The AFC West produced by far the biggest news this weekend, with the Chargers and Melvin Ingram agreeing to a four-year, $66MM extension that comes with $42MM guaranteed. Here’s more coming out of the Western divisions, as seven of the divisions’ eight teams are scheduled to hold their mandatory minicamps from Tuesday-Thursday.
- The agreement between Ingram and the Chargers is not yet official, but only a Monday trip to Chargers park in San Diego and a pending physical remain before Ingram signs the contract and becomes the third-richest defender in the AFC West, Dan Woike of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. This will clear a path for Ingram to participate in minicamp. Von Miller‘s six-year, $114MM pact and Justin Houston‘s six-year, $101MM agreement surpass Ingram’s. But the gap between Ingram and the division’s fourth-highest-paid defender (per AAV), Eric Berry, is significant. The AFC West figures to soon house four top-tier defensive contracts once the Raiders extend Khalil Mack at a price that could well surpass Miller’s agreement.
- Ronald Leary became by far the highest-paid guard in Broncos history after signing a four-year, $36MM deal. Leary agreed to the Broncos’ offer just before free agency opened, but other teams may have had concerns about the now-29-year-old blocker. An anonymous NFL evaluator said, via Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider link), teams were nervous about “knee issues” associated with the sixth-year player. Leary was diagnosed with a degenerative knee condition prior to his NFL career and underwent knee surgery while at Memphis. This ended up affecting Leary’s draft status in 2012, when he went undrafted, but the interior lineman proved to be a quality performer during lengthy starting stays in Dallas — the latest of which earned him the Denver deal.
- The 49ers quickly cut bait on wide receiver K.D. Cannon coming out of their rookie minicamp and filled his roster spot with a Georgia Southern wideout named B.J. Johnson. The coaching staff was so impressed by the 6-foot-1 tryout player they gave him a roster spot, and it turned out to be Cannon’s. While Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes questions about the urgency Cannon exhibited during the workouts emerged, new 49ers wide receivers coach Mike LaFleur said the swap was more related to Johnson’s performance that weekend. “Nothing happened with K.D. Cannon,” LaFleur said. “It had nothing do with K.D. It was more of a testament to what B.J. showed.” Cannon, who finished his Baylor career No. 3 in receiving yardage in program history, caught on with the Jets.
- It’s “very possible” Derek Carr could become the NFL’s first $25MM-per-year player.
- The Cardinals don’t want Jeremy Maclin, but they still have their eye on some free agents, per Steve Keim. Arizona was one of the few teams that opted to conduct its minicamp this week, so the Cards don’t have another team activity until training camp.