RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/17
Rounding up some of this week’s tender decisions:
RFAs:
Tendered:
- Chiefs: WR Albert Wilson (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk)
Non-Tendered:
- 49ers: CB Chris Davis (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com)
- Buccaneers: LS Andrew DePaola (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Dolphins: TE Dominique Jones (via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald)
- Saints: DE Kasim Edebali (via Herbie Teope of the Times-Picayune)
- Vikings: WR Charles Johnson (via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com)
ERFAs:
Tendered:
- Chargers: WR Isaiah Burse, TE Asante Cleveland, WR Geremy Davis, TE Sean McGrath, S Adrian Phillips (via Jack Wang of Los Angeles Daily News)
Contract Details: Jackson, Whitworth, Hyde
Let’s take a look at details of some recent free agent contracts:
- Wide receiver DeSean Jackson‘s deal with the Buccaneers is a three-year, $33.5MM pact that features $20MM in guarantees and $23.5MM over the first two seasons, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link).
- Safety D.J. Swearinger‘s new deal with the Redskins includes $9MM in guaranteed money, reports Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The journeyman will earn $3MM in 2018 and $4.25MM in 2019.
- Tackle Andrew Whitworth‘s new deal with the Rams is worth $36MM with $15MM guaranteed, but a big chunk of that $15MM could be realized in 2017. As Jason La Canfora tweets, the lineman’s $12.5MM 2017 salary is guaranteed, and he’s owed another $2.5MM bonus. Therefore, the contract could be interpreted as a one-year deal worth $15MM.
- Micah Hyde‘s new contract will count $4MM against the Bills salary cap next season, reports ESPN’s Mike Rodak. The safety’s 2017 salary is guaranteed, while the 2018 salary is guaranteed for injury (it becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year).
Contract Details: Garcon, Baker, Klein, Jones
Let’s take a look at some details of the free agent contracts signed today:
- Chris Baker, DL (Buccaneers): Three years, $15.75MM. $9MM guaranteed. $1MM in sack incentives each season (Twitter link via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
- Jack Crawford, DL (Falcons): Three years, $10.3MM. $3.75MM in 2017 (Twitter link via Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com).
- Pierre Garcon, WR (49ers): Two years, $23MM. $17MM guaranteed. Options for 2019 ($6MM), 2020 ($8.9MM), and 2021 ($9.6MM) (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
- Landry Jones, QB (Steelers): Two years, $4.4MM. $600K signing bonus (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com).
- A.J. Klein, LB (Saints): Four years, $24MM. $4MM signing bonus. $9.4MM guaranteed. 2020 season will void Klein is on Saints roster on last day of 2019 league year (via Nick Underhill of the Advocate).
- Jeff Locke, P (Colts): Two years, $3.45MM. $1.25MM guaranteed (Twitter links via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com and Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star).
- Ryan Mallett, QB (Ravens): One year, $2MM. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Akeem Spence, DL (Lions): Three years, $9MM. $3.5MM guaranteed. $1MM available via escalators (Twitter link via Peliserro).
- D.J. Swearinger, S (Redskins): Three years, $13.5MM. $9MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Kinkhabwala).
Bucs To Meet With J.J. Wilcox
The Buccaneers have scheduled a visit with free agent safety J.J. Wilcox, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
Wilcox appeared in 13 games last year as the Cowboys’ third safety behind Church and Byron Jones, but given that Dallas is reportedly bracing to lose many of its internal free agents, Wilcox appeared to be a goner. But with Church out of the picture, the Cowboys may push harder to re-sign Wilcox, as the club might not be comfortable starting special-teamer Jeff Heath in the back end.
Safety is a definite need area for the Buccaneers. Chris Conte has been re-signed, but Bradley McDougald is a pending free agent. Keith Tandy figures to take at least one of Tampa Bay’s starting safety jobs after playing well down the stretch in 2016, but the club could use another defensive back. Wilcox ranks 12th on PFR’s list of free agent safeties.
Conte’s deal, meanwhile, is a two-year, $5MM pact with $2.5MM guaranteed, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The max value is $7MM.
Buccaneers Re-Sign Jacquizz Rodgers
The Buccaneers have re-signed running back Jacquizz Rodgers, the team announced on Twitter. It’s a two-year, $3.3MM deal, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
The 27-year-old’s first season in Tampa was one of the best of his career. Rodgers established career-highs in multiple categories, compiling 560 yards and two touchdowns on 129 attempts (good for a 4.3 yards per carry average). The running back also collected another 13 receptions for 98 yards.
The Buccaneers are currently rostering four running backs on their roster: Rodgers, Charles Sims, Peyton Barber, and Russell Hansbrough. Former first-rounder Doug Martin is a free agent.
PFR ranked Rodgers as the seventh-best free agent running back, slotting in behind Darren McFadden and ahead of Rex Burkhead.
Buccaneers Re-Sign S Chris Conte
The Bucs are re-signing safety Chris Conte to new extension, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
“[I’m] Excited to be a part of what we’ve got building,” Conte told Auman.
Last year, Conte re-upped with the Bucs on a one-year, $3MM deal, his second consecutive one-year pact. This time around, he’ll get to take his coat off and stay a while.
In 2016, Conte had 64 total tackles and two interceptions. The advanced metrics weren’t crazy about him, however. He ranked as the No. 88 safety out of 89 qualified players, per Pro Football Focus. His career-low 42.0 overall score was weighed down by dreadful marks for run defense and by only slightly less dreadful marks for coverage and pass rush. In his previous two years with Tampa, he earned scores of 64.6 and 75.3.
Despite Conte’s re-signing, the Buccaneers are likely still in the market for safety help. Keith Tandy is projected to start at one spot after playing well down the stretch in 2016, but Tampa Bay needs to acquire another solid defensive back. They’ve been linked to free agent J.J. Wilcox, who reportedly has mutual interest in coming to town.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/17
Unrestricted free agent news will obviously dominate the day, but several clubs also had to make decisions on whether to offer tenders to restricted and exclusive rights free agents. All RFA tenders listed are original round/right of first refusal (worth $1.797MM), and all links go to Twitter:
RFAs:
Tendered:
- Buccaneers: QB Ryan Griffin (via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
- Chargers: WR Dontrelle Inman, ILB Korey Toomer (via Michael Gehlken)
- Dolphins: S Michael Thomas (via Tom Pelissero of USA Today)
- Lions: T Cornelius Lucas (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com)
- Ravens: CB Jumal Rolle (via Jamison Hensely of ESPN.com)
- Seahawks: T Garry Gilliam (via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com)
Non-Tendered:
- Cardinals: K Chandler Catanzaro, TE Darren Fells (via Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com)
- Chargers: RB Branden Oliver, DE Tenny Palepoi (Twitter links via Gehlken)
- Jets: TE Brandon Bostick, DT Mike Pennel (via Rich Cimini of ESPN)
- Packers: OLB Jayrone Elliott (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN), LB Jordan Tripp (per Demovsky)
- Seahawks: CB Mohammed Seisay, S Steven Terrell (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
ERFAs:
Tendered:
- Colts: WR Quan Brady (via Stephen Holder of the Indy Star)
- Seahawks: S Dewey McDonald, RB Troymaine Pope (Twitter links via Condotta)
Non-Tendered:
- Packers: RB John Crockett (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
Buccaneers To Sign Chris Baker
The Buccaneers are expected to sign free agent defensive lineman Chris Baker “barring any snags,” tweets Peter Schrager of FOX Sports.
Baker registered 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons and profiled as one of the top interior defenders available in free agency. He ranked 18th among interior defenders (4-3 defensive tackles, 3-4 nose tackles and 3-4 ends) in the opinion of Pro Football Focus last season. Baker, 29, started all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2016.
In Tampa Bay, Baker will team with Gerald McCoy to form a fearsome defensive interior. The Buccaneers don’t blitz very often, so generating any sort of pressure — from the interior or otherwise — is often dependent on the front four getting to the quarterback. In addition to Baker and McCoy, the Bucs’ line also consists of Robert Ayers, Noah Spence, and Jacquies Smith, among others.
Baker becomes the second free agent to make the trip from Washington to Tampa Bay, joining wide receiver DeSean Jackson in that regard.
Contract Details: Jones, Taylor, Branch, D-Jax, Bitonio, Davis
Here’s the latest on some of the latest contracts agreed to this week.
- Chandler Jones‘ five-year Cardinals extension will pay him $16.5MM per year, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets. Jones will make $53MM in guaranteed money from his second NFL contract, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports adds (on Twitter).
- Tyrod Taylor‘s restructured Bills deal is a two-year, $30.5MM pact, La Canfora reports (on Twitter), adding that the rest of it voids after 2018. Taylor will make $15.5MM in guarantees as a result of the re-done pact and $14.5MM in 2017. La Canfora adds the quarterback stands to collect $16MM in ’18.
- Andre Branch‘s three-year Dolphins deal is worth $24MM, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Volin adds the contract includes two fully guaranteed years– at $17MM — for the 27-year-old pass-rusher. Volin adds that Branch could see $3.75MM more via incentives. Branch will receive a $6MM signing bonus, make $2.9MM in base salary in 2017, $7.9MM in ’18 and $6.9MM in ’19, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
-
DeSean Jackson‘s Buccaneers pact will be worth approximately $11MM per year, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
- Joel Bitonio‘s five-year Browns extension will pay out $47.5MM in base salary, Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com tweets, adding $23MM in guarantees are included. The new deal kicks in after Bitonio’s 2017 season, so he’s under contract in Cleveland through 2022.
- Vernon Davis‘ second Redskins contract will include a $4MM signing bonus and $7.5MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. His base salaries from 2017-19, respectively, are $2MM, $3.75MM and $4.75MM.
- Courtney Upshaw re-signing with the Falcons on a one-year deal will result in $1.15MM coming his way in 2017, Wilson tweets. The defender gets a $125K signing bonus and will make $775K in base salary this season.
Buccaneers To Sign DeSean Jackson
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson expects to sign with Tampa assuming no breakdown in the final negotiations, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Facebook link). He should provide Jameis Winston with the deep threat he has been seeking. 
Jackson led the NFL in yards per reception for the second time in his career last season and showed that he hasn’t lost a bit of his blazing speed. He was also linked to the Patriots and the incumbent Redskins, but the Buccaneers have been in pursuit of him for days now (perhaps even before the start of the legal tampering period).
Jackson will now pair with Mike Evans at the top of the Bucs’ wide receiver depth chart. Adam Humphries and Josh Huff are also there, but the Bucs might look to add an additional receiver via free agency or the draft. Vincent Jackson, Cecil Shorts III, and Russell Shepard are all unrestricted free agents this week. The competition for Shepard is apparently heating up, so he might not be back. V. Jackson won’t be retiring, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be back in Tampa either.
Following an underwhelming 2015 campaign, Jackson bounced back in 2016. In 15 games, the veteran hauled in 56 receptions for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns. In nine NFL seasons, the wideout has averaged 55 receptions, 980 yards, and five touchdowns in 14 games per season.
Jackson rated as PFR’s No. 26 free agent based on projected earning power. He was our No. 5 ranked wide receiver based on ability, behind Alshon Jeffery, Terrelle Pryor, Kenny Stills, and Kenny Britt.