HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Extra Points: Belichick, Bernard, Vikings

April 13th, 2021 at 10:27pm CST by Ben Levine

After once declaring that he wouldn’t coach beyond 70, Bill Belichick has since walked back his claims. Former head coach Marc Levy is one of the few people who can understand Belichick’s wavering, and he understands why the Patriots head coach continues to move the proverbial goal posts in regards to his retirement.

“Age is only an approximate thing. You’re involved and you’re going at it hard, and you love it, that’s it,” Levy told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “You just coach as long as you love it. I finally retired because the great core of our team had gotten old, and they were all retiring. And I had it finally. I felt I needed some time away.”

Reiss opines that Belichick may be aiming for the wins record (regular season and postseason) among coaches; the 68-year-old currently ranks third all-time with 311 victories. If the Patriots rediscover their winning ways and earn around nine or 10 victories per season, Reiss guesses that Belichick could pass all-time leader Don Shula in about four seasons.

Some more notes from around the NFL…

  • Patriots linebacker Chase Winovich is focused on adding some weight this offseason. The second-year pro was listed at 250 pounds last year, but he’s looking to make a jump to around 260 pounds. Winovich’s desire for more weight and strength was inspired by former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich, who suggested that the former third-rounder bulks up. “I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘I’m going to get my weight right,'” Winovich said (via Reiss). “That dude’s words get me fired up.”
  • While the Buccaneers are rostering both Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones, they still went out and added veteran Giovani Bernard this week. While it might seem like a luxury to add the former Bengals running back, Greg Auman of The Athletic writes that it was more of a necessity. By the writer’s estimation, Buccaneers running backs led the NFL last season in drops, and the pass-catching Bernard will certainly be a welcome addition to the Tom Brady-led offense.
  • Former NFL player Robert Steeples has joined the Vikings as an assistant special teams coach, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter). Steeples actually played 12 special teams snaps for Minnesota back in 2013, with his two appearances marking his only NFL experience.

Contract Details: Conner, Cockrell, Stephen

April 13th, 2021 at 9:20pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve compiled a handful of details on recent contracts, including the newest member of the Cardinals offense:

  • James Conner, RB (Cardinals): One-year deal. Deal is worth $1.75MM, including $500K signing bonus and fully guaranteed $1.25MM salary. Via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter.
  • Ross Cockrell, CB (Buccaneers): Two-year deal. Contract is worth $2.11MM. League-minimum salaries in both 2021 ($990K) and 2022 ($1.12MM). Up to $450K in playing-time incentives each season. Via Greg Auman of The Athletic on Twitter.
  • Shamar Stephen, DT (Broncos): Signed. One year, $2MM deal, including $750K guaranteed. $415K signing bonus, $1.075MM base salary (of which $335K is guaranteed), $30K per-game roster bonuses (up to $510K max). Via Mike Klis of 9News in Denver on Twitter.

Vikings Eyeing TE MyCole Pruitt

April 13th, 2021 at 8:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings have lost a couple of tight ends this offseason, so they’re naturally looking toward free agency for reinforcement. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via Twitter) that Minnesota has “sent out some feelers” on free agent tight end MyCole Pruitt. Tomasson notes that “nothing is close” when it comes to a potential signing.

Pruitt actually started his career with the Vikings back in 2015, with the former fifth-rounder spending one-plus seasons with the organization. After bouncing around the league a bit, the tight end found a home in Tennessee in 2018. While Pruitt never put up big numbers during his stint with the Titans (20 receptions for 241 yards and one score), he had a consistent role as a blocking tight end, appearing in 42 games (15 starts) in three years. Pruitt also saw time in five playoff games for Tennessee, hauling in six receptions.

The Vikings have likely been looking for extra depth at tight end since moving on from Kyle Rudolph earlier this offseason. The team also watched as backup Hale Hentges called it a career. The team’s depth chart is currently led by former second-rounder Irv Smith Jr. and former fifth-round pick Tyler Conklin.

While the team’s interest in Pruitt makes sense from a depth perspective, general manager Rick Spielman seemed to hint recently that he’d feel comfortable with Smith and Conklin atop his depth chart.

“Irv does it with his ability to run and his athletic ability … [hopefully we get the] same type of production going forward,” Spielman said (via Eric Smith of the team’s website). “And I think the other guy that really jumped out at the tight end position was Tyler Conklin, and last year he took a significant jump when he got his opportunity to play, not only making some plays in the passing game but in his development as a blocker at the line of scrimmage as well.”

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Wright, Conner

April 13th, 2021 at 7:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Of the three high-end quarterback prospects expected to be available to the 49ers at No. 3 overall, Justin Fields has lagged behind the other two — Trey Lance and Mac Jones — in terms of being linked to San Francisco. But Kyle Shanahan has reached out to Fields’ pre-draft coach, former NFL QB John Beck, at points this offseason. Beck has overseen Fields’ pre-draft preparations and has taken over that role for Lance in recent weeks. Beck was with Washington when Shanahan served as the team’s OC.

“Knowing that I’ve been around (Fields) the last three months, he’ll reach out and just want to ask questions or talk,” Beck said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required) of Shanahan. “And kind of like prod into: What are the things we’re working on, the things that I think having played in his system, having been coached by him, I know how he’s going to coach quarterbacks. I know what he’s looking for.”

Beck, who added that he has also spoken with 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters this offseason, incorporated 49ers concepts into Fields’ first pro day. Peters, 49ers QBs coach Rich Scangarello and college scouting director Ethan Waugh attended Fields’ first pro day. Beck will not attend Fields’ second showcase, but the 49ers will run the workout. Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • With Trevor Lawrence almost certainly Jacksonville-bound and Zach Wilson on track to join the Jets, the 49ers’ QB preference has emerged as perhaps the draft’s top talking point. Few in the team’s building know which passer Shanahan prefers. He and John Lynch have only told “a couple” of people the quarterback they are targeting, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast (video link). It will come down to Fields, Lance and Jones. Thus far, Jones may have a slight lead. While Shanahan and Lynch showed rare transparency following their trade up to No. 3, their secrecy within the building will continue to generate interest as to which QB Shanahan wants. Lynch and Shanahan opting to attend Jones’ pro day over Fields’ may have served as an early tell, but the 49ers are attending Fields and Lance’s second showcases.
  • K.J. Wright expressed interest in returning to the Seahawks but is not keen on taking a discount to re-sign. However, the veteran linebacker may have no choice. Wright may need to accept a deal that slashes his previous pay in half, John Clayton of 710 AM Seattle writes, adding that he is not getting “good vibes” another Wright-Seahawks accord may come to pass. Wright averaged $7MM in salary on his third Seahawks contract, which he signed in 2019. He was interested in joining ex-Seattle DC Dan Quinn in Dallas; nothing has emerged to indicate the Cowboys are pursuing Wright. The Seahawks moving on would make sense. They used a 2020 first-round pick on Jordyn Brooks and have Bobby Wagner signed to the top off-ball linebacker contract. Wright, 31, has played all 10 of his NFL seasons with Seattle.
  • New Cardinals running back James Conner underwent toe surgery recently. He suffered the injury in an ATV accident, he said Tuesday. The former Pro Bowl back is expected to be 100% by training camp.

Falcons, Broncos, Jets, Panthers To Attend Justin Fields’ Second Pro Day

April 13th, 2021 at 7:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:05pm: The Panthers will be there as well, per Joe Person of The Athletic (on Twitter). Carolina holds the No. 8 overall pick and represents a key domino for this draft. Although the Panthers acquired Sam Darnold from the Jets, GM Scott Fitterer said they will still consider a quarterback in Round 1. Carolina brass considered trading up for a quarterback but deemed the price too high. Fitterer was there for Fields’ pro day, when the Darnold talks heated up.

5:02pm: The key figures in the Falcons’ new power structure each attended Justin Fields‘ initial pro day late last month. The team will send three staffers to Columbus for the quarterback’s second pro day Wednesday, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

GM Terry Fontenot, HC Arthur Smith and OC Dave Ragone each trekked to central Ohio to watch Fields throw two weeks ago. The Falcons are set to join the 49ers and Patriots at the second Fields showcase, though select other teams should be expected to be represented as well.

The Jets and Broncos will also have reps on hand in Columbus, Breer adds (via Twitter). Gang Green’s presence may be academic, with the team locked on Zach Wilson with its No. 2 pick. The Broncos, who hold pick No. 9, pose as a more interesting team regarding Fields. But the Falcons will have first dibs for the decorated passer.

Both Fields and Trey Lance moved to schedule second pro days, doing so after 49ers bigwigs Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch did not attend their first workouts. The 49ers did not have the No. 3 overall pick when Lance threw early last month, and Lynch and Shanahan opted to attend Mac Jones‘ workout instead of Fields’ two weeks ago. Holding pick No. 4, the Falcons will continue to be linked to quarterbacks as well. They could go in a few directions with their highest draft choice in 13 years.

The Falcons could also use their No. 4 pick to draft this year’s top non-quarterback prospect. Several execs around the league expect them to do just that and grab Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. They could trade the pick or select Ryan’s successor. With the 49ers linked to Jones or Lance at No. 3, Fields is expected to be available at 4. Atlanta, however, restructured Matt Ryan‘s contract earlier this offseason. That decision will make moving the 13-year starter’s contract in 2022 difficult.

Like Trevor Lawrence, Fields is a Georgia native. He transferred from Georgia to Ohio State and succeeded Dwayne Haskins as the Buckeyes’ starter, enjoying a dominant two-year run in this role. The Falcons have not picked in the top five since drafting Ryan in 2008, and a recent report indicated Fontenot was in favor of drafting his successor while Smith preferred to add an impact talent to complement Ryan. The head coach and GM are now believed to be in agreement on how the team will proceed at 4.

Broncos GM George Paton was at both Lance and Fields’ first pro days. After insisting the Broncos will add a notable QB this offseason, Paton has shown considerable patience. The Broncos made an offer for Matthew Stafford and inquired about Sam Darnold. But Stafford, Darnold and Carson Wentz went elsewhere, joining the top free agent passers available in that regard. This would seemingly point the Broncos to a first-round QB pick, but given the way this draft is shaping up, the team may need to trade up from 9 to even land the fifth of this year’s coveted passing prospects.

CFL, XFL Considering Championship Game, Merger?

April 13th, 2021 at 6:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The XFL’s reboot did not make it through the full season, with the pandemic leading the league to nix the second half of it, and litigation followed. But under Dwayne Johnson, the league is yet again attempting to return.

As of now, the XFL plans to return in 2022. But the league is holding discussions with a far more established football brand. The Canadian Football League is in talks with the XFL. While an official CFL release describes these discussions as efforts to collaborate and “grow the game,” a true partnership may be the objective.

One of the options being discussed: a championship game between the two leagues, according to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, who adds that the game would occur after the two leagues crown champions. This would be similar to the AFL and NFL in the late 1960s, when four championship games — later referred to as Super Bowls — were held ahead of a merger. The CFL and XFL may hope to traverse a similar course. A long-term objective in play, per McCarthy: a CFL-XFL merger.

Considering how the XFL’s two launch efforts have gone, it would qualify as stunning to see the CFL link up with the fledgling league. The CFL has been in existence since 1958, but the COVID-19 pandemic also impacted its operation last year. The CFL did not play in 2020, losing out on considerable revenue. Last year, the CFL explored a partnership with The Spring League, an American outfit, so some momentum may exist for the Canadian operation to forge an agreement.

While the XFL started its two seasons in February, the CFL plays in the summer and into the fall. One party would need to shift its calendar in order for this unusual partnership to take place. The Canadian league currently houses nine teams; XFL 2.0 featured eight. The leagues also would need to work out rule harmony, with the CFL game featuring some obvious differences from the one the XFL played in 2020.

A Johnson-led partnership acquired the XFL from bankruptcy, and the league is tentatively expected to resume play in 2022. However, this may be contingent on how the CFL meetings go. Plans for a 2022 XFL return are on hold, pending talks with the CFL, XFL president Jeffrey Pollack said last month (Twitter link). It appears the two leagues are exploring what could be a necessary arrangement, one that would make for a fascinating development.

Broncos, Seahawks, Bucs To Skip Onsite Offseason Workouts

April 13th, 2021 at 6:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:33pm: Add the Buccaneers to this list. The defending Super Bowl champions will follow the Broncos and Seahawks, with players voting to skip onsite workouts (Twitter link). They will move forward virtually.

6:01pm: Absent an agreement between the NFL and NFLPA on how this offseason will be structured, teams can begin holding voluntary workouts April 19. As of Tuesday, at least two teams are not on track to do so.

Broncos and Seahawks players voted to skip the voluntary portion of this offseason’s workouts — which covers everything except the yet-to-be-scheduled June minicamp — due to COVID-19 concerns.

“With offseason programs starting in less than a week and without adequate protocols in place in order for us players to return safely, we will be exercising our right to not participate in voluntary offseason workouts,” Broncos players said in a statement (Twitter link); Seahawks players’ statement can be read here (Twitter link). “COVID-19 remains a serious threat to our families and to our communities, and it makes no sense for us as players to put ourselves at risk during this dead period.”

[RELATED: NFL Mandates COVID-19 Vaccine For Team Employees]

This comes shortly after NFLPA president J.C. Tretter urged players to boycott OTAs. Broncos union rep Brandon McManus notified Vic Fangio of this decision to begin the offseason virtually Tuesday morning, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. Thus far, 22 Broncos players have worked out at the team facility this offseason, per several reports, though McManus added most of the players that have done so are rehabbing injuries. Broncos players have not received an outlined plan regarding protocols for an onsite offseason program, according to McManus. Testing is an issue for many players, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, with workouts going Monday through Thursday and players receiving the other three days off.

The league and the union have spent several weeks negotiating offseason parameters, as the sides did last year, but no deal has been reached. Suspicion exists in NFLPA ranks that the NFL is running out the clock until April 19 to create a scenario where teams can begin holding workouts with no agreement in place, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Last year, the NFL conducted an entirely virtual offseason. Some onsite work is expected this year, but barring an agreement between the league and the union, the Broncos, Seahawks and perhaps other teams may hold fully virtual offseasons again.

It will be interesting to see how other teams proceed. (Raiders players will discuss how they plan to navigate this issue Wednesday, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore.) Hundreds of players have workout bonuses at stake, and the prospect of certain teams conducting onsite workouts while others meet virtually would create a historically unusual dynamic that could create a potential advantage for certain squads.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/13/21

April 13th, 2021 at 6:11pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: TE Ryan Becker

Carolina Panthers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Football Team

Buccaneers Re-Sign Ross Cockrell

April 13th, 2021 at 3:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bucs have agreed to re-sign Ross Cockrell, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (on Twitter). The new two-year deal — now confirmed by the club — will keep the cornerback under club control through 2023.

Cockrell started the year on Tampa Bay’s practice squad before getting called up to the varsity squad. Between the regular season and the playoffs, he saw time in 16 total games, including two starts. He wasn’t slated for much playing time initially, but he came through for the team when Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean went down with injuries.

“[GM] Jason [Licht] did such a great job adding pieces as we went along – Rob [Gronkowski], Leonard [Fournette], Antonio [Brown] and other guys,” said Arians. “And Ross Cockrell has been one of the best pickups we’ve had the entire season.”

All in all, he registered eleven tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass defensed in Todd Bowles‘ system. His return provides the Bucs a fourth proven corner, plus crucial special teams help.

NFL Mandates COVID-19 Vaccine For Team Employees

April 13th, 2021 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL informed clubs today that team employees who refuse a COVID-19 vaccine will not have full access to the team facility or be able to work directly with players (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Only employees with “bona fide medical or religious ground” will be considered exempt from the rule. Otherwise, non-vaccinated employees will not be granted Tier 1 or Tier 2 status.

The full memo from the league office outlines additional protocols for clubs. For instance, teams will be required to report their number of vaccinated employees on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, the league is still in talks with the NFLPA to determine the thresholds and milestones at which protocols on testing, PPE, and travel can be relaxed.

Throughout the offseason, commissioner Roger Goodell has said that the league will take a gradual approach as things return to normal. In addition to urging as many people as possible to get the vaccine, Goodell indicated that he’ll keep other safeguards in place.

“Virtual meetings have now become standard in the NFL; we are not going to have as much (in-person) meetings when we get back,” Goodell said in March. “I think technology is something we have embraced and will make us better.”

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