As we count down the days until #NFLDraft we get out first taste of the the 2024 season moves. There was some big name running backs as well as some Quarterback movement. NFL free agency begins Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. ET, which is also the start of the NFL's new league year. The salary cap is $255.4 million, a $30 million increase from 2023.
I will start with the #GreenBayPackers so I don't need to hear any complaining from Uncle Tim, since the PTI boys didn't spend much time talking about them. The Green Bay Packers have turned their backfield on its head. Off the heels of agreeing to terms with former Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, the team released veteran running back Aaron Jones. On top of Jacobs' arrival, this severing of ties with Jones comes after contract talks between him and the Packers broke down. Jones was entering the final year of his contract in 2024 and was due $12 million for this season.
"We want to thank Aaron for his unwavering commitment to the Packers and the community over the past seven seasons," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday in a statement on the team's website. "It is certainly one of the hardest decisions we've had to make in my time with the Packers and not one taken lightly. He has not only had a significant impact on the field and in the locker room, but he is one of the most beloved players in the community. We wish nothing but the best for Aaron and his entire family moving forward." NFL free agency is a cold world. I could see Jones ending up with the Cowboys. “This is actually wild to me! The Aaron jones disrespect is crazy!!”Micah Parsons wrote on X, while quoting Schefter’s report.
Staying in the running back market, having lost D'Andre Swift to the Bears, the Eagles have found his replacement in the form of Saquon Barkley. The former No. 2 overall pick of the Giants is staying in the NFC East, joining Philadelphia on a three-year deal. The contract is worth $37.75 million and includes $26 million fully guaranteed, per ESPN. Barkley can earn up to $46.75 million. Also very weird behavior coming from former Giants RB, Tiki Barber.
With the legal tampering period underway, NFL Media reports that the Chicago Bears have agreed to terms on a three-year, $24 million deal with the running back D'Andre Swift. He was previously characterized as a primary target for the Bears, and they got the deal done. For the Eagles last season, Swift rushed for a career-high 1,049 yards and had 1,263 total yards from scrimmage (also a career-high).
The Browns are bringing back two pieces of the NFL's top scoring defense from last season. Not only are they returning defensive tackle Maurice Hurts on a 1-year deal worth up to $3.2 million, per ESPN, but they've also agreed to a 2-year, $23.5 million deal with edge rusher Za'Darius Smith.
Switching to the QB market, let's talk about The Raaaaaaaaaaidersssssss. Justin Fields? Nope. That would be Gardner Minshew, who is signing a two-year contract to presumably compete with Aidan O'Connell for the starting QB job, per NFL Media. The deal is worth $25 million with $15 million guaranteed. Fields' suitors continue to dwindle.
Signing a cheap one-year deal in hopes of resurrecting your career and earning a huge payday rarely works out, but it did for Mayfield. He signed a bargain one-year deal, threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns and looks again like a viable starter as he enters his age 29 season. He's returning to Tampa Bay, but would’ve got some interest if he hit the open market.
One of the main QB's to find a new team was Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins has been ridiculed and derided for his inability to win enough big games or take his teams on deep playoff runs. However, he still has a lot of value in the NFL as a productive, veteran quarterback. It just won't be with the Minnesota Vikings anymore. The Atlanta Falcons are going to find out what Cousins has left. Cousins agreed to a deal with the Falcons, according to multiple media reports, including ESPN's Adam Schefter. That move has been rumored for a few days, and now the Falcons get a big quarterback upgrade with new head coach Raheem Morris. Cousins and the Falcons agreed to a four-year deal, according to reports, though the contract can't officially be signed until Wednesday. It's a massive deal for a quarterback who has done well to max out his earnings. The deal will be for $180 million, includes a $50 million signing bonus and includes a total of $100 million guaranteed.
And well finish in Broncos country.....Russell Wilson's first NFL stop was phenomenal, as he played at a near Hall of Fame level for the Seattle Seahawks. Then Wilson's two seasons with the Denver Broncos went so poorly, it will go down among the worst trades and contracts in NFL history. We'll see what the third act brings. Wilson announced on social media Sunday that he plans to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, confirming multiple media reports. Terms of the deal were not announced but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported it was a one-year deal in which the Broncos will also be paying $38 million of Wilson's 2024 salary.
Wilson couldn't have found a much better situation to turn his career back around. The Steelers are a perennial winner coming off another playoff trip. They have talent on both sides of the ball and a respected head coach in Mike Tomlin. What they didn't have was an answer at quarterback. The Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round two years ago, and the signing of Wilson indicates the team has soured on that experiment. They get a veteran option at quarterback with plenty of success in his past and a Super Bowl ring as well. The Steelers didn't have a lot of salary cap space but that wasn't a problem with Wilson because the Broncos owed him a large 2024 salary. And because of offset language, Wilson could sign for the veteran minimum with his new team. It's a good fit for both sides. It's a nearly risk-free acquisition for the Steelers and a chance for Wilson to change his legacy again.
