Vikings To Release DT Shamar Stephen
The Vikings are set to cut defensive tackle Shamar Stephen, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Previously, he was set to carry a cap hit of $5.083MM. Releasing Stephen will save $3.75MM on the books for 2021. 
[RELATED: Vikings To Sign Tomlinson]
A seventh-round Vikings pick in 2014, Stephen has spent most of his career in Minnesota, save for his 2018 season with the Seahawks. He’s spent the last two years as a full-time starter, serving as a durable, though not spectacular, run-stuffer.
The recent arrival of Dalvin Tomlinson pushed Stephen out of the equation. The 6’3”, 320-pound defensive tackle will pair with Michael Pierce in Stephen’s place, albeit on a more expensive two-year, $22MM deal.
Before signing Tomlinson, the Vikings were also connected to Trey Hendrickson. Ultimately, the ex-Saints standout signed with the Bengals instead.
Jaguars To Sign Shaquill Griffin
Shaquill Griffin is heading to the Jaguars. The former Seahawks cornerback has agreed to a three-year, $40MM deal, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
It’s actually a three-year, $45MM deal with $29MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Shortly before the news broke Rapoport tweeted that the Seahawks were making a “hard push” to retain Griffin, so they didn’t just let him walk out the door. A lot of people thought Seattle might tag their top corner to keep him in the fold but they of course did not.
Griffin had previously said he’d like to return to the Seahawks if the business side worked out, which likely means the Jags simply beat them out financially. This will be a bit of a homecoming for the Florida native, as Griffin was born in St. Petersburg and went to UCF for college.
A third-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2017, Griffin just wrapped up his rookie deal and is still only 25. He became an immediate starter in Seattle, and made the Pro Bowl in 2019. Last year he had 12 passes defended and three interceptions in 12 games.
He’ll now join a Jaguars secondary that has some promise, but is still very young. The team is likely hoping Griffin’s presence will help 2020 ninth overall pick C.J. Henderson take the next step.
Ravens Re-Sign Tyus Bowser
The Ravens have re-signed outside linebacker Tyus Bowser to a four-year deal, $22MM deal, as Adam Caplan of SiriusXM tweets. With incentives, the pact could be worth as much as $27MM. A healthy portion of the contract — $12MM — is guaranteed. 
[RELATED: Patriots Sign Ravens’ Judon]
The deal gives Bowser some long-term security while helping the Ravens to maintain at least some consistency heading into 2021. Earlier this week, the Ravens lost star edge rusher Matt Judon when he agreed to a four-year, $56MM deal with the Patriots. Meanwhile, outside linebacker Yannick Ngakoue left to join up with the Raiders on a two-year, $26MM contract. And, just moments ago, Jihad Ward agreed to follow his former position coach to Jacksonville.
Bowser enjoyed the best season of his career in 2020. All in all, he registered 34 tackles, two sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and three interceptions. Bowser wasn’t the biggest name of the bunch, but he had plenty of suitors in free agency. Despite the other offers, he’s said all along that he wanted to remain with the Ravens.
“You just see the depth and the talent that we have,” Bowser told 105.7 The Fan recently.” You just see the job that not only [longtime GM] Ozzie [Newsome] but [GM] Eric DeCosta have done drafting linebackers these past few years. You just see it working out for a lot of those gigs. They’re put in a position to make money and prove themselves as who they are in this league. I’m definitely thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this organization and be in the position where I am now.”
Jaguars To Sign Jihad Ward
The Jaguars have agreed to sign former Ravens defensive end Jihad Ward (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The deal will reunite Ward with ex-Baltimore position coach Joe Cullen who now serves as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator.
Ward will join former Bears standout Roy Robertson-Harris on the Jags’ revamped defensive line. The Jaguars also re-upped Dawuane Smoot earlier this week to maintain consistency and flexibility as they adjust their scheme.
Ward, a 6’5″, 290-pound lineman, entered the league in 2016 as a second-round pick of the Raiders. In 2018, he was traded to the Cowboys, but he missed their final cut. That led him to the Colts, where he was used sparingly over two seasons. Ward joined up with the Ravens in mid-2019 and cracked the starting lineup in 2020. Last year, he notched three sacks, four tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hits.
Chiefs Re-Sign Taco Charlton
The Chiefs are bringing back Taco Charlton. On Tuesday, the defensive end agreed to return on a one-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).
Charlton fractured his leg in November, midway through the Chiefs’ thrilling victory over the Panthers. Up until that point, he had been playing a decent-sized role as a rotational pass-rusher. In the previous six games, he racked up two sacks, four quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.
Charlton’s NFL career started out as a highly-touted first-round pick of the Cowboys, but he quickly flamed out in Dallas. He was cut after only two-plus years with the Cowboys, then scooped up by the Dolphins. He had his best season as a pro with Miami in 2019, notching five sacks in ten games.
The 26-year-old (27 in November) was one of many Chiefs players to miss the Super Bowl. Andy Reid & Co. will hope for better health as they plot their return trip.
Jaguars To Sign Chris Manhertz
The Jaguars are staying busy. On Tuesday, tight end Chris Manhertz agreed to sign with Jacksonville on a two-year, $7.25MM deal (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). 
Manhertz is primarily a blocking tight end. After stops with the Bills and Saints, he found his way to the Panthers in 2016. In 2017, he found a regular role in the offense and got even more playing time while Greg Olsen was out with injuries. For his career, he has 70 starts with just 12 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown.
Manhertz’s deal will become officially official later this week, once the legal tampering period ends and free agency begins in earnest.
Bengals To Sign Chidobe Awuzie
The Bengals have agreed to sign Chidobe Awuzie to a three-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Awuzie missed half of the Cowboys’ season due to injury, but the Bengals believe in his potential.
This agreement is worth $21.75MM over three years, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). By virtue of Pro Bowl-based incentives, it can max out at $22.5MM.
Awuzie finished 2020 with 38 stops, five passes defensed, and one interception. All in all, he has 213 tackles, four interceptions, 37 pass deflections, and two forced fumbles across four pro seasons. He’s been a consistent starter for the Cowboys, though fans have been mostly lukewarm on him since he was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft.
Awuzie isn’t great in man-to-man coverage, but he’s much stronger in zone coverage. Utilized properly, he could be a solid contributor, though he definitely won’t be able to replace the production of William Jackson. Jackson, who has started at least 13 games in each of the past three seasons, is a free agent and could score a top-of-the-market deal.
Bears Interested In Andy Dalton
The Bears have interest in signing Andy Dalton, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Dalton, who will turn 34 in October, started nine games for the Cowboys last year.
Dalton wasn’t great in his fill-in starts for Dak Prescott, but the Bears are exploring every option possible. As it stands, veteran Nick Foles projects to serve as their starter and Mitch Trubisky probably won’t be back as their safety net.
“Everything is on the table in regard to the quarterback situation,” GM Ryan Pace said recently. “And, honestly, that includes players on our current roster, that includes free agency, trade, the draft and a combination of all those. We have a plan in place, and now it’s about executing that plan.”
Around this time last year, Dalton said that he wanted to start in 2021. There’s a non-trivial chance that the Bears could give him that opportunity, though they’d much prefer to have the ex-Bengals QB as the backup to someone else.
Lions Cut QB Chase Daniel, DT Danny Shelton
The Lions couldn’t find a taker for quarterback Chase Daniel. The backup has been released, along with defensive tackle Danny Shelton (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 
The Lions kicked off their offseason by trading Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff plus draft picks. Daniel, they thought, could have fetched them some later round capital, but no one wanted to take on the remainder of his three-year, $13.05MM deal.
Daniel has hardly played, but coaches still love him as a veteran backup. He has just five career starts under his belt, and just three since the 2014 season. The most recent of those came in a 2019 spot start with Chicago. The Missouri product has also spent time with the Saints, Chiefs, Eagles, and Bears. Now, a team looking to groom a young QB could add Daniel as a mentor.
Shelton — who entered the league as the No. 12 pick in the 2015 draft — never lived up to his draft status, but he’s built a solid career as a run-stuffer. The 345-pound lineman played a key role with the Pats in 2019 and found a home as the Lions starter this past season. Unfortunately, after eleven starts, his season was ended by a knee injury.
Together, the cuts will save the Lions over $4MM with $4.25MM in dead money.
Buccaneers’ Leonard Fournette Considering Seahawks Offer
So far, the Buccaneers have kept most of the band together. Meanwhile, running back Leonard Fournette is considering a competitive offer from the Seahawks, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). 
The former fourth-overall pick was unceremoniously let go by the Jaguars at the end of the 2020 preseason. He ultimately had to settle for a one-year, $2MM deal with Tampa Bay, and he served as Ronald Jones‘ backup during the early parts of the season. Fournette filled in as starter in Week 15, and he didn’t let go of that role through the rest of the season and playoffs. He brought his best during the postseason, collecting four scores and 448 yards from scrimmage in four games.
“We’ll see,” Fournette said of his Bucs future in a recent interview. “Right now, I’m just enjoying the process right now with this W with this organization and my team. You never know what the future holds for me right now, you know? I wound up ending on a great note. I’d love to be back. We’ll have to talk to my agent and see what they’re talking about.”
The Seahawks recently decided against franchise tagging Chris Carson, which would put them in the market for help at running back. Of course, quarterback Russell Wilson would probably prefer the team to put more of their resources towards building a stronger offensive line.