HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

NFC Notes: Clowney, Cards, Giants, Panthers

July 7th, 2020 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

A notable development transpired in Jadeveon Clowney‘s near-fourth-month free agency odyssey Tuesday. The Browns’ Olivier Vernon restructure points to them giving the Vernon-Myles Garrett pairing another year and bowing out on Clowney. This would eliminate a high-paying suitor from the sweepstakes. The Seahawks remain in the running for Clowney, but Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes they are not going to offer a deal in the $15-$16MM-AAV ballpark like they did earlier this offseason. Seattle’s offer in this neighborhood occurred several weeks ago, but the team is still in need at edge rusher. Clowney now has an offer in hand from the Raiders, but they were viewed as a “distant third.” However, with the Browns perhaps out, the Raiders may have moved up to second. At just more than $13MM in cap space, the Seahawks hold more than the Raiders ($8MM).

Here is the latest from the NFC:

  • Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins lined up as teammates for the first time, with the new Cardinals duo joining several teammates in Texas for a workout. Despite the NFLPA issuing directives for players not to gather for workouts, as the COVID-19 pandemic sets records (with Texas being a hot spot) in recent days. But other teams — most notably the Buccaneers — have seen select personnel conven for pre-training camp work. The Cards’ workout took place nearby where Murray went to high school, just north of Dallas.
  • Seahawks second-round pick Marquise Blair will compete with Bradley McDougald for the team’s starting strong safety job, opposite Quandre Diggs, but Brady Henderson of ESPN.com notes the second-year player is also a candidate to be Seattle’s nickel back. Blair played just 219 snaps as a rookie, though Pete Carroll said he is “very interested” in getting him on the field this season. Ugo Amadi, a 2019 fourth-rounder, will serve as Blair’s primary competition for Seattle’s nickel role. Amadi played just 76 defensive snaps as a rookie.
  • The Giants hired their first female scout, naming Hannah Burnett as their Midlands scout. Burnett’s most notable NFL experience came with the Falcons, for whom she attended pro days and the Combine. In addition to Burnett, the Giants named Marquis Pendleton their northeast area scout and added Nick Williams as an offensive assistant. Pendleton has worked in a different scouting capacity with the team since 2016; Williams spent the past three seasons as Southern Illinois’ wide receivers coach.
  • The Panthers did not renew the contracts of scouts Don Warren and Clyde Powers, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Both staffers were Dave Gettleman hires. Warren was a three-time Super Bowl champion as a tight end with the Redskins, for whom he also worked as a scout prior to his Panthers stay.

Packers CEO: P-Squad Expansion Likely

July 7th, 2020 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

A report late last month indicated the NFL was considering increasing practice squad sizes from 12 to 16 players. Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy confirmed these discussions are ongoing.

During a Q&A column on the team’s website, Murphy said talks regarding P-squad expansion are absolutely taking place with the NFLPA. Murphy expects practice squads to be expanded for this season, as the NFL attempts to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Murphy also confirmed the NFL-NFLPA talks have included changing the eligibility requirements for the practice squad. The new CBA not only expanded P-squads from 10 to 12 players, but it opened the door for more experienced players to stay on those squads. After the new CBA’s ratification, two players on teams’ 12-man practice squads can be veterans with any number of accrued seasons. That marked a change from the 2011 CBA. Murphy indicated discussions have taken place regarding making more veterans eligible for P-squads.

This would make sense for 2020, with rookies facing uphill battles due to the virtual offseason and the two-game (maximum) preseason slate. Enabling more vets to stay on taxi squads would stand to help teams as they navigate the coronavirus. Nothing official has emerged on a possible COVID-19 injured list, but with expanded practice squads in play, it seems like that such a roster designation would be on the table.

COVID-19 Latest: Camp, College, Opt-Out

July 7th, 2020 at 2:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL and NFLPA have been at it for weeks regarding the implementation of emergency-scenario training camps amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the NFL may believe finalizing negotiations will not be necessary. The league does not believe it is obligated to negotiate with players about safety protocols in camps, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, adding that the basis for the NFL’s argument is the 11-year CBA deal ratified in March. That is one argument to make, though the league backing out of talks and sending players into the fray without sufficient coronavirus-era protocols would create significant backlash that would further damage the parties’ relationship.

Here is the latest from the pandemic front:

  • The NFL recently released testing protocols, which feature different return-to-work barriers for symptomatic and asymptomatic players. For an asymptomatic player to return to action after a positive coronavirus test, he must wait five days and test negative twice within a 24-hour span to return to his team, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). For players showing symptoms, at least 10 days must pass since those symptoms first emerged. Players must consult with a team physician, the NFL chief medical officer and the CDC’s Incident Command System before being permitted to return.
  • Players’ family members, and anyone else who lives with players during the season, will also be tested, Pelissero adds (video link). The NFLPA has floated the prospect of fines for players not adhering to social-distancing policies when away from team facilities. Restrictions on players’ actions when away from their teams are not fully known, but it is clear they will not have normal non-football routines this year.
  • No opt-out policy has surfaced yet, but that will be one of this process’ key dominoes. The NFLPA wants the league to give all players the option to opt out of this season and have their contracts toll to 2021, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. The NFL will need to first address players who are at higher risk of encountering severe complications from the virus. Major League Baseball gave those players both pay and service time. No NFLer has made it known he will opt out yet, but based on some decisions coming out of the NBA and MLB, teams can expect some players to opt out.
  • The Ivy League will announce Wednesday its plans for the fall semester. Multiple football coaches within the league informed The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman and Nicole Auerbach the expectation is the country’s premier academic conference will play football in spring 2021 (subscription required). Various non-Ivy League athletic directors anticipate the conference’s announcement to have a significant effect on fall sports. These ADs expect the Power 5 conferences to have a decision by early August. College football moving to the spring would obviously have a tremendous effect on the sport, though the NFL is not currently entertaining the notion of changing its 2021 draft date.

Andy Reid Open To Coaching Past 70

July 7th, 2020 at 1:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seventh on the NFL’s all-time wins list, Andy Reid said after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV triumph he did not have near-future retirement plans. The eighth-year Chiefs coach provided more clarity on a timeline Tuesday.

Patrick Mahomes‘ 10-year extension has him under contract through 2031. The 62-year-old Reid said coaching well into this extension is on the table. Reid said “if it takes me into my 70s, let’s roll,” via the Kansas City Star’s Herbie Teope (Twitter link), when asked about the extension’s effect on his career. Mahomes soon added that Reid told him he plans on being the Chiefs’ HC throughout the extension (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor).

This will be Reid’s 22nd season as a head coach. He spent 14 seasons (1999-2012) as the Eagles’ sideline leader. Since coming to Kansas City, Reid has guided the Chiefs to six playoff appearances in seven seasons and is responsible for five of the franchise’s eight playoff wins since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. In his first season in Kansas City, Reid turned the Chiefs from a 2-14 team to an 11-5 playoff-bound squad.

Reid is under contract through the 2021 season, but after Mahomes’ record-setting pact, another Reid re-up should be on tap. With seven wins this season, Reid (207 career victories) can move past Paul Brown for sixth on the all-time wins list. Reid is currently the NFL’s fifth-oldest active HC — behind Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick, Bruce Arians and Mike Zimmer.

Latest On Eagles’ DeSean Jackson

July 7th, 2020 at 11:28am CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, DeSean Jackson issued an apology via Instagram for his recent social media post that featured a quote attributed to Adolf Hitler. As detailed by ESPN.com, Jackson has also drawn criticism in the past for sharing controversial material.

Moments after Jackson’s apology, the Eagles released the following statement:

“We have spoken with DeSean Jackson about his social media posts. Regardless of his intentions, the messages he shared were offensive, harmful, and absolutely appalling. They have no place in our society, and are not condoned or supported in any way by the organization. We are disappointed and we reiterated to DeSean the importance of not only apologizing, but also using his platform to take action to promote unity, equality, and respect.

We are continuing to evaluate the circumstances and will take appropriate action. We take these matters very seriously and are committed to continuing to have productive and meaningful conversations with DeSean, as well as all of our players and staff, in order to educate, learn and grow.”

The Eagles did not specify what sort of “action” they are considering. If the outcome impacts Jackson’s availability, the Eagles will be left with Alshon Jeffery and rookie Jalen Reagor as their top receivers.

Jackson spent his first six seasons with the Eagles before stops in Washington and Tampa Bay. Last year, the Eagles brought him back via trade and locked him up with a three-year, $27MM deal ($13MM guaranteed). During his first stint in Philly, Jackson made it to three Pro Bowls, including the 2013 season in which he scored nine touchdowns and a career-high 1,332 receiving yards.

So far, the homecoming has not gone according to plan. Jackson underwent core muscle surgery in November, ending his season after just three games. He finished with nine catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns on the year.

Patriots’ Rex Burkhead Takes Pay Cut

July 7th, 2020 at 9:56am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots running back Rex Burkhead has agreed to a pay cut. Instead of $2.5MM in base pay for 2020, Burkhead is now slated for $1.05MM with a $550K signing bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Burkhead will also see his available roster bonuses dip from $500K to $400K. The move opens up $981K in cap space for the Pats and, ostensibly, solidifies Burkhead’s spot on the roster.

Burkhead joined the Pats on a one-year, $3.15MM free agent contract in 2017. In Year One, Burkhead racked up more than 500 all-purpose yards with eight touchdowns in just ten games. Then, the Pats re-upped him on a three-year deal. All in all, he’s averaged a solid 4.0 yards per carry in New England, though he’s played in just 31 games across three years.

The Patriots are hoping to see a healthy Burkhead in 2020, but they’re not necessarily banking on him either. With James White, Sony Michel, Damien Harris, and Brandon Bolden also on the RB depth chart, they’ll be well-protected.

Heading into Tuesday, the Patriots had less than $500K in available cap room. After tweaking Burkhead’s deal, they’re in slightly better shape.

Browns, Olivier Vernon Rework Contract

July 7th, 2020 at 9:25am CST by Zachary Links

Olivier Vernon is staying put. The Browns worked out a new deal with the defensive end to turn his $15.25MM non-guaranteed pact into $11MM guaranteed with the potential to earn an additional $2MM via incentives (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). 

[RELATED: Raiders Enter Jadeveon Clowney Mix]

Vernon’s guarantees come in the form of a $3.75M base salary, $7MM signing bonus, and a $250K workout bonus. The new deal also ensures that he’ll be eligible for free agency following the 2020 season. Vernon now has a “no-tag” clause, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter), giving him an opportunity to cash in all over again.

The Browns have been in talks with Jadeveon Clowney for months, but they’re now poised to stick with Vernon as their starting DE, opposite Myles Garrett. Last we heard, Clowney rejected the Browns’ offer of a one-year deal in the $15MM range. Instead of bumping the offer up towards Clowney’s $17-$18MM asking price, they’ve retained Vernon for far less.

Vernon posted just 3.5 sacks last year, but the advanced metrics were fairly fond of his work. And, before Vernon came to Cleveland, he managed 22 sacks over the course of three years with the Giants, despite a good deal of missed games. In his last Giants campaign, he averaged four pressures per contest – the Browns would be very happy with a reprise of that in 2020.

There’s now one less landing spot for Clowney, though Jon Gruden and the Raiders have reportedly come into the mix. Meanwhile, Clowney is far from the only big-name DE on the open market – Everson Griffen, Markus Golden, Ezekiel Ansah, and Michael Bennett are still available for teams in need of edge help.

Status Of All 15 Tagged Players Prior to July 15 Extension Deadline

July 6th, 2020 at 7:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The clock is ticking for tagged players to sign extensions with their teams, per the league calendar.

July 15: At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2020 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.

With less than nine days remaining until the deadline, let’s take a look at where each of the 15 tagged players stand.

Already Signed Tag

*Received transition tag (vs. franchise tag)

Haven’t Signed Tag, Won’t Hold Out

Haven’t Signed Tag, Threatening Hold Out

Patrick Mahomes’ Extension Worth Up To $503MM

July 6th, 2020 at 5:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Patrick Mahomes has inked the largest contract in sports history. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the quarterback’s 10-year extension is worth up to $503MM. The deal includes $477MM in “guarantee mechanisms.” Mahomes has the ability to opt out of the deal if “the guarantee mechanisms aren’t exercised,” and the contract also includes a no-trade clause.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com explored those new “guarantee mechanisms,” noting that it’s “new terminology as far as NFL contracts are concerned.” Florio believes the deal includes rolling guarantees, and the Chiefs will have to make a commitment to their quarterback (a year out, per Rapoport) each offseason. If the organization decides they “don’t want to make the commitment for the next season,” then Mahomes will have the ability to hit free agency.

Mahomes is the first professional athlete to sign a deal worth half a billion dollars, and as Rapoport points out on Twitter, it’s the first time an NFL player has held the title of “highest-paid player in sports history.” Even Mahomes’ $477MM in “guarantee mechanisms” exceeds the 12-year, $426.5MM deal that Mike Trout signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. The $50.3MM average annual value tops Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard‘s $49MM AAV (part of a four-year, $196MM deal that will begin in 2021).

Matt Ryan previously held the NFL record for largest contract after inking a five-year, $150MM deal with the Falcons in 2018. Russell Wilson set the NFL’s new AAV mark last offseason after signing a four-year, $140MM deal with the Seahawks.

Raiders Enter Jadeveon Clowney Mix

July 6th, 2020 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Add another team to the fluid Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes. The Raiders have made an offer to the free agent edge defender, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed (subscription required).

While the Raiders are interested in the former Texans and Seahawks starter, they are believed to be in a “distant third place.” It is unclear the teams in front of them, but based on the Seahawks and Browns being the only teams connected with Clowney offers, they would add up as the leaders. Cecil Lammey of 104.3 The Fan was the first to report of the Raiders’ Clowney proposal (on Twitter).

Jon Gruden looks to be driving the bus for Clowney in Las Vegas, per Lammey. The Raiders used first- and fourth-round picks to address their defensive end spots last year — in Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby — and have 2018 third-rounder Arden Key and recent free agency addition Carl Nassib set to be role players in this group as well. A three-time Pro Bowler, Clowney profiles as a higher-end talent — even though his sack numbers (32 in six seasons, including just three in 2019) do not match his reputation.

The Browns and Seahawks have both pitched Clowney deals worth around $15MM. Clowney is believed to be on the fence regarding a Cleveland stay, but he has not ruled it out. And the Browns have multiyear and one-year proposals still on the table. It is not known if the Seahawks’ reported offer is still out there, but given Seattle’s pass-rushing depth chart, it would make sense if the team were still trying to bring Clowney back.

Load More Posts