Lions GM Brad Holmes Addresses Jared Goff Extension Negotiations
Jared Goff remains a key financial priority for the Lions, but no new deal is in place for the team’s franchise passer. When speaking about the status of contract talks Thursday, general manager Brad Holmes expressed confidence an agreement will be reached, however. 
“First and foremost, he’s earned an extension,” Holmes said during an appearance on WXYT-FM (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “It’s important, it’s a high priority for us and both sides are working really, really hard and these things just take time.”
As Goff confirmed last month, talks on an extension are ongoing. Detroit worked out mega-deals with a pair of offensive cornerstones by inking wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell to extensions. A Goff agreement has not followed, though, and a recent report on the latter front indicated team and player are not close on contract talks. Holmes admitted it would have been ideal to have a Goff deal in place by now, but he added the financial implications of one have been budgeted for.
“The whole process of budgeting and preparation and all that, that kind of goes into it, we’ve been preparing for a while,” Holmes said. “And look, in a perfect world, we’d have had all three of them done, bang, bang, bang, but these things just kind of take a while, especially with the quarterback market. But I do have faith that it’s going to get done.”
Four quarterbacks reached the $50MM-per-year mark last offseason (Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts). Any or all of Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence and Tua Tagovailoa could join that group in the near future. At 29, though, Goff’s age represents a complicating factor; his next deal will not be an extension coming off his rookie contract (as is the case for most ascending passers).
As things stand, Goff is due $27.3MM in 2024 and his cap hit stands at $32.3MM. The former figure will be much higher on a new pact, while the latter could be lowered depending on the structure of the agreement. In any case, the former Rams No. 1 pick clearly remains his second team’s projected starter for years to come despite the presence of Hendon Hooker as a potential successor. With the draft in the books and the St. Brown and Sewell extensions finalized, Detroit’s attention for the remainder of the offseason can turn squarely to the Goff front.
Rams To Waive WR Ben Skowronek
As teams around the NFL continue to churn out the bottom of their offseason rosters, Ben Skowronek is set to see his time in Los Angeles come to an end. The former seventh-round wide receiver will be waived, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. 
Skowronek joined the team in 2021, and during his rookie campaign he played all-but exclusively on special teams. Things changed the following season with respect to his playing time, however. Skowronek logged an offensive snap share of 82% in 2022, a season in which the Rams dealt with a number of injuries on both sides of the ball. He totaled 376 scoreless yards on 39 receptions.
Los Angeles had Cooper Kupp available for 12 games this past season, and he and standout rookie Puka Nacua formed an effective receiver tandem. That relegated Skowronek back to a rotational role on offense, although his special teams abilities gave him a heavy third phase workload. The 26-year-old was a team captain in 2023, but this move will bring an end to his Rams tenure.
Skowronek had one year remaining on his rookie contract, and a release will save the Rams just over $1MM in cap space. Los Angeles entered Thursday with $11.3MM in breathing space, although a portion of that will be required to sign the team’s rookie class. Moving on from Skowronek will create a bit more flexibility for late offseason additions.
If he clears waivers, the Notre Dame product will now be free to join a new team as many veterans seek out deals in the post-draft wave of free agency. Skowronek’s limited production will hurt his market, but his experience and blocking abilities could lead to interest from teams seeking out WR depth.
Patriots T Calvin Anderson Missed Time In 2023 Due To Malaria
The Patriots added Calvin Anderson as insurance at the offensive tackle spots last offseason. However, he wound up missing much of the 2023 campaign after being placed on the NFI list during the preseason. 
Through to the opening of the season and into November – when Anderson was placed on injured reserve – it was unclear why he unavailable during the summer. As it turns out, though, the 28-year-old was sidelined as he was recovering from malaria. Anderson contracted the illness during a trip to Nigeria, as detailed by Christopher Price of the Boston Globe.
Upon return from the offseason trip in late July – one which Anderson and his wife (who is of Nigerian descent) have made for years – the former UDFA began experiencing symptoms. Rather than beginning training camp along the same timeline as his teammates, Anderson was briefly hospitalized. While he managed to suit up for five of the first six games of the season, his lack of conditioning hindered his performance.
Anderson then suffered a heart contusion in practice, an issue not believed to be related to his bout with malaria. In all, he sat out the final 11 weeks of the campaign, which marked the first half of the two-year, $7MM deal he signed. Ahead of the 2024 season, an adjustment was made to the remainder of the pact; Anderson agreed to a restructure which lowered his base compensation for the year and reduced his cap hit by $990K (h/t ESPN’s Field Yates).
As a result, Anderson is now due a base salary of $1.26MM in 2024. He is projected to serve in a swing tackle role with free agent signing Chukwuma Okorafor in line to start at left tackle and Michael Onwenu set to continue at the right tackle spot he occupied in Anderson’s absence last season. The latter’s ability to suit up for a full season will be an interesting storyline to follow.
As Price notes, there are no previous recorded cases of NFL players contracting malaria. Anderson thus made history last year by managing to play in a limited capacity upon recovery, and remaining healthy throughout the 2024 season could put him in contention for the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Titans, WR Tyler Boyd Agree To Deal
Tyler Boyd‘s free agency is set to come to an end. The veteran wideout has agreed to a one-year deal with the Titans, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. 
This agreement has a maximum value of $4.5MM, Fowler adds. Boyd is the latest receiver to find a new home in the post-draft wave of free agency, after the likes of Michael Gallup, DJ Chark and Odell Beckham Jr. signed deals of their own last week. This agreement will allow Boyd to continue working with Brian Callahan.
The latter worked alongside Boyd during his time as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator before taking on Tennessee’s head coaching gig this offseason. His debut season at the helm of the Titans will include a familiar face operating in the slot. Boyd – who included the Titans on his list of free agent visits – had spent his entire eight-year career in Cincinnati prior to today’s news.
With Tee Higgins in need of the franchise tag (and/or a long-term extension) and Ja’Marr Chase set to receive one of the league’s most lucrative receiver deals in the near future, though, signs have long pointed to Boyd heading elsewhere this offseason. The 29-year-old was reported to have a mutual interest in a deal sending him to his hometown Steelers, but the sides could not find common ground on contract terms. That left him free to pursue deals with other teams, and a number of potential suitors emerged.
Tennessee already made a massive investment at the receiver position this offseason, prying Calvin Ridley away from the Jaguars and Patriots. The former first-rounder landed a four-year, $92MM featuring almost $47MM guaranteed at signing. The Ridley addition, in turn, came just one year after the Titans added DeAndre Hopkins; the latter is under contract for one more season. The team also has 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks in the fold, but Boyd will look to compete for a starting role.
The former second-rounder topped 800 yards each season between 2018-21, twice eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark during that span. With Chase and Higgins taking on a major share in the Bengals’ passing game, though, Boyd has seen his usage and production decline in recent years. In 2023, he posted 667 yards, the second-lowest total of his career in a full season. The low cost of this Titans deal illustrates how his market was viewed around the league.
A strong season from Boyd will help his chances of landing a more lucrative accord next offseason, but for now he will turn his attention to serving as a dependable complementary option for quarterback Will Levis. Tennessee also hosted wideout Zay Jones yesterday, but this Boyd deal will likely take them out of the running for further free agent additions.
Ravens Notes: Rosengarten, Leary, Wiggins
Offensive line was seen as an area of need for the Ravens entering the draft. Baltimore lost starting guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson in free agency, and the team traded away right tackle Morgan Moses.
The team elected against adding an O-lineman in the first round, selecting cornerback Nate Wiggins instead. In the second round, however, the Ravens added Washington tackle Roger Rosengarten. He was one of several highly-regarded blockers in the 2024 class, though it did not come as a surprise he was still on the board following Day 1. Rosengarten could nevertheless see immediate playing time as a rookie.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after the draft Rosengarten – who did not allow a sack over the past two seasons – will be “in the mix” for the starting right tackle spot this offseason. The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec writes he could be the favorite for the position (subscription required). Baltimore has incumbents Patrick Mekari and Daniel Faalele as well as free agent signing Josh Jones in place as competition. After protecting southpaw Michael Penix Jr.‘s blindside in college, Rosengarten could also be a candidate to succeed Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley down the road.
Here are some other notes out of Baltimore:
- The Ravens were among the teams which drafted a depth quarterback on Day 3, selecting Devin Leary in the sixth round. The NC State transfer did not help his stock during his single season at Kentucky, and nine other passers were drafted ahead of him. Leary will compete for the third-string spot in Baltimore; after losing Tyler Huntley in free agency, Harbaugh said (via Zrebiec) that journeyman Josh Johnson is the team’s Lamar Jackson backup. Leary’s primary competitor will be Malik Cunningham, who faces the possibility of transitioning to receiver with the Ravens. Baltimore signed Emory Jones as a UDFA yesterday, giving the team five QBs at the moment.
- Offensive lineman (and starting guard candidate) Andrew Vorhees missed his rookie season as he recovered from an ACL tear. The 2023 seventh-rounder returned to the practice field this weekend, though, with Harbaugh noting he is in a good spot regarding his recovery (h/t ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). Fifth-round rookie running back Rasheen Ali, meanwhile, will participate in the team’s rookie minicamp on a limited basis. Harbaugh said (via Zrebiec) Ali is expected to be healthy by training camp as he rehabs a torn bicep suffered at the Senior Bowl.
- Wiggins is among the Ravens rookies who have already signed their initial NFL contracts. That $12.82MM deal includes a signing bonus of $6.14MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Baltimore turned down eight trade offers for the No. 30 pick, electing to retain it and select Wiggins. The Clemson product will no doubt be counted on heavily in his rookie season and beyond.
WR Zay Jones To Visit Titans, Cardinals
MAY 7: Interest in Jones is not limited to Tennessee. The Cardinals will host him today, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher report. Arizona lost Marquise Brown in free agency, replacing him in part with the trade acquisition of Rondale Moore along with the signings of Mack Wilson and Chris Moore. Of course, the Cardinals also made a major draft investment at the WR spot by selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall.
Jones could aim to play at least a depth role with the Cardinals if his Titans summit does not produce a favorable offer. As Schultz adds, however, “a few other teams” could have Jones on their radar. His market will be interesting to monitor in the coming days.
MAY 6: Zay Jones was let go by the Jaguars last week, but he could remain in the AFC South for the 2024 campaign. The veteran wideout is set to visit the Titans later today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
[RELATED: Titans To Host WR Tyler Boyd]
Jones spent the past two seasons in Jacksonville following his stints with the Bills and Raiders. The 29-year-old had the most productive campaign of his career in terms of receptions and yards in 2021, posting an 82-823-5 statline. His production saw a notable drop-off during the 2023 season, though, one in which injuries limited him to only nine games.
With new additions being made at the receiver spot both in free agency and the draft, it came as little surprise when the Jags moved on from Jones. He is now free to sign with any interested team, and plenty of movement has taken place at the receiver position in recent days. Michael Gallup, DJ Chark and Odell Beckham Jr. have each signed one-year deals, thinning out the remaining options amongst veteran pass-catchers.
Tennessee hired Nick Holz as offensive coordinator this offseason, a move which followed his one-year stint with the Jaguars. Holz served as Jacksonville’s passing game coordinator in 2023, so he would be a familiar face for Jones. The latter inked a three-year, $24MM pact during his last trip to free agency, but a much less lucrative pact no doubt awaits him on his next team.
The Titans were the beneficiary of Calvin Ridley not re-signing with the Jaguars as many expected. The former first-rounder landed a four-year, $92MM deal including nearly $47MM guaranteed at signing to head to Nashville. Ridley will join DeAndre Hopkins and the likes of Treylon Burks and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as key members of Tennessee’s passing game this season. Jones could look to carve out a roster spot during the summer if today’s visit produces an agreement.
Quentin Harris Declines Patriots’ Interview Request
With the Patriots’ search for a lead executive underway, updates continue to emerge with respect to names the team has shown interest in. New England has once again not been able to line up an interview with the latest candidate linked to the position, however.
Longtime Cardinals executive Quentin Harris turned down an interview request from the Patriots, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Harris has been on the general manager radar in the past, and he is free to join any team’s front office at this time. He and the Cardinals parted ways in February.
That ended Harris’ tenure in Arizona, one which began in 2008. Working his way through the organization, the 47-year-old most recently held the title of VP of player personnel. Harris served as co-GM at the end of the 2022 season and he interviewed for Arizona’s full-time gig before it ultimately went to Monti Ossenfort. Outside interest was shown as well, with the Giants speaking with Harris in 2022 and the Titans doing the same last offseason.
Harris would have represented an experienced front office staffer for New England, albeit one without previous time spent as a GM. The Patriots have relied on Eliot Wolf to handle roster-building moves so far this offseason, one which has seen a number of key decisions made. While Wolf is a candidate for the full-time general manager position (in responsibility if not in title), the organization remains committed to meeting with other options before making a final decision.
A report from Monday indicated New England has already satisfied the Rooney Rule with respect to interviewing minority candidates. The only other staffer who has been connected to the position so far, however, is Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown. Like Harris, Brown turned down an interview request from the Patriots, so it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds moving forward.
CB Greg Newsome Eyeing Long-Term Browns Agreement; No Extension Talks Ongoing
Greg Newsome‘s name came up in trade rumors this offseason, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry made it clear before the draft the team would not consider moving him. Shortly thereafter, Cleveland made a short-term commitment to the former first-round corner. 
As expected, Newsome had his fifth-year option picked up. That decision locks him into a guaranteed salary of $13.38MM for 2025 – a steep raise compared to the value of his rookie pact. Still, a second contract would likely come in at a higher rate, something which would be a complicated investment on Cleveland’s part. The team already has Denzel Ward on the books at $20.1MM per year, and fellow corner Martin Emerson Jr. will be eligible for his own extension next offseason.
Nevertheless, Newsome is interested in remaining with the Browns for years to come. The 23-year-old enjoyed a career year in 2023, playing a key role on the team’s elite defense. Newsome recorded his first two interceptions, adding 14 pass breakups and 49 tackles. The Northwestern product also allowed a 74.8 passer rating in coverage, the best mark of his NFL tenure to date. He is hoping to parlay that success into a multi-year agreement, though no discussions on that front have taken place yet.
“Extension-wise, we haven’t really talked about that,” Newsome said, via Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. “Honestly, I’m just focused on trying to get us as high as we can this year and whatever happens after that happens. But like I said before, I would love to be a Cleveland Brown for life.”
Cleveland led the league in passing yards against last season (165), and the Ward-Emerson-Newsome trio will again be counted on to play a major part in the team’s success on defense in 2024. The latter’s long-term status will be worth watching, though, and it will be interesting to see if his desire to remain in place for years to come is reciprocated by the team.
Latest On Colts’ Secondary
The Colts have been busy with respect to retaining their own this offseason. Efforts on that front included re-signing safety Julian Blackmon well into free agency on a one-year deal. 
Blackmon was connected to a few outside suitors, but despite that interest the 25-year-old’s contract checked in at a base value of $3.2MM. The deal can reach up to $7.7MM, but its short-term nature illustrates the nature of the safety market around the league. The build-up to free agency saw several veteran producers at the position released in cost-shedding moves, something which no doubt limited the former second-rounder’s earning power with the Colts.
“I think it was something similar to how it was for the running backs a year ago,” Blackmon said of the financial landscape at the safety position when reflecting on his Indianapolis agreement (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder). “It just kind of shows you that you got to always be prepared for anything.”
Blackmon had a career year in 2023 (four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 88 tackles) and a repeat of his performance will help his value on a new deal. He is assured of a starting spot on the backend of the Colts’ defense in 2024; likewise, fellow re-signee Kenny Moore is a lock at the slot corner position moving forward. Aside from those two, however, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star notes competition is open for first-team spots.
Julius Brents, Jaylon Jones and Dallis Flowers will spend the offseason competing for playing time at the perimeter corner positions. At free safety, Rodney Thomas, Nick Cross and Daniel Scott are the top in-house options. The lack of established starters in the secondary led many to believe cornerback and/or safety would a position of emphasis during the draft. However, Indianapolis waited until well into Day 3 to add rookies to the mix (safeties Jaylon Carlies and Jaylin Simpson in the fifth round, along with corner Micah Abraham in the sixth).
With plenty of uncertainty on the depth chart for now, Holder writes the Colts could be in the market for a veteran free agent capable of supplying reinforcements in the secondary. Indianapolis fared better against the pass than the run last season, but the team’s defense ranked 28th in points allowed. Adding on the backend could help the unit take a step forward and in turn improve the team’s chances of making the postseason in 2024.
Steelers Considering Justin Fields As Kick Returner?
The Steelers moved quickly in the wake of the NFL’s new kick return rules being approved. Pittsburgh added Cordarrelle Patterson on a two-year deal, and his return skills played a central role in the team’s interest. 
Under the new format, however, teams may line up a pair of returners on a play, so multiple options could be in play for the Steelers. An unlikely scenario – albeit one which appears to be under consideration – could see backup quarterback Justin Fields used as a return man. The idea has been brought up by Pittsburgh special teams coordinator Danny Smith.
“[Smith] was talking about Justin Fields being back there,” running back Jaylen Warren said during an appearance on teammate Cameron Heyward‘s Not Just Football podcast. “We’re like, ‘Hold up, hold up.’ We looked at him like, ‘Justin Fields is about to be back there?’ I don’t know. I think it’s cool” (h/t ESPN’s Brooke Pryor).
Fields is among the most athletic quarterbacks in the NFL, and his rushing ability was on full display during his time with the Bears. One of the goals of the new kickoff alignment was to make the play safer, meaning returners could face a lower injury risk than in years past. Still, using Fields – currently set to operate as Pittsburgh’s backup quarterback, albeit one who is believed to be in the team’s post-2024 plans – on special teams would constitute quite the surprise.
Both Pryor and Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (subscription required) note it is unlikely Fields sees any time as a returner. The 25-year-old will enter his first Pittsburgh training camp aiming to unseat Russell Wilson for the starter’s job, but it will be interesting to see if he is used in any unorthodox capacities as the offseason unfolds.