Graham is the longest-tenured former Wolverine in the NFL.
NFL Free Agency officially kicks off on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 pm, while the legal negotiating period for free agents begins Monday at noon. A few former Wolverines will be hitting free agency and may be on different teams this fall.
Before free agency starts, let’s recap what’s going on with former Wolverines, starting with a veteran defensive lineman who will be spending his 15th season with the same team he’s played for his whole career.
Brandon Graham returning to Philadelphia Eagles for 15th season
Defensive lineman Brandon Graham will be returning to the Philadelphia Eagles after signing a one-year contract extension, the team announced on Saturday.
BG IS BACK ‼️ We’ve agreed to terms with DE Brandon Graham on a one-year contract extension.@Toyota | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/K4aUUvJuIG
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 9, 2024
Graham was drafted by the Eagles in 2010 after four seasons with the Michigan Wolverines . Across 14 NFL seasons, Graham has racked up 73 sacks, 146 quarterback hits and 21 forced fumbles. Some of his best seasons have been recent ones, with Graham earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2020 and posting a career-high 11 sacks in 2022.
The longest-tenured Eagle, Graham hit a cool milestone last season , passing Brian Dawkins for the most games ever played for the Eagles by a defensive player. Graham appeared in all 17 games last season, but only played 34 percent of the team’s snaps, racking up three sacks and six quarterback hits.
With Tom Brady out of the NFL for good, Graham has taken the torch for veteran Michigan players in the NFL.
Former Wolverines who will become free agents
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Wide Receiver
Peoples-Jones appeared in eight games for the Lions last season after being traded by the Cleveland Browns last season. Through four seasons he’s caught 122 passes for 1,895 yards and eight touchdowns while also serving as a solid punt returner. He could be a good fourth or fifth option at wide receiver for a team looking to sign him to a cheap deal.
Mason Cole, Center
Cole hits free agency after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers towards the end of February. He started all 34 games with the Steelers over the last two seasons, including the Wild Card game in 2023. Before that, he spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and one with the Minnesota Vikings .
Graham Glasgow, Guard
According to multiple reports, Glasgow has signed a three-year, $20 million contract to remain with the Detroit Lions . He returned to the Motor City last season after originally being drafted by the Lions in 2016 and spending two seasons with the Denver Broncos (2021-22). Glasgow was a key piece on one of the best offensive lines in the league last season, so this is a quality signing by Detroit.
Ben Bredeson, Guard
Bredeson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 and has spent the last three seasons with the New York Giants , starting 16 games last season. He’ll be seeking a new deal now that his four-year, $3.7 million rookie deal is up.
Mike Onwenu, Offensive Linemen
Onwenu has spent the last four seasons with the New England Patriots after being drafted by them in 2020. He’ll be representing himself in free agency negotiations, and he was called “arguably the Patriots’ most important free agent” in a recent piece from Mike Reiss on ESPN .
Jon Runyan Jr., Offensive Linemen
Runyan has spent the last four seasons playing for the Green Bay Packers after being drafted in the sixth round in 2020. He started 50 of a possible 51 regular seasons for the Packers over the last few seasons, and reportedly both Runyan Jr. and the Packers want him to be playing at Lambeau next season.
Mike Danna, Defensive End
Danna has already won two Super Bowls in four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs , and posted career-highs last season in tackles (50), tackles for loss (seven), quarterback hits (13) and sacks (6.5). He’s ranked fourth on the team in sacks in each of his four seasons, so I would think the Chiefs would make it a priority to try and re-sign him.
Maurice Hurst Jr., Defensive Tackle
Hurst has five NFL seasons under his belt, three with the Raiders (two in Oakland, one in Las Vegas), one with the San Francisco 49ers , and one with the Cleveland Browns. Last season with the Browns, Hurst had 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception he tipped to himself .
Chris Wormley, Defensive Tackle
Wormley appeared in five games for the Carolina Panthers last season and recorded four tackles. He previously spent three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and three with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wormley had a career-high seven sacks with Pittsburgh in 2021.
Devin Bush, Linebacker
Bush played for the Seattle Seahawks last season, racking up 37 tackles in 13 games. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played there for four seasons.
Josh Uche, Linebacker
Like Onwenu, Uche was also drafted by the New England Patriots in the 2020 draft, with Uche getting selected in the second round. In 51 games across four seasons, Uche has made 63 tackles and has posted 31 quarterback hits and 18.5 sacks, with 11.5 of those sacks coming in 2022.
Jourdan Lewis, Cornerback
After being drafted the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, Lewis has appeared in 99 games across seven seasons. He started in eight games last season, racking up 52 tackles, an interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. While he did get burned a few times in his most recent playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, a lot of teams will covet a corner with Lewis’ experience.