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
Cowboys Re-Sign LB Joe Thomas
The Cowboys have re-signed linebacker Joe Thomas to a one-year contract, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
Thomas, 28, has spent his career oscillating between Dallas and Green Bay. While he played 632 snaps with the Packers in 2016, he’s mostly played in reserve roles. Last season, Thomas was pressed into duty during the latter half of the year following an injury to Cowboys starter Leighton Vander Esch.
The Cowboys will return Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith, and Sean Lee in 2020, meaning Thomas will see most of his action come on special teams. The former undrafted free agent out of South Carolina State has played roughly 55% of Dallas special teams snaps in each of the past two seasons.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/18/20
Here are the minor moves from the first day of official free agency. The list will be updated throughout Wednesday.
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: OL Garrett McGhin
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: CB Donovan Olumba, DE Daniel Wise
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: T Tyler Shatley
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: C Evan Brown, DB Rashard Causey, T Chidi Okeke, WR T.J. Rahming
- Released with failed-physical designation: LB Mike Hull
Washington Redskins
- Re-signed: LB Nate Orchard
Joe Looney To Rejoin Cowboys
Interior offensive lineman Joe Looney has agreed to a deal to stay with the Cowboys for at least one more season, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. With a new coaching staff in Dallas and Looney’s former head coach now with the Giants it was unclear whether Looney would remain with the team, but it appears, at least for now, that the team is happy with a reunion.
An eight-year veteran, Looney has been a solid rotational lineman with the flexibility to play anywhere on a line’s interior. In 2018, Looney started every Cowboys game at center, but otherwise, he has never started more than 6 games in a season.
Looney spent the first three years of his pro career in San Francisco before the 49ers waived him prior to the 2015 season. After a one year stint with the Titans, Looney joined America’s Team in 2016 and has appeared in every Cowboys game since.
Cowboys Re-Sign CB Anthony Brown
Anthony Brown is returning to Dallas. The Cowboys are re-signing the cornerback, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer. It’s a three-year, $15.5MM deal for the 26-year-old, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The 2016 sixth-round pick has spent his entire career with the Cowboys, and he started 29 total games for the organization between the 2016 and 2018 seasons.
Brown was limited to only nine games in 2019 thanks to a triceps injury. He finished the campaign having compiled 17 tackles and five passes defended.
As Archer notes, Brown’s versatility means he could take on a bigger role with the Cowboys next season, especially with Byron Jones out of the picture. On the flip side, the reporter cautions that this transaction won’t stop the organization from pursuing a cornerback in the draft.
Dallas Adds CB Maurice Canady
Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports that the Cowboys have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with cornerback Maurice Canady. A four-year veteran, Canady has spent the majority of his career in Baltimore but finished last season with the Jets.
Obviously the Cowboys lost their number one corner, Byron Jones, earlier this offseason and while no one will confuse Canady for a Pro Bowler, the 25-year old adds some young depth to a defensive backfield that will need to be deeper than in previous seasons.
Canady appeared in 13 games last season between the Ravens and Jets. He made 3 starts, accrued 46 tackles, grabbed 1 interception, and earned a 73.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Cowboys To Re-Sign Kai Forbath
The Cowboys are keeping things steady at kicker. The team is re-signing Kai Forbath, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
We heard on Monday that Dallas was interested in bringing back Forbath, but that they were also exploring reuniting free agent kicker Greg Zuerlein with their new special teams coordinator John Fassel. It’s unclear if that pursuit didn’t work out because Zuerlein will be headed back to the Rams or elsewhere, or if they simply decided to go with Forbath.
The journeyman kicker spent three games with the Cowboys down the stretch, making all ten of his field goal attempts and all ten of his extra points. Dallas got rid of their longtime kicker Dan Bailey two seasons ago to go with Brett Maher, but Maher struggled mightily last year. Eventually they cut Maher after a couple of meltdowns and went with Forbath, who also kicked for the Patriots in two games last year.
Contract Details: Bridgewater, Panthers, Vaitai, Lions, Byrd, Patriots, Brees, Saints
The latest notes on all of the contracts being handed out around the league:
- QB Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers: signed. Bridgewater got a three-year deal worth $63MM and a whopping $40MM of that is guaranteed in the first two years, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. He got a $15MM signing bonus to take over for the start of the Matt Rhule era. Newton’s post has the full breakdown on how it’ll be paid out with various workout and roster bonuses.
- OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Lions: signed. Vaitai’s five-year, $50MM contract includes $20MM guaranteed which will come in the first two years of the deal, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio tweets. Detroit can get out of the pact after that.
- WR Damiere Byrd, Patriots: signed. Byrd’s one-year deal can be worth up to $2.5MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes in a tweet.
- QB Drew Brees, Saints: re-signed. Brees’ two-year, $50MM new deal with New Orleans includes a signing bonus of $23MM and a small base salary of only $2MM in year one, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That structure as well as two voidable years added on for 2022-2023 help keep his 2020 cap hit very low so the Saints can spend more as they gear up for one more Super Bowl with Brees under center.
- LB Sean Lee, Cowboys: re-signed. Lee is back for one more ride on a one-year, $4.5MM deal with $2MM guaranteed. He actually could earn up to $6.5MM if he hits some playing time incentives, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, although he writes they’re “not-likely-to-be-earned.”
- S Darian Thompson, Cowboys: re-signed. Thompson is getting a two-year deal worth $2.5MM, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He’s getting a $200K signing bonus and can earn an extra $250K with playing time escalators.
- WR Cody Core, Giants: re-signed. New York locked up the special teams ace who barely plays on offense, and he got paid handsomely. Core will be getting $4MM over a two-year deal, Wilson tweets. Only $1MM of it is guaranteed however.
- S Jordan Poyer, Bills: extension. The full details are in on Poyer’s new pact. Poyer had two new years added on and will now make $22.7MM over the next three years with $13MM of that being guaranteed, Wilson tweets. He also got a $3MM signing bonus. In a separate tweet, Wilson notes that Poyer has an annual $500K interception incentive he can earn.
Cowboys Interested In Emmanuel Sanders
The Cowboys have expressed interest in Emmanuel Sanders, according to Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter). For the SMU product, it would mark a return to Texas. Meanwhile, the Cowboys would get another proven vet to help replace Randall Cobb, who has moved on to the Texans. 
Sanders, a two-time Pro Bowler, trains in Dallas in the offseason and Slater hears that the interest is mutual. Last year, Sanders was shipped from the Broncos to the 49ers midway through the season and caught 36 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns for his new team. He was a little quieter in the playoff run to the Super Bowl with five receptions for 71 yards in the postseason.
The Cowboys re-upped Amari Cooper on a five-year, $100MM deal on Monday, meaning that he’ll return as the team’s WR1 for 2020 and beyond. The Cowboys also have receivers Michael Gallup, Devin Smith, and Cedrick Wilson under contract. Whether they sign Sanders or not, you can expect to see another notable name join the group.
Cowboys To Sign Gerald McCoy
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, a source tells ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). The pact, which is still pending a physical, is slated to be a three-year contract. 
Once finalized, it’ll be a three-deal deal worth roughly $20MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. His average annual value should land north of $6MM, Garafolo adds, so it sounds like the base value of the deal will be no less than $18MM. That’s a lot less than McCoy earned on his massive deal with the Bucs, but still a solid payday for a vet who is eager to win on the backend of his career.
McCoy hooked on with the Panthers last year after spending his previous nine pro seasons with the Buccaneers. He started in every game for Carolina and was still effective on the interior – he finished out with five sacks, bringing his career total to 59.5.
McCoy, 32, will join forces with DeMarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford on Dallas’ D-Line. There, he’ll help to try and fill the void left by the departures of Robert Quinn and Maliek Collins. Quinn cashed in on Tuesday by agreeing to a five-year, $70MM deal with the Bears. Collins, meanwhile, hooked on with the Raiders.