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Month: September 2024

Very Little Progress In Russell Wilson Contract Talks

April 7th, 2019 at 8:36am CST by Rory Parks

We’re almost a week away from the April 15 deadline that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has set for a new contract, but Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times hears that there has been very little progress between player and team as of yet. That is despite the fact that the Seahawks were reportedly aware of the deadline in January, and despite the fact that head coach Pete Carroll indicated that extension talks would begin in January (which did not actually happen).

Of course, it’s not as if the two sides are somehow precluded from working out a deal after the April 15 deadline, which has no significance other than being the start of the Seahawks’ offseason training program. Condotta suggests that Wilson set the deadline simply because he wants to avoid an offseason of speculation about his contract, and because it’s unlikely that the quarterback market is going to change much between April and July, so it doesn’t necessarily make sense to wait if he can avoid it.

Additionally, both Wilson and the Seahawks know that Wilson has more leverage than he did when he signed his last extension in 2015, and Wilson likewise knows that the team is more apt to go year-to-year with the franchise tag. Wilson has already said that he would not hold out if he is hit with the tag, and given the success that Kirk Cousins had going year-to-year, it makes sense that a player like Wilson would be open to the idea.

As Condotta observes, Wilson also would not hold out this year if his April 15 deadline passes without a new contract in place. But if that happens, the “strong implication” is that the 30-year-old passer would tell the team that he doesn’t want to negotiate again until after the 2019 season is over. And that may be just fine with the Seahawks, who could put the franchise tag on Wilson in 2020 and 2021. The QB franchise tender for those two seasons are projected to come in at $30.6MM and $35MM, respectively, and those numbers are not too far removed from what Wilson would get under a new contract anyway. Plus, Wilson would still be able to hit the open market at age 33 — a franchise tag in 2022 would come in at an unpalatable $52MM — and 2021 is the last year of Carroll’s current contract. The head coach will be 70 at that point, and he may choose to call it a career.

Indeed, if Wilson and the Seahawks are able to hammer out a new deal, the current thinking is that it would only be a three-year pact that runs through the 2021 season. There is speculation that the deal would be worth $100MM guaranteed, which would give Wilson the satisfaction of setting new precedents while allowing him to get at least one more big payday three years down the road.

Tre Boston Still Awaiting Deal

April 6th, 2019 at 9:29pm CST by Micah Powell

Though most of the high-profile free agents have found homes, Tre Boston is not one of them. Not surprisingly, the safety is not happy about that fact, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. 

Responding to a Pro Football Focus tweet that showed Boston as one of the top defenders in the NFC West, the safety wondered what there is left to do to get teams to notice.

“Doesn’t mean much but Stats are beyond there! OBVIOUSLY!! The Players see it, the Fans see it, and are starting to question what’s going on. I like it, keep asking question. You’ll see what’s really up. 2 Prove It Deals…. What’s left to prove? Lol Bout to jump on Offense. Lol”

Those two “prove-it deals” he mentions are the one-year deals he took with the Chargers (2017) and Cardinals (2018) looking to land a long-term deal. Despite performing at a level that should’ve netted him that deal, Boston has been left out in the cold.

He’s not the only one, as several other free agents like Ndamukong Suh, are still awaiting teams due to compensatory picks being attached to their signing, ESPN’s Dan Graziano tweets. Those players will have that pick stripped in May, when most will begin to find homes.

XFL Not Bound By NFL Draft Eligibility Rules

April 6th, 2019 at 8:15pm CST by Micah Powell

The XFL won’t compete with the NFL for players, but the league could still gain high-end talent by not being obligated to follow the NFL’s draft-eligibility rules, CEO Oliver Luck told ESPN’s Outside the Lines (Tweet by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). 

The NFL’s draft rules are well known, as any player who wants to put his name in the pool must be at least three years removed from high school. By not adhering to the long-held practice, the upstart league could be an option for any notable freshman or true sophomore who doesn’t want to wait.

It’s hard to fathom a top quarterback testing the waters, but a high-profile running back trying it out to make the most out of a relatively short professional shelf life is much more feasible. It will definitely be an interesting caveat to watch in the coming years.

In more XFL news, WWE chairman Vince McMahon sold more than three million shares of WWE stock in March with the intention to use the proceeds to fund the new football league, Sports Illustrated’s Dan Gartland writes. The sale netted McMahon just under $272MM.

Obviously, with that type of investment, McMahon is not worried about the failures of the AAF, which recently suspended operations. In response to the league’s folding, the XFL issued a statement (Via Pro Football Talk):

“We have said all along the success or failure of other leagues will have no impact on our ability to deliver high-quality, fast-paced, professional football,” the league owned and operating by Vince McMahon said, via Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal. “The XFL is well-funded, we have time before kick-off to execute our business plan, and we will soon announce a national broadcast and cable TV schedule that makes it easy for fans to find our games consistently every weekend when we launch next February. There is no doubt that avid football fans want more and we’re excited to get going in 2020.”

Demarcus Lawrence Contract Details

April 6th, 2019 at 6:59pm CST by Micah Powell

On Friday, defensive end Demarcus Lawrence and the Cowboys agreed to a five-year deal worth $105MM, making the defensive lineman one of the highest-paid defenders in the league. 

That deal will include plenty in guaranteed money, according to The MMQB’s Albert Breer (Twitter link). Breer broke the deal down like this:

  • 2019: $25MM to sign, $4.6MM roster bonus due on May 1, and $1.5MM base salary.
  • 2020: $16.9MM base that is fully guaranteed.
  • 2021: $17MM base with an injury guarantee that converts to a full guarantee in March 2020.
  • 2022: $19MM base salary.
  • 2023: $21MM base salary.

That’s $48MM fully guaranteed, but it is practically $65MM as the team would have to cut him after just one season to avoid paying that extra $17MM. It was reported recently Lawrence was seeking $22.5MM annually, and while he didn’t get that figure, he got close, with an average annual value of $21MM.

The Cowboys reportedly offered Lawrence an AAV of $17MM at the NFL Combine, which his camp countered with at least $20MM, The Athletic’s Calvin Watkins writes. Following the owners meeting, the Cowboys increased their offered to $20MM, but Lawrence’s agent, David Canter, pushed for $22.5MM. Dallas also reportedly originally offered Lawrence a six-year deal, but moved it down to five before the sides agreed on a price tag.

Now that he has signed his deal, Lawrence will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum. That procedure will take place on Wednesday, which will prevent complete dislocation, Ed Werder tweets. If dislocation happened, Lawrence would be looking at an IR stay, Werder hears.

With the new deal, the Cowboys gained an extra $10MM in cap space, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill tweets. Now that Lawrence’s deal is out of the way, the Cowboys are eyeing new contracts for several players, including Dak Prescott.

In Watkins’ piece, he notes the Cowboys are monitoring talks between Seattle and Russell Wilson before engaging with Prescott about a new deal. Regardless how that deal unfolds, Prescott is a near lock to sign a $100MM-plus contract with Dallas sometime soon.

Redskins A Front-Runner For Josh Rosen

April 6th, 2019 at 5:56pm CST by Micah Powell

If the Cardinals decide to trade second-year quarterback Josh Rosen, expect the Redskins to be at the front of the line for his services, NBC Sports’ JP Finlay writes. 

Siting ESPN’s Todd McShay, who said he keeps hearing the Redskins from league sources, Finlay notes that Washington appears to be the front-runner for the UCLA product but will not include its first-round pick in 2019 in a deal.

Between Alex Smith (34), Colt McCoy (32) and Case Keenum (31), the Redskins would appear to make sense as a team in need of a young quarterback to build around. While the team has another four years committed to Smith, who broke his leg in 2018, it remains to be seen when he will return to the field. Though the newly acquired Keenum will compete with McCoy for the starting job, both have served most of their careers as backup signal-caller and would appear to not serve as a road block to Rosen, should a deal get done.

Though that first-round pick is off the table, Finlay says that a package of picks spread out over two seasons is firmly in play. With four selection in the first three rounds, Washington has plenty of ammo needed to make a deal work.

In addition to the Redskins, Rosen has been linked heavily with the Giants, Chargers and Patriots in recent days.

North Notes: Bears, Anderson, Steelers

April 6th, 2019 at 4:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Anthony Miller showed promise for the Bears as a rookie, hauling in seven touchdown receptions and being a key player from the outset of the team’s NFC North championship season. The Memphis product dealt with a shoulder injury, however, for much of the season. Miller said he dislocated his shoulder at least five times during his rookie campaign, with Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune noting the first such dislocation came in September and the last had him a shell of his optimal version. By season’s end, Miller had faded, finishing his first regular season with a four-catch, 25-yard December. Miller underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in January and expects to be limited throughout the Bears’ offseason program, per Kane, but understandably anticipates a production increase as an NFL sophomore — should he sufficiently recover from this ailment.

Here is the latest from the North divisions:

  • Details are in on C.J. Anderson‘s Lions deal, courtesy of Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The veteran running back’s one-year agreement is worth nearly $1.5MM and can max out at $3MM (Twitter links). Anderson received $200K to sign. Anderson signed for one year and nearly $1.7MM with the Panthers last year. Both of these agreements represent steep pay reductions when compared to Anderson’s previous four-year, $18MM Broncos pact. But the 27-year-old back stands to play a key part in Detroit’s backfield this season, perhaps setting him up for another contract in 2020.
  • Despite the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger having been engaged in extension discussions for more than a month, no impasse between the parties exists, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. While the Steelers have spoken with Big Ben’s agent, Ryan Tollner, little dialogue has transpired between the Steelers and their 16th-year quarterback, Dulac adds. One year and $23.2MM remain on Roethlisberger’s current deal. Despite entering his age-37 season, Roethlisberger stands to take on even greater importance this coming year — considering the caliber of players the Steelers recently lost.
  • The Steelers are doing some research on higher-end cornerbacks in this year’s draft, hosting Rock Ya-Sin and Justin Layne on pre-draft visits Friday, Ray Fittipaldo of the Post-Gazette notes. A former Division I-FCS transfer who played just one season at Temple, the 6-foot Ya-Sin nevertheless rates as the No. 29 overall prospect on NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s board. A converted wide receiver, the 6-2 Layne started two seasons as a corner at Michigan State.
  • After a three-arrest offseason, running back Mark Walton received his walking papers from the Bengals.

Raiders Eyeing More Cornerback Help

April 6th, 2019 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason, the Raiders have added Nevin Lawson to their cornerback corps and retained Daryl Worley via second-round tender. UFA safety addition Lamarcus Joyner is also expected to help out in the slot.

Oakland remains in pursuit of more help at corner, though, Jon Gruden confirmed, via Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area.

At this point, the logical scenario for the Raiders adding help here will come through the draft. They hold four of the draft’s top 35 selections. Although, the Raiders are in dire need of edge-rushing help, having only added Josh Mauro to a group chiefly responsible for a 13-sack season — the fewest any team has registered since 2008. And the Raiders have done some extensive research on quarterbacks, meeting with both Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins.

As of now, Worley and Gareon Conley stand to start on the outside, with Lawson potentially serving as a top backup and Joyner contributing in the slot. Nick Nelson, a 2018 fourth-round pick, is expected to be in the mix as well. Worley and Lawson are only signed through 2019. Pro Football Focus graded none of Oakland’s cornerbacks particularly well last season, with Conley topping the group in being graded as last year’s No. 68 corner in 679 snaps.

“We are looking for another corner,” Gruden said. “I think you need five corners. I think you gotta have five because they do get banged up. It is a very difficult position to play and sometimes you want to play three or four at a time.”

During Gruden’s second stint, the Raiders have obviously shown they are not averse to adding free agents in bulk. Morris Claiborne remains on the market. Brent Grimes is not yet planning a retirement. Davon House, Jamar Taylor and Kayvon Webster are also unattached. But higher-upside prospects certainly will be available later this month.

Greedy Williams, Deandre Baker, Rock Ya-Sin and Byron Murphy front a corner class that is not viewed as exceptional, but it’s a safe bet multiple members of this group will be first-round picks. The Raiders hold picks 24 and 27, which would place them in the range to land a member of this quartet.

Jaguars Tried To Acquire Robert Griffin III?

April 6th, 2019 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Jaguars doled out by far the biggest contract to a free agent quarterback this offseason, their pre-Nick Foles plans look to have featured Robert Griffin III.

At multiple junctures last season, Jacksonville attempted to acquire the former offensive rookie of the year from Baltimore. The Jags attempted to trade for Griffin at the end of the 2018 preseason and made another bid to land the Ravens reserve at the trade deadline, Griffin said during an appearance on the Ravens’ The Lounge podcast (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley).

Leading up to free agency, the Jaguars were heavily linked to Foles. But Griffin still waited until that deal was done to sign his two-year, $4MM Ravens contract.

“We knew that was an opportunity and there’d be a chance if things didn’t work out with Nick Foles,” Griffin said. “We just wanted to wait and see what would happen.”

Additionally, the 29-year-old passer said this offseason he discussed a deal with the Dolphins, who were in on multiple other free agent passers who spent all or most of 2018 as backups. Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater ended up accepting offers to continue has backups, Taylor with the Chargers and Bridgewater with the Saints. Miami pivoted to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Griffin will return to be Lamar Jackson‘s backup after sitting behind both Jackson and Joe Flacco for most of last season.

“I ultimately felt like those situations weren’t good,” said Griffin, who noted he discussed deals with other teams as well, of possible fits with other teams. “I’m not looking to go somewhere and be a bridge or be there for a season and go somewhere else. I’m looking for stability and opportunity. For me right now, Baltimore is the best situation.”

The Jaguars indeed possessed one of the league’s worst quarterback situations last season, benching Blake Bortles for Cody Kessler and then giving Bortles the reins back during a 5-11 season. They since cut the disappointing former top-five pick. Both Flacco and Jackson were healthy for the Ravens at the deadline, with Flacco’s hip injury not sidelining him until November, yet the eventual AFC North champions kept Griffin.

The former Heisman Trophy winner has not started a game since doing so for the 2016 Browns. He did not play in 2017. After being a cut or trade candidate during the preseason, Griffin made the Ravens’ 53-man roster last year and threw six passes.

Bengals Waive RB Mark Walton

April 6th, 2019 at 12:21pm CST by Ben Levine

After being arrested for the third time in three months, running back Mark Walton has been let go by the Bengals. The team announced that they’ve waived the 2018 fourth-round pick.

“It’s important for our team to get off to a fresh start as we begin the 2019 season,” said new head coach Zac Taylor. “For that reason, we felt it best if we move forward without Mark Walton. We hope his situation gets resolved, but we don’t want to take anything away from the good work that so many other players have already begun to demonstrate.”

Earlier this week, Walton was cuffed on felony charges of carrying a concealed firearm, resisting an officer without violence, possession of marijuana, and reckless driving in connection with a high-speed chase in March. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell tweets that Walton surrendered to police yesterday. This comes on the heels of two other incidents – Walton was charged with misdemeanor battery after a February skirmish, and he was also arrested for marijuana possession in January.

As our own Zach Links pointed out, Walton seems very likely to face NFL discipline for his off-the-field incidents. This would presumably limit his ability to catch on with another team, at least for the time being.

Despite injuries, Walton showed some serious promise during his collegiate career, including a sophomore season in which he scored 14 touchdowns. However, during his rookie season in Cincy, he had just 14 carries for 34 yards as he played behind Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard.

Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes (on Twitter) that the team could now be searching for some depth at the position, especially considering the fact that Bernard is set to hit free agency after next season. The reporter points to Texas A&M running back Trayveon Williams as an option. Williams had previous success with Jim Turner, who is now the Bengals’ offensive line coach. The running back is expected to be a Day 2 selection.

Bengals To Meet With LB Josh Allen

April 6th, 2019 at 12:13pm CST by Ben Levine

While many draft pundits have expected Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen to land on a team with a top-five pick, it sounds like another organization may be looking to enter the picture. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Allen is set to meet with the Bengals today.

As Rapoport notes, the Bengals currently have the 11th-overall pick, meaning the front office would presumably have to trade up for the edge rusher. We previously heard that Allen was set to meet with five teams, including the 49ers, Jets, Raiders, Giants and Lions. Each of those five teams are currently armed with a higher first-rounder than Cincy.

During Allen’s pro day, there were some whispers that the linebacker would ultimately be selected third-overall by the Jets. This would predictably limit the Bengals’ options. With Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, and Allen generally regarded as the consensus top-three picks, Cincinnati would need some luck if they’re going to get their hands on the Kentucky linebacker.

Allen benefited from staying in school for his season year, registering 17 sacks this past season. He also finished the 2018 campaign with 56 tackles, five forced fumbles, and 21.5 tackles for loss.

The Bengals haven’t done a whole lot to improve their front-seven this offseason. Their lone move was signing free agent Kerry Wynn, who projects to be a backup defensive end. Allen’s versatility means he should eventually be able to play in multiple formations, and he could contribute immediately to the Bengals as either their strongside or weakside linebacker.

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