Redskins Sign Kendall Fuller
Kendall Fuller is headed back to D.C. The Redskins have reached agreement with the cornerback on a four-year deal worth $40MM, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. 
The Redskins selected Fuller in the third round of the 2016 draft and shipped him to the Chiefs in 2018 in the Alex Smith deal. Now, he’s coming back to where it all started and he’ll help fill the gap after the club moved on from Josh Norman.
Fuller, 25, appeared in eleven games for KC last year and tallied 49 tackles. For his career, he’s appeared in 55 games for the Redskins and Chiefs. Fuller has usually garnered strong marks from Pro Football Focus, and he had the game-sealing interception of Jimmy Garoppolo to give the Chiefs their Super Bowl LIV victory.
Washington has clearly made upgrading the defense a priority under new head coach Ron Rivera, and they’ve already made several moves on that side of the ball. Fuller should be a building block in the secondary for years to come.
Eagles Re-Sign Nate Sudfeld
The Eagles have re-signed Nate Sudfeld, per a team announcement. With that, the quarterback will return in 2020 to backstop starter Carson Wentz.
[RELATED: Eagles Sign NT Javon Hargrave]
Sudfeld missed all of 2019 thanks to a broken wrist. After that, they lured Josh McCown out of retirement late in the offseason. This time around, it’s not clear if McCown is interested in continuing his career, or if his surgically-repaired hamstring would allow to play. Sudfeld, who has appeared in four games (including playoff contests) for the Eagles, is now set to serve as the team’s QB2.
In light of Wentz‘s own injury history, the No. 2 QB spot in Philly is an important one. It stands to reason that the Eagles will still explore QBs in free agency and the draft, even after re-upping the former sixth-round pick.
49ers, Shon Coleman Agree To Extension
The 49ers have agreed to a one-year extension with offensive tackle Shon Coleman, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports (on Twitter). Last year, Coleman came into training camp last year as the favorite to become the team’s main swing tackle. Then, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury that caused the team to change course.
Coleman suffered a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula during the first game of the preseason, an injury that immediately ruled him out for the rest of 2019. Fortunately, he’s now fully recovered and ready to help the defending NFC champs.
In other Niners news, DeForest Buckner is now a member of the Colts thanks to Monday afternoon’s shocking trade. In the swap, the 49ers have received the Colts’ first-round pick at No. 13 overall, a selection that could be flipped to give them a better stockpile of picks in April.
Ravens Cut OT James Hurst
The Ravens have released offensive tackle James Hurst, as ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley tweets. Hurst was suspended for the first four games of the 2020 season. Now, he’ll try to hook on elsewhere.
Hurst appeared in all 16 games for the Ravens in 2019 and made a pair of starts. In February, he went from on-the-bubble to a likely goner when the league handed him a one-month ban for performance-enhancing substances.
Hurst was set to count for a $5.25MM cap hit in 2020. Instead, the Ravens will shed his deal to save $2.75MM against $2.5MM in dead money.
The 28-year-old former UDFA has been with the Ravens since 2014. He appeared in 90 games over that span and started all of his games in 2017 and 2018.
Latest On DeAndre Hopkins
Earlier today, the Texans stunned the football world by trading star DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals. We’ll run down the latest on the trade here:
- The Texans recognized that they would have to renegotiate Hopkins’ contract at some point if they wanted to keep him, but they’re prioritizing new deals for Deshaun Watson and offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, Yahoo’s Charles Robinson tweets. Hopkins had three years remaining on his team-friendly contract, so the Texans felt that a fresh deal was premature. Meanwhile, they see opportunities to replenish at wide receiver via the draft, as well as some options for trades. All in all, the Texans viewed the Hopkins trade as the first step towards a larger plan that will cover them on both sides of the ball.
- Another contributing factor: Ongoing friction between Hopkins and head coach Bill O’Brien, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Broncos Tender OL Elijah Wilkinson
MARCH 16: Wilkinson indeed received a second-round tender from the Broncos, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.
MARCH 2: The Broncos are “likely” to cuff offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson with the second-round tender, according to Mike Klis of 9News. The tender would cost roughly $3.2MM, or give the Broncos a second-round pick if someone were to sign him to an offer sheet that goes unmatched.
Wilkinson, 25, has started games on the inside and the outside for the Broncos. The plan is to have him work at both left tackle and right guard next year, allowing them to take full advantage of his versatility.
The Broncos’ offensive line figures to look different in 2020 – for starters, Ronald Leary won’t be brought back on his option. Meanwhile, left tackle Garrett Bolles may or may not be part of the plan for 2021 and beyond. The club will mull all of its options between now and May before deciding on his fifth-year add-on.
In 2018, Wilkinson saw seven starts at right guard. Last year, he started 12 times while Ja’Wuan James was injured. The advanced metrics showed that he wasn’t quite spectacular, though he was solid – he finished out with a 59.6 overall score from Pro Football Focus, slotting him as the 59th ranked qualified tackle in the NFL. That type of showing would make a one-year, $3.2MM salary well worth it for Denver.
On the other side of the ball, the Broncos are reportedly eyeing Texans free agent nose tackle D.J. Reader. Meanwhile, they’ll allow defensive lineman Adam Gotsis to reach the open market.
49ers Trade DeForest Buckner To Colts
The 49ers have agreed to trade All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In this stunner of a deal, the Colts will send their first-round pick (No. 13 overall) to San Francisco and sign Buckner to a newly-minted monster contract. 
Buckner’s new pact will pay him $21MM per year and make him the second-highest paid DT in league history. Now, only Aaron Donald ranks higher on the all-time list at the position.
The deal leaves the Niners with a major hole to fill on their world-class defensive front. The deal also gives them additional draft artillery. The 49ers now own two first-round picks (Nos. 13 and 31 overall), which they could quickly parlay into a larger stockpile. As of this writing, they have no picks in Rounds 2, 3, or 4. One of those first-rounders will now likely be traded for better depth in April, Schefter tweets.
Just hours ago, the 49ers struck a deal to keep defensive lineman Arik Armstead in the fold for the long-haul. His five-year deal, potentially worth $85MM, seemed to signal that the Niners would be keeping the band together. Instead, it was one half of a difficult choice the 49ers felt they had to make. With the trade, the Niners will be able to apply their limited cash to other areas and replenish with younger talent in the draft.
The former No. 7 overall pick was exceptional in 2019 and was awarded an All-Pro selection for his performance. The Oregon product tallied 62 tackles, nine for a loss, and 7.5 sacks last year as the 49ers rumbled their way to the Super Bowl. With 28.5 career sacks, he has a proven track record of getting to the quarterback and changing the complexion of any game.
The Colts, meanwhile, entered the offseason with adding pass-rush help high on their to-do list. They were particularly soft on the interior; so the upgrade that Buckner provides cannot be understated.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, things seem to be heating up with Philip Rivers. The Colts just might start free agency with the acquisition of two superstars to address their two biggest areas of need.
Panthers Release Colin Jones
The Panthers have released Colin Jones, according to Joe Person of The Athletic (on Twitter). The safety and special teams captain requested his release as he did not want to be a part of the team’s rebuilding effort. They’ve granted that request.
Jones, a nine-year pro, has spent eight seasons with the Panthers. He’s hardly missed time over that stretch, including perfect attendance in each of the last three seasons.
At the age of 32 (33 in October), Jones is eager to win. Given his track record, he shouldn’t have a hard time finding work.
Raiders To Sign Nick Kwiatkoski
The Raiders have agreed to sign former Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Kwiatkoski has also personally confirmed the news, tweeting out a picture of the Raiders’ new stadium.
It’s a three-year deal for the free agent defender, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The longtime Bears backup/part-time starter will receive $21MM in this deal, with $13.5MM guaranteed, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Giants were also in the mix for the four-year veteran, per Garafolo (on Twitter).
Kwiatkoski will make $6.75MM in base salary this season, and Albert Breer of SI.com tweets the linebacker has a $3.4MM roster bonus that is essentially guaranteed at signing. He will receive that payment in five days.
The Bears watched Kwiatkoski progress into a legitimate contributor since he was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. However, after signing fellow linebacker Danny Trevathan to a three-year extension, the Bears decided to let Kwiatkoski walk via free agency. Jon Gruden, who has been eager to fortify his front seven, was happy to take him on.
Kwiatkoski, 27 in May, had perfect attendance for his last two seasons and started in half of his contests last year. In 2019, he logged 76 stops, three sacks, one interception, and four passes defensed.
Kwiatkoski, a well-respected run-stuffer, also stepped up his pass-rush pressure last year. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus gave him an 81.8 grade in that category, showing that he’s trending towards even better things. The Broncos and Giants were among the clubs that were connected to him – at least, speculatively – before the deal with Las Vegas.
Bears Interested In Teddy Bridgewater
The Bears have been in talks with Teddy Bridgewater during the legal tampering period, Mike Florio of PFT hears. The Saints don’t have the cap room to keep the quarterback, but the Bears are among the clubs interested in him and, potentially, among the teams willing to give him a starting job.
The Bears plan on sticking with Mitchell Trubisky, though they’ve signaled a desire to bring in competition. Bridgewater would fit the bill.
Florio hears that Bridgewater is in line for a deal that would pay him roughly $21MM/year. At that salary, Bridgewater would probably be anointed as the Bears’ Week 1 starter.
Bridgewater has started in only six games since January of 2016, but he’s also made a complete recovery from his devastating injury. Many believe that Bridgewater can thrive if given the opportunity to start.
Last year, Bridgewater went 5-0 as the Saints’ starter, filling in for Drew Brees while he was sidelined. Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2017 draft, went 8-7. He had just 17 touchdowns against ten interceptions, casting doubt on his future prospects with the Bears.