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Month: November 2024

Raiders, TE Darren Waller Progressing On Extension?

September 7th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Waller‘s contract issue has moved closer to the forefront recently. The Pro Bowl Raiders tight end changed agencies and returned to practice, ending multiweek stretch of inactivity. A contract resolution could follow.

The Raiders and Waller are believed to be moving closer to an extension agreement, one the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore notes could be finalized this week (Twitter link). Waller is tied to a 2022 base salary of $6.25MM; that amount becomes guaranteed shortly before the Raiders’ Week 1 game against the Chargers. Two seasons remain on his contract.

Now with Drew Rosenhaus, Waller switching agents appeared to signal he was not fine with tabling contract talks to 2023 — the final year of his current Raiders deal. The Raiders potentially waiting a year to address Waller’s below-market deal emerged as viable scenario earlier this summer. Considering where Waller’s contract has fallen among tight ends since he signed it in 2019, it is unsurprising the matter became a bigger issue ahead of Week 1.

“Whether it goes one way or it doesn’t, I’ll be playing football,” Waller said, via Bonsignore, of extension talks. “There’s not really a lot of things I can control. I have faith in my representation.”

Waller, 30 next week, made sure to credit his previous agency — Klutch Sports — but said it was “time to go in a different direction.” After the team rewarded every other key principal in its passing attack this offseason, via extensions for Davante Adams, Derek Carr and Hunter Renfrow, it remains interesting Waller resides in this position.

A $16MM-per-year price is believed to have come up during Waller’s negotiations this year. That should not surprise, given Waller’s contributions to the Raiders and Renfrow having agreed to a $16MM-AAV extension earlier this year. The free agency deals less productive tight ends Will Dissly, C.J. Uzomah and Logan Thomas signed earlier this year bumped Waller’s $7.6MM-per-year accord down to 17th among tight end AAV.

Waller joins Travis Kelce and George Kittle as the only active tight ends with two 1,000-yard seasons on their resumes. This year’s receiver-market boom has left tight ends as a whole undervalued, but Kelce and Kittle (tied to a market-topping $15MM average salary) have already cashed in. Waller, who is going into his fourth Raiders season, has not. At least, not on the level his top contemporaries have.

As for Waller’s status for the Raiders’ Week 1 game against the Chargers, he confirmed he will be available. Waller missed much of training camp with a hamstring injury — a malady some connected to a potential hold-in effort — but he said the early-camp injury issue was legitimate. Waller missed six games last season, mostly due to an ankle injury.

Giants WR Darius Slayton Accepts Pay Cut

September 7th, 2022 at 8:47am CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored as a departure candidate for months, Darius Slayton was on the Giants’ 53-man roster last week. But the team excusing the fourth-year wide receiver from its Tuesday practice injected more uncertainty into this situation.

Wednesday morning, however, brought some clarity. He is accepting a pay cut, Newsday’s Tom Rock tweets. Slayton agreed to reduce his salary from $2.54MM to a league-minimum (for players with his service time) $965K. Although this creates nearly $2MM in cap space for the Giants, Rock adds Slayton, who will return to practice Wednesday, can earn some of his money back through incentives.

This transaction essentially erases the raise he was due on a proven performance escalator. Slayton’s fifth-round salary had climbed to the $2.54MM mark after he played at least 35% of the Giants’ offensive snaps over his first three seasons. It will be interesting to see if he gets there this year.

This is far from the most notable cap-related move to come out of Giants headquarters this week, as their Leonard Williams restructure created nearly $12MM in space and changed their post-2022 math with the highly paid defensive lineman. But it does affect the roster status of a player who led the team in receiving in each of his first two seasons.

A former fifth-round pick, Slayton totaled 1,491 receiving yards from 2019-20. From a star-studded draft class, that total ranks fourth — ahead of both Deebo Samuel and Marquise Brown — in that span. But the Auburn alum totaled just 339 yards (on 26 receptions) last season. The Giants’ offense cratered in 2021, which saw QB Daniel Jones miss extensive time and OC Jason Garrett and HC Joe Judge being fired, but the team had added Kenny Golladay in free agency and used a first-round pick on Kadarius Toney. This year’s second-round selection of Wan’Dale Robinson further affected Slayton’s status.

After averaging north of 15 yards per catch as a deep threat from 2019-20, Slayton was shopped during the draft and used as a backup throughout the offseason. That is expected to be his 2022 role under Brian Daboll. In addition to the Golladay-Toney-Robinson-Sterling Shepard quartet, the Giants kept two other receivers — David Sills and Richie James — on their 53-man roster.

Slayton may still be a trade chip, with the salary reduction potentially increasing the likelihood of an in-season move. Interest emerged before last week’s roster-cutdown deadline. For now, the veteran remains on a Giants team full of notable receiver investments — but one whose passing-game pecking order under Daboll remains fairly unknown.

Raiders WR Davante Adams On Trade Request, Packers Exit

September 6th, 2022 at 10:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

After years of Davante Adams–Derek Carr reunion rumors, the Raiders made that happen this year by completing a tag-and-trade transaction with the Packers. Rejoining his ex-Fresno State teammate, Adams will begin play on his five-year, $140MM contract this week.

The ninth-year wide receiver had already confirmed the Packers offered more money to keep him. Despite that, Adams requested to be traded out of Green Bay, according to Tim Keown of ESPN.com.

“The time came where I had to think about my overall life and happiness,” Adams said, via Keown. “Where do I want my kids to grow up? I love Green Bay, but I’m a West Coast dude and a lot of family — especially my grandparents — haven’t been able to see me play in close to a decade of playing pro ball. It’s all the same people that’s coming — and it’s not a whole lot.”

An East Palo Alto, Calif., native, Adams played with Carr at Fresno State from 2012-13. The two had discussed a reunion at various points — one coming in 2017, before Adams signed a $14MM-per-year extension to stay in Green Bay — but Carr called Adams shortly after the Raiders’ wild-card loss to the Bengals, Keown adds. Classifying his 2022 recruitment of Adams “egregious,” Carr said something to the effect of, “Hey, whenever you’re ready, I’m ready. Let’s figure this thing out” to his former college teammate ahead of the Packers’ divisional-round game against the 49ers. Carr’s recruitment of Adams, who was set for free agency before the Packers tagged him, continued between the Packers’ playoff loss and the March trade.

Aaron Rodgers discussed his pitch for Adams to stay earlier this year, but Keown notes the four-time MVP told Adams his time in Green Bay was nearing its conclusion and the wideout needed to make his own choice about his long-term NFL future. Although Adams added, “it is not like I orchestrated this; nothing like that,” the Packers accommodated the wide receiver’s wishes to be moved. It was known Las Vegas was his preferred destination.

The trade sent Adams out of the NFC, freed up some funds (Green Bay re-signed both De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas this offseason) and provided first- and second-round picks (used on linebacker Quay Walker and to move up for wide receiver Christian Watson).

The Raiders have Carr signed through the 2025 season, via the three-year, $141.5MM extension agreed to in April. While a narrow 2023 window exists for the Raiders to escape the extension comes after Super Bowl LVII — $40.5MM (his 2023 base salary and part of his ’24 base) is due on Feb. 15 — the Carr-Adams connection reforming makes it highly unlikely the Raiders would bail on this pairing after one season. Las Vegas also has Hunter Renfrow signed through 2024.

Buccaneers Rumors: CBs, OL, RBs, Mason

September 6th, 2022 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

In line with reports we’ve been following all summer, it appears that Tampa Bay cornerback Jamel Dean has seized the starting job opposite Carlton Davis, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. Dean was battling it out with Sean Murphy-Bunting who has held a starting role for much of his young career with the Buccaneers but whose injuries last season left the door open for Dean to make a run for the position. Recent reports seemed to indicate that Dean had the inside track on the starting role, but Auman was able to confirm it.

It was also discussed recently that if Murphy-Bunting was unable to win the job, he would only be able to come on the field in a backup capacity, since the Buccaneers would prefer to man three safeties in their nickel package this year. In nickel packages, Tampa Bay will use Davis and Dean on the outside with safeties Antoine Winfield, Logan Ryan, and Mike Edwards manning the rest of the secondary.

Head coach Todd Bowles spelled out the situation for Murphy-Bunting after awarding the starting job to Dean, saying that “he doesn’t plan on rotating his outside corners,” meaning that Murphy-Bunting’s playing time will largely come as a sub in both base and nickel packages.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of central Florida, starting with some more news on the depth chart:

  • After a frustrating offseason that saw Tampa Bay offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs deal with a postseason ankle injury, and an oblique strain once his ankle had healed, the 23-year-old finally got some good news. After he practiced the last two days, Bowles told the media that Wirfs was trending towards being able to play in Week 1, according to Andrew Crane of the Tampa Bay Times. Another youngster should be joining Wirfs on the line as rookie second-round pick Luke Goedeke is in line to start at right guard for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay doesn’t really have much of a choice with Aaron Stinnie and Ryan Jensen on injured reserve, but Goedeke will get an early opportunity to prove his draft-stock.
  • Despite his lack of experience against elite talent, rookie running back Rachaad White is drawing elite comparisons. The smooth, patient running-style that has drawn comparisons to such standouts as Marcus Allen, Edgerrin James, and Le’Veon Bell, has elevated White above Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Giovani Bernard on the depth chart, according to Auman. Tampa Bay realized that potential talent when they drafted him in the third round and they’ll hope to see some of those comparisons make their way into football games.
  • Tampa Bay got a little bit of breathing room in their cap space today as starting guard Shaq Mason agreed to restructure his contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The renegotiated deal will free up over $6MM against the cap this season for the Buccaneers.

Ravens Rumors: Stanley, Powers, Jackson, Fackrell

September 6th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Despite being activated off the team’s physically unable to perform list ten days ago, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley had not been practicing with the team. That changed today as the former All-Pro returned to practice, according to a tweet from the team’s Twitter account.

Stanley is still attempting to come all the way back from an ankle injury suffered back in 2020. The blindside starter for Baltimore started in Week 1 last season despite feeling rushed to return to the lineup, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Stanley finished the game but would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing season-ending surgery for his ankle.

“It’s going to be in terms of when they tell us, and when he feels like he wants to get out there and do it,” head coach John Harbaugh said to the media last week concerning Stanley’s return. “He knows his ankle, and I know that Ronnie is very determined to be really at his very best when he comes back. That’s kind of part of his thinking on it. So, I trust him with it. I know he’s going to do the right thing and be out there as soon as he can.”

Stanley’s return to the practice field is a great sign but may not mean that he’ll be available in Week 1. Harbaugh also told the media that, ideally, he’d like players coming back from major injuries to have two to three weeks of practice before they play in a game, but, if he is truly serious about leaving in up to Stanley, the Ravens may get their star tackle back in time to face the Jets. In the event he doesn’t return on September 11, last year’s free agent addition, Ja’Wuan James, is listed as Stanley’s backup on the newly released depth chart.

Here a few other rumors coming out of Charm City, starting with another note about the offensive line depth chart:

  • On the Ravens’ depth chart that was released today, the supposed winner of a position battle was unveiled. The starting left guard on the depth chart is listed as Ben Powers. Powers has been with the Ravens since getting drafted in the fourth-round in 2019. In those three years, Powers has appeared in 30 games, starting 19. He became a full-time starter for the Ravens last season after the team had to reshuffle the offensive line when Stanley got surgery after Week 1. He started the next 12 games before missing the last four games with a foot injury. Then-rookie third-round pick Ben Cleveland filled in for Powers in those four games at left guard and was expected to push him for a starting role this offseason. Additionally, Ravens’ sixth-man Patrick Mekari was available to step in, in case either Powers or Cleveland couldn’t take hold of the starting job.
  • More of the same is being reported in regards to the contract situation surrounding Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Harbaugh reiterated that there has not been a single discussion hinting that Jackson would hold out and not play this season with a new deal. Neither party “has ever hinted at any animosity in negotiations” and, reportedly, Jackson remains “focused on the season.” Harbaugh explained, “He’s hopeful to get a new contract and we’re hopeful to get him a new contract. All the rest of it is business. There is nothing other than coming to something that is mutually agreeable.”
  • The Ravens worked out veteran linebacker Kyler Fackrell on Labor Day, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Fackrell spent Tuesday with the team, as well, as the team was able to sign him to their practice squad, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Fackrell has started games for the Packers, Giants, and Chargers throughout his six years in the league, having his best season in 2018 when he racked up 10.5 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss in Green Bay. Fackrell was placed on the Raiders’ season-ending injured reserve in late-July before being released a month later, so Fackrell joins rookie second-round pick David Ojabo as a pass rusher with whom the Ravens are being patient.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/22

September 6th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/6/22

September 6th, 2022 at 6:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Eagles Place T Andre Dillard On IR

September 6th, 2022 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andre Dillard‘s latest injury — a broken forearm — will cost him at least four weeks. The Eagles placed the veteran tackle on IR Tuesday. It might take more than the minimum timetable for the team’s swing tackle to return.

The fourth-year blocker was scheduled to undergo surgery today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A four- to six-week recovery period is expected. Dillard lost his left tackle spot to Jordan Mailata long ago, but the former first-round pick still provides depth for the Eagles.

This is familiar territory for Dillard, whom the Eagles traded up for in the 2019 draft. The Washington State product, who was once Jason Peters‘ blindside heir apparent, missed the entire 2020 season due to a biceps tear and suffered a knee sprain during Philadelphia’s 2021 training camp. The Eagles passed on his fifth-year option in May.

When healthy, Dillard has shown enough for the Eagles to keep him around. The team resisted trade overtures ahead of the 2021 deadline, after having seen Dillard hold his own at left tackle during Mailata’s time sidelined with an MCL sprain. Dillard made five starts last season and rated as a midlevel tackle, per Pro Football Focus.

Mailata and Lane Johnson are entrenched as Philly’s tackle starters, but Dillard — once he returns from his latest setback — stands to provide nice insurance. Johnson has missed 17 games over the past three seasons, making said insurance essential for the Eagles. For a stretch without Johnson last season, the Eagles slid Mailata to the right side and kept Dillard at his natural spot. Dillard seeing more time in relief this year could create an interesting free agent market come 2023. Of course, the former No. 22 overall pick will likely have to stay healthy upon returning from the arm injury for such a market to form.

Falcons Shopped Matt Ryan Before Deshaun Watson Decision; Team Expected To Land Watson

September 6th, 2022 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Matt Ryan trade buzz picked up in the days following Deshaun Watson‘s decision to waive his no-trade for the Browns, but the Falcons had begun discussing its 14-year quarterback with teams before Watson committed.

As the Falcons pursued Watson, they shopped Ryan, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports (subscription required). This came as most among the Falcons assumed the embattled Texans quarterback “was theirs.” Watson is from Georgia and spent time as a Falcons ball boy as a child.

This gibes with what came out in March, when a report indicated Watson was speaking with free agents — Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette among them — about joining him in Atlanta. Jadeveon Clowney later said he would probably have signed with the Falcons had Watson chosen to waive his no-trade clause to be dealt to Atlanta. The Falcons were also competing with the Panthers and Saints for Watson, but on the night before the trade went down, the Falcons had expected to land the Pro Bowl quarterback. The Browns’ fully guaranteed $230MM contract — a price point that pushed the Falcons and Panthers to stand down — changed everything.

Prior to Watson’s Cleveland choice, Falcons assistant GM Ryan Smith contacted Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds regarding Ryan interest, Keefer adds, and Colts brass then watched every Ryan game from 2020-21 as they determined if he would be a fit. The Colts had agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Commanders on March 9, leaving them without a clear-cut option for a stretch. They had also held discussions with Jameis Winston, with Baker Mayfield showing interest in Indianapolis. The Falcons and Colts agreed to terms on a Ryan trade — which sent a third-round pick to Atlanta for the former MVP — March 21.

Ryan, now 37, did his own homework on the Colts, calling Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers to gain intel on, respectively, the organization and Frank Reich‘s offense. Other teams were also interested in Ryan, per Keefer, but the Falcons wanted to send their longtime franchise cornerstone to a destination he preferred.

Despite Watson choosing the Browns as the Colts shopped Ryan, the Falcons stayed the course on a trade by continuing negotiations. On the Colts’ end, Jim Irsay, who had a few negative things to say about Wentz this offseason, instructed GM Chris Ballard to complete the trade. Shortly after the Falcons sent Ryan to the Colts, they signed ex-Arthur Smith Titans charge Marcus Mariota. While third-round pick Desmond Ridder should be expected to make starts for the rebuilding team this season, Mariota will begin the campaign as Atlanta’s starter.

The Colts, whose issues with Wentz began during the 2021 offseason, have been pleased with Ryan thus far. They are eyeing at least a two-year partnership. This would stop a revolving QB door for the Colts, who are about to the join the Broncos and Commanders in starting a different Week 1 QB in each of the past six seasons. Ryan’s contract, which handed the Falcons an NFL-record $40MM dead-money charge, has since been restructured. It checks in with $18.7MM (2022) and $35.2MM (’23) cap numbers.

Colts Bring Back RB Phillip Lindsay

September 6th, 2022 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Phillip Lindsay was not part of the Colts’ initial 53-man roster, but the team still has the former 1,000-yard rusher in its plans. The veteran back returned to the team on a practice squad deal Tuesday.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the NFL to expand its taxi squads to 16 players (up to six vested veterans), vets have increasingly been added as stashes. Lindsay, a Colts cut last week, is the latest accomplished performer to land on a P-squad. He gives the Colts an option behind Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines and Deon Jackson.

Indianapolis cutting Jackson, a 2021 UDFA, would have exposed him to waivers. Lindsay has sufficient service time to pass to free agency. Signed midway through the offseason, Lindsay is on his fourth NFL team. The former Broncos UDFA addition spent the 2021 season with the Texans and Dolphins.

Going into his age-28 season, Lindsay has seen his value dip since his Denver days. The only UDFA in NFL history to begin his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Lindsay went from 2020 Broncos extension talks to being moved out of his starting role once the team gave Melvin Gordon an $8MM-per-year deal in March of that year. The Broncos then rescinded a Lindsay low-end RFA tender in 2021, leading him to Houston.

Lindsay rushed for just 249 yards with the Texans and Dolphins last season (2.8 per carry), though neither team’s offensive line was particularly good in 2021. The Colts would seemingly offer a better setup, but the fifth-year veteran will not be in an immediate position to contribute. The Colts now have two running backs on their P-squad; Lindsay joins rookie UDFA D’Vonte Price.

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