AFC Contract Details: Titans, Hawkins, Ravens, Flacco, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Colts, Patriots
Here are the latest details from contracts agreed to around the AFC, with many coming out of Nashville:
- Daniel Bellinger, TE (Titans). Three years, $24MM. Bellinger secured $14MM guaranteed at signing, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. This covers $4.91MM of Bellinger’s $5.94MM 2027 base salary, per OverTheCap.
- Jaylinn Hawkins, S (Ravens). Two years, $10MM. Hawkins landed $5MM guaranteed at signing, per Wilson. None of Hawkins’ 2027 compensation is guaranteed.
- Jacob Martin, DE (Titans). Two years, $9MM. Tennessee authorized $4.5MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. None of Martin’s 2027 compensation is guaranteed.
- Jordan Elliott, DT (Titans). Two years, $8MM. The Titans authorized a $3.24MM guarantee at signing for the former Browns and 49ers D-tackle, Wilson tweets. None of Elliott’s 2027 compensation is guaranteed.
- Austin Schlottmann, OL (Titans). Two years, $7MM. The veteran interior offensive lineman received $2.99MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson tweets. None of Schlottmann’s 2027 compensation is guaranteed.
- Joshua Williams, CB (Titans). Two years, $6.75MM. Like Elliott, Wilson adds Williams secured $3.24MM guaranteed at signing. One of several Chiefs DBs relocating this month, Williams will not see any 2027 guarantees on this deal.
- Joe Flacco, QB (Bengals). One year, $6MM. Flacco’s contract contains $4MM guaranteed, SI.com’s Jay Morrison notes. Generally against void years, the Bengals included two in this contract. Flacco’s cap hit will check in at $3.3MM as a result. Due to the void years, Flacco not being re-signed before the 2027 league year begins will result in a $2.7MM dead money charge. There are $3.5MM in incentives here, Morrison adds. Among the bottom-tier bumps in play, Flacco would see $1MM if he plays 60% of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps in a playoff season. If the Bengals do not make the playoffs and the 19th-year QB plays 60% of the snaps, he would see $250K. More notably, any Bengals win in which Flacco plays at least 60% of the snaps will bring $125K; this incentive has an eight-game cap.
- Durham Smythe, TE (Ravens). One year, $3MM. The former Dolphins and Bears tight end secured $2MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson tweets.
- Daniel Thomas, S (Browns). Two years, $3MM. Thomas landed just more than $1MM fully guaranteed, according to Wilson. No guarantees are in place for 2027.
- Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB (Colts). One year, $2.73MM. This contract includes $1.5MM fully guaranteed, Wilson adds.
- Mo Alie-Cox, TE (Colts). One year, $2.59MM. Like the Lions’ Malcolm Rodriguez deal, this contract is a four-year qualifying offer. It will come with $2.19MM fully guaranteed, Wilson adds. Because this is a four-year qualifying contract, Alie-Cox will count just $1.4MM toward the Colts’ cap.
- Tony Adams, S (Titans). One year, $2.14MM. Among the many former Robert Saleh-era Jets joining the Titans this offseason, Adams will see $1MM fully guaranteed on this deal (via Wilson).
- Kalia Davis, DT (Browns). One year, $2MM. The veteran interior D-lineman secured $1.75MM guaranteed at signing, according to Wilson.
- Corey Bojorquez, P (Browns). One year, $2MM. Bojorquez will see $938K guaranteed at signing on his third Browns contract, according to Wilson.
- Tycen Anderson, S (Broncos). One year, $1.5MM. The only outside Broncos free agent signing thus far, the veteran special-teamer received $650K guaranteed, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.
- James Hudson, T (Patriots). One year, $1.4MM. The Giants jettisoned Hudson’s two-year, $12MM deal months after benching him in Week 2. The New England swing tackle secured $538K guaranteed at signing, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss tweets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/18/26
Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Teagan Quitoriano
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DT James Lynch
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: OLB Julian Okwara
- Signed: S Daniel Thomas
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Tycen Anderson
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: DE Sam Okuayinonu
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: WR Cody White
Okwara returns to Cleveland after spending the entire 2025 season on the practice squad. The former third-round pick has 10.0 sacks in his six years of NFL play with five coming in his sophomore campaign. The addition of Thomas provides the Browns with a veteran special teams contributor.
The 49ers are bringing back Okuayinonu after the fourth-year defender filled in for 12 starts and two postseason starts with San Francisco last year. He’s recorded three sacks in each of the past two years for the 49ers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/3/23
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: LB Claudin Cherelus
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: S Tycen Anderson
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: CB D’Angelo Ross
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: OL Calvin Anderson
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Gunner Olszewski
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: CB Tariq Castro-Fields, LB Jabril Cox
Anderson, a fifth-round draft pick last year for the Bengals, missed his entire rookie season on injured reserve. After contributing in seven games this year as a core special teamer, Anderson’s sophomore season will also be cut short with head coach Zac Taylor confirming that the young safety tore his ACL, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. He played through the initial injury in last week’s win but will be unable to continue the rest of the year.
The Patriots’ Anderson, on the other hand, is a more intriguing situation. After he spent most of the preseason on the non-football illness list with an undisclosed illness, the team is placing Anderson on IR with an “illness” designation. It’s not clear at this time if this is a similar issue to what held him out of the preseason, but illness has surely dealt a significant blow to Anderson’s 2023 season so far.
The Giants got ahead of the waiver rules by releasing Olszewski in a procedural move on Monday before the trade deadline. This allowed them to plainly sign Olszewski back to the active roster on a new deal without him having to clear waivers. As predicted, he returns to the roster for Week 9.
Castro-Fields and Cox will fill the roster spots vacated by the Commanders’ big trades of defensive ends Chase Young to the 49ers and Montez Sweat to the Bears.
Bengals Make Three Waiver Claims
SEPTEMBER 2: To no surprise, the Bengals are indeed re-signing Allen, Thomas and Williams now that they have the open roster spots to do so, per a team announcement. Cincinnati is also placing safety Tycen Anderson and tackle Isaiah Prince on IR.
AUGUST 31: The Bengals have made some notable additions in the aftermath of yesterday’s roster cutdowns. Per the waiver wire, they have claimed tight end Devin Asiasi, guard Max Scharping and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.
[RELATED: Bengals Expected To Sign TE Howard]
Asiasi came to New England with significant expectations, given his draft status and the organization’s success at the position. The third-rounder made just 10 appearances in his first two seasons, though, recording only a pair of receptions. The Patriots made a substantial free agent investment in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith last offseason, limiting his future with the team. In Cincinnati, he will face steep competition for playing time from Hayden Hurst and, in all likelihood, O.J. Howard.
Scharping is in a similar situation to Asiasi in terms of being an underwhelming high draft choice yet to finish their rookie contract. A 2019 second-rounder, the 26-year-old started 33 of the 48 contests he appeared in with the Texans, moving from the left to right guard spot this past season. Regardless of where he lined up, the Northern Illinois alum graded out in the mid-to-high 50s with respect to PFF rating, leaving him on the roster bubble. Scharping’s vacated spot is likely to be filled by A.J. Cann; he will challenge for a backup role behind top free agent addition Alex Cappa with the Bengals.
Tufele, meanwhile, has seen the least playing time of the new trio. As a rookie last season, he made just four appearances in Jacksonville, totaling two tackles. His PFF pass rush grade of 77 indicates some upside on third downs, which dates back to his time in college. Moving on from the USC alum so soon may have come as a surprise, though the additions of Folorunso Fatukasi and Adam Gotsis along the d-line were likely to significantly lessen his chance of seeing significant playing time with the Jaguars. The Bengals lost Larry Ogunjobi in free agency, but re-upped B.J. Hill, whom Tufele will look to provide depth behind his new home.
The defending AFC champions will return many of the members of last season’s team, but these additions could prove effective at areas of relative need. Among the cuts necessary to accommodate the new arrivals is veteran quarterback Brandon Allen. The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal for the third consecutive offseason to remain in Cincinnati.
For now, Allen’s departure leaves the Bengals with only Joe Burrow under center. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets, however, that Allen “will be back.” Cincinnati is also parting ways with safety Michael Thomas and running back Trayveon Williams.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/19/22
Here are the latest mid- and late-round draft picks to sign their four-year rookie contracts:
Cincinnati Bengals
- S Tycen Anderson (fifth round, Toledo)
New York Giants
- CB Cor’Dale Flott (third round, LSU)
Tennessee Titans
- T Nicholas Petit-Frere (third round, Ohio State)