Patriots Expected To Re-Sign CB Jonathan Jones
Jonathan Jones had been expected to test the open market this week, but that will no longer be the case. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the corner is re-signing with the Patriots on a two-year contract (Twitter link).
The 29-year-old played out the final season of a three-year extension he signed with the Patriots in 2019. His production over that span, including seven interceptions and usage both in the slot and on the boundary, would have made him a candidate for a notable contract from New England or another team on the open market. Ultimately, it looks like he took a bit of a discount to stick around with the Patriots.
The former UDFA out of Auburn mostly played in the slot during his first six seasons in the NFL, but he was required to take on a larger role in 2022 following the loss of J.C. Jackson in the secondary. Jones ended up having a career season from a statistical standpoint while playing on the outside, finishing with career-highs in interceptions (four) and passes defended (11) while starting a career-high 16 games.
Pro Football Focus also gave Jones some praise for his new role, ranking him 38th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks. When serving as a slot cornerback, Jones had a pair of top-20 finishes, including a fifth-place ranking in 2020.
“He’s tough, well prepared, smart kid,” Belichick said this past season (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “His playing strength for his size is good, speed’s very good, instincts, quickness, good tackler. He’s a good player and really good off the field with preparation and communication.”
While the Patriots were able to bring back Jones on an affordable contract, the team wasn’t in dire need of cornerback help. The organization got some solid production from rookies Marcus Jones and Jack Jones in 2022, but with Jonathan Jones back in the fold, the team won’t be as reliant on the upcoming sophomores.
Falcons, OG Chris Lindstrom Agree To Extension
Atlanta has just acquired a new playmaker on offense, but one of the unit’s top players will remain in place for years to come. Right guard Chris Lindstrom has agreed to terms on a “mega-extension,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). The team has confirmed the deal. 
Providing terms on the deal, Fowler’s colleague Adam Schefter tweets that it is a five-year pact worth $105MM. The former first-rounder was set to play on the fifth-year option in 2023, but he will now be on the books for the foreseeable future as the league’s highest-paid interior o-lineman. SI’s Albert Breer adds that the contract includes $63MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link).
The $21MM annual average value of this deal puts the 26-year-old slightly ahead of Colts left guard Quenton Nelson, who last offseason became the only non-left tackle in NFL history to eclipse the $20MM-per-season mark. The fifth-year option on Lindstrom’s deal carries a value of $13.2MM. This new pact may be aimed at lowering that figure slightly, though Atlanta entered the offseason in better financial shape than most teams.
Lindstrom was the 14th overall pick in the 2019 draft, and represented one of several moves in recent years by the Falcons to invest in their offensive front. He has certainly lived up to expectations, serving as a full-time starter at right guard right away. His rookie season was limited to just five contests, but he has not missed a game since then. That durability, along with his level of play, makes this move a worthy investment.
The Boston College alum was PFF’s highest-rated player last season, earning a sparkling overall grade of 95. His rating in that regard his increased steadily over each of his four campaigns in Atlanta. His strength has been in run blocking, though his pass protection has taken notable strides as well. Now, the Falcons are banking on continued development over the coming years.
Right tackle Kaleb McGary is set to hit the open market, after he too worked as a full-time starter on the right side of the Falcons’ o-line. While his level of play hasn’t been at the level of Lindstrom, McGary is slated to be one of a few RTs in line for a considerable deal in the coming days. Regardless of if Atlanta can retain the latter, they now have Lindstrom on the books as the anchor of their offensive front for the long-term future.
Falcons To Acquire TE Jonnu Smith From Patriots
The Patriots have moved on from one of their big-ticket tight end acquisitions of 2021. Jonnu Smith is being traded to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
Smith made himself one of the top free agents of the 2021 class at the position after the four-year start to his career in Tennessee. As part of their unusually aggressive approach on the open market that offseason, New England inked him to a four-year, $50MM contract. They also splurged on fellow tight end Hunter Henry, something the team may have come to regret.
The former had an underwhelming tenure with New England, scoring just one touchdown in 30 games. He registered 539 yards on 55 catches, totals which were far lower than expected given his success in Tennessee. Now, this move will reunite him with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith (who was the Titans’ offensive coordinator during his time there). It will also save the Patriots roughly $4.4MM in cap space.
Smith’s deal was restructured in September, which upped his 2023 cap hit to $17.2MM. Per multiple reports, the Falcons will look to re-work his contract once again upon arrival to make it more team-friendly. Smith, 27, is currently on the books through 2024. He will look to rediscover his Titans form while working with a familiar coach in Atlanta, while also giving the Falcons a strong blocking tight end to complement the pass-catching skills of Kyle Pitts.
For New England, this move marks a disappointing end to Smith’s addition two years ago. They will now focus on retaining Henry, who has racked up 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two Patriots campaigns. The former Charger has one year remaining on his deal, which includes a cap hit of $15.5MM. That figure could hinder the team’s efforts to add more productive receivers (regardless of if they are able to keep Jakobi Meyers in the fold), though the cap savings from this deal will give them some added flexibility. A replacement for Smith can likely be found in the draft, which is said to include a number of high-end options at the TE spot this year.
Lions Re-Sign DL Isaiah Buggs
Last summer, the Lions added Isaiah Buggs as defensive line depth; his play this year has earned him an extended stay in the Motor City. Detroit is re-signing Buggs on a two-year deal worth up to $6MM, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the move. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the pact includes $4.5MM in base salary, with $1.5MM in incentives. $2.1MM in compensation is guaranteed at signing.
A former Steelers third-rounder, Buggs operated in a rotational capacity over the course of three seasons in Pittsburgh. His snap share rose every year, reaching 34% in 2021, though he never managed to make as much of an impact on the statsheet as the team would have wished. He was waived last January, and remained on the open market for several months after a brief stint with the Raiders as playoff insurance.
Following workouts with the Vikings and Falcons, Buggs signed in Detroit in an attempt to carve out a more notable role. That was certainly this case this season, as he started 13 of 17 contests and played considerably more snaps (755) than he did across three campaigns with the Steelers. He comfortably set new career highs in several categories, including tackles (46) and QB pressures (11).
That production has led to this new deal, one which will essentially double his career earnings if he is able to maximize its value. Buggs will continue as a key member of the Lions’ defensive line rotation, one which could see the departures of pending free agents John Cominsky and Austin Bryant. Detroit will be seeking significant upgrades on defense this offseason, but by retaining Buggs, they will have a degree of continuity up front in the coming years.
Giants To Re-Sign P Jamie Gillan, LS Casey Kreiter
9:15am: Kreiter is also re-signing with the Giants, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). His one-year deal will put him place for a fourth season in New York, and allow the team to return all three members of their kicking battery from 2022 for the coming season.
8:23am: The Giants have already had a busy offseason by retaining several members of their offense, but continuity will also be found for their special teams unit. New York is re-signing punter Jamie Gillan to a two-year, $4MM contract (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
The ‘Scottish Hammer’ spent the first three seasons of his career with the Browns after he won a training camp competition in 2019. His average of 46.2 yards per punt as a rookie helped earn him an extended look in Cleveland, though his performance in that regard dipped over the following two seasons. He was waived in December 2021.
That led to his Giants tenure beginning this past season. The 25-year-old had a generally strong debut campaign in the Big Apple, recording a career-high 74 punts. His average on those (46.8) also set a new personal mark, and his net punting average topped 40 for the first time since his rookie year. While he will aim to drop his touchback percentage (12.2%) in the coming years, he will have stability for the short-term future.
The Giants will now have at least two-thirds of their kicking operation in place for 2023. Kicker Graham Gano has one year remaining on his current contract, but long snapper Casey Kreiter is a pending free agent. Gillan, though, will look to build off of his 2022 success with his financial future in place.
NFL Restructures: Watson, Gage, Edwards, Hines
As expected, the Browns have restructured the contract of quarterback Deshaun Watson, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). The move saves Cleveland just under $36MM in cap space, and avoids Watson breaking the NFL record for the highest cap hit in a single season (he was due to count for $54.9MM in 2023).
As was recently noted, the Browns did not require Watson’s permission to convert base salary into signing bonus, though he was reportedly open to the idea. His historic, fully-guaranteed pact signed last offseason upon his acquisition from the Texans was always seen as a financial burden beginning in 2023 due to its structure. While this move thus comes as no surprise (and will, of course, affect his cap hits in future years), it will give Cleveland the spending power needed to make at least one or two notable additions in free agency this week.
Here are some other recent contract restructures, as teams look to carve out much-needed cap space for the coming free agent frenzy:
- Buccaneers receiver Russell Gage took a slight pay cut for this year to remain in Tampa Bay. Per Rapoport (on Twitter), the 27-year-old agreed to lower his salary from $10MM to $7MM – the latter figure now being fully guaranteed – with incentives in place to earn it back. After a slew of recent cost-cutting moves and financial maneuvering, Tampa Bay is now slightly under the cap ceiling in time for the start of the new league year.
- Backup Ravens running back Gus Edwards has been seen by many as a potential cut or trade candidate, as the team looks to add financial wiggle room. He will remain in the fold for the coming season, however. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the 27-year-old has agreed to drop his base salary (set to be $4.4MM) by roughly $1MM (Twitter link). He, too will have the chance to make back that amount and more if he hits the new incentives in place in his deal. Edwards is entering the final year of his contract.
- The Bills will have Nyheim Hines in the backfield at a different cap number than he was originally scheduled for. Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo tweets that Hines is re-working his contract to move part of his base salary into a signing bonus. The midseason trade acquisition was due a base salary of $4.45MM in 2023, and set to carry a cap hit of $4.79MM. Garafolo notes that Hines will have the chance, via incentives, to earn more than the latter figure this season. He is on the books through 2024.
Dolphins Acquire Jalen Ramsey From Rams
The Rams have agreed to trade CB Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson first reported that the two sides were deep in talks and that a deal seemed likely.
Miami is acquiring Ramsey in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 77, specifically) in this year’s draft, along with tight end Hunter Long. The ‘Fins will now be on the hook for the remainder of Ramsey’s contract, which runs through 2025.
The 28-year-old was scheduled to carry cap hits ranging from $22.7MM to $26.7MM over the next three years, figures which would represent a significant burden to any acquiring team. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets that his contract has been re-worked upon the deal being finalized. As a result, Ramsey has been given an additional $25MM in guaranteed compensation on top of what he was already owed in salary and bonuses, though his impact on Miami’s cap sheet may likely be lessened as well. 
The Rams’ acquisition of the former top-five pick in 2019 was one of several blockbuster deals the team made as part of their aggressive approach to trades and free agency in recent years. It helped them earn a Super Bowl title, but has now put them in a financial situation where notable departures are set to continue dominating their offseason. Edge rusher Leonard Floyd has already been released, and the same will be true of linebacker Bobby Wagner once the new league year begins.
Once the news came out that Wagner’s Los Angeles tenure would end after only one season, it was reported that a trade sending Ramsey out of town was expected to take place. The light return the Rams are receiving compared to the price they paid to acquire him from the Jaguars (a pair of first-round picks, along with a fourth-rounder), along with what they were reportedly seeking in a deal, speaks to how urgently they wanted to offload his contract before the start of free agency.
The Florida State alum remained productive in what amounted to a disastrous 2022 season for the Rams. He recorded four interceptions and 18 pass breakups while being one of few key players able to stay healthy for the entire campaign. While his coverage stats were the worst of his three full seasons in Los Angeles, Ramsey will still return to Florida carrying significant expectations.
The Dolphins took a step forward on offense last season, the first with head coach Mike McDaniel in place. Their defense struggled, however, particularly against the pass. Miami ranked 27th in passing yards allowed per game, and 29th in interceptions, pointing to a need to add to their secondary. That became especially true when it was learned that cornerback Byron Jones – who missed the entire 2022 campaign due to injury – was unlikely to play again in the NFL. He will be released once the new league year begins on Wednesday.
Ramsey will provide an upgrade to a CB room which already features Xavien Howard. Those two, along with versatile safety Jevon Holland, will anchor the Dolphins’ secondary as their defense enters a new era under DC Vic Fangio. The veteran staffer came back to the coaching ranks this offseason on a deal which makes him the highest-paid coordinator in the league. His presence should allow for a rebound defensively for the Dolphins, who still qualified for the postseason in 2022 despite their underwhelming performance on that side of the ball and quarterback injuries.
Long, a third-round pick in 2021, has made just one catch across 16 games spent with the Dolphins. He will provide depth at the TE position for the Rams, while creating a further roster hole at that spot for Miami. Mike Gesicki is widely expected to depart in free agency after his usage took a step back within McDaniel’s new scheme. While the Dolphins will likely be active replacing him and Long, they have landed a major addition to their defense for the intermediate future.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
49ers Re-Sign S Tashaun Gipson
Following up on yesterday’s rumor that the 49ers were interested in bringing back potential free agent safety Tashaun Gipson, the two parties have agreed to a new one-year contract to keep Gipson in red and gold, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Gipson will return to start in the defensive backfield opposite first-team All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga. 
Gipson joined the 49ers just prior to the start of the 2022 season, eight days before the 53-man roster cut deadline. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster and was signed to the practice squad. Gipson was a practice squad elevation in Week 1 to fill in for an injured Jimmie Ward and, two days later, was officially promoted to the active roster.
Gipson had a resurgent 2022 season for San Francisco returning five interceptions for 141 yards, numbers he hadn’t reached since his early years in Cleveland. He started every game of the season at safety alongside Hufanga, with both helping to form the league’s best scoring defense.
Gipson’s new deal is worth $2.9MM, according to Doug Kyed of A to Z Sports. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $2.17MM consisting of a $1MM signing bonus and $1.17MM of salary. Gipson will receive a per game active roster bonus of $40,000 for a potential additional season total of $680,000. He’ll also receive a $50,000 workout bonus. The deal also includes $300,000 in potential incentives that can be triggered through interceptions, fumble recoveries, playing time, team achievements, and a Pro Bowl selection. The contract includes three voidable years to spread out Gipson’s cap hit.
It was assumed that only one of Gipson or Ward would be re-signed, sending the other to the free agent market. With Gipson’s new contract, Ward, the longtime 49ers defensive back, will likely be testing the free agent waters. It may be difficult to say goodbye to Ward, who has been with the team since 2014, but it’s hard not to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Gipson’s surprising year.
From beginning the year on the practice squad to starting every game of the season, Gipson surpassed all expectations and had a strong season while doing so. In return, Gipson has earned an opportunity to stay with one of the league’s top defenses, which should only assist him in continuing to excel.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/23
Today’s minor moves in the NFL, one day before the legal tampering period begins:
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: DE Tyquan Lewis
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: LB Khaleke Hudson
Lewis, 28, has played all five seasons of his career with the Colts, and his tenure there will continue in 2023. The former second-rounder is signing a one-year deal worth $2.1MM (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). Lewis had logged a career-high snap share of 62% in 2022 before suffering a season-ending injury in October, and could be in line for a significant workload again this coming season.
Hudson was set to become an RFA, but has also inked a one-year deal, per a team announcement. The 25-year-old joined Washington as a fifth-round pick in 2020, and has been a mainstay on special teams in all three of his NFL seasons to date. His role in the third phase is likely to continue in 2023, as he looks to play his way into more regular defensive duties.
Jets, LB Quincy Williams Agree To Deal
The Jets have taken care of some internal business days before free agency officially opens. New York has agreed to terms on a three-year, $18MM deal with linebacker Quincy Williams (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
Pelissero adds that the deal has a maximum value of $21MM. SNY’s Connor Hughes tweets that the pact also includes $9MM guaranteed at signing. It allows the Jets to retain the 26-year-old without him being able to test the open market. Williams’ rookie contract was set to expire on Wednesday, but his stay in New York will now continue after his arrival with the team two years ago.
Williams was drafted by the Jaguars in 2019, but his tenure in Duval County was short lived. The former third-rounder logged a starter’s workload as a rookie, but saw his defensive playing time drop considerably in his second season. He was waived on roster cutdown day in 2021, and claimed by the Jets in a move which reunited him with his brother, 2019 third overall pick Quinnen Williams.
That also helped the Jets shore up the middle of their defense, and give them a productive linebacker to pair with C.J. Mosley. Williams has logged 1,672 snaps in New York, a major step up in usage compared to his Jaguars tenure. His has responded by notching 100-plus tackles in each of his Jets seasons, adding a total five sacks during that span. As such, a new deal keeping him in the fold was a priority for the team, and this pact accomplishes one of several goals they have this offseason.
Another of those – aside from a franchise-altering quarterback acquisition, of course – is a new deal for the younger Williams brother. Quinnen is due for a substantial pay raise given his production, and the effect on the DT market likely to be seen from today’s massive deal given by the Commanders to Daron Payne. The Jets are optimistic that an extension with Williams could be in the cards soon, which would secure the financial future of another major member of their defense. Regardless of what happens on that front, the elder Williams will be able to continue his stay with his second NFL team for the intermediate future.