2021 July - Pro Football Rumors

Aaron Rodgers Reports To Packers

July 27th, 2021 at 9:23am CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Rodgers is in the building. Hours after reaching agreement on a revised contract, Rodgers arrived for Tuesday morning’s practice in Green Bay (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

Rodgers touched down in Wisconsin on Monday night. Now, it’s official — Rodgers’ holdout is over. The two sides reached an unexpected compromise that will include the voiding of Rodgers’ 2023 season. Next year, the two sides will revisit their situation, which should mean an extension for the reigning MVP or a parting of ways.

The new deal doesn’t come with any new money, which is consistent with what we’ve heard all along — Rodgers’ holdout was less about dollars and more about loyalty. Meanwhile, his 2021 has been restructured to give the Packers additional cap room. Some of that cash could go towards a reunion with longtime pal Randall Cobb.

So, for the time being, 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love will continue to hold the clipboard. Of course, that won’t stop the speculation as Rodgers begins his “Last Dance.”

Aaron Rodgers Wants Packers To Reacquire Randall Cobb?

July 26th, 2021 at 10:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Add another tributary to this stream of Monday Packers news. Aaron Rodgers is on the cusp of rejoining the team, and he may well want one of his former pass catchers back as well.

Rodgers wants Randall Cobb back in Green Bay, according to veteran broadcaster Trey Wingo and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (Twitter links). With the Packers willing to go to great lengths to appease the reigning MVP, the prospect of a Cobb return via trade certainly does not sound crazy.

The Texans have Cobb signed to a three-year, $27MM contract, but since-canned GM Bill O’Brien authorized that deal. And Houston acquired slot Anthony Miller from Chicago over the weekend, adding another new piece to the team’s skill-position corps. Cobb’s through-2022 contract includes a base salary of $8.25MM in 2021. Cobb will turn 31 next month, which does making him somewhat ill-fitting amid a Texans rebuild.

Green Bay, however, used a Day 2 draft pick on a wide receiver for the first time in six years in April, selecting Clemson’s Amari Rodgers in the third round. The Packers signed the 5-foot-9 target over the weekend. The ex-Trevor Lawrence weapon is expected to work in the slot as a pro, which would create an interesting overlap with Cobb’s skill set. The Packers also return Davante Adams complements Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard, with Devin Funchess attempting to return after having played one game over the past two seasons. Cobb also left Green Bay before Matt LaFleur installed his system, providing another hiccup here.

Cobb played eight seasons with the Packers, totaling 41 receiving touchdowns and more than 5,500 yards. After giving Cobb a $10MM-per-year extension in 2015, the Packers let him walk in 2019. Cobb signed with the Cowboys and outproduced the contingent the Packers hoped would fill the void, amassing 828 receiving yards in that season. While Valdes-Scantling and Lazard made bigger contributions in 2020 — a season in which an injury limited Cobb to 10 games — the Packers are clearly loading up for what may well be one last run with their franchise centerpiece. Given the news emerging Monday, it would certainly not shock to see the team part with a late-round pick to further satisfy their 17th-year quarterback.

Bengals Rookie DE Wyatt Hubert Out For Season

July 26th, 2021 at 10:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals will be without one of their rookies for the entirety of the 2021 season. Defensive end Wyatt Hubert is set to miss the year after tearing a pectoral muscle, ESPN.com’s Ben Baby tweets.

Cincinnati selected Hubert in the seventh round out of Kansas State. Hubert is one of three D-linemen the Bengals chose on Day 3, following fourth-round defensive end Cameron Sample and fourth-round D-tackle Tyler Shelvin. Third-round pick Joseph Ossai also compiled 10.5 sacks from his linebacker position over the past two seasons.

Hubert is coming off a strong junior year. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic reducing the college football season, Hubert registered a career-high 8.5 sacks — third-most in the Big 12 — and 13 tackles for loss. He posted seven sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2019.

Cincy has reshuffled its defensive line over the past several months, trading Carlos Dunlap and cutting Geno Atkins. The team also did not use its franchise tag on Carl Lawson, who joined the Jets. The Bengals extended Sam Hubbard on Sunday, however, and signed breakout Saints pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to start alongside him. Hubert will aim to join this mix in 2022.

Dolphins Sign Third-Round TE Hunter Long

July 26th, 2021 at 10:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hours away from their training camp’s outset, the Dolphins have all but one of their rookies signed. They came to terms with third-round pick Hunter Long on his four-year deal Monday.

The No. 81 overall pick, Long played three seasons at Boston College and declared for the draft after his junior year. The rookie tight end will follow ex-teammate Tommy Sweeney into the NFL (and the AFC East, with Sweeney on the Bills) and continue BC’s tight end pipeline to the league.

Following Sweeney’s exit, Long took over as the Eagles’ top tight end. He averaged 18.2 yards per reception (509 total) as a sophomore and set a new career-high with 685 yards in the pandemic-truncated 2020 slate. Long caught 57 passes and added five touchdowns last season, paving his way to the draft’s second day.

The Dolphins have now drafted tight ends on Day 2 in two of the past four drafts. Incumbent Mike Gesicki, a second-rounder out of Penn State in 2018, is entering his contract year. Despite finishing fourth among NFL tight ends with 703 receiving yards in 2020, Gesicki is not believed to have surfaced on the Dolphins’ extension radar just yet. He will team will Long this season.

Long’s signing leaves second-round tackle Liam Eichenberg as Miami’s lone unsigned draftee. The Dolphins join 28 other teams by beginning camp Tuesday.

Terrelle Pryor: Vaccine Decision Holding Up Tryout

July 26th, 2021 at 9:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terrelle Pryor has not played since the 2018 season, and the quarterback-turned-wideout only suited up for eight contests that year. But the former 1,000-yard receiver said a team has offered a workout. This will come to pass only if he has received the COVID-19 vaccine, which Pryor indicated he has not done as of this past weekend (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio).

The NFLPA bargained for player vaccines being optional, though it is mandatory for staffers in order to work with players directly. And teams are not permitted to cut players because of vaccine decisions. But free agents will have less flexibility under the 2021 protocols.

Teams can ask free agents if they are vaccinated, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A player refusing to answer this question will be treated as unvaccinated. This practice is ongoing, Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson tweets, noting several free agents have been asked about their vaccination status thus far.

Given the protocol disparity between vaccinated an unvaccinated players, it certainly makes sense for teams to inquire before committing to a free agent. Free agents who have not received the coronavirus vaccine must go through the five-day testing period that newcomers navigated in 2020. Players who have received the vaccine are also exempt from being classified as a high-risk close contact, a designation that cost numerous players practice and game time last season. It will also be up to teams to classify their respective rosters’ vaccinated and unvaccinated players, Florio adds.

Free agents at this point of the year generally do not qualify as essential pieces, and a team would be taking a risk were it to sign an unvaccinated role player. Pryor is now 32 and, after his 1,007-yard season for the 2016 Browns, totaled just 492 between the 2017 and ’18 campaigns. Pryor was stabbed in 2019, and his 2020 comeback attempt did not end up taking shape. A potential last chance at an NFL gig may hinge on his vaccine decision.

Texans Listening To Deshaun Watson Offers; QB’s Criminal Investigation Intensifies

July 26th, 2021 at 7:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

With their training camp less than 24 hours away, the Texans are set to navigate a complex situation with their star quarterback. Deshaun Watson is expected to show for Houston’s Tuesday workout, but a criminal investigation and trade rumblings engulf the Pro Bowl passer.

Texans brass spent months denying Watson was available, but Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report they are now willing to listen to offers for him (video link). Despite Watson’s legal entanglement, the Texans are asking for a historic return. They want three first-round picks and change for the 25-year-old standout, Pelissero notes.

The Texans and Watson met Monday, and while the summit was cordial, Rapoport indicates the fifth-year QB reaffirmed his trade stance. Under normal circumstances, Watson would bring back a bounty for the Texans and provide plenty of ammo to ignite their rebuild. Teams like the Broncos, Eagles, Panthers and Dolphins and perhaps select others loom as prospective suitors, and certain interested franchises have spent time examining Watson’s legal situation, per NFL.com. Watson has a no-trade clause. He was mentioned as interested in the Broncos, Dolphins and 49ers this offseason, but the talented quarterback likely has hurdles to clear before he gets his wish to leave Houston.

Watson’s legal drama clouds the trade environment, and the Houston Police Department’s investigation into his alleged sexual assault and sexual misconduct has seen some developments. Ten women have now spoken to police in this investigation, according to defense attorney Rusty Hardin (via ESPN.com’s John Barr). Eight of those accusers are part of the 22-woman contingent who have filed civil suit against Watson. Nearly half of the 22 women involved in the civil matter have spoken with the NFL, per Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing them. No depositions have been scheduled, and, further complicating this investigation, Watson is not set to be deposed in the civil suit until February 2022.

Hardin’s team has cooperated with this investigation, but the NFL has yet to interview Watson. This would represent a key step before a Watson placement on the Commissioner’s Exempt list occurs. As of now, however, such a move does not appear to be on the front-burner. Although that could certainly change if the criminal investigation gains more steam, the Texans are now set to have a quarterback in camp entangled in a multifront legal battle and one who has no interest in playing for them again.

Jamal Adams, Seahawks Not ‘Close At All’ On Extension, Adams Expected To Report To Camp

July 26th, 2021 at 6:54pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Just a few days ago, we heard that while the Seahawks were expected to give Jamal Adams a deal that would make him the highest-paid safety in the game (eclipsing Justin Simmons‘ $15.25MM AAV), they didn’t want to go north of Bobby Wagner‘s $18MM AAV.

That seemed to create an estimated range for Adams’ new contract, but that doesn’t mean the star safety is on board with that. The two sides are in fact not “close at all” on extension terms, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Reporting from earlier this offseason indicated that Adams doesn’t view himself as only a safety, and as such doesn’t want to be confined by the current safety market.

Instead, he wants to be categorized in a unique hybrid market of his own, given his unique positional flexibility. With the historic pass-rushing numbers he’s put up for a defensive back, his feelings are understandable. Adams is viewed as having most of the leverage here due to the fact that Seattle gave up two first-round picks to acquire him from the Jets.

On the other hand he’s due a modest $9.86MM this season, and the Seahawks could always franchise tag him next offseason. Accordingly, an extension still seems likely in the near future. It doesn’t sound like the slow pace of negotiations has created a toxic relationship, as Rapoport said that he doesn’t “expect any issues at all with Adams showing up” to training camp.

The expectation is that Adams will show up for camp on time regardless of the status of contract talks, Rapoport reports. Rapsheet also adds that he still expects a deal to get done one way or the other. “Eventually, this will be a deal that I think both sides will be happy with and Jamal Adams will likely be a very, very rich man.”

Ravens To Sign Chris Smith

July 26th, 2021 at 5:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Chris Smith is making another stop on his AFC North tour. The free agent defensive end has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Ravens, his agent Drew Rosenhaus announced.

Smith has previously spent time with the Bengals and Browns over the past few years. Baltimore worked out a group of pass-rushers Monday, which also included former third overall pick Dion Jordan and Shilique Calhoun, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Smith apparently won that competition. The Arkansas product originally entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Jaguars back in 2014.

He played sparingly in Jacksonville, then was traded to Cincy before the 2017 season. He played solid in a rotational role, notching three sacks, four tackles for loss, and two passes defended. That earned him a three-year contract from the Browns, although he was cut after a season and a half.

He latched on with the Raiders last year, and bounced between their practice squad and active roster. Smith turned 29 back in February. Baltimore doesn’t have a ton at defensive end right now beyond Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Smith ends up making the team.

Cardinals To Sign Daryl Worley

July 26th, 2021 at 5:38pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

On the eve of training camp, the Cardinals are adding some depth to their secondary. Arizona is expected to sign free agent cornerback Daryl Worley, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.

Worley worked out for the team on Monday, and they apparently liked what they saw. Worley bounced around a bit last season, and started his career as a third-round pick of the Panthers back in 2016. He started 11 games as a rookie in Carolina, and then 14 the following year. Traded to the Eagles the next offseason in exchange for Torrey Smith, he was then released by Philly after getting arrested.

He quickly signed with the Raiders, and after serving a four-game suspension became a starter for them. Worley started 15 games for the Raiders in 2019, which earned him a $3MM contract from the Cowboys last offseason. He appeared in seven games with Dallas and started four, but was cut in October along with a couple other members of their struggling defense.

He then had short stints with the Bills and Raiders again to close the season. Although he seemingly has a fair amount of tread on his tires, the West Virginia product only turned 26 earlier this year.

It can never hurt to have too much experience, and Worley has 54 NFL starts under his belt. The Cardinals’ cornerbacks room received a big makeover this offseason, as the team let Patrick Peterson walk while adding Malcolm Butler and Darqueze Dennard.

Davante Adams, Packers To Restart Extension Talks?

July 26th, 2021 at 5:05pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Things are moving quickly in Green Bay. News about Aaron Rodgers has been flying in all afternoon, and now we have an update on another one of their star offensive players.

Just a few days ago we heard that Davante Adams had ended extension talks with the team, but with Rodgers back in the fold Adams is once again “open to a deal,” Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Adams “now is willing to listen to any contract discussions the team would like to have,” sources told Schefter.

Rodgers’ agreement with the Packers will apparently give them some extra cap space for this season, potentially making it easier to iron something out with Adams. Just a few days ago NFL Network was saying things were “now in a bad place” between Adams and the franchise.

Apparently news of Rodgers’ impending return has changed those circumstances, even though it seems like Rodgers could still be on his way out the door in 2022. Either way, it’s another welcome development for Packers fans.

Arguably the top receiver in the game, Adams will turn 29 in December and is undoubtedly looking for one last mega-payday as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

The Fresno State product will be seeking, and will almost certainly get, a record-shattering contract when the time comes. In a follow-up tweet, Schefter confirmed that the newly found cap space from the Rodgers agreement will be used to make another run at an Adams extension. Adams was a first-team All-Pro last year and has made the Pro Bowl four straight seasons.