2022 March - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins Not Pursuing Tyrann Mathieu

March 30th, 2022 at 1:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins have been in plenty of headlines this offseason, making numerous additions to their roster. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, however, they are not in the market for one of the top remaining free agents, safety Tyrann Mathieu (Twitter link).

As Jackson notes, general manager Chris Grier stated simply that the Dolphins are “good at safety”. The top of the current depth chart at the position includes the likes of Brandon Jones, Eric Rowe and Jevon Holland. None of those three are older than 29, and they each contributed to the teams’ relative success on defense in 2021 (ranking mid-pack in most categories, as opposed to the offense’s overall struggles).

While Mathieu – a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team – carries more pedigree and experience than any of Miami’s in-house options, the team is remaining committed to the aforementioned trio. The 29-year-old maintained his high level of play during three seasons in Kansas City, posting 213 tackles and 13 interceptions. Other coveted traits, such as his positional versatility and leadership, were also on display throughout that time.

However, the former Cardinal and Texan has seen the safety market essentially dry up in recent weeks. From the high-priced retentions of Jessie Bates and Quandre Diggs, to the big-money deal given to Marcus Williams, to Mathieu himself being replaced in Kansas City by Justin Reid, not many teams still have a glaring need at the position. That could lead to a less lucrative new deal for Mathieu, who averaged $14MM per year with the Chiefs.

The Dolphins have already made hefty financial commitments to two of their most recent additions. After signing left tackle Terron Armstead and trading for Tyreek Hill, Miami would likely be hard-pressed to afford Mathieu even if he was a target. Regardless, he will need to look elsewhere to find his next home in the NFL.

Jets Willing To Trade First-Round Picks

March 30th, 2022 at 12:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets can be added to the list of teams willing to part with significant draft capital this year. General manager Joe Douglas confirmed that the teams’ top two selections aren’t necessarily off the table.

When asked about the availability of the fourth and tenth overall picks, Douglas said, “It depends on who we’re talking about. If it’s the right opportunity, we’ll consider any package.” (Twitter link via Connor Hughes of the Athletic.)

Douglas stated recently that the team is “going to strike” if the opportunity presents itself to upgrade their receiving corps – something which happened last week, of course, in the case of Tyreek Hill. While the All-Pro said after his arrival in Miami that New York wasn’t a consideration with regards to signing an extension, the process of his exit from Kansas City demonstrated Douglas’ willingness to trade for established talent.

While the pair of top-ten picks weren’t in the Jets’ Hill offer, they could be if another significant move becomes available. That follows similar lines of thinking made public in the build-up to this April’s draft. Both the Lions and Giants have stated their picks (second, and fifth/seventh overall, respectively) could be on the move under the right circumstances. In a draft class lauded more for its depth than its star power, that doesn’t come as a surprise, but Douglas’ comments are noteworthy nonetheless.

Coming off of a 4-13 season in 2021, the Jets certainly have room to add impact rookies with their current slate of picks. Between now and the draft, however, that combination of selections may see some significant changes.

Lamar Jackson: “I Love My Ravens”

March 30th, 2022 at 11:38am CST by Zachary Links

When it comes to his next contract, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens still have a ways to go. However, even though negotiations haven’t gained much momentum, the quarterback says that he remains committed to the only pro team he’s ever known.

“I love my Ravens,” Jackson tweeted on Wednesday. “I don’t know who the hell putting that false narrative out that I’m having thoughts about leaving stop tryna read my mind.”

Unlike other elite QBs, Jackson hasn’t been super aggressive in pushing for an extension. That’s why owner Steve Bisciotti isn’t so sure that Jackson will ink an extension between now and the fall.

“Unless he has a change of heart and calls Eric and says I’m ready. But it’s like, Eric can’t keep calling him and say, ‘Hey Lamar, you really need to get in here and get this thing done,’” Bisciotti said recently.

Jackson’s latest comments are consistent with what he’s said all along — he wants to stay in Baltimore and build towards a Super Bowl ring. The Ravens, meanwhile, could look towards the franchise tag to cuff him beyond his fifth year.

“Kirk Cousins did it that way. What if Lamar says that? I’ll play on the fifth-year, I’ll play on the franchise, I’ll play on another franchise and then you can sign me,” Bisciotti said. “That might be the case, but I don’t talk to Lamar. It’s not my role. I don’t know the answer.”

Cousins turned his prolonged drama with the Commanders into multiple franchise tagged season followed by record-breaking guarantees with the Vikings. If Jackson were to go that route (and perform as a top-tier QB) he could net an unprecedented fortune now that Deshaun Watson has signed a $230MM fully guaranteed contract.

Jaguars Sign Arden Key

March 30th, 2022 at 9:14am CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday, the Jaguars announced the signing of Arden Key. The defensive end will receive a one-year deal that could be worth up to $7MM (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo).

Key has always been viewed as an elite talent, dating back to his college days. Once considered a first-round prospect, Key fell to the Raiders in the third round of the 2018 draft. He didn’t shine with his original team, but he seemed to put it all together with the 49ers in his platform year. After notching 6.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits, his career year led to a strong free agent market.

The Lions, Ravens, and Chiefs all looked into Key, but the Jaguars seem to have come away with the winning bid. The Niners, meanwhile, will be leaning more on Kerry Hyder for quarterback pressure.

The Jaguars could still look to add more pass rushers in the draft, but Key figures to be an important part of the edge rotation no matter what. It’s a huge step up for Key, who looked to be trending in the wrong direction as recently as 2020. In that year with the Raiders, Key played on roughly 40% of the defensive snaps but couldn’t manage a single sack.

It’s worth noting that another strong season could position Key for a much larger payday next year, especially since he won’t turn 26 until May.

Malcolm Jenkins Retires From NFL

March 30th, 2022 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

Malcolm Jenkins is calling it a career. In an interview with The Pivot podcast (Twitter link), the longtime NFL safety announced his retirement from football.

Jenkins, a 13-year veteran, entered the league as a first-round pick of the Saints back in 2009. Now, at the age of 34, Jenkins is moving on to a new chapter.

“I recall when we first drafted Malcolm in 2009, he made contributions to a Super Bowl Championship team in multiple positions in the secondary and then pretty quickly developed into an outstanding safety,” said Saints head coach Dennis Allen in a team press release. “The combination of skill, awareness and intelligence allowed Malcolm to be in position to make plays all over the field. To put up the numbers he did for as long as he did speaks both to his talent and his commitment to his craft. He was also a great leader in the locker room and important contributor to the community. I’m proud to say that I had the opportunity to coach Malcolm and congratulate him on an excellent career.”

The Ohio State product began his career in New Orleans and became a full-time starter in his second season. After five years with the Saints, he moved on to the Eagles, where he enjoyed a successful six year run and three Pro Bowl nods (2015, 2017, and 2018). If Saints head coach Sean Payton could have done it differently, he never would have let Jenkins get to Philly.

“Probably one of the bigger mistakes that we’ve made, and you have to ask yourself how did that happen? Letting him out of the building certainly wasn’t a smart decision,” Payton said in 2020.

The Saints signed Jenkins that year, enabling him to finish his career where it all started. Jenkins exits the field with 1,044 career tackles, 21 interceptions, eleven fumble recoveries, seven defensive touchdowns, and 199 games played. He’s also got quite the jewelry collection, having won two Super Bowl rings for the 2009 and 2017 seasons.

We here at PFR wish Jenkins the best in retirement.

Jets Cut K Matt Ammendola

March 29th, 2022 at 9:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets kicking competition is down to two players. The Jets announced that they have released kicker Matt Ammendola.

Ammendola was already facing an uphill battle to make the roster. The Jets signed veteran kicker Greg Zuerlein this past weekend, and they later signed restricted free agent kicker Eddy Pineiro to a new one-year deal. The front office seems content to head into training camp with a competition at kicker, but three was apparently too many at the position.

Now, Ammendola will look to revive his career elsewhere. The 2020 undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State made his NFL debut last season for the Jets, seeing time in 11 total games. The 25-year-old connected on 13 of his 19 field goal tries and 14 of his 15 extra point attempts. He even added in six punts, averaging 48.5 yards.

Jim Irsay, Chris Ballard Address Colts’ Latest QB Change

March 29th, 2022 at 7:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

While it was not difficult to see Jim Irsay as the driving force behind the Colts’ decision to abandon their Carson Wentz effort after one season, the owner effectively confirmed this Tuesday.

GM Chris Ballard called the Irsay-initiated meeting after the Colts’ Week 18 loss “an ass-chewing,” and the longtime owner certainly appears to have identified Wentz as the main problem. Irsay’s refusal to meet with Wentz, following reports the Colts were done with him, preceded the team trading the former No. 2 overall pick to Washington earlier this month.

“No disrespect to Jacksonville, but I mean, they’re the worst team in the league. You play well and hard for the first quarter or so, and they’re looking to go to their locker room and clean it out. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” Irsay said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson. “You say, ‘My God, there’s something wrong here.’ It needs to be corrected. I think that we feel like we did.”

Moving away from Wentz became the “obvious” decision, per Irsay, who was grateful the Deshaun Watson saga led to Matt Ryan becoming available (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer). Wentz finished with a career-low 4.3 QBR against the Jaguars, who were two-touchdown underdogs, and Irsay criticized the since-traded passer for his failure to lift the team as its season-defining upset took shape. Irsay met with Colts leaders and determined a Wentz-related disconnect existed, per Erickson.

It is safe to say Wentz will have sufficient motivation going into the 2022 season, considering persistent criticism aimed his way over the past several weeks. Frank Reich said this week he believes Wentz can still be a top-10 quarterback, adding “You guys know how I feel about him,” but “you have to make the move that you think is right,” via The Athletic’s Stephen Holder (subscription required). Reich was the last of the Colts’ power trio to reach the conclusion the team needed to trade Wentz, Holder adds. Given Reich’s pre-Indianapolis connection to the QB, this hesitancy makes sense.

“That was a good debate. That went back and forth,” Ballard said, via Holder, of talks between he, Reich and Irsay on Wentz’s future. “Look, I mean, Carson was productive for us. Let’s be real here. [He threw] 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. My job is to look not only at the short term but also the long-term implications. And I think sometimes you hang on just because you made a move and you don’t want the world to see you in a negative viewpoint. We gotta always do the right thing no matter how it might make me look. I just thought it was the right move for us short- and long-term.”

Jets Still Pursuing WR Help

March 29th, 2022 at 7:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets have seemingly been connected to every available wideout this offseason, but the only significant move they’ve made at the position has been re-signing receiver Braxton Berrios. As Connor Hughes of The Athletic writes, the Jets will continue to keep their options open at the position, meaning the team could look toward the draft or an unexpected veteran who becomes available.

As Hughes writes, the Jets prefer to pair Zach Wilson with an “established” player at the position, and a top wideout would also take pressure (and coverage) off the likes of Corey Davis and Elijah Moore. This was clear when the Jets made a strong push for Tyreek Hill before he landed in Miami, and as the writer notes, Hill wasn’t the only big-name receiver who the Jets have kicked the tires on. The front office also considered pursuing Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley, and they went after Amari Cooper before he landed in Cleveland.

“We weren’t expecting the opportunity to pop up that happened last week (Hill), but when it came available, we were ready,” he said. “Again, in a situation that may be another player or another position, I feel like our pro staff and personnel staff do a great job of keeping everyone prepared — personnel and coaches — to get the evaluations in so that when those opportunities happen, we can jump right in and be aggressive.

“We feel good about the receiver corps we have. If we have an opportunity to keep adding to it — if the opportunity is right and the price is right — we’re going to strike.”

Considering the Jets’ draft ammo, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they add a rookie to their receivers room. ESPN’s Rich Cimini previously opined that the front office will ultimately add a “midlevel free agent” wideout while using one of their first-round picks on the draft’s top receiver, perhaps USC’s Drake London or Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson.

Latest On Potential Deshaun Watson Discipline

March 29th, 2022 at 7:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Two grand juries didn’t criminally charge Deshaun Watson with any crimes, but the Browns’ new quarterback still faces 22 civil lawsuits that will make him subject to discipline. Commissioner Roger Goodell said today that there’s no timetable on potential discipline for the QB, but he did keep the door open for a suspension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com relays that Watson will only be subject to a suspension under the Personal Conduct Policy, meaning the QB won’t land on the Commissioner Exempt List.

“The civil cases were in play over the last year,” Goodell said (via Williams). “The only thing that’s changed is the criminal element has been at least resolved, and that was an important element in the context of the Commissioner Exempt List as discussed with the Players Association. So that was an important (decision as it relates to the Commissioner Exempt List).

“If the criminal had proceeded, that more than likely would have triggered the Commissioner Exempt. I think at this point, the civil case in and of itself would not do that. If there’s a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy, that may trigger something, but that more than likely trigger some kind of discipline in some fashion.”

Watson still faces 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault. We heard previously that the NFL was unlikely to act on a Watson suspension until his civil trials conclude. The league’s investigation is ongoing. Anticipating a suspension, the Browns previously reduced Watson’s 2022 base salary to $1MM, which will significantly limit the financial penalties the quarterback will face if/once the NFL’s ban is handed down.

Latest On Ravens’ Lamar Extension Effort

March 29th, 2022 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Employing a quarterback who has largely not pushed for an extension, the Ravens continue to move toward an unusual place. Speaking with reporters for the first time in years, Steve Bisciotti is not certain Lamar Jackson will be extended before the season starts.

The longtime Ravens owner put the ball in Jackson’s court, indicating the fifth-year passer has not gone to GM Eric DeCosta and said he wants to proceed seriously on an extension. Jackson has said he wants to be a Raven for the rest of his career, but the self-represented QB made those comments during the 2021 offseason. No momentum has emerged toward an extension, despite talks beginning in April of last year.

“Unless he has a change of heart and calls Eric and says I’m ready. But it’s like, Eric can’t keep calling him and say, ‘Hey Lamar, you really need to get in here and get this thing done,'” Bisciotti said of the prospect of an extension occurring this offseason, via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (on Twitter).

The Ravens not extending Jackson before his fourth season pushes him toward Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins territory. The latter used two franchise tags as a path out of Washington. Jackson has a longer road to completing Cousins’ strategy, with the fifth-year option delaying a potential two-tag route. Although the Ravens’ contract-year QB would not make it to free agency until 2025 via the Cousins blueprint, Bisciotti offering up a Cousins comparison Tuesday is certainly notable.

“Kirk Cousins did it that way. What if Lamar says that? I’ll play on the fifth-year, I’ll play on the franchise, I’ll play on another franchise and then you can sign me,” Bisciotti said, via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. “And that gives me three years to win the Super Bowl so you can make me a $60MM quarterback, because that’s where it will be four years from now.

“That might be the case, but I don’t talk to Lamar. It’s not my role. I don’t know the answer.”

Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson contract has drawn scrutiny among owners and various personnel execs at this week’s meetings, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora notes. It may change the game for quarterbacks. Watson’s off-field issues did not stop the Browns from greenlighting a fully guaranteed $230MM contract. This will certainly come up in every quarterback’s negotiation for the foreseeable future.

Cousins saw his first Vikings contract fully guaranteed four years ago, but Watson’s guarantee dwarfs that three-year, $84MM deal. The Ravens might not be ready to follow the Browns’ new QB blueprint. Jackson, 24, is two years younger than Watson and has the former Texans QB matched in Pro Bowls, with three. The 2019 MVP award stands as a rather key bullet point on Jackson’s resume as well, though the run-centric signal-caller’s style injects more risk into this equation for both sides. The issue of longevity stands to be part of these talks.

“It’s like, ‘Damn, I wish they hadn’t guaranteed the whole contract.’ I don’t know that he should’ve been the first guy to get a fully guaranteed contract,” Bisciotti said, via Zrebiec (Twitter links). “To me, that’s something that is groundbreaking, and it’ll make negotiations harder with others. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to play that game, you know? We shall see.”

Teams with franchise QBs on the extension radar — like the Cardinals, Broncos and Bengals — will be monitoring the Ravens’ Jackson actions. For what it’s worth, Harbaugh remains confident (video link) Jackson will be extended. The recently extended HC has expressed this confidence for over a year. No Jackson extension or restructure by Week 1 will mean he starts the season on a $23MM fifth-year option salary.