The Panthers have followed yesterday’s two boring offensive line acquisitions by making no moves at all. The team has been sniffing around multiple cornerbacks and at least one under-the-radar DL but as of yet Pat Elflein and Cameron Erving are their only reported signings.
While we’re waiting for Carolina to do something, let’s check in with the other teams around the division and see what they’re up to.
Falcons restructure QB Matt Ryan’s contract
In our now-completey irrelevant NFC South QB rankings over the weekend we put Ryan at No. 2 behind Tom Brady. However, nobody could compete with Ryan’s price-tag. Up until now, he’d been carrying a $40+ million cap number into 2021 – the highest for any quarterback in the NFL.
Terry Fontenot did something about that today, restructuring Ryan’s deal to spread the cap hits out over the next three years, chopping Ryan’s 2021 cap number down to $26.9 million, per Zach Klein.
Per NFL League source the Falcons have restructured Matt Ryan's contract..
Was due $23 million… took 21-million and made it guaranteed bonus that spreads out over the next 3-years-Cap # is now 26.9 million – It was $40.9 million pic.twitter.com/u4NS4XwABY
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) March 16, 2021
A smart move from a guy coming from a Saints front office that has officially mastered the darkest arts of navigating the salary cap…
Saints re-sign QB Jameis Winston
The NFL might as well abolish the whole idea of a salary cap given the way New Orleans has abused it for 15 years now.
The four-year, $140 million phantom extension they gave Taysom Hill was perhaps Micky Loomis’ greatest triumph. Combined with a dozen other restructures, releases and heaven-only-knows what else, it’s somehow pushed the Saints down to just $11.95 million over the cap and they’ve managed to keep an actual quarterback.
Jameis Winston has re-signed on a one-year deal that’s worth up to $12.5 million. NBA star reporter Shams Charania broke the news on Twitter last night.
Breaking NFL Free Agency news: Free agent QB Jameis Winston has agreed to a deal to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints, per sources.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 16, 2021
We’re being told to expect a QB competition. Despite Sean Payton’s obvious affinity for Hill, if it’s an honest one our money is on Winston.
Buccaneers want to keep everybody
Life is good for the Super Bowl champions. So far, everything has broken their way in free agency. Tampa has managed to keep all of its important pending free agents, including Lavonte David, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski and Shaq Barrett.
It seems the plan is to bring the whole band back for another round. Tampa is also talking with Leonard Fournette, Ndamukong Suh, Ryan Succop and Antonio Brown, per Jenna Laine at ESPN.
The Bucs are actively having conversations with Ndamukong Suh and representatives for Leonard Fournette, Ryan Succop and Antonio Brown, per sources. They aren’t finished.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) March 16, 2021
Makes sense. There’s a big gap between this team and the rest of the conference right now and their window is wide open.
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