49ers Place Second-Round RFA Tender On WR Jauan Jennings
Wideout Jauan Jennings is a restricted free agent, and the 49ers are assuring some kind of compensation if he signs elsewhere. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the 49ers have placed a second-round tender on Jennings.
[RELATED: 49ers Eyeing Extension For WR Jauan Jennings]
Jennings will now be tied to a one-year deal worth $4.89MM thanks to the tender. The wideout could still join another team if he signs an unmatched offer sheet, although that’d require a suitor to sacrifice a second-round selection to the 49ers.
The second-round tender always seemed like the likeliest route for the organization. San Francisco could have tendered Jennings at his original-round level ($3.12MM), but an unmatched offer sheet would have only resulted in a seventh-rounder as compensation.
The former seventh-round pick has spent his entire career with the 49ers, appearing in 45 games across three seasons. Jennings has settled into the WR3 role behind Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, although that’s still led to plenty of targets. Jennings had a career year in 2022, finishing with 35 catches for 416 yards and one touchdown. His numbers took a bit of a step back in 2023 (19 catches, 265 yards), but Jennings turned it on in the playoffs. In three games, the receiver hauled in 10 catches for 111 yards and a score.
John Lynch previously implied that the 49ers could explore an extension with Jennings, and today’s move doesn’t do anything to reduce those chances. Still, the receiver will have to juggle a long-term commitment vs. a near-$5MM salary for 2024.
Bengals Agree To Deal With DT Sheldon Rankins
The Bengals are set to add some reinforcement on their defensive line. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the team is closing in on an agreement with free agent defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. The agreement is expected to be finalized tonight. Indeed, a two-year deal is now in place which will pay Rankins $26MM, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
[RELATED: DT D.J. Reader To Meet With Lions]
Following a two-year stint with the Jets, Rankins inked a one-year, $10.5MM deal with the Texans last offseason. He ended up starting all 15 of his appearances for Houston, finishing with 37 tackles, one forced fumble, and six sacks, with that latter stat marking his highest total since the 2018 campaign. Even with that newfound pass-rush ability, Rankins only ranked 51st on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings.
The former first-round pick brings plenty of experience to Cincinnati. Rankins has appeared in 109 games with the Saints, Jets, and Texans, compiling 228 tackles and 29.5 sacks. After serving as a rotational piece during his final seasons in New Orleans and first year in New York, Rankins has emerged as a starter in recent years.
The Bengals have been in the market for some “firepower up front,” according to Fowler. The organization does still possess some depth at DT; B.J. Hill has started 33 games over the past two seasons, while Zach Carter has been a worthy injury fill-in with 14 starts in 33 games.
Still, the Bengals are assuring they have a full depth chart up front, and despite adding Rankins to the mix, the front office may not be done. Fowler adds that the Bengals are also still interested in retaining D.J. Reader, although the free agent defensive tackle is currently on his way to Detroit to meet with the Lions.
Titans To Re-Sign K Nick Folk
Nick Folk is sticking in Tennessee for another season. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the veteran kicker is re-signing with the Titans.
Folk is inking a one-year, $3.755MM deal that can max out at $4.13MM via incentives. Folk played out the 2023 campaign on the final season of a two-year, $5MM extension he signed with the Patriots back in 2022.
The Titans were the fifth team that Folk added to his NFL resume, as he was traded to Tennessee from New England last offseason. During his age-39 season, Folk ended up having one of the most efficient seasons of his career. He converted a league-leading 96.7 percent of his field goal attempts, and he hit 28 of his 30 XP tries.
Kickoffs were a concern during Folk’s final season in New England. The veteran took on the responsibility in 2022 after Jake Bailey went down with injury, but the Patriots eventually had to promote another kicker to handle the duties. He rebounded a bit in Tennessee; after only 9.1 percent of his kickoffs resulted in a touchback in 2022, that number improved to 50.8 percent this past season.
With at least another season under his belt, Folk can continue to climb the NFL’s all-time scoring list. Folk currently sits 23rd all time, and he’s fourth among active players (behind Mason Crosby, Matt Prater, and Justin Tucker).
Eric Kendricks Will Join Cowboys, Not 49ers
After reportedly agreeing to a one-year contract with the 49ers earlier today, veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks will instead sign with the Cowboys. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Kendricks had a change of heart, preferring to play in Dallas. 
Kendricks was a cap casualty a week ago, getting released from his two-year contract with the Chargers after finishing second on the team in tackles. The nine-year veteran had secured $6.63MM per year after leaving Minnesota for the first time and rewarded Los Angeles with 117 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and six passes defensed. Pro Football Focus graded Kendricks as the 25th best linebacker in the NFL.
A key presence at middle linebacker during the Vikings’ Mike Zimmer era, Kendricks was tied to an eight-figure-per-year Minnesota deal two seasons ago. Kendricks, 32, has put together eight straight seasons with 100-plus tackles, mixing in 18.5 career sacks. He earned first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2019, helping the Vikings to the divisional round, while starting for four playoff teams from 2015-22.
Kendricks was set to add some depth at linebacker in San Francisco. The 49ers fielded one of the NFL’s better defenses last year but were thrown for a loop when Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl last year. San Francisco will now be forced to look elsewhere for that depth.
Instead, Kendricks is set to reunite with Zimmer, who takes over as defensive coordinator in Dallas this offseason. Zimmer sought an upgrade at middle linebacker on a defense that was stout against the pass but middling against the run. Kendricks should slot in as a starter between Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch, ceding time here and there to Damone Clark. Due to his experience with Zimmer, though, expect Kendricks to play a larger role in Dallas.
Cardinals To Sign OT Jonah Williams
The Cardinals have already found a replacement for D.J. Humphries. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals are expected to sign offensive tackle Jonah Williams.
[RELATED: Cardinals Release OT D.J. Humphries]
Williams is inking a two-year deal worth $30MM. According to Rapoport, Arizona was the free agent’s preferred landing spot.
Williams returned from his 2022 postseason knee injury to start all 17 Bengals games this past season. Pro Football Focus graded him only 59th among offensive tackles, although the lineman could get some benefit of the doubt thanks to an unexpected position change.
The Bengals blindsided Williams last year by signing Orlando Brown Jr. to a $16MM-per-year deal, pushing the former first-round pick from left tackle to right tackle. Williams wasn’t happy with the move ahead of his impending free agency and requested a trade. He ended up sticking in Cincy for the 2023 campaign, but it seemed likely that Williams would be looking for a new home in free agency.
The Alabama product’s first two seasons were highlighted by injuries. He missed his entire rookie campaign thanks to a torn labrum, and he was limited to only 10 games in 2020. Williams has bounced back over the past few years, however, missing only a pair of regular season games since 2021.
It’s unlikely he gets his desired LT role in Arizona, as the Cardinals will likely turn to 2023 first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr. to replace Humphries, who was cut by the organization earlier this evening. Williams will slide to the right side of the offensive line for a second-straight season, with veteran Kelvin Beachum providing some veteran depth behind the starting duo.
WR Jamison Crowder Re-Signing With Commanders
Jamison Crowder‘s second stint in DC is set to continue. According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the veteran wideout is returning to the Commanders on a new one-year deal. 
The Commanders’ front office has been busy so far in free agency, bringing in a number of attractive names while also keeping some contributors home. Crowder is the latest to join that group. The 30-year-old will be heading into the second year of his second stint with the team after spending three years with the Jets and a fourth in Buffalo.
Crowder’s best seasons came early in his career, delivering two strong seasons each with both Washington and New York. Injuries derailed his final season in Washington and his last two years with the Jets, and his short stint in Buffalo ended with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 4. He signed with the third New York team last offseason, but the Giants released him just prior to the start of the regular season.
Crowder rebounded by signing to the Commanders’ practice squad a week later, getting promoted to the active roster just five days after that. Crowder’s contribution in 2023 was far from what he provided years ago, but he is a reliable, veteran backup on a team loaded with young talent at receiver. He also served as the team’s primary punt returner, breaking off a season-long 61-yarder in Week 6.
Fellow receivers Curtis Samuel and Byron Pringle are also free agents, so Crowder returns to play alongside Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Dyami Brown. The team may still attempt to bring back Samuel or Pringle, or they may try to replace their production through the draft. Regardless, they have Crowder in the fold as a veteran backup and an experienced return man.
Steelers To Re-Sign Miles Killebrew
The Steelers are retaining a key special teamer. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Steelers are re-signing Miles Killebrew.
The Pro Bowler is signing a two-year deal, according to Fowler. The contract is worth $6.5MM.
The former fourth-round pick spent five seasons with the Lions before joining the Steelers in 2021. He hasn’t missed a game through his three seasons in Pittsburgh, collecting 43 total tackles.
After getting into only 57 defensive snaps through his first two seasons with the Steelers, Killebrew got into 111 defensive snaps in 2023. He also had a standout season on special teams, earning All-Pro honors. He ultimately finished this past season with 26 tackles. His 2023 highlights also included a safety and a blocked punt.
While Killebrew’s defensive role last season was mostly due to injuries, he could be in line for another look in 2024. The team moved on from Keanu Neal last week, leaving Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, and Trenton Thompson as the only other experienced safeties on the roster.
Ravens To Re-Sign DE Brent Urban
Brent Urban returned to the Ravens in 2022 after playing out his rookie contract with the team. The veteran defensive end will be remaining in Baltimore for 2024. 
Urban has agreed to a new Ravens deal, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports. The 32-year-old Canadian has been playing on one-year deals every season since 2018, so it would come as no surprise if that turned out to be the case once again this time around. Urban will be in line to maintain his rotational role with Baltimore moving forward.
The former fourth-rounder served as a full-time starter in 2018, the final year of his first stint in Charm City. That led him to brief tenures with the Titans, Bears and Cowboys from 2019-21. Upon re-joining the Ravens, though, Urban has seen defensive snap shares of 29% and 24%, a slightly lower workload than he saw with Chicago and Dallas. Instead of searching out a starting gig, he has elected to play out a seventh season (and eighth year in total) as a Raven.
The Virginia alum missed his rookie year due to injury, but he has proven to be a capable run-stopping D-lineman since then. Urban has totaled 43 tackles – including seven for a loss – over the past two years. As part of Baltimore’s league-leading defense (in terms of sacks), he chipped in with a career-high three in that department last year. Even without a repeat of that figure, Urban will be a valued part of Baltimore’s defensive front.
The Ravens’ edge room has a number of questions marks at the moment, but the team’s defensive interior is on track to look largely the same in 2024. Justin Madubuike was kept off the market via the franchise tag, and he has since signed a massive new deal. He, along with Michael Pierce, Broderick Washington and Travis Jones are on the books for 2024. The same is now true of Urban.
Cardinals Release OT D.J. Humphries
D.J. Humphries‘ stint in Arizona has come to an end. The Cardinals are releasing the veteran left tackle, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 30-year-old lineman was still playing on a three-year, $66MM extension he signed with the organization back in 2022. He was set to earn $16MM next season and was accompanied by a $22MM cap hit. The Cardinals will be hit with a $13.8MM dead cap hit in 2024 and a $6.9MM dead cap hit in 2025.
The 2015 first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Cardinals, starting all 98 of his appearances. The lineman has missed large chunks of three different seasons due to injuries, although he did appear in 16 games for three-straight years between 2019 and 2021.
After missing the second half of the 2022 campaign, the veteran bounced back and started all 15 of his appearances this past year. Pro Football Focus only ranked him 51st among 81 qualifying offensive tackles, but the site did still give him solid grades for his pass-blocking ability. PFF ranked Humphries as a top-five OT as recently as 2020.
The Cardinals used a 2023 first-round pick on Paris Johnson Jr., so the organization is likely counting on the sophomore to switch over to LT in 2024. The team is also still rostering Kelvin Beachum, although there’s a good chance the team looks to add some more youth to the position via the draft.
Dolphins To Sign DL Neville Gallimore
Neville Gallimore is heading to Miami. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the defensive lineman is expected to sign with the Dolphins. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes it’s a one-year deal, adding Gallimore turned down slightly better offers from other teams.
Gallimore spent his entire four-year career in Dallas after being selected in the third-round of the 2020 draft. Once rated the top Canadian draft prospect, Gallimore got an extended look on defense as a rookie, starting nine of his 14 appearances. After an elbow injury limited him to only five contests in 2021, the defensive lineman has mostly seen a backup role over the past two seasons.
Gallimore started one of his 33 appearances between 2022 and 2023, with the lineman playing in 691 defensive snaps between the campaigns. He collected 16 tackles and one sack in 17 games this past season, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 69th among 130 qualifying interior defenders.
In Miami, the defensive lineman will work with defensive line coach Austin Clark, with Rapoport noting that the two have trained together during the offseason. Gallimore will be part of the team’s answer to replace Christian Wilkins, with the team having also added Isaiah Mack and Daviyon Nixon for reinforcement on the defensive line.