Lions To Re-Sign G Graham Glasgow
Graham Glasgow‘s second Lions stint will not be a one-year endeavor. The veteran guard has agreed to a three-year, $20MM deal to remain in Detroit, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact includes $9.5MM in guaranteed money. 
After playing out his rookie contract with Detroit, Glasgow landed a four-year, $44MM deal with the Broncos in 2020. He was released last offseason, however, paving the way for another free agent venture. That led the 31-year-old back to the Motor City on a one-year, $2.75MM pact. That low-cost addition proved to be critical from the team’s perspective.
Glasgow was initially brought back as a utility option along the interior, but injuries early in the season led to him seeing time at center as well as both guard positions. He ultimately locked down a spot as Detroit’s right guard starter, and he delivered a strong performance at that spot. The Michigan product graded out as PFF’s eighth-best guard in 2023, excelling in run blocking in particular.
He has now been rewarded with another multi-year pact, one which Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes came together last night. Glasgow will no doubt be expected to remain a first-team contributor on Detroit’s O-line moving forward, especially considering the departures which could be seen for the unit. Pro Bowl left guard Jonah Jackson‘s rookie contract is up, and he is positioned as one of the best interior lineman in the 2024 free agent class. If Jackson were to depart, Glasgow would offer welcomed stability along with the flexibility to replace him at the LG spot if needed.
The Lions entered Monday with over $45MM in cap space. That figure will drop to an extent once this Glasgow deal is finalized. Detroit will have plenty of spending power for other additions, but Jackson is one of several in-house contributors in need of a new contract or a lucrative extension. As the team looks to build off last season’s run to the NFC title game, though, stability along the O-line will be available with Glasgow still on the books.
Jaguars To Sign C Mitch Morse
Not long after being connected to a Jaguars deal, Mitch Morse is indeed headed to Duval County. The Pro Bowl center is joining Jacksonville on a two-year, $10.5MM deal, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The contract includes $7MM guaranteed. 
The Steelers made an “aggressive push” to land Morse, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. That comes as little surprise given the events since Morse was let go as part of the Bills’ cap purge. Pittsburgh and Jacksonville were the teams which hosted the 31-year-old on a free agent visit recently, and the latter squad has won out.
Morse will now once again play under head coach Doug Pederson, after he served as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator during Morse’s time in Kansas City. The latter parlayed his four-year Chiefs run into a four-year, $44.45MM deal with Buffalo. Morse ultimately signed a two-year extension in 2022, but he was released with one year remaining on that deal during the Bills’ efforts to attain cap compliance.
To little surprise, the 126-game starter has not needed to wait long to find a new opportunity. Morse will replace Luke Fortner as Jacksonville’s starter in the middle. The latter had occupied that role over the past two seasons, starting every game while not missing any action. Fortner graded out as PFF’s second-worst center in 2023, however, leaving room for an upgrade. Especially on a short-term deal (and, of course, if he can remain healthy), Morse should be able to provide that.
Jacksonville has made a few notable moves along the interior of the O-line recently. Left guard Ezra Cleveland – acquired at the 2023 trade deadline from the Vikings – was retained on a three-year deal which prevented the possibility of a free agent departure. Right guard starter Brandon Scherff had his contract restructured yesterday, meanwhile, putting an end to speculation about his immediate future. That guard tandem will remain intact for 2024, with a new center in between them as Jacksonville aims to improve up front.
Colts, LB Zaire Franklin Agree To Extension
Zaire Franklin was under contract for 2024, but he will remain in place for years to come on a new, lucrative Colts contract. Indianapolis has agreed to a three-year, $31.26MM extension with the veteran linebacker, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Franklin has been with the Colts since his rookie year in 2018, but his value to the team over that span has increased dramatically over the past two seasons in particular. The former seventh-rounder has taken on full-time starting duties over that span, becoming even more of a centerpiece when the decision was made to move on from Shaquille Leonard.
Between the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, Franklin has totaled 346 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 12 pass breakups and four forced fumbles. That production had him in line for a notable raise compared to the three-year, $12MM extension he inked in 2022. ESPN’s Stephen Holder confirms the 27-year-old was eyeing a new pact reflecting his value to the Colts’ defense. The team certainly agreed with that sentiment, and long-term security for both sides is now in place. The Syracuse alum will become one of only nine inside linebackers averaging over $10MM per year once this extension kicks in.
In spite of Franklin’s strong play last season, the Colts ranked 24th against the run with an average of 124 yards per game allowed on the ground. Improvement in the front seven will no doubt be a key priority for general manager Chris Ballard, who has other notable pending free agents to try and retain. Among those is defensive tackle Grover Stewart, who could be set to cash in on the continued upward movement of the position’s market on a deal with an outside team.
Frankin is due $2.8MM in salary with a cap hit of $3.36MM in 2024 under the terms of his previous pact. Adjusting the latter figure will now be an option but in any case, the Colts will have one of their top defensive playmakers in the fold for years to come. The team entered Monday with over $49MM in cap space, so plenty of financial flexibility remains for further moves.
Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield Agree To Deal
Baker Mayfield will not reach free agency. The Buccaneers’ efforts to retain their starting quarterback have produced a lucrative new pact. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the sides are finalizing a three-year, $100MM contract featuring $50MM guaranteed. 
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds this pact -which the team has since confirmed – could reach a maximum value of $115MM. Even if that does not take place, this new deal marks a massive raise for the former No. 1 pick in his bid to cash in following his successful debut Bucs campaign and find stability in the process. After playing in Tampa on a one-year, $4MM deal last year, Mayfield has certainly accomplished that goal.
Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes Mayfield’s $30MM salary in 2024 is guaranteed in full. $10MM in 2025 is guaranteed at signing, meanwhile, and a further $10MM comes in the form of an injury guarantee which is set to vest next year. The 28-year-old will see $40MM in 2026, and he can earn $5MM in incentives every year of the pact, per Schefter.
Mayfield easily surpassed expectations after winning out a training camp competition with Kyle Trask in the summer. Mayfield posted career highs in passing yards (4,044) and touchdowns (28) last season. His play helped lead the team to another NFC South title and a run to the divisional round of the postseason. Aiming to retain several main elements of their core, the Buccaneers faced the challenge of keeping Mayfield, Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr. in the fold.
Evans landed a two-year accord after being linked to a free agency endeavor. Winfield, meanwhile, has received the franchise tag and as such will either play out the 2024 season on the tag or agree to his own long-term deal. Mayfield will join that tandem for next year and beyond as he looks to prove his first performance in Tampa Bay was not a fluke.
The Browns’ Deshaun Watson acquisition facilitated Mayfield being traded to the Panthers in 2022. His time in Carolina was short-lived, however, and his struggles led to a release and a late-season cameo with the Rams. The Oklahoma product parlayed that into a flier from Tampa Bay under new offensive coordinator Dave Canales. The latter has since departed (to take over the Panthers as head coach), but Mayfield was involved in the search for Canales’ replacement. That pointed to the player-team relationship being extended, and sustained talks in recent days has brought an deal together.
General manager Jason Licht confirmed the Bucs’ intention of keeping Mayfield in the fold, which has at all times been the expected outcome of this situation. Mayfield’s asking price was pegged as approaching (or perhaps surpassing) $40MM per year, and the base value of the pact falls short at $33.3MM. Maximizing its value would create an AAV of $38.3MM, though, a figure which represents legitimate franchise passer compensation and by far the most lucrative deal of Mayfield’s career.
Of course, the ripple effect of today’s news will be felt around the league. Mayfield was projected to be the second-best quarterback on the market, behind only Kirk Cousins. Many teams which could be suitors for the latter were connected to the former as a backup plan, but attention will now shift even further to Cousins and Minnesota. A new Vikings deal could come to bear in the immediate future; failing that, however, teams such as the Falcons will be able to negotiate a Cousins pact knowing Mayfield is not an option.
Tampa Bay entered Sunday with less than $15MM in cap space, a figure which will be affected by the particulars of the Mayfield deal. The Bucs are not expected to be big players on the open market with respect to outside additions considering their financial situation. Retaining each member of the Mayfield-Evans-Winfield trio was atop the offseason priority list, though, and it has now been achieved. Mayfield’s ability to replicate his 2023 success will be a major talking point for the Buccaneers next season and beyond given the investment made in him by the team.
Suitors Emerging For Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed
MARCH 10: Add the Dolphins to the list of Sneed interested parties. Miami is not in good cap shape and may well lose both Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt in free agency. But with the team cutting Xavien Howard, cornerback help will be sought. The Dolphins are believed to have looked into the prospect of acquiring Sneed, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
MARCH 6: As expected, the Chiefs were among the teams which applied the franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, keeping L’Jarius Sneed off the free agent market in the process. The standout corner is far from certain to remain in Kansas City, though, as a tag-and-trade maneuver is on the table. 
Sneed has served as a full-time starter for nearly his entire Chiefs tenure (70 regular and postseason games), developing into a key member of the team’s vaunted secondary. The tag will cost $19.8MM in 2024, though, using up significant cap space on a team already needing a new deal for Chris Jones. The latter is the defending champions’ priority, and a re-up will not come cheaply. A long-term Sneed pact could also approach or reach the $20MM-per-year-mark his one-year tender is valued at.
Knowing Sneed could very well be on the trade block, Tyler Dragon of USA Today Sports reports seven teams have emerged as interested suitors. That list consists of the Vikings, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Lions, Falcons and Jaguars. Many of those teams are among those set to have the most spending power ahead of free agency and therefore the ones most capable of absorbing Sneed’s cap hit as it stands while working out a lucrative long-term deal.
Of course, teams like Minnesota, Indianapolis and Jacksonville could see sizable changes to their cap situations in the near future. The Vikings have two of the top pending free agents in Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, and meeting the stated objective of retaining both will use up much of their cap space. The Colts and Jags, meanwhile, used the franchise tag on wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and edge rusher Josh Allen yesterday; long-term deals with either could lower their 2024 cap figures and free up room for an aggressive Sneed pursuit.
The Falcons – presumed to be a strong Cousins suitor – will likely wait until their quarterback addition has been made before authorizing a costly move (in terms of draft capital and finances) like a Sneed acquisition. New England and Tennessee rank second and third in respective cap space as things stand, meaning those teams could outbid other suitors and immediately make a deal for the 27-year-old a priority. Detroit reportedly has cornerback at or near the top of the organization’s offseason to-do list, so a Sneed trade would come as little surprise.
With respect to compensation, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer predicts a second-round pick could be required to convince the Chiefs to green-light a trade. Losing an effective contributor will no doubt induce Kansas City to generate as many bidders as possible and land better draft capital than what a 2025 free agent departure would yield (a third-round compensatory pick the following year). With free agency one week away, it will be interesting to see how much of a market develops for Sneed if the Chiefs move forward with exploring a trade.
LB Bobby Wagner Unlikely To Re-Sign With Seahawks
Bobby Wagner made a welcomed return to the Seahawks last offseason after his one-year stint with the Rams. Another Seattle deal does not seem to be in play for the All-Pro linebacker, however. 
Wagner is expected to reach free agency this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Rather than simply gauging his value amongst potential suitors, he adds, Wagner is not expected to agree to a new Seahawks pact. The 33-year-old intends to continue playing, but he will apparently be doing so outside of Seattle in 2024.
Playing on a one-year, $5.5MM deal in 2023, Wagner showed he can still be productive at his age. The nine-time Pro Bowler led the league with 183 tackles (a career high) while remaining a full-time starter alongside Jordyn Brooks. The latter is also a pending free agent, and losing both in the same offseason would create quite the vacancy in the middle of Seattle’s defense.
With news that Wagner is likely on the way out, Brooks may end up being the preferred option to retain going forward into 2024. The team used former Steelers linebacker Devin Bush at linebacker this year, as well, and he may be able to step into one of the vacated starting spots, if necessary, though he, too, is currently bound for free agency. Another option comes through incoming free agency, as Ravens All-Pro linebacker Patrick Queen is set to be a free agent and could be interested in following his former defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald, to Seattle.
As for Wagner, the 33-year-old has continued to prove that age is just a number, earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors while leading the league in tackles in 2023. In an extremely talented off-ball linebacker free agent class that includes Devin White, Josey Jewell, Shaquille Leonard, Denzel Perryman, and more, Wagner is still likely to demand a decent price. A short deal averaging around $15MM per year could be in range as he continues to defy Father Time. His age could pull him down closer to $10MM per year, but with the inflating prices at the position and his continued recent excellence, big money is not out of play.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Jags Restructure G Brandon Scherff’s Contract; LB Caleb Johnson To Reach Free Agency
The Jaguars will have stability along the offensive line in 2024. Right guard Brandon Scherff‘s deal has been restructured, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. News of the sides working on an adjusted deal was first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Re-Sign Ezra Cleveland]
Scherff was set to count nearly $24MM against the cap this season, leaving some to label him a potential release candidate. Instead, this agreement will ensure he remains in Duval County for at least one more year. Schefter notes the five-time Pro Bowler will receive a fully-guaranteed salary of $15MM for 2024 with a $5MM lower cap hit than he previously had. Three void years already existed on the deal after next season, and that will remain the case.
The former Commanders All-Pro re-worked his deal last offseason, creating the likelihood of a repeat taking place in 2024. Scherff will play out the final campaign of his three-year Jags pact given today’s move, though, setting him up for an interesting walk year. The 32-year-old has not replicated his level of play from his Washington tenure so far in Jacksonville, with his PFF evaluations over the past two years (59, 67.3) marking the worst of his career.
While Scherff will remain in place moving forward, the same may not be true of linebacker and special teamer Caleb Johnson. Team and player could not reach agreement on a new deal in the latter’s case, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Johnson was on track to be a restricted free agent, meaning Jacksonville’s inability to work out a deal is also a sign no tender will be coming his way. The right of first refusal tender would have cost $2.99MM, more than Johnson’s career earnings to date.
The 25-year-old has bounced around to a number of teams, but he has spent the past two seasons in Jacksonville. He has not missed a game during that span, playing exclusively on special teams. Safety Daniel Thomas is also best known for his third phase work, and he has been re-upped on a two-year deal. With Thomas remaining in the fold, Johnson will be able to join a new team once the new league year begins on Wednesday.
Raiders Re-Sign C Andre James
Andre James was on track to be one of the top centers available in free agency. Instead, he will remain in place with the Raiders, as his agency announced on Sunday. 
Providing further details, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report that James will receive $24MM on a three-year agreement. Of that figure, $16MM is guaranteed. As a result, the 26-year-old will move into seventh in terms of annual compensation amongst centers.
James was certainly due a raise after his third year as a starter. In a contract year, James delivered a career-year, grading out as the league’s ninth-best center, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He displayed a well-rounded game, grading out as the eighth-best pass blocking center and the 11th-best run blocking center. He has had injuries force him to miss a game or two in the past two seasons, but for the most part, James has been extremely reliable.
Getting this deal worked out before free agency will allow the Raiders to maintain stability at a critical spot on the O-line. The move also notably means Dylan Parham will remain at guard moving forward, after he faced uncertainty about his future usage. James and Parham will be major factors in Vegas’ ability to deliver a strong season up front in 2024 and beyond.
James, Parham, and starting right guard Greg Van Roten anchored an offensive line that saw improvement last year but still has a ways to go. Van Roten and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor still find themselves headed towards free agency, but with Thayer Munford showing an ability to step up and start at times this season, James was the clear priority. With James now under a new deal, the Raiders can now shift focus to remaining free agents.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Packers To Release LB De’Vondre Campbell
Once free agency officially begins, De’Vondre Campbell will see his Packers tenure come to an end. The veteran linebacker will be released on the first day of the new league year, Tom Sliverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. 
By waiting until the start of the league year, Green Bay will be able to designate Campbell a post-June 1 release. That route will yield just over $10.5MM in savings, a far higher figure than if he were to be let go now. However, the Packers will not see that added cap space until June 2. Moving on from Campbell will produce a dead money charge of $3.66MM.
The 30-year-old had a late breakout during his debut campaign with the Packers. Playing on a one-year deal in 2021, he posted 146 tackles, two interceptions and a pair of sacks en route to receiving first-team All-Pro honors. Campbell was rewarded with a five-year, $50MM deal in 2022. Expectations went through the roof as a result, but the former fourth-rounder saw a downturn in production over the past two seasons. Still, his release will create the need for a new starter at the LB spot this offseason.
Campbell played through a shoulder injury in 2022, and he was limited to 11 games last year. Green Bay will be looking for more stability on the health front with an outside addition or the retention of an in-house replacement candidate. Silverstein notes special teamer Eric Wilson is on the Packers’ list of players the team would like to re-sign. Wilson last saw a heavy defensive workload in 2020 with the Vikings, though, so he will likely retain his third phase responsibilities while Green Bay re-shapes its starting defense under new DC Jeff Haffley.
Kristian Welch (a fellow special teams ace) is a pending free agent like Wilson. As a result, the only sure thing at the LB spot for the time being is 2022 first-rounder Quay Walker. The Georgia alum has started all but one of his games in Green Bay to date, posting at least 118 tackles each season. He will be counted on heavily moving forward, but it will be interesting to see who he will be paired with in 2024. The Packers presently have $13.6MM in cap space, a figure which will grow well after the first few waves of free agency have taken place via Campbell’s release. It will be interesting to see how much of a market develops for him once he becomes available.
Texans To Sign DT Foley Fatukasi
Named as a suitor for the top defensive tackle set to hit free agency, the Texans will make a lower-end addition at the position. Foley Fatukasi has agreed to a one-year deal with Houston, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. 
Fatukasi was released by the Jaguars last week in a move which ended his two-year run with the team. Suitors emerged rather quickly, though, and the Texans were among those which hosted him on a visit. The run-stop specialist did not need to wait until free agency to land a deal, and he has found a new home in short order.
After a four-year run with the Jets on his rookie deal, the 29-year-old landed a $30MM pact with Jacksonville. Fatukasi did not develop into an impact pass-rusher during his time as a Jaguar, though, leading to the team’s decision to move on with one year left on his pact. He will now aim to maintain a starting role as part of Houston’s defensive line, a unit which has been the source of speculation related to a major addition.
The Texans loom as a potential suitor for Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins. With Chris Jones having landed a monster re-up with the Chiefs, Wilkins comfortably sits atop the list of the best interior defenders who will reach the open market this week. Houston could still be aggressive in pursuing a deal with the former first-rounder, but if that falls short the team will have an experienced rotational option at a minimum in the form of Fatukasi.
Houston entered Sunday with almost $63MM in cap space, so a (presumably) low-cost Fatukasi deal will not tangibly limit the team’s spending power at the position. The Texans will not have Sheldon Rankins in place next season, something which will limit them from an interior pass-rushing perspective as things stand. Fatukasi will help in the run defense department, though, as he makes an intra-divisional move.