2019 February - Pro Football Rumors

Nick Foles To Void Option, Become Free Agent

February 5th, 2019 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Well, that didn’t take long. We learned a few hours ago that the Eagles were planning on picking up Nick Foles‘ $20MM option for next season, and now ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting (via Twitter) that the veteran quarterback will void the option and buy his way back to free agency.

Of course, this isn’t a very surprising development, as it had been assumed Foles would pay the $2MM it’d take to become a free agent. However, as our own Sam Robinson detailed earlier, this is likely the start of an extensive ordeal for the two sides. The Eagles are expected to slap Foles with the franchise tag, which the quarterback is then expected to accept. Philly would subsequently shop the former Super Bowl MVP, with the team reportedly seeking a third-rounder in exchange.

Fortunately, we should have some clarity on at least the first step of this process relatively soon. ESPN’s Tim McManus points out (on Twitter) that the window for teams to use the franchise tag is between February 19th and March 5th. Of course, with the Eagles in a precarious cap situation ($13MM over the ceiling), they’d likely want to assure that they have a trade lined up before they make such a financial commitment.

Despite the quarterback’s postseason heroics, the Eagles turned back to Carson Wentz in 2018. However, when the former first-rounder was lost to injury, Foles has another shot at the starting gig. In five games, the 30-year-old completed 72.3-percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

Cardinals Claim Tanner Vallejo Off Waivers

February 5th, 2019 at 7:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Tanner Vallejo has found a new team. After being waived by the Browns yesterday, the linebacker has been claimed by the Cardinals (via the team’s website).

While the 24-year-old has been waived twice over past five months, there were still plenty of teams lining up to make a claim. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Jets, Giants, Bengals, Vikings, and Chargers also made an attempt to claim Vallejo off waivers. Thanks to Arizona’s league-worst 3-13 record, they got first dibs on the player.

The Boise State product was selected by the Bills in the sixth-round of the 2017 draft, and he proceeded to appear in 15 games as a rookie. Vallejo was waived by Buffalo prior to this past season before landing on the Browns. In fact, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo points out (via Twitter) that the Cardinals made an unsuccessful claim on the linebacker at that time, so their interest in the linebacker isn’t anything new.

Vallejo ended up being relatively productive in Cleveland, compiling 27 tackles and one forced fumble in 13 games (one start). He ultimately finished the season on IR due to a hamstring injury. The Cardinals will now pick up the two years remaining on his rookie contract.

Eagles Will Pick Up Nick Foles’ Option

February 5th, 2019 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The rumors surrounding the Eagles-Nick Foles situation appear accurate. The Eagles informed the Super Bowl LII MVP they are going to pick up his $20MM option, Tim McManus of ESPN.com tweets.

Rather than hitting free agency, Foles remains under Eagles control. However, this is likely the start of an extensive process.

Foles is expected to pay $2MM to free himself from this option and become a free agent, but the Eagles in turn are then rumored to be planning a rare tag-and-trade strategy. Philadelphia’s target is somewhat modest: a third-round pick. But that draft choice would likely come in the 2019 third round, rather than the 2020 draft in a compensatory scenario. Foles, 30, is expected to sign the franchise tender immediately. It would be worth approximately $23MM.

This is a complicated scenario for a player who almost certainly will not be part of the 2019 Eagles, but the franchise is likely going to take the chance another team will part with draft compensation to acquire Foles.

The Jaguars make sense, possessing a veteran-fueled defense held down by Blake Bortles. Former Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo is now the Jaguars’ OC. The Jags will have to perform considerable cap gymnastics to make this work, though. A new Foles contract will be expected to be authorized by whichever team trades for him.

To some degree, the Redskins fit the profile of a Foles buyer — although, they might be aiming lower in a veteran pursuit — and Pat Shurmur coached Foles in Philadelphia. Neither of these teams will be sought as a trade partner, however, with the Eagles not eager to trade another quarterback within the NFC East like they did when they shipped Donovan McNabb to Washington in 2010.

The Dolphins are also moving on from their longtime quarterback, but they are not likely to be big spenders in free agency and are eyeing a rebuild centered around a 2020 first-round passer. Denver is in need of a long-term answer, too, after receiving below-average 2018 work from Case Keenum. But the Broncos targeting a first-round quarterback adds up better than replacing Keenum with Foles. Despite Derek Carr‘s presence, the Raiders might be a long-shot possibility, Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP writes, adding Mike Mayock is a “big believer” in Foles.

They of the NFL’s worst cap situation ($13MM over the projected salary ceiling), the Eagles will need to know they have a bidder willing to part with appropriate compensation before tagging Foles. The early consensus is the Jaguars will be that team.

Falcons To Release CB Robert Alford

February 5th, 2019 at 5:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Alford‘s six-season tenure with the Falcons will come to an end. They are planning to release the veteran cornerback, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

The 30-year-old defender’s four-year deal already paid out most of its guarantees, and Alford was scheduled to carry a $9.1MM cap figure in 2019. The Falcons will be tagged with just $1.2MM in dead money.

This move will create $7.9MM in cap space for the Falcons, who entered Tuesday with barely $14MM to spend.

Cutting Alford still will sever ties with one of Atlanta’s longest-tenured players. The Southeastern Louisiana success story had been a Falcons starting corner since the 2014 season, a year after the team selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft. Alford went on to start 76 games, five playoff contests — including a Super Bowl LI duel that saw him return a Tom Brady interception 82 yards for a touchdown.

The Falcons drafted Isaiah Oliver in the 2018 second round, and the Colorado product profiles as the player being groomed to start alongside Desmond Trufant. Oliver saw only 240 snaps of action as a rookie, but he graded better than Alford did last season. Pro Football Focus viewed Alford’s sixth season as his worst in years, tabbing him as one of the league’s most ineffective corners. That said, he should still receive another opportunity soon.

In becoming a street free agent, Alford now has a head start on the cornerback market. While teams eyeing the top UFA corners may stay away, others believing a mid-level addition can help would profile as those who stand to be interested.

Redskins In Talks With Peterson, Scherff

February 5th, 2019 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two key Redskins players, at different points in their respective careers, have engaged in discussions with the team about new deals.

Adrian Peterson has participated in preliminary talks with the Redskins, John Keim of ESPN.com notes, adding Brandon Scherff — under contract via fifth-year option in 2019 — has been in discussions with Washington about his next contract.

Peterson has said on multiple occasions he would like to return to the Redskins. The future Hall of Famer was a free agent throughout the 2018 offseason. Derrius Guice‘s injury led Peterson to Washington, and he responded with his eighth 1,000-yard rushing season. He also played all 16 games for just the second time in the past six seasons, the other being when he won the 2015 rushing title.

Guice, though, is expected to be healthy for the 2019 season. The Redskins also have passing-down back Chris Thompson under contract. Peterson’s skill set would seemingly overlap with Guice’s, but the soon-to-be 34-year-old back is obviously the more proven NFL runner and could be used in a timeshare with the LSU alum.

Scherff’s salary will spike from $6.8MM to $12.5MM this season. An extension would help the Redskins lower that cap number by a bit and help a team that will carry Alex Smith‘s contract in addition to a potential extra veteran starter-level salary, perhaps similar to the Dolphins’ 2017 Ryan Tannehill–Jay Cutler setup.

It’s also possible the Redskins do not look to the veteran market to fill in for Smith. Washington is “looking hard” at quarterback prospects and continues to believe in Colt McCoy, Keim adds, pointing out a cheaper bridge-type option may be the better bet for Washington than a veteran starter.

An upper-echelon guard since coming into the league, Scherff can be expected to command a deal in the neighborhood of the highest-paid guards in the NFL. Zack Martin and Andrew Norwell became the NFL’s first guards to sign for $13MM-plus per year. Washington, though, already has Trent Williams and Morgan Moses signed to high-end deals and holds barely $20MM in cap space. Navigating toward a Scherff extension won’t be easy.

Jets Release Spencer Long

February 5th, 2019 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets plan to limit Spencer Long’s stay to one season. They do not plan to pick up the center’s option bonus and will release him, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports (on Twitter). The Jets confirmed the move.

However, the Jets would be interested in re-signing Long at a reduced rate, Mehta tweets. This would seemingly be contingent on Long generating scant interest elsewhere.

After four seasons with the Redskins, Long signed a four-year, $27.5MM contract. Just $6MM of his Jets deal was guaranteed. Long would have pocketed another $3MM if he was on the Jets’ roster on the third day after the Super Bowl.

For the Jets, this move will free up $6.5MM in additional cap space. While Gang Green is not exactly hurting for money, this would push their total beyond $95MM. Only the Colts hold more available funds. A three-year Redskins starter, Long started 13 Jets games but graded as Pro Football Focus’ second-worst full-time center this season. Though, the team liked how he played at left guard in December, Mehta notes.

New York does not have much in the way of long-term solutions up front, and the Jets plan to be aggressive in bolstering their line in free agency.

Latest On Raiders, San Francisco

February 5th, 2019 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The prospect of the Raiders playing at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park has produced some notable reactions, none of which pointing to a solution having been reached yet.

The Raiders remain without a 2019 home, and now San Francisco mayor London Breed came out against another team playing in the city. She has also directly informed the Giants about her view on this matter, according to Lisa Fernandez of KTVU.

“As far as I’m concerned, the Oakland Raiders should play in Oakland,” Breed said. “We don’t need another layer to add to what we already have — and that’s an area that’s really congested filled with construction and will host a number of basketball and baseball games over the coming months.”

In addition to the Giants, the Golden State Warriors’ new arena, Chase Center, is scheduled to become a San Francisco sports site this year. Breed’s stance further complicates Raiders plans of potentially playing at Oracle Park. They entered into discussions with the Giants about this in December, but hurdles — from logistics, to league approval, to the 49ers’ San Francisco territorial rights — remain.

The NFL prefers the team share Levi’s Stadium, a site that could accommodate two teams, with the 49ers. This is the hopeful outcome of the NFC’s Bay Area team as well, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Raiders have discussed this option, but Mark Davis has thus far balked at being a one-year tenant at the 49ers’ stadium, per Albert Breer of SI.com.

No deal between the Raiders and Oracle Park has been finalized, but negotiations appear to have picked back up. However, considering the obstacles impeding this move, Davis might have to settle on one of the two traditional Bay Area NFL sites. A path back to Oakland for one more pre-Las Vegas season remains possible, but nothing significant has transpired between the Raiders and the city that is suing them in recent weeks.

Texans Add T.J. Yates, Akeem Dent To Staff

February 5th, 2019 at 1:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly five years ago, the Texans traded T.J. Yates in order to acquire Akeem Dent. In 2015, they became teammates after Yates re-signed in Houston. The duo will now begin their coaching careers on the same sideline.

The Texans announced Yates and Dent will be part of their staff, joining former standout Houston linebacker Brian Cushing in transitioning to coaching with the franchise. Both Yates and Dent will start at the bottom, the former quarterback joining the team as an offensive assistant and ex-linebacker signing on as a defensive assistant.

Yates was starting for the Texans as recently as the 2017 season, which saw Deshaun Watson go down with a rookie-year-ending injury, and was part of the brigade of passers to audition for the Redskins following injuries to Alex Smith and Colt McCoy. The most recent workout occurred in December, but it sounds like Yates, 31, is going to attempt to move into the coaching ranks.

The North Carolina alum played seven NFL seasons, the most notable action coming in a seven-start rookie campaign that featured Yates — subbing for an injured Matt Schaub — quarterback the Texans to their first playoff win. Yates also played for the Falcons and Dolphins, coming back to Houston after short stays with each team.

Dent, also 31, last played during the 2016 as a Texan, finishing off a three-season Houston tenure. The former third-round pick spent most of his career as a backup linebacker but started for the 2012 Falcons, who claimed the NFC’s top seed that year.

The Texans also hired Carl Smith to replace Sean Ryan as quarterbacks coach. Ryan departed for Detroit to be the Lions’ QBs instructor, and the Texans soon promoted tight ends coach Tim Kelly to OC. Smith spent the past eight seasons with the Seahawks, the first seven as Seattle’s QBs coach and 2018 as an associate head coach. His primary role, obviously, was overseeing Russell Wilson‘s development into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.

Set to take over in guiding Watson, Smith has been an NFL quarterbacks coach since serving as offensive coordinator for the Saints from 1986-96. Smith, 70, served as either a QBs coach or OC with four franchises, also working with the Jaguars and Browns. Smith’s lone season away from the NFL in the past 33 years came as USC’s QBs coach during the Trojans’ most recent national championship year (2004).

The Texans also hired John Aylward as an offensive assistant.

49ers To Hire Wes Welker

February 5th, 2019 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wes Welker‘s interview with the 49ers will lead to the former All-Pro wide receiver relocating.

The Texans employed Welker the past two seasons, but he will leave for the 49ers and become their wide receivers coach, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). John McClain of the Houston Chronicle initially reported Welker was Bay Area-bound.

The 37-year-old slot receiver-turned-coach met with both the 49ers and Packers last month about jobs, likely meeting with Green Bay regarding its since-filled wide receivers coach position. San Francisco has a wideouts coach, in Mike LaFleur, but he also serves as the team’s run game coordinator. Kyle Shanahan appears to want LaFleur, whom other teams sought to interview this offseason, to focus on that role and bring Welker aboard to oversee the receiving corps.

This will mark a promotion for Welker, who served as an offensive assistant in Houston. The Texans blocked him from interviewing for the Broncos’ wideouts coach job in 2018 but did not intercede when other teams eyed the decorated talent this year.

Prior to helping out with DeAndre Hopkins and the development of Keke Coutee, Welker was a two-time first-team All-Pro receiver. He made five Pro Bowls as a member of the Patriots and was part of the 2013 Broncos outfit that owns the NFL’s scoring record.

Antonio Brown Involved In Dispute

February 5th, 2019 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

Steelers star Antonio Brown was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute in January, according to TMZ. However, he was not arrested in connection with the incident.

Last month in Florida, a woman made allegations of misconduct against Brown and phoned local police. Details are murky, but a person with the Hollywood Police Dept. confirmed to TMZ that “no arrests were made.”

This isn’t the first time Brown has been accused of poor off-the-field misconduct. Last year, Brown was sued by a man claiming that the wide receiver nearly killed his child by throwing furniture off of the balcony of his Florida home. Brown, meanwhile, said the man is lying and proclaimed his innocence.

Brown has pushed for a trade in recent weeks, but this latest news may hurt his value. Over the last few days, Brown reiterated his desire for a trade and has been ignoring calls from owner Art Rooney II.

Brown had another productive year in 2018, though he was overshadowed at times by rising star JuJu Smith-Schuster. The three years and $39MM left on his current deal may be a barrier to a trade and the cap hit the Steelers would have to absorb may be an even bigger barrier. Every team in the league would love to have Brown, but any deal would require a serious forfeiture of draft picks and a pricey commitment.

Now, the latest allegations against Brown could muddy the waters even further. Ultimately, the accusation could force to Brown to move forward with Pittsburgh, though fences will have to be mended between him and the organization.