Fantasy News

The Packers have re-signed Aaron Jones to a four-year, $48-million contract.

Jones gets locked up a day before he would have been able to talk to other teams, but the star runner wanted to stay in Green Bay rather than get a bigger deal. Both the average salary and signing bonus ($13 million) would have almost surely been bested by another club, so Jones deserves definite credit for taking a “hometown discount” in an era where many chase the money. Green Bay will likely give an increased role to A.J. Dillon in 2021, though Jones is tough to downgrade from the RB1 ranks based on what he’s done through four seasons. Those looking to free agency for running back help could view Chris Carson or James Conner as the top option, and incoming rookies like Travis Etienne could have an even better chance to go in the first round of next month’s draft.

3/14/21 - 04:17 PM ET

The Lions signed Josh Hill.

Hill was recently released by the Saints, and he quickly lands with former Saints assistant and new Lions head coach Dan Campbell. The veteran tight end should be a good presence for third-year tight end T.J. Hockenson to lean on in 2021.

3/13/21 - 09:42 AM ET

The Packers waived John Lovett.

Lovett, who tore his ACL last season, is being waived with a failed physical designation. The 2019 undrafted fullback/tight end from Princeton will likely need to get back to 100% before landing on a roster.

3/12/21 - 04:53 PM ET

The Cardinals won’t tender Trent Sherfield.

This means Sherfield is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year. From a fantasy perspective, this move probably isn’t notable; but Sherfield can contribute on both offense and special teams in real life.

Via: Tom Pelissero 3/12/21 - 02:52 PM ET

The Buccaneers have signed Tom Brady to a one-year extension.

It’s actually a four-year extension, but voidable years—to help provide cap relief—essentially makes it a one-year extension that keeps Brady in Tampa Bay through the 2022 season. The team is said to be working on a long-term deal with Chris Godwin (currently on the franchise tag) and already re-signed Lavonte David, so we’ll see if this is another step to locking in Godwin and also perhaps agreeing to a deal with Shaquil Barrett.

3/12/21 - 10:18 AM ET

The Patriots are re-signing Cam Newton, according to the Boston Globe’s Jim McBride.

Both the Patriots/Bill Belichick and Newton have had nothing but great things to say about each other during last season and into this offseason, so this isn’t a big surprise. After a promising start early the season, Newton said last year how difficult it was when he came back from COVID-19 and felt like he lost his rhythm. New England might not be done adding at quarterback this offseason, but Newton is the current favorite to start in 2021 and should get more of a normal lead-up to the season. The Patriots figure to have one of the best offensive lines in football and might look to pound the ball with Newton and company while playing stellar defense.

Via: Boston Globe 3/12/21 - 08:13 AM ET

The Saints restructured Michael Thomas’ contract.

Stranger things have happened, but Thomas restructuring his deal to turn his base salary into a signing bonus while saving the Saints $8.7 million in cap space is a move that indicates the former All-Pro receiver won’t be going anywhere. Despite some bumps in the relationship last year and trade speculation, Thomas should remain New Orleans’ clear No. 1 receiver in 2021.

Via: Ian Rapoport 3/12/21 - 07:02 AM ET