Falcons To Sign LB Kaden Elliss
The Falcons aren’t done making big moves on defense. This time, the team is adding free agent linebacker Kaden Elliss, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Falcons To Sign S Jessie Bates]
The former seventh-round pick had a breakout season in 2022. Elliss ended up starting 11 of his 17 appearances, finishing with 78 tackles, seven sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus was particularly fond of his performance, ranking him seventh among 81 qualifying linebackers.
The breakout season couldn’t have come at a better time with Elliss hitting free agency this offseason. The Saints surely won’t be happy that the pass-rusher will be heading to a division rival, but Atlanta surely had to pay up for the free agent’s services. Indeed, it’s a three-year, $21.5MM contract, including $11MM guaranteed, per Raport (on Twitter).
Elliss will be relied on to help turn around one of the league’s worst pass-rushing units in 2022. The Falcons finished last season with only 21 sacks, the second-lowest total in the NFL. He’ll be following new Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to Atlanta; the coach served as New Orleans’ co-defensive coordinator last year after a long stint as their defensive line coach.
The Falcons have been busy spending on defense today. The front office gave safety Jessie Bates a $64MM contract and handed defensive tackle David Onyemata a $35MM deal.
Texans Expected To Sign DB Jimmie Ward
Jimmie Ward will join Hassan Ridgeway in following DeMeco Ryans to Houston. The new Texans HC will have a familiar secondary piece on defense, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reporting Ward intends to sign (Twitter link).
A 49er throughout his nine-year career, Ward has toggled between safety and nickelback. The 49ers brought back Tashaun Gipson on Sunday, to stay at Ward’s preferred safety position, and the longest-tenured 49er defender is now headed elsewhere.
While Ward frequently moved around on San Francisco’s defense, he provided a considerable boost for some of the NFL’s best units of recent years. Ward was in place at safety for the 49er defense that powered the team to Super Bowl LIV, leading to a 2020 re-signing, and he was on the field for San Francisco’s runs to the NFC championship game over the past two seasons. Ward played 105 regular-season games with the 49ers, starting 79.
Ryans was with the 49ers for six of Ward’s nine seasons, working his way up from the quality control level to DC. He oversaw the decision to move Ward back to the nickel, and while the former first-round pick is believed to have viewed such a move as a demotion, there are obviously no hard feelings. Ryans will now add a versatile player to his defense in Houston.
Ward having experience as a safety and a cornerback in Ryans’ scheme should benefit young Texans talents Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley. The Texans have safety Jonathan Owens unsigned, potentially leaving a safety spot open for Ward opposite Pitre. With Ward going into his age-31 season, safety would seemingly make more sense at this point in his career. But Ryans was one of the San Francisco DCs to feel comfortable placing the veteran in the slot. If nothing else, Ryans has options here as he constructs his first Texans defense.
Pro Football Focus viewed Ward as having plenty of gas left in the tank, grading him as a top-15 DB this past season. Ward started the season late because of a summer hamstring injury and then suffered a hand malady shortly after returning. But he returned to play in 15 games (three in the postseason) to help the 49ers rank No. 1 in points allowed, yards allowed and defensive DVOA.
Jameis Winston To Stay With Saints
Jameis Winston looks to be taking the Saints up on their offer. He is finalizing a reworked contract that will allow him to stay in New Orleans, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets.
Although there is not a realistic path to Winston starting for the Saints, barring a Derek Carr injury, the team gave him a chance to stay. This will undoubtedly involve a pay cut, but rather than hit a crowded market for bridge- and backup-level QBs, Winston is on track to remain a Saint.
Indeed, it’s a one-year deal for Winston worth up to $8MM, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Rapoport seems to hint that there were no starting opportunities available to Winston in free agency, so the QB decided to stick with what’s familiar vs. serving as a backup somewhere else. Winston was set to earn $12.8MM next year, and the Saints could have realized an identical cap savings by making him a post-June 1 cut.
Instead, both side decided to have Winston back for a fourth season in New Orleans. The former first-overall pick had the first opportunity to replace Drew Brees as the Saints starting QB, and he was productive in his seven games, tossing 14 touchdowns vs. three interceptions while guiding the team to a 5-2 record. However, a torn ACL cut that 2021 campaign short, and when he returned in 2022, he was eyeing a revamped depth chart and a new head coach.
Winston only got three starts in 2022 as Andy Dalton ran with the starting gig. In Winston’s three games, he reverted back to his free-throwing ways, with his 4.3 interception rate rivaling his 30-interception campaign with the Buccaneers in 2019.
In 2023, the Saints won’t be nearly as reliant on the QB after they made a sizable investment in Carr. Winston will now be one of the league’s better backup quarterbacks, and his salary seemingly reflects that fact.
Broncos To Sign DL Zach Allen
A couple of Vance Joseph’s former Broncos charges are still in place in Denver (Justin Simmons, Josey Jewell), but the new DC will bring one of his Cardinals pieces with him. The Broncos are signing Zach Allen to a three-year deal, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports tweets.
Allen is set to join the Broncos on a contract worth $45.75MM and $32.5MM fully guaranteed, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. This news should lead to Dre’Mont Jones relocating, given what the Broncos have done in free agency Monday. The Broncos have kept in touch with Jones, but with the Browns viewed as the favorites, it is logical for the AFC West team to give Joseph a talented D-lineman he coached in Arizona.
Three of PFR’s top 20 free agents are now pledged to the Broncos, who are signing Allen, Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to headline a Denver day dedicated to line fortifications. The Allen addition should bring a seamless transition for the former Cardinals draftee. The Cards drafted Allen in the 2019 third round, months after they hired Joseph as DC, and he became a key contributor — particularly during a contract year alongside J.J. Watt.
Allen, 25, led all defensive linemen with eight pass deflections last season, teaming with Watt to form a strong interior D-line duo for a last-place team. The Boston College product will undoubtedly step into the same position in Joseph’s 3-4 scheme in Denver. Allen finished with 5.5 sacks and 20 QB hits last season. He recovered three fumbles and intercepted a pass in 2021, coming along after taking a bit to break into Arizona’s lineup on a full-time basis.
Shortly after dealing Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins, the Broncos indicated Jones was a priority to re-sign. The team negotiated with Jones up to the franchise tag deadline, but the former third-round pick understandably did not want to re-sign before testing the market. The three-year Denver starter is one of the top players left on the board, and although he said before free agency he wanted to stay in Denver, it looks like the sides will split up after four years. Allen can safely be labeled Denver’s Jones replacement.
The Jones-for-Allen swap will still leave the Broncos with standout D-tackle D.J. Jones returning, and Denver also brought back linebacker Alex Singleton on Monday. The team released Graham Glasgow, Ronald Darby and Chase Edmonds to clear out the cap space necessary to enable this Monday spending spree.
Chargers To Sign LB Eric Kendricks
Eric Kendricks is heading to the west coast. The long-time Vikings linebacker is signing with the Chargers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
Kendricks agreed to a two-year deal worth $13.25MM, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). The UCLA alum will receive $6.75MM guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The Chargers will have a decision to make ahead of this contract’s second year, with Wilson adding Kendricks is due a $1.5MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2024 league year.
The Vikings cut the veteran linebacker last week, providing the team with $9.5MM in cap relief. The move ended Kendricks’ eight-year stint in Minnesota that saw him collect at least 90 tackles each season. He earned a first-time All-Pro nod and a Pro Bowl appearance in 2019, and he’ll end his Vikings tenure with the third-most total tackles (919) and top-10 marks in tackles for loss (54) and passes defended (51).
Kendricks was set to enter the final year of a $50MM contract he inked with the organization in 2018. Thanks to a subsequent restructure, he was set to earn more than $11MM in 2023. The team decided to take the savings and move on from Kendricks as they look to revamp that side of the ball.
The Chargers will still be getting a highly productive linebacker. The 31-year-old finished the 2022 season with 137 tackles and eight tackles for loss, although Pro Football Focus only ranked him 50th among 81 qualifying linebackers.
Drue Tranquill was the Chargers’ most productive linebacker last season but is currently an unrestricted free agent. Kendricks could easily fill Tranquill’s role, but considering the team’s lack of depth at the position, it’s within the realm of possibility that the Chargers still retain their free agent.
Cardinals Re-Sign T Kelvin Beachum
After an injury-filled year on their offensive line, the Cardinals have agreed to a new deal that will bring back their most dependable lineman, offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, according to freelance journalist and former Cardinals staff writer Mike Jurecki. Set to turn 34 in June, the veteran tackle will return to Arizona on a new two-year contract. 
Beachum had to work his way into a starting position in his first two years in the league for the Steelers, but after earning it, Beachum refused to let go. He was Pittsburgh’s starting left tackle every year after his rookie season. The only exception came after a torn ACL cost him the last 10 games of the 2015 season, the last year of his rookie contract.
The ACL injury, the only major injury of his career, hurt his chances of a strong, long-term contract, but after a year as Jacksonville’s left tackle, Beachum signed a three-year, $24MM deal with the Jets. After two years s the starting left tackle in New York, Beachum, once again, found himself on the open market, signing with the Cardinals who would switch him to the right side of the offensive line for the first time since his rookie year.
Beachum has only ever missed two games in Arizona due to injury, but his durability was best put on display this past year after starting every game of the season for the Cardinals. Beachum was the only Arizona offensive lineman to account for over 72-percent of the team’s offensive snaps in 2022, playing nearly 98-percent of them.
Beachum has played for three years in Arizona now and finishing out this new deal will make the Cardinals the team Beachum has played for the longest in his career. He’s been the team’s starting right tackle since 2020, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t continue that role for the next two years.
The news of his return is certainly heralded and welcomed after last year’s endurance, but it’s slightly unexpected that the team chose to go this route. Within its many injuries on the offensive line last season, the Cardinals were able to see that it had two capable starting tackles in D.J. Humphries and Josh Jones. Both players graded out better than Beachum, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and with Jones still on his rookie contract and Humphries still five years younger than Beachum, many thought youth and affordability would prevail. Not only that, but Beachum, who clearly has good ball left in the tank, was thought to have priced himself out of Arizona, especially since moving forward with Jones and Humphries would be the more affordable play.
Regardless, the Cardinals rewarded Beachum for his endurance and veteran leadership. After showing last year that age is just a number, Beachum will continue to show how durable he can be for the next two years in Arizona.
Falcons To Re-Sign P Bradley Pinion, FB Keith Smith
The Falcons have re-signed a pair of key special teamers. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta has re-signed punter Bradley Pinion. Meanwhile, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports (on Twitter) that the Falcons have re-signed fullback Keith Smith.
Pinion is inking a three-year pact worth $8.65MM, putting him in the top-eight of the highest-paid punters. The deal includes $4.325MM in guaranteed money, with Pinion taking home $3.5MM of that guaranteed money in 2023.
Pinion was the only punter selected during the 2015 draft, going in the fifth round to the 49ers. He spent four years in San Francisco before a three-year stint with the Buccaneers that saw him earn a Super Bowl ring. He spent this past season with the Falcons, where he recorded a career-high 45.9 average yards per punt.
Smith has spent the past four seasons in Atlanta, collecting four tackles while appearing in more than 1,000 special teams snaps. Smith has also had a minor role as a blocker on offense, and he’s even had some brief cameos in the receiving game. In four years with the Falcons, the 30-year-old has collected 22 receptions.
Dolphins Re-Signing LB Duke Riley
After two years in Miami, linebacker Duke Riley has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Dolphins, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The 28-year-old linebacker is a veteran who rotates in on defense and anchors on special teams. 
Riley entered the league as third-round draft pick out of LSU for the Falcons. While he failed to reach his draft potential, Riley’s been able to produce in limited time for whatever defense he’s been a part of. After losing playing time, and eventually his starting job, in Atlanta to Foyesade Oluokun in 2018, Riley was traded to the Eagles.
In Philidelphia, Riley once again got an opportunity to carve out some starting time while still helping on special teams. He dealt with some injuries here and there in 2020, ending the season on injured reserve. When his contract expired, the Eagles allowed him to hit free agency and he found his way to South Beach.
In Miami, Riley continued his role as a rotational linebacker and special teamer, starting three games in his first season with the team. He earned a second one-year contract with the Dolphins to play through the 2022 season and appeared in every game, starting two. Riley hasn’t provided the top production numbers of other free agent linebackers who will sign massive deals, but he is reliable and consistent in what he does provide.
With fellow inside linebackers Elandon Roberts and Sam Eguavoen also headed towards free agency in Miami, Riley becomes the primary backup for the inside linebacker position behind Jerome Baker and the newly acquired former Titan, David Long. The two-year contract will be the first multiyear contract for Riley since his entry level draft contract. It’s a fitting reward for a grinder who gives his all on special teams and fills in well when needed on defense.
Chargers To Re-Sign QB Easton Stick
The Chargers are retaining their backup QB. The team has agreed to a new contract with quarterback Easton Stick, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
It’s a one-year, $1.8MM deal for the backup, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Considering Stick’s struggles to take control of the QB2 spot on the Chargers depth chart, this contract seems to be a strong indication that he’ll be the definitive backup heading into next season.
Following a prolific career at North Dakota State that saw him set the record for most wins by a starting QB in NCAA Division I FCS history, Stick was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. He’s only seen time in one game since entering the league, completing one four-yard pass during the 2020 season. The Chargers didn’t give a QB2 any snaps during the 2021 season, and Chase Daniel got the brief call in 2022.
Now heading into 2023 with a new contract, there’s a good chance Stick will finally hold the second spot on the depth chart. At the very least, he’ll provide the coaching staff with a familiar face in case something happens to Justin Herbert.
49ers Re-Sign DT Kevin Givens To One-Year Deal
Despite the star power the 49ers are planning to bring over from Philadelphia in Javon Hargrave, San Francisco has no plans of allowing its depth at the position to suffer. One of those moves to secure depth was re-signing defensive tackle Kevin Givens.
An undrafted free agent out of Penn State from 2019, Givens has slowly earned the trust and confidence of the coaching staff in San Francisco. After factoring into the team’s defense as a rotation piece off the bench for much of his first three years, Givens was given plenty of starting opportunities in 2022.
With injuries plaguing the position room and holding players like Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead to a combined 15 total games this past year, Givens heard his named called. Givens started 11 games for the 49ers this season in their absence. He could’ve started a few more if not for a few games missed with a sprained MCL. He matched or tallied career-highs in total tackles (20), tackles for loss (7), quarterback hits (3), and sacks (2.0). Givens struggled in run defense, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but graded out much better as a pass rusher.
Givens doesn’t provide the 49ers with a top-level of play on the defensive line, but the team isn’t asking him to give that. They expect that high-level of play from their top draft picks and acquisitions like Hargrave, and Givens is expected to fill in as an injury or rotation replacement without missing a beat. Givens provides that for San Francisco, and his success when called into action this season has been rewarded with another one-year deal.