2018 August - Pro Football Rumors

Texans, Greg Mancz Agree To Extension

August 30th, 2018 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans have reached an agreement on a two-year extension with Greg Mancz, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter). The new deal will keep the offensive lineman under contract through the 2020 season.

Mancz, a center/guard, was retained for 2018 via the original round tender. After earning $1.907MM in 2018, the new portion of his deal will kick in. Still relatively young at 26, Mancz will be eligible for unrestricted free agency just before his 29th birthday.

The Toledo product has appeared in 29 games for the Texans over the last three years, including 23 starts. Last year, Pro Football Focus ranked Mancz as a top 60 guard in the NFL.

Patriots Sweeten Rob Gronkowski’s Deal

August 30th, 2018 at 2:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots reworked tight end Rob Gronkowski’s contract, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The revised contract will potentially give Gronk an additional $4.3MM this year via $1MM in per game bonuses and $3.3MM in incentives. All in all, the maximum value of Gronk’s 2018 season is now worth $13.05MM.

The incentive structure gives Gronkowski an opportunity to earn $1.1MM for four different milestones, though he will be maxed out after achieving three of them. If Gronkowski achieves three of the following plateaus, he’ll realize the full value of his $3.3MM incentives package:

70 or more catches
80% playtime
Nine or more receiving touchdowns
1,085 receiving yards

The revision is similar to the settlement reached last year between the Patriots and Gronkowski. It’s also reminiscent of the compromise the Patriots made earlier this offseason with Tom Brady.

Last year, Gronk’s deal was improved to give him a base salary of $5.25MM with opportunities to earn incentives at three different levels. With a First-Team All-Pro selection, Gronk maxed out his bonus package at $10.75MM.

Gronk was already in line for the highest cap number of any tight end in the league this year. The new pact puts even more distance between him and Redskins standout Jordan Reed ($10.143MM cap number).

In 2017, Gronk was on the field for 14 games, and managed 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdowns, all of which placed him within the top five among tight ends. When healthy, he is the most fearsome offensive weapon at his position and among the most dynamic talents in the game.

The new contract should keep Gronkowski satisfied for a little while. In 2019, when Gronk is entering the final year of his deal at a $12MM cap number, the Patriots may be forced to give him an extension that puts him closer to market value.

Raiders Waived/Injured WR Griff Whalen

August 30th, 2018 at 2:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Wide receiver Griff Whalen has reached a four-week injury settlement with the Raiders, according to Michael Gehlken of the Review Journal (on Twitter). The move will allow Whalen to move ahead as a free agent, rather than sit on the Raiders’ IR.

Per league rules, Whalen could re-sign with the Raiders in Week 7 of the regular season. However, he might not last that long on the open market if he is able to work out for teams at something close to 100%.

Whalen seemed likely to make the Raiders’ final cut until a case of turf toe sidelined him this summer. Whalen was is line for playing time as a slot receiver, but it seems that those duties will be covered by Seth Roberts. Ryan Switzer, another slot candidate for Oakland, was traded to the Steelers this week, giving further clarity to the Raiders’ WR group. Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson, and Martavis Bryant are expected to lead the way at the position.

Colts’ Tyquan Lewis To Miss Time

August 30th, 2018 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Colts second round pick Tyquan Lewis is expected to miss nine weeks with a foot injury, according to Zak Keefer of the Indy Star (on Twitter). The injury complicates the Colts’ roster decisions heading into Saturday’s deadline and may make the defensive lineman a candidate for the injured reserve list.

The league’s IR rules permit each team to bring two players back from IR each season. The player does not have to be earmarked for return in advance, but the player must spend at least eight weeks on the inactive list. If Lewis is parked on IR, he’d be able to return during the Colts’ Week 9 bye and play in their Week 10 contest against the Jaguars. If left on the 53-man roster, he might not be able to play before the club’s Week 8 game versus the Raiders, so this may be a no-brainer decision for the Colts.

Lewis, a 6’4″ Ohio State product, tallied 23 sacks over the course of his final three seasons in college. When healthy, he figures to see a decent amount of time in the Colts’ defensive end rotation.

The Colts project to start Denico Autry and Jabaal Sheard at defensive end in Week 1 with support from Chris McCain and others.

Rams Restructure Woods, Whitworth Deals

August 30th, 2018 at 11:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Rams have carved out an extra $7MM in cap space by restructuring the deals of offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth and wide receiver Robert Woods, Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. The moves may be an indication that the Rams are close to finalizing an extension with star defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Exact details of the restructures are not known, but these moves typically convert a portion of salary into a signing bonus, which can be smoothed out over future seasons. Whitworth was slated to earn an $8MM base salary this year and Woods had a $5MM base in addition to the $3MM roster bonus he collected on earlier this year.

The finish line may be in sight for the Rams and Donald. The defensive tackle stayed away from the Rams this summer in order to ramp up the pressure, and it appears that his tactics have worked. Donald also got to skip training camp, which is a nice perk for any accomplished veteran.

Elvis Dumervil Retires From NFL

August 30th, 2018 at 10:51am CST by Zachary Links

Elvis Dumervil is calling it a career. On Thursday, the veteran defensive end took to Twitter to announce his retirement from the NFL.

“After spending a great deal of time talking to my family and prayerfully considering what’s next in my career, I have made the difficult decision to step away from the NFL at this time,” Dumervil wrote. “Its been an incredible 12-year run.”

Dumervil, 34, ranked third among active players in career sacks with 105.5. And, last year, he led the 49ers with 6.5 sacks. Dumervil clearly still has some football in the tank – and he said his body “feels great” in his retirement announcement – but he has opted to spent more time with his family and focus on his other business ventures going forward.

Dumervil entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Broncos in the 2006 draft and the Louisville product went on to become a pillar of the Broncos’ D. In 2009, he broke through as a defensive star with a league-leading 17 sacks. Interestingly, the Broncos have watched former stars Dumervil, Eric Decker, and Julius Thomas all retire in a matter of days.

In 2013, Dumervil hooked on with the Ravens and he continued to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. In 2014, he even matched his personal high of 17 sacks.

After 12 seasons in the league (eleven, if you exclude his lost 2010 season), Dumervil acquired five Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro selections. He probably has some sacks left in him, but he already accomplished plenty on the field.

Chargers Met With Johnathan Hankins

August 29th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Johnathan Hankins is only 26 and has been an NFL starter for the past four seasons, he’s without a team less than two weeks before most franchises’ 2018 seasons begin. But he’s confident he’ll find a home soon, and another suitor emerged recently.

It’s not certain when this visit occurred, but it was revealed during an interview with Brady Quinn and A.J. Hawk on Sirius XM Radio Hankins met with the Chargers this offseason. The former Giants and Colts interior defender added he’s had discussions with teams and is trying to determine the best landing spot.

“I believe I’ll be with a team pretty soon,” Hankins said during the interview. “I’ve just been really talking to teams and trying to figure out what would be the best fit. Just taking my time with things, and I feel like I’ll be with at team very soon, before the season gets started.”

The Colts released Hankins in mid-March. He since met with the Jets in April and worked out for the Browns earlier this month, but no deals materialized. The Chargers will play the first four games without Corey Liuget due to a suspension, and although they did add defensive tackle Justin Jones in the third round, Hankins would supply depth. He graded as a top-20 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus, last season and was productive with the Giants prior to initially hitting free agency.

It’s likely Hankins will have to settle for a one-year deal at a lower-than-expected rate, similar to the some of this year’s top free agent safeties who mysteriously languished unattached for months. But he remains one of the best available players heading into the season.

NFC West Rumors: Donald, Wright, Cards

August 29th, 2018 at 9:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams seem to be preparing their fans for a contract coronation soon, continuing to declare they’re near the goal line of the Aaron Donald negotiations. After Sean McVay made comments about the Donald deal being close to completed, Rams GM Les Snead confirmed this two-offseason saga is nearing completion. He added, via Pro Football Talk, nothing’s been agreed to just yet. After Donald reported into the regular season and won defensive player of the year acclaim despite being in a new defense, the fifth-year player’s late arrival probably won’t mean much to the Rams. But the results of this process will be plenty important for Khalil Mack and others seeking to raise a defensive salary ceiling that’s remained stagnant for two years as quarterbacks’ wages have skyrocketed.

Over the past year alone, the top of the QB market has climbed by 24 percent, with Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweeting Donald or Mack will have to sign for a $23.66MM deal to match that kind of increase. Von Miller‘s $19MM-AAV agreement — signed in July 2016, when the highest-paid quarterback wasn’t yet making $25MM per year — remains the top defender contract.

More from the NFC West, moving to another longtime defensive starter, here:

A Seahawks defense that already jettisoned four Super Bowl-era starters this offseason may be without another in Week 1. K.J. Wright underwent surgery on Monday and probably won’t be ready when the Seahawks face the Broncos next Sunday, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Pete Carroll categorized this procedure as a “cleanup” but said a couple of weeks would be the most optimistic timeline. Shaquem Griffin‘s first start, then, figures to occur sooner than expected. Condotta confirms the fifth-round rookie will start if Wright can’t go.
Jonathan Cooper went from signing a near-$5MM contract with the 49ers this spring to possibly being a post-preseason casualty. A slow recovery from knee surgery has Cooper on the 49ers’ bubble, Corry notes. Cutting Cooper, who is behind Mike Person and Joshua Garnett at right guard, would cost the team $4.48MM in dead money.
Two notable names appear to be competing for the final Cardinals receiver spot. Former Cowboys rotational cog Brice Butler signed a two-year Cardinals deal but is not a lock to make the team. He and one-time Browns second-round pick Greg Little, who hasn’t played since 2014, may be vying for one job, with Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writing he wouldn’t be surprised if Little beats out Butler. He has Butler making the team ahead of Little, however. A Butler cut would cost the Cards $500K in dead money.

Browns Release Mychal Kendricks

August 29th, 2018 at 7:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns announced they’ve released Mychal Kendricks. The 27-year-old linebacker was charged with insider trading earlier on Wednesday and if convicted could face up to 25 years in prison.

“Prior to signing Mychal, we were informed that there was a financial situation that he had been involved with in 2014. We were told Mychal had fully cooperated with investigators as a victim,” GM John Dorsey said in a statement. “From what was communicated at that time and based on the numerous questions we asked and further due diligence on our part, including checking with the league office, there was no information discovered that conveyed otherwise.

“Recently, we were provided an update on the matter and the circumstances have changed. We are now dealing with a different set of facts and the additional information we’ve gathered has led us to the decision to release Mychal from our team.”

The Browns knew Kendricks was involved in a federal investigation upon signing him earlier this year, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. However, both Cabot and the Associated Press’ Claudia Lauer report the team did not know the extent of the investigation. Kendricks’ camp led the Browns to believe the 27-year-old defender was not the target of the probe and wouldn’t be facing a situation like the one he’s in now, Cabot reports.

Kendricks admitted wrongdoing in a scheme that went into effect four years ago. In addition to the possible lengthy prison term, he faces a $5.25MM fine, per Lauer. Both Kendricks and Damilare Sonoiki, whom U.S. attorney William M. McSwain said orchestrated the trades, are expected to plead guilty soon, according to Philly.com. Sonoiki helped Kendricks turn $80K in a brokerage account into $1.2MM in less than five months, detailed in the charges (via Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson, on Twitter). Kendricks said he did not use any of these profits will pay back all funds obtained illegally.

“Since the beginning of the investigation, I have fully cooperated with the authorities and will continue to do so,” part of Kendricks’ statement read. “I accept full responsibility for my actions. Although I did not take any of the profits for myself, I am committed to repaying all of the funds gained illegally and accept the consequences of my actions.”

The Eagles released Kendricks earlier this year after he hovered on the trade block for multiple offseasons. He’d recently helped Philadelphia secure its first Super Bowl title by working as a three-down linebacker for most of last season. With the Browns, he joined a deeper linebacker corps but was expected to play plenty. He signed a one-year deal worth $2.25MM.

Raiders Receiving Khalil Mack Trade Offers

August 29th, 2018 at 7:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Offers are coming in for Khalil Mack, but Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (video link) the Raiders are not especially interested in dealing him. But a certain price might bring them to the table.

Some around the NFL believe to start a Mack trade conversation with the Raiders it will take two first-round picks, Pelissero reports. While a team may not get to that level, especially considering any Mack deal would involve a $20MM-plus-AAV agreement with the contract-year pass rusher, offers have come the Raiders’ way.

A team offered the Raiders a first-round pick and another draft choice for the 27-year-old superstar, per Pelissero, and another franchise offered a player in exchange for Mack. The longer this goes, more such proposals could come Oakland’s way.

The Jets are interested in Mack, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports they’ve been monitoring the Bay Area stalemate for a while. Gang Green acquired an additional 2019 third-round pick in exchange for Teddy Bridgewater on Wednesday, strengthening their position in this unique situation. However, if the Raiders make it known they would do a deal, the Jets are serious about acquiring Mack, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets.

Mack’s shown no intention of relenting in these glacial talks, and Reggie McKenzie doesn’t expect him to. But guaranteed money represents a sticking point for Mack and the Raiders, who would have the option to use the franchise tag on their best player next year. A team that submits such an offer sheet to a tagged player must part with two first-round picks, although tag-and-trade transactions involving lesser compensation obviously represent an option.

For now, Mack remains a Raider, just one who’s been estranged from the Jon Gruden regime since it began.