2020 February - Pro Football Rumors

Browns To Release Adarius Taylor

February 17th, 2020 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns will release Adarius Taylor, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (on Twitter). By releasing the linebacker, the Browns will save $2.4MM against the salary cap for 2020.

[RELATED: Browns Hire Ryan Grigson]

Taylor – who went by Adarius Glanton until taking on his father’s surname in 2018 – joined the Browns on a two-year, $5MM deal last year. He went on to appear in 15 games for the Browns as a reserve, but the club’s new regime did not see him as a fit for their defense.

Taylor was deployed primarily on special teams with Cleveland and took only 60 defensive snaps in total. By shedding his deal, the Browns will only be left with $500K in dead money and much more to spend on the open market in March.

Taylor, who will turn 30 in September, profiles mostly a special teamer for other clubs at this stage of his career. His most productive year as a defender came in 2018 with the Bucs, when he notched 60 tackles, five passes defensed, one sack, and one interception.

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Rivers, Broncos

February 17th, 2020 at 10:45am CST by Zachary Links

Where will quarterback Philip Rivers land after parting ways with the Chargers this offseason? This week, longtime teammate and pending free agent Melvin Gordon took an educated guess.

“I think he’ll go to the Colts,” Gordon told CBS Sports Network. “I don’t know, that’s just my thought. He has Nick (Sirianni) there, the (offensive coordinator), he came from here. They run the same playbook, so it’d be easy, he could come right in….That’s probably the best fit.”

Gordon doesn’t claim to have inside info, but it’s a logical thought – Rivers’ familiarity with Sirianni and head coach Frank Reich (the Bolts’ QB coach and OC during some of Rivers’ best seasons) would make for a seamless transition. The Colts, meanwhile, are far from sold on Jacoby Brissett and they have a clear need for a proven winner under center.

Rivers, 38, says that he has two years left of football, at max. After moving on from the only franchise that he’s ever known, he could spend his twilight years with familiar faces for one more chance at a Super Bowl ring.

Here’s a look at the AFC West:

Could the Chargers replace Rivers with Tom Brady? Mike Sando of The Athletic spoke with league execs about Brady’s potential destinations and found a wide range of takes on Brady’s odds of landing with the Bolts. “I think the Chargers would write whatever contract Brady needs to get,” an exec said. “They are the only team that would do that, in my opinion…If they can get Brady, then I think all of a sudden they become a real competitor for the Rams in the market.” Others, however, were quick to point out the Chargers’ organizational philosophy of spreading dollars around. “The Chargers ain’t paying anybody $30 million – anybody,” another exec said.
In an in-depth and worthwhile read, The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala examined the power struggle surrounding the Broncos‘ ownership situation. Ultimately, the messy in-fighting could result in the sale of the franchise.
Last week, former Raiders edge rusher Lamarr Houston announced his retirement from football after eight seasons in the NFL.

Dolphins Cooling On Tua, Warming Up To Justin Herbert?

February 17th, 2020 at 8:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins have been heavily connected to Tua Tagovailoa for months, but they’re far from locked in on him. The Dolphins have concerns about Tagovailoa’s ability to recover from his serious hip injury and, beyond that, they’re worried about his long-term durability, sources tell Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. At the same time, they’ve been drawn more and more to Oregon star Justin Herbert, sources say.

Even owner Stephen Ross has spoken on the record about Tagovailoa’s question marks. It’s a debate that will take place in the front office of any team considering the quarterback – had he stayed healthy, Tagovailoa likely would have been the consensus No. 1 overall pick. Now, teams need to take a close inspection of his hip and also weigh the effects of his previous ankle injuries.

With the No. 5 pick, the Dolphins could have every QB available to choose from, with the exception of LSU’s Joe Burrow. Their concerns about Tagovailoa could lead them to Herbert, who boasts arm strength, size (he stands at 6’6″; one inch taller than Ben Roethlisberger), and the ability to escape pressure in a collapsing pocket.

By the same token, Tagovailoa has been the much more accurate passer of the two and has demonstrated superior field vision. The latest news doesn’t mean that the Dolphins will select Herbert at No. 5 overall, but it’s a strong reminder that draft plans are far from settled in February.

Extra Points: Shazier, Vikings, Staff, Cards

February 16th, 2020 at 9:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

From 2017-20, the Vikings will have featured four different play-callers. But the procession from Pat Shurmur to John DeFilippo to Kevin Stefanski to now Gary Kubiak found the former Super Bowl-winning HC a bit hesitant. Kubiak stepped way from the Broncos after the 2016 season, because of health issues, and has not called plays since. But after briefly debating the move from offensive advisor to OC, the 58-year-old assistant accepted the offer to replace Stefanski, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. Kubiak has removed himself from the head-coaching market but never ruled out returning to a play-calling role. He was nearly set to resume that responsibility with the Broncos last year, but staffing issues led him to Minnesota.

Here is the latest from around the league:

Kubiak’s latest offensive staff will see more changes this year. The Vikings are bringing in Phil Rauscher to be their new assistant offensive line coach, Goessling adds. Although Rauscher spent the past two years in Washington, he worked under Kubiak for each of his two seasons as Denver’s HC. Rauscher will replace Andrew Janocko, but the Vikings’ previous assistant O-line coach will remain on staff. Janocko will become Minnesota’s new wide receivers coach. This marks Janocko’s sixth season on Mike Zimmer‘s staff.
The Steelers have kept Ryan Shazier on their roster for each of the past two years. That may well be the plan for 2020 as well. Owner Art Rooney II confirmed (via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) the Steelers “would love” to have Shazier back. The injured linebacker has worked as a mentor of sorts to the team’s young players the past two years. The Steelers have kept Shazier, 27, on their roster despite his inability to play; a league-minimum salary of $820K would likely come his way if the team uses the same arrangement in 2020. Shazier, whom GM Kevin Colbert confirmed has shown “significant improvement” in his workouts since the 2019 offseason, is not expected to be ready to play in 2020.
The Cardinals will add a former NFL and AAF quarterback to their staff. Mike Bercovici will join Kliff Kingsbury‘s staff as an entry-level assistant, per the Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman. Bercovici, 27, spent time with the Cards’ practice squad in 2017. The ex-Arizona State quarterback was on Herm Edwards‘ Sun Devils staff last season.
A key CBA-related meeting will be pushed back. The NFLPA meeting where a potential vote on the owners’ CBA proposal will now occur Friday instead of Thursday, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. The Washington D.C. summit represents a step toward a potential CBA ratification, but a few substantial hurdles remain — such as the players accepting the owners’ 17-game schedule proposal.

This Date In Transactions History: Ravens Sign Shannon Sharpe

February 16th, 2020 at 8:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Twenty years ago today, Shannon Sharpe began a memorable NFL second act. After 10 seasons with the Broncos, the future Hall of Fame tight end opted for a change and signed with the Ravens.

Baltimore added the then-31-year-old Sharpe on a four-year, $13.8MM deal with a $4.5MM signing bonus. This offer eclipsed what Denver was proposing by around $1MM per year. This turned out to be a seminal transaction, based on where the Ravens were headed.

Sharpe suffered a broken collarbone early in a down 1999 season for the Broncos, who went 6-10 after losing both Sharpe and reigning MVP Terrell Davis that October. Those injuries came months after John Elway‘s retirement. Sharpe later returned to the Broncos but did so after being a critical component on the best team in Ravens history.

Sharpe proved to be a key get for the Ravens, then a fifth-season franchise without a playoff berth. Baltimore in 2000 featured one of the NFL’s all-time great defenses, but Sharpe led that team with 810 receiving yards. A four-time All-Pro in the 1990s, Sharpe came up big during Baltimore’s playoff run. He caught a 58-yard touchdown pass in the Ravens’ 21-3 win over the Broncos in the wild-card round, and his one reception against the Raiders two weeks later became a 96-yard score in a 16-3 Raven road win. The Ravens routed the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, giving Sharpe a third Super Bowl ring.

The Ravens were not as successful in 2001, having made a Trent Dilfer-for-Elvis Grbac offseason quarterback change. But Sharpe delivered nearly identical numbers — doing so after a memorable role on the maiden voyage of Hard Knocks — in amassing 811 receiving yards. However, the Ravens used a first-round pick on Todd Heap in 2001 and released Sharpe the following February. Sharpe made his eighth and final Pro Bowl in 2001 and broke then-Ravens executive Ozzie Newsome‘s records for most career receptions and yards by a tight end that season.

Denver brought Sharpe back in 2002, and he wrapped up a 14-year career a year later. Sharpe, who caught eight touchdown passes on a Broncos team that returned to the playoffs in 2003, also retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in TDs (62) by a tight end.

Todd Haley To Coach At Florida High School

February 16th, 2020 at 7:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Todd Haley did not coach in the NFL this past season and has been off the radar since the Browns fired him midway through the 2018 campaign. But the former NFL head coach will return to the sideline in an unexpected role this fall.

The former Chiefs HC agreed to become the offensive coordinator at Riverview (Fla.) High School, according to Doug Fernandes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Haley has never coached at the high school or college levels.

Sarasota head coach Josh Smithers said, via Fernandes, he and Haley watched film together last year. That preceded Smithers’ offer to Haley to return to coaching. Haley, 52, has a home in the area and attended college in Florida.

The 2018 season marked Haley’s 24th consecutive year coaching at the NFL level. The former Cardinals and Steelers OC ended up in Cleveland after his six-year run as the Steelers’ play-caller came to an end. However, the fit with then-Browns HC Hue Jackson proved to be poor. The Browns fired both Jackson and Haley in October 2018. While Jackson resurfaced on Marvin Lewis‘ Bengals staff soon after his Browns ouster, this marks the first bit of Haley news in nearly 18 months.

Richburg Targeting Training Camp Return

February 16th, 2020 at 6:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers suffered a key loss late in what became their seventh season to end in a Super Bowl berth. Weston Richburg‘s second San Francisco season ended after 13 games with a torn patellar tendon.

Patellar tendon injuries are among the more difficult to surmount, but the 49ers’ starting center is confident he will be back by the start of the 2020 season. Richburg said he will not be able to participate in the 49ers’ offseason program. However, the former Giants second-round pick expects to be ready to return by training camp, per Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area.

After losing Richburg in December, the 49ers turned to veteran swing man Ben Garland the rest of the way. The ex-Broncos and Falcons blocker helped the 49ers keep their ground success going, peaking with Raheem Mostert‘s dominant NFC championship game. Garland, however, is a free agent. Richburg’s contract — which the 49ers recently restructured — runs through the 2022 season.

The 2020 season will be Richburg’s age-29 campaign. Pro Football Focus has not viewed Richburg as one of the league’s better centers during his time in San Francisco, grading him as the No. 25 snapper last season. Regardless, Richburg is expected to reprise his role as the 49ers’ first-string center — on an offensive line that also has its other four starters under contract for 2020. Garland, who has played for Kyle Shanahan at multiple stops, will likely be a consideration to return as an insurance option/depth piece.

Poll: Do You Want A Longer Regular Season?

February 16th, 2020 at 4:57pm CST by Marc Delucchi

The NFL and NFLPA continue working towards a new CBA, but a resolution still appears far beyond the horizon. There’s been an industry held belief for some time that these negotiations were likely to drag out to the buzzer and very well could lead to a work stoppage.

Reports from current negotiations do seem to suggest that the league and the players’ union are closer to expanding the season beyond a 16-game regular season than they ever have before. While it’s unclear how likely any expansion plan is to be implemented, the sides appear to be exchanging rollout terms per reports.

Obviously, ownership would be able to reap large increases in revenues from a lengthened regular season and players would receive a larger share of revenues to compensate them for the added work and injury risk.

But, do fans want a longer regular season? Let us know in the poll below.

49ers Rumors: Armstead, Running Backs, Thomas

February 16th, 2020 at 3:59pm CST by Marc Delucchi

In his 49ers mailbag, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports addressed Arik Armstead‘s impending free agency. The seventeenth overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft struggled early in his career with injuries and consistency but emerged as an integral part of San Francisco’s defensive line over the past two seasons. Armstead has the versatility to play the edge of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s 4-3 defense on early downs and then move inside on passing situations.

Armstead has started each of the 49ers last 35 games (playoffs included) and set career-marks this season in sacks (10.0), tackles for loss (11), quarterback hits (18), and tackles (54) as a part of the vaunted Niners defensive front. Now, set for unrestricted free agency, Maiocco downplays the chances San Francisco franchise tags the defensive lineman to trade him. He believes if the team has the cap space to apply the tag, they’ll work out an extension.

Here’s some more rumors out of Santa Clara:

Matt Barrows and David Lombardi of The Athletic continued their “State of the 49ers” series, this time looking at the team’s running backs. While no halfback amassed 1,000 yards on the season, the team’s depth at the position was obvious to anyone following the team. Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida, and Raheem Mostert all played like the team’s number one back at different points in the season. They place a primary focus on the future of Jerrick McKinnon-who missed the past two seasons with injuries-with the team. If he returns on a team-friendly contract, San Francisco may be comfortable letting Tevin Coleman pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Following their Super Bowl defeat, the 49ers now face a series of difficult salary-cap decisions. Patrick Holloway of Niners Nation speculates the team could attach a draft pick to defensive lineman Solomon Thomas to save more than $4MM in cap space. Since Thomas was selected with the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, his entire contract is guaranteed and the Niners cannot gain any cap relief from releasing him. However, if he were traded, his dead cap hit would be cut in half, saving the team half of his nearly $9MM cap hit.

QB Notes: Hill, Stafford, Winston

February 16th, 2020 at 3:14pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Saints quarterback/athlete Taysom Hill has been the center of quite a bit of early offseason buzz. While the free-agent quarterback class is highlighted by the likes of Tom Brady and Drew Brees, a third-string quarterback, who threw just 14 passes last season, has dominated conversations. Hill has sparked a fervent debate around whether he has a future as a franchise quarterback, or is just a valuable weapon to deploy in certain packages. In an in-depth look at the situation, Katherine Terrell of The Athletic, dives into his circumstances and makes the case for Hill.

Here are some more quarterback notes from around the league:

Some early offseason murmurs suggested that Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford could be on the trade block. Detroit general manager Bob Quinn was quick to shoot down the reports. Of course, it would not be the first time a personnel official has denied a player’s availability before subsequently moving them. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press analyzes the decision from all angles to make the case in favor and against keeping Stafford.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports argues that the Buccaneers need to find a way to keep free-agent quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston, of course, became just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions (joining Vinny Testaverde). There’s no denying that Winston has had his flashes on the field, but a history of off-field issues and a historic propensity for turnovers make the decision far from straight forward.