Vikings To Release G Mike Remmers
The Vikings are releasing starting guard Mike Remmers, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This figures to be the first of several offensive line moves as the Vikings look to fortify their front five. 
Remmers inked a five-year, $30MM deal with the Vikings in March of 2017. Releasing him will save Minnesota $4.55MM in 2019 against $1.8MM in dead money.
Remmers worked as the Panthers’ starting right tackle from 2014-16, but he moved to right guard towards the end of the ’17 campaign with the Vikings. He hasn’t necessarily lived up to his deal, but the 29-year-old (30 in April) should still draw interest as a free agent.
In other Vikings news, the club declined to pick up the option on safety Andrew Sendejo.
Vikings To Decline Andrew Sendejo’s Option
The Vikings will decline the option on safety Andrew Sendejo, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Sendejo will join an exceptionally talented safety market, which could limit his earning potential. 
Sendejo, 32 in September, suffered a groin injury in Week 5 of last season and was unable to return. It may be coincidental, but the Vikings’ defense actually got better since turning to reserves Anthony Harris, George Iloka, and Jayron Kearse in his stead. In the first five weeks of the season, the Vikings surrendered 26.2 points per contest. Sendejo’s campaign ended with 27 total tackles and one pass deflection across five games.
The veteran was due a $5.5MM salary for 2019, but that sum was completely non-guaranteed. By declining Sendejo’s option, the Vikings will gain a good deal of flexibility to take care of their own free agents and make some small additions this week.
Eagles To Sign Malik Jackson
And then there was one. Malik Jackson will sign with the Eagles, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Word of Jackson’s impending deal comes moments after we learned the Eagles and Packers were the leading contenders to sign the defensive tackle. 
When all is said and done, it will be a three-year, $30MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). There’s no word yet on the guarantees or pay structure, but it sounds like a solid deal for both sides.
Jackson joined the Jaguars on a six-year, $85.5MM in 2016. Then, last week, the Jaguars released him in a cost-cutting measure. His release did not come as a huge surprise – Taven Bryan supplanted him down the stretch of the 2018 season and his contract precluded the club from trading him.
Last year, Jackson notched just 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 85th among 112 interior defenders. However, he was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2017 and enjoyed a solid first season in Jacksonville. Jackson also racked up 14.5 sacks across his final three years in Denver, despite only spending one of those campaigns as a full-time starter.
With Jackson, the Eagles have successfully upgraded their defensive front after trading Michael Bennett to the Patriots.
Panthers Re-Sign Colin Jones
The Panthers have re-signed special teamer Colin Jones to a two-year deal, per Joe Person of The Athletic (via Twitter). Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets that the deal is worth $2.6MM.
Jones just finished the two-year extension (worth $2.4MM) that he signed in March 2017. He is a safety by trade and has started eight games at safety over the past two seasons (racking up two interceptions during that time), but his true value comes on special teams. He appeared in over 82% of Carolina’s special teams snaps in 2018 and tied for the team lead in ST tackles. He also served as the Panthers’ special teams captain last year.
Jones entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the 49ers in 2011 but has been with the Panthers since 2012. Carolina clearly appreciates his special teams ability and the depth he offers in the secondary.
Ravens Exercise Brandon Carr’s Option
The Ravens have exercised cornerback Brandon Carr‘s 2019 option, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). 2019 will be the third year in Baltimore for the remarkably durable Carr, who has never missed a game or a start in his 11-year career.
Carr signed what was officially a four-year pact with the Ravens in March 2017, but it was really a one-year deal with a series of options. He has been rumored as a cap casualty to some degree in each of the past two offseasons, but his overall solid play and durability have made him quite valuable to Baltimore’s secondary.
He is by no means a superstar, but he graded out as an above average corner in 2018 per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and he has secured six interceptions over the past two seasons. He serves as a strong complement to Jimmy Smith and rising star Marlon Humphrey.
Smith has been rumored as a cap casualty himself, but given the way the Ravens’ secondary has been depleted by injury prior in recent years (2018 excluded), it would be somewhat surprising if he were released, though he may be asked to take a pay cut. Carr, Smith, and Humphrey form one of the best CB trios in football, and rumor has it that they may soon be joined by a big-name safety like Tyrann Mathieu.
Lions Sign Danny Amendola
The Lions have signed free agent wide receiver Danny Amendola, the team announced. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it will be a one-year pact with a guaranteed base salary of $4.5MM. The deal also includes incentives that could push Amendola’s earnings up to $5.75MM.
Amendola, 33, was released by the Dolphins a few days ago after one year in South Beach. He posted 579 yards and one touchdown for the Fins, and he should be a solid addition to a strong group of skill players in Detroit. Although there was some mutual interest in a reunion between Amendola and Patriots, Amendola will be reuniting with several familiar faces from his days in New England in head coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn.
Amendola offers a reliable slot target to complement Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay on the outside, and he comes at a lower price than other free agent options like Adam Humphries and Jamison Crowder. He is also considerably older and may not have as much upside as either of those players, but the Lions are expected to be very active in free agency and wanted to get out in front of the receiver market, which is expected to once again be quite robust.
Indeed, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets that the Lions will be players at the top of the pass rush market, which is what they may now focus on after securing a serviceable replacement for Golden Tate, who was traded to Philadelphia last season.
Raiders To Re-Sign DT Johnathan Hankins
This will not win the Raiders’ weekend news cycle, but Johnathan Hankins agreed to terms to stay in the Bay Area. Hankins will stay with the Raiders on a two-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Hankins was scheduled to be a free agent for the third time in three offseasons, and his most recent stay on the market was extensive. Following a release from the Colts after one season, Hankins did not agree to terms elsewhere until September.
In 2017, he lingered in free agency after the first wave but signed a $9MM-AAV Colts deal. He will eschew another stay on the market.
Oakland initially inked Hankins to a one-year pact after Week 1 of last season. The parties will now work together again in 2019, with Hankins likely in line to stay a first-unit player under Paul Guenther. The second-year Oakland DC wanted the mammoth lineman back, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter).
Hankins started 14 games for the Raiders last season, doing so following his 2017 work as a Colts starter and three-year run as a Giants first-stringer. Despite going into his seventh season, Hankins is only set to turn 27 this offseason. He graded out as one of the league’s best interior defenders as a Colt, and although Pro Football Focus did not view his 2018 work with the Raiders in the same light (No. 76 out of 112 full-time interior defenders), the Raiders will use some of their extensive cap space to retain him.
The former second-round pick will now have a full offseason to work in Guenther’s system, a 4-3 look like he played with the Giants, this year.
ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/19
Here are today’s exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Bengals: CB Tony McRae, G Alex Redmond, DT Josh Tupou, S Brandon Wilson
Broncos Place Second-Round Tender On DL Shelby Harris
The Broncos have placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent defensive lineman Shelby Harris, according to Mike Klis of 9News.
Harris will now collect $3.095MM for the 2019 campaign. Theoretically, another team could sign Harris to an offer sheet, but they’d have to be willing to sacrifice a second-round pick. Additionally, Denver has the right to match any offer Harris may receive, so the tender almost certainly ties Harris to the Broncos’ roster for next season.
A seventh-round pick of the Raiders in 2014, Harris bounced around the league, spending time with the Jets and Cowboys before signing a futures deal with the Broncos in 2017. That low-risk move has paid off ten-fold for Denver, as Harris has appeared in all 32 possible games over the past two years, seeing action on more than 35% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps in each season.
Harris, 27, posted seven sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and 15 tackles for loss from 2017-18, and graded as the NFL’s No. 8 interior defender last year, per Pro Football Focus. His role could be set to expand in 2019, as the Broncos reportedly aren’t interested in re-signing veteran defensive tackle Domata Peko, who played 522 defensive snaps last season.
Chiefs Release Justin Houston
The Chiefs have released edge rusher Justin Houston, the club announced today.
“Over the last eight seasons we’ve had the ability to watch Justin grow into a leader on and off the playing field,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “His passion helped him become one the most successful pass rushers in franchise history. We appreciate his contributions to our team and community and he’ll always be considered a part of the Chiefs family.”
Kansas City had been attempting to trade Houston, but no club was willing to take on his $15.25MM base salary. By cutting Houston, the Chiefs will $7.1MM in dead money, but will also create $14MM in cap space. That latter figure is critical for Kansas City, as the team had less than $10MM in cap space before moving from Houston.
In addition to trying to move Houston, the Chiefs are also rumored to have put fellow pass rusher Dee Ford on the trade block. Ford was designated as Kansas City’s franchise player and will earn north of $17MM in 2019, and the Chiefs are reportedly searching for a second-round pick in exchange. However, it’s possible Kansas City will be more amenable to retaining Ford now that Houston is out of the picture.
Houston led the NFL with 22 sacks in 2015, but injuries have since taken a toll on his availability. Now entering his age-30 campaign, Houston can still be an effective player, as evidenced by his 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s 14th-best edge defender last year, and he should have a solid market given that most of this offseason’s best pass-rushers were taken off the market via the franchise tag.