Panthers To Sign OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
The Panthers met with Jadeveon Clowney on Thursday, but the team is waiting out other clubs’ interest. Clowney is meeting with the Jets on Tuesday. In the meantime, Carolina has added two edge rushers.
K’Lavon Chaisson will follow D.J. Wonnum to Charlotte. The former Jaguars first-round pick is joining the Panthers on a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Chaisson disappointed in Jacksonville, but Carolina will provide a second chance for the LSU alum.
Chosen with one of the picks obtained in the Jalen Ramsey trade, Chaisson could not establish himself as a starter or a productive rotational rusher with the Jaguars. He will head to Charlotte with just five career sacks. Though, he did notch two of those last season. The Jags used Chaisson as a starter in just 11 games during his four-year tenure. During Doug Pederson‘s two-year run, Chaisson logged 18% and 25% snap shares on defense.
Chaisson, 24, posted eight QB hits last season while playing 17 games as a backup. Wonnum has a better history as a sack artist, having registered 23 on his Vikings rookie contract. Chaisson profiles as more of a flier who should probably not be considered a lock to make the team. After the Jags passed on Chaisson’s fifth-year option, he came up in trades. As expected, a Jags regime that did not draft the former SEC standout is moving on.
Trading Brian Burns for an underwhelming haul (second- and fifth-round picks) and seeing Yetur Gross-Matos join the 49ers, the Panthers are starting over on the edge. Hybrid pass rusher Frankie Luvu is also bound for Washington. Burns, Luvu and Gross-Matos combined for 18 of the Panthers’ NFL-low 27 sacks last season.
Joe Noteboom Accepts Rams Pay Cut; Team Restructures Aaron Donald’s Deal
The Rams’ plan of installing Joe Noteboom as their Andrew Whitworth heir apparent did not work, making the younger blocker’s $13MM-per-year contract untenable as he shifted into a swing role. But the Rams still have Noteboom in their plans.
A pay cut will extend this partnership. The team adjusted Noteboom’s contract Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, dropping his 2024 cap hit from its $20MM place. This will go down as a cut in exchange for 2024 guarantees. Now tied to a $5MM base salary, Noteboom will carry an $11.6MM cap hit. Two void years were added to the contract; the deal will void in 2025.
[RELATED: Rams To Sign S Kamren Curl]
Noteboom agreed to an $8.25MM cut in exchange for nearly $7MM in guarantees, per OverTheCap. As is often the case regarding pay cuts, the team was prepared to go through with a release if no salary reduction took place, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes. Alaric Jackson beat out Noteboom for the Rams’ starting left tackle gig last season; the Rams have kept their blindside starter via second-round RFA tender.
A former third-round pick, Noteboom opened the season as the Rams’ right guard. But trade acquisition Kevin Dotson overtook him for this role early in the season. Dotson has since re-signed on a three-year, $48MM deal. The Rams then added Jonah Jackson to be their other guard starter — on a three-year, $51MM pact — in a move that should shift 2023 second-rounder Steve Avila to center. Noteboom, who has made 31 career starts at tackle and guard, is set to reprise his role as a swingman.
Additionally, the Rams reached a restructure agreement with Aaron Donald. The move drops the all-time great’s cap number by nearly $10MM, reducing it to $24.97MM, according to OverTheCap. Donald remains tied to the three-year, $95MM deal he agreed to in 2022.
The Rams have gone to the void years well with Donald, dropping his 2024 base salary to $1.1MM. While this created cap space, a $38.5MM dead money bill could await the team in 2025. If Donald is not extended before the 2025 league year, the Rams will see that dead cap figure move onto their ’25 payroll. That number would top Tom Brady‘s void years-driven Buccaneers bill ($35.1MM).
After threatening to retire in order to secure his landmark raise in 2022, Donald has not been tied to retiring. The soon-to-be 33-year-old defensive tackle has, however, seen Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins‘ contracts far surpass his on the guarantee front. Considering Donald’s resume dwarfs even Jones’, as the former landed an eighth first-team All-Pro honor last season to match Reggie White and Bruce Smith for most by a D-lineman in NFL history. It will be interesting to see if Donald pushes for more guaranteed money this year or if the no-doubt Hall of Famer opts to play out his contract ahead of a free agency bid.
Bengals To Re-Sign TE Tanner Hudson
Coming into free agency in need of a new tight end depth chart, the Bengals may be close to finished restocking the position. The team’s 2024 tight end group will look similar to its 2023 contingent.
After re-signing Drew Sample, the Bengals have an agreement in place to bring back Tanner Hudson, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Hudson agreed to a one-year contract Friday. Hudson, who initially landed with the Bengals in 2023, is coming off his best receiving season.
Outside addition Mike Gesicki will join Hudson and Sample. While a rookie could be added to supplement this trio, the Bengals appear to have their top three tight ends under contract. Gesicki will offer the highest receiving ceiling among this trio, with Sample the top blocking presence. But Hudson accounted himself fairly well succeeding Hayden Hurst as the Bengals’ top pass catcher last season. Despite Hurst and C.J. Uzomah being available once again, the Bengals are largely sticking with their 2023 tight end plan.
A UDFA out of Southern Arkansas, Hudson emerged as an unlikely player to lead Bengals tight ends in receiving yards. The team signed Hudson to its practice squad in December 2022, but after a reserve/futures deal commitment, he did not make the 2023 Bengals’ roster. The team promoted the 29-year-old pass catcher from the practice squad last year, and he led the team’s TEs in yardage — despite Cincinnati rostering Irv Smith Jr. — by nearly 200. Hudson had never previously cleared 150 receiving yards in a season.
The Bengals have opted not to allocate notable funds at tight end for a bit, bringing in Hurst and Smith on low-cost one-year contracts. Sample signed a three-year, $10.5MM deal earlier this week. With Joe Burrow the NFL’s highest-paid player and Tee Higgins on a franchise tag, it makes sense the Bengals are keeping costs low in other areas. The team also move Joe Mixon‘s reworked contract off the books this week, trading him to the Texans after signing Zack Moss on a cheaper accord.
Rams To Sign S Kamren Curl
Kamren Curl‘s market will not end with a deal in the Xavier McKinney ballpark, and the Rams will land an ascending safety on a midlevel deal. The Rams are signing the four-year Washington starter, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero report.
The former seventh-round pick is signing a two-year deal worth up to $13MM. Curl will join a Rams team that has top safety Jordan Fuller unsigned. Fuller, a four-year Rams starter, visited the Panthers this week.
[RELATED: Rams Bring Back CB Darious Williams]
Turning 25 earlier this month, Curl came into the market as one of its youngest UFAs. Beyond McKinney, however, the safety contingent has seen teams come in with lower offers. Although Curl’s base value is not yet known, his deal may land in the Darnell Savage–Geno Stone–Brandon Jones neighborhood. As Jessie Bates‘ was on last year’s market, McKinney’s Packers contract (four years, $68MM) may become an outlier this year.
Curl does not bring a proven record of turnover production, which undoubtedly affected his market. The Arkansas alum has not intercepted a pass since his three-INT rookie season, but he should still be coming into his prime. Pro Football Focus ranked Curl second among all safeties in 2022, which was a much better year for the Commanders’ defense compared to last season. After Washington ranked last defensively in 2023, two higher-end free agents coming out of its secondary — Curl, Kendall Fuller — are accepting midrange pacts over two years. While the Miami accord (two years, $16.5MM) is Fuller’s third NFL deal, Curl should have a chance to play himself into better terms on this Rams agreement.
Several teams cutting ties with safeties recently did not help the UFAs’ cause. While McKinney sailed to a top-five contract, the likes of Justin Simmons, Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs Jordan Poyer and Kevin Byard becoming street free agents hurt some of the younger players’ causes. McKinney is the only safety thus far in free agency to land a contract north of $7.5MM per year.
The Rams have typically not paid safeties much under their current regime. During the Sean McVay years, they have let starters John Johnson, Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott walk in free agency. The 2018 Lamarcus Joyner franchise tag proved an exception here, and while this Curl deal technically does as well, the team appears to be getting good value on a player who started 53 games and resided as one of Washington’s defensive cornerstones over the past four seasons.
This certainly marks an overhaul for the retooling Commanders, who have lost 2023 starters Curl, Fuller, Montez Sweat and Chase Young over the past five months. The team has brought in a host of free agents on defense, a few of whom having played under Dan Quinn. Curl will now go to work attempting to help Russ Yeast and Co. in Los Angeles’ secondary. Curl and Williams stand to infuse experience into a young DB corps.
Cardinals, Falcons Finalizing Desmond Ridder Trade
That was fast. Falcons talks with teams about a Desmond Ridder trade will produce a deal; the Cardinals are finalizing an agreement to acquire the third-year quarterback, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports.
Wide receiver Rondale Moore is coming back to Atlanta in the deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. One season remains on Moore’s rookie deal; two years are left on Ridder’s contract. No picks will be moved in this deal.
The Falcons made their Kirk Cousins signing official Wednesday, as the new league year began, and they still have backup Taylor Heinicke under contract on his two-year, $14MM accord. He is due a $5MM nonguaranteed salary. Heinicke would stand to represent some insurance and, if nothing else, an arm capable of leading the team through offseason workouts as Cousins finishes up his Achilles rehab. The Falcons have determined Ridder is no longer a fit.
Moore will join Darnell Mooney as new Falcons complementary wideouts; the ex-Bears 1,000-yard weapon signed a three-year, $39MM deal. A 5-foot-7 target used mostly near the line of scrimmage in Arizona, Moore is a former second-round pick. The slot player may be set to be a regular alongside Mooney and Drake London in Atlanta. Though, the Purdue alum had not maintained a grip on the Cardinals’ slot job. Greg Dortch usurped Moore during the 2023 season, as a new coaching staff changed the Kliff Kingsbury offense in which Moore was drafted to play.
Chosen 49th overall, Moore has shown some intriguing form as a tertiary target in a Cousins-guided offense. Although Moore has only cleared 10 yards per catch in one of his three seasons (2022), he has totaled 1,201 yards in that span. Moore posted back-to-back 400-yard seasons as part of DeAndre Hopkins-fronted receiving crews. New Cardinals OC Drew Petzing gave Moore 26 carries last season as well; he turned them into 178 yards and a touchdown. In coming from the NFC West, Raheem Morris and Falcons OC Zac Robinson have seen plenty of Moore.
Moore’s worst yardage total as a Cardinal (352, in 2023) would have been second among Falcon wideouts last year. Mack Hollins‘ 251 yards led the London wingmen; Hollins has since signed with the Bills. Ridder’s form contributed to that low number, and the Falcons also funneled targets to Kyle Pitts and the since-cut Jonnu Smith. They appear to be shifting to an offense that features more reliable wideouts and one primary receiving tight end. Minnesota and Washington largely operated this way with Cousins, who fed slot receivers K.J. Osborn and Jamison Crowder steady targets. This trade could benefit Moore as a 2025 free agent.
Ridder, 24, ranked 26th in QBR last season, finishing with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and a 7.3 yards-per-attempt number. After the Cincinnati alum sat behind Marcus Mariota for much of the 2022 season, the Falcons gave him 17 total starts. Passing on a veteran arm last year, the Falcons put considerable faith in Ridder. But Arthur Smith, who ended up on the chopping block, benched him twice. Coming out of last season, word immediately surfaced Atlanta was aiming to upgrade at QB. Enter Cousins and another big contract.
Ridder’s rookie deal calls for $985K and $1.1MM base salaries over the next two seasons. That will pair well with Murray’s $46.1MM-per-year extension. The Cardinals traded Josh Dobbs to the Vikings at last year’s deadline; Dobbs is now a free agent. Arizona has 2023 fifth-rounder Clayton Tune signed for three more seasons.
It will be interesting to see if Ridder will be given the QB2 job or if Tune will be placed on even footing. Given Murray’s 2022 ACL tear and his history of short-term absences, the Arizona backup role may well lead to opportunities next season.
Panthers To Meet With Jadeveon Clowney; Jets, Ravens Interested
MARCH 14: Clowney has another suitor in the Jets. The defensive lineman will visit with the Jets next week, according to Garafolo. The veteran will consider “multiple options” before making his decision. Clowney’s Jets visit is set for Tuesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
The Jets are in natural need of some reinforcement on the edge. The team lost Bryce Huff to the Eagles, opening close to 500 defensive snaps alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers.
MARCH 13: Known to take his time during free agency, Jadeveon Clowney has spent the 2020s journeying the league on one-year deals. The South Carolina alum’s next trip will be in a familiar region.
The Rock Hill, South Carolina, native is set to make a trip to visit the Panthers, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. A few teams are monitoring the Clowney market; this includes the Ravens, who coaxed a quality season from the nomadic pass rusher in 2023. The Panthers are meeting with Clowney, Chase Young and D.J. Wonnum on Thursday, ESPN’s David Newton tweets.
[RELATED: Panthers Trade OLB Brian Burns To Giants]
It took Clowney until mid-August to land a deal last year, and the former No. 1 overall pick’s Baltimore pact was worth only $2.5MM. After another bounce-back season, the South Carolina alum can aim higher. Clowney has never secured a long-term deal since the expiration of his Texans rookie contract, but he has done well for himself on this bevy of one-year agreements. Though, the edge defender has never come especially close to the kind of top-market contract that once seemed in play while he was in Houston.
En route to a No. 1 defensive ranking, the Ravens received Clowney’s top sack season. Known more for an all-around game, Clowney has never reached double-digit sacks in a season. His three Pro Bowls came back in Houston. But the once-elite prospect has four seasons with at least nine sacks on his resume.
Injury issues and inconsistency have impeded Clowney on the contract front, as he was not especially productive in Seattle, Tennessee or during his second year in Cleveland. But he did total nine sacks opposite Myles Garrett in 2021 while helping a previously edge-deficient Ravens team thrive — opposite September addition Kyle Van Noy — last season. Clowney totaled 19 QB hits for the second time in three years.
The Panthers made a rather surprising decision to accept second- and fifth-round picks from the Giants to wrap their years-long Brian Burns saga. That tag-and-trade transaction leaves the Panthers with next to nothing at edge rusher, with former second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos agreeing to a two-year, $18MM 49ers deal as well. Clowney would help, though the move would remind — to a degree, at least — of last year’s Justin Houston stopgap addition.
Mentioned as being interested in retaining Clowney earlier this week, the Ravens are again in need on the edge. Their most recent band-aid pass rushers — Clowney and Van Noy — are both free agents. While Baltimore extended Justin Madubuike on a deal that set up the big-ticket Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins contracts, the team needs to fill out its outside linebacker depth chart once again.
Cowboys To Re-Sign CB Jourdan Lewis
Now employing two All-Pros at cornerback, the Cowboys will still find room for Jourdan Lewis. The career-long Cowboy will stay with the team once again, per the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken.
This will be Lewis’ eighth season with the Cowboys. The past three came under Dan Quinn. While the new Commanders HC is believed to have expressed interest in adding Lewis to the Dallas-to-Washington pipeline, via ESPN’s John Keim, Lewis will be set to work with Mike Zimmer next season.
With DaRon Bland posting one of the most productive seasons in cornerback history last year and Trevon Diggs coming back from an ACL tear, the Cowboys may have their top three corners in place. As Stephon Gilmore remains a free agent, Lewis is coming back on a third Cowboys contract. With Bland establishing himself as a boundary corner last season, Lewis working as the team’s nickel again in 2024 appears a likely scenario.
Lewis, 28, made it back from a severe foot injury to play that role in 2023. During the 2022 season, the former third-round pick suffered a Lisfranc injury that was deemed career-threatening. The Cowboys ramped up Lewis’ workload early last season. By the midpoint, he was working as a regular again. After playing out a three-year, $13.5MM deal, the 5-foot-10 cover man is signing up to play a supporting once in the Dallas secondary once again.
The Cowboys gave up on ex-second-rounder Kelvin Joseph after two seasons, but their Joseph-for-Noah Igbinoghene swap did not move the needle. Rolling out a Gilmore-Bland-Lewis trio, the Cowboys ranked fifth in pass defense. Pro Football Focus did not view Lewis’ first season back from injury in a positive light, however, ranking him in the bottom 10 among cornerback regulars. The Michigan alum did force three fumbles and intercept a pass. Lewis ranks behind only DeMarcus Lawrence as the longest-tenured Cowboy defender.
The Commanders have added Dorance Armstrong and Tyler Biadasz from the Cowboys, but they have not made a move at corner yet. Both Washington’s secondary starters who entered free agency among the best options available — Kendall Fuller, Kamren Curl — are unsigned on Day 4 of free agency.
Bears Sign C Coleman Shelton
The Rams expressed interest in keeping Coleman Shelton, but their interior offensive line blueprint changed via two big-ticket guard contracts. As a result, Shelton will collect some cash elsewhere.
Shelton signed a one-year contract with the Bears on Thursday. While Chicago was a candidate — due to cap space and the likelihood of Caleb Williams’ rookie contract helping the cause — to splurge for a center. But Lloyd Cushenberry went to the Titans; the Raiders retained Andre James. While Connor Williams remains unsigned, the Bears will go with Shelton, who is going into his age-29 season.
A Rams backup until the Austin Corbett free agency defection opened a guard spot, Shelton worked as an interior starter in Los Angeles for most of the past two seasons. After opening last season as a guard, Shelton became the team’s full-time center last season. He beat out former starter Brian Allen for the gig. The former UDFA started all 18 games for the Rams last year, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 17th-best center.
L.A.’s offseason blueprint hinged on guards, and the team joined the Panthers in spending big to fortify that position in a deep market. The Rams re-signed Kevin Dotson on a $16MM-per-year deal and inked Jonah Jackson on a three-year, $51MM pact. Although Shelton’s terms are not known, the Rams already have three veteran contracts — counting longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein‘s — on their starting O-line.
The Bears have struggled at center in recent years. Their plan to move Cody Whitehair back to center did not last, and PFF ranked Lucas Patrick 30th at the position. With the rest of Chicago’s O-line seemingly in place, the team will see about Shelton at center ahead of the draft.
Saints To Sign QB Nathan Peterman
The Saints designated Jameis Winston as a post-June 1 cut, leaving the position of Derek Carr‘s backup open. Carr’s health issues last season made that role more relevant than it was in Oakland and Las Vegas. 
Nathan Peterman is heading to New Orleans to be one of Carr’s backups, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. Peterman has experience as a Carr backup, being one of the Raiders’ reserves under Jon Gruden, and has worked with new Saints QBs coach Andrew Janocko with the Bears. Peterman’s deal is for one year and worth the veteran minimum, Underhill notes.
Peterman spent the past two seasons in Chicago, finding himself on and off the Bears’ active roster. He was released during final roster cutdowns in August, confirmation that UDFA Tyson Bagent won out Chicago’s backup quarterback competition. Peterman was ultimately brought back into the fold later on in the year, though, and he remained on the active roster from mid-October onwards.
New Orleans faced increased expectations on offense after using Winston and veterans like Andy Dalton under center in previous years. Carr – who inked a four-year, $150MM deal – had an up-and-down showing while battling injury for part of the campaign. A new offensive staff is in place for 2024, and Carr will face pressure to perform under Klint Kubiak, especially given the fact his 2025 salary does not become guaranteed until next March.
Much of New Orleans’ success on offense will of course depend on the play of Carr, but Peterman could be tasked with stepping in for him if needed. The Saints also have 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener (who was issued a six-game PED suspension to start the year) along with Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill as other QB options.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Falcons Expected To Trade Desmond Ridder
With Kirk Cousins coming in as the unquestioned Falcons starting quarterback, the team’s previous option is likely on his way out. After two seasons, the Falcons are preparing to trade Desmond Ridder, WSB’s Zach Klein reports.
No deal is imminent, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter adds the Falcons have been discussing Ridder with other teams and a trade is anticipated. Two seasons remain on the former third-round pick’s rookie contract.
Big-ticket QB additions often lead to the predecessor being shipped out. The Vikings let Case Keenum walk when they signed Cousins in 2018, while the Browns dealt Baker Mayfield months after acquiring Deshaun Watson — edging out the Falcons in those sweepstakes — two years ago. The Buccaneers did not install Jameis Winston as Tom Brady‘s backup. The Jets did not trade Zach Wilson last year, and they regretted it. Although Ridder would profile as a player who could slide into a backup role — his primary 2022 slot — the Falcons may have determined there is enough of a market to move him now.
The Raiders and Vikings acquired bridge starters, in Gardner Minshew and Sam Darnold, while the Steelers picked up Russell Wilson on the cheap. This would leave the Broncos as a potentially interested party, with only Jarrett Stidham under contract for 2024. But Ridder also would profile as a backup elsewhere.
The Falcons’ Cousins pursuit brought an about-face from the team. In explaining why the team was not interested in Lamar Jackson last year, Arthur Blank said he wanted to build a roster around a rookie contract at quarterback. At that point, Ridder served as that passer. The team anointed the Cincinnati alum early during the 2023 offseason and used him as a starter for much of the season. But Arthur Smith benched Ridder on multiple occasions, moving Taylor Heinicke into action. Heinicke’s two-year, $14MM deal remains on Atlanta’s roster; it would seem the Falcons do not want both of them back.
Ridder ranked 26th in QBR last season, finishing with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and a 7.3 yards-per-attempt number. The Falcons gave Ridder 17 total starts. Coming out of this season, word immediately surfaced the Falcons were aiming to upgrade at QB. Enter Cousins and another big contract. His rookie deal calls for $985K and $1.1MM base salaries over the next two seasons.