2023 - Pro Football Rumors

Year: 2023

Seahawks Sign Frank Clark

October 26th, 2023 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 26: Clark has passed his physical, Anderson reports. As a result, his Seahawks reunion is now official. Clark may be in Seattle’s lineup as early as Sunday, Anderson adds. With Nwosu out for the remainder of the campaign, a notable workload should await Clark in his return to the Emerald City.

Field Yates of ESPN provides a further report with contract details for the deal. Clark’s deal is a one-year, $1.17MM deal that will be prorated over the remaining 11 weeks of the season. This will be in addition to the $3.75MM Clark has already been paid by the Broncos this year.

OCTOBER 25: A Frank Clark reunion will end up taking place, just not the one previously rumored. The Seahawks will reunite with the veteran pass rusher, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.

The Seahawks drafted Clark back in the 2015 second round and franchise-tagged him four years later, but the team executed a tag-and-trade transaction to send the former Michael Bennett–Cliff Avril sidekick to the Chiefs. While the Chiefs were viewed as perhaps the lead candidate to sign Clark, the recent Broncos cut will make his way back to the Pacific Northwest. This marks the third defensive reunion to commence in Seattle this year; Clark follows Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed back to town.

This is a one-year deal, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, with NFL.com adding Clark will be added to the 53-man roster. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson first reported Clark, 30, intended to sign if his visit went well. This process has accelerated quickly, and it almost definitely stems from Uchenna Nwosu‘s upcoming surgery. The recently extended outside linebacker suffered a pectoral injury that will require season-ending surgery.

While the two Super Bowls Clark won in Kansas City will tie him to that organization closely when his career wraps, the 2015 draftee’s best production came in Seattle. Clark went 0-for-4 in double-digit sack seasons as a Chief; his most recent 10-plus-sack slate came with the Seahawks in 2018. Clark registered a career-high 13 sacks in 2018, leading to the tag, and also posted 10 in 2016 despite mostly working as a backup. The Seahawks will likely move Nwosu to IR soon, but this Clark move will still ensure a four-second-rounder arrangement exists at outside linebacker. Clark will join Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor and Derick Hall upon coming back to Washington.

Drafting Clark months after a domestic violence arrest led him off the Michigan roster, the Seahawks were leery of giving the former No. 63 overall pick a big-ticket extension back in 2019. They signed off on a trade that brought back first- and second-round picks, along with a third-round pick swap. The Seahawks chose hopeful D-end replacement L.J. Collier in the 2019 first round; that proved to be one of the John Schneider era’s worst picks. Seattle did better with the 2020 second-rounder, trading down with Green Bay to draft guard Damien Lewis. With the 2019 Round 3 pick swap, the team traded up for linebacker Cody Barton.

In the years since Clark’s Seattle stay, he became the NFL’s No. 3 all-time playoff sacks leader. His 13.5 postseason QB drops rank behind only Willie McGinest (16) and Bruce Smith (14.5). Clark’s regular seasons in Kansas City left much to be desired, as he did not quite live up to the five-year, $104MM extension he signed upon being traded to the Chiefs. Clark topped out at eight sacks in a Chiefs season; that came back in 2019. Clark accepted a pay cut to stay in 2022, and while he added 2.5 playoff sacks this past season, the Chiefs still made him a cap casualty in March.

Clark’s Broncos fit did not pan out. Denver gave the street free agent a one-year, $5MM deal but used him as a backup to start the season. Coming off the bench behind Randy Gregory and Jonathon Cooper, Clark soon suffered a groin injury in practice that sidelined him for three games. Upon returning in Week 5, he saw only 11 defensive snaps. Playing time became an issue for Clark, and after shopping the rotational edge rusher in trades, the Broncos agreed to cut him. Despite a rumor about a Chiefs return, Clark will attempt to help his initial NFL team back to the playoffs.

Nwosu agreed to a three-year, $45MM extension in July but is out of the picture for the 2023 Seahawks. Mafe has taken a step forward in his second season, having totaled a team-high four sacks. Taylor tallied 9.5 sacks last season but has worked as a backup behind Nwosu and Mafe this year. The Seahawks chose Hall 36th overall in April.

Trade Rumors: Packers, Smith, Byard, Raiders, Broncos, Jeudy, Sutton, Rams

October 26th, 2023 at 5:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Attached to his second Packers contract, Preston Smith is signed through 2026. During a 2022 offseason in which the Packers released Za’Darius Smith, they reupped Preston Smith on a four-year, $52.5MM pact. With the team going through considerable change since that point, the soon-to-be 31-year-old outside linebacker is a name being tossed around in scouting circles ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes. It would cost the Packers just more than $4MM in dead money to trade Smith before the deadline, and the team has a clear extension candidate on the edge in Rashan Gary. Green Bay also used the No. 13 overall pick on pass rusher Lukas Van Ness in April.

In his fifth year with the Packers, Smith has two sacks and five QB hits. Smith posted 17.5 sacks between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, however. His contract would not be difficult for a team to absorb, with a March restructure knocking the 2023 salary to $1.17MM. No guaranteed money remains on the deal post-2023.

With five days remaining until trades are shut down for the year, here is the latest on potential moves:

Kevin Byard refused a Titans pay-cut request this offseason, later agreeing to a resolution that helped the Titans afford DeAndre Hopkins. Even as the Titans fell to 2-4, the eighth-year safety did not request a trade, Terry McCormick of mainstreetmediatn.com notes. Byard, 30, still wanted to finish his career with the Titans, per McCormick, who adds the Titans became receptive when the Eagles inquired on the All-Pro’s availability. The Eagles sent fifth- and sixth-round picks, along with safety Terrell Edmunds, to the Titans for Byard. While Byard is a Philly native, he has played his entire college and pro careers in Tennessee. Jon Robinson‘s first draft as Titans GM produced Byard in Round 3 out of Middle Tennessee State; Byard is signed through 2024.
On the wrong end of one of this season’s worst losses — a 30-12 rout at the hands of the Justin Fields-less Bears — the Raiders are 3-4. But the team is not shifting into sell mode just yet, with Tashan Reed of The Athletic indicating the team is still looking at buyer’s moves (subscription required). A pass rusher remains a clear target for the team, per Reed, though a move to separate from Hunter Renfrow continues to be circulated. The Raiders used the No. 7 overall pick on Tyree Wilson, but their plan of grooming the Texas Tech alum behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones combusted after Jones’ messy saga led to an arrest (and later a second arrest) before a release from the NFI list. Wilson has one sack so far, and Crosby remains the only Raider with more than 1.5 this season.
While could certainly be classified as posturing, the Broncos are not committed to moving one of their receivers before the deadline. Trade targets before last year’s deadline as well, Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton came up frequently as trade chips this offseason. Should Denver not receive a substantial offer, The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider notes the team is fine moving forward with each and continuing to build on an offensive improvement after last season’s disaster. Jeudy, who is tied to a $12.99MM fifth-year option salary in 2024, has been viewed as more likely to be moved. But his value has dropped compared to where it was this offseason, which could put the Broncos to a big-picture decision. Sutton, whose $15MM-per-year contract runs through 2025, has been more effective in Sean Payton‘s offense. Although the Broncos will drop to 2-6 if they lose yet again to the Chiefs this week, it is far from a lock the team trades one of its wideouts.
Rumblings about the Rams going back to the buyer’s well surfaced recently, but The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicates the team is not expected to be a notable player before the deadline. Sean McVay said recently the team would likely stand down this year, which will be a letdown for headline-driving purposes, considering what the Rams have done at past McVay-era trade deadlines.

AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Onwenu

October 26th, 2023 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year, the Dolphins made a splashy trade on deadline day. They sent the Broncos first- and fourth-round picks, along with Chase Edmonds for salary-matching purposes, for Bradley Chubb and subsequently signed the edge rusher to an extension. Although the Dolphins have shown more firepower this year and reside atop the AFC East at 5-2, they may not be too interested in a major exchange before Tuesday’s deadline. Mike McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) he is “very, very comfortable” with the team’s roster and that GM Chris Grier has not come to him with any trade offers.

The Dolphins, who have endured two double-digit losses, rank first offensively but have seen injuries stack up on their offensive line. Terron Armstead and Connor Williams have missed multiple games, and left guard Isaiah Wynn suffered what looks like a season-ending injury. Vic Fangio‘s defense also ranks 27th in points allowed, though Jalen Ramsey‘s return will be a significant in-season acquisition of sorts for that unit. While Miami also was connected to just about every potentially available running back this offseason, its De’Von Achane pick has been a hit, despite the third-rounder residing on short-term IR.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

The Jets re-signed Quincy Williams to a three-year, $18MM deal days before free agency, and the former Jaguars third-rounder has received rave reviews from the coaching staff this season. Pro Football Focus also ranks Williams as a top-10 off-ball linebacker. Williams, however, said he disagreed with the comps the team made when assessing his value this offseason. “I’m going to be honest with you; the contract situation threw me off, for real, for real,” Williams said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “Listening to the players they thought were better than me, that kind of put a chip on my shoulder.” While that makes it rather interesting Williams did not test the market to gauge how other teams viewed him, his $6MM-per-year contract ended up similar to most of the veteran ILBs who hit free agency this year.
Robert Saleh said Duane Brown will not be designated for return this week. While Brown is eligible to practice this week, the New York Post’s Brian Costello notes he will not do so until at least Week 9. The 38-year-old tackle has been on IR with a hip injury since Sept. 23. The Jets moved Mekhi Becton to left tackle, but with RT replacement Alijah Vera-Tucker out for the season, it will be interesting to see if Becton is kicked back to the right side to create a spot for Brown.
Regarding the Jets’ Mecole Hardman trade, Saleh said (via Cimini) rookie UDFA Xavier Gipson made the free agent signing expendable. Gipson, who has operated as the Jets’ kick and punt returner this season, has only played 39 offensive snaps. Hardman only logged 28 during a disappointing Jets tenure, but it should be expected Gipson will see a bit more time at receiver going forward. Hardman played in the Chiefs’ Week 7 game, notching an impactful punt return and playing 11 offensive snaps back with his original NFL team.
Riley Reiff is now on IR for a second time this season, and trade acquisition Vederian Lowe struggled to replace him at right tackle. The Patriots moved guard Michael Onwenu back to right tackle in Week 7, with Bill Belichick approaching the contract-year player about the switch last week, per MassLive.com’s Chris Mason. Onwenu has spent time at right tackle during his Pats career but had settled in at guard. With the former sixth-round pick in a contract year, a right tackle switch could certainly affect his 2024 market.
Malik Cunningham once again passed through waivers and onto the Patriots’ practice squad, but the team was not as lucky with DB Ameer Speed. New England waived Speed last week, but ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes the team wanted him back on the P-squad. The Colts nixed that plan with a claim. A sixth-round pick this year, Speed played in five Pats games before his Foxborough exit.

Titans To Move Nicholas Petit-Frere To Left Tackle, Demote Andre Dillard

October 26th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans completed an offensive line revamp this offseason, jettisoning fixtures Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones to create cap space and then letting four-year right guard Nate Davis leave in free agency. Nicholas Petit-Frere‘s gambling suspension meant Tennessee started four new blockers in Week 1.

Although Peter Skoronski represented the biggest offseason investment up front, the Titans gave Andre Dillard a three-year, $29MM deal to replace Lewan. Drafted to take over for Jason Peters in Philadelphia, Dillard was never able to do so and ended up a swing tackle. While Dillard still drew interest at past trade deadlines and created a decent market for himself in free agency, the Titans are preparing to demote him in Week 8.

Tennessee is set to move Petit-Frere from right to left tackle, Mike Vrabel said (via ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport). While Dillard has experience as a right tackle, playing the position at points in Philly, Vrabel confirmed he will slide to a swing role. The Titans signed Chris Hubbard this summer, and despite the former Steelers and Browns starter settling in as a backup during his final years in Cleveland, he has manned the right tackle job throughout the season.

The NFL reinstated Petit-Frere earlier than expected, updating its gambling policy in-season. The Titans did not activate the second-year blocker when first eligible, waiting a week, and still started Hubbard at RT in Week 6. Petit-Frere played 32 snaps off the bench. This will be a big step for Petit-Frere, who finished his Ohio State career as the team’s right tackle starter. He beat out Dillon Radunz for the Titans’ RT gig before the 2022 season and started 16 games at the position for the injury-battered team last season, but with Will Levis (feat. Malik Willis) likely to start Sunday, it will be Petit-Frere guard his blind side.

Dillard’s demotion represents an obvious step back for the former first-round pick. Pro Football Focus ranks Dillard outside the top 60 among tackles and has charged him with a whopping seven sacks allowed through six games. Despite Hubbard’s 2020s inactivity coming into this season, PFF ranks him 24th overall among tackles this season. The Titans guaranteed Dillard $10MM. While this demotion would put the four-year Eagle on the 2024 cut radar, the Titans would eat at least $4MM in dead money next year even in a post-June 1 release scenario.

Another intriguing option for Tennessee would be to relocate Skoronski to left tackle, where he starred at Northwestern. Skoronski did some tackle work during the Titans’ offseason program, but Vrabel squashed the notion he would move off guard. The college tackle whom most scouts projected as an NFL guard has been the Titans’ left guard this season.

Steelers Designate Cam Heyward For Return

October 26th, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ defense is set to receive a major boost in the near future. Defensive lineman Cam Heyward returned to practice on Thursday.

As a result, his 21-day activation window has now been opened. The Steelers must activate him from injured reserve within that timeframe to avoid having him revert to season-ending IR. While today’s news means Heyward could be back in the lineup as early as Week 8, the team’s Thursday night game following that (Nov. 2) is likely the earliest point at which he will suit up, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Heyward suffered a groin injury in the regular season opener, and it was immediately understood he would be shut down for an extended stretch as a result. Surgery was needed, and an eight-week recovery timetable was in place at the time of the procedure. Bringing the three-time All-Pro back into the fold in time for the next game or so would fall in line with timeframe. Whenever it takes place, his return will be welcomed by the Steelers’ defense.

Pittsburgh’s underwhelming offense has understandably drawn signficant criticism this season, but the team’s defense has signficant room for improvement as well. The latter unit sits 30th in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and it is surrendering more than 142 yards per contest on the ground. Heyward should especially help in that category, though his double-digit sacks in each of the past two seasons prove he will make a major impact in the pass-rush department as well.

Heyward, 34, has been a mainstay of the Steelers’ defense throughout his 13-year career with the team. He has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of the past six seasons, proving he remains one of the team’s most important contributors on either side of the ball. With one more year on his current deal after this one (with a non-guaranteed salary and a cap hit of $22.4MM), there will also be financial implications to Heyward returning to full health and continuing his elite form.

The Steelers have seven IR activations remaining, and bringing the Ohio State alum back will use up one of them. The same is true of running back Anthony McFarland, whose practice window was opened last week, as well as tight end Pat Freiermuth, who was placed on IR ahead of Week 7.

Bears Unlikely To Be Active At Deadline?

October 26th, 2023 at 11:05am CST by Adam La Rose

Firmly in the middle of a rebuild, it would come as no surprise if the Bears elected to move on from one or more notable players in the coming days. Despite having a few options in that regard, though, it appears unlikely that will be the case.

Citing the views of an AFC scout, Adam Jahns of The Athletic details that a major move in the coming days should not be expected (subscription required). Last year, Chicago agreed to send All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens for a package including a second-round pick. A sizeable move of similar impact would likely only happen if the likes of cornerback Jaylon Johnson, safety Eddie Jackson or wideout Darnell Mooney were to be dealt.

That trio represents the Bears players most likely to garner attention, per Jahns. They would, of course, come at varying prices in a swap given their different age and contract statuses. Johnson’s future in the Windy City has been called into question on a number of occasions, but the 24-year-old said earlier this week that talks on an extension could heat up soon. General manager Ryan Poles has expressed a desire to keep Johnson in place beyond 2023, so a trade coming to fruition in the coming days would come as a surprise.

Jackson has a longer track record of success, but his age, along with injury- and finance-related factors would complicate a trade. The two-time Pro Bowler has been limited to just three games this season, and he last played a full campaign in 2020. Jackson is also due a non-guaranteed salary of $14.5MM in 2024, his age-30 season. He is scheduled to carry a cap hit of $18.1MM, so any acquiring team would either need to work out an extension to make his contract easier to work with in future years or make him a cap casualty after the season.

Mooney, like Johnson, is due for a second contract this offseason. The 2020 fifth-rounder appeared to cement his status as a long-term piece with a 1,000-yard campaign in his second season, but things have taken a turn since then. Mooney put up career lows in receptions, yards and touchdowns last season as the Bears struggled to find production in the passing game. That led to the acquisition of D.J. Moore, something which has in part resulted in a drop in Mooney’s playing time. The latter’s snap share sits at 70%, and he has made just 14 catches through seven games.

With over $9MM in cap space and seven 2024 draft picks at the moment, the Bears have plenty of flexibility with respect to the upcoming trade deadline. Their ability to receive more signficant draft capital in trades for Johnson and/or Mooney than the compensatory picks they would be due in the event they departed in free agency will likely factor heavily into their handling of those players. Overall, as Jahns notes, a busy few days from Poles and Co. would come as a surprise.

Bills TE Dawson Knox To Undergo Surgery, Expected To Be Placed On IR

October 26th, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 26: While a firm timeline is still not in place for Knox’s recovery, he could be in line to sit out an extended stretch. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Knox is expected to be placed on IR, a move which would require him to miss at least four weeks. That would open the door for Kincaid to see a sustained uptick in usage, but it would leave the Bills shorthanded on offense through an important midseason stretch. Buffalo has seven IR activations remaining this season.

OCTOBER 23: Injuries continue to remove key Bills pieces from the equation. After sustaining significant setbacks on defense this month, Buffalo’s latest major setback comes on offense.

Dawson Knox will undergo wrist surgery, according to Sean McDermott. While the seventh-year HC did not confirm a timetable, Knox will likely be in line to miss a stretch of games. This injury dates back to the Bills’ London matchup with the Jaguars, and although the veteran played in each of the past two games, the team will shut him down for the time being.

Knox has not missed a practice since the Bills returned from London, logging three limited sessions before Week 6 and practicing in full last week. He caught a two-point conversion toss from Josh Allen in the fourth quarter but also dropped a pass earlier in the stanza. For the season, Knox is at 15 receptions for just 102 yards and a touchdown. The 6.8-yard average is by far a career-low mark for the fifth-year pass catcher, whose per-game number (39.3) also checks in below his averages from 2019-22.

The Bills gave Knox a four-year, $52MM extension just before last season that at the time made the former third-round pick the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid tight end. With Darren Waller, Evan Engram and T.J. Hockenson signing new deals since, Knox now sits ninth in AAV at the position. While he remains a key Bills component, the team made the interesting move to invest its top offseason resource in the position by taking Dalton Kincaid in Round 1.

This injury will thrust Kincaid into a larger role, it would appear. This year’s first tight end drafted, Kincaid entered Week 7 with only one 30-plus-yard receiving performance. He established a new career-best mark in New England, totaling 75 yards on five catches. The Bills traded up for Kincaid in April, and they will need to lean on the Utah alum during Knox’s absence. While the two had shared the field, Knox had seen more playing time (316 offensive snaps) than Kincaid (242) early this season.

Unlike Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones, Knox may be a likely candidate to come off IR. It would appear the Bills will move Knox off their 53-man roster while he recovers, but even that is not certain yet.

Latest On Patriots’ Deadline Plans

October 26th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Despite their upset win over the Bills in Week 7, the 2-5 Patriots are likely to find themselves in the sellers category ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. To no surprise, the team is open to at least considering offers on a number of players.

Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports that the Patriots are “willing to listen to offers” which could see them deal away members of their core, specifically those on expiring contracts. That means the likes of edge rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Michael Onwenu in particular could be the subject of trade negotiations in the coming days.

A recent report indicated Uche and the Patriots have not held extension talks, leaving him on a path toward departing in free agency in March. New England does not have a history of valuing situational edge rushers such as the Michigan alum as highly as other teams. As such, it would not come as a surprise if a market developed for his services to close out the 2023 season, but also for years to come on a long-term deal given out by an acquiring team. Uche had a breakout season last year with 11.5 sacks, but he has managed just a pair so far this season.

As fellow 2020 draftees, Dugger and Onwenu are playing out the final year of their rookie contracts. The franchise tag could be in play for the former in particular, Kyed notes, and it may become necessary if an extension cannot be worked out. Dugger expressed an affinity for the Patriots in the summer when asked about his contract status, but no updates have emerged regarding an extension being on the horizon. The same is true for Onwenu, who has proven to be a versatile and consistent blocker over the course of his career (although his performance has taken a step back in 2023).

Kyed adds that the trio of Uche, Dugger and Onwenu would each likely garner draft compensation ranging from second- to fourth-round picks if they were to be included in deadline deals. Veteran wideout Kendrick Bourne – previously named as a low-cost trade target at his position – could also draw attention and yield a Day 3 pick in return. As Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required), New England is seen around the league as a team with desirable trade chips, so they will be a team to watch in the coming days.

The Patriots are currently slated to have the third-most 2024 cap space in the league at nearly $93MM. That flexibility could go a long way in informing their moves (or lack thereof) ahead of the October 31 deadline as they weigh the value of future assets against that of retaining key players in what appears to be another season destined to land outside the postseason.

DL Denico Autry Drawing Trade Interest; Titans Open To Moving Derrick Henry?

October 25th, 2023 at 10:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Denico Autry is in his age-33 season and operates as a sidekick of sorts on a Titans front seven anchored by Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry, trade interest has emerged. With Autry in a contract year, teams are monitoring him as a deadline buy.

The 10th-year defensive lineman has become a hot name of sorts ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes. Should the Titans be prepared to unload the experienced pass rusher, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds this would be an interesting market.

During a period in which the Titans missed on a few pass rushers — Bud Dupree, Jadeveon Clowney, Vic Beasley, Cameron Wake — since-ousted GM Jon Robinson did well to land Autry, who has been a central component on Tennessee’s defense despite moving toward his mid-30s. Autry signed a three-year, $21.5MM deal ahead of his age-31 season, with the contract coming during the same week in which the Titans overpaid Dupree. But Autry helped compensate for that miss, totaling 17 sacks and 37 quarterback hits between the 2021 and ’22 seasons. Thus far this year, the versatile D-lineman has four sacks and nine QB hits.

Autry is tied to a $6.75MM base salary, giving other teams a price tag barely north of $3MM to pick up in the event of a post-Week 8 trade. A former Raiders UDFA who has been a late-bloomer, Autry has done his best work in the AFC South. A midcareer Colts stay drove up his market in 2021, and he has not slowed down with the Titans. Earning another midlevel contract in 2024 will likely be on the table for Autry, but the issue now will be if the Titans like an offer enough to move on early.

Tennessee traded Kevin Byard to Philadelphia on Monday, a move that will likely prompt teams to investigate if the 2-4 club will be willing to deal away more parts. Ryan Tannehill‘s expected Week 8 absence will lead to the strange setup of Will Levis and Malik Willis each playing — perhaps alternating series, per Mike Vrabel — against the Falcons. That may be by design to showcase Willis, with Fowler adding the second-year QB is more likely to be dealt than Tannehill. The latter’s injury makes it fairly certain he will stay in Tennessee for the season’s remainder, but with the 35-year-old passer on an expiring contract, the Titans will have big questions to answer at the position soon. Considering Willis’ early-career form, the Titans will not recoup anything close to the No. 86 overall pick they invested last year.

Derrick Henry joins Tannehill and Autry on an expiring deal. The Titans reupped Tannehill and Henry during the 2020 offseason, tagging and then extending Henry in July of that year. The dominant running back came up loosely in trade rumors before the draft, but a report last week indicated the team was more likely to stick with the potential Hall of Famer. But Fowler views Henry as a player the Titans would likely consider trading, adding that some league personnel believed the team was open to doing so this offseason.

The two-time rushing champion received a raise for the 2022 season, but he remains attached to the four-year, $50MM extension he signed three summers ago. Henry, 29, is playing on a $10.5MM salary. With more than $5.5MM due between Weeks 9 and 18, the Titans would stand to run into an issue in an effort to unload one of their all-time greats. Execs around the league believe this will be an impediment to the point Tennessee would likely need to pick up some salary to move on, Fowler adds, and it is far from certain the team would be willing to do that in order to cut ties with a three-time Pro Bowler.

The Titans have third-round pick Tyjae Spears in place once Henry departs, and while teams do not make a habit of re-signing workhorse backs ahead of age-30 seasons, it is not a lock the parties do not discuss a third contract before free agency. For now, however, Henry is playing out a contract year and looms as a fringe trade candidate for a team in transition.

DE Chase Winovich Announces Retirement

October 25th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Former Patriots third-round pick Chase Winovich announced his retirement on Instagram, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. After a little over four years in the NFL, Winovich has decided to hang up his cleats.

Winovich shined brightest in Ann Arbor, where he played four years for the Wolverines of Michigan. After starting out his college career unsure of whether he belonged on offense or defense, he found his place at defensive end, collecting 43 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over three seasons of extensive play. His disruptive abilities landed him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft with a ticket to New England.

While not finding the same domination in the NFL, Winovich still gave strong contributions as a Patriot. While coming off the bench in his first year and earning nine starts in his second, Winovich totaled 11.0 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 22 quarterback hits in those two seasons. In 2021, though, Winovich found himself in the doghouse and, after a mostly ineffective season, was traded to Cleveland in exchange for Mack Wilson last year.

Winovich spent most of the season on injured reserve before getting to appear in six of the team’s last eight games, including two starts. After his rookie contract expired, he signed with the Texans, who released him before the roster cut deadline this preseason. He found himself on Miami’s practice squad and would appear in three games, playing mostly on special teams.

The reasoning behind Winovich’s decision is not immediately clear aside from his post mentioning that “the time has come for (him) to serve the universe in other ways.” He also seemed to leave the door open for a potential return, quoting his grandmother in saying, “It’s only bye for now.”

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