Saints To Sign RB Jamaal Williams
Jamaal Williams is staying in the NFC. The free agent running back is signing with the Saints, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
Williams is inking a three-year deal with the Saints, according to Schefter. The three-year pact is worth $12MM, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The deal includes $8MM in guaranteed money.
There was some initial hope that the veteran would end up returning to Detroit next season, but those hopes were seemingly eliminated when the Lions pivoted to David Montgomery. Most recently, Williams was connected to a number of potential suitors, including the Bills, Bengals, Panthers, and Bears, per Tyler Dunne on Twitter.
Instead, Williams will land in a bit of a surprising spot in New Orleans, although he appears to be a natural fit behind Alvin Kamara. Backup running backs Mark Ingram and David Johnson are both free agents, and Williams provides much more upside than that duo either as a change-of-pace RB or as a fill-in to the starter.
Williams made a name for himself in Green Bay, collecting at least 600 yards from scrimmage in each of his four seasons with the Packers thanks in part to his pass-catching ability. He joined the Lions prior to the 2021 campaign and had modest success during his first season with the organization, compiling 758 yards from scrimmage.
The RB was a touchdown machine in 2022. Williams ended up leading the NFL with a whopping 17 rushing touchdowns while adding a career-high 1,066 rushing yards on 262 carries. The Saints shouldn’t expect that kind of production in 2023, although the team will be much less reliant on the RB’s production than the Lions were in 2022.
Bills To Sign QB Kyle Allen
The Bills are adding another body to their QB room. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bills are signing quarterback Kyle Allen. 
The 27-year-old spent the 2022 season in Houston, the third stop in his NFL career. He saw a pair of starts with the Texans, as they attempted unsuccessfully to give Davis Mills an opportunity to establish himself as the team’s full-time No. 1. Allen went 0-2, completing 59% of his passes and throwing twice as many interceptions (four) as touchdowns (two).
The Texans still have Mills under contract for the next two years, but the team was interested in adding a veteran during the free agent period in anticipation of using their top pick on a rookie passer in the upcoming draft. They recently elected to reunite with Case Keenum a move which pointed to Allen being forced to find a new employer.
The former UDFA also has experience dating back to his time in Carolina and Washington, though he has just 19 starts to his name across five seasons. In Buffalo, he will enter the most desirable QB situation of his career from a team (but not playing time) perspective. Josh Allen comfortably sits atop the NFC East champions’ depth chart at the position.
The backup spot will now be up for grabs, however. Buffalo has Matt Barkley under contract for next season, after he began a second stint in Western New York in 2022. Allen will be able to compete with the latter, who has not seen game action for the past two years. That could give Allen an edge in his bid to take the No. 2 spot behind his namesake.
49ers To Sign CB Isaiah Oliver
Isaiah Oliver is heading out west. The 49ers are signing the former Falcons cornerback, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner (via Twitter).
Oliver was a second-round by the Falcons back in 2018. He inked a one-year extension with the organization last offseason, extending his Atlanta stint to five total seasons. The cornerback ultimately got into 62 games (38 starts) for the Falcons.
Oliver’s 2021 campaign was limited to only four games thanks to a knee injury, but he managed to get into 12 games (five starts) in 2021. The defensive back finished the campaign having compiled 37 tackles, seven passes defended, and one interception. Pro Football Focus was especially fond of his performance, ranking him 10th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks.
In San Francisco, Oliver is expected to compete for the nickel back job, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). Deommodore Lenoir and AJ Parker will also provide some competition at that spot.
Browns To Sign S Juan Thornhill
The Browns are adding a two-time champion to their secondary. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), Cleveland is signing safety Juan Thornhill. The defensive back is signing a three-year deal worth $21MM, including $14MM in guaranteed money that will be paid out in the first two years of the contract.
The former second-round pick out of Virginia spent the first four seasons of his career in Kansas City, starting 52 of his 65 games. This included a rookie campaign where he earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors after starting all 16 games for the Chiefs.
This past season, Thornhill started all 16 of his appearances, missing only one game and finishing the year with 71 tackles, nine passes defended, and three interceptions. The 27-year-old started another three playoff games en route to a Super Bowl championship, compiling another 13 tackles and three passes defended. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked Thornhill 20th among 88 qualifying safeties, including the 12th-best mark at the position in pass coverage.
Thornhill is headed to Cleveland to fill the starting safety spot vacated by John Johnson, who was released by the Browns at the end of February. The team had been linked to former Bengals safety Jessie Bates at the time but should be perfectly satisfied with nabbing Thornhill instead. Thornhill should slide in right next to starting safety Grant Delpit. The only other safeties currently on the roster are undrafted second-year safeties D’Anthony Bell and Bubba Bolden.
The official loss of Thornhill makes safety a priority for Kansas City. They return free safety Justin Reid, who is signed through the 2024 season, but the only other safety on the roster for the Chiefs is a backup from last year, Bryan Cook, whose only start last year came when Thornhill was inactive.
The Chiefs will likely have to turn to the draft or free agency to fill the hole left by Thornhill. The Browns, on the other hand, have found a reliable starter to place next to Delpit as he continues to develop. It’s a strong move for a team who finished fifth in the league last year in passing yards allowed to upgrade at a position they needed to fill.
Raiders To Re-Sign DT Jerry Tillery
The Raiders acquired defensive tackle Jerry Tillery via waivers earlier in the season, and his stay in Vegas will be continuing. The two sides have agreed to terms on a new deal, as first reported by The Score’s Jordan Schultz (on Twitter). 
The former first-rounder had a generally underwhelming tenure with the Chargers to begin his career. Following his college career, Tillery entered the league with significant expectations as a pass rusher in particular. He managed just 10.5 sacks across 54 games in Los Angeles, however, and his time in California officially came to an end when he was waived in November.
Upon his arrival in Vegas, the Notre Dame product saw a slight uptick in usage. His snap share jumped to 49%, an increase compared to his playing time in 2022 with the Chargers, but a far cry from the full-time starting role he occupied in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In eight games as a Raider, Tillery totaled 10 tackles and was held without a sack.
Those figures point to a rotational role remaining the ideal one for the 26-year-old, which represents a disappointment relative to his high draft stock. Tillery drew considerable interest on the waiver wire, which suggests he could have fostered at least a modest market for himself as a free agent. Instead, he will opt for stability and seek to help the Raiders take a necessary step forward on the defensive front.
Vegas struggled in a number of defensive categories in 2022, though their run defense was middle-of-the-road. Given his skillset, Tillery is unlikely to make much of an impact in that regard, but realizing his potential as a disruptive presence in terms of interior rushing would help not only the Raiders but also set him up for a more promising financial future down the road.
Browns Release DE Jadeveon Clowney
For the fifth-straight offseason, Jadeveon Clowney is on the market. The Browns announced that they’ve released the defensive end.
After joining the Browns for the 2021 season, Clowney re-signed with the organization last offseason. While that contract technically featured some future seasons, the Browns would have had to commit more than $40MM to the defensive end if he was still on the roster on Friday. As a result, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that Clowney’s second contract with the organization was always intended to be a one-year deal.
The former first-overall pick helped rehabilitate his image in 2021 following a disappointing, zero-sack performance with the Titans in 2020. Clowney started all 14 of his appearances for Cleveland in 2021, with his nine sacks proving to be his best mark since the 2018 campaign.
However, things slightly went down hill in 2022. Clowney wasn’t nearly as productive in his 12 games (10 starts), collecting only a pair of sacks and four QB hits, his lowest total in that latter mark since his four-game rookie campaign. Further, after publicly questioning his playing time and hinting that he wouldn’t be back in Cleveland for the 2023 campaign, Clowney was sent home by the organization and was inactive for the season finale. The defensive lineman later apologized for his comments, but it seemed pretty clear that Clowney’s stint in Cleveland had all but come to an end.
Still, considering Clowney’s pedigree, there’s a solid chance he finds another gig this offseason. Despite his numbers being down, Clowney still finished as Pro Football Focus’ 27th edge rusher (among 119 qualifiers), with the site giving him a particularly high grade for his running defense.
Meanwhile, the Browns also officially announced that they’ve released safety John Johnson. We heard back in February that the Browns were planning to part ways with the veteran.
Eagles To Re-Sign DT Fletcher Cox
Fletcher Cox is returning to Philly. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the veteran defensive tackle is returning to the Eagles.
Cox is inking a new one-year, $10MM deal with the Eagles. Schefter notes that the player turned down more lucrative offers elsewhere and took a “hometown discount” to stick around Philadelphia.
The 2012 first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Eagles, making six Pro Bowl appearances and earning four All-Pro nods. The Eagles actually released him last offseason to avoid paying him $18MM in guaranteed money, but the veteran ended up quickly re-signing with the team on a one-year deal. He earned $14MM in 2022, so he’ll be taking a slight pay cut for the 2023 campaign.
Cox is two years removed from his last Pro Bowl appearance but is still a productive member of the Eagles defense. He finished last season having started all 17 games, compiling 43 tackles and seven sacks. The 32-year-old got into all three postseason games for Philly, as well, adding another six tackles and one sack. He only finished last season as Pro Football Focus’ 67th interior defender (among 127 qualifiers), the first time he’s finished outside the top-30 at his position since 2013.
Even with the reduced production, the Eagles were surely more than happy to welcome Cox back. The defending NFC Champions have lost a number of defenders during the early stages of free agency, including defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker T.J. Edwards, safety Marcus Epps, and linebacker Kyzir White.
As Schefter noted in his initial report, Cox turned down more lucrative offers from other suitors. One team that reached out to Cox was the New York Jets, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter).
Texans To Release DE Mario Addison
With the new league officially underway, a flurry of roster moves continue to take place. The Texans remain busy, but their actions will result in veteran defensive end Mario Addison being released, as noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. 
The 30-year-old joined the Texans last offseason, as one of a pair of veteran pass rushers who headed to Houston ahead of a rebuilding year. That two-year, $7.7MM deal allowed him to continue his career with a sixth different franchise, following a two-year stint with the Bills.
Addison’s 12 sacks in Buffalo proved that he could still be a productive option on the edge, though he wasn’t able to replicate that success in 2022. Logging a snap share of 45% – his lowest mark since 2015 – he registered a single sack and only a pair of QB hits this season. He was limited to 12 games due to a groin injury, and was used in much more of a rotational capacity than fellow free agent signing Jerry Hughes.
The former UDFA was set to count for $4.4MM on the cap in 2023, and roughly one third of his base salary was guaranteed. This move will give Houston $2.3MM in cap savings, and generate a dead money charge of $2.1MM. Designating him as a post-June 1 release would make more sense financially, though a new contract allowing him to remain in Houston is also possible.
Wilson notes that the Texans are still open to the idea of re-signing Addison on a more modest deal. The team still has Hughes (who notched nine sacks in 2022) on the books for next season, but they are set to lose a key young member of their pass rushing corps with Obo Okoronkwo having agreed to terms on a deal with the Browns. Addison could help fill that void to a degree if he wises to come back, or he could look elsewhere on what would surely be another short-term deal in the waning stages of his career.
Texans Re-Sign DB M.J. Stewart
The Texans are bringing back a key special teamer. The team announced that they’ve re-signed defensive back M.J. Stewart. The 27-year-old is inking a two-year, $7.5MM deal, per Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com.
Stewart, a former second-round pick, had two-year stints with the Buccaneers and Browns before catching on with the Texans last offseason. He ended up getting into all 17 games for his new squad, compiling 41 tackles. Stewart also got into 84 percent of Houston’s special teams snaps.
It’s uncertain where Stewart will fit in the secondary heading into 2023. The Texans added Jimmie Ward on a two-year deal, and they’re also still rostering Jalen Pitre and Eric Murray. Either way, the Texans can expect Stewart to contribute on all ST plays.
Speaking of, Murray reworked his contract yesterday, per Wilson. The move provided the Texans with an extra $732K in cap space. The defensive back inked a two-year, $10MM contract with Houston last offseason.
Ravens Place Low RFA Tender On QB Tyler Huntley; Team Involved In Free Agent Market
Lamar Jackson is the Ravens quarterback which is drawing the most attention as the new league year officially begins, but he is not the only Baltimore quarterback facing an uncertain future. Backup Tyler Huntley is receiving the low (right of first refusal) restricted free agent tender, as noted (on Twitter) by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. 
Doing so will lock him into a 2023 salary of $2.63MM, presuming he signs the tender. From now until April 21, however, the 25-year-old will be able to receive offer sheets from other teams. Signing one of them would give the Ravens seven days to match, which could force them to keep him at a more cumbersome cap number. Since Huntley was a UDFA, however, Baltimore would receive no compensation if he were to depart.
The Ravens could have used the second-round tender, valued at just over $4.3MM. That would have required a larger financial commitment, of course, but provided less of an incentive to interested teams to prepare on offer sheet. It also would have guaranteed compensation had the Utah alum elected to leave in search of a different opportunity. The likeliest outcome in this situation still remains, however, Huntley remaining with the Ravens for at least one more season.
Huntley has seen action in 13 regular season games over the past two years, filling in for Jackson following the latter’s in injuries. His play in 2021 earned him the low tender this past offseason, allowing him to remain in place in the N0. 2 role. His most notable action to date was his start in the Ravens’ wild card loss to the Bengals, in which he threw for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns and added 54 yards on the ground.
Turnovers in that contest, and generally underwhelming play in the 2022 regular season in particular, are likely to hinder the market for Huntley (though they, coupled with a multitude of other absences, allowed him to be named a Pro Bowler) and represent the ceiling of his potential. Still, his future is currently in the balance, as is that of Jackson, who is now eligible to negotiate with other teams on a new contract.
Amidst their uncertainty under center, the Ravens have been “involved” in the free agent quarterback market, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). Specifically, he names Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett as veterans Baltimore has inquired about. They have since agreed to deals with the Buccaneers and Commanders, respectively, but other cost-effective options still remain if the team is forced to replace Jackson. Regardless of what happens at the top of the depth chart, the Ravens should still have Huntley available as a depth and spot-starter option.