Giants, Cowboys Not Expected To Sign DeAndre Hopkins
The Giants inserted themselves into the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes earlier this week. Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that the organization would look into a potential Hopkins signing, noting that GM Joe Schoen would do his research “anytime there’s someone that’s available as a free agent.”
[RELATED: Giants Looking Into Potential DeAndre Hopkins Acquisition]
However, it doesn’t sound like the organization’s pursuit will extend much beyond simple due diligence. A team source told Ralph Vacchiano of FoxSports.com that the team’s interest in Hopkins isn’t expected to continue beyond the exploratory stage.
Hopkins certainly made sense for a questionable Giants WR corps. While the team did add tight end Darren Waller, their only other notable move was signing Parris Campbell to a receivers room that also features Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins and Sterling Shepard.
Hopkins’ financial demands may have ended the Giants’ pursuit before it even began; the receiver is seeking around $15MM per season while the Giants are currently armed with less than $4MM in space. The Giants still have to make progress on a potential extension for Saquon Barkley, a contract that won’t do anything to alleviate their finances.
Another NFC East team that’s unlikely to add Hopkins is the Dallas Cowboys. Jon Machota of The Athletic writes that the team isn’t expected to sign the free agent, although coach Mike McCarthy did discuss the wideout to reporters.
“As far as players that are not here, I mean, there’s nothing good that comes out of those answers,” McCarthy said (via Machota). “Hop is a hell of a talent. I had a chance to be around (him) his first Pro Bowl. So, I’ve always had respect for him since his rookie year.”
One definitive suitor is the Chiefs, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB passes along some details of Kansas City’s offer to Hopkins (Twitter link). Kansas City offered the wideout an incentive-laden deal with a low base salary, and the front office noted that Hopkins could parlay a one-year stint in Kansas City into a more lucrative deal in 2024 (similar to JuJu Smith-Schuster).
2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:
- Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
- New York Jets: $24.79MM
- Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
- Houston Texans: $16.81MM
- Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
- New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
- New England Patriots: $14.12MM
- Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
- Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
- Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
- Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
- Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
- New York Giants: $3.82MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K
The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.
The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.
Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.
Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.
Latest On DeAndre Hopkins: Agent, Bills, Browns, Chiefs, Ravens, Jets, Cowboys
DeAndre Hopkins said earlier this offseason he had hired an agent, but it does not appear the former Texans and Cardinals wide receiver made that official until Tuesday.
The veteran is now with Klutch Sports, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who notes Hopkins will be repped by Kelton Crenshaw (Twitter link). DeVonta Smith, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chase Young are also aligned with Klutch and Crenshaw. Hopkins had represented himself in the past — including when he signed the two-year, $54.5MM Cardinals extension in 2020 — but as the soon-to-be 31-year-old pass catcher transitions to free agency, he will have representation.
Hopkins had been using financial advisor Saint Omni as his de facto representative, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, while Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds teams were shying away from email communication with the accomplished wideout due to concerns they would be emailing a non-certified agent. That issue will be in the past now, with Hopkins aligned with LeBron James’ Klutch.
As for Hopkins’ potential destination, familiar teams continue to circle. Bills and Chiefs interest remains, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. During a recent ESPN appearance with Harry Douglas and Jason Fitz, Fowler said he would bet on Hopkins ending up in Buffalo or Kansas City (video link).
Both AFC powerhouses sit at the bottom of the league in terms of cap space. Buffalo holds $1.47MM; Kansas City sits at barely $600K. Hopkins is not looking to take much of a discount, especially considering what Odell Beckham Jr. received from the Ravens. OBJ signed for $15MM guaranteed, and incentives can take the 30-year-old wideout’s payout to $18MM. Hopkins remains unlikely to secure Beckham-level cash at this offseason juncture, and the Chiefs and Bills — during trade talks with the Cardinals — balked at taking on his previous contract. With that contract in the past, more flexibility exists now.
Rumored to be interested in Hopkins back in March, the Chiefs had made progress on a trade with the Cardinals, per Breer. OBJ’s deal scuttled those talks. While Hopkins lobbied the Cardinals to eat some of his contract to facilitate a trade, but the lack of worthwhile trade compensation did not compel Arizona to do so.
Hopkins will probably have to reveal some wiggle room as well, if he wants to end up with either of the two teams he has frequently mentioned as appealing destinations. Other teams still view the Bills as a threat to add Hopkins, per Fowler, who also notes the Chiefs’ belief in Kadarius Toney, despite his concerning injury past, also could impede a Hopkins addition. Kansas City also chose SMU’s Rashee Rice in Round 2. The Bills did not draft a receiver until Round 5 (Florida’s Justin Shorter), but they are planning to use first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid as a slot player frequently.
Although the Ravens signed Beckham and now have Zay Flowers in the fold, Lamar Jackson approached team brass about the potential for adding Hopkins weeks ago. With Jackson’s cap hit dropping from $32.4MM to $22.15MM this year, thanks to his record-setting extension removing the franchise tag from the equation, Baltimore has more than $11MM in cap space. The Ravens did Hopkins homework earlier this year, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required), and also discussed Courtland Sutton with the Broncos. But they are not believed to have entered serious trade talks with the Cardinals.
The Browns continue to be loosely connected to Hopkins, with Fowler noting the team will likely at least make a call on the 10-year veteran. Klutch is also a Cleveland-based agency that represents several Browns players. No other agency represents more Browns than Klutch, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Hopkins played three seasons with Deshaun Watson in Houston and remains close with the second-year Cleveland quarterback. Watson said Tuesday (via Cabot), “Of course, we’d love to have him.” Thanks to designating John Johnson as a post-June 1 cut, the Browns will hold more than $16MM in cap space later this week. That said, Kevin Stefanski has praised the Browns’ current receiving corps and expressed confidence in the group as is. The Browns have Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore and three recent third-round picks — Cedric Tillman, David Bell, Anthony Schwartz — on their roster.
The Jets pursued Beckham and had set up a visit, but they backed out of the race when the Ravens’ guarantee figure surfaced. The Cowboys also looked into the former All-Pro via trade. New York has since added Randall Cobb, while Dallas traded for Brandin Cooks. These two could loom on the fringes here as well, but Hopkins continues to be tied more closely to the Chiefs and Bills.
Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract
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
- Kyler Murray, July 2022. Five years, $230.5MM. $103.3MM fully guaranteed
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
- Lamar Jackson, April 2023. Five years, $260MM. $135MM fully guaranteed
Buffalo Bills
- Josh Allen, August 2021. Six years, $258MM. $100MM fully guaranteed
Carolina Panthers
- Cam Newton, June 2015. Five years, $103.8MM. $41MM fully guaranteed
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
- Deshaun Watson, March 2022. Five years, $230MM fully guaranteed
Dallas Cowboys
- Dak Prescott, March 2021. Four years, $160MM. $95MM fully guaranteed
Denver Broncos
- Russell Wilson, September 2022. Five years, $245MM. $124MM fully guaranteed
Detroit Lions
- Matthew Stafford, August 2017. Five years, $135MM. $60.5MM fully guaranteed
Green Bay Packers
- Aaron Rodgers, March 2022. Three years, $150.8MM. $101.4MM fully guaranteed
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
- Deshaun Watson, September 2020. Four years, $156MM. $73.7MM fully guaranteed
Indianapolis Colts
- Andrew Luck, June 2016. Five years, $122.97MM. $44MM fully guaranteed
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Nick Foles, March 2019. Four years, $88MM. $41.13MM fully guaranteed
Kansas City Chiefs
- Patrick Mahomes, July 2020. Ten years, $450MM. $63.1MM fully guaranteed
Las Vegas Raiders
- Derek Carr, June 2017. Five years, $125MM. $40MM fully guaranteed
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
- Philip Rivers, August 2015. Four years, $83.25MM. $37.5MM fully guaranteed
Los Angeles Rams
- Matthew Stafford, March 2022. Four years, $160MM. $63MM fully guaranteed
Miami Dolphins
- Ryan Tannehill, May 2015. Four years, $77MM. $21.5MM fully guaranteed
Minnesota Vikings
- Kirk Cousins, March 2018. Three years, $84MM fully guaranteed
Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.
New England Patriots
- Tom Brady, March 2016. Two years, $41MM. $33MM fully guaranteed
New Orleans Saints
- Derek Carr, March 2023. Four years, $150MM. $60MM fully guaranteed
New York Giants
- Daniel Jones, March 2023. Four years, $160MM. $81MM fully guaranteed
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
- Jalen Hurts, April 2023. Five years, $255MM. $110MM fully guaranteed
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Ben Roethlisberger, April 2019. Two years, $68MM. $37.5MM fully guaranteed
San Francisco 49ers
- Jimmy Garoppolo, February 2018. Five years, $137.5MM. $41.7MM fully guaranteed
Seattle Seahawks
- Russell Wilson, April 2019. Four years, $140MM. $70MM fully guaranteed
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tom Brady, March 2020. Two years, $50MM fully guaranteed
Tennessee Titans
- Ryan Tannehill, March 2020. Four years, $118MM. $62MM fully guaranteed
Washington Commanders
- Alex Smith, January 2018. Four years, $94MM. $54MM fully guaranteed
NFL Staff Notes: McDonough, NFLPA, Chiefs, Packers, Gruden, Philbin
It’s been nearly two months since former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough first filed an arbitration claim against team owner Michael Bidwill accusing Bidwill of cheating and gross misconduct. The claim specifically levied accusations of breach of contract, retaliation after engaging in protected activity, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and civil conspiracy. The Cardinals’ public relations consultant, Jim McCarthy, released a statement in return containing several personal attacks on McDonough.
The original complaint stemmed from a situation in which McDonough claims Bidwill had devised a plan for McDonough and then-head coach Steve Wilks to communicate with then-suspended general manager Steve Keim through burner phones. McDonough asserts that after voicing his concerns about the plan, he was written up for insubordination and, eventually, demoted.
McDonough has reportedly added more accusations in an amended arbitration complaint this week, accusing Bidwill and the Cardinals of defamation and invasion of privacy in response to McCarthy’s statement, according to ESPN’s Tisha Thompson. He called the statement “untrue and reprehensible,” and his wife, Lynette, called the statement “the most bizarre and dishonest thing that I have ever heard.” The new complaint also states that McDonough will prepare to pursue a civil complaint against McCarthy and his group, CounterPoint Strategies, for “grossly defamatory statements.”
The NFL recently selected Jeffrey Mishkin to arbitrate the employment dispute, according to another report from Thompson. Mishkin is the former chief legal officer for the NBA, leading the Association’s in-house legal department for seven years. He will determine the schedule of events, which are expected to last for several months.
Here are a few other rumors concerning staff positions in the NFL:
- Earlier this month, Mike Florio of NBC Sports reported that the league’s Players Association was moving closer to selecting a new executive director. The final candidates are not yet known, but we’re not completely in the dark. Previously this year, The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan identified candidates Matt Schaub, the former quarterback, Kellen Winslow Sr., the former tight end, Teri Patterson Smith, the NFLPA chief operating officer, Don Davis, the NFLPA senior director of player affairs, George Atallah, the NFLPA assistant director of external affairs, and Dominique Foxworth, the former NFLPA president. A couple weeks ago, Jim Trotter, also of The Athletic, reported that no internal candidates made the cut, eliminating Smith, Davis, and Atallah. Foxworth is also expected to no longer be in consideration. Former wide receiver and former member of Congress Anthony Gonzalez has been mentioned but not confirmed as a candidate. The NFLPA is proceeding with the process with the utmost confidentiality and plan to bring it to a close sooner rather than later.
- After previously participating in the Chiefs‘ Norma Hunt Training Camp Fellowship Program last year, Madison Aponte was hired on as a player personnel assistant. According to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com, while Aponte’s title hasn’t changed, she will continue acting as the team’s college scouting coordinator, a role she’s held since the start of the 2022 season.
- Stratton reports another addition, this time by the Packers. According to Stratton, Green Bay has hired Joey Laine in the role of salary cap analyst. Laine was a longtime presence in the Saints’ building after working with the team for more than ten years. He eventually left, following Ryan Pace to Chicago and working as the Bears’ director of football administration for eight seasons.
- Finally, two former NFL head coaches have taken minor roles with new teams this season. According to Jeff Duncan of nola.com, the Saints have brought in former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden to assist in the integration of new quarterback Derek Carr in the Saints’ offense. Carr played his best statistical seasons under Gruden during their time together and Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael welcomed Gruden’s assistance with open arms. The second former head coach is former Dolphins’ skipper Joe Philbin who, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, has been hired as an offensive analyst at Ohio State.
Latest On WR DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre Hopkins‘ tenure in Arizona came to a sudden end yesterday when the Cardinals released the veteran wideout. Throughout the offseason, Hopkins was one of the most popular names on the trade market, and there were whispers that a number of teams had engaged the Cardinals in trade talks. However, Albert Breer of TheMMQB tweets that only the Bills and the Chiefs had “substantive” discussions with the Cardinals.
[RELATED: Cardinals Release DeAndre Hopkins]
Breer adds that both cash-strapped teams had issues fitting in Hopkins’ cap hit. While the Chiefs believed they were making progress towards a trade and a resolution on Hopkins’ 2023 earnings, Odell Beckham‘s contract with the Ravens “more or less blew that progress up.”
While the Chiefs and Bills would still be worthy suitors for Hopkins, that aforementioned OBJ deal may have already priced some teams out of the ensuing bidding war. Mike Giardi tweets that Hopkins “wants money,” and OBJ’s ability to earn more than $15MM with Baltimore hasn’t done anything to change his mind. Breer tweets that the Chiefs and Bills are probably unlikely to sign the veteran unless he drops his asking price, and even then Hopkins would have to settle of an incentive-laden deal.
Of course, money won’t be the only deciding factor when it comes to Hopkins’ landing spot. Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki tweets that the wideout also values stable management, a good defense, and a quarterback who can galvanize the squad. Yesterday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released a list of best fits for Hopkins, with the Bills, Chiefs, Jets, Cowboys, and Saints all earning spots. The Browns, Giants, Falcons, and Patriots were listed as wild-card teams in the sweepstakes.
Either way, Hopkins won’t be able to officially sign a deal this weekend. Howard Balzer tweets that while the wideout is allowed to speak with teams, he can’t sign a contract until his name officially appears on the NFL’s personnel notice on Tuesday. Interestingly, Balzer also notes that when Hopkins hired new representation earlier this offseason, the NFLPA listed the agent as Eddie Edwards. Now, there’s no agent of record for the wideout. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the confusion is attributed to the fact that Saint Omni is “running the show” for Hopkins. Last year, the NFL warned teams not to discuss contracts with non-certified agents like Omni during the Roquan Smith negotiations.
As for the Cardinals, there were some pundits who wondered why Hopkins wasn’t designated as a post-June 1 cut, which would have spread his $22MM cap hit over the next two seasons. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe assumes (on Twitter) that the Cardinals just want to “take their lumps now,” and the reporter notes that while Arizona technically used their two allocated post-June 1 cuts, the team could have still cut Hopkins after June 2 and realized the same financial incentives.
DeAndre Hopkins Rumors: Chiefs, Trade Talks, Patriots
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.
Davante Adams Named In Lawsuit Over Shoving Incident
The way in which Raiders wideout Davante Adams exited the field after the team’s loss to the Chiefs in October has once again become the source of a legal development. Adams shoved photographer Park Zebley to the ground as he was departing GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, which raised the potential for legal and league discipline to follow. 
Adams has now been named in a civil lawsuit filed by Zebley, as detailed by David Hudnall of the Kansas City Star. Aside from the 30-year-old, the Raiders, Chiefs, the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority and Landmark Events Staffing have also been named as defendants for their various levels of responsibility for Adams’ conduct and the general safety of personnel on and around the field.
Adams – who apologized for the incident via social media following the game – is currently facing a misdemeanor assault charge for his actions. His next scheduled court date is June 26; it is believed the NFL will await the outcome of those proceedings to decide if any further discipline in the form of a fine or suspension will be necessary. This latest development marks another potential turning point in this case, though.
“A municipal misdemeanor battery charge is not sufficient,” a statement from Zebley reads. “I’m looking for justice. You can’t shove someone down and walk off like it didn’t happen. Not in real life.”
Zebley contends that, in addition to the injuries he sustained (including a concussion), he received death threats online following the incident. As a result, the 20-year-old “felt concerned for his own safety and sought counseling and stayed away from his apartment.”
“We’re in the beginning stages of this,” Zebley’s attorney Dan Curry said. “But [Zebley] is looking for compensation for what happened to him, and if a jury has to decide, then that’s who’ll decide.”
Patrick Mahomes Addresses Contract
Patrick Mahomes‘ contract has come up a few times this year, and once Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert are extended, the issue figures to be a regular talking point. The most accomplished of the league’s current wave of 20-something quarterbacks has been passed over several times now, with no QB yet to follow Mahomes’ 10-year extension blueprint.
That 10-year, $450MM deal drew scrutiny in the moment, tying the game’s biggest star to a team for 12 seasons. Nine remain on the Chiefs quarterback’s contract. A rumor earlier this offseason pointed to the Chiefs restoring Mahomes as the game’s highest-paid player by Week 1. With Mahomes signed through 2031, the mechanisms of Kansas City doing so would be unusual. But the two-time MVP is not making an aggressive push for a new deal — at least not publicly.
“I’ve always said I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment,” Mahomes said, via ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “We see what’s going on around the league, but at the same time, I’ll never do anything that’s going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me. So it’s kind of teetering around that line.”
Whereas Rob Gronkowski‘s lengthy Patriots extension once gridlocked the tight end market for a stretch in the 2010s, Mahomes’ pact did not serve as a roadblock for other extension-seeking QBs. Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson have all passed Mahomes’ $45MM AAV number within three years. Teams have successfully made Watson’s fully guaranteed Browns deal an outlier, but Hurts and Jackson just signed for north of $50MM apiece on five-year re-ups. Questions about each dual-threat QB’s prime duration aside, both Jackson and Hurts may well be in position to cash in again later in the 2020s. Mahomes’ lengthy deal would, in a vacuum, not force the Chiefs’ hand.
Then again, GM Brett Veach said earlier this offseason the team would reexamine Mahomes’ contract once Burrow and Herbert signed. Seeing as not to enter a dispute with the biggest star in franchise history, the Chiefs would seem unlikely to refuse a renegotiation.
“You just want to do whatever to not hurt other quarterbacks [financially],” Mahomes said. “Whenever their contracts come up, you want to keep the bar pushing [higher]. It’s not about being the highest-paid guy; it’s not about making a ton of money. I’ve made enough money where I’ll be set for the rest of my life. But at the same time, you got to find that line where you’re making a good amount of money but you’re still keeping a lot of great players around you so you can win these Super Bowls and you’re able to compete in these games.”
When Mahomes signed his extension in July 2020, he passed Wilson’s AAV lead by $10MM and only did so because he signed off on the unusual term length. While the Chiefs included a rolling guarantee structure that locks in money a year out, Mahomes will likely soon see his deal trail the game’s salary leader by more than $10MM. Burrow or Herbert ending up at $55MM per year or beyond that point is not difficult to envision.
But the team-friendly deals Mahomes and Travis Kelce accepted in 2020 allowed the Chiefs to extend Chris Jones. The All-Pro defensive tackle has maintained top form and is now in a contract year again. The Chiefs, who passed on paying Tyreek Hill top-market money and let the Patriots outbid them for JuJu Smith-Schuster, will also have second-round standouts Creed Humphrey and Nick Bolton in contract years in 2024. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed became extension-eligible in January, though the Chiefs have avoided paying corners for most of the Andy Reid era.
“If you look at the greats in the league, they find that right spot where they’re getting paid a lot of money but at the same time keeping a lot of these great players around,” Mahomes said. “… I understand you look at the team and you’ve got guys like Chris and Sneed and even Travis — all these guys that you need to keep around you to have these great teams. But at the same time, you want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
Not all the QBs around the league have operated this way; Mahomes doing so has certainly aided the Chiefs. With the two-time Super Bowl champion not exactly shutting down the idea of a renegotiated deal, this will be a key NFL storyline as the Bengals and Chargers navigate their respective negotiations.
Chiefs Agree To Deal With Round 1 DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Felix Anudike-Uzomah was the last player to hear his name called on Day 1 of the draft, and his NFL career is now set to officially begin. The defensive end has signed his rookie deal with the Chiefs, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). 
Anudike-Uzomah will be on the books for at least four years, but his time in Kansas City could be extended by one season via the fifth-year option. By the time they have to make that decision (during the 2026 offseason), the Kansas State product will likely have played a notable role in the team’s edge rushing group. His rookie campaign could see rotational usage at first, but his potential could lead to more down the line.
The 6-3, 252-pounder put up considerable numbers in each of final two seasons with the Wildcats. He recorded 11 sacks in 2021, following that up with 8.5 last year. Anudike-Uzomah added 25.5 tackles for loss during that span, along with eight forced fumbles. That production earned him Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors in each campaign, and put him on the first-round radar as one of the top members of a deep class of pass rushers amongst this year’s prospects.
The Chiefs represented a logical trade-down candidate since the N0. 31 pick was the final one in the first round for this year, in the event teams looked to secure the fifth-year option on a quarterback in particular. Kansas City ultimately stayed put at that spot, though, and used their first pick on an edge rusher for the second consecutive draft.
Anudike-Uzomah joins George Karlaftis as a first-rounder tasked with leading the team’s outside pass rush, and in doing so taking responsibility away from star defensive tackle Chris Jones. A thumb surgery may cost Anudike-Uzomah time during OTAs, but he should still have plenty of opportunities to carve out a role behind Karlaftis and free agent addition Charles Omenihu. Pass rush production will be a key area of interest for the Chiefs after the release of Frank Clark, but Anudike-Uzomah figures to be a signficant contributor in that department in the short- and medium-term future.