Contract Details: JPP, Cousins, Weatherly
Deals are coming in quickly, so we’ve compiled some important contract details below:
- DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Buccaneers: two years. Deal is worth $25MM, and could be worth up to $26MM ($12.5MM/season, up to $1MM in incentives). Via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter.
- DE Stephen Weatherly, Panthers: two years, $12.5MM. Deal includes $6.25MM guaranteed, $4MM signing bonus. Annual per-game active roster bonus up to $100K, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings: two-year, $66MM extension. Effectively now three-year, $96MM deal. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com observes, this gives Cousins the highest AAV at his position ($32MM, bumping Russell Wilson‘s $31.4MM).
- DE Arik Armstead, 49ers: five-year, $85MM extension. Includes voidable sixth year, allowing team to lower cap number. $6MM cap number in first year, $12.5MM in second year, $20MM+ in 2022 through 2024. All via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter.
- QB A.J. McCarron, Texans: re-signed. One-year, $4MM deal, including $3.75MM guaranteed. Via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter.
- DE Mario Addison, Bills: three years. Worth $30.45MM, including $15.25MM guaranteed. $14MM in first year of deal. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- QB Nate Sudfeld, Eagles: re-signed. One-year, $2MM deal, including $500K guaranteed. Another $1MM in incentives. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- TE Blake Jarwin, Cowboys: three years, $24.25MM. Includes $4MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $2.25MM (2020), $3.5MM (2021), $4.5MM (2022), $5.5MM (2023). From 2021 through 2023, there are active roster bonuses totaling $750K and escalators maxing out at $750K per season. Via ESPN’s Todd Archer on Twitter.
Bills To Sign LB Tyler Matakevich
The Bills have agreed to sign linebacker Tyler Matakevich, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The former Steelers special teams ace is set to earn $9MM over the course of the two-year deal.
Matakevich isn’t a household name, but he was a key component of the Steelers’ third facet. The bigger blow, of course, came earlier this week when the Eagles agreed to sign defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a three-year, $39MM deal with $29MM guaranteed. On the plus side, they’ve cuffed outside linebacker Bud Dupree via the tag.
Matakevich, a seventh-round pick in 2016, has spent his entire pro career to date with the Steelers.
Bills To Sign Mario Addison
The Bills have agreed to a three-year deal with defensive end Mario Addison, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal is yet another example of the power of networking – Buffalo’s “Carolina North” leadership was happy to reunite with the veteran.
Addison is coming up on his age-33 season, but he’s shown that he has plenty of football left in the tank. Last year, he tallied 9.5 sacks. And, in each of the past four seasons, he’s had at least nine sacks. His durability isn’t in question, either – he’s missed just one game over the past three years with strong attendance dating back to his first season as an NFL regular with the Panthers back in 2013.
Addison will help soften the blow after the Bills lost Shaq Lawson to the Dolphins. He might not be a one-for-one replacement, but he should be able to keep the pressure on, alongside Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy, and the rest of the gang.
Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.
Cardinals To Sign Jordan Phillips
The Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The former Bills defender has inked a three-year deal worth $40MM with $18.5MM guaranteed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Technically, it’s a four-year deal, but Phillips is really only ticketed for three since the 2023 season will be voided if he is on the roster five days after the 2022 season’s Super Bowl is played.
The incumbent Bills didn’t make a major play to keep Phillips. They drafted Ed Oliver at No. 9 overall last year, they have promising 2018 third-rounder Harrison Phillips coming back from injury, and they’re set to retain Star Lotulelei for a third season. Other clubs would have considered Phillips as a franchise tag candidate, but the Bills were in a unique position and allowed him to walk.
Phillips enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in Buffalo. The Bills claimed former second-round pick off waivers from the Dolphins in 2018, and he went on to become a key component of the Bills’ elite pass D. Last year, he tallied 9.5 sacks – nearly double the amount he totaled between all of 2016, 2017, and 2018. He also had 16 quarterback hits. The advanced metrics weren’t fond of his work (Phillips ranked just No. 103 out of 113 qualified interior defenders) but NFL evaluators, especially those in Arizona, didn’t mind.
Vikings Trade WR Stefon Diggs To Bills
We’ve got our second major wide receiver trade of the day. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reports (via Twitter) that the Vikings are trading star wideout Stefon Diggs to the Bills. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has full details on the swap (Twitter link):
- To Minnesota: 2020 1st-round pick, 2020 5th-round pick, 2020 6th-round pick, 2021 4th-round pick
- To Buffalo: Diggs, 2020 7th-round pick
A Diggs trade has felt inevitable for some time, as the wideout has bounced in and out of trade rumors. In fact, earlier today, the wideout hinted that “somethings going to happen” and “it’s time for a new beginning.” That led to whispers that the Seahawks and Vikings were discussing a trade. Well, after months of social media hints, it appears that the receiver finally got his wish.
During each of his five years in the NFL, Diggs has hauled in at least 50 receptions and at least 700 receiving yards. He finished the 2019 campaign with a career-high 1,130 receiving yards and six scores on 63 receptions. The 26-year-old still has four seasons remaining on his contract with a base value of $45.1MM (per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter).
The Bills have been hunting for a big-name wide receiver to pair with quarterback Josh Allen for more than a year. Last offseason, it sounded like the team was set to acquire Antonio Brown, but the star ended up squashing that deal. Instead, the organization watched as John Brown reemerged into a 1,000-yard receiver, and Brown will team up with Diggs to form one of the top receiver duos in the league.
The Vikings will open up a chunk of cap space, which is (ironically) relevant after the team extended quarterback Kirk Cousins earlier today. The team will now move forward with Adam Thielen as their clear-cut, number-one wideout in 2020.
Earlier today, the Texans shocked the NFL when they sent star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals. In exchange, Houston received a package highlighted by running back David Johnson and a second-rounder.
Bills Sign LB A.J. Klein
A.J. Klein is heading to Buffalo. The former Saints linebacker is inking a three-year, $18MM deal with the Bills, according to SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The deal contains $9.7MM in guaranteed money.
Klein spent the first four seasons of his career with the Panthers, where he worked under current Bills head coach Sean McDermott (who was serving as defensive coordinator at the time). Klein signed a three-year deal with the Saints prior to the 2017 season, and he evolved into a full-time starter during his stint in New Orleans.
The 28-year-old continued to produce during his three seasons with the Saints, including a 2019 campaign where he compiled 69 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interceptions,and one forced fumble.
Earlier today, Caplan had tweeted that the Bills continued to look for a starting linebacker to pair with Matt Milano. The team apparently found their target in Klein, meaning they won’t have to dedicate valuable draft assets towards the position.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/20
Monday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.
RFAs
Tendered at original-round level:
- Bengals: TE Cethan Carter, G Alex Redmond, DT Josh Tupou, S Brandon Wilson
- Broncos: WR Tim Patrick
- Dolphins: LB Vince Biegel, P Matt Haack
- Raiders: QB Nathan Peterman, LB Nicholas Morrow
- Seahawks: WR David Moore, C Joey Hunt, DE Branden Jackson
Non-tendered:
- Bills: WR Isaiah McKenzie
- Dolphins: S Adrian Colbert, LB Deon Lacey
- Eagles: RB Corey Clement
- Giants: C Jon Halapio
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Broncos: S Trey Marshall, WR Diontae Spencer, CB Shakial Taylor
- Browns: Pharaoh Brown, RB Dontrell Hilliard, WR KhaDarel Hodge
- Chiefs: G Andrew Wylie
- Colts: DB Rolan Milligan
- Lions: CB Dee Virgin
- Ravens: RB Gus Edwards
Non-tendered:
- Chiefs: TE David Wells
CB Rumors: Harris, Bills, Jones, Dolphins, Trufant, Jets
The latest on key cornerbacks from around the NFL:
- The Jets remain zeroed in on James Bradberry, but they’re also in the hunt for a second free agent cornerback. That search could lead them to Desmond Trufant, Connor Hughes of The Athletic tweets. Trufant will be cut loose by at Atlanta this week.
- The Dolphins are among the clubs that have discussed impending Dallas free agent Byron Jones, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. You can add Miami to the list of previously reported suitors for Jones, which includes the Jets, Raiders, and Eagles.
- More from Anderson (via Twitter), who notes that the Bills are now in on veteran Chris Harris. They join the Cowboys, Bills, Jets, Raiders, and other clubs in search of the experienced secondary help that Harris would provide.
AFC East Rumors: Jets, Bell, Butler, Norman
The Jets are widely expected to be active in free agency, and now that a new CBA has been approved, they can increase their ability to spend by designating Trumaine Johnson as a post-June 1 cut. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com takes a look at the players that Gang Green is expected to target, and unsurprisingly, some of this year’s most prolific O-lineman, edge rushers, and cornerbacks are on the list.
But what are the Jets’ fallback plans if they can’t land their top targets? Connor Hughes of The Athletic has heard that the team could pursue Eagles OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and if the Jets miss out on guards like Graham Glasgow and Joe Thuney, Hughes says they have looked into Panthers guard Greg Van Roten.
Now for more from the AFC East:
- The Jets would like to retain WR Robby Anderson, but if his price tag gets too high, both Hughes and Cimini believe Breshad Perriman would be a target. Perriman offers field-stretching ability and had a strong finish to the 2019 season with the Bucs.
- Jets RB Le’Veon Bell receives a $2MM roster bonus today. As Cimini points out, that bonus makes it a little less likely that Bell is traded, though that never seemed like a realistic proposition to begin with.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes the Patriots are prepared to move on from WR Phillip Dorsett, though it’s a different story for Adam Butler. The fourth-year DT recently switched agents, and Reiss says extension talks could be on tap. Butler, a former UDFA, recorded six sacks last season.
- The details are in on Josh Norman‘s new contract with the Bills, courtesy of Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter), The deal was originally reported as a one-year, $6MM pact that could increase to $8MM with incentives, but Norman has a number of workout and roster milestones to hit before he collects the full $6MM. His salary is just $2.8MM, $1.5MM of which is guaranteed.
Bills Re-Sign TE Jason Croom
Jason Croom is re-signing with the Bills. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the tight end is inking a new one-year deal with Buffalo. Croom was an exclusive rights free agent.
Croom joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2017. After bouncing between the practice squad and active roster during his rookie campaign, Croom finally had a chance to contribute in 2018. He ultimately led all Bills tight ends with 22 receptions, 259 yards, and one touchdown (he also had a pair of fumbles).
Croom dealt with a hamstring injury for much of last year’s offseason workouts, and the injury ultimately forced him to be placed on the injured reserve. As a result, the 26-year-old didn’t end up getting into a single game last season.
Croom will be re-joining a relatively deep tight ends corps in Buffalo. The current depth chart is led by the likes of Dawson Knox, Tyler Kroft, and Lee Smith.