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Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/24

July 24th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Placed on active/NFI list: T Gottlieb Ayedze, WR Shaquan Davis
  • Placed on active/PUP list: S Sydney Brown

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

In New Orleans, Young has officially made the comeback from offseason neck surgery, passing his physical today alongside Olave, who is no stranger to offseason injuries.

Treadwell will join his eighth team in nine years after only making one catch in five games with the Ravens last season.

Brown is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in the final game of his rookie season last year, so it’s no surprise that he will start the offseason on PUP.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.

Commanders Place DT Johnny Newton On NFI

July 19th, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Johnny Newton will not be on the field to take part in the beginning of the rookie portion of the Commanders’ training camp. The second-round defensive tackle was place on the non-football injury (NFI) list Friday, per a team announcement.

The NFI list is used in cases where players begin their NFL careers rehabbing an injury suffered in college. That applies to Newton, whose pre-draft process was affected by foot injuries. He underwent surgery in January to address an injury to his right foot before suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot. The latter issue required another procedure in May, and as such today’s transaction comes as little surprise.

Newton interestingly said he had returned to full health by the time he was drafted, but the Jones fracture kept him out of rookie minicamp and the rest of spring workouts. He can be activated at any time, but he will now miss at least some time during training camp as he prepares for his rookie campaign. The All-American’s health no doubt contributed to his draft stock taking a hit, and Newton needed to wait until Day 2 to hear his name called.

The Illinois product will nevertheless face high expectations once he is healthy and up to speed at the pro level based on his college production. Newton racked up 18 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss during his time with the Fighting Illini, and he should be able to serve in at least a notable rotational capacity early in his NFL career. Washington still has both Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen ahead of him on the DT depth chart, though.

Those veterans will report to camp next week as the ramp-up period begins toward exhibition contests and the regular season. The Commanders will no doubt hope Newton recovers in time for the fall, so the timing of when he is activated will be worth watching closely.

Jason Wright To Depart Commanders Following 2024 Season

July 18th, 2024 at 12:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 season will be the last for Jason Wright as a member of the Commanders. He and team owner Josh Harris said on Thursday Wright will leave the organization by the end of the upcoming campaign.

As detailed by Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of the Washington Post, Wright will immediately step down from his role as president. He will carry on the duties he previously had in that capacity while taking on the title of senior advisor. Harris and Tad Brown will lead the search for Wright’s replacement.

The Post report notes that Wright – who joined the team in 2020 – was believed to have his previous contract expire in August, making his departure an unsurprising one. He could leave prior to the conclusion of the coming season, in which case the Commanders would allow him to accelerate the process of taking on his next opportunity. Today’s news was foreshadowed by the fact Wright, 42, was a finalist to succeed Mark Murphy as president of the Packers next year.

“This feels like the right moment for me to explore my next leadership opportunity,” a statement from Wright reads. “I’m extremely grateful to my Commanders colleagues, our fans and this community for all that we have accomplished these past four years, and am looking forward to the start of a very successful season for the Burgundy and Gold.”

Wright’s upcoming departure will mark another notable change in the front office following Harris’ 2023 purchase of the Commanders. The latter’s first season in control consisted of evaluating the organization at all levels before authorizing sweeping changes in recent months. That process has included Dan Quinn being hired as Ron Rivera‘s replacement on the sidelines as well as Adam Peters joining as general manager (although his predecessor, Martin Mayhew, remains in the organization). Earlier this week, it was learned ex-Panthers GM Scott Fitterer will be a member of Washington’s front office moving forward.

“Jason has made a remarkable impact on the Commanders organization since he joined four years ago,” a statement from Harris reads. “He stepped in at a time of immense challenge and has led this organization through an incredible transformation that set that stage for everything that is to come. I am extremely grateful to Jason for his partnership to me and the rest of the ownership group over the past year. His guidance has been invaluable and his leadership has helped reshape our culture.”

Wright’s hire was made during times of transition in the nation’s capital with the organization facing allegations of workplace misconduct and a toxic culture under then-owner Dan Snyder. Much has changed for the franchise since then, and Wright will look to use the improvements seen in Washington as a means of landing another high-ranking executive role on a new team.

Largest 2024 Cap Hits: Defense

July 17th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

As veteran report dates for training camps near, NFL payrolls are largely set. Extension- and trade-related matters remain, but as far as high cap numbers go, the list will not change much between now and Week 1. After we ran down the top cap charges on the offensive side of the ball last week, here are the highest 2024 figures tied to defenders:

  1. Maxx Crosby, EDGE (Raiders): $30.48MM
  2. T.J. Watt, EDGE (Steelers): $30.42MM
  3. Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $27.49MM
  4. Joey Bosa, EDGE (Chargers): $26.11MM
  5. Khalil Mack, EDGE (Chargers): $25.39MM
  6. Montez Sweat, EDGE (Bears): $25.09MM
  7. Harold Landry, EDGE (Titans): $23.8MM
  8. Jaire Alexander, CB (Packers): $23.49MM
  9. Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $22.88MM
  10. Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Bears): $22.44MM
  11. Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.41MM
  12. Jeffery Simmons, DL (Titans): $21.65MM
  13. Daron Payne, DL (Commanders): $21.61MM
  14. Jonathan Allen, DL (Commanders): $21.44MM
  15. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Steelers): $21.36MM
  16. Vita Vea, DL (Buccaneers): $20.97MM
  17. DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE (Cowboys): $20.46MM
  18. Quinnen Williams, DL (Jets): $20.4MM
  19. Grady Jarrett, DL (Falcons): $20.38MM
  20. Myles Garrett, EDGE (Browns): $20.17MM
  21. Trey Hendrickson, EDGE (Bengals): $20.17MM
  22. Derwin James, S (Chargers): $19.86MM
  23. Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $19.03MM
  24. Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): $18.4MM
  25. Marcus Williams, S (Ravens): $18.03MM

While a handful of quarterbacks are set to break the single-player record for cap hit — after this offseason’s $30.6MM cap spike — this year’s defensive hits do not check in on that level. Crosby and Watt are at $30MM, but those numbers do not match last year’s top defender cap hit — attached to then-Giants D-lineman Leonard Williams ($32.26MM). With Aaron Donald now in the dead money category following his retirement and Chris Jones extended, some new faces have climbed toward the top of this list.

The Raiders gave Crosby a $6MM 2024 pay bump to reward a former Day 3 pick who has unlocked another level while attached to an extension signed in 2022. Rather than greenlight a new deal for their top defender, the Raiders moved money around on his through-2026 extension to accommodate a rising market. This season now marks the highest cap hit on this Crosby contract.

Although the Chargers worked out pay-cut agreements with Bosa and Mack, both edge rushers are still among the most expensive — cap-wise — players in the league. The March reductions, however, moved Bosa’s cap number down from $36.6MM and lowered Mack’s from $38.5MM. With James tied to the second-highest 2024 safety figure, Jim Harbaugh‘s team — while clearing out costs on offense — remains among the top defensive spenders.

Two years remain on Watt’s deal, which has paid out its guaranteed money. With Nick Bosa having secured a defender-record extension and lower-production players — compared to Watt, at least — Brian Burns and Josh Allen surpassing the future Hall of Famer’s 2021 extension, a third Steelers-Watt agreement will likely be rumored soon. Heyward has expressed interest in a fourth Steelers contract, which would reduce his lofty cap figure, but the accomplished veteran has not heard much from the team’s side on this matter.

The Packers have begun talks with Clark on what would be a third extension. His current $17.5MM-per-year contract has fallen to 15th among active D-linemen. A new deal would update that figure for a reliable starter while reducing his 2024 cap hit. Despite rumors about the Pack separating from Alexander coming out in December, GM Brian Gutekunst shot down any such move associated with the league’s highest-paid corner.

Baker requested a trade last year, eyeing a deal closer to the James-Fitzpatrick level. The longtime Cardinal DB is in the final year of an extension agreed to back in 2020. Although the Cardinals are rebuilding, Baker has remained part of Jonathan Gannon‘s team. He expressed hope to stay in Arizona beyond 2024, and the Cardinals have the contract-year safety — the team’s longest-tenured starter, now that D.J. Humphries is off the roster — on the team going into his age-28 season.

Montez Sweat Informed Bears He Would Not Debut Without Extension; No Commanders Talks Transpired

July 17th, 2024 at 11:34am CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears have restarted their quarterback contract clock, swapping out a fourth season of Justin Fields for Caleb Williams‘ rookie deal. That will give the NFC North team more roster flexibility, helping make two recent big-ticket extensions palatable.

Chicago authorized high-priced re-ups for Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson between November and March. The first of those deals, for Sweat, obviously came before the team knew Williams was Chicago-bound. Sweat came to the Windy City in a deadline deal for a second-round pick, ending a five-year Washington run.

Sweat said the Commanders, who were transitioning from Dan Snyder to Josh Harris during the defensive end’s contract year, did not engage in extension talks. Upon hearing from Ron Rivera that he would be traded, Sweat said (via The Athletic’s Dan Pompei) “some things I wanted to take back.” It turned out Rivera and then-DC Jack Del Rio wanted to keep Sweat, but Harris made a push for the team to trade both its starting D-ends — as Chase Young was later dealt to the 49ers — to accumulate draft capital. That ended up helping Adam Peters and Dan Quinn, with Rivera fired after an eight-game losing streak.

The Bears did hammer out an extension with Sweat days after his arrival, signing the 2019 first-rounder to a four-year, $98MM deal before Week 9. Sweat took a diplomatic approach publicly when asked about an extension, but the relocating defender had told the Bears (via Pompei) he would not have debuted without an extension in place.

Rivera said in August that Sweat negotiations — on hold due to the ownership transfer — could end up taking place, but they did not come to pass. With Young running into career-altering injury trouble midway through the 2021 season, Sweat served as Washington’s edge anchor. No Pro Bowl nods came, but the five-year starter accumulated 35.5 sacks during his time in Washington. This included six before the 2023 trade. Sweat, 27, did receive a Pro Bowl invite after finishing last season with 12.5 sacks.

The Bears may be in the market for another D-end, with a Yannick Ngakoue reunion potentially on the table. The Commanders have retooled around ex-Quinn Cowboys pieces, signing Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler. The team also signed Clelin Ferrell. None of these talents has performed on Sweat’s level, but ownership and Washington’s previous football staff moved him out of the equation before the Peters-Quinn duo arrived. Washington traded down (via Philadelphia) from the Sweat-obtained draft slot (No. 40), picking up an extra second-rounder in the process. After drafting Johnny Newton with their own second-rounder, the Commanders turned the Sweat choice into cornerback Mike Sainristil and tight end Ben Sinnott.

Commanders To Hire Scott Fitterer

July 15th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Scott Fitterer‘s tenure as general manager of the Panthers came to an end this winter, but the veteran executive has lined up a new gig for the 2024 campaign. Fitterer is being hired by the Commanders as a personnel executive, as first reported by Ben Standig of The Athletic.

Fitterer began his NFL front office career with the Giants before a lengthy tenure in Seattle’s organization. He joined the Seahawks in 2001 as an area scout and spent the next two decades working his way up the ladder while spending time in the personnel department. After a single season as the team’s VP of football operations, Fitterer was hired as general manager of the Panthers.

The 50-year-old held that position for three years, but Carolina was unable to put together a run of success during that time. The team went 5-12 in 2021, and the following season saw Christian McCaffrey traded away as a sign of a rebuild. Fitterer’s most impactful decision was of course the trade with the Bears which allowed for the acquisition of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. That selection was used on Bryce Young, whom the franchise is banking on becoming a true franchise quarterback.

Young’s rookie campaign did not go according to plan, and head coach Frank Reich did not make it through his debut Panthers season. The latter was fired after a 1-10 start to the campaign, and increasing pressure emerged with respect to Fitterer’s job security. After Carolina finished out the season 2-15 (a record which did not yield the first overall pick in 2024, per the terms of the Young blockbuster) and failed to work out a long-term extension with edge rusher Brian Burns, it came as little surprise that Fitterer was dismissed.

The Panthers promoted from within by tapping Dan Morgan as Fitterer’s successor, and Dave Canales is in place as a first-time head coach. That pair will be tasked with overseeing Young’s development moving forward as Carolina attempts to rebound from the 14-37 record posted during Fitterer’s time at the helm. The latter will now turn his attention to the Commanders’ rebuilding efforts.

As expected, new Washington owner Josh Harris used his first campaign in charge to evaluate the team’s front office and coaching staff. Ron Rivera was fired after the end of the regular season and Martin Mayhew was replaced by Adam Peters as general manager. Mayhew is still in the organization, one which has undergone considerable turnover at a number of positions since Peters’ hire. Fitterer will have a voice in Commanders decisions – including those affecting the scouting department, ESPN’s John Keim adds – moving forward as he aims to rebuild his GM stock.

2024 Offseason In Review Series

July 11th, 2024 at 9:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

As training camps near, the NFL offseason is winding down. Many unresolved matters remain — much of them pertaining to quarterbacks and wide receivers — but teams’ rosters are mostly set. Leading up to Week 1, PFR will continue to add to its annual Offseason In Review series. Here is where our latest offseason examinations stand so far:

AFC East

  • Buffalo Bills
  • Miami Dolphins
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jets

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Carolina Panthers
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC West

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s general manager ranks featured some key shakeups this offseason. One of the longest-tenured pure GMs in the game, Tom Telesco, lost his Chargers seat 11 years in. The Raiders, however, gave Telesco a second chance. He now controls the Las Vegas roster. Only Telesco and the Jaguars’ Trent Baalke reside as second-chance GMs currently.

Two long-serving personnel bosses also exited this offseason. The Patriots’ decision to move on from 24-year HC Bill Belichick gave Jerod Mayo a head coaching opportunity but also resulted in Eliot Wolf belatedly rising to the top of the team’s front office hierarchy. A former Packers and Browns exec, Wolf held decision-making power through the draft and kept it on an official basis soon after. While John Schneider arrived in Seattle with Pete Carroll in 2010, the latter held final say. Following Carroll’s ouster after 14 seasons, Schneider has full control.

[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]

The Commanders changed GMs this offseason, hiring ex-San Francisco staffer Adam Peters, but Martin Mayhew received merely a demotion. The three-year Washington GM, who worked alongside Peters with the 49ers, is now in place as a senior personnel exec advising Peters. Rather than look outside the organization, Panthers owner David Tepper replaced Scott Fitterer with Dan Morgan, who had previously worked as the team’s assistant GM.

Going into his 23rd season running the Saints, Mickey Loomis remains the NFL’s longest-serving pure GM. This will mark the veteran exec’s third season without Sean Payton. An eight-year gap now exists between Loomis and the NFL’s second-longest-tenured pure GM.

As the offseason winds down, here is how the league’s 32 GM jobs look:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  16. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020: signed extension in 2024
  17. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  18. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  19. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021: agreed to extension in 2024
  20. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  21. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  22. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  23. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  24. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  25. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
  26. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  27. Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023
  28. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  29. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  30. Tom Telesco (Las Vegas Raiders): January 23, 2024
  31. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  32. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

WR Martavis Bryant Still Eyeing NFL Gig

July 6th, 2024 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

Martavis Bryant isn’t planning to hang up his cleats. The wide receiver is still hoping to catch on with a team for the 2024 campaign, and the veteran believes he can still be productive if given the chance.

“I got a lot of football left,” Bryant told Queen City News (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “Still love the game, never stopped loving the game. I had to take some time to reflect on myself and get my situation straight off the field. I did that. I put in a lot of work. There’s still so much left I can do. I know I can contribute to somebody that wants to give me the opportunity.”

Bryant’s five-year banishment from the NFL came to an end last November when he was reinstated by the league. He subsequently caught on with the Cowboys practice squad, but he didn’t earn a promotion to the 53-man roster during the 2023 campaign. Despite signing a reserve/futures contract with Dallas at the beginning of the offseason, Bryant was squeezed off the offseason roster in May following the Cowboys’ acquisition of several rookie wideouts.

The receiver had a workout with the Commanders back in May, but no deal materialized. Bryant also told the Queen City News that he met with Panthers senior assistant Jim Caldwell at a recent event, but it’s uncertain if the two sides had significant talks about a deal.

The wideout quickly made a name for himself with the Steelers after being selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He hauled in 14 touchdowns through his first two seasons in the NFL (plus another two playoff scores) before being sidelined for the entire 2016 campaign thanks to his second career suspension. He topped 600 yards following his return in 2017, but the Steelers quickly traded him off to the Raiders for a third-round pick.

He got into eight games with Oakland before being hit with his most-recent suspension in 2018. Between that initial suspension and his 2023 comeback attempt with the Cowboys, Bryant spent time in a handful of alternative leagues, including stints in the CFL and XFL. While Bryant has been staying active in recent years, there’s no hiding the fact that he hasn’t gotten into an NFL game since the 2018 campaign. With 2024 representing his age-33 season, Bryant’s hopes of an NFL return will soon run dry.

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