Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/24
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Re-signed: WR KhaDarel Hodge, OL Storm Norton
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: S Ar’Darius Washington
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OT Jake Curhan
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: DB C.J. Goodwin
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: LB Kristian Welch
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: RB Trey Sermon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: DT Tershawn Wharton
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Jody Fortson, DL Jonathan Harris
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Trent Sherfield
New York Jets
- Re-signed: OL Jake Hanson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LS Christian Kuntz
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: LB Jack Gibbens
Washington Commanders
- Signed: LB Anthony Pittman
Packers To Re-Sign RB AJ Dillon
AJ Dillon is sticking in Green Bay after all. Following plenty of speculation that the running back could be playing elsewhere in 2024, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that Dillon is expected to re-sign with the Packers.
[RELATED: Packers Expected To Sign RB Josh Jacobs]
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport clarifies that the organization used the “rare” four-year qualifying offer to retain Dillon. This deal allowed the Packers to retain Dillon, and they’ll owe him $1.35MM more than his five-year minimum salary (h/t Matt Schneidman of The Athletic). That would mean Dillon is attached to a $2.6MM deal for the 2024 campaign.
Dillon played sparingly as a rookie, but he’s seen a consistent role on the Packers’ offense over the past three years. The team rolled with the Dillon/Aaron Jones duo for each of those three seasons, but the team’s sudden decision to pivot to Josh Jacobs put the two-headed monster’s Green Bay future in doubt. The team already cut Jones, and Dillon’s free agency made it seem like he wasn’t going to return to the Packers.
Even before the start of free agency, there were rumblings that Dillon wouldn’t be back in Green Bay. As a result, a handful of suitors started to line up for the former second-round pick’s services. We learned yesterday that Dillon was eyeing deals with the Cowboys, Giants, and Colts, and Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report notes that the RB garnered interest from at least two teams.
Instead, Dillon will return to the only NFL team he’s ever played for. Despite generally seeing the same number of touches over the past three seasons, Dillon’s numbers have dropped. After peaking with 1,116 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns (on 221 touches) in 2021, Dillon was limited to only 836 yards from scrimmage and two scores (on 200 touches) in 2023, and that was despite the fact that he started a career-high six games this past season. Despite the downtick in counting stats, Pro Football Focus still ranked Dillon 22nd among 59 qualifying running backs in 2023.
Dillon will likely see a similar role on offense in 2024, although he’ll now be playing behind one of the league’s top workhorse RBs. Still, Jacobs missed at least one game in each of his five seasons with the Raiders, so Dillon will likely be called on to lead the running backs room at some point next year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/24
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OT Hakeem Adeniji
- Re-signed: OL Michael Dunn
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: LS Trent Sieg
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: FB Michael Burton
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: OL Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: CB Corey Ballentine, TE Tyler Davis
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Del’Shawn Phillips
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: S Deon Bush
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: LB William Kwenkeu
New England Patriots
- Re-signed: LB Christian Elliss, OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Re-signed: LS Rick Lovato, P Braden Mann
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: P Cameron Johnston
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Pharaoh Brown
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Saahdiq Charles
Washington Commanders
- Signed: LS Tyler Ott
Giants Declined Opportunity To Match Xavier McKinney Contract
The Giants took a risk by letting Xavier McKinney hit free agency, and the safety ended up bolting for a lucrative deal from the Packers. Before he committed to joining Green Bay, the Giants had “strong interest” in retaining the defensive back, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
However, the front office was leery of handing McKinney the $17MM average annual value he ultimately earned from the Packers. That $17MM AAV puts McKinney in the top five of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL.
The Giants decided to not place the transition tag on McKinney, a decision that would have cost the team $13.8MM. As Schwartz writes, the Giants decided to not tag the safety in a “show of good faith,” although it ended up biting them when the Packers backed in with the Brink’s truck.
However, McKinney was still willing to honor the Giants’ handshake deal. As Schwartz passes along, the safety “did circle back” with the Giants and provided them an opportunity to match Green Bay’s offer. The Giants ultimately “deemed the price was too high for a safety.” We heard previously that the Giants were not prepared to go higher than the transition tag value, meaning there was like a $3MM AAV gap between the two sides.
While McKinney does not have a Pro Bowl on his resume, he is going into his age-25 season. That separated the Alabama alum from the lot of recently released safeties. Ranking 14th on PFR’s free agents list, McKinney played every snap for the Giants last season. McKinney intercepted three passes, forced a fumble and recorded a career-high 116 tackles in his contract year. He has run into some injury trouble, suffering a foot injury that delayed the start of his career in 2020 and then sustaining injuries in an ATV accident in 2022. These chunks of missed games did not deter the Packers, who made one of the biggest free agency commitments in team history.
Packers To Re-Sign CB Keisean Nixon
Tuesday afternoon is providing developments on the slot cornerback market. Minutes after Kenny Moore‘s Colts deal came to pass, the Packers have an agreement in place to retain their inside cover man.
Keisean Nixon is staying in Green Bay on a three-year deal worth $18MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The cornerback/return man’s contract can max out at $19.2MM.
The Packers came into the 2022 season with a play to move Rasul Douglas to the slot to accommodate Eric Stokes. Nixon emerged midway through that season as a regular, following Stokes’ season-ending injury, and came into last year solidified in the slot role. With Stokes unable to shake off injuries, the Packers will make a commitment to another of Jaire Alexander‘s CB sidekicks.
Nixon gives the Packers an interesting weapon, as he plays regularly on defense and resides as one of the NFL’s best return men. The former UDFA has scored back-to-back first-team All-Pro nods for return work. Contributing as a punt returner as well, Nixon led the NFL in kick-return yardage in 2022 and ’23, notching a return TD two seasons ago. While kick-return work is not nearly as prominent as it once was due to NFL rule changes designed to minimize that particular play, Nixon has been the game’s best recently.
The versatile performer’s coverage numbers were better in 2022, but the ex-Raider spent more time on defense last season. The Packers gave Nixon 809 snaps in 2023 — up by nearly 600 from his 2022 cameo. Pro Football Focus ranked him just outside the top 80 among corners. But Green Bay has a dual-threat player locked down through 2026, getting him signed at a reasonable rate months after sending Douglas’ $7MM-per-year deal to Buffalo.
Vikings Interested In RB Aaron Jones; Packers Offered Pay Cut
One of the busiest days involving starting running backs in the position’s history, Monday may feature another move. At least, one appears in play.
The Vikings are interested in longtime Packers RB Aaron Jones, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Matt Schneidman report. This would be an interesting fit, as Minnesota moved on from its 2017 RB draftee — Dalvin Cook — last year. The Vikings also moved on from their Cook replacement option, Alexander Mattison, creating some uncertainty atop the depth chart.
Green Bay attempted to retain Jones, but Schneidman indicates that came with a significant pay-cut offer. The Packers wanted Jones to reduce his salary by at least 50%. Jones passed, but the Packers gave Josh Jacobs the same $12MM-AAV accord they once gave Jones (back in 2021). Jones declined the Packers’ final offer Friday, leading to today’s release.
The Vikings are certainly familiar with Jones, having played against the fifth-round success story a number of times since his 2017 debut. Jones joined Cook as one of this era’s most productive backs, being a better option through the air.
Jones battled through knee and hamstring injuries last season but delivered for the Pack down the stretch. The 29-year-old back ripped off five straight 100-yard rushing games to both secure Green Bay playoff entry and then power the team to the precipice of the NFC title game. Although Packers GM Brian Gutekunst expected Jones to be back for an eighth season in Wisconsin, the pay-cut attempt led to a separation.
Ty Chandler remains on the Vikings’ roster; two seasons are left on the end-of-season starter’s rookie contract. Many teams also filled their RB slots today, with the likes of Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, Devin Singletary, Antonio Gibson and Austin Ekeler finding homes. Jones showed in January he remains a high-end talent, but he will turn 30 before next season ends. His next contract, despite what Jacobs and Barkley fetched today, will not approach the four-year, $48MM Packers pact he once signed.
But it would still obviously be interesting if the longtime Packer starter landed in Minnesota and enjoyed the opportunity to face his former team twice in 2024.
Packers, S Xavier McKinney Agree To Deal
A number of teams released veteran safeties in recent days, creating a sense the position was in for a value dip. Xavier McKinney‘s market would run counter to that notion, as it took a top-five safety contract to win this sweepstakes.
The Packers will come through with the victory here, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reporting the team is signing McKinney to a four-year, $68MM contract. This surpasses what the Falcons gave Jessie Bates last year and checks in behind only Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick at the position in terms of AAV.
[RELATED: Packers To Sign Josh Jacobs]
Helping to bring the former second-round pick to Wisconsin: McKinney will receive $25MM in the first year of this deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The Giants were not prepared to go higher than the transition tag value, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds. The Packers, conversely, reached the AAV level near the franchise tag number for safeties.
The Giants considered transition-tagging McKinney; that would have cost the team $13.8MM. The Patriots went there to keep Kyle Dugger off the market, but the Giants were leery of losing McKinney in a scenario in which they did not receive a compensatory pick back. Instead, the Giants are saying goodbye to both McKinney and Saquon Barkley, who has committed to the Eagles.
While McKinney does not have a Pro Bowl on his resume, he is going into his age-25 season. That separated the Alabama alum from the lot of recently released safeties. Ranking 14th on PFR’s free agents list, McKinney played every snap for the Giants last season. McKinney intercepted three passes, forced a fumble and recorded a career-high 116 tackles in his contract year. He has run into some injury trouble, suffering a foot injury that delayed the start of his career in 2020 and then sustaining injuries in an ATV accident in 2022. These chunks of missed games did not deter the Packers, who are making one of the biggest free agency commitments in team history.
Green Bay let Darnell Savage walk in free agency; the ex-first-rounder joined the Jaguars. This left safety as the only place on the Packers’ defense without a former first-round pick in place. McKinney is close, being drafted 36th overall in 2020. The Giants will have some work to do here, having lost McKinney and Julian Love in consecutive offseasons. The Packers will add a potential impact player on their defensive back line.
Packers To Release RB Aaron Jones
In a move which comes as no surprise given Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs deal, Aaron Jones is on the way out. The latter has been informed by the Packers he will be released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The move has now officially taken place, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. As such, Jones is free to sign at any time.
The Packers and Jones were able to work out a pay-cut agreement last year, but the sides could not come to terms after recent negotiations. Green Bay may well have wanted Jones to take another cut, having attempted to bring down his cap number recently. Failing to reach a resolution will help bring Josh Jacobs to Wisconsin and send Jones to a market that has seen big movement today. This will not be a post-June 1 cut, per OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald.
Jones accepted a $5MM trim in exchange for 2023 guarantees; that reworking inflated his 2024 cap number to $17.6MM. The Packers did not want to go into free agency with that number on their payroll, so they will sever one of the longest-tenured RB partnerships in franchise history. Jones rewarded the Pack on his four-year, $48MM deal from 2021, and although last season featured multiple injuries, the former fifth-round pick zoomed to five straight 100-yard games to close out the season. That certainly played a major role in the Packers reaching the divisional round, where they pushed the eventual NFC champion 49ers to the brink.
Excelling in the passing game and on the ground, Jones has been one of the NFL’s best backs over the past several seasons. He does join a host of big-name RBs in being released or seeing their pay reduced in recent years. Jones will follow Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook in being cut from an eight-figure-AAV contract over the past year. Other backs — Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, Antonio Gibson, Devin Singletary and D’Andre Swift — have found homes already, thinning out the market. But Jones still should have a chance to start somewhere due to his talent.
Jones, 29, made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and totaled 1,500-plus scrimmage yards in 2019 and ’23. He helped a Packers team featuring next to no skill-position experience last season. Jacobs will provide that, but that move comes after GM Brian Gutekunst said he expected Jones to be back in 2024. The team is not expected to re-sign AJ Dillon, leading to a new era in the Green Bay backfield.
Packers Expected To Sign RB Josh Jacobs
A Josh Jacobs-Raiders reunion will not take place. The former rushing champion is expected to join the Packers, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The four-year deal is worth $48MM, the pair report in a follow-up. 
Vegas had an offer on the table as of earlier today, proving the team’s intention of working out a multi-year deal. The threat of free agent departure has existed since last offseason, of course, when Jacobs received the franchise tag and talks on a new deal did not produce an agreement.
Vegas ultimately ended Jacobs’ training camp holdout by agreeing to a revised one-year deal which upped the value of the tag slightly. Coming off his best season, expectations were high in 2023 for the former first-rounder. However, he produced a career low in rushing yards (805) and yards per carry (3.5).
In spite of that, Jacobs represented one of the top backs on the market. The 26-year-old sat in the middle of the pack in terms of age amongst high-profile options who were available, many have whom have quickly landed deals. Terms of the Jacobs deal are roughly in line with many other notable RB deals given out today given the nature of the 2024 market, but to little surprise he has topped the list in terms of length and total value. The Alabama product will immediately take on an every-down role in Green Bay.
For a brief period on Monday, it appeared the Packers would have both Jacobs and incumbent starter Aaron Jones in the fold. However, the latter has been released after attempts to work out a pay cut fell through. With AJ Dillon set to depart in free agency, plenty of backfield carries and targets will be heading Jacobs’ way in 2024. Green Bay enjoyed success on the ground late in the season and into the playoffs, and continuing that production will be a key priority.
Doing so will take on a different dynamic with Jacobs (and not Jones) leading the way, not to mention the O-line departures which the Packers have seen. In any case, Green Bay’s offense will be built in large part on the ground game during Jordan Love‘s second year as a starter.
Packers To Release LT David Bakhtiari
For some time now, David Bakhtiari has been expected to be released by the Packers. The All-Pro left tackle confirmed that is the route being taken by Green Bay in a social media post on Monday.
This move has been expected for a while, as Bakhtiari’s body has betrayed him over the course of the monster contract he signed during the 2020 season. A New Year’s Eve knee injury sustained in practice that year re-routed the All-Pro’s career, and after more knee trouble came in 2023, the Packers are rebooting at left tackle.
The Packers will save just more than $20MM by cutting Bakhtiari, who was due to count more than $40MM on Green Bay’s 2024 cap. Although no void years are present in this contract, past restructures ballooned that 2024 total. Bakhtiari was set to make $20.2MM in 2024 base salary. A post-June 1 move would increase the cap savings here, dividing the $19.1MM in dead money over two offseasons. The Packers, however, took their medicine on Aaron Rodgers in one year. They may well do the same with his longtime blindside protector.
Since that seminal knee injury, Bakhtiari has missed 39 regular-season games and five playoff contests. He spent most of the 2021 season out of action, only returning for a handful of snaps in Week 18. Work in that meaningless contest led to Bakhtiari sitting in the Packers’ divisional-round follow-up, a loss to the 49ers. Bakhtiari returned to a high performance level in 2022, playing 11 games, but was only able to suit up for one last season.
A five-time All-Pro (two first teams), Bakhtiari thrived after being a third-round Packers pick back in 2013. He was in uniform for three NFC championship games. His absence against the Buccaneers in 2020 became glaring, as Tampa Bay’s edge rushers teed off on Rodgers in the second half that day. Bakhtiari still did well to collect a four-year, $92MM extension weeks before his knee injury in 2020. The Packers, unfortunately, did not get much from that investment.
Green Bay primarily used Rasheed Walker in Bakhtiari’s place last season, keeping former sub Elgton Jenkins entrenched at guard. Pro Football Focus ranked Walker 44th among tackles last season. The former seventh-round pick could certainly be an option, but it would also make sense for the team to make a bigger investment — perhaps in a tackle-rich draft — to succeed Bakhtiari, who would be going into his age-33 season. Despite five knee surgeries, the decorated left tackle had not indicated he was preparing a retirement. The Jets could be in play for Bakhtiari, but it would be with the understanding he would compete for the LT role rather than being handed the gig.