Rodgers intends to play for Jets
Poyer stays a Bill, Cowboys cut Elliott, Mayfield is a Buc
Aaron Rodgers says his intention is to play for the New York Jets in the coming season as the four-time NFL MVP quarterback waits for the Green Bay Packers to trade him.
Rodgers made his comments Wednesday during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on YouTube and Sirius XM. The 39-yearold Rodgers said he believes the Packers want to move on and make 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love their starting quarterback.
“At this point, as I sit here, I think since Friday I’ve made it clear that my intention was to play and my intention was to play for the New York Jets,” Rodgers said. “I haven’t been holding anything up at this point. It’s been compensation the Packers are trying to get for me, kind of digging their heels in.”
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy has acknowledged the team granted the Jets permission to talk to Rodgers. The Jets sent a contingent that reportedly included owner Woody Johnson, coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas to Rodgers’ home in southern California last week.
In other news around the NFL on the opening day off free agency, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed on an $8.5-million (U.S.), one-year contract with quarterback Baker Mayfield, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in 2018, joins his third team since last July. He gets an opportunity to compete with Kyle Trask to replace Tom Brady, who retired after three seasons with the Buccaneers. Mayfield was 1-5 as a starter last season in Carolina before he was released. He joined the Los Angeles Rams and went 1-3 in four starts.
In Buffalo, Safety Jordan Poyer has elected to stay put by reaching a two-year agreement to re-sign with the Bills after briefly testing free agency. Poyer’s return immediately solidifies Buffalo’s secondary, which stood to lose a key leader and contributor who spent much of the previous six seasons forming one of the NFL’s top safety tandems in playing alongside Micah Hyde.
And it comes at a time with the Bills defence in transition following starting middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds’ expected departure in free agency, and with coordinator Leslie Frazier choosing to take next season off from coaching.
The Dallas Cowboys plan to release running back Ezekiel Elliott, ending a seven-season run for a two-time rushing champion whose dominance faded, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday. Elliott will be designated a post-June 1 cut, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the decision hasn’t been announced. The move will save Dallas about $11 million under the salary cap this season.
While Elliott finished with 12 rushing touchdowns in a second consecutive playoff season for the Cowboys in 2022, his overall production never matched the value of a $90-million, six-year extension he signed to end a pre-season holdout in 2019.
The Patriots made their first big pickup of free agency Wednesday, adding free agent wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster confirmed the move in a post on
Twitter saying he was “Excited for my next chapter in New England!”
“I will give this organization everything I have, thank you for believing in me!” he wrote.
A person with knowledge of the deal said it is for three years and could be worth as much as $33 million. They spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because it hasn’t been announced. Smith-Schuster also expressed thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won a Super Bowl last season after spending his first five NFL seasons in Pittsburgh.
The Detroit Lions took another step in shaping their roster during an active week in free agency, resigning defensive end John Cominsky to a two-year deal. Detroit announced the move Wednesday.
The Lions kicked off the week by filling perhaps their biggest need, agreeing to a $33-million, threeyear contract with cornerback Cameron Sutton and later bolstered the position with Emmanuel Moseley on a $6-million, one-year contract.
Detroit decided David Montgomery will join D’Andre Swift in the backfield, choosing to agree to an $18-million, three-year contract with the former Chicago Bear instead of re-signing Jamaal Williams after his career year.
The Carolina Panthers have added a much-needed pass-catching tight end for their incoming rookie quarterback.
The Panthers agreed to terms with former Cincinnati Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst on a threeyear contract, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The Panthers plan to select a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft after trading away four draft picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears to move up eight spots.