Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/19
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Brant Weiss (Alliance of American Football)
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: CB LB Isaiah Irving, DE Roy Robertson-Harris (exclusive rights free agents)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: DB Jordan Lucas (restricted free agent)
- Re-signed: K Harrison Butker, DT Justin Hamilton (ERFAs)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: CB Trevor Williams (RFA)
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: S Blake Countess (RFA)
- Re-signed: DE Morgan Fox, DB Dominique Hatfield, WR KhaDarel Hodge, WR JoJo Natson, DB Kevin Peterson (ERFAs)
New York Giants
- Re-signed: WR Corey Coleman (RFA)
Oakland Raiders
- Re-signed: WR Marcell Ateman, K Daniel Carlson, T Justin Murray (ERFAs)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: TE Xavier Grimble (RFA)
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: DB Greg Mabin (ERFA)
Seahawks OT George Fant Signs RFA Tender
Seahawks offensive tackle George Fant has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, while defensive end Quinton Jefferson has signed his original round RFA tender, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.
A collegiate basketball player with only one year of NCAA football experience (which came as a tight end), Fant went undrafted in 2016 but still managed to start 10 games during his rookie campaign in Seattle. A torn ACL cost Fant the 2017 season, but he rebounded to appear in all 16 games and play 35% of the Seahawks’ offensive snaps in 2018.
Fant, who will now collect a $3.095MM base salary next year, graded out well in 2018, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the No. 26 offensive tackle among 80 qualifiers. While he won’t be locked in as a starter heading into next season, Fant could compete with former fist-round pick Germain Ifedi for playing time at right tackle.
In addition to Fant and Jefferson, the Seahawks have also re-signed the following exclusive rights free agents:
- LB Austin Calitro
- LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
- C Joey Hunt
- DE Branden Jackson
- S Shalom Luani
- RB J.D. McKissic
- WR David Moore
- LS Tyler Ott
- CB Kalan Reed
- G Jordan Simmons
Vikings Re-Sign RFA Anthony Harris
The Vikings announced that safety Anthony Harris has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender. Offensive tackle Rashod Hill, meanwhile, has inked his original round RFA tender.
Harris, 27, had primarily been a special teams player throughout his Vikings career until midway through last season, when starting safety Andrew Sendejo went down with a groin injury. Harris stepped in opposite Harrison Smith and went on to post a breakout campaign, posting 46 tackles, three interceptions, and six passes defensed. Pro Football Focus was incredibly impressed with Harris’ play, ranking him as the NFL’s third-best safety.
Harris will earn a $3.095MM base salary in 2019 before hitting unrestricted free agency. While the Vikings could pursue an extension for Harris, they’re already projected to be among the most cap-strapped clubs in the NFL, and have several other players — including cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander and tight end Kyle Rudolph — scheduled to hit the open market next year. If Harris isn’t extended, he’d join a free agent safety class that will also include Kevin Byard, Devin McCourty, Damarious Randall, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
Cowboys To Pick Up Ezekiel Elliott’s Fifth-Year Option
In one of the least dramatic decisions in the history of the fifth-year option, the Cowboys will exercise Ezekiel Elliott‘s. Stephen Jones confirmed Wednesday (via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, on Twitter) the team will pick up the Pro Bowl running back’s 2020 option.
Selected with the 2016 No. 4 overall pick, Elliott quickly became one of the league’s best backs. He has emerged as an impact player in Dallas, continuing the franchise’s storied running back history.
This option will mean a $9.09MM 2020 salary for the Ohio State product, though negotiations for a new contract in the meantime figure to begin fairly soon. However, the Cowboys and Elliott have not started extension talks, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Elliott reported for the start of the Cowboys’ offseason program this week, despite being viewed as a holdout risk. But now that he is extension-eligible, this situation is one to monitor this offseason. Both Todd Gurley and David Johnson signed extensions before the start of their fourth seasons, and Elliott — who joins them in having an All-Pro nod on his resume — will stand to want a similar contract.
Despite Gurley being named All-Pro last season, Elliott finished with a career-high 2,001 yards from scrimmage and needed only 15 games to get there. The Cowboys gave him 381 touches, far more than the 354 he amassed during the 2016 season in which he won the rushing title. He has already accumulated 1,003 touches — far more than Gurley or Johnson when they signed their second contracts — so this summer could be important in securing his landmark deal, before the Cowboys attempt to tack on another 350-plus touches to his odometer.
Dallas appears to be putting new deals for Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper on the front-burner, however.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/16/19
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: T John Wetzel
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: T Kyle Murphy
Patriots To Sign Demaryius Thomas
The Patriots are signing longtime Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was the Broncos head coach when the team drafted Thomas in the first round in 2010, and there’s a belief in New England that Thomas can turn back the clock.
It’s a one-year deal worth up to $6MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. While this is obviously a steep pay cut from Thomas’ previous five-year, $70MM deal, the 31-year-old wideout will have a chance to rebound after a down season — one that ended with his Achilles tear. 
The Pats reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Thomas from Denver before he was dealt to Houston last year. Months later, he arrives in New England at a time when they need offensive help following the loss of Rob Gronkowski, Cordarrelle Patterson, Chris Hogan, and the uncertain status of Josh Gordon.
Thomas gives the Patriots another option on their wide receiver depth chart, but he’s certainly not the threat he once was. While splitting time between Denver and Houston in 2018, Thomas posted only 59 receptions for 677 yards, his lowest totals since 2011 (before he was a full-time starter). It’s also worth noting that Thomas tore his Achilles in December and it’s not clear when he’ll be able to return to the field.
It is possible Thomas will be ready for training camp, with NFL.com’s James Palmer tweeting the veteran talent is expected to be back sooner than people anticipate.
Although Thomas was not as productive last season, he will be moving to a system in which he has some experience (albeit many years ago) and with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Tom Brady. A younger Thomas thrived with Peyton Manning, making the Pro Bowl from 2012-14 and surpassing 1,300 yards during Manning’s less effective final season. Despite being the No. 1 target in Trevor Siemian– and Brock Osweiler-led offenses in 2016-17, Thomas still surpassed 900 yards in each. He made the Pro Bowl in 2016 as well.
It’s worth noting the Patriots ended up cutting ties with several veteran receivers before the start of last season — from Kenny Britt, to Jordan Matthews, to former Thomas wing man Eric Decker — so it cannot be considered a lock the 10th-year veteran will be with the 2019 Pats. But they are in greater need of aerial weaponry this offseason, and Thomas has been a better receiver than the players who were cut last year.
Bears’ Zach Miller Retires From Football
On Tuesday, Bears tight end Zach Miller took to social media to announce his retirement from football. Miller recently indicated that the door was still open to playing, but upon further reflection, he has decided to walk away from the game due to health and safety concerns. 
“The time has come to move on from playing the game of football,” Miller wrote on Instagram. “It has been an incredible journey for myself and my entire family and we can’t thank you enough for your continued support. I would love more than anything to step on Soldier Field one last time but I physically cannot give the game and our fans what they deserve.”
Miller, who spent the first three seasons of his career as an afterthought in Jacksonville, did his best work with the Bears between the 2015 and 2017 seasons. In 2016, Miller caught a career-high 47 passes and 486 yards with four touchdowns. In ’17, he was on pace for similar stats with 20 grabs for 236 yards and two TDs before his devastating injury in October.
Last year, doctors told Miller that he was at risk for losing his leg after he severely dislocated his left knee and tore his popliteal artery. Thankfully, after nine surgeries, Miller’s knee is safe. Still, it’s probably for the best that Miller does not play football again.
Chargers To Extend Travis Benjamin
The Chargers and wide receiver Travis Benjamin have agreed to a one-year extension through 2020, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The new pact includes a $3MM signing bonus while lowering his 2019 base salary from $5.25MM to $1MM. 
The deal is mutually beneficial. The Chargers gain $2.75MM in salary cap relief while keeping Benjamin under contract for another season. Meanwhile, Benjamin gets a $3MM guarantee for the upcoming year, giving him some security as he enters a season with a non-guaranteed base salary.
Benjamin, 30 in December, was hardly used in 2018. He finished out with just 12 catches for 186 yards and one touchdown, a far cry from the 69/966/5 line he produced with the Browns in 2015. Statistically, he’s regressed in each of his three Chargers seasons, but things could change this year after the club lost Tyrell Williams to the rival Raiders in free agency.
Things could change after the draft and the later stages of free agency, but, for now, Benjamin is primed to serve as the Bolts’ No. 3 WR behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
Seahawks, Russell Wilson Agree To Extension
The Seahawks and Russell Wilson beat the buzzer. Just before the clock struck midnight on the quarterback’s extension deadline, the two sides agreed to a historic four-year, $140MM extension, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The deal, which includes a $65MM signing bonus, makes Wilson’s the NFL’s highest-paid player of all time. Wilson’s deal also includes a no-trade clause.
Wilson personally confirmed the extension in a Twitter video early Tuesday morning. The Seahawks have since announced the signing.
“Hey Seattle, we got a deal,” Wilson said while getting ready to go to sleep. “Go Hawks. But I’ma see y’all in the morning. Time for y’all to go to bed.”
The new pact, which gives him a record-breaking $35MM average annual salary, ties Wilson to Seattle through the 2023 season. His signing bonus of $65MM is also the largest in NFL history, shattering the previous high set by Aaron Rodgers‘ $57.5MM SB.
Wilson’s contract gives him an effective guarantee of $70MM with the first three years guaranteed for injury, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The deal also gives Wilson a favorable cash flow with $88MM over the first two years of the deal and $107MM over the first three years. All of that is guaranteed for injury, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). Wilson has never missed a start in seven Seahawks seasons.
“We’re all really pleased that we were able to take the next step to stay together and keep this moving,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “Russ has been a huge factor in everything that has happened, and this allows us to stay on track with continuing to push to find that consistency.
“… Obviously this is a grand negotiation, and they had to figure it out. They had to figure it out, it has all been a part of the plan — they’ve known it was coming for years. The fact that they were able to make it happen and connect with Russ on his plan to really commit his future to the organization and to the fans and all — he has done that—that all had to be orchestrated, and John (Schneider) and (VP of football administration) Matt (Thomas) did an extraordinary job.”
Wilson is now under contract through his age-35 season. Before the deal, the Seahawks could have conceivably kept Wilson under club control through 2021 through the final year of his deal and a pair of franchise tags, but that would have been a costly (and chasm-causing) proposition.
Last year, Wilson set a new career high with 35 touchdown passes and matched his career low of seven touchdowns. He’ll turn 31 in November, but Wilson has shown no signs of slowing down.
With a new deal in place for their franchise QB, the Seahawks can turn their attention to other matters, including new deals for middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and pass rusher Frank Clark. However, the size of Wilson’s deal could be a barrier to costly long-term pacts for both defenders and a Clark trade remains possible.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/15/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DE Chris Odom (AAF)
Arizona Cardinals
- Cut: OL Jeremiah Poutasi
Denver Broncos
- Waived: T Andreas Knappe