Buccaneers To Sign Mike Evans To Extension
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has agreed to a five-year, $82.5MM extension that includes $55MM in overall guarantees, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Evans is now under contract with the Bucs through the 2023 season. The deal also includes incentives that can push the deal’s overall value to nearly $96MM, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Evans gets $38.3MM in full guarantees at signing, per The MMQB’s Albert Breer (Twitter link). 
Before the deal, Evans was slated to reach the open market after the 2018 season. The new deal ensures that Evans will be part of the team for years to come while also making him one of the league’s highest-paid players at his position.
We’ll have to wait for the complete breakdown of the contract before stacking it up against the league’s other top-paid WRs, but here’s what we do know: Evans is now second amongst all receivers in terms of average annual value, trailing only Antonio Brown ($17MM/year). In terms of total value, Evans is the new king with a deal that just edges DeAndre Hopkins‘ five-year, $81MM deal with the Texans from last summer.
Evans also takes the top spot amongst all WRs in full guarantees. His $38.3MM guaranteed at signing bests Hopkins ($36.5MM), Julio Jones ($35.5MM), and Demaryius Thomas ($35MM).
According to La Canfora, Evans will get $55MM in injury guarantees, which bests Calvin Johnson‘s deal to become a new all-time high for WRs. He also has $38.3MM in guarantees over the first two years, per JLC. The deal includes a $1.5MM bonus in the final year that will force the Bucs to decide on his future prior to the start of the 2023 season.
Of course, the deal bodes well for other wide receivers waiting for their paydays, including Giants superstar Odell Beckham Jr. ODB is reportedly seeking a deal in excess of $100MM and he is expected to top Evans despite missing the bulk of the 2017 season.
Extra Points: Lions, Ebron, Ravens, Bailey
The Lions met with tight end Eric Ebron on Thursday to discuss his future, Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Team officials let him know that they are are open to dealing him and didn’t not guarantee that he’ll be back with the team for 2018.
Ebron, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2014 draft, has had an up-and-down career in Detroit. On the plus side, he had less issues with dropped passes in 2017 than in years past.
There’s reason to believe that Ebron, who doesn’t turn 25 until April, can grow from here. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 57 catches for 642 yards and it’s possible that a change of scenery can help him reach the next level.
Here’s more from around the NFL on a busy Friday:
- The Ravens have spoken to Crockett Gillmore about a return, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Gillmore is making the switch from tight end to the offensive line and Zrebiec writes that the Ravens’ mainly just want to get a sense of where he is health-wise before pursuing a new deal with him. Of all of Baltimore’s pending unrestricted free agents, Zrebiec says that Gillmore is the most likely to return.
- The Ravens also have interest in re-signing wide receiver/kick returner Michael Campanaro, Zrebiec tweets. Campanaro led the AFC in punt returning last year.
- Four teams have expressed at least some interest in former Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. No contract offers have come in for him just yet, however. Bailey is looking to return to the NFL three years after being shot in the head.
Raiders, Justin Ellis Agree To Extension
Raiders defensive tackle Justin Ellis has agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth more than $15MM, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal includes more than $6MM in guaranteed cash. 
Ellis was scheduled to reach free agency on Wednesday and ranked as one of PFR’s ten best available interior linemen. Ellis, 27, has been a staple on the Raiders’ defensive line for the last four seasons. Last year, he appeared in every game for Oakland and started in 14 of those contests.
Ellis doesn’t have gaudy stat lines on his resume, but he is a valuable run stuffer at nose tackle. Last season was his best campaign to date, according to Pro Football Focus, as he ranked 45th amongst interior defensive linemen.
In other Raiders news, coach Jon Gruden met with running back Doug Martin this week and came away impressed. Whether the Martin meeting results in a deal or not, it’s probably not a great sign for Marshawn Lynch‘s future with the team.
Steelers To Release Mike Mitchell
The Steelers are expected to release Mike Mitchell next week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). They remain open to bringing him back a reduced salary, however. 
Mitchell was slated to carry a $5MM salary in 2018 which was not workable for the Steelers given their limited room. His so-so season at free safety didn’t help matters either. Mitchell missed three games last season and ranked as just the No. 62 safety in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. At the same time, he was Pittsburgh’s highest-rated safety, per PFF, which underscores their need in the secondary.
Mitchell has been a starter for Pittsburgh over the last four years and, up until last year, he had never missed a game in black and yellow. He’ll attract interest from other teams, but his age (31 in June) and the depth of the free agent safety market may work against him.
Bengals To Decline Adam Jones’ Option
The Bengals have informed cornerback Adam Jones that they won’t be picking up his option, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (on Twitter). However, they would like him back at a cheaper rate to compete as a nickel corner and kick returner. 
This was the expected move, as the Bengals are saving $6MM by declining the veteran’s option. Jones was an effective punt returner last year, averaging 21.8 yards per attempt. He started in all nine of his games at cornerback in an injury-shorted season, but played only 299 snaps. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus rated his season as his worst ever, by a wide margin. He fared better in the previous two seasons, when he ranked as PFF’s No. 37 CB in 2016 and their No. 15 CB in 2015.
Jones will turn 35 in September, but he has said that he wants to continue playing football.
Raiders High On RB Doug Martin
Raiders coach Jon Gruden met with former Bucs running back Doug Martin and came away impressed with him as a person, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds that the Raiders are expected to make a strong push for Martin in free agency. 
The Raiders’ interest in Martin is interesting in light of Marshawn Lynch‘s unclear status with the team. Lynch is slated to earn $4MM in 2018 with up to $4MM in bonuses and it’s possible that the Raiders will move on from him before free agency gets underway.
Martin profiles as more of a complementary ‘back than a primary one in the wake of a down season in Tampa Bay. The 29-year-old missed time due to a PED suspension last year and has averaged just 2.9 yards per carry over the last two campaigns. Gruden likely doesn’t see Martin as a one-for-one replacement for Lynch, but he could be part of a running back by committee approach, one that is less costly than having Lynch at the top of the depth chart. Alternatively, he may view Martin as a solid backup for Beast Mode.
Martin topped 1,400 yards as a rookie and did it again in 2015, but he has not cleared 500 yards in his other four NFL seasons.
Eagles Trade Torrey Smith To Panthers
The Panthers trading cornerback Daryl Worley to the Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Torrey Smith, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal will give the Eagles some cap relief while strengthening their cornerback depth. Meanwhile, the Panthers acquire a proven veteran receiver, something that ranked high on their list of needs this offseason. 
The Eagles were expected decline Smith’s $5MM option and make him a free agent, but they instead found a taker in the Panthers. Smith started 14 games during his only season in Philly, hauling in 36 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns. That marked an improvement over his previous season with the Niners, a year in which he missed one-quarter of the regular season games and caught just 20 passes for 267 yards and three TDs.
Smith, a 2011 second-round pick, made a name for himself in Baltimore where he topped 1,100 yards in the 2013 season and established himself as one of the league’s best deep threats. He no longer looks the part of a top-tier wide receiver, but as he proved last year, he still has some gas in the tank.
Worley appeared in 15 games and started all but one of those contests for the Panthers. He tallied 63 tackles, one sack, and ten passes defensed, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 89 ranked cornerback last season.
Seahawks To Release CB Jeremy Lane
Richard Sherman isn’t the only corner being cut by the Seahawks. Fellow Legion of Boomer Jeremy Lane will also be released today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Lane, 28 in July, saw the most playing time of his career between 2016 and 2017. Although he has made 15 starts over the past two seasons, he has not been a high-level contributor, according to the advanced metrics. Lane graded out as one of the five worst cornerbacks in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lane entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2012 and has been with the club ever since. For his seventh year in the league, he’ll be suiting up elsewhere. His departure from Seattle nearly happened back in October, when the Seahawks agreed to send him to Houston as a part of the Duane Brown deal. Lane’s failed physical forced the two sides to adjust the trade and remove the cornerback from the swap.
By cutting Lane, the Seahawks will save nearly $5MM with $2.5MM in dead money left on the cap.
Titans Cut QB Matt Cassel, WR Eric Weems
The Titans are making moves this week. Quarterback Matt Cassel and wide receiver Eric Weems have been released, according to a press release from the team. They join running back DeMarco Murray and safety Da’Norris Searcy as recent Titans cap casualties. 
Cassell spent two years with the Titans as a backup to Marcus Mariota. He played sparingly and amassed a stat line of 446 yards with three touchdowns against four interceptions with a 59% completion rate. By cutting Cassel, the Titans will clear his entire $2.5MM cap hit from the books.
The release of Weems will free up $1.35MM for the Titans. Weems, 33 in July, was an expected cut this offseason. He served primarily as a deep reserve in 2017 with the occasional appearance on special teams.
Between all four cuts, the Titans have saved approximately $13MM heading into free agency.
Latest On Saints’ Drew Brees
11:10am: There’s some conflicting word on when Brees is permitted to speak with teams. Both the NFL and NFLPA spokesman George Atallah say that Drew Brees can negotiate with other teams starting on Monday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter).
9:08am: The NFL’s “legal tampering” period gets begins on Monday, but unlike most of the league’s pending free agents, Saints quarterback Drew Brees will not be able to speak with teams, according to Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter). That’s because Brees has to wait until his contract voids on March 14 in order to explore the market. 
If the Saints do not strike a new deal with Brees before the start of free agency on Wednesday, they’ll be forced to carry $18MM in dead money against their cap. It is widely expected that an extension will be reached, but the deadline provides Brees with leverage in talks, even though he has already stated that he does not plan on testing the open market. In theory, if the Saints do not give Brees an offer to his liking, he can put New Orleans in a serious cap crunch and go elsewhere.
Realistically, agent Tom Condon has probably heard from rival teams that would be interested in signing his client. Although the legal tampering period is designed to give teams an opportunity to speak with prospective free agents, there’s a great deal of talk that goes down at the NFL combine between agents and teams. Condon may not have set out to talk to clubs about Brees in Indianapolis, but he has certainly heard from GMs with interest and has a rough idea of the offers that would be out there for his client, should he deviate from his plans.
Brees is PFR’s No. 2 ranked player in free agency this year.