Cowboys Do Not Intend To Let Dak Prescott Reach Free Agency
More is coming out of the Cowboys-Dak Prescott situation. Although no offer has been made and no deal is imminent, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson supplies some information in line with the team’s recently expressed stance.
The Cowboys still want to complete an extension with Prescott this year, according to Anderson, who adds the team is not planning on letting the reigning MVP runner-up reach free agency. Some hurdles exist on the path toward a Prescott extension, but even though nothing is close presently, the Cowboys should still be considered more likely than not to aggressively pursue a third contract with their quarterback before the 2025 league year.
[RELATED: Cowboys, Dak Prescott Begin Extension Talks]
As he did during the first round of Prescott extension talks, Jerry Jones made a pitch for a team-friendly deal this week. Jones centered that short pitch on how a monster Dak re-up would affect the rest of the Cowboys’ roster, but while Patrick Mahomes has indeed sacrificed (in the form of a 10-year extension that goes through 2031), none of the QBs to agree on extensions since that July 2020 accord have followed his lead. While some upper-crust QBs did not hold out for player-friendly accords (Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford), the market is now beyond $50MM per year for high-end passers. Prescott’s age and production would have him in line for such a deal — perhaps close to $60MM per year — and he certainly has the ammo to land player-friendly terms again.
Entering the final season of a four-year, $160MM contract, Prescott cannot be franchise-tagged in 2025. A recent restructure only saved the Cowboys $4MM, still leaving Prescott with what would be a record-shattering cap number ($55.1MM). This is assuming the Browns restructure Deshaun Watson‘s deal, which calls for a $63.8MM hit this year. If Prescott leaves in free agency, the Cowboys would eat $40.1MM in dead money due to previous restructures that added void years through 2028.
Positional value also works in Prescott’s favor. Despite the Cowboys’ playoff stumbling blocks — which have been present since Super Bowl XXX — remaining during the Dak era, they employ a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who bounced back in a big way last season. The 30-year-old QB led the NFL with 36 TD passes in 2023; he has piloted the league’s top-ranked scoring offense in two of the past three years. The Cowboys, who have Trey Lance on an expiring contract, would not have a good way to replace their oft-maligned signal-caller were he to follow Kirk Cousins‘ path as a twice-tagged player to leave in free agency.
Deadlines have been semi-effective for the Cowboys and Prescott. The team could not get its QB to agree to a deal at the July 2020 franchise tag extension deadline but was able to circle back on an extension — after three offseasons’ worth of negotiations — before a second tag could hit the team’s payroll in March 2021. March 2025 would become the next true deadline, but another big season and the threat of hitting the market would only increase Prescott’s leverage. A deal earlier — one that would allow the Cowboys more breathing room compared to this $55.1MM cap number — would be in the team’s best interests, effectively creating an earlier deadline here.
Nothing is imminent, but given the numbers in play here, the topic of a Prescott extension will remain a key offseason talking point — just as it was from 2019-21 — during this NFL offseason.
Lions Re-Sign QB Nate Sudfeld
While Teddy Bridgewater‘s early retirement will create an opening for Hendon Hooker behind Jared Goff, the Lions are still taking care of the other quarterback on last year’s team.
Nate Sudfeld re-signed with the team Wednesday. The Lions are bringing Sudfeld back months after he suffered a torn ACL during the preseason. Should Sudfeld stick with the Lions — via the 53-man roster or practice squad — this will be his ninth NFL season.
Sudfeld, 30, has been with the Lions since they signed him shortly after roster-cutdown day in 2022. The team brought him back — on a one-year, $1.6MM deal — in 2023 but added Bridgewater as Goff’s top backup weeks before the former’s knee injury. Goff, Hooker and Sudfeld now comprise the QB contingent on the Lions’ roster.
Still perhaps most famous for being inserted into the Eagles’ 2020 regular-season finale — as Doug Pederson benched a healthy Jalen Hurts late in a game that gave Washington the NFC East title — Sudfeld has become a steady reserve option around the NFL. Sudfeld backed up Nick Foles during the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII run, as Carson Wentz had gone down with an ACL tear.
Sudfeld’s failure to beat out Brock Purdy for the 49ers’ third-string job in 2022 has also aged quite well. The Indiana alum has appeared in two Lions games but has not thrown a regular-season pass since that 2020 finale.
The Lions moved Hooker onto their active roster as a third-stringer late last season, a move that prevented the third-round pick’s contract from tolling. Hooker’s deal still runs through 2026, but with Bridgewater leaving the game at 31, the Tennessee alum is slated to move up the depth chart behind Goff. Barring something unexpected, Sudfeld would have a ceiling as a third-stringer for the 2024 Lions. He could be in line to dress as Detroit’s emergency backup. A Tuesday rule change will allow teams unlimited elevations for P-squad QBs for the purpose of dressing a third as the emergency option.
AFC Contract Details: Titans, Jeudy, Browns, Brown, Bengals, Broncos, Bills, Jets, Texans
Here are contract details from some of the latest deals agreed to around the league.
- Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans). Four years, $92MM. In addition to his $20MM signing bonus, Ridley will see his first two base salaries ($4.5MM, $22,5MM) fully guaranteed. If on Tennessee’s roster by Day 5 of the 2025 league year, Ridley will receive a $3.02MM guarantee for his 2026 base salary ($20.24MM), per OverTheCap. If Ridley remains on Tennessee’s roster by Day 5 of the 2026 league year, he will earn a $1MM bonus. This still stands to give the Titans some 2026 flexibility.
- Jerry Jeudy, WR (Browns). Three years, $52.5MM. The recently traded wideout’s base value, as expected, checks in lower than the initial numbers. The ex-Denver target will see guarantees into his the deal’s third year, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting $6MM will be guaranteed for 2026. Jeudy received $41MM guaranteed at signing.
- Curtis Samuel, WR (Bills). Three years, $24MM. The Bills are guaranteeing $5MM of Samuel’s $6.91MM 2025 base salary at signing. The entire ’25 base is guaranteed for injury, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Samuel will be due a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2026 league year; his $6.51MM 2026 salary is nonguaranteed.
- John Simpson, G (Jets). Two years, $12MM. This number is down a bit from the initial $18MM figure, which is the deal’s max value. Simpson will see $6MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. The Jets used three void years to spread out the cap hits; the fifth-year guard is on New York’s books at $3.2MM in 2024.
- Folorunso Fatukasi, DT (Texans). One year, $5.2MM. The recent Jacksonville cut will receive $4.6MM guaranteed at signing on his Houston pact, Wilson tweets. The Texans tacked two void years onto the veteran nose tackle’s deal.
- Trent Brown, T (Bengals). One year, $4.75MM. The veteran tackle will receive $2MM guaranteed, with OverTheCap indicating $1MM will be available in per-game roster bonuses with another $250K in play via a workout bonus. A bonus-laden structure is not new for Brown, who had weight clauses in his most recent two Patriots contracts.
- Solomon Thomas, DL (Jets). One year, $3MM. The Jets are guaranteeing the former No. 3 overall pick $2.5MM, Cimini adds.
- Mike Edwards, S (Bills). One year, $2.8MM. The former Tampa Bay and Kansas City safety can earn up to $4MM on his Buffalo deal, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. He is on the Bills’ cap at $2.8MM.
- Cody Barton, LB (Broncos). One year, $2.46MM. The Broncos will land the veteran linebacker for more than $1MM cheaper than the Commanders did in 2023. Denver is guaranteeing $2.33MM of the deal, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.
- Desmond King, CB (Texans). One year, $1.8MM. Veteran slot cornerback/return man’s contract can max out at $2.2MM, Wilson tweets.
Colts Resume Julian Blackmon Talks; Team Offered Danielle Hunter More Than Texans
Operating as a retention-based GM who has shied away from big free agency pickups during his eight-year tenure, Chris Ballard continued work in this area this offseason. The Colts extended Michael Pittman Jr. and re-signed Kenny Moore, Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis.
Indianapolis, however, still wants more help in the secondary. Moore has worked as the team’s slot cornerback for seven years, and while his new deal takes care of that need, the Colts could use assistance on the outside and at safety. Ballard confirmed the team is looking to add in the secondary, confirming (via the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins) they are considering more options in free agency. One of them, in Colts fashion, is a player whose Indianapolis rookie deal just expired.
Ballard confirmed (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder) the Colts have reengaged in talks with Julian Blackmon. The four-year starter had visited the Bills and 49ers but has not landed a deal. A Colts reunion has been in play for a bit, and considering the retention the team has already gone through with on Gus Bradley‘s defense, a second Blackmon contract would not surprise.
It is certainly possible Blackmon’s asking price led the Bills to sign Mike Edwards, who began last season as a Chiefs backup before moving into the lineup due to a Bryan Cook injury. Indianapolis had targeted Edwards as well.
The Colts used Blackmon at different spots in Bradley’s scheme, and the former third-round pick will not turn 26 until just before the season. He notched career-high marks in INTs (four), tackles (88) and passes defensed (eight) last season, but this year’s safety market — beyond Xavier McKinney — stalled due to an unexpected surplus that formed in free agency just before the new league year.
One of the few players among PFR’s top 50 free agents who has not landed a deal, Blackmon has likely been impacted by the crowded market. A few teams released high-profile safeties, leaving the likes of Justin Simmons, Micah Hyde, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Eddie Jackson and Marcus Maye unsigned. It is possible Blackmon could take a one-year deal in hopes of reestablishing his value. Nick Cross has been unable to establish himself as a starter, while Pro Football Focus rated Blackmon sidekick Rodney Thomas 78th at the position last season.
Their largely in-house offseason mission notwithstanding, the Colts did pursue Danielle Hunter. The Texas native chose Houston, but Holder adds Indianapolis offered more money. That said, it would be a bit surprising if the Colts’ proposal included more guaranteed money than Hunter received. The Texans gave the longtime Vikings edge rusher a $49MM deal that came nearly fully guaranteed; the 10th-year vet locked in $48MM at signing.
The Colts saw improvement from homegrown rushers Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo last season; the 2021 first- and second-round picks, respectively, totaled 8.5 and eight sacks in 2023. Samson Ebukam, who came over from the 49ers last year, led the team with 9.5 sacks. Hunter would have been an interesting addition capable of creating a formidable top four for Indy, but he has a clear-cut opportunity to start opposite Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. in Houston.
Brian Daboll Considering Shift To Play-Calling Role
Brian Daboll called plays for four seasons in Buffalo, reestablishing himself as a viable NFL OC after previous play-calling stints did not go especially well. After taking on a CEO-type role in his first two years as Giants HC, Daboll is considering another shift.
Going into a pivotal season, the third-year Giants leader said he is looking into a move to a play-calling role. That would strip OC Mike Kafka of a key responsibility. While the Giants gave Kafka a title bump after blocking him from a Seahawks OC interview, tacking on an assistant HC label to his role as Daboll’s top offensive lieutenant, a demotion appears in play ahead of his third season with the team.
“It’s something I’m looking into,” Daboll said of a play-calling role this week. “I think there’s 20 head coaches at this point in time that call plays in the league [either offensively or defensively]. … There might be a little bit more. I’ve been doing a bunch of research, but no decision has been made. I’m still going through that process, thinking about what we need to do.”
It had been expected Daboll would call plays with the Giants back in 2022, but just before that season, it was revealed Kafka — who had come over after years as the Chiefs’ quarterbacks coach — would be given the play sheet. This arrangement produced a surprise playoff berth in 2022, with Daniel Jones operating efficiently despite targeting a low-level group of pass catchers. Last season, the Giants regressed, showing little signs of their 2022 form even before Jones’ ACL tear. Daboll angrily took over play-calling duties at points, leading to questions about Kafka’s future with the team.
Unlike Don Martindale, who is at Michigan after his Daboll relationship combusted shortly after the season, Kafka managed to remain in place despite run-ins with the head coach last season. The Seahawks and Titans also interviewed him for their HC vacancies, which came a year after the young play-caller received multiple interview slips in 2023. With Daboll’s seat warming up, the Giants may be making a change. It should be considered likely Daboll calls plays in 2024, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets.
With Jones’ injury as the key variable, the Giants dropped from 15th to 30th in scoring offense from 2022 to ’23. Daboll may still be calling plays for Jones in 2024, though the Giants have a major decision to make in the draft. The team has looked into trading up from No. 6 overall, but while quarterback is a major need, so is wide receiver. This draft’s QB crop would give the Giants a potential WR1 without needing to trade up.
Daboll’s Bills play-calling performance put him on the HC radar; that came after unremarkable stints as OC with the Browns, Dolphins and Chiefs. He also called plays for Alabama’s 2017 national championship-winning team. It would be somewhat odd if Daboll went through his Giants tenure without operating as their regular play-caller at any point. Many NFL HCs are also entrenched as play-callers; Daboll appears more likely than not to join those ranks in 2024.
Broncos To Sign WR Josh Reynolds
After trotting out mostly the same wide receiver group for the past four seasons, the Broncos moved on from Jerry Jeudy to signal a shift under Sean Payton. They are now adding a key piece to Payton’s second Denver roster.
Josh Reynolds is signing with the Broncos, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who indicates the ex-Lions and Rams wideout agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $14MM. The Ravens were also pursuing Reynolds, hosting him on a visit last week, but he will join Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and Marvin Mims in Denver.
[RELATED: Broncos Keeping Tim Patrick After Pay Cut]
The former Rams fourth-rounder transitioned from midseason waiver claim — on a Lions team in need of receiving help during Dan Campbell‘s first season — to regular starter. As Detroit made its climb to the NFC North championship and the Super Bowl LVIII precipice, Reynolds operated as a key Amon-Ra St. Brown sidekick — even as Jameson Williams‘ role expanded. Reynolds finished last season with 40 catches for 608 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The Lions did make an attempt to re-sign Reynolds, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Reynolds, 29, playing for Campbell could make a transition to Payton easier when considering the popular Lions HC spent five years as a Saints assistant. This will, however, mark a transition from Jared Goff, Reynolds’ QB for most of his career. The Rams let Reynolds walk after his rookie deal expired, moving on despite the 6-foot-3 target’s career-high 618 receiving yards in 2020. Los Angeles was carrying then-recent extensions for Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods at that point, and Reynolds signed with the Titans. That fit did not take, with the Lions claiming the Texas A&M alum following a November cut.
The Lions used Reynolds as a key St. Brown complement for two-plus seasons, as an injury and a gambling suspension sidetracked Williams’ NFL start. Even with Williams back in action following his six-game 2023 ban, Reynolds maintained a regular role. That said, he did not eclipse 45 receiving yards after Williams returned to action. While operating mostly as a decoy, Reynolds did resurface with an 80-yard showing in the Lions’ wild-card win over the Rams. Reynolds also caught a touchdown pass in the Lions’ second-round win over the Buccaneers, but he dropped a crucial fourth-down pass against the 49ers in the NFC title game.
While the Reynolds contract’s base value is not yet known, this deal qualifies as more than a flier. It stands to crowd Denver’s receiver group, though Reynolds also represents insurance in case Patrick — he of ACL and Achilles tears in consecutive training camps — is unable to recapture his pre-Russell Wilson-era form. Denver keeping Sutton on the roster as of March 18 guaranteed the seventh-year veteran $2MM of his $13MM 2024 base. That would point to Denver’s 2023 receiving leader sticking around, but the Broncos dangled the former second-round pick in trades last year — nearly sending him to Baltimore — before turning to him as Wilson’s top target. Jeudy recently signed a Browns extension, after being dealt for fifth- and sixth-round picks.
It is not known who exactly will be targeting the Broncos’ receivers in 2024, but the team has its group nearly rounded out a month ahead of the draft.
49ers LB Dre Greenlaw Unlikely To Be Ready For Week 1
Dealt a strange blow when Dre Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear while trotting onto the field during Super Bowl LVIII’s first half, the 49ers attempted multiple insurance measures. The Eric Kendricks plan did not pan out, leading De’Vondre Campbell to San Francisco.
The eight-year veteran will be set to team with Fred Warner in the event Greenlaw’s rehab does not have him ready to play by Week 1. Although Greenlaw underwent surgery shortly after the Super Bowl, the recent LB pursuit would suggest the 49ers are concerned the longtime Warner sidekick will not be ready in time to start the season.
John Lynch said at this week’s owners meetings (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco) Greenlaw is aiming to be back on time, but the eighth-year GM indicated this also may lead to a situation in which the reserve/PUP list is needed.
Greenlaw will almost definitely begin training camp on the active/PUP list, but a shift to the reserve/PUP list would sideline him for at least four games. Early October would represent a near-eight-month recovery timetable. While some players have beaten that — including ex-49ers wideout Michael Crabtree back in 2013 — caution would make sense on the 49ers’ part.
Kendricks backed out of a 49ers agreement to sign with the Cowboys. The longtime Vikings linebacker reunited with new Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer, but the 49ers offered him a better deal than the one-year, $3MM ($2.5MM guaranteed) contract he inked with Dallas. Kendricks said the 49ers wanted him to start the season in Greenlaw’s place, a three-down role, before likely moving to a part-time gig once the regular starter came back. Campbell signed a one-year, $5MM contract ($4.56MM guaranteed) soon after Kendricks backtracked.
“I didn’t want to be in a situation where I was playing in a position all year and then had to potentially switch to another position — rotating in and out,” Kendricks said on the Bussin’ With Boys podcast (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch). “I wanted to be on the field. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to make an impact, and that’s why, ultimately, I had to make a change for myself.”
Kendricks joined a team with a greater need for a full-time linebacker, as Greenlaw should be expected to return at some point during the season’s first half. Crabtree went down in late May 2013 and returned in early December. The 49ers could opt to leave Greenlaw off the PUP list and go week to week, but their Kendricks communications suggest a Warner-Campbell setup at linebacker to start the year. Greenlaw is going into his age-27 season. Greenlaw’s two-year, $16.4MM contract expires after the 2024 slate, raising the stakes for the former fifth-round pick to recover and play well this season.
Broncos Planning To Add Veteran QB
A recent report suggested the Broncos would be content with Jarrett Stidham going into Week 1 as the starting quarterback. While that would probably be an unappealing plan for much of the Denver fanbase, the team stood pat as other QB-needy clubs at least added bridge-level options in free agency.
The Broncos did show interest in Sam Darnold, though they are not believed to have made an offer. The Darnold pursuit did provide an indication Sean Payton‘s team wanted to at least give Stidham, who has made four starts over a five-year career, some competition. That could well come via the draft, as the Broncos will need a long-term answer at a lower rate due to the fallout from the Russell Wilson misstep. But the team is also planning to add a veteran arm as well.
“We’re still in the quarterback market,” Broncos GM George Paton said, via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel. “We like ‘Stiddy,’ but we’re going to add. We’re not panicked. We won’t play games for a while. We feel like we’ll add a veteran and we’ll see about the draft.”
Paton said a trade will be an option to add at the position. The Eagles (Kenny Pickett), Cardinals (Desmond Ridder) and Seahawks (Sam Howell) added 2022 QB draftees — all as backup options — via trade this month, while Mac Jones is now Trevor Lawrence‘s Jaguars backup. Most of the bridge-type QBs or high-end backups are off the board. Darnold (Vikings), Jacoby Brissett (Patriots), Marcus Mariota (Commanders), Jimmy Garoppolo (Rams) and Gardner Minshew (Raiders) are out of the mix. This leaves the Broncos short on options.
Denver, which is eating $85MM in dead money over the next two years after cutting Wilson, has options in Ryan Tannehill or Carson Wentz as free agents. The Jets also are still attempting to unload Zach Wilson, and offers are believed to have come in. Wilson’s three-year showing would certainly make him a polarizing option in Denver, even considering his No. 2 overall draft pedigree. The second overall choice five years earlier, Wentz is now 31 and spent much of last year in free agency before closing out the campaign with the Rams. Tannehill saw his five-year Titans run conclude with a midseason benching, as Will Levis took over. The 2012 first-rounder is going into his age-36 season.
The Broncos hold the No. 12 overall pick, and the state of their depth chart will tie them to QBs during the pre-draft process. Team brass already met with J.J. McCarthy during a “30” visit, and NBC Sports’ Dan Patrick said Wednesday morning (video link) Payton’s interest in the Michigan prospect should be monitored. McCarthy’s stock has skyrocketed since the Wolverines’ national championship, with the Commanders now being mentioned as a candidate to take him at No. 2 overall. Even if that proves a bridge too far, the Broncos would need to trade up — to outflank a suddenly better-prepared Vikings team, if nothing else — to land the ex-Jim Harbaugh pupil.
With Payton now 60, it would be somewhat difficult to envision the Broncos going with Stidham and tabling a QB draft investment to 2025. But the team has traded three first-round picks over the previous two years, using the draft capital to acquire Wilson and Payton. If the Broncos are to land one of this draft’s top non-Caleb Williams arms, they will need to be prepared to part with a future first-rounder and more.
It will be interesting to see if the team’s recent trade past impacts how it proceeds in Round 1, as Stidham and a to-be-determined veteran will be on the depth chart before Week 1.
Rams’ Aaron Donald Announces Retirement
MARCH 27: Details of a Donald restructure surfaced shortly before the all-time great’s retirement announcement. Information about how much dead money the Rams will eat has since emerged.
Due to void years proration, the Rams will eat approximately $24MM in dead money this year and $9MM in 2025, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. The Rams did not exercise Donald’s 2024 option bonus, but the void years utilized — as was the case on the Buccaneers’ payroll when Tom Brady retired — will create considerable dead money.
MARCH 15: Aaron Donald threatened retirement two years ago, leading to a monster contract. The superstar defender played two seasons on that deal. Despite the second of those producing yet another first-team All-Pro honor, the all-time great announced Friday he will walk away from the game.
The Rams icon confirmed he is retiring after 10 seasons. This bombshell announcement will certainly wound the Rams’ defense, as Donald is among the greatest defenders in NFL history. The 10-year veteran will step away from football at just 32.
While this comes as a surprise, Donald has accomplished just about everything he could in the NFL. The 2014 first-round pick stampeded to Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, matched Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt as the only three-time Defensive Player of the Year honorees and led the way in the Rams winning Super Bowl LVI. Donald’s 2023 rebound from a high ankle sprain produced his eighth first-team All-Pro honor, tying Reggie White and Bruce Smith for the most by a D-lineman in NFL history.
A year after his retirement threat produced a three-year, $95MM raise — an unprecedented move considering three years remained on the extension Donald signed in 2018 — the Pittsburgh alum said he was not considering retirement in 2023. But Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager notes this announcement does not come as a shock to the Rams’ coaches and front office staff. One season remained on Donald’s contract, which he restructured recently.
It is certainly arguable Donald is the greatest defensive tackle in NFL history. Offensive linemen did not enjoy the freedom they do now when tasked with blocking the likes of Joe Greene, Merlin Olsen and Alan Page, though those All-Century-teamers are firmly in the conversation. And rule changes have given offenses advantages they did not have in past eras. Donald reached unrivaled heights in a 10-year career; as injuries slowed Watt’s historic surge, Donald had no peer among modern D-linemen.
“The great players in our league elevate the people around them and Aaron has modeled the way for our team as long as I’ve been with the Rams,” head coach Sean McVay said. “He’s an elite competitor, someone who leads by example in a way that’s authentic to him, and an exceptional teammate who inspires everyone around him to be the best version of themselves.”
The lightning-quick DT will retire with 111 career sacks and 176 tackles for loss. The 2014 first-rounder only sustained one notable injury as a pro — the 2022 ankle ailment; otherwise, his dominance lasted uninterrupted for a decade. Donald collected Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2017, 2018 and 2020, being the best player on two Rams Super Bowl teams and leading the way in preserving the franchise’s first Los Angeles-based title since 1951. Donald sacked Joe Burrow twice in Super Bowl LVI, and his fourth-down pressure cemented the team’s first Super Bowl win in 22 years.
Standing just 6-foot-1, Donald lasted until the No. 13 pick in 2014. The Les Snead-Jeff Fisher regime nabbed him there during the Rams’ penultimate year in St. Louis. Donald did not begin his career as a starter, but it became quickly apparent what kind of player the team had acquired. Donald moved into the St. Louis starting lineup in Week 5, never looking back.
Prior to 2022, Donald’s only previous absences came due to a 2017 holdout. Seeking an extension before his fourth season, the Pittsburgh native skipped training camp and sat out Week 1. Donald did report without an extension, with the Rams waiving his fines (when that was allowed under the 2011 CBA), but scored a record-setting payday a year later. Soon after the Bears extended Khalil Mack, the Rams gave Donald a six-year, $135MM extension with $50MM guaranteed at signing. Donald remained the top D-line earner throughout that contract, but after edge rushers began to surpass his deal by a notable margin, the 2022 retirement threat emerged.
Donald retirement noise stopped via the Rams contract agreement that June, but he had gone so far as to send the team a retirement letter that offseason. Before Donald’s 2022 contract came to pass, Rams brass had discussed how they would celebrate the unrivaled DT if he did step away. Those conversations will need to be revisited, as few players will have ever required a shorter Hall of Fame argument when that time comes. Donald will join Jason Kelce as Canton-bound players to retire this year. Donald made $171MM over his career.
Coming back from the ankle malady, Donald played in 17 games and notched eight sacks and 23 QB hits. Illustrating what the Rams are losing, ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric slotted Donald first among D-tackles; Pro Football Focus graded him as the second-best interior D-lineman. While Chris Jones has produced better pass-rushing numbers over the past two years, the Chiefs standout — who used Donald’s framework to craft a contract bringing a staggering $95.3MM in practical guarantees — his two first-team All-Pros are six off Donald’s pace. Donald ripped off seven straight such honors from 2015-21, peaking with a 20.5-sack season in 2018. The Rams booked a Super Bowl LIII berth that year.
In 2022, the Rams also rewarded Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp with extensions. Their 2023 offseason brought skepticism about playoff chances, with the exits of several Super Bowl LVI starters — including Jalen Ramsey and Leonard Floyd — leaving Donald to join a host of unproven defenders. Multiple rookies stepped up, but Donald’s presence has aided numerous players — including Floyd and Von Miller during their stopovers — over the course of his career. As DC Chris Shula takes over, Los Angeles will have a tall order filling its defensive centerpiece’s shoes.
Steelers To Sign Cordarrelle Patterson
Cordarrelle Patterson has been a dominant return specialist during the period in which that job decreased in importance. As the NFL prepares to revive this play, the Steelers are bringing in a perennial All-Pro.
Pittsburgh is signing Patterson to a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This will reunite the versatile performer with Arthur Smith, who was at the controls when Patterson shifted to running back in Atlanta.
[RELATED: Owners Approve Kickoff Change]
The NFL moved its kickoff line from the 30-yard line back to the 35 — its location until 1994 — in 2011. This did not stop Patterson from impacting games in the years that followed. The 2013 first-round pick was never able to catch on as a wide receiver, but he has been this NFL period’s premier kick returner and one of the greatest in NFL history. Not dabbling much in the punt-return game, Patterson has racked up four first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner. He has the most kick-return touchdowns (nine) in NFL history.
While Patterson’s return accomplishments are well known, he made a decent impact at a new position under Smith in Atlanta. The Falcons moved the former wide receiver to running back in 2021, making him their starter despite being at an age when running backs struggle to gain employment. Patterson became a running back at 30 and functioned as a regular for the Falcons at that post in 2021 and ’22.
The ex-Vikings top pick racked up 1,166 scrimmage yards in 2021, helping a team that had traded Julio Jones and saw Calvin Ridley leave early in the season due to mental health reasons. Despite Patterson being north of 30 at the time, the Falcons then gave him a two-year, $10.5MM deal. The 2022 arrival of Tyler Allgeier minimized Patterson’s backfield role, but he still gained a career-high 695 rushing yards despite missing four games that season. The Falcons ranked third in rushing that year. However, Bijan Robinson‘s 2023 arrival slowed the Patterson-at-RB experiment; he logged 50 carries last season.
Patterson, who turned 33 earlier this month, does not appear to have a clear path to a running back role in Pittsburgh. The team has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren on rookie contracts. That said, Smith coached the veteran playmaker for three seasons; gadget plays could certainly be in the offing. Though, the Steelers will obviously be set to put Patterson to work on special teams.
Overall, the Tennessee alum has six All-Pro honors (two second-team nods) on his resume. Earning first-team acclaim in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2020, Patterson has returned a kickoff for a score in seven separate seasons. Only one such jaunt came in Atlanta — as the others occurred while Patterson was with the Vikings, Patriots and Bears — but that 2022 TD broke Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington‘s NFL record. The extended production earned the 220-pound talent an All-Decade honor. He will soon get to work for a fifth NFL team.