HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Long-Term Dalton Schultz Extension Still Possible?

July 10th, 2022 at 2:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Days away from the deadline for franchise tag decisions, there is a wide range spanning the various situations teams are in with tagged players. While all signs point to Mike Gesicki playing out the season on the one-year pact, there could be cause for optimism regarding a deal being reached between Dalton Schultz and the Cowboys. 

The tight end will earn $10.9MM in 2022 in the absence of a long-term extension. That figure would represent a substantial raise from his rookie contract earnings, but the position’s market has been boosted this offseason by David Njoku‘s unexpectedly lucrative extension in particular. That has likely influenced contract talks between Dallas and the former fourth-rounder failing to pick up much traction.

However, an eleventh-hour breakthrough remains possible. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes how talks have continued throughout much of the offseason, and predicts that further discussions will take place this week (video link). More specifically, he is “[keeping] open the possibility of a long-term deal” being agreed upon before the deadline on July 15.

That would represent a stark contrast to where things currently stand between Gesicki and the Dolphins, and the tone struck by Schultz himself as this process has played out. The soon-to-be 26-year-old skipped part of the team’s OTAs while he was frustrated by the progress of negotiations; he did, however, report to minicamp.

If Schultz does end up playing on the tag, he will have the chance to put together a second straight campaign with significant production. He emerged as a focal point in the Cowboys’ offense in 2021, registering 78 catches, 808 yards and eight touchdowns. Duplicating those figures could be made easier by the absence of Amari Cooper, and the subsequent uptick in targets Schultz could see in 2022.

If he does land a multi-year pact, though, the Stanford alum could join the seven-player club of TEs averaging at least $12.5MM per season. How much the Cowboys (who rank third in the league in 2022 cap space) are willing to compensate Schultz will dictate how this situation ends later this week.

Buccaneers Not Interested In Jimmy Garoppolo

July 10th, 2022 at 12:56pm CST by Rory Parks

On Friday, Grant Cohn of SI.com published an article suggesting that the Buccaneers want to trade for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and install him as Tom Brady‘s successor. The report stemmed from a conversation that Dan Sileo, a former NFL defensive tackle and current sports radio host, had with renowned agent Don Yee.

Yee represents both Garoppolo and Brady, who shared a quarterback room in New England for three-plus seasons after the Patriots drafted Garoppolo in 2014. However, while a Brady-Garoppolo reunion would certainly be an interesting story, there are a number of issues that would make such a trade difficult. Although Brady is entering his age-45 campaign and briefly retired this offseason, he is still playing at a high level, and Tampa may want him back in 2023 if the legendary signal-caller wants to continue his career. Plus, Garoppolo, who comes with a laundry list of injury problems and whose throwing shoulder surgery in March already complicated the Niners’ trade talks with other clubs, is due a $24.2MM salary this year. Although the 49ers are willing to let their 30-year-old passer negotiate a new contract with interested teams, the money that Garoppolo will want and the uncertainty of Brady’s future would make it difficult for Garoppolo and the Bucs to find middle ground.

Of course, all of those obstacles would only come into play if the Buccaneers truly wanted Garoppolo. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times throws cold water on that notion, saying, “Not a chance” (Twitter link). Stroud cites an unnamed Buccaneers coach who said, “[i]f (Garoppolo) could throw a deep ball, he would’ve won two Super Bowls already.” 

The 49ers doubtlessly welcome any reports of outside interest in Garoppolo — reports that Yee might be trying to drum up — as the club does not have many potential trade partners at the moment. The Panthers took themselves out of the running when they traded for Baker Mayfield earlier this week, and if Mayfield’s prior team, the Browns, receive good news vis-a-vis Deshaun Watson‘s expected suspension, then Cleveland likely would not be in the market for Garoppolo either. Without the Browns in the picture, the 49ers may be forced to wait for another club to suffer injury or underperformance during training camp or the preseason to consummate a trade, or they may end up with no choice but to release Garoppolo before Week 1, when his salary becomes guaranteed.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe offers a few potential landing spots other than Cleveland, but those are all imperfect, speculative fits. The list includes teams with established starters like the Raiders (Derek Carr) and clubs that have young quarterbacks that they want to continue evaluating, like the Texans (Davis Mills) and the Giants (Daniel Jones).

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson On Contract Negotiations

July 10th, 2022 at 11:09am CST by Rory Parks

When asked during his fourth annual “Funday with LJ” event on Saturday if he and the Ravens will agree to a new deal before training camp begins on July 26, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson said, “[h]opefully. I’m not going to say ‘yeah’ right now. Hopefully. But it’s God’s timing” (via Safid Deen of USA Today). Jackson added that he is not presently considering a training camp holdout.

Jackson’s contract status has been the biggest storyline surrounding the Ravens this offseason. The 2019 MVP is scheduled to earn just over $23MM in 2022 under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, but the booming quarterback market and the cost of a franchise tag in 2023 (roughly $35MM) suggest that Baltimore would want to work out a long-term extension sooner rather than later.

According to the team, the reason that a deal is not in place, or at least closer to the finish line, is because Jackson had not come to the table to negotiate. But there are other complicating factors. The fact that Jackson represents himself is one of them, as is his statistical regression from his MVP campaign — first in QBR in 2019, seventh in 2020, and 17th in 2021 — his sprained ankle that ended his 2021 season prematurely, and the fact that much of his value is tied to his running ability. Then there is the matter of Deshaun Watson‘s fully-guaranteed five-year, $230MM contract with the Browns, though Jackson has implied that Watson’s deal will not have any bearing on his own.

In November 2021, it was reported that Jackson was targeting a contract with a $45MM AAV and that the Ravens were not willing to go that far. The team was reportedly amenable to $40MM/year pact, but of course, cash flow and guarantees are the true indicators of a contract’s value. Speculatively, it could be that the gulf between the two sides was such that the quarterback felt further engagement in contract talks would have been a fruitless endeavor, and that he would be better off playing out the 2022 season to prove that he is deserving of a top-of-the-market pact. To be clear, Jackson has never suggested as much, though he did reportedly tell the team he was focused on having the best possible year and did not want to discuss a contract until after the 2022 campaign.

There was something of a sea change at mandatory minicamp in June, when Jackson and Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta touched base on the contract situation. It is unclear where negotiations stand at this point, but his comments yesterday indicate that Jackson is now willing to put this matter behind him before the end of the year.

As Deen observes, Jackson recently made some waves on social media when he changed his Instagram profile picture and his Twitter header to a picture of a mouth with a gold grill that reads “I Need $.” The image is from a movie called “How High” starring rappers Method Man and Redman, and Jackson says he simply found it amusing and wanted to post it. It was not, he asserts, intended to be a comment on his dealings with the Ravens.

“I don’t know why people are blowing it up,” Jackson said. “I just saw Bleacher Report post it. They just take anything that’s posted on social media and just blow it up, and try to think for you. I don’t take it too seriously. … Our contract discussion is going on already. But it ain’t about that though. I’m not putting my business life on social media. I won’t ever do that. I won’t put my personal life on social media. I’ll show stuff, but I won’t throw subliminal [messages] out. That’s not me.”

His remark that “our contract discussion is going on already” is certainly notable given the history of his extension talks. It would seem that neither player nor team would want to continue negotiating into the regular season, but there is no real deadline since Jackson is not playing under the franchise tag. So while a new deal may be likelier now than it was a month ago, it is still difficult to put any sort of timeframe on it.

Dolphins, TE Mike Gesicki Unlikely To Agree To Extension?

July 10th, 2022 at 9:15am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins and franchise-tagged tight end Mike Gesicki “have not really engaged” in contract talks, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (video link). Gesicki, who signed the franchise tender back in March, is set to earn $10.9MM in 2022.

In April, Gesicki offered a few comments on the matter that made it sound as if Miami was not prepared to commit to a long-term contract for its 2018 second-rounder, even though the club is willing to keep him in the fold on an eight-figure salary for the upcoming season. “I am absolutely open to negotiation, but it’s not really up to me,” he said. “If they reach out, my agent will be listening.”

Since those comments were made, the Browns and fellow franchise-tagged TE David Njoku agreed to an extension that features an average annual value just shy of $14MM, making Njoku a top-five tight end in terms of AAV. Gesicki, who has thus far been the more productive of the two players, will doubtlessly be trying to top that mark, as well as Njoku’s $28MM in practical guarantees.

The deadline for tagged players to sign multi-year deals is July 15. Garafolo acknowledges that deadlines spur action, and that a deal can theoretically come together over the next few days. However, given that there have been virtually no negotiations to this point, it seems as if player and team will be revisiting the situation in 2023. At that time, Gesicki could well be the top tight end on the free agent market, particularly if Cowboys and TE Dalton Schultz — another player who has been slapped with the franchise tag — can work out an extension before July 15.

If the Dolphins want to hit Gesicki with a second franchise tag next offseason to prevent him from getting to the open market, they would be committing to a salary of roughly $13.08MM — 120% of his 2022 pay — which is still below Njoku’s AAV and which would seem to be a reasonable price point for a player like Gesicki, assuming he continues performing at the level he has established over the past several seasons. If, as Gesicki suggests, the team is the party that has been reluctant to engage in contract discussions, that could be one of the primary reasons why.

From 2020-21, the Penn State product has averaged a 63/741.5/4 triple-slash despite a less-than-ideal quarterback situation. While QB Tua Tagovailoa is still a major question mark, the ‘Fins have invested heavily on the offensive side of the ball this year, bringing in the likes of WR Tyreek Hill, LT Terron Armstead, and RBs Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert, among others. With improved O-line play and a stronger cast of skill position players, Tagovailoa could be well-positioned to live up to his potential in his third professional season, which should improve Gesicki’s stock.

Free Agent LT Duane Brown Arrested

July 10th, 2022 at 7:30am CST by Rory Parks

Free agent left tackle Duane Brown was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at roughly 2pm on Saturday, per TMZ Sports. Police say that Brown tried to go through security screening with a gun in one of his bags, and he was booked on possession of a concealed firearm.

Brown, who will turn 37 in August, has long been one of the top left tackles in the game. Despite his strong 2021 performance, in which he enjoyed perfect attendance, earned the fifth Pro Bowl nod of his career, and rated as Pro Football Focus’ 37th-best OT out of 83 qualifiers, there has not been significant interest in his services this offseason.

The Seahawks had deployed Brown as Russell Wilson‘s blindside blocker since acquiring him in a trade with the Texans in October 2017, and Seattle was reportedly interested in a reunion earlier this year. However, that was when the ‘Hawks, who held the No. 9 overall pick in April’s draft, were not expected to have a chance to land a top collegiate tackle. Ultimately, the club selected Mississippi State LT Charles Cross with its first choice, and it appears that Cross will open his rookie season as the starter at left tackle.

Similarly, the Panthers were in pursuit of Brown back in March, but a deal never materialized. The door to a contract with Carolina may have closed when the Panthers drafted NC State tackle Ikem Ekwonu with the No. 6 overall pick, although the team is reportedly not committing to Ekwonu — who lined up at guard in high school and at times during his college career — as the Week 1 LT starter. Carolina could bring in Brown on a one-year pact while Ekwonu gets his professional sea legs on the interior of the line, but that is merely speculation at this point.

One way or another, it would be surprising if Brown were unable to land a starting gig at some point this summer. Quality left tackles are hard to come by, and Brown demonstrated in 2021 that he still has gas in the tank. While his arrest could theoretically complicate matters, it presently does not seem as if it will have a dramatic effect on his NFL future.

We will update this story as more news becomes available.

Trade Candidate: Ravens S Chuck Clark

July 9th, 2022 at 10:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Chuck Clark was an unheralded addition to the Ravens when he was drafted in 2016, spending the early part of his NFL career primarily on special teams. His play since becoming a starter, however, has demonstrated his value to the Ravens and the rest of the league. 

A sixth-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Clark took over a starting safety spot midway through the 2019 season when Tony Jefferson was injured. He has been an every-down player ever since, teaming with Eric Weddle, then DeShon Elliott, at the backend of the team’s secondary. He has emerged as not only a statistical contributor, but also a valued leader during recent years.

In two full seasons as a starter, Clark hasn’t put up the kind of production a number of high-profile safeties have, but he has nevertheless been a steady presence. He has totalled 176 tackles, three interceptions and 16 pass deflections since 2021, while occupying an important role outside of statistical production. As the player wearing the green dot for communication, Clark has operated as, in essence, the ‘defensive QB’ since he assumed a starting role.

Expectations were raised for his effectiveness in 2022 and beyond when the Ravens signed Marcus Williams in free agency. As a more natural ‘centerfielder’ type of free safety, Williams represented an Elliott replacement who would allow Clark to operate closer to the line of scrimmage, which his athletic profile is better suited to. It wasn’t until the team drafted Kyle Hamilton in the first round of the draft that Clark emerged on the trade radar.

The Notre Dame alum has a largely congruent skillset to Clark’s, which led to multiple teams making trade inquiries after the draft regarding Clark’s availability. Using Hamilton on an every-down basis could cut significantly into Clark’s playing time, and complicate his ability to continue serving as the defensive signal-caller. The team has regularly used three-safety packages in recent years, though, providing a backdrop for the pushback to trade speculation the team provided.

Head coach John Harbaugh commented on the situation in May, saying “I love the fact that we have very versatile players in the backend and at safety. So, to me, Chuck is a big part of this team, and I’m planning on Chuck being here.” 

Things took another turn one month later, when Clark hired a new agent. It was reported at that time that, throughout OTAs and minicamp, he had made no public indication of requesting a trade. The Ravens have pulled off unexpected moves before, though, including the Marquise Brown trade this year. A swap sending Clark to a team which could play him as an undisputed starter has remained a possibility throughout the offseason, in part due to Baltimore’s financial situation.

The Ravens currently rank 31st in the league in cap space, so the relatively small savings a Clark trade would generate ($2.75MM) could nevertheless be significant. He has two years remaining on his contract, with affordable cap charges of $4.6MM and $5.2MM, along with even lower salaries. That could widen the pool of teams still interested in adding him.

Clark could be a useful fit in almost any system, given his ‘jack-of-all-trade’ profile. Teams currently set to start inexperienced safeties include the 49ers, who lost Jaquiski Tartt in free agency, and the Colts, who saw Khari Willis retire recently. If either squad wanted to add a quality veteran to insulate Talanoa Hufanga or Nick Cross, respectively, Clark could be the best available option. Especially after the 49ers part with Jimmy Garoppolo, both teams will easily be able to afford him.

Of course, the possibility still remains that the Ravens could hold onto Clark for at least the 2022 campaign, as Hamilton acclimates to the NFL. It wouldn’t come as a complete surprise, though, if he were to suit up for a new team by the start of the regular season.

Panthers LB Frankie Luvu To Expand Role In 2022

July 9th, 2022 at 9:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Linebacker Frankie Luvu has slowly built his name in the NFL. He’s worked his way from special teams back to the defensive side of the ball and, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic, Carolina will look to utilize Luvu as a linebacker on both the inside and the outside next season. 

After going undrafted in 2018, Luvu signed with the Jets. He probably sealed his spot on the roster with his special teams play, but Luvu found the field quite a bit as an undrafted rookie. Spending the season as a backup linebacker, Luvu compiled 22 total tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, and 11 quarterback hits during his first year in the NFL. Although he was unable to record any stats in Week 17, New York rewarded him with his first career start.

After being relegated to more of a special teams role in his sophomore season, Luvu returned to more of a split role between defense and special teams in his third year, earning three starts following an injury to starter C.J. Mosley. Luvu’s stat sheet that year resembled his rookie season more than his second year as he continued to play more on defense.

Luvu’s hard work and production despite limited playing time didn’t go unnoticed. When he hit free agency that offseason, Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer took a flier on Luvu despite his size lending doubt to where he might fit in defensive coordinator Phil Snow‘s defense. They decided they liked him as a linebacker and, of course, a core special-teamer.

Luvu spent the season as a backup behind starting linebackers Shaq Thompson, Jermaine Carter, and Haason Reddick, earning most of his snaps on special teams. He did earn four starts throughout the season in four games that either Thompson or Reddick sat out.

Once again, despite the limited playing time, Luvu filled out the stat sheet. During his first year in Carolina, Luvu totaled 43 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8.0 tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, one pass defensed, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries. He even added a blocked punt for good measure.

Thompson, a defensive captain for the Panthers, spoke highly of Luvu, saying, “He’s energetic. He’s a leader. He’s a big part of our defense. He’s one you can count on to make a play. He’s one you can count on off the field to be there for you.”

Carolina rewarded Luvu’s production and reliability with his first multi-year contract, a two-year, $9MM deal. Snow also plans on rewarding him with more opportunities in more positions on defense.

“He can create a lot of havoc by sending him in different areas,” Snow explained. “That’s his biggest asset, but Frankie’s made a lot of progress dropping (in coverage)…I think you’re gonna see a more all-around linebacker this fall from Frankie.”

The Panthers lost starters Carter and Reddick to free agency, but were able to reload with the free agent additions of veteran linebackers Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton. So Luvu will once again back up the starting three, this time composed of Thompson, Wilson, and Littleton, but his increased experience and production, combined with Snow’s desire to utilize him all over the field, should provide Luvu with more playing time and opportunities come September.

Trade Candidate: Cowboys DT Trysten Hill

July 9th, 2022 at 8:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Cowboys defensive tackle Trysten Hill has seen his fair share of obstacles en route to a career in the NFL, some self-inflicted. It appears he hasn’t seen the end of these obstacles yet, as ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Hill’s road to continue playing in the NFL may require him to boost his stock and earn some trade-value at camp this summer. 

The Cowboys selected Hill in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft as their top draft pick that year. Hill had entered the draft early, forgoing his senior season after three years at UCF. He had started all 13 games in both his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Knights, but, by his junior year, Hill had reportedly fallen out of favor with the UCF coaches and only started one game during his third season. Despite not being granted the privilege of starting, 2018 was Hill’s best year in Orlando as he doubled his career sack total from 3.0 to 6.0 and more than doubled his career tally of tackles for loss from 9.5 to 20.0.

The Cowboys’ top-drafted rookie didn’t see much of the field in his first season. Playing behind Maliek Collins and Christian Covington, Hill only saw seven games of action in 2019, never playing in even half of the team’s defensive snaps. In those seven appearances, Hill was only able to make 5 total tackles, one for a loss, and 2 quarterback hits.

In his second year with the team, a preseason injury to presumed starter Gerald McCoy left the door wide open for Hill. Hill was named the starting three-technique defensive tackle to start the season. Unfortunately for Hill, he tore his ACL in a Week 5 game against the Giants and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve.

His time before the injury wasn’t all sunshine and roses, though. While he was starting to make more of an impact on defense, racking up 11 total tackles, one for a loss, and 3 quarterback hits, a couple of plays with questionable intention brought back memories of the behavior that lost Hill his starting honors in college. In a Week 3 game against Seattle, Hill caused controversy on plays against running back Chris Carson and quarterback Russell Wilson. After tackling Carson, Hill appeared to twist Carson’s knee after the whistle had blown. Carson suffered a knee sprain and Hill was fined $6,522 for the act. On the same drive, Wilson was the recipient of a late, helmet-to-helmet hit from Hill. While Wilson suffered no injury as a result, the league still fined Hill an additional $6,522 for the hit.

Last year saw Hill start the season on the reserve/PUP list. He wasn’t activated until Week 10 and failed to make the same impact he had the prior year, though he did record his first portion of a sack in the NFL. Hill fought for playing time behind Osa Odighizuwa, Carlos Watkins, and Quinton Bohanna. When he wasn’t fighting for playing time, though, he was still fighting. After a Week 12 game against the Raiders, Hill punched Las Vegas guard John Simpson, leading to a one-game suspension.

Now, Hill is headed into a contract year. Odighizuwa, Watkins, and Bohanna all return this year after taking playing time from him last season. Even Neville Gallimore has apparently risen above Hill on the depth chart, leading to some long odds for Hill to earn significant playing time.

As Archer suggested above, the best path forward for Hill might be to seek a less-crowded depth chart. If Hill can take advantage of the playing time he will get as a back up in the preseason and prove that he can behave and play nicely with the other players in the NFL, the Cowboys may be able to move Hill for a reasonable return and provide him with an opportunity to start again in a new city.

Release Candidate: Colts DE Ben Banogu

July 9th, 2022 at 6:22pm CST by Ely Allen

The Colts have a strong recent history picking in the second round of the NFL draft. General manager Chris Ballard has hit multiple homeruns on both sides of the ball with picks like linebacker Darius Leonard in 2018 and running back Jonathan Taylor in 2020. Defensive end Ben Banogu, though, a 2019 second-round draft pick, may soon see his opportunity in Indianapolis come to end, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.

Banogu’s college career granted him access into the league. After one year of play at Louisiana-Monroe as a redshirt freshman, Banogu transferred to TCU, sitting out for a year before he could play in Fort Worth. The Nigerian-native made the most out of his final two years of eligibility, compiling 8.5 sacks in each of his two seasons with the Horned Frogs and totaling 34.5 tackles for loss in those years. In both seasons of Big 12 play, Banogu was named first-team All-Big 12.

Banogu’s domination at the collegiate-level justified Ballard’s use of a second-round pick at the time. The Colts saw what he did at TCU and wanted to see that production in their blue and white, putting him on the field early and often during his rookie season. That first year in the league, under the mentorship of Justin Houston while playing with Al-Quadin Muhammad and Jabaal Sheard, was Banogu’s best. While he only tallied 11 total tackles, he recorded 2.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss, 5 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a pass defensed. He was on the field for a quarter of the team’s defensive snaps as a back up, getting a good amount of experience as a rookie.

In the two years since, Banogu has only made 8 total tackles and 1 quarterback hit. He hasn’t collected a sack or tackle for loss since November of 2019. While Banogu has seen a significant drop in snap count when he’s active, the other factor that has crushed his production is his availability. Banogu has seen long stretches of time over the past two seasons as a healthy scratch, a situation where an injury is not the reason a team lists a player as inactive for a game.

Banogu has seen his opportunity begin to wane. The Colts drafted pass rushers in the first and second rounds last year in Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo, who both currently sit above Banogu on the depth chart. Indianapolis also brought in former Pro Bowler Yannick Ngakoue to add a veteran presence to the ends-group.

Banogu has seen the field less and less each season, spending most of last year on the inactive list. The team’s moves to add production to the defensive end position over the past year or so points to the end of their patience. Banogu is trending fast towards a bust-label and it could cost him his job by the end of August.

Seahawks TEs Poised For More Prominent Role?

July 9th, 2022 at 3:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks will have a much different look on offense in 2022 in the absence of Russell Wilson. While the team does still have two accomplished pass-catchers on the perimeter, the tight end group could be in line for a more featured role in 2022. 

ESPN’s Brady Henderson cites that unit – rather than any one member of it – as Seattle’s offensive breakout candidate. The team’s TE usage generally ranked mid-pack at best during Wilson’s tenure at the helm, with the exception of Jimmy Graham‘s three-year stint in the Emerald City. With either Drew Lock or Geno Smith under center for at least the immediate future, though, more targets could be funnelled toward the middle of the field.

The primary beneficiary of such an offensive shift would be Noah Fant. Part of the package Seattle received from Denver in the Wilson trade, the 24-year-old has flashed potential during his first three seasons in the NFL, but fallen short of expectations given his draft stock. The No. 20 pick in his class (which, as Henderson notes, took him off the board right before Seattle would have selected him), Fant acknowledged the possibility for greater production after the trade.

“I’m kind of stuck at that high-600 [yards] ceiling, and I’ve got to break through that” he said. “I think I have every opportunity to do that in Seattle, and I’m excited to get to work to do that.”

More attention on the TE position could also see Will Dissly playing a more prominent role. The former fourth-rounder has put up consistent number during his four years with the Seahawks, earning him a three-year, $24MM deal in free agency to remain with the team. His blocking ability will always give him a path to playing time in the team’s run-heavy offense, but even a slight uptick in targets could lead to positive results for the offense. The same could be true of 2020 draftee Colby Parkinson, whom head coach Pete Carroll spoke highly of as part of his general optimism surrounding the group.

“We’ve got a lot of flexibility with these guys, and they’re going to be a big part of what we’re doing,” he said. It remains to be seen how the unit will mesh with a new QB and wideouts Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf, but a large workload could be in store.

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