Falcons, CB A.J. Terrell Agree To Extension
AUGUST 24: Terrell will receive $42.34MM guaranteed in full, per Over the Cap. That figure includes a $25MM signing bonus along with his 2024 ($3.44MM) and 2025 ($14MM) salaries. His cap charge for the coming season dropped to $8.34MM as a result of the extension, but that figure will spike to $19MM next year before eventually growing to $24MM in 2028. No void years are present in the deal.
AUGUST 22: Shortly after adding a pair of veterans to their defense, the Falcons are taking care of another piece of financial business on that side of the ball. Atlanta has worked out a big-ticket extension with cornerback A.J. Terrell, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the news.
Terrell will collect $81MM on a four-year extension, per Schefter. The pact includes $65.8MM in effective guarantees, making this the largest commitment in terms of locked in compensation given to a corner on a four-year agreement. The 23-year-old is now under contract through 2028.
In terms of annual average value, Terrell has become the fourth player at his position to average $20MM or more per season. His AAV of $20.25MM ranks second in the league, behind only Jaire Alexander‘s Packers deal ($21MM). This Falcons extension is the largest deal given out to a corner in 2024, eclipsing the trio of Tyson Campbell (Jaguars), L’Jarius Sneed (Titans) and Jaylon Johnson (Bears). Each of those four year pacts range between $76MM and $76.5MM in value.
Earlier this summer, it was clear Terrell was firmly on the Falcons’ extension radar. The Clemson alum was set to play on his fifth-year option in 2024, valued at $12.34MM, but a long-term deal would clearly check in at a much higher figure. His most recent comment on the subject of extension talks painted an encouraging picture with respect to a deal being worked out. Now that it has, Terrell enters the season with increased expectations as the team’s clear-cut No. 1 corner.
After serving as a full-time starter during his rookie season, Terrell had his most productive campaign in 2021. That year saw him collect three interceptions, 16 pass deflections and 81 tackles en route to a second-team All-Pro nod. The past two seasons have not been as impactful on the statsheet, but Terrell has remained consistent in terms of completion percentage allowed. While he has allowed 10 touchdowns as the nearest defender since 2022, the Falcons hope the coming campaign will see a step forward taken at all three levels of their defense.
Atlanta traded for edge rusher Matt Judon last week, adding an established sack artist to the team’s front seven. That move – which will not be accompanied by an extension for the pending free agent – was followed up one day later by the signing of safety Justin Simmons. The latter will create a notable backend tandem with Jessie Bates, who had a successful debut Falcons campaign last year. Judon and Simmons have combined for six Pro Bowls, and Terrell will look to join them in that regard while playing out his second contract.
The Falcons’ restructuring of guard Chris Lindstrom‘s contract freed up 2024 cap space in anticipation of the Simmons acquisition as well as today’s Terrell extension. It will be interesting to see how this move affects the team’s cap outlook over the coming years, but for at least the 2024 campaign a number of major investments will be in place on defense. Questions loom over the status of Atlanta’s second starting cornerback position, but the top of the depth chart is locked in for the foreseeable future.
Bears Acquire Darrell Taylor From Seahawks
The Bears are set to make a veteran addition along the edge via trade. Darrell Taylor is on his way from Seattle to Chicago, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The Seahawks will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick in return per the terms of the trade, which is now official. 
On Thursday, Seattle moved on from one veteran defender by dealing cornerback Michael Jackson to the Panthers. That trade netted seventh-round rookie linebacker Michael Barrett, and today’s move has likewise seen an experienced contributor sent elsewhere in the NFC with the future in mind. Taylor has one year remaining on his contract. This deal will see the Bears take on his $3.12MM base salary after the Seahawks already paid out a $20K signing bonus.
The 27-year-old missed his entire rookie campaign but has been a rotational presence off the edge for each of the past three years. Taylor has started 11 games since 2021, logging snap shares between 44% and 46% during that span. His best season came in 2022, when he totaled 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. His production took a step back last year (5.5 sacks), but Taylor still found himself in Seattle’s plans via the one-year agreement which took the place of an RFA tender.
With that said, the Seahawks were open to trading the former second-rounder in advance of the 2023 deadline. The season-ending injury suffered by Uchenna Nwosu changed that stance and led to Taylor remaining in place to close out the campaign. Moving forward, Nwosu, along with recent second-round selections Boye Mafe and Derick Hall will be leaned on heavily along the edge by Seattle.
From the Bears’ perspective, this move comes as little surprise. Montez Sweat is in place as the anchor of the team’s edge rush, but adding a proven complementary option has long been mentioned as an offseason priority. Talks with Yannick Ngakoue – who played on a one-year Bears pact in 2023 – have taken place. Chicago was also a finalist in the Matt Judon trade, offering a third-round pick for the four-time Pro Bowler. That matched the value of the Falcons’ offer, and Judon was reportedly given the choice between Atlanta and Chicago. After coming up short on those fronts, Taylor will head to the Windy City set up for at least a part-time role.
Chicago also has the likes of DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson, Khalid Kareem and fifth-round rookie Austin Booker in place behind Sweat on the depth chart. Taylor – who has 50 combined regular and postseason games and 21.5 sacks to his name – represents an intriguing addition to that group. Questions may remain about the long-term future of the Bears’ non-Sweat edge rushers, but for 2024 Taylor will be a contributor to their front seven. Seattle entered Friday with less than $9MM in cap space, but today’s move will increase that total by more than $3MM. Chicago’s available space will take a hit, though the team will still have over $18MM in available funds with Taylor in the fold.
Brian Daboll Likely To Serve As Giants’ Play-Caller During Regular Season
Mike Kafka is still in place as the Giants’ offensive coordinator, but his duties this offseason have not included play-calling responsibilities. That appears set to continue into the regular season. 
Head coach Brian Daboll confirmed in the lead-up to New York’s preseason finale against the Jets he will call plays on Saturday. He added (via Dan Salomone of the team’s website) that things are “moving in that direction” with respect to maintaining those duties come Week 1. That update comes as little surprise given the way the spring and summer have trended for the Giants.
Kafka has generally served as play-caller during his two-year New York stint, but signs have been pointing to Daboll taking over in 2024. The latter’s head coaching candidacy was built in large part on his success as a play-calling offensive coordinator with the Bills, so it was a surprise when he deferred to Kafka in 2022. The Giants’ staff is one facing several questions related to job security, however, and Daboll called plays at OTAs and minicamp in addition to his training camp and preseason workload.
The 49-year-old – along with general manager Joe Schoen – has the backing of ownership with respect to relying on quarterback Daniel Jones for at least one more season. Daboll’s position (not to mention that of Schoen and Jones) will become tenuous in the event New York’s offense suffers a repeat of 2023. The Giants looked into trading up for a Day quarterback in this year’s draft, an indication of what is at stake for all parties involved over the coming months.
Kafka drew head coaching interest in the 2023 offseason after his success with Jones and Co. After the past campaign, the 37-year-old was on the radar of the Seahawks and Titans, taking interviews with both teams. The Giants were unable by rule to block him from taking part in that process, but they did prevent him from interviewing for Seattle’s offensive coordinator gig. The former Chiefs staffer enters 2024 with the title of assistant head coach.
In spite of that symbolic promotion, it is all-but assured Daboll will lead the way on offense this season. The Giants’ defense – which will be led by Shane Bowen after Daboll’s well-documented split with Don Martindale – will face high expectations in 2024, but their offensive output will be interesting to watch with the head coach at the helm.
Bengals Begin Roster Cutdowns
Teams have until August 27 to bring their rosters down to 53. One day after their final preseason contest, the Bengals have begun the process of releasing players, with 11 being let go on Friday.
Here is the full list of cuts:
- WR Hakeem Butler
- RB Noah Cain
- OL Jackson Carman
- DE Andre Carter
- LB Aaron Casey
- S Michael Dowell
- CB Allan George
- WR Kwamie Lassiter II
- QB Rocky Lombardi
- G Eric Miller
- DT Joshua Pryor
Carman’s inclusion on the list does not come as a surprise. The 2021 second-rounder has not lived up to expectations so far, and he found himself on the roster bubble at the onset of training camp. During each of his first two seasons in the league, Carman lost a competition for a starting spot and was unable to earn the swing tackle role in 2023. Despite having one year left on his rookie contract, the Bengals will move on.
Butler, 28, entered the NFL in 2019, but his only regular season game action to date came one year later. The 6-5, 227-pounder was unable to find a regular role at the NFL level as a receiver or a tight end, but he had a successful spell in the UFL this spring. Butler was the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, fueling an attempt at returning to the NFL. That effort has obviously taken a hit with today’s move.
None of the players who have been let go are vested veterans. As a result, they will be subject to waivers several days before many other teams’ roster cuts go through the same process. Interested parties will be able to make a claim (knowing their own cut decisions are looming), but all players who clear will become free agents. That would leave the door open to a practice squad deal with Cincinnati or any other team once initial 53-man rosters are set.
Cardinals WR Zay Jones Handed Five-Game Suspension
A second suspension has been announced Friday afternoon. Cardinals wideout Zay Jones has been issued a five-game ban for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, as noted by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. 
Jones was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge in November. That charge wound up being dropped in March, but the NFL typically conducts its own investigations into such situations. That proved to be the case for Jones, who will now see his Cardinals debut delayed by more than one month.
The 29-year-old has spent time with three teams so far in his career, making 104 appearances and 67 starts. Jones was with the Jaguars in 2022 and ’23, and he recorded career highs in catches (82) and yards (823) during his first campaign in Jacksonville. Last season saw a step back in production and only nine games played, though, leading to his release.
The Jaguars made a number of receiver moves this offseason, bringing in Gabe Davis in free agency and selecting Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the draft. Those additions will help offset the departure of Calvin Ridley and the decision to part ways with Jones. The latter took visits with several teams before signing with the Cardinals on a one-year, $2.25MM deal.
The former second-rounder was set to compete for a starting spot with second-year wideout Michael Wilson as the Cardinals prepare to use fourth overall selection Marvin Harrison Jr. as their WR1. Today’s news will leave Arizona – a team which lost Marquise Brown in free agency – shorthanded in the receiving corps during the fall. This ban will keep Jones sidelined for a notable stretch and no doubt hinder his market value next spring.
Arizona also has the likes of Mack Wilson, Zach Pascal and Greg Dortch on the receiver depth chart. Expectations will be high for Harrison and Wilson early in the season, but Jones’ return will provide experience to the pass-catching group. The time at which that takes place – pending a succesful appeal – will not come until October, however.
Rams LT Alaric Jackson Issued Two-Game Suspension
Alaric Jackson will not be available at the beginning of the season. The Rams left tackle has been issued a two-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
Jackson does not have a prior history of league discipline. His absence will be felt up front by the Rams considering he served as the team’s starter on the blindside in 2023. His level of play at left tackle demonstrated his value on a new deal, and he was tendered as an RFA at the second-round level in March. Signing that one-year tender set Jackson up for $4.89MM in 2024.
The former UDFA will not be paid while serving this ban, however, reducing his earnings for the coming campaign. Jackson made 12 appearances and six starts across the 2021 and ’22 seasons, proving himself to be a key member of Los Angeles’ plans up front. He overtook Joe Noteboom on the depth chart on his way to earning first-team blindside duties. The latter is under contract for one more year, and he is a prime candidate to fill in for Jackson to start the year.
Noteboom agreed to a pay cut in March, a sign he could find himself on the free agent market in 2025. Today’s news could open the door to starting duties – albeit briefly – though, and a strong showing could help Noteboom’s value to the Rams or an interested team next spring. With Matthew Stafford (36) again set atop quarterback depth chart, the play of Los Angeles’ O-line will remain a critical factor in the team’s offensive success in 2024.
Jackson, 26, missed considerable training camp and preseason time as one of several Rams linemen who suffered an injury this summer. Given a week-to-week timeline at the start of August, his health should not be a question mark by the time the regular season starts. It will not be until Week 3, however, that Jackson will be eligible to make his season debut.
Patriots DT Davon Godchaux Addresses Extension Talks
While the Patriots moved on from Matt Judon, the team was willing to commit to a new deal for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. The latter’s public comments on his negotiation process provide further details on how his extension came to pass. 
“I didn’t do anything in OTAs, I just worked out at the facility, and I went home,” the 29-year-old said during a recent episode of his Chaux Talk YouTube show (video link). “Training camp came and I remember having this conversation with [de facto GM] Eliot [Wolf]… He called me and was like, ‘Look, what’s going on? We want you to be out on the field practicing.’ I’m like, ‘Look, Eliot, I don’t have guarantees.'”
Godchaux made public his desire for a new Patriots deal, something a number of in-house players received during Wolf’s first offseason at the helm of the franchise. While the former fifth-rounder is not an impact pass rusher, his play against the run made him a candidate for another New England pact. While it took longer to work out than many of his teammates, an agreement was indeed reached at the end of July.
“Me and my agent ended up taking a whole other approach when it came to training camp,” Godchaux added. “I practiced in pads the first couple of days, and then about the third day in pads, I got paid. We were just like a million or two off.”
Indeed, non-participation in OTAs and minicamp was substituted by engaging in some activities during training camp. Godchaux’s comments confirm the parties were not far apart on contract terms, which explains how quickly his extension was hammered out. The LSU product secured a two-year pact featuring $16.65MM in guarantees, including locked in base salaries for the next two seasons. Godchaux is on the books through 2026.
Expectations will therefore be high for the former Dolphin, who has collected between 56 and 65 tackles in each of his three Patriots campaigns. Godchaux has served as a full-time starter in New England throughout his tenure with the team, and that will likely remain the case moving forward. His extension process illustrates the willingness shown by Wolf and Co. to keep several members of the previous regime’s core in place along with how close team and player were in this case to reaching agreement on a deal before training camp began.
WR Kadarius Toney On Chiefs’ Roster Bubble
After an offseason featuring a number of moves made at the receiver position, questions remain with respect to the future of Chiefs wideout Kadarius Toney. The former trade acquisition is in a much different situation now than he was this time last offseason. 
[RELATED: Chiefs Agree To Record-Breaking Extension With C Creed Humphrey]
Toney’s performance in Super Bowl LVII led to high expectations ahead of the 2023 campaign. Instead, the 2021 first-rounder struggled when on the field and found himself a healthy scratch midway through the season and into the playoffs. That stretch included accusations of the team lying about his health situation, but he remains in the fold for at least the immediate future.
Kansas City declined Toney’s 2025 fifth-year option, making him a pending free agent. The 25-year-old’s market will be dictated by his ability to stay on the field and deliver on the potential he has flashed at times during his NFL tenure. Toney was known to be a release candidate earlier this offseason, however, and head coach Andy Reid‘s latest comments on him confirm his roster spot is far from a guarantee,
“We went through last year with him, so we kind of know who he is,” Reid said in press conference following Kansas City’s preseason finale (video link). “He’s a talented kid. He’s in a battle to make the team and all that bit, but we’ve never questioned the talent there. Him staying healthy was the main thing.”
The defending champions added Marquise Brown in free agency and Xavier Worthy on Day 1 of the draft. They are positioned to occupy notable roles in Kansas City’s passing attack, and the same will likely be true of Rashee Rice once he is available to the team (which may end being as early as Week 1). Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson are also in place as depth receiver options.
While trying to find a role for Toney, the Florida alum has seen time at running back this summer. Reid’s remarks make Toney’s status one to watch closely as roster cutdowns loom, but at this point it would come as little surprise if he were to find himself on a new team come the fall.
Panthers Open To Extending CB Jaycee Horn; No Talks Ongoing
After being selected eighth overall in 2021, Jaycee Horn faced considerable expectations. The Panthers corner has struggled to stay on the field, though, and as a result his ability to land a long-term extension will depend greatly on his health and performance this year. 
Horn played 13 games in 2022, but injuries limited him to a total of nine contests in his other two NFL campaigns. The 24-year-old could have entered the coming season as a pending free agent, but Carolina elected to pick up his fifth-year option. That decision has him on track to earn $12.47MM in 2025, but a multi-year commitment could carry a higher price tag if Horn were to deliver a healthy and productive campaign.
ESPN’s David Newton reports, to little surprise, the South Carolina product has not approached the Panthers about an extension; likewise, the team has not initiated talks on a new deal. Horn remains in Carolina’s long-term plans, however, as Newton adds the team is “preparing to pay top dollar” to keep him in place over the long term. That stance could, of course, be altered by another injury-marred season. Horn is aware he could land a contract near the top of his position’s market if things fall into place.
“I see what a lot of these other top corners are doing,” he said (via Newton). “I feel I’m capable of doing the same thing. I’ve just got to be on the field. If I’m out there all year, I’ll be able to say I’m one of the top.”
Horn has totaled four interceptions and 13 pass deflections to date. He has produced strong statistics in terms of completion percentage and passer rating allowed, and PFF has highly rated his coverage skills. Especially with Donte Jackson no longer in the fold (after he was traded to the Steelers for Diontae Johnson), Horn will be counted on as an anchor of Carolina’s secondary moving forward. The Panthers added Dane Jackson in free agency, but a hamstring injury threatens to land him on injured reserve to begin the campaign.
Jackson’s ailment left the Panthers in need of depth ahead of Week 1, which drove yesterday’s acquisition of Michael Jackson via a trade with the Seahawks. While Jackson has starting experience, plenty of attention will be placed on Horn’s situation in 2024. Remaining on the field could pave the way for a big-ticket contract, but team and player will allow things to play out before serious extension talks commence.
Eagles Acquire WR Jahan Dotson From Commanders
An intra-divisional trade is set to provide Jahan Dotson with a change of scenery. The former first-round receiver is being dealt from the Commanders to the Eagles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The deal has now been confirmed by the teams. 
Here are the full trade terms, with details from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:
Eagles receive:
- Dotson
- 2025 fifth-round pick
Commanders receive:
- The higher of Philadelphia’s two 2025 third-round selections
- The lowest two of Philadelphia’s four 2025 seventh-round picks
Dotson entered the league with high expectations as a deep threat. The Penn State alum averaged 15 yards per catch in college and racked up 20 receiving touchdowns across his final two campaigns with the school. During his first two seasons with Washington, he served as a full-time starter and received 144 total targets. Dotson has struggled with consistency, recording a catch percentage of just 58.3%.
The 24-year-old posted 523 and 518 yards in his Commanders campaigns, although he totaled 11 touchdowns in that span. Despite having two years left on his rookie contract (with the potential for another via the fifth-year option), the Commanders are electing to move on. Of course, the organization’s power brokers (owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn) are not the ones who were in place when Dotson was drafted.
Washington has Terry McLaurin comfortably atop the receiver depth, and the Pro Bowler is on the books for the next two years. Questions have been raised about who will take on the other starting spots in 2024, however, and Dotson’s heavy usage in the first week of the preseason suggested the Commanders would be open to dealing him. Trade interest picked up in recent days, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post confirms. The team will now move forward with an ongoing WR2 competition while newly-signed veteran Martavis Bryant aims to earn a 53-man roster spot.
For Dotson, a spot in the top two of the wideout pecking order is not attainable. The Eagles have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith attached to new deals worked out this offseason; Brown sits second in receiver AAV while Smith is currently ninth. The No. 3 role has been up for grabs during the offseason, though, and Dotson will have the chance to earn it during the final weeks before Week 1.
Philadelphia’s search for depth included the addition of Parris Campbell and John Ross. Both players’ skillsets profile them as a potential deep threat, so Dotson (who has averaged 12.3 yards per catch in the NFL) will have competition from those two, along with the likes of rookies Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith. The winner of the WR3 competition will also have to deal with tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Saquon Barkley while looking for targets, of course.
A decision on Dotson’s fifth-year option will need to be made after this coming season. How he performs with his new team will dictate his financial future, and it will be interesting to see how he fits in with Philadelphia. The Commanders, meanwhile, will turn their attention further to receiver options added by the new regime.