With the Hall-of-Fame Game slated for next week between the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, it is now just a matter of days until we see live football on our television sets again.
While teams around the league are focusing on getting ready for the upcoming season, with Week 1 starting on September 8, there is still plenty of news circulating the NFL as teams make final additions to their rosters, lock up players long-term, and prepare for the season ahead.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories of the week.
Seahawks Sign Star Wide Receiver To Extension
After trading away quarterback Russell Wilson earlier in the offseason, there was uncertainty as to what the Seattle Seahawks might do with some of their other stars, most specifically wide receiver DK Metcalf. On Thursday, it was revealed that they plan to have him around for the next few years as they signed the star to a three-year extension.
First reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Seahawks are bringing back the 24-year-old receiver on a three-year extension that could pay as much as $72 million. Of the $72 million, just over $58 million of it is guaranteed with $30 million coming as a signing bonus.
In 17 games last season, Metcalf had 75 receptions for 967 yards and 12 touchdowns. Of course, it will be interesting to see how he performs this season with Geno Smith under center instead of Wilson.
The Seahawks currently have the worst odds of winning the NFC West at +1500 and are +130000 to win the Super Bowl.
Another Seahawks Star Retires
While the Seahawks were able to keep one star in the fold with Metcalf, it appears that another is set to retire. The 33-year-old linebacker K.J. Wright has decided to hang up the cleats after he and the Seahawks were not able to come to an agreement on a contract.
Wright played last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he wanted to return to Seattle, where he had played for 10 seasons.
Part of one of the greatest recent defenses in the “Legion of Boom”, Wright finishes his career with 992 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, nine fumbles recovered, and six interceptions.
Julio Jones Pairs With Brady
Trying to put together one of the league’s best receiving corps, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have added another significant weapon in wide receiver Julio Jones. On Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the 33-year-old Jones and the Buccaneers agreed to a one-year deal worth $6 million.
Last season, with the Titans, Jones played in 10 games, catching 31 passes for 434 yards and a touchdown.
While he is a far cry from the player he was in 2015, when he had a career-high 1,871 receiving yards to go along with eight touchdowns, the Buccaneers hope that he will provide Tom Brady with another significant target.
In recent years, Jones has struggled a bit with injuries, particularly with his hamstrings. The nice thing for Jones is that he is not expected to be a number one receiver with Tampa Bay. With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage in the fold, Jones can play more of a complementary role in the offense.
In other Buccaneers’ news, the team is somewhat concerned about their ability to protect Brady after center Ryan Jensen had to leave practice on a cart Thursday. Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reported that the team is concerned it could be a long-term injury.
This is especially troublesome after the team just gave Jensen a three-year, $39 million deal. If Jensen is out due to injury, Tampa Bay will have to look for alternatives to protect the 44-year-old Brady.
The Buccaneers are currently the favorite to win the NFC South at -270, and they have the second-best odds of winning the Super Bowl at +750.
