Vikings Wanted Kirk Cousins To Stay As Bridge; Veteran Viewed Minnesota First-Round QB Pick As Unlikely
After two long-term contracts came during Rick Spielman‘s final years as Vikings GM, Kirk Cousins received bridge treatment under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The new Falcons QB had sought a team more committed to him, though he has since said the Vikings were more likely than not to put off their long-term need for another year had he stayed.
Minnesota did not go near Atlanta’s four-year, $180MM offer ($100MM in practical guarantees), and Cousins said during an appearance on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel had he agreed to stay it would have been through one-year contracts while the team aimed to determine his successor (subscription required).
[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Minnesota Vikings]
Cousins said Kevin O’Connell told him if he were to re-sign it would be unlikely the Vikings would draft his heir apparent this year. While Cousins stopped short of confirming O’Connell slammed the door on such a move, it is rather interesting he still ended up in a situation where a successor arrived in Round 1. The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick stands to put a clock on Cousins’ Atlanta stay, while the Vikings have Sam Darnold in place as the bridge to J.J. McCarthy, chosen two picks after Penix.
“I don’t think they were ready to go there yet in March,” Cousins said on the Vikings’ interest in drafting a first-round QB. “I think the reality is just that they wanted to give themselves that flexibility. And I remember Kevin’s words, which I’m not going to hold them to, were, ‘Hey, if we sign you back, I would think it’s very unlikely that we would draft somebody.’ It was something to that effect. But I also know in the league things change.”
Cousins’ comments contradict a recent report from ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, who indicates O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah and ownership wanted the soon-to-be 36-year-old passer to stay — but as a bridge to a rookie who would be drafted in 2024. Neither Adofo-Mensah nor O’Connell wanted the to-be-determined rookie to play immediately, Seifert adds, though convincing Cousins — given the value he carried as a free agent — to stay on a short-term arrangement would have been quite difficult. The Falcons bringing big money to the table made it nearly impossible, as the sides battled over guarantees during the 2023 offseason.
The 13th-year veteran said he would have been more open to a bridge plan in Minnesota if that were his only option; the Falcons ensured that would not be the case. The Vikings did memorably join the Patriots in checking in on Justin Herbert, being quickly turned down by the Chargers’ new regime. The team zeroed in on a rookie soon after, obtaining a second first-round pick from the Texans; though, that became used to trade up for Dallas Turner at No. 17. O’Connell, per Seifert, informed Cousins the team would explore this deep QB class with an aim to use its highest draft slot in a decade (11th) to find its next starter.
Adofo-Mensah said before the draft the team would be comfortable with multiple options in this year’s class, but McCarthy — viewed as a Minnesota target pre-draft — impressed O’Connell at the Michigan product’s private workout. Although it seemed like the Vikings traded up from No. 11 to No. 10 to prevent the Broncos from doing the same, Seifert adds Minnesota was confident Denver would draft Bo Nix.
As for who will end up starting in Week 1, Seifert indicates the Vikings informed Darnold before the draft he would likely get the call. It should be expected McCarthy will take the reins at some point this season, but O’Connell was also in Washington when the team rushed Dwayne Haskins
“Those things [O’Connell] talked about are the reason why I have so much faith in him,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Seifert. “To take a mold-and-play like [McCarthy] with talent and traits that are as high-end as anybody, and mold him into that player we want him to be. A lot of times when we go back over history and we say, ‘These quarterbacks have missed.’ There’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard, and we’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give him the best opportunity he can to be the best player he can be in this offense.”
Darnold will receive the bulk of the first-team reps during training camp, O’Connell said, though McCarthy will also receive select reps with the starters. The seventh-year vet is still the more likely Week 1 QB, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. As could be expected, O’Connell does not have a range for when McCarthy will replace Darnold — assuming the veteran is indeed the Week 1 starter. The Vikings do have a Week 6 bye, however, representing a potential transition point. Though, Darnold impressing with Minnesota’s talented skill-position corps could lead to a more extended McCarthy apprenticeship.
Commanders Claim K Riley Patterson
Following their short-lived partnership with Brandon McManus, the Commanders are turning to another recent Jaguars kicker. Washington submitted a successful waiver claim for Riley Patterson on Wednesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets.
Patterson, who has enjoyed multiple stints with Jacksonville, will head to a Washington team that features kicker uncertainty after McManus’ release. Patterson has kicked in 39 career games; 15 of those came last season — with the Lions and Browns.
Entering Wednesday, Ramiz Ahmed resided as the only kicker on the Commanders’ 90-man roster. Ahmed has kicked in one career game — as a Packers Mason Crosby fill-in in 2022. Patterson, who turned 29 last week, landed with the Jags via reserve/futures contract but lost an early camp competition to sixth-round rookie Cam Little.
The Commanders released McManus after a lawsuit alleging sexual assault surfaced after the team signed him. The allegations stemmed from a flight during the 2023 Jaguars season. Washington had given the longtime Denver specialist a one-year, $3.6MM deal in March. Ahmed joined the team in June, shortly after the McManus cut. The inexperienced option now has competition.
Patterson has yo-yoed between Jacksonville and Detroit during his career, being both traded and waived. After seven games with the 2021 Lions, Patterson was the Jags’ 2022 kicker. The Jaguars claimed Patterson just before that season; he made 30 of 35 field goals during the regular season and kicked the game-winner that sealed a 27-point wild-card comeback over the Chargers. Last season, after the Jags traded Patterson back to the Lions, the Memphis alum made 88.2% of his tries but lost an ongoing practice competition to Michael Badgley. The Lions ended up going with Badgley and cutting Patterson in December, leading him to a short role filling in for Dustin Hopkins.
Joey Slye served as the Commanders’ kicker last season, but the ex-Ron Rivera Panthers charge made only 79.2% of his kicks. The team will see if Patterson or Ahmed can prove an adequate replacement.
The Commanders, who also signed Byron Pringle earlier today, released wideout Damiere Byrd and waived wideout Dax Milne. Byrd had played for Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona previously, while Milne has been in Washington since being drafted in the 2021 seventh round.
Patriots Submit Offers To Matt Judon?
1:47pm: Pushing back on these reports, Judon has denied (via his X account) the Patriots have extended him an offer. While this could boil down to the difference between a 2024-only adjustment and a true extension, Judon remains at odds with the team ahead of his fourth season in New England.
12:19pm: Matt Judon‘s Patriots situation has shifted considerably since training camp began. Not going through with a full-on hold-in at camp’s outset, the team’s top edge rusher moved in that direction and then missed Tuesday’s practice.
This process has included an on-field conversation with Eliot Wolf and fellow exec Matt Groh. Judon indeed missed Tuesday’s Patriots practice because he seeks a contract update, according to The Athletic’s Dianni Russini. The Patriots have since made an offer, potentially helping smooth things over with one of the few key players the team has not paid this offseason.
The Pats offered “a few” revised contracts before training camp, Russini adds. It would appear the team has not yet proposed a lucrative extension, making Judon an outlier this year. Russini notes the offers would have reworked Judon’s deal.
The former free agent signee has admitted to being envious as the Pats have swerved toward paying their own lucrative contracts under Wolf. The team has retained Christian Barmore, Michael Onwenu, Kyle Dugger, Rhamondre Stevenson and Hunter Henry on pricey contracts. They also paid Jabrill Peppers this week. This run of big-ticket deals veers from the Bill Belichick path, and the moves have prompted some who have not been paid — namely Judon and Davon Godchaux — to take action. Godchaux, who joins Judon in a contract year, is staging a partial hold-in.
Belichick resolved the Judon matter with a reworking last summer. The Pats gave the former Ravens OLB draftee a $3MM pay bump and an incentive package, though the biceps injury Judon sustained early last season prevented him from triggering any of those escalators. Set to turn 32 next month and coming off a major injury, Judon is not in a great place to negotiate a notable extension. While he has been productive for the Patriots when on the field, it would be understandable if a rearranged front office would have doubts about paying an older rusher market value coming off an abbreviated season.
Judon, who did not join Godchaux in sitting out minicamp, saw that $3MM transferred from his 2024 salary to 2023. The Pats guaranteed him $14MM as part of their two-year, $22.5MM revision. He has seen the market change a bit since his four-year, $54MM free agency accord was finalized. That 2021 offseason was not an optimal time to hit the market, as the salary cap plummeted due to COVID-19 restricting 2020 attendance. Judon was among the Patriots’ many signings, as Belichick zagged due to the unusual market. The $13.6MM AAV on that 2021 contract would now rank 21st among edge defenders.
The ninth-year vet’s options are, of course, limited and withholding services represents about the only leverage he holds. The Pats, who saw Judon rip off 12.5- and 15.5-sack seasons in 2021 and 2022, do not have a comparable edge solution without Judon. The team re-signed Josh Uche after a 2023 regression and have 2023 second-rounder Keion White (one rookie-year sack) in the fold. But Barmore (8.5 sacks last season) is the only Patriot who topped five sacks in 2023. And he is currently dealing with a blood clot issue.
Judon has done well for himself as a Division II product chosen in the 2016 fifth round. The Ravens franchise-tagged him in 2020, and he has earned plenty from the Patriots. But for the Grand Valley State alum’s production level — particularly his New England work — he is underpaid. After the Patriots paid numerous starters, how they resolve the Judon matter is suddenly a pressing issue.
Cowboys COO: Ball In Dak Prescott’s Court; Team Communicating With CeeDee Lamb
Friday further solidified the quarterback market. After Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence signed $50MM-plus-per-year extensions this offseason, Jordan Love‘s hold-in and Tua Tagovailoa‘s partial hold-in wrapped after they followed suit. This leaves one major quarterback situation unresolved.
Dak Prescott remains in a contract year, and the ninth-year Cowboys QB is practicing. Prescott wields tremendous leverage over the Cowboys due to his current contract, and after a summer report indicated the team was planning to make a strong offer, COO Stephen Jones said during an appearance on KTFM San Antonio (h/t The Athletic’s Jon Machota) the ball is in Prescott’s court presently. Whether this means the Cowboys have made their offer or not, the team is waiting to hear from the QB’s camp.
[RELATED: The Cowboys’ Contract Dilemma]
The 30-year-old passer has not detailed his demands yet, but he is set up to do very well. If Prescott is to re-sign with the Cowboys, he will command a contract north of where Lawrence, Love and Joe Burrow have set the bar ($55MM). As we have detailed, Dak cannot be franchise-tagged and adds to his bargaining position via a 2024 cap number ($55.13MM) and the dead money that would hit the Cowboys’ 2025 payroll ($40.13MM) if he is unsigned by the start of the ’25 league year.
“It’s definitely not the money,” Prescott said (via NFL.com’s Jane Slater and Daniel Jeremiah) of his Cowboys situation. “A little bit of it is respect. In the same sense, what motivates me is just coming out here each and every day and getting better and being able to control that, I’m at peace with. … When you focus on that, the money comes. As you said, these other guys, they’re the ones setting the bar in that, and as I said, it’s an obligation that I have to my team, my family, and to the rest of the quarterbacks in the NFL.”
The tag being out of the picture gives Prescott the ability to control this process. The Falcons’ Kirk Cousins contract, despite the veteran QB going into his age-36 season coming off an Achilles tear, illustrates the free agency offers that would likely be available if Prescott hit the market. Prescott has said he wants to finish his career in Dallas but added the obvious caveat that quarterbacks often change teams. Given the makeup of Dallas’ roster, suddenly needing to find a new starting quarterback next year would obviously threaten to unravel this nucleus’ contention prospects.
This all points to the Cowboys needing to make a monster offer — perhaps at or near $60MM per year with favorable guarantees — to prevent their QB from moving toward free agency.
Lamb can be tagged in 2025, but the Cowboys have made an offer. Jones said during his KTFM appearance the team heard back from the All-Pro wideout recently. Lamb is headed into his fifth-year option season. While the Oklahoma alum may not require a contract that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, the Cowboys will at least need to approach the Justin Jefferson numbers ($35MM AAV, $110MM guaranteed, $88.7MM fully guaranteed) to complete a deal.
“We keep having multiple exchanges with CeeDee,” Jones said. “He actually sent us something late (Sunday). We continue to grind away on it. I would characterize both negotiations as very cordial and upbeat. We’re optimistic we’ll continue to work toward getting something done.”
The Cowboys continue to practice without Lamb, who joins Haason Reddick and Trent Williams as holdouts. The team must fine Lamb $50K per day missed, but with the receiver on a rookie contract, the fines can later be waived. Given the positive tone Jones is trying to convey, it seems likely the Cowboys would waive the fines if Lamb is extended soon. Reports indicating both players are Dallas’ priorities have come out, but the team is clearly eyeing new deals for each offensive pillar.
Colts, Jets Sent Giants Offers For No. 6 Overall Pick
This Giants offseason has received extensive attention due to HBO’s Hard Knocks effort, and parts of other teams’ processes have come into focus as well. Components of two other teams’ draft chapters emerged, with the Giants receiving what turned out to be significant interest in their No. 6 overall pick.
Going into the draft, Joe Schoen said he would be comfortable with Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers at No. 6 — after efforts to trade up with the Patriots (at No. 3) failed. But the Colts and Jets gauged Schoen’s interest in adding draft capital to slide down the board. Both teams made offers for No. 6.
Chris Ballard said he made big offers to move up, with a skill-position player rumored to be the target. As it turns out, the Colts offered the Giants their second-round pick (No. 46) and their 2025 second-rounder to climb from No. 15 to No. 6. Schoen deemed dropping from 6 to 15 as too far, leading Indianapolis to make other attempts. The Colts ultimately failed and chose Laiatu Latu at 15. With Samson Ebukam sustaining a torn Achilles early in training camp, Latu is poised to play a bigger role as a rookie.
The Colts circled back to their skill spots in Round 2, trading down and drafting Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, but pre-draft reports had them linked to Brock Bowers and this draft’s high-end wide receiver prospects. Harrison was off the board by this point, but Nabers and Rome Odunze were available. Chosen 45 spots before Mitchell, Nabers carried significant appeal after a dominant LSU junior season. The Colts have not used a first-round pick on a skill player since then-GM Ryan Grigson chose Phillip Dorsett in 2015.
The Jets have been connected to Odunze for months, and ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini speculates the team targeted the Washington wideout with its trade-up attempt. After Odunze went off the board at No. 9, the Jets traded down (via the Vikings) to 11 and drafted Olu Fashanu. Gang Green addressed the receiver position atop Round 3, selecting Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley. Odunze, however, would have represented a big-ticket addition alongside Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. He instead joined a similarly structured Bears offense, which houses D.J. Moore and ex-Williams teammate Keenan Allen.
Additionally, the Giants saw their Brian Burns trade wound their ability to land one of their preferred cornerbacks. The team targeted Kool-Aid McKinstry and Kamari Lassiter in Round 2. The Giants traded No. 39 to the Panthers in the Burns deal but still held No. 47. Schoen, however, did not want to include a fourth-round selection to move up due to the team having just six picks in the draft. The Hard Knocks: Offseason finale corroborates a report from the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, who recently indicated the Giants sought McKinstry or Lassiter. The Alabama and Georgia prospects ended up going to the Saints and Texans at Nos. 41 and 42.
The Giants had identified corner as a key need, and while the team did draft Kentucky’s Andru Phillips in Round 3, it is counting on 2022 third-round pick Cor’Dale Flott to make a successful transition from slot defender to outside corner post-Adoree’ Jackson. Flott joins Deonte Banks as the team’s expected outside CB starters. Had McKinstry or Lassiter been on the board at No. 47, it is worth wondering if Flott would remain Big Blue’s preferred slot defender. Eventual Giants second-round safety Tyler Nubin was identified as the team’s backup plan if Lassiter and McKinstry were gone.
Commanders Re-Sign WR Byron Pringle
Despite the Commanders parting ways with Eric Bieniemy, one of the former OC’s Chiefs charges is still in the team’s plans. Byron Pringle agreed to terms to stay in Washington on Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Pringle rejoined Bieniemy in Washington last season, after having spent 2022 with fellow ex-Chiefs staffer Ryan Poles in Chicago. The sixth-year veteran worked as a rotational backup with the Commanders and should be expected to play a similar role this season. The Commanders have announced the signing.
Although Pringle debuted in 2019, he is set to turn 31 in August. The Chiefs rostered the former UDFA from 2018-21, and the Kansas State product’s most memorable season came for Kansas City’s 2021 edition. Pringle caught 42 passes for 568 yards and five touchdowns that season, operating as an auxiliary weapon for the Chiefs’ final Tyreek Hill-fronted receiving corps. The sides separated after that season, but Pringle will have come continuity once again.
That season is the outlier for the 6-foot-1 target, as he has not eclipsed 200 receiving yards in any other year. After starting four games for the 2022 Bears, Pringle followed Bieniemy to Washington in what turned out to be a one-and-done season for the longtime Kansas City OC. Pringle caught 14 passes for 161 yards with Washington last season, starting one game for a team that deployed a locked-in top three at receiver. One of those pass catchers — Curtis Samuel — has since moved on.
The Commanders’ passing attack will still run through Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, but Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense still features some tertiary-level wideouts that will not make Pringle a roster lock. The team drafted Luke McCaffrey in Round 3 and added Olamide Zaccheaus earlier this offseason. Former third-rounder Dyami Brown remains with the team, with Jamison Crowder and ex-Kingsbury Cardinals cog Damiere Byrd signing as well. With 16 practice squad spots available, the Commanders stand to have some options — Pringle now among them — for their WR insurance spots.
The Giants also recently worked out Pringle, but he will receive another bid to make the Commanders’ roster. Pringle did not spend any time on last year’s Washington practice squad, but given the moves the team has made this offseason, it probably should not be considered automatic he lands with the team’s initial 53.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Godchaux, Fins, Bills
Aaron Rodgers made a surprising push to come back from a September Achilles surgery last season. That predictably ended without the Jets quarterback suiting up again. Robert Saleh is now planning to keep his starter on ice until the games count again. The fourth-year Jets HC said he does not expect Rodgers to play during the preseason, though he noted (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) he is still deciding with regards to his QB’s participation in the team’s preseason finale. Rodgers sat out the first two Jets preseason games last year but received some work — after pushing Saleh for a chance to suit up, despite not having previously played in the preseason since 2018 — in the third contest. Teams generally park their starters for the third preseason game, and while it would be interesting to see how Rodgers looks post-surgery, it currently appears Week 1 will be his first appearance.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Haason Reddick‘s holdout has become much costlier. In addition to the $50K-per-day fines the recently acquired Jets pass rusher is accumulating, a $300K penalty is expected to come his way due to a CBA wrinkle. As veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson points out, Reddick can be fined up to 15% of his signing bonus. The Jets are not obligated to go after that money but could. They will levy the fines, Saleh assumes (via SNY’s Connor Hughes). A report last week suggested the sides were moving closer to ending this holdout, but it persists.
- Joining Matt Judon as a contract-seeking Patriots defender, Davon Godchaux is not practicing fully. The veteran defensive tackle is protesting his deal by staging what appears to be a partial hold-in, per the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, who notes Godchaux went through some drills at Pats practice Tuesday. Unlike Judon’s situation, which has escalated, this has not become acrimonious just yet. A 2025 free agent-to-be, Godchaux is tied to a two-year, $20.8MM deal that calls for a $7.15MM base salary. As the Patriots have paid several key players, Godchaux did not participate in minicamp and has angled for what would be his second extension with the team.
- Shaquil Barrett‘s retirement caught his agent and the Dolphins by surprise. Drew Rosenhaus said the veteran edge rusher had been considering it for a while. Barrett, 32, alluded to spending more time with his family. Rosenhaus mentioned the tragedy the two-time Super Bowl winner endured last year, when Barrett’s 2-year-old daughter drowned in the family’s pool, during an interview with WSVN’s Donovan Campbell (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson). While Barrett returned for a final Buccaneers season after that tragedy, he is not planning to play an 11th season. Though, Rosenhaus did not rule out a comeback later this year. The Dolphins circled back to Emmanuel Ogbah in the wake of Barrett’s decision.
- The Dolphins finished last season down several linebackers due to injury. One of them, Cameron Goode, is not expected to be back by Week 1, Jackson adds. The torn patella tendon the 2022 seventh-round pick sustained in Week 17 led him to the Dolphins’ active/PUP list. It would not surprise to see him transferred to the reserve/PUP list, which requires a four-game absence, next month. Goode joined Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jerome Baker in being out for Miami’s wild-card game last season. Chubb and Phillips remain on Miami’s PUP list.
- The Bills entered camp with three players — Mike Edwards, Damar Hamlin and second-rounder Cole Bishop — competing to start alongside Taylor Rapp, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes (subscription required). Rapp spent much of last season behind longtime starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer but re-signed as the team went through a spate of cap cuts. Hamlin, who is on Buffalo’s roster bubble figures to see more first-unit time due to recent injuries to Edwards and Bishop. Edwards is week-to-week with a hamstring ailment, per Buscaglia, while Bishop left Tuesday’s practice. These setbacks led the Bills to bring in 36-year-old veteran Kareem Jackson on Tuesday.
Vikings To Sign CB Fabian Moreau
Depleted at cornerback, the Vikings are making an addition. Well-traveled corner Fabian Moreau has a deal in place with Minnesota, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
Moreau spent the bulk of last season as Patrick Surtain‘s boundary sidekick in Denver. The Broncos moved Moreau into their starting lineup midway through the season, and the veteran helped stabilize the position during the team’s five-game win streak. The Vikings will be team No. 6 for Moreau.
A tragedy began the Vikings’ issues at corner this month. Fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson died in a car accident. Soon after, the Vikes lost Mekhi Blackmon — a part-time starter last season — to a torn ACL. In need in its Byron Murphy-fronted position group — which was on the radar to be bolstered before the July events — Minnesota will hope Moreau can remain a solid option in his age-30 season.
Moreau has made a habit of moving from late-summer addition to starter, having done so in each of the past two years. The Texans rostered Moreau during the 2022 offseason but cut him before setting their initial 53-man roster. The ex-Washington third-rounder made his way to the Giants, who turned to him as an 11-game starter despite not signing him from the practice squad until late September of that year. The Broncos added Moreau a year ago Thursday, and although the team’s plan was to keep Damarri Mathis in place as the perimeter starter opposite Surtain, Moreau took over during a stretch that revived the team’s playoff chances.
Pro Football Focus assigned Moreau a mid-pack grade (73rd) last season; he intercepted one pass and broke up seven more. After allowing a whopping eight touchdowns as the closest defender with the Falcons in 2021 and five as a Giant, Moreau settled down and yielded only one in Denver. While Moreau has not approached his 34.1 passer rating-allowed number from 2020 since, he has experience as a boundary defender and a slot player.
The Vikes added Shaquill Griffin earlier this offseason; they also used former fourth-round pick Akayleb Evans on 855 defensive snaps last season. Minnesota has seen neither Andrew Booth nor Lewis Cine justify their 2022 draft slots yet; Booth, chosen in Round 2, played just 151 snaps last season. The events of this month have the Vikings heavily reliant on free agent corners, and it will be interesting to see if Moreau can once again join a team late and carve out a regular role.
Lions DL John Cominsky Tears MCL
As the Lions’ run of extensions continues with Taylor Decker — and potentially Alim McNeill — they will be without one of their defensive line regulars for an extended stretch. John Cominsky‘s injury at practice Tuesday will likely sideline him for the entire regular season.
A cart transported Cominsky off the practice field, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports the veteran D-lineman suffered a torn MCL. This injury is not necessarily a season-ender, but Cominsky is expected to miss months. The playoffs may be the target date, per Schefter. This will be a five- or six-month injury, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
This is a setback to a Lions team that played Cominsky on 56% of its defensive snaps last season. Initially claimed off waivers — in an interesting transaction, as seven other teams submitted claims for the former Falcon — Cominsky has become a quality piece up front for the Lions. He played 60% of the team’s defensive snaps in 2022, rebounding after falling out of favor in Atlanta.
While Pro Football Focus slotted Cominsky 73rd among interior defenders, the advanced metrics site placed him in the top 30 at the position as a run defender. The former fourth-round pick has totaled six sacks and 20 QB hits during his two-season Detroit stay, faring well enough in 2022 to bring the Lions to re-sign him — at two years and $8.5MM — last March.
Working more as an interior presence, Cominsky leaves a void for a Lions team that does not yet have D.J. Reader back from the torn quad that ended his 2023 season in Cincinnati. McNeill remains the Lions’ top interior pass rusher, though the team did not see much from third-rounder Brodric Martin during a 28-snap rookie season. Levi Onwuzurike remains on the roster as well. Cominsky, however, trailed only McNeill for snaps by a Lions interior defender. This will require an adjustment for the defending NFC North champs.
Eagles Agree To Terms With OL Nick Gates
Nick Gates‘ journey around the NFC East is set to continue. The former Giants and Commanders starter is heading to Philadelphia. The Eagles agreed to terms with Gates on Tuesday, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. The team waived cornerback Mario Goodrich to make room on its roster.
Having played center in Washington and across the O-line in New York, Gates will head to Pennsylvania to join a team that lost a future Hall of Fame center. Cam Jurgens is sliding from guard to center to replace Jason Kelce, but the Eagles are holding a competition at right guard. Thus far, former third-round pick Tyler Steen has been mentioned most frequently as the likely RG. But Gates will supply another option.
The Commanders released Gates one season into a three-year, $16.5MM deal, one authorized by the Ron Rivera-led regime. The Adam Peters-run operation moved on from Gates and left tackle Charles Leno. While Leno remains unsigned, Gates has secured another gig ahead of what would be his sixth NFL season.
Gates, 28, came back from a major injury to secure that midlevel Commanders contract. A broken leg sustained in September 2021 kept Gates out for over a year, sidetracking his run as a Giants starter. He made a return midway through the 2022 season and worked mostly in a platoon role. Despite splitting time for a chunk of his comeback season, Gates managed to land a nice Washington payday. Pro Football Focus slotted Gates as the No. 17 overall center last season.
This still prompted the new Commanders regime to drop the former UDFA; the team is taking on a $5.3MM dead money hit this year as a result. Gates will join a crowded setup inside in Philly. Brett Toth, ex-Falcon Matt Hennessy and former second-rounder Max Scharping are in place as guard/center options. Day 3 draftees Trevor Keegan (Round 5) and Dylan McMahon (Round 6) are also rostered. The Eagles have cross-trained Mekhi Becton at guard, however, providing an interesting wrinkle here. Becton played exclusively at tackle in games as a Jet.
While Gates has 29 starts under his belt — including a 16-game run as the Giants’ center back in 2020 — this Eagles equation may not guarantee him a spot on the 53-man roster. The signing does add an intriguing name to the mix, as the team prepares to transition from Kelce and find capable backups. Gates’ time at center and both guard spots, along with an early-career right tackle work, would make him an appealing swing option behind the starting five.