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Contract Details: Hughes, Hollins, Anderson, Scott, Johnson, Evans, Morstead, Ham

April 1st, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on more deals signed recently around the NFL:

  • C.J. Ham, FB (Vikings): Two years, $8.65MM. The extension, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, has a guaranteed amount of $4.4MM composed of a $2.3MM signing bonus, Ham’s 2023 base salary of $1.1MM, and $1MM of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $2.4MM. The 2025 base salary is worth $2.55MM. Ham is set to earn $100,000 workout bonuses in each year of the newly extended deal.
  • Mike Hughes, CB (Falcons): Two years, $7MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, has a guaranteed amount of $3.24MM consisting of a $1.5MM signing bonus, Hughes’s first year base salary of $1.08MM, and his 2023 roster bonus of $660,000. The second year base salary is worth $2.57MM. The contract includes an annual per game active roster bonus of $35,000 for a potential season total of $595,000.
  • Trenton Scott, G (Commanders): Two years, $3.02MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $655,000 consisting of a $305,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of Scott’s first year base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). The second year base salary is worth $1.13MM. The contract includes an annual per game active roster bonus of $15,000 for a potential season total of $255,000. Scott can earn an additional $500,000 through an incentive based on playing time.
  • Justin Evans, S (Eagles): One year, $1.59MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $600,000 composed of a $250,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of Evans’ base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). The deal includes a per game active roster bonus of $15,294 for a potential season total of $260,000. Evans can earn an additional $1.25MM through incentives based on playing time and a Pro Bowl selection.
  • Henry Anderson, DE (Panthers): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $152,500 consisting of Anderson’s signing bonus. His base salary is worth $1.17MM.
  • Thomas Morstead, P (Jets): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $1.09MM consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $940,000 of Morstead’s base salary (worth a total of $1.17MM).
  • Justin Hollins, OLB (Packers): One year, $1.28MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $155,000 consisting of Hollins’s signing bonus. The base salary is worth $1.08MM. The deal includes a workout bonus of $45,000, and Hollins can earn an additional $350,000 through an incentive based on playing time.
  • Ty Johnson, RB (Jets): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $250,000 consisting of a $75,000 signing bonus and $175,000 of Johnson’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). Johnson can earn a $77,500 roster bonus if he’s active in New York’s Week 1 matchup.

Bears, Vikings Pursued David Montgomery; Lions Pivoted After Jamaal Williams Rejected Offer

March 31st, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Sam Robinson

While this year’s running back market did not produce a top-10 contract at the position, some interesting dominoes fell. Perhaps none more so than David Montgomery, who left the Bears to be the Lions’ Jamaal Williams replacement.

The Lions gave Montgomery a three-year, $18MM deal that includes $8.75MM fully guaranteed. The Bears wanted to retain their veteran starter, however, with the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley indicating the team believed it made a competitive offer. It just was not enough to keep Montgomery in the Windy City, something GM Ryan Poles said he was interested in doing earlier this offseason.

Chicago’s offer did not include any guaranteed money beyond Year 1 of the deal, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes. Montgomery can collect $2.25MM in additional funds if he is on the Lions’ roster on Day 3 of the 2024 league year. Seeing as it would cost the Lions more than $6MM in dead money to cut Montgomery before that bonus date, it represents a good bet this will be at least a two-year partnership. Only Miles Sanders received more fully guaranteed money among running backs in free agency this year.

“I would just kind of sum it up by saying players do have a choice,’’ Poles said of Montgomery’s decision, via Finley. ‘‘I thought we communicated well. I thought we negotiated well. At the same time, you don’t always know what’s going on in the background. But I thought we did a good job. We were transparent, we were organized and it just — it didn’t happen.”

Montgomery’s $6MM AAV matches the deal Williams played on from 2021-22. Williams said (via NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett) the Lions’ offer was disrespectful, leading him to the Saints on a three-year accord worth $12MM ($8.15MM fully guaranteed). The Lions did not pivot to Montgomery, 25, until Williams, 27, rejected their offer. Lions GM Brad Holmes said conversations with Williams’ agent at the Combine led him to believe the parties were closing in on another agreement.

“From a budgeting and planning standpoint pre-free agency, we had an allotment of resources set aside, really for Jamaal,” Holmes said, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “Didn’t really even really consider another running back higher than that amount of resources that we set aside for Jamaal. And business happens and that’s part of this business and it just didn’t work.

“We tried, but when the market crystallized and it got to a point where David was in play, kind of within the range of resources that we had set aside, then that’s when we went ahead and went forward with David, which we’re extremely excited about.”

The Lions likely offered Williams a deal with similar terms as Montgomery’s, Biggs adds, pointing to the league’s 2022 rushing touchdown leader slightly miscalculating his market. The ex-Packers draftee still landed on his feet with the Saints, though his AAV is down compared to his Lions contract. Williams will move into position as Alvin Kamara insurance. Kamara could face a six-game suspension due to his February 2022 battery arrest.

As both NFC North teams believed they were on track to retain their starting backs, Biggs adds the Vikings also pursued Montgomery. It is unclear if Minnesota made Montgomery an offer, but this interest adds another layer to what has become an intriguing divisional backfield outlook. Dalvin Cook‘s seat remains uncertain, and multiple teams viewed the perennial Pro Bowler as available ahead of free agency. A day Montgomery committed to the Lions, the Vikings gave longtime Cook backup Alexander Mattison a two-year, $7MM deal that comes nearly fully guaranteed.

A day after Mattison’s agreement, the Bears gave D’Onta Foreman a one-year deal worth just $2MM ($1MM guaranteed). Foreman will team with Khalil Herbert in Chicago, though Biggs suggests the Bears adding to their backfield in the draft should not be ruled out. This intra-divisional shakeup involved the upper echelon of free agent backs, as the second wave at the position — from the Dolphins’ duo to Samaje Perine to Devin Singletary to Damien Harris — did not eclipse $3MM guaranteed. It will be interesting to see how the Bears and Lions fare with reshaped backfields.

Dolphins Inquired On Vikings’ Dalvin Cook

March 31st, 2023 at 10:33am CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McDaniel coached both Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson in San Francisco and Miami, and the second-year Dolphins HC opted to bring back both veterans to ensure continuity. The re-signings, however, came after the Dolphins discussed what would have been a splashier addition.

The Dolphins reached out to the Vikings on Dalvin Cook, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Uncertainty swirled about the Miami native’s Minnesota future earlier this month, and the Vikings re-signed longtime backup Alexander Mattison to a deal worth more than what the Dolphins gave their returning backs.

Mattison stayed in Minnesota on what turned out to be a nice contract, considering where this running back market went. The Vikes gave their four-year backup a two-year, $7MM accord that features $6.35MM fully guaranteed. In terms of full guarantees, only Miles Sanders, David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams topped Mattison this offseason. Mattison was previously rumored to not be in Minnesota’s post-2022 plans. His second Vikings contract invites more speculation about the team’s intentions with Cook.

At the Combine, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stopped short of guaranteeing Cook would be back for a seventh season. That put the Pro Bowl talent, who is tied to a $12.6MM-per-year contract, on ground similar to Joe Mixon; the Bengals are not yet certain to trot out Cook’s draft-class peer for a seventh season. Multiple teams believed the Vikings entertained the prospect of a Cook trade just before free agency. The Dolphins look to be one of them.

Miami brought back Wilson — a 2022 trade acquisition — on a two-year, $6MM deal that includes $2.6MM guaranteed and kept Mostert for two years and $5.8MM ($2.2MM guaranteed). This will be a more economical backfield path for the Dolphins, who also re-signed third-stringer Myles Gaskin, though Cook obviously offers a higher ceiling. The Dolphins have made big-ticket additions since McDaniel arrived, trading for Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb and Jalen Ramsey. A Cook move would have been in step with these acquisitions, but the contracts the Dolphins gave the standout talents have crowded their payroll a bit.

Cook, 27, has topped 1,100 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons; he exceeded 1,450 scrimmage yards in each of those slates as well. Only Derrick Henry‘s 6,914 scrimmage yards tops Cook’s total (6,423) since 2019. Cook has reached these heights despite nagging injuries — most notably a broken shoulder that led to surgery earlier this offseason — that kept him off the field for eight games from 2019-21. In 2022, however, Cook did not miss a game. He did average a career-low 4.4 yards per carry, on the second-most totes of his career (264), but was obviously instrumental in the Vikes’ runaway NFC North championship.

A Cook transaction before the draft will be worth monitoring, and a move once he recovers from his shoulder surgery later in the offseason will as well. However, Austin Ekeler — who requested a trade due to his below-market Chargers contract — is not believed to have generated too much interest. The Vikings have Cook on a $10.4MM base salary this season. The Dolphins will have Wilson and Mostert rostered at barely $2MM combined.

NFC North Coaching Updates: Lions, Packers, Vikings

March 29th, 2023 at 9:28pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions announced earlier this month that they have finalized their coaching staff for the 2023 season. Much of the staff remains identical to last year’s coaches who helped the Lions to some surprising success. Many of the minor changes that did occur, such as promotions and the additions of assistants, have already been covered on this site. There were a couple that still need to be announced.

On the offensive side, the Lions hired Jim Hostler as a senior offensive assistant. Hostler has served in Washington for the last three years and has an extensive history as a position coach in the NFL for several franchises, including a stint as offensive coordinator for the 49ers back in 2007. Hostler’s most recent experience was assisting with wide receivers for the Commanders, but there didn’t appear to be a place for him on Eric Bieniemy‘s new staff in Washington.

On the defensive side of the ball, Detroit has hired John Scott Jr. to take over as defensive line coach. With Todd Wash departing to rejoin Frank Reich in Carolina, the Lions went to the college ranks for their next defensive line coach. Scott will return to the NFL for the first time since serving as the assistant defensive line coach for the Jets in 2016. Since then, Scott has coached the defensive lines at Arkansas, South Carolina, and Penn State, adding the title of run game coordinator for the Nittany Lions in 2022.

Here are a few more coaching updates from around the NFC North:

  • The Packers made a couple additions to their coaching staff near the start of the month. Similar to Detroit, Green Bay also pulled from the college ranks, hiring recently dismissed Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester to a senior analyst position, according to Matthew Ehler of MLive.com. Lester has worked plenty with college quarterbacks but will be making his NFL debut in 2023. The team also hired two new quality control coaches, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Rob Grosso joins as offensive quality control and Kyle Wilber will be special teams quality control. Grosso, a former defensive assistant who followed Vance Joseph from Denver to Arizona, was expected to once again follow Joesph back to Denver but will part ways with Joseph while switching from defense to offense. Wilber, a former NFL linebacker, recently finished a 10-year career in which he played for Packers assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia at both Dallas and Las Vegas.
  • The Vikings joined the Lions and Packers in dipping into the college ranks of coaching, hiring Michael Hutchings as assistant linebackers coach, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Hutchings most recently served as outside linebackers coach at Western Kentucky and previously worked at USC and Oregon.

Contract Details: Tunsil, Ogunjobi, Thompson, Tomlinson, Bradbury

March 25th, 2023 at 2:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on contracts signed since the start of free agency:

  • Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): Three years, $75MM. The extension, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, includes a guaranteed amount of $60MM, $50MM of which is guaranteed at signing. The $50MM amount in composed of a $30MM signing bonus, Tunsil’s 2023 base salary of $2MM, and his 2024 base salary of $18MM. The remaining $10MM, which comes out of his 2025 base salary (worth a total of $20.95MM), is guaranteed for injury at signing and becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2024 league year. His 2026 base salary is worth $20.95MM. The contract also includes annual workout bonuses of $150,000 and annual per game active roster bonuses that can potentially total $250,000 each season.
  • Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Browns): Four years, $57MM. The contract, according to Florio, includes a guaranteed amount of $26.29MM consisting of a $15.09MM signing bonus, Tomlinson’s first year base salary of $1.08MM, and his 2024 option bonus of $10.13MM. Of the 2024 option bonus, $8.84MM is guaranteed at signing with the rest fully guaranteeing on the third day of the 2024 league year. His 2024 base salary of $1.21MM is guaranteed for injury at signing and will fully guarantee along with the second part of the 2024 option bonus. His 2025 and 2026 base salaries are both worth $13MM, and both have roster bonuses of $750,000 due on the third day of their respective league years. In the first two years of the contract, Tomlinson will receive a per game active roster of bonus of $14,705 worth a potential season total of $250,000. The following two years see the per game active roster bonus rise to $44,117 for a potential season total of $750,000. The deal includes a potential out, allowing the Browns to cut Tomlinson after 2025 with $12.11MM in dead money but $14.5MM of cap savings over the next three years, including two voidable years.
  • Larry Ogunjobi, DT (Steelers): Three years, $28.75MM. The new deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, includes a guaranteed amount of $12MM at signing consisting of a $10.6MM signing bonus and Ogunjobi’s first year base salary of $1.4MM. His second year base salary of $5MM is guaranteed for injury and his 2025 base salary is worth $4MM. The contract includes roster bonuses of $4.75MM (guaranteed on the third league day of 2024) and $3MM (guaranteed on the third league day of 2025). Pittsburgh also put a potential out in the contract that would allow them to cut Ogunjobi after 2023 with $7.07MM of dead money but with $16.75MM in cap savings over the next two years.
  • Garrett Bradbury, C (Vikings): Three years, $15.75MM. The new contract, according to Wilson, includes a guaranteed amount of $9.8MM, $4.9MM of which is guaranteed at signing. The initial $4.9MM is composed of a $3.82MM signing bonus and Bradbury’s first year base salary of $1.08MM. The remaining $4.9MM consists of his second year base salary which fully guarantees on the third day of the 2024 league year. The deal includes an annual workout bonus of $100,000 and a per game active roster bonus of $14,705 for a potential season total of $250,000. The deal also includes a potential out that allows the Vikings to release Bradbury after 2023 with zero dead cap, resulting in $13.05MM in cap savings over the next two years.
  • Shaq Thompson, LB (Panthers): Two years, $12.6MM. The reworked deal, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, includes a guaranteed amount of $8.5MM consisting of a $5.3MM signing bonus, Thompson’s first year base salary of $1.2MM, and $2MM of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $3.8MM). He’ll receive a $1MM roster bonus guaranteed in March of 2024 and a per game active roster bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000. There are also possible incentives concerning a Pro Bowl selection and playoff wins. The deal includes three void years to reduce his current cap hit. His cap number in 2023 was reduced from $24.5MM to $14.06MM.

Vikings S Harrison Smith Accepts Pay Cut

March 24th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 24: Although Smith accepted a pay cut to stay, Goessling notes he received $6.25MM of his 2023 base salary guaranteed. That is up $1.25MM from his previous arrangement (Twitter link). Overall, Smith’s 2023 base checks in at $7.5MM; $500K in incentives are available as well.

MARCH 16: Harrison Smith will be back for a 12th season with the Vikings. The sides agreed to a reworked contract Thursday, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (on Twitter).

The Pro Bowl safety was set to count $19.1MM against Minnesota’s cap in 2023. Smith signed a four-year, $64MM extension before the 2021 season; that deal runs through 2025. Thursday’s new agreement looks to be a pay cut. Smith was set to earn $14.7MM in base salary, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes he will now make $8MM and have the opportunity to collect an additional $2MM via incentives (Twitter link). The restructure will save the Vikings $6.7MM, Goessling tweets.

Rather than testing the market in his mid-30s, Smith agreed to a salary trim will keep him in Minneapolis for his age-34 season. Strong interest did come from elsewhere, per Rapoport, but Smith prefers to stay in Minnesota (Twitter link). A 2012 first-round pick, Smith has only played for the Vikings.

Drafted during Leslie Frazier‘s HC stay, Smith is among the last of the team’s Mike Zimmer-era defensive cornerstones. The Vikings have moved on from almost everyone else from their late-2010s defensive units, including a recent release of Eric Kendricks. Only Smith and Danielle Hunter remain in place from those defenses that helped the Vikes to three playoff berths — with three different starting QBs — from 2015-19.

The Vikings are transitioning to Brian Flores‘ defensive scheme, moving on after Ed Donatell struggled in his lone season in the position, and they want Smith a part of it. It can be assumed Smith will be on a year-to-year relationship with the Vikings going forward, given his extension’s terms for 2024 and ’25. He is set to make $14.5MM in 2024 and $17MM in 2025. It is unlikely the six-time Pro Bowler will be attached to either base salary, but after letting Patrick Peterson defect to the Steelers, the Vikings are hanging onto their other veteran piece in the secondary.

Helping a struggling Vikes defense hang on for the NFC’s No. 3 seed, Smith intercepted five passes last season to move his career total to 34. Pro Football Focus slotted Smith just inside the top 40 at safety last season. Given the way the market has developed for non-Jessie Bates safeties this offseason, the Vikings asking Smith for a pay reduction makes sense.

Barring injury, Smith will still move into rare territory among Vikings defenders this season. Smith (158 career starts) will have a chance to pass Kevin Williams (170) for the third-most starts by a Minnesota defender. Catching Purple People Eaters Jim Marshall (270) or Carl Eller (201) appears unrealistic (definitely in Marshall’s case), but Smith has a chance to be the longest-tenured Vikings defensive piece in nearly 45 years.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/22/23

March 22nd, 2023 at 6:20pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Vikings To Sign WR Brandon Powell

March 22nd, 2023 at 3:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Rams bid farewell to a few players from their Super Bowl LVI-winning team, Brandon Powell will rejoin some of the coaches who were part of that squad.

The Vikings are signing the veteran receiver/return specialist, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Powell’s Minnesota move will feature reunions with Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell and OC Wes Phillips, each of whom being ex-Sean McVay lieutenants. It is a one-year agreement.

Although Powell bounced around early in his career, he spent the past two seasons as the Rams’ primary return man. The ex-Florida Gator handled kick- and punt-return responsibilities for the Rams, taking a punt back for a score during the 2021 season. The 5-foot-8 receiver has not contributed much in the passing game, though he does present some gadget options for O’Connell. The Rams gave Powell 17 carries, which he turned into 80 yards, last season. Powell added 24 receptions for 156 yards in 2022.

Minnesota used Jalen Reagor as its full-time punt returner last season. Reagor remains under contract; the ex-Eagle first-rounder also fumbled four times during his Vikings debut. Kene Nwangwu, the team’s primary kick returner in 2022, is also signed to his rookie deal. Nwangwu posted a 97-yard kick-return score last season.

The Rams have moved on from a few contributors this offseason. They released Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd, and cornerback David Long signed with the Raiders on Wednesday. Defensive tackle Greg Gaines signed with the Buccaneers. A’Shawn Robinson remains unattached, but he has visited the Giants. Ditto Taylor Rapp, who has met with the Patriots and Bengals.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/21/23

March 21st, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Minnesota Vikings

Adams, a former seventh-round pick, collected 55 tackles across 58 games (nine starts) with the Colts to begin his career. He spent the 2022 campaign in Chicago, compiling 26 tackles in 10 games (three starts).

The Cowboys previously tried to trade for Edoga, so it’s not a surprise that he’s finally landed in Dallas. Per Nick Eatman of the team’s website, the lineman could be a candidate to start at left guard to replace Connor McGovern. The former third-round pick has only appeared in seven games over the past two seasons in stints with the Jets and Falcons.

Anderson hasn’t started a game since the 2020 season, but he can still be a reliable special teamer and situational defender for a rebooted Panthers squad. The veteran got into 11 games for the Colts last season, collecting 18 tackles.

Vikings Re-Sign DL Jonathan Bullard

March 21st, 2023 at 12:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

For the first time in four years, Jonathan Bullard will be remaining in the same NFL home for more than one season. The veteran defensive lineman agreed to a new deal with the Vikings on Tuesday, per a team announcement.
The 29-year-old played in Chicago for the first three seasons of his career, his longest stint with any one team. He primarily worked in a rotational role with the Bears, but saw an uptick in playing time in 2019 with the Cardinals, starting six of nine game played. His career-high 1.5 sacks that season earned him an intra-divisional move to the Seahawks.

In Seattle, and Atlanta the following year, Bullard was limited to just 15 games played. He saw his usage rate drop over that span, which limited the value of his first Vikings deal. That pact represented the fifth consecutive one-year contract Bullard played on, but it allowed him to take on a larger role than years past. The former third-rounder saw a snap share of 40% in 2022, the third-highest of his career.

Bullard started seven of the 12 games he appeared in during the regular season. A December biceps injury led to a stint on IR, but the Florida product still managed 23 tackles (including five for loss) in his debut Vikings campaign. He was able to return in time for the playoffs, and recorded a sack in the team’s wild card loss to the Giants.

Now, Bullard will continue his stay in the Twin Cities after years of bouncing around the NFC. The Vikings have, to little surprise, seen a number of changes to their defense this offseason, after the unit struggled in 2022 in spite of the team’s overall success. That has included fellow interior d-lineman Dalvin Tomlinson signing with the Browns, and former Packer Dean Lowry being added. Bullard will look to occupy a similar role to the one he had last season as Minnesota aims for a set forward on defense in 2023.

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