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NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Hockenson

September 7th, 2023 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rashan Gary is all set to debut in Week 1, completing his recovery from the ACL tear that ended his 2022 season in November. But the Packers will begin their top pass rusher on a pitch count to start the season, Matt LaFleur confirmed (via Packers Wire’s Zach Kruse). This could open the door for early-season Lukas Van Ness development. The Packers still roster Preston Smith, who is going into his fifth season with the team, and Van Ness contributed as an inside and outside rusher at Iowa. The team has versatile linebacker Justin Hollins and 2022 fifth-rounder Kingsley Enagbare, who became a primary starter after Gary went down last season, as options while Gary ramps up to a full workload.

Additionally on the Green Bay injury front, David Bakhtiari, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are viewed as game-time decisions for Sunday’s opener against the Bears. Bakhtiari, who has seen knee trouble sidetrack his career to a degree over the past two-plus years, is listed on the injury report with more knee trouble. He expects to play, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein tweets. Both starting receivers are battling hamstring maladies and have not practiced this week. Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • As for tonight’s game, the Lions ruled out cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. Although Detroit activated Moseley off its active/PUP list before roster-cutdown day, the free agency addition underwent a second knee procedure this summer and was viewed as a long shot to start the year on time. Moseley is finishing up a recovery from an October 2022 ACL tear.
  • Isaiah Buggs started 13 games at nose tackle for last season’s Lions edition, but the veteran was informed in advance he would be a healthy scratch tonight, the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers notes. The Lions gave Buggs a two-year, $4.5MM deal in March but gave more snaps to rookie Brodric Martin and Benito Jones during camp. Buggs believes his lack of offseason attendance affected the team’s decision, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The former Steelers contributor said his wife giving birth led to him staying away during OTAs. Jones and Alim McNeill are expected to start in Kansas City, Birkett adds.
  • Going into free agency, the Bears did extensive work on Dre’Mont Jones, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes. Although the Bears carried plenty of cap space into free agency, they chose to stand down on Jones and spend for the likes of Tremaine Edmunds, Nate Davis, T.J. Edwards and DeMarcus Walker. The team later addressed its D-tackle needs in the draft, choosing three — Zacch Pickens (Round 2), Gervon Dexter (Round 3) and Travis Bell (Round 7) — on Day 2. This duo should be expected to play bigger roles down the line, but in Week 1, Justin Jones and Andrew Billings are slated to start. A four-year Broncos regular, Jones ended up with the Seahawks on a three-year, $51MM deal.
  • T.J. Hockenson‘s four-year, $66MM Vikings extension comes with $29.29MM fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap. That number checks in fourth among tight ends — behind Kyle Pitts‘ rookie deal and the extensions for Mark Andrews and George Kittle. Hockenson’s 2024 base salary is fully guaranteed. His $10.9MM 2025 base salary is guaranteed for injury at signing, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who notes that number shifts to a full guarantee a year early (March 2024). The Vikings did not use the year-out guarantee structure for Hockenson’s 2026 setup, giving them more flexibility. Hockenson has $2.3MM of his 2026 base ($15.4MM) guaranteed for injury; it does not shift to a full guarantee until March 2026, giving the Vikings additional flexibility. Hockenson’s cap number will climb from $5MM this year to $14.1MM in 2024, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune tweets.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson Addresses Contract Situation

September 7th, 2023 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

After weeks of silence on this front, the Vikings are indeed trying to extend Justin Jefferson before the start of this season. The star receiver became extension-eligible in January and, if not extended within the next three days, would enter Week 1 as the NFL’s 65th-highest-paid wideout.

Jefferson confirmed contract talks are ongoing, indicating (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) he would prefer to have an extension done before the season. Extension talks could presumably continue into the season, though Jefferson stopped short of guaranteeing that would happen. The 2020 first-round pick is tied to a $2.39MM base salary.

The Vikings have Jefferson signed through 2024, after exercising his $19.74MM fifth-year option. Since teams could begin exercising options back in 2014 — three years after they were introduced in the 2011 CBA — no club has extended a first-round wideout with more than a year of control remaining. History would suggest Jefferson’s extension comes next year, and a previous report pointed to that timeline being a team preference. As we head toward Week 1, however, the Vikings are working hard to hammer out a deal and keep Jefferson happy, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required).

“I don’t think it’s the most important thing,” Jefferson said of his contract, via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Mark Craig. “But it is what it is at the end of the day. My agent and the Vikings are having conversations about that. My job is to play football. Have a smile on my face every day. Have the work ethic I have every single day and lead this team because I want to be a role model and a person people look up to, especially on this team. I know the better I play, the more money I get.”

Shattering Randy Moss‘ NFL standard for the most receiving yards through three seasons, getting to 4,825 last season, Jefferson is a mortal lock to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. Questions will pertain to contract structure and how much of a salary gap will exist between Jefferson and the field. Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM (featuring an inflated final year to create that AAV) leads the way among receivers. Jefferson would take a risk by playing a fourth season on his rookie contract, but he has never missed a game due to injury. Superstars like Aaron Donald and Nick Bosa also played out their fourth seasons before resetting positional markets ahead of Year 5.

Considering the complexities this contract could bring, it would not surprise if it was not completed by Sunday. The Vikings are not in danger of losing exclusive negotiating rights with Jefferson, as he is not eligible for free agency until 2025. The LSU alum also has virtually no chance of reaching the market at that point. If the Vikings do hammer out a Jefferson deal in the next few days, they would go into the season with the NFL’s highest-paid wideout and second-highest-paid tight end. T.J. Hockenson is now attached to a four-year, $66MM extension.

Vikings, S Josh Metellus Agree On Extension

September 7th, 2023 at 8:29am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings have another deal in place. After reaching an agreement with Danielle Hunter to start training camp and then bringing T.J. Hockenson back into the fold with a big-ticket contract, Minnesota will keep one of its top special-teamers around beyond 2023.

Josh Metellus agreed to terms on a two-year extension worth up to $13MM, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The contract will guarantee the fourth-year safety $6MM. A 2020 sixth-round pick, Metellus was going into a contract year.

[RELATED: Vikings Eyeing 2023 Justin Jefferson Extension]

This offseason involved Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah shedding a few contracts. Rick Spielman-era investments Eric Kendricks, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook are out of the picture, while one of Adofo-Mensah’s early pickups — Za’Darius Smith — became a one-and-done. The Vikings also moved on from cornerbacks Patrick Peterson, Cameron Dantzler and Chandon Sullivan. They will field a much younger secondary this season, and Metellus is expected to play a bigger role.

The three starts Metellus made last year marked his first as a pro, but ESPN’s Kevin Seifert notes DC Brian Flores is expected to use Metellus alongside starters Harrison Smith and Lewis Cine in three-safety looks. Metellus received an opportunity in the slot this summer, though UFA addition Byron Murphy is on track to reprise his Cardinals role by moving inside in sub packages.

Metellus’ 929 special teams snaps are the third-most among Vikings since 2020. He was on the field for 258 defensive plays last season, marking a substantial increase from his first two years. The Michigan product made 42 tackles and deflected five passes.

Restructured Contracts: Garoppolo, Bills, Wilson, Reed

September 5th, 2023 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Jimmy Garoppolo continues to help the Raiders carve out cap space. After reworking his deal earlier this offseason, the quarterback has once again restructured his deal, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).

The move will create $17MM in cap space for the organization, making them cap compliant. As Vince Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes, the team previously converted an $11.25MM signing bonus into base salary, increasing Garoppolo‘s salary from $11.25MM to $22.5MM in the process. Bonsignore assumes the front office did some work today to reduce that newfound 2023 number.

Shortly after Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal, he underwent surgery to repair the fractured foot he sustained in early December. The Raiders’ first restructuring helped protect the organization in case the QB’s foot injury lingers into the regular season.

More financial notes from around the NFL…

  • The Bills opened a chunk of cap space today. The team opened $4.5MM in cap space by restructuring the contracts of guard Ryan Bates and cornerback Taron Johnson, per Yates. Bates turned into a full-time starter for the Bills in 2022, while Johnson has started 41 games for Buffalo over the past three seasons.
  • Cedrick Wilson Jr. reworked his contract with the Dolphins prior to cutdown day, per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS. The veteran wideout lowered his base salary to $2MM while receiving a $3MM signing bonus, equaling his $5MM in guarantees from last season. With incentives, Wilson can earn up to $7.25MM on his reworked contract.
  • The Vikings recently reworked the contract of guard Chris Reed, according to ESPN’s Ben Goessling. The offensive lineman’s base salary is now fully guaranteed at $1.165MM, an increase from the $1.4MM ($600K guaranteed) pact he was previously attached to. This was the second time this offseason that Reed agreed to a reworked contract.
  • Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills restructured his deal recently, converting $2.28MM of his base salary into a signing bonus, per Yates. The new deal also has three new void years, opening around $1.8MM in cap space.
  • The Cowboys restructured Neville Gallimore‘s contract, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The defensive tackle’s salary was reduced from $2.7MM to $1.5MM, and he can now earn $750K via incentives.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/5/23

September 5th, 2023 at 5:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived from IR: LB Abraham Beauplan

San Francisco 49ers

  • Released from IR: K Zane Gonzalez
  • Waived from IR: WR A.J. Parker

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Today’s minor moves consistent exclusively of players getting released/waived from injured reserve. If players are placed on IR during the preseason, they’re not allowed to be activated by their team during the regular season. However, getting released from IR allows them to sign elsewhere and play immediately.

The most notable name on the list is kicker Zane Gonzalez, who has seen time in 63 career games. He most recently got into 12 games for the Panthers during the 2021 campaign, connecting on 20 of his 22 field goal attempts and 22 of his 23 extra point tries. The veteran will likely need an injury to hit before he gets another gig.

Vikings Sign WR N’Keal Harry To Practice Squad

September 4th, 2023 at 1:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

N’Keal Harry was let go by the Vikings not long before last week’s roster cutdowns. The former first-round receiver is back with the organization, however. Harry has signed with Minnesota’s practice squad, per a team announcement.

After suffering an injury in warmups before a preseason contest, the Vikings waived Harry with an injury designation. The 25-year-old went unclaimed, to no surprise, and he was not picked up on any teams’ active rosters or taxi squads as a free agent. Given today’s news, he can now resume his role as a developmental project for the Vikings.

Harry entered the league with high expectations as a Day 1 selection, but his time with the Patriots did not produce consistent production. The Arizona State alum’s best year came in 2020, when he posted a 33-309-2 statline. His playing time fluctuated in New England, though, and injuries have hindered his development.

Chicago traded for him last summer in an effort to revive his career and give the team some upside in its receiving corps. An injury delayed his Bears debut, however, and Harry was limited to seven games played and only seven receptions. His latest deal with an NFC North outfit could see him elevated to the active roster on gamedays depending on Minnesota’s depth chart at the receiver spot.

Starting roles are in place for Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn, as well as first-round rookie Jordan Addison. If healthy, Harry could play his way into a complimentary role if he remains in the Vikings’ organization long enough. Of course, he will be free to sign with another team’s active roster while he remains on Minnesota’s taxi squad, though.

In a corresponding move to the Harry signing, undrafted rookie center Alan Ali was released from the practice squad.

TE Kyle Rudolph To Retire

September 4th, 2023 at 9:46am CST by Adam La Rose

As foreshadowed earlier this offseason, Kyle Rudolph is bringing his playing days to a close. The veteran tight end informed the Score’s Jordan Schultz that he will retire as a member of the Vikings.

In July, Rudolph made clear his plans to try his hand at broadcasting this season, something which signaled his intention of hanging up his cleats. He will be a member of NBC’s Big Ten coverage in the fall, something he considered in large part as a result of the network’s existing relationship with his alma mater, Notre Dame. Today’s new confirms the end of Rudolph’s 12-year career.

The former second-rounder spent his first 10 years in Minnesota, immediately establishing himself as a full-time starter. Rudolph was a mainstay during his time with the Vikings, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods and posting 4,488 receiving yards. The latter figure ranks 11th in franchise history and second to only Steve Jordan at the tight end position.

He was released in 2021, a move which began a pair of one-year stints elsewhere in the NFC. Rudolph inked a two-year deal with the Giants, but his time in New York lasted only half that long. His production (26 receptions, 257 yards, one touchdown) was enough for Tom Brady to recruit him in 2022 as one of several veterans to join the Buccaneers during their three-year run with him at the QB position. Rudolph played nine games in Tampa Bay, but made only three catches during his time there.

As a result, he garnered little (if any) interest on the open market, leading to his decision to head to the broadcast booth. That move is now official, and Rudolph will leave the field with just under $60MM in career earnings. Schultz adds that the Vikings plan to officially honor the 33-year-old around the time of their Week 3 contest against the Chargers.

Vikings Sign T David Quessenberry, Place RB/KR Kene Nwangwu On IR

August 31st, 2023 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 31: Quessenberry’s Vikings deal is official. To make room on their 53-man roster, the Vikes shuttled kick returner Kene Nwangwu to IR. Minnesota’s kick returner for the past two seasons, Nwangwu suffered a back injury that has forced him to miss multiple weeks of practice. The third-year running back has already ripped off three kick-return touchdowns. That is the most in the NFL over the past two seasons; only one other player (Nyheim Hines) has more than one in that span. The Vikings also signed Myles Gaskin to help on the running back depth front behind Alexander Mattison.

AUGUST 30: Beaten out for the Bills’ swing tackle position, David Quessenberry is on track to have another opportunity. The Vikings are planning to sign the veteran offensive lineman, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Quessenberry, 32, spent last season as Buffalo’s swing tackle. Rookie UDFA Ryan Van Demark, however, beat out the experienced blocker for the job. This will be an active-roster addition, Garafolo adds.

The Vikings have Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill in place at tackle. Oli Udoh replaced O’Neill when he went down late last season. The former Minnesota guard starter resides as the only backup tackle option on the team presently, but if Quessenberry passes a physical, that will soon change.

Best known for his AFC South work, Quessenberry has 26 career starts on his resume. Seventeen of those came for the 2021 Titans. As the Titans struggled to replace Jack Conklin, Quessenberry gave them a full season of starter work at right tackle. The team’s Isaiah Wilson whiff preceded its Dillon Radunz pick not producing a ready blocker, leading to Quessenberry taking over. A 2013 Texans sixth-round pick, Quessenberry will bring extensive experience to a Vikings team flush with homegrown O-linemen.

Only Minnesota and New Orleans boast starting O-lines housing five homegrown first- or second-round picks. O’Neill represents the longest-tenured Vikings blocker and their only big-ticket contract. He missed time to close last season. Quessenberry is set to join Udoh, Austin Schlottmann and Blake Brandel as Vikes backup blockers.

Vikings, T.J. Hockenson Agree On Extension

August 31st, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Sam Robinson

11:01am: This move, in fact, will lead to Hockenson becoming the NFL’s highest-paid tight end. The Vikings are giving their starter a four-year, $68.5MM deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That will make the AAV $17.13MM, which checks in just north of Waller’s previous position record. Hockenson’s guarantees dwarf Waller’s, however, with Schefter adding this extension comes with $42.5MM guaranteed. That likely accounts for the total guarantee here, rather than the guarantee at signing. Still, that number eclipses George Kittle‘s previous position high of $40MM.

The $68.5MM number may not be the base value here, per Pelissero, who adds the deal is worth $66MM over four years. Incentives can move the deal to that $68.5MM place. This would bump Hockenson down to the No. 2 slot for tight end AAV, at $16.5MM. But he has still done quite well on the through-2027 contract, with Pelissero echoing Schefter’s report on the guarantee figure. Negotiations between the Vikes and Hockenson did not alter this framework much, as Pelissero adds this is close to the deal that was on the table before camp.

10:04am: T.J. Hockenson‘s time as a Vikings practice spectator looks like it will come to an end. The Vikings are rewarding the 2022 trade acquisition with an extension, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report. The team has since announced the move.

While the ex-Lions top-10 pick was believed to be seeking a deal that made him the league’s highest-paid tight end, this agreement will move him close to the top of the market. Minnesota is making Hockenson “one of” the NFL’s top earners, per NFL.com. Hockenson, 26, was going into his fifth-year option season ($9.33MM).

This has been on Minnesota’s radar for a bit. Hockenson had loomed as a Detroit extension candidate coming into last season, but after a 1-6 start, the Lions dealt the 2019 draftee to a division rival for two Day 2 draft choices. Hockenson stepped in as a key Justin Jefferson complementary piece during the Vikings’ surprising 13-4 season. Although Minnesota is also talking with Jefferson about an extension ahead of his fourth season, Hockenson loomed as the priority due to his contract-year status.

One of many productive tight ends to come out of Iowa, the former No. 8 overall pick went through an inconsistent Lions career. Injuries limited him during multiple Detroit seasons, but he did showcase his talents with a 723-yard showing in Matthew Stafford‘s 2020 finale. But the Brad Holmes–Dan Campbell regime inherited Hockenson, a Bob Quinn-era draft choice. The Lions moved Hockenson on deadline day last year and have since replaced him with another ex-Hawkeyes standout, No. 34 overall pick Sam LaPorta.

In Minnesota, Hockenson finished up a 914-yard receiving season. The receiving tight end added a 10-reception, 129-yard day in the Vikings’ wild-card loss to the Giants. This year, Hockenson had missed training camp time due to an ear infection he said affected his equilibrium. The fifth-year pass catcher then complained of back stiffness. The 6-foot-5 tight end has not yet practiced with his teammates since camp began, with this stretch likely doubling as a hold-in measure amid negotiations.

Jefferson is poised to reset the wide receiver market, either this year or next, and it will be interesting to see the Hockenson numbers through that lens. The Vikings will soon have a top-market tight end deal and the NFL’s most lucrative receiver contract on their books. For a team that has Kirk Cousins on a big-ticket contract (complete with four void years), this represents a substantial commitment to its aerial centerpieces. That said, the Vikings moved Dalvin Cook‘s $12.6MM-per-year contract off their books this offseason, and the team only has one offensive lineman (right tackle Brian O’Neill) earning more than $6MM on average. Cousins’ contract also expires at season’s end. The Vikings are paying Hockenson (and soon Jefferson) to anchor their post-Cousins passing attack.

Darren Waller‘s $17MM sits atop the tight end salary spectrum, AAV-wise. This checks in well south of Tyreek Hill‘s receiver-leading number ($30MM). The Patriots holding Rob Gronkowski to his six-year contract, which quickly became a bargain, and Travis Kelce not raising the bar especially high on his second Chiefs extension in 2020 have led to the tight end market stagnating. Hockenson’s figure will make for a notable update, though it is interesting this deal does not appear set not top Waller’s. At this rate, it may still take years for tight ends to crack the $20MM-per-year barrier.

But the Vikings have one of their core passing-game pieces in place for the long haul. Minnesota’s upcoming Jefferson deal — assuming it advances past the goal line — will ensure Cousins (and his successor) will have a Jefferson-Hockenson-Jordan Addison arsenal at his disposal.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

August 30th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Chicago Bears

Placed on IR:

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Claimed:

Released:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Placed on IR:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

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