NFL free agency tracker 2022: All of Friday's news on deals between players, teams – USA TODAY

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NFL free agency continues to roll on.
Most of the biggest names available on the market have now inked deals with former or new teams. But there are still several notable figures who, as of Friday morning, had not chosen their new teams, including defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, safety Tyrann Mathieu and offensive tackle Terron Armstead. Along the way, free agency reversals and trades have added to what has been a wild week.
Check back with USA TODAY Sports often throughout Thursday and the entire week for all the latest news and buzz on the free-agent market and what deals could be materializing:
WINNERS, LOSERS:Breaking down biggest deals of NFL free agency
The Dallas Cowboys have found an edge rusher to fill their vacancy.
Dante Fowler agreed to terms Friday on a deal with the Cowboys, according to multiple reports.
Fowler, 27, is reunited with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who was the Atlanta Falcons’ coach in 2020 when the pass rusher signed with the team. He was released by the Falcons this offseason after recording 7 ½ sacks in two years for the team.
Fowler’s addition helps fill the void left by Randy Gregory’s departure for the Denver Broncos.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Deshaun Watson has made up his mind.
In a stunning reversal Friday, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback for the Houston Texans informed the Cleveland Browns he wants to play for them and will waive his no-trade clause in a deal, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity. The person spoke on condition of anonymity due to the fluidity of the situation.
The Browns and Texans subsequently worked out a trade package in which Houston will receive three first-round selections as well as a third-round pick and a late-round pick swap, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
Watson later confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: “Cleveland, LETSSSS GOOOO!! 😤 #DawgPound Ready To Work!”
Watson will receive a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract from the Browns as part of the deal, according to multiple reports. The guarantee breaks the previous high for an NFL contract, which was set by Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen in August 2021 with $150 million. 
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz and Mike Jones
One year after their first flirtation with JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Kansas City Chiefs secured the wide receiver.
Smith-Schuster agreed to sign with the Chiefs, he announced on Friday. The one-year contract is worth $10.75 million, according to multiple reports.
The Chiefs initially pursued Smith-Schuster last offseason, but he opted to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal.
In Kansas City, he will serve as a safety valve for Patrick Mahomes and a passing attack that relies on speedy receiver Tyreek Hill and perennial Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
The Tennessee Titans have landed a No. 1 tight end. 
The Titans are signing free-agent tight end Austin Hooper, a source with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Tennessean. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity, as the team has not yet announced the move. 
Hooper, 27, posted 38 catches for 345 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games with the Browns. The 2016 third-round pick was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Falcons. 
– Ben Arthur, The Tennessean
The Patriots are bringing back one of their best linebackers from last season.
According to the NFL Network, the Patriots are re-signing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley to a two-year deal worth a maximum of $9 million. The 25-year-old had the best season of his career in 2021, finishing with 109 total tackles to go with three forced fumbles and five quarterback hits. Bentley has been a staple in the Patriots front seven over the past two seasons.
Bentley led the Patriots in tackles and forced fumbles last year and was one of the team’s best run stoppers. He turned into one of the team’s draft gems in 2018. Selected in the fifth-round, the inside linebacker showed he could make an impact immediately. Bentley started two of his first three NFL games, but finished his rookie season on the injured reserve.
– Mark Daniels, Providence Journal
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott’s non-answer Thursday when he was asked about the status of defensive tackle Star Lotulelei told you all you needed to know.
“Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll just take it one step at a time,” McDermott said.
With five new defensive linemen signed as free agents including three tackles, it was abundantly clear that Lotulelei was no longer in the Bills’ plans, and that was confirmed Friday when the team announced it has released him.
The Bills made this move despite the fact that they will have to eat an ugly dead salary-cap hit of $7.7 million and will only see $1.5 million of cap space created by his departure.
Lotulelei came to the Bills as a free agent in 2018, largely in part because both McDermott and Brandon Beane were with the Panthers when Carolina made Lotulelei a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
He enjoyed a terrific rookie season in McDermott’s Carolina defense and finished fourth in the defensive rookie of the year balloting. Thereafter, his level of play never rose above the ceiling he created.
He was always a strong run defender who could eat up blocks, and McDermott repeatedly said that you can’t judge his play on statistics, because numbers are hard to generate at the one-technique DT position.
McDermott and Beane believed Lotueleli would be perfect in their emerging Buffalo defense, and they signed him to a bloated five-year, $50 million contract. There’s little doubt that it proved to be a bad contract given the production – and more recently, the availability – Lotulelei provided.
– Sal Maiorana, Democrat & Chronicle
The marquee name of the Chicago Bears’ free agency class won’t be joining the team after all. 
The Bears will not be signing Larry Ogunjobi after the defensive tackle failed a physical, the team announced Friday.
“Larry Ogunjobi embodies everything we are looking for in a Bear,” general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement. “He is a special person and player … (but) our medical team deemed him to have failed his physical and therefore, unfortunately, we are not signing him today.”
Ogunjobi, 27, agreed to a three-year, $40.5 million deal with the Bears this week. The former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle suffered a foot injury in the AFC wild-card game against the Las Vegas Raiders and underwent surgery in January to repair it.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
The Dallas Cowboys will return a former first-round pick and notable member of their defense.
Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch agreed to re-sign with the team on a one-year deal, according to multiple reports.
Vander Esch, 26, started 16 games for the Cowboys last season and netted 77 tackles. Dallas declined his fifth-year option last May but opted to bring him back for another go with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Logan Ryan has found his landing spot less than 24 hours after being cut by the New York Giants.
The veteran safety agreed to a deal Friday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to multiple reports.
Ryan, 31, started 15 games for the Giants last season and collected 117 tackles. He is positioned to take over the starting role left vacant by Jordan Whitehead, who signed with the New York Jets.
Ryan started out his career as a teammate of Tom Brady, playing with the quarterback on the New England Patriots from 2013-16.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

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