RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 4/18/22
Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:
RFAs
Signed:
- Rams: LB Travin Howard
ERFAs
Signed:
- Browns: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, G Michael Dunn
- Chargers: T Storm Norton
- Jets: CB Javelin Guidry, S Elijah Riley, WR Jeff Smith, DE Tim Ward
- Lions: WR Tom Kennedy, TE Brock Wright
- Packers: LB Krys Barnes, TE Dominique Dafney, C Jake Hanson, T Yosh Nijman, LB Randy Ramsey; WR Malik Taylor
- Ravens: C Trystan Colon, QB Tyler Huntley, LS Nick Moore, LB Kristian Welch
NFC Notes: Packers, Cousins, Seahawks, Kaepernick
Following the mass exodus of the Packers’ staff this offseason, longtime NFL quarterbacks coach Tom Clements received a phone call from his old player, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as reported by Ryan Wood of Packers News.
Rodgers had just watched the dissolution of the Packers’ 2021 coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett departed to Denver for a head coaching position. Passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy took an offensive coordinator job for the rival Bears.
Clements was enjoying retirement, looking forward to heading into Year 2 of armchair quarterbacking like the rest of us. Clements claimed he “didn’t have the itch to come back,” but after conversations with Rodgers and Packers head coach Matt LeFleur, Clements found himself back in the NFL, returning to his longest tenured home from his first stint in coaching.
Here are a few other notes from around the NFC, starting with another note from the North:
- Following a shiny new deal from the Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins appears content to finish his NFL career in Minnesota, according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff. Cousins certainly didn’t need an early extension. He set an example years ago for how a player can bet on himself, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to be franchise-tagged in consecutive years then signing the league’s first ever (and highest at the time) fully-guaranteed contract. Despite this history, Cousins agreed to a deal that freed up some cap space for Minnesota. When asked why he agreed to this deal, Cousins simply stated, “The short answer is: I want to be a Minnesota Viking.”
- Jason La Canfora wrote a piece Friday asserting his belief that two quarterbacks will go in the Top 10 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft, notably that he expects Atlanta and Carolina to select one of Liberty’s Malik Willis or Pitt’s Kenny Pickett. If either NFC South franchise ends up addressing another position, though, La Canfora expects Seattle to fulfill his prediction with the No. 9 overall pick. Should neither quarterback be available to the Seahawks, several executives believe that Seattle would trade back, allowing teams who are hungry to select a specific prospect to relinquish some of their draft capital while keeping alive the Seahawks ability to draft a value-player without reaching.
- Should Seattle not find a quarterback in the Draft, one option they’ve kicked the tires on is former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick hasn’t played since January of 2017, but has stayed in shape amidst lawsuits and accusations against the NFL that settled in 2019. A connection was reported with the Seahawks in March after some comments from head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll gave an update, as reported by USA Today’s Scooby Axson, saying that, while not much has progressed in terms of a contract, Carroll notices the work Kaepernick has put in and admires the 34-year-old’s desire to compete. No deal seems imminent, but Kaepernick remains a possibility should Seattle strike out in the Draft later this month.
Packers To Sign WR Sammy Watkins
1:14PM: Not surprisingly, the two sides have indeed been able to reach an agreement on a deal. Watkins is signing a one-year contract worth up to $4MM (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
1:07PM: One of the teams most in need of wide receiver additions is meeting with one of the top remaining free agents at the position. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports (on Twitter) that Sammy Watkins is visiting the Packers today. 
Green Bay has been able to retain most of the key players on their NFC-leading team from 2021. Two of the most notable departures, though, are of course Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. That has left the team in search of multiple replacements for their pass-catching corps; given the current state of the free agent market, many expected the draft to become the Packers’ main area of focus.
Watkins is on a small list of notable veterans still available, though. He, along with Julio Jones, Jarvis Landry and Will Fuller could all be on the move around, or just after, the draft. The Packers would represent Watkins’ fifth career team, as he spent the 2021 campaign with the Ravens after three years in Kansas City. That, in turn, was preceded by a single season with the Rams and three with the Bills. Since his lone 1,000 yard campaign in Buffalo, he has established himself as a consistent secondary option in the passing game.
Green Bay would still have some familiar faces for the former fourth-overall pick. Head coach Matt Lafleur was the Rams’ offensive coordinator during his lone season there in 2017. Likewise, WRs coach Jason Vrable worked with Watkins as an offensive staffer when he was in Buffalo. If he were to sign, the 28-year-old would add experienced depth to the WR room, while leaving the door open to at least one other noteworthy addition, either in free agency or the draft.
Packers Eyeing Draft For WR Additions?
While the Packers were able to maintain most of their core during this offseason, they have a sizable hole at the wide receiver position. With the draft coming up at the end of the month, the team could add multiple rookies at the position, as noted by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. 
[RELATED: Packers To Target WR Upgrades]
Green Bay has traditionally avoided taking wideouts early in the draft – the last time they used a first-round pick on one was in 2002 – but the team is in need of multiple additions this year. Having traded away Davante Adams and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, the Packers will be rebuilding the top of the depth chart in the near future. General manager Brian Gutekunst recently indicated a willingness to spend multiple picks on the position.
“I think it’s too early to tell, but I think my history and even with Ted [Thompson’s] history, I don’t think we’ve ever shied away from taking multiple players at one position in a draft” he said. “So certainly if the right players are there, we wouldn’t shy away from that.”
Green Bay currently hold picks No. 22 and 28 in the first round. That will, in all likelihood, leave them out of contention for top options such as Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jameson Williams. Prospects closer to their range include Treylon Burks and Jahan Dotson, as well as a number of second-round candidates who will be available when the team picks 53rd and 59th overall.
While established players like Julio Jones and Jarvis Landry are still available as free agents, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Green Bay were to draft at least one impact wideout to help offset this year’s losses. While doing so would be somewhat out of character, the rarer scenario of selecting two also cannot be ruled out.
This Date In Transactions History: Packers Re-Sign TE Robert Tonyan
Three years ago today, the Packers re-upped a relatively unknown tight end on their 90-man roster. The move went unnoticed by many, but it proved to be one of the savviest pickups of the offseason. On April 10, 2019, the Packers re-signed tight end Robert Tonyan. 
[RELATED: Packers Pursued DeVante Parker]
The Indiana State product went undrafted in 2017, but he managed to secure a lucrative three-year, $1.66MM deal with the Lions. He didn’t end up making the regular season roster, and he spent the majority of his rookie year as a free agent before catching on with the Packers practice squad. Following that 2017 campaign, Green Bay retained the young tight end via a futures contract.
Tonyan ended up sticking the team in 2018, appearing in all 16 games. However, other than a memorable 54-yard touchdown catch, the tight end didn’t do much on the offensive end, and he ended the season having appeared more on special teams (191 snaps) than on offense (67). Still, the Packers apparently believed in his potential, as they extended him a tender as an exclusive rights free agent. That decision (and the subsequent negotiations) culminated in the minor move that was made three years ago today.
Tonyan’s 2019 campaign was similar to his 2018 season; he saw a bit more offensive responsibility, but he still didn’t put up notable numbers. Following that season, the Packers made him an exclusive rights free agent once again, and the player ultimately signed the tender.
The tight end rewarded the Packers’ confidence with a breakout season in 2020. The then-26-year-old emerged as one of Aaron Rodgers‘ favorite targets, finishing the season with 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. He continued producing in the playoffs, hauling in eight catches for 82 yards and one score in two games.
Tonyan was slapped with a second-round tender last year, locking him into a $3.3MM salary for 2021. In 2021, Tonyan got off to a similar start, minus the massive red-zone impact. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a torn ACL in a Week 8 game against the Cardinals, but the Packers believe that he’ll make a full recovery. Despite the uncertainty, Tonyan is back on a new one-year, $3.75MM deal for 2022.
Whitney Mercilus Retires
After 10 years in the NFL, Whitney Mercilus is calling it a career. The pass rusher announced his retirement today on Instagram. 
“I’ve decided I’m hanging up the cleats” he said. “I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my life.”
The 31-year-old spent a decade in Houston after the Texans selected him in the first round of the 2012 Draft. During most of that span, he was an integral part of the team’s defense, pairing with J.J. Watt as their most consistent and effective pass rushers. The year which sticks out the most statistically is 2015; in that campaign, he posted 12 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
Mercilus’ time in Houston coincided with the team’s most successful years. He was a member of five division-winning squads (out of six in franchise history, which remain the only ones to qualify for the postseason). While the team never made it past the Divisional round of the playoffs, the Illinois alum played a consistent role throughout his tenure in the Lone Star State. Overall, he totalled 57 sacks in 134 games with Houston, along with another seven in eight postseason contests.
He saw his playing time reduced in 2021, however. As the team transitioned to the likes of Jonathan Greenard and Jacob Martin, Mercilus was released. That led to his mid-season signing by the Packers, who were looking for pass rush help in the absence of Za’Darius Smith. A biceps tear limited his time in green and gold to just four games, however.
Ultimately, Mercilus will be remembered as one of the top players in Texans’ history; his retirement announcement indicated that he will now focus more time on family and his foundation.
Cowboys, Falcons, Packers, Texans Pursued DeVante Parker
The Patriots’ latest wide receiver trade sent DeVante Parker from one AFC East team to another, but at least four teams from outside the division discussed acquiring the former first-round pick.
The Packers, Falcons and Texans engaged in talks with either the Dolphins or Parker’s agent about the veteran wide receiver, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds the Cowboys resided in the mix as well (Twitter links).
Parker went to the Pats in a deal that sent the Dolphins a third-round pick, with Fowler adding talks between the rivals heated up on the pro-day circuit. The career-long Dolphin wanted to be dealt to the Patriots, per Fowler and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link).
Dallas’ receiver room changed in March, when the team dealt Amari Cooper to Cleveland for little compensation — at least compared to what the Cowboys parted with to acquire Cooper — and let Cedrick Wilson Jr. defect to Miami. The Dolphins’ Wilson move and their Tyreek Hill blockbuster left Parker without a certain role in Mike McDaniel‘s offense. This led to the seven-year vet going on the trade block.
Green Bay joined Dallas in dealing its No. 1 wideout in March, sending Davante Adams to Las Vegas. Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s Chiefs commitment leaves the Packers with little at receiver. The Falcons have seen their receiving corps gutted over the past 10 months, to the point they do not have a No. 1- or No. 2-caliber receiver on their roster. The Texans do not have much beyond Brandin Cooks at the position. And the oft-traded wideout is going into the final year of his Rams-constructed contract.
Parker is signed through the 2023 season and is on the Patriots’ books at $5.65MM and $5.7MM for the next two years. While the 29-year-old target has not been especially consistent, he has a 1,200-yard season on his resume (2019) and carried a contract that looks quite reasonable considering where Adams and Hill took the market last month.
Browns Sign P Corey Bojorquez
The Browns have made an addition to their special teams. Cleveland announced on Monday that they have signed punter Corey Bojorquez.
Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal adds that the deal is for two years. Bojorquez originally came into the league with the Patriots as a UDFA in 2018, but it was with the Bills that he began his career that same year. The 25-year-old was in Buffalo for three seasons, including the 2020 campaign where he led the league in yards per punt with 50.8.
Bojorquez was then in a training camp battle with the Rams, which he ultimately lost to incumbent Johnny Hekker. As a result, Los Angeles traded him to the Packers. In 17 games with Green Bay, he once again held the distinction of owning the longest punt in the league at 82 yards. Overall, he averaged 46.5 yards on 53 punts.
While Green Bay’s overall special teams performance was among the worst in the league last year, many saw the individual play of Bojorquez himself (especially early in the season) as one of the unit’s bright spots. In Cleveland, he will replace Dustin Colquitt, making this the third straight year the Brows have a new punter. As Ulrich notes, the team still has work to do in the third phase, as they declined to tender RFA kicker Chase McLaughlin, leaving them with a vacancy at that position.
Contract Details: Armstead, MVS, Douglas, Peterson, Peppers, Butler, Barnett, Harris
Here are the latest details from contracts recently agreed to around the NFL:
- Terron Armstead, T (Dolphins): Five years, $75MM. In addition to a $12MM signing bonus, Armstead’s $43.37MM guarantee includes his 2022 and ’23 base salaries ($1.1MM, $9MM), Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Armstead’s $13.25MM 2024 base salary is guaranteed for injury at signing. The deal includes $2.5MM-per-year incentives for playing time and Pro Bowl accolades, Wilson adds (on Twitter).
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR (Chiefs): Three years, $30MM. Valdes-Scantling’s $18MM guaranteed includes a $6MM signing bonus and a fully guaranteed 2022 base salary ($2.56MM), Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The Chiefs have some flexibility in 2023. MVS has $6.4MM of his $8.6MM 2023 salary guaranteed for injury at signing; that shifts to a full guarantee if the wideout is on Kansas City’s roster on Day 3 of the 2023 league year. Valdes-Scantling’s $11.6MM 2024 base is nonguaranteed.
- Rasul Douglas, CB (Packers): Three years, $21MM. The Packers gave Douglas a $5.3MM signing bonus and have him tied to base salaries of $1.1MM, $2.25MM and $6.25MM, Wilson tweets. Douglas will collect a $2MM roster bonus if he is on Green Bay’s roster on Day 3 of the 2023 league year.
- Derek Barnett, DE (Eagles): Two years, $13.2MM. Barnett will see $7MM fully guaranteed, which includes $5.5MM in Year 1 and $1.5MM in Year 2, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes (Twitter links). The Eagles guaranteed $1.5MM of Barnett’s 2023 salary and will guarantee $2MM more of that $7.5MM figure if he is on their roster on Day 3 of the 2023 league year. There are $9MM in incentives available, Wilson tweets.
- Malcolm Butler, CB (Patriots): Two years, $9MM. The Patriots only guaranteed the recently unretired cornerback $750K, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. That comes via a $500K signing bonus and a $250K guarantee of Butler’s 2022 base salary. Butler’s cap numbers check in at $2.22MM and $2.75MM.
- Patrick Peterson, CB (Vikings): One year, $4MM. In addition to the $3.5MM guaranteed Peterson will collect, Wilson notes the Vikings included $1MM in playing-time and playoff incentives (Twitter link). The team tacked a void year onto the deal.
- Anthony Harris, S (Eagles): One year, $2.5MM. The Eagles are guaranteeing $1MM of Harris’ $2MM base salary, Wilson tweets.
- Jabrill Peppers, S (Patriots): One year, $2MM. The Patriots are giving Peppers a $300K signing bonus and guaranteeing his $1.1MM base salary, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The deal includes $3MM in playing-time incentives.
Packers Hope To Extend Jaire Alexander Before Season
The Packers were unable to reach an extension agreement with Davante Adams, leading to a blockbuster trade following a franchise tag. Brian Gutekunst would prefer the Jaire Alexander process conclude before a potential Alexander tag comes into play. The fifth-year Packers GM said the team “would love” to extend Alexander this offseason, via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman (on Twitter). Gutekunst confirmed the Packers and Alexander are in talks, which became known earlier this month, and said the discussions could continue throughout the year. Alexander finds himself in an interesting position, coming off a season a shoulder injury mostly nullified. But the one-time Pro Bowler is still eyeing a top-market extension. Alexander figures to face a decision on playing out a contract year ahead of a potential tag or taking long-term security — at likely a slightly lower price — before the season.
- Prior to Chandon Sullivan‘s Vikings agreement, the Packers made a late push to keep him, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. Sullivan spent the past three seasons with the Packers, who have a need at slot cornerback thanks to his defection to a division rival. The Broncos also pursued Sullivan but signed K’Waun Williams days before news of Sullivan’s Vikings agreement surfaced.