HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Details On Cameron Meredith’s Patriots Deal

August 7th, 2019 at 8:42am CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, the Patriots agreed to sign wide receiver Cameron Meredith to a low-cost deal. Today, we learned the details of the pact, via Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 

Meredith’s deal is worth just $2.02MM over two years and includes no guaranteed money. The deal also includes injury waivers for both years. It’s a big step down from the two-year, $9.6MM deal he inked with the Saints as a restricted free agent just a couple of years ago.

On the plus side, the deal gives Meredith a chance to prove that he is healthy and can still play at a high level. Meanwhile, it’s a very low-risk deal for the Patriots that could pay major dividends.

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Thomas, Vikes, Rams

August 6th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Quinn‘s initial Cowboys preseason slate will be nullified because of an injury he suffered at practice Tuesday. The trade acquisition will undergo surgery in Dallas after breaking his left hand, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter). Quinn’s fracture, however, may not shelve him for any regular-season time. Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones expects the ninth-year defensive end to be ready by the time the Cowboys face the Giants in Week 1. So, the Cowboys’ August lineup graphics will not feature either of the team’s projected D-end starters, with DeMarcus Lawrence also out for the preseason slate.

Moving first (perhaps predictably) to the Cowboys’ glut of extension candidates, here is the latest from around the NFC:

  • Jones said earlier today the Cowboys are offering deals that would, at the moment, make Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper among the five highest-paid players at their respective positions. That represents a low bar for Elliott, but Jones revealed one Cowboys stance: that Le’Veon Bell‘s Jets deal slightly lowered the running back market compared to where it was when Todd Gurley signed his lucrative pact. As for the status of Dallas’ deals, Jones does not expect them to be done during the team’s training camp stay in Oxnard, Calif. “To set all expectations, I’d be floored if anything got done before we got (back) to Dallas, with any of the three,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic (on Twitter). “I’m not concerned. I don’t feel any momentum. I don’t see anything happening.” The Cowboys will be in Oxnard until August 15.
  • Solomon Thomas has not lived up to his lofty draft status thus far, but the 49ers will try and capitalize on the former No. 2 overall pick’s interior-rushing talent. With Dee Ford and Nick Bosa now on the edge, Thomas has been rotating with defensive tackles DeForest Buckner at Arik Armstead, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Thomas saw the majority of his 644 49ers snaps last season on the edge. The Stanford product has just four sacks in two seasons.
  • Going into their preseason slate, the Vikings have leaned toward Sean Mannion being Kirk Cousins‘ primary backup. That is not surprising, given Mannion’s status as the Rams’ QB2 recently. Mannion and 2017 UDFA Kyle Sloter were rotating No. 2 reps recently, but Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press points out Sloter is now rotating with rookie UDFA Jake Browning with Minnesota’s third-team offense. Both backups are playing for league-minimum money.
  • Rams rookie linebacker Justin Lawler underwent foot surgery Tuesday, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com tweets. The Rams drafted Lawler in the seventh round out of SMU. He profiles as a full-season IR candidate. Teams must carry players through to the 53-man roster for them to be eligible for IR-return status during the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/19

August 6th, 2019 at 8:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

  • Released from IR: WR Blake Jackson

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

  • Waived: TE Nick Truesdell

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Cards, Michael Crabtree Far Apart On Terms

August 6th, 2019 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite an impressive workout for the Cardinals, Michael Crabtree remains a free agent. The report of his deal turned out to be premature, and we now know why the 31-year-old wide receiver is not a member of the Cards a day later.

At the conclusion of Crabtree’s Monday workout, the Cardinals made what the veteran wideout appears to have deemed a stunning offer. The Cards proposed a one-year, $2.5MM contract to Crabtree, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. While that deal could have escalated to $4.5MM based on performance, Crabtree was “taken aback” when he received the offer, per Florio.

Crabtree expected an offer along the lines of the ones the Cowboys and Lions, respectively, made Randall Cobb (one year, $5MM) and Danny Amendola (one year, $4.25MM), Florio adds, given that those veteran pass catchers produced less than he did in 2018. The parties did not discuss a deal prior to Crabtree’s workout.

The Ravens’ Joe Flacco-to-Lamar Jackson switch restrained Crabtree (607 receiving yards last season) and John Brown, with the former averaging only 19.2 receiving yards per game with Jackson at the controls. But Brown signed for three years and $27MM, with $11.6MM in guarantees. At this juncture of the NFL calendar, free agents are often forced to settle on price. Crabtree’s most recent contract — a three-year, $21MM Ravens pact with the Ravens — occurred last March.

Kliff Kingsbury remains receptive to a Crabtree partnership, telling AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban “anything can happen” (Twitter link). That doesn’t sound particularly promising regarding a Crabtree-to-Arizona path, especially considering the Cardinals drafted three wide receivers to join a team already housing Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk. But the Crabtree workout marked the first news about the former 49ers, Raiders and Ravens wideout since his Baltimore release.

Additionally, former Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams took part in the same workout Crabtree did, per Florio. So did Akron alum Kwadarrius Smith.

AFC East Notes: Brady, Bills, Dolphins

August 6th, 2019 at 6:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

More information continues to trickle out about Tom Brady‘s contract. The Patriots initially offered Brady another batch of incentives to start this process, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston reports (video link). Given that Brady did not capitalize on any of his 2018 incentives, it was understandable his camp balked at such a proposal. The 20th-year quarterback did not mind a year-to-year setup, and Curran adds the clause preventing the Pats from franchising him next year came about because Brady wanted autonomy for the first time. He has never played into a contract year; he will now.

Through the void years tactic, the Patriots will be tagged with just north of $13MM in dead money if Brady were to leave after 2019, Curran adds (on Twitter). In structuring the deal this way, the Patriots gained $5.5MM in cap space and the opportunity to evaluate Brady’s age-42 season without making a true commitment beyond 2019.

With news surrounding the highest-profile player in the history of the AFC East overshadowing the others, let’s look at what else is coming out of this division on Tuesday evening:

  • The Bills are still deciding between playing second-round pick Cody Ford at tackle or guard, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The bulk of Buffalo’s offensive line depth resides on the interior, with Russell Bodine, Jon Feliciano and Wyatt Teller (seven starts as a 2018 rookie) on the roster. Ford moving inside could complicate their statuses, but Mitch Morse dealing with another concussion may make the Bills opt for extra insurance on their interior. Feliciano and Teller are likely to be on the 53-man roster, per Buscaglia. Ford started a handful of games at guard in 2016 and ’17, before moving to right tackle last season.
  • T.J. Yeldon joins some of the Bills’ veteran reserve linemen on the roster bubble. The four-year Jaguar is battling special-teamer Senorise Perry for the final running back job, Buscaglia writes, adding that Yeldon appears to be losing this competition. The Bills signed Yeldon to a two-year, $3.2MM deal with $500K guaranteed. The latter figure does not exactly ensure a roster spot. But Yeldon could benefit if the Bills try to trade LeSean McCoy, which has been rumored this summer.
  • Reshad Jones has been spotted in a walking boot and a cast on his right foot, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. He has missed multiple Dolphins practices. The well-paid safety has been a trade candidate for a bit now, and moving a $17.1MM cap figure off the roster would be in line with the rebuilding team’s offseason decisions. Additionally, Jones has been working with Miami’s second-string defense, with Jackson adding that Bobby McCain and T.J. McDonald have seen the bulk of the starter reps in camp. The Dolphins may have a difficult time unloading Jones’ $12MM-AAV contract.
  • A UDFA wideout has caught Xavien Howard‘s attention. The Dolphins’ No. 1 corner tabbed rookie Preston Williams as a potential “No. 1 receiver one day,” per Jackson. A 6-foot-5 receiver out of Colorado State, Williams made an impression in minicamp and has continued to do so in pads. Albert Wilson, Kenny Stills, Jakeem Grant and DeVante Parker are roster locks, Jackson adds, with Williams likely competing with Allen Hurns and Brice Butler for one of the final two slots in a likely six-man receiving corps.

TE Niles Paul Announces Retirement

August 6th, 2019 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Recently released by the 49ers, Niles Paul will no longer pursue a ninth NFL season. The free agent tight end announced his retirement on Tuesday via Instagram.

Paul signed with the 49ers in July but was quickly cut. Citing the toll football has taken on his body, the 29-year-old pass catcher will move on from the league.

“I was quickly reminded how taxing this game can be after only spending a week in camp,” Paul wrote. “Now it’s time to start listening to my body. There is no doubt in my mind that I’m still able to compete and make a 53 man roster somewhere but I’m not sure my body can handle it anymore.”

Mostly known for his lengthy run with the Redskins, Paul finished his career with 78 receptions for 954 yards and two touchdowns. The former Nebraska wide receiver spent seven seasons in Washington, being converted to tight end early in his career. He ended up playing more games (82) as a Redskins tight end than anyone this decade.

By far Paul’s best season came in 2014, when he caught 39 passes for 507 yards. That earned him a three-year Redskins deal. However, injuries followed in the years to come. Paul missed all of 2015 and returned to Washington’s IR list in November 2016. While Paul spent all of 2017 on the Redskins’ active roster, he suffered a concussion that season. The Jaguars placed Paul on IR in 2018 before releasing him.

Packers Waive OL Jason Spriggs

August 6th, 2019 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers’ second-round investment in Jason Spriggs has not ended up producing much value, and the team may be set to conclude the offensive lineman’s run in Green Bay.

In submitting a successful waiver claim for running back Keith Ford, the Packers waived Spriggs with an injury designation, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Colts waived Ford on Monday to make room for D’Onta Foreman.

Envisioning a future starting role for the Indiana product, the Packers traded up to land Spriggs at No. 48 in the 2016 draft. He has not been able to crack Green Bay’s starting lineup with consistency, working as a first-stringer in only nine games. Spriggs has been dealing with a trap muscle injury during camp, and given that Spriggs’ contract is up after 2019, this situation will likely be headed toward an injury settlement.

Spriggs suited up as primarily a backup in 29 combined games between the 2016 and ’18 seasons, but in 2017, the Packers placed him on IR twice. He joined Aaron Rodgers in being one of the team’s late-season IR-boomerang players but, like Rodgers, also ended that season back on IR.

The Bills made Ford, a Texas A&M alum, one of their top UDFAs in 2018 but waived him after last year’s preseason run. He caught on with the Colts this offseason. Ford will join a Green Bay backfield housing Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and sixth-round rookie Dexter Williams, along with some fellow UDFAs.

Lions, OL Joe Dahl Agree To Extension

August 6th, 2019 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lions offensive lineman Joe Dahl is no longer entering a contract year. The Lions took care of their former fifth-round pick on Tuesday, agreeing to a two-year extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Dahl is expected to once again play a reserve role in Detroit, though he is competing for the Lions’ starting left guard spot. He is now signed through the 2021 season.

The Lions selected the Washington State product on Day 3 of the 2016 draft, and although he arrived during the Jim Caldwell regime’s run, Dahl has made an impression on Matt Patricia‘s staff. He has started four games in his three-season career.

This season’s Lions line is expected to look a lot like 2018’s, with last year’s starting five — Taylor Decker, Kenny Wiggins, Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow and Ricky Wagner — all still under contract. Dahl stands to be perhaps Detroit’s top interior backup, if he cannot beat out the 30-year-old Wiggins for a starting gig.

Cowboys Notes: Elliott, Jones, Prescott, Cooper

August 6th, 2019 at 2:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There was a report earlier today that Ezekiel Elliott wasn’t going to play in 2019 unless he got a new contract. That’s apparently news to the Cowboys, as multiple sources told Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News that the team has “not been informed that Zeke Elliott will sit out the season if he doesnt get a new contract” (Twitter link). This doesn’t necessarily mean that Elliott doesn’t hold this stance, just that he hasn’t told Cowboys brass of his plans if that’s the case.

Unfortunately for Cowboys fans, things seem to be heading in the wrong direction between the two sides. We also heard earlier today that Dallas was growing frustrated with the status of talks with their trio of stars seeking new contracts. Elliott is in a complicated situation, because unlike Le’Veon Bell he won’t be able to sit out the season and become a free agent in the offseason. As such, his threats to sit out don’t seem quite as serious as Bell’s did and probably won’t give him too much leverage.

Here’s the latest on Dallas’ negotiations:

  • Cowboys exec Stephen Jones made comments that are sure to raise plenty of eyebrows earlier today during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. Jones had said back in February that Elliott’s deal was likely to start at what Todd Gurley got, but he’s apparently changed his mind now that he’s seen how Bell’s free agency played out. When asked if he regretted making the comments about Gurley, Jones said “no, I still think that’s within the realm. At the same time, I think the market re-set with Le’Veon (Bell’s contract). I think you see what happens with Gurley and you get a great player like Le’Veon, who’s every bit as well thought of as Gurley and he had unfettered free agency. He had 32 teams with no draft picks attached, and the market was $13.5 million … less than Gurley’s ($14.375 million average). At the end of the day, business changes, and we pay attention to that.” That’s a very revealing statement, and indicates the Cowboys might feel emboldened by the fact that Bell didn’t get as much as a lot of people thought he would. Jerry’s son also added that he didn’t “want to get into what we’ve offered but we’ve been very generous with our offer.” The Jones’ clearly plan on playing hardball with their young running back.
  • If you’re looking for some slightly more positive news, fortunately we have some courtesy of Albert Breer of SI.com (Twitter link). Breer writes “there’s a decent shot” that the Cowboys are able to get deals done with both Dak Prescott and Elliott before Week 1. He also notes that Amari Cooper talks “have been slower moving.” As for the terms, Breer suggests that in this scenario Prescott would eclipse $30MM annually, with Elliott “maybe nudging past” Gurley. Of course, Jones’ statement came after these thoughts from Breer, and it now seems he’s prepared to dig in his heels at something less than what Gurley got.

AFC East Rumors: Patriots, Brady, Jets

August 6th, 2019 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Tom Brady extension is smart, but also risky for the Patriots, Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports opines. With the new deal, the Patriots will be able to lower Brady’s 2019 cap hit and gain flexibility in the coming year. And, with voidable salaries, the new pact will allow the team to avoid committing to an age-43 Tom Brady before seeing what he looks like at the age of 42.

On the flipside, the deal cancels out the team’s ability to franchise tag the quarterback in February. So, if Brady continues to perform at a high level, he’ll have lots of leverage with the Patriots, as well as interest from a boatload of teams in free agency.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

  • Some league executives are suspicious of the new deal between the Brady and the Patriots, given the fact that Brady punted on a fully-guaranteed salary in 2014 that was on the verge of vesting, Mike Sando of The Athletic writes. Sando points to the Broncos’ mini-scandal of yesteryear when John Elway and Terrell Davis deferred $29MM in salary to lessen the team’s immediate cap hit in exchange for receiving the money with interest at a later date. To be clear – there’s no concrete proof of misdeeds between the Pats and Brady, but some folks in the football world are raising their eyebrows.
  • After the Jets lured Ryan Kalil out of retirement, could they swing another big offensive line move by acquiring Redskins left tackle Trent Williams? That’s what many fans are wondering, but Rich Cimini of ESPN.com would be surprised if that happens. The Jets, he feels, should save their bullets for improving the cornerback situation, rather than upgrading from Kelvin Beachum.
  • The Dolphins have a closer-than-expected quarterback race between Ryan Fitzpatrick and newcomer Josh Rosen.
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