HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Redskins Expected To Retain Ryan Kerrigan

February 27th, 2020 at 7:18pm CST by Rory Parks

Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan missed the first game of his nine-year career in Week 13 of the 2019 season, and given that the rebuilding club could clear $11.5MM off its books by releasing Kerrigan, there was speculation that the Purdue product may have already played his last snap for Washington.

However, that does not appear to be the case. During an interview on the Redskins Talk podcast today, head coach Ron Rivera said that Kerrigan will be on the roster in 2020 (h/t Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington). “We had a great conversation with Ryan and it was awesome,” Rivera said. “He’s all fired up about getting ready for next season. I’m not going to get into a player’s contract, but he’s a guy we’re looking forward to having around.”

Kerrigan appeared in just 12 games in 2019 and posted a career-low 5.5 sacks, but he has 90 QB take-downs in his career, one away from Dexter Manley‘s franchise record. He also posted back-to-back 13-sack campaigns from 2017-18, so he clearly has something left in the tank.

Washington has long been expected to select Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young with the No. 2 overall selection in this year’s draft, though there has also been some chatter that the club could look at a QB, a corner, or even trade down. But even if they do draft Young, you can never have too may pass rushers in today’s game, so keeping Kerrigan, a four-time Pro Bowler, would make plenty of sense.

Cowboys Notes: Jerry, Dez, Witten

February 27th, 2020 at 6:55pm CST by Rory Parks

This is not exactly surprising given that he’ll turn 78 in October, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not planning to remain at the helm beyond the expiration of the next CBA, as Jon Machota of The Athletic tweets. Of course, the proposed CBA that will soon be voted on by the league’s workforce is another 10-year agreement, so it makes sense that Jones, who has owned the club since 1989, would be prepared to step down around the time the players and owners sit down again in another decade or so.

However, he is adamant that the proposed CBA is the right move for the league and should be ratified by the players.

Now for more from Dallas:

  • Former star wideout Dez Bryant hasn’t played since 2017, but he wants to continue his NFL career and recently expressed his desire to rejoin the Cowboys. For what it’s worth, Jones said he hasn’t ruled it out, as Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Jones even revealed a little more than we may have liked, saying he has considered the matter while in the shower.
  • Jones would also like tight end Jason Witten to return to the team, as Hill notes (Twitter link). However, it sounds like Jones has a reduced role in mind for Witten, and it remains to be seen whether Witten — who is open to signing elsewhere — will be receptive to that.
  • Likewise, Jones wants to retain pass-rusher Robert Quinn (Twitter link via Hill). The last we heard, the Cowboys had not discussed a new contract with Quinn — understandable, as the club has bigger fish to fry at the moment — but Quinn posted 11.5 sacks in a resurgent 2019 campaign, and Jones hopes there is a way he can keep him in Dallas.
  • Another member of the Cowboys’ front seven, Tyrone Crawford, is under contract through 2020, but the Cowboys could save $6.9MM by cutting him. That could be tempting, given that Crawford played in just four games in 2019 and had surgery on both of his hips. However, the 30-year-old said he could return to the field this spring, and Jones expects him to be on the roster, though he is definitely a restructure candidate (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News).
  • Cowboys DE Michael Bennett signed a new contract with the Cowboys after Dallas acquired him from the Patriots in October that allows him to hit free agency this year. As such, his comments to ESPN’s Josina Anderson indicating that he wants to play in 2020 are not surprising (Twitter link). It sounds as though Bennett, 34, wants to hook on with a contender, and there should be a market for his services.

Broncos To Let Adam Gotsis Hit FA

February 27th, 2020 at 5:58pm CST by Rory Parks

Not too long ago, it seemed as if he Broncos and defensive lineman Adam Gotsis would be entering into a multi-year contract. But Gotsis struggled in 2019 after a promising 2018 campaign, and Mike Klis of 9News.com says Denver will let the 2016 second-rounder hit the open market (Twitter link).

Klis also confirmed that the surgery that ended Gotsis’ 2019 season prematurely was to repair Gotsis’ ACL, and that he may miss the first month of the 2020 season. So Gotsis will almost certainly need to settle for a one-year prove-it deal in an effort to rebuild his value, and it does not like such a deal will be coming from the Broncos.

In other Mile High news, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos will not be bringing back linebacker Corey Nelson. Denver selected Nelson in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, and he entered his second tour of duty with the team when he signed a free agent pact last September. But his season ended after seven games due to a torn bicep.

Similarly, the Broncos are not planning to tender RFA corrner De’Vante Bausby, per Troy Renck of Denver7 (Twitter link). Bausby suffered a frightening neck injury in October that was ultimately diagnosed as a cervical sprain, but he has flashed some ability and is reportedly healthy, so he should find a new home at some point this spring.

Though they are preparing to part with Gotsis, Nelson, and Bausby, the Broncos are interested in bringing back linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, as Klis notes in a separate tweet. In his first year with Denver in 2019, Attaochu started a career-high five games while recording 3.5 sacks, also a career best. However, it does not sound as though the Broncos will re-sign him prior to the opening of free agency and will instead wait until after the first wave of FAs have signed.

FA Notes: Clowney, Conklin, Patriots, Jones

February 27th, 2020 at 4:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year’s edge rusher free agency class could be especially deep, depending on how certain teams proceed with their respective franchise tags. But that doesn’t apply to the biggest name. Jadeveon Clowney cannot be tagged and is on track to test the market, and said market may be taking shape at the Combine. Thus far in the process, the Colts and Giants are two teams who have surfaced in connection to Clowney. Both could have interest in the former No. 1 overall pick, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Both teams feature edge rusher needs, the Giants more than the Colts, and each holds north of $70MM in cap space.

The Seahawks, however, are not out of the mix. Clowney said (via Anderson, on Twitter) after spending a season in Seattle he would “definitely” like to stay, though the six-year veteran pass rusher added he is open to relocating. Seahawks GM John Schneider confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) the team wants Clowney back. Seattle has both Clowney and defensive tackle Jarran Reed as free agents, leaving major holes on the team’s defensive line.

Here is the latest from the free agent market:

  • With major needs up front, the Jets are expected to make several additions this offseason. They have expressed serious interest in Jack Conklin, according to Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com. A four-year starter at right tackle in Tennessee, Conklin will be coveted by many teams and will command a top-market contract. The Jets have deployed a bottom-tier offensive line for years, and the Titans having Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry as looming UFAs will likely send Conklin out of town.
  • The Patriots, who extended Shaq Mason in 2018, are preparing to lose his longtime guard mate. Joe Thuney has been expected to leave since last year’s Combine, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com. Approximately 20 teams have the four-year Patriots starter on their respective radars, Pauline adds. A market like this, coupled with the CBA potentially set to see record cap spikes in the coming years, likely puts Thuney in line to eclipse Lane Johnson‘s $14.1MM guard-record pact.
  • However, the Pats are not giving up on retaining some of their other key free agents. They have spoken with the representatives of Devin McCourty and Jamie Collins, Kyed notes. McCourty played out a five-year extension signed back in 2015, while Collins re-established his value on a low-level Pats accord. The latter will likely be looking for a deal closer to the $12MM-plus pact he inked with the Browns in 2017.
  • Although Chris Harris is the most accomplished cornerback on this year’s market and rated higher by some outlets, Byron Jones is viewed by corner-needy teams as the top prize at the position this year, Pauline notes. At 27, Jones is three years younger than Harris. The Cowboys are likely set to let Jones walk, having authorized numerous recent extensions and are set for crunch-time negotiations with Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper. Jones is expected to see big offers from multiple teams, per Pauline, and is almost certainly set to raise the bar from its longstanding place at $15MM per year.

Patriots, Colts Interested In Marcus Mariota

February 27th, 2020 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Marcus Mariota‘s benching helped accelerate the Titans’ first trip to the AFC championship game in 17 years, the former No. 2 overall pick will have options on the market.

Several teams are interested in the five-year Titans quarterback, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com notes, adding the Patriots and Colts are two of them. This continues a QB rumors cycle that is starting to frequently feature the Colts and Pats.

The prospect of the Patriots losing Tom Brady is increasing, and the Colts appear to be doing due diligence. They have met with Brady’s representation and look to be the early favorites for Philip Rivers. Mariota may be a consolation prize but would certainly cost far less than Brady or Rivers would. The Colts have Jacoby Brissett and Brian Hoyer under contract for 2020, but Jim Irsay has left the door open for major quarterback moves.

In a complex situation, Mariota’s Patriots place could go in several directions. Mariota could be a Brady replacement at a much cheaper rate. The 2014 Heisman winner could also be thrust into a competition to be Brady’s replacement with a higher-profile name. The Pats used rookie Jarrett Stidham as Brady’s backup in 2019 but could be eyeing a Brady-Mariota setup, with Mariota then settling into a developmental role while the future Hall of Famer plays his final season(s).

Pauline notes teams could be preparing quarterback competitions are eyeing Mariota. It would then stand to reason the Bears are among the interested parties. They are preparing to bring in a veteran arm to push Mitchell Trubisky.

The Titans benched Mariota during a Week 6 shutout in Denver and saw Ryan Tannehill pilot them to playoff upsets in New England and Baltimore. Mariota has struggled since a 26-touchdown pass 2016 season but did help the 2017 Titans into the playoffs, where the Patriots routed them in a divisional-round game.

Bears Expected To Add Trubisky Competition

February 27th, 2020 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2019 Titans advanced to the AFC championship game largely because of a quarterback addition they made in the offseason. The Bears appear to have a similar blueprint in mind.

After three seasons of uneven play from Mitchell Trubisky, the Bears are expected to bring in competition. This year’s Combine has produced a “strong sense” Chicago will add a veteran quarterback to push the former No. 2 overall pick, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

Bears GM Ryan Pace has said Trubisky will be the starter entering this season, but like Marcus Mariota last year, he could face a veteran to keep the job. The Bears remain uncertain on Trubisky’s fifth-year option as well.

The team has been linked to Andy Dalton, who remains close to new Bears OC Bill Lazor. The latter was Dalton’s coordinator from 2017-18 and his position coach in 2016, and the longtime Cincinnati starter “loved” playing for him. Expected to draft Joe Burrow at No. 1 overall, the Bengals are willing to work with Dalton on a trade.

This year’s free agency class includes some of the biggest names to ever hit the open market. Tom Brady and Philip Rivers are unattached. The Bears have not been connected to either, but Chicago has fielded one of the NFL’s better defenses for years now. That would appeal to a championship-seeking quarterback. Ryan Tannehill and Jameis Winston also are free agents-to-be, though they are franchise tag possibilities in Tennessee and Tampa.

Other potential UFA options include Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum. Although Matt Rhule said he wanted to retain Cam Newton, a new regime inheriting an injury-prone quarterback in a contract year points to the 2015 MVP being available for the right offer as well. The Bears’ lack of a first-round pick limits their trade options, with their second- and third-rounders then becoming more critical improvement avenues. However, with Khalil Mack set for his age-29 season and Akiem Hicks turning 31 in 2020, this Bears defensive nucleus is running short on time.

CBA To Include Harsher Holdout Penalties

February 27th, 2020 at 3:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

One issue that certainly will catch players’ attention in this CBA offer: stricter rules regarding training camp holdouts. Under this proposal, players under contract would incur severe punishments if they skip camp days.

A player would lose an accrued season toward free agency if he does not report to camp on time, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. Under the 2011 CBA, players could not lose an accrued season unless they failed to report within 30 days of the regular-season opener.

Additionally, teams are no longer permitted to eliminate fines for players after they return to camp. This is a somewhat common practice for teams who reach an extension agreement with a holdout. The Rams did so with Aaron Donald in 2017 when he reported after Week 1 without a new deal. However, all fines are now mandatory. And they will cost “substantially” more than $40K per day, Florio adds.

This figures to be a major issue for players, but it also might present some class warfare. The bulk of the NFL’s workforce (and future members of it) will not be in position to wage a training camp holdout. The other sweeteners, such as significant minimum salary increases, may induce much of the lower-profile contingent of players to look past this team-friendly provision and approve the proposal.

However, holdouts ensue frequently and represent a key leverage avenue for dissatisfied players. Although some have not been deterred by the accrued-season component — as Donald and Ezekiel Elliott, to name two players, brushed this aside during their lengthy camp absences — this will limit other players’ options.

Chargers, Colts, Raiders Meet With Tom Brady’s Camp

February 27th, 2020 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The biggest domino on the quarterback free agent market continues to move into position. Tom Brady‘s representation met with the Chargers, Raiders and Colts on Thursday at the Combine, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Teams are not permitted to negotiate during these meetings, as they are before the legal tampering period. But the Brady market continues to take shape. While this year’s tampering period will not commence until March 16, the Patriots may view these late-February meetings as a key part of the Brady process.

Brady leaving New England is starting to look like an increasingly live proposition, but other teams discussing the future Hall of Fame quarterback will help the Patriots know what they’re up against. No Pats negotiations are on tap yet, however.

The Chargers and Raiders have been linked to Brady for weeks; the Colts are a new team in the Brady mix. But many around the league view Philip Rivers as the likelier Indianapolis get. With former Chargers offensive staffers Frank Reich and Nick Sirianni in command of the Colts’ attack, the team is interested in Rivers. But Brady is now on Indy’s radar too.

Despite being four years older, Brady finished ahead of Rivers in 2019 QBR (16th to 23rd) and is obviously the more accomplished player. But the Brady market looks to be more aggressive than the one forming for Rivers. The Colts were in the AFC divisional round in 2018; they would be an intriguing team for Brady, who wants to land in a competitive situation.

At the week’s outset, Jim Irsay said everything was on the table regarding the Colts’ quarterback situation. Ex-Brady backup Jacoby Brissett is penciled in as the starter, but it’s looking more and more likely he will not be back as Indianapolis’ QB1 by September.

The Patriots are in the position of needing to upgrade at the skill positions — potentially in order to convince Brady to stay — while uncertain of their cap space. The CBA also looms over this situation, considering the Pats’ 2019 Brady deal attached void years onto the passer’s contract and would tag the team with $13.5MM in dead money March 18. That cap hit cannot be spread out unless a new CBA is agreed to in the meantime.

CBA Latest: Salaries, P-Squads, Comp Picks

February 27th, 2020 at 2:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The CBA proposal has not yet been sent to players, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reporting (via Twitter) the NFL and NFLPA are working to finalize the document before players can vote on it. The earliest any player will be able to vote on the proposal will be next week. That throws a wrench into the franchise-transition tag process, among other matters. NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith is confident this CBA will pass, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Smith and NFLPA president Eric Winston are on board with this offer, though some notable NFLers — including union reps Aaron Rodgers and Richard Sherman — are not.

Here is the latest from the CBA front:

  • While some All-Pros and Pro Bowlers have voiced opposition to this proposal, roughly 60% of the NFL earns a league-minimum salary. That could sway the vote. League minimums for players with zero to three years of service time will see their pay spike in Year 1 of this new CBA, with Pelissero reporting (via Twitter) rookies will see $610K minimums and three-year vets on minimum deals will make $825K in 2019. Those are approximately $100K spikes. Rookies would make $510K this season under the 2011 CBA. Additionally, by 2029, every NFL salary will be at least $1MM, Pelissero adds.
  • Veterans on low salaries could benefit under this CBA as well. Vested vets on low-cost deals of around $1.75MM AAV would not be subject to the compensatory formula, Pelissero adds (via Twitter). The goal here is for teams not to wait on signing “core veterans,” thus helping them get work earlier in the offseason or merely land with teams. These type of players are often forced to languish in free agency until after the compensatory pick deadline ends in early May or subject to the in-season workout circuit.
  • Practice squad players would, however, lose an avenue toward higher salaries. This CBA would allow teams to demote players to practice squads twice without the player being subject to waivers, Pelissero tweets. This would prevent other teams from poaching P-squad talent while also impeding these players from seeing league-minimum salaries elsewhere. This appears similar to Major League Baseball, where younger players can be directly optioned to the minors.

Rams Want To Re-Sign Andrew Whitworth

February 27th, 2020 at 1:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite turning 38 last season, Andrew Whitworth wants to play in 2020. That is good news for the Rams, who have seen the Pro Bowl left tackle become a key component of Sean McVay‘s attack.

McVay wants to bring back Whitworth, who will be entering his 15th season, and sounds optimistic the parties can reach a deal. The Rams have big names anchoring their payroll and the likes of Dante Fowler, Michael Brockers and Cory Littleton looming as UFAs.

“I think we’re pretty confident. I think you feel pretty good about it,” McVay said of bringing back Whitworth, via Rich Hammond of The Athletic (subscription required). “He still played a really high level last year. His impact isn’t exclusive to just playing the left tackle position. He does a lot of really good things in terms of the mentorship that he provides. … He’s a part of the plan and definitely want to try to get him back.”

This would be interesting from an age perspective. No tackle has started a game past his 39th birthday since Ray Brown on the 2004 Redskins. The Rams’ Jackie Slater was the last to be a multi-season regular past that age, starting 15 games between his age-39 and age-40 seasons in the mid-1990s. But for this era, Whitworth would be blazing new territory. But it sounds like the Rams are betting on him to stay effective as he nears 40.

The former Bengals second-round pick started 16 games last season and has not missed a game due to injury since signing with the Rams in 2017. Finishing out his three-year deal worth $33.75MM, the four-time Pro Bowler anchored a Rams offensive line that went through major changes last season. A one- or two-year pact would almost certainly be what the Rams would prefer for Whitworth this time around. As of Thursday, the Rams are projected to hold less than $15MM in cap space.

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