2020 September - Pro Football Rumors

Justin Herbert Starts At QB For Chargers

September 20th, 2020 at 3:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The NFL debut of Justin Herbert is coming in unexpected fashion. Just moments before kickoff, the Chargers announced the rookie first-rounder would be making his first career start.

In an unusual situation, normal starter Tyrod Taylor apparently injured his chest during pregame warmups and needed to be pulled. That meant the sixth overall pick of April’s draft was suddenly thrust into his first real action without being prepped for it against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

He certainly didn’t look overwhelmed initially, scoring a touchdown on his first pro drive. There’s no word yet on how serious the injury to Taylor is, but we’ll be sure to pass on word to you shortly. Taylor entered the season as the starter, but it was likely only a matter of time before the Oregon product took over anyway.

Los Angeles escaped with a narrow victory over the Bengals in Week 1, but Taylor didn’t play too well and failed to move the offense consistently. If Herbert plays well today against Kansas City he probably won’t be relinquishing the job regardless of Taylor’s health.

49ers Believe DE Nick Bosa Has Torn ACL, Jimmy Garoppolo To Miss Week 3

September 20th, 2020 at 3:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Just minutes after it was reported the Giants believe Saquon Barkley is done for the year, another star player appears to have suffered a season-ending knee injury. The 49ers believe pass-rusher Nick Bosa has a torn ACL, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced at his post-game press conference.

It wasn’t the only significant injury the 49ers suffered, as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also went down with an ankle injury. Shanahan announced after their win over the Jets that it was a high ankle sprain and that backup Nick Mullens would likely start their Week 3 game against the Giants.

It’s an absolutely massive blow to this 49ers defense, which was the engine behind their Super Bowl run last year. The defensive front already took a hit with the trade of All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner this offseason, and now there’s a huge hole on the outside.

The second overall pick of last year’s draft, Bosa was sensational as a rookie. He had nine sacks, making the Pro Bowl and winning the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The 49ers beat the lowly Jets, but they lost as big favorites to the Cardinals in Week 1, and are now at a significant disadvantage.

Bosa should be able to make a full recovery in time for Week 1 of next year. Ankle injuries don’t tend to keep quarterbacks out too long, so it would be a surprise if Garoppolo isn’t back under center for San Fran’s Week 4 date with the Eagles.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Active For Week 2

September 20th, 2020 at 12:25pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles’ surprising second-round selection, Jalen Hurts, is making his professional debut today. After being inactive last week, Hurts is active for today’s bout against the Rams and will serve as the backup to QB Carson Wentz. Fellow signal-caller Nate Sudfeld, meanwhile, finds himself on the inactive list.

As Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP observes, the fact that Hurts was activated the week after Wentz turned in a poor performance and is facing even more public scrutiny than usual is interesting (Twitter link). However, it will likely take at least a few weeks of disappointing play from Wentz to generate any sort of quarterback controversy. Head coach Doug Pederson said after this year’s draft that the club would use Hurts in the same way that the Saints have used Taysom Hill — as a gadget player who can provide a jolt to the offense — so look for Hurts to get his feet wet in that role before anything more dramatic happens.

After their lackluster offensive showing in their Week 1 loss to Washington, the Eagles could certainly use a jolt. But Pederson also said that he sees Hurts as a quarterback first, so it will be interesting to see if he remains Wentz’s QB2 moving forward. It wasn’t too ago that Sudfeld was seen as a potential starting signal-caller, but he missed all of the 2019 season with a wrist injury, and his stock has fallen considerably. Philadelphia re-signed Sudfeld this offseason, but the club hopes that Hurts will become, if nothing else, a capable backup.

Hurts was a good player for Alabama from 2016-18, but he was otherworldly after transferring to Oklahoma last season. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and had 32 TD passes against just eight interceptions. He also rushed for 1,298 yards and 20 TDs, so he clearly has enough talent to make a difference in special packages.

Cardinals Haven’t Discussed Extension For Chandler Jones

September 20th, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Rory Parks

Teams are generally reluctant to discuss extensions for players who have multiple years remaining on their existing deals because it could encourage other players on the roster to demand a new deal before the club is prepared to give them one. The people introduce the Cardinals as Exhibit “A.”

Arizona recently finalized a two-year extension with star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, even though Hopkins was already under club control for three more seasons. But according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the team has made no effort to rework Chandler Jones‘ deal, despite Jones’ continued excellence both on and off the field.

Jones is under contract through the 2021 season, but rival execs still believe it’s unusual that the Cardinals have not at least explored an extension. After all, Jones has been arguably the league’s best pass rusher since Arizona acquired him from the Patriots in March 2016, and the 60 sacks that he posted from 2016-19 are eight more than anyone else in the league during that span. The extension he signed in March 2017 will pay him a $16MM salary this year and a $15.5MM salary next season, but those payouts pale in comparison to the $25-$27MM AAVs that players like Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett recently pulled down from their clubs.

Jones, 30, is not the type of player to publicly voice his displeasure, but La Canfora says his contract situation has been “festering” all offseason. The fact that Hopkins got a new deal before ever playing a snap for the Cards certainly didn’t help matters, and it didn’t go unnoticed in the locker room. Though his age may prevent him from getting Bosa or Garrett money, Jones is certainly due for a pay bump, and it will be interesting to see if GM Steve Keim starts thinking about one before the end of the season.

We recently heard that the club has not engaged in any substantive contract talks with cornerback Patrick Peterson, and La Canfora confirms that report. Peterson, though, is playing out his contract year and is eligible for free agency in 2021.

Giants Fear RB Saquon Barkley Has Torn ACL

September 20th, 2020 at 10:53am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Absolutely devastating news for the Giants, as it appears Saquon Barkley will be done for the year. New York fears their young running back has torn his ACL, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Schefter adds that official confirmation won’t come until Monday, but since field tests for ACLs are extremely accurate, it’s all but certain. Barkley was completely bottled up in the Giants’ Week 1 loss to the Steelers, and went down early in their game against the Bears. The Penn State product hasn’t always had a ton of room to run behind New York’s patchwork offensive line, but he’s still managed to be electric during his first couple of years in the league.

The second overall pick of the 2018 draft, Barkley quickly became one of the most recognizable faces in the NFL, and this is a huge loss. Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman are next up at running back for the G-Men, although it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if they went out and added a veteran in the wake of this injury.

Barkley was hampered by an ankle issue last year that limited him to only 13 games and had him hobbled in several others. In his only 16-game season as a rookie he had 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, adding another 721 and four through the air while averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

The Giants are now 0-2 on the year, and will be missing the heart of their offense moving forward. It certainly won’t help Jason Garrett’s first year as offensive coordinator, and Daniel Jones will now be without his safety blanket. Here’s to hoping Barkley makes a full recovery in plenty of time for the 2021 season.

Browns (Still) Have No Plans To Trade OBJ

September 20th, 2020 at 10:42am CST by Rory Parks

Once again, trade rumors surrounding Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr. have surfaced. And once again, the team has shut down those rumors.

“It’s totally not true,” a source close to the situation told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. “No idea where anyone would have gotten that.”

Towards the end of his disappointing first season in Cleveland in 2019, it was reported that Beckham wanted out and that he had approached opposing players and coaches before (and even during) games and told them, “come get me.” His name cropped up in trade speculation again in the spring, but, just as they did today, team sources refuted the notion that OBJ could be on the move.

Indeed, the 27-year-old attended Cleveland’s virtual offseason meetings this year after skipping most of the team’s on-site OTAs in 2019, so the Browns were hopeful that a more engaged and healthier player — Beckham battled core muscle and hip injuries much of last season — would look more like the All-Pro they thought they were getting when they consummated their blockbuster trade with the Giants. But after he recorded just three catches on 10 targets in the team’s Week 1 loss to the Ravens, a game in which Beckham dropped a critical third-down pass, rumors started to swirl anew.

OBJ and quarterback Baker Mayfield showed some rapport during Cleveland’s Week 2 victory over the Bengals on Thursday night, as Beckham posted four catches (on six targets) for 74 yards and a touchdown. It was just one game against an uninspiring Cincinnati defense, but it’s a start.

The 1-1 Browns still boast a roster that, on paper, looks like a playoff contender. Getting the most out of Beckham will be key to a postseason push.

NFC North Rumors: Robinson, Packers, Golladay

September 20th, 2020 at 9:53am CST by Rory Parks

The Bears and WR Allen Robinson have resumed extension talks after a tumultuous week, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Chicago rebuffed trade inquiries on its star receiver while increasing the contract offer it had on the table. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says negotiations are not likely to last deep into the season.

Per La Canfora, Robinson and the Bears still don’t see eye-to-eye on Robinson’s value, and Robinson may be content to head into the 2021 offseason as arguably the best WR available in free agency. But La Canfora says Robinson will not hit the open market. If the two sides don’t come to terms on a new deal, look for the Bears to slap the 27-year-old with the franchise tag. Obviously, both parties would prefer to avoid that outcome, but it sounds like there is still a wide gap that needs to be bridged in short order.

Now for more from the NFC North:

Before the season started, we heard that the Packers and RB Aaron Jones were working on a new deal. Although games are now underway, it sounds as if an extension could still get done. Jones, who is currently earning $2.133MM in the final year of his rookie contract, has seen plenty of other backs get new deals over the past several weeks and hopes he will get his big payday soon. “I’m definitely open to getting something done whenever,” Jones said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “But like I said, that’s not my main focus. Just gonna continue to focus on football and helping this team bring in the wins, as many as possible.”
Another key member of the Packers who is set for free agency in 2021 is LT David Bakhtiari. As was the case with Jones, Green Bay was hoping to finalize an extension for Bakhtiari before the season, but it sounds as if the two sides are far apart in negotiations. Demovsky says the All-Pro lineman is looking to match or exceed Laremy Tunsil‘s $22MM AAV, while the Packers’ best offer to date is about $4MM per year less than Bakhtiari’s asking price.
Lions WR Kenny Golladay will make his 2020 debut soon. Although the star receiver will miss Detroit’s Week 2 matchup with the Packers this afternoon, head coach Matt Patricia said Golladay is “really close” to a return (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network). A few weeks ago, the Lions and Golladay were said to be nearing an agreement on what will surely be a massive extension, though there were conflicting reports on that front.
ICYMI, the Bears and RB Tarik Cohen have come to terms on a three-year extension.

Seahawks Eyeing Extension For HC Pete Carroll

September 20th, 2020 at 8:55am CST by Rory Parks

Pete Carroll has had a tremendous run with the Seahawks. Hired as the club’s head coach and executive vice president of player operations in January 2010, he has compiled a 101-59-1 regular season record over the past 10+ seasons, to go along with a 10-7 postseason mark. He guided Seattle to its first Super Bowl victory after the 2013 season, and he came devastatingly close to a second Lombardi the following year.

While the infamous end to Super Bowl XLIX will always be a part of Carroll’s legacy, it does not change the fact that he and QB Russell Wilson have established the Seahawks as a perennial championship contender. With Wilson under club control through the 2023 campaign, it stands to reason that the ‘Hawks would want to continue their relationship with Carroll at least that long.

To that end, Seattle is beginning to explore an extension for the 69-year-old sideline general and chewing gum enthusiast, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. Carroll is currently under contract through the 2021 season thanks to the extension he signed in December 2018, but he reiterated earlier this week that he wants to coach well into his 70s.

The $11MM salary he is currently earning ranks him among the highest-paid coaches in the league, and an extension will likely push that figure even higher. Although there is some long-term uncertainty concerning club ownership, La Canfora says the Seahawks are at least three years away from going to market.

Carroll and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick — who replaced Carroll as New England’s HC 20 years ago — will square off tonight and will set a record for the oldest combined age of head coaches in an NFL game.

Bears, RB Tarik Cohen Agree To Extension

September 20th, 2020 at 8:20am CST by Rory Parks

The Bears and running back Tarik Cohen have hammered out an extension, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com was first to report (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com). We heard yesterday that the two sides were working on a new contract and hoped to have one completed before today’s game, and they managed to do just that.

According to Schefter, it will be a three-year extension worth $17.25MM in new money, for an average annual value of $5.75MM. Cohen can bump that number up to $18.25MM with incentives, and $9.5MM is fully guaranteed at signing.

The 2017 fourth-round selection was in the final year of his rookie contract, so his new deal will keep him tethered to the club through the 2023 season. And while Cohen does get a nice influx of cash, the contract looks pretty reasonable for a player of his capabilities. He has never topped 100 carries in a season, but he does boast a solid 4.2 YPC average in his career, and he has averaged nearly 70 receptions per season over his first three professional campaigns.

Cohen has also served as Chicago’s primary punt returner during that time, and he earned a 2018 Pro Bowl nod for his special teams acumen. The Bears need all the play-makers they can get, and they will be happy to keep the diminutive speedster in the fold for the next few seasons.

The club may now focus its full attention on a new contract for wide receiver Allen Robinson.

Extra Points: Stanley, Tate, Broncos, TV

September 19th, 2020 at 6:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens and Ronnie Stanley began discussing an extension in February, but after taking a long break prior to an August negotiation resumption, the sides remain without a deal. An understandable reason may be holding up the talks. Buzz has emerged that Stanley is seeking a contract that pays him north of Laremy Tunsil‘s market-reshaping $22MM-per-year pact, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (Insider link). Stanley has been diplomatic about the talks, but he is poised to cash in soon. Tunsil, of course, carried unique leverage after the Texans dealt two first-round picks to land him. Stanley, however, is Baltimore’s top lineman and became a top-tier tackle ahead of his contract year. The Ravens will have the option of a pricey franchise tag, in a year when the cap could plummet by a record margin, if they cannot extend Stanley by the March tag deadline.

Here is the latest from around the league:

In another AFC North matter, one of the Bengals‘ wide receivers may be unhappy. And it is not A.J. Green. The Bengals made Auden Tate a healthy scratch Thursday night, and his agent floated the prospect of a trade. While Deiric Jackson stopped short of saying his client has requested one, it is clear Team Tate is not content. “He was healthy and ready to go,” Jackson said, via CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin. “If they don’t know how to use him, I’m sure there are plenty of other teams that would love to have a weapon like that offensively.” Tate played 15 snaps in Cincinnati’s opener. The Bengals used the 6-foot-5 target frequently last season — when he caught 40 passes for 575 yards — but now have Green back and second-rounder Tee Higgins in the fold. Two seasons remain on Tate’s seventh-round contract.
The Broncos have put off major investments at inside linebacker since Brandon Marshall‘s 2016 extension, but Mike Klis of 9News notes the team considered both signing street free agent Christian Kirksey and using its first-round pick on Patrick Queen this year. This is not the first time the Broncos were linked to a first-round likebacker under Vic Fangio. Had they not executed a trade-down for Noah Fant in the 2019 first round, they would have chosen Devin Bush 10th overall. Denver, which cut longtime starter Todd Davis this month, used 2019 breakout player Alexander Johnson and 2018 draftee Josey Jewell as its three-down ‘backers Monday.
Phillip Lindsay will not be available for the Broncos against the Steelers. The talented running back is battling turf toe, leaving Royce Freeman as Melvin Gordon‘s top Week 2 backup.
Blake Bortles remains a free agent, but the former Jaguars starter and Rams backup is waiting on the right situation to open up, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. After starting for five seasons, Bortles threw just two passes in 2019.
NFL owners are confident they will have “groundbreaking” TV deals in place by early 2021, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. The league was making progress during its negotiations with networks prior to the pandemic, and La Canfora adds that the contracts would likely have been finalized were it not for COVID-19. The next round of TV contracts were expected to be a game-changer for the NFL; projections of a $260MM-plus salary cap within a few years surfaced this past winter. While fanless stadiums amid the pandemic will cut into that short-term growth, teams authorizing big extensions in recent weeks points to confidence in long-term financial stability. The NFL’s ESPN contract expires after the 2021 season; its deals with the other networks are not up until the end of 2022.