2020 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: November 2024

This Date In Transactions History: Rob Gronkowski Signs Record-Breaking Extension

June 8th, 2020 at 9:25am CST by Zachary Links

Eight years ago today, Rob Gronkowski inked the most lucrative deal for a tight end in league history. The Patriots tacked another six years on to the two remaining seasons of his rookie contract at $54MM, locking him down through the 2019 campaign.

The deal made plenty of sense for both sides. With $13MM fully guaranteed and $18MM guaranteed for injury, the 23-year-old scored some serious financial security early in his career. Through his first two NFL seasons, the former second-round pick made less than $2.5MM in total.

Meanwhile, the Patriots locked down a tight end coming off of a First-Team All-Pro selection. Although he impressed as a rookie, Gronk took his game to a new level in 2011 as he caught 90 passes for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns with a catch percentage of 72.6%. Even today, those numbers stand as Gronk’s career bests.

A broken forearm sidelined Gronkowski for five games in 2012. Shortly after returning, he re-aggravated the injury in the Pats’ first playoff game and missed out on the AFC Championship game. In the offseason, the forearm became infected, forcing the tight end to undergo the third and fourth surgeries of his career. In June of 2013, he had back surgery. Then, in a late-season contest against the Browns, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. Gronk was undoubtedly grateful for his injury guarantees at that time.

There were more ailments to come, including a less serious knee injury in 2015 and a pulmonary contusion in 2016, but Gronkowski continued to be one of the very best at his position. Meanwhile, the salary cap continued to grow and the tight end market advanced. Over time, Gronk’s record-setting deal started to look more and more team-friendly. In 2014, Jimmy Graham signed a deal that made him the league’s highest-paid tight end with an average annual average value of $10MM and $16.5MM in full guarantees.

Eventually, something had to give. Prior to the 2017 season, the Pats tweaked Gronk’s deal to incentivize his performance while protecting the team against another injury-marred season. The deal gave him a base salary of $5.25MM with incentive packages at three different tiers:

A total salary of $10.75MM with either 90% play time or 80 catches or 1,200‪ receiving yards or an All-Pro nomination.
A total salary $8.75MM with 80% play time or 70 catches or 1,000 receiving yards or 12 touchdowns.
A total salary of $6.75MM with 70% play time or 60 receptions or 800 receiving yards or ten touchdowns.

With 1,084 yards (off of 69 receptions with eight touchdowns), Gronkowski satisfied the middle tier requirement. However, thanks to his First-Team All-Pro selection, the tight end maxed out his 2017 package. After that, Gronk asked the Pats to sweeten the pot once again, and they obliged with a similar incentives package worth up to $3.3MM for the 2018 season. The Patriots also came close to sending Gronk to the Lions, an indication that all was not well between the two sides.

The 2018 wound up being Gronkowski’s final season in a Patriots uniform. At the age of 29, Gronkowski retired. One year later, he pushed the Patriots to trade him to the Bucs, rebooting his bromance with longtime pal Tom Brady.

5 Key NFL Stories: 6/1/20 – 6/7/20

June 7th, 2020 at 5:24pm CST by Zachary Links

A look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:

Clemson WR Justyn Ross Out For Season: NFL scouts have been drooling over the potential of Clemson’s Justyn Ross, one of the top receivers in the 2021 draft class. The early projections had him as a top 10 or 15 pick, but a troubling diagnosis has ruled out his 2020 season and put his football future in jeopardy. On Friday, Ross went under the knife to help correct the abnormal fusion of two bones in his neck.

Devonta Freeman‘s dragging market: Former Falcons star Devonta Freeman says he’s going to wait for the right deal. So far, he hasn’t gotten an offer to his liking, but he maintains that “a number” of teams have interest in signing him. Last week, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said that he would have interest in signing Freeman if his asking price was in the right ballpark. The Jets and Eagles have also considered Freeman, but he lost a suitor when he rejected the Seahawks’ one-year, $3MM offer – they’ve since filled their RB need by signing Carlos Hyde.

Ditto for Jadeveon Clowney: The Browns’ $12MM offer wasn’t good enough for Jadeveon Clowney, but he might not have much in the way of alternative options. The Jets do not have serious interest in the former No. 1 overall pick, and the same reportedly goes for the Giants and Eagles.

Jets Hoping To Pull Kyle Long Out Of Retirement?: According to one report, the Jets have reached out to former Bears Pro Bowler Kyle Long to gauge his interest in returning to the field. Meanwhile, the retired veteran guard claims that he has not heard from Gang Green.

Coaching Staffs Permitted To Return To Facilities: Last week, coaches were given the greenlight to return to team facilities. The NFL was giving some thought to staging minicamp in June, but that does not appear to be part of the plan at this time. For now, the league is focusing on the start of training camp in July.

PFR Originals: 6/1/20 – 6/7/20

June 7th, 2020 at 5:02pm CST by Zachary Links

In case you missed it, here’s a look at some of our faves from the past week:

In recent years, several teams have come to regret high-priced extensions for their star running backs. After watching things backfire on the Cardinals (David Johnson), Rams (Todd Gurley), and Falcons (Devonta Freeman), Rory Parks asked readers to weigh in on the Vikings’ approach with Dalvin Cook. So far, PFR readers are roughly split on the matter.
Mike Maccagnan has been widely criticized for his tenure as the Jets’ GM, so it’s important to acknowledge his successful moves. One of the best decisions he made for Gang Green was the trade of first-round bust Calvin Pryor to the Browns in exchange for Demario Davis, who left the Jets as a free agent just one year earlier. Davis delivered a strong 2017 in New York/New Jersey only for the Jets to watch him leave once again, this time to the Saints.
We also took a look back at the Chiefs’ release of Jeremy Maclin, which went down on that same week in 2017. At the time, the move came as a shock – many figured that if the Chiefs were going to drop Maclin, they would have done it earlier in the offseason. Instead, they dropped the veteran in the summer, making him a free agent after most of the league’s available dollars had dried up. The Chiefs’ timing wasn’t necessarily fair to Maclin, but it’s hard to find fault with their decision. The Chiefs’ young group of receivers would go on to help them capture a Super Bowl ring. Maclin, meanwhile, looked nothing like his former self in Baltimore.
The Browns thought they had a solid veteran linebacker at a value when they signed Mychal Kendricks. Instead, his one-year deal turned into a two-month cup of coffee thanks to an insider trading scandal. This week, we reflected on Kendricks’ brief and bizarre tenure in Cleveland.
Football fans will always remember Issac Bruce as one of the Rams’ greatest players of all-time. Fewer will remember the tail end of his career with the 49ers, or the trade that went down ten years ago today to send him back, allowing him to retire in blue and gold.
In the last three years, John Ross has played in just 24 games for the Bengals. Now, he’s got one year left on his contract, a make-or-break year that will dictate his football future.

Make-Or-Break Year: Bengals WR John Ross

June 7th, 2020 at 4:47pm CST by Zachary Links

In 2017, the Bengals had the No. 9 overall pick and two clear top needs. First, there was the defensive end position, where they were hoping to upgrade from Michael Johnson after another so-so season. They were also out to find a young and athletic wide receiver to help take the pressure off of A.J. Green. John Ross, who wowed scouts with a 4.22-second 40-yard-dash time, fit the bill at WR, though many figured the Bengals would trade down to take him.

Instead, they stood pat and used their top pick to take Ross. At the time, many said that it was a reach – the Washington product’s speed was undeniably impressive, but his medical history was extensive. In 2015, he tore his ACL and missed the entire season. And, after his impressive combine showing, he underwent labrum surgery. In short, evaluators loved him, but most viewed him as a one-contract player rather than a long-term investment.

So far, Ross hasn’t done much to prove the critics wrong. In three pro seasons, Ross has played a grand total of 24 games. At times, when healthy and on the field, he’s dazzled. Ross looked like a monster in the making after is Week 1 performance against the Seahawks last year, going off for seven catches, 158 yards, and two scores. In Week 2 against the 49ers, he topped 100 yards once again, and he did it with just four receptions. After that, Ross missed all of October and November due to injury and did not post another 100-yard game.

As expected, the Bengals declined Ross’ fifth-year option in May, turning down a one-year, $15.68MM add-on that would have guaranteed his 2021 season for injury. Even more concerning for Ross’ Cincinnati future, the club used the first pick of the second round to select Tee Higgins, who is fresh off of a ~1,200-yard season at Clemson. The Bengals haven’t quite written Ross off, but they’re not planning around him either.

With one year left on Ross’ original rookie contract, the story on him is roughly the same as it was three years ago – Ross has the speed and skills to dominate the league, but he has not been able to stay healthy and put it all on display. Ross can cash in as a free agent (with the Bengals or one of the league’s other 31 teams) if he turns in a full and productive season, but he’ll also have to maintain his place in the pecking order. If the majority of Joe Burrow‘s targets go to Green, Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, Ross won’t have much of an opportunity to showcase himself.

This Date In Transactions History: 49ers Trade Issac Bruce To The Rams

June 7th, 2020 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2010, the 49ers traded Issac Bruce to the Rams. However, this wasn’t a typical trade. The deal was facilitated in order to allow Bruce, then 37, to retire with his original franchise.

Bruce started his career with the Rams in 1994, the team’s final season in Los Angeles. The second-round pick played sparingly as a rookie, but he broke out as an NFL sophomore in St. Louis with 119 catches, 1,781 yards, and 13 touchdowns, all of which went down as his career bests. In his 14 illustrious years with the Rams, Bruce amassed four Pro Bowl trips and eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in eight different seasons.

“Sixteen years was enough for me,” Bruce said at his farewell press conference. “I think a lot was done. But that second training camp practice (in two-a-days) may have played a part in it. I was ready to move on and do something else other than playing football.”

After so many productive seasons in the NFL, Bruce had little left to prove. Bruce was the leading wide receiver in the Rams’ “Greatest Show On Turf” Super Bowl-winning season and left the team as its all-time receiving leader with 14,109 yards. His second act with the Niners was not quite as flashy with 835 yards in his first SF season and 264 yards in his 2009 finale.

“The two years I was away, I kept tabs on this organization,” Bruce said. “I played against this organization, I played against its players. The funny thing is I found myself encouraging them when things didn’t look bright for them. I looked down and saw myself in a different colored uniform. It was honestly just to me personally — it just wasn’t right.”

So, with the trade, Bruce returned back to the Rams and became the last member of the Rams’ first Los Angeles run to hang ’em up. Later, his No. 80 jersey was retired by the team. Bruce was denied entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame multiple times, but he was finally enshrined in 2020, after six years of eligibility.

Browns Notes: Kaepernick, OBJ, LB

June 6th, 2020 at 3:15pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WKNR AM-850, Hue Jackson said that he wanted the Browns to sign Colin Kaepernick in 2017 (via Jeff Schudel of the News Herald). The Browns, of course, did not sign him, and placed rookie Deshone Kizer under center instead.

“I wanted him,” Jackson said Friday. “It just didn’t work out. Obviously, those things do have to work from a finance, draft, whatever all that is. And that wasn’t my decision.”

Jackson may have wanted Kaepernick in 2017, but he didn’t share that opinion publicly at the time. Like most coaches, Jackson skirted questions about the QB and said that he wasn’t being discussed as a serious option. Meanwhile, Jackson didn’t have full control over the 53-man roster. Personnel decisions were ultimately made by Sashi Brown, who served as the Browns’ GM up until December of that year.

Last month, Kaepernick found himself back in the NFL news cycle when the league briefly listed him as “retired” on his remodeled player page. The following day, the NFL changed his status to reflect that he is, in fact, an unrestricted free agent. The odds of Kaepernick returning to the NFL seemed slim just a few weeks ago, but it may not be so far fetched today. Kaepernick, 33 in November, has been training with the intent of returning to the field.

“My desire to play football is still there,” Kaepernick said in February. “I still train five days a week. I’m ready to go, I’m ready for a phone call, tryout, workout at any point in time. I’m still waiting on the owners and their partners to stop running from this situation. So I hope I get a call this offseason. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Here’s more out of Cleveland:

Odell Beckham Jr. skipped the bulk of the Browns’ non-virtual 2019 offseason, but he’s been logging on for team activities via Zoom this year, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. “He’s all in,’’ offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “He’s bought in. He’s been there and it’s awesome. It’s good to have him there. It’s good for him.’’ Despite the constant speculation about OBJ’s status with the team, the Browns have maintained that he will be in their plans. Meanwhile, the wide receiver seems to be pretty happy with the Browns’ new regime.
The Browns beefed up their defensive line depth this offseason, but linebacker remains a question mark, ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter writes. With Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert out of the picture, the Browns will be relying upon a promising, yet inexperienced group that includes rookie Jacob Phillips, Sione Takitaki, and Mack Wilson. Of course, the Browns aren’t necessarily done upgrading the front seven as they continue to monitor Jadeveon Clowney‘s market.
Earlier this week, we reflected on Mychal Kendricks‘ brief and bizarre tenure with the Browns.

Chiefs Cut WR Felton Davis

June 6th, 2020 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have released wide receiver Felton Davis with a non-football injury designation, per the league’s official transactions page. The release will free up a spot on the roster for defensive back Andrew Soroh, who was re-signed on Friday.

Davis first joined the Chiefs last year as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State. Unfortunately, injuries have held him back in recent years and, if not for an Achilles tear in his senior year, he likely would have been drafted in 2019.

Davis put himself on the NFL’s radar with 55 catches for 776 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior, setting the table for an even stronger senior year. Davis saw the field for just six games and still managed a 31/474/4 line for the year. The athletic 6’4″ receiver was viewed as a high-upside UDFA pickup for KC at the time, but the injury bug reared its head again. In the team’s final preseason game, Davis suffered a shoulder injury, sending him to the injured reserve list.

His nature of his latest injury is unclear, but it sounds like it’ll be a while before Davis can pursue his next opportunity. The Chiefs, meanwhile, will have to evaluate other options behind wide receivers Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, and Demarcus Robinson. Byron Pringle, Maurice Ffrench, and Gehrig Dieter are among those battling for the final one or two spots in the group.

Kyle Long: I Haven’t Talked To The Jets

June 5th, 2020 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Kyle Long says he has not heard from the Jets about a potential return to the field (Twitter link via Rick Tarsitano of WGN). This contradicts a report from earlier today which indicated that the Jets were attempting to talk the former Bears offensive lineman out of retirement.

Long, 31, stepped away from the game after years of injury trouble. When Long was younger and healthy, he was one of the game’s best interior lineman. From 2013 through 2015 – Long’s first three years in the NFL – he was a perennial Pro Bowler. He was also an annual fixture on Pro Football Focus’ list of the top-ranked offensive guards in the league.

The Jets have made a serious effort to upgrade their offensive line this offseason and they have gone this route before, having just recently lured Ryan Kalil out of retirement. But, according to Long, that’s not the case here. With his 32nd birthday on the horizon in December, Long seems content with retirement.

According to Over The Cap, Long earned upwards of $37MM over the course of his seven-year career in Chicago – more than enough cash to ride out retirement. The Jets, meanwhile, have about $25MM in available cash that they can use to strengthen other areas of need.

Chiefs Re-Sign DB Andrew Soroh

June 5th, 2020 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Andrew Soroh will return to the Chiefs, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Soroh hinted at a new deal in late April, but it appears that talk might have been premature. Either way, the defensive back has himself a new deal for 2020 with KC.

Soroh joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent last year, but he missed the final cut to the 53-man roster. After that, he moved on to the short-lived XFL 2.0, where he appeared in a handful of games for the New York Guardians.

Now, Soroh will push to make the team as a reserve behind starting safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill. His spot is far from guaranteed, but there could be an opportunity as Thornhill works his way back from offseason ACL surgery. It’s also worth noting that the Chiefs didn’t draft any safeties in April and seventh-round cornerback Thakarius Keyes represented their only pick for the secondary.

Packers Sign Jon Runyan Jr.

June 5th, 2020 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers signed sixth-round guard Jon Runyan Jr., according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Michigan product is, of course, the son of longtime NFL tackle Jon Runyan.

The younger Runyan was the first of three linemen selected by the Packers in the sixth-round. After calling his name at No. 192 overall, they nabbed Oregon center Jake Hanson (No. 208) and Indiana tackle Simon Stepaniak (Indiana). With Runyan, Stepaniak, and seventh-rounders Vernon Scott and Jonathan Garvin under contract, the Packers still have five rookies left to sign from this year’s class.

Like his dad, Runyan has a pro-ready build for the tackle position. He stands at 6’4″ and 307 pounds, a few inches shorter than his pops but only ~20 pounds lighter.

Here’s the full rundown of the Packers’ class, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:

1-26: Jordan Love, QB (Utah State)
2-62: A.J. Dillon, RB (Boston College)
3-94: Josiah Deguara, TE (Cincinnati)
5-175: Kamal Martin, LB (Minnesota)
6-192: Jon Runyan, G (Michigan): Signed
6-208: Jake Hanson, C (Oregon)
6-209: Simon Stepaniak, T (Indiana): Signed
7-236: Vernon Scott, S (TCU): Signed
7-242: Jonathan Garvin, DE (Miami): Signed

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