Only for Guild Members » the puck get past him again.

All those promises worth millions upon millions to free agents turned into paydays Wednesday when the NFL's business year began.

Of course Adidas Artemi Panarin Jersey , teams needed to clear salary cap space or rejigger their ledgers to make it work, and they'll still be doing so for months.

While the likes of Drew Brees, Malcolm Butler and Andrew Norwell cashed in bigtime, having reached agreements in the past two days before everything became official, some value entered the marketplace.

Arizona released safety Tyrann Mathieu when it couldn't rework his deal. On Tuesday, the Cardinals let running back Adrian Peterson go.

Baltimore cut receiver Jeremy Maclin. Detroit said goodbye to tight end Eric Ebron. Pittsburgh tore up a secondary that often was torn up by opposing quarterbacks, releasing Mike Mitchell, Robert Golden and William Gay.

But Carolina had more success with a veteran, completing a one-year deal with defensive end Julius Peppers.

The 38-year-old Peppers, who contemplated retirement after 17 pro seasons, remains with the Panthers for $5 million, with $2.5 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the team does not release financial terms of contracts.

"I am fired up to have him back," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. "It was amazing to have him as part of what we are trying to build and I think he can help us get to the next level."

Cleveland, meanwhile Cheap Vita Vea Jersey , did nothing more than listen to one of its greatest players, tackle Joe Thomas , announce his retirement. The Browns save his $10.3 million salary for 2018 and a $3 million bonus but lose their best player and leader in the expansion era (1999-present), a 10-time Pro Bowler.

"This was an extremely difficult decision, but the right one for me and my family," Thomas said. "Playing in the NFL has taken a toll on my body and I can no longer physically compete at the level I need to."

CARDINALS

Mathieu was due for $18.75 million of his contract to be guaranteed when the league year officially begins. By cutting him, Arizona will save close to $5 million in cap space.

Mathieu became a star in the Arizona secondary after being selected in the third round of the 2013 draft following a troubled college career at LSU. He was an All-Pro in 2015, when he had five interceptions and 17 passes defensed.

But he also has been plagued by injuries and only last season did Mathieu appear in all 16 games.

RAVENS

Baltimore frees up an estimated $5 million in salary cap space by releasing Maclin, who signed on as a free agent in June. But Maclin missed two games with a shoulder injury, two more with knee issues, and finished with only 40 catches for 440 yards and three touchdowns. The 84 receptions he had over the past two seasons (2016 with Kansas City) are three fewer than he had with the Chiefs in 2015.

Then the Ravens agreed to deals with receivers John Brown and Ryan Grant.

Brown, 27, spent four years in Arizona and is a speedy deep threat, something Baltimore desperately needs. He can also return kicks.

Grant, also 27 Alex Colome Seattle Mariners Jersey , was with Washington for four seasons.

49ERS

San Francisco agreed to a four-year contract with running back Jerick McKinnon and a five-year deal with center-guard Weston Richburg. McKinnon replaces departing starter Carlos Hyde and Richburg could start anywhere in the interior line.

"We see Weston as one of the top young interior offensive linemen in the NFL," GM John Lynch said. "His athleticism, intelligence and attitude are a perfect fit for our scheme. Jerick has proven to be an extremely versatile football player whose speed, elusiveness and tackle-breaking ability make him a very difficult matchup for defenses. We can't wait to get them on the field with their teammates and coaches later this spring."

GIANTS

New York agreed with offensive tackle Nate Solder, late of the Patriots, to become its starter on the left side. Solder, 29, will get a four-year contract worth about $62 million.

The Giants can move 2015 first-round draft pick Ereck Flowers to the right side as they rebuild a line that has struggled for years.

TITANS

Tennessee kept right guard Josh Kline and defensive end David King with new contracts after making a splash in free agency by getting Butler for $60 million over five years ($30 million guaranteed) and also taking running back Dion Lewis away from New England.

BILLS

The Bills restocked their quarterback position by agreeing to a two-year contract with AJ McCarron.

The 27-year-old spent the past four seasons backing up Andy Dalton in Cincinnati after being selected by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2014 draft.

McCarron's signing came five days after Buffalo traded three-year starter Tyrod Taylor to Cleveland. The trade left 2017 fifth-round pick Nathan Peterman as the only quarterback on Buffalo's roster.

Buffalo also added defensive end Trent Murphy from Washington and got a needed pass rusher, albeit a player coming off a major injury.

Murphy had 15 sacks in 47 games, including nine in 2016, then sat out last season after tearing two ligaments in his left knee in a preseason game.

The Bills finished tied for 30th in the NFL with just 27 sacks last season.

The Bills added defensive backfield depth by agreeing with safety Rafael Bush on a two-year contract, and got linebacker Julian Stanford on a two-year contract.

FALCONS

The Falcons addressed a need by signing offensive guard Brandon Fusco, who started 16 games for San Francisco last season, to a three-year deal. Fusco, who began his career with the Vikings Cheap Rashaan Evans Jersey , could immediately start at right guard.

DOLPHINS

Five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh officially was released, when the trades to acquire defensive end Robert Quinn and se Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and said the expansion Vegas Golden Knights sent a message, bouncing back with a 3-1 series-evening win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference final.

”Every time we need a big game as a group, we show up,” Marchessault said. ”We showed the hockey world we earned the right to be here.”

Tomas Tatar scored 6:37 into the game for the Golden Knights and Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 30 saves.

Kyle Connor scored midway through the third period to pull Winnipeg within a goal. Marchessault restored the two-goal lead 1:28 later.

Connor Hellebuyck had 25 saves for the Jets.

After losing the series opener, Marchessault told reporters the team faced a must-win game.

”If you’re going to talk out there in the media that you have to be better, I think you need to lead by example,” he said. ”I tried to do that.”

Game 3 is Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

”I don’t think anybody is panicking,” Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba said. ”We like our road game. We like where it was in the Nashville series.”

Winnipeg won three times on the top-seeded Predators’ home ice, including Game 7 last week.

The expansion Golden Knights appeared to be rusty in the series opener and the Jets scored three goals early in a 4-2 win about 48 hours after advancing out of the second round.

It looked like they were going to pick up where they left off.

”They came out flying again with a lot of speed,” Fleury said.

Fleury, who helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win three Stanley Cups, made key stops early and got help from teammate and a post in the opening minutes to keep the puck out of his net.

”Fleury had to make three or four really good saves in the first seven minutes,” Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. ”We rebounded after that. We got that 2-0 lead and it was a different game for us. When teams are chasing the lead, it’s tough for teams to battle back.”

Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele Authentic Customized Patriots Jerseys , who has postseason-high 12 goals , got the puck past Fleury in the opening moments of the game and Vegas defenseman Nate Schmidt cleared it from the crease .

Vegas generated offense by making plays without the puck, forcing turnovers to set up goals.

”We were on them,” Golden Knights forward Erik Haula said. ”That’s our game. We’re a fast team. I think we showed that.”

Indeed.

After the Jets failed to control the puck out of a corner in their end, Tatar ended up stuffing the puck in the net after hitting the side of the net with a shot.

Connor was pressured into turning over the puck near center ice late in the opening period and Reilly Smith set up Marchessault, his former Florida Panthers teammate, at the blue line and he scored on a breakaway backhander.

”There was about 57 minutes of that game that was pretty good for us,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. ”Three minutes of it got away from us.

The Jets closed the scoreless second period and started the third on the power play and still couldn’t get the puck past Fleury.

Yet.

Winnipeg kept up the pressure on by relentlessly forechecking and drew another penalty early in the third. Connor took advantage, squeezing a shot between Fleury and the post from the bottom of the left circle 7:17 into the third.

That whipped the white-clad fans into a frenzy – triggering jeers of ”Fleu-ry! Fleu-ry!” – and were quickly quieted by another Marchessault backhander that beat Hellebuyck.

The Jets pulled their goaltender to add another skater over the last couple minutes of the game, but Fleury didn’t let the puck get past him again.

NOTES: Vegas put Tatar and Tomas Nosek in place of David Perron and Oscar Lindberg. Gallant said Perron was not a healthy scratch. ”He wasn’t feeling well,” Gallant said. ”I think he’ll be fine.” … The Jets have not lost consecutive games this postseason. … Vegas acquired Tatar from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline for a first-round pick and he played in just his fifth game of this postseason and scored his first goal. ”What a luxury to be able to put Tomas Tatar into a game in the playoffs,” Schmidt said. ”The guy has been an incredible player in this league and proved it for many years.”

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