2020 May - Pro Football Rumors

Texas To Allow Fans At Games

May 28th, 2020 at 2:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this month, Texas gave the greenlight for professional sports to return to the state, effective Monday. Today, Governor Greg Abbott updated his order to allow fans to attend games in outdoor stadiums, up to 25% capacity (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).

While states like California have mostly kept restrictions in place, Texas has moved quickly in recent days to ease many of its rules and guidelines. The disparity has the Cowboys considering training camp in the Lone Star State, as opposed to their usual base in Oxnard, California.

As more states move to open up for business, optimism for the 2020 NFL season has increased. Still, there are major hurdles to clear and, perhaps, some negotiations needed between the NFLPA and the league office. Recently, union lead DeMaurice Smith pumped the breaks a bit, saying that he was less-than-certain about the season going on as planned.

Meanwhile, the NFL continues to eye minicamps in June with hopes of having regular season games at full fan capacity.

Seahawks Sign RB Carlos Hyde

May 28th, 2020 at 1:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks are moving fast. Shortly after a report surfaced of a final offer going out to Devonta Freeman, the Seahawks will pivot to Carlos Hyde. The six-year veteran agreed to terms with the team on Friday, and the deal became official on Thursday afternoon, per a club announcement.

With Rashaad Penny‘s status uncertain, the Seahawks moved aggressively to bring in a veteran this week. They offered Freeman a deal that would have paid him $3MM in base value, with another $1MM available via incentives, but the longtime Falcons starter didn’t bite. Instead, Hyde will soon head west on a deal that will pay him up to $4MM, per Rapoport (on Twitter). It is not yet certain if the base value for Hyde — who also surfaced as a Seahawks target this week — will equal what Seattle offered Freeman.

Hyde is coming off his first 1,000-yard season. Since his 49ers exit, though, the former second-round pick has not enjoyed much stability. Hyde signed with the Browns in free agency in 2018, but the team traded him to the Jaguars. Jacksonville cut bait after the ’18 season, leading Hyde to the Chiefs. Kansas City then traded him to Houston, where he became the Texans’ primary ground-game option.

Despite a low-end contract, Hyde reeled off 1,070 yards (4.4 per carry) and six touchdowns. While Hyde has just one 1,000-yard season, he compiled back-to-back 900-plus-yard campaigns with the 2016 and ’17 49ers. Hyde turned down a Texans offer earlier this year.

The Seahawks still appear intent on keeping Chris Carson as their primary back, despite the fumbling troubles that plagued him last season, and invested a first-round pick in Penny two years ago. But they now have some insurance in Hyde, who will turn 30 in September. Such insurance may be necessary. Penny starting the season on the PUP list is a concern, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets.

Hyde’s decision may drive the Eagles — who were also interested in Hyde — to ramp up talks with Freeman. Both the Jets and Eagles are believed to be in the mix for Freeman.

Another piece of fallout from this deal could mean Marshawn Lynch returns to retirement. Earlier this month, Seahawks GM John Schneider said another deal with Lynch remained possible. Seattle re-signed Lynch after both Carson and Penny went down late last season. The popular Seahawk played in the team’s regular-season finale and both playoff games.

49ers, Trent Williams Rework Contract

May 28th, 2020 at 1:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have yet to give Trent Williams an extension, but they did do a solid for their new starting left tackle. San Francisco revised the final year of the veteran’s contract to give him some upfront payment, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.

For months, we heard that Willians would demand a brand new deal from any team that traded for him. However, after he was shipped from the Redskins to the 49ers, Williams said he was willing to put extension talks on the back burner. With that, Williams is set to play out the last season on his original D.C. deal, one that pays him $12.5MM in base salary. But, thanks to the recent adjustment, it’ll come with some guaranteed cash. Before, that sum was completely non-guaranteed.

Williams has been out of football for more than a year and he’s undoubtedly eager to prove himself all over again. The multiple-time Pro Bowler will take over for SF legend Joe Staley, who kept his retirement plans on the hush until the Niners were able to secure his replacement.

The Rams were in the mix to trade for Williams, even though they’ve got limited cap flexibility and a massive Jalen Ramsey extension on the docket. The Vikings were also a frontrunner for Williams, and they would have given him an extension, but the left tackle may have blocked that deal. Instead of money and security from Minnesota, Williams will reunite with Kyle Shanahan in the Bay Area.

NFL To Allow 3 Players To Return From IR

May 28th, 2020 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, NFL owners voted to allow three players to return from injured reserve each season, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Previously, teams were capped at two IR-DTR spots each.

The rule change makes plenty of sense given the current climate. And, once things go back to normal, it would probably make sense for the league to keep it in place. With playoff expansion and regular season expansion on the horizon, the already staggering injury totals will jump even higher. The ability to bring an extra player back from IR should help to offset some of those losses.

The league’s IR-DTR rule has gone through a few transformations since its first introduction. At the outset, teams were only allowed to bring back one player per year and they had to make the designation in advance. Later, the designation was eliminated. Then, in 2017, teams were permitted to return two players from IR each season, rather than just one.

Per the last set of rules, a player must be on IR for a minimum of six weeks before practicing. After that, the player can return to live action two weeks later, making it a minimum eight-week IR stay. Those conditions, presumably, will remain.

Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes Start Extension Talks

May 28th, 2020 at 12:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have kicked off extension talks with Patrick Mahomes, according to Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). There’s little doubt that a deal will ultimately get done and, once finalized, it should position the quarterback as the highest-paid player in NFL history.

Mahomes has two years remaining on his original rookie deal, worth $2.794MM and $24.837MM, respectively. After that, the Chiefs would still have the option of using the franchise tag, but that’s a costly game. Instead, the Chiefs would rather pony up the big bucks to lock down one of the game’s brightest stars for years to come.

Some believe that Texans QB Deshaun Watson will ink an extension before Mahomes signs his own mega-deal. That scenario would suit Mahomes just fine, as Watson would provide a favorable comp that the Chiefs passer would easily top.

For a while, we were hearing that Mahomes’ next deal could break the $40MM per year barrier. But, lately, there’s been talk of Watson striking the $40MM-$42MM/year range, which could set Mahomes up for a truly unprecedented ask of around $50MM per season, on average. That doesn’t mean the Chiefs would give it to him, but it wouldn’t be totally out of the ballpark.

After leading the Chiefs to their first championship in 50 years, Mahomes can safely shoot for the moon. Meanwhile, his reps will be keeping a close eye on Watson’s talks, as well as Dak Prescott‘s negotiations with the Cowboys.

No Major Talks Between Lions, Taylor Decker

May 28th, 2020 at 12:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Taylor Decker has one year to go on his contract, but he hasn’t gotten down to brass tacks with the Lions just yet (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of the team website). There haven’t been any serious discussions on a new deal, though Decker says he’s gotten good feedback from the team on the whole.

The Lions exercised Decker’s fifth-year option last year, keeping him under contract for $10.35MM for the 2020 season. Even though he says he’s willing to stay patient, he did make a representation change earlier this year, joining up with AMDG Sports, a firm dedicated exclusively to offensive linemen. The group is managed by LeCharles Bentley, who also tutors Decker at his performance center.

Decker lacked consistency in his first three seasons, but he turned a major corner last year. He allowed just seven sacks in 2019, graded out as one of Pro Football Focus’ top five tackles in the NFL, and only improved as the year wore on. For comparison, Decker graded as PFF’s No. 36 tackle in 2018.

In addition to Decker, the Lions will have to leave room for other post-2020 extensions, including wide receiver Kenny Golladay.

Talks Stall Between Cardinals, Patrick Peterson

May 28th, 2020 at 12:16pm CST by Zachary Links

There hasn’t been a lot of conversation between the Cardinals and Patrick Peterson on a new deal, the cornerback says (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team website). Still, as he enters his walk year, P2 says he wants to continue and ultimately finish his career with the only team he’s ever known.

Peterson is set to carry a $13.2MM charge against the 2020 salary cap. An extension could allow the Cardinals could tamp that number down a bit (though, probably not by much) while giving Peterson extra security as he enters his 30s.

Peterson, 30 in July, tallied 53 total tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defensed in his shortened ten-game season. That marked the first campaign of his career without perfect attendance.

Last year, Peterson told the Cardinals that he wanted to be traded. Later, he was hit with a six-game ban for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. At that point, he changed course, telling the world that he wanted to spend the rest of his career in Arizona.

Despite all of the friction, Peterson has been phenomenal for the most part. Over the last nine years, he’s tallied 25 interceptions while blanketing some of the league’s most dangerous receivers. He didn’t deliver his finest work in 2019, but he believes that he can help launch the Cardinals into contention in 2020.

“It’s going to come down to us to manage the locker room, manage the egos and make sure everybody is on the same page and understand that we have to commit to one another, believe in one another and trust one another,” Peterson said. “If we do those three things, we can be in Tampa (for the Super Bowl) ready to face whoever, and ready to hopefully bring that Lombardi trophy, the first Lombardi trophy, home to Arizona.”

Eagles Haven’t Made Offer To RB LeSean McCoy

May 28th, 2020 at 10:49am CST by Ben Levine

While the Eagles are reportedly “open to the idea” of bringing back LeSean McCoy, it doesn’t sound like they’ve seriously pursued the veteran running back. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (via Twitter) that Philly hasn’t made an offer to their former Pro Bowler.

However, the Eagles have (or, at least, did) make offers to other veteran running backs. McLane notes that the organization made an offer to Carlos Hyde, who has since signed with the Seahawks. The organization also made an offer to Devonta Freeman, who is currently weighing his options.

We heard last week that there was some mutual interest in an Eagles/McCoy reunion. The running back spent six seasons in Philly between 2009 and 2014, earning three Pro Bowl trips and two First-Team All-Pro nods. Of course, the Eagles wouldn’t be getting that version of McCoy in 2020; despite starting 22 games for the Bills and Chiefs over the past two years, the veteran has only compiled 979 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 262 carries.

On the flip side, the Eagles probably wouldn’t be expecting a whole lot of production out of the 31-year-old (32 in July). Instead, he’ll be a mentor in a relatively young running backs room, a grouping that’s currently led by Miles Sanders and Boston Scott.

Seahawks OL Duane Brown Back To Full Health

May 28th, 2020 at 9:46am CST by Ben Levine

When the 2020 season eventually kicks off, Duane Brown expects to be fully healthy. The veteran offensive tackle said he’s recovered from bicep and knee injuries that forced him to miss five games (including one playoff contest) last season.

While the 34-year-old had to eventually have December knee surgery, he revealed that he didn’t need to go under the knife for his biceps ailment.

“I didn’t get anything done to it,” Brown said (via Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com). “It’s doing great. Been working out and haven’t really had any restrictions or limitations with it.

“Knee is doing great. Didn’t have any more work done. After the year (I) got it checked out and just got treatment done to it. And since then, just been working out, keeping it strong, moving around. Typical offseason for me at this point. Not nursing it too much so I’m doing pretty good.”

While Brown has only appeared in all 16 regular season games once since 2015, the Seahawks will still be relying on him to provide some veteran savvy to an offensive line that will feature three new starters. The four-time Pro Bowler also noted that he hasn’t considered retirement, although he’s set to turn 35 in August and will be entering his 13th NFL campaign.

“I don’t think about it too much,” Brown said “I tell myself I don’t want to put a number on when I want to walk away. I’m enjoying it. This year my goal is just to stay as healthy as possible and be out there every Sunday. That’s all I’m really concerned with.”

Browns Still Interested In Jadeveon Clowney

May 28th, 2020 at 9:23am CST by Ben Levine

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Following reports from yesterday that Jadeveon Clowney turned down an offer from the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that the Browns are still interested in the free agent pass rusher.

We learned last night that Clowney had rejected Cleveland’s contract, even though it was the most lucrative deal he’s been offered. Cabot notes that the 27-year-old is still “weighing his options.”

Clowney’s contract demands have dropped throughout the offseason. While the former first-overall pick was previously seeking a deal that’d pay him $20MM per year, those demands have been reduced to the $17MM to $18MM range. It’s uncertain how much money Cleveland offered the defensive end.

While Cleveland could certainly use some talent, they’re not in desperate need for a pass rusher. After all, they have former first-overall pick Myles Garrett as well as former Pro Bowler Olivier Vernon. Still, as Cabot points out, Browns general manager Andrew Berry isn’t afraid of making a big splash.

“We’re actively always looking, whether it’s draft, free agency, trades, waiver wire, you name it, to add players to our roster,” Berry previously said. “Obviously Jadeveon, he’s a good football player. But for us, it really goes back to something I mentioned maybe a few months ago. Rest assured, across all opportunities to acquire players, we’re going to be aggressive in adding talent to the roster.”

The Titans have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Clowney, and there’s still a chance he returns to the Seahawks. Earlier this offseason, Clowney reportedly expressed interest in joining the Giants or Jets. Neither New York team, despite apparent edge defender needs, has strongly reciprocated such interest.