While most NFL teams prefer to get their contract business out of the way during the spring and summer, some negotiations inevitably spill into the regular season.
In 2023, we saw players like Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, Rams TE Tyler Higbee, Dolphins OT Austin Jackson, Packers pass rusher Rashan Gary, and Browns safety Grant Delpit sign new deals after Week 1.
Will any pending free agents ink an extension during the 2024 NFL season? Let’s run through 12 candidates for in-season deals.
Which NFL Players Could Receive In-Season Contract Extensions?
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
While Dak Prescott has suggested Week 1 could be a deadline in his negotiations with the Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones recently said he hasn’t been told that talks will cease once Dallas suits up to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Clarence Hill of DLLS reported this week that Prescott and the Cowboys have agreed on the length of a potential contract. Of course, the dollars will move the needle more than the years, but Hill indicated that a deal between Dak and Dallas “is closer than it has been.”
Prescott already boasts a no-trade clause, a no-franchise tag clause, and a $55+ million cap hit in 2024, giving him everything he needs to get a massive deal from Jones.
With Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, and Tua Tagovailoa atop the quarterback market with $55 million AAVs, Prescott should be shooting for at least $60 million per year.
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Yes, the Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option for the 2025 NFL season, ensuring he’s on track to reach free agency next year. Former first-round picks who don’t have their fifth-year options exercised rarely re-sign with their original teams, but Najee Harris could be an exception.
For starters, Harris should see plenty of volume this season. Pittsburgh ranked fourth-lowest in pass rate over expectation in 2023 (minus-4.9%), meaning the Steelers were running the ball in situations when most teams would have been throwing.
New Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith took dedication to the run game to an even further extreme as the Atlanta Falcons head coach last season. Atlanta’s minus-9.8% pass rate over expectation ranked dead last in the NFL.
If Harris is racking up touches, yards, and TDs midway through the 2024 season and is more efficient than in prior campaigns, Pittsburgh could be willing to consider a short-term extension.
Fellow RB Jaylen Warren is also a pending free agent, so the Steelers might be deciding between the duo.
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
Fresh off his first fully healthy offseason since tearing his ACL in 2022, Javonte Williams is now 12 pounds lighter after Broncos head coach Sean Payton told the former second-round pick he wanted him at his North Carolina playing weight.
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Williams led all qualified NFL running backs in attempts per broken tackle (6.5) in his 2021 rookie campaign and finished eighth with 2.3 yards after contact per attempt. Now installed as Denver’s RB1 ahead of pass catcher Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime, Williams could be set up for a career season.
Payton might not want to commit to Williams with other RB options under contract, but the Broncos are desperate for talent wherever they can find it.
If Williams finally breaks out in 2024, Denver could think about extending him.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Ja’Marr Chase returned to practice this week after sitting out most of the Bengals’ summer work while awaiting a contract extension.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Chase said he wants to top Justin Jefferson’s $35 million annual salary but suggested he could play in Week 1 without a new deal in place.
Chase also indicated that Friday was his personal deadline for negotiations, while Cincinnati typically likes to wrap up contract talks before the regular season begins.
If Chase doesn’t have a fresh deal in place by the time the Bengals face the New England Patriots on Sunday, nothing will stop his camp from negotiating as the season progresses. But at that point, the odds would favor Chase and Cincinnati waiting until the 2025 offseason to work out an extension.
Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
Although the Browns keep adding more receivers around him, Amari Cooper is easily still the top wideout on Cleveland’s roster. He was mentioned in trade rumors this offseason when the Browns were reportedly willing to include the 30-year-old in a trade for fellow WR Brandon Aiyuk.
Cooper, who’s topped 1,000 receiving yards in eight of his 10 pro seasons, posted a career-high 1,250 yards and 2.31 yards per route run in 2023.
Nagging injuries have always been an issue for Cooper, who missed the season’s final two games with a heel injury and parts of two other contests with a rib issue and a concussion.
The Browns gave Jerry Jeudy an extension after acquiring him from the Broncos this offseason, but Elijah Moore is a pending free agent. Unless Cleveland thinks former third-rounder Cedric Tillman will develop into a high-end wideout, Cooper might be the club’s best shot at a WR1.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers will pay Diontae Johnson $10 million in 2024 after acquiring him from the Steelers in exchange for CB Donte Jackson. He’s still only 27 years old.
Will Carolina contemplate extending Johnson and locking in a weapon for Bryce Young?
While Johnson’s 51-717-5 line last season marked his worst production since his rookie year, he was still effective on a per-snap basis. He ranked seventh in ESPN’s player-tracking WR metrics, primarily due to his ability to create consistent separation.
Carolina used a first-round pick on WR Xavier Legette in April and a second-rounder on Jonathan Mingo in 2023. But if Johnson shows an early-season connection with Young, the Panthers could make him an enticing offer.
Trey Smith, G, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs made Creed Humphrey the NFL’s highest-paid center this offseason. They’re paying right tackle Jawaan Taylor $20 million per year and left guard Joe Thuney $16 million annually.
As much as Kansas City might want to retain Trey Smith as another critical piece along its offensive line, general manager Brett Veach might not have enough salary cap space to keep his starting right guard.
Guard salaries exploited this offseason, and Smith — the best interior player remaining on the 2025 market — could be in line for a $21+ million AAV if he reaches free agency.
Matthew Judon, EDGE, Atlanta Falcons
Matthew Judon wasn’t pressing the Falcons for a contract extension after being traded to the NFC South franchise in August. While Judon reportedly discussed a new deal with the Chicago Bears (who were also interested in acquiring him from the Patriots), money wasn’t on his mind in Atlanta.
“The Falcons know nothing about me as a football player or as a man,” Judon said last month, per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “They know my previous resume. I can’t really demand or ask for anything I haven’t worked for. I’m gonna work for it.”
Still, Atlanta might be interested in a short-term extension for Judon if the 33-year-old thrives early in the season. The Falcons ranked dead last in pass-rush win rate (31%) and have been searching for a Tier 1 edge rusher since John Abraham left over a decade ago.
Ernest Jones, LB, Tennessee Titans
The Titans made the most impactful NFL cutdown day trade when they picked up Ernest Jones from the Los Angeles Rams, sacrificing only a late-round pick swap in 2026 to acquire the 24-year-old linebacker.
Jones, a former third-round pick, wore the green dot and was a captain for the Rams. He should be an immediate leader for first-year Titans DC Dennard Wilson, who could use Jones in all sorts of intriguing ways. Jones is an excellent blitzer and led all off-ball linebackers with 37 pressures in 2023.
Tennessee already handed out plenty of money this offseason in a spending spree that included WR Calvin Ridley, RB Tony Pollard, C Lloyd Cushenberry, and CBs L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie. Could Jones be the final piece of the Titans’ contractual puzzle?
Charvarius Ward, CB, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers took care of Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams’ contract situations this week, but those aren’t the only deals San Francisco has on the horizon.
While the Niners can’t even start negotiating Brock Purdy’s eventual mega-extension until after this season, they have other critical players on target for 2025 free agency.
One of the more physical corners in the game, Charvarius Ward landed a free agent payday with the 49ers in 2022 and has continued his feisty play in San Francisco. His 34 pass breakups are the second-most in the NFL over the past two seasons.
A second-team All-Pro in 2023, Ward could land another significant deal if he hits the market again next spring.
The 49ers may prefer to work out a deal with fellow CB Deommodore Lenoir, who’s five years younger than the 29-year-old Ward. But Ward is the better player right now, and San Francisco seems willing to do whatever it can to keep its championship core in place.
Jevon Holland, S, Miami Dolphins
As Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley wrote this week, the Dolphins don’t want Jevon Holland turning into the next Christian Wilkins — a defensive free agent that eventually became too expensive for Miami to afford.
The Dolphins couldn’t get a deal done with Wilkins before he posted a career-best 2023 campaign. He’s now the NFL’s second-highest-paid defensive tackle after inking a five-year, $110 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders in March.
Miami handed out new contracts to Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Jalen Ramsey this offseason. If general manager Chris Grier wants to lock up one more core contribution, Holland might be the choice.
Camryn Bynum, S, Minnesota Vikings
Camryn Bynum was outstanding for the Vikings in 2023. With fellow Minnesota safeties Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus playing closer to the line of scrimmage, Bynum excelled in coverage as a deep safety, picking off two passes and breaking up nine more.
But Bynum did more than play on the back end. He also spent significant time in the box and the slot.
The former California cornerback transitioned to safety at the NFL level and has become an excellent player in his third season. Smith is nearing the end of his career, so the Vikings might want to extend Bynum, who fits like a glove in Brian Flores’ defense.