Newsstand News & Rumors

Texans, WR Nico Collins Agree To Extension

May 29th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

MAY 29: Further details on the Collins deal are in, courtesy of Wilson. The pact includes guaranteed base salaries in its first two years (including $13.5MM in 2025), with $10MM of his $20MM 2026 salary becoming guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2025 league year. Collins will see the other half shift to a full guarantee in March 2026; the final year includes a non-guaranteed $21.25MM in base compensation.

To maximize the extension’s value, $750K in annual incentives from 2025-27 will need to be met. Collins will earn an additional $250K each for a Pro Bowl selection, recording 95 catches and posting 1,460 yards those seasons. Each year of the pact contains $625K in roster bonuses.

MAY 28: The Texans’ offensive success in 2023 included a breakout year for Nico Collins. The ascending wideout has landed a lucrative new deal as a result.

Collins and the Texans have agreed to a three-year extension, Dianna Russini of the Athletic reports. This pact will keep him on the books through 2027. Providing further details, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the deal has a base value of $72.75MM which can max out at $75MM. $52MM is guaranteed, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 adds Collins will collect a $17MM signing bonus.

The 25-year-old had a modest start to his career as a member of a low-output Texans passing game. Collins nevertheless showcased his potential as a deep threat in particular during that time, and expectations were raised with C.J. Stroud‘s arrival last year. The two formed a productive partnership in 2023, with Collins posting 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns on 80 catches.

With an annual average value of $24.25MM, this agreement is a strong indication the Texans feel Collins can continue to develop into a focal point on offense. The Michigan product was the team’s top option at the receiver position for much of the 2023 season, although Stroud initially showed a strong connection with third-round rookie Tank Dell. The latter’s season-ending injury paved the way for Collins to take on a larger role, and he will now be expected to remain a top producer.

A February report indicated a mutual interest existed between team and player in Collins’ case. Since then, Houston has acquired Stefon Diggs via trade, a move which adds a four-time Pro Bowler to the mix. Diggs has received at least 149 targets in five of the past six years, and it will be interesting to see how he fits in an offense returning Collins, Dell and tight end Dalton Schultz. The Texans signed Schultz to a three-year deal of his own this offseason, and Collins will join him as a member of the team’s long-term offensive plans.

Dell – who is recovering from a minor gunshot wound suffered this offseason – is on the books for three more years via his rookie pact. With he and Stroud under team control for years to come, Houston can afford to make investments such as this one. Diggs is due just over $22.5MM in 2024 before hitting free agency. Especially if he were to depart next year, Collins would comfortably reside as the Texans’ highest-paid receiver.

This deal will slot the former third-rounder into seventh in the NFL in terms of annual average compensation amongst receivers. The top of the market has been on an upward trajectory with recent deals, and number of ascending talents at the position are set to move the bar even higher in the near future. Collins has understandably not moved to the top of the pecking order, but his 2023 production has vaulted him near the league’s top earners at a premium position.

Buccaneers, S Antoine Winfield Jr. Agree To Record-Setting Extension

May 14th, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Adam La Rose

MAY 14: Winfield’s deal is not backloaded, nor does it include any void years (as many modern NFL pacts do). He will receive $24MM this season, followed by $21MM next year; both figures are fully guaranteed, per Schefter. $20MM of the 2024 compensation is a bonus, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds. The $45MM locked in represents far more than what he would have earned playing on consecutive franchise tags ($37.65MM).

Winfield will see nearly identical compensation in 2026 and ’27 ($19.5MM, then $19.6MM). A $1.5MM roster bonus is in place for the latter year, by which point he will have cashed in considerably on the strong play to open his career.

MAY 13: As the Buccaneers hoped would take place, Antoine Winfield Jr. has agreed to a long-term extension. The All-Pro safety has a four-year, $84.1MM deal in place, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the news.

This pact – which will see Winfield earn $45MM fully guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network – represents the largest contract ever given out to a defensive back of any kind. This marks the first time in NFL history that a safety (rather than a corner) holds the title of the league’s highest-paid DB.

The 2024 offseason included a number of key priorities for Tampa Bay with respect to keeping as many core players in the fold as possible. Hammering out extensions for quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver Mike Evans allowed the team to use the franchise tag on Winfield. That was of course seen as a placeholder to allow for further negotiations on a long-term pact carrying a much larger AAV than the $17.12MM Winfield was originally due to earn this season. His 2024 cap hit will drop to roughly $7MM, per Fox Sports’ Greg Auman.

The 25-year-old’s deal averages $21.03MM per season, making this the first safety accord to eclipse the $20MM-per-year mark. As expected, Winfield has surpassed the likes of Derwin James, Minkah Fitzpatrick and 2024 signee Xavier McKinney atop the pecking order at his position. Three corners (Jaire Alexander, Denzel Ward and Jalen Ramsey) are at or above $20MM per season, but today’s move marks a victory for Winfield as the new standard for a position group which has generally been undervalued this offseason.

A number of veteran safeties were released in the build-up to free agency, and well after the draft many of them are still unsigned. Winfield’s age and production had him positioned to earn a massive raise, however. The former second-rounder led the NFL with six forced fumbles in 2023, adding six sacks, three interceptions and 122 tackles. He is set to remain a massive part of Tampa Bay’s defense for years to come.

Secondary moves have been a common thread for the Buccaneers recently, with fellow safety Jordan Whitehead being brought back in free agency. Tampa Bay – a team which traded away cornerback Carlton Davis – also drafted Tykee Smith in the third round, and he has experience on the backend. The latter is expected to compete for the starting slot corner role, however, something which would make for an intriguing trio alongside Winfield and Whitehead.

Of the 2024 franchise tag recipients, only Bengals wideout Tee Higgins remains unattached to a multi-year deal. He has a standing trade request amidst a lack of progress on contract negotiations with Cincinnati. For the Buccaneers, meanwhile, one major piece of business remains with respect to retaining top contributors for the long haul. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs (who is a candidate to join Winfield in topping his position’s market) is in need of an extension since he is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2024. Buccaneers GM Jason Licht is confident a Wirfs deal can be worked out, and doing so would complete a very busy offseason.

Lions, Jared Goff Agree To Extension

May 13th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jared Goff has become the latest Lion to secure a monster extension. Detroit’s franchise quarterback has agreed to terms on a four-year, $212MM pact, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Schefter adds this pact includes $170MM in guaranteed money, an enormous up-front investment on the team’s part. Goff is now the highest-paid player in Lions history. The former Rams No. 1 pick has enjoyed a career resurrection in Detroit, and his tenure there will now continue for the foreseeable future. This contract runs through 2027 with an option for the following season, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

This agreement carries an annual average value of $53MM, which slots Goff into second in the NFL in that regard. Only Joe Burrow‘s Bengals extension is more lucrative in terms of AAV ($55MM). Goff will now join Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts as members of the $50MM-per-year club. Considering his age, that marks a notable development to say the least.

Goff will turn 30 in October, making him an outlier compared to the four aforementioned passers, each of whom signed their mega-pacts as second NFL contracts. This will be Goff’s third pact, as 2024 marks the final season of the four-year, $134MM Rams deal he inked in 2019. Given the eruption in the top of the QB market and the surges the salary cap has experienced since, it comes as little surprise Goff has managed to secure a much larger investment this time around.

The turning point of his career, of course, is the blockbuster trade which sent him from Los Angeles to Detroit. The Rams paid a massive price to offload Goff’s pact and take on Matthew Stafford in return. The latter has since helped the team win a Super Bowl, but Goff has delivered strong showings of his own during his three years in the Motor City.

The Cal product posted a 29:7 touchdown-to-interception in 2022, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. While the Lions fell short of a playoff berth that season, Goff did enough to put himself on the extension radar. Over the course of this past season, he racked up 30 touchdowns and 4,575 yards (although his INT total rose to 12 and he lost four fumbles). With Detroit winning the NFC North and reaching the conference title game, Goff was one of several extension priorities on the offensive side of the ball.

Wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell both agreed to monster deals of their own recently. The former (briefly) took the top spot in terms of AAV amongst receivers on a deal averaging just over $30MM per season. The latter, meanwhile, inked the largest deal ever given to a left or right tackle($28MM per year). Given the QB position’s value, a Goff deal of any kind would have checked in at a much higher rate, which helps explain the gap between the St. Brown and Sewell deals being finalized and today’s news.

Lions GM Brad Holmes recently admitted the Goff deal would have ideally been in place earlier, but he echoed his confidence that an agreement would be reached soon. Obviously, that sentiment has proven to be accurate. Detroit drafted Hendon Hooker as a potential successor to Goff last season, but it will take an injury for him to see the field any time soon.

With a well-regarded O-line and a skill-position group which was augmented by rookies Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta last season, expectations will remain high for the Lions on offense moving forward. Goff will remain a key member of the unit for years to come as the team aims to duplicate the success of 2023.

Patriots Name Eliot Wolf As Top Personnel Executive

May 11th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

The writing’s been on the wall for some time now, but the long-rumored favorite to take over lead front office duties in New England, vacated during the exit of former head coach Bill Belichick, will officially be taking the job.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was the first to report that director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who had been acting this offseason as de facto general manager of the Patriots since Belichick’s departure, has officially been named the team’s executive vice president of player personnel.

The news may seem a bit underwhelming giving the lack of a “general manager” title, but it appears that Wolf’s promotion is essentially the Patriots’ action to fill that general manager role. New England has long been without an official general manager after owner Robert Kraft hired Belichick as head coach and name him “de facto” general manager, as well. That trend appears set to continue, according to Pelissero, as the team still won’t have a general manager in title.

That doesn’t lessen the importance of Wolf’s new position, though. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Wolf will oversee the overall direction of the player personnel department, will oversee management of the salary cap, and will be in control of the team’s 53-man active roster, all roles that are generally filled by a team’s general manager.

At 42 years old, Wolf has been in working in the NFL for 20 years. He first broke into the league as a pro personnel assistant with the Packers in 2004 before being promoted to assistant director of pro personnel in 2008 and assistant director of player personnel in 2011. A year later, Wolf was elevated to director of pro personnel before receiving promotions to director of player personnel in 2015 and director of football operations in 2016.

After two seasons in that role and 13 years in Green Bay, Wolf spent two years as the assistant general manager for the Browns under then-general manager John Dorsey. When Dorsey and the Browns parted ways, Wolf joined the Patriots in 2020 as a scouting consultant. For the last two years, Wolf has served as New England’s director of scouting. Wolf may not have been around for the era of the Patriots’ dynasty, but he does hold a Super Bowl ring from his time in Green Bay that saw seven NFC North titles and 10 playoff appearances.

Together with newly promoted head coach Jerod Mayo, Wolf helps to form a new, young top two under Kraft. Several years removed from the reign of Tom Brady and now without Belichick, it will be up to Mayo and Wolf to bring in a new era of success in New England.

Pats, Christian Barmore Agree To Extension

April 30th, 2024 at 3:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 30: A key point for Barmore will emerge in 2026, when a $10MM guarantee vests. Of Barmore’s $41.8MM guaranteed, $31.8MM is guaranteed at signing. The Patriots guaranteed $2MM of Barmore’s 2026 base salary ($12MM), per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio; the other $10MM is guaranteed for injury only. That $10MM shifts to a full guarantee on the third day of the 2026 league year, giving the Patriots a potential out. Barmore’s contract also includes $8MM in total incentives.

APRIL 29: Continuing with a trend from earlier this offseason, the Patriots have retained another in-house player for years to come. New England has reached agreement on an extension with defensive tackle Christian Barmore, as first reported by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds this pact is four years in length, and it carries a maximum value of $92MM. As a result, Barmore has become the latest ascending defensive lineman to secure a lucrative new pact. The 24-year-old is now on the books through 2028. The pact (which Kyed notes has a base value of $84MM) includes $41.8MM in guaranteed money, per Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler. In all, this marks the franchise’s largest contract ever given to a player not named Tom Brady.

New England was active in free agency last month with respect to re-signing or extending starters on both sides of the ball. The Patriots’ defense retained safety Kyle Dugger via the transition tag before a long-term extension was worked out. Edge rushers Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings also have new deals in place, and Barmore will remain a key member of the team’s front seven alongside them for years to come.

The latter began extension talks in March, and a major raise has been hammered out in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Team and player certainly had an established framework in place with respect to second contracts along the defensive interior. Over the past two years, a number of up-and-coming producers at the position have landed lucrative extensions. Barmore’s $23MM per year average (provided he reaches his maximum earning potential) places him in a tie for seventh amongst active defensive tackles.

The Alabama product saw a notable 55% defensive snap share as a rookie, and he produced 46 tackles that year. His playing time dipped the following season and his impact as a pass-rusher improved only incrementally (1.5 to 2.5 sacks). This past campaign, however, Barmore took on a larger workload (66% snap share) and he parlayed that into a notable uptick in statistical output.

The former second-rounder racked up 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2023, the second season in which he was healthy for every game. Barmore added 19 pressures and 16 QB hits, and he ranked eighth amongst defensive tackles in terms of PFF grade (83.8). New England will count on a repeat of that production this season and beyond.

The Patriots have plenty of room for improvement on offense in 2024, but the team’s defense fared well in a number of categories last year. The team ranked fourth against the run, and Barmore played a central role in that success. He will be expected to continue his career ascent in the ground game while building off his impact against the pass for the foreseeable future as one of several D-lineman cashing in around the NFL.

Chiefs, TE Travis Kelce Agree To Deal

April 29th, 2024 at 1:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs have kept their decision-making nucleus in place for years to come, and the same is also true of All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. The latter has agreed to a two-year extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The team has since announced the move.

This deal will make Kelce the league’s highest-paid tight end, Rapoport adds. That comes as little surprise considering the success Kelce has had in recent years and the pivotal role he has played in Kansas City’s three Super Bowl titles across the past four seasons. The future Hall of Famer is now on the books through 2027.

Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes Kelce will receive $34.25MM in new money tacked onto the two years which were in place on his previous pact. Guaranteed compensation is now in place for 2024, and Pelissero notes year-over-year vesting will lock in money for future years.

In terms of annual compensation, Darren Waller entered this offseason atop the tight end pecking order ($17MM). This new Kelce deal will surpass that mark, meaning he will receive a raise compared to the remainder of his existing contract. That deal carried an AAV of just over $14.3MM, which ranked fourth at the position. The 34-year-old was due $13MM in 2024 and $17.25MM the following year, but his remaining base salaries those seasons were not guaranteed.

Kelce was inactive for the Chiefs’ regular season finale in 2023, and that left him just short of the 1,000-yard mark for the campaign. That ended a streak of reaching 1,000 or more yards in seven straight seasons, but it still yielded a ninth consecutive Pro Bowl nod. The Cincinnati product has added four first-team All-Pro nods and a place on the 2010s All-Decade team list to his decorated resume.

Of course, Kelce’s significance to the Chiefs’ title-winning teams will be a major aspect of his legacy. The former third-rounder is one of only three players in NFL history to lead a Super Bowl champion in receiving yards three times (the other two being Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin). Kelce will be counted on as Patrick Mahomes‘ top target for years to come.

Kansas City dealt with inconsistencies in the receiving corps during the 2023 season, and many of the team’s top WR options are still in the fold. Rashee Rice faces a potential suspension, and the likes of Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Justin Watson have not lived up to expectations so far. The Chiefs signed Marquise Brown in free agency and selected Xavier Worthy in the first round of the draft, but Kelce is by far the most known commodity in the team’s skill position room.

Concerns about the latter’s age will likely be raised with this new pact, one which runs counter to his previous stance regarding being paid below market value. Kelce made it clear during the postseason that retirement is not on his mind, though, and this agreement confirms he will be in place for years to come. As such, the foundational elements of Kansas City’s success are set to return for the 2024 campaign and beyond.

Eagles Extend WR A.J. Brown

April 25th, 2024 at 11:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles have DeVonta Smith on the books through a lucrative extension, but the same is now true of fellow wideout A.J. Brown. The latter has agreed to a three-year, $96MM extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The team has since announced the move.

This deal – which Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested earlier Thursday night would become public – carries the highest AAV in league history amongst wideouts ($32MM). Rapoport adds Brown will collect $84MM in total guarantees, which is also a new watermark at the position. The three-time Pro Bowler is now under contract through the 2029 campaign.

Philadelphia became the first team in NFL history to extend a first-round wideout in his first year of eligibility during the fifth-year option era when they inked Smith to a three-year, $75MM pact. That contract comes in addition to his 2025 option year, and eyebrows were raised when he landed an AAV matching that of Brown. The latter had been attached to the four-year, $100MM pact he signed upon arrival from the Titans during the first round of the draft two years ago.

The $25MM annual average value of that agreement placed Brown in a tie for fourth amongst receivers as of the Smith agreement being worked out. As the position’s market continues to point upward (as demonstrated by yesterday’s decision by the Lions to extend Amon-Ra St. Brown), Brown will once again benefit. The 26-year-old has proven to be a vital member of the Eagles’ offense, posting 2,952 yards and 18 touchdowns in two Philadelphia seasons.

Considering his production, Brown’s scheduled 2024 cap hit of $12.38MM represents a bargain. It will be interesting to see if that figure changes as a a result of this new deal, but in any event future cap numbers could be reduced. Heading into Thursday, the Ole Miss product was due to count $26.5MM and $41.5MM in 2025 and ’26, respectively. Flattening out those hits will likely be a by-product of today’s move.

In any case, this agreement marks the latest of several massive investments made by the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Along with Smith, Brown joins left tackle Jordan Mailata and left tackle Landon Dickerson in landing monster new contracts recently. He will be counted on to continue producing top-tier production in the passing game, and the ongoing presence of many of Philadelphia’s foundational offensive contributors makes it likely that will be the case.

Lions, RT Penei Sewell Reach Record-Setting Extension

April 24th, 2024 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

On what will go down as one of the bigger days a single franchise has put together on the contract front in recent NFL history, the Lions have another record-setting agreement in place. Not long after Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s deal emerged, Penei Sewell is now locked down long term.

Sewell agreed to terms on a four-year, $112MM extension, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports. That $28MM-per-year number shatters a right tackle AAV record. Not only is this the new right tackle standard, Sewell’s second contract doubles as the largest ever given to an offensive lineman.

The contract will average $30MM per year over its first three seasons, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. It would seem this deal will run through 2029, with the Lions having a fifth-year option on Sewell that covered 2025. Indeed, SI.com’s Albert Breer confirms the extension runs through ’29 after an exercised option.

The deal includes $85MM guaranteed, Garafolo adds. That guarantee number comes in well north of any other O-lineman’s figure as well. Andrew Thomas‘ $67MM Giants guarantee previously stood as the current high-water mark. No other OL is tied to a guarantee higher than $64MM. This represents a tremendous commitment to Sewell, who has thus far rewarded the Lions for their first-round investment in 2021.

Despite the Lions having two years of control remaining via the option, they will pass on that process to do an extension now. While Thomas needed to agree to a five-year deal to lock in monster tackle money after his third season, the Lions will reward Sewell while giving him a chance to negotiate a third contract — should he stay in top form — in his late 20s. Sewell will not turn 24 until October.

It is difficult to overstate the commitment the Lions are making to Sewell. The right tackle market finally reached the $20MM-per-year place in 2023, when the Eagles gave Lane Johnson another extension and the Chiefs matched that $20MM-AAV payment for free agent Jawaan Taylor. Sewell effectively has his own salary bracket at the position. His $28MM AAV also comes in $3MM higher than Laremy Tunsil‘s LT-record number. This is a rather big day for a player who joined the Lions after opting out of his final college season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both Sewell and St. Brown came to Detroit in the first Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell draft. Each has become an impact player, with Sewell finishing last season as a first-team All-Pro. The Oregon alum has two Pro Bowls on his resume and has extensive experience at both tackle spots. The Lions drafted Sewell seventh overall and kicked him to left tackle after a 2021 Taylor Decker injury. Decker returned in 2022, and the Lions followed through with their initial Sewell plan. They have since seen him become one of the game’s best right tackles.

Sewell’s move back to right tackle coincided with the Lions forming one of the league’s best offensive lines. The team paired a Decker-Sewell tackle tandem with Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow. Even as the Lions saw some guard instability crop up due to Halapoulivaati Vaitai‘s health over the past two years, the team offered Jared Goff top-tier protection and opened regular run lanes for the likes of Jamaal Williams, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. This O-line has played a central role in Goff’s Motor City resurgence — one that is on track to produce a big extension for the veteran quarterback, most likely before Week 1 — and the Lions’ journey from a three-win 2021 to last season’s NFC championship game.

The Lions did not give up on keeping four-year guard starter Jonah Jackson in free agency, but the team pivoted to a cheaper alternative upon learning where his market was headed. The club’s Sewell plans undoubtedly factored into that decision. The Lions already have Ragnow on a top-tier center contract and Decker signed to an upper-crust LT deal. Decker is going into a contract year, though he made interesting news by revealing discussions on a third contract have begun.

The Lions are betting big early on a player who has shown dominant form. Pro Football Focus rated Sewell as the NFL’s top tackle last year, particularly lauding his run-blocking ability. ESPN’s pass block win rate placed Sewell sixth. PFF slotted Sewell 10th among tackles in 2022, and the Lions certainly believe a quality prime is ahead for the former No. 7 overall pick.

Detroit landed Sewell after Cincinnati opted for Ja’Marr Chase at No. 5 three years ago, as the Bengals added Joe Burrow‘s former teammate rather than address a then-glaring RT need. This became the Lions’ gain. While Decker is going into his age-31 season — a contract year — the Lions still have the tandem heading into a fourth year together.

It will be interesting to see how this megadeal impacts Decker’s Detroit future, but the defending NFC North champions have two key parts of a high-stakes offseason itinerary checked off via the St. Brown and Sewell deals. In all likelihood, a third Goff contract is up next.

Lions, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown Agree On Extension

April 24th, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

5:25pm: St. Brown will collect $35.28MM fully guaranteed at signing, as detailed by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. That figure includes a $16.5MM signing bonus and guaranteed base salaries in 2024 and ’25. St. Brown’s salary in 2026 is set at $27.5MM, and it will shift to a full guarantee next year. Likewise, much of his 2027 salary ($23.37MM) will be guaranteed by 2026.

St. Brown’s cap hit will check in at $4.86MM this season, per Over the Cap. It will jump to $13.9MM next year before ranging between $28.9MM and $41MM after that. One void year is present in the deal.

10:51am: One of the Lions’ top extension tasks is now complete. The defending NFC North champions have a deal in place with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is set to become the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.

St. Brown agreed to terms on a four-year extension NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports is worth more than $120MM. Of that total, $77MM is guaranteed. This deal will lock St. Brown down through the 2028 season.

The guarantees at signing are not yet known, but the AAV eclipsing $30MM will make St. Brown the clubhouse leader at wide receiver. Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM-per-year Dolphins extension stood as the top WR payment for two years, but in an offseason in which Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb in contract years, St. Brown now sits atop the position. In terms of total guarantees, St. Brown’s $77MM surpass Cooper Kupp‘s $75MM.

The structure of this contract will be key, as it took lofty final-year numbers to balloon Hill and Davante Adams‘ deals to their AAV places. St. Brown’s 2028 pay will assuredly be nonguaranteed, but its value will determine how well his camp did. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adds some clarity here, noting the deal will average $28MM per year over its first three seasons. St. Brown has $14MM-plus due in injury guarantees in 2026; those will likely convert to full guarantees in either 2025 or ’26.

Regardless of how this deal is structured, St. Brown has done remarkably well for himself. The USC product entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2021. Being a positional salary leader represents the value he has brought to the Lions over the past three seasons.

Famously able to name every wideout chosen in front of him in the 2021 draft, St. Brown has shown improvement in each of the past two seasons. After a 912-yard rookie year, the former 112th overall pick posted a 1,161-yard 2022 season. Helping the Lions secure their first division title since 1993, St. Brown delivered his best work last season. The 6-foot wideout totaled 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns, firmly entrenching himself as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. The Lions have rewarded him for the early-career production.

A March report placed the likely value of St. Brown’s second contract between $26-$28MM per year. Bettering that — should the final numbers support the above-referenced WR AAV record — serves as a reflection of the 24-year-old’s importance to the Lions and does well to set the stage for the Jefferson and Lamb negotiations. The league now having two $30MM-AAV wideouts will be good news for the Vikings and Cowboys stars; both should be expected to eclipse this number when the times comes. For now, though, St. Brown leads the pack.

The Lions are not strangers to authorizing megadeals for wide receivers. The team’s March 2012 extension for Calvin Johnson served as the receiver highwater mark for many years. Illustrating how times have changed around the league, that was a seven-year agreement. It also came during a period in which the salary cap was stagnating in the early years of the 2011 CBA. The 2020 CBA has brought bigger cap spikes, including this year’s record-setting rise that elevated the spending ceiling by more than $30MM. Players are increasingly agreeing to shorter-term deals, and St. Brown’s will allow him — should he stay on his rookie-contract production pace — to push for a third contract while still in his 20s.

In terms of production and accolades, St. Brown is ahead of Megatron’s pace. The Hall of Famer was 1-for-3 in 1,000-yard seasons — granted, he was part of considerably worse teams in the late 2000s — at this point in his career and did not make a Pro Bowl until Year 4. St. Brown, of course, will need to unlock another level to be mentioned in Johnson’s class. But he has become Jared Goff‘s go-to player. St. Brown joins Johnson and Herman Moore as the only Lions to produce a 1,500-yard receiving season. The 17-game schedule benefits today’s players in this area, but the Lions will be on St. Brown building on his 2023 performance.

St. Brown’s deal comes during an offseason in which a Goff extension is squarely on Detroit’s radar. Penei Sewell is also now extension-eligible; Aidan Hutchinson will be eligible for a new deal in 2025. The Lions’ roster math will change substantially this year, and this deal serves as the first domino.

Jets To Trade QB Zach Wilson To Broncos

April 22nd, 2024 at 10:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Zach Wilson‘s time in New York is set to come to an end. The Jets have found a trade partner for the former No. 2 pick in the form of the Broncos.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the Jets will send Wilson to Denver as part of a Day 3 pick swap. The teams will exchange sixth- and seventh-round picks, with New York acquiring No. 203 and the Broncos adding Wilson and No. 256. Both clubs will evenly split Wilson’s $5.45MM in 2024 compensation, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes this agreement has been in the works “for weeks.” The Broncos have long been linked to a quarterback addition this offseason, with Russell Wilson unsurprisingly being released. That move left a vacancy under center, but in the lead-in to the draft Jarrett Stidham was in place atop the depth chart. That will remain the case for the time being, but Wilson represents a young depth option for Denver. One year remains on the latter’s rookie contract.

Having failed to secure a long-term answer under center with Sam Darnold, the Jets selected Wilson second overall in 2021. That made him one of five first-round QBs that year, but only one (Trevor Lawrence) is still with his original team. Wilson – who logged 33 starts in three seasons as a Jet – joins Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones in having been dealt at a fraction of the cost relative to the draft capital used in their selection.

Following a rookie season in which Wilson struggled with accuracy and turnovers, he did not progress as hoped in Year 2. The 24-year-old was limited to nine contests in 2022 and saw Mike White take over as New York’s starter. That led to an aggressive pursuit of Aaron Rodgers last offseason, and while his Achilles tear prompted Wilson to once again see game action, things did not go as planned. Wilson in particular and the Jets’ offense as a whole struggled mightily.

As a result, it came as no surprise when the BYU alum was given permission to seek out a trade partner. Wilson’s cap charge ($11.1MM) and poor play hindered his value, and as expected the Jets have needed to attach draft capital to him to land a pick in return. Considering the gap between when New York began fielding offers and today’s agreement being reached, this marks a miniscule (but nevertheless expected) price from the Jets’ perspective.

New York has Rodgers and veteran backup Tyrod Taylor on the books, but the team could use the upcoming draft to add a developmental third option. Denver, meanwhile, will add Wilson to a depth chart featuring Stidham and Ben DiNucci. The lack of proven passers has led to considerable speculation tying the Broncos to an aggressive trade up the board for a first-round quarterback. Head coach Sean Payton himself is believed to be on board with such a move.

This deal has not tangibly taken away the draft capital which would be needed for Denver to move into the top five or top 10 in the first-round order. With Wilson in place, though, Payton has a depth signal-caller to work with for at least the 2024 campaign. Where Wilson slots on the Broncos’ depth chart following the draft – and as such the opportunities for playing time he receives in the Mile High City – will be interesting to watch.

Load More Posts