HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Eagles Among Teams Interested In Dolphins’ DeVante Parker

March 24th, 2022 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles were close to acquiring Calvin Ridley from the Falcons. While the team has since added ex-Colts wideout Zach Pascal, the position still appears to be on Philadelphia’s radar.

Several teams have expressed interest in Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, who notes the Eagles are one of those clubs (Twitter link). The Dolphins’ receiver situation changed Wednesday, when the team traded for Tyreek Hill and gave the All-Pro a record-setting extension.

Hill and Jaylen Waddle now lead Miami’s receiving corps, leaving Parker — a first-round pick in 2015, multiple regimes ago in Miami — with an uncertain role. The Dolphins also gave Cedrick Wilson a three-year, $22.5MM deal. This leaves Parker’s role uncertain.

A Parker trade before June 1 would cost the Dolphins $5MM-plus in dead money while adding $3.3MM in cap room. Parker, 29, is signed through 2023 as part of the extension he inked during his breakthrough 2019 season. The Maryland product is attached to base salaries of $5.7MM in 2022 and ’23, somewhat increasing his appeal as a trade chip.

A trade candidate in the past, Parker stabilized his career with a 1,202-yard, nine-touchdown season for an undermanned Dolphins team in 2019. He has not approached those numbers since and missed seven games due to injury in 2021. A hamstring injury sent Parker to IR last season; he finished the campaign with just 515 yards and two TDs. Waddle took over as Miami’s top target; Hill now joins him for what could be one of the more explosive receiver tandems in recent memory.

Philly has used first-round picks on receivers in each of the past two years, and with three first-rounders in this draft, the team could reasonably extend that streak to three. Ridley’s impending gambling suspension scuttled the Eagles’ trade talks with the Falcons. Pascal joins DeVonta Smith and Jalen Reagor with the Eagles. A Parker addition would make it less likely Philly devotes one of its first-rounders to the receiver position.

Chiefs Bring Back Austin Reiter, Blake Bell

March 24th, 2022 at 2:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the aftermath of their sizeable trade yesterday, the Chiefs have confirmed a number of signings, reuniting the team with some familiar faces. Among those is center Austin Reiter and tight end Blake Bell. 

[RELATED: Chiefs Trade Hill To Dolphins]

Reiter, 30, departed Kanas City last offseason after three years with the team, as part of their mass overhaul of the offensive line. He signed with the Saints in September, but only dressed for one game in New Orleans. He played six games with the Dolphins, starting five of those contests.

By re-joining the Chiefs, Reiter will be returning to the team with which he won the Super Bowl. He will not be reclaiming the starting role he had during that time, though, as rookie center Creed Humphrey was among the best in the position last season. Still, the former Brown will represent experienced depth for the o-line.

As for Bell, re-signing means he will be extending his second stint with the Chiefs. The former fourth rounder began his career with the 49ers in 2015, then spent individual years with Minnesota and Jacksonville. That was followed by a move to Kansas City, then another change of scenery in 2020, this time to Dallas.

However, he returned to the Chiefs last offseason, where he served as an effective backup to Travis Kelce. The blocking ability he has become known for was on display, while he brought his receiving totals (between the two seasons in Kansas City) to 17 catches for 154 yards.

Suddenly flush with cap space after the Tyreek Hill trade, the Chiefs likely won’t have used much of their available funds to bring back these two veterans. They should still be able to make other, more sizeable moves, but they will at a minimum have two familiar faces back in the fold on offense.

Dolphins Cut Jesse Davis, Allen Hurns

March 24th, 2022 at 1:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the aftermath of making two sizeable moves to bolster their offensive line and wide receiver corps, the Dolphins are making a pair or related moves at those positions. The team announced they have cut Jesse Davis and Allen Hurns. 

Davis, 30, had been with the Dolphins for his entire five-year career. He spent time at various spots across the offensive line, starting 72 of 80 total games. His best campaign, in terms of PFF grade, came in 2020 when he received a rating of 62.6. This past season, he surrendered eight sacks in 1,063 snaps.

The move comes after Davis played a large role in the Dolphins’ overall struggles along the offensive line, and at the tackle spots in particular. With left tackle Terron Armstead being signed to solidify that position, moving on from Davis seemed an inevitability to some.

The same could be said with regards to Hurns. The 30-year-old was placed on IR this past August due to a wrist injury which cost him a second consecutive season. For that reason, the Dolphins released him with a failed physical designation. During his only campaign in Miami, the former Hurricane posted 32 catches for 416 yards and two touchdowns.

Given yesterday’s trade for Tyreek Hill, though, Hurns could be seen even more so as being expendable. The team now has Hill at the top of the depth chart, along with standout rookie Jaylen Waddle and recent signee Cedrick Wilson.

As Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley notes (on Twitter), the pair of moves saves the Dolphins $6.2MM in cap space. That financial room became much more needed with the two massive deals the team just made, while also streamlining the roster at two positions they needed to upgrade this offseason. Both Davis and Hurns, meanwhile, will look to find at least depth roles on new teams.

49ers To Sign Kerry Hyder

March 24th, 2022 at 12:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kerry Hyder is returning to the Bay Area. The 49ers are signing the defensive end to a one-year, $1.5MM deal, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). He adds that half of the contract’s value is guaranteed, while the other half is available through sack incentives. 

Hyder, who will be 31 by the start of the 2022 season, was released by the Seahawks last week along with fellow veteran Carlos Dunlap. His time in Seattle was underwhelming, considering the year he was coming off of previously. In 15 games (including seven starts), he totalled 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. He began his career with the Lions, and spent one year with the Cowboys in 2019.

By returning to San Francisco, though, Hyder will look to replicate his career-best campaign in 2020, which he spent with the 49ers. He started 14 of 16 games, registering 49 stops, 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. With a 70% snap share, that season also marked his biggest workload. The Texas Tech alum will reunite with a familiar face on the coaching staff in Kris Kocurek, head of the team’s defensive line.

Hyder will join a San Francisco front already featuring the likes of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Dee Ford. Even if he is unable to duplicate his success from two years ago, he should still play a significant role in the team’s pass rush, which ranked fifth in the league in sacks last season.

Ryan Bates Signing Offer Sheet From Bears

March 24th, 2022 at 10:53am CST by Adam La Rose

After his impressive performance with the Bills down the stretch this past season, guard Ryan Bates was thought to be one of the most sought-after restricted free agents. It’s not surprising, then, that Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune reports (on Twitter) that he “intends to sign an offer sheet” from the Bears. 

Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson tweets that Bates is indeed signing with Chicago. As a result, the Bills now have five days to decide whether or not they will match the Bears’ offer. Bates, 25 was given an original-round tender of $2.433MM by Buffalo. Because he was a UDFA, however, the Bills would not receive any draft pick compensation should they decline to match (as opposed to, for instance, the second-round pick they would be in line for had they tendered him at just under $4MM).

Bates took over the starting left guard spot in Week 15 of the 2021 campaign, and held on to it for the remainder of the season. While his time as a starter was limited to that stretch, his play generated plenty of interest. It was reported last week that Chicago was among three teams – the others being the Vikings and Patriots – who met with the Penn State alum. It became clear early on in that process that an offer sheet was a distinct possibility.

Now, the Bills face a decision which wouldn’t have seemed likely after Bates’ first two (start-less) seasons in the NFL. Much of their next move will, of course, depend on the specifics of Chicago’s offer. In any event, this will remain a key storyline for both teams for the next few days.

Commanders Re-Sign Cornelius Lucas

March 24th, 2022 at 9:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders are retaining some experienced depth along the offensive line. The team announced they have re-signed swing tackle Cornelius Lucas to a two-year, $8.2MM deal.

Lucas, 30, came to Washington in 2020. This new pact is the same length as the previous one, but it’s valued at just under $3MM more in terms of financial compensation. In his two years in the nation’s capital, Lucas has appeared in 29 contests, including 15 starts.

The six-foot-eight, 327-pound blocker started his career in Detroit as a UDFA. That was followed by one-year stints with the Rams, Saints and Bears. In Chicago, he started in eight games, which earned him the initial contract with Washington. Now, it appears that will become the home of his longest stay in any one NFL city.

In 587 snaps in 2021, Lucas committed one penalty and was credited with three sacks allowed. That led to a PFF grade of 75.2, which was actually slightly lower than his mark the previous year. Having established himself as a consistent presence capable of playing either tackle spot, Lucas had interest from other teams but will remain in Washington in his present role.

With Lucas back in the fold, the Commanders’ depth chart at the tackle spot remains intact from last season. Headed by Charles Leno, Saahdiq Charles and Sam Cosmi, Lucas is set to continue as a spot-starter when needed.

 

Latest On Vikings’ Patrick Peterson, Anthony Barr

March 24th, 2022 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

The top two remaining free agents the Vikings have are cornerback Patrick Peterson and linebacker Anthony Barr. According to Chris Tomasson of The St. Paul Pioneer Press, the former is more likely to remain in Minnesota than the latter. 

[RELATED: Vikings Considering Hunter Extension?]

As Tomasson notes, Peterson has spoken often about wanting to remain with the team. The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $8MM deal last offseason after a decade with the Cardinals. His level of play – 45 tackles and one interception in 13 games – led to a PFF grade of 63. That is a long way from the All-Pro standard he set during his time in Arizona, but it could be enough to earn him an extended stay in his new home.

“Pat Pete’s a great person, a great player in this league for a long time”, said general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. “You want to make sure you respect a player of his caliber, his expertise in this league, but also the reality of the situation we’re in from a salary-cap standpoint.”

As for Barr, 30, Tomasson notes that the acquisition of Za’Darius Smith could lead him elsewhere. Between Smith and Danielle Hunter – whom the team could be looking to extend, rather than trade, as once thought – the Vikings appear to be set at the OLB spot in their new 3-4 scheme. The four-time Pro Bowler has been with the team since 2014, but has missed 20 games over the past two seasons. A new contract would be complicated by the fact he already carries of dead money cap charge of $10.8MM.

“That’s going to be a tougher situation to navigate”, Adofo-Mensah said of Barr. “Never say never. Obviously, there are things salary-cap related with acceleration and things like that that made that kind of a challenging deal.”

At present, the Vikings likely have enough cap room to afford bringing back one, but not both, of Peterson and Barr. From a positional standpoint, the former has a clearer path to being a starter, which explains the team’s openness to a new contract. If that does come to fruition, Barr could very well be in Peterson’s position from one year ago, needing to find a new team after several high-quality years with the one that drafted him.

Patriots Pursuing WR Help

March 23rd, 2022 at 10:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Many of the top free agent wide receivers are off the board, and despite efforts to add a player at the position, the Patriots have so far only landed Ty Montgomery. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, New England continues to “comb the market on wideouts, possibly via trade.”

Mac Jones‘ top receiver targets are Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and Jakobi Meyers, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Per Fowler, the Patriots were seeking someone of Russell Gage‘s caliber, but they weren’t going to match the $30MM he got from the Buccaneers. The Patriots have continued to shop through the middle and bottom tiers of free agent receivers, but no transactions have materialized.

The Patriots are also wary of compromising their compensatory pick formula, especially considering that the losses of cornerback J.C. Jackson and offensive lineman Ted Karras should result in a couple of mid-round picks. All of these notes seem to be hinting that the Patriots could be eyeing receivers in the upcoming draft.

Speaking of, the Patriots didn’t let Karras go without a fight. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots offered the offensive lineman a deal worth $5MM per season, but Karras ended up scoring a three-year, $18MM from the Bengals.

Contract Details: Koo, Armstrong, Whitehead, McKissic, Seahawks, Gladney

March 23rd, 2022 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the details from the latest agreed-upon contracts around the league:

  • Younghoe Koo, K (Falcons): Five years, $24.25MM. Koo received a $6.25MM signing bonus and will earn a fully guaranteed $1.75MM 2022 base salary, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets. The final three years of Koo’s deal are nonguaranteed; none of Koo’s cap hits exceed $6MM.
  • Jordan Whitehead, S (Jets): Two years, $14.5MM. The Jets fully guaranteed Whitehead $7MM and, according to OverTheCap.com, the veteran safety’s cap hits will be $4.2MM and $10.2MM.
  • Austin Johnson, DL (Chargers): Two years, $14MM. Initially reported as having a max value of $14MM, Johnson’s deal carries a base value of that amount. It comes with $10.6MM guaranteed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets.
  • Dorance Armstrong, DE (Cowboys): Two years, $12MM. The Cowboys fully guaranteed Armstrong $6MM, and Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets his 2022 cap figure checks in at $3.38MM. The deal also features a $1MM sack incentive.
  • Quinton Jefferson, DL (Seahawks): Two years, $9.5MM. The Seahawks guaranteed Jefferson $5.2MM to return. This includes a $1.2MM 2022 base salary, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets.
  • J.D. McKissic, RB (Commanders): Two years, $7MM. Enticing him to renege on a Bills agreement, the Commanders guaranteed McKissic $3.6MM. The deal includes $1.5MM in performance incentives for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
  • Jeff Gladney, CB (Cardinals): Two years, $6.5MM. The former first-round pick will receive $4MM guaranteed, SI.com’s Howard Balzer tweets. In addition to his $2MM signing bonus, the Cards guaranteed Gladney’s 2022 base salary ($1.5MM) and $500K of his 2023 base ($2.5MM). Gladney will count just $2.5MM against Arizona’s cap this year.
  • Rashaad Penny, RB (Seahawks): One year, $5.75MM. To keep Penny, the Seahawks guaranteed him $5.07MM. Penny will carry a $5.51MM cap number, Henderson tweets. Incentives for rushing yards, receiving yards and touchdowns could take the deal to $6.5MM.
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