Latest On Kirk Cousins
MARCH 10: Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (subscription required) report that while Cousins is indeed the Falcons’ top target, the Vikings are by no means out of the running. The Vikes and Cousins were still negotiating as of the end of the week, and Graziano noted that Cousins and his family like Minnesota, and the fans like him (to say nothing of the presence of star wideout Justin Jefferson and head coach Kevin O’Connell, a well-respected play-caller).
A team source tells Fowler that there is a 50-50 chance the Vikings will re-sign Cousins. Though Atlanta is a major threat here, and though Minnesota will have its financial limits after paying Cousins $185MM over the past six years, a re-up remains a distinct possibility.
MARCH 5: Today marks the franchise tag deadline, but plenty of other questions loom around the NFL with free agency only one week away. Kirk Cousins remains the subject of considerable attention and speculation given his status as the top quarterback set to be available on the open market. 
Talks with the Vikings are ongoing, but reports from the weekend suggested Minnesota is preparing to at least let the 35-year-old gauge his value with outside suitors. A number of teams would no doubt show passing interest in the four-time Pro Bowler at a minimum, but the Falcons have increasingly emerged at the forefront of a Cousins pursuit. Further developments continue to point in that direction.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes he has received “very credible indications that Cousins is seriously considering moving his family to Atlanta.” While athletes often own real estate in a number of markets, a step such as this would of course point to a deal with the Falcons being agreed upon. Atlanta is well known as being in position to add at the QB spot, and the team may prefer a contract with Cousins to a trade resulting in the acquisition of Georgia native Justin Fields.
The latter’s future with the Bears will of course represent a major domino in the 2024 offseason as it pertains to quarterbacks. Chicago is expected to deal Fields in a move setting the team up for Caleb Williams being selected first overall in April’s draft. The market for Fields will be complicated by the fact the Bears are willing to move on (presuming that decision is the one ultimately made by GM Ryan Poles) as well as the availability of more established options in Cousins and Baker Mayfield.
Cousins’ Achilles tear ended his sixth Vikings season, one in which he posted strong numbers prior to the injury. Minnesota has remained steadfast in terms of public endorsements of a new agreement, although length and the guarantee structure of any new pact will no doubt be sticking points. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports neither side has set a final price point for negotiations, which can continue through to the start of the legal tampering period (March 11).
The Vikings do not have an obvious Cousins successor on the roster, and the No. 11 draft slot will keep the team out of reach of the best QB prospects barring a sizable trade-up maneuver. Unless an agreement can be worked out in short order, though, the team could very well be tasked with finding a new starter for the first time since 2018. Should Cousins reach free agency, the Falcons will remain a team to watch closely.
Falcons Prefer Kirk Cousins To Justin Fields?
The team most closely tied to a veteran QB upgrade going into free agency, the Falcons appear readier to come out of this offseason with a more experienced passer than Justin Fields.
Although a recent odds update placed the Falcons atop the list for Fields, some around the league believe the Rams-influenced scheme OC Zac Robinson will implement in Atlanta will lead the team toward pass-first options like Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield. If the Vikings or Buccaneers cannot keep their starters off the market, the Falcons appear poised to make a run.
Connected already to being interested in both passers, the Falcons indeed have done work on the veterans. The Vikings are “loosely bracing” for Cousins to remain unsigned by the March 11 legal tampering period and test the market, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates. This would open the door for the Falcons to talk to the free agent-to-be, with Fowler adding the team has done plenty of work on Cousins, Fields and Mayfield.
Mayfield has some ties to the new Falcons staff, with Robinson being his position coach during his brief Rams stint and Raheem Morris in place as Los Angeles’ DC at that point. The team has some degree of interest here. Fields is a Georgia native, and while the Falcons passed on the Ohio State product in 2021, some buzz has pointed the Bears QB to his home-state team. As it stands, the Falcons appear in good position to come away with one of these QBs this offseason, per Fowler.
Cousins may be the team’s top target. A Saturday report indicated the Falcons would compete for Cousins, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano takes it a step further by adding the team should be expected to make a strong pursuit of the six-year Vikings starter if he is unsigned by the tampering period. The Vikings and Cousins are still talking, but no Minnesota offer has satisfied the 35-year-old QB yet. The Vikings and Cousins have come to terms on three contracts — in 2018, 2020 and 2022 — but could not agree on a fourth deal last year. Guarantees stood as the sticking point there, and the Vikings are in crunch time with the rehabbing passer now.
Minnesota failing to reach an agreement with Cousins by the start of the 2024 league year (March 13) would bring $28.5MM in dead money onto its 2024 cap. Void years added as part of last year’s restructure will lead to that outcome. The Vikings ate some void years-driven dead money for losing Dalvin Tomlinson last year, but the Cousins figure would obviously bring more trouble by comparison.
Fields may well be taking a backseat to Cousins for Atlanta, per Graziano. This would be a pricier proposition for the Falcons, as Cousins — he of $231MM-plus in career earnings — is quite adept at maximizing his value. Fields also can be kept on a rookie salary this season, as his fifth-year option number — a decision due in May — would affect 2025. But Cousins has certainly been the more dependable passer. Though, if alternate invites are excluded, the ex-Washington draftee has one career Pro Bowl nod. Fields is 11 years younger, at 24, but has not shown himself to be a stable option as a passer just yet.
The Falcons are eager to upgrade on Desmond Ridder, and two years after widely believed to have finished second for Deshaun Watson, the team appears prepared to spend to acquire such help. One of the above-referenced trio should probably be expected to become Atlanta’s starter next season. Which one will end up in Georgia?
Falcons To Pursue Kirk Cousins?
The Falcons have already been connected to a couple of available QBs, including Justin Fields and (most recently) Baker Mayfield. There could now be another big-name quarterback to add to the list. Dianna Russini of The Athletic expects the Falcons to “compete” for Kirk Cousins‘ services.
[RELATED: Falcons Interested In Baker Mayfield?]
According to Russini, the Falcons believe Cousins is the type of quarterback who can elevate the organization from “fringe playoff team to a contender.” Further, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is familiar with Cousins based on their time together in Washington.
Quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson has never worked alongside Cousins, but he does come from the same Sean McVay tree as Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. Russini cites that “seamless transition” as a reason why Cousins would make sense for Atlanta.
Despite coming off a torn Achilles, Cousins is expected to be the first QB domino to fall this offseason. A number of teams have been loosely connected to the veteran, but the majority of reports have focused on a return to Minnesota. Cousins has spent the past six seasons with the Vikings, guiding the team to winning records in three of those campaigns. However, the veteran only has a single playoff win to show for his efforts, and his playoff deficiencies will likely be reflected in his next contract.
Cousins has already earned $231MM in his career, including an initial contract with the Vikings (three years, $84MM) that was fully guaranteed. Cousins didn’t get the same kind of guarantees on his subsequent contracts in 2020 (two years, $66MM) and 2022 (one year, $35MM), but his camp has shown an ability to garner significant contracts throughout his career.
Those guarantees could end up being relevant during this year’s free agency. We previously heard that the Vikings were uncomfortable with some of the guarantee specifics during extension talks with the quarterback, resulting in talks ultimately breaking down. The Vikings have some incentive to re-sign Cousins as soon as possible, as the organization will be left with a $28.5MM dead-money charge if he isn’t re-signed by the start of the 2024 league year (3pm CT March 13). Considering the suitors that are starting to line up, Cousins may prefer to test the waters instead of immediately re-upping.
The Falcons will reportedly be active in looking for an upgrade on Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. The organization is currently armed with more than $25MM in cap space, and general manager Terry Fontenot has made it clear that he’ll consider every option as he looks to improve the position.
“That’s a top priority for us this offseason,” Fontenot recently said. “We are not going to close any doors. Be it trades, free agency [or] the draft. We’ll make sure we keep an open mind there. We’ll attack it and make sure that we get it right.”
Patriots Interested In Baker Mayfield
The expectation remains the Patriots will address their quarterback need by selecting a passer with the No. 3 overall pick. But Jerod Mayo‘s first roster needs help in many places. Trading down could potentially be an option.
If the Patriots are considering moving down, it would put them in play for one of the top free agent arms. They are indeed believed to be monitoring Baker Mayfield, with the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed indicating the Buccaneers QB has some supporters within the organization. A number of connections exist.
In addition to the Patriots being connected to Mayfield interest back in 2018, a few staffers from the team that did draft him are working in Foxborough now. That includes de facto GM Eliot Wolf, who was with the Browns when they pulled the trigger on taking Mayfield first overall six years ago. OC Alex Van Pelt coached Mayfield for two seasons in Cleveland. So was QBs coach T.C. McCartney. Additionally, assistant Ben McAdoo and front office staffer Pat Stewart were with the Panthers during Mayfield’s woeful stay in Charlotte.
Outside interest in Mayfield will only stand to drive up the QB’s price in Buccaneers negotiations, which have begun. Tampa Bay has expressed interest in re-signing Mayfield for a bit now, but the cost is expected to skyrocket after his bounce-back season. Mayfield, 28, showed considerable improvement after an injury-plagued 2021 slate and a brutal 2022 showing in Carolina. The former Heisman winner showed flashes with the Rams and is coming off setting career-high marks in TD passes (28) and passing yards (4,044). He also mixed in a career-low 10 INTs.
The Bucs gave Mayfield input in their OC search, which ended with ex-Rams OC Liam Coen. They could use the franchise tag to keep the starting QB off the market, but with that number coming in beyond $38MM, such a move is not anticipated. Tampa Bay is expected to tag Antoine Winfield Jr., giving the team until March 11 to hammer out a deal with Mayfield and prevent him from exploring the open market. Mayfield is also interested in staying with the Bucs, but other teams are naturally curious about a potential agreement. The Falcons are believed to be among them, though they are squarely in the Justin Fields mix.
While the Patriots may have Mayfield on their radar, Kyed adds they are not believed to be interested in Kirk Cousins. The latter is seven years older than Mayfield and coming off a torn Achilles. Cousins’ steadier track record is also likely to make him a more expensive free agent. Cousins also would not seemingly align with Mayo’s first Patriots roster, which needs help across the board on offense.
Mayfield would better align here, but it would still be surprising if the Pats went in this direction. The team may be interested in pairing a free agent with a QB at No. 3 overall, putting Mac Jones in limbo. Mayfield would certainly be leery of a team considering a first-round pick, though given what it will cost to acquire the veteran QB, it would be highly unlikely a team would sign him and then draft a passer in the first round. Several bridge-level options will be available in free agency, and it is more likely the Patriots pursue one of them instead of ponying up big bucks for Mayfield.
Latest On Vikings, QB Kirk Cousins
The Vikings’ latest negotiations with Kirk Cousins are coming down to the wire. The team’s exclusive negotiating rights with the veteran passer expire March 11, with March 13 serving as a more significant date due to dead money. Communication continues.
Kevin O’Connell indicated during an interview with KFAN radio (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) he has spoken with Cousins several times this offseason, with the underlying theme of those talks being the team’s interest in reaching another deal with its six-year starter. The team continues to search for a middle ground with the third-longest-tenured starting quarterback in franchise history.
“We have our interests; he has his, get to the table and see if we can figure out a creative solution of how to meet in the middle,” third-year Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said, via Dunleavy. “What we do know is we have a really good quarterback, great leader and somebody we think we can win the ultimate prize with.”
Cousins, 35, has only appeared in the divisional round once during his years in Minnesota and Washington. What his resume lacks in postseason success it compensates for (and then some) in earnings. Last season pushed Cousins past $231MM for his career. Being close to testing the market again, the proven starter seems a lock to move past $300MM in the near future. Will it be with the Vikings?
If Minnesota cannot re-sign Cousins by the start of the 2024 league year (3pm CT March 13), the team will eat $28.5MM in dead money. That would not prevent a Cousins re-signing, though a deal after that date would cut into the team’s ability to build a roster around its longtime QB. The legal tampering period, which begins at 11am CT on March 11, could serve as the key window here. Cousins will be allowed to shop his services to interested buyers, while the Vikings still have a bit of breathing room until the QB’s void years hit their 2024 cap.
Guarantees figure to be at the heart of Adofo-Mensah’s middle-ground comment. The Vikings were uncomfortable with guarantees going into Year 3 on a Cousins extension last year, leading to talks breaking down and only a restructure coming to pass. A year later, guarantees are again an issue. Minnesota famously guaranteed Cousins’ first contract (three years, $84MM), putting the team on its heels against the leverage maestro in the years that followed. Cousins signed extensions in 2020 (two years, $66MM) and 2022 (one year, $35MM). Neither of the latter two deals was fully guaranteed, but even coming off an Achilles tear ahead of an age-36 season, Cousins will be in good shape due to his consistency, a few teams’ QB needs and the salary cap spiking to $255.4MM.
The Falcons, Broncos and Raiders figure to join the Vikes as interested parties. Though, Cousins has said on several occasions he wants to stay in Minnesota. Denver, which bowed out of a Cousins pursuit six years ago (leading to a Case Keenum signing), is about to take on a record-smashing dead-money sum ($85MM over two years, via a post-June 1 cut) after separating from Russell Wilson. That will obviously hinder a Cousins pursuit. Atlanta may be the clubhouse leader in Justin Fields connections, while Las Vegas has been more closely tied to rookie passers thus far.
As the Vikings pledge to retain Justin Jefferson, the All-Pro wide receiver is understandably interested in knowing if Cousins will be throwing him passes in 2024. That answer will come soon. If Cousins departs, the Vikings — who hold the No. 11 overall pick — will need to scramble to make another QB plan.
Latest On Vikings, Kirk Cousins
Today marks the opening of the franchise tag window, but Kirk Cousins‘ contract is not set to expire until after the deadline for teams to apply the tag. He is therefore on track for free agency unless another Vikings agreement can be worked out. 
Cousins looms as one of the key figures in the 2024 free agent class as the most accomplished passer set to reach the open market. A new Minnesota deal could be forthcoming, as a mutual interest exists for a contract to be hammered out. However, SI’s Albert Breer notes the current Vikings regime is not prepared to guarantee Cousins’ next deal in full as its previous one was.
That serves as confirmation of a report from last month which detailed the four-time Pro Bowler’s efforts to receive guaranteed compensation through 2025 during summer extension talks. Minnesota – led in the front office by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for the past two years – authorized a three-year, $84MM deal in 2018 under Rick Spielman as well as a $66MM extension followed by last year’s restructured pact. The latter agreement set up the team’s current situation, one which will dictate the rest of Minnesota’s offseason and represent a major domino in free agency around the league.
Both Cousins and the Vikings have expressed a desire to continue their six-year relationship on a new deal. Efforts to negotiate one will likely depend in large part on the guarantee figure, as a short-term arrangement should be expected. Cousins is entering his age-36 season and is rehabbing an Achilles tear. That injury put an stop to a promising 2023 campaign, where the former fourth-rounder posted the third highest passer rating (103.8) of his career.
The Vikings do not have an heir apparent under center, and the team has financial considerations such as a new Danielle Hunter contract and a Justin Jefferson mega-extension to take into account if free agency is used to find a Cousins replacement. Breer does add that the sides have spoken recently, and an open line of communication obviously offers the potential of a deal being struck before the new league year begins on March 13.
With the potential exception of Baker Mayfield, Cousins should be able to land the NFL’s largest QB deal amongst veterans this offseason. Minnesota will remain a team to watch closely as talks continue, but it will be interesting to see how strong of a market emerges if financial terms remain a sticking point. The upper limit of Cousins’ guarantee ask will be a key storyline in the coming weeks.
Latest On Danielle Hunter’s Impending Free Agency
The Vikings have a few pressing needs to focus on before they shift their attention to Danielle Hunter. Unfortunately for the organization, it doesn’t sound like the veteran pass rusher will be easy to retain. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the impending free agent is expected to have “a very strong market” this offseason.
With the Vikings eyeing an uphill battle following Kirk Cousins‘ season-ending injury, there were reports that the team took calls on Hunter leading up to the deadline. The organization rejected those inquiries, but Fowler notes that plenty of teams expressed interest, and those teams will surely be in the hunt again with Hunter hitting free agency.
Fowler throws out a handful of potential suitors. The Bears could look to pair a veteran opposite Montez Sweat, and the Jaguars could also be in the market (although they first have to figure out Josh Allen‘s future with the organization).
The Vikings will also make a push to keep their star defensive lineman. However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes that a new Hunter deal isn’t atop the front office’s list of priorities. Rather, the organization is naturally navigating Cousins’ impending free agency and their questionable future at the quarterback position. The organization can obviously juggle multiple negotiations at once, but the team would probably like some clarity on their QB salaries before committing big money elsewhere.
Hunter maxed out his incentive package this season, collecting an extra $3MM by reaching the 14-sack plateau. These bonuses were part of a recent restructure that saw the 29-year-old earn $17MM in guaranteed money this past season. More notably, that restructuring also prevents the Vikings from slapping Hunter with the franchise tag, meaning the nine-year veteran will be free to test the market.
The Vikings will also have to weight Hunter’s next contract with his impending dead cap charge. If Hunter ends up leaving Minnesota, the Vikings will be left with a $14.9MM dead-money charge. That isn’t a drop in the pan, and the Vikings front office may decide they’re willing to commit the extra money instead of being left with a hole on their depth chart and on their cap sheet.
The former third-round pick had one of the strongest seasons of his career in 2023. He finished this past season with a career-high 16.5 sacks and a league-leading 23 tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus graded Hunter 28th among 112 qualifying edge defenders, including a top-20 pass-rush grade.
Kirk Cousins Sought Guarantees Into 2025 During Latest Vikings Talks
Since his franchise tag saga began during the 2010s, Kirk Cousins has been one of the NFL’s financial kingpins. The veteran quarterback’s fully guaranteed $84MM Vikings deal in 2018 remains a landmark NFL accord. He signed two more Vikings contracts, running his career earnings total past $230MM, but is now less than two months from free agency.
Cousins and the Vikings’ most recent negotiations failed, however, leading the 12-year veteran to play out the extension he agreed to in 2022. Minnesota restructured Cousins’ contract last March, adding void years to set up a showdown before the start of the 2024 league year.
Having obviously done extraordinarily well with guarantees since his first Washington tag (2016), Cousins sought multiple additional years of locked-in money during his latest Vikes talks. During the 2023 negotiations, the Pro Bowl passer wanted guarantees through the 2025 season, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. The Vikings, meanwhile, were only willing to offer guaranteed money into 2024. This led to the sides breaking off talks and the restructure coming to pass.
Teams often bend for quarterbacks, and Cousins almost definitely did not ask for fully guaranteed money through 2025. Given his age and performance level, that would have been a non-starter for the Vikings. But it is notable the team did not want to be tied to any Cousins guarantees beyond his age-36 season. The Vikings now must consider paying for that age-36 season; Cousins will turn 36 in August. Both team and player have said they want to complete another contract, and the Vikings face a time crunch now.
Minnesota must re-sign Cousins before the 2024 league year begins on March 13. Otherwise, $28.5MM in dead money would accelerate onto the team’s 2024 cap sheet. A new deal would still bring some dead cap for the Vikings in 2024, per Goessling, but it would be $10.5MM rather than the concerning total that would come about if no deal was agreed upon. The legal tampering period begins March 11, giving Cousins two days to officially explore non-Minnesota options. Though, the Combine regularly gives free agents an idea of their value ahead of the tampering period.
Cousins’ Achilles tear — his first major injury as a pro — will factor into his latest Minnesota negotiations. The Vikings will not having a clear QB answer if they cannot re-up Cousins would play into the financially savvy passer’s hands, but it is unlikely the organization bends on a three-year guarantee following this Achilles malady. It will be interesting to see if the Vikings want to extend this partnership through 2025. Though, that would probably be necessary, seeing as Cousins’ two Washington franchise tags make him an unrealistic tag candidate. Minnesota resides in the strange position of being unable to tag either of its top two free agents-to-be, with Danielle Hunter‘s reworked contract including a no-tag clause for 2024.
Cousins’ affinity for the Twin Cities notwithstanding, he sounds open to exploring the market. Bill Belichick is the favorite to be named the next Falcons HC, and Cousins would be interested in playing for the legendary HC. Regardless of who their next coach is, the Falcons are looking to upgrade on Desmond Ridder.
“I’m not going to turn down an opportunity to play with a future Hall of Fame coach, but we’ll have to see where March leads,” Cousins said, via Isabel Gonzalez of CBS Sports. “It’s just a lot of unknowns right now.”
Cousins has not hit free agency since 2018. He is believed to be ahead of schedule during Achilles rehab and said he wants to extend his career into at least his late 30s. The October injury may affect his market, but with Baker Mayfield stationed as the only other free agent passer who could command a higher-end starter salary, Cousins would attract attention if he truly tested the market.
Vikings Intend To Bring Back QB Kirk Cousins
Now that their season has come to an end, the Vikings can really buckle down on extension negotiations with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. These aren’t new conversations, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made his team’s intentions known back in November, after the 35-year-old passer tore his Achilles tendon, taking him out for the year. At the time, Cousins, too, reiterated his desire to stay in Minnesota, but now that it’s time to start negotiating, the structure of the deal will apparently be an important focus moving forward, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
While some may look at Cousin’s age and question why the Vikings would want to commit to someone in their late 30s, Cousins was playing some of the best football of his career before his injury. He was averaging 291.4 passing yards per game and led the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns when he got hurt. Through eight games, Cousins was on pace to set a number of career-highs, if he kept pace. Pair that with the blossoming of rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison as a strong WR2 to pair with star Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn, and the prospects for Minnesota’s season could’ve projected fairly high.
Even before the injury, things were trending in the direction of Cousins remaining in Minnesota. After a 1-4 start to the season, some thought that Cousins would become a popular trade target, with some quarterback hungry teams, like the Jets, reaching out to inquire about him. Despite the early-season struggles, the Vikings made it clear that Cousins was not available.
With that being determined, though, Minnesota is now on the clock to hash out a new deal with Cousins before the start of the 2024 league year on March 14. If the Vikings are unable to extend Cousins by then, they will be forced to confront $28.5MM in dead money, a consequence of the void-year money used to spread out the cost of his current contract over time.
Even though both sides seem amenable to a deal, the structure concern is not a small one. Cousins has become the posterchild for paradigm contracts with fully guaranteed money. Interestingly, though, Cousins told reporters that “the dollars are really not what it’s about.” His focus on structure is reportedly everything else determined in the deal. While he’ll seemingly still want a respectable number sent his way, Cousins claims that he’ll be looking at the other parts of the deal (length, incentives, bonuses, etc.) more.
Currently, Cousins ranks 15th among active quarterbacks in average annual contract value with $35MM per year. It’s really hard to determine what kind of new extension offers will be floated his way based on the above information. For once in his career, though, it seems like Cousins may be accepting non-guaranteed money in a new contract.
NFC North Notes: Bears, CJGJ, Vikings
The last time an NFL team used a franchise tag on a cornerback, the Bears were planning a Jay Cutler-to-Mike Glennon QB transition. Occurring back in 2017, Rams’ second Trumaine Johnson tag remains the most recent instance of a team tagging a corner. Mentioned as a possibility here when the Bears let Jaylon Johnson seek a trade, the contract-year defender being tagged adds up now that Montez Sweat is locked down via an extension. The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs views it as likely the Bears tag Johnson to give them more time to work out an extension.
Receiving his first Pro Bowl invite this week, Johnson has put together a quality contract season — one he acknowledges has made him more money on his second contract. Johnson said in June he wanted that second accord to be with the Bears and reiterated that stance last month. Although the prospect of reaching free agency would understandably appeal to the former second-round pick, the Bears — the most recent team to use any tag on a cornerback, transition-tagging Kyle Fuller in 2018 — can keep Johnson in the fold via a one-year rental or attempt to hammer out an extension by the July deadline. The cornerback tag is expected to cost just more than $18MM.
Here is the latest from the NFC North:
- The Bears’ plan to move Cody Whitehair back to center did not take off. Snapping issues plagued the veteran, while Pro Football Focus rates 2022 free agency pickup Lucas Patrick 31st among centers this season. Chicago is expected to pursue a center upgrade this year, Biggs notes, with The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain also predicting the team will aim to stabilize this spot (subscription required). Whitehair, 30, profiles as a cut candidate; he is due a nonguaranteed $10.15MM base salary in his 2024 contract year. Patrick has one game left on a two-year, $8MM deal. The Bears have some wiggle room here, with three starting O-linemen — Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Darnell Wright — on rookie contracts. A handful of teams re-signed centers in 2023, but four-year starters Tyler Biadasz (Cowboys) and Lloyd Cushenberry (Broncos) are two months from free agency. Three-year Raiders center Andre James is as well.
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s return from a torn pec will give the Lions an unexpected boost for their playoff journey. It also could disrupt the team’s secondary. Ifeatu Melifonwu has been effective since usurping Tracy Walker as a starter alongside Kerby Joseph. The Lions initially stationed Gardner-Johnson in the slot, where he previously played under ex-Saints DBs coach Aaron Glenn, but the Lions DC moved him back to safety to accommodate rookie Brian Branch. Glenn said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) the team is still determining its DB plan but confirmed Branch will remain the team’s slot corner. A safety rotation, then, seems likely to commence. Designated for return from IR last week, Gardner-Johnson is expected to return in Week 18.
- Danielle Hunter maxed out his incentive package this season, with the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling noting the contract-year Vikings defender collected $3MM by reaching the 14-sack plateau. Positioning himself to do well as a first-time free agent, Hunter has registered a career-high 15.5 sacks. On what could be his final Vikings restructure, the 29-year-old edge rusher received $17MM guaranteed and added $3MM in incentives this season. This latest reworking prevents Hunter from being tagged this year, and the Vikings would be hit with a $14.9MM dead-money charge if they cannot re-sign their top sack artist the 2024 league year.
- In the strange position of seeing both its top free agents-to-be — Hunter and Kirk Cousins — not profile as tag candidates (due to Cousins having already been tagged twice by Washington), Minnesota has big decisions to make soon. Cousins is at least ahead of schedule on his Achilles rehab odyssey, Goessling adds. Cousins, 35, should be expected back for training camp at the latest and has expressed continued interest in another Vikings contract. If the Vikings cannot re-sign Cousins by March 13 — the last day of the 2023 league year — they will face a $28.5MM dead-money total due to the void years in the leverage maven’s contract.