2020 May - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Add Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Ryan Grigson To Front Office

May 15th, 2020 at 10:42am CST by Rory Parks

The Browns have hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their new vice president of football operations, as ESPN’s Seth Walder was among the first to report (via Twitter). Adofo-Mensah previously served as the director of football research and development with the 49ers, and as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal writes, he will essentially serve as assistant GM to Andrew Berry.

Adofo-Mensah, a Princeton graduate, adds to the Ivy League talent in the Cleveland front office (Berry is a Harvard grad). Adofo-Mensah spent seven years in the San Francisco organization, and according to his bio, he “led the 49ers’ efforts to develop and implement advanced quantitative methods for game strategy and personnel evaluation” (h/t Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). He will presumably continue to expand his personnel resume with Cleveland.

In addition to the Adofo-Mensah hiring, the Browns have also hired Ryan Grigson on a full-time basis, per Cabot. The club brought on the former Colts GM in an advisory and consulting role back in February, and it sounded at the time as if the hire would become permanent after the draft. That has now happened, though Grigson’s formal title remains uncertain. He and Berry have a long-standing professional relationship and hold each other in high regard.

One year after being hyped virtually non-stop as a Super Bowl contender, the Browns have mostly flown under the radar this offseason. Though they made several major signings in free agency, and though Berry’s first draft was widely considered to be a successful one, Cleveland is not being talked about to nearly the same degree as it was in 2019. And that probably suits the team just fine. After shoring up the O-line and adding another weapon for Baker Mayfield in tight end Austin Hooper, the Browns may realize their potential just one season after they were supposed to. If Mayfield can return to the form he showed in his rookie campaign, things could get interesting in the AFC North.

Colts Sign Three Draft Picks

May 15th, 2020 at 10:17am CST by Rory Parks

The Colts have agreed to terms with three more draft picks, according to a team announcement. RB Jonathan Taylor (pick no. 41), QB Jacob Eason (no. 122), and LB Jordan Glasgow (no. 213) are all in the fold.

Indianapolis was left without a first-round pick due to the team’s trade for DeForest Buckner earlier this offseason. But the Colts had two second-round choices, and they used one of them on Taylor, a talented back out of Wisconsin (they actually traded up three spots to nab him). One of the concerns surrounding Taylor is his heavy usage in college, as he averaged 309 carries over his three seasons with the Badgers, but he certainly made the most out of those carries. He piled up 6,174 rushing yards on a healthy 6.7 yards-per-tote, and he became more of a factor in the passing game in 2019, contributing 26 catches for 252 yards and five receiving scores.

The Colts already had plenty of young talent in the backfield, with Taylor joining Marlon Mack, Jordan Wilkins, and Nyheim Hines. Mack rushed for nearly 1,100 yards last season as the team’s RB1, but he is entering his contract year, and after seeing Indianapolis invest heavily in RBs in the draft over the past two seasons, he may be playing for a free agent deal elsewhere.

Eason, meanwhile, is an intriguing QB prospect who could be a starting option for the Colts as soon as 2021. Of course, Indy brought in Philip Rivers on a one-year pact for 2020, but current QB2 Jacoby Brissett is also on the last year of his current deal, so Eason will have the opportunity to learn from both players this season and perhaps take the reins next year. In 2019, the strong-armed Washington product completed 64.2% of his passes for 3,132 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Glasgow, the Colts’ final selection in the draft, will attempt to crack the team’s LB rotation and special teams unit. The DB-turned-linebacker compiled 89 tackles and five sacks in his final season at Michigan.

Seahawks, Browns Discussed Russell Wilson Trade In 2018

May 15th, 2020 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

In 2018, the Browns were armed with a very rare assortment of premium draft capital: the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks. Ultimately, of course, they used those picks on quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward, but they were reportedly involved in trade discussions that would have sent at least one of those selections to the Seahawks in exchange for superstar quarterback Russell Wilson.

In a recent appearance on the PFTOT podcast, Chris Simms says that Cleveland and Seattle discussed a trade wherein the Seahawks would have acquired the No. 1 overall pick from the Browns while sending their Super Bowl champion signal-caller to Ohio (story via Mike Florio of PFT). And according to Florio’s source, the discussion did indeed happen, though the source couched it as being more of a conceptual conversation.

These sorts of discussions certainly happen all the time, and they never really get anywhere because the teams involved have no real intention of trading their assets but simply want to exercise due diligence in case their prospective trading partner is willing to make an offer that’s impossible to turn down. But the fact that the Seahawks even considered trading Wilson is notable, especially given that he was only 29 at the time and had already established himself as one of the best QBs in the game.

As Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes, the ‘Hawks would not have traded Wilson for just the No. 1 pick; they would have demanded the No. 4 selection as well. Even that, however, seems like a small price to pay for a player of Wilson’s caliber, and one would think that the Browns would have pounced on the opportunity if it had truly presented itself.

At the time, Wilson and the Seahawks were in the midst of contract discussions that would culminate with Wilson becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history. And he has more than lived up to that deal thus far, posting back-to-back MVP-worthy seasons with an average QB rating of 108.6 and an average triple-slash of 3,779/33/6. He has added 718 rushing yards and three rushing scores for good measure, and he has yet to miss a game in his career.

Nonetheless, Florio’s sources do say that Wilson will be traded at some point in the relatively near future. By Wilson’s own admission, the inclusion of a no-trade clause in his current contract was instrumental in getting the deal done — perhaps because of the Cleveland discussions — but he could always waive it if he feels the time is right. Though a trade in the next several seasons would not be feasible because of the dead money charges it would leave on Seattle’s books, something could happen by 2022.

Indeed, Condotta notes that the Seahawks likely would have selected Patrick Mahomes if he had fallen to them in the 2017 draft, and GM John Schneider was also poking around Josh Allen the following offseason. In a couple of years, he may pull the trigger on a collegiate signal-caller and send Wilson elsewhere, difficult though that may be to fathom.

Giants’ DeAndre Baker, Seahawks’ Quinton Dunbar Wanted For Armed Robbery

May 14th, 2020 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Arrest warrants have been issued for Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker and Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, according to TMZ. At a get-together in Florida on Wednesday, police say Baker held partiers at gunpoint while Dunbar looted them. Both men are now wanted by authorities for armed robbery. The Miramar, Florida police department has also confirmed the warrants via press release.

According to police sources who spoke with TMZ, Baker also directed a third man to shoot someone who entered the party in the midst of the robbery. That mystery third wheel did not shoot anyone, but the group did make off with $7K in cash, plus a $25K Hublot watch, an $18K Rolex, and an Audemars Piguet.

Some witnesses claim that Dunbar was also armed; others say he was not. As it stands, both men are wanted for four counts of armed robbery with a firearm. Baker, meanwhile, also faces an additional four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.

Baker, 22, was a late first-round pick of the Giants just last year. He struggled as a rookie, but he allowed just one touchdown against him at Georgia and the Giants were planning to have him compete for a first-string spot in 2020. Baker finished out his first Giants season with 61 total tackles and eight passes defensed in 16 games, including 15 starts. Per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv (via Twitter), the Giants are unlikely to cut Baker right away, but clearly this will put the club back in the market for a free agent corner.

Dunbar, 27, was traded from the Redskins to the Seahawks in March. Unhappy with his contract, Dunbar wanted out of D.C. and got his wish. For the cost of a fifth-round pick, the Seahawks took on the starting-caliber corner and the final year of his three-year, $10.5MM deal. If the warrants have merit, Dunbar won’t be getting a new contract anytime soon. A Dunbar absence would also sting for the Seahawks, who were looking forward to seeing him build on a strong year. In 2019, Dunbar played the most snaps of his NFL career and came away with four interceptions. For his work, Pro Football Focus graded Dunbar as the league’s second-best cornerback, behind only former Legion of Boom leader Richard Sherman.

Eagles Unwilling To Approach Jadeveon Clowney’s Asking Price?

May 14th, 2020 at 5:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Pass rushing stands as the Eagles’ biggest remaining need and Jadeveon Clowney stands as the best pass rusher left on the market. It seems like a natural fit for Howie Roseman & Co., but the Eagles’ don’t seem to have much interest in him at this time, according to SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (via the Inside The Birds podcast).

In fact, the Eagles haven’t even been in touch with Clowney’s representatives, according to Caplan. Instead, the Eagles caught wind of Clowney’s asking price through the grapevine and quickly decided that it was too rich for their blood. When free agency started, Clowney was reportedly seeking $21MM. A few weeks in, he dropped that ask to somewhere around $17MM. Meanwhile, Caplan gets the sense that the Eagles would only explore Clowney if he slashed it down to about $10MM on a one-year deal. Even then, he’s not so sure the Eagles would bite.

Clowney, the top pick in the 2014 draft, has tallied 32 regular season sacks over the course of his career. Last year, he notched his first ever postseason sack and also caused a stir when he took out Carson Wentz with a late hit. For what it’s worth, Wentz recently said that he would be alright with Clowney joining the locker room.

“I don’t think he had any ill will with that hit,” Wentz said (via Reuben Frank of NBC Sports). “That’s part of football. But he’s a heck of a player, so I trust Howie to make the right decisions to make our team the best we can be.”

Unless Clowney drastically lowers his price, it sounds like Roseman will pass on Clowney. No matter what, the Eagles will have to improve their edge group between now and September. Last year, the Eagles’ D ranked just 19th against the pass and Brandon Graham represented the team’s only reliable blitzer. In the draft, the Eagles nabbed some offensive linemen, a pair of linebackers, tons of speedy wide receivers, and even a quarterback in Jalen Hurts, but they did not select an edge rusher until the seventh round.

Seahawks To Bring Back Geno Smith

May 14th, 2020 at 3:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have agreed to re-sign Geno Smith on a one-year deal, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Smith first joined Seattle almost exactly one year ago today and spent the year in Seattle, though he did not see time on the field.

Smith couldn’t have expected much playing time as he sat behind Russell Wilson, who has never missed a game in his eight-year career. He also probably didn’t expect to be released in late August and re-signed on September 1, but that’s exactly what happened.

The Jets installed Smith as their No. 1 QB after selecting him the second round of the 2013 draft, but Smith never looked the part of a starter. The Jets managed an 8-8 record in Smith’s first year under center, but Gang Green went just 3-10 in his second season. He was looking for redemption in 2015, but that campaign was erased by the fist of teammate IK Enemkpali in a locker room fight. If not for the ButtFumble, that incident would probably stand as the most infamous in modern Jets history. Smith, who is now years removed from his original team, may never shake that from his legacy.

In 2018, Smith hooked on with the Chargers, but threw only four passes as Philip Rivers‘ backup. Before that, he spent a year with the Giants, mostly behind Eli Manning but famously started one game ahead of him (much to the fans’ chagrin). This time around, Smith will look to find his place on the roster as he competes against undrafted rookie free agent QB Anthony Gordon.

Saints Re-Sign Patrick Omameh

May 14th, 2020 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Patrick Omameh has re-signed with the Saints, as Greg Auman of The Athletic tweets. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.

Omameh has spent time with a number of teams, but he’s perhaps best known for his ill-fated free agent deal with the Giants in 2018. After two years with the Jaguars, the G-Men inked him to a three-year, $15MM deal. Dave Gettleman saw something in the former undrafted free agent that didn’t quite surface in New York, but he wasn’t alone. Other clubs were in on the bidding and the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus positioned him as the No. 36 qualified guard in the NFL just one year earlier. In other words, Omameh wasn’t a first-rate blocker, but his $5MM AAV wasn’t outlandish.

Unfortunately, Omameh struggled in his first fall with the Giants. He was cut in November of that year; at the time, PFF had him just 61st out of 75 qualified guards. After finishing out the year with his old friends in Jacksonville, Omameh joined the Saints in the summer of ’19. Now, he’ll return to reprise his interior depth role.

Last year, Omameh appeared in 14 games for the Saints with just one start. For his career, Omameh’s suited up for 81 games with 57 starts, mostly coming with the Bucs and Jaguars.

NFL Draft Signings: 5/14/20

May 14th, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s late-round signings here:

The Colts signed a pair of sixth-round picks on Thursday: wide receiver Dezmon Patmon and defensive tackle Robert Windsor. With that, the Colts are down to five unsigned selections as of this writing. Windsor, a Penn State product, tallied 20 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and three forced fumbles over the course of his collegiate career. Patmon, out of Washington State, quietly impressed scouts as he tallied roughly 60 catches and 800 yards in his last two seasons on campus. Windsor will try to push Tyquan Lewis at the bottom of the DT depth chart. Patmon, meanwhile, will have his work cut out for him with lots of WRs already on Indy’s roster. On the plus side, Patmon’s 6’4″ build may give him an edge.

Raiders Had Interest In LeSean McCoy

May 14th, 2020 at 3:21pm CST by Zachary Links

We haven’t heard much about LeSean McCoy‘s market lately, but there have, in fact, been suitors. The Raiders showed interest in Shady before they added Devontae Booker to their running back depth chart, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).

McCoy “could see” himself with the Eagles, but Howie Roseman & Co. may be more keen on Carlos Hyde, if they can get the 1,000-yard rusher to agree to a dirt-cheap one-year deal. Last year, Hyde averaged 4.4 yards per carry with the Texans, proving that he still has lots left in the tank. McCoy, meanwhile, had a strange up-and-down year with the Super Bowl champs. After a red-hot start in his new Chiefs uniform, McCoy would up as a late-season afterthought.

Still, Jon Gruden loves his veteran players and the Raiders considered McCoy to join starter Josh Jacobs, Jalen Richard, Rod Smith, and third-round rookie Lynn Bowden. The Raiders probably don’t have room for McCoy, but plenty of other teams could be interested in the one-time superstar. If the Philly return doesn’t go down, the Bears would be a logical landing spot for someone like McCoy – ditto for fellow free agent RB Devonta Freeman.

T.Y. Hilton, Colts Haven’t “Dug In” On Deal

May 14th, 2020 at 2:10pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, T.Y. Hilton told reporters that he wants to remain with the Colts “for life”. Hilton also indicated that the team has engaged in talks with his representatives. That’s all true, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), though he hears that the Colts have not yet “dug in” on negotiations with the wide receiver. The talks, so far, have been preliminary, and there’s no exact timetable for when things might pick up.

There’s one year left on Hilton’s deal, set to count for $14.5MM against Indy’s salary cap. Colts GM Chris Ballard, ideally, would like to nudge that number down with a reworked deal. Hilton would probably be willing to accommodate, provided that he gets an extension with some guaranteed dollars. That deal, Hilton says, will be his last in the NFL, regardless of length.

Drafted in the third round of the 2012 draft, Hilton was a difference-maker right from the get-go. In Year One, Hilton showed he was a serious deep threat with 861 yards off of just 50 catches, good for 17.2 yards per grab. Things only got bigger and better from there. Over the course of the next seven years, Hilton tallied more than 8,000 yards, 500 catches for exactly 40 touchdowns and an average of 16.0 yards per catch. That, of course, was during his healthy seasons. Last year, Hilton’s calf capped him at just ten games – he finished with 45 catches, 501 yards, five scores, and perhaps a few questions as to whether he can still be the same player moving forward.

“I think [playing with Philip Rivers] will be special,” said Hilton, shrugging off any concerns (via NFL.com). “I think the way I’m training, the way my body feels, and Philip doing his thing. I feel like it’ll be an All-Pro year for me.”

Those who have watched Hilton’s work over the years tend to agree – he deserves one final payday with the Colts. Nat Newell of the Indy Star laid out a compelling case for the wide receiver this week, though he noted a key stat going against Hilton. Over the past two decades, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne, Anquan Boldin, and Hines Ward have been the only players to top 1,000 yards after their age-32 season. Hilton turns 31 in November, so the Colts might not be willing to give him WR1 money beyond 2021.