HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Texans Sign QB Deshaun Watson To Four-Year Extension

September 5th, 2020 at 6:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have locked up quarterback Deshaun Watson through 2025. Mark Berman of FOX 26 News reports (via Twitter) that the Pro Bowler has signed a four-year extension that’s worth $39MM annually. The deal also includes a $27MM signing bonus. The deal will be tacked on to the two remaining years of Watson’s current contract. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the deal is worth a total of $177.54MM with nearly $111MM in guaranteed money.

Watson’s contract comes almost exactly two months after Patrick Mahomes signed his monster extension with the Chiefs. Mahomes still paces the position with an AAV of $45MM, but Watson’s $39MM AAV now ranks second above the likes of Russell Wilson ($35MM), Ben Roethlisberger ($34MM), Aaron Rodgers ($33.5MM), and Jared Goff ($33.5MM).

Of course, it’s not particularly surprising that Watson was able to garner such a deal. Since being selected with the 12th-overall pick in the 2017 draft, the Clemson product has emerged as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite tearing his ACL during his rookie campaign, Watson has managed to appear in 31 of the Texans’ 32 regular season games. Over that span, the 24-year-old has completed 67.8-percent of his passes for an average of 4008.5 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10.5 interceptions per season. He’s also continued to be dynamic running the ball, as he’s averaged 482 rushing yards and six scores per season between 2018 and 2019.

Perhaps most importantly, Watson has led the Texans to a 21-10 regular-season record over the past two seasons. Following a disappointing playoff loss to the Colts in 2018, the quarterback earned his first career postseason victory by beating the Bills in the 2019 Wild Card Round. He lost to the eventual champs in the second round, but he still tossed two touchdowns and scored another on the ground.

We learned earlier this week that the Texans were pushing to extend Watson prior to the start of the season, although negotiations were described as “not close.” Watson had made it clear that he wasn’t seeking a deal that was similar in length to Mahomes’ contract. One report indicated that the quarterback wanted a three-year deal, and there were rumblings that he was seeking around $40MM per year.

With Watson signing his new deal, we can now turn our extension-focused eyes to a pair of other signal callers. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should both be in line for lucrative deals, especially following the recent quarterback extensions.

No Decision Yet For Jadeveon Clowney 

September 5th, 2020 at 6:54pm CST by Zachary Links

While some reports have connected Jadeveon Clowney to the Titans, the free agent edge rusher says that he has “still not made a decision,” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson). Clowney says “teams are still calling,” making it clear that he’s still weighing opportunities from multiple teams. 

The Saints and Titans have emerged as the frontrunners for the former No. 1 overall pick, but the Ravens and incumbent Seahawks are said to still be lurking. For months, the Titans have stood as one of Clowney’s most logical landing spots. With a clear need at DE, old pal Mike Vrabel patrolling the sidelines, and more cap flexibility than most clubs, the Titans make tons of sense. Still, they’re far from the only contender who could use more pressure against the pass.

Interestingly, Clowney has canned agent Bus Cook, just as he did over Labor Day Weekend 2019. Eventually, they worked out their differences and went back into business together. It remains to be seen whether another reunion will take place or if this will signal a return tour in Seattle.

Clowney’s sliding asking price has been well documented at this point. After asking for ~$20MM/year in March, Clowney has reportedly scaled things back to the $17MM/year neighborhood. The Browns tried to sign him for $15MM earlier this year, but the 27-year-old quickly rejected the offer.

Jaguars Meet With Devonta Freeman

September 5th, 2020 at 6:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars will meet with Devonta Freeman over the weekend, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). If all goes well, Freeman will fill the void left by the release of Leonard Fournette.

[RELATED: Buccaneers Sign RB Leonard Fournette]

The Jaguars weren’t interested in keeping Fournette at a $4MM+ rate. Instead, they decided to move forward with Chris Thompson, Ryquell Armstead, Devine Ozigbo, and James Robinson as their top tailbacks. Unfortunately, Armstead is on the COVID-19 list, leaving them extra thin in the backfield.

Freeman hasn’t look like his old self in a while. The five-year, $41.25MM deal he signed with the Falcons in 2017 did not pan out. Injuries limited him to just two games in 2018 and, last year, he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in 14 games. Meanwhile, Football Outsiders placed him just 41st among 43 running backs in success rate.

The Jaguars could give Freeman an opportunity to redeem himself and inch to the form he showed in 2016, his last Pro Bowl season. In that campaign, Freeman ran for 4.8 yards per try and scored 13 all-purpose touchdowns.

Freeman’s last known offer came from the Seahawks, who tried to pitch him on a one-year, $3MM deal.

Bills, Tre’Davious White Agree To $70MM Deal

September 5th, 2020 at 6:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills and Tre’Davious White have struck agreement on a four-year contract extension, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact is worth $69MM and could potentially reach a round $70MM by way of Pro Bowl incentives. Most importantly, the deal includes $55MM in guaranteed cash for the star cornerback, though it’s not immediately clear if that’s fully guaranteed at signing.

[RELATED: Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53]

The deal has been in the works for a while. Previously, White was set to earn $1.8MM in base pay this year before playing out his $10.2MM fifth-year option in 2021. As one of the league’s premier defenders, White was understandably anxious to lock in his payday. Last year, White led the NFL with six interceptions, giving him a dozen picks over the last three years in total.

White’s $17.25MM/year average positions him as the highest-paid cornerback in the league, edging out Byron Jones‘ $16.5MM average annual salary. It’s a big investment, but it’s well worth it for a truly elite cornerback who only just turned 25 in January.

Bills fans may never get over losing out on Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft, but White is quite the consolation prize. The No. 27 overall pick has allowed only five touchdowns since entering the league and his 60.6 passer rating ranks as the second-highest of any player over the last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. After briefly considering an opt out, White is ready to lead the charge for the Bills in 2020 – and beyond.

Seahawks, Ravens Still In Mix For Jadeveon Clowney?

September 5th, 2020 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:34pm: Clowney has not closed the door on a Seattle return yet. While the Saints and Titans are leading the way at this point, the Seahawks sit third on the former No. 1 overall pick’s list, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The Seahawks were believed to have offered Clowney a deal worth around $15MM earlier this year, but as of late, the team is not believed to want to pay up for the standout defender.

3:34pm: Conflicting reports regarding the Ravens’ interest have surfaced. They are not, as of now, pursuing Clowney, according to Pro Football Talk. John Harbaugh did offer a vague statement Saturday indicating the team would have interest in a player of Clowney’s caliber, however (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley).

2:38pm: The Saints and Titans have emerged as the frontrunners for Jadeveon Clowney. Both teams have made strong pitches to sign the three-time Pro Bowler. But they are not the only teams pursuing him.

The Ravens loom as a wild card in this mix, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. While Baltimore has been linked to Clowney at multiple points this offseason, the reigning AFC North champions have not been viewed as aggressive suitors. However, the team still being in pursuit at this juncture is certainly notable.

A serious Ravens push for Clowney transpired a few weeks ago, per Fowler, who notes the Seahawks are not completely out of the running. However, they view their 2019 starter’s asking price as too high and are more in the monitoring stage at present.

Baltimore franchise-tagged Matt Judon and added defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe this offseason. But the Ravens relied extensively on blitzes for pressure last year and could use a bookend opposite Judon.

Saints Cut Margus Hunt, Drop Roster To 53

September 5th, 2020 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Saints moved their roster down to 53 players Saturday:

Waived:

Released:

Waived/injured:

  • RB Saquan Hamilton

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/suspended list:

The Saints made some notable cuts on their defensive line, dropping Edwards and Hunt. The former played with New Orleans last season, while the latter was an offseason addition. The Colts cut Hunt earlier this year, doing so after previously extending him. However, New Orleans does have Malcom Brown back and re-signed David Onyemata in March. The Saints are pursuing Jadeveon Clowney as well.
Alonso suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs last year. He will miss at least six games. The Saints signed Fowler over the summer. The former Broncos auxiliary receiver worked out with Drew Brees and Emmanuel Sanders during the pandemic-induced NFL hiatus.
Stevens, like most of the players cut Saturday, profiles as a practice squad candidate. The Saints became involved in a strange controversy over the seventh-round pick, whom the Panthers coveted. It will be interesting to see if Carolina submits a waiver claim on Stevens.

Bills Release Andre Roberts, Trim Roster To 53

September 5th, 2020 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the roster decisions the Bills made to move to the mandated 53-man regular-season limit.

Waived:

Released:

Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform:

The Bills signed Roberts to a two-year deal in 2019, doing so after he earned All-Pro recognition for his kick-return work on the 2018 Jets. Roberts has 10 years’ experience and two Pro Bowls on his resume. The second of those two Pro Bowl nods came last season with the Bills. Buffalo enters the season with its best chance to win the AFC East in maybe 20 years, so cutting an accomplished player is certainly surprising.

Foster made a splash as a rookie in 2018, but the Bills have overhauled their receiver group since. John Brown and Cole Beasley led the way last year, and the team traded for Stefon Diggs and drafted two wideouts — fourth-rounder Gabriel Davis and sixth-rounder Isaiah Hodgins — this year. Foster will nonetheless be an interest name on waivers.

Buffalo traded for Andre Smith earlier this week. The third-year linebacker could well be brought back on the team’s 16-player practice squad. Teams can begin assembling their P-squads Sunday.

Cowboys To Place T La’el Collins On IR

September 5th, 2020 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys will begin the season without starting right tackle La’el Collins. They will place the veteran blocker on IR, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes.

However, the Cowboys did carry Collins over to their active roster after the 3pm cutdown deadline. And because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins will not have to miss the usually mandatory eight games. He will be eligible to return after three this season.

Both Collins and Sean Lee appear on Dallas’ active roster, but Lee will also begin the season on this new temporary IR. Collins is battling a hip injury.

The former LSU standout has become one of the NFL’s better right tackles, doing so after making a mid-career move from the guard spot. The Cowboys lost swing tackle Cameron Fleming to the Giants in free agency but signed former Browns and Chiefs backup/spot starter Cameron Erving this offseason.

Colts Place DE Kemoko Turay On PUP List, Cut Roster To 53

September 5th, 2020 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the players the Colts cut to slash their roster down to 53 players Saturday:

Waived:

Released:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Turay’s PUP placement will shelve him for at least the season’s first six games. It is a concerning sign for the former second-round pick, who suffered a broken ankle last October. The Colts were counting on him to play a key edge-rushing role, potentially as the counterpart to starter Justin Houston. The team has not been connected to Jadeveon Clowney since March and also avoided investments in other available pass rushers this offseason.

Kelly spent time on Indianapolis’ practice squad last year and could well end up there again. The Colts recently signed Hunt, a former Seahawks backup/spot starter, and added Grimble this offseason. Both Grimble and his ex-Steelers teammate, Roosevelt Nix, failed to make the Colts’ roster. However, despite the players’ extensive experience, each could be placed on Indianapolis’ 16-man practice squad this year. Teams are permitted to carry six practice squad players with unlimited experience.

Steelers Trim Roster Down

September 5th, 2020 at 4:06pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The entire AFC North is now finished as the Steelers became the latest team to trim their roster to 53 players. Here are all the moves, we’ll recap the most notable ones at the bottom:

Lynch is probably the most well known of these names. The former Broncos first-round bust signed with the Steelers last year as insurance after multiple quarterback injuries. He’s running out of chances. Switzer has mostly contributed as a returner with Pittsburgh and Dallas, although he did have 36 catches with the Steelers in 2018.

Smallwood was one of the Eagles’ main running backs in 2018, but didn’t get too many touches with Washington last year. He’ll likely pop up somewhere else soon. Brooks Jr. was the Steelers’ sixth-round pick in this past draft, so he’s likely ticketed for the practice squad if he clears waivers.

McCullers has been with the Steelers the past six years so his is a significant departure even though the nose tackle only played 12 percent of the defensive snaps last season.

 

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