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Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.

The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Browns On DeAndre Hopkins’ Radar?

May 29th, 2023 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Few players who have remained unsigned as of Memorial Day in recent years match DeAndre Hopkins‘ profile, making the former All-Pro wide receiver’s eventual landing spot a frequent discussion topic during OTA season. A few teams have been connected to the 11th-year veteran since his Cardinals release.

Most closely tied to the Bills and Chiefs, with each team having engaged in trade talks with the Cardinals, Hopkins also has a clear link to the Browns. He and Deshaun Watson remain close, and the Browns quarterback said earlier this offseason he was planning to discuss how the team stood regarding Hopkins interest. Nothing transpired on the trade front, but now that the three-year Watson target is in free agency, forging a path to Cleveland would be easier.

Hopkins is open to playing with Watson again, Jeremy Fowler said during a recent ESPN appearance (h/t Brobible.com’s Dov Kleiman), labeling the Browns a dark-horse team to monitor. The Chiefs and Bills may remain the more likely Hopkins suitors, but the Browns — despite their landmark Watson extension — do carry a cap-space advantage. Buffalo and Kansas City sit 30th and 31st in cap room presently.

The Browns will soon pick up more cap space as well, having used both their post-June cut designations this offseason (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney). Cleveland will pick up $9.75MM from the Johnson release later this week. That stands to bump the Browns’ cap-room number past $16MM. The Watson contract obviously sits as a historically onerous part of the Browns’ payroll, but the team restructured the five-year, $230MM guaranteed deal earlier this offseason. While Watson’s cap hits reside at record-shattering numbers from 2024-26, his 2023 cap figure checks in at $19.1MM.

Cleveland has, however, made multiple moves at receiver this offseason. They acquired Elijah Moore via trade and selected Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman Jr. in Round 3. These two will join 2022 trade acquisition Amari Cooper and contract-year sidekick Donovan Peoples-Jones atop the Browns’ receiving hierarchy. A Hopkins move would presumably bump Tillman to the developmental track, and the Browns also have two other recent third-round receivers — Anthony Schwartz, David Bell — on their roster. Conversely, the Chiefs and Bills are not as deep at the wideout spots and have been linked to Hopkins for much of the offseason.

As of Monday, the Bills, at plus-200, reside as slight Hopkins favorites, per SportsBetting.ag. Although the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot advocates for the Browns pursuing Hopkins, she views a Watson-Hopkins reunion as a long-shot proposition. Hopkins resided as Watson’s top target from 2017-19, earning first-team All-Pro recognition in each season and helping Houston to back-to-back AFC South titles in that span. The Browns loomed as a suitor for ex-Watson target Brandin Cooks last year, but Cooks soon signed a Texans extension.

Hopkins, 31 next week, did not include Watson on the list of quarterbacks he would most like to play with, and Cabot posits that omission stemmed from the wideout viewing the Browns as an unrealistic destination. Then again, those comments came when Hopkins was still tied to a $27MM-per-year Cardinals contract. The landscape may be different with Hopkins now unattached. The Ravens’ $15MM Odell Beckham Jr. guarantee may affect Hopkins’ price point, but at this point in the offseason (and coming off suspension and injury issues in Arizona), Hopkins collecting that kind of guarantee will be difficult. Like the November 2021 Beckham sweepstakes, this will not be a top-dollar free agency pursuit. Fit will play a major role for the six-time 1,000-yard pass catcher.

Za’Darius Smith Addresses Vikings Contract, Recovery From Knee Injury

May 28th, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Vikings moved on from Za’Darius Smith this offseason by trading him to the Browns. The veteran edge rusher recently spoke about his financial situation, which was the driving force behind his arrival with a new team for the third time in his career.

Smith signed a three-year Vikings contract last offseason, but guranteed money was a sticking point for the 30-year-old heading into this spring. He requested his release in March, something which would have allowed him to test the open market once again. Instead, Minnesota ended up trading him to Cleveland in a deal which saw Day 3 picks swapped and the Vikings elect to retain some of his compensation. Smith’s new contract still has him one year from free agency, however, something which is clearly a signficant factor for him.

“It wasn’t set up right,” the former fourth-rounder said of his Vikings pact. “It was the guarantee part. The first year was only guaranteed. Now I’m basically in the same situation, but it’s OK now because I can get a chance to go into free agency next year” (h/t Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune).

All $6.45MM of the signing bonus Smith earned on his Minnesota agreement was indeed paid out in 2022, but after the re-working of his pact following the trade, he could still see up to $13MM in cashflow this season. Expectations will be high for him with the Browns, a team which will have one of the league’s better edge rushing groups if Smith is able to remain healthy in his new home.

The Kentucky product joins Myles Garrett and free agent addition Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in that department for Cleveland. Smith earned his third Pro Bowl nod in 2022 after notching 10 sacks in his lone Vikings campaign. That marked the third time in the least four years that he eclipsed double-digit sacks, with the lone exception being the 2021 season in which he was limited to just one game. Another injury – to his knee – slowed him down last last season, though.

Smith recorded only 0.5 sacks during the final eight games (regular and postseason combined) while he dealt with the ailment. He cited the weekly roster bonus he was paid out as the reason he continued suiting up despite being at less than 100%, and the resultant drop-off in production. Ahead of his Browns debut, however, he said he is much healthier.

“I couldn’t rest last year,” Smith said. “I was making like [$176K] just to dress up. So, you’d dress up, too, right? Exactly. That was different for me. I had a chance to rest my knee, get some rehab… I’m all healthy now and ready to go.”

This Date In Transactions History: Browns Extend TE David Njoku

May 27th, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Ben Levine

It can always be a bit risky paying big money on tight ends, especially when the player hasn’t even shown Pro Bowl-worthy production. So, when the Browns signed David Njoku to an extension on this day in 2022, it certainly raised a few eyebrows. Fortunately for the Browns, they shouldn’t have any regrets with exactly one year to reflect on the move.

On May 27, 2022, the Browns announced that they inked their former first-round tight end to an extension. Njoku had already been slapped with the franchise tag, ensuring at least a hefty payday for the 2022 campaign. Instead, the organization ripped up that tender and signed Njoku to a four-year, $56.75MM deal with $28MM in guaranteed money. The extension put the player fifth at the position in terms of average annual value, and while he’s since been passed by Darren Waller‘s record-breaking deal, Njoku still represents one of the largest tight end contracts in the NFL.

Njoku had an inconsistent role during his rookie season but showed his potential during the 2018 campaign, finishing with 56 receptions for 639 yards and four touchdowns. The next two years didn’t go all that great for the tight end; his 2019 season was limited to only four games while he recovered from a broken wrist, and he started only five of his 13 appearances in 2020 while dealing with a knee injury.

He rebounded a bit in 2021, finishing with 36 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns. While that production probably doesn’t warrant a $50MM+ contract, a pair of moves made it appear that Njoku was on the brink of a breakout season, perhaps justifying the organization’s investment. For starters, the Browns moved on from Austin Hooper, a transaction that finally made Njoku the undisputed starter. Second, the front office made the franchise-altering trade for Deshaun Watson, and considering Cleveland’s lack of experienced receiving options, Njoku would surely become one of the QB’s preferred targets.

Watson, of course, was limited to only six games while serving a suspension, but Njoku still managed to put together one of his most productive seasons since that aforementioned sophomore campaign. The 26-year-old ultimately finished his 2022 season having hauled in 58 catches for 628 yards and four touchdowns. Sure, those numbers are still a far cry from the numbers put up by the other highest-paid tight ends (a grouping that includes Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Dallas Goedert, George Kittle, and Waller). However, considering Njoku’s age and modest production, it makes sense that he’d be right below that grouping and above the likes of Dawson Knox, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Evan Engram, and Zach Ertz.

The Browns will surely be hoping for even more for Njoku in 2023. If the tight end is able to put together a career year during his seventh season in the NFL, his extension may end up looking like a bargain.

DeAndre Hopkins Rumors: Chiefs, Trade Talks, Patriots

May 26th, 2023 at 8:39pm CST by Ely Allen

The Chiefs were reportedly one of the most active teams looking into former Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins this year. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Kansas City had received permission to talk with the now-free agent earlier in the offseason and spoke with him before the draft.

The biggest hurdle for the Chiefs, as it was for any team Arizona spoke to, was having to take on Hopkins’s existing contract. If a trade were going to take place, Kansas City wanted a much lower price, meaning the Cardinals would have to take on some of Hopkins’s contract in the trade.

The Chiefs were fairly big spenders this offseason after making big deals for tackle Jawaan Taylor and defensive end Charles Omenihu, resulting in the exhaustion of most of their salary cap. After their most recent $3MM deal for tackle Donovan Smith, the Chiefs are 31st in the league in available cap space, according to OvertheCap.com.

While adding Hopkins is on anyone’s wish list, except perhaps Arizona’s, Kansas City also doesn’t seem desperate to add any more wide receivers. Despite losing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to free agency, the team has real confidence in Kadarius Toney‘s potential. They return Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore and drafted SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice in the second round to compete for snaps with the starters.

Here are a few more rumors surrounding the still young free agency of DHop:

  • The Chiefs were not the only team that the Cardinals struggled to find equal ground with on a trade. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who spoke on the Pat McAfee Show, Arizona was working to trade the veteran wideout up until the day before the first round of the NFL draft. The Cardinals hit snags, though, as each discussion required handling of draft pick compensation and salary adjustments that would require Arizona to take on some of Hopkins’s salary. In the end, they opted to take the hit in the salary cap while ultimately saving cash.
  • ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was one of the first to release a list of best fits for Hopkins in his newfound free agency. According to Fowler, the Bills, Chiefs, Jets, Cowboys, and Saints are the teams to watch out for in the initial race. A Stefon Diggs-Hopkins-Gabriel Davis trio could be just what’s needed to put the Bills in a Super Bowl, but the team only has around $2.4MM in cap space. The Jets are a bit better at $6.9MM of cap space (still far under the $19.45MM Hopkins was set to make in Arizona this year), but the team is working to create more cap room by restructuring large contracts like those of linebacker C.J. Mosley and wide receiver Corey Davis. They nearly had Odell Beckham Jr. before the Ravens swept in and nabbed him themselves. The Cowboys are set on defense and have some strong weapons on offense. Adding Hopkins to a receiving corps that contains CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks could be deadly, and they’ve got $9MM of cap space to work with. The Saints have missed having a star wideout as they’ve dealt with the durability issues of Michael Thomas. Hopkins would be a nice veteran mentor for youngsters Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, and New Orleans has the most cap space of the above teams at $13.6MM. Fowler also lists the Browns, Giants, Falcons, and Patriots as wild-card teams to look out for.
  • Speaking of the Patriots, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that, now that the contract isn’t nearly as much of a hurdle, New England is more likely to pursue Hopkins. Hopkins reportedly had a bit of a rocky relationship with Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien when the two were in Houston together, but adding Hopkins would immediately provide quarterback Mac Jones with a WR1. Hopkins would be teaming up with Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, and last year’s second-round pick Tyquan Thornton to try and mount an upgraded New England passing attack.

Browns Sign OT Dawand Jones, Wrap Draft Class Deals

May 22nd, 2023 at 5:58pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns have officially signed their entire draft class. The team announced that they’ve inked fourth-round offensive tackle Dawand Jones to his four-year rookie pact.

Jones got into 41 games across four seasons at Ohio State, including a 2022 campaign where he earned All-Big Ten honors after starting 13 games at right tackle. The lineman started 13 games at right guard in 2021, so his versatility could lead to some snaps as a backup in 2023.

The rookie probably profiles as more of an offensive tackle long-term. In Cleveland, he’ll have an opportunity to play under (and potentially supplant) All-Pro veterans Jack Conklin and Joel Bitonio.

Jones was the seventh and final of the team’s draft picks to sign. The Browns entire draft class included:

Round 3, No. 74 (from Jets): Cedric Tillman, WR (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 3, No. 98: Siaki Ika, DT (Baylor) (signed)
Round 4, No. 111: Dawand Jones, OT (Ohio State)
Round 4, No. 126 (from Vikings): Isaiah McGuire, DE (Missouri) (signed)
Round 5, No. 140 (from Rams): Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 142: Cameron Mitchell, CB (Northwestern) (signed)
Round 6, No. 190: Luke Wypler, C (Ohio State) (signed)

Hall Of Fame RB Jim Brown Dies At 87

May 20th, 2023 at 2:22am CST by Sam Robinson

Jim Brown, one of football’s all-time greats, has died. He was 87. Brown’s wife, Monique, announced his passing in an Instagram post Friday.

The Hall of Fame running back dominated his era like no other ball carrier, blazing an unparalleled trail during his career at Syracuse and with the Browns. Brown’s wife revealed the legendary figure passed peacefully Thursday at his Los Angeles home.

“To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star,” Monique Brown’s post stated. “To our family he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken...”

From an NFL perspective, it is difficult to overstate Brown’s towering presence. The bruising back played nine seasons; he won eight rushing titles. No one else has more than four. Brown stands as one of the few with a claim to the greatest player in NFL history. A sublime blend of power and speed, the No. 6 overall pick in the 1957 draft held four of the league’s top five rushing seasons when he retired after the 1965 campaign.

While Walter Payton broke Brown’s career rushing record in 1984, the Cleveland legend retired with a 2,600-yard lead on the field. Brown’s three MVP awards place him behind only Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers in NFL history. In the Associated Press MVP award’s existence (1957-present), Brown is the only non-quarterback to win the honor more than once.

Lettering in football, lacrosse, track and basketball at Syracuse, Jim Brown joined Paul Brown‘s team which had struggled in its first post-Otto Graham season (1956). Brown ripped off five straight All-Pro seasons, soon teaming with a fellow future Hall of Famer — halfback Bobby Mitchell, who later finished his career as a Washington wide receiver — in Cleveland’s offense.

Brown won MVP honors as a rookie, but his second season provided a better statistical illustration of the gap between Cleveland’s back and his peers. He amassed a record-breaking 1,527 rushing yards that year; the second-place finisher in that 12-game season totaled 791. The 230-plus-pound back finished with a career-high 1,863 yards in 1963. The Browns’ most recent championship came a year later; Brown finished that 1964 finale — a 27-0 shutout over the Colts — with 151 yards from scrimmage. Brown then powered Cleveland to the 1965 NFL championship game — a loss to Green Bay in the last NFL title game during the pre-Super Bowl era — before retiring ahead of the 1966 season. Brown finished his career having never missed a game.

“It’s impossible to describe the profound love and and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim’s incredible life and legacy,” the Browns said in a statement. “We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he brought to the world.”

An emerging actor by the mid-1960s, Brown had not intended to wrap his career following the 1965 season. But a dispute with owner Art Modell from the set of the movie The Dirty Dozen led to the icon hanging up his cleats just before the ’66 campaign. As the film’s production ran long, Modell had vowed to fine Brown $100 for every day he was not at training camp. Rather than return to the team, as he had planned to for at least one more season, Brown sent Modell a letter apologizing for the circumstances. In that message, the then-30-year-old back informed the Browns he would retire to devote time to social issues and his movie career. Brown’s film and television credits surpassed 50.

While still active as a player, Brown helped found what later became known as the Black Economic Union. That self-help organization for Black athletes became the backdrop for “The Cleveland Summit,” which gathered a contingent of socially conscious Black athletes from multiple sports — including Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) — to discuss then-heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali’s stance against serving in Vietnam.

A celebrated figure, Brown did leave a complicated legacy. He was arrested multiple times on charges of striking women and spent months in jail in 2000 for a refusal to attend counseling after being convicted for vandalizing his wife’s car.

On the field, Brown’s imprint is unassailable. A 2010 ranking conducted by coaches, players, executives and media members slotted Brown as the second-best player in NFL history — behind only Jerry Rice. ESPN’s ranking of the top 150 college football players placed Brown at No. 1. Brown’s 126 touchdowns and 12,312 rushing yards now sit 10th and 11th, respectively, on those all-time lists. Brown reached these totals in fewer games than the backs who eclipsed him; he played four seasons in the NFL’s 12-game era and his final five when the regular season consisted of 14 games. The nine-year veteran remains the only player to average more than 100 rushing yards per game for his career, topping that list (with 104.3) by nearly five yards.

Browns TE Harrison Bryant On Trade Block?

May 18th, 2023 at 9:39pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Browns continuing to invest in the tight end position, Harrison Bryant may be on the way out. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Browns “would at least look to other teams” for interest in their tight end.

The 2020 fourth-round pick has flashed potential through his three seasons in the NFL. He earned All-Rookie Team honors after hauling in 24 receptions, and he’s added another 52 catches over the past two years. The six-foot-five, 230-pound tight end finished this past season with a career-high 31 catches for 239 yards.

However, Bryant’s future with the organization hasn’t looked all that secure since the Browns made David Njoku the NFL’s highest-paid tight end last offseason. Then, this offseason, the team added former Deshaun Watson teammate Jordan Akins, pushing Bryant even further down the depth chart.

With the 25-year-old set to hit free agency following the season, it’d make sense for the front office to consider trading him vs. likely losing him for nothing next year. If a deal did come to fruition, the Browns would likely turn to 2022 UDFA Zaire Mitchell-Paden or 2023 UDFA Thomas Greaney as the third tight end on the depth chart.

Thanks in part to that expiring contract, the Browns can’t expect a whole lot in return for Bryant. Still, there should be a number of TE-needy teams who would take a chance on the player, especially once injuries start hitting in training camp and the preseason. Bryant only ranked as Pro Football Focus 43rd tight end (among 73 qualifiers) this past season, but he did earn a top-10 mark at the position for his pass blocking. Considering his modest offensive production, Bryant would be a fine TE2 for another team.

Poll: Which Team Has Improved Most This Offseason?

May 17th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although several starter-caliber veterans remain unsigned, NFL teams have largely taken their big swings this offseason. Be it through free agency, the trade market or the draft, franchises have updated their rosters in hopes of improving in 2023.

Any conversation of 2023 improvement efforts probably needs to start with the Jets. Thanks to the Sacramento Kings’ playoff advancement, the Jets hold major North American sports’ longest postseason drought — at 12 years. After missing on a few rookie-contract QBs in the time since their last playoff run, the Jets now have Aaron Rodgers. The six nationally televised games on Gang Green’s docket illustrate Rodgers’ impact on the team’s perception, and although the four-time MVP will turn 40 before year’s end, he has made the Jets a free agency destination of sorts. The team added ex-Rodgers Packer wideouts Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, with those moves coming after the addition of safety Chuck Clark via trade.

As the Jets stands to be a factor in the one of the deepest conferences in recent memory, the Dolphins added Jalen Ramsey via trade and will pay Vic Fangio upwards of $4.5MM to run their defense. Miami will bank on Tua Tagovailoa health and showed faith in the oft-scrutinized passer by picking up his fifth-year option two months early.

The Ravens took their biggest steps yet — in the Lamar Jackson era, at least — to strengthen their receiving corps, keeping Odell Beckham Jr. from a Big Apple return (via a $15MM guarantee) and drafting Zay Flowers in the first round. The Browns bolstered their receiving corps as well, trading for Elijah Moore and drafting Cedric Tillman in Round 3. Cleveland also has now added two edge rushers — with Jadeveon Clowney not expected back — in Za’Darius Smith and Obo Okoronkwo to complement Myles Garrett. Cincinnati may have made the biggest outside addition in the AFC North, signing Orlando Brown Jr., though the team did lose both starting safeties (Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell) in free agency. The Steelers added two likely O-line starters, in Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, and made changes at cornerback by signing Patrick Peterson and drafting Joey Porter Jr.

The returns from this year’s top AFC South headlines likely will not emerge until the mid-2020s, but the Texans, Colts and Titans drafted hopeful long-term QBs (C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis). Houston also gave up a bounty to move back into the top three for Will Anderson Jr.

Making Nathaniel Hackett just the third HC since the 1970 merger to be fired before his first season ended, the Broncos paid up — both in terms of draft capital and salary — to add Sean Payton. They also spent heavily to better protect Russell Wilson, signing Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey. The latter will be Denver’s 11th Week 1 right tackle in 11 years. The Raiders added Tyree Wilson in Round 1, but the team’s Derek Carr-to-Jimmy Garoppolo transition injects considerably more injury risk into their equation.

Darren Waller going from Las Vegas to New York provided the centerpiece of the Giants’ hopeful pass-game upgrade, which includes a few midlevel wide receiver investments. The team added likely starters in cornerback Deonte Banks and center John Michael Schmitz. Dallas brought in Pro Bowlers Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore via trade, and Mike McCarthy will dust off his play-calling chops after Moore’s Chargers exit. The Eagles drafted two more Georgia defenders (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith) in Round 1 but lost Javon Hargrave and both coordinators.

Few position groups received more attention than the Lions’ secondary. The rising team added Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley and second-rounder Brian Branch. This came after Jameson Williams‘ six-game gambling ban and after two first-round picks (Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell) receiving positional value-based criticism. While the Bears collected future assets from the Panthers in the Bryce Young swap, they pried D.J. Moore from Carolina and added two likely O-line starters in Nate Davis and Darnell Wright.

Carolina stopped its QB carousel with the Young move, and Frank Reich will be tasked with developing the atypical prospect. The Panthers also lured Ejiro Evero from the Broncos, despite Denver’s interest in retaining its DC. Though, the team’s receiving situation — now featuring Adam Thielen and DJ Chark — may take multiple years to fix post-Moore. The rest of the NFC South will also include new Week 1 starting QBs. The Saints made the second-most notable veteran quarterback addition this year — in giving Carr what amounts to a three-year, $100MM deal — and will hope this brings the QB stability Drew Brees‘ retirement stripped away two years ago.

While the 49ers lost another coordinator (DeMeco Ryans) to a head coaching job, they gave new DC Steve Wilks superior D-line talent via Hargrave’s $20MM-AAV deal. With the Colts taking Richardson at No. 4, the Seahawks doubled down on the recently re-signed Geno Smith by beginning this year’s receiver run with Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20. Seattle also zagged from its Pete Carroll–John Schneider M.O. by taking cornerback Devon Witherspoon at 5. This and the Dre’Mont Jones contract headlined a big year for Seahawks defensive investments.

What other teams deserve mention here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Which team has improved most this offseason?
Chicago Bears 12.20% (563 votes)
New York Jets 10.27% (474 votes)
Detroit Lions 9.06% (418 votes)
Philadelphia Eagles 6.67% (308 votes)
Seattle Seahawks 6.35% (293 votes)
Pittsburgh Steelers 5.76% (266 votes)
Houston Texans 4.61% (213 votes)
Cleveland Browns 3.60% (166 votes)
Green Bay Packers 3.42% (158 votes)
Atlanta Falcons 3.38% (156 votes)
New York Giants 3.21% (148 votes)
Dallas Cowboys 2.82% (130 votes)
Baltimore Ravens 2.60% (120 votes)
Miami Dolphins 2.56% (118 votes)
Minnesota Vikings 2.53% (117 votes)
New England Patriots 2.34% (108 votes)
Denver Broncos 2.23% (103 votes)
San Francisco 49ers 2.08% (96 votes)
Carolina Panthers 1.99% (92 votes)
Kansas City Chiefs 1.82% (84 votes)
Indianapolis Colts 1.71% (79 votes)
New Orleans Saints 1.60% (74 votes)
Las Vegas Raiders 1.23% (57 votes)
Washington Commanders 1.10% (51 votes)
Cincinnati Bengals 1.06% (49 votes)
Los Angeles Rams 0.84% (39 votes)
Buffalo Bills 0.76% (35 votes)
Tennessee Titans 0.52% (24 votes)
Jacksonville Jaguars 0.48% (22 votes)
Los Angeles Chargers 0.43% (20 votes)
Arizona Cardinals 0.41% (19 votes)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0.35% (16 votes)
Total Votes: 4,616

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/16/23

May 16th, 2023 at 6:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest 2023 draftees to sign their four-year rookie deals:

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints

The Browns added Tillman to a receiver room that includes Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones and trade acquisition Elijah Moore. Peoples-Jones is going into a contract year. Downs joins a Colts team rostering contract-year wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and second-year talent Alec Pierce. The Colts lost Parris Campbell this offseason. Dell will stay in Houston, moving to a Texans team that traded Brandin Cooks to the Cowboys. The Texans did sign Robert Woods and are expected to have 2022 second-round pick John Metchie in uniform after a leukemia diagnosis wiped out his rookie year.

Donovan Smith‘s Chiefs signing looks set to place Morris on the developmental track. Kansas City has now added two free agent tackles — Smith and Jawaan Taylor — who have a combined 12 years of NFL starting experience. The Saints will pair Haener with their higher-profile Fresno State alum, Derek Carr, atop their quarterback depth chart. The team made Haener this draft’s sixth QB selection, at No. 127, and the move began a run on Day 3 QB picks.

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