The free agent marketplace gained two big names at running back, lost the prime quarterback potentially available, and saw two top defenders removed from the grab bag.
Nine days before the free-for-all begins, Adrian Peterson was told his $18 million option would not be picked up by the Vikings, and Jamaal Charles was released by the Chiefs on Tuesday. Together, they have rushed for more than 19,000 yards and scored 165 touchdowns.
Yet, at ages 32 (Peterson) and 30 (Charles) when the 2017 season begins, they are at that career juncture when long-term deals for the position are rare.
Yes, Peterson has Hall of Fame credentials and Charles might have had them had he not been so injury prone, but neither is likely to get a lengthy contract.
Certainly there will be some interest, particularly in Peterson, who came back from a devastating knee injury to rush for 2,097 yards and win league MVP honors in 2012.
He could be the player who puts a contender over the top, though he comes off another injury-ravaged season in which he played in three games. And the Vikings haven’t closed the door on his return at a lower salary.
Charles has been sidelined for all but eight games the past two seasons.
The time was right for the Redskins to keep Kirk Cousins, giving him an exclusive franchise tag.
They have until July 15 to work out a lengthy contract, but meanwhile he will be due to make somewhere near $24 million in 2017 — a pretty hefty number for a player with no postseason victories.
Cousins got a non-exclusive tag last year.
Last season, Cousins broke his franchise record for passing yards, nearly eclipsing 5,000, and set another team mark with more than 400 completions, throwing for 25 TDs and 12 interceptions with a completion rate of 67 percent.
The Redskins lost four of their last six games to end up 8-7-1 and miss the playoffs.
Charles’ teammate, All-Pro safety Eric Berry, said he wouldn’t play for Kansas City if he was tagged for a second straight year. That was avoided when the Chiefs finalized a $78 million, six-year deal with Berry.
Pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul has shown the Giants he’s recovered from a serious hand injury sustained in a fireworks accident in 2015. The team placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end on Tuesday.
It marked the second time in three years the Giants tagged Pierre-Paul. The other time was in 2015, but the 2010 first-round pick never signed his $14 million tender.
It was ultimately withdrawn by the team after the July accident that mangled his right hand, resulting in his index finger being amputated and other fingers being mushroomed at their tips.
Revis Cut
New York
Revis, 31, was scheduled to make $15 million, including a $2 million roster bonus, next season — but that would have been a lofty salary for an aging player who admittedly had a subpar year.
The move Tuesday, which was expected, makes Revis a free agent while also clearing about $9.3 million on the salary cap.
Revis is also facing aggravated assault and other charges alleging he was in a fight with two men on Feb. 12 in Pittsburgh, but his legal issues aren’t believed to have played a role in the Jets’ decision.
Refs May Go Full-Time
The NFL is considering making referees full-time employees and centralizing replay review at its New York headquarters as it aims for more consistent, shorter games.
Those were the major topics of discussion when the league’s competition committee met Tuesday in advance of the league’s annual scouting combine.
Falcons president Rich McKay, chairman of the competition committee, noted that the collective bargaining agreement allows the league to hire as many as 17 full-time officials . “That is being discussed,” he told The Associated Press after the meeting.
The positives, McKay said, are better, centralized training and, ultimately, greater consistency between crews.
Broncos boss John Elway, another member of the competition committee, said the caveat is that these referees have successful careers outside of football and they may not want to give up their day jobs.