Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn were part of the same draft class, but the Panthers are paying more because they waited longer to do their deal (Surtain got an extension last year). And that ladies and gentlemen is why you pay people early. Someone please tell the Bengals and Cowboys.
Khalil Mack is remaining in L.A. for at least another year. According to the NFL Network, the Chargers are bringing back the edge on a one-year, $18 million fully guaranteed deal.
With Jaycee Horn resetting the market at corner, here’s a look at a few players who could eventually top his record-setting deal that’s paying him $25 million per year.
The Bengals have a SIGNING to announce, but it’s not Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey Hendrickson, so it continues to be a depressing week for Bengals fans.
Jaycee Horn just got PAID. The eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft was heading into the final year of his rookie deal, but not anymore after the Panthers gave him a monstrous new contract.
At $25 million per year, Horn is now the highest paid corner in NFL history.
Cornerback rankings1. Horn: $25 million per year2. Jalen Ramsey: $24.1 million
3. Patrick Surtain II: $24 million
Those three are in a class of their own. No other corner in the NFL even makes $22 million per year.
After spending his entire 10-year career with the Falcons, Grady Jarrett’s time in Atlanta is over.
As noted by Jonathan Jones, this move will free up $16.25 million in salary cap space. Going into Monday, the Falcons were $5 million OVER the salary cap and they have to be cap compliant by 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, so this move will help get them there.
The Falcons struck gold with Jarrett, who was fifth-round pick in 2015. However, based on his contract and his age (31) the Falcons clearly felt it was time to move on.
The Jaguars surprisingly cut Evan Engram last week and he’s already taking advantage of being a free agent: He’s visiting with the Broncos today.
Engram led all tight ends in receptions in 2023 with 114. In 2024, he missed seven games, which is a big reason why he only finished with 47 catches for 365 yards. No Broncos tight end had more than 200 yards receiving last season.
Free agency hasn’t even started and the Bills have already spent more than $500 million.
Here’s a look at what they’ve done over the past 13 days:
Feb. 25: Khalil Shakir lands a four-year, $60.2 million extension that included $32 million in guaranteed money
March 7: Terrel Bernard gets a four-year, $50 million deal that includes $25.2 million in guarantees for the linebacker.
March 8: Greg Rousseau inks a four-year, $80 million extension that includes $54 million in guarantees
March 9: Josh Allens signs a six-year, $330 million deal that includes a record-setting $250 million in guarantees.
If you’re scoring at home, that’s $520 million in contracts that includes $361.2 million in guaranteed money, so Terry Pegula will be writing some big checks.
Denver re-signed defensive tackle DJ Jones to a three-year, $39 million contract with $26 million fully guaranteed, per ESPN. Jones was a big part of a dominant Broncos defensive line that saw two of its players — Nik Bonitto (13.5 sacks, third-most in NFL) and Jonathon Cooper (10.5 sacks, tied for 12th in the NFL) — go for double-digit sacks. Zach Allen’s 75 quarterback pressures alongside Jones were the fifth-most in the NFL last season. The 30-year-old celebrated the news himself just after midnight.
The Detroit Lions are keeping Derrick Barnes around. The Lions re-signed Barnes to a contract extension through the 2027 season. Barnes has played in Detroit his entire career, logging 194 tackles (114 solo), 12 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, 4.0 sacks, four pass defenses and a forced fumble.
The New England Patriots agree to send defensive tackle Davon Godchaux to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. Godchaux is entering his ninth season in the NFL and has two years remaining on a contract he signed last offseason that included $16.5 million guaranteed.
DJ Jones re-signed with the Broncos, taking another Top 100 free agent off the market.
The veteran QB is weighing his options and it seems the Giants would not be his top option if he’s making them wait. The Giants might not have a QB until the draft.
NFL teams can begin negotiating with pending free agents beginning Monday, but a flurry action occurred Sunday, including:
- Myles Garrett signing the most lucrative contract ever given to a non-QB to remain with the Browns
- Josh Allen signing a contract extension with the Bills
- D.K. Metcalf getting traded from Seattle to Pittsburgh
- Davante Adams signing a two-year deal with the Rams
- LB Ernest Jones IV signing a new contract to remain with the Seahawks
- Aaron Jones signing a contract extension to remain with the Vikings
- LB Jamien Sherwood signing a new deal to stay in New York
- EDGE Harold Landry joining the Patriots on a 3-year deal
- LB Nick Bolton, Chiefs agreeing to a new deal
- Buffalo releasing EDGE Von Miller
- Lions release EDGE Za’Darius Smith
Happy Sunday!
A report surfaced earlier in the day that Metcalf wants to play for a contender in a warm environment. It is unclear which of those criteria this deal met. Pittsburgh sends a second-round pick to Seattle and the Steelers get a new WR1. As part of the deal, Metcalf signed a contract extension worth $150 million over five years, according to ESPN.
According to reports, Allen and Buffalo reached an agreement on a new record-setting six-year, $330 million contract that includes $250 million guaranteed, the largest guarantee ever given to an NFL player.
It’s linebacker re-signing day apparently! The Jets are re-signing LB Jamien Sherwood to a $45 million deal that includes $30 million guaranteed. Sherwood led the NFL last season with 98 solo tackles.
Former Titans edge rusher Harold Landry will get a reported three-year deal with New England worth $43.5 million with $26 million fully guaranteed.
The veteran wideout was looking to play on the west coast again and finds a new home in Los Angeles.
While the Steelers and Fields are open to a reunion, Fields will test the open market, according to ESPN. Look for the Jets to be among the teams that make Fields an offer when the legal tampering period begins on Monday.
Just hours after reportedly signing DT Jarran Reed, Seattle has also re-signed LB Ernest Jones IV to a three-year, $33M extension that includes $15M guaranteed, according to NFL Media. Jones had a whopping 94 tackles in 10 games last season after being traded from Tennessee to Seattle.
The Athletic is also reporting that Seattle is expected to talk with Aaron Rodgers this week after trading Geno Smith. Sam Darnold remains the front-runner to end up in Seattle, though.
Pittsburgh is expected to make an offer to soon-to-be free agent QB Sam Darnold, according to The Athletic. At this point, though, the Steelers are still in play to re-sign Justin Fields, their top choice. But if Fields does sign elsewhere, the Steelers are now considering their other options that includes Darnold.
At this point, I would say the Steelers’ QB pecking order is Fields, Russell Wilson, Darnold/Aaron Rodgers.
Cincinnati re-signing offensive lineman Cody Ford to a two-year deal, according to NFL Media. Ford coming back makes sense as Cincinnati recently parted ways with Alex Kappa.
The former Pro Bowl RB has agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal that includes $13 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. Jones ran for a career-high 1,138 yards last year in addition to catching 51 passes for 408 yards.
Detroit is parting ways with three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, according to ESPN. Smith had nine sacks last year that included four after being dealt from Cleveland to Detroit just before the trade deadline. Smith will now get a chance to enter free agency just ahead of the start of the new league year.
The 49ers are remaking their defensive line following up the release of Javon Hargrave by cutting Collins, per NFL Media.
Chiefs star ILB Nick Bolton is getting a three-year, $45 million extension that includes $30 million guaranteed, according to NFL Media.
A former second-round pick, Bolton tallied 106 tackles, 3 sacks, a FF and an INT in 2024.
Chiefs re-sign Nick Bolton to three-year, $45M contract with $30M guaranteed, per report
