0 of 10
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell is set to headline the 2019 NFL free-agent class after sitting out the 2018 season.
Although several other potential free agents received the franchise tag, including the Houston Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney and the Dallas Cowboys’ Demarcus Lawrence, there’s still a solid group of players looking for new teams before next fall.
Defensive end Trey Flowers, running back Mark Ingram, wide receiver Golden Tate, quarterbacks Nick Foles and Teddy Bridgewater as well as safeties Earl Thomas, Landon Collins, Adrian Amos and Tyrann Mathieu are among the other notable contributors set to hit the open market.
The NFL offseason became all the more interesting, meanwhile, after top trade target Antonio Brown was dealt to the Oakland Raiders for a third- and fifth-round pick, leaving free agency at the center of all the action.
NFL free agency officially gets underway March 13 at 4 p.m. ET. This article will be updated with all the major signings throughout the offseason.
1 of 10
Jeff Haynes/Associated Press
The Detroit Lions announced they signed wide receiver Danny Amendola on Monday.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini first reported he would sign with the team “as long as there are no complications” during his physical. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com noted the deal was for one year at $4.5 million with incentives that could make it worth $5.75 million.
Amendola played for the Miami Dolphins during the 2018 season and finished with 59 catches for 575 yards and a touchdown. However, the AFC East team released him after just one year.
He is a two-time Super Bowl champion from his time with the New England Patriots and will provide quarterback Matthew Stafford with a veteran presence over the middle.
2 of 10
Kelvin Kuo/Associated Press
The Los Angeles Rams confirmed Sunday they re-signed Dante Fowler Jr. before free agency officially opens Wednesday. The team didn’t provide the full details of the deal, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the two sides agreed to a one-year pact.
The Rams acquired Fowler last October from the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
In eight games with Los Angeles, Fowler posted 21 combined tackles and two sacks, as well as 12 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks in the playoffs.
3 of 10
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The Oakland Raiders agreed to a two-year extension with free-agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Hankins made 15 appearances for the Raiders in 2018, finishing with 36 combined tackles. Oakland struggled to defend the run, though.
According to Football Outsiders, the Raiders were 25th in adjusted line yards and 20th in stuff rate, the latter of which measures the number of runs where the defense stops the ball-carrier at or before the line of scrimmage.
4 of 10
Mark Brown/Getty Images
The Kansas City Chiefs announced that they signed free-agent running back Carlos Hyde on Saturday.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Hyde signed for one year and $2.8 million, with $1.6 million guaranteed.
The five-year veteran has played for the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars. He rushed for 3.3 yards per carry last season.
The 28-year-old will likely be asked to provide depth behind Damien Williams, who had 416 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns on just 73 touches in 2018.
5 of 10
Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Former Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots tight end Dwayne Allen told Josina Anderson of ESPN that he will sign with the Miami Dolphins.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Allen will sign for two years and $7 million.
The 29-year-old has played seven NFL seasons. He backed up Pats tight end Rob Gronkowski over the past two seasons, catching just 13 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown.
Allen could receive more opportunities in Miami, however. The Dolphins had little production from the tight end position last year, with four tight ends combining for just 39 receptions.
The former Clemson Tiger caught 35 passes for 406 yards and six touchdowns for the 2016 Colts in his last opportunity as a full-time starter.
6 of 10
Kelvin Kuo/Associated Press
The Los Angeles Rams announced a two-year contract with safety Eric Weddle on Friday, just three days after he was released by the Baltimore Ravens.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the veteran defensive back briefly considered retirement before inking the deal, which carries a $12.5 million max value.
Weddle has earned six Pro Bowl appearances and two first-team All-Pro selections across his 12-year career. He racked up 68 total tackles and three passes defended for Baltimore in 2018.
7 of 10
Clive Rose/Getty Images
Denzel Perryman is sticking with the Los Angeles Chargers after the team announced a new two-year contract for the linebacker Friday.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t immediately released.
Perryman recorded 51 total tackles and one interception in nine games last season before being placed on injured reserve in November because of a knee injury.
8 of 10
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
The Philadelphia Eagles announced a new three-year deal for defensive end Brandon Graham on Friday to prevent him from hitting the open market.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the contract is worth $40 million.
Graham has spent his entire professional career with the Eagles, who selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2010 draft. He’s tallied 42.5 sacks in 127 regular-season games, including four in 2018.
9 of 10
Gail Burton/Associated Press
The Baltimore Ravens announced Thursday that tight end Nick Boyle, one of the NFL’s top blockers at the position, was signed to a new three-year contract before he could hit free agency.
“Nick is a huge piece of our offense going forward from the standpoint of how he plays, the tone he sets, the type of player he is,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “I would say he’s the best blocking tight end in the league. There’s no question in my mind about that.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the new deal is worth $18 million in total.
In addition to his blocking ability, Boyle has recorded 75 receptions for 613 yards across 48 games since Baltimore selected him in the fifth round of the 2015 draft.
10 of 10
Bobby Ellis/Getty Images
Versatile defensive lineman Margus Hunt signed a two-year contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts before hitting free agency, the team announced Tuesday.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the deal is worth $9 million, with another $1 million possible through incentives.
“So it wasn’t really a hard decision to where I was like whether or not we’re going to play the market or not,” Hunt told reporters. “I knew that if the opportunity arises for me to be back here in this kind of environment with this team and with these guys, it’s a no-brainer.”
Hunt, who posted just 2.5 sacks across his first five NFL seasons with the Colts and Cincinnati Bengals, recorded five sacks for Indy in 2018. He also had a career-high 30 total tackles.
from Declare News https://ift.tt/2UuY57D
0 Comments