Newsstand News & Rumors

Rams Trade LB Ernest Jones To Titans

August 27th, 2024 at 11:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ernest Jones worked as a linebacker regular for the Rams over the past two seasons, emerging as a potential extension candidate. But the Rams had not planned on making such a move this year. After a run of trade rumors, Jones is moving on.

The Rams are dealing Jones to the Titans, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Tennessee will acquire a proven starter in a contract year, with the Rams losing an experienced option shortly before a season with playoff expectations. This will be a pick-swap trade. The Rams will collect a fifth-round pick from the Titans for Jones and a sixth, per veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. The exchanged picks are 2026 selections, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz adds.

This comes after Jones delivered an impact performance for the 2023 Rams. The former third-round pick reeled off 145 tackles (14 for loss), 4.5 sacks and six passes defensed. The Rams perennially keep costs low at linebacker, but it is nevertheless interesting they are willing to move on from a productive young defender.

Pro Football Focus rated Jones 13th among off-ball ‘backers last season, viewing the Rams starter as strong as a run defender and a blitzer while lacking in coverage. Jones started all 15 games he played last season and lined up alongside Bobby Wagner for most of the 2022 season. The Rams moved on from Wagner after one year, and they will now be tasked with replacing Jones days before a season.

This swiftly developing storyline escalated this week, when the Rams gave Jones’ camp permission to seek a trade. Jones, 24, then made it clear he did not request to be moved. The Rams communicated with teams Monday, and a deal has come to pass. This will be an interesting addition to a Titans team that lost Azeez Al-Shaair in free agency. That came a year after David Long moved on (to the Dolphins). Jones soon stands to be a key piece in Dennard Wilson‘s defense.

Tennessee has now imported two Los Angeles-based starters this year, having already brought in ex-Chargers first-rounder Kenneth Murray. The team also rosters Jack Gibbens, a former UDFA who started 13 games last season. PFF ranked Gibbens 30th among ILBs last season; he made 95 tackles in 14 games. The Titans gave Murray a two-year, $15.5MM deal but structured the contract to make it fairly easy to move on after one season. With Jones in a contract year, the Titans may have some short-term solutions on their defensive second level. This move also comes after the Titans lost Chance Campbell to an ACL tear.

Although the Rams make a habit of generating solid play from lower-level investments, this does appear a bit of a gamble. Unlike when L.A. cut Wagner, it is coming off a postseason berth. Jones led Rams linebackers (by far) with 988 defensive snaps last season; Christian Rozeboom was second (with 579). PFF rated Rozeboom, a former UDFA, 79th at the position in 2023. Another undrafted player, rookie Omar Speights, has impressed to the point he will make Los Angeles’ roster, with The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue connecting this and a willingness to move on from Jones (subscription required).

The Titans will have exclusive negotiating rights with Jones until March, leaving them time to evaluate this fit. The Rams were not eyeing a 2024 deal with Jones, but a team that gave up at least one to-be-determined asset for him may be more inclined to discuss an extension.

Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb Agree On Extension

August 26th, 2024 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

At long last, the Cowboys have a deal done with one of their contract-year cogs. The team has reached an agreement with CeeDee Lamb, ending his holdout.

Dallas is giving Lamb a four-year, $136MM deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. This gives Lamb a $34MM AAV, which puts him between Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown. The fifth-year Dallas standout is now the NFL’s second-highest-paid wide receiver. Lamb secured $100MM guaranteed on this deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This gives him considerable separation from Brown in terms of wideout guarantees.

This comes after a Monday report indicated the Cowboys had again upped their offer. Making a few proposals over the past several weeks, Dallas had previously come in with a deal worth just less than $33MM per year. Lamb’s camp moved the team to this $34MM-AAV point, where NFL.com’s Jane Slater notes they have been for a while. Team Lamb did well to capitalize on the 2020 first-rounder’s monster season and the salary cap’s recent spike. The NFL now has five $30MM-per-year receivers, with the market moving many times after the ceiling did not budge in 2023.

The Cowboys were at $32.5MM for a while, per Slater, and then moved to $33MM per year. After an off-an-on stretch for a few weeks, this process gained steam beginning Saturday. Lamb is still finalizing language, per Slater. Barring a Randy Gregory redux, this contract should be done Tuesday. The Cowboys can waive the fines Lamb incurred during his holdout due to the receiver being previously tied to a rookie contract.

Lamb emerged on the Cowboys’ extension radar last year, but the team followed the Vikings in waiting. Jefferson created a gap between himself and the field with his four-year, $140MM pact, and he set the Lamb market in the process. The Eagles had given Brown a three-year, $96MM deal in April, with Lamb’s 2020 draft classmate topping that by a notable margin. The Cowboys were understandably hesitant to give Lamb a deal that make him the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, and a report soon indicated the Oklahoma alum was not mandating that. Though, he came awfully close on this deal — one that puts Dallas in a new guarantee sector regarding a non-QB payment.

The Cowboys came into camp with one of the more complex contract quandaries in recent NFL history. Dak Prescott remains unsigned, and Micah Parsons fully expects to become the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback when his payday arrives. The Cowboys may well table that to 2025, a prospect Parsons sounded fine with when he addressed the matter earlier this summer. This offseason represented Lamb’s window to cash in, and the Cowboys have their top weapon signed through the 2028 season.

The Cowboys’ previous WR guarantee high-water mark came in at $60MM — Amari Cooper‘s 2020 deal. The Eagles guaranteed Brown $84MM, and the Cowboys have signed off on Lamb bridging the gap to Jefferson’s record-smashing $110MM number.

It will be interesting to see how this contract is structured, as the Cowboys have escaped making good on a guarantee for a receiver in the recent past. But the team bent on its usual term-length preference by agreeing to a four-year Lamb re-up. The Cowboys generally prefer five- or six-year extensions, but the receiver market is flooded with high-end deals for three or four years. This undoubtedly factored into Lamb’s talks.

The Cowboys fully guaranteed Cooper $40MM and escaped needing to pay him the additional $20MM by trading him to the Browns in 2022. Lamb’s future contract factored into that decision, and while the Cowboys have seen the Cooper trade hurt their receiver situation as a whole, their 2020 first-rounder has dominated with Cooper in Cleveland. Lamb, 25, posted 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022 and then dropped a record-setting Cowboys showing. He led the NFL with 135 receptions last season, totaling 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns in that banner campaign. It is difficult for a receiver to make a better case for a long-term payment, and Lamb’s camp took care of him months later.

Lamb broke Michael Irvin‘s single-season franchise reception record by 24 and eclipsed the Hall of Famer’s yardage record by 146. These new standards, of course, came in a 17-game season during an era that features higher pass-game usage and friendlier rules for offenses. But Lamb still submitted a statement season to prove worthy of a top-market extension. This now shines a brighter light on Prescott.

Dallas could have franchise-tagged Lamb in 2025, cutting into his leverage a bit. But the team’s hands are tied with Dak, who cannot be tagged or traded. Prescott has continued to say the right things regarding a long-term future in Dallas, but he holds leverage — which also includes a whopping cap number ($55.13MM) and 2025 dead money penalty ($40.13MM) if not extended — comparable to what Kirk Cousins possessed back in 2018. The Cowboys will have a difficult time extending Prescott, but less than two weeks before the regular season, they do have one of their pillars signed.

Lamb’s $17.99MM cap number, as Schefter reports a receiver-record $38MM signing bonus (which will spread out the All-Pro’s cap hits) is present in this accord, figures to drop on this deal. Though, the Cowboys now face the prospect of needing to give Prescott an NFL-record contract to pair with Lamb’s big-ticket deal — and Parsons’ future market-setting pact — or face an uncertain future at the game’s premier position.

Jones has encountered criticism for letting the Cowboys’ contract quagmire reach this stage. Lamb would have come cheaper had the Cowboys made an aggressive push to finalize a deal last year, though it is not exactly certain he would have checked in too much cheaper. Tyreek Hill was tied to a $30MM-per-year deal, leading the way entering this offseason. With Jefferson always poised to take the market toward or into the mid-$30MM-AAV range, Lamb — who, like Jefferson, is five years younger than Hill — would have always commanded a contract north of $30MM per year. That said, the Cowboys probably would not have needed to go to this guarantee place had they done a deal in 2023.

Questions also remain about the Cowboys’ auxiliary receivers beyond 2024, but they have their WR1 locked in. This follows the accords for Cooper, Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, keeping the Cowboys’ run of extending cornerstone receivers intact. Prescott, however, continues to test the organization here.

Titans To Trade QB Malik Willis To Packers

August 26th, 2024 at 10:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Malik Willis‘ Titans tenure will end after his third preseason with the team. Tennessee’s new regime will move on from the former Jon Robinson-era draftee.

The Titans are trading Willis to the Packers, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Tennessee will pick up a 2025 seventh-rounder from Green Bay. Two years remain on the former third-rounder’s rookie contract. Willis heads to a Packers team with some uncertainty behind Jordan Love.

Rumored as a potential first-round pick, Willis endured one of the more memorable draft-weekend slides in recent NFL history. As part of a maligned 2022 quarterback class, the Liberty product slid to No. 86. Willis’ performances with the Titans did well to justify the league’s hesitancy, even as high-profile draft gurus viewed him as a player who was bound for a first- or second-round draft destination. The Packers will take what amounts to a flier, given the trade compensation.

Willis competed with free agency addition Mason Rudolph for the Titans’ backup job this summer. Rudolph, who joined the team on a one-year deal worth $2.87MM, was believed to be in the lead. This will leave the Titans with a question regarding their third-string QB, as only Rudolph and Will Levis are now on the roster. But this cuts the cord on Robinson’s QB options — during an offseason in which Ran Carthon has made sweeping changes on offense.

With Levis also developing, Willis did not make too much sense on Tennessee’s roster any longer. Rudolph is in place as a veteran backup, and after Brian Callahan said the team would let the process play out through the preseason, the Titans figure to be in the QB3 market once the waiver wire presents options.

The Titans’ offense ground to a halt when Willis replaced Ryan Tannehill in 2022. The then-rookie completed just 50.8% of his passes, as Mike Vrabel turned to run-heavy game scripts when the former Auburn recruit was taking snaps. Willis went 1-2 as a Tannehill relief option that year and finished with 10- and 16-pass starts. After a 14-for-23 outing in a loss to the then-lowly Texans, Vrabel demoted him for Josh Dobbs, whom the Titans signed off the Lions’ practice squad late that season. Willis threw just five more regular-season passes as a Titan.

Willis, 25, came to Tennessee after two dominant seasons at Liberty. He finished with a 47-18 TD-INT ratio from 2020-21 at the mid-major program, after not beating out Jarrett Stidham at Auburn. Willis also posted 944- and 878-yard rushing seasons with his second program, totaling 27 rushing TDs. He will attempt to restart his development under Matt LaFleur.

LaFleur has not seen strong returns from Love backups Sean Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt. Both struggled against the Broncos during the preseason’s second week, with LaFleur expressing disappointment (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) about that effort in a 27-2 loss. Willis will likely back up Love, Schefter adds, though it would stand to be challenging for that setup to commence immediately due to Clifford’s knowledge of LaFleur’s system. But the incumbent is undoubtedly on notice. The Packers used a 2023 fifth-round pick on Clifford and are now guaranteed to cut either he or Pratt — and that is only if the team keeps three passers.

Browns DT Mike Hall Expected To Land On Commissioner’s Exempt List

August 26th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

The disturbing allegations against Browns rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall are expected to lead him off the team’s roster for an undetermined period. The NFL is expected to place Hall on the commissioner’s exempt list, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports.

Hall was arrested earlier this month after an alleged domestic violence incident. The exempt list amounts to paid leave while cases are adjudicated. This will remove the team’s second-round pick from the equation for the foreseeable future.

The NFL does not use the exempt list often, but it is not too surprising the league plans to shelve Hall. The Ohio State product allegedly engaged in a violent confrontation with his fiancée which, per a police report, included him pointing a handgun at the woman’s head and saying, “I will f—ing end it all. I don’t care.”

This did not deter the Browns from using Hall in their second and third preseason games, which occurred after the arrest. Teams do not commonly suspend players for involvement in domestic violence incidents, waiting for the league to do so. The NFL will indeed intervene here, changing Cleveland’s defensive tackle depth chart.

Chosen 54th overall, Hall returned to his hometown as a long-term DT hopeful for the Browns. Cleveland went through training camp with Dalvin Tomlinson rehabbing an injury. While Tomlinson is coming back to practice this week, Hall’s NFL future is cloudy. His legal proceedings will take precedence, and the NFL will prevent the Browns from deploying him again while this matter plays out.

Falcons, CB A.J. Terrell Agree To Extension

August 24th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 24: Terrell will receive $42.34MM guaranteed in full, per Over the Cap. That figure includes a $25MM signing bonus along with his 2024 ($3.44MM) and 2025 ($14MM) salaries. His cap charge for the coming season dropped to $8.34MM as a result of the extension, but that figure will spike to $19MM next year before eventually growing to $24MM in 2028. No void years are present in the deal.

AUGUST 22: Shortly after adding a pair of veterans to their defense, the Falcons are taking care of another piece of financial business on that side of the ball. Atlanta has worked out a big-ticket extension with cornerback A.J. Terrell, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the news.

Terrell will collect $81MM on a four-year extension, per Schefter. The pact includes $65.8MM in effective guarantees, making this the largest commitment in terms of locked in compensation given to a corner on a four-year agreement. The 23-year-old is now under contract through 2028.

In terms of annual average value, Terrell has become the fourth player at his position to average $20MM or more per season. His AAV of $20.25MM ranks second in the league, behind only Jaire Alexander‘s Packers deal ($21MM). This Falcons extension is the largest deal given out to a corner in 2024, eclipsing the trio of Tyson Campbell (Jaguars), L’Jarius Sneed (Titans) and Jaylon Johnson (Bears). Each of those four year pacts range between $76MM and $76.5MM in value.

Earlier this summer, it was clear Terrell was firmly on the Falcons’ extension radar. The Clemson alum was set to play on his fifth-year option in 2024, valued at $12.34MM, but a long-term deal would clearly check in at a much higher figure. His most recent comment on the subject of extension talks painted an encouraging picture with respect to a deal being worked out. Now that it has, Terrell enters the season with increased expectations as the team’s clear-cut No. 1 corner.

After serving as a full-time starter during his rookie season, Terrell had his most productive campaign in 2021. That year saw him collect three interceptions, 16 pass deflections and 81 tackles en route to a second-team All-Pro nod. The past two seasons have not been as impactful on the statsheet, but Terrell has remained consistent in terms of completion percentage allowed. While he has allowed 10 touchdowns as the nearest defender since 2022, the Falcons hope the coming campaign will see a step forward taken at all three levels of their defense.

Atlanta traded for edge rusher Matt Judon last week, adding an established sack artist to the team’s front seven. That move – which will not be accompanied by an extension for the pending free agent – was followed up one day later by the signing of safety Justin Simmons. The latter will create a notable backend tandem with Jessie Bates, who had a successful debut Falcons campaign last year. Judon and Simmons have combined for six Pro Bowls, and Terrell will look to join them in that regard while playing out his second contract.

The Falcons’ restructuring of guard Chris Lindstrom‘s contract freed up 2024 cap space in anticipation of the Simmons acquisition as well as today’s Terrell extension. It will be interesting to see how this move affects the team’s cap outlook over the coming years, but for at least the 2024 campaign a number of major investments will be in place on defense. Questions loom over the status of Atlanta’s second starting cornerback position, but the top of the depth chart is locked in for the foreseeable future.

Chiefs, Creed Humphrey Agree To Center-Record Extension

August 22nd, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs are set to raise the center market by a considerable margin. They have a deal in place with standout snapper Creed Humphrey, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The terms are quite notable.

Humphrey agreed to a four-year deal worth $72MM, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. This makes the fourth-year blocker the NFL’s highest-paid center — by a lot. Entering Thursday, the NFL’s center ceiling rested at $13.5MM per year. Humphrey will take that to $18MM, with Schefter adding $50MM will be guaranteed on this contract. On a deal that ties the 25-year-old center to the Chiefs through 2028, the guarantee figure also comes in well north of any other snapper.

This deal moves Humphrey closer to the guard ceiling than where the center market has stood. Coming into today, Frank Ragnow‘s four-year, $54MM deal topped the market. The Lions blocker’s $42MM guarantee represented the only center guarantee higher than $34MM. After three promising seasons, Humphrey moved the Chiefs to create a new level among center contracts. This convinced the former second-round pick to pass on a run at free agency in 2025.

A Humphrey extension loomed on Kansas City’s radar for a bit, with both he and breakthrough right guard Trey Smith eligible for new deals in 2024. Smith remains attached to his rookie contract, and Humphrey’s payday stands to impact the Chiefs’ ability to keep their other standout interior blocker. Joe Thuney remains on an upper-echelon guard pact (five years, $80MM; the All-Pro LG’s contract runs through the 2025 season.

The Chiefs did not see high-priced right tackle Jawaan Taylor pan out in Year 1 of his deal, calling into question his long-term Missouri future. The two-time reigning champions also are transitioning at left tackle, not re-signing 2023 starter Donovan Smith. Inside, however, the Chiefs may have the NFL’s best trio. ESPN’s pass block win rate metric ranked Thuney, Humphrey and Smith first, second and fourth among interior O-linemen last season. This group played a key role in keeping the Chiefs on track during an uncharacteristically clunky season on offense.

Pro Football Focus has graded all three Humphrey seasons as top-class offerings, ranking him first among centers in 2021 and ’22 and fourth last season. PFF viewed Humphrey’s work in the run game as superior to his pass-blocking skills last season. It is clear the Chiefs agree with the Oklahoma alum’s standing, as this contract clearly became required to convince Humphrey — an unrealistic candidate for a 2025 franchise tag due to all O-linemen being grouped under one umbrella — to pass on moving toward free agency. Humphrey, who has never missed a game, is a two-time Pro Bowler; Jason Kelce‘s retirement also clears the way for other centers to begin earning first-team All-Pro distinctions.

The Chiefs had kept costs low at center throughout not only the Patrick Mahomes era but the Alex Smith years as well. Kansas City did not re-sign four-year starter Mitch Morse in 2019 and primarily used Austin Reiter at the pivot in 2020. The Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV romp prompted GM Brett Veach to drastically overhaul the line, and Humphrey, Smith and Orlando Brown Jr. arrived. Brown’s decision to pass on a six-year Chiefs extension offer at the July 2022 franchise tag deadline helps make this Humphrey accord possible.

Thursday evening’s agreement marks the first salvo in a Chiefs effort regarding their strong 2021 draft class. The team also added Nick Bolton in that year’s second round. The off-ball linebacker joins Smith as an extension candidate. It will also be interesting to see how the Chiefs move forward with Thuney post-2024, as his deal includes no guarantees. Clearing out Thuney’s contract would open the door for a Smith payment. Taylor’s contract pays out its guarantees in 2024, giving the NFL’s top 2020s franchise some flexibility as it determines its O-line future.

Broncos Name Bo Nix Starting QB

August 21st, 2024 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean Payton has closed the book on his quarterback competition. As expected, Bo Nix will take the reins in Week 1 against the Seahawks. After solid efforts in back-to-back preseason games, the first-round pick can begin preparing with the starters.

Nix will become the first Broncos rookie QB to start in Week 1 since John Elway in 1983. The conversation will soon shift to a Jarrett Stidham-or-Zach Wilson decision, though the prospect of Denver keeping all three on its 53-man roster has come up as well.

This situation has trended toward Nix for a while. A midsummer report pointed to this being the Oregon product’s job to lose, and considering the Broncos drafted a player who set a Division I-FBS record for QB starts (61), it would have surprised if the prospect was not ready to go immediately. Nix impressed in preseason outings against the Colts and Packers, moving the offense toward points on almost every drive he led.

Regularly connecting with Tim Patrick against Green Bay, Nix went 8-for-9 for 80 yards against the Packers’ collection of second-stringers Sunday. Nix led two scoring drives, capping the second with a TD toss to Patrick. In Indianapolis, Nix was 15-for-21 for 125 yards and a touchdown. The rookie, who rushed for 14 touchdowns in 2022 at Oregon, displayed some skills on the ground as well. Payton started Stidham in Indianapolis but gave Nix far more time. Wilson entered third in each game and had not been viewed as a serious contender, even as Payton has praised the former No. 2 overall pick.

Nix joins Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams among this year’s first-round QB sextet to be named a Week 1 starter. The Patriots have not determined if Drake Maye or Jacoby Brissett will receive the call, though the veteran has long been viewed as the frontrunner. The other two passers chosen in Round 1 will not start to open seasons, with Michael Penix Jr. set to wait behind Kirk Cousins and J.J. McCarthy undergoing knee surgery that will knock him out for the season.

Payton raved about Nix’s readiness and fit in his offense this offseason, and the rookie consistently made good decisions during his preseason outings. The Broncos were 6-for-7 in scoring drives with Nix taking snaps, and the 6-foot-2 passer threw two short TD passes. Payton informed his trio of QBs after practice Wednesday. Nix is coming off a dominant season at Oregon, having thrown 45 TD passes and three INTs. Though Nix set a Division I-FBS completion percentage record (77.8%), the Broncos attempt to filter out his shorter throws to determine a better prospect value. Payton was satisfied with the result.

This will set up an interesting decision for the Broncos, as Stidham is in his second year in Payton’s system while Wilson offers more upside. With that upside, of course, comes a history of erratic play with the Jets — to the point the team benched him three times and traded him for a low-end return.

The Broncos would save $5MM by releasing Stidham, who is tied to a two-year, $10MM contract. That deal includes just $1MM in remaining guarantees; a Wilson cut would not create any cap savings. Waiving Wilson would cost Denver $2.7MM, thanks to the salary split the Broncos and Jets agreed to in April. The Broncos chose Zach Wilson as somewhat of a contingency plan, with the trade finalized days before the draft. Following the Russell Wilson debacle, the Broncos were always expected to draft a QB. And Nix-to-Denver rumblings began in February, with Payton guiding a smokescreen effort.

Six-plus months later, Nix is in position to stake his claim to being a long-term Denver starter. The Broncos have endured a maddening run of missteps trying to replace Peyton Manning. This has included some trade misses (Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater) and draft shortcomings (Paxton Lynch, Drew Lock).

Payton will be staking his post-New Orleans reputation on Nix, which would have made it borderline shocking if he went with one of the vets early. This will also be new territory for the Super Bowl-winning HC, who has only coached veteran starters (save for a COVID-19-induced Ian Book outing). The Broncos, who are dealing with Russell Wilson’s record-smashing dead money hit for two years, will need Nix to come through as a cost-controlled solution.

Vikings Sign CB Stephon Gilmore

August 21st, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Rory Parks

AUGUST 21: Gilmore’s Minnesota deal comes with $7MM in base value, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The Vikings included void years in 2025 and ’26 to spread out Gilmore’s $3.5MM signing bonus. Gilmore’s 2024 cap number will check in at $4.67MM, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. The Vikings would incur $2.33MM in dead money by letting Gilmore walk in 2025.

AUGUST 18: The Vikings have agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. It will be a one-year deal worth up to $10MM, with $7MM of that total guaranteed.

Although Minnesota had not been publicly connected to Gilmore for much of this offseason, the club brought him in for a visit earlier this month, at which point we learned that the Vikes had maintained interest in the well-traveled defender for some time. He will immediately slot in atop a CB depth chart that has some question marks.

Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson died tragically in a car accident back in July, and second-year contributor Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL early in training camp. The Vikings still roster Byron Murphy and slot CB Josh Metellus, and players like Shaquill Griffin, Fabian Moreau, and Nahshon Wright have been added to the mix this offseason.

Griffin, who signed a three-year, $40MM deal with the Jaguars in advance of the 2021 season following a successful stint with the Seahawks, saw his Jacksonville contract terminated after two years, thanks largely to a back injury that he sustained during the 2022 campaign. In 2023, he inked a one-year, $3.5MM contract with the Texans, but after he started six of Houston’s first nine games, he was demoted to a special teams-only role and subsequently waived. He was claimed by the Panthers, though he appeared in just two games (one start) in Charlotte. Griffin finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ 53rd-best CB out of 127 qualifiers, while Murphy graded out as the 87th-best. Clearly, then, there was room for a quality addition, and even though Gilmore is going into his age-34 season, he should provide the Vikings’ secondary a considerable boost.

Gilmore, a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro, and the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, finished as PFF’s 35th-best CB in 2023 as a full-time starter for the Cowboys. Per Pro Football Reference, Gilmore yielded an 82.7 QB rating on passes thrown in his direction, which was his highest mark since the site began tracking that statistic in 2018 but which is still a solid number. Plus, his presence will allow DC Brian Flores a little more flexibility with matchups, as Flores could move Murphy to nickel on occasion while Gilmore and Griffin — with support from Evans and Moreau — man the outside.

Despite his many accolades, Gilmore has become a bit of a nomad since he turned 30. A first-round pick of the Bills in 2012, the South Carolina product spent the first five years of his pro career in Buffalo before signing a lucrative contract with the Patriots during the 2017 offseason. After four productive years in Foxborough, he was dealt to the Panthers in October 2021, signed with the Colts during the 2022 offseason, and was traded to the Cowboys last March. He authored strong performances at each stop, however, including a top-10 finish in PFF’s rankings for his full season of work in Indianapolis in 2022. Plus, he should have some familiarity with Flores’ scheme, as Flores was New England’s de facto defensive coordinator in 2018.

The Panthers had plenty of interest in a reunion with Gilmore this offseason, and at one point, a return to Carolina appeared to be inevitable. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Panthers did make an offer to Gilmore, though Minnesota’s offer was obviously more compelling.

The Vikings finished in the bottom-10 in passing yards allowed in 2023, and the addition of Gilmore on a notable contract shows that they plan to improve upon that showing and compete for a playoff spot this season.

Raiders Name Gardner Minshew Starting QB

August 18th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

After two preseason contests, a decision has been made at the quarterback spot for the Raiders. Head coach Antonio Pierce announced on Sunday that Gardner Minshew will get the nod for Week 1.

Minshew had spent the offseason competing with Aidan O’Connell for the QB1 gig. The latter closed out the 2023 season atop the depth chart, taking over from Jimmy Garoppolo after Josh McDaniels was fired and replaced by Pierce. Raiders owner Mark Davis – who regretted not previously giving the full-time coaching position to Rich Bisaccia – tapped Pierce for the job as one of the key decisions of this offseason.

That move gave O’Connell an ally ahead of the competition which took place over the spring and much of training camp. Pierce praised the 2023 fourth-rounder, who complied a 5-5 record, 12:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 83.9 passer rating while at the helm last year. Upon moving on from Garoppolo, though, it was clear at least one other passer capable of competing for the starter’s role would be added. Vegas was frequently tied to moving up for a Day 1 quarterback (particularly Jayden Daniels), with Pierce appearing to be a stronger advocate of doing so than new general manager Tom Telesco.

In the end, the Raiders selected tight end Brock Bowers on the opening night of the draft, paving the way for Minshew to take hold of the top QB spot. The latter inked a two-year, $25MM deal in free agency – terms which suggested he would be counted on as a first-team option especially if no rookie was added. Minshew received $15MM guaranteed, and he has a commitment for 2025 as well with $3.16MM of his base salary for that season already locked in. Indianapolis (the team which the 28-year-old spent last season with) was interested in retaining him, but the Colts were not willing to match the financial investment made by the Raiders.

Vegas moved on from Derek Carr last offseason, paving the way for a new quarterback to handle the starter’s role for the first time since 2014. Garoppolo was unable to remain healthy for long in his debut Raiders campaign, though, and Davante Adams was among the players who was on board with the decision to bench him. As the team looks to take a needed step forward in the passing game, Adams will have another new face under center to begin 2024.

Minshew entered training camp with the competition too close to call, and Pierce made it clear he was willing to remain patient before making a final decision. It was expected that a commitment would be made official after Week 2 of the preseason, however, and that has proven to be the case. Pierce admitted (via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez) after the team’s loss to the Cowboys that neither quarterback had demonstrably stood out over the other. He consulted with both Telesco and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy before tapping Minshew for the gig (h/t Tashan Reed of The Athletic).

To little surprise, Pierce added that the Raiders will not play their starters in their final preseason contest. Minshew will thus be a spectator for that contest while preparing for QB1 duties with his latest team. The former sixth-rounder saw his Jaguars tenure come to an end after two seasons in Jacksonville. He handled backup duties in Philadelphia during the 2021 and ’22 campaigns, working with Shane Steichen during that time. Minshew elected to join Steichen in Indianapolis last year, and Anthony Richardson‘s season-ending shoulder injury left him in place to handle starting duties for much of the season.

Minshew set a new career high in passing yards (3,305) in 2023, earning a Pro Bowl invite. His touchdown (15) and completion percentage (62.2%) figures left plenty to be desired though, and an improvement would be welcomed by the Raiders this season. With O’Connell still in place as a backup with three years remaining on his rookie contract, it will be Minshew who gets the first opportunity to lead Vegas’ offense during Pierce’s first full season at the helm.

Browns Extend Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

August 16th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 16: This contract’s base value checks in at $37.5MM, per OverTheCap. At $12.5MM per year, Owusu-Koramoah becomes the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid off-ball linebacker. Of the $25MM guaranteed, $20MM is locked in at signing, with the Browns stretching full guarantees into 2026. The team guaranteed its top linebacker $6MM for 2026.

Cleveland used four void years to keep Owusu-Koramoah’s cap hits low. None of the ILB’s cap figures are higher than $8.5MM on this deal, though as of now the team would take on more than $17MM in dead money if the player is not extended again before the 2028 league year.

AUGUST 14: Already carrying big-ticket contracts at the other four positions on defense, the Browns will reward their top linebacker. Looming as an extension candidate for a bit now, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is no longer in a contract year.

The Browns came to terms with the fourth-year linebacker on a three-year deal worth up to $39MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Owusu-Koramoah secured $25MM guaranteed on this deal, one that makes him one of the league’s highest-paid off-ball LBs.

Cleveland has Myles Garrett, Dalvin Tomlinson, Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit on lucrative second contracts, with the team also finding room to re-sign Za’Darius Smith this offseason. Linebacker had housed lower-end contracts on this payroll, but after the Browns led the NFL in pass defense in Jim Schwartz‘s first season as DC, they are rewarding a three-down linebacker. The former second-round pick is now signed through the 2027 season.

Owusu-Koramoah, 24, appeared on Cleveland’s extension radar this offseason. The Notre Dame alum has emerged as the team’s central presence on its defensive second level, as various other pieces have come and gone around him in recent years.

While the “up to” phrase is notable here, Owusu-Koramoah receiving $25MM guaranteed places him fifth among off-ball LBs — behind only Roquan Smith, Tremaine Edmunds, Fred Warner and Matt Milano. The Browns have now surpassed the Eagles with 13 $10MM-per-year players (h/t Grand Central Sports Management’s Brad Spielberger), moving into the NFL lead.

Named a Pro Bowler as an alternate last season, Owusu-Koramoah played a lead role in the Browns’ defense igniting under Schwartz. Despite operating primarily as a non-rush linebacker (though, he is an effective blitzer), Owusu-Koramoah registered 20 tackles for loss. Not only did that pace all traditional linebackers by five, the total ranked fourth across the NFL. The speedy defender totaled 101 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble in a breakthrough third season. Pro Football Focus slotted Owusu-Koramoah 18th among ILBs in 2023.

This is not the best period to excel as a traditional linebacker, as the market has cooled a bit. Perennial Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley and Jaguars tackling machine Foye Oluokun took pay cuts (in exchange for increased guarantees) this offseason, leaving only six players earning more than $11MM at this position. Owusu-Koramoah becoming No. 7 would reflect the Browns’ belief he can thrive in this scheme for years.

More impressively, last year’s emergence came after a 2022 Lisfranc injury. The Browns saw promising work from JOK over his first two seasons, as injuries piled up at the position, with four forced fumbles coming from 2021-22. Losing Sione Takitaki in free agency, the Browns are aiming to pair their LB centerpiece with veteran Jordan Hicks. Wednesday morning’s agreement firmly places Owusu-Koramoah as a pillar alongside the above-referenced D-linemen and DBs in a suddenly strong defense.

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