Bills To Sign Damiere Byrd, Ben DiNucci
Damiere Byrd‘s journey around the NFL stopped through Washington this offseason, but the Commanders ended the partnership months after it began. The veteran supporting-caster secured another opportunity Monday, however.
The Bills, who have signed several free agent wideouts this year, added Byrd to that list, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. This will be team No. 8 for Byrd, who will return to the AFC East in an effort to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster or their practice squad. Byrd played for the Patriots in 2020, enjoying his best season. The 10th-year vet worked out for the Bills today, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
Rostering Byrd during Cam Newton‘s season at the controls, the Pats received Byrd’s best production. That 604-yard showing is an outlier, though, as the 5-foot-9 target does not have another season north of 400 yards on his resume. Byrd has some return experience, and Fowler references that in connection with this Bills agreement, but not too much. Byrd maxed out at seven kick returns in a season (2017, which included a touchdown return) and topped two punt returns in a season just once (11 in 2018).
This signing also can be added to the Carolina-to-Buffalo pipeline, as Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott were indeed still in Charlotte when Byrd’s career began back in 2015. This once-active pipeline has slowed a bit, as the Bills’ power duo has been in place since 2017, but Byrd represents another member. In between his first Panthers stint, here is Byrd’s journey: Cardinals (2019), Pats (2020), Bears (2021), Falcons (2022), Panthers again (2023), Texans (2023) and Commanders. Byrd averaged 20.6 yards per catch in Atlanta (13/268) and totaled 329 yards in Chicago.
In addition to Byrd, the Bills added Ben DiNucci, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Broncos carried DiNucci on their practice squad for most of last season, elevating him to their active roster on a few occasions, but cut the veteran third-stringer weeks after draft week brought in Zach Wilson and Bo Nix. DiNucci, who played in the USFL in 2023, last saw NFL game action in 2020 with the Cowboys.
The former seventh-round pick will join a Bills team that lost Shane Buechele to a neck injury in its preseason opener. DiNucci joins Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky as healthy Bills QBs.
Drew Lock To Miss Time; Giants Not Considering QB Addition
AUGUST 12: Daboll’s latest comments on the QB situation (via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News) indicate New York will not, in fact, be making a move at this time. Lock is likely to remain sidelined at practice this week, but Daboll said tight end Tyree Jackson is a candidate to dress as a third QB if needed for the Giants’ second preseason game.
AUGUST 9: Drew Lock joined the Giants in part because of the rehab odyssey Daniel Jones required following his ACL tear. Jones, however, is now back and reclaimed his starting post. And Lock is now the QB in need of a rehab timetable.
The veteran backup sustained a strained oblique and suffered a hip contusion during a sequence in the Giants’ preseason opener Thursday night, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The free agency pickup will not need surgery, but he will miss what sounds like a reasonable chunk of time — to the point the Giants may need another quarterback.
[RELATED: Assessing Giants’ 2024 Offseason]
Brian Daboll said (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) the Giants will consider a QB addition. Jones and Tommy DeVito are now the only healthy QBs on New York’s roster. The team cut offseason addition Nathan Rourke upon Jones being fully cleared. Rourke is now with the Falcons.
Lock has a month to recovery in time for the season, but given Jones’ injury history, it is understandable the Giants are discussing an immediate move. DeVito stands to move into the backup role. While the team’s part-time 2023 starter is not a threat to Lock’s job security, his experience last season is suddenly relevant. Regardless of DeVito’s seasoning, the Giants will need another arm to get through preseason play.
Only a starter for one full season (2020), Lock began his career on the Broncos’ IR list a year earlier. The second-round pick did not debut until Week 13 of his rookie year. In 2020, Lock only finished 12 games; though, one absence came due to being a COVID-19 close contact. Lock has only worked as a Teddy Bridgewater or Geno Smith fill-in over the past three seasons, and he signed a one-year deal worth $5MM to back up Jones. Reports of Lock threatening Jones’ job security were quickly debunked, though it is worth wondering if the current Big Blue backup will make starts late in the season regardless of the starter’s health. A Jones $12MM injury guarantee enters the equation for the Giants in 2025, opening the door for Lock seeing time if Jones is parked to prevent guarantees vesting.
Ben DiNucci joins ex-Giants emergency backups Jacob Eason and Matt Barkley as available passers. Technically, Ryan Tannehill is also available, though it would be highly unlikely the ex-Dolphins and Titans starter was interested in a short-term gig. Now 38 and coming off a Raiders release, Brian Hoyer is also available. His Patriots tenure did not overlap with Daboll’s, however.
For now, the Giants have Jones ready to go once again and DeVito (six 2023 starts) a surprisingly experienced — for a second-year UDFA, at least — option behind him. Lock’s status, of course, will be worth revisiting as the season nears.
Deommodore Lenoir On 49ers’ Extension Radar; Ambry Thomas In Uphill Battle For Roster Spot
AUGUST 11: Thomas’ battle to crack the Niners’ roster just got much tougher. The CB suffered a broken right forearm in yesterday’s preseason loss to the Titans, and HC Kyle Shanahan said after the game that the injury would sideline Thomas for “some time” (via Maiocco). Maiocco notes that the team will have to decide whether to place Thomas on injured reserve or waive him with an injury settlement. In either event, San Francisco will likely sign another corner to take Thomas’ place.
AUGUST 9: Although the Brandon Aiyuk situation is dominating NFL headlines, the two-time 1,000-yard receiver is far from the only 49ers starter in a contract year. A host of defenders are also attached to expiring deals.
Both San Francisco’s cornerback regulars are in this boat. The team is interested in keeping Charvarius Ward around beyond 2024, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the reigning NFC champions also look to have Deommodore Lenoir on the re-up radar.
With the 49ers valuing Lenoir’s versatility, it would not surprise Fowler to see the team explore an extension with the former fifth-round pick. Extending Lenoir will not be easy, as San Francisco’s equation features Aiyuk, Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw and Aaron Banks as multiyear starters in contract years. Several months out, the team is projected to be more than $38MM over the 2025 cap.
Lenoir operates as an outside starter who can shift into the slot. A few teams have used corners in this capacity to maximize their skills or cover for a positional deficiency. The 49ers check both boxes, as they were unable to lock in a third corner last season. Logan Ryan, who signed with the team in December, played the slot role to close out the season.
A Lenoir deal may well come down to how Ward talks go, and the former can certainly enhance his value with a quality contract year. It will be interesting, then, to see if San Francisco makes Lenoir an offer early to preempt a potential contract-year value spike. Business may also be on hold while the team navigates an increasingly complex Aiyuk situation, and a Brock Purdy extension will affect all 2025 plans as well.
Lenoir, 24, intercepted three passes last season and allowed a career-low 75.2 passer rating as the closest defender. The 49ers have used Lenoir as a full-time player in each of the past two seasons, after previous slot K’Waun Williams departed, giving the Oregon alum a 90% defensive snap share in 2023. Pro Football Focus ranked Lenoir 23rd among corners last season. Should the 5-foot-10 defender continue on this path, he stands to — due to his age and versatility — attract a nice market if he hits free agency.
Although the 49ers discussed Patrick Surtain and Nate Hobbs at the trade deadline, they stood pat at corner last year. Ambry Thomas moved into the team’s No. 3 CB issue in the weeks following the deadline, but the 49ers gave him all of one defensive snap in the Super Bowl. More competitors for the CB3 gig are in place now, and NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco notes Thomas is in an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster.
Concern about Thomas’ form prompted the Surtain inquiry, but the Broncos set a monster price on the star corner. The 49ers later added Isaac Yiadom and Rock Ya-Sin in free agency and drafted Renardo Green in Round 2. Ya-Sin has extensive experience as a boundary corner, though he did not start regularly for the Ravens last year. Homegrown options Samuel Womack and Darrell Luter are also on the roster, making for a crowded competition as the Niners assemble a corner depth chart. Thomas would be exposed to waivers if cut by the August 27 deadline.
Patriots To Release WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
After an unproductive first season in New England, JuJu Smith-Schuster was believed to be on the Patriots’ roster bubble. The team has already reached the endpoint with the 2023 free agency pickup.
The Pats are releasing Smith-Schuster on Friday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This will give the former Steelers and Chiefs pass catcher a chance to land with a team early, though the seven-year vet did not establish any momentum during an injury-marred 2023 slate.
While the rearranged Patriots front office has acknowledged quality work on Bill Belichick‘s part by extending or re-signing many of the players acquired during the legendary HC’s tenure, the Smith-Schuster acquisition will go down as a big miss. The Pats gave the former 1,400-yard receiver a three-year, $25.5MM deal that came with $16MM fully guaranteed. Smith-Schuster’s full 2024 base salary ($7MM) was guaranteed, putting the Pats on the hook for a notable dead money hit.
New England will be tagged with more than $9.6MM in dead money this year, with an additional $2.6MM set to count on the team’s 2025 cap sheet. Offset language would cut into these penalties, but after a dismal showing in 2023, Smith-Schuster is unlikely to fetch too much on the open market.
Mentioned this offseason as a potential release candidate, Smith-Schuster is coming off a season involving knee trouble. The former Steelers second-rounder underwent knee surgery following Super Bowl LVII and said he was around 60% going into last season. It showed, as the USC alum produced 29-catch, 260-yard stat line in 11 games. Smith-Schuster commanded the same full guarantee as four-year Pats contributor Jakobi Meyers, but the Raiders have made out better with their 2023 signing.
Smith-Schuster said this offseason he is fully healthy, putting a bounce-back season on the radar. Though, this early-August release pours some cold water on that prospect. That said, Smith-Schuster is still just 27. A team surely will take a flier on the eighth-year performer, as he has submitted quality work in the not-so-distant past.
The Chiefs missed Smith-Schuster — well, his 2022 version — last season, seeing its receiver group submit an uneven season that ultimately did not derail a second straight Super Bowl title. Smith-Schuster led the 2022 Kansas City championship team’s WR corps in yardage by a wide margin, accumulating 933 during his one-and-done season in Missouri. The Chiefs pursued Smith-Schuster for two offseasons, convincing him to leave Pittsburgh in 2022, but Andy Reid said the team’s 2023 offer was not particularly close to where the Patriots went.
The Steelers coaxed the best version of Smith-Schuster back in 2018, a season that doubled as the AFC North club’s final effort with Antonio Brown. The 215-pound wideout totaled 1,426 yards; two years later, he helped Pittsburgh to a surprising AFC North title with a nine-touchdown showing. Smith-Schuster resisted a Chiefs pursuit in 2021, re-signing with the Steelers on a one-year deal. Given his original team’s receiver situation following the Diontae Johnson trade, it would not surprise to see a reunion emerge as a possibility.
This is a rather interesting conclusion on the Pats’ part, seeing as Belichick would regularly bring back former players whose higher-priced deals did not work out elsewhere. The Eliot Wolf-led regime is now the team cutting the cord on a bad investment, and this transaction will almost definitely lead to Smith-Schuster landing elsewhere on a lower-cost agreement.
As for the Patriots, they have made efforts to acquire Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk. Ridley joined the Titans, who offered more money, and it is not believed an Aiyuk deal — despite a Pats extension number north of $28MM AAV — will happen. The team is counting on Kendrick Bourne returning from an ACL tear and used a second-round pick on Ja’Lynn Polk. The team also has intriguing second-year target Demario Douglas as a regular. Though, this receiving corps does not inspire too much confidence going into the season.
Dak Prescott’s Price Point Beyond $55MM Per Year; Cowboys Closer With CeeDee Lamb?
The Cowboys remain in talks with both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, but the standout duo remains a contract-year combination. Months into these proceedings, Lamb is holding out and Prescott continues to wield enormous leverage.
While Prescott has said the right things about another deal with Dallas, his asking price is justifiably high. The ninth-year quarterback is seeking a contract that breaks the NFL AAV record, with The Athletic’s Jeff Howe indicating the Cowboys are negotiating with a player aiming for more than $55MM on average (subscription required).
Given Prescott’s position, it is understandable his price point has reached this place. The parties are not believed to be close on terms, per Howe, though the Cowboys made an offer recently. COO Stephen Jones has also said the ball is in the QB’s court.
As mentioned regularly here (though, perhaps not quite as often as Brandon Aiyuk particulars), Prescott holds a no-trade and cannot be franchise-tagged in 2025. His 2024 cap number ($55.13MM) will break a league record — as Deshaun Watson and other QBs are poised to as well — and the Cowboys would take on $40.13MM in 2025 dead money if they let their QB’s contract expire by the start of the 2025 league year. Rarely in this position with players, the Cowboys are here because they could not come to an agreement on a second contract with the former Offensive Rookie of the Year until a third offseason of negotiations (2021).
The Cowboys “badly” want Dak back on a third contract, Howe adds, and have been trying to finalize a deal before free agency becomes a real possibility. But they are negotiating with a player who has outperformed a few of the QBs who recently joined the $50MM-per-year club. That said, all eight passers presently among that contingent have not yet turned 30. Prescott will turn 31 this season. Though, the 2023 second-team All-Pro remains squarely in his prime and just saw Kirk Cousins collect $100MM in practical guarantees coming off an Achilles tear at 35.
If Prescott pushes this toward free agency, suitors will be there. The Cowboys not playing ball now would run the risk of a historically rare development. On the other side, Dallas will need to again agree to player-friendly terms if it wants to keep Prescott. A deal that hits $60MM per year with a strong guarantee structure will likely be required if Dak is to sign before the season starts. Otherwise, this saga figures to linger to the point other teams will start becoming connected to the former fourth-round find.
Starting over is not exactly a sought-after reality for a Cowboys team that is riding three straight 12-win seasons, but the team does have two other top-market extensions — those for Lamb and Micah Parsons — on its radar. Describing Parsons’ pact as a backburner issue — which runs counter to a recent assessment of the All-Pro pass rusher’s situation — Howe indicates the Cowboys appear closer on terms with Lamb than they do Prescott.
After Jerry Jones said the team does not have urgency to extend the holdout wide receiver, Lamb offered an “lol” X response. Prescott, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota, indeed said he urgently wants the team to pay his top weapon.
The sides have exchanged offers, however, and Howe notes progress has emerged. This deal is viewed as being closer to completion. The Cowboys can waive the daily fines Lamb is accruing due to the fifth-year target being on a rookie contract.
A late-July report pegged Lamb as not being insistent on becoming the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB — a title Justin Jefferson holds at $35MM per year — and Howe indeed offers the Cowboys are hesitant about reaching the AAV the Vikings WR secured in June. Lamb would then stand to command a number between Jefferson and No. 2 on the current list (A.J. Brown‘s $32MM average).
While guarantees could then be a Cowboys concession if they are truly unwilling to go where the Vikings went regarding AAV, the team prefers longer-term deals compared to those receivers have landed this offseason. Dallas has not fully guaranteed a receiver more than $40MM — the Amari Cooper figure from 2020 — but surely realizes it will take more to wrap the Lamb talks. D.J. Moore securing $82MM in total guarantees from the Bears certainly should set a Lamb floor; only Brown ($84MM) is between Moore and Jefferson in this category.
The Cowboys still have some time, but the team has undoubtedly seen prices rise by waiting this long. Although Jones brushed off the notion urgency is needed here, it would surprise if at least one of the two stars was not extended before Week 1.
CB Rumors: Bennett, Steelers, Ravens, Jags
After a part-time role as a rookie, Jakorian Bennett appears close to securing a starting job. The Raiders have pitted the second-year player against veteran Brandon Facyson, but a gap appears between the two as preseason play begins. While more evaluation time remains, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur classifies Bennett as well ahead of Facyson to start on the outside opposite Jack Jones (subscription required). The Raiders have made some changes to their CB group from last year, giving up on Marcus Peters before the 2023 season ended and letting four-year contributor Amik Robertson join the Lions in free agency.
Although Las Vegas drafted CBs in the fourth and seventh rounds, Bennett and Facyson are the primary players competing for the perimeter job to join Jones and slot man Nate Hobbs. Bennett logged 360 defensive snaps, starting four games, as a rookie but impressed during training camp. Not viewed as likely to pursue a veteran addition here, the Raiders appear set to count on the 2023 fourth-rounder.
Here is the latest from the cornerback ranks:
- The Steelers brought back Cameron Sutton but saw him hit with an eight-game suspension for an offseason domestic violence arrest, leaving Donte Jackson as the obvious Joey Porter Jr. sidekick for at least the season’s first half. The team could soon be in the corner market, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, who notes the lack of a solidified slot presence as another reason for such an effort. Releasing Patrick Peterson this offseason, the Steelers did not re-sign veteran slot Chandon Sullivan. Rookie UDFA Beanie Bishop has, however, shown promise with first-team slot reps, according to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. The 5-foot-9 product, who attended three colleges (Western Kentucky, Minnesota, West Virginia), led Division I-FBS in pass breakups (20) last season. Barring an addition, Bishop looks to have a decent chance to line up alongside Porter and Jackson. He has worked with the first-string defense extensively during camp.
- Former Steelers CB regular Arthur Maulet is set to miss regular-season time due to a knee injury. While John Harbaugh does not expect this issue to threaten too much of the veteran’s season, the Ravens will need another answer. As of now, fourth-year UDFA Ar’Darius Washington appears to be the pack leader. After a chest injury cost Washington most of last season, he returned late in the campaign via IR activation. Despite playing all of eight regular-season games in three seasons, Washington has earned the confidence of Ravens coaches and looks to be the answer at nickel while Maulet recovers, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes.
- No cornerback who signed an extension this offseason received a higher AAV than Tyson Campbell, whose base-value number checks in at $19.13MM, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. That comes in ahead of Jaylon Johnson and L’Jarius Sneed, though the did better on guarantees at signing than the Jaguars CB, who scored $31.4MM up front. Though, an $11.5MM Campbell 2026 option bonus will become fully guaranteed in 2025, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. Campbell’s 2026 base salary ($16.16MM) also shifts from an injury guarantee at signing to a full guarantee in 2025. The fourth-year defender also will see $8.84MM of his $15MM 2027 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in 2026. The increasingly popular rolling guarantee structure represents a player-friendly arrangement for Campbell, making his 11th-place ranking in terms of full guarantees deceiving. If on Jacksonville’s roster in March 2026, Campbell will see $53.4MM guaranteed.
49ers Resume Effort To Complete Brandon Aiyuk Extension
Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors have come in steadily during the week, as the wide receiver’s hold-in continues. But the 49ers still employ the veteran; and they are not giving up on their original 2024 goal here.
San Francisco has resumed efforts in recent days to hammer out a long-term deal with Aiyuk, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo report. This renewed pursuit of an extension — one the 49ers have been trying to complete for months — has not nixed the possibility of a trade entirely, as the NFL.com duo indicates the Steelers join other teams in still being in the mix. A July report pegged at least five teams as interested in a trade; a few have since revealed themselves.
But Aiyuk-49ers buzz gaining steam represents rare progress in a situation that has produced a trade request and a hold-in that has lasted for two-plus weeks. The 49ers are pushing for a deal, Pelissero adds, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones indicating some optimism has emerged Aiyuk and the 49ers will reach an agreement. While it is clear movement is taking place, Jones couches this by noting this is still a fluid situation.
This latest chapter stems from a recent sitdown between Aiyuk, Kyle Shanahan and others in the organization, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. This marks the second notable meeting during this extended negotiating chapter for the 49ers, as Aiyuk requested a meeting to clear the air in June. The previous summit did not lead to this long-formed value gap closing, producing the July trade request.
It is certainly possible the increased trade rumors, which have involved Aiyuk’s camp talking to teams, have moved the 49ers’ price point. The Patriots were believed to be willing to go higher than the 49ers in terms of AAV, proposing an extension that would have come in beyond $28.5MM. Reports out of San Francisco have produced a $26-$27MM 49ers value on their 2023 receiving leader. Aiyuk has targeted a figure beyond Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s $30.01MM-per-year deal and a guarantee in A.J. Brown territory. With D.J. Moore‘s Bears deal nearly matching the Eagles’ Brown guarantee ($84MM-$82.6MM), Aiyuk stands to have more ammo in this battle.
As discussed in our most recent Trade Rumors Front Office piece, the 49ers playing hardball with Aiyuk could undercut them at a crucial point. The team not only has Brock Purdy in what is likely the final year of a seventh-round contract, but four defensive starters — Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Talanoa Hufanga — are in walk years. Trent Williams, who is holding out, is also going into his age-36 season. Pieces are in place for another 49ers Super Bowl run, but Aiyuk’s drama could throw a wrench into this operation.
Trade framework with the Patriots and Browns emerged, but Aiyuk was not believed to be interested in being dealt to New England. Not much has come out of the Cleveland component in these layered negotiations, but Pittsburgh is believed to be waiting on San Francisco. That said, the 49ers and Aiyuk have expressed some degree of disappointment in the Steelers’ extension and trade offers, respectively. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds the Steelers have not engaged with the 49ers in the past 24 hours regarding Aiyuk.
The 49ers are believed to want a veteran wide receiver — something the Steelers, absent a George Pickens sweetener, do not appear to possess — or vets at other spots as part of a trade package. Draft capital would obviously not help this San Francisco team, potentially leading to the holdup. Though, the 49ers drove a hard bargain during Aiyuk talks on draft weekend by asking for a mid-first-round pick.
While these proceedings could again careen off the rails, this flood of reports about progress certainly pries the door back open to a long-term Aiyuk Bay Area future. This would stand to affect Deebo Samuel‘s post-2024 future, but as the 49ers attempt to capture an elusive Shanahan-era championship, a window remains open to their skill-position armada staying together for another year.
49ers Release TE Logan Thomas, Place DL Austin Bryant On IR
Logan Thomas arrived in San Francisco as an intriguing George Kittle backup option, but the veteran pass catcher is already out of the picture. The 49ers released the recent free agency addition Friday.
San Francisco, which agreed to terms with punter Pressley Harvin earlier today, also placed defensive lineman Austin Bryant on IR. Bryant was going into his second season with the 49ers. Bryant sustained an injury this week, ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner tweets.
This news comes after Thomas has missed time due to a hamstring injury. The former quarterback went down early during training camp. The 49ers lost former Kittle backups Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner this offseason and saw the Lions match their Brock Wright RFA offer sheet. Thomas may end up finding a gig elsewhere, but he is now going into his age-33 season.
Thomas signed a vet-minimum deal in June but will see a second team drop him this year. The Commanders, who had extended their TE starter in 2021, released the 6-foot-6 weapon early this offseason. Thomas’ past production, inconsistent as it was, could generate another chance once he heals up. The former sixth-round Cardinals QB pick converted to tight end midway through his career and earned a three-year, $24.1MM extension from Washington for his effort.
An ACL tear sidetracked Thomas following his 2020 breakthrough (72 receptions, 672 yards, six touchdowns), and he did not eclipse 350 yards in either of the following two seasons. In Eric Bieniemy‘s offense last year, the Terry McLaurin complementary target bounced back with a 496-yard, four-touchdown showing. Certainly not overly impressive numbers for a team’s top receiving tight end, but Pro Football Focus did rank the QB convert 17th among TEs in run blocking. That would have appealed to the 49ers, but they are giving up early.
Losing Woerner and Dwelley to the Falcons and seeing the Lions retain Wright, the 49ers do still have a variable behind Kittle. Third-round pick Cameron Latu missed his entire rookie season with an ACL tear. While the 49ers viewed the Alabama product as more of a developmental player — hence the Wright and Thomas moves — he has returned to work this offseason. Veteran Eric Saubert and 2023 seventh-rounder Brayden Willis (48 snaps in 2023) are also still on the team’s roster behind Kittle.
Vikings, Cowboys Agree To Swap CBs Andrew Booth, Nahshon Wright
The Cowboys and Vikings are making a trade involving two former Day 2 cornerback draftees. Minnesota is sending Andrew Booth to Dallas in exchange for Nahshon Wright, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.
Two years remain on Booth’s rookie contract; Wright is going into a walk year. The Vikings drafted Booth in the 2022 second round, while the Cowboys used a 2021 third on Wright. While Booth comes from Minnesota, he was not on the roster during Mike Zimmer‘s HC stay.
Although the Vikings drafted Booth months after firing Zimmer, it is quite possible — as scouting staffs regularly remain in place through the following draft — the veteran defensive coach was high on the Clemson product ahead of the ’22 draft. Booth has been unable to establish himself as a Vikings regular under Ed Donatell or Brian Flores; he will now be given a second opportunity to prove himself.
Chosen 42nd overall, Booth has made just two starts and logged a total of 256 defensive snaps as a pro. He had not factored into Minnesota’s CB plans prominently during camp, per ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert. The pick goes down as a miss by GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose first two picks — DBs Booth and first-rounder Lewis Cine — have not helped the Vikes much. But Minnesota will attempt to see if Wright can make a difference. Cine is already on Minnesota’s roster bubble.
Wright, 25, has also played sparingly during his early NFL career. Though, the 6-foot-4 cover man evidently did enough to warrant a straight-up swap for a player chosen more than 50 spots before him (albeit in a different draft). The Vikings taking a flier on a player with one less year of control is interesting as well.
Only seeing 50 defensive snaps last season — for a Cowboys team that lost Trevon Diggs to a torn ACL last September — Wright has three career starts on his resume. The Cowboys changing DCs this offseason, losing Dan Quinn to Washington and hiring Zimmer, undoubtedly affected the fourth-year CB’s standing. Wright, however, maxed out at 128 defensive snaps in a season in Dallas (2022).
Booth, 23, exited Clemson as a first-round-level prospect; the Vikings traded up for him. Booth underwent sports hernia surgery before the draft, and while the former ACC standout returned in time for Week 1, he then suited up for just six Vikings games as a rookie. A season-ending knee injury altered his developmental arc, and he will join a Cowboys team with a cemented top three.
Diggs, DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis are in place as Dallas’ primary CBs, though The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousef note Wright did mix in with Dallas’ first-team defense on the boundary opposite Bland during a Thursday joint practice with the Rams. Diggs is still working his way back from the knee injury. The team, which also completed a CB-for-CB trade last year (Kelvin Joseph for Noah Igbinoghene), also roster 2023 draftee Eric Scott Jr. and 2024 fifth-rounder Caelen Carson.
Wright heads to a Vikings team less solidified at corner. Minnesota has Byron Murphy going into the second season of a two-year contract, and Josh Metellus remains in the slot. But the team has seen its CB situation change dramatically this summer. Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson died tragically in a car accident in July, and second-year contributor Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL early in training camp. The Vikes signed Shaquill Griffin earlier this year and added Fabian Moreau last week; they also used 2022 fourth-rounder Akayleb Evans over Booth last year.
Nick McCloud Pushing Cor’Dale Flott For Giants Starting CB Job; Latest On Team’s Safety Plan
Early last season, the Giants scrapped a training camp plan that had Adoree’ Jackson shifting to the slot to accommodate fast-rising rookie Tre Hawkins. The team is also considering deviating from its offseason setup this year.
Not re-signing Jackson, the Giants moved Cor’Dale Flott from the slot to the boundary. The 2022 third-round pick has been the favorite to start opposite Deonte Banks on the outside for months. Flott’s lead has narrowed. Nick McCloud, a former Bills UDFA who joined the Giants via waiver claim ahead of the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll duo’s first season, is pushing the third-year defender for the starting gig.
McCloud has begun to take first-team reps this week, with the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy indicating this foray into the starting lineup came after Flott blew multiple coverages at a practice. Flott, who has been New York’s primary slot defender over the past two seasons, has seen his status yo-yo since being a Day 2 draftee. He was not an immediate regular last year. The Giants used a Banks-Hawkins-Jackson setup to start the season and made Flott a healthy scratch early, but the LSU alum regained a role by Week 4.
Flott impressed Giants coaches this offseason and ran with the starters throughout that program and into training camp, but McCloud has closed the gap. The former Bills UDFA started eight Giants games in 2022 and three last year, though he saw his snap percentage drop from 57 to 28. McCloud and Hawkins entered camp as the next men up if Flott faltered, and it appears the more experienced player is the one providing the challenge. Neither DB saw action in the Giants’ preseason opener; the team sat Flott due to a quad injury and parked McCloud after he had warmed up.
Third-round pick Dru Phillips remains the frontrunner for the Giants’ slot job, as mid-offseason addition Tre Herndon looms as a challenger, per the Post’s Paul Schwartz. The longtime Jaguars slot man intercepted a pass Thursday night but has no guarantees in his veteran-minimum contract. The Giants’ second-round pick, however, has seen his status change during camp. Tyler Nubin no longer appears a frontrunner to start alongside Jason Pinnock at safety. Nubin is behind Dane Belton for the job, Schwartz adds.
A calf injury cost the Minnesota alum the first week of camp, and Belton fared well in the rookie’s absence. A former fourth-round pick, Belton has primarily worked as a spot starter in the pros. The Iowa product has made seven starts in two seasons, but after Julian Love and Xavier McKinney respectively defected during the past two free agency periods, the Giants have needed to keep making changes on their back line. Although Belton has a limited first-string track record through two seasons, he already has four career INTs.
DC Shane Bowen (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) went as far as to say the job is Belton’s to lose. Belton would seemingly be a transitional piece while Nubin — the Giants’ backup plan after Kamari Lassiter and Kool-Aid McKinstry went off the board early in Round 2 — readies, but for now, the ex-Day 3 investment appears more likely to begin the season with the starters.