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Top 2018 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

March 5th, 2018 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency will get underway on Wednesday, March 14th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market. The same goes for players who have been franchise tagged or transition tagged.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2018:

Quarterback:

There were many difficult calls when putting this list together, but ranking Kirk Cousins as the No. 1 QB available was not among them. Cousins is the best quarterback to reach free agency in recent history and he’ll become the highest-paid player of all-time – at least, for some period of time – in mid-March. Who will make history with Cousins? That’s anyone’s guess right now. The Browns have more cap room than any other team, but a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings as the final suitors for Cousins. Of those four, the Jets have the most money to work with, but they’re concerned about the Vikings winning out and Cousins’ desire to win could point him in another direction. If the Broncos and Cardinals want in on the Cousins sweepstakes, they’ll have to get creative with the books.

Drew Brees is included here, but by his own admission, he’ll be re-signing with the Saints rather than testing the open waters of free agency. Unless the Saints lowball their franchise QB, it’s hard to see him leaving New Orleans.

Case Keenum put together a tremendous season for the Vikings, but he doesn’t have a history of success beyond 2017. There will be plenty of interest in Keenum, but only after QB-needy teams strike out on Cousins. The incumbent Vikings could re-sign Keenum, but right now, it seems like they are intent on exploring the Cousins waters first.

There isn’t a ton of footage on A.J. McCarron, which made his placement on this list awfully tricky. We know this much: McCarron did well in place of Dalton in the home stretch of the 2015 season and his former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was salivating at the chance of landing him before the Browns bungled the trade with the Bengals. McCarron’s relative youth is a plus (he won’t turn 28 until September) and his lack of experience can be looked at as a positive. Unlike some of the other names on this list, he hasn’t run up his NFL odometer.

What will NFL teams make of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford this offseason? Not long ago, both seemed like quality starting options. However, there are serious injury questions about both players and any team signing them will either look to backstop them with another decent option or ask them to come onboard as a QB2. With that in mind, one has to wonder if Bradford would consider retirement if asked to hold the clipboard for another signal caller. Bradford has earned upwards of $110MM over the years in the NFL, so it’s safe to say that he has enough money in the bank to call it quits if he wants. For now, he’s intent on playing.

Colin Kaepernick‘s placement on this list is sure to draw some strong reactions from his fans and detractors alike. Looking purely at his football ability, there’s no question that he belongs on someone’s roster. At minimum, Kaepernick profiles as a high-end backup, even after a year out of the game.

Quarterbacks coaches have long believed that Mike Glennon is capable of great things, due in part to his height. At 6’7″, he can see over any defensive line, but he hasn’t done much on the field to prove that he is a quality Week 1 starting option. Josh McCown, who is a decade his senior, edges him here for his surprisingly strong performance in 2017 at the helm of a weak Jets offense.

Running back:

We’re in the illegal tampering period which, frankly, is just as active as the legal tampering period. Already, Dion Lewis is attracting attention from a number of teams and it’s speculated (wink wink) that the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts will have interest in him when things get underway next week. Le’Veon Bell has a franchise tag coming his way, so Lewis stands as the most attractive RB option out there.

Carlos Hyde didn’t have the kind of platform year he was hoping for, but he’s still just 26 and could headline a running back by committee group.

Jerick McKinnon‘s placement on this list figures to be controversial, but his athleticism and pass-catching ability can blow a game wide open. No one will bank on McKinnon to carry the ball 20 times per game, but he can be a real difference maker for a team out there.

Can Frank Gore outrun father time? History indicates that he can’t and so does his 3.7 yards per carry average in 2017. You have to give credit where credit is due, however. Gore has been ruled out by many for years, but he has not missed a regular season game since the 2010 season. He’s also just one year removed from cracking 1,000 yards and he almost did the same last year.

Wide receiver:

For most teams, Allen Robinson would be a franchise tag candidate. However, that may be too much of a luxury for the cash-strapped Jaguars. He presents a fascinating free agent case. Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s the most talented wide receiver on the board in the eyes of many. His 2015 season – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes GMs drool. His quieter year in 2016 (73 catches, 883 yards, and six touchdowns) is less worthy of salivation. His 2017 season, of course, was a lost cause. For all the question marks, you can expect Robinson to see more dollars than any other free agent WR this year, particularly since Jarvis Landry has been held back by the tag.

Some in the football world may prefer Sammy Watkins for his big-play ability, but his down contract year amidst a capable offense is cause for concern. His injury history doesn’t do him any favors either. No matter your feelings on Watkins, there’s no debating that this year’s WR market has a top tier comprised of just two players – Watkins and Robinson. With few quality receivers out there, they’ll both get paid.

Marqise Lee represents a much less sexy option (speaking in football terms, of course), but he had the most receptions of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Teams looking for a quality WR2 in free agency could do a lot worse than Lee and he’ll be far cheaper than the two-man top tier.

Danny Amendola hauled in 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, teams will wonder if he can thrive in his age-33 season while playing outside of the Patriots’ offense. It’s also quite possible that he never tests the market as his stated preference is to remain in New England.

After that, you’ll notice a pretty significant drop off. That’s because this year’s WR class isn’t all that deep. Terrelle Pryor had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract last year and, to put it mildly, he did not prove it. Paul Richardson caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but that marked his first NFL season of real note.

Tight end:

Trey Burton spent most of the year behind Zach Ertz on the Eagles’ depth chart, but he emerged late in the season and set himself up nicely for free agency. Given his age and potential, there’s no question that he is the belle of the ball at tight end.

The rest of the tight end crop is not nearly as inspiring. Jimmy Graham has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks, but he’ll turn 32 in November and he’s no longer the monster playmaker that he was in New Orleans. He had ten touchdowns in 2017, but his 9.1 yards per reception average is a career low.

Odds are, you have Tyler Eifert ranked over Austin Seferian-Jenkins given the fact that Eifert has played just ten games over the last two years. ASJ, meanwhile, rebounded from personal issues to post a 50-catch season for the Jets. Personally, I’m picking Eifert based on upside. Hopefully, we can still be friends.

Virgil Green, Darren Fells, and Lee Smith aren’t exactly fantasy football superstars, but they are quality blocking tight ends that will draw more dollars than expected.

With some uninspiring names towards the backend of the list, you may be wondering where former Ravens notable Crockett Gillmore is on this list. Gillmore is transitioning to the offensive line, so he did not warrant consideration here.

Fullback:

Jon Gruden may go eagerly shopping for fullbacks, but they’re not nearly as popular as they once were.

Offensive tackle:

Offensive line play is down across the board and evaluators around the league have been openly complaining about an increasing dearth of tackles coming out of college. That makes for a generally uninspiring lot in free agency.

Nate Solder battled through injuries in 2017 and did not miss a game. He’s no longer a top-flight option, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 tackle last year, meaning that he’s starter quality at left tackle. You’ll notice that three of the top five tackles on this list are Patriots. There’s little chance that the Pats let all three get away.

Justin Pugh offers the ability to play both guard and right tackle, though he might not do either one particularly well.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Andrew Norwell is the undisputed king of this category after netting an All-Pro selection in 2017. Norwell also earned a career-high 88.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which positioned him third in the entire NFL amongst guards. A team with greater means than the Panthers might have used the franchise tag on him. Fortunately for rival teams in need of interior help (such as the Giants), they won’t cuff him with the one-year placeholder.

QB Notes: Brees, Cousins, Bortles, Draft

February 27th, 2018 at 9:52pm CST by Micah Powell

The Saints and Drew Brees have expressed mutual interest in maintaining their partnership going forward. While the future Hall of Fame quarterback is unlikely to leave when free agency opens, the team’s financial flexibility is greatly impacted if a deal is not reached by March 14, The Times-Picayune’s Josh Katzenstein writes.

If he is not signed by that date, Katzenstein notes Brees’ remaining three years on his contract will void and his remaining signing bonus will count for $18 MM in dead cap space. Knowing the situation the Saints are faced with, Brees and his team have a ton of leverage.

Brees, 39, is likely to look for a multi-year deal but the quarterback has mentioned taking his future one year at a time. Though his passing totals weren’t at the gaudy levels of years past, he was still an effective signal-caller, leading the league in completion percentage and ranking second in passer rating.

It is unlikely the two sides won’t come to an agreement by the deadline, but it is a story to follow.

Here’s more quarterback news from around the league:

The Broncos have a meeting scheduled with Mike McCartney — agent to, among others, Kirk Cousins, Trevor Siemian and Richmond QB Kyle Lauletta — in Indianapolis while the two sides are in town for the NFL Combine, NBC 9 News’ Mike Klis reports. Per NFL tampering rules, the two sides can not discuss Cousins, but are free to talk about the latter two. Cousins is expected to be a top target of the Broncos once free agency opens.
Sticking with Cousins, the Vikings are expected to be strong contenders for the quarterback’s services NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (Twitter link). In the video clip, Garafolo says he has been told by sources “the whole way” that the Vikes are going to make a strong push for the prized free agent.
The Jaguars‘ contract to Blake Bortles is more about freeing up cap space for this year rather than rewarding or showing confidence in the quarterback, overthecap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald writes. “The Jaguars front office should know what Bortles is and I don’t anticipate that this contract will change the fact that they could consider drafting a QB or signing a decent player to be a backup who could be asked to start if things go bad. They really just needed cap space and to that end they did a decent job.”
If teams are looking to draft a developmental quarterback, two of the most intriguing names are Lauletta, the Senior Bowl MVP, and Washington State’s Luke Falk, Yahoo’s Charles Robinson tweets. Robinson also notes the Redskins president Bruce Allen went to Lauletta’s Richmond and is very familiar with the quarterback.
Though the Dolphins are committed to Ryan Tannehill being their starter in 2018, that does not mean the team won’t look to draft a quarterback with its No. 11 pick in the first round, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writes. He says the Dolphins were impressed by Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield in interviews at the Senior Bowl, though he is expected to be off the board by the time Miami gets on the clock.

Saints, Drew Brees To Meet At NFL Combine

February 22nd, 2018 at 10:20am CST by Ryan Posner

Drew Brees and his representatives are set to meet with the Saints at the NFL Scouting Combine to make ground on a new deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The combine gets underway on March 2.

Rapoport said the two sides will look “to try to hammer out what is potentially a short-term deal” for the soon-to-be free agent. Brees would have a $18MM cap hit toward the Saints if they were not to agree on a deal before the new league year on March 14. Rapoport expects the two sides to settle on a deal in the range of $20MM-$25MM annually.

Brees expressed his desire to return to the Saints following their loss to the Vikings in the NFC Divisional playoffs. A contract that would give Brees $25MM annually would match Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in terms of average annual salary for third among NFL players, placing him behind Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford ($27MM) and 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5MM).

Brees and Kirk Cousins serve as the two biggest names at quarterback who could potentially become free agents this offseason. Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater, Case Keenum and A.J. McCarron are all set to hit the free agent market as well. While Brees appears to be the Saints’ top priority this offseason, safety Kenny Vaccaro, defensive tackle Nick Fairley and defensive end Alex Okafor are among other Saints who are due to become unrestricted free agents.

QB Notes: Brees, McCarron, Winston

February 17th, 2018 at 9:44am CST by Ben Levine

Last offseason, the Bengals offered quarterback AJ McCarron to the Jets. The team ultimately declined the trade, but ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini believes the organization could have more interest in the free agent this offseason.

The writer believes McCarron is the team’s backup plan to Kirk Cousins, and he anticipates that the 2014 fifth-rounder will receive a deal that exceeds Mike Glennon‘s three-year, $45MM contract ($18.5MM guaranteed) from last year. Ultimately, considering the Jets would have to invest in a quarterback with only three career starts, Cimini believes the team would be better off rolling with Josh McCown for another season.

Let’s take a look at some more quarterback notes from around the NFL…

March 14th is essentially the deadline for the Saints and quarterback Drew Brees to come to an agreement on a new contract, writes ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. The final three seasons of the veteran’s contract will void on that day, and if they wish to keep Brees for another season, they’d be required to tolerate his salary and his “$18 million worth of signing bonus prorated on this year’s salary cap.”
Meanwhile, Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com says if Brees ends up reaching free agency, the Browns could be a serious suitor. The team is rostering a talented wideout in Josh Gordon and a veteran tackle in Joe Thomas, and they’re armed with $110MM in cap space and several alluring draft picks. While Brees may not want to consider an organization that just completed a winless season, the writer believes a one-year, $50MM might not be out of the question.
Until he inks a new deal, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com will continue to regard Brees as the top free agent quarterback. The writer rounds out his list of the top signal-callers with Cousins, Case Keenum, McCarron, and Sam Bradford.
Jameis Winston will surely receive a hefty payday from the Buccaneers, but Rick Stroud of TampaBay.com wonders if the new deal “will cost the Bucs more than money.” Considering the type of deal Winston will sign, the writer wonders if the contract could limit the organization’s ability to extend several of their young core players. As a result, Stroud believes the team should make it a priority to sign receiver Mike Evans, center Ali Marpet, tackle Donovan Smith and linebacker Kwon Alexander to new deals as soon as possible.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Brees, Panthers

February 14th, 2018 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

If Drew Brees decides to play hardball, he could take control of his contract negotiations with the Saints, Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune writes. But, so far, Brees has been a good solider, saying repeatedly that he wants to retire in New Orleans and indicating that he will not test the free agent market.

In theory, things can change between now and March 14. If the Saints try to lowball the 39-year-old, Brees could threaten to test the open waters to try and regain leverage. Despite his age, Brees would almost certainly garner offers of more than $30MM per year, putting him ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo and just behind the expected annual average value of Kirk Cousins‘ next contract.

Duncan figures that the floor for talks has to be $20MM per year, the average of the current deals for Tom Brady and Matt Ryan. If the ceiling for elite quarterbacks is ~$30MM, then the beat writer guesses that a two or three-year deal with a $25MM AAV and out clauses after each season makes sense for both sides.

While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s more from the NFC South:

Former UFC owner Frank Fertitta is heading one of the groups looking to purchase the Panthers, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (on Twitter) hears. If Fertitta’s group winds up buying the team, he’ll have to divest his interest in Station Casinos. Fertitta was a major shareholder in Zuffa LLC, which recently sold the UFC for upwards of $4 billion.
Despite rumblings that interim GM Marty Hurney is a shoe-in for the Panthers‘ permanent GM post, Fritz Pollard chairman John Wooten says he’s willing to allow the team’s interview process to play out before raising concerns with the NFL, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. The Panthers interviewed multiple minority candidates for the position and it has been reported that Bills assistant college scouting director Lake Dawson is a strong candidate. “They have interviewed three viable candidates. I know that they had one come back again for a second interview. So that’s where they are,” Wooten said. “I think our position is we will let the process as it relates to the investigation run its course, and see what goes from there.” The Panthers are currently in a holding pattern as Hurney is under league investigation for harassment accusations raised by his ex-wife.
This week, PFR’s Dallas Robinson broke down the Buccaneers‘ top three offseason needs.

Saints Notes: Brees, Mayfield, Fairley

January 24th, 2018 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Drew Brees has already claimed that he has no intention of testing the free agent market, and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said today that doesn’t anticipate any “big issues” in negotiating a new deal for the the veteran quarterback, according to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. However, Loomis did admit the Saints and Brees have not yet entered into talks regarding a fresh contract. New Orleans used a void provision when it re-signed Brees prior to the 2016 campaign, so if the club fails to ink another deal with its 39-year-old signal-caller this offseason, it will absorb an $18MM dead money charge in 2018.

Here’s more from New Orelans:

Speaking of quarterbacks, Saints head coach Sean Payton is “squarely in the camp” of Oklahoma passer Baker Mayfield defenders, reports Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). Aside from boasting a similar stature to Brees, Mayfield reportedly has a “wicked competitive streak” that will fit in with the Saints’ culture. Per Robinson, former New Orleans quarterback Garrett Grayson “got steamrolled mentally” while trying to keep up with Brees’ competitiveness, but Mayfield may not have that issue. Given Brees’ age, the Saints shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential contender for a first-round quarterback in the 2018 draft.
The Saints have filed a grievance in an attempt to recoup some of the money paid to defensive tackle Nick Fairley, who was forced to sit out the 2017 season due to a heart condition, as Joel Erickson of the Advocate writes. This was the expected outcome, as New Orleans began exploring ways to recover portions of Fairley’s salary last summer. Coming off a career year in 2016, Fairley signed a four-year, $28MM contract with the Saints that contained $9MM in full guarantees. He’s already been paid a $8MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary for 2017, and he’s due a $4.25MM base salary in 2018 that is guaranteed for injury only.
Loomis & Co. have been busy with offseason work since the Saints’ postseason run ended, and the club made two notable futures signings over the past week, agreeing to terms with wide receiver Josh Huff and linebacker Jayrone Elliott.

Drew Brees Not Planning To Test Market

January 16th, 2018 at 3:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Drew Brees is scheduled to reach free agency in March and could potentially cash in on the open market. However, Brees sounds inclined to sign a new deal with the Saints before the new league year begins on March 14.

“I’m not in the mood to make anything secretive,” Brees said. “It’s the same way I felt two days ago. It’s the same way I felt 12 years ago. That is that I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me, hopefully.”

Few expected Brees to leave the Saints this offseason, but it’s surprising to hear Brees dismiss the idea of at least testing free agency. If Brees signs an extension without collecting offers from suitors, he could be leaving significant money on the table. Then again, Brees already has nearly $200MM in NFL earnings to his credit, so getting top dollar is not a priority for him. Instead, it sounds like Brees – who turned 39 on Monday – would prefer to return to the Saints for a shot at another Super Bowl ring without uprooting his family.

The Super Bowl XLIV MVP could have been in line for another championship appearance if not for last week’s Minneapolis Miracle. Brees had another spectacular season in 2017, finishing out with a league-high 72.0% completion rate and 7.53 yards per passing attempt. After earning his eleventh career Pro Bowl nod, the veteran is showing no signs of slowing down.

Drew Brees’ Future With Saints Uncertain

November 12th, 2017 at 8:27am CST by Rory Parks

The Saints have been a pleasant surprise this season, jumping out to a 6-2 record on the strength of a largely young and talented roster that should continue to grow together for the next few years. Future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees, however, may not be in New Orleans beyond this season.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) says the Saints are unsure as to whether Brees, who will be a free agent at season’s end, will be back in 2018. There have been no contract talks this season, and those talks will not commence until the season is over. Brees, of course, will want to be paid well, but Rapoport says he is missing some throws that he usually makes and that the team has noticed a slight decline in the 38-year-old’s overall performance.

That decline, however, is not manifesting itself in Brees’ statistics. His 71.6% completion rate is the best in the league, and while he is averaging under 300 passing yards per game for the first time since 2010, his quarterback rating of 105.0 is the highest it has been since 2011. He has also thrown 13 touchdowns against just four interceptions and has generally looked like the same great player he has always been for the Saints.

Rapoport says that Brees does not want to play for anyone other than the Saints, so if the two sides cannot agree to a new deal in 2018, it will be interesting to see whether No. 9 simply elects to call it a career. Speculatively, however, it seems that New Orleans will not squander all of the young talent it has at other positions by discarding the best player the franchise has ever had — and who is still pretty darn good — in favor of a less talented and/or more unproven signal-caller. But until the ink is dry on a new contract, this will be one of the more intriguing storylines to follow when the calendar flips to 2018.

Brandin Cooks’ Discontent Led To Saints Trading WR

September 17th, 2017 at 6:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandin Cooks faced his former team today, in a Patriots rout in New Orleans, but some additional details emerged on why he spent time in the visitors’ locker room.

The Saints dealt the fourth-year wide receiver for a first-round pick because of Cooks’ issues with his role in New Orleans’ offense and his doubts about the team’s future, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

Cooks expressed doubt Drew Brees, who is now in his age-38 season, could continue to get him the ball deep, per Rapoport. And the Saints were skeptical of the 23-year-old’s status as a No. 1 wide receiver. Rapoport notes Cooks was going to want to be paid like a No. 1 receiver, and the Saints were not prepared to authorize that kind of contract for the deep threat despite his back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons.

A late-season meeting between Cooks and Sean Payton did little to clear the air, Rapoport reports, and the organization did not like what it perceived to be a self-over-team mindset from the talented pass-catcher. Payton told Cooks, who voiced frustration (the “closed mouths don’t get fed” comment) after going catchless in a 49-21 win over the Rams last November, he would see a target increase. Nevertheless, Cooks voicing his frustrations about his stat line following a blowout win rubbed some with the Saints the wrong way, per Rapoport.

And the wideout tied a season-high with seven receptions the following week. Despite Michael Thomas‘ emergence, Cooks saw at least eight targets in 10 games last season and at least six in 14 contests.

While Cooks was pro-Brees in terms of his relationship with the quarterback, the future Hall of Fame passer’s arm strength was not something the receiver felt he could address on any level, Rapoport adds. Cooks had discussions along these lines with Payton, OC Pete Carmichael, then-wideouts coach John Morton and GM Mickey Loomis.

Interestingly, the soon-to-be 24-year-old performer is now playing with a 40-year-old quarterback and for a team notoriously stingy regarding big contracts. Cooks caught two passes for 37 yards in New England’s win in New Orleans.

NFC Notes: Donald, Brees, Elliott

August 29th, 2017 at 7:45pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It’s “probably a safe assumption” the Rams will play their Sept. 10 season opener without defensive tackle Aaron Donald if he doesn’t end his holdout this week, general manager Les Snead told Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com and other reporters Tuesday (Twitter links here). The executive added that the Rams have tried to “come up with creative scenarios” regarding Donald’s contract in their negotiations with the back-to-back first-team All-Pro. Snead otherwise didn’t have much to offer regarding Donald, admitting that he doesn’t know if the 26-year-old will report without having received a new deal. As of now, it appears the Rams will at least go without Donald when they take on the Colts in Week 1.

The latest on a couple other NFC franchises:

Saints quarterback Drew Brees said Tuesday that he texted “Wow” to agent Tom Condon after Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford signed a five-year, $135MM extension Monday (via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com). Stafford’s deal will pay him $27MM per year – a figure the highly accomplished Brees could rival when he signs a new pact in the next eight months or so. Of course, the 38-year-old Brees’ age will prevent him from approaching Stafford’s pact in length or total value. Brees, who’s on the one-year, $24.25MM extension he signed last summer, has indicated that he won’t worry about his next contract until after the season.
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s appeal hearing with the NFL regarding his six-game suspension will last through Thursday, Adam Schefter reports (Twitter links). Final briefs are due Friday, notes the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, who adds that a ruling probably won’t come until next week.
Saints cornerback Delvin Breaux is likely to begin the season on injured reserve and come off IR later in the year, Herbie Teope of NOLA.com writes. Breaux, who fractured his fibula in mid-August, won’t be eligible to return until Week 9 if he does head to IR. Teams are allowed to designate two players to return from IR during the season. Meanwhile, it’s possible left tackle Terron Armstead will avoid spending the first six weeks of the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list because he “might be ready earlier” than that time frame, head coach Sean Payton said Tuesday. Armstead went down with a torn labrum in mid-June and is currently on the active/PUP list.