HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Latest On Titans’ DL Competition

July 9th, 2022 at 2:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans’ defensive line played a significant role in the unit’s 2021 success, and the top of the depth chart is relatively settled heading into this season. One starting spot is up for grabs, though, and the team has a number of depth options to consider during training camp. 

Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com notes that Jeffery Simmons is set to once again anchor the team’s d-line. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021 with 8.5 sacks, earning him a Pro Bowl nod and Second-Team All-Pro honors. The Mississippi State product will be 25 this season, making him a prime candidate for the team to make a long-term commitment to sometime in the near future.

Another first-team role will belong to Denico Autry. The veteran’s first year in Tennessee was one of the most productive of his career. He matched a personal best with nine sacks and set a new mark with 18 QB hits, leading to optimism for the remaining two seasons of the deal he signed with the Titans last offseason. Who will join Simmons and Autry as a starter remains to be seen, though.

McCormick writes that former UDFAs Teair Tart and Naquan Jones are the likeliest candidates for that spot. Tart registered 10 starts in 2021, seeing a defensive snap share of nearly 50% along the way. Jones, meanwhile, offered more pass-rushing potential with 2.5 sacks as a rookie; he is also a player the Titans “are high on” to take a step forward in 2022. The rest of the position group is set to be rounded out by some combination of former Lions Da’Shawn Hand and Kevin Strong, and free agent signee DeMarcus Walker.

One interesting name in this positional competition is Larrell Murchison. A 2020 fifth-rounder, the NC State alum has yet to claim a full-time starting role, and has totalled just 13 tackles so far in the NFL. Considering the talent and depth ahead of him, McCormick points out that Murchison’s roster spot could be “in jeopardy.” How the depth chart shakes out will depend on his training camp performance, and those of several intriguing options the Titans have at the position.

Vikings OL Oli Udoh On Roster Bubble?

July 9th, 2022 at 12:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Oli Udoh started 16 games for the Vikings last season, but the offensive lineman may be fighting for his job. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert mentions Udoh as a player who’s firmly on the Vikings roster bubble.

Udoh was a sixth-round pick by the Vikings in 2019. After appearing in only seven games through his first two seasons in the NFL, he started 16 of his 17 appearances in 2021 at guard. He also got in 94 percent of his team’s offensive snaps.

While he saw an increased role, the lineman didn’t necessarily do the most with his opportunity. He tied for the league lead in penalties, and Pro Football Focus ranked him 65th among 82 qualifying offensive guards. He was particularly bad in pass-blocking situations, so the Vikings were fortunate to limit Kirk Cousins to only 28 sacks.

With a new coaching staff, Udoh will have to once again prove his worth, but he’ll have an uphill battle. Free agent addition Jesse Davis was getting most of the reps at right guard during minicamp, per Seifert. The Vikings also used a second-round pick on guard Ed Ingram. Udoh does have the ability to play tackle, so his versatility could help him stick around as a backup lineman. However, if the organization decides to roster someone else, the Vikings could easily move off Udoh and his $1MM cap hit.

Latest On Ravens DL Michael Pierce

July 9th, 2022 at 12:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Pierce is back in Baltimore. While he still hasn’t been seen on the practice field, it sounds like the veteran defensive lineman will be back for the start of training camp. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that the Ravens expect Pierce to be at the first day of training camp.

Pierce was a no-show during Ravens minicamp. John Harbaugh was quick to dismiss the notion that the absence was injury-related, stating that Pierce wasn’t participating because of a personal issue.

“He’s healthy, he’s good; it’s just a personal matter with his family, and that’s what it is,” Harbaugh said last month (via the team’s website).

As Zrebiec writes, there was “obviously some concern” about the player’s lack of offseason participation “given Pierce’s past injury and weight issues.” However, having played for Harbaugh, the 29-year-old should be familiar with the team’s conditioning test, so it’s really on Pierce to just come into training camp in shape.

The former undrafted free agent spent the first four seasons of his career with the Ravens, starting 30 of his 60 games. He signed a three-year, $27MM deal with the Vikings in 2020, but Minnesota only got eight starts out of him. Pierce opted out of the 2020 campaign, and an elbow injury forced him to miss the middle chunk of the 2021 season. Still, he was productive during his brief time on the field with the Vikings, collecting 20 tackles and three sacks, and that performance helped him earn a new three-year, $16.5MM pact from Baltimore.

After moving on from the likes of Brandon Williams, Justin Ellis, and Derek Wolfe, the Ravens will be relying on Pierce to provide some much-needed depth on the defensive line. Third-round rookie Travis Jones could see some increased reps at camp if Pierce isn’t ready to go.

Latest On Bengals S Jessie Bates

July 9th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Ben Levine

The deadline for franchise players to sign multiyear contracts is less than a week away, and it doesn’t sound like a resolution is coming between the Bengals and safety Jessie Bates. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (and passed along by Grant Gordon of NFL.com), a positive outcome between the two sides “appears bleak at the moment.”

Garafolo can’t envision Bates attending Bengals training camp without a new deal. The safety was also absent during OTAs as the two sides tried to hammer out a deal, but back in May, we heard that negotiations had stalled. Bates was slapped with the franchise tag earlier this offseason, locking him in to a $12.9MM salary for the 2022 campaign. However, the safety made it clear that he has no intention of playing the upcoming season under the franchise tag as he pursues a long-term, top-of-market deal.

As Joel Corry of CBS Sports writes, there’s a good chance that the Bengals are citing Marcus Williams‘ $14MM AAV that he got from the Ravens via a five-year deal this offseason. However, Bates’ camp is likely pursuing a deal closer to Jamal Adams‘ contract with the Seahawks, which averages $17.5MM per year and could be worth up to $18MM per year. There’s also Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s deal with the Steelers that exceeded that $18MM AAV mark but is only half guaranteed. Garafolo opines that the Bengals will be unwilling to pay that much for their safety, meaning there’s at least a $4MM or $5MM annual difference in opinions.

The 25-year-old was the subject of contract talks last offseason, but negotiations stalled. Bates had established himself as an integral part of the Bengals’ defense to that point, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2020. The regular season this past year was his worst statistically, though he notched a pair of interceptions during the team’s run to the Super Bowl.

Jaguars File Motion To Dismiss Lambo Lawsuit

July 8th, 2022 at 9:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Two months ago, free agent kicker Josh Lambo filed a lawsuit against his former team in Jacksonville for acts allegedly performed by the former head coach of the Jaguars, Urban Meyer. Jacksonville filed a motion this week to dismiss the lawsuit, alleging that the club is not responsible for the actions of Meyer, according to Daniel Kaplan of The Atheltic. 

In the 2021 preseason, Lambo missed a kick in each of Jacksonville’s first two games. Lambo alleged that, during a practice before the final preseason game, Meyer kicked him in the leg and said, “Hey dips—, make your f—ing kicks!” When Lambo told Meyer, “Don’t you ever f—ing kick me again!” Meyer replied by saying, “I’m the head ball coach. I’ll kick you whenever the f— I want.”

The Jaguars claim in their motion that, under the Florida Whistleblower Act, the team cannot be sued for retaliation since they didn’t instruct Meyer to kick Lambo. Their motion says, “Plaintiff’s case is predicated solely on the alleged criminal acts of Urban Meyer, not any policy, practice or activity of club.”

Lambo’s initial suit further claims that he notified his agent, Richard Irvin, of the interaction and that Irvin made the team’s counsel aware of the matter the following day. The allegations became public in December, shortly before Meyers was terminated, and, at the time, the Jaguars released a statement saying that the team immediately responded to Irvin’s query saying, “Counsel offered to speak with Josh, or to assist Josh in speaking with coaching or any other football personnel, if he was comfortable with her sharing the information. Any suggestion otherwise is blatantly false.”

According to Jacksonville’s new motion, they allege that they received no response to their offer to provide Lambo with counsel. The motion reads, “Plaintiff does not allege he or his agent ever responded to the inquiry made by Club’s legal counsel offering to follow up with Plaintiff, with Mr. Meyer and/or with Club management.”

Lambo is seeking damages for emotional distress and reputational harm as well as his full $3.5MM salary from 2021. He claims “the environment created by Meyer and the franchise affected his performance,” which suffered until he was cut after missing three field goals and two extra points in the team’s first two games.

Meyer has refuted the accuracy of Lambo’s description of events and Jacksonville’s new motion claims that, regardless of the accuracy, they hold no fault for Meyer’s “alleged criminal acts.”

Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s Responsibility Extending Off-Field?

July 8th, 2022 at 8:55pm CST by Ely Allen

After only two years in the NFL, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has made an incredible impression on the field for Los Angeles, breaking a few league records along the way. His impact on the team hasn’t stopped there, though, as the Chargers have asked for Herbert’s opinions on roster decisions, as well, according to Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports. 

There is plenty about the 24-year-old quarterback to be impressed about. Despite the lack of team success, Herbert has accumulated “the most completions (839) and passing yards (9,350) through the first two seasons of a career” in NFL history. He also became the first quarterback in league history to throw for 30 touchdowns or more in each of his first two seasons. The feat of throwing for over 5,000 yards in a season this past year is another anomaly, as only Patrick Mahomes and Dan Marino had accomplished that in one of their first two years of NFL football.

In an interview with the young phenom, Kerr inquired about the impacts of Herbert’s career so far beyond the gridiron. He asked the Oregon product if Los Angeles asks for his input on roster construction, if they invite his opinions on what he needs in order to improve the roster.

“The great part about the Chargers is they have asked!” Herbert replied. “They definitely want to keep communication open there, but my response to them is ‘I just want to play quarterback and I trust you guys and whatever you decide to do.'”

The answer to the question says a ton about the respect the Chargers have for their young passer and his response to their request shows trust and maturity. There are plenty of things for Herbert to be working on this offseason, but scouting probably shouldn’t be on the list. Trusting general manager Tom Telesco and company to build a team around him is probably the best move for Herbert at the current moment. But how has that trust been serving him so far?

The biggest possible move the Chargers could make to help Herbert succeed is exactly what they did. Los Angeles took Herbert’s leading receiver from last year, Mike Williams, and secured his return with a three-year, $60MM contract. The Williams signing, along with exclusive rights free agent Jalen Guyton signing a one-year deal, ensures that all four of Herbert’s top wide receivers from last year will return in 2022.

After the departures of Jared Cook and Stephen Anderson in free agency, the Chargers only return 235 receiving yards from the tight end position between Donald Parham, who signed his ERFA tender in March, and Tre’ McKitty. Los Angeles countered the losses by signing former Seahawks tight end Gerald Everett to a two-year, $12MM contract. While his numbers have never been eye-popping, Everett has shown reliably, putting up at least 400 receiving yards each of the last three years and catching four touchdowns last season.

Los Angeles utilized the draft, as well, to bring in a strong back up running back in Isaiah Spiller to relieve Austin Ekeler on occasion. They also attempted to fill in some weak spots on the offensive line by drafting guards Zion Johnson in the first round and Jamaree Salyer in the sixth.

Not only have the Chargers been making moves to build their offense around Herbert, but they made major moves on the defensive-side of the ball in an attempt to build a complete team for Herbert to lead to the playoffs. To combat the losses of Uchenna Nwosu, Kyzir White, Justin Jones, and Kyler Fackrell, Los Angeles broke out the checkbook to bring in the likes of J.C. Jackson, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Kyle Van Noy, Bryce Callahan, and Troy Reeder. They even sacrificed some draft capital in a trade with Chicago that brought former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack back to California.

So, yes, the Chargers have been going to great lengths to prop Herbert up and help him and the franchise succeed, going as far as to ask Herbert exactly what he needs from them. Herbert trusts them and they’ve rewarded his trust thus far.

AFC East Rumors: Poyer, Franklin-Myers, Joyner, Hall

July 8th, 2022 at 7:15pm CST by Ely Allen

Bills safety Jordan Poyer ended his hold out last month, attending mandatory minicamp in order to avoid the roughly $90,000 in fines he would have been liable to pay for an unexcused absence. He’s also not likely to return to his hold out once camp begins for a similar reason, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News.

Poyer had skipped OTAs in May after he had decided to push Buffalo for a contract extension. The deal would likely benefit both parties. Poyer would get a raise while the Bills would have an opportunity to lower Poyer’s cap hit and keep one of the NFL’s best safety tandems together for a few more years (as fellow safety, Micah Hyde, is under contract through next season).

If Poyer balked and ended his hold out at $90,000 to attend minicamp, it’s had to imagine that he would be willing to shell out the $50,000 daily fine that would hit him as a player not on a rookie contract missing camp. Poyer has recently doubled down on his assertion that he truly wants to remain in Buffalo, so moving forward in good faith puts the pressure on the Bills to provide him with a deal to keep him from walking at the end of the season..

Here are a few other rumors from out of the AFC East, specifically coming out of the Garden State:

  • The Jets brought in edge defender Carl Lawson last offseason to improve their pass rush but, unfortunately, saw his season end before it had a chance to begin. With Lawson coming back healthy and looking to start, New York will have to figure out who to start opposite Lawson on the line. Despite some initial thought that rookie first-round pick Jermaine Johnson II would slide into the starting position, it’s looking like veteran John Franklin-Myers will show early dividends on his recent four-year, $55MM extension and earn the starting job, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Johnson will likely rotate in off the bench along with Jacob Martin and Bryce Huff.
  • The Jets brought in veteran cornerback Lamarcus Joyner last offseason in hopes that he could move to safety and start alongside Marcus Maye. Similar to the loss of Lawson, though, New York saw Joyner suffer a Week 1 injury that would hold him out for the remainder of the season. Despite the loss of Maye to free agency, the Jets are still hoping Joyner can start for them at safety, this time alongside free agent addition Jordan Whitehead, according to Costello. New York still has depth at the position with Ashtyn Davis and Elijah Riley both earning starts throughout last year, but the Jets are hoping they can rely on the veteran 1-2 punch of Joyner at free safety and Whitehead at strong safety.
  • Last year’s fourth-round pick, running back Michael Carter, performed admirably over his rookie season showing he can be effective at the NFL-level. But Carter is extremely likely to take a back seat this upcoming season to the team’s second-round pick from this year’s draft, Breece Hall, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic. While Carter was good in his debut season, the Jets fully expect Hall to be a Pro Bowler and a home run hitter. Hall is expected to receive the majority of the carries for New York’s offense and Carter will be a bit more of a role player in his sophomore season.

NFL, NFLPA Not Circling Back To Deshaun Watson Settlement

July 8th, 2022 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 8: Indicating how far apart the NFL and NFLPA were at the Robinson-overseen hearing, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes the league is pushing for an indefinite suspension that shelves Watson for at least a full season (Twitter link). Watson would need to apply for reinstatement to return. Conversely, the union pushed for no suspension at all during the hearing. Settlement talks are not completely dead, per Maske (on Twitter), but the odds of one appear slim at best.

JULY 7: Post-hearing briefs from the NFL and NFLPA are due in the Deshaun Watson case by next week, delaying the initial ruling a bit. During the hearing, the sides attempted to revisit the settlement talks that stalled in the weeks leading up to it. A settlement would shorten this endless process, eliminating an appeal. But it does not appear that will be how this ends.

After the league and the union discussed a settlement during the three-day hearing, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports the parties left Delaware at odds on this subject. The NFL still wants a full-season suspension, but Graziano noted the league was willing to discuss a slightly lesser punishment — 12 games was mentioned but not confirmed as an NFL offer here — with the caveat of the suspension being indefinite.

Although the NFL seemingly opened the door to a scenario involving an indefinite ban that could allow Watson to play at some point in 2022, the Browns quarterback wanted no part of the indefinite condition. No settlement talks have occurred since the hearing, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds, noting that a source mentioned that, based on evidence and arguments in Delaware, an offer of an indefinite suspension with the possibility of Watson returning after 12 games would be unrealistic.

Watson’s camp is still pushing for the QB not being suspended at all for his alleged widespread sexual misconduct and sexual assault, Florio notes, with Graziano adding this process is “far past” the point of settlement. That means disciplinary officer Sue Robinson will make her ruling, expected before training camp, with the prospect of an appeal in play.

In the unlikely event Robinson rules Watson did not violate the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the league cannot appeal. Watson would then be eligible for Week 1. If Robinson suspends Watson for part of this season, it will test the NFL’s resolve. If the league seeks a full-season ban, Roger Goodell could ensure it on appeal. Though, that would mean overturning the verdict of a jointly approved arbitrator in the first go-round of this newly implemented policy. That would certainly not go over well with the NFLPA, which griped for years about the commissioner’s disciplinary overreach. Then again, the league being perceived as lenient with Watson could bring significant backlash. Robinson calling for a medium-length suspension would put the NFL to an interesting decision.

Cowboys Place LB Devante Bond On IR, Sign LB Christian Sam

July 8th, 2022 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The rebooted USFL’s inaugural season has produced its first NFL opportunity. Christian Sam, who played for the New Orleans Breakers during the spring and summer, signed with the Cowboys on Friday.

To make room on their 90-man offseason roster, the Cowboys placed Devante Bond on IR. The veteran linebacker sustained a season-ending knee injury during workouts last month. Bond is not expected to play in 2022, but this transaction happening before roster cutdown day ensures he cannot suit up for the Cowboys this season.

A sixth-round Patriots draftee in 2018, Sam did not make it into a regular-season game during his first go-round in the NFL. He bounced from the Patriots, who placed him on IR ahead of their Super Bowl-winning 2018 slate, to the Dolphins to the 49ers to the Lions. Detroit waived Sam during its 2020 training camp.

Now 26, Sam is coming off a season of game work in the latest spring-league effort. The Arizona State product made 54 tackles (eight for loss) and intercepted a pass with the Breakers during the USFL season.

This will probably precede a few other USFL-to-NFL moves this summer. The Alliance of American football and XFL 2.0 folded during their respective winter-spring efforts — in 2019 and ’20, respectively — but the leagues sent some of their standouts to the NFL soon after. AAF alum Mike Purcell landed an extension from the Broncos not long after establishing himself as their starting nose tackle. The Panthers carried XFL quarterback P.J. Walker on their roster over the past two seasons.

Panthers HC, GM Wanted Baker Mayfield At Team’s Minicamp

July 8th, 2022 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns and Panthers engaged in trade talks for Baker Mayfield for nearly three months, and although the expected result finally emerged this week, Matt Rhule and Carolina GM Scott Fitterer wanted it to happen sooner.

Prior to Mayfield accepting a $3.5MM pay cut, with the possibility of recouping that money through incentives, the Panthers wanted the fifth-year quarterback to reduce his fully guaranteed salary by $7MM, Joe Person and Zac Jackson of The Athletic report (subscription required). Although this component of the trade caused a delay, both Rhule and Fitterer wanted this trade to be completed before the Panthers reported for minicamp.

Mayfield arriving ahead of Carolina’s minicamp would have given him more time to begin learning new OC Ben McAdoo‘s playbook, and the four-year Browns starter being at Panther minicamp obviously would have begun his competition with Sam Darnold earlier. Panthers owner David Tepper, however, was determined not to overpay for a “depressed asset,” with Person and Jackson adding the fifth-year Panthers owner being “dug in” led to Mayfield remaining with the Browns during minicamp time.

Mayfield recently expressed frustration the Browns did not trade him ahead of minicamp, but it is now known he was aware of the situation involving the Panthers when making those comments. The Browns are covering $10.5MM of his salary; the former Heisman winner is on the Panthers’ payroll at $4.86MM. While it should be expected Mayfield prevails in his upcoming competition with Darnold, the latter has a several-month head start in McAdoo’s offense — including on-field work at OTAs and minicamp. Mayfield has shown far more than Darnold on the field, and while that might win out, the timing of this trade did not do the newcomer any favors.

Carolina’s hopes at a $7MM pay cut became a non-starter for Mayfield, but Person and Jackson note the quarterback’s agent and Panthers VP of football administration Samir Suleiman worked out the $3.5MM incentive package. That made the 27-year-old passer more amenable to reducing the fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary.

The Browns initially sought a Day 2 pick for Mayfield — an asking price similar to the 49ers’ early Jimmy Garoppolo goal — and did hold talks with other teams about the quarterback, but the Panthers were the only serious suitor. The Colts, whom Mayfield eyed after the Browns entered the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, quickly landed Matt Ryan. The Seahawks did not make a “real trade inquiry,” per The Athletic.

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