2018 March - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Cowboys, Dez Bryant

March 28th, 2018 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The saga of Dez Bryant‘s contract could be coming to an end soon. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that he hopes to hammer out a revised deal with the wide receiver by the end of the next, if not this week, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram writes.

“I think that these two guys that we signed [Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson] and what we might look at in the draft, at any level of the draft, plus what we might get worked out with Dez, gives us a good-looking receiver outlook,” Jerry Jones said.

Jerry Jones has been coy about discussing Bryant’s contractual situation, but vice president Stephen Jones has been public about the need for Bryant to shave his deal a bit. This year, Bryant is slated to carry a $12.5MM base salary with a $16.5MM cap figure. Given the decline in his performance, that is undoubtedly pricey. Bryant hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since the 2014 season and 2017 marked the first year that Bryant was able to stay healthy for all 16 games since that 2014 campaign. Bryant finished out with 69 catches and 838 yards last year, numbers that do not justify his placement as one of the ten highest-paid wide receivers in the game.

Chargers To Meet With QB Geno Smith

March 28th, 2018 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Giants and Jets quarterback Geno Smith will visit the Chargers on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport adds that Bolts head coach Anthony Lynn has been a fan of Smith in the past.

Another former Jet – Kellen Clemens – served as Philip Rivers‘ primary backup last season. As it stands, Cardale Jones is the only other quarterback on the Chargers’ depth chart. While Jones has potential, the Chargers are looking for an experienced QB to play behind Rivers.

Smith, a second-round pick in the 2013 draft, has had a rocky NFL tenure to say the least. After two unsuccessful seasons under center for New York, he missed the overwhelming majority of the 2015 season after teammate IK Enemkpali broke his jaw in a locker room brawl.

Smith spent the following season holding the clipboard for Ryan Fitzpatrick before hooking on with the Giants last year. In an extremely controversial move, the Giants started Smith in a December contest against the Raiders. After his two-fumble game, the Giants reinstated Eli Manning as the starter and fired their coach and GM.

Despite all of his warts, Lynn believes that Smith could be a capable No. 2 QB for the Chargers.

Saints Sign TE Benjamin Watson

March 28th, 2018 at 11:36am CST by Zachary Links

Tight end Ben Watson agreed to a one-year deal with the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This marks a return for Watson, who spent 2013-2015 with New Orleans.

The Saints tried to facilitate a more ambitious tight end reunion this offseason by pursuing Seahawks free agent Jimmy Graham. That didn’t pan out, but they have managed to add experience at the position at a cheaper rate by signing Watson.

Watson had 61 catches for 522 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games with the Ravens last season, demonstrating that he’s still productive, even in his old age. The veteran turned 37 in December.

Watson’s 2015 season with the Saints was the best of his long career. In that campaign, he set career-highs in receptions (74), yards (825), and touchdowns (six) while catching passes from Drew Brees.

The 2004 draft product will now compete with Coby Fleener for the starting role and he may have the edge after Fleener managed just 22 catches last season. Josh Hill, Michael Hoomanawanui, and Garrett Grayson fill out the club’s tight end depth chart.

Giants Want Two First-Round Picks For OBJ

March 28th, 2018 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have asked for at least two first-round picks in return for Odell Beckham Jr., a league source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the Giants continue to insist that they are not shopping the standout wide receiver.

Although OBJ is among the league’s very best receivers, an asking price of two first-round picks is probably too high to facilitate a deal. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is reportedly considering a holdout if he does not get a pricey contract extension. Even if Beckham Jr. backs off of that stance, a team would have to address his long-term future at some point or use the expensive franchise tag to keep him in the fold for 2019.

There’s also behavioral and health concerns to keep in mind. In March, Beckham was caught in a video which may have contained drug use and he has occasionally lost his cool on the field. Last season, a fractured ankle limited Beckham to just four games and he missed the start of his rookie year due to a hamstring issue.

Broncos Acquire Su’a Cravens From Redskins

March 28th, 2018 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have acquired strong safety Su’a Cravens from the Redskins. The deal will see a fifth-round pick (No. 163 overall) go to Washington in return (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News).

Also, as part of the deal, the Broncos and Redskins will swap fourth- and fifth-round picks. The Broncos will move down from No. 109 to No. 113 in the fourth round and from No. 142 to No. 149 in the fifth round. The Redskins will also receive a sixth-round pick in 2020 if Cravens appears in a playoff game for Denver. There are a lot of components in this deal, but the Broncos are essentially acquiring a talented former second-round pick for a fifth-round choice and change.

Cravens decided late in the 2016 offseason to retire from football. The news caught the Redskins completely off guard as they were banking on Cravens to start at one of their safety spots. The youngster reversed his decision hours later, but the Redskins were still skeptical about his desire to continue playing. After a short stay on the NFI list, the Redskins parked him on the reserve/left squad list, barring him from playing in 2017.

The versatile defender was diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome, according to a statement released by his agent late last year, but he is now “asymptomatic and cleared to return back to all things football.” The Redskins insisted that they would not trade Cravens this offseason, but they either had a change of heart or were not being entirely truthful.

“We’re not trading him,” coach Jay Gruden said just weeks ago. “I just saw that on the ticker. He’s still a member of this football team and we have every intention of seeing where he’s at. I’ll have to talk to him and see where he’s at mentally. Physically, I know he’s going to be in great shape. The big thing is, is this something that he wants to do? He has to commit to it full time. He’s a good football player, there’s no doubt about it. He’s a great kid. I’m sure it will work out for him.”

The Broncos’ faith in safeties Darian Stewart, Justin Simmons, and Will Parks led them to part ways with former Pro Bowler T.J. Ward last September. If Cravens is healthy and ready to rededicate himself to football, Simmons or Stewart could be displaced from the starting lineup with Parks pushed a bit further down the depth chart. Simmons was arguably Denver’s best safety in 2017 and he plays at strong safety, so it will be an interesting situation to watch. Cravens may also see time at linebacker, as he did in his rookie season with the Redskins.

As a rookie, Cravens tallied 34 tackles, one sack, five passes defended, and one interception. In his ten games, Cravens graded out as the league’s No. 27 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.

Jets Rumors: Mayfield, Pryor, Roberts

March 28th, 2018 at 9:53am CST by Zachary Links

Some in football circles believe that the Jets traded up from No. 6 to No. 3 in order to draft Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, Mike Florio of PFT writes. Mayfield is widely regarded as one of the four best QBs in this year’s class, but most have some combo of Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen coming off the board in the first two picks.

Mayfield comes with some concerns about his demeanor and height, but coach Todd Bowles won’t rule him out just because of his stature.

“They’re important to a degree,” Bowles said of height and tangible measurements (via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). “Winning is more important. You just have to weigh the pluses and the minuses on that. Quarterback measurables are important. Defensive back measurables are important. There’s a height requirement there as well. There’s a height requirement for linebackers and defensive linemen.”

Mayfield has measured at at 6-foot 3/8 with 9 1/2-inch hands, which has kept him in the conversation near the top of the draft. He still doesn’t have ideal height for the quarterback position, but the Jets could be willing to overlook that if they believe in his overall potential.

Here’s more on Gang Green:

Terrelle Pryor’s deal with the Jets is one year, $4.5MM pact with $2MM guaranteed, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Pryor managed only 20 receptions, 240 yards, and one reception in nine games with the Redskins before landing on IR, but he had a strong showing for the Browns in the previous year. If Pryor gets back to his old form, he could prove to be one of this year’s best value signings in the NFL.
Andre Roberts‘ contract with the Jets is a one year, $1.005MM pact with the $90K signing bonus representing his only guarantee (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). Roberts is expected to serve as a depth addition as well as a special teams contributor, but his low guarantee means that he is not necessarily assured a spot on the final 53-man roster.
Former Jets long snapper Tanner Purdum has retired, according to an Instagram post from his wife. Purdum was with the Jets from 2010-2016 and did not botch a snap during that period. He was released last September after the team traded for rookie long snapper Thomas Hennessy and did not hook on with another club.

Saints To Meet With Benny Cunningham

March 28th, 2018 at 9:16am CST by Zachary Links

Running back Benny Cunningham is expected to visit the Saints soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. He adds that other teams are interested in Cunningham, who has appeal both as a backup running back and special teams standout.

The Saints are set at the top of their running back depth chart with Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, but there could be room for Cunnigham in a group behind them that currently includes Trey Edmunds, Daniel Lasco, and Jonathan Williams. The Saints are the bottom ten of the league in salary cap space, per Over The Cap, but Cunningham would not be a costly addition for them.

Cunningham averaged 27.8 yards per kick return with the Rams from 2014-16, which would make him an intriguing special teams pickup. Last year, Alvin Kamara averaged 31.5 yards per return for the Saints, but they may look to protect him a bit more going forward and use him less frequently on kick returns. Tommylee Lewis had the most KR attempts of any Saint (13) and he averaged 23.6 per try.

Cunningham visited the Buccaneers on Sunday but left Florida without signing a deal.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Chargers, Panthers

March 27th, 2018 at 9:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Dolphins may hope to select a quarterback in the first round of next month’s draft, many in the organization believe 2018’s Big Four — Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen — will be off the board by the time Miami’s slot comes at No. 11, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Views on projected starter Ryan Tannehill vary even among the Dolphins’ decision-makers, per Salguero, but he’ll be under center for Miami in Week 1 if the team doesn’t land a signal-caller in the draft, as the only other quarterbacks on the Dolphins’ depth chart are Brock Osweiler, David Fales, and Brandon Doughty. Jay Cutler, who started 14 games for Miami in 2017, won’t be re-signed, leaving Tannehill and his recovering knee as the only viable starting option.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

After being suspended four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget is not in danger of being released, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, who adds Los Angeles will not seek to restructure Liuget’s contract. Liuget, 28, is slated to earn $8MM for the upcoming season, so he’ll lose out on $2MM in base salary. The former first-round pick appeared in 12 games in 2017, posting 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks while grading as the NFL’s No. 32 interior run defender, per Pro Football Focus. Liuget was especially proficient as a pass rusher, as his 81.8 grade ranked 15th among defensive tackles
Although the Panthers are unlikely to make any more major moves in free agency, they are still open to re-signing backup quarterback Derek Anderson, per David Newton of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Aside from starter Cam Newton, the only other signal-caller on Carolina’s roster is Garrett Gilbert, who has never attempted an NFL pass. Anderson, who earned $2.25MM annually on his previous Panthers contract, has spent the past seven years as Newton’s backup. The backup quarterback market is rapidly thinning, but available options include Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, and Geno Smith.
Running back Mike Davis‘ new one-year deal with the Seahawks is worth $1.35MM, reports Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Davis received a $350K signing bonus — the only guaranteed portion of the contract — an can earn $200K in per-game roster bonuses. Seattle opted not to tender Davis a restricted free agent, but will now retain at a cost about $600K cheaper than the lowest RFA tender. Davis, 25, is part of complicated Seahawks’ backfield that also includes Chris Carson, J.D. McKissic, and C.J. Prosise.
The NFL has instituted a rule banning players from lowering their helmet to initiate contact, tweets Mark Maske of the Washington Post, who adds players can be ejected for doing violating the rule. The league will continue to work on the details of the rule and announce further revisions in May, as Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes.

Latest On Panthers’ Sale

March 27th, 2018 at 8:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The process of selling the Panthers franchise is moving along at an expected rate, and a vote on a new owner is expected to take place during late-May meetings in Atlanta, according to David Newton of ESPN.com, who adds a reported sale price of $2.5 billion could potentially be a bit inflated.

Per Newton, the two most likely candidates to purchase the Panthers remain South Carolina businessman Ben Navarro and Steelers minority owner/hedge fund billionaire David Tepper. Private equity manager Alan Kestenbaum and businessman Michael Rubin are also considered suitors, and Kestenbaum will visit Charlotte on Wednesday to tour the Carolina facilities, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

Three other unidentified candidates may have also interest in the Panthers, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who speculates North Carolina software mogul Jim Goodnight and British businessman Joe Lewis could be in the running. Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said three “really qualified” suitors are part of the Carolina bidding process, but didn’t reveal those individuals.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Redskins, Cowboys

March 27th, 2018 at 8:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Giants are not actively shopping wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., team owner John Mara (once again) didn’t dismiss the idea of dealing the star pass-catcher. “Do I want [Beckham] to be traded? Absolutely not,” said Mara, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link). “I want him to be a Giant. I can’t promise that’s going to happen. We’re not looking to get rid of him, OK? I’d like him to be a Giant. But if you’re asking me for a 100% guarantee, nobody has that.” Beckham may reportedly consider a holdout if he’s not extended by the start of the 2018 season, but he’s clearly not in the good graces of New York’s decision-makers at the moment. Mara recently indicated he’s “tired of answering questions” about OBJ, who was involved in a video that may have involved drug use earlier this year.

Let’s take a look at more from the NFC East:

Free agent defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is in a holding pattern with the Redskins after meeting with the club last week, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Asking price could be an issue, as Keim indicated Washington views Hankins as a potential complementary piece of its run defense rather than a key cog. As such, Hankins may not be in the Redskins’ plans unless his cost comes down. Fellow interior lineman Bennie Logan remains under consideration, but given that Washington has yet to schedule a visit, its interest clearly isn’t serious. If neither Hankins nor Logan end up in the nation’s capital, the Redskins should be expected to target defensive tackle help through the draft.
New Cowboys linebacker Joe Thomas‘ two-year deal is worth up to $3.6MM, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Thomas, who had spent his entire career in Green Bay, received a $1MM signing bonus and will also have $400K of his base salary guaranteed. The Packers opted to non-tender Thomas as a restricted free agent rather than pay him an original round tender of $1.907MM, and Thomas won’t meet that mark with Dallas, either, as Demovsky reports Thomas will collect just $1.6MM total in 2018. Thomas, 26, will likely spend most of his time on the Cowboys’ special teams unit, but will provide depth in case Sean Lee or Jaylon Smith go down with injury.
Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk has schedule a pre-draft visit with the Cowboys, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Because he’s likely considered a local prospect, Kirk shouldn’t count against Dallas’ allotment of 30 prospect meetings. The Cowboys have already added Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson to a pass-catching corps that also includes Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, and — for now — Dez Bryant, but Kirk could give the club another dimension on offense. Kirk averaged a 78/952/9 line during three seasons with the Aggies.