2020 June - Pro Football Rumors

Coaching Staffs Permitted To Return To Facilities

June 4th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Rory Parks

As expected, the NFL has issued a memo authorizing coaching staffs to return to their team’s facilities tomorrow, June 5, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Rapoport passes along the relevant portion of the memo in a separate tweet.

The league further noted that teams can have up to 100 people in their facilities at any one time (subject to state and local regulations, of course). As of right now, only players undergoing medical treatment are permitted in the facilities, as has been the case. However, the memo did note that the league will continue working with team medical staffs to implement testing for coaches and other club personnel prior to green-lighting the return of players.

Despite some earlier rumblings that the league would try to squeeze in a belated minicamp, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reiterates that the focus remains on getting coaches and players together for the scheduled start of training camp in July, not minicamp (Twitter link). Indeed, we have heard previously that some coaches would not take advantage of a minicamp even if one was authorized, and Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said his players will not be at team facilities before training camp (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

That may be the case for most teams. As Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes (via Twitter), the NFL has left open the possibility of having players return on a limited basis later this month, but the union would have to agree to that, and it does not seem inclined to do so. In addition, multiple coaches tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that they will remain away from facilities until training camp, in spite of today’s memo (Twitter link).

Still, this is a positive step towards the business-as-usual goal that the NFL has espoused all along. At this point, it appears as if only the 49ers‘ coaches will be unable to access their facilities tomorrow (Twitter link via Rapoport). Santa Clara County has been slower to lift restrictions than other Bay Area counties, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets, but the team is in communication with local authorities to obtain the necessary permission as soon as possible.

Poll: Should The Vikings Extend Dalvin Cook?

June 4th, 2020 at 10:22am CST by Rory Parks

A number of teams have been burned by giving lucrative contracts to running backs. The Cardinals (David Johnson), Rams (Todd Gurley), and Falcons (Devonta Freeman) are among the clubs that have absorbed significant cap charges for players who did not live up to their big payday. None of those players made it to the end of their second contract before being traded or cut.

In addition, as important as some RBs can be to their team’s offense (see: Christian McCaffrey), the position has generally been devalued in recent years. The prevailing thought is that most running backs are more replaceable than players at other key positions, and that RBs have a shorter shelf-life due to their number of touches and the beatings they take whenever they have the ball in their hands.

The Vikings, therefore, have a major decision to make when it comes to their own RB1, 2017 second-rounder Dalvin Cook. Cook burst onto the scene in his rookie campaign, gaining 122 yards in his regular season debut and averaging nearly five yards per carry in his first four games in the league. Unfortunately, his season was ended by an ACL injury in the fourth game, and in 2018, he was bothered by nagging hamstring issues and played in just 11 games, recording 133 carries.

Despite the hamstring problems and the limited workload in 2018, Cook did manage 4.6 yards per carry that season and also recorded 40 receptions for 305 yards. And though he was limited down the stretch of the 2019 season due to a chest injury, he piled up 250 carries for 1,135 yards (4.5 YPC) and 13 TDs to go along with 53 catches for 519 yards. He ranked as the eighth-best back in the league in terms of defense-adjusted yards above replacement.

So when he’s healthy, he’s pretty darn good, especially for an offense that wants to run the ball a lot. And the silver lining to his injury history is that he should still have a fair amount of tread on his tires, having recorded just 457 carries in his pro career thus far.

On the other hand, the fact that he has missed time with various ailments over his first three seasons in the league is troubling, and for a team that does not have a lot of cap room — particularly if the 2021 cap is reduced due to COVID-19 — ponying up a big-money extension for an injury-risk RB could be problematic. Though Cook will likely not get McCaffrey money, he could easily command $15MM or so on an annual basis, with $30-$40MM in full guarantees.

The Vikings did not select an RB with any of their 15 (!) picks in this year’s draft, but they do return 2019 third-rounder Alexander Mattison, who performed well as Cook’s backup last season. One wonders if Mattison’s presence makes Minnesota less keen to break the bank for Cook.

That said, discussions between Cook and the Vikings have taken place. The soon-to-be 25-year-old said he wants to stay in Minnesota, and he has been participating in the club’s virtual offseason program. We haven’t gotten a status update on the contract talks for a bit — they may be stalled due to COVID-related uncertainty — and it remains to be seen whether a re-up will be hashed out this summer, or if Cook will play out the final year of his rookie deal with an eye towards unrestricted free agency in 2021.

So what do you think? Should Minnesota give Cook top-of-the-market money (or close to it), or should the club pass the torch to Mattison in 2021? Vote in the poll below, and show your work in the comment section.

No Recent Contract Talks Between Steelers, Cam Heyward

June 4th, 2020 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

In March, we heard that the Steelers and star defensive lineman Cameron Heyward were expected to agree to a contract extension “soon.” Over two months later, there has been no movement on that front, as Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes.

While that may not be too surprising given the uncertainty created by COVID-19, Heyward’s tenor suggests that he may be coming to grips with leaving the only team he has ever known. “Man, I hate talking about it in the past tense like I am already gone, but I have to be ready for the reality if that comes about,” Heyward said. “I love being a Pittsburgh Steeler, but if my time is up, my time is up.”

The 31-year-old, who is set to play out the last year of the six-year, $59.2MM pact he signed in 2015, told Kaboly that while there were some early indications that the team would consider a new contract, there has been radio silence ever since. The Steelers could have reached out to him to tell him that the delay was pandemic-related and that they were still going to pursue a re-up once things settled down, but according to Heyward, the team has not communicated with his camp at all.

And as Kaboly observes, Pittsburgh’s policy has been to table contract negotiations once the season gets underway. So if there is no new deal in place by September 14, then Heyward will be eligible for free agency in 2021. If that happens, Kaboly expects the 2011 first-rounder to be playing elsewhere next year.

“We haven’t had any talks as of late, and it may be due to the virus, I don’t know,” Heyward said. “I don’t know if their minds have changed. I understand their policy and respect their policy. If I have to play this year and go into next year as a free agent, then so be it. That’s not going to deter me from being the best teammate, the best person, the best player I can be.”

Heyward has established himself as the team’s leader in the locker room, and he is easily one of the best D-linemen in the game. Able to line up both inside and outside, he has earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods (including two First Team All-Pro selections) and has averaged nearly 10 sacks per year over the past three seasons. In 2019, he tallied a career-high 83 tackles and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ second-best interior defender (behind only Rams’ superstar Aaron Donald).

He is a critical component of Pittsburgh’s stout defense, so it will be interesting to see if the team does resume extension talks or if the threat of a decreased salary cap in 2021 will compel the Steelers to explore younger, cheaper options.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, 49ers, Mostert

June 3rd, 2020 at 7:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After signing a one-year, $2.75MM deal with the Seahawks last month, veteran running back Carlos Hyde is expected to see most of his action on early-down plays, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. Incumbent starter Chris Carson isn’t expected to lose any work to Hyde that he wouldn’t have to Rashaad Penny (who is likely to begin the regular season on the physically unable to perform list), meaning that Carson should still see the bulk of the carries in Seattle. While Carson has posted only 57 receptions over the past two seasons, Henderson notes that’s more a function of the Seahawks’ run-based offense than a comment on Carson’s ability as a three-down back. Hyde, meanwhile, has $500K worth of per-game roster bonuses in his contract, which Henderson adds is a favorite technique of Seattle’s front office. If Hyde doesn’t play well enough to be active for most games, the Seahawks could recoup a small bit of cash.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

While George Kittle is believed to be next in line for a 49ers extension, running back Raheem Mostert could land a new deal before the star tight end, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic writes. On one hand, Mostert is certainly underpaid. He signed a three-year extension last spring with an annual value of less than $3MM. Mostert was largely a special teams player at the time, but after posting 772 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020, he’s worth more. On the other hand, San Francisco controls Mostert’s rights through the 2021 campaign, he’s already 28 years old, and running back’s shelf lives are notoriously short.
Trent Williams played alongside a bevy of average-or-worse quarterbacks during his time with the Redskins, but the veteran left tackle believes he’s stepping into an excellent signal-caller situation with the 49ers. “I think Jimmy [Garoppolo] is awesome,” Williams told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. “I think he has proven that he’s a quarterback that you can win with…From being in my position, not having a lot of success in the league, having a good quarterback then to having a kind of musical chairs back there, I know the importance of it. So I’m extremely happy just to be part of an offense that really don’t need me to win. I add to it.” San Francisco, which acquired Williams in exchange for third- and fifth-round picks, hasn’t worked out an extension with the 31-year-old, but reportedly has agreed to give him more money upfront.
In case you missed it, the Rams were one of several teams to gain additional cap space earlier this week thanks to the NFL’s post-June 1 release system.

Latest On NFL Training Camp Schedule

June 3rd, 2020 at 6:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Most NFL teams should have the option of opening their facilities to players and coaches by the end of the week, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter links). While there may be exceptions, the majority of teams should receive clearance to restart operations, although some clubs may choose to have staff stay home for the time being.

Meanwhile, the NFL is “optimistic” that training camps will be able to be held in full, per Fowler, but the league is also preparing alternatives. Still, Fowler has spoken with some team decision-makers that still believe training camp dates could be moved around or that the preseason could be shortened.

While many teams use outside venues for training camp, clubs will be required to stay at their home facilities in 2020. That rule is COVID-related, of course, as the NFL wants to limit travel and reduce the chance that infection is spread between two teams, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. And as Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football notes (via Twitter), this rule almost surely means joint practices will not occur this offseason.

At this stage, it’s unclear if June minicamps will be feasible, but it seems unlikely. Indeed, Mike Sando of The Athletic has spoken to some coaches who would simply prefer to wait until training camp to get their teams back together (Twitter link).

Panthers Release TE Seth DeValve

June 3rd, 2020 at 5:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have released tight end Seth DeValve with a non-football injury designation, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com.

Signed to a one-year deal by Carolina in March, DeValve theoretically could have played a role with the Panthers had he been able to stick on the roster. Carolina released franchise icon Greg Olsen earlier this year, leaving Ian Thomas as the top tight end on the Panthers’ depth chart.

DeValve, 27, played the most snaps of any tight end in Jacksonville last year, but caught only 12 passes for 140 yards in an offense that didn’t prioritize the tight end. Prior to joining the Jaguars, DeValve spent three seasons with the Browns. The Princeton product’s best campaign came in 2017, when he managed 33 receptions for 395 yards.

DeValve inked a veteran minimum pact with the Panthers, so Carolina is only on the hook for $137K in dead money. Meanwhile, DeValve will hit a free agent tight end market that also includes Delanie Walker, Jordan Reed, and Geoff Swaim.

Jets Aren’t Interested In Jadeveon Clowney

June 3rd, 2020 at 4:48pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants aren’t pursuing Jadeveon Clowney and the same goes for the other tenants of MetLife Stadium. The Jets spoke with the edge rusher’s agent, but they do not have serious interest in signing him, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com hears. Furthermore, Cimini hears that the Jets were never serious about him at any point this offseason.

Clowney did his best to drum up interest from the Jets earlier this year, signaling a desire to join up with Gang Green. The Jets could use some help in the pressure department, but they’ve only got so much cap room to work with and bigger fish to fry. Specifically, they’re on the lookout for help at cornerback and they’ve got their sights set on former Titans standout Logan Ryan. As of this writing, they’ve got about $25MM to spend.

A confluence of factors have led to an unexpectedly long free agency spell for the former No. 1 pick. Beyond the pandemic and the ongoing unrest, Clowney’s asking price has proven to be a major hurdle. At the outset of free agency, Clowney was reportedly looking for $20MM/year. Then, he dropped it to about $17MM or $18MM. So far, it sounds like his best offer came from the Browns at around $12MM, a deal that Clowney’s camp rejected.

The Browns are still interested in Clowney, but the list gets murky after Cleveland. The two New York/New Jersey teams are out and the Eagles don’t want to approach his asking price either.

NFL Unlikely To Incentivize Rooney Rule Hires

June 3rd, 2020 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Last month, the NFL weighed a handful of amendments to the Rooney Rule that would incentivize teams to hire coaches and leading executives of color. However, the proposal ultimately did not make it to a vote. In an interview with Shlomo Sprung of Forbes, NFL executive VP of Football Operations Troy Vincent indicated that the system will be revamped, but in a different fashion.

“By no stretch of the imagination was there any thought about degrading, using individuals as bribes, pawns,” Vincent said. “Coach [Tony] Dungy said it right, we should not be rewarding people or have a system that rewards people for doing the right thing. But we do believe there’s merit in rewarding people for identifying and developing minority coaching talent.”

The May proposal reportedly would have given teams improved draft position in exchange for hiring minority head coaches or GMs. A team hiring a minority HC would move up six spots in the third round; a team hiring a minority GM would move up 10. Those incentives also could have been combined, per the proposal. A team hiring a minority head coach and a minority GM would jump up 16 spots in Round 3.

Ultimately, league owners didn’t put that pitch to a vote, but it seems likely that the league will adjust the Rooney Rule – perhaps with a compensatory pick for losing a hired minority employee to another team. Vincent says it’s a “broken” system, one that was designed to increase the hiring and advancement of minority leaders, but has resulted in only four minority head coaches in the NFL.

Latest On Giants’ DeAndre Baker

June 3rd, 2020 at 3:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The lawyer for DeAndre Baker believes the charges against his client could be dropped by the end of the week, as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes. So far, Baker’s defense team has been vocal, brash, and confident in the face of felony charges for armed robbery.

“I think we’ve got the case won, to be honest with you. I think it’s only a matter of time,” Patrick G. Patel said. “But it’s the kid’s life. This kid will get suspended and lose his job, and then the case gets dismissed and what have we done? So everybody’s taking a wait and see approach.”

The lawyer representing Quinton Dunbar – the Seahawks cornerback and alleged accomplice of Baker in the Florida incident – has expressed similar sentiments. Of course, it’s the job of a defense attorney to cast doubt on allegations and push back against charges being levied, so it all has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Baker’s lawyer says that the Giants second-year pro was the victim of a “shakedown,” noting that four of the witnesses involved have already recanted their testimony. Meanwhile, he’s teamed with Dunbar’s lawyer and claims that he’s uncovered independent witnesses that can vouch for their innocence.

As of this writing, Florida authorities are sticking to their version of events. They say Baker held people at gunpoint at a cookout while Dunbar robbed them. Some witnesses claimed that Dunbar also had a gun and there may have been a third man involved. Ultimately, police say, they walked off with expensive watches and about $7K in cash.

Despite Patel’s claims, Baker remains in limbo with his club. In mid-May, the Giants asked him to stay away from team activities in order to focus on his legal matters.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/3/20

June 3rd, 2020 at 2:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Waived: DB Sojourn Shelton