HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

NFC West Notes: Staley, Rams, Cardinals

June 6th, 2019 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both the 49ers and Joe Staley realized this offseason they wanted to pursue an extension. The 49ers did so after watching the left tackle’s 2018 film, while Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes Staley — once on the fence about playing into another decade — also decided he wanted to keep going.

“We went back and watched it (Staley’s film) in the offseason,” John Lynch said, “and it was even more impressive than we thought, so he earned it, first and foremost, by that. I think Joe is the perfect guy to say, ‘Hey, we’re also about taking care of our own.’ We just had to have some of our own that we had that opportunity with, and when we’ve turned over the roster, we haven’t had many opportunities. But Joe was one of those, and probably nobody deserves it more than him.”

Talks accelerated last week, Maiocco adds, and although Staley’s two-year extension was announced Wednesday night, the 34-year-old lineman agreed to a new deal on Monday. So any Mike McGlinchey-to-left tackle plans will be tabled for the foreseeable future.

Here is more from the NFC West’s warmer climates:

  • The Rams recently made a positional adjustment. Before he went down with a season-nullifying torn ACL last summer, Morgan Fox was working as an outside linebacker. But the Rams are moving him back to defensive end, Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic tweets. Fox played 16 games in 2017, registering 2.5 sacks, and the Rams were intrigued by the prospect of the former UDFA as a rotational pass rusher. He’ll now rejoin the defensive line group.
  • No word has emerged from Los Angeles about the Rams working on a Jared Goff extension, and Albert Breer of SI.com expects the team to wait a year. The Rams are interested in extending Goff, however, and it would behoove them to do an extension before a near-$23MM fifth-year option kicks in next season. It would also cost the Rams upwards of $30MM in 2021 to tag their two-time Pro Bowl quarterback. While the Rams do have big expenses on this year’s payroll — with Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Dante Fowler in contract years — the quarterback landscape will look different a year from now. Carson Wentz and the Eagles are moving toward a deal, and Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes may well be attached to long-term contracts by this time next year. Assuming he does not regress after making significant strides in 2018, Goff’s price figures to go up.
  • It might not be a great idea for late-round fliers on Cardinals tight ends in fantasy drafts. The Kliff Kingsbury-designed offense will use “a ton” of 10 personnel — four wide receivers, one running back — this season, Bob McManamon of the Arizona Republic notes. Texas Tech tight ends caught just four passes in 2018. The Cards still have Ricky Seals-Jones and added both Charles Clay and Maxx Williams this offseason. Arizona drafted three wide receivers, and if this is to be a modern-day version of some of the NFL’s early-1990s run-and-shoot teams, it will be interesting to see if they keep three tight ends on their active roster.

Details On Terrelle Pryor’s Jaguars Deal

June 6th, 2019 at 3:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Last week, the Jaguars inked wide receiver Terrelle Pryor shortly after he auditioned on the practice field. We now have the details on the deal, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco (Twitter link): it’s a one-year, $930K veteran’s minimum contract. 

With the veteran’s minimum deal, Pryor will count for just $645K against the salary cap. Per the collective bargaining agreement, players with four or more years of experience can sign a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum salary while the team will only carry a three-year pro’s minimum salary on the books.

There’s little risk in the deal for the Jaguars as they have added a one-time 1,000-yard receiver for next to nothing. And, if Pryor can’t prove that he is healthy in camp, they can walk away with no fiscal penalty.

It’s probably not the deal Pryor envisioned for himself, but the former Browns standout has earned more than $14MM over the course of his career, thanks in large part to recent pacts with the Redskins and Jets.

Redskins Sign Terry McLaurin

June 6th, 2019 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have officially wrapped up their 2019 NFL Draft class. On Thursday, the club announced the signing of third-round wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

McLaurin’s 35 catches for 701 yards last year don’t necessarily jump off of the page, but he proved to have a presence in the red zone with eleven touchdowns. After selecting Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round, the Redskins are hopeful they can keep the chemistry going at the pro level. For now, he projects to sit somewhere behind Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, and Cam Sims on the wide receiver depth chart. Fellow rookie receiver Kelvin Harmon will also battle for playing time, but McLaurin’s special teams acumen should work in his favor.

Here’s the full rundown of the Redskins’ draft class, courtesy of PFR’s tracker:

East Notes: Patriots, LaCosse, Jets, Eagles

June 6th, 2019 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Now that Austin Seferian-Jenkins is out of the picture, the Patriots seem likely to go with Matt LaCosse are their top tight end in Week 1, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes. The Patriots made a minor splash by signing Ben Watson earlier this offseason, but he’ll have to sit on the sidelines for the first four games of the season due to his PED violation. That leaves LaCosse, blocking tight end Ryan Izzo, and UDFA Andrew Beck, and LaCosse is the best pass catcher of the bunch.

LaCosse hasn’t produced much at the pro level, but there’s reason to believe that he can be a late bloomer. LaCosse saw 38% of the Broncos’ snaps last year and he could be poised to take another step forward in 2019.

If LaCosse doesn’t cut it in camp, Volin speculates that the Patriots could explore a trade for Kyle Rudolph, though it would require some salary cap magic. The Patriots could also kick the tires on former Texans tight end Ryan Griffin, who would seem to be a fit for the system.

Here’s more from the East divisions:

  • Former Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan got a little too cute in the draft and wound up losing out on one of his mid-round targets, Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears. The Jets had their eyes on Arkansas interior lineman Hjalte Froholdt with the third pick of the fourth round (No. 105 overall) before moving down to the No. 116 pick in order to add a fifth-round pick to their arsenal. Then, they traded down yet again to No. 121, allowing the Pats to scoop up Froholdt with the No. 118 pick. Maccagnan’s maneuvering also cost the club Oklahoma offensive lineman Dru Samia, another target of the team who could have helped at the center position. After all that movement, they wound up settling for West Virginia blocking tight end Trevon Wesco at No. 121 overall.
  • Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby is still aiming to play in Week 1 and expects to participate in training camp, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Darby has missed 17 games (counting the postseason) since joining the Eagles prior to the 2017 season.

Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

June 6th, 2019 at 12:25pm CST by Zachary Links

If you enjoy PFR on your smartphone or tablet then you’ve got to download the free Trade Rumors app!

Trade Rumors, available for iOS and Android, is the best way to consume our content on a mobile device. Here’s what it delivers, all for free:

  • All the articles from Pro Football Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Hoops Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
  • Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
  • Notifications! For any team or player, you can set up push notifications to ensure you always get breaking news instantly. Notifications can also be set up at the sport level.
  • Commenting! You can now read and contribute comments on the app.
  • Customer service! If you find a bug, we’ll fix it. If you have a feature request, we’ll consider it. The app is continually evolving and improving.
  • Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download now!

Cardinals Claim Desmond Harrison

June 6th, 2019 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have claimed offensive tackle Desmond Harrison, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Browns released Harrison on Wednesday, leaving him up for grabs. 

Having the league’s worst record has its advantages, including top waiver priority. The Cardinals were able to snag Harrison ahead of the other 30 potential competitors, and there were surely multiple teams hoping to land the 25-year-old.

Harrison, 25, opened the 2018 season as the starter at left tackle before Greg Robinson took over in the second half of the season. This year, Harrison was expected to be a key sub in Cleveland and that will probably be his floor in Arizona.

The Browns reportedly released Harrison due to chronic lateness and outright no-shows for team appointments, but the Cardinals are willing to roll the dice to see what he can bring to the table.

Lions Sign Jermaine Kearse

June 6th, 2019 at 9:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have signed wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, according to a team announcement. It’s a one-year, $1.35MM deal with a max value of $2.3MM, including $350K guaranteed, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 

The deal reunites Kearse with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Given their five years working together in Seattle, it shouldn’t take long for the 29-year-old to learn the playbook. Also, given the Lions’ lack of depth at the wide receiver position, there’s a clear opportunity for Kearse to make the cut and make an impact.

The Lions auditioned Kearse in late May and quickly made him an offer, but he walked away in hopes of finding something more substantial. It’s not clear whether the Lions upped the ante to get Kearse, but they managed to land him in June.

Kearse came to the Jets from the Seahawks in the Sheldon Richardson trade of 2017. Kearse went on to enjoy the best statistical campaign of his career by managing 65 receptions for 810 yards and five touchdowns in his first season with Gang Green. Last year wasn’t quite as strong, but he finished out with a 37/371/1 in the Jets’ spotty offense.

Kearse could easily wind up as the Lions’ fourth WR behind Danny Amendola, Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. Former Saints practice standout Tommylee Lewis is also on hand.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Burns, Bengals

June 6th, 2019 at 8:44am CST by Zachary Links

This could be the end of the line for Artie Burns‘ career with the Steelers, Ed Bouchette of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The cornerback is due an $800K roster bonus on the first day of training camp, but if he can’t prove himself during minicamp, he’ll likely be released before he can collect that check.

The Steelers had high hopes for Burns after he notched six interceptions in his final season at Miami, but he’s regressed in each of his pro seasons. As a rookie, Burns tied for the team lead with three picks despite starting in only nine games. In 2017, he started in every game, but wasn’t as sharp in coverage and had just one interception. Then, last year, Burns was bumped from the starting lineup and mostly appeared on special teams in the second half of the season. The Steelers already passed on Burns’ fifth-year option for 2020 and they could be on the verge of giving up on him altogether. If they cut him, it’ll be yet another draft disappointment for the team at the cornerback position. As Bouchette notes, the club’s top three corners – Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, and Mike Hilton – all came from outside the draft.

Shifting to the teams that wear orange, here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • After acting as the Raiders’ interim GM in the wake of Reggie McKenzie‘s ouster, Shaun Herock did not stick with the Jon Gruden–Mike Mayock regime. But the longtime Oakland exec is expected to land on his feet. Herock is on the verge of joining the Browns, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Although Herock spent seven years in Oakland, he worked extensively with John Dorsey in Green Bay. Herock spent nearly two decades as the Packers’ assistant director of college scouting, working directly under Dorsey (the Packers’ college scouting director for most of that span). The Packers made three Super Bowl appearances during the duo’s time running the Pack’s scouting department. Herock will join ex-Green Bay execs Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf in Cleveland.
  • Here’s a bit of a surprise – Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic expects the Bengals to use linebacker Preston Brown in a three-down role this year. Brown was limited by injury in 2018, and he was placed on IR in November, but the club opted to bring him back on a one-year, $4MM deal in March. There was some speculation that the Bengals would still look for an upgrade at the middle linebacker position, but it sounds like Brown is primed for a key role on defense.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

49ers, Joe Staley Agree To Extension

June 5th, 2019 at 9:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Staley is no longer in a contract year. The longtime 49ers left tackle agreed to a two-year extension to stay with the team through 2021, the 49ers announced Wednesday night.

Back in April, the six-time Pro Bowler had not yet decided about playing beyond the 2019 season. Evidently, he now has. This new deal will tether Staley to the 49ers through his age-37 season. At the 49ers’ state of the franchise event, Staley indicated a desire to play for only one NFL team (video link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area).

Staley’s two-year extension includes $27.6MM in new money, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). With the add-on, the veteran can now make $36.15MM total over the next three years.

The 34-year-old lineman has started all 174 regular-season games he’s played since being a 2007 first-round pick. He sits 13th on the 49ers’ all-time games-played list and is on the cusp of climbing into the top 10. Staley playing out this extension would give him a chance to trail only Jerry Rice on this list. Among non-quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters, only Larry Fitzgerald has started more games (232) for the team that drafted him than Staley.

Despite being in his 12th season in 2018, Staley graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 overall tackle. And that lofty grade represented a slight dip from his performances for most of this decade. The 49ers are clearly comfortable beginning their full-fledged Jimmy Garoppolo era with their longest-tenured player serving as his top protector.

The 49ers now have Staley, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, guards Laken Tomlinson and Mike Person, and center Weston Richburg signed through at least 2021. Staley was set to count $10.95MM against the 49ers’ cap this season; that number can be expected to go down due to this extension.

Texans Finalize Draft Class Deals

June 5th, 2019 at 9:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another team has completed its rookie contracts. Third-round tight end Kahale Warring represented the final piece of that puzzle for the Texans.

Warring joins the other six Houston 2019 draftees, four of which coming from non-power-conference schools, at Texans OTAs. The Texans are set to convene for minicamp next week, when they will see three tight ends drafted in the past two years in action.

The 6-foot-5 target joins a thin Texans tight end corps, which also houses veteran Darren Fells and 2018 third- and sixth-round picks — Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas. The latter caught four touchdown passes as a rookie. Warring hails from San Diego State, where he played three seasons. He caught 51 passes for 637 yards and eight touchdowns with the Aztecs, almost all of his relevant work coming over the past two seasons.

Here is the Texans’ 2019 draft class:

Load More Posts