Big-name players still moving on to new homes
Cole Beasley and Julio Jones are looking for new teams. Allen Robinson joined the reigning Super Bowl champs with a three-year deal, and DJ Chark chose filling a need in Detroit for a season over a longer deal elsewhere.
Baker Mayfield wants to be traded out of Cleveland, not happy the Browns wanted to try and replace him with Deshaun Watson on the second day of NFL free agency.
And oh yeah, everyone’s waiting to see what happens next with Watson despite his off-field legal issues and sitting out the 2021 season.
Robinson is a big winner, going from Chicago to the Rams and becoming teammates with Cooper Kupp and quarterback Matthew Stafford. He agreed to terms Thursday on a three-year contract as the latest big-name receiver to join the Rams and Los Angeles’ first outside free agent signed this month.
The deal with one of the NFL’s most dependable and veteran pass-catchers gives the Rams someone who had 2,397 yards and 13 touchdowns combined in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Robinson was limited by injuries to 12 games last season when he caught 38 passes for 410 yards.
The Buffalo Bills released Beasley, while the Tennessee Titans officially released a seven-time Pro Bowl receiver in Jones on Thursday.
Beasley had been given permission to seek a trade with one year left on his contract, but the Bills cut their top slot receiver to free up salary cap space a day after signing two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Von Miller to a six-year contract.
Chark said other teams wanted to give a long-term deal to the former Pro Bowl receiver who was limited to four games last season in Jacksonville by a broken ankle. He signed a $10 million deal for this season, saying he sees a good fit with the Lions desperately needing a deep threat.
A person familiar with the discussions says Mayfield asked the Browns trade him through his agent shortly after the team was told by Watson he wasn’t coming to Cleveland. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
The Browns told Mayfield they aren’t trading him.
Dallas released right tackle La’el Collins in another cost-cutting move involving a starter on offense. Collins will be designated as a post-June 1 cut in a salary cap-saving move netting $10 million later this year.
Others released Thursday as post-June 1 designations were defensive tackle Fletcher Cox of Philadelphia and Cleveland tight end Austin Hooper. The Giants released veteran safety Logan Ryan after he started 30 of 31 games.
The Green Bay Packers signed De’Vondre Campbell to keep their All-Pro linebacker at home.
