2019 June - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Discussing Rodney Hudson Extension

June 11th, 2019 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Raiders GM Mike Mayock has been discussing a new contract with the agent for center Rodney Hudson, according to head coach Jon Gruden (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the Review Journal). Currently, Hudson is slated to reach free agency after the end of the 2019 season.

“We consider him a big piece of this franchise,” Gruden said. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep him here a long time.”

Hudson is set to earn a base salary of $8.25MM this year with a $10.017MM cap number. With a slight pay bump in his next deal, Hudson could easily wind up as one of the ten highest-paid players at his position. Currently, Mitch Morse, Maurkice Pouncey, Ryan Jensen, Brandon Linder, Weston Richburg, Travis Frederick, Matt Paradis, Alex Mack, and Justin Britt rank ahead of Rodney in terms of average annual value.

Last year, Hudson graded out as the fourth-best center in the NFL, trailing only Jason Kelce, Paradis, and Mack. The soon-to-be 30-year-old also earned Pro Bowl nods in 2016 and 2017.

Jaguars Won’t Extend Jalen Ramsey This Year

June 11th, 2019 at 12:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars informed Jalen Ramsey‘s agent that they will not negotiate an extension with him this year, according to the cornerback (Twitter link via John Reid of the Florida Times Union). Despite the hiccups, Ramsey was in attendance for the start of the club’s mandatory minicamp, unlike teammate Yannick Ngakoue who is in a similar boat.

Ramsey was asked if the team declined to discuss an extension because of the team’s cap situation and he was unsympathetic to those potential constraints. “The money’s always there,” Ramsey told reporters.

Last year, the 24-year-old (25 in October) tallied 65 total tackles and three interceptions en route to a second career Pro Bowl nod. He had similar numbers in 2017, leading him to a First-Team All-Pro nod.

However, he has clashed with team brass in the past and has been vocal about his desire for an extension, so that could be cause for pause in Jacksonville. In February, the Jaguars picked up Ramsey’s fifth-year option, tying him to the club through the 2020 season. Beyond that, the Jaguars can theoretically keep Ramsey away from the open market via the franchise tag.

Colts Sign Luke Rhodes To Extension

June 11th, 2019 at 12:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have signed long snapper Luke Rhodes to a contract extension, according to a team announcement. It’s a four-year, $4.85MM contract extension that will make him the highest-paid long snapper in NFL history, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal also includes $1.25MM in guarantees.

Rhodes signed his exclusive rights tender March 19, giving the team some time to work out a brand new pact. It marks a big pay bump for Rhodes, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent at the linebacker position.

Rhodes has played in 36 games for the Colts since joining the team in 2016 and has appeared in all 32 games since switching over to LS in 2017.

Saints, Cameron Jordan Agree To Extension

June 11th, 2019 at 12:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints and defensive end Cameron Jordan have agreed to terms on a brand new contract, according to Adam Shafter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The new pact will add three years to his existing deal, tying him to the team through the 2023 season.

It’s a three-year, $52.5MM extension for Jordan, giving him five years and a maximum of $74.5MM left on his commitment to the team. With Jordan under contract through the 2023 season, the club can turn its attention to a new deal for wide receiver Michael Thomas and other pressing matters.

Jordan, 30 in July, had another outstanding year for the Saints as he notched 12 sacks and 49 tackles. He now has 71.5 sacks dating back to his rookie season in 2011, all with the Saints.

Last year, Jordan ranked as the fifth-best edge defender in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. PFF’s stats have bestowed elite grades on Jordan for each of the past three seasons with particularly strong marks for his run defense.

While the Saints D has had its ups and downs over the years, Jordan has been a consistent terror for opposing defenses. He has four Pro Bowl nods to his credit, notching at least ten sacks in each of those campaigns. He also earned his first career First-Team All-Pro selection in 2017 with a career high 13 sacks.

This Date In Transactions History: Dolphins Sign Chad Johnson

June 11th, 2019 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

In the summer of 2012, the Dolphins were less-than-enamored with their options at wide receiver. The Dolphins had just recently traded Brandon Marshall – fresh off of his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season – to the Bears for a pair of third-round picks. Then, in the draft, they did not select a wide receiver until the sixth round.

‘‘You would like to have some players make it easy and distinguish themselves, maybe make the picture a little bit clearer,’’ head coach Joe Philbin said (via The Boston Globe). ‘‘We have to catch the ball more consistently at every position on offense, because it is not quite where it needs to be.’’

After missing out on the first and second wave of free agent wide receivers, the Dolphins placed a call to Drew Rosenhaus to inquire on Chad Ochocinco (née Chad Johnson). On June 11, 2012, the Dolphins inked the eccentric veteran to a one-year deal.

Ochocinco’s career credentials were as impressive as his touchdown celebrations were inventive. To that point, he had 766 catches for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns, six Pro Bowl nods, and two First-Team All-Pro selections.

However, the receiver’s best days were spent with the Bengals and he looked like a shell of his former self with the Patriots in the 2011 season. In his lone campaign with New England, Johnson had just 15 catches for 276 yards and one touchdown and was targeted just 32 times in total. Johnson clearly didn’t mesh with the Patriots’ offense and he didn’t impress in his two intra-divisional games against the Dolphins either. Against Miami, he had just one catch in each of those two games.

Ochocinco – who changed his name back to Johnson shortly after signing with Miami – didn’t mesh with Philbin and the rest of the staff. The melding of personalities turned out to be the least of his issues. In August, Johnson was arrested on domestic battery charges. Johnson proclaimed his innocence, but the Dolphins released him the very next day. Thanks to “Hard Knocks,” we have video of Philbin’s final conversation with Johnson.

Johnson’s deal with the Dolphins up being his final NFL contract. Johnson went on to play for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in 2014 and was suspended for the 2015 season when he skipped mandatory practices. He re-emerged in 2017 to play in a single game for the Monterrey Fundidores of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional de México, where he scored on a 41-yard touchdown reception in the Fundidores’ winning effort.

Chiefs’ Chris Jones To Skip Minicamp

June 11th, 2019 at 8:48am CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Chris Jones did not report to the Chiefs on Tuesday and is not expected to partake in minicamp, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The two sides were discussing a new contract, but those talks have stalled.

By skipping camp, Jones will be subject to roughly $90K in fines. He’ll also, potentially, send a message to the team that he is serious about getting a long-term deal that is in line with the market.

The former second-rounder is entering the final year of his contract. Jones is set to earn a $1.2MM base salary with a paltry $1.3MM cap hit.

Following his 2018 season, the 24-year-old (25 in July) should end up seeing a sizable pay raise. Jones had a breakout campaign last year, finishing with a career-high 40 tackles and 15.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him fifth among 112 interior defenders, with his pass-rushing score ranking second at the position.

With Dee Ford out of the picture, the Chiefs need Jones more than ever.

Vikings, Kyle Rudolph Agree To Extension

June 11th, 2019 at 8:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings are giving veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph a four-year, $36MM extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Rudolph’s contract made it seem as though the two sides were headed for certain divorce, but the new deal will smooth out the tight end’s cap hit in the interim while presumably giving him guarantees beyond the 2019 season.

Rudolph’s deal will pay him $9M this year, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (on Twitter). His 2019 salary is fully guaranteed, and his 2020 salary is guaranteed for injury. He’ll get $1.625MM added to his $7.625MM base for this year, giving him $9MM guaranteed in ’19 and $16.025MM in total guarantees (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). After 2020, Rudolph will effectively be on a year-to-year deal until its conclusion in 2023.

All along, Rudolph has said that he wanted to stay with the Vikings, though he was unwilling to take a pay cut. After achieving both goals, it’s clear that Rudolph is happy about the new deal.

“Just under a decade ago, I received a phone call that would change my life. On that day, all I knew is that I would be playing in the NFL, realizing my childhood dream. What I didn’t know was the role in the state of Minnesota would play in my life,” Rudolph wrote (on Twitter). “Marrying my wife and established our home..in Minnesota. Experiencing the birth of my three beautiful children…in Minnesota. Starting a journey to better the lives of children dealing with a disease that doesn’t discriminate…in Minnesota. Giving everything I can possibly give, professionally and personally, to the greatest sports franchise and its fans…in Minnesota. And I am honored beyond words to say that my home, our home, will always be…in Minnesota!”

Before the pact, the Vikings had just $612K in cap room. Rudolph will now return to the Vikings where he’ll serve as the team’s No. 1 tight end and mentor to rookie Irv Smith Jr.

Extra Points: Sproles, Coleman, Broncos, Raiders

June 10th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Veteran free agent running back Darren Sproles has been limited to only nine games over the past two seasons. Therefore, as the 35-year-old continues to search for his next gig, he’s seemingly focused on two things: playing in all 16 games and climbing up the all-time lists.

“That’s my whole thing,” Sproles told Dr. David Chao of the Pro Football Doc podcast (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philly). “I want a full year. I want to get up to top-four or top-five in all-purpose yards, like ever. Right now, I’m number six. If I would have played a full year last year, I’d be number four right now.”

Sproles currently has 19,520 all-purpose yards, trailing Jerry Rice (23,546), Brian Mitchell (23,330), Walter Payton (21,803), Emmitt Smith (21,564), and Tim Brown (19,682) on the all-time list.

Let’s check out some assorted notes from around the NFL…

Former first-round wideout Corey Coleman has compiled less than 800 receiving yards since entering the league, and he’s played with four teams in three seasons. However, the Giants receiver remains confident. “You haven’t seen the best of Corey Coleman yet,” the receiver told Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com. “I feel like I’m getting better and better, and I’m just trying to stay humble and do what they ask of me. I’m happy to be here, and I’m not worried about what happened and didn’t happen in the past. I don’t look back in time. I’m comfortable with this team and in this offense, and I’m excited to show everything people thought I could do and I know I can still do in this league. Nothing’s given to you, and it’s my job to prove it.”
Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post gave his early projections for the Broncos‘ 53-man roster. The writer believes the team will keep a pair of quarterbacks (Drew Lock and Kevin Hogan) behind starter Joe Flacco, forcing Brett Rypien to the practice squad. Other notable predictions include the decision to keep two fullbacks (Andy Janovich and George Aston) and cut former second-round defensive end DeMarcus Walker.
Raiders first-round safety Johnathan Abram is already making a name for himself in OTAs. As Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area writes, the rookie has been working alongside Karl Joseph as a starter, and his confidence has been noticed by his teammates. “I’m always going back and forth a lot. He likes to talk, and I love it,” linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. “He’s a young guy coming in showing how confident he is. I love that. We can build off of that. We need more guys with belief in their skill set and bringing that attitude to the entire team. That’s going to take us a long way.”

NFC Notes: Eagles, McCoy, Vikings, Cardinals

June 10th, 2019 at 9:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Joe Douglas‘s move to the Jets, Andy Weidl has been leading the Eagles‘ scouting department as the director of player personnel, tweets Geoff Mosher of 97.3 ESPN in Jersey. Weidl previously served as Philly’s assistant director of player personnel.

It’s unclear whether Weidl’s new role is on an interim basis or permanent, but it’s obviously that the executive is prepared to take on a bigger role. Further complicating matters is the fact that Weidl could end up joining Douglas in New York.

Lets check out some more notes from around the NFC…

Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy missed his team’s minicamp as he recovered from a leg injury. However, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington observed that the veteran continued to work with tight end Jordan Reed during the sessions, and the team believes McCoy will be fully ready for training camp. The 32-year-old will be competing with Case Keenum and rookie Dwayne Haskins for a starting gig, and perhaps partly due to McCoy’s injury, the head coach has yet to make a decision on who will be the starter. “For me to make a determination on the starting quarterback after minicamp or mandatory camp is just kind of foolish,” Jay Gruden said. “We’ll let these guys continue to play and see which one continues to improve, which one is most consistent throughout the training camp and preseason and we’ll go from there.”
The Vikings have a number of competitions on their hands, according to Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. Three-year veteran Kevin McDermott and rookie seventh-rounder Austin Cutting will be going head-to-head for long snapping duties, with only one of the two presumably in line to make the final roster. Meanwhile, the team is expected to host free agent punters Justin Vogel, Shane Tripucka, and “at least one other” on Wednesday. The Vikings are hoping to provide incumbent punter Matt Wile, who struggled as a holder last season, with competition.
Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune points to wide receiver as another position battle for the Vikings, as the coaching staff is looking for someone to emerge behind Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. The team has tried out a number of players in their three-receiver package, including Laquon Treadwell, Jordan Taylor, and Chad Beebe. Rookie Olabisi Johnson and former CFL player Brandon Zylstra also have a chance to play a role.
Cardinals center A.Q. Shipley missed the entire 2018 season after suffering a torn ACL, allowing rookie Mason Cole to start all 16 games. Now, heading into 2019, both players are vying for that starting spot, and the veteran player isn’t willing to concede to his younger teammate. “Competition? Is there a competition?” Shipley asked Katherine Fitzgerald of the Arizona Republic. “I don’t know, you guys tell me. That’s what you keep saying. I’m going in as I’ve got over 100 games played in the NFL, so if they want to give it to someone else, that’s cool, that’s up to them, but I’m going in as the guy. That’s the way I operate.”

Texans Notes: Gaine, Caserio, Clowney, Mathieu

June 10th, 2019 at 8:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Former Texans general manager Brian Gaine‘s firing shouldn’t be attributed to his inability to sign Jadeveon Clowney, writes Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. We heard last week that the former executive had made “zero” progress on an extension for the former number-one pick, and a lack of development may have played a role in his firing.

However, Breer said there wasn’t any organizational disagreement over the handling of Clowney. The team was interested in signing the linebacker on their terms, and they were content opting for the franchise tag. For what it’s worth, we learned earlier today that Clowney is not expected to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp. The three-time Pro Bowler has yet to sign the franchise tender as he continues to push for a multiyear pact.

So what was the main reason for Gaine’s firing? Breer points to a lack of “fit” and “alignment,” as the former general manager didn’t share the same vision as head coach Bill O’Brien. Furthermore, the reporter believes the team’s current pursuit of Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio also played a role in the decision.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Houston, all via Breer…

Speaking of Caserio, his relationship with O’Brien and executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby could play a role in him leaving New England. There’s been a perception that Caserio wouldn’t leave the Patriots, but the reporter points out that the executive had been closing to leaving before (he considered taking the Dolphins’ gig in 2014). Breer wonders if the Texans could also look to Patriots college scouting director Monti Ossenfort or former Patriots executive (and current Falcons assistant GM) Scott Pioli for the role.
There also wasn’t an organizational disagreement over the handling of Tyrann Mathieu. The team recognized that the Pro Bowl safety had lofty monetary demands, and they never intended to go as far as the three-year, $42MM deal he received from the Chiefs this offseason. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has been happy with Gaine’s replacement for Mathieu, Tashaun Gipson.
Following Gaine’s signing of a five-year extension in 2018, the majority of his moves have actually been lauded by the front office and coaching staff. Breer points to the one-year deal for Mathieu, and he also notes the general manager’s ability to add productive rookies (receiver Keke Coutee and safety Justin Reid) in the 2018 draft despite not having a first- or second-rounder. While his inability to add a competent offensive line in front of Deshaun Watson certainly played a role in his firing, Breer opines that the forced trade of Duane Brown wasn’t the GM’s decision.
The Texans coaching staff has been happy with second-round offensive tackle Max Scharping and third-round tight end Kahale Warring. They’re also a “big fan” of first-rounder Tytus Howard. However, many pundits believe the Howard selection was a bit of a reach, and Breer wonders if O’Brien and Easterby’s Patriots’ philosophy clashed with Gaine’s eventual decision (as the two would have preferred trading back).