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AROUND THE SHIELD — The NFL's next business year opens Wednesday, which made this week the beginning of "legal tampering" across the league, the 52-hour negotiating window that runs Monday through Wednesday prior to the start of the new year when teams can arrange terms of contracts with the agents of pending free agents.
Deals can be agreed, but no contract can be signed until 2 p.m. MDT Wednesday.
That means several former Utah high school and college football standouts are making moves, while others are cashing in on long-term extensions.
Here's a look at what former in-state football players are doing during free agency.
Sione Takitaki, LB, New England Patriots
The former Cougar standout signed a two-year, $6.5 million deal that could be worth up to $10 million with what NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero calls "likely-to-be-earned incentives."
Takitaki, 28, returned from an ACL injury last year to one of the more productive seasons of his NFL career, notching 66 tackles for the Cleveland Browns with 37 solo stops, two sacks, three passes defended and an interception in 15 games (seven starts).
Zack Moss, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
The former Utah tailback agreed to terms on a two-year, $8 million contract that includes $4.525 million guaranteed in the first year, according to Pelissero and ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The 5-foot-9 back spent three seasons in Buffalo before signing a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, eventually rushing for a career-high 794 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games (eight starts) last season. He also caught 27 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns for the Colts.
Andre James, OC, Las Vegas Raiders
The former Herriman High star opted to re-sign with the Raiders, where the 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman started 49 of his 76 games played over the past five years.
His deal is worth a reported $24 million over three years that includes $16 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport and Pelissero.
Alohi Gilman, S, Los Angeles Chargers
The former Notre Dame safety who spent a year at Orem High during a prep career at Kahuku High in Hawaii has agreed to a new two-year deal worth $11 million, according to the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
The 5-foot-10 defensive back is sticking with the only organization he's ever known in the league, a spot where he's totaled 117 tackles, 101 solo stops, 14 passes defended, four interceptions and four forced fumbles in four seasons.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans
The former Bingham High tight end re-signed with the Texans on a three-year, $36 million contract that includes $23.5 million guaranteed upon signing, according to the Rapoport and confirmed by the Associated Press.
After spending his first five seasons with the Cowboys, Schultz moved to Houston a year ago, where he caught 59 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns — the second-most in his career in both counts — in 15 games, including eight starts for the former Stanford standout.
Patrick Scales, LS, Chicago Bears
The former Utah State defensive lineman agreed to a one-year deal that includes more than $1 million guaranteed, according to Pelissero, extending the Weber High product as the longest-tenured Chicago player on the roster.
Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears
After arguably the most productive year of his NFL career, the 6-foot ball hawk from the University of Utah who hauled in four interceptions, a pick six, and 31 tackles including 28 solo stops agreed to re-sign with the Bears on a four-year, $76 million contract, according to Rapoport.
The Bears initially placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Johnson, which would have guaranteed the former second-round pick $19.8 million in 2024, according to ESPN.
