HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Darren Sproles To Make Retirement Decision In May

March 31st, 2019 at 9:34am CST by Rory Parks

Free agent running back Darren Sproles will make a decision as to whether he is going to retire or continue playing in 2019 sometime in May, as David Weinberg of the Press of Atlantic City reports. If Sproles does return, it sounds as if he could suit up once again for the Eagles, as the diminutive back indicated he has been in discussions with the club about coming back for one more season.

The Eagles just traded for former Bears RB Jordan Howard in an effort to bolster their RB depth chart, but presumably the team could still find a spot for Sproles as a third-down back and return man. Of course, the Eagles are also rostering Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, and Josh Adams, and the club could also elect to use a high draft choice on a running back, so perhaps Sproles is waiting to see what Philadelphia’s roster looks like after the draft before making his final decision.

Sproles originally hinted that 2017 would be his final NFL campaign, but backtracked on that sentiment even before multiple injuries ended his season early that year. Sproles not only suffered a torn ACL, but a broken arm during the first month of the 2017 season, which concluded with Sproles having played in just three games.

After inking a one-year deal that contained $1MM in guarantees for 2018, Sproles muddled through another injury-riddled campaign. A hamstring injury limited him to just six appearances last year, but he played well when he was on the field. Additionally, the Eagles won four of five games and snuck into the playoffs after Sproles returned, which could motivate the 35-year-old to return for a 15th NFL campaign.

In the 2018 regular season, Sproles rushed for 120 yards and one touchdown on 29 carries while adding 15 receptions for 160 yards and two scores in the passing game. Among backs with fewer than 25 catches, Sproles was the league’s 10th-most effective receiver in DYAR, Football Outsiders’ receiving metric. He was not as successful in the playoffs, though, as he put up just 25 yards on 16 carries and 35 yards on five catches in Philadelphia’s two postseason contests.

Giants Interested In Duke QB Daniel Jones With No. 17 Pick?

March 31st, 2019 at 8:56am CST by Rory Parks

Most of the speculation concerning the Giants’ quarterback of the future this offseason has centered around Ohio State signal-caller Dwayne Haskins and current Cardinals QB Josh Rosen. However, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com says that there is an increasing amount of buzz that the team will use its No. 17 overall pick on Duke quarterback Daniel Jones.

New York, of course, is now armed with two picks in the first round, No. 6 and No. 17, and GM Dave Gettleman has indicated that the successor to Eli Manning will need to be a first-round choice. But Giants brass is reportedly not enamored with Haskins, and it is not yet clear whether Arizona will make Rosen available. The Giants could obviously choose to not select a quarterback at all in the first round and put off acquiring Manning’s replacement for another year, but after Gettleman eschewed taking one of the top signal-callers in last year’s QB-rich draft, that could create a lot of unease in the Big Apple.

Dunleavy goes on to explore Jones’ potential upside, and his sources say that Jones is more fundamentally sound than he is flashy, which seems to suggest that while he may have a high floor, his ceiling may also be relatively low. The mental aspect of his game is pro-ready, but his ability to move around in the pocket and make throws beyond the intermediate range is in question. He also does not have much of a track record against top-level defenses.

He does, though, have a relationship with the Manning brothers, and he played under former Peyton Manning mentor David Cutcliffe with the Blue Devils. He threw for a career-high 22 touchdown passes in 2018, and he threw for between 2,650 and 2,850 yards in each of his three seasons as Duke’s starter. He was the Blue Devils’ first-stringer throughout his career.

NFC Notes: Rosen, Cardinals, Draft, 49ers, Street, Vikings, Kline

March 30th, 2019 at 9:58pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It’s been a rollercoaster of an offseason for Josh Rosen. His first head coach was fired, and his new coach Kliff Kingsbury initially re-committed to him. But ever since then momentum has shifted toward the Cardinals using the first overall pick on Kyler Murray, and looking to trade Rosen. Arizona hasn’t done much to tamp down speculation, and the current conventional wisdom is that the Cards will take Murray. The draft isn’t until April 25th, but current Cardinals players are due to report for offseason workouts on April 8th. When those workouts take place, don’t be surprised if Rosen isn’t there, argues Bob McManaman of The Arizona Republic.

McManaman writes that both Rosen and the team might not want him to report, for several reasons. McManaman notes that the Cardinals were eligible to start workouts this coming week, but pushed back the start of their offseason program by a week. Kingsbury said it was for scheduling purposes, but McManaman speculates that it could’ve been to give them more time to work out a Rosen trade. McManaman also argues that the team won’t want to have the free-speaking Rosen shoved in front of a gaggle of reporters right now, and that there’s always the risk of an injury. If Rosen does decide to no-show the workouts, it’ll add a whole lot of fuel to the rumors that he isn’t long for the desert.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Arizona’s division rival, the 49ers, also have an important draft ahead of them. The 49ers pick second overall, and the last we heard they were targeting Ohio State pass-rusher Nick Bosa. But the 49ers are also looking to add pass-catchers, and will soon host a pair of wideouts for visits. San Francisco will bring in South Carolina receiver Deebo Samuel and Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown, sources told Matt Barrows of The Athletic. It sounds like the 49ers are still leaning Bosa at number two, assuming the Cardinals pass on him, but are looking to bring in a new weapon for Jimmy Garoppolo with one of their next picks.
  • Speaking of the 49ers, we have an update on Kentavius Street. Street was a highly regarded prospect from NC State last year, but he tore his ACL at his pro day. San Francisco still thought highly enough of him to draft him in the fourth round, but he missed his entire rookie season. Street bulked up while he was sidelined with the injury, and coach Kyle Shanahan said from the owners meetings he’s been encouraged by his progress, according to Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports. Shanahan said he could see Street playing both inside and outside, and he’s a good bet to make an impact as a sophomore.
  • The Vikings signed guard Josh Kline last week to bolster their offensive line, and now we have details on the contract. The Vikings guaranteed Kline $7.25MM at signing, according to Ben Goessling of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Goessling reports that the Vikings now have less than $3MM in cap space, and will now need to make some maneuvers in order to be able to sign their draft class next month. The Vikings’ offensive line was a weak spot last year, and they’ll be counting on Kline to give them a boost. Kline received average marks from Pro Football Focus last year, grading out as their 50th-best guard.

Extra Points: Brown, Draft, Johnson, Texans

March 30th, 2019 at 8:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Antonio Brown saga was the defining story of the NFL season. It dominated news coverage in the aftermath of the Super Bowl, all the way up until he was finally traded to the Raiders. But the drama apparently didn’t end there. Brown’s trade has implications for every team in the league, and for every player who may want to force his way out in the future. The league has taken note, and teams are apparently quite concerned. “Multiple high-ranking sources” told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that they’re fearful “Brown forcing his way out of a contract with three years left” will set a “dangerous” precedent.

Executives were outraged by the move according to Fowler, and one source derided the fact that Brown essentially acted like a free agent in picking his new team. “Other star players see this and might want to do the same,” another source said. Another source was surprised that Pittsburgh decided to cave and meet Brown’s demands instead of playing hardball, saying it was “un-Steeler-like” of the organization. It remains to be seen whether Brown’s actions will actually inspire other players to follow suit, but the league is clearly getting ready to fight back in case they do.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Draft talk is starting to heat up, and the latest rumblings we’re hearing are from a report out of Ole Miss’ pro day from Tony Pauline of Draftanalyst.com. Pauline reports that the Jaguars and Broncos are both “very interested” in tight end Dawson Knox. Pauline also writes that the Cowboys have been “throwing a lot of love” Knox’s way. All three teams have unsettled futures at tight end, so the interest makes a lot of sense. Knox is in the second tier of tight ends behind the top group, and could be a nice pickup sometime in the middle rounds.
  • Legendary receiver Andre Johnson has joined the Texans’ front office as an adviser, and he doesn’t plan on stopping there. Johnson wants to work his way up through the organization and eventually be a front office head one day, he told John McClain of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). “I’m learning the business of the game. I thought I might want to be a GM or run a team. I want to do everything I can to help the Texans win their first Super Bowl,” the future Hall of Fame member said. Johnson was one of the best receivers in the game for a long time, and holds nearly every Texans receiving record that there is. Johnson was hired last month to work with the team’s coaching and scouting staffs, according to a separate post from McClain.

AFC Notes: Colts, Funchess, Mathis, Texans, Mills, Bills, Ravens

March 30th, 2019 at 6:13pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Colts made it very clear they were looking for a number two receiver this offseason. Ever since the season ended with a loss to the Chiefs in the second round of the playoffs, the front office and coaching staff had emphasized the need for a consistent second option behind T.Y. Hilton. The Colts mostly rotated lesser-known role players like Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers as their number two last season, and needed to upgrade. When free agency opened they went out and got their guy, signing Devin Funchess to a one-year deal worth up to $13MM.

Speaking to the media from the owners meetings this week, Colts coach Frank Reich revealed he banged the table for Funchess. When GM Chris Ballard first approached Reich about signing Funchess, Reich said he was immediately all-in, according to Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star. “I was like, ‘Please, let’s get this guy.’ That was the guy we really wanted to get,” Reich explained. Funchess was up and down during his time with the Panthers, but has always been high on talent. Funchess will provide the Colts’ receiving corp with the big bodied receiver they were lacking opposite the smaller Hilton, and will be a nice weapon for Andrew Luck in 2019. The Colts are clearly confident in his ability to improve his consistency, and Reich seems genuinely excited about the addition.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Speaking of the Colts, Indianapolis is making a notable change to their coaching staff. Robert Mathis will no longer be a full-time coach, according to Keefer. The Colts’ legend had served as an assistant coach helping out with the team’s pass-rushers the past two seasons. Mathis will now transition into a role as a consultant, giving him more time to develop his private training business. Mathis spent 14 years in the NFL, all with the Colts, and racked up 123 sacks. He’s also the league’s all-time leader in forced fumbles.
  • The Texans recently signed Matt Kalil, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily done adding offensive tackles. The team hosted former Bills tackle Jordan Mills on a visit before signing Kalil, but they’re apparently still interested in adding Mills, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Wilson writes that Houston has “remained in contact with Mills” and that he’s “still a candidate to potentially join the team.” Offensive line was the team’s main weakness last year, and it looks like they’re trying to add as many pieces as possible. Mills started all 16 games for Buffalo in each of the last three seasons, but graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 70th-best tackle last season.
  • The Bills and Ravens are two teams that could desperately use receiver help, that much isn’t really a secret. Both teams have young quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, and they both need to upgrade their receiving corp. They’re both likely to draft a wideout early next month, and they’re each showing interest in one of the top receivers available in the upcoming draft. Buffalo and Baltimore will both meet with Ole Miss receiver D.K. Metcalf ahead of the draft, James Palmer of NFL Network hears (Twitter link). Metcalf blew up the combine with freakish athletic testing, and should go sometime in the first round.

Montez Sweat To Meet With 4 Teams

March 30th, 2019 at 4:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of several potential impact front-seven players in this draft, Montez Sweat has his first round of visits lined up.

The Mississippi State product detailed his itinerary to the NFL Network recently (via NBC Sports Bay Area), and that docket includes meetings with the 49ers, Raiders, Bills and Packers. The Dolphins have also shown interest.

Both the Bay Area teams have also set up visits with Kentucky’s Josh Allen, another edge rusher expected to be taken early in the first round. Sweat did not have quite the statistically productive year Allen did as as senior, but he finished his two-year Bulldogs career — after two seasons at Michigan State — with 22.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss.

Sweat blazed to a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, elevating his profile. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound prospect has a pre-existing heart condition, which could scare away some teams, but was cleared to participate in all drills last month in Indianapolis. The Raiders last year showed they did not mind drafting defensive linemen with medical question marks, grabbing Maurice Hurst with a fifth-round pick despite the Michigan product’s heart condition.

The 49ers have been primarily linked to Nick Bosa at No. 2 but are understandably investigating the front-seven talent pool, particularly in case the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray noise ends up being a large-scale smokescreen. The Packers hold two first-round picks — Nos. 12 and 30 — while the Bills have the No. 9 selection.

Poll: Should Giants Trade For Josh Rosen?

March 30th, 2019 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams in need of a long-term answer at quarterback appear to have an interesting opportunity this offseason. One of 2018’s top quarterback prospects may well be available at a discount rate — both financially and in terms of draft capital — less than a year after being selected.

Nothing has cooled on the Cardinals-Kyler Murray front, leaving Josh Rosen as one of the more intriguing potential trade chips in memory. Kliff Kingsbury in February said Rosen would be the starting quarterback on his first Cardinals team, and while he has not officially changed his stance on this, the odds entering April of Rosen having a second opportunity with the Cards look longer than the likelihood of the UCLA product being traded.

The Giants loom as a possible landing spot. If/when Rosen becomes available, one of the teams that passed on him last year will be interested. Big Blue did not have a consensus on the top quarterback in last year’s draft, but with Eli Manning having recently turned 38 and Dave Gettleman having chosen Saquon Barkley over Sam Darnold 11 months ago, the prospect of a first-round quarterback talent being available at a lower rate has to be somewhat enticing — especially for a Giants team that has numerous needs on defense.

Gettleman traded both Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Eli Apple in the past year and opted against placing the Giants’ franchise tag on Landon Collins. The team has a few surefire starters — Alec Ogletree, Jabrill Peppers, Janoris Jenkins, Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill — but is lacking talent elsewhere on its first unit. Both of the Giants’ first-round picks could go toward rebuilding their defense. They are not looking to package their Nos. 6 and 17 picks to move up, either.

None of this year’s group of passing prospects has wowed the Giants, who have been up and down on Dwayne Haskins. If Big Blue is dead-set on the Ohio State-honed quarterback, this is a fairly big secret. Gettleman, however, said his Manning successor will need to be a first-round pick. None of this year’s quarterbacks would outrank Rosen as prospects, in the eyes of multiple high-profile evaluators, either. Prior to selecting Barkley, though, the Giants may not have had Rosen as one of the top-three quarterbacks on their board last year.

The Cardinals took Rosen at No. 10 overall, giving up merely third- and fifth-round draft picks to move up five spots last year. The results were not pretty.

Rosen completed 55 percent of his passes, averaged 5.8 yards per attempt and threw 11 touchdown passes compared to 14 interceptions. He finished with a league-worst 26.1 Total QBR. Football Outsiders assessed the 6-foot-4 passer as last year’s worst full-time quarterback, with Rosen’s DVOA and DYAR figures well behind the pack. Arizona, though, employed two offensive coordinators last year and experienced rampant trouble on its offensive line, creating a shaky setup for a rookie quarterback.

It will almost certainly not cost a team a first-round pick to land Rosen this year. A second, or possibly a third, figures to be enough to pry the 2018 prospect away. The Giants hold the No. 37 overall pick but do not have another selection until No. 132; Big Blue’s third-rounder went toward 2018 supplemental draft cornerback Sam Beal. This would complicate a Giants trade for Rosen, with other teams seemingly likely to pursue the low-cost passer as well. With the Cardinals having paid his signing bonus, a team acquiring Rosen would have him for less than $7MM through the 2021 season. That is obviously great value, if a team believes the 22-year-old is a worthwhile starter.

So should the Giants be the team that pulls the trigger for Rosen, or should they focus on one of this year’s rookie QBs? After his rough debut season, do you view him as a legitimate option to be a long-term starter? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Draft Notes: Titans, Lions, Texans

March 30th, 2019 at 12:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes from around the NFL…

  • Sam Houston State pass rusher Derick Roberson had a private workout with Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The six-foot-four, 250-pound lineman had a standout season in 2018, finishing with 15 sacks, five forced fumbles, and 20.5 tackles for loss. Lions linebackers coach Al Golden previously met with Roberson during his Pro Day. The pass rusher is expected to be selected on Day 2 of the draft.
  • Toledo cornerback Ka’dar Hollman also had a private workout with the Texans, reports Wilson. The defensive back has also had visits and workouts with the Dolphins, Saints, Bears, Colts, Eagles, Lions and Browns. While Hollman has boosted his draft stock following a strong Pro Day, he’s still at best a sixth- or seventh-rounder.
  • TCU wideout KaVontae Turpin‘s Pro Day was attended by the Cowboys, Redskins, Seahawks, and Raiders, reports Wilson (via Twitter). The talented offensive weapon had at least 29 receptions in each of his four collegiate seasons, and he also showed some talent in the return game. Turpin is expected to be a late-round pick or an undrafted free agent.

Bears HC Discusses RBs, Davis, Patterson

March 30th, 2019 at 12:16pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bears moved on from running back Jordan Howard earlier this week, and the position is now a “major need,” according to Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times.

Tarik Cohen did break out in 2018, tallying 1,169 yards from scrimmage and eight total offensive touchdowns. Still, the 23-year-old has proved to be more of a threat in the passing game than the running game. Meanwhile, free agent addition Mike Davis impressed in limited work with Seattle in 2018, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and tallying 34 receptions. However, there’s no guarantee that the veteran can carry the running-side of the platoon.

As a result, the team is focusing on the draft to add a running back. The team doesn’t have their first selection until the third round, but the Bears should have plenty of opportunities to add a weapon to their offense; as Jahns writes, there are plenty of intriguing mid-round running backs in this year’s draft.

Head coach Matt Nagy recently talked with Jahns about the team’s plans for the position, including draft prospects and their free agent additions. We’ve compiled some of the notable soundbites below:

On the running back prospects in the upcoming draft:

“Any coach will tell you there’s a nice group of backs. They all kind of have their unique style. So some of them, they might not have the home-run speed, but he can run you over. This guy might have average hands, but he’s really great between the tackles. They’re all a little different.

“It comes down to, teams that are looking at running backs, what flavor do you like? What kind of ice cream do you like? And then, when you get in the draft, where are they going to be at?”

On how the team evaluates these running back prospects:

“It’s hard to evaluate a lot of guys on tape and get a good feel for them. You try to as much as you can, but to be able to go there and see guys is great. We’ve done it with the quarterback position in years past, and it helps you out a lot.”

On the addition of Davis, who signed a two-year, $6MM contract earlier this month:

“We thought that would be a good addition to our side of the ball on offense. We’re intrigued to get him in and start learning who he is as a person…From all the research we did on him, we thought [Davis] was a great fit.”

On wideout/return man/occasional running back Cordarrelle Patterson, who signed a two-year, $10MM contract:

“We saw a role for him. You see what he did in New England with the jet sweeps, the [end] arounds [and] the screens, and I think that that’s a good fit for him. But for me, it’s kind of like a kid in a candy store.”

Cowboys Haven’t Talked Deals With Prescott, Cooper

March 30th, 2019 at 11:16am CST by Ben Levine

While the Cowboys are reportedly at an “impasse” in negotiations with pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, the team apparently hasn’t even gotten that far with Dak Prescott nor Amari Cooper. Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram writes that the organization hasn’t started contract negotiations with the quarterback or wideout.

Both Prescott and Cooper are entering the final year of their contracts. As Hill notes, the two players are signed for 2019, and with their agents focused on their current free agent clients, there hasn’t been a particular rush to start negotiating. In fact, a source tells Hill that we may not seen either player signed to an extension until after the draft or during OTAs.

Either way, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, it won’t be particularly easy to sign either player, especially when you consider the Cowboys’ current standoff with Lawrence. Prescott or Cooper could leverage the franchise tag, similar to what Lawrence is currently going through. If one of the two offensive players signs an extension, that would seemingly boost the leverage of their unsigned teammate. Florio notes that running back Ezekiel Elliott could also push for a new deal.

It’s clearly a slippery slope for the Cowboys, but vice president Stephen Jones made it clear that none of the hypothetical extensions are dependent on each other.

“Each negotiation is in its own place,” Jones said. “If we could get Dak done today, we would. If we could get Amari Cooper done today, we would. I wouldn’t necessarily say one has to come before the other. We’ll just see how each of those negotiations proceed.”

Following a midseason trade to Dallas, Cooper recaptured the potential he had shown during his first two years in the league. In nine starts, the wideout hauled in 53 receptions for 725 yards and six touchdowns. We heard earlier this week that the Cowboys were ready to discuss an extension with the receiver. Meanwhile, Prescott had another solid season in 2018, finishing with a career-high 3,885 passing yards to go along with 22 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions. We heard earlier this month that the team had met with the quarterback’s agent, but we can probably assume that no formal negotiations took place.

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