Tag: 2024 NFL Free Agency

Former Commanders LB Khaleke Hudson signs with Saints

Another member of Ron Rivera’s first draft class has a new home.

Another former Washington Commander has found a new home, as linebacker Khaleke Hudson signed with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday.

Hudson, a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, appeared in 58 games for the Commanders over four seasons, playing primarily on special teams. However, Hudson did start 12 games at linebacker, including eight last season. Hudson finished with 108 tackles in four seasons, including seven for loss and one sack.

Many believed Hudson would be a player that new head coach Dan Quinn would want to re-sign because of how hard he plays. But the Commanders went in another direction, adding Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner to start, and Anthony Pittman and Mykal Walker for depth. New safety Jeremy Chinn can also play linebacker in Quinn’s defense.

With Hudson signing with the Saints, that officially puts a bow on former head coach Ron Rivera’s first draft class. Chase Young — who also signed with the Saints this offseason — was traded last season. Antonio Gibson, Saahdiq Charles and Kam Curl all departed as free agents. Antonio Gandy-Golden and Keith Ismael have been gone, while James Smith-Williams remains unsigned.

Carson Wentz: Experience with Doug Pederson will help transition to Chiefs offense

Kansas City #Chiefs QB Carson Wentz believes experience with Doug Pederson will help him transition seamlessly into Andy Reid’s offense.

The NFL circles regarding coach relationships and front-office personnel are small, leading to familiarity. The head coaching trees of many all-time great staffs have influenced generations while creating opportunities for new or former players to keep their careers alive.

The Kansas City Chiefs have experienced extreme success and consistency under head coach Andy Reid, who has influenced many future NFL coaches by working with his staff. One of his proteges is current Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson. He won a Super Bowl and had success with quarterback Carson Wentz during their five seasons together in Philadelphia.

“Yeah, I mean, I don’t know the X’s and O’s yet,” Wentz told reporters on Thursday. “I see them from afar watching film or games, you know, whenever I’d see the Chiefs on, on film and those types of things.

“But I would imagine it’ll make sense to me pretty quick because of that, you know, being five years with Coach [Doug] Pederson. And that offense is, you know, there’s always little intricacies and differences.”

Wentz was a Pro Bowler under Pederson and was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league before injury. Pederson has served under Reid for years as a coordinator and has played for him as a quarterback in Philadelphia.

“I think a lot of it will make sense to me and kind of resonate with me pretty quickly,” Wentz explained. “That part I’m looking forward to, you know, the last couple of years, offenses have been very different than I’ve been in. I’ve goten to see a lot, experience a lot. So I think this one will hit home and be the most familiar for me over the last couple of years.”

The similarity in styles could benefit the Chiefs in getting Wentz up to speed as Patrick Mahomes’ backup. This would be a solid situation for the veteran quarterback trying to get his career back on track.

Carson Wentz on decision to sign with Chiefs: ‘Just seemed like a good fit’

Carson Wentz went into detail about his decision to sign with the #Chiefs during his introductory press conference in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Chiefs are adding new personnel to their Super Bowl-winning roster in hopes of the elusive three-peat. With so many injuries around the league last season, especially at the quarterback position, the importance of having depth can’t be ignored.

Earlier this week, the Chiefs agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran quarterback Carson Wentz to serve as Patrick Mahomes’ new backup. The former Pro Bowler, who is entering his ninth NFL season, spoke with reporters via Zoom on Thursday to explain his reasoning for signing with Kansas City.

“[There are] lots of unknowns about the future,” Wentz explained. “It’s all [about] taking one day at a time, first and foremost. But, you know, [there is] big intrigue in wanting to come here. Why I’m here today is just the winning culture and seeing it from afar.

“Seeing around the league for the last couple years, and just the culture that coach Reid has kind of set, and you see it and have admired it for years. That was a big piece of the puzzle for me and the desire to be here on a winning team, in a good culture, in a good community with a good fan base. Just seemed like a good fit.”

Wentz spent the 2023 season as a backup for the Los Angeles Rams, appearing in two games. He wasn’t on an NFL roster until November of last year, spending most of his time preparing for a phone call and questioning his future.

Broncos to sign former Ravens center Sam Mustipher to a 1-year deal

The Denver Broncos are signing former Baltimore Ravens backup center Sam Mustipher to a one-year deal

The Ravens are losing another free agent, as reserve center Sam Mustipher is signing a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos.

Undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2020, Mustipher saw action in nine games and started seven for the Bears that year. Then, he spent two seasons as the team’s full-time starter at center before landing in Baltimore for the 2023 season.

Mustipher becomes the 12th Ravens unrestricted free agent to sign elsewhere since the start of NFL free agency.

Baltimore now has running backs J.K. Dobbins and Dalvin Cook, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, and defensive backs Daryl Worley and Rock Ya-Sin.

Bengals suggested as fit for big free-agent OL

Should the Bengals go after this free agent?

The Cincinnati Bengals remain a team that looks like it could add further help to the offensive line this offseason.

While many of the projections focus on the Bengals doing so during the draft after the addition of Trent Brown, that’s not the case for all.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay, for example, projects the Bengals as a nice fit for free agent veteran tackle Andrus Peat:

The Bengals are well-positioned for a bounce-back year with a healthy Joe Burrow returning under center, but their hopes of a deep playoff run could be quickly derailed by offensive line injuries. Peat would provide Cincinnati with an ideal insurance option in case Brown doesn’t live up to expectations, along with some much-needed depth at guard.

What’s interesting about Peat is that, while he was forced into playing left tackle last year, he’s spent the bulk of a very productive career at left guard. That’s another area the Bengals could seek to upgrade this offseason to give Cordell Volson some competition.

But like Trent Brown, Peat is another free agent at this stage of the market with availability issues, as he’s played in 13 or more games just two times since 2019.

Still, Peat is a name to keep in mind at this stage, especially if the team doesn’t go offensive line early in the draft.

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Kindle Vildor re-signs with the Lions

Cornerback Kindle Vildor re-signs with the Lions

Cornerback Kindle Vildor is returning to the Detroit Lions for another season. Several reports indicate the team and Vildor have agreed on terms of a new contract, though the exact details are not yet disclosed.

Vildor took over as a starter at outside cornerback late in the 2023 campaign and in the postseason. He was on the wrong end of an unlucky bounce off his helmet in the NFC Championship game.

Vildor joins newly acquired Carlton Davis, Amik Robertson and a re-signed Emmanuel Moseley, as well as 2023 rookie Steven Gilmore, at outside CB for Detroit entering the final weeks before the 2024 NFL draft.

Chiefs to re-sign former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire

The #Chiefs are set to re-sign former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

On the same day the Kansas City Chiefs were revealed to be hosting former Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins for a visit, a report comes that they are retaining their own running back from that draft class. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has agreed to a one-year contract to remain in Kansas City.

Edwards-Helaire was a reliable option for the Chiefs last year after injuries to Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon held them out of the lineup for multiple games. In 2023 Edwards-Helaire started three of the 15 games he played, shifting between being a third-down back and starter while tallying 223 yards rushing and 188 yards receiving. He had one touchdown as a runner and another as a receiver.

The versatile running back rebounded tremendously after losing his starting job in 2022, becoming one of Patrick Mahomes’ favorite targets.

After the Chiefs declined his fifth-year option last offseason, many critics assumed his days would be numbered in Kansas City. The value he showed last season made him an essential piece for the team moving forward as they seek a threepeat in 2024.

Bengals WR Tyler Boyd getting interest from top contenders in free agency

An update on the market for Bengals WR Tyler Boyd in free agency.

The latest update on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd in free agency sounds similar to the most recent.

Mainly, it’s a slow market for the veteran.

That, and that popular-theorized fit with the Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t going to pan out.

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic provided the latest update, which includes mention of other teams with a possible interest in Boyd:

I would say that it would be a long shot, at best, that the two sides come together. From what I have been told, Boyd was extremely interested in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the free-agency process, but the offer wasn’t something he was comfortable with. Boyd has at least had preliminary interest from the Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Lions and 49ers. I am pretty sure the ship with the Steelers has sailed.

Boyd was an obvious fit with his hometown Steelers in more than one way. But a lot of factors — including a very deep wideout draft class this month — have slowed the market, leaving the likes of Boyd waiting.

It will be interesting to see if Boyd lands somewhere before the draft or elects to wait and then pick from the teams that still need help, but it’s clear there are several contenders who might be in the mix.

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Browns sign CB/special teams ace and Cleveland native Justin Hardee

The Browns have added another core special teamer, signing Justin Hardee in 2024 NFL free agency

While 2024 NFL free agency has slowed down, it treks on as the Cleveland Browns have added another cornerback and core special teamer in Justin Hardee.

A Cleveland native and Glenville High School alum, Hardee now returns to his hometown after stops with the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets over his seven-year NFL career. Hardee was a captain for the Jets a year ago as a core special teamer, a role that also earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2022.

This is the second core special teamer the Browns have added in free agency, also signing Tony Brown away from the Indianapolis Colts.

Hardee can be seen telling quarterback Joe Flacco to “win a chip for my city” after the Browns defeated the Jets a year ago to clinch a spot in the playoffs. He now gets the opportunity to be a part of a championship run with his hometown team.

Former Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins to visit Chiefs on Tuesday

Former Baltimore #Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is set to visit the Kansas City #Chiefs facility on Tuesday.

The offseason rolls on as teams around the league continue to negotiate with free agents to fill roster needs. The Kansas City Chiefs have made various signings over the last few weeks and may be looking for a new running back to pair with starter Isiah Pacheco.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins will visit the Chiefs on Tuesday. The report was confirmed by Dobbins’ agents, LAA Sports & Entertainment.

Schefter posted on his X account, “The former Ravens starting running back is expected to have a home very soon.”

Dobbins is a talented running back who has been hampered by injury throughout his professional career. Through 23 career games, he’s accumulated 1,347 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He suffered a torn ACL in the 2021 preseason and eventually missed the regular season. He then suffered another knee injury in 2022.

Last season, Dobbins’s season was cut short in Week 1 after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon after finishing with 22 yards and a touchdown. He was once again placed on injured reserve in his contract year. A solid contributor when healthy, Dobbins could play a pivotal role in the Chiefs’ offense if they decide to pursue that option.