💸 Jefferson Breaks the Bank, Bears on Hard Knocks, Waddle Waddles Away with a Bag, and More NFL Shenanigans! 🏈

Good morning. This is the Opening Drive, the weekly newsletter that brings you the best of the NFL so you’re always the smartest one at the water cooler.

Justin Jefferson just reset the WR market 💰️, the Bears will be on 'Hard Knocks', Jaylen Waddle signed a huge extension, the NFL Draft will be in Pittsburgh in 2026, and we've got a deep dive on 'fake' contract values in the NFL.

Let’s dive in.

QUICK HITS

• Vikings signing WR Justin Jefferson to four-year, $140 million contract extension (NFL.com)

• Caleb Williams, Bears to be featured on HBO’s 'Hard Knocks' (CBS Sports)

• Giants expecting TE Darren Waller to retire (ESPN)

• Dolphins sign WR Jaylen Waddle to $84.75M extension (ESPN)

• Texans, WR Nico Collins agree to three-year, $72.75M extension (CBS Sports)

• Jets sign All-Pro kick returner and RB Tarik Cohen to one-year deal (NY Post)

• Gable Steveson, Olympic gold medal winner and NCAA champion wrestler, signs with Bills (Yahoo Sports)

• Jets QB Aaron Rodgers feeling 'really good' coming off torn Achilles (NFL.com)

• The NFL is expected to rule this week on the tampering cases of the Falcons and Eagles (ESPN)

• Polling shows Commanders fans don’t like Commanders name (PFT)

• The NFL will test optical tracking system for line-to-gain measurements in the preseason (CBS Sports)

• Pittsburgh selected as host site for 2026 NFL Draft (NFL.com)

• Saints make $11.4M Superdome renovation payment, diffusing a public standoff between the club and state officials (ESPN)

OPENING DRIVE REQUIRED READING (OR LISTENING)

• NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was on the Rich Eisen Show this week and broke down the rumored proposals coming to OTAs and Training Cap. Listen here.

WHO’S UP? WHO’S DOWN?

Who’s up?
Wide receivers. The wide receiver contract market in the NFL has seen a remarkable surge in recent years, with top pass-catchers commanding eye-watering salaries that continue to push the boundaries of the position's earning potential.

Over the past decade, the average annual value (AAV) of the league's highest-paid wide receivers has skyrocketed. In 2014, the top contract belonged to Calvin Johnson at $16.2 million per year. Fast forward to 2024, and that figure has more than doubled, with Davante Adams leading the way at $32.5 million per year.

This upward trend is showing no signs of slowing down, especially with the Minnesota Vikings' decision to reset the wide receiver market. The Vikings and All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson have agreed to a new, four-year extension worth $140 million, or $35 million per year, with $110 million guaranteed. This mammoth deal has made Jefferson the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback.

Jefferson's record-setting contract could have a ripple effect across the league, putting pressure on other elite receivers to secure similar, if not more lucrative, deals. This dynamic shift in the market could lead to a bidding war, with teams vying to lock down their top pass-catching threats for the foreseeable future.

As the NFL's offensive landscape continues to evolve, the value placed on high-caliber wide receivers has never been higher. Franchises willing to make the necessary financial commitments will be rewarded with game-changing talents capable of transforming their passing attacks. With potential new deals looming for WRs CeeDee Lamb and Tee Higgins, the market is just starting to heat up. 🔥 

Who’s down?
Eagles and Falcons. The NFL's investigations into alleged tampering by the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles are nearing a resolution, with league officials expected to hand down rulings in the coming days.

At the center of the Falcons' case is their pursuit of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, which is believed to have violated the league's strict anti-tampering policies. The Falcons are said to have made contact with Cousins' representatives prior to the free agency period, potentially giving them an unfair advantage in negotiations.

Similarly, the Eagles have been accused of engaging in improper discussions with running back Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants. The specifics of this case are still murky, but the implications could be severe for both franchises.

The potential penalties for these violations are significant. The Falcons and Eagles could face hefty fines, potentially in the range of millions of dollars, as well as the loss of valuable draft picks. In extreme cases, the league has even stripped teams of their rights to certain players.

Beyond the financial and roster-related consequences, the reputational damage of these rulings could be equally damaging. Both the Falcons and Eagles have worked hard to rebuild their images in recent years, and a finding of wrongdoing could undermine the hard-earned trust of their fans and the broader NFL community.

As the league's investigation wraps up, the football world awaits the verdict with bated breath. The outcomes will not only shape the immediate futures of these two franchises but also serve as a reminder to all teams about the strict enforcement of the NFL's tampering policies.

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
A deep dive on “guaranteed” contracts in the NFL

The allure of "guaranteed" contracts in the NFL is often more fantasy than reality, as teams and agents have become masters at manipulating the total value and average annual value (AAV) of player deals to create the illusion of financial security.

While the headline numbers of these contracts may seem astronomical, the truth is that the vast majority of the money is not truly guaranteed. Instead, teams and agents employ a variety of tactics to inflate the perceived value of the deals, often at the expense of the players' long-term interests.

One of the most common methods is the use of "void years" - extra years tacked onto the end of a contract that serve no practical purpose other than to spread out the signing bonus and create more immediate cap space for the team. These void years are essentially meaningless, as the player is unlikely to ever see that money.

Similarly, agents have become adept at negotiating contracts with large signing bonuses and team options, effectively shifting the risk away from the team and onto the player. This means that while the total contract value may be in the hundreds of millions, the true guaranteed money is often a fraction of that amount.

The result is a system that heavily favors the teams, allowing them to manipulate the salary cap and create the illusion of financial security for their players. This reality check serves as a stark reminder that the world of NFL contracts is not as straightforward as it may appear on the surface.

As the league's financial landscape continues to evolve, players and their representatives must remain vigilant in their negotiations, ensuring that the so-called "guaranteed" money is truly reflective of the value they bring to the field.

Did you know? (Using Kirk Cousins as an example)

🏈 The Atlanta Falcons guaranteed $100 million of Kirk Cousins $180 million deal.
🏈 That includes a $50 million signing bonus, a $12.5 million salary in 2024, and a $27.5 million base salary in 2025.
🏈 Cousins will get an additional $10 million roster bonus if he’s still with the team by the fifth day of the league year in 2025.
🏈 $50M + $12.5M + $27.5M + $10M = $100M

MEME OF THE WEEK

You can get free stuff for referring friends and family to Opening Drive 👇️ 

1 referral - Opening Drive AI 2024 mock draft ✅ 
5 referrals - Opening Drive sticker pack ✅