2021 January - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars Hire Tom Gamble, Part Ways With John Idzik

January 26th, 2021 at 5:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jacksonville’s Urban Meyer-led operation continues to take shape, and a familiar face has resumed working with GM Trent Baalke in the front office. The Jaguars hired former 49ers assistant GM Tom Gamble, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets.

Baalke and Gamble were together in San Francisco for several years, and the latter will return to right-hand-man status in an NFL front office. Gamble spent last season with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.

Shad Khan interviewed Gamble for the GM job Dave Caldwell landed in 2013. Gamble ended up with the Eagles that year but spent most of his modern NFL tenure with the 49ers. Baalke and Gamble worked together in San Francisco from 2005-12 and again from 2015-16, with Gamble holding titles of assistant GM and director of player personnel. Baalke has not specified Gamble’s current title.

Gamble’s arrival coincides with the departure of former Jets GM John Idzik, who had been working in the Jags’ front office since 2015. Operating as special assistant to the GM with an emphasis on salary cap-related responsibilities, Idzik will follow Caldwell out of Jacksonville, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Idzik, who served as Jets GM from 2013-14, has been an NFL exec since 1996.

Ravens’ Matt Judon Seeking $20MM/Year?

January 26th, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2020 Ravens became the unusual team to roster two franchise-tagged pass rushers, in tagging Matt Judon and trading for Yannick Ngakoue. A year after both edge defenders’ rookie deals expired, each is again on the verge of free agency.

Baltimore attempted to extend Judon last year and will likely do so again, given its dearth of pass rushers signed long-term. But the five-year veteran has aimed for a $20MM-per-year deal, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes. The Ravens are projected to be under even a $176MM cap — which may not be the new salary ceiling, with recent reports indicating the upcoming cap freefall will not be as dire as initially feared — but they have a Lamar Jackson extension to discuss and are interested in extending Mark Andrews. The latter will be in a contract year soon.

Although Judon made the Pro Bowl this season, he finished with six sacks and 21 QB hits — down from 9.5 and 33, respectively, in 2019. That said, Ngakoue registered just three sacks and three QB hits in nine Ravens games and played only 20 defensive snaps in the team’s divisional-round loss. Judon does not have a 10-sack season on his resume, however, and could well be heading into free agency at a bad time.

There are currently five edge players earning $20MM-AAV deals. Judon has no chance of venturing into Joey Bosa–Myles Garrett territory (north of $25MM per year), and even a deal in the Frank Clark–DeMarcus Lawrence $21MM-AAV neighborhood might be a stretch considering the circumstances. Teams opted to tag some of the top rushers on the 2020 market, so Judon will join Shaquil Barrett and Bud Dupree again soon.

With a 2021 franchise tag costing 120% of Judon’s $16.8MM salary, the Ravens are unlikely to go there — especially with a cap reduction expected. But the team again has next to nothing at this position long-term, with Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee due for free agency as well, and Judon expressed interest last summer in staying with the Ravens. Although the Ravens have let a few pass rushers land big-ticket deals elsewhere in recent years, they will need an edge plan soon.

Lions Begin Matthew Stafford Trade Talks

January 26th, 2021 at 3:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Late last week, the Lions and Matthew Stafford agreed to go their separate ways this offseason. Already, teams have started reaching out to the Lions to talk trade, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

Stafford, 32, has spent all 12 of his NFL seasons in Detroit. The Colts, Patriots, Broncos, and Washington TBDs would all be logical landing spots for him, but it’s not clear which of those clubs have contacted the Lions so far.

Stafford popped up in trade rumors last year, but GM Bob Quinn denied that he was on the block. Now, there’s a new regime in Detroit, led by head coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes. After hiring former Chargers coach Anthony Lynn as their OC, they’re prepared to overhaul the offense.

The veteran managed to play in all 16 games this year, no small feat given his 2019 back injury. Still plenty productive, he’s also mighty affordable. Stafford’s contract runs through 2022 with base salaries of just $9.5MM and $12.5MM. Owed a $10MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year, the Lions are looking to trade Stafford before the March due date.

In 2020, Stafford posted a 26-10 TD-INT ratio while ranking 15th in QBR. It was a solid bounce-back from his ’19 slate, which ended with a total of eight starts.

Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Downplays Comments

January 26th, 2021 at 2:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Maybe Aaron Rodgers got caught up in the moment. In an interview on Tuesday, the Packers quarterback downplayed the significance of his post-NFC title game comments.

“I don’t think that there’s any reason that I wouldn’t be back. But there’s not many absolutes in this business,” Rodgers told Pat McAfee (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). “It’s a slow week.”

After a devastating loss to the Bucs, Rodgers said that his future is “uncertain,” indicating that the 37-year-old might not be with the Packers in 2021. Now, Packers fans can calm down, at least a little bit. The expected 2020 MVP anticipates staying put in Green Bay to pursue yet another Super Bowl ring.

“We’re not idiots,” said Packers CEO Mark Murphy earlier in the day. “Aaron Rodgers will be back, he’s our leader.”

Bringing Rodgers back could require a new contract, one that would put him in the same tier as Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, and Ben Roethlisberger. As it stands, Rodgers is earning roughly as much as Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who could potentially lose his starting job in 2021.

Rams GM: “Too Early” To Call Jared Goff’s Future

January 26th, 2021 at 2:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this month, Rams head coach Sean McVay didn’t offer much in the way of assurances when he was asked about Jared Goff‘s future. On Tuesday, Rams GM Les Snead offered up a similar answer when chatting with reporters.

“Not going to get into specifics…That’s the beautiful mystery of the future,” Snead said. (Twitter link via Greg Beacham of the Associated Press). “Jared Goff is a Ram at this moment. It’s way too early to speculate.”

Bolster’s by the league’s top total defense, the Rams made it to the divisional round before falling to the Packers. Meanwhile, the former No. 1 overall pick regressed, tossing tons of interceptions and putting his L.A. future in jeopardy.

Snead, known for his aggressiveness, might have a hard time trading Goff, if that’s what he wants to do. The QB is under contract through 2024 thanks to the monster extension he signed in 2019. Meanwhile, there’s no realistic way to cut him before next season, given the dead money that would come with his release. Ultimately, the Rams may have to bring in competition for Goff, rather than move on from him.

In other Rams roster news, left tackle Andrew Whitworth has confirmed to the Rams that he’ll return in 2021. For his part, Snead has no issue with Whitworth’s contract, which will carry a $11.17MM hit against the cap.

Packers CEO: Aaron Rodgers Will Be Back

January 26th, 2021 at 9:51am CST by Zachary Links

The Packers would be crazy to let Aaron Rodgers leave. Or, to put it another way:

“We’re not idiots,” Packers CEO Mark Murphy said (Twitter link via WNFL’s Mark Daniels). “Aaron Rodgers will be back, he’s our leader.”

After the Packers were eliminated in the NFC Championship Game, Rodgers told reporters that his future is “uncertain.” The latest word is that Rodgers wants the Packers to make a stronger commitment to him. That assurance, in part, would include a reworked contract.

Rodgers was reportedly irked by the Packers’ selection of Jordan Love last April. He responded with a phenomenal season that put them inches away from the Super Bowl. At the time of signing, Rodgers’ deal was a record breaker. Today, he ranks just fifth among quarterbacks in average annual salary, behind Patrick Mahomes ($45MM), Deshaun Watson ($39MM), Russell Wilson ($35MM), and Ben Roethlisberger ($34MM). Now, at ~$33.5MM/year, he’s on the same fiscal tier as Rams QB Jared Goff.

Rodgers, 37, is currently tied to the Packers through the 2023 season.

Earl Thomas, Ravens Continue Battle

January 26th, 2021 at 9:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens released Earl Thomas before the start of the 2020 season. As they look ahead to the 2021 slate, the safety’s grievance case remains unresolved, as Daniel Oyefusi of The Baltimore Sun writes.

“That’s ongoing,” said Ravens GM Eric DeCosta. “There are some different moving parts. So, I’ll sort of answer that question like that, and just say that it’s ongoing...There are always a lot of different things, and there are all these different elements to an offseason,” DeCosta said. “We don’t even know what the salary cap is going to be yet. It’s hard to build a football team without a salary cap — not knowing what the salary cap is going to be. So, the Earl Thomas situation is just one part of that.”

Thomas was due a guaranteed $10MM in base salary this season before his release. However, the Ravens cited “personal conduct” that “adversely affected” the team to try and void the commitment. While things are in limbo, the Ravens are carrying a $4MM charge on the 2021 books. If Thomas wins, the remaining $6MM will be tacked on.

As DeCosta suggested, that’d be a significant strike against their flexibility given the league’s salary cap uncertainty. Thomas, meanwhile, is free to sign with any team, though he was out of football last year.

$0 Guaranteed In Dwayne Haskins’ Steelers Deal

January 26th, 2021 at 9:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers took a flier on quarterback Dwayne Haskins last week with an inexpensive one-year deal. His $850K contract includes no guaranteed money, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

It’s a pretty big drop for the former first-round pick, though he’ll still be earning cash from his previous Washington deal. Ultimately, for Haskins, it’s an opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business in Ben Roethlisberger and rebuild his stock.

Haskins dazzled evaluators with his arm strength coming out of Ohio State. As a pro, he was a flop. In 2020 — his second year with WFT — Haskins averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt with 12 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Head coach Ron Rivera released Haskins after his terrible Week 16 showing, putting him on the open market just two years after being selected No. 15 overall.

The Panthers also offered a deal to Haskins, which was also believed to be for the minimum. After Teddy Bridgewater‘s trying year in Carolina, that could have been a better opportunity for Haskins to get on the field. Then again, the Panthers could use this year’s No. 8 pick on a QB, pushing any free agent pickup to the bottom of the depth chart.

Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Wants New Deal

January 26th, 2021 at 9:21am CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Rodgers wants a new contract, according to a league source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT. At least, that’s part of what part of what the Packers quarterback is seeking after saying that his future is “uncertain”.

Rodgers is looking for a stronger commitment from the Packers following their first-round selection of Jordan Love. Currently, he’s slated to make $22.35MM, $25.5MM, and $25.5MM in each of the next three seasons.

At the time of signing in 2018, Rodgers’ four-year, $134MM extension positioned him as the NFL’s highest-paid player of all-time. Today, that’s good for just fifth among quarterbacks. At the age of 37, the likely MVP recipient wants a deal to reflect his status and solidify his relationship with the Packers.

The Packers should be incentivized to rework his deal too. Currently, Rodgers is slated to carry a $37MM cap figure for 2021 — a new deal could smooth out the hit while giving Rodgers a pay bump.

Since taking over as the starter for the Packers in 2008, Rodgers has thrown for 312 touchdowns (the second most in the league) and led the Packers to the playoffs in eight seasons out of ten.

Ravens Won’t Re-Sign LS Morgan Cox

January 25th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Following 11 years with the organization, it sounds like Morgan Cox won’t be a member of the Ravens next season. General manager Eric DeCosta informed the impending free agent that the organization won’t be extending him an offer, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

“Obviously, I’m certainly disappointed that I won’t be back with the Ravens next year,” Cox said. “Regardless of the other stuff, the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro stuff, I just felt like I had been playing really well and I’ve been healthy. Contract-wise, we hadn’t gotten to that point yet. I felt pretty good about it, but you know, just disappointment in the near term obviously. At the same time I really fought those feelings.

“I take a lot of pride in what we’ve accomplished there. All of that to say, rather than be frustrated or disappointed on this end, which would be easy to fall into, I’m really just thankful that it happened. I am sad that it’s over, but I’m also eternally happy that it happened.”

Cox joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2010, and he proceeded to spend the next decade-plus with the organization. During his stint in Baltimore, Cox earned four Pro Bowl nods, All-Pro recognition (during the position’s first year of eligibility in 2020), and a Super Bowl ring. He’s played the seventh-most games in franchise history.

As Zrebiec notes, Cox helped form one of the best long snapper/kicker/punter trios in the NFL. The Cox/Sam Koch/Justin Tucker grouping has been together for nine seasons, with Tucker previously referring to his teammate as the “best long snapper in the NFL.” Next season, the Ravens are expected to roll with Nick Moore, a 2019 undrafted free agent out of Georgia.