HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Vikings To Keep Everson Griffen

March 14th, 2019 at 2:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings and pass-rusher Everson Griffen have struck a deal for him to remain on the team, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Griffen was set to have his $10.9MM salary fully guaranteed by tomorrow, which gave the Vikings pause. Instead, the two sides negotiated to find a workaround.

Griffen will accept a base salary cut from $10.9MM to $6.4MM in a move that will create $4.3MM in savings for the Vikings, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. However, his per-game roster bonus total will rise from $500K to $1.5MM, so he can make up some of that loss simply by staying on the field. Additionally, Griffen — who is currently under contract through 2022 — now has the ability to void the final three years of his pact by achieving incentives.

In order to void those seasons, Griffen must post six sacks while playing at least 56% of the Vikings’ snaps in 2019, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Griffen can also collect $500K by producing eight sacks next year.

After a bevy of extensions in recent years, plus the massive free agent deal signed by Kirk Cousins last year, the Vikings are in a tough cap situation. Griffen, 31, signed a new deal with Minnesota just a couple of years ago, but releasing him would have saved them upwards of $10MM in cap space.

Last year, Griffen missed five games as he dealt with personal issues. Without confidence in Griffen’s status, the Vikings were unwilling to move forward under the previous terms of the deal, which runs through 2022.

But when he’s right, Griffen is excellent. Even in a 2018 season that saw him deal with apparently significant off-field matters, Griffen posted 5.5 sacks and graded out as an above-average edge defender.

After surprisingly re-signing Anthony Barr and finding a way to keep Griffen in the fold, the Vikings are bringing back all of their top defenders for at least one more season as they attempt to rebound from a disappointing 2018 campaign.

Saints To Sign DT Malcom Brown

March 14th, 2019 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are signing defensive tackle Malcom Brown to a three-year deal worth up to $15MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ben Volin of the Boston Globe provides additional details, reporting that while Brown’s contract maxes out at $15MM, it’s really a two-year, $10MM pact for all intents and purposes (Twitter link). Brown is guaranteed $7.5MM and will earn $5.5MM in 2019 and $4.5MM in 2020. It’s a solid deal for the Saints, who are adding a former first-round pick to the defensive line.

Brown, 25, started in 51 of his 60 games for the Patriots, including 14 starts last season. This past year, he did not record any sacks, but he was on the field for just 279 pass snaps. In the previous three seasons, Brown managed 8.5 sacks from the interior.

Heading into this week, defensive tackle was a huge need for the Saints. With the Brown deal, they’ve managed to partially fill that gap at a reasonable rate. Sheldon Rankins will serve as the team’s top DT, but questions remain about him, Tyeler Davison and David Onyemata. Rankins suffered a torn Achilles in the NFC title game, Davison is in free agent limbo, and Onyemata may face a suspension after a citation for marijuana possession.

The Patriots, meanwhile, replaced Brown by signing former Jets defensive lineman Mike Pennel for half the price. Pennel’s work in 2018 garnered favorable reviews from the advanced metrics, and he should have an opportunity for an increased workload with New England.

49ers To Sign CB Jason Verrett

March 14th, 2019 at 2:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers are signing former Chargers’ cornerback Jason Verrett to a one-year, $3.6MM deal, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former first-round pick has played in just five games over the last three years, but he could be a strong value signing if he stays on the field. 

Verrett missed the entire 2018 campaign after suffering a torn Achilles during a conditioning test last July. The Texans and Chiefs were also said to have had interest in Verrett, but they were also closely looking into his health situation.

Verrett was a Pro Bowler in 2015 and looked primed to establish himself as one of the best young corners in the league. Reportedly, before the latest injury, he looked like his old self in practice, so there’s reason to believe that he’ll make the most of his one-year prove-it deal.

The Niners made major upgrades to their defense this week, signing Kwon Alexander and trading for (and extending) Dee Ford. They also made an offer to cornerback Bradley Roby before he chose to sign with the Texans. They didn’t land Roby, but they got another former first-round pick out of the AFC West in Verrett.

Bears To Sign Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

March 14th, 2019 at 2:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bears are replacing the recently-departed Adrian Amos with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It will be a one-year deal for Clinton-Dix, who comes back to the NFC North after a brief hiatus in Washington. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network tweets that Clinton-Dix will earn $3.5MM in 2019.

We learned yesterday that Clinton-Dix would be meeting with Chicago, and that visit apparently well for both sides. Although he is not as physical as Amos, who signed with the division-rival Packers (Clinton-Dix’s original team), Clinton-Dix does offer arguably better coverage ability. His skill-set is somewhat similar to that of new teammate and fellow safety Eddie Jackson, but the Bears, who boast one of the best overall defenses in the league, should be able to make it work.

The Redskins picked up Clinton-Dix from the Packers at the 2018 trade deadline in exchange for a fourth-round pick. In nine games in the nation’s capital, Clinton-Dix posted 66 tackles, three passes defensed, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. All told, Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 17 safety last season.

Washington wanted him back, but the prospect of suiting up for a more legitimate contender and for a better defensive unit was the deciding factor. Indeed, Garafolo says that Clinton-Dix turned down more money “elsewhere” to play for Chicago and to reunite with Jackson, his former teammate at Alabama (it is unclear whether the Redskins’ offer was higher than the Bears’ proposal, but at least one team was offering more than $3.5MM).

Bengals To Meet With John Miller

March 14th, 2019 at 1:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Guard John Miller will visit with the Bengals on Thursday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). To date, Miller has spent all four years of his pro career with the Bills. 

Miller, a third-round pick in 2015, has started 47 games over the last four years with Buffalo, including all 15 of his games last year. The Bengals could stand to upgrade their O-line even after re-signing right tackle Bobby Hart, so Miller could help them solidify the unit.

Miller has only played at right guard in his professional career, a position that Alex Redmond held down in 2018 for Cincinnati. Redmond, a former UDFA, performed decently, but he was hardly a world-beater, and the same can be said for left guard Clint Boling. At the very least, Miller would provide young, experienced depth.

For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics preferred Miller to Redmond last year. Miller was demoted in favor of Vlad Ducasse during the 2017 season, but he regained his starting job in 2018, and he may have done enough to land a modest multi-year pact.

One year ago, the Bills traded left tackle Cordy Glenn to the Bengals, and Miller could soon reunite with his former line mate in Cincinnati.

Browns RB Duke Johnson On Trade Block

March 14th, 2019 at 1:28pm CST by Rory Parks

The Browns are shopping running back Duke Johnson, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cleveland extended Johnson just last year, but after Nick Chubb performed admirably in his rookie campaign, and after the club acquired the troubled but uber-talented Kareem Hunt in February, it seems that Johnson may be on the outs.

We heard earlier this month that three teams had inquired on Johnson’s availability, and although the Browns publicly said they were committed to the Miami product — and that they were going to keep him at running back rather than move him to wideout to take advantage of his receiving talents — it appears they are willing to deal him for the right price. Speculatively, that could mean that the team is optimistic that Hunt will be eligible to play sooner rather than later.

Although Johnson is coming off something of a down year, it is clear that he can be very dangerous when utilized correctly. He has averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his four-year career (including a career-high 5.0 yards per tote in 2018), and he is averaging nearly 60 catches per season.

But the splashy acquisition of Odell Beckham Jr. means that Jarvis Landry will be spending even more time in the slot, further reducing Johnson’s role as a pass-catcher. The Browns are in no hurry to move Johnson, as he still has value even in a stacked offense, and he is set to carry a fairly modest cap number of $3.05MM. But if they get an offer they like, they are prepared to pull the trigger.

Le’Veon Bell Contract Details

March 14th, 2019 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Le’Veon Bell received a four-year, $52.5MM contract from the Jets, thereby bringing an end to one of the most-discussed storylines in recent memory. And although that is a hefty sum for a running back, even one as explosive as Bell, New York appears to have managed the risk-reward aspect of the contract quite nicely. Here are some details:

  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News provides a breakdown of Bell’s payouts (via Twitter). He notes that the total guarantee is $25MM, as opposed to the $35MM that was first reported, and he also points out that the Jets will pay out $26MM in cash through the first two years of the deal.
  • Bell’s base salaries in 2019 and 2020 ($2.5MM and $6MM) are fully guaranteed, but after that, the guaranteed money is gone. That means that the Jets can cut bait after two seasons –having paid just $26MM — and would incur a fairly modest $4MM dead cap charge while saving $11.5MM against the cap.
  • Mehta also tweeted Bell’s salary cap hits for each of the four contract years. He will count for just $8MM against the cap in 2019.
  • As Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, the deal also includes $3MM training camp reporting bonuses in 2021 and 2022, which could disincentivize Bell from staging another holdout after his guarantees dry up.

All in all, then, the Jets appear to have secured a great player on a reasonable contract, and if things don’t work out as planned, the deal will not handicap them in the long-term.

Rams Interested In Clay Matthews?

March 14th, 2019 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams could be a potential landing spot for Clay Matthews, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). The long-time Packers star is set to join another club for the first time in his career, and Los Angeles is the first club with reported interest.

We learned at the beginning of the 2018 campaign that Green Bay was prepared to let the 32-year-old linebacker (33 in May) hit free agency. And although Matthews produced just 3.5 sacks in 2018, he still graded out as an above-average edge defender, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Plus, he is one year removed from a very strong 2017 campaign, when he recorded 7.5 sacks and graded out as one of the better pass rushers in the league.

The double-digit sack seasons appear to be in the rear-view mirror, but Matthews clearly has something left in the tank as a situational pass rusher. The Rams have a couple of members of their front seven who are capable of getting to the quarterback (see, Aaron Donald, Dante Fowler), and Matthews would further enhance a unit that ranked in the middle of the pack in sacks last season.

Matthews has six Pro Bowl bids and one First Team All-Pro nod to his credit, though he hasn’t received either honor since the 2015 season.

Seahawks To Re-Sign D.J. Fluker

March 14th, 2019 at 12:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks are finalizing a new two-year deal for guard and Patrice O’Neal lookalike D.J. Fluker (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). The pact is worth up to $9MM, tweets Herbie Teope of NFL.com. The Seahawks also signed guard Mike Iupati on Thursday morning, but there’s apparently room for both former first-round picks in Seattle.

The Seahawks just lost last year’s 15-game starter at left guard, J.R. Sweezy, to the Cardinals, but things are shaping up nicely on the interior line between Iupati’s arrival and Fluker’s new contract.

Fluker joined the Seahawks last offseason after having spent the 2017 campaign with the Giants. He proceeded to start nine of his 10 games with Seattle, as a hamstring injury forced him to sit out a handful of contests. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance in 2018, ranking him 68th among 77 eligible offensive guards.

However, he was an integral member of the club’s top-rated rushing attack in 2018, and Seattle has been working hard to retain him. Although there were no other teams publicly connected to him as of yet, he would surely have attracted more suitors in the coming days.

Contract Details: Taylor, Wright, Harris, Lutz

March 14th, 2019 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Some assorted contract details from the around the NFL:

Load More Posts