Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/22
Patriots Tender Jakobi Meyers
The Patriots will use the second-round restricted free agent tender on wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). In a related move, they’ve elected not to tender fullback Jakob Johnson. 
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Per the terms of this year’s second-round tender, Meyers will be retained on a one-year, $3.986MM deal. However, if another team pries him away, the Patriots will receive a second-round pick in exchange.
Johnson, meanwhile, could have been cuffed at the lowest-level RFA tender, which would have paid him $2.433MM. It’s still possible that he could return to the Patriots, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) hears, though it’d be a lower salary.
Meyers began his career at North Carolina State as a quarterback, before moving to wide receiver as a sophomore. In his third year on campus, he put himself on the NFL radar with 63 grabs for 727 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that up with 92/1,047/5, but still went undrafted.
The Pats saw something in him, however, and he’s blossomed into one of their best offensive weapons. Last year, Meyers set new pro watermarks with 83 catches for 866 yards and two touchdowns.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Seahawks: G Phil Haynes
Non-Tendered:
- Colts: DT Taylor Stallworth
ERFAs
Tendered:
Non-Tendered:
Broncos, Andrew Beck Agree To Extension
The Broncos have agreed to a new one-year deal with fullback/tight end Andrew Beck (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Beck was set to be a restricted free agent, so it sounds like this new pact will replace his would-be tender. 
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The Broncos plan to use Beck in more of a hybrid role going forward, giving him an opportunity to clear rushing lanes and, perhaps, get a few more touches. Beck first broke into the league with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of UT, moving from tight end to fullback. After that, he was claimed by the Broncos where he saw a full 16-game slate in 2019. That year, Beck reeled in nine grabs for 90 yards and one touchdown. Beck has yet to record a carry or reception since then, but he’s suited up for 38 games in total as a reserve and special teams player.
Beck, 26 in May, could be joined by some marquee pass rushers and offensive linemen in the coming weeks. The Broncos currently have around $23MM in cap room and old pal Von Miller has hinted that he’d be interested in returning to Denver.
Texans Sign T Cedric Ogbuehi
The Houston Texans will reportedly sign offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Ogbuehi has become a bit of journeyman over the past couple of years as he’s set to join his sixth NFL team. 
Ogbuehi was a first-round pick for the Bengals in the 2015 NFL Draft. After having his fifth-year option declined, Ogbuehi played a year each in Jacksonville and Seattle. He re-signed with the Seahawks for the 2021 season, but was placed on injured reserve before the season began and was released shortly after coming off IR. Ogbuehi signed with the Ravens, appearing in two games before getting released, and spent two days after that on the Titans’ practice squad.
Ogbuehi will find a familiar face in Houston, who just hired George Warhop a few weeks ago to coach their offensive line. Ogbuehi worked with Warhop when he played for the Jaguars in 2019.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/22
Here are today’s minor roster moves around the NFL:
Miami Dolphins
- Re-Signed: DB Elijah Campbell
New York Giants
- Released: P Riley Dixon
Steelers Re-Sign CB Maulet
The Steelers tied up one of their loose ends before the start of free agency this week, signing cornerback Arthur Maulet to a new two-year deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Maulet signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2017, spending most of his time in New Orleans on the practice squad but appearing in six games. After being waived in 2018, the Colts claimed Maulet off waivers. He played five games in Indianapolis, earning his first career start, before getting waived and re-signed to the Saints’ practice squad.
Maulet signed a reserve/future contract in 2019 with the Jets. In New York, Maulet started 11 games over two years splitting time at cornerback and strong safety. He recorded his first career interceptions in New York, reeling in one each year there, and recorded his first career sack in 2020.
In May 2021, the Steelers signed Maulet to a one-year, $990,000 deal. Maulet appeared in all but one game last year for the Steelers, earning two starts at cornerback. Maulet adds some much needed depth to the cornerback’s room in Pittsburgh, rejoining starter Cameron Sutton and back ups Tre Norwood, James Pierre, and Justin Layne. Starting cornerback Joe Haden and key back up Ahkello Witherspoon are also on their way to free agency.
Titans, P Kern Rework Contract
With Titans’ punter Brett Kern heading into the final year of his contract, he’s agreed to terms with Tennessee to take about a $1MM pay cut, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter). The longtime Titan was set to earn $3.2MM to complete a four-year, $12.65MM deal, but will now make $2.2MM for the 2022 NFL season. 
The 14-year veteran is Tennessee’s longest-tenured player and has spent all but one of his NFL seasons in Tennessee after signing as an undrafted free agent in Denver. There are only four punters older than Kern and only Sam Koch, Andy Lee, and Dustin Colquitt have been in the league longer.
The three-time Pro Bowler’s play has dipped a bit in recent years. Since it’s mostly a result of the team’s offensive ability and a more successful offense can lower the number of a punter’s opportunities, it can be hard to truly gauge a punter’s play. Still, Kern pinned the opposing team’s offense inside the 20-yard line only 18 times last year, his lowest season total since his rookie season as a Bronco. He also missed three games for the second consecutive year.
Kern’s initial salary of $3.2MM would’ve made him the highest paid punter in the 2022 season (before Jake Bailey‘s proven performance bonus). With the updated number down to $2.2MM, Kern ranks as the ninth-highest paid punter for the upcoming year. The extra $1MM for Tennessee will grant them a bit of wiggle room for cap spending.
Buccaneers To Re-Sign G Aaron Stinnie
The Buccaneers saw Ali Marpet retire and have their other two longtime interior offensive line starters — Ryan Jensen and Alex Cappa — on the cusp of free agency. Uncertain up front, the team retained one of its inside depth pieces Saturday.
Aaron Stinnie reached an agreement to stay with Tampa Bay, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes. A three-year Bucs backup, Stinnie is coming back on a one-year deal worth up to $2.5MM.
Entering the NFL as a UDFA out of Division I-FCS James Madison, Stinnie has only started one regular-season game in four seasons. After moving from Tennessee to Tampa in 2019, via waiver claim, Stinnie became a valuable part for the Bucs during their 2020 Super Bowl run. Cappa’s season-ending injury led to Stinnie playing the bulk of Tampa Bay’s playoff snaps opposite Marpet. Stinnie started the final three Bucs playoff games that year.
Marpet’s retirement and Cappa’s potential free agency exit make Stinnie, 28, a possible cheap alternative. He will have a chance to start in 2022, Laine adds. The Bucs want to re-sign Cappa, but the four-year starter appears poised to test the market.
Browns To Acquire WR Amari Cooper From Cowboys
Amari Cooper is heading to Cleveland. The Browns are trading for the Cowboys wide receiver, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), Cleveland is trading 2022 fifth- and sixth-round picks to Dallas for Cooper and a sixth-round pick. Josina Anderson was first with the news (on Twitter) that the two teams were zeroing in on a trade. This move clears $16MM in cap space for the Cowboys while arming the Browns with a Pro Bowl receiver in his prime.
The Jaguars, Dolphins and Jets also pursued Cooper, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Given the modest return the Cowboys are collecting, the other AFC teams’ offers did not appear to impress Dallas. Had the Cowboys cut Cooper, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini adds he was not expected to garner a similar contract on the open market (Twitter link). This ends a four-season partnership between Cooper and the Cowboys, who traded their 2019 first-round pick to acquire the ex-Raider ahead of the 2018 deadline.
Cooper landed on the trade block this time because of his contract, which calls for $20MM base salaries from 2022-24. That said, none of that money is guaranteed for the Browns, making this a similar arrangement to their previous big-ticket wide receiver trade.
Wideout did not reside especially highly among the Browns’ needs for a bit, but the team could not establish a fit with Odell Beckham Jr., leading to a messy separation. Cleveland’s latest marquee wide receiver trade has proven far less costly. It cost the team a first-round pick and Jabrill Peppers to acquire Beckham in 2019, and the Giants had recently given Beckham a monster extension. The Cowboys handed Cooper a five-year, $100MM deal in 2020 but made it known this week they were planning to move on from him, limiting the compensation.
Despite having been in the NFL since 2015, Cooper is still just 27. His high salary aside, the former Alabama target will be a welcome addition for a Browns team leaning toward — per the bulk of this offseason’s reports — giving Baker Mayfield another opportunity. (That said, the Browns have also been linked to Derek Carr, which is now a bit more interesting with Cooper in the fold.) The Browns ended their season thin at receiver, and Jarvis Landry is not a lock to return. Landry, 29, has fallen off his Pro Bowl pace in recent years, though he did aid the Browns’ playoff push after Beckham’s 2020 ACL tear.
Cooper provided vital assistance to Dak Prescott, with the Cowboys turning their 2018 season around after his midseason arrival. The former No. 5 overall pick is one of the NFL’s best route runners. He topped 1,100 yards in both 2019 and ’20, doing so in the latter year despite Prescott’s early-season injury. Overall, Cooper is 5-for-7 in 1,000-yard seasons. His presence freed up opportunities for CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz last season, but Dallas will go with its cheaper cogs moving forward. The team is also trying to lock down Michael Gallup to a lower-cost extension.