Browns Tender Kareem Hunt, Release Morgan Burnett
The Browns placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent Kareem Hunt and released safety Morgan Burnett, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Both moves were expected, though the tender level for Hunt was in question. 
The second-round tender will cost roughly $3.3MM for 2020. If Hunt is signed to an offer sheet and the Browns decline to match, they would receive a second-round pick from the team signing him.
Hunt, of course, has been the subject of serious controversy in recent years. In 2018, the Chiefs cut Hunt after a surveillance video showed him striking a woman at a hotel in Cleveland. In that same year, he also got into a physical altercation with a man in Ohio. The Browns picked him up and Hunt vowed to make wholesale changes to his life. In January, police say Hunt was in possession of marijuana when they pulled him over for a traffic stop.
Since then, new Browns GM Andrew Berry has indicated that Hunt would be retained. On the field, he averaged nearly 60 yards from scrimmage per game and posted a 4.2 yards per carry mark.
Burnett, meanwhile, has been plagued by injuries over the last two seasons. The Browns released him with a failed-physical designation, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. An Achilles tear brought his 2019 season to an early end and the Browns, in turn, have terminated the second half of his two-year, $7.5MM deal. By shedding his deal, the Browns will save $3.375MM while carrying a dead money hit of $1.325MM.
Ravens Tender C Matt Skura
The Ravens are using the low tender on center Matt Skura, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This will lock Skura in at a reasonable salary for the 2020 season, though they’ll receive no compensation if another team signs him as a restricted free agent and the Ravens do not match the offer. 
Skura is working his way back from a major knee injury, one that capped the starter at eleven games last year. After suffering ACL, MCL and PCL tears, Skura is still a few weeks away from running, though he hopes to be a participant in training camp this summer.
Before the injury, the 27-year-old had not missed a game since taking over for Ryan Jensen when he left for the Bucs in 2018. In fact, he never missed a snap. Skura played 1,889 snaps in that ’18 season and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 12 overall center. If teams feel confident in his health, he seems likely to garner lots of interest and could even find a decent chunk of guaranteed money in an offer sheet.
Cowboys Place Franchise Tag On Dak Prescott
The Cowboys have placed exclusive franchise tag on Dak Prescott, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). This move means that no other team will be allowed to negotiate with him, which has pros and cons for the QB.
Under the traditional non-exclusive tag, Prescott would have been able to talk with other clubs that would potentially be willing to cough up a pair of first-round picks for the right to sign him. On the flipside, the exclusive tag would pay Prescott at the average of the league’s top-five salaries for the 2020 season. With the non-exclusive tag, it would have been the top-five average of last year.
The non-exclusive tag would have come at $26.8MM. With the exclusive version, the number should be somewhere around $31.6MM.
The Cowboys’ long-term negotiations with Prescott have been going on for some time and there was talk just before the season that the two sides were nearing a deal. Since then, the Cowboys haven’t made much progress in bridging the gap, though Jerry Jones & Co. have said repeatedly that they would keep him, one way or another.
With Prescott cuffed for the 2020 season, the Cowboys will turn their attention to finalizing a long-term deal with star receiver Amari Cooper. A new deal for Cooper won’t come cheap, though the depth of this year’s WR class in the draft may work to the Cowboys’ favor. Teams, in theory, could keep a lid on their offers with an eye on finding cheaper and younger receiving talent in April. Cooper’s camp is acutely aware of this scenario – even if they won’t admit it publicly.
In 2019, Cooper registered 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 receiver in the NFL. Meanwhile, Prescott threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns and turned in an electric first half to the season.
Falcons To Cut Ty Sambrailo
The Falcons will cut offensive lineman Ty Sambrailo, according to a source who spoke with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). It’s just the latest Monday morning move by the Falcons to free up cap space this offseason and more releases could be on the way. 
Sambrailo, who just celebrated his 28th birthday, played in 13 games as a reserve last season. He also got to leave the Falcons with a memorable moment – a 35-yard touchdown reception against the Buccaneers to close out the season and his Atlanta tenure.
By releasing the veteran, the Falcons will save roughly $3.7MM against the 2020 cap. That’s money that can be used to shore up their defense and, potentially, help bring another running back into the fold. Moments ago, the Falcons released one-time star Devonta Freeman, leaving them perilously thin in that area. Then again, many anticipate that they’ll target their next running back in the (likely to be teleconferenced) draft.
Before the official start of business today, the Falcons also informed cornerback Desmond Trufant that he’ll be released sometime this week.
Raiders, Packers Interested In Cory Littleton
The Raiders and Packers “are going to be all over” Cory Littleton this week, Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter) hears. The legal tampering window opens today and both teams will find even more company if they make an aggressive play for the Rams linebacker. 
[RELATED: Raiders Eyeing Early-Round QBs?]
Littleton, 27 in November, is coming off of a solid season in which he registered 3.5 sacks and 134 total stops. In 2018, he turned in a similarly strong year en route to his first ever Pro Bowl selection.
It’s not clear whether the Packers’ recent addition of Christian Kirksey will impact their pursuit of Littleton. On Monday morning, the Packers agreed to sign the former Browns standout to a two-year, $16MM deal.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are armed with lots of cap room and they should have the ability to outbid the Rams, Packers, or any other club if they want him badly enough. The former UDFA is a proven playmaker and would be a significant upgrade for the Raiders’ D – especially since he offers quality coverage ability for a linebacker.
Texans Mulling DeAndre Hopkins Trade?
The Texans could consider trading DeAndre Hopkins, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. Two teams tell King that it’s a situation to watch, despite Hopkins’ accomplishments and his contract. 
Hopkins is under contract for another three years with $40MM owed – a team-friendly deal, considering his ability. However, the Texans are desperate for draft capital. They do not have a top-50 choice this year or next year and the Texans have some gaping holes to fill on the offensive line and in the secondary. And, looking ahead, they need an injection of younger players in the front seven with stars J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus on the wrong side of 30.
The Texans resisted calls on Hopkins before last year’s deadline and he went on to finish the year with 104 catches for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns. That performance earned him his third straight Pro Bowl nomination and his third straight year as a First-Team All-Pro. Still, the Texans felt that he was not as explosive last year and this could be an opportune time to move him as he closes in on his 28th birthday.
Speculatively, King wonders if the Patriots, 49ers, Giants, and Dolphins would be logical fits for a deal.
Falcons To Release Desmond Trufant
The Falcons will release cornerback Desmond Trufant this week, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Trufant still had three years remaining on the five-year, $68.75MM extension he signed with Atlanta prior to the 2017 season. 
Trufant had one of his strongest years, by some metrics, in 2019, but it wasn’t enough to keep his spot with the Falcons. By releasing him, the Falcons will save $4.95MM against $10.2MM in dead money.
Trufant came away with four interceptions and seven passes defensed in an injury-shortened eight-game season. He missed the first quarter of the year with a toe injury and was forced to go on IR in December after suffering a broken forearm.
.Before all of that, Trufant logged at least 15 games in five of his first six seasons. He was also a star in the Falcons defense, including his 2015 Pro Bowl season. Releasing Trufant was far from an easy call, but the Falcons find themselves in a difficult cap situation this offseason and they’re desperate for relief anywhere they can find it.
Bills Restructure Tyler Kroft’s Deal
The Bills have restructured Tyler Kroft‘s contract, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Under the new deal, Kroft is set to earn $4MM in 2020, with $3.4MM of that sum being guaranteed. In exchange, the last year of his contract was wiped out. 
If Kroft stays healthy and plays well, he’ll now have a chance to cash in as a free agent in 2021. In that scenario, he’d also stand to benefit from a new collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to increase the players’ share of revenue.
Kroft came to the Bills last offseason on a three-year deal worth $18.75MM. The tight end missed a big chunk of his last Bengals season thanks to a foot injury and, unfortunately, injured it again as he prepared for his first year with the Bills.
This year, Kroft will aim to get back towards his 42/404/7 stat line from 2017. The Bills won’t necessarily bank on that, though. Before the restructuring, the Bills made a play for veteran tight end Greg Olsen. Olsen ultimately opted to sign with the Seahawks, but it was a sign that the Bills are willing to spend in order to fortify the position.
In 2019, rookie Dawson Knox featured as the Bills’ top TE.
Former Chargers LB Kyle Emanuel Comes Out Of Retirement
Kyle Emanuel is ready to get back in the game. Last year, the former Chargers linebacker retired at the age of 27, but he has decided that he wants to return to the NFL, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Emanuel walked away for a multitude of reasons, at a time when he had multiple contract offers as a free agent:
“There is no specific reason why I came to this decision, but as I contemplated it this offseason, something told me it was time to walk away,” Emanuel wrote last April. “Although it wasn’t the sole reason, the injuries have started to pile up and I had to take my long-term health into consideration. I have no idea what will come next, which is scary and exciting at the same time, but I can’t wait to get started on whatever it is.”
Across four seasons with the Chargers, Emanuel appeared in 63 games with 33 starts. In 2018, he finished out with 30 tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery. The Raiders were among the clubs to express interest in him prior to his retirement.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
New York Giants
- Waived/failed physical: T George Asafo-Adjei
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Chris Milton