While the rest of the sports world stands still, NFL offseason activities have officially begun.
Today marked the beginning of the NFL’s “legal tampering” period in which teams can contact unrestricted free agents on other squads and begin negotiating deals with them. If those talks prove fruitful, the deals will become official Wednesday at 4 p.m. as NFL free agency official commences.
The Steelers had a busy Monday, as they franchise tagged linebacker Bud Dupree, released three other players (presumably for cap relief), restructured tight end Vance McDonald’s contract (per a report by SiriusXM NFL’s Adam Caplan) and also saw left tackle Ramon Foster — their starting left guard who just finished his 11th NFL season — retire via Instagram.
They weren’t the only organization making moves today, though. Not only did all three of the Steelers’ divisional rivals make at least one noteworthy splash, but the Texans did something so baffling that it made people briefly forget that every other major sports league was on hold due to COVID-19 concerns.
For example, the Browns reportedly reached a deal with Falcons tight end Austin Hooper that will make the 25-year-old very, very wealthy.
#Falcons free agent TE Austin Hooper, the top player at his position, is headed to the #Browns, per @TomPelissero, @MikeSilver and me. They’ve agreed to terms, he’s the new highest-paid TE.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020
In addition, the Browns also shored up their offensive line by reportedly signing former Titans tackle Jack Conklin to a big contract and provided some quarterback depth behind starter Baker Mayfield by agreeing to a deal with former Washington starter Case Keenum.
As a direct result of the Browns signing Hooper, the Falcons immediately agreed in principle to a trade that would land them a new tight end: the Ravens’ Hayden Hurst.
Trade terms.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
🏈Atlanta gets: Tight end Hayden Hurst and Ravens’ 2020 4th-round pick.
🏈Baltimore gets: Falcons’ 2020 2nd-round pick and Falcons 2020 5th-round pick.
As it turns out, the Falcons’ fifth-round pick already has been sent to Jacksonville for Calais Campbell.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed out in the above tweet, that fifth-round draft pick the Ravens would pick up in the Hurst trade will go to Jacksonville in another agreed-upon deal that would reportedly send Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell to Baltimore.
And through all this, the Ravens still haven’t had to give up the fifth-round pick they got from the Vikings for backup kicker Kaare Vedvik before the start of last season. It’s quite possible that Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta is quite good at this.
Elsewhere, Bengals receiver A.J. Green was also reportedly franchise tagged, which probably didn’t sit well with him given that he told WLWT Cincinnati reporter Elise Jesse in January that he believes the franchise tag “is not the best thing.”
AJ Green told me a franchise tag would speak volumes to him. "A franchise tag is not the best thing". pic.twitter.com/IwSKBPXpbc
— Elise Jesse (@Elise_JesseWLWT) January 23, 2020
In other free agency news relevant to Pittsburghers, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski — a Bethel Park graduate — agreed to a new deal with the Raiders, meaning he will part of the team’s first season in Las Vegas.
Bethel Park grad and former WVU standout Nick Kwiatkoski secures the bag, signs with Raiders. https://t.co/tNH3g32Ga3
— Brad Everett (@BREAL412) March 16, 2020
There were some other trades and deals reportedly struck Monday, like the Cowboys franchising quarterback Dak Prescott and the Titans franchising running back Derrick Henry while shelling out to keep quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
But the most interesting (and questionable) move of the day was definitely the Texans reportedly trading star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for a package that included oft-injured running back David Johnson.
DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth round pick go to Cards for David Johnson and a second round pick this year and a fourth round pick next year.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) March 16, 2020
The Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac summed up the reaction to that trade — and why Steelers fans should be thankful that Kevin Colbert, not Bill O’Brien, is their franchise’s GM.
If, at any point going forward, you want to criticize any move made by the Steelers, think about the Houston Texans trading DeAndre Hopkins and be glad your team didn't make such a ridiculous and incomprehensible trade.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) March 16, 2020
There are plenty of dominoes still left to fall in free agency, particularly where quarterbacks like Teddy Bridgewater, Philip Rivers and Tom Brady end up.
Texans fans: If it makes you feel better, no one will care about the Hopkins trade the second Brady makes a decision — especially if he decides to leave New England.
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxel222.
First Published: March 16, 2020, 8:44 p.m.