Quarterback Geno Smith leaves the field during the second half of a game against the New York Giants last season in Las Vegas.David Becker/The Associated Press
Quarterback Geno Smith is returning to where his career started after the New York Jets acquired him in a trade with Las Vegas, a person with knowledge of the deal said Tuesday.
The Raiders could have been in position to release Smith, their starter for a 3-14 team last season, with the expectation that they will make Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 pick out of Indiana in the draft next month.
Instead, Las Vegas worked out a swap of late-round selections with the Jets, who get a seventh-rounder while giving up a sixth-round choice and reuniting with their second-round pick from 2013.
ESPN reported that the Jets and the 35-year-old Smith agreed on a renegotiated contract, which had two years and US$66-million remaining.
A person with knowledge of the deal said Detroit reached an agreement on the second day of free agency to add running back Isiah Pacheco as a replacement for David Montgomery after the Lions traded Jahmyr Gibbs’ backup last week, before the negotiating window opened.
All the people are speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because transactions can’t become official until Wednesday, the first day of the NFL’s new league year.
Pacheco spent his first four seasons in the running back rotation with Kansas City, who agreed to a US$45-million, three-year deal with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in the opening hours of free agency.
Pacheco rushed for 2,537 yards and 14 touchdowns over four seasons in Kansas City, helping the team win two Super Bowls.
Montgomery, who no longer wanted to play behind Gibbs, was sent to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs along with fourth- and seventh-round draft picks.
Alohi Gilman (12) reacts during a game against the Green Bay Packers last season in Green Bay, Wis.Jeffrey Phelps/The Associated Press
Kansas City also agreed to a US$24.5-million, three-year deal with former Baltimore safety Alohi Gilman and a US$11-million, two-year contract with receiver Tyquan Thornton, who emerged as perhaps their best deep threat during a 6-11 season that ended a 10-year playoff streak.
Gilman fills a big need in Kansas City’s depleted defensive backfield. Safety Bryan Cook is headed to Cincinnati, K.C. traded cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams and fellow cornerbacks Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams are signing elsewhere.
The Green Bay Packers are doing some shuffling at cornerback by adding Canadian Benjamin St-Juste while informing Nate Hobbs of a plan to release him a year after signing him to a US$48-million, four-year contract, according to two people with knowledge of the decisions. St-Juste is getting a US$10.5-million, two-year deal.
St-Juste was on the field for about 35 per cent of the Chargers’ defensive plays last season and also was a key special teams contributor during his lone year in Los Angeles. The 28-year-old has two interceptions over five seasons, the first four in Washington for the 2021 third-round draft pick.
Hobbs injured his knee in training camp last year and was benched midseason after leaving the Las Vegas Raiders to join the Packers. The 26-year-old made five starts in 11 appearances and had a career-low two pass breakups.
The Packers will designate Hobbs a post-June 1 cut, which will save about US$8-million on the salary cap.
Pittsburgh agreed with running back Rico Dowdle on a US$12.25-million, two-year deal in what will be a reunion with new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy. They were together in Dallas, where Dowdle became the first undrafted Cowboys running back to rush for 1,000 yards in McCarthy’s final season in 2024.
The Steelers are waiting on what would be a much more significant reunion for McCarthy. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn’t said whether he plans to return for a 22nd season, and second in Pittsburgh. The 42-year-old was with McCarthy for 12-plus seasons in Green Bay, and they won a Super Bowl during the 2010 season.
New England picked up one of the top available receivers in Romeo Doubs, agreeing with the former Green Bay player on a US$70-million, four-year contract. The defending AFC champions also added guard Alijah Vera-Tucker on a US$42-million, three-year deal.
The Buffalo Bills and tight end Dawson Knox agreed to a three-year contract extension that will save money under the salary cap. The seventh-year player was entering the final year of his deal and scheduled to count US$17-million against Buffalo’s cap.
The New York Giants have an agreement with cornerback Greg Newsome after losing starter Cor’Dale Flott to Tennessee on the first day of negotiations for free agents. New York also has a deal with safety Ar’Darius Washington, the third player to follow new coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore after tight end Isaiah Likely and all-pro punter Jordan Stout.
The Dallas Cowboys added a safety for the second day in a row, agreeing to a deal with P.J. Locke while also picking up defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia.
Locke spent his first six seasons with Denver, which included time with new Dallas defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The Cowboys added Jalen Thompson, who was with Arizona, on the first day of free agency.
Cleveland and linebacker Quincy Williams have agreed on a two-year contract worth up to US$17-million. The deal reunites Williams with new Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, who was the New York Jets linebackers coach from 2021-24.
Minnesota is keeping two-time all-pro long snapper Andrew DePaola. The 38-year-old is set for a seventh season with the Vikings. DePaola is the only long snapper to make three straight Pro Bowls (2022-24).