Colts, C Ryan Kelly Agree On Extension
Ryan Kelly‘s extension talks progressed to an accepted offer Thursday. The Colts have announced they extended their veteran center.
The former first-round pick signed a four-year, $50MM contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Kelly will receive $34MM in guarantees. In terms of per-year salary and guarantees, this contract makes Kelly the NFL’s highest-paid center by a comfortable margin.
Going into what was set to be a contract year, Kelly said at multiple junctures this year he sought a long-term stay in Indianapolis. This represents a key commitment for a Colts team that returns all five of its offensive line starters, forming one of the league’s top fronts. They re-signed left tackle Anthony Castonzo in March, ensuring their entire quintet would be back for the 2020 season.
Kelly’s $12.5MM-per-year average comes in well north of Rodney Hudson‘s previous center high-water mark, topping the market by more than $1MM in average annual value. The guarantees given to the Colts snapper top the previous No. 1 figure by $5.5MM. Kelly, 27, is now signed through the 2024 season.
The Colts drafted Kelly 18th overall out of Alabama in 2016. He made his first Pro Bowl last season, when the Colts placed third in Pro Football Focus’ year-end O-line rankings. Philip Rivers has said the Colts’ O-line played a key role in his decision to sign with Indianapolis. Rivers’ eventual successor will now be set to take snaps from Kelly, who has ranked as a top-10 center — per PFF — in each of the past two seasons.
Seahawks Re-Sign Josh Gordon
The Seahawks are re-signing talented but troubled wideout Josh Gordon, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com was first to report (Twitter link). Gordon was hit with an indefinite suspension in December for violating the league’s policies on performance-enhancing substances and substances of abuse, but he applied for reinstatement in June. According to Fowler, that process is going well, so Gordon may be cleared for a return soon (Twitter link).
Most NFL fans are familiar with Gordon’s saga at this point. The December ban marked Gordon’s sixth suspension since he entered the league as a supplemental draft choice in 2012, and he missed the entire 2014-15 campaigns due to violations of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Teams continue to be intrigued by his undeniable talent, but he is getting farther and farther away from his tremendous 2013 season with the Browns, when he piled up 87 catches for a league-best 1,646 yards and nine TDs. The Patriots acquired him from Cleveland in September of 2018, and he produced pretty well for New England that year, tallying 40 catches for 720 yards and three scores during 11 regular season games. But in what would become something of a Christmas tradition, Gordon was suspended indefinitely in December 2018 for another substance abuse violation.
He was reinstated last August and returned to the Pats, who had placed an original-round RFA tender on him to secure his services. New England placed him on IR in October due to a knee injury and waived him about a week later. The Seahawks subsequently claimed him off waivers.
Gordon, 29, showed flashes of his old self in Seattle, and prior to his latest suspension, he expressed his desire to return to the Seahawks. The ‘Hawks reciprocated that interest in July, and Gordon has been working out in the Seattle area in the hopes of getting a call.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Gordon’s contract is a one-year pact that can be worth a little over $1MM (Twitter link). That’s a low-risk, high-reward flier for the Seahawks, who recently re-signed Paul Richardson to add to a solid WR corps that also includes Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
Buccaneers Sign RB Leonard Fournette
The Bucs got their man. Shortly after it was reported that Tampa was pursuing former Jacksonville RB Leonard Fournette, the Bucs agreed to terms with the 2017 first-rounder, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com).
It will be a one-year deal worth up to $3.5MM. Fournette will take home a base salary of $2MM and will have the chance to earn an extra $1.5MM in incentives based on rushing yards and playing time. Plus, since Fournette’s deal with the Jags did not include offset language, he could still pocket the $4.2MM that he was due to earn this year prior to being waived by Jacksonville if he wins his grievance against his former club.
Tampa was said to be interested in Fournette earlier this year and reportedly engaged in trade talks with Jacksonville. Ultimately, the Bucs were able to acquire him without sacrificing any draft capital, but their RB room has become pretty crowded. In addition to incumbent Ronald Jones, Tampa added Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Raymond Calais in the draft and signed veteran LeSean McCoy in July.
Prior to the Fournette signing, the team continued to tout Jones as its RB1, but Fournette is clearly the better back, even if he hasn’t quite lived up to his status as a former No. 4 overall pick. And since McCoy was signed for the veteran minimum, some have speculated that the Bucs could release him, though Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says that Shady remains in the team’s plans (Twitter link). Fournette did pick up 76 receptions out of the backfield last year, but he may see most of his work on first and second downs while McCoy becomes a third-down/passing game complement.
Fournette added 265 carries for 1,152 yards in 2019, good for a career-high 4.3 yards-per-carry average. He now has a prime opportunity to truly break out in what is shaping up to be a prolific offense.
Patriots Release Mohamed Sanu
Mohamed Sanu‘s stint with the Patriots has already come to an end. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that New England has released the veteran wideout.
The move comes as a bit of a surprise; it was less than a year ago that the Patriots sent a second-rounder to Atlanta for the receiver. However, the 31-year-old underwhelmed during his eight regular season games (six starts) with New England, hauling in 26 receptions (on 47 targets) for 207 yards and one score. He was also invisible during the Patriots’ playoff loss to the Titans, as he caught a single 11-yard pass.
Sanu landed on PUP to start camp in early August, and reports have indicated that he’s been a step slow throughout the month. Ultimately, the Patriots decided to just move on from the veteran, clearing the team $6.5MM in cap space.
There are plenty of receiver-needy teams throughout the NFL, so it shouldn’t take Sanu very long to find another gig. Plus, he’s only a season removed from a 2018 campaign where he finished with a career-high 838 receiving yards to go along with 66 receptions and four touchdowns.
While the Patriots offense was already going to look a whole lot different in 2020 with Cam Newton at the helm, it was still assumed that Sanu would lead the depth chart along with Julian Edelman. Now, the team will see what they can get from former first-rounder N’Keal Harry, as well as the likes of Damiere Byrd, Gunner Olszewski, and Devin Ross.
Saints Open To Trading Alvin Kamara, Would Want First-Round Pick
The Saints and Alvin Kamara began negotiations last month, but the perennial Pro Bowl running back began to force the issue recently. Kamara has been sitting out Saints practices in hopes of a new deal.
New Orleans has relied on Kamara over the past three seasons, but the team may not be committed to paying him top-tier running back money. The Saints are open to trading Kamara, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. One season remains on Kamara’s third-round rookie deal.
However, neither Kamara nor his agent are requesting a trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Both thought they were progressing on an extension, Rapoport adds, noting that while Kamara has missed practices, he has been in the building each day.
The Saints would prefer to sign Kamara to an extension, per The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan, but if they cannot do so at the right price, a trade is on the table (Twitter link). If this process gets to that point, Duncan adds the Saints want a first-round pick for Kamara.
Multiple members of the 2017 running back class have now secured extensions, with Joe Mixon‘s $12MM-per-year pact following Christian McCaffrey‘s record-setting $16MM-AAV deal. Kamara’s deal would likely come in between those two values, though the three-down Saints back is surely pushing for a contract at or near the rate McCaffrey received. Given the risk extending running backs at high-end rates comes with, the Saints are keeping their options open.
While Kamara joins draft classmates Aaron Jones and Dalvin Cook in uncertain territory regarding his financial future, he is a vital piece of the Saints’ offense. Only four players have outgained Kamara from scrimmage over the past three seasons, and Kamara’s 6.1 yards per touch betters the three running backs ahead of him. The Saints again have Super Bowl aspirations, with the team loading up its roster this offseason — ahead of Drew Brees‘ age-41 season. Kamara serves as a seemingly essential piece of this championship-contending puzzle.
The Saints have not been too shy about landing value for key offensive starters, having dealt Kenny Stills and, more notably, Brandin Cooks in recent years. Tuesday’s report certainly injects more intrigue into the Kamara situation, one that will bear monitoring through Saints and running back lenses.
Bengals, Joe Mixon Agree To $48MM Deal
The Bengals and Joe Mixon have agreed to a four-year deal worth $48MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). With that, the Bengals now have their primary running back under contract through 2025. 
Mixon, 24, has been pushing for a new deal throughout the summer. The Bengals remained adamant about wanting to extend him, but talks were slow to progress. Last week, Mixon said that he was unable to practice due to migraines, and that may have helped to speed things up. Now, Mixon will earn an average of $12MM/year starting in 2021, after he finishes out his rookie deal, which pays $1.2MM.
“He’s in a year that he can be extended, and he is a guy that we visited with,” Bengals player personnel director Duke Tobin said earlier this summer. “We’ll go through those discussions and see if there is a fit or a match for a long-term contract with him, obviously a guy we value quite a bit. The great thing about Joe is he goes about it the right way… He’s the type of guy you want to lock up to a long-term deal.”
Mixon managed a respectable 4.1 yards per carry average last year, despite the Bengals’ sagging offense. This year, he’ll look to reprise his 2018 performance which included a 4.9 YPC mark.
Mixon’s deal, as expected, falls short of Christian McCaffrey‘s $16MM/year mega-deal, but also exceeds some of the projections we heard earlier this year. At one point, it was reported that Mixon was gunning to be one of the eight highest-paid RBs in the league, which would have required just $8MM/year. His actual figure, $12MM per annum, seems more in line with Mixon’s talent level.
The complete details of the deal will give us a better picture of how Mixon stacks up against the league’s other top-earning rushers. That info will also inform ongoing talks for other standouts like Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook.
Chargers’ Derwin James Out For Year
Derwin James‘ season is over. The Chargers safety will need 6-8 months of recovery time following meniscus surgery, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. On Wednesday morning, the Chargers made it official by placing James on injured reserve.
[RELATED: Chargers Not Pursuing Earl Thomas]
James went down with a knee injury during Sunday’s practice and the Bolts knew immediately that it was serious. There was some hope that James could have gotten by with a trim of the meniscus, which would have kept him out until October. Unfortunately, he’ll require a full repair, which will necessitate a full season on the sidelines.
James, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2018 draft, registered three interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and 3.5 sacks as a rookie in 2018. Since that debut – which earned him a First-Team All-Pro nod – James has been plagued by injuries. Last year, a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his right foot limited him to just five games. Now, James has lost his entire would-be third season.
The Chargers will now evaluate their in-house options to replace James, a group that includes Desmond King, Alohi Gilman, and 2019 second-round pick Nasir Adderly. Naturally, the Bolts were instantly connected to free agent Earl Thomas on Sunday afternoon, but head coach Anthony Lynn says he’s not interested. On the plus side, the Chargers still have plenty of talent in their secondary thanks to Casey Hayward, Desmond King, and new arrival Chris Harris.
Logan Ryan To Sign With Giants
The Giants are adding a big name to their secondary. Logan Ryan agreed to terms on a one-year, $7.5MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
While the value is not quite what Ryan hoped for earlier this offseason, it represents a nice payday for a player who spent more than five months in free agency. Ryan, who changed agents over the weekend, will also return to his native New Jersey for his eighth NFL season.
Earlier Monday, Ryan was reported to have interest in joining the Giants, who had been monitoring his market for a while. This will take one of the top free agents off the market. Although Ryan will have less than two weeks with his new team before Week 1, he has a history with new Giants head coach Joe Judge and DC Patrick Graham. Both were in New England during Ryan’s four-year Patriots tenure.
Ryan’s fit will be interesting, because the Giants could use help at multiple spots. The former Patriots and Titans slot defender recently marketed himself as a safety, citing his cornerback-most 113 tackles last season as a selling point. The Giants, though, saw Sam Beal opt out and DeAndre Baker land on the commissioner’s exempt list. But second-round pick Xavier McKinney, an expected safety starter, suffered a broken foot. Ryan saw far more time at slot corner than safety in 2019. Regardless, the Rutgers product will be expected to be a full-time player for the Giants this season.
The 29-year-old defender intercepted four passes last season and has 17 career picks; 13 of those came with the Patriots. The Jets were close to a deal with Ryan earlier this year, and the Dolphins expressed interest in adding another ex-Patriot to their roster. The Ravens were also moderately interested, though Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets Baltimore was not prepared to pay $7.5MM. But the Giants won out and will help their needy defense with a player who may play a versatile role in 2020.
The Giants ranked 31st in pass-defense DVOA last season. They have now added Ryan and James Bradberry to their secondary, which could include McKinney during the season’s second half. He looms as an IR-return candidate. While questions remain about Big Blue’s pass rush, their secondary looks to be upgraded.
Alvin Kamara Holding Out For New Deal?
Alvin Kamara has not been present for the last three days of Saints training camp and his absence is unexcused (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). This absence is believed to be contract-related, Schefter reports.
The Saints have been discussing a new deal with Kamara throughout the summer, though it’s not clear if they’ve made him a concrete offer just yet. The final year of Kamara’s third-round rookie contract calls for a $2.13MM base salary.
Kamara said earlier this year that he wants to stay with the Saints, though he is equally eager for a pay bump after watching Panthers star Christian McCaffrey set a new all-time record for the position. While Kamara probably will not top McCaffrey’s $16MM-AAV deal and may not get to the Ezekiel Elliott price point ($15MM/ year), the Saints will have to make him one of the league’s highest-paid backs to keep him for the long haul.
Kamara and Mark Ingram became the first running back duo to each surpass 1,500 yards from scrimmage in a season in 2017, and Kamara eclipsed 1,500 scrimmage yards again in 2018 — when he scored 18 touchdowns. Since 2017, Kamara’s 4,476 scrimmage yards rank fifth in the NFL.
Jaguars Release Leonard Fournette
The Jaguars are releasing running back Leonard Fournette, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone has also officially confirmed the move, which will place the former No. 4 overall pick on the waiver wire. 
“At the end of the day, I’ve got to be able to field a team that gives us the best chance to win,” Marrone said (Twitter link via John Oehser of the team website).
Fournette is scheduled to earn $4.1MM in fully guaranteed base salary this season. His contract contains no offset language, so the Jaguars will be off the hook if another club claims him. The Jags declined Fournette’s pick’s fifth-year option, so he has just one year to go on his deal.
Although Fournette totaled a career-high 1,674 yards from scrimmage last season, opinions are split on Fournette’s effectiveness. This year, the Jaguars hired a new OC in Jay Gruden, and they decided to take the running game in a different direction. Jacksonville signed former Gruden passing-down back Chris Thompson, who is now set to take on an even larger role. He’s backstopped by Ryquell Armstead, a 2019 fifth-rounder who averaged just 3.1 yards per carry as a rookie.
The Jaguars tried to get something in exchange for Fournette, but they didn’t find much trade interest. The former LSU running back enjoyed an up-and-down tenure in Jacksonville. He posted two 1,000-yard seasons but also missed eight games in 2018 — a year in which he averaged just 54.9 yards per game — due to injury and suspension.
Fournette was the first running back chosen in 2017. The Jags used their top pick in that draft on him, passing on both Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes despite Blake Bortles‘ struggles.