Broncos, Ronald Darby Agree To Terms
Ronald Darby will finally land a long-term deal. After back-to-back one-year agreements, Darby will join the Broncos on a multiyear deal.
The former Bills, Eagles and Washington cornerback found success on this year’s market; he will join the Broncos on a three-year, $30MM contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Darby will receive $19.5MM fully guaranteed from Denver.
An ACL tear in his 2018 contract year submarined the former second-round pick’s value, but his latest free agency chapter will produce a seminal accord. The Broncos have been in need at corner for multiple years now, with injuries and departures gutting the team’s once-elite corps.
Denver now has Darby and Bryce Callahan as its top corners. While the Broncos should be expected to further target the position — perhaps as early as the first round of the draft — Darby represents a notable expense for the team. He is now Denver’s highest-paid corner.
After Darby spent 2019 regaining his footing, having re-signed with Philadelphia, he moved closer to re-establishing his value in Washington in 2020. The former Buffalo draftee rated as a top-30 corner, per Pro Football Focus. He played in all 16 Washington games, teaming with Kendall Fuller as part of a quality pass defense. The Broncos appear convinced Darby has surmounted his previous injury issues and will move forward with him as a key piece in their secondary.
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.
Raiders, Yannick Ngakoue Close To Deal
The Raiders are close to landing one of the top edge rushers available. Yannick Ngakoue and the Raiders are nearing an agreement, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Las Vegas moved onto the Ngakoue radar last year, and the team has a big need for pass-rushing help. Ngakoue, whom two teams traded last year, would certainly help provide that valuable skill.
While Ngakoue rose to prominence during Doug Marrone‘s Jaguars tenure, he came to Jacksonville during Gus Bradley‘s tenure. The Raiders hired Bradley as their defensive coordinator earlier this year. This would be a big get for a team that has struggled to pressure quarterbacks since trading Khalil Mack nearly three years ago.
Despite having played five seasons, Ngakoue will only turn 26 at the end of this month. The former third-round pick has registered 45.5 career sacks. Although the Ravens did not use him extensively in the playoffs, Ngakoue still posted eight sacks in Baltimore and Minnesota last year. The Jags placed the franchise tag on him in 2020 and traded him to the Vikings, after the Raiders had shown interest. The Vikings then shipped him to the Ravens. It looks like the veteran defensive end will land his long-sought-after long-term deal soon.
If signed, Ngakoue would lead a Raiders edge group housing Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell. The latter’s difficulties establishing himself as a reliable pass rusher amplified Las Vegas’ need for edge aid.
Chargers To Sign C Corey Linsley
After cutting multiple key veteran starters last week, the Chargers will use some of those funds to make a big addition on their offensive line. They are signing longtime Packers center Corey Linsley, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The deal, which will reunite Linsley with former Green Bay O-line mate Bryan Bulaga, is expected to make Linsley the NFL’s highest-paid center. Linsley expected to hit the market, and after the Packers prioritized Aaron Jones just before the legal tampering period began, his Wisconsin exit appeared a near-certainty.
It is a five-year, $62.5MM contract, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. That will come in just above Ryan Kelly‘s recently established center-record contract.
Linsley broke through in his contract year, becoming an All-Pro blocker. Pro Football Focus slotted him as far and away the No. 1 overall center. The Bolts have battled issues up front for years, and their investments in Mike Pouncey and Trai Turner did not end up working out especially well. Pouncey retired after missing all of last season, and Turner saw his run of Pro Bowls stop after an injury-plagued 2020. The Chargers cut Turner last week.
This will give Justin Herbert a high-end offensive lineman to work with as well. Linsley and Bulaga were also teammates from 2014-19. The Packers signed Linsley to an extension that ran through 2020 but could not strike a deal to keep him off this year’s market. The 2021 season will be Linsley’s age-30 campaign.
Linsley will represent a key free agency loss for the Packers, who cut 2020 starter Ricky Wagner last month. The Jets were also interested in Linsley, likely joining several other teams, but the Chargers moved quickly to secure his services. Los Angeles still has holes on its offensive front, however, so Linsley might not be their last big upgrade here.
Browns, S John Johnson Agree To Deal
Entering the legal tampering period in need of defensive talent, the Browns are making a big move early. They agreed to terms with longtime Rams safety starter John Johnson, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
With Justin Simmons, Marcus Maye and Marcus Williams receiving the franchise tag, Johnson moved up the list of available safeties. The Browns will add the former third-round pick on a three-year, $33.75MM contract, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). Johnson will receive $24MM guaranteed in the deal.
The Rams have lost a host of key role players over the past three offseasons, with the team having made a few splashy moves. Johnson follows the likes of Rodger Saffold, Lamarcus Joyner and Cory Littleton out of Los Angeles. He joined them as a Super Bowl LIII starter and had been a Rams first-stringer since his 2017 rookie season. Being well over the cap, the Rams will lose Johnson to a team with in a better financial spot.
The Browns ranked 25th in defensive DVOA last season. They lost second-round pick Grant Delpit to injury and used multiple stopgaps at the position. This represents a much bigger investment than Cleveland made at the spot last year. Johnson will join Denzel Ward as high-end Browns secondary cogs. Pro Football Focus has regarded Johnson highly for much of his career; he ranked as PFF’s No. 3 overall safety in 2020.
Despite Johnson’s status as a high-end free agent, his contract will not quite hit the top tier among safeties. It is outside the top five at the position in both AAV and guaranteed money. But the Browns will have a key piece to team with both Delpit and Ronnie Harrison under Joe Woods going forward.
Chiefs To Sign Joe Thuney
One of the most high profile free agents is off the board, and the Chiefs have made a big splash. Kansas City is signing guard Joe Thuney to a five-year deal, his agent Mike McCartney announced on Twitter.
Details soon trickled in, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeting that the five-year pact is worth a whopping $80MM. The first two years are fully guaranteed at $32.5MM, and while the third year is initially only guaranteed for injury it becomes fully guaranteed in year two, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. As such, he writes that $48MM of the deal is “practically guaranteed.”
Patrick Mahomes was running for his life during this past Super Bowl, and the Chiefs immediately set out to aggressively remake the offensive line. They cut both of their starting tackles, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, and are expected to let starting center Austin Reiter walk in free agency.
At $16MM annually, Thuney is now the highest-paid guard in the league. Thuney was highly sought after, and we heard the Jets were preparing a push for the former Patriot. A third-round pick back in 2016, Thuney immediately became a starter in New England and has started all 80 possible games since entering the league.
That kind of durability must’ve been attractive to a Chiefs team that saw their O-line decimated by injuries last year. Thuney was a second-team All-Pro in 2019, and is one of the league’s best interior linemen. He has versatility, and started a couple of games at center for the Patriots in 2020.
Despite landing one of the big fishes on the market, Kansas City likely isn’t going to stop here with addressing Mahomes’ blockers. They’re also set to host the recently un-retired Kyle Long this week.
The Pats franchise tagged Thuney last offseason, but never got a long-term deal done. Minimal progress had been made right up until the point New England traded for Trent Brown, although Albert Breer of SI.com writes that “lines of communication” had recently reopened and that the Patriots had expressed interest in keeping Thuney.
Obviously nothing got done, and despite New England’s free-wheeling spending so far, Thuney got priced out of their range. It’s a big upgrade for the Chiefs.
Patriots To Sign Matt Judon
UPDATE, 2:00pm: It’s official now, Judon is going to be a Patriot. The deal has been finalized, Rapoport tweets. It’s a four-year, $56MM pact with $32MM guaranteed in the first two years, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
1:36pm: The Patriots’ free agent spending spree might only be getting started. New England has already agreed to terms on big deals with tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux on Monday, and they have a new big name player firmly in their sights.
The Patriots are making a “major push” to sign Ravens pass-rusher Matt Judon, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. The Pats feel they are “close” to signing Judon, a source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Everything we’ve heard recently this offseason has indicated Baltimore would likely be letting Judon walk. The Ravens franchise tagged him last cycle, but it would’ve been prohibitively expensive to do so a second time and they never worked out a long-term deal.
A fifth-round pick out of Grand Valley State in 2016, Judon broke out in 2017 and has kept improving. He’s been a Pro Bowler in each of the past two seasons, with six sacks in 14 games in 2020 and 9.5 sacks the year before.
With Godchaux and now potentially Judon in the fold, the Patriots’ defensive front will be a lot more imposing in 2021. The Pats had only 24 sacks as a team in 2020, the sixth-fewest in the league.
Patriots Sign TE Jonnu Smith
One of the top tight ends on the market is off the board. The Patriots have agreed to terms on a deal with free agent Jonnu Smith, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
It’s a big one, as Smith is getting a whopping $50MM over four years with $31.25MM guaranteed. What a way for New England to kick off free agency, and it’s one of the biggest investments Bill Belichick has made in a skill position player in years. Tight end was a clear need for the Pats this offseason, as the team got virtually nothing from the position in 2020. Ryan Izzo led the team’s tight ends with 13 catches for 199 yards and no touchdowns. They haven’t really gotten anything out of it since Rob Gronkowski walked away.
A third-round pick of the Titans in 2017, Smith never truly broke out but flashed a lot of potential during his four years in Tennessee. Stuck behind Delanie Walker for his first couple pro seasons, Smith had his best year yet in 2020.
In 15 games and 14 starts, he had 41 catches for 448 yards and an impressive eight touchdowns. He’ll now be catching passes from Cam Newton, or whoever else Belichick brings in under center. If your team is still looking for a tight end don’t worry, solid options like Hunter Henry, Kyle Rudolph, and Jared Cook are still all on the market.
As Doug Kyed of NESN.com was quick to tweet, Belichick lavished Smith in praise a little over a year ago, calling him the best tight end in the league after the catch.
Drew Brees Retires From NFL
Well, it’s officially official. One of the best quarterbacks of this century is hanging up his cleats, as Drew Brees announced his retirement (with help from his kids) in an Instagram video post on Sunday.
“After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football. Each day, I poured my heart & soul into being your Quarterback. Til the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organization, my team, and the great city of New Orleans. We shared some amazing moments together, many of which are emblazoned in our hearts and minds and will forever be a part of us,” Brees wrote in the caption.
“You have molded me, strengthened me, inspired me, and given me a lifetime of memories. My goal for the last 15 years was striving to give to you everything you had given to me and more. I am only retiring from playing football, I am not retiring from New Orleans. This is not goodbye, rather a new beginning. Now my real life‘s work begins!”
This had been the expectation all along, but there was some doubt injected recently as many wondered what was taking Brees so long to make it official. A workout video posted by his trainer sparked some speculation that Brees could be planning on playing in 2021 after all. As it turns out it looks like Brees was waiting for a sentimental date, as many were quick to point out that today marks 15 years to the day since Brees first signed with the Saints back in 2006.
Brees signed with NBC last April to line up his post-playing career, and will now presumably transition to the broadcast booth like Tony Romo and many others before him. He’ll reportedly be commentating Notre Dame football games to start.
A second-round pick out of Purdue all the way back in 2001, Brees had an incredible career that ended up spanning two full decades. He spent his first five pro seasons with the Chargers, and after a devastating shoulder injury that many feared at the time would have long-term effects, signed with New Orleans in 2006. He helped turn a franchise in a pitiful state into a consistent winner, and will now be headed to Canton soon enough.
The peak of his career on the gridiron came during the 2009 season, when he led the Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV title. His name is all over the record books, as he currently has the most passing yards in NFL history among plenty of other similar accomplishments.
The 13-time Pro Bowler’s retirement now sends New Orleans into their most uncertain offseason in some time. Sean Payton has his work cut out for him, and must now choose between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston, or bringing in an outside the box option. Payton issued a statement reflecting on Brees’ career, which you can read via this tweet from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
All of us here at PFR wish Brees the best in retirement, and thank him for his many contributions to the game.
Packers Re-Sign Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones is off the board. On Sunday, the Packers agreed to a four-year, $48MM deal with their star running back (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The deal ties Jones to Green Bay through the 2024 season and comes with a $13MM signing bonus. 
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Jones could have gone into free agency without any restrictions and cashed in big. However, the current climate left a lot of uncertainty. With this deal, Jones and agent Drew Rosenhaus have opted for security over upside, though Jones has plenty of dollars coming his way.
The franchise tag would have given Jones around $9MM. Instead, he’s getting an average of $12MM/year with more guaranteed money than he was offered in last year’s round of talks. It took a little longer, but Jones got his big pay day just like 2017 running back draftees Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Joe Mixon. Before the deal, the Dolphins were heavily connected to Jones. Now, they’ll have to look elsewhere for help.
Jones has averaged over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 15 TDs over the past two seasons, positioning him as one of the best running backs in the NFL. Historically, teams have been reluctant to shell out big bucks and guaranteed years to RBs, but Jones has proven his value multiple times over.
In three of his four NFL campaigns, Jones has averaged 5.5 yards per carry. While he missed the Pro Bowl in 2019, he led the NFL with 19 touchdowns. There was no oversight last year as Jones turned in his second straight 1,000-yard season. He averaged a career-high 78.4 yards per game in 2020 and the Packers will be counting on more of the same in 2021, especially with Jamaal Williams on track for the open market.