Titans Re-Sign LS Morgan Cox
One of the best long snappers in the business will keep his current residence. The Titans reached a one-year agreement to keep Morgan Cox on the roster for what will be his fourth season in Nashville.
Cox is one of the most decorated long snappers in NFL history. The Pro Bowl nod he picked up in 2022 was his fifth. Although this is easily the NFL’s most anonymous position, it allows for longevity. Cox is taking advantage of that, preparing for his 15th NFL season.
This is the fourth straight year in which Cox has signed a one-season contract with the Titans. He initially signed on back in 2021, leaving the Ravens after 11 seasons. Cox, who will turn 38 in April, caught on with the Titans after a four-Pro Bowl run in Baltimore alongside Justin Tucker and Sam Koch. He secured a first-team All-Pro nod in his Ravens finale.
Cox’s previous contract resided outside the top 10 in terms of long snapper salaries, but that is not exactly a notable distinction due to the narrow range in long snapper value. The NFL’s highest-paid long snapper (the Colts’ Luke Rhodes) is tied to a $1.6MM average salary; Cox made $1.3MM in 2023. It should be expected Cox’s fourth Tennessee contract will pay him about the same.
Only two active long snappers — the Panthers’ J.J. Jansen (243) and Texans’ Jon Weeks (227) — have Cox beat for games played. The ex-UDFA has suited up for 216 career games.
Chiefs To Re-Sign LB Drue Tranquill
Drue Tranquill‘s market underwhelmed in 2023, leading to a low-cost pact with the Chiefs. That partnership led to the ex-Charger playing a key role in the Chiefs’ repeat Super Bowl-winning effort. It looks like the sides want to continue this union.
The Chiefs are expected to re-sign the veteran linebacker, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. With Willie Gay days away from free agency, Tranquill could be in line for an even bigger role alongside Nick Bolton in 2024.
A clear midlevel linebacker market emerged behind Tremaine Edmunds last year, but Tranquill did not command enough interest to qualify for a deal on that tier. After an impressive statistical showing for the 2022 Chargers, the former fourth-round pick scored a one-year, $3MM deal to change AFC West teams. The Chiefs put the bargain signing to work, and Tranquill will likely be due a raise in 2024.
Indeed, Tranquill will collect a better deal this time around. The Chiefs are giving their Bolton sidekick a three-year, $19MM accord that will come with $13MM fully guaranteed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
This is a nice bump for Tranquill and is more in line with that linebacker midlevel that expanded last year. Tranquill, 28, actually fared better than some more experienced LBs who recently signed extensions. Logan Wilson and Quincy Williams only collected $10MM and $9MM guaranteed at signing, respectively, last year. With Bolton now extension-eligible, the defending champions have Tranquill locked down through 2026.
After receiving steady run with the Bolts in his initial contract year, Tranquill was a part-timer with the Chiefs. But the eight-game starter proved valuable, especially during a season that featured Bolton on the shelf for multiple stretches. Playing 57% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps. Tranquill combined 78 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Gay injury trouble led to increased Tranquill usage in the divisional round and AFC championship game; the Notre Dame alum made eight tackles in the Chiefs’ 17-10 AFC clincher in Baltimore.
In 2022, Tranquill erupted for 146 tackles and five sacks. Tranquill has shared the story of Andy Reid texting him with a Super Bowl enticement, going so far as to share the text. After the Chiefs saw a preview of Tranquill’s game in Los Angeles and alongside Bolton and Gay last year, it would not surprise to see them — based on this contract — turn to the ex-Day 3 pick as a full-timer alongside Bolton in 2024. This deal probably signals Gay will need to land his second contract elsewhere.
Jaguars, G Ezra Cleveland Agree To Deal
6:29pm: In terms of base value, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates the deal checks in at $24MM. The deal includes $13.5MM fully guaranteed and can max out at $27.5MM via playing time and team-achievement incentives. Both Cleveland’s 2024 and ’25 salaries are guaranteed at signing; his 2026 base ($6.75MM) is nonguaranteed.
9:24am: After acquiring Ezra Cleveland midseason in 2023, the Jaguars will keep him in place for the foreseeable future. The veteran guard agreed to terms on a three-year, $28.5MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
Rapoport adds the pact includes $14.5MM in guaranteed money. Cleveland served as a full-time starter for much of his Vikings tenure, which came to an end at the 2023 trade deadline. Jacksonville acquired him as a rental at a cost of a sixth-round pick, and the possibility remained that he would depart in free agency. Instead, the 25-year-old will stay in Duval County on his second NFL contract.
Cleveland played at right guard during his rookie campaign, but since then he has played all-but exclusively at the opposite guard spot. That includes nine games in 2023 following the trade, during which he started five contests. Given the nature of this deal, the former second-rounder will be in the team’s plans as a first-teamer for 2024 and beyond.
PFF evaluated Cleveland consistently over the course of his Minnesota tenure. He ranked eighth amongst qualifying guards in 2022, but last season did not produce a similar grade. Cleveland’s overall mark of 59.5 in 2023 was by far the worst of his career, and he placed 38th at the guard spot. Still, the Boise State alum will be counted on as a key member of the Jags’ offensive front moving forward. The unit has each of its starting members under contract for 2024 as a result of this move.
Jacksonville ranked 21st in pass protection and 31st in run blocking, per PFF’s O-line evaluations for 2023. Improvement in both respects will be a goal as the team aims to rebound from the disappointing nature of last season’s performance, which resulted in missing the postseason. The $9.5MM AAV of Cleveland’s deal will rank 13th amongst guards and add further to Jaguars’ financial investments up front.
Jacksonville already has right guard Brandon Scherff on a $16.5MM-per-year deal, but he is set to carry a cap hit of nearly $24MM in 2024. Left tackle Cam Robinson is also due to count just under $22MM on the Jags’ cap sheet, although his future with the team appears to be safe. It will be interesting to see if Scherff remains in place without a contract adjustment but for now, he and Cleveland are on track to continue as Jacksonville’s guard tandem.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/24
Thursday’s tender decisions from around the NFL:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Lions: TE Brock Wright
Non-tendered:
- Lions: LB Anthony Pittman
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Cardinals: WR Greg Dortch
Non-tendered:
- Lions: DB Chase Lucas
It will cost the Lions $2.99MM to retain Wright, who will receive the right-of-first-refusal tender. That doubles as the lowest number within the three-tiered RFA tender formula. A 2021 UDFA, Wright has been a regular in Detroit; the Notre Dame alum has started 19 games with the team. He played 423 offensive snaps last season, which marked a step back from 2022 (591). The Lions’ tight end plans changed when they chose Sam LaPorta in the 2023 second round, but Wright (13 receptions, 91 yards last year) remains in the team’s 2024 blueprint.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/7/24
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: RB Zonovan Knight
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: DB Elijah Campbell, DT Daviyon Nixon
New England Patriots
- Re-signed: CB Alex Austin
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: FB Zander Horvath
Campbell was set to be a restricted free agent; this deal will bypass the tender process and keep the young defender on the team. The former UDFA has primarily been a Dolphins special-teamer, though he started one game apiece over the past two seasons. Campbell has logged at least a 69% snap share on special teams in each of the past three seasons.
Rams To Re-Sign G Kevin Dotson
After engaging in talks with Kevin Dotson, the Rams have reached an agreement to keep the 2023 trade acquisition away from free agency. Dotson is staying in L.A.
The sides have agreed to a three-year deal, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, who reports the contract is worth $48MM. Convincing Dotson to steer clear of the open market, the Rams are giving the young guard $32MM guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This marks a big payday for Dotson, whom the Rams acquired in a swap of Day 3 picks from the Steelers just before last season. Dotson proceeded to commandeer Los Angeles’ right guard job, giving the team stability there after Super Bowl LVI starters Austin Corbett and David Edwards had departed. The Rams chose Steve Avila with their top draft choice last year; he and Dotson are now both signed through 2026.
The Rams had expected both Dotson and starting center Coleman Shelton to hit the market, but the team came in with a nice offer — one that will make Dotson among the top 10 highest-paid guards — to prevent him from speaking with other teams during the legal tampering period. Dotson’s deal comes hours after the Jaguars agreed to terms with Ezra Cleveland.
A former fourth-round pick, Dotson is now tied at sixth among guard average annual value; the four-year veteran’s per-year number matches All-Pros Joe Thuney and Joel Bitonio. Dotson’s guarantee number resides south of those AFC blockers, but he also got there on a three-year deal; Thuney is on a five-year pact, Bitonio a four-year accord.
Dotson, who will turn 28 early next season, played a lead role in Kyren Williams showcasing Pro Bowl-caliber ability. Pro Football Focus slotted Dotson as the NFL’s second-best run-blocking guard. As the Rams shifted away from a wide-zone scheme, Dotson dominated at points to help Williams run wild. Dotson had started 30 games for the Steelers from 2020-22, including all 17 of Pittsburgh’s 2022 contests. Inconsistency led the Steelers to bail for a low-end return following the team’s Isaac Seumalo signing last year. Seeing the Steelers give Seumalo and James Daniels midlevel deals, Dotson has agreed to a second contract well north of his former teammates’.
This bodes well for what will still be a crowded guard market. Robert Hunt, Jonah Jackson, Jon Runyan Jr. and Michael Onwenu — if he lands as a guard and not a tackle — headline this year’s crop. Dotson’s payout will help the set the market for this batch of second-contract-seeking interior blockers.
PFF had rated Dotson as a top-30 guard twice during his Pittsburgh tenure (2020, 2022), but he took a big step forward in his contract year. The Rams will bet on the ex-Steelers castoff fortifying their interior O-line as the team aims to build on last year’s wild-card berth.
Saints To Extend S Tyrann Mathieu
Tyrann Mathieu was already on the books for 2024, but he will now have a new deal in place. The All-Pro safety has agreed to a two-year pact with the Saints, as first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
This agreement has a value of $13MM, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adds. Mathieu was owed $9MM in 2024 on his previous pact, with a scheduled cap hit of just over $12MM. New Orleans could have moved on via his release, but that route would have produced negligible cap savings. Instead, the 31-year-old will remain in place for a third and fourth Saints campaign. Underhill notes the new deal will lower the 2024 cap number to roughly $5.5MM. On this extension, Underhill adds $10MM is guaranteed.
Mathieu originally joined the Saints on a three-year, $33MM deal following the end of his Chiefs tenure. Kansas City did not offer a new contract at the time, leaving the LSU alum free to join his hometown team. He has remained a full-time starter over the past two seasons, racking up seven interceptions and 17 pass deflections during that span.
The Saints have again been active in restructuring contracts to move toward cap compliance this offseason. Earlier this afternoon, the team was more than $17MM over the cap. Teams have until 3pm CT on March 13, when the 2024 league year begins, to move under the $255.4MM salary ceiling. The Saints have faced greater challenges than this year’s on the cap front, moving down from more than $100MM over back in 2021. Mickey Loomis‘ team continues to grind away, and this Mathieu accord represents another step.
With Marcus Maye in and out of the lineup due to injuries and a suspension, Mathieu’s presence has been more important for a Saints team still trying to find its footing post-Drew Brees. Even in Year 11, Mathieu remains one of the league’s better back-line presences. Pro Football Focus ranked the safety and experienced slot stopper 10th at his position last season. The Honey Badger intercepted four passes, notching 122 return yards and a touchdown, and broke up nine more in his second Saints slate. Mathieu notched a pick-six in the Saints’ 34-0 win over the Patriots.
Maye could not stay healthy in New Orleans, which will lead to his exit as a post-June 1 cut, but Mathieu — a two-time Super Bowl starter — has not missed a game since signing with the team in May 2022. He joins Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis and Marshon Lattimore as Saints defensive pillars. Lattimore, however, has been the subject of trade rumors. Thursday’s agreement at least provides some secondary stability for the NFC South team, ensuring Mathieu will stay put.
Jaguars To Re-Sign S Daniel Thomas
Jacksonville’s secondary has seen a number of departures recently, but a depth contributor will remain in the fold. Safety Daniel Thomas has agreed to a new deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
[RELATED: Jaguars To Re-Sign Ezra Cleveland]
The pact is two years in length and has a base value of $4MM, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz adds. Thomas could earn up to $6MM, though, making this agreement a much more lucrative one than his rookie contract. The former fifth-rounder has spent the past four seasons in Jacksonville, primarily serving on special teams.
Thomas has played 56 games with the Jags, logging a pair of starts in each of his first two years. He logged defensive snap shares of 23% and 20% during that time, but since then he has been used all-but exclusively in the third phase. The 25-year-old has played 902 special teams snaps in his career, and that figure will continue to grow with this new deal in place.
The Jaguars released veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins earlier this week as part of their cap purge on defense. That cost-cutting move left the team without a starter and it could open the door to more defensive playing time for Thomas. The latter would still have a number of other in-house options to compete with, however, and the team could elect to add during free agency in particular (given the long list of available safeties).
Jacksonville had roughly $24.5MM in cap space entering Thursday, a figure which does not take into account the Cleveland or Thomas deals. While the Jags’ spending power will be lowered by those pacts, both players are now in line for newfound compensation on their second contracts.
Dolphins, TE Jonnu Smith Agree To Deal
After making a number of cost-shedding moves recently, the Dolphins are set to make an addition on offense. Miami has reached agreement on a deal with tight end Jonnu Smith, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
The contract – which Schefter notes is for two years and has a maximum value of $10MM – comes as little surprise. Smith visited Miami earlier this week, pointing to an agreement being in the cards. Now, the parties have worked out an arrangement which will see the 28-year-old join a fourth career team.
The Falcons released Smith last month, a move which freed up cap space and gave him a head start on free agency. Atlanta traded for the former third-rounder in part to reunite him with then-head coach Arthur Smith. With the latter out of the picture, Jonnu Smith was allowed to find a new home before the start of free agency. Expectations for him will be relatively high in South Beach.
Smith posted a career high in catches (50) and yards (582) in 2023, adding three touchdowns along the way. Considering the presence of fellow tight end Kyle Pitts and the struggles the team endured under center, those figures will have impressed the Dolphins and any other suitors Smith may have had in the event he remained unsigned through to next week. Miami had a need at the TE spot, and his ability both in the passing game and as a run blocker will be welcomed in Mike McDaniel‘s scheme.
Durham Smythe led the way in terms of production at the position last season (35 catches, 366 yards) on an offense dominated by wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in the passing game. That duo will no doubt remain a focal point moving forward, but Smith’s skillset could provide a better replacement for former starter Mike Gesicki after he struggled under McDaniel in 2022.
Miami entered Thursday roughly $20MM over the cap ceiling not long before the start of free agency. All teams must be cap compliant by March 13, and further moves will be needed to reach that point in the coming days (although savings will later come into play given the pending release of cornerback Xavien Howard). Smith will add to the Dolphins’ cap sheet in 2024 and ’25, but his addition could be an effective one as the team looks to replicate its offensive success from last season.
Steelers Release S Keanu Neal
Keanu Neal‘s debut Steelers season was cut short due to injury, and his time in Pittsburgh has now come to an end. The veteran safety has been released with a failed physical designation, per a team announcement. 
Neal joined the team on a two-year deal last March, and he represented a potential Terrell Edmunds replacement. Indeed, the 28-year-old started eight of his nine appearances in Pittsburgh, recording 50 tackles and one interception. Neal suffered a ribs injury in November, however, and he was placed on IR as a result.
The journeyman never came back to the Steelers’ lineup, and he will now hit the market once again. Pittsburgh will gain $2.25MM in cap space with today’s move while incurring a dead money charge of $460K. After playing on four different teams in as many years, meanwhile, Neal will aim to find another new opportunity while continuing to recover.
Pittsburgh has All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick in place as a starter at the safety spot, and Damontae Kazee – who logged nine starts last season – is on the books for one more year. That pair could see considerable playing time in 2024, but the team could also be involved in the safety market during free agency. A bevy of high-profile players at the position have become cap casualties recently, meaning the Steelers will have a number of options to choose from.
Neal has never landed a contract averaging more than $4MM per season, and the 2024 safety market is shaping up as one in which few producers at the position will likely secure a lucrative investment. The former first-rounder has bounced around with the Falcons, Cowboys and Buccaneers in addition to his brief Steelers tenure. Neal has seen mixed results in terms of PFF evaluation over the years, and 2023 produced only a 59.6 overall grade. Between that showing, his health status and the list of safeties also on the market, he could be hard-pressed to land another multi-year contract in 2024.