CLEVELAND BROWNS
place tender on RB Hunt.
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns gave Kareem Hunt a second chance, and now they’re willing to dangle him.
Cleveland opened a unique and unprecedented free agency period Monday by placing a second-round tender on Kareem Hunt, the troubled running back who played eight games last season after returning from an NFL suspension and had a minor misstep this winter.
Hunt is a restricted free agent and can negotiate with other teams about a contract. If he reaches an agreement elsewhere, the Browns can match any offer. If the team decides not to match the offer, Cleveland would receive a second-round draft pick from the team that signs him.
Hunt was banned eight games by the league for two physical altercations when he played for Kansas City . The Cleveland native is comfortable with the Browns, who have continued to support him throughout his suspension and following a disturbing incident in January, when police found marijuana in his car after a speeding stop. The Browns agreed to terms with two-time Pro Bowl tight end Austin Hooper, a person familiar with the team’s plans told The Associated Press.
NFL Network reported the sides have agreed to terms on a package that will make Hooper the NFL’s highest-paid tight end.
New Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski preferred to run two-tight end formations during his one season as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator. Hooper could be paired with 2017 first-round pick David Njoku, who missed most of last season with a broken wrist suffered in Week 2.
Hunt signed with Cleveland in February 2009, two months after he was released by Kansas City. The Chiefs said the 24-year-old Hunt had lied to them about two incidents, including one in which he kicked and shoved a woman during an argument in a Cleveland hotel.
He came back after missing the first eight games and was used primarily as a blocker for Nick Chubb, who finished with 1,494 yards. Hunt rushed for 179 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also caught 37 passes for 285 yards and a TD.
DOLPHINS Jones, Van Noy coming
DAVIE, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with linebacker Kyle Van Noy and cornerback Byron Jones.
A person familiar with the negotiations says linebacker Kyle Van Noy has agreed to a $51 million, four-year contract and Jones agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $76.5 million.
The person confirmed the deal on condition of anonymity because the NFL free agent signing period hasn’t begun.
Van Noy started the past three seasons for New England and totaled 15½ sacks, including a career-high 6½ last year. He’ll upgrade a Miami pass rush that finished last in the NFL in 2019 with 23 sacks.
Jones has only two career interceptions and none since 2017, but he has missed just one game in his five NFL seasons, all with Dallas. He was a firstround pick by the Cowboys in 2015 and made the Pro Bowl in 2018.
49ERS Armstead locked up
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers locked up one star defensive lineman with a long-term contract and made plans to deal another to add a needed draft pick and salary cap room.
The defending NFC champion Niners signed defensive lineman Arik Armstead to a five-year contract worth up to $85 million Monday to keep him off the open market and then immediately agreed to a deal to send defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis.
A person familiar with the trade said the 49ers will acquire the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s draft in the deal. Buckner will receive a new contract worth an average of $21 million a year, the person said on condition of anonymity because neither the trade nor the contract can become official until the start of the league year on Wednesday.
It was a dramatic series of moves for a Niners team that rode the strength of the defensive line all the way to the Super Bowl.
FALCONS Three players cut
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons will dramatically boost their financial flexibility by releasing three high-priced veterans — running back Devonta Freeman, cornerback Desmond Trufant and offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo.
The Falcons announced the Sambrailo move on Monday. The team is finalizing the moves with Freeman and Trufant, former Pro Bowl players who had been considered foundation players for the franchise. Financial constraints made the moves necessary.
The cuts will clear $12.15 million in salary cap space before Wednesday’s start of free agency. Before the moves, the Falcons ranked 31st in the league with less than $1 million in cap space. Following the moves, the team will have about $11.7 million in cap space.
Freeman, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Sunday, ran for 656 yards and two touchdowns in 2019.
Trufant, 29, was a first-round pick in 2013. He started nine games last season before he was placed on injured reserve with a broken forearm.
Sambrailo signed a three-year deal before the 2019 season but played in 13 games only as a backup.
BILLS-VIKINGS Source: Diggs traded
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills are set to acquire wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, a person with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday night.
The Bills agreed to give up four draft picks, including their first-round selection this year (22nd overall), to land a fifth-year player who has topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past two seasons, the person said.
The deal was first reported by FoxSports.com.
In Diggs, the Bills provide third-year quarterback Josh Allen with an established receiver on an offense that finished 24th in the NFL in yards gained last season, and 26th in yards passing.
VIKINGS Cousins agrees to terms
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Kirk Cousins have agreed to a two-year contract extension, his agent Mike McCartney said Monday.
McCartney made the announcement on Twitter. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.
Cousins was entering the final season of the fully guaranteed, three-year, $84 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2018. He was scheduled to carry a $31 million charge to Minnesota’s salary cap in 2020, so the impetus for doing a new deal now was to provide the team with some immediate relief while giving Cousins some additional security.
Cousins had a career-best season in 2019, ranking fourth in the NFL with a 107.4 passer rating and leading the Vikings to a wild-card victory at New Orleans.
PATRIOTS McCourty extended
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots extended safety Devin McCourty’s contract Sunday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. McCourty was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
The 32-year-old McCourty has spent his entire 10-year NFL career with New England. The three-time Super Bowl champion is eighth in team history with 26 interceptions.
BRONCOS Glasgow agrees to deal
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have agreed to a four-year, $44 million free agent contract with offensive guard Graham Glasgow, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday.
ESPN first reported the agreement, which includes $26 million in guaranteed money.
Although the versatile Glasgow can also play center and Broncos incumbent Connor McGovern is set to hit free agency, Glasgow will get his first look at guard following the Broncos’ decision to cut ties with oft-injured right guard Ronald Leary.
Glasgow has started 58 games in four season with the Detroit Lions, who drafted him in the third round out of Michigan in 2016.