AFC Contract Details: Eifert, Day, Ravens
We already took a look at NFC contract details, so let’s switch focus to the other conference. Like last time, all notes via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter:
- Tyler Eifert, TE (Jaguars): Two years. Worth $9.5MM, including $3.25MM guaranteed. $2.25MM signing bonus. $1.25MM per-game roster bonus, $2M in incentives (2020). Up to $1M per-game roster bonus, $2M in incentives (2021, if options is exercised).
- Sheldon Day, DT (Colts): Signed. One-year, $1.75M deal, including $1MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus, $1MM salary (of which $500K is guaranteed). Up to $250K in per-game roster bonuses.
- Andrew Billings, DT (Browns): One year, $3.5MM. Fully guaranteed deal. Includes $2MM signing bonus.
- Anthony Levine, S (Ravens): Signed. One-year, $1.812MM deal, including $350K guaranteed. $137.6K signing bonus, $1.675MM salary (of which $212.5K is guaranteed).
- Chris Moore, WR (Ravens): Re-signed. One-year, $1.672MM deal, including $275K guaranteed. $137.5K signing bonus, $1.535MM salary (of which $137.5K is guaranteed).
- Nick Dzubnar, LB (Titans): Signed. One-year, $1.047MM deal. Includes $137.5K signing bonus, $910K salary.
Browns Edged Redskins For Austin Hooper
Several teams expressed interest in Austin Hooper, who became the first free agent to agree to a deal after the tampering period began. While the Browns won the bidding, they beat out a team with a much bigger tight end need.
Seeing their first- and second-string tight ends miss almost all of last season, and each now off the roster, the Redskins emerged as an early Hooper suitor. And the former Falcons tight end confirmed his final decision came down to the Browns and Redskins.
“It really came down to Cleveland and Washington. At the end, I chose to be a Brown,” Hooper said during a Sirius XM Radio interview (via NBC Sports Washington). “Redskins were definitely a team that had shown interest I would say. Definitely a solid organization with another talented young quarterback, so that was going to be my next landing spot.”
The Redskins have moved forward without Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, releasing the former and seeing the latter retire. Ron Rivera pursued a Greg Olsen reunion, but the longtime Panthers tight end chose the Seahawks. Washington has since added Richard Rodgers and former quarterback Logan Thomas but likely is not done restocking this position group.
The Bears and Packers joined the Redskins in the Hooper mix, but the Browns — despite their David Njoku employment — won out with a $10.5MM-per-year offer. Chicago submitted a surprising offer to Jimmy Graham (two years, $16MM), while Green Bay re-signed Marcedes Lewis.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/26/20
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LS Nick Moore
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: C Evan Brown
Detroit News
- Signed: WR Geremy Davis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Terry Godwin
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DT Daniel Ross
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Christian Kuntz
Contract Details: Davis, Roberts, Haeg
Let’s take a closer look at the details of a few recently-signed free agent contracts:
AFC
- MyCole Pruitt, TE (Titans): One year, $2.5MM. $2.35MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- Shilique Calhoun, DE (Patriots): One year, $1.5MM. $250K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Dan Vitale, FB (Patriots): One year, $1.3MM. $100K signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
NFC
- Sean Davis, S (Redskins): One year, $4MM. $2MM guaranteed (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
- Seth Roberts, WR (Panthers): One year, $3.75MM (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of ESPN.com).
- Zach Kerr, DT (Panthers): Two years, $3MM. Unknown incentives available (Twitter link via Garafolo).
- B.J. Goodson, LB (Browns): One year, $2.4MM. $2.25MM guaraneed. $1.25MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
- Joe Haeg, T (Buccaneers): One year, $2.3MM. $1.5MM guaranteed. Up to $1MM available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Cedric Ogbuehi, T (Seahawks): One year, $2.3MM. $500K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com).
- Will Parks, S (Eagles): One year, $1.5MM. $1.375MM guaranteed. $375K signing bonus. Up to $125K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Tajae Sharpe, WR (Vikings): One year, $1MM. $675K guaranteed. $175K signing bonus. Max value of $1.5MM (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Sharrod Neasman, S (Falcons): One year, $950K. $40K signing bonus. Veteran salary benefit (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Joe Walker, LB (49ers): One year, $900K. Max of $75K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Wilson).
Browns Rework RT Chris Hubbard’s Deal
Chris Hubbard looks like he will be staying in the fold for the Browns next season. Rumored as a departure candidate, the right tackle agreed to a new deal with the team.
The Browns and Hubbard agreed to a reworked contract, with Field Yates of ESPN.com reporting (via Twitter) the sides now have a two-year deal in place. Hubbard was previously signed through the 2022 season; this revised contract has him signed only through 2021.
Hubbard’s 2020 base salary will drop to $2.15MM, and Yates adds only $1MM of that is guaranteed. A $1MM signing bonus is included in this new deal, though. Hubbard previously did not have any guaranteed money coming his way in 2020, but his base salary was to be $6.15MM. Hubbard still has a chance to hit $5MM in 2020 base salary, but Yates notes that is now a max-value figure rather than a base salary.
While this will create some cap space for the Browns, that was not previously an issue. Cleveland’s $46MM-plus in cap room entering Thursday led the NFL by a wide margin.
If Hubbard plays 90% of the Browns’ snaps, Yates adds that the 2021 year of his contract would void. This would put him on track for free agency in a year. It looked like Hubbard would be a 2020 cut candidate, having not lived up to the five-year, $36.5MM deal he agreed to during John Dorsey‘s first offseason as Browns GM. The Andrew Berry regime, however, will keep the right tackle around for the time being.
This will be Hubbard’s age-29 season; the ex-Steeler has started 29 games for the Browns since coming to Cleveland in 2018. Hubbard graded as a bottom-10 tackle last season, per Pro Football Focus. The Browns have yet to replace either of their starting tackles, having indicated they are moving on from Greg Robinson. They have been linked to Trent Williams but also loom as a candidate to draft a tackle in the first round.
Browns Notes: Williams, Harris
The Browns have long been mentioned as the primary suitor for Redskins left tackle Trent Williams, and while no trade is on the immediate horizon, Williams does remain an option for Cleveland, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. At the moment, Washington is asking for too much in trade compensation, while Williams is demanding too expensive an extension. If either of those prices drops, the Browns could make a move for a (much-needed) new blindside protector.
- While the Browns are still considering Williams, Vikings safety Anthony Harris –= whom Cleveland has reportedly considered in trade — is no longer an option for the Browns, per Cabot. Minnesota apparently wants at least a third-round pick in order to part with Harris, while the 28-year-old defensive back would want a new deal to supersede his franchise tag. Instead of pursuing Harris, the Browns signed free agent safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/21/20
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns:
- Signed: CB Donovan Olumba
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: LB Joseph Jones
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed: RB Rod Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE MyCole Pruitt
Browns To Sign S Andrew Sendejo
Andrew Sendejo is going from the NFC North to the AFC North. On Friday, the Vikings agreed to sign the safety to a one-year, $2.25MM deal with the Browns, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
Sendejo spent eight seasons with the Vikings up until March of last year when he hooked on with the Eagles. That union didn’t last long – the Birds dropped him in November, leading him back to Minnesota to close out the season.
Sendejo was a staple in the Vikings’ secondary up until 2018, when a groin injury put him on the sidelines. After that point, the Vikings’ D actually improved with Anthony Harris, George Iloka, and Jayron Kearse taking on a larger share of the workload.
In Cleveland, he’ll play alongside a cornerback group headlined by Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams with support from newcomer Kevin Johnson.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/19/20
We’ll keep track of today’s “minor” moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Keith Kirkwood
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Torry McTyer
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: KR/PR Jojo Natson
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: LB Justin March-Lillard
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: CB Will Redmond
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Adrian Colbert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: WR Bryant Mitchell
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Logan Thomas
Browns To Sign CB Kevin Johnson
The Browns are adding another former first-round defensive back on a one year deal. After signing safety Karl Joseph on Wednesday night, they have agreed to terms with former Round 1 cornerback Kevin Johnson.
Johnson and the Browns agreed on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Incentives could spike the contract’s value to $6MM, Schefter adds.
The Texans backed out of Johnson’s fifth-year option in 2019, a move the new CBA will no longer allow teams to execute free of charge, and he wound up with the Bills. The 2015 first-round pick played in all 16 games as a role player in Buffalo’s secondary, recording 36 tackles and posting five passes defensed.
Despite being an off-the-bench contributor, Johnson stayed healthy in 2019. That proved to be pivotal for a cornerback that saw injuries derail his time in Houston. Johnson, 27, missed 10 games in 2016 and 15 in 2018. A severe concussion kept him out of action in ’18. He will join a Browns cornerback crew headed by Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams.