Redskins To Sign WR Paul Richardson
The Redskins are expected to sign wide receiver Paul Richardson to a five-year, $40MM deal, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal includes $20MM in guarantees. Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter) first reported that a deal could be on the horizon.
Richardson has reportedly been on the Redskins’ radar for a while. 
The Redskins were also targeting Allen Robinson, but this year’s top free agent wide receiver has agreed to terms with the Bears. There aren’t a ton of quality WRs available in this year’s crop, but Richardson is among the best.
Richardson stepped into a larger role last year after the Seahawks shipped Jermaine Kearse to the Jets. Richardson, who doesn’t turn 26 until April, averaged 16 yards per grab for Seattle.
The Redskins have been looking for a speedy complement to Josh Doctson and Richardson would fit the bill. With Richardson in the fold, it seems unlikely that they will roll the dice on Terrelle Pryor for another season.
Free agency doesn’t technically begin until Wednesday, but things are already off to a rollicking start for this year’s available wide receivers.
Sammy Watkins has agreed to a three-year, $48MM deal with the Chiefs, and the Bears have agreed to a three-year, $42MM deal with Allen Robinson. Richardson, who was ranked as our sixth-best wide receiver heading into free agency, has matched the $8MM average annual value of Kenny Britt‘s free agent deal from last offseason while adding another year and nearly doubling his guarantees.
This is a nice haul for Richardson, who had not put together much of relevance until his contract year. Having torn an ACL in the playoffs as a rookie, Richardson then played in just one game in 2015. After serving as a lower-level supporting-cast cog in 2016, the former second-round pick broke out last year in averaging 16.0 yards per catch and gaining 703 air yards. He scored six touchdowns in what turned out to be a critical year in his career.
Richardson will be a key piece of a revamped Redskins offense, joining Alex Smith. Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed will again be expected to play big roles, with Chris Thompson doing so as well, assuming he returns from his season-ending injury.
Dolphins Re-Sign Walt Aikens
Walt Aikens is re-signing with the Dolphins on a two-year deal, a league source tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). The defensive back is now under contract with Miami through the 2019 season.
Aikens played in all 16 games last season in a backup role and tallied a forced fumble and two tackles without an interception. Aikens was the only member of the Dolphins’ cornerbacks group that was set to become an unrestricted free agent. The 26-year-old still has the likes of Cordrea Tankersley, Reshad Jones, Bobby McCain and Trae Elston in front of him on the depth chart and under contract for next season.
The Dolphins took Aikens in the fourth round of the 2014 draft out of Liberty and he’s missed just two games over his four-year career while making five starts — all coming in 2016. Miami still has a need to address at safety as Nate Allen is due to become a free agent this offseason.
While the Dolphins’ secondary looks like it will remain intact for the most part, the same can’t be said for the team’s front seven. That starts with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was released Monday, and linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who’s expected to be cut before the new league year begins Wednesday. Middle linebacker Koa Misi is also set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Bills To Bring Back Kyle Williams
Perhaps the most memorable part of the Bills’ playoff celebration involved Kyle Williams rejoicing after 11 years of regular-season-only football in Buffalo. After Williams’ 12th doubled as the Bills’ first 21st-century playoff berth, he plans to stay on board for a 13th year. 
The Bills are re-signing the defensive tackle stalwart on a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s a $6MM agreement including $5MM fully guaranteed, Rapoport reports (on Twitter).
The five-time Pro Bowler has played in at least 15 games in five of the past six seasons, offering stability to an evolving Buffalo defense. The Bills pivoted back to a 4-3 scheme last season and relied on Williams, who gave them 16 starts. He will turn 35 in June.
He’s recorded 43.5 career sacks — fifth in team history and far and away the most by a Bills defensive tackle — and will be in position to add to that total next season.
Lions Agree To Deal With LB Devon Kennard
The Lions have agreed to a deal with free-agent outside linebacker Devon Kennard, according to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports (on Twitter). Schrager opines that Kennard’s versatility will make him a good fit in the scheme of new Lions head coach Matt Patricia.
Kennard’s deal will be worth three years, $18.75MM, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). There was undoubtedly a need at outside linebacker for the Lions, with Tahir Whitehead and Paul Worrilow set to hit unrestricted free agency. They already know their front seven will take a hit next season, as defensive tackle Haloti Ngata agreed to a deal with the Eagles on Tuesday.
In four seasons with the Giants, who took Kennard in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, he’s started 35 games, including a career-high 11 starts last season. The 26-year-old managed to rack up four sacks last season despite playing as a non-rush backer. It was the second time in his career that he’s collected at least four sacks.
Kennard had said last month that he believed he would fit well within new Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher‘s 3-4 scheme. It was also reported before the season that the Giants were interested in signing Kennard to a long-term deal. But they’re now under a new regime with general manager Dave Gettleman.
Vikings Likely To Sign Kirk Cousins
It’s not a done deal, but it’s getting close. Kirk Cousins is likely to sign with the Vikings, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It would be a three-year, fully guaranteed contract (Twitter link).
Meanwhile, agent Mike McCartney is doing his best to pump the brakes. 
“No final decisions have been made,” McCartney said. “The plan is to visit Minnesota first. That’s all we can say right now.”
The Jets, of course, have had their eye on Cousins for months. The Cardinals were also hoping to get involved, but their limited cap space was a major obstacle in the Cousins sweepstakes. The Broncos were also said to be in the “final four” for Cousins at one point, but they moved quickly to sign Case Keenum early Tuesday morning. It’s quite possible that Denver sensed that Cousins was likely to go to Minnesota, driving them towards Keenum before another team could scoop him up.
Cousins made the Vikings his first visit on Tuesday — without also scheduling a Jets visit. These visit arrangements becoming public is not permitted, however, by an odd rule. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains, negotiations between a player’s agent and a team can take place during the tampering period. But plans for a meeting are not yet allowed. This could put the Vikings in position to be punished in a fashion similar to the Chiefs, who were docked a 2016 third-round pick for tampering with Jeremy Maclin in 2015.
Reportedly, the Vikings have offered Cousins a three-year deal with a $28MM annual salary. That annual figure is a bit shy of what we expected Cousins to land in free agency, but it may come with an unprecedented level of guaranteed money. It’s also possible that Cousins has better offers out there, but he may lean toward the Vikings since they would give him an opportunity to win right away.
The Vikings came one game away from reaching the Super Bowl last season with Keenum at the helm. As good as Keenum was in 2017, Cousins would represent a significant upgrade under center for this talented Vikings squad.
This would bring an end to Cousins’ lengthy run of complicated offseasons, at least for a while. It stands to arm the Vikings — the NFC’s No. 2 seed last season — with a quarterback upgrade. Minnesota has uniquely advanced to its past five playoff brackets, dating back to 2008, with five different passers — none of which repeating the feat with the team.
Minnesota will also be in position to win one of the most competitive races in free agency history, thus forcing Arizona and New York to scramble for other possible veteran solutions. It would make A.J. McCarron and Sam Bradford logical targets for these teams, each hoping to secure a Cousins commitment and thus more security at American sports’ premier position. However, the Jets are eyeing Teddy Bridgewater as a Plan B at this juncture.
This deal coming to fruition would obviously represent a seismic turn of events taking place. Cousins’ shorter-term pact would potentially put him back on the market after his age-32 season. It also could be a massive domino for his peers.
A player being signed to a fully guaranteed contract opens the door, at the very least, to other quarterbacks being able to demand the same kind of agreement. Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan are two beneficiaries on the surface. Each has achieved more than Cousins and is either already in talks with this team (Rodgers) or entering a contract year (Ryan). This could also potentially blaze a trail for players at other positions in high-leverage situations to be able to command similar accords, striking a major blow for the labor force in the nation’s most popular sport — a group that sees its MLB and NBA peers lap it when it comes to guarantee percentages.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Jets Have Teddy Bridgewater As Plan B If They Don’t Land Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins is taking his first visit with the Vikings, and that could spell bad news for the Jets. If the Jets are unable to land their top target, they will turn their attention to Teddy Bridgewater, team sources tell Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Bridgewater, ranked as the 17th best free agent on our list of this year’s top 50 available players, was hardly seen on the field last season as he returned from a gruesome knee injury. If Bridgewater is indeed signed to be the Jets’ starter, they would be wise to backstop him with another quality option. In theory, that No. 2 QB could be Josh McCown, but the interest level is currently unknown for both sides.
Cousins, for his part, looks to be moving closer to inking a deal with the Vikings. The Jets can theoretically offer more money given their ample cap space, but Minnesota would clearly be able to put a better team around Cousins. Adding Bridgewater, meanwhile, could be a long-term move for Gang Green given that he’s still only 25 years old, but the New York could also use an early-round pick on a signal-caller if it has doubts about Bridgewater’s health.
Bridgewater’s last full season came in 2015, when he threw for 3,231 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The former first-rounder also ran for 192 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries. But, thanks that aforementioned knee injury, Bridgewater has attempted only two passes in the last two NFL seasons.
Bears To Sign TE Trey Burton
Former Eagles tight end Trey Burton is expected to sign with the Bears, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Burton will land a four-year, $32MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
This four-year agreement looks closer to a two-year deal, however. Albert Breer of SI.com reports (on Twitter) Burton’s contract contains $18MM fully guaranteed in the first two years. After that, nothing is guaranteed, making the 2020 and ’21 seasons look like option years for the Bears.
Burton will receive a $7.5MM signing bonus and a $1MM roster bonus due early next week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. His initial two base salaries are $2.8MM and $6.7MM, with the 2020 season also coming with a $6.7MM base. If he’s still on the roster in 2021, Burton will earn a $6MM base. Although Burton doesn’t have any fully guaranteed money due after 2019, there is a $4MM injury guarantee for part of his 2020 money, per Florio.
Burton provides new head coach Matt Nagy with a serious weapon in the offense. Between Burton and new free agent addition Allen Robinson, quarterback Mitch Trubisky couldn’t ask for much more. Lat season, Trubisky was forced to throw to one of the least-inspiring group of pass-catchers in the NFL, but he’ll now have a few legitimate targets.
Burton, of course, has been a backup for the majority of his career, as he’s played second fiddle to Zach Ertz in Philadelphia. Over the past two years, Burton has averaged 30 receptions, 288 yards, and three touchdowns per season, but he’s been extremely efficient. Football Outsiders ranked Burton third in DVOA among tight ends a season ago, meaning he provided value on a per-play basis.
Despite his relative lack of experience, Burton will now become the fifth-highest-paid tight end in the league on an annual basis. His $8MM/year salary will place behind only Travis Kelce, Jordan Reed, Rob Gronkowski, and Ertz. While Burton’s guarantees haven’t yet been made public, each of those tight ends received between $10-15MM in fully guaranteed cash.
Burton, whom PFR ranked as the best tight end on the market and the No. 19 overall free agent, drew plenty of interest before landing in Chicago, as both the 49ers and Lions expressed interest.
[RELATED: Bears Depth Chart]
Vikings To Host Kirk Cousins
The Vikings will be the first team to meet with free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, and are in the “driver’s seat” to sign him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Minnesota has offered Cousins a three-year deal with a $28MM annual salary, per Rapoport.
Cousins will meet with the Vikings brass and have dinner on Wednesday night, tweets Rapoport. On Thursday, he’ll take a tour of the Vikings’ brand new facility. Given that his visit in Minnesota is expected to last until Thursday, other teams with interest in Cousins may not get a seat at the table until later this week.
The Vikings have long been considered a prime contender to land Cousins, and their need for a quarterback only increased this morning when Case Keenum reportedly agreed to a deal with the Broncos. Incumbent options Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford are also unrestricted free agents.
Cousins, meanwhile, has drawn interest from clubs such as the Jets, Cardinals, and Broncos, but some reports indicated New York and Minnesota were his only serious suitors. Denver, clearly, is no longer in the running after inking Keenum, and while the Jets boast far more cap space than the Vikings, Minnesota can offer a better team and offensive weapons.
While a $28MM annual salary would make Cousins the highest-paid player in NFL history, it would be a somewhat disappointing total, as most expected Cousins to collect $30MM per year. Of course, we don’t any details about the structure or guarantees of Minnesota’s offer, so it’s possible the potential deal is stronger than the yearly average would indicate.
Eagles Sign DT Haloti Ngata
The rich get richer. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has signed a one-year deal with Eagles, as first reported by Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Ngata’s one-year, $2.6MM deal is fully guaranteed, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. He can earn another $25K for each game he plays, bringing the maximum value of the pact to $3MM.
Ngata’s 2017 season was mostly lost to injury and he vowed in January to continue playing in order to finish on a high note:
“I think if I finished the year healthy I would have been a little closer to probably retiring, but I want to finish the season so I think I want to keep on playing. And definitely I loved being able to be here and help Detroit have more dominance in this league. We’ve had winning seasons, I just want to continue to build this franchise and get it to where it can be a dominant franchise and a great team. So I definitely want to be here, I definitely want to keep on playing, but we’ll have to see once free agency hits.”
When Ngata was on the field for the first five games of the season, the Lions allowed just 74.6 yards rushing per game. After Ngata’s injury, the Lions allowed 129.7 yards rushing per game. Ngata may not be the player he once was, but he is still a major difference maker on the defensive line.
Ngata, 34, figures to replace Beau Allen as the Eagles’ No. 3 defensive tackle. Allen departed in free agency to join up with the Bucs.
The revamped Eagles’ defensive line projects to start Michael Bennett along with Fletcher Cox, Timmy Jernigan, and Brandon Graham with Ngata, a five-time Pro Bowler, in support.
Jaguars LB Paul Posluszny Retires
Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny has formally announced his retirement from the NFL following an 11-year career.
Posluszny, 33, was originally selected in the second round of the 2007 draft. After spending four seasons with the Bills, Posluszny signed a hefty deal with Jacksonville, and has remained with the club ever since. Last season, he earned the first postseason berth of his career as the Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship Game before losing to the Patriots.
Although he had been an every-down player for the majority of his career, Posluszny’s playing time was drastically reduced in 2017 as the Jaguars got younger and faster at linebacker. While seeing action of fewer than half of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps, Posluszny managed 42 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
That’s not to say Posluszny wouldn’t have garnered interest on the free agent market, as PFR had ranked him as the No. 7 available linebacker. Pro Football Focus, too, was a fan of Posluszny’s 2017 work, and had graded him as the league’s 15th-best ‘backer last season. But in a NFL more geared toward passing than ever before, Posluszny and his run-stuffing skills likely wouldn’t have landed a multi-year deal.
PFR extends its best wishes to Posluszny in retirement.