2018 May - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons Sign Matt Ryan To Massive Extension

May 3rd, 2018 at 3:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have locked up their franchise quarterback. Matt Ryan has agreed to a five-year, $150MM extension with the team, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The deal includes $100MM guaranteed, setting a new all-time record for signal callers. Ryan is now under contract through the 2023 season, keeping him in place through his age-38 season.

Ryan has thrown for 41,796 yards over the course of his ten-year career with 260 touchdowns against 126 interceptions. In the 2016 season, he became the first Falcons player to win the league’s MVP award as he guided Atlanta to its second Super Bowl appearance. Ryan threw for nearly 5,000 yards in the regular season and completed 71.4% of his passes in the playoffs with zero interceptions.

Ryan set a high standard with his play in 2016, but he had a strong follow-up effort last year. The 32-year-old (he’ll 33 in two weeks) threw for 4,095 yards and tied for second place with Drew Brees amongst all QBs in terms of performance, per Pro Football Focus.

The Falcons passer is now the league’s highest-paid player, but as it usually goes for quarterbacks, he probably won’t hold that title for very long. Assuming that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are on the same page, Rodgers figures to be next in line for a high-paying extension that will likely top Ryan’s. Ryan’s deal is also good news for young QBs Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota as the Bucs and Titans look to keep them out of the free agent pool in 2019.

Ryan’s $30MM average annual value tops the $28.8MM AAV of Kirk Cousins‘ free agent deal with the Vikings, making him the highest-paid QB in the league on a per-season basis. After that, Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5MM), Matthew Stafford ($27MM), and Derek Carr ($25MM) round out the top five.

This year, Ryan will look to get the Falcons back in the Super Bowl mix with an offense that is as potent as ever. After losing wide receiver Taylor Gabriel to free agency, the Falcons landed Alabama’s Calvin Ridley late in the first round, a player who many feel could be the best receiver to come out of this year’s class. He’ll learn from superstar Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu while Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman continue to wreak havoc out of the backfield.

Lions Trade DT Akeem Spence To Dolphins

May 3rd, 2018 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have traded defensive tackle Akeem Spence to the Dolphins. The Lions will receive an undisclosed 2019 draft pick in return.

Spence agreed to rework his contract with Detroit on Thursday morning in a move that made little sense at the time. Now, we know that the contract was adjusted in order to facilitate a trade to Miami.

Spence now joins a revamped Dolphins defensive line that no longer includes Ndamukong Suh. With Spence, Jordan Phillips, Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor and end/tackle William Hayes in the fold, the Dolphins have a solid group in the middle, albeit one with a lot less name recognition.

Last year, Spence had three sacks while playing on the interior and 39 tackles overall. Spence graded out as the 65th best defensive tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus, which portrays him as a solid reserve on the interior defensive line.

The Lions may explore other free agent defensive tackles after dealing Spence. After the departure of Haloti Ngata, A’Shawn Robinson stands as the only significant holdover from last season.

Jason Witten Announces Retirement

May 3rd, 2018 at 2:37pm CST by Zachary Links

In an emotional press conference, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten announced his retirement from football. As widely reported over the past week, Witten will be stepping into the broadcast booth for Monday Night Football.

“After much self-reflection, prayer, and faith, I have decided that the time has come for me to pass the torch to the next generation of Dallas Cowboys and retire from the National Football League,” said Witten to a room full of media members, teammates, and family.

Witten entered the league as a third-round pick of the Cowboys in the 2003 NFL Draft. He missed one game as a rookie due to a broken jaw, but otherwise had a flawless attendance record throughout his 15-year career. With 1,152 catches for 12,448 yards and 68 touchdowns and a franchise record of 235 consecutive games played, Witten has a strong case for the Hall of Fame.

Last season wasn’t Witten’s best, but he still had 63 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns and secured his eleventh Pro Bowl selection as a replacement for Zach Ertz. When Witten informed Jerry Jones of his plan to transition into broadcasting, the Cowboys owner begged him to reconsider and reportedly made it a tough call for the tight end. Ultimately, Witten did not want to miss his opportunity to grab one of the most prestigious broadcasting jobs in the NFL.

Witten’s retirement will leave a serious void in the Cowboys’ locker room, as well as their tight end depth chart. Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones has indicated that the team can get by with a group that includes Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, and Rico Gathers, but it stands to reason that they will also comb the free agent market for tight ends. Antonio Gates stands as the most recognizable TE available in a thinned-out group, but roster cuts between now and September could present some quality options for Dallas.

Witten’s eleven Pro Bowl selections are good for second amongst any tight end in league history, trailing only Tony Gonzalez (14). After that, Gates and Shannon Sharpe are tied for third with eight selections. Given that Sharpe is in the Hall of Fame, it seems probable that Witten is also Canton-bound.

Steelers Adjust Ryan Shazier’s Contract

May 3rd, 2018 at 1:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers have converted $8.26MM of linebacker Ryan Shazier’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move will have no cap implications for the Steelers, but it will allow Shazier to collect on the bulk of his pay for the 2018 season immediately rather than wait for it in increments throughout the year.

The Steelers placed Shazier on the PUP list on Wednesday, which officially rules him out for the 2018 season. Shazier’s contract expires after the year is through, but that’s the furthest thing from his mind as he works to recover from the spinal injury he suffered last year.

When Shazier was carted off of the field in December, doctors feared that he might never walk again. After months of grueling rehab, Shazier is now able to walk with some assistance. Someday, the linebacker hopes to return to the field.

“There is no ceiling in Ryan’s recovery. He aggressively approaches it every day,” Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said in March. “We support him in every way possible in that endeavor. Where that leads, only he will know and he will determine further down the road. His approach, his mental approach. I can’t tell you how impressive an inspiration he is to us.”

In addition to the $8.26MM signing bonus, Shazier will also earn roughly $700K in salary throughout the season.

Latest On Jets WR Robby Anderson

May 3rd, 2018 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The warrant issued for Robby Anderson‘s arrest has been lifted, the attorney for the Jets wide receiver tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). It turns out that Anderson was not notified that he was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday. His next court date is scheduled for July 19.

Anderson, who turns 25 next week, was originally facing nine charges after being arrested and threatening to sexually assault the wife of the arresting officer in January. Later on, the three felonies in that group — second-degree felony harm to a public servant or family, third-degree felony fleeing/eluding police while lights/siren active, and third-degree felony speeding — were dropped.

Meanwhile, Anderson is also facing felony charges for getting into a fight at a Miami music festival. Anderson is facing charges of felony resisting arrest with violence and obstruction of police for that incident. Even if Anderson does not receive jail time or fines in court, it seems likely that he’ll face league suspension.

Jets Release QB Bryce Petty

May 3rd, 2018 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have released quarterback Bryce Petty, a source tells Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). The Jets tried to find a trade for Petty before and during the draft, but could not find a suitable deal.

The Jets simply had no room for Petty, who will turn 27 in May. No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold and veteran Josh McCown are locks for the team while Teddy Bridgewater and Christian Hackenberg are battling for the final spot on the QB depth chart.

Petty has one season left on his rookie contract. He’s 1-6 in seven starts and a career 53.1 percent passer, having thrown four touchdown passes compared to 10 interceptions.

Petty had some buzz behind him in 2015 when the Jets used a fourth-round pick on him, so it stands to reason that he’ll garner attention elsewhere. But, given his lack of on-field success, it’s hard to see him getting significant guarantees in any deal he signs.

Lions Rework Akeem Spence’s Contract

May 3rd, 2018 at 11:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions and defensive tackle Akeem Spence have agreed to a reworked contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Spence’s base salary has been rolled back from $3.15MM to $2.575M, though he can bridge the gap through incentives. The adjustments to the deal will give Detroit $500K in cap space.

As Mike Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets, this is an unexpected move by the Lions. Spence played well in 2017 and earned playing time bonuses that boosted his 2018 salary in the first place.

Spence joined the Lions last year on a three-year, $10.5MM deal. In his first season in Detroit, Spence appeared in every game and made eleven starts at defensive tackle. He finished out with three sacks and 39 total tackles while the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus scored it as his best season to date.

Spence projects to serve as the primary backup at defensive tackle behind starters A’Shawn Robinson and Sylvester Williams. For a complete look at the Lions roster, you can view their depth chart on Roster Resource.

Eagles’ Timmy Jernigan To Miss 4-6 Months

May 3rd, 2018 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

Eagles’ starting defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan underwent surgery on a herniated disc in his back last week, league sources tell Field Yates and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Recovery from that operation will take a while and he is expected to be out for four-to-six months.

Even in a best case scenario, Jernigan’s availability for the season opener is in jeopardy. If it takes Jernigan closer to six months to recover, he could wind up missing the first half of the season

The good news for the Eagles is that they have a solid Plan B for Jernigan after signing Haloti Ngata this offseason. If Jernigan misses time, the Eagles will still have a formidable front four with Brandon Graham and Michael Bennett at defensive end with Ngata and Fletcher Cox in the middle.

The Eagles acquired Jernigan from the Ravens last April by moving down 25 spots in the third round of the draft. That proved to be a brilliant move for the Eagles, who later signed him to a four-year, $48MM extension.

Meanwhile, the Eagles and Jernigan have agreed to revise that contract, Yates reports (on Twitter). The final three years on the defensive tackle’s contract are now option years with no guaranteed money. The Eagles, he writes, will evaluate his health as part of the decision going forward.

Jernigan remains slated to carry a $5MM cap charge in 2018. He’ll carry cap hits of $13MM, $14MM, and $14MM in the following three seasons if he remains on board.

Browns Waive RB Darius Jackson

May 3rd, 2018 at 10:27am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns announced that they have waived running back Darius Jackson. Linebacker Dominique Alexander has also been let go with a failed physical designation.

Jackson entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2016. In December of that year, he was cut to make room for the return of Darren McFadden and the Browns scooped him up off of waivers. The Browns weren’t the only team with interest – the Eagles, Giants, and 49ers all tried to land Jackson, but lost out to Cleveland due to waiver priority.

The Eastern Michigan product has still yet to see the field in a real NFL game. Last summer, a knee injury ended Jackson’s season before it could start. If he is healthy now, he figures to draw consideration from teams and those aforementioned clubs could get involved.

Alexander, who entered the league as a UDFA out of Oklahoma in 2016, was a special teams player who also lost his 2017 season to a knee injury. Alexander’s role as a linebacker/special teamer will likely be filled by fifth-round pick Genard Avery.

Cowboys’ Jason Witten To Retire, Join ESPN

May 3rd, 2018 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

It’s a done deal. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has informed owner Jerry Jones and coach Jason Garrett that he will retire in order to join the Monday Night Football broadcast booth, multiple sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Witten first informed the Cowboys of the offer to join MNF before the draft, but Jones implored Witten to think it over for a few days. Although it was believed from the get-go that Witten would follow through on retirement, the veteran struggled with the decision for the last week, Archer hears.

Witten leaves the game with the fourth-most catches in NFL history (1,152) behind only Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez, and Larry Fitzgerald. He’s also leaving football without the Super Bowl ring he has chased since 2003, which is probably part of what made the decision difficult for him.

Top tier broadcasting jobs such as the color commentary position in the Monday Night Football booth rarely become available and Witten did not want to let this opportunity pass him by. He’s also not taking much of a pay cut – he would have earned $6.5MM in total from the Cowboys this year, but ESPN will pay him in the range of $4MM to $4.5MM.

Witten was a hot commodity in broadcasting this year as another mystery network also pursued him. Witten ultimately settled on ESPN, meaning that each of the NFL’s big three broadcasting partners will employ ex-Cowboys as their top color commentators.