2021 April - Pro Football Rumors

Chiefs To Hold On Orlando Brown Extension

April 23rd, 2021 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Orlando Brown got his wish on Friday as the Ravens traded him to a team that will happily deploy him at left tackle. However, he won’t get the brand new contract he wanted — at least, not right away. There’s no immediate extension as a part of the deal, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter) hears.

For now, Brown will play out the final year of his deal, which will pay him just under $3.4MM in 2021. After that, the Chiefs will have the ability to deploy the franchise tag, which would keep him from the open market at the top-five average for offensive tackles. Brown, ideally, would like to lock up his pay day sooner, but he’ll be in great shape if he reprises his 2020 performance. Filling in for Ronnie Stanley, Brown graded out as one of the 25 best tackles in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics.

Brown, who stands at an imposing 6’8″, will eventually shoot for something in the neighborhood of $18-22MM per year to join the likes of Ronnie Stanley, David Bakhtiari, and Laremy Tunsil. For now, he’ll have to stay patient, but he’s undoubtedly happier than he was just 24 hours ago.

Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order: Round 1

April 23rd, 2021 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens sent Orlando Brown to the Chiefs on Friday, shuffling the first-round order of the NFL Draft once again. Now, the Ravens are one of four teams to hold multiple first-round picks, joining the Jaguars (Nos. 1 and 25), Jets (Nos. 2 and 23), and Dolphins (Nos. 6 and 18). In turn, Chiefs no longer have a top-32 choice, joining the Seahawks, Texans, and Rams.

As we look ahead to Thursday, here’s how the first round currently stands:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. San Francisco 49ers (from HOU via MIA)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Miami Dolphins (from PHI)
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. Philadelphia Eagles (from SF via MIA)
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (from SEA)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints
29. Green Bay Packers
30. Buffalo Bills
31. Baltimore Ravens (from KC)
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ravens Trade Orlando Brown To Chiefs

April 23rd, 2021 at 2:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens have agreed to trade Orlando Brown to the Chiefs (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). As a part of the deal, the Ravens will receive the Chiefs’ No. 31 overall choice in next week’s draft while sending their No. 58 pick to KC along with Brown.

Chiefs Receive:

OT Orlando Brown
2021 second-round pick (No. 58 overall)
2022 sixth-round pick

Ravens Receive:

2021 first-round pick (No. 31 overall)
2021 third-round pick (No. 94 overall)
2021 fourth-round pick (No. 136 overall)
2022 fifth-round pick

Brown, a 2018 third-round choice, moved from right tackle to left tackle last year to fill in for Ronnie Stanley. After turning in a strong year at LT, Brown told the Ravens that he didn’t want to go back to the other side. The Ravens have kept mum on the situation, but they’ve been listening on offers for the last few months.

The difference between left tackle and right tackle can amount to tens of millions of dollars over the long run. However, the Oklahoma product says his preference 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 recently.

It’s not immediately clear whether the Oklahoma product will receive a new contract from the Chiefs straight away. For now, he has one more year to go on his rookie deal. After that, the Chiefs will have the option of using the franchise tag to cuff him for 2022.

The Ravens are now armed with two first round picks — their original No. 27 plus the No. 31 pick. That should give them ample ammo to trade for a new tackle, though they may circle back to Alejandro Villanueva instead, allowing them to address other needs late in the first round. Ultimately, the Ravens were facing two major issues with Brown. 1. They couldn’t unseat Stanley to put him on the left side and 2. A top-of-the market deal for him would have created a serious numbers crunch down the road, especially with Lamar Jackson‘s upcoming payday.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs have scored a top-flight young blocker — one that’s far better than any of this year’s Tier 2 options. Brown will help to fill the void left by the departures of starting tackles Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher, who were released for financial and health reasons. Now, the Chiefs project to have Brown, Joe Thuney, Kyle Long, Austin Blythe, and the returning Laurent Duvernay-Tardif up front.

Pro Football Focus has viewed Brown as a top-25 tackle in each of the past two seasons, so he’ll be seeking a contract to match. Stanley, Trent Williams, David Bakhtiari and Laremy Tunsil have all elevated the left tackle market, which means that Brown could aim for something just shy of $22MM annually. At minimum, Brown’s camp will likely open talks by asking for $18MM per annum — that’s how much leading right tackle Lane Johnson makes per year.

Packers’ Chandon Sullivan Signs RFA Tender

April 23rd, 2021 at 1:16pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. On Friday, Packers cornerback Chandon Sullivan announced that he has signed his restricted free agency tender for the 2021 season.

Sullivan, a 2018 undrafted free agent out of Georgia State, first entered the league with the Eagles. After appearing in five games as a rookie, he joined up with the Packers in 2019 and proceeded to appear in 16 games with 30 tackles, six passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.

Last year, Sullivan started ten times out of his 16 games, notching 41 stops, six passes defensed, and a pick-six. His worked earned him a solid performance-based pay bump. With a playing time rate of 77.4% on defense, Sullivan collected a cool $500K to lead the Packers, topping the payouts of wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, guard Lucas Patrick, and tight end Robert Tonyan.

Even with Sullivan in the fold, the Packers could still consider cornerbacks in next week’s draft. For now, Sullivan will return to a CB group that includes All-Pro Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, and Josh Jackson, who has yet to live up to his second-round billing.

Raiders Scouting First Round QBs

April 23rd, 2021 at 11:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have done extensive work on all the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). As RapSheet notes, this has been par for the course for the Raiders in recent years. However, if one of this year’s top passers slides past the top part of the order, Jon Gruden & Co. could be poised to make a move.

Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are guaranteed to be long gone, and it’s expected that Mac Jones will follow them at No. 3 overall. Beyond that, there’s at least some chance of this year’s top-rated QBs sliding. Some expect the Falcons to select North Dakoka’s Trey Lance at No. 4 and it’s widely anticipated that Ohio State’s Justin Fields will hear his name called in the top ten. Still, draft day is always full of surprises, and the Raiders’ board of first-round worthy QBs could be longer than others in the NFL.

Barring a QB slide, the Raiders could use the No. 17 choice to give Gus Bradley a top-end linebacker like Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Then again, they could focus on other areas of need — like the offensive line — now that they have edge threat Yannick Ngakoue on board. It’s a situation we’ll be monitoring on Thursday night, along with Derek Carr.

Ravens To Wait On Alejandro Villanueva, Justin Houston, Other FAs

April 23rd, 2021 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens met with Alejandro Villanueva and Justin Houston recently, but they won’t be signing them or any other free agent this week. Instead, the Ravens are planning to hold off on any additions until May 3 (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).

By waiting until May 3, the Ravens can make a better assessment of their needs after the draft. That date also marks end of the compensatory pick formula, so the Ravens won’t be penalized for any veteran signings. As it stands, the Ravens are set to earn two fourth-rounders in 2022 based on free agent departures. has played out thus far.

Some believe that the Ravens are targeting Villanueva as an Orlando Brown Jr. replacement. It remains to be seen whether Ravens GM Eric DeCosta will give into his demands, however. Meanwhile, Houston would help Baltimore fill the void on the edge after losing Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue.

Browns Exercise Options For Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward

April 23rd, 2021 at 9:17am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns will pick up the fifth-year options of quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward (Twitter links via Jake Trotter of ESPN.com and Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer).

Mayfield will make $18.858MM in 2022 while Ward will earn $13.294MM. As a refresher, the fifth-year option year is now fully guaranteed. In the past, it was guaranteed for injury only. The values are also dependent on certain performance metrics, including playing time and Pro Bowl appearances.

Mayfield slogged through a brutal 2019 season, throwing 21 interceptions — the NFL’s second-most that year — and regressing after showing promise under Freddie Kitchens in 2018. However, Mayfield fared much better in Kevin Stefanski‘s offense last season. The former Heisman winner ranked 10th in QBR with a 72.2 mark — by far a career-high figure — and cut his interception total down to eight.

Ward, meanwhile, has battled health issues since he entered the league. He has missed at least three games due to injury in each of his first three seasons — not 2020’s COVID-19 absence. On the other hand, his performance between the lines has been everything the Browns could have hoped for when they made him the No. 4 overall pick in 2018. He earned Pro Bowl honors in his rookie season, and despite the missed time due to injury, he has tallied 40 passes defensed and seven interceptions — including one pick-six — in his young career.

This Date In Transactions History: Buccaneers Draft Two Future Hall Of Famers

April 22nd, 2021 at 9:50pm CST by Ben Levine

On this date in 1995, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a pair of decisions that ultimately resulted in a Super Bowl championship. On April 22, 1995, the Buccaneers used a pair of first-round picks on defensive end Warren Sapp and linebacker Derrick Brooks.

The Buccaneers actually had their eye on Sapp throughout the pre-draft process that year, and they probably would have selected at him No. 7 before ultimately moving back to No. 12. As former head coach Sam Wyche explained, the organization made the trade assuming that the Miami star would be selected in the top-five. When Sapp’s draft stock started to drop, the Buccaneers realized they still might get their guy despite the trade.

“[W]e would simulate one group of five players gone and another group of five players gone, and in every one of our mock drafts Warren Sapp was gone in the top five,” Wyche wrote on PewterReport.com. “We eventually decided to trade down to the 12th overall pick in the first round, but started to realize that we still might have a shot at drafting Sapp.

“There were rumors of drug use and him messing around and being a little bit of a fun guy in college, like all of us were, but they label certain people and Sapp got the label, and once that happens it can sometimes get out of hand like it did for Warren. Our scouts knew the players at all of the Florida schools very well because we had such a close geographical relationship and formed close and honest relationships with their coaches and trainers.

“We went through all of those checkpoints and everything came back positive. While we still had to see if he fell to us, we made the decision as a group that if Warren Sapp were still there when we picked at number 12 overall he would be a Buccaneer. Even at that point we all looked long and hard at each other to make sure we hadn’t forgotten anything, and we hadn’t, so we drafted Warren Sapp. We all liked him. I mean everybody – myself, Rich, Jerry Angelo – everybody. We really believed it was a great pick.”

So, with the No. 12 pick in the 1995 draft, the Buccaneers selected Sapp (much to the dismay of Jets fans…seriously, watch that video).

The Buccaneers weren’t done wheeling and dealing. The team later traded a pair of seconds (including one that they originally acquired in the trade that sent out No. 7) to the Cowboys for No. 28, selecting Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks.

“Derrick Brooks was a much easier decision to make in terms of trading up from the second round to draft him with the 28th pick in the first round,” Wyche wrote. “We didn’t think he was going to be there, though, so that’s why we jumped at the chance to select him.”

How did the picks work out for Tampa Bay? For starters, Sapp and Brooks played major roles in guiding the Bucs to a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. The two players combined for 18 Pro Bowls, 15 All-Pro nods, and a pair of Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Buccaneers also earned the distinction of being one of three teams (Bears in 1965 (Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers) and later the Ravens in 1996 (Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis)) to select a pair of Hall of Famers in the same round.

When the first round ended 26 years ago tonight, we’re sure the Buccaneers were thrilled with their selections. However, we doubt even they anticipated the kind of impact their two draft picks would have.

Buccaneers Would Consider Drafting QB

April 22nd, 2021 at 8:33pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers may be all-in on the 2021 season, but that wouldn’t stop them from considering a quarterback in the upcoming draft. During his press conference earlier this week, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht revealted that he’d consider taking a developmental quarterback who could learn from future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.

“You just want to make sure that you’re not picking a quarterback just to pick a quarterback,” said Licht (via Scott Smith of the team’s website). “You want everybody to be onboard, and the guy’s got to have the right mindset. He’s got to be, obviously, talented and can through the ball, but he’s got to be somebody that we all feel comfortable with above the neck. There’s always positives to drafting a quarterback if all those things align.”

The Buccaneers won’t use a first-round pick on a quarterback, and it’d be a bit surprising if the team selected a QB on the second day of the draft. A late-round quarterback would be a natural crapshoot, but the Buccaneers would be putting that young player in a position to succeed. For starters, the rookie would obviously be playing behind a seven-time champion (and a former late-round pick, to boot). Plus, as Licht pointed out, that young signal-caller would also benefit from the current coaching staff.

“Well, there’s always pros to drafting a quarterback for us because of our coaching staff,” said Licht. “Bruce and Byron and Clyde and Tom Moore – I mean, you couldn’t think of a better staff to groom a quarterback.”

A young quarterback would also have the inside track to succeed Brady when the veteran inevitably retires. In fact, this hypothetical player could have a path to playing time if Brady was forced to miss time next season; the only other quarterback on the roster is Ryan Griffin, although the team is still looking to re-sign backup Blaine Gabbert.

49ers To Sign DT Maurice Hurst

April 22nd, 2021 at 6:30pm CST by Ben Levine

A week after getting cut by the Raiders, Maurice Hurst has found a new home. The defensive lineman is signing with the 49ers, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).

The All-American out of Michigan was a potential first-round pick heading into the 2018 draft, but a heart condition caused him to fall to the fifth round. The Raiders scooped him up, and the defensive tackle was an immediate return on investment. Hurst started 10 of his 13 games as a rookie, finishing with 31 tackles and four sacks.

Unfortunately, those numbers still stand as career highs. Hurst found himself mostly playing in a backup role in 2019, and this culminated in him appearing in a career-low 23-percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 2020. With the Raiders having already added linemen Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson this offseason, the team decided to move on from the 25-year-old earlier this month.

Hurst was cut alongside Arden Key, who was coincidentally picked up by the 49ers yesterday. Hurst still possesses some upside (eight sacks, 17 QB hits in three seasons), and that makes him a low-risk, high-reward signing for the 49ers.