2020 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Tagovailoa, Brown Have Offset Language

May 18th, 2020 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown have offset language in their contracts, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. So far, they’re the only two first-round picks to have their deals in place, so that’s an indication most of the Top 32 will follow suit.

Rookie contracts for NFL draft picks are cut-and-dry, for the most part, thanks to the slotting system. However, offset language is usually the biggest barrier to an agreement. If a player with offset language is released midway through the contract and signs elsewhere, the original team is only on the hook for the difference in salary between the two deals. Without offset language, the player can effectively collect two paychecks. Naturally, agents try to preserve that potential earning power while owners push back.

Breer expects just about every first-round pick to make the same concession, except for Jaguars first-round picks C.J. Henderson (No. 9 overall) and K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 20 overall). Historically, the Jaguars have not pushed offsets on players, but most teams do. It would only make sense for teams to insist on offsets, particularly following this truly unprecedented evaluation period. In essence, offset language serves as a bit of insurance against the possibility of a draft bust.

On the whole, the Dolphins are excited about Tagovailoa’s potential, despite his surgically-repaired hip and other past issues on his medical chart. In accordance with his slot at No. 5 overall, he’ll make just over $30MM over the course of a four-year deal. Brown, meanwhile, is set to make just under $24MM over the course of his four year deal with the Panthers. As first round picks, both deals will include fifth-year options. They’ll also come with a bit of extra protection, thanks to the offset language included within.

NFL Draft Signings: 5/17/20

May 17th, 2020 at 3:41pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s draft signings here:

The Lions announced the signing of fourth-round guard Logan Stenberg. The Kentucky product made 39 consecutive starts in college, finished with first-team All-SEC honors, and did not allow a single sack in 2019. With Detroit, he’ll be a part of the rotation on the interior, though he’ll also have to vie with fellow rookie Jonah Jackson, a third-round pick. For now, the Lions project to lead with some combination of veterans Oday Aboushi, Joe Dahl, and Kenny Wiggins.

NFL Draft Signings: 5/14/20

May 14th, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s late-round signings here:

The Colts signed a pair of sixth-round picks on Thursday: wide receiver Dezmon Patmon and defensive tackle Robert Windsor. With that, the Colts are down to five unsigned selections as of this writing. Windsor, a Penn State product, tallied 20 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and three forced fumbles over the course of his collegiate career. Patmon, out of Washington State, quietly impressed scouts as he tallied roughly 60 catches and 800 yards in his last two seasons on campus. Windsor will try to push Tyquan Lewis at the bottom of the DT depth chart. Patmon, meanwhile, will have his work cut out for him with lots of WRs already on Indy’s roster. On the plus side, Patmon’s 6’4″ build may give him an edge.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/20

May 13th, 2020 at 4:40pm CST by Rory Parks

We’ll keep track of today’s mid- to late-round signings here:

The Texans and third-round pick Jonathan Greenard have come to terms, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The former Louisville and Florida linebacker was tangentially involved in some draft-day drama between Houston and the Lions, as the Texans reportedly believed they had a deal in place to send the No. 90 pick to Detroit only to have the Lions back out at the last moment (which the Lions vehemently deny). The Texans kept the pick and selected Greenard, who posted 10 sacks in his final collegiate season and who hopes to become a part of Houston’s pass-rushing rotation. Greenard’s four-year deal is worth about $4.5MM and includes a signing bonus of roughly $900K.
The Colts have signed sixth-round choice Isaiah Rodgers, per Josh Alper of PFT. Rodgers, a UMass product, will battle for a spot on Indianapolis’ cornerback depth chart and on the clubs’ special teams unit. He is set to earn $3.44MM over the course of his four-year deal, which includes a $145K signing bonus.
The Titans inked fifth-round pick Larrell Murchison, per a club announcement. Murchison, an NC State product, made a name for himself as a disruptor on the defensive line after transferring over from a JUCO program.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/20

May 12th, 2020 at 12:26pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s later-round signings here:

The Colts announced the signing of offensive lineman Danny Pinter, a fifth-round choice who became the first pick on Indy’s board for a completed deal. Pinter, a 6’4″, 306-pound lineman out of Ball State, saw time at both right tackle and tight end during his time in college. As a pro, he figures to spend most of his time on the interior. “I love Danny, I’m not going to lie to y’all,’’ general manager Chris Ballard said after the draft (via Mike Chappell of FOX 59). “Actually we were trying to move up to get him. I probably won’t ever give y’all this much insight, but for like 30 minutes we were trying to move up and just couldn’t get up to get him.’’
The Dolphins, meanwhile, have third-round safety Brandon Jones officially in the fold. Per the terms of his slot, the No. 70 overall choice will receive a four-year deal worth $4.87MM, including a $1.1MM signing bonus.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/20

May 11th, 2020 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s late round signings here:

The Patriots and third-round tight end Dalton Keene have reached agreement on his contract, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Pats have motored through their draft class quicker than most – out of ten draft picks, only one remains unsigned, as shown in PFR’s tracker. Keene, one of two tight ends drafted by New England in the third round, figures to serve as an H-Back and line up at multiple positions in the NFL. He’s a solid blocker, too, though scouts say he needs to bulk up.

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Smith, Cowboys, Prescott

May 11th, 2020 at 5:52pm CST by Zachary Links

With graphic details and graphic images, ESPN.com’s Elizabeth Smith and Stephania Bell bring us the story of Alex Smith‘s gruesome injury and his road to recovery.

“Our first priority is we’re going to save his life,” a hospital worker said to Alex’s wife, Elizabeth, just days after the injury. “And then we’re going to do our best to save his leg. And anything beyond that is a miracle.”

Smith said that he feels “very much lucky to be alive” after the horrific injury and ensuing sepsis infection. And, after celebrating his 36th birthday in May, the Redskins quarterback is working towards an NFL return. Mrs. Smith, meanwhile, is conflicted.

“When I think about Alex returning to football, there’s part of me that wants him to do whatever he has the inner drive to do. If that means stepping back on the football field and throwing on those pads, then I want him to prove that to himself. But obviously there’s part of me asking, “‘Is it worth ever doing that again? Do you know what we just went through?'”

Here’s more on the Redskins, the Redskins’ quarterback situation, and the rest of the NFC East:

Talk of Tua Tagovailoa going to the Redskins didn’t bother starter Dwayne Haskins.“Throughout the whole process Ron [Rivera] was just telling me to trust him,” Haskins said (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports). “I did so it worked out.” The Redskins were long expected to take Chase Young with the No. 2 pick, but there were Tua rumblings on draft week. Ultimately, they took the Ohio State edge rusher and passed on the Alabama star.
If the Cowboys can’t work out an extension with Dak Prescott by July 15th, they’ll have to wait until after the 2020 season to resume negotiations. That deadline puts some serious pressure on the team to get something done with their beloved QB, but COO Stephen Jones says he won’t break the budget. “There’s all sorts of analytics out there that show if your quarterback takes up too big a percentage of your salary cap, it decreases your chances to win,” Jones said (via PFT). “We’re just trying to figure out the right fit. No one wants to sign Dak to a longer term deal more than Jerry and myself. We’re on the record time and time again on what we think of him as a leader. He has the ‘it’ factor. He’s a fierce competitor. He wants to win as well, and it’s just gotta be right for him and right for us.”
The Cowboys are feeling really, really good about their Day 2 and Day 3 haul in the draft, Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Before the draft, they had a “high-second-round” grade on cornerback Trevon Diggs – they landed him at No. 51 overall. They assigned a second-round grade to defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, and snagged him in the third. In the fourth round, they see yet another steal – the scouting department gave center Tyler Biadasz a high-third-round score and snagged him with the last pick of the fourth round. Time will tell, but the Cowboys are doing cartwheels over their 2020 middle-round choices.
Carlos Hyde, who racked up 1,000+ yards rushing in Houston last year, is still available. The Eagles are interested, but they only want him at the right price.
Recently, the Giants reworked Cooper Rush‘s contract to dial down his base pay but also give him a chunk of guaranteed money. That may bode well for his odds of making the roster, but he’s got lots of competition.

No. 1 Pick Joe Burrow Has Yet To Sign Bengals Deal

May 10th, 2020 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has yet to put pen to paper on his rookie contract. In an interview on the Pardon My Take podcast, the No. 1 overall pick indicated that the deal might not be inked anytime soon.

“We’re just waiting to see what happens over the next three months because we really don’t know,” Burrow said (via ESPN.com’s Ben Baby).

Most of this year’s 250+ rookies have yet to sign their deals, so Burrow’s situation is not unique. However, it could be indicative of a much larger issue. Some executives and agents have wondered whether it’ll take longer for top draft picks to sign this year, since teams are facing potentially enormous revenue losses.

Those league officials believe that the deals will be completed, eventually, but cash flow could be a concern for clubs. A season without fans would mean zero gate attendance revenue, a shortened season would mean significantly less dollars coming in, and a cancelled season would be disastrous, from a financial standpoint. With that in mind, teams may be looking to hold on to the allocated signing bonus money a little bit longer.

In the case of Burrow, the LSU product is due a ~$24MM bonus. After that, the bonus figures decrease pick-by-pick, in accordance with each player’s slot. New Redskins edge rusher Chase Young (No. 2 overall) is set to collect a $22.7MM bonus and Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (N0. 3) is in line for $21.9MM. The figure decreases the further you move down the board, though every player from Nos. 1-11 is ticketed for an eight-figure lump sum bonus.

Meanwhile, like all of us, Burrow is eager for football – and life in general – to resume normalcy:

“Instead of talking, we can get back on the field. Hopefully soon.”

Panthers Sign No. 7 Overall Pick Derrick Brown

May 8th, 2020 at 9:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Derrick Brown was the seventh rookie to come off the board this year and the first to sign his rookie deal. On Friday, the Panthers inked the Auburn defensive tackle to his rookie contract – a four-year, $23.62MM pact, in accordance with his draft slot.

Everyone knew the Panthers were targeting defensive players in the draft, but it was still a surprise to see them go defense all throughout draft weekend. Brown was the first one up, placing a promising young talent alongside Kawann Short, a two-time Pro Bowler eager to get back to form after missing the bulk of the 2019 season.

While Short draws lots of attention, Brown will look to be a difference maker, particularly against the run. The Panthers weren’t the only team chasing him – at least a couple clubs inquired on trading into the Top 10 for his services and the Lions reportedly thought about him at No. 3, though they ultimately went with their longtime draft crush Jeff Okudah.

Brown might not have the upside of, say, Isaiah Simmons, a jack-of-all-trades defender with absolutely freakish athleticism, but he was regarded by evaluators as one of the safer picks near the top. With that high floor, he’ll look to justify GM Marty Hurney‘s big decision.

“We had them very close together, obviously,” Hurney said of Brown and Simmons after the draft (via ESPN.com). “We believed you start building from the front. Derrick not only helps [Short] and the rest of the line… he helps the linebackers. He’s a big, powerful player. He’s got a good first step. He’s a three-down player. He obviously helps against the run, but he really gets push up the middle. “

Bills Sign A.J. Epenesa, Jake Fromm

May 8th, 2020 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

On Friday, the Bills agreed to terms with three of their picks from the 2020 NFL Draft. Second-round edge rusher A.J. Epenesa, fourth-round receiver Gabriel Davis, and fifth-round quarterback Jake Fromm are all under contract, per a club announcement.

Epenesa was viewed as a first-round prospect, up until a shaky showing at the combine. There, the Iowa product ran a slower-than-expected 5.04-second 40-yard dash and lacked athleticism at 275 pounds. Still, he’s coming off of double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons and also profiles as a solid defender against the run.

Fromm also saw his stock slip. At one point in time, evaluators said he’d be the No. 1 overall pick. Then, last year happened – the Georgia QB completed just 60.8% of his passes and most scouts now see him as a solid backup type. That’ll be his role in Buffalo, where he’ll sit behind Josh Allen.

With this trio officially in the fold, the Bills’ only remaining straggler is third-round running back Zack Moss. Here’s the full rundown of their draft class, via PFR’s team-by-team tracker:

2-54: AJ Epenesa, DE (Iowa): Signed
3-86: Zack Moss, RB (Utah)
4-128: Gabriel Davis, WR (UCF): Signed
5-167: Jake Fromm, QB (Georgia): Signed
6-188: Tyler Bass, K (Georgia Southern): Signed
6-207: Isaiah Hodgins, WR (Oregon State): Signed
7-239: Dane Jackson, CB (Pittsburgh): Signed

2020 NFL Draft News & Rumors