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Ravens To Sign S Eddie Jackson

July 19th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another member of the veteran safety market has found a deal ahead of training camp. Eddie Jackson has agreed to a contract with the Ravens, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

To little surprise, Schefter adds this is a one-year agreement. Many veterans at all positions take short-term accords at this point in the offseason, but that has particularly been the expectation at the safety spot in 2024. Jackson had spent his entire seven-year career with the Bears, but he will now turn his attention to Baltimore as the next phase of his NFL tenure begins.

The 30-year-old has started each of his 101 regular season and playoff games, earning a number of accolades along the way. Jackson received first-team All-Pro honors in 2018 and he duplicated his Pro Bowl nod from that season during the following campaign. He has recorded multiple interceptions four times in his career, but his ball production has declined over time. The former fourth-rounder was named as a trade candidate ahead of the 2023 deadline, though no suitors emerged.

Jackson entered the 2024 offseason with one year remaining on his deal, and he was due $14.15MM in compensation. None of his base salary was guaranteed, though, and a message to Chicago sent in February suggested the Bears would move on. Days later, the team did indeed release the Alabama product. No reports had emerged in the following months connecting Jackson to any known suitors, but he will now spend the summer competing for a role in the Ravens’ secondary.

Baltimore still has Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in place as starters, but the latter’s versatility was displayed last season when the team deployed three-safety looks. Geno Stone thus logged a notable workload, and his success earned him a deal from the Bengals in free agency. The Ravens added options to replace Stone during and after the draft, but Jackson represents a veteran presence capable of serving in a third safety capacity. His 87% defensive snap share in 2023 was the lowest of his career, and a 120.6 passer rating allowed illustrates his struggles in coverage.

Jackson will not be counted on as a full-time defender as long as Williams and Hamilton remain healthy. He could earn a part-time role in the secondary over the coming weeks, though, and in that event he could use the 2024 campaign to rebuild his free agent value to an extent as he joins a new team for the first time in his career.

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.

Vikings, Round 1 QB J.J. McCarthy Agree To Terms

July 19th, 2024 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

Three rookies from the 2024 draft class were unsigned as of Friday. Two of those – quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner – belonged to the Vikings, but the former is now set to sign his rookie pact.

McCarthy and the Vikings have agreed to terms, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The four-year pact will carry a value of $21.85MM including a $12.71MM signing bonus. Both figures are guaranteed in full. Minnesota will be able to keep him in place for the 2028 campaign via the fifth-year option.

Modern rookie contracts are essentially a formality around the NFL, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently noted the Vikings had not “engaged much” with respect to negotiating a McCarthy agreement. One possible explanation was that Minnesota was waiting for the Bears to come to an agreement with first overall pick Caleb Williams; that took place earlier this week after a number of creative attempts to set an unusual precedent regarding rookie compensation. In any event, both passers are now on the books.

Across three seasons at Michigan, McCarthy enjoyed considerable success including an unbeaten run to the national title in 2023. He finished 10th in Heisman voting last year, but questions persisted in the pre-draft process with respect to his impact on the team’s run-heavy offense. As one of the youngest signal-callers in the 2024 class, though, he was firmly on the first-round radar of teams looking to invest at the position.

The Vikings ultimately moved up one spot in the draft to select McCarthy 10th overall. It comes as no surprise that Minnesota added a passer via the draft after watching Kirk Cousins depart in free agency, but the rookie is not positioned to see the field right away during his rookie campaign. Sam Darnold – added on a one-year deal to provide a veteran replacement for Cousins – will begin training camp atop the depth chart.

Darnold could thrive in Kevin O’Connell‘s system, something which would help his free agent stock considerably ahead of the 2025 offseason. If not, McCarthy will no doubt find himself on the field at some point during his rookie campaign. The latter enters a situation with a strong array of pass-catchers (led by wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, along with tight end T.J. Hockenson) which could help him acclimate to the NFL level. Now, McCarthy can turn his attention to the upcoming start of training camp with his contract in hand.

Commanders Place DT Johnny Newton On NFI

July 19th, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Johnny Newton will not be on the field to take part in the beginning of the rookie portion of the Commanders’ training camp. The second-round defensive tackle was place on the non-football injury (NFI) list Friday, per a team announcement.

The NFI list is used in cases where players begin their NFL careers rehabbing an injury suffered in college. That applies to Newton, whose pre-draft process was affected by foot injuries. He underwent surgery in January to address an injury to his right foot before suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot. The latter issue required another procedure in May, and as such today’s transaction comes as little surprise.

Newton interestingly said he had returned to full health by the time he was drafted, but the Jones fracture kept him out of rookie minicamp and the rest of spring workouts. He can be activated at any time, but he will now miss at least some time during training camp as he prepares for his rookie campaign. The All-American’s health no doubt contributed to his draft stock taking a hit, and Newton needed to wait until Day 2 to hear his name called.

The Illinois product will nevertheless face high expectations once he is healthy and up to speed at the pro level based on his college production. Newton racked up 18 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss during his time with the Fighting Illini, and he should be able to serve in at least a notable rotational capacity early in his NFL career. Washington still has both Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen ahead of him on the DT depth chart, though.

Those veterans will report to camp next week as the ramp-up period begins toward exhibition contests and the regular season. The Commanders will no doubt hope Newton recovers in time for the fall, so the timing of when he is activated will be worth watching closely.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/24

July 18th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

As a reminder, players who land on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list can be activated at any time during training camp or the preseason. If players remain on either of those two lists following initial 53-man rosters, they’ll be forced to sit out the first four games of the 2024 season.

While the majority of the Dolphins’ injuries were expected, Isaiah Wynn‘s placement on PUP is a bit of a surprise. The offensive lineman continues to recover from a quadriceps injury that ended his 2023 campaign in October, but his rehab is apparently taking longer than expected. After mostly playing offensive tackle to begin his career, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the former first-round pick is expected to be the “front-runner” at left guard once he’s healthy enough to see the field. Jackson also passed along that Salvon Ahmed‘s issue isn’t related to his season-ending foot injury from last season and is a result of a “minor medical issue.” The RB is firmly on the roster bubble heading into training camp.

Saints Place Ryan Ramczyk On Reserve/PUP List; Chase Young Nearing Return

July 18th, 2024 at 7:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:05pm: NFL network’s Ian Rapoport has provided a discouraging update, noting that Ramczyk’s placement on PUP means he’s out for the entire season. This applies to all vested veterans placed on reserve/PUP prior to the final roster reduction August 27.

4:00pm: Rumored to be in danger of missing the 2024 season, Ryan Ramczyk is already out of the picture for a chunk of it. The Saints placed the All-Pro right tackle on the reserve/PUP list Thursday, guaranteeing he will miss at least the season’s first four games.

A knee injury Ramczyk battled through last season has the eighth-year veteran at a career crossroads, and the Saints drafted a tackle in Round 1 (Taliese Fuaga). The former Oregon State right tackle is training on the left side, but it does not appear Ramczyk will be counted on in 2024. This transaction points to Ramczyk missing the season, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets.

Teams have the option of placing players on the active/PUP list, which is a training camp-only designation that does not affect a player’s regular-season availability. The Saints taking this step with Ramczyk more than a month before they have to does not bode well for the decorated blocker’s chances of factoring into the 2024 campaign.

Ramczyk, who turned 30 this offseason, has started 101 games. Twelve of those came last season, but knee trouble has pointed to this reality for a bit. A cartilage defect in Ramczyk’s knee has led him to this crossroads, which compounds issues for a Saints team in dire straits at tackle. Dennis Allen had labeled Ramczyk’s offseason knee surgery as minor and projected he would be ready for camp but said in April he felt better about the veteran’s chances at the time of surgery.

The team has not seen 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning pan out; an early-season benching occurred. The Saints then saw three-year starter James Hurst, who worked at left tackle for two seasons and left guard for most of last year, retire. This came shortly after Andrus Peat, a Pro Bowl guard who was Penning’s primary LT replacement last year, defected to the Raiders. This all but assured the Saints would take advantage of this year’s deep tackle crop, with Fuaga being the prize at No. 14 overall.

As recently as last season, the Saints rolled out an O-line with four first-rounders (Ramczyk, Penning, Peat, Cesar Ruiz) and second-round center Erik McCoy. The team went back to the Round 1 well via Fuaga, who is in line to start at left tackle, but the LG and RT spots are uncertain. Penning trained at right tackle this offseason and may well be the favorite to fill in for Ramczyk, but the Northern Iowa alum’s performance to date leaves that as an unstable position.

This will be a blow for a perennially cap-strapped team. The Saints gave Ramczyk a five-year, $96MM extension in 2021. That contract included $43MM guaranteed at signing and $60MM guaranteed in total. Part of a 2017 draft class that changed the Saints’ trajectory, Ramczyk is a three-time All-Pro (first team in 2019) who has given the Saints stability on the right side. Ramczyk reworked his contract this offseason, dropping his cap number from $27MM to $12.9MM. A dead money charge of $23.1MM would come the Saints’ way if Ramczyk moves off the roster via release, though that number could be split via a post-June 1 cut.

In less impactful Saints news, the team placed tight end Juwan Johnson, defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, linebacker Nephi Sewell and free agency DE addition Chase Young on the active/PUP list. Chris Olave landed on the active/NFI list. Players moved to the active/PUP or active/NFI lists can be activated at any point. The Saints activated rookie wide receiver Bub Means from the active/NFI list Thursday.

Young is coming off offseason neck surgery, though the former No. 2 overall pick has been viewed as likely to be ready for Week 1. His recovery has gone well enough the team does not expect a lengthy stay on the active/PUP list, Underhill adds. A similar assessment emerged last month, pointing to Young — who saw a severe knee injury change his path in Washington — being ready in the not-too-distant future. Young signed a one-year, $13MM deal comprised largely of per-game roster bonuses.

Cardinals Sign Round 3 RB Trey Benson, Wrap Draft Class Deals

July 18th, 2024 at 2:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals have completed rookie-deal negotiations with third-round pick Trey Benson. With Arizona announcing the running back’s signing Thursday, all non-first-round picks have agreed to their four-year rookie pacts.

Only three players remain unsigned. The Vikings have not signed either of their two first-rounders — J.J. McCarthy, Dallas Turner — and the Bengals have not yet come to terms with tackle Amarius Mims. Of course, modern rookie deals do not feature the kind of complications they brought before the 2011 CBA introduced the slot system. It should be expected Minnesota and Cincinnati will wrap these processes soon, as rookies are now in training camp.

Benson’s contract comes shortly after the Jets agreed to terms with their third-round pick, wide receiver Malachi Corley. Considering Corley was chosen one spot in front of the Florida State alum, who went 66th overall, the Cardinals’ final unsigned draftee appeared on track to finish off this process. After all, every other third-rounder — including the Cardinals’ other three Round 3 choices — had been signed for weeks now.

Arizona has not featured too much in the way of James Conner insurance during the ex-Steeler’s time in the desert. Benson stands to provide some and could well become Conner’s successor. The starter’s three-year, $21MM deal expires after the 2024 season. Entering this campaign, however, Benson should mix in as a backup. Conner has missed time in each of his three Cardinals seasons, however, clearing a path for the rookie and 2023 waiver claim Michael Carter.

This year’s draft did not feature the level of RB prospects the 2023 class brought. No back came off the board until the Panthers traded up for Jonathon Brooks at No. 46. Benson became the second RB selected. Benson put together 990- and 906-yard showings over the past two seasons with the Seminoles. The Oregon transfer caught 20 passes for 227 yards in 2023, completing a 15-touchdown college finale. Accumulating only 316 college carries, Benson soon clocked a 4.39-second 40-yard dash time at the Combine to present an intriguing profile for NFL teams.

Here is how the Cardinals’ 2024 draft class looks as first-year players get to work:

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/17/24

July 17th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Some roster movement today in minor transactions as several teams are starting to add players to early injured lists:

Chicago Bears

  • Placed on active/NFI list: T Kiran Amegadjie
  • Placed on active/PUP list: DT Jamree Kromah

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

There was good news on the Horton front back in May as it was announced that the Texans defender had completed his final treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. As a rookie out of TCU, Horton sat out the final seven games of the 2023 season on the non-football illness list. As he continues to work his way back to the field, it appears he’ll start the summer on the list, as well.

Thompson’s situation in Kansas City also received some good news of late. After suffering a seizure that caused him to go into cardiac arrest in early-June, the Chiefs defender continues to make progress towards a return. He’ll start the summer on the non-football injury list but will continue to work his way back as he continues with medical procedures, per Nate Taylor of The Athletic.

Steelers Bring Back LB Tyler Matakevich

July 17th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

After four seasons in Buffalo, Tyler Matakevich is coming back to where his NFL journey began. The Steelers announced a reunion with the veteran linebacker Wednesday. It is a one-year deal.

Role players regularly land deals with teams around the time training camps start, and Matakevich having played four seasons in Pittsburgh stands to help his cause when it comes to landing on the team’s 53-man roster (or 16-man practice squad). The Steelers drafted Matakevich in the 2016 seventh round. This marks the second straight year he has signed a one-year contract.

Matakevich, 31, returns to a team that has made major changes at linebacker since he was last in town. The team’s GM (Omar Khan) and DC (Teryl Austin) have changed as well, though Mike Tomlin is going into his 18th season as the team’s head coach. Pittsburgh signed Patrick Queen this offseason and returns 2023 free agency pickup Elandon Roberts. Cole Holcomb, however, is still recovering from the serious knee injury he suffered last November. The Steelers have not re-signed 2023 starter Kwon Alexander, either, though they did draft NC State’s Payton Wilson in Round 3.

A starting role should not be considered likely for Matakevich, who has made his NFL living on special teams. The Temple alum has started one game in eight seasons, but he has missed just two career contests and lined up as an ST regular throughout. Matakevich has hit the 80% snap rate on special teams three times, including in 2021 and 2023 with the Bills.

In 17 games last season, Matakevich played just 16 defensive snaps. But he has not dipped below the 75% ST snap rate since 2018. The ninth-year vet seems a good bet to avoid the practice squad, having been an active-roster player throughout his career. The Steelers would have that option, however, though they could also have a roster spot due to a Holcomb placement on the reserve/PUP list. With the 2023 UFA’s availability for the season in doubt, a spot does appear open. To make room on their 90-man roster, the Steelers waived safety Jalen Elliott.

Bears Sign No. 1 Pick Caleb Williams

July 17th, 2024 at 2:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 17, 2:45pm: Once again, we have a report Williams has agreed to terms with the Bears. This latest offering, from NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, comes after a report the highly touted passer attempted to become the first rookie to receive a no-tag clause in his first NFL deal. The Bears balked, potentially putting this issue to bed for other No. 1 picks for a while, and have their new starter under contract. The team have since announced the signing.

11:58am: While Williams’ deal is expected to be completed soon, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes some minor issues remain unresolved. The lawyer representing Williams is not especially experienced with NFL contracts, per Florio, complicating this process to a degree. Though, the No. 1 pick is on track to collect his full signing bonus not long after the deal is finalized. It does not appear like that has happened just yet.

JULY 16: Hours after Rome Odunze‘s signature on his rookie contract, Caleb Williams is putting pen to paper as well. The Bears are also signing their No. 1 overall pick to his rookie deal Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.

This will be a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $39.49MM. While this is a fraction of what No. 1 picks commanded before the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie pacts, Williams’ slot price sits higher than anyone drafted since. The Bears, who traded Justin Fields to make room for the 2022 Heisman winner, now have this year’s top draftee signed through 2027.

[RELATED: Five 2024 Draft Choices Remain Unsigned]

Williams marks the latest QB swing from a Bears team that has been unable to find a true franchise-level option. Fields showed some improvement last season, but Williams’ ceiling is viewed as considerably higher. Chicago’s whiff on Mitch Trubisky remains one of the modern draft era’s most infamous transactions, seeing as Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were drafted soon after. The team’s Jay Cutler trade, which cost two first-round picks and change, produced one playoff berth in eight seasons. A 2023 Panthers trade, however, changed Chicago’s fortunes and led to a rare opportunity.

The Bears did pass on C.J. Stroud by sending the Panthers the 2023 top pick, leading to Carolina choosing Bryce Young. Although GM Ryan Poles attempted to give Fields a shot at making a case to be the team’s long-term option, the Panthers finishing 2-15 changed the Bears’ plans. Few expected Chicago to seriously entertain trading out of No. 1 for a second straight year, and the team did not. The Bears instead unloaded Fields — for a price (a conditional sixth-round pick) much lower than most anticipated — to clear the decks for Williams. With no notable backup in place, the former Lincoln Riley pupil will move into Chicago’s starting lineup soon.

The Bears already named Williams their starter, though that status was never in doubt. The former Oklahoma recruit-turned-USC superstar had established himself as the clear-cut top option in this year’s class during his 2022 Heisman-winning season. Williams did not fare as well as a junior, but he did not do enough to fall in the draft. This year’s spree of draft rumors centered around five quarterbacks, not six, as Williams-to-Chicago was an open secret for weeks.

Although some evaluators referred to Williams’ Combine interviews as “not great,” the dynamic talent was never closely connected to any team but the Bears. That set him apart from Young last year, as the Panthers were also tied to Stroud and Anthony Richardson, and placed Williams closer to the Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow levels. Williams’ supporting cast looks better than both those talents coming in.

Williams totaled 4,537 passing yards, with a 42-5 TD-INT ratio, during his Heisman season. Although the Trojans took a step back in 2023 by losing five of their final six regular-season games, Williams still closed with a 30-5 TD-INT ratio and improved his completion percentage from 66.6% to 68.6%. Williams’ yards per attempt number (9.4) also bettered his Heisman average (9.1). Williams averaged at least nine yards per pass in each of his three college seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 214-pound passer will now team with one of the top receiver groups in Bears history, with Chicago adding Keenan Allen and Odunze to a group fronted by D.J. Moore. The Bears also have Cole Kmet and ex-Shane Waldron charge Gerald Everett rostered at tight end. After Trubisky and Fields struggled with limited pass-catching help, Williams will begin an attempt to reverse this franchise’s miserable modern QB history with a deep array of weaponry.

Going into training camp, here is how the Bears’ 2024 draft class looks:

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