HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Saints, Nigel Bradham Agree To Deal

July 30th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nigel Bradham will land with a different NFC contender. The longtime Eagles linebacker reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Eagles cut Bradham earlier this year. The ninth-year ‘backer will resurface in New Orleans, joining former Philadelphia teammate Malcolm Jenkins.

New Orleans houses a surefire three-down player in Demario Davis, who has been one of the best off-ball linebackers in recent years. Picked a round later in 2012 (in Round 4), Bradham was the Eagles’ steadiest linebacker since he signed with Philly in 2016. The former Bills draftee will add experience to a Saints second-level corps that has ex-Bradham Bills teammate Kiko Alonso recovering from an ACL tear.

Bradham, 31 in September, played at least 900 defensive snaps from 2016-18 but logged 717 last year. He battled an ankle injury in 2019. He graded as a top-35 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus, in three of his four seasons in Philly — including the Eagles’ 2017 Super Bowl slate.

New Orleans lost A.J. Klein in free agency but used a third-round pick on Wisconsin’s Zack Baun, who worked as both an off-ball defender and a pass rusher for the Big Ten program.

The three-time reigning NFC South champions have been active on the market this offseason, with Bradham following Jenkins, Emmanuel Sanders and Jameis Winston to Louisiana. With Drew Brees on a year-to-year plan regarding retirement, maximizing his final snaps makes sense for a team that has endured some brutal endings to its past three seasons.

Buccaneers To Sign LeSean McCoy

July 30th, 2020 at 4:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers are making a big move at running back. They will bring in LeSean McCoy, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That works out to $1.05MM for a 12th-year player.

Bruce Arians confirmed the team was interested in Devonta Freeman earlier this offseason but said the ex-Falcon’s price tag was too high. The Bucs went in a different direction, signing the former All-Pro to work with Ronald Jones and third-round pick Ke’Shawn Vaughn. With the pandemic nixing the onsite work and the preseason, it makes sense for the Bucs to bring in a veteran Jones complement while Vaughn develops.

McCoy said recently he had spoken to multiple teams and wanted to land with a contender. Considering the Bucs’ new profile after their Tom Brady signing, they certainly qualify. One of the other teams McCoy spoke with was indeed the Eagles, per Rapoport (on Twitter). The Eagles were interested in a reunion, but given McCoy’s league-minimum Bucs pact, it is unclear if an offer came.

Although the Chiefs made McCoy a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LIV, he showed flashes during the regular season. Shady averaged 4.6 yards per carry, bouncing back from a 3.2-YPC season in an undermanned Bills offense in 2018, and scored five touchdowns during his one-year Andy Reid reunion.

After collecting his first Super Bowl ring, the six-time Pro Bowler will join another team with Super Bowl aspirations. The Bucs have now added future Hall of Famers Brady and Rob Gronkowski to their offense, and McCoy will have a chance to work on his Canton credentials in Tampa.

The former Eagles and Bills standout wants to become the league’s 17th 12,000-yard rusher. Sitting on 11,071, the 32-year-old runner will likely need at least two seasons to get there. Every retired back who has eclipsed 12,000 is in the Hall of Fame. Rushers who ended their careers between 11,000 and 12,000 — Fred Taylor, Steven Jackson and Corey Dillon — have not been inducted, however.

Falcons To Sign CB Darqueze Dennard

July 30th, 2020 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:01pm: The Falcons are moving quickly. They will sign the former Bengals corner, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This will be Dennard’s second free agency agreement this year, following his nixed Jaguars pact.

3:48pm: With the coronavirus testing portion of training camps underway, the ice surrounding the remaining high-profile free agents is beginning to thaw. The Falcons conducted a visit with cornerback Darqueze Dennard recently, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Dennard has been a free agent since his three-year, $13.5MM Jaguars deal fell through in late March. The Jags and Dennard agreed to terms during the legal tampering period, but the pact did not end up being finalized.

The Falcons have seen some turnover at cornerback this offseason. They cut longtime No. 1 corner Desmond Trufant and used their first-round pick on Clemson’s A.J. Terrell. The team could still use some help here, however. A six-year Bengal contributor, Dennard resides as one of the better free agent defenders available.

The Bengals re-signed Dennard on a one-year deal in 2019. He did not debut last season until late October, with a knee injury taking longer than expected to heal. But the former first-round pick started five Bengals games last year, moving his career total to 24. He has worked largely as a slot defender as a pro. Pro Football Focus graded Dennard as its No. 21 overall corner last season, during which he played 495 snaps.

The Falcons lost slot defender Brian Poole in free agency last year and did not see a strong performance from their secondary in 2019. Second-round pick Isaiah Oliver has yet to justify the team’s investment; Atlanta graded 25th in pass defense DVOA last season. Dennard, a Georgia native, provides more experience than any current Falcons corner. Ahead of the COVID-19-altered season, that figures to be critical.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/20

July 30th, 2020 at 4:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the afternoon.

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Waived: DL Domenique Davis

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

  • Claimed off waivers (from Dolphins): CB Ryan Lewis

Steelers To Sign S Curtis Riley

July 30th, 2020 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers will add to their secondary. They are signing former Giants starter Curtis Riley, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Riley spent 2019 with the Raiders, starting three games, but his most notable NFL work came with the Giants. He started 16 games for Big Blue in 2018. Riley, 28, began his career with the Titans in 2016.

This addition is likely for depth purposes. The Steelers return starters Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds. They also have 2018 fifth-round pick Marcus Allen on their roster and drafted Antoine Brooks in this year’s sixth round.

A Fresno State product, Riley played in 16 Raider games last season. Pro Football Focus tabbed 2019 as Riley’s best work, though he played only 275 defensive snaps. Teams will be eyeing increased veteran depth for what will be an unusual season, making Riley a sensible addition. He will become the most experienced member of Pittsburgh’s safety group.

Panthers Release DE Chris Smith

July 30th, 2020 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to releasing kicker Graham Gano, the Panthers parted ways with another vested veteran Thursday. They cut defensive end Chris Smith, David Newton of ESPN.com notes.

The Panthers signed Smith as a street free agent just before the new league year began. A six-year veteran, Smith signed a one-year deal with Carolina in March. He has played for the Jaguars, Bengals and Browns in a six-year career.

Smith’s two-year Cleveland tenure involved a tragedy; his girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident in September 2019. Smith played nine games for the Browns last season. He started two for Cleveland in 2018 but worked as a depth piece for the Jaguars and Bengals. He visited both the Bengals and Panthers in March.

Teams are gradually moving their rosters from the 90-man limit to 80 players, which will be the most teams can carry when on-field work begins August 16. While most teams have opted to cut less experienced players, the Panthers chose to jettison two more veterans during a year in which the team parted ways with numerous high-profile players.

AFC West Rumors: Raiders, Simmons, Jones

July 30th, 2020 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

From Cliff Branch to James Jett to Darrius Heyward-Bey (to name a few of many), the Raiders have been known for their speed affinity for decades. They surprised many by making Henry Ruggs the first wide receiver pick in this draft. Their owner was eyeing the Alabama deep threat for months leading up to the draft. Citing a lack of team speed for the past several years, Mark Davis said he pegged Ruggs as the first-rounder he wanted for six months going into this year’s draft, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic (subscription required). Chosen before Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, Ruggs did not eclipse 800 yards in a college season. And he spent time this offseason rehabbing a thigh injury he sustained two months ago while helping a friend move. However, Ruggs said Wednesday he is 100%, per Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter), as Raiders rookies prepare for the team’s strength and conditioning period.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • For the first time in five negotiations with franchise-tagged players, Broncos GM John Elway did not close a deal. Justin Simmons will play this season on the safety tag. Elway said discussions never came close to a deal, but the 10th-year GM believed his offer was “very, very fair.” The offer was believed to place Simmons among the five or six highest-paid safeties. Guaranteed money was an issue, however, with Elway noting the pandemic induced the Broncos to limit the guaranteed dollars in their proposal to Simmons (Twitter links via 9News’ Mike Klis). Elway, who said late last season Simmons would be a priority, still wants to extend the standout defensive back next year.
  • The Raiders are beginning their first season in Las Vegas, but the prospects of the NFL moving to Nevada surfaced in January 2016. Davis adds that Vegas was after the Raiders “for years” before those talks began. “We got our ass kicked in L.A., and we went back to Oakland with our tails between our legs. And then (Coliseum Authority executive director Scott) McKibben backtracked and tripled our lease, and it was total disrespect. It was like, how are we going to work with these people?” Davis said. “Vegas had been after us for years, but I told them I will only talk to you if Oakland and Los Angeles don’t happen.” The NFL in 2016 voted to send the Rams to Los Angeles and placed the Chargers ahead of the Raiders in the pecking order. The Raiders then spent three years as a lame-duck team in Oakland.
  • Chris Jones‘ contract trails both Fletcher Cox‘s 2016 extension ($17.1MM per year) and Grady Jarrett‘s pact in 2019 ($17MM AAV) in terms of two-year payouts, leading Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap to label it a Chiefs-friendly deal. Jones’ four-year, $80MM extension is essentially a two-year deal. The Chiefs, who did this deal without including a signing bonus, would incur no dead money by moving Jones in 2022. Through those two years, Jones will see $37.6MM — which is also well behind Aaron Donald‘s $60MM two-year total.

Jaguars’ Head Coach: Haven’t Heard From Yannick Ngakoue

July 30th, 2020 at 1:53pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars had nearly perfect attendance for the start of training camp. Of course, there was one conspicuous absence – Yannick Ngakoue. Addressing reporters on Thursday afternoon, head coach Doug Marrone confessed that he has not spoken with the star defensive end. 

[RELATED: Jaguars Wrap 2020 Draft Class]

“But, like I’ve said before: He’s one player that I know is always ready,” said Marrone (via the team website).

Ngakoue has not signed his franchise tender, so he is not running afoul of any contractual obligations. Per the terms of the tag, Ngakoue can sign anytime before Week 10 and still suit up in 2020. If he waits any longer, he’ll have to sit out. Furthermore, he’ll lose an accrued season towards free agency. There are a lot of hard feelings between the 25-year-old and his team, but there are also a lot of dollars at stake. Between his $17.788MM salary and the riches that could await him next March, it’s possible that Ngakoue could reverse course and cave on his demand.

Of course, if you ask Ngakoue, he’ll tell you that the ship has sailed on reconciliation. Before the deadline, he was willing to table extension talks for any team that’s able to pull off a trade, but the Jaguars’ sky-high asking price has warded everyone off. At one point, Ngakoue wanted his big payday to come in Jacksonville. Now, he says that he doesn’t want to play for the Jaguars under any circumstances.

Now that the deadline has passed, both sides are formally barred from hammering out an extension until next year. That, in theory, could make it easier for them to mend fences. Still, the Jaguars have the ability to trade Ngakoue, and he can continue to play a game of chicken with Marrone & Co.

Vic Beasley Says He’ll Report To Titans

July 30th, 2020 at 11:21am CST by Zachary Links

A Thursday statement from Jon Robinson brought good news and bad news. The good: The Titans have made contact with outside linebacker Vic Beasley. The bad news: He has yet to report to the team, and his absence is unexcused. 

“On Tuesday July 28th, we placed Vic Beasley on the Reserve Did Not Report list. I have been in contact with Vic, he is not here, he understands his absence is unexcused, and he told me he will be reporting to camp in the near future,” Robinson said. “Our current focus is on the players that are here now, getting everyone acclimated to the protocols, our building, and our football program. We will have the same acclimation process with Vic when he reports.”

The Titans inked Beasley to a fully guaranteed $9.5MM deal earlier this year, with the expectation that he would bolster their DE group. Instead, he’s been MIA. No one’s sure why Beasley hasn’t shown up in Tennessee, but it sounds like he will report sometime soon.

A former first-round pick of the Falcons, Beasley broke out in 2016, his sophomore NFL season. He managed 15.5 sacks that year, but things cooled off after that – he notched five sacks in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, Beasley finished out with eight sacks, though that number was bolstered by a disproportionally strong home stretch.

When/if Beasley shows up for work, he’ll join Harold Landry in the Titans’ front seven.

Panthers Release K Graham Gano

July 30th, 2020 at 11:07am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have released Graham Gano, according to a social media post from his wife (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Athletic). The veteran kicker was slated to make $3MM this year.

Joey Slye, meanwhile, is under contract for just $675K. It’s a cost-cutting maneuver for Carolina, though the team will be left with even more dead money on the books. The Panthers have saved $2.8MM while taking on a leftover $1.5MM charge, to be dispersed over the next two years. All in all, the Panthers overhaul has saddled them with nearly $43MM in dead money in 2020.

Gano was tremendous in his last full season in 2017, sinking 29 of his 30 field goal tries for a league-leading 96.7% conversion rate. That performance earned him the first Pro Bowl bid of his career, and it also helped him secure a four-year, $17MM deal. Before his release, Gano had the fifth-highest AAV ($4.25MM) of any kicker in the NFL.

Now, the job belongs to Slye. Known for his strong leg, Slye nailed 78.1% of his kicks in 2019, with an 8-of-11 success rate from 50+ yards. He also missed four extra point tries, but the Panthers seem to think that he’ll tamp that number down moving forward.

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