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Checking In On 2018’s Restricted Free Agents

April 9th, 2018 at 11:31am CST by Dallas Robinson

The deadline for NFL restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with rival clubs is April 20, so RFAs have 11 more days to discuss deals with other teams. So far, only two RFAs — defensive lineman Xavier Williams and wide receiver Cameron Meredith — have inked offer sheets. The Cardinals declined to match Williams’ offer from the Chiefs, while the Bears are still mulling the terms of Meredith’s proposal from the Saints.

Other restricted free agents have also drawn varying degrees of interest. Saints wideout Willie Snead has worked out for and met with the Ravens, but hasn’t yet signed an offer sheet (Baltimore also reportedly sent a proposal to Meredith before he inked a deal with New Orleans). Bears cornerback Bryce Callahan, meanwhile, has been linked to the division-rival Vikings, but so far no offer sheet has been proferred.

In total, more than 30 restricted free agents have been tendered this offseason. Let’s take a look at where things stand with those RFAs:

Under Contract

Signed to offer sheet:

Second-round tender ($2.914MM):

Original round / right of first refusal tender ($1.907MM):

Signed extension:

Signed new one-year deal:

Unsigned

Second-round tender ($2.914MM):

Original round / right of first refusal tender ($1.907MM):

PFR Originals: 4/1/18 – 4/8/18

April 8th, 2018 at 4:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Poll: What Should Giants Do At No. 2?

April 7th, 2018 at 6:29pm CST by Micah Powell

With the Browns likely to take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft later this month, the attention is now firmly on what the Giants will do with the very next pick.

Just a year ago, the team entered the 2017 season as one of the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LII. With the acquisition of veteran pass catcher Brandon Marshall and the core of its standout defense in tact, the team seemed destined to at least challenge for a playoff spot. That, of course, was not the case. Marshall and Odell Beckham Jr. suffered season-ending injuries, the defense was not what was expected and the team stumbled to an almost unthinkable 3-13 finish.

Down the stretch, the team even benched longtime quarterback Eli Manning to get a look at Geno Smith. That move seemed to mark the end of Manning’s time in New York, but he is now set to return for his 15th season in the Big Apple. Which puts the team in an interesting spot.

With the No. 2 pick in a draft full of quarterback prospects and a 37-year-old signal-caller at the helm, the logical move would be to snap up a Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield with the pick at let them learn behind a two-time Super Bowl winner.

But the team is hoping that last season was an aberration, and with a new general manager in the fold in Dave Gettleman, the Giants could be looking for a quick rebound in 2018. If that is the route, the team could pounce on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 2, similar to how the Cowboys took Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 in 2016, and field a formidable offense. 

With the Giants moving to a 3-4 defense in 2018, the team traded longtime defensive end and unlikely scheme fit Jason Pierre-Paul to Tampa Bay in the offseason. That seemed to signal a move toward N.C. State pass rusher and near-unanimous top defensive player in the draft Bradley Chubb being the target. Chubb himself is more suited for the 4-3, however, and might not reach his full potential in the scheme.

New York could also look to protect Manning with Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, heralded by most draft pundits as a can’t-miss prospect. If that route came to fruition, Nelson could be the target if the team decided to trade back with another quarterback-hungry team craving the No. 2 spot.

So, what do you think? Should the Giants go after one of the top quarterbacks, take arguably the top player in the draft in Barkley, add a dynamic defender in Chubb, fortify their offensive line with Nelson or stockpile assets with a trade down? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

What should the Giants do with the No. 2 pick?
Saquon Barkley 31.01% (914 votes)
Trade Down 27.79% (819 votes)
Sam Darnold 10.65% (314 votes)
Josh Rosen 10.49% (309 votes)
Josh Allen 6.99% (206 votes)
Bradley Chubb 6.04% (178 votes)
Quenton Nelson 4.04% (119 votes)
Baker Mayfield 2.17% (64 votes)
Other 0.81% (24 votes)
Total Votes: 2,947

The Fifth-Year Option

April 2nd, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be passing along a number of reports relating to the fifth-year option, which a team can exercise on a 2015 first-round pick who is currently in the fourth year of his rookie contract. Last month, the Panthers informally got the party started when word leaked out that they’ll be exercising the 2019 option for linebacker Shaq Thompson.

So what exactly is the fifth-year option? Essentially, it’s a way to extend a player’s rookie contract by an extra year, at the club’s discretion. Players  don’t have any say in whether or not these options are picked up, though players and teams are still free to negotiate longer-term contracts that would render the fifth-year option unnecessary. Otherwise though, the decision is in the hands of the team, and must be made by May 3 in the player’s fourth season. So, barring multiyear extensions, 2015 first-rounders like Marcus Mariota, Amari Cooper, and Marcus Peters will likely see their options exercised within the next month.

For top-10 picks, the amount of each player’s 2019 option has already been determined. The fifth-year salary for a top-10 pick is equal to the transition tender at the player’s position during his fourth season. So, because the transition tag for quarterbacks this year was $20.922MM, we already know that Mariota’s fifth-year option will be worth that amount.

For first-rounders picked outside the top 10, the calculation is a little more complicated. These players’ fifth-year option also relies on the previous year’s salaries at the player’s position, but it’s determined by the average of the third through 25th top salaries at that position. So we could come up with estimates for the 2019 option salary for players like Melvin Gordon, Byron Jones, and Trae Waynes, but they’re not set in stone quite yet.

Fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury only between May 3 and the start of the following league year. As such, they’re not entirely risk-free, but as long as the player remains healthy, a team could exercise his fifth-year option, then cut him before his option year gets underway without being on the hook for his salary. When the league year begins, the player’s fifth-year salary becomes guaranteed for skill and cap purposes, as well as injury.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. This post was modified from an early entry by editor emeritus Luke Adams. 

Poll: What Should Browns Do At No. 1?

March 31st, 2018 at 7:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Cleveland decision-makers confirming what’s long been rumored this week about the team’s intentions to draft a quarterback with its top pick, it appears relatively safe to assume one of four passing prospects will end up in northeast Ohio next season.

After the Browns traded out of draft slots that ended up sending Carson Wentz to the Eagles and Deshaun Watson to the Texans the past two years, they appear committed to finalizing this extensive research project in the coming weeks. But which of the top QBs should be Cleveland-bound?

Sam Darnold‘s probably been the player most linked to the Browns with their top pick, but Josh Allen continues to lurk as well. And the team’s interest in Baker Mayfield persists. While Josh Rosen has become the member of this quartet least linked to Cleveland, the UCLA talent remains in relative contention here and appears a safe bet to be chosen in the top 10 — if not in the top five.

Darnold did not throw at the Combine but impressed at a rainy pro day in Los Angeles. Although some scouts would prefer he work on a slightly elongated throwing motion, the USC product does not plan to adjust it. He’s long been rumored to go in this draft slot, even before the Browns acquired it, and was much more diplomatic about being sent to Ohio than Rosen.

Hue Jackson mentioned he would prefer the Browns landing a prospect with some mobility to work in the offense alongside Tyrod Taylor. However, John Dorsey wasn’t as committed to that. Rosen would not be a great fit if the Browns sought a mobile passer, and in being viewed as perhaps the readiest pro, sitting for a full season — as the Browns would like the rookie-to-be to do as Taylor starts — may not match up with his timeline either.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has mocked Allen to Cleveland for months, and Jackson said the Wyoming talent “looks the part.” The Mountain West Conference-honed prodigy also wowed at the Combine with this blend of athleticism and arm strength, and he’s viewed as raw enough that a de facto redshirt season might behoove his development. He seemed intrigued about bucking the trend of bad QB investments in Cleveland.

Not initially viewed to be on the same tier as the other three members of this quartet, Mayfield has seen his stock climb steadily this offseason. The Heisman Trophy recipient, amid fighting off Johnny Manziel comparisons, is coming off a “great” workout with the Browns recently. He’s been linked to Cleveland consistently, particularly with Browns consultant Scot McCloughan being a staunch Mayfield proponent, but could also be available if the Browns decide to take an unconventional route and hold off their quarterback pick until No. 4.

While that’s not expected, Jackson has offered effusive Bradley Chubb praise. And it’s not certain the N.C. State pass rusher will make it past the Giants at No. 2. Saquon Barkley is listed atop many prospect lists, but no running back has gone No. 1 since Penn State’s Ki-Jana Carter in 1995. And the Browns just signed Carlos Hyde. It’s not out of the question Cleveland trades the No. 1 pick, but after what’s transpired the past two years regarding this franchise and quarterbacks, that seems unlikely.

So, which one of the passers should soon expect to look for Ohio real estate? Is Allen’s upside too tantalizing to ignore? Does the apparent clubhouse leader Darnold represent the best combination of talent and intangibles to go No. 1? Is Mayfield worthy of this pick? Or is it possible the Browns are ready to pull another unexpected maneuver and either trade the pick or select a non-quarterback? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Which player should the Browns select at No. 1 overall?
Sam Darnold 42.80% (1,625 votes)
Josh Allen 22.81% (866 votes)
A non-quarterback 16.51% (627 votes)
They'll trade the pick 8.53% (324 votes)
Baker Mayfield 5.87% (223 votes)
Josh Rosen 3.48% (132 votes)
Total Votes: 3,797

PFR Originals: 3/18/18 – 3/25/18

March 25th, 2018 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

2018 NFL Draft Pick Capital By Team

March 23rd, 2018 at 3:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While each NFL team is organically handed seven draft picks per season, trades involving draft choices and the compensatory pick process ensures that many clubs end up with more (or fewer) than their original seven selections. As always, you can view the complete 2018 draft order, but here we’ll look at how much draft capital each club has amassed.

Let’s take a look at how many draft picks each NFL club currently possesses:

Updated 4-8-18 (1:47pm CT)

12 picks

  • Green Bay Packers

11 picks

  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Oakland Raiders

10 picks

  • Dallas Cowboys

9 picks

  • Buffalo Bills
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • San Francisco 49ers

8 picks

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Denver Broncos
  • Houston Texans
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • New England Patriots
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Washington Redskins

7 picks

  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Chicago Bears
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6 picks

  • Detroit Lions
  • New York Giants
  • New York Jets
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Tennessee Titans

Of course, not all draft picks are created equally, as holding more early-round selections is eminently more valuable than collecting mid-to-late round picks. Using Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, we can calculate how many draft capital points each team owns heading into the 2018 NFL draft:

  1. Cleveland Browns: 102.8
  2. Indianapolis Colts: 74.1
  3. Buffalo Bills: 72.9
  4. New York Giants: 65.8
  5. Denver Broncos: 62.6
  6. New England Patriots: 53.5
  7. Green Bay Packers: 52.5
  8. San Francisco 49ers: 52.2
  9. Oakland Raiders: 49.4
  10. Cincinnati Bengals: 49.2
  11. Chicago Bears: 46.6
  12. Miami Dolphins: 45.6
  13. Dallas Cowboys: 44.4
  14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 44.0
  15. New York Jets: 43.8
  16. Arizona Cardinals: 41.8
  17. Baltimore Ravens: 41.1
  18. Los Angeles Chargers: 40.8
  19. Washington Redskins: 39.5
  20. Detroit Lions: 38.5
  21. Tennessee Titans: 36.0
  22. Atlanta Falcons: 33.2
  23. Carolina Panthers: 33.0
  24. Pittsburgh Steelers: 32.9
  25. Jacksonville Jaguars: 31.8
  26. Kansas City Chiefs: 31.2
  27. Seattle Seahawks: 30.7
  28. Minnesota Vikings: 30.4
  29. New Orleans Saints: 30.2
  30. Houston Texans: 27.6
  31. Los Angeles Rams: 22.7
  32. Philadelphia Eagles: 22.2

2018’s Major NFL Coaching Changes

March 18th, 2018 at 4:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Because most NFL coaching changes happen in January, those moves can often be overshadowed by the postseason and – subsequently – the major moves that teams makes in free agency. However, those coaching changes shouldn’t be overlooked.

A year ago, 15 of the league’s 32 teams made changes to at least one of their head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator spots, and many of those hirings turned into major stories throughout the 2017 season. New head coaches Sean McVay, Sean McDermott, and Doug Marrone led the Rams, Bills, and Jaguars, respectively, to the postseason in their first go-rounds in charge, while new defensive coordinators Steve Wilks and Mike Vrabel leveraged their one-year stints as a play-callers to become the next Cardinals and Titans head coach, respectively.

Which new coaches could make a similar impact this year? We may have to wait to find out, but there are certainly plenty of candidates. The full breakdown of 2018’s major coaching changes from around the league is below:

Head coaches:

Offensive coordinators:

Defensive coordinators:

Special teams coordinators:

Other 2017 OCs, DCs with new jobs:

  • Buffalo Bills: Hired former Titans OC Terry Robiskie as wide receivers coach.
  • Cleveland Browns: Hired former Bengals OC Ken Zampese as quarterbacks coach.
  • Dallas Cowboys: Hired former Seahawks DC Kris Richard as secondary coach/defensive passing game coordinator.
  • Denver Broncos: Hired former Giants OC Mike Sullivan as quarterbacks coach.
  • Houston Texans: Hired former Raiders DC John Pagano as outside linebackers coach.
  • Miami Dolphins: Reassigned former Dolphins OC Clyde Christensen as director, football and player development.
  • Minnesota Vikings: Hired former Raiders OC Todd Downing as a senior offensive assistant.
  • New York Jets: Hired former Bills OC Rick Dennison as offensive line coach/run game coordinator.
  • Oakland Raiders: Hired former Packers OC Edgar Bennett as wide receivers coach.

2018 NFL Trades

March 17th, 2018 at 10:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve already seen a few trades consummated since the 2018 league year began on March 14th, and with the draft not too far off, several more deals figure to be completed this spring. We’ll track those moves – and the rest of the year’s trades, right up until the fall deadline – in this space.

Here’s a breakdown of 2018’s trades to date, in reverse chronological order:

Post-Draft

October 31

October 31

  • Rams acquired DE Dante Fowler.
  • Jaguars acquired a 2019 third-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick.
    • Third-round pick will be Los Angeles’ highest compensatory selection if it receives one in 2019. If not, pick will be Rams’ assigned third-rounder.

October 31

  • Ravens acquired RB Ty Montgomery.
  • Packers acquired a 2020 seventh-round pick.

October 31

  • Eagles acquired WR Golden Tate.
  • Lions acquired a 2019 third-round pick.

October 31

  • Texans acquired WR Demaryius Thomas and a 2019 seventh-round pick.
  • Broncos acquired a 2019 fourth-round pick and a 2019 seventh-round pick.

October 24

  • Lions acquired DT Damon Harrison.
  • Giants acquired a conditional 2019 fifth-round pick.

October 23

  • Saints acquired CB Eli Apple.
  • Giants acquired a 2019 fourth-round pick and a 2020 seventh-round pick.

October 22

  • Cowboys acquired WR Amari Cooper.
  • Raiders acquired a 2019 first-round pick.

October 19

  • Jaguars acquired RB Carlos Hyde.
  • Browns acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.

September 25

  • Panthers acquired T Marshall Newhouse.
  • Bills acquired a 2021 conditional seventh-round pick.

September 17

  • Patriots acquired WR Josh Gordon and a 2019 seventh-round pick.
  • Browns acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.

September 1

  • Eagles acquired DB Deiondre’ Hall.
  • Bears acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Browns acquired DL Devaroe Lawrence.
  • Saints acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Raiders acquired QB A.J. McCarron.
  • Bills acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.

September 1

September 1

  • Seahawks acquired S Shalom Luani.
  • Raiders acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Panthers acquired T Corey Robinson.
  • Lions acquired a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Bears acquired LB Khalil Mack, a 2020 second-round pick, and a conditional 2020 fifth-round pick.
  • Raiders acquired a 2019 first-round pick, 2019 sixth-round pick, a 2020 first-round pick, and a 2020 third-round pick. .

August 31

  • 49ers acquired T Shon Coleman.
  • Browns acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick.

August 31

  • Chiefs acquired S Jordan Lucas.
  • Dolphins acquired a 2020 seventh-round pick.

August 31

  • Falcons acquired S Jordan Richards.
  • Patriots acquired a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick.

August 30

August 29

  • Saints acquired QB Teddy Bridgewater and a 2019 sixth-round pick.
  • Jets acquired a 2019 third-round pick.

August 29

  • Seahawks acquired QB Brett Hundley.
  • Packers acquired a 2019 sixth-round pick.

August 28

  • Titans acquired LB Kamalei Correa.
  • Ravens acquired a 2019 sixth-round pick.

August 27

  • Steelers acquired WR Ryan Switzer and a 2019 sixth-round pick.
  • Raiders acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.

August 26

  • Vikings acquired C Brett Jones.
  • Giants acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick.

August 26

August 24

  • Lions acquired LB Eli Harold.
  • 49ers acquired a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick.
    • 49ers will acquire 2020 pick if Harold is on Lions’ roster for four weeks.

August 5

  • Bills acquired WR Corey Coleman.
  • Browns acquired a 2020 seventh-round pick.

May 22

May 18

  • Cardinals acquired CB Jamar Taylor.
  • Browns acquired a 2020 sixth-round pick.

May 3

  • Dolphins acquired DT Akeem Spence.
  • Lions acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick.

During Draft

April 28

April 28

  • Eagles acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 233; OL Jordan Mailata).
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 250; TE Ryan Izzo) and a 2019 seventh-round pick.

April 28

April 28

  • Chiefs acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 198; DT Kahlil McKenzie).
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 233) and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 243; CB Keion Crossen).

April 28

  • Falcons acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 194; WR Russell Gage).
  • Rams acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 244; DE Justin Lawler) and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 256).

April 28

April 28

April 28

April 28

  • Vikings acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 157; TE Tyler Conklin).
  • Jets acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 167) and a 2018 seventh-round pick.

April 28

  • Cowboys acquired WR Tavon Austin.
  • Rams acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 192; T Jamil Denby).

April 28

April 28

April 28

  • Raiders acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 140; DT Maurice Hurst).
  • Colts acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 159; WR Daurice Fountain) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 185; WR Deon Cain).

April 28

  • Panthers acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 136; WR Jaleel Scott).
  • Rams acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 147; LB Micah Kiser) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 197).

April 28

  • Lions acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 114; DL Da’Shawn Hand).
  • Patriots acquired a 2019 third-round pick.

April 28

  • Browns acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 105; WR Antonio Callaway).
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 114) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 178; LB Christian Sam).

April 27

  • Buccaneers acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 94; OL Alex Cappa).
  • Vikings acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 102; DE Jalyn Holmes) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 180).

April 27

  • Packers acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 88; LB Oren Burks).
  • Panthers acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 101; TE Ian Thomas) and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 147).

April 27

  • Raiders acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 87; DE Arden Key).
  • Rams acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 89; Joseph Noteboom) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 217).

April 27

  • Steelers acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 76; QB Mason Rudolph).
  • Seahawks acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 79; DE Rasheem Green) and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 220; QB Alex McGough).

April 27

  • Chiefs acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 75; DL Derrick Nnadi).
  • Ravens acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 86; TE Mark Andrews) and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 122; LB Kenny Young).

April 27

  • Raiders acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 65; OL Brandon Parker).
  • Ravens acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 75), a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 152), and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 212; T Greg Senat).

April 27

  • Colts acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 64; DE Tyquan Lewis).
  • Browns acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 67; DE Chad Thomas) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 178).

April 27

  • Patriots acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 56; CB Duke Dawson).
  • Buccaneers acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 63; CB Carlton Davis), and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 117; S Jordan Whitehead).

April 27

  • Bears acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 51; WR Anthony Miller).
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 105) and a 2019 second-round pick.

April 27

April 27

April 27

  • 49ers acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 44; WR Dante Pettis) and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 142; CB D.J. Reed).
  • Redskins acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 59; RB Derrius Guice) and a 2018 third-round pick (No. 74; T Geron Christian).

April 27

  • Lions acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 43; RB Kerryon Johnson).
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 51) and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 117).

April 27

  • Titans acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 41; LB Rashaan Evans).
  • Raiders acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 57; DT P.J. Hall) and a 2019 third-round pick (No. 89).

April 27

April 26

  • Ravens acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 32; QB Lamar Jackson) and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 132; WR Jaleel Scott).
  • Eagles acquired a 2018 second-round pick (No. 52), a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 125; CB Avonte Maddox), and a 2019 second-round pick.

April 26

  • Titans acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 22; LB Rashaan Evans) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 215).
  • Ravens acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 25; TE Hayden Hurst) and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 125).

April 26

  • Raiders acquired WR Martavis Bryant.
  • Steelers acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 79).

April 26

  • Packers acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 18; CB Jaire Alexander) and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 248; LB Kendall Donnerson).
  • Seahawks acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 27; RB Rashaad Penny), a 2018 third-round pick (No. 76), and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 186; LB Jacob Martin).

April 26

  • Bills acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 16; LB Tremaine Edmunds) and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 154; S Siran Neal).
  • Ravens acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 22) and a 2018 third-round pick (No. 65).

April 26

  • Saints acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 14; DE Marcus Davenport).
  • Packers acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 27), a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 147), and a 2019 first-round pick.

April 26

  • Cardinals acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 10; QB Josh Rosen).
  • Raiders acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 15; T Kolton Miller), a 2018 third-round pick (No. 79), and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 152).

April 26

  • Bills acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 7; QB Josh Allen).
  • Buccaneers acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 12; DT Vita Vea), a 2018 second-round pick (No. 53; CB M.J. Stewart), a 2018 second-round pick (No. 56), and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 255).

Pre-Draft

April 23

  • Giants acquired P Riley Dixon.
  • Broncos acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick.

April 6

  • Redskins acquired QB Kevin Hogan and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 205).
  • Browns acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 188).

April 3

  • Rams acquired WR Brandin Cooks and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 136).
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 23) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 198).

March 28

  • Jaguars acquired QB Cody Kessler.
  • Browns acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick.
    • Browns will acquire 2019 pick if Kessler is on Jaguars’ active 46-man roster for six games in 2018.

March 28

  • Broncos acquired S Su’a Cravens, a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 113), and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 149).
  • Redskins acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 109), a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 142), and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 163), and a conditional 2020 sixth-round pick.
    • Redskins will acquire 2020 pick if Cravens appears in a playoff game for the Broncos.

March 23

  • Broncos acquired T Jared Veldheer.
  • Cardinals acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 182).

March 22

  • Buccaneers acquired DE Jason Pierre-Paul and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 102).
  • Giants acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 69) and a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 108).

March 20

  • Cowboys acquired FB Jamize Olawale and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 192).
  • Raiders acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 173).

March 18

  • Patriots acquired WR Cordarrelle Patterson and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 210).
  • Raiders acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 159).

March 17

  • Jets acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 3 overall).
  • Colts acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 6 overall), a 2018 second-round pick (No. 37), a 2018 second-round pick (No. 49), and a 2019 second-round pick.

March 15

  • Patriots acquired CB Jason McCourty and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 219).
  • Browns acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 205).

March 15

  • Dolphins acquired C Daniel Kilgore and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 227).
  • 49ers acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 223).

March 14

  • Vikings acquired QB Trevor Siemian and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 225).
  • Broncos acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.

March 14

  • Bengals acquired T Cordy Glenn, a 2018 first-round pick (No. 21), and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 158).
  • Bills acquired a 2018 first-round pick (No. 12) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 187).

March 14

  • Patriots acquired DT Danny Shelton and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 159).
  • Browns acquired a 2019 third-round pick.

March 14

  • Packers acquired QB DeShone Kizer, a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 101), and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 138).
  • Browns acquired DB Damarious Randall, a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 114), and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 150).

March 14

  • Browns acquired QB Tyrod Taylor.
  • Bills acquired a 2018 third-round pick (No. 65).

March 14

  • Browns acquired WR Jarvis Landry.
  • Dolphins acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 123) and a 2019 seventh-round pick.

March 14

March 14

  • Rams acquired CB Aqib Talib.
  • Broncos acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 160).

March 14

  • Giants acquired LB Alec Ogletree and a 2019 seventh-round pick.
  • Rams acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 135) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 176).

March 14

  • Eagles acquired DE Michael Bennett and a 2018 seventh-round pick (No. 250).
  • Seahawks acquired WR Marcus Johnson and a 2018 fifth-round pick (No. 156).

March 14

  • Dolphins acquired DE Robert Quinn and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 209)
  • Rams acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 111) and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 183).

March 14

  • Rams acquired CB Marcus Peters and a 2018 sixth-round pick (No. 209).
  • Chiefs acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 120) and a 2019 second-round pick.

March 14

The Top 25 Remaining NFL Free Agents

March 14th, 2018 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Many of this year’s top free agents came off of the board during the legal tampering period, including Kirk Cousins, Trumaine Johnson, Sammy Watkins, and Allen Robinson. Still plenty of the names from our list of the Top 50 Free Agents remain, including some new additions. Here’s a rundown of the players to keep an eye on as free agency officially begins, ranked roughly by their expected contract value:

1. Ndamukong Suh, DT (Dolphins): The Dolphins bailed on Suh’s mega contract midway through, freeing him up to sign another high-priced contract. He won’t get anything close to a six-year, $114MM deal this time around, but he should settle in at an AAV that keeps him among the best compensated players at his position. Last year, Pro Football Focus ranked Suh fifth among 122 interior defenders. 

2. Tyrann Mathieu, S (Cardinals): The Cardinals worked feverishly to hammer out a new contract with the Honey Badger, but the two sides could not come to terms on a deal to lessen his 2018 cap hit. He has been released, allowing him to hit free agency as the best safety available. The Jets are not believed to be interested, despite his connection with head coach Todd Bowles. The other tenant of the Meadowlands, however, could have interest thanks to the presence of former Arizona DC James Bettcher.

3. Sheldon Richardson, DT (Seahawks): Richardson may have lost some luster following the trade that sent him from the Jets to the Seahawks, but he among the best defensive tackles currently available. With plenty of cap space remaining, Richardson should find a lucrative deal, though it probably won’t come from Seattle. Our own Dallas Robinson estimates that Richardson will fetch about $9MM/year.

4. Dontari Poe, DT (Falcons): Poe missed out on a big payday last year when teams shied away from him due to lingering back issues. After turning in his second consecutive 16-game season, things could be different this time. For the record – Poe has missed only two regular season games over the course of his career, so he boasts a better attendance record than a lot of other veterans on this list. He’s unlikely to circle back to Atlanta.

5. Josh Sitton, G (Bears): With Andrew Norwell off of the board, Sitton stands as the best guard on the market. He’s missed six games over the last two years, but he has four Pro Bowl appearances to his credit. He’s set to meet with the Dolphins.

6. A.J. McCarron, QB (Bengals): It’s difficult to peg McCarron’s value heading into free agency. Outside of some quality starts in 2015, there isn’t much film out there on McCarron, despite that fact that he has spent four years in the NFL. Hue Jackson was itching to reunite with McCarron, but the Browns no longer seem a likely destination for him after the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor. It’s also hard to see him landing with the QB-needy Jets after they re-signed Josh McCown and added Teddy Bridgewater. McCarron will find a home, but it may not be as a starter. [UPDATE: McCarron has signed with the Bills]

7. E.J. Gaines, CB (Bills): Injuries in the fall limited Gaines to just 11 games last season, but he proved to be a quality return for the Bills in the Watkins trade, in addition to the second-round pick that came with him. Gaines graded out as the No. 13 cornerback in the league last year, per PFF, and he just turned 26 in February. Gaines missed all of ’15 due to injury and didn’t look all that sharp in ’16, but timing is everything in free agency. You can expect multiple teams to call on him and the Texans could still have interest, even after inking Aaron Colvin.

8. Eric Reid, S (49ers): Reid is just 26 and is undoubtedly a starting quality safety. He has both youth and versatility on his side, but it’s possible that his anthem protest participation could hurt him when it comes to some suitors. Injuries over the last two seasons will hurt his market as well.

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