Packers To Re-Sign LB De’Vondre Campbell
After keeping the Aaron Rodgers–Davante Adams tandem, the Packers continue to retain key pieces in free agency. They have agreed to terms with De’Vondre Campbell, Bill Huber of SI.com reports.
Campbell is set to stay in Green Bay on a five-year, $50MM deal. This is quite the pay bump for the 2021 All-Pro, who signed a low-level pact with the Packers midway through last year’s offseason. Campbell’s contract will pay out $16.25MM in Year 1 and total $32.25MM through three years, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets.
Playing on a one-year deal worth $2MM, Campbell became a vital cog for the Packers’ defense last season. The ex-Falcon draftee reshaped his career with the Packers, making 146 tackles, forcing two fumbles and registering two sacks for the NFC’s top-seeded team. This came after the Cardinals gave him a one-year deal in 2020 but opted not to re-sign him for last season.
This marks a notable deviation for the Packers, who have not traditionally prioritized off-ball linebackers. The team has not invested notable draft capital in the position in over a decade and let tackles machine Blake Martinez walk as a free agent in 2020. Despite Campbell going into his age-29 season, Green Bay made sure to lock him down.
Although the Packers released Za’Darius Smith and Billy Turner on Monday, they remain more than $10MM over the cap. The NFC North powerhouse will need to continue to make moves before the start of the 2022 league year Wednesday.
Steelers To Sign Mitch Trubisky
As expected, the Steelers have dipped into the free agent pool to address the quarterback position. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the team has reached an agreement with Mitch Trubisky on a two-year deal (Twitter link). 
Trubisky’s contract comes in at $14.25MM base value, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets, but substantial incentive money is available. Unspecified incentives can take the deal up to $27MM. This could be contingent on Trubisky sticking as Pittsburgh’s starter.
The former second overall pick spent last season with the Bills, serving as Josh Allen‘s backup. That came after a four-year stint in Chicago, which included a Pro Bowl campaign in 2018. His 11-3 record that season didn’t end up as the taking-off point for a successful career as the Bears’ franchise QB, however. Struggling to find success despite the team’s strong defense and running game, he found himself holding a clipboard in Buffalo while Chicago invested a first round pick in Justin Fields last April.
Given the relationship that developed between the 27-year-old and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, many expected the Giants to be his destination with the latter being hired as the new head coach. “He’s a great leader of men. He’s just real and authentic with all the guys, and I think that is why so many people respected him in our building. So I’m excited to see what he’s going to do”, Trubisky recently said of Daboll.
With that said, the Steelers were also reported to be targeting the former Tar Heel last month. Trubisky was one of three signal-callers Pittsburgh was eyeing, the others being Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston. Despite the hole at the position, it became known rather quickly that the Steelers were not going to acquire Deshaun Watson, who remains by far the biggest name remaining in the QB market.
Trubisky will now compete with Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins for the starting role in Pittsburgh. Head coach Mike Tomlin has stressed the need for mobility in the team’s next QB, which could give him a leg up on the competition. This news also further points to Daniel Jones being the undisputed No. 1 in New York, something which, of course, wouldn’t have been as assured had Trubisky signed with the Giants as many had figured he would.
Meanwhile, another team can be scratched off the list of those interested in trading for Jimmy Garoppolo. The Colts have been named as a potential landing spot for the veteran, along with, presumably, each team which loses out on acquiring Watson.
Browns Release Jarvis Landry
The Browns have released Jarvis Landry (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The wide receiver had been given permission to seek a trade, but that did not result in a suitable offer for Cleveland. 
[RELATED: Browns Trade For Cowboys’ Cooper]
The Browns have already remodeled their wide receiver group by trading for Amari Cooper. By cutting Landry, they’ll gain the cap room they needed to get under the limit and escape Landry’s $14.3MM base salary for 2022. Previously, the Pro Bowler had just one year left on that contract.
The Browns were reportedly willing to keep Landry at a lower rate and there was some mutual interest on that front. However, after the arrival of Cooper, there was no real avenue to Landry staying put.
Landry, 30 in November, agreed to a five-year, $75.5MM extension with the Browns after they traded for him in 2018. He delivered two Pro Bowl seasons in Cleveland and served as Baker Mayfield‘s most consistent target. Things have been up-and-down during that span, but the Browns got a much better return on the Landry trade than the Odell Beckham Jr. deal.
Landry, a five-time Pro Bowler, should have no shortage of suitors on the open market. However, he’ll have to settle for a cheaper contract than his last one. Landry averaged just 47.5 receiving yards per game last season and missed five weeks of action.
The Bills, Chiefs, and Packers are expected to be among the clubs with interest, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (Twitter link).
Saints, Panthers Make Offers For Deshaun Watson
The Saints and Panthers have extended trade offers to the Texans for QB Deshaun Watson, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Watson, who wants to make a fully-informed decision before waiving his no-trade clause, will meet with both teams in the near future (Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets that Houston will grant permission for those meetings).
After a grand jury decided against indicting Watson on Friday, trade rumors predictably picked up in a big way. Carolina has been seen as something of a frontrunner for the three-time Pro Bowler since the Dolphins bowed out of the race, but there are now up to 10 teams involved in the bidding.
So while the details of the Saints’ and Panthers’ offers are not yet known, Pelissero says Houston’s asking price — three first-round picks and more — has not changed, and multiple teams are now willing to pay that price. New Orleans and Carolina both have one first-round pick in the 2022 draft, with the Panthers’ No. 6 overall selection obviously quite a bit more valuable than the Saints’ No. 18 selection.
We have known that Panthers owner David Tepper has been willing to pull the trigger on a Watson deal despite the inevitable PR backlash, and Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com says the same is true of Saints ownership (Twitter link). That probably goes without saying in light of the fact that New Orleans has extended a trade offer, but it’s worth noting that, according to Duncan, the franchise has done “extensive background checks” on Watson and is comfortable with its findings.
With free agency opening this week, there is a sense of urgency to these proceedings, at least for some teams. While the Panthers have not been connected to any free agent passers or second-tier trade targets and may pivot to the draft if their Watson pursuit is unsuccessful, New Orleans is interested in re-signing Jameis Winston and doubtlessly wants to get some clarity on where things stand with Watson before Winston is eligible to sign elsewhere. But since Watson wants to take his time and meet with interested clubs, it looks like the process will take a little longer than certain organizations would like.
Texans GM Nick Caserio has been very methodical with respect to the Watson situation, and he is not going to rush things now that he has so much leverage. Soon enough, his patience will pay off in the form of a massive influx of draft capital to accelerate Houston’s rebuilding efforts.
Browns To Acquire WR Amari Cooper From Cowboys
Amari Cooper is heading to Cleveland. The Browns are trading for the Cowboys wide receiver, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), Cleveland is trading 2022 fifth- and sixth-round picks to Dallas for Cooper and a sixth-round pick. Josina Anderson was first with the news (on Twitter) that the two teams were zeroing in on a trade. This move clears $16MM in cap space for the Cowboys while arming the Browns with a Pro Bowl receiver in his prime.
The Jaguars, Dolphins and Jets also pursued Cooper, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Given the modest return the Cowboys are collecting, the other AFC teams’ offers did not appear to impress Dallas. Had the Cowboys cut Cooper, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini adds he was not expected to garner a similar contract on the open market (Twitter link). This ends a four-season partnership between Cooper and the Cowboys, who traded their 2019 first-round pick to acquire the ex-Raider ahead of the 2018 deadline.
Cooper landed on the trade block this time because of his contract, which calls for $20MM base salaries from 2022-24. That said, none of that money is guaranteed for the Browns, making this a similar arrangement to their previous big-ticket wide receiver trade.
Wideout did not reside especially highly among the Browns’ needs for a bit, but the team could not establish a fit with Odell Beckham Jr., leading to a messy separation. Cleveland’s latest marquee wide receiver trade has proven far less costly. It cost the team a first-round pick and Jabrill Peppers to acquire Beckham in 2019, and the Giants had recently given Beckham a monster extension. The Cowboys handed Cooper a five-year, $100MM deal in 2020 but made it known this week they were planning to move on from him, limiting the compensation.
Despite having been in the NFL since 2015, Cooper is still just 27. His high salary aside, the former Alabama target will be a welcome addition for a Browns team leaning toward — per the bulk of this offseason’s reports — giving Baker Mayfield another opportunity. (That said, the Browns have also been linked to Derek Carr, which is now a bit more interesting with Cooper in the fold.) The Browns ended their season thin at receiver, and Jarvis Landry is not a lock to return. Landry, 29, has fallen off his Pro Bowl pace in recent years, though he did aid the Browns’ playoff push after Beckham’s 2020 ACL tear.
Cooper provided vital assistance to Dak Prescott, with the Cowboys turning their 2018 season around after his midseason arrival. The former No. 5 overall pick is one of the NFL’s best route runners. He topped 1,100 yards in both 2019 and ’20, doing so in the latter year despite Prescott’s early-season injury. Overall, Cooper is 5-for-7 in 1,000-yard seasons. His presence freed up opportunities for CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz last season, but Dallas will go with its cheaper cogs moving forward. The team is also trying to lock down Michael Gallup to a lower-cost extension.
No Criminal Charges For Deshaun Watson
A Harris County (Texas) grand jury did not indict Deshaun Watson on Friday. The Texans quarterback will not face criminal charges related to the accusations of sexual assault and harassment.
While the veteran QB’s civil cases are not closed, this represents a positive development for his prospects of continuing his career. Watson remains in trade rumors, and Friday’s decision will surely lead to those intensifying. Interested teams understandably awaited this decision, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets the market should accelerate quickly.
“After a Harris County grand jury was presented all the evidence and had the opportunity to hear from all witnesses, grand jurors declined to indict Deshaun Watson,” said Dan Schiller, spokesman for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. “Grand jury proceedings are secret by law, so no information related to their inquiry may be disclosed.”
The NFL is still investigating the Pro Bowl passer as well, and a suspension may well come out of this. But the biggest hurdle Watson faced in this saga is now clear. The 26-year-old standout could soon see his wish to exit Houston granted as well, in what promises to be one of the biggest trades in NFL history.
Twenty-two women accused Watson of sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct, with the allegations stemming from massage therapy sessions. Nine of those accusers proceeded with criminal complaints. This led to the Texans shelving him for the 2021 season. The NFL did not place Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list, but the Clemson product has not played since Week 17 of the 2020 campaign. Despite the inactivity, the Texans are expected to land a considerable haul from interested parties. With multiple teams still in the mix here, Houston’s ask of three first-round picks and change could be on the table soon.
The Buccaneers, Panthers and Seahawks are believed to be interested in Watson. The Eagles did extensive homework on the embattled QB last year, and Watson has been connected to the Vikings as well. A few teams bowed out of the slow-moving sweepstakes. The Giants are expected to pass here, as are the Steelers. The Broncos moved to acquire Russell Wilson, and the Dolphins — the team most closely connected to Watson ahead of last year’s deadline — closed the door on a Watson trade. It will be interesting to see if Miami resurfaces here, but GM Chris Grier said just days ago the team has moved on.
Houston did not entertain trade talks for Watson for most of the 2021 offseason but did discuss its disgruntled starter with the Dolphins and Panthers ahead of last year’s deadline. Watson only waived his no-trade clause for the Dolphins. If they are truly out, he will need to reconsider his options. Multiple teams were believed to have offered three first-rounders, even amid the turmoil engulfing the QB, last year. That would be a good sign for the Texans’ trade ask, now that Watson is not facing prison time.
Raiders, DE Maxx Crosby Agree On Extension
Not long after reports of extension talks surfaced, Maxx Crosby will see a big raise. The Raiders locked down their Pro Bowl pass rusher Friday, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report (on Twitter). The Raiders announced the extension agreement.
Crosby agreed to a four-year, $98.98MM extension; the deal includes $53MM guaranteed. This is a considerable development for a player who entered the NFL as a Day 3 pick from a mid-major program.
This contract bumps Crosby into the upper echelon of edge rushers. At nearly $25MM annually, the former fourth-round pick is now the league’s fourth-highest-paid defensive player. Crosby’s deal tops Aaron Donald‘s, with only T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett‘s contracts coming in ahead of his.
This is obviously a major commitment from the Raiders, who saw Crosby quickly usurp draft classmate Clelin Ferrell as their cornerstone defensive lineman. An Eastern Michigan product, Crosby is just 24 and already has 25 sacks on his resume. He played a big part of Las Vegas clinching a playoff berth in Week 18, dominating against the Chargers to cement the team’s first postseason appearance in five years.
Crosby’s extension agreement ties him to the Raiders through the 2026 season. The Raiders are transitioning to a new regime, with Patrick Graham set to take over the defense. Friday’s contract terms certainly illustrate the Dave Ziegler–Josh McDaniels duo’s faith in Crosby, acquired in Jon Gruden‘s second draft running the Raiders. The team still has Yannick Ngakoue under contract for one more season, while Ferrell and Carl Nassib are also signed through 2022.
Bears, Chargers Finalizing Khalil Mack Trade
After four seasons in Chicago, Khalil Mack is headed back to California. The Bears and Chargers are nearing a trade for the All-Pro edge defender, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The sides have nearly completed this deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Chargers are set to send the Bears second- and sixth-round picks, Rapoport tweets, for the eight-year veteran. The Bears will receive the Chargers’ 2022 second-round pick and their 2023 sixth. This will reunite Mack and Brandon Staley, who coached the Bears’ outside linebackers from 2017-18.
No contract adjustment is coming, per Rapoport, who adds the Chargers will take on the remaining three years and $63.9MM on Mack’s pact (Twitter link). That contract will be more manageable for the Chargers, with no guarantees remaining on the deal.
Mack is coming off an abbreviated season, but the former Raiders top-five pick and NFL Defensive Player of the Year is still regarded as one of the best pass rushers in the game. Mack is set to team with Joey Bosa in Los Angeles. The Chargers rank in the top five in the NFL for cap space, giving them an easier path to absorbing Mack’s contract compared to most teams.
While this is a major move, it comes a year after the Raiders discussed reacquiring Mack from the Bears before the 2021 free agency period. Chicago passed but saw Mack go down with a foot injury midway through last season. Mack underwent surgery and missed nine games. Prior to last season, however, the three-time All-Pro had never missed more than two games in a season.
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, Mack went to Chicago in 2018 for a monster haul. Chicago sent Oakland a package headlined by two first-round picks. The Bears gave Mack a then-defender-record $23.5MM-per-year contract. Three seasons remain on that deal. Mack is set to earn $12.1MM in base salary next season. The Bolts, however, now boast the most expensive pass-rushing duo in NFL history. They signed Bosa to a $27MM-AAV extension last year. This move likely will send previous Bosa sidekick Uchenna Nwosu elsewhere; Nwosu is set to hit free agency next week. This is a luxury many teams could not afford, but the Bolts have Justin Herbert tied to a rookie deal until at least 2023.
Mack, 31, played a major role in lifting the Bears to the 2018 NFC North title. He collected his third All-Pro honor that year. The Buffalo alum will head to Los Angeles with four double-digit sack seasons and six Pro Bowls on his resume. This represents another move for one of the highest-profile divisions in recent memory. The Broncos sent the Seahawks two firsts for Russell Wilson this week, giving them a much better shot to contend in the AFC West. The Bolts now have a top-tier edge tandem to throw at Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Derek Carr.
The Bears still have Robert Quinn, who broke Richard Dent‘s franchise single-season sack record last season, under contract for 2022. But losing Mack is certainly a significant development for the franchise, which recently hired a new coach and GM. This move will douse the Bears in dead money as well, saving them only $6MM in cap space. Chicago will incur a $24MM dead-money charge, part of that coming because the team restructured Mack’s deal in 2019 and in 2021.
Cardinals Release LB Jordan Hicks
After three seasons as a Cardinals starter, Jordan Hicks is back in free agency. Arizona is releasing the veteran linebacker, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Cards have since announced the move.
This move comes a year after Hicks landed in trade rumors, once the Cardinals added Zaven Collins as a first-round pick. Arizona went back-to-back with off-ball linebackers in Round 1 from 2020-21, and it will be Collins and Isaiah Simmons leading the group going forward.
Hicks should garner interest as a street free agent. He is a vested veteran and can sign with a team at any point going forward. This release will give the seven-year vet a chance to catch on elsewhere before the free agent market opens March 16. While Hicks will turn 30 this offseason, he did well to change his career trajectory in three Arizona seasons.
The former injury-prone Eagle stayed healthy as a Cardinal, playing in every game with his second NFL franchise. While the Cardinals gave Hicks permission to seek a trade shortly after selecting Collins in last year’s first round, Hicks logged his usual snap rate in 2021. He played 97% of Arizona’s defensive snaps last season, that coming after working on 92% of the team’s defensive plays in 2020 and 100% in 2019. Collins will surely see more run in 2022, after participating on just 20% of Arizona’s defensive plays last season.
Last season, Hicks racked up 116 tackles and registered a career-high four sacks. He finished with 29 tackles for loss in three seasons in the desert. The Cardinals will save $6.5MM by cutting Hicks, who had one year remaining on his contract. This doubles as the end of an obscure era as well, one that featured two Jordan Hickses affiliated with professional Cardinal franchises. The other, a St. Louis reliever, remains with his team.
Colts To Trade Carson Wentz To Commanders
The Colts have agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). In exchange, the Commanders will send their 2022 third-round pick and their 2023 third-round pick to the Colts. The ’23 third-rounder can also convert to a second-round choice if Wentz plays on 70% of Washington’s snaps in 2022. The deal will also see a swap of second-round picks with the Colts moving from No. 47 to No. 42. Schefter adds that the Commanders are also receiving the Colts’ 2022 seventh-round pick (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Details On Commanders’ Offer For Russell Wilson]
Colts GM Chris Ballard recently indicated that he was “still working through” the Wentz situation with head coach Frank Reich and owner Jim Irsay. Ultimately, following Tuesday’s Russell Wilson blockbuster, they’ve chosen to move their own starter and reshape the quarterback position. The Colts — who already had about $37MM in available cap room — have carved out even more space by trading Wentz.
“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said in January. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”
The QB was widely panned for his Week 18 performance against the Jaguars, the loss that cost the Colts a playoff berth. He also clashed with team brass throughout the year and even rankled Irsay. Still, despite all the issues, Wentz managed to finish the year with a 27-7 TD-INT ratio while placing ninth in league-wide QBR.
The Commanders were previously linked to Wilson and said to have interest in 49ers signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo. Ultimately, they didn’t want to wait on the Niners, choosing instead to pivot to Wentz. (The Colts, meanwhile, could consider Jimmy G as their next QB, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.)
Wentz, 30 in December, may be a consolation prize, but he’s still a strong pickup Ron Rivera & Co. They’ll have Wentz under contract at a $22MM salary this year with a $6.294MM roster bonus. After that, they’ve got him for two more seasons. In 2023, he’s due $20MM in salary with a $6.176MM roster bonus. In 2024, that salary increases to $21MM with a $6.235MM bonus payout.
The Colts will now move on to their fifth starting quarterback in Ballard’s sixth year at the helm. So far, they’ve gone through Jacoby Brissett, Andrew Luck, Rivers, and Wentz — none of those players served as the primary starter in back-to-back seasons. Now, Wentz is out less than one year after his arrival in Indianapolis.
As noted by ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Colts sent a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round choice to the Eagles for Wentz. The Colts now have one rocky year and significantly less draft capital to show for it. The Eagles, meanwhile, went on to parlay the third-rounder into a trade up for DeVonta Smith, and they’re still set to pick at No. 16 overall in April.