HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Browns In Mix To Sign J.J. Watt

February 16th, 2021 at 9:37am CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after J.J. Watt became a free agent Friday, the Browns reached out about being the future Hall of Famer’s second NFL employer. They may be one of the finalists to sign the ex-Texan.

Watt is seriously considering a Browns agreement, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Browns’ salary cap situation and newfound status as a contender are helping in their pursuit of Watt, Cabot adds. Watt asked the Texans for a release that would allow him to land with a contending team.

The Browns joined the Steelers, Titans and Bills, along with several other teams, in expressing interest in the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Of Watt’s known suitors, Cleveland holds the most cap space. While the Browns do not possess a tremendous amount of space, at barely $20MM, only seven teams hold even north of $30MM in an offseason that is expected to feature a reduced cap.

Cleveland pursued longtime Watt teammate Jadeveon Clowney for months last year and has an even bigger need this year. Olivier Vernon is both set to be a free agent and coming off an Achilles tear. The Browns could benefit from Watt’s ability as an inside rusher as well, with defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi also a free agent-to-be.

While giving the Browns a checkmark for roster quality would have been a laughable proposition in most 21st-century offseasons, team is coming off a road playoff win and stands to return most (if not all) of its starters on offense. The team has high-end defensive pieces in Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward but needs help on that side of the ball. Cleveland ranked 25th in defensive DVOA last season.

Although Watt finished a 16-game season as a non-first-team All-Pro for the first time since 2011, the five-time All-Pro still graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 overall edge defender. Set for his age-32 season, Watt signing with Cleveland would allow him to team with Garrett and see fewer double-teams than he did during his run with Houston. Watt finished with just five sacks in 2020 but registered 16, with seven forced fumbles, during his previous full season (2018).

Dolphins Aiming To Add Multiple WRs

February 16th, 2021 at 8:52am CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have DeVante Parker signed long-term, but they appear set to devote free agency funds and/or draft capital to addressing their other wide receiver spots.

In addition to seeking help opposite Parker on the boundary, the Dolphins believe they need to upgrade in the slot as well, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. The franchise plans to address both positions, be it in free agency or the draft. With several receivers set to be available in unrestricted free agency and other pass catchers on the cap-casualty radar, this is a good year to need help at this position.

Prior to the franchise tag deadline, the receiver market is set to include Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson, Will Fuller, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, T.Y. Hilton, Corey Davis, Antonio Brown, Curtis Samuel, Nelson Agholor, Sammy Watkins and A.J. Green. Potential cap casualties, like the Jets’ Jamison Crowder or Bills’ John Brown, may join this list and further create a buyer’s market for receiver-needy teams. While most of this group’s futures remain uncertain, the Buccaneers are not planning to let Godwin become available. Though, Tampa Bay has several high-profile free agents of note.

Multiple players in this group already have interest in Miami, per Jackson, who adds that Jones and Hilton have the Dolphins on their respective radars. (The Jaguars are also on Jones’ radar, according to Jackson.) While both Jones and Hilton are over 30, neither’s price should be expected to approach the high-end WR1 ranks. The Dolphins currently sit eighth in cap space, though other receiver-needy teams — like the Jaguars, Colts, Jets and Patriots — reside on a higher tier in terms of offseason funds.

The Dolphins currently hold two first-round picks (Nos. 3 and 18) and two second-rounders (Nos. 36 and 50). With another strong receiver class set to enter the league, the team would be well positioned to address either its slot or boundary needs here. Though, the Texans making Deshaun Watson available could change the Dolphins’ draft outlook. Miami resides at or near the top of the disgruntled quarterback’s destination list. But whoever the Dolphins slot at quarterback next season should have a better arsenal to target.

NFC Notes: Lynn, Lions, Goldman, Bears, Gardeck, Cardinals

February 15th, 2021 at 10:26pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Lions got Jared Goff back in the blockbuster Matthew Stafford trade, but with all their newfound draft capital they very well may take another passer early. They’ve got the seventh overall pick in April, plus two future first-rounders from the Rams now. Even if they do draft a young quarterback, it sounds like new offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn would prefer Goff to play initially. After acknowledging that if there were a dramatic difference in training camp he would have to play the better player to keep the locker room, Lynn explained his belief that a rookie quarterback should sit at first, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.

“I’d love to see that rookie sit and watch for a little while. If he could watch for half the season or watch for the first year like Patrick Mahomes did (behind Alex Smith), I believe he can learn so much from the right veteran quarterback because a lot of rookies come into this league and they’re not ready,” the Lions’ new offensive play-caller said. “The speed of the game is twice as fast as it was in college and they don’t have success. And in today’s environment with social media things get out of whack and some of these guys lose their confidence and, hell, they never get it back. So if I can sit a rookie, I will. If I can.”

Of course, Lynn was the head coach of the Chargers this past year when they initially started Tyrod Taylor over first-round pick Justin Herbert. An injury knocked out Taylor after only one game, and Herbert took the job and never looked back.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • Many teams lost full-time starters due to COVID-19 opt outs for 2020, including the Bears with defensive tackle Eddie Goldman. Goldman started at least 15 games at nose tackle in each of the three previous seasons for Chicago before sitting out this past year. Fortunately for the Bears, new defensive coordinator Sean Desai said Monday that the team believes they’ll have him back in 2021, per Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com. Due to the league’s opt-out rules, Goldman’s contract, which owes him $4.75MM next year, tolled to 2021 automatically.
  • Cardinals outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck had a breakout 2020 season when he recorded seven sacks, but unfortunately it ended in injury. He was placed on injured reserve with a couple of games left to go, but we didn’t know at the time how severe it was. In an Instagram post last month, Gardeck revealed it was a torn ACL that he suffered. An UDFA in 2018 out of D2 school Sioux Falls, he was just a special teamer his first two years. He still was only getting limited snaps this past year but made the most of them, racking up the seven sacks despite playing less than ten percent of the defensive snaps. He had three multi-sack games. Unfortunately due to how late his ACL tear came, he should be considered questionable for Week 1 right now.
  • In case you missed it, the 49ers are reportedly either going to take a ‘big swing’, or stick with Jimmy Garoppolo.

Dez Bryant Unlikely To Return To Ravens?

February 15th, 2021 at 8:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

After two seasons out of the game, it was great to see Dez Bryant back on an NFL field this past season with the Ravens. If Bryant wants at least one more run in 2021, it sounds like he might need to find a new home though.

Bryant is unlikely to return to Baltimore next year, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes. Zrebiec thinks the team is looking to get younger at the position, which makes sense considering Lamar Jackson‘s receiving corps was underwhelming in 2020. Zrebiec notes he was a strong locker room presence, but Bryant didn’t play a huge role on the field, finishing with only six catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

Bryant signed with the Ravens’ practice squad in late October, and was promoted to the active roster shortly after. Perhaps the most notable part of his season was a bizarre moment in December when Bryant was pulled from the field just moments before kickoff in a game against the Cowboys after apparently testing positive for COVID-19. Bryant was unhappy, then said that he tested negative and would be sitting out the rest of the season rather than deal with the league’s protocols.

He eventually backed away from that claim and returned to the roster quickly. Speaking of Dallas, Bryant played his last season there in 2017 when he started all 16 games and had 838 yards and six touchdowns. He sat out the first half of the 2018 season before signing with the Saints. Unfortunately, he tore an Achilles immediately after signing with New Orleans before he could appear in a game.

He then sat out the entire 2019 campaign and it appeared his career could be over before he resurfaced with Baltimore. He turned 32 in November, and it’s unclear if he wants to play in 2021 anyway. One of the best receivers in the league for a handful of years, he won’t get any real guaranteed money if he does find a new team to sign with.

AFC Rumors: Ravens, Crowder, Chiefs, Pats

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

Orlando Brown has issued an unusual ultimatum to the Ravens: move him full-time to left tackle or trade him. But with the team just extending one of the best left tackles in football, Ronnie Stanley, accommodating Brown on a position move is a non-starter. Baltimore, however, is listening on offers for its three-year right tackle, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Ravens will certainly want a big haul for their contract-year edge protector. However, the new CBA further protecting teams against holdouts will limit Brown’s options, and the Ravens already have questions up front. Their strength at tackle somewhat offsets issues inside, but dealing Brown would further weaken a line that lost some punch after Marshal Yanda‘s retirement.

Here is the latest from the AFC:

  • Jamison Crowder‘s six touchdowns led the Jets last season, and he added a passing TD in one of the team’s two wins. The veteran slot receiver is by far Sam Darnold‘s most proven weapon, but Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes Crowder is vulnerable to cap-casualty status because of his team-high $11.4MM cap number. With Crowder’s $10MM salary not guaranteed in the final year of his deal, cutting him would free up eight figures in cap space for the Jets. While this would create another skill-position need for a team with numerous deficiencies, there will be several starter-caliber receivers available. It is not like the Jets need cap space, with only the Jaguars holding more, but Crowder predates GM Joe Douglas‘ arrival. He could soon join a loaded free agent receiver class.
  • The University of Tennessee offered Chiefs linebackers coach Matt House its defensive coordinator job, but House turned down the Volunteers, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter). House has been with the Chiefs for two years, coming to Kansas City after a three-year stay as the University of Kentucky. He was the Wildcats’ DC for two of those slates.
  • Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown is recovering from surgery on both knees, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. While this certainly sounds serious, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets these operations were minor. Brown missed early-season time with knee trouble but returned before the midway point and made his first Pro Bowl.
  • Former Dolphins quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree will join the Patriots‘ staff, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This comes after 2020 Pats QBs coach Jedd Fisch agreed to become head coach at the University of Arizona. Hardegree spent the past five years in the AFC East, working under Adam Gase at each stop. Hardegree, 36, also worked with the Broncos and Bears under Gase, beginning his NFL run in 2014.

Broncos Plan To Pursue Deshaun Watson, Not In Carson Wentz Mix

February 15th, 2021 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans continue to insist Deshaun Watson is unavailable, but the three-time Pro Bowler has dug in on his plan to leave Houston after four seasons. If the Texans make him available, several teams will certainly push to acquire him.

The Broncos can be counted as a team that will pursue Watson if he becomes available, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. Amid this potentially historic offseason of quarterback movement, Denver does not plan to make a move for Carson Wentz, Renck adds. The Broncos were loosely connected to the Eagles passer last week, but thus far, only the Bears and Colts have been mentioned as surefire Wentz suitors.

Having started nine quarterbacks since Peyton Manning‘s 2016 retirement, the Broncos certainly make sense as a Watson bidder. They would join the Panthers and 49ers in that regard, with the Dolphins, Jets and others likely set to enter the fray as well. The Broncos exchanged offers with the Lions for Matthew Stafford but were not mentioned as one of the teams willing to part with a first-round pick. Would the Broncos make a real push for Watson, it would require perhaps three first-rounders.

With the Broncos not among the teams that have two first-round picks this year, a Watson pursuit could require the team going into its 2023 draft haul — or gutting its 2021 and ’22 drafts and parting with young players — and do so shortly after hiring a new GM (George Paton). Paton was reluctant to part with young assets for Stafford, though trading for a 33-year-old one-time Pro Bowler and 25-year-old three-time Pro Bowler are certainly different conversations.

Watson has the Broncos on his list of preferred destinations, with Denver safety (and ex-Watson Houston teammate) Kareem Jackson pitching the franchise to him on multiple occasions. That list, though, may feature the Dolphins and 49ers residing ahead of the Broncos. Miami and San Francisco have coaches nowhere near the hot seat; Vic Fangio is certainly there or close to it in Denver. A Fangio firing would likely mean OC Pat Shurmur exits as well. While Kyle Shanahan‘s standing as the 49ers’ play-caller is rock-solid, the Dolphins have featured instability here under Brian Flores. After having two offensive coordinators in Flores’ two seasons, the team now has a co-OC setup (George Godsey and ex-Broncos assistant Eric Studesville).

The Broncos have long been expected to add a veteran to compete with inconsistent incumbent Drew Lock. Watson or Wentz going to Denver would mean a Lock demotion. While Lock presently sits atop Denver’s depth chart, the franchise being consistently connected to QBs could change that standing soon.

Former Chargers, Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson Dies

February 15th, 2021 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson was found dead in a hotel room Monday in Brandon, Florida, Josh Benson of WFLA reports (on Twitter). He was 38.

Jackson checked into the hotel Jan. 11 and had stayed there for weeks, but WFLA adds he was reported missing on Feb. 10. Authorities spoke with Jackson on Saturday. A housekeeper at the hotel found him dead around 11:30am ET Monday. No cause of death has been reported. Deputies did not discover any signs of trauma, according to WFLA.

A former Chargers second-round pick, Jackson starred in the NFL for over a decade. He played 12 seasons with the Bolts and Buccaneers. In six of those, the 6-foot-5 wideout surpassed 1,000 receiving yards. Despite being a Division I-FCS product, Jackson made three Pro Bowls and was one of the league’s better receivers for most of his career.

Jackson’s career ran from 2005-16. In 2018, he was said to be “very happily retired” after a decorated career. For four straight years, Jackson won the Bucs’ Man of the Year award. He signed with Tampa Bay in 2012 and played five seasons with the team.

The Bolts drafted Jackson out of Northern Colorado in 2005. They did not use him much as a rookie, but the small-school product stepped into a key role for the contending Chargers a year later and joined Antonio Gates as the team’s top pass catchers for the next several seasons. Jackson was a key player for the Charger teams that won four straight AFC West titles from 2006-09. Jackson held out in 2010 but reported in-season to preserve an accrued year toward free agency. Ten years ago today, the Chargers franchise-tagged him. A year later, Jackson signed a five-year, $55.5MM deal with the Bucs. Jackson played out that contract.

Jackson posted his final three 1,000-yard campaigns as a member of the Bucs, doing so despite lacking the quarterback stability he enjoyed with Philip Rivers. Jackson wrapped his run as a pro by forming one of the more physically imposing receiving duos in NFL history, with Mike Evans joining him in Tampa in 2014. Both Jackson and Evans eclipsed 1,000 yards that year. For his career, Jackson finished with 540 catches for 9,080 yards and 57 touchdowns.

Washington Adds Chris Polian To Front Office

February 15th, 2021 at 2:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

After not employing a general manager in 2020, Washington now has three ex-GMs in its front office. The team hired former Colts GM Chris Polian on Monday.

Joining Martin Mayhew and Marty Hurney in Washington’s new-look front office, Polian will serve as the team’s director of pro personnel. The former Colts GM was out of the league last season but was with the Jaguars from 2013-19.

The son of Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, Chris served as Indianapolis’ GM from 2009-11 and has been an NFL staffer since 1994 — when the yet-to-debut Panthers, run by Bill Polian, hired him. Chris Polian has not worked with Mayhew or Hurney previously, despite Hurney’s 1998 Carolina arrival. The Polians were in Indianapolis by then. But the younger Polian was connected to the Lions’ GM search to replace Mayhew in 2015. He also was in the mix for the Titans’ GM job that went to Jon Robinson in 2016.

Chris Polian will succeed Eric Stokes as Washington’s pro personnel director, but Stokes is still with the team. The GM candidate is now serving as Washington’s senior director of player personnel. Ron Rivera and Kyle Smith served as Washington’s top personnel execs last year. Smith is now with the Falcons, while Rivera will remain a key presence on this front. In addition to Smith, Washington parted ways with assistant director of pro scouting Jeff Scott, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Scott received a promotion just last summer.

Broncos Preparing To Tag Justin Simmons

February 15th, 2021 at 2:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

After failing to come to terms on a Broncos extension ahead of last summer’s deadline, Justin Simmons played the 2020 season on the franchise tag. He again profiles as the Broncos’ top free agent. Despite a new GM running the show in Denver now, the team’s handling of Simmons is not expected to change.

The Broncos are preparing to use their 2021 tag on the standout safety, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Teams have until March 9 to apply franchise tags, and the Broncos do not intend to let Simmons hit the market.

Since Simmons received an $11.4MM tag last year, his 2021 price would rise to $13.7MM. There are five safeties averaging at least $14MM on their respective long-term contracts, establishing a clear floor for Simmons. The Broncos already have plenty invested at safety, with Kareem Jackson entering the final year of an $11MM-AAV pact, but Simmons is squarely in his prime at 27. He is also coming off his first Pro Bowl season — during which he intercepted a career-high five passes and played every defensive snap for a third straight year. Jackson will be 33 next season.

The sides did not come especially close on an extension before the 2020 summer deadline. The Broncos offered a deal that would have made Simmons a top-six highest-paid safety, but his subsequent performance should drive up his asking price this year. A Simmons tag will eat into Denver’s cap-space figure considerably. The Broncos sit seventh in cap space presently, being projected to hold just more than $30MM.

Extra Points: Hogan, Buccaneers, Steelers

February 14th, 2021 at 9:20pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Veteran NFL receiver Chris Hogan is getting tweeted about by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, but not because he just signed with a new team. In a twist of news we didn’t see coming, Hogan has filed for the Premier Lacrosse League draft in March. Hogan mostly played lacrosse in college, as you’re probably aware if you watched any broadcast of a game he played in during his heyday with the Patriots. Hogan was an incredible story, as he only played one season of college football at Monmouth after transferring from Penn State where he played lacrosse.

He latched on with the Bills after a couple years of practice squad shuffling, and became a well-known name during his run with New England from 2016-18. In those three years he was often Tom Brady‘s top deep threat, and he was a large part of two Super Bowl winning teams. He signed with the Panthers in 2019, but injuries limited him to eight catches in seven games. He was with the Jets for the first five games of their disastrous 2020 season, catching 14 balls for 118 yards before landing on injured reserve and later getting cut. Now he’s attempting to get back to his first sport at the age of 33. It’s unclear if he’ll actually be drafted or not, but all of us here at PFR wish him the best.

Here’s more from the football universe:

  • We’ve already heard that 68-year-old Bruce Arians won’t be riding off into the sunset after the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl win, so why would his 82-year-old offensive consultant Tom Moore? Moore apparently isn’t planning on calling it quits anytime soon, as he told Guy Limbeck of the Rochester Post Bulletin that “I want to coach until physically or mentally I can’t or until I die. He added “because there is absolutely nothing about working that turns me off. So I want to coach as long as I can, I want to coach as long as someone will hire me and that I can do the job that I’m supposed to do.” Moore never made it to head coach but had multiple runs as an OC in the NFL, most recently coordinating the Colts’ offense from 1998-2008. He was Arians’ assistant head coach with the Cardinals from 2013-17.
  • The Steelers recently had two players retire, long-time Center Maurkice Pouncey and tight end Vance McDonald. Although both walked away from the game without Pittsburgh cutting them, the Steelers are still taking a financial hit. Those two retirements will result in $9MM in dead cap for Pittsburgh, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic tweets. The Steelers aren’t in the best cap situation, which helps explain why Ben Roethlisberger is going to have to restructure his contract if he wants to return for another season.
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