HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Browns Confident They’ll Land S Earl Thomas

March 12th, 2019 at 8:49pm CST by Ben Levine

After trading for Odell Beckham Jr. and signing Sheldon Richardson, it sounds like the Browns are still targeting big-name veterans. Jason La Canfora reports (via Twitter) that the organization is confident about their chances of landing free agent safety Earl Thomas.

As the reporter notes, the organization is apparently looking for one more big splash. After that, they’ll look to “stack depth” via the draft, and they’ll then presumably fill out their roster with journeyman and undrafted free agents. At the very least, it’s clear that the Browns are motivated to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

The market hasn’t necessarily been quiet for Thomas, but it’s uncertain if the safety will be able to secure his desired $13MM per year. There were also rumblings that the veteran wanted to be the highest-paid safety in the game, a market that was reset by Tyrann Mathieu‘s $14MM annual salary with the Chiefs. The Cowboys have been connected to Thomas for the better part of a year, and there were rumblings yesterday that the Texans could make a run at the 29-year-old.

The Browns would be a natural fit for the veteran, as the team is currently rostering only three safeties in Damarious Randall, Derrick Kindred, and Jermaine Whitehead. Thomas played in just four games last season before a leg injury landed him on injured reserve, but he’ll be fully recovered by the time the 2019 season rolls around. He wouldn’t only provide the Browns with an upgrade at safety, but he’d also add some veteran-savvy to the entire defense.

Steelers To Re-Sign LB Anthony Chickillo

March 12th, 2019 at 8:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Anthony Chickillo is sticking around Pittsburgh. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Steelers are re-signing the linebacker. It’s a two-year deal worth $8MM. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets that the Patriots were also in on Chickillo, and extended him a similar offer, but Chickillo wanted to win with Pittsburgh. He said, “it’s funny everybody’s counting us out. You still have to play the games.”

The 26-year-old has spent his entire four-year career with the Steelers. After being selected in the sixth-round of the 2015 draft, the Miami product has developed into a reliable backup linebacker.

In 2018, Chickillo appeared in 16 games for a second-straight season, compiling 24 tackles and two passes defended. Pro Football Focus ranked him 40th among 103 eligible edge defenders.

With Chickillo back on board, the Steelers will have the ability to turn to him or Olasunkanmi Adeniyi to back up starters Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt. Fellow linebacker L.J. Fort is also a free agent, and there have been some rumblings that Pittsburgh could look to bring him back.

Contract Details: Paradis, Saffold, Jackson, Packers

March 12th, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Following another busy day around the NFL, let’s check out some contract details:

Breshad Perriman Wants To Back Out Of Browns Deal

March 12th, 2019 at 8:26pm CST by Rory Parks

The Browns re-signed Breshad Perriman earlier today in a deal that was just slightly overshadowed by the team’s acquisition of Odell Beckham Jr. But now that OBJ is in the fold, Perriman apparently doesn’t believe there will be enough passes to go around.

Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Perriman wants to back out of the one-year, $4MM pact he agreed to. One would think that Perriman, who displayed the deep threat ability that once made him a first-round pick of the Ravens after he signed with Cleveland last season, would still have the opportunity to show off that speed in 2019 to some degree.

But it is true that Cleveland looks absolutely loaded at the skill positions, and OBJ is going to command well over 100 targets, so it’s understandable Perriman would prefer to go to a team that can offer him more chances.

Perriman’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was not immediately available for comment.

49ers, Chiefs Agree To Dee Ford Trade

March 12th, 2019 at 7:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs will send Dee Ford to San Francisco. The 49ers have agreed to send their 2020 second-round pick to the Chiefs for the franchise-tagged pass rusher, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. We heard earlier tonight that the two sides were discussing a trade.

The teams have agreed on compensation, and it sounds like the 49ers and Ford have agreed to an extension. ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets that Ford has signed a five-year, $87.5MM deal with his new squad. Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo tweets that the deal contains around $45MM in guaranteed money.

The 49ers are in need of edge-rushing talent, and Ford would certainly fit the bill. Ford registered a career-high 13 sacks last season, making his first Pro Bowl. Ford played in a 4-3 at Auburn and, interestingly, would be a full-time end in the 49ers’ 4-3. Beyond Ford, the Chiefs have 2018 second-round pick Breeland Speaks and 2017 second-rounder Tanoh Kpassagnon. Those two have combined for 3.5 sacks in three seasons.

The Chiefs had reportedly been shopping Ford even they slapped him with a franchise tag that will pay him up a bit more than $15MM. The front office had reportedly been seeking a second-rounder in exchange for Ford, but there were some pundits who believed that organization may have to settle for a third-rounder plus another asset. Ultimately, it sounds like San Francisco was willing to meet Kansas City’s asking price.

The Chiefs pass-rushing corps will look a whole lot different next season. The team recently released Justin Houston, leaving the team with few edge defenders on the roster.

Chiefs, 49ers In Advanced Dee Ford Talks

March 12th, 2019 at 7:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs and 49ers are deep in talks about a Dee Ford trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding this deal could end up being finalized on Tuesday night.

This would be a major move for a Chiefs franchise that just released Justin Houston. The Chiefs put out trade feelers for both Houston and Ford, but speculation persisted about the team being prepared to jettison only one of its edge starters. But now? The 2019 Chiefs’ pass rush may look quite different from the most recent corps.

Should this trade come to pass, the Chiefs may not be likely to obtain one of the 49ers’ top two draft picks. They were targeting a Round 2 choice for Ford, but Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller tweets a third-rounder and an additional asset may end being the return. This would be similar to Kansas City’s 2018 Alex Smith trade, which brought back a third-round pick and Kendall Fuller.

San Francisco was one of the destinations mentioned for Ford. The 49ers are in need of edge-rushing talent and have been linked to that spot with their No. 2 draft pick. They may soon be in position to work out a new contract with Ford, on whom the Chiefs placed their franchise tag. That component will be key in this process, per Rapoport.

Ford, who is set for his age-28 season, was given the linebacker franchise tag — worth just more than $15MM.

This would leave the Chiefs with no proven edge rushers. But the tag-and-trade scenario would free up more than $15MM in cap space, whereas the team had to eat some dead money in its Houston release.

Ford registered a career-high 13 sacks last season, making his first Pro Bowl. While he has not been especially reliable in his career, he is by far the Chiefs’ best in-house edge rusher. But with K.C. moving to a 4-3 defense, new DC Steve Spagnuolo appears to be willing to rock the boat to find better fits.

Ford played in a 4-3 at Auburn and, interestingly, would be a full-time end in the 49ers’ 4-3. Beyond Ford, the Chiefs have 2018 second-round pick Breeland Speaks and 2017 second-rounder Tanoh Kpassagnon. Those two have combined for 3.5 sacks in three seasons.

Titans To Sign Cameron Wake

March 12th, 2019 at 7:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cameron Wake is finally changing teams. The longtime Dolphins sack artist has a deal in place with the Titans, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Wake will sign a three-year, $23MM deal to help anchor Tennessee’s pass rush. We learned last week that Wake would not be re-signing with the Dolphins, the only team he has ever known, and he predictably had multiple clubs interested in his services.

Wake posted just six sacks last season after back-to-back double-digit campaigns, and he is 37. But he still offers plenty of ability, even if Tennessee may need to limit his snap count to keep him fresh. Pro Football Focus was especially bullish on his 2018 performance, ranking him as the 16th-best edge defender out of 113 eligible players.

Plus, he is a capable edge setter against the run, so it’s not as though the Titans will be forced to deploy him only in passing situations. The five-time Pro Bowler, who has one First Team All-Pro bid to his credit, also has a reputation as a sure tackler, making him a pretty complete all-around player.

However, he has just one career playoff appearance in his 10 years in the league, so one would think he could have chosen a club that profiled as a more legitimate contender. The Titans narrowly missed the playoffs last season, but they do not look like an outfit that is especially well-equipped to make a deep postseason run at the moment.

Wake has 98 sacks in his career, good for 33rd all-time, and he could climb into the top-25 with a quality season in Nashville.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Giants Trade Odell Beckham Jr. To Browns

March 12th, 2019 at 6:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Odell Beckham Jr. is finally on the move. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that the Giants are trading the wide receiver to the Browns.

It sound like New York has received a relative haul for their star receiver. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Giants will be receiving a 2019 first-rounder (No. 17 overall), a 2019 third-rounder (No. 95), and safety Jabrill Peppers. The deal will leave $16MM in dead money for the Giants, who inked the receiver to a five-year, $95 million contract ($65MM guaranteed) back in August. The move will open up $5MM in cap space, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).

This would seem to be a relatively big haul for Beckham, especially when you consider what the Steelers recently received for Antonio Brown. While Brown is older and desired a new contract, Pittsburgh was still only able to fetch a third-round pick (No. 66 overall) and fifth-round pick (No. 141) from the Raiders. Of course; Beckham may also be seeking a new deal; NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the receiver is expected to ask Cleveland for a new contract.

There had been conflicting reports regarding Beckham’s availability in recent days. Despite general manager Dave Gettleman‘s consistent insistence that Beckham was not available, we learned yesterday that the Giants had been discussing a trade. We heard earlier today that an AFC North team was engaged in conversations with the Giants, and we’ve now learned that the team was Cleveland.

The Browns seemed like a relatively natural fit for Beckham and his $18MM salary. Despite signing Jarvis Landry to a lucrative deal last offseason, Cleveland’s front office was still hunting around for a big-name addition. The 26-year-old surely fits that bill, as he’ll team up with Landry, quarterback Baker Mayfield, and running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to form one of the more talented offenses in the NFL.

The 26-year-old was still productive in 2018 despite missing four games due to a quad injury. In 12 games, Beckham hauled in 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns. The former first-rounder is all over the Giants all-time leaders list, with top-five appearances in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown receptions.

While the focus of the trade will surround Beckham, Peppers is an intriguing inclusion in the deal. The former Michigan standout had spent the first two seasons of his career in Cleveland, including a 2018 campaign where he compiled 79 tackles, one sack, and five passes defended. While the 23-year-old hasn’t necessarily displayed the talent that earned him a first-round selection, he’s still an intriguing asset for the Giants. While the team recently added Antoine Bethea, Peppers could theoretically supplant Michael Thomas in the starting lineup.

Jets Have Sizable Bell Offer On Table

March 12th, 2019 at 6:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Le’Veon Bell saga has gone quiet over the past several hours, and some around the league are wondering why the two-time All-Pro running back has not accepted the Jets’ offer.

The Jets have submitted a “sizable” offer to Bell, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reports. Leery of being used as leverage, as they were with Kirk Cousins and now Anthony Barr, the Jets want a Bell answer by Tuesday night.

It is not known if the Jets have any serious competition for Bell. The other reported suitors, as of this evening, were not believed to be making a serious run at the 27-year-old star. Some in NFL circles are curious if Bell’s camp is using the Jets to ramp up an offer from another team, Vacchiano adds, or if Team Bell is attempting to force the Jets to bid against themselves. As a result, the Jets are “getting antsy,” according to Mike Silver of NFL.com (via Pro Football Talk).

Bell turned down a five-year offer from the Steelers at last year’s franchise tag deadline. Specifics on that proposal varied, but reports had Bell being in line to receive $30MM over that deal’s first two years and $45MM over three. The Steelers in 2017 reportedly offered Bell $13.3MM per year. It’s possible Bell’s camp is attempting to justify the running back’s decision to sit out 2018 in order to best position himself for this week of free agency. But as of now, Bell remains without a team.

Titans To Re-Sign Kevin Pamphile

March 12th, 2019 at 6:40pm CST by Rory Parks

The Titans are re-signing offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Twitter).

The 28-year-old lineman signed with Tennessee last March, but his season ended early, as he was placed on IR in September. Still, he is one year removed from being a full-time starter with the Bucs, and his ability to line up at tackle or guard does make him an appealing depth option if nothing else.

Pamphile started two games at tackle for the Titans last season before succumbing to injury.

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