Justin Rogers wraps up Day 3 of NFL free agency

The NFL's 2024 league year begins Wednesday afternoon. It's the first day players under contract from last season are permitted to sign with another team. Beginning at noon on Monday, representation for those pending, unrestricted free agents will be able to negotiate contracts with franchises other than the players' own. It's a period affectionally known as the "legal tampering window."

We've spent the past few days previewing free agency for the Detroit Lions, taking both a position-by-position look at the team's needs and potential targets for both the offense and the defense, while establishing how much cap space and realistic spending power the team will have entering the week.

We intend to use this space for the latest updates from around the league, with the latest news at the top of the post, so please be sure to check back throughout the day.

Wednesday

▶ 8:05 p.m. — The golden years of Joe Flacco's career will continue in Indianapolis after winning the league's Comeback Player of the Year for his masterful finish in Cleveland last year.

Additionally, the Cardinals swapped out offensive tackles, releasing longtime starter D.J. Humphries, who tore his ACL late last season, and signing Jonah Williams away from the Bengals with a three-year, $30 million offering.

Finally, one of those weird ones we see every couple years, after agreeing to join the 49ers, linebacker Eric Kendricks changed his mind and is going to Dallas instead. There he'll reunite with former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who is now working as the Cowboys defensive coordinator.

▶ 6:25 p.m. — My attention remains divided writing Lions-centric stories, but linebacker Bobby Wagner is the latest player to join the Commanders under the team's new leadership regime headed by GM Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn. It's a one-year deal for the nine-time Pro Bowler, worth up to $8.5 million with incentives.

▶ 5:15 p.m. — Just got done talking to new Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III and will have more on that in a little bit.

Once the league year officially started at 4 p.m., some of the big-name releases that had been previously reported were processed, including Miami cornerback Xavien Howard, San Francisco defensive lineman Arik Armstead and Las Vegas quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

In terms of signings, there's a new massive deal to acknowledge. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley is joining the Titans on a four-year contract, reportedly worth more than $90 million with $50 million guaranteed.

▶ 3:35 p.m. — In the spirit of keeping you up to date, even if they're not household names, here are some recent agreements that have been reached:

• The Jets are re-signing punter Thomas Morstead to a two-year extension.
• Cornerback Dane Jackson is heading to Carolina on a two-year pact worth up to $14.5 million.
• Safety Jordan Whitehead is returning to Tampa Bay, the team that drafted him in 2018, on a two-year, $9 million agreement.

▶ 2:15 p.m. — Well, the Chargers figured out an immediate solution to the team's cap woes, releasing wide receiver Mike Williams and clearing $20 million off the books. This gets them under the cap ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline.

In terms of signings, the only notable item in the past few hours was a four-extension for Eagles kicker Jake Elliott. If the reported figures are accurate, it will tie him with Baltimore's Justin Tucker as the league's highest-paid at the position.

▶ 12:40 p.m. — A couple trades to report. First, the Jets continue to fortify their offensive line, acquiring offensive tackle Morgan Moses from the Ravens. He previously played for the Jets in 2021, starting 16 games that season.

Also getting shipped out is defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who is going from Houston to San Francisco. The 16-game starter matched a career-high with 5.0 sacks last season. He will help backfill the departure of Arik Armstead, who was a recent cap casualty for the 49ers.

▶ 11:14 a.m. — Nothing needle-moving going on this morning, unless you consider wide receiver Mack Hollins coming to an agreement with the Bills as needle-moving. The bigger news today might end up being the veterans who get cut. The Raiders got a head start on that process, informing slot receiver Hunter Renfrow he's being let go.

The Chargers have all kinds of roster issues to sort out in the next few days with several of the league's biggest salary cap hits on their roster. Expect some combination of Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa and Keenan Allen to be on the move.

▶ 9:10 a.m. — The NFL's collective bargaining agreement has a device called a proven performance escalator. It's designed to reward players on rookie contracts selected outside the first round of their respective drafts. If a player meets certain playing-time thresholds during their first three seasons, they get a significant bump in pay in the fourth and final year of their deals.

Those kick in today, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill and Derrick Barnes all qualifying for Detroit. It means their collective cap hits for the upcoming season will be going up from a combined $4.13 million to $10.26 million. Obviously, teams anticipate these pay bumps in their offseason cap calculations, but it's often a forgotten element when fans discuss team cap space in January and February.

As for where the Lions stand with their cap space, there are some missing numbers that make it impossible to answer the question. Until we know what Graham Glasgow and Marcus Davenport's contracts look like, we can't provide an accurate assessment.

▶ 8:32 a.m. — The contract details for cornerback Amik Robertson are available. The two-year, $9.25 million agreement includes a $3.3 million signing bonus and a 2024 cap hit of $2.85 million. The cap number will swell to $6.4 million in 2025, with $1.65 million in dead money lingering from the signing bonus.

▶ 8:15 a.m. — I'd love to have an action-packed update from overnight, but the truth is little has happened since our final post late Tuesday. A few visits between teams and lingering free agents have been scheduled, including the Lions hosting defensive tackle D.J. Reader, the Panthers bringing in edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and the Titans welcoming linebacker Jerome Baker.

There's plenty of talent still out there, so expect a fresh wave of agreements to be reached during the day. More importantly, starting at 4 p.m., the signing of outside free agents can become official.

Tuesday

▶ 11:15 p.m. — A quick update before calling it a night. We posted a separate update on soon-to-be former Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson heading back to Philadelphia. You can read that here.

Earlier tonight, there was also a minor trade, with the Pittsburgh Steelers finding a taker for wide receiver Diontae Johnson. The Steelers are shipping him to the Carolina Panthers in a swap that also involved a couple late-round draft choices.

Finally, the first and second picks from the 2015 NFL Draft are both on the move with Jamesis Winston set to become Deshaun Watson's backup in Cleveland and Marcus Mariota heading to Washington.

We'll be back up and running tomorrow morning.

▶ 6:30 p.m. — Some smaller deals trickled in through the late afternoon with safety Jeremy Chinn agreeing with the Commanders, linebacker Josey Jewell set to join the Panthers and linebacker Lavonte David re-upping with the Buccaneers.

But the evening kicked off with a big fish coming off the board as edge rusher Danielle Hunter agreed to a monster, two-year deal with the Houston Texans, reportedly worth up to $51 million with escalators. More impressively, almost all of the contract is guaranteed for the 29-year-old defender who is coming off a 16.5-sack season.

The addition will make for a nice pairing with the NFL's reigning defensive rookie of the year, Will Anderson.

▶ 4:18 p.m. — Despite the surge of agreements in the past two days, there are still plenty of good players on the market. Here are those who remain available, at the time of this update, from our top-50 pending free agent list:

Defensive tackle D.J. Reader, edge rusher Chase Young, cornerback Kendall Fuller, safety Kamron Curl, wide receiver Calvin Ridley, offensive tackle Tyron Smith, offensive tackle Trent Brown, wide receiver Marquise Brown, cornerback Steven Nelson, edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, guard Kevin Zeitler, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and center Connor Williams.

On top of that, you have star veterans who are being released, such as Justin Simmons, Arik Armstead and Xavien Howard. So there's plenty of news still to come.

▶ 3:55 p.m. — A quality cornerback is staying put, as Kenny Moore is re-signing with the Colts. The nickel has spent all seven of his seasons with the franchise and will operate under a new three-year deal worth up to $30 million.

Additionally, the NFC North will have a new tight end, as the Bears are giving Gerald Everett a two-year deal, pairing him with the team's No. 1 option, Cole Kmet. And former Michigan standout Josh Uche is re-upping with the Patriots on a reportedly incentive-laden, one-year contract that will start at $3 million, but could more than double if conditions are met.

▶ 2:25 p.m. — The Lions added another cornerback in Amik Robertson. You can read more on that agreement here. Other than that, the only notable move in the past couple of hours has been linebacker Patrick Queen changing sides in one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries, going from Baltimore to Pittsburgh on a three-year deal, reportedly worth up to $41 million.

▶ 12:45 p.m. — There have been some longer lulls as the frenzy slows down on the second day of negotiations, but a literally big domino has fallen in the early afternoon, with hulking running back Derrick Henry coming to terms on a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. That should be a fascinating fit with quarterback Lamar Jackson, making an already potent ground game that much more lethal.

In more minor news, edge rusher Shaq Barrett is moving across the state of Florida, going from Tampa to Miami on a one-year, $9 million deal. And Kirk Cousins' arsenal in Atlanta is getting an upgrade, with Bears wide receiver Darrell Mooney scoring a three-year pact worth up to $39 million from the Falcons.

▶ 11:25 a.m. — Because of the fluidity between an agreement being reached during the negotiating window and those signings becoming official later in the week, things can change. In fact, we've seen players back out of agreements in the past. In this case, a player who was reportedly getting released is now being traded.

The Bengals found a taker for running back Joe Mixon, so now they'll get something back instead of nothing by shipping him to the Texans. Remember, Houston lost Devin Singletary to an agreement with the Giants on Monday.

▶ 8:55 a.m. — Here's a fun one; Aaron Jones is staying in the division. A day after being cut by the Packers to make room for Josh Jacobs, Jones is moving four hours west and indoors to play for the Vikings.

It's a significant upgrade for the Minnesota backfield, with Jones effectively replacing Alexander Mattison's role in the offense. Jones will partner with Ty Chandler, who played well in an expanded role last season, averaging 4.5 yards on 102 carries.

▶ 8:00 a.m. — And we're back. We stepped away overnight, at least from recapping, just to get some family time and sleep, but the league didn't follow suit, as the deals continued to come in through the evening and this morning. Let's catch you up on what's been happening.

• The Bengals made a swap at running back, cutting veteran Joe Mixon for $6.1 million in cap savings and signing Zach Moss to a two-year, $8 million deal. Filling in for Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis early last season led to Moss setting career-highs in rushing yards and touchdowns. He's also averaged a respectable 4.3 yards for his career and 4.5 yards per carry during his two seasons with the Colts.
• The Vikings have a quarterbacking stopgap in place following the departure of Kirk Cousins, signing former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold. He last served as a starter for Carolina from 2021-22, while working as Brock Purdy's backup in San Francisco last year. For his career, Darnold has started 56 games, completing 59.7% of his throws with 63 touchdowns and 56 interceptions. It will be interesting to see what Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell can get out of a former top-five pick.
• The Jets have found quarterback Aaron Rodgers a protection upgrade, as well as a more reliable backup, agreeing to sign veteran offensive lineman John Simpson and quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
• Patriots re-signing offensive lineman Michael Onwenu for three years, $57 million, with $38 million of that guaranteed.
• Linebacker Jordyn Brooks is going to Miami for three years, $30 million.
• The Seahawks re-signing tight end Noah Fant for two years, $21 million
• Quarterback Jacoby Brissett is returning to New England after seven years in other places. That deal is for one year, $8 million, with an additional $4 million in possible incentives.
• Another kicker comes off the board with Brandon McManus getting one year, $3.6 million from the Commanders.
• Linebacker Kenneth Murray is on the move from the Chargers to the Titans on a two-year, $15.5 million agreement.

Monday

▶ 6:45 p.m. — Things got a little crazy there for a minute with Detroit's additions of Marcus Davenport and Carlton Davis. Let's catch up with what's been happening around the rest of the league in the past 90 minutes or so.

The biggest move, by far, saw the New York Giants send second- and fifth-round draft picks to the Panthers in exchange for edge rusher Brian Burns. That included a five-year extension, reportedly worth $150 million with close to $90 million in guarantees.

For brevity, here are some of the other agreements to come down since our last update:

• Linebacker Frankie Luvo to the Commanders, three years, $36 million
• Former Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst is going back to Cleveland for a modest one-year, $3.2 million
• Guard Jermaine Eluemunor to the Giants for two years, $14 million
• Center Lloyd Cushenberry to Tennessee, four years, $50 million
• Running back Austin Ekeler to the Commanders, two years, up to $11.4 million

▶ 5:20 p.m. — The defensive tackle market remains red hot on the first day of free agent negotiations. The NFL Network is reporting Justin Jones is getting three years, $30 million from the Cardinals after posting a career-high 4.5 sacks last season. It's a hefty sum for a player who has graded poorly as a run defender each of the past three seasons by Pro Football Focus.

Others securing deals as Monday evening approaches are veteran edge rusher Leonard Floyd, who is heading to San Francisco, and safety Geno Stone, who is going from Baltimore to Cincinnati.

▶ 4:40 p.m. — The Lions drafted undervalued positions in the early rounds last offseason, while the Packers are spending premium free agency dollars on the same spots a year later. After giving McKinney big money, the terms of the Jacobs' deal are out and the Packers are awarding the Raiders running back a four-year package valued at $48 million (not that he'll see the end of it. See: Jones, Aaron).

In quarterback news, Gardner Minshew is heading to Las Vegas on a two-year deal, presumably to compete for the starting job, or to keep the seat warm for a rookie. The Raiders hold the No. 13 pick in April.

▶ 4:20 p.m. — The Packers are making a swap at safety, letting Darnell Savage walk and signing the pricier Xavier McKinney. Savage is getting three years, $21 million from Jacksonville, while McKinney scored a four-year, $68 million deal from Green Bay.

Two veteran defensive tackles also reached agreements. Denico Autry is headed to the Texans on a two-year deal while Grover Stewart is staying in Indianapolis after coming to terms on a three-year, $39 million contract.

▶ 4:10 p.m. — Things have slowed down a bit as we've reached the middle of Monday afternoon as some second-tier free agents are finding new homes. Included in that group is former Detroit first-round pick Jeff Okudah, who is heading to Houston on a one-year deal for $6 million.

Also agreeing to terms were a pair of running backs. Antonio Gibson is going from Washington to New England on a three-year pact worth more than $11 million, while the Giants shift into life after Saquon by reaching a three-year agreement with Devin Singletary.

▶ 3:26 p.m. — Another top offensive lineman, and the best guard available, is heading to Carolina. After four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Robert Hunt is cashing in with a five-year deal that could be worth as much as $100 million, according to the NFL Network.

A couple of smaller deals, relatively speaking, from the past hour include linebacker Blake Cashman agreeing with the Vikings on a three-year contract worth up to $25.5 million and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols getting three years for $21 million from the Arizona Cardinals.

▶ 3:10 p.m. — After reaching an agreement with Josh Jacobs, the Packers are releasing longtime running back Aaron Jones, despite having more than $12 million in dead money remaining on his contract. The move clears up $5.2 million in cap space for the Packers.

Jones played in just 11 games last season, and his 656 rushing yards were his fewest since his rookie season, in 2017. Still, he remained efficient and productive with his opportunities, averaging 4.6 yards per attempt.

▶ 2:47 p.m. — Running backs are getting paid on Monday. Following agreements for Swift and Pollard, Saquon Barkley is reportedly jumping from New York to NFC East-rival Philadelphia. He'll get a three-year deal worth nearly $38 million, with escalators that could push it to over $46 million, according to ESPN.

▶ 2:27 p.m. — There's a lot to catch up on from the past 20 minutes, but nothing bigger than quarterback Kirk Cousins agreeing to a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Obviously, he's still working his way back from a serious injury, but that Falcons team is loaded with premium offensive weapons and could be fun to watch with the steady, reliable Cousins under center.

The NFL Network is reporting the package is worth up to $180 million, with $100 million guaranteed. The move also means a new quarterback is in the cards for the Vikings, who currently hold the No. 11 pick in the upcoming draft. It could end up a landing spot for Michigan's J.J. McCarthy.

The Eagles also made a splash, reaching terms with soon-to-be former Jets edge rusher Bryce Huff. A premium pass-rusher, he racked up 10.0 sacks and 67 quarterback pressures on just 334 rush attempts in 2023. That three-year deal could be worth just north of $50 million, according to ESPN.

Finally, running back Josh Jacobs, who led the league in rushing yards in 2022, is reportedly heading to Green Bay. The NFL Network is reporting that impending marriage, but without any contract figures.

▶ 2:03 p.m. — Lions guard Jonah Jackson is heading to Los Angeles to join the Rams on a massive three-year deal worth a reported $51 million. More on that coming in a separate post shortly.

▶ 1:25 p.m. — Arguably the top remaining player available entering the day is on the move. Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins is set to leave Miami for Las Vegas, agreeing to a massive, four-year deal reportedly worth up to $110 million, with nearly $85 million guaranteed, according to the NFL Network. That average annual value would rank third among defensive tackles, behind only Chris Jones and Aaron Donald.

Wilkins spent five years with the Dolphins after he was selected 13th overall out of Clemson in the 2019 draft. He's appeared in 81 games during that stretch, registering 20.5 sacks, including a career-high 9.0 in 2023.

▶ 1:20 p.m. — A few days after cutting interception machine Justin Simmons, the Denver Broncos have a new safety in Brandon Jones. The former third-round pick out of Texas spent his first four seasons in Miami, where he started 30 games, intercepted three passes and forced four fumbles.

Two other players set to join new teams are wide receiver Gabriel Davis and defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong. Davis, who was drafted and developed by Buffalo, averaged 41 catches and seven touchdowns in the past four seasons. In Jacksonville, he'll backfill the likely departure of Calvin Ridley.

As for Armstrong, who spent the previous six seasons with the Cowboys, he's following former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington.

▶ 12:52 p.m. — David Bakhtiari, an 11-year pro who has played his entire career in Green Bay, announced via Twitter he's being released by the franchise.

"A lot of emotion in this," he wrote. "I just want to say THANK YOU Green Bay. Thank you for the last 11 years. It’s been a hell of a run. I always wanted to raise a Lombardi on Lombardi avenue, but I will never complain. I gave it my all. I always gave it my best no matter the circumstance, and to me, that truly was enough."

Injuries have hindered Bakhtiari in recent years. He played in just one game in both the 2021 and 2023 seasons due to a knee injury.

▶ 12:50 p.m. — The Tennessee Titans are making a change at running back. After eight years of having Derrick Henry run through and over defenders, the team is signing former Cowboys runner Tony Pollard to a three-year deal, according to ESPN.

While playing under the franchise tag in 2023, Pollard struggled to replicate his impact as a complementary piece after he was promoted to the featured role for Dallas. He managed to top 1,000 yards, barely, but averaged a career-worst 4.0 yards per carry.

▶ 12:43 p.m. — The NFC North continues to be the source of the early action, with the Minnesota Vikings reaching an agreement with rising edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, according to the NFL Network. The four-year contract is worth up to $76 million and includes $42 million in guarantees.

In his fourth season with the Texans, the former University of Florida standout experienced a breakout, racking up 12.5 sacks and 53 total quarterback pressures. The signing of Greenard would suggest Danielle Hunter's time in Minnesota has come to an end. The four-time Pro Bowler is one of the best players on the market. The owner of five double-digit sack seasons, he's coming off a campaign where he racked up a career-high 16.5.

▶ 12:12 p.m. — It took fewer than 15 minutes into the negotiating window for the first agreement to be reached. And it involves a former Lions running back returning to the NFC North. According to multiple reports, D'Andre Swift will join the Chicago Bears on a three-year deal worth up to $24 million.

The Lions drafted Swift in the second round of the 2020 draft. He played three seasons with the franchise, often battling injuries, before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during last year's draft. In 2023, he had his healthiest and best season, appearing in 16 games and rushing for 1,049 yards and five touchdowns.

Chicago, buoyed by dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields, finished second in the NFL in rushing yards per game last season. The team utilized multiple running backs in a backfield rotation, paced by Khalil Herbert's 132 carries and 611 yards.

The Lions replaced Swift with first-round draft pick Jahmyr Gibbs, who racked up 1,261 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage in his debut season. He was complemented in the backfield by David Montgomery, the longtime Bears running back who signed with the Lions as a free agent a year ago.

▶ 11:10 a.m. — A couple of kickers are re-signing with their teams, as Chase McLaughlin agreed with the Buccaneers and Greg Zuerlein is getting a two-year pact from the Jets worth up to $8.4 million, according to the NFL Network. That puts Zuerlein just outside the top 10 at his position in average annual value.

Additionally, the Eagles announced they've signed two-time Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson to a four-year extension. The former second-round pick was entering the final season of his rookie contract. According to ESPN, the package is worth $84 million, with $50 million in guarantees.

If those figures aren't inflated, it would make Dickerson the NFL's highest-paid player at his position in average contract value, while his guarantees would rank behind only the Colts' Quenton Nelson.

▶ 10:10 a.m. — One of the nine players franchised, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, has requested a trade after being unhappy with the progress of long-term contract talks with the team, according to an ESPN report.

Higgins missed five games last season with rib and hamstring injuries, resulting in the lowest production of his four-year career. When healthy, he's a downfield force, averaging 1,009 yards and 6.3 touchdowns in his first three campaigns.

▶ 8:35 a.m. — The Lions are keeping the ball moving by retaining their own pieces, reaching an agreement on a three-year deal with Graham Glasgow. Other players who received new deals from their current employers Monday morning included Jacksonville center Mitch Morse and Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin.

▶ 8:30 a.m. — Prior to the opening of the negotiating window, many of the potential top options had been taken off the board, either via the franchise tag or an extension with their current team. Nine players were franchised this year, and two players, Bears cornerback Jaylen Johnson and Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike already parlayed that designation into a lucrative long-term deal.

Beyond the franchised players, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, the consensus top player heading to free agency, came to terms on a five-year deal to stay with Kansas City. In total, seven of the top-10 players from our top-50 free agents list have been franchised or re-signed.

NFL signing news continued to come in through the end of the weekend, with nine-time Pro Bowl passer Russell Wilson finding a new home in Pittsburgh on Sunday evening. There, he'll compete with third-year man Kenny Pickett for the team's starting quarterback job.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers