HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Everson Griffen Interested In Seahawks Deal

March 31st, 2020 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Seahawks’ top priority at defensive end still appears to be working out a deal to retain Jadeveon Clowney, they may have a backup plan.

Everson Griffen is interested in joining the Seahawks, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. The Seahawks’ level of interest appears to be contingent on how Clowney proceeds, Tomasson adds.

Clowney remains unsigned, but after his market did not produce what was expected, the former No. 1 overall pick has been most closely connected to the Seahawks in his first free agency foray. Meanwhile, the Vikings will not re-sign Griffen. They were previously linked to be set to work out a new deal with the free agent edge defender.

The Seahawks re-signed defensive tackle Jarran Reed and brought back Bruce Irvin. Even though Seattle also drafted L.J. Collier in the 2019 first round, the team still has a need at defensive end. Griffen, 32, rebounded last season to post eight sacks and venture to his fourth Pro Bowl.

Griffen is eyeing a deal in the $8-$10MM/year range. Clowney is aiming for one closer to $20MM. The elder defender would certainly be a more cost-effective alternative and one with a more reliable history at sacking quarterbacks. A 10-year veteran, Griffen has 74.5 career sacks. Since Clowney came into the league in 2014, Griffen has 55 sacks. Clowney has 32 career sacks. While the latter is nearly six years younger and obviously has a longer career left, that is a notable disparity between the edge-rushing talents.

NFL Not Planning Shortened Season

March 31st, 2020 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

American sports remain on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the NFL’s offseason and draft undergoing significant changes, questions about the viability of the league’s regular season beginning on time are understandable. The NFL addressed this issue Tuesday.

The NFL’s current plan remains to begin its regular season on time and with fans present in stadiums, NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, on Twitter). Owners did not discuss the prospect of a shortened season on their conference calls Monday or Tuesday, Pash added (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, on Twitter). The league is “pretty confident” it will be able to play a full 16-game season this year, Pash notes (via Maske, on Twitter).

Regular contact with the CDC and other public health agencies have led NFL brass to use a model that indicates it remains possible for the regular season to begin at its usual time — the Thursday after Labor Day — but the league cautions public health conditions changing could cause its plans to change, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets.

Given the way the coronavirus has changed the country, it certainly cannot be assumed the NFL schedule will take place as usual. The MLB season continues to be pushed back, and a shortened NBA playoffs in quarantined neutral sites without fans has surfaced. The NFL’s training camps — which begin in late July — figure to be a logical goal. But the prospect of an altered camp schedule (without fans) and a shortened preseason may be on the table already.

“If I had to speculate now, and I use the word speculate because that’s really all it is, I would say yes,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said regarding the season starting on time (via NBC Sports’ Peter King). “Only because it’s so far away from where we are today. I could easily see camps being shorter, players being tested on a daily basis, things of that nature. No fan attendance. Things like that.

“We may have fewer preseason games, which probably wouldn’t be the end of the world. But I think by September, my hope is by the time the regular season starts, that we’ll be able to bring people together in some form or fashion in a safe manner and play.”

The NFL has gone through two modern-era shortened seasons. Players’ strikes in 1982 and ’87 condensed the season to nine and 15 games, respectively. In 2001, the league delayed Week 2 after the September 11 terrorist attacks but played a full 16-game season.

Colts Notes: Brady, Rivers, Brissett, Vinatieri

March 31st, 2020 at 1:58pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We heard last week that Tom Brady‘s camp had expressed interest in the Colts, but that the interest wasn’t mutual as Indy opted to roll with Philip Rivers. But Indianapolis at least looked into the opportunity, as head coach Frank Reich revealed in a video news conference Tuesday, via Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “I watched all of his tape from the last two years,” Reich said. “I think he’s still playing at a super-, super-high level. We know he’s the best of all time for a reason.” Still it wasn’t enough to move him in a different direction, as Reich said “we really felt like Philip was the right guy for us.”

“For us, we got the guy we thought was the right fit,” he explained. “I don’t know if I’d say (Brady) wasn’t a fit. There’s always a fit when you have a great player, when you have maybe the best player of all time. There’s a lot of factors that go into these things.” One of those factors is of course Reich’s familiarity with Rivers, who he coached with the Chargers. Brady was likely attracted to the Colts’ coaching staff and offensive line, although things worked out alright for him with Tampa Bay. Still, the fact that the Colts explicitly chose Rivers over Brady is interesting.

Here’s more from Lucas Oil Stadium:

  • Reich reiterated that he didn’t feel like Rivers had lost anything physically, and called it a “crazy unique opportunity” to link back up with his old pupil, per Mike Wells of ESPN.com. “Just being there on the inside in the three years that I was and knowing the quarterback position like I do, I was so confident physically he was the right player and he had not lost anything,” Reich said Tuesday. “I didn’t notice any physical gifts diminishing.” He continued to rave about his new signal-caller, saying “when I tell you he’s elite intellectually, he’s at the top. There are a group of guys in the football world I would put in that category, not everybody gets those gifts. He has them.” Rivers will turn 39 in December and is coming off a down year, but he was one of the best quarterbacks in the league in 2018. Not having to play 16 road games per year like he did in Los Angeles should help.
  • The acquisition of Rivers is sending Jacoby Brissett to the bench, and Reich spoke about him for the first time. “Honestly, he wasn’t happy about it,” Reich said after revealing he called Brissett shortly before they announced the signing of Rivers, via Wells. “But he’s a great teammate and a great leader, and I’m sure he’ll be good. Even though Jacoby isn’t a starter, but there’s nothing saying he can’t play,” he said. “We’re wide open. (Offensive coordinator) Nick (Sirianni) and I have been talking: What does it look like if Jacoby plays five plays a game? Seven plays a game? We’re open to that.” Brissett now has a $21.4MM cap hit to be a backup, so it makes sense they’d want to utilize him somehow.
  • Adam Vinatieri struggled mightily last season before being shutdown with a knee injury and having surgery. But despite now being 47, the legendary kicker is still contemplating playing another season, according to Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star. Reich said that he had seen Vinatieri at the facility rehabbing before COVID-19 closed it. “(We plan) to have a sitdown with Adam and see where he’s at once he’s a little further along in that process,” Reich said. Reich said Vinatieri hasn’t yet made a decision on whether or not to retire. If he decides to keep playing, it’s entirely possible he’ll have to find a new team. Reich and general manager Chris Ballard caught some flak for sticking with Vinatieri so long when he was struggling, and their replacement Chase McLaughlin played well down the stretch. Vinatieri missed eight field goals and six extra points before getting shutdown with four games to go last year. When he underwent surgery, he said he wanted to keep the hope for a 25th season alive.

Redskins’ Brandon Scherff Signs Franchise Tender

March 31st, 2020 at 1:31pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Brandon Scherff is officially headed back to Washington. The standout guard has signed his franchise tender to remain with the Redskins, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

As Schefter notes, him signing this early will require him to be at training camp, provided it proceeds as scheduled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Scherff became the first guard to get franchise-tagged since all the way back in 2011. He’s set to make $14.8MM in 2020 under the tag. The tag system groups all offensive linemen together, which explains why it’s so rarely used on a guard. Scherff has certainly proved himself worthy of being the exception, making the Pro Bowl in three of the past four seasons.

The only time he didn’t make it in that span was in 2018, when he appeared in only eight games due to a torn pec. He was again banged up last year, missing five games with elbow and shoulder issues. The fifth-overall pick in the 2015 draft, Scherff is one of the few consistent players on Washington’s offense.

Given the continued uncertainty surrounding left tackle Trent Williams, it makes sense why the Redskins would want to take no chances with their other stud offensive lineman. The two sides still have until July to work out a long-term extension.

Seahawks Release Ed Dickson

March 31st, 2020 at 1:19pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Seattle continues to clear cap space bit by bit. The Seahawks have released veteran tight end Ed Dickson, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The move comes shortly after Seattle cut safety Tedric Thompson to save a little bit of cash as well. Rapoport notes that Dickson had been set to earn $3MM in 2020, and that the Seahawks will save “most of it” by cutting him. Dickson had a very disappointing run in Seattle after signing a three-year, $10.7MM deal there in 2018. He missed the first six games of that season on the NFI list, and then missed all of last year with a knee injury.

Oddly, he started the year on injured reserve, was activated in November, but then nearly immediately placed back on IR without playing a game after he failed to recover from his knee injury. The circumstances of the knee issue were always a mystery, and it’s unclear if he’s now fully healthy.

A third-round pick of the Ravens back in 2010, Dickson has always been more of a blocker than a pass-catcher. He has had some reasonably productive years though, catching 30 passes for 437 yards with the Panthers in 2017, his last healthy campaign. Set to turn 33 in July, he’ll likely struggle for much guaranteed money assuming he wants to keep playing.

NFL Officially Expands Playoffs To 14 Teams

March 31st, 2020 at 1:10pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The NFL has officially ratified a major change to their season. Owners voted by phone today to approve a 14-team playoff bracket starting with this upcoming season, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

We heard yesterday that this was the expected outcome. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeted out a release from the league with a full breakdown of the new postseason schedule. An extra team from each conference is getting a wild card berth, and only one team from each conference will now earn a first-round bye. Wild Card Weekend will now have six games instead of four, with three each on Saturday and Sunday.

Each division winner that isn’t the top seed in their conference will host a game on Wild Card Weekend. The NFL has used the 12-team playoff format for the past 30 years. The elimination of one bye might be even more significant than the extra team getting in. Since 2012 when the Ravens did it, no team has made it to the Super Bowl without having a bye.

The expanded playoff format was part of the contentious CBA negotiations. Obviously, the extra nationally televised playoff games will bring in significant new revenue for the league. The scheduling of the new playoff games and the networks they’d air on had been the two biggest question marks.

In the release, they announced that CBS and NBC would both broadcast an additional wild card game. Interestingly, the release also announced that CBS’ game would have a separately produced telecast of the game to air on Nickelodeon, specifically “tailored for a younger audience.” The other major change on the horizon is moving to a 17-game schedule, although that won’t happen this season.

Seahawks To Sign WR Phillip Dorsett

March 31st, 2020 at 11:43am CST by Sam Robinson

March 31: Dorsett’s deal will qualify for the veteran salary benefit, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That means he’ll count for just $877K against Seattle’s cap, with a $137,500 signing bonus, even though he’ll collect a larger sum.

March 24: Phillip Dorsett will have a new address soon. The free agent wide receiver has committed to signing with the Seahawks, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year deal.

As many as five teams were looking into the former Patriots contributor, and Dorsett’s decision will add a weapon to the Seahawks’ receiving corps. The Jets, 49ers, Raiders and Chargers also showed interest in the former first-round pick.

Seattle will team Dorsett with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf, giving Russell Wilson some additional help. Dorsett spent the past three seasons with the Patriots, being sent to New England for Jacoby Brissett just before the 2017 season. While Dorsett never broke through as a higher-end weapon for Tom Brady, he played a supporting-cast role and posted 29 receptions for 397 yards and a career-high five touchdowns last season. He added two TDs during the Patriots’ 2018 playoff run.

Dorsett, 27, averaged north of 16 yards per catch in 2016 and ’17, enjoying his best season with Andrew Luck in ’16. Dorsett posted a career-high 528 receiving yards that year but saw then-new GM Chris Ballard ship him out just before the 2017 regular season. This Seahawks agreement represents another chance for the ex-Miami Hurricanes speedster.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Eagles, Haskins

March 31st, 2020 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

Barring a major surprise or trade, the NFL Draft should kick off with the Bengals selecting LSU quarterback Joe Burrow at No. 1 overall and the Redskins taking Ohio State defensive end Chase Young with the second pick. Then, at No. 3, many expect the Lions to tap Buckeyes cornerback Jeff Okudah as a replacement for Darius Slay.

When the Giants pick at No. 4, however, things could get interesting. The Giants could be a prime position to trade down and load up in the later rounds. If they stand pat, GM Dave Gettleman could be tempted by one of his beloved “Hog Mollies,” an imposing tackle to help fortify their offensive line.

However, in his latest mock draft, ESPN.com’s Todd McShay predicts that the G-Men will take Clemson outside linebacker Isaiah Simmons. The versatile defender could help slow down the run, put pressure on opposing QBs, and help turn around a defense that allowed more than 28 points per game in 2019.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • Further down in the mock draft, McShay anticipates the Cowboys selecting a cornerback at No. 17 to help replace Byron Jones. In this scenario, he has them going with Florida’s C.J. Henderson, a player who is getting more and more buzz for his reported sub-4.4 40-yard-dash time. At No. 21 overall, he has the Eagles taking LSU inside linebacker Patrick Queen, even though many see the Birds targeting wide receivers, including Queen’s teammate Justin Jefferson.
  • Count ESPN.com’s Tim McManus among those that see PHI going WR. The Eagles watched big-name receivers fly off the board in March, even as Nelson Agholor moved on from the Raiders. With Alshon Jeffery still working his way back from Lisfranc surgery, the Eagles have to at least consider one of this year’s many talented targets. Jefferson is one possibility; Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims, Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk, and Clemson’s Tee Higgins could also be available when the Eagles select at No. 21.
  • The Redskins haven’t ruled out a return for Alex Smith or a significant role for the newly acquired Kyle Allen. Still, head coach Ron Rivera expects rising sophomore Dwayne Haskins to be the team’s starter in 2020. “That’s what we’re going into camp believing, but they’re going to compete,” Rivera told WFNZ (via Peter King of NBC Sports). “We really like what we have in terms of our young quarterbacks. Kyle is a young guy who has a live arm, understands the game, understands how we do things, so I’m excited about what the potential could be.”

Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue Drawing Trade Interest

March 31st, 2020 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

Multiple clubs have reached out to the Jaguars with interest in defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). Ngakoue, who turns 25 today, might continue his (remote) celebration with another club. 

Ngakoue said he wanted out of Jacksonville, but the Jags franchise tagged him anyway. Many assumed that this would be Step 1 towards a tag-and-trade, but that’s not necessarily the case – the Jaguars know that he’s one of the most talented young edge rushers in the game today and they could try to reconcile their differences.

“The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long term contract in Jacksonville,” Ngakoue tweeted a couple weeks back. “Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got. I’m thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere.”

That sentiment hasn’t changed. Ngakoue took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to offer his response to Garafolo’s report:

“Let’s agree to disagree . Why hold a man from taking care of his family. It’s obvious my time is up in my current situation. Let’s both move on @Jaguars 🏁”

Any trade for Ngakoue would require a massive haul in return. It’s believed that the Jaguars are looking for a first-round pick, and then some. It’s a big ask, but not an unrealistic one given Ngakoue’s youth and performance. Since entering the league as the No. 69 overall pick in the 2016 draft, he’s tallied at least eight sacks per season. And, in 2017, he earned a Pro Bowl nod with 12.5 QB takedowns.

The Eagles have reportedly been eyeing Ngakoue and they’re surely not alone. The Jets would be logical suitors, too, though they don’t have him high on their list. Meanwhile, the demand will increase if Jadeveon Clowney is re-signed by the Seahawks or scooped up by another club.

For now, the defensive end is slated to play out the 2020 season with the Jaguars on a one-year, $17.8MM deal.

Bengals To Release Dre Kirkpatrick

March 31st, 2020 at 8:53am CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals will release cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, according to ESPN.com’s Ben Baby (Twitter link). The move will save Cincy $8.3MM against the salary cap, giving them even more cash to work with in the second half of the offseason. 

Kirkpatrick is just the latest vet to be jettisoned by the Bengals. All in all, they’ve freed up more than $23MM by cutting veterans in the last couple of months.

The Kirkpatrick release doesn’t come as a surprise after the Bengals inked Trae Waynes to a three-year, $42MM deal that will pay him approximately $20MM in 2020. Kirkpatrick, a former first-round pick, should find plenty of interest from cornerback-needy teams, though his market will be somewhat limited since many teams have already addressed that gap.

Since 2012, Kirkpatrick has appeared in 99 games over the course of eight seasons. Last year, his season was cut short by a hyperextended knee injury. He finished out with 33 tackles, one sack, and one fumble recovery in six contests. In 2018, he allowed just 44.4% of the targets thrown his way to be caught, good for the second-best rate in the NFL.

The Bengals will also be moving forward without Darqueze Dennard, who left in free agency to sign with the Jaguars. Waynes will be among their new headliners and he’ll be joined by fellow ex-Viking Mackensie Alexander. Former Titans corner LeShaun Sims will also be in the CB mix.

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