Free Agency Notes: Tua Tagovailoa, Calvin Ridley, Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills QB Mitch Trubisky said the decision to go back to Buffalo wasn’t a hard one.

“It felt like a no brainer,” Trubisky said, via PFT. “It felt like coming home.”

• Aaron Wilson reports Bills S Taylor Rapp‘s new deal is for three years, worth $10.625 million with $4.85 million guaranteed and $2 million in signing bonuses.
• Wilson adds Rapp’s 2024 salary is $1.675 million and fully guaranteed, while his 2025 salary is $2.3 million with $1.175 million guaranteed for injury. 
• According to Wilson the deal also has a $25k per-game roster bonus, a $100k workout bonus, a $1.3 million interception incentive, and a $250k roster bonus for 2025 and 2026.
• Rapp talked about taking the next step with the Bills after a new contract: “I’m gonna be obviously stepping into a bigger role, and that’s something that I take pride in. … My first four years, I was used to being the guy in the starter, and I’m looking forward to getting back into that role.” (Katherine Fitzgerald)
• Bills DE A.J. Epenesa signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Bills that includes a $4 million signing bonus and base salaries of $2.56 million and $4.56 million. Epenesa’s 2024 salary is guaranteed for injury and $3.5 million in injury guarantees becomes fully guaranteed in 2025. (Over The Cap)
• The deal also includes an annual $100,000 workout bonus and up to $340,000 in per-game roster bonuses, along with two void years. 
• Bills CB Cam Lewis signed for two years at $3.1 million which includes $1.55 million guaranteed. It also includes a $425,000 signing bonus with salaries of $1.125 million (guaranteed) and $1.252 million, plus $7,000 per game active roster bonuses annually. In addition, it includes $450,000 in playtime incentives annually. (Aaron Wilson)

Dolphins

• NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe reports, as others have, that a new deal for Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is expected to exceed $50 million a year. 
• Wolfe notes the Dolphins have had to allow free agents like DT Christian Wilkins, G Robert Hunt, S Brandon Jones and others depart because they need to budget for Tagovailoa and reshape the roster around that contract. 
• Aaron Wilson reports Dolphins P Jake Bailey re-signed on a two-year, $4.2 million deal with a $1.1 million signing bonus.
• According to Wilson, Bailey’s 2024 salary of $1.125 million is guaranteed, and he can earn up to $400k in incentives if he makes a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team.

Jets

• Aaron Wilson reports the Jets have agreed to a deal with K Greg Zuerlein for two years, $8.4 million deal with $4.2 million guaranteed and a $2.89 million signing bonus.
• According to Wilson, Zuerlein’s 2024 salary of $1.21 million is fully guaranteed, and he will also be able to make up to $100k in per-game active roster bonuses. 
• Jets DT Javon Kinlaw signed for one year at $7.25 million with a $5.5 million signing bonus. His salary is $1.41 million guaranteed with $20,000 in per-game active roster bonuses and a $1.75 million incentive for playtime, playoffs and sacks. (Aaron Wilson)

Patriots

The Patriots used the transition tag on WR Kyle Dugger, which will cost them $13.815 million for 2024 and the right to match any outside offer he receives. New HC Jerod Mayo said they used the transition tag to give them “more time” to reach a long-term agreement with Dugger. 

“Kyle is a talented player with a strong work ethic who has improved every year and been extremely productive since joining our team in 2020,” Mayo said, via ProFootballTalk. “We value players with high character and chose to use the transition designation to give both sides more time to try to reach a long-term agreement, which is our goal with Kyle.”

• Albert Breer notes the Patriots were initially attempting to land a fifth-round pick for QB Mac Jones but settled for a sixth from Jacksonville.
• Ian Rapoport adds there were four total teams in the mix for Jones.
• Jonathan Jones reports the Jaguars had the best and only offer for Jones.
• Dianna Russini says new Steelers QB Russell Wilson had an interest in playing for teams like the Raiders or Patriots if they were interested. 
• According to Mark Daniels, New England made a “competitive 3-year offer” to LB Mack Wilson but he’s expected to test the market.
• Chad Graff of The Athletic expected the Patriots to target receivers like Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins, Los Angeles’ Keenan Allen or San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk if they missed out on Calvin Ridley. 
• Tom Pelissero reports Patriots LB Josh Uche had several offers on the open market before re-signing to a one-year deal with a max value of $8 million with New England, including a two-year, $15 million offer that included $11 million guaranteed.
• According to ESPN’s Field Yates, former Steelers OT Chukwuma Okorafor signed a one-year deal with the Patriots with a base value of $4 million with incentives to earn up to $8.25 million.
• Doug Kyed reports Okorafor’s deal has $3.125 million guaranteed with a $2 million signing bonus and a $1.125 fully guaranteed salary.
• Kyed also mentions Okorafor can earn up to $680k in per-game roster bonuses along with a $195k workout bonus. 
• Patriots TE Hunter Henry‘s new deal with the team includes a base salary of $15,450,000, a signing bonus of $7,500,000, per-game roster bonuses of $3,000,000, a workout bonus of $1,050,000, and a guaranteed salary of $8,300,000. It also carries a cap number of $26,823,529. (Over the Cap)
•  The Patriots signed RB Antonio Gibson to a three-year, $11.25 million contract with $5.3 million guaranteed including a $3 million signing bonus. (Over The Cap)
• Gibson can earn up to $1.53 million over three years in per-game roster bonuses and another $395k over three years in workout bonuses. He also has up to $6 million in incentives. (Over The Cap)
• New England has agreed to a deal with LB Sione Takitaki for two years, $6.645 million with $3.125 million guaranteed including a $2 million signing bonus. (Over The Cap)
• Takitaki can earn up to $510k per season in per-game roster bonuses. (Over The Cap)
• According to Aaron Wilson, Takitaki can also earn an additional $500k for making the Pro Bowl.