5 Key Stories: 8/4/24 – 8/11/24

With exhibition contests underway around the league, the 2024 regular season is nearing. Plenty of key developments continue to take place in the NFL as teams sort out a number of unsettled contract matters. In case you missed any of the past week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

• 49ers Extension, Steelers Trade Remain Options For Aiyuk: The past few days have produced a new round of updates on Brandon Aiyuk’s future. The second team All-Pro was reported to be the subject of trade agreements with the Browns and Patriots, although New England is now out of the running. Cleveland’s package to San Francisco would have included Amari Cooper and a pair of draft picks, but Aiyuk is not interested in a Browns extension. That is the case for the Steelers, though, and Pittsburgh has re-engaged in talks. To date, no agreement has been reached in terms of a trade with the 49ers or a long-term deal, one which would pay the 26-year-old roughly $30MM per year. As San Francisco continues to entertain offers (and seek a receiver in return from any trade partner), the team is also still attempting to work out an extension which will keep Aiyuk in the Bay Area for the long-term future. A deal on that front, or a trade sending him to Pittsburgh, remain the likeliest outcomes in this fluid situation.
• Werner Lands Saints Extension: A number of veterans are set to again hold key roles on the Saints’ defense in 2024, but linebacker Pete Werner is among the ascending talents also in line for first-team duties. The 25-year-old inked a three-year extension worth a base value of $22.5MM, keeping him in the fold through 2027. Werner saw notable playing time as a rookie and has served as a full-time starter over the past two years. He set a new career high in tackles (90) last season, and expectations will remain high moving forward. The former second-rounder received a practical guarantee of roughly $17.5MM on his new deal, and he will join free agent addition Willie Gay as a central figure on the Saints’ defense this year.
• Patriots Release Smith-Schuster: The Patriots’ 2023 investment in JuJu Smith-Schuster did not pay off, and it resulted in a separation. New England released the veteran wideout, incurring a dead money charge of $7MM in the process. 2023 saw him produce only 260 yards and one touchdown while struggling to remain healthy. Smith-Schuster, 27, is in better shape from a health perspective now but he was already known to be on the roster bubble. The Patriots added at the WR spot via free agency (K.J. Osborn) and the draft (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker) this offseason, the first of the Eliot Wolf-Jerod Mayo regime. Efforts to land Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk were unsuccessful, but Smith-Schuster will nevertheless need to find a new team in the coming weeks. The latter’s next contract will no doubt be less valuable than the $25.5MM one he signed last offseason.
• Prescott Seeking Historic AAV; Cowboys Making Progress On Lamb Talks? Speculation continues to swirl regarding how the Cowboys will sort out extension talks with quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb. The former is reportedly attached to an asking price above $55MM per season; that would make his next deal the most lucrative one in league history in terms of AAV. Prescott cannot be franchise tagged next year, holds a no-trade clause and is set to carry major cap hits in 2024 and ’25. While no deal on that front appears imminent, the Cowboys may be closer to inking Lamb. Jerry Jones does not feel a sense of urgency in getting a deal done with the All-Pro, one which will reach or at least approach the top of the receiver market ($35MM per year). A Micah Parsons mega-extension looms next year, but at least one major pact could be on the books by that point.
• Chiefs Extend Butker: A number of extension priorities remain in the waning weeks of the summer for the Chiefs, but one has been taken care of. Kansas City worked out a four-year, $25.6MM deal with kicker Harrison Butker. He is now the league’s highest-paid kicker in terms of annual compensation ($6.4MM) and guarantees ($17.75MM). The 29-year-old has proven to be a highly consistent contributor during his career, one in which he has posted a field goal accuracy rate of at least 88.9% five times in six years. Butker (who was set to enter a walk year) has proven to have one of the strongest legs in the league, and he will be counted on to remain a key contributor for the defending champions for years to come.