The new league year and the official start of free agency may be a couple of days away, but the legal tampering period opened at 12:00 PM ET today. Teams and players are free to negotiate with each other if they are scheduled to become free agents on Wednesday, though the actual execution of the contracts cannot take place until Wednesday with the start of the new league year. There were some moves in the days and weeks leading up to today, but this will focus on moves that happened during day one. Here is your AFC North free agency tracker:
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Signing:
– P Cameron Johnston (per Aaron Wilson) – Read More
– QB Russell Wilson (per Adam Schefter) – Read More
Departing: N/A
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A quiet first day of the legal tampering period for the Steelers. The Russell Wilson news came in around midnight, so I included it here, but the only real news from the day was the reported agreement with P Cameron Johnston. Pressley Harvin III was released the day after the Super Bowl after the Steelers determined he wasn’t in the plans for 2024. A solid punter may not seem like much, but it has been part of the problem with losing the field position battle for the last couple of years.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Signing:
– LB Malik Harrison (per Adam Schefter)
Departing:
– RB Gus Edwards to Los Angeles Chargers (per Adam Schefter)
– S Geno Stone to Cincinnati Bengals (per Jordan Schultz)
– WR Devin Duvernay to Jacksonville Jaguars (per Ian Rapoport)
– CB Ronald Darby to Jacksonville Jaguars (per Jordan Schultz)
– OG John Simpson to New York Jets (per Tom Pelissero)
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As usual, the Ravens have a lot of guys departing in free agency. They almost always come out in a good position with the compensatory draft pick system as a result. The players departing this year count towards the formula for next year’s comp picks. Running back depth has been necessary for the Ravens, and they lost one of those pieces in Edwards. They also lost a couple of members of their secondary, including Stone, who had a breakout season in 2023. Late Monday night, Simpson was reported to head north to New York to protect Aaron Rodgers.
They already spent a lot of cash on an internal free agent, as Justin Madubuike was given a four-year extension on Friday worth $98 million. They also retained Harrison on a one-year deal.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Signing:
– S Geno Stone
– TE Drew Sample (per Bengals)
– RB Trayveon Williams (per Bengals)
– LB Akeem Davis-Gaither (per Jeremy Fowler)
– RB Zack Moss (per Mike Garafolo)
Departing:
– CB Chidobe Awuzie to Tennessee Titans (per Jeremy Fowler)
– RB Joe Mixon traded to Houston Texans (per Ian Rapoport)
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The Bengals re-signed three of their own, Williams, Sample, and David-Gaither, and added Stone from the Ravens. The Bengals had both of their starting safeties depart in last year’s free agency, so Stone will help shore things up there. Awuzie left to reunite with Brian Callahan in Tennessee. He was an impact player for them in 2021, but injuries hampered him the last two seasons. The Moss news broke shortly after 10 PM Monday and comes on the heels of the team releasing veteran RB Joe Mixon.
They also had a couple pieces of news break today, including Tee Higgins requesting a trade after recently being franchise tagged. The NFL also caught an error with the compensatory draft pick formula that resulted in the Bengals going from two sixth-round comp picks to one third and one sixth.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Signing:
– DE Za’Darius Smith (per Dianna Russini)
– DT Maurice Hurst II (per Adam Schefter)
– LB Jordan Hicks (per Adam Schefter)
Departing:
– LB Anthony Walker to Miami Dolphins (per Adam Schefter)
– CB Mike Ford to Houston Texans (per Ian Rapoport)
– LB Sione Takitaki (per Tom Pelissero)
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The Browns made their big splash on Saturday with a trade for Denver Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy. That alone provides them with another big weapon for Deshaun Watson.
Walker and Takitaki both started several games at ILB, so that is a big loss, but they also retained some key pieces of their defensive front in Smith and Hurst. Later in the evening, they added former Minnesota Vikings LB Jordan Hicks, who has started every game he has appeared in since 2016, and will step in to replace the departing starters.
