Bills To Sign S Rafael Bush
The Bills are signing safety Rafael Bush to a two-year deal for $3.5 MM, ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweets. Bush was among the Saints’ free agents this offseason.
It includes $900,000 guaranteed and a $600,000 signing bonus, and base salaries of $1.3 MM in 2018, and $1.4 MM in 2019. He will also receive workout bonuses of $100,000 each year. Rodak also reports there are up to $500,000 in playing time incentives, which could propel the deal to a top value of $4.5 MM.
Bush was among the best safeties in last year’s free agent class, but we did not have him ranked in the top 15 in this go ’round. That’s partially due to the depth of this year’s safety market, but more so because Bush served strictly as a backup for New Orleans last year. He appeared in 14 games — with zero starts — and totaled 22 tackles with one sack.
A fixture as a Saints depth piece for much of this decade, Bush is going into his age-31 season. The former UDFA is likely to supplement Buffalo starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Hyde is signed to a five-year, $30MM deal and Poyer to a four-season contract worth $13MM. Those two each graded as top-15 safeties in the view of Pro Football Focus.
Bush has started 18 games in his seven-year career. He played 236 snaps for the Saints last season and now looks like Buffalo’s No. 3 safety for 2018. This is now a position the Bills don’t really need to worry about for a bit.
Jets Agree To Re-Sign Josh McCown
This was not the news Jets fans were hoping for. After losing out on Kirk Cousins and Case Keenum, the Jets have agreed to re-sign veteran quarterback Josh McCown to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
McCown’s quality 2017 season will earn him a raise as well. The soon-to-be 39-year-old quarterback will make $10MM this season, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. This comes in north of McCown’s $6MM agreement from 2017.
The Jets’ work at quarterback likely is not done. Gang Green is reportedly working on a new deal with Teddy Bridgewater and the Jets are almost certainly considering this year’s top quarterbacks with their No. 6 overall pick. Bridgewater may not be thrilled about the crowded nature of that QB depth chart, but he’d be hard-pressed to find a team willing to sign him without a contingency plan (or two).
This now could crowd the Jets’ quarterback room. Although the same three passers are under contract from last season, with Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg still on the roster, that’s going to change once the Jets’ draft concludes. And Bridgewater could still be an option, despite McCown’s arrival. The Jets won’t figure to have to pay too steep of a price to sign Bridgewater given his injury past, and whatever rookie the team selects will be attached to a cheap deal for years. Given the team’s cap setup, it can easily make a McCown-Bridgewater-rookie arrangement work.
McCown will now be set to play an 18th NFL season. But his 17th did well to help some Jets pass-catchers. He established new career highs with 18 touchdown passes, 2,926 passing yards and a 67 percent completion rate. Both Robby Anderson and Jermaine Kearse played well with McCown, who likely will now be tasked with mentoring a higher-profile young passer than the ones he was previously tasked with tutoring.
Packers To Release Jordy Nelson
After signing Jimmy Graham to a lucrative three-year deal, something had to give for the Packers. The other shoe has dropped as the Packers are set to release wide receiver Jordy Nelson, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
Nelson has been regarded as a potential cap casualty all offseason, along with fellow wide receiver Randall Cobb. Ultimately, it’s Nelson being shown the door.
The Packers will save $10.2MM by cutting their longtime pass-catcher. This will end Green Bay’s brief stint carrying three eight-figure-per-year wideouts on its roster. Davante Adams signed a four-year extension worth $58MM and will now be the No. 1 wideout going forward in Wisconsin.
It’s the end of an era for the Packers. Nelson has been with Green Bay since being selected as a second-round pick in 2008 and has helped the team reach tremendous heights. Nelson was a huge part of the Packers’ 31-25 victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV as he caught nine catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. That TD was the first score of the game and helped set the tone for Green Bay.
Unfortunately, Nelson did not look like his usual self in 2017. The 32-year-old (33 in May) had just 53 catches on the year for 482 yards and six touchdowns. That’s a significant dropoff from his 97 catches, 1,257 yards, and league-leading 14 touchdowns in 2016. He finishes his Packers run with four 1,000-yard seasons, adding five touchdowns in the playoffs.
Some of that, naturally, probably came because of Aaron Rodgers‘ absence. He’s served as Rodgers’ favorite target for many years. But Nelson is on the downside. However, he said last offseason he wanted to play between two and four more seasons. And judging by the way receivers are being paid this week, Nelson could see a decent market despite his age and down season.
Packers To Sign TE Jimmy Graham
The Packers intend to sign tight end Jimmy Graham to a three-year deal, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal provides Aaron Rodgers with a quality red zone target at TE, something they have been seeking for years. 
Last year, the Packers believed they had their answer at tight end in Martellus Bennett. That contract quickly proved to be a mistake, but the revamped Packers’ front office believes that they have a much better solution in Graham.
Heading into free agency, we had Graham ranked as the second-best tight end available. After Trey Burton agreed to terms with the Bears, Graham quickly ascended the ranks to become the No. 1 undisputed top tight end on the market.
Graham isn’t quite as dynamic as he was in his prime with the Saints, but he’s still trouble for opposing defenses, as evidenced by his ten touchdowns in 2017. The Saints were eager to facilitate a reunion, but the bidding got out of hand thanks to Green Bay.
Rodgers is now slated to have Graham, Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb as his top targets. However, that lineup could change in the coming days with either Nelson or Cobb being pushed out as cap casualties.
Panthers To Sign Bashaud Breeland
The Panthers are expected to sign cornerback Bashaud Breeland, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Until today, Breeland had spent his entire NFL career with the Redskins.
Breeland wasn’t the most well-known cornerback in this year’s lot with Trumaine Johnson, Malcolm Butler, Morris Claiborne, Prince Amukamara, and others in this year’s crop, but he was among the best. The Panthers have been desperate for secondary help ever since parting with Josh Norman and Breeland will help in that regard, even though he’s not exactly of the same caliber.
Breeland was on the radar for the Browns and likely high on the list for other needs in need of cornerback help. Breeland, 26, appeared in all but one of the Redskins’ games last season. He amassed 47 tackles and one interception, which was returned 96 yards for a touchdown against the Chargers.
Formerly a fourth-round pick, Breeland played opposite Norman for the past two seasons. He will now work for Norman’s former employer. Pro Football Focus bestowed a middling grade on Breeland but viewed him as an improved player from 2016. He deflected a career-high 16 passes last season and now has eight career INTs. Breeland has started 57 of the 60 regular-season games in which he played, moving into the lineup as a rookie.
The Redskins were going to let Breeland test the market before having traded Kendall Fuller, and now they’re going to be without two of their top three corners from last season. The Panthers, who are trading Daryl Worley to the Eagles for Torrey Smith, will align Breeland with James Bradberry and Captain Munnerlyn next season. They’ve now added Munnerlyn and Breeland the past two offseasons, augmenting a corps that was comprised almost exclusively of young talent after the rescinding of Norman’s franchise tag and Charles Tillman‘s retirement.
Latest On Cardinals, Tyrann Mathieu
The Cardinals have asked Tyrann Mathieu to take a pay cut. The two sides have yet to agree to a renegotiated contract, but the two sides are “making positive strides” on that front, a source tells Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. 
Mathieu will have a large chunk of his contract guaranteed if he remains on Arizona’s roster on Wednesday. In theory, the Cardinals could release the defensive back, but they would much prefer to keep him at a new deal that will lessen his $14.1MM blow against the cap in 2018.
In the summer of 2016, Mathieu inked a five-year, $62.5MM extension with the Cardinals. Thanks to injuries, he hasn’t quite lived up to that contract. Honey Badger saw an ACL tear end his 2015 season prematurely and he played in just ten games in 2016. He played a full 16-game slate in 2017, but he graded out as just the No. 61 cornerback in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus.
The Cardinals’ cap crunch hasn’t precluded them from spending elsewhere as they have agreed to sign quarterback Sam Bradford to a surprisingly large free agent deal.
Texans To Sign CB Aaron Colvin
Former Jaguars cornerback Aaron Colvin is expected to sign a four-year deal with the Texans, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Colvin will earn $34MM over the life of the contract, and receives $18MM in guarantees, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Colvin ranked as one of our 25 best available free agents available. 
We had Colvin slotted as the sixth-best cornerback in free agency last week, behind Trumaine Johnson, Malcolm Butler, Bashaud Breeland, E.J. Gaines, and Morris Claiborne. Colvin has beaten them all to the punch by agreeing to terms.
Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye were the primary cornerbacks for the Jaguars last year, but Colvin performed well in his own right as a slot cornerback. Last offseason, the Jaguars stole Bouye from the Texans. This offseason, the Texans have flipped the script, to some degree, by signing Colvin.
Colvin looked likely to depart given the financial commitment the Jags made to Bouye and the one they likely will make to Ramsey in the future. For the Texans, this could impact their pursuits of Butler and Gaines. However, with Colvin playing in the slot, the team could still pursue one of those players.
Houston entered the day with $65MM in cap space, and Kareem Jackson is entering the final year of his contract. If necessary, he could be cut with $6MM-plus in savings. So, Colvin may represent the first piece of the puzzle to help a Texans team that may be retooling at corner. Johnathan Joseph, a Houston starter since 2011, is also a UFA.
Jaguars To Re-Sign Marqise Lee
Allen Robinson has left Jacksonville to sign with the Bears, but the Jaguars are retaining their other top free agent wide receiver. Marqise Lee has agreed to re-sign with the Jags, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a four-year deal with a maximum value of $38MM, including $18MM guaranteed, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
Before this week’s free agent frenzy, few expected Lee to net a deal as strong as this. However, after fellow WRs Robinson, Sammy Watkins, and Paul Richardson netted mega contracts, the price went up for Lee and others.
Lee doesn’t offer the same tantalizing talent as Robinson, but he has been a reliable receiver for Jacksonville over the years. Heading into free agency, I rated Lee as the 27th best available player on the market.
Lee had the most catches of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Lee does not profile as a WR1, but he’s a solid WR2 who offers familiarity with quarterback Blake Bortles. It’s a seller’s market for wide receivers this year, so Lee presumably had plenty of lucrative offers from other teams.
Between 2016 and 2017, Lee racked up 119 receptions for 1,553 yards and six touchdowns.
Raiders Interested In Brown, Bowman
Jon Gruden loves his veterans, and the Raiders have their eye on a pair of experienced linebackers. Oakland has expressed interest in re-signing NaVorro Bowman and they have also shown interest in free agent linebacker Zach Brown, according to Michael Gehlken of the Review Journal (on Twitter). 
Gruden may have some familiarity with Browns since he played under his brother, Jay Gruden, in 2017. With the Redskins, Brown amassed 127 total tackles and 2.5 sacks, making him an excellent value on his one-year deal. This time around, Brown says he wants to be paid as a top-three inside linebacker. It’s unlikely that he’ll reach that lofty goal.
Bowman, meanwhile, has said that he wants to remain with the Raiders. New Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is a supporter of his, so it’s possible that he’ll stay put. We have Bowman and Brown ranked Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, amongst this year’s top free agent linebackers.
DeShawn Shead To Visit Lions, 49ers
Former Seahawks cornerback DeShawn Shead is visiting the Lions on Tuesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). If he leaves without an agreement, he’ll meet with the 49ers on Wednesday. 
Shead’s contract tolled for the 2018 season, but the Seahawks honored a promise to make him an unrestricted free agent in that event. Seattle hopes to retain Shead, but they may not get the opportunity to re-sign him given the outside interest he has and their own numbers crunch.
Shead returned from a broken leg to play in two games last season for the Seahawks, The cornerback, 30 in June, was Seattle’s full-time right cornerback opposite Richard Sherman in 2016. With Sherman and Jeremy Lane already out of the picture, it sounds like Shead could be the next Legion of Boomer to wind up elsewhere.