{"id":6685,"date":"2025-03-14T22:46:46","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T22:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/?p=6685"},"modified":"2025-03-14T22:46:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T22:46:46","slug":"the-daily-briefing-thursday-march-13-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/the-daily-briefing-thursday-march-13-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The Daily Briefing Thursday, March 13, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AROUND THE NFL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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NFC EAST<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>DALLAS<\/strong><\/strong>The Cowboys are acquiring CB KAIIR ELAM, once a first round pick of the Bills.  They are also getting another off-the-radar first rounder in LB KENNETH MURRAY.  Nick Shook of NFL.com<\/a>: <\/em>The Dallas Cowboys are adding some first-round talent to bolster their defense.<\/em> <\/em>Dallas is acquiring cornerback Kaiir Elam in a trade with the Buffalo Bills and linebacker Kenneth Murray in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday.<\/em> <\/em>The Cowboys are sending a 2025 fifth-round pick and 2026 seventh-round pick to the Bills in exchange for Elam and a 2025 sixth-round selection, per Pelissero. Buffalo confirmed the deal shortly after Pelissero’s report.<\/em> <\/em>Dallas and Tennessee are swapping late-round picks in the deal for Murray, Rapoport reported.<\/em> <\/em>Murray was selected 23rd overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 and played four years with the Bolts before starting 14 games and tallying 95 tackles for the Titans last season. In his career, Murray has tallied 416 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 12 pass breakups.<\/em> <\/em>Elam arrived in Buffalo as a first-round pick in 2022 but never rose to true starter status, making 12 starts over three seasons. An injury shortened his sophomore campaign to three games, and while he found a fit in Buffalo’s secondary (and recorded an overall grade that landed him inside the top 50 of all corners in 2024, per PFF), the Bills decided to trade him in order to recoup some assets as Elam enters his fourth season.<\/em> <\/em>Given Elam’s lack of usage, it was highly unlikely the Bills were going to exercise his fifth-year option, making 2025 a prove-it season for the corner. He’ll attempt to do so in Dallas, where the Cowboys have dealt with injuries at the position over the last two seasons and were seeking to add depth to their secondary.<\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 PHILADELPHIA<\/strong><\/strong>The Eagles lose another defender.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a>: The ability of the Steelers to agree to terms with cornerback Darius Slay was complicated by the fact that he was under contract with the Eagles.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Now that he\u2019s not, the Steelers and Slay have done a deal.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey have announced the deal, indirectly, by leaking the news to multiple reporters. It\u2019s been characterized, indirectly, as a one-year, $10 million deal that is fully guaranteed.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Slay likely becomes an instant starter in Pittsburgh, operating across from Joey Porter, Jr. Slay, 34, was a second-round pick of the Lions in 2013. He spent seven years with the Lions and five with the Eagles.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Philadelphia waited to release Slay until the start of the league year so that the dead money could be spread between 2025 and 2026. They\u2019ll carry his 2025 salary and cap number on the books until June 1, at which time they\u2019ll shed the salary and realize the savings.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
NFC SOUTH<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>CAROLINA<\/strong><\/strong>If you have seen the Panthers play the last two years, WR ADAM THIELEN has indeed earned a pay raise.  Joseph Person of The Athletic<\/em>: @josephperson<\/em><\/em>Can confirm Panthers are reworking Adam Thielen\u2019s contract, as @JFowlerESPN said.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Panthers plan to give him a pay bump. Thielen was set to make $6.75 million this year, including a $1.5M roster bonus that hits Saturday.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>My understanding is Thielen\u2019s contract will still void after this season. Revised contract is a way to reward him. This actually will add to his cap number.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Thielen turns 35 in August and talked about retirement after this past season.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
NFC WEST<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 ARIZONA<\/strong><\/strong>The Cardinals did not score highly in the NFLPA survey of player satisfaction, but don\u2019t tell DE BARON BROWNING that.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com<\/a>: Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Baron Browning passed up a chance at free agency, agreeing to a new two-year contract days before the negotiating window opened.<\/em> <\/em>From the 26-year-old’s perspective, he likes where he’s at and saw no reason to move.<\/em> <\/em>“If you got a girlfriend who is a 10, why play around?” Browning quipped to the “Cardinals Cover 2” podcast about his reason for returning.<\/em> <\/em>Browning agreed to a two-year contract worth $15 million, with a max value of $19 million. The deal represents a still-growing player with the talent to burst out but one who has dealt with injury and must improve his consistency.<\/em> <\/em>The former third-round pick by Denver in 2021 was traded midseason to Arizona after he missed the early part of the season with a foot injury and was squeezed out of the rotation. He found a home with Jonathan Gannon’s club. From Weeks 10-18, Browning generated a 15.9 percent quarterback pressure rate, per Next Gen Stats, the 14th-best mark among edges with at least 100 pass rushes over that span.<\/em> <\/em>“They kind of just let me go play so that’s also a good thing because as a player, you want to be able to go play fast,” Browning of the Cardinals.<\/em> <\/em>Pairing Browning with newly signed big-money addition Josh Sweat gives Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis more weapons after needing to generate pressure by bringing extra bodies last year. The moves won’t stop Arizona from continuing to beef up the defensive front in the draft.<\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/em><\/strong>SAN FRANCISCO<\/strong>An interesting signing for the 49ers.  QB MAC JONES would not have been a very good first round draft pick in 2021, but he would have been better than the one the 49ers actually made.  Matt Barrows Jeff Howe and Jayna Bardahl of The Athletic<\/em>:  Quarterback Mac Jones and the San Francisco 49ers agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth up to $7 million, according to a league source. The deal includes $5 million guaranteed and is worth up to $11.5 million with incentives.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Jones, the sixth-ranked QB and No. 101 overall free agent in The Athletic\u2019s top 150 list, started seven games for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024 as Trevor Lawrence\u2019s backup. The Jaguars won just two of those games, both against the Tennessee Titans, as Jones finished the season with a 65.3 completion rate for 1,672 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions across 10 total appearances.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Before his season in Jacksonville, Jones started 42 games across three seasons for the New England Patriots. His rookie campaign was promising, as the Patriots went 10-7 and clinched a playoff berth. But working under offensive coordinator Matt Patricia and QB coach Joe Judge in 2022, Jones\u2019 production dipped and the Patriots\u2019 skid began. He was benched for backup Bailey Zappe for his final six games in New England.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Jones was selected 15th in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Alabama, where he won two College Football Playoff national championships. During the lead-up to that draft, he was heavily rumored to be a favorite of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan with San Francisco poised to draft a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. Instead, the 49ers drafted Trey Lance, who lasted only two seasons in San Francisco before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>By the time of Lance\u2019s trade, Brock Purdy \u2014 the last pick in the 2022 draft \u2014 had unseated Lance as the starting quarterback. Purdy remains the starter, set to sign a lucrative contract extension this offseason, with Jones now in line to be his backup. Jones hasn\u2019t flourished in the NFL, but he has played in a lot of contests. He\u2019s started 49 games with a 54-44 touchdown-interception ratio in that span.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>How he fits<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>Jones will begin his tenure as the No. 2 quarterback behind Purdy. The two players who dueled for that position last season \u2014 Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen \u2014 are unlikely to be back. Dobbs agreed to a two-year deal with New England, while the 49ers haven\u2019t shown much interest in re-signing Allen, who spent the last two years with the team. Allen was a favorite of quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, who stepped away from that role this offseason. The only other quarterback on the roster is rookie Tanner Mordecai, an undrafted rookie in 2024. Mordecai might have the best arm of the group.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>There was good reason to speculate that Shanahan and the 49ers liked Jones in the run-up to the draft four years ago. It was true. Shanahan has since said that Jones and Lance, the North Dakota State passer whom they ultimately chose at No. 3, were the two he liked the most early on. Jones\u2019 strengths are his quick processing ability, his accuracy and his decision-making, which are paramount in Shanahan\u2019s system and which Purdy also possesses.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cWhat separates me is my preparation and my ability to take what I learn from the coaches\u2019 meetings and my meetings and then apply it to the field,\u201d Jones said after a pro day workout in the run-up to the draft. \u201cI\u2019m going to do exactly what the coach tells me to do. I\u2019m going to play within the framework of the offense.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>That\u2019s what Shanahan likes about Purdy \u2014 he\u2019s an extension of Shanahan on the field and runs it the way the head coach wants it run. What Jones lacks \u2014 and what swung the argument for Lance \u2014 are top-end physical gifts like a sturdy frame, big arm and ability to gobble up yards on the run.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>2025 impact<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>The 49ers are hoping Jones doesn\u2019t have much impact on the 2025 season because the opposite would mean that Purdy got injured or wasn\u2019t playing well. It\u2019s worth noting that while Purdy has missed just two starts due to injury since taking over late in the 2022 season, he\u2019s dealt with an array of issues in that span, including a broken rib, concussion, shoulder injury and a torn elbow ligament that required surgery. At 6 feet 5\/8 inches, Purdy doesn\u2019t have a big frame and puts himself at risk by running the ball.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>It\u2019s also worth noting that the 49ers are in the midst of negotiating Purdy\u2019s contract and that he has one more year remaining on his modest rookie deal. The 49ers always were going to have to bring in a backup. But having someone Shanahan has admitted he considered for the No. 3 pick might put a bit more pressure on Purdy than, say, having Allen in the backup spot.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Cap update<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>It\u2019s difficult to say exactly what the 49ers\u2019 cap situation is because no one knows how their recent free-agent deals were constructed. None, however, have been big-money contracts, including Jones\u2019. He\u2019s likely to count around $3-4 million against the cap in 2025, leaving the 49ers with perhaps $30 million to still spend.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Outlook<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>Neither Lance nor Jones turned out to be worthy of a first-round pick. Like the 49ers with Lance, the Patriots ultimately traded Jones \u2014 to the Jaguars where he played behind another 2021 selection, Lawrence. As a backup, however, he seems like a smart acquisition. Shanahan has an affinity toward him. His strengths are similar to Purdy\u2019s. And the 49ers have shown they are good with quarterback reclamation projects. They took on another former first-round pick in Sam Darnold in 2023 and, after Darnold signed a free-agent deal with the Minnesota Vikings a year ago, San Francisco will be compensated with an extra draft pick this year. Maybe a similar scenario happens with Jones.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>LOS ANGELES RAMS<\/strong>The Rams put a cap on WR COOPER KUPP\u2019s time with the team.  And to have an employer this season, he needs someone to offer him more than $5 million for it to be worth his while.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a> explains: Three years after winning the Super Bowl LVI MVP award, receiver Cooper Kupp is no longer a member of the Rams.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The release, which became official on Wednesday, is no surprise. From the moment Kupp himself announced that the Rams were trying to trade him, it seemed like an impossibility. No one would be taking on his $20 million compensation package, and Kupp had no reason to take less to facilitate a deal.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Instead, he becomes a free agent. He can sign with any team, at any time.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>His contract value hinges primarily on the spot that he\u2019ll be expected to occupy on a depth chart. The higher he lands, the more the next team will pay.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Rams, given the contract they recently gave to receiver Davante Adams, see Kupp as a No. 3 option. For other teams, Kupp could be No. 2.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Things could move quickly, if multiple teams regard Kupp as a high-value addition. Still, one day after DeAndre Hopkins (who is only one year older than Kupp) got a one-year, $5 million deal from the Ravens, the market isn\u2019t currently booming for aging receivers who have slipped past their prime.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>For Kupp, he has a full guarantee of $5 million from the Rams for 2025. The amount is subject to offset; for $5 million or less from a new team, Kupp won\u2019t be enhancing his pre-existing bottom line.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Kupp, in fairness, believes he can still get it done. If he can stay healthy, he could be right. But staying healthy is key ingredient in productivity. Since having an historic season in 2021, Kupp has missed 18 of 51 regular-season games \u2014 more than a full season out of three.<\/em><\/em>– – -With James Gladstone now the GM of the Jaguars, the Rams have promoted someone with one of the greatest names in southern California and Southern California football history to be their assistant GM.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a>: The Rams have announced new roles and titles for 12 members of their personnel department.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>John McKay<\/em><\/strong> has been bumped up to assistant General Manager after being the director of pro scouting for the last four seasons. McKay has been with the Rams since 2016.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Nicole Blake has been elevated to director of scouting, strategy and analytics and Ray Farmer is now the senior advisor to G.M. Les Snead. Blake has been with the Rams since 2021 and Farmer, who was once the Browns G.M., joined the team in 2020.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Senior personnel executive and deputy chief of college scouting Taylor Morton also has a new title while Billy Johnson is a senior scouting executive. Brian Hill and Michael Pierce are now national scouts with Vito Gonella and Cedric Jones rising to regional scouting positions.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Matt Waugh has been promoted to director of pro personnel, Michael Young will serve as a pro scout, and former NFL quarterback Kellen Clemens will be a special assistant to Snead as well as an analyst.<\/em><\/em> The 32-year-old John Crosby McKay is the grandson of former USC coach John Harvey McKay and the son of Falcons CEO Rich McKay.  Like his uncle, John Kevin McKay, John Crosby McKay went to USC. <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>SEATTLE<\/strong><\/strong>The Seahawks have given some pretty big coin to 32-year-old DE DeMARCUS LAWRENCE.  Zach Hereth of Seattle Sports: The Seattle Seahawks made their first splash on the defensive side of the ball in free agency Wednesday.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Seahawks are signing defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, the four-time Pro Bowler\u2019s agent David Canter announced on social media Wednesday afternoon.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The deal is for three years and up to $42 million with $18 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The 32-year-old Lawrence played just four games with the Dallas Cowboys last season due to a Lisfranc (foot) injury. He totaled 14 tackles, four tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble in his limited action. Lawrence turns 33 next month.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The 2014 second-round pick\u2019s injury-shortened campaign followed a standout 2023. He was the seventh-ranked edge rusher in Pro Football Focus grading that season, including No. 2 against the run. Lawrence had 50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six passes defended, 4.0 sacks and a forced fumble in 2023.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The news comes after the Seahawks reportedly signed wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a one-year deal earlier in the day. Seattle also agreed to deals with quarterback Sam Darnold and offensive lineman Josh Jones on Monday, according to reports.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Lawrence has spent his entire 11-year career in Dallas and is set to reunite with his former defensive line coach, Aden Durde, in Seattle. Durde, who took over as the Seahawks defensive coordinator last season, was the D-line coach in Dallas from 2021-23.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
AFC WEST<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 LAS VEGAS<\/strong>Albert Breer of SI.com<\/a> with insight into the extension signed by DE MAXX CROSBY: \u2022 After the season, both Pierce and Telesco were fired, and Crosby told LaBoy, his lead negotiator, to allow him to see the direction and \u201cfeel the energy\u201d of whoever was hired. To that end, Crosby was in the building, as he is every day, when Carroll interviewed, and made a point of going to meet him. That started a conversation that Carroll was sure to resume right after he was hired, as did Spytek.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cThey were both very cool, very open and transparent from the beginning,\u201d Crosby says.<\/em> <\/em>When Spytek arrived in Vegas, Crosby asked him, What\u2019s the one thing I can do better? The new GM responded that he should consider not playing 100% of the snaps, in order to keep his legs fresh deep into games, and the season. Crosby said he couldn\u2019t stand not being on the field. That was an answer the new guys would remember, as they contemplated their next steps with Crosby\u2014he had exactly the mindset they were looking for.<\/em> <\/em>\u2022 The Raiders then communicated to LaBoy and Hendrickson that the plan was to build around Crosby, and wanted to do a contract with him quickly, not just to establish to others their commitment to him, but also so they could have an idea of what they\u2019d be working around from a cash-and-cap standpoint. Accordingly, they exchanged proposals prior to the combine that reflected the agreement that Crosby should be atop the edge market, past Bosa.<\/em> <\/em>The sides met in a conference room the Raiders had at the Indianapolis Conrad on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of combine week, with Vegas\u2019s SVP of football administration Tom Delaney, a 24-year vet of the organization, leading talks and bringing all the context of Crosby\u2019s (and LaBoy\u2019s) previous negotiations with the team to the table.<\/em> <\/em>Meanwhile, other teams, given the regime change, were inquiring. Seattle proposed a deal that would send Geno Smith and DK Metcalf to Vegas for Crosby. The Raiders rebuffed that interest, showing Crosby their resolve.<\/em> <\/em>\u2022 Last Monday, LaBoy and Hendrickson spent the day talking with Crosby\u2014who wants to know every element of every deal he does\u2014about where things stood, agreeing that the gaps had closed enough for the agents to make a trip to Vegas. So they flew from California on Tuesday morning, and went straight to the team facility to dive in with Delaney.<\/em> <\/em>The sides worked through the morning and, as soon as Crosby was finished with his workout, LaBoy and Hendrickson went back to the star\u2019s house. There, they spent five or six hours with Crosby, his wife and daughter, drilling down on every detail, with the agents getting their directives from him on closing out the negotiation. And late in the day, LaBoy and Hendrickson returned to the Raiders\u2019 facility to work out the final details, which was the guarantee structure of the deal\u2014the average per year and cashflow was agreed upon.<\/em> <\/em>A little after 11 p.m., they got the negotiation to the 1-yard line, finding common ground on a full guarantee of $32 million in 2025, and $30 million in \u201826, and an injury guarantee of $29.5 million for \u201827 that would vest as a full guarantee next March.<\/em> <\/em>The team announced the deal on Wednesday, and it marked something pretty momentous. Over four offseasons he\u2019s been eligible to do new deals, Crosby\u2019s gotten two blockbuster extensions and another big raise. Which, to those around him, is simply a nod to who he is.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cIt\u2019s not even the money,\u201d says LaBoy, when I asked what he\u2019s most proud of in the deal. \u201cIt\u2019s that Maxx is being rewarded for being himself. It\u2019s not just overcoming what he\u2019s overcome, it\u2019s really who he is. He exemplifies hard work, teamwork, and the kind of culture they\u2019re trying to build. And to be rewarded in this way by three different regimes is just an acknowledgment of what he\u2019s accomplished.\u201d<\/em> <\/em>To Crosby, the hope now is that this is the start, not the end\u2014a couple times he referenced to me what Spytek said at the press conference, about how the contract is not for what he\u2019s done, but what he\u2019s about to do. The money, of course, is mind-blowing. And he told me he has big plans to grow his wealth (he owns 20 Papa Johns in Vegas, and has money invested in a slew of multi-million-dollar companies).<\/em> <\/em>But his main focus remains football. As we talked, he recalled winning Scout Team Player of the Week every week the year he was redshirted at Eastern Michigan. He said he keeps one of the plaques \u201cfront-and-center\u201d in his office, as a reminder of what\u2019s important.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cI really can\u2019t say by 27, I would\u2019ve imagined signing two $100 million deals,\u201d he says. \u201cI always had a delusional belief in what I could be. Before anybody else believed in me and before I got the hype and the love and the respect, I was doing it by myself, and I had to prove it every day. I knew deep down I was put on this planet to be in this position. I know my heart. I know my work ethic. I know my obsession with being the greatest at what I do.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cI\u2019ve never lost belief in that. That doesn\u2019t mean that everything is rainbows and butterflies. But I\u2019ve never quit. Every time it gets hard, I think of it as an opportunity to get better, even though that’s the hardest thing to do. \u2026 This money is not for what I\u2019ve done; it’s for what they believe I\u2019m going to do. I plan on being the best in the world at what I do. I\u2019m very much looking forward to that.\u201d<\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
AFC NORTH<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>PITTSBURGH<\/strong><\/strong>As the Giants lurk, QB AARON RODGERS is thinking about an offer from the Steelers.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a> on Rodgers replaying Hamlet: The ball is reportedly in Aaron Rodgers\u2019s court.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who reported on Tuesday that the Steelers could pivot back to Russell Wilson if talks with Aaron Rodgers bog down over money, now reports that Pittsburgh has made an offer to Rodgers \u2014 and that the Steelers are simply waiting for a decision from Rodgers.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>It seems like a matter of semantics, frankly. Unless the offer was conveyed on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, Rodgers could respond with a counteroffer that seeks a sweetened financial pot.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Regardless, it\u2019s tempting to think that Rodgers, who not long ago was potentially out of options, has found a way to make it all about himself. Again.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Consider the candid (or staged to look candid) photos of Rodgers walking on a beach, possibly draped in velvet, while contemplating, well, something. In two weeks, Rodgers has gone from a guy who has had to reach out to the Giants to a guy who has options.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Whether he\u2019s doing it on purpose or just doing what he does, he\u2019s become the center of the NFL\u2019s attention, for maybe one last time. We\u2019re focused on him. We\u2019re talking about him.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>As long as the Steelers don\u2019t move on to another veteran option, he can take his time. At some point, however, they\u2019ll need an answer.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>And, when he gives one, he\u2019ll likely complain about all of the attention that his handling of the situation naturally generated.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
AFC EAST<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>BUFFALO<\/strong><\/strong>Albert Breer of SI.com<\/a> on the trust that led to the deal between the Bills and QB JOSH ALLEN: The Josh Allen contract is a study in how quarterback deals are getting done at the highest levels now, with this underlined\u2014cash is king. The Buffalo Bills and Allen\u2019s camp have been working on the blockbuster six-year, $330 million deal they reached Sunday since the team\u2019s season ended in the AFC title game. And the focus, rather than being on how the deal would be headlined, was on how it would work for everyone.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>So the first thing you need to know is the only deal that was really negotiated like this one in recent memory was Deshaun Watson\u2019s in Cleveland\u2014and Allen didn\u2019t have to switch teams to land the contract he just did. And that\u2019s because of what the Bills are going to, rightfully, put in the reigning MVP\u2019s pocket over the next four years.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>With that established, here are the keys \u2026<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u2022 He\u2019ll get $220 million over the next four years. On his existing deal, he had four years left at $129.555 million, meaning he\u2019s effectively getting a $90 million raise. That\u2019s an average of $55 million per year, which is the six-year average of the deal too. Taking the new-money math out of it, that\u2019s a record\u2014beating Dak Prescott ($54.8 million), Patrick Mahomes ($52.02 million) and Lamar Jackson ($52 million). Remember, Prescott had to play out one deal, and get to end of another to get there. Jackson played out his deal to get to his number.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>And Mahomes, of course, had won multiple MVPs and multiple Super Bowls when he redid his deal last year.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u2022 The deal has $147 million fully guaranteed, which is only behind the $230 million fully guaranteed Watson got on his Browns deal. Allen\u2019s $250 million injury guarantee is a record. And the full guarantee rises to $163.5 million after the 2025 season, $218 million after \u201926, and $232 million after \u201927, pushing the practical guarantee just past Watson\u2019s number.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>But the reality, again, is if Allen keeps playing at the level he is, then this will all likely be revisited again after four years, with $220 million in the bank, and another raise coming.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u2022 The cashflow here is relatively flat year over year, which gives the team a little more flexibility to spend, and is also an acknowledgment of the trust between the sides.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>And, really, that\u2019s where this began. The relationship between Allen\u2019s camp and the Bills is such that there\u2019s always a running conversation going on, and choosing to dive in and do this now was a result of that conversation. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anyone on either side who doesn\u2019t envision Allen retiring a Bill. And even if it\u2019s hard to project those things out (see: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers), it\u2019s healthy to operate as if that\u2019ll be the case.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Which, to me, is really the tone and tenor to the whole thing. The Bills are doing right by Allen, who is getting what he deserves, and it\u2019s coming in a way that\u2019s functional and logical for him and the team alike.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Everyone\u2019s better for it.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>NEW YORK<\/strong> JETS<\/strong><\/strong>Rich Cimini of ESPN.com<\/a> on the cutting of QB AARON RODGERS. For the first time in a career that will ultimately land him in the Hall of Fame, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a free agent.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>It became official at 4 p.m. Wednesday, the start of the league year, when Rodgers was released by the New York Jets in a long-anticipated move. The Jets do not plan to announce the procedural move, according to a source, but it’s expected to appear on the NFL’s evening transaction wire. The team basically declared its intentions last month.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Advertising<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Rodgers is now permitted to sign with any team, with the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers showing the most interest in the four-time MVP.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Both teams are quarterback needy. The Steelers and Giants each have only one quarterback under contract — Skylar Thompson and Tommy DeVito, respectively. Rodgers has been in talks with both teams. The Minnesota Vikings also can’t be ruled out as an outside possibility.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>While the Steelers and Giants wait on Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback last season, is scheduled to fly Wednesday night to visit with the Cleveland Browns, before being scheduled to travel to New York on Thursday to visit with the Giants on Friday, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Rodgers’ release from the Jets was a mere formality. On Feb. 13, the team announced its intention to release Rodgers, which allowed him to start speaking with other teams. Rodgers, 41, hasn’t publicly commented since the Jets made their decision to move on after two seasons.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>By carrying him on the roster until the start of the league year, the Jets can now designate him a post-June 1 cut, which allows them to spread his $49 million cap hit over two seasons — $14 million this year, $35 million in 2026.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>For now, they must carry his full cap charge ($23.5 million) until June 1. After that, it drops to $14 million, providing $9.5 million in cap relief.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>They could’ve waited with the hope of trading him for a draft pick, but that would’ve been difficult because teams have known the Jets’ plans for several weeks. A trade would’ve resulted in the full cap hit ($49 million) this season.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Jets’ new regime — general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn — wasted little time in making its quarterback decision. The Jets informed Rodgers on Feb. 6 in a face-to-face meeting. Then, on the first day of free agent negotiating, they agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal with Justin Fields, the Steelers’ backup for the final 11 games last season. (He started the first six, going 4-2.)<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>THIS AND THAT<\/strong> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/em><\/strong>FREE AGENT GRADES<\/strong>Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com<\/a> with one stop shopping to tell how free agency has gone so far \u2013 and he\u2019s not afraid to dish out some bad grades: <\/em><\/strong>When NFL teams got to free agency, they realized that an increase in the salary cap led to many of the top potential targets being retained by their old teams. The list of players who were available was underwhelming.<\/em> <\/em>Still, between a few big trades and a flurry of activity among the players who did reach free agency, there were opportunities for aggressive teams to improve. And some teams took some hits with players leaving.<\/em> <\/em>Amid the recent action in the league, here are the offseason grades for the free-agent moves and trades for each team:<\/em> <\/em>Arizona Cardinals<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Grabbing Josh Sweat was big. That move along with retaining Baron Browning will boost the Cardinals\u2019 pass rush. But for a team that has missed the playoffs again, more additions would have been nice.<\/em> <\/em>Josh Sweat                 EDGE              4 years               $76.4 million             Signed<\/em>Baron Browning          OLB                 2 years               $15 million                Re-signed<\/em>Evan Brown                OL                   2 years                $11.5 million            Re-signed<\/em>Akeem Davis-Gaither  LB                   2 years               $11 million                Signed<\/em>Joey Blount                 S                     2 years                $4.75 million            Re-signed<\/em>Aaron Brewer              LS                  1 year                  N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em>Kelvin Beachum         RT                   1 year                  N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em>Jacoby Brissett          QB                   2 years                N\/A                          Signed<\/em>Zay Jones                   WR                 1 year                  $4.4 million              Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>Atlanta Falcons<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Some day, the Falcons will invest in a pass rusher. The Falcons were surprisingly quiet, other than a decent addition in Divine Deablo.<\/em> <\/em>Jake Matthews               LT                   2 years                   $45 million           Re-signed<\/em>Liam McCullough           LS                  4 years                   N\/A                       Re-signed<\/em>Divine Deablo                LB                  2 years                    $14 million           Signed<\/em>Mike Hughes                  CB                 3 years                    $18 million           Re-signed<\/em>Leonard Floyd                EDGE           1 year                      $10 million           Signed<\/em> <\/em>Baltimore Ravens<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Keeping Ronnie Stanley was huge. There wasn\u2019t going to be much wiggle room for a big move after that.<\/em> <\/em>Ronnie Stanley                 LT                  3 years                  $60 million           Re-signed<\/em>Patrick Ricard                   FB                  1 year                    N\/A                     Re-signed<\/em>DeAndre Hopkins             WR                1 year                     $6 million            Signed<\/em> <\/em>Buffalo Bills<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Bills needed a receiver, and Josh Palmer has never shown he can be an impact player. The Bills spent to retain Greg Rousseau, Khalil Shakir and Terrel Bernard and that was wise.<\/em> <\/em>Josh Allen                        QB                  6 years                    $330 million       Re-signed<\/em>Greg Rousseau               EDGE             4 years                    $80 million          Re-signed<\/em>Khalil Shakir                    WR                  4 years                   $60.2 million       Re-signed<\/em>Terrel Bernard                 LB                   4 years                   $50 million         Re-signed<\/em>Josh Palmer                    WR                 3 years                   $36 million           Signed<\/em>Reid Ferguson                 LS                  4 years                   N\/A                      Re-signed<\/em>Michael Hoecht                DT                 3 years                   $24 million           Signed<\/em>Ty Johnson                      RB                  2 years                  $5 million              Re-signed<\/em>Joey Bosa                        EDGE             1 year                    $12.6 million        Signed<\/em>Darrick Forrest                  S                    1 year                     N\/A                     Signed<\/em>Damar Hamlin                   S                    1 year                    N\/A                     Re-signed<\/em>Larry Ogunjobi                  DT                  1 year                   $8.3 million         Signed<\/em> <\/em>Carolina Panthers<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Panthers concentrated on defense and rightfully so. They might have overpaid a bit for players like DT Tershawn Wharton and S Tre\u2019Von Moehrig, but they had to after barely missing out on Milton Williams.<\/em> <\/em>Jaycee Horn                     CB                   4 years                 $100 million           Re-signed<\/em>Tershawn Wharton          DT                    3 years                 $54 million             Signed<\/em>Tre’Von Moehrig              S                      3 years                 $51 million              Signed<\/em>Michael Jackson               CB                   2 years                 $14.5 million          Re-signed<\/em>Patrick Jones II                EDGE              2 years                  $20 million             Signed<\/em>Tommy Tremble                TE                  2 years                  $10.5 million          Re-signed<\/em>Andy Dalton                       QB                 2 years                  $8 million               Re-signed<\/em>Austin Corbett                   C                    1 year                    $3 million                Re-signed<\/em>Brady Christensen             OT                 1 year                    $2.787 million        Re-signed<\/em>Sam Martin                        P                    1 year                     $3 million              Signed<\/em>Rico Dowdle                      RB                  1 year                     $6.25 million         Signed<\/em> <\/em>Chicago Bears<\/em><\/strong>Grade: A<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Including a couple trades, the Bears completely revamped their offensive line. They added some juice to the defensive line too.<\/em> <\/em>Dayo Odeyingbo                 EDGE               3 years                $48 million               Signed<\/em>Grady Jarrett                       DT                   3 years                 $43.5 million            Signed<\/em>Drew Dalman                      C                      3 years                 $42 million              Signed<\/em>Jonah Jackson                    OL                    N\/A                       N\/A                         Traded (Rams)<\/em>Joe Thuney                          OG                  N\/A                       N\/A                         Traded (Chiefs)<\/em>Amen Ogbongbemiga         LB                    2 years                  $5 million               Re-signed<\/em>Josh Blackwell                    CB                   2 years                   N\/A                        Re-signed<\/em>Chris Williams                      DT                  RFA tender            N\/A                        Re-signed<\/em>Durham Smythe                   TE                  1 year                      N\/A                       Signed<\/em>Tarvarius Moore                  S                     1 year                      N\/A                       Signed<\/em> <\/em>Cincinnati Bengals<\/em><\/strong>Grade: Incomplete<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Until we see what happens with Ja\u2019Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson, who knows? The grade could be an A or an F. But franchise tagging Tee Higgins was the right call.<\/em> <\/em>Tee Higgins                         WR                  Franchise tag            N\/A                   Re-signed<\/em>B.J. Hill                                 DL                    3 years                     $33 million       Re-signed<\/em>Mike Gesicki                         TE                    3 years                     $25.5 million    Re-signed<\/em>Joseph Ossai                        EDGE              1 year                      $7 million         Re-signed<\/em>Cody Ford                             OL                    2 years                   $6 million          Re-signed<\/em>Oren Burks                            LB                    2 years                   $5 million          Re-signed<\/em>Marco Wilson                        CB                    1 year                    $1.52 million     Re-signed<\/em>Tanner Hudson                     TE                    1 year                       N\/A                 Re-signed<\/em>Cal Adomitis                          LS                   1 year                      N\/A                  Re-signed<\/em>Tedarrell Slaton                    DT                    2 years                    $15.1 million    Signed<\/em>Samaje Perine                     RB                    2 years                    $3.8 million      Signed<\/em>Ryan Rehkow                      P                       2 years                   N\/A                   Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>Cleveland Browns<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Resolving the Myles Garrett issue was huge. But there wasn\u2019t much else. Kenny Pickett won\u2019t get anyone excited.<\/em> <\/em>Myles Garrett                            EDGE             4 years                $160 million      Re-signed<\/em>Cornelius Lucas                      OT                   2 years               $10 million          Signed<\/em>Kenny Pickett                       QB                      1 year remaining   $2.6 million       Traded (Eagles)<\/em>Joe Tryon-Shoyinka             EDGE                1 year                  $4.75 million       Signed<\/em>Devin Bush                           LB                      1 year                 N\/A                      Re-signed<\/em>Maliek Collins                       DT                      2 years                 $20 million         Signed<\/em> <\/em>Dallas Cowboys<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D-<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Extending DT Osa Odighizuwa was big, but it was another offseason of low-level additions that won\u2019t help Dallas catch Washington or Philadelphia.<\/em> <\/em>Osa Odighizuwa                   DT                     4 years                $80 million            Re-signed<\/em>Markquese Bell                    S                       3 years                $12 million             Re-signed<\/em>Trent Sieg                            LS                     3 years                $4.45 million          Re-signed<\/em>C.J. Goodwin                    CB                      1 year                  $1.42 million           Re-signed<\/em>Solomon Thomas              DT                      2 years                $8 million               Signed<\/em>Rob Jones                         OL                     1 year                   $4.75 million          Signed<\/em>Javonte Williams               RB                     1 year                   $3 million                Signed<\/em>KaVonte Turpin                 KR\/WR              3 years                  N\/A                        Re-signed<\/em>Payton Turner                   DE                     1 year                    $3 million               Signed<\/em>Bryan Anger                      P                        2 years                 N\/A                         Re-signed<\/em>Kenneth Murray Jr.           LB                      1 year                  $7.4 million              Traded<\/em> <\/em>Denver Broncos<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Broncos added a lot of toughness and playmaking to the defense with former 49ers Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw. And the defense was pretty good already.<\/em> <\/em>D.J. Jones                           DT                   3 years                   $39 million             Re-signed<\/em>Jarrett Stidham                  QB                    2 years                  $12 million              Re-signed<\/em>Talanoa Hufanga              S                       3 years                  $45 million              Signed<\/em>Dre Greenlaw                   LB                      3 years                  $35 million              Signed<\/em>Matt Peart                         OT                     2 years                  $7 million                Signed<\/em>Trent Sherfield Sr.            WR                     2 years                  $6 million                Signed<\/em>Evan Engram                    TE                      2 years                  $23 million             Signed<\/em> <\/em>Detroit Lions<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Swapping out Carlton Davis for D.J. Reed is lateral. And the rest was fairly quiet.<\/em> <\/em>Derrick Barnes                    LB                    3 years                   $25.5 million          Re-signed<\/em>Marcus Davenport             EDGE               1 year                    $4.75 million           Re-signed<\/em>Zeke Turner                      LB                      1 year                   N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em>Morgan Cox                       LS                      1 year                  N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em>Anthony Pittman                LB                      1 year                  N\/A                         Re-signed<\/em>D.J. Reed                          CB                     3 years                 $48 million              Signed<\/em>Roy Lopez                          NT                     1 year                 $4.65 million            Signed<\/em>Dan Skipper                      OT                      1 year                 N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>Green Bay Packers<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C-<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs are solid players but both seem a bit overpaid. It was going to be hard to top last year\u2019s home run in free agency.<\/em> <\/em>Brandon McManus             K                       3  years                $15.3 million           Re-signed<\/em>Isaiah McDuffie                  LB                     2 years                $8 million                 Re-signed<\/em>Aaron Banks                     G                        4 years                $77 million                Signed<\/em>Nate Hobbs                       CB                      4 years               $48 million                 Signed<\/em> <\/em>Houston Texans<\/em><\/strong>Grade: F<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Texans\u2019 biggest need by far was offensive line, and they traded two starting linemen. The o-line issues overshadow everything else.<\/em> <\/em>Christian Kirk                        WR                 1 year remaining    $15.5 million       Traded (Jaguars)<\/em>C.J. Gardner-Johnson         S                      2 years remaining   $19 million          Traded (Eagles)<\/em>Derek Barnett                        EDGE               1 year                  $5 million              Re-signed<\/em>Dare Ogunbowale                RB                     1 year                   $2 million             Re-signed<\/em>Jake Hansen                         LB                      1 year                 $1.7 million           Re-signed<\/em>Tremon Smith                       CB\/KR               2 years               $7 million               Signed<\/em>Sheldon Rankins                 DT                       1 year                $7 million                Signed<\/em>Darrell Taylor                       EDGE                 1 year                $5.25 million           Signed<\/em>Braxton Berrios                   WR                      1 year                $2 million                Signed<\/em>Justin Watson                     WR                      1 year                N\/A                         Signed<\/em>Mario Edwards Jr.                DL                      2 years               $9.5 million            Re-signed<\/em>Laken Tomlinson                 G                        1 year                 $4.25 million          Signed<\/em>M.J. Stewart                         S                        1 year                 N\/A                        Re-signed<\/em>Kurt Hinish                           DT                      1 year                 N\/A                        Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>Indianapolis Colts<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D+<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Colts lost key pieces on each line, added some help to the secondary, but the Daniel Jones addition pays off only if Anthony Richardson falls apart.<\/em> <\/em>Ashton Dulin                       WR                  2 years                   $8.5 million             Re-signed<\/em>Braden Smith                      RT                  1 year (reworked)    $16.75 million        Re-signed<\/em>Camryn Bynum                   S                    4 years                     $60 million             Signed<\/em>Charvarius Ward                CB                  3 years                     $60 million             Signed<\/em>Daniel Jones                      QB                  1 year                       $14 million             Signed<\/em>Khalil Herbert                     RB                   1 year                      N\/A                        Signed<\/em> <\/em>Jacksonville Jaguars<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Jaguars signed help at multiple spots without spending a lot. That is practically what the Commanders did in free agency last year.<\/em> <\/em>Patrick Mekari                    OL                    3 years                     $37.5 million          Signed<\/em>Jourdan Lewis                   CB                     3 years                    $30 million             Signed<\/em>Eric Murray                        S                       3 years                    $22.5 million           Signed<\/em>Robert Hainsey                  C                      3 years                    $21 million              Signed<\/em>Dyami Brown                     WR                    1 year                      $10 million              Signed<\/em>Nick Mullens                       QB                    2 years                    $6.5 million             Signed<\/em>Johnny Mundt                    TE                      2 years                   $5.5 million             Signed<\/em> Hunter Long                      TE                      2 years                   $5 million                Signed<\/em>Chuma Edoga                    OT                    2 years                    $7 million                Signed<\/em> <\/em>Kansas City Chiefs<\/em><\/strong>Grade: A-<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Figuring out a way to bring back Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and Hollywood Brown was important. They also grabbed OT Jaylon Moore to fix a problem.<\/em> <\/em>Trey Smith                         OG                      Franchise tag            $23.4 million         Re-signed<\/em>Patrick Mahomes               QB                      7 years                      $450 million         Restructured<\/em>Chris Jones                        DT                      5 years                     $158.7 million      Restructured<\/em>Nick Bolton                         LB                      3 years                    $45 million            Re-signed<\/em>Hollywood Brown               WR                     1 year                      $11 million            Re-signed<\/em>James Winchester             LS                      1 year                       $1.65 million         Re-signed<\/em>Jaylon Moore                     OT                       2 years                    $30 million           Signed<\/em>Elijah Mitchell                     RB                       1 year                     $3.5 million           Signed<\/em>Matt Araiza                         P                       ERFA tender, 1 year     $960,000              Signed<\/em>Kristian Fulton                    CB                     2 years                         $20 million            Signed<\/em> <\/em>Las Vegas Raiders<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Raiders upgraded at quarterback, made Maxx Crosby happy and got Malcolm Koonce back on a discount. They did lose some good defensive players too.<\/em> <\/em>Maxx Crosby                     EDGE                 3 years                         $106.5 million        Re-signed<\/em>Adam Butler                       DT                     3 years                         $16.5 million          Re-signed<\/em>Malcolm Koonce                EDGE                 1 year                       $12 million               Re-signed<\/em> Isaiah Pola-Mao               S                        2 years                       $8.45 million            Re-signed<\/em>Elandon Roberts                 LB                    1 year                         $3 million                 Re-signed<\/em>Jeremy Chinn                    S                        2 years                       $16 million               Signed<\/em> Alex Cappa                       OG                    2 years                       $11 million               Signed<\/em>Lonnie Johnson Jr.            S                       N\/A                              N\/A                          Signed<\/em>Eric Stokes                        CB                     1 year                         $4 million                 Signed<\/em> <\/em>Los Angeles Chargers<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Chargers seemingly had the ability to add some impact players but mostly sat it out. That\u2019s fine, but it would have been nice to see them get more aggressive.<\/em> <\/em>Elijah Molden                      CB                     3 years                      $18.75 million         Re-signed<\/em>Khalil Mack                          EDGE               1 year                       $18 million              Re-signed<\/em>Bradley Bozeman                 C                      Multi-year deal         N\/A                         Re-signed<\/em>JK Scott                                P                      2 years                    $6 million                 Re-signed<\/em>Teair Tart                             DL                    1 year                       $5.5 million             Re-signed<\/em>Donte Jackson                     CB                    2 years                     $13 million             Signed<\/em>Najee Harris                          RB                   1 year                       $9.25 million          Signed<\/em> <\/em>Los Angeles Rams<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Matthew Stafford is back and Davante Adams is joining him, which is great. The grade gets knocked down a little because cornerback and linebacker remain issues.<\/em> <\/em>Matthew Stafford                    QB                 2 years                  $58 million               Restructure<\/em>Jimmy Garoppolo                   QB                 1 year                    $11 million              Re-signed<\/em>Davante Adams                       WR                2 years                 $46 million              Signed<\/em>Poona Ford                             DT                 3 years                  $29.6 million           Signed<\/em> <\/em>Miami Dolphins<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C-<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Dolphins lost another high-priced free agent when Jevon Holland left, but they were able to add James Daniels to help the offensive line.<\/em> <\/em>Elijah Campbell                       DB                 1 year                  $1.9 million              Re-signed<\/em>James Daniels                        OL                  3 years               $24 million                Signed<\/em>Zach Wilson                            QB                  1 year                $6 million                  Signed<\/em>Ifeatu Melifonwu                      S                     1 year                  $4 million                Signed<\/em>Larry Borom                            OL                  N\/A                       N\/A                         Signed<\/em>Ashtyn Davis                           S                     1 year                  $2.5 million             Signed<\/em>Nick Westbrook-Ikhine             WR                    2 years              $6.5 million              Signed<\/em>Tyrel Dodson                          LB                    2 years                $8.25 million             Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>Minnesota Vikings<\/em><\/strong>Grade: A<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: Once the Vikings moved on from Sam Darnold, they had plenty of salary cap space to retain Aaron Jones Sr. and Byron Murphy Jr. and then also make big additions on both lines.<\/em> <\/em>Byron Murphy Jr.                   CB                   3 years                  $66 million              Re-signed<\/em>Aaron Jones Sr.                     RB                   2 years                  $20 million             Re-signed<\/em>Theo Jackson                        S                      2 years                 $12.615 million       Re-signed<\/em>Ryan Wright                           P                     1 year                   $1.75 million           Re-signed<\/em>Will Fries                               OG                   5 years                 $88 million              Signed<\/em>Jonathan Allen                      DT                    3 years                  $60 million             Signed<\/em>Ryan Kelly                             C                      2 years                  $18 million             Signed<\/em>Isaiah Rodgers                      CB                   2 years                  $15 million              Signed<\/em>Javon Hargrave                      DT                  N\/A                        N\/A                         Signed<\/em> <\/em>New England Patriots<\/em><\/strong>Grade: A-<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: If you dock them a bit for overpaying players that’s fine. But a team that needed an infusion of talent got plenty of it, especially on defense.<\/em> <\/em>Milton Williams                       DT                   4 years                    $104 million         Signed<\/em>Carlton Davis                         CB                   3 years                    $60 million           Signed<\/em>Harold Landry III                    EDGE             3 years                    $43.5 million         Signed<\/em>Robert Spillane                      LB                  3 years                     $37 million            Signed<\/em>Morgan Moses                       OT                  3 years                     $24 million           Signed<\/em> Mack Hollins                           WR               2 years                     $8.4 million          Signed<\/em>Josh Dobbs                            QB                 2 years                     $8 million            Signed<\/em>Khyiris Tonga                         DT                 1 year                       $2.7 million         Signed<\/em> <\/em>New Orleans Saints<\/em><\/strong>Grade: F<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: It’s hard to feel good about retaining Chase Young at that price. That’s not helping the Saints get their salary cap issues under control.<\/em> <\/em>Chase Young                          EDGE              3 years                      $51 million        Re-signed<\/em>Nathan Shepherd                   DT                     2 years                   N\/A                     Restructure<\/em>Justin Reid                              S                       3 years                     $31.5 million    Signed<\/em>Juwan Johnson                       TE                     3 years                    $30.75 million   Re-signed<\/em>Tyrann Mathieu                      S                       2 years                    N\/A.                    Restructure<\/em>Dante Pettis                            WR                  1 year                       N\/A                     Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>New York Giants<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The secondary got some help, but it’s a reminder that they let 2024 All-Pro Xavier McKinney walk. And there’s still the quarterback problem.<\/em> <\/em>Darius Slayton                         WR                     3 years              $36 million              Re-signed<\/em>Jamie Gillan                            P                         3 years               $9 million               Re-signed<\/em>Tommy DeVito                        QB                      1 year                 $1.03 million           Re-signed<\/em>Chris Manhertz                       TE                       1 year                N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em>Paulson Adebo                       CB                       3 years             $54 million                Signed<\/em>Jevon Holland                         S                         3 years             $45 million                 Signed<\/em>Chauncey Golston                  DL                      3 years              $19.5 million             Signed<\/em>James Hudson III                   OT                      2 years              $12 million                   Signed<\/em>Roy Robertson-Harris            DT                       2 years              $9 million                    Signed<\/em>Chris Board                            LB                       2 years              $6 million                    Signed<\/em> <\/em>New York Jets<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: If you love Justin Fields then the grade is higher. Other than Fields, there weren’t any big additions and they lost players like Morgan Moses and D.J. Reed.<\/em> <\/em>Jamien Sherwood                   LB                      3 years              $45 million                Re-signed<\/em>Tony Adams                           S                         RFA tender       N\/A                          Re-signed<\/em>Justin Fields                           QB                       2 years            $40 million                Signed<\/em>Brandon Stephens                 CB                       3 years            $36 million                 Signed<\/em> Andre Cisco                          S                         1 year               $10 million                 Signed<\/em> <\/em>Philadelphia Eagles<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The Eagles will be fine but they lost some of the best free agents to change teams this offseason. Retaining Zack Baun saves the grade.<\/em> <\/em>Zack Baun                               LB                    3 years                $51 million                Re-signed<\/em>Saquon Barkley                      RB                     2 years              $41.2 million              Re-signed<\/em>Dorian Thompson-Robinson   QB              2 years remaining   $3.32 million         Traded (Browns)<\/em>Kenyon Green                        OG              1 year remaining      $1.88 million         Traded (Texans)<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>Pittsburgh Steelers                <\/em><\/strong>Grade: Incomplete<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The DK Metcalf trade might look a lot better once the quarterback plan is revealed. Until then, it’s hard to say.<\/em> <\/em>DK Metcalf                             WR      5 years     $150 million   Traded (Seahawks), then extension<\/em>Malik Harrison                      LB           2 years                             $10 million                    Signed                       Donald Parham Jr.                TE          1 year                               $1.17 million               Signed<\/em>Ryan McCollum                     C           1 year                                $1.1 million                  Signed<\/em>Kenneth Gainewell                RB         1 year                                N\/A                              Signed<\/em>Darius Slay Jr.                       CB         1 year                                $10 million                   Signed<\/em> <\/em>San Francisco 49ers<\/em><\/strong>Grade: F<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: It’s hard to come up with a positive. The 49ers lost a lot of talent including Deebo Samuel Sr. in a trade to Washington. San Francisco isn’t better than it was when last season ended.<\/em> <\/em>Patrick Taylor Jr.                      RB            1 year                           N\/A                         Re-signed<\/em>Kevin Givens                           DT            1 year                            N\/A                        Re-signed<\/em>Jordan Mason                         RB             RFA tender, 1 year       $5.35 million          Re-signed<\/em>Luke Farrell                             TE             3 years                          $20.25 million        Signed<\/em>Richie Grant                             S               1 year                           N\/A                        Signed<\/em>Jason Pinnock                          S              1 year                           N\/A                          Signed<\/em>Demarcus Robinson                  WR            2 years                         $9.5 million            Signed<\/em> Luke Gifford                             LB              1 year                            N\/A                        Signed<\/em> <\/em>Seattle Seahawks<\/em><\/strong>Grade: C<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The success of the offseason depends on whether Sam Darnold is an upgrade over Geno Smith. The problem might be that Seattle didn’t have enough salary cap space to fix its offensive line too.<\/em> <\/em>Ernest Jones IV                         LB                  3 years                      $33 million             Re-signed<\/em>Jarran Reed                              DT                 3 years                       $25 million              Re-signed<\/em>Sam Darnold                            QB                  3 years                    $100.5 million           Signed<\/em>Josh Jones                                OL                  1 year                       $4.75 million           Signed<\/em>Marquez Valdes-Scantling        WR                  1 year                      $5.5 million             Signed<\/em>DeMarcus Lawrence                  DL                  3 years                    $42 million              Signed<\/em> <\/em>Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/em><\/strong>Grade: B<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: While it came down to the wire, it’s not a surprise Tampa Bay figured out a way to retain Chris Godwin and Lavonte David. Adding Haason Reddick was a worthwhile gamble.<\/em> <\/em>Chris Godwin                              WR                 3 years                    $66 million              Re-signed<\/em>Ben Bredeson                           OG                  3 years                     $22 million              Re-signed<\/em>Lavonte David                         LB                     1 year                      $10 million               Re-signed<\/em>Haason Reddick                     EDGE                1 year                       $14 million             Signed<\/em>Anthony Nelson                      EDGE                 2 years                     $10 million            Re-signed<\/em>Riley Dixon                               P                       2 years                    $6 million               Signed<\/em> <\/em>Tennessee Titans<\/em><\/strong>Grade: D+<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: If Dan Moore Jr. helps the offensive line then the grade goes up. That’s a lot of money to pay for him. It’s hard to see Moore or Cody Barton having a huge impact.<\/em> <\/em>Sebastian Joseph Day               DT                1 year                      $7.5 million             Re-signed<\/em>Andrew Rupcich                        OL                 RFA tender               N\/A                       Re-signed<\/em>Darrell Baker Jr.                       CB                 RFA tender               N\/A                       Re-signed<\/em>Dan Moore Jr.                          OT                 4 years                     $82 million            Signed<\/em>Cody Barton                             LB                  3 years                    $21 million            Signed<\/em>Xavier Woods                           S                    2 years                     $10 million            Signed<\/em> Johnny Hekker                        P                      1 year                     N\/A                       Signed<\/em>Morgan Cox                             LS                      1 year                     N\/A                       Re-signed<\/em> <\/em>Washington Commanders<\/em><\/strong>Grade: A-<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Why: The biggest names on this list are aging. And Javon Kinlaw was overpaid. But there was some talent added between Deebo Samuel Sr. and Laremy Tunsil.<\/em> <\/em>Deebo Samuel Sr.                    WR                  1 year remaining      $17.55 million   Traded (49ers)<\/em>Laremy Tunsil                          LT                   2 years remaining       $42.7 million Traded (Texans)<\/em>Bobby Wagner                          LB                 1 year                         $9.5 million       Re-signed<\/em>Zach Ertz                                TE                    1 year                         $6.25 million    Re-signed<\/em>Tress Way                                P                     1 year                         $2.8 million      Re-signed<\/em>John Bates                           TE                        3 years                   N\/A                   Re-signed<\/em>Zane Gonzalez                     K                           1 year                   $1.17 million     Re-signed<\/em>Javon Kinlaw                         DT                        3 years                 $45 million        Signed<\/em>Jeremy McNichols                  RB                      1 year                    N\/A                   Re-signed<\/em>Will Harris                              S                         2 years                   $8 million         Signed<\/em>Marcus Mariota                     QB                       1 year                    $8 million          Re-signed<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AROUND THE NFL NFC EAST  DALLASThe Cowboys are acquiring CB KAIIR ELAM, once a first round pick of the Bills.  They are also getting another off-the-radar first rounder in LB KENNETH MURRAY.  Nick Shook of NFL.com: The Dallas Cowboys are adding some first-round talent to bolster their defense. Dallas is acquiring cornerback Kaiir Elam in a trade with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[6,7,11,8,13],"class_list":["post-6685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-daily-briefing","tag-chris-myers","tag-chris-myers-sports","tag-daily-briefing","tag-fox-sports","tag-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6685\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}