NFL transaction roundup: Jags sign CB Darious Williams

[March 17, 2022] The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Darious Williams to a three-year, $39 million deal, ESPN reported Wednesday.

The contract includes $18 million guaranteed for Williams, a Jacksonville native who celebrated his 29th birthday Tuesday.

Williams started 13 of his 14 regular season games and all four postseason games for the Super Bowl LVI champion Rams last season.

Undrafted out of UAB in 2018, Williams has 130 tackles, 27 passes defensed and six interceptions in 43 games (26 starts) with Baltimore (2018) and the Rams. Los Angeles acquired him off waivers from the Ravens in October 2018.

--Pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu has agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks, ESPN and NFL Network reported.

Nwosu, 25, gets $10.5 million guaranteed, per the reports.

Nwosu started a career-high 15 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021, recording five sacks, 17 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and an interception. He played in 62 games (25 starts) since the Chargers selected him in the second round of the 2018 draft. He has 15 career sacks.

--The Las Vegas Raiders are releasing defensive end Carl Nassib, ESPN reported.

The move will be designated as a post June 1 release, saving the Raiders $8 million against the salary cap, but he is free to sign with another team now.

Nassib, 28, had 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits in 13 games last season. He has 22 sacks, 164 tackles and four forced fumbles in 86 games (37 starts) with the Cleveland Browns (2016-17), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2018-19) and Raiders.

--The Washington Commanders will part ways with defensive tackle Matthew Ioannidis after six seasons, multiple outlets reported.

Washington was unable to find a trade partner for the 28-year-old veteran, whose release will save $6.8 million against the cap.

A fifth-round pick in 2016, Ioannidis played in 16 games (six starts) last season and 73 games (40 starts) overall. He tallied 175 tackles, 59 quarterback hits, 24.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

The Commanders also released offensive lineman Ereck Flowers, clearing $10 million in salary cap space, per reports.

Flowers, 27, started 16 games at tackle for Washington in 2021. The Commanders acquired the former first-round pick from Miami in April 2021 for a seventh-round draft pick last year.

Flowers has started 101 of 105 games for the New York Giants, Jacksonville, Miami and Washington.

Running back J.D. McKissic is returning to Washington on a two-year, $7 million contract, ESPN reported. Those are the same terms for a deal reported Tuesday that had McKissic signing with the Buffalo Bills.

McKissic, 28, rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns and caught 43 passes for 397 yards and two scores in 11 games (three starts) last season.
 

He has accumulated 2,480 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns in 62 career games (14 starts) for the Seattle Seahawks (2016-18), Detroit Lions (2019) and Washington.

--The Cleveland Browns released tight end Austin Hooper after two seasons, saving $9.5 million against the salary cap, according to reports.

The team released Hooper with a post-June 1 designation. The Browns put the franchise tag on TE David Njoku, making Hooper and his salary expendable.

Hooper caught 84 passes for 780 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons combined for the Browns. He didn't come close to matching his production in Atlanta, when he made the Pro Bowl in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Hooper has 298 career catches for 3,024 yards and 23 touchdowns in 88 games (57 starts) for the Falcons and Browns.

--The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back backup quarterback Chad Henne on a one-year deal worth $2 million, NFL Network reported.

The 2022 season will be Henne's fifth backing up Patrick Mahomes.

Henne, 36, appeared in four games in 2021 and has just eight appearances (one start) for the Chiefs in four seasons after making 53 starts earlier in his career with Miami (2008-11) and Jacksonville (2012-17).

--The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced a new three-year contract extension for cornerback Carlton Davis. Terms were not disclosed but multiple reports pegged the total value at $45 million.

Davis, 25, made 10 starts and contributed 39 tackles, 11 passes defensed and one interception last season. The 2018 second-round pick has 207 tackles and six interceptions in 51 career games (50 starts) with Tampa Bay.

His 48 passes defensed since the start of the 2019 season are the most in the NFL, according to the Bucs.

--Field Level Media

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