NFL Transaction Updates 3/6: Tags, Non-Tags, and Cuts
The NFL is one week out from the “official” opening of the legal tampering period (Wed, March 13) and with the Franchise Tag decisions fixed, we have a much better idea of who will hit free agency.
The crown jewel of the free-agent class is set to be Miami’s Christian Wilkins, who is the rare “hit” in the first round to not re-sign with his home squad. This was coming down the tracks - as I alluded to in my Dolphins Roster Reset, the Dolphins did a terrible job managing their roster balance over the past two years - and now Miami is going to lose an impact player at a critical position. As exciting as it was for the Dolphins to trade for Bradley Chubb in the moment, you can directly tie that decision to the inability to sign the younger (and arguably more impactful) Wilkins.
Wilkins could cost $25 million per year - or more - on the open market, but for any of the ascending teams with a rookie quarterback, overpaying by 10-15% on Wilkins is a terrific way to use your cash; because he won’t cost draft capital, a team like the Texans could add Wilkins on a deal that lines up with the end of C.J. Stroud’s contract without giving up the draft picks they will need to continue to hit on to build around Stroud’s contract down the road.
The rest of the week’s moves largely shrank the free-agent class, though there are a few exceptions in the form of cuts. We got into several moves, such as the franchise tag getting placed on Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins and Kansas City’s L’Jarius Sneed, in the last transaction update, so check that out if it seems like something is missing!
Franchise Tags
BAL: DT Justin Madubuike
CAR: EDGE Brian Burns
CHI: CB Jaylon Johnson
CIN: WR Tee Higgins
IND: WR Michael Pittman
JAX: EDGE Josh Allen
KC: CB L’Jarius Sneed
NE: S Kyle Dugger (Transition Tag)
TB: S Antoine Winfield
Few surprises here; the Patriots applied the transition tag to Kyle Dugger, which was unexpected, but the writing was on the wall for most of these players, particularly once Tampa Bay re-signed Mike Evans to free up the franchise tag for Winfield (more on that later).
A few thoughts… I really like the Bears retaining Jaylon Johnson, who was outstanding last season for an ascending defense. Tyrique Stevenson really came along as the season progressed across as Chicago’s second outside cornerback, but Johnson is a different caliber, and his presence allows Stevenson to continue developing without the added burden of being the top corner on the outside… Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike made himself a lot of money during a dominant 2023 campaign, no surprise the Ravens prioritized their interior disruptor… the tags on Brian Burns and Josh Allen should make the market for former Viking Danielle Hunter that much more competitive as the top of the pass-rush market got thinned out.
The one surprise on non-tags, now that I review this, is the Texans and edge Jonathan Greenard; Greenard has come on as an impact player over the past year and a half, and given that Houston has plenty of cap space, it was a bit of a surprise that they didn’t use either the transition or the franchise tag on Greenard. They may be working on a long-term deal in the background, but the fact that the Texans opted not to use the tag on Greenard indicates there could be a gap between the team’s valuation and what Greenard’s camp believes he will get on the open market. Greenard, who is solid against the run as well as the pass, could surprise some folks with the number he gets in free agency.
Re-Signings
BUF: G David Edwards (2 years)
DET: CB Emmanuel Moseley (1 year)
HOU: TE Dalton Schultz (3 years)
TB: WR Mike Evans (2 years)
Tampa Bay kept Mike Evans off the market, which makes Calvin Ridley the potential bell of the ball as he hits free agency after the Jaguars tagged edge rusher Josh Allen. Ridley’s free agency will be a fascinating test case; between the need for playmakers, the depth of this year’s prospect pool, and Ridley’s previous decision to step away from the game (as well as his suspension), it seems like there are a lot of ways his market could play out. That said, my money is on a team overlooking the downside; talent usually trumps everything else in the NFL, and I can see a few teams deciding to turn this into a bidding war.
The Texans retain Dalton Schultz after a strong first season in Houston, a move that makes plenty of sense given how steady his play has been over the past few seasons. The Lions bring back Emmanuel Moseley on a one-year deal, but nothing is guaranteed after he tore his ACL last season, and Buffalo signed David Edwards, a solid interior depth player.
Releases
JAX: DT Foley Fatukasi
JAX: CB Darious Williams
JAX: S Rayshawn Jenkins
LAC: LB Eric Kendricks
MIA: LB Jerome Baker
MIA: CB Keion Crossen
MIN: RB Alexander Mattison (had 1 year on the 2yr/7 extension signed)
NE: CB J.C. Jackson
NYG: G Mark Glowinski
NYJ: TE C.J. Uzomah
PHI: S Kevin Byard
SEA: TE Will Dissly
SEA: S Jamal Adams
SEA: S Quandre Diggs
WSH: LT Charles Leno
WSH: TE Logan Thomas
Several names on this list will draw interest in free agency. Seattle safety Quandre Diggs is a solid player at safety, particularly for teams that want to play a good amount of single high, and Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker is hitting the market at the age of 27, which is a move Miami may not have made were it not for the aforementioned cap issues.
The rest of the list is less notable; as bad as the Russell Wilson deal turned out for the Broncos, the Jamal Adams trade went almost as poorly for the Seahawks. The Jaguars released some of the players from Urban Meyer’s spending spree, who should all find work…the same is probably true for guard Mark Glowinski and tackle Charles Leno in an NFL that always needs offensive line depth.
Re-Structures
CLE: CB Denzel Ward
NO: EDGE Cam Jordan
NO: G Cesar Ruiz
It speaks to the state of the Browns that cornerback Denzel Ward converted his deal rather than quarterback Deshaun Watson; perhaps that’s another step they take, but as discussed in the Browns roster reset, Cleveland may not want to commit any more years to Watson.
The Saints continued their usual moves; Cam Jordan converting roughly $11 million to a signing bonus means he is on the roster for 2024 AND 2025, as his 2025 cap hit is now $20 million as opposed to the $22.5 dead cap hit they would incur if they cut him. Jordan is a candidate for the NFL’s 2010 All-Decade Team, but his snap count percentage has been trending down since 2017, hitting a career-low 70% in 2023, when he only tallied two sacks. Jordan could bounce back to some degree, but New Orleans is committing a lot of money to an age-36 Jordan to keep the age-35 version on the team for 2024.
What’s Next
I am wrapping up a four-game review of Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears; I wanted to get a fresh look at Weeks 15-18 to reassess where Fields and the Chicago offense were at, and how it should inform their decision with the #1 overall pick moving forward. Look out for that sometime tomorrow!