HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Saints, Alvin Kamara “Extremely Close” To Deal

September 8th, 2020 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints and Alvin Kamara are “extremely close” to finalizing an extension, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal could potentially get done today, since the players have off and Kamara would have time to review the proposed terms.

[RELATED: Titans Beat Out Saints For Jadeveon Clowney]

The sides have made progress in recent weeks, though there’s also been trade speculation surrounding the star running back. Just days ago, the Saints were said to be open to moving Kamara, though they would ask for a first-round pick in return. At one point, Kamara was skipping practices, but the two sides now seem to be on the same page.

Kamara’s deal is expected to land somewhere between Joe Mixon‘s $12MM-per-year pact and Christian McCaffrey‘s record-setting $16MM-AAV deal. Odds are, it’ll be closer to CMC than Mixon. Since 2017, Kamara has registered an eye-popping 4,476 yards from scrimmage, and the Saints don’t want to lose that offensive firepower.

For now, Kamara has one year to go on his rookie deal. The former third-round pick is set to earn just $2.13MM in base salary in 2020.

Cardinals, DeAndre Hopkins Nearing Deal

September 7th, 2020 at 8:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals and DeAndre Hopkins are nearing agreement on a contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Hopkins – who left CAA earlier this summer – negotiated the contract himself. 

Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it could very well position him as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. That title currently belongs to Bears linebacker Khalil Mack, who’s earning $23.5MM per season. Anything over $22MM per year on average would vault Hopkins to the top of the wide receiver list, ahead of Falcons star Julio Jones.

Hopkins has three years to go on his original Texans deal, which pays him just $12.5MM this year. Beyond that, he’s got two more seasons of below-market, non-guaranteed pay. The three-time First-Team All-Pro has averaged 90+ catches, ~1,230 yards, and eight touchdowns per year in the NFL. Meanwhile, he ranks ninth among all wide receivers in average annual value, behind Jones, Amari Cooper, Michael Thomas, A.J. Green, Tyreek Hill, Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, and Brandin Cooks.

The Cardinals knew that extension talks were on the horizon with Hopkins when they pulled off their stunning trade in March. It won’t come cheap but, on the plus side, they didn’t give up much to acquire one of the game’s most dangerous offensive players. For a net cost of David Johnson and a second-round pick, they now tout Hopkins as their top receiver ahead of Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk.

Raiders Place Marcus Mariota On IR, Add DeShone Kizer To P-Squad

September 7th, 2020 at 6:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have placed quarterback Marcus Mariota on injured reserve, per a club announcement. For added insurance, the club has added one-time Notre Dame star DeShone Kizer to the Raiders’ practice squad. 

Mariota’s strained pectoral muscle will keep him out for at least three weeks, per the league’s modified rules for 2020. Without him, the Raiders are rolling with two QBs on the active roster – Derek Carr and Nathan Peterman. Mariota’s temporary absence may take a little bit of pressure off of Derek Carr, who has certainly heard the footsteps. Mariota, who was leapfrogged by Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, finished the year with a career-low 59.4% completion rate and just 1,203 yards.

Kizer has been on the workout trail ever since he was cut by the club in May, but those tryouts didn’t land him a deal. Now, the 2017 second-round pick will stick around in Las Vegas as he waits for his next opportunity. Kizer, 24, has made 18 appearances over the course of his NFL career, most of which came during the Browns’ winless season. All in all, he’s got eleven touchdowns against 24 interceptions.

Here’s the full rundown of the Raiders’ practice squad after Monday’s move:

Steelers Sign Devlin Hodges To P-Squad

September 7th, 2020 at 6:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Devlin Hodges wasn’t gone for long. After waiving the quarterback over the weekend, the Steelers inked him to a practice squad deal on Monday, per a club announcement. With Duck under contract, and running back Wendell Smallwood on the way, the Steelers have their initial taxi squad in place. Here’s the full rundown: 

The Steelers were set to roll with Hodges as their QB3, up until they claimed Josh Dobbs off waivers from the Jaguars. Last year, Hodges went from an unheralded UDFA on the practice squad to a fill-in starter after Ben Roethlisberger went down. He wasn’t able to keep his momentum after a hot start, but coaches still like him as an emergency option.

Smallwood was one of the Eagles’ main running backs in 2018, but didn’t much action with Washington in 2019. In 15 games, he registered 22 carries for 81 yards, good for a 3.7 yards per tote average.

Texans Place Gareon Conley On IR

September 7th, 2020 at 4:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans will be without Gareon Conley for at least a little while. On Monday, Houston placed the cornerback on injured reserve, which will rule him out for a minimum of three games per the league’s modified rules for 2020. 

[RELATED: Texans Sign Deshaun Watson To $177MM Extension]

Conley was activated from the PUP list in August after making strides in his recovery from arthroscopic ankle surgery. The move to IR is a frustrating setback for Conley, who was neck-and-neck with second-year pro Lonnie Johnson for a starting job. Once he’s back, Conley will push for playing time as he makes his case ahead of free agency.

The Texans declined Conley’s fifth-year option for 2021, which would have paid him $10.24MM. Still, the Texans were excited to see what he could bring to the table this year. After a rocky tenure in Oakland, Conley managed eleven pass breakups in Houston. That gave him the second-highest total on the team, just two shy of team leader Jonathan Joseph. Without Conley, the Texans will move forward with Bradley Roby, Vernon Hargreaves, Lonnie Johnson, John Reid, Keion Crossen, and Phillip Gaines as their cornerbacks.

In related moves, the Texans placed wide receiver Isaiah Coulter on IR while re-signing tacke Brent Qvale and long snapper Jon Weeks.

Oregon’s Penei Sewell Opts Out Of 2020 Season

September 7th, 2020 at 3:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell announced that he has opted out of the 2020 season. Citing health concerns, Sewell will now turn his attention to the 2021 NFL Draft.

[RELATED: LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase Opts Out Of 2020 Season]

Sewell has long been regarded as one of the top prospects in the ’21 draft. Most boards have Sewell as a Top 5 prospect and some even him positioned as a Top 3 choice. The 6’6″, 330-pound prospect did not allow a single sack last year and allowed just seven quarterback pressures in 2019. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were fond of him, too — Sewell finished first with a run-blocking grade of 95.3 and while placing third in pass-blocking (91.1).

“There are no words to adequately express how blessed I feel for having played football for the past two seasons at the best school in the country, the University of Oregon,” Sewell wrote (Twitter link). “The love and support I received has been overwhelming, and I could not be more grateful. But ever since I was little, I have dreamt of playing professional football. Accordingly, after long thought, prayer and many conversations with my family, I have decided to opt out of the 2020-21 college football season and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.”

The Outland Trophy winner is just the latest top prospect to skip out on the upcoming NCAA season. Late last month, LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase – the draft’s consensus top wide receiver – made the same call.

Bengals Place Trae Waynes On IR

September 7th, 2020 at 1:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals have placed Trae Waynes on injured reserve, per a club announcement. To fill his place on the roster, they’ve re-signed fellow cornerback Torry McTyer.

[RELATED: Bengals Waive G Alex Redmond]

Waynes has not been completely ruled out for the year, though he is expected to be out for a “sizable portion” of the season. Rather than clogging up a roster spot, the Bengals will park the star CB on IR to preserve their flexibility. By waiting until Monday to make the move, the Bengals will technically reserve the right to activate Waynes after as just three games. However, his pectoral tear will almost certainly keep him out of action for a longer stretch.

The Bengals signed Waynes to a three-year, $42MM deal earlier this year, one that pays $20MM in 2020. Former fifth-round pick Darius Phillips will move into the starting lineup to fill-in for him, while McTyer offers some CB support in reserve. McTyer, entering his fourth pro season, has history with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo dating back to their time together in Miami.

The Bengals, sans Waynes, will kick off their season at home on Sunday against the Chargers.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/7/20

September 7th, 2020 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: TE Colin Thompson

Dallas Cowboys

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: CB Cre’Von LeBlanc

Seattle Seahawks

Bills Meet With Lamar Miller

September 7th, 2020 at 10:07am CST by Zachary Links

Lamar Miller will meet with the Bills today, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). For Miller, it’s a chance to reassert himself after a lost season and get some revenge against the Patriots for dropping him over the weekend.

The Patriots opted to forge ahead with Damien Harris, Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead as their RBs heading into the season. There was some thought that Miller could return to New England as Bill Belichick does his usual roster shuffling. That’s still a possibility, but no one would be surprised to see Miller land a deal in Buffalo if he’s healthy.

As it stands, the Bills have Devin Singletary as their primary back, followed by third-round pick Zack Moss, T.J. Yeldon, and Taiwan Jones. Miller, meanwhile, offers tons of experience and impressive credentials. In 2018 – his last healthy season – Miller notched 973 rushing yards, averaged 4.6 yards per carry, and five rushing touchdowns. He also added 25 catches, 163 receiving yards, and one TD through the air for good measure en route to a Pro Bowl nod.

Bills Re-Sign WR Andre Roberts

September 7th, 2020 at 9:50am CST by Zachary Links

Andre Roberts wasn’t out of work for long. On Monday morning, the Bills re-signed the veteran wide receiver, along with safety Dean Marlowe. In related moves, the Bills have placed guard Jon Feliciano and wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins on injured reserve.

[RELATED: Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal]

Roberts averaged 8.0 yards per punt return and 26.6 yards per kickoff return for the Bills last year. His release came as a surprise, especially since he was coming off of his second career Pro Bowl nod. As it turns out, the Bills weren’t actually discarding the capable and experienced return man/receiver.

Instead, the Bills appear to have made a wink-and-nod arrangement with Roberts to take advantage of the league’s modified IR rules. By waiting until today to place Feliciano and Hodgins on IR, the Bills will leave the door open to bringing them back after just three weeks. Had they made the move over the weekend, both players would have been subject to the usual eight weeks of non-activity before being eligible to return.

Roberts, 30, hasn’t been a significant offensive contributor to any team since 2014, but his return skills are unquestioned. In 2018, his last season with the Jets, Roberts led the NFL in yards per return on punts and total yardage on kickoffs, scoring a touchdown in each capacity.

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