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Latest On Free Agent RB Jeremy Hill

July 11th, 2019 at 8:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running back Jeremy Hill barely logged any time with the Patriots before going down with a torn ACL in Week 1 of the 2018 season, but he says he’s nearly ready to return to the field.

“I think for me coming off a big ACL injury, I’m just doing what I can to get back to 100%,” Hill said, per Herbie Teope of the Advocate. “I know there’s going to be a job waiting on me when I get cleared, so that’s all I’m doing now. I’m just trying to get healthy and once that happens, I’ll be back. I’m pretty close. I’m about eight months out of surgery, so hopefully soon.”

Hill, now 26, enjoyed several seasons as the Bengals’ main ball-carrier 2014 to 2016, averaging 222 carries, 919 yards, and 10 touchdowns during that time. 2014 and 2015, notably, were especially productive campaigns for Hill, as he ranked as a top-12 back in Football Outsiders’ success rate metric in both seasons.

Hill was Cincinnati’s nominal starter in 2017 even after the club used a second-round pick on Joe Mixon, but Hill went down with a ankle injury in November and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. He inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with New England and was listed as the team’s third running back, but the aforementioned ACL injury ended his season.

With training camp fast approaching, Hill remains on the open market alongside fellow free agent backs Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount, Corey Grant, and Chris Ivory, among others.

La’el Collins Wants To Stay With Cowboys

July 11th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins is entering the final season of his contract, but if he has his way, he’ll remain with the club for the foreseeable future, according to Herbie Teope of the Advocate.

“I would love to stay in Dallas my entire career,” Collins said. “I love the Cowboys, I love Mr. (Jerry) Jones; I love the Jones family. I love everything about the whole organization and what they’ve done for me as a person and as a player. For me, it’s just all about going out there and taking it one day at a time, and proving myself, proving my worth, showing them that I want to be there by what I do and now what I say.”

A projected first-round pick in 2015, Collins went undrafted after reports indicated he was scheduled to talk with police about the murder of a pregnant woman with whom he was previously involved. Authorities determined Collins had no involvement in the woman’s death, but he wasn’t selected in the draft after his agents indicated he would sit out the season if he were picked after the third round.

The Cowboys eventually landed Collins as an undrafted free agent. The LSU product spent his first two NFL campaigns at left guard, but moved to right tackle in 2017 after longtime Cowboy Doug Free retired. Because he was undrafted, Collins was eligible for an extension after only two pro seasons, and inked a two-year, $15.4MM deal with Dallas in July 2017.

Collins has managed to stay healthy over the past two seasons, and he’s responded with solid production, ranking as the No. 31 tackle in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus. The Cowboys have shown a willingness to extend offensive linemen in the past, as left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, and right guard Zack Martin have all received hefty new deals in recent seasons.

However, Dallas also a number of other pending free agents — including quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver Amari Cooper, and cornerback Byron Jones — whom it may deem more crucial to the club’s success. If that’s the case, Collins could hit the open market next spring.

Extension Candidate: Bears G Cody Whitehair

July 11th, 2019 at 5:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears are one of only a few NFL teams projected to bring back their entire starting offensive line in 2019, and with good reason: the unit was extremely effective at pass-blocking last season. Chicago’s front five gave up just 33 sacks (tied for eighth in the league), and ranked seventh in the NFL in adjusted sack rate.

Cody Whitehair has been a key factor in the Bear’s offensive line success over the past three seasons, but despite earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2018, he’ll be asked to change positions next year. Chicago plans to insert 2018 second-round pick James Daniels at center, meaning Whitehair will need to shift to left guard.

Whitehair has experience moving between positions. At Kansas State, the now-26-year-old spent his first two seasons at guard before moving to tackle for his junior and senior campaigns. In the NFL, Whitehair has mostly stuck at center, although he did line up at both guard positions for a bit in 2018. The results have mostly been spectacular, as Whitehair graded as a top-10 center last season while ranking top-six in pressures allowed (min. 50% playtime), per Pro Football Focus.

Now entering the final year of his rookie contract, Whitehair and his representation are now likely looking for an extension. Chicago’s front office, historically, has been more than willing to pay up for offensive line talent. Right guard Kyle Long inked a four-year, $40MM extension in 2016, left tackle Charles Leno received a four-year, $38MM deal in 2017, and right tackle Bobby Massie re-signed on a four-year, $32MM pact earlier this year.

But how will the Bears approach negotiations? Will they view (and pay) Whitehair as a center or a left guard? It’s a critical question, because there a pretty wide gap in top salaries between the two positions. The top of the left guard market reached $13.3MM per year when Andrew Norwell signed a massive contract with the Jaguars in 2017. The center market, however, only hit $11.125MM annually this past offseason thanks to Mitch Morse‘s deal with the Bills.

Whitehair could potentially bet on himself, hoping that he posts another stellar season before cashing in as a left guard — potentially at $14MM or more per year — in 2020. Chicago isn’t likely to use its franchise tag on a guard, especially given that franchise tenders for offensive linemen don’t differentiate between guard and tackle. Therefore, Whitehair really only has to worry about the prospect of an injury tanking his value.

Alternatively, Whitehair and the Bears could split the difference between guard and center salaries and agree to a deal in the $12MM/year range. He’d be making more than any center, but come out just shy of Norwell’s pact with Jacksonville. At present, it’s unclear if Whitehair is willing to trade some of his contractual upside for financial security, but it could be a deal that would satisfy both he and the Bears.

Browns’ Duke Johnson Hires Drew Rosenhaus

July 11th, 2019 at 3:17pm CST by Zachary Links

A couple of days after firing his agent, Browns running back Duke Johnson has new representation. On Thursday, Johnson hired Drew Rosenhaus, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 

Johnson has been pushing to get out of Cleveland and he is expected to continue pursuing a trade. Rosenhaus, one of the NFL’s most powerful agents, has a track record in this area. Specifically, he helped facilitate the trade that sent Emmanuel Ogbah from the Browns to the Chiefs and got Breshad Perriman out of his deal with Cleveland.

Johnson has been an extremely effective pass catcher for the Browns out of the backfield, but their RB picture is clouded by the presence of rising star Nick Chubb and new addition Kareem Hunt, who will join the team after serving a suspension through the first half of the season.

So far, the Browns have not shown a willingness to move Johnson, but things could change if he continues to express his dissatisfaction. The Packers and Buccaneers would both be logical landing spots for him given their needs at running back.

Extension Candidate: Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue

July 11th, 2019 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this summer, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue skipped minicamp in an effort to push for a new contract. Jaguars football czar Tom Coughlin might not be wild about the tactic, but Ngakoue’s stand could very well pay off. 

Ngakoue is entering the final year of his rookie contract and there’s no denying that he is criminally underpaid, given his performance. For now, he’s slated to earn just $2.025MM in 2019 after racking up 29.5 sacks across three seasons.

In essence, both sides want the same thing. Ngakoue wants financial security and the Jaguars would, presumably, love to lock down the 24-year-old for years to come. However, the continued explosion of the edge rushing market makes this an extremely costly proposition for Jacksonville.

This offseason, Frank Clark inked a five-year, $105MM deal with the Chiefs after coming over from the Seahawks. And, just prior to that, Demarcus Lawrence signed a similar deal to stay with the Cowboys. Clark is 26, Lawrence is 27, and Ngakoue just turned 24 in March.

Much is made of the general lack of guarantees in NFL contracts, but top edge rushers continue to rake in guarantees that exceed other key defensive positions. Lawrence got a total guarantee of $65MM and Clark came close with $62.3MM, so there’s no real scenario in which Ngakoue would settle for less than the ~$60MM mark. Meanwhile, he’s likely looking at upwards of $21MM per season in terms of average annual value.

Still, with one year to go on his deal, Ngakoue doesn’t have much leverage. If he does not report to the Jags by August 5, he’ll lose one year of accrued service and push his potential entry into free agency back by one season.

If offered a deal that falls just shy of Clark or Lawrence’s, Ngakoue may very well “settle” and sign. If not, he’ll have to play out the final year of his rookie deal and aim for another gaudy sack total. It’s a risky proposition, but if Ngakoue can terrorize quarterbacks over another 16 game slate, he could be in position to become the highest-paid defensive player in the league.

 

Kicker Phil Dawson Contemplating Retirement

July 11th, 2019 at 1:51pm CST by Zachary Links

At the age of 44, Phil Dawson may finally be contemplating retirement. The kicker says he has had “some back-and-forth” with teams, but isn’t sure if he’d accept an offer. 

“I haven’t made any decisions yet,” Dawson told Kevin Kleps of CrainsCleveland.com. “Every year, honestly, for the past seven or eight years, I come home in the offseason and assess where I am and where my family is, and then we all sit down and make a decision. We’re in the process of doing that again.”

We have yet to hear of interest in Dawson this offseason, but teams are known to tinker with their kicking situation throughout the summer. Dawson’s resume could draw teams in, but any interested club will want to do a thorough check on his hip.

In November, the Cardinals cut Dawson after his hip held him back. He made just five-of-eight field goals, giving him the least accurate season of his career.

Prior to that, Dawson connected on 84.2% of his career field goals for the Browns, 49ers, and Cardinals. He was so-so in 2017 (80% accuracy), but he did nail 85.7% of his tries for SF in 2016.

Saints’ Carl Granderson Sentenced To Jail

July 11th, 2019 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints rookie defensive end Carl Granderson has been sentenced to six months in jail, according to The Casper Star-Tribune. Initially, Granderson was set to serve a year of probation, but a Wyoming judge went against the plea deal reached by prosecutors and Granderson’s attorney. 

The Saints signed Granderson as an undrafted free agent despite his pending trial, but this sentence will completely rule him out for the 2019 season. It’s likely that Granderson will be released soon, with another player replacing him on the 90-man roster.

The Wyoming product is a talented player who almost certainly would’ve been drafted if not for his legal situation. Many analysts gave Granderson a mid-round grade and the Saints gave him a hefty $85K to sign this offseason.

Release Candidate: Redskins OL Ereck Flowers

July 11th, 2019 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

With little in the way of options at the tackle position, are the Redskins really in a position to release a former first-round pick who just celebrated his 25th birthday? The short answer is no, but it’s still possible that Ereck Flowers could wind up out of work between now and September. 

The film on Flowers is not inspiring – he failed to protect Eli Manning in New York despite being given three full seasons as the team’s starter. When things fizzled with the Giants, Flowers reunited with Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville and didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his seven games as the team’s starting tackle.

With a need at guard, the Redskins inked Flowers to a one-year, $3.2MM deal to help shore up the interior. Later, their plans for Flowers were interrupted when Trent Williams pushed for a relocation, forcing Flowers to take reps at tackle in practice.

To recap: The Redskins are thin on the offensive line, Flowers is guaranteed $1.5MM for the year, and they may need someone other than Williams to hold down the most important spot on the front five. Still, Flowers hasn’t inspired much confidence since leaving the University of Miami and the left guard spot that he was supposed to fill could be occupied by fourth-round rookie Wes Martin.

Flowers could turn things around in training camp and show the Redskins that he is deserving of a major role up front. Or, if Flowers continues his so-so spring play, he could wind up on the chopping block. If Flowers doesn’t cut the mustard, the Redskins may release him to save $1.7MM and look to the trade market for veteran help.

Broncos Notes: Sanders, Sutton, Cravens

July 11th, 2019 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos didn’t do much to address their need at wide receiver this offseason, putting a good deal of pressure on the team’s incumbents, as Mike Klis of 9News writes. After addressing the quarterback, cornerback, and offensive line needs, the Broncos must count on the health of Emmanuel Sanders and the continued rise of Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, and Tim Patrick.

You can pretty much jot down those four names in pen – Sanders, Sutton, Hamilton, and Patrick project to be the club’s top four receivers, and Patrick could be poised for a big leap forward after leading the club in receiving yards through the final four games of the regular season.

Beyond that quartet, the Nos. 5 and 6 slots are wide open, in Klis’ view. Converted cornerback Brendan Langley could emerge as one of those players, just two years after being drafted to play on defense.

Here’s more from Denver:

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