HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Latest On Giants, CB Adoree’ Jackson

September 2nd, 2024 at 1:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

Adoree’ Jackson had a lengthy spell on the open market come to an end once he took a visit with the Giants last week. That move immediately resulted in a contract being worked out, one which will allow the veteran corner to resume his New York tenure.

Jackson signed a three-year, $39MM deal in 2021 to join the Giants; he operated as a starting corner throughout that time. 2023 was not a strong season, however, as the 28-year-old allowed a 95.5 passer rating and 65.9% completion percentage in coverage. Allowing his contract to expire in March, the team made other moves in the secondary. The starting CB spot opposite Deonte Banks remained a question mark entering roster cuts, though, and Jackson could reprise his first-team defensive role.

The 28-year-old spoke to the media on Monday while reflecting on his free agency. He said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post) he did not visit any other teams prior to meeting with the Giants. That explains his months-long spell on the market, and it also underscores the mutual interest which existed in a New York reunion. Jackson added he did not make a starting gig a condition of his decision to re-sign, but he did seek out signs from the team that he was “truly wanted back” (h/t Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News).

A full-time starting spot may not be feasible for Jackson in Week 1 given the short turnaround from his signing to the start of the regular season. He will be an option to log at least a rotational in the secondary, though, and he could also make an impact on special teams. With Gunner Olszewski not at full strength, head coach Brian Daboll named Jackson (via Dunleavy) as a candidate to handle punt return duties.

Jackson regularly handled punts during part of his tenure in Tennessee, totaling 50 returns across the 2017 and ’18 seasons. He has not been used in that role very much since then, but 2024 could see him fill in for Olszewski on a temporary basis if needed. Jackson is on a one-year deal, and his value will be determined by his success in whatever role he winds up carving out for himself upon returning to New York.

Broncos Received Renewed Trade Interest For WR Courtland Sutton

September 2nd, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

If the 49ers had dealt Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers, San Francisco would have attempted to compensate for his departure by acquiring veteran wideout Courtland Sutton. The Broncos rebuked that trade interest, but they received other calls on the Sutton front.

[RELATED: Broncos Cut WR Tim Patrick]

Head coach Sean Payton said on Monday that “many teams” made inquiries into Sutton over the past several months (h/t Mike Klis of 9News). The 28-year-old has frequently found himself a trade candidate, with a Ravens swap nearly taking place in March 2023. That did not end up materializing, although Sutton and Jerry Jeudy remained on the trade block through last year’s deadline.

Denver put a second-round price tag on Sutton, who remained in place and scored a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023. The Broncos ended up adhering to Jeudy’s renewed trade request by dealing him to the Browns, leaving Sutton in place as a key holdover for a passing attack which will be led by first-round rookie Bo Nix. One of several receivers to express displeasure with their contract situations, Sutton skipped OTAs but took part in mandatory minicamp and training camp while seeking an adjustment to his deal.

That effort ultimately landed him $1.7MM in incentives being added to his 2024 compensation. Sutton is under contract for the next two years, and another impressive season from the former Pro Bowler this season would help his case to land an extension next spring. Sutton has topped 1,000 yards only once in his career, but the Broncos’ decision to keep him in place is a sign of the team’s willingness to rely on him as a No. 1 wideout.

Payton termed the 49ers’ reported offer (a third-round pick) “a stretch,” adding that negotiations did not go far. Aiyuk wound up agreeing to a 49ers extension, taking San Francisco out of the market for any further Sutton pursuit. No reports over the summer pointed to any serious talks with other suitors taking place regarding the SMU product, although he is obviously still a target for interested parties. A strong first half of the season could leave Denver out of seller status ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, but otherwise it would not come as a surprise if Sutton’s name were to emerge on the trade block once again.

RB Leonard Fournette To Visit Colts

September 2nd, 2024 at 11:11am CST by Adam La Rose

On the lookout for a new opportunity before the regular season starts, Leonard Fournette has a visit lined up. The veteran running back will meet with the Colts today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Fournette spent time with the Bills last season, making a pair of appearances. The 29-year-old received only 12 carries, and after being inactive during the wild-card round of the playoffs he was released from Buffalo’s practice squad in advance of the divisional round. That move set up a lengthy free agent spell which is ongoing.

The LSU product changed agents this summer as part of his bid to find a new opportunity. Training camps have come and gone without interest developing, however, so Fournette faces a challenge to sign with a team ahead of Week 1. If today’s visit were to produce a deal, he would provide experienced depth in Indianapolis’ backfield. The former Jaguar and Buccaneer has two 1,000-yard rushing seasons on his resume, and his time as a starter in Tampa Bay yielded productive campaigns in 2021 and ’22. His value has certainly taken a major hit recently, though.

The Colts have Jonathan Taylor in place atop the depth chart, but the team’s options behind him face questions. Zack Moss departed in free agency, meaning Taylor will need to remain healthy upon handling workhorse duties in 2024, the final year of his $42MM extension which includes guaranteed salary. Indianapolis also has Trey Sermon (who has dealt with a hamstring injury this summer) and Tyler Goodson (who was on the field for 50 snaps as a rookie in 2023) in place as things stand. Evan Hull was cut last week but brought back on a practice squad deal.

As Mike Chappell of Fox59 reports, Fournette is one of several players the Colts are auditioning on Monday. It will be interesting to see if any of those workouts result in a deal in advance of Week 1. Indianapolis currently has just over $15MM in cap space, so a low-cost move for Fournette or players at other positions would be feasible.

Chiefs Place RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire On NFI List

September 2nd, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Adam La Rose

Kansas City will be shorthanded in the backfield to begin the season. The Chiefs placed Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the reserve/NFI list on Monday, as detailed by ESPN’s Field Yates.

As a result, Edwards-Helaire will be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. Isiah Pacheco remains in place to handle lead back duties, while undrafted rookie Carson Steele made the roster after impressing during training camp and the preseason. Edwards-Helaire missed considerable time during training camp as well as Sunday’s practice, though, Yates’ colleague Adam Teicher notes. Today’s move thus comes as little surprise.

Edwards-Helaire, 25, entered the league with high expectations as the top running back in his class. The No. 32 pick in the 2020 draft racked up 1,100 scrimmage yards in his rookie season, but since then he has seen his usage rate and production drop with each passing season. A free agent departure during the spring would have been sensible since it would have provided him a fresh start. Instead, Edwards-Helaire remained in Kansas City on a one-year deal. The pact includes $1.33MM guaranteed and can reach a maximum value of $1.7MM.

The LSU alum logged a snap share of only 22% last season, but the Chiefs’ decision not to re-sign Jerick McKinnon left open the possibility for an increased pass-catching role in 2024. Kansas City recently added Samaje Perine, however, and the veteran is in place to handle third-down duties. Perine made 50 receptions last year with the Broncos, but he was let go with other options in place in the Denver backfield.

Pacheco received a career-high 205 carries in 2023, and he should again log a heavy workload on early downs in particular this season. Perine and Steele will offer complementary options in the backfield while Edwards-Helaire recovers. The latter will need a strong showing in 2024 to land another deal with the Chiefs (or to boost his 2025 free agent prospects). Today’s news is obviously not an encouraging start to the campaign in Edwards-Helaire’s case.

Commanders Sign LB Nick Bellore

September 2nd, 2024 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

Nick Bellore saw his Seahawks tenure come to an end earlier this offseason, but he will have a new opportunity in time for Week 1. The veteran linebacker and special teamer joined the Commanders via a practice squad deal, per a team announcement. The Pedestrian Podcast first reported that a contract was imminent.

Bellore made 10 defensive starts in 2016, his second and final season with the 49ers. During his time with the Jets before that – along with the Lions and Seahawks afterwards – however, his main contributions came on special teams. The 35-year-old has also seen time as a fullback, although he was used very sparingly in that capacity during his Seattle tenure.

One year remained on Bellore’s contract entering free agency, but the Seahawks released him in a cost-cutting move. That decision began a lengthy free agent stay, but by signing ahead of the regular season the former UDFA will be available for the Commanders as a potential gameday elevation from the practice squad. Bellore earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020 and ’23 for his special teams play, and he has collected double-digit tackles in his third phase work in each of the past four years.

The Commanders ranked 26th in special teams DVOA last season, leaving plenty of room for improvement in 2024. New head coach Dan Quinn will oversee Washington’s rebuilding efforts in a number of capacities, and expectations for a defensive turnaround in particular are in place given the nature of the team’s offseason. Bellore could be a depth option in the linebacking corps (especially if he were to land on the active roster), but primarily he will be in place for his special teams contributions. A veteran of 204 combined regular and postseason games, Bellore intended to continue his career once his Seahawks release went through.

This Commanders accord will allow him to meet that goal while not significantly affecting Washington’s cap outlook. The team entered Monday with roughly $27MM in cap space, and adding Bellore will not take away flexibility for other moves leading up to Week 1.

Steelers Discussing Extensions With DT Cameron Heyward, TE Pat Freiermuth

September 2nd, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers have a strict policy against in-season contract negotiations. No exceptions will be made in 2024 with respect to new arrivals like quarterbacks Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, and the same applies for in-house players aiming for a new deal.

With that team-imposed deadline approaching, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes talks are ongoing between the Steelers and the camps of defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and tight end Pat Freiermuth. Both players are pending free agents whose financial futures have drawn attention earlier this offseason. It will be interesting to see if a deal can be struck with at least one before the regular season kicks off.

Heyward threatened to skip OTAs in the spring when he made his desire for a new deal known, although he wound up participating in the voluntary workouts along with minicamp and training camp. The three-time All-Pro is angling for a two-year extension, and his preference would be to remain in Pittsburgh to close out his career. Heyward has spent his entire 13-year tenure with the Steelers, serving as the anchor of the team’s defensive front for much of that time.

The 35-year-old earned a Pro Bowl nod every year from 2017-22, reaching double-digits sacks three times in that span. This past season was marred by a groin injury, though, and Heyward was limited to just two sacks, his lowest total since 2012. He will be healthy for the start of the coming campaign, and in the absence of a deal being worked out, the extent to which he regains his previous form will determine how willing the Steelers are to make another financial commitment. An update from July indicated team and player were not making progress toward an agreement, but Steelers GM Omar Khan more recently confirmed his expectation Heyward will be in the fold beyond 2024.

Heyward is due $16MM this season, but his cap hit sits at $22.41MM. The latter figure ranks second in 2024 cap charges for defensive linemen and 11th overall for defensive players. An extension would lessen Heyward’s cap hit in the immediate future, but with recent draft investments like Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal and Logan Lee in place alongside veterans Larry Ogunjobi and Dean Lowry, Pittsburgh could be hesitant to make another multi-year commitment. Heyward ruled out the Browns as a potential 2025 free agent destination, but he is open to playing elsewhere if no new agreement is reached.

To little surprise, given the age difference between the players, Dulac adds that Freiermuth is likelier than Heyward to work out a deal in the coming days. The 25-year-old had an impressive start to his career, recording back-to-back 60-catch seasons. Freiermuth scored nine touchdowns during that time, leading to high expectations for the 2023 campaign. He was limited to 12 games last year, though, and only managed a 32-308-2 statline.

Nevertheless, Freiermuth is known to be on Pittsburgh’s extension radar. The Penn State alum is entering the final year of his rookie contract as things stand, putting him in line to collect $1.48MM. A long-term deal will of course check in at a much higher price, especially if the Steelers remain confident Freiermuth can perform at the level he did in 2021 and ’22. 11 tight ends are currently attached to an AAV of $10MM or more, and Freiermuth could join that group or at least take a step toward it on a second Pittsburgh contract.

The Steelers have George Pickens in place as their top receiver, but in the wake of not landing Brandon Aiyuk via trade questions have been raised about their depth at the position. Regardless of how Pittsburgh’s other wideouts perform, Freiermuth could handle a large offensive role while working under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith – someone whose scheme is known to be tight end-friendly. As the countdown to Week 1 continues, the status of both Heyward and Freiermuth will be worth monitoring.

49ers WR Ricky Pearsall Released From Hospital

September 1st, 2024 at 9:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not long after Ricky Pearsall was upgraded from serious but stable condition to fair condition, more good news has emerged regarding the 49ers rookie wide receiver. He has been released from the hospital Sunday afternoon, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows reports.

Pearsall was shot during an attempted robbery on Saturday. Per Erin Pearsall, Ricky’s mother, the bullet entered his chest and exited through his back without hitting any vital organs. She added that her son is in good spirits. The first-round pick will continue recuperating away from the hospital.

A statement from the San Francisco Police Department indicated Pearsall, 23, was shot in the chest while on his way to a signing event. The shooting took place in San Francisco’s Union Square. A struggle for the gun took place, and both he and the suspect, a 17-year-old male, were shot. A discharge occurring so soon after the shooting represents great news for Pearsall, all things considered.

The former Florida and Arizona State wideout had been expected to play a key role on this year’s 49ers team, but that is certainly on hold while the prospect recovers. The 49ers are well positioned at wideout this year, though their wait on Pearsall’s on-field development is obviously not the main focus right now.

It is too soon to speculate on when Pearsall will be able to resume his playing career. The 49ers drafted him on the same day in which Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel trade talks occurred. Those discussions continued to Day 2 of the draft, but John Lynch closed the book on them post-draft. Pearsall’s development stands to loom as a factor for Samuel’s long-term San Francisco status, but Aiyuk is now signed to a four-year extension and the oldest of the team’s WR starters is also signed for two more years.

Pearsall began 49ers training camp on the team’s active/NFI list due to a hamstring injury, doing so after he had participated in offseason workouts in a limited capacity. The former Aiyuk college teammate had then sustained a partially dislocated shoulder that kept him out for weeks. His recent experience certainly minimizes those minor maladies, and the 49ers will begin their season without the rookie, whose recovery will become a central storyline for the defending NFC champions.

Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

September 1st, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Replacing the player most consider the greatest quarterback in NFL history, the Buccaneers also entered last season with more than $70MM in dead money — much if from Tom Brady‘s retirement — on their payroll. After the team defended its NFC South title and saw Baker Mayfield pilot a late-season charge, GM Jason Licht signed off on largely running it back in 2024.

While OC Dave Canales departed, Mayfield joined some Super Bowl-era cornerstones in recommitting to the Bucs. This effort, which included two record-setting extensions, will test how well the Bucs have built their roster. The team still plays in what again looks like the NFL’s worst division. It would surprise if this mass retention effort did not keep the Bucs a threat for a fourth straight home wild-card game.

Extensions and restructures:

With the exception of the Bengals’ rental plans involving Tee Higgins, teams operated intently with their franchise- or transition-tagged players. While the Patriots used the transition tag on Kyle Dugger, the Bucs ensured Winfield could not test the market by slapping the franchise tag on the All-Pro. This turned out to be a significant offseason for the team’s breakthrough 2020 draft class, with pillars Winfield and Wirfs being locked down long term. Months before Wirfs’ payday, Winfield came in with a deal that tops all safeties and proved to outpace all cornerbacks as well.

The safety market featured interesting twists this year. A host of veteran safeties — Justin Simmons and Quandre Diggs among them — became cap casualties. Many others settled for middle-class money as unrestricted free agents. As a market correction appeared in the works, the Packers gave Xavier McKinney a top-four safety deal. This brought good news for Winfield, who is a more accomplished safety. McKinney’s Green Bay deal reminded teams were still willing to pay up for the top young players at the position, and rumblings about Winfield requiring a record-setting extension surfaced soon after.

A 2020 second-round pick, Winfield became an immediate starter and helped the Bucs stonewall a historically explosive Chiefs offense in Super Bowl LV. The Bucs had expressed interest in extending the second-generation NFL DB in 2023, but Winfield ended up benefiting from the team waiting. He delivered a first-team All-Pro showing, complete with three interceptions, six sacks and an NFL-high six forced fumbles. The sixth of those strips denied DJ Chark at the goal line in a narrow Bucs Week 18 win over the Panthers, leading to a division title. Despite Mayfield and Mike Evans‘ free agencies, Winfield always loomed as Tampa Bay’s clear tag candidate.

This pact checks in more than $2MM north of Derwin James‘ previous safety high-water mark, in terms of AAV, with the $21.03MM-per-year number also coming in higher than Jaire Alexander‘s CB record. In terms of guarantees at signing, Winfield’s $45MM separates him by $7MM from the safety pack. The threat of the Bucs tagging Winfield again in 2025 contributed to the team needing to go here to extend its top DB. Not hailed on the same level as Jamal Adams‘ 2021 extension that provided a gap between the then-Seahawks safety and the field, Winfield’s deal quietly accomplished this as well.

Going into free agency, Licht did not classify a 2024 Wirfs deal as a priority. After Tampa Bay checked its other top contract matters off the list, Wirfs made sure it became one. A spring report suggested the sides were far apart.

The Bucs had developed an atypical habit of waiting until after key players’ contracts expired to pay them. They did this with Shaq Barrett in 2021, Carlton Davis in 2022 and Jamel Dean last year. This trend continued in 2024, with Evans and Mayfield on the cusp of free agency before re-signing. Winfield also needed to be tagged, upon playing out his rookie deal. Wirfs staged a hold-in to force the team’s hand, and the Bucs deviated from their usual timeline.

The Bucs saw the tackle market move before acting on Wirfs. While this may have cost the team a bit, this extension was actually early compared to when the team normally does business. Penei Sewell became the rare right tackle to reset the market for all tackles, scoring a $28MM-per-year Lions extension and the Vikings then gave Christian Darrisaw a deal that topped the LT market — at $26MM per.

Wirfs, 25, is more accomplished than both, being a three-time Pro Bowler — at two different positions — and collecting first- and second-team All-Pro honors. Also helping Tampa Bay during its Brady years, Wirfs made a successful transition to the left side in 2023. Of the four tackles chosen in the top 13 picks in 2020, Wirfs — selected 13th overall — has been the best to date.

The Iowa product’s deal reflects this. The Bucs gave the fifth-year blocker $11MM more in guarantees ($88.2MM) than any other tackle. Tampa Bay did convince Wirfs to sign a five-year deal, but the contract does not tie Wirfs to his team for as long as Andrew Thomas‘ Giants pact does. Wirfs signed effectively a six-year commitment, whereas the Giants’ No. 4 overall pick in 2020 — who agreed to terms after his third season — gave his team seven years of control. Wirfs’ resolution matches the Lions’ Sewell term length, with the NFC North champs doing a deal following their RT’s third season.

With teams making significant updates to the tackle market this offseason, the NFL’s first $30MM-per-year tackle is likely coming soon.

Re-signings:

Value swings have defined Mayfield’s career. He went from an impressive rookie year that dragged the Browns out of the worst period in franchise history to enduring a major regression under overmatched HC Freddie Kitchens. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick then bounced back under Kevin Stefanski, giving the Browns their first playoff win since the franchise reboot. After Mayfield extension rumors did not produce serious negotiations in 2021, an early-season shoulder injury harpooned his value. The Browns then made their controversial (and financially damaging) Deshaun Watson trade, and Mayfield did not improve in Carolina, turning in his worst NFL season. That led to the Bucs nabbing him for $4MM; the sides’ second negotiation proved more complicated.

Mayfield needed to beat out Kyle Trask for the starting job, and Tampa Bay started 4-7. But the veteran showed flashes during the season’s first half and then piloted the team to a division-winning finish — likely saving Todd Bowles‘ job — and a wild-card romp over an Eagles team in crisis.

Mayfield, 29, had produced a better QBR with Stefanski, and his 54.3 number last year actually came in under his much-maligned 2019 season’s output (54.4). Mayfield ranked 18th in the metric in 2023. Under Canales, though, Mayfield finished with a career-high 28 TD passes (compared to 10 INTs). Following a 337-yard, three-TD showing against the Eagles, Mayfield held his own in Detroit in the divisional round (349/3, with two INTs) to better position himself for a higher-end 2024 contract.

The 2017 Heisman winner had said he wanted to stay with the Bucs, but they will have a harder time building around a $33.3MM-per-year contract than they did in 2023. That said, Brady’s $35.1MM dead money bill brought far more in combined QB cap allocations compared to where Mayfield’s money is this year ($6.9MM). Even after the current passer’s cap number spikes to $35.78MM in 2025, the ’23 Bucs still carried more in combined quarterback money on the payroll. With eight QBs now over $50MM per year and Dak Prescott set to become No. 9 soon or in 2025, Mayfield in this middle-class price range is not as player-friendly as the massive raise would suggest.

The sides completed a deal before free agency, and while loose Falcons and Patriots connections emerged, Mayfield never seemed close to leaving the team that revitalized his career. Barring an 11th-hour Prescott extension, Mayfield will enter the season as the NFL’s 19th-highest-paid quarterback. The seventh-year passer will see $10MM added to his guarantee total on Day 5 of the 2025 league year. It would cost the Bucs more than $26MM in dead money to bail before that date, giving the QB some security — though, not full-fledged assurances he will be back in 2025 — if another regression occurs.

Discussions about the second-best wide receiver in Bucs history — for the handful of folks who have drifted far enough off path to address this matter — probably center on Chris Godwin, Kevin House, Mark Carrier or Vincent Jackson. The gap between this tier and Evans is rather wide.

Making a Frank Gore-like Hall of Fame case based on consistency, Evans leads the Bucs in receiving by nearly 5,000 yards. The 10-time 1,000-yard receiver has been a modicum of consistency, providing high production baselines for Brady, Jameis Winston and Mayfield during his career. Evans does not have a first-team All-Pro honor on his resume (two second-team nods) and has surpassed 1,300 yards in a season just twice (2016, 2018), but he has been durable and did enough in 2023 to convince the Bucs to re-sign him — after a separation appeared in play.

Going public with frustration about his situation last August, Evans had confirmed the Bucs had not made an offer as the 2023 season neared. The decorated WR had seen the position’s market boom, while he remained tied to a $16.5MM-per-year deal he agreed to in 2018. That contract had plummeted toward the position’s middle class, with Godwin even surpassing it on his current $20MM-AAV accord. Evans matched the NFL lead in receiving TDs (13) last season, as the Bucs shut down trade inquiries. Rumblings about another Bucs deal surfaced, and the sides came together without the 2014 first-rounder reaching free agency.

Evans, 31, had aimed to test the market and later said he would have considered the Chiefs or Texans if a viable Tampa Bay offer did not emerge. Instead, the Bucs gave their dependable pass catcher a frontloaded contract. In addition to the $29MM guaranteed at signing, another $6MM will come Evans’ way if he is on the Bucs’ roster on Day 5 of the 2025 league year. Barring a trade, he almost certainly will be. Regardless, Evans will almost definitely see all $41MM on this deal.

This is David’s fifth Bucs contract. As he continues to anchor the team’s second level, David ended up nearly doubling his 2023 contract (one year, $4.5MM) ahead of his age-34 season. The former second-round pick’s 134 tackles last season were his most since 2015 — his most recent Pro Bowl season, though the Bucs’ time in a 4-3 defense during the LB’s prime hurt his Pro Bowl count — and Pro Football Focus rated David as a top-25 off-ball ‘backer for the seventh straight year.

A one-team player, David had said it was Bucs or retirement this offseason. The Bucs will continue to lean on David, who trails only Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks for Tampa Bay service time by a defender.

This is also Gholston’s fifth Bucs contract, as Licht’s retention approach did not only include higher-end contracts. Gholston has started 88 Bucs games, playing in 169. It is rare in today’s NFL when a 12th-year player is not his team’s longest-tenured defender, but David still holds that distinction. These two are the only remaining links to Bowles’ Super Bowl LV front seven. Gholston, 33, saw his playing time drop considerably in 2023; he played a career-low 244 defensive snaps. The Bucs still kept the veteran D-lineman around as a backup, with two recent early-round picks — starters Calijah Kancey, Logan Hall — to mentor.

Free agency additions:

Licht had bemoaned his decision to let Whitehead walk as a free agent in 2022, but the team did not operate with a full-on retention strategy the way it had in 2021. Whitehead, who started 55 games with the Bucs from 2018-21, played out a two-year, $14MM Jets deal. The Jets wanted to re-sign Whitehead but did not deem that a high priority. Whitehead is back in place as a safety starter, set to work alongside Winfield. From 2018-20, the Bucs used six second-, third- or fourth-round picks on DBs. Three remain with the team, as Dean continues on his 2023 re-up. Despite going into his seventh season, Whitehead is just 27.

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Brandon Aiyuk Showed Interest In Being Traded To Commanders

September 1st, 2024 at 9:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The runaway leader in generating rumors among this year’s pack of disgruntled wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk is finally locked down. The 49ers have the 2023 second-team All-Pro tied to a four-year, $120MM agreement, ending trade rumors and tethering the ascending player to San Francisco through the 2028 season.

As fallout pieces surface, however, Aiyuk is now believed to have added a team to his list of acceptable trade destinations. In addition to Aiyuk’s long-rumored interest in being traded to the Steelers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted during a recent NFL Live appearance the fifth-year veteran would have been willing to be dealt to the Commanders.

Washington rosters the starting quarterback Aiyuk played with to close out his college career — Jayden Daniels — and Aiyuk communication with his former teammate generated headlines earlier this summer. Aiyuk had told Daniels during a video call the 49ers did not “want him back, I swear.” It took the parties more than two months from that point to hammer out an extension, and trade rumors swirled late in the process. The Commanders came up as a fringe Aiyuk destination; it does not seem they truly entered the fray.

The NFC East team did not show notable interest in acquiring Aiyuk, Fowler adds. The Commanders not being involved in the Aiyuk sweepstakes led to a 49ers-or-Steelers decision for the fifth-year wideout, who had effectively shut down potential trades to the Patriots or Browns.

Pittsburgh still loomed as a possible destination late in the process, but San Francisco would have been shorthanded at receiver thanks to Denver rejecting a third-round offer for Courtland Sutton. The 49ers had viewed the longtime Broncos pass catcher as a potential replacement for Aiyuk, in the event talks reached the point of no return and the 2020 first-round pick was indeed traded to the Steelers.

Washington enters the season with questions at receiver beyond veteran No. 1 Terry McLaurin. The team traded 2022 first-rounder Jahan Dotson to the Eagles in a pick-swap package headlined by a 2025 third-rounder. Noah Brown became the latest ex-Cowboy to join Dan Quinn in Washington, doing so after the Texans cut him. The Commanders drafted Luke McCaffrey in Round 3, but the second-generation NFL wideout has yet to establish himself as a surefire starter. Washington also carries fourth-year player Dyami Brown and veterans Jamison Crowder, Olamide Zaccheaus and Byron Pringle on what is presently a seven-receiver depth chart.

San Francisco’s offer had been on the table for a while, with the sides ironing out minor details near the end. Successfully convincing the 49ers to up their price — from the $26-$27MM-per-year range — Aiyuk was pleased with the deal’s frontloaded structure. These four-year, $120MM numbers match where the Dolphins went for Tyreek Hill in 2022, but Miami had included an inflated final-year salary to inflate the AAV to $30MM. Aiyuk, conversely, signed a true $30MM-per-year contract that includes $47MM due by April 2025. The latter component helped drive this deal past the goal line, Fowler adds.

Although the 49ers gave Aiyuk what appeared an ultimatum earlier this week, the player also wanted this matter finally done in order to avoid missing regular-season games. Of course, it is debatable if Aiyuk would have followed through with turning his hold-in strategy into missed regular-season contests (and game checks exceeding $820K). Trent Williams appears ready to execute this strategy, but Aiyuk is not in the same earnings bracket as the former Washington top-five pick.

As Aiyuk ramps up toward another starring role in San Francisco’s offense, Washington looks to have a multi-offseason project ahead to better equip Daniels with pass-catching weaponry.

Matt Judon, Bears Had Preliminary Contract Talks; More On Judon’s New England Exit

September 1st, 2024 at 9:05pm CST by Rory Parks

As we learned shortly after the Patriots agreed to trade contract-year edge defender Matt Judon to the Falcons last month, both Atlanta and the Bears offered New England a third-round draft choice in exchange for Judon. At that point, Judon was given the choice of which team he wanted to play for, and he chose the Falcons.

According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Judon was intrigued by the possibility of playing for Chicago, and he and the club did engage in preliminary contract talks. However, in the player’s view, the commitments that the Bears already have on the books for 2025 made it likely that he would only be with the team for the upcoming season.

While Judon indicated that he would not seek an immediate extension from Atlanta as he did from New England – saying that “the Falcons know nothing about me as a football player or as a man” – he can at least foresee a multiyear stay with the Falcons. Interestingly, as OverTheCap.com indicates, the Bears actually are projected to have the eighth-most cap room in the league in 2025, while the Falcons have the sixth-least. 

On the other hand, Chicago is already tethered to a contract for a high-end edge rusher (Montez Sweat), whereas Atlanta has no such deal on its books. Speculatively speaking, perhaps the Sweat contract – along with the convincing sales pitch that Breer says Falcons head coach Raheem Morris gave to Judon about his role in the team’s defense – is what tipped the scales in Atlanta’s favor.

Even though New England extended Judon the courtesy of choosing between the two teams that extended acceptable trade proposals, Breer said on a recent appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub that the Patriots’ coaches and front office personnel “were just sick of” Judon (video link). The lack of a resolution to Judon’s contract situation – the four-time Pro Bowler was, of course, pushing for a new deal when he was still a member of the Pats – certainly played a significant role in his departure, but Breer notes that the rift went beyond finances.

Patriots staffers, per Breer, believed there was the “public-facing Judon” and the “Judon behind the scenes,” and that the latter version of the player was something of an “operator” whose “act had worn thin.” Breer said those same traits were on display during Judon’s stint with the Ravens, and that the new Pats regime – which of course has extended a number of Bill Belichick-era acquisitions this offseason – was more than willing to move on.

As Judon attempts to return to form in a platform campaign for his new club, Oshane Ximines appears to have benefitted the most from his departure. A former third-round pick of the Giants, Ximines never truly established himself with New York, and he signed with the Patriots via the veteran salary benefit this offseason. As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes, Ximines was viewed as a bubble player when training camp began, but the Judon trade opened up a roster spot.

Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins, who served in the same capacity with the Giants over the last two seasons, said, “[Ximines] has been great. ame in here, learned the playbook quickly, humble approach to everything — a guy that wants to play the run, set the edge and do the dirty work. He fits right in this defense.” 

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