2020 January - Pro Football Rumors

Month: September 2024

PFR Glossary: Rooney Rule

January 27th, 2020 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

This offseason, five NFL teams hired new head coaches. New Redskins head coach Ron Rivera was the only non-white coach to fill one of those vacancies, which drew criticism from some, including Steelers owner Art Rooney II.

“I think where we are right now, is not where we want to be, not where we need to be,” Rooney said recently. “We need to take a step back and look at what’s happening with our hiring processes.”

“As it appears right now, there just weren’t very many minorities in the process at all this year. And I’m not sure why that is,” Rooney continued. “It doesn’t need to be that way. We have about one-third of the coaches in the National Football League are from the minority communities. That’s really not a bad pipeline. And so, the question is, why aren’t more of those people getting interviews? Why aren’t more of those people advancing through the process?”

Established in 2003, the Rooney Rule stipulates that teams must interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching positions. Named after former Steelers owner Dan Rooney, the rule is in place to make sure that candidates of color have a fair shake at climbing the ranks.

When the Rooney Rule was introduced, there were historically very few non-white head coaches in the NFL. Fritz Pollard became the first black head coach in NFL history in the 1920s and the league did not see another minority head coach until 1979 when the Raiders hired Tom Flores.

Since the advent of the Rooney Rule, dozens of qualified minority candidates have been given opportunities to showcase themselves for head coaching positions. However, it’s difficult to say whether that has directly led to a greater number of minority hires. Teams have been accused of interviewing minority candidates simply to check the box.

This was a common complaint against the Raiders a couple of years ago when they reportedly agreed to hire Jon Gruden on Christmas Eve, before they interviewed Oakland tight ends coach Bobby Johnson and USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin for the role in January. Ditto for some of this year’s searches, including the Cowboys. Some say the Cowboys weren’t giving serious consideration to former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis before they hired ex-Packers coach Mike McCarthy. The Fritz Pollard Alliance, which works with the NFL to monitor minority hiring practices, has vowed to push for changes to the rule.

In recent years, the rule has been extended to general manager vacancies. In December 2016, the NFL agreed to informally apply the rule to offensive and defensive coordinator positions, though there are no penalties for noncompliance. If a team is found to have broken the Rooney Rule in a head coaching search, the club may be faced with a substantial fine and/or a forfeiture of draft picks. In the coming months, the Rooney Rule could be expanded even further.

Browns Hire Andrew Berry As GM

January 27th, 2020 at 11:51am CST by Zachary Links

It’s a done deal. On Monday, the Browns officially hired Eagles’ VP of Football Operations Andrew Berry to be their GM and EVP of Football Operations. The Browns will announce the news this afternoon with a full-blown press conference to come next week.

Berry was ID’d as a top candidate for the job soon after the Browns parted ways with John Dorsey. Berry spent years as a part of the Browns’ braintrust before moving on to Philly and his relationship with owner Jimmy Haslam ultimately led to a deal.

Still, the Browns considered other candidates along the way. Vikings exec George Paton might have been the favorite for the job after the interview process. But, last week, he removed his name from consideration.

Paton was reportedly unsure about how the Browns would divvy up power. Berry, apparently, doesn’t share the same level of concern. He’ll report directly to owner Jimmy Haslam, along with new head coach Kevin Stefanski and chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta. The Browns operated that way during the Sashi Brown–Hue Jackson years, so Berry is at least familiar with that arrangement.

Berry studied and played football at Harvard before moving on to scouting and front office positions with the Colts, Browns, and Eagles. Now, at the age of 32, he’ll get to run his own show.

Berry will inherit a talented roster, plus a projected $50MM in cap room for the upcoming offseason. He’ll also have the No. 10 overall pick to work with, thanks to the Browns’ disappointing 6-10 finish in 2019.

Poll: Will Le’Veon Bell Return To The Jets?

January 27th, 2020 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

Last year, Jets GM Mike Maccagnan signed Le’Veon Bell to a four-year, $52.5MM deal. Weeks later, Maccagnan was fired in a long-expected, yet ill-timed, move. Apparently, new head coach Adam Gase and GM Joe Douglas were not wild about Maccagnan’s moves, including the major expenditure for Bell.

Unfortunately for Gase and Douglas, escaping Bell’s deal won’t be easy. The running back is slated to count for a $15.5MM cap figure in 2020 with similar numbers in 2021 and 2022. Shedding Bell this offseason would leave the Jets with $19MM in dead money and zero cap savings. The Jets’ best opportunity to dump Bell would come before the 2021 season, when they could save $9.5MM against $4MM in dead money.

Meanwhile, Bell underperformed in 2019 and reportedly clashed with team brass. He averaged just 3.2 yards per carry and his 66 catches for 461 yards out of the backfield weren’t nearly enough to offset that lack of efficiency.

Bell claimed multiple teams inquired about him before the October trade deadline. Douglas hinted that he would listen on calls after the season, though he later walked those comments back, saying that Bell is a valued member of the team.

Releasing Bell outright would result in $19MM in dead money. A trade would be less damaging – the Jets would absorb just $6MM in dead money while freeing up $9.5MM in cap room. Then again, the team taking on Bell would have to commit to his guaranteed $13MM for 2020, and that’s a tough sell. To offset that, the Jets would likely have to convert a portion of his 2020 pay into a signing bonus, which would add to the dead money total.

With all of that in mind, do you expect Bell to be in a Jets uniform in 2020? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and back up your choice in the comments section.

Russell Okung To Run For NFLPA President

January 27th, 2020 at 9:31am CST by Zachary Links

It’s official. Chargers left tackle Russell Okung will run for NFLPA president, as Ken Belson of the New York Times writes. If Okung wins, he could change the complexion of the ongoing labor talks and, potentially, steer the league towards a labor stoppage.

The owners and players have been discussing a new deal based upon the framework of an expanded 17-game regular season. Okung has been vocal in his opposition of the proposal and says that a labor stoppage might be necessary to get the best possible deal for the union.

“Are we in an equitable agreement with management?” Okung said. “Right now, the answer is no. This will take as long as it needs to…I expect more, and I’m not willing to be bashful about saying that. I’ve made it really clear we need to exhaust every single opportunity we have in order to put our players in a better situation to take care of themselves, their families and to protect the future of this game.”

Okung is far from the only player who doesn’t want a 17-game season. A source familiar with the negotiations tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that an extended regular season, which will likely come with expanded playoffs, remains a very difficult sell for the league’s players. A reduced preseason isn’t much of a selling point for them, as fewer and fewer vets are playing in the preseason anyway. John Clayton of 710 ESPN Seattle confirms that there is not enough player support for a 17-game schedule (Twitter link).

It’s worth noting that Okung has been at odds with his own union in the past. An independent investigation found that Okung spread confidential information in violation of union rules as a member of the Executive Committee. Okung, for his part, denies any wrongdoing and says he’s the union’s best bet to push back against the rigors of an expanded season.

“We can’t neglect those issues in order to get more money,” Okung said. “Am I going to trade health and safety for a buck?”

The league will elect its next president in March. Eric Winston, the incumbent, is not eligible for another term because he is two years removed from playing.

49ers Notes: Shanahan, Lynch, Garoppolo

January 26th, 2020 at 8:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The trade that sent Jimmy Garoppolo from New England to San Francisco has turned out to be one of the most important swaps in recent NFL history, with Tom Brady‘s former backup set to start in Super Bowl LIV. Despite other suitors believed to be in the mix for Garoppolo in 2017, Bill Belichick alerted Kyle Shanahan he was willing to part with the former second-round pick for a second-rounder. The 49ers quickly accepted but did so after initially being willing to offer the Patriots more for the then-fourth-year passer, Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com reports. But Belichick, despite previous refusals to trade Garoppolo, was not posturing when he indicated he would take a Round 2 pick for his contract-year quarterback.

It ended up costing the 49ers only the No. 43 overall selection in 2018 to land their starting quarterback. While this process was murkier on the Patriots’ end, it helped the 49ers construct a rebuild that has them in their seventh Super Bowl.

A week away from the 49ers’ Super Bowl matchup with the Chiefs, here is the latest out of San Francisco:

Going back to when this rebuild began, Shanahan did not mince words about the state of the 49ers during his interview for their top coaching job. Early in the then-Falcons OC’s 2017 interview, he told team CEO Jed York the roster left over from the Trent Baalke era at that time was “horrible,” Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. This led to a gradual rebuild that did not get far off the ground before this season, with the 49ers going 10-22. But York was on board with the process, viewing 2019 as the first real season on which the Shanahan-John Lynch regime could be judged, Maiocco adds. York gave the HC-GM duo six-year contracts because of the team going through three coaches in three years from 2014-16.
Lynch’s hire came about because he cold-called Shanahan with an offer to pair with him in San Francisco, Wickersham adds. A recommendation from Mike Shanahan, who coached Lynch in Denver, helped seal the deal for his son. Lynch had spoken at length with Kyle Shanahan on the phone in preparation for games he would call as a broadcaster, per Wickersham, and hoped for a chance to return to football. Shanahan did not have much familiarity with the other finalists for the 49ers’ GM job — Vikings assistant GM George Paton and Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough — and the decision to hire a GM out of the broadcast booth has helped the 49ers return to the Super Bowl.
Despite dealing with a dislocated shoulder that induced pain preventing him from walking off the field last weekend, Tevin Coleman has received good news about his status for Super Bowl LIV.

NFC Notes: Armstead, Floyd, Cowboys

January 26th, 2020 at 7:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terron Armstead missed only one game because of a high ankle sprain he suffered in November, but the Pro Bowl Saints tackle is also dealing with a wrist injury that may require offseason surgery. Armstead underwent a CT scan recently, and although it showed no broken bones or ligament damage, the seven-year veteran acknowledged an offseason procedure is not off the table.

“As far as ligament damage, tendon damage, it’s more of a, ‘If it’s still feeling like this or you can’t pick up anything in two weeks, we got to go further,'” Armstead said, via NOLA.com’s Amie Just.

Although Armstead made the trip to Orlando for the Pro Bowl, he did not play in Sunday’s game. The Saints have their left tackle under contract for two more seasons.

Here is the latest from the NFC:

If the Bears do not release Leonard Floyd, he will be on their books for $13.2MM — once his fifth-year option vests. With Khalil Mack‘s cap number spiking to $26.6MM — from an $11.9MM figure in 2019 — that would mean the Bears would have approximately a fifth of their salary cap tied to two players. But Ryan Pace‘s indications thus far have been Floyd will be a Bear next season, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes. If, in fact, the Bears do retain Floyd, it would seemingly behoove them to extend the 2016 first-rounder or restructure Mack’s deal to lower one of the pass rushers’ cap numbers. Floyd recorded just three sacks this season and has not eclipsed 4.5 since his 2016 rookie year.
Mike McCarthy hired a longtime coworker to join him in Dallas. The Cowboys are bringing in ex-Packers staffer Rob Davis to be an assistant head coach, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. A longtime NFL long snapper, Davis worked in the private sector over the past two years but served as the Packers’ director of player development from 2006-17.
Signs are pointing to the Packers letting linebacker Blake Martinez walk in free agency.

Matt Judon To Be Tag-And-Trade Candidate

January 26th, 2020 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

After locking up Marcus Peters, the Ravens have Matt Judon looming as their top in-house priority. But a team that has frequently let edge rushers walk after big contract years is not a lock to retain him.

The Ravens are preparing to use their franchise tag on Judon and will be ready to take trade inquiries on the Pro Bowl outside linebacker, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. While the Ravens want to retain Judon, Schefter notes they are likely prepared to listen to offers. This would make sense on multiple fronts yet strip the already edge-rush-needy Ravens of their top sack artist.

The Ravens have let several pass rushers walk in free agency in recent years. Paul Kruger, Pernell McPhee and Za’Darius Smith defected in free agency after standout contract years. Terrell Suggs, Baltimore’s edge anchor for so many seasons, left last year after his most recent Ravens contract expired. Baltimore recouped subsequent compensatory rewards.

The tag-and-trade market for edge rushers also heated up last year. More tagged edges ended up playing for other teams this season than the teams that applied the tag. Dee Ford, Frank Clark and Jadeveon Clowney were dealt, with the Seahawks collecting by far the top trade haul (Chiefs first- and second-round picks). Judon would naturally generate interest. However, he is on the older end for a player with four years’ experience — set to turn 28 before next season — and will command a contract that perhaps pushes toward $20MM annually.

Clark (zero Pro Bowls as a Seahawk) and DeMarcus Lawrence (two with the Cowboys) became the second- and third-highest-paid edge defenders last year. The Lions gave Trey Flowers (no Pro Bowls) an $18MM-per-year pact with higher guarantees than either, while the Packers gave Smith (no Pro Bowls as a Raven) $16.5MM. With the cap set to approach $200MM, Judon’s price will not be cheap. The 2019 Pro Bowler is coming off a career-high 9.5 sacks and a Ravens-record 33 quarterback hits (since the stat became tracked in 2006). Judon also proved more consistent than Smith in Baltimore, combining for 15 sacks between the 2017-18 seasons.

The Ravens are projected to hold more than $28MM in cap space. A Judon tag — if he’s tagged as a linebacker — would cost nearly $16MM. John Harbaugh acknowledged recently it might be difficult to keep Judon, and the Ravens also have Michael Pierce, Patrick Onwuasor and Jimmy Smith set for free agency.

Judon is among a lengthy list of impact pass rushers set for free agency. Clowney, Shaquil Barrett, Arik Armstead, Yannick Ngakoue, Bud Dupree, Dante Fowler and Jason Pierre-Paul headline this group. While the Buccaneers are planning to keep Barrett, it will be interesting to see how this market shapes up in the weeks between now and free agency.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Brady, Mosley

January 26th, 2020 at 11:59am CST by Rory Parks

We heard at the end of December that the Ravens are prepared to slap pass rusher Matt Judon with the franchise tag if they cannot work out a long-term deal with him, but recent comments from head coach John Harbaugh suggested Judon could be suiting up elsewhere in 2020. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Baltimore may be disinclined to use the tag, as it would take up a big chunk of their cap and could alienate the emotional and outspoken Judon.

On the other hand, Judon is the only proven pass rusher on the team, and there’s no guarantee the Ravens can win a bidding war for one of this year’s top FAs or land a player at the bottom of the first round of the draft who can make an immediate impact, so GM Eric DeCosta will have to carefully weigh a number of factors.

Let’s round up a few other AFC items, starting with several more nuggets out of Baltimore:

The Ravens and veteran CB Jimmy Smith have mutual interest in a reunion, per Zrebiec. However, if Baltimore brings back Smith, it’s unlikely that CB/S Brandon Carr also returns. Meanwhile, the Ravens will almost certainly cut safety Tony Jefferson.
Regardless of what they do with Judon, the Ravens will have to add three or four starting-caliber players to their front seven, so Zrebiec expects the team to focus on those areas heavily in the draft, and he fully expects DeCosta to draft a WR or two.
Add Jay Glazer of The Athletic to the list of pundits who believe a Tom Brady–Raiders partnership makes sense. Like others, Glazer thinks the Chargers are an obvious non-Patriots landing spot, but given the international presence that the Las Vegas outfit is expected to have, both Brady and the team would stand to benefit from a Sin City marriage.
In a recent interview with Eddie Paskal of the team’s official website, Raiders GM Mike Mayock said he believes the move to Las Vegas will help the club attract top free agents, even those not named Brady. The fact that Nevada does not have a state income tax will obviously be appealing, as will the sleek new stadium and the general excitement surrounding the franchise. Mayock also noted that he will look to add wide receiver help this offseason.
Jets LB C.J. Mosley had to undergo groin/abdominal surgery about six weeks ago, but he expects to be ready for the team’s offseason program this spring, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. One of last year’s biggest free agent fish, Mosley played in just two games for Gang Green, and he has started a vegan diet in the hopes of giving himself an edge.

Russell Wilson On Seahawks’ Free Agency

January 26th, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks’ 2019 campaign ended in the divisional round of the playoffs, but they were neck-and-neck with the NFC champion 49ers for the entire season before slipping to a wildcard spot in Week 17. They have a talented roster, a star quarterback, and more financial flexibility than they’ve had in years, and Russell Wilson wants them to take advantage of that flexibility.

“I think we need a couple more (players),” Wilson told ESPN earlier this week (h/t Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). “I think we need a couple more. (Defensive end) Jadeveon (Clowney) is a big-time guy that we would love to get back on our football team. He was so good in the locker room. He brought so many just havoc plays to the field. Hopefully, we can get a few other players there on the defense.”

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll had previously expressed his desire to bring Clowney back, and the club surely wants to re-sign Jarran Reed. But Carroll also said he wants to keep the O-line intact, while Wilson may privately disagree. The Seahawks graded out 30th in pass blocking and 14th in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus, and the PFF grades for their pending FA O-linemen were all below average.

In addition to his comments regarding defensive reinforcements, Wilson talked about the offensive side of the ball. “Then also on offense, we have a great offense, but I think we can always add more pieces,” Wilson said. “Free agency is very, very key to getting those superstars on your team and try to get great players that can fill the space.”

As far as outside free agents that could represent upgrades to the offensive line, Packers RT Bryan Bulaga and Saints G Andrus Peat could be available. Unfortunately, Seattle may continue to struggle upgrading the tight end position, as Austin Hooper looks like the only top-tier TE that could hit the open market, unless someone can pry Hunter Henry away from the Chargers.

In any event, Wilson’s willingness to speak openly about his team’s free agency plans is a bit of a rarity for him, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and it underscores the urgency that the six-time Pro Bowler is feeling as he prepares for his ninth season in the league.

Latest On Drew Brees

January 26th, 2020 at 9:00am CST by Rory Parks

If Drew Brees decides to play in 2020, it will only be for the Saints. However, it’s still unclear whether he will be returning for his age-41 season.

The New Orleans legend will wait about a month before making that decision, as Amie Just of NOLA.com writes.

“I’m really waiting until football is totally done,” Brees said on Saturday. “Obviously being [at the Pro Bowl], I’m just very much focused on my family and this opportunity to be be around the guys, playing the game. Then, I’ll kind of lay low for a little bit, get away and then assess. I kind of have a process in mind. And I’ll give it a month or so.”

The Saints will obviously give their future Hall-of-Famer all the time he wants, but as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, the process could be somewhat complicated by the presence of Taysom Hill, a restricted free agent. The Saints love what Hill brings to the field and do not want another club poaching him by giving him an offer that New Orleans cannot match because of its financial commitment to Brees. Of course, that assumes that another team views the 29-year-old Hill as a starting-caliber QB, which is not a given; Hill has thrown just 13 passes in his professional career.

If Brees does decide to hang up the cleats, the Saints could look to Hill as a replacement, or they may choose to re-sign Teddy Bridgewater, who played well in Brees’ injury-related absence in 2019. There are also an unusually high number of potentially intriguing free agent and trade options this year, so the sooner Brees makes up his mind, the happier New Orleans will be.

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