Newsstand News & Rumors

Chargers Trade Keenan Allen To Bears

March 14th, 2024 at 10:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers’ cap crunch has forced the team to move on from their longest-tenured player. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chargers are dealing wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Bears. FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer was first with the news.

Los Angeles will receive a fourth-round pick in return. Per Albert Breer of TheMMQB, the Chargers are receiving the earliest of the Bears’ two fourth-round picks (No. 110).

With the Chargers needing to clear $27MM to reach cap compliance, eyes immediately focused on their four massive cap hits: Allen, Mike Williams, Khalil Mack, and Joey Bosa. The front office put in extra work yesterday before the mandatory cap deadline, releasing Williams and reworking the contracts of both Mack and Bosa. Those three transactions didn’t mark the end of their efforts, however.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Chargers approached Allen about taking a pay cut today. The receiver refused, and the organization promptly dealt the player to Chicago. The wideout is attached to a $34MM-plus cap hit in 2024, and on top of his $18MM-plus base salary, he’s due more than $5MM via a roster bonus this month. Allen is still attached to a four-year, $80.1MM extension he signed with the Chargers back in 2020.

Even while the Chargers’ cap sheet continued to be untenable following yesterday’s machinations, an Allen trade is still a shocking development. When asked last month about his future in Los Angeles, the receiver definitively stated he’d be back with the team in 2024. And as the organization navigated their impending cap crunch, reports indicated that the veteran wideout was the safest among the team’s four highest-paid players.

Instead, Allen’s tenure with the organization will end after 11 seasons. The receiver wasn’t able to catch former tight end Antonio Gates‘ many receiving records, but Allen will still leave the organization ranked second in receptions (904) and receiving yards (10,530) and third in touchdown receptions (59). The former third-round pick earned six Pro Bowl nods throughout his career with the Chargers, and he’s topped 1,000 receiving yards in five of his last seven seasons. This includes a 2023 campaign where the 31-year-old hauled in a career-high 108 catches for 1,243 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

After acquiring D.J. Moore last offseason, the Bears are making another splashy move at the position. The expectation is that the Bears will trade Justin Fields and select USC’s Caleb Williams with the first-overall pick, and they’re certainly preparing the incoming rookie for success. The Bears have also added running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett to the offense, providing their 2024 quarterback with plenty of worthy targets.

Regardless of who is under center next season, it shouldn’t take long for Allen to get acclimated. New Bears receivers coach Chris Beatty spent the previous three seasons with the Chargers, so the coaching staff surely knows what they have in the veteran acquisition.

Things aren’t nearly as rosy in Los Angeles. Justin Herbert has watched as his top two receivers (Allen, Williams), his top tight end (Everett), and his top running back (Austin Ekeler) have all left the organization this past week. The Chargers did use a first-round pick on Quentin Johnston last year, and the organization will surely be banking on a big season from the second-year pro. The Chargers are also armed with the fifth-overall pick in the draft. That might not be enough to draft someone like Marvin Harrison Jr., but the organization should still be able to snag one of the draft’s other elite WR prospects.

Chiefs To Sign WR Marquise Brown

March 14th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a season of inconsistency from Chiefs receivers, the organization is adding a notable name to Patrick Mahomes‘ arsenal. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Chiefs are signing wideout Marquise Brown.

“Hollywood” is signing a one-year deal worth up to $11MM, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Albert Breer of TheMMQB clarifies that the former first-round pick will earn a $7MM base with another $4MM via incentives and/or bonuses.

While free agency’s other top receivers (Calvin Ridley, Gabe Davis) earned multi-year deals, Brown ultimately had to settle for a one-year prove-it deal before hitting the market again next offseason. That arrangement seemingly intrigued a number of teams, as Russini notes that Brown garnered interest “from all around the league.”

It was uncertain if the Chiefs would be willing to open up the checkbook for an offensive weapon this soon. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted the prevailing sentiment was that the organization needed to trade L’Jarius Sneed before making a big-name signing. Instead, the Chiefs locked up a talented wideout on a reasonable deal.

Brown’s career has been highlighted by his own inconsistency. He started his career tied to one of the NFL’s most run-heavy offenses, but he still managed to build on his numbers in each of his three seasons with the Ravens. This culminated in a 2021 campaign where he topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage, although his six touchdowns marked his lowest total during his Baltimore tenure.

Despite the growing offensive role, Brown expressed discontent with his team’s offense and asked for a trade. The Ravens found a taker in Arizona, with the Cardinals sending a first-round pick for Brown and a third-round selection in 2022. The move reunited Brown with his college quarterback in Kyler Murray, but the receiver wasn’t able to elevate his play during his time in the desert.

Of course, that wasn’t entirely Brown’s fault. The Cardinals started seven different QBs over the past two seasons, which was thanks in part to Murray suffering an ACL tear during the 2022 finale. Brown struggled with his own injury woes, battling through foot and heel issues over the past two years. After finishing with 67 catches for 709 yards during his first season in Arizona, Brown was limited to only 51 catches for a career-low 574 yards in 2023.

Still, Brown provides the Chiefs with a high-upside target, and they’ve showed that they can win despite WR issues. Rashee Rice emerged as a rookie in 2023, and Travis Kelce will continue to command many of Mahomes’ targets. But other than that duo, the QB’s top options included the likes of Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, and Kadarius Toney.

Just Brown’s 1,000-yard pedigree gives him a higher upside than many of his teammates. Entering his age-27 season, Brown could help the offense rebound following a relatively underwhelming regular-season performance in 2023.

Lions Extend Dan Campbell, Brad Holmes

March 14th, 2024 at 9:28am CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions nearly turned Year 3 of their rebuilding effort into a Super Bowl LVIII berth, coming closer to reaching the NFL’s top stage than any previous Lions squad. As a result of the progress this operation has made, ownership will reinvest in the top decision-makers.

Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes signed extensions Thursday morning. These deals run through the 2027 season. Despite Campbell having three years remaining on the six-year contract he signed back in 2021, the Lions are rewarding the popular HC.

“We are thrilled to have Brad and Dan under contract for the next four seasons,” Lions owner Sheila Hamp said. “They have been the driving force behind the rebuild of our football team and the success that we have enjoyed. The continuity they provide for our football program will continue to be the key to our future success on the field.”

The two power brokers have come a long way since arriving in 2021. Lions ownership did not inform Holmes of Matthew Stafford‘s trade request until he began work, but after executing a deal that brought back two first-round picks, the ex-Rams exec teamed with Campbell, 47, to design what can already be classified as a wildly successful rebuild blueprint. The Lions have progressed from an 0-10-1 start in 2021 to a three-point loss in the NFC title game two years later.

Holmes and Co. took a chance on Campbell, who traveled the rare route of skipping the coordinator tier to becoming a head coach. Although Campbell served as Dolphins interim HC for most of the 2015 season, he had settled back on the position coach level. The Lions liked the Saints tight ends coach enough to offer a six-year contract to begin this climb. While Campbell’s intro presser — the kneecaps reference mostly — was panned and his credentials received scrutiny, the former NFL tight end has proven skeptics wrong.

The Lions finished with 12 wins for just the second time in franchise history, and their two playoff wins snapped a 32-year drought. While Campbell’s fourth-down decisions invited criticism late in the season — particularly in the San Francisco loss — he has gained considerable respect during his time in Detroit. With a significant boost from OC Ben Johnson, Campbell and Holmes have elevated what had been one of the NFL’s most downtrodden franchises. Campbell’s alma mater (Texas A&M) attempted to gauge his interest in taking over in College Station recently; he shot that down quickly.

Holmes, 44, certainly deserves considerable credit given the state of the Lions upon his arrival. The former Rams college scouting director positioned the Lions for this unexpected rise by bringing in the player he once helped draft in Los Angeles — Jared Goff — and then adding Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown in his first draft. Aidan Hutchinson followed a year later, and the 2023 draft — which featured two picks in Rounds 1 and 2 thanks to the Stafford and T.J. Hockenson trades — brought promising young talent. The Jahmyr Gibbs pick brought criticism due to running back value, but the dual-threat talent played a major role in the Lions’ push to the NFC title round. So did second-rounders Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch.

Going against the conventional rebuilding route by keeping Goff at QB rather than drafting an heir apparent, Holmes has an interesting offseason ahead. The rejuvenated quarterback’s Rams-constructed contract expires after the 2024 season, as does St. Brown’s rookie deal. Extensions are on the docket. This will begin a new phase of Detroit’s project, but ownership is understandably quite pleased with the first steps and will give the two principal architects more time.

The Lions are also extending Chris Spielman, who has held a key role with the team since Holmes’ arrival. The former Pro Bowl Lions linebacker and FOX analyst works as a special assistant to the team’s president/CEO; he is believed to carry notable power within the organization, and the team is signing off on a multiyear extension.

Titans To Sign WR Calvin Ridley

March 13th, 2024 at 11:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a Jaguars-Patriots duel formed in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes, a mystery suitor revealed itself. The Titans are swooping in with a big offer to land the former first-round pick.

Ridley will commit to Tennessee on a four-year, $92MM deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The Titans are giving Ridley $50MM fully guaranteed. A year after winning a lower-priced DeAndre Hopkins pursuit, Tennessee will pair him with Ridley.

This marks a windfall for Ridley, who will cash in despite missing the 2022 season due to a gambling suspension and leaving the Falcons early in the 2021 slate. After Atlanta traded Ridley to Jacksonville during his suspension, the former Alabama standout posted his second 1,000-yard year. Although the Jaguars wanted to retain Ridley, they may have stopped short of this price point.

As of Wednesday afternoon, however, the Titans checked in with the NFL’s most cap space. Ran Carthon‘s team carried $72MM before the Ridley agreement. While the Patriots and Jaguars both made offers, a stealth suitor may have topped them both. The Jags had been viewed as likely to retain Ridley, but they already have three veteran contracts at receiver (Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Gabe Davis) and another at tight end (Evan Engram). Tennessee has Hopkins on a relatively low-cost accord, after beating out the Patriots in that race as well, giving the team a clearer path to pursue this year’s top free agent wideout. Indeed, in a piece written by Jeff Howe, Larry Holder, and Randy Mueller of The Athletic (subscription required), we learned that while the Jags’ and Pats’ offers were in the same ballpark, the Titans’ proposal was significantly higher.

At $23MM per year, Ridley checks in as the NFL’s ninth-highest-paid receiver; the $50MM guaranteed at signing, however, is the more important number. Only Tyreek Hill‘s 2022 Dolphins deal carried more locked in at signing. That illustrates where this market went and the aggressive pushes teams were making to bring in this market’s top receiver.

Ridley, 29, will also reunite with the Jaguars’ 2023 pass-game coordinator, Nick Holz, who landed the Titans’ OC job earlier this offseason. Holz was on-hand for a rather uneven Jaguars offensive season, with Press Taylor calling plays. Ridley, however, used the 2023 slate to rebound after effectively two years away. The 2018 first-round pick left the Falcons in October 2021, and while the team helped him find a desired trade destination — Ridley picked Jacksonville — money may well be talking for the Florida native.

PFR’s top 50 free agent ranks listed the Titans as a potential Ridley suitor — largely due to cap space and what has transpired since the A.J. Brown trade. The Titans have not seen Brown’s immediate replacement — 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks — become a difference-maker. And less than two years after the ill-fated Brown move, the Titans ditched their GM (Jon Robinson) and HC (Mike Vrabel). The Titans were not offering Brown a deal in this ballpark; two years later, and with the cap exploding to $255.4MM, a new GM will sign off on this money for Ridley, whose career has been much rockier than the current Eagles WR1’s.

As Julio Jones‘ hamstring trouble — which helped lead the Falcons to trade him to the Titans the following year — produced a 2020 shutdown in Atlanta, his younger sidekick broke through. Ridley’s 90-catch, 1,374-yard, nine-TD season placed him on the All-Pro second team. Ridley said he played most of the 2020 season on a broken foot, but he was not informed of the break until June 2021. He underwent surgery, which was described as a minor procedure, but said he was not close to 100% by Week 1. This preceded Ridley leaving the Falcons, citing mental health reasons.

Ridley’s rookie contract tolled to 2023 due to the subsequent gambling ban, which will add more risk to this Titans bet. Although Ridley produced in spurts for the Jags in a 1,016-yard season, he will turn 30 before the 2024 season ends. Two of Ridley’s four 100-yard showings came against a struggling Titans team, though, and Carthon will place a big bet on Ridley having plenty left in the tank to help Levis. This contract will pair with Levis’ rookie deal, which runs through 2026.

Chargers Release WR Mike Williams

March 13th, 2024 at 11:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Needing to clear $27MM-plus off their cap to reach compliance by the 3pm CT today, the Chargers will part with one of their starting wide receivers. They are releasing Mike Williams, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

Dangling Williams and their other three monster cap charges — Keenan Allen, Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa — in trades, the Chargers will clear $20MM by cutting Williams. The 2017 top-10 pick stands to become an interesting free agent, even coming off an ACL tear. The Bolts have since announced the move.

Williams, 29, was set to carry a $32MM cap hit. The Bolts came into Wednesday with four of the NFL’s top 12 cap figures, with the above-referenced quartet all tied to numbers north of $32MM. It remains to be seen if one of the other high-profile Bolts will be jettisoned — via trade or release — but Williams is the first to go. While Rapoport adds that the Chargers would want to re-sign Williams, the high-end WR2 plans to test free agency.

One season remained on Williams’ three-year, $60MM deal. The then-Tom Teleseco-run Chargers gave Williams that contract just before free agency in 2022, and while the deal was finalized just before the Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill extensions changed the market, Williams battled injuries over the course of the pact. While Williams is coming off an ACL tear and going into his age-30 season, he has two 1,000-yard campaigns on his resume. The Clemson product has excelled as a deep threat and in the midrange, working as a key option during Justin Herbert‘s early years.

Williams cleared 1,000 yards in Philip Rivers‘ final Chargers season (2019, leading the NFL with 20.4 yards per catch) and then posted a career-high 1,146 yards to help Herbert become the 2021 Pro Bowl starter. Williams injuries wounded the Chargers over the past two years. Sustaining a back fracture during a meaningless Week 18 game in Denver, Williams could not suit up for the upcoming wild-card game in Jacksonville. The depleted Chargers’ offense struggled, and the Jaguars completed a 27-point comeback. The 6-foot-4 target also battled a high ankle sprain in 2022. Williams’ ACL tear three games into last season hurt the Bolts’ passing attack again, and ownership ousted the Telesco-Brandon Staley operation months later.

A number of teams still need receiver help. While this draft class will present yet another array of options, teams will be looking into the veteran now that he is a free agent. The WR-deficient Chiefs are quite familiar with Williams, and after missing on Darnell Mooney, would the defending champs dive in here? Williams will not command a $20MM-AAV deal coming off his knee injury, but seeing as teams to not make a habit of cutting two-time 1,000-yard receivers in their 20s, a few clubs figure to be interested in seeing what it will take to add the seven-year vet.

Ravens To Sign RB Derrick Henry

March 12th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

A rumored fit for several months, the Ravens-Derrick Henry partnership is coming to fruition. The two-time rushing champion is committing to Baltimore, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

The Ravens will give Henry a two-year, $16MM deal, per Schefter, who adds the longtime Titans starter can earn up to $20MM with the AFC North team. The Ravens are guaranteeing Henry $9MM, making this look more like a pay-as-you-go pact. But the 30-year-old back has an interesting opportunity ahead, joining the team that soared to the AFC’s top seed last season.

Hovering as a potential Hall of Famer, Henry has been one of this era’s premier backs. He is coming off a fifth 1,000-yard season. While mileage should be a concern for the Ravens, the former Heisman winner has shrugged off workload-based fears in the past. After losing Gus Edwards to the Chargers, the Ravens will make a bigger payment to see how Henry looks alongside Lamar Jackson.

Closely linked to Henry at last year’s deadline, the Ravens stood pat and continued with their in-house setup. The team lost Keaton Mitchell to a late-season ACL tear, which came three months after J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season in Week 1. Dobbins is unsigned, and Mitchell is rehabbing. At long last, Henry will be part of the Ravens’ equation.

2023 saw the Alabama product earn a fourth career Pro Bowl, although his workload experienced a notable decline. Splitting time with third-round rookie Tyjae Spears, Henry averaged 16.5 carries per games last season. That marked the first time since 2018 that he logged less than 20 totes per contest, a sign that he may not be able to handle the same workload moving forward as he did in his prime. Still, Henry will be positioned to operate on plenty of early downs as well as goal-line situations if the Ravens make no further RB moves.

General manager Eric DeCosta made it clear at the Combine that backfield additions would be a priority for Baltimore, the league’s top rushing team from last season. New deals for Edwards and/or Dobbins were on the table, but that will not be the case for at least the former. The latter’s chances of remaining in Baltimore for 2024 have also taken a hit given today’s move. Midseason pickup Dalvin Cook is a pending free agent, and he could be enticed to look elsewhere after being used sparingly in his brief Ravens tenure.

The Ravens were linked to other backs prior to this unsurprising Henry agreement, including reported serious interest in Saquon Barkley. The Eagles ultimately agreed to a longer, more lucrative pact than this Henry one, though, and finances were no doubt a concern for a Ravens team which entered Tuesday marginally over the cap. Still, more cost-effective options were available for Baltimore, so the team’s investment marks a notable commitment to the top of its backfield depth chart.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Steelers To Trade WR Diontae Johnson To Panthers For CB Donte Jackson

March 12th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Diontae Johnson trade rumors will indeed produce a deal, and for the second straight day, the Panthers are involved in a big trade. The Steelers are sending the veteran wide receiver to Carolina, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.

One season remains on Johnson’s contract, with Schefter adding the Panthers will now pay the sixth-year receiver’s $3MM roster bonus due later this week. After five Steelers seasons, the shifty route runner will settle in as a Bryce Young weapon.

The full trade will involve cornerback Donte Jackson coming back to the Steelers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Carolina will send Jackson and a sixth-round pick for Johnson and a seventh. The picks will come in 2024. The Steelers are sending No. 240 in this swap, with the Panthers moving No. 178 to Pittsburgh, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer. The No. 178 choice is originally a Cardinals selection.

A report earlier this month indicated the Panthers would move on from Jackson, via trade or release; Carolina has found a trade partner. After rumblings of a Johnson deal surfaced as well, the two will end up being exchanged.

For the Panthers, this provides Young with a proven wide receiver. The Panthers were light here last season, contributing to the steep freefall. Johnson will now join Adam Thielen atop the Carolina aerial pecking order. As Thielen is going into his age-34 season, this trade will provide a player in his prime for Young to target.

Heading into his age-28 season, Johnson has not been the most consistent receiver. Drops have plagued the elusive target, whose effort level has also come into question in Pittsburgh. But Johnson will be playing for a big contract in 2024. The Steelers gave the Toledo alum a two-year, $36.7MM extension just before the 2022 season. That deal fell short of the market set by fellow 2019 Day 2 picks A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf, but Johnson’s production has checked in south of those standouts’. He has still shown a consistent ability to create separation, doing so almost entirely with limited QB play. Johnson’s presence will help the Panthers determine Young’s value as a pro.

Johnson totaled 1,161 yards in 2021, Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season, and exceeded 850 yards in 2020 and ’22. Last season, the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett–Mitchell Trubisky–Mason Rudolph platter struggled for the most part. Johnson also missed four games due to a hamstring injury, coming in with 717 receiving yards and five touchdowns — after he memorably failed to score in 2022.

This will leave the Steelers with George Pickens leading the way at receiver, though it should be expected the AFC North club will target another starter-caliber wideout in a deep draft at the position. Johnson is one of many Day 2 wideouts the modern Steelers have turned into long-term starters. Pittsburgh broke with its usual tradition of these players leaving during or after their rookie contracts by extending Johnson, but after trading Chase Claypool and then executing this swap — and then cutting Allen Robinson — Pittsburgh will need to give Pickett (or, more likely, Russell Wilson) more help.

The Panthers also gave Jackson a second contract, re-signing the boundary corner in 2022. He is due a $4MM roster bonus March 16; these teams are trading picks, players and bonus obligations. One year remains on Jackson’s pact, a three-year, $35.18MM deal signed after the expiration of his rookie contract.

The former second-rounder has spent his entire six-year career in Carolina, but he was due to count $15.72MM against the cap in 2024. The Steelers will have Jackson on their 2024 cap sheet at $10.5MM, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.

Coming back from a 2022 Achilles tear, the 28-year-old corner also had a down 2023 in coverage. Jackson allowed three touchdowns as the nearest defender and surrendering an opposing passer rating of 107.7. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson just outside the top 60 at corner, though he has shown better form in the past. The Steelers, who released Patrick Peterson last week, will see if Jackson can become a fit opposite Joey Porter Jr.

Danielle Hunter To Sign With Texans

March 12th, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans’ talks with Danielle Hunter will produce an agreement, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport. After the Vikings poached Jonathan Greenard, the Texans will bring in the longtime Minnesota sack artist. Hunter will join the Texans on a two-year deal worth $49MM, Rapoport adds.

Although Hunter ran into significant injury trouble to start this decade, he bounced back in a big way over the past two years. That recent surge will allow for a uniquely structured Texans contract. Houston is guaranteeing nearly the whole contract, with Schefter adding the nine-year veteran will receive $48MM fully guaranteed.

The Colts also pursued Hunter, but they are not known for big spending on outside FAs under Chris Ballard. The Texans’ payroll also lines up well with this two-year Hunter guarantee. Hunter will receive $29.5MM in the first year of this deal, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets.

This marks a homecoming for Hunter, who went to high school in the Houston area. Hunter spent the past six seasons tied to a contract that was widely viewed as Vikings-friendly in the moment. After two reworkings, the former third-round pick made his way to free agency. The second of those adjustments prevented the Vikings from franchise-tagging Hunter, which will lead him out of town. While the Vikes will lean on Greenard, the Texans will pair reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson with a more established sack ace.

While Greenard notched his first double-digit sack season last year, Hunter has five such seasons on his resume. Despite Hunter entering the NFL in 2015, he is still just 29. The youngest player in league history to reach 50 sacks, Hunter was a mainstay during Mike Zimmer‘s Minnesota years and played the lead role in the past two Vikings pass rushes.

This included a 16.5-sack performance last year, which also featured Hunter leading the NFL with 23 tackles for loss. That generated trade interest, and while the Texans were not pursuing Hunter at the time, they will come away with one of this year’s top free agents today.

Tied to a $14MM-per-year deal for an extended period — albeit with multiple adjustments, coming in 2021 and 2023 — Hunter will do well on this short-term agreement. The Texans will also take advantage of their setup. Last year, the team effectively had low- or mid-level deals across its roster save for along the offensive line. With Anderson and C.J. Stroud on rookie deals through at least 2025, Houston will capitalize. Hunter’s contract will overlap fully with the Anderson and Stroud rookie accords. He will join Azeez Al-Shaair and Denico Autry as new starters on DeMeco Ryans‘ defense.

Kirk Cousins To Sign With Falcons

March 12th, 2024 at 12:11am CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons will make their upgrade at quarterback. Kirk Cousins is coming to town, according to his agent. The Falcons are giving the longtime Vikings passer a four-year deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.

After steady buzz about Cousins changing teams in free agency once again, he will give the Falcons a major upgrade at a position they have struggled to staff since trading Matt Ryan. It will also mean a new era for the Vikings, who have a massive need to fill now.

As he is wont to do, Cousins will cash in big. The Falcons are giving him a four-year, $180MM deal, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The contract includes $100MM guaranteed and features a $50MM signing bonus as part of that commitment. This $45MM-per-year deal represents Cousins’ first AAV beyond $35MM.

Additionally, Pelissero notes $90MM is guaranteed at signing and an additional $10MM will lock in by March 2025, making the $100MM a practical guarantee. A $2MM incentive exists each year for a Super Bowl win, bringing the contract’s max value to $188MM.

The Vikings made a last-ditch push to retain Cousins on Sunday night, NFL.com’s James Palmer reports. This looks to have driven up the price. Cousins has already made more than $230MM in his career; he is set to add a considerable amount to that whopping total in Atlanta.

Minnesota attempted to retain Cousins, but it became clear a price ceiling existed. The Vikings had refused to provide guarantees into a third year for the veteran quarterback during 2023 negotiations, and it is believed that remained an issue. That is not exactly surprising, as Cousins is coming off an Achilles tear. Still, the Vikings had bent to Cousins during 2018, 2020 and 2022 negotiations. They will now be tasked with replacing the third-longest-tenured QB1 in franchise history.

For the Falcons, this is a major change from where they were last year. The team memorably passed on a Lamar Jackson pursuit, though it was not exactly alone on that front, and anointed Desmond Ridder early last offseason. Ridder did not fare well as Atlanta’s starter, being benched on multiple occasions. Taylor Heinicke remains on Atlanta’s roster, but the team made no secret of its desire to unlock more from its passing game. Cousins’ arrival stands to be big news for ex-Terry Fontenot top-10 picks Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

Cousins, 35, has never been confused with a top-tier quarterback. But he has offered stability for multiple franchises. Cousins’ Washington QB1 status proved fleeting, as negotiations soured and led to a two-franchise tag route out of town. Cousins repeatedly said he wanted to stay in Minnesota, but the Big Ten product will venture to a new region in a Falcons effort to change their trajectory under Raheem Morris and OC Zac Robinson. Cousins and his wife were believed to be scouting real estate in Atlanta recently, and the team will change its QB pay structure from the past two years.

While Cousins offered the Vikings stability leading up to his Achilles tear, Minnesota was not an automatic contender despite the spree of big-ticket payments to the former fourth-round pick. The Vikings won one playoff game with Cousins and missed three NFC brackets during his healthy seasons. Cousins was playing at a high level before his October Achilles setback, however, ranking seventh in QBR in a span that also included a Justin Jefferson injury. Still, Cousins has one Pro Bowl nod as a non-alternate (2022) in his career.

Arthur Blank said last year he wanted to reset around a rookie-QB contract; that charted course lasted one year. But the Falcons were ready to trade three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson in 2022. After Ridder underwhelmed, they are back in the high-priced QB business. Meanwhile, the Vikings will take on a $28.5MM dead money hit for not re-signing Cousins by March 13. Void years used to drop Cousins’ 2023 cap hit will lead to that penalty.

This will be a big swing for Fontenot and Co., who probably had a chance to add Georgia native Justin Fields via trade. The Falcons’ desire for a better passer has stalled Fields’ market, but with Baker Mayfield staying with the Buccaneers and Cousins leaving Minnesota, the Bears may need to sit tight with their three-year starter.

Panthers To Send OLB Brian Burns To Giants

March 12th, 2024 at 12:10am CST by Sam Robinson

At last, a resolution is coming in the Brian Burns saga. Two years after Burns became extension-eligible, he is being traded. The Giants will be the team to pay the franchise-tagged player now.

The Giants are sending the Panthers second- and fifth-round picks for Burns, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This deal will also come with an extension. New York will give Burns his long-sought-after extension, signing off on a five-year deal worth up to $150MM. The contract includes $87.5MM in guarantees. The Giants held an extra second-round pick from the 2023 Leonard Williams trade; that will come in handy as the team replenishes its pass rush.

Carolina-New York conversations on Burns had taken place for a stretch, and with the Panthers pausing extension talks for the 2019 first-round pick, that will lead to a scenery change. The Panthers kept Ejiro Evero in place as DC, and GM Dan Morgan was in the front office during Burns’ negotiations last year and when the Rams made a monster trade offer — one that far surpasses this actual haul — in 2022. But the Panthers were unable to complete a deal. They will now take what they can get and move on.

This moves comes nearly 18 months after the Rams proposed two first-round picks and a third for Burns at the 2022 trade deadline. In the aftermath of the Matt Rhule firing, the Panthers balked and prepared extension talks with Burns in 2023. Those conversations did not produce an agreement, and it did not sound like anything was close last year. The sides broke off talks before the season, and although more trade offers — not on the level of the Rams proposal — came out, the then-Scott Fitterer-run Panthers stood pat.

Burns has not been a top-tier edge rusher, having recorded one 10-plus-sack season (12.5 in 2022) in his five-year career. But the Giants will bet on the Florida State alum’s consistency. Burns has tallied at least 7.5 sacks in each of his NFL slates. He totaled eight last year. The former Ron Rivera-era Panthers draftee has tallied between 18 and 22 QB hits over the past four seasons. Burns’ 46 career sacks rank 12th in the NFL since 2019.

The Giants took a bit to reinvest in their edge positions following the Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon trades, but they took Azeez Ojulari in the 2021 second round. That was a Dave Gettleman-era move, and Ojulari did not play well in 2023. Ojulari only totaled 2.5 sacks in 11 games, undercutting Thibodeaux’s breakout to a degree. The Giants will pay up for Burns to go with Thibodeaux’s rookie deal, which can run through 2026 via the fifth-year option. While Burns’ AAV is not yet known, anything north of $28MM (T.J. Watt‘s deal) would bump him into second place behind only Nick Bosa among edges.

This wraps a long-running partnership for the Panthers, who had struggled to complement Burns on the edge. Yetur Gross-Matos and Justin Houston were unable to adequately do so, with hybrid performer Frankie Luvu — who is signing with the Commanders — being Carolina’s other top LB pass rusher. Gross-Matos and Marquis Haynes are free agents now. The Panthers will be in dire need at this premium position, and Monday saw a few of this year’s top edge players choose destinations already. The draft stands to be an avenue for the rebuilding team.

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