Seahawks Release DE Benson Mayowa
The Seahawks’ roster makeover continues. Seattle is releasing defensive end Benson Mayowa, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Seahawks To Sign Uchenna Nwosu]
After originally joining the Seahawks on a one-year deal in 2020, Mayowa inked a two-year, $7.6MM pact with the team last March. He was set to count $3.7MM against the cap in 2022, and he’ll leave behind $2.25MM in dead cap. The move will save the team $1.45MM and follows the Seahawks’ signing of Uchenna Nwosu earlier today.
Mayowa ended up seeing time in 28 games during his second stint in Seattle (the former undrafted free agent got his first NFL gig from the Seahawks). Over the past two years, the linebacker has collected 54 tackles, seven sacks, and 11 QB hits, although the majority of those numbers came in 2020.
Mayowa previously had stints with the Raiders (two stints), Cowboys, and Cardinals. He’s seen time in 115 career games, compiling 27 sacks.
S Michael Thomas Re-Signing With Bengals
Michael Thomas (the defensive back) will be sticking with the AFC champs. Thomas is re-signing with the Bengals, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
Despite going undrafted out of Stanford in 2012, Thomas has managed to put together a 10-year career. He spent the 2021 campaign with the Bengals after catching on with their practice squad. The veteran ended up seeing time in eight games (one starts) for Cincy, collecting 18 tackles while appearing primarily on special teams. Thomas also saw time in each of the Bengals’ four playoff games.
Thomas spent the first five seasons of his career with the Dolphins before moving on to the Giants, where he earned his lone Pro Bowl appearance. Following two seasons in New York, Thomas spent the 2020 season with the Texans.
During the early parts of free agency, the Bengals have been focused on retaining their own guys. They franchise safety Jessie Bates, and they re-signed defensive tackle B.J. Hill and linebacker Joe Bachie.
Bills To Sign TE O.J. Howard
The Bills are making headlines. Moments have news broke that Buffalo is signing Von Miller, we’re learning that they’ve also added a notable name on the offensive side of the ball. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Bills are signing tight end O.J. Howard.
[RELATED: Bills To Sign Von Miller]
Howard will get a one-year, $3.5MM deal from Buffalo, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal could be worth up to $5MM.
The Alabama product was a first-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2017, but injuries and an uncertain depth chart kept him from reaching his full potential. Howard has had three stints to the IR during his five-year career, limiting him to only 59 career games.
2021 was one of the lone seasons when Howard was fully healthy, but despite getting an entire season with Tom Brady, he struggled to put up numbers. Howard ultimately finished the season having hauled in only 14 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown. This was a far cry from his first three seasons in the NFL when he averaged 31 receptions and close to 500 yards per year despite averaging only 12 games.
Howard will be joining a Bills depth chart that’s led by Dawson Knox, who had a career year in 2021 (587 receiving yards, nine touchdowns). Howard will likely slide in ahead of Tommy Sweeney and Quintin Morris on the depth chart.
Bills, Von Miller Agree To Deal
A surprise team emerged victorious in the Von Miller sweepstakes. The decorated edge rusher is set to sign with the Bills, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Bills have announced the signing.
Linked to the Cowboys, Rams and Browns as the legal tampering period wound down, Miller is set to provide a big boost to the Bills’ edge-rushing corps next season. The Bills convinced the future Hall of Famer with a monster offer. Miller is heading to Buffalo on a six-year deal worth $120MM, Rapoport adds (on Twitter).
This contract is not a true $20MM-per-year accord, with Rapoport noting the deal averages $17.5MM across its first four seasons (Twitter link). That said, Buffalo will still pay up to land one of the top pass rushers in NFL history. It includes $51.5MM fully guaranteed (including $45MM at signing), Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, and Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes (on Twitter) it will pay $53MM by 2023.
The edge rusher market began to move Tuesday, when the Broncos poached Randy Gregory from the Cowboys. Gregory’s last-minute switch took away one of Miller’s options, after the 11-year Bronco teased a reunion. The Rams and Cowboys continued to pursue Miller, with Rapoport adding Sean McVay spent Wednesday attempting to convince him to stay in L.A. (Twitter link). But the Bills spent Wednesday wooing Miller as well. As a result, the Bills secured one of the biggest free agency victories in franchise history.
Miller, 33 next week, missed the entire 2020 season and suffered a midseason injury to close out his Broncos tenure last year. But he bolstered his value considerably with the Rams, recording nine sacks across the team’s final eight games — including two in Super Bowl LVI — alongside Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd. The Rams were viewed as the favorites earlier Wednesday, and it will be interesting to learn how far they were willing to go to keep Miller.
Los Angeles will likely pick up a 2023 compensatory pick for losing Miller, for whom they sent second- and third-rounders ahead of last year’s trade deadline. The rental worked out, but the Bills giving Miller his second $100MM-plus contract weakens Los Angeles’ pass rush. Miller is the first defensive player in NFL history to sign two $100MM pacts, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, with this following up the six-year, $114.1MM Broncos extension he inked months after winning Super Bowl 50 MVP honors in 2016.
Although Miller is going into his 12th season, he has said he wants to play several more years. He has mentioned Bruce Smith‘s sack record as a goal. While that figure (200) will be difficult for the former No. 2 overall pick to reach, Miller (115.5) will chase it in the same city Smith played. He stands to help a Bills team that has struggled to assemble a consistent edge rush in recent years. The Bills will pair Miller with recent high draft choices Gregory Rousseau, Boogie Basham and A.J. Epenesa. Veterans Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison hit free agency today.
This also marks yet another NFC-to-AFC transaction on the edge rusher circuit. Gregory, Miller, Chandler Jones, Za’Darius Smith and Khalil Mack are now in the AFC, which features some oft-discussed quarterbacks as well. The Bills will fit Miller’s contract onto a payroll that includes Josh Allen‘s $43MM-per-year pact. A Stefon Diggs extension figures to be on the radar in 2022 as well.
Steelers Release T Zach Banner
The Steelers were prepared to use Zach Banner as a starter at multiple points, but that path did not pan out for the veteran tackle. Pittsburgh released Banner on Wednesday, wrapping his four-year run with the franchise.
This move will create a notable amount of cap space for the Steelers, who are opening up $5MM because of Banner’s exit. The Steelers gave the former Colts fourth-round pick a two-year, $9.25MM deal in 2021.
Pittsburgh paid Banner despite the 2020 right tackle starter suffering a torn ACL in Week 1 of that season. Banner played in seven games last season but battled more injury trouble and did not regain his starting job. The Steelers were unable to regroup up front in 2021, but as of now, Banner is not in line to be part of their 2022 solution. Overall, the 6-foot-8 blocker played 22 games as a Steeler, making two starts.
The team re-signed its 2021 right tackle starter, Chukwuma Okorafor, to a deal averaging nearly eight figures annually. Pittsburgh also signed interior linemen James Daniels and Mason Cole this week.
George Kittle, Arik Armstead Rework Contracts With 49ers
The 49ers have opened up a significant chunk of cap space. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the team has restructured the contracts of tight end George Kittle and defensive tackle Arik Armstead. These moves will open $18.75MM in cap space.
Kittle inked a sizable five-year, $75MM deal with the 49ers prior to the 2020 season, but he was limited to only eight games that year while dealing with a knee injury and a broken bone in his foot. He got into 14 games this past season and returned to his Pro Bowl form, hauling in 71 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns.
Armstead has spent his entire career with San Francisco. The former first-round pick signed a five-year, $85MM deal ($48.5MM guaranteed) with the 49ers following a 2019 season where he finished with 10 sacks. Armstead has collected only 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons (33 starts), but he’s still collected 58 tackles and 24 QB hits.
Steelers To Sign LB Myles Jack
It didn’t take long for Myles Jack to find his next gig. The former Jaguars linebacker is signing with the Steelers, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal worth $16MM.
[RELATED: Jaguars To Release Myles Jack]
Jacksonville’s spending spree was going to come with a cost, and the team ultimately decided to move on from their leading tackler yesterday. Jack inked a four-year, $57MM deal ($33MM guaranteed) with Jacksonville back in 2019.
With that said, Jack is still a productive player. He finished last season with 108 tackles in 15 starts, and he had a career-high 118 tackles as recently as 2020. The former second-round pick won’t turn 27 until September, so it makes sense that the Steelers still think he’s got something in the tank.
Many of the Steelers initial FA moves were focused on offense, but the team has started adding to their defense. We learned yesterday that the team was signing cornerback Levi Wallace to a two-year deal.
Raiders Sign WR Mack Hollins
The Raiders are adding another special team ace. The team is adding wideout/special teamer Mack Hollins, reports Taylor Vippolis of Inside Carolina (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders To Sign RB Brandon Bolden]
Hollins appeared in every game for the Dolphins over the past two seasons, and while he was buried on the depth chart, he still managed to put up some numbers. He finished the season with 223 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, and his 15.9 yards per catch ranked first on the team.
The 28-year-old also led the Dolphins in special teams tackles, finishing with 11 overall. In total, Hollins has collected 21 tackles throughout his career.
The former fourth-round pick spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the Eagles, collecting 351 yards from scrimmage in 28 games.
Raiders Cut LB Nick Kwiatkoski
The Raiders have released another defender. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter), the team has cut LB Nick Kwiatkoski.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Bears, Kwiatkoski joined the Raiders in 2020 on a three-year, $21MM deal. The linebacker will ultimately leave behind a $5MM cap hit.
Kwiatkoski was productive during his first season with the team, collecting a career-high 81 tackles in 12 games. However, he was limited to only eight games in 2021 thanks in part to an ankle injury, and he collected only 21 tackles and one forced fumble when he did see the field.
As Tafur points out, the new Raiders front office was quick to move on from Cory Littleton, Carl Nassib, and Kwiatkoski, and the trio will ultimately account for $25.6MM in dead cap over the next two years.
Texans To Extend S Eric Murray
Not long after letting Justin Reid defect to the Chiefs, the Texans are retaining one of their own safeties. They reached an extension with Eric Murray, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
Previously set to go into a contract year, Murray agreed to a two-year bump worth a maximum of $10MM, Wilson adds (on Twitter). The Texans initially signed Murray in 2020, and he has been a regular starter in Houston.
Formerly a Chiefs draft choice once traded straight up for Emmanuel Ogbah, Murray came to Houston after a year in Cleveland. The 28-year-old defender has started 25 games over the past two seasons. Despite arriving during Bill O’Brien‘s decision-making stint, Murray is in position to keep contributing under Nick Caserio and new HC Lovie Smith.
This marks the second re-up in Houston’s secondary this week; the Texans re-signed Desmond King to keep him off the market. They also added ex-Browns safety M.J. Stewart.