The 2024 NFL free agency legal negotiation window opens Monday at noon ET, and deals can become official Wednesday after 4 p.m. ET when the new league year starts (and free agency officially begins). We’ve already seen some big money this week, including Chris Jones‘ massive extension in Kansas City, Mike Evans‘ $52 million deal to stick in Tampa Bay and Justin Madubuike‘s $98 million contract with Baltimore. But with most of the action set for the next few days, our national NFL reporters — Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano — talked to people around the league for last-minute buzz on how things might play out and emptied their notebooks with the latest news and rumors.
What are sources saying about the best free agents, and where might those players land? Which teams could be active? Here’s everything we are hearing at the 11th hour before players and teams start agreeing to terms.
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Cousins | Fields | Mayfield | Wilson
DT market | Hunter | Chargers’ cap
Dolphins’ cap | Ridley | Trades | RB market
Cowboys’ moves | Sleeper free agents
Where will Cousins sign?
Graziano: If you’re already picturing Kirk Cousins in a Falcons uniform, you might be jumping the gun. As of the end of this week, Cousins and the Vikings were still talking, and while Minnesota hasn’t gotten its offer to the point Cousins wants it, I get the sense the Vikings are still very much in this thing. Cousins likes it there. His family likes it there. He’s playing for an outstanding playcaller in Kevin O’Connell and throwing to one of the best receivers in the league in Justin Jefferson. The fans like him. There’s no question it’s his team. He could absolutely leave if he doesn’t get what he wants in a contract, and Atlanta lurks as a possible — even likely — destination if that happens. But until the league year opens, the Vikings still have a shot to keep him off the market.
Fowler: The Vikings are still in the game for Cousins. One team source said, “We’re not out of it,” while another told me it feels like a 50-50 proposition. Atlanta has remained a major threat, and that hasn’t changed. He is believed to be the Falcons’ No. 1 target, with owner Arthur Blank motivated to solve Atlanta’s quarterback issues. The sense is Minnesota wants to re-sign Cousins but will have its limits after paying him $185 million over the past six years. And the Vikings have considered the possibilities should Cousins leave and could use both free agency and the draft to fill the void.
Is Fields on the move?
Graziano: I’m still not hearing anything to convince me the Bears won’t take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick in the draft, which means I believe they’ll trade Justin Fields. But they did not find the market they were hoping to find for Fields, so as of now, they’re waiting to see what happens with Cousins, Baker Mayfield and maybe some others, and what kind of market emerges once those situations sort themselves out.
The idea that Chicago could get a second-round pick for Fields no longer seems likely, but it’s always possible that one of these QB-needy teams will get panicky once other options fly off the board, so it behooves GM Ryan Poles to wait. Right now, the message the Bears are getting back from teams is that they don’t consider Fields more of a sure thing than other potential one-year options such…
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