Jets, Zach Wilson Agree To Deal
It took a little longer than expected, but the Jets have signed the No. 2 overall pick. Quarterback Zach Wilson has agreed to terms (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), clearing the way for him to join his teammates on the practice field.
The two sides were haggling over offset language and the timing of Wilson’s signing bonus — the front office was hoping to “defer millions in signing bonus money” to 2022. Normally, top-two picks get all their signing bonus money up front. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, and Washington defensive end Chase Young all got theirs within 30 days of inking their respective rookie deals. The compromise: The Jets get their offset and Wilson gets his bonus inside of the next 15 days.
Now, the Jets can operate as planned, with Wilson taking first-team reps ahead of James Morgan and Mike White. The deal also means that all the Round 1 paperwork has been completed across the league. Chargers inked first-round pick Rashawn Slater and 49ers quarterback Trey Lance signed earlier this week while Wilson waited until the very end.
Wilson didn’t earn as much fanfare as Trevor Lawrence, but he still offers tons of potential for Gang Green. The 6’2″ passer is fresh off of a breakout season with a 73.5% completion rate, good for No. 2 in the nation. Meanwhile, his 33 passing touchdowns placed him third, and he threw just three interceptions. Meanwhile, Wilson’s mobility powered him to ten rushing touchdowns last year, showcasing the speed he’ll need to thrive at the pro level.
Latest On Packers, Aaron Rodgers
This week, Aaron Rodgers seemed to have worked out an exit strategy. However, according to Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, that’s not necessarily the case. 
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Gutekunst emphasized that Rodgers still has three years left on his deal. Although the two sides “may alter that,” the GM says it’s not a “one-year contract,” (Twitter link via SI.com’s Albert Breer).
That seems to contradict earlier word of the arrangement. Initially, it was believed that Rodgers’ 2023 was voided with a handshake agreement to “revisit” things next spring. Gutekunst seems willing to talk it out in 2022, but he’s also not committing to a divorce. In other words, Rodgers’ holdout is over, but the drama is here to stay.
“I felt like if you can’t commit to me past 2021 and I’m not part of your recruiting process in free agency, if I’m not a part of the future, then instead of letting me be a lame-duck quarterback, if you want to make a change and move forward, then go ahead and do it,” Rodgers said this week (via ESPN.com).
“I’m not a victim here,” he added. “I made a ton of money here, and I’ve been really fortunate to play a long time and to play here. At the same time I’m still competitive and I still feel like I can play, I proved it last year.”
49ers To Work Out Dre Kirkpatrick
The 49ers will audition cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick on Friday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Niners recently placed Emmanuel Moseley on the reserve/COVID-19 list, so the former first-round pick could provide them with extra insurance. 
The Saints and Patriots also took a look at Kirkpatrick this offseason, but the longtime Bengals corner remains unsigned. Kirkpatrick has served as a full-time starter since 2015. All in all, he’s got nine years of NFL experience — eight with the Bengals and one year (2020) with the Cardinals.
Last year, Kirkpatrick appeared in 14 games for Arizona, including eleven starts. He finished out with 56 tackles, seven passes defended, three interceptions, and a much softer market than he anticipated.
Kirkpatrick could land with the 49ers, giving him a chance to see his last club twice in 2021. Whether in SF or elsewhere, the 31-year-old will look to add to his career totals of 358 tackles, three sacks, 72 passes defensed, and 13 interceptions.
Texans Trade Randall Cobb To Packers
He’s back. On Wednesday, the Texans agreed to send veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb back to Green Bay (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The deal will see the Packers send a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Texans, who will also pick up $3MM of Cobb’s salary in 2021.
The trade came at the request/demand of MVP Aaron Rodgers, who agreed to return to the Packers earlier this week. Without Rodgers’ insistence, it’s unlikely that this trade would have ever materialized. Cobb never played for Matt LaFleur and third-round wide receiver Amari Rodgers was already ticketed for much of the team’s slot work. Still, Rodgers wanted his old pal back and the Packers weren’t about to say no to him, or Cobb’s wealth of experience. Now, Cobb will join Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Devin Funchess, and the other A. Rodgers on the WR depth chart.
Cobb played eight seasons with the Packers, totaling 41 receiving touchdowns and more than 5,500 yards. He secured a $10MM-per-year extension in 2015 — a decent sum at the time — but the Packers let him walk in 2019. Cobb signed with the Cowboys and performed better than anyone else left in Wisconsin.
The 5’10” receiver parlayed that success into a three-year, $27MM contract with the Texans, but that deal was authorized by since-fired HC/GM Bill O’Brien. Cobb was also limited to just ten games. Now that they have slot receiver Anthony Miller, the new administration was willing to part with him.
Cobb, 31 in August, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $8.25MM in 2021 — partially paid by Houston.
Teams Calling On Dolphins’ Xavien Howard
Xavien Howard wants out and plenty of teams are willing to help. Two playoff teams have called the Dolphins the cornerback following his latest trade request (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Other clubs have called too, setting the stage for a summer blockbuster.
Howard skipped mandatory minicamp in an effort to get a new deal from the Dolphins. That hasn’t worked — at least not yet. The All-Pro cornerback still has multiple seasons to go on his contract and the Dolphins want him to stick to the current agreement.
“[The] business side of the NFL proves organizations don’t always have a player’s best interest at heart,” Howard said on social media this week, adding that he didn’t “feel comfortable” with the extension he inked just a few years ago.
“We wanted things to work out with the Dolphins, and brought solutions to the table – like guaranteeing more money – that we felt were win-wins for both sides,” Howard continued. “These were proposal of adjustments that wouldn’t just make me feel more respected, but were also cap friendly. But the Dolphins refused everything we proposed…That is why I don’t feel the organization has dealt with me in good faith.”
Howard notched ten interceptions last year to lead the NFL. That marked the second time he’s led the way in just three years. He also graded out as the second-best corner in the league, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Meanwhile, his current $15MM AAV has him ranked sixth at the position. Teammate Byron Jones is No. 5 on that list — another reason why Howard is frustrated.
It’s not clear who these “playoff teams” are, but we do know that the Cowboys and Saints have previously inquired on Howard.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/21
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Kenji Bahar
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Krishawn Hogan
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Dennis Kelly
Washington Football Team
- Reverted to IR: DE Jalen Jelks
Giants To Cut Kelvin Benjamin
The Giants are done with Kelvin Benjamin. The wide receiver-turned-tight end will be released following a Wednesday blowup with team officials (Twitter link via NJ.com’s Steve Politi). 
Benjamin was seen jawing with head coach Joe Judge and GM Dave Gettleman before storming off of the practice field. Now, he’s off the team.
Benjamin joined up with the G-Men earlier this year in an effort to reboot his career at a new position. Gettleman drafted him in 2014 — as a receiver — but he hadn’t shown his first-round potential in years. At 6’5″ and 245 pounds, Benjamin has the bulk to play TE. However, he’ll have to try his hand somewhere else now.
In his first pro season, Benjamin had 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. After missing 2015 with a torn ACL, he had 941 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016. He was traded to the Bills midway through the 2017 season, and his career went downhill quickly after that.
With Evan Engram and free agent acquisition Kyle Rudolph, the Giants don’t necessarily need Benjamin or the drama.
49ers Sign Trey Lance
It’s a done deal. On Wednesday, No. 3 overall draft pick Trey Lance formally inked his rookie contract with the 49ers. 
Per the terms of his slot, the quarterback will earn $34.1MM over the next four years. And, as a first-rounder, the Niners will reserve the right to tack on an additional season via the fifth-year option. Lance’s deal — completed just before the 49ers’ Wednesday morning practice — leaves Jets’ No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson as the last unsigned first-round pick.
The future is bright for Lance, but he’ll open the year on the bench. Earlier this week, Kyle Shanahan made it clear that Jimmy Garoppolo is still his QB1.
“Trey’s had seven practices with us, and I haven’t seen him in 40 days, so I’m not thinking about that right now,” Shanahan said. “There’s no open competition right now in terms of equal reps with the same group…Jimmy is coming in as the one, and Trey is coming in as the two.”
Of course, that’ll likely be Lance’s job come 2022. Niners GM John Lynch is saying all the right things, but he didn’t mortgage all that draft ammo for a professional clipboard holder.
Dolphins, Benardrick McKinney Rework Contract
Benardrick McKinney has agreed to revise his existing contract, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The veteran linebacker is now on course for free agency in the spring of 2022, rather than 2024. He was originally set to make $27.5MM over the next three years, including a $7.75M salary in 2021. Now, he’ll make $3MM this year plus $200K in playtime incentives. 
The Dolphins acquired McKinney from the Texans earlier this year in exchange for edge rusher Shaq Lawson. In cap terms, the deal was pretty much a wash. But, from a football perspective, the Dolphins preferred McKinney’s run-stuffing ability.
When McKinney was at his best, he formed one of the league’s best run-stuffing tandems with Zach Cunningham. Now, McKinney is set to start alongside Jerome Baker, and the Miami duo could be even better, if McKinney can match Baker’s strides in pass coverage.
McKinney earned Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and racked up 100+ tackles again in 2019. Last year, however, a shoulder injury limited him to just four games.
Deshaun Watson Reports To Texans’ Practice
Deshaun Watson joined the Texans for practice on Wednesday morning (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Watson will be able to participate in training camp the rest of the way. The NFL issued a statement this week suggesting that Watson could still be placed on paid leave, pending the outcome of their investigation.
“The NFL’s review of the serious allegations against Deshaun Watson remains ongoing and active,” the NFL said. “We are working cooperatively with the Houston Police Department and ensuring that the NFL’s inquiry does not interfere with their investigation. As we continue to gather additional information and monitor law enforcement developments, we will make appropriate decisions consistent with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Personal Conduct Policy. At this time there are no restrictions on Watson’s participation in club activities.”
Off the field, Watson is embroiled in civil litigation with lawsuits from 22 different women. Even without criminal charges, Watson could still face league discipline.
Meanwhile, Watson still wants to be traded. But, by reporting to work, he’ll avoid $50K in daily fines. For now, new head coach David Culley will try to navigate things as best he can. Even with Watson on the field, the Texans are probably more focused on getting newcomer Tyrod Taylor and rookie Davis Mills up to speed.