Vikings agree to 3-year, $42M deal with OLB Za’Darius SmithVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings and free-agent outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith agreed to terms on a three-year, $42 million contract on Tuesday, giving the team a pass-rushing boost from a player recently let go by their biggest rival. Smith, who spent the last three seasons with the Green Bay Packers,...
Trade for Deshaun Watson ends up costing Browns a little moreVideo
CLEVELAND — The price for Deshaun Watson went up for the Cleveland Browns in 24 hours. Call it football inflation. Cleveland’s trade for the legally entangled quarterback became official Sunday, when the Browns finalized the complex deal and released statements from owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam explaining their decision to...
AP source: QB Jameis Winston agrees to return to Saints on 2-year dealVideo
NEW ORLEANS — Free-agent quarterback Jameis Winston agreed to return to the New Orleans Saints, a person familiar with the situation said Monday. Winston, who started seven games for New Orleans in 2021 before a season-ending knee injury, has agreed to a two-year contract, the person told the Associated Press...
La’el Collins is latest prize in Bengals’ O-line rebuildVideo
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals signed a third free-agent lineman to shore up an offensive line that has struggled to protect quarterback Joe Burrow. The Bengals got their new right tackle Sunday, signing former Dallas Cowboy La’el Collins to a three-year contract. Last week they inked free agents Ted Karras,...
Colts acquire QB Matt Ryan in trade with FalconsVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts may have found another short-term answer at quarterback by trading for Matt Ryan. How much longer the soon-to-be 37-year-old, four-time Pro Bowler sticks around isn’t clear. On Monday, Indy acquired the 2016 NFL MVP from Atlanta for a third-round pick in this year’s draft (No....
Browns defend decision to add QB Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson’s complicated past didn’t dissuade the Cleveland Browns from betting on the quarterback’s future. He is on Cleveland’s roster, and at this point that is the only certainty with the talented yet controversial QB. Watson’s stunning trade to the Browns became official Sunday, capping a whirlwind few days during...
AP: Browns to trade QB Case Keenum, sign Jacoby Brissett as backupVideo
The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback carousel spun again Saturday. Twice. While Cleveland waits to officially welcome Deshaun Watson, the team agreed to trade backup quarterback Case Keenum to Buffalo and sign free agent QB Jacoby Brissett, a person familiar with the deals told the Associated Press. The Browns are sending Keenum...
Longtime NFL journalist John Clayton dies at age 67
SEATTLE — Longtime NFL journalist John Clayton died Friday following a short illness. He was 67. The Seattle Seahawks, through Clayton’s family, announced the death in a statement. Clayton worked for the team in recent years as a sideline reporter on radio broadcasts. Nicknamed “The Professor,” Clayton spent more than...
AP source: Deshaun Watson changes mind, joining Browns
Deshaun Watson changed his mind. The Browns have their franchise quarterback, one with some extra heavy baggage. Despite sexual misconduct allegations made by nearly two dozen women against Watson while he was with Houston, Cleveland will make him its starting QB, the face of its organization and the highest-paid player...
AP source: Raiders acquiring WR Davante Adams from PackersVideo
The Las Vegas Raiders made a blockbuster move to keep up in the AFC West, acquiring All-Pro receiver Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers. A person familiar with the move said Thursday the Raiders are sending the No. 22 overall pick in the April draft and additional compensation to...
AP source: Baker Mayfield requests trade after Browns chase Deshaun WatsonVideo
Baker Mayfield wants out of Cleveland. The Browns aren’t willing to let him go just yet. Mayfield requested to be traded from the Browns on Thursday after the team failed in its pursuit of Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, a person familiar with the discussions told the Associated Press on Thursday....
Rams agree to 3-year deal with former Penn State WR Allen RobinsonVideo
The Los Angeles Rams agreed to terms Thursday on a three-year contract for receiver Allen Robinson, one of the NFL’s most dependable veteran pass-catchers during his eight seasons in the league. Robinson, a Penn State product, has three 1,000-yard seasons during a productive career split between Jacksonville and Chicago. He...
Browns await Deshaun Watson’s decision, sign more free agents
CLEVELAND — Deshaun Watson hasn’t made up his mind, forcing the Cleveland Browns to play a waiting game they might lose. One day after making its recruiting pitch to Watson, Cleveland still hadn’t heard from the controversial Houston quarterback, who is considering at least three other teams before agreeing to...
Von Miller leaves L.A. for Buffalo as free agency begins
Russell Wilson to Denver, Carson Wentz to Washington, Amari Cooper to Cleveland. Chandler Jones to Las Vegas, Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson to the LA Chargers, Brandon Scherff to Jacksonville. So what if it’s old news? Here’s some brand new news: Super Bowl champion linebacker Von Miller is leaving Los...
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman going from Fox to ESPN’s ‘Monday Night’ booth
On the first day of the new league year, one of the NFL’s top broadcasting teams is moving from Fox to ESPN. ESPN announced on Wednesday a move that has been in the works for nearly a month — Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be broadcasting “Monday Night Football.”...
Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth retires after 16 years capped by first Super Bowl winVideo
A month after Andrew Whitworth reached the pinnacle of his long football career, he decided to go out on top. The 40-year-old left tackle announced his retirement Tuesday after a 16-season NFL career capped by his first Super Bowl championship last month with the Los Angeles Rams. “The warrior in...
Jets bolster secondary, add former Pitt safety Jordan WhiteheadVideo
NEW YORK — The New York Jets opened the second day of the NFL’s legal tampering period by addressing their shaky secondary. Former Seattle Seahawks cornerback D.J. Reed and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead agreed to terms on deals with the Jets on Tuesday. A person with direct...
AP source: Browns swap linebackers with Patriots, meeting Watson
CLEVELAND — The Browns and Patriots have agreed to swap linebackers, with Mack Wilson going to New England and Chase Winovich headed to Cleveland, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade can’t be announced until...
Brian Flores: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should ensure case avoids forced arbitration
Brian Flores wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to make sure his class-action lawsuit against the league and several teams over allegedly racist hiring practices isn’t settled behind closed doors. Flores said Monday if Goodell truly wants to bring the kind of change the NFL’s top executive has talked about in...
NFL free agency roundup: Let the mostly unofficial dealing beginVideo
Let the dealing begin — if mostly unofficial. The NFL’s “legal tampering period” in free agency began Monday with a slew of deals even as many teams released veterans to clear salary cap space before the league’s business year begins Wednesday. Among the most notable names to stay put was...
Browns release WR Jarvis Landry after 4 seasonsVideo
CLEVELAND — Jarvis Landry helped the Browns rebuild from the NFL’s bottom floor. They’ll now try to stay relevant without him. Cleveland released the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Monday in a tough but necessary cost-cutting move after the invaluable Landry became too expensive to keep. One of the league’s...
Vikings, Kirk Cousins agree to 1-year, $35M contract extensionVideo
The Minnesota Vikings have committed to quarterback Kirk Cousins for the next two seasons, banking on further improvement under new coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings announced their agreement in principle with Cousins on a one-year contract extension Sunday — the latest high-leverage deal that Cousins has successfully bet on himself...
AP sources: Cowboys, WR Michael Gallup agree on $62.5M, 5-year dealVideo
The Dallas Cowboys agreed on a long-term contract with receiver Michael Gallup a day after agreeing to trade Amari Cooper to Cleveland. Gallup is returning on a $62.5 million, five-year contract, two people with knowledge of the agreement said Sunday. The people spoke to the Associated Press on condition of...
Tom Brady says he’s returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season
TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady’s retirement lasted 40 days. Brady said Sunday he is returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season. The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced his decision on Twitter and Instagram, saying he has “unfinished business.” The news stole the spotlight from the NCAA’s...
NFL teams ready to spend in free agency even with no franchise QBs aroundVideo
With the NFL’s broadcasting rights fees skyrocketing in the near future, leading to a much higher salary cap down the road, maybe this season’s free agency frenzy won’t be as frenetic as years past. Don’t bet on it. Sure, the salary cap, pretty much stagnant for two years because of...
