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Seahawks Trade CB Michael Jackson To Panthers For LB Michael Barrett

August 22nd, 2024 at 11:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday has seen its third NFL trade take place. The Seahawks have dealt cornerback Michael Jackson to the Panthers in return for rookie linebacker Michael Barrett. The move has been announced by both teams.

Jackson is a veteran of five seasons, having spent time with three different teams. The former fifth-rounder was selected by the Cowboys, but his regular season debut came during his rookie season with the Lions. After making a single appearance with Detroit, he played in only one game the following season with the Patriots. Jackson had found a regular role in Seattle over the past three years, though.

The 27-year-old played sparingly during his debut season in the Emerald City, but in 2022 he served as a full-time starter. Logging over 1,000 defensive snaps, Jackson collected 75 tackles, 12 pass deflections and the lone interception of his career. After the Seahawks drafted Devon Witherspoon with their top pick in last year’s draft, though, Jackson lost his first-team gig. Witherspoon and Riq Woolen will remain in place as starters this season, and Seattle’s latest rookie additions at the CB spot (Nehemiah Pritchett and DJ James) will join Artie Burns, who re-signed this offseason.

Jackson agreed to a restructured contract in May, providing him with a six-figure signing bonus. None of his $1.06MM base salary is guaranteed, though, which led to questions about his grip on a roster spot. The pending free agent will have a strong chance of finding a role in Carolina given the team’s need in the secondary. The Panthers have long been mentioned as a candidate to add a corner, and the team made an offer to Stephon Gilmore before he signed with the Vikings.

Carolina traded away Donte Jackson this offseason, leaving free agent pickup Dane Jackson as a key member of the CB room. The latter is dealing with a hamstring injury, and he could begin the season on injured reserve. That ailment drove the Panthers to pursue an addition, and today’s move will meet that goal while marking the rare move of trading a rookie before they have made their debut.

Barrett was selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft, and he will now turn his attention to landing a roster spot in Seattle. Jerome Baker – signed in free agency – is currently on the mend from a hamstring injury of his own, leaving the Seahawks on the lookout for depth. As a Michigan alum, Barrett is a familiar face to head coach Mike Macdonald, who served as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2021.

DB Notes: Lassiter, Texans, Colts, Simmons, Davis, Lions, Chiefs, Dolphins, Hawks, Jags

August 20th, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans showed interest in re-signing Steven Nelson this offseason, but the two-year Houston starter ended up retiring. Houston has identified another clear candidate to start opposite Derek Stingley. The defending AFC South champions are prepared to roll with second-rounder Kamari Lassiter as their No. 2 cornerback. Not much drama exists here, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicating Lassiter has worked with Houston’s first-team defense since the offseason program. Although Lassiter sustained an ankle injury earlier during training camp, the No. 42 overall pick reclaimed his starter post — ahead of former first-rounders Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson — and will be expected to work in tandem with Stingley.

“For a young guy to come in and not be noticed a lot for doing something negative, everything has been positive with Kamari,” Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s exactly the guy we saw from the Georgia film.”

Here is the latest from several other DB situations:

  • The Chiefs still need to decide on a No. 2 corner opposite Trent McDuffie. Long known for moving on from corners after one contract (as they most recently did with L’Jarius Sneed), the Chiefs have a few options — most acquired in 2022. Fourth- and seventh-round picks from that draft Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson, who played extensively last year, lead the way. No one has seized the job, per The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, who has 2022 seventh-rounder Nazeeh Johnson, rookie sixth-rounder Kamal Hadden and former Cowboys second-rounder Kelvin Joseph making the team as well (subscription required). Versatile performer Chamarri Conner, a 2023 fourth-rounder, will be in the mix at corner, but Andy Reid said (via Taylor) this could be a rotation into the season.
  • Justin Simmons accepted a one-year, $7.5MM Falcons deal. That price being so far beyond what other veteran safeties commanded confirms a decent market formed for the perennial All-Pro. The Colts‘ questions in the secondary did not lead them into this chase, however, with the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins indicating the team did not make the ex-Bronco an offer. Former third-rounder Nick Cross, recently re-signed veteran Ronnie Harrison and third-year performer Rodney Thomas have rotated in alongside Julian Blackmon in camp. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds said no safety moves are anticipated.
  • Seeing his three-year contract traded from the Buccaneers to the Lions, Carlton Davis remains scheduled to be a 2025 free agent. Davis will be 27 for most of this season, which should give him a decent market — should no Detroit extension be reached in the meantime — come March. A new agency will be representing the former second-rounder for his next negotiation. Davis is joining Athletes First, per a recent announcement.
  • Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller will start on the boundary for the Dolphins, with former UDFA success story Kader Kohou in place as Miami’s slot defender. Despite Cam Smith being a second-round pick, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes Ethan Bonner — a 2023 UDFA who has stood out in training camp — is the frontrunner to be Miami’s top backup CB. Bonner, who recently returned from a concussion sustained in camp, played only 11 defensive snaps last season. While Smith recently came back after missing nearly three weeks due to injury, ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques adds he is week-to-week after sustaining another injury against the Commanders. Despite playing 15 games last season, Smith only saw 20 defensive snaps.
  • The base value on Julian Love‘s second Seahawks contract checks in at $33MM, per OverTheCap. The three-year deal includes $11.97MM guaranteed at signing and dropped Love’s cap number by just more than $1.6MM. Option bonuses (worth a combined $4.8MM) are in place to keep the cap hits lower, with both Love’s 2024 and ’25 cap figures coming in at just over $6MM. Love’s 2025 base salary ($1.2MM) is guaranteed for injury and will shift to a full guarantee five days after Super Bowl LIX, ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson tweets.
  • The Jaguars‘ Tashaun Gipson reunion pact is worth $2.55MM, Wilson tweets. It comes with $525K guaranteed. The Jags will still be shorthanded at safety for a while. In addition to Gipson’s six-week suspension, Doug Pederson said (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) Andrew Wingard‘s recent knee injury will sideline him for at least a few games.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/24

August 19th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Placed on IR: T Earl Bostick

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Mike Panasiuk, LB Mike Smith Jr.
  • Placed on IR: C Ryan Coll
  • Waived/injured: G Josh Sills
  • Released via injury settlement: RB Trent Pennix

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed: LS Randen Plattner
  • Waived: OL McKade Mettauer

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: WR Justin Hall
  • Waived: WR Ty James, P Seth Vernon

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: LB Kyahva Tezino

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: TE Michael Ezeike, TE Devon Garrison
  • Waived: LB Devin Richardson, CB Willie Roberts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: DL Brandon Matterson

Washington Commanders

Smith sustained a torn patellar tendon during a Bengals joint practice with the Bears, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. He joins Evans in sustaining a season-ending injury during that workout. A 2021 fourth-round pick, Smith was believed to have earned the Bengals’ swing tackle role early last year. But he did not see any game action in Year 3. Having played in just three career games, Smith has seen his career hit a crossroads after this injury. His rookie contract expires after the season. This further depletes a Bengals O-line that will be without first-rounder Amarius Mims for a bit due to a strained pec.

A former Bengals starter, Adeniji joined the Browns in March. A knee injury sidelined Adeniji recently, and while Kevin Stefanski said the veteran O-lineman will miss “a little bit of time,” this transaction will likely lead to an injury settlement that sends him back to free agency for a stretch. The Bengals used Adeniji as a starter in each of their four 2021 playoff games, before spending to upgrade their O-line the following year. Adeniji, a 2020 sixth-rounder, played in one Vikings game last season.

Brown and Lamar Jackson sustained injuries during the Panthers’ most recent preseason game, adding to Carolina’s issues — headlined by Dane Jackson‘s significant hamstring setback — at corner. Formerly a Cowboys regular, Brown has struggled to stick with a team as of late. He spent 2023 with three teams — the Steelers, 49ers and Jets — and played in just two games. This came after Brown was with Dallas for six seasons, starting 69 games.

A five-game starter for the 2021 Super Bowl champion Rams, Hollins played for three teams last season. The former Broncos draftee was with the Packers, Giants and Chargers. He has 10.5 career sacks, one coming last season.

Geno Smith Seeking Seahawks Extension

August 17th, 2024 at 8:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Geno Smith‘s stunning 2022 season prompted the Seahawks to re-sign him, authorizing a big raise. Smith’s current contract — initially reported as a three-year, $105MM deal — checked in much lower once the fine print emerged, and the team has flexibility due to the contract’s structure.

The resurgent quarterback agreed to a contract worth $75MM in base value, and it gave the Seahawks the option to move on without too much dead money in 2024. Although the Seahawks restructured the deal this offseason to lock in their starter for 2024, they could break free for just $13.5MM in dead cap in 2025. For a veteran starting quarterback, Smith is at the low end of the salary spectrum.

Following Smith’s agreement, the Saints gave Derek Carr a four-year, $150MM deal that featured $70MM in practical guarantees. Soon after, the Giants re-signed Daniel Jones on a four-year, $160MM pact that brought $81MM guaranteed. Kirk Cousins recently received a $100MM practical guarantee, with that Falcons accord coming soon after the Buccaneers re-upped Baker Mayfield at three years and $100MM ($50MM practical guarantee). These deals make Smith’s look quite team-friendly, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo said during a recent podcast with Pucksports.com the 12th-year QB has approached the team about an extension.

Smith’s camp talked about the deal with the Seahawks in the offseason, but it does not seem the team is too interested in an extension or a true adjustment. Nothing sounds imminent, and Garafolo mentioned incentives as a potential outcome to resolve this situation before Week 1. Smith is due $12.7MM in base salary this year and counts $26.4MM against Seattle’s cap. The Seahawks’ February restructure did not bring any void years, only inflating Smith’s 2025 cap hit to $38.4MM.

In mid-February, the Seahawks informed Smith he would remain on their roster past a Feb. 16 point in which his $12.7MM base would shift from guaranteed for injury only to a full guarantee. Smith is entrenched as Seattle’s centerpiece player this season, but no guarantees are in place for 2025. Considering a new coaching staff is now in place, the former second-round pick will likely need to prove himself again to secure a place on Seattle’s 2025 squad.

The Seahawks had Smith at just $3.5MM (plus incentives) in 2022, when he beat out Drew Lock to replace Russell Wilson. Smith’s Comeback Player of the Year showing produced a 9-8 record and he set a franchise record with 4,282 passing yards. Smith led the NFL with a 69.8% completion rate that year. In 2023, Smith’s completion rate dropped to 64.7, and his yards per attempt fell a bit — from 7.5 to 7.3 — as well. QBR still placed Smith 14th last season and seventh in 2022.

Smith will also turn 34 in October; he is running out of time to capitalize on his newfound value. But the Seahawks have him on an extraordinarily team-friendly pact. The ex-Jets draftee is essentially on his own tier, forming a lower middle class between the Mayfield-Carr-Jones level and the Gardner Minshew–Sam Darnold stopgap plane. Smith sits as the NFL’s 20th-highest-paid passer, with three others — Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love and Tua Tagovailoa — leapfrogging him by a monster margin thanks to joining the expanding $50MM-per-year club this summer.

Now holding final say after Pete Carroll‘s ouster, GM John Schneider can evaluate Smith’s fit in Ryan Grubb‘s offense before making a call. A potential extension could come to pass if Smith shows early progress under the former Washington Huskies play-caller, but a deal ahead of Smith’s age-35 season in 2025 would be highly unlikely to land on the top tier among QBs.

For now, the Wilson successor remains locked into a starting job — as the Seahawks passed on first-round QBs in 2023 and ’24 — and is poised to aim at improving his situation this season.

Seahawks Sign OL Connor Williams

August 17th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 17: In terms of base value, Williams’ deal checks in at $4MM, per OverTheCap. After signing a two-year, $14MM Dolphins contract (and expressing frustration a year into that deal), the veteran interior O-lineman will attempt to create a better market following his ACL tear.

AUGUST 6: At long last, Connor Williams has landed in Seattle. The veteran offensive lineman has reached an agreement with the Seahawks, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s a one-year deal that could be worth up to $6MM. The contract contains $3MM in guaranteed money.

The veteran has been connected to the Seahawks for several weeks. The two sides overcame their first hurdle when Williams passed a physical, a notable milestone considering the lineman is only about eight months removed from suffering a torn ACL. The signing stalled when the two sides started negotiating a contract, with Williams asking for more than the Seahawks could offer.

While agent Drew Rosenhaus indicated yesterday that a deal was imminent, Williams added a slight wrinkle to the saga by taking a visit with the Ravens. That may have been the final push the Seahawks needed, as the two sides agreed to a deal less than 24 hours after Williams’ reported trip to Baltimore.

There was recent uncertainty surrounding Seattle’s center depth, with the likes of Nick Harris and Olusegun Oluwatimi struggling to take hold of the opportunity. The Seahawks seemed to signal an impending move yesterday, when they moved on from Michael Novitsky.

Williams will now slide atop the depth chart…when he’s ready to take the field. The veteran tore his ACL in December, although Rosenhaus expressed optimism that Williams will be available for Week 1. The injury came at the worst possible time for the impending free agent, as he would have been among the top linemen on the market.

After spending his first four season as a starting guard in Dallas, Williams inked a two-year deal with Miami in 2022. He ended up starting all 17 games at center that season, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the fourth-best player at his position. Williams finished 2023 in the number-two spot, and the veteran previously graded as a top-15 guard during his time with the Cowboys.

With Seattle lacking depth in the middle of their offensive line and Williams hoping to reset his value, this pairing seemed like a perfect match. After a few weeks of uncertainty, the deal has finally come to fruition.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/24

August 14th, 2024 at 9:20pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed: C Cohl Cabral
  • Waived (with injury designation): DE Shaka Toney

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Cabral joins the Cowboys after UFL stints in Birmingham and Michigan. He adds more depth to the team’s offensive line after the team lost Chuma Edoga in their first preseason game and saw Earl Bostick helped off the field today. Toney suffered a groin injury, leading to this injury waiver, but could return to the team should he clear waivers.

Powers-Johnson was on some concerning ground with how much time he had missed with a concussion, but the Raiders saw him return to practice today.

The 49ers are adding some significant depth on the defensive line in Williams, who has vast starting experience in the NFL. Cutting Turner could mean that the return of Dre Greenlaw may on a better timeline than expected.

OL Notes: Raiders, Giants, Brewer, Nijman

August 14th, 2024 at 10:36am CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders had been planning to have Thayer Munford replace Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, but a hand injury early in camp created a competition. Third-round rookie DJ Glaze has earned more first-team reps upon Munford returning. While The Athletic’s Tashan Reed notes Munford — a 2022 seventh-rounder who competed with Eluemunor for the RT job last summer and saw action at both tackle spots during the season — still has the edge, Glaze has created a position battle (subscription required). Glaze’s chances at earning this job may also have increased Tuesday, with Reed adding Munford sustained an injury to his other hand.

Elsewhere on the Raiders’ front, second-round rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson remains on the active/PUP list. The Oregon product has been out of Raiders practice since early in OTAs, with a concussion sidelining him. Considering the timeline here, it is concerning how long the rookie has been out. Antonio Pierce did say (via Reed) he expects Powers-Johnson and LT Kolton Miller to begin practicing next week, but the former’s chances of winning the LG job — which the Raiders appeared to have earmarked for the Day 2 draftee — have taken a hit. The team does have veteran options in Cody Whitehair and Andrus Peat; the latter has been working at tackle while Miller has rehabbed.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks around the league.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/24

August 13th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Waived-injured: WR Bryan Thompson

Carolina Panthers

  • Released from IR (with injury settlements): OT J.D. DiRenzo, TE Curtis Hodges

Denver Broncos

  • Re-signed: LB Alec Mock

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: LB Chris Russell
  • Released from IR (with injury settlement): CB Don Callis

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: CB Kaleb Ford-Dement
  • Waived: RB Zander Horvath
  • Released from IR (with injury settlement): WR Jermaine Jackson

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released from IR (with injury settlement): NT Matthew Gotel

Browns Trade For Seahawks C Nick Harris

August 11th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns lost some depth at center when Luke Wypler was carted off the field in the team’s preseason opener with an ankle injury that will require surgery. In order to address that issue, Cleveland has opted to bring back a familiar face, trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Seahawks for center Nick Harris and a 2026 seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Browns drafted Wypler out of Ohio State in the sixth-round in 2023. They had been using Harris as their backup center since he was drafted in 2020. He started out behind J.C. Tretter and then was unable to take over the starting job when the Browns signed another former Seahawk in Ethan Pocic. Pocic has served as the team’s starter ever since. Pocic has had trouble staying on the field in recent years, though, missing 10 games in the last three seasons and failing to play a full season since his rookie year in 2017.

Harris hasn’t typically been the top choice to back up Cleveland’s starting interior linemen. He does have starts in every season he’s been healthy, but he’s never started more than two games. In 2022, he would’ve had plenty of opportunities to get on the field, as Hjalte Froholdt earned six starts while Harris sat on injured reserve with a knee injury that he suffered in the preseason. Then, last year, with Wypler on the roster, Harris was temporarily moved to fullback.

Harris signed with the Seahawks early into free agency and was set to compete with Olusegun Oluwatimi and Mike Novitsky for a starting center job devoid of experienced candidates. That battle seemingly came to an end when Seattle signed Connor Williams last week. With Williams the presumed new starter and Oluwatimi having the best claim at the backup job, Harris became superfluous, so it makes sense that Seattle was willing to move him.

In Cleveland, Harris will return to his previous role. With Wypler set to miss some time, Harris will take his place behind Pocic as the primary backup center. His experience filling in at guard, as well, could end up being valuable to the Browns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/24

August 10th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Reverted to IR: DT Matt Gotel
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