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Draft Notes: Bengals, Burrow, Redskins, Giants, Dolphins, Jets

April 4th, 2020 at 7:03pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Sports leagues across the world are shutdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the next big event for most fans to tune into is the NFL draft. The league is hoping the draft can serve as a welcomed distraction for the country, and we’ve got a fresh batch of notes on what’s happening from Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. It’s been assumed for a while now that the Bengals will be taking Joe Burrow with the first overall pick, but that apparently isn’t set in stone.

While the expectation is still that Burrow is the pick, there is “a lot of buzz in scouting circles that the Bengals will at least listen to calls” on potential trades for the top choice, Miller writes. Since there’s no one ahead of them, it wouldn’t make all that much sense for the Bengals to be playing games if they weren’t actually planning to listen to inquiries. As of a couple of weeks ago we had heard that the Dolphins were still interested in trading for the first pick and selecting Burrow.

Here’s more on the draft, which will now be held remotely:

  • New Redskins coach Ron Rivera has said ever since he took the position that Dwayne Haskins won’t just be handed the starting quarterback job and will need to compete. That has led to some rumblings that Washington could use the second overall pick on a quarterback, but that looks like it was all bluster. Sources told Miller that the Redskins are not considering using the pick on a passer, and it continues to look like Ohio State defensive end Chase Young will be the pick.
  • The Giants are in an interesting spot with the fourth pick, and Miller writes that he’s heard talk out of New York that the team loves Clemson do-it-all linebacker Isaiah Simmons. While Miller has made Simmons the pick in his latest mock draft, he notes there has been “quiet buzz building for Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs“ with the fourth overall pick. The Giants could certainly use an offensive tackle as well as Simmons’ versatility on defense, so either pick would make sense.
  • Speaking of the Dolphins, if they aren’t able to pull off the shocking trade up for Burrow, their situation is pretty up in the air. Although there has been a ton of talk over the last year linking Miami to Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa, multiple sources told Miller the team isn’t “convinced Tua is the best option and could instead target Oregon’s Justin Herbert.” In fact, the “buzz around the league is that Herbert has the most fans in the Dolphins’ draft room,” Miller writes. This echoes what Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald wrote back in February, when he reported that Miami had an “increasingly positive” view of Herbert and that the Dolphins were concerned about Tagovailoa’s hip as well as his long-term durability.
  • The Jets lost Robby Anderson in free agency and didn’t do much to replace him or add receiving help outside of signing Breshad Perriman. They could certainly use another wideout and while the sources Miller talked to still expected the Jets to take an offensive tackle with the 11th overall pick, he also learned that the team is very high on Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb put up ridiculous numbers with the Sooners last year, racking up 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games.

NFC Notes: Slay, Hurts, Cowboys, Bears

April 4th, 2020 at 6:19pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Eagles were eyeing Darius Slay for a long time. In March, they finally got him for the cost of a third-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and a brand new three-year, $50MM deal. We heard all the way back in January that upgrading the secondary was a priority for Philly, and it looks like they could change their style of play a bit on defense. The Eagles traditionally play strictly zone under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, without a number one corner shadowing the opponent’s top receiver. Slay apparently wants to change that. “I love the challenge,” Slay said of shadowing during his introductory press call, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com.

“I kind of ask for it a lot because the fact that I want the game on me, and I want to help win the game, and if the best route to go about it is me traveling with a guy, then I’ll do it,” he continued. “I’ve been doing it the past four or five years,” the former Lion explained, “and I’ve been very, very successful at it. If they need me to continue to do it, that’s what I’ll continue to do.” Most observers seemed to agree that the Mississippi State product’s play dropped off a little bit last season as he dealt with injury, but the Eagles’ new top corner rejected that assertion. “I had a great year, in my opinion,” Slay said of 2019. “I think I played freaking fantastic. … It was dang sure good enough to make a Pro Bowl third season in a row.”

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • The Cowboys are still waiting to close an extension with starting quarterback Dak Prescott, and while those negotiations continue they’re apparently taking a look at some of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. Dallas owner Jerry Jones conducted a video interview with Oklahoma passer Jalen Hurts, via a post on the team’s Instagram page. The Cowboys’ post offers a cool behind the scenes look at what the pre-draft process is looking like for teams in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hurts is expected by many analysts to go off the board sometime in the second or third-round, which would be pretty early for the Cowboys to be taking a backup. If they do end up picking Hurts and still don’t have a deal done with Prescott, that would certainly raise a lot of eyebrows.
  • Yesterday we passed along word that the Bears were planning on using free agent acquisition Germain Ifedi at guard, and now we have the details on his contract. Ifedi got a $137.5K signing bonus and a $910K base salary on his one-year deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. We figured Ifedi didn’t get too much, but this is still pretty cheap for a 25-year-old with versatility who has started 60 games the past four seasons. A first-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2016, Ifedi became a full-time starter but always underwhelmed and never lived up to his draft status. He played both tackle and guard extensively for Seattle.
  • In case you missed it, the Seahawks may only be willing to pay between $13-15MM for Jadeveon Clowney.

Rams-Chargers Stadium May Not Be Ready For Season

April 4th, 2020 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams and Chargers may need contingency plans soon. Expected to open in July, SoFi Stadium is less certain to be ready for Week 1. Rams CEO Kevin Demoff is no longer committing to the site being ready by that time.

“Our stadium, and I believe the Raiders’ stadium as well, will both be amazing when they are finished and when they will begin play, which will certainly happen in the near future, whether that’s in July, August, September, in 2021,” Demoff said, via Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. “I don’t think you can look at either of these stadiums as short-term projects to finish but rather long-term beacons for the franchises and for the NFL.”

One of the workers on the Inglewood, Calif., site tested positive for COVID-19. Another is presumed to have the coronavirus, Farmer adds. The $5 billion project has long been scheduled to be completed in time for the 2020 season, but COVID-19 — as it’s done to many aspects of American life — has made this timeline less certain.

“This is not the time you want to be finishing a stadium, in this environment as you prepare,” Demoff said. “Because it’s when you need to be all hands on deck, walking through the building every day, meeting with your staff, working out the kinks and planning for it. So when you’ve been building something for a few years, you would love an optimal environment to finish it.”

While the Rams playing at the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Chargers at Dignity Health Park would seemingly be the L.A. teams’ contingency plans, bigger issues loom. Earlier Saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he does not envision a scenario in which California stadiums and arenas will be able to host fans. The NFL’s current stance is for fans to be allowed in stadiums and the season to start on schedule, though the league’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, walked that back a bit.

Interestingly, Jeff Pash, general counsel to the NFL, said that not only do the Chargers and Rams have contingency plans in the event their stadium is not ready but that the Raiders do as well. The Raiders recently declined an option to play the 2020 season in Oakland and years ago UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium was deemed a non-starter. It is not clear what the Raiders’ alternate-site option is at this point.

Michael Brockers Re-Signs With Rams; Ravens Deal Nixed

April 4th, 2020 at 3:03pm CST by Zachary Links

APRIL 4, 3:03pm: Brockers’ deal with the Rams is now official. This marks his third contract with the team that drafted him.

MARCH 27, 1:48pm: Brockers’ three-year deal carries a base value of $24MM and could be worth up to $31.5MM via incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A good chunk of the incentive package – $4.5MM – is based on realistic playing time milestones that he should bank, so long as he stays healthy. Brockers, as Rapoport notes, has not missed a game in the last three years.

MARCH 27, 9:24am: Michael Brockers isn’t going to the Ravens after all. On Friday, the Ravens announced that the deal is off. Then, Brockers did a U-Turn – he’ll return to the Rams on a three-year deal worth up to $31.5MM, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 

It’s a similar deal to his would-be Ravens contract, which was reported to be worth $30MM over the course of three years. However, it’s worth noting that the Ravens were set to give him $21MM fully guaranteed and the locked-in dollar amount of Brockers’ new Rams deal is not yet known.

Brockers was set to join forces with newcomer Calais Campbell and incumbent interior force Brandon Williams in Baltimore. Then, earlier this week, the Ravens got skittish about his medical situation. Unable to examine him with their own team doctors due to the coronavirus epidemic, they had Brockers examined by an outside doctor. The exam raised potential issues with Brockers’ ankle, the same one he injured late last year.

Even though he doesn’t have gaudy sack totals, Brockers has been a solid defender against the run for L.A. For the Rams, it’s a significant item crossed off their to-do list. The Ravens, meanwhile, are in a bit of a tough spot. Before deciding on Brockers, the Ravens were in the mix for Ndamukong Suh and other notable D-Lineman, but Suh and most of this year’s impact free agents are already spoken for.

Browns Interested In Jadeveon Clowney

April 4th, 2020 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns have entered the enduring Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes. Not only is Cleveland now involved in the Clowney pursuit, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports some around the league believe the Browns have come closer to a Clowney deal than other suitors thus far (Twitter link).

The Seahawks have been the team most closely connected to Clowney this offseason. While Seattle has tried to make a viable offer to keep the three-time Pro Bowler, Fowler adds that the team’s offer has not satisfied the Clowney camp to this point.

A Clowney-Browns scenario would be interesting given the team’s defensive end depth. The Browns already employ Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon. A Clowney deal would point to Vernon being on the outs.

In late February, Vernon was linked to being a candidate for a pay cut or release. In the final year of his Giants-constructed contract, the veteran defensive end is set to earn $15.25MM. The Browns are not expected to pay him this much, but the former Dolphins and Giants pass rusher remains on the roster. The Browns have shopped Vernon, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal adds, but any deal would likely be contingent on Cleveland picking up some of his salary.

This week, both the Jets and Titans re-emerged as Clowney suitors. The former No. 1 overall pick also dropped his price off the $20MM-per-year mark. However, the Seahawks’ proposal likely lands between $13-$15MM per year.

Cleveland’s $43MM-plus in cap space leads the NFL by a wide margin. Seattle currently holds less than $15MM in cap room.

Pres. Trump: NFL Should Start Season On Time

April 4th, 2020 at 2:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

In a conference call with 12 sports commissioners Saturday, President Donald Trump said the NFL should start its season on time, Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com report. The president added that he hopes to have fans back in stadiums by August or September.

This would obviously be a major win for the NFL, which as of now plans to start its season on time and with fans in stadiums. However, considering the uncertainty COVID-19 has caused, it is difficult to determine how realistic a scenario of starting the season on time will be.

Trump said later Saturday afternoon he expects fans in stadiums and arenas “sooner than later” but added that he is not committing to the August-September range (Twitter links via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo).

An NFL return by Week 1 would hinge on widespread coronavirus testing being available, according to NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills. The league proceeding with large groups of fans cannot be a known reality until a vaccine is available, Sills added (via Judy Battista of NFL.com). The vaccine timetable, as of this week, is approximately 18 months. Sills said the NFL will follow recommendations from public health officials.

“I would say that’s everyone’s hope, that we are in a position to do that,” Sills said earlier this week regarding starting the season on time. “But the reality is none of us know those facts for certain right now. We hope and pray for the best and prepare for the worst, realizing that is one potential outcome that we will be back fully in business playing games as normal in front of fans on schedule. But it’s certainly not the only outcome.”

Asked Saturday about California teams having fans in stadiums by September, governor Gavin Newsom said he is not optimistic about such a scenario (Twitter link via CNN’s Ronald Brownstein). That would certainly create issues for the 49ers, Chargers and Rams.

The NFL’s offseason programs are on hold, but teams are not giving up hope on some type of ramping-up period before training camp. The league has closed all 32 teams’ facilities, and no more than 10 people can be in draft war rooms later this month. When exactly the league will return to on-field action is not known, but the NFL’s goal (and the president’s) is for the league to start its 101st season on time.

Chiefs Haven’t Made Offer To Chris Jones

April 4th, 2020 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have yet to make a contract offer offer to franchise-tagged defensive tackle Chris Jones, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The two sides have had talks, but nothing has been put on the table just yet.

By putting the franchise tag on Jones, the Chiefs have him tendered on a one-year, $16.1MM deal. Meanwhile, he’s been pushing for a longer and more lucrative commitment – one that’s worth upwards of $20MM per year. From here, the two sides have until July 15th to work out a long-term deal and, ideally, that’s what the Chiefs want to do, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link) believes. Of course, it’ll come down to numbers, but Schefter’s sense is that the Chiefs are not looking to trade him.

The Chiefs’ have limited flexibility to work with, given the other stars already on the books for 2020 and beyond. They did carve out a little bit of space by revising Sammy Watkins‘ contract, but that only left them with about $5MM in breathing room.

Last year, Jones held out from the Chiefs in hopes of getting the deal he wanted. Now that he’s coming off of his first Pro Bowl campaign, you can expect his camp to crank things up a notch.

“It’s like a mix of emotions,” Jones said after he was tagged this year. “Because you figure, you know, after four years, you do everything the right way, within the team way, you try to stay under the line, out of trouble, and be a good citizen for a team and for the city, you expect to be rewarded….It’s like, ‘Man, what else you want me to do?’”

Jones, who won’t turn 26 into July, wants to get paid one way or another.

This Date In Transactions History: Patriots Trade Brandin Cooks To Rams

April 4th, 2020 at 10:40am CST by Ben Levine

With all of the action we’ve seen this offseason, it’s easy to forget that April blockbusters are also relatively common. In fact, we had a significant trade go down two years ago today. On April 4th, 2018, the Rams acquired wideout Brandin Cooks and a fourth-rounder from the Patriots for a first-rounder and sixth-rounder.

Cooks had actually been acquired by New England only 13 months before the Rams/Pats deal. While the former first-rounder had a solid season as one of Tom Brady‘s main targets, he didn’t match his production with the Saints from 2015 or 2016. Cooks ultimately finished the 2017 regular season with 65 receptions, 1,082 yards, and seven scores. While the receiver had a standout performance during that year’s AFC Championship, he was limited to only a single catch in the Super Bowl before exiting with a concussion.

With Cooks set to hit free agency following the 2018 season, the Pats decided to ship the receiver to Los Angeles. The Rams immediately inked the wideout to a five-year, $81MM extension, and that looked to be a good decision at first. Despite playing alongside Robert Woods, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp, Cooks finished that year with 80 receptions, five touchdowns, and a career-high 1,204 receiving yards. He was productive during the Rams’ run to the Super Bowl, finishing with 292 receiving yards in three games.

However, the wheels somewhat fell off in 2019. Cooks battled several ailments, including a concussion that knocked him out of the lineup for several weeks. When all was said and done, Cooks put up some of his lowest numbers since his rookie campaign, finishing with 42 receptions for 583 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.

With $12MM guaranteed in 2020 and his contract lasting through the 2023 season, there were rumblings that the Rams could look to trade the receiver this offseason. However, following the organization’s decision to move on from Gurley, it sounds like Cooks isn’t on the block.

On New England’s side, the team used that first-rounder to select offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn. The Georgia product sat out his entire rookie campaign, and he landed on IR following Week 2 of the 2019 season. However, he managed to return in Week 12, and he proceeded to start each of the Patriots’ remaining regular season and postseason games. In true New England fashion, they traded the sixth-rounder for a pair of seventh-rounders.

Both Cooks and (to a lesser extent) Wynn have been productive for their teams so far. However, their future performance will go a long way in determining who won this specific trade. For the time being, we’re comfortable grading both squads as “incomplete.”

Antonio Brown Facing Three Criminal Charges

April 4th, 2020 at 8:48am CST by Ben Levine

Welcome back to the news, Antonio Brown. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the embattled wideout is facing three formal charges stemming from an alleged January assault.

Specifically, Brown is facing “felony burglary conveyance, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.”

To review: a delivery driver alleged that Brown and his trainer assaulted him outside of the receiver’s Florida home. As Fowler notes, the battery charge “states that Brown was “actually and intentionally striking” the driver against his will,” while the mischief charge states that Brown “injured” the driver’s property of $200 or less. Brown had turned himself in to Florida authorities in late January and was later released on bond.

Realistic, the current coronavirus pandemic could delay court proceedings, providing extra time for Brown’s team to compile “depositions and provide its own witnesses.” Alternatively, the state may present Brown with a chance to negotiate a plea deal. The case will also be reviewed by the NFL.

It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for Brown, who’s looking to make his return to the field. There were rumblings that Tom Brady wanted to reunite with the wideout in Tampa Bay, but Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has indicated that that isn’t realistic.

Extra Points: Brees, Kuechly, O’Brien

April 3rd, 2020 at 7:55pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Saints coach Sean Payton might’ve accidentally let some big news slip this week. Appearing on ESPN’s ‘Get Up,’ Payton said “the unique situation with our team and quarterback Drew Brees, he’s announced he’s coming back for his final season,” via Katherine Terrell of The Athletic. When Brees elected not to retire this offseason, he said he’d be taking things year by year and didn’t make any official proclamations about this being his last campaign.

Either Payton misspoke, or he let the cat out of the bag. We’ve heard for a while now that the Saints eventually want Taysom Hill to take over as the starting quarterback, and that they plan on utilizing Hill even more this coming season. All the moves they’ve made so far point to one last run with Brees, so it would make sense if he has in fact told them this is his final ride. They’ve signed a 32-year-old Malcolm Jenkins and a 33-year-old Emmanuel Sanders, so they’re clearly all-in on 2020.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Speaking of NFC South retirements, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly surprisingly decided to hang up his cleats this offseason. Interestingly, Carolina still hasn’t officially placed him on the reserve/retired list, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. Before fans get excited, that’s likely because the Panthers can add $6MM in cap space by waiting until after June 1st to make the move, Person notes. Additionally, a source close to the former Defensive Player of the Year told Person that he has had “no second thoughts” about his decision to retire. We’ve heard the former All-Pro could be eyeing a coaching/consulting gig, and Person writes he has also explored broadcasting opportunities. Kuechly is still only 28, so there’s plenty of time for him to change his mind about his playing career.
  • Texans coach Bill O’Brien caught a lot of flak for his trade of Deandre Hopkins and what he was able to get back in return, and he sought to explain himself a bit Friday. “It was in the best interest of our team. DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player. We loved DeAndre Hopkins He had three years left on his deal and he wanted a raise. David Johnson is going to be a great addition to our football team,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). O’Brien seemed to confirm that Hopkins’ desire to sweeten his deal was a driving force behind the shocking trade. It’ll be very interesting to see how O’Brien handles the locker room and growing backlash from the fanbase.
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