2021 March - Pro Football Rumors

Lions GM Discusses QB Position, Draft

March 11th, 2021 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Following the Jared Goff/Matthew Stafford trade, the Lions quarterback depth chart is already going to look a whole lot different in 2021. Based on some recent comments from general manager Brad Holmes, it might not just be the top of the depth chart that’ll see changes. During an appearance on the Huddle and Flow podcast, the executive noted that the team will definitely consider drafting a quarterback, even with the seventh-overall pick.

“I don’t think when you’re picking this high that you can be ‘out’ on any position,” Holmes said. “But obviously, quarterback is such an important position and I just think it’s good drafting business, always, to be very, very thorough on that quarterback class – regardless of what your situation is. When I was with the Rams, I always said, regardless of what you have at quarterback [you have to be thorough], and especially now, it’s the same approach. It is a good crop coming out this year, but it’s definitely not a position that will be ignored by us by any means.”

This isn’t a massive surprise. After all, Goff has underwhelmed over the past two seasons, and the quarterback obviously wasn’t the main asset acquired in the Stafford deal (that honor belongs to the pair of future first-rounders). However, the team still has at least two (pricey) years of Goff, so they can take a patient approach at the position knowing Goff will probably be under center for at least 2021.

We leaned earlier this week that even the Lions’ backup quarterbacks aren’t safe. The front office has reportedly had trade discussions with teams about backup Chase Daniel.

S Damontae Kazee Not Expected To Re-Sign With Falcons

March 11th, 2021 at 7:40pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Damontae Kazee‘s stint in Atlanta has come to an end. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the safety isn’t expected to re-sign with the Falcons.

Fortunately, the 27-year-old has recovered from the torn Achilles’ tendon he suffered during Week 4 of this past season. Rapoport notes that Kazee is expected to be cleared by training camp, meaning he’ll have plenty of time to acclimate with his new squad.

The 2017 fifth-round has spent his entire career with the Falcons. He had a standout campaign during the 2018 season, compiling 82 tackles, 10 passes defended, and a league-leading seven interceptions in 16 games (15 starts), and he collected another three interceptions in 16 games (14 starts) during the 2019 season. Prior to his season-ending injury this past year, Kazee had compiled 20 tackles and one pass defended.

The Falcons’ secondary is going to look a bit different in 2021. The team already cut Ricardo Allen, and Keanu Neal could end up skipping town via free agency. The organization is currently rostering only a pair of safeties in Jaylinn Hawkins and T.J. Green.

Bears Re-Sign K Cairo Santos

March 11th, 2021 at 6:27pm CST by Ben Levine

Cairo Santos is sticking around Chicago. The Bears have signed the impending free agent kicker to a new five-year deal, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).

The deal is worth $16MM and has a maximum value of $17.5MM, according to Biggs. However, the final two years of the deal are voidable, effectively making it a three-year, $9MM deal (with a max value of $11MM). The entire deal includes $4.575MM in guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).

Santos initially joined the Bears last offseason, but he was cut at the end of preseason. He quickly rejoined the team when kicker Eddy Pineiro landed on IR, and Santos proceeded to put forth one of the best kicking seasons in franchise history. The 29-year-old connected on 3o of his 32 field goal attempts, leading to a franchise-best field goal percentage (93.8). He also set the franchise mark in consecutive field goals made, connecting on 27-straight during the 2020 campaign.

Santos spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with the Chiefs, but he’s bounced around the NFL since getting dumped during the 2017 season. He had a previous stint with the Bears to finish his 2017 campaign, and he’s since spent time with the Jets, Rams, Buccaneers, and Titans. The kicker’s recent inconsistency (he made only 68.8% of his kicks between the 2017 and 2019 seasons) explains why he hasn’t been able to find a steady gig, but it sounds like he’s found a home in Chicago. Similarly, the Bears have finally found an answer at kicker, at least for the next few seasons. As Biggs writes, the Bears have had a carousel at the position since letting go of Robbie Gould in 2016.

Chiefs C Austin Reiter Expected To Walk

March 11th, 2021 at 5:40pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Chiefs really weren’t playing around about overhauling their offensive line. Hours after releasing both of their starting tackles, it looks like another starter on the O-line will be on the move shortly.

Center Austin Reiter will hit the open market and is expected to sign somewhere other than Kansas City, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Patrick Mahomes was running for his life in the Super Bowl, and the Chiefs are clearly making upgrading his protection their priority this offseason.

Reiter started 12 games this past year (and played every snap in the Super Bowl), and all 16 the season before. A seventh-round pick of Washington back in 2015, he quickly ended up on the Browns and only had one career start under his belt when he landed in Kansas City via a waiver claim in 2018.

He turned into a nice diamond in the rough find for the Chiefs as a serviceable player, but they’re now apparently looking for a player with more upside to man the pivot. Reiter turned 29 in November.

Giants Optimistic About Nate Solder Return

March 11th, 2021 at 4:48pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Giants cut Kevin Zeitler this week, and many people have been expecting another big name offensive lineman to follow him out the door. However, it sounds like veteran offensive tackle Nate Solder might be spared amidst the cap casualty onslaught.

There is now optimism within the organization that Solder will play for the Giants in 2021, a source told Dan Duggan of The Athletic (Twitter link). Duggan notes that the sides are “still working out the terms,” so it sounds like Solder’s contract is going to be restructured. In all likelihood, that means Solder will be taking a pay-cut.

He had been scheduled to carry a $16.5MM cap hit for this season. New York has been needing to clear space in order to bring back guys like defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson, and many pointed to a Solder cut as an obvious way to save money.

The Giants are indeed talking “restructured numbers” with Solder, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post confirmed in a tweet. A source told Dunleavy that it never reached that point with Zeitler, meaning Zeitler was a goner from the beginning despite some speculation that he could restructure as well.

New York signed Solder to a massive four-year, $62MM deal in 2018, and he’s been a pretty big disappointment for that hefty contract. They almost traded him in 2019, but nothing got done. He opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, so he still has two more years left on that deal. He confirmed in February that he’s planning on returning for the 2021 season.

Bills Re-Sign Matt Milano

March 11th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

As free agency draws nearer, the Bills are locking up one of their own with a big commitment. Buffalo has agreed to terms to re-sign linebacker Matt Milano, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The deal is for four years and a whopping $44MM, with $24MM of that being guaranteed. We had heard just a few weeks ago that the Bills were planning on letting Milano hit the open market, and many were expecting both sides to move on, so this one is a bit surprising.

The conventional wisdom was that the Bills might get priced out on Milano with the emergence of A.J. Klein and the upcoming potential extension for fellow linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. This is a pretty solid deal for the Bills considering many expected him to be even more expensive. In fact, a source told Josina Anderson of ESPN that the Bills were “pleasantly surprised” that Milano opted not to test the open market (Twitter link). Milano reportedly stressed how important the culture in Buffalo is to him, and his belief that the team is close to getting to a championship level.

Injuries limited Milano to only ten games this past season but he was still effective, racking up 45 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three passes defended, and an interception in those games. The year before he had 101 tackles in 15 games. A fifth-round pick back in 2017, Milano far exceeded all expectations from his draft status.

He started five games as a rookie and then became a full-time starter in 2018. One of the top free agent linebackers is now off the market. With Tre’Davious White and Dion Dawkins, Milano is part of an extremely successful 2017 Buffalo draft class.

Texans To Sign Mark Ingram

March 11th, 2021 at 3:03pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

New Texans head coach David Culley made some puzzling comments on Deshaun Watson just now, but the Watson saga isn’t the only order of business the team has going on.

Houston has agreed to sign running back Mark Ingram to a one-year deal, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Per Schefter, the deal is worth “up to” $3MM, presumably indicating he’ll need to hit some incentives to get that full number. Ingram was cut by the Ravens back in January. Ingram will get a $500K signing bonus, and has $250K incentives for hitting both 750 and 1,000 yards rushing, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

The Texans recently cut Duke Johnson while coming to a new agreement with David Johnson, who Ingram will now presumably split carries with. Houston really values their running backs, pulling off several trades for runners in recent years. With a duo of Johnson (29) and now Ingram (31), it won’t exactly be the most youthful backfield in 2021. The 28th overall pick of the 2011 draft, Ingram spent the first eight years of his career with the Saints.

He then spent the past two seasons in Baltimore, and will now head off to Houston for his 11th pro campaign. The 2009 Heisman Trophy winner wasn’t very productive last year, but in 2019 he was a Pro Bowler and rushed for 1,018 yards and ten touchdowns while averaging five yards per attempt.

With the Ravens drafting J.K. Dobbins early last year he fell out of favor in the rotation, but that doesn’t mean he has nothing left to contribute. It’ll be interesting to see what his usage is like next to Johnson.

New Texans HC David Culley Speaks On Deshaun Watson

March 11th, 2021 at 2:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

New Texans head coach David Culley has finally spoken on the Deshaun Watson saga, and he didn’t exactly clear things up. In a press conference with the general media, Culley was insistent that the team was all in on Watson.

“We are very committed to Deshaun [Watson] as our quarterback. He is our quarterback,” Culley said, via this tweet from Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Culley also deferred questions about Watson asking for a trade to GM Nick Caserio, who wasn’t there. “It’s not a matter of me trying to change anyone’s mind. We’re committed to him. He’s a Houston Texan and we’re going to move forward with that,” Culley said when asked if Watson could be talked out of his trade request, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Culley added that “there is no contingency plan” for if Watson decides not to report. He also said “yes, he is,” when asked if Watson is committed to the Texans, which would seem to be demonstrably false. What makes these comments interesting, is that they’re in sharp contrast to what Culley told Jim Trotter of NFL Network just hours earlier.

Trotter tweeted that he walked away from his conversation with Culley “firmly” believing that Watson will be traded. Culley told Trotter that “he is our starting quarterback right now. He is our starting quarterback. Things happen between now and then. We’ll see what happens.” When he spoke on that more free-wheeling podcast, Culley gave the quarterback kiss of death of ‘right now.’

Culley also told Trotter that “we want guys who are all in.” Reading the tea leaves there it certainly sounds like Culley knows there’s a very good chance Watson is dealt before the 2021 season. It also sounds like somebody spoke with him between that podcast interview and his press conference and asked him to change his tone.

Anytime ‘right nows’ start getting thrown around, it’s seemingly the beginning of the end. This drama could still take many more twists and turns, but as Trotter himself noted, it now sounds like the writing is on the wall.

Lions To Release CB Justin Coleman

March 11th, 2021 at 1:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The free agent market is about to get another big name corner. The Lions are planning on releasing cornerback Justin Coleman in the coming days, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Detroit signed Coleman to a four-year, $36MM pact back in March of 2019, but he only ended up making it halfway through that deal. As Pelissero points out, he had been one of the highest paid slot cornerbacks in the league. The Lions will save between $5MM and $9MM in cap space depending on whether the move is given a post-June 1 designation or not, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets.

He struggled with a hamstring injury this past season that limited him to only 11 games. In those games he had 30 tackles and only one pass defended. The year before though in 16 games he had 54 tackles, three forced fumbles, 13 passes defended, and an interception.

He came into the league as an UDFA out of Tennessee in 2015 with the Vikings and then Patriots, and didn’t breakout until the 2017-18 seasons with the Seahawks. Coleman won’t get the $8.9MM he had been slated to make on the open market, but he should draw significant interest. He’s proven to be a solid slot corner in the past, and will only turn 28 later this month.

Ravens Talking Orlando Brown Trade With 6 Teams

March 11th, 2021 at 12:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Orlando Brown situation might be heating up. The Ravens’ stud young tackle has requested a trade due to his desire to play left tackle (which he can’t do in Baltimore long-term thanks to the presence of Ronnie Stanley).

The Ravens have been listening on offers, and sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL.com they’ve had “ongoing conversations” with six teams. Garafolo spoke to Brown for the story, and the Oklahoma product indicated his desire to man the left side stemmed from his late father’s wishes.

“He always told me, ‘Don’t settle for playing right tackle. Make sure that when it comes time and you get to every level, you’re playing left,” the younger Brown said. In his first public comments since the trade request, Brown also said that a new contract will be part of the trade process wherever he lands.

The 2018 third-round pick is currently set to enter the final year of his rookie deal. Brown filled in for Stanley on the left side last year and played well, cementing his belief that that’s where he belongs. John Harbaugh has made it sound publicly like he isn’t expecting Brown to get traded, but Garafolo’s latest report indicates the team is getting serious about trade talks. We should know a lot more soon.