AFC Contract Details: L. Miller, D. Johnson, Woods
Here are several of the latest contract details from around the AFC on recently agreed-upon and signed deals. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…
- Lamar Miller, RB (Texans): Four years, $26MM. $14.5MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 16. $750K in annual per-game active roster bonuses in 2018 and 2019 (all Twitter links).
- Derrick Johnson, ILB (Chiefs): Three years, $21MM. $9.75MM guaranteed. $5.25MM signing bonus. $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses in 2017 (Twitter link).
- Al Woods, DT (Titans): Three years, $10.5MM. $5MM guaranteed. $2.25MM signing bonus. $250K in per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Prince Amukamara, CB (Jaguars): One year, $5.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $500K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link).
- Rod Streater, WR (Chiefs): One year, $810K. $110K guaranteed. $10K signing bonus. $1MM in incentives based on touchdowns, catches, and yards (Twitter link).
- Kellen Davis, TE (Jets): One year, minimum salary benefit. $230K guaranteed. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
- Jamell Fleming, DB (Chiefs): One year, minimum salary benefit. $40K signing bonus. $40K first-game 53-man roster bonus (Twitter link).
NFC Contract Details: Ayers, Shelby, Perry
Here are a few of the latest contract details from around the NFC on recently agreed-upon and signed deals. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…
NFC South:
- Robert Ayers, DE (Buccaneers): Three years, $19.5MM. $10.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM roster bonus due on March 16. $2MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2018 league year. $550K annually in sacks incentives (Twitter links).
- Derrick Shelby, DE (Falcons): Four years, $18MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. Annual $1MM base escalator from 2017 to 2019 (Twitter links).
- Matt Schaub, QB (Falcons): One year, $1.75MM. $500K signing bonus. Up to $1MM in playing-time and 53-man roster incentives (Twitter link).
NFC East:
- Tress Way, P (Washington): Five years, $7.8MM. $2.35MM guaranteed. $1.25MM signing bonus. Up to $400K in annual escalators from 2017 to 2020 (Twitter link via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
- Nigel Bradham, LB (Eagles): Two years, $7MM. $4.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $500K base escalator for 2017 (Twitter link).
- Kyle WIlber, LB (Cowboys): Two years, $3.25MM. $1MM signing bonus. $1MM playing-time incentive (Twitter link).
- Logan Paulsen, TE (Washington): One year, minimum salary benefit. $35K signing bonus. $45K bonus for being on 53-man roster for first game (Twitter link).
NFC North:
- Nick Perry, OLB (Packers): One year, $5MM. $1.5MM signing bonus. $2.3MM base salary. Up to $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses. $200K workout bonus. Up to $250K in incentives (Twitter links via Wilson and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
- Marcus Sherels, CB (Vikings): Two years, $4MM. $1.5MM guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due on March 16. $100K in annual punt return average incentives. $50K annual Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter links).
- Rafael Bush, S (Lions): One year, $2.4MM. $250K signing bonus. $250K in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $900K in playing-time bonuses (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
- Don Muhlbach, LS (Lions): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
NFC West:
- Jermaine Gresham, TE (Cardinals): One year, $3.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $500K in per-game active roster bonuses. $500K in incentives for stats, playing time (Twitter link).
Jets Re-Sign Kellen Davis, Kenbrell Thompkins
The Jets may not have a starting quarterback lined up for the 2016 season yet, but they’ve brought back a pair of pass catchers from their 2015 squad. Pro Football Talk reports (via Twitter) that tight end Kellen Davis has signed a new one-year deal with the Jets, while Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets that wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins has signed his RFA tender.
Davis, 30, caught just three balls in his first season with the Jets, but he started nine games for the team and played more offensive snaps than any other tight end on the roster. With Jace Amaro returning from a season-ending injury in 2016, Davis may see his role reduced, but I’d expect him to continue to get a decent amount of blocking work.
As for Thompkins, the 27-year-old received a promotion from the Jets’ practice squad last October and played a role for the club down the stretch. For the season, the former Patriot recorded a modest 165 yards through the air on 17 receptions, but the Jets liked him enough to assign him a contract tender worth $1.671MM, despite their relative lack of cap room.
With Jeremy Kerley having been released earlier this month, Thompkins may get an opportunity to compete for the slot receiver job on the Jets’ offense.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC FA Rumors: Weddle, Holmes, Fitzpatrick
The Steelers were among the teams rumored to be in the hunt for safety Eric Weddle, who ultimately agreed to join the division-rival Ravens, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears that Pittsburgh didn’t make a formal contract offer to the safety. According to La Canfora, the Steelers stopped monitoring Weddle’s market over the weekend, shifting their focus to landing an offensive tackle.
Meanwhile, the Patriots were also a team frequently cited as a potential suitor for Weddle, but New England wasn’t one of the finalists for his services, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Schrager notes that Weddle and his agent spent a few hours this morning “going back and forth with two teams.” One of those clubs was the Ravens, but the identity of the second team remains unclear.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Raiders are making a push to bring back wide receiver Andre Holmes, tweets Bill Williamson of Fanrag Sports. Williamson cautions that nothing is done yet, and there’s no guarantee Holmes will return to Oakland, but the two sides appear headed toward a reunion for now.
- While there’s a belief that the Jets will eventually increase their offer to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and find a middle ground, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Fitzpatrick may not give them the opportunity, possibly having been insulted by a lowball offer. Of course, for that to happen, the free agent quarterback will need to find a suitable offer elsewhere.
- According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter), Patriots head coach Bill Belichick called Akiem Hicks last night in a last-ditch effort to keep him in New England. The defensive tackle ultimately signed with the Bears instead, and Howe suggests that the Pats’ offer was for more years, but at a lower annual salary.
- Former Ravens safety and special-teamer Brynden Trawick, who was non-tendered by Baltimore, is paying a visit to the Bengals, tweets Joe Goodberry of CincyJungle.com.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald isn’t sure why the Dolphins are interested in veteran defensive end Chris Clemons.
Rueben Randle To Visit Rams
Free agent wide receiver Rueben Randle, one of the top players at his position left on the board, will be paying a visit to the Rams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport adds that Randle’s trip to meet with the Rams is the first of several scheduled visits for him.
Randle, who will turn 25 in May, is one of the youngest unrestricted free agents on the market this month, and has put up solid numbers during his last few years in New York. He set career highs in 2014 with 71 receptions and 938 yards, then caught a career-best eight touchdowns in 2015, to go along with 57 catches and 797 yards.
Despite Randle’s productive on-field showing, the Giants reportedly questioned his work ethic and his “desire to be great,” per one report. There haven’t been any real indications recently that the Giants are working to bring the young wideout back, which could be a red flag for potential suitors.
Nonetheless, Randle is among the top receivers still available, and his age should make him appealing. Many of the other wideouts on the free agent market now are arguably past their primes — Anquan Boldin, Andre Johnson, Marques Colston, Roddy White, Mike Wallace, and James Jones are among the players still looking for new homes.
The Rams have already re-signed Brian Quick this offseason, but still should be in the market for receiving help. A year ago, the only Rams wideouts who caught more than 13 passes on the season were Tavon Austin (52) and Kenny Britt (36).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Washington To Re-Sign Will Blackmon
Washington has agreed to terms with cornerback Will Blackmon on a new two-year contract, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Blackmon, who received an offer from the team last week, reportedly received interest from other clubs and took the weekend to mull his options before making a decision.
Blackmon, 31, joined Washington as a depth piece in the secondary a year ago after making stops with the Packers, Giants, and Jaguars between 2007 and 2014. While the veteran corner wasn’t expected to play a major role, he ended up making a career-high 10 starts for Washington in 2015, as fellow free agent addition Chris Culliver missed a good chunk of the year due to a suspension and injuries.
While Blackmon earned nearly 900 defensive snaps, Pro Football Focus wasn’t overly fond of his play, ranking him 84th out of 111 qualified cornerbacks. Still, it would be a surprise if the former fourth-round pick doesn’t at least get an opportunity to compete for the nickel back role in 2016.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Tyron Smith, King Dunlap Restructure Contracts
A pair of veteran offensive tackles have restructured their contracts, creating some cap room for their respective clubs. Todd Archer of ESPN.com has the details on Tyron Smith‘s reworked deal with the Cowboys, while Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on King Dunlap‘s new-look contract with the Chargers.
As Archer explains, Smith’s contract change is a simple restructure, with the Cowboys converting $9MM of his $10MM base salary for 2016 into a signing bonus. Rather than counting solely against this year’s cap, that $9MM bonus will now be prorated over five seasons, counting for $1.8MM annually from 2016 to 2020. That means Dallas will free up $7.2MM in cap space for the ’16 season, while adding $1.8MM to the cap each year from 2017 to 2020.
Dunlap, meanwhile, was set to have his $4.5MM salary for 2016 fully guaranteed last week. Before that happened, according to Gehlken, the Chargers lowered his salary to $3.3MM, which is now guaranteed. The veteran tackle, who missed much of the 2015 season due to injury problems, can earn back that missing $1.2MM if he’s able to stay healthy for most of the 2016 campaign.
According to Gehlken, Dunlap will earn a $400K bonus if he plays 50% of San Diego’s offensive snaps in 2016. He’ll earn another $400K if he reaches the 65% threshold, and a final $400K if he makes it to 80%.
The move creates $1.2MM in cap savings for the Chargers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
B.J. Raji Won’t Play In NFL In 2016
1:27pm: As Wood details at PackersNews.com, Raji has issued a full statement explaining his decision and suggesting that his retirement may not be permanent. The defensive tackle’s statement reads, in part:
“I am taking a hiatus from the NFL and will not play during the 2016 NFL season. This decision was made after hours of conversation with close family members and mentors and considerable self-introspection and is one in which I am absolutely certain. I cannot rule out a return to the NFL in the future, but I will definitely not be playing during the 2016 season.”
1:05pm: Longtime Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who is a free agent this offseason, won’t be signing with a new team anytime soon. According to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter), Raji intends to retire from the NFL, ending his playing career.
Raji, 29, was selected ninth overall by the Packers in the 2009 draft, and has been with the team for seven seasons since then. With 91 regular season games (78 starts) on his career resume, Raji was a significant piece of the Packers’ defensive line for the last several seasons. His best years came in 2010 – when he recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks – and 2011, when he earned his first and only Pro Bowl nod.
Raji tells Wood (Twitter link) that he’s turning down a “very, very nice deal” from the Packers, as well as interest from multiple playoff teams, so his decision certainly doesn’t seem to be based on a lack of opportunities. Raji, who missed the entire 2014 campaign with a torn biceps, has had some injury issues in recent years, so it’s possible those are playing a part in his decision.
While Raji is moving on, the Packers did re-sign Letroy Guion to help stabilize the interior of their defensive line. The team typically isn’t active early on in the free agent period, but defensive tackle is a spot where Green Bay could target depth additions later on in free agency, or in the draft.
The Panthers had been among the other teams rumored to be interested in Raji.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Lions Re-Sign TE Tim Wright
The Lions have re-signed free agent tight end Tim Wright to a new deal, the team announced today in a press release. Jenna Lane of SportsTalk Florida tweets that it’s a one-year contract.
While financial terms of the agreement aren’t yet known, Wright had been eligible for restricted free agency this offeason, and wasn’t offered a contract tender by the Lions. A low-end RFA tender would have been worth $1.671MM, so it’s reasonable to assume that his new one-year deal is worth less than that — it’s likely for the minimum salary, or close to it.
Wright, who turns 26 next month, broke into the NFL scene in 2013 with an impressive rookie year, racking up 54 receptions, 571 yards, and five touchdowns for the Buccaneers. However, he has changed teams twice since then – first traded to New England, then claimed off waivers by Detroit – and has seen his role reduced along the way. In 2015, he caught just nine balls for 77 yards and two TDs for the Lions.
Wright will have the opportunity to earn a roster spot and possibly compete for playing time for Detroit in 2016.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Okung, Galette, Raji, Forte
Free agent offensive tackle Russell Okung has offers on the table from the Lions, Steelers, and Giants, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Okung is talking to Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak today. Meanwhile, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link) hears that the Giants are probably an underdog for the former first-round pick, who has no other visits scheduled for now.
While La Canfora doesn’t indicate that the Seahawks have made a formal offer to Okung, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Seattle is out of it. We heard last week that the Seahawks were making a push to bring back their tackle, and it’s possible he’ll give his longtime team a chance to match offers he receives from rival suitors. Since he’s representing himself, Okung’s time on the market has lasted a little longer than it otherwise might have, but it looks like there’s a decent chance of him getting something done this week.
Let’s round up a few more free agent rumors from around the NFL…
- Junior Galette remains in a holding pattern, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, who reports that the pass rusher would like a one-year deal that would pay him in the $7-9MM range. Jones writes that Washington has made one-, two-, and three-year offers to Galette, but they’re all low on base salaries and heavy on incentives.
- The Panthers are in the market for players to contribute to their defensive tackle rotation, and David Newton of ESPN.com says that the team has interest in B.J. Raji. Carolina also brought in Paul Soliai for a visit over the weekend, as we previously heard.
- In a conversation with reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Matt Forte said today that the Buccaneers and Cowboys were among his suitors, and the Patriots and Packers also expressed “minor interest.” Forte, who ultimately signed with the Jets, added that not receiving an offer from the Bears was a “hard pill to swallow.”
- According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill is the latest in a series of interior defenders to visit the Seahawks, who are looking to beef up the middle of the line in the wake of Brandon Mebane‘s departure.