NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Rob Gronkowski returning to Bucs on one-year deal



Rob Gronkowski said he wanted to dip his toes in free agency. Apparently, it was too cold to go further into free agency because the tight end is headed back to Tampa.

Gronkowski’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said the star has agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million to return to the Bucs.

As the Bucs attempt to run it back, they have assured the returns of Gronkowski, linebacker Lavonte David, edge rusher Shaq Barrett and receiver Chris Godwin. They used the franchise tag on Godwin, agreed to terms with Barrett on a four-year deal worth up to $72 million and signed David to a two-year, $25 million extension.

Receiver Antonio Brown, kicker Ryan Succop and running back Leonard Fournette are among the other free agents the Bucs have hitting the market.

Gronkowski, who turns 32 in May, retired and didn’t play the 2019 season. In 2020, he started all 16 regular-season games for the first time since 2011. Gronkowski caught 45 passes for 623 yards with seven touchdowns in his first season with the Bucs, adding eight receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the postseason.

NBC

 

Patriots agree to deal with Nelson Agholor



The Patriots are continuing a very active start of free agency.

The next big move for New England will be signing wide receiver Nelson Agholor, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The two sides have agreed to a deal.

Agholor was a first-round draft pick of the Eagles in 2015 and was generally considered a disappointment in five years in Philadelphia. But last year he signed a one-year contract with the Raiders and finished the season with a career-high 896 receiving yards.

Now Agholor is heading to a New England team that knows it needs to upgrade its offensive playmakers. The Patriots have also agreed to terms with tight end Jonnu Smith, defensive back Jalen Mills, pass rusher Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux today. It’s been a busy start for the Patriots as they attempt to bounce back from a rare losing season.

NBC

 

Patriots to sign Kendrick Bourne



The Patriots began free agency obviously needing offensive weapons. They agreed to terms with tight end Jonnu Smith and wide receiver Nelson Agholor, and now are adding Kendrick Bourne.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, New England has agreed to terms on a three-year, $22.5 million deal with Bourne.

The wideout spent his first four seasons with the 49ers, who picked him up as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington in 2017.

Bourne had his most productive season in 2020, making 49 receptions for 667 yards with a pair of touchdowns. He started five games for the club.

Overall, Bourne has made 137 receptions for 1,769 yards with 11 touchdowns in 58 games.

NBC

 

Yeah. They got some nice pieces. But that’s offset with having Cam Newton under center. At this point, he’s average at best. Therefore, the Pats’ outlook is average. At best. (Sorry, Matty, but dems the facts.)

 

Rayshawn Jenkins agrees to four-year deal with Jaguars



The Jaguars have agreed to a four-year deal with safety Rayshawn Jenkins, a source tells PFT.

Jenkins ranks 81st in PFT’s list of top-100 free agents.

Jenkins, 27, spent the past four seasons with the Chargers after they drafted him in the fourth round in 2017. He played 61 games with 32 starts.

Jenkins started all but one game the past two seasons.

In those 31 games in 2019 and 2020, Jenkins made 92 tackles, five interceptions, eight pass breakups, six tackles for loss and one sack.

 

Average at best is being kind. Cam isn’t the answer and his shoulder is garbage these days. Hoping there’s another shoe to drop either through the draft or a trade. If there still is a move for a starting qb in NE, look out. Hightower and Chung coming back

 

@mattymcgee55 @Underdog
I need my Pats friends to give me an educated guess; with Wise coming back and Judon coming on board, is Chase Winovich a complete afterthought now? One year from being dropped kinda thing?

Or will it just be a hot-hand rotation?

 

I’d guess it will be a hot hand kind of thing for the outside guys. The D line was so bad last year they really needed an upgrade all around there. Most important might be Godchaux in the middle.
Very interested in the terms of Wise’s deal.

 

Now just get Garappolo.

 

I agree with all of that. I just read your other post as being surprised by something Loomis did. I wasn’t sure what that was.
This void deal with Taysom shouldn’t be a big surprise. It’s kind of what they’d been doing with Brees for a number of years already.

 

He’s got a long road to a role with Judon in the mix, Uche getting a full off season, and Hightower coming back.

Best outcome for him would probably be a trade where the scheme fits him better. He’s not disciplined enough against the run for what BB wants his edge players to be.

 

Currently listed by OverTheCap as dead last in the league in cap room at — $37,914,331

 

Report: Titans have reached agreement with Bud Dupree



The Titans, who made only 19 sacks last season, should see more than that this season after their free agent agreements Monday.

They agreed to a three-year, $21.5 million deal with former Colts defensive end Denico Autry earlier in the day. Now, comes news that the Titans have in fact reached agreement with former Steelers edge rusher Bud Dupree.

It’s a $16.5 million a year deal on a multi-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports.

Dupree played last season under the franchise tag after the Steelers and Dupree’s representation failed to reach agreement on a long-term deal.

But Dupree torn his ACL in the Steelers’ Week 12 game against the Ravens.

He finished 2020 with eight sacks in 11 games.

Dupree leaves Pittsburgh after six seasons, 66 starts, 231 tackles, 39.5 sacks, an interception, 11 pass breakups and eight forced fumbles.

He has never made a Pro Bowl, including in 2019 when Dupree totaled a career-best 11.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits and 68 tackles.

NBC

 

Bengals add Trey Hendrickson



Carl Lawson has left Cincinnati. Trey Hendrickson has taken his place.

NFL Media reports that the Bengals have agreed to terms with the former Saints pass rusher on a four-year, $60 million deal. The contract pays out $32 million in the first two years.

Hendrickson’s arrival comes after Lawson agreed to terms with the Jets.

A third-round pick in 2017, Hendrickson started 15 regular-season games in 2020 and notched 15.5 sacks. He had 6.5 in three prior seasons combined.

For the Bengals, it’s an uncharacteristic first-day splash. Over four years, the $15 million matches the annual amount on the three-year deal to which Lawson agreed with the Jets.

NBC

 

Saints re-sign Jameis Winston

Taysom Hill‘s recent restructuring created just enough cap space for the Saints to sign his competition.

Per multiple reports, the Saints have re-signed quarterback Jameis Winston to a one-year deal. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Winston will earn “up to” $12 million.

Hill, in contrast, make a real $12 million.

The base value was not leaked, which likely means it’s nothing to brag about. The triggers for getting to $12 million also weren’t leaked.

Hill agreed to a new deal on Sunday that created $7.75 million in cap space for the Saints.

Coach Sean Payton has said he wants to see Winston compete for the starting job. The first overall pick in the 2015 draft — who has a 5,000-yard season to go with being the NFL’s first ever quarterback with at least 30 touchdown passes and at least 30 interceptions — has shown that he can get it done, and he has had a full year in the New Orleans system.

NBC

 

Report: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington agree to one-year, $10 million deal



Ryan Fitzpatrick will join a ninth team in his long NFL career.

The quarterback has agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal that could grow to $12 million with incentives, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Washington entered free agency seeking a veteran to join Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen in the quarterbacks room. They found who they were looking for in Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick, 38, spent the past two seasons in Miami. He started 20 games for the Dolphins, including seven in 2020 while grooming rookie Tua Tagovailoa for the job.

In 16 seasons, Fitzpatrick has started 146 games and completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 34,977 yards with 223 touchdowns and 169 interceptions.

NBC

 

And Mickey Loomis just keeps stirring the pot. Let's see where it goes.

 

Former Titans WR Corey Davis heading to Jets on three-year, $37.5M deal

 

Patriots to sign Hunter Henry



For the second day in a row, the Patriots have agreed to terms with a free agent tight end.

This time it’s veteran tight end Hunter Henry who is signing a three-year contract with New England, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Yesterday the Patriots agreed to sign former Titans tight end Jonnu Smith. That means they have the top two tight ends on our list of the NFL’s Top 100 free agents.

When healthy, Henry has been one of the top tight ends in the NFL, although he has struggled to stay healthy. Last year Henry played 14 games and had 60 catches for 613 yards and four touchdowns.

NBC

 

Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith were at the top of my wishlist. Both is outstanding.
Same question still exists though and it's a big one, who is gonna throw them the ball?