2020 June - Pro Football Rumors

Bucs Assistant Coach Tests Positive For COVID-19

June 19th, 2020 at 9:03am CST by Rory Parks

A Buccaneers assistant coach has tested positive for COVID-19, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Pursuant to the club’s safety protocols, two other assistants have been quarantined.

Fortunately, the coach that tested positive was asymptomatic, but as we creep closer to training camp and as more people return to team facilities, reports like these may become more common. The continued refinement of protocols and the expected increase of testing will be key in determining whether the league will be able to push forward with training camp and the regular season as it hopes.

The NFL permitted coaches to return to their respective facilities on June 5, though as Greg Auman of The Athletic points out, Tampa Bay’s coaches did not return until Monday, June 15. Auman also notes that positive tests are especially troublesome for the Bucs’ staff, which features a number of older coaches (including HC Bruce Arians, 67).

Of course, with training camp still over a month away, there is no cause for alarm just yet. Still, Tampa Bay is now the seventh team to have a player or coach diagnosed with COVID-19, which is not surprising, but it does underscore the difficulties that the league and its medical staff are facing.

Jadeveon Clowney’s Best Multi-Year Offer Came From Browns

June 18th, 2020 at 8:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns’ offer wasn’t good enough for Jadeveon Clowney, but it’s the best multi-year opportunity he’s gotten, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Browns’ proposal was previously estimated to be somewhere in the range of $12MM/year.

Earlier this week, we heard that the Browns would be willing to move their offer up to somewhere around $15MM/year. It’s not clear whether they’d be open to giving him that kind of money over multiple seasons or just for 2020, however.

The Browns have nearly $40MM in cap space, plenty of cash for summer upgrades. Besides, any deal for Clowney worth $15MM or less could be offset by the release of Olivier Vernon, who is due $15.25MM in non-guaranteed cash this year.

Clowney could effectively come as a package with a Myles Garrett extension. Both defensive ends are represented by Bus Cook, who is presently working to make Garrett the highest-paid DE in league history.

The Seahawks haven’t ruled out a reunion with Clowney either, but they’re limited by their cap situation. With just ~$14MM in spare room, they’ll have to get creative – and convincing – to bring the former No. 1 overall pick back to Seattle. For what it’s worth, they offered Clowney a ~$15MM deal earlier in the offseason, before they allocated most of their money elsewhere.

NFL Suspends DB Marqui Christian

June 18th, 2020 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marqui Christian agreed to terms with the Jets in March, only for that deal to fall through a week later. The now-free agent defensive back encountered another setback Thursday.

The NFL handed Christian a two-game suspension, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Under the new CBA, players will rarely face suspensions for substance abuse. That would point to this ban falling outside that arena.

Christian has thus far beaten the odds, emerging as a contributor from the Division II level. The 2016 fifth-round pick out of Midwestern State (Texas) spent the past four years with the Rams, playing in all 19 games for Los Angeles’ Super Bowl-qualifying team in 2018. He made 36 tackles in each of the past two seasons, serving as a backup.

Chiefs, 49ers, Cowboys Among Teams On Jamal Adams’ Preferred Destination List

June 18th, 2020 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jamal Adams has made an official trade request, and although the Jets have yet to grant it, the All-Pro safety has formed a list of teams he would be fine with joining.

Both of the Super Bowl LIV participants — the Chiefs and 49ers — headline the list. The Cowboys — who submitted an offer for Adams last October — are also included among a seven-team contingent that features the Ravens, Eagles, Texans and Seahawks, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Cowboys are the only team on this list that did not qualify for the playoffs last season. Adams, however, is a Texas native. Dallas offered a first-rounder and a Day 3 choice for the Jets standout last year.

As of now, the Jets are not prepared to trade Adams. But the safety may be more amenable to playing the fourth year of his rookie contract with one of the seven teams on this trade wish list than he is with the Jets, who have not made the playoffs since 2010.

The Jets are taking their time on extension talks for their top player, but with Adams signed through 2021 via the fifth-year option, that is not exactly uncommon. Teams often slow-play extensions for former first-rounders because of the option, but Adams is attempting to force the issue.

Jets’ Jamal Adams Requests Trade

June 18th, 2020 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets’ situation with Jamal Adams continues to escalate. Shortly after an Instagram reply where the All-Pro safety said it was maybe time for him to move on, he has requested a trade from the Jets, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets.

The team has not granted the request yet, Mehta adds, but this certainly would represent the escalation of a situation that has developed over the past several months. Adams requested the trade Thursday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter). The former No. 6 overall pick may already have a destination list. Were Adams to be traded to certain teams, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports he would not request an immediate extension the way he has from the Jets (Twitter link).

Adams became eligible for a contract extension after the 2019 regular season ended. He has continued to pursue one aggressively. Because of the fifth-year option, the Jets have Adams under contract through 2021. Teams often wait on extensions for first-rounders until their fourth seasons conclude, but Adams — using the Panthers’ recent extension for fellow 2017 top-10 pick Christian McCaffrey as an example — wants to be paid this year.

The Jets took trade calls on Adams before the deadline last year — most notably from the Cowboys — but GM Joe Douglas did not unload his top talent. While the situation was believed to be addressed to cool tensions shortly after, heat has intensified in this relationship. In January, Adams says, the Jets told him that they would propose terms of a long-term extension. Last week, the standout safety says that he’s still waiting for it.

He wants a new deal by the regular season’s outset, Cimini adds. Douglas said in February he wants to keep Adams a Jet for the rest of his career, and The Athletic’s Connor Hughes tweets the team still wants to pay him. It just appears the Jets do not want to do so immediately.

Adams has become one of the league’s best safeties, being invited to the past two Pro Bowls and earning first-team All-Pro recognition after his dominant 2019 season. The LSU alum’s next contract would be in line to not only come in atop the safety market — which fellow 2017 draftee Eddie Jackson heads after his $14.6MM-per-year Bears re-up — but exceed it by a considerable margin. Of course, with the salary cap potentially set to decrease for only the second time ever — because of the COVID-19 pandemic — teams have been cautious with extensions. Adams’ Instagram comment indicated he did not want to hear the Jets were using the pandemic as an excuse not to extend him.

It is clear this situation is not close to being resolved. For now, however, Adams remains a disgruntled Jet. The team turned down a Cowboys offer of a first-round pick and a Day 3 selection. Reports of the Jets’ trade talks triggered the rift between Adams and the team.

NFL Considering Expanding Contagious Disease Policy

June 18th, 2020 at 3:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Barely a month away from the date when the Cowboys and Steelers will open training camps, COVID-19 continues to present a unique threat. The NFL is discussing myriad issues the pandemic has created.

The NFL has a contagious disease policy in place, but Albert Breer of SI.com notes the league is discussing the possibility of expanding it. This comes in a busy week for the NFL on this front. The league has already begun discussions on moving practice squads from 12 to 16 players because of the pandemic. Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Jackson and at least three other members of the Cowboys and Texans have tested positive for the coronavirus this week, and given the record numbers COVID-19 is producing in many states this week — Texas and Florida among them — many more players certainly run the risk of contracting the virus.

Enacted in 2010, the league’s policy on contagious diseases allows roster exemptions for teams that report at least six cases of a disease. Teams can then receive up to eight exemptions to replace those players, but Breer notes this policy only allows teams to replace those players with members of their own practice squads. These teams, however, can make changes up to four hours prior to kickoff — which is more flexible compared to the policy for roster changes in advance of usual Sunday games. Under normal circumstances, teams can’t change their 53-man rosters beyond 4pm CT Saturday before games.

The league has discussed putting this policy into place full-scale this season, Breer adds. With the coronavirus being a worldwide issue, teams would be unlikely to have to communicate to the NFL the nature of the disease. Testing procedures remain up in the air, with a thrice-per-week format rumored earlier this week. But the NFL has discussed how in-season screening would work, with Breer adding that tests will likely be required before teams set their weekly rosters each Saturday.

While the NFL has not yet taken this to the NFLPA, it appears likely the parties — who are already amid discussions on multiple fronts as training camps approach — will discuss implementing additional roster flexibility to accommodate franchises amid the pandemic.

49ers’ Deebo Samuel Suffers Broken Foot

June 18th, 2020 at 2:02pm CST by Zachary Links

49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel broke his foot during a throwing session, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Samuel suffered the injury on Tuesday in Nashville and he’ll have surgery today to correct the Jones fracture in his left foot.

Samuel “should be able” to suit up “early in the season,” Rapoport hears, noting the 2019 second-round pick faces a 12- to 16-week timetable (Twitter link). It stands to reason that he won’t be ready to go in time for the opener, when the 49ers are slated to face the Cardinals on Sept. 13.

Samuel impressed as a rookie last year, hauling in 57 grabs for 802 yards and three touchdowns. This year, he was slated to serve as one of the team’s leading receivers, along with NFL frosh Brandon Aiyuk, Jalen Hurd, and Kendrick Bourne. The Niners may choose to stand pat, depending on how Samuel’s recovery goes, but they’ll likely assess available wide receiver options as well.

While it represents good news that Samuel will likely be able to return during the season’s first half, this is a considerable blow to a passing attack that lost Emmanuel Sanders. The 49ers allowed the 2019 trade acquisition-turned-Super Bowl starter to defect to the Saints in free agency. The drop from Samuel to the rest of San Francisco’s receivers is fairly significant.

The 49ers still employ 2018 second-round pick Dante Pettis, but after a promising rookie season, the Washington alum barely played down the stretch as an NFL sophomore. Slot receiver Trent Taylor is also returning from a broken foot, which cost him the entire 2019 season. That experience may prompt the 49ers to act swiftly to cover themselves on the wideout front.

Free agent options include Taylor Gabriel, who played for Kyle Shanahan with the 2016 Falcons. Jordan Matthews, whom the 49ers added last year, is also back on the market. So are Jermaine Kearse and Dontrelle Inman. Bigger names like Josh Gordon — who applied again for NFL reinstatement today — and Antonio Brown reside on the market as well. The 49ers were connected to the then-less controversial wideout last year but opted not to pull the trigger on a trade.

San Francisco has been aggressive on the trade market to plug holes recently, from adding Sanders to giving up more draft capital to acquire Trent Williams shortly after Joe Staley‘s retirement. It would not be surprising to see the defending NFC champions make a move to bolster this position while Samuel recovers.

Josh Gordon Applies For NFL Reinstatement

June 18th, 2020 at 1:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Josh Gordon has formally submitted his request for reinstatement, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Gordon has been training throughout the offseason in hopes of getting back on the field. Now, the league must rule on Gordon’s eligibility.

Gordon, 29, has been working out in Seattle with optimism that he could be cleared by the league office before training camp. It is, unfortunately, familiar territory for the talented wide receiver. In December, Gordon was hit with yet another ban – this time, an indefinite suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. That gave him a grand total of six career suspensions from the NFL and it’s not clear if Roger Goodell & Co. are ready to give him an immediate shot at redemption.

Gordon spent time with the Patriots and Seahawks last year. His contract with Seattle has lapsed, making him a free agent. Teams can, in theory, sign Gordon before he receives word from the league office, as the Cowboys did with Aldon Smith. Still, teams are likely to wait until they have a clearer picture of Gordon’s availability for the coming season.

Last year, Gordon had seven catches for 139 yards in five games for the Seahawks. Coach Pete Carroll has hinted that he’d be interested in a reunion and it stands to reason that other clubs will at least consider the former Browns superstar. Despite the hiccups in his personal life, Gordon’s talent will always tantalize evaluators. Several years have passed since Gordon’s exceptional 2014 season, but it’s impossible to forget what he achieved while focused and on the field. In that campaign, Gordon finished out with 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games.

Jaguars Sign Collin Johnson

June 18th, 2020 at 12:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars have officially signed fifth-round wide receiver Collin Johnson, per a club announcement. With Johnson under contract, they now have three of their 2020 draft picks in the fold.

Football is in Johnson’s blood – the University of Texas product is the son of former NFL defensive back Johnnie Johnson, who was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame for own stellar career at UT.

Johnson (the younger Johnson) amassed 2,624 receiving yards across four years with the Longhorns, good for the fifth-highest total in program history. If not for a hamstring injury that cost him time last year, he might have been in consideration for teams a couple rounds earlier. Instead, the Jaguars snagged him at No. 206 overall. Per the terms of his slot, Johnson will earn $3.45MM over the course of his four-year deal.

The Jaguars have one of the largest incoming classes in the league, so they still have lots to go. Here’s the full rundown of the Jaguars’ drafted frosh, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:

1-9: C.J. Henderson, CB (Florida)
1-20: K’Lavon Chaisson, DE (LSU)
2-42: Laviska Shenault, WR (Colorado)
3-73: Davon Hamilton, DT (Ohio State)
4-116: Ben Bartch, OT (St. John’s (MN))
4-137: Josiah Scott, CB (Michigan State)
4-140: Shaquille Quarterman, ILB (Miami): Signed
5-157: Daniel Thomas, S (Auburn)
5-165: Collin Johnson, WR (Texas): Signed
6-189: Jake Luton, QB (Oregon State)
6-206: Tyler Davis, TE (Georgia Tech): Signed
7-223: Chris Claybrooks, CB (Memphis)

Jets’ Jamal Adams: “Maybe It’s Time To Move On”

June 18th, 2020 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, Jamal Adams took yet another social media shot at the Jets. In an Instagram comment referencing Christian McCaffrey‘s recent big-money extension and the forthcoming Patrick Mahomes mega-deal, Adams wondered why his team isn’t taking care of him in the same fashion.

“I deserve to be paid…don’t use the pandemic excuse,” Adams wrote (h/t Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). “CM22 got paid not too long ago. Well deserved. Great friend of mine…I’m [going to] protect myself just like an organization will look out for themselves at the end of the day. And, if you guys don’t respect that, cool. It’s all [love]. Maybe it’s time to move on!”

Throughout the offseason, Jets GM Joe Douglas has told the press that he intends to keep the young standout safety for the duration of his career. Meanwhile, Adams says he has been left waiting. In January, Adams says, the Jets told him that they would propose terms of a long-term extension. Last week, Adams says that he’s still waiting for it.

The pandemic has unquestionably gummed up the works for pending extension talks around the league. However, Adams isn’t buying it. The Pro Bowler has been pushing for a market-value deal for well over a year and, lately, he’s received little in the way of communication. Instead, during that time, the Jets discussed potential trades, including one that would have shipped Adams to the Cowboys. Ultimately, the Jets’ asking price scuttled those talks – ditto for discussions with the Ravens.

As it stands, the Jets have Adams under contract through 2021. The Jets could keep him off the market with the franchise tag, but it’s clear that Adams wouldn’t cooperate with that course of action.