HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Latest On Diontae Johnson

July 29th, 2022 at 10:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Yesterday saw another high-profile wideout from the 2019 class sign a massive extension, turning attention even further to Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson. He could be the next in line to secure a new contract, and knowing that, he has mostly been a spectator so far at training camp. 

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic notes that the former third-rounder has been essentially ‘holding-in’ since his arrival at camp (subscription required). The reason for doing so, of course, is the fact that he has one year remaining on his rookie contract and is aiming for a significant raise on a multi-year pact.

The WR market has erupted this offseason, with $20MM-per-season deals becoming the new benchmark at the position, especially for players in their prime. At 25, Johnson has been expected to land a contract similar to those signed by D.J. Moore (three years, $61.884MM) and Mike Williams (three years, $60MM) in recent months, which would rank him below 2019 classmates A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf and Terry McLaurin.

However, it was reported earlier this month that the Steelers – whose top remaining priority is establishing Johnson’s financial future, having already done so with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick – are not expected to offer the 25-year-old an extension averaging $20MM-per-annum. That has left both parties in their current situation, and fuelled speculation that the 2022 campaign will be Johnson’s last in Pittsburgh.

Kaboly adds that Johnson “does want to remain a Steeler,” but also that the player is “unsure” at this point if contract talks are ongoing. The Steelers rank towards the top of the league in terms cap space both this year and, more importantly, next. Johnson is in line to once again operate as Pittsburgh’s top pass-catcher, though the franchise has a history of letting wideouts leave in free agency when signing their second contracts, and added George Pickens and Calvin Austin III in this year’s draft.

Another season of increased production would give Johnson consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns and boost his free agent value. Whether or not he will be on the field in the build-up to the season, and where he will be playing in 2023, though, remain very much in question at this point.

Chase Young Expected To Miss Start Of Regular Season

July 29th, 2022 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top storylines in Washington this offseason has been the progress defensive end Chase Young makes as he continues to recover from a torn ACL. The injury kept him sidelined during the spring, and, as expected, has landed him on the PUP list to start training camp. His Week 1 availability is now very much in question as well. 

Head coach Ron Rivera said, via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, that the 23-year-old is “probably going to miss a little bit of time” to start the regular season. He added that Young’s ACL tear is “a little more severe” than that suffered by tight end Logan Thomas, who is himself likely to miss the opening few games of the campaign.

“Chase and I had a conversation,” Rivera continued, “and I said, ‘Look, don’t push yourself. This is not just about this season, but it’s also about the future.'” Referencing the setbacks felt by Curtis Samuel after the Commanders tried to bring him back early, Rivera also said, “what we’ve done, we’ve backed up, looked at everybody, and said, ‘hey, we know there is a timeframe that you say look, OK, this is when we’ll get this guy back.’ But we’ve got to be really careful with [Young] just because of who he is for us.”

The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year was limited to nine games last year, one which saw him fall short of his statistical performance the season prior with just 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss. Young will have lofty expectations upon his return, but if the Commanders place him on IR to start the campaign, he will be sidelined for at least four games. The progress he makes in the coming weeks will thus be worth closely monitoring.

Kyler Murray Addresses Independent Study Contract Clause

July 28th, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

8:15pm: And like that, the clause is no more. Rapoport tweets that the Cardinals have removed the “independent study” clause in Murray’s contract.

“After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,” the Cardinals said in a statement (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). “It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract.”

1:25pm: In making Kyler Murray the NFL’s second-highest-paid quarterback, the Cardinals included an independent study clause in his contract. The strange inclusion mandates the fourth-year passer watch at least four hours of film on his own per week during the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Understandably, this unusual mandate has generated more attention than the five-year, $230.5MM deal itself. Addressing this matter Thursday, Murray said questions about his film-study habits are “disrespectful” and “almost a joke,” via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (all Twitter links).

“There’s multiple different ways to watch film. Of course we all watch film. That doesn’t need to be questioned,” Murray said, before declining to answer questions related to the film clause. “I refuse to let my work ethic and my preparation be in question. I’ve put in an incomprehensible amount of time in what I do, whether it’s football or baseball.”

Murray himself has admitted in the past he is unlikely to be a top-tier film studier among quarterbacks, making comments to the New York Times about his habits. Given his importance to the franchise, this December 2021 stance may well have been a factor for the Cardinals during their offseason negotiations.

“I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens,” Murray said, via NYT’s Ben Shpigel, last year. “I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don’t sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much.”

The two-time Pro Bowler declined to say if he was mad about this film-study component of his contract, but the Cardinals going so far as to include it their highest-profile extension reveals at least some level of hesitancy about the dual-threat passer’s commitment. This is not the first piece of atypical language in a Murray contract. His rookie deal protected the Cardinals against a return to baseball, a sport he was ticketed to play — as a top-10 Oakland Athletics draftee — before his 2018 Heisman-winning season changed his career course. That transition has now led to Murray securing a monster extension — one featuring $104.3MM guaranteed at signing.

It is certainly interesting that, despite the reports of the acrimony between the fourth-year QB and the Cardinals dying down, Murray has needed to address this matter after the team made this financial commitment. Generally, talk of discontent between player and team recedes in the wake of big-ticket extension agreements. But it is clear Murray, who has followed up fast starts with suboptimal end-of-season stretches in each of his Pro Bowl years, will struggle to distance himself from this story. The Cardinals, who have never authorized a contract remotely close to this neighborhood, stand to be regularly tied to this language as well.

Injury Updates: Packers, Seahawks, Jaguars, Colts, Giants

July 28th, 2022 at 10:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Packers second-round wide receiver Christian Watson was placed on the PUP before training camp opened, and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky writes that the rookie could miss a chunk of training camp. Watson continues to recover from minor knee surgery that took place following minicamp.

“I think there was kind of a thought process [of] do you want to try to push through the season and finish this after the (2022) season or should we just go ahead and do it now?” said Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said. “And we just did it now. So he’ll miss a little bit of time in camp, but it’s nothing long term.

“When we invest what we invested in Christian, we’re obviously looking out for the long term. We always do. He’s a young player who’s got a big career ahead of him, so we want to make sure we protect that. It’ll be how he responds through the rehab. As soon as he’s ready, we’ll get him out there.”

The Packers used the No. 34 pick on the rookie wideout. This naturally led to high expectations for the wideout, especially with Davante Adams out of the picture. The rookie has had only three opportunities to practice with Aaron Rodgers, and the wideout will miss out on chances to click with his QB during the early parts of training camp.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Seahawks safety Jamal Adams underwent left shoulder surgery for the second-straight year, but he also underwent multiple finger surgeries during the offseason. Adams will be sidelined for “some time” while he gets his previously-injured hand checked out, coach Pete Carroll told ESPN’s Brady Henderson (Twitter link). “Yesterday his hand just wasn’t right, so he’s getting some opinions about it,” the coach said.
  • Jaguars running back James Robinson didn’t start training camp on PUP, but he won’t be a full participant right away, tweets ESPN’s Michael DiRocco (on Twitter). The hope is that Robinson will be fully cleared to participate in games by mid-August, meaning he could be active for the start of the regular season. Robinson tore his Achilles in Week 16 of the 2021 campaign, putting his early-season availability in doubt. Meanwhile, DiRocco notes that linebacker Devin Lloyd tweaked his hamstring during a conditioning test and will be sidelined for a few days.
  • Colts All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard (previously Darius Leonard) was placed on PUP following offseason back surgery. The intent of the procedure was to relieve pressure on nerves in his back, and there was hope the surgery would also improve “functionality issues” in his left leg. Fortunately, Leonard said he immediately noticed a positive difference following the operation, and he said he’s focused on his rehab as training camp starts. “I’m not putting a timetable on it, but when I’m ready, you’ll see me on the field after that,” Leonard said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “I’m ready to continue with my rehab, I’m happy with where I’m at right now, and hopefully we’ll continue to go forward with this process.”
  • Giants wideout Sterling Shepard was placed on PUP as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the goal is for Shepard to be ready for the start of the regular season, but it’s still unclear if the receiver will be ready by then. Offensive lineman Nick Gates is also on PUP as he recovers from a lower-leg fracture suffered last September. Duggan passes along that coach Brian Daboll was “surprisingly optimistic” about the status of the OL, revealing that there’s no guarantee that Gates will be forced to miss any time.

Buccaneers Notes: Rudolph, Jones, Linebackers

July 28th, 2022 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers signed Kyle Rudolph about a month after Rob Gronkowski hung up his cleats, but Rudolph’s path to Tampa Bay started before his peer’s retirement. According to Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times, Tom Brady recruited Rudolph to the Buccaneers before Gronk announced his retirement.

Speaking to reporters today, Rudolph acknowledged that Brady’s presence and the Buccaneers’ winning culture influenced his decision to join Tampa Bay. While he’ll likely replace Gronk atop the Buccaneers’ TE depth chart, the veteran made it clear that he’s got a long way to go to replace the future Hall of Famer on the stat sheet.

“Those shoes are way too big to fill, and I’ve got pretty big feet,” Rudolph said. “I feel like there’s so much ground to make up, and I don’t have 10 years of experience with Tom to make it up. We play the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 in September, and my goal is to go out there that week and be on the same page with Tom like we have been playing together for 10 years.”

Head coach Todd Bowles shared a similar sentiment. While he noted that there’s no replacing Gronkowski’s spot on the field, he anticipates Rudolph playing an important role on this squad.

“He brings intelligence, he brings toughness, he brings savvy, and he’s played the game for a while,” Bowles said. “You’re not going to replace Gronk. We’ve got to do that in a variety of ways, whether it’s running back, the other tight ends, the receivers. … But he brings us a veteran presence, understanding the ball game and he learns fast, so he’ll help us on Sundays.”

More notes out of Tampa Bay…

  • Speaking of Rudolph, the tight end’s one-year contract contains a base pay worth $2MM, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Rudolph can make another $1.5MM in incentives, bumping the maximum value to $3.5MM. The deal includes $1.5MM in guaranteed money, and considering the commitment, Florio thinks it’s pretty clear that Rudolph will ultimately make the 53-man roster. Greg Auman of The Athletic shares details (on Twitter) of Rudolph’s incentives, which includes $375k in 46-man roster bonuses, $375k for 30 receptions, an additional $250k for 40 receptions, an additional $250k for 50 receptions, and $250k for a Pro Bowl selection.
  • Julio Jones‘ contract with the Buccaneers also contains a number of incentives. According to Auman (on Twitter), the wideout has 10 bonuses worth $200K: bonuses for each of 50/60/70/80 receptions, bonuses for each of 600/700/800/900 receiving yards, a bonus for an NFC title, and a bonus for a Super Bowl victory. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the Buccaneers included four void years on the receiver’s contract, a tactic the front office has used frequently in recent years. As a result of this move, Jones has a cap number that’s barely above $2MM.
  • Auman speculates that the Buccaneers could add an inside linebacker and an outside linebacker before the start of the season. At ILB, the team is hoping that Devin White and Lavonte David will stand out at the position, but both players have their fair share of question marks and the Buccaneers lack depth behind the duo. At OLB, the team is still seeking a replacement for Jason Pierre-Paul. 2021 first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka could ultimately be the answer opposite Shaq Barrett, but similar to the other linebacker position, Tampa Bay lacks depth behind their two starters.

Lamar Jackson Discusses Extension Negotiations

July 28th, 2022 at 8:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Much of the talk surrounding Lamar Jackson‘s ongoing negotiations with the Ravens has been based on speculation. Now, we’re hearing directly from the source. The quarterback told reporters today that he continues to negotiate a new deal with the Ravens, although he was clear that the two sides were “keeping [details] in-house.” When asked if he believed he’d ultimately agree to an extension, the quarterback expressed optimism about a deal.

[RELATED: Latest On Lamar Jackson Contract Talks]

“I think so. I think so. I think so. We’ll have to see,” Jackson said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley).

Jackson did tell reporters that he’s got a clear “cutoff” date for negotiations, so the Ravens are working against an unofficial deadline (whenever that may be, although Jackson was speaking to a question regarding Baltimore’s September 11 opener). ESPN’s Jeff Darlington tweets that we’ll get clarity on negotiations soon; either Jackson agrees to a new deal with the Ravens or he stops negotiations with a focus on the 2022 campaign. The 25-year-old is slated to earn $23MM in 2022 on the fifth-year option.

The former MVP is one of the few NFL players who doesn’t have an agent and represents himself. When asked if he thought about staging a “hold in” and avoiding on-field work during the first days of training camp, Jackson made it clear that he never considered the negotiating tactic.

“I want to win at the end of the day. I just want to be great,” Jackson said. “I just want to work with my brothers. I don’t want to leave them out there hanging. That’s not me. That’s never been me.”

At the very least, this is good news for Ravens fans, as there were some question marks surrounding Jackson’s desire to stay in Baltimore long-term. We heard earlier today that Jackson was interested in sticking around Baltimore and was discussing a new contract with the organization, although no agreement was imminent.

Seahawks, DK Metcalf Agree To Extension

July 28th, 2022 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

DK Metcalf is sticking around Seattle for the foreseeable future. The receiver has agreed to an extension with the Seahawks, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Jordan Schultz of Boardroom was first with the news (on Twitter).

The former second-round pick got a three-year extension worth $72MM, including $58.2MM guaranteed. The deal also includes a $30MM signing bonus, the largest ever for a wide receiver (per Schefter). By May 2023, Metcalf will have collected $43MM from this deal, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds.

Metcalf’s agent, Tory Dandy, finalized the deal with Seahawks GM John Schneider and exec Matt Thomas this afternoon. Interestingly, Dandy is also the agent for 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel, another star receiver from the 2019 draft who’s awaiting an extension.

Metcalf had one year remaining on his rookie contract at just under $4MM. He’ll now be signed through the 2025 campaign, allowing him to get another stab at free agency before his age-28 season. As ESPN’s Brady Henderson points out on Twitter, the Seahawks prefer longer deals when it comes to first-time extensions for players. Ultimately, Metcalf’s camp got their way, leading to a shorter extension that could have been partly inspired by fellow ’19 draft mate Terry McLaurin.

The 24-year-old Metcalf now leads the WR position in guaranteed money, topping the $56.4MM that A.J. Brown got from the Eagles. The total value of the contract ranks 10th at wide receiver (alongside Kenny Golladay and Christian Kirk), and the $24MM average annual value on the three-year extension would rank sixth at the position (tied with Stefon Diggs).

Metcalf sat out mandatory minicamp in pursuit of a new contract. This move surprised some in the organization, and it may have been a bigger shock when the receiver reported to training camp this week but staged a “hold in” while refusing to participate in drills. There seemed to be some optimism that a deal would eventually be signed, although it wasn’t expected to materialize this quickly. Now, the Seahawks will have their top offensive weapon back on the practice field as they prepare for a transitional season on offense.

It didn’t take long for Metcalf to make a name for himself in Seattle. After finishing with 900 receiving yards as a rookie, the wideout earned a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro recognition in 2020 after finishing with 83 receptions for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns. While he hauled in a career-high 12 touchdowns during the 2021 campaign, he saw a dip in his other key numbers (75 receptions, 967 yards). Still, Metcalf was listed 14th among 115 eligible receivers on Pro Football Focus’ ranking of the position.

With a pair of mainstays (Russell Wilson, Chris Carson) now out in Seattle, Metcalf will be relied on as the leader of a shaky offense. Fortunately, the receiver has had success with Geno Smith under center, at least in the red zone. In Smith’s three starts last season, Metcalf had 14 receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/22

July 28th, 2022 at 5:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jets To Sign LB Kwon Alexander

July 28th, 2022 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets had a standing offer out to Kwon Alexander, and the veteran linebacker will accept it. Alexander agreed to terms with the Jets on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year deal.

A former Buccaneers starter, Alexander has moved to the 49ers and Saints over the course of his seven-year career. The 49ers stretch is rather pertinent here, with current Jets HC Robert Saleh having coached the off-ball ‘backer during his stay as San Francisco’s DC.

Alexander, 28 next week, visited the Jets back in April. It is unclear how long the Jets’ offer has been on the table, but no other teams have been connected to the former Pro Bowler this offseason. The Saints made Alexander a cap casualty in March, and he will head to a fourth NFL organization shortly after the start of training camp.

Saleh has already signed ex-49er charges D.J. Reed and Solomon Thomas this offseason. Alexander played for the 49ers from 2019-20, though his tenure did not go so well. Given a lucrative deal to leave Tampa for San Francisco, Alexander went down with a torn pectoral muscle early in his first 49ers season. This came after an ACL tear ended his Bucs tenure midway through the 2018 season. Despite the ACL tear, the 49ers gave the ex-fourth-round pick a four-year, $54MM deal. That pact preceded the Jets’ decision to hand C.J. Mosley a market-topping — by a wide margin, at the time — five-year, $85MM pact.

The 49ers moved on with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw as their three-down linebackers, trading Alexander during the 2020 season. In New Orleans, Alexander started 15 games — including eight last season. The 2021 campaign involved more Alexander injury trouble, with an elbow injury sidelining him for an early-season stretch. He rebounded to make 50 tackles (seven for loss) and tally 3.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus graded Alexander just inside its top 50 at linebacker, though the advanced metrics site viewed him as a plus coverage ‘backer.

The Jets have Mosley and Quincy Williams poised to be their three-down linebackers, but a significant experience void existed between the full-timers and the backups. The Jets view Alexander as an option to work alongside the full-timers in base sets, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. Alexander, whose Pro Bowl nod came back in 2017, will be in position to bridge that gap and carve out a decent role for himself in New York.

Commanders WR/TE Antonio Gandy-Golden Retires

July 28th, 2022 at 3:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Antonio Gandy-Golden was in line to make a position change this season. Instead, it looks like his NFL career will end after two years. Commanders head coach Ron Rivera announced Thursday the 24-year-old has retired, via ESPN’s John Keim.

A fourth-round pick in 2020, Gandy-Golden will leave the league having played just 144 offensive snaps. A hamstring injury held him to six games in his rookie campaign, a stretch which included the only catch of his career. He was among the team’s final cuts in the buildup to last season but remained in the fold on their practice squad, eventually seeing action in four 2021 games.

Washington coaches wanted to see Gandy-Golden bulk up to 245 pounds, and according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Michael Phillips, the third-year player — whose receiver playing weight was just under 220 pounds — had gotten to 230 by OTAs. Instead of trying his hand at tight end, Gandy-Golden informed Rivera he planned to return to school to finish his degree. Gandy-Golden had majored in graphic design at Liberty.

“He was making good strides in OTA and minicamp, and he showed his ability. We felt this is a guy who could have been a matchup problem for us, so I was a little surprised,” Rivera said. “He just didn’t feel it right now. He wanted to finish his education and see what else is out there for him.“

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