2021 March - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins To Sign Jacoby Brissett

March 16th, 2021 at 4:37pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The quarterback market is really starting to heat up now. Just moments after news broke about Andy Dalton signing with the Bears, we’ve got word of Jacoby Brissett‘s next destination.

Brissett will be signing a one-year contract with the Dolphins, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The former Patriots and Colts quarterback will sign for a guaranteed $5MM, according to the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin (on Twitter). The deal can max out at $7MM.

Ryan Fitzpatrick left for Washington last night, and Miami wasted no time in finding their new veteran backup for Tua Tagovailoa. After all the controversy last season from the Fitz/Tua flips that Brian Flores initiated, it’s a little eyebrow-raising to see them go with another high profile player behind Tagovailoa.

If Tua falters in his second season, Flores will once again have another player with lots of starting experience waiting in the wings behind him. The Dolphins have sought to establish themselves as committed to Tagovailoa ever since the season ended, amid lots of speculation that they’d try to make a move for Deshaun Watson.

Brissett’s time in Indy came to an end with the Colts trading for Carson Wentz earlier this offseason. After a shoulder injury to Andrew Luck in 2017, the Colts traded with the Patriots for Brissett and he started 15 games for them that year. In 2018 he backed up Luck but after Luck’s sudden retirement, he again started 15 games for them in 2019.

His play in 2019 was subpar, causing the Colts to go out and sign Philip Rivers last offseason, once again relegating Brissett to clipboard-holding duties. In his last season as the starter he had 18 touchdowns and only six interceptions, but averaged just 6.6 yards per attempt as he was often too conservative with the ball and failed to push it down the field.

Saints Trade Malcom Brown To Jaguars

March 16th, 2021 at 4:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Saints have found a trade partner for Malcom Brown after all. New Orleans is sending the defensive lineman to the Jaguars, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

We first heard about two weeks ago that the team was shopping Brown. Then we heard last week that they were planning on releasing him after apparently finding no takers. The Jags seemingly swooped in at the last minute to avoid a release, and Saints GM Mickey Loomis was rewarded for his patience.

Brown had been set to make about $5MM with the Saints in 2021, but now after this deal the Jags are giving him a new two-year contract worth $11MM with $8MM guaranteed, Rapoport tweets. Brown went from almost getting cut, to now getting a new team, a raise, and some more security.

New Orleans signed Brown to a three-year deal worth $15MM in March of 2019. The last pick of the first-round by the Patriots back in 2015, Brown was solid enough but never lived up to his draft pedigree, and New England declined his fifth-year option. He started 29 games for the Saints the past two years, and will likely be a big part of Urban Meyer’s run defense in Jacksonville.

It’s yet another veteran addition for the Jaguars, who have been busy the past 24 hours. They just signed receiver Marvin Jones Jr, and have already added guys like cornerback Shaquill Griffin, defensive tackle Tyson Alualu, and safety Rayshawn Jenkins to the defense.

Jaguars, WR Marvin Jones Agree To Deal

March 16th, 2021 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marvin Jones indicated he wanted to join a contending team in free agency. But the former Bengals and Lions wideout will instead join a rebuilding project in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are signing the nine-year veteran wide receiver, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s a two-year, $14.5MM deal that includes $9.2MM fully guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

We heard back in mid-February that Jones was interested in joining the Jaguars. A coaching hire may have made a difference in bringing the veteran target to north Florida. Jones will follow former Lions assistant Darrell Bevell to Jacksonville. The Jags hired the ex-Detroit interim HC as its offensive coordinator earlier this year.

This week has not featured an aggressive wide receiver market, and Jones will fall short of the $8MM-per-year deal he inked with the Lions in 2016. Jones will join Phillip Dorsett in trekking to Jacksonville, though the former should be expected to start. Jones, Dorsett and other Jaguars are expected to be joined by Trevor Lawrence soon.

In three of Jones’ five seasons with Detroit, he exceeded 900 receiving yards. His best season came in 2017, when the Lions featured he, Golden Tate and then-rookie Kenny Golladay. Even at age 30 last year, Jones reached 978 yards. He totaled nine receiving touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and will add a proven target for the Jaguars, who exited last season without much in the way of those.

Jacksonville has D.J. Chark under contract for one more season, with receiver/occasional backfield cog Laviska Shenault showing flashes last year. The team that entered this week with the NFL’s most cap space may not be done at receiver, but Jones represents a nice addition who will stand to help a rookie quarterback assimilate.

Texans To Sign QB Tyrod Taylor

March 16th, 2021 at 4:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Texans brass has continued to insist Deshaun Watson will not be traded, but the team is signing another starter-caliber quarterback. They agreed to terms with Tyrod Taylor on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The now-well-traveled stopgap starter/backup option can make up to $12.5MM on this one-year deal with Houston, Schefter adds.NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Taylor’s deal has a base value of $5.5MM, including $2.5MM guaranteed.

While Taylor would certainly not be an impediment to Watson, were Houston’s starter to reverse course, the 10-year vet represents a potential bridge option for a Texans team attempting to avoid a major transition.

Houston will add Taylor on an incentive-laden deal similar to the contracts Cam Newton and Jameis Winston recently agreed to, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. It would seem Taylor’s compensation will largely depend on how Houston proceeds with Watson.

Following Philip Rivers‘ defection to the Colts last year, the Chargers turned to Taylor. But a mishap with a pregame injection resulted in an earlier-than-expected transition to Justin Herbert. Taylor’s previous understudy started the Bolts’ final 15 games, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year acclaim. Taylor has now been a backup for most of the past three seasons.

Entering his age-32 season, Taylor has started just four games since 2018. Prior to that, however, the dual-threat QB did operate as Buffalo’s starter for three seasons. New Texans HC David Culley was Taylor’s position coach in 2017. While the risk-averse passer did well to limit turnovers, he did not offer much in the way of upside. That remains the case. Taylor would make sense as both a Watson backup and, in what would be the Texans’ emergency scenario, a bridge starter as the team attempts to construct a rebuild effort.

The bridge-QB market has moved since Monday night. Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andy Dalton have chosen destinations. They followed Newton in doing so. Each could well be starters next season. Like Washington, Chicago and New England, the Texans are not in position to land one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft. As of now, they do not hold a first- or second-round pick this year. While Watson would net the Texans a bounty of picks, Culley and GM Nick Caserio have insisted — the former in roundabout fashion — that Watson was not going anywhere.

Bears To Sign Andy Dalton

March 16th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Another one of the quarterback dominos has fallen. Andy Dalton will be signing with the Bears, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

It’s a one-year deal worth $10MM that carries an additional $3MM in incentives, Schefter reports. We heard earlier this morning that the Bears were interested, and they were able to get something done. Chicago had been “circling” for a few days and the 49ers also had interest in his services, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. San Francisco’s interest is eyebrow-raising, and Dalton’s presence would’ve put some heat on Jimmy Garoppolo.

Understandably, Dalton opted to go with the team where he has a clearer path to starting duties. Financially, it’s very similar to the deal Ryan Fitzpatrick signed with Washington last night, which was also for one year and $10MM + incentives. Jameis Winston‘s new deal with the Saints is worth “up to” $12MM, so this appears to be where the bar has been set for quasi-starters with teams who have uncertain futures under center.

Mitchell Trubisky is a free agent and not expected to return to the Bears. Nick Foles is still on the roster, but Dalton can likely be penciled in as the starter for now. That being said, the commitment to him isn’t too large, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Chicago opted to still draft a rookie early or try to pull off a miracle trade. As of a couple weeks ago they were apparently all-in on a pursuit of Russell Wilson.

It’s unclear if this signing will alter those plans at all. Dalton was the Bengals’ starter from 2011-19, and had some real success, making the Pro Bowl three times and leading them to the playoffs in five straight seasons at one point. He was allowed to walk as Cincy entered a rebuild, and ended up in Dallas as a backup last year. After Dak Prescott‘s season-ending injury, he took over under center.

In 11 games and nine starts for the Cowboys, he finished with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions while averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. Not exactly eye-popping numbers, but he was in a tough situation.

There’s also a lot of familiarity here, as Bill Lazor is the Bears’ new offensive coordinator. Lazor was Dalton’s QBs coach and then OC for a few years in Cincinnati. Assuming Dalton is the starter, he’ll be tasked with saving the jobs of head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace, both of whom are on very thin ice entering 2021.

NFL Contract Details: Bolts, Griffin, Broncos

March 16th, 2021 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the tampering period in full swing, here are some of the latest contract details to emerge:

Chargers C Corey Linsley: Five years, $62.5MM. $26MM guaranteed, $13MM signing bonus. Linsley is due $26MM through 2022, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Linsley’s 2021 base salary ($4MM) is fully guaranteed. His 2022 base salary ($9MM) is guaranteed for injury at signing; it becomes fully guaranteed if he is on the Bolts’ roster on Day 2 of the 2022 league year, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Jaguars CB Shaquill Griffin: Three years, $40MM. $23.5MM fully guaranteed, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. $12MM signing bonus, base salaries of $1MM, $11.5MM and $11.5MM. Griffin is due a $1MM roster bonus in 2023, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Lions DE Romeo Okwara: Three years, $39MM. $14MM signing bonus, $20MM fully guaranteed. Another $5MM will be guaranteed by next March, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
Broncos DL Shelby Harris: Three years, $27MM. $9MM signing bonus. Harris’ $1MM 2021 base salary and $5.5MM of his $7.5MM 2022 base are guaranteed, Wilson tweets.
Patriots DB Jalen Mills: Four years, $24MM. $2.5MM signing bonus, $3MM base salary in 2021, $4.5MM in ’22. Williams will have $3.5MM of his 2022 base salary fully guaranteed, Breer tweets.
Panthers OL Cameron Erving: Two years, $10MM. This contract includes base salaries of $990K and $2.01MM, with Wilson tweeting a March 2022 roster bonus of $2.5MM is guaranteed.
49ers CB Jason Verrett: One year, $5.5MM. $2MM signing bonus, $2.5MM base salary, $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. Another $1MM is available via incentives, Yates tweets.

Steelers To Release Vince Williams

March 16th, 2021 at 3:23pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Steelers are staying busy on Tuesday, releasing a long-time defensive player. Pittsburgh is cutting linebacker Vince Williams, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

As Fowler notes, the move will save the Steelers about $4MM in cap space. The Steelers drafted Williams in the sixth-round back in 2013, and he spent the past eight seasons with the team. In August of 2018 he signed a three-year extension worth $18.6MM. Not bad for a former 206th overall pick.

Williams was a part-time player earlier in his career, but has been a starter the past four seasons. This past year he appeared in 14 games, all starts, racking up 70 tackles, 14 for a loss, and three sacks. In 2017 he had eight sacks despite being an inside linebacker.

The Florida State product will now hit free agency for the first time at the age of 31. He should get picked up by a team in need of linebacking help before too long.

Chiefs To Release RB Damien Williams

March 16th, 2021 at 3:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Damien Williams opted out of the 2020 season; he will now be looking for a new team for the 2021 slate. The Chiefs are cutting the veteran running back, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

The Chiefs, who have since established Clyde Edwards-Helaire as their centerpiece back, will save $2.7MM in cap space by releasing Williams. Barely a year after making a case for Super Bowl LIV MVP honors, the soon-to-be 29-year-old is now on the market.

After the Chiefs’ ugly Kareem Hunt situation led to his release midway through the 2018 season, Williams emerged as a key player. He held the team’s starting running back job throughout the 2019 season, holding off LeSean McCoy for the position. Williams also scored 10 total playoff touchdowns as a Chief, doing so in just five postseason games.

A former Dolphins backup, Williams signed with the Chiefs in 2018. Shortly after the team cut Hunt, it moved to extend Williams on a two-year, $5.1MM deal. Because of Williams’ COVID-19 opt-out choice, that deal tolled to 2021. But after the team once was set to deploy a backfield featuring both Williams and Edwards-Helaire, the latter will continue to operate as the featured cog.

Steelers To Re-Sign Zach Banner

March 16th, 2021 at 3:08pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Maurkice Pouncey has retired, Matt Feiler just signed with the Chargers, and the Steelers might be looking to move on from Alejandro Villanueva, so Pittsburgh’s offensive line is going to look a lot different next year no matter what.

But not everybody is walking out the door, as the team has agreed to terms on a deal to retain tackle Zach Banner, Aditi Kinkhabwala of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a two-year, $9.5MM deal with a $3.25MM signing bonus, she reports. Not too shabby for a player with only two career starts under his belt.

A fourth-round pick of the Colts back in 2017, Banner was cut before ever playing in a game for Indy. He then had brief stints with the Browns and Panthers before landing with the Steelers. He only started one game in 2019, but played in 14 and played 22 percent of the offensive snaps.

Last offseason he won the job to be the Steelers’ new starting right tackle, but tore an ACL during their Week 1 win over the Giants. The team clearly believes in him, and it seems like they envision him winning the starting job again. Since his ACL tear came so early in the year, the USC product should be ready to go for the start of the 2021 season.

Titans Release Adoree’ Jackson, Dennis Kelly

March 16th, 2021 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

After this year, players attached to fifth-year options will be protected from free-of-charge releases. But the Titans will take advantage of that opportunity in its final year. They are set to release former first-round pick Adoree’ Jackson.

The Titans are cutting both Jackson and starting right tackle Dennis Kelly, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Jackson’s option season was set to cost the Titans $10.2MM. They will turn that entire amount into cap space, a luxury that will not be available to teams beginning next year.

This is certainly not a surprise, however. Jackson played in only three games last season; a knee injury cost the 2017 first-round pick most of his season. The Titans shelved Jackson on IR ahead of Week 1, and although they activated him off the injured list in early November, Jackson continued to miss time. He will be entering free agency at a bad time, coming off his worst season and doing so after the salary cap dropped by $16MM. Some interest figures to come Jackson’s way, however. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 overall corner in 2019 and landed in the advanced metrics site’s top 40 corners in ’17 and ’18.

Tennessee will unveil a new group of corners next year. The Titans have now cut Jackson and Malcolm Butler. They will also have a new right tackle.

After the Titans passed on Jack Conklin‘s fifth-year option, they drafted Isaiah Wilson in the 2020 first round. After a disastrous rookie year, Wilson is now with the Dolphins. The Titans used Kelly at right tackle throughout last season, elevating him from the swing role he previously held. Kelly’s most recent extension ran through the 2022 season.

Overall, the Titans will create more than $17MM in cap space by making these moves. That will bump the team’s total to nearly $30MM, per OverTheCap. They also will have to replace two key cogs.