Pre-season Week 4 kicks off this week which means we are very close to the regular season openers on September 7th (KC at New England), September 10th and September 11th. Let’s get scooped from around the league and look at the Week 4 Pre-season schedule for the NFC North.
Around the League
The Browns cut Joe Haden clearing 6.7 million in cap space. This guy has been a good corner on a bad team but is getting up there in age. Someone will surely sign him.
The Steelers got tight end help by trading a 4th round pick for Vance McDonald and a 5th round pick from the 49ers. McDonald was a 2nd round pick but never lived up to his draft status in San Francisco. The Steelers still improve at tight end after failing with Ladarius Green.
The Chiefs traded for Reggie Ragland to the Bills using a 2019 (not 2018) 4th round pick. Kansas City needed ILB help and Ragland needed to be in a 3-4 style defense. Ragland was a 2nd round pick from 2015 but the new GM in Buffalo is cleaning house. The Chiefs cut ILB Josh Mauga as well.
Two long snappers got traded on the same day. You don’t see that often. Eagles sent long snapper Jon Dorenbos to the Saints for a 2019 7th round pick.
Jets traded for backup safety Ronald Martin and sent long snapper Thomas Hennessy to the Colts.
The Patriots gave up a 2018 7th round pick for backup OLB Marquis Flowers from the Bengals. He is a good special team player.
Andrew Luck still isn’t practicing but Joe Flacco is resuming throwing on the QB front.
The Lions cut backup tackle and former Bills 2nd round pick, Cyrus Kouandijo, after Greg Robinson won the left tackle spot (for the injured Taylor Decker).
Stafford Deal
The full details are out for the Stafford deal. Stafford received the biggest contract in NFL history for total average, guaranteed money and money in the first year.
Stafford will have a cap hit of only 16.5 (from 22) in 2017. This extra 5.5 million in space gives the Lions 12.7 million in room. They could carry it over or trade for a guy like Sheldon Richardson (8 million cap hit for 2017) if they want at the right price for the Jets. Detroit can now use the franchise tag on someone else in 2018 (Ziggy Ansah). Detroit still should have over 55 million in room in 2018 even with the Stafford big contract included.
Stafford will carry cap hits of 26.5 million in 2018, 29.5 in 2019, 31.5 in 2020, 30 million in 2021, and 23 million in 2022 (age 34). Stafford is tied to the Lions through at least through 2020 based on the dead money. This was a great deal for Stafford and Detroit. He could have commanded 30 million on the open market and a double franchise is 58 million over 2 year (29 million). 27 million per year is a little discount based on leverage for him despite being the highest paid player.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/detroit-lions/matthew-stafford-6078/
Pre-Season Week 4
Thursday August 31, 2017
Detroit at Buffalo 7 PM ET
LA Rams at Green Bay 7 PM ET
Cleveland at Chicago 8 PM ET
Miami at Minnesota 8 PM ET
Starters may not play at all or maybe one series. The backups and roster fringe players will get long looks on Thursday night. Roster cut down to 53 is Saturday at 4 PM.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/schedule
Get ready for college football, roster cuts and regular season action. Can’t wait!