News & Notes: Independence Bowl Alumni Collect Over $350 Million in Contracts in First Month of NFL Free Agency

SHREVEPORT, La. (April 12, 2023) – The free agency period for the National Football League (NFL) has been open for just shy of a month, and former Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl alumni have cashed in – inking contracts worth $354.3 million.

27 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl alumni have signed contracts with teams or extensions with their current teams this offseason. That group is headlined by 2018 Offensive Player of the Game and former Duke quarterback Daniel Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the New York Giants. Jones will collect $46 million during the 2023 season – ranking him third amongst all NFL players.

Three other former Independence Bowl players have signed eight-digit contracts, as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech, 2015), wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (NC State, 2016), linebacker Matt Milano (Boston College, 2013) and center Garrett Bradbury (NC State, 2016) have signed contracts or extensions over $15 million. Edmunds inked a four-year, $72 million deal with the Chicago Bears, and Meyers signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. Milano and Bradbury stayed put, with Milano signing a two-year, $28 million extension with the Buffalo Bills and Bradbury re-signing with the Minnesota Vikings on a three-year, $15.75 million deal.

Below is the complete list of Independence Bowl alumni who have signed NFL contracts this offseason:

• Daniel Jones (QB – Duke, 2018): Four-year, $160 million extension with the Giants
• Tremaine Edmunds (LB – Virginia Tech, 2015): Four-year, $72 million deal with the Bears
• Jakobi Meyers (WR – NC State, 2016): Three-year, $33 million deal with the Raiders
• Matt Milano (LB – Boston College, 2013): Two-year, $28 million extension with the Bills
• Garrett Bradbury (C – NC State, 2016): Three-year, $15.75 million deal with the Vikings
• Brandon Facyson (CB – Virginia Tech, 2015): Two-year, $6.5 million deal with the Raiders
• Khari Blasingame (FB – Vanderbilt, 2016): Two-year, $3.6 million deal with the Bears
• Denzel Perryman (LB – Miami, 2014): One-year, $3.5 million deal with the Houston Texans
• Braxton Berrios (WR – Miami, 2014): One-year, $3.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins
• Leonard Johnson (CB – Duke, 2018): Three-year, $2.7 million deal with the Giants
• Sam Franklin (S – Temple, 2018): One-year, $2.63 million restricted free-agent tender with the Carolina Panthers
• Tre Herndon (CB – Vanderbilt, 2016): One-year, $2.58 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Will Harris (S – Boston College, 2013): One-year, $2.58 million deal with the Detroit Lions
• Jon Feliciano (C/G – Boston College, 2013): One-year, $2.25 million deal with the San Francisco Giants
• Terrell Edmunds (S – Virginia Tech, 2015): One-year, $2 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles
• Trent Sherfield (WR – Vanderbilt, 2016): One-year, $1.77 million deal with the Bills
• Adam Butler (DT – Vanderbilt, 2016): One-year, $1.55 million reserve/futures contract with the Raiders
• Deon Bush (S – Miami, 2014): One-year, $1.32 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs
• Kentavius Street (DT – NC State, 2016): One-year, $1.28 million deal with the Eagles
• Michael Badgley (K – Miami, 2014): One-year, $1.23 million deal with the Lions
• Derrick Nnadi (DT – Florida State, 2017): One-year, $1.23 million deal with the Chiefs
• Taylor Stallworth (DT – South Carolina, 2014): One-year, $1.23 million deal with the Texans
• Phillip Dorsett (WR – Miami, 2014): One-year, $1.22 million deal with the Raiders
• Michael Dogbe (DT – Temple, 2018): One-year, $1.08 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals
• Quincy Roche (OLB – Temple, 2018): One-year, $940,000 reserve/futures contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Tim Jones (WR – Southern Miss, 2017): One-year, $870,000 deal with the Jaguars
• Cornell Armstrong (CB – Southern Miss, 2017): Re-signed with the Atlanta Falcons (contract details not released yet)

There are 25 Independence Bowl alumni who played in the NFL last season that have yet to sign with a team this offseason, so the $354 million collected by former Independence Bowl players this offseason is likely to climb even higher.

UPCOMING PUBLIC EVENT – 1ST & GIVE CHARITY FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

The Independence Bowl Foundation’s annual 1st & Give Charity Flag Football Tournament returns for its third year on Saturday, May 6 at Independence Stadium. The tournament supports various non-profits throughout the Shreveport-Bossier City area, as each participating team will be playing on behalf of the charity of their choice. The 2022 tournament raised nearly $5,000 for nine different local charities.

Each team’s tournament entrance fee will be donated directly to the charity of their choice, and the stakes will be high, as those teams will be playing to raise more money for their non-profit. The winning team of the 7-on-7 flag football tournament will have more money donated to the charity that they choose to support.

Tournament play will begin at noon on Saturday, May 6,  with all games being played on the new turf at Independence Stadium. The entrance fee for the tournament is $350, and all $350 will go directly to the charity that each team chooses. All charities supported must be registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations. To register a team or for more information, visit IndependenceBowl.org/charity-flag-football/.