HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Ravens LB Patrick Onwuasor Signs RFA Tender

April 15th, 2019 at 9:38am CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens linebacker Patrick Onwuasor has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, the club announced today. Running backs Gus Edwards and De’Lance Turner, center Matt Skura, and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor all signed their exclusive rights free agent tenders, per Baltimore.

Onwuasor, 26, has started 25 games for the Ravens over the past two seasons, but didn’t top 60% playing time in either of those campaigns. That’s likely to change in 2019, as Onwuasor is expected to become Baltimore’s top linebacker following the departure of free agent C.J. Mosley. Last year, Onwuasor posted 59 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, and one interception while grading as the NFL’s No. 40 linebacker among 92 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, which assigned Onwuasor a top-15 coverage grade among LBs.

Following a solid 2018 season, a rival team could have theoretically expressed interest in signing Onwuasor to an offer sheet. However, that would have forced said club to sacrifice a second-round pick and give Onwuasor a large enough contract to dissuade the Ravens from matching. Instead, the former undrafted free agent is now scheduled to earn $3.095MM for the upcoming campaign.

Cardinals Not Set On Kyler Murray At No. 1?

April 15th, 2019 at 9:20am CST by Dallas Robinson

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has long been penciled in as the Cardinals’ obvious choice with the No. 1 overall pick, but that selection may not be set in stone. Per Peter King of NBC Sports, there is not “unanimity” within Arizona’s front office about whether to take Murray. Meanwhile, after pegging the odds Murray would be picked first overall at 90% on April 1, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (Twitter link) has since reduced that figure to just 60%.

Murray would still likely be chosen within the first five picks of the draft, and could potentially still come off the board at No. 1 overall if the Cardinals trade out. Arizona has plenty of other roster holes, with needs at nearly every level of the club. Trading the first overall selection could give general manager Steve Keim a bevy of draft picks in order to supplement the Cardinals’ roster, and if they don’t move down too far, they’d still be in range to target a blue-chip player in the first round.

If the Cards pass on Murray, they’d be going forward with 2018 first-rounder Josh Rosen as their long-term quarterback under new head coach Kliff Kingsbury. While it’s possible Rosen’s relationship with Arizona could have been damaged over the past several months (especially with Murray having been viewed as a lock for the No. 1 pick), the former UCLA signal-caller did show up for workouts earlier this month, and also seems to have the support of his teammates.

Eagles QB Nate Sudfeld Signs RFA Tender

April 15th, 2019 at 9:01am CST by Dallas Robinson

Eagles quarterback Nate Sudfeld has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). He’ll collect $3.095MM for the 2019 campaign.

Sudfeld is one of many restricted free agents who will likely sign his tender this week. RFAs have until April 19 to sign an offer sheet with a rival club, but it always seemed incredibly unlikely that another team would not only sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Sudfeld, but also hand him a large contract that Philadelphia would decline to match.

With Nick Foles now in Jacksonville, Sudfeld is the favorite to become Carson Wentz‘s top backup. A 2016 sixth-round pick of the Redskins, Sudfeld joined the Eagles via waiver claim in 2017. In two seasons with Philadelphia, the 25-year-old has appeared in four games (including playoffs). Sudfeld got an extended look during the 2017 regular season finale, completing 19 of his 23 pass attempts for 134 passing yards. Last season, however, he managed only two pass attempts.

Latest On Russell Wilson Contract Deadline

April 15th, 2019 at 8:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

Russell Wilson‘s self-imposed deadline for a new contract with the Seahawks has arrived, and Wilson’s agent Mark Rodgers has been in Seattle for three days working on a deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, if Wilson and the Seahawks don’t negotiate a new pact by today, the star quarterback doesn’t plan to sign a long-term deal with Seattle at all, reports Peter King of NBC Sports.

As King reiterates, Wilson isn’t planning to hold off talks until 2020 if an extension isn’t agreed to on Monday. Instead, he doesn’t intend to ink any sort of new deal with Seattle if a long-term accord isn’t reached today. While it’s fair to wonder if Wilson’s April 15 deadline — and his reported declaration that he won’t negotiate after today — is all a tactic, it’s also possible that Wilson isn’t bluffing.

If a deal does get hammered out, it’s likely to include parameters that could increase Wilson’s salary based on outside factors, per King. Wilson’s earnings could potentially be tied to a rise in the NFL’s salary cap, or an increase in new league revenue sources such as gambling or television contracts. Aaron Rodgers reportedly asked for out clauses and/or other triggers during his negotiations with the Packers last summer, but neither he nor any other signal-caller has yet secured any sort of non-conventional deal.

The Seahawks weren’t blindsided by Wilson’s contract deadline, as he originally alerted Seattle to his schedule in January. As of last week, however, the two sides had still made very little progress in negotiations, and subsequent reports have indicated the Seahawks actually believe Wilson wants to play elsewhere, and will drive a harder bargain in Seattle than he would elsewhere. The Seahawks still control his rights through 2019, and can realistically retain him through 2021 via a series of franchise tags.

Wilson will be in attendance for the beginning of Seattle’s offseason program on Monday, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, so he could potentially take an active role in negotiating his new deal.

Extra Points: Goff, Rams, AAF, Ryan, CFL

April 14th, 2019 at 7:51pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride for Jared Goff these past few years. The first overall pick back in 2016, a lot of people wrote him off as a bust after his disastrous rookie season. But Goff came alive once he was paired with head coach Sean McVay, and has now made the Pro Bowl each of the last two seasons. This past season, the Rams made it all the way to the Super Bowl but Goff had a terrible performance in the big game. There’s been a lot of debate the past couple of years about how much of Goff’s improvement was due to his own natural development versus how much of it was due to McVay’s coaching.

As such, there have been some rumors that the Rams aren’t completely sold on Goff as the longterm answer. McVay openly stating last month that the team wasn’t in any rush to extend Goff did nothing to quiet those rumors. But during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen show, McVay pushed back on that perception, saying Goff doesn’t have to prove he’s “the man.” “I think he’s already the man. I think he’s had a lot of moments,” McVay said. “His teammates believe in him, his coaches believe in him. I think it’s just continuing to do what you do at a higher level. It’s ‘can I continue to make great decisions? Can I continue to make throws with accuracy and anticipation?’ I think the thing that was great about him really from the first year we were together to last year is the ownership. We talk about the quarterback being an extension of the coaching staff and I think he did that.”

McVay made it clear he’s happy with Goff’s progression, and tried to extinguish any talk about the team potentially moving on down the line. It would be a major surprise if anything other than Goff getting a huge extension happens.

Here’s more from around the football universe:

  • We have some more fallout from the demise of the AAF. Daryl Johnston, the former Cowboys fullback and commentator, was the general manage of the San Antonio Commanders, and now he’s dishing on what went down. Johnston said during a recent appearance on ESPN Radio that he and others were “misled” by the league’s founders about the financial stability of the startup, per Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. “There were several people who took jobs with the Alliance because they were told they had two years, and they’re in a very difficult spot now at this stage. This was something that caught me totally by surprise,” Johnston said. Johnston also said there are multiple San Antonio businesses who have so far been stiffed on payments they’re owed, and that Bill Polian called him out of the blue on the day the league ceased operations and told him to immediately shutdown practice.
  • As much as Johnston might want to put the chapter behind him, it might not be that simple for him. In a follow-up to that piece, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes that Johnston could now become a “key witness” in the multiple lawsuits that have been filed against the league. Florio writes that Johnston’s comments seemed to confirm the crux of the lawsuits, that the league’s founders lied about their financial standing. This surely isn’t the last we’ve heard of this process.
  • Free agent punter Jon Ryan might be getting back into professional football, but not in the NFL. The Seahawks’ punter for ten years from 2008-2017, Ryan had a workout with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL this past week, according to Rod Pedersen, the team’s announcer (Twitter link). Ryan was released by Seattle last August and signed with the Bills, but couldn’t crack Buffalo’s roster.

Jadeveon Clowney Won’t Report To Texans’ Offseason Program, Deal Not Close

April 14th, 2019 at 7:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We just got word that Chris Harris Jr. will be skipping the Broncos’ minicamp this week, and now we have news that another defensive star will be staying away from his team. 

Texans pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney will skip the team’s offseason program, sources told Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Wilson also writes that “no deal is in sight or expected anytime soon for Clowney.” Houston franchise tagged Clowney at the beginning of last month, and we haven’t heard much since. Many observers have said the deal Demarcus Lawrence just got from the Cowboys is a good sign for Clowney, but there has been little progress between the two sides.

Clowney is supposed to make $15.44MM in 2019 under the tag, but wants a longterm deal. The former first overall pick from South Carolina had a productive year last year, racking up nine sacks in 15 games. He’s also a difference-maker in the run game, and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ tenth-best edge defender last season.

Under NFL rules, the two sides have until July 15th to negotiate an extension. If they can’t come to an agreement by then, Clowney must play the 2019 season under the tag, or sit it out like Le’Veon Bell did. Clowney, who struggled with injury issues earlier in his career, has been able to stay healthy the past few seasons. He’s seeking top-of-the market money, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Texans decide to play this. Fellow pass-rusher Frank Clark is still waiting for a new deal from the Seahawks, and whichever one signs first could have a ripple effect on the other.

Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr. To Skip Minicamp

April 14th, 2019 at 5:32pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Chris Harris Jr. is continuing to let his unhappiness be known. The star cornerback will not report to the Broncos’ minicamp this week, according to Mike Klis of Denver 9News.

Klis writes that Harris is looking “to send a message he wants his contract reworked.” Harris also skipped the team’s voluntary offseason workouts earlier this month so this isn’t a huge surprise, but this is more significant. Since the team has a new coach in Vic Fangio, they’re allowed to hold this early minicamp and have actual practices, which is much different from the conditioning workouts he had previously missed.

It shows that Harris isn’t missing around, and is an indication he could be prepared to extend his holdout into this summer. Despite the absences, Harris told Klis in an interview that it isn’t going to impact his play. “I’m ready,’’ Harris said. “This is easily going to be my best year this year.” Harris is heading into the final year of his contract, and is set to make $7.9MM in 2019.

The four-time Pro Bowler feels he’s underpaid, and wants a longterm commitment from the team especially since he’s being asked to do more after the departure of Aqib Talib last offseason. Although we heard in early March that there had been “very productive” talks between the two sides, Klis reports that “there have been no negotiations since Harris decided two weeks ago to stay away from the team.” This will be a situation to monitor as the offseason progresses.

5 Key NFL Stories: 4/7/19 – 4/14/19

April 14th, 2019 at 5:12pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Vikings sign Adam Thielen to extension. Thielen has been one of the best stories in the NFL the past few seasons, and he cashed in with a major extension that’ll pay him $64MM over four years. It can be worth up to $73MM and includes $35MM in guaranteed money. An undrafted free agent back in 2013, Thielen barely played his first few seasons in the league. He’s since become one of the best receivers in the league, with back to back seasons with at least 1,276 receiving yards. Thielen still had two years remaining on his previous deal, so he’ll be under Minnesota’s control for the next six seasons.

No suspension for Reuben Foster. The Redskins finally caught a break, as the league announced there would be no suspension for linebacker Reuben Foster. Foster was cut by the 49ers after being arrested for his latest domestic violence incident, and claimed by Washington. Charges were ultimately dropped, and the league’s investigation concluded he didn’t do anything wrong. If Foster can stay healthy and stay out of trouble, the former first round pick will provide a big boost for the Redskins’ defense next season.

Giants extend Sterling Shepard. Thielen wasn’t the only receiver to get a new deal this week. The Giants locked up Shepard with a four-year extension worth $41MM. Shepard is coming off a career year where he had 66 receptions for 872 yards and four touchdowns, but the sum he got was still a bit larger than most people were expecting. There was some talk that the Giants considered trading Shepard, but they ultimately decided to make him the focal point of their passing game with Odell Beckham Jr. no longer in the picture. New York will be counting on Shepard to do a lot more next season.

Patriots re-sign Stephen Gostkowski. Gostkowski and the Patriots had a bit of a stalemate, as the longtime New England kicker was a free agent for a lot longer than most expected. But the two sides finally got on the same page, agreeing to a new two-year deal. Soon after, word came out that Gostkowski was getting $8.5MM over the two years. Gostkowski has been one of the league’s more reliable kickers for a while now, but the Pats played hardball with him. He apparently drew some interest from the 49ers, but ultimately ended up back home.

Panthers sign Chris Hogan. Hogan didn’t land the deal he likely imagined he would’ve a year or two ago. He ended up signing with Carolina, getting just $2MM for a one-year pact. The former Patriots standout has struggled with injuries and inconsistency the past couple of seasons, but is still very talented. He could prove to be a nice pickup for a Panthers team that had a very young receiving corp. In 2016, Hogan led the league with 17.9 yards per reception, and he has plenty of big game experience. Free agency had mostly died down by this point, and Hogan was one of the biggest names left available.

 

Andy Dalton To Be Fully Healthy For Offseason Program

April 14th, 2019 at 3:28pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Bengals are heading into a transitional year. After a very disappointing 2018 season, the Bengals finally moved on from longtime coach Marvin Lewis. To replace him, they hired 35-year-old whizkid Zac Taylor away from the Rams.

Part of the reason 2018 was so disappointing was because of the season-ending injury quarterback Andy Dalton suffered. Fortunately for Cincinnati, Dalton is fully recovered from his thumb surgery and will be a full-go when OTA practices start, according to Geoff Hobson of the team’s official site. There were murmurs earlier this offseason that the team could look to move on from Dalton and go younger at the position, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. That being said, owner Mike Brown made it clear the team wasn’t in a rush to extend him recently.

“I think it’s a good year for (Dalton) to show like he can, like we think he will. After he re-establishes himself we would want to get together with him and see if we can extend it. I think Andy is a good player and that he will rebound off last year. He was hurt. We lost so many other pieces. It fell apart, but if he’s healthy and we stay healthy enough, I have confidence in him,” Brown said, issuing a slightly less than ringing endorsement.

Dalton was having a decent enough season before going down, but unfortunately he hasn’t been anything better than decent the past few years. Even though the team has publicly proclaimed confidence in him, it still wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bengals draft a quarterback early later this month.

The Bengals’ offense completely collapsed once Jeff Driskel took over following the injury, which at least showed the Bengals’ struggles weren’t all about Dalton. He wasn’t the only high profile Bengal to have their season cut short with an injury, as star receiver A.J. Green was limited to just nine games. Green struggled with a toe injury all year and was hurt a lot in 2016 as well, but Brown said at the same time he made his comments on Dalton that the team wanted to extend Green. Hobson writes that he expects the Bengals “to ease Green along” this offseason, whereas Dalton should be a full-go for practices.

If Dalton doesn’t make major strides under Taylor, it’s highly possible if not probable that the team will move on next offseason. One thing that’s helped him stick this far has been his reasonable contract. Dalton has two years left on his deal with a total of $33.5MM owed to him. It’s a pivotal year for Dalton, and the fact that he’ll be fully healthy to begin picking up the new system is a very positive development.

PFR Originals 4/7/19 – 4/14/19

April 14th, 2019 at 2:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

  • Yesterday, I asked readers which offensive free agent was the best left available. The pickings are relatively slim, but there are still some decent options left. Some of the biggest names still on the market include Demaryius Thomas, Michael Crabtree, and Jay Ajayi. Ajayi is currently leading the poll with 27.8% of the vote.
  • Speaking of available players, remember that you can always use PFR to track 2019 NFL Free Agents.
  • With the draft right around the corner, make sure to bookmark PFR’s 2019 NFL draft content:
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