2022 March - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

Packers GM Discusses Aaron Rodgers’ Future With Team

March 28th, 2022 at 7:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Aaron Rodgers‘ record-breaking four-year, $200MM extension was intended to provide the QB with flexibility on a year-by-year basis. While Rodgers could theoretically walk away from the deal and join another organization, general manager Brian Gutekunst is naturally hoping the franchise QB will spend the rest of his career in Green Bay.

“We’d certainly like to,” Gutekunst said when asked if he believes Rodgers will retire with the Packers (via Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com). “I think that’s certainly one of the goals of his. I don’t want to speak for him, but I think that was kind of part of the scenario we thought when we moved through this process.”

At one point last year, it sounded like Rodgers’ tenure with the Packers was about to come to an end. However, as Gutekunst detailed, the organization worked with the quarterback to resolve any differences while also making sure to provide the player with his space.

“We had a lot of conversations right after the season,” Gutekunst said, “and he kind of took some time to go through things and make sure that he wanted to commit to the significant time and effort he puts into preparing for the season. Once he got through that, that time, I think we found out probably shortly before the rest of the world found out.”

Gutekunst also explained how he made an effort to better involve Rodgers in transactions, and that especially included the blockbuster trade of Davante Adams. Ultimately, Adams was dealt to the Raiders for a first- and second-round pick, and the GM was sure there was no way to change his wideout’s mind regarding his desire to play elsewhere.

“Not at the end of the day,” Gutekunst said (via Wood). “Those are really tough decisions. To lose a player of his caliber, and what he’s done for the organization, those are hard decisions and hard things to move on from. At the same time, I think once we got through the discussions with Davante after the season, this is what was best for the organization and Davante going forward.”

Texans Sign WR DaeSean Hamilton

March 28th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

An auxiliary wide receiver for three seasons in Denver, DaeSean Hamilton is attempting to come back after an offseason injury nixed his 2021 season. The Texans will give him that chance.

Houston signed the former fourth-round pick Monday, announcing a transaction that adds another potential contributor to the team’s Brandin Cooks-led receiver troops. The Texans are giving Hamilton a one-year deal. Despite the Penn State product coming off an injury, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes the deal does include guaranteed money (Twitter links). Hamilton visited the Texans earlier this month.

The Broncos selected Hamilton in 2018, adding the slot receiver two rounds after drafting Courtland Sutton. While the latter became Demaryius Thomas‘ heir apparent, seeing his role increase after the Texans traded for the perennial Pro Bowler at the 2018 deadline, Hamilton did not catch on. He churned out consistent work in Denver, catching between 23 and 30 passes in each season, with the yardage totals all between 240 and 295. The Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler selections in 2020 moved Hamilton further to the periphery, and the team cut him following an offseason ACL tear.

Hamilton, 27, did draw trade interest before that injury. The Broncos and 49ers had a deal in place, but the May 2021 injury scuttled the swap. Cooks leads a Texans receiving corps that also houses Chris Conley and 2021 third-round pick Nico Collins. Armed with three extra picks in the first four rounds — from the Bradley Roby and Deshaun Watson trades — the Texans figure to be in the market for more talent here.

Latest On Patriots Offensive Coaching Staff

March 28th, 2022 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

With Josh McDaniels leaving New England for Las Vegas, the Patriots have a giant hole on their offensive coaching staff. In traditional Bill Belichick fashion, it sounds like the organization may be going with an unconventional route when it comes to McDaniels’ replacement(s). While Belichick hasn’t named an official offensive coordinator, the long-time head coach specifically singled out former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coach Joe Judge “as those whom he will be relying upon to help replace McDaniels,” per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

“We’ve had a lot of coaches take multiple responsibilities. I’m not really worried about that,” Belichick said today when asked about the lack of offensive experience for Patricia and Judge. “I think a good coach is a good coach. Matt is a great coach. Joe is a great coach. They’ll help us no matter what position they coach.”

Patricia had a brief stint as offensive line coach with the Patriots in 2005, but he moved to linebackers in 2006 and ended up staying on defense until getting a head coaching gig in Detroit. Similarly, Judge served primarily on special teams during his first seven years with the Patriots, but he took on the role of wide receivers coach in 2019 before leaving to coach the Giants.

When it comes to a lack of offensive coordinator, the Patriots took a similar route with their defense in 2021, with both Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick guiding that side of the ball (as Reiss notes, Belichick said today “that he doesn’t believe in titles”). The HC noted that all of Patricia, Judge, tight ends coach Nick Caley, and receivers coach Troy Brown will play significant roles in guiding second-year QB Mac Jones and the Patriots offense. However, Belichick was tight lipped when asked who will call plays.

“We won’t be calling any for a while,” Belichick said. “[McDaniels will] be hard to replace, but I feel like we have really good coaches on our staff. … Everybody will have a defined role, like they always do. The offseason is the offseason and once we get on the field coaching players, game-planning and things that, it will all work itself out.”

Steelers Sign LB Genard Avery

March 28th, 2022 at 6:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Genard Avery is heading about five hours west. The former Eagles linebacker is signing with the Steelers, tweets SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan. It’s a one-year deal for Avery. The player confirmed the signing on Twitter.

Avery spent the past two-plus seasons with the Eagles, including a 2021 campaign where he started a career-high 12 games while collecting 43 tackles, one sack, and a pair of QB hits. He had another two sacks in his previous 20 games with the organization.

The linebacker started his career with the Browns, and he showed up during his rookie campaign by collecting 4.5 sacks. He found himself with a reduced role in 2019 before getting traded to Philly for a fourth-round pick.

In Pittsburgh, Avery will likely compete with Derrek Tuszka to be the primary backups to T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

Dee Ford Not In 49ers’ 2022 Plans

March 28th, 2022 at 6:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dee Ford re-emerged for a stretch last season, but his attempt to bounce back from a lost 2020 campaign again hit an injury wall. As a result, Ford’s 49ers career is almost certainly over.

John Lynch said Monday he does not expect Ford to be with the team next season. Given Ford’s contract situation, a post-June 1 cut will presumably be how the defensive end’s San Francisco run ends.

“I don’t see a lot of hope with him being a factor for us on the field moving forward,” Lynch said, via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco. “I think we tried to be as patient as possible, and no fault of Dee, he just ran into a bad situation with his back, where he couldn’t get healthy.

“We’ll figure that out, exactly what the transaction will be. But not enough hope and progress to see him playing for us moving forward.”

The former first-round pick returned to action for six games in 2021, registering three sacks. Ford’s back trouble flared up again, and it shut him down for the season. While Ford played a key role for the 49ers’ Super Bowl LIV-qualifying team, recording 6.5 sacks, he dealt with various injuries that year as well. He saw action in just one 2020 game because of the back malady.

The 49ers initially designed Ford’s five-year, $87.5MM deal in a way that protected them down the line, but after a 2020 restructure, the team ended up keeping the former Chiefs Pro Bowler for two more seasons. The 49ers redid Ford’s deal again in 2021 and adjusted it earlier this month. San Francisco will only be hit with $5.8MM in dead money if Ford is designated as a post-June 1 cut, leaving an extra $8MM-plus in dead money for 2023.

Bills Re-Sign OL Ike Boettger

March 28th, 2022 at 6:09pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bills are bringing back one of their offensive line starters. The team announced that they have re-signed guard Ike Boettger. It’s a one-year deal for the 27-year-old.

Boettger went undrafted out of Iowa in 2018, and after bouncing on and off the Bills and Chiefs rosters to start his career, he landed back with Buffalo and never looked back. He appeared in only six games through his first two seasons in the NFL, but he ended up getting in 12 games (seven starts) during the 2020 campaign.

He got into 15 games during the 2021 campaign, including 10 starts at left guard. He suffered an Achilles injury during Week 16 that knocked him out for the rest of the regular season and postseason. Fortunately, GM Brandon Beane indicated today that the offensive lineman is recovering nicely.

“Ike had a tough injury with the Achilles last year and is rehabbing that. He got a good exam on his physical,” said Beane (via the team’s website). “He’ll still have to rehab that and we’ll see where he’s at when training camp starts.”

Titans, A.J. Brown Begin Extension Talks

March 28th, 2022 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans made extending their 2018 second-round draftee their pre-free agency centerpiece item, coming to an agreement with Harold Landry. Their next core task will be extending their 2019 Round 2 pick.

A.J. Brown and the Titans have begun extension talks, according to GM Jon Robinson, who confirmed the team wants the standout wide receiver in Tennessee long-term. While the discussions are “very, very preliminary,” per Robinson, the recent activity on the receiver market injects additional intrigue into the situation. Brown became extension-eligible in January.

“A.J. is a Titan, and we want to keep A.J. a Titan,” Robinson said, via Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “And that’s part of our goal this offseason, or whenever that manifests itself, to come to an agreement to keep him around.”

Despite not using their franchise tag on Landry, the Titans extended their top edge rusher hours after the deadline passed. The team has more time with Brown, but the blossoming pass catcher is going into a contract year. And the wide receiver market has exploded over the past several days, with both Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill topping DeAndre Hopkins‘ 2020 extension.

Brown reaching the Adams or Hill tier might be unrealistic, but his age (24) and production work to his advantage. The Raiders and Dolphins’ extension decisions raised the bar for a 2019 draft class that includes Brown, Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf and Terry McLaurin. Being drafted outside the first round, and thus not restricted by the fifth-year option, this promising quartet will play a key role in where the receiver market goes in the coming months. It will be interesting to see which teams move forward with big-ticket extensions on this recently adjusted market and which clubs hold off. The franchise tag may well come into play with members of this group.

A Metcalf Ole Miss teammate, Brown started his career with two 1,000-yard seasons and is one of the NFL’s top young wideouts. Brown missed four games with chest and hamstring injuries last season but remains Tennessee’s top aerial weapon. He will have a new veteran complement in 2022, with the Titans trading for Robert Woods, who is attached to a deal that runs through 2025. Woods’ Rams-constructed extension calls for a 2022 base salary of $10MM and $13.75MM salaries in 2023 and ’24. Beyond 2022, none of Woods’ money is guaranteed.

Latest On Dolphins, DeVante Parker

March 28th, 2022 at 5:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins are in an interesting spot with their longest-tenured player. DeVante Parker would represent a quality supporting-caster at wide receiver for the Dolphins, but the team’s moves at receiver do not leave a clear role for the seven-year veteran.

Chris Grier said he will listen to offers for Parker, who came up in trade rumors last week in the wake of the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill acquisition. While the Miami GM added that he expects Parker to be with the team next season, via Adam Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com (Twitter link), that stance certainly does not preclude a trade. Calls have come in, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. The Dolphins have been active at wide receiver this offseason, and Parker was drafted multiple regimes ago.

Chosen in the 2015 first round, when Dennis Hickey was Miami’s GM and Joe Philbin the team’s head coach, Parker received an extension during Grier’s first year in charge. But the veteran wideout ran into injury trouble last year, missing seven games. The Maryland product has also not come especially close to replicating his 1,200-yard season from 2019, when the Dolphins gave him a three-year, $30.5MM extension.

Miami drafted Jaylen Waddle in the 2021 first round, trading up for the Alabama speedster, and signed Cedrick Wilson this offseason. Along with Hill, there might not be room for Parker, though his 2022 salary ($5.65MM) is not prohibitive for a team with a starting quarterback on a rookie deal. The Eagles remain on the Parker radar, per Jackson, who adds the Colts and Packers loom as other possible destinations.

Ravens Submit Offer To LB Bobby Wagner

March 28th, 2022 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 28: The Ravens have made an offer for Wagner, one Josina Anderson of USA Today notes the team believes is “very competitive” (Twitter link) compared to the Rams’ effort. Baltimore is pitching Wagner on being a key cog for a defense already housing notable veterans, a group that now includes Marcus Williams.

MARCH 25: Bobby Wagner continues to survey an active market. After his Rams visit, the future Hall of Fame linebacker trekked to Baltimore for a Ravens meeting Friday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

The Ravens possess “high interest” in Wagner, per Fowler. Wagner has been connected to mostly NFC teams thus far. The Rams, 49ers, Cardinals, Broncos and Cowboys have been linked to the 10-year veteran, though Dallas — despite Wagner and Dan Quinn‘s offseason conversations — is not expected to be a top player here. The Broncos have been mentioned as a suitor as well, with Russell Wilson attempting to recruit his longtime teammate.

Baltimore and Los Angeles reside next to one another in terms of cap space, with the Ravens holding just more than $10MM and the Rams sitting at barely $8MM. Neither team has a notable veteran off-ball linebacker contract on its books. Josh Bynes, a 12-game Baltimore starter last season, is a free agent. The Rams are not big on veteran inside linebacker contracts, given their big-ticket deals at higher-priority positions, but Wagner’s pedigree has GM Les Snead considering an exception.

Wagner, 31, has made the past eight Pro Bowls and is one of the few six-time All-Pros in linebacker annals. He is one shy of Raven cornerstone Ray Lewis‘ seven, though Wagner reached six quicker than the first-ballot Hall of Famer did. The Seahawks made him a cap casualty hours after trading Wilson, severing ties with the franchise’s Super Bowl cornerstones. Despite missing a game, Wagner recorded a career-high 170 tackles last season. The longtime Seattle middle ‘backer has missed just three games in the past seven seasons.

The Ravens devoted a sizable chunk of their offseason funds to Marcus Williams, who signed a five-year deal worth $70MM, and are targeting defensive linemen. But gauging Wagner’s market certainly is not out of character here. The Ravens have not been shy about acquiring proven veteran defenders under Eric DeCosta, having added 30-something Pro Bowlers in Calais Campbell and Justin Houston in recent years and signed ex-Wagner teammate Earl Thomas.

OL Max Garcia To Sign With Giants

March 28th, 2022 at 3:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants are set to add another veteran to their offensive line. The team announced the signing of Max Garcia to a one-year deal.

Garcia was a fourth-round pick of the Broncos in 2015. He played four years in Denver, starting 41 of 57 games and establishing himself as the team’s top option at left guard. Over the course of his career, the 30-year-old has also played at right guard and center. He has four playoff appearances to his credit, including the run to Super Bowl 50 with Denver.

After his rookie contract expired, he joined the Cardinals in 2019. He played a combined total of just 67 offensive snaps during his first two years there, however. That changed significantly last season, as Garcia registered 11 starts in his 15 appearances. Playing 809 snaps – the third-highest total of his career – he committed four penalties and allowed four sacks. That led to a PFF grade of 56.3, which is closer to his career norms than the 72.2 mark he received in 2016.

Garcia is the latest addition to the Giants’ offensive line this offseason. The team has already added Mark Glowinski, as well as Jon Feliciano following his release from the Bills. Upgrading the unit has been one of the team’s top priorities over the past few weeks.

By signing with the Giants, Garcia essentially completes an indirect swap of veteran interior linemen between them and the Cardinals. Earlier today, Arizona signed Will Hernandez, who had previously spent his entire four-year career in New York.

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