Vikings, Eric Kendricks Agree To Reworked Deal
The Vikings just agreed to a five-year extension for running back Dalvin Cook, and in order to create sufficient cap room for that deal, the club restructured the contract of LB Eric Kendricks. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Minnesota converted $6MM of Kendricks’ base salary into a signing bonus to spread out his cap charge (Twitter link).
This is the second year in a row that the Vikings and Kendricks have come together on a reworked deal. Last May, the club and Kendricks agreed to a similar restructure that may have allowed TE Kyle Rudolph to remain in Minnesota.
Of course, these types of kicking-the-can-down-the-road maneuvers always carry some risks, especially considering that the 2021 cap is expected to decrease. But Kendricks, who signed a five-year extension in 2018 that runs through the 2023 campaign, continues to play at a high level. As of right now, it looks like he will see the end of his contract — or sign another extension before then — so the dead cap charges that increase in a restructure like this one may never come into play.
Kendricks, 28, posted his fourth consecutive 100+ tackle campaign in 2019. He tallied 110 tackles in 15 games (all starts), and he graded out as the second-best LB in the league per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. That effort led to a Pro Bowl nod and First Team All-Pro selection in 2019, the first such honors of his career.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/20
Here are Saturday’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Pharaoh Brown, TE Troy Fumagalli
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Caleb Benenoch
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/12/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves. Many of these roster decisions involve practice squad promotions. Under the new CBA, teams are permitted to promote two P-squad players without corresponding roster moves per week. Teams can carry 55 players on their rosters for game days and can have up to 48 active.
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB D.J. Foster
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Jordan Richards
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: K Cairo Santos
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DE Amani Bledsoe, S Trayvon Henderson
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Robert Jackson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: G Kenny Wiggins, RB Jonathan Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Krys Barnes
- Promoted: LB Tipa Galeai, TE John Lovett
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: RB Nathan Cottrell, TE Ben Ellefson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: G Ryan Groy, FB Gabe Nabers
Miami Dolphins
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Nate Brooks
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LB Hardy Nickerson
- Signed: DB Nate Meadors
New England Patriots
- Promoted: K Nick Folk, DT Xavier Williams
- Placed on IR: WR Gunner Olszewski
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Bennie Fowler, DL Margus Hunt
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DE Anthony Lanier
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Mike White
- Promoted: RB Josh Adams, WR Josh Malone
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DT T.Y. McGill, G Sua Opeta
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: C Hroniss Grasu, CB Dontae Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: T Chad Wheeler
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson, DB Mazzi Wilkins
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Cam Sims
Bills Place Josh Norman On IR
Josh Norman‘s Bills tenure will not include game action for a while. The team placed the veteran cornerback on IR Saturday.
Norman was already set to miss Week 1 with a hamstring injury. He will now be forced to miss at least two more games. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the NFL to further alter its IR rule. Teams can activate an unlimited number of players from IR after three weeks, rather than the usual eight.
Buffalo signed Norman to a one-year, $6MM deal in March. Norman did not fare especially well for most of his four-year Washington tenure, but a Bills stay means a return to work with his former defensive coordinator in Sean McDermott. Those plans are now on hold.
The Bills also promoted cornerback Cam Lewis and defensive tackle Justin Zimmer from their practice squad Saturday.
Rams, WR Cooper Kupp Agree To Three-Year Deal
Cooper Kupp is sticking around Los Angeles for at least the next few years. The team announced that they’ve signed the wideout to a three-year extension. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the deal is worth up to $48MM.
Earlier this week, there was some pessimism surrounding a Cooper Kupp/Rams extension, but the two sides apparently made up some ground. Earlier today, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported (via Twitter) that the organization and the wideout had “made significant progress on a large new contract extension.”
We heard on Wednesday that the Rams were still pushing for a deal, but reports indicated that there was still “a lot of work to be done.” It was always going to be tough for the Rams to give Kupp a significant pay increase on his $2MM salary for the upcoming season. The organization is right against the cap, especially after they inked cornerback Jalen Ramsey to a new deal. Of course, the Rams have some flexibility to pay Kupp in future seasons (although they were projected to have just $9MM in space in 2021 prior to this extension).
While the Rams’ lack of cap space was a concern, it was also going to be tough to settle on a final number. As our own Dallas Robinson noted earlier this week, Jarvis Landry is the only slot receiver to be in the top-15 highest-paid players at his position ($75.5MM). Kupp could probably argue for more than that, but you’ve got to assume that the front office was wary of overspending on the wideout.
The 2017 third-round pick has been a productive member of the Rams offense since his rookie season, but he took it to a new level in 2019 after appearing in 16 games for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old set career-highs in receptions (94), receiving yards (1,161), and touchdowns (10). With Brandin Cooks now out of the picture in Los Angeles, Kupp will have a chance to build off those numbers in 2020.
Saints, RB Alvin Kamara Agree To Extension
Another running back is inking a sizable extension. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that running back Alvin Kamara has signed a five-year extension with the Saints. The deal is worth $75MM in new money ($77.133MM overall), including a $15MM signing bonus. Rapoport adds that Kamara will earn$34.333MM in guaranteed money.
It’s been a tumultuous few weeks for the two sides. At one point, Kamara was skipping practices, and subsequent reports indicated that the Saints would consider moving the Pro Bowler in a trade (in exchange for a first-rounder, of course). Then, earlier this week, we learned that an extension was “extremely close,” an indication that the two sides apparently made up.
Christian McCaffrey‘s record-setting $16MM-AAV deal still leads the running back position, but Kamara will be right behind him at $15MM per year. Dalvin Cook also inked an extension today that’ll be worth $12.6MM per season, and Joe Mixon previously signed a deal that will pay him $12MM a year. Austin Ekeler (UDFA) and Kareem Hunt are among the other running backs from the 2017 class to earn extensions, with the likes of Aaron Jones and James Conner still waiting for theirs.
Since 2017, Kamara has registered an eye-popping 4,476 yards from scrimmage, teaming up with Drew Brees and Michael Thomas to form one of the best offensive trios in the NFL. The former third-round pick has earned three Pro Bowl nods, second-team All-Pro recognition, and a number of rookie accolades.
Vikings Sign RB Dalvin Cook To Five-Year Extension
The Vikings and running back Dalvin Cook have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com (via Twitter). Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets that the deal is worth $63MM with $28MM in guaranteed money. Pelissero adds that Cook earned a $15.5MM signing bonus, which is the largest for a non-QB in team history.
It was only a few days ago that we heard the two sides were “not close” on a deal. The Vikings had been negotiating with Cook’s camp for some time, and despite the Vikings front office tabling talks back in August, both sides were still focused on completing a deal. Talks never sounded contentious, although Cook did stage a mini holdout earlier this offseason. While it never seemed like Cook was going to sit out, things could have gotten worse if Minny tagged the running back following the 2020 campaign. Now, obviously, that isn’t a concern.
Earlier this year, Cook was reportedly targeting a $15MM/year salary, but it always seemed unlikely the Vikings would come anywhere near that figure. The new deal will pay him around $12.6MM per year, which is a step up on Joe Mixon‘s recent four-year, $48MM deal with the Bengals.
Now 25 years old, Cook has been always been productive when he’s been able to remain on the field. Last year, the former second-round pick posted 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground and added 53 receptions and 519 yards in the passing game. Health has always remained a question mark for Cook, however, and his 14 games in 2019 marked a career-high.
Broncos Extend K Brandon McManus
The Broncos are holding on to Brandon McManus for the foreseeable future. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last night (via Twitter) that the veteran kicked has signed a four-year extension with Denver. The deal is worth $17.2MM with $9.5MM in guaranteed money.
The 29-year-old was traded from the Giants to the Broncos prior to the 2014 campaign, and McManus has unexpectedly become one of the most accurate kickers in franchise history. He ranks second in Broncos history in field goal percentage (81.5%), and he holds the franchise record for best postseason field goal percentage.
McManus is also 11 field goals away from jumping both Matt Prater and Jim Turner for second-most field goals made in franchise history, and he currently sits fifth on the Broncos’ all-time scoring list. Of course, McManus already earned a spot in Broncos lore after connecting on all 10 of his field goal attempts during the Broncos’ run to a Super Bowl championship.
McManus was productive once again in 2019. He connected on 29 of his 34 field goal attempts, and he was a perfect 15-for-15 from within the 40. The veteran also connected on 25 of his 26 extra point tries.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/11/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S T.J. Green
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DL Joey Ivie, DT Tanzel Smart
- Cut: T Brady Aiello, RB Benny LeMay
Houston Texans
- Signed: QB Alex McGough
New England Patriots
- Cut: OL Corey Levin
Washington Football Team
- Signed K Brett Maher
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/10/20
Here are Thursday’s practice squad decisions:
Green Bay Packers
- Cut: RB Damarea Crockett, T Alex Light
New York Jets
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Donte Moncrief
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Kenjon Barner