Giants Outbid Jets For G Jon Runyan Jr.; Cards, Jets Pursued OL Jermaine Eluemunor
Both the Giants and Jets added multiple starters along their offensive lines in free agency. The NFC’s New York franchise was willing to spend more for one of its top targets.
A Jets offer for Jon Runyan Jr. influenced the Giants, as HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason documents, with familiarity nearly pushing the ex-Packers guard to reunite with Aaron Rodgers and OC Nathaniel Hackett. Because of the familiarity the three-year Packers starter carried with the Green Bay power brokers now in New York, Giants senior VP of football operations Kevin Abrams informed Joe Schoen the NFC East team would need to top where the Jets had gone for Runyan.
[RELATED: Offseason In Review: New York Giants]
The Jets ended up adding three O-line starters on the market, but before coming to terms with guard John Simpson, the team offered Runyan $9MM per year and $17MM guaranteed at signing in the early hours of the legal tampering period. The Giants, who saw injuries affect their guard setup last season, outbid the Jets by giving the second-generation NFL blocker a three-year, $30MM deal. Big Blue matched the $17MM guarantee, and the Jets soon pivoted to Simpson at two years and $12MM.
The Runyan pact took the Giants out of the market for Robert Hunt, who received an offer from the team. While the team had pegged the four-year Dolphins starter as a player worth between $13MM and $15MM per year, Hunt’s market eventually reached $20MM on average (via the Panthers). That contract did not come to pass until hours after the Giants had added their two new O-line pieces. The team gave Jermaine Eluemunor a two-year, $14MM deal shortly after adding Runyan.
Eluemunor also drew interest from the Jets, but director of football ops Ed Triggs informed Schoen the Cardinals were in on the recent Raiders right tackle. Eluemunor sought nothing more than a two-year commitment, signaling the 29-year-old blocker is eyeing another potential free agency go-round in the mid-2020s. Considering Eluemunor’s run of low-cost Raiders one-year deals, attempting to use his 2024 agreement as a springboard to another payday makes sense. Eluemunor, whose two-year Patriots tenure overlapped with Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort‘s New England stay, ended up with the Giants after they upped their offer from $6MM to $7MM per year.
No 2025 guarantees are present in Eluemunor’s contract, a component the Giants’ offer indicated after Schoen was told the veteran did not want a three-year deal. Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti said Eluemunor could be a Giants starter at right tackle or left guard. Going into camp, the team is taking the latter route — in hopes former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal finally showcases quality form at RT. As a result of the Giants’ FA process, they plan to roll out an Andrew Thomas-Eluemunor-John Michael Schmitz-Runyan-Neal starting five.
The Jets have Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker in place at guard, though it will be interesting to see if the team attempts to move first-round tackle Olu Fashanu into a guard role in a “best five” scenario. FA pickup Tyron Smith and trade reacquisition Morgan Moses are in place at tackle.
Following Eluemunor’s decision, the Cardinals did not end up spending much at guard in free agency, adding Evan Brown on a one-year deal worth $2.35MM. Brown is the favorite to start at left guard opposite ex-Giant Will Hernandez. Arizona did, however, allocate considerable funds to bolster its right tackle spot by agreeing to terms with Jonah Williams two days after Eluemunor chose the Giants.
Jets Sign Round 3 WR Malachi Corley, Complete Draft Class Deals
We are now down to four unsigned rookies. Entering Wednesday morning, two third-round draftees had not provided signatures on their rookie deals; that list is trimmed to one.
The Jets now have Malachi Corley under contract, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The team agreed to terms with the No. 65 overall pick on a four-year rookie deal. The terms of the wide receiver’s pact will likely precede a near-future Cardinals agreement with the final unsigned third-rounder, running back Trey Benson.
Corley will compete for the Jets’ slot receiver post, with Xavier Gipson representing the Western Kentucky alum’s main competition during training camp. The Jets have notable plans for Corley, however, as their Day 2 investment showed. The team began making calls on potentially trading up for the mid-major product at No. 45.
Ranked in Daniel Jeremiah’s final NFL.com top 50, Corley joins Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams as the top Jets receiver investments. Corley contributed to Bailey Zappe‘s record-setting 2021 season but became a bigger part of the Hilltoppers’ offense over the past two years. He totaled 101 receptions for 1,295 yards in 2022 and added 79 grabs for 984 yards last season. Snaring 11 touchdown passes in each of those seasons, Corley earned first-team All-Conference USA in 2022 and ’23.
At 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, Corley brings a big-bodied slot profile for the Jets, who will not be nearly as dependent on ex-Aaron Rodgers Packers targets as they were in 2023. The Jets have not re-signed Randall Cobb, and after underwhelming in his debut with the team, Allen Lazard is essentially only still around due to a $22MM guarantee the team authorized. A Wilson-Williams-Corley setup may be where the Jets end up at receiver before too long, though Gipson will have a say in that trio forming.
Here is how the Jets’ 2024 draft class looks ahead of training camp:
- Round 1, No. 11 (via Vikings): Olu Fashanu (T, Penn State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 65 (from Panthers): Malachi Corley (WR, Western Kentucky) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 134 (from Ravens): Braelon Allen (RB, Wisconsin) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 171: Jordan Travis (QB, Florida State) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 173 (from Chiefs): Isaiah Davis (RB, South Dakota State) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 176 (from 49ers): Qwan’Tez Stiggers (CB, Toronto Argonauts) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 257: Jaylen Key (DB, Alabama) (signed)
John Mara Voiced Support For Giants Retaining Saquon Barkley, Did Not Force Re-Signing
HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut has included John Mara cameos, with the owner staying involved in the team’s effort (or lack thereof) to retain Saquon Barkley. After GM Joe Schoen ran down the team’s priorities, Mara still makes it somewhat clear he wants his staff to keep the door open for a return.
As the legal tampering period began, the Giants‘ front office — after passing on a second franchise tag and informing Barkley no offer will come before he hits the market — braced for a departure. After Schoen informed Mara of a text he received that the Bears were driving up Barkley’s price, the owner voiced his long-held preference for the seventh-year veteran to be re-signed. Though, Mara ultimately did not stand in Schoen’s way.
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara told Schoen. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”
The Bears made D’Andre Swift the first commitment of this year’s tampering period, giving the former Eagles and Lions starter a three-year, $24MM deal. That ended up being second among RBs this offseason, with Barkley’s three-year, $37.75MM Eagles deal ($26MM guaranteed at signing) the runaway winner. Swift’s price tag ultimately led to the Eagles pursuing Barkley.
While Barkley’s agent indeed brought the RB’s Philly offer back to the Giants, Schoen did not receive assurances the two-time Pro Bowler would return if the team matched it.
“I told the agent, I said if we match that deal, he’s going to be a Giant,” Schoen said in a conversation with Mara on March 11. “And he’s like, ‘Well…’ You know, he hemmed and hawed, he’s like, ‘I’m not saying that; we’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.'”
This led to Schoen confirming to Barkley’s agent that the team would not match, keying a separation after six years. Upon receiving the news of the offer Barkley fetched, Schoen told Barkley’s agent the team was out. Barkley’s agent did not initially tell Schoen who made the offer, but the Giants belatedly learned the Eagles did so. Barkley confirmed months ago the Giants did not submit him a proposal to stay, indicating four teams made formal offers. It is fair to assume the Bears, along with the Texans, joined the Eagles in doing so.
Receiving Brian Daboll‘s recommendation, Schoen pivoted to Devin Singletary on a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. After Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti read the news of the Eagles’ deal with Barkley, Schoen told Mara, “We’re gonna be fine.” As Mara walked out of the meeting with Schoen and Rossetti upon hearing the news of Barkley’s Philly pledge, it appears he agreed.
Mara not strong-arming Schoen to keep Barkley reflects a belief in the third-year GM, and it was not made clear the Penn State alum would have passed on a Philly deal even if New York matched the terms. The Giants did not reach $26MM fully guaranteed at the July 2023 franchise tag deadline, and Schoen’s comments leading up to free agency prepared Mara for Barkley’s exit. Based on Mara’s comments during the early hours of free agency, is safe to assume the owner will be closely monitoring how Barkley fares with the Eagles. This will obviously be a key determinant in Schoen’s long-term Giants future.
WRs Isaiah Hodgins, Gunner Olszewski On Giants’ Roster Bubble
As HBO revisits the Saquon Barkley divorce, the Giants will have other roster matters to consider once training camp begins. Determining their wide receiver path will be one of them.
Steadily adding pieces to a group that has been one of the NFL’s worst throughout Daniel Jones‘ career, the Giants have Malik Nabers set to headline this year’s wideout contingent. Nabers joins Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll Day 2 draftees Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt as roster locks, with Dave Gettleman-era pickup Darius Slayton — the team’s leading receiver in four of the past five seasons — still in place after a minor adjustment to his contract. This leaves battles to round out the pass-catching setup.
Isaiah Hodgins re-signed this offseason, though the Giants did not tender the 2022 waiver claim as an RFA. Hodgins is back on a one-year, $1.1MM deal. The former Bills sixth-rounder is in competition for the team’s No. 5 receiver role, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who notes a responsibility change will be necessary (subscription required).
Although Hodgins has been a backup for most of his career, he has played only three special teams snaps in four seasons. Those came in Buffalo. No. 5 wideouts, barring unusual arrangements, typically play regular ST roles. Hodgins’ lack of work in this area threatens his job security, as the Giants guaranteed him only $325K upon the late-March re-signing. The Giants appear prepared to change Hodgins’ lack of a special teams job, with Duggan adding they gave him work on the punt and kick-return teams during the offseason program.
Hodgins, 25, has made memorable contributions as a receiver since coming to the Big Apple. The 200-pound wideout caught 37 passes for 392 yards and four touchdowns (in 10 games) following an October 2022 waiver claim. Hodgins then became the eighth post-merger Giant to post a 100-yard receiving stat line in a playoff game, hauling in eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in the Giants’ wild-card win over the Vikings. Last season, however, Hyatt ate into Hodgins’ workload. Hodgins finished the 2023 season with 21 catches for 230 yards.
The Giants have Allen Robinson waging an uphill battle for a reserve role, with Duggan adding Gunner Olszewski factors into the roster math here. The Giants also re-signed Olszewski this offseason, circling back to the return man 10 days before Hodgins. A former Patriots and Steelers ST presence/auxiliary wideout, Olszewski returned a punt for a score as a Giant last season but did not catch a pass in 10 games with the team. Olszewski, however, has been a regular NFL returner for five seasons and earned first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2020.
The team also signed Isaiah McKenzie, who joined Hodgins in working with Daboll in Buffalo, and added ex-Ravens and Steelers backup Miles Boykin. McKenzie’s presence and superior receiving production would stand to impact Olszewski, as the 5-foot-7 talent also carries extensive punt- and kick-return experience. Boykin also has been a regular special-teamer throughout his career; he logged a 70% ST snap rate last season in Pittsburgh.
This represents a different sort of problem for the Giants, who have needed Slayton and Hodgins regularly since their previous receiver nucleus — one headlined by Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney — imploded in 2022. But the back end of this group will be worth monitoring during camp.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/16/24
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on active/NFI list: S Mark Perry
- Placed on active/PUP list: WR Tahj Washington
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on active/NFI list: WR Bub Means
New York Giants
- Placed on active/PUP list: TE Theo Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/NFI list: WR Ricky Pearsall
The active versions of these injury lists only impact players’ availability for practices before the regular season. Players can be moved off the active/PUP or active/NFI lists at any point over the next month-plus. Should a player be left on a PUP or NFI list when a team finalizes a 53-man roster — as the Ravens are expected to with running back Keaton Mitchell — he must miss at least four games.
Pearsall’s undisclosed injury is not viewed as a malady that should keep the first-rounder out long term, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. The Florida alum is expected to join Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, the latter’s trade request notwithstanding, this season and profiles as a long-term replacement for one of the two players — depending on how San Francisco handles its receiver contract glut — come 2025. Pearsall participated in the 49ers’ offseason program; it would be a surprise if he became a candidate for the reserve/PUP list.
Texans To Sign G Chris Reed, WR Quintez Cephus
Chris Reed has secured a chance at a 10th NFL season, while Quintez Cephus has landed another opportunity with a team following his 2023 gambling suspension. The Texans will greenlight these depth signings.
After Reed played two seasons with the Vikings, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson notes he will land in Houston. Cephus reached an agreement to join a crowded Texans receiving corps, according to his agency. Cephus spent last season out of football but was among the gambling policy violators reinstated earlier this offseason. The Bills initially added Cephus following his reinstatement but cut him soon after.
[RELATED: Texans Sign UFL DE Malik Fisher]
This will mark team No. 6 for Reed, who is now a Titans agreement away from the AFC South cycle. Reed primarily operated as a Vikings backup but has made 30 career starts. He figures to mix in as a competitor for a swing role in Houston, which is returning multiple interior O-linemen after season-ending injuries.
The Panthers used Reed as a 14-game starter in 2020, when he played exclusively at left guard. Reed started six games for the Colts in 2021. He lined up at both guard spots, replacing Quenton Nelson and Mark Glowinski, that year. Reed also made eight starts for the Jaguars from 2016-18; a nomadic path followed.
Reed, who will turn 32 next week, spent most of last season on Minnesota’s reserve/NFI list. He logged all of two offensive snaps in 2023. The Vikings had turned to Reed as an emergency center late in the 2022 season, as Garrett Bradbury rehabbed an injury. The sides reached an agreement on a pay cut to keep the Minnesota State alum in the Twin Cities, but last season brought a clear step back for the ex-UDFA.
The Texans lost Josh Jones (to the Ravens) in free agency but have Kenyon Green and Kendrick Green returning from season-ending maladies. The former, a 2022 first-rounder, may have the inside track to start at left guard opposite the durable Shaq Mason. Kendrick Green, a former Steelers center starter who has not played much since that 2021 season, is in a contract year. Jarrett Patterson, whom Juice Scruggs is expected to supplant at center, also factors into Houston’s LG competition. Reed, who could certainly loom as a potential practice squad insurance option, figures to vie for an interior swing role.
Cephus, 26, was part of 2023’s first wave of players suspended for violating the gambling policy. The ex-Lion was found to have made NFL bets, leading to a full-season suspension. The Bills cut the former Lions role player after a few weeks. Cephus did amass 553 receiving yards between the 2020 and ’21 seasons, but the backup/special-teamer’s career has skidded off track.
The Texans will not have spots for all their notable names at receiver, making this a somewhat interesting addition. In addition to projected starters Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Dell, Houston rosters Robert Woods, Noah Brown, 2022 second-rounder John Metchie and trade acquisition Ben Skowronek. Cephus stands to have an uphill battle to make the team’s 53-man roster, and trade rumors figure to impact one or more of the Texans’ backup options.
Latest On Raiders WR Davante Adams
Davante Adams has continually attempted to make clear he wants to stay with the Raiders. Despite Las Vegas in transition at quarterback following the release of Adams Fresno State teammate Derek Carr, the All-Pro wide receiver has said on a few occasions he wants to remain a Raider.
This has not stopped speculation about a move, and a Trade Rumors Front Office piece last week explored the 11th-year wide receiver’s status as an accomplished 30-something on a retooling team. Aaron Rodgers then said he looks forward to playing with his former teammate once again, and Netflix’s Receiver series featured a scene in which Adams tied the benching of Jimmy Garoppolo to his own Raiders future.
[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Las Vegas Raiders]
Last week, Adams reiterated his desire to stay in Vegas under the Antonio Pierce–Tom Telesco regime. The third-year Raider brushed off rumors about a Rodgers reunion, calling them unrealistic. As this spree of trade rumors/denials persist, Adams’ agents indicated (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter) they are not signs this partnership will end soon. Agents Kenny Chapman and Frank Bauer said no trade talks have taken place. This comes months after Telesco said Adams was not available at the Combine.
Adams, 31, is in a rather unusual situation. The Raiders fired the regime that traded first- and second-round picks for him, doing so after cutting Carr. Visible Adams frustration with the Raiders’ state of affairs transpired before the firings of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, and even after the Pierce elevation coincided with better performances, Adams finished with nearly 400 fewer receiving yards (1,144) compared to his 2022 All-Pro season. Counting Jarrett Stidham‘s starter stint, the Raiders could soon be on a fourth post-Carr QB — if Gardner Minshew lives up to his guarantee and unseats Aidan O’Connell — with a high-value trade chip taking up cap space.
While both Adams and Tyreek Hill signed backloaded extensions that raised the receiver AAV ceiling in 2022, the former’s deal features two seasons with monster base salaries. Due to two base salaries north of $35MM in 2025 and ’26, Adams’ cap numbers enter new territory in 2025. Tied to a $25.35MM number this year, the ex-Packer second-rounder’s figure rises to $44.1MM in 2025 and ’26. No guaranteed money remains on the contact beyond 2024.
The Dolphins have indicated they appear open to revising Hill’s contract; no contract talks between the Raiders and Adams are believed to have taken place. That makes sense due to the team having authorized a five-year deal in 2022, but Adams’ place on a team that may well not have its long-term QB hopeful on the current roster remains a bit curious. Expected contenders figure to call the Raiders, as some teams did before the 2023 deadline. Vegas struggling to start the season would stand to increase interest.
For now, though, all parties continue to insist no trade will happen. The Raiders would risk a diminished return in an Adams trade if they wanted until after this season, as Adams will turn 32 in December. But nothing appears close regarding a trade. Adams will soon head to training camp as a factor in the Minshew-O’Connell QB battle, which certainly represents a different stage of his career compared to being the top weapon during Rodgers’ third and fourth MVP seasons.
Bears Sign Round 1 WR Rome Odunze
As training camps approach, only six 2024 draftees remain unsigned. The Bears entered the week with their two first-round choices out of contract, but they narrowed that number to one Tuesday by signing Rome Odunze to his rookie deal.
Odunze, the Bears’ first Round 1 wideout pick since Kevin White in 2015, will be tied to a four-year pact that could be pushed to 2028 via the fifth-year option. Chicago did considerable work at wide receiver this offseason, adding Keenan Allen as well. But Odunze will be tied to Caleb Williams for the foreseeable future. The Bears will hope their Nos. 1 and 9 overall picks form a long-term partnership.
The team targeted the Washington prospect with the ninth pick to the point it explored trading up. GM Ryan Poles called Falcons counterpart Terry Fontenot about moving up one spot. The Falcons passed and chose Odunze’s college QB, Michael Penix Jr., but other teams eyed the multiyear Huskies standout. The Jets were in the mix, while the Colts made offers to move up for a pass catcher. Ultimately, Odunze ended up with a Bears team that may well be set to sport one of the most promising receiving cadres in its history.
Odunze’s contract will come fully guaranteed, as all first-round deals are now. Rookie deals are no longer especially complicated, and holdouts are exceedingly rare since the 2011 CBA introduced the slot system. The Williams matter may not be resolved for a bit, but the USC prospect is not expected to hold out. Williams is not using an NFLPA-certified agent, adding a complication to the former Heisman winner’s negotiations.
The Bears have clear intentions to make Odunze a Week 1 starter, teaming him with Allen and 2023 trade pickup D.J. Moore. Although Chicago rostered Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery together, this franchise does not have an extensive history with high-end receiving tandems or trios. Moore immediately became Chicago’s top target, displacing Darnell Mooney, and Allen comes over after accumulating the second-most receiving yards in Chargers history. WR3 expectations should give Odunze a smoother onramp to the NFL.
Odunze played a lead role in Washington zooming to the CFP national championship game, leading Division I-FBS in receiving (1,640 yards) and catching 13 touchdown passes. The Penix-Odunze combo produced 10 100-yard games for the 6-foot-3, 212-pound target, who amassed 125 yards in the Huskies’ CFP semifinal victory over Texas. Odunze starred at Washington for the past two seasons, posting two 1,100-yard campaigns while elevating his stock. He also clocked a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
With Allen signed for just one more season and Moore still tied to his Panthers pact, Odunze has a route to becoming the Bears’ top wideout. Moore may well loom as an extension candidate, and Allen is open to a new deal. But the Bears will look to have the Williams-Odunze pair aligned for many years.
Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs
Going 50 years in between Super Bowl appearances, the Chiefs have now trekked to four (and won three) in the past five seasons. Kansas City’s walk-off Super Bowl LVIII triumph marked the ninth instance of back-to-back Super Bowl wins. However, the Chiefs joined only the Broncos (1997-98) and Patriots (2003-04) as teams in the salary cap era to repeat.
The franchise’s 2017 trade-up for Patrick Mahomes has become one of the most important acquisitions in NFL history, with the two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl MVP already among the all-time quarterback greats. While Mahomes has ground to cover to match some of the game’s long-running legends, he has authored the best six-season stretch to open a career in the position’s history. The Chiefs continue to ride with their formidable Mahomes-Andy Reid partnership, and a retention-heavy offseason featured their defensive pillar re-signing and more weaponry coming after a choppy regular season through the air.
Re-signings:
- Chris Jones, DT. Five years, $158.75MM ($60MM guaranteed)
- Michael Danna, DL. Three years, $24MM ($13MM guaranteed)
- Drue Tranquill, LB. Three years, $19MM ($12.5MM guaranteed)
- Tershawn Wharton, DL. One year, $2.74MM ($2.74MM guaranteed)
- Derrick Nnadi, DT. One year, $2MM ($1.79MM guaranteed)
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB. One year, $1.7MM ($1.33MM guaranteed)
- James Winchester, LS. One year, $1.38MM ($1.15MM guaranteed)
- Deon Bush, S. One year, $1.38MM ($500K guaranteed)
- Mike Pennel, DT. One year, $1.38MM ($383K guaranteed)
- Mecole Hardman, WR. One year, $1.13MM
Mahomes and Travis Kelce are tied to team-friendly contracts. After the Chiefs attempted to extend Jones at a below-market rate last year, he held out. But the dominant defensive tackle, following a season that may well have secured Hall of Fame credentials, displayed his value — for a Chiefs team suddenly unreliable on offense — and secured whopping terms just before free agency. Using Aaron Donald‘s Rams deal as a template, Jones reset the DT market on a deal well outside the ballpark of where the sides resided during their 2023 negotiations.
From Charvarius Ward to Tyrann Mathieu to Frank Clark to L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs have continually moved on from defensive pieces during the Mahomes era. Jones has been the exception, and while Donald’s presence may have left the 2016 second-round pick as perennially underrated, the Chiefs’ No. 2 defensive ranking last season left no doubt as to who is the NFL’s current DT kingpin. Jones, 30, now has the contract to prove it.
The Chiefs were hesitant about approaching Donald territory for Jones last year; they wanted to pay Jones in the $22-$25MM-per-year neighborhood — a second tier established by the Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Dexter Lawrence and Daron Payne deals — while the All-Pro understandably wanted numbers closer to Donald’s. The Rams had given the all-time great a landmark three-year, $95MM deal that doubled as a straight raise. No team had come close to Donald’s $31.7MM AAV for a D-tackle; Jones capitalized on circumstances to become the NFL’s highest-paid DT.
Entering 2024, Williams’ $66MM guarantee number topped the DT market. The Chiefs’ interior dynamo upped that to $95MM. While Jones’ $60MM full guarantee also leads the way, he is almost certain to see the full $95MM number. If Jones is on Kansas City’s roster on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, his 2026 base salary ($19MM) and a $16MM roster bonus become guaranteed.
Headlines around the Chiefs have focused on their threepeat bid and off-field issues, but Jones scoring this contract after the team held firm on its price point last year represents a major win for the club’s defensive centerpiece. The cap’s record-setting spike and the Chiefs passing on a second franchise tag (after the team tagged him in 2020) due to the 120% rule pushing a 2024 tag’s cost past $31MM, the AFC West powerhouse caved two days before Jones would have hit free agency.
As the Chiefs gear up for the NFL’s first threepeat bid in nearly 20 years, retaining Jones is obviously a vital component. Jones ripped off a 10.5-sack season, which closed with the eight-year vet’s crucial pressure of Brock Purdy that forced the 49ers QB into a rushed throw near the Chiefs’ goal line. That led to a San Francisco field goal and Kansas City’s OT walk-off. Jones trailed only Donald (a familiar position) in pass rush win rate last season, and his 35 sacks over the past three years lead all DTs. He has followed Mahomes and Kelce in using this run of Super Bowl berths to craft a Hall of Fame-caliber resume.
Kansas City’s D-line will look similar this season, with the team also re-upping Nnadi, Pennel, Wharton and Danna. A 2020 fifth-round pick, Danna helped fill the Clark void last season. Showing an ability to operate inside and outside, Danna totaled a career-high 6.5 sacks. Despite the Chiefs having used consecutive first-round picks on defensive ends (George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah), the $13MM Danna guarantee shows their view of the versatile pass rusher. Plugged in as a regular starter opposite Karlaftis last season, Danna has 23 QB hits over the past two years. While Anudike-Uzomah will need to play more to justify the team’s draft investment, the Danna-Karlaftis combo remains in front of the local product.
Tranquill did not match Willie Gay‘s snap rate last season, but the Chiefs chose the ex-Charger over their longtime Nick Bolton sidekick. Tranquill cashed in after his one-year, $3MM Chiefs contract led to a regular role. With Bolton now extension-eligible, the Chiefs are making a commitment to a more experienced player. Considering the cost cuts the team has made in recent years, it will be interesting to see how Bolton talks — which figure to feature the three-down LB seeking an eight-figure-per-year price — shape up. Tranquill, who shined in his Chargers walk year, secured a bigger guarantee at signing compared to three-down cogs Quincy Williams and Logan Wilson.
Playing 57% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps, Tranquill combined 78 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. The Notre Dame alum made eight tackles in the Chiefs’ 17-10 AFC clincher in Baltimore. The Chiefs figure to deploy Tranquill, 29 in August, as a three-down player in 2024. Tranquill posted 146 tackles and five sacks in 2022) the last time he held that role (2022).
Edwards-Helaire represents a misstep for GM Brett Veach, who chose the 5-foot-7 running back 32nd overall in 2020. Seventh-rounder Isiah Pacheco supplanted Edwards-Helaire in 2022, ending an injury-plagued stay atop the depth chart. The LSU alum will vie to be Pacheco’s top backup this season, as the Chiefs have not reached their annual one-year agreement with Jerick McKinnon. The Chiefs hosted J.K. Dobbins on a visit the same day they recommitted to CEH; Dobbins soon joined the Chargers.
Trades:
- Dealt franchise-tagged CB L’Jarius Sneed, No. 252 to Titans for 2025 third-round pick, No. 221
Giving Jones a market-setting payday effectively ensured Sneed would need to find his second contract elsewhere, even though he expressed interest in staying. The Chiefs bet on a trade market forming upon applying a $19.8MM tag on the blossoming cornerback. Kansas City’s bet paid off, to a degree. The team only collected a 2025 third-rounder for a player who was one of last season’s best corners, illustrating the reduced compensation associated with the pricey extension to come. This will continue Kansas City’s CB assembly line under Steve Spagnuolo.
As Trent McDuffie‘s representation has surely noticed, the Chiefs have not made a notable CB payment in over a decade. They traded Marcus Peters in 2018, and after hiring Spagnuolo a year later, the team let Steven Nelson (2019), Kendall Fuller (2020) and Charvarius Ward (2022) walk in free agency. The Chiefs continue to generate solid play from rookie-contract performers.
With McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson each 2022 draftees and Chamarri Conner — a fourth-rounder who appears set for a bigger role post-Sneed — arriving in 2023, the Chiefs do not have to worry about one of their expected regulars departing in 2025. This sets up some development time for McDuffie’s potential sidekicks, with more reps coming after Sneed logged 94%, 96% and 99% snap rates from 2021-23.
A fourth-round find out of Louisiana Tech, Sneed flashed as a slot defender early in his career but settled as a boundary stopper for the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl-winning teams. Last season, Sneed dominated by holding opposing QBs to a 56.2 passer rating (as the closest defender) and allowing only a 51% completion rate.
Some buyer-beware exists here, as Sneed’s 2023 coverage numbers are far better than his 2021 and ’22 stats. The Titans nevertheless paid up, adding both Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie. Sneed scored a cornerback-high $51.5MM guarantee at signing. That checks in $7.5MM above the next-highest CB deal, increasing expectations for a player the Chiefs counted on last year. While many teams looked into Sneed, a package centered around a 2025 third suggests a tepid market ultimately formed.
As the Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill trade reduced their offensive firepower, Spagnuolo’s defense stepped in — particularly last season — to keep the team on the NFL’s top tier. Sneed played a central role in this support effort, not allowing a touchdown in 781 regular-season coverage snaps. It will be a challenge for the Chiefs to stay on that level without Sneed, but their corner development should not be doubted at this point.
Free agency additions:
- Marquise Brown, WR. One year, $7MM ($6.5MM guaranteed)
- Carson Wentz, QB. One year, $3.33MM ($2.2MM guaranteed)
- Irv Smith Jr., TE. One year, $1.29MM ($384K guaranteed)
- Louis Rees-Zammit, RB. Three years, $2.85MM ($250K guaranteed)
- Matt Araiza, P. One year, $795K
The Chiefs were among the teams preparing a Mike Evans pitch, but the dependable target re-signed with the Buccaneers before the market opened. Tyler Boyd also loomed on Kansas City’s radar. A surprisingly cheap Brown pact instead became the solution, and the diminutive target will transition from two run-oriented quarterbacks to the game’s current aerial ace.
Tied to the NFL’s most run-based QB1 and being traded to a team that rostered another dual threat, Brown may well have some untapped potential. The Ravens centering their offense around Lamar Jackson‘s skillset prompted Brown to seek a trade in 2022, and his reunion with Oklahoma teammate Kyler Murray featured both parties suffering injuries to limit time together.
After producing just one 800-yard season through five years, Brown will try his luck with Mahomes. While technically a dual threat, Mahomes is obviously better known for his passing prowess. This presents an interesting opportunity for Brown to re-establish his value and the Chiefs to upgrade a wildly inconsistent receiving corps.
Brown totaled 1,008 yards during his final Ravens season, despite Jackson missing time to close out the year, but the 5-foot-9 pass catcher has been inconsistent as a pro. The 2019 first-rounder did combine for 15 touchdown receptions over his first two seasons, even with Jackson not as reliable on throws outside the hashes. After a durable Baltimore run, Brown missed eight games in his two Arizona slates. Foot and heel injuries, respectively, limited the trade acquisition during that time.
Brown also spent much of last season tied to Josh Dobbs, as Murray rehabbed his ACL tear. After the Cardinals discussed an extension last year, they did not opt to match the Chiefs’ modest free agency offer. With Rashee Rice expected to miss a chunk of the season — assuming a suspension is not tabled to 2025 — Brown may move into a WR1 role for a two-time reigning Super Bowl champion.
Considerable Interest In S Justin Simmons
Jamal Adams followed Marcus Maye in coming off the free agent board this summer, landing a deal with the Titans on Thursday. Safety talent still resides on the market, and Justin Simmons headlines that list.
The former Broncos standout, who received four second-team All-Pro nods over the past five seasons, has been available for four months now. A lack of interest is not keeping the eight-year veteran unsigned. As could be expected given Simmons’ age (30) and accomplishments, money is the lead driver here.
Several teams consider Simmons the top free agent remaining, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds the longtime Denver starter has drawn considerable interest during his time on the market. A recent report suggested low-money deals featuring incentives were likely for a safety glut that still includes Simmons, Quandre Diggs and Eddie Jackson. Simmons probably checks in a tier higher here, which has made his availability somewhat curious even as the safety market has fluctuated.
This offseason brought three big-ticket deals — for Antoine Winfield Jr., Xavier McKinney and Kyle Dugger — with the Buccaneers defender scoring a position-record extension. Winfield’s four-year, $84.1MM contract not only set a safety record, it came in with a higher AAV than any cornerback has secured to date.
Free agency, however, also brought a modest contract for Kamren Curl (two years, $9MM) and midlevel pacts for the likes of Geno Stone (2/14) and Rayshawn Jenkins (2/12). Kevin Byard joined Simmons as a cap casualty; the Bears gave him a two-year, $15MM pact. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has an extensive past in the slot, signed a nine-year, $27MM deal to return to the Eagles. But just $10MM is guaranteed at signing.
It would stand to reason Simmons is aiming fairly high, given his production. Since coming into the league in 2016, Simmons has snared more interceptions (30) than anyone else. This came after the former third-round pick waited a year to start behind former Super Bowl cogs T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart. Simmons also already cashed in, having played the 2020 season on the franchise tag before spending three seasons on a four-year, $61MM extension.
With considerable earnings banked, Simmons is also likely prioritizing a fit. The Broncos drafted Simmons two months after a Super Bowl parade but have not made the playoffs since. Landing with a contender makes sense for the Boston College alum; a Broncos reunion is viewed as highly unlikely, as the team has made lower-cost plans at the position.
Experienced players have been known to wait until training camp or occasionally into the preseason to sign. Camp gives teams a better view of where position groups stand, and injuries obviously can shake up depth charts. With camps starting in less than three weeks, Simmons’ 2024 destination should be known fairly soon. It will be interesting to see if he lands a one-year deal with hopes of a better market in 2025 or secures a notable multiyear commitment this summer.