Giants Cut P Riley Dixon
Riley Dixon is hitting free agency. The Giants have cut their veteran punter, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). The move will save the Giants $2.8MM against the cap.
Dixon has spent the past four seasons in New York. His numbers took a bit of a step back in 2021, as the 28-year-old’s average punt length was at a career-low 44.4 yards. However, he did punt the ball 74 times, his highest total since 2016.
The Syracuse product was a seventh-round by the Broncos in 2016. He spent two seasons with Denver, including a 2016 campaign where he earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. He was traded to the Giants in 2018 for a 2019 conditional seventh-round draft pick.
Jets Re-Sign DB Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner is returning to New York. The veteran safety is re-signing with the Jets, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a one year-deal for Joyner.
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After getting cut by the Raiders last offseason, Joyner caught on with the Jets. He started his lone game for New York, collecting one tackles in nine defensive snaps. Unfortunately, an elbow injury landed him on injured reserve, and he ended up sitting out the rest of the season.
Joyner entered the league as a second-round pick of the Rams back in 2014. After his rookie contract expired, he played 2018 under the franchise tag with the Rams. The Florida State product earned a big four-year, $42MM contract from the Raiders the following free agency, but he was released just two years into that pact.
Joyner played last season on a one-year deal that included $2.5MM in guaranteed money. Considering the injury, he probably had to settle for less this time around.
Teams Showing Interest In Patriots WR N’Keal Harry
Despite an invisible stint in New England, wideout N’Keal Harry is still generating some interest around the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed (on Twitter), “teams have shown recent interest” in the former first-round pick, and the receiver is “a potential trade candidate before the draft.”
The 2019 first-round pick hasn’t clicked with any of New England’s three QBs (Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Mac Jones) during his three seasons in the league. In 33 games (18 starts), Harry has hauled in 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound receiver has earned some high marks for his blocking, but he’d still be a bottom-of-the-depth-chart option for most teams.
New England will eventually have to make a decision on the receiver’s fifth-year option, but there’s little chance it’ll be picked up. Harry has a $3.2MM cap hit in 2022.
Raiders To Release LB Cory Littleton
One of the top free agent signings two years ago, Cory Littleton will be back on the market. The Raiders have informed the veteran linebacker he will be released, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The Raiders brought in multiple veteran linebackers last year and have since hired a new head coach and GM. Although it is not certain, Littleton is certainly a candidate to be designated as a post-June 1 cut. If not, the Raiders would save just $1MM and see $14MM in dead money.
A post-June 1 designation would bring just a $4MM dead-cap hit this year. Las Vegas reworked Littleton’s contract three times over the past year and change, leading to the sizable dead-money number. Indeed, the Raiders are using this designation, Tashan Reed of The Athletic tweets. While the team will not be able to use the cap savings until June, it avoids this eight-figure dead-money sum hitting in 2022.
Despite his production with the Rams, Littleton did not live up to his contract with the Raiders, who signed him to a three-year, $35.25MM deal in 2020. After Littleton played 90% of Las Vegas’ defensive snaps in 2020, one-and-done DC Gus Bradley limited his work to 57% last season. Littleton, who impressed in coverage as a two-year starter with the Rams, made 98 tackles last season and 82 in 2020. He topped 120 stops in both his final two Rams slates.
The Raiders brought in both K.J. Wright and Denzel Perryman at the position. With Patrick Graham now in the DC role, it will be interesting to see how the Raiders address this group. Wright and Nicholas Morrow are free agents, while Perryman and Nick Kwiatkoski remain under contract for 2022.
CB Jeff Gladney Acquitted On Assault Charges
Former first-round pick Jeff Gladney has been acquitted by a jury on assault charges, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com.
The cornerback was released by the Vikings last August following an indictment for domestic violence. Gladney was accused of choking, punching, and shoving a woman during an incident in April, 2021.
“First and foremost, this has had a real impact on Jeff Gladney as a person,” said agents Brian E. Overstreet and Rodney Williams (via Wilson). “These situations have very real consequences for the young men involved. This has been a challenging time for Jeff mentally, spiritually and athletically. So, we applaud Jeff for having the courage to stand and fight for his freedom versus these false allegations. We further hope this will encourage other athletes in the future who have been falsely accused, blackmailed or persuaded to provide hush money to make these type of situations go away, to now take a stand and defend themselves as well.”
The TCU product was selected in the first round of the 2020 draft by the Vikings. He got into 16 games (15 starts) as a rookie, finishing with 81 tackles and three passes defended.
Eagles’ Jason Kelce To Return In 2022
Jason Kelce put a stop to retirement rumors Thursday. The decorated Eagles center will return for the 2022 season, he announced (via Twitter).
The 11-year veteran suggested after the 2021 season it might have been his last, but the Eagles will have their longtime snapper on the field again next season. Kelce, 34, has not missed a game since the 2014 season.
While the Eagles have naturally seen many Super Bowl LII starters depart, the team still has Kelce and Lane Johnson anchoring their offensive line. Since that 2017 season, Kelce has added a run of honors despite turning 30 that year. Kelce is now a four-time first-team All-Pro, with his latest such honor coming last season. His four All-Pros lead the way among centers in the 21st century, with no other center whose career began after 2000 earning more than two such nods.
The Cincinnati product has added five Pro Bowls and played a central role in the Eagles leading the NFL in rushing last season. They became the first team since the 1985 Bears to rush for at least 175 yards in seven straight games, doing so after committing to the ground game in Week 7.
Kelce’s contract runs through the 2022 season, though several void years are present due to restructuring. He is on Philadelphia’s books at $10.6MM next season. The Eagles have Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata under contract through 2025.
Giants Restructure WR Sterling Shepard’s Contract
The Giants’ longest-tenured player is sticking around for at least another season. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the Giants have reached an agreement on a restructured deal with wideout Sterling Shepard.
While we don’t have full details on Shepard’s pay cut, we have learned that the two sides chopped a year off the player’s contract. Shepard was originally signed through the 2023 season, but Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets that the restructure will see the final season wiped off that deal. As a result, 2022 will now be the final year of the receiver’s contract.
We heard recently that the Giants were asking the former second-round pick to take a significant pay cut as part of the team’s larger cost-cutting agenda. Shepard reportedly wasn’t a fan of that idea, but the two sides apparently came to a compromise. The receiver was set to earn a salary of $8.5MM next season.
When healthy, Shepard has been Daniel Jones‘ favorite target, but injury troubles (such as the torn Achilles he is currently rehabbing) have landed the wideout in this financial situation. Shepard seemed to be coming into his own in 2018 when he finished with 872 receiving yards. However, he’s missed 20 games over the past three seasons, including 10 in 2021. He ultimately finished last season with 36 receptions for 366 yards and one touchdown.
KR/PR Jakeem Grant Expected To Have “Robust Market”
Jakeem Grant is expected to be a popular name in free agency. The Bears All-Pro return specialist is expected to have a “robust market,” according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). Per the reporter, teams are “emphasizing field position and players who are a threat to take it the distance.”
Meanwhile, Grant was mentioned on NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero’s list of free agents “who could get paid more than you think.” Per the reporter, it wouldn’t be shocking if the 29-year-old earns a deal worth more than $5MM per year, which would make him the NFL’s highest-paid return specialist.
Grant was a sixth-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016. He proved to be serviceable on offense during his time in Miami, including a 2020 campaign where he hauled in 36 receptions for 373 yards. He also started earning some league-wide recognition for his special teams prowess during that 2020 season. Grant earned an All-Pro nod after returning 29 punts for 330 yards and one touchdown.
He was acquired by the Bears midway through the 2021 season in exchange for a sixth-round pick. In total, he got into 17 games between Miami and Chicago last year, finishing with 309 punt return yards, including a franchise-record 97-yard punt return against the Packers. Grant also earned his first career Pro Bowl appearance in 2021.
Ravens Looking To Trade Miles Boykin?
The Ravens started making cost-cutting moves yesterday, as they attempt to maximize their cap space in the lead-up to free agency next week. Another could soon be on the way, this time with wide receiver Miles Boykin. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that the team is “seeking to deal” him (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Ravens Release Tavon Young]
Boykin was a third round pick of the Ravens in 2019, the first year of Eric DeCosta‘s tenure as general manager. He was one of two wideouts (the other being Marquise Brown) the team drafted that year, in an attempt to rebuild the position. The Notre Dame product was met with plenty of optimism, as many felt relatively underwhelming numbers in college wouldn’t overshadow his combination of size and speed.
Things have yet pan out for Boykin in Baltimore, however. His most productive season came in 2020, where he posted 19 catches for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Relegated to playing almost exclusively on special teams (and dealing with a finger injury) last season, he registered just one catch. The team has continued to draft the position heavily, selecting two more wideouts in 2020, and another pair – including first rounder Rashod Bateman – in 2021. All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews represents, of course, further competition for targets in the Ravens’ offense.
Having struggled to develop chemistry with Lamar Jackson and increasingly buried on the depth chart, Boykin would likely be well-served by a change of scenery. Still only 25, he could provide upside to teams looking for a complimentary piece to their receiving corps. From the Ravens’ perspective, moving Boykin would make sense financially, as a trade would create just over $2.5MM in cap space. It’s not surprising, then, that La Canfora states a deal is “likely”.
Bears, Chargers Finalizing Khalil Mack Trade
After four seasons in Chicago, Khalil Mack is headed back to California. The Bears and Chargers are nearing a trade for the All-Pro edge defender, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The sides have nearly completed this deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Chargers are set to send the Bears second- and sixth-round picks, Rapoport tweets, for the eight-year veteran. The Bears will receive the Chargers’ 2022 second-round pick and their 2023 sixth. This will reunite Mack and Brandon Staley, who coached the Bears’ outside linebackers from 2017-18.
No contract adjustment is coming, per Rapoport, who adds the Chargers will take on the remaining three years and $63.9MM on Mack’s pact (Twitter link). That contract will be more manageable for the Chargers, with no guarantees remaining on the deal.
Mack is coming off an abbreviated season, but the former Raiders top-five pick and NFL Defensive Player of the Year is still regarded as one of the best pass rushers in the game. Mack is set to team with Joey Bosa in Los Angeles. The Chargers rank in the top five in the NFL for cap space, giving them an easier path to absorbing Mack’s contract compared to most teams.
While this is a major move, it comes a year after the Raiders discussed reacquiring Mack from the Bears before the 2021 free agency period. Chicago passed but saw Mack go down with a foot injury midway through last season. Mack underwent surgery and missed nine games. Prior to last season, however, the three-time All-Pro had never missed more than two games in a season.
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, Mack went to Chicago in 2018 for a monster haul. Chicago sent Oakland a package headlined by two first-round picks. The Bears gave Mack a then-defender-record $23.5MM-per-year contract. Three seasons remain on that deal. Mack is set to earn $12.1MM in base salary next season. The Bolts, however, now boast the most expensive pass-rushing duo in NFL history. They signed Bosa to a $27MM-AAV extension last year. This move likely will send previous Bosa sidekick Uchenna Nwosu elsewhere; Nwosu is set to hit free agency next week. This is a luxury many teams could not afford, but the Bolts have Justin Herbert tied to a rookie deal until at least 2023.
Mack, 31, played a major role in lifting the Bears to the 2018 NFC North title. He collected his third All-Pro honor that year. The Buffalo alum will head to Los Angeles with four double-digit sack seasons and six Pro Bowls on his resume. This represents another move for one of the highest-profile divisions in recent memory. The Broncos sent the Seahawks two firsts for Russell Wilson this week, giving them a much better shot to contend in the AFC West. The Bolts now have a top-tier edge tandem to throw at Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Derek Carr.
The Bears still have Robert Quinn, who broke Richard Dent‘s franchise single-season sack record last season, under contract for 2022. But losing Mack is certainly a significant development for the franchise, which recently hired a new coach and GM. This move will douse the Bears in dead money as well, saving them only $6MM in cap space. Chicago will incur a $24MM dead-money charge, part of that coming because the team restructured Mack’s deal in 2019 and in 2021.