Commanders, DE Dante Fowler Agree To Deal
Cowboys free agents continue to trek to the nation’s capital. Defensive end Dante Fowler has agreed to a deal with the Commanders, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. 
Fowler joins Dorance Armstrong as the latest defender set to follow former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from Dallas to Washington. The latter is in place as head coach, and he will have multiple familiar faces along the defensive front as the team looks to re-build along the edge in particular.
Like Armstrong, Fowler occupied a rotational role as part of a deep edge contingent during his time with the Cowboys. The 30-year-old logged snap shares of only 30% and 25% over the past two years, so it comes as little surprise he will head elsewhere in search of more playing time. The Commanders will mark the fifth career team for the 29-year-old.
Fowler combined to post 10 sacks and 33 pressures during his run with the Cowboys. The former third overall pick has only managed double-digit sacks once in his career – the 2019 campaign when he was with the Falcons – and his journeyman status will continue this offseason. Fowler played on consecutive one-year pacts with Dallas, and it would come as no surprise if this Commanders accord was likewise a short-term investment.
Washington’s edge group was thinned out at the 2023 trade deadline with Montez Sweat and Chase Young beind dealt prior to the expiration of their respective rookie deals. Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell as well as hybrid linebacker Frankie Luvu – added on a big-money deal in part for his ability as a pass rusher – and now Fowler will be among players the faces brought in by Washington’s new regime.
DE Chase Young To Visit Panthers, Saints, Titans
A few of the top edge rushers in the 2024 free agent class have already found a new home. One of the more intriguing options still available is Chase Young, who has a trio of visits lined up. Carolina and New Orleans are expected host Young later this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The Titans will also bring him in, colleague Ian Rapoport notes.
While Young’s Panthers meeting is taking place Thursday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football notes the former Defensive Rookie of the Year will make his trip to New Orleans on Friday.
Entering the NFL with massive expectations, Young seemed destined for a long and productive Commanders career given his play in 2020. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors that season, but things did not go according to plan after that. A torn ACL and a ruptured patellar tendon left the former No. 2 pick sidelined for considerable stretches, and his time in Washington ultimately came to an end at the trade deadline.
By the time the Commanders elected to deal Young to San Francisco, fellow defensive end (and pending free agent) Montez Sweat had been traded. The latter’s absence seemed to suggest Washington would attempt to re-sign Young, but instead his walk year concluded with the 49ers. Playing opposite Nick Bosa, Young posted only 2.5 sacks in nine regular season games with San Francisco (albeit while logging a much smaller workload). The Ohio State alum chipped in with one sack in the team’s run to the Super Bowl, but it would come as a surprise if the NFC champions made a major effort to retain him after his 2023 showing.
Still only 24, Young profiles as having some of the highest upside amongst free agents on either side of the ball this year. In both Carolina and New Orleans, he would be counted on as a key edge rush producer. The Panthers finally put an end to the Brian Burns saga on Monday, dealing him to the Giants. That has created a major vacancy along the edge, as Burns was the team’s most proficient sack artist.
Carolina was last in the league in sacks in 2023, and New Orleans did not fare much better (28th). The Saints were led in that department by Carl Granderson, but fellow defensive end Cameron Jordan was limited to a pair of sacks. Adding Young as a (potentially) impactful rusher off the edge would be beneficial to a Saints team needing to get younger on defense.
Tennessee saw 2023 sack leader Denico Autry agree to a deal with the Texans yesterday, so a replacement will be needed. Harold Landry and Arden Key are both under contract for 2024, but another rotational option would help the Titans’ front seven as the team looks to rebound from a poor performance last season. Young appears prepared to take his time vetting potential landing spots. .
Falcons, WR Darnell Mooney Agree To Deal
The Falcons have a deal in place for a new quarterback, and the team is now set to add to its receiving corps. Atlanta has agreed to a deal with Darnell Mooney, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Mooney will head to Atlanta on a three-year pact, per Rapoport. The deep threat will receive $39MM on the deal, including $26MM fully guaranteed. Expectations will therefore by high for him as a starting member of the Falcons’ pass-catching corps.
This year’s receiver market did not include Mike Evans or the franchise-tagged duo of Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. While Pittman has since signed a Colts extension, Indianapolis took him off the FA board last week via the tag. Mooney is among the players to benefit from bigger names being unavailable. He soared well off the “prove it” tier, despite back-to-back seasons with fewer than 500 receiving yards.
Tuesday’s move will reunite Mooney with former Bears GM Ryan Pace, who resides in the Falcons’ front office. Pace drafted Mooney in the 2020 fifth round, after he had clocked a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. While the Tulane alum struggled in Luke Getsy‘s offense, he was better under Matt Nagy. Mooney’s two best receiving seasons — including a 1,055-yard showing in 2021 — came during the Pace-Nagy years. Nagy’s current team, the Chiefs, pursued Mooney as well. But the Falcons, despite authorizing a monster Kirk Cousins contract, will win this derby.
Mooney, who is going into his age-26 season, will be set to join Drake London and Kyle Pitts as Atlanta pass-game pillars. The Falcons have taken some heat for their top-10 skill-position investments’ early inconsistency. While the team is betting on Cousins to stabilize its passing attack, it still viewed the WR2 role as an area to upgrade. The Falcons had Mack Hollins in place in that role last year; he finished with 251 receiving yards.
Although more proven receiving options existed on the market compared to Mooney, the Falcons will bet on upside. Mooney, who memorably dropped a Hail Mary pass that would have given Chicago a win in Cleveland last season, will be among the many UFAs to benefit from the recent cap spike. The Bears remain in search of a No. 2 wideout opposite D.J. Moore. While the team has since extended its other two regular starters from the 2020 draft (Jaylon Johnson, Cole Kmet), Mooney needed to land his money elsewhere.
Commanders To Sign QB Marcus Mariota
Widely expected to draft a passer with the second overall pick in this year’s draft, the Commanders are adding a veteran to the mix. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is set to join Washington on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact has a base value of $6MM and can be worth up to $10MM, he adds. 
Mariota’s journeyman status will continue with this pact. Washington will represent the fourth different team in as many years for the former No. 2 pick. After his run as the Titans’ starter came to an end in 2019, he had a two-year stint with the Raiders. That was followed by one-year pacts in Atlanta and Philadelphia, with the Falcons being the only team to provide a starting opportunity during that stretch.
The 30-year-old’s play in Atlanta came to an end under unusual circumstances. Mariota left the team before ultimately undergoing knee surgery. His performance and health status limited him to a one-year accord with the Eagles, although he has landed more money upfront and a higher maximum value this time around. The Oregon alum played in three games last season, attempting 23 passes. Easton Stick – a familiar face for new Eagles OC Kellen Moore – could replace Mariota as the team’s backup, Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan notes.
The Commanders have Sam Howell on the roster, having drafted the North Carolina alum in 2022. He was handed the starting gig ahead of 2023, and for a time the 23-year-old showed flashes of potential. Things took a turn for the worse toward the end of the campaign, though, and a new general manager and head coach are in place compared to the regime which drafted him. Howell has been mentioned in trade talk with the expectation Washington would add a veteran passer before drafting either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels in April.
Having Mariota in place will no doubt lead to increased chatter regarding a deal sending Howell out of the nation’s capital. A number of teams have already made a move on the backup quarterback market, but the latter (who has two more years on his rookie contract) could still be of interest to teams looking for a developmental option. Mariota, meanwhile, will aim to lock down the backup spot in Washington with the potential to see playing time early in 2024.
Ravens Remain Interested In Derrick Henry; RB Was On Texans’ Radar
The running back landscape changed dramatically on Monday, with nearly every high-profile free agent at the position lining up a deal with a new team. One obvious exception is Derrick Henry. Nothing is imminent in his case, but multiple suitors are still in play for the former rushing champion. 
The Texans and Ravens remain interested in Henry, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The Titans stalwart has been in discussion with Baltimore as well as other teams during the opening period of the negotiating window, Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds. A number of teams have vacancies at the RB spot after yesterday’s agreements, and both the Texans and Ravens could stand to add a back of Henry’s caliber.
Baltimore has only two running backs under contract the moment: Keaton Mitchell, who flashed potential when on the field as a rookie in 2023 but suffered an ACL tear, and Justice Hill, who has traditionally operated as a third back. Gus Edwards is set to depart once free agency officially opens, having agreed to a two-year deal with the Chargers on Monday. J.K. Dobbins – whose career has been marred by a pair of major injuries – is a free agent.
Houston, meanwhile, is set to lose Devin Singletary. After taking over as lead back midway through the 2023 campaign, Singletary upped his value compared to the one-year deal he played on last season, landing an agreement with the Giants to serve as Saquon Barkley‘s replacement. The Texans have Dameon Pierce in place, and the team has worked out a trade for ex-Bengals starter Joe Mixon.
With Houston (presumably) no longer in the Henry market, attention will likely increasingly shift Baltimore’s way. The Ravens are projected to be marginally over the cap at the moment; all teams are required to be cap compliant by the start of the new league year tomorrow afternoon. Baltimore’s offseason to date has consisted mainly of losing contributors from last year’s team, but a Henry addition would certainly represent a notable addition on offense.
Vikings Release DL Dean Lowry, Sign K John Parker Romo
The Vikings were active in adding to their front seven on Monday, but one veteran member of their D-line will not be in place for 2024. Dean Lowry is being released, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. In a separate move, Minnesota has agreed to a deal with kicker John Parker Romo, per Pelissero. 
The Lowy release – which the team has made official – means his Minnesota tenure will be limited to one season. The 29-year-old spent his first seven years of his career in Green Bay before making the intra-divisional move to the Vikings. Lowry started four games in 2023, but his campaign was cut short due to a pectoral injury.
The former fourth-rounder landed on IR in November, marking another disappointing development on the health front. Lowry had not previously missed a game from 2017-21. His base salary ($3.7MM) would have become guaranteed on March 16, so it comes as little surprise Minnesota will move on now. This cut will create just over $2MM in cap space while generating a dead money charge of $2.4MM.
The Vikings have relied on Greg Joseph in the kicking game for the past three seasons. He is a pending free agent, though, and the Romo addition means a competition could be in the cards or Joseph could be playing elsewhere in 2024. The latter had a strong debut Minnesota season in 2021 with a success rate of 86.8% on field goals. That figure dropped to 78.8% the following year before rebounding to 80% in 2023.
If the Vikings turn to Romo as their kicker, he would be in line for his first regular season NFL action. The 26-year-old has spent time with the Lions, Saints and Bears but he has not been able to win a training camp battle. Romo played for the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas in 2023, going 17-for-19 on field goals. He was named to the All-XFL team, and he will look to parlay that into an NFL gig in Minnesota.
Eagles, OL Matt Hennessy Agree To Deal
One day after making a major move with one of their offensive linemen, the Eagles are set to bring an experienced outside contributor up front. Matt Hennessy has agreed to a one-year deal with Philadelphia, Zack Berman and Bo Wulf of PHLY.com report. 
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Hennessy has played 41 games, all with the Falcons. That total includes 22 starts, most of which came in the 2021 season. The former third-rounder served as Atlanta’s fill time center that season, something which could of course come in handy with the Eagles. Jason Kelce recently confirmed his retirement, creating a major vacancy in the middle of Philadelphia’s O-line.
In 2022, Hennessy lost out on the starting center spot, forcing him to move to guard. He played sparingly that season, one in which he dealt with a knee injury. The Temple product was placed on IR this past July, and he missed the entire campaign as a result. To no surprise, that has limited his value to a prove-it deal in Philadelphia. At a minimum, though, Hennessy should be able to provide quality depth along the interior.
The 26-year-old earned a 76.4 PPF grade in his lone campaign as a full-time starter. That figure came about in large part due to his quality play as a run blocker, something which continued in 2022. A strong showing this season (in either a starting or backup capacity) would help Hennessy’s stock ahead of free agency next year.
Philadelphia’s offensive line will look much different without Kelce in the fold. Cam Jurgens – who played at guard last season – is expected to slide inside as Kelce’s successor. That could create a starting opportunity for Hennessy, provided he has recovered in full. Even in a depth capacity, though, his addition could prove to be a sound one.
Commanders To Sign DE Clelin Ferrell
The defensive re-tooling effort in Washington is continuing. The Commanders are expected to sign defensive end Clelin Ferrell, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
After spending last season with the 49ers, the former No. 4 overall pick saw his most recent team devote more funds to replacing him. San Francisco added both Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos on the first day of the legal tampering period, leaving Ferrell out of the mix. Dan Quinn’s team will add the five-year veteran to its evolving group of DEs.
Although the 49ers added both Chase Young and Randy Gregory via trade last year, they turned to Ferrell as the full-time starter opposite Nick Bosa. That setup produced 3.5 sacks but a career-high 13 quarterback hits. Ferrell, however, suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury in San Francisco’s meaningless Week 18 contest. The 49ers placed him on IR, with the timing of that move preventing an activation before Super Bowl LVIII.
In addition to trading Young and Sweat on deadline day, the Commanders have fill-in starters James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill unsigned. Dorance Armstrong is expected to take over as one D-end starter; Ferrell could well have a chance to supplement him. Washington also agreed to terms with Frankie Luvu to help out its sack efforts, though the ex-Panther is technically a linebacker.
Ferrell joins Arden Key as a player the 49ers helped rebound. While the Raiders cut Key before the conclusion of his rookie contract, they retained Ferrell for four unremarkable years. He closed that tenure as a healthy scratch at points for the Silver and Black. Quinn will see what the former top prospect looks like in his system.
Rams To Bring Back CB Darious Williams
Following the end of his Jaguars tenure, Darious Williams is set to head back to Los Angeles. The Super Bowl-winning corner is finalizing a three-year deal to return to the Rams, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
Williams had a very brief tenure with the Ravens during his rookie season in 2018, but midway through that campaign he joined the Rams. The former UDFA remained with the team through the 2021 campaign, by that point having established himself as a full-time starter. Williams landed a three-year, $30MM pact with the Jaguars in 2022, but Jacksonville elected to take $11.5MM in cap savings by releasing him last week.
The Alabama-Birmingham alum had four interceptions in 2023, and during his two-year Jags stint he racked up 35 pass deflections. That ball production understandably led to outside interest once Williams was let go, including a visit with the Giants. Rather than joining a fourth career team, he has elected to return to a familiar environment. Raheem Morris was in charge of Los Angeles’ defense when Williams was last with the Rams, but Morris’ replacement (Chris Shula) was with the team at that time as well.
Williams, 30, will join a Rams defense which ranked 20th against the pass in 2023, faring better than many expected in the absence of Jalen Ramsey. Los Angeles only posted 10 interceptions, however, and better production in that regard would go a long way in ensuring a repeat of last year’s postseason appearance. Williams will look to pick up where he left off with the Rams in 2024 and beyond.
Los Angeles made a pair of major investments on offense yesterday, agreeing to deals with guard Jonah Jackson as well as tight end Colby Parkinson. Those additions will eat into the team’s spending power once they become official (as early as tomorrow afternoon), as will this Williams accord. The latter will nevertheless be a welcomed addition is he can remain an impactful starter for years to come.
Eagles, RB Saquon Barkley Agree To Deal
Saquon Barkley will indeed be making a move inside the NFC East as he begins his post-Giants career. The Eagles have agreed to terms with Barkley on a three-year, $37.75MM contract featuring $26MM fully guaranteed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
A number of suitors have been floated as Barkley suitors in the build-up to free agency. A new Giants arrangement was long thought to be a possibility, but for some time a trip to free agency seemed to be on deck. Barkley and the Eagles were believed to have a mutual interest, so this news comes as little surprise. Jordan Shultz of Bleacher Report adds the Bears and Texans were finalists for the Penn State product.
Still, the move is of course a noteworthy one as it ensures Barkley will play against his former team twice per season. The former No. 2 pick was one of three running backs who received the franchise tag (valued at $10.1MM) last offseason. A second tag was an option for New York, although a multi-year deal was believed to be a consideration as well for general manager Joe Schoen. As recent reports indicated (and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post confirms), however, the Giants did not make an offer this offseason.
Free to pursue other options, Barkley managed to secure a guarantee figure higher than what he would have landed playing on consecutive tags. Term – like with all backs in this year’s market – was no doubt a consideration for both team and player, but at age 27 this represents a notable commitment in terms of length for Barkley. He will take the place of D’Andre Swift, who has a deal in place with the Bears.
Barkley has recorded at least 1,200 scrimmage yards four times in his six-year career, one which has been marred by injuries at times. He has been a focal point on offense throughout his tenure, though, and questions will now be raised about the Daniel Jones-led Giants’ ability to replicate Barkley’s production moving forward. Even with the numerous deals worked out at the RB spot, plenty of veterans are still on the market as potential Barkley replacements.
The Eagles will be looking to avoid a repeat of last year’s late-season collapse. A strong commitment to the run game could be an element of that effort, one which in general will be overseen by new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Increased usage of running backs in the passing game could be in the cards moving forward, but even if not Philadelphia will have a dynamic option in the backfield.