Contract Details: Britt, Wagner, Broncos
Let’s take a look at the details of some recently signed free agent contracts:
- Kenny Britt‘s four-year Browns deal will provide the ninth-year wide receiver with $10.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Britt will collect $17MM over the first two seasons of this deal, Caplan reports.
- The Lions‘ lavish accord for Ricky Wagner raises the right tackle ceiling, although the base salaries in this contract don’t reflect that early. Wagner will see $3MM in base salary in 2017 and ’18 before those figures spike to $9MM per year from 2019-21, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. Wagner’s deal provides $17.5MM in true guarantees, with his 2018 salary being fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the ’18 league year, per Birkett. Wagner’s 2019 base salary is guaranteed against injury. He received a $14.5MM signing bonus, while the former Raven’s cap hits will be $5.9MM in each of the next two seasons.
- D.J. Fluker‘s one-year Giants pact is expected to be worth $3MM, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports. That’s quite a bit lower than what the Chargers would have paid him ($8.82MM) if they kept him after picking up his fifth-year option.
- Menelik Watson‘s three-year, $18.75MM Broncos accord will give the British blocker $5.375MM in fully guaranteed money at signing, Mike Klis of 9News reports. Watson received a $4MM signing bonus. The former Raider will have a $5.5MM guaranteed-against-injury salary in 2018 and is due a nonguaranteed $5.5MM amount in 2019.
- Ronald Leary‘s four-year contract with the Broncos also comes with a fully guaranteed 2018 salary, which will pay former Cowboy $7.65MM for his age-29 season, per Klis. Leary is slated to make $8.15MM in 2019 and ’20, respectively. His 2019 base salary is guaranteed against injury only, with the ’20 slate being nonguaranteed.
- Russell Shepard‘s three-year Panthers deal will be worth $10.5MM, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports. The contract includes a $2MM signing bonus and $2.5MM guaranteed. Laine notes the former Bucs wideout will make $4MM in 2017.
- Sealver Siliga‘s one-year Buccaneers deal can max out at $1.5MM, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The contract contains a $200K signing bonus and a $100K roster bonus for the nomadic defensive lineman.
NFC Contract Details: Fairley, Peppers, Reiff
Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed NFC contracts:
- Nick Fairley, DL (Saints): Four years, $28MM. $14MM guaranteed. $8MM signing bonus. Base salaries of $1MM, $4.25MM, $5.95MM, $5.95MM (Twitter link via Wilson). $500K available yearly in sack incentives (link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).
- Captain Munnerlyn, CB (Panthers): Four years, $17MM. $8MM guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus. $1MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune).
- Julius Peppers, DL (Panthers): One year, $3.5MM. $750K available via incentives (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com).
- Riley Reiff, T (Vikings): Five years, $58.75MM. $26.3MM guaranteed. $11MM signing bonus (Twitter links via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com). Annual $500K Pro Bowl escalator clause (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Mike Remmers, T (Vikings): Five years, $30MM. $10.5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune).
- Dion Sims, TE (Bears): Three years, $18MM. $6MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com).
- Stefen Wisniewski, OL (Eagles): Three years, $9MM. $3.25MM guaranteed. $1.75MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer)
Panthers To Sign Captain Munnerlyn
The Panthers have agreed to sign cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It’s a four-year deal, reports Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link). 
The newest member of the Panthers, wide receiver Charles Johnson, revealed Friday that he bumped into Munnerlyn at the team’s facilities, per David Newton of ESPN.com. Munnerlyn told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) earlier today that he’d probably sign a new deal by the end of Friday.
Munnerlyn is now signed up for his second stint with the organization. The Panthers selected Munnerlyn in the seventh round of the 2009 draft, and he stuck with them through the 2013 season. Munnerlyn spent the previous three seasons as Johnson’s teammate in Minnesota.
Munnerlyn, who ranked as PFR’s No. 11 free agent corner, is strictly a slot man, but he’s an excellent one. Carolina finished 11th in pass defense DVOA last year even after losing Josh Norman, and Munnerlyn will now team with James Bradberry and Daryl Worley in a rapidly improving unit. The Panthers already addressed their secondary earlier today, agreeing to terms with veteran safety Mike Adams.
Panthers Sign WR Charles Johnson
The Panthers have cornered the market on NFLers named Charles Johnson. After re-signing the defensive end earlier this week, the team has announced a deal with the wide receiver of the same name. The latter will earn $2.2MM on a one-year pact, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
A seventh-round pick of the Packers in 2013, the wideout debuted with the Vikings a year later and posted 31 receptions, 475 yards and two touchdowns on 59 targets as a rookie. He wasn’t able to match that production in either of the previous two seasons in Minnesota, though, and is now coming off a scoreless, 20-catch campaign. Johnson did set career highs in appearances (16) and starts (seven) in 2016, however.
With the additions of Johnson and Russell Shepard, the Panthers have signed two receivers Friday. They’ll join Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess, among others, in a Carolina receiving corps that lost Ted Ginn to the Saints on Thursday.
Panthers Sign Russell Shepard
The Panthers have signed free agent wide receiver Russell Shepard to a three-year deal, reports David Newton of ESPN.com. Shepard was a popular free agent in this cycle, drawing interest from six teams in total. 
The incumbent Buccaneers, Bills, and Lions also worked to sign Shepard this week. Reportedly, some of the teams interested in Shepard believed that he could be a No. 3 receiver, with a chance of being a No. 2 WR. Other clubs reportedly offered to make him “one of the highest-paid special-teams players in the league with multiple offensive packages.”
Shepard showed what he could do on offense last season, recording 23 receptions for 341 yards and two touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers use the former Bucs special teams captain.
The Panthers wide receiver depth chart is now headlined by Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, and Russell Shepard. Brenton Bersin and Damiere Byrd currently project to hold the WR4 and WR5 spots, but lots can change between now and September. Wide receiver Laron Byrd was not retained as restricted free agent and Philly Brown is meeting with other teams.
Panthers Trade DE Kony Ealy To Patriots
The Panthers are trading defensive end Kony Ealy and a third-round pick (No. 72) to the Patriots in exchange for New England’s second-round pick (No. 64), reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
Ealy had played his entire three-year career with the Panthers since being selected in the second-round of the 2014 draft. The 25-year-old has only missed one regular season game during his career, and he’s started a combined 15 games over the past two years. The defensive end has compiled exactly 32 tackles and five sacks in each of the past two seasons, and he’s added another five forced fumbles during that time.
The Patriots could certainly use some help at defensive end as they search for a player to play opposite Trey Flowers. Ealy would presumably slide into the starting lineup over Geneo Grissom, or Rob Ninkovich could theoretically return to the position. New England could also bring back free agent Jabaal Sheard, but those slim chances have seemingly declined following this trade.
On the flip side, the Panthers have plenty of depth at the position after re-signing Charles Johnson. Mario Addison figures to start alongside Johnson, with Wes Horton, Ryan Delaire, and Larry Webster serving as backups.
Panthers Sign Mike Adams
Mike Adams has found a new home. NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the safety has signed a two-year deal with the Panthers.
We learned earlier this week that the soon-to-be 36-year-old wouldn’t be returning to Indy, as the Colts were interested in younger targets. The Panthers apparently weren’t too worried about his age, and for good reason. After bouncing around the NFL, Adams caught on with the Colts in 2014 and proceeded to make a pair of Pro Bowls. He had another strong season in 2016, compiling 79 tackles, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions in 15 games.
Adams will be joining a Panthers safety corps that includes Tre Boston, Kurt Coleman, Colin Jones, Dean Marlowe, and Travell Dixon.
Adams was named the No. 14 safety on PFR’s positional free agent ranks,
Panthers Sign Julius Peppers
The Panthers are bringing back Julius Peppers back home, agent Carl Carey tweets. The discussions between the two sides were first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter). 
Peppers, 37, spent the first eight years of his career with the Panthers. In Carolina, he earned five Pro Bowl selections and three First-Team All-Pro nods. He is one of the greatest players in franchise history and he’ll now get to finish his career where it all started.
Of course, a Peppers return is more than just a feel good story. Even at this stage of his career, Peppers is still a very effective player. Last year, he appeared in all 16 regular season games (11 starts) for the Packers and recorded 7.5 sacks. He also started in all three of Green Bay’s playoff games.
All in all, he was on the field for 715 snaps in the regular season and he appears to be as durable as ever. Peppers has only missed two games in his career due to injury (sprained MCL, 2007). He was out of action for four games in his rookie season, but that was due to a suspension.
Peppers played a variety of positions during his tenure in Green Bay, so it’s logical that he could slot in at defensive end, linebacker, or even defensive tackle. The Panthers have a trio of first-rounders manning linebacker, so it’s unlikely that he’ll start there. It’s more likely that he’ll start at defensive end, where he’ll be competing with Mario Addison and Kony Ealy for snaps.
PFR ranked Peppers as the seventh-best free agent edge defender.
Lions Host WR Philly Brown On Visit
Panthers free agent wide receiver Corey Brown is visiting the Lions, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The team was previously connected to free agent wideout Andre Roberts.
The former undrafted free agent has spent his entire three-year career in Carolina. The wideout ultimately started 22 games during his tenure with the Panthers, catching 79 passes for 1,019 yards and seven touchdowns. The 25-year-old also has 16 career rushing attempts for 139 yards. “Philly” appeared in all 16 games (eight starts) last season, hauling in 27 receptions for 276 yards and one touchdown.
Brown could provide some depth behind Marvin Jones and Golden Tate in Detroit. The receiver would presumably compete with T.J. Jones, Jace Billingsley, and Ryan Spadola for additional targets.
Panthers Looking To Sign Russell Shepard
The Panthers are “working on signing” wideout Russell Shepard, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It’s realistic the two sides will reach an agreement, a league source tells Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
The former special teamer emerged as an offensive threat for the Buccaneers last season. After having collected seven receptions through his first four seasons in the league, Shepard hauled in 23 catches for 341 yards and two touchdowns last year. In 57 career games, the 26-year-old has added another 32 tackles. Shepard was the Buccaneers special teams captain the past two seasons.
The Panthers are presumably pursuing Shepard for his special teams prowess, but he could also slide into the team’s wide receiver depth chart. The veteran could compete with Damiere Byrd to play behind Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, and Brenton Bersin.