Giants To Re-Sign WR Darius Slayton
The Giants have a few new members of their pass-catching corps, but a familiar face will remain as well moving forward. New York has agreed to terms on a new deal with wideout Darius Slayton, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets that it is a two-year contract. In an update, Garafolo notes that the base value of the pact is $12MM, while incentives could push it to $16.5MM (Twitter link).
The 26-year-old’s preference was to remain in the Big Apple, and now he will be able to do so. A fifth-rounder in 2019, Slayton had a consistent start to his career with yardage totals of 740 and 751. His eight touchdowns scored as a rookie has been a mark he has been unable to match since, however, and the 2021 season left his future in a very different place than many may have expected.
Slayton put up only 339 yards in 15 games that year, and he was required to take a considerable pay cut this past offseason to ensure his spot on the Giants’ roster. With only one year remaining on his rookie contract, his production in 2022 was thus critically important for both team and player in this situation. He responded with a bounce-back season which made him eligible for a noteworthy new deal with the Giants or another team.
The Auburn product posted a 46-724-2 statline this past season, giving him reception and yardage totals almost identical to his first two campaigns. His 15.7 yards per catch average was a new career-high, though, and confirmed his status as one of the top deep threats in this year’s free agent WR class.
The Giants have traded for tight end Darren Waller and agreed to terms on a deal with free agent wideout Parris Campbell. Those additions figure to give the team’s passing offense more upside for 2023, a year in which all eyes will be on the recently extended Daniel Jones and his ability to produce with an upgraded supporting cast around him. Slayton will remain a member of that group, having secured the opportunity to extend his stay in New York.
Bengals Agree To Terms With Trent Taylor
A key member of the Bengals’ special teams units will remain in place for 2023. Cincinnati is re-signing receiver and returner Trent Taylor on a one-year deal, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
The 28-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Bengals, also on one-year pacts. Over that span, he has made only eight catches in a limited offensive role. The lone time in which he was used more on offense than special teams was the first two years of his 49ers tenure to begin his career. That stretch included 430 receiving yards as a rookie.
Taylor has primarily been known for his success in the return game since then, however. He ran back six kickoffs with the Bengals over the past two years, but returned 40 punts over that span. In 2022, he totaled 340 yards on 33 returns, which ranked fourth in the NFL. His average of 10.3 yards per return marked the second-highest mark of his career, and ranked third in the league.
Given that level of success, it comes as little surprise that the Bengals have elected to keep him in the fold for another year. The team has a highly-productive receiver trio on offense, though Taylor’s previous experience qualifies him as a potential fill-in option if necessary. The Bengals’ weakness in terms of DVOA in 2022 was their special teams, a unit which ranked 18th in that regard.
Taylor’s individual performance has obviously not been seen as the cause for that, though. He will look to repeat his success in a third Bengals campaign (and perhaps earn a longer-term deal in the process), while the AFC North champions prepare to have one of the better return games in the league once again.
Seahawks, OL Evan Brown Agree To Deal
The Seahawks may have identified their Austin Blythe center replacement. They are signing former Lions starter Evan Brown, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. 
It is a one-year deal, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). This move comes minutes after the Lions agreed to a deal to bring back one of their former interior O-line starters (Graham Glasgow). Brown started 24 games for the Lions — both at center and guard — from 2021-22.
With his starting role in Detroit in jeopardy given Glasgow’s arrival, Brown will move to his fifth career NFL franchise. The 26-year-old also has experience with the Dolphins, Giants and Browns preceding his two-plus-year stint in the Motor City.
Brown originally received more favorable PFF grades for his pass protection than his run blocking, including an impressive 80.1 grade in the former category in 2020. Recently, however, his metrics have shifted and he has graded out better in the run game while struggling in protection. He earned a PFF rating of just 45.5 in pass protection in 2022, after being charged with two sacks and 22 pressures allowed.
In spite of those struggles, the former UDFA will bring experience to Seattle as they look to replace Blythe (who retired at the end of the season) individually, but also maintain their success on offense from 2022 in general. Improved play up front was a key factor in the Seahawks’ top-10 scoring unit, which included a pair of rookie tackles in Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas.
With Brown in place, Seattle will have an experienced option in the middle of their re-vamped O-line. He will likely compete with former sixth-rounder Joey Hunt for the No. 1 center spot, or with veteran Phil Haynes at the right guard position. Seattle will have a number of options up front, regardless of what other depth is added in the coming weeks.
Giants To Re-Sign DE Jihad Ward
The Giants have made some notable outside additions so far in free agency, but a targeted incumbent player is staying in the fold. New York has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with defensive end Jihad Ward, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (Twitter link). 
The 28-year-old bounced around to four different teams before landing in the Big Apple last offseason. His decision to head to New York proved to be a wise one, as he earned a starting role for the second time in his career (and first since his rookie season) in 2022.
Ward saw a 58% snap share in his debut Giants season, one in which he reunited with defensive coordinator Don Martindale. The pair worked together with the Ravens in 2019 and ’20, and Ward’s familiarity with the latter’s scheme allowed him to enjoy a productive campaign. The former second-round pick matched his career high in sacks with three, and set new personal marks in tackles (43), QB hits (13) and pressures (15). Retaining him was thus one of the Giants’ top priorities this offseason.
New York has invested in their pass rush in recent years, a process which included the selection of Kayvon Thibodeaux in the first round of last year’s draft. Like the latter, Ward has the ability to play both on the edge and inside, a degree of versatility which has helped earn him earn numerous opportunities despite never putting up eye-popping statistics. He is now in line for an extended look in his latest home, one which has been the site for plenty of activity so far this offseason.
The Giants will have both quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley in place for next season, and their offense has been augmented with the trade acquisition of tight end Darren Waller. Defensively, the signing of linebacker Bobby Okereke will help the unit’s second level. By re-upping Ward, though, they will maintain continuity up front as they look to repeat the surprising success of 2022.
OL Graham Glasgow To Return To Lions
Three years after losing Graham Glasgow in free agency, the Lions intend to bring him back. The veteran interior offensive lineman is signing with his former team Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Lions drafted Glasgow in the 2016 third round but lost him to the Broncos’ four-year, $44MM deal in 2020. Detroit is planning to sign Glasgow to a one-year deal worth up to $4.5MM. The Broncos made Glasgow a cap casualty late last week.
Detroit features one of the league’s better O-lines this time around. Ex-Glasgow teammates Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow remain in place, while 2020 third-rounder Jonah Jackson joins them as a locked-in starter. Penei Sewell is also a cornerstone piece up front for Detroit. Evan Brown, who has played both guard and center, is a free agent. And Halapoulivaati Vaitai missed most of last season, clouding his future with the team.
This contract would point to Glasgow reprising the role he began last season with: inside swingman. The Broncos used Glasgow as a Week 1 starter in 2021 and ’22, but Quinn Meinerz — Glasgow’s 2021 injury replacement — kept Denver’s first-string right guard gig this year. Glasgow, however, saw extensive run in replacing both Meinerz and center Lloyd Cushenberry. Glasgow, 30, ended up starting 13 games for the Broncos last season. Pro Football Focus rated Glasgow as the No. 27 overall center last season
In Detroit, Glasgow worked as a four-year starter. The Lions mostly used him at guard but played him at center during stretches of his rookie-contract run as well. The Lions can save $6.5MM by releasing Vaitai, who missed all of last season due to injury. That number rises a bit if Vaitai is designated as a post-June 1 cut.
Glasgow started 58 games for the Lions from 2016-19, creating a nice market. After the Broncos shed that deal from their payroll ahead of its final year, the Michigan alum will try and carve out a spot for his first NFL team.
Ravens To Re-Sign S Geno Stone
Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley was the only member of the Ravens’ group of restricted free agents to be tendered yesterday. That briefly left safety Geno Stone‘s future in the air, but he will remain in Baltimore for the 2023 season. 
Stone is re-signing with the Ravens, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (Twitter link). Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets that the new contract is one year in length. Applying the right of first refusal tender would have cost the Ravens $2.63MM, so this new pact will presumably come in at a lower rate.
The 23-year-old has primarily been with the Ravens for three seasons, spending time on both the practice squad and 53-man roster. He played almost exclusively on special teams as a rookie, something which influenced the team’s decision to waive him in December 2020. The Texans claimed him, but he didn’t see any game action in Houston before ultimately returning to Baltimore.
The former seventh-rounder saw a jump in playing in 2021, as his defensive snap share rose to 23%. He took on a even larger workload this past season, with that figure spiking to 41% as the Ravens employed a number of different looks in the secondary. A midseason injury to free agent signing Marcus Williams allowed Stone to register seven starts and compile 38 tackles, a new career-high, while maintaining his special teams role.
The Iowa product could be in line for a more consistent role in 2023, after Baltimore traded away veteran safety Chuck Clark. That move was expected given the financial benefits it gave the Ravens, and their investment in not only Williams but also 2022 first-rounder Kyle Hamilton at the position. Those two are in line to start on the backend moving forward, but Stone should be able to secure a backup role behind them as he looks to play his way into a more long-term contract down the road.
Giants To Sign WR Parris Campbell
Another former Colt is on his way to the Giants during this year’s free agent period. The Giants have agreed to terms on a deal with wideout Parris Campbell, as first reported (on Twitter) by The Score’s Jordan Schultz. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets that it is a one-year contract, while Mike Garafolo of NFL Network adds that it is worth $3MM (Twitter link). The deal has a maximum value of $7MM, per Joel. A Erickson of the Indy Star (on Twitter). 
Campbell had a forgettable first three seasons in Indianapolis, as he struggled to stay healthy. Numerous injury problems limited him to just 15 games played from 2019-21, a highly disappointing development given his college production and status as a second-round pick. Things took a positive turn this past campaign, however.
The 25-year-old easily set career highs in a number of categories in 2022. He registered 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns, as he was finally able to put together a full, healthy season. Campbell ranked second on the Colts in receiving yards, as the team struggled throughout the season to muster a capable passing attack. The Ohio State alum nevertheless helped his free agent stock with his production.
Campbell represented one of several depth receiver options in this year’s less-than-stellar class of available wideouts. Given his age, and proven ability (albeit in only one year) to remain on the field, he could represent valuable upside on this new deal. His departure will leave the Colts – a team which already boasted an underwhelming WR corps outside of Michael Pittman Jr. – even thinner at the position, one which is likely to once again be a priority for them in the latter stages of free agency and the draft.
By heading to New York, Campbell will join linebacker Bobby Okereke in signing with the Giants after a stint with the Colts. The 6-0, 208-pounder will provide the team with a new secondary wideout as they look to re-work their pass-catching corps. That effort has resulted in a trade which saw them acquire Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, something which should boost the team’s passing efficiency in the middle of the field. Campbell can help in that regard, or on the perimeter as a starting-caliber option on a low-cost, potentially high-upside deal.
Cardinals Release C Rodney Hudson, WR Chosen Anderson
MARCH 16: Arizona will use the post-June 1 designation for the Hudson release. In a procedural move, the Cardinals also released J.J. Watt using this designation. They will pick up $3.05MM in cap space this summer as a result of the Hudson move. Watt announced his retirement shortly before the Cards’ season finale.
MARCH 6: The Cardinals are partaking in some cost-cutting measures for the sake of their salary cap and are expected to part ways with center Rodney Hudson and wide receiver Chosen Anderson, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The two are recent additions who were unable to contribute much of what was expected of them last season. 
Hudson, we recently reported, is expected to retire this spring. He flirted with the idea in the last offseason before ultimately coming back to the team. Unfortunately, the decision didn’t amount to much for Arizona as Hudson was placed on IR and missed much of the season. Back in January, Hudson agreed to a restructured contract that dropped his 2023 base salary to $2.05MM, an amount that indicated both retirement and this eventual release. With a post-June 1 designation, cutting Hudson will result in $3.05MM in cap savings and $1.76MM in dead money, as opposed to $5.28MM in dead money pre-June 1.
Anderson’s release is a no brainer for the Cardinals. The contract they inherited for Anderson from the Panthers included a potential out in 2023, allowing them to release him with no dangers of dead money. Releasing Anderson will alleviate Arizona of his full $12MM cap hit. Anderson has fallen from the heights of his strong run from 2017-2020. In 10 games with the Cardinals after the trade, Anderson only recorded seven receptions for 76 yards, the worst ten-game stretch of his career.
It will be interesting to see what the market is for Anderson. In a relatively weak wide receiver free agent market, Anderson joins the likes of Robert Woods, DJ Chark, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Julio Jones in free agency. Woods and Smith-Schuster are perhaps the strongest of the group and should fetch decent contracts. Most other available receivers with NFL experience will likely be reliant on fit and scheme to find their homes.
Hudson’s future is still up in the air, as foregone as it may seem. Everything seems to indicate that he will hang up his cleats, but Hudson may spurn retirement again and return to play a 13th season. Rapoport indicates that Hudson will make a decision soon.
Regardless of his decision, Arizona has reportedly made theirs to move on from both Hudson and Anderson. They’ll likely be in the market to replace both players’ positions, but for now, the moves clear out at least Anderson’s $12MM and potentially a total of $15.05MM in cap space.
Dolphins To Add WR Braxton Berrios
Hours after offensive lineman Dan Feeney left the Jets to join the Dolphins, Miami will add another recent Jet to its equation. Braxton Berrios is signing with the Fins, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
A slot receiver and All-Pro return man in New York, Berrios played his college ball in Miami. The Hurricanes alum will join a Dolphins team rostering Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson at receiver. Berrios’ latest AFC East contract is a one-year agreement.
The Dolphins have now added Berrios and claimed Freddie Swain off waivers from the Broncos this week. Complementary target Trent Sherfield is a free agent. Berrios will now step in as a tertiary option in this star-studded receiving corps. The 5-foot-9 pass catcher/returner has now joined his third AFC East team. The Patriots drafted Berrios in the 2018 sixth round, but he never played in a game with the team.
Released ahead of the Jets’ Allen Lazard signing, Berrios had re-signed with the team on a two-year deal worth $12MM. He commanded that kind of cash after earning first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner in 2021 while also aiding Gang Green in the slot. Berrios established new career-high marks in receptions (46) and receiving yards (431) for the 2021 Jets, adding a 102-yard kick-return TD that helped the team to a win over the Jaguars.
Berrios, 27, did not fare as well last season. Although he played all 17 Jets games, he only totaled 18 catches for 145 yards. The Jets featured a dismal passing attack for much of last season, leading to this all-fronts Aaron Rodgers pursuit, but Berrios did not make the kind of impact the team sought when it re-signed him. He will attempt to do so in Miami.
Wilson served as the Dolphins’ primary punt returner last season, while the team sent out Raheem Mostert as its primary kick returner — despite his extensive running back duties. Berrios has returned kicks and punts extensively as a pro, and his two seasons in Mike LaFleur‘s Jets offense would make for a natural fit into Mike McDaniel‘s scheme. The two were each Kyle Shanahan lieutenants for years.
RB Chase Edmonds To Join Buccaneers
The running back market continues to move, and a recently released ball-carrier now has a new home. Chase Edmonds is heading back to Florida, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com noting the Buccaneers are signing him.
Edmonds, whom the Broncos cut months after acquiring him from the Dolphins, agreed to terms on a one-year Bucs deal Thursday morning (Twitter link). Following Leonard Fournette‘s release, Edmonds is now in line to pair with second-year back Rachaad White in Tampa.
This will be a fit-based signing, as Fox Sports’ Greg Auman tweets Edmonds is joining the Bucs on a league-minimum deal. This comes a year after the Dolphins signed him to a two-year, $12MM contract. The Broncos saved nearly $6MM in cap space by cutting Edmonds, adding to Denver’s funds ahead of a busy free agency week. They acquired him in the Bradley Chubb trade, picking up the running back’s salary after the Dolphins needed to shed it from their payroll to clear space for the edge rusher’s fifth-year option money.
Edmonds will turn 27 in May but is coming off a low-workload season; he logged just 84 touches in 2022. The Dolphins did not end up receiving much in the way of production from the ex-Cardinals starter; Edmonds averaged 2.9 yards per carry with Miami. The Fordham product fared better in Denver, sporting a 4.8-yard average for a team that by that point was starting a few backups along the offensive line.
The Cardinals started Edmonds over James Conner for most of the 2021 season, when the former fourth-round pick totaled a career-high 903 yards from scrimmage. Edmonds teamed with transition-tagged Kenyan Drake in 2020 and reached 850 scrimmage yards, scoring a career-most five touchdowns. Twice averaging 5.1 yards per carry in a season — the second such instance (2021) coming on 116 totes — Edmonds should still have some tread on his tires. He has only taken 401 handoffs in five pro seasons.
The Bucs ranked last on the ground in 2022, so White and Edmonds may face an uphill battle. Tampa Bay has not made any significant augmentations up front just yet, though it did re-sign guard Aaron Stinnie, who was lost for the 2022 season. The team cut eight-year left tackle Donovan Smith, viewing Tristan Wirfs as a candidate to switch sides. Ryan Jensen staying healthy also stands to improve the Bucs’ rushing attack.