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Stafford gets contract extension with Rams
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has agreed to a four-year contract extension through 2026 with the Los Angeles Rams after winning the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.
The deal signed by Stafford on Saturday is worth $160 million, with $135 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.
Stafford is cashing in on his spectacular debut season with the Rams after 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, who traded the 2009 No. 1 overall pick to Los Angeles a year ago. Stafford would be 38 years old in the final season of the extension.
Stafford is headed into the final year of his previous five-year, $135 million deal signed in Detroit, but he repeatedly said he had no interest in going anywhere.
His new deal also is clearly calculated to allow the Rams to retain more of their championship core while adding new pieces, since Stafford almost certainly could have received more money at the top of the quarterback market. Aaron Rodgers' new deal with the Packers is essentially a three-year, $150 million contract.
Stafford never won a playoff game in 12 seasons with the Lions, but he realized his enormous potential immediately after joining coach Sean McVay and a talented offense including Cooper Kupp, who became the NFL's receiving leader in the first year of their partnership.
Stafford set a franchise record with 4,886 yards passing in the 17-game regular season, and he tied Kurt Warner's team record with 41 touchdown passes while leading the Rams to the NFC West title.
He then excelled in the first four playoff victories of his career, passing for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns with just three interceptions. He led game-winning drives in the fourth quarter of the Rams' final three postseason games, including their Super Bowl victory over Cincinnati at SoFi Stadium.
The Rams also are working on a contract extension for All-Pro defensive tackle
Aaron Donald.
Los Angeles recently signed talented veteran receiver Allen Robinson, and the team is hoping to retain Odell Beckham as well.
Journalist Clayton dies at age 67
Longtime NFL journalist John Clayton died Friday following a short illness. He was 67.
The Seattle Seahawks announced the death for Clayton's family in a statement. Clayton worked for the team in recent years as a sideline reporter on radio broadcasts.
Nicknamed “The Professor,” Clayton spent more than two decades covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for the The Pittsburgh Press and the Seattle Seahawks for The News Tribune in Tacoma. Clayton moved to ESPN in 1995, becoming one of the lead NFL writers for the company. Clayton appeared on TV and radio for ESPN and worked at the company for more than 20 years.
“His wife Pat and sister Amy were at his side and communicated earlier he passed peacefully after a brief illness,” longtime ESPN colleague Chris Mortensen tweeted. “We loved John. We are mourning his loss."
Clayton was awarded with what is now known as the Bill Nunn Memorial Award by the Professional Football Writers of America in 2007. The award is presents annually for long and distinguished reporting on football.
Ojabo hurt at Michigan workout
NFL prospect David Ojabo was injured at Michigan's Pro Day workout, wincing in pain after he went down to the turf.
The NFL Network reported Friday that the defensive end was injured in a passrushing drill, went down clutching his left leg and had to be helped off the field. The NFL Network was the only media outlet with access to the workout.
“He was wincing in pain," Michigan teammate Aidan Hutchinson said. “I'm hoping he's all right."
Ojabo's injury may affect his chances of being one of the top picks in the NFL draft next month.
He had 11 sacks last season, helping Michigan win its first Big Ten title since 2004 and advance to the College Football Playoff for the first time, in a breakout year that impressed NFL scouts. He skipped his senior season with the Wolverines after being voted second-team All-America and All-Big Ten.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Ojabo set himself up to go high in the draft after running a 4.55 40-yard dash to rank among the fastest defensive linemen at the NFL combine. If Ojabo has a long-term injury, he may slip in the draft.
Running back Rashaad Penny is returning to the Seattle Seahawks after agreeing to terms on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The new contract will keep Penny with the team he's played for for four seasons.
Penny can earn up to $6.5 million for the one-year contract, according to the person who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity Sunday because the team had not announced the deal. The agreement was first reported by NFL Network.
Finally healthy for an extended period, Penny was the best running back in the NFL for the final month of last season. He rushed for 706 yards and six touchdowns over the last six weeks, showing the potential that made him a first-round pick of the Seahawks in 2018.
Bears sign pair
The Chicago Bears signed Indianapolis Colts defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad to a two-year contract and Kansas City Chiefs receiver and kick returner Byron Pringle to a one-year deal on Sunday.
They also re-signed safety DeAndre Houston-Carson to a one-year contract.
Muhammad spent the past four seasons in Indianapolis and is reuniting with new Bears coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams. Eberflus was the Colts' defensive coordinator, and Williams was their safeties coach.
Muhammad has 11 sacks, 30 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles over five seasons with New Orleans and Indianapolis. He had a career-high six sacks last year.
Pringle played on a Super Bowl-winning team and had 898 yards on 67 receptions after joining the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State in 2018. He caught 42 passes for 568 yards last season and returned 25 kickoffs for 621 yards, an average of 24.8 yards that ranked fifth in the NFL.
Patterson re-signs with Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons addressed one of their biggest offseason priorities by agreeing to terms on a new contract Saturday with all-purpose standout
Cordarrelle Patterson.
The 31-year-old Patterson confirmed the deal on his Twitter account, saying money was not his primary concern.
ESPN reported that Patterson agreed to a two-year, $10.5 million deal.
Panthers bring back Jackson
The Carolina Panthers are bringing back one of their starting cornerbacks, agreeing to terms with Donte Jackson on a new three-year contract Saturday.
The 26-year-old Jackson gives the Panthers a solid nucleus at cornerback as he joins Jaycee Horn and C.J Henderson, both former top-10 draft picks.
Jackson was in the midst of the best season of his four-year career with the Panthers with 61 tackles, 10 passes defensed, two interceptions and one forced fumble in 2021 before missing the final five games with a groin injury. A 2018 second-round draft pick, Jackson has started 51 games during his four seasons with Carolina and has 12 interceptions.
Bucs sign Gage, acquire Mason
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to give Tom Brady everything he needs to compete for another championship.
Free agent receiver Russell Gage and guard Shaq Mason, acquired in a trade from the New England Patriots on Friday, are the latest additions to a revamped roster that’s taken form since Brady ended his brief retirement.
Gage, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons, signed a threeyear, $30 million contract and is expected to become Tampa Bay’s No. 3 receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris
Godwin.
Mason, obtained for a fifth-round pick in this year’s NFL draft, joins the Bucs after playing seven seasons in New England. He was part of two of the six Super Bowl titles Brady won with the Patriots.
Source: Chiefs agree with Smith-Schuster
The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed with former Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on a $10.75 million deal for next season, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical, which should be completed soon.
Safety Justin Reid also signed his three-year, $31.5 million free-agent contract with the Chiefs on Thursday, making official a deal that was reached earlier this week. The contract includes $20 million in guaranteed money.
Falcons sign cornerback Hayward
The Atlanta Falcons bolstered their secondary by signing former Raiders cornerback Casey Hayward to a twoyear, $11 million contract and re-signing Isaiah Oliver to a one-year deal announced by the team on Friday.
The Falcons also announced the signing of running back Damien Williams to a one-year contract.
Hayward has 24 interceptions in 10 seasons with Green Bay, San Diego and the Raiders. Two of the interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
Hayward led the NFL with seven interceptions with the Chargers in 2016, his first of two consecutive seasons earning Pro Bowl honors.