Broncos Sign QB Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson‘s historically nomadic career looks set to continue in yet another city. The Broncos are signing the veteran quarterback, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The team has announced the move.
While Johnson has completed reunion trips to certain teams, the Broncos represent new territory. They will be his 14th NFL team. Considering Johnson has also been affiliated with the XFL, AAF and the United Football League of the early 2010s, he has authored a team-hopping run for the ages.
The Broncos are revamping their quarterback room, having traded for Russell Wilson and included Drew Lock in the deal. Although Wilson has missed just three starts in his 10-year career, his thumb injury did alter the Seahawks’ path last season. Denver also has Brett Rypien on its roster. The Broncos might not be done adding to their QB room, but Johnson did perform decently last season.
Johnson, 36 in May, spent last year, naturally, with three teams. He was with the 49ers for part of 2021 but saw game action with the Jets and Ravens, appearing in three games with New York and starting one with Baltimore. For those curious, Johnson’s team list is as follows: Buccaneers, 49ers, Sacramento Mountain Lions (UFL), Browns, Bengals, 49ers again, Bengals again, Jets, Colts, Bills, Ravens, Giants, Texans, Raiders, Washington, San Diego Fleet (AAF), Lions, Los Angeles Wildcats (XFL), 49ers again, Jets again, Ravens again.
The former fifth-round Bucs pick relieved an injured Mike White during a Jets nationally televised game last season; he threw for 317 yards in a loss to the Colts. With the Ravens down Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley against the Bengals later in the season, Johnson stepped in and threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, completing 70% of his passes.
Cowboys To Sign James Washington
After losing two key members of their receiving corps, the Cowboys are adding a new wideout. The team is signing James Washington to a one-year deal (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). 
Washington, who will be 26 next season, is a native of Texas. He had spent four seasons with the Steelers, who drafted him in the second round in 2018. Many felt he would be the next in a long line of productive wideouts developed in the Steel City, especially when he posted 44 catches for 735 yards and three touchdowns in his second season.
However, he has seen his role reduced since then. As the team has continued drafting at the position, bringing in Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool, Washington has been on the field for less than half of the team’s plays in each of the past two seasons. During that stretch, he totalled 54 receptions for 677 yards and seven touchdowns.
The news comes after the Cowboys traded Amari Cooper to the Browns and saw Cedrick Wilson leave for Miami in free agency. While the team still has CeeDee Lamb, along with franchise-tagged tight end Dalton Schultz, the vacancy left by the former two should leave plenty of opportunities for the once (Oklahoma State) Cowboy.
Meanwhile for the Steelers, this marks the second departure in the WR corps in a matter of hours. JuJu Smith-Schuster reportedly agreed to a one-year deal in Kansas City earlier today. There is now an opening on their roster to add at least a complimentary pass catcher.
Bears To Sign DE Al-Quadin Muhammad
One of the emerging pieces of the Colts’ 2021 defense has found a new home. Al-Quadin Muhammad is set to sign with the Bears (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The insider adds that the deal is worth $10MM over two years. 
The 26-year-old began his career with New Orleans, after they drafted him in 2017. He was only a Saint for one season, though, as he was claimed off waivers by the Colts at the onset of the 2018 campaign. He finished his rookie contract in Indianapolis, taking on a larger defensive (as opposed to special teams) role with each passing campaign. He posted five combined sacks between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Muhammad signed a one-year deal to stay with the Colts last offseason. The $3.4MM value reflected his consistent progress, but also the potential to earn a bigger payday with a productive season. The Miami product responded by starting all 17 games this year, setting new career-highs across the board.
He was on the field for just under three-quarters of the team’s defensive snaps. With that increased workload, Muhammad totalled 48 tackles, six sacks and one forced fumble. Not surprisingly, that performance led to this new contract, which, not unlike the one he played on last year, rewards his growth but doesn’t constitute a financial burden.
In Chicago, he will look to fill in some of the void left in the pass-rush department left by the trade of Khalil Mack. The Colts, meanwhile, will need to look elsewhere if they hope to find a new developmental edge rusher to work with.
Eagles To Bring Back RB Boston Scott
Despite being non-tendered as a restricted free agent, Boston Scott is back with the Eagles. They are re-signing the veteran running back on a one-year deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
A valued backup in Philly for years, Scott will collect $1.75MM on this contract — one that could be worth up to $2.25MM. Scott will receive $1.1MM guaranteed, per Pelissero. This salary checks in slightly below the low-end RFA tender amount.
Selected in the 2018 sixth round by the Saints, Scott has only seen game action as an Eagle in the pros. He has played 45 games with the team and played a role on the Eagles’ No. 1-ranked rushing attack last season. Scott scored a career-high seven rushing touchdowns in 2021, a season in which he compiled 373 ground yards.
Scott also helped the Eagles secure the 2019 NFC East title, filling in for Miles Sanders at points that season. The Eagles now have Scott, Sanders and Jordan Howard signed for the 2022 season.
Eagles To Re-Sign S Anthony Harris
The Eagles will continue their partnership with Anthony Harris. The former Vikings safety agreed to a one-year deal to stay in Philadelphia, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
This is the second consecutive year the Eagles and Harris have agreed on a one-year pact. Harris, who played the 2020 season on the franchise tag in Minnesota, started 14 games for the Eagles last season.
Both of Philly’s starting safeties from last season hit free agency this week. Longtime Eagles starter Rodney McLeod remains unsigned. Harris, 30, has not secured a long-term pact but did make good money on the tag two years ago. He played for $4MM last season. With McLeod not on the roster at this point, the Eagles’ payroll had little money devoted to the safety position entering Friday.
Harris intercepted six passes for the Vikings in 2019, leading to them tagging him the following year. He has one INT combined over the past two seasons but has proven to remain a reliable starter, lining up with the Vikes and Eagles’ first-string defenses in 30 games from 2020-21. Harris allowed a 68.7 passer rating when targeted last season, way down from the 118.1 figure he compiled in 2020. He allowed a 51% completion rate when targeted as well, with that figure also down considerably from his 2020 performance.
Seahawks To Sign Quinton Jefferson
Quinton Jefferson is reportedly coming back to Seattle. The Seahawks are signing the defensive tackle, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). USA Today’s Josina Anderson reports that the contract is a two-year deal worth $9.5MM, with a maximum value of $11MM (Twitter link).
Jefferson, who will be 29 by the start of next season, began his career with the Seahawks in 2016. He played four seasons in Seattle, coming on as a pass-rushing presence with 6.5 total sacks in his final two seasons there. He then played for the Bills in 2020, racking up 23 tackles and three sacks.
That was followed by another one-year stint, this time with the Raiders. Starting all 17 games last season, the former fifth round pick had a career year. He totalled 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. That earned him the sizeable raise this deal represents from the $3.25MM he played for in 2021.
“My old d-line coach from when I was in Seattle before is the d-coordinator now”, he said, referring to Clint Hurtt. “It just made sense to go back. My house is there, my friends too. It’ll be good to see some familiar faces”.
Jefferson continues the ongoing makeover of the Seahawks’ defense. The team has lost the likes of Bobby Wagner, Carlos Dunlap and Kerry Hyder in the front seven recently, all as a result of releases. Bringing the Maryland product back is a reunion, but also therefore part of the unit’s re-shaping.
Panthers Sign Matt Ioannidis
The Panthers are bringing in another defender familiar with head coach Matt Rhule. The team announced they have signed defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis to a one-year deal. Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan adds (on Twitter) that the contract is worth $5.9MM. 
The 28-year-old was released by the Commanders earlier this week. The move created just under $7MM in cap space, but meant he would be changing teams for the first time in his career. Given his production, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he was able to find a new home so quickly.
The former fifth round pick established himself as a significant interior pass rush presence during his six seasons in the nation’s capital. His best year came in 2019, when he totalled 64 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He was limited to just three contests the following year, but came back healthy in 2021. For his career, he has posted 24.5 sacks.
Ioannidis will replace DaQuan Jones, who joined the Bills at the start of free agency. As a four-year player at Temple, he marks another signing by the Panthers who has experience playing under Rhule. Alongside Derrick Brown, he will likely form a disruptive duo at the heart of their defense.
Seahawks Release Carlos Dunlap, Kerry Hyder
For the second straight offseason, the Seahawks released Carlos Dunlap. The team also cut fellow defensive lineman Kerry Hyder on Friday.
While the Seahawks reached a new agreement with Dunlap shortly after cutting him last year, it is unclear if the veteran defensive end remains in the team’s plans this time around. Hyder joined the Seahawks after spending the 2020 season with the 49ers. These two join Benson Mayowa as D-linemen moved off Seattle’s roster.
[RELATED: Seahawks To Sign DL Quinton Jefferson]
The Seahawks are releasing Dunlap with a post-June 1 designation, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets, softening the dead-money blow for 2022. The team cannot recoup the extra funds until that date but it defrays some of Dunlap’s dead-cap hit until 2023. Because of Dunlap’s post-June 1 designation, the Seahawks will save just more than $7MM by shedding these two contracts.
Dunlap, 33, led the Seahawks with 8.5 sacks last season. Coming over from the Bengals in a 2020 deadline deal, Dunlap helped a struggling Seahawks defense rebound in that season’s second half. The former Cincinnati Pro Bowl rusher notched five of his six 2020 sacks as a Seahawk, helping them to the playoffs. Dunlap is four sacks away from 100 for his career. His 2021 production makes it likely he will catch on for a 13th NFL season.
Formerly with the Lions, Hyder has made single-season stopovers in the NFC West. He did not fare as well in Seattle as he did in San Francisco, seeing his sack total drop from 8.5 as a 49er to 1.5 as a Seahawk. Hyder, 30, did play 15 games last season and is a seven-year veteran. He figures to bring rotational value, at least, to another team as a free agent.
Panthers Sign C Bradley Bozeman
The Panthers continued to remodel their interior offensive line Friday. They agreed to a one-year deal with Bradley Bozeman. The team has announced the move.
A three-year starter with the Ravens, Bozeman has experience at both guard and center. The former sixth-round pick was part of each offensive line of Baltimore’s full-fledged Lamar Jackson era, being a full-time starter from 2019-21. Bozeman joins guard Austin Corbett as new additions for Carolina up front.
Bozeman, 27, brings experience and durability. The Alabama alum has missed just one start over the past three seasons. He entered free agency as one of the top centers available. The Panthers now have two highly flexible interior O-linemen, with ex-center Pat Elflein still in the fold at guard as well.
At one point, the Ravens eyed an extension for Bozeman. The Bengals also had the veteran inside blocker on their radar this offseason, before opting to add other interior players. Bozeman could well be tabbed to take over for Matt Paradis, the Panthers’ center of the past three seasons. Paradis is a free agent.
Titans To Sign Austin Hooper
Austin Hooper has reportedly found his new home. The veteran tight end is signing a one-year, $6MM contract, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Browns To Release Hooper]
Hooper, 27, started his career in Atlanta. He played four seasons there, earning Pro Bowls nods in 2018 and 2019. He posted a combined total of 146 catches, 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns during that time. That production made him a highly sought-after commodity in free agency.
Hooper signed a four-year, $42MM deal with the Browns, making him the highest-paid TE in league history at the time. In two seasons in Cleveland, he played (and started) in 29 contests. Over that stretch, he posted 84 receptions for 780 yards and seven touchdowns. That certainly wasn’t the production the team had been expecting, which partially opened the door to a parting of ways.
More signs pointed to a departure when the team placed the franchise tag on fellow TE David Njoku. The latter has been with the Browns since being drafted in the first round by them in 2017. While he also hasn’t emerged as one of the league’s elite seam-stretchers (with a career-high of 639 receiving yards), Njoku represents a better fit in the Browns’ run-heavy offense. Keeping Hooper at a cap hit of over $13MM with Njoku still in the fold was never financially viable.
In Tennessee, Hooper will join an offense short on pass catchers. The team struggled to replace Jonnu Smith, who departed last offseason in free agency. Given that, as well as the release of Julio Jones, there should be plenty of targets available for the Stanford product. With Hooper off the market, the top remaining TEs include the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Gerald Everett and Blake Jarwin.