Steelers To Extend K Chris Boswell
Chris Boswell and the Steelers have come to terms on another agreement. The Steelers are giving their longtime kicker a four-year deal, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
The Steelers’ kicker since 2015, Boswell signed for four years and $20MM; the deal also comes with $12.5MM guaranteed. The $5MM-per-year average ties Boswell with Justin Tucker atop the kicker market.
The previous contract the Steelers had Boswell tied to ran through the 2022 season; it placed the former Pro Bowler ninth among kickers in average annual salary. Weeks after re-upping Minkah Fitzpatrick, the team took care of another key contract-year player. With Ben Roethlisberger and Stephon Tuitt retiring, Boswell, 31, is the Steelers’ second-longest-tenured player — behind only Cameron Heyward.
This is the second major extension the Steelers and Boswell have agreed upon. The first came, in Steelers fashion, four Augusts ago. Boswell was coming off his only Pro Bowl nod at that point, but the 2018 season — one in which he made just 65% of his field goals — was his worst as a pro. But he bounced back on that contract, making at least 90% of his FG tries in each of the past three seasons and being especially reliable from long range.
Boswell broke through on tries from beyond 50 yards in 2021. From 2018-20, Boswell had only made three field goals from beyond 50 yards. He had only attempted four. Last season, however, Mike Tomlin called for more Boswell long-range efforts; the veteran specialist delivered. The Rice alum made 8 of 9 tries from that distance range — including two in the fourth quarter of a Monday-night win over the Bears — helping him join Tucker atop the kicker salary hierarchy.
Patriots’ Jonathan Jones, Jabrill Peppers Return To Practice
After letting J.C. Jackson walk in free agency, a decision consistent with offseason cornerback choices in the recent past, the Patriots will have a transition to make. But the team does return some talent at the position. One of those players made a long-awaited return to work Monday.
The Patriots activated Jonathan Jones from their active/PUP list. The team’s primary slot corner, Jones was lost early during the 2021 season, going down with a shoulder injury in Week 6. Offseason safety addition Jabrill Peppers, who suffered an ACL tear days after Jones went down, is also back at practice for New England. The team also activated defensive back Myles Bryant from its active/non-football injury list.
Jones, 28, and Devin McCourty are the only secondary cogs left to have played regular roles in the Patriots’ most recent Super Bowl season. A former UDFA, Jones has been a key member of the Pats’ secondary since the 2017 season. New England gave the Auburn alum a three-year, $21MM extension just before the 2019 season. Jones graded as one of the top corners in football in his most recent full season (2020), per Pro Football Focus; his deal expires after the 2022 campaign.
Peppers was linked in trades ahead of last year’s deadline, but his injury nixed any move. The Giants let the 2019 trade acquisition walk this offseason. The former first-round pick saw his role decrease in 2021, with the Giants using Xavier McKinney and ex-Patriot Logan Ryan more often on their back line, but has made 59 career starts and was the No. 25 overall pick in 2017.
This will be Peppers’ age-27 season. The Pats, who signed Peppers for just $2MM, added the Michigan product to a deep safety corps — one that has McCourty back alongside Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger.
Patriots, P Jake Bailey Agree To Extension
The Patriots have taken care of an important piece of business with respect to their special teams. New England is extending punter Jake Bailey on a four-year, $13.5MM contract with $6.5MM fully guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
Bailey, 25, was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. Now, he will be on the books through 2025, allowing the Patriots to have long-term stability at the position. The former fifth-rounder (who also handles kickoffs and is the team’s holder on field goals) earned Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors in 2020, after averaging 48.7 yards per punt. That average dipped slightly last season, and a league-leading three of his punts were blocked.
Despite that, Bailey’s success from the year prior earned him a sizeable raise via the Proven Performance Escalator. As a result, he was scheduled to carry a cap hit of $4.05MM this season. Not surprisingly, then, the Stanford alum was widely thought to be due an extension at some point this offseason.
Schefter’s colleague Mike Reiss adds that this new deal will lower Bailey’s 2022 cap charge by roughly $1.85MM – a relatively nominal amount, but one which is particularly significant for the Patriots, as they entered the day with the least cap space in the league. Even with this extension, they will have less than $5MM in financial wiggle room.
The $3.375MM-per-year average of the deal moves Bailey into second in the league in terms of annual compensation at the position, behind only Seattle’s Michael Dickson. He will be in place for the foreseeable future in New England, as he looks to repeat the success he has already enjoyed in his career.
49ers, WR Deebo Samuel Agree To Deal
After months of precarious conversations and rumors, the 49ers and star wide receiver Deebo Samuel have finally agreed to a new deal. Samuel has landed a three-year extension worth $71.55MM, with a potential maximum value of $73.5MM, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
Samuel’s annual average value of approximately $23.85MM per year ranks eighth among wide receiver contracts in the league behind Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, Cooper Kupp, A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs, and recent fellow hold-in participant D.K. Metcalf. As expected, Samuel joins the trend of wide receivers breaking the $20MM per year threshold.
Samuel’s feud with the team that drafted him stems back to the early days of the offseason. General manager John Lynch had readily admitted that the team had an extension budgeted for Samuel and defensive star Nick Bosa, but San Francisco’s initial offer was out of range enough for Samuel to request a trade. Several teams reached out in hopes of trading for the 26-year-old, with the Jets making a dramatic push around the draft, but, ultimately, no trade unfolded.
At one point, Samuel had removed all references to the team on social media, indicating that the relationship was all but deteriorated, but eventually refollowed the team on Instagram and liked a post in which Lynch claimed the issues between the two parties could be worked out. The team’s communication with the media after that seemed to insist that a deal would get done, but as training camp approached, questions on the imminence of a new contract still pressed.
Samuel’s “hold-in” can now come to an end. While he had reported to training camp earlier this week, Samuel refused to practice amid his then-ongoing contract dispute. He had reported to minicamp, as well, but didn’t participate in any on-field work then either. The “hold-in” was a new concept, a result of the CBA’s crackdown on holdouts that would fine Samuel $40,000 for each day he was absent from camp.
With contract discussions in the rearview, Samuel can return focus to continuing his meteoric NFL development. Samuel impressed as a rookie amassing 57 receptions for 802 yards and three touchdowns en route to his teams run to a Super Bowl loss against the Chiefs. Samuel also showed that his impressive athleticism could provide an extra tool as he rushed for three more touchdowns on 14 carries for 159 yards. Samuel’s sophomore season was derailed a bit by injury as a fracture in his left foot forced him to miss the first three games of the season. He would miss nine games total that year due to a mix of COVID-19 and a hamstring injury.
Finally healthy again, Samuel exploded for a breakout year last season. Samuel more than doubled his career total recording 1,405 receiving yards on 77 catches for six touchdowns. He continued his dual-threat nature by rushing 59 times for 365 yards and a team-leading eight rushing touchdowns. Some reports indicated that one of Samuel’s gripes was his overuse in the run game, but the team supposedly addressed it by adding some depth to the running backs room.
But, now, all the gripes and issues will hopefully be behind the two parties. Samuel got his payday and the 49ers aren’t forced to deal one of their most valuable offensive weapons. Between signing Bosa and Samuel to massive extensions, Lynch and the 49ers’ brass have had one heck of an offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/22
Here are the minor moves to wrap up the weekend:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Sage Surratt
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from active/PUP: CB Don Gardner
Surratt went undrafted last year after opting out of the 2020 college football season, an option given to all football players that year due to COVID-19. He considered entering the 2020 NFL Draft after an impressive redshirt sophomore season at Wake Forest, but ultimately decided to return before eventually opting out. Despite only playing in 9 games with the Demon Deacons in 2019, Surratt totaled 66 receptions for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns. Unfortunately, averaging 111.22 receiving yards per game in 2019 didn’t build his draft stock enough for the 2021 Draft. Surratt has spent time on the practice squads for the Lions and the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL but hasn’t seen the field for either. The Chargers will hope to tap into that explosive play from three years ago.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/22
We’ll keep track of today’s minor transactions here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DE Matt Dickerson, TE David Wells
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Jordan Miller
- Released: CB Travon Fuller
Detroit Lions
- Activated from non-football illness list: OT Dan Skipper
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Darryl Williams
- Released: TE Naz Bohannon
Los Angeles Rams
- Reverted to IR: RB Xavier Jones
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/retired list: G J.R. Sweezy (story)
Washington Commanders
- Signed: OT Alex Akingbulu, OT Rashod Hill
- Released: OL Beau Benzschawel
- Placed on reserve/retired list: LB Ryan Kerrigan (story)
Cardinals Add Defensive Line Depth For Camp
Arizona brought in some veteran bodies on the defensive line for camp this preseason. The team made the announcement on their website that they have signed Antwaun Woods and Christian Ringo. 
The Cardinals felt the need to bring in some experienced players at the position due to the high rotation-rate and youth at the position. With J.J. Watt likely to see little playing time in the preseason going into his 12th NFL season, Arizona’s defensive line is riddled with young players like Rashard Lawrence (23), Zach Allen (24), Cameron Thomas (22), Leki Fotu (23), Kingsley Keke (25), Michael Dogbe (26), and Jonathan Ledbetter (24). Woods (29) and Ringo (30) can add some of the experience and leadership that is missing with Watt (33) on the sideline.
Woods came into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Titans. After only making one appearance in two years in Tennessee, Woods was released with an injury settlement before signing a two-year contract with Dallas. Woods immediately became a starter in the Cowboys defense as a 1-technique defensive tackle. Woods would start 32 games for the Cowboys over the next three years, losing some playing time to injuries and some starts in the third year to free agent addition Dontari Poe. When the Cowboys drafted three defensive lineman in the 2021 NFL Draft, Woods was waived. Woods signed with the Colts for last year but spent most of the season on the practice squad or injured.
Ringo doesn’t nearly have the starting experience Woods does, but has lots of experience learning new systems. Since being drafted by the Packers in 2015, Ringo has spent time with the Bengals, Lions, Cowboys, and Saints, not to mention a short stint in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. This is technically a reunion, as Ringo’s month-and-a-half stint with the Cowboys overlapped with Woods’ tenure in Dallas. Up until last year, Ringo’s career had been that of a rotational reserve, but, after signing with the Saints for the 2021 season, Ringo earned his first four starts and appeared in a career-high 14 games.
Both players are 300+ lb. interior lineman who will take some preseason snaps off of the shoulders of players that Arizona would like to keep fresh going into the regular season. If they show flashes of their most productive NFL stretches, they could find their way onto the final 53-man roster and contribute to the Cardinals’ 2022 season.
In order to make room for Woods and Ringo on the roster, Arizona released tight end David Wells and defensive end Matt Dickerson. Wells had appeared in three games (one start) last year for the Cardinals and Dickerson hasn’t played since he was with the Titans in the 2020 season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/22
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Duke Dawson
Chicago Bears
- Activated from active/PUP list: DL Sam Kamara
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Jets): S Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB Quandre Mosely
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Sammy Watkins
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Randy Ramsey, OL Rasheed Walker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Caeveon Patton
- Released: DE Bryan Cox Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: K Elliott Fry
- Waived: K Andrew Mevis
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Trey Ragas
- Waived/injured: RB Xavier Jones
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Josh Hammond
- Activated from active/PUP list: C David Andrews, P Jake Bailey
New York Jets
- Waived: LB Javin White
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Tomasi Laulile
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Bug Howard
- Waived: P Sterling Hofrichter
- Activated from active/PUP list: G Sadarius Hutcherson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Shakur Brown
Signed as a UDFA shortly after the draft, Mevis fared rather poorly in a Thursday workout. The rookie kicker missed badly on three warmup kicks, one of which drilling ex-Cowboys HC Dave Campo (of Hard Knocks 2002 fame), per ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. Mevis had struggled during the start of Jaguars camp. This is Fry’s seventh NFL team since he entered the league in 2019. The workout-circuit regular has played in three regular-season games — one-offs with the Falcons, Bengals and Chiefs. The Jags also have kicker Ryan Santoso on their roster.
A hamstring injury, sustained during a workout shortly after a flight to Green Bay, sidelined Watkins for the start of Packers camp. The veteran will try to shake a well-earned injury-prone label in Green Bay, though the former top-five pick’s roster spot may not be 100% secure. Andrews, who returned in 2020 after missing all of the 2019 season due to blood clots, underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He is back for a seventh season as the Patriots’ starting center.
Raiders Place OLB Kyler Fackrell On IR
Kyler Fackrell‘s Raiders time could be shortlived. The team placed the veteran edge rusher on injured reserve Friday, clearing a roster spot for running back addition Austin Walter.
The Raiders reached an agreement to add Fackrell in March, adding the former Packers, Giants and Chargers edge on a one-year deal worth $1.19MM. The Raiders guaranteed Fackrell $633K to sign.
An injury settlement could clear a path for Fackrell to sign elsewhere, but for now, he is out of the picture for the Raiders. Las Vegas has its well-paid bookend duo — Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones — set to start, but this roster designation leaves questions beyond the top tandem. Former No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell has not worked out, to the point the fourth-year pass rusher may be on the team’s roster bubble as training camp begins.
A third-round Packers pick in 2016, Fackrell delivered an interesting 2018 season by accumulating 10.5 sacks as a part-time starter. The Giants gave him a one-year, $4.6MM deal in 2020, and he worked mostly as a starter with Big Blue. Fackrell played a rotational role with the Bolts, signing for $1.5MM. He registered seven sacks over the past two years.
Ferrell would make for an ideal No. 3 pass rusher, but he has not proven reliable as a pro. The Raiders were busy adding defensive tackles this offseason, but Fackrell represented their lone notable depth addition outside.
G J.R. Sweezy To Retire With Seahawks
3:48pm: This agreement may not be for Sweezy to give it another go in Seattle. Not long after signing K.J. Wright to a ceremonial deal to let him retire as a Seahawk, the organization is doing the same for Sweezy, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets.
Part of the draft class that included Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson, Sweezy served as a regular on a Seahawks O-line that helped move Wilson toward the Hall of Fame track and give Marshawn Lynch a career-defining second act. Behind 1,200-plus-yard seasons from Lynch, the Seahawks ranked as a top-10 offense from 2012-14. Being part of this group helped Sweezy eventually top $30MM in career earnings.
3:31pm: J.R. Sweezy has not played since the 2020 season, but the former Seahawks draftee is going home. The Seahawks will give the veteran guard another chance, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
This stands to be Sweezy’s third Seattle stint. He arrived as a 2012 seventh-round pick and, after his Buccaneers free agent deal did not pan out, wound up back with his original team in 2018. The Seahawks let Sweezy walk in 2019, and he ended up starting two seasons with the Cardinals.
Sweezy, 33, caught on with the Saints in 2021 but did not make their 53-man roster. Despite Sweezy having missed two full seasons since 2016, the prior one because of injury, he has made 104 career starts. Sixty-four of those have come with the Seahawks, who deployed him as a first-stringer during each of their Super Bowl campaigns.
A starter in both Super Bowl XLVIII and Super Bowl XLIX, Sweezy commanded a five-year, $32.5MM deal from the Bucs in 2016. An injury wiped out his first Tampa Bay season, and the Bucs eventually moved on after the 2017 slate.
The Seahawks used Sweezy as a starter again in 2018, after giving him a one-year deal worth just $1.5MM. He parlayed Seahawks stint No. 2 into a two-year, $9MM Cardinals pact and was part of the team’s first two Kyler Murray-protecting O-lines. Considering Sweezy’s full-season absence in 2021, his latest Seahawks agreement is likely at or close to the veteran minimum.