Seahawks, DT Poona Ford Agree To Two-Year Deal
8:16pm: Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports that the two-year pact has been agreed upon (Twitter link). The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds some more context (via Twitter), reporting that the deal is worth close to $14MM with incentives. Ford will receive $4.4MM in 2021, which is just shy of the first-round RFA tender amount. The 25-year-old will have a chance at bigger money in 2022, and he’ll hit unrestricted free agency in 2023.
6:42pm: The Seahawks lost one of their top unrestricted free agents earlier today when they saw Shaquill Griffin sign with the Jaguars, but they are trying to keep a key RFA in the fold. Per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Seattle is working on a two-year deal for defensive tackle Poona Ford.
A former college free agent out of Texas, Ford started all 16 games for the ‘Hawks last year, recording 40 tackles and a pair of sacks. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best interior defender, with PFF scoring him especially highly in run defense (he finished with the exact same overall score as Giants DL Leonard Williams).
Instead of giving Ford an RFA tender, the Seahawks are trying to buy out his first year of UFA eligibility and keep him around through 2022. He has served as a quality anchor for the club’s defensive front, so it makes sense that Seattle would want to continue the relationship for another couple of years.
The deadline to tender Ford is tomorrow if the two sides cannot come to terms on a multi-year pact.
Bears To Re-Sign OL Germain Ifedi
It sounds like the Bears’ pursuit of Trent Williams will not result in a deal, but the club is bringing back one of its own offensive linemen. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Chicago is re-signing Germain Ifedi to a one-year deal worth up to $5MM (Twitter link). Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that $4.25MM of that amount will be in the form of base salary.
This represents a nice raise for Ifedi, who signed a veteran salary benefit contract with the Bears last offseason. After serving as a guard during his rookie season in Seattle in 2016, the former first-round pick kicked out to right tackle for the 2017-19 seasons. Chicago moved him back into the interior of the line, and he performed reasonably well, grading out as Pro Football Focus’ 35th-best guard in the league (out of 80 qualifiers).
He also played better towards the end of the season, which certainly played a part in his pay bump. But after making a failed push for Williams and Russell Wilson, the Ifedi re-up is not likely to get the juices flowing for Bears fans.
The 26-year-old Texas A&M product will be blocking for Nick Foles, the newly-acquired Andy Dalton, or a rookie passer (or maybe all three).
Texans Expected To Sign CB Terrance Mitchell
It sounds like Terrance Mitchell is returning to Houston. The free agent cornerback is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Texans, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The pact is worth up to $7.5MM.
The 2014 seventh-round pick out of Oregon has put together a seven-year career with six different teams. That includes a brief stint with the Texans in 2016; Mitchell was claimed off waivers by Houston during the 2016 offseason, but he was waived at the end of the preseason.
Mitchell inked a three-year, $12MM deal with the Browns back in 2018, but he didn’t settle into a full-time starting role until his final season in Cleveland. This past year, the 28-year-old started all 16 games for the Browns, compiling a career-high 65 tackles to go along with three forced fumbles and 13 passes defended.
The Texans have been busy adding to their defense. Over the past few days, the team has agreed to terms with linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis.
Bills Trade TE Lee Smith To Falcons
The Bills are trading veteran tight end Lee Smith to the Falcons, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Buffalo will get a 2022 late-round selection in the swap.
Smith signed a three-year, $9MM pact with the Bills in May 2019, but that deal was heavily front-loaded. Today’s trade leaves no dead money on Buffalo’s books and will clear $2.25MM in cap space. Smith was due a $250K roster bonus on March 21, as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic tweets.
Now 33, Smith has caught just 64 passes for 458 yards over his 10-year career. But his blocking ability has allowed him to stick in the pros for as long as he has, and he will now take those skills to Atlanta. He will likely serve as a replacement for Luke Stocker, another veteran TE known more for his blocking prowess than his receiving talents.
Smith joins Hayden Hurst and Jaeden Graham in the Falcons’ TE room. He is due a $1.9MM salary in 2021.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/21
Tomorrow is the deadline for NFL teams to extend tender offers to their own restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Chiefs: G Andrew Wylie
- Colts: S George Odum
- Cowboys: DT Antwaun Woods
- Dolphins: OL Adam Pankey
- Packers: CB Chandon Sullivan, TE Robert Tonyan (second-round tender)
- Raiders: K Daniel Carlson (second-round tender)
- Texans: DT P.J. Hall, CB A.J. Moore
Non-Tendered:
- Packers: DL Tyler Lancaster
- Seahawks: LB Shaquem Griffin
- Vikings: RB Mike Boone, DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
Seahawks To Sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon
The 49ers have brought back two members of their huge class of free agent cornerbacks, but another appears headed to one of their top rivals. Ahkello Witherspoon is expected to sign with the Seahawks, according to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson (on Twitter). Per Matt Barrows of The Athletic, it will be a one-year pact for the Colorado product (Twitter link). Witherspoon will join a Seattle team that just lost Shaquill Griffin.
A third-round pick in the 2017 draft, Witherspoon turned in a strong rookie campaign, but he regressed in his second professional season. He was benched several times in 2018, and he ultimately graded out as the worst full-time corner that year, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics.
He did show some signs of life in his platform season, however. Though he started just four games and appeared in only 32% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps in 2020 — both career-low marks — PFF considered him a top-10 corner in terms of coverage ability. He is not a perfect replacement for Griffin, who agreed to a three-year, $40MM deal with the Jaguars earlier today, but he will come much cheaper.
According to Barrows, Witherspoon also generated interest from the Jets, Broncos, and Panthers, among other clubs. The ‘Hawks did get to see him up close quite a bit over the last four seasons, and they clearly liked what they saw.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Saints To Sign FB Alex Armah
Alex Armah is switching NFC South teams. The free agent fullback in signing with the Saints, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
The 26-year-old had spent his entire four-year career in Carolina, and he didn’t miss a game between the 2018 and 2020 seasons. During his four years with the Panthers, Armah ultimately compiled 64 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
The former sixth-rounder also has plenty of experience on special teams, appearing in 868 special teams snaps through his four seasons in the NFL. Armah has five career tackles.
In New Orleans, Armah will be protecting a running back grouping that includes Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, and Ty Montgomery.
Broncos Tender LB Alexander Johnson At Round 2 Level
The Broncos’ Phillip Lindsay RFA tender opens the door to his Denver exit. The franchise gave a higher-priority tender to one of its three-down linebackers.
Denver will tender Alexander Johnson at the second-round level, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Johnson and wide receiver Tim Patrick received second-round tenders, which come out to $3.4MM this year.
An unusual RFA, Johnson will turn 30 this year. A legal issue delayed his NFL career, but the former Tennessee Volunteer has thrived after receiving his opportunity in Denver. The Broncos turned to Johnson as their starting middle linebacker early in the 2019 season, and he has become one of the league’s better off-ball ‘backers. Joining Josey Jewell as Denver starting linebackers going into contract years, Johnson led the 2020 team in tackles with 124.
Given his age, Johnson may not be a candidate for a long-term deal. But he could be in the mix for either a medium-length Broncos extension before the mid-June RFA deadline or draw interest for a similarly structured pact in unrestricted free agency next year.
Both Johnson and Patrick were expected to draw interest from other teams, had the Broncos tendered them at the right-of-first-refusal level. The Broncos did place the low-end tender on Linsday, whose profile exceeds both Johnson and Patrick’s. It will be interesting to see if the Pro Bowl running back draws an offer sheet. Any offer sheet that comes for Patrick or Johnson would require the signing team to send a second-round pick to the Broncos, should they fail to match. This scenario seems unlikely, pointing both players back to Denver for the 2021 season.
Cardinals Re-Sign OL Kelvin Beachum
Kelvin Beachum is sticking around Arizona. The Cardinals announced that they’ve re-signed the offensive lineman to a two-year deal.
The 2012 seventh-round pick has put together a solid nine-year career with four different organizations. Following a three-year stint with the Jets, Beachum joined the Cardinals last offseason on a one-year deal. He ultimately started all 16 games for the Cardinals at right tackle, allowing only three sacks.
Beachum could have some competition for the starting gig in 2021. 2020 third-round pick Josh Jones figures to be in the mix, although the youngster has the ability to play both guard and tackle. The Cardinals will also welcome back Marcus Gilbert, whose decision to opt out of the 2020 season necessitated the Beachum signing in the first place.
Either way, the Cardinals are clearly looking to add as much offensive line depth as possible as they look to protect franchise quarterback Kyler Murray.
Eagles WR Marquise Goodwin Reverts Back To 49ers
If you’re a fan of weird NFL transactions, you’ll like this one. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that Eagles wideout Marquise Goodwin has reverted back to the 49ers, per the terms of the trade the teams completed last year.
However, it doesn’t sound like the veteran receiver’s second stint in San Francisco is going to last all that long. Yates notes that Goodwin is unlikely to fit into the 49ers’ plans at wide receiver, opining that this is merely “a procedural move.”
Following four seasons in Buffalo, Goodwin joined the 49ers back in 2017. He proceeded to have a breakout campaign for his new squad, hauling in 56 receptions for 962 yards and two touchdowns. However, the receiver didn’t come close to matching that production between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, compiling 605 yards from scrimmage and five scores in 20 games (14 starts).
Goodwin was dealt to the Eagles last April in a deal that saw the 49ers and Eagles swap sixth-round picks. The 30-year-old ultimately declared as an opt-out for the 2020 season, and his tenure in Philly ends without him taking the field for his new squad.