Patriots, Tom Brady Agree To Contract Extension
The Patriots and future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Tom Brady have agreed to a contract extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that it’s a two-year pact, and he reports that Brady will earn $23MM this year (which is an $8MM raise over what he was scheduled to make). Rapoport adds in a separate tweet that Brady will take home $30MM in 2020 and $32MM in 2021, but both sides are amenable to adjusting those payouts if necessary. Essentially, then, the Patriots and Brady are going year-to-year at this point.
Brady, who celebrated his 42nd birthday Saturday, was scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next year. There was never any chance that he would play for someone other than the Pats, but reports just two days ago suggested that the two sides were willing to let the situation play out and to wait until 2020 to address Brady’s future with the team.
After years of giving hometown discounts to the Patriots, some have suggested that Brady may not be feeling as generous this time around. After all, we are not too far removed from rumblings of discord in Foxborough, but the most recent reports of tension between player and team appear to have been overblown.
Indeed, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets that contract talks escalated quickly once training camp began, which is in keeping with prior negotiations between the two sides. Two of Brady’s five previous re-ups have been agreed to after training camp began.
Brady has long said that he wants to play until his mid-40s, and though he finally started to show some chinks in the armor last year, his new contract will run through his age-44 season (assuming neither Brady nor New England want to get out of the deal before then).
The Pats do not currently have a long-term successor in place, which may have incentivized the team to get something done quickly.
ESPN’s Field Yates was the first to report that a deal between Brady and the Patriots was close (Twitter link).
Jets Sign Ryan Kalil Out Of Retirement
The Jets have signed five-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kalil, according to a team announcement. Kalil retired after the 2018 season, but the Jets have convinced the center to suit up at least one more time. 
It’s a one-year, $8.4MM deal for the Jets and Kalil, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets $8.4MM is the maximum value of Kalil’s pact, which contains incentives. The agreement is still pending a physical, which may be more than a formality – Kalil was limited to just six regular-season games in 2017 by a neck injury.
The former USC standout played in just 14 games between 2016 and 2017. Prior to that, he suited up for at least 15 contests six times in a seven-year span — with five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro distinctions having occurred during that time. And, in 2018, he started in all 16 of Carolina’s contests.
A second-round pick in 2012, Kalil has been one of the best players in team history. He served as the pivotman during the Panthers’ Super Bowl 50 run and played every game of the Panthers’ 2008, ’13 and ’14 playoff seasons.
With the Jets, Kalil will supplant Jonotthan Harrison as the team’s man in the middle.
Chargers’ Melvin Gordon Requests Trade
Melvin Gordon wants out. The running back has asked the Chargers to trade him, agent Damarius Bilbo tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
The request, Bilbo says, was actually made last week, after the team stuck to its guns at $10MM/year. Despite the holdup, GM Tom Telesco told Bilbo that he still considers the running back family and will not grant the agent permission to seek a deal.
At this stage, it’s hard to see a peaceful resolution to the situation. Gordon says he hopes to stay with the Bolts, but he also seems very serious about his demand for a new deal. He was also a supporter of Le’Veon Bell during his high profile holdout with the Steelers in 2018.
“Come back and get hurt?,” Gordon asked, rhetorically, when discussing the Bell situation. “Gave y’all everything he had for about five, six years. Y’all can’t pay the man?”
It may be time for the Chargers to either pay the man what he wants, or trade him to someone who will.
Panthers To Sign Tre Boston
Tre Boston‘s lengthy tenure as a free agent is over. The Panthers are signing the veteran safety to a one-year, $3MM deal, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
For the second consecutive offseason, Boston had to wait until late July to land a new contract as a free agent. Last year, Boston landed only a $1.5MM deal from the Cardinals, so he’ll now realize a 100% raise for the 2019 campaign, one in which he’ll play for the club that originally drafted him.
Boston was a fourth-round choice of the Panthers in 2014 and subsequently spent three seasons in Carolina, starting 10 games in his final year with the team. He was cut with one year remaining on his rookie contract, and was then signed to subsequent one-year pacts by the Chargers and Cardinals. In both campaigns, Boston started at least 13 games, played at least 950 defensive snaps, and graded among the top 30 safeties in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
In 2017, Boston was caught up in a stagnant free agent safety market which saw several starting-caliber players — including Boston’s new teammate Eric Reid — languish on the open market for months. This offseason, however, defensive backs Landon Collins, Tyrann Mathieu, Earl Thomas, Lamarcus Joyner, and Adrian Amos each landed at least $9MM in free agency, but Boston was nonetheless left without a deal.
Carolina can use all the help it can get against opponents’ deep passing attacks, and Boston — who is deployed as a deep safety on nearly snap — can help. Last season, the Panthers ranked just 29th in yards per play allowed on passes of more than 15 air yards, and finished 27th in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA against deep passes.
Some of the blame for that lackluster performance can be placed on Mike Adams, who served as the Panthers’ primary free safety in 2018. Adams, who last year at age-37 posted arguably the worst season of his lengthy career, was not re-signed this offseason. He’ll be replaced by Boston, who along with Reid will form one of the league’s most underrated safety duos.
Saints, Michael Thomas Agree To Deal
It’s a done deal. And it’s one for the record books (for now, at least). 
On Wednesday morning, the Saints and Michael Thomas agreed to a five-year, $100MM extension with $61MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The new deal makes him the league’s highest-paid receiver of all-time on a yearly basis.
With the new deal, Thomas is tied to New Orleans through the 2024 season. In 2019, he’ll still earn a paltry $1.148MM in the final year of his rookie contract, but he’s already locked in plenty of dough at signing.
The deal marks plenty of firsts for the Saints as well. They’ve never paid a non-QB skill-position player more than $10MM per year, but they’re now paying Thomas $20MM per annum. The previous watermark was owned by tight end Jimmy Graham, who banked $10MM/season before being traded to the Seahawks in 2015.
Last season, Thomas set Saints records with 125 catches and 1,405 yards while adding nine touchdown grabs. He was wildly efficient, too – Thomas’ catch rate of 84.5% was the highest of any NFL receiver since at least 2001.
With Thomas’ deal done, the attention will now shift to fellow standout wide receivers in search of their own monster contracts. Unlike Thomas, Falcons star Julio Jones has participated in training camp, but he is expecting a contract that will either match or exceed Thomas’ in average annual value. There’s also Bengals star A.J. Green to consider, though his recent injury may be a barrier in talks.
Down the line, Thomas’ new deal will also have ramifications for the Cowboys and Chiefs as they consider extensions for Amari Cooper and Tyreek Hill.
Tyreek Hill Speaks To Reporters On Sunday
Following practice on Sunday, Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill spoke to reporters and addressed his offseason allegations of domestic and child abuse. 
Hill touched on a conversation with Chiefs team owner Clark Hunt, calling the talk “a very frank conversation” and followed that up by saying “I have to work on my life skills.” Hill also said he unaware of the recording with his girlfriend Crystal Espinal existed until it went public earlier this offseason. For the language he used in addressing Espinal, Hill said he was “very disrespectful” and wouldn’t want his sister, daughter or mother to be talked to in the same way [Pro Football Talk].
The Pro Bowl receiver also said “never again,” referencing his actions that led to this point, and added that he is growing as a person. He also said him talking about punching his son in the chest was in reference to teaching the 3-year-old how to box.
This marked the first time Hill had spoken to reporters since arriving at camp and he appeared ready to put the incident behind him. Hill didn’t go into much detail through the eight-minute ordeal, preferring to keep answers vague.
Earlier this month, it was revealed the NFL would not suspend the star wideout following its investigation into the incident. In a statement, the NFL said its investigation spanned four months and based on the evidence presently available, could not conclude Hill violated the Personal Conduct Policy.
A.J. Green Expected Out 6-8 Weeks
An MRI revealed Bengals star receiver A.J. Green tore ligaments in his ankle on Saturday and is now expected to miss the next six to eight weeks, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. 
What was originally expected to be just a sprain now is expected to keep the pass-catcher out through the first week of the season. Green injured the ankle at the University of Dayton’s Welcome Stadium and the field conditions were considered to be subpar, according to Shefter [Twitter link].
This is, of course, a bad way to start camp for the Bengals and Green, who missed seven games a year ago and produced career lows in catches and receptions. At the age of 31, Green has been looking to ink a new deal with Cincinnati, but considering he’s missed 13 games in the last three years, the Bengals might not be in any hurry to get something done. Green is signed through 2019 but will become a free agent in 2020.
One of the Bengals all-time greats, Green ranks second in team annals in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns to Chad Johnson. Among the most productive wideouts since entering the league in 2011, Green earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first seven seasons and has topped 1,000 yards six times.
Cincinnati will now focus its attention on the recently re-signed Tyler Boyd, who posted 76 grabs for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018, which led to him signing a four-year deal earlier this week.
Giants WR Golden Tate Suspended 4 Games
The Giants are down another receiver. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that wideout Golden Tate has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Substance policy. Schefter notes that the veteran will appeal the suspension and “believes he has a legitimate case.”
It’s been a tough week for Giants receivers. Former Browns first-rounder Corey Coleman tore his ACL yesterday, ending his season early. Meanwhile, top wideout Sterling Shepard will be out for the foreseeable future after fracturing his thumb. The Giants are still rostering the likes of Cody Latimer, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard and Darius Slayton, but the team will surely be looking for some reinforcement.
In fact, Greg Joyce and Jared Schwartz of the New York Post write that the Giants are set to host a workout for free agent receivers this weekend. That initial grouping of players included rookie Flynn Nagel and veteran Kelvin Benjamin, although ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets that Benjamin wasn’t among those auditioning this morning.
The Giants signed Tate to (partly) replace the production of traded wideout Odell Beckham Jr.. Between the Lions and Eagles, Tate hauled in 74 passes for 795 yards and four touchdowns in 2018. It was the first time he failed to crack 800 yards since the 2012 season. In New York, he’ll likely be one of Eli Manning‘s preferred targets alongside Shepard, tight end Evan Engram, and running back Saquon Barkley.
Lions Release RB Theo Riddick
The Lions have moved on from one of their longest-tenured players. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the team has released running back Theo Riddick. His roster spot will be taken by defensive lineman Mike Daniels, who signed with Detroit yesterday.
The Notre Dame product has been with the Lions since he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2013 draft. The running back soon became one of Matthew Stafford‘s favorite targets, as Riddick has finished with at least 50 receptions per season since 2015. Actually, as our own Dallas Robinson pointed out, the 28-year-old has garnered more pass targets than rush attempts in half of his NFL seasons, and his career 3.6-yards-per-carry indicates that he’s much more dangerous in the passing game.
Despite his production, there was some speculation that the Lions could move on from the veteran. Riddick agreed to a three-year, $11.5MM extension with Detroit back in 2016, and he was set to count for $4.625MM on the team’s 2019 salary cap. Now, the Lions will only be left with ~$963K in dead cap.
Furthermore, the running back had one of his worst NFL seasons from a statistical standpoint, and the Lions added veteran C.J. Anderson and rookie Ty Johnson to pair with Kerryon Johnson and Zach Zenner. While none of those players possess the pass-catching prowess of Riddick, it was clear that the veteran was the odd man out.
Riddick is still relatively young, and plenty of teams could use a top-notch third-down back. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the running back quickly catch on with a brand-new organization.
Seahawks Extend LB Bobby Wagner
The Seahawks have locked up one of the best defensive players in football. Seattle is signing linebacker Bobby Wagner to a three-year extension worth $54MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport notes that Wagner will get $40.2MM in guaranteed money. At $18MM annually, Wagner is now the highest-paid inside linebacker in the game, eclipsing the $17MM that C.J. Mosley got from the Jets earlier this offseason. Wagner made it clear a few days ago he would attend training camp on time even though he didn’t have the new deal he wanted yet, as he wanted to be a good leader and locker room presence.
Wagner has been standing off to the side and observing practice at the first few days of camp, clearly waiting for this deal to get done. The Utah State product had been set to enter the final year of a four-year, $43MM extension he signed back in 2015. There’s now a huge gap between Wagner and Mosley at the top and the rest of the inside linebackers. Deion Jones is in third place with the extension he recently signed with the Falcons, which will pay him a tick over $14MM annually.
Wagner originally entered the league as a second-round pick back in 2012. He’s since firmly established himself as the league’s best off-ball linebacker, making the Pro Bowl in each of the last five seasons and being named a first-team All-Pro in each of the last three. One of the last remaining pieces of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl winning defense, Wagner is the team’s next most important player after Russell Wilson. He’s been a rock for them, starting at least 15 games in each of the past four seasons.