ESPN staff6 Minute Read
How surprising is Saquon’s 1-year deal with Giants?
Mike Tannenbaum and Ryan Clark break down Saquon Barkley’s one-year deal with the Giants.
Welcome to 2023 NFL training camp. All 32 teams will be in action this week as they begin to prepare for the NFL regular season — which is just six short weeks away. We will have daily updates every day of camp to keep you informed on the latest news and coolest videos.
Tuesday featured major contract news across the league, first from New York Giants camp, where Saquon Barkley reported to camp after signing his franchise tag. The Dallas Cowboys also signed promising cornerback Trevon Diggs to a five-year, $97 million extension. The biggest sum came out of Los Angeles, where the Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with Justin Herbert on a five-year contract extension worth $262.5 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Elsewhere around the NFL, some players chose not to show up for the start of camp as they seek new or restructured contracts while others arrived at camp hoping the new deals will follow. The San Francisco 49ers gave an update on Brock Purdy’s elbow, and Aaron Rodgers looks to be developing quite the connection with Jets WR Garrett Wilson. More on all of that below.
Here’s what you need to know from camps across the league:
Top NFL news of the day
QB Herbert agrees to $262.5M extension with Chargers
A day before opening training camp, the Chargers secured their franchise quarterback through 2029 with a five-year extension expected to make him the highest-paid QB in NFL history. Herbert, 25, is the third quarterback this offseason to agree to a blockbuster extension following new deals between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jalen Hurts (five years, $255 million) and the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson (five years, $260 million).
Cowboys sign CB Diggs to nearly $100M extension
The Cowboys signed two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs to a five-year extension that sources said is worth $97 million and includes a $21.25 million signing bonus. Diggs is guaranteed $42.3 million, a source said. The 24-year-old was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season, but he is now signed through 2028. The deal can max out at $104 million if he hits on incentives.
Barkley at camp, reaches tag deal with Giants
Running back Saquon Barkley has signed his franchise tag with the New York Giants. The deal is a one-year, adjusted franchise tag worth $10.1 million fully guaranteed and up to $11 million with incentives, sources told ESPN. The tag was adjusted to add a $2 million signing bonus, as well as the incentives, sources said. (More: Why Saquon Barkley agreed to Giants’ deal)
49ers say QB Purdy is ‘cleared and ready to go’
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy isn’t quite all the way back from right elbow surgery yet but he’s well on his way, according to general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan. “Brock is cleared and ready to go,” Lynch said. “Having said that, we’re sticking and we’re adhering to a plan that’s been put in place for some time.” That plan means Purdy will follow a pitch count that includes two days of throwing and one day off.
Jacobs doesn’t report; Raiders respect his stance
Josh Jacobs not reporting for the first day of Las Vegas Raiders training camp was expected. After all, he and the Raiders not only failed to reach agreement on a contract extension by last week’s deadline, but the first-team All-Pro running back still has not signed his franchise tag. Jacobs cannot be fined for missing time in training camp as he doesn’t have a signed contract.
More:
What our NFL Nation reporters saw today
New York Jets: They did it again. Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson hooked up for another highlight-film pass play, a daily occurrence in training camp. This time, Rodgers threw a dime on a long sideline pass to a well-covered Wilson. Later, Rodgers hit Wilson for a 35-yard touchdown. Wilson, the 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has been the best player on the field through five practices. Rodgers said Wilson reminds him of his former Green Bay Packers favorite, Davante Adams. Quite a compliment, considering Adams’ glittering resume. “Davante is in a category by himself,” Rodgers said, “but this 17 reminds me of the other 17, as far as his ability to get out of breaks and his quick twitch at the line of scrimmage.” — Rich Cimini
Kansas City Chiefs: After having offseason surgeries for hand and shoulder injuries, running back Isiah Pacheco is still wearing a bright yellow jersey at practice, indicating to other players that he hasn’t yet been cleared for contact. The Chiefs had mostly been holding him from drills that could put him in harm’s way but Pacheco got a few snaps in 7-on-7 passing drills Tuesday for the first time at camp. That would indicate his clearance to practice fully isn’t far off. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is getting many of the first-team snaps in Pacheco’s place with Jerick McKinnon and rookie Deneric Prince also getting some work. — Adam Teicher
Chicago Bears: Chase Claypool’s stint on the PUP list lasted one day. The Bears wide receiver has been cleared to start practice when training camp opens on Wednesday, according to general manager Ryan Poles, who said that Claypool “needed an extra day or two to get [right]” upon reporting. Soft tissue injuries sidelined the receiver for most of the offseason program but he eventually able to work with quarterback Justin Fields this summer. “We were able to work out a few times before his knee started bothering him a little bit,” Fields said.
Indianapolis Colts: All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor reported to camp in spite of his stated desire for a new contract and pointed comments about wanting to be appreciated by the club. Taylor has spoken out about the financial state of elite running backs in the NFL, like Barkley and Josh Jacobs, who have had bitter contract negotiations. GM Chris Ballard declined to comment on the negotiations but emphasized the team’s recent track record of rewarding its best players. — Stephen Holder
Cleveland Browns: With Amari Cooper battling a minor muscle injury to begin camp, new addition Elijah Moore is quickly emerging as a go-to receiver for QB Deshaun Watson. The Browns have moved Moore around the offense, including in the backfield. And they’ve utilized him in different ways, including on end arounds. Said coach Kevin Stefanski: “He practices hard. It’s fun to be around a guy that really works at it. And then he’s taken on everything we’ve asked him to do.” — Jake Trotter
