HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

Jets Not Expected To Re-Sign T Mekhi Becton; Latest On New York O-Line

February 29th, 2024 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 29: Following up on his previous report, Pauline names the Titans and Falcons as teams to watch on the Becton front. Tennessee struggled up front last season, and at least one tackle addition will no doubt be a top priority for the team. Atlanta does not have a pressing vacancy along the O-line, but Pauline notes the team’s offensive line coach (Dwayne Ledford) worked with Becton in college. A prove-it deal sending him to either team in free agency could be in the cards as a result.

FEBRUARY 28: A January report indicated Mekhi Becton was likely to sign his second contract elsewhere. It now seems all but certain the former first-round pick will not be back with the Jets.

Buzz circulating around Becton for weeks has pointed to the injury-prone tackle signing a one-year deal with another team, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline notes. The New York Post’s Brian Costello takes it a step further, indicating Becton and Duane Brown will not be back with the Jets. Brown, 38, played out a two-year, $20MM deal in New York but ran into injury trouble in both seasons.

[RELATED: Jets To Release G Laken Tomlinson]

Becton returned after missing 33 games from 2021-22, beginning the season at right tackle but seeing time on the left side due to other Jets injuries as well. While displaying tremendous confidence in his bounce-back ability last offseason, Becton did not distinguish himself — beyond a slimmed-down physique — in his contract year. Pro Football Focus slotted the 2020 first-rounder 66th among tackles, a downgrade from his last healthy season.

While it seems likely a team will give Becton a second chance — especially on a thin tackle market — the Louisville alum makes sense as a player who will need to prove it on a one-year deal before a big-money contract is considered down the line. Becton is still just 24, though his injury- and weight-related struggles will impact his market.

Elsewhere on Gang Green’s O-line, Costello adds the Jets have not decided on the positions of Alijah Vera-Tucker. The three-year veteran is in line to return as a starter, but Costello offers that the team may not have his position nailed down until after free agency. Drafted to play guard, Vera-Tucker has slid to right tackle in each of the past two seasons due to injuries elsewhere. While the Jets have been intrigued by the prospect of the 2021 first-rounder sticking at RT, Costello adds the team may view the position hopping as part of the reason for his back-to-back season-ending injuries.

With this free agency class far deeper at guard compared to tackle, the Jets targeting an inside starter and keeping Vera-Tucker outside could be the way they go about this. The team had previously viewed Vera-Tucker as a potential Pro Bowl-caliber guard, so it will be interesting to see how it arranges its pieces up front. Clarity from the draft also may be necessary, as the Jets are being linked closely to drafting a tackle in Round 1. By most accounts, they were prepared to do so last year (Broderick Jones) before the Steelers swooped in.

Additional uncertainty may exist regarding Joe Tippmann‘s position, but Costello adds the college center is likely to work in that role despite seeing regular guard duty in 2023. Drafted as the center of the future in last year’s second round, Tippmann deferred to the re-signed Connor McGovern. The latter is due for free agency, clearing a path here.

Rather into former Packers, the Jets will probably consider David Bakhtiari if/once Green Bay releases him. The former All-Pro tackle missed almost all of the 2021 and ’23 seasons due to knee trouble that came out of the New Year’s Eve 2020 ACL tear. A Bakhtiari-Jets partnership — a matter that has been considered since Aaron Rodgers‘ arrival — may only come about, per Costello, if the injury-prone talent accepts he would be in a competition for a job rather than handed the Jets’ LT post.

The 11-year veteran was in place as the Pack’s LT starter for two of Rodgers’ four MVP seasons, picking up five All-Pro honors himself. Though, the 32-year-old blocker’s five knee surgeries over the past three years have changed his career path. Regardless of Bakhtiari’s status, the Jets appear prepared to reshape their O-line in a high-stakes offseason for the franchise.

Ravens To Prioritize Offensive Line Additions

February 29th, 2024 at 3:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens’ defense was a major factor in the team’s run to the AFC title game in 2023. The unit has already seen a number of departures on the sidelines, and several key players are set to reach free agency. Baltimore is prepared to pay considerable attention to the other side of the ball, however.

Both starting guards from this past season – Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson – are on track to reach free agency. Right tackle Morgan Moses is a potential cut candidate, and the same could also be true of left tackle Ronnie Stanley. As The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec details, therefore, additions along the offensive line will be a top priority for the Ravens (subscription required).

Zeitler was in talks with the team earlier this month on a new contract, and an agreement could still be reached at any time. However, the 33-year-old’s contract was among those which voided recently, creating a 2024 dead cap charge of $4.27MM regardless of if a new pact is worked out or he departs in free agency. Zeitler earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in 2023, and he has proven to be a dependable RG contributor over his three years in Baltimore.

Moses is under contract for 2024 at a cap hit of just under $7MM. Releasing him would create $5.5MM in cap space, though, financial resources which could be applied to retaining the team’s group of pending free agents.

Moving on from Stanley, a former first-team All-Pro, would be a more notable move but one which would likewise produce cap savings. A post-June 1 release would provide $15MM in savings against $11.17MM in dead cap charges. Stanley, who is entering his age-30 campaign and has not played more than 13 games in a season since 2019, is set to carry cap hits of more than $26MM in 2024 and ’25. The former first-rounder does not have any guaranteed salary remaining on his pact, but he is due a $4MM roster bonus on March 18. More clarity on his future could arrive by that deadline, but in any event there will likely be new faces up front for Baltimore.

As Zrebiec notes, swing tackle Patrick Mekari and reserve guard Ben Cleveland could be in line for full-time starting gigs. 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Faalele, along with 2023 draftees Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees could also see playing time moving forward. Of that trio, only Faalele has seen regular season action to date, however. Moves in both free agency and the draft should be expected as Baltimore aims to protect Lamar Jackson and maintain its league-leading run game from last year.

“Obviously, this year, we’re going to have, probably, some change on the offensive line in different ways,” general manager Eric DeCosta said at the Combine. “It remains to be seen exactly what that looks like. We will have a plan. Fortunately, this is a deep draft class, as well, so we’ll have a lot of different options in different rounds, players that we like at the offensive line position.”

The Ravens currently have $16.6MM in cap space, a figure which will change dramatically once D-tackle Justin Madubuike signs a new deal or receives the franchise tag. Resources will also be diverted to the offensive line, though, and the plan the team implements on that front will be worth watching as the offseason takes shape.

Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu Eyeing New Deal

February 29th, 2024 at 1:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

Charles Omenihu enjoyed a successful first season in Kansas City when on the field. His availability was hindered at the start of the year due to a six-game suspension and in the Super Bowl due to an ACL tear, but his level of play in between likely helped his market value.

As a result, the fifth-year defensive end is eyeing an extension. One year remains on his current deal, though, and he is due $7.4MM in 2024 with a scheduled cap hit of $10.97MM. A key factor in any negotiations will be his recovery from his ACL tear, which occurred in the AFC title game. Omenihu recently acknowledged on social media that he might need to repeat his 2023 production to land a new pact.

The former Texan and 49er posted seven sacks in 11 regular season contests during his debut Chiefs campaign. He added a strip-sack in the AFC Championship Game before suffering the injury which sidelined for the Super Bowl, demonstrating his value as pass-rush option to complement the interior pressure generated by Chris Jones. When asked about the possibility of an extension, Omenihu confirmed he feels he earned a new agreement.

“I think I did, to be honest,” the 26-year-old said during an appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football (video link). “Like you said, seven sacks in 11 games and then the sack in the championship game to kind of spark off the wave of defensive plays. Finished second on the team in sacks and didn’t have the first six games to catch up with George [Karlaftis] and Chris [Jones]. I think I did, I think the tape speaks for itself.”

Of course, the defending champions have more pressing matters to attend to on the defensive side of the ball. Jones is once again a pending free agent, and his play after the end of his 2023 hold-out further cemented his value to the Chiefs. Meanwhile, standout corner L’Jarius Sneed is set to receive the franchise tag and he could be traded if talks on a long-term pact do not pan out. Sorting out both Jones and Sneed’s futures will be critical in advance of free agency.

On the edge, Kansas City has both Omenihu and Karlaftis under contract for next season. The latter is joined by 2023 first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah in terms of being on his rookie contract and therefore under team control for several years. Omenihu, by contrast, could set himself up nicely for free agency next spring if he manages to recover in full and deliver another strong outing. It would likely come as a surprise if the Chiefs were willing to negotiate an extension (something which, in fairness, could prove beneficial by reducing his 2024 cap hit) before he returns to the field, but Omenihu is clearly open to doing so at any time.

Bucs Unlikely To Retain LB Devin White

February 29th, 2024 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

With free agency approaching, the Buccaneers have key decisions to make with several pending free agents. Linebacker Devin White is set to see his contract expire, but a new Tampa Bay agreement should not be expected.

The former fifth overall pick sought out a massive extension last offseason, and he requested a trade when talks on that front did not yield an agreement. Little interest was shown around the league, and White ultimately played out the 2023 campaign. He found himself splitting time with K.J. Britt down the stretch, however, and he did not start either of the Bucs’ postseason contests. A departure in free agency would come as no surprise at this point.

“No, we’re still trying to make some decisions on some of those other players,” general manager Jason Licht said at the Combine. “But, you know, Devin did some really good things for us throughout his career, but we’re still sorting out some things” (h/t Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

Indeed, the cases of quarterback Baker Mayfield, receiver Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are more pressing for Licht and Co. at the moment. The latter is likely to receive the franchise tag, while talks with Mayfield are underway. Evans is the likeliest member of the trio to reach the open market, but a new Tampa deal is still very much on the team’s radar. The same is also true of linebacker Lavonte David, who plans to either continue his storied Tampa Bay career or hang up his cleats.

Especially if David were to agree to another one-year deal, the Bucs could move forward with he, Britt and 2023 fifth-rounder SirVocea Dennis at the linebacker spot. Britt racked up 15 tackles in the playoffs while holding a first-team role, something which initially took place after White was cleared to return to the lineup in December but did not immediately suit up. A lingering foot injury was at the heart of the issue, but reports indicated the former Pro Bowler declined to play upon learning he would be relegated to backup duties. Head coach Todd Bowles pushed back on that notion, and a rotation ensued the rest of the way.

White, 26, would still be one of the more intriguing linebackers on the market given his age and production. He has totaled 566 tackles, 23 sacks and six forced fumbles in five years with Tampa Bay, although his play has not reflected well with respect to PFF grades. Looking to earn back a full-time starting gig, White is on track to find himself with a new team in 2024, and the interest he commands as a free agent will be worth monitoring.

49ers Eyeing Extensions For WRs Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings

February 29th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

Brandon Aiyuk is the latest foundational homegrown 49ers player in line for a second contract with the team, and the possibility of one has long been a talking point. General manager John Lynch has offered a range of responses when asked about the subject previously, but he offered a notably firm response at the Combine.

Aiyuk has proven himself to be one of the league’s top young receivers over the past two seasons in particular. He enjoyed a career year in 2023, continuing to serve as a major factor in San Francisco’s passing attack while helping lead the team to the Super Bowl. The 25-year-old is on the books for $14.1MM in 2024 due to the 49ers’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option, but a multi-year deal is an obvious priority for the organization.

“He’s served us very well as a franchise, and I think we’ve got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us,” Lynch said of Aiyuk when speaking at the Combine (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “Brandon is someone we want to keep around for a long time.”

Those remarks contrast to a degree with Lynch’s previous stance on the subject. The veteran executive noted the 49ers “can’t just be reckless” with their cap situation and the complications a new Aiyuk deal would create. San Francisco has fellow offensive stalwarts Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel under contract for multiple years, and Nick Bosa‘s historic extension will lead to major spikes in his cap hits down the road. A new deal for quarterback Brock Purdy (as early as next offseason) will of course include a major raise compared to his rookie pact.

Entering his age-26 season, Aiyuk will be able to command a new contract near the top of the receiver market; as such, he could join the list of 14 wideouts currently averaging at least $20MM per year. While retaining the Arizona State alum will therefore be a pricey endeavor, the 49ers are also interested in retaining fellow receiver Jauan Jennings. The latter is a pending restricted free agent, but Lynch noted it is his intention to keep him in place for at least 2024.

Jennings could be in line for the second-round RFA tender, which would cost $4.89MM and yield second-round compensation if he departed via an offer sheet. San Francisco could tender him at the original-round level ($3.12MM), but in that case an unmatched offer sheet would lead to only a seventh-rounder as compensation. Lynch noted a multi-year deal could be on the table, though, which would avoid the possibility of Jennings departing and ensure his place as a complimentary member of the offense for years to come.

Like all teams, the 49ers find themselves with added flexibility in 2024 thanks to the salary cap increase. The cap ceiling is set at $255.4MM, a much higher figure than teams were originally anticipating. That could make new deals for Aiyuk and Jennings more manageable in the short term, although they will still be expensive propositions in the former’s case in particular. It will be interesting to see how much urgency the 49ers proceed with on the extension front in the near future.

Jets Give QB Zach Wilson Permission To Seek Trade

February 28th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Expected for months to be set for a Big Apple departure, Zach Wilson may soon take another step toward that reality. The Jets have given the former No. 2 overall pick permission to seek a trade, Joe Douglas said Wednesday.

Given the trade buzz around Wilson — which includes the underwhelming quarterback looking into potential fits elsewhere — this is not surprising. The Jets will first try to trade the three-year starter, who has been tied to potentially fetching a late-round pick in a swap.

Supplanted as the Jets’ starter by Aaron Rodgers, Wilson had been benched for Mike White previously. The Jets effectively admitted their mistake — not acquiring a veteran option to either challenge Wilson for the QB2 role and not landing one after Rodgers’ Achilles injury — and are ready to move on.

The Jets’ decision comes as the Bears are likely to trade Justin Fields. The No. 3 overall pick from that 2021 draft — Trey Lance — has already been moved, being dealt from the 49ers to the Cowboys, and Mac Jones is certainly on unstable ground with the Patriots. That five-first-rounder 2021 QB class features only one of those players — No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence — assured of being his team’s starter in 2024.

This separation will bring familiar territory for the Jets, who have seen their repeat investments in first- and second-round QBs fail to produce a long-term option. The team traded Sam Darnold after three seasons and did not re-sign Geno Smith or Mark Sanchez. Christian Hackenberg famously never played an NFL snap. Wilson, of course, goes on this regime’s balance sheet. Choosing the once-fast-rising BYU prospect second overall has done the most to push Douglas and Robert Saleh onto hot seats. The two decision-makers have this year to convince Woody Johnson they are worthy of keeping their jobs.

As of now, it appears unlikely the Jets will resort to cutting Wilson. Doing so would bring a cap charge over $11MM. A possible sixth- or seventh-round pick could be the return here. That obviously would fall well short of what Darnold fetched in 2021 (second-, fourth- and sixth-rounders), but Wilson has faceplanted in New York and is on the verge of becoming one of the game’s biggest modern-era busts. Through 34 games (33 starts), Wilson has completed just 57% of his passes — at 6.3 yards a clip — and is 12-21 as a starter.

Saleh benched Wilson in November 2022, amid concerns in the locker room, and then sat him during a nationally televised Thursday-night game later that year. Summoned once Rodgers went down four plays into his New York tenure, Wilson was again erratic. Saleh benched him for Tim Boyle, though the three-year HC later admitted he always thought Wilson was the most talented option following the Rodgers injury. (The Jets cut Boyle a day after his second start.) That benching led to the rumor circulating that Wilson was hesitant to move back into the starting role. He finished the season out with a concussion.

Rodgers, 40, has said he is planning to play at least two more seasons. His 2023 injury — and previous admission he was 90% retired before changing his stance and joining the Jets last year — should give the team some pause about that timeline. But the Jets are committed to Rodgers, who has significant influence in the building. Johnson went as far as to say the Jets had no backup quarterback last season. Now, it will be a matter of finding a replacement soon and seeing if they can salvage a late-round draft choice for Wilson.

Colts Planning To Keep Michael Pittman Jr., Prepared To Use Franchise Tag

February 28th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts have not used the franchise tag since the Ryan Grigson regime kept Pat McAfee off the market in 2013. It appears Chris Ballard is prepared to go to that well to ensure Michael Pittman Jr. stays.

Ballard said (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson) the team’s top wide receiver will be a Colt one way or another come September. The eighth-year Indianapolis GM did not confirm (via Erickson) he would use the franchise tag on Pittman, but this subsequent proclamation effectively ensures the team is prepared to do so.

[RELATED: 2024 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates]

In talks with Pittman’s agent, the Colts have until 3pm CT on March 5 to apply their franchise tag. If they do not tag the former second-round pick, the team’s exclusive negotiating rights expire at 11am CT on March 11. It does not sound like the Colts are prepared to chance Pittman entering the legal tampering period without a deal. The tag would give the parties until July 15 to hammer out an extension.

Not known for excessive free agency spending, the Ballard-era Colts have done well to keep their homegrown talent off the market. The Colts have extended cornerstone starters Ryan Kelly, Braden Smith, Quenton Nelson, Grover Stewart, Shaquille Leonard, Kenny Moore and Jonathan Taylor on Ballard’s watch. The Taylor matter became quite messy, but he indeed was signed before debuting in his fourth season. The Pittman matter has drifted a bit off track, with the 1,000-yard receiver playing out his rookie contract. That opens the door to the tag scenario.

Just after Taylor debuted, Pittman made comments alluding to the team perhaps not being committed to him. Although he was technically auditioning for 31 other teams during his contract year, the second-generation NFL skill player is on track to work with Anthony Richardson in 2024. This does represent a bit of a blow for Pittman. With Tee Higgins being tagged, Pittman could have been the top wide receiver on the market. Given where the salary cap went, a monster second contract would have awaited the 6-foot-4 target. But the Colts’ track record of paying their own does point to a big extension — albeit one that might not come to fruition for a bit this year.

Given Richardson’s status as a raw passer, his season-ending injury may well have benefited Pittman. The USC alum posted career-high numbers with Gardner Minshew targeting him, tallying 109 receptions for 1,152 yards. That was Pittman’s second 1,000-yard year; he got there with Carson Wentz at the controls two seasons ago. Asked to be the Colts’ No. 1 wideout fairly early in his career, as T.Y. Hilton injuries piled up, Pittman has delivered on the No. 34 overall pick — one slot after Higgins — the Colts used in 2020.

With Richardson on a rookie deal, the Colts have some luxuries they have not enjoyed in recent years due to the brigade of veteran QBs to stop through. Pittman, 26, looms as an essential player for the team, which has looked to him as a clear WR1. Though, younger cogs Josh Downs and Alec Pierce held their own in 2023. While the Colts may tinker with their receiving setup on the whole, they want Pittman back to anchor it.

Bears Hope To Make Justin Fields Decision Before Free Agency

February 28th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Had the Panthers sustained the form they showed under Steve Wilks, Justin Fields is likely preparing for his fourth season as the Bears’ starter. Because Carolina produced the first 15-loss season in the 17-game era, Fields will probably be on the move soon.

The Bears obtaining the top pick via the Bryce Young trade has them surveying this year’s top college arms. Caleb Williams is the clear frontrunner to be Chicago’s starting quarterback next season, with a recent report indicating the Bears’ decision no longer involves a Williams-or-Fields call but rather a choice between which QB the team will select at No. 1. This places Fields in limbo.

Connected to the Falcons and Steelers, Fields also spent two years under new Raiders OC Luke Getsy. Though, Las Vegas is not viewed as a likely destination for the three-year Chicago starter. Denver probably should not be, either, considering Russell Wilson‘s clunky fit in Sean Payton‘s offense. Regardless of where Fields goes — if, in fact, the Bears are ready to move him — GM Ryan Poles wants this process done soon.

The team that made the most similar trade — the 2021 Jets, who moved three-year starter Sam Darnold before selecting Zach Wilson second overall — did not complete the move until April 5 of that year. Poles, however, bucked tradition last year by trading the Panthers the No. 1 pick before free agency. That is the earliest any team has knowingly moved a No. 1 overall pick since the NFL camped its draft in April in 1976. Fields wants this process to be settled, and Poles would not mind having it done by free agency’s outset.

“I would love to know as soon as possible. I would love to know, but I know that’s not how the process works. Sure, before free agency would be good,” Poles said, via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin. “Like I said, I’m also taking, if we were to do something with Justin, I want to do right by him and I know, again, living in that gray space, we would want to do something sooner rather than later.

“But just like I talk about with contracts, it takes two teams to figure that out, but at the same time, we’re also trying to figure out the draft process as well. There’s a lot of different things with different timelines going and that’s what makes it a little difficult.”

Two years remain on Fields’ rookie contract, and his next team will face a fifth-year option call May 2. The Panthers picked up Darnold’s option upon acquiring him; it should be expected Fields’ next team does the same. With the salary cap now set, Fields’ fifth-year option — which will come in on Tier 3 of the four-tiered format — will cost $25.6MM. Determining trade value also represents a potential stumbling block here, as other QB-needy teams gauge how they want to proceed. The Bears have been hearing from teams regarding Fields’ value for several weeks now, however.

The Commanders and Patriots have easier paths to addressing their position. The teams that do not hold top-three draft real estate and could use a veteran presumably represent the array of clubs with which Poles has been in contact. Fields would be a much cheaper alternative — for the time being, at least — to Kirk Cousins. The Vikings, who are not a realistic Fields destination due to being an NFC North team, are in talks with their six-year starter. But Cousins could shake up the QB market by testing free agency.

Should the Bears wait beyond free agency’s primary period to trade Fields, the market would narrow. Should Chicago make its latest big-picture QB move before the market opens, it would need to strike by 11am CT on March 11, when the legal tampering period begins.

Dak Prescott Extension Coming In Spring?

February 28th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Ely Allen

At this point, it’s become fully clear that both the Cowboys and the quarterback Dak Prescott are intent on further extending their time together. With that expectation fully established, we can turn our attention to what that could look like and when that could occur.

The Cowboys have no intention of letting Prescott leave Dallas. The Cowboys are likely also not too excited about the $59.4MM hit to the team’s salary cap that Prescott is posed to deliver in 2024, the second-highest figure in the league. Those two motivators are sure to steer Dallas in the direction of an extension and soon. This week is known as an opportunity for agents to get together with team officials at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis to broach such topics.

Obviously, no one is expecting a deal to get done in the next few days, though. Prescott is due a $5MM roster bonus on his current contract come March 18, but the Cowboys are likely more than willing to sacrifice that for a bit more time to craft a new extension. Still, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News claims that the team has every intention “of extending Prescott at some point this spring.” So whatever discussions are being had in the infamous Cowboys team bus in Indianapolis this week should lay the groundwork to get a new deal done relatively soon.

Prescott’s previous four-year, $160MM extension back in 2021 was massive at the time, but nowadays, the deal pales in comparison to the most recent contracts we’ve seen going to passers that are starting to inch towards $60MM per year. Currently, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow holds the league’s highest annual average value at $55MM. Yes, Burrow has led his team to a berth in the Super Bowl to earn that figure, but Chargers passer Justin Herbert is making $52.5MM per year with a regular season record of 30-32 and a loss in his single playoff appearance.

In comparison, Prescott has led the Cowboys to a 74-41 regular season record and five playoff appearances. People will draw attention to the 30-year-old’s 2-5 playoff record and the team’s inability to advance past the Divisional Round, but other quarterbacks have cashed in more with less. Also, despite the lack of playoff success, in 2023, Prescott led his team to their best record since his rookie year and led the league in completions and passing touchdowns. The expectation is that Prescott will once again set the mark for quarterbacks.

With how things are trending, a $60MM per year deal doesn’t seem out of reach. It’s simply the direction things continue to go towards. Yes, the Cowboys have other stars like Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb who will need new deals in the next two years, as well, but unless a team is willing to go back to a rookie contract and start from scratch, they will need to pay their quarterback. The higher-than-expected increase to the league’s salary cap this year makes $60MM a bit more palatable, and future rises to future salary caps make deals with Parsons and Lamb seem doable, as well. Not to mention that a new deal would result in a lower cap hit in 2024 for Prescott, freeing the Cowboys up to make some other moves to improve the team this offseason.

So, we expect conversations to be taking place this week to set the stage for a Prescott extension sometime this spring. And we expect that extension to once again move the bar for paying quarterbacks in the NFL. At this point, it all seems like a matter of time and details.

Panthers Have Discussed Extending DT Derrick Brown

February 28th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown took a couple of seasons to find his game in the NFL but showed enough in Year 3 to warrant the pickup of the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. A year later, and a second stellar season under his belt, Brown could be headed towards a new contract extension before he even gets the chance to play on that option.

After selecting Brown seventh overall out of Auburn in 2020, Carolina held high expectations for its new starting defensive tackle. Brown delivered on expectations that he would be disruptive, racking up eight tackles for loss in each of his first two season. He also showed a talented pass rushing ability, tallying five sacks and 21 quarterback hits in those first two years. He came under fire early in his career, though, for his struggles in run defense and tackling.

Brown’s third year in the league saw tremendous improvement. While he still had his struggles tackling, he heavily improved his run defense, helping him go from the 37th-best interior defender in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), to the seventh-best. In 2023, Brown put any questions of his tackling issues to rest. Not only did he lead the league in tackles made by a defensive tackle, but Brown also set the NFL record for total tackles in a single season by an interior defender with an astounding 103.

The man was a singular vacuum in the middle of the Panthers defense, and as a result, once again improved his standing, grading out as the fourth-best interior defender in the NFL this season, per PFF, trailing only Dexter Lawrence, Aaron Donald, and Quinnen Williams, three of the league’s highest-paid defensive tackles. Whenever extension talks occur, Brown and his representation, Drew Rosenhaus, will be sure to point out that all three of the above-mentioned players are making over $20MM per year.

Those extension talks do seem to be close at hand, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, who reports that the Panthers general manager Dan Morgan has been in touch with Rosenhaus. The team exercised the 25-year-old’s fifth-year option, allowing them ample time to work out a potential extension agreement. They even lucked out, as the lack of a Pro Bowl season up to that point only qualified Brown for the third tier of the fifth-year option structure, putting his fifth-year, fully-guaranteed salary at a rather manageable $11.67MM. Brown ended up finally earning that Pro Bowl honor this year.

Unfortunately, his Pro Bowl season came one year late. The Panthers may still pursue an extension, though, attempting to lock down Brown on a long-term, potentially team-friendly deal while avoiding any potential for a holdout. His fifth-year salary is set to be about half of what the annual average value would be on a new deal, but it’s all fully guaranteed and all hitting the salary cap. An extension could help lower that cap hit and potentially reward Brown with more guaranteed money in a different structure.

Carolina has some free agents to deal with this offseason like linebacker Frankie Luvu and star pass rusher Brian Burns, so more pressing matters may be at the top of the docket right now. Still, Brown is turning into one of the league’s best at his position, turning even his early-career weaknesses into strengths as he prepares to enter a contract year. Extending him before that point should be an offseason priority.

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