Eagles Made Offer To QB Joe Flacco
An intra-Pennsylvania trade generated considerable attention, but prior to the Eagles acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Steelers, they had what would have been an interesting reunion in mind.
Joe Flacco has gone from waiting until November to be signed to receiving multiple offers in free agency. Before Flacco committed to the Colts, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes the Eagles submitted an offer for him to come back to Philadelphia.
The Eagles will turn to Pickett behind Jalen Hurts, but they were interested in Flacco reprising the backup role he held briefly in 2021. The New Jersey native signed with the Eagles three years ago but never saw any game action. Philly had acquired Gardner Minshew via trade, as Urban Meyer ended the strange run of Minshew receiving first-team reps ahead of Trevor Lawrence‘s rookie year. Weeks later, the Eagles sent Flacco back to the Jets, who had seen Zach Wilson go down with a knee injury.
Flacco, 39, will now replace Minshew as Anthony Richardson‘s Colts backup. Indianapolis landed the 17th-year veteran on a one-year deal with $4.5MM guaranteed. Flacco had wanted to stay with the Browns, expressing his fondness for Cleveland on several occasions during a stunning run to Comeback Player of the Year honors. Despite Flacco piloting a depleted Browns offense to the playoffs, the team eyed Jameis Winston and Jacoby Brissett instead of authorizing a second contract. Winston is now Deshaun Watson‘s backup.
Philly had been on the lookout for a backup quarterback to replace Marcus Mariota, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicated, and Pickett will step into that role. The Eagles have the former No. 20 overall pick signed through 2025; he is due guarantees of $1.98MM (2024) and $2.62MM (2025). Reports out of Pittsburgh pointed to Pickett wanting out once he learned Russell Wilson would be given the starting job; the third-year passer will certainly not be a threat to Hurts. Mariota signed with the Commanders early in free agency.
Richardson is recovering from shoulder surgery, but last year’s No. 4 overall pick has resumed throwing. Still, Richardson needed to leave multiple games due to injury last year; he is a raw talent who possesses a dual-threat skillset. After Flacco did not sign with a team until Nov. 20 last year — and that came initially as a Browns practice squad deal — it seems likely he will be needed at some point for the 2024 Colts. If Flacco plays 60% of the Colts’ offensive snaps, he can pocket $1MM, Caplan adds.
NFC East Notes: Reddick, Eagles, Burns, Giants, Kendrick, Cowboys, Commanders
The Eagles signed Bryce Huff and reached a reworked agreement with Josh Sweat. Brandon Graham is coming back for what would be a record 15th season with the franchise, and Nolan Smith is going into his second season. This setup would stand to point Haason Reddick out of town, and the Eagles recently made a contract adjustment that could help facilitate a trade. The team moved Reddick’s $1MM bonus, which was scheduled for March 15, to April 1, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
Reddick, 29, is due a $14.25MM base salary in 2024; that amount is almost entirely nonguaranteed. The Eagles gave Reddick permission to seek a trade ahead of free agency, and while the Philadelphia native said he did not request to be moved, the team’s other decisions at edge rusher may have made that decision already. Calls have come in, and it will be interesting to see what offers emerge. A team acquiring Reddick would likely be doing so with the intent of extending him, which will impact his value. He of back-to-back double-digit sack seasons and the driving force behind Philly nearly breaking the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record in 2022, Reddick is tied to a $15MM AAV; that ranks 19th among edge defenders.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- On the edge rusher topic, the Giants‘ Brian Burns extension is not quite as lucrative as initially reported. While the extension can be worth up to $150MM, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes its base value checks in at $141MM with $76MM fully guaranteed. The deal will pay out $90MM over the first three years. In terms of total guarantees, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan places that number at $87.5MM. Burns’ 2024 base salary is fully guaranteed, but his 2025 and ’26 numbers are not. Burns has $10.75MM of his $22.25MM 2025 base guaranteed at signing; his $22.25MM 2026 base is guaranteed for injury. The deal features a surprisingly flat structure that does not involve void years, giving the Giants — who would have Kayvon Thibodeaux eligible for an extension in 2025 — some flexibility down the road. Burns’ $28.2MM AAV tops T.J. Watt for second among edge defenders, but his full guarantee trails the Steelers All-Pro’s $80MM figure.
- The Giants created some additional cap space Thursday, moving $10MM of Dexter Lawrence‘s base salary into a signing bonus. This will free up $7.5MM in space for New York, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Giants did not move all of Lawrence’s 2024 base into a bonus, potentially leaving some room in case more funds are needed. Lawrence’s $22.5MM-per-year deal runs through 2027.
- Eric Kendricks agreed to a one-year, $3MM Cowboys deal, and ESPN’s Todd Archer notes he accepted a lesser offer in order to rejoin Mike Zimmer in Dallas. The longtime Vikings starter had agreed to terms with the 49ers, but a lower cost of living — albeit for a player who has made $52MM in his career — and a familiar scheme will await him in Dallas. The 49ers moved on to De’Vondre Campbell.
- While Devin White‘s Eagles contract can max out at $7.5MM, the33rdTeam.com’s Ari Meirov indicates the deal’s base value comes in at $4MM ($3.5MM guaranteed). This is a staggering drop for White, who had requested the Buccaneers trade him — as he pursued a top-market ILB contract — last year. The former top-five pick will follow the likes of Kyzir White, Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow as low-cost solutions on Philly’s defensive second level.
- Frankie Luvu‘s Commanders contract can max out at $36MM, but KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the base value is $31MM. Washington is giving the productive Carolina linebacker $14.6MM guaranteed at signing. Just $2MM of Luvu’s $8.5MM 2025 base salary is fully guaranteed. Another $4.5MM locks in on April 1, 2025. Clelin Ferrell‘s one-year Commanders pact is worth $3.75MM with $3.1MM guaranteed, per Wilson, who adds $1.5MM is also available via incentives. As for DB Jeremy Reaves, Wilson adds he re-signed on a two-year, $6MM contract. The Reaves deal includes $2.7MM guaranteed. Lastly, Jeremy Chinn‘s Washington deal includes a $4.12MM base salary ($3.5MM guaranteed), via Wilson.
Texans To Sign CB C.J. Henderson
The Texans will give C.J. Henderson a chance to bounce back. The former top-10 Jaguars pick, who played most of the past three seasons with the Panthers, is signing with the Texans, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.
Henderson visited Texans brass Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Florida alum has seen his stock dip considerably since coming off the 2020 draft board ninth overall, but he will land another opportunity. Henderson’s Houston deal is worth up to $3.25MM, Fowler adds.
Going from Jacksonville to Carolina early in the 2021 season — for a third-round pick and tight end Dan Arnold — Henderson could not reestablish his value with the NFC South team. The Panthers gave the 6-foot-1 cover man extensive run (22 starts) but did not see him provide an answer. Carolina initially acquired Henderson due to the first of Jaycee Horn‘s NFL injuries, later trading for Stephon Gilmore that year. Henderson again ended up being a Horn replacement, when the 2021 top-10 pick went down with a significant hamstring injury last season, but was not especially effective.
Pro Football Focus’ ratings at this position can fluctuate, partially illustrating cornerback volatility, but the advanced metrics site ranked the the ex-Gator outside the top 100 in each of the past three seasons. Henderson, 25, also allowed a passer rating north of 103 as the closest defender in each of the past three seasons. This resume points to the Texans taking a flier on a player who was once viewed as a high-end prospect.
Henderson is the second former top-10 CB investment the Texans have added this offseason, with Jeff Okudah — chosen third overall in 2020 — signing with the team last week. Houston also features the 2022 No. 3 overall pick — Derek Stingley Jr. — at corner, giving DeMeco Ryans a crew of once-elite prospects. Okudah and Henderson’s trajectories do not match Stingley’s at this point, and Houston will probably do more work at this position. The team was interested in re-signing Steven Nelson, but no deal has been reached more than a week into free agency.
Steelers Eyeing Post-2024 Future With Justin Fields, Unlikely To Pick Up Fifth-Year Option
Upon trading for Sam Darnold in 2021, the Panthers quickly picked up their soon-to-be starter’s fifth-year option. With the Steelers taking the interesting step of making it clear recent trade acquisition Justin Fields will not have a chance to begin the season as their starter, they are expected to take a different route regarding his fifth-year option.
The team is “highly unlikely” to exercise Fields’ fifth-year option, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Seeing as it would cost Pittsburgh $25.7MM fully guaranteed to pick up Fields’ 2025 option, the team’s plan would effectively make doing so a non-starter. Despite a rocky Denver stint, Russell Wilson has already been assured he will be Pittsburgh’s Week 1 starter.
[RELATED: Steelers Trade QB Kenny Pickett To Eagles]
Although the Steelers are not planning to pick up Fields’ option, Dulac adds they are not viewing Fields as a one-and-done player. The organization has moved into uncertain territory at quarterback, having already expressed interest in pushing Wilson’s contract beyond this year. That will make a post-2024 Fields commitment tricky, but Dulac indicates the 2021 Bears first-rounder is being viewed by the Steelers as the potential quarterback of the future.
Since the 2014 offseason brought the first set of fifth-year option decisions, only one team — the Giants — has circled back to re-signing a QB after passing on his fifth-year option. And the Daniel Jones deal has not started well. Fields also would seemingly be interested in seeing what his 2025 market would look like — perhaps after making starts this season, given Wilson’s up-and-down (mostly down) Broncos tenure — before committing to a team that has already indicated he will not compete for the starting job this offseason.
The Bears wanted a Day 2 pick in a Fields swap, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin and Brooke Pryor, but most of the teams eyeing Fields did so with an eye on making him a backup. This limited Fields’ market. Fits certainly played a role here, with the Ohio State alum certainly being better than a few teams’ starters at present. But a few QB-needy teams are readying to address those issues in the draft. The Broncos would not have seemed a Fields fit, and they will be linked to a draft addition to pair with Jarrett Stidham. Bears GM Ryan Poles reportedly turned down a better offer to send Fields to a more favorable situation in Pittsburgh, Cronin and Pryor add. Fields indeed wanted to be dealt to the Steelers, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Though, it would be shocking if the offer Poles rejected was significantly better than the Steelers’ proposal.
Wilson, 35, carried a slightly better QBR mark than Fields in 2023 — when the then-Broncos QB bounced back, to a degree, under Sean Payton — but the Steelers going from putting Kenny Pickett in a competition for the starting job to handing Wilson the keys without Fields factoring in represents a somewhat surprising development.
Fields, 25, has certainly shown warts as a passer. But Wilson’s shakier status would make this situation differ from when ex-starters Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston trekked elsewhere to reset behind established starters. Drew Brees held a firm grip on the Saints’ job when they signed Bridgewater and then Winston, while it would certainly not surprise to see Wilson benching rumors emerge — now that the Steelers have acquired a starter-caliber backup — this year.
While the Steelers have significant questions at quarterback beyond 2024, their situation is undoubtedly better than it stood exiting the 2023 season. For now, however, they will walk a tightrope with Wilson and Fields both tentatively in their post-2024 plans. After an uneven three years in Chicago, Fields will begin his contract year in a wildly different situation.
Giants Meet With Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy; Team Conducts Three WR Visits
Facing a pivotal decision with their latest top-10 draft choice, the Giants are beginning the next phase of their intelligence-gathering process. It is that time of year; “30” visits are underway. And the Giants have two clear paths they could take.
The big-picture approach points to the team staying in the mix to trade up for a quarterback. On that note, the team began its face-to-face meetings last week. Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy visited the Giants, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.
While it would bring a borderline-radical about-face for the Giants to move up for a passer a year after giving Daniel Jones a four-year, $160MM extension, the contract’s structure and the team’s managerial setup point to the scenario being live. The Giants can escape the Jones contract with barely $10MM in dead money — in the event of a post-June 1 release — next year, and while this regime paid Jones, it did not draft him. Rumblings about the Giants being interested in a passer have persisted this offseason, with McCarthy emerging as a potential target.
Yes, we are entering prime smokescreen season, but McCarthy’s stock has undeniably climbed since his low-octane but hyper-efficient Michigan season wrapped. The Vikings have been linked to the Michigan product, with Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com mock draft sending Minnesota to No. 4 for McCarthy, which would be that franchise’s first top-10 quarterback pick ever. The Giants, who have been around considerably longer, have made five such investments. In the common draft era (1967-present), New York has chosen three QBs in the top 10 — Phil Simms, Eli Manning, Jones — and faces a more action-packed market thanks to Minnesota’s recent trade with Houston.
Even prior to the Vikings acquiring a second first-round pick from the Texans, Jeremiah mentioned a “strong” expectation within the NFL points to four QBs going off the board in the top six. Seeing as the Giants hold the No. 6 pick, that rumor would stand to tie closely to the team’s interest in grabbing a Jones successor with this draft real estate. While GM Joe Schoen attended Caleb Williams‘ USC pro day Wednesday, the Bears are widely expected to begin the draft with the 2022 Heisman winner.
Maye has held his spot as a passer likely to land in the top three, with Jeremiah mocking Sam Howell‘s North Carolina successor to Washington at No. 2. More buzz has connected the Commanders to Jayden Daniels, with Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest ESPN mock keeping Maye on track for New England. The Patriots may have some internal doubts about the ex-Tar Heels starter, inviting intrigue about another team moving up in the event Daniels does go second overall. The Giants would stand to be one of the teams monitoring the Pats’ decision, as the Commanders will be unlikely to trade their No. 2 pick to a division rival when a QB investment is involved.
McCarthy has rocketed up into a likely top-10 investment, participating in the Combine while the draft’s top three passing prospects did not. While the recent national championship-winning QB would be a surprise top-six pick — based on where his stock appeared to be at season’s end — the likes of Carson Wentz, Baker Mayfield and Zach Wilson have brought late QB climbs near the top of the board in recent years. The Giants are certainly investigating Jim Harbaugh‘s final Wolverines starter.
If the dominoes do not fall the Giants’ way regarding a Jones successor, the team is doing work on that end as well. The team brought in Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze for visits earlier this month, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets.
Harrison has generated attention for his pre-draft plan — one not consisting of workouts at the Combine or his pro day, which was held today — but the Ohio State prospect is widely viewed as the best receiver available. Jeremiah and Kiper’s big boards list Harrison as the No. 2 overall prospect, but the former adds it is likely some teams will have Nabers positioned above the second-generation WR talent on draft boards. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler adds Nabers is viewed by some clubs as the draft’s top wideout.
Harrison, Nabers (LSU) and Odunze (Washington) are each mortal locks to be chosen early in the first round. Nabers posted a 1,000-yard season in 2022 but unlocked another level to his game last season, totaling 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns to help Daniels win the Heisman. Nabers’ speed has generated intrigue among teams, though the three-year LSU receiver did not run the 40-yard dash at the Combine.
The QB interest would benefit the Giants on the wideout front, as two of these players could be on the board if a trade-up into the top five occurs. The Giants used a third-round pick on Jalin Hyatt last year and have Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson under contract. But the team has struggled at this position for years, lacking a WR1-level talent since injuries started to impact Odell Beckham Jr. The Giants will have a chance at one of these impact receivers soon, but the QB matter will likely loom until draft night.
D’Andre Swift Price Led Eagles To Saquon Barkley Pivot
Prior to last week’s Saquon Barkley signing, it had been a while since the Eagles sprang for an upper-echelon running back contract. The team did pay up for DeMarco Murray in 2015, but that came during the year Howie Roseman found himself demoted in favor of Chip Kelly. The most recent Roseman-directed RB payment of note came in 2012, when the team gave LeSean McCoy a five-year, $45MM extension.
Illustrating where running back value has gone over the past 12 years, the Eagles now have Barkley tied to a three-year, $37.75MM contract. Barkley’s bet on himself at the franchise tag deadline paid off, with the Eagles giving him $26MM fully guaranteed. That tops the Giants’ 2023 offer and will now be tacked onto the $10.1MM he earned on the franchise tag.
[RELATED: NFL Investigating Eagles, Falcons For Tampering]
Barkley coming out of this grim RB market on top comes after D’Andre Swift became the first commit during the legal tampering period. The Bears gave the 2023 Eagles starter a three-year, $24MM deal that McLane notes features $15.28MM fully guaranteed. That represents a nice pickup for Swift, who slightly outperformed Miles Sanders‘ 2023 guarantee number ($13MM).
Although the Eagles were not interested in keeping Sanders, they monitored the Swift market. However, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane indicates the team pivoted as the Swift market moved outside of where it valued the 2023 Pro Bowler.
This meant giving more money to Barkley, but it is clear the Eagles viewed the gap between the two RB talents as wide. The Eagles ranked first in rushing yards before contact last season and 32nd post-contact, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who notes that played into the team’s decision with Barkley. The two-time Giants Pro Bowler is one of six RBs with over 1,000 yards after contact over the past two seasons. Next Gen Stats ranked Swift in the bottom 10 in terms of rushing yards over expected (minus-65), with McLane adding issues in pass protection were also part of the Eagles’ valuation.
The Eagles also felt the Giants underutilized Barkley in the passing game. Barkley himself expressed this stance around the time of last year’s franchise tag deadline. In the years following Pat Shurmur‘s exit, Barkley did not make a major statistical impact as a receiver. He has not eclipsed 350 receiving yards in a season since 2019. During his 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, the former No. 2 overall pick totaled 721 yards through the air. That said, the Eagles have not used backs much in the passing game since committing to Jalen Hurts as their starter. A productive receiver at points in Detroit, Swift totaled just 214 receiving yards in 17 games last season.
Swift, 25, does feature far less wear and tear compared to Barkley, 27; that undoubtedly played into the Bears’ decision to bring in the ex-Lions second-rounder. Swift sits at 593 career carries; Barkley exited 2023 with 1,201. Considering the Eagle rushing attack’s success with talents like Sanders and Swift at the forefront, it will be interesting to see how Barkley fares behind a top-tier offensive line — a luxury he never enjoyed with the Giants.
The Eagles have gone so far as to guarantee a bit of Barkley’s 2026 salary. Although the bulk of Barkley’s final year ($12MM) is nonguaranteed, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes $1.5MM of that amount is locked in at signing. An additional $1MM will become guaranteed that March, giving the Eagles an out window two years down the road.
Their Barkley-based deviation at running back will still make their 2024 and ’25 approaches fascinating. Barkley’s showing on this contract will also be important through a macro lens at a position that has taken a slew of value hits — many coming in 2023 — over the past several years.
Rams Pursued Andrew Van Ginkel; Ernest Jones On Extension Radar
Aaron Donald‘s retirement creates major questions for a Rams team that has benefited from one of the NFL’s all-time greats for 10 years. Donald boosted the capabilities of other Rams pass rushers, with Kobie Turner and Byron Young the latest beneficiaries.
In addition to its unfillable hole in the Donald spot, the Rams could still use help in the pass-rushing department. The team was in on hybrid performer Andrew Van Ginkel early in free agency, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes, but the ex-Dolphins linebacker signed with the Vikings on a two-year, $20MM deal.
The Rams have not added an edge player in free agency, and they were not believed to be aiming to spend too much to fill the post opposite Young. The team had hoped Van Ginkel’s market would come down a bit, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required), but it did not. Van Ginkel received $10MM guaranteed at signing from the Vikings, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. Another $3MM shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, giving Minnesota some options with the ex-Miami defender.
Vic Fangio used Van Ginkel in more of a pass-rushing role down the stretch last season, a campaign that featured Jaelan Phillips sustain a torn Achilles during the Dolphins’ Black Friday game. Reuniting with Brian Flores in the Twin Cities, Van Ginkel has shown pass-rushing chops in the past; prior to his six-sack 2023, he accumulated 20 QB hits and nine tackles for loss in Flores’ 2021 Miami finale.
It is difficult to know what to expect from the Rams’ pass rush. Donald raised this operation’s floor to a degree it landed the likes of Leonard Floyd, Von Miller and Dante Fowler big paydays. Over the past two years, the team invested little — beyond the third-round Young pick — on the edge; the team did attempt to keep Miller and then saw Carolina turn down a two-first-rounder offer (17 months before taking a second and a fifth from the Giants) for Brian Burns. But the Rams, who spent to address guard last week, have work to do here moving forward.
Elsewhere on defense, the Rams have begun extension talks with linebacker Ernest Jones, per Rodrigue, who classifies these talks as preliminary. A two-year starter, Jones has become one of the Rams’ top defenders. Coming off a 145-tackle, 4.5-sack season, the former third-round pick is going into a contract year.
Los Angeles released Bobby Wagner last year and previously let standout Cory Littleton collect his second contract elsewhere. Pro Football Focus ranked Jones 13th among linebackers last season, when the South Carolina alum broke through with 14 tackles for loss. With Donald retiring, Matthew Stafford going into his age-36 season and Cooper Kupp turning 31 this year, the Rams may be more open to extensions with players at lower-priority positions. They have some time to hammer out a Jones deal, as Rodrigue adds the sides are not in a rush.
Based on how the Rams spent their money last week, a Steve Avila-to-center plan appeared in place. Indeed, Rodrigue confirms the 2023 second-round pick is slated to slide to center. The Rams re-signed Kevin Dotson on a $16MM-per-year deal and gave Jonah Jackson a $17MM-AAV pact. Considering Avila was the team’s highest draft choice since Jared Goff, it seemed highly unlikely L.A. would demote him ahead of his second season.
TCU deployed Avila at center during his 2021 junior season; he also saw time there as a sophomore. After going into recent training camps with position battles up front, the Rams appear to have their starting five — Alaric Jackson, Jonah Jackson, Avila, Dotson, Rob Havenstein — up front. Attached to a recently reworked deal, Joe Noteboom is set to provide swing depth.
Ravens To Meet With WR Michael Gallup
Odell Beckham Jr. has already bid farewell to Baltimore, though he remains unsigned. While the Ravens have their other top receivers from 2023 under contract, they are looking at free agents.
Michael Gallup will pay a visit to Baltimore to meet with Ravens brass Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. A recent Cowboys cap casualty, Gallup has already met with the Panthers.
Spending six seasons with the Cowboys, Gallup was unable to rival the production he showed on his rookie contract. Dallas re-signed the former third-round pick on a five-year, $57.5MM deal in 2022 but saw him fall short of 500 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. Gallup suffered a torn ACL near the end of his contract year, and while he was still able to score a decent payday, the team did not observe him as a reliable CeeDee Lamb complement on that contract.
Gallup, who turned 28 earlier this month, does have an 1,100-yard season on his resume (2019); he followed that up with an 843-yard, five-TD offering in 2020. Gallup missed a chunk of the 2021 season due to a separate injury, returning before ultimately going down with the ACL tear. In 17 games last season, the 6-foot-1 target totaled 418 yards and two TDs.
The Ravens saw Zay Flowers become an instant contributor last year. Beckham contributed 565 yards and three scores — second on the team. While Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor stayed healthy and enjoyed moments, neither surpassed 400 yards. More than two years after his knee injury, Gallup could certainly be viewed as an upgrade as an auxiliary target alongside Flowers. One season remains on Bateman’s rookie contract and the deal Agholor signed last year.
This year’s higher-end receiver UFAs have signed, and Mike Williams committed to the Jets on Tuesday. Some other talented options remain available. Gallup and Beckham join Tyler Boyd, Hunter Renfrow, Michael Thomas, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and DJ Chark as available pass catchers.
NFC South Notes: Cousins, Falcons, Ramczyk, Saints, Davis, Evans, Panthers
The Falcons are under investigation for tampering during their Kirk Cousins pursuit. Cousins said during his Falcons intro presser he spoke with the team’s trainer ahead of his official signing, which would be a violation. Cousins may well have revealed another tampering violation, indicating (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) he offered to call Darnell Mooney to help close the Falcons’ pitch to the former Bears wide receiver. Mooney committed to the Falcons on Day 2 of the tampering period. With Cousins’ deal not yet official at that point, such recruitment on behalf of the team would be a violation as well.
None of this will result in the Falcons losing Cousins, but a fine and/or a draft choice being stripped would be in play if the team is found to have violated the tampering policy (albeit during a stretch referred to as the legal tampering period). Given the multiple issues here, the Falcons certainly run the risk of being punished.
Here is the latest from the NFC South:
- In a division with two of the league’s restructure mavens, the Panthers are hoping to avoid such moves under new GM Dan Morgan. The former Carolina assistant GM said (via The Athletic’s Joe Person) he will aim to avoid kicking the can down the road in the form of restructures. Teams have turned to restructures more in the 2020s, as the larger cap spikes have helped clubs manage the bigger cap hits down the road, but both the Buccaneers and Saints have needed to take some medicine at points this decade due to restructures.
- Having said that, the Panthers did reach a restructure agreement with Shaq Thompson to both create cap space and retain their longest-tenured player. This will reduce the 10th-year linebacker’s base salary to $3.1MM and clear around $3MM in cap space, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Headed into his age-30 season, Thompson is coming off a two-game campaign halted by a fractured fibula. He is now on the Panthers’ cap sheet at $3.19MM.
- Ryan Ramczyk finished last season on IR due to a knee injury that he admitted bothered him for nearly the entire season. A cartilage defect in his knee also brought some ominous comments from the standout right tackle, but he is on track to play an eighth season with the Saints. Ramczyk underwent what Dennis Allen (via NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras) labeled a minor knee procedure; he is expected to be ready for training camp. Additionally, Ramczyk agreed to a reworked contract that guarantees him $6.5MM this season, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. Ramcyzk’s 2021 extension previously had no guarantees left, but it called for a $27MM 2024 cap number. This reworking brought that down to $12.9MM, and NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett refers to it as a significant pay cut. Ramczyk is signed through 2026, but no guarantees are due beyond 2024.
- The Saints also brought James Hurst‘s cap number down from $6.5MM to $2.9MM, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Two void years are present in Hurst’s deal, but the veteran O-lineman, who has been needed to start over the past three seasons, is due for free agency in 2025.
- New Orleans’ latest Demario Davis contract (two years, $17.25MM) will bring $13.25MM in guarantees, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. The team is guaranteeing $2.5MM of Davis’ $6.5MM 2025 base salary, with Terrell adding a $1.75MM roster bonus will be due next year. That roster bonus will be key in determining if Davis plays the 2025 season in New Orleans; the new deal dropped Davis’ 2024 cap hit from $18.1MM to $6.2MM.
- Not quite as prolific as the Saints on the restructure front, the Buccaneers have been aggressive here since the Tom Brady signing. Tampa Bay has already restructured Mike Evans‘ deal, per MLFootball, with his $21.8MM roster bonus into a signing bonus. This freed up $17.4MM in cap space, which the Bucs put to good use as they re-signed Baker Mayfield and Lavonte David following the application of Antoine Winfield Jr.‘s franchise tag.
- The Panthers‘ Dane Jackson contract is for two years and worth $8.5MM in base value, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. While this NFL period has featured Carolina-to-Buffalo moves, the veteran cornerback will make the reverse trip and do so for $5.12MM guaranteed. The guarantees cover $1MM of Jackson’s 2025 base salary ($3.74MM).
Bills Sign S Mike Edwards
After forming one of the longest-running safety tandems of the 21st century, the Bills changed course this month. They released Jordan Poyer and have not re-signed Micah Hyde. The team is moving in a younger direction at the position.
Hosting both Julian Blackmon and Mike Edwards this week, the Bills will commit to the latter. Edwards signed with Buffalo on Wednesday, the team announced. It is a one-year contract; the two-time Super Bowl winner is going into his age-28 season.
Edwards became a Chiefs starter following Bryan Cook‘s season-ending injury. This led to Edwards starting the Chiefs’ final five regular-season games and four playoff contests last year. A Buccaneers role player in their Super Bowl LV win over the Chiefs, Edwards played nearly all of Kansas City’s defensive snaps in its Super Bowl LVIII conquest. The Chiefs already have Justin Reid tied to a veteran contract. With Cook signed for two more seasons, Edwards will follow Juan Thornhill out of Missouri.
Kansas City turned to Edwards following Thornhill’s Cleveland defection, and Cook’s December injury made the move more important. Pro Football Focus did not grade Edwards well last season, slotting him 82nd among safeties, but he gave the Chiefs full-time work after Cook’s setback turned into a season-ender. The former third-round pick made seven tackles and broke up a pass against the 49ers last month.
For his career, Edwards has made 28 starts and snagged nine interceptions. That counts his pick of Tua Tagovailoa in the playoffs and his two-pick-six game against the Falcons in 2021. The Bills still have Damar Hamlin under contract for one more season, but the team did not use the recovered defender much on defense — undoubtedly leading to Joe Flacco‘s Comeback Player of the Year win — last season. This signing points to Edwards and Rapp becoming a lower-cost safety tandem following the standout run Hyde and Poyer put together. Though, an early- or mid-round draft choice would also make sense given what Buffalo lost here.
This will keep Blackmon on the market. A four-year Colts starter, Blackmon likely set a higher price compared to Edwards. Blackmon joins the likes of Justin Simmons, Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Eddie Jackson as safety starters still available.