2020 February - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Jaguars DEs Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue

February 11th, 2020 at 7:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Count Jaguars owner Shad Khan among those who’d like to see the team’s top defensive ends return to Jacksonville next season. Khan told Jaguars.com’s Ashlyn Sullivan that the organization wants to retain both Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue (via John Oehser of the team website).

“Both of those players – Yannick and Calais – I had chats with them after the season,” Khan said. “I would love for them to be back and I’m very hopeful they’ll be back.”

We heard back in January that the Jaguars’ front office had made Ngakoue a priority, and rightfully so. The 24-year-old had another standout season in 2019, finishing with 41 tackles, eight sacks, six passes defended, and four forced fumbles. The former third-rounder will hit unrestricted free agency this spring, but Oehser is confident he won’t be going anywhere; if the two sides can’t agree to an extension, there’s a good chance the Jaguars slap Ngakoue with the franchise tag.

Campbell is a different story, as the veteran has a cap hit of $17.5MM in 2020. The team could save upwards of $15MM if they moved on from the 33-year-old, but there’s a better chance that the two sides will work on an extension that lowers that cap hit. Campbell hasn’t missed a game since joining the Jaguars, and he finished the 2019 campaign having compiled 6.5 sacks. The lineman is also well-respected, and he was the team’s first ever recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

“I think he’s a fabulous guy and I think his contributions … everybody understands, knows, respects,” Khan said.

Jaguars Add Ben McAdoo To Coaching Staff

February 11th, 2020 at 6:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Ben McAdoo is back in the NFL. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars are hiring the 42-year-old as their quarterbacks coach.

McAdoo climbed up the NFL coaching ranks during his stints with the Saints, 49ers, and Packers. He caught on with the Giants in 2014 as their offensive coordinator, improving the squad from the 28th-highest-scoring offense to the sixth-highest-scoring offense. Ownership and the front office turned to their OC after Tom Coughlin stepped down, making McAdoo their 17th head coach in franchise history.

The Giants went 11-5 during McAdoo’s first season as the helm, although the team lost to the Packers in that year’s Wild Card Game. New York stumbled to a 2-10 record to start the 2017 campaign, and the organization ended up firing both their head coach and general manager Jerry Reese before the end of the year.

Since that time, McAdoo has seemingly been out of football altogether. The coach has worked with the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning throughout his career, and he’ll be tasked with guiding Nick Foles and Gardner Minshew in Jacksonville.

Giants More Open To Trading Down?

February 11th, 2020 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

As he enters his eighth season as a GM, Dave Gettleman has a strange streak going. Neither the Panthers nor Giants have traded down during a draft. But with the Giants possessing several big needs after a third straight woeful season, their third-year GM appears more open to the prospect of moving down to collect additional assets.

While no discussions have taken place yet, Gettleman sounds amenable to trading down, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. The arrival of longtime Patriots assistant Joe Judge and an organizational desire to shift philosophies have contributed to the team’s newfound interest in potentially moving back in Round 1, Vacchiano adds.

After the Giants’ 2016 playoff season — the franchise’s lone postseason berth since Super Bowl XLVI — they have gone 12-36. Save for maybe defensive line, the team has needs at every defensive position while also lacking a young talent at either offensive tackle spot.

Judge observed Bill Belichick execute trade-down maneuvers annually, and Vacchiano adds the Giants’ new HC will have supporters in the building to move back from the team’s No. 4 overall slot. This marks the third straight year the Giants have held a top-six pick. The franchise has not traded down in the first round since the Ernie Accorsi regime, when the team slid down seven spots in 2006 and selected Matthias Kiwanuka.

Another reason the Giants will consider moving down: quarterback-seeking teams’ interest in Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, sources informed Vacchiano. The Dolphins have let it be known they are committed to taking a quarterback, and they have been linked to moving up from their No. 5 spot to do so. The Lions also do not appear in the quarterback market, so they could put their No. 3 pick for sale as well. The Chargers pick at No. 6; they are moving on from Philip Rivers. At No. 7, the Panthers may be leaning in that direction with Cam Newton. The Giants figure to have options if they decide to sell their top choice.

Bills, Star Lotulelei Agree On Restructure

February 11th, 2020 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Star Lotulelei signed a lucrative deal with the Bills in 2018. The veteran defensive tackle agreed Tuesday to restructure it.

The former Panthers first-round pick will see a $1.75MM reduction in his 2020 base salary in exchange for that figure — now set to be $4.50MM — becoming fully guaranteed, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This will essentially ensure Lotulelei remains with the Bills this season.

The sides also agreed on additional guarantees for the 2021 season. Lotulelei will receive an extra $2.5MM in injury guarantees for next year. His contract, which previously contained no guaranteed money beyond 2019, runs through the 2022 season. It will still tag the Bills with more than $5MM in dead money to release Lotulelei in 2021.

The Bills have used Lotulelei as a starter in each of the past two seasons, and even though Pro Football Focus has not viewed the nose tackle as particularly productive, the team has him stationed as one of its top 2020 cap figures. Lotulelei played 516 snaps this past season, recording two sacks.

Buffalo stands to gain minimally from this restructure, but the team is not exactly hurting for cap space. The Bills entered Tuesday projected to hold just more than $80MM in 2020 cap room.

Extra Points: 49ers, Free Agency, Brown, Linehan

February 11th, 2020 at 1:41pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The 49ers just lost a Super Bowl in devastating fashion, and now they have to shrug it off and turn their attention to the offseason. San Francisco is in a bit of a cap bind, so they’ll have to get resourceful this spring. They made a big splash last cycle by doling out big contracts to guys like Kwon Alexander, Dee Ford, and Tevin Coleman, and general manager John Lynch recently signaled they won’t be nearly as aggressive this time around. “Those days aren’t happening anymore,” Lynch said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. “We can’t go to the grocery store and say, ‘I’ll have that, I’ll have that, I’ll have that.’ It is more like, ‘I’ll have that, but I might have to put that back.’ There are tradeoffs.”

Lynch and Kyle Shanahan probably have a trick or two up their sleeve and won’t stand completely pat, but don’t expect them to be big spenders. The 49ers currently have 22 guys set to be free agents, including some high profile ones like Emmanuel Sanders, Arik Armstead, Matt Breida, and Jimmie Ward. It’s likely they won’t be able to re-sign everybody. They’ll mostly be running it back with the same group of guys, and will be counting on Jimmy Garoppolo to guide them back to another Super Bowl.

Here’s more from around the league:

Antonio Brown has already been dropped by his agent, and now he’s being dropped by an attorney. Brown’s counsel defending him against the rape allegations in Florida has filed a motion to withdraw as his lawyer, according to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic (Twitter link). So far Brown is only facing a civil suit and not any criminal charges over the alleged sexual assault, and this is hardly a surprising development given Brown’s propensity to cycle through those around him. The embattled receiver is currently out on bail from burglary and battery charges.
Scott Linehan is resurfacing in the college ranks. The former NFL offensive coordinator is being hired as LSU’s next passing game coordinator, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Linehan had served as the Cowboys’ OC for four seasons before getting canned after the 2018 campaign. He spent this past year out of football, and is now latching on with the defending national champions. Interestingly, he’ll be replacing Joe Brady at LSU, the 30-year-old whizkid who recently became the Panthers’ offensive coordinator. Linehan, who caught a lot of flak during his last couple of years in Dallas, has also served as the OC for the Vikings, Dolphins, and Lions. He was the Rams’ head coach from 2006-08.

Davon House Retires From NFL

February 11th, 2020 at 11:18am CST by Zachary Links

It’s official – Davon House is hanging ’em up. Although the former Packers cornerback has not played since 2018, he did not make his retirement official until Tuesday, when the club announced that he’s leaving the game.

House started his pro career with the Packers back in 2011, when Green Bay selected him in the fourth round of the draft. That’s where he played through the 2014 season, before joining the Jaguars for a couple of years. After that, he returned to the Packers for the 2017 and 2018 campaigns – his final seasons in the NFL.

With House in the fold, the Packers captured four NFC North titles and won at least eleven games in three different seasons. That included the 2011 season, when they went 15-1 in their Super Bowl follow-up.

In total, House spent six years with the Packers and eight seasons as a pro. Statistically, his best work came in Jacksonville in 2015, when he notched 60 tackles, four interceptions, and 23 passes defensed. A shoulder injury cut House’s final season short, meaning that he has not played since September 23, 2018.

We here at PFR wish House the best in (official) retirement.

Redskins’ Quinton Dunbar Requests Trade Or Release

February 11th, 2020 at 10:27am CST by Sam Robinson

Quinton Dunbar turned in a strong 2019 season, but his standing with the current Redskins regime may not be as firm as it was with the previous power structure.

The veteran cornerback has requested to be traded or released, John Keim of ESPN.com reports. Dunbar also personally confirmed his desire to move on to a team that wants him for the long haul, as JP Finlay of NBC Sports tweets.

Dunbar had engaged in extension talks with the Bruce Allen-led regime, but it’s not clear if any such discussions have transpired since Ron Rivera‘s hire. Dunbar spoke with a Redskins front office staffer Monday but, per Keim, had not been in contact with the team’s new power structure since Rivera’s arrival.

Dunbar is attached to a three-year, $10.5MM deal. Signed shortly after the 2017 season ended, that pact runs through 2020. Dunbar signed that Washington extension when he was a part-time player, but after a breakthrough 2019, the ex-Florida Gator may be looking to cash in.

The former UDFA intercepted a career-high four passes (in 11 games) last season and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 overall cornerback. Washington’s other two primary corners — Fabian Moreau and Josh Norman — ended the season as PFF’s Nos. 97 and 111 corners.

Considering the going rate for starting corners, Dunbar is underpaid. The 27-year-old defender is set to make just $3.25MM next season. That figure ranks well outside the upper reaches of the cornerback salary hierarchy, one that was long topped by Norman’s $15MM-per-year deal. Multiple rookie-deal corners out-earn Dunbar on average. Norman is expected to be released this offseason, but the Redskins appear to have more issues than anticipated at this position.

Latest On Redskins, Trent Williams

February 11th, 2020 at 10:09am CST by Zachary Links

It’s not a sure thing that Trent Williams will return to the Redskins in 2020, but this is certainly a step in the right direction. The left tackle touched base with new head coach Ron Rivera and the two had a “positive” conversation, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

There are still hurdles to clear and hard feelings to be soothed, but there’s hope for a future together now that Bruce Allen is no longer in the equation. Williams has endured a lot over the years with the Redskins, but they’re the only franchise he’s ever known, and Rivera’s calm demeanor could pave the way towards the veteran staying put.

Williams missed the 2019 season after a surgery to remove a cancerous growth prevented him from playing and even putting on a helmet. When he was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list, the Redskins opted not to pay him the remainder of his salary, taking away about $5.1MM in earnings. For Williams, the issue was about much more that football – he also accused team doctors of misdiagnosing his issue way back in 2013, putting his health in jeopardy.

Williams, who will turn 32 prior before the start of the season, graded out as Pro Football Focus’ best tackle in the NFL in 2016. He’s missed a combined 29 games over the past four seasons, but he still profiles as one of the league’s most talented and accomplished linemen.

As it stands, Williams is set to earn a $12.5MM salary in 2020.

Ryan Tannehill Changes Agents

February 11th, 2020 at 9:57am CST by Zachary Links

On the verge of potential free agent fortune, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has changed agents. On Tuesday, the QB dropped Pat Dye Jr. to join up with Brian Ayrault and Todd France of CAA, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Dye, who has about 30 years of experience, is far from small time, but CAA boasts an entire stable of NFL stars and has a history of scoring major paydays in free agency. Among their many clients – Titans free agent running back Derrick Henry.

Tannehill had a rocky tenure in Miami, but he impressed after taking over for Marcus Mariota in 2019. Thanks to incentives, the QB netted $10.25MM for his showing. On his next deal, he’ll see a major pay bump.

Tannehill took over as the Titans starting quarterback in Week 7, and he went on to lead them to a 7-3 record and a playoff berth. In his 12 games (ten starts), Tannehill completed 70.3% of his throws for 2,742 yards and 22 touchdowns against just six interceptions. Then, in the postseason, he was under center for the Titans’ upset victory over the Patriots.

This time last year, Tannehill was something of an afterthought in NFL circles. Now, he’s primed to be one of the brightest stars in free agency. The Titans want to keep him – and Henry – but they can only use the franchise tag on one of them.

Latest On Panthers, Cam Newton

February 11th, 2020 at 8:41am CST by Zachary Links

Cam Newton “absolutely” expects to return to the Panthers next season. However, team sources that spoke with The Athletic’s Joe Person are less-than-certain about his odds.

Earlier this year, owner David Tepper was non-committal when asked about the longtime franchise star. Given his health situation and the team’s move to part ways with beloved head coach Ron Rivera and tight end Greg Olsen, no one would be shocked to see Newton in a different uniform next year.

“Every player that buys into this, the more they buy into this, the more things can work,” Tepper said in January. “And that’s what we’re going to need here, is buy-in from people, OK? If we can get that kind of buy in sooner rather than later, no matter what the personnel is. We will try to use our personnel to the best possible [advantage], whoever that personnel is.”

Newton is still recovering from foot surgery and waiting for the green light to resume football activities. Thanks to the lingering Lisfranc injury, the former No. 1 overall pick was limited to just two games in 2019. We’ve heard that the Panthers want to see Newton on the practice field before making a determination on his future, but there’s no telling when he’ll be ready. If he can’t prove that he’s healthy within a reasonable timeframe, the Panthers could cut him to save $19.1MM.

Newton, 31 in May, captured the MVP trophy in the 2015 season. And, in 2018, he managed to complete a career-best 67.9% of his throws. Still, it’s been a rocky couple of years for the Panthers and the team seems intent on a rebuild under new head coach Matt Rhule. The Panthers could be in range for some of this year’s top quarterbacks with the No. 7 overall pick, but they’re reportedly higher on the 2021 crop which includes Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields. It’s also worth nothing that LSU’s Joe Burrow will be long gone by the time they take the podium, and many expect Tua Tagovailoa to go No. 5 overall to the Dolphins.

If released, Newton would join an unusually high-profile crop of available free agent quarterbacks, a group that will include some mix of Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, and Ryan Tannehill.