Ian Rapoport reports that the Ravens and RB Justice Hill have agreed to terms on a 2-year, $6M contract extension
Justice Hill was set to become a free agent this off-season, but he’ll be around for the long haul after earning a contract extension.
Ian Rapoport reports that Baltimore has agreed to terms on a 2-year, $6 million deal for the reliable dual-threat running back.
Sources: The #Ravens and RB Justice Hill have agreed to terms on a 2-year, $6M contract extension. A nice deal for an underrated core player for them in his sixth year. pic.twitter.com/yUaP9eJBDP
Selected by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft, Hill has 208 career rushing attempts, 959 career rushing yards (4.6 avg), five touchdowns, and 61 catches for 416 yards and one score.
Hill gives Lamar Jackson another reliable threat behind Derrick Henry, with Keaton Mitchell still recovering from a torn ACL.
Philadelphia Eagles to sign Jack Driscoll to the practice squad
Another familiar face has returned to the NovaCare Complex, as former fourth-round pick Jack Driscoll is signing to the practice squad ahead of the team’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
Driscoll, 27, was added by the Dolphins as a free agent earlier this year on a one-year deal.
With the preseason in the books for all 32 NFL clubs, cut-down day is upon us. While some Bruins found themselves on rosters, one former Bruin will be looking for a new team after today.
Interior offensive lineman, Atonio Mafi, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2023 in the sixth round, was cut today. Mafi, who started five games for the Patriots last season, fell victim to the roster cut-down according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.
New England’s offensive line has been in disarray all summer long as they have dealt with injuries and underperformance. Despite their need for big bodies up front, Mafi’s less-than-productive preseason has him on the waiver wire for other teams to claim.
Mafi was a second-team All-Pac-12 player for the Bruins in 2022, playing in a record-tying 56 games for UCLA, and still has some upside. Able to play guard and center in a pinch, Mafi could be a reserve swing player for an NFL club looking to add depth along the offensive line.
That said, there is still a chance if Mafi slips through the waiver wire he is signed to the Patriots practice squad again.
Patriots sign Lions UDFA rookie offensive lineman Bryan Hudson, who was cut this week, to New England’s practice squad
While none of the players the Detroit Lions waived this week ahead of Tuesday’s roster deadline were claimed by another team, one of the undrafted rookies cut by the team has found a new home.
Offensive lineman Bryan Hudson has agreed to sign with the New England Patriots on that team’s practice squad. Per Patriots reporter Doug Kyed, Hudson has a locker in New England’s locker room though no official transaction has been announced.
Hudson was one of three interior offensive linemen, along with Kingsley Eguakun and Duke Clemens, the Lions signed as undrafted rookie free agents. He played collegiately at Louisville. Hudson played capably in the preseason, bouncing between center and guard.
With Stephon Gilmore now off the street, the Panthers could look to target one of these five free-agent cornerbacks:
Despite the months-long build, the reunion between the Carolina Panthers and cornerback Stephon Gilmore was simply not to be.
As announced on Monday, the Minnesota Vikings have signed the Rock Hill, S.C. native to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million. That decision may have burned the Panthers, who reportedly offered Gilmore a pact of their own.
While Carolina probably wasn’t looking to match financials on the agreement, Gilmore’s move up north hurts a bit more considering the setback to Dane Jackson—a projected starter for the defense this season. Jackson, according to head coach Dave Canales, is expected to miss approximately six weeks after sustaining a “significant” hamstring injury.
But are there any similar options out there for the corner-needy Panthers?
Here are five possible free-agent targets with Gilmore now off the board:
Eli Apple
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Yeah, yeah . . . most of you are probably rolling your eyes at this first entry. But if the Panthers are looking for a veteran corner with experience manning the outside, then this Apple doesn’t far fall from the tree.
The former 10th overall pick has started in 34 of his 41 games since 2021, when he was featured by the then-AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed a 104.3 passer rating as a Miami Dolphin this past season—producing a better mark than the likes of Taron Johnson, Carlton Davis III and James Bradberry.
Rashad Fenton
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Fenton may be another tough sell to those of you reading this. Not only did he miss the entire 2023 season after being placed on injured reserve by the Arizona Cardinals, but his 2022 (the last NFL campaign he did play) was undoubtedly his worst offering as a pro.
But like Apple, Fenton is a vet who has picked up reps on the outside. Plus, his three full years with the Kansas City Chiefs yielded some nice results—as he earned PFF coverage grades of 78.4, 75.0 and 81.1 from 2019 to 2021.
Adoree’ Jackson
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This fella may be more of what you’re looking for, Panthers fans.
A slightly bigger name than Apple and Fenton, Jackson offers a solid track record over his seven-year NFL career. Save for this last season for the New York Giants, the former first-rounder has never earned a PFF coverage grade of under 66.8.
J.C. Jackson
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From one Jackson to another, J.C. has also built up a decent résumé. Are the 28-year-old’s best days, however, already behind him?
Jackson was a standout for Bill Belichick’s defense in New England up until 2021, when he reeled in a Second-team All-Pro nod and his first Pro Bowl selection. But it’s been a bumpy ride since, as he struggled in his short stint with the Los Angeles Chargers as well as in his brief return to the Patriots.
Ahkello Witherspoon
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Witherspoon could be the best-case scenario of these options.
For one, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder fits the mold of the long and rangy cornerback Canales and general manager Dan Morgan became accustomed to during their days in Seattle. He also has experience in a similar scheme, with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero having served as a secondary coach and passing game coordinator for a year under Raheem Morris—Witherspoon’s coordinator from 2023.
Simmons is now set to return to Colorado to face his former team when the Falcons take on the Denver Broncos in Week 11 this fall.
Simmons, 30, was drafted by the Broncos in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Boston College. After beginning his career as a backup behind T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart, Simmons became a full-time starter in 2017.
Over the last eight years with the Broncos, Simmons totaled 604 tackles, 64 pass breakups, 30 interceptions, five forced fumbles, 4.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown.
The Broncos released Simmons this spring in a move that saved the team $14.5 million in salary cap space. Denver replaced him by signing Brandon Jones to a three-year contract early in free agency.
A two-time Pro Bowler and four-time second-team All-Pro, Simmons now gets a fresh start in Atlanta. Entering his ninth season, Simmons will turn 31 in November.
We tracked all of the team’s free agency news on Broncos Wire.
The Commanders brought Bryant in for a visit in May. The 32-year-old Bryant signed with the Dallas Cowboys late last season but did not play in a game. He has not played in an NFL game since 2018, when he appeared in two games for the then-Oakland Raiders. Bryant began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a fourth-round pick out of Clemson in the 2014 NFL draft.
Here’s what we wrote about Bryant in May:
Bryant showed tremendous promise early in his career before being suspended for the entire 2016 NFL season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. It was his second such suspension, as Bryant missed the first four games of the 2015 season.
He was reinstated ahead of the 2017 season and finished with 50 receptions for 603 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers traded Bryant to the then-Oakland Raiders in 2018 for a third-round pick. However, the Raiders released Bryant before the season after another violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The Raiders then re-signed Bryant just 10 days later, and he played in eight games that season with 19 receptions and 266 yards.
Bryant would be out of football until 2021, when he signed with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. He’d never play for Toronto as he was suspended after not reporting for training camp. After his release, he signed with an Indoor Football League team, followed by another CFL stint, this time with the Edmonton Eskimos. He was released before ever playing a game.
He signed with the Fan Controlled Football League in 2022 and was drafted by the XFL’s Vegas Vipers in 2021. He caught 14 passes for 154 yards in eight games and was released so that he could sign with the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.
Washington coach Dan Quinn was with Dallas last season, which explains the connection to the Commanders.
In the four NFL seasons in which he has played, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Bryant has 145 receptions for 2,183 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The Commanders have some uncertainty at the bottom of their depth chart at wide receiver. Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey are locked into making the 53-man roster, with Olamide Zaccheaus likely to make the roster, too. There are several other players battling for the final one or two spots — depending on how many receivers Washington keeps.
Bryant wouldn’t appear to be a fit, as receivers on the bottom of the depth chart often contribute on special teams.
Sources: Free agent WR Martavis Bryant is working out for the #Commanders Tuesday.
Former Eagles offensive guard Sua Opeta to miss Buccaneers 2024 season with torn ACL
Sua Opeta enhanced his skills with the Eagles while attending ‘Stoutland University’ turning four seasons spent as a reserve into a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Opeta will have to wait to debut in Tampa after suffering a torn ACL during a recent practice.
#Bucs OG Sua Opeta suffered a torn ACL at camp this week, per source.
Opeta had signed with Bucs in free agency and got hurt during Tuesday’s practice.
In the seven games Opeta played offensive snaps last season, he allowed two sacks, one quarterback hit, and 19 pressures.
According to Pro Football Focus, since joining the Eagles as an undrafted lineman out of Weber State in 2019, Opeta has logged over 400 career snaps at left guard and almost 500 at right guard. A large chunk of those right-guard snaps occurred last season, including 69 snaps against Seattle, switching over to left guard against the Giants, and logging 65+ snaps.
Josh Jacobs rejected interest from the Broncos during free agency. “I didn’t want to go to … a rebuilding situation,” the RB told ESPN.
In a recent feature story on Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky dropped a nugget about the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos were among 10 to 12 teams who showed interest in Jacobs this offseason, according to the running back. He ruled out three of them — including Denver — because of their 2024 outlook.
“I didn’t want to go to a team where I felt like I was going to be in a rebuilding situation,” Jacobs told ESPN. “I didn’t want to go to a team where I didn’t feel like I was going to come in and immediately make an impact and be able to be one of the factors to get over the hump.”
Jacobs eliminated the Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants from contention because they were rebuilding.
“In fact, he said he took $3 million to $4 million less than what other teams offered him when he signed the four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers,” according to Demovsky.
It’s not surprising that Denver showed interest. Before Jacobs re-signed on a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, Broncos coach Sean Payton hinted during Super Bowl week that he was interested in the RB. Jacobs hit free agency again this spring and ended up joining the Packers.
Jacobs has been a thorn in the side of Denver’s defense for years, totaling 950 yards from scrimmage and scoring nine touchdowns in eight career games against the Broncos. Now that Jacobs is entering the second half of his career, though, giving him a big contract would have been a risky move.
After missing out on Jacobs during NFL free agency, Denver went on to draft Audric Estime and sign UDFA Blake Watson. With younger, cheaper running backs on the 90-man offseason roster, not giving a big contract to Jacobs might have been the best outcome for the Broncos anyway.
