Lions To Sign TE Jesse James
The Lions have agreed to a deal with former Steelers tight end Jesse James, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). This marks the latest deal on what has proven to be a busy day in Detroit. It’s a four-year deal worth $25MM with $11MM fully guaranteed, according to a source who spoke with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Earlier today, the Lions agreed to sign defensive end Trey Flowers, nickel corner Justin Coleman, and wide receiver Danny Amendola. Now, James joins the mix, and he could be an important addition despite his lack of star power.
James, 25 in June, has averaged 37 catches for 378 yards and nearly three touchdowns over the last three seasons in Pittsburgh. He also graded out as one of the better pass blocking TEs in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
With Luke Willson and Levine Toilolo headed towards free agency, the Lions needed a new face at tight end. They have their man in James, though you can expect another addition or two to the TE group this offseason.
Saints Re-Sign Craig Robertson
The Saints are keeping linebacker Craig Robertson, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’ll return on a two-year deal worth more than $4MM.
Like safety Chris Banjo, Robertson is a key special teams player for New Orleans. Banjo himself received a new deal from the Saints this week, a three-year extension worth $9MM.
Robertson was not believed to be a priority for the Saints heading into this week, but they still found the room to keep him on an inexpensive deal. Moving forward, the Saints’ top priorities are expected to be at tight end, defensive tackle, and backup quarterback.
Jets Chasing Anthony Barr
The Jets are stepping up their pursuit of linebacker Anthony Barr, according to a source who spoke with Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (on Twitter). It’s the logical next step after the Jets missed out on Kwon Alexander, who just agreed to sign a whopping four-year, $54MM deal with the 49ers. 
Barr, who turns 27 on March 18, has spent his entire five-year career with the Vikings thus far. He’s earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last four seasons, but the Vikings passed on the opportunity to tag him for $15.9MM.
Barr was employed as a 4-3 ‘backer in Minnesota, but he was a 3-4 outside linebacker at UCLA and could refocus his efforts on the pass rush. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was widely expected to flip Gang Green to a 4-3 look, but he’s reportedly going to keep things consistent with a 3-4 scheme.
In college, Barr amassed 23.5 sacks in his last two years in Westwood. In the NFL, he has never tallied more than four sacks in any given season. Last year, Barr had three sacks to go along with 55 tackles across 13 games.
Bucs’ DeSean Jackson Wants Out
DeSean Jackson is hoping to be traded to the Eagles or released by the Buccaneers, a source close to the wide receiver tells ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine (Twitter link). Ultimately, DJax is angling for a fresh new start.
The wide receiver also took to Instagram on Monday to bid farewell to the Tampa area:
“Tampa it was a great experience, but things didn’t work out !! Looking forward to my next destination .. 👀 👀 Stay Tuned,” Jackson wrote.
Jackson, 32, made a lot of noise about wanting out of Tampa Bay during the season and, apparently, the hiring of Bruce Arians hasn’t swayed him. As it stands, Jackson is due $10MM in 2019, but the remainder of his contract is completely non-guaranteed.
There’s no real word on whether the Eagles would welcome a DJax reunion, but it stands to reason that they will want him back in order to fill their deep threat void. Last year, Jackson averaged a league-leading 18.9 yards per reception.
The Bucs, meanwhile, intend to keep Jackson, so this saga is far from over.
Bengals Re-Sign TE C.J. Uzomah
Tight end C.J. Uzomah has agreed to terms on a new deal with the Bengals. The fresh pact will be a three-year deal worth upwards of $18MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Uzomah, 26, set new career highs in catches (43), yards (439), and touchdowns (3) in 2018. The Bengals aimed to keep Uzomah, especially with Tyler Eifert and Tyler Kroft also bound for free agency, and they got a deal done on the first day of the legal tampering period.
Eifert has missed an astounding 34 games since his 2015 Pro Bowl season, but the team reportedly still has some level of interest in retaining him. Kroft also lost time due to injury, but there’s reportedly a path for him to return as well.
Redskins To Sign Landon Collins
Landon Collins has agreed to sign with the Redskins (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson). It’s a whopper of a contract: Collins will receive a six-year, $84MM deal with $45MM guaranteed to be paid out over the first three years, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
That’s an astronomical figure for a box safety and a huge change from last year’s safety market, which led to disappointing deals for big names such as Tyrann Mathieu. Many feared that the safety market would continue to stall, but things are looking up for the NFL’s last line of defense.
Up until this point, Collins spent his entire career with the rival Giants, a team that did not feel he was worthy of the franchise tag this offseason. Collins clashed with team brass over his contract and threatened to hold out, leading to his exit. The Giants ultimately preferred a shot at a 2020 third-round compensatory pick to keeping one of the game’s most talented young safeties.
Collins, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has been a full-time starter for the Giants since entering the league. A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins posted 96 tackles, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble in 2018 while grading as the NFL’s 39th-best safety, per Pro Football Focus.
The Redskins acquired safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix from the Packers last year, but his status is in limbo as an unrestricted free agent. Collins will solidify a group that has moved on from D.J. Swearinger and might not include Montae Nicholson.
Jets To Re-Sign CB Darryl Roberts
The Jets are set to re-sign cornerback Darryl Roberts, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News. Terms of the deal are not yet known.
New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is likely planning some big changes on defense, but Roberts apparently fits his vision Last year, Roberts made ten starts and played in 65% of the team’s defensive snaps. He also played a significant role on special teams. For his career, Roberts has made 16 starts.
In other Jets cornerback news, the club has opted against retaining Morris Claiborne.
Lions To Sign Justin Coleman
The Lions are closing in on a deal with former Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The contract will make Coleman the NFL’s highest-paid nickel corner. It’s a four-year, $36MM deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
After spending two seasons in New England, Coleman was traded to Seattle in the 2017 offseason for a seventh-round pick in 2018. Mainly serving as a nickel back with the Seahawks, Coleman proved to be a brilliant add. Coleman hasn’t missed a game for the Seahawks in the past two seasons and has emerged as a quality stopper at an increasingly important position.
You may recall that Tavon Young, way back when in late February, became the league’s highest-paid nickel corner when the Ravens re-upped him on a three-year, $25.8MM extension. That mantle now belongs to Coleman, a player who had the benefit of shopping the open market.
Free agency does not formally begin until Wednesday, but Coleman reached his deal with Detroit on Monday, the first day of the so-called “legal tampering” period. Later this week, the contract will be made official.
Jets Interested In C.J. Mosley
The Jets are interested in linebacker C.J. Mosley, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). The Jets have been looking to upgrade at inside linebacker and the Ravens standout would fit the bill. 
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Mosley, 27 in June, has made four Pro Bowls and has anchored Baltimore’s linebacking corps for years. He is a three-down linebacker who stands to do well in free agency, though the Ravens would like to keep him. By the same token, the Ravens have allowed plenty of impact defenders to leave via free agency in recent years.
Kwon Alexander just reached a handshake deal with the 49ers on a four-year, $54MM deal and it stands to reason that Mosley will aim to top that pact. Mosley has been largely healthy throughout his career while Alexander is coming off of a torn ACL, so his camp will surely use that as a point of argument in negotiations.
49ers To Sign LB Kwon Alexander
Kwon Alexander is spoken for. On Monday, the 49ers signed the former Buccaneers linebacker to a four-year, $54MM deal (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The pact includes $27MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) adds. 
John Lynch, who knows a thing or two about the Buccaneers’ organization, is investing big in the linebacker position. Alexander was expected to cash in this offseason, but few could have foreseen this type of deal for a player coming off of a torn ACL.
The Bucs discussed an extension with Alexander last year before his ACL tear in October, but they were unwilling to break the $10MM/year mark for him. Months later, the 49ers have shelled out $13.5MM per season for the soon-to-be 25-year-old.
A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Alexander started 46 games over three-plus years with the Buccaneers. Last season, he posted 38 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack while grading as the No. 53 linebacker at the time of his injury, per Pro Football Focus. In 2017, Alexander earned his first career Pro Bowl selection and graded out as PFF’s No. 37 off-ball ‘backer. In 2016, he registered an eye-popping 145 stops.
Previously, the 49ers were looking into inside linebackers such as C.J. Mosley and Anthony Barr. In all likelihood, the Alexander signing will take them out of the mix for both players.