DL Jonah Williams To Visit Vikings, Cardinals
Jonah Williams has only played for the Rams during his NFL career, but he has been connected to other teams as well. The former undrafted defensive lineman is a free agent, and he is again drawing interest from a number of potential suitors. 
Williams saw action in eight games with Los Angeles in 2021 before the arrival of Von Miller. The former was waived and ultimately claimed by the Vikings. A failed physical nixed his Minnesota deal, however, and the 28-year-old wound up back with the Rams for the past two seasons. Williams is again on the Vikings’ radar, however.
The Weber State product is visiting with Minnesota today, per a team announcement. As Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports, the Cardinals will host Williams tomorrow. He adds that multiple teams have interest at this point, and it comes as little surprise the Vikings and Cardinals are among them. Minnesota won out in the team’s Williams acquisition effort back in 2021, but Arizona also put in a waiver claim on him.
The Vikings’ defensive front has seen edge rushers Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum depart in free agency. While additions aimed at replacing them have arrived (Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel), the only move along the interior so far has been a deal with Jerry Tillery. Williams has played as a 4-3 defensive end at times, but for the most part he has been used on the inside.
Of course, the Cardinals’ offseason has included a deal with the other Jonah Williams (that is, the former Bengals first-rounder who will man the right tackle spot in Arizona). The defender of the same name would add depth at the DL spot alongside new arrivals Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga. Both the Cardinals and Vikings have the cap space to make more free agent moves if they so desire.
Williams served in a rotational role upon his return to Los Angeles in 2022. Last season, however, he started 16 games while logging a 53% snap share. That uptick in playing time resulted in 49 tackles and a pair of sacks, and Williams could price himself away from the Rams if a strong market emerges. His departure would further compound the Rams’ need to re-invest along the D-line, something which is already a priority given Aaron Donald‘s retirement.
Jaguars Sign Trevis Gipson
Trevis Gipson saw his time with the Bears come to an end during roster cutdowns last summer. That led him to the Titans for a single season, and he will remain in the AFC south in 2024. 
The veteran edge rusher signed with the Jaguars on Monday, per a team announcement. Gipson took on a first-team role during part of his time in Chicago, logging 19 starts between the 2021 and ’22 seasons. The former fifth-rounder posted 10 sacks during that span, making it somewhat surprising he was waived last August.
After going unclaimed, Gipson was free to join any interested team ahead of the 2023 campaign. The 26-year-old signed with the Titans, a move which gave him the opportunity to at least carve out a rotational role. Instead, he logged a defensive snap share of only 15% – the lowest of his career – while playing eight games. In that span, the Tulsa product recorded a single sack along with six tackles and a forced fumble.
Gipson posted 38 QB pressures during his three-year run with the Bears, so Jacksonville will take a flier on him with the hopes he will be able to regain his previous form. The Jaguars ranked 25th in the league with 40 sacks last season, so the team has plenty of room for improvement in that regard. Gipson will now join an edge contingent anchored by Josh Allen, who to no surprise received the franchise tag.
Allen and 2022 first overall pick Travon Walker will remain starters along the edge after the latter enjoyed a strong second season (10 sacks). Those two will remain key members of Jacksonville’s defense for 2024 and beyond – presuming Allen and the team work out an extension – while Gipson will look to find success in a rotational role.
LB Leighton Vander Esch Retires
MARCH 18: Vander Esch announced his retirement on Monday, confirming the expectation that he would be forced to hang up his cleats. This news was further foreshadowed last week when the Cowboys released him. In all, Vander Esch will depart the NFL having played 72 combined regular and postseason games and with $18.25MM in career earnings.
The Cowboys have landed Eric Kendricks in free agency, but further moves will likely be coming to address the linebacker spot. Replacing Vander Esch will now officially be a permanent endeavor.
MARCH 1: Neck issues once again forced Leighton Vander Esch to miss considerable time during the 2023 season. As a result, signs continue to point to the veteran Cowboys linebacker bringing his career to a close. 
Vander Esch is expected to retire, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Speculation that would wind up being the case increased in November when it was learned he would be out for the remainder of the campaign. The 28-year-old was diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis, and undergoing surgery to correct the issue would seriously threaten his playing future.
When asked about the matter during this week’s Combine, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones deferred (via Hill) to Vander Esch himself about making a formal announcement. The former first-rounder had fusion surgery in 2020, which itself led to questions about his playing future. He managed to remain healthy for two seasons after that, however, suggesting he would be able to remain a central figure in Dallas’ linebacking corps for years to come.
Vander Esch enjoyed a highly impressive rookie season, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors along the way. His production never matched the level of that 2018 campaign, but the Boise State alum nevertheless remained a full-time starter throughout the rest of his Cowboys tenure. One year remains on Vander Esch’s contract, and he is set to carry a cap hit of $4.4MM.
As Hill notes, overhauling the linebacking corps will be a priority for the Cowboys with or without Vander Esch in the picture. The team was gashed on the ground several times in 2023, including the wild-card loss to the Packers. Dallas has 2022 fifth-rounder Damone Clark on his rookie contract for two more years. DeMarvion Overshown – taken in the third round of last year’s draft – generated high expectations for his performances in training camp but missed his rookie season due to an ACL tear. A healthy campaign could see him handle a notable workload. Former UDFA Markquese Bell will also be in the fold for next season.
Dallas is currently over the 2024 salary cap, but a Dak Prescott extension and other cost-cutting moves will help give the team financial breathing space. Free agency could be an important avenue for the Cowboys to pursue LB help, given the absence of first-round prospects at the position amongst this year’s draft class. Day 2 and 3 additions in April would come as no surprise, though, especially if Vander Esch does indeed retire.
Bills Extend CB Taron Johnson
Buffalo has seen a few notable departures this offseason, but Taron Johnson will remain in place for years to come. The veteran corner has agreed to a three-year Bills extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
Schefter adds this agreement is worth $31MM, making Johnson the league’s highest-paid slot corner. That spot has seen a number of key developments recently, with the Colts and Packers respectively re-upping Kenny Moore and Keisean Nixon last week. Johnson will join that pair in securing a raise ahead of the 2024 campaign.
One year remained on the latter’s contract, and he was owed $7.7MM in 2024; $500K of that amount was due today. Johnson’s cap hit was slated to sit at $12.41MM this season, a figure which could be reduced with this through-2027 deal. In any case, the Bills’ secondary will retain a crucial component for the short- and long-term future.
Johnson took on an increasingly large role over his first three seasons in Buffalo. Having established himself as a starter by 2021, the 27-year-old inked a three-year, $24MM extension. He has been durable and productive over the life of that pact, setting himself up for another agreement. Johnson earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023, and he will be counted on to maintain that level of play moving forward. In his career, the former fourth-rounder has amassed four interceptions, seven forced fumbles, 450 tackles and seven sacks.
The $10.3MM AAV of this deal will leave Johnson well short of the overall lead in terms of cornerback compensation. Still, it slightly outpaces Moore’s newest Colts agreement in terms of value and ensures he will remain a staple of Buffalo’s secondary. That unit has seen Tre’Davious White and safety Jordan Poyer released in cost-cutting moves. Corner Dane Jackson has also departed in free agency, so replacing that trio will be a priority for the remainder of free agency and the draft for Buffalo.
The Bills have lost a number of high-profile players recently due in large part to the team’s cap situation entering the new league year. However, others have been retained or signed to new deals to avoid a trip to free agency in 2025. That includes left tackle Dion Dawkins securing a big-money extension last week. Johnson will now join Dawkins as an integral part of Buffalo’s transitioning roster for years to come.
Dolphins Re-Sign G Isaiah Wynn
Isaiah Wynn‘s debut season with the Dolphins was cut short, but he will remain in place for the 2024 campaign. The veteran offensive lineman has inked a new one-year deal with Miami, per his agents (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). 
Wynn came to Miami on a one-year deal last offseason following the end of his Patriots tenure. He was moved to left guard after splitting time on the inside and at tackle with New England. That decision proved to be a sound one given the way Wynn played to start the year. PFF charged the former first-rounder with no sacks and four pressures allowed in pass protection in 2023.
While his run blocking evaluation was much worse (a career-low 48.2 mark), Wynn’s injury dealt a notable blow to Miami’s O-line. The Georgia alum suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury in Week 7, leaving the team without a starter on the inside in a season which featured multiple other ailments up front. Center Connor Williams suffered an ACL tear, something which has hindered his free agent market. Left tackle Terron Armstead, meanwhile, continued his career trend of dealing with multiple injuries.
The latter will remain in place for next season, giving Miami stability on the blindside. Wynn’s return will provide continuity on the left side of the offensive line and ensure one guard starter will be retained. The other – Robert Hunt – landed a $20MM-per-year deal with the Panthers in free agency, creating a major vacancy at that position. A number of internal candidates to fill the spot are in place, and the draft looms as an option to add a rookie blocker.
Long-term investments up front will no doubt be a priority for Miami given Armstead’s age (32) and injury history. The 28-year-old Wynn faces similar concerns given the way his 2023 campaign came to an end. If he can remain healthy in 2024 and replicate his play from last season, though, he could land a pact better than the ‘prove-it’ accord he signed in 2023 (and which he has likely inked this time around) with the Dolphins or another team in free agency next year.
Commanders Sign CB Michael Davis
The Commanders’ efforts to re-tool their defense under new head coach Dan Quinn continue. The team announced on Monday that cornerback Michael Davis has been signed. 
[RELATED: Commanders Add CB Noah Igbinoghene]
Davis joined the Chargers in 2017 as an undrafted free agent, and he went on to become a mainstay in the secondary over the course of his seven-year tenure with the team. He started 74 of his 107 games with the Bolts, seeing first-team action at least nine times every campaign since his rookie year.
The 29-year-old has some experience in the slot, but he has primarily been used on the perimeter during his career. Davis’ PFF evaluations have remained relatively consistent and less-than-spectacular, but he drew a career-best overall grade of 72.7 in 2022. Coverage was a sore spot last season, however, with nine touchdowns and a 119 passer rating allowed as the nearest defender.
On the other hand, Davis has posted notable ball production during much of his career. He has racked up eight interceptions across the past five seasons, while adding 60 pass deflections over that span. The BYU alum has reached double digits in the latter category four years in a row, and continuing in that regard while bouncing back from a coverage perspective will be a goal for 2024.
The Commanders have been among the busiest teams on the free agent market so far, something which comes as little surprise. The team entered the new league year with considerable spending power, much of which has been devoted to upgrading a defense which featured major room for improvement compared to the end of last season in particular. Davis will join a CB room which lost Kendall Fuller to the Dolphins in free agency and which features a number of low-cost contributors in the secondary. He will look to earn a starting role alongside recent draftees Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes.
Jaguars Sign K Joey Slye
The Jaguars and Commanders are set to complete a free agent swap of kickers. Brandon McManus joined Washington on a new deal last week, and Joey Slye will be taking his place in Duval County. 
The latter has agreed to a one-year deal with the Jaguars, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Slye spent the past two full seasons with the Commanders, having impressed at the end of the 2021 campaign. His efforts that season landed him a two-year pact worth $4.2MM to remain in the nation’s capital. McManus took a one-year deal worth $3.6MM to join the Commanders, however, leaving Slye in need of a new opportunity. His Jags deal is now official, per a team announcement.
The 27-year-old will be playing on his fifth career NFL team provided he wins the kicking gig during the offseason. Slye served as the Panthers’ full-time kicker in 2019 and ’20 before splitting time with three franchises the following season. Slye’s first full campaign in Washington saw him convert 25 of 30 field goal attempts, one of his better showings but a drop-off in accuracy compared to his perfect audition period prior to signing his new deal. In 2023, the former UDFA’s success rate dropped to 79.2% (19-of-24 on field goal kicks).
Slye also missed a combined seven extra points across the past two seasons, so it comes as little surprise the Commanders elected to let him depart and moved quickly in adding a replacement. The Virginia Tech product could see competition brought in during the latter waves of free agency or the draft, as was the case with Washington last offseason. The Commanders added Michael Badgley as an alternative option, but he was ultimately released in August after Slye fended him off for the placekicking role.
The latter will join an otherwise-intact kicking battery in Jacksonville. Both punter Logan Cooke and long snapper Ross Matiscik are under contract for 2024 and beyond, so the team will have stability at those positions moving forward. Slye will look to earn a short- and long-term opportunity with the Jaguars this offseason.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell Address Kirk Cousins Negotiations; Latest On Vikings’ Offer
Both Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed interest in a Kirk Cousins re-signing leading into free agency. The four-time Pro Bowler joined the Falcons on a four-year, $180MM deal, however, leaving Minnesota to add Sam Darnold and (potentially) a rookie signal-caller in next month’s draft. 
[RELATED: NFL Investigating Falcons For Cousins Tampering]
Efforts were made on Minnesota’s part to work out a new Cousins deal once talks resumed during the offseason. Guaranteed money, to little surprise, became a sticking point during negotiations with the 35-year-old who is rehabbing an Achilles tear. On that note, Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis of The Athletic report the Vikings offered Cousins a multi-year deal including guaranteed compensation in Year 2. The team’s best submission, however, fell short of Atlanta’s.
Prior to free agency opening, questions were raised about the organizational consensus regarding another investment in Cousins. When speaking publicly on the matter, O’Connell said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) there was “complete alignment” between the coaching staff and front office with respect to the efforts aimed at retaining him. Cousins’ value ultimately went beyond what the Vikings were prepared to pay out on a long-term agreement, something confirmed at the same press availability.
“This sport isn’t such where you can just say on a binary basis: ‘I want that player,'” Adofo-Mensah said (via Lewis). “I think we’ve been very clear since we’ve gotten here that we like Kirk Cousins. We’ve been very clear that we think we could win a Super Bowl with Kirk Cousins. But we have a sport that gives you a certain number of draft picks, a salary cap – it’s a resource-constrained thing.
“When I called Kirk, we joked about the uncomfortable middle [regarding contract talks.] That’s what deals should be. And we weren’t able to find that… But that doesn’t mean we didn’t compete for him. Sometimes, it just gets to that place where the uncomfortable middle isn’t somewhere where you want to go, or where a different team can go because of their timeline of their team, they’re in a different situation.”
Cousins admitted he viewed his final few Vikings season as a “year-to-year” arrangement compared to his Falcons deal setting him up for (in all likelihood) the remainder of his career. His arrival will put Atlanta in a solid QB situation compared to the team’s 2023 signal-callers, provided Cousins can return to his pre-injury form. Minnesota, meanwhile, faces questions about the potential addition of a new quarterback in April’s draft.
The Vikings added an extra first-round pick by swinging a deal with the Texans on Friday. That added draft capital could be used to move up the board on Day 1, although Adofo-Mensah noted he is not exclusively committed to selecting a quarterback at that point. For now, Darnold is in place as the team’s starter after the Falcons outbid them for Cousins. The effectiveness of Minnesota’s and Atlanta’s respective decisions will be a key storyline to follow in 2024.
Patriots To Sign WR K.J. Osborn
6:41PM: We have a value on Osborn’s new contract, thanks to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. The former fifth-round pick out of Miami (FL) will have a base salary of $4MM in his new contract with the Patriots. Osborn will be able to earn an additional $2MM on the deal through incentives, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. After his time in Minnesota, the former 2-star recruit who transferred from Buffalo has come a long way and continues to impress.
3:12PM: The Patriots have retained multiple in-house receivers this offseason, but the team is set to make an outside addition at the position. K.J. Osborn has a deal in place with New England, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. This will be a one-year agreement, ESPN’s Mike Reiss adds.
Help at the receiver spot was an apparent priority for New England in free agency given the team’s struggles on offense in 2023. Heading into Sunday, however, the Patriots had elected to re-sign Kendrick Bourne on a three-year deal worth up to $33MM. The team also re-upped Jalen Reagor, who occupied a much smaller role on offense in his debut New England campaign. Prior to his free agent decision, Calvin Ridley was known to be on the Patriots’ radar.
New England made an offer to the former first-rounder, but he ultimately joined the Titans on a four-year, $92MM agreement. Losing out on Ridley (and seeing Marquise Brown head to the Chiefs) left the Patriots in need of a different target at the WR spot. Osborn was among the best options still on the market, having proven himself as a consistent complementary receiving option during his time with the Vikings.
The 26-year-old was limited to nine games as a rookie; he did not see a single target during that time. Since then, however, Osborn has seen incremental increases in his offensive snap share with each passing season while becoming a secondary target opposite Justin Jefferson. Osborn has made 50, 60 and 48 catches between 2021-23 while posting between 540 and 655 yards in that span. The former fifth-rounder has totaled 15 touchdowns in his career.
Osborn saw tight end T.J. Hockenson acquired via trade in 2022 (and subsequently extended) as well as the Vikings’ decision to select Jordan Addison in the first round of last year’s draft. That pair – along with Jefferson – will comprise the nucleus of Minnesota’s pass-catching corps for years to come, presuming the latter works out what will be a monster extension with the team. With that trio in place, Osborn will depart in search of a larger workload in New England.
The Patriots were led in receiving last season by sixth-round rookie Demario Douglas (561). Tight end Hunter Henry was also a key member of the team’s skill position corps, and he has landed a new deal as well. With fellow tight and Mike Gesicki departing in free agency and wideout DeVante Parker having been released (and signed by the Eagles), though, plenty of snaps and targets will be available for new pass-catchers in 2024.
Osborn has seen time both in the slot and on the perimeter, and he will provide a starting-caliber option for New England’s revised offense. The draft looms as another avenue to add weapons for the quarterback presumed to be added with the No. 3 pick, but even with a rookie addition Osborn will likely have a notable role on his new team.
Browns To Sign QB Tyler Huntley
The Ravens retained journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson earlier this week, a move which suggested Tyler Huntley would be headed elsewhere in free agency. The latter is indeed set to make an intra-AFC North move. 
Huntley, 26, and the Browns have agreed to terms, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. The former UDFA had been in Baltimore since entering the league in 2020. Over that span, he made 22 combined regular and postseason appearances, 10 of which were starts. This one-year deal will be worth the veteran’s minimum with incentives also in place, Cabot adds.
The Utah alum saw sparse action in 2020, but over the following two seasons he was counted on several times while filling in for an injured Lamar Jackson. Huntley started four games to close out the campaign in 2021 and ’22, and also served as the Ravens’ quarterback for the team’s wild-card loss in Cincinnati during the latter year. He showcased his mobility with 485 rushing yards over that span, but a 7:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio indicated his limitations as a passer on a long-term basis.
Baltimore has Jackson on the books thanks to the mega-deal he signed last offseason. Johnson and midseason pickup Malik Cunningham will vie for the backup job behind him, a role Huntley previously occupied. With Jackson remaining healthy in 2023, the latter made only a few appearances in mop-up duty before starting a Week 18 game which had no playoff implications for Baltimore. He will now head to Cleveland looking to compete for the QB2 role.
That spot is currently projected to go to Jameis Winston, who inked a one-year deal with a maximum value of $8.7MM. Winston has said he has eyes on a return to starting duties, but his only avenue to reach the top of Cleveland’s QB depth chart would be another injury suffered by Deshaun Watson. The Browns also have 2023 fifth-rounder Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the fold; his play last summer enticed Cleveland to trade away Joshua Dobbs not long before the start of the season.
Thompson-Robinson did not fare well in his three starts, though, and Joe Flacco served as the Browns’ starter late in the year and through the postseason. 2023’s Comeback Player of the Year was not retained, however, and the combination of Winston, Thompson-Robinson and now Huntley will vie for playing time behind Watson. Cleveland’s fully-guaranteed $230MM pact for Watson has left the team in need of inexpensive options down the depth chart, and Huntley will no doubt fit the bill in that regard on this Browns pact.
Named a Pro Bowler in 2022 (a season which featured a slew of AFC quarterback injuries) Huntley played out last season on his RFA tender. That $2.63MM tender represents by far the most lucrative contract of his NFL career. It will be interesting to see the terms of this Cleveland agreement given the investments already made in Watson and Winston. Looking for better depth under center in 2024, the Browns will have several options to choose from when filling out their depth chart.