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Myles Bryant

AFC Contract Details: Texans, Sneed, Barrett

April 10th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recently agreed upon contracts from around the AFC:

  • Myles Bryant, CB/PR (Texans): One year, $1.75MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Bryant’s new deal in Houston includes a guaranteed amount of $800K comprised of $500K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.2MM) and a $300K signing bonus. Bryant can earn an additional $250K throughout the season with $14,705 per game active roster bonuses.
  • C.J. Henderson, CB (Texans): One year, $2MM. Wilson reports that Henderson’s contract includes a guaranteed amount of $500K consisting of a $300K signing bonus, like Bryant, and $200K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.4MM). Henderson will also get a per game active roster bonus, but his will be $17,647 per game for a potential season total of $300K.
  • L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): Four years, $76.4MM. We already knew quite a bit about this deal when it was reported, though some of the figures weren’t completely accurate. While the reported number for guaranteed money was initially $55MM, it’s actually going to be $51.5MM. Per Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Sneed was guaranteed $44MM at signing consisting of Sneed’s $20MM signing bonus, his 2024 and 2025 base salaries of $4.32MM and 18.32MM, and per game active roster bonuses that equal up to $680K in each of the first two years. The per game active roster bonuses are listed as “fully guaranteed,” but they still must be earned with Sneed’s consistent presence on the active roster. Labeling a roster bonus as fully guaranteed usually means that it is prorated like a signing bonus. In theory, if Sneed misses any games in those two seasons, he’ll be forced to pay back a portion of those prorated bonuses. The remaining $7.5MM of guaranteed money comes from Sneed’s 2026 base salary of $15.15MM. His 2026 salary has $11MM guaranteed for injury at signing, which is likely where the $55MM figure came from, but effectively, the contract’s guarantees stand at $51.5MM. Additionally, Sneed’s per game active roster bonus potential season-totals increase in 2026 and 2027 to $850K apiece.
  • Shaquil Barrett, OLB (Dolphins): One year, $7MM. We originally reported on Barrett’s one-year deal being worth a maximum of $9MM, which is still true with incentives, but thanks to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, now we have the details. Barrett’s new deal in Miami has an actual base value of $7MM. It includes a guaranteed amount of $6.75MM consisting of a $5.54MM signing bonus and the entirety of Barrett’s 2024 base salary (worth $1.21MM). Barrett can also earn an additional $250K through per game active roster bonuses of $14,705 apiece. Due to tight cap space, though, the Dolphins had to add four void years onto the backend of Barrett’s deal. Whether or not he’s on the roster, he’ll carry a cap hit of $4.43MM in 2025 and $1.11MM in each of the following three seasons.

AFC East Notes: Tua, Jets, Patriots, Miller

March 30th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Ben Levine

We previously heard that both the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa were hoping for speedy negotiations on an extension. However, it sounds like the two sides are temporarily pumping the brakes on a potential deal.

Daniel Oyefusi of The Miami Herald writes that while Tagovailoa’s next contract is the most “consequential matter” in Miami, it isn’t the most pressing. A source also made it clear that an agreement isn’t imminent and there’s “no rush” to finalize a deal.

When we last heard about the impending negotiations, there was a general sentiment that neither the Dolphins nor Tagovailoa wanted the extension talks to hang over training camp, much less the regular season. The two sides could simply be delaying talks until after free agency and the draft, which would still provide an ample amount of time to negotiate before practices start.

The former first-round pick is currently slated to play the 2024 season on a $23.17MM salary via the fifth-year option. Tua is coming off a career year where he set career highs in passing yards (4,624), touchdowns (29), and completion percentage (69.3). He also managed to get into all 17 games, a significant accomplishment after he missed 14 contests through his first three years in the NFL due to injuries and concussions.

More notes out of the AFC East…

  • The Jets recently added Mike Williams to their receivers room, but with the former Charger coming off a torn ACL, he won’t immediately be seen on the practice field. GM Joe Douglas told reporters that Williams will not be ready for the start of training camp, but there’s optimism that he’ll be good to go for Week 1 (per SNY’s Connor Hughes). Williams himself echoed that sentiment, telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter that it’s his goal to be ready for the regular season opener.
  • Two more Jets injury updates, both coming on the offensive line. After being limited to five games last season thanks to an Achilles injury, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, coach Robert Saleh told reporters (via team reporter Caroline Hendershot). Meanwhile, new addition (and old friend) Morgan Moses revealed that he played through most of last season with a torn pec, telling the team’s website that he’s looking forward “to having two arms this year.”
  • While the Patriots have been busy re-signing their own free agents, the new regime is making it clear that they’re not following the same formula as Bill Belichick. ESPN’s Mike Reiss points to the recent release of special teams ace Chris Board, “who was a Belichick favorite.” While the former head coach/chief decision maker used to invest in top-of-the-market deals for key ST players, Reiss notes that new head coach Jerod Mayo and de facto GM Eliot Wolf “appear less willing.” Reiss also points to defensive back Myles Bryant, who “lost a top advocate in Belichick.” After spending the past four seasons in New England, Bryant remains unsigned, and the Patriots are only willing to bring him back if his salary is reflective of a “depth player” vs. a “key cog.”
  • After Von Miller was arrested on a domestic violence charge, the NFL considered suspending the Bills linebacker. However, commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters (including ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler) that a suspension “was not appropriate based on the facts,” although the case remains under review by the NFL. Miller told reporters in December that the allegations were “100% false.”

Texans Sign CB Myles Bryant

March 25th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Ely Allen

After watching three of their top five cornerbacks depart in free agency, the Texans continue to retool the room around Derek Stingley and Desmond King. They’ve brought in a number of players to replace the production lost through the free agency of Steven Nelson, Shaquill Griffin, and Tavierre Thomas, and the latest to join the crew is former Patriots cornerback Myles Bryant. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tells us that he’ll head to Houston on a one-year deal.

The Patriots leaned heavily on Bryant last season, using him on 128 more defensive snaps than the next closest cornerback. The team entered 2023 with Jack Jones, Jonathan Jones, and rookie first-round pick Christian Gonzalez leading the position room. They also figured that Marcus Jones could step in if any of those three were forced to miss any time and that Bryant would be relied on after all that.

Jack Jones only appeared in four games, getting placed on injured reserve and ultimately being waived from the team. Gonzalez went down with a season-ending injury, also only playing in four contests. Marcus Jones only appeared in two games before being placed on IR for the remainder of the season. Just like that, Jonathan Jones and Bryant were the top two corners on the team.

Bryant, a former undrafted player out of Washington, availed himself quite well in his first extended action as a starter, grading out as the 54th-best cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), not a bad showing for someone who was expected to serve the season as CB5 on the depth chart. He had also started six of the final nine games of New England’s 2022 season but really only served time in certain packages. The team had no choice but to deploy him full-time in 2023, and Bryant responded with his strongest season to date. In the last two years, he has two interceptions, 13 passes defensed, 147 total tackles, and seven tackles for loss.

In Houston, Bryant will have an opportunity to compete for a starting role once again. The Texans return Stingley as a starter on the outside and King, who shared a big role in the slot with Thomas. The team brought in Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson to compete for the outside corner job opposite Stingley, and while Bryant can play on the outside, he spent most of his time in the slot last year, so he’ll likely fill the role of the departed Thomas, sharing the nickelback job with King while adding depth on the outside.

Bryant arrives as the fourth new cornerback to the roster in a new-look group in Houston. He’ll take his newly acquired starting experience from New England and try to work it into another starting job with the Texans. He also brings in experience as a punt returner, but with a healthy Tank Dell, Houston likely won’t need him there.

Latest On Patriots’ CB Situation

June 18th, 2023 at 7:53pm CST by Ely Allen

In his rookie season, fourth-round pick Jack Jones graded out as the league’s 17th-best cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His recent arrest is the latest of a series of off-field incidents. If the NFL hands out a punishment, the Patriots may need to figure out how to field a secondary without him.

New England was able to nab one of the draft’s best cornerback prospects in the middle of the first round in Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez. The 17th overall draft pick this year has gotten off to a hot start in New England. According to Karen Guregian of MassLive, Gonzalez is “on the fast track to get one of the starting boundary” positions at corner.

The Patriots seemingly had a desire for the upcoming season to move Jonathan Jones back to a more consistent slot role. Jones had spent the first six years of his career mostly in the slot for New England before shifting to the outside for 85 percent of his snaps last season. With Jack Jones establishing himself last year, the team could move Jonathan Jones back inside and let Jack handle boundary duties, giving the team a strong starting three.

Jack Jones was the favorite to start opposite Gonzalez, especially if Jonathan Jones were to move inside to nickelback. His arrest brings that scenario into question a bit more. After a tumultuous college career that included academic issues and another arrest, Jack Jones had trouble separating himself from that reputation after getting hit with a two-game suspension enforced by the Patriots for a violation of unspecified team rules last year. If the NFL sees this history and decides to make a statement after his most recent arrest, Jones could be facing a lengthy absence.

If Jones is forced to miss time, the Patriots luckily have another high-performing second year cornerback and, coincidentally, another Jones in Marcus Jones. Marcus made four starts as a rookie last year while playing mostly on the outside. He’s also a top return man for the Patriots, though, finishing his rookie year as a first-team All-Pro, so they might be hesitant to start him full-time on defense, as well. If they can afford to, though, he would fill in nicely during Jack Jones’s absence.

Myles Bryant is also set to contribute at cornerback for New England, both at slot and out wide, but the Patriots likely don’t want to have to rely on him starting full-time. Behind them, the team currently rosters Isaiah Bolden, Quandre Mosely, Rodney Randle, Ameer Speed, and Shaun Wade, but none of them are strong candidates to make the 53-man roster, let alone finish the offseason as a starter.

So, there you have it. If Jack Jones is forced to miss significant time due to his arrest, the Patriots have a good number of options. They can leave Jonathan Jones on the outside and count on Marcus Jones and Bryant to cover the bulk of responsibilities on the inside. They can also start Jonathan outside until bringing on a third cornerback and shift him to the slot while Marcus takes over on the outside. Or they can stick to the plan of moving Jonathan inside and give Marcus some run as a starter until Jack returns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/23

April 17th, 2023 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Teams with returning head coaches are now free to begin offseason workouts, leading to this high number of RFA and ERFA tenders being signed. Bryant and Reaves signed the low-end tender, while the Packers gave Nijman a second-round tender. Bryant and Reaves are tied to $2.62MM salaries; Nijman is attached to a $4.3MM number. Nijman has both played left and right tackle, settling in at the latter spot after the Packers moved Elgton Jenkins back to guard last season. ERFAs are two years from unrestricted free agency; RFAs are one year away.

An August shoulder injury cost Williams his 2022 season, but the former second-round pick was trending in the wrong direction with the Patriots. New England chose Williams 45th overall in 2019 but used him as a starter only once. New Vikings DC Brian Flores was no longer with the Pats when they drafted Williams, 25, but the team will take a flier on the Vanderbilt alum.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/15/23

March 15th, 2023 at 9:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/23

March 14th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Patriots’ Jonathan Jones, Jabrill Peppers Return To Practice

August 1st, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

After letting J.C. Jackson walk in free agency, a decision consistent with offseason cornerback choices in the recent past, the Patriots will have a transition to make. But the team does return some talent at the position. One of those players made a long-awaited return to work Monday.

The Patriots activated Jonathan Jones from their active/PUP list. The team’s primary slot corner, Jones was lost early during the 2021 season, going down with a shoulder injury in Week 6. Offseason safety addition Jabrill Peppers, who suffered an ACL tear days after Jones went down, is also back at practice for New England. The team also activated defensive back Myles Bryant from its active/non-football injury list.

Jones, 28, and Devin McCourty are the only secondary cogs left to have played regular roles in the Patriots’ most recent Super Bowl season. A former UDFA, Jones has been a key member of the Pats’ secondary since the 2017 season. New England gave the Auburn alum a three-year, $21MM extension just before the 2019 season. Jones graded as one of the top corners in football in his most recent full season (2020), per Pro Football Focus; his deal expires after the 2022 campaign.

Peppers was linked in trades ahead of last year’s deadline, but his injury nixed any move. The Giants let the 2019 trade acquisition walk this offseason. The former first-round pick saw his role decrease in 2021, with the Giants using Xavier McKinney and ex-Patriot Logan Ryan more often on their back line, but has made 59 career starts and was the No. 25 overall pick in 2017.

This will be Peppers’ age-27 season. The Pats, who signed Peppers for just $2MM, added the Michigan product to a deep safety corps — one that has McCourty back alongside Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22

July 26th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/3/22

January 3rd, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Monday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Mike Remmers (remains on IR)

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Raymond Calais (remains on IR)

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

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