Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
A look at the upcoming NFL calendar for March 2023, which includes the scouting combine and the start of free agency and new league year.
March marks one of the busiest offseason months in the National Football League, with a ton of important dates to keep an eye on.
Below is a look at what to expect via NFL Operations.
Ron Rivera to Carson Wentz: “You’re coming somewhere you’re wanted.”
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Carson Wentz is officially a member of the Washington Commanders. Shortly after the new NFL league year began Wednesday, Washington’s social media accounts started releasing videos and pictures welcoming its new quarterback to town.
In one video, Wentz arrived at the team’s headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, where head coach Ron Rivera met him at the entrance. The two exchanged pleasantries with a smile, with Rivera asking Wentz about his family.
As the pair entered the team’s facility, Rivera told Wentz, “just know, you’re coming somewhere you’re wanted.”
For Wentz, it’s probably the kind of welcome and reassurance he needed after a turbulent last few years of his once-promising career.
đ pic.twitter.com/QulkLFajkp
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 17, 2022
Wentz was on his way to winning the NFL MVP award in 2017 before a knee injury sent his career on a downward trajectory. Nick Foles would take over late in the season and lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl championship.
Wentz returned to the lineup in 2018, where he spent the next three seasons as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback. Wentz never quite recaptured that 2017 magic, and there were allegedly numerous locker-room issues. He was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for two draft choices last offseason, including a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
After a lackluster finish to the season, the Colts were ready to move on from Wentz. It’s unclear why the team was so willing to move on from Wentz. There were rumors of his stubbornness to coaching, lack of leadership, and ownership was not pleased with his decision to go unvaccinated.
If things don’t work out for Wentz with the Commanders, it’s likely his last chance to be an NFL starting quarterback. It’s good to know that his new coach is happy to have him on board for his sake.
On Tuesday, March 8 the deadline passed and the Seattle Seahawks didn’t use either the franchise or the transition tag.
In fact, only eight teams opted to use the franchise tag this year on the following players: Bengals safety Jessie Bates, Browns tight end David Njoku, Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown, Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz, Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki, Jaguars tackle Cam Robinson and Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.
Under the current regime of Pete Carroll and John Schneider, the Seahawks have only used the franchise tag two times. The tag was first used on kicker Olindo Mare in 2010 and then on defensive end Frank Clark in 2019 before he was traded to the Chiefs shortly thereafter.
OK, back to the Russell Wilson trade discussion . . .
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Ahead of the start of the new league year, here’s a look at the Seahawks pending unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents.
The countdown is on to the start of the new league year and free agency on March 17. With Wednesday’s announcement of the salary cap for the 2021 season, the flurry of cuts has already begun.
Before the pandemonium of next week starts, here’s a list of the Seahawk’s pending unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents by position group.
Be sure and check our tracker which will be continually updated with the latest moves.
Quarterback: Geno Smith
Running back: Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde
Fullback: Nick Bellore
Wide receiver:Â Philip Dorsett II, David Moore
Tight end: Jacob Hollister, Luke Willson
Offensive line: Cedric Ogbuehi, Ethan Pocic
Defensive back: Shaquill Griffin, Quinton Dunbar, Neiko Thorpe, Damarious Randall, Lano Hill
Linebacker:Â K.J. Wright, Bruce Irvin
Defensive line: Branden Jackson, Benson Mayowa, Damontre Moore, Jonathan Bullard
Offensive line:Â Jordan Simmons
Defensive line: Poona Ford
Linebacker: Shaquem Griffin
Running back: Patrick Carr
Offensive line: Kyle Fuller
Defensive line: Bryan Mone
Defensive back: Ryan Neal, Jayson Stanley, Linden Stephens
*Both Kyle Fuller and Bryan Mone have been tendered per ESPN’s Brady Henderson
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The Seattle Seahawks are releasing defensive end Carlos Dunlap after just one season in the Emerald City.
Still Grateful. Thank You Seahawks and to the #12 âs đđž!
House in Cincy is officially listed now lol, and about to lower the price.
— Carlos Dunlap (@Carlos_Dunlap) March 8, 2021
The short Carlos Dunlap experiment is over in Seattle. The Seahawks are going to be releasing the defensive end after just one season with the team.
Dunlap spent his entire career with the Bengals until he was traded to the Seahawks in 2020. Playing throughout the second half of the season, Dunlap finished his campaign in the Emerald City logging 14 combined tackles and five sacks.
Dunlap’s release should save the Seahawks a good chunk of change, $14 in cap space.
The new league year officially kicks off on March 17.
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Now that the Super Bowl is officially in the books, it’s time to look ahead to some key dates on the league’s 2021 NFL offseason calendar.
Now that the Super Bowl and the 2020 NFL season are officially in the books, it’s time to look ahead to some key dates on the league’s offseason calendar.
Because there will be no traditional in-person scouting combine activities due to the coronavirus pandemic, things will look a little bit different this year, with many events occurring virtually.
In addition, keep your eyes out for the college Pro Days, which will be held in March and April, allowing scouts to evaluate the prospects.
Below are the important offseason dates ahead of the NFL draft in April.
The timeframe for clubs to designate one franchise or transitional player.
During this legal tampering period, teams may contact and enter into contract negotiations with agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents.
March 17 at 1:00 p.m. PT marks the official start of the 2021 new league year.
At this time, all 2020 player contracts expire and clubs can begin signing new free agents. Trades reported earlier can be announced.
NFL offseason workout programs can begin.
This marks the last day for restricted free agents to sign offer their sheets.
2021 NFL draft, which is currently scheduled to be held in Cleveland, Ohio.
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The Seattle Seahawks have signed 11 players to future contracts for the 2021 NFL season.
The Seattle Seahawks are back to business following their wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
Seattle has signed the following 11 players to future contracts:
Quarterback Danny Etling
Quarterback Alex McGough
Wide receiver Aaron Fuller
Wide receiver Penny Hart
Wide receiver Cody Thompson
Tight end Tyler Mabry
Center Brad Lundblade
Offensive tackle Tommy Champion
Defensive back Gavin Heslop
Defensive back Jordan Miller
Defensive tackle Cedrick Lattimore
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Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carrol is hoping to re-sign running back Chris Carson before his rookie contract expires after this season.
The Seattle Seahawks will have a number of decisions to make after the season is over regarding players who are set to become free agents at the start of the new league year in spring.
One of those players whose rookie contract is set to expire is running back Chris Carson.
Coach Pete Carroll was asked about potential negotiations on Wednesday before practice.
“Chris is really one of us, and he’s fit into the program great,” Carroll told reporters. “Chris has good to look out for himself, so he’s got to see what the situation is, but we would love for him to be with us. He’s been a terrific part of our team, and hopefully we can keep that going.”
Carson has suffered injuries over the last few seasons, which can be devastating, especially in a contract year. Carroll and the Seahawks likely know what they can expect from Carson in the future, but the price must be right for a long-term deal.
“In my mind, I can’t imagine anything else happening,” Carroll continued. “But from the business side of it, he’s got a chance to see what’s going on, and so hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out and keep him.”
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The NFL 2020 league year is underway, and the Cowboys, present and former, are front and center.
The Dallas Cowboys have been busy during the first three days of the NFL’s 2020 free agency, including Wednesday which was the official start of the league year. What free agents have signed? How does it impact the salary cap? Where does the club stand on 2021 compensatory draft picks?
The NFL is not allowing teams to officially announce their moves until contracts are inked, but the reports are everywhere and teams are being savvy in letting the public know. Technically, the Cowboys have signed only two players, WR Amari Cooper and S Darian Thompson, but they’ve agreed in principle with many others.
The club started the offseason with 30 players who were free agents. According to our tracking, only 11 remain without jobs currently. That list is below.
The long and short of all the moves? Dallas has retained two of the five biggest free agents in Dak Prescott and Cooper, and has yet to replace the losses of CB Byron Jones and DE Robert Quinn.
Here, we’ll keep track of all of the comings and goings, and the most interesting associations that may or may not ever come to fruition for the Dallas Cowboys. Later, we’ll place all of the actual moves in perspective of the 2021 compensatory picks, as Dallas stands to make their most massive haul in years based on who they have and will continue to see sign elsewhere.
QB Dak Prescott – received franchise tag, amount TBD expected between $30 million and $33 million.
WR Amari Cooper – 5 years, $100 million (100% accuracy for our Offseason Manifesto prediction)
TE Blake Jarwin – 4 years total, $22 million
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LB Sean Lee – 1 year, $4.5 million
LS L.P. Ladouceur – 1 year
S Darian Thompson – 2 years, $2.8 million
CB Anthony Brown – 3 years, details unknown
OL Joe Looney – 1 year, details unknown
K Kai Forbath – 1 year, details unknown
DT Gerald McCoy – 3-year deal, details unknown
CB Maurice Canady –Â 1 year deal, details unknown
QB Cooper Rush – Original-round RFA tender for ~ $2.1 million
DT Antwaun Woods – Exclusive-Rights FA tender – $750,000
OT Adam Redmond – Exclusive-Rights FA tender – $825,000
OT Cameron Fleming – Saves $4.5 million in space
DL Daniel Wise – base salary was $610,000
CB Donovan Olumba – base salary was $610,000
RT La’el Collins – Change $5 million of base into bonus, saves $4 million of cap space in 2020
RB Ezekeil Elliott – Details unknown, not expected to add cap space
CB Byron Jones – Agreed with Dolphins, 5 years $82.5 million
DE Robert Quinn – Agreed with Bears, 5 year, $70 million
WR Randall Cobb – Agreed with Texans, 3 years $27 million
TE Jason Witten – Agreed with Raiders, 1 year, max $4.75 million
DT Maliek Collins – Agreed with Raiders, terms unknown
S Jeff Heath – Agreed with Raiders, two years, max $8 million
OL Xavier Su’a-Filo – Agreed with Bengals, three years, $10 million
Using Over the Cap salary amounts, the Cowboys have a projected $25 million of cap space remaining after their series of moves. Out of the 30 free agents they had at the start of free agency, 11 remain without jobs as of March 18.
LB Sean Lee – Cowboys interested in bringing back
DE Robert Quinn – Cowboys hope to get a chance to make final offer. Two 30+ pass rushers (Jason Pierre-Paul, Calais Campbell signed deals worth $13.5 million)
CB Chris Harris, Jr. – Cowboys one of four teams listed as having interest in former Broncos CB
S Anthony Harris – Not officially linked, but Vikings franchise tagged and then said they would accept mid-to-late round pick in trade
WR Emmanuel Sanders – Reported mutual interest between parties to become Randall Cobb replacement
Cowboys Wire: 14 players most likely to qualify for picks
2021 Compensatory Pick Ledger |
||||||
| PLAYER LOST | CONTRACT | APY | COMP ROUND | PLAYER SIGNED | CONTRACT | APY |
| CB Byron Jones | 5 yr, $82.5M | $16.5M | HIgh 3rd | |||
| WR Randall Cobb | 3 yr, $27M | $9M | 5th | |||
| DE Robert Quinn | 5 years, $70M | $14M | 3rd | |||
| TE Jason Witten | 1 year, $4.75M | $4.75M | 6th | DT Gerald McCoy | 3 years, $18.3M | $6.1M |
| DT Maliek Collins | Unknown | 5th | ||||
| S Jeff Heath | 2 years, $8M | $4M | 6th | |||
| OL Xavier Su’a-Filo | 3 yrs, $10M | $3.33M | 6th | CB Maurice Canady | Unknown | |
 Non-Qualifying Free Agent Moves |
||||||
| PLAYER LOST | CONTRACT | APY | REASON | PLAYER SIGNED | CONTRACT | REASON |
| OL Cam Fleming | 1 yr, $4M | $4M | Option not picked up | |||
WR Tavon Austin
DL Michael Bennett
DT Christian Covington
DL Kerry Hyder
DT Daniel Ross (RFA)
LB Joe Thomas
LB Justin March
LB Malcolm Smith
LB Ray-Ray Armstrong
CB C.J. Goodwin
S Kavon Frazier
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By most accounting, the Kansas City Chiefs are either over the salary cap or dangerously close to being over the salary cap.
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has some work to do ahead of the start of the new league year at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday afternoon.
If you’re wondering why Kansas City has been inactive during the legal tampering period it’s because they are short on salary cap space. How did they get so short on cap space? It starts with the franchise tag for Chris Jones, then the contract for Chad Henne, then the contract tenders and club options for various players. It all added up on the team rather quickly.
Depending on whose salary cap accounting you refer to, the Chiefs are either over the cap or dangerously close to being over the cap. According to Spotrac, the Chiefs currently stand at $600K in cap space. According to Over The Cap, they are $6.4 million over the 2020 salary cap.
When the new league year begins the Top 51 rule also goes into effect. Prior to roster cutdowns in September, only 51 players with the largest cap hit will count towards the salary cap for NFL teams. That should help Kansas City get under the cap, but there are still moves to be made.
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Today we’ll likely find out the fate of several potential cap casualties like Sammy Watkins, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and others. We’ll see contracts restructured, with some money kicked down the road in order to free up cap space in 2020. We also could see some contract extensions, with Travis Kelce being a prime candidate, lowering his 2020 cap hit significantly. All of these moves could free up space so the Chiefs can continue re-signing their own free agents and grab another outside free agent.
Whatever happens, Veach will need to get creative to ensure he doesn’t mortgage the future of this team.
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