Lions Restructure Jamie Collins’ Deal
The Lions have restructured Jamie Collins‘ contract, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Collins will still earn $9MM as scheduled, except with the addition of some voidable years. The exact new cap number is not yet clear, but the linebacker will come in at a lower figure than his slated $11.3MM. 
[RELATED: Lions Sign Tyrell Williams]
Collins reunited with old Patriots pal Matt Patricia last offseason. Even though Patricia is out of the picture, Collins will be staying put. He still effectively has two years to go on his initial three-year, $30MM deal.
The 31-year-old (32 in October) logged a career-high seven sacks in 2019 for the Pats, plus 81 total tackles, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. In his first Lions season, Collins did less pass rushing, but did record 101 stops.
The Lions still have some work to do on that side of the ball, such as finding a replacement for cornerback Desmond Trufant. Meanwhile, they’ve already begun to shape their wide receiver group. Tyrell Williams agreed to a one-year deal this week — the Lions hope that he’ll be serving as the WR2, behind Kenny Golladay.
Broncos To Franchise Tag Justin Simmons
The Broncos will use the franchise tag on safety Justin Simmons, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The news was first reported by Benjamin Albright of KOA (Twitter link). 
“Justin is one of our core guys. Our goal is to sign him to a long-term deal,” new GM George Paton said recently, with Simmons echoing that sentiment.
The two sides now have until mid-July to hammer out a multi-year deal. If they don’t, Simmons will play out the year with a 20% increase over last year’s tag. Since Simmons received an $11.4MM tag last year, his 2021 price would rise to $13.7MM.
There are five safeties averaging at least $14MM on their respective long-term contracts, establishing a clear floor for Simmons. The Broncos already have plenty invested at safety, with Kareem Jackson making $11MM/year on average, but in his prime at the age of 27. He is also coming off his first Pro Bowl nod after nabbing five interceptions and playing on every defensive snap the third year in a row.
Bills Extend Micah Hyde
The Bills have signed Micah Hyde to a brand new deal. The safety is now locked up through 2023, thanks to his two-year extension. The add-on is worth $19.25MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), keeping his cap number roughly the same as last season. 
[RELATED: Bills To Meet With Palardy]
Hyde spent the early part of his career with the Packers, the joined the Bills on a five-year, $30MM deal in 2017. In that first year, Hyde earned a Pro Bowl nod along with second-team All-Pro honors. He’s racked up 17 interceptions over the years, including his most recent one against the Niners in December. In 2020, he also notched 70 tackles and five passes defensed. The Bills now have Hyde and Jordan Poyer locked up for multiple seasons, securing one of the league’s stronger safety duos.
There’s still more work to be done in Buffalo, including today’s get-together with Michael Palardy. This will mark the punter’s first visit since getting dropped by the Panthers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/5/21
We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: K Zane Gonzalez
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: K Tristan Vizcaino
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: C J.C. Hassenauer
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: TE Ross Dwelley, S Marcell Harris
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: RB/FB Khari Blasingame
Eagles, Jason Kelce Agree To New Deal
Jason Kelce isn’t going anywhere. On Friday, the center agreed to a new deal that will keep him with the Birds for 2021 (via Kelce, on Instagram). 
The new deal will give Kelce up to $12MM in 2021, with $9MM guaranteed. It’s not immediately clear whether additional years have been added to the pact. Technically speaking, Kelce was already under contract through the 2024 season, though the 22-24 seasons are voidable. This isn’t the first time that Kelce has met the Eagles in the middle. The aforementioned void years were added in 2019, to reduce his cap charge by about $4MM.
Kelce, 34 in November, went from a sixth-round pick to an offensive line staple. Over the years, he’s made 142 starts for the Eagles while earning three first-team All-Pro nods. In 2019, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 center for his work across 1,227 snaps. Last year, Kelce flirted with retirement, but ultimately decided to come back for another year. That means giving up his brief stint in the world of professional arm wrestling, though he left the sport with a perfect 2-0 record.
Bengals Release B.J. Finney
The Bengals have released center B.J. Finney, per a club announcement. Finney came over to the Bengals in last year’s Carlos Dunlap trade but only wound up dressing for one game.
The Bengals are looking to remake their offensive line this year after watching rookie quarterback Joe Burrow get battered. Even before the season started, the O-Line was viewed as a major liability. Then, in Week 11, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL. Historically, they haven’t spent big on the front five, but you can expect that to change once free agency opens. Or, they could turn to the trade market, where high-priced veterans like Giants guard Kevin Zeitler and Jaguars guard Andrew Norwell could be up for grabs.
While most clubs are facing a cap crunch, the Bengals are well-positioned to spend. Even before the release of Finney, they were projected to have upwards of $40MM in room, depending on the final cap figure. Now, the center is free to go where ever he wants, and that could lead to a Pittsburgh return.
Washington Releases Alex Smith
As expected, the Washington Football Team has released Alex Smith. Even after Smith defied the odds in his comeback return, the WFT was unwilling to keep him and his sizable cap hit. 
Smith’s return from a horrific 2018 leg injury was one of 2020 feel-good stories. Washington went 5-1 in his starts and managed to win the NFC East with Smith at the helm. Smith worked tirelessly to get back on the field, but Ron Rivera and the rest of the regime didn’t necessarily want him back.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said recently. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance.”
“They tried to put me on PUP for two weeks, then they tried to IR me. I felt like I still hadn’t had my fair shake at that point. I wanted to see if I could play quarterback and play football, and I feel like I hadn’t been given that opportunity yet to find that out.”
By releasing Smith, Washington will save $14.7MM this offseason. Meanwhile, they’ll carry $8.6MM in dead money.
In the interest of equal time: Smith’s on-field performance didn’t quite justify his salary. In 2020, he threw for six touchdowns against eight interceptions with a 78.5 QB rating.
Chiefs’ Anthony Sherman Retires From NFL
A big part of these recent Andy Reid era Chiefs teams has been fullback Anthony Sherman, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be back in Kansas City in 2021. Sherman appeared to announce his retirement in a video he posted to Twitter.
In the brief video, Sherman thanked Kansas City and said it was “on to the next chapter,” using the hashtag ‘retirement.’ A fifth-round pick of the Cardinals back in 2011, Sherman spent his first two years in Arizona before getting traded to the Chiefs prior to the 2013 season. He spent the next eight years as Kansas City’s fullback, and only missed three total games in that span.
He never played a huge role on offense, usually only getting a handful of receptions and rushing attempts per season. But he was solid as a lead blocker and played a big role on special teams, even making the Pro Bowl in 2018.
He’ll wrap up his impressive ten-year career with 66 catches for 552 yards and four touchdowns, and 28 carries for 73 yards and another score. He of course won Super Bowl LIV with the team, and all of us here at PFR wish Sherman the best in retirement.
Seahawks Release Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon officially won’t be returning to the NFL with the Seahawks. Seattle has released the embattled wide receiver, as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets.
It’s an expected move, especially after we heard last week that Gordon was planning on playing in the startup Fan Controlled Football League that’s affiliated with his close friend Johnny Manziel. Gordon is still only 29 and could theoretically always return to the NFL one day, but clearly Seattle doesn’t have any intention of waiting around any longer. Back in January, the league rescinded Gordon’s reinstatement and he’s now suspended indefinitely again.
Gordon appeared on the verge of taking the field for a while, and was activated to the roster by the Seahawks in December, but ultimately his personal issues got in the way once again. Of course, he never ended up playing in a game for Seattle in 2020. He played in six games with the Patriots and five with the Seahawks in 2019.
The team appeared committed to developing him into a new weapon for Russell Wilson at a low price, but it never worked out and included plenty of hiccups along the way. Never say never with Gordon, but it appears likely at this point that he’s played his final NFL down. It feels like a lifetime ago that he had his 1,646 yard and nine touchdown season with Cleveland back in 2013.
Saints Cut Thomas Morstead
The Saints are cutting a long-time member of the team. New Orleans has released punter Thomas Morstead, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football confirmed (Twitter link). The news was first reported by Nader Mirfiq (on Twitter).
The move frees up about $2.5MM in cap space. The team unusually kept UDFA rookie Blake Gillikin on the active roster at the beginning of last year before placing him on injured reserve, perhaps signaling they viewed him as the punter of the future. Morstead was more than just the team’s punter, he was also a leader in the locker room and fan favorite due to his long tenure and consistent performance.
Drafted by the Saints in the fifth-round all the way back in 2009, he’s been with them for the past 12 seasons. He’s never missed a game during that span, and he won Super Bowl XLIV with the team. Still only 34, he should have plenty left in the tank physically and should be able to find a new home.
The highest-paid punter in the game for a while, Morstead made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and was also a second-team All-Pro that year. On a zoom call with the media shortly after the news broke, Morstead confirmed he plans to play elsewhere and said last year’s drop in production was due to lingering injuries, Underhill tweets.
He also thanked the fans and Saints, saying “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and thanks. … My whole experience with the organization has been outstanding,” via another tweet from Underhill.