HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Extra Points: Keim, Cardinals, Breeland, Colts, Beal, Giants, Mayfield, Browns

July 30th, 2018 at 12:35pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Steve Keim became the rare GM to be suspended when the team announced his punishment for his “severe DUI” arrest from earlier this month. Speaking to the media, team president Michael Bidwill shined a light on how the team will proceed with out Keim, who is banned for the next five weeks and not allowed to have any contact with the team. Although the suspension was announced as five weeks, along with a $200k fine, “Bidwill made it clear that Keim won’t return that soon unless he meets other requirements, including counseling” according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.

Bidwill was highly critical of Keim’s actions, saying flatly “there is no excuse to drink and drive.” Despite his harsh words, Bidwill indicated the team is still Keim’s to run when he returns and that they will be operating under his vision during his absence. While he conceded that training camp is “obviously not a great time to not have your general manager”, Bidwill insisted there won’t be any “drop-off here with his absence.” He said the team’s recent signing of safety Tre Boston, along with their other recent moves, were all made with the belief that they’re what Keim would’ve wanted.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Free agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland visited the Colts recently, but the team is unlikely to sign him according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Holder says there’s “no indication that Bashaud Breeland will land in Indianapolis” and that his “sense is they’ll stand pat with the group of corners they have”, adding he’d be “surprised” if the team ends up bringing in Breeland.
  • Injured rookie cornerback Sam Beal will not be able to return this season notes Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. If the Giants had wanted to have Beal eligible for one of their IR/return slots, they would’ve needed to wait until their roster was down to 53-men to place him on inured reserve. The third round supplemental draft pick will redshirt his rookie year and look to return strong in 2019.
  • Browns coach Hue Jackson acknowledged that number one overall pick Baker Mayfield has “exceeded expectations” so far in camp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Kay Cabot notes that Mayfield “has yet to throw a pick in camp.” Jackson has insisted all along that Tyrod Taylor will be his starter, but it sounds like Mayfield could be pushing for the job sooner rather than later.

Jets To Sign Sam Darnold

July 30th, 2018 at 11:47am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Sam Darnold rookie contract saga has come to a close. Darnold missed the first several days of training camp in his standoff with the Jets, but the two sides officially reached agreement on a contract on Monday, the club announced.

Offset language was a point of contention between the two sides, but the deal will indeed include offset language according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Darnold’s reps fought hard on that front, but the team “was not moving off that,” Mehta writes.

Over the weekend, conflicting emerged about what exactly was keeping Darnold away. Some reported that bonus money and under what circumstances it would void was the issue, but according to Mehta, “offsets were the real issue” (Twitter link). Mehta adds that Darnold’s agency, CAA, was “fuming” after number one overall pick Baker Mayfield agreed to a deal with offsets in it that reduced their leverage. He also notes that attempts this weekend to muddy the waters about why Darnold was holding out were purely an attempt by Darnold’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, to “save face.”

Finally, Jets fans can stop worrying. Darnold’s absence has prompted a lot of fan anger toward the team for adopting such a hardline stance against the rookie quarterback, and now the team can get back to football. Ultimately, it seems as if this was a battle between two sides who both just wanted to “win” the argument, and Darnold’s camp caved first. Bears linebacker Roquan Smith is now the last remaining unsigned first round pick.

Chargers, Seahawks Interested In DRC

July 30th, 2018 at 11:32am CST by Zachary Links

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie may be closer to finding an NFL home. The free agent is receiving interest from the Seahawks and Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 

The Seahawks are showing the most interest in DRC, Rapoport reports, but the Chargers’ are also in the mix thanks to their recent cornerback injury. Now that Jason Verrett is done for the year with an Achilles injury, DRC could step in as the club’s first cornerback off of the bench to support Desmond King and Casey Hayward.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, just recently waived DeAndre Elliott, leaving them thin at slot cornerback. DRC would help address that issue and he might also be able to contribute at safety when needed.

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, his lowest showing since 2012. He graded out as the 58th ranked cornerback in the NFL, portraying him as someone who is on the fringe of starter quality. His on-field performance was problematic, but there were also behavioral issues. Rodgers-Cromartie clashed with former coach Ben McAdoo on four separate occasions before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team. He was brought back after just one game, but teams could still be wary of his locker room influence.

AFC West Notes: Houston, Chargers, Broncos

July 29th, 2018 at 9:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Knee trouble has impacted Justin Houston for lengthy stretches during his career. Although the Chiefs‘ top pass rusher played 15 games last season, he admitted he wasn’t at full strength. Houston missed 11 games in 2016 and five in 2015 due to a troublesome knee, one that required surgery during the 2016 offseason. But Houston’s participated throughout Kansas City’s offseason program this year and will be counted on to supply consistent edge pressure.

“When you have the surgery I had on my knee, it takes time to get your pop back and get where you want to be,” Houston said, via Nate Taylor of The Athletic (subscription required). “I’m beyond there right now. It just feels great to be back in that feeling.”

These knee problems have limited Houston since he signed that six-year, $101MM contract at the 2015 franchise tag deadline. He has not recorded double-digit sacks in a season since his NFL record-threatening 22 in 2014.

After examining the latest on the Raiders, here’s what’s new from the rest of the AFC West:

  • In addition to the season-ending injuries sustained by Hunter Henry and Jason Verrett, the Chargers‘ recent spree of misfortune affected another tight end Sunday. Rookie UDFA Austin Roberts suffered a torn ACL and will miss the season, Anthony Lynn said (via Eric Williams of ESPN.com, on Twitter). Roberts was one of Josh Rosen‘s options at UCLA the past two seasons. The Bolts remain in discussions regarding an Antonio Gates reunion.
  • The Broncos drafted two running backs and have two young holdovers in Devontae Booker and De’Angelo Henderson, but rookie UDFA Phillip Lindsay is turning heads early in camp. The 5-foot-7 speedster out of Colorado has Von Miller and Brandon Marshall expecting him to play a key role this season. “We’re definitely going to have some things planned for Phillip,” Miller said, via Jon Heath of Broncos Wire. “Guys like that in the league, you just can’t cover them. They’re just assets to the offense. You have to have a back like that and we definitely have one.” Marshall expects Lindsay, whom Mike Klis of 9News observes battling Henderson and seventh-round pick David Williams for a role behind Booker and Royce Freeman, to be Denver’s third-down back. Lindsay posted 1,700-plus yards from scrimmage in his final two college seasons. UDFAs like Chris Harris, C.J. Anderson and Shaquil Barrett have made impacts in Denver, but the franchise hasn’t deployed much of an outlet threat since Knowshon Moreno.
  • Cameron Erving is in the mix to win the Chiefs‘ left guard job, per Taylor, who adds Mitch Morse looks to have reasserted himself as the center starter. Erving served as a Chiefs backup last season, but with K.C. having lost Zach Fulton in free agency, a spot is open for the former Browns first-round pick. Erving’s last full-time role came when he started 13 games with Cleveland in 2016. The Chiefs declined Erving’s fifth-year option, making this season particularly pivotal for the former Florida State standout.

Raiders Rumors: Mack, Conley, Richard

July 29th, 2018 at 8:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest on the Khalil Mack front continues to paint a picture of a situation that has no resolution in sight. Mack remains a Raiders holdout. He and the team are not making progress on an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). If that weren’t enough, Rapoport adds no communication’s commencing and no optimism exists. Jon Gruden having yet to speak with his top player is certainly interesting, with the now-two-time Oakland coach having accepted the job in January. Mack has not reported for any Raiders activities this year. But more than five weeks remain until the regular season begins. Unlike Aaron Donald, Mack has already accrued four seasons toward free agency after not holding out last year. This provides the 2016 defensive player of the year with leverage to continue his holdout beyond August 7, whereas Donald will have to make a big choice by then to avoid possible restricted free agency in 2019.

Here’s the latest from the AFC’s Bay Area franchise:

  • A shin injury Gareon Conley cost almost his entire rookie season, and the corrective surgery cost the 2017 first-round pick part of his offseason. The second-year cornerback has not experienced additional known shin trouble, but he now has encountered a hip problem. Conley missed Saturday and Sunday’s Raiders workouts because of this, and this raised eyebrows among some coaches, Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Raiders are calling this ailment a hip strain, but new DC Paul Guenther doesn’t anticipate Conley being out for too long. Daryl Worley took Conley’s place with the Oakland first-stringers, per Tafur.
  • Jalen Richard‘s also dealing with an injury, and without a roster spot secured, this setback figures to pose trouble for his latching on with Gruden’s Raiders. The return man/passing-down back suffered a calf strain at Sunday’s practice, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Richard was spotted walking without crutches after practice, however, but Gehlken anticipates the Raiders adding another running back. Richard and DeAndre Washington, both 2016 additions who have backed up Latavius Murray and then Marshawn Lynch, are believed to be competing for one roster spot. Richard is not expected to factor into the Raiders’ new-look return-men competitions, with the team having signed Dwayne Harris and traded for Ryan Switzer — both having experience under new ST coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
  • Kolton Miller has a legitimate chance to win Oakland’s starting left tackle job, with Donald Penn on the mend for now.

North Notes: Vikings, Dunlap, Jackson

July 29th, 2018 at 7:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the final pieces to the Vikings‘ extensive extension puzzle, Stefon Diggs does not want to leave the Twin Cities anytime soon. Although the emerging wide receiver could be in line for WR1 money on the open market next year, Diggs would prefer his second contract come from the Vikings — as so many of his peers’ have in recent years.

“I want to be here. I love being here,” Diggs said, (Twitter link, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). “I love being a part of the organization. They took a chance on me early on so I love it here as far as where we’re at. … Hopefully, we can get some things done and we’ll see how it goes.”

The Vikings have discussed an extension with Diggs’ camp, but nothing appears to be imminent, per Tomasson. Diggs and Anthony Barr represent the final two steps in Minnesota’s years-long effort to fortify a core, one that stands to be in its primes throughout Kirk Cousins‘ contract. If Diggs were to hit free agency, though, he would almost certainly be a coveted commodity. While Odell Beckham Jr. could theoretically be a 2019 free agent, that seems unlikely. Diggs could be the top wideout on a market that as of now would include Devin Funchess, Randall Cobb and Kelvin Benjamin.

Here’s the latest from the North.

  • Carlos Dunlap and the Bengals may be approaching the finish line on what would be a third Cincinnati contract for the veteran defensive end. Drew Rosenhaus spent time in Cincinnati this weekend, and Dunlap said (via Paul Dehner Jr. and Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer), “When you see him out here you know he is doing something. He’s out here for a reason.” Dunlap and the Bengals have made progress on a deal this offseason, but the 29-year-old pass rusher remains tied to his second contract. That deal expires after this season. Dunlap wants to play the rest of his NFL days in Cincinnati. “I would love to get it done. I would love to finish my career here as a Bengal,” he said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com.
  • Lamar Jackson‘s slender frame emerged as a pre-draft topic, but the Ravens rookie not planning a significant weight-gain project as he readies for the NFL. Jackson said (via Terez Paylor of Yahoo.com) he’s at 216 pounds and doesn’t want to be above 220, in order to maintain his elite speed.
  • First-round pick Mike Hughes will work as the Vikings‘ kick returner, while veteran Marcus Sherels will start off as the punt returner, Tomasson tweets. Though there will be competition, this would be the team’s preferred arrangement. Re-signed this offseason, Sherels has been Minnesota’s punt-return man for seven years. Hughes only worked as a return man in one season, last year at Central Florida, but he totaled three return touchdowns in that time.
  • As expected, Mychal Kendricks saw his first Browns action as a weak-side linebacker, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal notes. Recovering from offseason ankle surgery, the former Eagles ‘backer is participating on a limited basis for now. Ulrich suggests Kendricks may be a super-sub, working at all three Browns linebacker spots while Christian Kirksey, Jamie Collins and Joe Schobert retain their first-string roles.

Brandon Beane On Bills’ QB Decision

July 29th, 2018 at 6:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Second-year Bills GM Brandon’s Beane went through a lot to trade up and land Josh Allen, making two deals — with the Bengals and Buccaneers — to vault the Bills into that No. 7 spot.

When asked about his first-round quarterback’s chances of earning earlier-than-expected playing time, Beane said it could come down to how he looks in the Bills’ first preseason game.

“I think you give everybody the fair amount of reps now. Right now we’re going with Nathan (Peterman) and A.J. (McCarron) with the majority of the ones and twos, but giving Josh at least a period a day – at least,” Beane said, via John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. “And we’ll do that through the first preseason game, and then we’ll adjust from there and decide, Are we going to keep it the same? Are we going to give him more reps? Or are we going to give him less? Everything is earned here.”

Buffalo snapped major North American sports’ longest playoff drought last season by booking the AFC’s No. 6 seed in dramatic fashion, and that progress may impact the team’s quarterback decision.

Although the Bills’ offense will look remarkably different, given that Tyrod Taylor and three key offensive linemen are out of the picture, last year’s work may prompt the GM and coaching staff to go with one of the veteran signal-callers while the Wyoming-produced prodigy observes to start the season.

“Some people say, ‘Hey, don’t play a rookie at all.’ And some people say go ahead and play him no matter what,” Beane said. “And I think the thing is you’ve got to be fair to the other – when you get your 53-man roster – the other 52 players. Because everybody wants to win now, including Sean (McDermott) and I. And so (the players) see the same practice. They watch the same practices; they’ll watch the same preseason games. And if you’re not putting the best guy out there I think they’re going to lose their respect for you.”

Beane said he will be involved in the decision, along with McDermott and new OC Brian Daboll. Ownership will not steer the team one way or another in this matter, per Beane. Daboll last served as an NFL coordinator for the 2012 Chiefs, who went 2-14, but he served as national champion Alabama’s OC last season.

“It will be a group decision,” Beane said. “There’s Sean and I. We’ll obviously talk. There’s Brian Daboll. He’ll be involved. He knows more than everybody who’s hitting everything. He’s in every meeting with these quarterbacks. It’s his offense.

“… We’ll talk to (owners Terry and Kim Pegula) about the evaluation process. ‘Hey, this is what A.J. did well in Game 1 … this is what he’s got to improve on.’ Or, ‘This is what Josh did what, and what he’s got to improve on.’ And same with Nathan. So, yeah, we’ll definitely talk.”

Despite his five-interception disaster in Los Angeles last season, Peterman showed well in minicamp. McCarron would seemingly be the best bet for veteran stability, but Allen’s displayed improvement in training camp. Allen was viewed as a longer project than peers Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold coming into the draft.

“(Allen) was behind, being in the draft, whereas both A.J. and Nate were already learning Brian Daboll’s system a month-plus before Josh got there,” Beane told Kryk regarding Allen’s summer progression. “But definitely, by the time we left there in June he was mentally there. Now it’s just catching him up physically, knowing all the plays – it’s a big playbook – and getting the guys lined up. But he has done a great job to this point.”

Deal Structure Stalling Rodgers, Packers?

July 29th, 2018 at 5:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Packers and Aaron Rodgers did not come to terms on an extension agreement by the outset of training camp, neither side viewed that as a key deadline, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). However, optimism exists in Green Bay about this deal being completed before the regular season and perhaps by the middle of camp, per Rapoport.

Rodgers is still believed to prefer a contract that doesn’t lock him into a number long-term, but the Packers are approaching the negotiations that way, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The two-time MVP would like more control over his future and may prefer a deal that includes one big payout before a series of player options.

Florio, though, notes the Packers are trying to get Rodgers locked down via “bland and traditional” long-term extension. It’s hard to blame the team for this, since that’s pretty much how NFL contracts work, but the disparity regarding the parties’ preferences on contract structure is halting these talks’ progress.

Rodgers obviously saw how outdated his $22MM-per-year extension, which was a record when he signed it in April 2013, became. A contract that doesn’t tie Rodgers to the Packers for a substantial number of years would help prevent this from happening again.

A holdout won’t be in the cards for Rodgers, though Florio argues that should be a tactic he considers due to his value to the franchise. The ability chasm between backups DeShone Kizer and Brett Hundley and Rodgers is obviously gargantuan.

In a sign that perhaps Rodgers could win out, Rapoport does not expect the 34-year-old quarterback’s next Packers deal to look like Matt Ryan‘s Falcons pact — a five-year, $150MM deal which currently leads the quarterback pack. Rodgers has two years left on his deal, but given his importance to the franchise, it’s obvious he has plenty of leverage here as well.

5 Key NFL Stories: 7/22/18 – 7/29/18

July 29th, 2018 at 4:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Todd Gurley resets the running back market. The Rams still haven’t extended All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, but they have locked up parts of their offensive core. After inking receiver Brandin Cooks to a new deal earlier this month, Los Angeles signed Gurley to a four-year extension that will keep him in southern California through 2023. The deal is worth $57.5MM in total, and Gurley’s new average annual value of $14.375MM is the new league-high for a running back on a multi-year pact. Gurley’s deal will now surely affect negotiations for other running backs such as David Johnson, Le’Veon Bell, and Ezekiel Elliott, each of whom will hit free agency within the next few years.

Offensive tackles get paid. Three left tackles — the Titans’ Taylor Lewan, the Falcons’ Jake Matthews, and the Seahawks’ Duane Brown — each received new five-year contracts last week, and both deals should help propel the offensive tackle market forward. Lewan, notably, will collect an average salary of $16MM annually, a new high-water mark for tackles (Nate Solder got $15.5MM/year from the Giants this offseason). Although Lewan had skipped minicamp, he reported for Tennessee’s training camp last week, which may have sped up negotiations.

Julio Jones get a raise. Although talks looked on the verge of a breakdown at one point, the Falcons finally relented and agreed to bump up Jones’ compensation for the 2018 campaign. Jones, who had not reported for many of Atlanta’s offseason activities and was threatening to skip training camp, received a $4.4MM signing bonus. The reworking will give Jones more money for the upcoming campaign, but won’t overly affect the Falcons’ books for years to come. Jones, 29, is signed through the 2020 season.

Chargers’ bad luck continues. The Chargers just can’t seem to get away from the injury bug, and cornerback Jason Verrett has been especially afflicted. Verrett, who missed most of the 2016 and 2017 seasons with knee injuries, will be sidelined for the entire 2018 campaign after tearing his Achilles during a conditioning drill. A former first-round pick, Verrett will have only played in 25 of a possible 80 games by the time the 2018 season is over. Verrett will reach free agency next spring, and his injury issues will almost assuredly affect his next contract.

A safety gets signed! There was finally movement in the safety market last week, as the Cardinals signed Tre Boston to a one-year deal. The pact is worth just $1.5MM, and Boston can max out at $3MM overall. It’s a cheap contract for a 26-year-old defensive back coming off the best season of his career, but safeties have had an especially difficult time getting signed this offseason. Eric Reid (whose status may be affected by his national anthem protest stance) and Kenny Vaccaro are among the best back end defenders still available.

Latest On Sam Darnold’s Holdout

July 29th, 2018 at 3:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Third overall selection Sam Darnold‘s holdout from Jets training camp is related to the default language regarding his guaranteed money, reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.

New York’s offer to Darnold includes language that would void the former USC’s quarterback guaranteed money if he were to fined by the NFL for either an on- or off-field violation, per Cimini. Other rookie signal-callers, such as Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen, do not have such a clause in their respective contracts, and no top-three selection in any of the past 10 drafts has had such language in their deals.

However, this is standard language in Jets contracts, tweets Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, so New York is adhering to its own precedence. And as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (Twitter link), it’s wholly unrealistic to believe Gang Green would void Darnold’s ~$30MM in guarantees if he receives a simple fine from the league.

Indeed, it would likely require an extraordinary situation for this language to ever factor into Darnold’s contract. No. 8 pick Roquan Smith is dealing with the same issue in his negotiations with the Bears, and Garafolo reports only six rookies were had fine-related language removed from their contracts.

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