2020 May - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons To Consider Kicking Competition

May 12th, 2020 at 12:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Younghoe Koo isn’t a lock to be the Falcons’ kicker this year. Head coach Dan Quinn says he’s thinking about adding another kicker to the 90-man offseason roster to compete alongside him.

“We are still definitely considering adding a kicker into that spot,” Quinn said. “You could imagine that some of those decisions involve workouts and things that aren’t at this space.”

The Falcons passed on this year’s class of incoming kickers, which included Justin Rohrwasser (Patriots, fifth round), Tyler Bass (Bills, sixth round), and Sam Sloman (Rams, seventh round). Some expected them to dip into the available crop of rookie kickers, since they’ve had trouble in that department. Last year, they thought they were set with Giorgio Tavecchio. Then, the preseason happened – after Tavecchio missed his fourth attempt out of eight, they briefly pivoted to Blair Walsh before circling back to Matt Bryant. Bryant – who has been reliable, historically – flopped, leading them to Koo in late October.

Koo performed well, nailing 23 of 26 field goal tries and 15 of 16 extra points. Still, the Falcons won’t rest easy when it comes to their kickers. From the sound of it, they’ll have another leg in the mix this summer.

Jets To Sign CB Logan Ryan?

May 12th, 2020 at 10:47am CST by Ben Levine

The Jets believe they’re close to signing one of the best remaining free agents. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the organization “believes” they’ll land cornerback Logan Ryan on a one-year deal. Meanwhile, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano hears that while the Jets are interested, no formal offer has been made just yet. It’s a situation to monitor, but it’s not signed, sealed, and delivered as of this writing.

We heard last month that the Jets were looking to “free up money” so they could make a run at the veteran defensive back. While the organization will eventually have the necessary funds to add Ryan (they’ll have $14MM in space come June 1st), a signing was dependent on “Gang Green’s relatively stringent budget.” Indeed, Mehta notes that the impending signing revolved around “ownership’s willingness to dole out enough cash this year.”

After winning a pair of Super Bowls during his four seasons in New England, Ryan signed a three-year, $30MM deal with the Titans back in 2017. He started each of his 45 regular season games with Tennessee, but it doesn’t sound like a reunion was ever in the cards. Ryan bid farewell to the organization earlier this month, and he later revealed that the front office wouldn’t consider his suggested one-year, $9.5MM contract.

Ryan had one of his most productive seasons in 2019, setting career-highs in tackles (113), passes defended (18), sacks (4.5), and forced fumbles (four). Even if the veteran does eventually transition to safety, Mehta previously opined that he’s “the kind of player that [defensive coordinator Gregg] Williams covets.

The Jets have been busy revamping their secondary this offseason. The front office signed Pierre Desir, traded for Quincy Wilson, and re-signed Brian Poole. They also added safety Ashtyn Davis in the third round of the draft.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Patriots, Rivers

May 12th, 2020 at 9:53am CST by Ben Levine

After the Ravens added Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Mark Ingram believes his team officially has the best running game in the league.

“I like his mindset, I like his attitude, I like the way he run the ball. Just bring him and his talents to our room that’s already special; our backfield is gonna be the best in the league for sure,” Ingram told NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon). “We’re all looking forward to it, being playmakers for the team and help us win the championship.”

Last season, Ingram and quarterback Lamar Jackson became just the second RB-QB duo to top 1,000 rushing yards in the same season (Warrick Dunn and Michael Vick did it with the Falcons in 2006). Gus Edwards also had a productive season in Baltimore, running for 711 yards and two scores. Even Justice Hill found the end zone twice as a rookie.

While the backfield may be a bit crowded, it doesn’t sound like Ingram is too concerned about carries. Rather, the veteran is focused on winning a championship, and he passed that mindset on to his rookie teammate.

“He reached out to me,” Ingram said. “Right after he got drafted, just shot me his number, said he was looking forward to getting to work. I told him let’s go get a ring.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

Sticking with Baltimore, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta told season ticket holders that the team doesn’t have a whole lot of salary cap flexibility (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec on Twitter). DeCosta noted that if the front office did open up space, they’d likely pursue a pass rusher/linebacker or a veteran offensive lineman.
Reports yesterday indicated that Tom Brady‘s “deteriorating relationship” with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a big reason why the quarterback left New England. However, Brady vehemently denied those rumors via Instagram, asking reporters to “[p]lease be more responsible with reporting” (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). McDaniels and Brady had been paired together for more than a decade, winning six Super Bowls along the way.
In 2019, Philip Rivers was playing behind a Chargers offensive line that ranked 29th in effectiveness, per Pro Football Focus. In Indy, he’ll be playing behind an offensive line that was ranked third by the same metric, and that’s a big reason why the veteran decided to join the Colts. “The big part of Philip being here is Anthony Castonzo. Quenton Nelson,” said offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “Ryan Kelly. Braden Smith. Mark Glowinski. Those guys are studs…That’s something that he just kept mentioning after we signed him of how valuable those guys were to him.”

Contract Details: Jets, Charlton, Gipson

May 12th, 2020 at 9:08am CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted contract details to pass along:

Tashaun Gipson, S (Bears): One year. Deal is worth $1.05MM, including $550K in guaranteed money. Via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.
Johnathan Joseph, CB (Titans): One year. Deal is worth $2MM, including $1.5MM guaranteed. Additional $500K in “reachable incentives” and another $750K in standard incentives. Contract worth a maximum of $3.25MM. Via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com on Twitter and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network on Twitter.
Frank Gore, RB (Jets): One year. Deal is worth $1.05MM, including $200K guaranteed. Cap charge of $750K. Via Pelissero on Twitter and ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter.
Jordan Jenkins, LB (Jets): One-year. Deal is worth $3.75MM. $3.25MM in guaranteed money, including $1.75MM signing bonus and $1.5MM base salary. $500K in roster bonuses, $250K in “likely to be earned” incentives. Via Cimini on Twitter.
Taco Charlton, DE (Chiefs): One year. Deal is worth $825K. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
Devontae Booker, RB (Raiders): Signed. One year deal worth veteran salary benefit ($887.5K cap charge). Includes $50K signing bonus. Via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.

This Date In Transactions History: Cardinals Cut Daryl Washington

May 11th, 2020 at 7:14pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2017, the Cardinals released linebacker Daryl Washington. This wasn’t the first time a player with a Pro Bowl pedigree was released, and it won’t be the last, but this transaction was notable for a different reason. At this point, Washington had not played a single down of football since the final week of the 2013 season.

Washington racked up an eye-popping 134 tackles in 2012, including nine sacks. And, in 2013, he was still reasonably productive with 75 tackles and three sacks in 12 games. Unfortunately, he made more headlines for his repeated bans and mishaps. Washington was suspended for four games in 2013, then was banned for all of 2014 after yet another substance abuse violation. He was also arrested in the ’13 offseason on two counts of aggravated assault against his one-time spouse.

A few years later, when Washington was finally reinstated by the league, the Cardinals were not interested in a reunion, even though he was still only 30 years old at the time. When Arizona rejected the TCU product, he went on a public campaign to stir up interest from the Cowboys.

“Why not be a Cowboy?” Washington said. “I’m settled in here. It’s home. Let’s try to get one this year. Come on Mr. [Jerry] Jones, you’ll be glad you took a chance on me. We’ll hold up that Lombardi Trophy together.”

Mr. Jones has taken his fair share of gambles before, but he wasn’t interested in Mr. Washington. We haven’t heard much from Washington since, and it’s unlikely that we’ll see him on the field again.

Russell Okung’s NFLPA Battle Continues

May 11th, 2020 at 6:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Russell Okung won’t go down without a fight. The Panthers tackle says he will appeal the dismissal of his unfair labor claim against the NFLPA (Twitter link). The National Labor Relations Board turned down Okung’s case just last week.

Okung claims NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith pushed the CBA vote through to union-wide vote, despite the opposition of the executive committee. Some established vets and union leaders, including Okung, were vocal in their disapproval, but the union’s rules didn’t necessarily require their yes vote.

The executive committee voted 6-5 in February not to recommend the owners’ CBA pitch, and after the NFL Draft Combine meeting, the exec committee was reportedly at 7-4 against recommending the CBA. The key word there is “recommending” – the NFLPA’s bylaws do not necessarily require a thumbs-up from that group. After that, the union’s 32-player board voted to send the proposal to the entire player body.

“We look forward to a neutral party scrutinizing the NFLPA leadership’s history of circumventing and ignoring the union’s constitutional mandates and failure to represent the best interests of the labor force, culminating in a flawed, disappointing Collective Bargaining Agreement and forcing out of a leadership position a person who has shown enormous courage in fighting for players’ rights and protections,” Okung’s attorney said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Okung is gearing up for his new team in advance of the 2020 season. The Chargers shipped Okung to the Panthers in March and received guard Trai Turner in exchange.

“I made it really clear, I’m not here to just rebuild,” Okung said recently (via ESPN.com’s David Newton). “I’m here to win, and win right now.”

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/20

May 11th, 2020 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

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

The Patriots and third-round tight end Dalton Keene have reached agreement on his contract, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Pats have motored through their draft class quicker than most – out of ten draft picks, only one remains unsigned, as shown in PFR’s tracker. Keene, one of two tight ends drafted by New England in the third round, figures to serve as an H-Back and line up at multiple positions in the NFL. He’s a solid blocker, too, though scouts say he needs to bulk up.

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Smith, Cowboys, Prescott

May 11th, 2020 at 5:52pm CST by Zachary Links

With graphic details and graphic images, ESPN.com’s Elizabeth Smith and Stephania Bell bring us the story of Alex Smith‘s gruesome injury and his road to recovery.

“Our first priority is we’re going to save his life,” a hospital worker said to Alex’s wife, Elizabeth, just days after the injury. “And then we’re going to do our best to save his leg. And anything beyond that is a miracle.”

Smith said that he feels “very much lucky to be alive” after the horrific injury and ensuing sepsis infection. And, after celebrating his 36th birthday in May, the Redskins quarterback is working towards an NFL return. Mrs. Smith, meanwhile, is conflicted.

“When I think about Alex returning to football, there’s part of me that wants him to do whatever he has the inner drive to do. If that means stepping back on the football field and throwing on those pads, then I want him to prove that to himself. But obviously there’s part of me asking, “‘Is it worth ever doing that again? Do you know what we just went through?'”

Here’s more on the Redskins, the Redskins’ quarterback situation, and the rest of the NFC East:

Talk of Tua Tagovailoa going to the Redskins didn’t bother starter Dwayne Haskins.“Throughout the whole process Ron [Rivera] was just telling me to trust him,” Haskins said (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports). “I did so it worked out.” The Redskins were long expected to take Chase Young with the No. 2 pick, but there were Tua rumblings on draft week. Ultimately, they took the Ohio State edge rusher and passed on the Alabama star.
If the Cowboys can’t work out an extension with Dak Prescott by July 15th, they’ll have to wait until after the 2020 season to resume negotiations. That deadline puts some serious pressure on the team to get something done with their beloved QB, but COO Stephen Jones says he won’t break the budget. “There’s all sorts of analytics out there that show if your quarterback takes up too big a percentage of your salary cap, it decreases your chances to win,” Jones said (via PFT). “We’re just trying to figure out the right fit. No one wants to sign Dak to a longer term deal more than Jerry and myself. We’re on the record time and time again on what we think of him as a leader. He has the ‘it’ factor. He’s a fierce competitor. He wants to win as well, and it’s just gotta be right for him and right for us.”
The Cowboys are feeling really, really good about their Day 2 and Day 3 haul in the draft, Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Before the draft, they had a “high-second-round” grade on cornerback Trevon Diggs – they landed him at No. 51 overall. They assigned a second-round grade to defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, and snagged him in the third. In the fourth round, they see yet another steal – the scouting department gave center Tyler Biadasz a high-third-round score and snagged him with the last pick of the fourth round. Time will tell, but the Cowboys are doing cartwheels over their 2020 middle-round choices.
Carlos Hyde, who racked up 1,000+ yards rushing in Houston last year, is still available. The Eagles are interested, but they only want him at the right price.
Recently, the Giants reworked Cooper Rush‘s contract to dial down his base pay but also give him a chunk of guaranteed money. That may bode well for his odds of making the roster, but he’s got lots of competition.

Dolphins Sign Round 2 Pick Raekwon Davis

May 11th, 2020 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after agreeing to terms with Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins hammered out a deal with one of his former Alabama teammates.

Miami signed second-round pick Raekwon Davis on Monday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The Dolphins drafted the defensive tackle with the No. 56 overall pick.

The Dolphins have now signed five of their 12 draft picks. Davis is the first of Miami’s two second-rounders to sign, with offensive lineman Robert Hunt still unsigned. Traditionally, second-round picks are not difficult to ink. Third-rounders’ deals are more complicated, but the slot system implemented by the 2011 CBA and retained by 2020’s agreement makes signing most draft picks a much simpler process.

Davis should be a candidate to start for the Dolphins soon, which would give the Dolphins a two-Raekwon front seven (joining linebacker Raekwon McMillan). Davis broke out as a sophomore with 8.5 sacks but only collected two over his final two seasons. Still, Davis saw extensive action for three Crimson Tide teams. Considering the depth Alabama annually possesses, that is an accomplishment several of the program’s recent draftees cannot claim.

Raiders Made Offer To Frank Gore

May 11th, 2020 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite going into his age-37 season — which is nearly uncharted territory for running backs — Frank Gore received multiple offers in free agency.

Before deciding on the Jets, Gore indicated the Raiders made him an offer. Gore told NFL.com’s Jim Trotter he chose the Jets because of his relationship with Adam Gase. Gore worked with Gase with the 2008 49ers and with the Dolphins 10 years later. Gase tried to bring Gore with him to Jets last year as well.

“I got an opportunity to get back with a good friend and a guy I respect, and I’m happy that he wanted me to be on his team,” Gore said of signing with Gase’s Jets. “And I’m happy to be around a guy who has done some great things in this league in Le’Veon Bell. That can motivate me. And I can help out the young kid that they just drafted, La’Mical Perine.”

While the Jets used a fourth-round pick on Perine, the Raiders did not draft a pure running back. They did add Kentucky gadget player Lynn Bowden Jr., who could be used in the backfield. The Raiders also extended Jalen Richard to serve as Josh Jacobs‘ backup, re-signed Rod Smith in March and, after Gore did not accept their offer, pivot to ex-Bronco Devontae Booker.

Gore would have provided the Raiders some insurance as a between-the-tackles runner, though Jacobs staying healthy would not leave him much room for work. Gore averaged a career-low 3.6 yards per carry last season but gained 599 rushing yards and obviously brings more experience than any other Raiders’ backups. The NFL’s No. 3 all-time leading rusher supplies more experience than nearly anyone who has ever played the position.