Saints Release QB Nathan Peterman
The Saints have trimmed their quarterback depth chart. The team announced on Friday that veteran Nathan Peterman has been released. 
Peterman has been in the NFL since 2017, but he has made just 15 appearances in his career. Four his five starts came during his first two Bills campaigns, and he has bounced on and off the practice squads of the Raiders and Bills since then.
The 30-year-old joined the Saints in March to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. New Orleans already has Derek Carr in place as the starter along with 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener and fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler, however. The latter two have spent the offseason battling for the QB2 role, and that competition will no doubt continue through the rest of training camp and into the preseason. As a vested veteran, Peterman will not be subject to waivers.
The former fifth-rounder will be able to join a new team in a bid to latch onto a roster spot during cutdowns at the end of the summer. He will otherwise be a candidate for taxi squad spot upon a potential return to New Orleans. Teams will have unlimited elevations for signal-callers to dress as their emergency No. 3 quarterback in 2024. The runner-up in the Haener-Rattler competition will of course be a strong candidate to serve in that capacity, though.
To fill the roster spot created by Peterman’s release – a move which will create a dead money charge of $80K, the guaranteed figure in his veteran minimum pact – the Saints signed wideout Samson Nacua. The brother of last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Puka Nacua, Samson initially entered the NFL as a Colts UDFA in 2022. He failed to make the roster and spent the past two seasons playing spring football in the USFL and UFL. Now, the 26-year-old will attempt to carve out a depth spot in New Orleans’ WR room.
Steve Belichick Addresses Patriots Departure
Bill Belichick is no longer in place with the Patriots, and his sons took varied approaches with respect to their football futures. Brian Belichick is still on New England’s staff as safeties coach, but his brother Steve departed the NFL coaching ranks this offseason. 
The latter took the defensive coordinator job at Washington in February. That move allowed him to reunite with Jedd Fisch after the pair previously worked together in New England. Fisch is now head coach of the Huskies, a team which made it to the CFP national title game last season. Enjoying a strong campaign in a coordinator role will help Belichick’s stock for another college gig or one allowing him to return to the pro ranks.
In the wake of Bill Belichick being succeeded by Jerod Mayo, both of his sons were offered the opportunity to stay on for the 2024 campaign. Keeping that in mind, it is notable Steve Belichick did not originally intend to leave the organization. His latest comments on the matter confirm he preferred to remain in New England for at least one more season.
“I wasn’t eager to leave [the Patriots] or anything like that,” Belichick told The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (subscription required). “You just keep your options open. Stuff happens. We all have different reasons for [taking different jobs], but it just felt right.”
Steve Belichick did not have the official title of defensive coordinator on his father’s staff after the departure of Matt Patricia, but he served as New England’s primary defensive play-caller over the past four seasons. DC DeMarcus Covington will handle those duties in 2024, the first season in which he calls plays at the NFL level. Covington will have plenty of familiar faces to work with given the efforts made this offseason to retain and extend defensive players, but his performance will be a key factor in determining the team’s success on that side of the ball.
For Belichick, meanwhile, his ability to handle coordinator duties in college will impact his coaching stock and thus his ability to return to the pro ranks if he so chooses. His next position may not come in New England, but his reflections on the offseason suggest he is satisfied with where things currently stand.
“It kind of happened organically,” Belichick added of his departure. “It’s cool to be out here [in Washington]. It’s weird how it happened. Everything fell into place, and I’m pumped to be out here.”
Latest On Ravens’ RT Competition
The lost both starting guards during free agency this offseason. The departures of Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson, coupled with the trade sending right tackle Morgan Moses back to the Jets, has created three vacancies for first-team roles up front. 
One of Baltimore’s top priorities for the summer has been evaluating options at both guard positions and the right tackle spot. Plenty is still to be determined along the interior, but the favorites to start at RT appear to be in place. Veteran Patrick Mekari – who has experience stepping in at all five O-line spots – has received the majority of training camp snaps at right tackle, but second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten also got an extended look with the starters recently.
“I thought Roger has been doing well,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Thursday, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required). “I thought he deserved a shot with the ones, you saw him get a shot with the ones today. So, we’ll just keep working through that and let it play out.”
Rosengarten had a strong college career playing on the right side at Washington. That entailed protecting the blindside of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., meaning he could one day transition to the left tackle spot in the NFL. That role belongs – for at least one more season – to Ronnie Stanley, so Rosengarten will keep his attention focused on right tackle. He has previously been named as a candidate to start at some point during the season, but a strong showing during the summer could put him on track to handle first-duties as early as Week 1 and allow the team to keep Mekari in place as a sixth lineman.
A separate Zrebiec piece notes that free agent addition Josh Jones, meanwhile, is likely slated for a backup role in 2024. The former Cardinal and Texan has started along the interior and also at tackle, but being out of contention for first-team responsibilities is another sign Rosengarten could get the nod early in his rookie campaign. It also represents further indication 2023 seventh-rounder Andrew Vorhees is a strong candidate to start at left guard and that 2022 fourth-rounder Daniel Faalele will be given considerable opportunities to win the right guard spot.
Jets Host WR Jarvis Landry
Jarvis Landry is aiming to return to NFL action in 2024, but he has yet to find a deal. The former Pro Bowl receiver visited the Jets this week, as noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. 
Landry last played in 2022 during his tenure with the Saints. He only managed nine appearances with New Orleans, though, and he was out of the league for all of last season. The 31-year-old took part in Jacksonville’s rookie minicamp this spring in a bid to land a Jaguars deal, but no agreement occurred. With training camps well underway, he remains unsigned.
New York still has Garrett Wilson atop the receiver depth chart, and the 2022 first-rounder is poised to remain the focal point of the team’s passing attack. The Jets used free agency to add a veteran deep threat in the form of Mike Williams, signing him to a one-year, $10MM deal. He, alongside third-round rookie Malachi Corley, is set to take on a notable role in 2024.
Landy would spend the rest of training camp on the Jets or any other interested team fighting for a depth spot on the roster. The former second-rounder was one of the league’s best slot receivers early in his career, earning a Pro Bowl nod in five consecutive years straddling his time in Miami and Cleveland. He received at least 101 targets during each of his first seven seasons, but his final Browns campaign (2021) marked the start of a decline in production. Expectations would no doubt be low for Landry if he were to find a deal before Week 1.
The Jets currently have just under $20MM in cap space, more than enough flexibility to afford an addition to the receiving corps. Landry will not be an expensive option given his missed time and limited production recently, and his ability to land a deal will no doubt depend in large part on his showing during his workout.
Giants WR Darius Slayton Changes Agents
Darius Slayton‘s 2024 future is not believed to be in doubt, but he recently made a move with his upcoming free agency in mind. The Giants wideout is now represented by Athletes First, per an announcement from his new representatives. 
[RELATED: Giants Owner John Mara Still Supports Daniel Jones Contract]
Slayton signed a two-year deal in 2022 to remain in New York. The 27-year-old has played with the Giants for each of his five seasons, leading the team in receiving four times. He remained absent from spring practices while aiming for a contract adjustment, and he received it in the form of incentives being added for 2024.
In spite of that, Slayton would have been on board with a trade out of New York. The Giants drafted Malik Nabers at No. 6 overall, adding further to their recent investments in rookies at the receiver position. Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt are also set to take on notable roles in the team’s passing game. If Slayton’s spot in the WR pecking order was under serious threat, he would have welcomed a change of scenery.
However, New York has not given thought to a trade at any point. Slayton has received at least 71 targets four times in his career, and he set a new personal mark in receiving yards (770) last season. The presence of Nabers and any development from the Giants’ recent draftees could limit his playing time to a degree, but Slayton should remain a key member of the team’s offense for at least one more campaign
The receiver market witnessed another major jump this offseason, with the top of the market reaching $35MM per season. Slayton will not approach that figure on his next contract, regardless of how well he performs in 2024. Still, his value will be determined in large part by his showing this year as quarterback Daniel Jones and Co. look to deliver a much-needed step forward on offense. When Slayton next hits free agency, he will have a spent a full campaign with new representation.
49ers Sign OL Pat Elflein
The 49ers have added experienced depth along the interior of their offensive line. Pat Elflein was signed on Friday, per a team announcement. He was among the players who visited San Francisco for a recent workout, as noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. 
Elflein has started all but one of his 65 career games, and players with his level of experience in a first-team role rarely last deep into the summer on the free agent market. In his case, though, it comes as little surprise he has needed to wait until August to find a new deal. The 30-year-old missed all of last season with his latest injury troubles, something which has marred much of his career.
Beginning his NFL tenure in Minnesota, Elflein avoided any significant missed time from 2017-19. In the years since then, however, he has struggled to remain on the field. The former third-rounder played six games with the Jets in 2020 before landing a three-year, $13.5MM deal with the Panthers in free agency. Elflein saw time as a starter at both center and left guard in Carolina, but he was only available for 15 games across his two seasons there.
The Ohio State product was released by the Panthers with one year remaining on his pact, setting up a one-year Cardinals deal last offseason. By August, Elfien found himself on injured reserve, however, sidelining him for the campaign. Considering his missed time, today’s deal will contain little (if any) guaranteed money.
San Francisco has Jake Brendel in place at the center spot. He has served as the team’s full-time starter in the middle for each of the past two years, and that should continue in 2024. At guard, Aaron Banks remains in place on the left while a competition between Spencer Burford, Jon Feliciano and Dominick Puni continues for the right guard spot. Elfien will aim to carve out a depth role with the 49ers at either the center or guard positions. In a corresponding move, fellow O-lineman Briason Mays was waived.
Cowboys Seeking DT Addition
The Cowboys hosted several veteran edge rushers yesterday, and in two cases that effort produced an agreement. Both Al-Quadin Muhammad and Shaka Toney landed Dallas deals following a succesful workout. 
Those additions will provide the team with depth at the defensive end spot in the wake of Sam Williams‘ ACL tear. The Cowboys are still interested in making moves in the front seven during the summer, however. COO Stephen Jones informed Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Dallas is seeking help at the defensive tackle spot.
2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith did not have a strong rookie season, and plenty of attention will be aimed at his ability to develop this season. The Michigan product logged a snap share of just 28% last year, but he could take on a larger workload moving forward. The Cowboys do not have a big-ticket contract on the books at the moment after watching Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore depart in free agency.
Dallas still rosters 2021 third-rounder Osa Odighizuwa, veteran Carl Davis as well as rookies Justin Rogers and Denzel Daxon along the defensive interior. Odighizuwa has started all but four of his 50 career games, and he enters 2024 as a pending free agent with the potential to help his market value with another consistent season. The team will be aiming to improve against the run in 2024, and Smith taking a step forward would be critical in that effort.
The Cowboys entered Friday with just over $12MM in cap space. That figure will change once the Muhammad and Toney deals are official and if/when any extensions for Dak Prescott or CeeDee Lamb are worked out. A modest addition could still be made at the DT spot, though, and it will be interesting to see if Dallas lines up any visits with the remaining free agents at the position.
Tyreek Hill: Dolphins Contract Talks ‘Positive Right Now’
Tua Tagovailoa‘s extension is in place, leaving Tyreek Hill‘s contract as a key financial priority remaining for the Dolphins to address. The latter is aiming to use the latest surge in the receiver market to secure a raise, although he is not interested in a trade taking place to make it possible. 
Hill has been taking part in training camp while negotiations between agent Drew Rosenhaus and Dolphins continue. No deal is considered imminent at this point, but progress could be taking place based on Hill’s latest comments. The five-time All-Pro spoke about where things currently stand, and contract talks appear to be headed in a positive direction.
“I know it’s gonna come,” Hill said of an extension (video link via David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). “Whenever it happens. My agent is doing his thing, I just got done having a conversation with him. Conversations are positive right now, so we’re gonna keep it positive. Right now, I’m gonna keep practicing every day trying to help this team win games.”
Three years remain on Hill’s current deal, but no guaranteed salary is in place after 2024. The final season of the pact includes a $43.9MM salary (and $56.31MM cap hit) which has long led to the presumption an adjustment of some kind would take place before that point. Miami has already handed out a $28.25MM-per-year extension to fellow wideout Jaylen Waddle this offseason, moving him into fifth in the league for AAV at the position. Hill currently sits fourth at $30MM.
Tagovailoa’s extension is one of several quarterback mega-deals worked out over the past two years, and as expected he is now among the signal-callers attached to an AAV above $50MM. He and Waddle are set to remain foundational members of the team’s offense for years to come with their respective pacts, but Hill’s outlook will be determined by whatever arrangement (if any) is worked out in the near future. The 30-year-old hopes to finish his career in Miami.
Hill has topped 1,700 receiving yards in both of his Dolphins campaigns, and he is positioned to once again be a contender to lead the league in production through the air in 2024. It remains to be seen if he will have a new contract in place by Week 1, but his latest remarks suggest an agreement could be reached relatively soon.
Browns RB D’Onta Foreman Hospitalized
1:05pm: X-rays and a CT scan have both come back negative, per the team’s latest update on Foreman’s situation. He is expected to be released from hospital later this afternoon as a result.
11:07pm: Browns practice produced a frightening scene on Thursday. Running back D’Onta Foreman was taken to hospital after suffering a neck injury. 
“During practice today, Browns RB D’Onta Foreman sustained a direct blow to the head that resulted in neck pain,” a team statement reads. “The Browns athletic training staff deployed their standard emergency action procedures to immobilize Foreman. He was taken to an ambulance and is being transported via helicopter to a Medical Center in Roanoke, VA to undergo further medical evaluation. Foreman had movement in all his extremities.”
Veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson adds Foreman is alert, an encouraging sign for his status. The 28-year-old has spent the offseason competing for a roster spot in a Browns backfield which will likely not have Nick Chubb available at the start of the season. Foreman signed a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum in March in a bid to play for a fifth career team.
He and Pierre Strong entered camp in danger of being cut as Cleveland proceeds with the likes of Jerome Ford and Nyheim Hines in the backfield while awaiting Chubb’s return. Foreman is a veteran of 52 games, with his best campaign coming as a member of the Panthers in 2022. He rushed for 914 yards and five touchdowns that year, but he logged a much smaller workload last season in Chicago.
Ford is positioned to handle lead back duties until Chubb is healthy, and Hines has established himself as a capable pass-catching and returner option. With those backs seemingly locks for a roster spot, missed time will be critical in Foreman’s case. His progress in recovering from today’s injury will be worth watching closely as he hopes to avoid any serious ailment to his head or neck.
Steelers Re-Sign OLB Markus Golden
Markus Golden is back in the fold for the Steelers. The veteran edge rusher re-signed with Pittsburgh on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Golden was released by the Cardinals last offseason after a disappointing campaign. The 33-year-old recorded just 2.5 sacks in 2022 after reaching double-digits for the third time in his career the previous season. He took a one-year Steelers contract shortly after hitting free agency in the spring, weighing offers from other suitors in the process.
No assurances were made with respect to Golden’s playing time in Pittsburgh, an unsurprising acknowledgement from the Missouri alum considering the presence of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith along the edge. Golden made 16 appearances during his debut Steelers campaign, but he logged only 230 defensive snaps. Despite that limited role, he managed to post four sacks and ten QB hits.
Watt and Highsmith are still in place atop the depth chart, so Golden will likely handle a similar workload if he makes the 53-man roster out of training camp this time around. Pittsburgh did not have an experienced edge rusher aside from the starters prior to today’s Golden reunion. A veteran of 127 games, the former second-rounder will spend the coming weeks getting back up to speed with a familiar defense.
Golden started Pittsburgh’s wild-card loss with Watt out of the lineup through injury. Missed time on the latter’s part or Highsmith’s could pave the way for first-team responsibilities. For now, though, Golden will aim to secure the rotational role he held last year as he prepares for a 10th career season.