NFL Contract Details: Jones, Floyd, Williams, QBs
Some assorted contract details from around the NFL:
- RB Aaron Jones, Packers: Four years, $48MM, including $20MM over first two years. $7MM roster bonus in 2023. Owed $16MM in 2023 and $12MM in 2024. Via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter.
- LB Leonard Floyd, Rams: Four years, $64MM, including $32.5MM guaranteed. $14MM signing bonus. Salaries: $2MM (2021, fully guaranteed), $16.5MM (2022, fully guaranteed), $15.5MM (2023), $16MM (2024). Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- DE Leonard Williams, Giants: Three years, $63MM, including $45MM. $22.5MM signing bonus. Salaries: $3.5MM (2021, fully guaranteed), $19MM (2022, fully guaranteed), $18MM (2023). Cap charges: $11MM (2021), $26.5MM (2022), $25.5MM (2023). Via Manish Mehta on Twitter.
- QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington: One year, $10MM, including $6MM guaranteed. Max value of $12MM. $6MM signing bonus. $3MM base salary, $1MM per-game roster bonuses. Up to $2MM in incentives. Via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post on Twitter.
- QB Jacoby Brissett, Dolphins: One year, $5MM, including $2.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM signing bonus, up to $2.5MM in incentives. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- QB Andy Dalton, Bears: One year, $10MM. $7MM signing bonus, $3MM base salary, up to $3MM in incentives. Via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.
- LB Carl Lawson, Jets: Three years, $45MM, including $30MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus. Salaries: $6.2MM (2021, plus $7.8MM roster bonus), $15MM (2022), $15MM (2023). Cap charges: $14.3MM (2021), $15.3MM (2022), $15.3MM (2023). Up to $800K in sack incentives each year. Via Mehta on Twitter.
Rams Trade Michael Brockers To Lions For Seventh-Round Pick
Early Wednesday, the Lions acquired defensive lineman Michael Brockers from the Rams. The cost? A 2023 seventh-round pick, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
Lions GM Brad Holmes kicked off his new responsibilities by shipping Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles in a blockbuster trade. This week, he went back to the Rams’ well for Brockers, a 2012 first-round pick who was a bit too pricey for L.A., even though he’s been productive. Last year, Brockers notched five sacks and 51 total stops in 15 games (all stars).
The Rams re-upped Brockers last year on a three-year, $24MM deal after his would-be Ravens agreement fell through. Brockers was a good bet to get cut, saving $6.17MM against the cap with $3.67MM in dead money. Instead, they got something in exchange for him — even if it’s not all that much.
Brockers will join Trey Flowers and newly re-signed edge rusher Romeo Okwara in the Lions’ front seven. Meanwhile, last year’s top nose tackle Danny Shelton is out of the picture following his release.
Rams To Re-Sign LB Leonard Floyd
5:35pm: The Floyd market moved fast. The Giants pushed to sign him, but the Rams will win the sweepstakes, Anderson tweets. Floyd will stay in Los Angeles on a four-year, $64MM deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
This represents a major win for Floyd, who saw the Bears release him prior to his fifth-year option vesting in 2020. Floyd will follow Fowler in riding a Rams contract year into free agency success. The Rams are making their biggest commitment to an edge defender in years here, doing so after trading Robert Quinn and letting Fowler walk. The team’s journey toward cap compliance will continue, however, with the team now having three front-seven bastions — Donald, Floyd and Michael Brockers — signed to veteran deals.
5:15pm: Although the Rams let Dante Fowler walk in free agency last year, they are not quite ready to lose another edge rusher. They remain in talks with Leonard Floyd, according to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson, who notes the discussions are going well (Twitter link).
The Rams will still need to clear considerable cap space to keep Floyd. They reside more than $30MM over the cap. Teams must comply with the $182.5MM salary ceiling by 3pm March 17, when the 2021 league year starts.
Like Fowler, Floyd produced in a contract year. The former Bears first-round pick, whom Chicago cut after an inconsistent tenure, recorded a career-best 10.5 sacks while teaming with Aaron Donald in Los Angeles. After battling injury issues early in his career, Floyd has now played in 16 games in each of the past three seasons.
More edge rushers are available this year, compared to a 2020 offseason in which several received franchise tags. Like Fowler, Floyd did not. And he is in much better position to land a strong deal than he was last year, when the Rams signed him to a one-year pact worth $10MM. It will be interesting to see if Floyd can improve on that salary soon.
Rams Give Darious Williams Round 1 Tender
Although the Rams have the NFL’s worst cap situation presently, they will use the top restricted free agency tender to keep Darious Williams from leaving.
The Rams tendered Williams at the first-round level, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This will mean the emerging cornerback is attached to a $4.77MM price going into the new league year.
Teams rarely use the Round 1 tender, and the Rams are the only team to do so thus far this offseason. But the team clearly wants to ensure Williams sticks around opposite Jalen Ramsey next season. Should another team sign Williams to an offer sheet, it would need to give the Rams a first-round pick. This scenario seems incredibly unlikely.
For a player with three years’ experience, Williams is on the older end (28 today). But he broke through with a big 2020 season, intercepting four passes and rating as Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 overall corner. Williams added a pick-six in the Rams’ first-round win over the Seahawks. With Troy Hill on the verge of unrestricted free agency, Williams profiles as a key player for the Rams to retain.
NFL Announces Compensatory Picks For 2021 Draft
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2021 draft.
These picks are awarded to the teams that suffered the most significant free agent losses during the 2020 offseason. This year, the NFL awarded 36 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks. The Cowboys top the list (shared below) with a league-high four selections.
A change to this year’s formula took place, with the NFL awarding four picks to teams who saw one of their minority staffers become a head coach or GM. The 49ers, Rams, Ravens and Saints earned third-round comp picks this year. They will receive additional third-rounders in 2022. The Rams added a third-rounder after losing college scouting director Brad Holmes (Lions GM); the Ravens lost quarterbacks coach David Culley (Texans HC); the Saints lost assistant GM Terry Fontenot (Falcons GM). In losing VP of player personnel Martin Mayhew (Washington GM) and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh (Jets HC), the 49ers will have an additional third-round pick in 2023 as well.
Here’s the full breakdown, by round and by team:
By round:
Round 3: Patriots (No. 96 overall), Chargers (97), Saints (98), Cowboys (99), Titans (100), Rams (101), 49ers (102)*, Rams (103)*, Ravens (104)*, Saints (105)*
Round 4: Cowboys (No. 139 overall), Patriots (140), Steelers (141), Rams (142), Packers (143), Vikings (144), Chiefs (145)
Round 5: Packers (No. 178 overall), Cowboys (179), Falcons (180), 49ers (181), Chiefs (182), Falcons (183), Ravens (184)
Round 6: Buccaneers (No. 217 overall), Saints (218), Falcons (219), Packers (220), Bears (221), Panthers (222), Vikings (223), Eagles (224), Eagles (225), Panthers (226), Cowboys (227), Bears (228)
By team:
- Dallas Cowboys (4)
- Atlanta Falcons (3)
- Green Bay Packers (3)
- Los Angeles Rams (3)
- New Orleans Saints (3)
- Baltimore Ravens (2)
- Carolina Panthers (2)
- Chicago Bears (2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (2)
- Minnesota Vikings (2)
- New England Patriots (2)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2)
- San Francisco 49ers (2)
- Los Angeles Chargers (1)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (1)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)
- Tennessee Titans (1)
* = special compensatory selection
Rams Eyeing Matthew Stafford Extension Or Restructure
The Rams traded two first-round picks and change to acquire Matthew Stafford, so it would stand to reason they are planning to commit to the former Lions starter long-term. But after the trade, a new contract was not viewed as an immediate priority.
Stafford’s 2017 extension runs through the 2022 season; $43MM remains on the deal. However, the Rams are more than $30MM over the low-end salary cap projection ($180MM) and could benefit by a Stafford extension lowering his 2021 cap hit. The team plans to address Stafford’s contract, be it through an extension or restructure, according to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required).
At the time of signing, Stafford’s $27MM-per-year deal raised the then-stagnant QB market by $2MM. That began a hotbed of activity, which included the Rams’ ill-fated $33.5MM-per-year deal for Jared Goff, and Deshaun Watson‘s $39MM-AAV pact now tops the market (for conventional, non-Patrick Mahomes QB contracts). Given the price the Rams paid, Stafford would have some leverage in extension talks — should he choose to exercise it.
The 33-year-old passer is only set to count $20MM against the Rams’ 2021 cap, though a base-to-signing bonus restructure could lower that in a non-extension scenario. The Lions already restructured Stafford’s contract, adding a void year. A Stafford extension would align with that of his new receivers — Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, whose 2020 extensions run through 2025 and 2023, respectively — and defensive cornerstones Aaron Donald (through 2024) and Jalen Ramsey (through ’25). Putting Stafford on the same timeline has factored into his equation, per Rodrigue.
It seems the Rams will be approaching their new quarterback soon, and other restructures should be on tap considering the team’s current cap situation.
Rams 2021 Staff Notes
We heard last month that new Chargers coach Brandon Staley was interested in bringing OC Kevin O’Connell with him from the Rams, but that Sean McVay had blocked the lateral move. McVay confirmed that news when speaking to the media earlier this week, and indicated that he’s putting more on O’Connell’s plate to keep him happy. McVay said his top offensive deputy will have more responsibility this upcoming season, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets.
The Rams head coach stressed how important it was for the team to retain O’Connell in the face of the Chargers’ advances. It doesn’t sound like he has any intention of giving up play-calling duties anytime soon, but at least O’Connell will be more involved in the operation. McVay let his old OC Matt LaFleur leave to go to the Titans for a lateral move since it came with play-calling responsibilities, but he wasn’t as keen to see O’Connell walk out the door. O’Connell, still only 35, was Washington’s OC in 2019 before getting bounced with the rest of Jay Gruden’s staff and then getting picked up by McVay.
- O’Connell isn’t the only one getting additional responsibilities on the Rams staff. Running backs coach Thomas Brown has now been given the title of assistant head coach, tight ends coach Wes Phillips has been named passing game coordinator, and defensive line coach Eric Henderson has been promoted to run game coordinator, the team announced. Knowing the history of McVay’s staffs, each of these guys will probably be head coaches by 2022. All jokes aside, Phillips is the son of former Cowboys head coach and Rams DC Wade Phillips, so it’s interesting to see him rising up through the ranks if nothing else.
Rams “Definitely” Value Austin Blythe
In a few weeks, Austin Blythe will be eligible for free agency. Ideally, Rams head coach Sean McVay would like to prevent that from happening. 
[RELATED: Rams’ Matthew Stafford On Lions Exit]
“He did a great job and he’s definitely somebody that we appreciate, we value,” McVay said (via USA Today). “I think there’s going to be a lot of things that we’ve got to really navigate through as we’re trying to figure out the best way to put our team together as we figure out what is that cap? What does it look like specific to some of the things that we’re in the midst of trying to figure out? You even talk about restructuring, some of the guys that have some of those bigger deals and where we can find some of that money.”
Blythe raised his stock in 2019 as he took over for Brian Allen. The Rams re-upped him on one-year deal and he performed as a solid starter throughout the year. Centers like Corey Linsley may draw more attention on the open market, but there would be plenty of suitors for Blythe. Last year, he earned a score of 69.3 from Pro Football Focus, positioning him as the ninth-best center in the NFL.
This Date In Transactions History: Jaguars Extend Blake Bortles
Three years ago today, the Jaguars took themselves out of the quarterback market by sticking with Blake Bortles. The move was widely panned and, ultimately, it did not work out for Jacksonville. 
The Jaguars were fresh off of an AFC Championship Game appearance and their first playoff appearance in nine years. Bortles, meanwhile, tossed a career-low 13 interceptions. Still, his overall body of work did not inspire a ton of confidence – his 60.2% completion percentage actually marked a new career best.
Despite the question marks, Bortles became the first 2014 first-round pick to receive an extension – stars like Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, and Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack were still negotiating for their new deals (Of course, they all eventually secured the bag.)
Reported to be a three-year, $54MM pact, the deal included $26.5MM guaranteed with the potential to reach $66.5MM in total through bonuses. He did not earn those incentives, nor did he get to play out his deal – Bortles was cut loose in 2019, clearing the way for Nick Foles to take over.
Bortles went 3-9 in 12 starts for the Jaguars as head coach Doug Marrone flip-flopped him with Cody Kessler. During his five-year run with the Jaguars, Bortles led the league with 75 interceptions – more than one INT per start.
With his stock at an all-time low, the former No. 3 overall pick hooked on with the Rams in the 2019 offseason. Playing behind Jared Goff, Bortles appeared in only three games and attempted two passes. Without a real opportunity to play in 2019, Bortles did not get a chance to silence his critics. Last year, he found his way to Denver, where he was penalized for breaking the league’s COVID safety protocols. Now, on the verge of his 29th birthday in April, Bortles is a free agent once again. And, much like last year, the former No. 3 overall pick is on the NFL fringes.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Hire New O-Line Coach
- The Rams parted ways with highly regarded offensive line coach and run game coordinator Aaron Kromer a few days ago, and they aren’t wasting any time replacing him. Los Angeles will hire Kevin Carberry to be their new O-line coach, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). The speed with which Sean McVay made this move would seem to indicate it had been in the works for a while. Carberry was the run game coordinator at Stanford before taking this gig. As Pelissero points out, Carberry was on staff in Washington with McVay. He was Washington’s assistant O-line coach under OC McVay in 2016.