HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Alvin Kamara Holding Out For New Deal?

August 31st, 2020 at 1:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Alvin Kamara has not been present for the last three days of Saints training camp and his absence is unexcused (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). This absence is believed to be contract-related, Schefter reports. 

The Saints have been discussing a new deal with Kamara throughout the summer, though it’s not clear if they’ve made him a concrete offer just yet. The final year of Kamara’s third-round rookie contract calls for a $2.13MM base salary.

Kamara said earlier this year that he wants to stay with the Saints, though he is equally eager for a pay bump after watching Panthers star Christian McCaffrey set a new all-time record for the position. While Kamara probably will not top McCaffrey’s $16MM-AAV deal and may not get to the Ezekiel Elliott price point ($15MM/ year), the Saints will have to make him one of the league’s highest-paid backs to keep him for the long haul.

Kamara and Mark Ingram became the first running back duo to each surpass 1,500 yards from scrimmage in a season in 2017, and Kamara eclipsed 1,500 scrimmage yards again in 2018 — when he scored 18 touchdowns. Since 2017, Kamara’s 4,476 scrimmage yards rank fifth in the NFL.

Raiders Cut Prince Amukamara

August 31st, 2020 at 11:10am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are set to release cornerback Prince Amukamara (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo). The former first-round pick was signed to a veteran’s minimum deal (one-year, $1.05MM) in May, so it appears to be a football decision rather than a financial one.

[RELATED: Dolphins Trade LB Raekwon McMillan To Raiders]

Amukamara was dropped by the Bears in February after a so-so year. He’s been inconsistent throughout his career, dating back to his first five seasons with the Giants. Amukamara fared well in 2018, the first season on his three-year, $27MM extension, but he was less impressive in 2019. Last year, Amukamara graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 41 corner in the NFL.

For his career, Amukamara has started in 99 of his 113 games – he’s more or less been first-string for every campaign except his rookie year. Now, he’s looking for work as his age-31 season draws near.

The Raiders will forge ahead with Trayvon Mullen, Isaiah Johnson, nickel back Lamarcus Joyner, and first-round rookie Damon Arnette as their primary corners.

Jaguars Release Leonard Fournette

August 31st, 2020 at 8:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are releasing running back Leonard Fournette, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone has also officially confirmed the move, which will place the former No. 4 overall pick on the waiver wire. 

“At the end of the day, I’ve got to be able to field a team that gives us the best chance to win,” Marrone said (Twitter link via John Oehser of the team website).

Fournette is scheduled to earn $4.1MM in fully guaranteed base salary this season. His contract contains no offset language, so the Jaguars will be off the hook if another club claims him. The Jags declined Fournette’s pick’s fifth-year option, so he has just one year to go on his deal.

Although Fournette totaled a career-high 1,674 yards from scrimmage last season, opinions are split on Fournette’s effectiveness. This year, the Jaguars hired a new OC in Jay Gruden, and they decided to take the running game in a different direction. Jacksonville signed former Gruden passing-down back Chris Thompson, who is now set to take on an even larger role. He’s backstopped by Ryquell Armstead, a 2019 fifth-rounder who averaged just 3.1 yards per carry as a rookie.

The Jaguars tried to get something in exchange for Fournette, but they didn’t find much trade interest. The former LSU running back enjoyed an up-and-down tenure in Jacksonville. He posted two 1,000-yard seasons but also missed eight games in 2018 — a year in which he averaged just 54.9 yards per game — due to injury and suspension.

Fournette was the first running back chosen in 2017. The Jags used their top pick in that draft on him, passing on both Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes despite Blake Bortles‘ struggles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/31/20

August 31st, 2020 at 8:47am CST by Zachary Links

Here are the NFL’s most recent minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived: DE John Daka, WR Michael Dereus, C Sean Pollard
  • Placed on IR: WR DeAndrew White

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Vikings’ Yannick Ngakoue Takes Pay Cut

August 30th, 2020 at 8:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Yannick Ngakoue really, really wanted out of Jacksonville. The former Jaguars defensive end has agreed to a new one-year deal with the Vikings that will pay him just $12MM, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Under his terms of his one-year tender, Ngakoue would have made $17.8MM. 

[RELATED: Vikings Acquire Yannick Ngakoue From Jaguars]

Furthermore, the new deal does not include a no-tag clause. The Vikings will retain the right to cuff Ngakoue in 2021, which would delay his free agency by yet another year. Opinions are split on Ngakoue because of his pressures-to-sacks ratio and his social media spats with Jaguars brass. Regardless, it’s hard to see this acquisition as anything but a major victory for the Vikings. The Vikings got the promising 25-year-old edge rusher for a second-round pick and change, and they’re now getting him at a ~25% discount.

Ngakoue is not particularly strong against the run, but he has averaged over nine sacks per season over his first four years in the league, and he has also shown some serious play-making ability. He has forced 14 fumbles to date and he boasted a pass-rush win rate of 21% as an edge rusher last season. That topped the win rate of his new partner Danielle Hunter (15%) as well as Everson Griffen (17%), who has moved on to the Cowboys.

Broncos Sign Mark Barron

August 30th, 2020 at 7:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have agreed to sign Mark Barron, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The former Rams and Steelers linebacker will help fill in for rookie Justin Strnad, who will miss the year after undergoing wrist surgery. 

Barron, 31 in October, joined the Steelers on a two-year, $12MM deal last year. Barron registered 82 tackles, three sacks, and one fumble recovery in 15 games last year, but the Steelers dropped him in March to free up additional cap space.

Barron, who once played safety, played his best years with the Rams. In L.A., Barron posted at least 100 tackles, and compiled 16 tackles for loss in 2016. The former No. 7 overall pick is unlikely to live up to his draft status at this stage of his career, but he could carve out an inside linebacker role now that Strnad is out and linebacker Todd Davis is dealing with a calf injury.

Jets Cancel Trade For Dolphins’ Kalen Ballage

August 30th, 2020 at 6:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Kalen Ballage isn’t going to the Jets after all. Ballage failed his physical with a hamstring injury, prompting the Jets to nix their trade with the Dolphins (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). 

[RELATED: Bell, Gase Still At Odds?]

The Jets are still intrigued by Ballage’s skillset and Rapoport hears that he could circle back to Gang Green once he’s healthy. But, for now, he’ll revert to the Dolphins, who are expected to cut him. The Jets, meanwhile, may have a little extra urgency in their running back search after rookie RB La’Mical Perine injured his ankle during practice on Sunday. If it’s more than a mild sprain, the Jets will need some additional support behind top rushers Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore.

In other Jets news, the drama between Bell and Adam Gase does not appear to be over. Bell took issue with the head coach pulling him from a scrimmage and the veteran running back has not impressed thus far in training camp.

Chargers’ Derwin James Suffers Knee Injury 

August 30th, 2020 at 6:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Chargers safety Derwin James suffered a meniscus injury during practice on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Bolts are awaiting word on his tests, but they’re expecting to be without James for a significant period of time. 

James’ timetable will largely depend on the severity of the tear and his personal choice on how to address it. A meniscus trim would sideline James for approximately one month. A full repair of the meniscus would take several months to heal and likely rule him out for the year.

Unfortunately, this is familiar territory for the promising young safety. Last August, James suffered a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. That injury kept him off the field until November, limiting him to just five games in 2019. That was hardly the encore James expected. As a rookie in 2018, the No. 17 overall pick posted three interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and 3.5 sacks. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded James as the league’s seventh-best safety and he also garnered a first-team All-Pro nod.

If James opts for a full repair, it’s possible that the Chargers could consider free agent Earl Thomas. Thomas played for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley in Seattle, and Bradley sees some similarities between the two players.

“Normally, I don’t like to compare guys, but he’s unique because he has the speed of a corner. He has the athleticism to make plays in space. He can play in the box. He’s a good rusher. I see some of those traits in [James],” Bradley says of James last December (via Sports Illustrated). “I see a guy that can cover a lot of field like Earl Thomas, can cover a lot of ground. So, I see bits and pieces of that.”

Texans, Zach Cunningham Agree To $58MM Deal

August 30th, 2020 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans and linebacker Zach Cunningham have agreed to a four-year, $58MM extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The new portion of the deal gives Cunningham an average annual salary of $14.5MM per year and keeps him under club control through 2024.

[RELATED: Texans Work Out C.J. Prosise]

When the Texans moved up from No. 25 to land Deshaun Watson in the 2017 draft, they figured that Cunningham would land elsewhere. The Giants were particularly interested in the Vanderbilt product but, luckily for Houston, they chose Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram instead at No. 23 and passed on Cunningham again at No. 55, allowing them to grab the ‘backer at No. 57 overall.

Since then, Cunningham has been a fixture in the Texans’ front seven. He took another giant leap forward last year, logging 142 stops, two sacks, and two passes defensed in 16 games (all starts). Cunningham led the league in run stops, posted a career-best run-defense grade of 84.8 (per Pro Football Focus), and routinely flustered quarterbacks with his 82-inch wingspan.

Cunningham has been knocked for his inconsistent coverage, but he’s one of the league’s better inside linebackers on the whole. Meanwhile, he’s still shy of his 26th birthday in December. The contract positions Cunningham as the league’s tenth highest-paid ILB, sandwiched between Shaquil Barrett of the Buccaneers and Deion Jones of the Falcons.

LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase Opts Out Of 2020 Season

August 30th, 2020 at 12:36pm CST by Rory Parks

College football’s consensus No. 1 wide receiver, LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, will opt out of the 2020 season and declare for the 2021 NFL draft, as Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports was the first to report. Chase is viewed as a potential top-five pick.

According to Dodd, Chase’s decision was not necessarily due to COVID-19. The SEC is still planning to play its 2020 season in the fall (for now), and while NFL GMs may be hesitant to select a prospect who has not played since the 2019 season when the 2021 draft comes along, it’s hard to imagine Chase’s opt-out impacting his stock too much.

The 6-foot, 208-pounder was part of LSU’s juggernaut offense last year, setting SEC single-season records in receiving yards (1,780) and receiving touchdowns (20). That same offense produced three skill positions players that were selected in the first round of the 2020 draft, including Chase’s running mate, Justin Jefferson. As good as Jefferson was, Chase was even better, winning the Biletnikoff Award in his sophomore season.

Thus far, Chase is the highest-profile collegiate player to opt out, though other first-round prospects and tantalizing receivers like Wake Forest’s Sage Surratt and Purdue’s Rondale Moore have also made that decision. It seems likely that plenty of other players will follow suit.

Chase’s formal announcement is expected tomorrow.

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