2023 NFL Fifth-Year Option Results
Monday marked the deadline for NFL clubs to officially pick up their options on 2019 first-rounders. Fifth-year option seasons are no longer just guaranteed for injury — they’re now fully guaranteed, which makes these decisions a little tougher for teams.
Nineteen players had their options exercised, a tick up from 14 last year. Here’s the full rundown:
1. QB Kyler Murray, Cardinals – Exercised ($29.7MM)
2. DE Nick Bosa, 49ers: Exercised ($17.9MM)
3. DE Quinnen Williams, Jets: Exercised ($11.5MM)
4. DE Clelin Ferrell, Raiders: Declined ($11.5MM)
5. LB Devin White, Buccaneers: Exercised ($11.7MM)
6. QB Daniel Jones, Giants: Declined ($22.4MM)
7. DE Josh Allen, Jaguars: Exercised ($11.5MM)
8. TE T.J. Hockenson, Lions: Exercised ($9.4MM)
9. DT Ed Oliver, Bills: Exercised ($10.8MM)
10. LB Devin Bush, Steelers: Declined ($10.9MM)
11. OT Jonah Williams, Bengals: Exercised ($12.6MM)
12. LB Rashan Gary, Packers: Exercised ($10.9MM)
13. DT Christian Wilkins, Dolphins: Exercised ($10.8MM)
14. G Chris Lindstrom, Falcons: Exercised ($13.2MM)
15. QB Dwayne Haskins:
16. DE Brian Burns, Panthers: Exercised ($16MM)
17. DT Dexter Lawrence, Giants: Exercised ($10.8MM)
18. C Garrett Bradbury, Vikings: Declined ($13.2MM)
19. DT Jeffery Simmons, Titans: Exercised ($10.8MM)
20. TE Noah Fant, Seahawks: Exercised ($6.9MM; originally drafted by Broncos)
21. S Darnell Savage, Packers: Exercised ($7.9MM)
22. OT Andre Dillard, Eagles: Declined ($12.6MM)
23. OT Tytus Howard, Texans: Exercised ($13.2MM)
24. RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders: Declined ($8MM)
25. WR Marquise Brown, Cardinals: ($13.4MM; originally drafted by Ravens)
26. DE Montez Sweat, Commanders: Exercised ($11.5MM)
27. S Johnathan Abram, Raiders: Declined ($7.9MM)
28. DE Jerry Tillery, Chargers: Declined ($11.5MM)
29. DE L.J. Collier, Seahawks: Declined ($11.5MM)
30. CB Deandre Baker — N/A (released by Giants)
31. OT Kaleb McGary, Falcons: Declined ($13.2MM)
32. WR N’Keal Harry, Patriots: Declined ($12.4MM)
EJ Perry Signs With Jaguars; Nixes Eagles Deal
EJ Perry isn’t going to Philly after all. On Tuesday, the former Brown quarterback agreed to sign with the Jaguars after initial reports had him ticketed for the Eagles (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). 
[RELATED: Jaguars Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents]
The Eagles were believed to have two notable undrafted free agent quarterbacks in Perry and ex-Nevada signal caller Carson Strong. While Strong received a larger-than-average $320K guarantee for his weekend deal, other teams still had interest in Perry.
Perry — who started out at Boston College — was named the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2021 after throwing for 3,033 yards and 23 touchdowns in just ten games. He also showed dual-threat potential, tacking on 402 rushing yards and seven TDs via the ground.
It’s not clear if Perry has a better path to the 53-man roster in Jacksonville. The Jaguars already have former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence under center with C.J. Beathard and Jake Luton in reserve.
The Eagles, meanwhile, have some new options to consider beyond starter Jalen Hurts. If GM Howie Roseman elects to trade Gardner Minshew, Strong and Reid Sinnett could vie for the QB2 spot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/22
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: S Charles Washington
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OL Willie Beavers, LB James Vaughters
- Placed on IR: LS Beau Brinkley
Cleveland Browns
- Released: K Chris Blewitt, K Chase McLaughlin
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: OL Brandon Murphy, LB Elijah Sullivan
Minnesota Vikings
- Re-signed: FB Jake Bargas
New England Patriots
- Released: RB Devine Ozigbo
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: OL Nate Herbig
Tennessee Titans
- Released: TE Austin Fort, LB Nate Hall, LB Kobe Jones, LB Tuzar Skipper
Latest On Jalen Reagor Trade Rumors
In the weeks leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, word was going around that Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor‘s days in Philadelphia were numbered. It stood to reason that it would be more financially favorable to seek a trade partner, rather than cut Reagor and incur dead cap charges of over $6MM. 
There was some reported interest, according to Tim Kelly of 94WIP, but the Draft came and went, and no trade occurred. Now, that doesn’t mean that a trade couldn’t still happen, but if it were going to, it would’ve been most likely to occur during the Draft.
Zach Berman of The Athletic did provide an update on the situation with a quote from Eagles general manager Howie Roseman saying, “Jalen Reagor is a Philadelphia Eagle and he’s going to be here…He’s worked tremendously hard to get in shape and come into this off-season program, and now he has an opportunity. We don’t anticipate anything changing.”
The 23-year-old was a first-round pick in 2020. Reagor was highly touted as a vertical threat after a productive college career at TCU, but that hasn’t yet translated to his NFL tenure. In 28 games, Reagor has averaged a healthy 10.9 yards per reception, but only totaled 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. With that said, he has also contributed on special teams as a returner.
So, as of right now, it appears Reagor will be returning for another opportunity to contribute. He currently is the third wide receiver on the depth chart behind last year’s first-round pick, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins. He won’t need to pass either of them on the depth chart, necessarily, but needs to really improve his contribution if he wants to remain in Philadelphia.
Eagles Sign UDFA QBs Carson Strong, EJ Perry
The Eagles will go into the 2022 season with Jalen Hurts under center, and perhaps Hurts will prove, in his second full season as the starting quarterback, that he is the club’s long-term answer at the position. But Philadelphia has added two intriguing UDFA passers to the QB room just the same.
Per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus, the Eagles are not only signing former Nevada quarterback Carson Strong, they are furnishing him with a massive (for a UDFA, anyway) $320K guarantee (Twitter link). GM Howie Roseman doubled down on undrafted signal-callers, signing former Boston College and Brown QB EJ Perry as well.
Strong, who elected to forego his senior season and enter the 2022 draft — possibly motivated by a weak collegiate class of quarterbacks — was not among the draft’s 262 selections. That is despite a tremendous run for the Wolfpack that saw him complete over 70% of his passes in the 2020 and 2021 seasons and earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors in both years. During that time, he threw for 63 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions, and his combination of arm strength and touch has been praised by scouts.
The concern with Strong is his medical chart. As Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports writes, Strong suffers from osteochondritis dissecans, a knee condition that includes cartilage problems. Strong has had multiple surgeries on the knee, so that will need to be monitored throughout his professional career, and it is expected to limit his mobility in a big way.
Still, from a pure talent perspective, the Eagles will have a great deal to work with as they attempt to develop Strong. The 6-4, 226-pounder is currently projected to compete with Reid Sinnett for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, but he could be bumped up the pecking order if he shows promise and if Philadelphia elects to trade current QB2 Gardner Minshew. With Hurts’ future still somewhat uncertain, and with Minshew’s contract expiring at the end of the 2022 season, it’s easy to see why Strong elected to sign with the Eagles.
Perry, meanwhile, will likely be fighting for a practice squad spot unless there is a trade or injury. He earned Ivy League Player of the Year acclaim in 2021 after throwing for 3,033 yards and 23 TDs in just 10 games and adding another 402 yards and seven scores on the ground, showcasing his dual-threat capabilities.
Nakobe Dean’s Slide Ends At No. 83 Overall
Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was far and away considered on the two best linebacker prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft, behind only Utah’s Devin Lloyd. After a mysterious tumble through the first and second rounds, Dean finally heard his name called midway through the third round at No. 83 overall.
Dean led the National Champion Bulldogs in tackles for loss and was second on the team in both tackles and sacks this past season. Dean watched plenty of his teammates fly past him in the past two days due to multiple rumored medical issues. Many teams looked into his medical history and believed surgery would be on the horizon for the 21-year-old.
Dean will join a linebackers room in Philadelphia that lost leading tackler Alex Singleton, Genard Avery, and Eric Wilson. The Eagles return T.J. Edwards, Davion Taylor, and Shaun Bradley while also bringing in Haason Reddick and Kyzir White. This should give Philadelphia enough depth to allow Dean to get healthy while still giving him ample opportunity to earn a starting job once he’s ready.
Eagles To Pass On Andre Dillard’s Fifth-Year Option
The Eagles’ Andre Dillard pick did not produce the Jason Peters heir apparent the franchise hoped. Unsurprisingly, the Eagles are passing on the first-round tackle’s fifth-year option, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane (on Twitter).
Regardless of the option tier on which Dillard landed, no scenario existed in which the 2019 No. 22 overall pick would have his 2023 salary guaranteed. All tackle tiers on the option hierarchy call for at least a $12MM salary. Dillard’s Philly path has not led to him securing such value.
Former seventh-round pick/rugby convert Jordan Mailata has become the Eagles’ long-term left tackle, and Lane Johnson remains entrenched on the right side of Philly’s O-line. Dillard, who has battled extensive injury trouble as a pro, has been a fill-in starter nine times.
The Eagles traded up three spots to select Dillard at No. 22 overall. A Washington State starter during Mike Leach‘s tenure at the Pac-12 program, Dillard suffered missed the 2020 season with a torn biceps and missed the start of the 2021 slate due to a knee sprain. Teams still inquired about a trade last year, but the Eagles held onto their top backup tackle. While the book should not be considered closed on Dillard finding a starting left tackle job as a pro, it likely will not come in Philly.
Titans Planning To Trade WR A.J. Brown To Eagles
And we’ve got a run on receiver trades! According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), the Titans are planning to trade wideout A.J. Brown to the Eagles. Tennessee will receive picks No. 18 and No. 101, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The Eagles will also ink the receiver to a hefty extension; NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter), that the Eagles will sign Brown to a four-year, $100MM extension with $57MM in guaranteed money.
2021 was the first time Brown failed to amass 1,000 receiving yards and 9 total touchdowns in a season. While the season certainly wasn’t up to Brown’s usual standards, it was still a solid overall campaign. Despite being limited to the fewest games of his career, Brown finished with 53 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns.
The Eagles were hunting for receiver help this offseason, even after using a 2021 first-round pick on DeVonta Smith. The team was reportedly eyeing some of the draft’s top receiving prospects. Instead, the front office decided to make a splash with an established target for Jalen Hurts.
Brown and the Titans had preliminary talks on an extension, but after a deal couldn’t be reached, the wideout made it clear that he wouldn’t be participating in offseason programs. Considering the deals being handed out to wide receivers, Brown’s camp was seeking a contract that would pay him north of $20MM per season. The Titans could still use a player of Brown’s caliber, but the player’s pending extension and growing frustration ultimately led to a trade.
With their new selection, the Titans have selected Arkansas WR Treylon Burks. The wideout burst onto the scene following a solid 2020 campaign, and he took it to another level in 2021, finishing with 66 receptions for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Eagles Acquire No. 13, Take Georgia DL Jordan Davis
We’ve got another trade, and it involves one of the teams most active in trade talks. The Eagles have acquired No. 13 from the Texans and selected Georgia DL Jordan Davis.
The Texans received a handful of picks from Philly in the trade. The Eagles sent picks No. 15, No. 124, No. 162, and No. 166 to Houston.
Davis was a mainstay on the Bulldogs’ defense during his four seasons with Georgia. Playing in a run-stopping role, the six-foot-six, 340 pounder totaled seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Those numbers, along with eye-popping athletic testing at the combine, leave the door open to his development as a three-down player.
Davis had pre-draft visits with a number of teams, including the Ravens and Eagles. Philly may have been scared that Baltimore would snag the defensive tackle at No. 14, leading to the trade with the Texans.
At the moment, Davis will be joining a depth chart that’s led by veteran Fletcher Cox. The 31-year-old was cut and re-signed by the Eagles earlier this offseason, but his one-year pact means he may not be sticking around Philadelphia long term. Today’s move certainly reinforces that sentiment.
Eagles Eyeing Top-10 CBs?
- Although the Eagles‘ trade-up effort may well be for Kayvon Thibodeaux, depending on how far the defensive end falls, other teams are expecting a potential Philly move to address a different defensive spot. Rivals believe an Eagles move into the top 10 would be for a cornerback, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The Eagles hosted Ahmad Gardner on a “30” visit and made a play for Stephon Gilmore in free agency. Rostering Darius Slay as their top corner, the Eagles should be expected to make a notable addition at the position. A vault from No. 15 into the top 10 would almost certainly be necessary to land Gardner or Stingley, both of whom having been consistently connected to top-10 landing spots.