A slew of running backs could hit free agency
ESPN reported Monday that a bonanza of freeagent NFL running backs could hit the open market.
Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders, Saquon Barkley (New York Giants) and Tony Pollard
(Dallas Cowboys) are all expected to become free agents, Adam Schefter
wrote on ESPN.com.
He reported that the Raiders will try to re-sign Jacobs but don’t want to use the franchise tag, which would cost more than $14 million for the 2024 season.
The Giants might be in the same situation with Barkley, whose tag would be more than $12 million. Pollard would have the same tag with the Cowboys, and they might want to spend their money elsewhere.
Other running backs in the same situation: veterans Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans) and Austin Ekeler (L.A. Chargers).
The free agency signing period opens March 13.
ELSEWHERE
Bengals: The team used its franchise tag on Tee Higgins on Monday, guaranteeing the wide receiver $21.816 million in the 2024 season.
Higgins, 25, was set to hit free agency next month at the end of a four-year, $8.68 million rookie deal he signed as a 2020 second-round pick. The Bengals had until March 5 to tag him.
“Tee has done an outstanding job for us since we drafted him,” coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “I’m glad that he’ll continue to be a big part of our offense and our team.”
The sides have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal if they desire.
Higgins caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games (11 starts) in 2023 after posting back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in 2021-22.
He has 257 receptions for 3,684 yards and 24 TDs in 58 games (53 starts).
The $21.816 million is the league-wide franchise tag amount for wide receivers in 2024.
Raiders: Las Vegas named JoJo Wooden director of player personnel, reuniting him with new general manager
Tom Telesco. Wooden held the same role with the Los Angeles Chargers from 2013-23, replacing the fired Telesco as interim GM for the final three games of last season. The
Chargers ultimately hired Joe Hortiz as GM.
Peter King ending column: Veteran sports writer Peter King will retire from penning his longtime column — most recently called “Football Morning in America” — after 27 years, he announced Monday.
King, 66, published his penultimate column Monday morning on the NBC Sports website.
“I’m retiring*. I use an asterisk because I truly don’t know what the future holds for me,” King wrote. “I probably will work at something, but as I write this, I have no idea what it will be.”
King, who started in 1980 at the Cincinnati Enquirer, worked from 1989 to 2018 at Sports Illustrated, where he wrote his “Monday Morning Quarterback” column. He ended that 29-year employment to join NBC Sports full time in 2018.
King has attended 40 consecutive Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
In stepping away, he cited his declining interest in doing daily coverage of the league. He said he plans to share letters from fans — in place of his reporting and opinions — in next week’s column.