HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

49ers Willing To Trade No. 2 Pick

February 26th, 2017 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Saddled with more needs than most teams in the NFL, the 49ers are making it clear they’re open for business regarding the No. 2 overall pick. A draft without a surefire No. 2 prospect, after Myles Garrett, has led John Lynch to consider trading down, per Eric Branch and Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.

“We could stay pat right there and find a fabulous player, a game-changing player,” Lynch said. “It gives us a lot of flexibility to do some other things if we chose to be bold. There are going to be people that covet the pick we have, so there’s going to be some people that want to move up.”

This is the 49ers’ highest draft pick since the franchise held the 2005 No. 1 choice, taking Alex Smith with that opportunity. Lynch acknowledged in a recent radio interview with KNBR the No. 2 selection is a “tremendous asset.” Mock drafts don’t have a consensus for the 49ers at No. 2. Both ESPN.com’s draft expects, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, have the team going quarterback here (Insider links), Kiper sending Mitch Trubisky to San Francisco and McShay envisioning Deshaun Watson impressing the Lynch-led staff enough to invest in him at No. 2. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report recently mocked linebacker Reuben Foster to the 49ers here, and CBS Sports’ Rob Rang pegged Foster’s Alabama teammate, Jonathan Allen, to San Francisco.

Branch and Tafur note the 49ers would presumably be thrilled if the quarterback-starved Browns passed on Garrett, with the 49ers being devoid of a high-end pass-rusher. Cleveland’s trade out of the No. 2 pick last year would help provide a blueprint should the 49ers pull the trigger on a trade. The Eagles surrendered their 2017 first-rounder (No. 12), third- and fourth-round picks last year and a 2018 second-rounder for the right to move up and take Carson Wentz.

Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the 49ers won’t reach for a quarterback. Fronted by Trubisky, Watson and DeShone Kizer, this class has been among the more scrutinized quarterback rookie pools in recent memory. Another team viewing one of these passers in higher regard than the 49ers may be the circumstance that induces a trade.

“The worst mistakes you can make is you take a guy who isn’t that good of a player, or worthy of that,” Shanahan said. “The expectations change. You put a guy in a position that is really unfair to him and you set your organization back. And then you’re trying to commit to a guy who … shouldn’t have been put in that position.”

The 49ers have been connected to veteran quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Jay Cutler and Jimmy Garoppolo, and Lynch recently met with Colin Kaepernick, who has an opt-out decision forthcoming. San Francisco has 10 picks in the coming draft.

Panthers Re-Sign DE Mario Addison

February 26th, 2017 at 8:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers announced that they’ve re-signed defensive end Mario Addison to a three-year deal. Addison, 30, was scheduled to become a free agent next week, but is now locked up through the 2019 campaign at a total cost of $22.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Addison will receive $11.5MM in guaranteed money and earn $9.75MM in 2017, per Rapoport (on Twitter), while the total value of the pact could creep to $25.05MM.

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[RELATED: A.J. Klein Seeking Starting Role]

“Mario has shown he is one of the best emerging pass rushers in the league and he deserves this contract,” general manager Dave Gettleman said in a statement. “He consistently affects the quarterback, and we envision an increased role for him in our defense. He’s a pro in the way he approaches the game and brings an upbeat attitude to our locker room. We’re thrilled he will continue his career with the Panthers.”

Addison led Carolina with 9.5 sacks in 2016 and graded as the No. 16 edge defender in the league, per Pro Football Focus, but did so while playing on fewer than 500 defensive snaps, an indication that he may not be capable of playing a full-time role. However, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera did refer to Addison as a “complete defensive end” at the end of last season, and he’s certainly a valuable defender as a rotational option.

PFR’s No. 14 free agent edge defender, Addison had indicated an interest in re-signing with the Panthers earlier this year. With Addison’s deal now complete, Carolina will now turn its attention to retaining other members of its defensive line, which led the NFL in sacks last season. Kawann Short, Charles Johnson, Wes Horton, and Kyle Love are all heading for the open market, and could become unrestricted free agents on March 9.

Addison’s new yearly average of $7.5MM represents a significant raise from the $1.28MM annual salary he earned under the terms of his previous extension with Carolina. Additionally, that $7.5MM figure makes Addison one of the NFL’s top 10 highest-paid 4-3 defensive ends, as he’s now just behind the Vikings’ Everson Griffen and the Bengals’ Carlos Dunlap.

Marvin Lewis Backtracks On Extension Push

February 26th, 2017 at 7:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marvin Lewis‘ desire for another Bengals extension may have stemmed from wanting to see his staff more at ease instead of securing his own future. But the longtime Cincinnati leader appears to be backing off of this push.

Lewis is signed only through the 2017 season. He told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com he wouldn’t mind an extension into ’18, but some urgency at Bengals headquarters might not be the worst thing after the most recent season Cincinnati completed.

“I don’t think [an extension is] critical or crucial. If things work out we would look to do that,” Lewis said, via Hobson. “I think some people are sometimes more at ease with that. Maybe that’s not where we need to be. Maybe that’s not the right place for us to be right now … everybody is year-to-year, right?”

The 58-year-old coach took the Bengals to the playoffs six times in a seven-year span, from 2009-15, but saw a veteran-fueled team fall well short of expectations last season. The Bengals signed him to a one-year extension last April despite the team coming off of a wild-card collapse, cementing a fifth straight loss in this round. Cincinnati then finished third in the AFC North at 6-9-1 — its worst record since 2010.

Lewis added that he doesn’t have a set date at which he plans to step away from the game. Going into the season as a lame-duck coach would still be an interesting development for the league’s second-longest-tenured HC, given the Bengals’ consistency this decade.

Latest On Chiefs’ Eric Berry Talks

February 26th, 2017 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Discussions between the Chiefs and Eric Berry are ongoing and will likely persist until Wednesday’s deadline for teams to apply the franchise tag to players. But the three-time All-Pro safety isn’t exactly optimistic a long-term deal is coming by then.

“I’m just being patient because you never know,” Berry said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. “I’m not getting my hopes up.”

As for Berry’s vow not to play a second season as a franchised-tagged performer, the 28-year-old defender stands by it, he told Teicher. Berry confirmed, via Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link), talks between his agent and Chiefs management are continuing. And team chairman Clark Hunt said “both sides want to get it done.”

The Chiefs’ end of the dialogue doesn’t differ much from last year, when the sides couldn’t come close to agreeing on a long-term pact. But Berry’s does, as does Kansas City’s situation.

Berry is a year older but is coming off probably his best season, which saw him return two interceptions for pivotal touchdowns en route to joining Earl Thomas as the only active safeties with three first-team All-Pro distinctions. The former first-rounder also could have a higher compensation target, given Tyrann Mathieu‘s six-year deal ($12.5MM AAV) that was signed after the Chiefs and Berry’s 2016 talks ceased. Berry, who played on his rookie deal from 2010-15, earned $10.86MM on the tag last year. Another Berry tag would cost the Chiefs $12.967MM.

While Berry won’t be happy if he’s tagged by Wednesday, depriving him of another chance to venture onto the free agent market in his 20s, but the Chiefs have until July 15 reach an agreement with their cornerstone defender. However, tagging Berry this week means Dontari Poe stands to become a free agent, assuming no long-term deal occurs between the Chiefs and their perennial starting nose tackle.

Kansas City is projected to have just $5.1MM in cap space, and although the team can shed nearly $17MM more by cutting Jamaal Charles and declining Nick Foles‘ 2017 option, it could still be a tight squeeze.

Extra Points: Thomas, Saints, Dolphins, Draft

February 26th, 2017 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Parks

Here are some notes from around the league on the final Sunday before the Scouting Combine.

  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union examines a few reasons why the recently traded Julius Thomas did not meet expectations with the Jaguars. Citing a league source, O’Halloran says that Thomas’ Jacksonville tenure was marred by the fact that he did not make enough downfield catches, that he did not create enough yards after the catch, and that he performed poorly as a blocker. Still, O’Halloran believes the Jags should not have dealt Thomas, as he says they are not in position to part with talented players, regardless of their flaws.
  • The Saints have expressed their desire to bolster their pass rush this offseason, and Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune notes that New Orleans, for the first time in a while, has money to spend in free agency. Holder adds that New Orleans would probably be willing to make a splash for a big-name pass rusher like Melvin Ingram, though if Ingram gets the franchise tag from the Chargers, or if his price becomes too rich for the Saints’ liking, Holder points to Nick Perry as a quality alternative.
  • Without a similar deep-threat playmaker on the team, James Walker of ESPN.com wonders why the Dolphins would potentially allow Kenny Stills to depart as a free agent. One of the top wideouts who stand to be available this year, Stills has drawn interest from the receiver-needy Eagles and wouldn’t mind moving to the west coast. The former Oklahoma Sooner is an Oceanside, Calif., native. While the Dolphins have reportedly attempted to prioritize Stills, it’s clear they will have competition if he reaches the market.
  • The NFL rule that keeps incoming draft picks with certain types of past off-field misconduct away from all league-sponsored events — like the Scouting Combine — is coming under increased scrutiny, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Florio observes that teams will evaluate all players regardless of whether they are invited to the Combine, but they nonetheless prefer that the players be available in one place at the same time. As such, the competition committee could address the issue later this year, either by modifying the current rule or by scrapping it entirely, and any changes could be effective as soon as 2018.
  • Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com believes that as many as three guards could go in the first round of this year’s draft, with Pittsburgh’s Dorian Johnson, Indiana’s Dan Feeney, and Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp all looking like players that could be among the top 32 selected. Pauline notes that the offensive line as a unit is probably the weakest area of the draft, which means that some of the higher-rated prospects — like Lamp, whom Pauline does not believe is worthy of a first-round selection — and even those with middle-round grades will be overdrafted.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

Complete 2017 NFL Draft Order

February 26th, 2017 at 4:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The full 2017 NFL draft order can be found below, sorted by round. The list of 253 selections includes all traded draft picks and compensatory picks, and will continue to be updated leading up to the draft if additional deals are made. For an explanation of how traded picks were acquired, check out our complete breakdown.

Here’s the complete 2017 NFL draft order:

Updated 4-24-17 (3:01pm CT)

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5 Key Stories: 2/19/17 – 2/26/17

February 26th, 2017 at 3:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Dolphins, Jaguars swap assets. After a deal that would have sent left tackle Branden Albert to Jacksonville and tight end Julius Thomas to Miami fell through, the two clubs simply agreed to trade the players in separate transactions, with the Fins getting a 2018 seventh-round pick for Albert and the Jags receiving a 2017 seventh-rounder for Thomas. In Albert, Jacksonville gets a replacement for Kelvin Beachum, on whom the Jaguars declined their option last week, while Thomas — who has since passed his physical — is now reunited with Adam Gase, who coached Thomas in Denver.Jay Cutler

Bears trying to trade Jay Cutler. Chicago is attempting to acquire any sort of compensation for Cutler, although a deal seems extremely unlikely after the 33-year-old quarterback struggled with injuries and ineffective play in 2016. Further complicating mattes is that Cutler is reportedly considering retirement, and could threaten to end his career if he somehow gets dealt to a destination he doesn’t prefer. Cutler is expected to be able to pass a physical by next month, which could be one bit of good news for any interested parties.

Jets begin roster purge. Gang Green is entering a rebuilding stage, and started that process by cutting ties with several veterans last week. After previously declining left tackle Ryan Clady‘s option, the Jets released right tackle Breno Giacomini (link), center Nick Mangold (link), kicker Nick Folk (link), and declined their 2017 option on linebacker Erin Henderson (link). New York is likely to retain linebacker David Harris, but cornerback Darrelle Revis is probably on the outs, especially after his hearing on assault charges was postponed.Russell Okung (Vertical)

Left tackle market continues to evolve. Both Clady and Beachum will now hit free agency after seeing their options declined by the Jets and Jaguars, respectively, and another blindside protector will be joining them on the open market. The Broncos opted not to exercise the remainder of Russell Okung‘s contract, which he notably negotiated without an agent last spring. Okung’s option bonus was worth only $1MM, but the mechanism would have locked in an additional four years, $48MM, and $20.5MM in guaranteed money. Okung will now join a free agent tackle class that includes Andrew Whitworth, Ricky Wagner, and Riley Reiff.

Latavius Murray will reach the market. The Raiders aren’t going to agree to an extension with Murray before free agency begins next Thursday, meaning the 27-year-old running back will hit the open market and potentially land with a new club. Oakland isn’t completely moving on from Murray, who’s only averaged four yards per carry over the past two seasons, but it will let him establish his value in free agency before trying to work out a new deal. Murray will compete for a contract along with other free agent backs including Le’Veon Bell (who is likely to be franchised), Eddie Lacy, and LeGarrette Blount.

Latest On Broncos’ Tony Romo Interest

February 26th, 2017 at 2:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If the Cowboys release Tony Romo — as the veteran quarterback himself expects the club to do — the Broncos will internally debate the idea of pursuing 36-year-old signal-caller, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. If Romo’s price tag reaches the $13MM range, however, Denver is expected to bow out, per Klis.Tony Romo (vertical)

[RELATED: Broncos Have Interest In Andrew Whitworth]

The Broncos have long been believed to be Romo’s ideal landing spot, while Denver was reportedly only interested in Romo as a free agent signing, given that the club isn’t willing to sacrifice draft pick capital or assume Romo’s contract. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last night his team hasn’t made any decision on the Romo front, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, but a release seems likely, if only for financial reasons.

Romo has three years left remaining on his current deal, and an acquiring club would take on base salaries of $14MM, $19.5MM, and $20.5MM over the next three respective campaigns. A trade, though, would leave the Cowboys will nearly $20MM in dead money, the effect of multiple restructures that pushed prorated bonus money into the future. As such, a post-June 1 designated release of Romo makes more sense, as such a move would saddle Dallas with only $10.7MM in dead money.

Signing Romo would indicate a Broncos uneasiness with 2016 first-round quarterback Paxton Lynch, writes Klis, noting that Romo wouldn’t join Denver without an assurance of a starting job. Trevor Siemian, the Broncos’ primary starter last season, would also see his status become murky if Romo is signed. The 25-year-old is coming off shoulder surgery, but should be ready to go by OTAs, reports Troy Renck of Denver7.

The Broncos will likely have competition for Romo once he reaches the open market, as the Texans, Chiefs, Bills, and Redskins have all been linked to the 13-year pro.

PFR Originals: 2/19/17 – 2/26/17

February 26th, 2017 at 1:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

AFC East Notes: Garoppolo, McCoy, Jets

February 26th, 2017 at 11:36am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will continue to be one of the most-discussed players this offseason until he’s either traded or New England officially decides to keep him, and Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com expects Garoppolo rumors to heat up even more this week. For the first time this offseason, the entire NFL will be in the same place at the NFL combine, which begins Wednesday, and as Hannble writes, the foundation for a future trade is often laid at the combine. While it is highly unlikely a trade will be consummated this week, we could start to get more of an idea of which teams are truly interested in trading for Garoppolo and what the Pats might realistically seek in return.

Now for more out of the AFC East:

  • Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes receiver Michael Floyd could return to the Patriots, who claimed him off waivers in mid-December, but despite Floyd’s tantalizing physical ability, Reiss does not think New England will get into a competitive situation to retain him. Floyd will likely be suspended for at least two games as a result of his recent DUI, and he struggled to get on the same page with Tom Brady during his brief tenure in New England. He was a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LI.
  • LeSean McCoy set off alarm bells in Buffalo this morning — probably unintentionally — with an Instagram post that said “Buffalo was so special … thanks for everything.” Multiple sources later clarified that the Bills running back simply meant that he appreciated his time at an autograph signing in Buffalo on Saturday, and that he was heading back home. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk speculates that McCoy could still be cut, as his running style may not mesh with new OC Rick Dennison‘s one-cut zone scheme. Buffalo would save only $1MM against the cap by releasing him this year, but they could create more savings and spread out the dead money hit of $7.875MM if they designate him a post-June 1 release.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes that the Jets now have the leverage in contract talks with Darrelle Revis, as Revis’ poor 2016 season and his pending criminal charges have forced the longtime star to admit that he is willing to take a pay cut to remain in New York. But Cimini writes that the team may simply look to release Revis, regardless of how much of a discount he is willing to accept.
  • In the same piece, Cimini writes that Geno Smith‘s leaving the Jets in free agency is not the sure thing that many assume, as Smith fits the description of a low-cost veteran signal-caller with starting experience that New York may be looking for, and a recent cryptic tweet from Smith has fueled speculation that he could be back. However, Cimini still believes the two sides will part ways in 2017.
  • Wesley Johnson is expected to take over as the Jets‘ starting center following the release of Nick Mangold, but Darryl Slater of NJ.com suggests a few alternatives. Slater names Joe Hawley and Stefen Wisniewski as potential free agent targets and Ethan Pocic, who is regarded as one of the best centers in the draft, as a potential rookie replacement.
  • Now that the Dolphins addressed their tight end position with the acquisition of Julius Thomas — though the team is still interested in bringing back Dion Sims, who is a much better blocker than Thomas — James Walker of ESPN.com looks at Miami’s remaining needs. In Walker’s view, the Dolphins now need to turn their attention to reinforcements at linebacker, guard, and defensive end.miami
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