HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman Participating In OTAs

May 22nd, 2023 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Rashod Bateman‘s 2022 campaign ended in November following season-ending Lisfranc foot surgery. While recovering from foot injuries is especially difficult for skill players, the Ravens wideout sounds like he’ll be ready to go for the start of the 2023 season.

As Clifton Brown of the team’s website passes along, Bateman was on the field Monday for the first day of Baltimore’s OTAs. While the team intends to bring him along the slowly, the wideout will still be attending the optional workouts as he becomes familiar with new OC Todd Monken.

The 2021 first-round pick showed his potential during his rookie campaign. While he missed the first month-plus while recovering from core muscle surgery, he still managed to finish the campaign with 46 receptions for 515 yards and one touchdown. He increased his yards-per-catch average through his first six games in 2022, collecting 285 receiving yards on 15 catches.

While Bateman hasn’t been able to put together top-end production for an entire season, the Ravens still believe the third-year wideout will be a crucial part of their offense.

“He’s going to be ready to roll stronger than ever, healthier than ever,” coach John Harbaugh said (via Brown). “Rashod’s going to have a great season. I’m a big believer in Rashod Bateman.”

Bateman will see a more crowded depth chart when he returns to the field. The Ravens added Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor before drafting Boston College’s Zay Flowers in the first round of the draft.

Browns Sign OT Dawand Jones, Wrap Draft Class Deals

May 22nd, 2023 at 5:58pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns have officially signed their entire draft class. The team announced that they’ve inked fourth-round offensive tackle Dawand Jones to his four-year rookie pact.

Jones got into 41 games across four seasons at Ohio State, including a 2022 campaign where he earned All-Big Ten honors after starting 13 games at right tackle. The lineman started 13 games at right guard in 2021, so his versatility could lead to some snaps as a backup in 2023.

The rookie probably profiles as more of an offensive tackle long-term. In Cleveland, he’ll have an opportunity to play under (and potentially supplant) All-Pro veterans Jack Conklin and Joel Bitonio.

Jones was the seventh and final of the team’s draft picks to sign. The Browns entire draft class included:

Round 3, No. 74 (from Jets): Cedric Tillman, WR (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 3, No. 98: Siaki Ika, DT (Baylor) (signed)
Round 4, No. 111: Dawand Jones, OT (Ohio State)
Round 4, No. 126 (from Vikings): Isaiah McGuire, DE (Missouri) (signed)
Round 5, No. 140 (from Rams): Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 142: Cameron Mitchell, CB (Northwestern) (signed)
Round 6, No. 190: Luke Wypler, C (Ohio State) (signed)

Chargers Expect Austin Ekeler At Minicamp

May 22nd, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Austin Ekeler did not turn up for the Chargers’ initial OTA session Monday, though that is not exactly a surprise. The standout running back, as ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry notes) has made a recent habit of skipping voluntary workouts, but his offseason trade request does make this absence a bit more notable.

That said, the Chargers have long held the line they want Ekeler back this season. Unlike the murkier Dalvin Cook and Joe Mixon situations, Ekeler is firmly in the Bolts’ plans for 2023. Brandon Staley said Monday he expects the league’s two-time reigning touchdown leader to show for minicamp in June.

Players can be fined nearly $100K for not being at minicamp. While that is a drop in the bucket for a player with Ekeler’s earning history, minicamps do generally feature 100% attendance. A few players bucked this trend last year, and it will be interesting to see if Ekeler follows suit. The Chargers gave the seventh-year back permission to speak to teams regarding a trade in March, and the TD kingpin’s contract is out of step with his value.

Ekeler, who turned 28 last week, is attached to the four-year, $24.5MM contract he signed in 2020. One season remains on that deal. The Chargers have not done especially well to acquire reliable Ekeler backups during his time as the team’s unquestioned lead back. The Bolts did not make a notable addition to their backfield this offseason, either, keeping Ekeler (38 TDs from 2021-22) a vital presence for the AFC’s Los Angeles franchise.

The Bolts gave their UDFA success story his extension shortly before letting Melvin Gordon walk in free agency in 2020. At the time, Ekeler had not been a true full-time presence in L.A. A 2015 first-round Chargers pick, Gordon served as the team’s primary back — save for a 2019 holdout — during his rookie contract. The Chargers did well to lock down Ekeler to a $6.13MM-per-year deal, but that contract has plummeted to 13th at the position. Although Ekeler bizarrely has not made a Pro Bowl — his well-crafted 2022 ad campaign notwithstanding — he certainly has a case to be called a top-five running back due to his receiving contributions.

This year’s market did not treat backs well, due to the supply-and-demand issue caused by ball carriers’ diminishing status and the flood of starter-caliber players hitting free agency, but several have on extensions in the recent past. Seven eight-figure-per-year RB deals remain on teams’ books, and Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard received $10.1MM franchise tags in March. Tepid Ekeler trade interest is believed to have emerged following his trade ask, which came after stalled extension talks. Teams have largely stocked their backfields for 2023.

The 2020 CBA effectively deterred training camp holdouts, upping fines to a non-waivable $50K per day (for players on non-rookie deals) once camp begins. Although Ekeler does not need to worry about the accrued-season component of the CBA’s language pertaining to training camp absences, he would risk losing considerable cash by staying away once camp begins. A “hold in” measure — an increasingly popular move for disgruntled players in 2020s — could become a consideration, should this stalemate continue into August. The Chargers would certainly miss Ekeler’s presence, with few backs capable of his performance level.

The Chargers have two $20MM-per-year wide receivers (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams), and Justin Herbert is due a monster extension. Though, whopping Herbert cap numbers are unlikely to emerge until around Year 3 of his expected extension. As minicamp nears, however, Ekeler remains attached to a contract he has outplayed.

Bills Re-Sign S Dean Marlowe

May 22nd, 2023 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills’ safety retention effort continues. Dean Marlowe, who returned to Buffalo via trade at last year’s deadline, agreed to terms to stay. He signed a one-year deal Monday, according to the team.

Marlowe came back to the Bills just more than a month after Micah Hyde‘s season-ending injury and became a starter following Damar Hamlin‘s terrifying January injury. The Bills are running it back with Hyde, the recently re-signed Jordan Poyer, Hamlin and Marlowe in 2023.

Initially signed during Brandon Beane‘s first free agency period as GM, in 2018, Marlowe spent three years in Buffalo. He left for a Detroit free agency deal in 2021 and signed with Atlanta last year. But the Falcons traded Marlowe back to the Bills on deadline day, when the AFC East champions also acquired Nyheim Hines.

Marlowe, 30, played one defensive snap during his first two months back in Buffalo. But the Bills needed him following Hamlin’s cardiac arrest scene. The Bills turned to Marlowe as a full-time starter against the Patriots in Week 18 and in both their playoff contests. Marlowe intercepted a pass in Buffalo’s narrow wild-card win over Miami.

The Bills have employed their Hyde-Poyer safety tandem for six seasons now, and Poyer’s two-year, $12.5MM deal will bring a seventh season of this pair working together. Marlowe served as a top backup for the Bills from 2018-20, starting seven games during that span. Hamlin’s progress will obviously be worth monitoring as the season approaches, but the inspirational defender has received full clearance. If Hamlin indeed returns to game action as expected, he is expected to be the Bills’ top safety reserve — as he was last season. Marlowe, however, provides additional depth for an injury-plagued unit and a seasoned special teams presence. Marlowe saw action on 75% of the Falcons’ ST snaps before being traded.

Although the Bills let Tremaine Edmunds walk in free agency — via a Bears pact for top-five off-ball linebacker money — they have brought back several pieces on defense this offseason. Poyer, Marlowe, Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson signed deals to stay in Western New York. The Bills ranked second in points allowed last season.

DeAndre Hopkins Absent From Cardinals OTAs

May 22nd, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top NFL storylines which has yet to be resolved this offseason is the future of DeAndre Hopkins. In the latest update on his situation, the Cardinals wideout indicated that he is not currently with the team for the beginning of organized team activities, while keeping his intentions relatively vague regarding his chances of remaining in Arizona.

During an appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast, Hopkins revealed that he is currently working out on his own in Toronto (video link). That makes him one of what will no doubt be several veterans around the league who will be away from their respective teams during OTAs, a phase of the offseason which is primarily geared toward acclimation for younger players or new arrivals.

“Phoenix is home,” the three-time All-Pro said, via team reporter Darren Urban. “It’s where I have been the last three years… Working out there, there’s no emphasis other than that’s where I live. It’s not me going on a campaign. It’s just me working out.”

Hopkins has been the source of trade speculation throughout the offseason, with the Cardinals seemingly headed for a rebuild and his contract representing a potential cap burden. A trade sending him to a contending team – particularly in the AFC – coupled with Arizona retaining some of Hopkins’ compensation would have come as little surprise around the draft in particular. However, general manager Monti Ossenfort made clear his intention of retaining the 30-year-old last month.

Hopkins, who has dealt with time lost due to injuries and a PED suspension in recent years, has fallen well short of denying an interest in playing elsewhere in 2023 and beyond. The latter issue voided his no-trade clause, leaving the door open to him suiting up for a third career team at some point down the road. He used his most recent remarks to again praise his current employers, though, going into detail about the factors he is most concerned with entering the latter stages of his career.

“What I want is stable management upstairs, that’s something I haven’t really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona,” he said. “A QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him, not just himself but everybody around him… and a great defense.”

While the degree to which the Cardinals check off those boxes is certainly debatable, Hopkins’ other comments again pointed to him remaining in the desert for the coming season. Interest from outside teams likely won’t die down, however, meaning his future remains in the air at this point.

Falcons Sign WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

May 22nd, 2023 at 12:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons have made another depth addition to their receiver room. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside has signed a deal with Atlanta, the team announced on Monday.

Arcega-Whiteside visited the Falcons recently, and it has now resulted in a contract. This deal will give the former Eagles second-rounder another opportunity to rebuild his value, after his first three seasons in the NFL resulted in underwhelming production. Arcega-Whiteside’s best season to date came as a rookie, with 169 yards and one touchdown on 10 catches.

Since then, the 26-year-old saw his playing time drop considerably in each of the past two seasons. The Eagles experimented with moving him to tight end, but his time in Philadelphia appeared to be numbered regardless of the role he occupied. In August, he was traded to the Seahawks, a move which could have allowed him to find his footing in a new offense.

However, the Stanford product was among Seattle’s final roster cuts, and spent the beginning of the campaign on their practice squad. After failing to make any appearances in the Emerald City, he was released in November. It came as little surprise that Arcega-Whiteside was left on the market deep into the offseason, with a number of other pass-catching options available for teams via the free agent and draft routes.

In Atlanta, he will join a receiving corps which is topped by 2022 first-rounder Drake London, but which has also seen a number of moves this offseason. Atlanta has added veterans Mack Hollins, Scotty Miller and Penny Hart in 2023. They will help fill the void left by the departures of Olamide Zaccheaus and Damiere Byrd. Arcega-Whiteside will look to earn a spot near the bottom of the team’s WR depth chart, with his size (6-2, 225) and blocking ability potentially giving him a path to a role on what should be one of the league’s most run-heavy offenses.

In a corresponding move, the Falcons have placed fellow receiver Jared Bernhardt on the reserve/retired list. The 25-year-old made just two appearances with Atlanta last season after dealing with injury for much of the campaign.

Eagles Sign First-Round LB Nolan Smith

May 22nd, 2023 at 10:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Both of the Eagles’ first-round picks in the 2023 draft are now officially on the books. The team announced on Monday that they have signed edge rusher Nolan Smith to his four-year rookie deal.

Smith was one of multiple former Georgia defenders to be selected by the Eagles this year, joining fellow first-rounder Jalen Carter and fourth-round corner Kelee Ringo in that regard. With Smith now signed, only the latter has yet to ink his first NFL deal out of Philadelphia’s seven-man class.

Smith was a consistent contributor on the Bulldogs’ vaunted defense, a unit which was key in leading the team to consecutive national championships. The 6-3, 235-pounder’s best season came in 2021, when he totaled 4.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. Those figures fell slightly to three and seven, respectively, last year. Smith still found himself squarely on the first-round radar given his skillset against the pass and run.

A very strong performance at the Combine led many to believe he would be one of the top edge rushers to hear his name called on draft night. Instead, Smith fell to the No. 30 slot before the Eagles added him to a draft class which already included Carter, the class’ top defensive tackle. The latter was the draft’s most polarizing figure, but Smith will join the Eagles with one of the safest floors in the class given the praise he has received on and off the field.

Size was raised as a potential concern for Smith, though his frame has yielded Haason Reddick comparisons. The veteran enjoyed a highly successful first campaign in Philadelphia last season, recording 16 sacks and a league-leading five forced fumbles. Reddick will once again be a key member of the Eagles’ pass rush, though they had several contributors in 2022 en route to registering 69 regular season sacks.

Smith will look to carve out a role alongside Reddick and the likes of Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat in his rookie season. With Graham likely nearing the end of his career, an increased role could emerge for Smith down the road, but in the immediate future he will join a deep edge rushing group aiming to repeat the Eagles’ success from last year.

Latest On Colts Investigation Into Commanders’ Andrew Luck Inquiry

May 22nd, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this month, the prospect of tampering charges being levied against the Commanders for their potential interest in Andrew Luck in the 2022 offseason was raised. Now, however, no further action appears set to take place.

Washington reportedly showed interest in the former Colts quarterback last offseason as part of their attempt to land a veteran passer, an effort which ultimately yielded a trade for Carson Wentz. With Luck still under contract to Indianapolis, though, they would need to be made aware of any conversations interested teams had in bringing the former No. 1 pick out of retirement.

The Colts began an investigation into the specifics of conversations Washington had regarding Luck, though it was reported almost immediately thereafter that no one from the Commanders made any direct contact with him. Despite a very public response from Colts owner Jim Irsay on the situation, it was thus expected that little (if anything) would come of the matter with respect to league discipline.

Indeed, Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post report that a lack of hard evidence tying the Commanders to Luck means this situation is likely to “fade away.” That represents a stark contrast to recent history on the tampering front; the Dolphins were docked a first- and third-round pick among other punishments last year for inappropriate negotiations with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, while the Cardinals and Eagles worked out a swap of draft picks to resolve the process by which Jonathan Gannon became Arizona’s head coach.

Despite the fact that the league “does not appear” to have investigated the Luck situation, per the Post, ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes that the Colts are now satisfied with the matter. Holder confirms that the Commanders “never spoke to Luck or anyone in his immediate circle,” meaning no violation of the league’s anti-tampering policy occurred.

With Luck still fully expected to remain retired, as he has been since 2019, this situation coming to a close without further incident will allow both teams to move forward in their chosen directions under center. With Wentz having been released, the Commanders have committed to 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell as their starter, while the Colts believe they have their long-term answer at the position in the form of Anthony Richardson, selected fourth overall in this year’s draft.

Ravens, QB Josh Johnson Agree To Deal

May 22nd, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Johnson has once again landed a new deal with a familiar team. The journeyman quarterback is signing with the Ravens for a third time, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

Johnson, 37, has been a member of an NFL-record 14 teams over the span of his career, also spending time in the UFL, AAF and XFL along the way. His previous stints in Baltimore came in 2016 and 2021; it was during the latter campaign that he made his only start as a Raven. Given the team’s current depth chart, it would come as a surprise if he were to see any game action this time around.

Baltimore has Lamar Jackson on the books for the next five years after they brought his contract saga to an end earlier this offseason. That will allow the team to move forward with certainty at the top of the depth chart, but the former MVP has been sidelined to close out the season in each of the past two years. That leaves their backup and third-string options a point of interest.

The Ravens tendered restricted free agent Tyler Huntley at the low-round level ($2.63MM). The former UDFA would have been able to head elsewhere on an offer sheet which would not have put Baltimore in line for compensation, but Huntley ultimately signed the one-year deal. The 25-year-old has made four starts in each of the past two regular seasons, and started the team’s wild-card loss to the Bengals in 2022.

Johnson – who began last season on the Broncos’ practice squad before signing with the 49ers amidst their quarterback injuries – will likely be competing for the third-string role in training camp. That spot currently belongs to Anthony Brown, a UDFA who made one start as a rookie last season. The Ravens also included one signal-caller (Nolan Henderson) in this year’s group of undrafted rookie signings. Johnson will look to outperform those two as a means of at least earning a spot on the Ravens’ practice squad.

Giants Add Ryan Cowden To Front Office

May 21st, 2023 at 10:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Ryan Cowden was unable to land in New York as Dave Gettleman‘s successor in the role of general manager two years ago when Joe Schoen, Cowden’s coworker of six years back in the early 2000s, got the job, but according to Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, Cowden has found his way to the Giants, nevertheless. Dunleavy reports that Cowden is expected to be hired to a role in the Giants’ front office.

Cowden got his start in the NFL as a scouting analyst for the Panthers in 2000, shortly after graduating from Wofford. A year later, he was assigned to the southeast area, covering his assignment as an area scout for the next six years alongside Schoen. He was promoted to national scout in 2008, once again holding the position for six years but, this time, adding on the title of senior college scout, as well, in 2012. Schoen was also promoted to national scout in 2008 but for the Dolphins, ending his time with Cowden. In 2014, the Panthers promoted Cowden once again, this time to assistant director of college scouting, a position he held for two years.

In 2016, Cowden was hired in Tennessee as the Titans’ director of player personnel. A year later, he found himself receiving some interest for general manager positions, interviewing for the Chiefs’ open role in 2017 and the Panthers’ open job in 2018. He failed to land the big opportunity but accepted the consolation prize of a promotion into the position of vice president of player personnel for Tennessee. He continued to interview for general manager jobs, talking to Washington in 2021 before interviewing with the Steelers and Giants, as mentioned above, last year.

There were only two general manager positions open this offseason but, luckily for Cowden, one of them was his own team. After Jon Robinson was fired early in December of last year, Cowden was appointed as the interim general manager in his stead. Everything was lining up for Cowden to finally land his first job as an NFL general manager. Instead, he was passed over as the Titans decided to hire former 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon.

Since getting passed over, many felt Cowden’s time in Nashville quietly ended. The Titans, who also saw key Robinson lieutenant Monti Ossenfort leave (for the Cardinals’ GM job) this offseason, removed Cowden’s name from their website earlier this month. Cowden’s role with the Giants has yet to be determined, but as an annual general manager candidate, he joins the team as a highly experienced executive.

As he and Schoen are near the same age, it’s hard to imagine this being a GM-in-waiting scenario, but perhaps Cowden’s old friend wanted to give him a solid jumping off point for the league’s next general manager vacancy. Regardless, the Giants’ front office is looking stacked with Schoen and Cowden back together.

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