Steelers, Cam Heyward Agree To $71MM+ Extension
The Steelers and defensive lineman Cameron Heyward have struck agreement on a four-year extension that will pay $71.4MM in total, sources tell ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Heyward had one year to go on his previous deal, so the new add-on will take him through the 2024 campaign.
[RELATED: Steelers Open To Ben Roethlisberger Extension Beyond 2021]
Between the expected 2021 cap decrease and rising salary expectations for Heyward, there was doubt as to whether the Steelers would be able to retain their defensive captain. Ultimately, the whispers of “Aaron Donald-money” were far-fetched, but Heyward still managed to score nearly $18MM per year on average, giving him the most lucrative contract of any defensive player over the age of 30 in NFL history.
Heyward, who turned 31 in May, didn’t exactly play hard-to-get. All along, he’s made it clear that he wants to continue to star on the Steelers D-Line for years to come. He’s now set to enter his tenth season with Pittsburgh, fresh off of his third consecutive Pro Bowl and second career First-Team All-Pro nod. In 2019, Heyward notched nine sacks, bringing his career tally to 54. The advanced metrics were predictably fond of his work — Pro Football Focus ranked him as the NFL’s second-best interior defender, behind only Rams superstar Aaron Donald.
The deal marks a well-deserved step up in salary for Heyward. His previous six-year deal paid him just over $59MM in total, averaging out to less than $10MM per season.
49ers Cut Dion Jordan, Kevin White
On Saturday, the 49ers put a pair of former first-round notables on the curb. Defensive end Dion Jordan and Kevin White were dropped from the roster as a part of the club’s 20+ cuts on Saturday. 
Jordan’s NFL career has taken some odd turns, to say the least. After being selected No. 3 overall by the Dolphins, Jordan did little to justify his pre-draft hype. After some underwhelming seasons, missed seasons, and a number of suspensions, Jordan found his way to the Seahawks in 2017. In 2018, he showed some promise as a rotational piece, and he parlayed that into a one-year deal with the Raiders. He hooked on with the Niners in early August, but he didn’t get to stay for long.
White, a former No. 7 overall pick of the Bears, came out of West Virginia with tons of hype. Over the last five years, injuries have limited him to just 14 games. The Niners have been decimated by injuries at wide receiver, but they still didn’t see enough out of White’s ~1 week audition to keep him. For his career, White has 25 catches for 285 yards and zero touchdowns.
Here’s the full rundown of the 49ers’ cuts:
- DL Alex Barrett
- WR River Cracraft
- S Johnathan Cyprien
- DL Darrion Daniels
- LB Evan Foster
- OL Hroniss Grasu
- TE MarQueis Gray
- TE Chase Harrell
- CB Tim Harris Jr.
- RB JaMycal Hasty
- FB Josh Hokit
- WR Jauan Jennings
- CB Dontae Johnson
- OL Jaryd Jones-Smith
- DL Dion Jordan
- DL Cameron Malveaux
- S Jared Mayden
- WR Shawn Poindexter
- OL Dakoda Shepley
- OL William Sweet
- CB Jamar Taylor
- LB Joe Walker
- WR Kevin White
No Decision Yet For Jadeveon Clowney
While some reports have connected Jadeveon Clowney to the Titans, the free agent edge rusher says that he has “still not made a decision,” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson). Clowney says “teams are still calling,” making it clear that he’s still weighing opportunities from multiple teams. 
The Saints and Titans have emerged as the frontrunners for the former No. 1 overall pick, but the Ravens and incumbent Seahawks are said to still be lurking. For months, the Titans have stood as one of Clowney’s most logical landing spots. With a clear need at DE, old pal Mike Vrabel patrolling the sidelines, and more cap flexibility than most clubs, the Titans make tons of sense. Still, they’re far from the only contender who could use more pressure against the pass.
Interestingly, Clowney has canned agent Bus Cook, just as he did over Labor Day Weekend 2019. Eventually, they worked out their differences and went back into business together. It remains to be seen whether another reunion will take place or if this will signal a return tour in Seattle.
Clowney’s sliding asking price has been well documented at this point. After asking for ~$20MM/year in March, Clowney has reportedly scaled things back to the $17MM/year neighborhood. The Browns tried to sign him for $15MM earlier this year, but the 27-year-old quickly rejected the offer.
Jaguars Meet With Devonta Freeman
The Jaguars will meet with Devonta Freeman over the weekend, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). If all goes well, Freeman will fill the void left by the release of Leonard Fournette. 
[RELATED: Buccaneers Sign RB Leonard Fournette]
The Jaguars weren’t interested in keeping Fournette at a $4MM+ rate. Instead, they decided to move forward with Chris Thompson, Ryquell Armstead, Devine Ozigbo, and James Robinson as their top tailbacks. Unfortunately, Armstead is on the COVID-19 list, leaving them extra thin in the backfield.
Freeman hasn’t look like his old self in a while. The five-year, $41.25MM deal he signed with the Falcons in 2017 did not pan out. Injuries limited him to just two games in 2018 and, last year, he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in 14 games. Meanwhile, Football Outsiders placed him just 41st among 43 running backs in success rate.
The Jaguars could give Freeman an opportunity to redeem himself and inch to the form he showed in 2016, his last Pro Bowl season. In that campaign, Freeman ran for 4.8 yards per try and scored 13 all-purpose touchdowns.
Freeman’s last known offer came from the Seahawks, who tried to pitch him on a one-year, $3MM deal.
Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal
The Bills and Tre’Davious White have struck agreement on a four-year contract extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact is worth $69MM and could potentially reach a round $70MM by way of Pro Bowl incentives. Most importantly, the deal includes $55MM in guaranteed cash for the star cornerback, though it’s not immediately clear if that’s fully guaranteed at signing.
[RELATED: Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53]
The deal has been in the works for a while. Previously, White was set to earn $1.8MM in base pay this year before playing out his $10.2MM fifth-year option in 2021. As one of the league’s premier defenders, White was understandably anxious to lock in his payday. Last year, White led the NFL with six interceptions, giving him a dozen picks over the last three years in total.
White’s $17.25MM/year average positions him as the highest-paid cornerback in the league, edging out Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual salary. It’s a big investment, but it’s well worth it for a truly elite cornerback who only just turned 25 in January.
Bills fans may never get over losing out on Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, but White is quite the consolation prize. The No. 27 overall pick has allowed only five touchdowns since entering the league and his 60.6 passer rating ranks as the second-highest of any player over the last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. After briefly considering an opt out, White is ready to lead the charge for the Bills in 2020 – and beyond.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/4/20
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: DT Miles Brown, WR Hakeem Butler, OL Sam Jones, P Ryan Winslow
- Waived/injured: OL Brett Toth
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: DT Hinwa Allieu, FB Mikey Daniel, T Evin Ksiezarczyk, RB Craig Reynolds
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: FB Patrick DiMarco
- Waived: LB Vosean Joseph, LB Corey Thompson
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Tommylee Lewis
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Brady Aiello
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: OL Cody Wichmann
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Chris Lacy
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: DE Caraun Reid
- Waived: RB Nathan Cottrell, TE Matthew Flanagan, OL Blake Hance, OL K.C. McDermott, OL Garrett McGhin, LS Matthew Orzech, OL Ryan Pope, OL Austen Pleasants, WR Marvelle Ross
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: DB Adonis Alexander, LB Daniel Bituli, TE Kendall Blanton, C Cohl Cabral, G Jamil Demby, WR Earnest Edwards, DB Jake Gervase, DB JuJu Hughes, RB John Kelly, G Jeremiah Kolone, WR J.J. Koski, DB Dayan Lake, DB Tyrique McGhee, LB Derrick Moncrief, WR Easop Winston
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: RB Salvon Ahmed, DB Nate Brooks, CB Breon Borders, DT Brandin Bryant, WR Matt Cole, T Jonathan Hubbard, G Danny Isidora, WR Kirk Merritt, TE Chris Myarick, CB Ken Webster, TE Nate Wieting
New York Jets
- Waived: LB James Burgess
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: DB Michael Jacquet, DE Matt Leo, TE Caleb Wilson
- Released: DT T.Y. McGill, CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Jonathan Kongbo
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: OL Zack Bailey, RB Ray Calais, ILB Noah Dawkins, S D’Cota Dixon, K Matt Gay (story), WR Cyril Grayson, S Javon Hagan, TE Tanner Hudson, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter, OL Nick Leverett, TE Codey McElroy, CB Herb Miller, WR Bryant Mitchell, RB Dare Ogunbowale, WR Josh Pearson, DL Benning Potoa’e, ILB Chapelle Russell, WR Spencer Schnell, QB Reid Sinnett, CB Mazzi Wilkins
Jadeveon Clowney To Wait Until Next Week To Sign?
Business is starting to pick up for Jadeveon Clowney, but he won’t necessarily rush to sign his next NFL deal. The defensive end’s camp has advised him to wait for Saturday’s roster deadline to pass before signing, Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Saints, Titans Pushing To Sign Jadeveon Clowney]
By waiting, Clowney could tap into a larger pool of available dollars. He may also see one or two new unexpected suitors, if a projected starter gets dropped between now and Saturday afternoon. Of course, it’s a double-edged sword – the waiting game could actually hurt him if another valuable veteran joins him on the open market.
The Saints and Titans have offers out to Clowney, setting the stage for a high-priced bidding war. Both teams want the former No. 1 overall pick to sign by Monday, but he’ll ultimately dictate the timetable. Clowney, 27, will need to go through the necessary COVID-19 protocols before joining his future teammates.
The Ravens may also get involved, though the finances are a bit tricky. In terms of cap space, the Titans are in the best position of any known suitor with $22MM+ available. The Saints, meanwhile, will have to work some magic – they’ve got less than $7MM in spendable dollars.
Cowboys To Place Sean Lee On IR
The Cowboys will place linebacker Sean Lee on injured reserve to start the year, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are expected to park at least a few more players on IR thanks to a slew of training camp injuries.
This is, unfortunately, familiar territory for Lee. The veteran saw his 2014 season completely wiped out by a torn ACL tear and played in just 18 total games between 2017 and 2018. Still, the Cowboys know what he’s capable of doing when healthy, having employed him since 2010.
Lee did manage to stay on the field for much of 2019 and he closed out the year on a high note. After tallying double-digit tackles in two of his final five games, including a 17-stop showing in their Week 16 game against the Eagles, the Cowboys re-upped him on a one-year, $4.5MM deal. All in all, Lee finished out with 86 stops, one interception, one sack, and four passes defensed as he filled in for Leighton Vander Esch.
Gehlken adds that cornerback Jourdan Lewis is also likely to land on IR with a left ankle injury. Among the other banged up Cowboys: wide receivers Amari Cooper and Ventell Bryant, linebacker Luke Gifford, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, safety Xavier Woods, and right tackle La’el Collins.
Broncos Release LB Todd Davis
The Broncos have released inside linebacker Todd Davis, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The move brings an end to the veteran’s six-year tenure in Denver and puts an experienced vet on the market days before the start of the season. 
[RELATED: Broncos Sign Mark Barron]
Davis has been with the Broncos since 2014, and, over time, he evolved into one of the organization’s most productive players. Despite appearing in only 14 games last season, the 28-year-old finished with a career-high 134 tackles. Davis was set to count for $6MM against the Broncos’ cap this year. Instead, they’ll drop him to gain $1.5MM in additional wiggle room.
Without Davis, Von Miller stands as the lone defender left from the team’s Super Bowl-winning squad. Things might have been different if not for Davis’ latest mid-training camp injury, a calf issue that has dogged him throughout the summer. Last year played out similarly and his calf was also the culprit.
Not long ago, the Broncos were expected to trot out rookie Justin Strnad and Davis as their top ILBs. Now, thanks to Strnad’s season-ending injury, they’ve had to revamp the position. Newcomer Mark Barron now figures to play a larger than expected role in Denver’s front seven.
Broncos Trade Christian Covington To Bengals
The Broncos have agreed to trade defensive tackle Christian Covington to the Bengals in exchange for linebacker Austin Calitro, as Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets. The deal appears to be a one-for-one swap, with no additional draft capital attached. 
Covington joined the Broncos on a one-year, $1.75MM deal in April. Before that, he spent the 2019 season with the Cowboys and the previous four years with the Texans. With Dallas, he had one of his most productive seasons to date, posting a career-high 28 tackles to go with one sack and one pass defended in 16 games. For his career, he has 93 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a forced fumble to his credit.
Calitro suited up in 13 games (including four starts) for the Jaguars last year, but they dropped him in late April to make room for their incoming class of draft picks and a host of undrafted free agents. The Bengals scooped him up off of waivers, using their higher priority to beat out the Broncos. The Browns, Jets, and Raiders also tried to claim Calitro, who registered 40 tackles and a sack while serving as a key special teams contributor in 2019.