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Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Julién Davenport

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
  • Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

CB Jerry Jacobs To Visit Panthers

July 22nd, 2024 at 6:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite auditioning for a handful of teams earlier this offseason, Jerry Jacobs remains unsigned. After about two months of inaction, it sounds like his market is starting to pick back up. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the cornerback will visit the Panthers later this week.

[RELATED: CB Jerry Jacobs To Visit Falcons, Vikings]

The former UDFA spent the first three seasons of his career in Detroit, starting 29 of his 40 appearances. Jacobs is coming off a 2024 campaign where he got into a career-high 744 appearances while starting 12 of his 15 games. He finished the year with 55 tackles, eight passes defended, and three interceptions. Pro Football Focus only ranked Jacobs 91st among 127 qualifying cornerbacks, with the site giving him one of the lowest positional grades for his coverage ability.

Still, Jacobs’ starting experience will make him an attractive option for teams seeking secondary depth. The 26-year-old visited with the Jaguars, Falcons, and Vikings earlier this offseason, although a deal obviously never materialized.

Carolina would be a logical landing spot for the cornerback, as the team is eyeing a bit of a makeover at the position. Donte Jackson and Jeremy Chinn are no longer around, meaning Jaycee Horn will be positioned to take over as the team’s top cornerback. The depth behind the former eighth-overall pick is questionable, explaining why the organization has been connected to a reunion with Stephon Gilmore. Any notable cornerback acquisition would likely be competing with Dane Jackson to be the team’s CB2.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/20/24

July 20th, 2024 at 8:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/19/24

July 19th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Friday’s minor transactions:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

New England Patriots

  • Placed on active/NFI list: LB Jontrey Hunter
  • Placed on active/PUP list: RB Terrell Jennings

Seattle Seahawks

Brooks’ appearance on this list doesn’t come as much of a shock. After suffering a torn ACL as a Longhorn last November, he is not going to be cleared for the start of camp, though he can be activated at any time. His injury is considered a “non-football injury” because it occurred before his NFL career began, otherwise he would’ve been on the PUP. Wonnum’s presence on the PUP was also not a surprise as he deals with complications from his offseason quadriceps surgery.

Everett’s appearance, on the other hand, is a bit of a surprise. To date, no injuries have been reported this offseason on the veteran tight end, leaving a bit of a mystery as to the cause of his unavailability.

Williams, who was placed on the NFI list yesterday, lasted one day before passing his physical and getting activated off the injured list. As can tend to be the case, some situations this early can be more precautionary than a tell of something more serious.

Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Offense

July 12th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s salary cap ceiling was expected to see a large increase this offseason, but estimates proved to be on the low side. A record-setting jump resulted in a cap of $255.4MM for teams to work with.

That has resulted in new waves of spending at a few positions, with quarterbacks and receivers seeing continued growth at the top of the market. Last offseason offered a strong chance of the league seeing at least one $40MM-plus cap charge, but the Browns avoided such a scenario with a Deshaun Watson restructure. Owing to that move – and the lack of further adjustments this spring – however, Watson’s financial impact is set to grow considerably this season.

Here are the league’s top cap charges on offense leading up to training camp:

  1. Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $63.77MM
  2. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $55.13MM
  3. Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $49.5MM
  4. Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $49.12MM
  5. Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $47.86MM
  6. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): 37.01MM
  7. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $32.4MM
  8. Trent Williams, LT (49ers): $31.57MM
  9. Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $31.32MM
  10. Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $30.36MM
  11. Cooper Kupp, WR (Rams): $29.78MM
  12. Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $29.75MM
  13. Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $29.55MM
  14. Deebo Samuel, WR (49ers): $28.63MM
  15. Chris Godwin, WR (Buccaneers): $27.53MM
  16. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $27.21MM
  17. Joe Thuney, LG (Chiefs): $26.97MM
  18. Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks): $26.4MM
  19. Laremy Tunsil, LT (Texans): $25.86MM
  20. Davante Adams, WR (Raiders): $25.35MM
  21. Quenton Nelson, LG (Colts): $25.2MM
  22. Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $25MM
  23. Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $24.73MM
  24. D.K. Metcalf, WR (Seahawks): $24.5MM
  25. Christian Kirk, WR (Jaguars): $24.24MM

Watson’s figure will shatter the NFL record for the largest single-season cap charge if no adjustments are made in the coming weeks. The hits for Prescott, Murray, Stafford and Jones also would have set a new benchmark if not for the Browns passer, a sign of the QB market’s continued upward trajectory. Cleveland is set to remain in a similar situation for the next three years as Watson plays out his fully guaranteed $230MM deal.

Prescott’s future is one of several important questions the Cowboys need to answer relatively soon. With CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons due for second contracts, an extension for the three-time Pro Bowler will need to take into account future commitments. While Prescott has considerable leverage (via no-tag and no-trade clauses), he joins Jones in facing an uncertain post-2024 future in the NFC East.

The latter saw the Giants make an effort to trade up for a quarterback in April and he reacted in an understandable manner. Jones’ $40MM-per-year 2023 extension remains the dominant storyline surrounding the team, and a decision on retaining him or moving on will need to be made prior to a potential out early next offseason. Murray’s performance this fall will likewise be worth watching; he has received consistent praise from head coach Jonathan Gannon, but he will aim to put together a fully healthy season following 2023’s truncated campaign.

Stafford and the Rams have a mutual desire to continue their relationship, but he is seeking guarantees beyond the 2024 campaign. The 36-year-old’s representatives have been in discussion on a resolution during the offseason, although even in the absence of one a training camp holdout is not expected. The likes of Mahomes, Jackson and Allen retain a place in the top 25, and the same will no doubt be true of Burrow for years to come.

Of the receivers listed, only Hill is known to be actively pursuing a new deal. The 30-year-old once led the receiver market with a $30MM AAV, a figure inflated by non-guaranteed money at the end of the pact. With the bar having been raised to new heights this offseason, Hill could join teammate Jaylen Waddle in securing a new payday. Since the team has a Tua Tagovailoa extension on the horizon, however, Miami could hesitate on the Hill front.

It come as little surprise that Williams tops the list for offensive linemen. The 11-time Pro Bowler has been mentioned in retirement rumors before, but playing to age 40 is now a goal. Meeting it could require future contract adjustments. Samuel’s future in the Bay Area was a talking point this offseason as the team attempts to keep Brandon Aiyuk in the fold. One of the high-profile wideouts may be playing for a new team for the first time in their career in 2025.

Elsewhere along the O-line, Moton and Taylor demonstrate the value seen at the right tackle spot in recent years. Given the developments of the guard market this offseason, though, the likes of Thuney and Nelson will have competition for spots on the list in future years. Similarly, the non-Hill wideouts could easily be surpassed in the future with a further additions set to be made (particularly by Lamb, Aiyuk and Ja’Marr Chase) at the top of the ever-increasing market.

Goff joined the $50MM-per-year club on his third NFL deal, whereas Cousins continued to add to his impressive NFL earnings by joining the Falcons. If healthy, the latter could prove to be an effective pickup for a team aiming to return to the postseason (while quieting questions about a transition to Michael Penix Jr. under center). Smith also has plenty riding on this season with a new Seahawks coaching staff in place which incrementally arrived at the decision he will serve as the starter in 2024.

Dave Canales Confirms Panthers Prioritized Run Game Improvements In 2024

July 12th, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Bryce Young‘s rookie season did not go as planned, and the Panthers’ offense struggled mightily in 2023. Dave Canales was brought in as head coach this offseason, and his track record with respect to developing quarterbacks will lead to optimism Young can improve moving forward.

While Carolina has made a number of moves at the receiver position this offseason, plenty of emphasis was also placed on upgrading the ground game. The Panthers made a pair of lucrative offensive line additions, adding guards Robert Hunt (five years, $100MM) and Damien Lewis (four years, $53MM) in free agency. Despite still having Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard in the backfield, a number of other options are now in the fold as well.

The Panthers signed Rashaad Penny not long after the draft, during which they made Jonathon Brooks the first running back to hear his name called. The latter was acquired via a trade up the board aimed at preventing the Giants from landing him, a testament to how highly he was valued by Carolina. Brooks could take on a large role during his rookie year, one in which the run game will be a central element of the Panthers’ overall offense.

“That’s what this draft and this offseason was all about,” Canales confirmed during an appearance on The Season with Peter Schrager (video link). “I feel confident that we’ll be able to have a successful run game, which, for me, opens everything else up. It helps third down, it helps move the ball and give you more opportunities.”

The Panthers ranked 20th in rushing last season, one in which Sanders fell well short of expectations after signing a four-year, $25.4MM pact on the open market. Carolina finished dead last in passing and total offense, though, so a step forward from Young and the team’s revamped skill position group will be needed as Canales takes the reins. The rookie head coach oversaw Tampa Bay’s offense last season, a unit which outperformed expectations through the air but finished last in rushing production.

A strong ground game would help ease the burden on Young as he enters an important Year 2 in the NFL. It would also provide Canales an offensive element he did not have with the Buccaneers in 2023 and as such a means of delivering much-needed improvements on that side of the ball with Carolina. The degree to which this spring’s efforts translate to success in 2024 will go a long way in determining the Panthers’ offensive progress.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.

Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.

[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]

The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.

Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.

As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  16. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020: signed extension in 2024
  17. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  18. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  19. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
  20. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  21. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  22. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  23. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  24. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  25. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
  26. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  27. Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
  28. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  29. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  30. Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
  31. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  32. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Adrian Wilson Arrested On Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Charges

July 10th, 2024 at 8:54am CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 10: A police report indicates Wilson, upon seeing separation papers from his wife, broke a TV, a mirror and other items after barging into his wife’s bedroom at their Arizona casita, ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss adds. Wilson’s wife had hired a private investigator and learned he was having an affair, prompting the separation documents.

Wilson is also accused of choking the woman, taking a gun from a safe and threatening to kill himself, according to Weinfuss. The former Cardinals executive is not believed to have pointed the gun at anyone, driving away soon after. Arrested at 6:33am, Wilson posted bail later on June 1.

JULY 9: The Panthers announced Sunday that their Adrian Wilson partnership ended after barely a year. More information has come to light as to why the NFC South team severed ties with the veteran front office staffer.

Wilson was arrested on three domestic violence charges at 6am ET on June 1, The Athletic’s Joe Person and Doug Haller report. Police arrested Wilson at his Scottsdale, Ariz., home on charges of assault, criminal damage and disorderly conduct. All three charges are misdemeanors (subscription required). He is next due in court July 16.

A GM candidate who finished his Cardinals tenure as interim GM following Steve Keim‘s leave of absence late in 2022, Wilson served as VP of player personnel with the Panthers. Although Carolina changed GMs this offseason, Wilson’s exit appears to stem from this arrest rather than that offseason move.

When asked if the team knew about Wilson’s arrest, a Panthers spokesperson (via Person) pointed to their original statement on the matter. It would seem likely the arrest resulted in Wilson’s Carolina exit. The club had hired the former Cardinals safety-turned-exec in February 2023. Wilson, 44, is a High Point, N.C., native.

The Cardinals employed Wilson for eight years, and the longtime starting DB climbed the ranks to serve as Arizona’s VP of pro scouting by 2021. Wilson joined Quentin Harris as co-interim GMs to finish out the 2022 season and interviewed for Arizona’s GM job, but Monti Ossenfort landed the gig last year. The Jaguars were connected to Wilson for a high-ranking front office job in 2022, but that arrangement did not come to fruition. He also interviewed for the Giants’ GM job in 2022.

Panthers, Adrian Wilson Part Ways

July 7th, 2024 at 10:44pm CST by Rory Parks

Just last year, Adrian Wilson was on the short list of candidates to take over as the Cardinals’ permanent general manager. While he did not get the gig, he landed on his feet as the Panthers’ vice president of player personnel. After one year in that position, Wilson is again in search of a new employer.

Carolina never made a public announcement on the matter, but as a team spokesperson told Pro Football Talk this morning, “Adrian Wilson will not continue in his position as Vice President of Player Personnel for the Carolina Panthers. Consistent with our organizational policy on employee matters, we will have no further comment” (via PFT’s Mike Florio).

Of course, 2023 was hardly a banner year for the Panthers. The club’s 2-15 record was disappointing in and of itself, and the pronounced struggles of rookie quarterback Bryce Young made matters worse. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Carolina’s league-worst W-L mark would have entitled the team to the top selection in this year’s draft, but the Panthers had already traded that pick to the Bears as part of the package to acquire the No. 1 overall choice in the 2023 draft, which they used to select Young.

Given the Panthers’ forgettable season and the fact that GM Scott Fitterer was fired in January, it is not surprising that Wilson, one of Fitterer’s top lieutenants, is no longer with the team either. However, since owner David Tepper opted to replace Fitterer internally by promoting assistant GM Dan Morgan to the top job, it was reasonable to think that Wilson would remain on the staff and assist Morgan in trying to right the ship.

It is unclear whether Wilson moved on voluntarily or was dismissed. In either case, and fairly or not, Wilson’s departure will likely be seen as another failure of the Tepper regime. After all, if Wilson left on his own, it could reinforce the notion that Tepper is a difficult boss who fosters an untenable working environment; if Wilson was fired, it will add to Tepper’s reputation as an impatient and impulsive owner. As Florio wrote, “from David Tepper’s football team to his soccer team, the hinge on the swinging door never has much of a chance to get rusty.”

Wilson, a longtime Cardinals safety and five-time Pro Bowler, started working as a regional scout for Arizona in 2015. He ascended the executive ladder fairly quickly, and he and Quentin Harris ended the 2022 season sharing the Cardinals’ GM duties after Steve Keim took an indefinite leave of absence. Wilson had interviewed for the Giants’ GM post the previous offseason and was reportedly in line to take over as Jaguars GM the same year if Jacksonville had hired Byron Leftwich as their head coach.

Now 44, Wilson will surely land another high-ranking position in the near future, though his stint in Carolina stalled his upward trajectory.

WR Martavis Bryant Still Eyeing NFL Gig

July 6th, 2024 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

Martavis Bryant isn’t planning to hang up his cleats. The wide receiver is still hoping to catch on with a team for the 2024 campaign, and the veteran believes he can still be productive if given the chance.

“I got a lot of football left,” Bryant told Queen City News (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “Still love the game, never stopped loving the game. I had to take some time to reflect on myself and get my situation straight off the field. I did that. I put in a lot of work. There’s still so much left I can do. I know I can contribute to somebody that wants to give me the opportunity.”

Bryant’s five-year banishment from the NFL came to an end last November when he was reinstated by the league. He subsequently caught on with the Cowboys practice squad, but he didn’t earn a promotion to the 53-man roster during the 2023 campaign. Despite signing a reserve/futures contract with Dallas at the beginning of the offseason, Bryant was squeezed off the offseason roster in May following the Cowboys’ acquisition of several rookie wideouts.

The receiver had a workout with the Commanders back in May, but no deal materialized. Bryant also told the Queen City News that he met with Panthers senior assistant Jim Caldwell at a recent event, but it’s uncertain if the two sides had significant talks about a deal.

The wideout quickly made a name for himself with the Steelers after being selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He hauled in 14 touchdowns through his first two seasons in the NFL (plus another two playoff scores) before being sidelined for the entire 2016 campaign thanks to his second career suspension. He topped 600 yards following his return in 2017, but the Steelers quickly traded him off to the Raiders for a third-round pick.

He got into eight games with Oakland before being hit with his most-recent suspension in 2018. Between that initial suspension and his 2023 comeback attempt with the Cowboys, Bryant spent time in a handful of alternative leagues, including stints in the CFL and XFL. While Bryant has been staying active in recent years, there’s no hiding the fact that he hasn’t gotten into an NFL game since the 2018 campaign. With 2024 representing his age-33 season, Bryant’s hopes of an NFL return will soon run dry.

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