Newsstand News & Rumors

Jets To Extend CB Michael Carter II

September 3rd, 2024 at 9:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The slot cornerback market saw significant movement this offseason. Both Taron Johnson and Kenny Moore moved the position’s bar past $10MM per year. That pertained to the Jets, who are moving to extend their inside corner.

Michael Carter II will be the league’s third pure slot corner to cross the eight-figure-per-year barrier. The fourth-year CB agreed to terms on a three-year, $30.75MM deal Tuesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Carter will see just more than $19MM guaranteed on this accord, which runs through the 2027 season.

Although the Jets broke up their Michael Carter pair by waiving the 2021 running back draftee late last season, they have been pleased with the other Michael Carter’s work. Lining up alongside Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, Carter has fared well in Robert Saleh‘s defense since being a 2021 fifth-round pick. The Jets now have he and Reed tied to veteran deals. While this equation might change once Gardner is extension-eligible (2025), today’s deal lays out a future in which the All-Pro and Carter play together beyond their rookie contracts.

Rumors about a Carter extension surfaced early this summer, and the Jets took care of business just before Week 1. Carter, 25, allowed a career-low 51.6% completion rate as the closest defender in 2023. Pro-Football-Reference’s coverage metrics have assessed Carter as yielding QB ratings south of 76.0 in each of the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus also ranked Carter 12th among all corners in 2023. Carter intercepted two passes in 2022 and broke up nine in each of the past two seasons.

The Duke alum’s contract will overlap with at least one Gardner rookie-deal season, and the Jets could certainly aim to keep the standout boundary corner at the rookie rate in 2025 as well. Once the Jets pick up Gardner’s fifth-year option in 2025, he will be tied to the team through the 2026 season. We should expect to hear Gardner extension rumors next year, however, and the team will undoubtedly look to have a deal done by 2026 at the latest. Reed’s deal expires after this season; this Carter pact and the monster deal Gardner will seek stand to complicate the ex-Seahawk’s future in New York.

Moore re-signed with the Colts on a three-year, $30MM deal; Johnson inked his third Bills contract (three years, $30.75MM) soon after. Johnson and Carter are now the NFL’s highest-paid pure slots, with Pelissero adding this Jets contract can reach $33MM. This year has brought an important update to the slot corner market, which had been stagnant for a while leading up to the March accords.

Dolphins, Mike McDaniel Agree On Extension

August 30th, 2024 at 11:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Back-to-back Dolphins playoff berths will produce the first extension for a 2022 HC hire. The team has agreed to a new deal with Mike McDaniel, according to ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington.

The third-year HC agreed to a deal that will tie him to the Dolphins through the 2028 season. This comes after the Dolphins booked consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in more than 20 years. McDaniel, 41, has rejuvenated Miami’s offense. The team led the league in total offense for the first time since Dan Marino‘s age-33 season (1994), and Tua Tagovailoa has shown substantial growth since the Dolphins hired the Kyle Shanahan disciple.

This offseason brought a Tagovailoa megadeal and new agreements with Tyreek Hill — a reworking that brought more guarantees the future Hall of Famer’s way — and Jaylen Waddle. As other clubs who hired new HCs in 2022 still determine how to proceed regarding long-term plans, Dolphins ownership is evidently confident in the team’s direction under McDaniel.

Known perhaps as much for his eccentricities that have produced numerous interview soundbites, McDaniel displayed an immediate ability to coach up Miami’s offense. While the 2022 Hill trade made a significant impact on Tagovailoa’s trajectory, the league’s lone southpaw QB starter turned a corner once Stephen Ross hired McDaniel.

Amid a concerning concussion-marred 2022, Tua still finished third in QBR while leading the league in passer rating and yards per attempt. The 2020 first-rounder then paced the NFL in passing yards in 2023, staying healthy and guiding the team back to the postseason. The Dolphins had not previously secured consecutive playoff berths since they strung together five in a row during the Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wannstedt years (1997-2001).

Hired in the aftermath of a controversial Brian Flores firing — a move that prompted the former Dolphins HC to file a racial discrimination lawsuit — McDaniel has also gone through three defensive coordinators and seen his team limp to the regular-season finish line in both the 2022 and ’23 seasons. Miami went 9-8 in 2022, a season overshadowed by Tagovailoa’s injuries, and 11-6 last season. The Dolphins wrapped the ’23 campaign with a wild-card no-show on a frigid Kansas City night. This generated more questions about the Super Bowl viability of the nucleus McDaniel and GM Chris Grier have assembled.

That said, the Dolphins nearly upset the No. 2-seeded Bills despite third-string rookie Skylar Thompson starting in the 2022 wild-card round. Grier and McDaniel also have forged a strong relationship, per Darlington; that was certainly not the case with the veteran GM and Flores. Ahead of Grier’s sixth season with roster control, the Dolphins will continue to pair him with his 2022 HC hire. The rest of the 2022 HC additions — Kevin O’Connell, Matt Eberflus, Brian Daboll, Doug Pederson, Dennis Allen and Todd Bowles — are still on their initial deals. One other 2022 HC hire, Josh McDaniels, did not make it out of his second season.

49ers, WR Brandon Aiyuk Agree To Deal

August 30th, 2024 at 7:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 30: Full details on the Aiyuk pact are in, courtesy of Florio. The frontloaded compensation includes a $23MM signing bonus, $11MM of which will be paid out in the next two weeks. His 2025 earnings are made up of $20.88MM in base salary, roster and workout bonuses which are guaranteed at signing. Another $4MM will be locked in on April 1 of that year. Altogether, this deal consists of $45MM fully guaranteed, with the $76MM total guarantee figure set to emerge not long after the 2025 league year begins.

Aiyuk’s 2026 salary ($1.22MM) and per-game roster bonuses ($750K) are guaranteed for injury at signing and will fully vest one year early. Notably, his salaries for 2027 and ’28 – $27.27MM and $29.15MM – are not guaranteed, so the 49ers will be able to get out of the contract in either of those seasons (an unlikely development, given his age and production) barring adjustments being made down the road via restructures. Aiyuk’s 2024 cap number will drop to $5.73MM, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

AUGUST 29: Months of negotiating drama with Brandon Aiyuk, which featured trade talks with a few teams and an eventual trade agreement, defined the 49ers’ offseason. But the saga will end with a peaceful resolution. Aiyuk is not going anywhere, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reporting an extension is in place.

The 49ers have agreed to terms with Aiyuk on a four-year, $120MM deal, which Garafolo and Rapoport indicate includes $76MM guaranteed. This process will end closer to Aiyuk’s believed price point than San Francisco’s, but the defending NFC champs will have the second-team All-Pro back at work soon.

Aiyuk held in for 38 days, but as the 49ers did with Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel, a late-summer extension will bring a close to this chapter. Though, this was a more memorable saga than those involving Bosa and Samuel. Aiyuk is now signed through 2028, and this agreement suddenly brings Samuel’s Bay Area future — post-2024, that is — into question.

It looks as though the sides are meeting in the middle. Rather than sign a three-year deal like Samuel did in 2022, Aiyuk will be under 49ers control for four seasons beyond 2024. Instead of the $26-$27MM-per-year price point San Francisco — and would-be trade partner Pittsburgh — initially landed on, Aiyuk will become the NFL’s sixth $30MM-per-year wideout. Long seeking a deal at $30MM per, Aiyuk joins Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyreek Hill in this club, one that expanded from one to six this offseason.

Lamb’s extension may not have driven the 49ers’ talks across the goal line, as he and Jefferson are on a higher plane in terms of AAV and guarantees. But the market is effectively set for 2024, unless the Bengals make an unexpected deal with Ja’Marr Chase before 2025. This 49ers agreement coming to fruition less than two weeks before the season will wrap one of more voluminous sagas in PFR history.

This is a frontloaded deal, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who reports the contract includes $90MM over the first three years. This helps cover for Aiyuk not reaching guarantees past $80MM — a long-rumored ask. Although Aiyuk is now contracted through his age-30 season, he should have another chance — should the 2020 first-rounder’s career remain on this trajectory — to cash in on a big-ticket deal in his prime. Aiyuk, 26, will receive $47MM between now and April 1, 2025, Rapoport adds.

Considering the fight Aiyuk put up, it does appear a bit strange his $76MM guarantee number checks in only in a tie for sixth (with Jaylen Waddle, who signed a three-year extension) at the position. But the contract’s full guarantees and full payout structure will reveal the detailed ending to this long-running tale.

San Francisco’s resolution does not appear to have involved an 11th-hour raise, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes these numbers have been in place for weeks. Aiyuk, who has watched practices at points and been absent from practice fields at others, now must return to work ahead of the 49ers’ Monday Night Football debut against the Jets. Providing clarity, Schefter adds this offer has been on the table since August 12.

The 49ers have now dispensed with one half of their disgruntled-player contingent, with Trent Williams‘ holdout now moving toward center stage. Williams’ contract issue has a long way to go to catch Aiyuk in terms of updates, with this back-and-forth producing many twists and turns (featuring a few documented meetings) since the parties began negotiating months ago.

For the 49ers, this keeps an essential piece of the puzzle in place. A trade at this juncture would have made it difficult for the team, Kyle Shanahan‘s play-calling acumen notwithstanding, to produce an offense on the level of 2023’s machine. The 49ers have now extended Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey this year; Samuel and George Kittle are under contract through 2025.

Aiyuk is coming off his second straight 1,000-yard season; the Arizona State alum totaled 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns to help Brock Purdy deliver a historic 9.6 yards per attempt in 2023. Under the hood, Aiyuk’s numbers were even better. He ranked third in yards per route run (3.01) last season; this undoubtedly influenced his asking price, with Team Aiyuk effectively capitalizing on the 49ers needing him for another run in 2024. After falling short of 850 yards during each of his first two years, Aiyuk has put it together.

“We believe his best football is ahead of him,” a 49ers exec told veteran reporter Jordan Schultz. “He’s only 26, he’s still learning the intricacies of the position. This is an ascending player. … There’s no reason why he can’t have a similar career as a Davante Adams, for example.”

Aiyuk being offered $30MM per year on August 12 shows how well his camp did, considering the 49ers were at $26-$27MM per annum before that point. This all came after the 49ers let Aiyuk shop around. Despite a reported Patriots offer north of where this 49ers deal ended up, Aiyuk did not want to be dealt to New England. The Browns put Amari Cooper, along with second- and fifth-round picks, on the table; Aiyuk expressed disappointment in a Cleveland destination. Even the Commanders, who drafted ex-Aiyuk college QB Jayden Daniels, hovered on the Aiyuk periphery.

Playing for Mike Tomlin appealed to Aiyuk, but the Steelers’ offer did not exceed $28MM per year. This prompted the disgruntled receiver to return to the table with 49ers brass, and only minor details remained to be ironed out in recent days. Even though Pittsburgh’s contract offer was not quite what Aiyuk sought, the sides agreed on trade framework. This became a backup plan, though Aiyuk had long viewed San Francisco as his top choice. John Lynch had also continued to convey a desire for Aiyuk to be in the fold long term, and the 49ers’ top-level skill-position crew (now featuring first-round pick Ricky Pearsall) now has at least one more season to play together.

The Steelers falling short for Aiyuk spotlights a thin skill corps post-Diontae Johnson. George Pickens remains the top target for Tomlin’s team, and Pat Freiermuth looms as an extension candidate. Now-starter Russell Wilson, though, does not have much else of consequence to target. The team will need third-round rookie Roman Wilson, who missed training camp time due to injury, to step up early — barring a late-summer or in-season trade, that is.

Even though Pittsburgh’s receiver development has shined for many years, the team’s current setup — which also features ex-Rams and Falcons contributor Van Jefferson — appears thin. This is the ending the Steelers anticipated, however, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.

A champagne problem is approaching for the 49ers. With Aiyuk now signed and a Brock Purdy extension on the team’s 2025 radar, the prospect of Samuel’s future comes into focus. The 49ers may well be in trade talks again with a high-end wide receiver next year. Samuel will be 29 ahead of his 2025 contract year, and with Pearsall on a rookie deal for a while, he would be a more logical complement to his former Arizona State teammate — assuming Purdy is indeed extended — than Samuel, who joined Aiyuk in draft-weekend trade talks.

That is a down-the-road issue for the 49ers, who have managed to avoid what would have been an odd trade based on their trajectory. The team, which has continued to fall short in Super Bowls and NFC championship games, has retained the nucleus that pushed the Chiefs near double overtime in Super Bowl LVIII. Aiyuk will again be in place to help Purdy and Co. navigate that elusive hurdle this season.

Steelers Name Russell Wilson QB Starter

August 28th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Russell Wilson faced a challenge from his pole-position spot, but the veteran will hold off Justin Fields. The Steelers will go with the 13th-year passer to open the season, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reports. The Steelers have since announced it will be Wilson in Week 1.

The Steelers went to some lengths to assure Wilson he would be the starter. This was communicated to the decorated veteran before the Kenny Pickett trade and then after the team acquired Fields. While the latter has made a push that indicates this situation is not resolved from a long-term perspective, Fields will begin his Pittsburgh tenure as a backup.

Fields was believed to have supporters in the building, as the Steelers went about adjusting his footwork from his Bears days. Rather than name a starter before the third preseason game, Mike Tomlin waited until midway through the Steelers’ final week of summer workouts. This does not suggest Wilson will have a firm grip here, despite the early-offseason buzz about this job, but the 35-year-old passer will soon make his 189th career start.

Despite Fields closing the gap, the 25-year-old trade acquisition never emerged as a frontrunner. The Steelers may have been more inclined, after seeing Pickett stumble, to go with a more experienced option early. After trading Pickett, Pittsburgh signed off on a unique arrangement. Wilson and Fields are on low-cost deals that expire at season’s end. The team is not deviating from its policy of not negotiating extensions in-season, and no talks are planned to commence before the campaign. Both passers will head into contract years, and although reports about the Steelers eyeing a post-2024 future with both have come out, this Wilson-Fields setup will almost certainly be a one-and-done situation.

Calling this a “difficult decision,” Tomlin communicated it to both QBs today. This was Wilson’s first time in a quarterback competition since his rookie year, when he beat out Matt Flynn for the Seahawks’ job. The potential Hall of Famer held it for 10 years, but the Seahawks — after Wilson’s first injury-related absence came during a season that brought a step back from his Pro Bowl-level form — dealt his $35MM-per-year contract to the Broncos for an eight-asset package in March 2022. Wilson then signed a $49MM-AAV deal with Denver, going through an infamous tenure with the AFC West franchise.

Wilson’s Broncos run can be classified as a financial disaster, and while Sean Payton made it clear his fit with the off-script maven was poor, the 2023 season went much better for the former third-round pick compared to the shocking 2022 outcome.

Wilson rebounded from his rough season with Nathaniel Hackett, a campaign in which the Broncos allowed the QB to help design the offense and then gave him other perks, by throwing 26 touchdown passes compared to just eight interceptions with Payton at the controls. This still produced a late-season benching — after a behind-the-scenes drama unfolded regarding Wilson’s 2025 guarantee vesting date — but Wilson did show some better form, helping the Broncos to a five-game win streak that moved them into the playoff chase.

Denver took on a record-smashing dead money sum to separate from the embattled quarterback; regardless of offset language, Denver’s cap penalty over the next two years more than doubles any other single-player number. The Steelers swooped in an have the accomplished passer on a one-year, $1.21MM deal. But Wilson, who battled injuries in 2022 to contribute to his stunning regression, missed multiple weeks of training camp with a calf injury and only recently received full clearance. This allowed Fields to catch up a bit, and this situation will be one to monitor early in the season.

In the preseason, Fields went 19-for-27 for 199 yards. Playing in two preseason games, Wilson was 10 of 12 for 73 yards. Both struggled to move the offense in Pittsburgh’s second preseason game, but Wilson led a TD drive in the team’s finale. Fields did not lead any scoring drives against Detroit this past weekend. Fields probably offers more upside at this point, as Wilson will turn 36 in November, but the veteran brings a higher floor.

The Steelers will aim to pair Wilson with a veteran-laden defense, and it remains to be seen if the team will pry Brandon Aiyuk from the 49ers. Though, that scenario appears a longshot right now.

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.

Load More Posts