Minor NFL Transactions: 3/3/23
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: G Ike Boettger
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Kendall Sheffield
New England Patriots
- Waived: G Hayden Howerton
Washington Commanders
- Signed: WR Marcus Kemp
Jaguars To Move On From CB Shaquill Griffin
The Jaguars are in a much different salary cap situation in 2023 compared to last offseason. That will inevitably lead to fewer notable signings during free agency, but also cost-cutting moves leading up to the new league year. 
One instance of that will concern cornerback Shaquill Griffin. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Jacksonville will look to find a trade partner for him in the coming days; barring that, he will be released (Twitter link). Moving on from Griffin will mark an end to his two-year stint in Jacksonville.
Griffin is due a base salary of $11.5MM in 2023, the final season of a three-year, $40MM accord signed in 2021. His scheduled cap hit is $17.1MM, however, and no guaranteed money remains on his pact, making him a logical cut candidate. His release will save the Jaguars just over $13MM while generating a dead cap charge of $4MM.
The 27-year-old carried high expectations upon his arrival in Jacksonville, given his production in three years with the Seahawks. Griffin earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019, and was a full-time starter in his two seasons in Duval County. His 2022 campaign was limited to just five games due to a back injury. The former third-rounder was held without an interception during his time as a Jaguar, and he totaled only 11 pass deflections in his 19 games there.
Still, his age and past success will likely allow Griffin to generate a notable market as a free agent. He will find himself near the top of the list of available corners, alongside the likes of James Bradberry and Marcus Peters. In an update which will help his value significantly, Jordan Schultz of the Score reports that Griffin has full received medical clearance (Twitter link).
Once Griffin is off the books, Jacksonville will have roughly $29MM in cap space, a figure which will help them retain a shortlist of coveted in-house free agents. That includes tight end Evan Engram, who was reported earlier today to be in line for the franchise tag to guarantee his presence on the team for at least 2023, or longer if talks on a multi-year deal proceed according to plan. Jacksonville will, though, need to identify one or more Griffin replacements in free agency and the draft to bolster a secondary which ranked 28th in the league in passing yards allowed in 2022.
Buccaneers Plan To Cut Cameron Brate
The Buccaneers are an NFL-high $56MM over the cap, and they have less than two weeks to become compliant with the league’s $224.8MM salary ceiling. Cuts and restructures are coming. One of them will involve one of the team’s longest-tenured players.
Tampa Bay plans to release Cameron Brate, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The veteran tight end has been with the team since 2014, having stuck around this long despite being a UDFA. The Bucs will save just more than $2MM through this cut.
This comes after Brate suffered a scary injury midway through last season. A sprained neck led to Brate being stretchered off the field in Pittsburgh, leading to a three-game absence. Brate, who had been bumped down in Tampa Bay’s pecking order during Rob Gronkowski‘s time with the team, returned but did not make a substantial statistical impact. He finished the year with 20 receptions for 174 yards and no touchdowns.
Brate, 31, has been with the Bucs since before their Jameis Winston draft investment. The Harvard alum’s 2,857 career receiving yards rank second among tight ends in team history, behind only Jimmie Giles‘ 4,300. Brate’s total tops every Bucs tight end since 1987. Although 6-foot-5 pass catcher has played a complementary role behind Mike Evans (and often others) throughout his Tampa tenure, he has been a valuable player for the team.
The Bucs gave Brate a rare six-year contract back in 2018, with the deal being worth $40.8MM. This came after he served as a key Winston target, totaling 1,251 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns from 2016-17. The Bucs’ O.J. Howard first-round pick changed Brate’s role a bit, as did Bruce Arians‘ arrival; Brate never topped 350 receiving yards after that 2017 slate. The Bucs twice restructured Brate’s contract, adding two void years. That created a $2.96MM dead-money charge.
Reduced role aside, Brate teamed with Gronk and Howard in one of the higher-profile tight end stables in recent NFL history, collecting a Super Bowl ring in the process. Brate made a notable contribution during the Bucs’ 2020 playoff run, catching 14 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown in the postseason to help the Tom Brady-led team to a home Super Bowl. Barring a second Brady unretirement, Brate also caught the legendary quarterback’s final touchdown pass — an 8-yarder in the Bucs’ wild-card loss to the Cowboys.
This cut comes not long after the Bucs agreed to release Leonard Fournette. Others from the Super Bowl year will be gone as well, via releases or the team letting them walk in free agency. Todd Bowles has said the team is not expected to be particularly active on the market. Before that point, however, Tampa Bay must clear more than $50MM in salary to move under the cap.
Cardinals Finalize Gannon’s New Staff
The Cardinals announced today that they have finalized their coaching staff under new head coach Jonathan Gannon, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. We’ve tracked many new hires, firings, and retainings as they’ve occurred, but today’s finalization fills in any holes that remained between last year’s staff and what we’ve reported on so far. 
On the offensive side of the ball, we’ve got the confirmations and official titles for two new hires. Drew Terrell, who was expected to leave Washington and rumored to be in the running for Arizona’s pass-game coordinator role after missing out on the offensive coordinator job, has officially been hired as the Cardinals’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Additionally, Israel Woolfork, who was rumored to become the new quarterbacks coach after being informed by the Browns that he was granted leave from his diversity coaching fellow position, has officially been made the quarterbacks coach in Arizona.
Two other new hires were announced today on the offensive staff. Former Charleston Southern head coach Autry Denson has joined the staff as a running backs coach. Denson has extensive experience coaching the position at the college level for Notre Dame, Miami (OH), and Bethune-Cookman, but this will be his first job in the NFL. Also joining the staff, Chris Cook will be under offensive line coach Klayton Adams as the team’s assistant offensive line coach. Additionally, two members of the offensive staff from former head coach Kliff Kingsbury‘s tenure have been retained with slightly new titles. Formerly the co-pass game coordinator, Spencer Whipple will be retained in the role of pass game specialist. Similarly, former Bill Bidwill Fellowship and quarterbacks assistant Connor Senger has been retained in the position of offensive quality control coach.
On the defensive side of the ball, Patrick Toney and William Peagler, who were announced to be joining the Cardinals’ staff after working together at the University of Florida, had their titles officially announced today. Toney, who was originally expected to be the safeties coach, will be the Cardinals’ defensive backs coach. Peagler, after coaching tight ends in Gainesville, will serve as assistant defensive line coach. Additionally, a holdover from last year, former defensive assistant Ronald Booker has been retained to serve as defensive quality control.
On special teams, after the departure of assistant special teams coach Devin Fitzsimmons to Carolina, Sam Sewell will be filling the same role in 2023 for the Cardinals. Additionally, away from either side of the ball, the Cardinals hired two more new staffers and retained two others. Brandon Schwab has been hired as assistant to the head coach, and Shea Thompson has been hired as director of football performance. Coaching assistant Jay Razzano was retained from last year’s staff, and Kenny Bell, who served last season in Arizona as chief of staff and offensive assistant, will be retained as the team’s director of football strategy.
With the coaching staff finalized, Gannon and the Cardinals can turn their attention to the NFL Combine, the draft, and the rest of the offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/1/23
Here are today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: RB Ricky Person
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DE Wyatt Hubert
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: LB Nathan Gerry
After taking some time away from football, Hubert, who retired before the start of his sophomore season in August, tweeted that he is coming out of retirement. Taking time away from the game helped Hubert to heal, and he’s reportedly missed the game a lot in his time off the field. The Bengals, though, have terminated Hubert through the waiver system, so he’ll have to find another squad willing to put him back on the field.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/28/23
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: DT Taylor Stallworth
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: LB Jamir Jones
San Francisco 49ers
- Extended ERFA tender: WR Jauan Jennings
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: LB Milo Eifler, CB Rachad Wildgoose
Jennings will be back with the 49ers in 2023. As an ERFA, the former seventh-round pick had limited options. Jennings, who caught 35 passes for 416 yards last season, entered the league as a 2020 draftee but did not play that season. The 49ers will have the option of keeping the young wide receiver through the 2024 campaign; Jennings will be eligible for restricted free agency next year.
Buccaneers To Cut RB Leonard Fournette
In the league’s worst cap shape, the Buccaneers will need to make a number of moves to comply with the NFL’s new salary ceiling by March 15. One of them looks to be parting ways with their starting running back.
The Bucs plan to release Leonard Fournette, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This will create nearly $4MM in cap space while also carrying some dead money, with Tampa Bay having just re-signed Fournette last year. Fournette would have received an additional $2MM in guarantees on Day 5 of the 2023 league year (March 19), Pelissero tweets, leading to this transaction.
This was a mutual decision. Fournette said he wanted out due to the team likely shifting into a rebuilding phase, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The six-year veteran said he asked the team for the release, confirming Tom Brady‘s retirement would signal his own Tampa exit.
“Winning is everything,” Fournette said, via Stroud (on Twitter). “That’s all. And my last three years here, that’s all we’ve done. But since my guy [Brady] left, that’s why I came so my time here was up. I asked after the season to be [released], and they respected my wishes. So, no bad blood.”
Fournette, 28, played a major role in the Bucs securing their second Super Bowl title and resurrected his career in Tampa, following an unceremonious end to his Jacksonville run. But the Bucs featured the NFL’s worst rushing attack last season. Fournette averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and did not surpass 700 yards on the ground despite playing 16 games.
The Bucs agreed to three contracts with Fournette. The team signed him after the Jaguars shed his first-round contract back in 2020, gave him a one-year deal in 2021 and authorized a three-year pact in 2022. The most recent contract was for three years and $21MM — matching 2017 draft classmate James Conner‘s 2022 Cardinals pact — that included $9MM guaranteed at signing. The Bucs will pick up $3.4MM in cap savings but eat $5MM in dead money.
A former top-five pick, Fournette totaled 300 rushing yards and three touchdowns during Tampa Bay’s four-game playoff run in 2020. Earning “Playoff Lenny” and “Lombardi Lenny” aliases, the LSU product morphed from a Ronald Jones backup to the centerpiece of Tampa Bay’s ground attack. He totaled 1,266 scrimmage yards in 14 games in 2021, taking over as the team’s full-time starter. That baton may well be passed to Rachaad White, whom the Bucs draft in the third round last year.
While White did not fare too much better on a per-carry basis last year (3.7), his rookie contract runs through 2025. The Bucs will almost definitely be saying goodbye to more Brady-era starters, thanks to their former quarterback’s $35.1MM void-years bill coming due. Fournette will be hitting free agency at a bad time, with numerous starter-caliber backs set to flood the market. But he made it clear he will try to catch on with a contender — almost certainly at a reduced rate from his 2022 Bucs pact.
Commanders Place Franchise Tag On Daron Payne
Monday saw the Commanders make a pair of cost-cutting moves which gave them considerable financial flexibility. Today, they have taken an expected step using some of those funds. 
Washington has placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne, per a team announcement. That comes as little surprise with the tag deadline one week away, and a considerable market awaiting him had he been allowed to test free agency. This move allows the team to continue contract talks through mid-July on what would be a very lucrative long-term deal.
Payne, 25, played himself into a sizeable pay raise this season. He put up career-highs across the board, including 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. He racked up 64 total stops, 20 QB hits and five pass deflections, demonstrating his value both against the run and as a disruptive presence in the passing game. The Commanders had been expected to use the tag on Payne.
Doing so will lock him into a $18.94MM salary for 2023 in the absence of a new deal. That would add further financial commitment to a Commanders defensive front which already features former first-rounders Chase Young and Montez Sweat on the edges and Jonathan Allen along the interior. Keeping Payne is a logical priority, one which head coach Ron Rivera confirmed earlier this offseason. With more than $17MM in cap space even after this move, the team still has the flexibility to make others in advance of free agency, regardless of Payne’s status.
With the Alabama product officially off the market, the top pending free agent along the defensive interior will not be able to test free agency. Attention will instead turn to the likes of Javon Hargrave, Dalvin Tomlinson and Larry Ogunjobi in terms of high-end DTs whose contracts are set to expire. Negotiations between Payne and the Commanders, meanwhile, will continue without as much urgency as would have been necessary if they had elected not to use the tag.
Falcons Release Marcus Mariota
After a brief stint as a starter in the NFL once again, Marcus Mariota is set to move on to his next team. The Falcons announced on Tuesday that they have released the veteran quarterback. 
The 29-year-old found himself in Atlanta last offseason after the Falcons moved on from franchise icon Matt Ryan. The former signed a two-year, $18.75MM deal to operate as a stop-gap option under center and attempt to rebuild his value. It marked his first opportunity to take on a No. 1 role since his time with the Titans came to an end in 2019.
The former second overall pick put up numbers roughly in line with his career averages in a number of categories across 13 starts this season. That came as little surprise given his age and previous shortcomings as a starter, along with the pieces around him on a rebuilding Falcons team. Atlanta remained committed to him through much of the campaign, one which contained the possibility of a postseason berth due to the weakness of the NFC South.
Things changed during the bye week, however, when the offense was turned over to rookie Desmond Ridder. That decision signaled the end of Mariota’s time as a No. 1 in Atlanta for 2022 and beyond, which itself suggested a release could be coming in the offseason. Ridder has drawn praise from the team for his play in the final four games of the season, though he has not been fully endorsed as the 2023 starter.
The other factor which pointed to Mariota being let go, of course, was the knee injury which led him to leave the team and ultimately undergo season-ending surgery. In a span of a few days, confusion reigned as it came out that he would step away from the team to have the chronic issue evaluated, then be shut down for the year. The decision to install Ridder as the new starter was said to be separate from Mariota’s injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his market.
The latter now joins Derek Carr and Carson Wentz as veteran signal-callers free to sign anywhere before free agency begins next week. While Carr has drawn considerable interest from multiple teams, Mariota is likely headed for a similar situation to Wentz in terms of eyeing another opportunity to compete for a starting job in training camp, or a high-end No. 2 role behind an established starter. With Mariota off the books, the Falcons will save $12MM in cap space, leaving them comfortably in second place in the league with respect to spending power as free agency approaches.
Texans To Re-Sign LS Jon Weeks
The Texans’ longest-tenured player will continue his time in Houston for at least the 2023 campaign. Long snapper Jon Weeks is re-signing on a one-year deal, as detailed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC. The contract is worth $1.165MM and includes a $153K signing bonus. 
The 37-year-old joined the team in 2010 and has not missed a game since. Weeks has suited up for 210 consecutive contests, and comfortably holds the franchise record for total games played (Andre Johnson ranks second, with 169). His career has been defined by consistency, and includes a Pro Bowl nod in 2015.
This past season, the Baylor alum made six special teams tackles – the third-highest amount in his career, and the most since his all-star campaign of 2015. He also eclipsed the 200 games played mark, a feat which drew organizational recognition and allowed Weeks to reflect on his career to date.
“It’s funny, you look back at it and it’s like your time in college, it’s flown by,” he said upon reaching the milestone. “It’s been a fun ride and I’ve enjoyed every second of it. I’m incredibly blessed to do what I’m doing right now. I love doing it and I love playing with the guys in the locker room. I’ve really enjoyed my time and I hope to continue going for as long as possible.”
With this deal in place for Weeks, each member of the Texans’ special teams battery is under contract for 2023. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn and punter Cameron Johnston are set to hit free agency next offseason, by which time Weeks will have in all likelihood further cemented his status as one of the most consistent and durable players in franchise history.