2020 August - Pro Football Rumors

49ers To Sign OL Hroniss Grasu

August 19th, 2020 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Recent 49ers acquisition Spencer Long opted to retire, and the team added another depth piece to fill the void. Former Bears starting center Hroniss Grasu agreed to terms with the 49ers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The agreement is pending COVID-19 testing, but Grasu would potentially provide some second-string help for a 49ers team that has some uncertainty on its O-line interior.

San Francisco moved on from two-year guard starter Mike Person, who subsequently retired, and center starter Weston Richburg resides on the team’s active/PUP list. Utility man Ben Garland is also battling an ankle injury. The team is also thin at guard, beyond starters Laken Tomlinson and Tom Compton.

Grasu, 29, spent the past two seasons with the Ravens. Injuries sidetracked his run with the Bears. He landed in Baltimore in 2018 but also spent time with Tennessee during that stretch. The former third-round pick started a game for the Ravens in 2018 but has only appeared in four contests over the past two seasons.

Bashaud Breeland Facing 4-Game Ban

August 19th, 2020 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs may be without one of their top cornerbacks for the first quarter of their season. Bashaud Breeland is facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Breeland re-signed with the Chiefs in March but was arrested in April on charges of resisting arrest, possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, marijuana possession, and driving without a license.

Kansas City opted not to devote many resources to cornerback this offseason, filling other needs with its top draft picks. Breeland and fourth-round selection L’Jarius Sneed represent the defending Super Bowl champions’ primary moves at corner this year. The team also lost two-year contributor Kendall Fuller in free agency. Breeland signed his second one-year deal with the Chiefs, this one for $4.5MM.

This will mark a setback for the Chiefs, who lost starters Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Damien Williams to opt-outs. Kansas City, however, replaced Duvernay-Tardif quickly. Were the Super Bowl contenders to operate in the same fashion, the likes of Aqib Talib, Dre Kirkpatrick, Tramon Williams and ex-Chief Brandon Carr represent the highest-profile outside cornerbacks available. Slot corner Logan Ryan is one of the biggest names left in free agency, however.

Breeland, 28, intercepted two passes, recovered two fumbles and made 48 tackles in his first Chiefs season. The former second-round pick worked as a regular starter. He stands to miss games against the Texans, Chargers, Ravens and Patriots.

Jaguars Close To Yannick Ngakoue Trade?

August 19th, 2020 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars may be on the verge of ending the Yannick Ngakoue impasse. They are “extremely close” to a deal that will send the disgruntled defensive end elsewhere, Mike Lombardi of The Athletic reports (on Twitter).

A team has submitted a firm offer to the Jags, with Lombardi adding that a second-round pick may well be the compensation. This rumored trade could occur as soon as today, Lombardi adds. Any team that trades for Ngakoue cannot extend him until after the season. The franchise tag deadline passed more than a month ago, putting Ngakoue in a similar position to Jadeveon Clowney last year.

The Raiders resumed their Ngakoue pursuit before training camp, re-engaging with the Jags on trade talks, per Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter). The Jags and Raiders discussed an Ngakoue deal in April, but talks did not progress. Las Vegas has 2019 draftees Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby spearheading their pass rush, but the Raiders’ perennially shaky defense could certainly use a player of Ngakoue’s caliber.

Although a report last week indicated the Jets were not interested, Lombardi tweets the team is involved in this pursuit. Gang Green has done surprisingly little to upgrade its edge rush this offseason, so Ngakoue would surely help the cause. The Jets are not believed to be interested in Clowney. The Seahawks were a rumored Ngakoue suitor prior to the draft. They pulled off a similar deal last August, landing Clowney from the Texans for a third-round pick and change. They have again been linked to Clowney, and Clay Matthews has surfaced on Seattle’s radar.

Ngakoue has not reported to the Jaguars but has hired a new agent, according to Neil Stratton of InsidetheLeague.com (on Twitter). This may be accelerating the trade talks. Ngakoue fired his previous agent last week. Jacksonville received multiple offers for Ngakoue before the tag deadline. While the ideal time to trade the fifth-year defender would have been before July 15, the 2021 salary cap’s uncertainty may not make a rental scenario too damaging for the Jags’ compensation. Still, a first-round pick and change — which the Chiefs paid for Frank Clark last year — was previously rumored as the price.

Ngakoue, 25, has been at odds with the Jaguars for months. He has vowed never to play for the team again, though he did check in with Jags brass earlier this summer. The former third-round pick would certainly upgrade a team’s pass rush, having racked up 37.5 sacks in four seasons. The Jags trading Ngakoue would continue their rebuilding path. They have already dealt Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye over the past 10 months.

NFL Not Ruling Out Postseason Bubble

August 19th, 2020 at 2:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after the prospect of an MLB playoff bubble surfaced, the NFL may be considering such a setup. During the most recent competition committee meeting, Sean Payton suggested gathering playoff-qualifying teams in a bubble, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.

The NFL has not dismissed the idea, with executive VP Troy Vincent indicating all options are currently on the table. Such a scenario would need to be approved by the NFLPA, but Garafolo adds the union has already considered such a concept (Twitter link).

Stationing teams in regular-season bubbles did not gain much traction this offseason, but the postseason would not bring as many complications. Fourteen teams will qualify for the playoffs this year — the most since the strike-altered 1982 campaign — but that certainly makes a bubble easier to pull off than a 32-team format. Still, teams carrying 69-player rosters (counting practice squads) along with dozens of coaches will make it difficult.

Thus far, the NFL has not seen a coronavirus outbreak. Less than 1% of players have tested positive since the league began testing. But the NBA and NHL bubbles have generated strong reviews so far, while baseball has seen two teams — the Marlins and Cardinals — be forced to pause their seasons because of rampant positive tests. The NFL carries the risk of this happening as well, considering its roster sizes and plan to play all regular-season games in teams’ usual stadiums.

A bubble would also nix home-field advantage, which matters far more in the NFL playoffs than it does in baseball. Attendance is set to be limited or scrapped, depending on cities, to start the regular season. Some teams have ruled out fans for all of the 2020 slate. Others have released limited-capacity plans. It is obviously not certain where the country will stand with the COVID-19 pandemic by January, so it may be a bit before the league commits to a centralized playoff location.

49ers, WR Jaron Brown Agree To Deal

August 19th, 2020 at 1:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another veteran wideout is heading to San Francisco. After signing Tavon Austin and J.J. Nelson, the 49ers agreed to terms with Jaron Brown, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

This will mark Brown’s third NFC West team. The 6-foot-3 target spent the first seven years of his career in Arizona (from 2013-17) and Seattle (2018-19). Brown, 30, worked out for the 49ers on Tuesday.

The 49ers’ receiving corps has encountered multiple setbacks, with a reported Jalen Hurd ACL tear following Deebo Samuel‘s offseason foot fracture. Still, the 49ers boast a crowded group. Brown, Austin and Nelson join the likes of first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Taylor, Kendrick Bourne and 2018 second-rounder Dante Pettis. How the 49ers determine roles for their as-of-now Samuel-less operation will be interesting as the season approaches.

Brown saw action as a Seahawks auxiliary weapon in 14 games last season, catching 16 passes for 220 yards. His best season came in 2017 with the Cards, when he hauled in 31 passes for 477 yards.

Jets To Audition WR Donte Moncrief

August 19th, 2020 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Donte Moncrief continues to draw interest during training camp. After the 49ers brought him in last week, the Jets are hosting the veteran wideout, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes.

The Jets will put the seventh-year receiver through a workout. Moncrief, who just turned 27, is coming off a down season — spent with the Steelers and Panthers. But the 6-foot-4 target has shown intermittent promise in the past and has drawn interest since becoming a free agent in 2018.

While Moncrief was a major disappointment in Pittsburgh, being buried on the Steelers’ depth chart after a drop-filled September, he produced a 48-catch, 668-yard season with Jacksonville in 2018. His best years came when Andrew Luck operated as the Colts’ quarterback. The former third-round pick totaled 13 touchdown receptions between the 2015-16 seasons. He posted a career-high 733 yards for the ’15 Colts but has experienced an inconsistent career.

Already housing a thin receiving corps, the Jets are currently down Denzel Mims. The second-round rookie is dealing with a hamstring injury. Mims, Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman are in line to work as Gang Green’s primary receivers.

Vikings Table Dalvin Cook Talks

August 19th, 2020 at 12:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Contract talks between the Vikings and running back Dalvin Cook have been put on pause, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Talks could resume at some point before the end of the season but, for now, Cook says he’s keeping his focus on the season ahead.

Cook is entering the walk year of his rookie deal, putting him on track for free agency in March. The Vikings could keep him from the open market with the franchise tag, but that likely won’t sit well with the former second-round pick. Throughout the spring, there were rumblings of a potential 2020 holdout, so Cook could very well take a hard-line stance next year. On the plus side, Cook has repeatedly expressed a desire to stay in Minnesota.

“This is where I want to be at. This is what I love to do,” Cook said recently. “I was going to be here regardless of whatever the speculations (that) came up or (questions of) if I wasn’t coming. I was going to be here ready to work. … I’m locked up full go, a thousand percent.”

Cook is set to make $1.33MM this year. Both sides would like to hammer out an extension, but the running back’s $15MM-per-year asking price is a bit too high for the Vikes, especially with a salary cap slash on the way.

Last year, Cook posted career highs with 250 carries, 1,135 rushing yards (4.5 YPC), and 13 touchdowns. He also managed 53 catches for 519 yards, positioning him as one of the best RBs in the league. Those totals would have been even higher, if not for a late-season chest injury.

Titans To Sign Trevor Siemian

August 19th, 2020 at 12:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have agreed to sign quarterback Trevor Siemian, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Meanwhile, the Titans will also welcome tight end Geoff Swaim to the roster, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. To make room for Siemian, the Titans have dropped seventh-round rookie Cole McDonald.

Siemian auditioned for the Titans earlier this week, alongside fellow QB DeShone Kizer, running back D’Onta Foreman, and Swaim. The 28-year-old can provide experience behind starter Ryan Tannehill, where Logan Woodside currently sits as the QB2. Unfortunately, he’s appeared in just one game over the past two years, thanks in part to his brutal ankle injury in 2019. The last time he got an extended look was 2017, when he went 5-5 as a starter for the Broncos.

Swaim played four seasons for the Cowboys before moving on to the Jaguars last year. He played in six games for the Jags before landing on IR. In March, the Jaguars dropped him from the roster. Swaim’s best season came in 2018 when he notched a career-high 26 catches for 242 yards and one touchdown. Now, he’ll push to make the final cut, even though the Titans already have Jonnu Smith, Anthony Firkser, MyCole Pruitt, Parker Hesse, and Tommy Hudson at tight end.

McDonald, a University of Hawaii product, finished third in the nation in passing yards. Hawaii’s aggressive offensive scheme had a lot to do with that, but the Titans also saw some pro potential in the youngster. If he clears waivers, it stands to reason that the Titans will try to stash him on the practice squad.

Wake Forest WR Sage Surratt Opts Out

August 19th, 2020 at 11:57am CST by Zachary Links

Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt announced that he will opt out of the 2020 college football season and turn his attention to preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft (Twitter link). Surratt, widely projected to be a first-round pick next April, is just the latest college football star to skip out on the upcoming campaign.

In recent days, Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, Minnesota wideout Rashod Bateman, and Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore have decided to prioritize their safety and long-term career prospects. Surratt is widely projected as one of the top WR talents in the ’21 class, along with LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase and Alabama stars Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith.

Surratt, who boasts size and power at 6’3″, caught some attention as a frosh in 2018 with 41 catches for 581 yards and four touchdowns. Last year, he made an even stronger case for NFL evaluators: 66 receptions for 1,001 yards and eleven scores.

More players from the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 conferences are expected to pass on playing this year, including some of the game’s top prospects for the upcoming draft.

Russell Shepard Declines Ravens Workout

August 19th, 2020 at 10:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens asked Russell Shepard to work out alongside Dez Bryant and others this week, but he turned down their invite (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Instead, the wide receiver is “set to walk away and is not planning to play in 2020.”

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Shepard, it seems, is ready to move on from football altogether. The 30-year-old spent the first five years of his career in the NFC South, playing for the Bucs and Panthers before inking a one-year deal with the Giants in 2018. The former undrafted free agent was always more of a special teams player than an offensive force. Statistically, his best season came in 2016 when he set career highs in catches (23) and yards (341). His first season in New York/New Jersey wasn’t much different – he notched just ten grabs for 188 yards and two scores. Last year, he landed on IR after just three games.

That’s one less wide receiver option for the Ravens, but they’ll still consider Bryant and Dwayne Harris, a fellow ex-Giant who also showed his stuff for the team this week. There was some talk of the Ravens signing Antonio Brown, but they’ve formally shut the door on him, despite the endorsement of Lamar Jackson.