2019 August - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins To Start Ryan Fitzpatrick

August 30th, 2019 at 11:23am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins’ quarterback controversy is over…for now. Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the club’s Week 1 starter, head coach Brian Flores announced.

“After a thorough evaluation of OTAs, training camp, games, practice, we felt this was the best move for the team going into the season,” Flores said. “Ryan has done a really good job from a leadership standpoint, from an execution standpoint, and we feel like it’s the best move for the team.”

Fitzpatrick, 36, has edged out Rosen, a 22-year-old who was taken No. 10 overall just one year ago. While Rosen had his preseason moments, Flores says he’s electing for FitzMagic’s experience.

Rosen, meanwhile, is playing the part of a good soldier.

“The battle and competition never stops,” Rosen said. “I’ll push him every single day for him to get better, and if he doesn’t get better, hopefully I’ll surpass him at some point. I’m rooting for him more than anyone.”

The Dolphins, with Fitzpatrick under center, will open the season on September 8 against the Ravens in Miami.

Latest On Texans, Dolphins, Jadeveon Clowney

August 30th, 2019 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

If the Texans want Dolphins tackle Laremy Tunsil, they’ll have to pay a hefty price for him. The Texans have dangled a first-round pick and Jadeveon Clowney in a proposed deal for Tunsil, but the Fins want even more, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears from two NFL sources.

One of those sources tells Jackson that the Dolphins are seeking a high draft pick in addition to Clowney and a first-round choice. This could be a classic example of the old business adage, “Don’t tell them ‘no,’ tell them how much it will cost.”

The Dolphins’ interest in Clowney is very real, but so is their attachment to Tunsil, who is a quality tackle in a league that is largely devoid of them. There’s also this to consider – the Dolphins would have to give Clowney a hefty deal upon acquiring him, so they want to make sure the deal is worthwhile in total.

Will the Texans meet the sky-high asking price? That largely depends on exactly how desperate they are for left tackle help and how much other interested clubs will fork over for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Clowney is said to favor the Seahawks and Eagles, while the Dolphins, Jets, and Redskins have also touched base on him.

Patriots’ Josh Gordon Cleared For Week One

August 30th, 2019 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

Great news for Patriots fans and nervous fantasy football players – Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon has been cleared to play for Week One by the league office, per an NFL announcement.

Previously, Gordon received a conditional reinstatement from NFL HQ, granting him permission to play if he satisfied certain terms. Gordon, apparently, has met the requirements, and he has received the green light for the start of the 2019 season.

Gordon appeared in 11 games for the Patriots last year, catching 40 passes for 720 yards and and three touchdowns. Late in the year, he suddenly revealed he was stepping away from the team, and not long after it was announced that he was being slapped with an indefinite ban.

Despite the many hiccups in his career, Gordon continues to hold serious promise. If he stays on the right track, Gordon could be primed for a massive year in New England.

Texans To Place QB Joe Webb On IR

August 30th, 2019 at 10:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Texans plan to place quarterback Joe Webb on injured reserve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Webb was carted off the field with a foot injury on Thursday night against the Rams and further testing confirmed that it was a serious malady.

Webb completed 65% of his passes in the exhibition game and was in line to back up Deshaun Watson. On the plus side, QB A.J. McCarron is ready to roll after injuring his thumb early in camp, so the Texans are likely set under center.

Webb, who has carved out a career with quarterback, wide receiver, and special teams skills, may or may not try to extend his career in 2020. He’ll turn 33 in November and celebrate his 34th birthday during the 2020 campaign.

Ravens Cut K Elliott Fry

August 30th, 2019 at 10:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens released kicker Elliott Fry, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Fry sank a 48-yard field goal in preseason action on Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in Baltimore.

Fry now becomes one of the best available kickers in the NFL and an intriguing option for teams sifting through the waiver wire. The Jets, for instance, have No. 3 priority and could be among the interested clubs.

Fry spent most of the offseason fighting for the Bears’ job, but the team dropped him in favor of Eddy Pineiro. In Baltimore, they’ll stick with Justin Tucker, as was expected.

Patriots Trade CB Duke Dawson To Broncos

August 30th, 2019 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have traded cornerback Duke Dawson to the Broncos, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The two sides will exchange late-round picks in the deal, with the Patriots receiving a sixth-rounder and the Broncos getting a 2020 seventh-rounder.

The Patriots were forced to Dawson on IR last season due to a hamstring injury. He was later designated for return, but never made it back on to the field.

Prior to all of that, Dawson was in the mix to become New England’s slot cornerback early in camp in 2018. This year, he seemed to have a shot at a steady role, but things did not pan out. Instead, the Broncos will acquire the 2018 second-round selection for pennies on the dollar.

Jaguars Release WR Terrelle Pryor

August 30th, 2019 at 8:59am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are making some early moves towards making the 53-man max. On Friday morning, Jacksonville cut wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, defensive tackle Datone Jones, and former Alabama cornerback Saivion Smith, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Pryor parlayed his huge season with the Browns a couple of years back into a one-year, $6MM free agent deal with the Redskins. Unfortunately, he was held back by an ankle injury and did little in D.C. He tried to regain his footing with the Jets and Bills last year, but injuries got the best of him once again. Then, he signed a veteran’s minimum contract with the Jaguars, but the former quarterback was unable to stay healthy and/or prove himself in practice.

Jones, 28, was selected by the Packers with the 26th overall pick of the 2013 draft, but he’s never been able to put it all together at the NFL level. In four seasons with Green Bay, Jones appeared in 60 games, but made only seven starts and never topped 600 snaps in any individual campaign. He joined the Jags in June and he finds himself seeking a new gig in late August.

Redskins Shopping WR Josh Doctson

August 29th, 2019 at 9:53pm CST by Ben Levine

Back in July, Redskins wideout Josh Doctson insinuated that he’d be playing elsewhere in 2020. Well, it sounds like that the divorce may be happening sooner than later.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Redskins have shopped Doctson to “a couple different teams” as the 26-year-old sits “firmly on the roster bubble.” While trade talks could merely be due diligence, the team would presumably rather trade Docton than be left with a $3.19MM cap charge.

Doctson has only show brief glimpses of intrigue since Washington selected him in the first round of the 2016 draft. Doctson has started 26 games over the past two years, but this has only resulted in 79 receptions for 1,034 yards and eight touchdowns. Efficiency has continued to plague the receiver, as he ranked 96th out of 107 qualifying wideouts in yards per route run last season, per Pro Football Focus.

The organization declined the receiver’s fifth-year option this past offseason. Had the Redskins picked up his option, Docston would have been due $10.162MM for the 2020 campaign. There was an opportunity for the receiver to improve his value considering the Redskins’ lack of depth at the position. With tight end Jordan Reed and running backs Chris Thompson, Adrian Peterson, and Derrius Guice vying for targets, the wideout corps of Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, and rookie Terry McLaurin are left to scrounge for leftover targets.

Colts, Texans, Browns Lead NFL In Cap Space

August 29th, 2019 at 8:50pm CST by Ben Levine

On Tuesday morning, the NFL released a report of every team’s cap space. The total number accounts for the top-51 cap numbers on every team’s roster. Therefore, these numbers will naturally change before next week as teams set their 53-man rosters (although the 52nd- and 53rd-ranked cap numbers (and beyond) for each team will hardly change anything).

It’s also worth noting that there have been a handful of extensions, trades, signings, and cuts since this report was released. However, there weren’t any significant moves that would drastically alter these rankings.

Why are these numbers important at this time of year? Well, rosters will be trimmed on Saturday, meaning an influx of players will hit the open market. While we can’t imagine any roster casualties earning a lucrative contract from a new team, these numbers can help illustrate the monetary advantage one organization has over another. These numbers are also useful in regards to any potential trades or extensions.

With help from TheMMQB.com’s Albert Breer on Twitter, we’ve listed the league’s cap space totals (as of Tuesday morning) below:

Indianapolis Colts: $56.6MM
Houston Texans: $37.0MM
Cleveland Browns: $34.6MM
Dallas Cowboys: $26.1MM
Tennessee Titans: $26.0MM
San Francisco 49ers: $25.5MM
Buffalo Bills: $23.3MM
Miami Dolphins: $22.1MM
Chicago Bears: $22.1MM
Washington Redskins: $21.7MM
Detroit Lions: $21.5MM
Kansas City Chiefs: $21MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $19.7MM
Seattle Seahawks: $19.5MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $18.6MM
Jacksonville Jaguars: $18.2MM
Oakland Raiders: $17.3MM
Los Angeles Chargers: $16.4MM
Green Bay Packers: $15.2MM
New York Jets: $14.9MM
New England Patriots: $14.1MM
Baltimore Ravens: $13.4MM
New Orleans Saints $7.5MM
Carolina Panthers $5.9MM
Los Angeles Rams $5.6MM
New York Giants $5.5MM
Pittsburgh Steelers $4.9MM
Minnesota Vikings $4.7MM
Arizona Cardinals $4.7MM
Denver Broncos $4.4MM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers $4.3MM
Atlanta Falcons $3.4MM

Latest On Ezekiel Elliott

August 29th, 2019 at 8:04pm CST by Ben Levine

While it sounds like talks between the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott‘s camp have stalled, there’s still optimism that a deal will get done before the regular season opener. Appearing at a recent banquet, owner Jerry Jones told the crowd that their star running back will be on the field for Week 1.

“We’re missing one, but we’ll have him on the field,” Jones said (via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News on Twitter). “I’m not joking.”

Meanwhile, executive vice president Stephen Jones told ESPN’s Todd Archer that he’s hopeful a deal will get done over the next week (Twitter link). However, Jones did acknowledge that things have been quiet recently, which is something we also heard late last week.

The Cowboys have apparently made an Elliott deal a priority. Both quarterback Dak Prescott and wideout Amari Cooper are also in line for new deals, but both players seem receptive to playing into a contract year.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Dallas…

Jay Glazer of The Athletic passes along more optimism from the organization. The reporter notes that the Cowboys have “contended all along that they believe he will be there for Week One against the Giants.” Glazer expects the two sides to agree to a deal that will make Elliott the highest-paid running back in the league.
Both sides seem to be holding strong to their initial offers, tweets Clarence Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram. Elliott’s side made an initial offer to the organization that was deemed too high, and the organization countered with a lower proposal. Hill implies that neither side has come back to the table with a revised contract offer.
Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network tweets that the Cowboys have previously skirted around negotiations with agents by dealing directly with players. The reporter cites an agent who thinks the organization may have unsuccessfully tried this strategy with their extension-worthy trio. “He said in this case the difference is [Elliott] and even Dak and Amari Cooper, they’re not buying it,” Garafolo said. “They’re actually listening to their representation. So he feels like maybe Jerry Jones is starting to get a little frustrated, because some of his old tricks aren’t working in this case.” Circumventing an agent to deal with a represented player would be a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
CBS Sports’ Joel Corry suggests a contract structure that would seemingly satisfy both sides. Elliott would sign a six-year contract worth around $100MM, which would set the benchmark at the position for average annual salary. However, the Cowboys wouldn’t be setting the market when it comes to money that’s “fully guaranteed at signing, three year cash flow, first three new years compensation and signing bonus.” Ultimately, Corry pegs a contract that’d be worth between $99MM and $103MM over eight total years (two years remaining plus a six-year extension).