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Bucs, LT Tristan Wirfs Agree To Extension

August 6th, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 6: Wirfs will receive $52.24MM of his new guarantees locked in at signing, as detailed by OvertheCap. His $25MM roster bonus and $26MM 2025 base salary will provide significant cash flow early in the pact, which includes another $26MM in salary locked in for 2026 on the fifth day of the 2025 league year. The extension lowers Wirfs’ cap hit for this season to $6.61MM, though that figure will check in at more than $31MM every year from 2025-28.

AUGUST 1: Tristan Wirfs‘ financial future has been settled. The All-Pro tackle reached agreement on a five-year, $140.6MM Buccaneers extension on Thursday, as first reported by veteran insider Jordan Schultz. The move is now official, per a team announcement.

This monster pact includes $88.24MM in guarantees, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. Wirfs is still on the books for the coming season via his fifth-year option, so today’s deal means he is under contract through 2029. This agreement checks the final major piece of business off Tampa Bay’s offseason to-do list.

The likes of Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr. each secured big-money deals this year to keep them with the Buccaneers. The latter – as expected – became the league’s highest-paid safety with his extension. Wirfs’ deal checks in at an AAV of $28.12MM, which moves him to the top of the pecking order for left tackles. Bucs general manager Jason Licht made it clear this past weekend the 25-year-old would likely take the top spot financially for at least blindside protectors, and that has now taken place. Wirfs has also moved ahead of Penei Sewell, who earlier this offseason became the top earner for right tackles.

Wirfs attended training camp in anticipation of an agreement being worked out, but he did not take part in team drills prior to the deal being finalized. The Iowa alum said progress was being made, though, so the expectation remained that he would soon have a long-term accord in hand. That is now the case, so Tampa Bay’s subsequent practices can now have the team’s full offense on hand.

For the first three seasons of his career, Wirfs manned the right tackle spot and delivered strong results. The former No. 13 pick earned Pro Bowl invitations in 2021 and ’22, adding a first- and second-team All-Pro nod during that time. Tampa Bay moved on from veteran left tackle Donovan Smith last offseason, paving the way for Wirfs to switch to the blindside. That transition went well, as the latter added another Pro Bowl to his resume and cemented himself as the anchor of the Buccaneers’ offensive line.

When taking into account the $18.24MM Wirfs was already guaranteed to earn in 2024, his total scheduled compensation is just under $159MM. This is the most lucrative contract in franchise history, one which ensures Wirfs will be in place for the foreseeable future. Tampa Bay will aim for a fourth straight NFC South title in 2024, and he will no doubt play a major role in determining whether or not a return to the postseason ensues.

The Buccaneers entered Thursday with roughly $25MM in 2025 cap space. That figure will change drastically once Wirfs’ deal is officially on the books, but absorbing his scheduled cap hits should be feasible for the time being. After a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs, several members of the team’s nucleus are now set to remain in place as the Bucs attempt to improve on their 2023 performance. Wirfs’ accord will now, in turn, serve as the new standard for future tackle mega-deals.

Chiefs, K Harrison Butker Agree To Extension

August 5th, 2024 at 9:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

One item from the Chiefs’ remaining extension to-do list has been checked off. Kansas City has reached agreement on a deal making Harrison Butker the league’s highest-paid kicker, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds this pact will be four years in length and carry a value of $25.6MM. $17.75MM of that total is guaranteed. Butker was set to enter the final year of his pact, but today’s move means he will be tied to Kansas City through the 2028 campaign.

Kansas City’s top extension priorities have been laid out, with general manager Brett Veach naming center Creed Humphrey, right guard Trey Smith and linebacker Nick Bolton as players he hopes to keep in place beyond 2024. It remains to be seen what happens with the members of that trio, but in any case Butker’s Chiefs tenure will continue for the foreseeable future.

The 29-year-old entered the league as a Panthers seventh-rounder in 2017, but his only appearances have come with Kansas City. Butker sports an accuracy rate of 89.1% on field goal attempts, and a 94.5% mark on extra points. This new pact carries an annual average value of $6.4MM, which moves Butker ahead of Justin Tucker in the position’s pecking order. The Ravens All-Pro and the Eagles’ Jake Elliott were previously the only kickers attached to a $6MM AAV.

Butker led the NFL in attempts in 2017 and ’19, topping the league in made field goals during the latter campaign. The Georgia Tech alum has demonstrated his leg strength on a number of occasions, and his 62-yarder in 2022 was the longest made field goal in the NFL. His accuracy rate that season (75%) was the lowest of his career, but he rebounded last year by going 33-for-35 in the regular season. Butker also made all 19 of his playoff kicks.

The Chiefs have been the league’s elite on offense during much of the Patrick Mahomes era, with the future Hall of Fame quarterback obviously being at the heart of that success. Butker has played his part by remaining consistent throughout his career, though, achieving an accuracy rate of at least 88.9% on field goals in six of his seven seasons. He was due to receive $3.84MM in 2024 on his previous deal, but now he has a raise and long-term security in hand.

49ers Sign RB Matt Breida

August 5th, 2024 at 8:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Matt Breida is returning to his first NFL squad. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the 49ers are signing the veteran running back. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Breida was among a long list of players who auditioned for the 49ers today, a grouping that also included fellow running backs Anthony McFarland Jr. and Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

The UDFA out of Georgia Southern got his first NFL contract from the 49ers and proceeded to spend three seasons in San Francisco. Breida got into 43 games (18 starts) with the organization between 2017 and 2019, compiling 2,463 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. His best season came in 2018, when he topped 1,000 offensive yards.

He was dealt to the Dolphins ahead of the 2020 campaign, but he finished his lone season in Miami with a career-low 68 touches. That number fell to 33 touches during his stint with the Bills in 2021, but he found a home with the Giants over the past two years. Serving as Saquon Barkley‘s primary backup, Breida collected 577 yards from scrimmage between 2022 and 2023.

Now, he’ll be joining a 49ers depth chart that’s in need of some depth. As Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes, fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo recently went down with a hamstring injury, and the team was already expected to limit Christian McCaffrey‘s snaps during the preseason. That means Breida will now be competing for preseason reps with familiar faces like Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason, newcomer Patrick Taylor Jr., and UDFA Cody Schrader.

The 49ers made a couple of other transactions today. According to Barrows, the team signed offensive lineman Lewis Kidd and placed OL Pat Elflein on IR. Elflein only joined the team the other day, and Barrows notes that the lineman injured his calf only a few plays into his first practice with the team.

This is the second-straight year that Elflein has landed on injured reserve before the season even begins. Last year, it came with the Cardinals, as the lineman was placed on IR with an undisclosed injury right before the season started. The former Vikings starter spent the 2021 and 2022 campaigns in Carolina, where he started all 15 of his appearances.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/24

August 5th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: LB Mike Rose

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: OL Jason Poe

Seattle Seahawks

Broncos DL Eyioma Uwazurike Reinstated From Gambling Suspension

August 5th, 2024 at 6:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:10pm: Uwazurike has released a statement (per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport):

“I am grateful to the Denver Broncos and the National Football League for giving me the opportunity to resume my NFL career. I’ve learned from this situation and taken steps to ensure it will never happen again.

“It is a privilege to play in the NFL, and I hope others can learn from my mistake. I will not take this second chance for granted and am fully committed to making a positive impact with the Broncos both on and off the field.”

12:30pm: Eyioma Uwazurike is back in the fold as of Monday. The Broncos defensive lineman has been reinstated from his 2023 gambling suspension, per a league announcement. He will take the roster spot vacated by safety Caden Sterns, who will be traded or waived today.

[Offseason In Review: Denver Broncos]

Uwazurike was among the many players hit with a ban last summer, one which ultimately lasted 54 weeks. An investigation into the 26-year-old’s wagering revealed he placed bets on five Broncos games during his rookie season as part of a wider pattern of FanDuel action which included bets made on Iowa State contests in 2021 when he played for the Cyclones.

Further review from the league office as well as the state of Colorado and Arapahoe County District Attorney took place recently. Uwazurike was first eligible to apply for reinstatement on July 24, but that probe was ongoing at the time. For that reason, he remained unable to take part in team activities until the investigation concluded. As detailed by Mike Klis of 9News, no charges have been filed, clearing the way for Uwazurike to return to action.

Given the year-long absence, the former fourth-rounder’s contract tolled in 2024. As a result, Uwazurike still has three years remaining on his rookie pact. He made eight appearances as a rookie, totaling 17 tackles and two quarterback pressures. With Denver’s training camp well underway, he will now turn his attention to carving out a roster spot on a new-look defensive front.

The Broncos saw the departure of Mike Purcell and Jonathan Harris this offseason while bringing in Malcolm Roach and Angelo Blackson via free agency. Denver also traded for John Franklin-Meyers during the draft, giving the team a number of new options along the defensive interior to pair with Zach Allen and D.J. Jones. Uwazurike will compete for playing time as a member of that group while attempting to avoid any further gambling-related issues.

Dolphins, Tyreek Hill Agree To Reworked Contract

August 5th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 5: Detailing the structure of the new deal, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talks notes Hill will receive a raise of $11.4MM over 2024 and ’25 compared to the previous arrangement. His up front compensation includes a $7MM signing bonus and guaranteed salaries and roster bonuses for the next two seasons. Hill can receive up $2.8MM in per-game roster bonuses during that span along with annual playing time and team postseason win incentives up to $500K.

2026 calls for $36MM in compensation, though none of it is locked in at signing. $11MM of that total will become guaranteed in 2026, but until then team and player will move forward with a revised short-term pact.

AUGUST 3: After a number of top wideouts earned lucrative extensions this offseason, Tyreek Hill was secured his pay day. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins have reached an agreement with their star wide receiver on a restructured contract worth $90MM over the next three years.

The deal includes $65MM in guaranteed money, and the restructuring will only cover the three years that were already remaining on Hill’s contract (so no new years were added). When combined with his 2023 guarantees, Hill’s $106.5MM in guaranteed money is the most by a wideout over a four-year stretch, per Schefter. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes that Hill also made NFL history with the “most guaranteed money added to a contract without adding new years,” and that record is likely a reflection of Hill’s unique contract situation.

The Dolphins once established Hill as the league’s highest-paid WR when they signed him to a four-year, $120MM extension. The last few years of that pact signaled that revisions were eventually coming. Hill was already attached to a significant $31MM cap hit in 2024, with that number jumping to $34MM in 2025 and an untenable $56MM in 2026. The front office also had outs in both 2025 and 2026 (via the player’s nonguaranteed $43.9MM salary), so it always seemed likely that the sides would head back to the drawing board.

Since inking his initial Miami extension, Hill has since been passed by the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown and Justin Jefferson on the AAV list. Even Hill’s teammate, Jaylen Waddle found himself with a new deal that encroached on the numbers Hill was making. The Dolphins star won’t make any progress on St. Brown, Brown, and Jefferson with this latest deal in AAV, but he will approach Jefferson in terms of guaranteed money. Jefferson’s record-setting deal set the guaranteed money mark at $88.74MM.

It seemed strange that Hill trailed the above names in salary despite leading the league in receiving yards and touchdowns last year and only trailing Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb in receptions. Due to the nature of how quickly position salaries have seemed to escalate in recent years, it was no surprise to see Hill’s once record-setting deal pale in comparison to the younger generation.

The Dolphins’ new deal with Hill at least partially rights that wrong. Though Hill didn’t have any years added to his contract, Miami still has him, Waddle, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa under contract through the 2026 season, with both Waddle and Tagovailoa having one more year than Hill. The team’s offensive corps remains intact and well-paid for the next three years, at least.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Panthers Place Kemoko Turay On IR

August 5th, 2024 at 9:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Kemoko Turay‘s Panthers tenure has proven to be rather short-lived. The veteran edge rusher was placed on injured reserve Monday, per Joe Person of The Athletic.

Turay was one of several outside linebackers who visited Carolina before he landed a deal. The 29-year-old was set to compete for a rotational role along the edge with the Panthers, but today’s move will keep him sidelined for the season. Turay’s contract did not include any guaranteed money, so the team will not have any dead cap charges to deal with.

The Panthers added Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum in free agency, and that pair is set to start on a team which no longer has Brian Burns or Yetur Gross-Matos along the edge. Questions have been raised about Carolina’s depth, though, and the loss of Turay could lead them to circle back to the other options which auditioned last month. That list includes Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue and Marquis Haynes.

Lawson recently worked out for the Cowboys, but he (like the other two) remains unsigned at this point. In any event, the lack of veteran depth options for the time being means K’Lavon Chaisson will still have plenty of reps available during training camp. The former Jaguars first-rounder has not lived up to expectations in the NFL, and he will attempt to get his career on track with the Panthers.

In a corresponding move, Carolina added quarterback Jake Luton, as first reported by Person. The 28-year-old will return to the Panthers after spending time on their practice squad last season. Luton has bounced around the league since he made the lone three starts of his career with Jacksonville in 2020. Carolina was on the lookout for a depth QB addition with backup Andy Dalton sidelined due to a quad injury. Luton will give the Panthers another camp body alongside Bryce Young and Jack Plummer while Dalton rehabs.

Eagles Sign LB Shaquille Quarterman

August 5th, 2024 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Philadelphia will have an additional option in the linebacking corps for the remainder of training camp. The Eagles have an agreement in place with Shaquille Quarterman, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The signing is now official, per a team announcement.

Quarterman entered the league in 2020 after being drafted by the Jaguars. He was a regular in Jacksonville over the course of his rookie contract, making 65 combined regular and postseason appearances. The 26-year-old did not make any starts on defense, though, with most of his playing time coming on special teams.

The 2021 season saw Quarterman total 3o tackles while logging his largest defensive workload (142 snaps). His third phase contributions over the following two years were not enough to land him a new Jaguars pact, however, leading to a lengthy stay on the open market. The former fourth-rounder visited the Bears last month, but he will be headed to Philadelphia for at least the next few weeks.

The Eagles have undergone a number of changes at the linebacker spot this offseason after the team’s underwhelming end on defense to close out the 2023 campaign. Nicholas Morrow took a deal with the Bills, while Zach Cunningham and Shaquille Leonard remain unsigned. Philadelphia added Devin White and Zack Baun in free agency before drafting Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Those new faces will join returnee Nakobe Dean in competing for defensive playing time.

Quarterman will attempt to carve out a role as part of that group, presumably on special teams. The Eagles’ upcoming preseason contests will give the Miami alum a chance to earn a 53-man roster spot. Philadelphia entered Monday with over $25.5MM in cap space, so this addition (which will no doubt be for one year and the league minimum) will not affect the team’s financial outlook.

Titans Sign Veteran S Quandre Diggs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/24

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

Today’s minor transactions to close out the weekend:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington Commanders

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

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

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