HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2024

April 10th, 2024 at 10:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2024 draft nears, numerous picks have already changed hands. A handful of picks have already been moved twice, with a few being traded three times. Multiple deals from 2021 impact this draft. Here are the 2024 picks to have been traded thus far:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

AFC Contract Details: Texans, Sneed, Barrett

April 10th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recently agreed upon contracts from around the AFC:

  • Myles Bryant, CB/PR (Texans): One year, $1.75MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Bryant’s new deal in Houston includes a guaranteed amount of $800K comprised of $500K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.2MM) and a $300K signing bonus. Bryant can earn an additional $250K throughout the season with $14,705 per game active roster bonuses.
  • C.J. Henderson, CB (Texans): One year, $2MM. Wilson reports that Henderson’s contract includes a guaranteed amount of $500K consisting of a $300K signing bonus, like Bryant, and $200K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.4MM). Henderson will also get a per game active roster bonus, but his will be $17,647 per game for a potential season total of $300K.
  • L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): Four years, $76.4MM. We already knew quite a bit about this deal when it was reported, though some of the figures weren’t completely accurate. While the reported number for guaranteed money was initially $55MM, it’s actually going to be $51.5MM. Per Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Sneed was guaranteed $44MM at signing consisting of Sneed’s $20MM signing bonus, his 2024 and 2025 base salaries of $4.32MM and 18.32MM, and per game active roster bonuses that equal up to $680K in each of the first two years. The per game active roster bonuses are listed as “fully guaranteed,” but they still must be earned with Sneed’s consistent presence on the active roster. Labeling a roster bonus as fully guaranteed usually means that it is prorated like a signing bonus. In theory, if Sneed misses any games in those two seasons, he’ll be forced to pay back a portion of those prorated bonuses. The remaining $7.5MM of guaranteed money comes from Sneed’s 2026 base salary of $15.15MM. His 2026 salary has $11MM guaranteed for injury at signing, which is likely where the $55MM figure came from, but effectively, the contract’s guarantees stand at $51.5MM. Additionally, Sneed’s per game active roster bonus potential season-totals increase in 2026 and 2027 to $850K apiece.
  • Shaquil Barrett, OLB (Dolphins): One year, $7MM. We originally reported on Barrett’s one-year deal being worth a maximum of $9MM, which is still true with incentives, but thanks to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, now we have the details. Barrett’s new deal in Miami has an actual base value of $7MM. It includes a guaranteed amount of $6.75MM consisting of a $5.54MM signing bonus and the entirety of Barrett’s 2024 base salary (worth $1.21MM). Barrett can also earn an additional $250K through per game active roster bonuses of $14,705 apiece. Due to tight cap space, though, the Dolphins had to add four void years onto the backend of Barrett’s deal. Whether or not he’s on the roster, he’ll carry a cap hit of $4.43MM in 2025 and $1.11MM in each of the following three seasons.

NFL Staff Updates: Hawks, Dolphins, Slater

April 10th, 2024 at 9:06pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks have added a new face to their front office, according to team senior reporter John Boyle. Boyle tells us that Joey Laine has been hired as Seattle’s new vice president of football administration.

Laine was hired by the Packers last year to the role of salary cap analyst. Before that, he spent seven years in Chicago serving as the Bears’ chief contract negotiator. He also looked after the team’s salary cap situation and strategic planning while ensuring compliance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

Seattle announced the hiring of a new assistant coach, as well. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the Seahawks are bringing in former Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton to serve as an offensive assistant. Keeton most recently spent the 2023 season as an offensive analyst at Marshall. He was hired to be Montana State’s new quarterbacks coach in January but will instead take his first job in the NFL.

Here are a few other coaching and staffing updates from around the league:

  • The Dolphins also brought in a new coaching assistant from the college ranks, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Rob Everett, formerly a senior offensive analyst at the University of Wisconsin, will come in as a new Miami offensive assistant. Before his time with the Badgers, Everett was a defensive coordinator at Division III Bridgewater College.
  • Patriots special teams legend Matthew Slater announced his retirement in February after 16 years in New England. We noted at the time that Slater’s attention would now turn to his post-playing days, and it didn’t take long as Conor Ryan of Boston.com reports that Slater will stick around with the Patriots in a new role. Right now, it’s unclear whether the position is a paid, full-time gig or if Slater is simply volunteering, but the 10-time Pro Bowler was on hand for the team’s first day of their voluntary offseason workout program today. New head coach Jerod Mayo has already made a habit of hiring former Patriots players as coaches, hiring Dont’a Hightower as the team’s linebackers coach and Tiquan Underwood as assistant wide receivers coach. Slater may just be the next to join in the fun.

OLB Carl Lawson Visits Dolphins

April 10th, 2024 at 8:09pm CST by Ely Allen

Once considered a big-ticket free agent addition who earned a three-year, $45MM contract to play for the Jets, edge rusher Carl Lawson spent much of his 2023 season being offered up as trade bait. Not finding any takers for the 28-year-old, the team instead allowed him to hit free agency at the end of the year. Now in search of a new home, Lawson reportedly visited the division-rival Dolphins today, according to Howard Balzer of CardsWire.

Despite delivering seven sacks for New York in his bounce back season following a torn Achilles tendon, Lawson saw himself in the doghouse in 2023, often serving as a healthy scratch with five other edge rushers earning snaps over him. Head coach Robert Saleh was adamant in his support for Lawson a year ago, claiming that “as long as (Lawson) can walk and play,” he’d be Jet, though Saleh made sure to clarify that he did not speak for general manager Joe Douglas.

Douglas clearly had other plans, though. After Lawson missed training camp and the first week of the regular season, rumors began that New York was open to trade offers on Lawson and other players like Mecole Hardman and Dalvin Cook. Despite coming back from injury, Lawson was hardly being used in the defense after the Jets made the call to utilize former first-round pick Jermaine Johnson more across from John Franklin-Myers.

At one point, Lawson expressed his displeasure with his role, saying, “I definitely want to play and contribute. I know I can; I’ve proven that…but right now I’m with the Jets, but I definitely want to play more. I definitely want to do what I did last year… I’m a football player, not a cheerleader.”

After not getting traded, Lawson is now a free agent. While injuries have certainly played a role in his NFL career, Lawson isn’t wrong; he has proven that he can contribute. In four of his six NFL seasons, Lawson has delivered five or more sacks, and while he has failed to match the 8.5-sack performance of his rookie season, he had seven in 2022 after a major injury.

In Miami, Lawson would add depth to a room that already holds players with their own extensive injury histories. Bradley Chubb has missed the majority of two seasons in the past, and Jaelan Phillips is working to return from a torn Achilles tendon of his own. Behind them, Shaquil Barrett missed nine games in 2022, and Melvin Ingram is seeing less and less of the field as he progresses into his mid-30s. With all that history on their current roster, it makes sense that the Dolphins are kicking the tires on a younger pass rusher, albeit one with their own injury history.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/10/24

April 10th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s only minor NFL move:

Green Bay Packers

Green was an undrafted rookie last year who signed with the Giants but ultimately failed to make the 53-man roster. He was subsequently signed to New York’s practice squad before getting released the next day. Before the NFL, Green recorded an interception and 15 passes defensed in five years at the University of Michigan. After 24 starts in 42 game appearances, Green finished his career as an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten team in his senior season.

Steelers Sign K Matthew Wright

April 10th, 2024 at 5:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Matthew Wright is set to begin another stint with the Steelers. The journeyman kicker signed with Pittsburgh on Wednesday, per a team announcement.

Wright originally joined the Steelers as a UDFA in 2019. It was one year later that he made his regular season debut, one which came after a brief spell in the XFL. The Central Florida product played in three games in 2020, making each of his kicks.

That led him to the Jaguars, the team with which he spent the 2021 campaign. Wright played 14 games with Jacksonville, but he found himself on the move once again in 2022. After beginning that season with Kansas City (and appearing in a pair of games), Wright was signed off the Chiefs’ practice squad to return to Pittsburgh. Filling in for an injured Chris Boswell, a the 28-year-old connected on 12 of 14 field goal attempts and went seven-for-seven on extra points.

This past season, Wright continued to bounce around the NFL, finding himself on the active roster and practice squads of the Chiefs, Panthers, 49ers, Falcons and Patriots. His lone regular season action came with Carolina. For his career (24 games), Wright has a field goal accuracy of 85.1%. He has made all but two of his 37 extra point attempts.

Pittsburgh still has Boswell on the books for the next three years, and the 33-year-old posted a field goal accuracy rate above 90% for the sixth time in his career last season. The reunion with Wright is therefore simply a depth addition which will give the Steelers another option at the position during training camp.

Ravens To Sign WR Deonte Harty

April 10th, 2024 at 4:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 10: Harty’s visit has indeed produced a contract. The parties agreed to a one-year deal on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Harty will now enter the draft as Baltimore’s leading candidate for both the kick and punt returner gig, and he could see rotational usage on offense as well. His role in the latter department will of course be affected by any rookie WR additions made later this month.

APRIL 5: In need of depth at receiver and a new return specialist, the Ravens are looking into an option capable of filling both roster holes. The team is hosting Deonte Harty, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.

Baltimore saw Devin Duvernay depart in free agency, leaving the team in need of a new returner. Harty could contribute in that regard, having earned All-Pro acclaim during his rookie season with the Saints owing to his special teams work. The 26-year-old spent his first four seasons with New Orleans, posting 570 yards and three touchdowns on offense in 2021.

When the Bills signed him last offseason, though, they did so with the intention of having him serve in a depth receiver role while making a larger third phase impact. Harty signed a two-year deal early in free agency, and the season-ending injury suffered Nyheim Hines allowed him to serve as the Bills’ primary returner. Harty averaged a career-high 12.4 yards per return on punts, highlighted by a 96-yard touchdown. He was among the many Buffalo players released in a cap-cutting move ahead of free agency, however.

The Baltimore native only returned one kickoff, a figure which comes as little surprise given the increasing trend of touchbacks around the NFL in recent years. Given the rule changes aimed at increasing return rates, though, teams are likely to prioritize returners compared to years past. Harty could take on both kick and punt return duties, although receiver Tylan Wallace and running back Justice Hill represent other options in that capacity with Duvernay no longer in the fold.

Of course, the latter’s absence as well as that of Odell Beckham Jr. leaves the Ravens in the market for a complementary wideout addition. Harty made just 15 receptions with the Bills last year, logging a 15% offensive snap share. He could see a slightly larger workload in Baltimore, a team which retained Nelson Agholor and will likely make at least one receiver selection in the upcoming draft. The Ravens entered Friday with $12MM in cap space, and it will be interesting to see if Harty’s visit produces an agreement.

RB Derrick Henry Addresses Ravens Deal

April 10th, 2024 at 4:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Derrick Henry is in place atop the Ravens’ depth chart entering 2024, after he became one of several running backs who quickly found new homes in free agency. When reflecting on his Baltimore deal, he confirmed that was his preferred destination.

“For the record, Baltimore was always my No. 1 option,” Henry said during an appearance on the Jim Rome Show (audio link). “That’s always where I wanted to go. And like I said, I know the trade talks [during the season], it was almost going to happen, but I didn’t know once free agency started if they still felt the same way until I talked to my agent to see what was really going on.”

Indeed, the Ravens remained a top suitor for the former Offensive Player of the Year. Team and player worked out a two-year agreement worth up to $20MM in short order, giving Baltimore a new lead back. Henry had contemplated a deal sending him to the Cowboys, owing to the fact he lives in Dallas during the offseason and the departure of Tony Pollard. The Cowboys never made contact about a deal, however, leaving the 30-year-old free to join a Ravens team known for relying on a run-first offense.

“I just felt like it fit, their culture, what they’re all about,” Henry added. “I feel like it fits my style of play, and I just felt like it was going to be destined at some point… You know you feel like you’ve got a feeling about something, it just feels like it’s meant to be? That’s what I felt about Baltimore.”

Henry, a two-time rushing champion, will handle lead back duties in 2024 on a Ravens team which lost Gus Edwards and has seen J.K. Dobbins go unsigned well into free agency. The team does have Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell on the books, though the latter is rehabbing an ACL tear. As a result, the Ravens could very well be in the market for a backfield addition later this month.

General manager Eric DeCosta confirmed during a Tuesday press conference (via the team’s website) there is a “strong chance” Baltimore drafts a running back this year. Other positions – such as offensive line, cornerback and edge rusher – represent more urgent roster priorities as things stand. With nine selections, though, the Ravens will have the chance to use Day 2 or 3 to add a rookie behind Henry in the team’s new-look backfield.

Packers Aiming For Depth QB Addition

April 10th, 2024 at 2:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top two spots on the Packers’ quarterback depth chart are accounted for with Jordan Love and Sean Clifford. General manager Brian Gutekunst is open to using the upcoming draft to add further depth at the position, though.

[RELATED: NFL To Allow Unlimited Practice Squad QB Elevations]

“I’d love to continue to bring in quarterbacks, not only for the competition but for the development of them because I do think it takes time,” Gutekunst said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required). “It takes time, any player, but a quarterback, particularly, in a comfort zone of what he’s doing where you can really see his talent come out. I think Sean hit that pretty early compared to most, but I think that’s important you give that player the time to get there.”

Love entered the 2023 season facing plenty of questions related his readiness as Aaron Rodgers‘ successor. He answered them in the latter half of the campaign in particular, helping guide the Packers to the divisional round of the playoffs. Talks on an extension allowing the former first-rounder to remain in place well beyond the coming season are underway.

With Love remaining healthy throughout the season, Clifford made just two appearances and only attempted three passes as a rookie. The latter – who won out the QB2 gig during training camp after being selected in the fifth round – has drawn praise from Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur. While Clifford (who, like Love, is 25) is thus on track to hold down the backup position moving forward, competition can be expected this offseason.

As Schneidman notes, Gutekunst has only drafted two signal-callers (Love and Clifford) during his six years running Green Bay’s draft room. The team has generally opted to sign depth passers as UDFAs, but in 2024 the Packers have 11 draft picks. That is tied for the most in the NFL this year, and it will give Gutekunst and Co. plenty of opportunities to select at least one signal-caller on Day 3 in particular.

Jaguars, Josh Allen Agree To Extension

April 10th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

12:37pm: The Burns contract’s influence on the Allen deal extends to the fully guaranteed number as well. Allen secured $76.5MM locked in at signing, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. That is $500K north of Burns’ number, slotting in at third among edge defenders. Like Burns’ deal, Allen’s also falls short of the $30MM-per-year-mark. In terms of base value, the Jaguars pass rusher is tied to a $28.25MM-AAV accord. Yes, that narrowly eclipses Burns’ true number ($28.2MM).

After fully guaranteeing Allen’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries, the Jags guaranteed $10.5MM of his 2026 base ($22MM) at signing. The remainder becomes fully guaranteed in March 2026. Allen’s 2027 and ’28 base salaries ($23.75MM, $24.5MM) are nonguaranteed.

8:04am: This year’s July franchise tag extension deadline may not produce much in the way of fireworks. Teams are making deals early. The Jaguars are the latest, reaching an extension agreement with Josh Allen, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

After a big contract year, the 2019 first-round pick will cash in on a five-year extension worth $150MM, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The veteran edge defender will receive $88MM guaranteed. This will move Allen’s $24MM franchise tag off Jacksonville’s books, replacing it with a through-2028 contract.

Allen, who had gone through a three-year dry spell without a 10-plus-sack season, surged for a Jaguars-record 17.5 sacks in 2023. That was not enough to lift Jacksonville back to the playoffs. But it is enough to make him the NFL’s second $30MM-per-year edge rusher. Allen’s $30MM-AAV contract checks in behind only Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year pact at the position. This contract doubles as a Jaguars franchise record.

The Giants’ Brian Burns extension looks to have played a key role in the Allen negotiations moving across the goal line. Upon trading for the five-year Panthers pass rusher, the Giants gave him a five-year, $141MM deal with $87.5MM guaranteed. (While Burns’ deal was initially reported to be worth $150MM, incentives cover $9MM in the accord.) Allen, who went off the board nine picks earlier than Burns in 2019, will come in just north of those marks to split the difference between Bosa and the field.

In terms of total guarantees — the full guarantees, always the more important number, are not yet known — Allen’s deal comes in behind only Bosa and Myles Garrett among edge players.

Allen’s extension marks the sixth given to a franchise-tagged player this year, and it comes three days after the Patriots became the first team in over a decade to extend a transition-tagged player (Kyle Dugger). Of the nine players who received a tag in March, seven are now extended. Only Tee Higgins and Antoine Winfield Jr. remain tagged.

Teams had inquired about Allen at the 2022 trade deadline, but the Jaguars held onto the Kentucky alum despite unremarkable numbers. Allen produced 7.5 sacks on just 14 QB hits in 2021, and while his number of QB hits ballooned to 22 in 2022, the sack count closed at seven. Last season, Allen erupted for 33 hits. His 17.5 sacks broke Calais Campbell‘s single-season Jags record (14.5) set in 2017. Allen’s 46 QB pressured ranked fourth in 2023. This was not enough to save DC Mike Caldwell‘s job, but as the Jags make changes up front, they prioritized Allen — so much so it meant losing Calvin Ridley to the Titans.

GM Trent Baalke said after the season the Jags viewed Allen as their top priority, and the tag ensured he would not reach the market. This is standard practice with high-end young edge rushers, and it made sense on multiple fronts for the Jags to tag Allen (27 in July) over the 29-year-old Ridley. The trade terms with the Falcons — mandating the Jags lose their second-round 2024 pick if they extended Ridley — made it difficult for the Jags to reach a contract agreement with Ridley before the new league year started. The Jags still tried to re-sign the 2022 trade acquisition, but the Titans ended up blowing both their AFC South rivals and the Patriots out of the water. While Ridley is gone, Allen is now locked in long term.

The Jags have used the tag in each year in the 2020s; Allen marks the third player extended, following Cam Robinson and Evan Engram. Jacksonville used the tag on Yannick Ngakoue in 2020, but the situation simmered to the point a late-summer trade (with the Vikings) came about. No real drama surfaced here, with Allen agreeing to terms more than three months before the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions. Baalke has now hammered out three deals for franchise tag recipients as GM, despite not being with the Jags when any of those players were drafted.

Allen’s deal aligns with Travon Walker‘s rookie contract, to a degree, with the 2022 No. 1 overall pick signed through 2025. He can be kept through 2026 via the fifth-year option, though the Georgia alum — chosen over Aidan Hutchinson — has not shown just yet that will be an easy decision for the Jags. This Allen contract, however, will most likely be paired with a monster Trevor Lawrence extension. The Jags have begun negotiations with their quarterback on what promises to be the top contract in franchise history, and although the former No. 1 pick could be kept on his rookie contract until 2025 via the option, teams generally extend QBs after Year 3.

Big deals for Allen and Lawrence on the payroll will bring mark a new roster-building phase for the Jaguars. With Allen agreeing to a landmark extension, part one of that blueprint is complete.

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