NFL’s tampering period arrives and a slew of stars cash in as teams fortify or retool rosters
DENVER (AP) — The NFL’s 52-hour legal tampering period arrived Monday with a slew of stars getting big contracts following a weekend flurry that featured league MVP Josh Allen’s record-setting $330 million extension and Myles Garrett set to become the highest-paid non-quarterback ever.
Among the headliners Monday according to people familiar with the negotiations was Carolina Panthers star Jaycee Horn, who becomes the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with a four-year, $100 million deal that includes $70 million in guaranteed money.
Players can’t sign their deals until the new league year begins Wednesday, when teams must be under the NFL salary cap, which jumps almost $24 million next season to $279.2 million per club.
Limited to 22 games over his first three seasons because of injuries, Horn is coming off his first Pro Bowl after posting 68 tackles, two sacks and an interception in 15 games in 2024.
Horn had one year left on his rookie contract.
Allen had two seasons left on his deal, but the Bills rewarded him after he became the franchise’s first MVP since Thurman Thomas in 1991. The new contract adds two years to his deal and locks in the 28-year-old through the 2030 season. A two-time All-Pro, Allen has 76 wins, 262 total touchdowns and 30,595 total yards, the most by any NFL player through their first seven seasons in the league.
Highest Paid
Allen’s deal includes $250 million guaranteed. That’s an NFL record regardless of position. Meanwhile, Garrett is staying in Cleveland after the Browns gave him a record four-year contract extension that makes the four-time All-Pro edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
A person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press that Garrett’s deal includes $122.8 million guaranteed, an average annual salary of $40 million with a total value of $204.8 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t announced.
Garrett, the 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year, had asked for a trade last month but the Browns were adamant about keeping the 29-year-old star in Cleveland.
Quarterback Carousel
A trio of aging quarterbacks is among the most intriguing names on the market this year. Two of them were in this same position a year ago.
That’s when Russell Wilson signed with Pittsburgh and Sam Darnold signed with Minnesota. Darnold had a breakout year but fizzled at the finish and Wilson did too, winning six of his first seven starts for the Steelers. Both led — or maybe limped — their teams into the playoffs, where the Steelers were routed by the Ravens and the Vikings were crushed by the Rams in the wild-card round a week after getting blown out in Detroit with a first-round bye up for grabs.
Aaron Rodgers isn’t technically a free agent, but the Jets said they’re going to jettison him this week following a disappointing two-year stint in the Meadowlands.
Two backup QBs are staying put: Jarrett Stidham agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal to serve as Bo Nix’s No. 2 in Denver, and Jimmy Garoppolo is staying with the Rams to back up Matthew Stafford.
In addition to keeping Stidham, the Broncos agreed to terms on a three-year, $39 million contract extension with defensive lineman D.J. Jones, a key cog in Denver’s dominating defense. Jones’ deal includes $26 million guaranteed.
Well-traveled
Two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick is on the move again, this time to Tampa Bay, where he’ll make $14 million in 2025 with $12 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the terms told the AP.
Before a holdout ruined his 2024 season with the Jets, Reddick had 27 sacks in two seasons in Philadelphia. He also had double-digit sacks for Arizona in 2020 and Carolina in 2021. The Buccaneers are his fifth team in nine seasons.
The Bucs also agreed to re-sign Chris Godwin, who is returning from a gruesome ankle injury, for $66 million ($44 million guaranteed) over three years. The 29-year-old had 50 catches for 576 yards in just seven games last season.
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