2019 February - Pro Football Rumors

Bengals Shopping WR John Ross

February 26th, 2019 at 1:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals are hoping to trade receiver John Ross, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (on Twitter). The club plans to field offers during the combine this week.

Both Ross and the Bengals are looking forward to a fresh start, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That makes sense, given Ross’ injuries, lack of production, and inconsistent usage. Two years ago, Ross turned heads with a 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Since then, he has amassed just 21 catches for 210 yards, though he did have seven touchdown catches in 2018.

Ross, 24, missed the bulk of his rookie season after having both of his shoulders operated on and suffering a groin injury. He appeared in most of the Bengals’ games in 2018, but he was held to one catch or less in six of his games.

Other teams may view Ross as a speedy deep threat with potential, but the Bengals will not recoup the first-round pick (No. 9 overall) they used to draft Ross in 2017. But, given this year’s so-so market for free agent wide receivers, Ross could net them a mid-round pick.

Cowboys Make Offer To DeMarcus Lawrence

February 26th, 2019 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys made an offer defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence recently, team executive Stephen Jones says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer). Jones is hopeful that the two sides will reach a long-term accord before March 5, the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag. The Cowboys will start extension talks in earnest with agent David Canter later this week at the combine in Indianapolis.

“It’s the last day you’ve got to tag him but at the end of the day we know it’s not over if it doesn’t get done by then,” Jones said. “I hate to put deadlines on anything. Would we like to get it done? I’d like to have it done yesterday. We’ve just got to continue to work.”

Lawrence has said that he will not cooperate with a second consecutive franchise tag, so the Cowboys are holding off on using the placeholder. The $20.5MM would keep him from the open market, but it would also mean that Lawrence will be a no-show for the offseason program and training camp. Beyond that, a holdout could extend into the regular season.

In 2017, Lawrence recorded 14.5 sacks, 58 total tackles, and four forced fumbles. Instead of doing a long-term deal last year, the Cowboys asked him to prove himself once more. He answered with 10.5 sacks, 39 quarterback pressures, and a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod, so this time the asking price is even higher.

Lawrence’s targeted deal is unclear, but he may be looking to match or top the contracts of Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack. Those recent pacts topped the $22MM mark in average annual value.

Browns Re-Sign Greg Robinson

February 26th, 2019 at 11:06am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have re-signed tackle Greg Robinson, according to his agents. It’s a one-year deal with a $7MM base value, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With playing incentives, the deal could reach up to $9MM.

Robinson, 27 in October, hooked on with the Browns on a low-cost, one-year deal last year. He wound up appearing in all 16 games and started every game in the second half of the year in Desmond Harrison‘s stead.

The former No. 2 overall pick has not come close to living up to that draft slot, but he did show something in the Browns’ first post-Joe Thomas season. Pro Football Focus graded Robinson as its No. 63 tackle (out of 80 full-time qualifiers) in 2018.

Robinson was on the fringes of the NFL when he signed with Cleveland, but his career may finally be getting back on track. The Browns will work with him to try to keep the penalties down (ten penalties from Week 10 onward), but they believe his size will help to protect quarterback Baker Mayfield in the pocket.

Before joining the Browns, Robinson started in 42 of his 46 games for the Rams and made six starts for the Lions in 2017 before suffering an ankle injury.

Bears’ Kyle Long Restructures Contract

February 26th, 2019 at 10:59am CST by Zachary Links

Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long has agreed to restructure his contract, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Long was a cap casualty candidate, but the adjustments to the deal will allow him to remain with the club for years.

Long agreed to take $2.9M less in 2019, but he can make $2.5MM of that back through incentives, Rapoport hears (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the Bears turned the 2020 into a team option and removed Long’s 2021 season, allowing him to reach free agency sooner.

Long re-upped with the Bears on a four-year, $40MM contract extension early in the 2016 season, putting him under club control through 2021. Discontinuing the deal, which included $30MM in guarantees and a $7.5MM signing bonus, would have called for the Bears to carry a $3MM cap hit against $5.5MM in savings this year.

The 2013 first-round pick has battled through injuries over the past three years, missing a total of 22 games during that span. When he’s been in the lineup, Long has been among the top offensive guards in the entire league. Pro Football Focus ranked him as just the 36th best guard in the NFL last year, but he was previously an annual inclusion in the top-five.

Thanks to a foot injury, Long missed eight regular season games in 2018. However, the three-time Pro Bowler recovered in time to play in the Bears’ opening round playoff loss to the Eagles.

49ers Franchise Tag Robbie Gould

February 26th, 2019 at 10:47am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers placed the franchise tag on kicker Robbie Gould, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). With that, the Niners become the first team to use the franchise tag this offseason. Gould will earn roughly $5MM in 2019 on the tender, unless the two sides avoid the tag with an extension.

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 NFL history. That’s especially impressive when considering that Gould has spent eleven of his 14 seasons kicking out of Soldier Field with the Bears.

The 49ers last used the tag in 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 by inking him to a colossal five-year extension.

With the tag in place, the Niners and Gould can negotiate a long-term deal between now and the summer deadline.

Colts Sign Ross Travis To Extension

February 26th, 2019 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts signed Ross Travis to a one-year contract extension, the club announced. Travis, a 6’6″, 248-pound tight end, will earn the minimum of $720K in 2019.

Travis was claimed by the Colts off waivers from the Chiefs in November of 2017. Unfortunately, an ACL tear in the final week of the 2018 preseason sidelined him for all of last year.

With the Chiefs in 2017, Travis appeared in eleven games (three starts) and reeled in five catches for 34 yards. He added a couple grabs of grabs with the Colts in four games, but was not frequently targeted in the offense.

Travis’ contract doesn’t grant him a ton of job security, but he’ll have an opportunity to compete for a backup tight end role behind Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle. Mo Alie-Cox and Billy Brown are also in the mix for reserve TE spots and there should be more candidates on the team’s 90-man roster this summer.

Dolphins’ Josh Sitton Expects To Be Released

February 26th, 2019 at 10:13am CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins guard Josh Sitton expects to be released this offseason, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Sitton has one year remaining on the two-year, $15MM deal he inked with the club last year.

Sitton, 33 in June, suffered a season-ending torn rotator cuff injury in the very first game of the 2018 season. It was undoubtedly frustrating for the veteran who had been largely healthy over the course of his previous nine NFL seasons.

Sitton may not match the value of his last contract, but he should find plenty of suitors on the open market. In 2017, his final year with the Bears, Sitton graded out as the fifth-best guard in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and the advanced metrics show that he’s been consistently solid throughout his career.

If the Dolphins cut Sitton, they’ll save $5MM against the 2019 cap with $2MM left in dead money. They may also have to replace pending free agent tackle Ja’Wuan James, which would revamp the right side of their line.

Cowboys Won’t Tender Darian Thompson

February 26th, 2019 at 9:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys will not tender an offer to restricted free agent safety Darian Thompson, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (Twitter link). However, the Cowboys would like to bring him back at a lower rate.

This year, the low tender is expected to cost roughly $2.045MM, which is more than Dallas is willing to spend on a role player. However, they’ll meet with agent Ron Slavin at the combine in Indianapolis and see if they can work out a cheaper deal, presumably of the one-year variety.

Thomspon, a former third round pick of the Giants, joined the Cowboys off of the Cardinals’ practice squad. He was largely in a special teams role for Dallas, though he did start all 16 games for the G-Men in 2017.

Jets Interested In Donte Moncrief

February 26th, 2019 at 9:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have in free agent wide receiver Donte Moncrief, sources tell Manish Mehta of the Daily News. Moncrief spent last season with the Jaguars and will hit the open market in March after the expiration of his one-year deal.

Moncrief, 26 in August, was reasonably productive with the Jaguars despite the team’s offensive woes. He finished out with 48 catches for 668 yards and three touchdowns, a step up from his previous two years in Indianapolis. More importantly, he was healthy and appeared in all 16 games, unlike the 2016 and 2017 campaigns with Indianapolis.

Moncrief, was second on the Jaguars in targets (89), receptions, and receiving yards last year and has done some of his best work against the Jets over the course of his career, The 6’2″, 220-pound wide receiver has scored a touchdown in each of his three games against the Jets and has topped 100 receiving yards against Gang Green twice.

Rams’ Andrew Whitworth To Return In 2019

February 26th, 2019 at 9:11am CST by Zachary Links

Great news for the Rams. Tackle Andrew Whitworth, who was wrestling with retirement, announced that he’ll return to the team in 2019.

“Can’t wait for the opportunity to ride with the boys again!,” Whitworth tweeted.

Whitworth, 37, is set to earn $10.7MM in the final year of his three-year deal. However, he’s worth every penny to the Rams thanks to his veteran leadership and continued level of outstanding play.

Last year, Whitworth ranked as the third-best tackle in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, with an 86.1 overall score. That was his highest posting since 2015 and good for third in the NFL among tackles. Only David Bakhtiari and Terron Armstead finished ahead of Whitworth, and a few places above Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein.

With Whitworth back in the fold. the Rams should continue to have one of the best bookend duos in the NFL. That’s huge for L.A., particularly since guard Rodger Saffold is set for free agency. Whitworth will also be on hand to guide the team’s younger lineman, which is also extremely valuable.