Month: September 2024

Rams To Sign OLs Geron Christian, Ty Nsekhe, Dylan McMahon

Reminding of their 2022 situation, the Rams have run into considerable offensive line trouble early. As a result, they will turn to one of their patchwork solutions from 2022. Ty Nsekhe is re-signing with the team, according to his agency.

The Rams are signing both Nsekhe and Geron Christian. Both players have primarily functioned as tackles during their careers. Christian went to camp with the Titans this year but did not make their 53-man roster. Nsekhe joined Christian with the Browns last season. This will give Nsekhe a chance to play an age-39 season.

As Los Angeles navigates needs across its front, the team is also signing Dylan McMahon off the Eagles’ practice squad, per his agency. A rookie UDFA, McMahon must remain on L.A.’s active roster for at least three weeks, since the team is poaching him from another P-squad. It would stand to reason Nsekhe and Christian are joining the Rams’ taxi squad, perhaps in preparation for quick elevation due to the dire straits along with position group.

Already playing without suspended left tackle Alaric Jackson, the Rams were without longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein against the Lions. They then lost Steve Avila to an MCL sprain that appears likely to move him to IR. Joe Noteboom also went down during the game, summoning practice squad elevation AJ Arcuri into action. Kevin Dotson played throughout, but the team’s RG starter is dealing with a lateral ankle sprain.

Havenstein, who was not part of the injury brigade in 2022, missed the opener with an ankle injury. As it stands, the Rams have only Jonah Jackson in place as a healthy starter. And the four-year Lions LG, who has already moved from left guard to center back to LG since joining the Rams, missed the preseason due to injury. With backups heavily involved already, the Rams have some extra bodies coming in to work with the team in practice.

The Rams signed Nsekhe early in the 2022 season and used the journeyman as a eight-game starter. This will mark Nsekhe’s third stint with the Rams. He began his career as a member of the St. Louis Rams — in Les Snead‘s 2012 GM debut — but then wandered to Washington, Buffalo and Dallas. Nsekhe, who will turn 39 in October, played in two Browns games last season.

Christian, who turns 28 today, and Nsekhe — teammates in 2018 (Washington) and 2023 (Cleveland) — have each made 25 starts. Christian’s most recent game work came under Bill Callahan in Cleveland. The Browns, who lost their top three tackles last season, used Christian as their left tackle over the season’s second half.

Panthers DL Derrick Brown To Undergo Meniscus Surgery, Lands On IR

SEPTEMBER 10: Brown sought a second opinion, per Dave Canales, but it also revealed surgery will be necessary. As a result, Brown is now on IR. This move could still result in Brown returning this season, via an IR activation, but the recently extended D-lineman faces the prospect of his season being over after 60 snaps. A full meniscus repair, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, almost definitely ends Brown’s season.

SEPTEMBER 9: Week 1 saw the Panthers suffer a lopsided defeat, but the more significant takeaway from the game was the injury incurred by Derrick Brown. The Pro Bowl defensive lineman is dealing with a meniscus injury and he is in danger of missing considerable time as a result.

Brown is set to undergo surgery, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. As the case of Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy recently showed, the recovery timeline will be determined by the procedure. Brown could miss the remainder of the campaign, something which would represent a massive blow to Carolina’s defense.

The 26-year-old inked a four-year, $96MM extension this offseason. That pact cemented his status as a cornerstone of the franchise and made him one of the league’s highest-paid interior defenders. Brown recorded a record-breaking 103 tackles last season, and he was positioned to once again serve as the most productive member of Carolina’s defensive front. Expectations for a step forward in terms of pass rush production were also high as the team no longer has Brian Burns along the edge.

Even if Brown is able to avoid the worst-case scenario, a multi-week absence is likely. That makes him a strong candidate for injured reserve, which would ensure at least four weeks on the sidelines. Missing considerably more time than that could cripple a defense which already gave up 47 points on Sunday. Brown played all but six defensive snaps against the Saints, but it will be quite some time until he next sees the field.

The Panthers electing for a cautious approach with the former top-10 pick would come as no surprise if a meniscus trim were to take place given his importance to the team. If a full repair is required, though, Brown will be hard-pressed to return in 2024. A’Shawn Robinson and Shy Tuttle represent Carolina’s other veteran D-linemen, and the team has a number of inexperienced options further down the depth chart.

More clarity on Brown’s status will emerge once his surgery takes place. In any event, however, he is facing a long-term absence and the Panthers are set to continue the 2024 season without their top defender.

NFC East Notes: Bland, Eagles, Giants

The Cowboys managed fine without DaRon Bland in Week 1, smothering Deshaun Watson‘s comeback effort. But the team has not gotten a chance to play Bland and Trevon Diggs together since September of last season. Bland’s IR-return designation leaves the 2023 All-Pro out of the picture until at least Week 5. While a late-August report suggested Bland could miss eight games due to the foot stress fracture he suffered, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Cowboys are optimistic Bland will be ready to return when first eligible.

This would be welcome news for a Cowboys team that has seen each of its preferred top three corners sustain a significant injury since 2022. Jourdan Lewis suffered a career-threatening Lisfranc injury that season, and Diggs tore an ACL in September. The latter issue moved Bland from the slot to the boundary, leading to his record-breaking five-pick-six performance last season. The Cowboys used fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson as their starter alongside Diggs in Cleveland.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Devin White‘s role will be one to monitor when he debuts for the Eagles. The free agency addition missed Week 1, with Nakobe Dean starting alongside Zack Baun. Dean and Baun served as Vic Fangio‘s LB regulars in the Brazil game, and while White should still have a role upon debuting, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes Dean beat out the former Buccaneers top-five pick for a starting job. White was believed to be on track for a starting role before camp. The Eagles had planned for Dean to be their top linebacker last season, but two IR stints — because of a foot issue — changed that plan. Dean’s injury-plagued second season, after he backed up Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards as a rookie, led to the White and Baun signings. White is coming off a disappointing Bucs season, which ended with a reduced role. After previously aiming for a top-five ILB deal in 2023, White is on a one-year, $4MM contract.
  • The Eagles lost four front office execs to assistant GM roles in 2022, leading Howie Roseman to rebuild his power structure. This resulted in both Alec Halaby and Jon Ferrari being elevated to the assistant GM role that had previously stood vacant despite the front office talent Roseman had stockpiled. Halaby interviewed for the Commanders and Panthers’ GM jobs during this year’s cycle, meeting about the Carolina gig twice. Ferrari should be expected to be summoned for GM meetings soon as well, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes (subscription required). Ferrari has been with the Eagles since 2016. Prior to the AGM bump, he worked mainly in the team’s compliance department.
  • Both Nick McCloud and Gunner Olszewski are expected to miss time for the Giants. McCloud, who pushed for a starting cornerback spot in training camp, sustained a knee injury that could keep him out weeks, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano notes. Olszewski sustained a groin injury and will miss extensive time. Both players re-signed on one-year deals this offseason.
  • Staying with the Giants, the team used 2023 third-rounder Jalin Hyatt as its No. 4 wide receiver in Week 1. Hyatt played only 16 snaps against the Vikings, with Vacchiano indicating the Tennessee alum is “clearly behind” the Malik NabersWan’Dale RobinsonDarius Slayton trio. This could certainly change if the Giants considered a Slayton trade — which they did not during the offseason — but the deep threat played at least 16 snaps in 15 of his 17 rookie-year games.
  • The Cowboys were among the teams to create cap space recently. They restructured Terence Steele‘s contract, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates. This update creates $4.5MM in cap space for the team, one that just agreed to the most lucrative deal in NFL history (Dak Prescott‘s four-year, $240MM extension).
  • Josh Harris will work with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO Tad Brown in running the search for the team’s next president, the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala tweets. The Commanders are searching for a successor to Jason Wright, who announced he will leave the post after the season.

Steelers Preparing For Justin Fields To Start In Week 2

Russell Wilson won the Steelers’ starting job after the preseason, but his return trip to Denver may feature street clothes or another full uniform and no game action.

Mike Tomlin is preparing for Justin Fields to start against the Broncos, The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo notes. The 18th-year Steelers HC said Wilson, who aggravated his training camp calf injury last week, does not have a chance to practice fully until at least Thursday, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Wilson is set to be limited Wednesday, which does keep the door open to a return.

Wilson is feeling better, Tomlin added, but the Steelers — having seen the free agent signing’s calf problem recur — are again leaning toward exercising caution. Wilson still suited up for Pittsburgh’s opener in Atlanta, and given his recent past, he will undoubtedly push to play in Week 2. The Broncos released Wilson after two years, doing so after demoting him — due largely to an injury guarantee in his contract — in Week 17.

Although no Steelers touchdowns occurred in their 18-10 win over the Falcons, Fields completed 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards while rushing for 57. Fields closed the gap on Wilson, despite frequent pole position-related classifications of the Steelers’ QB race this offseason, after the latter’s injury during training camp and would stand to help his case to be Pittsburgh’s full-time starter by playing well in Week 2.

The trade acquisition has not usurped Wilson just yet, Tomlin added (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor), though SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates plenty in the building are excited to see how Fields builds on his first start. This comes after a report that pointed to Fields having significant support in the QB battle from sources at the Steelers’ facility.

More Fields reps may well hurt Wilson’s cause, and although rumors about the Steelers being interested in post-2024 partnerships with both passers, this will probably be the only season Wilson and Fields are teammates. The Broncos benched Wilson largely due to contract concerns; he has never been parked strictly for performance issues. Wilson, 35, had never missed a game until 2021; a finger injury sidelined him then. In 2022, however, Wilson gave way to Brett Rypien twice — because of a hamstring injury and a concussion.

The Broncos moved on via their Bo Nix draft choice at No. 12 overall. Wilson still counts a record-smashing $53MM in dead money on Denver’s payroll, with more than $30MM in Wilson funds — from a post-June 1 cut — to be on the Broncos’ 2025 cap sheet.

Bills Extend RT Spencer Brown

SEPTEMBER 10: This extension checks in at four years and $72MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. It will provide the fourth-year RT $45MM guaranteed. Despite the recent record-setting cap spike, this only makes Brown the NFL’s seventh-highest-paid player at his position. In terms of guarantees, Brown’s deal ranks sixth among RTs. Still, Brown did quite well by scoring a deal that betters — AAV-wise, at least — high-end 2023 RT signees Mike McGlinchey and Terence Steele.

SEPTEMBER 6: Another extension has been worked out in time for the start of the season. Right tackle Spencer Brown has agreed to a four-year deal Bills deal, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The news is now official, per a team announcement.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Buffalo Bills]

Brown was set to enter 2024 as a pending free agent. Instead, he will complete his rookie contract knowing he will remain a staple of Buffalo’s offensive line for years to come. As a result of this news, the 26-year-old is under team control through the 2028 campaign.

Given the recent report indicating the Bills hoped to get a deal done with Brown before the season, today’s news comes as no surprise. Buffalo has also taken care of an important piece of financial business well before next spring, by which point Brown may have upped his value with another strong season. He and left tackle Dion Dawkins are both on the books for the foreseeable future and they will be counted on as impactful contributors up front.

Brown’s first two seasons included signficant playing time, but they did not draw strong PFF reviews. The Northern Iowa product took a step forward in that regard last season, with his run blocking standing out in particular. The midseason change from Ken Dorsey to Joe Brady as offensive coordinator led to a ground-based approach to close out the year. If that remains the case, Brown could be in position to continue developing (although improvement in pass protection will be a priority as his career continues).

Buffalo has Dawkins, Brown, along with the interior trio of David EdwardsConnor McGovern and O’Cyrus Torrence still intact from last season. That continuity along the O-line will be welcomed to start the 2024 season, one in which the team’s receiver room will look much different. How well the Bills’ passing attack fares with the new skill position pieces in place will be worth watching closely, but an effective unit up front will aid in that regard.

The right tackle market has seen upward movement in recent years, and for a time this offseason Penei Sewell had an extension which dwarfed all those for blindside blockers. That $28MM-per-season Lions accord will no doubt remain well ahead of Brown’s compensation on his second Bills pact, but the latter has nonetheless set himself up for a notable raise moving forward.

David Njoku Facing Potential Absence; Browns Line Up TE Workouts

David Njoku exited the Browns’ Week 1 loss due to an ankle injury, and he could be sidelined for a stretch as a result. The Pro Bowl tight end is believed to be have suffered a high ankle sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Njoku was in a walking boot after the team’s season opener, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com adds. No firm timeline for his recovery is in place, but head coach Kevin Stefanski called him week-to-week. Losing Njoku for any period of time would deal a blow to a Browns passing attack which struggled on Sunday.

The 28-year-old set career highs in receptions (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (six) last season. Njoku faces expectations to remain a key member of Cleveland’s offense moving forward, and before being injured he recorded four catches for 44 yards. The former first-rounder is on the books for two more seasons as he continues to play out his $54.75MM deal.

With Njoku in line to miss time, Cleveland signed wideout Kadarius Toney to the practice squad. The former first-rounder recently visited the Browns, and he will aim to carve out a role amongst the likes of Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman. At the tight end position, though, the team is in the process of seeking out an addition.

Cleveland hosted Geoff Swaim on a workout today, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. In addition, the team has visits lined up with Irv Smith and Tommy Sweeney, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. Swain has the most experience in the group as a veteran of 102 combined regular and postseason games. The 30-year-old played out his rookie contract with the Cowboys before spending time in Jacksonville, Tennessee and Arizona. Swaim’s best campaign (in terms of catches and touchdowns) came with the Titans in 2021 when he posted a 31-210-3 statline.

Smith flashed potential during his Vikings tenure, but the 26-year-old has struggled with injuries in his career. Smith did not have an impactful one-year stint with the Bengals last season, and he failed to survive roster cuts with the Chiefs last month. Sweeney, 29, missed all of last season while spending the campaign on the Giants’ NFI list. He landed a deal with the Bears in free agency, but he too was released ahead of the cutdown deadline. Sweeney is a veteran of 24 games played with the Bills from 2019-22 in a depth and special teams capacity.

After restructuring Deshaun Watson‘s contract once again, the Browns have over $48MM in cap space. A short-term addition to replace Njoku will therefore be feasible, and it will be interesting to see if any of these visits produce an agreement.

Panthers To Sign OLB Charles Harris

Known to be in the market for an edge rush addition, the Panthers are set to make a move ahead of Week 2. Carolina plans to sign Charles HarrisTom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

[RELATED: Derrick Brown Suffers Meniscus Injury]

Harris entered the league with high expectations as a first-round pick. His three-year Dolphins stint did not see him develop into an every-down starter, however. While handling a rotational role, he totaled 3.5 sacks in Miami before flashing more potential during a three-sack 2020 campaign with the Falcons. Harris signed a one-year deal with the Lions in the subsequent offseason, setting himself up for his most productive year.

The Missouri alum started 14 of 17 games during his debut Detroit campaign, totaling 7.5 sacks and 19 pressures. Harris worked under Todd Wash that year; Wash is now the Panthers’ defensive line coach. Harris will hope to deliver another strong year of production upon reuniting with him. The 29-year-old played out a two-year Lions pact in 2022 and ’23, a stretch in which he was limited to 19 games and 2.5 sacks.

The missed time and drop-off in production helped explain how Harris remained a free agent throughout the offseason and into September. By taking a deal in Week 2, his base salary will not be guaranteed. Still, this Panthers pact – which will no doubt be a low-cost, one-year commitment – will give him the opportunity to rebuild his stock while providing Carolina with a veteran contributor in the pass rush department. ESPN’s David Newton notes Harris visited the team last week, so today’s news comes as no surprise.

The Panthers placed both D.J. Wonnum and Amare Barno on the reserve/PUP list ahead of roster cutdowns, meaning those edge rushers will not be available until at least Week 5. Carolina moved on from K’Lavon Chaisson before the season opener, leaving the team particularly thin at the outside linebacker spot. During their blowout loss on Sunday, the Panthers registered only one sack. If he can regain his previous form, Harris may be able to help in that regard for the remainder of the campaign.

 

Packers Will Not Place Jordan Love On IR; Team Has Not Contacted Free Agent QBs

The Packers are set to rely on Malik Willis in the event Jordan Love misses time over the coming weeks. That remains a distinct possibility in the latter’s case, but he will not be placed on injured reserve.

Love is dealing with an MCL sprain, and he is facing a recovery timeline of three to six weeks. Placing him on IR would guarantee an absence of at least four weeks, but head coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday that route will not be taken. Love is therefore a candidate to return on the short end of that timeframe, and for that reason Green Bay is not interested in adding a signal-caller.

“No. Despite reports,” LaFleur said of the Packers having interest in a free agent quarterback (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). “It’s crazy to me how people come up with some of these things. I think you explore every possibility, but at no point in time did we ever have any discussions with anybody.”

A report from Sunday stated the Packers reached out to Ryan Tannehill, the most experienced quarterback currently on the market. It was unclear at the time if Green Bay represented a destination Tannehill was interested in as he weighs his options, but LaFleur’s comments confirm no contract talks took place anyway. With Love set to only miss a brief period, the team will rely on Willis and Sean Clifford under center.

Green Bay had Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt in place during the summer as they competed for the backup gig. Neither passer impressed, and they were both waived during roster cutdowns. Clifford cleared waivers and was retained on the practice squad whereas Pratt departed and joined the Buccaneers’ taxi squad.

Willis was acquired via trade shortly before the roster cut deadline, giving him a short window of time to learn the Packers’ offense. The former Titans draftee did not anticipate being dealt despite the fact free agent signing Mason Rudolph outperformed him during training camp and the preseason. Willis, 25, made three starts as a rookie but he made only three appearances last season as Tennessee transitioned from Tannehill to Will Levis. The Packers will offer him a new opportunity on a short-term basis until Love is back to full health.

Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

As we reach the end of this year’s Offseason In Review journey, the defending NFC champions — who played the lead role in churning out summer content — close the show. After coming closer to winning a championship without actually doing so than anyone in the Super Bowl era, the 49ers completed a busy offseason.

Extensions and reworkings, one after an endless rumor spree that involved a handful of other teams, dominated a San Francisco offseason that also featured a key coaching change. Here is how the 2023 runners-up went about assembling their latest Super Bowl contender.

Extensions and restructures:

Amid the 49ers’ months-long Aiyuk odyssey, they rewarded the game’s most dynamic running back. As RB salaries stagnated ahead of a 2023 crisis point at the position, this year brought some relief for the market. Saquon Barkley secured $26MM fully guaranteed to top all backs. No player had approached McCaffrey’s $16MM-per-year AAV, however; that number topped position since the Panthers signed off on it in April 2020. But McCaffrey’s deal had paid out its guarantees ahead of the All-Pro’s age-28 season. The 49ers soon took care of the 2022 trade acquisition, raising the RB ceiling with a number unlikely to be approached in the near future.

McCaffrey now holds the RB AAV lead by $4MM, and his $24MM at signing trails only Barkley. Of course, CMC already played four seasons on the deal he inked with the Panthers to set himself up well despite playing a position with a notoriously short career span.

The second-generation NFLer proved a perfect fit in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, giving Brock Purdy an unmatched backfield weapon as he began his QB1 run. The 49ers beat out the Rams by sending second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-round picks for McCaffrey and saw tremendous return on investment last year, when the former top-10 draftee soared to Offensive Player of the Year acclaim.

McCaffrey’s rushing title (1,459 yards) was the franchise’s first since Hall of Famer Joe Perry in 1954, and the OPOY’s 21 total touchdowns led the league despite the 49ers resting him in Week 18. McCaffrey’s workload (1,806 career touches) and Carolina injury history certainly bring concerns entering Year 8, but he has shown the value a top-tier RB can provide a team and did well to secure money through 2025.

Although the deal runs through the 2027 season, it becomes a pay-as-you-go pact beyond 2025. It would cost the 49ers $12.8MM to move on from McCaffrey in 2026, but even if that happens, this will still be considered a successful partnership. The 49ers had kept RB costs low since their 2018 Jerick McKinnon deal did not pan out, but they will hope to again lean on the game’s most expensive ball-carrier as they attempt to win their first Super Bowl in 30 years.

This payment may well have provided a push for Williams to act regarding his contract, as he is by far the top player blocking for McCaffrey. The 49ers have constructed an offensive line that features only Williams tied to a deal worth more than $6MM per year, leaving the door open to this holdout due to the value the perennial All-Pro left tackle provides. A rumor about a potential Williams contract squabble surfaced in June, and the decorated blocker indeed followed through on an attempt to seek an update midway through his six-year deal.

Williams, 36, signed a six-year, $138MM contract in 2021, as the 49ers beat out the Chiefs to re-sign a player who would secure Hall of Fame entry on this contract. The former Washington top-five pick, a first-team All-Pro each year from 2021-23, had played out the guarantees on his contract. Despite the 49ers controlling Williams through 2026, they were dealing with a player who had already displayed conviction via his 2019 Washington standoff — one that ultimately keyed a 2020 trade to San Francisco. The 49ers’ O-line construction also brings Williams dependance, a blueprint reflected in the team’s 0-2 record without its stalwart LT last season.

Between missed practices and preseason games, this holdout cost Williams $5.39MM to wage. Although the CBA prevented the 49ers from waiving Williams’ fines like they did for Nick Bosa (due to the former being on a veteran contract), the holdout probably proved worthwhile for the 15th-year veteran. Williams’ updated deal added no new years but made him the NFL’s highest-paid tackle once again ($27.55MM per year) and made it nearly impossible for the 49ers to move on until at least 2026. Even then, the penalty would now be steep ($35.7MM).

With Williams confirming late last season he was not planning to retire, the 49ers will show faith he can deliver multiple additional seasons. With one more Pro Bowl nod, Williams — an 11-time Pro Bowler — can set the NFL tackle record.

Jennings’ agreement pointed to the 49ers splitting up their Aiyuk-Deebo Samuel pair in 2025, and with Aiyuk finally signed, Samuel trade rumors probably are not far away. A former seventh-round pick, Jennings has delivered strong value. The team attempted to replace Jennings with third-rounder Danny Gray, but Jennings has proven important in more ways than one. The ex-quarterback caught and threw a TD pass in Super Bowl LVIII, coming after a 361-snap season, and PFF rated him as the NFL’s third-best run-blocking receiver in 2023.

Previously given a second-round RFA tender, the 27-year-old role player is signed through 2025. He rounds out a deep receiving corps, should first-rounder Ricky Pearsall eventually factor into this season’s equation. Of course, this was a footnote compared to the next notable WR transaction the 49ers completed.

John Lynch said in February an Aiyuk extension would present challenges; this proved a good synopsis for the action-packed negotiations ahead. Discussions began in late March, but no movement between the parties occurred for months. This produced countless rumors about Aiyuk’s price points — in terms of AAV and guarantees — and invited other teams to inquire. Trade talks did not become serious until training camp, though the 49ers — as they did with Samuel during his 2022 impasse — discussed Aiyuk with teams during the draft. San Francisco wanted a mid-first-round pick for the second-team All-Pro; no team made such an offer, and by summer’s end, no team ultimately would.

During the sides’ negotiations, the wideout market shifted. When the parties began talking, one receiver was tied to a deal north of $30MM per year (Tyreek Hill). Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown joined that club in April, and Justin Jefferson reset the market in late May. CeeDee Lamb used the Jefferson deal to secure monster terms from the Cowboys following a holdout. The top two contracts on the market did not affect Aiyuk too closely, but the position’s ceiling rising as it did inflated asking prices for players not quite on that level. The Dolphins and Eagles respectively paying Jaylen Waddle ($28.25MM per year, $76MM guaranteed) and DeVonta Smith ($25MM AAV, $69.99MM guaranteed) shaped the Aiyuk talks as well.

These deals did not convince the 49ers to change their Aiyuk view for months; the team stood at a price between $26-$27MM per year until training camp. Aiyuk had aimed to land St. Brown-level money and targeted guarantees in the Brown range ($84MM). An ascending player, the 26-year-old talent still exited the 2023 season 17th in receiving yards in the 2020s. Aiyuk’s surface-level stats brought scrutiny regarding his demands.

The 2020 first-round pick, however, displayed high-end efficiency last season. His 1,342-yard year came on just 105 targets in the 49ers’ well-balanced offense. Aiyuk’s 3.01 yards per route run ranked third in the NFL last year, and his camp undoubtedly parlayed this efficiency — along with Aiyuk’s importance to a championship contender — into the late-August windfall.

Before reaching the finish line, the 49ers let Aiyuk shop around. Had he wanted to merely take the best deal, the Patriots (at $32MM per year, with Kendrick Bourne potentially coming back to San Francisco) may have been the trade partner. But Aiyuk did not want to be dealt to New England or Cleveland, the latter offering $30MM per and submitting an interesting package involving contract-year WR Amari Cooper along with second- and fifth-round picks. Although Aiyuk would have welcomed being dealt to the Commanders and reuniting with college teammate Jayden Daniels, they were not especially interested.

The Steelers — an Aiyuk draw largely due to Mike Tomlin‘s presence — became the “what if?” team, but their trade and extension offers underwhelmed both the 49ers and Aiyuk. Trade framework ultimately emerged, but the underwhelming proposals ended up bringing Aiyuk back to the table with the 49ers, who again turned a WR trade request into a summer extension. Of course, it took San Francisco upping its offer to $30MM per.

Pittsburgh not having a comparable receiver to trade for Aiyuk hurt its cause, leading San Francisco to contact other teams about what would have essentially been a three-team trade. Most notably, they offered the Broncos a third-rounder for Courtland Sutton. The Steelers offered second- and third-round picks for Aiyuk, but the 49ers being unable to flip the third they would have obtained for Sutton helped keep Aiyuk in the fold. Sitting on the same extension offer for two-plus weeks, Aiyuk accepted and is now the NFL’s sixth $30MM-per-year receiver.

Considering how difficult it would have been for the 49ers to replace their top outside receiver at this juncture, a late-summer trade never made much sense. Had the 49ers been rebuilding and determined to obtain the most value, Aiyuk is probably in the AFC now. For one more season at least, the 49ers’ four-All-Pro skill-position setup — which includes Samuel and George Kittle on through-2025 contracts — is intact. A likely Purdy 2025 extension threatens to split up the quartet after this season.

Free agency additions:

These signings seem like they occurred years ago, as the 49ers’ holdover contracts overshadowed their outside additions. But Floyd represents a key piece for a team that carried far less proven edge rushers opposite Bosa for a multiyear stretch. After washing out with the Bears, Floyd revitalized his career alongside Aaron Donald. Floyd’s Bills work, however, showed he was not merely a Donald creation.

The former top-10 Chicago pick matched his career high with 10.5 sacks last season, becoming a vital defender for a Bills team that did not see Von Miller display his 2022 form after a second ACL tear. Given a one-year, $7MM Buffalo deal, Floyd anchored the AFC East champs’ pass rush. He is in San Francisco due to an assist from offseason hire Brandon Staley, the ex-Rams DC who pushed for a reunion.

Floyd, who turned 32 on Sunday, has been one of the 2020s’ most consistent rushers. He has totaled between nine and 10.5 sacks in each of the past four seasons and tallied between 18 and 22 QB hits each year this decade. Teaming with Bosa and highly regarded D-line coach Kris Kocurek should allow Floyd to continue producing at this level.

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Steelers To Sign P Corliss Waitman, S Terrell Edmunds

Cameron Johnston is out for the year, and as a result the Steelers are in need of a new punter. The team is set to turn to a familiar face at the position. Pittsburgh plans to sign Corliss Waitman, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. This will mark his third stint with the organization.

Besides brief offseason stints with the Raiders and Patriots, Waitman spent the majority of his first two NFL seasons in Pittsburgh, getting into a pair of games during the 2021 campaign. He got a full-time gig with the Broncos in 2022, appearing in all 17 games while pacing the NFL with 96 punts. He earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 3 of that season after placing six of his 10 punts inside the 20.

Since leaving Denver, he’s had a second stint with the Patriots and a short gig with the Bears. Now, he’ll be joining a Steelers squad that needs some reinforcement after losing their starter for the entire season. Per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer, Waitman was one of six punters who auditioned for Pittsburgh today, with the Steelers also taking a look at Jack Browning, Trenton Gill, Matt Haack, Austin McNamara, and Porter Wilson.

The Steelers weren’t done with reunions today, as the team also signed safety Terrell Edmunds off the Jaguars practice squad, per Pelissero. The former first-round pick started 75 of his 79 appearances in Pittsburgh to begin his career, but the 2023 campaign proved to be a tumultuous campaign for the veteran.

After joining the Eagles last offseason, Edmunds started three of his seven appearances for his new squad before getting shipped to Tennessee. He started one of his nine appearances for the Titans down the stretch. He caught on with the Jaguars this past offseason and was among the team’s final cuts, but he landed on the practice squad to start the season. He was promoted to the active roster for Week 1, getting into six defensive snaps.

Rookie Ryan Watts is out for the entire season with a neck injury, so the team is likely adding Edmunds after getting a look at some of their in-house replacements. Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott will still soak up the majority of the snaps at the position, but Edmunds will now provide the team will additional backup options beyond Damontae Kazee and Miles Killebrew.