2021 March - Pro Football Rumors

Vikings LB Anthony Barr To Take Pay-Cut, Become FA After 2021

March 14th, 2021 at 9:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It looks like the Vikings are close to making a major adjustment to Anthony Barr‘s contract. Minnesota and the veteran linebacker are working on a restructured deal that would see Barr reduce his $12.3MM salary for 2021, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The Vikings will get some immediate cap relief, and in return Barr will enter free agency after this season. Previously Barr’s contract ran through 2023, so he’s about to get the last two years knocked off his pact. There had been some speculation that the team could move on this offseason due to his hefty cap hit, but this move will ensure he’s on the Vikings’ roster come Week 1 while also potentially setting things up for a divorce next offseason.

The ninth overall pick of the 2014 draft has been with Minnesota for all seven of his pro seasons. There’s been plenty of drama along the way, like when Barr agreed to sign with the Jets in March of 2019 before pulling out at the last second and returning to the Vikings. A separation has appeared likely several times, but they always have found a way to make things work.

Barr got a five-year, $67.5MM deal to stay last time. The UCLA product made the Pro Bowl four straight times from 2015-18, but only played in two games this past year due to a torn pec. He’ll turn 29 later this week.

49ers Re-Sign Kyle Juszczyk

March 14th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Rory Parks

UPDATE, 8:35pm: It’s now official. Juszczyk has signed a five-year extension with the 49ers worth an impressive $27MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Rapsheet notes the contract is signed, so it’s a done deal. The pact comes with $10MM guaranteed, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets.

8:33am: About three weeks ago, we heard that the 49ers were making a push to re-sign fullback Kyle Juszczyk in advance of free agency. With the legal tampering period set to kick off tomorrow, it appears that San Francisco may have struck an accord just in time.

Late last night, Niners GM John Lynch posted the following tweet, which certainly makes it sound as if Juszczyk will be back: “I’m thirsty. Niners fans, you want some ‘Juice?'” Presumably, Lynch does not plan on bringing in O.J. Simpson in an advisory role, so that would seem to indicate that he was referring to a Juszczyk re-up.

In Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s first offseason running the 49ers, they signed the former Ravens blocker to a four-year, $21MM deal. That 2017 pact still resides on its own tier at the fullback position, with only two other FBs — Derek Watt and C.J. Ham — earning more than $2MM in average annual salary.

Of course, Juszczyk is more than just a blocking fullback. While he is hardy the focal point of Shanahan’s offense, he is a useful and versatile weapon, having compiled 102 catches for 1,080 yards and 35 carries for 132 yards over the past four seasons. He has nine total touchdowns during that time, and he has earned four consecutive Pro Bowl nods for his efforts.

Because there are still no obvious comps, it could be that Juszczyk’s second contract with the 49ers will look much like his first one. But in any event, Lynch will have around $30MM in cap space heading into free agency, so he will have some ability to sign a quality FA or two and perhaps retain LT Trent Williams.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/21

March 14th, 2021 at 8:06pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Teams have until March 17 to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents. Some teams are already making their calls in advance of March 17. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:

RFAs

Non-Tendered:

Chiefs: TE Deon Yelder
Dolphins: WR Isaiah Ford

Both of these guys will now be hitting unrestricted free agency. Yelder signed with the Saints as an UDFA in 2018, and was added to the Chiefs’ practice squad later that year. He got meaningful playing time in 2020, mostly as a blocker, playing around 18 percent of the offensive snaps for Kansas City last season. He had only seven catches for 36 yards.

Ford was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh-round back in 2017, then was traded to the Patriots this past November but quickly re-signed by Miami after New England cut him a month later. This one is mildly surprising since Ford played a real role on offense for the Dolphins the past two years, catching 51 passes for 520 yards in 18 games between 2019-20.

Jets To Pursue OL Joe Thuney

March 14th, 2021 at 7:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It sounds like the Jets could be preparing to make a big splash in free agency. When the negotiating period opens tomorrow, one of New York GM Joe Douglas’ “first calls” will be to Joe Thuney‘s reps, sources told Connor Hughes of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Thuney is one of the highlights of what has turned out to be a really solid free agent offensive line class. After franchise tagging him last season, the Patriots recently opted not to hit him with a second consecutive tag that would’ve paid him almost $18MM in 2021. Hughes writes that the Jets “love his versatility, reliability & the fact he’s spent entire career in winning culture.” As he also points out, they’ll face competition for his services.

Offensive line has been a weak spot for the Jets for years, and after drafting Mekhi Becton 11th overall last year, signing one of the priority free agents like Thuney would show Douglas is serious about solving the issue once and for all. A relatively unheralded third-round pick back in 2016, Thuney blossomed into one of the league’s best guards in New England.

He was a second-team All-Pro in 2019 and has been remarkably consistent and durable, starting all 80 possible games since getting drafted. The NC State product was a major part of the Patriots’ last two Super Bowl wins.

As Hughes alluded to, Thuney is quite versatile, as he filled in at center for a couple of games this past year and also played tackle in college. If he does opt to stay in the AFC East and sign with the Jets, who he’ll be blocking for will still very much be an open question.

Bills Re-Sign OL Jon Feliciano

March 14th, 2021 at 5:26pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Ahead of the start of free agency, the Bills are locking up another one of their own guys. After extending Daryl Williams and Matt Milano this past week, Buffalo is now handing out a new contract to guard Jon Feliciano as well.

The Bills have signed Feliciano to a new three-year pact, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirmed on Twitter. The news was first tweeted by Matt Parrino of NewYorkUpstate.com. Schefter writes that the new pact is worth “up to” $17MM, so you’ll have to stay tuned for the details on that.

As Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, the Bills now have 19 of their 22 starters from last year’s AFC Championship Game under contract for 2021, and two others are restricted free agents. A fourth-round pick of the Raiders in 2015, Feliciano spent the first four years of his career in Oakland.

The Miami product signed a two-year, $8MM pact with the Bills in March of 2019. He never started more than four games in a season for the Raiders, but started all 16 in his first year in Buffalo. Injuries limited him to nine games this past season, but he started all of them.

He’s not a Pro Bowler, but he’s been a solid enough starter the past couple of years. No matter what, Josh Allen will have a lot of continuity around him on offense heading into his fourth season.

Saints Restructure QB Taysom Hill’s Contract

March 14th, 2021 at 4:46pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Just moments after Drew Brees officially announced his retirement, the Saints took their cap gymnastics to a new level with one of their other quarterbacks.

New Orleans has restructured Taysom Hill‘s deal to create cap space by giving him a four-year, $140MM extension that entirely voids, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. A source told Schefter that “all years are voidable and it’s a mechanism to free up cap space this year,” with the 2021 cap savings being north of $7.5MM. Before you freak out, Hill isn’t getting a $140MM extension.

The consensus of Saints beat writers online seems to be that the numbers are purely theoretical, and might as well just be random numbers written down on a piece of paper. Cap maneuvering has gotten more and more complicated in recent years, and Saints GM Mickey Loomis has fashioned himself as a wizard.

Virtually every Saints veteran making more than a minimum salary has had their contract tweaked to varying degrees. In a follow-up tweet, Schefter explained that Hill’s actual contract for this year will “include a $9.686 million signing bonus, a $1.439 million guaranteed roster bonus and a $1.034 million guaranteed base salary, plus incentives.”

Thus it appears Hill’s real compensation for 2021 will be somewhere in the $12+MM range, and not the $35MM annually that four-years, $140MM would suggest. We’ll keep you posted if we get a full explanation on the new figures.

Drew Brees Retires From NFL

March 14th, 2021 at 4:10pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Well, it’s officially official. One of the best quarterbacks of this century is hanging up his cleats, as Drew Brees announced his retirement (with help from his kids) in an Instagram video post on Sunday.

“After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football. Each day, I poured my heart & soul into being your Quarterback. Til the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organization, my team, and the great city of New Orleans. We shared some amazing moments together, many of which are emblazoned in our hearts and minds and will forever be a part of us,” Brees wrote in the caption.

“You have molded me, strengthened me, inspired me, and given me a lifetime of memories. My goal for the last 15 years was striving to give to you everything you had given to me and more. I am only retiring from playing football, I am not retiring from New Orleans. This is not goodbye, rather a new beginning. Now my real life‘s work begins!”

This had been the expectation all along, but there was some doubt injected recently as many wondered what was taking Brees so long to make it official. A workout video posted by his trainer sparked some speculation that Brees could be planning on playing in 2021 after all. As it turns out it looks like Brees was waiting for a sentimental date, as many were quick to point out that today marks 15 years to the day since Brees first signed with the Saints back in 2006.

Brees signed with NBC last April to line up his post-playing career, and will now presumably transition to the broadcast booth like Tony Romo and many others before him. He’ll reportedly be commentating Notre Dame football games to start.

A second-round pick out of Purdue all the way back in 2001, Brees had an incredible career that ended up spanning two full decades. He spent his first five pro seasons with the Chargers, and after a devastating shoulder injury that many feared at the time would have long-term effects, signed with New Orleans in 2006. He helped turn a franchise in a pitiful state into a consistent winner, and will now be headed to Canton soon enough.

The peak of his career on the gridiron came during the 2009 season, when he led the Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV title. His name is all over the record books, as he currently has the most passing yards in NFL history among plenty of other similar accomplishments.

The 13-time Pro Bowler’s retirement now sends New Orleans into their most uncertain offseason in some time. Sean Payton has his work cut out for him, and must now choose between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston, or bringing in an outside the box option. Payton issued a statement reflecting on Brees’ career, which you can read via this tweet from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

All of us here at PFR wish Brees the best in retirement, and thank him for his many contributions to the game.

Eagles Want Third Or Fourth Rounder For Zach Ertz

March 14th, 2021 at 3:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles want a third or fourth-round pick for Zach Ertz, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the Birds continue to insist that they won’t release the tight end.

Ertz wants to stay with the Eagles, despite clashing with GM Howie Roseman in the midst of extension talks. In turn, the Eagles pondered trading him before the 2020 deadline. Then, Ertz’s ankle injury brought those discussions to a halt.

Now, at the age of 30, Ertz is a year removed from his usual fine work. He finished 2020 with just 36 catches for 335 yards and one touchdown. But, in 2019, he notched 88 receptions for 916 yards and six TDs. And, in 2018, he earned All-Pro honors, cementing himself as one of the league’s very best TEs. There should be plenty of interest in Ertz, though teams know that the Eagles are in something of a bind. He’s got one year left on his current deal, counting $12.4MM against the books. Trading or cutting him would save the Eagles almost $5MM in cap space and they need all of the breathing room they can get.

For his part, Ertz is growing “increasingly impatient” as things drag on, according to Pelissero. One way or another, it sounds like there will be a resolution before the end of the week.

Packers Re-Sign Aaron Jones

March 14th, 2021 at 3:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Jones is off the board. On Sunday, the Packers agreed to a four-year, $48MM deal with their star running back (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The deal ties Jones to Green Bay through the 2024 season and comes with a $13MM signing bonus.

Jones could have gone into free agency without any restrictions and cashed in big. However, the current climate left a lot of uncertainty. With this deal, Jones and agent Drew Rosenhaus have opted for security over upside, though Jones has plenty of dollars coming his way.

The franchise tag would have given Jones around $9MM. Instead, he’s getting an average of $12MM/year with more guaranteed money than he was offered in last year’s round of talks. It took a little longer, but Jones got his big pay day just like 2017 running back draftees Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Joe Mixon. Before the deal, the Dolphins were heavily connected to Jones. Now, they’ll have to look elsewhere for help.

Jones has averaged over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 15 TDs over the past two seasons, positioning him as one of the best running backs in the NFL. Historically, teams have been reluctant to shell out big bucks and guaranteed years to RBs, but Jones has proven his value multiple times over.

In three of his four NFL campaigns, Jones has averaged 5.5 yards per carry. While he missed the Pro Bowl in 2019, he led the NFL with 19 touchdowns. There was no oversight last year as Jones turned in his second straight 1,000-yard season. He averaged a career-high 78.4 yards per game in 2020 and the Packers will be counting on more of the same in 2021, especially with Jamaal Williams on track for the open market.

Latest On Giants, Leonard Williams

March 14th, 2021 at 1:43pm CST by Zachary Links

There hasn’t been much progress between the Giants and Leonard Williams yet, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter). Ideally, the Giants would like to hammer out a deal before the start of the tampering period on Monday.

A new deal for Williams could reduce his 2021 cap hit, giving the Giants some sorely needed flexibility with the reduced cap. As it stands, Williams is set to earn $19.35MM in 2021, a 20% pay raise over last year’s franchise tag.

Last year’s tag raised a lot of eyebrows; Williams responded by dropping jaws. In 2020, he posted a career-high 11.5 sacks, plus 14 total tackles for loss and 30 quarterback hits. Now, Williams is looking for a long-term deal to match his performance. That’ll likely cost around ~$20MM per annum.

The Giants have until mid-July to work out a long-term deal with Williams, but they have an increased sense of urgency with free agency on the horizon. The Giants want to go shopping for help at wide receiver, edge rusher, and other key positions, but they don’t want to do it on a shoestring budget. In turn, Williams’ camp has been happy to slow-play negotiations.

The extra room would also help the Giants to retain their own free agents, including fellow defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson. Tomlinson graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 25-ranked interior defender in 2020. Now, he’s in line for multi-year deal worth $8MM-$10MM per season.