Pats, Christian Barmore Agree To Extension
APRIL 30: A key point for Barmore will emerge in 2026, when a $10MM guarantee vests. Of Barmore’s $41.8MM guaranteed, $31.8MM is guaranteed at signing. The Patriots guaranteed $2MM of Barmore’s 2026 base salary ($12MM), per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio; the other $10MM is guaranteed for injury only. That $10MM shifts to a full guarantee on the third day of the 2026 league year, giving the Patriots a potential out. Barmore’s contract also includes $8MM in total incentives.
APRIL 29: Continuing with a trend from earlier this offseason, the Patriots have retained another in-house player for years to come. New England has reached agreement on an extension with defensive tackle Christian Barmore, as first reported by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds this pact is four years in length, and it carries a maximum value of $92MM. As a result, Barmore has become the latest ascending defensive lineman to secure a lucrative new pact. The 24-year-old is now on the books through 2028. The pact (which Kyed notes has a base value of $84MM) includes $41.8MM in guaranteed money, per Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler. In all, this marks the franchise’s largest contract ever given to a player not named Tom Brady.
New England was active in free agency last month with respect to re-signing or extending starters on both sides of the ball. The Patriots’ defense retained safety Kyle Dugger via the transition tag before a long-term extension was worked out. Edge rushers Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings also have new deals in place, and Barmore will remain a key member of the team’s front seven alongside them for years to come.
The latter began extension talks in March, and a major raise has been hammered out in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Team and player certainly had an established framework in place with respect to second contracts along the defensive interior. Over the past two years, a number of up-and-coming producers at the position have landed lucrative extensions. Barmore’s $23MM per year average (provided he reaches his maximum earning potential) places him in a tie for seventh amongst active defensive tackles.
The Alabama product saw a notable 55% defensive snap share as a rookie, and he produced 46 tackles that year. His playing time dipped the following season and his impact as a pass-rusher improved only incrementally (1.5 to 2.5 sacks). This past campaign, however, Barmore took on a larger workload (66% snap share) and he parlayed that into a notable uptick in statistical output.
The former second-rounder racked up 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2023, the second season in which he was healthy for every game. Barmore added 19 pressures and 16 QB hits, and he ranked eighth amongst defensive tackles in terms of PFF grade (83.8). New England will count on a repeat of that production this season and beyond.
The Patriots have plenty of room for improvement on offense in 2024, but the team’s defense fared well in a number of categories last year. The team ranked fourth against the run, and Barmore played a central role in that success. He will be expected to continue his career ascent in the ground game while building off his impact against the pass for the foreseeable future as one of several D-lineman cashing in around the NFL.
Ravens Pick Up Odafe Oweh’s Fifth-Year Option
The Ravens made a pair of first-round selections in 2021, but the case of wideout Rashod Bateman required the team to work out an extension rather than deciding on his fifth-year option. A move still needed to be made with respect to edge rusher Odafe Oweh, however. 
[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
The latter had his option exercised on Tuesday, per a team announcement. Oweh does not have a Pro Bowl on his resume, and he has not met the playtime threshold needed for the next-highest tier regarding option values. As a result, the 25-year-old will be tied to a $13.25MM salary in 2025.
Much like fellow Penn State product (and 2024 draftee) Chop Robinson, Oweh’s college career was marked more by his athletic traits and resultant upside than his production. In the case of both players, though, they heard their names called on Day 1, producing considerable expectations. Oweh totaled seven sacks with the Nittany Lions across three years, including none in 2020.
That led to questions about his ability to transition to the pro game, although a five-sack rookie campaign appeared to ease such concerns. Oweh logged a 65% snap share that season, but his playing time decreased the following year; he posted two fewer sacks and nine fewer QB pressures (16) in response. The Ravens made another notable draft investment along the edge in 2022 (second-rounder David Ojabo), but his injury-induced absence left the team in need of experienced additions.
Baltimore added Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy in 2023, and both veterans enjoyed productive campaigns. Clowney parlayed his success into a two-year Panthers agreement, but Van Noy has re-signed with the Ravens. He, Ojabo and 2024 third-rounder Adisa Isaac will be key members of the team’s edge contingent moving forward.
Oweh will also be a central figure for the unit, though. The 6-5, 257-pounder recorded five sacks last season while playing a career-low 50% of the team’s defensive snaps. Clowney’s departure (along with the fact Tyus Bowser, who missed the entire year, was released) could open up playing time for Oweh in an important fourth campaign. General manager Eric DeCosta has praised his potential against the pass, and his play against the run – 99 stops, 16 tackles for loss in his career – could keep him firmly in the team’s plans for years to come. Still, expectations will continue to be high for Oweh knowing he is in line for a notable raise in 2025.
Seahawks In Discussion With Jamal Adams
During the lead-in to free agency, the Seahawks moved on from starting safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams. Both remain unsigned at this time, but a reunion with the latter could be on the table. 
Adams has been in contact with the Seahawks, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports. He adds that “interest in a possible return is regarded as legitimate,” a strong follow-up to general manager John Schneider‘s public stance stating Adams could be brought back. The 28-year-old was released last month in a cost-shedding move.
Acquired via trade from the Jets in 2020, Adams had a highly productive debut Seahawks campaign (83 tackles, 9.5 sacks). Injuries limited him to just 32 games across the following three seasons, though, including a single contest in 2022. The three-time Pro Bowler was held without a sack or interception this past season while struggling in coverage. That could lead to Seattle bringing him back with the intention of using him more at the second level than in the secondary, Condotta notes.
Indeed, ESPN’s Brady Henderson adds the Seahawks would reunite with Adams with the intention of using him at weakside linebacker. The LB spot saw considerable change during free agency, with Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks departing on the open market. Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker were brought in as replacements, and Adams would likely compete for playing time with the latter if he were to be brought back. Both Condotta and Henderson note that nothing is imminent at this time, however, and team may not need to proceed with much urgency given how much smaller any new Adams agreement will be than his previous pact.
The former No. 6 pick was attached to a four-year, $70MM deal before he was cut. Given his injury history (along with general downward trend of the safety market), Adams will no doubt sign a ‘prove it’ accord upon returning to Seattle or joining a new team. The Seahawks have Julian Love in place as a safety starter, and the team added Rayshawn Jenkins and K’Von Wallace in free agency. Adams could provide depth on the backend even if he were primarily used at linebacker.
Condotta names the 49ers as one of a “handful of teams” which has touched base with Adams this offseason. The Seahawks are clearly one of them, but they could have competition from a division rival in a hypothetical pursuit. Seattle currently has just $1.6MM in cap space, a portion of which will be needed to sign the team’s draft class.
CB Chris Harris Retires
Chris Harris attempted to find a new home in the NFL last season, but he was out of the league throughout the 2023 campaign. Rather than repeating a comeback attempt, the decorated corner has elected to hang up his cleats. 
Harris recently decided to retire, as detailed by Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The 34-year-old last played in 2022 with the Saints, playing out a one-year deal following his time in the AFC West. While Harris spent a pair of seasons as a Charger, he will be best remembered for his nine-year tenure in Denver.
“I just waited a year and I stayed in shape, but I realized that everybody was pretty much moving on with the younger players, the younger wave,” Harris said (via Tomasson). “So I thought it would be great to just call it an end.”
Upon entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011, Harris showcased his potential as a rookie with the Broncos. From that season on, he served as a full-time starter and cemented his status as one of the league’s most productive and versatile corners. Harris racked up 20 interceptions (four of which were returned for touchdowns) during his Broncos tenure. That period included four Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro nod (as well as a pair of second-team inclusions).
Harris posted double-digit pass deflections four times in his career, and he wound up with 97 in total. He also recorded seven forced fumbles during his career, remaining an impactful defender in terms of ball production along the way. The Kansas product was a key figure on the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50-winning team, and he will exit the game with a championship to his name as well as a place on the 2010s All-Decade team. Harris trained for a 2023 deal, attempting to play a role on a contending team; the fact that an agreement did not materialize means he will end his career with 180 combined regular and postseason games of experience.
Harris noted his regret in not transitioning to safety – a move many corners make in their 30s to extend their careers. He added that he is contemplating a career in media with his playing days now behind him, but no firm decision has been made on that front. In all, Harris will depart with just over $68MM in career earnings.
Browns To Exercise CB Greg Newsome’s Fifth-Year Option
As fifth-year option decisions continue to be made around the league, the Browns will take the expected route in the case of cornerback Greg Newsome. Cleveland will keep Newsome in the fold for at least the next two years, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
A report from earlier this month indicated the Browns were in position to pick up the option, so today’s confirmation comes as no surprise. Newsome will now be attached to a 2025 salary of $13.38MM, since he checks in at the third tier of option values. Trade rumors have surrounded the 23-year-old, but he remains firmly in at least Cleveland’s intermediate-term plans.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry made it clear prior to the draft that he had no intention of moving Newsome despite his presence in a deep CB room. Cleveland already has Denzel Ward attached to a $20.1MM-per-year agreement, and 2022 third-rounder Martin Emerson will be eligible for an extension as early as next offseason. The latter had a strong second NFL campaign, delivering four interceptions and 13 pass deflections. A new Emerson deal will therefore likely require another large financial commitment, something which would be complicated by a Newsome agreement.
Still, the Northwestern product has provided starting-caliber play throughout his three years in Cleveland. Spending considerable time in the slot over the past two seasons in particular, Newsome has totaled 29 pass breakups to date. His only two interceptions came last season, one which doubled as his best with respect to coverage statistics (56.7% completion percentage, 74.8 passer rating allowed as the nearest defender). Continuing to progress in both respects could line him up for a long-term accord, one which can be worked out at any time.
Ward is on the books through 2027, whereas Emerson’s rookie pact is in place for the next two seasons. As a result, the Browns’ lauded cornerback trio should remain intact during the 2024 and ’25 campaigns, although the team has added depth via the draft over the past two springs. Cleveland selected Cameron Mitchell in the fifth round of last year’s draft, and he logged three starts as a rookie. The Browns also added Myles Harden in the seventh round this past weekend, but the depth ahead of him will make it hard to see playing time.
Newsome will enter the 2024 season assured of a key defensive role, and Berry’s comments related to shooting down a trade – coupled with today’s decision (which matches those made with the 2021 class’ other Day 1 corners so far), of course – point to him staying in place through the expiration of his rookie contract. How willing the team is regarding a multi-year commitment will be an interesting storyline to follow.
Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott Agree To Deal
In a move which comes as no surprise at this point, Ezekiel Elliott is set to return to the Cowboys. The former rushing champion has a deal in place with Dallas pending a physical, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. 
This is a one-year agreement worth $3MM, per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Elliott will collect $2MM guaranteed, he adds. The 28-year-old is therefore in line to once again take on a notable role in the Cowboys’ backfield.
One month ago, Elliott was named (alongside Dalvin Cook) as a veteran back interested in a Cowboys contract. Signs pointed to the team matching that desire in Elliott’s case shortly thereafter, and while Cook is still unsigned the former No. 4 pick is back where his career began. Elliott spent seven years in Dallas, earning three Pro Bowl invitations and one first-team All-Pro nod in his opening four campaigns.
The Ohio State product’s efficiency began to wane afterwards, however, and in 2022 he ceded some of his workload to Tony Pollard. During the subsequent offseason, Dallas retained Pollard via the franchise tag and released Elliott. That move led to a $6MM dead cap charge for 2024, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones publicly indicated that figure would not dissuade him from pursuing a reunion. Taking the dead money charge into account, Elliott will represent a rather lucrative commitment on offense for the Cowboys this year.
Pollard was not retained this offseason, and he became one of several veteran running backs who quickly found a new home in free agency. That created a vacancy atop Dallas’ backfield depth chart and led many to expect a notable investment in the position. After Royce Freeman was added on a low-cost deal, the team appeared to be set up for a rookie addition during last weekend’s draft. The Cowboys did not add at the position, however, having spoken with Elliott on the eve of the opening round.
With a deal now in place, Elliott will re-join a Cowboys team which also includes the likes of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis in the backfield. Following his Dallas release, Elliott joined the Patriots on a one-year deal similar to this one. The 2023 campaign produced career-lows in carries (184), yards (642) and efficiency (3.5 yards per attempt), but Jones still views him as being capable of handling a starter’s workload. It will be interesting to see how Elliott’s role shakes out in 2024 upon return to a familiar team.
Cowboys To Sign LB Damien Wilson
The Cowboys have already put together one reunion today, but the team is not done on that front. Linebacker Damien Wilson is set to head back to Dallas, the starting point of his NFL career. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Moving Markquese Bell Back To Safety]
Wilson has agreed to terms with the Cowboys, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. He will be in place on a one-year pact qualifying for the veteran salary benefit ($168K), Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News adds. The former Dallas fourth-rounder joined the team late in the regular season last year, though he did not see any game action. With the 2024 draft having come and gone, he will now try and carve out a roster spot on a Cowboys team which has made a few moves at the linebacker spot so far.
Dallas has drawn considerable criticism with respect to free agent additions this offseason, but one of the team’s few transactions has been a one-year deal with Eric Kendricks. The former Vikings and Chargers starter will be able to provide first-team snaps for the Cowboys and in doing so help offset the loss of Leighton Vander Esch. The latter was forced to retire this offseason as a result of his neck surgery.
The Cowboys have Damone Clark and Buddy Johnson in place as returnees at the linebacker spot. 2023 third-rounder DeMarvion Overshown missed his entire rookie campaign, but he faces high expectations entering the coming season. Dallas added further depth by selecting Notre Dame product Marist Liufau in the third round of this year’s draft.
Wilson, 30, began the 2023 season by serving a four-game suspension stemming from a personal conduct violation. He last played in 2022 with the Panthers, but his most productive campaign came one year earlier with the Jaguars. The Minnesota product racked up 106 tackles in 2021 while serving as a full-time starter (something which was also generally the case during his time with Chiefs). Wilson was a rotational defender in Dallas while playing out his rookie contract, and that will likely be the case again in 2024 if he makes the team’s opening roster.
Vikings Pick Up LT Christian Darrisaw’s Fifth-Year Option
To no surprise, Christian Darrisaw will remain in place with the Vikings for at least the next two years. The standout left tackle had his 2025 fifth-year option picked up on Monday, per a team announcement. 
[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Darrisaw has started all but two of his games with Minnesota to date, serving as the team’s blindside protector. The 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft does not have a Pro Bowl invite to his name, but his snap shares easily qualify him for the second-highest tier in terms of option values. As a result, he will earn $16.04MM in 2025.
A multi-year extension is no doubt one of the Vikings’ top priorities in Darrisaw’s case, though, and a long-term commitment will be much more expensive. The top of the left tackle market reached $25MM per season when Laremy Tunsil worked out his latest Texans agreement. Penei Sewell recently signed the league’s most lucrative deal at any O-line spot with his Lions extension ($28MM per year). Darrisaw could command a deal near the top of the pecking order on a second contract.
The latter received a PFF grade of 71.9 as a rookie, but his second season in the league produced a notable step forward in performance. Darrisaw saw his overall grade jump to 90.4 in 2022, the second-highest mark in the league amongst tackles. This past season, he graded out in seventh at the position. Darrisaw was charged with six sacks allowed and seven penalties by PFF, but continued development through the coming years would make a long-term investment a sound one on the part of the Vikings.
Minnesota already has right tackle Brian O’Neill on the books through 2026 on his own lucrative extension. The team also retained center Garrett Bradbury last offseason on a three-year pact worth $15.75MM. Keeping Darrisaw in the fold for years to come will add further to the cash and cap investments made up front, but it would come as little surprise if a long-term pact were to be worked out. At a minimum, today’s decision will serve as a placeholder buying extra time for negotiations.
Chiefs, TE Travis Kelce Agree To Deal
The Chiefs have kept their decision-making nucleus in place for years to come, and the same is also true of All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. The latter has agreed to a two-year extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The team has since announced the move.
This deal will make Kelce the league’s highest-paid tight end, Rapoport adds. That comes as little surprise considering the success Kelce has had in recent years and the pivotal role he has played in Kansas City’s three Super Bowl titles across the past four seasons. The future Hall of Famer is now on the books through 2027.
Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes Kelce will receive $34.25MM in new money tacked onto the two years which were in place on his previous pact. Guaranteed compensation is now in place for 2024, and Pelissero notes year-over-year vesting will lock in money for future years.
In terms of annual compensation, Darren Waller entered this offseason atop the tight end pecking order ($17MM). This new Kelce deal will surpass that mark, meaning he will receive a raise compared to the remainder of his existing contract. That deal carried an AAV of just over $14.3MM, which ranked fourth at the position. The 34-year-old was due $13MM in 2024 and $17.25MM the following year, but his remaining base salaries those seasons were not guaranteed.
Kelce was inactive for the Chiefs’ regular season finale in 2023, and that left him just short of the 1,000-yard mark for the campaign. That ended a streak of reaching 1,000 or more yards in seven straight seasons, but it still yielded a ninth consecutive Pro Bowl nod. The Cincinnati product has added four first-team All-Pro nods and a place on the 2010s All-Decade team list to his decorated resume.
Of course, Kelce’s significance to the Chiefs’ title-winning teams will be a major aspect of his legacy. The former third-rounder is one of only three players in NFL history to lead a Super Bowl champion in receiving yards three times (the other two being Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin). Kelce will be counted on as Patrick Mahomes‘ top target for years to come.
Kansas City dealt with inconsistencies in the receiving corps during the 2023 season, and many of the team’s top WR options are still in the fold. Rashee Rice faces a potential suspension, and the likes of Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Justin Watson have not lived up to expectations so far. The Chiefs signed Marquise Brown in free agency and selected Xavier Worthy in the first round of the draft, but Kelce is by far the most known commodity in the team’s skill position room.
Concerns about the latter’s age will likely be raised with this new pact, one which runs counter to his previous stance regarding being paid below market value. Kelce made it clear during the postseason that retirement is not on his mind, though, and this agreement confirms he will be in place for years to come. As such, the foundational elements of Kansas City’s success are set to return for the 2024 campaign and beyond.
Bills Unlikely To Make WR Trade; Team Turned Down Patriots’ First Round Trade Offer
Wide receiver was frequently named as a draft target of the Bills, but the team was also connected to a potential trade involving Deebo Samuel. No agreement on the latter front came to pass, and a notable swap at the position should not be expected moving forward. 
[RELATED: 49ers No Longer Contemplating Aiyuk, Samuel Trades?]
Buffalo originally owned pick No. 28 in the first round of the draft, but the team traded down on two occasions. The Bills saw three receivers (Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall and Xavier Legette) come off the board late in the opening round, limiting their options when they kicked off Day 2. The team received interest in another trade, but instead they selected Florida State wideout Keon Coleman.
That move should provide another starting option to a receiving corps which also added Curtis Samuel (along with Quintez Cephus) in free agency. Still, the Bills have plenty of production to replace with Stefon Diggs no longer in the fold, and as such a move producing another veteran would come as little surprise. The team’s cap situation will prevent any sizable acquisitions at this time, however.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane confirmed after the draft (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg) he does not see a receiver trade as being “realistic.” Buffalo entered Monday with just under $2.9MM in cap space, much of which will be required to sign the team’s draft class. Further cost-shedding moves – already a key storyline in Buffalo’s offseason – would therefore be required to free up the space for an established wideout.
In other Bills news, Getzenberg’s colleague Mike Reiss reports the Patriots presented Buffalo with an offer for the No. 32 pick. That was rejected before a 32-for-33 swap with the Panthers took place. Carolina selected Legette with the final pick of Day 1, and Reiss notes the Patriots’ trade-up efforts likely would have been aimed at acquiring Legette or Coleman. New England did end up drafting a pair of receivers, but it comes as little surprise the team’s efforts to trade with a division rival were unsuccessful.