RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/11/19
Here are Monday’s moves involving restricted and exclusive-rights free agents:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Packers: OLB Reggie Gilbert, WR Jake Kumerow, OL Lucas Patrick, TE Robert Tonyan (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
- Seahawks: DE Branden Jackson, S Shalom Luani, WR David Moore, LS Tyler Ott, G Jordan Simmons (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson, on Twitter)
RFAs
Tendered at second-round level:
- Colts: C Evan Boehm, S Matthias Farley (via CBS4’s Mike Chappell, on Twitter)
Tendered at original-round level:
- Texans: DL Brandon Dunn (per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter)
Non-tendered:
- Buccaneers: CB De’Vante Harris (per Greg Auman of The Athletic, on Twitter)
- Colts: S Corey Moore (via Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, on Twitter)
- Dolphins: C Jake Brendel (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald)
Bucs To Trade DeSean Jackson To Eagles
It looks like DeSean Jackson will return to the Eagles. They have reached an agreement with the Buccaneers to bring him back, Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan reports (on Twitter).
This comes shortly after Jackson indicated he would be headed elsewhere in 2019. The Eagles were the veteran deep threat’s return destination. The Bucs will receive a 2019 sixth-round pick for Jackson and will send the Eagles a 2020 seventh-rounder in the deal, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
Jackson played six seasons in Philadelphia, and it was the best stretch of his career. The 2008 second-round pick made three Pro Bowls as an Eagle, and although he performed well with the Redskins, he has not made a Pro Bowl since. This will be a major addition to the Eagles’ receiving corps, though, one that obviously looks quite different from the one he left. Zach Ertz remains, though, with a far bigger role than he had when Jackson was last in Philly.
One season remains on Jackson’s Bucs contract, at $10MM. The Eagles made several moves to create cap space in recent days, but that number is still high. It is possible an extension could bring that down, and Jeff McLane of Philly.com tweets an extension may well be in the cards.
Either way, this will be an upgrade for the Eagles, who have now acquired a new player for their deep-threat role in each of the past three offseasons, with Jackson following moves to land Torrey Smith (2017) and Mike Wallace. Even at 32, Jackson remains a more dangerous weapon than the Eagles’ recent two long-range targets.
Jackson did not click with Jameis Winston, his first Bucs season producing a career-low 13.4 yards per catch, but did do well with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Last season, D-Jax’s YPC figure ballooned back up to 18.9 — an NFL-best mark. Carson Wentz will now be throwing him passes, with the Eagles continuing to make splash moves to bolster their receiving corps.
This deprives Bruce Arians of a player he wanted back, though the Bucs are up against the cap. This trade does create $10MM in Bucs cap space. Tampa Bay still has Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate. But the team may be set to lose Adam Humphries as well. With Jackson also gone, the formidable Bucs aerial corps may need an addition at wideout after two years of having arguably the league’s deepest receiving corps.
Bucs’ DeSean Jackson Wants Out
DeSean Jackson is hoping to be traded to the Eagles or released by the Buccaneers, a source close to the wide receiver tells ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine (Twitter link). Ultimately, DJax is angling for a fresh new start.
The wide receiver also took to Instagram on Monday to bid farewell to the Tampa area:
“Tampa it was a great experience, but things didn’t work out !! Looking forward to my next destination .. 👀 👀 Stay Tuned,” Jackson wrote.
Jackson, 32, made a lot of noise about wanting out of Tampa Bay during the season and, apparently, the hiring of Bruce Arians hasn’t swayed him. As it stands, Jackson is due $10MM in 2019, but the remainder of his contract is completely non-guaranteed.
There’s no real word on whether the Eagles would welcome a DJax reunion, but it stands to reason that they will want him back in order to fill their deep threat void. Last year, Jackson averaged a league-leading 18.9 yards per reception.
The Bucs, meanwhile, intend to keep Jackson, so this saga is far from over.
49ers To Sign LB Kwon Alexander
Kwon Alexander is spoken for. On Monday, the 49ers signed the former Buccaneers linebacker to a four-year, $54MM deal (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The pact includes $27MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) adds. 
John Lynch, who knows a thing or two about the Buccaneers’ organization, is investing big in the linebacker position. Alexander was expected to cash in this offseason, but few could have foreseen this type of deal for a player coming off of a torn ACL.
The Bucs discussed an extension with Alexander last year before his ACL tear in October, but they were unwilling to break the $10MM/year mark for him. Months later, the 49ers have shelled out $13.5MM per season for the soon-to-be 25-year-old.
A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Alexander started 46 games over three-plus years with the Buccaneers. Last season, he posted 38 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack while grading as the No. 53 linebacker at the time of his injury, per Pro Football Focus. In 2017, Alexander earned his first career Pro Bowl selection and graded out as PFF’s No. 37 off-ball ‘backer. In 2016, he registered an eye-popping 145 stops.
Previously, the 49ers were looking into inside linebackers such as C.J. Mosley and Anthony Barr. In all likelihood, the Alexander signing will take them out of the mix for both players.
Buccaneers To Keep DeSean Jackson
The Buccaneers tried shopping DeSean Jackson, but they have been unable to find a suitable trade, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. So, for now, the Bucs’ plan is to keep the mercurial wide receiver, Russini hears. 
Jackson, 32, made a lot of noise about wanting out of Tampa Bay during the season. But, this offseason, new head coach Bruce Arians was vocal about wanting to keep the deep threat in the fold. Arians may still want to smooth things out with DJax, but there’s still the matter of his contract. Jackson is due $10MM in 2019, but that sum is completely non-guaranteed, and that does not sit well with Jackson.
Jackson’s stat line hasn’t been much to write home about over the last two years, but he still has the ability to blow the cover off of any secondary. Last season, he had just 774 yards receiving, but he led the league with 18.9 yards per reception. They say speed is the first attribute to go after the age of 30, but Jackson still has the jets to make big plays happen.
Of course, plans tend to change quickly this time of year, so this is still a situation worth monitoring. Jackson reportedly wants to reunite with the Eagles and an outright release still feels like a possibility.
Jets, 49ers Interested In Kwon Alexander
The Jets and 49ers are interested in Buccaneers free agent linebacker Kwon Alexander, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) hears. Stroud also hears that Alexander is seeking a deal that would pay him between $10-$12MM.
Alexander’s 2018 season ended in October after he suffered a torn ACL. Prior to the injury, the linebacker was discussing an extension with the Bucs, though they were unwilling to break the $10MM/year mark for him.
A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Alexander has started 46 games over three-plus years with the Buccaneers. Last season, he posted 38 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack while grading as the No. 53 linebacker at the time of his injury, per Pro Football Focus. In 2017, Alexander earned his first career Pro Bowl selection and graded out as PFF’s No. 37 off-ball ‘backer. In 2016, he registered an eye-popping 145 stops.
The Niners are also expected to pursue C.J. Mosley (Ravens) and Anthony Barr (Vikings), according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, so the linebacker position is high on their agenda.
Given the interest in Alexander, the Bucs are bracing to lose him, Stroud hears. And, on Monday morning, Alexander texted a group of his teammates telling them he’s going to miss them, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The Buccaneers are in a similar boat with wide receiver Adam Humphries, says Stroud, since Humphries is expected to garner offers of $9MM-$10MM on the open market.
Buccaneers Shopping DeSean Jackson
The Buccaneers have been actively shopping DeSean Jackson for a trade, according to ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine. Laine also hears the Eagles would be a preferred destination for the wide receiver. 
The Bucs, naturally, would prefer to trade Jackson rather than releasing him outright. Jackson, meanwhile, would rather be released than traded. The veteran is under contract for one more season at a $10MM cap number, but that sum is completely non-guaranteed, so Jackson would rather start a negotiation from scratch while hand-picking his next team. Apparently, if Jackson had his druthers, he’d reunite with the Eagles.
The Eagles’ level of interest in trading for Jackson is not quite clear, but they would be a logical destination for the wide receiver since they need a deep threat. Last year, they thought they had a suitable deep threat in Mike Wallace, but their offense was limited after Wallace suffered a broken leg in September.
Jackson asked for a trade during the 2018 season and struggled to stay on the same page as Jameis Winston. And, although his 774 receiving yards marked an improvement from his disappointing 2017 showing, Jackson’s best games came when Ryan Fitzpatrick was throwing. The Bucs are committed to Winston for 2019, which will be Jackson’s 12th NFL season.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/8/19
Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions:
RFAs
Second round tender:
- Bengals: OL Trey Hopkins
- Ravens: LB Patrick Onwuasor
Tendered at original-round level:
- Browns: WR Rashard Higgins
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Browns: DT Trevon Coley, DB Jermaine Whitehead
- Colts: WR Marcus Johnson
- Buccaneers: S Isaiah Johnson, OL Mike Liedtke
- Packers: TE Robert Tonyan
- Cardinals: TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Contract Details: Smith, Kelce, Johnson
Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed contracts from around the NFL:
- Donovan Smith, T (Buccaneers): Three years, $41.25MM. $27MM fully guaranteed. Guaranteed 2019 base salary of $7MM with a $5.5MM roster bonus. Guaranteed $14.5MM base salary in 2020. Non-guaranteed $14.25MM base salary in 2021. $5MM of 2019 salary deferred until 6/15/20. $3MM of 2020 salary deferred until 3/5/21. Deferrals have no impact on salary cap (Twitter link via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com).
- Jason Kelce, C (Eagles): Extended through 2021. $7.57MM signing bonus. 2019 base salary reduced from $6.5MM to $930K. 2020 base salary reduced from $7MM to $1.5MM with a $2MM roster bonus. $500K playing time escalator available in 2020 for playing 90% of offensive snaps. 2021 base salary of $5.5MM (Twitter links via Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia).
- Denzelle Good, OL (Raiders): Extended through 2019. One-year, $1.7MM. $500K signing bonus. $200K per-game roster bonuses. $100K workout bonus. $1.2MM available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review Journal).
- Lane Johnson, T (Eagles): Restructured contract. Created $8.2MM in cap space by converting $10.045MM of his 2019 base salary into a signing bonus. Base salary is now $805K (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). Added voidable years in 2022-23 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
- Mike Person, OL (49ers): Three years, $8.25MM. $2.45MM fully guaranteed. $1MM roster bonus, $1.45MM fully guaranteed 2019 base salary. $250K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
- Romeo Okwara, DE (Lions): Two years, $6.8MM. $2.705MM signing bonus. 2019 base salary of $720K fully guaranteed. $500 workout bonus in 2019 (Twitter link via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com).
Bucs' Offseason Outlook
The Buccaneers have an interesting offseason ahead of them. They have a lot of holes to fill on the roster as Bruce Arians takes over as coach, but not much cap space to work with. In a recent piece, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com previewed their offseason. Overall, Laine isn’t too bullish on their ability to add many big names. The Bucs have been linked to some high-end free agents like Le’Veon Bell, but Laine cautions they’d need to make a bunch of moves to make his potential salary fit. One of their own, receiver Adam Humphries, is set to be a free agent, and Humphries will reportedly be a hot commodity. Sources told Laine that Humphries is seeking a deal worth $8MM annually, which is actually slightly less than the $10MM we heard he was looking for yesterday.
The Buccaneers have an interesting offseason ahead of them. They have a lot of holes to fill on the roster as Bruce Arians takes over as coach, but not much cap space to work with. In a recent piece, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com previewed their offseason. Overall, Laine isn’t too bullish on their ability to add many big names. The Bucs have been linked to some high-end free agents like Le’Veon Bell, but Laine cautions they’d need to make a bunch of moves to make his potential salary fit. One of their own, receiver Adam Humphries, is set to be a free agent, and Humphries will reportedly be a hot commodity. Sources told Laine that Humphries is seeking a deal worth $8MM annually, which is actually slightly less than the $10MM we heard he was looking for yesterday.
Either way, it sounds like Humphries might get priced out of the Buccaneers‘ range. Laine also reports no decision has been made yet on fellow receiver DeSean Jackson as he heads into the final year of his contract, but writes that “lack of cap space may force their hand” into releasing or trading him. In her piece Laine also throws out some names who could be cut to create cap space, like ” defensive end William Gholston ($3.75 million against the cap in 2019), defensive tackle Beau Allen ($5 million), defensive tackle Mitch Unrein ($3.75 million).”