HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Jordy Nelson Retires From NFL

March 27th, 2019 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Jordy Nelson is calling it a career. The longtime Packers standout wide receiver is retiring from football, according to former teammate James Jones (on Twitter). 

Nelson leaves the sport with more than 8,500 receiving yards, 72 touchdowns, and a Super Bowl ring.He spent the majority of his career with the Packers – from 2008-2017 – before hooking on with the Raiders last year. He didn’t look like his old self in Oakland, however, as he finished out with just 63 catches and 739 yards with one score. He also had a down year in 2017 (53/482/6), though most of his passes were thrown by quarterbacks other than Aaron Rodgers in his final year with the Packers.

The former second-round pick and Super Bowl hero caught 97 passes for 1,257 yards and 14 TDs during his last full season with Rodgers. But, as he approaches his 34th birthday in May, Nelson wants to move on to other endeavors.

The Raiders dropped Nelson on March 14, despite a late-December proclamation that he would return to the club. In fact, the Raiders even gave him his $3.6MM roster bonus early, a seemingly sure sign that he would be on the roster this year. However, things changed in March after the Raiders acquired Antonio Brown and signed slot weapon Tyrell Williams in free agency.

We here at PFR wish Nelson the best in retirement.

Rams Unlikely To Re-Sign Ndamukong Suh

March 27th, 2019 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

The Rams are unlikely to re-sign Ndamukong Suh, GM Les Snead says (via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry). Bringing the defensive tackle back is “pretty much guaranteed to be off the table” due to “budgetary constraints,” which means that one of the best remaining free agents will be changing teams in 2019. 

The Rams have limited cap space to work with after re-signing outside linebacker Dante Fowler and adding safety Eric Weddle, quarterback Blake Bortles, and linebacker Clay Matthews. Last year, the Rams gave Suh a one-year, $14MM deal, and he could command similar money on the open market.

The Rams also have future extensions to keep in mind. They want to keep cornerback Marcus Peters in L.A. for the long haul and, eventually, they’ll want to sit down with quarterback Jared Goff to discuss a new contract.

While Suh is still an imposing presence, he didn’t look like his old self in 2018. The five-time Pro Bowler finished out with 4.5 sacks from the interior, but the Rams allowed a league-worst 5.1 yards per carry to opposing teams. On the plus side, Suh did seem to get more comfortable with his shift from playing as a 4-3 three-technique tackle to a 3-4 nose tackle as the season progressed.

“There was an early-in-the down transition to that position change and I do think as the season went on he did improve,” Snead said. “And you felt more of the Ndamukong that maybe you had gotten to know over the years.”

It’s also worth noting that Suh was effective in the club’s first two playoff games against the Cowboys and Saints. And, ultimately, Suh finished out as the No. 20 ranked interior defender in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus. That’s not quite as strong as his placement in his prime years – Suh was ranked in PFF’s top 5 as recently as 2017 – but he’s still a productive player at the age of 32.

Colts Sign Justin Houston

March 27th, 2019 at 8:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have reached agreement on a deal with former Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a two-year, $24MM deal, Schefter adds (Twitter link). 

The deal includes $18.5MM in total guarantees, according to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter). That’s a larger-than-expected guarantee for Houston, who did not have a ton of suitors following his release from Kansas City.

The Chiefs tried to trade Houston this offseason, but no club was willing to take on his $15.25MM base salary. On March 10, they released him outright. By cutting Houston, the Chiefs saved $14MM in cap space while absorbing $7.1MM in dead money.

Houston led the NFL with 22 sacks in 2014, but his free agent market has been eerily quiet over the last couple of weeks. Now, he’ll join the Colts as he enters his age-30 campaign.

The Colts recently explored a trade for Dee Ford, Schefter notes (on Twitter), but they ultimately held on to their draft picks and landed his former Chiefs teammate.

Houston can still be an effective player, as evidenced by his 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s 14th-best edge defender last year, and his presence should go a long way towards bolstering the Colts’ lackluster pass rush. And, while a 4-3 scheme might not be a perfect fit for Houston, he can still be a disruptor in Matt Eberflus‘ system.

The addition of Houston may also alter the Colts’ draft plans. The Colts may still look for a young edge rusher in April, but having Houston on the roster may allow them to stand pat at No. 26 rather than trading up for an upper-echelon prospect.

West Notes: Gates, Matthews, Raiders, Cards

March 26th, 2019 at 9:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Chargers have a lesser need at the tight end position than they did when they brought Antonio Gates back for a 16th season, a 17th Gates campaign with the Bolts remains on the radar. But the team has the future Hall of Famer on the back-burner for the time being. Budgetary issues represent the Chargers’ near-future concerns, with Anthony Lynn saying (via Pro Football Talk) Tuesday the team informed Gates it may be a bit before a decision is reached on whether or not to bring him back. Tom Telesco sounded optimistic about a Gates return in January. Hunter Henry stands to be healthy for training camp, and Virgil Green remains on the roster. The Chargers had this duo healthy during free agency last year and bid farewell to Gates. Henry’s injury brought the parties back together, with Gates making $2.5MM. It will be interesting to see if the Bolts have all three on their roster this season.

Here is the latest from the West divisions:

  • With Isaiah Crowell set to visit the Raiders on Thursday, the futures of Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin may soon become even more uncertain. However, Jon Gruden said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, subscription required) the door remains open on Lynch. Martin, however, may see Crowell — if Gruden gets his wish and he signs — push him aside. Martin’s asking price may have been too high, per Tafur (on Twitter). The Raiders had wanted to re-sign Martin, but not much has transpired on this front since free agency opened. Martin bounced back after consecutive seasons of 2.9 yards per carry, averaging 4.2 per tote and being the Raiders’ primary rusher following Lynch’s injury.
  • Clay Matthews received a decent mid-level deal to sign with the Rams, with Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reporting (on Twitter) the veteran outside linebacker’s contract is for two years and $12.75MM. Of that total, $6.5MM is guaranteed. Matthews’ deal can max out at $16.75MM. Matthews made more than $10MM in base salary in each of the past two seasons.
  • The NFL has intervened on the Broncos‘ ownership situation. Roger Goodell said 49ers GM Carmen Policy is serving as the arbitrator for the dispute between the Broncos’ Pat Bowlen Trust members and the owner’s two oldest daughters — Beth Bowlen Wallace and Amie Klemmer, via Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post (Twitter links). This process began a few weeks ago. Both Bowlen Wallace and Klemmer have filed a motion to dismiss the arbitration, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (on Twitter). This is Policy’s first time serving as an NFL arbitrator. The Bowlen Trust members are seeking the arbitrator to determine who will take over as the next Broncos owner, among other points (per Jhabvala). Brittany Bowlen has long been viewed as the Trust’s preferred candidate, and the 29-year-old is expected to return to the Broncos this year.
  • A defensive tackle in the Chargers’ 4-3 defense the past two seasons, Darius Philon will return to a role as a 3-4 defensive end with his new team. The Cardinals are planning to use Philon as an end, Kliff Kingsbury said (via ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss, on Twitter).
  • C.J. Prosise saw another injury cost him time last season, and Pete Carroll said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) Tuesday the fourth-year running back underwent abdominal surgery recently. The Seahawks lost Mike Davis but still have Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. Carroll remains hopeful Prosise can contribute, but the former third-round pick has gained just 129 yards from scrimmage over the past two seasons.

Raiders Did Not Make Offer To Jared Cook

March 26th, 2019 at 8:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints won the Jared Cook pursuit, with the Patriots being their top challenger. Jon Gruden said in January the Raiders would be in on this bid to bring Cook back, but they look to have bowed out early.

Cook never received an offer from the Raiders, Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes (subscription required), and the team stopped returning calls from the tight end’s agent.

After trading Amari Cooper, the Raiders relied heavily on Cook last season. He finished with 896 receiving yards, far and away a career-high total and the most a non-Todd Christensen Raiders tight end has ever recorded. Cook, 32 next week, now joins the Saints, who needed some help to provide a supporting cast for Michael Thomas.

Gruden on Tuesday called it “sickening” the Raiders could not keep Cook, but Tafur indicates they were not all that serious about doing so. He had also indicated in November a desire to retain the well-traveled tight end. Cook signed for two years and $15.5MM (with $8MM fully guaranteed). The Raiders landed Cook for barely $5MM per year in 2017.

The Raiders will give Darren Waller a chance to succeed Cook, per Gruden. He of multiple suspensions, Waller caught six passes for 75 yards with the Raiders last season. It appears likely the Raiders, who also have Derek Carrier on their roster, will draft a tight end.

NFL, NFLPA To Begin CBA Talks In April

March 26th, 2019 at 7:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two more seasons remain on the 2011 CBA, and the NFL and NFLPA will begin an effort to hammer out a new agreement as early as this offseason.

The sides will begin talks in a few weeks, with John Mara informing ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano the league and the union are expected to begin talks in April (Twitter link). Starting talks this soon, a previously rumored scenario, would be a key development. The 2011 negotiations obviously featured extensive contention.

Eight years ago, the owners locked out the players, causing a several-month work stoppage that ended in a late-July agreement. That prompted a frenzied offseason, with free agency being put on hold until just before training camps began. This time around, the NFLPA has consistently advised players to prepare for a lockout. That was still the case earlier this year.

Some of the players’ goals include increasing their overall revenue from the 47 percent threshold which was established by the 2011 agreement, avenues that would bring more guaranteed money into contracts, addressing the length of time it takes to become a free agent — particularly with the fifth-year option in mind — and potential updates to the drug policy, Graziano notes.

These discussions will not involve extending the current CBA, NFLPA president Eric Winston tweets.

Talks starting this year would go a long way toward preventing another lockout, but given all that has transpired between the league and the union this decade, it would appear unlikely an agreement comes together soon.

Isaiah Crowell To Visit Raiders

March 26th, 2019 at 7:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders have made some splash moves in free agency but still have openings at running back. Isaiah Crowell will make a trip to Oakland as a potential solution, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Jon Gruden, in particular, wants the Raiders to sign Crowell, Rapoport adds. So this partnership appears to have a good chance of happening. Crowell’s visit, his first in this free agency period, will occur Thursday.

The Jets released Crowell earlier this offseason, doing so after one season. Crowell did well on a per-carry basis in New York, matching his career high with 4.8 yards per carry. But the Jets gave the 2018 free agent acquisition a career-low 143 carries. Crowell, 26, finished with 685 yards. The Jets replaced him with Le’Veon Bell, who was also on the Raiders’ radar. Although, the Silver and Black did not appear to make a serious run at the longtime Steeler.

Crowell has 27 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed 850 ground yards in his final two Browns seasons, doing so despite the team often trailing in a 1-31 stretch.

Marshawn Lynch‘s status with the Raiders is up in the air, and despite Gruden indicating he was in favor of a Doug Martin return, that has not come to fruition. Jalen Richard has yet to sign his second-round tender, but the fourth-year passing-down back doing so would appear likely. DeAndre Washington remains on the team as well.

Rob Gronkowski Open To Patriots Return?

March 26th, 2019 at 6:53pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 6:53pm: The Patriots placed Gronkowski on the reserve/retired list. They will hold the future Hall of Famer’s rights if he decides to backtrack on this decision.

MONDAY, 1:01pm: Gronkowski’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, appeared on NFL Network and said the retirement caught him by surprise (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). “I was shocked. I thought Rob was going to come back and play,” he said. Rapoport writes that “his speculation, gut feeling, is that Gronk comes back at some point. But Rob told Rosenhaus he is ‘done, done, done.'”

MONDAY, 11:00am: Rob Gronkowski has retired from the NFL, but he might be willing to come back under the right circumstances. In an interview on ESPN, agent Drew Rosenhaus seemingly left the door open to Gronk suiting up for the Pats once again. 

[RELATED: Gronk Announces Retirement]

“If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games,” Rosenhaus said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter).

Gronkowski has flirted with retirement in the past before changing course and suiting up for the NFL’s greatest dynasty. In the past, it appeared that Gronk had reservations about his health, motivation, and contract. Perhaps with some extra time to rest up – and a more lucrative offer from the Patriots – the tight end could consider a mid-season return.

For the Patriots, a mid-season addition of Gronkowski could be a game changer. After losing both Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen in free agency, the Patriots are short on answers at tight end with little in the way of remaining free agent options to fill the void.

Gronk didn’t look like his old self in 2018, but he’s one of the best to ever play the tight end position and is a force to be reckoned with when healthy. To date, Gronkowski has registered 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns over the course of his legendary career.

Seahawks, Wagner Begin Extension Talks

March 26th, 2019 at 5:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering a contract year, Bobby Wagner has begun negotiations on a third deal with the Seahawks, Pete Carroll said Tuesday (via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com, on Twitter).

This round of negotiations will feature Wagner representing himself, per Henderson. Carroll, whose team jettisoned numerous defensive cornerstones last year, said Wagner is “going to be a Seahawk.”

Wagner signed a four-year, $43MM deal in 2015. At the time, that was the benchmark for inside linebacker accords. But C.J. Mosley‘s new contract changed the market earlier this year, and Wagner has been a more decorated performer than the new Jets linebacker.

While Mosley is a four-time Pro Bowler, Wagner is a four-time first-team All-Pro. Among active off-ball linebackers, only Wagner and Luke Kuechly (five times All-Pro) have been named to more than one All-Pro first team. Three of Wagner’s All-Pro honors have come since he signed his 2015 extension. This will be Wagner’s age-29 season, so he figures to have some prime years remaining.

Given Mosley’s new $17MM-AAV deal — in another stratosphere compared to every other non-rush ‘backer — this process could become quite interesting. Inside linebacker now features one of the biggest gulfs between its highest- and second-highest-paid players (Kuechly is at $12.4MM per year) at a position in modern NFL history. Of course, the Seahawks probably are not eager to pay a pure linebacker $17MM per season. But Mosley’s deal may complicate this process, since Wagner almost certainly will not get to test the market anytime soon.

The Seahawks’ Super Bowls-era secondary has been disbanded; ditto for their defensive line. Linebacker, though, houses multiple veterans from those acclaimed units. Seattle just re-signed K.J. Wright and added Mychal Kendricks, who may or may not be available for the 2019 season due to a possible prison sentence for insider trading. Carroll called the Wagner-Wright-Kendricks trio potentially “the best we’ve had” (Twitter link via Henderson).

Helping a younger Seahawks team to the playoffs, Wagner made 138 tackles in 15 games last season. He registered a career-high 11 passes defensed and returning an interception 98 yards for a touchdown. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 off-ball ‘backer in 2018.

Load More Posts