Bills To Sign Josh Norman
Josh Norman will attempt to bounce back with some familiar personnel. The former Panthers and Redskins cornerback agreed to terms with the Bills on a one-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The contract is worth $6MM but could climb to $8MM based on incentives, Garafolo notes. This will reunite Norman with former Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and ex-Carolina assistant GM Brandon Beane. The top two members of Buffalo’s power structure were with Carolina throughout Norman’s Panthers tenure. Beane revealed the Bills were interested last month.
Several teams expressed some degree of interest, which helps explain the $6MM Bills proposal, but Garafolo adds (via Twitter) Norman opted for Buffalo because of his familiarity with McDermott’s system and the presence of top-tier cornerback Tre’Davious White.
Washington released Norman earlier this year, cutting ties with what was the league’s top cornerback contract for years. The 32-year-old defender will return to the system that turned him from 2012 fifth-round pick to a first-team All-Pro.
As of now, Norman will become Buffalo’s highest-paid cornerback. While the team wants to extend White, the Bills’ CB1 remains attached to his rookie deal. The Bills have fellow rookie-contract cogs Levi Wallace and Taron Johnson in place as well, but Kevin Johnson looms as a free agent. Pro Football Focus graded Kevin Johnson as its No. 24 overall cornerback last season.
Norman dominated during the Panthers’ 2015 season, playing a key role in their run to Super Bowl 50. He intercepted four passes, taking two back for touchdowns. It remains one of the best contract-year performances in modern NFL history. The Panthers rescinded Norman’s franchise tag in April 2016, leading to his five-year, $75MM Redskins pact. He did not match that play in Washington, a tenure that ended with the Redskins benching him last season.
Norman’s $15MM-per-year deal did not produce a Pro Bowl with the Redskins, but he will land on his feet with a chance to become a supporting-caster on a talented Bills roster.
Chargers, Austin Ekeler Agree To Deal
The Chargers have identified the running back they’d like to keep for the long haul. Instead of Melvin Gordon, former UDFA Austin Ekeler now has a second Bolts contract.
Ekeler agreed to a four-year, $24.5MM deal on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). This pact will include $15MM in guaranteed money. Ekeler was a restricted free agent but is now locked up through the 2023 season.
This represents a remarkable rise for Ekeler, who entered the league in 2017 undrafted out of Division II Western State (Colo.). While he backed up Gordon for most of his first two seasons, Ekeler thrived in a starting role and then alongside the former first-round pick in 2019.
He finished with 993 receiving yards — fifth-most ever in a season for a pure running back — and totaled 1,550 from scrimmage. Ekeler added 11 touchdowns and became the first Charger in 34 years to post a 100-100 game, which occurred against the Jaguars in December. His 10.3 receiving yards after catch ranked second in the NFL, per ESPN Stats & Info.
A report pointed Gordon toward free agency Thursday, and this Ekeler accord confirms it. After Gordon became extension-eligible in January 2018, the sides went two years without agreeing to terms. And Gordon’s 2019 holdout undoubtedly benefited his backup’s case for a payday. Ekeler agreed to his re-up — at a price south of what Gordon sought during his holdout — after being extension-eligible for barely two months. The Bolts and Ekeler began negotiating the extension in January, Schefter adds.
At 24, Ekeler is two years younger than Gordon and has logged 443 career touches — well behind Gordon’s 1,283. The Chargers should be able to rely on their passing-down back for a few more seasons, while Gordon will now have a chance to gauge his value on the open market.
Titans Confident They Can Beat Out Patriots For Tom Brady?
The Titans have moved into another level in one of the most complex free agency processes in recent NFL history. Not only are they one of the central teams navigating the CBA-related uncertainty, they are now juggling multiple quarterback plans.
Two months after beating the Patriots in a wild-card game, the Titans are confident that if it comes down to a head-to-head matchup between they and the Pats, they will be able to lure Tom Brady away from New England, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com said during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up! (video link).
The Titans are simultaneously negotiating with Ryan Tannehill, Fowler adds. The latter is believed to be seeking a contract in the $30MM-per-year range, per Fowler, who notes a mystery team is in play here as well. Several other teams have been mentioned as Brady suitors — from the Buccaneers to the 49ers, Chargers and Raiders — so it is unclear if there is a true mystery team in the mix or if one of the previously mentioned franchises is competing with the Titans and Patriots.
Tennessee has Tannehill, Derrick Henry and Jack Conklin as free agents. If the new CBA is ratified by March 12 at 11pm CT, teams that have used multiple tags must rescind one. The Titans are hoping to use both their franchise and transition tags, in order to keep all three of their marquee UFAs, but have not used one yet.
If Brady is truly in play for Tennessee, which has a Patriots alumni power structure of Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel, then it would appear Henry is the better bet to be tagged. But the Titans also run the risk of not tagging Tannehill and losing both he and Brady on the market. The Bucs are also investigating Tannehill. With nothing major coming from the initial Brady suitors — the Chargers and Raiders — this situation may be trending toward the Titans as the top threat to battle the Patriots once the tampering period begins. Tennessee and New England are projected to hold $50MM and $41MM in cap space, respectively.
Brady and Bill Belichick spoke about the quarterback’s contract for the first time this offseason. While that conversation produced conflicting reports, the Pats and their all-time great do not appear much closer to a resolution. The legal tampering period begins March 16. The Pats are still the Las Vegas favorites to sign Brady, but the future first-ballot Hall of Famer is certainly making this interesting.
From a Titans perspective, this marks familiar territory. They finished second in 2012’s Peyton Manning pursuit and saw Brady’s top rival thrive with the Broncos. While Brady is seven years older now than Manning was then, and the Titans feature a better quarterback option in Tannehill compared to Jake Locker in 2012, the organization nevertheless appears to be strongly considering a run at another high-profile starter.
Redskins Give Trent Williams Permission To Seek Trade
A Trent Williams resolution could finally be in the works. The Redskins are giving their perennial Pro Bowl left tackle permission to seek a trade, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
The team approved the request Thursday. Williams has not played since the 2018 season, sitting out in 2019 due to a conflict with Redskins management. Although Ron Rivera‘s hiring has prompted a thaw in Williams’ relationship with the franchise, the sides appear headed for a divorce.
As was the case last year, no guaranteed money remains on Williams’ deal. His 2015 extension made him the league’s highest-paid offensive lineman, but the tackle market has changed somewhat since then. Williams, however, has not been as reliable as he once was. The seven-time Pro Bowler missed 13 games from 2016-18 and became embroiled with previous Washington president Bruce Allen because of a health scare in 2019. However, proven offensive linemen receive hefty payments annually. And Williams made the Pro Bowl every year from 2012-18.
Entering his age-32 season, Williams wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid tackle. That would now mean a deal north of Lane Johnson‘s $18MM-per-year pact. Williams is set to make $12.5MM in the final year of his current deal.
Teams were involved in the Williams sweepstakes last year, but Allen did not pull the trigger on a trade. The now-Rivera-led Redskins will be in position to obtain draft compensation, although Williams’ stock is probably not on the level it once was. That said, tackle-needy teams — like the Jets or Browns — may be interested. Cleveland was in the mix last year, but no team evidently was willing to meet Washington’s asking price of a first-round pick.
It will be interesting what price the new-look Redskins front office sets for their disgruntled franchise left tackle. The upcoming draft features an unusually high number of early-first-round tackle prospects, potentially diminishing Williams’ value further. The veteran market will now include Jason Peters, but both Anthony Castonzo and Andrew Whitworth are tentatively expected to return to their respective teams.
Williams will now play a key role in the offensive line market, and his lengthy impasse with the Redskins may finally end soon. Once it does, Washington will become one of the teams in need of a left tackle.
Chargers, Panthers Agree To Okung/Turner Swap
6:01pm: Turner wants a new contract, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. It remains to be seen whether the Chargers would be willing to give him a deal that reflects the current guard market.
4:44pm: The Chargers and Panthers have reached tentative agreement on a trade that would send tackle Russell Okung to Carolina and guard Trai Turner to L.A., according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). It’s a swap of two big-time and big-bodied offensive lineman that addresses areas of need for both teams. 
The deal is not yet official, but it sounds like the core pieces are in place. Once the new league year begins on March 18, the deal can be finalized.
The Panthers started shopping Turner earlier this month and it didn’t take long for a deal to come together. He’s got two years to go on his four-year, $45MM pact, but the Chargers are happy to pick up what’s left of the tab. The contract is not cheap by any stretch, but the guard market has rapidly advanced to the point where interior enforcers are getting ~$15MM year.
Turner, who has made the Pro Bowl for the last five years, has 84 career games and 80 NFL starts to his credit. Last year, he graded out as the No. 31 ranked guard in the league, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. In 2015 – his coming-out party – he positioned as one of the game’s very best.
Okung was skeptical of his future with the Chargers and vocal about his complaints against the team. His L.A. tenure has been a bit of a mixed bag. In Year One, Okung earned Pro Bowl honors. Unfortunately, he lost much of last season due to blood clots in his lungs and a painful groin injury. All in all, he appeared in just six games for the Chargers.
No one expected Okung to fetch a ton on the trade block – he has one year left on his four-year, $53MM deal and the Bolts seemed likely to cut ties. His contract calls for a sizable $16.7MM cap hit; the Chargers had an escape hatch, however, that would have left them with just $3.5MM on the books.
The Chargers already have more than $50MM in available cap room and shedding Okung’s deal would push them into $60MM+ territory. They can direct those funds towards finding Philip Rivers‘ replacement or stick with Tyrod Taylor as their starter and spread the funds all around.
Okung, who is also looking to lead the NFLPA’s charge in CBA discussions, would probably be happy to rejoin offensive line coach Pat Meyer.
Jaguars To Trade A.J. Bouye To Broncos
The Broncos have themselves a new cornerback. On Tuesday, GM John Elway struck a deal with the Jaguars to acquire A.J. Bouye, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Klis notes in a separate tweet that multiple teams were interested in trading for Bouye, but he preferred to be dealt to Denver, and Jacksonville GM Dave Caldwell made it happen.
In exchange, the Jaguars will receive a 2020 fourth-round pick (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The trade will be officially processed on March 18, when the new league year kicks off.
Once finalized, the Broncos will assume the $13.4MM owed to him in 2020 and the $13.5MM coming to him in 2021. The Broncos will honor that deal “for now,” Klis writes, so it sounds like the Broncos may look to restructure the contract once all of the dust settles.
The deal, in all likelihood, will mark the end of Chris Harris‘ tenure in Denver. Harris is set for free agency and he was already preparing himself to move on. The arrival of Bouye all but seals it. This also means that the Broncos will be less bullish on this year’s crop of free agent CBs, which includes notables like James Bradberry, Josh Norman, Logan Ryan, and Byron Jones.
Bouye teamed with Jalen Ramsey two years ago to help form one of the most talented secondary units in the NFL and aid the Jags in their run to the AFC title game. Now, that whole group has been revamped.
Instead, the Jaguars are choosing to retool and they’ll have a bevy of draft picks to make that happen. With the trade, they’ll have ten picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, with six of those picks coming in the first four rounds and two in the first round. As Schefter (Twitter link) notes, they’ve also got nine picks in 2021. And, in both years, they’ve got two picks in Round 1 and Round 4. The Jaguars will also have more to spend – by dealing Bouye, the Jaguars have cleared an additional $11.4MM in cap space.
Last year, Bouye recorded 65 tackles and one interception for the Jaguars. Still, he didn’t fit the Jaguars’ plans – Jacksonville would have released Bouye if they didn’t find a deal for him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (via Twitter).
Redskins Plan To Franchise Brandon Scherff
No team has used a franchise tag on a guard since 2011. The 2020 Redskins appear ready to take this rarely traversed route. They intend to tag Brandon Scherff, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com tweets.
A weekend report pointed to the Redskins being ready to deploy their tag for this purpose, with the Ron Rivera regime ready to do whatever it takes to retain the Pro Bowl blocker. The Redskins drafted Scherff in the 2015 first round and watched the former Iowa tackle make three Pro Bowls as a guard.
Washington has $61MM-plus in cap space, so a tag would not be burdensome. However, all offensive linemen are grouped together under the tag format. Scherff would receive an approximate $15MM salary under the tag. Logan Mankins was the last guard tagged, and the Patriots extended him later that summer.
Faced with the prospect of losing both Scherff and Trent Williams, the Redskins have put the prospect of keeping both into play. While Williams wants a raise or a trade, Rivera has reopened communication lines damaged by since-fired team president Bruce Allen. The Redskins resumed contract talks with Scherff, one of Allen’s best draft picks, after months without dialogue.
The No. 5 overall pick five years ago, Scherff has become one of the NFL’s top guards. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 guard in 2019, before going down with a season-ending injury in December. Scherff has dealt with injury issues recently, missing 13 games between the 2018-19 seasons. But he made the 2016, ’17 and ’19 Pro Bowl rosters, and with Joe Thuney being linked to a guard-record deal, Washington’s 28-year-old standout blocker would be in line for a monster deal if allowed to hit the open market.
Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue Wants Out
The Jaguars will use their franchise tag on Yannick Ngakoue, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the pass rusher took to Twitter on Monday morning to announce that he is not interested in a long-term deal with the club. 
“The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long term contract in Jacksonville,” Ngakoue tweeted. “Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got. I’m thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere.”
At this point, it seems like the Jaguars will wind up having to tag-and-trade the standout defensive end. They’ll find plenty of interest in him if that’s the case – over the last four years, Ngakoue has notched 37.5 sacks for the Jaguars and 14 forced fumbles (fourth in the NFL in that span, behind only Khalil Mack, Chandler Jones, and T.J. Watt. He’s been durable as well; he never missed a game until last year.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old had another standout campaign in 2019, finishing with 41 tackles, eight sacks, six passes defended, and four forced fumbles. The former third-rounder discussed an extension with the team last offseason, but those talks did not lead to a deal and it seems that he is not long for Jacksonville.
The franchise tag for defensive ends is expected to cost upwards of $19MM for 2020.
Colts Did Not Meet With Tom Brady’s Camp?
One of the biggest rumors that dropped yesterday was that the Colts (along with the Chargers and Raiders) had met with Tom Brady‘s camp at the scouting combine. Because of another rumor that surfaced a few hours earlier suggesting that Brady is gearing up to leave New England, the Colts-Brady connection garnered plenty of buzz.
However, a league source told Stephen Holder of The Athletic that the Indianapolis portion of that report was “made up.” Per Holder, that does not necessarily mean that the Colts are not interested in the Patriots legend, but they have not yet spoken to his reps. Speculatively, given that Indy is so flush with cap space, it makes sense that all agents would want to publicly connect the Colts to their clients as much as possible.
Holder’s source did say that the Colts are vetting another presumptive Hall of Fame passer, Philip Rivers. We heard several days ago that Indianapolis is interested in the longtime Charger, and that appears to be true. As Holder observes, that vetting can take a number of forms, including gathering intel on Rivers from around the league. The Colts are also said to have an eye on Titans QB Marcus Mariota, though Holder’s report did not specifically mention him.
Obviously, if the Colts were to sign someone like Mariota, there would be an open competition for the starting job between him and incumbent Jacoby Brissett. If they signed a player like Brady or Rivers, Brissett would either become a highly-compensated backup or trade bait.
In any event, Holder confirms that all options are on the table when it comes to the Colts’ quarterback decision. They could continue to roll with Brissett, who was performing well in 2019 before being sidetracked by an injury, they could sign a vet, or they could draft a collegiate signal-caller.
Tom Brady Planning To Leave Patriots?
The Tom Brady rumor mill keeps on churning. Per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Brady has told those close to him that he believes he will leave the Patriots when free agency opens next month.
Darlington’s sources also say that New England will still have an opportunity to make its pitch to Brady, but the 42-year-old passer is currently looking at his potential options with the mindset that he will walk away from the only NFL team that he has ever known. If that happens, it would bring an end to the most prolific dynasty in league history.
A meeting between Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has not yet been scheduled, Darlington hears. For what it’s worth, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says that Belichick does not see much sense in talking to the future Hall of Famer until he knows if a new collective bargaining agreement will be ratified (Twitter link). The proposed CBA has been sent to league players for a vote, but the final tally is not expected until early March. That would still give the Pats enough time to sit down with Brady before the legal tampering window opens on March 16, but Brady may have his mind made up by them (after all, agents and teams frequently have back channel discussions well in advance of the tampering period).
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says league-wide interest Brady — who is seen as the linchpin of the QB market — is substantial (Twitter link). La Canfora hears Brady’s age is not seen as a deterrent, and plenty of owners are interested in his on-field and off-field value. JLC also says that Brady is willing to listen to any team with a plan for winning in 2020.
The Chargers, Raiders, and Buccaneers have been definitively linked to Brady, though there are surely other teams who would be happy to at least kick the tires. And if Brady does depart Foxborough, the Pats could target Andy Dalton as a potential replacement.