Chiefs Re-Sign WR Justin Watson
After a one-year tryout contract, Kansas City has decided to extend wide receiver Justin Watson‘s tenure with the Chiefs, according to the Twitter account of Watson’s agency, JL Sports. The Chiefs signed him to a new two-year contract worth $3.5MM, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The deal includes a guaranteed amount of $1.4MM and a potential $2.5MM in escalators and incentives that could bring the overall value of the contract up to $6MM. 
In an offense that lost star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and saw both Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney miss much of the season with injuries, Watson provided some reliable depth. The Chiefs saw three new free agent additions lead their wide receiving corps last season as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Watson were first, second, and third at the position in receiving yards.
Although Watson ranked only fifth on the team in receiving, 2022 was a career year for him. He matched career-highs in catches (15) and touchdowns (2) but expanded his route tree a bit down the field as he nearly doubled his previous high in receiving yards with 315, despite having the same number of receptions as his previous high. Last year was also extremely productive for Watson in terms of proving that he could stay on the field after only appearing in one game for the Buccaneers in 2021. In his first season with the Chiefs, Watson played in every game (except the AFC Championship game), starting five contests.
Kansas City lost Smith-Schuster and Hardman to free agency this offseason but return Valdes-Scantling, Toney, and second-year wideout Skyy Moore. The Chiefs also brought in former 49ers and Giants wide receiver Richie James and return a number of receivers who were on the roster but didn’t record any offensive statistics last season.
The losses of Smith-Schuster and Hardman open a door for Watson to increase his role on the Chiefs offense, but he’ll have to beat out James and several other backups for those targets. Regardless, Watson provides the Chiefs with consistent depth at the wide receiver position as well as a player who can contribute on offense and special teams.
Latest On Odell Beckham Jr., Lamar Jackson
The Ravens held newly signed wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.‘s introductory press conference today, in which Beckham spoke for nearly 40 minutes on what brought him to Baltimore, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. During Beckham’s introduction to Charm City, the media even got a short update on the situation surrounding quarterback Lamar Jackson from both Beckham and general manager Eric DeCosta. 
The biggest headline from Beckham pertained to the former MVP as Beckham confirmed that he had received no assurances that Jackson would be back at quarterback. Beckham told reporters that “the goal was to come (to Baltimore) and have that possibility to play with (Jackson).” He said he would let DeCosta take care of business but made sure to stare straight down the cameras and say, “Lamar, if you’re watching, I would love to get to work with you.”
Beckham spoke to the other factors that lured him to Baltimore, citing team owner Steve Bisciotti as having played a big role. Bisciotti reportedly reached out to Beckham and said all the right things. Between Bisciotti, his former offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and some recruitment from Jackson and other players, Beckham claims it wasn’t money that drew him to the Ravens but a true belief from both parties that he was a piece that could help them win.
Lastly, Beckham discussed perhaps the biggest item of concern for the upcoming season: his health. After sitting out all of the 2022 season due to his ACL injuries, Beckham was hesitant to commit to attending organized team activities this offseason, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. He minimized the importance of OTAs, indicating that his main focus was returning to the field on Sundays.
Pertaining to Beckham’s performance on Sundays, we finally have some details on the $3MM of incentives in his new deal. According to Florio, Beckham can earn an extra $1MM for each of three categories: receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. For receptions, the incentive progresses as follows: $250,000 for 30 receptions, $500,000 for 40, $750,000 for 50, and $1MM for 60. For receiving yards, the incentive progresses as follows: $250,000 for 250 yards, $500,000 for 500, $750,000 for 750, and $1MM for 1,000. For receiving touchdowns, the incentive progresses as follows: $250,000 for three touchdowns, $500,000 for five, $750,000 for seven, and $1MM if he catches nine scores or leads the team in receiving touchdowns.
We got some comments from DeCosta, as well, in the press conference today. The fifth-year general manager explained that the team had been in talks with Beckham since last October. The team sent assistant wide receivers coach Keith Williams to Beckham’s workout in March and talked to Beckham at the owners’ meetings in Arizona.
“This was the guy that we felt could help take us to the next level,” DeCosta told the media. “We’ve had lots of players come back from this type of injury and flourish over time.” He continued, “We went into it knowing we were the underdogs (to the Jets), and…sometimes the underdog wins.”
In reference to Jackson, DeCosta claimed that he hadn’t spoken with the quarterback since signing Beckham but has communicated with Jackson since his trade request and franchise tagging, declining to relay any details.
“Lamar’s in our plans; we love Lamar,” DeCosta said. “Our feelings about Lamar have not changed one bit since the end of the season. We’re hopeful still that we’ll get a long-term deal done. He’s the right player for this team to lead us to where we want to be. I think the locker room knows that, the organization knows that. I think the fan base knows that. So it’s ongoing. But I can’t think of a situation where we wouldn’t think that our best team is with Lamar Jackson on the team in September.”
Even past Jackson’s participation in the recruitment of Beckham to Baltimore, Jackson and Beckham further commingled after the Ravens signed Beckham on Sunday night. The two went out to dinner together in Miami before being seen at a club later that night. Many viewed Beckham’s addition to the team as a positive step towards Jackson’s return to the Ravens. While that hasn’t been guaranteed, Beckham sure hopes he has Jackson throwing passes to him in 2023.
NFL Workout Notes: Moore, Cards, 49ers
After a career year in Houston, wide receiver Chris Moore is seeking a new contract for 2023. The veteran looked at a division rival, visiting the Titans yesterday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
Moore spent the first five years of his career with the Ravens, having his best offensive season with Baltimore in 2017 when he caught 18 balls for 248 yards and three touchdowns. His role diminished over time until he found himself contributing mostly on special teams. He returned to a role on offense with the Texans while still serving as a core special teamer. Over his two years in Houston, Moore has had two games over 100 receiving yards and several other strong contributions en route to 96 receptions for 775 yards and four touchdowns.
In Tennessee, Moore would be joining an extremely thin wide receiving corps that currently consists of Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Kyle Philips, Racey McMath, Reggie Roberson, and Mason Kinsey. He would likely slot in as a starter at WR2 or WR3 and could still provide for the Titans on special teams.
Here are a few more workouts from around the league:
- The Cardinals have hosted a number of workouts this week, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Yesterday, the team worked out former Bengals tight end Drew Sample. Sample missed all but two games last season with a knee injury but could provide some depth behind Zach Ertz and Trey McBride. Today, Arizona worked out another former Bengal in quarterback Jeff Driskel. Driskel has been a career backup but has started 11 games over his career in Cincinnati, Detroit, Denver, and Houston. Driskel would add some depth at quarterback as Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy both attempt to recover from injuries this offseason. The only other passer currently on the roster is David Blough.
- The 49ers hosted a veteran wide receiver today, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Just one year removed from his strongest NFL season to date, Laquon Treadwell visited San Francisco as the potential fifth team in his NFL career. Treadwell looks to join a talented wide receivers room that currently contains Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Ray-Ray McCloud.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/13/23
Minor transactions from around the league today:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OT Jackson Barton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: WR Willie Johnson
Odell Beckham Jr. To Sign With Ravens
Odell Beckham Jr. has made his decision on where he will play next, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The star free agent will be catching passes in Baltimore next season as a member of the Ravens, news he hinted at on his own Instagram account. 
The three-time Pro Bowler has agreed to a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $18MM with $15MM guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero provided a further breakdown that shows the guaranteed amount to be composed of a $13.84MM signing bonus and a base salary of $1.17MM, making up the exact amount Beckham requested at the league’s recent owners’ meetings in Arizona. The remaining $3MM of potential worth in the contract comes in the form of incentives.
Most reports seemed to have Beckham’s decision narrowed down to the Jets and Ravens with many believing New York to be the favorite to land the veteran’s services. Baltimore had reportedly submitted an offer to Beckham earlier in the week, the first of many teams expected to vie for his services. The Jets, on the other hand, decided to take one more big swing at the free agent with a visit that was set to take place this evening. Despite those plans, the Ravens secured Beckham before he had a chance to revisit the Jets.
New York’s meeting this weekend was intended to be an incredibly deep dive on the potential of Beckham joining the team. They had planned a multi-faceted approach that would not only include “a physical but also a thorough discussion of what to expect in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense with a deep WR room,” according to Rapoport. The team was set to return last year’s top receivers, Garrett Wilson and Corey Davis, while adding Rodgers’s favorite target from last year, Allen Lazard, and versatile former Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman. Many of these efforts have been made under the continuing expectation that Rodgers will be quarterbacking the team in 2023 as the result of a trade that has yet to materialize. Beckham reportedly gave the Jets one last chance to match Baltimore’s offer, according to Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report, but New York balked at the high price tag.
The Ravens have their own questions at the quarterback position as they continue to deal with the situation surrounding Lamar Jackson, who reportedly requested a trade from Baltimore early last month. The saga with Jackson has gone on for some time now after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on an extension. The team franchise tagged Jackson, allowing him to negotiate with other teams, but nothing ever resulted from Jackson’s supposed availability. Rapoport recently gave his opinion on the Pat McAfee Show that the situation would end rather anticlimactically with Jackson playing out the 2023 season on the franchise tag in Baltimore as the two sides continue to negotiate. Now, the Ravens have made a move that only emphasizes their desire to retain their star quarterback.
If Jackson returns, he will be throwing to a new-look wide receiving corps led by Beckham, Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, and Nelson Agholor. Bateman showed promise to begin his sophomore season before a Lisfranc issue ended his year. Duvernay, fresh off All-Pro returning honors in 2021, had his best offensive season to date last year, finishing as the second most productive receiver in Baltimore last season behind Demarcus Robinson. The team’s receiver room also includes James Proche, Tylan Wallace, Andy Isabella, Shemar Bridges, and Mike Thomas.
Beckham’s road back to the Super Bowl starts now. The 30-year-old played out his rookie contract with the Giants then spent two and a half seasons with the Browns before winning a Super Bowl ring with the Rams. Unfortunately for Beckham, he didn’t get to finish Los Angeles’s Super Bowl victory, leaving the game in the second quarter with a newly torn ACL that would keep him recovering for all of the offseason. It appeared likely that a few teams may take a swing at Beckham as a potential addition for a playoff run, but nothing developed from those conversations last season. Instead, Beckham sat out the entire 2022 season as his free agency extended in to 2023.
Now, though, Beckham has found his newest home, signing with a franchise that has seen plenty of success in signing veteran free agent wide receivers such as Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, and Mike Wallace. He’ll see both the Rams and Browns in 2023 and will have the chance to play his old team in Cleveland twice a year for however long he is a member of the Ravens.
Darnell Wright Visits Saints, Bears, Packers, Bills; Several More Planned
One of the fastest risers in the 2023 NFL Draft, Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright is currently such an enigma that even NFL teams don’t seem to have an idea on when his name will be called. Normally, a tackle prospect who takes Top 30 visits is targeted by teams in similar areas of the draft who believe he will be available when they have their opportunity to select. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, nearly 20 teams believe Wright will be there when they are on the clock. 
We already reported that Wright was starting to climb boards back in February, noting that, after attending the Senior Bowl, the 21-year-old was not expected to slip past the first round of the draft. While many first-round linemen from Power 5 schools tend to find their way to the NFL as underclassmen, Wright is a rarity after playing four years with the Volunteers. The decision appears to have been the correct one as Wright was rewarded with a first-team All-SEC selection following his best year of collegiate play. Wright was a Lombardi award semifinalist after allowing zero sacks as a senior in one of the nation’s top offenses of 2022.
Wright began his reportedly lengthy tour with visits to New Orleans, Chicago, Green Bay, and Buffalo, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Following his visits with the Saints, Bears, Packers, and Bills, Wright is expected to visit the Buccaneers, Cowboys, Cardinals, Commanders, and Lions in the coming weeks leading up to the draft. That’s only nine teams. At least that many more are expected to spend time with Wright before the end of the month.
There’s a reason so many teams are under the assumption he’ll be available. He entered the Senior Bowl with many thinking he had plenty still to prove. Two months later and some consider him to be the top tackle prospect in this year’s draft. So far, he’s covered the full gamut from not a first rounder to top tackle on the board. Some teams may just be kicking the tires themselves to see what all the fuss is about, doing their own research, but teams in the later part of the first round shouldn’t entertain the thought of drafting Wright too much more if he continues to fly up draft boards.
Browns Rumors: Watson, Deposition, WRs
Many seem to blame Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s fully guaranteed contract for some of the issues the Ravens have faced in attempting to extend Lamar Jackson, asserting that the Browns intended for this to be the outcome. Sunday, Terry Pluto of cleveland.com refuted that common assertion with a bit of reasoning.
Following Pluto’s logic, Cleveland extended several contract offers that were not fully guaranteed to Watson. In response, Watson was no longer considering the Browns as a potential suitor and seemed to be on a clear path to Atlanta. Watson had eliminated the Browns and Panthers the night before he eventually committed to Cleveland. The Browns, not ones to go down without a fight, reportedly committed to doing whatever it took to obtain the former Texans passer. Watson’s representation then took full advantage of their leverage, resulting in his current fully guaranteed deal. As Jackson attempts to secure guarantees in Watson’s neighborhood, no QB currently comes within $100MM of the sixth-year passer’s $230MM guarantee.
Here are a few other rumors concerning the Browns:
- Watson is set to give a deposition tomorrow regarding one of his alleged instances of sexual misconduct, according to Tom Wither of the Associated Press. In the Monday proceeding, Watson will be asked to provide “records of any communications” between himself and the plaintiff, who was not among the 24 women who settled their lawsuits with the Browns passer. Cleveland’s offseason program is set to begin just over a week from now.
- In a Q&A this morning, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com addressed a question about the Browns’ position needs when asked whether or not the team would pursue Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, should he be cut by Arizona. Cabot’s response indicated that the Browns are content with their wide receiver situation. The team returns Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell, and Anthony Schwartz, among others, from last year’s group. The team also brought in Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin through free agency in an attempt to supplement the talent at the position. Additionally, Cleveland should finally get to debut Jakeem Grant in a Browns’ uniform after the return specialist sat out 2022 with a torn Achilles tendon.
Breakdown Of Top 2023 QB Draft Prospects
After last year’s draft, which saw only one quarterback taken in the first two rounds, this year’s draft class boasts a bit more top talent at the NFL’s signature position. The group’s superior personnel has already created a small amount of chaos atop the draft order with Carolina trading into the No. 1 overall pick. With three of the teams drafting at the top of the first round expected to have a need for a new quarterback, and several others having the option to trade up for one, there is a consensus that four quarterbacks should hear their names called on the night of April 27.
Teams interested in a new passer will have their choice between whoever is left of Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis. Below, we’ll explore the benefits offered by each young quarterback and provide some reasoning as to why they may or may not hear their names called first.
Bryce Young
Not only was Young the best recruit in his state or at his position coming out of high school, the young athlete out of Mater Dei (California) was rated as the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in 2020, according to 247sports.com. He committed to nearby USC with two years left of high school play but flipped his commitment to Alabama at the beginning of his senior year. 
Young played sparingly as a freshman in Tuscaloosa, backing up junior starter Mac Jones. With Jones having departed for the NFL, Young took over the Crimson Tide offense as a sophomore. He took the college football world by storm in 2021, completing 66.91% of his passes for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns while only throwing seven interceptions. He took Alabama to the title game, falling to Georgia but stoking early perceptions of himself as a future No. 1 overall draft pick. In 2022, Young continued to impress despite the loss of several top receivers, two to the first two rounds of the previous year’s draft. He completed 64.47% of his passes for 3,328 yards, 32 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Young came into college as the nation’s top dual-threat passer but never developed as much of a rusher at Alabama. Instead, he utilized his versatility to be an effective passer on the run. Young’s eyes and mind work fast through progressions and help him to anticipate throwing lanes at an elite level. He’s adapted to his smaller size in terms of vision, but he requires his lower body to make strong throws. Teams don’t seem to worry about his lack of size as much as his durability. In a league that’s already seen success from a smaller quarterback in Kyler Murray, Young is expected to become a starting quarterback at the NFL level before long.
C.J. Stroud
Not far from Young in the southern California area, Stroud came out of the same class out of Rancho Cucamonga (California). Not quite as touted as Young, Stroud still boasted five stars as the nation’s second-best pro-style quarterback, according to 247. He made his decision late in the process but enrolled early shortly after committing to Ohio State.
Stroud also sat his true freshman season, redshirting behind starter Justin Fields. He was easily as productive as Young in their first years starting. In 2021, Stroud completed 71.88% of his passes for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns while only tossing six interceptions. Last year, Stroud, too, saw a bit of a drop-off in production, losing two receivers in the first round, but still impressed while completing 66.32% of his passes for 3,688 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Stroud seems to be the most prototypical of the four options. His size, strength, and athleticism all signify a routine pro quarterback. His size gives him an ideally strong platform from which to throw and allows him to layer balls into short and intermediate levels over lineman and backers. The size does limit his agility, making him slow out of breaks and inaccurate when throwing on the run. His biggest strength, though, is his pure passing ability. He throws a strong, tight ball in a smooth motion, resulting in passes that receivers love to catch. His traditional quarterback makeup could be what makes him so attractive to a team like the Panthers at No. 1.
Anthony Richardson
Richardson is far and away the wild card of this group. A consensus four-star, dual-threat quarterback out of Eastside (Florida), Richardson stayed home in Gainesville for college after some back-and-forth on his commitment to the Gators. 
Richardson is the least experienced of the four top options at quarterback. Richardson redshirted behind Kyle Trask as a freshman and sat behind Emory Jones as a sophomore. It wasn’t until last year that Richardson found himself starting behind center. Unlike the unquestionable success of Young and Stroud, Richardson’s results were hardly as impressive. Last season, Richardson completed 53.82% of his passes for 2,529 yards and 17 touchdowns while throwing nine interceptions. He did display a stronger rushing ability than the above two, racking up 654 yards on 103 rushing attempts and tacking on nine scores with his legs. As a starter for the Gators, Richardson ended college with a 6-7 record.
Despite the seemingly mediocre production, Richardson has skyrocketed up draft boards as pundits have fallen in love with his potential. Richardson has a large frame, similar to Stroud, but boasts an athleticism that makes it much more dangerous. His size and burst make him reminiscent of a young Cam Newton with the ball in his hands. Richardson has a rocket for an arm, completing easy throws with only a flick of the wrist. The physical frame and abilities are there in a raw form, but much molding is necessary. He’s extremely inconsistent in his decision-making and accuracy, resulting in dangerous passes into a crowd and misses that never stand a chance of hitting their targets.
This is a common high-risk, high-reward situation with drafting quarterbacks. Richardson could develop into an All-Pro or flame out, unable to make the most of his abilities.
Will Levis
Levis is another curious prospect whose production doesn’t quite match his hype as a top draft pick. A three-star prospect leaving Xavier (Connecticut), Levis committed to Penn State as part of the 2018 recruiting class. After redshirting as a freshman, Levis sat for two years behind Sean Clifford before transferring to Kentucky.
Levis took over as an immediate starter in Lexington and won 10 games for the Wildcats in 2021, completing 66.01% of his passes for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns while tossing 13 interceptions. Levis also displayed an ability to run the ball that year, producing 376 yards and nine touchdowns. When Wan’Dale Robinson and Josh Ali departed for the NFL, Levis’s production suffered as a result. In 2022, injuries and the loss of his top targets led to a down year in which he completed 65.37% of his passes for 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, all without displaying the rushing ability of prior years.
Like Richardson, Levis boasts the size, arm strength, and athleticism that make him an extremely attractive prospect on paper. There are latent abilities available within Levis, but a lack of sound technique and procedure hold Levis back from his full potential. He can throw strong balls through tight windows but also struggles with consistent accuracy. He is physical and tough but needs that toughness when standing too long in the pocket. There are strong tools to utilize at the NFL level, but it will likely take time and a good coach preaching strong technique in order for Levis to become a strong starter at the next level. Teams want him to be the next Josh Allen, but he has a way to go in order to get there.
There we have it: two strong options who seem ready to start in Week 1 and two developmental projects who could turn into stars in the right system. Which team needs which quarterback the most? Tell us in the comments who you’d want your team to take a chance on.
Jets Rumors: Beckham, Rodgers, Lawson, OL, Elliott
Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made quite a few headlines during the league’s recent owners’ meetings in Arizona. One such headline came from Rich Cimini of ESPN who reported that the veteran wideout was seeking a one-year deal worth $15MM.
It’s a bit difficult to imagine a team dedicating that kind of capital to a 30-year-old wide receiver who is coming off his second ACL injury in three years. Beckham is still a talented athlete and displayed his abilities during his short time with the Rams. Cimini estimates that a contract worth $10-12MM is much more likely for Beckham. In terms of annual average value, this would place Beckham just under Corey Davis and over players like Michael Gallup, Curtis Samuel, and Tim Patrick.
Despite bits of buzz concerning a few other teams, the Jets seem to remain the favorite to land Beckham’s services for 2023.
Here are a few other rumors pertaining to Gang Green:
- There’s an understanding around league circles that the Packers will eventually trade star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to New York. That understanding has, as of yet, failed to materialize, and according to Cimini, it has Jets owner Woody Johnson “anxious.” Johnson claimed to be anxious but optimistic as the team awaits the resolution to the problem of compensation. As the two sides continue to work towards equal compensation, the Jets aren’t getting impatient, asserting that there’s no deadline on when they’d like a deal to be done.
- As the Jets entertain more potential additions to their roster, they have their salary cap to keep in mind. A question that has arisen in regard to that issue is whether or not New York will release defensive end Carl Lawson. The Jets have only been able to get one strong season out of Lawson since signing him in 2021. A ruptured Achilles tendon kept him from playing during his first season in New York before he was able to debut for the team this year. Now, after only one season of play, Lawson is set to take up the second-largest chunk of the Jets’ cap space. There is a potential out built into Lawson’s contract that would allow the Jets to cut Lawson with only $333,334 in dead money, saving $15.4MM in cap space. Head coach Robert Saleh reportedly turned down that possibility, according to Andy Vasquez of the Star-Ledger, claiming not to speak for general manager Joe Douglas, but asserting that “as long as (Lawson) can walk and play” he’ll be a Jet.
- Saleh also spoke to the offensive line, according to Vasquez. While changes on the offensive line may be imminent with the addition of multiple offensive linemen in free agency, the head coach made sure to confirm the plan for Alijah Vera-Tucker to return to the right guard position in 2023. Also concerning the offensive line, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com provided an update on offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, who reportedly is lighter than his NFL Combine weight after changing training facilities.
- Another comment from Saleh concerned free agent running back Ezekiel Elliott, according to Vasquez. When asked about the possibility of bringing in the former Cowboy, Saleh told the media, “We love our running back room. I’ll leave it at that.” The Jets enter 2023 with a strong 1-2 punch of Breece Hall, whose rookie season was cut short due to injury, and Michael Carter.
NFL Contract Details: Woods, Fenton, Gaines, Jones, Mills
Here are some details on more deals signed around the NFL recently:
- Jalen Mills, CB (Patriots): One year, $3.75MM. The new contract, according to Doug Kyed of AtoZ Sports, has a guaranteed amount of $2.25MM consisting of a $1.25MM signing bonus and $1MM of Mills’s base salary (worth a total of $1.75MM). Mills had taken a $3.5MM pay cut in order to stay with the team, but New England provided him with $3.6MM of potential incentives based on playing time. Mills can earn $600,000 for each of these thresholds of defensive snap count percentages: 42, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90. The deal also includes a per game active roster bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000.
- Greg Gaines, DT (Buccaneers): One year, $3.5MM. We reported a bit about the defensive tackle’s guaranteed deal worth a potential maximum of $4MM. Greg Auman of FOX Sports has added the detail that the contract has four void years to help spread out Gaines’s cap hit.
- Rashad Fenton, CB (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The contract, according to Balzer, has a guaranteed amount of $76,250 composed solely of the signing bonus. Fenton’s base salary is worth $1.08MM. He can earn an additional $76,250 as a roster bonus if he’s active for the team’s Week 1 matchup.
- Josh Woods, LB (Cardinals): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Howard Balzer of PHNX, has a guaranteed amount of $777,500 consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $625,000 of Woods’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM).
- Sidney Jones IV, CB (Bengals): One year, $1.13MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, is for the veteran league minimum. Jones can make an additional $50,000 in a roster bonus if he’s active in the team’s Week 1 matchup.