2022 March - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers To Pick Up Brian Burns’ Fifth-Year Option

March 25th, 2022 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite the 2020 CBA making teams’ fifth-year option decisions a bit trickier, the Panthers have a fairly easy call to make. They will pick up Brian Burns‘ 2023 option, GM Scott Fitterer said (via The Athletic’s Joe Person, on Twitter).

Since Burns has received one Pro Bowl invite as an original selection, he is eligible for the Tier 2 option price ($16MM for defensive ends). That amount is fully guaranteed. Only six edge rushers’ cap numbers top that this year, but the Panthers will be connected to a Burns extension — one that likely will be targeted in 2023.

The Florida State product arrived during the Ron Rivera–Marty Hurney regime and has been a steady producer in Carolina. Burns has accumulated 25.5 sacks in three seasons, never finishing with fewer than 7.5, and he was named a Pro Bowl starter during a 2021 season in which he finished with nine sacks and 18 quarterback hits.

Carolina’s Matt Rhule regime made a preemptive strike by signing Christian McCaffrey to an extension with two years of team control remaining, doing so in 2020. In general, teams hesitate to do this. Burns will make just $2.3MM in base salary this season and count $4.3MM against the cap.

Saints, S Daniel Sorensen Agree To Deal

March 25th, 2022 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints are adding some safety depth, luring Daniel Sorensen away from Kansas City. The career-long Chief agreed to terms with the Saints on Friday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. The Saints have announced Sorensen’s one-year agreement.

Sorensen, 32, spent eight seasons with the Chiefs, working as a starter and frequently used utility player during Andy Reid‘s Missouri run. The Saints will add the former UDFA to a safety stable that includes Malcolm Jenkins and the recently signed Marcus Maye.

New Orleans lost Marcus Williams in free agency; Maye will be ticketed to replace him alongside Jenkins. Sorensen makes sense as a depth player and special-teamer, having made key contributions with the Chiefs and carved out a long career despite his anonymous NFL entrance. He has also drawn frequent scrutiny for his coverage work.

The BYU product notched eight interceptions from 2019-21, being a 21-game starter in that span. One of those went back for a game-sealing touchdown against the Broncos last season. Sorensen produced a pick-six in 2020 as well. But he allowed a whopping 132.7 passer rating when targeted in 2021, being a key part of the Chiefs’ early-season defensive struggles.

The Chiefs signed Justin Reid early in free agency, signaling their three-year Tyrann Mathieu partnership was likely over. They still have Juan Thornhill tied to his rookie contract as well. The Saints were connected to Mathieu, a Louisiana native, in free agency but their Maye agreement likely closed that door.

Lions To Bring Back LB Jarrad Davis

March 25th, 2022 at 2:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jarrad Davis spent the 2021 season with the Jets, but the former Lions first-round pick is heading back to Detroit. Despite a new regime having replaced the one that drafted him, the veteran linebacker committed to rejoin the Lions on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Although Davis received steady opportunities in Detroit, the Lions did not pick up his fifth-year option. He was benched during his contract year and ended up a Jet on a one-year deal. The Florida alum contemplated retirement following his initial Detroit exit and saw injury issues slow him in New York.

The Lions used Davis as a full-time player from 2017-18, and he compiled a 100-tackle, six-sack season in 2018. Advanced metrics did not view Davis’ work especially well, and he missed five games due to injury in 2019. In 2020, the Lions used him as just a four-game starter. With the Jets last season, Davis played nine games (five starts) but recorded just 25 tackles and spent the first half of the season on IR.

Detroit has not made significant investments at inside linebacker since Davis departed in 2021. The team jettisoned Jamie Collins midway through last season, opening the door for fourth-round rookie Derrick Barnes to see additional playing time. Alex Anzalone remains under contract, but the team lost Jalen Reeves-Maybin to the Texans last week. Reeves-Maybin’s 82 tackles led Lions linebackers last season.

Vikings To Sign CB Chandon Sullivan

March 25th, 2022 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

It looks like the Vikings have a new slot cornerback. Chandon Sullivan‘s Minnesota visit Friday led to a contract agreement, according to the veteran corner’s agency (Twitter link).

Sullivan spent the past three seasons with the Packers and worked primarily as their slot defender. The Vikings are not planning to bring back Mike Zimmer mainstay Mackensie Alexander, and Sullivan is coming off a nice contract year at the position. Sullivan will reunite with new Vikings staffer Mike Pettine, who was the Packers’ defensive coordinator during two of the cornerback’s three seasons in Green Bay.

Originally an Eagles UDFA, Sullivan caught on with the Packers in 2019. The Georgia State alum played 77% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps last season and intercepted three passes. He ranked among the top five slot corners in snaps per target and snaps per reception. Sullivan, 25, did not miss a game for Green Bay during his time with the team.

The Packers will make a transition here, but the team has committed significant resources at corner. In addition to housing first-round picks Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, the Packers re-signed Rasul Douglas on a $7MM-per-year deal last week. Still, Green Bay valued what it had in Sullivan and hoped to re-sign him, as Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. The Broncos also had interest, per Tomasson.

With the Vikings moving to a new defensive system, it is uncertain they will re-sign free agent Patrick Peterson, though the All-Decade defender has expressed interest in staying. Peterson signed a one-year, $8MM deal to leave Arizona for Minnesota last year. The Vikes have Cameron Dantzler under contract, but even after signing Sullivan, the retooling team will need more help in coverage.

Latest On Steelers’ Safety Search

March 25th, 2022 at 1:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2021 offseason has seen the Steelers make number of changes, most notably at the quarterback position. Another area of the roster which has become a priority, though, is safety. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports, the team has a number of options at the position.

Fowler notes the connection some have made between the Steelers and the top remaining option at safety, Tyrann Mathieu. Given his pedigree and versatility – not to mention the unusually-large amount of financial flexibility Pittsburgh has this offseason – a deal between the two sides would make a good deal of sense. However, Fowler cautions that he is unsure how “real” that connection actually is.

That could lead the Steelers to a familiar face at the position. Fowler states that “a reunion is not off the table” between the team and Terrell Edmunds. The 25-year-old started 60 of his 64 games with Pittsburgh, racking up 340 tackles and five interceptions. With fellow safety Minkah Fitzpatrick only under contract for one more year, bringing back Edmunds on a short-term deal would at least provide continuity at the position for 2022.

Lastly, Fowler names Damontae Kazee as another noteworthy option. The 28-year-old spent last season in Dallas after four in Atlanta. For his career, he has totalled 12 interceptions (including a league-leading seven in 2018) and 7 pass deflections. Fowler reports that the Steelers “have him on their radar”.

Pittsburgh currently has just under $16MM in cap space; fitting in any of the three players named above should be relatively straightforward, then. Whether the team decides to add one of them, or go in another direction, could go a long way to helping their defense rebound from an overall disappointing performance in 2021.

Latest On Nick Foles

March 25th, 2022 at 1:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Given the current quarterback situation in Chicago, it seems inevitable Nick Foles will be on the move soon. It comes as no surprise, then, that NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the Bears “have explored trades” involving the veteran (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Bears To Sign Siemian]

Foles, 33, has been with the Bears for the past two years. He started seven games in 2020, posting a 2-5 record while throwing 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Last offseason, the team signed Andy Dalton and drafted Justin Fields, setting them up for the short- and long-term future. That left Foles on the sidelines for all but one game in 2021.

The former Super Bowl winner was thought to be a trade candidate even though Dalton only signed a one-year contract, and he will remain one with the addition of Trevor Siemian on a two-year pact. A deal has recently become more manageable, though, which could accelerate the process of Foles finding a new home.

As Garafolo notes, a $4MM roster bonus Foles was due last week has been paid out. That, coupled with the fact that only $1MM of his remaining compensation is guaranteed, would make it easy for a team to add him from a financial perspective. A trade would save the Bears $8MM in cap space, while creating a dead money charge of $2.67MM.

While most teams are settled with regards to their starting signal-caller, Foles could still be an effective backup on any number of teams. The question of where he lands next could soon be answered.

Giants Willing To Trade One First-Round Pick

March 25th, 2022 at 12:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants are one of two teams (the other being the Jets) currently in possession of two top-ten picks in this April’s draft. The team could change that situation in the near future, however.

According to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, New York is “open to trading” either the fifth or seventh overall selections. He adds that the package they would be seeking in return would include a 2023 first-rounder. The list of potential trade partners, of course, would likely include teams looking to draft a quarterback.

While this year’s class is generally seen as underwhelming, there is a chance Kenny Pickett and/or Malik Willis have generated enough interest to warrant interested teams (such as the Panthers and Falcons, slated to pick sixth and eighth, respectively) leapfrogging the Giants to select them. That could lead New York to move down towards the middle of the round in a mutually-beneficial trade.

As Vacchiano notes, finances could play a role in the Giants’ decision-making on this front. Having only one top-ten pick would save the team millions in terms of the overall cost of the year’s draft class. To that end, the Giants “might be willing” to move the traded pick out of the 2022 first round altogether.

Another important factor is the status of incumbent starting QB Daniel Jones. It is widely expected the Giants will not exercise his fifth-year option, meaning New York could be in need of a new franchise signal-caller next offseason. An extra pick in the top round of that draft – which is projected to have a stronger QB class – could make the process of replacing him more feasible.

While much is still to be determined in free agency, what the Giants plan to do in the draft is sure to remain a storyline worth watching in the coming weeks.

Buccaneers To Sign Fred Johnson

March 25th, 2022 at 11:07am CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after being let go by the Bengals, Fred Johnson has found a new home. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (on Twitter) that the Buccaneers are signing the offensive lineman to a one-year contract.

Johnson, 24, was tendered as a restricted free agent by Cincinnati, the only team he had played on during the first three seasons of his NFL career (which includes 23 total appearances and eight starts). However, by the time he signed that tender, the team was in a significantly different situation at the tackle position.

The Bengals signed former Cowboy La’el Collins as the third significant addition to their offensive line. With Collins at the top of the depth chart – along with backup RT Isaiah Prince and guard/tackle Hakeem Adeniji already under contract – Johnson became expendable. On the same day that he signed his tender, he was waived.

In Tampa Bay, the six-foot-seven, 326-pound blocker will join an offensive front which has undergone changes of its own this offseason. The team lost Alex Cappa to Cincinnati, and traded for Shaq Mason from the Patriots. The departure of the former is one of rather few notable losses this offseason, as Tampa has retained the likes of Tom Brady, Chris Godwin, Carlton Davis and Leonard Fournette in another attempt to make a Super Bowl run.

Ravens Targeting Defensive Linemen

March 25th, 2022 at 9:58am CST by Adam La Rose

While the Ravens have already made a notable move in free agency with the addition of safety Marcus Williams, they have needs along the defensive front. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, d-line is the next area of focus for the team through the remainder of free agency.

Fowler notes that Calais Campbell – who is an unrestricted free agent – could still return to the Ravens. On the other hand, though, he reports that there is “leaguewide interest” in the 35-year-old. In two seasons in Baltimore, Campbell has recorded 77 tackles and 5.5 sacks. After nine seasons with the Ravens, nose tackle Brandon Williams is also a UFA.

Fowler names Michael Brockers as a potential Baltimore target, given that he could be a cap casualty. Brockers looked to be signing with the Ravens in 2020, but issues related to his medicals led to the deal falling through. The team then pivoted to Derek Wolfe, who had a productive first season with the team but missed all of 2021 due to injury.

As Fowler notes, help in the edge rush department is also a need for the Ravens. They looked to have a deal in place to re-unite with Za’Darius Smith, but he ultimately ended up signing with the Vikings. With most of the pass-rusher market having dried up, many expect the position to be a priority during the draft.

The Ravens currently have just under $11MM in cap space, so at least one notable signing along the front seven is possible. Given the current situation the team faces, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they make a move in the near future.

Giants To Sign Richie James

March 25th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants have brought in a productive element to their special teams unit. The team is signing returner/receiver Richie James to a one-year contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link).

James, 26, spent the first three seasons of his career in San Francisco. He held a modest role in the team’s offense for his first two campaigns, recording just 15 catches. In 2020, however, he was on the field for 54% of the team’s offensive snaps, making a career-high 23 receptions for 394 yards.

The former seventh rounder is best known, though, for his ability as a returner. During his trio of seasons with the 49ers, James totalled 32 punt returns, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. He also ran back 47 kickoffs at a clip of 23 yards per return, including a 97-yard touchdown in his rookie season.

James was set to continue in San Francisco for another year, but a knee injury – and subsequent surgery – led to his release this past August. The Middle Tennessee alum missed all of last season as a result. In New York, he will get the opportunity not only to operate as a return man, but also potentially to serve as a deep threat on offense.

San Francisco’s interest in a reunion with James dissipated when they signed former Steeler Ray-Ray McCloud to take over their return duties. Now both they and the Giants will hope to see improvements in the third phase of the game in 2022.