49ers Re-Sign QB Nate Sudfeld
While much of the focus in San Francisco is on the status of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers have locked up another signal-caller for the 2022 season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the 49ers have re-signed Nate Sudfeld.
It’s a one-year deal worth up to $3MM, with $2MM in guaranteed money. Per Schefter, Sudfeld had interest from two other teams, with those organizations believing the 28-year-old has “starter potential in the league.”
Sudfeld was a sixth-round pick by Washington in 2016, and after getting waived, he caught on with the Eagles in 2017. He’d go on to spend four seasons in Philly, seeing time in four games. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles during his first season with the organization.
The quarterback caught on with the 49ers last offseason, and he ended up spending the 2021 season alternating between the active roster and practice squad. With Garoppolo and third-overall pick Trey Lance on the roster, Sudfeld didn’t see the field for his new team, but he’ll likely be the primary backup to Lance during the 2022 campaign.
Giants Cut P Riley Dixon
Riley Dixon is hitting free agency. The Giants have cut their veteran punter, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). The move will save the Giants $2.8MM against the cap.
Dixon has spent the past four seasons in New York. His numbers took a bit of a step back in 2021, as the 28-year-old’s average punt length was at a career-low 44.4 yards. However, he did punt the ball 74 times, his highest total since 2016.
The Syracuse product was a seventh-round by the Broncos in 2016. He spent two seasons with Denver, including a 2016 campaign where he earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. He was traded to the Giants in 2018 for a 2019 conditional seventh-round draft pick.
Jets Re-Sign DB Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner is returning to New York. The veteran safety is re-signing with the Jets, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a one year-deal for Joyner.
[RELATED: Jamison Crowder Likely To Hit Free Agency]
After getting cut by the Raiders last offseason, Joyner caught on with the Jets. He started his lone game for New York, collecting one tackles in nine defensive snaps. Unfortunately, an elbow injury landed him on injured reserve, and he ended up sitting out the rest of the season.
Joyner entered the league as a second-round pick of the Rams back in 2014. After his rookie contract expired, he played 2018 under the franchise tag with the Rams. The Florida State product earned a big four-year, $42MM contract from the Raiders the following free agency, but he was released just two years into that pact.
Joyner played last season on a one-year deal that included $2.5MM in guaranteed money. Considering the injury, he probably had to settle for less this time around.
Teams Showing Interest In Patriots WR N’Keal Harry
Despite an invisible stint in New England, wideout N’Keal Harry is still generating some interest around the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed (on Twitter), “teams have shown recent interest” in the former first-round pick, and the receiver is “a potential trade candidate before the draft.”
The 2019 first-round pick hasn’t clicked with any of New England’s three QBs (Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Mac Jones) during his three seasons in the league. In 33 games (18 starts), Harry has hauled in 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound receiver has earned some high marks for his blocking, but he’d still be a bottom-of-the-depth-chart option for most teams.
New England will eventually have to make a decision on the receiver’s fifth-year option, but there’s little chance it’ll be picked up. Harry has a $3.2MM cap hit in 2022.
CB Jeff Gladney Acquitted On Assault Charges
Former first-round pick Jeff Gladney has been acquitted by a jury on assault charges, reports Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com.
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.
“First and foremost, this has had a real impact on Jeff Gladney as a person,” said agents Brian E. Overstreet and Rodney Williams (via Wilson). “These situations have very real consequences for the young men involved. This has been a challenging time for Jeff mentally, spiritually and athletically. So, we applaud Jeff for having the courage to stand and fight for his freedom versus these false allegations. We further hope this will encourage other athletes in the future who have been falsely accused, blackmailed or persuaded to provide hush money to make these type of situations go away, to now take a stand and defend themselves as well.”
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.
Giants Restructure WR Sterling Shepard’s Contract
The Giants’ longest-tenured player is sticking around for at least another season. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the Giants have reached an agreement on a restructured deal with wideout Sterling Shepard.
While we don’t have full details on Shepard’s pay cut, we have learned that the two sides chopped a year off the player’s contract. Shepard was originally signed through the 2023 season, but Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets that the restructure will see the final season wiped off that deal. As a result, 2022 will now be the final year of the receiver’s contract.
We heard recently that the Giants were asking the former second-round pick to take a significant pay cut as part of the team’s larger cost-cutting agenda. Shepard reportedly wasn’t a fan of that idea, but the two sides apparently came to a compromise. The receiver was set to earn a salary of $8.5MM next season.
When healthy, Shepard has been Daniel Jones‘ favorite target, but injury troubles (such as the torn Achilles he is currently rehabbing) have landed the wideout in this financial situation. Shepard seemed to be coming into his own in 2018 when he finished with 872 receiving yards. However, he’s missed 20 games over the past three seasons, including 10 in 2021. He ultimately finished last season with 36 receptions for 366 yards and one touchdown.
KR/PR Jakeem Grant Expected To Have “Robust Market”
Jakeem Grant is expected to be a popular name in free agency. The Bears All-Pro return specialist is expected to have a “robust market,” according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). Per the reporter, teams are “emphasizing field position and players who are a threat to take it the distance.”
Meanwhile, Grant was mentioned on NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero’s list of free agents “who could get paid more than you think.” Per the reporter, it wouldn’t be shocking if the 29-year-old earns a deal worth more than $5MM per year, which would make him the NFL’s highest-paid return specialist.
Grant was a sixth-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016. He proved to be serviceable on offense during his time in Miami, including a 2020 campaign where he hauled in 36 receptions for 373 yards. He also started earning some league-wide recognition for his special teams prowess during that 2020 season. Grant earned an All-Pro nod after returning 29 punts for 330 yards and one touchdown.
He was acquired by the Bears midway through the 2021 season in exchange for a sixth-round pick. In total, he got into 17 games between Miami and Chicago last year, finishing with 309 punt return yards, including a franchise-record 97-yard punt return against the Packers. Grant also earned his first career Pro Bowl appearance in 2021.
Latest On Vikings’ Cap Situation
The Vikings are looking to reset their cap, and their quarterback could end up being a casualty. According to Jason La Canfora (via Twitter), the Vikings are “eager to move big contracts,” and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they end up moving on from Kirk Cousins.
With the Vikings changing regimes, the status of their four-year starting quarterback has understandably come up. Cousins carries the NFL’s third-highest 2022 cap hit at $45MM, and he’s going into a contract year. If the organization is truly looking to reset their books, it’d make sense to move on from the veteran QB. It would help the Vikings a bit if Cousins agreed to another extension, which would allow the team to reduce his 2022 cap hit. However, Cousins’ camp hasn’t been receptive to that idea.
La Canfora also mentions wideout Adam Thielen, linebacker Eric Kendricks, defensive tackle Michael Pierce, and even running back Dalvin Cook as sizable cap hits that the organization could look to move on from. These four players and Cousins represent five of the team’s seven highest cap hits, joining defensive end Danielle Hunter and safety Harrison Smith.
The Vikings entered the offseason with one of the worst cap situations in the NFL, so it’s not surprising that the team is looking to move around some money. Per OverTheCap.com, the Vikings are currently $15MM over the cap, so moves are certainly coming.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 3/9/22
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Cowboys: LB Luke Gifford
- Ravens: CB Chris Westry
- Titans: DE Derick Roberson
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Cardinals: RB Jonathan Ward, WR Antoine Wesley
- Lions: LS Scott Daly, P Jack Fox, CB Mark Gilbert, S JuJu Hughes, RB Godwin Igwebuike, WR Tom Kennedy, G Tommy Kraemer, OLB Jessie Lemonier, T Matt Nelson, K Riley Patterson, LB Anthony Pittman, CB Bobby Price, TE Brock Wright
- Raiders: TE Nick Bowers
- Ravens: C Trystan Colon-Castillo, QB Tyler Huntley, LS Nick Moore, S Geno Stone, LB Kristian Welch, RB Ty’Son Williams