The Broncos are signing LB Josey Jewell to a 2-year, $11 million deal (with $6 million guaranteed), according to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver. Jewell saw some fluctuation in his role over his 1st 3 years with the team before tearing a pectoral muscle in Week 2 last season and missing the rest of the year. This contract points to Jewell retaining a starting gig for at least 2022. There have been reports of QB Russell Wilson recruiting former Seahawks teammate Bobby Wagner to Denver, but we'd bet on 2nd-year LB Baron Browning occupying the other off-ball LB post for the Broncos this season. Jewell figures to present some sleeper-type upside in LB3-4 range of IDP drafts this summer.
The Falcons have agreed to a 5-year, $24.25 million deal with K Younghoe Koo -- including $11.5 million guaranteed -- according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Koo has hit 64 of 68 FG attempts over the past 2 seasons and led the NFL in made FGs in 2020 despite missing a game. No word yet on who besides TE Kyle Pitts will actually help Atlanta get into FG range in 2022.
The Ravens have agreed to a 5-year, $70 million deal with S Marcus Williams, according to multiple reports. Williams will get $37 million guaranteed. Williams takes over the FS spot in Baltimore and leaves a significant hole in New Orleans' secondary. He's not a strong IDP option.
RB James White has re-signed with the Patriots for $5 million over 2 years, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. That's not enough money to guarantee that White will make the 2022 roster. But he's available through the end of drafts right now and is thus a low-risk option with significant PPR upside. White caught 40+ passes in 6 straight seasons before the hip injury that knocked him out in his 3rd game last season. White was averaging 4 receptions per game when he went down.
In a surprise, DE Randy Gregory will be getting his 5-year, $70 million deal from the Broncos instead of the Cowboys, according to NFL Network. Gregory has been in Dallas since arriving as a 2nd-round pick in 2015. He had his most effective season yet in 2021 and should settle in on the edge opposite Bradley Chubb with his new squad. Gregory will turn 30 in November.
Former Washington RB J.D. McKissic plans to sign a 2-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. McKissic will get $7 million, with a max value of $8 million. He clearly arrives as primarily a receiving back, which means we should expect a target dip for Devin Singletary ... at least. We'll see what else Buffalo does with a backfield that also leaned on Zack Moss and Matt Breida at times last season. Singletary sits 24th among RBs in Underdog best-ball ADP right now, going early in Round 7. Expect that to come down further. He's OK to consider low in RB3 range, though. As for McKissic, he's no more than a later-round consideration -- especially in an offense that has ranked near the bottom of the league in RB target share for 3 straight seasons.
The Cowboys are bringing S Malik Hooker back on a 2-year, $8 million deal, according to multiple reports. Hooker operated as the 3rd/4th safety in his 1st season with Dallas on a 1-year deal that paid him just $920,000. The new contract points to Hooker likely elevating to a starting role in 2022. Expect him to take over Damontae Kazee's spot. We'll see whether the team retains Jayron Kearse for the other safety spot. Hooker has yet to prove useful for most IDP formats -- even when he was healthy with the Colts.
The Packers are tendering WR Allen Lazard at the 2nd-round level. That means any team would need to surrender a Round 2 selection to Green Bay if it wants to sign the restricted free agent. We'd bet on Lazard sticking with the only team he has played for. We'll see whether the Packers at more to the position this offseason. Lazard looks fine as a late-round pick in current best-ball drafting.
DE Randy Gregory is re-signing with the Cowboys on a 5-year, $70 million deal that includes $28 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Dallas stuck with Gregory through some early-career drug issues, and he finally enjoyed his best season yet in 2021. Gregory delivered a career-high 17 QB hits over 12 games and ranked 12th in Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade among 209 edge players. He'll join fellow re-signee Demarcus Lawrence in continuing to book-end the Cowboys' D-line.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that former Jaguars WR D.J. Chark is signing a 1-year deal with the Lions. The contract will pay $10 million guaranteed, with a max value of $12 million (per ESPN's Adam Schefter). Chark suffered a broken ankle in Week 4 of last season, which is almost certainly why he's landing only a "prove it" deal in his 1st crack at free agency. Detroit presents obvious opportunity in an offense that was light on WR talent last season. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the only Lions wideout to exceed 71 targets or reach 50 catches. We'd bet on St. Brown beating Chark in targets this season, but Chark adds a significant challenge to St. Brown on that front and lowers the fantasy ceiling for the 2nd-year WR. Getting Jared Goff as his QB, though, also limits the ceiling for downfield threat Chark.
ESPN's Kimberley A. Martin reports that the Browns plan to meet with QB Deshaun Watson on Tuesday and pursue a potential trade. Watson has also already met with the Saints and Panthers, while Houston has declined the Colts' request to jump into the process. Should the Browns win out, QB Baker Mayfield would certainly make for a sensible trade piece. We'll see how the rest of this plays out.
The 49ers have agreed to a 3-year, $40.5 million deal with CB Charvarius Ward. He spent the past 3 seasons starting for the Chiefs but totaled just 4 INTs over that span. He has been a solid tackle collector for IDP squads and will remain worth consideration for CB-required formats.
The Chiefs have agreed with S Justin Reid on a 3-year, $31.5 million deal (with $20 million guaranteed), according to multiple reports. Still just 25 coming off his 4th pro season, Reid posted career-low fantasy production in 2021 amid injury and team issues. In K.C., he should occupy an upside IDP spot next to S Juan Thornhill. His arrival also almost certainly means that Tyrann Mathieu is heading elsewhere in free agency.
Former Rams DT Sebastian Joseph-Day is expected to sign a 3-year, $24 million deal ($15 million guaranteed) with the Chargers, according to Chris Carlin of ESPN New York. Joseph-Day lost 10 games to a chest injury that required surgery last season but otherwise played every game for the Rams over the past 2 years. He'll help rebuild a Chargers front that the team clearly believed needed attention after 2021. Joseph-Day delivered nice tackle production in 2021 before his injury but hasn't otherwise been a special IDP contributor. Don't expect to see him high in our 2022 IDP rankings.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Saints and Chiefs have "expressed the most interest" in WR Jarvis Landry since the Browns released him. We'll see where this one goes.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that former Raiders WR Zay Jones will be signing a 3-year, $24 million deal with the Jaguars that could be worth up to $30 million. Jones enjoyed a nice 2nd half to 2021 with the Raiders, but the former 2nd-round pick has mostly disappointed through 5 NFL seasons. It's tough to get excited about his upside with a team that is also adding WR Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram to an offense that returns RB Travis Etienne from IR and still sports WR Laviska Shenault and TE Dan Arnold. Jones' arrival could be a bad sign for Marvin Jones, who has just 1 year left on his contract and would provide $3.5 million in cap savings if cut this offseason.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that former Giants DT Austin Johnson is expected to sign with the Chargers. Johnson began his career a stronger run defender than pass rusher, but his Pro Football Focus grades point to that flipping in a breakthrough 2021 campaign. Johnson still doesn't look like a special performer, but he joins a Chargers front that struggled in 2021 -- especially against the run. Don't expect Johnson to be a high-impact IDP producer, but he cracked the top 30 last year in his 1st shot as a full-time player.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Panthers are signing S Xavier Woods to a 3-year, $15.75 million contract. Woods spent last year starting in Minnesota after 4 years in Dallas (3 as a full-time starter). In Carolina, he'll help solidify a position that has cycled through multiple starters over HC Matt Rhule's 2 years at the helm. Woods can be a solid IDP option, but his 2021 fantasy production checked in well above any of his previous campaigns. So expect regression from last year's finish.
The Jets are re-signing RB Tevin Coleman, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The team clearly values Coleman as a veteran presence, but he averaged just 7.6 carries and 1.5 targets per game in his 1st N.Y. season. Expect Coleman to continue residing well down the depth chart.
The Cowboys are re-signing DE Demarcus Lawrence to a 3-year, $40 million deal with $30 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports. Many expected Lawrence to move on, given Dallas' salary-cap issues. But the 8-year veteran heads into his age-30 campaign looking like he might finish his career a Cowboy. Lawrence lost 10 games to a foot fracture in 2021 and logged just 3 in the other 7. We'd bet on a 2022 rebound, but it's worth noting that Lawrence also tallied just 10 QB hits in 2020 -- his fewest in a season since becoming a starter. So he's probably not a great bet for double-digit sacks.
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