Steelers To Sign LB Myles Jack
It didn’t take long for Myles Jack to find his next gig. The former Jaguars linebacker is signing with the Steelers, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal worth $16MM.
[RELATED: Jaguars To Release Myles Jack]
Jacksonville’s spending spree was going to come with a cost, and the team ultimately decided to move on from their leading tackler yesterday. Jack inked a four-year, $57MM deal ($33MM guaranteed) with Jacksonville back in 2019.
With that said, Jack is still a productive player. He finished last season with 108 tackles in 15 starts, and he had a career-high 118 tackles as recently as 2020. The former second-round pick won’t turn 27 until September, so it makes sense that the Steelers still think he’s got something in the tank.
Many of the Steelers initial FA moves were focused on offense, but the team has started adding to their defense. We learned yesterday that the team was signing cornerback Levi Wallace to a two-year deal.
Raiders Sign WR Mack Hollins
The Raiders are adding another special team ace. The team is adding wideout/special teamer Mack Hollins, reports Taylor Vippolis of Inside Carolina (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders To Sign RB Brandon Bolden]
Hollins appeared in every game for the Dolphins over the past two seasons, and while he was buried on the depth chart, he still managed to put up some numbers. He finished the season with 223 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, and his 15.9 yards per catch ranked first on the team.
The 28-year-old also led the Dolphins in special teams tackles, finishing with 11 overall. In total, Hollins has collected 21 tackles throughout his career.
The former fourth-round pick spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the Eagles, collecting 351 yards from scrimmage in 28 games.
Raiders Cut LB Nick Kwiatkoski
The Raiders have released another defender. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter), the team has cut LB Nick Kwiatkoski.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Bears, Kwiatkoski joined the Raiders in 2020 on a three-year, $21MM deal. The linebacker will ultimately leave behind a $5MM cap hit.
Kwiatkoski was productive during his first season with the team, collecting a career-high 81 tackles in 12 games. However, he was limited to only eight games in 2021 thanks in part to an ankle injury, and he collected only 21 tackles and one forced fumble when he did see the field.
As Tafur points out, the new Raiders front office was quick to move on from Cory Littleton, Carl Nassib, and Kwiatkoski, and the trio will ultimately account for $25.6MM in dead cap over the next two years.
Texans Sign RB Dare Ogunbowale
Dare Ogunbowale is off to Houston. The running back is signing with the Texans, reports Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
The former Jaguars RB got a two-year, $3.3 million from Houston.
Ogunbowale actually got his first NFL gig with the Texans after going undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2017. It took him until 2019 to stick around for an entire NFL season when he got into 16 games for the Buccaneers. He finished that season with 303 yards from scrimmage, which still represents a career high.
The RB joined Jacksonville in 2020, and he saw time in 31 games for the organization over the past two years. He finished his Jaguars career having collected 450 yards from scrimmage and two scores. Ogunbowale also contributed on special teams, collecting 17 tackles during his two years in Jacksonville.
In Houston, he’ll be joining a depth chart that’s currently led by Rex Burkhead. Both David Johnson and Royce Freeman are currently free agents.
Raiders To Sign RB Brandon Bolden
Brandon Bolden is teaming up with his former offensive coordinator in Las Vegas. The Raiders are signing the running back and special teamer, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
Head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler are plenty familiar with Bolden, who spent nine of his 10 professional seasons in New England. Bolden was a special teams mainstay throughout his stint with the Patriots, collecting 51 tackles and three forced fumbles. This includes a 2021 campaign where he collected a career-high 11 tackles while appearing in 63 percent of New England’s ST snaps.
The veteran also had his best season on offense this past year. After having collected only 376 yards from scrimmage between 2016 and 2019 in stints with the Patriots and Dolphins (Bolden opted out of the 2020 campaign), the running back finished 2021 with 631 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
Bolden will likely continue having a special teams role in Las Vegas, but he could easily slide into the depth chart behind Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake.
Cardinals Sign CB Jeff Gladney
Jeff Gladney is landing in Arizona after all. After meeting with the Cardinals yesterday, the cornerback is signing with the team, reports Josina Anderson (on Twitter). Gladney is getting a two-year deal.
Glandey was recently acquitted by a jury on assault charges. The cornerback was released by the Vikings last August following an indictment for domestic violence. Gladney was accused of choking, punching, and shoving a woman during an incident in April, 2021.”
“This has been a challenging time for Jeff mentally, spiritually and athletically,” his agents, Brian E. Overstreet and Rodney Williams, said at the time. “So, we applaud Jeff for having the courage to stand and fight for his freedom versus these false allegations”
The TCU product was selected in the first round of the 2020 draft by the Vikings. He got into 16 games (15 starts) as a rookie, finishing with 81 tackles and three passes defended
Bears To Sign OL Lucas Patrick
The Bears have added a starting offensive lineman. Chicago is signing former Packers interior lineman Lucas Patrick, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). It’s a two-year, $8MM deal ($4MM guaranteed), according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).
Patrick was an undrafted free agent out of Duke in 2016, and he carved out a nice role for himself in Green Bay. The lineman served mostly as a backup through his first four seasons in the NFL, but he found himself starting in 2020.
Patrick started 15 games for the Packers in 2020 and 13 games in 2021. He saw time in 82 percent of his team’s offensive snaps this past season, and he continued to contribute on special teams.
The 28-year-old’s ability to play both offensive guard and center should make him a valuable asset in Chicago. The Bears saw lineman James Daniels leave for Pittsburgh earlier today, but they’re replacing him with a player who has some familiarity with the system. Patrick played under Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy when the two were in Green Bay.
Saints To Sign S Marcus Maye
The Saints have added a big-name free agent to their secondary. New Orleans is signing safety Marcus Maye, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).
Maye got a three-year, $28.5MM deal from New Orleans, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The deal contains $15MM in guaranteed money.
Maye’s 2021 did not go especially well. A DUI arrest came shortly after tense negotiations with the Jets, who did not finalize a long-term extension by the July deadline. Maye played the season on the franchise tag but suffered an Achilles tear, limiting him to only six games. The former second-round pick started 32 games for New York between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
It was only a few hours ago that we heard the Jets were keeping an eye on their free agent. Connor Hughes of The Athletic confirms (on Twitter) that the Jets were interested in re-signing the safety, but Maye ended up taking the better offer.
The Saints, meanwhile, watched as safety Marcus Williams left for Baltimore earlier today. The defensive back got a whopping five-year, $70MM deal from the Ravens, so New Orleans certainly got a discount by pivoting to Maye.
LB Nicholas Morrow To Sign With Bears
Following five seasons with the Raiders, Nicholas Morrow is heading to Chicago. The Bears are signing the linebacker, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter).
Fowler transformed from an undrafted free agent into a serviceable linebacker during his time with the Raiders organization. Morrow ultimately spent five years with the organization, seeing time in 62 games (29 starts).
Morrow re-signed with the Raiders last offseason, but he landed on injured reserve before the regular season with a foot injury. There were some whispers that he could be activated in time for the playoffs, but the linebacker ended up sitting out the entire 2021 campaign.
That means 2020 was the last time Morrow saw the field, but he was plenty productive during that campaign. He saw time in 14 games (11 starts) that season, collecting 78 tackles, three sacks, and nine passes defended.
Saints Rework CB Bradley Roby’s Deal
Bradley Roby is staying in New Orleans. The Saints have agreed to a new deal with the cornerback, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). This move will help the Saints open up some cap space while also assuring that Roby stays with the organization.
After reworking his contract last offseason, Roby’s cap hit was set at $10.169MM in 2022. Roby also has void years in 2023, 2024, 2025 at $25MM per year.
Roby is still playing out a three-year, $36MM deal he signed with the Texans in 2020. He was traded to New Orleans a year later for a third- and sixth-round pick, and he ended up seeing time in 14 games (one start) for his new team. Roby’s first season with the Saints saw him collect 23 tackles, one sack, five passes defended, and one interception.
The Saints were one of the most cash-strapped teams in the NFL, but they’ve already done some work to get under the cap. Of course, the organization is also in the hunt for Deshaun Watson, so it’s not surprising that the front office continues to look for ways to clear money from their books.