NFL free agency 2024 live updates: Kirk Cousins to Falcons ...
The first day of the NFL free-agency negotiating period has resulted in a flurry of deals. Let's catch up:
There are plenty of big contracts ahead. Here are the top 10 free agents available, according to The Athletic's Randy Mueller. We'll keep this list updated all day.
Danielle Hunter, edge (most recent team: Vikings)Calvin Ridley, WR (Jaguars)Leonard Williams, DT (Seahawks)DaQuan Jones, DT (Bills)Patrick Queen, LB (Ravens)John Simpson, G (Ravens)Darnell Mooney, WR (Bears)Tyron Smith, OT (Cowboys)Justin Simmons, S (Broncos)Chase Young, edge (49ers)
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2024 NFL free-agency tracker: From Danielle Hunter to Jamal Adams, see where top 150 players land
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Ekeler’s dual-threat capabilities make for a splendid match in new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s up-tempo attack. Two players who thrive in space, running back Antonio Gibson and wide receiver Curtis Samuel, were not expected to re-sign. Gibson landed with New England on Monday.
Look out if the Commanders landed the 2022 version of Ekeler who caught 107 passes and accounted for a career-best 1,637 yards from scrimmage. Fantasy football owners and Chargers fans know the wow factor brought by the 5-foot-9, 200-pound threat out of the backfield. Ekeler accounted for over 1,500 yards from scrimmage three times in seven seasons. The first time, 2019, came under head coach Anthony Lynn, now Washsington’s running backs coach and run-game coordinator.
The 2017 undrafted free agent arrives with an inexpensive deal because the league is devaluing running backs and Ekeler’s dip in production. After suffering a Week 1 high ankle sprain injury, his 2023 statistics fell sharply. Ekeler’s yards per carry (3.5) and touch (4.6) established career lows. He missed three games and was limited in others with the ankle injury.
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Austin Ekeler to join Commanders and bring dual-threat skills to backfield
Well, the Panthers already needed one edge rusher. Now they need two. Plus a play-making linebacker after Frankie Luvu agreed to terms with the Washington Commanders.
New general manager Dan Morgan wouldn’t have moved Brian Burns without having a plan to replace him. Still, it wasn’t a great start to free agency for Morgan, the former Panthers linebacker who said at his introductory news conference he wanted more “dogs” in the Panthers’ locker room. They lost a couple of them Monday.
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Giants acquire DE Brian Burns in trade with Panthers for draft picks: Sources
Texans are expected re-signing WR Noah Brown, per league source.
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The 49ers plan to sign defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos to a two-year contract worth up to $18 million, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe. A significant chunk of Gross-Matos' contract might be incentive-based, as he was mainly a rotational lineman over four seasons with the Carolina Panthers. But Gross-Matos has showcased the same versatility in the pros that the 49ers liked about him coming out of college in 2020. He's been versatile enough to line up inside for a chunk of snaps, even with his long frame. And that flexibility can prove valuable for a 49ers team looking for quality depth at the margins of its defensive line. Position coach Kris Kocurek wants his unit to attack in waves.
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In his annual season-ending press conference on Feb. 1, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said he “absolutely” expected running back Aaron Jones to return for the 2024 season.
On Monday, about five weeks later, the Packers released Jones.
How did Green Bay go from point A to point B with one of the franchise’s best running backs ever and a beloved member of the organization who finished the season on a torrid pace? A source with knowledge of the situation told the following to Matt Schneidman.
Entering the final year of Jones’ deal in 2024 — Jones signed a four-year, $48 million extension in March 2021 to prevent him from reaching free agency — the Packers wanted him to take a 50-percent pay cut, if not more. Negotiations between the Packers and agent Drew Rosenhaus to lower Jones’ number started before the NFL Scouting Combine but didn’t make much progress over the following two weeks. The week after the combine, the two sides got slightly closer but were still far apart late in the week. The Packers presented their final offer to Jones’ camp, which they declined last Friday.
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Packers asked Aaron Jones to take significant pay cut, Vikings now interested: Sources
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Houston adding defensive end Denico Autry reportedly for $10 million over two years caught my attention. Autry is 34 years old but remains a productive player. He ranks 15th in sacks over the past three seasons (28 1/2). By staying in the AFC South, he’ll face two of his former teams, Indianapolis and Tennessee, a total of four games per season.
I remember like it was yesterday when I reported back to the Chargers’ building after Austin Ekeler’s pro day. He plays bigger and faster than he looks, and the Western Colorado product ran 4.38 that day. Deceptively sudden and with a catch radius much larger than his frame, he has become one of the league’s most productive backs (21 first-down receptions in 2023 alone) over the last five years. That skill set makes him a really good fit for Kliff Kingsbury and his pass-first offense. Ekeler is slippery to tackle and can make defenders miss consistently. He also has a great nose for the goal line, as fantasy owners will tell you.
Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and the 49ers have agreed to a two-year, $18M contract, per league source.
The Dolphins and center Aaron Brewer have agreed to a three-year, $21M contract, per league source.
The Lions have been working to address their secondary for the past year — they allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game last year — and they’ve made some progress but recognize a healthy Davis would improve the defense in a big way
The cornerback market is relatively thin. Short of paying a bounty to acquire L’Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs, the Lions found a proven commodity in Davis, who will carry a cap hit of roughly $14.3 million in 2024.
The Bucs, who signed Davis to a three-year, $44.5 million deal in 2022, shed about $6 million from the cap by trading Davis, though they are going to incur $14 million in dead money. They clearly believe the third-round pick will be worth the cap accrual.
Davis, a second-round pick in 2018, just turned 27 in December, so he’s still very much in the prime of his career. Injuries have been a concern, as he’s never played more than 14 regular-season games in six seasons. He’s missed 23 games in his career.
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Grading the Carlton Davis trade: Lions bolster secondary, but did they overpay Bucs?
The Patriots have agreed to a deal with Jacoby Brissett, per team source.
He's a bridge starter who is good enough to have a rookie QB sit for a year, or if the Pats pick QB at No. 3 and that rookie wins the job, Brissett can be a high-end backup/mentor to the rookie.
Ceiling is 2022 Jamaal Williams, floor is, well, Gus Edwards with the Ravens but lesser efficiency. If this is a run-first/heavy offense, Edwards is a fine low-end RB2 unless the Chargers make more additions.
The Detroit Lions came oh-so-close to a Super Bowl appearance in 2023, making it all the way to the NFC Championship game with a cornerback room that was among the worst in the NFL. The Lions allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game. For those reasons, the team has been oft-linked to corners since the season concluded. On Monday, they addressed the position via trade.
The Lions are trading a 2024 third-round pick in exchange for Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis and two sixth-round picks, league sources told The Athletic. The deal provides immediate help at cornerback, giving the team a starting-caliber option as free agency kicks off.
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Lions acquire CB Carlton Davis from Buccaneers, per sources: Why deal makes sense for Detroit
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The New England Patriots and offensive tackle Mike Onwenu agreed to a three-year, $57 million deal, according to reports from NFL Network and ESPN.
Onwenu, the No. 40 player on The Athletic's free-agency big board, has started 56 games over four seasons since New England drafted him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Randy Mueller's scouting reportOnwenu probably fits best at guard, but he's been the Patriots' most natural-footed athlete and best option at tackle. He lacks ideal length, but he plays with a good base and technique, allowing him to have very good position on contact and the ability to sustain with his balance and recovery. He has more than 1,300 career snaps at both right tackle and right guard, along with 386 snaps at left guard.
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With Barkley’s departure, the 27-year-old Singletary serve as the Giants’ top back.
The 5-foot-7, 203-pounder was consistent throughout his time in Buffalo, rushing for an average of 788 yards during his first four NFL seasons. He’s also been relatively healthy, playing at least 16 games since his second season in the league. He delivered a stellar 2023 season in Houston, rushing for a career-high 898 yards on 216 carries for four touchdowns in a complete 17-game season.
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Giants free agency: Devin Singletary replaces Saquon Barkley in new-look RB room
Now almost eight hours into the legal tampering window, the No. 1 player on Randy Mueller’s board — Vikings edge Danielle Hunter — remains available, but Nos. 2 through No. 12 have all agreed to terms.
Overall, 24 of Mueller’s top 50 players — including four edge rushers and three defensive tackles — have reached agreements. The Eagles (Saquon Barkley, Bryce Huff) and Packers (Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney) have each added two players from the top 10.
The next market to watch is wide receiver. Only one of the 11 wideouts in the top 150 (Gabe Davis, Jaguars) has found a home. Calvin Ridley (No. 13) is the second-best player still available.
The return on Brian Burns was paltry compared to what they turned down from the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 (two future first-round picks and a second in 2023). Former GM Scott Fitterer thought it would be more difficult to replace a top edge rusher than other positions. Plus, the Panthers had just traded Christian McCaffrey. But Burns had all the leverage after details of the Rams’ offer became public. And when the two sides failed to reach a long-term agreement last fall, Burns admitted it wore on him mentally. Even with a new regime in Carolina, it felt like both sides were ready for a fresh start. So the Panthers took what they could get — a fraction of the Rams’ offer — and freed up $24 million, which was what they would have paid Burns on the franchise tag.
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Heading into free agency, the Chargers were looking for a second starting safety next to Derwin James Jr. Now they have that player by retaining Gilman, who set career highs in interceptions (2) and forced fumbles (3) last season. Gilman and James have a strong chemistry, both on and off the field. James lost his way a bit last season under former head coach Brandon Staley.
The Chargers were asking James to do too many jobs, and that affected his performance. The most important job of Minter and the new defensive staff will be returning James to his All-Pro form. Having a familiar safety partner in Gilman should only be helpful as James integrates into this new defense.
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Chargers agree to terms with Alohi Gilman, retain Derwin James’ safety partner
