HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Dolphins, Xavien Howard Discussing Deal

March 1st, 2019 at 1:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins met with cornerback Xavien Howard to discuss a new long-term deal, according to ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Howard is set to enter the final year of his rookie deal this year, so a fresh contract could make sense for both sides.

Howard is expected to command at least $15MM annually on his next contract, but it’s unclear if Miami is willing to go that high. Some have speculated that Howard could be a trade candidate, but the Dolphins say he’s staying put.

“Yes, I’m very confident that he’ll be there. Xavien has been in the building. He’s coming back, working out and getting in shape again after the Pro Bowl,” GM Chris Grier said. “He’s doing good. We’ve been hanging out around him. He wants to be a Miami Dolphin and we want him to be a Dolphin.”

If the Dolphins can’t hammer out a deal with Howard, they can wait until next year and potentially cuff him with the franchise tag. With club control beyond ’19, the Dolphins aren’t necessarily in any rush.

In a more pressing matter, the Dolphins want to hang on to right tackle Ja’Wuan James, an impending free agent. Unfortunately for Miami, things could get costly if he hits the open market.

Quality tackles are hard to come by, and Wolfe hears buzz at the combine that James could command upwards of $10MM/year. Two agents tell Wolfe that if they were representing James, they’d shoot to surpass the five-year, $47.5MM deal that Lions right tackle Rick Wagner signed two seasons ago. Beating that mark would make James the second-highest-paid right tackle in the NFL behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson. The Dolphins should know more this week when they meet with James’ reps.

Jets Interested In Fowler, Ansah

March 1st, 2019 at 1:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets’ need for pass rushing help has been well documented and they’re already targeting some of this year’s biggest available names. Gang Green is showing interest in Dante Fowler (Rams), Ezekiel Ansah (Lions), and Preston Smith (Redskins), according to ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). 

This year’s crop, at first glance, is positively loaded with impactful edge rushers. However, top flight guys like Demarcus Lawrence (Cowboys), Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Frank Clark (Seahawks), and Dee Ford (Chiefs) are expected to receive tags or sign long-term deals with their respective clubs. That may leave the Jets to sift through some lower tier options, though Fowler, Ansah, and Smith all have upside.

Fowler, a former No. 3 overall pick, didn’t do a ton during the regular season, but he made a dent in the Rams’ first two playoff games. Ansah was limited to just seven games in 2018, but his history (14.5 sacks in 2015; 12.0 sacks in 2017) shows that he’s capable of much more when healthy. Smith, who had only four sacks last year, has amassed eight sacks in two of his four pro seasons and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the league in 2018.

With $102MM+ to burn, the Jets should be able to sign at least a couple of impact edge rushers in March.

49ers Want Jimmie Ward Back

March 1st, 2019 at 1:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers want defensive back Jimmie Ward to return, but only on a one-year deal, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. The 49ers recognize that another team could approach him with a multi-year offer, so they’re bracing for the possibility that he won’t return. 

The 49ers value Ward’s toughness and versatility, but they also have reservations about his health.

“It’s not an easy answer, because there’s a long (injury) history,” Lynch said at the combine. “But there’s also a very, very talented football player who I would tell you grew into a really special leader.”

Ward, a, first-round draft pick in 2014, made $8.5MM last season. He hasn’t necessarily lived up to his pricey rookie deal and the 49ers want to see how he does in 2019 before considering a longer arrangement. Still, coach Kyle Shanahan wants him in SF next year.

“I love Jimmie Ward,” Shanahan said. “I really hope to have him back. We all know he’s struggled a little bit to stay healthy. But he’s a guy, as a person, I’ll go to war with every day. I really trust and believe in, and I love him as a player, too. I hope it works out that we get him back.”

AFC North Notes: Browns, Perriman, Bell

March 1st, 2019 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Redskins and 49ers GM Scot McCloughan is not working for the Browns this offseason, GM John Dorsey told reporters (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal). McCloughan hooked on with the Browns as a consultant last year and championed Baker Mayfield as the top selection in the buildup to the draft. The exec has consulted with multiple teams as a freelancer in recent years, so he may continue on that front in advance of the 2019 draft.

Here’s more from Cleveland:

  • Dorsey has spoken with wide receiver Breshad Perriman multiple times at the combine (via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer). There’s mutual interest between the Browns and the speedster, though he could garner sizable offers amidst a weak free agent class for the position. The former first-round pick caught only 16 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns in his ten games with the Browns, but he made some big plays.
  • The Steelers opted against using the transition tag on Le’Veon Bell because the league informed them that it would cost $14.54MM, not the sub-$10MM figure they were hoping for (via PFT). Had the league given the Steelers the news they were hoping for, they could have tagged Bell and worked to trade him in exchange for draft capital.
  • Ravens free agent tight end Nick Boyle has almost 20 teams interested in his services, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Boyle doesn’t quite light up a stat sheet, but he has blossomed into one of the league’s best blocking tight ends. The high level of interest in Boyle jibes with what Pauline has heard about this year’s draft – this year’s best TEs are likely to be overdrafted.

Redskins Prez: It’s Time For Foster To Play

March 1st, 2019 at 11:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins made waves last year when they claimed embattled linebacker Reuben Foster off waivers from the 49ers. Months later, team president Bruce Allen says he expects Foster to suit up early in the 2019 season without a suspension from the NFL. 

“The charges have been dropped, there are no complaints, so it’s time for him to play football,” Allen said on Friday (via Les Carpenter of the Washington Post).

Foster, a 2017 first-round pick, is among the most talented linebackers in the NFL. He’s also one of the league’s most controversial players due to his off-the-field transgressions.

Foster was accused of roughing up his ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, in February of 2018. Ennis went on to recant that story, but, in November, she alleged Foster of abusing her once again at the 49ers’ team hotel in Florida. This time around, she is sticking to her story, but the Redskins claimed her days after the police report was filed. At the time, the Redskins said Foster would not play if the latest round of accusations appeared to have merit.

The NFL suspended Foster for the first two games of the 2018 season for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy, owing to the California arrest and a related weapons charge. The Redskins might feel that Foster is in the clear, but commissioner Roger Goodell says another suspension could be forthcoming.

Despite a potential ban, Foster is very much in the Redskins plans for 2019. When asked if Foster’s availability has been taken into account this offseason, Allen replied, “Oh, we consider him strongly.”

Latest On Browns, Jamie Collins

March 1st, 2019 at 11:11am CST by Zachary Links

Browns GM John Dorsey is scheduled to meet with agent Bus Cook on Friday to talk about the “long-term plan” for linebacker Jamie Collins (via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer). Dorsey didn’t say it explicitly, but it sounds like the Browns will either ask Collins to restructure his deal or consider an outright release. 

The Browns acquired Collins from the Patriots via trade in 2016 and later signed him to a new four-year, $50MM contract. Collins missed the bulk of the 2017 season due to injury and had a so-so 2018, so the Browns probably don’t feel that he’s worth the expense. As it stands, Collins is under contract through 2020 with cap hits of $11.75MM and $13.75MM in each of the next two seasons. Releasing Collins would give the Browns an additional $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money.

Collins will celebrate his 30th birthday in October, midway through his seventh pro season. Last year, Collins registered 104 tackles and four sacks in his first 16-game season since his 2013 rookie campaign, but graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

“There were some inconsistencies,’’ said Dorsey. “You don’t know what leads to it. He may have been nicked. There’s certain things that come. All I know is he’s a very talented football player and you can’t have enough of those guys on your team.”

Dorsey also wondered aloud whether Collins would fit into new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ 4-3 scheme as an outside linebacker.

“Once you understand the concepts that Steve is trying to apply, what it takes to have a position of success within the linebacker position, you want to make sure he fits that model,’’ said Dorsey. “Jamie is a good football player, so we’re going to sit and talk to his representatives, we’re going to go back as an organization and talk about all these different things and then we’ll make a decision here moving forward.”

Giants Exploring Olivier Vernon Trades

March 1st, 2019 at 10:50am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have discussed the possibility of trading linebacker Olivier Vernon with other clubs, sources tell Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Vernon inked a massive five-year, $85MM deal with the Giants in 2016, but the club is now looking to move his deal and put those resources to use elsewhere. 

Vernon, 28, gave the Giants a career-high 8.5 sacks in his first season with the club. He’s continued to get to the QB with 22 sacks over the course of three years, but injuries have cost him nine games over the last two campaigns. Last year, he averages four pressures per contest in eleven games.

Currently, Vernon is set to carry cap hits of $15.5MM in each of the next two seasons. The Giants have also considered releasing him outright, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (on Twitter) hears, so this could be a last ditch effort for the club to get something instead of losing him for nothing. Cutting Vernon would result in $11.5MM in cap savings, but would also saddle the team with $8MM in dead money.

It stands to reason that other clubs will be interested in adding Vernon, especially now that Eagles standout Brandon Graham is off the market. The Jets, for example, could use an edge rusher of his caliber, and the two sides could theoretically discuss Vernon in a deal that would call for the Jets to move down from the No. 3 overall pick to the No. 6 overall choice. Of course, it’s not a given that the two sides will do business together.

Despite the injuries and the Giants’ overall woes, Vernon graded out as the 13th best edge defender in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. His 86.3 score – from an admittedly smaller sample of 665 snaps – ranked as the best mark of his career.

Earl Thomas Won’t Give Discount To Cowboys

March 1st, 2019 at 10:09am CST by Zachary Links

Earl Thomas is looking to become the highest paid safety in the NFL, a source tells Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram. Therefore, as Hill hears, the Texas native will not be offering any sort of hometown discount to the Cowboys. 

Thomas has long been connected to the Cowboys. Last year, he bowed to the Dallas bench after an interception in September, cut in-season plans short to catch the Cowboys on TV, and appeared to have further word of his interest to the press through backchannels. Recently, former Seahawks teammate Richard Sherman indicated that Thomas would sign with the Cowboys if they matched any other offer, but Thomas’ camp probably moved to silence such talk with today’s leak.

Becoming the highest-paid safety in the league would require Thomas to beat out Eric Berry‘s $13MM/year contract. That could be tough for a few reasons: Thomas is coming off of a season-ending leg fracture, he’ll turn 30 in May, and the free agent safety market was a huge letdown for top players last offseason.

On the other hand, Thomas still profiles as one of the best free safeties in the NFL. In 2017, Thomas earned his sixth Pro Bowl nod, logged his second career pick six, and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 safety. He finished out with 88 tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defensed in that season.

The Cowboys would ostensibly love to add Thomas, but they’re not exactly flush with cap space. If Thomas is intent on getting the biggest payday possible, he’s unlikely to wind up in Dallas.

Ravens’ Alex Collins Arrested

March 1st, 2019 at 9:40am CST by Zachary Links

Ravens running back Alex Collins was arrested early Friday morning after a car accident, (via Sarah Meehan and Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun). Police say Collins crashed his car into a tree roughly a mile away from the Ravens’ facility. 

Collins, 25 in August, was already in limbo this season as a restricted free agent. There were doubts that Collins would even receive a low-round RFA tender, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets, and this latest incident could seal his exit.

Collins was a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2016 but was a roster casualty prior to the 2017 season. After that, he hooked on with the Ravens, and his future looked bright. As the Ravens’ top back, Collins racked up 973 yards off of 212 carries (4.6 yards per carry) and six rushing touchdowns. He also added 23 catches for 187 yards in that season. His follow up, however, was less impressive. Collins averaged just 3.6 yards per attempt across ten games and slid down the depth chart.

The Ravens now plan on using Gus Edwards as their top tailback after he managed 5.2 yards per carry in a limited sample last season. Collins, meanwhile, will probably wind up elsewhere.

Eagles, Brandon Graham Agree To Extension

March 1st, 2019 at 9:25am CST by Zachary Links

Brandon Graham isn’t reaching the open market after all. On Friday, the Eagles agreed to a new three-year deal with the defensive end that will pay him $40MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 

It’s a solid payday for Graham, who will bank north of $13MM per season on average. Meanwhile, he has a real chance to retire in Philadelphia. Graham will celebrate his 31st birthday in April, and the Eagles can safely focus on areas other than the pass rush later in the month.

Earlier this offseason, Graham indicated that he would probably test the open market rather than inking a new deal with Philadelphia before March. However, the Eagles came to the table with a deal that made sense for the veteran.

“I love Philly but I owe it to myself and my family to explore free agency,” Graham said in January. “I’m in the business of doing what’s best for my family. I need to explore the market.”

Graham, who’s been with the Eagles since 2010, inked a four-year deal with Philly in 2015. He’s discussed a potential extension on numerous occasions with the Eagles since then, but a fresh deal never came to fruition until now. The Eagles added extra incentives to his pact heading into the 2017 campaign, but did not otherwise amend his deal over the past four years.

Graham would have drawn serious interest in the open market, but he also would have been going up against a stacked free agent edge defenders group. Players such as Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dee Ford, and Trey Flowers are all candidates for the franchise tag, but Graham got enough money to bypass the hassle of free agency and stay with the only NFL team he’s ever known.

Graham’s last deal paid him $6.5MM annually, so the new contract represents a substantial pay bump. While his sack total dipped to just four in 2018, Graham still managed to affect rival passers by generating 33.5 quarterback pressures and 11 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus graded Graham as the league’s ninth-best edge defender last season, assigning him exemplary marks in both run and pass defense.