The Rams and QB Matt Stafford agreed to a 4-year, $160 million extension with $135 million guaranteed. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport notes that it's "effectively a 3-year extension" with "added years for cap purposes." So consider Stafford signed with the Rams through the 2024 season.
The Browns traded QB Case Keenum to the Bills for a 7th-round pick. Keenum replaces QB Mitchell Trubisky as QB Josh Allen's backup. Cleveland then signed QB Jacoby Brissett, who would be in line to start if QB Deshaun Watson is suspended.
The Packers re-signed TE Robert Tonyan to a 1-year deal. Tonyan is rehabbing a late-October ACL tear but should be ready for the start of the 2022 season. He came out of nowhere for a 52-586-11 line in 2020 but was sitting just 24th among TEs in PPR points through the first 7 weeks of last year. Tonyan has a shot to grab a larger target share this season with WR Davante Adams' departure.
The Rams are trading WR Robert Woods to the Titans. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Tams are getting only a 2023 sixth-round pick. Woods lands in an offense with opportunity available, though Tennessee sported the league's 2nd most run-heavy attack last season. We'll also see about Woods' return from the ACL tear. He's OK in WR4 range of best-ball drafting right now. Woods' departure makes room for new Rams signee Allen Robinson to claim targets. Robinson looks good in WR3 range of current drafts with upside well into WR2 range.
The Falcons are re-signing RB Cordarrelle Patterson, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports. We'll look for details on the contract, but this was always the best-case scenario for Patterson. He had the rare 9th-year breakout in his Falcons debut last season, posting a 153-618-6 rushing line with 52-548-5 receiving to finish 9th among RBs in PPR points. Atlanta currently only Mike Davis and Damien Williams alongside Patterson in the backfield. We'll see what else the team adds, but Patterson has a chance to play a similar role in 2022.
Update: Patterson got a 2-year, $10.5 million deal, according to insider Aaron Wilson.
The Raiders signed RB Ameer Abdullah to a 1-year deal. They've now added Abdullah and Brandon Bolden to the backfield alongside Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake. Neither of the new guys is likely to be a fantasy factor, but the moves suggest that new HC Josh McDaniels might be planning on Patriots-style committee backfield.
The Eagles are re-signing RB Boston Scott to a 1-year, $1.75 million deal with $1.1 million guaranteed -- plus another $500,000 available via incentives. That kind of money doesn't guarantee anything in particular for Scott's role -- other than probably being on the team. He totaled just 87 carries and 16 targets in HC Nick Sirianni's 1st season. We'll see what the Philly backfield looks like as we move toward training camp. Scott's in the late-round RB mix in current best-ball drafting but doesn't merit special attention.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that former Steelers WR James Washington is signing a 1-year deal with the Cowboys. Washington averaged just 28.5 receptions across 4 seasons in Pittsburgh. That he apparently couldn't find more on the open market means we shouldn't count on a 2022 breakout. But he lands in an intriguing spot. Dallas has already shed Amari Cooper (trade) and Cedrick Wilson (free agency) this offseason. The Cowboys re-signed Michael Gallup, but we'll see whether his Jan. 2 ACL tear allows him to start the season on time. Washington has been primarily undrafted in early best-ball drafts. As long as he doesn't leap up in ADP, he's an interesting late-round consideration.
Former Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster announced Friday that he's signing with the Chiefs. He should face little competition -- at least among what's currently rostered -- for the #2 wideout position. That hasn't been a high-upside role with Andy Reid's Chiefs, though. No K.C. WR besides Tyreek Hill has finished higher than 47th in the PPR rankings since 2015. That #47 finish came last year from Mecole Hardman, who should lose some target share to Smith-Schuster. WR Byron Pringle's departure for Chicago leaves some targets available, but he drew just 8.9% of the looks last year. We'd bet on Smith-Schuster overtaking Hardman as the team's 2nd-most targeted wideout. The landing spot should boost the average target depth for Smith-Schuster after that number dwindled to 5.5 and 6.5 yards the past 2 seasons. He was at 8.8 and 9.7 his 1st 2 years in the league. The Chiefs also like to move their WRs around. So we'd bet on Smith-Schuster coming down from the 80+% of time he spent in the slot the past 2 seasons. He's also likely to jump up the ADP charts with the K.C. landing, so be wary of overpaying in best-ball drafts going forward.
The Panthers are giving WR D.J. Moore a 3-year extension worth $61.9 million, with $41.6 million guaranteed. That puts Moore under contract for 4 years in total. Now he just needs a QB.
The Titans are signing former Browns TE Austin Hooper to a 1-year, $6 million deal. It's a nice landing spot for Hooper on a roster who's top remaining TE had been Geoff Swaim. We'll see whether Tennessee adds anyone else significant and what they do at WR, but Hooper's a solid option late in current best-ball fantasy football drafting.
Texans QB Deshaun Watson has apparently changed his mind and chosen the Browns as his next team. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Watson is getting a fully guaranteed 5-year, $230 million contract from Cleveland. The 2 sides will now need to finalize the trade details, but Watson heads to a team with scant receiving options. We'll see what the Browns add to that stable and whether the NFL hands out any discipline for the QB. Watson going to Cleveland, of course, should mean Baker Mayfield getting his wish for a trade. We'll keep adjusting as this whole situation plays out. A fresh start in a potentially more favorable pass offense could mean nice upside for Mayfield. He's a low-risk bet late in current best-ball fantasy football drafts.
Update: The Browns are sending 3 first-round picks, a 2023 third-rounder and a 2024 fourth-rounder to Houston. Cleveland will receive a 2024 fifth-rounder, in addition to Watson.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Logan Ryan has agreed to terms with the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay still has its top 3 CBs from last year -- Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean -- under contract. So Ryan's most obvious fit would be at safety, where the team watched Jordan Whitehead walk in free agency. We'll watch for confirmation, though, as Ryan could just settle in as a swing/rotational player. Mike Edwards is the potential incumbent candidate for the safety vacancy.
The 49ers are signing WR/returner Ray-Ray McCloud to a 2-year deal worth up to $10.4 million, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. That contract appears to put McCloud in between what fellow slot WRs Isaiah Mckenzie got from the Bills and Braxton Berrios from the Jets. McCloud is a more accomplished return man than either of them, though. He led the league in punt returns and punt-return yardage last year and as averaged more than 22 yards per kick return on 28+ returns each of the past 2 years. Expect him to assume those roles with his new team. We'll see about McCloud's role on offense. For now, we're not giving him much attention in best-ball drafts.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Rams WR Robert Woods is "a prime trade candidate" after the team signed WR Allen Robinson in free agency. Schefter says the Rams began receiving calls after the Robinson signing. Woods is coming off a November ACL tear but is reportedly expected to be ready for training camp. The veteran wideout will turn 30 in April and still has 4 years remaining on his current deal.
The Steelers on Thursday signed LB Myles Jack to a 2-year, $16 million deal with $6.5 million guaranteed. That's starter money for 2022 at least. According to Spotrac, the contract seems to be structured in a way that Pittsburgh can decide about 2023 after seeing Jack for a year. The 26-year-old (until September) washed out with the team that drafted him and then extended him. We'd be surprised if he turns into a terrific real-life player in Pittsburgh. For fantasy football, on the other hand, Jack lands well in what should be a full-time role next to a LB (Devin Bush) who has been more disappointing relative to 1st-round draft status. Depending on where Jack lands in IDP drafts this summer, the new Steeler could be a nice value.
The agent for RB Damien Williams said Thursday his client is signing with the Falcons, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It's a 1-year contract, which doesn't lock Williams into anything. We'll see about the money, but it's tough to expect much. Atlanta surely isn't done supplying its backfield. We wouldn't bother with Williams in best-ball drafts for now -- other than as an occasional end-of-draft consideration.
NFL Network reports that the Panthers have been told they're out of the running for QB Deshaun Watson. With the Browns also out, the race is now reportedly down to the Falcons and Saints. We'll be watching for the final decision -- and any ensuing moves.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that WR Byron Pringle will be signing a 1-year deal with the Bears. The contract includes $4 million guaranteed, with another $2 million available via incentives. Pringle set career highs of 60 targets, 42 catches, 568 yards and 5 TDs with the Chiefs last season. He heads to a Chicago offense with little at WR outside of Darnell Mooney. Pringle's contract also doesn't necessarily lock him into a top 2 -- or even top 3 -- role, though. We'll see what else the Bears do.
Both Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport report that the Packers are trading WR Davante Adams to the Raiders. Rapoport says Vegas is dealing a 1st-round pick "potentially more picks and a player," while Schefter says "two prime 2022 picks" are involved. Both also report that Adams is getting a 5-year contract from his new team that will make him the highest paid WR ever. The move reunites Adams with QB Derek Carr, who he played with at Fresno State. Adams, of course, has spent nearly all of his pro career to date working with QB Aaron Rodgers. The Packers QB, meanwhile, is now left without a lead WR. The trade has reportedly been quietly in the works for days, so we'll assume this news isn't being broken to Rodgers. We'll see how Green Bay addresses its pass-catching corps for 2022 (and beyond) after keeping Rodgers in town this offseason with an extension. Adams loses some draft value, for both the general uncertainty and joining an offense that has treated TE Darren Waller as the clear lead target in recent years. Adams should easily snatch the lead wideout role from 2021 target leader Hunter Renfrow, but we'd bet Adams' target ceiling coming down. Waller loses some target upside as well but should be operating in the best pass offense he's been in to date. We're not moving him significantly in 2022 outlook right now.
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