NFL Notes: Kirk Cousins, Free Agency, Contracts

Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins‘ agent, Mike McCartney, put together a list of seven teams he felt could be options for his client this offseason including the Cardinals, Bills, Browns, Broncos, Dolphins, Vikings and Jets.

At the beginning of the legal tampering window, McCartney had reduced the list down to the Cardinals, Broncos, Jets and Vikings.

Cousins and McCartney decided that they wanted to hold a silent auction of sorts and make it clear to teams to not hold back on their one and only offer. This way McCartney would ensure that Cousins’ market wouldn’t deflate if a team got the impression they were out of the mix.

King says that the Cardinals tried to sell their core of David Johnson, Chandler Jones, and Patrick Peterson. The Jets pushed their $100 million of cap space, Jeremy Bates‘ offensive scheme being similar to what he ran in Washington and being in the No. 1 market in the country. The Vikings pointed to the fact that their roster is ready to win now and they have a new facility and new stadium.

Interestingly enough, King reports that the Broncos never made Cousins an offer and instead focused on Case Keenum, who they felt they could get at a $10-$12 million per year discount to Cousins.

McCartney prioritized the Vikings’ offer over the other two teams because they checked all the boxes and they placed a call to Minnesota to set up the visit. From there, McCartney told Cardinals GM Steve Keim that he couldn’t guarantee him a Cousins visit, and if he had to move on, he’d understand. As for the Jets, they wanted a chance to meet with Cousins and were “clearly frustrated” when McCartney wouldn’t guarantee them a visit.

Free Agency

• Regarding free agent CB Bashaud Breeland‘s foot laceration that led to his agreement with the Panthers falling through, David Chao mentions that if the injury requires skin grats as one report said, he could be 3-9 months from playing or practicing.
• According to Peter King, the Titans, Chiefs, Dolphins and Buccaneers placed calls to agent Mike McCartney about C Ryan Jensen.
• The Bills were “seriously interested” in signing veteran QB Josh McCown, according to King.
• A league source tells Michael Rothstein that DE Brandon Copeland will not be returning to the Lions.

Contracts

• Cardinals QB Sam Bradford: two-year deal, $40M total, $15M guaranteed, $10m signing bonus, $5M 2018 salary guaranteed, $7.5M salary (option year), no trade clause, $10M roster bonus, $1M annual Super Bowl win incentive. (Aaron Wilson)
• Jets QB Teddy Bridgewater: one-year deal, $5M base salary (non-guaranteed), $500K signing bonus, $500K workout bonus, $9M in incentives. (Tom Pelissero)
• Ravens WR Michael Crabtree: three-year, $21M total, $11M guaranteed, $7M signing bonus, salaries $1M (2018 guaranteed), $5M (2019 $3M guaranteed for injury), $6M (2020), $2M 2019 roster bonus, up to $2.5M in annual stat-based incentive. (Aaron Wilson)
• Packers DL Muhammad Wilkerson: one-year deal, $1.6M base salary, $1.5M signing bonus, $1M reporting bonus, up to $600,000 in per-game roster bonuses, $2.75 million in incentives (not likely to be earned). (Rob Demovsky)
• Panthers DT Dontari Poe: three-year deal, $28M total, $10M signing bonus, $13.3M guaranteed, base salaries 2018 $800K (guaranteed), 2019 $4.5M ($2.5M guaranteed for injury), 2020 $6M (option year), $2.5M 2020 roster bonus, $500K weight bonus (four weigh-ins each year), $600K workout bonus 2018, $900K workout bonus 2019-2020 (Aaron Wilson)
• Bengals TE Tyler Eifert: one-year deal, $5.5M, $3M guaranteed, $3M signing bonus, $1M base salary, $62,500 per game active roster bonus, up to $2M stat-based incentives. (Aaron Wilson)
• Redskins LB Zach Brown: three-year deal, $21M total, $10M guaranteed, $4.5M signing bonus, up to $1M annual Pro Bowl/All-Pro incentive. (Aaron Wilson)
• Jets LB Avery Williamson: three-year deal, $22.5M, $16M guaranteed, $6M signing bonus, base salaries $4M (guaranteed), $6M (guaranteed), $6.5M, $500K annual Pro Bowl incentive. (Aaron Wilson)
• Bengals LB Preston Brown: one-year deal, $4M total, $2M signing bonus, $2M guaranteed, $1M base salary, $1M workout bonus, $250K Pro Bowl incentive. (Aaron Wilson)
• Ravens WR John Brown: one-year deal, $1M base salary, $4M signing bonus, $1.5M playtime incentives. (Aaron Wilson)
• Bengals QB Matt Barkley: two-year deal, $3.35M total, $500K signing bonus, base salaries $1M and $1.125M, $175K first-game 53-man roster bonus, up to $1M in annual playtime incentives, up to $1M in playtime base escalator for 2019. (Aaron Wilson)
• Rams DT Dominique Easley: one-year deal, $705K base salary, $50k guaranteed, $2.145M in roster bonuses and incentives. (Ben Volin)