2021 March - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Host G Lane Taylor On Visit

March 19th, 2021 at 6:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries have thrown Lane Taylor‘s career off course, but he spent several seasons as a Packers starter and is aiming to bounce back in 2021. The 49ers are looking into the veteran blocker, hosting him on a visit Friday.

Taylor’s 49ers meeting does not sound like it will produce an immediate offer, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicating the team is curious about the 31-year-old lineman’s knee rehab remained on schedule (Twitter link). But the 49ers have the eight-year veteran on their radar about a possible gig for next season.

Previously signed to a Packers extension, Taylor suffered season-ending biceps and knee maladies in the past two Septembers, respectively, and has played in just three games over the past two seasons. The latter injury was an ACL tear, and Taylor is still recovering from that setback. He worked as a guard starter for the Packers from 2016-18, however, and only missed two games in that span.

The former UDFA success story would certainly not be a costly addition for San Francisco, which has made some moves on its O-line this week. In addition to re-signing Trent Williams, the 49ers added Pro Bowl center Alex Mack. Top guards Laken Tomlinson and Daniel Brunskill remain on the roster, however, making Taylor more of a higher-end depth addition.

Dolphins To Sign LBs Duke Riley, Brennan Scarlett

March 19th, 2021 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

On Day 3 of official free agency, the Dolphins are adding multiple linebacker pieces. They have agreed to terms with Duke Riley and Brennan Scarlett, according to NJ.com’s Mike Kaye and the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (Twitter links).

Both players finished last season on IR. While each could offer depth, both Riley and Scarlett have starting experience. Both spent part of the 2020 season operating as starters — for the Eagles and Texans, respectively. Riley agreed to terms on a one-year pact, per Kaye.

A five-year Texans contributor, Scarlett started 22 games. The former UDFA worked as more of a pass rusher in Houston, playing on the outside in the Texans’ 3-4 scheme, but also offers some versatility. Scarlett started 10 games in 2019, registering 51 tackles and recording 3.5 sacks. He suffered a season-ending broken forearm midway through last season.

The Eagles signed Riley a year ago and used him as a starter in eight games. Despite missing three games, Riley played on 55% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps. A Falcons starter in 2017 and ’18, Riley recorded 55 tackles last season and was a special teams captain in Philly.

Scarlett makes for the second ex-Texans linebacker the Dolphins have acquired this week. They traded for Benardrick McKinney a few days ago. Miami also brought back linebacker Vince Biegel this week.

Keanu Neal Down To Cowboys, Jets; Planning Move To LB?

March 19th, 2021 at 5:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

A host of teams showed interest in former Falcons first-round pick Keanu Neal, but the veteran safety appears to be down to two finalists. Neal is deciding between the Cowboys and Jets, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets.

Initially, the Panthers, Lions, Colts and Vikings inquired about Neal. While Neal would seem redundant on a Jets team that has Marcus Maye, Ashtyn Davis and the recently added Lamarcus Joyner, Anderson adds that the veteran safety plans on moving to outside linebacker.

Neal likely will not be a costly addition, but the multiple-suitor aspect is interesting for his value. After missing 28 games between the 2018-19 seasons, Neal returned to play in 14 for the Falcons last season. While he is still just 25, the ex-Florida Gator will bring extensive injury baggage to his next team. Neal suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and an Achilles tear in ’19.

In Neal’s three non-injury-wrecked seasons, he totaled at least 100 tackles. Pro Football Focus graded him as a slightly above-average safety in each of those slates, so a linebacker move would be interesting as Neal heads into his second act as a pro.

The Jets are shifting to a 4-3 defense; the Cowboys have used that scheme for a while. The Cowboys, in an ideal world, have two three-down linebackers in Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. But injuries have intervened there, creating a need for depth. C.J. Mosley would man the middle for the Jets, after missing most of the past two seasons. The team may still be looking for help at outside ‘backer, and Neal played five seasons under Dan Quinn. Robert Saleh plans to run a similar defense in his first Jets season.

Jets To Sign Tyler Kroft

March 19th, 2021 at 5:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have signed tight end Tyler Kroft to a one-year deal, per an announcement from his agent. Kroft, a former third-round pick of the Bengals, has spent the last two seasons with the Bills.

The Rutgers product will be about an hour-and-a-half away from his old stomping grounds with a real opportunity for targets. Chris Herndon isn’t necessarily locked in as Mike LaFleur‘s top tight end, which opens the door for Kroft.

Kroft did his best work with the Bengals, particularly in 2017 when he totaled 42 catches, 404 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. That year helped propel him towards a three-year, $18MM free agent deal with Buffalo. He hasn’t come close since, but he did manage 12 grabs for 119 yards and three touchdowns last year.

Bears To Sign Desmond Trufant

March 19th, 2021 at 3:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Cornerback Desmond Trufant has agreed to join the Bears on a one-year deal, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Terms of the deal are not yet known.

Trufant will try to fill the Bears’ post-Kyle Fuller void, though he’s unlikely to match his production. Fuller left Chicago with passes defended (82), good for top-five in franchise history. He also ranked in the top-20 for tackles (390) and interceptions (19).

After his best seasons with the Falcons, Trufant was rewarded with a five-year, ~$69MM mega-contract. In 2019, the Falcons dropped him, even though he managed four interceptions in just nine games. Then, the Lions released Trufant earlier this month to escape the rest of his two-year, $21MM deal. The Lions saved $6MM but were left saddled with ~$6.2MM in dead money.

Injuries were the culprit once again — Trufant played in just six games for the Lions, tallying one interception, four passes defended, and 20 total tackles. The Bears, who clearly need help in the secondary, could give him a chance to restore his value.

Giants To Meet With Adoree’ Jackson

March 19th, 2021 at 2:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Adoree’ Jackson is set to meet with the Giants (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). This marks the first known visit for the former Titans first-round pick, who was released earlier this week.

Jackson graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 overall corner in 2019. It was a big step up from ’17 and ’18, though he still garnered top-40 finishes in each year. Unfortunately, a knee injury limited him to just three games in 2020. After a bad platform year, Jackson finds himself looking for work in the worst possible climate. Also, the Titans didn’t do him any favors by releasing him just this past Tuesday.

The Giants’ D was awful in 2019, but things improved last year under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The G-Men ranked 12th in yards per game (349), ninth in points allowed (22.3), and a much more respectable 16th in passing yards surrendered (237). Teamed with James Bradberry and Logan Ryan, Jackson could nudge the secondary along even further.

Bills To Sign Jacob Hollister

March 19th, 2021 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Jacob Hollister is saying goodbye to Seattle. On Friday, the former Seahawks tight end agreed to aa one-year deal with the Bills (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

Hollister gets to reunite with his old Wyoming teammate Josh Allen, which could mean an uptick in targets. After two years of limited usage in New England, Hollister enjoyed a breakout 2019 season with the Seahawks, hauling in 41 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Then, he went from 59 targets to just 40 looks in 2020. He finished out with 25/209/3.

The writing was on the wall for Hollister — the Seahawks’ new one-year deal for Gerald Everett pushed him out of the equation. Everett, who will earn $7MM on his free agent contract, is coming off a career-year with 41 catches for 417 yards and one TD for the Rams.

Falcons To Sign Brandon Copeland

March 19th, 2021 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have agreed to a one-year deal with Brandon Copeland (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The former Patriots linebacker missed much of last season with a torn pec, but he’s closing in on a complete recovery.

[RELATED: Falcons To Sign Harris]

Copeland, an ex-Jets and Lions contributor, also drew interest from the Giants. It’s not clear whether the incumbent Pats tried to bring him back or not. Before the injury, Copeland was ticketed for a major role as Dont’a Hightower’s fill-in. He wound up playing in just six games with four starts, but Pro Football Focus gave him strong grades in that limited sample.

His 2018 Jets season marked his only year as a starter. In 16 games, he notched five sacks and 14 quarterback hits. So far, that’s his only season with more than two sacks.

Terms of the deal are not yet known, but this could prove to be a strong value signing for Atlanta. At least, that’s the hope, given how quiet the Falcons’ week has been.

Patriots To Sign LB Raekwon McMillan

March 19th, 2021 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots aren’t done shopping. On Friday, Bill Belichick & Co. agreed to sign linebacker Raekwon McMillan to a one-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

McMillan spent the early part of his career with the Dolphins before being shipped to the Raiders last August. He came off the bench in most games, finishing the year with 27 stops and one forced fumble.

The hard-hitting linebacker came into the league as a second-round pick in 2017. He flashed at times and even ranked as Miami’s best defensive player in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus. The Dolphins considered a long-term extension for him at one point but, ultimately, they were unwilling to commit. The timing wasn’t great either — talks petered out amidst the pandemic.

McMillan’s pass coverage is suspect, but he’s a solid run-blocker who should see time in the Patriots’ rotation. He’ll be joined by fellow new arrival Matt Judon in that group, along with scores of other fresh faces in the locker room.

Bengals Trade QB Ryan Finley To Texans

March 19th, 2021 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Finley isn’t getting cut after all. On Friday, the Bengals agreed to trade the quarterback to the Texans in an exchange of late-round picks. The Bengals will move up ~30 spots in the swap as they send Finley and a 7th-round pick to the Texans for a sixth-round pick (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Rather than their original sixth-rounder, the Texans are sending the choice that originally belonged to Miami.

Finley wound up starting as a rookie when Andy Dalton got the hook. The 2019 fourth-round pick was 0-3 in his starts with two touchdowns against two interceptions. He got a chance to start once again in 2020 when the Bengals faced the Steelers in Week 15. He absorbed a devastating hit in that game and only completed about half of his 13 throws, but he did manage to emerge as the winning QB.

The Texans have been actively bargain shopping in recent days. Needless to say, this isn’t the Houston QB news that everyone has been waiting on. At last check, the Texans are still refusing inquiries on Deshaun Watson. Meanwhile, Watson is making headlines for a string of off-the-field allegations.