The season is over and the whole league has its sights on the 2022 season. And here are the latest updates so far as we head towards the first cuts and franchise tag period of the offseason.
In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills have agreed to terms on a contract extension with Siran Neal, one of their best special team players. They agreed on a three-year deal worth 10.9 million dollars, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Neal recorded a career-high 12 tackles, recovered a fumble on punt coverage, and a forced fumble on special teams in the 2021 season. Plus, he has been healthy, playing in 64 games out of 65 games over four years, so he is extremely consistent and available for Buffalo.
In Nashville, the Titans have agreed to terms with linebacker Justin Lawler. Lawler was selected by the Rams in the seventh round (244th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he appeared in all 16 regular-season games and three postseason contests in 2018, including Super Bowl LIII.
The Baltimore Ravens hired five new assistant coaches: Mike Devlin (assistant offensive line), George Godsey (tight ends), Rob Leonard (outside linebackers), Zach Orr (inside linebackers), and Ryan Osborn (defensive quality control).
In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers have restructured the contract of nose tackle Kenny Clark, clearing $10.8 million of cap space for 2022, per Pelissero.
The New Orleans Saints promoted Ryan Nielsen to co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach and Kris Richard to co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach, while special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was promoted to assistant head coach on Dennis Allen’s staff.
On a lighter note, Odell Beckham Jr has had an interesting start to the 2022 offseason, as the Super Bowl Champion announced he had successful knee surgery and his girlfriend gave birth to his first child last week.
The NFL suspended free-agent defensive end, Amani Bledsoe, for the first six games of the 2022 season. Bledsoe, who spent last season with the Titans, finished last season in their practice squad and is currently a free agent.
And finally, Kansas City Chiefs have released a key player in their defense, Anthony Hitchens (linebacker), and thanked the veteran for his contributions. Hitchens joined the Chiefs as a free agent in 2018 and instantly became a key player in Kansas City and helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl. Hitchens recorded a career-high 135 tackles in his first season with the Chiefs and was named a defensive captain during his time in Kansas City. Releasing Hitchens isn’t too big of a shock for most Chiefs fans, with the emergence of Willie Gay and Nick Bolton, Hitch was going to have issues making the roster in 2022. It also will save the Chiefs $8.4 million in space while carrying the remaining $4.2 million of his $12.6 million cap number for 2022 in the dead cap.
