2019 March - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Re-Sign Colin Jones

March 11th, 2019 at 8:50am CST by Rory Parks

The Panthers have re-signed special teamer Colin Jones to a two-year deal, per Joe Person of The Athletic (via Twitter). Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets that the deal is worth $2.6MM.

Jones just finished the two-year extension (worth $2.4MM) that he signed in March 2017. He is a safety by trade and has started eight games at safety over the past two seasons (racking up two interceptions during that time), but his true value comes on special teams. He appeared in over 82% of Carolina’s special teams snaps in 2018 and tied for the team lead in ST tackles. He also served as the Panthers’ special teams captain last year.

Jones entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the 49ers in 2011 but has been with the Panthers since 2012. Carolina clearly appreciates his special teams ability and the depth he offers in the secondary.

Buccaneers Shopping DeSean Jackson

March 11th, 2019 at 8:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers have been actively shopping DeSean Jackson for a trade, according to ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine. Laine also hears the Eagles would be a preferred destination for the wide receiver.

The Bucs, naturally, would prefer to trade Jackson rather than releasing him outright. Jackson, meanwhile, would rather be released than traded. The veteran is under contract for one more season at a $10MM cap number, but that sum is completely non-guaranteed, so Jackson would rather start a negotiation from scratch while hand-picking his next team. Apparently, if Jackson had his druthers, he’d reunite with the Eagles.

The Eagles’ level of interest in trading for Jackson is not quite clear, but they would be a logical destination for the wide receiver since they need a deep threat. Last year, they thought they had a suitable deep threat in Mike Wallace, but their offense was limited after Wallace suffered a broken leg in September.

Jackson asked for a trade during the 2018 season and struggled to stay on the same page as Jameis Winston. And, although his 774 receiving yards marked an improvement from his disappointing 2017 showing, Jackson’s best games came when Ryan Fitzpatrick was throwing. The Bucs are committed to Winston for 2019, which will be Jackson’s 12th NFL season.

Ravens Exercise Brandon Carr’s Option

March 11th, 2019 at 8:34am CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens have exercised cornerback Brandon Carr‘s 2019 option, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). 2019 will be the third year in Baltimore for the remarkably durable Carr, who has never missed a game or a start in his 11-year career.

Carr signed what was officially a four-year pact with the Ravens in March 2017, but it was really a one-year deal with a series of options. He has been rumored as a cap casualty to some degree in each of the past two offseasons, but his overall solid play and durability have made him quite valuable to Baltimore’s secondary.

He is by no means a superstar, but he graded out as an above average corner in 2018 per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and he has secured six interceptions over the past two seasons. He serves as a strong complement to Jimmy Smith and rising star Marlon Humphrey.

Smith has been rumored as a cap casualty himself, but given the way the Ravens’ secondary has been depleted by injury prior in recent years (2018 excluded), it would be somewhat surprising if he were released, though he may be asked to take a pay cut. Carr, Smith, and Humphrey form one of the best CB trios in football, and rumor has it that they may soon be joined by a big-name safety like Tyrann Mathieu.

Lions Sign Danny Amendola

March 11th, 2019 at 8:01am CST by Rory Parks

The Lions have signed free agent wide receiver Danny Amendola, the team announced. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it will be a one-year pact with a guaranteed base salary of $4.5MM. The deal also includes incentives that could push Amendola’s earnings up to $5.75MM.

Amendola, 33, was released by the Dolphins a few days ago after one year in South Beach. He posted 579 yards and one touchdown for the Fins, and he should be a solid addition to a strong group of skill players in Detroit. Although there was some mutual interest in a reunion between Amendola and Patriots, Amendola will be reuniting with several familiar faces from his days in New England in head coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn.

Amendola offers a reliable slot target to complement Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay on the outside, and he comes at a lower price than other free agent options like Adam Humphries and Jamison Crowder. He is also considerably older and may not have as much upside as either of those players, but the Lions are expected to be very active in free agency and wanted to get out in front of the receiver market, which is expected to once again be quite robust.

Indeed, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets that the Lions will be players at the top of the pass rush market, which is what they may now focus on after securing a serviceable replacement for Golden Tate, who was traded to Philadelphia last season.

Rams Re-Sign Dante Fowler Jr.

March 10th, 2019 at 10:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Rams are re-signing outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr., the team announced on Twitter. Fowler had been set to become a free agent.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it’s safe to assume Fowler landed a significant sum. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network soon tweeted that it’s a one-year deal for Fowler. He had been set to be one of the top pass-rushers available in free agency, and the Rams locking him up will have a major ripple effect across the league. The Rams traded third and fifth round picks to the Jaguars for him at the trade deadline, and didn’t want to let him walk.

Free agency is set to open tomorrow, and one of the bigger names is now off the market. We heard last week that the Jets had been interested in Fowler. The third overall pick in 2015, he had his fifth-year option declined by Jacksonville last year, which made him a free agent now. It’s interesting that he accepted a one-year deal, as he had been rumored to be seeking a lengthier pact. He’ll now have the chance to prove himself in Los Angeles, and re-enter the market next year.

Fowler never quite lived up to his draft status, but is capable of being a productive pass-rusher. For his career, he has 16 sacks in 47 games. He was relatively quiet in the regular season with the Rams, but really turned it on in the playoffs. Fowler landed the hit on Drew Brees in the NFC Championship Game which forced an interception and sent the Rams to the Super Bowl. The Rams have been really aggressive the past couple of seasons, and they’ve been continuing that this offseason. Recently, they made a splash by signing safety Eric Weddle, as they look to make another Super Bowl run.

New York Notes: Giants, Cornerbacks, Jets, Saffold

March 10th, 2019 at 9:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Giants have been overhauling their defense recently. They’ve traded away defensive end Olivier Vernon, and they’ve decided not to retain safety Landon Collins. Dave Gettleman is looking to rebuild the unit, and he is reportedly looking to add to the secondary. The Giants “will target veteran starting cornerbacks” in free agency, sources told Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. Dunleavy points out that their secondary has only one returning starter for next year, so the back half of their defense will look quite a bit different.

Specifically, the Giants will be interested in Colts cornerback Pierre Desir when the market opens, a source told Dunleavy. Desir had been a bit of a journeyman early in his career, but blossomed into a full-time starter with Indianapolis last year and had a really good season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 18th-best cornerback in the NFL last year. Whatever happens, defensive coordinator James Bettcher will have a lot of new parts next season.

Here’s more from the Big Apple:

Before making the trade for Kelechi Osemele, the Jets “had been eyeing” Rams guard Rodger Saffold, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (Twitter link). Pauline writes that they’ll no longer be interested after bringing in Osemele to be a starting guard. Saffold has had a big last couple of years in Los Angeles, and will be landing a hefty contract on the open market. The Rams are hoping to retain him, and it’s possible the Jets making this trade will indirectly help them get their left guard back.
“There will be a market for” Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn, an impending free agent, sources told Dunleavy. Given that Wynn is apparently expected to draw heavy interest, Dunleavy thinks the team might be better off trying to retain Josh Mauro, another impending free agent. Wynn had just 1.5 sacks last year, but teams are apparently high on him. Dunleavy also reports that the team has no plans to release cornerback Janoris Jenkins or restructure his contract, and that they plan on Jenkins anchoring the secondary next year.
In case you missed it, the Jets are looking to add a blocking tight end and were interested in the recently released Darren Fells.

Patriots Interested In Amendola Reunion?

March 10th, 2019 at 9:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Danny Amendola‘s Dolphins tenure lasted one season, and a report indicated the veteran wide receiver was interested in rejoining the Patriots. It appears the defending Super Bowl champions are open to that.

The Patriots have interest in bringing Amendola back, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (on Twitter).

New England’s wideout situation features extensive uncertainty. Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett are free agents, and Josh Gordon — an RFA, were he to be reinstated again — cannot be counted on to come back at this point. Julian Edelman delivered another productive season, culminating in a dominant playoff stretch, but will be 33 next season.

The Patriots would be interested in a Dorsett return, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, but the team does not appear to be eyeing a bigger role for the former first-round pick. Should another team view Dorsett in a better light, Reiss expects the four-year veteran to leave New England.

Amendola will turn 34 this year and was not especially consistent for the Patriots. But he came up big in some key moments, including in his final playoff run with the Pats.

Last season, Amendola caught 59 passes for 575 yards and one touchdown. The Dolphins gave him a two-year, $12MM deal, which they scrubbed from their books earlier this week. Another Patriots contract would not be for that much, but given Amendola’s experience with the team, it would be logical the Pats could pursue him to fill in as an auxiliary weapon on a lower-end deal.

Cowboys Will Make ‘Strong Push’ For Earl Thomas

March 10th, 2019 at 8:55pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We heard a couple of weeks ago that Earl Thomas could get priced out of the Cowboys’ range, even though there’s been a long-rumored connection between the two sides. But Dallas apparently hasn’t been scared off by Thomas’ asking price and will make a “strong push” for the safety when free agency opens, according to David Moore of The Dallas Morning News.

The latest word is that Thomas is seeking a deal that will pay him around $13MM annually. Thomas is from Texas and played his college ball for the Texas Longhorns, and it hasn’t been much of a secret that he’s interested in returning home. Thomas wants to become the highest paid safety in the game, and Moore writes that the Cowboys “regard Thomas as a special talent.” He also notes that they aren’t concerned about his age, Thomas will be 30 in May, and that they “will make a competitive offer” for his services.

We heard more confirmation earlier today that numerous teams will be interested in signing Thomas, so the Cowboys won’t have it easy. The 49ers are expected to be aggressive in pursuing the All-Pro as are the Chiefs, who attempted to trade for him last fall. Thomas has indicated he won’t be giving the Cowboys much of a hometown discount, but it sounds like they’re willing to match, or at least come close to, what other teams are offering.

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. The six-time Pro Bowler would be a massive addition to the Cowboys’ already promising defense.

Extra Points: Thomas, Rams, Collins

March 10th, 2019 at 8:23pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Rams’ decision to sign Eric Weddle last week could have a ripple effect on the rest of the league. The Rams had been interested in signing fellow safety Earl Thomas, but will no longer be pursuing him after signing Weddle, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Bob Condotta posted in a follow-up tweet that echoed what he had heard about Thomas and the Rams. Condotta also said the Cowboys, Chiefs, 49ers are “all thought now to be potential bidders for Thomas.” The 49ers have both been heavily linked to Thomas, and the Chiefs nearly traded for him last fall.

Elsewhere in the video Rapoport posted, he broke down the whole safety market. Unlike last year, where the safety market took very long to develop and seemingly nobody got paid, Rapoport expects big contracts to be flying left and right for safeties this time around. He also notes that the Redskins are expected to be interested in Landon Collins, who the Giants recently decided to let walk.

Here’s the latest from around the league on the night before free agency opens:

In addition to safeties, it should be a very active market for free agent pass-rushers. Premier defensive linemen like Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald are starting to get more than $20MM per year on deals and we should get used to that, writes former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry. “Mack and Donald should soon have company in the $20 million-per-year non-quarterback club”, Corry writes. Corry broke down the market for edge rushers, and has a bunch of interesting tidbits in the article that is well-worth a read. Notably, he thinks Demarcus Lawrence could challenge and surpass the record-setting deals signed by Von Miller and Aaron Donald.
In case you were yearning for a Chad Kelly update, we’ve got one. The former Ole Miss star was released by the Broncos back in November after he was arrested following an incident after Von Miller’s Halloween party. He’s been out of a job ever since, but he appeared in court again last week. The young quarterback pleaded not guilty to the felony criminal trespassing charges he’s facing, according to Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com. He’ll be back in court in April, but it sounds like he’s fighting the case rather than accepting a plea deal. He’ll likely face discipline from the league if a team decides to give him another chance.
In case you missed it, despite rumors to the contrary, Dion Lewis is safe in Tennessee.

North Notes: Rudolph, Browns, Packers

March 10th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Kyle Rudolph isn’t going anywhere. We heard earlier today that the Vikings had asked Rudolph to take a pay-cut, but his management team is pushing back forcefully on those rumors. Rudolph’s agent, Brian Murphy, released a statement saying “despite rumors, Vikings are not in negotiations with Kyle Rudolph, have not asked him to take a pay reduction and have told us explicitly that Rudy will not only be on the team this year, but hopefully for years to come,” via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

It’s a strong statement, and it doesn’t leave much room for doubt. Rudolph is scheduled to make $7.275MM next season and the Vikings have almost no salary cap space, but they’ll apparently have to create room somewhere else. Rudolph has spent the last eight seasons in Minnesota after the Vikings took him in the second round of the 2011 draft. He hasn’t been in the top-tier of tight ends, but he’s been a solid and consistent player, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2017. Rudolph has also been very durable recently, appearing in all 16 games in four straight years.

Here’s more from around the league’s northern divisions:

Greg Robinson signed a one-year deal to return to the Browns a couple of weeks ago, and now we have the details on the contract. Interestingly, his new pact includes $500K in weigh-in bonuses, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Robinson will have weigh-ins around once a month starting in April all the way through the regular season, which suggests Cleveland wasn’t too happy with the weight he played at last year. Robinson’s deal has a base salary of $5.5MM with a $500K signing bonus, $400K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus. He could face competition from a rookie, but right now the former second overall pick projects as the team’s starting left tackle.
Speaking of the Browns, the status of receiver Breshad Perriman is still up in the air. The former first round pick and draft bust with the Ravens revitalized his career in Cleveland last year, but is now set to be an unrestricted free agent. The “two sides aren’t close” on a deal, but Perriman “wants to be back, and realizes that Baker Mayfield helped him resuscitate his career,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Kay Cabot writes that Perriman’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, “wants to let the market” set the price for the 25-year-old receiver. After joining the Browns mid-season, Perriman had 233 yards and two touchdowns the final four weeks of the year.
The Packers have reportedly expressed interest in Chiefs pass-rusher Dee Ford. But trading for Ford, who has been franchise-tagged by Kansas City, may prove difficult for Green Bay. Any team that trades for Ford is likely to try and sign him to a longterm deal, but the Packers don’t usually like longterm deals with a ton of guaranteed money and prefer to structure deals with large signing bonuses instead, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That could be a problem because as Rapoport points out, Ford has the same agent as Le’Veon Bell, and the agent takes a very strong stance on the need for more guaranteed money in deals. None of this means the Packers won’t be able to trade for Ford, but it’s an interesting note nonetheless, and it could force them to turn their focus elsewhere as they look for pass-rushing help.