Promises turn into paydays as business year begins
All those promises worth millions upon millions to free agents turned into paydays Wednesday when the NFL’S business year began.
Of course, teams needed to clear salary cap space or rejigger their ledgers to make it work, and they’ll still be doing so for months.
While the likes of Drew Brees, Malcolm Butler and Andrew Norwell cashed in bigtime, having reached agreements in the past two days before everything became official, some value entered the marketplace.
Arizona released safety Tyrann Mathieu when it couldn’t rework his deal. On Tuesday, the Cardinals let running back Adrian Peterson go.
Baltimore cut receiver Jeremy Maclin. Detroit said goodbye to tight end Eric Ebron. Pittsburgh tore up a secondary that often was torn up by opposing quarterbacks, releasing Mike Mitchell, Robert Golden and William Gay.
But Carolina had more success with a veteran, completing a oneyear deal with defensive end Julius Peppers.
The 38-year-old Peppers, who contemplated retirement after 17 pro seasons, remains with the Panthers for $5 million, with $2.5 million guaranteed.
Cleveland, meanwhile, did nothing more than listen to one of its greatest players, tackle Joe Thomas, announce his retirement. The Browns save his $10.3 million salary for 2018 and a $3 million bonus but lose their best player and leader in the expansion era (1999-present), a 10-time Pro Bowler.
“This was an extremely difficult decision, but the right one for me and my family,” Thomas said. “Playing in the NFL has taken a toll on my body and I can no longer physically compete at the level I need to.”
CARDINALS
Mathieu was due for $18.75 million of his contract to be guaranteed when the league year officially begins. By cutting him, Arizona will save close to $5 million in cap space.
RAVENS
Baltimore frees up an estimated $5 million in salary cap space by releasing Maclin, who signed on as a free agent in June. But Maclin missed two games with a shoulder injury, two more with knee issues, and finished with only 40 catches for 440 yards and three touchdowns.
GIANTS
New York agreed with offensive tackle Nate Solder, late of the Patriots, to become its starter on the left side. Solder, 29, will get a four-year contract worth about $62 million.
BILLS
The Bills restocked their quarterback position by agreeing to a two-year contract with AJ Mccarron. The 27-year-old spent the past four seasons backing up Andy Dalton in Cincinnati.
SANTA CLARA – Carlos Hyde is leaving town after four, so-so years following his mighty predecessor, 49ers all-time leading rusher Frank Gore. Now it’s Jerick Mckinnon’s turn. While Hyde joins the Cleveland Browns (three years, $15 million), the 49ers are ponying up much more for the Minnesota Vikings’ part-time starter Mckinnon (four years, $30 million), according to salary figures from ESPN.
The 49ers also announced the signing of former New York Giants offensive lineman Weston Richburg when deals became official on Wednesday.
General manager John Lynch said Mckinnon and Richburg were both high on the team’s priority list in free agency and he was glad to be able to lock both of them up as soon as the new league year started.
“We see Weston as one of the top young interior offensive linemen in the NFL,” Lynch said. “His athleticism, intelligence and attitude are a perfect fit for our scheme. Jerick has proven to be an extremely versatile football player whose speed, elusiveness and tacklebreaking ability make him a very difficult matchup for defenses. We can’t wait to get them on the field with their teammates and coaches Offensive lineman later this spring.” When Mckinnon needs relief in the 49ers backfield, it will come in the form of a fellow Georgia Southern product, Matt Breida, who opened eyes with his speed as an undrafted rookie last year while backing up Hyde.
Mckinnon and Breida overlapped on Georgia Southern’s 2013 team, and Mckinnon capped that season with a winning touchdown run in a 26-20 upset at Florida.
Breida welcomed Mckinnon to the 49ers with a tweet showcasing pictures of the duo’s Georgia Southern and NFL days, noting: “Cheetah and the Jet in the Bay! Let’s go Niner Faithful!” That would be Breida as “Cheetah,” and Mckinnon brings a “Jet” nickname back to a 49ers franchise where Hall of Famer Joe “The Jet” Perry once roamed in the 1950s.
In starting just 14 of 58 games, Mckinnon has totaled 1,918 rushing yards and 984 receiving yards. That dual-threat capability makes him an ideal fit for Shanahan.
Dual threat? Maybe more than that. In last August’s exhibition in Minnesota, Mckinnon sprinted through the 49ers on a 108yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
In terms of regular-season action, however, Mckinnon has just seven career rushing touchdowns to go with five receiving TDS.
Last regular season, Mckinnon made only one start, totaling 150 carries for 573 yards and three touchdowns, plus 51 receptions for 421 yards and two touchdowns. When hot-shot rookie Dalvin Cook sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, the Vikings divided their rushing duties between Latavius Murray and Mckinnon.
Breida (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) and Mckinnon (5-9, 205) aren’t big but they are blazing fast. Breida clocked a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at last year’s Georgia Southern pro day, and Mckinnon ran a 4.41-second 40 at the 2014 combine, the same time as 49ers 2017 fourth-round pick Joe Williams.