Commanders sign veteran Mariota
Will he now mentor Daniels or Maye?
Marcus Mariota is going to the Washington Commanders. Could Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye be next?
The Commanders bringing in an experienced veteran backup quarterback such as Mariota on Tuesday may be foreshadowing their plans for the draft and signaling the direction they’re headed for the future of the position.
The Commanders agreed with Mariota on a one-year contract with a base salary of $6 million that could be worth up to $10 million, according to a person familiar with the deal.
Mariota, 30, has appeared in 90 NFL games and started 74 for four teams since being taken with the second pick in the 2015 draft, most recently serving as Jalen Hurts’s backup in Philadelphia last season.
Adding the 30-year-old Oregon product increases the likelihood of the Commanders using the No. 2 overall pick this year on a QB.
Ravens bring in Henry
The Ravens agreed to a two-year contract with free agent running back Derrick Henry. The deal is worth up to $20 million and includes $9 million guaranteed.
The two-time NFL rushing champion joins a Baltimore team that annually produces one of the league’s leading ground games.
The running back room was a major offseason concern for the Ravens, because Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins became free agents.
Henry’s eight-year NFL career — all with the Titans to this point — includes a 2020 season when he rushed for
2,027 yards, becoming the eighth player to surpass 2,000.
Texans nab Hunter
The Texans agreed with four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter on a $49 million, two-year contract with $48 million guaranteed.
Hunter had a career-best 16½ sacks last season for the Vikings. He’s reached double digits in sacks five times in eight years.
Hunter will play opposite AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson on Houston’s defensive line.
Vikings busy
The Vikings have their bridge quarterback for the post-Kirk Cousins era and a new ball carrier who ought to add yet more fuel to their fiercest rivalry.
The Vikings stayed aggressive in free agency by adding former Packers running back Aaron Jones and 2018 third overall draft pick Sam Darnold asa temporary replacement for Cousins.
Jones, who was released Monday by the Packers after they landed 2022 AllPro Josh Jacobs, gets a one-year, $7 million contract. Darnold, who spent last season with the 49ers, will get a one-year, $10 million deal.
Winston to Cleveland
Deshaun Watson has a new backup in Cleveland. The Browns agreed to a one-year deal with Jameis Winston that’s worth up to $8.7 million.
Joe Flacco, who went 4-1 and helped the Browns reach the playoffs last season after Watson was sidelined by a shoulder injury, didn’t receive a contract offer from the Browns, said his agent, Joe Linta.
Winston spent the past four seasons as a spot starter in New Orleans, going 6-4. That followed five seasons in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers made him the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2015. Overall, Winston is 34-46 as a starter.
Panthers acquire Johnson
The Panthers gave Bryce Young the No. 1 wide receiver he’s been lacking, acquiring Diontae Johnson from the Steelers for cornerback Donte Jackson.
The deal includes the teams swapping later-round picks in this year’s draft. The Steelers will get Carolina’s pick at No. 178 while the Panthers will get Pittsburgh’s selection at No. 240.
Johnson, 28, had 391 receptions for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns in five seasons with the Steelers.
Lock loves New York
Drew Lock is going to join the Giants and compete for what might be the starting job at quarterback when the season gets underway. The Giants agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed $5 million contract with Lock. The Giants quarterback position is uncertain with expected starter Daniel Jones coming off ACL surgery in November. Rookie free agent Tommy DeVito and veteran Tyrod Taylor each started games down the stretch. Taylor is joining the Jets as a free agent, while DeVito will now compete with Lock for the backup spot, and the possible starting spot if Jones is not ready to play . . . The Steelers found a running mate for outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Pittsburgh has lured away inside linebacker Patrick Queen from rival Baltimore. The Steelers and the second-team All-Pro agreed to a threeyear deal worth $41 million. Queen, 24, is coming off a career-best season in which he had 133 tackles to go with 3½ sacks and an interception . . . C.J. Gardner-Johnson is heading back to the Eagles a year after they let him walk away in free agency. The safety announced on social media that he’s returning, and a person familiar with the deal said Gardner-Johnson is getting a three-year contract worth up to $33 million. GardnerJohnson spent last season with the Lions . . . The Saints and linebacker Willie Gay agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $5 million. Gay has played four seasons in the NFL — all with the Chiefs, who drafted him in the second round out of Mississippi State in 2020. The two-time Super Bowl winner has played in 57 games with 47 starts and has 233 tackles and five sacks to go with four fumble recoveries, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles . . . The Colts and cornerback Kenny Moore agreed to a three-year deal worth $30 million. Instead of becoming a free agent Wednesday, Moore becomes the NFL’s highest-paid nickel cornerback
. . . The Falcons and wide receiver Darnell Mooney agreed on a three-year,
$39 million contract with $26 million guaranteed. Mooney had 31 catches for 414 yards and one touchdown last season for the Bears. His best year came in 2021 when he caught 81 passes for 1,055 yards and four scores . . . The Dolphins added needed linebacker help, agreeing to terms with veteran Shaquil Barrett on a one-year contract worth up to $9 million. Barrett, 31, spent the past five seasons with the Buccaneers, where he had 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions . . . The Texans are acquiring running back Joe Mixon from the Bengals. Mixon will replace Devin Singletary, who has agreed to a deal with the Giants. Mixon led the Bengals last season with 1,034 yards rushing and nine touchdowns . . . The Buccaneers are keeping another key player, agreeing on a $10 million, one-year deal with linebacker Lavonte David, who is returning for his 13th season . . . The Chiefs and Irv Smith Jr. agreed on a one-year deal, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes a veteran tight end behind Travis Kelce. Blake Bell and Jody Fortson, who have been backing up Kelce, are due to become free agents.