NFL notebook: Panthers reportedly land DT McCoy

[June 04, 2019]  Free agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and the Carolina Panthers agreed to a one-year deal on Monday, multiple media outlets reported.

The contract will pay as much as $10.25 million and includes a $4 million signing bonus, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Charlotte Observer cited sources indicating that the deal is worth a minimum of $8.5 million.

McCoy, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, had visited the Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. Schefter said quarterback Cam Newton helped to sway him toward the Panthers, adding the chance to play his former team -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- twice a year could have been an incentive.

McCoy, the third overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, was released by the Buccaneers on May 20 with three years left on his contract. The deal called for him to make $13 million in base pay this season. The original contract was for six years and $95.2 million.

--NFL commissioner Roger Goodell restated his support for a new stadium in Buffalo.

"I want to make sure this franchise remains competitive and stable," Goodell said, per The Athletic. The Bills play at New Era Field (capacity 71,608), formerly known as Rich Stadium and Ralph Wilson Stadium, which opened in 1973 in Orchard Park, N.Y., and underwent renovations in 1998 and 2013.

Goodell made the comment while attending the Jim Kelly Celebrity Classic golf tournament in Batavia, N.Y. He expressed a similar sentiment three years ago at the same charity event hosted by the Hall of Fame quarterback.

--The Jacksonville Jaguars added veteran Terrelle Pryor to their inexperienced receivers group Monday.

Pryor, who turns 30 later this month, has caught 115 passes for 1,563 yards and seven touchdowns since originally entering the league as an Oakland Raiders quarterback in 2011.

Most of that production came with the Cleveland Browns in 2016, when the former Ohio State star tallied 77 receptions for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. In the two seasons after that breakout year, Pryor caught only 36 balls for 492 yards and three TDs in 17 games with the Washington Redskins, New York Jets and Buffalo.

Gerald McCoy during red carpet arrivals for the NFL Honors show at the Fox Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

--Wide receiver Adam Humphries signed a four-year, $36 million with the Tennessee Titans in March, passing up the chance to play for the New England Patriots. In doing so, he chose to catch passes from 25-year-old Marcus Mariota, entering his fifth season, instead of six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

"Obviously, he's the G.O.A.T. That's that simple," Humphries told The Athletic about Brady. "But there's so much that factors into a decision. It was a four-year deal. Who knows how many (years) he's got left? There's a lot that goes into it."

Brady, who turns 42 is August, is entering his 20th season in New England. He has said he hopes to play until age 45.

--Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has played seven seasons in the NFL, but in an interview with Michael Silver of NFL.com, he said he can see himself playing 15 more seasons, or until age 45.

"I'm just getting started. And I believe this team is just getting started. So, I think that we can do anything that we set our minds out to do," Wilson said.

Wilson signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension with the Seahawks in April, making him the highest-paid player in the NFL at $35 million per year. The deal included a $65 million signing bonus.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.