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Patriots Notes: Judon, Gesicki, Cunningham, Flowers

August 17th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got more details on Matthew Judon‘s reworked deal with the Patriots, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The pass rusher’s revamped contract includes “more 2023 guarantees and upside” for one of New England’s top defenders.

Specifically, Judon got a $7MM signing bonus while seeing his 2023 base salary drop from $11MM to $7MM. His 2023 incentives increased from $500K to $3MM while his $1MM in per-game bonuses stay the same. That all results in a cap hit of $16.44MM.

More simply, Judon got an effective $3MM raise in his 2023 base pay (which is reflected in the $7MM signing bonus, not the base salary) and a $2.5MM raise via incentives, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).

As we noted earlier this month, Judon had some of his 2024 money pushed up to 2023, setting the stage for more drama next offseason. In a telling sign, Volin points out that the last time the Patriots accommodated this type of cap machination was in 2020 with Stephon Gilmore. New England ended up trading the star cornerback the following year.

More notes out of New England…

  • One of the Patriots’ biggest offseason acquisitions suffered an injury during practice this week. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), Mike Gesicki suffered a “mild dislocated shoulder.” Despite the injury, Rapoport notes that there’s hope the tight end will be active for Week 1. Following a five-year stint with the Dolphins to begin his career, Gesicki inked a one-year deal worth up to $9MM with New England this offseason. The veteran is expected to often play alongside fellow TE Hunter Henry in the Patriots’ offense this season.
  • Veteran offensive lineman Riley Reiff signed with the Patriots this offseason, and while he’s destined for a role in the starting lineup, it remains to be seen exactly where he slots in. As Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald writes, Reiff has played both right guard and right tackle during camp. The 34-year-old’s role probably won’t be solidified until we get clarity on some of the Patriots’ other linemen, including Michael Onwenu (PUP), Calvin Anderson (NFI), Kody Russey (injured) and Cole Strange (injured).
  • Undrafted rookie QB Malik Cunningham impressed during training camp and the Patriots’ first preseason game, and Volin writes that the organization has no choice but to roster the Louisville product as a third QB behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. As Volin notes, the Patriots signed Cunningham with the hope that he could be “another Julian Edelman” and transform from college quarterback to NFL wideout. Cunningham mostly worked with receivers in the spring, but Volin observes that the rookie has taken more and more reps under center and has clearly supplanted Trace McSorley as the organization’s third QB.
  • Trey Flowers‘ second stint in New England will see him playing on a $1.165MM salary ($50K guaranteed), per Yates (on Twitter). The veteran defensive end can earn another $510K in per-game bonuses, plus a potential $825K in not-likely-to-be-earned incentives. This leads to a max value of $2.5MM, and Flowers will be attached to a $1.285MM cap hit.

Patriots To Sign Ezekiel Elliott

August 16th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 16: Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that Elliott’s base compensation actually consists of $1.55MM in salary and a $600K signing bonus. To no surprise, much of the maximum $6MM value is tied to incentives for availability, playing time and production.

Elliott will earn $50K weekly in roster bonuses, and he can see further payments based on scrimmage yards totals. Bonuses in that regard are staggered at $300K increments, and can reach up to $1.5MM in the unlikely event he records 1,475 yards of offense (which would be his highest total since 2019). Playing time incentives are also included, and they max out at the 70% snap threshold, something Elliott is likewise doubtful to reach serving as Stevenson’s backup. As a result, the three-time Pro Bowler can be expected to see modest earnings in 2023 as he aims to build his 2024 free agent value.

AUGUST 14: The first major domino on the veteran running back market has fallen. Ezekiel Elliott is expected to sign with the Patriots on a one-year deal with a maximum value of $6MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (Twitter link). ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that the pact includes a base salary of $3MM and a $1MM signing bonus.

For some time now, New England has seemed to be the most logical destination for the former rushing champion. Elliott’s only official visit was with the Patriots, though the team has also shown interest in other veteran backs. The parties will now enter into an agreement as he looks to rebuild his value in a backup role. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that New England’s offer had been on the table for a matter of weeks, but it was “tweaked” yesterday.

The Patriots were connected for a stretch with Dalvin Cook, but finances led them to turn their attention to Elliott. Still, the team was believed to have a firm price point in mind which it was not prepared to exceed in a buyer’s market at the RB position. The same reportedly held true for other interested parties. Aside from Elliott, New England also kicked the tires on Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson; the latter two will need to look elsewhere for an opportunity given today’s news.

Elliott saw his seven-year Cowboys tenure come to an expected end when he was released in a cost-shedding move. A return to Dallas to serve as a low-cost compliment to Tony Pollard remained a possibility to varying degrees during the offseason. The most recent update on that front, though, indicated a reunion was unlikely. Elliott, 28, will now join a new NFL team for the first time in his career.

The Patriots saw 2021 fourth-rounder Rhamondre Stevenson emerge as a capable lead back last season. He recorded 1,461 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns, figures he will aim to replicate in 2023. The team was thin on experience behind Stevenson, though, and Elliott will provide a boost in that regard. The latter averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry last season as he was used increasingly as a short-yardage specialist. Doing so in New England could make him an effective secondary option in the ground game, though he also has considerable starting experience should Stevenson miss time.

Improvements through the air are expected for New England with quarterback Mac Jones entering his third year, new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in place and a number of alterations having been made to the pass-catching corps. Production in the running game will still be a crucial element of the team’s ability to return to the postseason, however, and Elliott will have a role in that regard. Succeeding in it will help his new team along with his free agent value come next offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/23

August 15th, 2023 at 7:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Houston Texans

  • Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): OT Jacky Chen
  • Released from IR: OT Greg Little

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: CB Matt Hankins, RB Aaron Shampklin

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

Sean Chandler brings 64 games of experience to Arizona. Following a 2021 campaign that saw him collect a career-high 48 tackles in 15 games (seven starts) for the Panthers, the 27-year-old got into 17 games for the team in 2022, finishing with 19 tackles while primarily playing on special teams.

Adetokunbo Ogundeji is a tough loss for the Falcons, as the linebacker has turned into an important piece on Atlanta’s defense. The former fifth-round pick has started 27 of his 32 games since entering the NFL, collecting 75 tackles and three sacks. Ogundeji suffered a foot/ankle injury that will require surgery, and his placement on IR means the issue will ultimately knock him out for the entire 2023 campaign.

Patriots To Extend LB Raekwon McMillan

August 14th, 2023 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Raekwon McMillan‘s history of contract extensions doubles as one of the more interesting run of transactions in recent NFL history. For the second time, he has agreed to a Patriots extension ahead of a season in which he will not participate.

The Patriots are signing McMillan to another extension, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal will be worth up to $2.25MM. It comes more than two months after McMillan suffered a season-ending injury during the Pats’ offseason workouts. McMillan went down with a partially torn Achilles in May.

[RELATED: Patriots Extend LB Ja’Whuan Bentley]

This agreement emerges two years after a similar pact. McMillan suffered a torn ACL during the Pats’ 2021 training camp, but the team still extended him for the 2022 season — via a one-year, $1.27MM deal agreed to in late September of that year. The Patriots-McMillan partnership can be classified as strange, with the team giving the veteran linebacker two contracts after major injuries. But this ensures the Pats are not planning an injury settlement with the former Dolphins draftee. He will be in the picture to return for the 2024 Pats iteration.

McMillan, 27, bounced back from his 2021 ACL tear to play 16 games for the Patriots last season. He operated more as a special-teamer than defensive regular, playing 64% of New England’s ST snaps and 250 total defensive plays. The Ohio State product made 35 tackles (five for loss) and returned a fumble for a score.

McMillan previously worked as a Dolphins starter over the first two seasons of his career, but the Raiders acquired him via trade in 2020. After a season as a part-time Las Vegas starter, McMillan signed a one-year, $1.15MM accord with the Patriots in 2021. He has since agreed to two more Pats pacts.

It cannot exactly be considered a lock McMillan is with the team in 2024. He has now suffered two ACL tears and this partially torn Achilles as a pro. The first of those ACL setbacks occurred during McMillan’s rookie year. The former second-round pick will exit 2023 having missed three full seasons during his seven-year career. But Monday’s agreement ensures the team will give the veteran defender another opportunity.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/23

August 12th, 2023 at 7:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hayes was signed one week ago as the Lions were dealing with injuries in the secondary, but he will now be on the lookout for another new team. The 25-year has appeared in 13 career regular season games while bouncing around the league.

The Raiders added one ex-Chiefs running back in Damien Williams yesterday, and they have done so again today. Thompson was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad in 2019, and remain with the Chiefs the following season. He made 31 combined regular and postseason appearances in Kansas City, but he has yet to see game action since 2020. Especially until Josh Jacobs returns to the Raiders, Thompson will aim to earn a depth role in the Vegas backfield.

Patriots Sign RB C.J. Marable

August 12th, 2023 at 9:27am CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots are adding a running back, but probably not the one you’re thinking of. New England has signed running back C.J. Marable, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston (via Twitter). Marable worked out for the team yesterday.

[Latest On Patriots’ Interest In RBs Ezekiel Elliott]

Marable is a success story out of the USFL, where the running back won a pair of championships with the Birmingham Stallions. In his two seasons with the team, the running back rushed for 925 yards and eight touchdowns, and he added another 396 yards and two touchdowns on 48 receptions.

The running back was previously a standout at Coastal Carolina, where he collecting 3,394 yards from scrimmage across three seasons at the school. Following a 2019 campaign where he compiled 1,380 yards and 14 touchdowns, Marable earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2020 after finishing with 1,115 yards and 19 touchdowns. He went undrafted during the 2021 draft and had a brief training camp stint with the Bears.

Rhamondre Stevenson is prime for a big season atop the Patriots RB depth chart, but with Damien Harris now out of the picture, the team lacks experienced depth. A pair of former draft picks, 2022 fourth-round pick Pierre Strong and 2022 sixth-round pick Kevin Harris, are the main candidates to serve as the RB2 along with former UDFA J.J. Taylor.

Due to that lack of depth, the Patriots have been connected to a number of free agent running backs. Most recently, the organization had Ezekiel Elliott in for a visit, and it sounds like the front office is still interested in adding the former Cowboys star. Considering Marable’s lack of NFL track record, today’s signing probably doesn’t impact the chances of an Elliott signing in New England.

Latest On Ezekiel Elliott’s Market

August 11th, 2023 at 5:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Ezekiel Elliott market appeared to be heating up earlier this month, but the veteran running back remains unsigned. While there haven’t been any reports regarding Elliott’s asking price, his continued free agent status could be tied to underwhelming offers.

[RELATED: Latest On Patriots’ Interest In RBs Ezekiel Elliott]

According to Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal (via Twitter), potential suitors “would prefer to pay the bare minimum” for Elliott’s services. In fact, Giardi hears that one team wants to sign the running back after Week 1 so they can avoid any guarantees. The veteran was tied to a $10.9MM base salary and an untenable $16.72MM cap number in 2023 before he was released by the Cowboys.

Elliott has only had an official visit with the Patriots, but throughout the offseason, teams like the Buccaneers, Eagles, Bengals, and Jets have been tied to the RB. Most recently, we heard that the Cowboys would still consider bringing back their long-time player, although that scenario continues to appear unlikely.

We heard yesterday that despite New England’s $17MM in cap space, the front office has a clear price point that they’re not prepared to surpass. Based on today’s rumblings, it sounds like the Patriots would only be bidding against themselves at this point, assuming they’re willing to bring Elliott in ASAP.

The Patriots hosted Elliott along with several other established backs a few weeks ago, and despite the RB leaving New England without a deal, the organization remains “highly interested” in him. With Damien Harris having left for Buffalo, the Patriots lack established depth behind Rhamondre Stevenson. Based on last night’s preseason game, 2022 fourth-round pick Pierre Strong is currently in the lead for the RB2 spot. The Patriots also gave a look at 2022 sixth-round pick Kevin Harris and former UDFA J.J. Taylor.

Latest On Patriots’ Interest In RBs Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette

August 10th, 2023 at 10:35am CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the attention on the free agent market is aimed at Dalvin Cook, but a number of other veteran running backs remain unsigned. Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette are among them, despite the fact they each visited the Patriots last month.

Elliott has received little interest since his Cowboys release, and a return to Dallas (while still possible) continues to appear unlikely. The Patriots could use the former rushing champion as a high-end backup to Rhamondre Stevenson, and Elliott is believed to be New England’s target rather than Cook in that regard. Finances are a barrier which has yet to be overcome on the Elliott front, however.

Outkick’s Armando Salguero notes that New England has a price point which it is not prepared to surpass to sign Elliott. The Patriots currently have just over $17MM in cap space, so they could afford to outbid a competing team if that becomes necessary. For now, though, they will wait for Elliott to make a decision on his future in the aftermath of an encouraging visit to Foxborough.

The same is not true of Fournette’s trek to New England. Selguero adds that the former Jaguar and Buccaneer’s conditioning was not impressive when he worked out with the Patriots. Fournette dealt with weight issues ahead of last season, one in which he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and ceded playing time to Rachaad White. In the aftermath of Tom Brady‘s retirement, Fournette asked for and was granted his release from Tampa Bay.

That move has left him on the open market into August, with little interest shown outside of New England. The Patriots have kept their options open regarding a veteran RB addition, having also worked out Darrell Henderson. At the moment, Elliott seems the likeliest move at the position, but the plethora of backs still available certainly makes this a buyer’s market with preseason set to begin around the league.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/23

August 9th, 2023 at 8:19pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor transactions from around the league as we wrap up training camp and officially head into the preseason:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: RB Stevie Scott

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived/injured: T Nicolas Melsop

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/23

August 8th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: WR Johnny King
  • Waived: T Chim Okorafor
  • Activated from active/PUP list: WR Devon Allen

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived/injured: CB Andrew Whitaker

Washington Commanders

Flowers, who agreed to terms with the Patriots earlier today after a workout, suffered a foot injury in October of last season. That setback cut short a Dolphins run after four games. Flowers, who will turn 30 next week, last played for the Patriots in 2018.

McNichols joined Duke Johnson, Brian Hill and Jason Huntley at a recent 49ers workout. The 49ers are without Elijah Mitchell for what is expected to be a short stretch. A five-year veteran, McNichols most recently saw action for the Titans in 2021, helping the team as a pass-catching back (28 grabs for 240 yards) while Derrick Henry missed time with a foot fracture.

Allen suffered an injury while competing in the opening rounds of the 110-meter hurdles competition at the USA Track and Field Championships in July. The two-time Olympian owns the sixth-fastest hurdle time this year (13.04 seconds) but missed a key chunk of Eagles camp. This marks his second bid to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. Allen, 28, spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad and stayed with the team via a reserve/futures contract in February.

The Panthers’ regular kicker, Eddy Pineiro, is battling a groin injury. Carolina gave Pineiro, their 2022 kicker, $2.25MM guaranteed earlier this offseason. The Jaguars’ primary kicker in 2021, Wright kicked in four Steelers games and two Chiefs contests last season.

A rookie UDFA, Whittaker suffered a torn patellar tendon in a recent Seahawks practice, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Matthews also sustained a season-ending injury — a torn ACL — during a Texans workout, Wilson adds (on Twitter).

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