Falcons Sign CB Tre Flowers
The Falcons have made another veteran addition to their defense. The team announced on Monday that cornerback Tre Flowers has signed a one-year deal. 
The 27-year-old received interest from the Panthers prior to the draft, but he will now head elsewhere in the NFC South. Flowers has logged 41 starts in his career, all but one of which came during his tenure in Seattle. A Seahawks fifth-rounder in 2018, he saw his workload change dramatically after his first two campaigns.
Flowers’ playing time dropped in 2020 and ’21 as Sidney Jones moved ahead of him on the depth chart. That led to the Seahawks’ decision to place the former on waivers in October 2021. The Bengals took advantage of that decision by claiming him and using him in a rotational capacity during their run to the Super Bowl. Cincinnati was sufficiently impressed with the Oklahoma State alum that they re-signed him last offseason.
Flowers played primarily on special teams during his first and only full Bengals campaign. He did add one interception and three pass deflections, though, and has considerable first-team experience dating back to his time in Seattle. It comes as little surprise that Flowers will not be returning to Cincinnati, though, as the Bengals have added Jones in free agency and fellow corner DJ Turner in the second round of the draft.
In Atlanta, Flowers will join a secondary which has seen a number of additions this offseason. The Falcons signed Mike Hughes and traded for Jeff Okudah prior to the draft, moves which came after the big-ticket deal given to safety Jessie Bates. Atlanta also selected corner Clark Phillips III in the fourth round of the draft, giving them a number of options to compliment AJ Terrell. Flowers will look to carve out a role in the team’s new-look CB room, one which should enter the 2023 season with heightened expectations.
Jets, WR Randall Cobb Agree To Terms
MAY 8: Details on the one-year Cobb deal are in, courtesy of ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). The veteran will earn a base salary of $2.25MM, with another $1MM available through incentives. Cobb’s cap hit for the year will be $2.89MM, meaning he will be a relatively inexpensive pass-catching option for the Jets’ Rodgers-led offense, especially if they can continue their shared success with one another dating back to their time in Green Bay.
MAY 3, 5:34pm: Checking another box on Rodgers’ wish list, the Jets made it official with Cobb Wednesday afternoon. While terms have not yet surfaced, Cobb is following Rodgers, Lazard and Hackett to the Big Apple.
8:11am: Unable to land Odell Beckham Jr., the Jets are circling back to Aaron Rodgers‘ free agency wish list. They are planning to reunite Rodgers with Randall Cobb, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Cobb has played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons with the Packers, enjoying two stints with the team. Upon ending a months-long standoff with Green Bay in 2021, Rodgers insisted on the team reacquiring Cobb via trade. The new Jets quarterback will once again move a team to bring the veteran wide receiver aboard. This will be a one-year deal.
[RELATED: Jets To Sign OL Billy Turner]
The Rodgers wish list already led to Allen Lazard coming to the Big Apple. Lazard joined the Jets weeks before Rodgers, but ex-Cobb teammate’s $11MM-per-year deal provided a strong indication the four-time MVP would eventually be en route. Unlike the past two offseasons, Rodgers has been present at OTAs for his team. Cobb, who is going into his age-33 season, may well join Rodgers and Lazard for voluntary Jets workouts soon.
Counting the playoffs, Davante Adams‘ 687 receptions are the most by a Rodgers target (per ESPN Stats and Info); Cobb’s 534 grabs sit second on that list. The former Packers second-round pick developed a quick chemistry with the future Hall of Fame quarterback, and while Cobb’s second Green Bay stay did not produce the numbers his first did, but he will accompany Lazard in bringing scheme familiarity to the Jets. Cobb spent the past two seasons in the offense OC Nathaniel Hackett is installing.
Despite missing four games last season, Cobb caught 34 passes for 417 yards and a touchdown. The proven slot receiver scored five TDs during his 2021 season back in Wisconsin. The Packers gave Cobb a four-year, $40MM contract back in 2015, which came after his lone 1,000-yard campaign. Cobb played out that deal before the team allowed him to sign with the Cowboys in free agency. Cobb spent the 2019 and ’20 seasons in Texas, signing with Houston on a three-year, $27MM deal in 2020. The Packers absorbed that deal in 2021 but reached a pay-cut agreement with Cobb last year.
Following the Packers’ Week 18 home loss to the Lions, Cobb and Rodgers walked off the field together. It quickly became expected Cobb — whose 532 catches as a Packer rank fifth in team history — was done in Green Bay, but his longtime quarterback pulled some strings to allow for this partnership to last another year. While this expected Jets accord comes after the deadline for signings to affect the 2024 compensatory formula, Cobb is unlikely to sign a needle-moving contract with the Jets.
This could complete the Jets’ wide receiver overhaul effort. Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson is back, but the team has added Lazard and Mecole Hardman already. Elijah Moore is now in Cleveland, via trade, while the team released slot player/return man Braxton Berrios, who is now in Miami. Although rumblings tied the Jets to a Corey Davis release, the former top-five pick remains with the team. Ditto Denzel Mims, who has stood as a longtime trade candidate.
Jets GM Joe Douglas reaffirmed Davis’ status with the team ahead of the draft, and the team did not select any wideouts. The seventh-year veteran certainly supplies potential firepower as a complementary option. The team’s three-year, $37.5MM Davis pact has not produced numbers on par with the former top prospect’s Titans work, but Davis and Cobb have nine combined 600-plus-yard receiving seasons on their respective resumes.
This Cobb agreement floods the Jets’ receiver room with experience, and it will be interesting to see if it affects Davis, who is tied to an $11.2MM cap hit in the final year of his contract. The Jets can release Davis and save $10.5MM. With Lazard and Cobb set to reunite, it should be expected the Jets are considering a Marcedes Lewis addition. The four-year Packer also appeared on Rodgers’ list of hopeful Jets acquisitions in March.
Panthers’ Brian Burns Undergoes Ankle Surgery
With minicamps set to start around the league, many teams will have a large contingent of veterans available to take part in workouts and practices. That will not be the case for Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns, however. 
Burns recently underwent surgery on his right ankle, per a team announcement. The 25-year-old was sidelined for Carolina’s regular season finale, and offseason tests revealed a small fracture. The procedure is not expected to keep him away from training camp this summer, though, which should allow him to put together another productive campaign in 2023.
The Florida State product recorded a career-high 12.5 sacks last season, adding 17 tackles for loss and 22 QB hits. Those totals earned him a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod, and further cemented his status as one of the Panthers’ most important players in the short- and long-term future. The center of trade talks after the firing of Matt Rhule, Burns can be expected to remain in Charlotte for many years to come.
When asked about Burns’ situation with respect to a new contract, general manager Scott Fitterer said, “Brian Burns is going to be here. We will work through [an extension] with his agent” (Twitter link via Steve Reed of the Associated Press). That falls in line with Fitterer’s previous remarks on the subject, and with the draft now finished, a deal for Burns (who is set to play on the fifth-year option in 2023) represents one of the team’s top priorities.
While the latter will no doubt be counted on to anchor Carolina’s pass rush, more moves could be coming to provide a boost in that department. ESPN’s David Newton notes that “there’s a good chance” the Panthers will add a veteran edge rusher in the post-draft wave of free agency. A number of experienced options are still on the market, including Leonard Floyd, Frank Clark, Yannick Ngakoue and Robert Quinn. Carolina currently sits second in the league in terms of cap space, so they could afford a short-term move with any of those names as a compliment to Burns, whose financial future could become clearer soon.
Cowboys Rumors: Parsons, Draft, Ball, Smith
Cowboys defensive star Micah Parsons has not been in attendance for voluntary workouts in Dallas thus far. According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, this has nothing to do with any issues in his relationship with the team and is actually in service of the team.
Parsons has reportedly been in Austin attempting to bulk up in preparation for more playing time at defensive end. One of the NFL’s more versatile athletes, Parsons played mostly in the box as a rookie before spending the majority of his time last year on the line. At 245 pounds last year, Dallas staff felt he needed to add some muscle in order to better handle routine double-teams.
So, Parsons’s absence is not contract related in any way. He says he’s added about seven pounds and doesn’t intend to surpass 255 in his career. Parsons also claimed earlier that he would be in attendance for Organized Team Activities set to start in two weeks. His absence shouldn’t worry too many as he’s determined to come back stronger and even more dangerous.
Here are a few more rumors concerning the Cowboys:
- There was reportedly another option on the table for the Cowboys when they used the 26th overall pick to select Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the first round of this year’s draft. According to David Moore of The Dallas Morning News, Dallas heavily considered using the pick to draft Syracuse offensive guard Matthew Bergeron, who would go on to be selected by Atlanta 12 picks later. Bergeron fit their needs due to the departure of starting guard Connor McGovern to Buffalo. They did address the offensive line later in the draft and likely still will with undrafted free agents, but many expect last year’s first rounder, Tyler Smith, to bounce into a guard spot with the healthy returns of Tyron Smith and Terence Steele, covering the role.
- Another piece of the offensive line, Josh Ball will have some new expectations this year, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. After Ball saw extremely limited time in his first two years, mostly at tackle, head coach Mike McCarthy has stated that Ball will be asked to play on the interior this season, as well. This is perhaps another potential solution to the loss of McGovern, or it could just be a backup plan after seeing all the offensive line injuries from last season.
- Mostly known for his career in San Francisco but last known on the field as a Cowboy, Aldon Smith recently received an update to his off-field situation. Last we heard, the troubled defender had been arrested on a felony charge of DUI causing injury, adding to the litany of issues that had resulted in a four-year suspension from the NFL. Now, according to TMZ, Smith’s arrest has led to a 12-month sentence in jail, likely ending any far-reaching hopes of a return to the NFL.
Jets Rumors: OL, Rodgers, Hennessy, Brownlee, Duvernay-Tardif
The Jets landed a gamechanger at quarterback this spring, and now it’s up to them to figure out how to protect him. Head coach Robert Saleh made sure to communicate that the plan is to play the five best linemen, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post, clarifying that the center and tackle spots, specifically, will be open for competition.
The guard spots are presumably safe. Despite a down year for Laken Tomlinson, the Jets signed him to a three-year deal last year to start at guard. After an admirable rookie year as a starter, Alijah Vera-Tucker put together a strong start to his sophomore season last year, even being forced into playing tackle due to injuries before a torn triceps injury of his own sidelined him for the rest of the year. Confirming earlier reports, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post recently reported that Vera-Tucker is still on track to return from his injury by training camp.
At tackle, Mekhi Becton is also slated to return in time for training camp after missing all but one game of last season due to an avulsion fracture of his right knee. Duane Brown mostly held down the left tackle position while right tackle was mostly handled by Vera-Tucker, Max Mitchell, and George Fant. Fant departed as a free agent, but the team brought in veteran tackle Billy Turner from Denver who can compete for the position, as well.
At center, Connor McGovern has handled starting duties in New York for the last three years, grading out as a top 10 center in the league in each of the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Jets only re-signed McGovern to a one-year contract, though, so it may not be so surprising that his job is open for competition. That point was further dictated by New York drafting one of the top center prospects in the draft, Wisconsin’s Joe Tippmann, in the second round as the first center off the board. Despite McGovern’s recent years of success, Tippmann may represent the future at the position for the Jets.
Here are a few more rumors surrounding Gang Green this offseason:
- Speaking of the Aaron Rodgers acquisition, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer indicated that Rodgers playing two more years was reportedly a big part of the team’s discussions with him before the trade. That supposed dedication was only reinforced when Rodgers claimed that he would participate in offseason workouts. Many veterans don’t feel the need to attend such workouts, but considering Rodgers is new to the facility, NBC Sports’ Mike Florio’s report that he plans on being present for “more than half” of the remaining offseason workouts is encouraging for Jets fans.
- New York recently re-signed long snapper Thomas Hennessy to a four-year extension. The new deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, has a value of $5.97MM. The deal has a guaranteed amount of $1.96MM consisting of an $875K signing bonus and Hennessy’s first year base salary of $1.08MM. $670K of his 2024 salary is guaranteed for injury at signing, and the rest of the $1.21MM will become fully guaranteed on the fifth league day of the 2024 season. He’s set for base salaries of $1.26MM in 2025, $1.3MM in 2026, and $1.35MM in 2027, but the contract has a potential out built in after this season that would allow the Jets to cut Hennessy after this year with only $700K of dead cap.
- The Jets recently included Southern Mississippi wide receiver Jason Brownlee in their group of undrafted free agents. New York was clearly eager to ink Brownlee, giving the rookie a $246K guarantee, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. That amount is the equivalent of the guarantee given to a low fifth-round pick.
- With all their offensive line suffering so many injuries last year, the Jets were happy to have the help of veteran Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. Now, with his contract expired, Duvernay-Tardif may have set his sights past football. The medical school graduate has been spinning several plates since the season ended, working shifts in the emergency department of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, starting a Masters of Public Health program at Harvard, and promoting a French skin care brand. Still, while Duvernay-Tardif maintains that medicine is still his future, he hasn’t committed to retiring claiming that he’s still in shape “if the phone rings in October.”
Investors In Josh Harris’s Investor Group Identified
The wait continues for the eventual sale of the Commanders from current owner Dan Snyder to the group headlined by Josh Harris. As the days pass without a final resolution, we continue to learn more and more about the situation. 
Particularly, we’ve continued to acquire information concerning the makeup of Harris’s group. Long rumored to be involved in the sale, basketball legend Magic Johnson was confirmed by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe to be a minority investor. Johnson is reportedly expected to be in for about four percent of the purchase or approximately $240MM. Co-founder of the Danaher Corporation Mitchell Rales was also confirmed to be involved, according to Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
Another limited partner was identified to be South American billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo and his family, according to Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico. The Santo Domingo family is worth approximately $12.2BB thanks to a portfolio that includes the likes of Anhueser-Busch InBev, Chilean bank Corpbanca, and Spanish bank Inmobiliaria Colonial. They are believed to be the richest family in Colombia, and Santo Domingo himself has an estimated net worth of $2.8BB, according to Maske and Jhabvala.
Additionally, ex-CEO of Google Eric Schmidt has been confirmed as another investor in the group, according to Giles Turner and Heather Perlberg of Bloomberg. Schmidt’s net worth is estimated around $21.7BB by some sources and $18.1BB by others. Schmidt left Google in 2018 and Alphabet, Google’s parent company, a year later.
While all these names have been confirmed as participating, one name was confirmed as not investing. Despite some speculation that former Washington head coach Joe Gibbs would be joining the investment group, it appears his only involvement in the sale is on an advisory basis. According to John Keim of ESPN, Gibbs “is close to Harris and has provided insight/counsel.”
5 Key Stories: 4/30/23 – 5/7/23
Even with the draft now in the rearview, teams around the NFL continue to make a number of key roster-building decisions. Here is a quick recap of the top headlines from the past week:
- Giants Extend Lawrence: The Giants have already finished negotiations with quarterback Daniel Jones on a big-money deal this offseason, and they have now done the same with standout defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The 25-year-old parlayed a career-year in 2022 into a four-year, $90MM contract with $60MM guaranteed. That makes his pact the latest lucrative one seen in the DT market this offseason, and its $22.5MM annual average value puts Lawrence in a tie for third at the position for yearly compensation. The Clemson product has cemented himself as one of the pillars of New York’s defense, and he will be on the books through 2027 as he and the team look to replicate their shared success from last season for years to come.
- Packers, Love Agree To Extension: The Packers faced an interesting decision entering the deadline for fifth-year option decisions, with Jordan Love entering the final year of his rookie contract. In lieu of picking up his option, Green Bay worked out a one-year extension with their new starter with a maximum value ($22.5MM) slightly higher than what the option would have paid out. The 24-year-old has only one regular season start to his name, but he is in place as the undisrupted starter for at least the 2023 campaign, with personal and team achievements available as incentives for his 2024 compensation. Love can approach his all-important fourth season in the league with clarity on his short-term financial future.
- Commanders Sale Nearing? An official end to the Dan Snyder era in Washington could be coming later this month, with the Josh Harris-led bid for the Commanders being reviewed by the NFL ahead of the league’s next owners’ meetings. Talks with Snyder’s legal representatives are ongoing, and the matter of indemnification both for himself and the league’s other owners with respect to the various ongoing probes into the organization will be an important hurdle to clear. At least 24 owners will need to formally ratify the Harris bid when it is put to a general vote, but few obstacles are thought to remain before that takes place. Presuming it does, Harris will be in position to secure an NFL franchise one offseason after he was a runner-up to purchase the Broncos.
- Vikings, Cousins Open To Continuing Relationship: Much was made about the Vikings’ quarterback situation entering the draft, with veteran starter Kirk Cousins set to hit free agency after the 2023 season, during which he will play on a restructured deal. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s public remarks on the matter keep the door open to another Minnesota deal, however, which would likely result in a continuation of his penchant for short-term deals. The 34-year-old has been with the Vikings since 2018 and earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod in 2022 while leading the team to a strong regular season (along with, on the other hand, another first-round exit). Cousins, for his part, has indicated his openness to continue his stay with the Vikings in 2024 and beyond, so his performance this campaign – and how the team responds to it – will be a key storyline to follow.
- Record Low Fifth-Year Options Picked Up: Love’s situation aside, the 2023 offseason turned out to be an interesting one with respect to team’s decisions on 2020 first-round picks. A record low 12 players had their options exercised, which will lead to a number of high-profile free agent situations next offseason. Some of those whose options were declined could still end up re-signing with their current teams, of course, but notable players on both sides of the ball now face uncertain futures. Decisions on short- and long-term deals with the players across the 2020 first round order will no doubt inform teams’ other moves with more recent draftees, but several could be looking for replacements at key positions earlier than they envisioned.
Former Titans LT Taylor Lewan Files Civil Suit Over 2020 Knee Surgery
Taylor Lewan was, as expected, released by the Titans earlier this offseason. That left his playing future very much in doubt, in no small part due to the time the veteran left tackle has missed recently due to ACL injuries. The cause of that, as far as he is concerned, is now the subject of litigation. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Reached Out To Lewan]
Lewan recently made clear his intention of filing a civil lawsuit connected to his 2020 ACL surgery during an appearance on the Bussin’ With the Boys Podcast (video link). Specifically, he is making allegations against “the people and entities that are involved with my surgery from October of 2020,” something which proved to be a turning point in his career.
The 31-year-old was limited to five games that year due to the ACL tear. He was able to return and suit up for 13 contests the following campaign, but later said a lingering knee issue never healed in full. He suffered another torn ACL in Week 2 of the 2022 season, making the team’s decision to part ways an easier one from a financial perspective.
Lewan has named renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews as one of several defendants in the suit, as noted by Buck Reising of A to Z Sports. Proof of a drop-off in his level of play when healthy, and, more significantly, availability owing to any mistakes made during surgery, would carry signficant legal ramifications though it likely wouldn’t go a long way in helping his chances of continuing his career. The three-time Pro Bowler previously indicated a willingness to return to Tennessee at a reduced rate.
“We cannot comment on individual patients or pending litigations,” a statement from the Andrews Institute of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine reads in response to the suit. Developments on this front will be separate from Lewan’s ability to continue his playing career, but they will be worth watching as more becomes known about his procedure and recovery process.
Cowboys Eyeing K Addition, Open To Re-Signing Brett Maher
The Cowboys currently have just one kicker on their roster (Tristan Vizcaino), but that total will increase in the near future. Dallas chose not to make an addition at the position during the draft, meaning one or more veteran signings should be expected. 
Kicker was not an area of concern during the regular season in 2022, with Brett Maher winning a preseason competition and enjoying a consistent campaign. The former CFLer went 29-for-32 on field goals, good for a career-best 90.6% conversion rate. He also missed only three of a league-high 53 extra point attempts, though things changed dramatically in the postseason.
Maher missed four straight PATs during the Cowboys’ wild-card win over the Buccaneers, leading to the addition of Vizcaino. His playoff struggles would seem to suggest Maher’s second Cowboys stint would be coming to a close with either the latter or a rookie taking on the full-time kicking position, but that may not be the case. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently confirmed that all options remain open at this point with Maher and others.
“Obviously, we want to come up with the best solution that we can there, but we didn’t get the kicker opportunity that we thought we might get in the draft,” Jones added, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. “And we had other priorities when we had a chance to get it. We took somebody else obviously.”
Three kickers heard their names called last weekend, but a number of options remain available amongst undrafted prospects. The Cowboys have yet to announce their UDFA class, but it would thus come as no surprise if one or more kickers were included in it this year. As far as veterans are concerned, the likes of Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Randy Bullock are available to sign at any time. How Maher plays into the Cowboys’ next kicking competition (if at all) will be worth monitoring as the rest of the offseason takes shape.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/7/23
Here are today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL D’Anthony Jones (Houston), OL Josh Lugg (Notre Dame), DB Bralen Trahan (Louisiana)
The Bears’ signees are all members of this year’s undrafted free agent class and will add to the 14-man UDFA group that Chicago announced several days ago. Jones, Lugg, and Trahan tried out for the club during this weekend’s rookie minicamp and impressed enough to earn a contract. TE Stephen Carlson, who played in 25 games for the Browns over the 2019-20 seasons, was also added to the roster following his minicamp audition.