As the preseason rolls on, teams around the league continue to evaluate their rosters as well as their contract situations. A number of finanal decisions were made in recent days, while several other cases are unresolved. In case you missed any of the top stories from the past week, here is a quick recap:
- Falcons Trade For Judon, Sign Simmons: The Falcons made a pair of high-profile additions, both of which will help on defense. Atlanta sent a third-round pick to New England for edge rusher Matt Judon. The four-time Pro Bowler expressed frustration with a lack of a Patriots extension, leading to interest on the trade front from outside teams. Notably, though, no multi-year commitment has been made on the Falcons’ part, leaving Judon on track for free agency in March. After hosting Justin Simmons, meanwhile, Atlanta added the Pro Bowl safety on a one-year deal including $7.5MM guaranteed. Simmons, 30, had a lengthy spell in free agency after his Broncos release but still managed to land a lucrative deal. With four second-team All-Pro nods on his resume, he will form an intriguing safety tandem alongside Jessie Bates for the 2024 campaign. Judon and Simmons figure to raise Atlanta’s expectations on defense by a considerable margin as the team eyes a playoff berth.
- Steelers, 49ers Have Aiyuk Trade In Place: No final decision has been made with respect to Brandon Aiyuk, but the Steelers and 49ers now have a trade agreement worked out. Pittsburgh remains a destination the 26-year-old is highly interested in, but San Francisco still has an offer on the table. The latter team may have a small edge in terms of receiving an Aiyuk commitment with the former representing a fallback option. Both the Patriots and Browns had serious trade talks, but the second-team All-Pro did not want to play in New England or Cleveland. His decision rests on remaining in the Bay Area with a team facing serious cap challenges in the near future or joining the Steelers and a new-look offense which features quarterback questions. With the regular season nearing, an end to this saga should be expected in short order.
- Jets’ Reddick Submits Trade Request: The Jets acquired Haason Reddick via trade this offseason, but no extension agreement was in place once the swap was final. The Pro Bowl edge rusher has since skipped minicamp and training camp, and the lack of a deal prompted a trade request. To little surprise, New York general manager Joe Douglas quickly confirmed no consideration will be given to moving on from Reddick, who has one year remaining on his pact. The Jets reportedly made at least one offer around the time of the trade, but the team is not willing to negotiate further until the 29-year-old ends his holdout. That effort has resulted in daily fines being accumulated, and Reddick could lose part of his signing bonus as well. With both sides dug in, it will be interesting to see if a resolution of some kind (most likely incentives being added to the contract) is worked out in time for Week 1.
- McCarthy To Miss Vikings Rookie Season: J.J. McCarthy suffered a meniscus injury which required surgery. It was clear right away an absence of some kind would be in store, but the procedure wound up being a full repair; as such, the first-round rookie will miss the 2024 campaign. McCarthy entered training camp as Minnesota’s backup to Sam Darnold, but he will now not be able to compete for the No. 1 gig or at least continue his development through the fall. The Vikings let Kirk Cousins depart in free agency and signed Darnold to only a one-year deal. McCarthy – one of the 2024 class’ youngest passers and a national champion with Michigan this past season – is firmly in the team’s plans for the long-term future. He will enter 2025 with merely one preseason game of experience, however.
- Owusu-Koramoah Lands Browns Extension: Known to be on the Browns’ radar for a long-term deal, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah worked out a extension which will keep him in place through 2027. The Pro Bowl linebacker secured $25MM in total guarantees and an AAV of $12.5MM. The latter figure ranks sixth amongst middle linebackers and demonstrates the confidence Cleveland has in his ability to remain a key producer on defense. The 24-year-old totaled 101 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a pair of interceptions last season; replicating that production in the future will prove this investment to be worthwhile. The Browns underwent many changes at the second level this offseason, but Owusu-Koramoah will be a constant for the LB unit now and moving forward.