Titans’ Johnathan Cyprien Done For Season
The Titans have lost safety Johnathan Cyprien to a torn ACL, coach Mike Vrabel announced. The team will place Cyprien on season-ending IR in order to open up a spot on the roster.
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Cyprien, 28, was set to resume his role as the Titans’ starting strong safety this year. Unfortunately, this is not his first go ’round with the injury bug in Tennessee. Last year, a hamstring ailment limited him to just ten games. This year, Cyprien’s torn ACL could theoretically end his tenure with the team.
Cyprien joined the Titans in 2017 on a four-year, $25MM free agent deal. The pact had just $9MM guaranteed, however, and the Titans can release Cyprien next year to save $5.25MM against just $1.5MM in dead money.
In his first year with the club, Cyprien had 57 total tackles and one sack in his ten games. He graded out as one of the ten worst qualified safeties in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, though PFF’s metrics have never been particularly high on him.
Patriots To Sign WR Eric Decker
The Patriots will sign wide receiver Eric Decker, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year deal for the Pats and the former 1,000-yard receiver. 
The Pats are moving on from Jordan Matthews, and that leaves them with a potential need at wide receiver. The Patriots have an interesting group at the position with Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Braxton Berrios under contract, but they’re looking to shore up their depth as Edelman will miss the first four games of the season.
Decker lobbied for an opportunity with the Patriots this summer and finally got his wish. He had just 54 catches for just 563 yards and one touchdown with the Titans last year and missed most of 2016 with an injury, so he’s eager to get back on the right track.
In 2015, Decker’s last complete season, he hauled in 80 catches for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Jets. He also had 1,000+ yard seasons in 2012 and 2013 with the Broncos and nearly hit that mark in his first Jets season in 2014. There’s reason to believe that Decker can be a contributor for the Patriots, even if he’s not quite in his prime form.
Bengals Release WR Brandon LaFell
The Bengals released wide receiver Brandon LaFell, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). LaFell’s agent tells Garafolo that the receiver has been pushing for his release “for some time now” and is grateful to have been freed from his contract. 
The transaction will allow LaFell, a vested veteran, to sign with any team. As the Patriots get set to move on from Jordan Matthews, one can’t help but wonder if a reunion could be in the cards for LaFell. Then again, Thursday’s signing of Eric Decker could take LaFell out of consideration.
LaFell has been the Bengals’ No. 2 WR for the last two years, but his production tailed off a bit last season. After compiling 64 catches for 862 yards and six touchdowns in 2016, LaFell had just 52 grabs for 548 yards and three scores last year.
Meanwhile, he started “feeling the heat” from other wideouts in camp this summer, according to coach Marvin Lewis. That includes 2017 first-round pick John Ross, which is good news for the Bengals but probably meant a reduced role for LaFell.
The Bengals appear set to head into 2018 with A.J. Green and Ross as their top receivers. After that, they have a young group pushing for playing time including Tyler Boyd, Josh Malone, Cody Core, rookie Auden Tate, and Alex Erickson.
Patriots Release WR Jordan Matthews
The Patriots announced that they’ve released wide receiver Jordan Matthews and signed fullback Henry Poggi. Although Field Yates of ESPN.com tweeted New England would placed Matthews on injured reserve, it appears the Patriots have simply cut the wideout.
The Pats signed Matthews to a one-year deal worth $1MM back in April. However, the pact was only partially guaranteed, so the Patriots won’t be left on the hook for much. Matthews collected on his $80K signing bonus, $130K offseason workout bonus, and $90K of his base salary, so he leaves New England with $300K altogether.
Matthews was also held back by injuries in 2017, so this is an unfortunate setback for the wide receiver. Prior to that, Matthews averaged 75 receptions for 891 yards and six touchdowns per season for the Eagles from 2014-16.
The release of Matthews leaves the Patriots a bit thin at wide receiver. They’ll be without Julian Edelman for the first four games of the season and the availability of Kenny Britt and Malcolm Mitchell is in question as they deal with ailments of their own. These issues could help to explain the team’s recent interest in free agent Eric Decker.
Packers’ Jake Ryan Done For Season
Jake Ryan‘s season is over. The Packers linebacker has been ruled out for the year with a torn ACL, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The team will place him on injured reserve this week in order to open up a spot on the roster. 
The injury is devastating for the Packers, Ryan, and Ryan’s long-term prospects. The Packers were expecting a big season out of Ryan after he excelled in 506 snaps last season. While he didn’t have a gaudy stat line, he finished out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 19 overall ranked linebacker last year.
Meanwhile, Ryan is entering his walk year. With another big season, Ryan would have positioned himself for a lucrative new multi-year deal from the Packers or a rival team. His next pay day is extremely uncertain at this time, though he has enough time to recover from his setback and cash in, similar to Allen Robinson this offseason.
Ryan has started 27 games for Green Bay since his rookie season. Without Ryan, third-round rookie Oren Burks could be thrust into action alongside Blake Martinez. The Packers may also lean on rookie UDFA Greer Martini, who has looked sharp in practice.
After earning a base salary of $1.9MM this year, the former fourth-round pick will be eligible to hit the open market.
Vikings, Stefon Diggs Agree To Extension
The Vikings and wide receiver Stefon Diggs have reached agreement on a hefty new deal, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. The five-year extension is worth $72MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal includes $40MM in guarantees and can be worth up to $81M in total with incentives.
Diggs made his case for a new deal in 2017 as he caught eight touchdown passes, tying him for the team lead with tight end Kyle Rudolph. Meanwhile, his 64 catches and 849 receiving yards were good for second on the team, despite missing two regular season contests. Diggs, for his part, has been vocal about his desire to stay with the Vikings.
“I want to be here. I love being here,” Diggs said. “I love being a part of the organization. They took a chance on me early on so I love it here as far as where we’re at. … Hopefully, we can get some things done and we’ll see how it goes.”
The $14MM/year deal may sound exorbitant for a player who has yet to top 1,000 yards, but the wide receiver market has exploded and this is in line with Diggs’ expected haul in free agency. There’s certainly some risk on the team’s part as he has been hampered by injuries throughout his career. Diggs has not missed significant time as a pro, but he has dealt with groin issues in each of the last two seasons. He also said he was “never the same” after suffering a groin injury in Week 4 and his knee and hip have also given him problems.
The Vikings have worked hard in recent months to keep their young core together. Since last July, Minnesota has locked up Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph, Xavier Rhodes, Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and now Diggs. Last, but not least, is linebacker Anthony Barr, and it might not be long before they sign him to a fresh contract.
Chargers’ Jason Verrett Tears Achilles
Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett suffered a torn Achilles during a conditioning test, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via ESPN colleague Josina Anderson on Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was the first to report (via Twitter) that Verrett sustained an injury that would likely cost him the season. Injuries have limited Verrett to just five total games over the past two seasons, so this is obviously devastating news for the 27-year-old. 
Verrett was a full participant in June’s minicamp and reportedly looked like his old self. The Bolts were cautiously optimistic about Verrett after he flashed the ability that earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2015.
“We can be real special,” Verrett said recently when asked about the Chargers’ secondary. “I know it’s a tough for the coaches to make a decision on who’s going to go out there, just because of how deep we are. But I think just how tight we are as a group, it’s going to allow us to keep feeding off each other. Everyone’s going be wanting to get better each and every day because you know the guys behind you are going to want to be where you are.”
Without Verrett, the Bolts will lean more heavily on the likes of Casey Heyward, Trevor Williams, and Desmond King. It’s conceivable that they could also explore outside help, such as free agent Bashaud Breeland. Anderson reports that the team is keeping another big name free agent, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, in mind, but that there is no rush to bring DRC in at this time.
Verrett, a 2014 first-round selection, is entering the walk year of his contract. Between his two knee surgeries and this latest setback, Verrett’s future is very much in flux.
Seahawks, Duane Brown Agree To Extension
Duane Brown will enter the 2018 season with a new contract. In his first training camp with the Seahawks, the veteran left tackle’s agreed to terms on an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Seattle has announced the extension.
The Seahawks and Brown have been working on this deal for weeks, per Rapoport. The soon-to-be 33-year-old blocker was going to play for $9.75MM this season but was set for a contract year. Despite his advancing age, the Seahawks are making a commitment to the tackle they acquired at the trade deadline last season.
It’s a three-year, $36.5MM re-up for Brown, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). This deal will keep Brown tied to the Seahawks through the 2021 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Brown will earn in excess of $14MM in 2018, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
After a stretch of committing scant resources to their offensive front, the Seahawks now have both Brown and Justin Britt signed long-term.
Brown staged a lengthy holdout into the regular season last year before the Texans shipped him to the Seahawks. He started nine games with Seattle upon arrival. The four-time Pro Bowler has started all 142 games for which he’s suited up in a 10-season career. Entering his 11th, he’s expected to anchor the Seahawks’ offensive line.
A lack of guarantees remaining on his Texans deal prompted Brown to hold out in 2017. He did not report to the Texans until late October of last year but was not holding out with his new team this offseason. Brown graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 27 tackle last season. He’s regarded as one of the best tackles of this era.
Titans, Delanie Walker Agree To Extension
The Titans are giving tight end Delanie Walker a two-year, $17MM extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The deal includes an $8MM signing bonus and $12.76MM guaranteed in total. 
[RELATED: Titans, Taylor Lewan Agree To $80MM Deal]
Walker was set to enter his walk year (no pun intended) with a base salary of $5.4MM. Between the pre-existing season and the two new ones, Walker has himself a three-year pact worth $23.2MM.
Walker has spent the last five seasons with the Titans and earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last three campaigns. Last year, he hauled in 74 passes for 807 yards and three scores. From 2015-2017, Walker has averaged 78 grabs for 898 yards and five touchdowns.
The tight end will celebrate his 34th birthday in August, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. Walker’s new deal locks him up through 2020 and should allow him to retire as a member of the Titans.
This year, Walker will resume his duties as the Titans’ top tight end, though he may cede some targets to young upstart Jonnu Smith. Smith, who is eleven years Walker’s junior, flashed at times last year and scored two touchdowns in his first month of pro football.
Falcons, Jake Matthews Agree To $75MM Deal
The Falcons and left tackle Jake Matthews are finalizing a five-year, $75MM deal, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal positions Matthews as one of the three highest paid left tackles in the league. 
[RELATED: Julio Jones Reaches Compromise With Falcons]
Matthews, 26, has started every game he’s played in for the Falcons since entering the league as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 draft. Last year, the Texas A&M product graded out as the No. 14 tackle in the NFL, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, Matthews’ 1,159 regular season snaps was the fourth-highest of any tackle in the NFL last season.
Initially, Matthews was scheduled to earn $12.496MM in 2018 before hitting the open market. With the new deal, he’ll earn even more – $15MM/year – while remaining under club control through 2023. It’s a whopper of a deal for a left tackle, and one that is only topped by Taylor Lewan‘s fat new contract with the Titans and Nate Solder‘s recent four-year, $62MM pact.
Next up for the Falcons may be a new deal with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Jarrett, a fifth round pick back in 2015, is entering the final year of his rookie contract.