Cowboys Re-Sign LS L.P. Ladouceur
L.P. Ladouceur will be back in Dallas for a 16th season. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys have re-signed their long-time long snapper.
Archer notes that it will be a one-year deal that includes nearly $900K in guaranteed money. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets that Ladouceur will earn a $1.05MM salary and a $137K signing bonus.
Ladouceur, 39, joined the Cowboys back in 2005, and he hasn’t missed a regular season game since 2006. In fact, he owns the franchise record for most consecutive games played.
Contract Details: Cooper, Hargrave, Littleton
Jonathan Bostic, (Washington): two-years, $5MM, $1.75MM guaranteed; $1.25MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $960k ($500k guaranteed), 2021: $1.69MM; $500k roster bonus in 2020, $200k in non-guaranteed weekly roster bonuses in 2020, $400k in non-guaranteed weekly roster bonuses in 2021, an additional $800k in annual incentives available as well, according to John Keim of ESPN.
Amari Cooper, (Cowboys): five-years, $100MM deal, $60MM guaranteed; $10MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $10MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $20MM (fully guaranteed), 2022: $20MM (guaranteed for injury until March 2022), 2023: $20MM, 2024: $20MM, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Tyeler Davison, (Falcons): three-years, $12MM, $4.55MM guaranteed; $3.64MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $910k (fully guaranteed), 2021: $3.2MM, 2022: $3.45MM; $200k in non-guaranteed weekly roster bonuses in 2020, $250k in non-guaranteed weekly roster bonuses in 2021, $350k in non-guaranteed weekly roster bonuses in 2022, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.
George Fant, (Jets): three-years, $27.3MM, $8.85MM guaranteed; $3MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $4.6MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $8MM, 2022: $9.25MM; $1.25MM guaranteed roster bonus in 2020, $400k non-guaranteed weekly roster bonuses from 2020-2022, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.
Javon Hargrave, (Eagles): three-years, $39MM, $26MM guaranteed; $11.75MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $1MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $12.75MM (fully guaranteed), 2022: $12.75MM; $250k workout bonus in 2022, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Cory Littleton, (Raiders): three-years, $35.25MM, $22MM guaranteed; salaries 2020: $11MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $5.5MM (fully guaranteed), 2022: $11MM; guaranteed $5.5MM 2021 roster bonus, non-guaranteed $500k weekly roster bonuses in 2020-2022, $250k workout bonus in 2020-2022, $250k annual Pro Bowl incentive, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Levine Toilolo, (Giants): two-years, $6.2MM, $3.25MM guaranteed; salaries 2020: $1.225MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $2.925MM; guaranteed $2MM 2020 roster bonus, $25k annual workout bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Cowboys To Bring Back Sean Lee
Despite the Cowboys bringing in a new coaching regime for the first time in 10 years, they will bring back one of the team’s leaders. Sean Lee and the Cowboys have agreed on a deal that will keep the linebacker in Dallas for an 11th season, according to Lee’s agent (Twitter link).
Lee will earn $4.5MM on a one-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The longtime Cowboy cog will receive $2MM in full guarantees. This will be Lee’s age-34 season.
In February, Lee vowed not to retire. But the Cowboys at that point had not yet decided to bring him back. They have now, and Lee will return to his post as the veteran in Dallas’ linebacking corps.
While Lee himself has been injury-prone during his Cowboys tenure, he played a key role last season after Leighton Vander Esch‘s season-ending setback. Lee started 13 games and worked in a three-down role with Jaylon Smith. He made 86 tackles in Dallas’ disappointing 2019 season. Vander Esch is expected to be ready by training camp, but Lee will be back in uniform as a high-profile insurance policy.
Cowboys To Decline Cameron Fleming’s Option
The offensive tackle market is getting a new name. The Cowboys are not picking up Cameron Fleming‘s option so he’ll be hitting free agency, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Fleming signed a two-year deal worth up to $8.5MM last offseason. He operated as the team’s swing tackle behind Tyron Smith and La’el Collins last year. He started three games this past season as Smith was sidelined briefly by injury. A fourth-round pick of the Patriots back in 2014, he seemingly always started a few games per year. From 2014-17 with New England, he started 15 times.
He won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, and started in their Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles. He’s still only 27 and has plenty of big-game starting experience, so he should draw some interest on the open market. The top tackles like Jack Conklin, Ricky Wagner, and Bryan Bulaga are all off the market, so the secondary options should start going soon.
Cowboys Re-Sign Darian Thompson
The Cowboys have retained safety Darian Thompson, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. After losing safety Jeff Heath to the Raiders earlier today, the team has maintained some continuity at the position.
A third-round pick in the 2016 draft by the Giants, Thompson started all 16 games of his second professional season in New York, but mediocre play and an injury led to his release in just his third season. The Cowboys soon picked him up and he appeared in 10 games at the close of 2018, but failed to record any statistics.
In his first full season in Dallas, Thompson made 4 starts but appeared in the Cowboys defensive backfield in 15 games throughout the season. Thompson recorded 45 tackles, 3 passes defended, 1.5 sacks, and received the 61st highest grade for a safety of the 86 qualified players, per Pro Football Focus.
Raiders To Sign Jeff Heath
Cowboys safety Jeff Heath becomes the third member of America’s team to depart for the Raiders organization today. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports that Heath agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $8MM to join the Raiders in their inaugural season in Las Vegas.
Heath has spent his entire seven-year career in Dallas since joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley State. Primarily a special teamer for much of his tenure, Heath became a starting defensive back over the previous three seasons. In his career, Heath has appeared in 106 games (54 starts) and made 346 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8 interceptions, and 5 forced fumbles.
Raiders starting strong safety Karl Joseph remains a free agent and so Heath appears well-positioned to at least have a chance to compete for a starting spot in Sin City.
Contract Details: JPP, Cousins, Weatherly
Deals are coming in quickly, so we’ve compiled some important contract details below:
- DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Buccaneers: two years. Deal is worth $25MM, and could be worth up to $26MM ($12.5MM/season, up to $1MM in incentives). Via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter.
- DE Stephen Weatherly, Panthers: two years, $12.5MM. Deal includes $6.25MM guaranteed, $4MM signing bonus. Annual per-game active roster bonus up to $100K, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings: two-year, $66MM extension. Effectively now three-year, $96MM deal. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com observes, this gives Cousins the highest AAV at his position ($32MM, bumping Russell Wilson‘s $31.4MM).
- DE Arik Armstead, 49ers: five-year, $85MM extension. Includes voidable sixth year, allowing team to lower cap number. $6MM cap number in first year, $12.5MM in second year, $20MM+ in 2022 through 2024. All via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter.
- QB A.J. McCarron, Texans: re-signed. One-year, $4MM deal, including $3.75MM guaranteed. Via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter.
- DE Mario Addison, Bills: three years. Worth $30.45MM, including $15.25MM guaranteed. $14MM in first year of deal. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- QB Nate Sudfeld, Eagles: re-signed. One-year, $2MM deal, including $500K guaranteed. Another $1MM in incentives. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- TE Blake Jarwin, Cowboys: three years, $24.25MM. Includes $4MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $2.25MM (2020), $3.5MM (2021), $4.5MM (2022), $5.5MM (2023). From 2021 through 2023, there are active roster bonuses totaling $750K and escalators maxing out at $750K per season. Via ESPN’s Todd Archer on Twitter.
Texans To Sign Randall Cobb
Randall Cobb is headed to Houston. The Texans have agreed to sign the former Cowboys wide receiver and longtime Packers star, according to old friend James Jones (on Twitter).
Once finalized, it’ll be a three-year deal worth $27MM. The pact also includes $18.75MM guaranteed – a solid haul considering Cobb’s age and injury history.
While Cobb took a one-year, $5MM deal with the NFL’s other Texas team in 2019, this Houston pact comes in nearly as high as the deal the Packers gave him amid his prime in 2015. Cobb played out his four-year, $40MM Green Bay deal and fared well in Dallas on a prove-it pact.
Cobb, 30 in August, stayed healthy last year and appeared in 15 games for the Cowboys. Although Dallas fell short of the postseason, he had a productive campaign with 55 catches for 828 yards and three touchdowns.
In Houston, he’ll try to be part of the solution after yesterday’s shocking trade of DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals. Cobb will join Kenny Stills and Will Fuller in Houston, likely stepping into a familiar slot role while the deep threats work the boundaries. However, Cobb is the only member of this trio signed beyond 2020. Both Stills and Fuller are set for UFA status in 2021, so the Texans still have work to do at wide receiver after Monday’s stunner.
WR Amari Cooper To Re-Sign With Cowboys
Amari Cooper is about to get paid. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the star wideout intends to re-sign with the Cowboys on a five-year, $100MM deal. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the deal contains a whopping $60MM in guaranteed money.
While Cooper hasn’t necessarily established himself as one of the league’s top-tier receivers, it always seemed like he was heading towards a contract that would pay him $20MM per season. Wideouts of Cooper’s caliber or age rarely reach free agency, so it was clear that the Cowboys would have to come close to Julio Jones’ $22MM-per-year deal. Ultimately, Cooper’s $20MM average annual value will rank second at the position, bumping Michael Thomas‘ $19.25MM-AAV to the third spot.
A number of teams have been loosely connected to Cooper throughout the offseason, but Schefter tweets that one rival was pushing hard for the receiver’s services: the Washington Redskins. As Schefter notes, the Redskins pursued Cooper today and tried “to pry him away” from their divisional rival. The Broncos were also recently mentioned as a potential suitor.
Cooper earned his fourth career Pro Bowl nod following another productive season in 2019. In 16 games, the 25-year-old hauled in 79 catches for a career-high 1,189 receiving yards and a career-high eight receiving touchdowns. Cooper joined the Cowboys midway through the 2018 season following a trade with the Raiders.
Now, the Cowboys can focus on extending Dak Prescott to a new contract. Earlier today, we learned that the organization was placing the exclusive franchise tag on their Pro Bowl quarterback. At the same time, the organization watched as cornerback Byron Jones inked a lucrative deal with the Dolphins. Considering the cap constraints, it’s not surprising that ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the front office restructured the deals of both running back Ezekiel Elliott and offensive tackle La’el Collins earlier today.
Cowboys Eyeing Greg Zuerlein, Kai Forbath
The Cowboys are reportedly eyeing free agent kickers. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports (via Twitter) that the organization has expressed interest in re-signing Kai Forbath. More notably, the reporter notes that Greg Zuerlein is on the team’s radar.
Greg The Leg has spent his entire seven-year career with the Rams, including a 2017 campaign where he earned a Pro Bowl nod and first-team All-Pro recognition. While the veteran has connected on 82-percent of his field goal attempts during his career, that number dropped to only 72.7-percent in 2019.
Forbath had a three-game stint with the Cowboys last season, connecting on all 10 of his field goal attempts (including seven from the 40-49-yard range). He also spent two games with New England during the 2019 campaign.
The veteran has had stints with seven different organizations during his career, appearing in 81 career games.