Chargers Sign LS Josh Harris
After spending 10 seasons in Atlanta, Josh Harris is moving on. The veteran long snapper is signing with the Chargers, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
Harris will sign a four-year deal worth $5.6MM, including $1.92MM in guaranteed money.
The Auburn product joined the Falcons after going undrafted in the 2012 draft, and he proceeded to spend 10 seasons with the organization. He only missed five games during his decade in Atlanta. He finally got some recognition in 2021, earning a Pro Bowl nod and All-Pro recognition.
In total, Harris has appeared in 156 career games, collecting 28 tackles.
Texans Sign QB Kyle Allen
Houston is still awaiting a resolution on the Deshaun Watson situation, but that won’t stop them from making changes to their quarterbacks room. The Texans are signing QB Kyle Allen, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post (on Twitter).
Allen is inking a one-year, $2.5MM deal, including $2.25MM in guaranteed money.
Allen spent the first two seasons of his career in Carolina, including a 2019 campaign where he went 5-7 as a starter while tossing 17 touchdowns (vs. 16 interceptions). He was traded to Washington prior to the 2020 season, and he ended up appearing in six games (four starts) during his two seasons with the organization. In total, Allen has completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 4,318 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in 21 games (17 starts).
The Texans reportedly aren’t interested in receiving a QB in a Watson trade, and the team is content to move forward with Davis Mills as the starting QB. Allen will join a depth chart that also includes Jeff Driskel.
Giants Sign TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Ricky Seals-Jones is staying in the NFC East. The tight end is signing with the Giants, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter).
Seals-Jones has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2017, spending time with the Cardinals, Browns, Chiefs, and Washington. His best season came in 2018 with Arizona when he had 34 receptions for 343 yards and one touchdown.
The tight end spent the 2021 season in Washington, seeing time in 13 games (six starts). He had 30 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Seals-Jones also spent time on special teams.
In New York, he’ll be joining a depth chart that has a giant hole after Evan Engram left for the Jaguars. The Giants are also rostering tight ends Jake Hausmann, Chris Myarick, and Rysen John.
Packers WR Randall Cobb Takes Pay Cut
While it remains to be seen whether Davante Adams will be back in Green Bay, at least one of Aaron Rodgers‘ favorite targets will be sticking around. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (via Twitter) that wideout Randall Cobb took a sizable salary cut to stay with the Packers.
[RELATED: Packers’ Davante Adams Won’t Play On Tag]
Specifically, Cobb sacrificed $5.5MM to stay in Green Bay. The veteran wideout was set to earn $8.5MM in total salary in 2022, and that number will now drop to $3MM.
Cobb returned to the Packers in 2021 and settled into a secondary role on offense. He ended up finishing the campaign with a career-low 376 yards from scrimmage, but his five touchdowns were the most he’s had since 2015.
Besides one-year stints with the Cowboys and Texans, Cobb had otherwise spent his entire career in Green Bay. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2014, and he’s sixth on the team’s all-time list in receptions (498).
Latest On Deshaun Watson
The Falcons’ meeting with quarterback Deshaun Watson has come to an end, and the team has reportedly submitted a trade offer to the Texans, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com.
While Watson’s previous meetings with the Browns, Saints, and Panthers all took place in Houston, the QB’s meeting with the Falcons was in Atlanta. As Wilson notes, the Falcons were a late addition to the Watson sweepstakes, but there are reasons to be optimistic about their pursuit. Watson grew up in Georgia, and he has a relationship with assistant coach T.J. Yates, who played and coached for the Texans.
While the Falcons’ meeting may have featured a different location, the personnel was generally the same. All four teams had their owners, general managers, and coaches present for their respective meetings, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter).
Watson is finished speaking with potential suitors, but he’s still making a decision on his preferred path. Per Florio (on Twitter), the quarterback is “incredibly torn” about his decision and was impressed by all four presentations. This has made it “very difficult” to choose a destination, and there is no specific timetable for his decision.
The 26-year-old passer choosing Atlanta would mean the end of Matt Ryan‘s 14-year run leading the team. With the Falcons getting into the Watson mix late, they informed Ryan last weekend of their plans at quarterback, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The Browns did not brief Baker Mayfield on their Watson intentions.
Jets Sign TE Tyler Conklin
The Jets have added another tight end. The team is signing Tyler Conklin, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). It’s a three-year deal worth $21MM, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Jets To Sign TE C.J. Uzomah]
The former fifth-round pick had spent his entire career with the Vikings, missing only a single regular season game in his four years with the team. Conklin mostly served as a blocker and special team specialist, but he had a breakout offensive season in 2021. The 26-year-old finished the campaign with 61 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns.
In New York, he’ll be joining a revamepd depth chart that’s led by free agent signing C.J. Uzomah. The Jets are also rostering Ryan Griffin, Trevon Wesco, Kenny Yeboah, and Brandon Dillon, while Tyler Kroft is currently a free agent. Conklin will likely slide in behind Uzomah.
Uzomah’s former team, the Bengals, were among the organizations pursuing Conklin before he landed in New York (per Garafolo on Twitter).
Seahawks Release DE Benson Mayowa
The Seahawks’ roster makeover continues. Seattle is releasing defensive end Benson Mayowa, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Seahawks To Sign Uchenna Nwosu]
After originally joining the Seahawks on a one-year deal in 2020, Mayowa inked a two-year, $7.6MM pact with the team last March. He was set to count $3.7MM against the cap in 2022, and he’ll leave behind $2.25MM in dead cap. The move will save the team $1.45MM and follows the Seahawks’ signing of Uchenna Nwosu earlier today.
Mayowa ended up seeing time in 28 games during his second stint in Seattle (the former undrafted free agent got his first NFL gig from the Seahawks). Over the past two years, the linebacker has collected 54 tackles, seven sacks, and 11 QB hits, although the majority of those numbers came in 2020.
Mayowa previously had stints with the Raiders (two stints), Cowboys, and Cardinals. He’s seen time in 115 career games, compiling 27 sacks.
S Michael Thomas Re-Signing With Bengals
Michael Thomas (the defensive back) will be sticking with the AFC champs. Thomas is re-signing with the Bengals, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
Despite going undrafted out of Stanford in 2012, Thomas has managed to put together a 10-year career. He spent the 2021 campaign with the Bengals after catching on with their practice squad. The veteran ended up seeing time in eight games (one starts) for Cincy, collecting 18 tackles while appearing primarily on special teams. Thomas also saw time in each of the Bengals’ four playoff games.
Thomas spent the first five seasons of his career with the Dolphins before moving on to the Giants, where he earned his lone Pro Bowl appearance. Following two seasons in New York, Thomas spent the 2020 season with the Texans.
During the early parts of free agency, the Bengals have been focused on retaining their own guys. They franchise safety Jessie Bates, and they re-signed defensive tackle B.J. Hill and linebacker Joe Bachie.
Bills To Sign TE O.J. Howard
The Bills are making headlines. Moments have news broke that Buffalo is signing Von Miller, we’re learning that they’ve also added a notable name on the offensive side of the ball. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Bills are signing tight end O.J. Howard.
[RELATED: Bills To Sign Von Miller]
Howard will get a one-year, $3.5MM deal from Buffalo, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal could be worth up to $5MM.
The Alabama product was a first-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2017, but injuries and an uncertain depth chart kept him from reaching his full potential. Howard has had three stints to the IR during his five-year career, limiting him to only 59 career games.
2021 was one of the lone seasons when Howard was fully healthy, but despite getting an entire season with Tom Brady, he struggled to put up numbers. Howard ultimately finished the season having hauled in only 14 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown. This was a far cry from his first three seasons in the NFL when he averaged 31 receptions and close to 500 yards per year despite averaging only 12 games.
Howard will be joining a Bills depth chart that’s led by Dawson Knox, who had a career year in 2021 (587 receiving yards, nine touchdowns). Howard will likely slide in ahead of Tommy Sweeney and Quintin Morris on the depth chart.
George Kittle, Arik Armstead Rework Contracts With 49ers
The 49ers have opened up a significant chunk of cap space. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the team has restructured the contracts of tight end George Kittle and defensive tackle Arik Armstead. These moves will open $18.75MM in cap space.
Kittle inked a sizable five-year, $75MM deal with the 49ers prior to the 2020 season, but he was limited to only eight games that year while dealing with a knee injury and a broken bone in his foot. He got into 14 games this past season and returned to his Pro Bowl form, hauling in 71 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns.
Armstead has spent his entire career with San Francisco. The former first-round pick signed a five-year, $85MM deal ($48.5MM guaranteed) with the 49ers following a 2019 season where he finished with 10 sacks. Armstead has collected only 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons (33 starts), but he’s still collected 58 tackles and 24 QB hits.