2019 June - Pro Football Rumors

PFR Commenting Policy

June 21st, 2019 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Comments of this nature are not allowed at Pro Football Rumors:

Attacks or insults towards other commenters, the post author, journalists, teams, players, or agents.
Inappropriate language, including swearing and related censor bypass attempts, lewdness, insults, and crude terms for body parts, bodily functions, and physical acts. Overall, we don’t want any language that a parent would not want their kid to see.
Juvenile comments or extensive use of text message-type spelling.
Writing comments in all or mostly caps.
Spam-type links or self-promotion.
Comments about how you’re sick of this topic or it’s not newsworthy.
No inappropriate avatars or images are allowed.
Anything else we deem bad for business.

If you see comments that fit the above criteria, please flag them and/or contact us. Bans may be handed out liberally by our moderators, without second chances. Remaining civil is not that difficult though, and most commenters have no problems doing so, as well as helping rein each other in. We are grateful for all of our longtime commenters and readers, though this policy applies equally regardless of tenure. This policy is always available at the bottom of the site, and will be re-posted monthly.

PFR’s NFL Glossary: The Fifth-Year Option

June 21st, 2019 at 1:08pm CST by Zachary Links

This summer, we’ve seen a handful of notable players from the 2015 NFL Draft receive, or push for, brand new deals. The standard rookie deal runs for four years, but first-round picks such as Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, Redskins guard Brandon Scherff, and Falcons edge rusher Vic Beasley are under contract through the 2019 season thanks to the fifth-year option.

So what exactly is the fifth-year option in the NFL? Essentially, it’s a way to extend a player’s rookie contract by an extra year, at the club’s discretion. Players don’t have any say in whether or not these options are picked up, though players and teams are still free to negotiate longer-term contracts that would render the fifth-year option unnecessary. Otherwise though, the decision is in the hands of the team, and must be made by May 3 in the player’s fourth season.

Last year, 20 players (out of a possible 32) had their fifth-year options picked up for the 2019 season. As a top-10 pick, Beasley’s fifth-year salary was equivalent to the transition tender at his position during his fourth season, which came out to $14.2MM.

For first-rounders picked outside the top 10, like Chargers running back Melvin Gordon and 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead, the calculation was a bit more complicated. Their fifth-year option was determined by the average of the third through 25th top salaries at that position. That’s why Gordon is in line for just $5.605MM this season and Armstead is slated to earn just $9.046MM.

Fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury only between May 3 and the start of the following league year. As such, they’re not entirely risk-free, but as long as the player remains healthy, a team could exercise his fifth-year option, then cut him before his option year gets underway without being on the hook for his salary. When the league year begins, the player’s fifth-year salary becomes guaranteed for skill and cap purposes, as well as injury.

With a new CBA on the horizon, it’s conceivable that the fifth-year option will be amended to allow first-round picks to test free agency sooner. Then again, the NFLPA might not want to make the concessions needed in order to do away with the fifth-year option, even though it would help to accelerate the market at every position.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. This post was modified from an early entry by editor emeritus Luke Adams.

Saints’ Michael Thomas Reduces Asking Price

June 21st, 2019 at 10:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints and Michael Thomas seem to be making some progress on contract talks, as Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune tweets. Thomas’ camp has lowered its asking price to $22MM/year, though they remain about $4MM apart in terms of average annual value. Nothing is imminent, as Thomas is currently on vacation in Europe.

Already, the Saints are willing to go to $18MM/year, which would match Odell Beckham Jr.’s average annual value. If the two sides meet in the middle and split the difference, Thomas will be the league’s highest-paid wide receiver in terms of new money AAV, though a forthcoming extension for Julio Jones could knock him down a notch.

Thomas, who leads the league in receptions (321) over the past three seasons and ranks fifth in yards (3,787) since the start of the 2016 season, is likely looking to be the NFL’s highest-paid receiver in every major contract category, which would include AAV, total value, total guarantees, and full guarantees. It’s a safe bet that he’ll check most of those boxes after notching a league-leading 125 catches, a career-high 1,405 yards, and a career-high matching nine touchdowns.

Thomas’ effort landed him a First-Team All-Pro nod in 2018 and at the age of 26, he’s just getting warmed up.

Release Candidate: Ravens RB Kenneth Dixon

June 21st, 2019 at 10:00am CST by Zachary Links

Could a running back with a career average of 4.8 yards per carry really be on the roster bubble? That’s the case with Ravens tailback Kenneth Dixon, who finds himself on a crowded depth chart at the position.

Its been a rocky road for Dixon, who entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2016. He made a splash early on, averaging 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie, but lost his 2017 season to a torn meniscus. Before the surgery, Dixon was slapped with a four-game suspension for PEDs, which already hurt his standing in the organization.

Last year, Dixon was primed to serve as the Ravens’ leading rusher, but a knee injury midway through the season opener sent him to IR. When he was brought back in December, he showed serious promise in a limited sample. Dixon ran for 289 yards off of 47 carries, giving him a 5.5 yards per tote average on the year.

In short bursts, Dixon has looked the part of a starter. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old hasn’t been able to find sustained success and he now finds himself behind free agent pickup Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, and possibly fourth-round rookie Justice Hill.

If the Ravens carry only three running backs on the Week 1 roster, it seems unlikely that Dixon will make the cut. He has a shot at staying with the flock if they carry four, but team history suggests that they’ll roll with just a trio of RBs when the season begins.

A Dixon release would result in just $87K in dead money against $720K in cap savings.

Largest 2019 NFL Cap Hits By Position: Quarterbacks

June 21st, 2019 at 8:22am CST by Zachary Links

The largest free agent contracts of 2019 featured some massive numbers, but, due to the way new contracts are structured, many of those big free agent contracts won’t rank among this year’s top cap hits. While guaranteed money is typically frontloaded on the first couple years of new agreements, teams can structure contracts to ensure that larger cap hits come later on in the life of the deal, and often those cap charges will be reduced or eliminated altogether when the guaranteed money runs out.

We’ll tackle other key positions later, but for now, here are the top 10 QB cap hits for 2019, with a few notes and observations accompanying the figures:

Quarterbacks:

Matthew Stafford (Lions): $29.5MM
Kirk Cousins (Vikings): $29MM
Andrew Luck (Colts): $27.5MM
Tom Brady (Patriots): $27MM
Aaron Rodgers (Packers): $26.5MM
Russell Wilson (Seahawks): $26.3MM
Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers): $26.2MM
Eli Manning (Giants): $23.2MM
Cam Newton (Panthers): $23.2MM
Philip Rivers (Chargers): $23MM

Quarterbacks who recently signed big-money extensions, such as Carson Wentz, may find their way onto this list in future seasons, but for now, their cap numbers are relatively modest.
Alex Smith‘s $20.4MM cap figure may be an issue for the Redskins, but the quarterback market has advanced to the point where his charge ranks only as the 15th highest at the position. In 2020, Smith’s 2020 base salary is fully guaranteed, meaning that the Redskins are on the hook for $16MM. He’s scheduled to carry a $21.4MM cap charge in that season and releasing him would result in a $32.2MM cap hit. The Redskins, realistically, can only escape Smith’s contract in 2021 when his release would result in a more palatable $10.8MM dead money hit.
Other players notably absent from this list include Drew Brees ($22.7MM, 11th among QBs), Jameis Winston ($20.9MM, T-QB13), Marcus Mariota ($20.9MM, T-QB13), Jimmy Garoppolo ($19.35MM, T-QB16), and Matt Ryan ($15.8MM, QB19).
Next year, several teams will start to feel the implications of big money QB deals. The cap hits for Roethlisberger and Ryan will jump to $33.5MM, tying them atop the chart for 2020. Meanwhile, Rodgers, Stafford, Cousins, and Wilson are all scheduled to carry cap hits of at least $31MM.

AFC Notes: Ngakoue, Jets, Board

June 20th, 2019 at 9:47pm CST by Rory Parks

After passing along a few NFC items earlier tonight, let’s round out the evening with some news and notes from the AFC:

Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue skipped minicamp as part of his push for a new contract, and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com expects the Maryland product’s efforts to pay off. Speaking to Phillip Hellman of the Florida Times-Union, Fitzgerald says Ngakoue will land a deal with an AAV of at least $21MM and total guarantees of at least $65MM. That would put Ngakoue, who is entering the last year of his rookie contract, at the top of the DE market, but the 24-year-old sack artist has a strong case for that type of payday.
New Jets GM Joe Douglas was hired after all of the big free agency bucks were spent, but Matt Stypulkoski of NJ.com looks at the assets Douglas will have at his disposal in 2020. Gang Green is expected to have roughly $46MM in cap room, just 17th-most in the league, though Stypulkoski examines a few ways for the club to easily create more space. He names guard Kelechi Osemele and linebacker Avery Williamson as potential cap casualties next offseason.
Now that C.J. Mosley is in New York, the Ravens have a void at inside linebacker, and 2018 UDFA Chris Board could fill it. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Board has shot up the team’s depth chart and has a legitimate shot at opening the season as Baltimore’s weak-side ‘backer.
Now that Christian Covington is in Dallas, the Texans expect third-year DE Carlos Watkins to have a significantly increased role in 2019, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The 2017 fourth-rounder played in just four games last year, but he is 13 pounds lighter, and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver said he has “sky-high” expectations for Watkins.

NFC Notes: Leftwich, Nkemdiche, Seahawks

June 20th, 2019 at 8:28pm CST by Rory Parks

Not long after the Buccaneers hired Bruce Arians as their head coach in January, we learned that Arians’ new OC, Byron Leftwich, would be calling the team’s offensive plays and that Arians considered Leftwich a rising star in the coaching ranks. And as Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports, Arians’ confidence in Leftwich is such that Arians himself is not even in Jameis Winston‘s quarterbacks meeting rooms — despite Arians’ reputation as a quarterback whisperer — and Leftwich is running those meetings. This is a critical campaign for Winston, who is playing under his fifth-year option, and therefore something of a crossroads for the franchise itself. Leftwich has a lot on his plate for a young coach, but Arians clearly believes he is up to the task.

Now for more from the NFC:

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic believes that the Cardinals will cut Robert Nkemdiche before he plays another snap for the club. The former first-round pick was recently arrested for driving on a suspended license, and police found a credit card case that had a white powdery residue consistent with cocaine inside. Somers says that police decided not to test the case and elected to simply destroy it instead, but it’s still not a good look for Nkemdiche. The fact that the defensive lineman is still recovering from a knee injury and is due a $400K roster bonus if he is still on the club on the fifth day of training camp could complicate matters, but Somers still expects Nkemdiche to be gone sooner rather than later.
Seahawks OT Jamarco Jones, a fifth-round draft choice in 2018, did not see any regular season action during his rookie campaign, as he suffered an ankle injury in the preseason opener that put him on the shelf for the whole year. Still, he flashed potential last training camp, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times expects him to make the club as a backup tackle. And, with George Fant and Germain Ifedi eligible for free agency in 2020, Jones could position himself nicely for a starting role next year.
Condotta also expects the Seahawks to continue exploring pass rush options and secondary help.
We heard earlier today that the Lions are exploring a deal with free agent DT Domata Peko.

Eagles CB Cre’Von LeBlanc On Roster Bubble

June 20th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Rory Parks

Eagles cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc was a pleasant surprise for the Eagles down the stretch last season, starting four games (plus a postseason contest) and providing generally strong play in the slot. Considering Philadelphia plucked LeBlanc off the waiver wire in November, the club couldn’t have asked for much more.

However, LeBlanc is not a lock to make the team, as Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia suggests. Even with Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills absent, LeBlanc has been relegated to the second team and is currently the sixth CB on the depth chart, which puts him firmly on the roster bubble.

Part of the reason for LeBlanc’s demotion has been the emergence of second-year player Avonte Maddox. Zangaro notes that Maddox, whom Pro Football Focus graded as a middling-at-best performer in his rookie campaign, has excelled both in the slot and outside the numbers and is making a case for significant playing time. He did start nine games last season, and the 2018 fourth-rounder appears to have made some strides.

Of course, given the recent injury histories of Darby, Mills, and Sidney Jones, LeBlanc still stands a very good chance of seeing the field. But if the unit remains healthy, he could be looking for a new club this summer. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2020, so if he can earn playing time somewhere and build on his 2018 performance, he could be in for a nice payday.

Ravens WR Marquise Brown May Not Be Ready For Training Camp

June 20th, 2019 at 5:49pm CST by Rory Parks

Ravens rookie wide receiver and first-round draft pick Marquise Brown may not be ready for the start of training camp, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes. Back in May, we learned that training camp was the target for Brown, who is recovering from a Lisfranc injury, but now that seems to be in doubt.

As with most first-round picks, the hope is that Brown will be able to contribute right away, but he is especially important to Baltimore’s offense this year. Prior to the draft, the only truly established wideout that the Ravens were rostering was slot receiver Willie Snead, and though the club will rely heavily on the ground game and its talented tight end group, Brown and third-round draft pick Miles Boykin will be instrumental in the development of second-year QB Lamar Jackson.

Brown is undeniably explosive, and his strong route-running and hands complement his breathtaking speed. However, the Lisfranc ailment and his skinny frame are cause for concern, especially since his debut keeps getting pushed back (before the draft, it was believed he would be ready for minicamp).

The good news is that Brown has not had any setbacks, per head coach John Harbaugh. But until he gets on the field and is showing no ill-effects from his injury, Ravens fans will be antsy.

Gerald McCoy Voices Displeasure With Buccaneers

June 20th, 2019 at 4:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Shortly after former Buccaneers DT Gerald McCoy agreed to a deal with the Panthers, we heard that his decision to stay in the NFC South rather than sign with the Browns or Ravens — the two other teams that were heavily pursuing him — was based primarily upon the camaraderie he saw during his visit to Carolina, along with his reservations about the cities of Cleveland and Baltimore. Although there was speculation that the chance to exact revenge on his old team two times a season may have had some impact on his choice, it seems that opportunity was more important to McCoy than was previously believed.

Appearing on FS1’s “The Undisputed” (h/t ESPN.com), McCoy unequivocally voiced his displeasure with the Tampa Bay organization. First, McCoy said that the club’s decision to give new signee (and McCoy replacement) Ndamukong Suh No. 93, McCoy’s old number, did not sit well with him. McCoy said, “It may seem like it’s just a number, but it’s bigger than that. It’s respect. That was a big part of the separation between me and Tampa, period, was the respect they showed to me all offseason. It just wasn’t there.”

As McCoy makes clear, the jersey number situation was emblematic of what he perceived to be a general lack of appreciation for his work for, and dedication to, a generally mediocre outfit. He added, “I’m one of the best players to ever play in the organization. I’m going to say it — usually I wouldn’t, but I’m going to say it. It kind of shows the respect and how they feel about me.”

The Bucs knew for some time that they were going to part ways with McCoy, and after they were unable to find a willing trade partner, they ultimately made the decision to release him. Even so, the fact that he did not receive any communication from the team’s coaching staff — including new HC Bruce Arians — while he was still under contract was quite frustrating to McCoy. He said, “I spoke to more people in Baltimore’s, Cleveland’s and Carolina’s staff than I spoke to the Bucs all offseason, and that’s a fact.”

Although the Panthers and Bucs both seem content with the former First Team All-Pros they have added to their defensive lines this offseason, McCoy’s candid remarks will add a layer of interest to this year’s divisional bouts between the two clubs.