The new NFL year has begun, but free agent contracts and trades agreed upon in recent days or weeks won't become official just yet.
Although information on dozens of contract agreements and a slew of trades has been leaked, all of those transactions now come with the caveat that the signings and physicals need to occur. Free agents involved won't be getting paid until those deals are signed and physicals are taken. The NFL has barred travel to team facilities by free agents and also has banned team personnel from traveling to meet with players as a safeguard against the new coronavirus.
That said, in free agency news:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter free agency with expectations of signing six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady. There's been no official announcement on Brady joining the Bucs after 20 seasons with the New England Patriots. But there's already an increased demand for tickets. Within hours of reports of the team closing in on a deal with Brady, the website selling season passes for 2020 showed more than 2,400 people waiting for a chance to make purchases.
The Patriots were in cost-cutting mode on the first day of free agency. Safety Duron Harmon was traded to the Lions, defensive tackle Danny Shelton also landed in Detroit and offensive lineman Ted Karras agreed to a deal with the Dolphins. Linebacker Elandon Roberts is also expected to sign with the Dolphins. Combined with other moves this week, the Patriots are about $13 million under the salary cap and they still have to replace Tom Brady.
The Buffalo Bills have signed cornerback Josh Norman to a one-year contract in hopes the eighth-year player can secure a starting job opposite Tre'Davious White.
The New York Jets are re-signing cornerback Brian Poole to a one-year, $5 million fully guaranteed contract, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. Poole was the Jets' best cornerback last season in Gregg Williams' defense, playing in the nickel spot. Trumaine Johnson's stint with the New York Jets is over after two disappointing and injury-plagued seasons. The move saves New York $11 million in salary cap space this year.
The Giants' Nate Solder faces an uncertain future on the left side and veteran Mike Remmers is a free agent. And, now, the Giants don't have much salary cap space after agreeing to terms in free agency with Panthers cornerback James Bradberry, Packers linebackers Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell, and 49ers tight end Levine Toilolo, and franchising defensive tackle Leonard Williams.
The Philadelphia Eagles added former Steelers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, released standout safety Malcolm Jenkins and retained starting safety Rodney McLeod, starting cornerback Jalen Mills, defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway and backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld so far in free agency.
The Washington Redskins are signing safety Sean Davis for a one-year deal that can be worth up to $5 million. The Redskins also agreed to terms with linebackers Thomas Davis and Kevin Pierre-Louis and re-signed Jon Bostic, and signed guard Wes Schweitzer for help on the offensive line.
A person familiar with the trade says the Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to send quarterback Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears for a compensatory fourth-round draft pick. The Jaguars are dumping Foles a little more than a year after giving the former Super Bowl MVP a four-year, $88 million contract that included a whopping $50 million guaranteed. Foles is due to make $15 million in 2020 and would have counted almost $22 million against Jacksonville's salary cap.
DeForest Buckner made it official by signing a four-year, $84 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts, one day after his celebrating his 26th birthday. The deal makes Buckner the second-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL. Indy also has agreed to terms on a one-year, $25 million deal with quarterback Philip Rivers.
The Miami Dolphins have added up to seven starters with a spending spree at the start of free agency. The latest addition to the starting lineup: center Ted Karras. Earlier the Dolphins made Byron Jones the NFL's highest-paid cornerback and bolstered their pass rush by reaching agreements with linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah. On offense they upgraded by acquiring running back Jordan Howard and guard Ereck Flowers. The seven deals were for a total of more than $222 million.
The Bengals released right guard John Miller. The move came five days after the Bengals released left tackle Cordy Glenn, who missed 10 games last season with a concussion and a team suspension. The Bengals also released B.W. Webb as part of a cornerback shuffle. They're expected to sign former Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes.
The Atlanta Falcons and Dante Fowler have agreed to a $48 million, three-year contract, reuniting the outside linebacker with one of his coaches in college according to a person familiar with the deal. The 25-year-old Fowler played college ball at the University of Florida. When he was a freshman in 2012, Falcons coach Dan Quinn was the Gators' defensive coordinator.
The Minnesota Vikings shed yet more salary with the termination of right guard Josh Kline's contract. Kline joined fellow starters defensive tackle Linval Joseph, cornerback Trae Waynes and wide receiver Stefon Diggs on their way to other teams. The Vikings made their biggest move this week by extending the contract of quarterback Kirk Cousins and agreeing to trade Diggs to Buffalo. Their most notable pickup on the market was former Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce to replace Joseph.
The Baltimore Ravens added 6-foot-8 defensive end Calais Campbell and the acquisition of 6-5 free agent defensive tackle Michael Brockers. The Ravens also sent tight end Hayden Hurst and a 2020 fourth-round draft choice to the Falcons for Atlanta's second- and fifth-round selections in the draft.
The Chicago Bears traded for quarterback Nick Foles to push Mitchell Trubisky. They also brought in one former All-Pro to boost their pass rush by agreeing to a five-year, $70 million deal with Robert Quinn, and have another former star on the way in tight end Jimmy Graham.
The Carolina Panthers have released Eric Reid, just 13 months after giving the veteran safety a three-year, $22 million contract extension. The decision to release Reid means the Panthers will be on the hook for $5 million in dead money. Reid was the first player to join former teammate Colin Kaepernick's protest against social injustice by kneeling during the national anthem. He has also been an outspoken voice in the players' union.
The Green Bay Packers' additions of linebacker Christian Kirksey and Rick Wagner this week signaled moving forward without two key veterans. Longtime right tackle Bryan Bulaga has agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Chargers and linebacker Blake Martinez is joining the New York Giants.
Defensive tackle Linval Joseph has agreed to a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. Two people familiar with the deal tell The Associated Press that Joseph's contract is for $17 million but could go as high as $19 million with additional incentives.
The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to an $11 million, two-year deal with Brandon Shell, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The Seahawks are also reuniting with an old friend, bringing back former first-round pick Bruce Irvin, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Irvin will be a boost to Seattle's pass rush that needed attention.
The Denver Broncos have acquired five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey from the Tennessee Titans. Two people familiar with the trade tell The Associated Press that the Titans swapped Casey to Denver for a seventh-round draft pick. Casey is due $11.2 million this season and is under contract through 2022 with a price tag that only rises in the final two years.
Versatile Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Austin Blythe has agreed to a one-year deal to return. Blythe has started all but one game over the past two seasons with the Rams after serving as a backup in 2017. A person with knowledge of the deal says the Los Angeles Rams have also agreed to a one-year contract worth $10 million with pass-rushing linebacker Leonard Floyd.
A person familiar with the deal says free agent cornerback Eli Apple has agreed to a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Texans traded star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona by receiving running back David Johnson in the deal. Both Carlos Hyde and Lamar Miller becoming free agents this week. Randall Cobb could help fill the void left by Hopkins.
The Browns secured contracts with linebacker B.J. Goodson and safety Karl Joseph. A person familiar with the deals told the AP that Goodson will likely take over in the middle for departed linebacker Joe Schobert.
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
People familiar with the discussions tell The Associated Press that Major League Baseball is considering skipping its amateur draft this year and putting off the next international signing period as a way to preserve cash while games are affected by the new coronavirus. MLB proposed crediting full major league service for 130 games or more and proportional service for a shorter season. The union wants a full season of service even if no games are played. Service determines eligibility for free agency and salary arbitration.
The Cincinnati Reds say an employee who worked at Cincinnati's spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The team says the employee lives in Arizona and has been self-quarantined, along with other members of the Reds staff who were in close contact. The employee worked at the complex from Feb. 29 through March 14.
The NHL has its first player who has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The Ottawa Senators say an unidentified player tested positive for COVID-19. The player was experiencing mild symptoms and was in isolation. Ottawa's final three games of the suspended season were all in California.
The IndyCar race in Long Beach, California, won't be held this year. Officials with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach said Wednesday they pursued the possibility of rescheduling the popular race to a later date. The race had been scheduled for April 19.
Formula One has moved its midseason break from August to March and April because of the coronavirus pandemic. The break has also been extended from 14 days to 21. Four of the season's 22 races have already been postponed, and they are hoping that moving the annual break forward could make it easier to find new dates later for events.
The Green Bay Packers are extending the deadline for season ticket holders to pay for their 2020 tickets to June 1 to allow them more time to deal with any potential impact from the coronavirus.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and pop star wife Ciara have announced they are donating 1 million meals through Seattle's Food Lifeline to help provide meals for those in need during the coronavirus outbreak in the region.
All men's and women's professional tennis tournaments through June 7 are being called off because of the pandemic. The ATP and WTA announced that the entire clay-court circuit "will not be held as scheduled." Both tours also said that their rankings will be frozen until further notices.
The Western Athletic Conference has canceled all competition and championships for the remainder of the academic year. The WAC's decision affects men's and women's golf, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's tennis, softball and baseball.
The Big South Conference became the latest to announce it is canceling all spring athletic activities due to the coronavirus pandemic.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas can start celebrating their finish atop the final Top 25 from The Associated Press. The regular-season Big 12 champions, who were 28-3 when the season abruptly ended after the first day of the conference tournament last week, received 63 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel in balloting released Wednesday. That easily outdistanced No. 2 Gonzaga and No. 3 Dayton, each of which received a first-place vote. Florida State was fourth, easily the best finish ever for the Seminoles, while Baylor rounded out the top five after spending a longer stretch at No. 1 than any other team during a topsy-turvy season. The final rankings were based on play through March 11, when the outbreak of the coronavirus brought the sport to a halt.
IDITAROD
As a boy in Norway, Thomas Waerner dreamed of American muscle cars and winning the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. On Wednesday, one of those dreams came true as Waerner won the nearly 1,000-mile sled dog race across Alaska. He blew away the competition and left the closet musher to him about five hours behind. Waerner picks up $50,000 and a new pickup truck for winning the world's most famous sled dog race. He took his dogs over mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and across treacherous Bering sea ice to the finish line in Nome in 9 days, 10 hours, 37 minutes and 47 seconds.
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