Bears To Sign DE Mario Edwards
It didn’t take long for Mario Edwards to find a new home. One day after being released by the Saints, the veteran defensive end has agreed to sign with the Bears, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter).
New Orleans was reportedly interested in re-signing Edwards to its practice squad, but the Bears were quick to pounce in an effort to bolster their defensive line depth. Though Chicago’s LB corps looks pretty stout, the club is a bit thin along the D-line in the wake of Eddie Goldman‘s decision to opt out of the 2020 season.
Edwards is not a replacement for Goldman, a nose tackle, but he will provide a more experienced DE to bookend with Akiem Hicks. He will likely push 2018 fifth-rounder Bilal Nichols for playing time.
Now 26, Edwards has never lived up to his status as a second-round draft choice. The Raiders selected the Florida State product in the 2015 draft, but he was waived after three seasons with Oakland. The Giants claimed him off waivers, and he parlayed his one year with Big Blue into a two-year, $5MM pact with the Saints last offseason. New Orleans liked him enough to keep him on this year’s practice squad but did not consider him good enough to be a part of its deep D-line rotation.
The Bears, however, don’t have as much depth, so they will give Edwards a spot on the 53-man roster.
Lions Sign Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson is back in the NFC North. After being released by Washington on Friday, the longtime Viking and future Hall-of-Fame running back is signing with the Lions, as veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson was first to report (Twitter link).
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Peterson’s deal with Detroit will be a one-year pact worth a minimum of $1.05MM, though there are incentives to push that number a bit higher (Twitter link). Sources tell Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the deal will max out at $2.3MM and that the incentives are based upon yardage and touchdowns.
Although the Lions’ RB room is crowded, it also has a few question marks. The club selected Kerryon Johnson in the second round of the 2018 draft, and while he has shown flashes of promise, he has missed significant time over his first two years in the league due to knee injuries. Detroit added one of the best RB prospects in this year’s draft in Georgia product D’Andre Swift, but Swift missed nearly two weeks of training camp with a knee injury.
So there is definitely a possibility that Peterson could play a significant role, at least early on in the season as Swift tries to make up for lost time. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press believes Peterson will end up poaching more of Johnson’s expected work than Swift’s, including, perhaps, goal-line touches.
With the Lions, Peterson will reunite with Darrell Bevell, Detroit’s offensive coordinator who served in the same capacity with the Vikings during Peterson’s first four years in Minnesota (when he piled up four Pro Bowl nods and two First Team All-Pro selections). As Peterson told Anderson, “[the Lions are] giving me an opportunity to play. I know Coach Bevell from my days in Minnesota. Ultimately I feel comfortable going there and helping them to get better.”
Peterson, 35, has rushed for 14,216 yards, putting him roughly 1,000 yards behind Barry Sanders for fourth on the NFL’s all-time career list. He might not be the player he once was, but he did average a solid 4.2 yards per carry over the 2018-19 campaigns with Washington. Between him, Johnson, and Swift, the Lions should be able to improve upon the 103.1 rushing yards per game they mustered in 2019, which put them near the bottom third of the league.
Jadeveon Clowney To Sign With Titans
Just a few days before the start of the 2020 regular season, Jadeveon Clowney finally has a new home. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Clowney is signing a one-year deal with the Titans that is worth at least $12MM and that will max out at $15MM (Twitter link).
Though Clowney’s name has been a prominent part of the NFL news cycle all offseason, his market really started to pick up within the past week or so. It was reported at the end of last month that the Ravens had emerged as the frontrunners for his services, and then we learned that the Titans and Saints were pushing to sign him. The Seahawks and Browns were among the other clubs that expressed legitimate interest during Clowney’s lengthy stay on the market.
According to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com — who first reported last night that Clowney was planning to sign with Tennessee — the Saints’ offer came in about $2MM lower than the Titans’ proposal (Twitter link). Dan Graziano of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that New Orleans really wanted to get a deal done and even talked to veterans already on the roster about reworking their contracts to create cap room. Graziano says Seattle continued to monitor the situation but ultimately felt that a $12MM minimum payout was too rich (Twitter link). And per Albert Breer of SI.com, Clowney wanted to sign with Baltimore, but the Ravens were perhaps more lukewarm on the idea than was reported (Twitter link).
As opposed to most of the other teams that were connected to Clowney, the Titans have been involved in the process all along. They extended an offer months ago and never stopped their pursuit. Given the presence of head coach Mike Vrabel — the Texans’ LB coach and defensive coordinator during Clowney’s first four years in Houston — and Tennessee’s relative proximity to Clowney’s South Carolina home, the Titans always felt like a logical fit.
Clowney, 27, is not without his detractors. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft battled injuries in the early part of his career, and he underwent core muscle surgery this offseason. For months, teams could not bring him into their facilities to evaluate him due to COVID-19 restrictions, and (fair or not) it seems that health concerns will always be a part of his resume.
There is also the issue of his lack of sack production to consider. Clowney has never posted double-digit sacks in a season, and he mustered just three with the Seahawks last season. On the other hand, Clowney supporters will point to his ability to disrupt a passing game even without gaudy sack totals, and he can be a menace against the run as well. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2016-18, and the Titans hope his familiarity with Vrabel’s defense will help him return to that level of play.
It may take Clowney and fellow free agent acquisition Vic Beasley a week or two to get fully up to speed. But once they do, they will team with Harold Landry and Jeffery Simmons to form the foundation of an intriguing front seven, one that could certainly help the Titans get back to the postseason.
Clowney did not get the massive multi-year contract with a $20MM AAV that he was seeking when free agency opened, but he will have a good chance to improve his stock with the Titans. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Titans have agreed that they will not use the franchise tag on Clowney next offseason. That same provision was worked into his Seahawks deal after he was traded to Seattle last year and may have ultimately cost him several million dollars, but he is clearly willing to bet on his ability to land a long-term pact with significant guarantees. With the 2021 salary cap expected to decrease, though, even a career-best showing this year might not be enough to get him that type of deal next offseason.
49ers Cut Dion Jordan, Kevin White
On Saturday, the 49ers put a pair of former first-round notables on the curb. Defensive end Dion Jordan and Kevin White were dropped from the roster as a part of the club’s 20+ cuts on Saturday. 
Jordan’s NFL career has taken some odd turns, to say the least. After being selected No. 3 overall by the Dolphins, Jordan did little to justify his pre-draft hype. After some underwhelming seasons, missed seasons, and a number of suspensions, Jordan found his way to the Seahawks in 2017. In 2018, he showed some promise as a rotational piece, and he parlayed that into a one-year deal with the Raiders. He hooked on with the Niners in early August, but he didn’t get to stay for long.
White, a former No. 7 overall pick of the Bears, came out of West Virginia with tons of hype. Over the last five years, injuries have limited him to just 14 games. The Niners have been decimated by injuries at wide receiver, but they still didn’t see enough out of White’s ~1 week audition to keep him. For his career, White has 25 catches for 285 yards and zero touchdowns.
Here’s the full rundown of the 49ers’ cuts:
- DL Alex Barrett
- WR River Cracraft
- S Johnathan Cyprien
- DL Darrion Daniels
- LB Evan Foster
- OL Hroniss Grasu
- TE MarQueis Gray
- TE Chase Harrell
- CB Tim Harris Jr.
- RB JaMycal Hasty
- FB Josh Hokit
- WR Jauan Jennings
- CB Dontae Johnson
- OL Jaryd Jones-Smith
- DL Dion Jordan
- DL Cameron Malveaux
- S Jared Mayden
- WR Shawn Poindexter
- OL Dakoda Shepley
- OL William Sweet
- CB Jamar Taylor
- LB Joe Walker
- WR Kevin White
Texans Sign QB Deshaun Watson To Four-Year Extension
The Texans have locked up quarterback Deshaun Watson through 2025. Mark Berman of FOX 26 News reports (via Twitter) that the Pro Bowler has signed a four-year extension that’s worth $39MM annually. The deal also includes a $27MM signing bonus. The deal will be tacked on to the two remaining years of Watson’s current contract. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the deal is worth a total of $177.54MM with nearly $111MM in guaranteed money.
Watson’s contract comes almost exactly two months after Patrick Mahomes signed his monster extension with the Chiefs. Mahomes still paces the position with an AAV of $45MM, but Watson’s $39MM AAV now ranks second above the likes of Russell Wilson ($35MM), Ben Roethlisberger ($34MM), Aaron Rodgers ($33.5MM), and Jared Goff ($33.5MM).
Of course, it’s not particularly surprising that Watson was able to garner such a deal. Since being selected with the 12th-overall pick in the 2017 draft, the Clemson product has emerged as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite tearing his ACL during his rookie campaign, Watson has managed to appear in 31 of the Texans’ 32 regular season games. Over that span, the 24-year-old has completed 67.8-percent of his passes for an average of 4008.5 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10.5 interceptions per season. He’s also continued to be dynamic running the ball, as he’s averaged 482 rushing yards and six scores per season between 2018 and 2019.
Perhaps most importantly, Watson has led the Texans to a 21-10 regular-season record over the past two seasons. Following a disappointing playoff loss to the Colts in 2018, the quarterback earned his first career postseason victory by beating the Bills in the 2019 Wild Card Round. He lost to the eventual champs in the second round, but he still tossed two touchdowns and scored another on the ground.
We learned earlier this week that the Texans were pushing to extend Watson prior to the start of the season, although negotiations were described as “not close.” Watson had made it clear that he wasn’t seeking a deal that was similar in length to Mahomes’ contract. One report indicated that the quarterback wanted a three-year deal, and there were rumblings that he was seeking around $40MM per year.
With Watson signing his new deal, we can now turn our extension-focused eyes to a pair of other signal callers. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should both be in line for lucrative deals, especially following the recent quarterback extensions.
Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal
The Bills and Tre’Davious White have struck agreement on a four-year contract extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact is worth $69MM and could potentially reach a round $70MM by way of Pro Bowl incentives. Most importantly, the deal includes $55MM in guaranteed cash for the star cornerback, though it’s not immediately clear if that’s fully guaranteed at signing.
[RELATED: Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53]
The deal has been in the works for a while. Previously, White was set to earn $1.8MM in base pay this year before playing out his $10.2MM fifth-year option in 2021. As one of the league’s premier defenders, White was understandably anxious to lock in his payday. Last year, White led the NFL with six interceptions, giving him a dozen picks over the last three years in total.
White’s $17.25MM/year average positions him as the highest-paid cornerback in the league, edging out Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual salary. It’s a big investment, but it’s well worth it for a truly elite cornerback who only just turned 25 in January.
Bills fans may never get over losing out on Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, but White is quite the consolation prize. The No. 27 overall pick has allowed only five touchdowns since entering the league and his 60.6 passer rating ranks as the second-highest of any player over the last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. After briefly considering an opt out, White is ready to lead the charge for the Bills in 2020 – and beyond.
Saints Cut Margus Hunt, Drop Roster To 53
Here is how the Saints moved their roster down to 53 players Saturday:
Waived:
- LB Joe Bachie
- WR Emmanuel Butler
- WR Austin Carr
- DE T.J. Carter
- LB Andrew Dowell
- TE Garrett Griffin
- CB Kemon Hall
- WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
- WR Juwan Johnson
- RB Tony Jones Jr.
- OL Jordan Steckler
- TE/QB Tommy Stevens
- OL Calvin Throckmorton
- C Cameron Tom
- DB Keith Washington
- TE Ethan Wolf
Released:
- LB Anthony Chickillo (story)
- DL Mario Edwards (story)
- WR Bennie Fowler
- G Patrick Omameh
- DL Margus Hunt
Waived/injured:
- RB Saquan Hamilton
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- LB Kiko Alonso
Placed on IR:
Placed on reserve/suspended list:
- OL James Hurst
Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53
Here are the roster decisions the Bills made to move to the mandated 53-man regular-season limit.
Waived:
- OT Trey Adams
- DB Brian Allen
- TE Nate Becker
- DE Bryan Cox Jr.
- TE Jason Croom
- WR Robert Foster
- G Marquel Harrell
- DB Dane Jackson
- DB Cam Lewis
- DE Mike Love
- DB Dean Marlowe
- T Victor Salako
- DT Tanzel Smart
- LB Andre Smith
- DT Vincent Taylor
- DB Josh Thomas
- RB Christian Wade
- T Brandon Walton
- QB Davis Webb
- RB Antonio Williams
- WR Duke Williams (story)
- DT Justin Zimmer
Released:
- OL Evan Boehm
- WR Andre Roberts
Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform:
The Bills signed Roberts to a two-year deal in 2019, doing so after he earned All-Pro recognition for his kick-return work on the 2018 Jets. Roberts has 10 years’ experience and two Pro Bowls on his resume. The second of those two Pro Bowl nods came last season with the Bills. Buffalo enters the season with its best chance to win the AFC East in maybe 20 years, so cutting an accomplished player is certainly surprising.
Foster made a splash as a rookie in 2018, but the Bills have overhauled their receiver group since. John Brown and Cole Beasley led the way last year, and the team traded for Stefon Diggs and drafted two wideouts — fourth-rounder Gabriel Davis and sixth-rounder Isaiah Hodgins — this year. Foster will nonetheless be an interest name on waivers.
Buffalo traded for Andre Smith earlier this week. The third-year linebacker could well be brought back on the team’s 16-player practice squad. Teams can begin assembling their P-squads Sunday.
Colts Place DE Kemoko Turay On PUP List, Cut Roster To 53
Here are the players the Colts cut to slash their roster down to 53 players Saturday:
Waived:
- CB Andre Chachere
- TE Dominique Dafney
- G Jake Eldrenkamp
- WR Daurice Fountain
- TE Farrod Green
- DE Gerri Green
- WR DeMichael Harris
- T Brandon Hitner
- C Joey Hunt
- WR Marcus Johnson
- QB Chad Kelly
- DT Kameron Kline
- K Chase McLaughlin (story)
- T Carter O’Donnell
- C Javon Patterson
- CB Lafayette Pitts
- CB Jackson Porter
- S Donald Rutledge
- CB Tremon Smith
- TE Andrew Vollert
- DT Chris Williams
- DT Robert Windsor
- CB Travis Reed
Released:
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- DE Kemoko Turay
Turay’s PUP placement will shelve him for at least the season’s first six games. It is a concerning sign for the former second-round pick, who suffered a broken ankle last October. The Colts were counting on him to play a key edge-rushing role, potentially as the counterpart to starter Justin Houston. The team has not been connected to Jadeveon Clowney since March and also avoided investments in other available pass rushers this offseason.
Kelly spent time on Indianapolis’ practice squad last year and could well end up there again. The Colts recently signed Hunt, a former Seahawks backup/spot starter, and added Grimble this offseason. Both Grimble and his ex-Steelers teammate, Roosevelt Nix, failed to make the Colts’ roster. However, despite the players’ extensive experience, each could be placed on Indianapolis’ 16-man practice squad this year. Teams are permitted to carry six practice squad players with unlimited experience.
Steelers Trim Roster Down
The entire AFC North is now finished as the Steelers became the latest team to trim their roster to 53 players. Here are all the moves, we’ll recap the most notable ones at the bottom:
- QB Paxton Lynch
- DL Daniel McCullers
- WR Ryan Switzer
- DB Antoine Brooks Jr.
- RB Kerrith Whyte Jr.
- RB Trey Edmunds
- RB Wendell Smallwood
- WR Saeed Blacknall
- WR DeAndre Thompkins
- WR Deon Cain
- WR Amara Darboh
- OL Christian DiLauro
- OL John Keenoy
- OL Derwin Gray
- OL Anthony Coyle
- OL Jarron Jones
- TE Kyle Markway
- TE Kevin Rader
- DL Cavon Walker
- DL Henry Mondeaux
- DL Calvin Taylor
- LB Tuzar Skipper
- LB Jayrone Elliott
- DB Trajan Bandy
- DB John Battle
- P Corliss Waitman
- LS Liam McCullough
Lynch is probably the most well known of these names. The former Broncos first-round bust signed with the Steelers last year as insurance after multiple quarterback injuries. He’s running out of chances. Switzer has mostly contributed as a returner with Pittsburgh and Dallas, although he did have 36 catches with the Steelers in 2018.
Smallwood was one of the Eagles’ main running backs in 2018, but didn’t get too many touches with Washington last year. He’ll likely pop up somewhere else soon. Brooks Jr. was the Steelers’ sixth-round pick in this past draft, so he’s likely ticketed for the practice squad if he clears waivers.
McCullers has been with the Steelers the past six years so his is a significant departure even though the nose tackle only played 12 percent of the defensive snaps last season.