HEADLINES

Steelers’ Cameron Heyward Open To 2025 Free Agent Departure

June 14th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

It has become clear this offseason that Cameron Heyward is seeking a new deal from the Steelers. If an extension agreement is not reached, he could enter the 2025 offseason as a free agent.

Heyward is due a $16MM base salary this season, the final year of his $65.5MM 2020 contract. The reigning Walter Payton Man of the Year winner has spent his entire 13-year career in Pittsburgh, and he hopes to remain with the Steelers for years to come. No hometown discount should be expected, though, which leaves open the possibility of an agreement not being reached in time for the start of the season.

In that case, the 35-year-old would play out the 2024 campaign as a walk year. His latest comments on his future confirm he is immediately focused on the coming season, one which will be critical in establishing his value. Heyward saw his production drop in an injury-shortened 2023 slate, and multiple core muscle surgeries have taken place aimed at providing the opportunity for a rebound. A strong showing this year would help boost Heyward’s stock on a new Steelers accord or one sending him elsewhere.

“I have talked to my wife, and we know the reality, and we have had those talks, and she said it could be fun to play somewhere else,” the three-time All-Pro said, via The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (subscription required). “If that is what is needed to be done, then so be it. But I am still enjoying the ride here this year.”

Heyward is seeking a two-year extension, something which would greatly strengthen his chances of playing out his full NFL tenure as a Steeler. That could, of course, still wind up being the case. His comment certainly points to an openness to exploring the market, though, meaning the progress of negotiations during the summer will be an interesting storyline to follow.

Pittsburgh has a mix of veterans (Larry Ogunjobi, Montravius Adams, Dean Lowry) and recent draft additions (DeMarvin Leal, Keeanu Benton, Logan Lee) along the defensive interior. Heyward will have a large role to play once again in 2024 as the leader of that group, but whether or not that will double as his final Pittsburgh campaign remains to be seen.

Commanders Wrap Up Draft Class Signings

June 14th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Shortly after signing the quarterback they drafted No. 2 overall, the Commanders wrapped up the contract work for the rest of their rookie draft class today, as well. Per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washinton Post, Washington signed second-round tight end Ben Sinnott and third-round offensive tackle Brandon Coleman to their rookie contracts today, completing their rookie signings for this year.

Despite being projected for the fourth-round (Dane Brugler of The Athletic had him ranked as the sixth-best tight end prospect in 2024), Sinnott was the second tight end taken off the board as a second-round pick. This was just the latest example of Sinnott outperforming expectations. Coming out of high school, Sinnott had only one FCS offer but opted to walk on at Kansas State.

Sinnott’s value comes in his versatility. Made in the mold of the sparingly used H-back role, Sinnott played all over the field for the Wildcats, winning the NCAA’s Lowman Trophy (awarded to the top fullback in the nation) while leading his team in receiving yards. With veteran Zach Ertz reuniting with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury after both spent time in Arizona, Sinnott has a chance to learn from one of the better tight ends of the previous generation and provide a separate look as TE2 on the roster.

Coleman was a three-year starter at TCU splitting time between the guard and tackle spots on the left side of the line. His first year as a starter saw him start eight games at guard, he started all 15 games of the 2022 season at left tackle, and he played four games at guard and seven games at tackle in his final collegiate season. His efforts last year earned him second-team All-Big 12 honors.

Coleman may have a lot asked of him in his rookie year. The Commanders allowed Sam Howell to be the most-sacked quarterback in the league last year, yet they only used one draft pick on the offensive line and waited until the third round to do it. They did bring in two free agents to likely start at center and right guard, but the left tackle starting job remains open for competition after the team released Charles Leno. The new coaching staff has refused to place that pressure directly on Coleman’s shoulders this early, but the former Horned Frog will certainly be in the competition for the job with Cornelius Lucas and Trent Scott.

Here’s a breakdown of Commanders 2024 rookie draft class, now including their latest signees:

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/14/24

June 14th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor NFL transactions:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: WR Praise Olatoke

New Orleans Saints

Olatake joins the Chargers offense as a member of the league’s International Player Pathway Program. Born in Nigeria, Olatoke was raised in Scotland before attending Ohio State as a sprinter in track and field. Olatoke clearly possesses next level speed, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors while posting a 10.27-second 100-meter dash time, but doesn’t have much competitive football experience. In fact, the Olatoke’s only experience playing football was on the Ohio State club team. Truly an inspiration for club players everywhere.

Brewer lands on injured reserve but does so without an injury designation. If Brewer plans to play in the backup role he held last year, he’ll now need to reach an injury settlement with the team in order to do so.

Patriots, Rhamondre Stevenson Progressing On Extension

June 14th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bill Belichick-run Patriots operation did not place considerable value on the running back position. A few New England regulars received their paydays elsewhere during the legendary coach/GM’s stay. As the team transitions to an Eliot Wolf-led front office, it appears they are at least giving strong consideration to extending their starting RB.

Rhamondre Stevenson confirmed this by indicating he viewed an extension as close, and while the deal is not done, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes the sides are making progress (subscription required). Although an extension could be on the horizon, the 2021 fourth-round pick remains in a contract year.

New England did prioritize the pass-catching RB position during Tom Brady‘s tenure, forging long-running partnerships with Kevin Faulk and James White. Though, the team did not retain Danny Woodhead or Shane Vereen in between. Stevan Ridley also left New England after his rookie contract. Ditto BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Damien Harris, though Stevenson had effectively usurped the latter by the time his rookie deal expired. LeGarrette Blount left for Pittsburgh but returned on a low-cost deal. Corey Dillon provided an exception, being extended (five years, $17.5MM) early in Belichick’s tenure.

The NFL’s RB landscape has changed considerably since that Dillon deal (2005). Christian McCaffrey‘s recent extension (two years, $38MM) topped his own position-record number, which had stood since April 2020. Most of the teams who rostered a high-priced RB as of 2023 have moved on from that player or agreed to a pay cut. The past several months have provided some hope for impact backs, with the likes of Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley scoring more than $26MM guaranteed in total. Stevenson, however, has not shown himself to be on that tier. That will make extension numbers — should they indeed emerge — interesting to view.

Excluding All-Pro-level backs and the host of veterans who signed one-year deals this offseason, the contracts given to D’Andre Swift and Tony Pollard may prove relevant to the Patriots-Stevenson negotiations. The Bears gave Swift a three-year, $24MM deal that includes $14MM guaranteed in full. The Titans’ Pollard deal is less player-friendly, covering three years and $21.75MM and guaranteeing the five-year Cowboy $10.49MM at signing.

Despite coming into the NFL a year later, Stevenson (26) is a year older than Swift. He showed considerable promise in a poor Patriots offense in 2022 by totaling 1,461 scrimmage yards. He ranked ninth in Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric that season. Being asked to play alongside Ezekiel Elliott last year, Stevenson took a step back (857 scrimmage yards) and missed the final five games of the season with a high ankle sprain. Considering Stevenson’s resume, David Montgomery–Miles Sanders territory (in the $6MM AAV range) may apply as the Patriots consider a second-contract compromise.

“You know, we’ll see,” Jerod Mayo said of an extension, via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. “I will say this about Rhamondre: I think he’s one of the better backs in the league, no doubt about it. I think over the last few years, it’s been kind of tough on him, as far as getting started. So, I’m excited to see what he does this season. And look, he’s earned everything that he gets. He is our starting running back, and hopefully, we do get something done.”

The Pats added pass-catching back Antonio Gibson on a three-year, $11.25MM deal that includes $5.3MM guaranteed up front. Stevenson’s second contract will come in above that place, but it is worth wondering how much higher this new Pats regime will go for the fourth-year back. Wolf has made a point to reward in-house players this offseason, re-signing the likes of Michael Onwenu, Kyle Dugger, Josh Uche and Kendrick Bourne. It looks like Stevenson will have the chance to stay in Foxborough beyond 2024, though some work remains.

Rams Contacted Jets, Vikings About Round 1 Trade-Up

June 14th, 2024 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Known for trading first-round picks for veteran talent since returning to Los Angeles, the Rams finally used their allotted selection on a college performer this year by drafting Florida State’s Jared Verse at No. 19. But this came after reports of the team trying to climb into the top 10.

A pre-draft report indicated the Rams were interested in moving into the top 10, and Georgia’s Brock Bowers was believed to be the team’s target. The Rams have Tyler Higbee coming off a late-season ACL tear, with Hunter Long having undergone MCL surgery shortly before that. The team signed Colby Parkinson in free agency, but Bowers certainly would have represented a splashier piece in Sean McVay‘s offense.

The Rams targeted the Jets with a trade-up effort. Not seeking one of the quarterbacks still on the board, the Jets eventually used their position to squeeze an extra fourth-round pick from the QB-needy Vikings. That J.J. McCarthy-centered transaction came after GM Joe Douglas took a call from Rams counterpart Les Snead. A recent look into the Rams’ draft process (h/t The33rdTeam.com’s Ari Meirov) points to Snead offering Nos. 19 and 52 to the Jets for No. 10.

Snead revealed Douglas was not interested in moving down from 10 to 19. That drop likely would have taken the Jets out of the running for the player they eventually grabbed at 11 — Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu. Following the Jets-Vikings trade, the Rams came back with an offer that included Nos. 19, 52 and third- and sixth-round picks for No. 11, Meirov adds. While would have brought an interesting haul for the Jets, the team’s decision to pass shows its level of interest in Fashanu, who became this year’s third tackle chosen.

The Rams’ call was also interesting due to the pre-draft Jets-Bowers connections that developed. The Jets hosted the Georgia tight end on a “30” visit following his clearance from ankle surgery, and pre-draft reports suggested Gang Green stood as the floor for the three-year SEC standout. The Jets also were believed to be interested in adding another wide receiver to the mix, but after the Bears took Washington’s Rome Odunze at No. 9, the team — which had also been linked to trading down — made a deal with the Vikings and still landed Fashanu at 11.

Fashanu joins March pickups Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses in a Jets tackle group that promises to be deeper than last season’s contingent, while Verse will join ex-Seminoles teammate Braden Fiske — whom the Rams acquired after completing a second-round trade-up effort (via the Panthers) — in a group effort to replace the retired Aaron Donald.

McVay also called ex-assistant Kevin O’Connell about a move to No. 11, but the eighth-year Los Angeles HC was fairly sure the Vikings — after a run of QB work and extensive rumors leading up to the draft — would stay and pick McCarthy were he still on the board at 11.

It certainly would have been interesting to see the Rams equip Matthew Stafford with a dynamic tight end. The Rams have obviously enjoyed sustained success under McVay, but they have not employed a Pro Bowl tight end during the Super Bowl-winning HC’s tenure. Though, Higbee has put together multiple productive seasons. Going down in the Rams’ wild-card loss, Higbee will not be ready for training camp. It would not surprise to see the ninth-year veteran land on the reserve/PUP list to start the season.

The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick at No. 8 halted any Broncos trade-down interest as well. Sean Payton‘s interest in adding Bo Nix effectively cut off the Rams’ options re: Bowers. The Raiders will attempt to make good use out of a Bowers-Michael Mayer tandem, having made a best-player-available choice — after six QBs went off the board before their No. 13 overall slot — to bring in this draft’s top TE.

Commanders Sign First-Round QB Jayden Daniels

June 14th, 2024 at 3:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders and their top draft choice have crossed off the rookie-deal step in this partnership. No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels agreed to terms on his four-year intro NFL pact, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Daniels will be tied to a fully guaranteed $37.75MM deal, one that will come with a fifth-year option for the 2028 season. This marks the third first-round slot deal for a QB for Washington, which drafted Robert Griffin III second overall in 2012 and Dwayne Haskins 15th overall in 2019.

Although some Drake Maye rumors emerged with this draft slot during the run-up to this year’s selection event, Daniels became the widely expected choice. The Commanders rebuffed Raiders interest in the pick. Only one offer is believed to have come in for the selection. Given Antonio Pierce‘s interest in reuniting with the former Arizona State recruit, it was viewed as likely Las Vegas submitted that proposal for No. 2 overall. The Commanders put that issue to rest by drafting the LSU-developed Heisman winner, and the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn regime will build around the dual-threat quarterback.

Washington did not need to give up any assets for Daniels, separating this selection from the 2012 RG3 process, as last year’s eight-game losing streak to close the season secured the No. 2 draft slot behind Chicago. Not many rumors about the Bears’ preference emerged during the pre-draft period, as Caleb Williams was the runaway favorite to begin this draft. As weeks passed, Commanders rumors slowed. Despite Maye being viewed for months as the 1-B in this class, Daniels’ dominant 2023 season allowed him to leapfrog the two-year North Carolina starter.

Transferring from Arizona State in 2022, Daniels — like multiple other QBs in this year’s first round — shined after relocating. While Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix became first-round picks after moving to the Pac-12, Daniels trekked east to raise his stock. Daniels posted an eye-popping stat line in his final season with the Tigers, throwing 40 touchdown passes (compared to four interceptions) and rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 more TDs. Altogether, Daniels accounted for 4,946 yards in 12 games.

After entering his final college season far from a lock to go in the first round, the slender QB will attempt to give Washington its first dependable QB answer since Kirk Cousins. The team traded Sam Howell to the Seahawks and added former No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota in free agency. While Mariota showed in Atlanta he remains capable as a starter, it would surprise if Daniels was not on the field in Week 1.

Daniels’ frame has generated some concerns, with various sources noting the QB weighed in the 180s and 190s during his college seasons. He checked in at 210 pounds this offseason. Bryce Young‘s rookie-year struggles, after ballooning to 204 pounds for his Combine weigh-in, showed the risks an undersized QB can bring. The Panthers, of course, are not giving up on the 2023 top pick just yet; Daniels also offers a much higher upside as a runner by comparison. The five-year college QB’s ability to protect himself this season will be paramount, however.

Griffin’s inability to stay healthy preceded a quick decline after a dazzling rookie season, and Washington could not re-sign Cousins after a lengthy franchise tag saga. Alex Smith did come back from his gruesome leg injury, but he retired soon after that surprising re-emergence. The team’s Carson Wentz effort failed, and it passed on a big-ticket pursuit — centering its offseason around Howell — last year. Following years of half-measure efforts to staff this job, Washington hired a new regime that will bet on Daniels.

CB D.J. Reed Open To New Jets Deal; No Extension Talks Taking Place

June 14th, 2024 at 2:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

Haason Reddick is the pending free agent defender who has drawn the most attention for the Jets recently. Another player who fits that description is cornerback D.J. Reed, although he is not in danger of missing training camp or regular season action.

The latter joined New York on a three-year, $33MM deal in 2022. That pact has proven to be a sound investment on the team’s part given the way Reed has worked in tandem with Sauce Gardner over their two seasons together. The former Seahawk is due $11MM in 2024 with a cap hit of $15.64MM.

Working out an extension would likely lower that figure while ensuring the Gardner-Reed tandem remains in place beyond 2024. As Reed said when addressing the media, however, no talks on an extension have taken place to this point (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). He therefore remains on track to play out the coming season as a walk year.

“I signed a three-year deal, so I expect to play three years here and go into free agency,” Reed said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “I do love New York. I love playing here. I love the coaches, love the organization. [Owner] Woody [Johnson] took care of me last time.”

Reed split his first four NFL seasons evenly between the 49ers and Seahawks, starting 24 games across that span. The 27-year-old had a strong contract year in 2021 (two interceptions, 10 pass deflections) before leaving the NFC West for the first time in his career. He has remained a full-time starter in New York, posting consistent seasons in terms of ball production while adding strong play in coverage.

That has yielded steady PFF evaluations; Reed has ranked between eighth and 23rd amongst qualified corners in the past four years. 2024 should see him continue to deliver solid performances in the Jets’ secondary, a unit which also has Michael Carter II looming as an extension candidate. Especially with Gardner eligible for a monster re-up as early as next offseason, keeping Reed in the fold could be challenging. Much will depend on how New York proceeds at the cornerback spot from a financial perspective over the short-term future.

“The ball is in the Jets’ court,” the Kansas State product added. ““I love being here, but I’m not really stressing about it. I’m here. I’m going to be here in training camp. I signed a three-year deal here, so I expect to play my three years out and go from there.”

Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence Finalize Extension

June 14th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 14: Further details on the Lawrence accord have emerged. To no surprise, the pact contains a no-trade clause, as first reported by CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. The cash flow through the first new year consists of $82.66MM, which falls short of the Burrow pact.

Still, Lawrence has secured a long-term Jags commitment with this pact. PFT’s Mike Florio details that the first three years consist of fully guaranteed base salaries along with $35MM option bonuses locked in at signing. Of the $41MM he is due in 2027, $29MM is already guaranteed. Another $12MM will shift from an injury to a full guarantee in 2026. Likewise, his 2028 option bonus ($35MM) and salary ($11MM) will vest one year early. $6MM in incentives as well as non-guaranteed 2029 and ’30 salaries round out the monster investment.

JUNE 13: Another domino in the quarterback market will fall in Jacksonville. Weeks ahead of training camp, Trevor Lawrence‘s extension is done. It will match Joe Burrow‘s NFL contract record.

The former No. 1 overall pick agreed to a five-year, $275MM extension Thursday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The deal will include $200MM guaranteed in total and $142MM guaranteed at signing. Part of the guarantee will come from a $37.5MM signing bonus, Rapoport adds, spreading out the quarterback’s cap hits.

The latter two marks are not NFL standards, but at $55MM per year, Lawrence has checked in alongside the player chosen first overall a year before him. Since the Jaguars picked up Lawrence’s fifth-year option, his extension will run through the 2030 season. Lawrence joins Patrick Mahomes as the only players signed into the 2030s.

This certainly marks a pivotal offseason for the Jaguars, who reached a lucrative extension with Josh Allen not long after franchise-tagging their top pass rusher. New deals for Lawrence and Allen will change the equation for the Jags, who could not do too much to capitalize on their quarterback’s rookie contract. Though, the Jags had sunk low before landing Lawrence and did not begin a legitimate recovery effort until the QB’s second season, as the Urban Meyer year kept the franchise in the NFL’s basement.

Lawrence, however, has shown promise under Doug Pederson. The Clemson product best displayed his talents during the second half of the 2022 season, which brought a Jags surge to the AFC South title and a 27-point comeback over the Chargers in the wild-card round. The team did not build on this last season, collapsing down the stretch — as Lawrence battled multiple injuries — and missing the playoffs. Pederson and Trent Baalke will now be tasked with forming a winning team around a $55MM-per-year quarterback contract.

In terms of guarantees, Lawrence’s marks check in third in both categories. No one has come close to approaching the $230MM fully guaranteed Deshaun Watson commanded from the Browns; Burrow came closest, at $146.5MM. Lawrence’s full guarantee checks in between Burrow and Lamar Jackson ($135MM). His total guarantee comes in between Burrow’s ($219MM) and Justin Herbert‘s ($193.7MM). Lawrence has not reached the heights of any QB in this salary range, counting Watson’s Texans success, so this deal represents good news for the likes of Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love. It also will help Dak Prescott gain more leverage in his latest talks with the Cowboys.

The salary cap’s record rise to $255.4MM — a $30MM-plus increase — placed this QB contingent as clear candidates to join the $50MM-AAV club, which formed last year when Jackson, Herbert, Burrow and Jalen Hurts each signed extensions. Jared Goff signed an extension that made him second only to Burrow in the league; the Lions QB drops to third after this Lawrence agreement.

Lawrence joined Burrow, Herbert and a host of other first-round QBs in the rookie-scale era to sign an extension before his fourth season. This both locks the Jaguars centerpiece into a veteran salary (as opposed to a $1.1MM number he was previously due in 2024) during his first offseason of extension eligibility, but it stands to help the team through a long-term lens. It gives Jacksonville seven years of control on its quarterback.

Mahomes’ outlier contract, in place since 2020, runs through 2031. QBs have steered clear of any extension of that length. But the Burrow, Herbert and Lawrence accords tie the QBs to their teams for seven years. Lawrence’s contract going through 2030 gives the Jags some cost certainty for the foreseeable future. As the cap keeps climbing, that will help the team’s cause — even if it will mean a tougher go through a roster-building standpoint in the short term.

Lawrence’s poor rookie-year showing under Meyer and injury-plagued 2023 did not give the Jags an extensive sample of success, making this megadeal stand out from some of the other monster pacts awarded to QBs in the recent past. They could have conceivably, as the Dolphins did with Tagovailoa, made Lawrence go through a “prove it” Year 4 season. But they will act early, having begun extension talks in February. Baalke confirmed ownership and Pederson were involved in the talks, and the parties crossed the finish line during minicamp week.

Lawrence, 24, came into the NFL with a flashy prospect profile; he played out his final season at Clemson as the clear-cut favorite to be chosen first overall in 2021. After the Jets started 0-13 in 2020, it looked like the Dabo Swinney charge would be Big Apple-bound. But two late-season wins from Gang Green gave the Jaguars, who finished 1-15, the right to pick first the following April. While Meyer was calling the shots at that point, Baalke was starting his GM tenure.

That 2021 draft, which came amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, featured memorable whiffs in the first round. The other four teams that chose first-round QBs that year — the Jets (Zach Wilson), 49ers (Trey Lance), Bears (Justin Fields) and Patriots (Mac Jones) — traded away those passers. Lawrence has not been a top-tier QB by any means, but he has managed to stick in Jacksonville and show enough to earn this contract. The Jags are certainly betting his best seasons are ahead.

In terms of QBR, Lawrence has finished 28th, 17th and 17th from 2021-23. He memorably threw one touchdown pass from Halloween to New Year’s Day during a miserable 2021 Jags season, and the 2022 team started 3-7. But Lawrence guided the Jags to comeback wins over the Cowboys and Ravens down the stretch, pairing well with a veteran receiving corps. He fired TD passes to all four of his top targets in the comeback win over the Bolts and put a scare into the No. 1-seeded Chiefs in a narrow divisional-round loss.

Last season brought a step back, as Pederson gave play-calling duties to OC Press Taylor. Lawrence finished with 21 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions — after assembling a 25-8 ratio in 2022 — and was present for a collapse in which the Jags sank from 8-3 to 9-8. While Lawrence has displayed plus durability as a pro, he missed his first game last season. Lawrence sustained knee and ankle sprains, playing through both, before suffering an AC joint injury and a concussion late in the season. His injuries undoubtedly affected the Jags, though the team gutted its defensive staff as a result of the downturn.

This offseason, the Jags also revamped Lawrence’s pass-catching corps. They signed Bills deep threat Gabe Davis and attempted to keep Calvin Ridley. It would have been more difficult for the Jags to re-sign Ridley, given where his market went, and then pay Lawrence. The team still carries Christian Kirk‘s $18MM-per-year deal. Ridley joined the Titans on a four-year, $92MM pact, and the Jags opted for more help in the draft by using their first-round pick on LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. — last season’s Division I-FBS receiving TDs leader (17). Thomas’ rookie contract will pair well with Lawrence’s extension, as the Jags also have Evan Engram signed to a top-10 tight end contract.

The Jags will face some pressure to make this contract pay off. While Lawrence has been by far the best QB from the 2021 class, he has not submitted a top-shelf season like the rest of the members in the NFL’s $50MM-AAV club. Pederson, Taylor and Co. will need to see that he does to make this contract worthwhile.

Chargers, S Tony Jefferson Agree To Deal

June 14th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tony Jefferson‘s comeback attempt has landed an agreement. Shortly after trying out with the Chargers, the veteran safety is signing a deal with the team, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The move is now official.

Jefferson took part in Los Angeles’ minicamp aiming to secure a roster spot for at least the remainder of the offseason. Now, the Chula Vista, California native will look to carve out a role on defense and/or special teams with the Bolts. Jefferson last played with the Giants in 2022.

The 32-year-old established himself as a starter during his tenure with the Cardinals. He showcased a strength as a run defender in particular during that time, posting five sacks and six forced fumbles with Arizona. Jefferson landed a four-year, $34MM contract with the Ravens in 2017 and he remained a consistent first-team presence during his time in Baltimore.

Across 35 Ravens starts, the former UDFA posted a pair of interceptions and 12 pass deflections. His career was impacted by a 2019 ACL tear, though, and he was sidelined for the following campaign. A brief 2021 49ers spell led to a Ravens reunion, but that too was short-lived. After failing to survive Ravens roster cutdowns two years ago, Jefferson played under Don Martindale with the Giants.

By joining the Chargers, he has once again undertaken a reunion with familiar faces. Longtime Ravens executive Joe Hortiz is now the general manager in Los Angeles, and a number of staffers with connections to Baltimore are in place under Jim Harbaugh. That includes defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who served as a DBs coach with the Ravens during Jefferson’s time there.

The latter worked as a scouting intern in Baltimore last season, but instead of a repeat in that capacity he will try and resume his playing career. The Chargers entered Friday with over $21.5MM in cap space, so adding Jefferson on what will likely be a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum will not be burdensome.

TE Jimmy Graham’s Retirement Decision Dependent On Saints’ Plans

June 14th, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Adam La Rose

Jimmy Graham returned to NFL action last season, doing so where his decorated career began. Another Saints season is a possibility for the veteran tight end, but whether he plays or retires in 2024 will depend on how the team proceeds.

The 37-year-old made 13 appearances last season, his sixth in New Orleans and first since 2014. Graham saw a career-low snap percentage (19%s), though, and he made only six catches during the year. While four of those were touchdowns, a similar workload would likely await him if he elected to continue playing in 2024.

Graham posted what appeared to be a farewell message to the Saints in March. That stopped short of a retirement announcement, however, and nothing has appeared to change on that front. The five-time Pro Bowler has plans for the offseason – including being a member of a team attempting to break the world record for the fastest time rowing across the Arctic Ocean – but he is still open to playing another year in New Orleans.

“I’m gonna reach out to the Saints and figure out what’s best, and then make the decision on when it’s best for me to retire,” Graham said (via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell). “I don’t have any expectations. I just want to make sure when I retire, it’s as a Saint, and it’s when they want me to. I’ll just make sure I give them a call and see exactly when they want me to retire and then I’ll end up doing it.”

While those comments point even further to Graham’s playing days being done, New Orleans could be shorthanded at the tight end position to begin the season. Juwan Johnson is facing a multi-week absence following foot surgery, and his Week 1 availability is now in question. The Saints have other replacement options on the books, but Graham could provide the team with an experienced red zone threat if they were open to a new deal.

If no such agreement is reached, though, Graham’s career will end with top-10 rankings amongst tight ends in a number of all-time statistical categories. He has amassed over $82MM in earnings, but it remains to be seen if that total will increase in 2024.

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