Panthers Release LB Damien Wilson
One year into a two-year contract, linebacker Damien Wilson has been released by the Panthers, according to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt. Wilson had been brought in to supplement a linebacking corps consisting of Shaq Thompson, Frankie Luvu, and Cory Littleton, but with Carolina transitioning to a 3-4 defense under a new coaching staff, Wilson doesn’t necessarily fit in the team’s plans going forward. 
Wilson had made headlines soon after signing with the team last spring, getting arrested on an assault charge. Wilson’s ex-girlfriend, Ryan Sokolosky, had told the newspaper that Wilson showed up at her apartment drunk and threatened to kill her while holding a tire iron. Wilson then choked a friend of Sokolosky’s who was with her that night, according to Sokolosky. Wilson followed the two women into Sokolosky’s apartment, where the alleged choking occurred, before getting back into his car and attempting to run Sokolosky over with the vehicle.
While the incident likely didn’t help Wilson’s case, the Panthers are painting it as a cut-and-dry cap clearing move. Wilson had earned his two-year, $6.9MM contract after a career year in Jacksonville. After he failed to contribute at the same level in 2022, and Carolina made their plans to shift defensive schemes, the Panthers made the relatively simple decision to move on from Wilson, clearing approximately $3.6MM in cap space and leaving about $1.08MM in dead money. While getting released on its own is an unfortunate circumstance for Wilson, what hurts more is that he was due a $1MM roster bonus next week.
In a four-linebacker defense, pass rusher Brian Burns will likely move from defensive end to outside linebacker. Luvu can probably function as the opposite side’s outside linebacker after playing a third of his defensive snaps last season on the line. Thompson will man one inside linebacker position. Littleton, headed towards unrestricted free agency, would get the first chance at the other inside position if re-signed. Wilson would’ve been in line to start at that second inside position without Littleton, but even in last year’s 4-3 defense, Wilson had been losing snaps to rookie linebacker Brandon Smith, before first-year defender out of Penn State suffered a season-ending injury late in the year.
Wilson will head back to free agency, this time much less lauded than last year. Following the second arrest of his NFL career and a down year of play in Carolina, Wilson’s market value will be a bit depressed from what it was previously. He’s still the player who was second on the team in tackles for the Jaguars two seasons ago and should be able to find a franchise to take a chance on him this offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/23
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: WR Greg Dortch
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: LS Patrick Scales
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: TE Roger Carter, DB T.J. Carter, WR J.J. Koski, TE Jared Pinkney, WR Jaquarii Roberson, WR Jerreth Sterns, DE Brayden Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: RB Salvon Ahmed
New England Patriots
- Waived: P Jake Bailey
- Re-signed: LB Raekwon McMillan
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: DB J.T. Gray
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Rodney Adams, DB Zane Lewis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: DB Carlins Platel
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: G Nick Leverett
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: LS Morgan Cox
Washington Commanders
- Signed: T Drew Himmelman
Bailey has been the punter for the Patriots since the team drafted him in the fifth round in 2019. He spent some time on injured reserve this past season and looked ready to return before being suspended by the team in response to missed rehabilitation appointments. In Bailey’s absence, New England relied on former Panther Michael Palardy for the rest of the season. With Palardy set to hit free agency, the Patriots will need to figure out who will be flipping the field for them next year.
Gray has been a standout special teamer for the Saints, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2021. His new contract will be his largest yet, a three-year, $9.6MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The deal includes $4MM guaranteed, $2.4MM at signing, and has annual playing time incentives that could pay up to $500,000 per season. The first year’s base salary of $1.1MM is fully guaranteed for injury, followed by second- and third-year base salaries of $2.5MM and $2.6MM, respectively. The new contract has an potential maximum value of $11.1MM.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/23
Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Chiefs: P Tommy Townsend
Not tendered:
- Bengals: TE Mitchell Wilcox
- Jets: RB James Robinson
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Bears: CB Josh Blackwell, DT Andrew Brown
Not tendered:
- Chargers: WR Michael Bandy
Texans To Sign WR Robert Woods
The Texans have jumped on a recently released free agent, signing former Titans wide receiver Robert Woods to strengthen the receivers room prior to the opening of free agency, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Woods will provide a veteran presence for an offense that seems intent on moving Brandin Cooks. 
Woods was traded to the Titans from the Rams around a year ago in exchange for a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft. Woods had been in the best stretch of his career with Los Angeles, providing the Rams with season receiving yard totals of 1,219, 1,134, and 936 from 2018-20, respectively. He was delivering his fourth strong season in a row when he suffered an ACL tear in practice, ending his year.
Despite coming off a serious injury, Woods led the Titans in receiving last year with 53 receptions for 527 yards, partly thanks to an injury to rookie wideout Treylon Burks. It wasn’t his strongest season, but it was an encouraging showing for a player coming so recently off of knee surgery.
Unfortunately for Woods, potential cap savings of over $12MM made it a no brainer for Tennessee to execute his release. Woods has solidly bounced back, trekking across the division to sign a two-year deal reportedly worth $15.25MM. Rapoport’s tweet reports that the deal includes $10MM fully guaranteed and can reach a maximum value of $17MM.
Woods joins a Houston receiving corps that’s expected to lose Cooks, Chris Moore, and Phillip Dorsett, the latter two to free agency. Woods should be the centerpiece of the group, supplemented by third-year receiver Nico Collins and second-year wideout John Metchie, who will be playing his first season of NFL ball after sitting out his rookie year while treating leukemia.
Woods will be hoping to have a similar impact with his fourth-career team as he did in Los Angeles. Whether the Texans move forward with Davis Mills or seek help at quarterback, Woods, now a year removed from his knee injury, should be the perfect complement to a young or new passer.
Raiders Re-Sign T Brandon Parker
Offensive line was a sore spot in 2022 for the Raiders, but a veteran member of the unit will be staying place. Per a team announcement, right tackle Brandon Parker has been re-signed. 
The 27-year-old missed the entire 2022 campaign due to injury, which threw off the team’s plans at his position. Parker was in line to remain the full-time RT starter, as he had been in 2021. He had seen a brief spell on the blindside previously in his career, but right tackle represents his most familiar spot on the o-line. In his absence, the Raiders relied on veteran Jermaine Eluemunor and seventh-round rookie Thayer Munford at the position.
A 2018 third-round pick, Parker has started 32 games across his 54 total appearances, all with the Silver and Black. Over that span, he has never drawn good reviews from PFF, though the 2021 season did see him register a new career-high overall rating of 55.8. The Raiders are confident he will be able to return to full health by inking him to a new deal, although it likely won’t eat much into their available funds.
Parker had a cap hit of just $3.5MM in 2022, and the fact that he didn’t play obviously won’t have boosted his stock ahead of free agency. This new pact will prevent him from being able to test the open market, though it will give Vegas some continuity in an offseason where shoring up their protection up front will no doubt be among their top priorities.
The Raiders also announced on Friday that they have re-signed tight end Jesper Horsted. The 26-year-old began his career with the Bears, seeing game time there in 2019 and 2021. He signed with Vegas last summer, and played almost exclusively on special teams. That will likely continue this coming season, one in which both he and Parker will remain in the fold.
Cardinals Release Markus Golden
On a Friday rife with cost-cutting moves, the Cardinals are parting ways with a veteran member of their defense. Pass rusher Markus Golden‘s second stint in Arizona has come to an end, per a team announcement. 
By releasing the 31-year-old, the Cardinals will get out of the final year on Golden’s contract, which came about though an extension signed in September. He was due to count for $4.2MM on the cap, but this move will save Arizona just over $3MM in space while creating a dead money charge of nearly $1.1MM.
Golden was a second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2015, and he emerged as a productive edge rusher in his second season in the desert. He notched 12.5 sacks that year, but just 2.5 in a pair of campaigns after that. His tenure in Arizona was followed up by a brief stint with the Giants, where he re-established his value.
The Missouri alum racked up 10 sacks in what amounted to his first (and only) full campaign in New York. Golden was a recipient of the rarely-used UFA tender in 2020, but found himself on the move partway through that season. The Cardinals re-acquired him via trade, setting him up for a two-year, $9MM deal upon arrival back in Arizona. That move appeared to be a shrewd one, since Golden produced 11 sacks in 2021.
Things were different this past season, however, as his sack total fell to just 2.5. Golden remained a key starter for the Cardinals’ underwhelming defense, showing the durability which could help him land a deal elsewhere. However, this move continues what will likely be a youth movement in the team’s defensive front, a unit which saw J.J. Watt retire at the end of the campaign.
Zach Allen is a pending free agent, and would represent a logical candidate for a new deal as Arizona looks to rebuild. New general manager Monti Ossenfort has said that retaining the 25-year-old is among the team’s top priorities, so his situation will be one to watch closely in the coming days. Meanwhile, Golden will join a free agent pass rushing class which recently had Leonard Floyd officially added to it, and could also include Za’Darius Smith, depending on how the Vikings handle his request to be released.
Broncos To Release OL Graham Glasgow
In another sign indicating the Broncos might be readying for an active free agency period, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets the team is releasing veteran interior offensive lineman Graham Glasgow.
Glasgow filled in at both guard and center for the team last season, though he was initially given an eight-figure-per-year deal to be a starter back in 2020. Ahead of that contract’s final year, the Broncos are removing it from their cap sheet. This move will save the team $11MM. The Broncos have cut Glasgow, Ronald Darby and Chase Edmonds on Friday afternoon. Between these cuts, the team will create more than $26MM in cap space.
Denver signed Glasgow back in 2020, adding that contract to their payroll after moving Ronald Leary‘s off it. Glasgow signed a four-year, $44MM deal with the Broncos, joining the team during John Elway‘s last offseason as GM. The team used Glasgow as a starter for two seasons, but an injury midway through the 2021 campaign moved third-round pick Quinn Meinerz into the starting lineup. Meinerz won a competition with Glasgow to keep the first-string guard job opposite Dalton Risner.
The Broncos reached a pay-cut agreement with Glasgow for the 2022 season, dropping the veteran’s cap number to $6.1MM. It was set to climb to $14MM this year, making the seven-year veteran a cut candidate. Glasgow, 30, filled in for Meinerz early this season but mostly worked as a center, replacing an injured Lloyd Cushenberry for most of the slate’s second half. Glasgow started 13 games for the Broncos in 2022, but the team still has Cushenberry under contract.
This offseason could lead Risner off the roster as well. The Broncos are not planning to keep the Colorado native off the market, creating a need at left guard to go with the team’s evergreen vacancy at right tackle. GM George Paton confirmed the Broncos will look to upgrade their O-line this offseason. With Risner perhaps departing and Cushenberry’s starter status unknown, the team could be looking to bring in three new starters.
Steelers To Cut CB William Jackson
The Steelers’ trade for William Jackson did not end up leading to any playing time. Unsurprisingly, the team is moving on. The Steelers are releasing Jackson, per The Score’s Jordan Schultz (on Twitter). 
Jackson has gone from signing an eight-figure-per-year contract to being jettisoned by two teams over the past few months. Washington sent the veteran cornerback to Pittsburgh for a low-end return at the deadline. An injury kept Jackson off the field, and he will head back to free agency two years after hitting the market as one of the top players available.
This transaction will result in the Steelers saving $12.2MM, making it one of the more obvious cost-saving moves during this year’s cut wave. Jackson was attached to a three-year, $40.5MM deal, but the Commanders began to backtrack early last season. While Jackson fared well with the Bengals, the 30-year-old cover man’s career is at a crossroads.
Washington remains responsible for $9MM of Jackson’s 2023 money, and the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes the conditions of the trade not being met will not give the NFC East team the right to swap picks with Pittsburgh in the 2025 seventh round (Twitter link). The Commanders ended up saving $2.77MM — the remainder of Jackson’s 2022 base salary — but this will go down as a significant free agency miss for the team.
Cornerback has long been considered a position of need for the Steelers heading into free agency, regardless of if they are able to retain Cameron Sutton. The 28-year-old figures to have plenty of suitors on the open market, after he notched three interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 2022, both career-highs. Jackson will not play into Pittsburgh’s plans if Sutton departs.
Jackson has more than $46MM in career earnings to date, but a more modest contract than the past two he has played on surely awaits him in the near future. Sutton, along with the likes of James Bradberry and recent cuts such as Shaquill Griffin and Ronald Darby, headline the options in the 2023 free agency class. Jackson will slot in behind those names, but his previous success could land him a deal allowing him to rebuild at least some of his value.
Broncos To Cut Chase Edmonds, Ronald Darby
Broncos cost-clearing moves are commencing. They are cutting Chase Edmonds, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Part of the Bradley Chubb trade last year, Edmonds will head straight to free agency as a vested veteran.
This has long been one of the expected moves the team can make to create cap space, and $5.9MM in savings will emerge as a result. A former Cardinals regular, Edmonds did not have a chance to make much of an impact in Denver.
The Broncos are also releasing Ronald Darby, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The Darby transaction will lead to more savings for the AFC West franchise. Darby was set to earn $12.7MM in base salary next season; Denver will save $9.6MM by releasing the veteran cornerback.
The Dolphins sent over Edmonds in the Chubb deal for salary purposes, offloading the two-year, $12.1MM contract they authorized in free agency last year. That deal brought the Broncos a first-round pick, which the team ended up sending to the Saints in exchange for Sean Payton‘s rights. During an injury-abbreviated stint, Edmonds ended up totaling just 26 carries as a Bronco. He did perform better in Denver compared to his Miami work (2.9 yards per carry on 42 totes), but the former Cardinal starter will hit free agency at a bad time. Several starter-caliber backs join Edmonds on the market this year, creating a buyer’s environment at a position in which not too many teams figure to allocate notable resources.
Denver made a more notable investment in Darby back in 2021, giving him a three-year deal worth $30MM. This was one of GM George Paton‘s first signings. While Darby played well when available, the 30-year-old cover man could not shake the injury issues that plagued him prior to his Colorado trip. Darby missed six games for the Broncos in 2021 and suffered a torn ACL five games into the ’22 season.
Dealing with injuries to numerous starters last season, the Broncos encountered a brutal stretch during a four-day October stretch. They lost Darby, Garett Bolles and Javonte Williams to season-ending injuries between a Week 4 loss to the Raiders and an ugly Week 5 loss to the Colts. That created a need in the backfield, with Latavius Murray pitching in to fill it as well.
Despite being 32 and on a free agent market with a number of younger backs, Murray may have a path back to Denver. Payton coached him in New Orleans and spoke fondly of the veteran during interviews recently. Murray returning on a low-cost deal as a backup/Williams insurance option may end up coming to pass, though the Broncos will probably seek out a better insurance option alongside Murray in the event their starter is not ready to return from his ACL tear to start the season.
Following Darby’s injury, the Broncos turned to fourth-round rookie Damarri Mathis opposite All-Pro Patrick Surtain II. While cornerback may end up being a need area in Denver, the team does have slot man K’Waun Williams under contract as well. A new defensive coordinator — Vance Joseph — being in place, however, will probably lead to the Broncos looking around at the position this offseason. With no picks in the first or second rounds, the Broncos figure to be active in free agency.
Vikings To Waive CB Cameron Dantzler
The Vikings are certainly going to be in the cornerback market soon. In addition to having Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan set for free agency, Minnesota is moving on from its other primary corner in 2022.
Minnesota is waiving Cameron Dantzler, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This will create $2.7MM in cap space for the team. While the move sheds a Mike Zimmer-era investment from the roster, it will intensify the Vikes’ need at this premium position. Dantzler started nine games for Minnesota last season, playing the boundary role opposite Peterson.
Although Dantzler had started 26 games for the Vikings from 2020-22, the team has a new defensive coordinator (Brian Flores) in place. It also needs to continue clearing cap room ahead of free agency. Despite this transaction and the releases of Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen, the Vikings are still more than $6MM over the cap as of Friday afternoon.
One season and that $2.7MM number — Dantzler’s 2023 base salary — remains on the contract. Because he is not yet a vested veteran, Dantzler will only hit free agency if he passes through waivers. It will be interesting to see if a team will cut into its pre-free agency budget to take a flier on the former third-round pick.
Given the Vikings’ struggles on defense during Ed Donatell‘s lone season in charge, it is unsurprising the team is making changes. Pro Football Focus graded Dantzler outside the top 60 at corner last season, but the Vikings relied on him despite drafting Andrew Booth in the second round. Booth eventually suffered a season-ending injury, but he was unable to overtake Dantzler before the setback. Dantzler also battled injury issues, missing seven games. He spent time on IR due to a high ankle sprain late in the season.
With Booth coming off injury and Dantzler, Peterson and Sullivan unsigned, the team will need to turn its attention to the corner spot in free agency and the draft.