The NFL free agency legal tampering period begins on Monday at 12 PM ET. Teams around the league are getting ready for that and the official start of free agency on Wednesday at 4 PM ET. Here’s a look at today’s NFL News and Rumors on March 12.
NFL News and Rumors: Breaking down Harold Landry’s $87.5 million contract
Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry’s five-year, $87.5 million contract includes $52.5 million guaranteed and a $19 million signing bonus, according to a league source.
He has base salaries fully guaranteed for skill, injury, and salary cap hits of $1.25 million in 2022, $15 million in 2023, and $17.25 million in 2024. Each is fully guaranteed for injury at signing and becomes fully guaranteed for skill and salary cap on the fifth day of the 2023 league year, $17.5 million in 2025, and $17.5 million in 2026.
The former first-round draft pick from Boston College, represented by Creative Artists Agency, recorded a career-high 12 sacks last season.
NFL News and Rumors: JC Tretter re-elected president of NFLPA
Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter has been unanimously re-elected as president of the NFL Players Association. He ran unopposed and secured his second two-year term during the NFLPA annual meetings in Scottsdale.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to once again lead our union,” Tretter said. “My first term brought some unprecedented challenges, and it was an honor to work with our leadership and player membership to protect our wages as well as our health and safety. I am grateful to the Board of Player Reps for believing in me as we continue our efforts to advance the rights of all players.”
Alex Mack also ran unopposed and was re-elected by the Board to serve as the NFLPA’s treasurer.
Additionally, five new players were voted by the Board to serve two-year terms on the Executive Committee: Austin Ekeler, Ryan Kelly, Jason McCourty, Brandon McManus, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
They will join returning Executive Committee members Calais Campbell, Thomas Morstead, Richard Sherman, and Michael Thomas (Cincinnati Bengals), who were all re-elected on Saturday for two-year terms.
NFL News and Rumors: Saints restructure Marshon Lattimore’s contract
The New Orleans Saints restructured standout cornerback Marshon Lattimore’s contract, creating $18.45 million in salary cap savings under his five-year, $97.6 million contract.
It was a simple restructure of his salary converted into a signing bonus.
The Saints have also restructured contracts for wide receiver Michael Thomas, offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, and offensive guard Andrus Peat.
Panthers restructure Pat Elflein’s contract
The Carolina Panthers restructured center Pat Elflein’s contract, converting $4.865 million of his salary into a signing bonus in a simple restructure that nets $2.432 million in salary cap space.
Elflein is Carolina’s starting center. He has 58 career starts and has also played for the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets.
The Panthers have also restructured deals for offensive tackle Taylor Moton and linebacker Shaq Thompson.
Texans agree to terms with Chris Conley on one-year, $2 million deal
The Texans are re-signing veteran wide receiver Chris Conley to a one-year, $2 million contract, according to a league source.
Conley has a $1.5 million base salary, with $500,000 of it fully guaranteed along with a $250,000 signing bonus and up to $250,000 in per game active roster bonuses, plus another $500,000 in catches-playtime incentive clause, per a league source.
Conley caught 22 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Conley (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) also delivered outstanding downfield blocking.
Represented by Sportstars, Conley has 213 career receptions for 2,807 yards and 15 touchdowns.
A former Kansas City Chiefs third-round draft pick from Georgia, Conley holds the NFL scouting combine record with a 45-inch vertical leap and has run the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds.
He has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and caught 47 passes for 775 yards and five touchdowns in 2019 and 40 catches for 471 yards and two scores in 2020 before joining the Texans.
Now, Conley is back for his second season in Houston.
For his career, Conley has 213 career receptions for 2,807 yards and 15 touchdowns. The former Kansas City Chiefs third-round draft pick from Georgia holds the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 45-inch vertical leap and has run the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds.
Conley has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2019, he caught 47 passes for 775 yards and 5 touchdowns, and in 2020, he had 40 catches for 471 yards and 2 scores before joining the Texans.
Now, Conley is back for his second season in Houston.
NFL News and Rumors: La’el Collins’ agents granted permission to seek trade
The Dallas Cowboys are ready to move on from veteran offensive tackle La’el Collins and have empowered his agents to find a trade partner. Collins, represented by agents Peter Schaffer and Deryk Gilmore, is a candidate for release if a trade isn’t able to be worked out because of the Cowboys’ confidence in Terence Steele as an expected replacement, according to sources.
Collins has missed 21 games with injuries and suspensions over the past two years. If he’s not able to be traded, Collins could be cut with a savings of $10 million against the salary cap as a designated post-June 1 release. He’s due a $10 million base salary this year. He’s also due $10 million base salaries in 2023 and 2024 that are not guaranteed.
Last season, Collins served a five-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. The punishment was triggered by a missed test. He played in 10 games in 2021.
A former undrafted free agent from LSU, Collins restructured his five-year, $50 million contract last year. A former Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner at LSU, he signed with the Cowboys in 2015 as an undrafted free agent due to concerns about a pending legal matter at the time of the draft.
Before that legal matter surfaced, most teams and draft experts expected Collins to be drafted in the first round. He has started 71 of 74 career games and is a former All-SEC selection.
Breaking down Christian Kirksey’s two-year deal
The Houston Texans’ contract for veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey has a maximum value of $10.5 million, according to a league source.
It has a base value of $8 million, including a $2 million signing bonus, and base salaries of $2 million and $4 million. The deal has up to $1 million in annual per-game roster bonuses and $250,000 in annual incentives.
Kirksey is regarded as a team leader and has been a defensive captain who communicates the defensive signals from coach Lovie Smith.
A former Cleveland Browns third-round draft pick from Iowa, Kirksey underwent thumb surgery last season and was placed on injured reserve before returning to play. He recorded 93 tackles, no sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumble recoveries, and 8 pass deflections.
Kirksey was signed to a one-year contract by the Texans last season after being cut by the Green Bay Packers one year into a two-year, $16 million contract with a failed physical designation due to a torn pectoral.
The Browns previously signed him to a four-year, $38 million extension that included $20 million guaranteed.