with the Patriots at a reasonable second contract rate.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Bears To Tag CB Jaylon Johnson

March 5th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Procrastination reigns in the NFL. Coming into Tuesday, only two teams — the Bengals and Chiefs — had used their franchise tags. A host of subsequent tag calls are coming in hours before the 3pm deadline.

The Bears will follow through with their long-rumored Jaylon Johnson tag, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Although the Bears let Johnson seek a trade before last year’s deadline, they held onto the breakout corner. After an All-Pro season, the former second-round pick will be tied to a $19.8MM tag.

Given the interest from the Bears and Johnson about a long-term Chicago partnership, this was not a difficult tag to predict. As a result, the Bears will have until July 15 to work on an extension with the former second-round pick. Ryan Poles‘ team came into Tuesday with considerable cap space. The Bears will still have more than $55MM after tagging Johnson.

No cornerback had been tagged since the Rams kept Trumaine Johnson off the 2017 free agent market; this year, two corners have been cuffed. While the Chiefs have opened the window to a tag-and-trade move involving L’Jarius Sneed, the Bears look more likely to hang onto Johnson and work on an extension. The sides resumed talks recently.

Johnson, 25, did not look like a possible tag recipient coming into last season; like many have in modern NFL history, Johnson timed his breakout well. Pro Football Focus rated Johnson as the league’s best cornerback in 2023, and the former second-round pick intercepted four passes and allowed just a 50.9 passer rating as the closest defender. Johnson’s previous-best rating allowed: 94.6 in 2022. It would make some sense if the Bears made the Utah alum prove his second-team All-Pro slate was not a fluke, but the sides were talking an extension midway through last season. With Johnson floating out the prospect he wants to become the NFL’s highest-paid corner, these negotiations might be tricky.

Although Johnson has not proven to be a difference-maker over multiple seasons, the tag gives him some leverage in talks. Due to the recent cap spike, the 2024 CB tag number nearly matches Jaire Alexander‘s position-record AAV ($21MM). That said, the Bears also hold leverage by using the tag. Johnson can realistically only negotiate with one team, though the Bears would be entitled to a two-first-rounder haul if they failed to match another club’s offer sheet. That is a rare occurrence in franchise tag history.

Contract talks not progressing last fall led the Bears to let Johnson seek a trade hours before the deadline. The Bills and 49ers were among the teams to show interest, but the Bears sought a first- or second-round pick for the four-year starter. It is safe to assume no such offer emerged, and the sides regrouped. The Bears subsequently traded for Montez Sweat and extended him. With most of the Ryan Pace-era pieces off the roster on defense, Poles has some room to maneuver on defense. Although he did authorize a top-five ILB contract for Tremaine Edmunds, Poles does not have a big-ticket contract in place in the secondary at present. That could clear some runway space for a Johnson accord by July.

For now, teams in need of cornerbacks may look to the trade market. Conversely, the second-tier corners on this year’s market stand to see their price tags rise as a result of the Sneed and Johnson tags.

Panthers To Release TE Hayden Hurst

March 5th, 2024 at 12:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hayden Hurst suffered a concussion that kept him from playing throughout the season’s second half. A report of the veteran tight end suffering post-traumatic amnesia surfaced.

Illustrating the importance of fully guaranteed money, Hurst is now set to be released. A year after signing Hurst to a three-year deal, the Panthers are moving on, according to The Athletic’s Joseph Person. The Panthers did give Hurst a chance to remain on the team at a reduced salary, but Person adds the former first-round pick declined the pay-cut option. The terms of the proposed pay reduction are not known.

Despite Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki being franchise-tagged in 2022, Hurst collected last year’s top free agent tight end contract — a three-year, $21.75MM deal. That came with $13MM fully guaranteed. No additional injury guarantees are included in Hurst’s deal, but that $13MM is certainly important in a transaction like this. Hurst missed last season’s final eight games due to the concussion he suffered against the Bears.

Because this transaction is being tabbed as one set to take place at the start of the 2024 league year, it is safe to assume Carolina will use a post-June 1 designation here. Even in that capacity, the team will only save $2.1MM while incurring more than $7MM in dead money. Hurst was set to make $5.75MM in 2024 base salary. He will be released before a $1.85MM roster bonus vests on March 16. Teams have two post-June 1 designations to use each year.

A former minor league baseball player, Hurst returned to football and crafted a first-round prospect resume at South Carolina. The Ravens took him in the 2018 first round, but after seeing third-round pick Mark Andrews become an immediate impact player, the team traded Hurst to the Falcons in 2020. Hurst and Kyle Pitts teamed up in 2021, but seeing as the Falcons used a No. 4 overall pick on Pitts, it did not make Hurst a priority. The Bengals signed Hurst to a one-year deal in 2022, and he served as an auxiliary Joe Burrow option on a team that came close to booking a second straight Super Bowl trip.

After Hurst’s father revealed the above-referenced post-traumatic amnesia diagnosis, the tight end described that label as worse than it sounded. Hurst tweeted last year he does not remember “up to 4 hours after the game (against the Bears).” The 30-year-old pass catcher was allowed to remain in the game following the hit, being placed in the protocol after the contest.

Part of a poor Panthers offense in 2023, Hurst does not stand to do too well on this year’s market. The $13MM guarantee number softens the blow. Hurst surpassed 25 receiving yards in just two games last season. He does have a 571-yard season (2020) on his resume and attracted the Panthers’ attention after a 414-yard Bengals campaign. Hurst joins Jonnu Smith, Noah Fant and Hunter Henry as the top names on this year’s market. The Texans just re-signed Schultz.

Texans, TE Dalton Schultz Agree To Deal

March 5th, 2024 at 12:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

A mutual interest was known to exist between the Texans and tight end Dalton Schultz. An agreement has been worked out between the sides; Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports a three-year, $36MM contract is now in place.

The pact includes $23.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, making the negotiating process a highly successful one for Schultz and his representation. After joining Houston on a one-year agreement last offseason, the former Cowboys starter has secured a long-term investment with an up-and-coming AFC contender.

Schultz made it clear last month that he intended to remain with the Texans if possible. Likewise, Houston remained interested in working out an agreement after the success of his debut season with the team. With wideout Nico Collins and Tank Dell in place for at least one more season, Schultz will comprise an effective third element in the Texans’ passing game.

The latter developed into a solid producer with the Cowboys beginning in 2020 in particular. He upped his value considerably during his Dallas tenure, peaking with a statline of 78-808-8 the following year. No agreement could be worked out on a long-term deal, though, and Schultz played on the franchise tag in 2022. His play that season set him up for free agency, where he only landed a $6.25MM Texans contract. Today’s accord will essentially double his AAV compared to last year’s.

Entering his age-28 season, Schultz will be counted on to remain a consistent contributor over the life of the contract. He recorded 635 yards and five touchdowns on 59 receptions in 2023, helping Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud lead the team to the divisional round. Their relationship will now continue for the foreseeable future, as Houston looks to keep as many core pieces in place as possible.

A splashy addition at the running back spot has been circulated in the Texans’ case, and it will be interesting to see if that plays out. In any event, though, Schultz is locked in as an integral component of the team’s efforts to build off last year’s success.

Buccaneers To Use Franchise Tag On S Antoine Winfield Jr.

March 5th, 2024 at 12:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Franchise tag decisions are coming in hours before the application deadline. As expected, the Buccaneers will prioritize their young All-Pro safety.

Antoine Winfield Jr. will not be given the chance to hit free agency, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reporting the second-generation NFL DB will be tagged. This has been the expected scenario for a bit, but with less than three hours until the deadline, the Bucs will make it official.

This moves Baker Mayfield closer to free agency, but with the quarterback tag costing over $20MM more than the safety tag, Tampa Bay had been expected to make the cheaper move here. The Bucs have until March 11 to keep Mayfield off the market, but they now have until July 15 to hammer out an extension with Winfield.

As should be expected given Winfield’s importance to the Bucs over the past four years, this is not setting up a “prove it” season from the All-Pro safety. The Bucs intend to discuss an extension, ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine tweets. Tampa Bay was interested in a Winfield extension before last season, but little of substance emerged following that report. Winfield proceeded to put together a dominant contract year, setting himself up for a potential top-market safety contract.

It is sensible for the Bucs to use the tag on Winfield due to its $17.12MM price. If would have cost the team more than $38MM to tag Mayfield. That number being roughly $6MM north of what it cost the Ravens to cuff Lamar Jackson last year, it was a long shot the Bucs would take this route. But with Mayfield talks looming as the team’s top near-term priority, using this tool to keep Winfield on the back burner checks out. Mayfield and the Bucs remain engaged in talks about a second contract.

Winfield, 25, finished with six sacks and an NFL-leading six forced fumbles last season, including a goal-line strip of DJ Chark that allowed the Bucs to hold off the Panthers in Week 18 — a win vital to the team’s eventual journey to the divisional round. The Minnesota alum also established new career-high marks in tackles (122) and interceptions (three) in 2023. He has put himself on the radar to top Derwin James‘ safety-record AAV, which sits at $19MM. James has held that top spot since summer 2022. After Jessie Bates collected $16MM on the open market last year, the Bucs will not take that chance with Winfield, who started in Super Bowl LV as a rookie and has been an important defender during the Bucs’ run of playoff berths.

Ravens Place Franchise Tag On DT Justin Madubuike

March 5th, 2024 at 12:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Madubuike profiled as the Ravens’ top pending free agent and to no surprise, he will not reach the open market. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle received the franchise tag on Tuesday, per a team announcement.

A statement from general manager Eric DeCosta confirms Baltimore will continue negotiating a long-term agreement. Talks on that front took place during last week’s Combine, but no agreement was reached. Now, Madubuike will be tied – at least temporarily – to a 2024 salary and cap hit of $22.1MM.

The 26-year-old put up modest but improving numbers across his first three seasons in the league. A jump in production (particularly in the pass-rush department) was expected to an extent entering 2024, but the degree to which it took place was surprising. Madubuike posted 13 sacks and 33 QB pressures, shattering his previous marks in those and other categories while earning second-team All-Pro acclaim.

As a result, the expectation grew throughout the season that the Texas A&M product would be the next in line to secure a major DT pact. Reports recently made it clear the tag would be used the ensure such an offer would not come from an outside suitor, and now Baltimore will be tasked with hammering out a long-term agreement. Talks on that front can continue through to July 15.

The 2022 offseason saw several young producers along the defensive interior land new deals. A clear second tier behind Aaron Donald in terms of annual compensation emerged; Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Dexter Lawrence and Daron Payne each agreed to multi-year contracts averaging between $22.5MM and $24MM per year and including almost identical guarantee figures. Maduibuike will no doubt be seeking an accord along the same lines after his breakout campaign.

The former third-rounder is one of several key pending free agents the Ravens have to deal with, however. Linebacker Patrick Queen, right guard Kevin Zeitler and edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney are among the starters at risk of departing once the new league year opens, and the same is true of multiple other starters on both sides of the ball. Locking in Madubuike on a multi-year pact will be necessary to avoid carrying his $22.1MM cap hit in full during the 2024 season. The ability of both team and player to come to an agreement will therefore remain a storyline worth following.

Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic noted early today that the Ravens still believed a long-term Madubuike deal was possible with the understanding the tag would otherwise come into play as a placeholder. That will be the case for now, but Baltimore will continue to seek a deal beyond 2024 while juggling other pressing free agent matters.

Lions To Re-Sign CB Emmanuel Moseley

March 5th, 2024 at 12:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions are giving Emmanuel Moseley another chance. Seeing ACL tears in back-to-back years sidetrack his career, the veteran cornerback will not hit free agency next week.

Moseley agreed to terms on a one-year deal to stay in Detroit, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Part of a Lions secondary overhaul last year, Moseley encountered hurdles making it back from his 2022 ACL tear. Another tear then took place in October, but the Lions will give the former 49ers starter a shot to rehab again and make an impact in Detroit.

On a day flooded with franchise tag news, the Lions will take what amounts to a flier on a player they coveted last year. Detroit gave Moseley a one-year, $6MM deal in 2023. GM Brad Holmes had said the team would not have been able to have afforded the ex-San Francisco starter had he not gotten injured midway through the ’22 campaign. Moseley’s second Lions pact is likely close to the veteran minimum.

Although Detroit activated Moseley off its PUP list before roster-cutdown day last year, the free agency addition underwent a second knee procedure last summer and was viewed as a long shot to start the year on time. Making his debut in Week 5, Moseley went down after just two plays. The 27-year-old defender joined Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch as Lions newcomers. More struggles ensued in coverage, and the Lions are expected to pursue more CB help in free agency. Gardner-Johnson is unsigned days away from free agency.

The 49ers used Moseley as a regular starter. He replaced Ahkello Witherspoon as the team’s Richard Sherman sidekick late in the 2019 season, which ended in Super Bowl LIV. The 49ers then re-signed Moseley to a two-year, $9.38MM deal in 2021. Moseley started 33 games with San Francisco, including 11 during a 2021 season that ended in the NFC championship game.

The 5-foot-11 cover man allowed passer ratings — as the closest defender in coverage — of 65.6 and 66.9 in 2021 and ’22. Pro Football Focus also viewed the young defender well, ranking him just outside the top 30 in both 2019 and ’21. The Lions will see if he can recapture that form after another round of rehab.

Giants Looking Into Trading Up For QB

March 5th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Sam Robinson

Daniel Jones‘ contract all but ensures he will be on the 2024 Giants. Beyond that, the former Eli Manning successor’s New York future is uncertain. Rumblings continue to surface about the Giants looking into quarterbacks in this draft class.

The team is looking into what it will take to move up for a quarterback next month, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. GM Joe Schoen has indicated on several occasions the team will look at QBs this offseason, pointing out at least one will be added. The big question would be how the Giants add that passer and the to-be-determined signal-caller’s role on the team.

Should the Giants merely add a veteran backup who would provide insurance and serve as an offseason arm while Jones recovers from an ACL tear, it is not exactly a key storyline. That passer would slide into the background, presumably between Jones and Tommy DeVito, once the incumbent starter recovered. Schoen has said the team expects Jones to be back by training camp, and the third-year GM has proclaimed the veteran will be the team’s starter once he recovers.

The more intriguing storyline would certainly be a Giants first-round QB investment. Holding the No. 6 overall pick, the Giants would not be expected to land one of this draft class’ top three quarterbacks without trading up. Caleb Williams has been a mortal lock to go first overall for months, while Drake Maye loomed the next-best option for most of that stretch. Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, however, has gained considerable ground — to the point many expect the Commanders to take the LSU product at No. 2. Maye would then be positioned to go third to the Patriots — unless they trade back.

It would seem any Giants climb would need to be tied to that Patriots pick, as the Commanders would be highly unlikely to deal with their division rivals in a trade of this magnitude. The Pats are no strangers to first-round trade-down moves, but Bill Belichick not running the show may matter here. De facto Pats GM Eliot Wolf comes from an organization that has prioritized QB investments, with the Packers taking Aaron Rodgers during the second-generation personnel man’s early years in the front office. Passing on a chance to grab a passer without trading up would be a risk for a Patriots team that has seen Mac Jones take significant steps back over the past two seasons.

The Pats are expected to address their QB need in the draft, though free agency may be part of the plan as well. The team has been linked to Baker Mayfield, as Wolf and a few others on staff have ties to the Buccaneers QB. Of course, the Bucs still have until March 11 to prevent him from talking to other teams. And it would be costly for the Pats to sign Mayfield. Even though Wolf’s team leads the NFL in cap space, it would surprise if much of it was devoted to a veteran QB in free agency.

If New England were to view Maye (or Daniels) as too risky of an investment, then the prospect of a big haul from the Giants or another team would come into play. Given the demand that may exist here, it would surprise if the Patriots and Commanders did not at least consider the prospect of moving down — even at the risk of having no long-term QB plan.

Jones did not impress before his ACL tear last season, though the Giants again fielded a low-level skill-position group and encountered several offensive line injuries. But the Giants can get out of Jones’ contract fairly easily in 2025. With Schoen not being in place when the Giants drafted Jones, it is logical he will explore avenues to a higher-upside prospect.

Buccaneers, Mike Evans Agree To Deal

March 5th, 2024 at 11:24am CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 5, 11:24am: The upfront payout will be critical for Evans, because this contract will carry a base value of $41MM, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates. Of that $41MM, $29MM is fully guaranteed. The contract guarantees Evans $6MM of his 2025 salary at signing and an additional $6MM comes in the form of an injury guarantee. The other $6MM of Evans’ 2025 money is nonguaranteed.

This still represents a nice third contract for Evans, though it is interesting, given the drama that came when Evans set a hard negotiating deadline late last summer, it was enough to keep him off the market.

MARCH 4, 9:35pm: We’ve got some more details on Evans’ new deal with the Buccaneers. Greg Auman of FOX Sports says the $52MM total represents the maximum value, meaning the receiver will likely have to earn a chunk of that money via incentives. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jenna Laine passes along that Evans will earn $29MM of his $35MM guarantee in the first year of the two-year pact.

8:15am: Instead of testing the market next week, Mike Evans will remain in Tampa Bay on a new pact. The veteran wideout has agreed to a two-year Buccaneers contract, per his agents (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network).

ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that the contract is worth $52MM and includes $35MM guaranteed. Evans had been linked to an asking price of $25MM per season, and he has managed to land it without needing to reach free agency. Projected to be one of the top available wideouts on the market, he will now be able to continue his decorated Bucs tenure for an 11th and 12th season.

As Garafolo notes, Tampa Bay’s urgency to get a deal hammered out picked up in recent days, with the franchise tag deadline and the start of free agency not far away (video link). The team still has agreements with quarterback Baker Mayfield and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to work out, but one major piece of business has now been taken care of.

Evans was expected to at least gauge his market next week once the new league year began. That update came as little surprise given the gap which continued to exist between team and player during negotiations, something which dated back to last summer. Talks were shut down once the 2023 campaign started, and signs pointed to the five-time Pro Bowler facing the possibility of heading elsewhere. Now, though, he has secured one of the most lucrative WR pacts in the league in terms of annual average value while remaining in place.

This $26MM-per-year agreement will slot Evans behind only Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp in terms of AAV. The short-term nature of the pact will help Tampa Bay aim to keep its offensive core in place for the time being while preventing a lucrative investment deep into Evans’ 30s. The uber-consistent producer is entering his age-31 season, but his ability to continue delivering 1,000-yard seasons (as well as his chemistry with Mayfield) should make this a relatively safe proposition for the Bucs.

The Texas A&M product recorded 1,255 yards in 2023, Mayfield’s first in Tampa Bay. That figure was his highest since 2018, and – coupled with a league-leading 13 touchdown receptions – it no doubt helped boost his value on a third contract. Evans landed a five-year, $82.5MM pact in 2018, and he has to no surprise secured a much larger AAV on his latest deal given the receiver market’s jump in value and the length of this new contract. The 2018 deal included only $3MM more in guaranteed money at the time of signing, so today’s news is certainly a success from his perspective.

Schefter notes the Chiefs were expected to be among the suitors for Evans if he had reached the open market. A number of other teams would have been interested as well, though few serious suitors likely would have had the means of reaching his asking price if he had landed a similar or more valuable contract than this latest Bucs one. The list of high-end wideouts set to reach free agency next week has now been notably shortened.

Tampa Bay’s offense lost coordinator Dave Canales this offseason when he took the Panthers’ head coaching gig. While the unit will face questions related to its ability to replicate Canales’ success, having Evans in the fold will give the Buccaneers a familiar and consistent option in the passing game. The team can now turn its attention to getting a Mayfield deal on the books before the new league year begins in a bid to keep his partnership with Evans intact moving forward.

Charges Against Colts TE Andrew Ogletree Dropped

March 5th, 2024 at 11:22am CST by Adam La Rose

Colts tight end Andrew Ogletree was arrested on domestic battery charges in December. Those charges were dropped on Tuesday, however.

Ogletree faced the charges of domestic violence committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old and domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury. Both represented Level 6 felonies, but court records confirm his case has come to an end. Both charges were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be re-filed.

The state of Indiana’s motion to dismiss notes that “subsequent interviews with all of the parties involved revealed information and evidence not provided to law enforcement on the night of the alleged incident. The evidence is insufficient to prosecute this case” (h/t ESPN’s Stephen Holder).

Ogletree was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list in the wake of the arrest being made. As Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes, the league is still investigating the matter. As a result, the 25-year-old remains on the exempt list for the time being.

Indianapolis drafted Ogletree in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, but because of an ACL tear it was not until this past season that he made his debut. He made 12 appearances (including nine starts) in 2023, recording 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns on nine catches. Two years remain on his rookie contract.

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