HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Titans Sign Veteran S Quandre Diggs

August 4th, 2024 at 6:27pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s a Seattle reunion in Nashville. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, veteran safety Quandre Diggs has signed a one-year contract that will reunite him with his backfield mate of the past four years, Jamal Adams, in Tennessee. Diggs’ deal with the Titans will be worth up to $5MM, a bit more than Adams is expected to make in 2024. Diggs broke the news first on his personal X account.

The 31-year-old was released alongside Adams around the start of free agency after just over four years with the team. The former Longhorn was drafted in the sixth round by the Lions back in 2015 and took a couple years before he earned a consistent starting role in Detroit. Finally a starter in his third season, Diggs recorded three picks, a minimum he would match every year after, up until that streak ended in 2023.

Prior to the final year of his rookie deal, Diggs signed a three-year, $20.4MM extension with the Lions. After only six games under his new contract, though, Detroit traded Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick. When Seattle traded for Adams the following summer, they formed their defensive backfield for the next four years, though Adams would struggle to stay on the field during that time.

In their first year on the field together, both players were selected to the Pro Bowl, and Adams earned second-team All-Pro honors. While Adams’ injury troubles would keep him from any other accolades during his time in Seattle, Diggs would find his way to two more Pro Bowls. After only amassing six interceptions in four-and-a-half years in Detroit, Diggs tripled that output with 18 picks in the same amount of time with the Seahawks. With the emergence of Julian Love last year and the signings of Rayshawn Jenkins and K’Von Wallace, the Seahawks were clearly looking to move on from their veteran defensive backs.

Signing with the Titans, Diggs now joins a new-look defense in Tennessee that has added Adams, cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, linebacker Kenneth Murray, and defensive tackles Sebastian Joseph-Day and rookie T’Vondre Sweat, all playing under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson and head coach Brian Callahan. The Titans moved on from their own veteran All-Pro this past season, trading away Kevin Byard. As a result, they saw former cornerback Elijah Molden step up and take a starting role across from Amani Hooker.

It’s difficult to predict how this lineup plays out. A new-look secondary now sees Sneed and Awuzie starting at cornerback, while Roger McCreary returns to his primary nickelback role. At safety, Hooker and Molden may get the first crack at first-team snaps, due to their experience in the unit, though the scheme is set to change a bit with new coaching.

However Diggs and Adams fit into the new secondary, one can’t deny that the team has employed outstanding depth at the position. Having so many starting-caliber safeties on the roster should allow the Titans to roam their best players around the field in unique packages.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/24

August 4th, 2024 at 5:53pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions to close out the weekend:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington Commanders

The Browns were looking forward to stashing Allen’s starting experience as a reserve lineman on the interior. Unfortunately, he suffered a calf injury that ended his season before it even began. Only on a one-year contract anyway, Allen will now get a head start on the free agency he would’ve faced at the end of this season.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson will not be coaching his son, Josh, this season, it appears. The 26-year-old tight end appeared in three games under his father in 2023.

5 Key Stories: 7/28/24 – 8/4/24

August 4th, 2024 at 4:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

As training camps continue around the league, a number of big-ticket contracts have been worked out recently. More are likely on tap, but several notable pacts have ended speculation about players’ short- and long-term futures with their respective teams. In case you missed any of the top developments from the past week, here is a quick recap:

  • Buccaneers Extend Wirfs: The Buccaneers’ final major piece of financial business was taken care of with left tackle Tristan Wirfs agreeing to an extension. The All-Pro worked out a five-year, $140.6MM deal, making him the league’s top earner at both tackle positions. Wirfs has exceled on the right and left in his brief but decorated career, leading many to expect he would move to the top of the pecking order. The 25-year-old secured just over $88MM in guarantees, and he is positioned to remain Tampa Bay’s anchor up front for the foreseeable future. Wirfs attended training camp but did not participate in padded practices until the deal was in place, something he and the team expressed confidence in working out. Now that the contract has been finalized, the Bucs can turn their attention to other matters. Thanks to the fifth-year option, Wirfs is on the books through 2029.
  • Dolphins, Hill Agree To Restructure: Tyreek Hill’s desire for a new Dolphins pact resulted in a restructure agreement. The 2023 receiving leader landed $90MM over the next three years, including $65MM in guarantees. No new years were added to the pact, making this deal a unique resolution to Hill’s situation. No guaranteed salary previously existed after the 2024 campaign, leading to the five-time All-Pro’s attempts at securing a raise. His $30MM-per-year pact has been surpassed as the receiver benchmark this offseason, but the restructure ensures he will remain amongst the league’s highest-paid wideouts. Hill’s prior goal of topping the market was a factor in his trade out of Kansas City, but he made it clear he wanted to remain in Miami while adding financial security for the coming seasons. That goal has been met, and the Dolphins now have Hill, fellow receiver Jaylen Waddle and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa attached to big-money deals.  
  • Moore Signs Bears Extension: Keeping in line with a number of other receivers, D.J. Moore inked a long-term deal representing a raise. The Bears signed him to a four-year, $110MM extension which will keep him on the books through 2029. The 27-year-old enjoyed a career year during his debut Chicago campaign, and instead of playing out the last two seasons of his previous pact (which did not include guaranteed salaries) he secured over $82MM in locked in compensation. Moore will be joined at the WR spot by trade acquisition Keenan Allen and first-round rookie Rome Odunze, so his role in the passing game with quarterback Caleb Williams will be worth watching. Still, the ex-Panther should remain a focal point on offense after Chicago allowed him to jump the line in terms of other in-house extension priorities.
  • Decker Becomes Latest Lions Extension Recipient: The Lions have been busy working out monster extensions on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, and that effort continued with Taylor Decker. Detroit’s longtime left tackle signed a three-year, $60MM extension which will keep him in place through 2027 and includes just under $32MM guaranteed. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career in the Motor City, and he will join right tackle Penei Sewell in retaining his position for the foreseeable future. The latter is the league’s highest-paid right tackle, whereas Decker’s new deal moves him into seventh in AAV for blindside blockers. The Lions’ offensive line will once again face high expectations in 2024 as the team looks to build off the success of last season.
  • Godchaux Land Patriots Extension; Judon Resolution Nearing? Questions were raised at the start of training camp with respect to how the Patriots would proceed with defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and edge rusher Matt Judon. The former has joined the long list of in-house players who signed new deals this offseason, inking a two-year extension worth up to $21MM. Godchaux, 29, has been with New England for the past three years and has served as a full-time starter. His pass rush production has remained minimal, but his play against the run earned him a new deal two years after his previous extension. Judon, meanwhile, has returned to practice after a brief absence related to his lack of an extension. The situation between the four-time Pro Bowler and the Patriots appears to have improved, although Judon remains tied to $7.5MM in compensation for 2024, the final year of his pact. Whether or not the latest turn of events is quickly followed by an agreement will be worth watching closely.

Packers To Host Jonathan Garibay; Latest On Team’s K Competition

August 4th, 2024 at 3:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers recently waived rookie kicker James Turner. That made the team’s competition at that position a two-man battle instead of three, with incumbent Anders Carlson and free agent signing Greg Joseph remaining in place.

As those two continue to compete for a roster spot, though, Green Bay will still check in on other options. The team is set to bring in Jonathan Garibay for a workout, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports. Garibay previously had a deal with the Cowboys in 2022, but he did not see any regular season game action. The Texas Tech product spent last season in the UFL, missing only one of his kicks.

That success could give him the opportunity to compete with Joseph and Carlson. The latter received a vote of confidence from Green Bay in his rookie season, but inconsistency down the stretch and in the playoffs made it clear he would need to fend off other kickers in 2024. Carlson, 26, has not been the top producer to date in training camp, as noted by Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required). Joseph has been more accurate on his summer attempts, but no final call needs to be made for quite some time.

“There’s competitive position battles going on throughout the team and we’re going to have constant conversation about it,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said of where things stand with the kickers (via Schneidman), “and we’ll sit down collectively and make a decision when the time comes.”

Three years remain on Carlson’s rookie deal, whereas Joseph signed a one-year contract following the end of his Vikings tenure. The 30-year-old has a career accuracy of 82.6% on field goals and 90.1% on extra points, and continuing his strong summer during the preseason will help his chances of landing the job in Green Bay. Without any guarantees on his deal, though, Joseph will not have any assurances in the coming weeks. Garibay’s performance – if his workout translates to a contract – will be worth watching as well.

Rams Not Looking To Trade WR Tutu Atwell

August 4th, 2024 at 1:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top of the Rams’ receiver depth chart is set with former Triple Crown winner Cooper Kupp and 2023 rookie sensation Puka Nacua. The team’s decision to retain Demarcus Robinson leaves them with a number of familiar pass-catching options, although it could limit Tutu Atwell‘s involvement.

The latter saw the field for only 10 offensive snaps during his rookie season, but he has taken on a larger workload in the years since then. Atwell saw a 40% snap share in 2022, and that figure rose to 64% last season, one in which Kupp missed considerable time due to injury. One year remains on Atwell’s rookie contract, but any interest from an outside suitor will likely not lead to a trade.

The Rams have Atwell in their plans for at least one more season, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. The former second-rounder has totaled 781 yards and four touchdowns to date, averaging 13.7 yards per reception. That figure demonstrated his abilities as a deep threat, although the 5-9, 165-pounder can also be used in the run game and as a returner. A strong showing in at least one capacity will be needed for him to earn a second contract with Los Angeles.

Atwell, 24, is due a base salary of $1.47MM in 2024. A trade would yield that amount in cap savings for the Rams while generating a modest dead money charge ($414K). Los Angeles is not in immediate need of financial flexibility, however, so it comes as little surprise a trade is not being sought out. Likewise, Atwell’s modest production and status as a pending free agent would stand to limit his market value.

The Louisville alum will look to take another step forward in 2024 while the Rams attempt to duplicate their offensive success from last season. A healthy Kupp and an effective follow-up campaign from Nacua would go a long way in meeting that goal, but it will be interesting to see if Atwell can carve out a regular role in his fourth Los Angeles season.

Browns Have Not Extended Paul DePodesta; Team Still Foresees Long-Term Relationship

August 4th, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta was hired by the team in 2016 after a lengthy run in Major Leage Baseball front offices. Though his hire was an unconventional one, DePodesta has clearly gained the favor of Cleveland ownership.

In 2021, we learned that DePodesta was given a five-year extension the prior season, a deal that ran through the 2024 campaign. At the time, his contract term matched those of head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, both of whom were hired in 2020.

Upon the announcement of the extension, owner Jimmy Haslam noted the logic of having his top power brokers on deals of the same length, saying, “it lines up with [Berry and Stefanski]. That makes all the sense, and we’re super excited about that. Paul’s going to be with us for a significant amount of time. Paul’s not the type, you don’t need to announce something on Paul’s behalf, but he’s going to be with us for a significant amount of time.”

The Browns have earned a playoff berth in two of the first four seasons of the Berry/Stefanski partnership, and despite the much-criticized acquisition and extension of quarterback Deshaun Watson, the club has a talented roster that has the makings of a championship contender. Berry and Stefanski were rewarded with new deals in June, though DePodesta — who also has a significant role in personnel matters and who recommended the current GM/HC pairing to Haslam — is still under contract for just one more year.

That does not mean, however, that the relationship will end at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Speaking at a recent training camp practice, Haslam said, “we’re working through the situation with Paul. It’s a little bit different because he lives in San Diego, but we’re comfortable Paul will remain with us in some very important fashion for the long term” (via Kelsey Russo of the team’s official website).

It therefore sounds like an extension for DePodesta is still in the cards, and it would not be surprising if his contract again matches the Stefanski and Berry deals in the near future.

Bills WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling On Roster Bubble

August 4th, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bills shuffled the top of their WR depth chart this offseason, parting ways with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis while signing Curtis Samuel in free agency and adding Keon Coleman in the second round of the draft. The club also acquired Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has had issues with drops in his career but who possesses the type of big-play ability that Davis has, which meshes well with quarterback Josh Allen‘s powerful arm.

Early last month, we heard that Valdes-Scantling appeared to be a roster lock. Unfortunately for him, that no longer appears to be the case, as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports that MVS “has faded into the background” and is not getting as many reps with Allen as he did when training camp opened (subscription required).

Buscaglia posits that the decision to have MVS work with the second and third units could simply be the coaching staff’s way of sending a message to the speedy wideout. Still, it’s a potentially ominous sign for a player who largely struggled throughout the 2023 regular season as a member of the Chiefs (despite some memorable highlights during Kansas City’s Super Bowl run).

Interestingly, Buscaglia says that Tyrell Shavers, a 2023 UDFA who did not see any regular season action last year, has outplayed Valdes-Scantling. Even Chase Claypool, whose star has fallen considerably since a promising start to his careeer with the Steelers, was getting more reps with Allen prior to sustaining a toe injury.

For now, the top four receivers in the Bills’ pecking order appear to be Samuel, Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Mack Hollins. Behind that quartet, players like MVS, Shavers, Claypool, Justin Shorter, KJ Hamler, and Andy Isabella will continue battling for a spot on the 53-man roster.

If Buffalo were to release Valdes-Scantling, it would incur $2.25MM in dead money, though the team has proven that it will not allow such an outcome to prevent what it believes is a necessary move. Indeed, trading Diggs to the Texans resulted in a dead cap charge of $31MM, and Buscaglia reminds us that the team cut tight end O.J. Howard before final cutdowns in 2022 — despite having signed him in March of that year — in favor of second-year UDFA Quintin Morris.

49ers LT Trent Williams “Has Conviction” In Holdout; Latest On WR Brandon Aiyuk

August 4th, 2024 at 11:11am CST by Rory Parks

Two of the 49ers’ best offensive players, LT Trent Williams and WR Brandon Aiyuk, are seeking new and/or improved contracts, with Williams staging a holdout and Aiyuk engaging in a hold-in. Williams’ endeavor is a little more unusual, as he is 36 and under contract for three more seasons, while Aiyuk is 26 and is currently on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal.

That said, Williams continues to perform like the future Hall of Famer that he is, having earned First Team All-Pro honors in each of his first three years in San Francisco. His importance to the club’s offensive operation is unmistakable, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects the Niners to address Williams’ deal in some way (subscription required).

When it comes to Williams’ contract, Fowler uses the term “rework” rather than “extend,” which our Sam Robinson suggested when Williams’ holdout was first reported and which makes sense in light of the blocker’s age and remaining club control. While there is no guaranteed money left on Williams’ deal, he is obviously in no danger of being released this season, so his $20.05MM base salary for the 2024 campaign is not in jeopardy.

However, his deal now slots in fifth among offensive tackles in terms of AAV, and regardless of the length of a contract when it is signed, an NFL club’s brass cannot be terribly surprised when a high-performing player seeks additional security after the guarantees on that contract run out. Per Fowler, Williams “has conviction” in his holdout, and as a player who has secured over $170MM in his playing career, he is not terribly concerned about the $50K in non-waivable fines that accrue with each day of camp that he misses.

While Williams and Aiyuk play different positions and are at very different stages of their careers, their contract situations do impact each other. As Fowler notes, Aiyuk is not budging from his “pay-me-or-trade-me” stance, and San Francisco is unwilling to authorize a contract at or near the top of a ballooning WR market that now has four players making at least $30MM per season. The ESPN scribe says negotiations between player and team have not progressed, and that trade offers may ultimately become too tempting for the Niners to pass up.

If San Francisco does move Aiyuk, giving Williams a raise would become much easier. One way or another, the team realizes it may need to undergo a “thoughtful reset” of its salary cap in the near future, meaning that it will need to part ways with a number of high-end players in order to remain competitive over the long haul. Of course, quarterback Brock Purdy will likely land a massive extension next season, adding another expensive contract to a roster that currently has seven players earning between $15MM-$34MM per year, with a few others just below that $15MM/year threshold.

Latest On Patriots, Matt Judon

August 4th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 4: Judon continues to participate in practice after his brief holdout, as Reiss observes. Multiple sources tell Reiss that the situation has “simmered” but is still unresolved since Judon’s contract has not yet been adjusted.

AUGUST 1: The Patriots ended one contract dispute yesterday by reaching an extension agreement with defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. The future of edge rusher Matt Judon remains a key talking point, however.

The latter did not participate in Monday’s padded practice, the first one of training camp. Judon was then absent altogether from Tuesday’s practice with communication ongoing between he and Patriots decision-makers. Wednesday was an off day for New England, and it allowed for head coach Jerod Mayo to have what he described as a “great meeting” with the four-time Pro Bowler.

“I have a great relationship with Matthew,” Mayo said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “I have a great relationship with the players. We’re moving forward… I always encourage those guys to come in and speak with me, or speak with [de facto general manager] Eliot [Wolf]. That’s what it is and those things should happen inside those walls.”

One year remains on Judon’s deal, and he is due $7.5MM in 2024. That figure includes a $6.5MM base salary which will not become guaranteed until just before Week 1. The 31-year-old joined Godchaux in expressing frustration with how numerous other in-house players received deals this offseason, the first of the Wolf-Mayo regime. Judon has reportedly received offers for a revised contract – not unlike the added incentives which temporarily ended his 2023 holdout – though he has publicly denied that.

In any case, the former fifth-rounder is taking part in Thursday’s practice, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes. That is an encouraging sign in this situation, although until a restructure or extension is worked out questions will continue to linger over Judon’s short- and long-term future with the organization. Having amassed 32 sacks in 33 Patriots games, he is positioned to remain a key member of the team’s front seven for at least one more year.

The Grand Valley State product was limited to just four games last season due to a biceps tear, however. His age and injury represent factors which could lead Wolf and Co. to hesitate with respect to giving out a long-term deal or, perhaps, even a one-year bump in pay. After a number of updates earlier in the week suggesting tensions had boiled over in this situation, though, a positive development appears to have taken place.

Justin Fields Closing Gap In Steelers’ QB Competition?

August 4th, 2024 at 8:25am CST by Rory Parks

New Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, echoing head coach Mike Tomlin’s comments throughout the offseason, said back in June that free agent signee Russell Wilson was in pole position to open the 2024 campaign as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback. Trade acquisition Justin Fields, therefore, would begin the final season of his rookie contract as Wilson’s backup.

Of course, a contestant that begins a race in pole position does not necessarily win the race. Wilson suffered a calf injury during the team’s conditioning test, and the Steelers are slow playing his recovery. That has opened the door for Fields to get more first-team reps than initially expected, and he is reportedly making the most of his opportunity.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted during an appearance on NFL Live at the end of July, Fields has “opened some eyes” with his training camp performance and is making the coaching staff realize how dynamic the offense can be with the former Bear under center (video link). Those comments are similar to those made on the first day of training camp by ESPN colleague Dan Graziano, who noted that while Fields certainly has ground to make up to overtake Wilson for the starting job, the Steelers are “open-minded about his ability to do so” (subscription required).

Like Graziano, Schefter believes Wilson is still leading the race, though it is a much closer competition than it once appeared. Because Pittsburgh has no meaningful financial connection to either player – Wilson is getting paid nearly $38MM by the Broncos but receiving just $1.21MM from the Steelers, while Fields is earning $1.62MM – there is no contractual reason for the Steelers to give the edge to one player over the other. In fact, given that Fields is just 25 and could still become the team’s next long-term passer, it would not be surprising if Tomlin – who has been a fan of the Ohio State product for some time – hopes he will unseat the 35-year-old Wilson.

Even if he privately feels that way, Tomlin is (obviously) not acknowledging it publicly. In yesterday’s appearance on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams, Tomlin made plain that Wilson is still the favorite to open the season as the QB1, and he used his favorite racing metaphor to make that point.

“I think I’ve been pretty consistent in my position there,” Tomlin said. “I’ve characterized it as pole position for Russell. And the reason I have is certainly they are competing, but I don’t overly concern ourselves with being fair. There’s no such thing as 50/50. And so we just pay respect to the totality of his resume and his experience” (video link).

If Fields does ultimately change Tomlin’s mind, Graziano believes that Wilson could ask the Steelers to release or trade him. Wilson’s contract with Pittsburgh does have a no-trade clause that would afford him some control over the process, though in a scenario in which he fails to beat out Fields for the starting gig after opening the offseason with such a clear head start, he may not have much trade value anyway. 

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