2020 April - Pro Football Rumors

Lions Select D’Andre Swift At No. 35

April 24th, 2020 at 6:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Kerryon Johnson suffering injuries in his first two seasons, the Lions are adding a high-end reinforcement. They took D’Andre Swift with their second-round pick — No. 35 overall.

Mocked by many as a first-round pick and viewed as one of the top skill-position prospects in this draft, Swift will be a prime candidate to contribute immediately.

Nearly as important as Swift’s college resume — two 1,000-yard rushing seasons, each featuring more than six yards per carry — is the Georgia product’s 513 career touches. That is a rather light load for a running back and could well allow Swift to enjoy a longer NFL career. He will follow the likes of Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel into the league and follows Chubb as an early-second-round pick.

The Lions have struggled on the ground for most of this century, continually deploying sub-average rushing attacks. Detroit has not ranked in the top half of the league in rushing since Barry Sanders‘ 1999 retirement. Johnson, the No. 43 overall pick in 2018, saw his yards-per-carry average plummet from 5.4 as a rookie to 3.6 last season. Johnson has missed 14 games in his first two seasons.

This marks the fourth time since 2011 the Lions have used a second-round pick on a running back. Before Johnson, they drafted Mikel Leshoure in 2011 and Ameer Abdullah in 2015.

Bengals Draft Tee Higgins At No. 33

April 24th, 2020 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals kept A.J. Green via the franchise tag and have Tyler Boyd signed to an extension. They are adding to their receiving corps, starting the second round by taking Clemson wideout Tee Higgins.

Cincinnati was linked to Baylor receiver Denzel Mims but will go with Higgins, a top-end deep-ball threat for Trevor Lawrence during two impact seasons at Clemson. Higgins will join national championship game opponent Joe Burrow in Ohio as a pro. Higgins was seen by many as a likely first-rounder earlier on in the process, but he ended up slipping just a bit.

Receiver didn’t seem like a pressing need for Cincy, but they now have great depth at the position. In addition to Boyd and Green, they’ve also got former first-rounder John Ross on the roster. Higgins didn’t even turn 21 until January, and the Bengals clearly think he’ll be a long-term partner for Burrow.

This past season, Higgins finished with 59 catches for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging a robust 19.8 yards per reception.

Bengals Listening To Offers For No. 33 Pick

April 24th, 2020 at 5:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals have one pick in each of the draft’s final six rounds. It appears they would like to change that. They are listening to offers for the first pick in the second round, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Cincinnati received interest at No. 1 but did not appear to seriously consider them before taking Joe Burrow. A report earlier Friday indicated the Bengals were considering both wide receiver Denzel Mims and defensive tackle Ross Blacklock at No. 33, but the team may now want to add some draft capital to help fortify their roster after a 2-14 season.

Although the Bengals were uncharacteristically aggressive in free agency, adding D.J. Reader and Trae Waynes to their defense on high-priced deals, they still have several holes on their roster after their worst season in more than 15 years. Trading down from tonight’s top pick would create more chances for Cincinnati to add starter- or rotational-level talent.

It is not certain how far the Bengals are willing to move down, but teams like the Jaguars (No. 42), Broncos (No. 46) and Falcons (No. 47) have made calls about moving up, per Albert Breer of SI.com. The virtual draft’s second round begins at 6pm CT.

NFL Draft Rumors: Bengals, Colts, Bucs, Colts

April 24th, 2020 at 4:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals (No. 33) and Colts (No. 34) will kick off the second round and the belief is that they’re both targeting offensive help, Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com tweets. Beyond that, he gets the sense that defensive tackle Ross Blacklock could be the first defensive player selected in the second round. Earlier today, we heard Blacklock mentioned as a possibility for the Bengals, but they might be more focused on providing help for Joe Burrow instead. That could lead them to Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims, one of the most intriguing talents left on the board.

Here’s the latest as we get set for the second night of the NFL Draft:

More from Jones (on Twitter), who says “everyone” he’s talked to around the league believes that the Panthers will go after Mims. As previously reported, they’ve been getting calls on wide receiver Curtis Samuel, though they’re not shopping him. Mims, or another wide receiver, could wind up taking Samuel’s spot on the depth chart. The Panthers’ currently sit at No. 38 overall (the sixth pick in the second round), which might not be good enough to get Mims.
Over the last two months, the Buccaneers and Colts have both been high on Washington quarterback Jacob Eason, Albert Breer of The MMQB hears. Eason remains available heading into Day 2 of the draft and both clubs profile as potential fits. Before the night is through, Eason could be tapped as the heir to Tom Brady or Philip Rivers, a perfect scenario for a QB easing into the pro game.
There weren’t a ton of trades in the first round, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The Falcons pushed hard to trade up for cornerback C.J. Henderson and the Raiders wanted to move back from No. 12 before taking Alabama wideout Henry Ruggs.

NFL Draft Rumors: Vikings, Jags, Redskins

April 24th, 2020 at 3:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Vikings have “done a lot of work on” Boise State offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link), but Minnesota may have to move up in Round 2 in order to land him. Per Wolfson, the Vikings may need to get ahead of the Jaguars at No. 42 if they want to grab Cleveland. Minnesota’s second-round pick doesn’t come until No. 58 overall, so general manager Rick Spielman would need to work some magic in order to move up. Luckily, the Vikings have 12 picks remaining in the draft that could be used as trade ammunition.

Here’s more on the 2020 draft:

Speaking of the Vikings and offensive tackles, the ideas of Minnesota acquiring Redskins tackle Trent Williams and moving up in Round 2 aren’t mutually exclusive, as Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune tweets. Washington wants draft capital it can use this year, and while the club has been asking for a second-round pick, the Redskins could also accept a combination of selections that add up to the value of a second-rounder, per John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Minnesota could use any number of those aforementioned 12 remaining picks in order to patch together an offer for Williams.
Two clubs were attempting to move into the Buccaneers‘ No. 14 slot in order to land Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs, which prompted Tampa Bay to move up one spot into No. 13 and take Wirfs for themselves, reports Jenna Laine of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Presumably, the Bucs figured teams moving to No. 14 would also be trying to move to No. 13, which was held by San Francisco. Instead, Tampa Bay shipped a fourth-round pick to the 49ers and added Tom Brady‘s new right tackle.
When the Raiders‘ first came on the clock at No. 12, the club’s initial discussions involved offensive tackles, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. Oakland’s interest in tackles is a little puzzling, as it already has 2018 first-rounder Kolton Miller on the left side and the high-priced Trent Brown on the right. Eventually, the Raiders settled on Alabama wideout Henry Ruggs.

Texans, Deshaun Watson Have Discussed Extension

April 24th, 2020 at 3:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans and quarterback Deshaun Watson have begun “very preliminary” extension discussions, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Houston would like to have a new deal in place for Watson by the start of the regular season.

Head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien already crossed one item of his to-do list earlier today by signing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a record-breaking extension, and Watson is obviously the next Texans player in line for a fresh contract. Like Tunsil’s deal, Watson’s extension figures to reach extraordinary heights.

Russell Wilson currently leads all quarterbacks in annual value with a yearly salary of $35MM, and there’s no doubt Watson and his agent want to topple that mark. Of course, Patrick Mahomes could soon take over as the highest-paid quarterback, as the Chiefs are reportedly targeting a post-draft extension for the 2018 MVP.

There’s no argument to be made that Watson’s performance — as good as it’s been — should earn more than Mahomes, but during his short stint as the Texans’ top decision-maker, O’Brien has proven that anything is possible. Either way, dueling contract discussions between Mahomes and the Chiefs/Watson and the Texans should prove beneficial for both signal-callers and drive up the price tag for both players.

The Texans aren’t under any obligation to extend Watson’s contract immediately. Because Watson was a first-round pick in 2017, Houston holds a fifth-year option for the 2021 campaign. That option will surely be exercised, meaning the Texans control the 24-year-old’s rights for two more years. Still, it sound as though Houston may not want to wait much longer before locking in Watson for the long haul.

Rams Rework Rob Havenstein’s Contact

April 24th, 2020 at 3:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Jared Goff isn’t the only Ram whose contract is getting restructured today. Los Angeles has also restructured offensive tackle Rob Havenstein‘s deal, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The Rams converted $2.34MM of Havenstein’s 2020 base salary into a signing bonus, per Yates. That move will create $1.56MM in cap space for Los Angeles, giving the club even more room to fit in the newly-announced signings of Leonard Floyd and A’Shawn Robinson.

Havenstein signed a four-year $32.5MM extension with the the Rams in 2018. He’s regressed a bit since then, but he’s still locked in as LA’s starting right tackle. He’s under contract through the 2022 campaign.

Rams Restructure Jared Goff’s Contract

April 24th, 2020 at 2:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams have officially announced the signings of free agents Leonard Floyd and A’Shawn Robinson, and in order to create the necessary cap space, Los Angeles has restructured the contract of quarterback Jared Goff, reports Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Rams will create $7MM in cap space via the restructure, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Because of their dire cap situation, the Rams were essentially forced to rework Goff’s deal in order to fit Floyd and Robinson on their roster. Over the Cap has already figured Robinson’s 2020 cap hit into Los Angeles’ figures, but it has the Rams at nearly $6MM over the cap without accounting for Floyd’s contract, which will reportedly pay him at least $10MM during the upcoming season.

Goff, 25, inked a four-year, $134MM extension with the Rams last September. He’d been scheduled to have a cap charge north of $36MM (yes, you read that correctly) in 2020, which would have been the largest figure in the league.

Instead, Los Angeles will convert most of Goff’s $10MM salary into a signing bonus and spread out that money over the next five years. While the move will give the Rams some breathing room in 2020, it will make it even more difficult to cut Goff down the line.

Texans To Extend Laremy Tunsil

April 24th, 2020 at 1:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans have reached an agreement on a three-year extension for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). It’s a monster number — $66MM — for the former first-round pick.

In addition to a $22MM salary, $57MM is guaranteed. The contract contains a $13MM signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Tunsil will receive $40MM over the first two years of the deal, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

The numbers on Tunsil’s new money are, in a word, staggering. Tunsil confirmed earlier this month that he planned on becoming the NFL’s highest-paid offensive tackle, and he’s done so by a wide margin. Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson previously held that honor with an $18MM/year average, but Tunsil has now exceeded that figure by $4MM, a hefty increase.

This year, Tunsil will take home more than $27MM, with Wilson adding he will receive $16.85MM fully guaranteed in 2021. In 2022, $10MM of Tunsil’s $17.85MM base salary is guaranteed. His $18.5MM 2023 salary is non-guaranteed.

Tunsil’s $57MM in guarantees almost surely refers to injury guarantees, not full guarantees. The Raiders’ Trent Brown currently leads all offensive linemen $36.25MM in fully guaranteed money, so $57MM would represent an unprecedented jump. Johnson received $55.845MM in injury guarantees on his extension with Philadelphia, and Tunsil has now topped that as well.

Of course, Tunsil held all the leverage in talks with Houston and exerted that clout as best he could. The Texans made a stunning trade to acquire Tunsil last year, sending two first-round picks plus a second-rounder to Miami in order to land 25-year-old starter. Having made that move, there was simply no way Houston could allow Tunsil to leave via free agency, so the club had to give him a massive extension.

Tunsil, the 13th overall selection in the 2016 draft, had one year and $10.35MM remaining on his contract. While the Texans could have theoretically franchised him in both 2021 and 2022, Tunsil could have sat out or refused to sign the tag. The optics of such a maneuver wouldn’t have been great for Houston. Instead, a three-year extension will lock up Tunsil through the 2023 campaign.

In spite of his new annual salary, Tunsil remains a good — not great — left tackle. While he’s been a full-time starter in each of his four NFL seasons, he’s never made an All-Pro team and was given a Pro Bowl nod just once (2019). Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, graded Tunsil just outside the top-20 tackles in each of the past two years.

Tunsil, who fired his agent in March, negotiated this deal directly with Texans head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien, tweets Wilson. Tunsil received input from outside advisors, but he clearly did very well for himself in working out a new contract.

Texans To Sign S Michael Thomas

April 24th, 2020 at 1:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans are signing veteran safety and special teamer Michael Thomas, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal, tweets Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.

Thomas, not to be confused with the Saints receiver of the same name, is widely considered one the best special teams players in the NFL. Throughout his career with the Dolphins and Giants, Thomas has regularly played more than 75% of his team’s ST snaps. In addition, he’s viewed as an excellent locker room presence and was New York’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2018, tweets Raanan.

A Pro Bowler as a special teamer in 2018, Thomas has seen significant action on the defense in the past, as he played more than 45% of his club’s defensive snaps in 2015, 2016, and 2018. However, Houston already has Justin Reid and Tashaun Gipson lined up as starters at safety, and the team also signed defensive back Eric Murray to a three-year deal last month. Thus, Thomas will likely spend most of his time on special teams duty.

The Texans have placed an emphasis on special teams in recent years, so the addition of Thomas shouldn’t come as a total surprise. Houston ranked fifth in Football Outsiders‘ special teams metric in each of the past two seasons.