Browns Give Myles Garrett Record Extension
The Browns and Myles Garrett agreed to a deal Tuesday that would make the Pro Bowl pass rusher the league’s highest-paid defensive player. Garrett signed the contract Wednesday.
The deal will 
make Garrett the NFL’s highest-paid defender. It will be worth $125MM over five years, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). This comes in $1.5MM north of the NFL’s previous highest-paid defender, Khalil Mack.
Cleveland will guarantee Garrett $100MM — $50MM at signing — and has its top defender signed through 2026, Rapoport tweets. The $100MM figure will surpass Mack as well, though the Bears edge rusher’s $60MM fully guaranteed will still lead all defenders.
Despite the ugly end to Garrett’s 2019 season, this process has moved fast. The Browns began extension talks with their star defensive end barely a month ago, and the team with the most cap space appears on the verge of resetting the defender market. This would give the league two new market-topping deals in two weeks, with Patrick Mahomes agreeing to a $45MM-per-year pact July 6.
Although Cleveland has a new GM, Andrew Berry was with the team when Garrett went No. 1 overall in 2017. Berry has been active this offseason, authorizing big-money payments to Jack Conklin and Austin Hooper. Garrett’s deal, though, would be the foundational piece of a Browns defense that largely consists of rookie contracts. Garrett is signed through 2021, after the Browns picked up his fifth-year option.
Garrett’s resume is not on Mack’s level just yet, but he’s nearly five years younger — at 24 — and has become one of the game’s best pass rushers. The former Texas A&M standout registered 13.5 sacks and 29 QB knockdowns in 2018. He was on his way to a better statistical season last year, recording 10 sacks in 10 games. But the NFL suspended Garrett for the rest of 2019 after he struck Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with a helmet. Roger Goodell reinstated Garrett earlier this year.
Prior to Garrett, the Browns had squandered several first-round investments — from Johnny Manziel to Justin Gilbert to Corey Coleman — in recent drafts. This massive extension coming to pass would represent a tide change for a Cleveland team that has not seen many homegrown players come through worthy of such an accord in the modern era.
Titans Sign Derrick Henry To Extension
With less than an hour remaining until this year’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions, the Titans appear to have a deal done. They have agreed to terms with Derrick Henry on a long-term contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Titans announced the extension.
This has been a historically quiet tag deadline, due largely to the financial uncertainty the pandemic has caused. And as recently as Tuesday, the Titans and Henry were believed to be too far apart. But they stayed in contact and have finalized an agreement. It’s a four-year pact, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter).
The Titans and Henry worked on a deal for months. The final result: a four-year, $50MM agreement, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeting $25.5MM will be guaranteed. This $12.5MM-per-year pact comes in fifth among active backs, but with two years being essentially guaranteed, it will give the reigning rushing champion security at a position that largely lacks it.
Per Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the deal includes a $12MM signing bonus and a first-year cash flow of $15MM, a nice increase from the $10.278MM Henry was due to earn on the franchise tender. It also creates over $4MM of cap space this year for the Titans, giving them more than $24MM to spend. Tennessee could opt to roll most of that money over into 2021 to guard against a salary cap drop, but the club clearly has the ability to add more talent (see: Jadeveon Clowney).
The running back market spike from 2018-19, for the most part, did not reward teams who authorized the big-money deals. And the loaded 2017 running back draft class may be set to make the 2021 free agency class a buyer’s market, especially considering the cap implications COVID-19 could cause. But the Titans moved forward anyway and will now have Henry and Ryan Tannehill signed to long-term deals, rewarding the duo most responsible for the team’s first AFC championship game berth in 17 years.
Henry is coming off one of the better contract years in recent memory, following up his rushing title with dominant performances in Titans upset wins over the Patriots and Ravens in the playoffs. The former Heisman winner and second-round pick has been one of the league’s best backs over the past season and change, beginning his breakout late in the 2018 campaign.
Adding to the intrigue behind this deal: Henry’s throwback skill set offers little in the passing game, separating him from the recent group of backs — Todd Gurley, David Johnson, Le’Veon Bell and Ezekiel Elliott — to sign market-reshaping contracts. The most recent recipient of a monster running back extension — Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey — is perhaps the game’s premier dual-threat option. Tennessee, however, has built a run-oriented offense around its top back. And Henry, despite his bulldozing style, has only totaled 804 carries. That ranks eighth among backs since 2016.
Despite 15 players being tagged this offseason, Henry is only the second to sign an extension. He follows the Chiefs’ Chris Jones. The other teams who have used the tag are a half-hour away from carrying the tag salaries on their respective payrolls this season. The NFL moved the start of the league year back multiple times because of the CBA ratification process, but the league keeping the tag deadline in place has likely caused most teams to stand down amid the uncertainty the coronavirus has injected into the NFL’s future.
Jaguars Receive Multiple Trade Offers For Yannick Ngakoue
The Jaguars have received multiple offers for Yannick Ngakoue, including one package that included a Pro Bowler, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, none of those offers have been to the Jaguars’ liking. Meanwhile, Pelissero hears that the unknown Pro Bowler wasn’t a fit for the Jaguars’ system. 
[RELATED: Ngakoue Willing To Play On Tag, If Traded]
Ngakoue’s camp is willing to table extension talks for any team that’s able to pull off a trade. Right now, a trade doesn’t seem likely. The Jaguars have been in a game of chicken with the 25-year-old edge rusher for months, and they have yet to blink.
As of this writing, Ngakoue is set to play out the 2020 season for a salary of $17.788MM. When the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline passes, both sides will be formally barred from hammering out an extension until next year. In Ngakoue’s case, that’s strictly a formality – he has zero interest in staying in Jacksonville.
However, the two parties aren’t necessarily stuck with each other through the end of the season. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) points out, the Texans waited until August 31 of last year before shipping Jadeveon Clowney to the Texans. At last check, the Jaguars were seeking a first-round pick – plus more – for Ngakoue. But, over time, their asking price could come back down to earth. A 2021 third-round pick, for example, would be a slight upgrade over the 2022 third-round choice they’d get next year, via the compensatory pick formula.
Yannick Ngakoue Willing To Play On Tag, If Traded
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If another team is able to work out a trade with the Jaguars, Yannick Ngakoue is willing to drop his demand for a long-term extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears.
[RELATED: Yannick Ngakoue Drawing Trade Interest]
Ngakoue’s push for a lucrative multi-year deal was long believed to be a barrier for a trade. Ngakoue’s willingness to play out 2020 on his one-year, $17.788MM tender may help matters, but the Jaguars are still resistant to actually move him. At last check, the Jaguars were asking for a first-round pick, and then some. It was hard to imagine another team coughing up that kind of draft capital and giving Ngakoue a monster deal. Still, giving up a first-round pick for what could be a one-year rental is also a tough sell.
With at least eight sacks in each of his four NFL seasons – including 12.5 sacks in 2017 – the former third-round pick has outperformed expectations by every measure. Still, the advanced metrics indicate that his sack numbers might be a fluke. Meanwhile, there are still plenty of proven veteran edge rushers available on the open market, all of whom would cost less than Ngakoue in 2020. Of course, Jadeveon Clowney is seeking a deal in the range of Ngakoue’s $17.78MM, but it’s likely that he’ll wind up settling for a little less.
The Eagles, Seahawks, and Browns would make varying degrees of sense for Ngakoue, but none of those teams are as desperate to land the defensive end as he is to get out of Jacksonville.
Chiefs, Chris Jones Agree To Deal
Chris Jones is on the verge of a brand new contract. The Chiefs have agreed to a fresh four-year deal with their star defensive tackle, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jones is scheduled to earn up to $85MM over the life of the deal, including $60MM in guarantees, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Jones will receive $37MM guaranteed at signing, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, noting that this is a four-year, $80MM deal that features another $5MM available via incentives. Among interior D-linemen, Jones now sits third in guaranteed money and fourth in fully guaranteed funds. 
This year’s franchise tag extension deadline is largely quiet due to fiscal uncertainty, but Jones proved to be an exception. Many doubted whether Jones would hit his desired $20MM+ average annual value demand, but his camp got it done. Jones’ deal ended up coming in just south of DeForest Buckner‘s recent $21MM-per-year Colts pact.
Earlier this month, Jones threatened a holdout via Twitter, referencing Le’Veon Bell‘s infamous standoff with the Steelers. In reality, a holdout would have been extremely risky for the 25-year-old. A season-long holdout could have delayed Jones’ entry into free agency and cost him roughly $1MM per game – his tender was valued at $16.1MM for the 2020 season.
Last year, Jones graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 ranked interior defensive lineman in the league and notched nine sacks. In 2018, when he saw more time on the edge, he registered 15.5 sacks. He’s one of the best IDLs in the game today, and he’s still approaching his prime seasons.
Currently, the defensive tackle market is led by Aaron Donald ($22.5MM/year). Meanwhile, Bears superstar Khalil Mack ($23MM AAV) leads all defensive players in average annual value.
Eagles To Re-Sign Jason Peters
Jason Peters is back with the Eagles. The nine-time Pro Bowler has agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $6MM, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Eagles Appeal To Jadeveon Clowney?]
Peters, one of the league’s most accomplished tackles, will be playing right guard this time around to replace Brandon Brooks. Peters may not have much experience there, but he’ll likely thrive on the interior. Even at the age of 38, Peters still has the agility and the bulk to make it work. He also has ample experience in all sorts of blocking schemes, so it shouldn’t take him long to get the hang of it.
Peters stood as the best offensive lineman on the open market and one of the best free agents left, period. While he’s lost a step, he still turned in a solid 2019 – Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s sixth-best tackle among 81 qualifiers in 2019. Peters is also planning to stick around for a while – he says that he wants to play until he’s 40, so he could fly with the Eagles through 2022. For now, it’s a one-year arrangement.
Brooks suffered a torn Achilles in June while working out at the team facility, and it was a devastating blow for the Eagles’ O-Line. It was also personally devastating for Brooks, who tore his other Achilles in January of 2019.
Brooks performed as one of the best interior linemen in the league since joining the Eagles in 2016 as a free agent. Peters, of course, has been one of the league’s premier outside blockers. Originally, head coach Doug Pederson indicated that he’d fill the void internally, but everyone knew that Peters was the most logical choice for the job.
Washington Redskins To Change Name
The Washington Redskins will no longer be the Redskins. On Monday morning, the team announced that they will be taking on a new nickname and a new logo.
“On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team’s name. That review has begun in earnest. As part of this process, we want to keep our sponsors, fans and community apprised of our thinking as we go forward.
Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the [current] name and logo upon completion of this review. Dan Snyder and Ron Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise that inspires our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.”
The team has not set a timetable for the rebrand, so it’s not immediately clear whether there will be a new name in place for the start of the 2020 season. However, given the mounting pressure against the team – including pressure from FedEx, the team’s stadium sponsor – it seems likely that they will make the change between now and September.
Latest On DeAndre Baker, Quinton Dunbar
A cover-up attempt has surfaced in the DeAndre Baker–Quinton Dunbar saga. A witness to the alleged armed robbery in May worked with Baker, along with Dunbar’s attorney, in an effort to pay off other witnesses and clear the cornerbacks of wrongdoing, according to a Broward County (Fla.) search warrant obtained by Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.
The witness named in the warrant, Dominic Johnson, allegedly said in an Instagram direct message he “made them (witnesses) that said they got robbed come in and say them Boys ain’t have nothing to Do with it (sic).”
Video evidence of Baker, Johnson and four other witnesses’ involvement in the payoff — held at the office of Dunbar’s attorney, Michael Grieco — also exists, Leonard adds. The four victims were allegedly paid $55K total to recant their sworn statements that Baker and Dunbar took part in an armed robbery.
Baker, 22, and Dunbar, 27, remain under investigation for the alleged robbery. This certainly complicates matters for the Giants and Seahawks defenders. Dunbar had resumed offseason work with the Seahawks before they wrapped up their virtual slate, while the Giants told Baker to stay away from the team for the time being.
In May, authorities said Baker and Dunbar teamed up to rob partiers at gunpoint. The police report out of Miramar, Fla., claims that Baker had the weapon while Dunbar did the looting. Some witnesses said that Baker also directed a third man to shoot someone (ultimately, no one at the scene was shot).
The warrant indicates Baker asked Johnson how much cash he should bring for the payoff, Leonard reports. The alleged payoff occurred May 15, two days after the alleged robbery and a day before Baker surrendered to police. Another message sent from Johnson’s Instagram account indicates he convinced the other four witnesses to sign papers recanting their statements that originally led to Baker and Dunbar’s arrests, according to the warrant.
Baker has pleaded not guilty to eight felony charges; Dunbar pleaded not guilty to four. Dunbar has hired a second attorney, though Grieco is still working on the case as well.
Broncos’ Justin Simmons To Sign Tender
Broncos safety Justin Simmons has accepted his franchise tender, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Simmons will make it all official this weekend, ensuring that he’ll be back in Denver this season.
Simmons previously indicated that he wouldn’t skip Broncos activities and he ultimately kept his word. There was some speculation that agent Todd France would talk him into playing hardball, but that never came to fruition. Now, Simmons is set to play out the season on a one-year, $12.7MM deal.
Bears standout Eddie Jackson stands as the league’s highest-paid safety at $14.6MM per year, and Simmons would like to top that figure. The belief is that Simmons wants a deal that pays him ~$14MM annually, but the Broncos already have his partner Kareem Jackson on a three-year, $33MM deal. There’s clear mutual interest in a longer arrangement, but it’s an expensive proposition.
Simmons, 27 in November, graded out as the 2nd best safety in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The traditional stats also positioned him as a stud – four interceptions, 15 passes defended, and 93 tackles, tied for the second-highest tally on the team.
With Simmons’ contract squared away, there are four stragglers left in the NFL. Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Buccaneers edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, and Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue remain unsigned, and at least one of those players seems destined for a holdout (we’re looking at you, Yannick). Teams have until July 15th to hammer out long-term deals with each of those franchise-tagged players. If not, the two sides will have to wait until next year to resume talks.
Patrick Mahomes’ Extension Worth Up To $503MM
Patrick Mahomes has inked the largest contract in sports history. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the quarterback’s 10-year extension is worth up to $503MM. The deal includes $477MM in “guarantee mechanisms.” Mahomes has the ability to opt out of the deal if “the guarantee mechanisms aren’t exercised,” and the contract also includes a no-trade clause.
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com explored those new “guarantee mechanisms,” noting that it’s “new terminology as far as NFL contracts are concerned.” Florio believes the deal includes rolling guarantees, and the Chiefs will have to make a commitment to their quarterback (a year out, per Rapoport) each offseason. If the organization decides they “don’t want to make the commitment for the next season,” then Mahomes will have the ability to hit free agency.
Mahomes is the first professional athlete to sign a deal worth half a billion dollars, and as Rapoport points out on Twitter, it’s the first time an NFL player has held the title of “highest-paid player in sports history.” Even Mahomes’ $477MM in “guarantee mechanisms” exceeds the 12-year, $426.5MM deal that Mike Trout signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. The $50.3MM average annual value tops Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard‘s $49MM AAV (part of a four-year, $196MM deal that will begin in 2021).
Matt Ryan previously held the NFL record for largest contract after inking a five-year, $150MM deal with the Falcons in 2018. Russell Wilson set the NFL’s new AAV mark last offseason after signing a four-year, $140MM deal with the Seahawks.