Contract Details/Restructures: 3/18/18
Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts and restructures around the NFL:
New Contracts
- Justin Pugh, OL (Cardinals): Five years, $45MM. $20MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).
Restructures
- Rams: Converted Tavon Austin‘s 2018 pay ($3MM base salary, $5MM roster bonus) to $1MM base salary, $4MM roster bonus, and $3MM in incentives ($2MM for game-day active incentives and $1MM in combined rushing/receiving yards) (Twitter links via Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports). Austin can still make $8MM this year if he hits all incentives.
Cardinals Offered Tyrann Mathieu $7MM
- Former All Pro defensive back Tyrann Mathieu had an offer to return to the Cardinals at an $8MM salary, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The 25-year-old Mathieu declined the overture, and instead signed with the Texans for one year and $7MM. the Mathieu was a Pro Bowler and one of the NFL’s best defensive backs as recently as 2015, but he’s struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness over the past two seasons. Last year, Mathieu managed to start all 16 games, but only graded as the league’s No. 61 cornerback among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Contract Details/Restructures: 3/17/18
Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts and restructures around the NFL:
New Contracts
- Allen Robinson, WR (Bears): Three years, $42MM. $25.2MM guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Teddy Bridgewater, QB (Jets): One year, $6MM. $1MM guaranteed. $9MM available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- Chad Henne, QB (Chiefs): Two years, $6.7MM. $3.1MM signing bonus. Performance incentives and escalators available (Twitter link via Jason Wolf of the Tennessean).
Restructures
- Cardinals: Created $500K in 2018 cap space by converting S Antoine Bethea‘s roster bouns into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Vikings: Created $1.15MM in 2018 cap space by reducing RB Latavius Murray‘s base salary from $5.15MM to $3.65M; his roster bonus from $500K to $250K; and his incentives from $2.3MM to $1MM (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
E.J. Gaines To Visit Cardinals
The Cardinals are eyeing a cornerback to play opposite Patrick Peterson. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that Arizona will meet with E.J. Gaines today. The Texans had previously shown interest in the free agent cornerback.
Gaines, 26, appeared in 11 games for the Bills a season ago after being traded as part of the Sammy Watkins deal. During that time, Gaines ranked 12th in Pro Football Focus‘ cornerback grades and ninth in FO’s success rate. For that effort, PFR ranked Gaines as the fourth-best corner on the market and the No. 18 free agent overall. His final numbers included 48 tackles, nine passes defended, and one interception.
Arizona could surely use some reinforcement opposite Peterson. The team’s other cornerback options include Brandon Williams, C.J. Goodwin, Ronald Zamort, Jonathan Moxey, Jarell Carter, and Louis Young.
Cardinals Sign OL Justin Pugh
The Cardinals bolstered their offensive line on Friday night by signing former Giants left guard Justin Pugh, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. 
The NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets the contract is five-year deal worth just over $45MM.
The Cardinals were in search of interior line help and Pugh represented one of the best remaining options.The team was attempting to land former Panthers guard Andrew Norwell, but the All-Pro guard signed with the Jaguars earlier in the week. He missed half of 2017 with injuries, but he is a former first-round pick who started in all of his 63 games with the Giants. Recently, he was cleared to resume football activities.
A big selling point with Pugh is his versatility. He has played every position along the line except for center. The majority of his time in the NFL has been split between right tackle and left guard.
The move was the second addition to the Cardinals offensive line on Friday. Earlier in the day, the team signed offensive tackle Andre Smith to a two-year deal.
[RELATED: Cardinals Depth Chart]
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/16/18
Here are today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claim: LB Jeremy Cash
- Waived: DT Josh Mauro
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed: OT Zach Banner
Chicago Bears
- Signed: QB Tyler Bray
- Re-signed: TE Daniel Brown
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: LB Lerentee McCray
Minnesota Vikings
- Re-signed: DT Dylan Bradley
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: P Colby Wadman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Cameron Lynch
Jordan Matthews Visits Cardinals
The Cardinals added veteran quarterback Sam Bradford to the team when free agency opened. It could now be looking at a move for one of his former receivers in Philadelphia. 
Former Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews, who played with Buffalo in 2017, met with the team on Friday, Arizona Sports’ Mike Jurecki tweets.
In 2015, Bradford started 14 games with the Eagles and utilized Matthews as his favorite target. The second-year wideout just missed a 1,000-yard season, posting 997 yards, and caught a career-high 85 balls and tied his personal best with eight touchdowns.
After being dealt to the Bills in the 2017 offseason, Matthews turned in a disappointing 25 receptions for 282 yards and one touchdown in his one season with the team.
With the Cardinals losing deep threat John Brown, the team could be looking to outfit more playmakers around its new signal-caller. Matthews is a reliable option who fits the mold.
Colts Interested In OL Justin Pugh
Giants free agent offensive lineman Justin Pugh is weighing an offer from the Cardinals, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). At the same time, the Colts are working on flying him in for a visit.
Pugh has experience at four different offensive line positions and stands as one of the best free agents left on the board. He missed half of 2017 due to injuries but he was recently cleared to resume football activities, so it seems likely that he’ll sign soon.
Last year, the Colts ranked dead last in adjusted sack rate and 18th in adjusted line yards, per Football Outsiders, so they’re looking to improve the O-Line.
The Colts have a swing tackle of their own to re-sign in Jack Mewhort, but it’s unclear if the Colts have serious interest in bringing him back.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: OL Vinston Painter
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: DL Angelo Blackson
- Re-signed: LB Brian Peters
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: OLB Garrett Sickels
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: LS John Denney
New York Giants
- Re-signed: DT Robert Thomas (ERFA)
- Signed: CB Curtis Riley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
NFL Contract Restructures: 3/15/18
With the 2018 league year officially underway, a number of teams have reworked player contracts in order to create additional cap space. Here’s what moves clubs have made today:
- Broncos: Created $12.375MM in 2018 cap space by converting $16MM of LB Von Miller‘s $18.5MM base salary into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
- Cardinals: G Mike Iupati accepted $3MM pay cut. 2018 base salary reduced from $7.75MM to $5MM. $250K roster bonus eliminated. 2019 contract season is now voidable (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
- Cowboys: Created ~$7.5MM in 2018 cap space by restructuring C Travis Frederick‘s contract (Twitter link via Jane Slater of NFL.com).
- Eagles: Created $5.407MM in 2018 cap space by converting $7.21MM of TE Zach Ertz‘s $8MM base salary into a fully guaranteed roster bonus (Twitter link via Yates).
- Ravens: Created $5.625MM in 2018 cap space by converting $7.5MM of DT Brandon Williams‘ $8.5MM base salary into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Yates).