Tag: RFA

Saints aren’t tendering wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr.

The Saints aren’t tendering Lynn Bowden Jr., which means only 3 of the 11 wide receivers who played for them last year are set to return for 2024:

Get ready for a new-look New Orleans Saints wide receiver corps in 2024. The Saints will not be tendering veteran wideout Lynn Bowden Jr., per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, which will make him a free agent when the new league year begins on March 13.

This isn’t too surprising in itself. Bowden primarily worked as a blocker and decoy for the Saints, only drawing 16 targets in 15 games last year while catching 11 passes for 83 yards, picking up a pair of first downs. He also recorded 5 rushing attempts for 32 yards on the ground, moving the chains three times. He was a serviceable emergency returns specialist, averaging 7.6 yards per punt return and 21.3 yards per kick return. That isn’t production teams pay top-dollar for.

But things are interesting under the surface. Fowler initially said that Bowden was an exclusive rights free agent, not a restricted free agent, which he later said was a mistake. Not tendering Bowden as a restricted free agent made sense because it costs at least $2,985,000. Re-signing Bowden at the league-minimum salary is an option.

Maybe he returns later as a minimum signing, but it’s possible that the Saints will be moving on as offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak revamps the receiving corps. Bowden is the latest wideout from New Orleans’ 2023 team to depart thus far. Let’s break it down:

  • Michael Thomas will enter free agency on Wednesday after being released from his contract
  • Marquez Callaway signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after his practice squad deal expired
  • Shaquan Davis chose to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles in similar circumstances
  • Kirk Merritt is playing for the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks
  • Jontre Kirklin is with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas as well
  • Keith Kirkwood will be an unrestricted free agent, too
  • If you’re curious, the Detroit Lions signed Tre’Quan Smith

Which leaves Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry as the only receivers returning for the 2024 season (so far). It’s possible Kirkwood and Bowden return at some point but Kubiak has a big opportunity to retool this depth chart. Stay tuned to learn what his plan for accomplishing that is.

Update: Fowler corrected his report, clarifying that Bowden was a restricted free agent (RFA), not an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA). So that confusion can be chalked up to a typo. Maybe the NFL can workshop some abbreviations which aren’t so easy to mistake for one another?

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What is a restricted free agent in the NFL?

NFL teams can place a first- or second-round tender (or a right of first refusal tender) on restricted free agents.

We know that an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in the NFL is a player with four accrued seasons and an expiring contract, but what are the qualifications for a restricted free agent in the NFL?

A restricted free agent (RFA) is a player with three accrued seasons and an expiring contract. Different from UFAs, RFAs are eligible to receive a first-round ($6,005,000), second-round ($4,304,000) or a right of first refusal ($2,627,000) tender that lasts for one season.

If the Denver Broncos, for example, place a first-round tender on an RFA and that player signs a bigger contract with another team, that club would have to send a first-round pick to Denver for the player. The same concept applies to a second-round tender, and the right of first refusal tender would give the team a chance to match an offer a player might receive from another club.

If the Broncos decline to place a tender on a restricted free agent, that player would become an unrestricted free agent. Denver has four players scheduled to become RFAs this spring, most notably including backup quarterback Brett Rypien.

The Broncos also have 17 players set to become UFAs on March 15.

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Collin Sexton to become an RFA after 2021-2022 season

The former Crimson Tide star could see himself with a new team following the 2021-22 season!

Alabama basketball fans remember the name Collin Sexton very well. The former Crimson Tide star started in nearly every game in his only year at the Capstone and averaged 19.2 PPG and shot 44% from the field.

Sexton helped lead the Tide to a 20-16 record during the 2017-2018 season and even helped Alabama enter the AP Poll during the season, reaching No. 24.

Word has gotten out that the Cleveland Cavaliers have failed to reach an agreement with Sexton, meaning that he will become a restricted free-agent following the conclusion of the 2021-2022 season.

Since being drafted by the Cavs at No. 8 in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton has averaged 20.2 PPG.

Sexton would make a fine addition to any roster in the NBA after his contract expires, but being a restricted free-agent means that the Cavs have the right to retain him by matching the terms of any offer sheet Sexton chooses to sign with another team.

If Cleveland declines to match the terms, Sexton is free to go wherever his heart desires.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for continued coverage of the Alabama Crimson Tide and its prominent alumni!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Layne Gerbig on Twitter @LayneG_29.

Chiefs CB Charvarius Ward signs restricted free agent contract tender

Ward is the final RFA for the Chiefs that remained unsigned.

The Kansas City Chiefs have officially signed their final restricted free agent.

According to reporting from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Chiefs fourth-year CB Charvarius Ward has officially signed his restricted free agent contract tender. Ward was tendered at the second-round level this offseason, which means that he’ll earn $3.384 million in 2021 with Kansas City.

The Chiefs originally added Ward in 2018 in a trade sending Parker Ehinger to the Dallas Cowboys. It was criticized at the time, but Ward has developed into a solid piece for Kansas City. He was a starter opposite Bashaud Breeland in each of the past two seasons and he’s primed for a breakout during a contract year.

Ward had been absent at organized team activities (OTAs) so far. We’ll see if his contract status changes anything in the final days of practice. Ward was one of the most notable absences from OTAs because he was really the only player who could possibly have a contract grievance with the team. As a starter for the past two seasons, it’s possible that he was holding out hope for a long-term deal. OTAs are voluntary, so he could still stay away until mandatory minicamp begins next week.

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Cedrick Wilson signs tender to remain Cowboys WR4, for now

The rotational pass-catcher will return as depth behind the team’s elite trio of wideouts, signing his tender worth roughly $2 million.

Cedrick Wilson, who ranked fourth last season among Cowboys wide receivers in passes caught, has signed his one-year restricted tender offer to return to the team in 2021.

The fourth-year veteran out of Boise State caught 17 balls in 2020 in a rotational role behind Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. He tallied 189 yards and scored two touchdowns, both coming in the Week 3 loss to Seattle. Two weeks later, he lobbed a touchdown throw to quarterback Dak Prescott on a fake reverse in the team’s win over the Giants.

He was also a contributor on special teams, most notably executing the lateral throwback to C.J. Goodwin on the squad’s tricky 73-yard punt return versus Pittsburgh.

Wilson did not come to terms with any other team during the free agency period and, like defensive tackle Antwaun Woods, received the original-round tender worth roughly $2 million, per the Cowboys website.

A sixth-round pick in 2018, Wilson spent his rookie season on injured reserve. A training camp injury revealed a torn labrum, a condition he had played through during his final college season. In 2019, he recorded just five receptions in six games, but saw action in all 16 games last year.

Now he’ll provide trusted depth behind the Cowboys’ elite trio of starters at wide receiver for at least one more season. Wilson is expected to compete once again with fellow wideouts Noah Brown and Malik Turner for WR4 duties.

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Cedrick Wilson signs tender to remain Cowboys WR4, for now

The rotational pass-catcher will return as depth behind the team’s elite trio of wideouts, signing his tender worth roughly $2 million.

Cedrick Wilson, who ranked fourth last season among Cowboys wide receivers in passes caught, has signed his one-year restricted tender offer to return to the team in 2021.

The fourth-year veteran out of Boise State caught 17 balls in 2020 in a rotational role behind Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. He tallied 189 yards and scored two touchdowns, both coming in the Week 3 loss to Seattle. Two weeks later, he lobbed a touchdown throw to quarterback Dak Prescott on a fake reverse in the team’s win over the Giants.

He was also a contributor on special teams, most notably executing the lateral throwback to C.J. Goodwin on the squad’s tricky 73-yard punt return versus Pittsburgh.

Wilson did not come to terms with any other team during the free agency period and, like defensive tackle Antwaun Woods, received the original-round tender worth roughly $2 million, per the Cowboys website.

A sixth-round pick in 2018, Wilson spent his rookie season on injured reserve. A training camp injury revealed a torn labrum, a condition he had played through during his final college season. In 2019, he recorded just five receptions in six games, but saw action in all 16 games last year.

Now he’ll provide trusted depth behind the Cowboys’ elite trio of starters at wide receiver for at least one more season. Wilson is expected to compete once again with fellow wideouts Noah Brown and Malik Turner for WR4 duties.

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Steelers lock up 2 priority RFA for 2020 season

The Steelers continue to do business int he unusual circumstances of the NFL this offseason.

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The unusual circumstances have made it all-but-impossible for teams to do business as usual in the NFL. This includes contracts. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, they typically like to take a top player or two heading into their final season and work out extensions but no such luck this year. The same could go for the team’s priority restricted free agents.

Pittsburgh announced on Friday that both offensive tackle Matt Feiler and cornerback Mike Hilton had both signed their restricted free agent tenders. This means each player will earn $3.259 million for the 2019 season.

This would also be the time when the team would begin negotiations with Feiler and Hilton’s representatives to get them new contracts. Unfortunately, the uncertainty in the league could de-rail negotiations and leave Feiler and Hilton waiting until the end of the season.

Feiler is entering his third season as the starting right tackle for the Steelers. He took over for an injured Marcus Gilbert in 2018 and has held the position down ever since.

Hilton is the team’s primary slot cornerback and one of the best in the NFL. the former UDFA is ferocious as a run defender and blitzer which only adds to his value.

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Branden Jackson could be cap casualty for Seahawks

Branden Jackson is under contract for $2.13 million, money the Seahawks could look to use elsewhere after making multiple additions at DE.

The Seattle Seahawks have a full 90-man roster and limited cap space remaining after recently finalizing contracts for Bruce Irvin, Carlos Hyde and Geno Smith.

However, that doesn’t mean they are done signing folks in free agency. And with plenty of talented players still available on the open market, the Seahawks could definitely find ways to shed some salary in order to make an addition or two before camp is set to begin in late July.

One way they could do so is by cutting veteran defensive end Branden Jackson. Jackson signed his restricted free agent tender back in April, bringing him back to the Seahawks and paying him $2.13 million in 2020.

While that’s not a huge some of money by any means, it would give the team slightly more wiggle room if they wanted to pursue a defensive tackle like Mike Daniels or Damon Harrison.

Jackson appeared in 15 games last year, recording 20 combined tackles, two passes defended and two sacks as a reserve five-tech. Seattle has yet to make a big signing to bolster their pass rush, but the additions of Irvin, Benson Mayowa and two draft picks: Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson, may be enough to push Jackson out of the rotation.

If Jackson cannot earn a spot over the newcomers, as well as returners like L.J. Collier and Rasheem Green, then Seattle will likely cut ties in order to use that cap space elsewhere.

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Seahawks defensive end Branden Jackson officially signs RFA tender

Jackson will be back to compete for snaps at defensive end after appearing in a career-high 15 games last year for the Seahawks.

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Run It back #seattleseahawks #12s

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Seattle Seahawks defensive end Branden Jackson joined teammates Joey Hunt, Jacob Hollister and David Moore in signing his restricted free agent tender on Tuesday, bringing him back into the mix for the 2020 campaign.

Jackson will make $2.13 million in 2020, assuming he makes the team, and will become an unrestricted free agent after the season unless he works out another deal with Seattle beforehand.

Jackson appeared in a career-high 15 games last year, recording 20 combined tackles, two passes defended and two sacks as a reserve defensive end. He will compete with L.J. Collier, Rasheem Green and Nazair Jones, as well as newcomers Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, for snaps as a defensive end in Seattle’s 4-3 base front.

The Seahawks struggled to rush the passer last year, and while Jackson is probably not an option to start in 2020, he does give the team added depth at perhaps their most important position of need as they look to stay competitive in the crowded NFC West.

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Seahawks receiver David Moore announces he’s signed his RFA tender

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver David Moore announced Sunday via Instagram that he has signed his restricted free-agent tender.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver David Moore broke some news Sunday afternoon, posting on his Instagram account that he had signed his restricted free-agent (RFA) tender.

“Blessings will always be there for those who are patient!🙏🏾🙏🏾,” he wrote. “Back with my Brothers!😎🤙🏾 Go Hawks!!”

Moore was originally selected by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL draft and will now be entering his fourth season in Seattle.

Based on his original-round tender, Moore will earn $2.133 million over the 2020 season before hitting free agency again next spring.

The Seahawks are building an impressive wide receiver corps, headed by Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and Seattle’s newest addition to the group, former Patriots wideout Phillip Dorsett, who also signed a one-year contract.

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