2020 April - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Pursued Aldon Smith

April 10th, 2020 at 5:26pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Cowboys shockingly pulled Aldon Smith out of football purgatory a couple weeks ago, and they apparently weren’t the only team in on the former All-Pro. The Broncos pursued Smith and the two sides had mutual interest for a while, sources told Mike Klis of Denver 9 News.

Klis points out that Broncos head coach Vic Fangio was Smith’s defensive coordinator during his best seasons in San Francisco, which explains the connection. Ultimately, financials led Smith to go with Dallas. Klis reports that the Broncos only made a “vet-minimum/incentive-laden offer” to Smith, while the Cowboys gave him a one-year contract with a base value of $2MM and an additional $2MM available in sack incentives.

If Smith had been able to get anywhere close to his old heights, he would’ve formed a scary pass-rushing trio in Denver alongside fellow former first-round picks Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. The seventh overall pick of the 2011 draft, Smith was one of the best defensive players in the league before a series of arrests and substance abuse issues derailed his career. He led the league in sacks in 2012 with 19.5.

He hasn’t played in a game since the 2015 season, so it’ll be very interesting to see what the 30-year-old looks like when he steps on the field. The Broncos lost Derek Wolfe, who had seven sacks last year, in free agency, so Smith would’ve been a nice high-upside addition to bolster the defensive front.

Pass Interference Won’t Be Reviewable In 2020

April 10th, 2020 at 4:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The NFL is officially making a big rule change ahead of the 2020 season. Pass interference will no longer be a reviewable foul whenever the league next plays games, a source told Mark Maske of the Washington Post (Twitter link).

Maske reports that owners won’t even take a vote on the issue and the pass interference replay review rule will simply be allowed to expire. In a separate tweet, Maske notes that teams “overwhelmingly indicated” they didn’t want the rule renewed for another season. In a huge move last offseason, the league made pass interference penalties reviewable by coach’s challenges and by the booth.

They made the decision last year at the behest of the Saints following the controversial no-call that likely cost them the NFC Championship Game to the Rams. The rollout was a disaster, and seemingly everyone hated the implementation right from the start. The replay booth was very strict for the most part, but also inconsistent, with what they would overturn.

As for new rule changes that could take effect in 2020, the NFL released the full list of proposed rule changes that owners will vote on at upcoming meetings. Included are the Eagles’ proposals to “provide an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team who is trailing in the game an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball after scoring (4th and 15 from the kicking team’s 25-yard line),” as well as to make overtime 15 minutes and reduce the importance of the overtime coin toss.

There are a handful of other interesting but less significant proposed changes which you can view in the release. All proposed rules need support from 24 of the 32 owners in order to pass.

Tom Johnson Retires From NFL

April 10th, 2020 at 3:42pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Tom Johnson is officially hanging up his cleats. The former Vikings defensive tackle is retiring from the NFL, he told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link).

We heard early last offseason that Minnesota was interested in bringing him back, but Johnson ended up spending 2019 out of football. Johnson said he had some offers from teams but didn’t want to play on a minimum deal, Tomasson tweets. The Southern Miss product was an undrafted free agent in 2006, and it took him a while to find his footing in the league. After playing in NFL Europe, the AFL, and the CFL, he finally made his NFL debut in 2011 with the Saints.

He broke out in 2014 with the Vikings, racking up 6.5 sacks. The following year he started eight games, and had another 5.5 sacks. In 2017 he started 15 games and was a large part of the defense that made it to the NFC Championship Game. He signed with Seattle in 2018 but quickly ended up back in Minnesota when the Seahawks cut him after just one game.

Johnson will finish his playing days with 186 tackles and 25.5 sacks in 116 games. He carved out a remarkable career for such an unheralded prospect, and all of us here at PFR wish him the best in retirement.

Drew Brees Signs With NBC Sports

April 10th, 2020 at 2:19pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Drew Brees already has his post-playing career lined up. The longtime Saints quarterback has signed a broadcasting deal with NBC, sources told Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

We heard just a few days ago that ESPN was chasing Brees, and apparently NBC had a more appealing offer. Brees will be “groomed as the potential replacement for Cris Collinsworth” on ‘Sunday Night Football’ broadcasts, sources told Marchand. Of course, this deal won’t take effect until after Brees decides to hang up his cleats. He’s back in New Orleans for at least one more season. Saints coach Sean Payton recently let slip that Brees was “coming back for his final season,” although it’s possible he misspoke.

It’s been reported for a while now that the Saints view Taysom Hill as Brees’ successor, and that they’re anxious to increase his role on offense. All the moves that they’ve made this offseason indicate they’re going all-in on one last Super Bowl run with Brees in 2020, like signing aging vets Malcolm Jenkins and Emmanuel Sanders.

It looks like the ‘Sunday Night Football’ broadcast is getting a total makeover, as Marchand has already reported that Mike Tirico is going to take over for Al Michaels as the play-by-play caller after the 2022 Super Bowl. Brees isn’t going to take the reins on SNF immediately either. Brees “is expected to start as a game analyst on Notre Dame football and as a studio analyst for ‘Football Night in America,’” before eventually taking over for Collinsworth, Marchand writes.

Marchand also notes that ESPN’s offer was thought to be in the $6MM annually range, and that NBC’s offer was “competitive with it” financially but that they “sold him on it being the best place to succeed.” Obviously, Brees wants to avoid an experience like Jason Witten had at ESPN on ‘Monday Night Football,’ and it sounds like the chance to get eased in appealed to him.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Isaiah Simmons

April 10th, 2020 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s little doubt that Isaiah Simmons will hear his name called early in the NFL Draft. His pro position, however, remains in question. At 6’4″ and 230 pounds, the Clemson standout has the size and skillset to make it at linebacker. Meanwhile, he’s also got the chops to play safety and handle the slot. No one’s quite sure how Simmons will be used at the next level, but that’s not a bad thing.

Used sparingly in two frosh seasons, Simmons broke out as a sophomore in 2018 with 88 stops, including nine tackles for a loss and two sacks. Things only picked up from there – Simmons managed 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, and three interceptions as a junior en route being named the nation’s best linebacker. With freakish athleticism for his size, NFL Draft guru Matt Miller went outside of the sport to find a proper comp for the underclassman.

“Can I compare Isaiah Simmons to Zion Williamson?,” Miller tweeted. “Just too big, fast, smart, and athletic for anyone to handle.”

Joe Burrow is considered to be a shoe-in for the Bengals’ No. 1 overall pick. The Redskins, at No. 2, would shock the world by drafting anyone other than Ohio State star Chase Young at No. 2. After that, could it be Simmons’ turn to take center stage (er, monitor screen)?

The Lions don’t seem terribly interested in him, but they do seem to be leaning towards a trade back from No. 3. The team moving up could be in the market for a QB – perhaps Tua Tagovailoa – but don’t discount the possibility of Simmons. After posting a 4.39 40-yard-dash and 39-inch vertical leap at the combine, there will be plenty of teams tempted to pounce on the Tigers defender.

Even if that doesn’t happen, Simmons won’t have far to fall. If the Giants stand pat at No. 4 and Dave Gettleman can resist a “hog mollie” like Jedrick Wills Jr., Mekhi Becton, or Tristan Wirfs, they could add Simmons to a revamped front seven alongside Blake Martinez. The Dolphins (No. 5) are laser-focused on finding their quarterback of the future in the early stages, but there aren’t many other clubs that could be ruled out for the versatile wonder. Simmons’ ceiling is sky-high and so is his draft floor.

XFL Suspends Operations, Lays Off Employees

April 10th, 2020 at 11:24am CST by Zachary Links

The XFL has suspended operations and laid off its entire workforce, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The XFL was already on the ropes thanks to the COVID-19 epidemic and this could prove to be the knockout blow.

Vince McMahon attempted to reboot his football league with a ten-game (re)inaugural season, but he was forced to shut things down halfway through. Initially, the XFL expressed confidence that it would return in 2021, but McMahon might be forced to close up shop on the XFL for a second time.

Similar to the first time around, the XFL received mixed reviews from fans. The league did well in TV ratings to start the year as viewers looked for post-Super Bowl entertainment, but interest tailed in the following weeks. Still, the XFL featured a host of notable names and those players were released from their contracts on March 12, freeing them to pursue deals with NFL teams. Quarterbacks Josh Johnson, P.J. Walker, Jordan Ta’amu were among those who were in, then out, of the XFL 2.0.

XFL employees will be paid through Sunday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. In his conference call with employees, COO Jeffery Pollock did not provide a timeline for when operations might resume.

Ravens C Matt Skura Signs RFA Tender

April 10th, 2020 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

Ravens center Matt Skura has inked his restricted free agent tender, according to agent David Canter (on Twitter). With that, Skura will return to the club on a $2.133MM deal for 2020.

Skura suffered a devastating knee injury in the final stretch of the season, forcing him to go under the knife for tears in his ACL, PCL, and MCL. Before that, Skura was remarkably durable. The 27-year-old had perfect attendance dating back to 2018 and never even missed a snap.

The Ravens turned to Skura in 2018 after Ryan Jensen left to join the Buccaneers. In his first season in the middle, Skura graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 12 ranked center in the NFL. This year, it looked like he was on course for a solid multi-year pay day, up until the fateful injury in Week 12. After that, the Ravens handed things over to rookie Patrick Mekari for the last four games, plus the divisional round loss to the Titans.

Meanwhile, the Ravens’ work on the offensive line is not done. They still need more support on the interior line and GM Eric DeCosta seems open to the idea of converting one of this year’s promising rookie tackles into a guard.

NFC West Notes: Rams, Gurley, 49ers

April 10th, 2020 at 10:29am CST by Zachary Links

Todd Gurley and Clay Matthews are still waiting on checks from the Rams, as Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com writes. Both players were jettisoned on March 19, but they believe they are still entitled to bonuses, per the terms of their contracts.

“Past due,” Gurley tweeted at the Rams. “Send me money ASAP.”

“You and me both TG!,” Matthews responded. “Better get some interest with that, too.”

Obviously, both players are better off than most during these unprecedented times, but they may have a case. The Rams owed Gurley a fully-guaranteed $7.55MM roster bonus on the third day of the league year. Even though the Rams will get some of that back from the Falcons, Gurley argues that he’s still owed a check. Matthews, meanwhile, has a similar case for his $2MM roster bonus.

While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s more from the NFC West:

Paycheck drama aside, the Rams must also figure out how they’ll replace Gurley in the offense. In an interview with Rich Eisen (Twitter link), head coach Sean McVay pointed to the potential of Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown, but also indicated that the Rams could explore running backs in the draft. Surely, the RB position is on their list of needs, but they’ve got other holes to fill, including wide receiver thanks to the trade that sent Brandin Cooks to the Texans. Of course, they’ll also have more to work with on draft weekend, thanks to the second-round pick they acquired from Houston.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports expects the 49ers to take a wide receiver with the No. 13 overall pick. Of course, they’ll also take a hard look at offensive tackles, defensive linemen, and cornerbacks in the early stages of the draft, but talents like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, and CeeDee Lamb might be too tempting to pass up.
The 49ers also hold the No. 31 pick, but Matt Barrows of The Athletic doesn’t expect them to keep it. Instead, he sees them trading down to add to their arsenal. As of this writing, the Niners own Nos. 13, 31, 156, 176, 210, 217, and 245.

Reactions To Brandin Cooks Trade

April 10th, 2020 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Texans trade for Brandin Cooks is a “flailing response to failure,” Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com writes. In his view, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien has a poor assessment of draft pick value – instead of taking on Cooks’ contract and injury woes, the Texans could have simply drafted a wide receiver with the second round pick they forfeited.

On the flipside, Barnwell has heard some theorize that the 2020 season will be especially challenging for rookies, who won’t have the benefit of a typical OTA schedule. Veterans like Cooks are already accustomed to the pace of the game and often pick and choose when it comes to OTA participation anyway. Barnwell doesn’t buy it, because he doesn’t believe the Texans are built to win this year. In 2019, they placed 19th in DVOA, and their divisional round loss to the Chiefs remains fresh in his mind.

Ultimately, if the Texans wanted to win in 2020, their best bet would have been to hold on to DeAndre Hopkins, Barnwell argues. Instead, they’ve effectively swapped Hopkins for Cooks and running back David Johnson.

Latest On Tua Tagovailoa

April 9th, 2020 at 7:49pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recorded an hour long workout and distributed the film to all 32 teams, according to Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The audition included “55 scripted throws and another 20 throws in a dynamic drill.”

[RELATED: Tua Says “I Feel 100%”]

The Alabama star worked out at a local private gym with less than ten people present to safeguard against the transmission of coronavirus. Ultimately, Tagovailoa’s camp is looking to silence concerns about his hip and looking for creative ways to showcase his health in lieu of a traditional pro day.

So far, it seems to be working. A few months ago, some wondered whether Tagovailoa – once presumed to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s class – would be drafted in the first round. Now, all indications are that he’ll be one of the first names called on April 23rd.

The Dolphins have a clear QB need and they’ve been heavily connected to him at No. 5 overall. Unless Oregon’s Justin Herbert is really the guy they want, it sounds like they’ll target him there or, potentially, trade up to guarantee they’ll get him. It’s even possible that the Redskins could nab him with the No. 2 pick, though we’d be shocked if they passed on defensive end Chase Young.