2019 February - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Thomas, Eli, Guice, Eagles

February 18th, 2019 at 9:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked for more than a year now, Earl Thomas and the Cowboys could be a match soon. Thomas seems certain to hit the market, and the Cowboys offered a second-round pick for him last year. It would only take money to bring Thomas to Dallas this year, but the sides may not be as strong of a match. The Cowboys hold nearly $50MM in cap space, but a big chunk of that will likely go to another DeMarcus Lawrence franchise tag. Other funds will be earmarked for extensions for several young talents. The Cowboys could use safety help, but Albert Breer of SI.com does not get the vibe the organization will be ready to shell out top-end safety money to bring Thomas to Dallas.

On the eve of the franchise tag window opening, here is the latest from the NFC East:

More evidence for the Eli Manning-will-be-back noise: the 15-year Giants quarterback has been working out at the team facility throughout the offseason, Breer notes. While this is not unusual, as Manning does this annually, his conditioning headquarters may have shifted had the Giants given him an indication they were legitimately considering moving on from him. Although nothing concrete has emerged on this front yet, Manning remaining the starter is the expectation for 2019.
The Redskins have experienced some significant trouble with infections lately, with the respective recoveries of Alex Smith and Derrius Guice delayed because of post-surgery complications. Guice’s road back from a torn ACL was sidetracked by two months, but the running back is now sprinting full speed again. The LSU product revealed in a first-person recovery diary for the Redskins’ website (via J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington) he has yet to cut at full speed, though. Training camp, and not OTAs, may be the goal, Finlay points out. That would not be a surprise given how quickly Guice went down last year.
With the Broncos completing a trade for Joe Flacco — a move the Redskins explored — might Washington attempt to pursue Case Keenum? Washington’s financial obligations seem likely to prevent that, Finlay writes. Smith and Colt McCoy combine for nearly $25MM of Washington’s cap space, and Finlay expects Keenum — even in the event Denver releases him — to command a high-end backup deal. Chase Daniel‘s accord averages $5MM per year, and Keenum’s 2017 season would seemingly make him likely to surpass that. However, if Washington won’t pay a high-seven-figure sum for a veteran on Keenum’s level, pursuing Teddy Bridgewater would be difficult. If the Redskins are to chase a veteran to start over McCoy, they will likely have to at least enter high-end backup spending territory.
Although Jason Kelce said immediately after the Eagles‘ divisional-round loss he was considering retirement, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia gets the sense the All-Pro center is leaning toward returning for 2019. Kelce is only 31 and may have another contract to come. But for now, he’s attached to an Eagles-friendly deal that has him making $6.5MM salary. No guaranteed money remains on Kelce’s deal, which he signed in February 2014.

Cowboys To Re-Sign LS L.P. Ladouceur

February 18th, 2019 at 7:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys’ long snapper since the Bill Parcells years, L.P. Ladouceur will not be hitting free agency.

Another deal for Ladouceur is expected to commence soon, Calvin Watkins of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). It will be a one-year for Ladouceur, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets.

This will be Ladouceur’s 15th NFL season. He has played only for the Cowboys as an NFL snapper.

Ladouceur, who will turn 38 next month, made $1.1MM last season on a one-year agreement. Given the going rate for long snappers, it won’t be expected the 2019 accord will be too far north of that figure.

With Jason Witten having retired, Ladouceur is the longest-tenured Cowboy — by a considerable margin. He has played in 230 straight games (counting the Cowboys’ nine playoff contests since 2006). Witten’s 239 regular-season games represent the most in Cowboys history, so it would take Ladouceur coming back in 2020 to eclipse that. Ladouceur will be in position to pass Ed “Too Tall” Jones on the franchise’s games-played list by October, however.

Latest On Texans, Jadeveon Clowney

February 18th, 2019 at 7:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Tuesday marking the first day teams can apply franchise tags to plays, the plan in Houston remains to tag Jadeveon Clowney. That has been the expected course of action for months.

In addition to reporting the Texans are not deviating from their long-rumored strategy, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle notes an extension could be complicated. The Texans are not planning to pay “anywhere near” as much as Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald received when they reset the defender market last summer.

Interestingly, the Texans could afford a Clowney deal on the $23MM-AAV level. The team holds more than $77MM in cap space. It will cost north of $17MM to tag the 25-year-old standout. Clowney, who of course was drafted ahead of Mack and Donald in 2014, now has three Pro Bowls to his credit. He has posted back-to-back nine-plus-sack seasons. While the South Carolina product has not shown himself to be on the level of Mack or Donald, his negotiations coming in a year when the cap is expected to approach or exceed $190MM works in his favor.

“I came (into the league) with them guys. Of course I want to be up there with them,” Clowney said of Mack and Donald, via Wilson. “It’s all about timing in everything about this league. Injuries happen. You get paid at a certain time. You hit the market at the right time. I think those guys deserve those contracts.”

However, unlike the Bears and Rams, the Texans already have a pass rusher, J.J. Watt, on a high-end contract. That $16MM-AAV deal, now that Watt re-emerged as one of the NFL’s best players, may need to be revisited soon as well.

Texans senior vice president of football administration Chris Olsen plans to meet with Clowney’s agent at the Combine next week, Wilson adds. That will provide a clearer measurement as to how close the sides are. A report earlier Monday indicated Clowney’s work ethic may cause additional hesitancy regarding a long-term deal. But health-wise, the back half of Clowney’s rookie contract helped change his narrative.

An injury risk earlier in his career, Clowney has shed those concerns over the past three seasons. After playing in 30 regular-season games from 2016-17, Clowney missed the Texans’ offseason program last year due to knee surgery. He played in 15 games this past season.

The gap between the Mack-Donald tier and Von Miller ($19MM per year) is significant, and while Clowney has not produced on Miller’s level, it should be expected he will want a deal perhaps well north of the Broncos superstar’s pact — considering Miller’s extension occurred when the cap resided at $155.27MM.

Joe Flacco Passes Broncos Physical

February 18th, 2019 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last week’s trade agreement between the Broncos and Ravens, which will send Joe Flacco to Denver and the better of the Broncos’ two fourth-round picks to Baltimore, looks set to go through.

Flacco traveled to Denver and passed a physical conducted by the Broncos, Albert Breer of SI.com reports.

Although Flacco has started 16 games in nine of his 11 seasons, he has battled a few injuries in recent years. Following his torn ACL in 2015, Flacco encountered back trouble during the 2017 offseason. Last season, a hip injury sidelined him for weeks and eventually led to Lamar Jackson stepping in and, ultimately, bringing setting up last week’s trade.

No trade can become official until the 2019 league year begins on March 13. Flacco will then be headed to the Broncos, where he stands to become the team’s fourth Week 1 starting quarterback in the past five seasons — following Peyton Manning, Trevor Siemian and Case Keenum. Denver’s previous starter remains on the roster, but the Broncos are planning to trade or, more likely, cut the soon-to-be 31-year-old Keenum.

Now 34, Flacco will play on an $18.5MM salary next season. He is not expected to redo his through-2021 contract, which contains no more guaranteed money. The Ravens will eat $16MM in dead money once the trade goes through.

Cowboys To Let David Irving Walk?

February 18th, 2019 at 5:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys are planning to let David Irving hit free agency. The mercurial defensive tackle who played in just two games last season, after registering seven sacks in an eight-game 2017, will be allowed to walk, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Although the Cowboys currently hold nearly $50MM in cap space, they have much higher priorities than retaining an often unavailable defensive tackle. Beyond another franchise tag situation with DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas has complex contract math upcoming. Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, Byron Jones and Jaylon Smith are extension-eligible.

Additionally, the Cowboys were not pleased with how Irving handled his high ankle sprain last season, Moore adds, noting the talented interior defender only occasionally appeared at the team facility for rehab after receiving a second opinion on his injury.

Irving began a second straight season with a drug suspension, after missing time in training camp to deal with a custody battle over his daughter. Personal issues extended into the season for Irving as well.

While it won’t be hard to imagine another team taking a chance on the 25-year-old talent, the Cowboys do not appear ready to make an effort to prevent that from happening.

Jaguars Decline ASJ’s Option

February 18th, 2019 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly a month after Austin Seferian-Jenkins bid farewell to the Jaguars, the team announced the tight end’s Jacksonville stay will indeed be limited to one year.

The Jaguars declined the $4MM 2019 option on Seferian-Jenkins’ contract. He will become a free agent when the new league year opens March 13. This move will save the Jags $4.3MM. The Jags had until 11pm Monday to make these decisions.

One of Jacksonville’s high-priced defensive linemen will be staying, however. The Jags picked up Calais Campbell‘s $3MM 2019 option. Campbell is on the Jags’ books at $14.5MM this coming season.

ASJ signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Jaguars in 2018. He did not contribute much on a woeful offense, heading to IR after five games. After somewhat of a bounce-back season with the Jets, Seferian-Jenkins posted just 90 receiving yards last season. He will head to free agency without much momentum. The former second-round pick is still just 26, however, and should receive another opportunity on a light tight end market.

While Campbell will be part of the 2019 Jaguars, it is not certain two of his defensive line mates — Malik Jackson and Marcell Dareus — will join him. His playing time having diminished last season, Jackson said he expects to be released. A Dareus cut would save the Jags nearly $11MM, while jettisoning Jackson would bring exactly $11MM in savings for a Jags team that, even after the ASJ move, remains over the projected salary cap.

Jacksonville also exercised $750K options for defensive end Lerentee McCray and safety Cody Davis.

Lions Won’t Rule Out Ezekiel Ansah Return

February 18th, 2019 at 3:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions are unlikely to use the franchise tag on Ezekiel Ansah, but GM Bob Quinn won’t rule out a return. When asked about the possibility recently, Quinn seemed to leave the door open to a new deal at a lower price.

“Part of that is the medical,” Quinn said after the season (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “Part of that is the, ‘How long is he going to be out? What do we think when he gets recovered? Is he going to be the same?’ So all these things kind of factor in, so I don’t have an answer today. I’ll say this about Ziggy. Ziggy fought through some things this year. Ziggy’s extremely, extremely tough and I’m proud of him being a Detroit Lion because he, like Matthew Stafford, he played through some things that a lot of guys wouldn’t and I appreciate that.”

Ansah would make $20.57MM if he were tagged for a second straight year. There’s no realistic chance of that happening Ansah missed 9 games and finished out with just four sacks.

Ansah has suffered two serious shoulder injuries in his six seasons with Detroit and was pretty much a non-factor for the Lions’ listless defense last year. However, he’s flashed in the past. In 2015, he recorded a career high 14.5 sacks en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection. In 2017, he has 12 sacks across 14 games.

In theory, an incentive-laden one-year deal could make sense for both parties. However, his spotty history could give the Lions pause, and Ansah’s camp may prefer to roll the dice on the open market where teams pay a premium for accomplished pass rushers.

Cowboys Decline Terrance Williams’ Option

February 18th, 2019 at 3:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have declined the option on Terrance Williams’ contract for 2019, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Williams will hit free agency in March and the Cowboys will save $2.25MM in cap space in the upcoming year.

The move does not come as a surprise – Williams caught just two passes for 18 yards last season and spent the bulk of the year on injured reserve. He also served a three-game suspension in connection with a May car crash.

Had the Cowboys exercised Williams’ option, they would been on the hook for $4MM in 2019. Given his lack of production and the presence of Amari Cooper atop the WR depth chart, this was pretty much a no-brainer for Dallas.

Williams, 30 in September, will have a market for his services, but he’ll probably fetch offers below that $4MM figure. Before his ill-fated ’18 campaign, he was averaging 46 catches for 672 yards and four TDs per season with the Cowboys.

49ers May Tag Robbie Gould

February 18th, 2019 at 3:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers don’t want to let kicker Robbie Gould get away. Keeping the pending free agent may require using the franchise tag, and that’s a step they’re prepared to take, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. In fact, Maiocco expects them to slap the tag on Gould when the window officially opens on Tuesday.

The 49ers haven’t used the tag since 2012 when they kept safety Dashon Goldson from exploring the open market. Last year, they considered tagging franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but they avoided that step altogether by inking him to a (briefly) record-setting five-year extension.

In this case, the tag would set some parameters for a future deal and allow the two sides to negotiate between now and the summer deadline. Tagging a kicker is not especially common, but there are no other candidates in SF for the designation this year. The tag for Gould would be roughly $5MM for this season and Gould’s camp would likely be amenable to a longer-term deal at a slightly lower AAV.

Gould has nailed 72 of 75 field goal attempts over the last two years with the Niners and he ranks as the second-most accurate kicker in league history. It’s especially impressive when considering that Gould has spent eleven of his 14 seasons kicking out of Soldier Field with the Bears.

For his part, Gould has spoken highly of the 49ers organization.

“It’s been a really, really awesome two years here,” Gould said in December. “Obviously, the records haven’t been what people might think they’d be. But as an older player, you can understand what they’re building. You can understand what it looks like, just because you’ve seen all types of situations in the last 14 years. I think these young guys getting playing time is something that we need for next year because if we didn’t have it this year, and it just so happens to start next year, some of those mistakes that could be made … can cost you a football game.”

Cowboys To Wait On DeMarcus Lawrence Tag

February 18th, 2019 at 2:03pm CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, NFL teams can begin placing the franchise tag on pending free agents. The Cowboys, however, will not be taking that step right away with pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram hears.

Lawrence has already made it clear that he will not go along with a second consecutive tag, so the Cowboys are looking to avoid a contentious negotiation with the 26-year-old (27 in April). Instead, they will take a wait-and-see approach while keeping the tag option in their back pocket up until the March 5 deadline.

If tagged, Lawrence would make $20.5MM in 2019 per the terms of his second-time tender. From there, they’ll have a few months before the franchise tag extension deadline in the summer to hammer out a long-term deal.

Last year, the Cowboys pushed Lawrence to prove himself all over again with a productive and healthy year. He delivered with 10.5 sacks, 39 quarterback pressures, and a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod.