Jets Shopping RB Matt Forte
The Jets have gauged the trade market for running back Matt Forte, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. He’s healthy now, but it will still be difficult to find a taker for his contract. 
Forte is owed $4MM in guaranteed salary for the coming season, a huge number for an aging running back on the back nine of his career. I’d imagine that the Jets will have to eat at least half of that money in order to make a deal happen.
Following eight productive seasons with the Bears, Forte joined the Jets last offseason on a three-year, $12MM deal with $8MM guaranteed. Forte went on to record career-lows in rushing yards (813), receptions (30), and receiving yards (263) during his first season with the team.
The 31-year-old was once one of the league’s top running backs, but knee and shoulder injuries have caught up with him. He was placed on IR in December of last season after admitting that he played with a torn meniscus for much of the year.
The Jets are planning to use Forte and Bilal Powell as their lead backs, but they’ll gladly reconfigure things if they can find someone to take on the money owed to Forte.
Colts DB Vontae Davis Suffers Injury
Bad news for the Colts. Defensive back Vontae Davis will be missing multiple weeks with a groin injury, coach Chuck Pagano told reporters. He added that the injury is “significant.” 
[RELATED: Colts Center Ryan Kelly To Miss Time]
Davis was being counted on to start at left cornerback opposite of Quincy Wilson. Now, the Colts will have to lean more heavily on utility man Darius Butler as well as recent free agent pickups Corey White and Chris Culliver.
Last year, Davis was hampered by a ligament issue in his ankle, though he managed to tough it out and play in 14 of Indy’s regular season games. This time around, it’s a more serious injury that will require some serious rest.
Davis has been a pillar of the Colts’ defense ever since joining the team in 2012. He earned Pro Bowl nods in 2014 and 2015 and his performance was further validated by his exceptional marks from Pro Football Focus. Davis earned an insane 95.1 overall score in 2014 and followed it up with a solid 81.9 mark in ’15. Last year, PFF had Davis as one of the ten worst qualified CBs in the NFL.
49ers Trade TE Vance McDonald To Steelers
The 49ers have traded tight end Vance McDonald to the Steelers, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. San Francisco receives a 2018 fourth-round pick in the swap while the Steelers get a fifth-round choice back in return.
McDonald was projected to be the Niners’ starter at tight end this year. Now, they’ll turn to fifth-round rookie George Kittle and veterans Garrett Celek and Logan Paulsen to fill the void.
The Niners signed McDonald to a five-year, $35MM extension in December, but the new regime is not as wild about him as the old one was. New GM John Lynch shopped McDonald during the 2017 draft and was surprisingly candid about it when reports surfaced.
“That’s the reality of new regimes coming in, new schemes,” Lynch in April. “That’s not to say he can’t fit into our scheme. Frankly we received some interest from other people, then we did explore some options throughout the league with Vance. And nothing ended up happening, so Vance will come back and have an opportunity to compete.”
The Steelers tried to shake up the tight end position last year by signing Ladarius Green, but things did not go according to plan as he was hampered by injuries and concussions. This year, they’ve were planning to use Jesse James as their primary TE with support from David Johnson and Xavier Grimble. They weren’t completely satisfied with that bunch, however, and they capitalized on an opportunity add another experienced starter.
McDonald finished the 2016 on IR, but he closed out with a career-high 24 receptions for 391 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers aren’t league-leading material, but it’s impressive that he was able to get going at all in one of the league’s worst passing attacks. We’re about to find out what McDonald is capable of doing in one of the league’s top aerial offenses.
Browns Shopping Cameron Erving
The Browns are trying to trade offensive lineman Cameron Erving, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Erving, a former first-round pick, has lost the starting right tackle job to Shon Coleman, so he is too expensive for a backup role and therefore expendable. 
[RELATED: Browns Aggressively Shopping Joe Haden]
Erving was competing for the No. 1 right tackle job before suffering a calf injury last week. Even though the battle was ostensibly close, Erving’s salary is significantly higher than that of Coleman, a third-round pick in the 2016 draft. If possible, the rebuilding Browns would like to take Erving’s salary off the books and get some draft capital in return.
The former Florida State standout is due to carry a cap hit of $2.571MM this year and $3MM in 2018. He has yet to put it all together at the NFL level, but he does offer versatility, including the ability to play center.
Erving isn’t the only Browns player on the block. The team is aggressively working to trade cornerback Joe Haden and quarterback Brock Osweiler is said to be available.
Browns Aggressively Shopping Joe Haden
Teams in need of a cornerback will want to answer the phone when they get calls from a Cleveland area code. The Browns are aggressively trying to trade Joe Haden, multiple teams tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). He adds that the Browns are “very motivated” to move his contract. 
Haden is no stranger to trade rumors as the Browns explored moving him prior to last year’s trade deadline. The Saints were among the inquiring clubs, but the asking price was ultimately too rich for their blood.
Haden was limited to five games in 2015 but he gutted out a painful groin injury last year and appeared in 13 contests. The two-time Pro Bowler finished out with 48 tackles and three interceptions. For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus only ranked him as the No. 88 corner in the league last year out of 110 qualified players. In his best years, Haden profiled as a Top 10-20 CB.
Plenty of teams would be happy to acquire Haden and see what he can offer, but his contract will be a stumbling block in talks. The 28-year-old is due to make $11.1MM this season and is under contract through 2019.
Lions, Matthew Stafford Agree To Extension
The Lions and Matthew Stafford have agreed to a five-year extension that will make the quarterback the highest-paid player in NFL history, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms (via Twitter) Stafford’s deal surpasses Derek Carr‘s per-year value.
It’s a five-year, $135MM deal for Stafford, Rapoport tweets. That comes out to $27MM per year in new money, putting Detroit’s franchise passer well north of Carr’s $25MM AAV.
This ties Stafford to the Motor City through 2022, and the Lions — per this GIF on their Twitter account, making it official in unique fashion — are pretty excited about it
Stafford and the Lions have been in talks for much of this offseason, and he now has a third Lions contract in place. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said (via Twitter) Stafford underwent an MRI earlier today, noting that represented the final step between the signal-caller and the landmark accord.
The Lions quarterback’s contract will raise the NFL annual salary ceiling more than Carr or Andrew Luck‘s deals did, with Carr’s per-year value coming in less than $500K per year more than the Colts passer received in 2016.
Bob Quinn said earlier this month he was confident the sides would reach an extension agreement, and the second-year GM now has his quarterback signed into the next decade. Stafford was entering his contract year. He’s on the Lions’ books for $22MM this season. Detroit entered Monday night with just less than $7MM in cap space, and Justin Rogers of the Detroit News tweets Stafford’s re-up is expected to create approximately $5MM in 2017 space.
Stafford has been the Detroit starter for the past eight seasons, and while he doesn’t have the accolades or the numbers the league’s top-tier quarterbacks do, he had leverage going into a contract year in an extreme sellers’ market. The 2009 No. 1 overall pick has made one Pro Bowl, in 2014, and has a 5,000-plus-yard season (2011) on his resume. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards as well. The Lions are also just 51-58 during Stafford’s tenure, but the quarterback capitalized on being a prime passer with leverage.
The Georgia product, though, shook the injury concerns that plagued him in his early 20s. After playing in just 13 games combined in 2009-10, Stafford has suited up for every Lions game since. While he’s yet to win a playoff game, he helped the franchise out of its 2000s abyss and guided Detroit to playoff berths in 2011, ’14 and ’16 after the franchise went 11 seasons without a playoff berth.
This deal represents major news for the next crop of quarterbacks who are in or nearing contract years, and the financial landscape’s shifted to point where $30MM AAV will not be an outrageous figure in the near future. Considering the cap could push $180MM in 2018, the quarterback market figures to further escalate.
Kirk Cousins could become a free agent next year, and Drew Brees‘ year-to-year arrangement with the Saints will require another contract if he’s to stay in New Orleans. Matt Ryan will enter 2018 in a contract year — if no extension is reached in 2017. Aaron Rodgers‘ deal expires after the 2019 season. So does Tom Brady‘s, if he’s intent to play through that point.
And this group of (largely) more accomplished players saw the bar raise considerably Monday night.
Bills Trade LB Reggie Ragland To Chiefs
The Bills sure love to make trades. On Monday, the Bills shipped linebacker Reggie Ragland to the Chiefs for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick, according to an announcement from Kansas City. 
Ragland, a 2016 second-round pick made by the Doug Whaley regime, was fighting for a roster spot this summer. The 23-year-old missed the entirety of his rookie campaign with an ACL injury and has yet to see live NFL action.
The Bills are not only under new leadership, but they also have an entirely different defensive scheme. Rex Ryan‘s 3-4 is gone and has been replaced with Sean McDermott‘s 4-3. Ragland, apparently, was not a fit for Buffalo’s new-look D, but he could find a home in KC’s 3-4.
The Bills traded up to take the Alabama product in 2016, giving up a second-rounder (49th overall), fourth-rounder (117th overall), and a future fourth-rounder for the 41st-overall pick. Between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Ragland racked up 195 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and four sacks.
Assuming he cracks the 53-man roster, Ragland will serve as support for Chiefs starting inside linebackers Ramik Wilson and Derrick Johnson.
Ragland is the latest Bills player to be traded, following the path of wide receiver Sammy Watkins, cornerback Ronald Darby, and quarterback Cardale Jones. Between these swaps and their draft day deal with the Chiefs, the Bills now have an impressive stockpile of future selections, including the Chiefs’ 2018 first round pick, the Rams’ 2018 second round pick, the Eagles’ 2018 third round pick, and the Chiefs’ 2019 fourth round pick.
Bengals’ Vontaze Burfict Facing Suspension
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is facing a five-game suspension for an illegal hit against a Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman in the preseason, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Burfict is appealing and he’ll have his hearing next week. 
Upon learning of the league’s decision, the Bengals offered support for the veteran in a statement:
“The Bengals are aware of the NFL’s letter to Vontaze regarding a play in last weekend’s game. The film shows that the hit was legal, that Vontaze engaged his opponent from the front, and that contact was shoulder-to-chest. The Club will support Vontaze in the appeal process.”
Video of the hit shows Burfict driving his shoulder into Sherman’s head/neck area roughly four or five yards from the line of scrimmage. Sherman is not Alex Smith‘s targeted receiver, but Burfict’s reps may argue that he was first thrown off by a pump fake from the quarterback, leading him to a tackle on the fullback. Burfict will probably argue that the placement of the hit was also accidental.
Of course, this is not Burfict’s first rodeo when it comes to violating league safety rules. Over his five-year career, Burfict has racked up nearly $800K in fines and been flagged 16 times for unnecessary roughness, personal fouls or roughing the passer. Last year, Burfict was sidelines for the first three weeks of the season due to an illegal hit on Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in the 2015 playoffs.
The Bengals are now slated to be without Burfict for games against the Ravens, Texans, Packers, Browns, and Bills. Because the Bengals have a Week 6 bye, Burfict would not return to the field until Week 7 against the Steelers.
Jets Claim DE Kony Ealy From Patriots
The Jets have claimed defensive end Kony Ealy off waivers from the Patriots, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
New York owned the sixth slot in the waiver priority list, meaning Ealy didn’t slide far before being claimed. Indeed, Garafolo reports a number of clubs were putting in research into Ealy before the waiver window closed (Twitter link). Given that teams can roster as many as 90 players until this weekend, the Jets felt it worthwhile to acquire a player with a second-round pedigree at no cost.
Ealy, 25, doesn’t look like a contender for a starting role along the Jets’ talented defensive line, but he could compete for backup snaps. New York, of course, already boats Leonard Williams, Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson, and Steve McLendon, but Ealy could see playing time as a rotational edge rusher.
Last season, Ealy appeared in all 16 games (six starts) for the Panthers and managed six sacks in that time. Carolina traded him to the Patriots following the season, moving up eight spots in the draft in exchange for sending Ealy to New England. Expected to play a large role for the Pats, Ealy didn’t even make to final cuts, and was waived on Saturday.
Ealy’s 2017 base salary is not guaranteed, and his signing bonus proration is still the responsibility of the Panthers, so adding him is a complete no-risk move for the Jets.
Dolphins Open To Offers For Jarvis Landry?
The Dolphins are willing to “seriously listen” to offers for wide receiver Jarvis Landry, according to Michael Lombardi of the Ringer (Twitter links). However, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that any trade rumors involving Landry are “zero percent” accurate, although one club did inquire on Landry in the spring. 
Landry, 24, is scheduled to earn roughly $900K for the 2017 campaign before becoming an unrestricted free agent next spring. Miami still hasn’t made an extension offer to Landry, and per Lombardi, the club doesn’t believe it will be able to re-sign the former second-round pick. The franchise tag probably isn’t an option for Landry, as the $16MM+ figure is likely untenable for a receiver who primarily plays in the slot.
While Landry has certainly performed admirably during his three-year run in South Beach, the Dolphins and head coach Adam Gase may not value slot receiver as a position. Since 2014, Landry has averaged 96 receptions and 1,017 yards per season, but that production has mostly been reached through short passes. Miami might prefer outside receiver DeVante Parker, who is eligible for an extension following the 2017 season.
There’s no indication that the two clubs have talked, but the Browns are reportedly searching for wide receiver help, and could be a potential trade partner for the Dolphins. Cleveland has more than enough draft capital to acquire a player such as Landry, as the club owns two 2018 first-round picks, plus three second-rounders, one third-rounder, and two fourth-rouders.