Chargers To Sign Jared Cook
Tight end news is just flying in, and this time it’s the Chargers finding a replacement for Hunter Henry. Los Angeles has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran Jared Cook, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The pact has a max value of $6MM, Schefter notes. The deal comes with $4.5MM guaranteed, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Cook’s last contract was worth $15.5MM over two years with the Saints, so he’s taking a bit of a pay cut for this season.
It’s a nice signing for the Chargers after they lost Henry to the Patriots on a massive deal, and Cook was one of the bigger name players left on the board. Cook is 33 now, but has remained an effective pass-catcher over the middle. This will now be the sixth team in Cook’s career that started as a third-round pick of the Titans back in 2009.
From Tennessee he made his way to the Rams, then the Packers, then the Raiders (where he had his best season in 2018), and finally the Saints the past two years. His production dipped a bit in 2020, but he still had 504 yards and seven touchdowns despite Drew Brees missing a handful of games and failing to push the ball downfield in others.
He was a Pro Bowler each of the previous two seasons in 2018 and 2019. In 2018 with the Raiders he had 896 yards and six touchdowns, and 705 yards and nine touchdowns the following year with New Orleans. Los Angeles had been linked to the Zach Ertz talks as a possible trade partner, but this now likely takes them out of the running there.
With Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler all still in the fold, Justin Herbert will once again have a very solid group of weapons as he enters his sophomore campaign. The Chargers have also upgraded his offensive line big time, so watch out for this offense in 2021.
Patriots To Trade Ryan Izzo To Texans
The Patriots upgraded their tight end room in a big way this offseason by signing both Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, making one member of that room expendable. New England is trading away Ryan Izzo to the Texans, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Houston will send back a seventh-round pick for Izzo. The news comes just moments after we heard the Texans were releasing tight end Darren Fells. The position was a huge weak spot for the Patriots in 2020, as Izzo led the team’s tight ends in yards… with 199. The Pats originally drafted Izzo 250th overall back in 2018, and now they’re getting that seventh-rounder back.
Without Fells the Texans only had Jordan Akins, former practice squader Pharaoh Brown, and 2019 third-round pick Kahala Warring (three career catches) at the position, so the acquisition of Izzo can’t hurt.
A Florida State product, Izzo started all 12 games that he appeared in last season. He didn’t do a ton as the Patriots’ whole passing game struggled, but it’s a low-risk move for the Texans on a player that’s still only 25. Obviously there’s a connection between these front offices, with former New England exec Nick Caserio now running the show in Houston.
Texans To Cut TE Darren Fells
The Texans are releasing Darren Fells (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The tight end was previously set to play out the second-year of his two-year, $7MM contract. 
Fells, who will celebrate his 35th birthday in April, set a career high with seven touchdowns in 2019. It was an unexpected jump in offensive production for the veteran, who was previously known best for his blocking prowess.
Last year, he staved off competition from Jordan Akins and third-round pick Kahale Warring, but the Texans are going younger across the board as they rebuilt. Akins led all Houston TEs with 37 grabs for 403 yards. Meanwhile, Warring stands at 6’5″ with tons of promise as a blocker. If he’s healthy, he could be a featured part of the rotation.
By releasing Fells, the Texans will save upwards of $1.2MM on the books.
Panthers To Sign Rashaan Melvin
Rashaan Melvin‘s jersey collection has grown even larger. On Thursday, the veteran cornerback agreed to join the Panthers on a one-year deal, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. 
Melvin has now signed deals with more than 25% of the NFL. His last stop with the Jaguars came to an end on Wednesday. Melvin’s $2.25MM salary for 2020 tolled into 2021 due to his COVID-19 opt out, but Jacksonville wanted to put those resources elsewhere.
Melvin’s best seasons came with the Colts. After his breakout year in 2016, Melvin delivered 36 tackles, three interceptions, and 13 passes defended in 2017. Pro Football Focus ranked him 17th among 120 eligible cornerbacks that year. He’ll try to get back to his old form — or closer to it — in Carolina.
He originally signed with the Bucs as an UDFA in 2013, but had only started two career games when he suddenly found himself a starter with Indy in 2016. His play with the Colts landed him a one-year, $5.5MM deal from the Raiders in 2018.
The journeyman has now spent various amounts of time with the Bucs, Dolphins, Ravens, Patriots, Colts, Raiders, Lions, and Jags. Despite that, he’s still only 31.
Dolphins To Sign Matt Skura
The Dolphins are set to sign former Ravens center Matt Skura (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). The lineman’s one-year deal is worth $1.75MM, per Garafolo on Twitter.
Skura had issues snapping the ball at times last year and wound up getting the hook in favor of Patrick Mekari. In total, he made 12 starts, giving him 51 total first-string appearances over the course of four seasons in Baltimore. Originally an UDFA out of Duke in 2016, Skura spent his rookie year on the practice squad. As a sophomore he was called on to start 12 games at guard when Marshall Yanda missed most of the season.
The following year he became the team’s center, starting all 16 games. After starting 11 games in 2019 Skura tore an ACL and had significant other damage in his knee, but he made it back in time for 2020 training camp and started the season on time.
He projects as the new starter in Miami, and it’s possible his struggles last year were due to coming off such a serious injury in such a short amount of time. He turned 28 in February.
Seahawks To Re-Sign Nick Bellore
Nick Bellore has agreed to a brand new deal with the Seahawks, as Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus tweets. The signing has also been confirmed by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
Bellore, 32 in May, has spent the last two seasons in Seattle. Even as teams around the league have de-prioritized the position, Bellore’s blocking has been highly valued in the Seahawks offense. His return should go a long way towards appeasing Russell Wilson, who is reportedly dissatisfied with the team’s efforts to protect him in the pocket.
Bellore spent much of his career at linebacker and saw significant playing time for the 49ers in 2016. That year, he made ten starts in their 3-4 scheme and registered 83 stops and one sack in total. Then, in Detroit, he went to the other side of the ball, where he had a knack for clearing lanes. Seattle used a fullback on just 8% of its plays in 2018. That changed in 2019 when Pete Carroll signed Bellore to a two-year, $2.23MM deal.
Falcons To Sign Erik Harris
Former Raiders safety Erik Harris is heading to the Falcons, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known. 
After spending his first season with the Saints, Harris found his way to Oakland in 2017. Since then, he’s spent the last four years with the Raiders, all the way through 2020 in Las Vegas. Playing primarily at free safety, he’s made 30 starts for the Raiders out of 61 total appearances. Harris, 31 in April, finished 2020 with 61 total stops, five passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
Harris will help Atlanta replace Ricardo Allen, who was cut recently to save $6.25MM against the cap. Safeties Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal are also out of contract and seem likely to sign elsewhere. For now, that group is headlined by Harris and 2020 fourth-round pick Jaylinn Hawkins.
Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin Signs Tender
No surprise here. On Thursday, Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin signed his franchise tender (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). 
Godwin is now set to earn $15.9MM in 2021, though the two sides have until mid-July to work out a long-term deal. There’s mutual interest in a multi-year arrangement, though the Buccaneers have already committed significant dollars to top players in 2022 and beyond. It might be tough, but the Bucs clearly know what they’re doing when it comes to clever accounting.
Godwin, a former third-round pick, broke out in 2019 with 86 catches for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. The stage was set for an even bigger year in 2020 — especially with Tom Brady on board — but he was eclipsed somewhat by Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown. Still, he finished with 65 catches for 840 yards and seven scores in 12 games, plus 16/232/1 in the playoffs.
Godwin was one of nine players to receive the tag this year, putting him in the same camp as Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, and Bears receiver Allen Robinson.
Broncos Rescind Phillip Lindsay’s Tender
Change of plans. On Thursday, the Broncos announced that Phillip Lindsay’s tender has been rescinded. 
[RELATED: Broncos Add Mike Boone]
The running back was originally assigned the low restricted free agency tender, giving the Broncos one more year of club control at a rate of $2.133MM. However, the Broncos found another tailback in Vikings free agent Mike Boone, which meant that Lindsay was no longer needed.
The 26-year-old broke out with 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018 en route to a Pro Bowl nod. He followed that up with another strong season in 2019, compiling 1,207 yards from scrimmage and seven scores. However, the 26-year-old was pushed down in the pecking order last year by Melvin Gordon. Lindsay wound up with just 502 rushing yards and one touchdown in eleven games, plus seven grabs for 28 yards. Gordon, meanwhile, finished out with 986 yards and nine scores.
With Gordon, Boone, Royce Freeman, Levante Bellamy, Jeremy Cox, and Damarea Crockett all under contract, there was little sense in keeping Lindsay. His reps recognized this too, so they’ve mutually decided to tear up the tender.
Giants To Sign QB Mike Glennon
The Giants have signed veteran quarterback Mike Glennon. A pal of Glennon’s, Brandon Bishop, first broke the news on Twitter. It has since been confirmed by several reporters, including NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal worth $1.35MM, including $425K guaranteed, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter).
Glennon has started in just nine games since 2016, but remains a highly respected backup and mentor. In New York, he’ll backstop and quasi-coach youngster Daniel Jones who will look to rekindle his rookie year magic.
Glennon, 31, projects to replace Colt McCoy, who failed to impress last year. Meanwhile, Glennon’s five starts in Jacksonville didn’t go so great, either. All in all, he completed 62% of his throws for 1,072 yards and seven touchdowns against five interceptions.
Terms of Glennon’s deal are not yet known, but it’ll pale in comparison to the three-year, $45MM deal he inked with the Bears in 2017. In total, Glennon has earned roughly $30MM across his pro career.