HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Browns On DeAndre Hopkins’ Radar?

May 29th, 2023 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Few players who have remained unsigned as of Memorial Day in recent years match DeAndre Hopkins‘ profile, making the former All-Pro wide receiver’s eventual landing spot a frequent discussion topic during OTA season. A few teams have been connected to the 11th-year veteran since his Cardinals release.

Most closely tied to the Bills and Chiefs, with each team having engaged in trade talks with the Cardinals, Hopkins also has a clear link to the Browns. He and Deshaun Watson remain close, and the Browns quarterback said earlier this offseason he was planning to discuss how the team stood regarding Hopkins interest. Nothing transpired on the trade front, but now that the three-year Watson target is in free agency, forging a path to Cleveland would be easier.

Hopkins is open to playing with Watson again, Jeremy Fowler said during a recent ESPN appearance (h/t Brobible.com’s Dov Kleiman), labeling the Browns a dark-horse team to monitor. The Chiefs and Bills may remain the more likely Hopkins suitors, but the Browns — despite their landmark Watson extension — do carry a cap-space advantage. Buffalo and Kansas City sit 30th and 31st in cap room presently.

The Browns will soon pick up more cap space as well, having used both their post-June cut designations this offseason (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney). Cleveland will pick up $9.75MM from the Johnson release later this week. That stands to bump the Browns’ cap-room number past $16MM. The Watson contract obviously sits as a historically onerous part of the Browns’ payroll, but the team restructured the five-year, $230MM guaranteed deal earlier this offseason. While Watson’s cap hits reside at record-shattering numbers from 2024-26, his 2023 cap figure checks in at $19.1MM.

Cleveland has, however, made multiple moves at receiver this offseason. They acquired Elijah Moore via trade and selected Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman Jr. in Round 3. These two will join 2022 trade acquisition Amari Cooper and contract-year sidekick Donovan Peoples-Jones atop the Browns’ receiving hierarchy. A Hopkins move would presumably bump Tillman to the developmental track, and the Browns also have two other recent third-round receivers — Anthony Schwartz, David Bell — on their roster. Conversely, the Chiefs and Bills are not as deep at the wideout spots and have been linked to Hopkins for much of the offseason.

As of Monday, the Bills, at plus-200, reside as slight Hopkins favorites, per SportsBetting.ag. Although the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot advocates for the Browns pursuing Hopkins, she views a Watson-Hopkins reunion as a long-shot proposition. Hopkins resided as Watson’s top target from 2017-19, earning first-team All-Pro recognition in each season and helping Houston to back-to-back AFC South titles in that span. The Browns loomed as a suitor for ex-Watson target Brandin Cooks last year, but Cooks soon signed a Texans extension.

Hopkins, 31 next week, did not include Watson on the list of quarterbacks he would most like to play with, and Cabot posits that omission stemmed from the wideout viewing the Browns as an unrealistic destination. Then again, those comments came when Hopkins was still tied to a $27MM-per-year Cardinals contract. The landscape may be different with Hopkins now unattached. The Ravens’ $15MM Odell Beckham Jr. guarantee may affect Hopkins’ price point, but at this point in the offseason (and coming off suspension and injury issues in Arizona), Hopkins collecting that kind of guarantee will be difficult. Like the November 2021 Beckham sweepstakes, this will not be a top-dollar free agency pursuit. Fit will play a major role for the six-time 1,000-yard pass catcher.

DB Notes: Lions, Joseph, Oliver, Cardinals

May 29th, 2023 at 12:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

A scary scene transpired during the Lions‘ Week 5 matchup with the Patriots. An ambulance transported Saivion Smith off the field, and the Lions defensive back said he feared paralysis following a collision with Patriots running back Damien Harris. Smith left the game after the next play, after falling to the turf after a routine tackle attempt on Hunter Henry. The backup DB, however, said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Jeff Seidel) he made a failed attempt to return to the stadium from the ambulance and regained arm and leg movement at the hospital. The neck injury he suffered ended up requiring spinal fusion surgery.

Smith received full Lions clearance in April, re-signing with the team that month. The 25-year-old cover man’s deal is worth $940K and contains no guaranteed money, giving the Lions — who overhauled their secondary this offseason — flexibility to move on free of charge. The Lions moved Smith to safety last season, but he offers versatility. With the Lions adding two other DBs with extensive backgrounds at both safety and corner — C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Brian Branch — Smith stands to compete for a backup role.

Here is the latest news from NFL secondaries:

  • After years of shuttling Jimmie Ward between safety and the nickel role, the 49ers let the veteran defender walk (to the Texans) this offseason. They will use free agency addition Isaiah Oliver to replace Ward in the slot, per new DC Steve Wilks. “When [another Ward deal] didn’t happen, we wanted to make sure that we sort of got the best nickel in free agency, and that’s what we went out and did,” Wilks said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). “So I’m excited about Oliver. He’s long; he’s physical, can tackle, can cover. He’s going to be a good blitzer for us, everything that we do within this defense.” A former second-round pick, Oliver spent the past five seasons with the Falcons. The 210-pound defender is ticketed to work alongside outside corners Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir.
  • Kelvin Joseph may be in the Cowboys‘ nickel plans. After acquiring Stephon Gilmore via trade, the Cowboys are trying Joseph in the slot at OTAs, Jon Machota of The Athletic notes. The former second-round pick has worked as an outside corner over his first two seasons, though he has only played 330 career defensive snaps. The Cowboys lost both Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown to season-ending injuries last year. While Lewis remains on the roster, Brown, a longtime slot player, is unsigned.
  • Third-round Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams received slightly more than the rookie-scale minimum to sign, per GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer, who notes the bumps come in Years 2-4 of his contract (Twitter link). This year’s No. 72 overall pick will earn between $1MM and $1.5MM from 2024-26. Third-rounders’ four-year deals are only partially guaranteed. Williams, a Syracuse alum, received a $1.1MM guarantee.
  • The Panthers brought back safety Sam Franklin earlier this offseason, tendering him as an RFA. But the fourth-year defender agreed to sign for slightly less than the low-end tender price. Rather than signing for $2.627MM (the tender number), Franklin is back in Carolina on a one-year, $2.51MM deal, Balzer adds (on Twitter). The Panthers gave the 27-year-old DB a $1.5MM signing bonus, which is spread through 2027 via void years. Franklin has been a core special-teamer in Carolina while working as a defensive backup.

Bills Expected To Sign T Brandon Shell

May 29th, 2023 at 11:02am CST by Sam Robinson

Brandon Shell had expressed interest in staying with the Dolphins, but the veteran tackle looks set to join another AFC East squad. The Bills are finalizing an agreement, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com tweets.

Austin Jackson‘s Week 1 ankle injury led to Shell going from not being on a roster to start last season to becoming the Dolphins’ primary right tackle. Miami brought former New England tackle Isaiah Wynn in as Jackson insurance this year. That will help lead Shell, 31, to Buffalo. The sides are moving toward a one-year agreement, with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson indicating the pact can be worth up to $2.1MM.

The Bills have made a few additions along their offensive line this offseason. They signed guards Connor McGovern and David Edwards in free agency and drafted guard O’Cyrus Torrence in the second round. The team has been quieter at tackle, and Shell will bring seven seasons’ worth of experience to Buffalo.

Shell’s Bills agreement coming to pass will mean a third AFC East employer for the former fifth-round pick. The Jets drafted Shell in 2016 and turned to him as a starter early during his rookie-contract years. After starting two seasons for the Seahawks and 11 games for last year’s Dolphins edition, Shell has totaled 72 as a pro. He stands to provide the Bills with a proven swing option.

The Dolphins gave Shell a one-year deal worth the league minimum, signing the South Carolina alum ahead of Week 2. They made the in-season addition a practice squad call-up initially, using the standard elevation tactic the 2020 CBA permits, but turned to him as a starter beginning in Week 5. Despite Shell’s late arrival, Pro Football Focus graded him as a middle-of-the-pack tackle last season and slotted him in the top 15 in the run-blocking department. Overall, PFF has rated Shell consistently as a midlevel option, placing him between 38th and 56th among tackles each year from 2017-22.

A knee injury ended Shell’s season early, sidelining the veteran for the Dolphins’ wild-card game in Buffalo. And Miami moved in a different direction to protect Tua Tagovailoa‘s blind side this offseason. Planning to give Jackson another shot to stick at right tackle, the Dolphins are letting Shell walk. Wynn and veteran backup Cedric Ogbuehi are in place as insurance options.

Buffalo has Dion Dawkins locked in at left tackle, while Spencer Brown has operated as the team’s primary right tackle since he arrived as a 2021 third-round pick. PFF rated Brown as one of last season’s worst tackle regulars. The team still has David Quessenberry as a swing option, and 2021 fifth-round pick Tommy Doyle remains rostered as well. Doyle played in one game last season.

Texans Eyeing Tytus Howard Extension

May 29th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Sam Robinson

Not many areas on the Texans’ roster can be classified as true strengths, but the rebuilding team has devoted significant resources to fortifying its offensive line. Houston has already doled out two extensions up front this offseason — to Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason. Another might be coming soon.

Earlier this year, Tytus Howard expressed interest in an offseason extension. The Texans are expected to make this a priority, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. It sounds like Howard has moved to the top of Houston’s extension queue, doing so despite arriving as a first-round pick during Brian Gaine‘s short GM tenure.

The Texans fired Gaine just after the 2019 draft, which featured Howard as the team’s top investment. Some inconsistency — in terms of performance level, availability and positional alignment — has ensued during Howard’s rookie contract, but Houston exercised the former No. 23 overall pick’s fully guaranteed fifth-year option in May 2022. Howard is tied to a $13.2MM salary this season. It should be expected an extension will cost more, in terms of average annual value.

Howard, who turned 27 last week, played a 17-game season for the first time as a pro. He worked almost exclusively at right tackle, after spending much of the 2021 season at guard and left tackle. That ’21 season assignment came largely due to Tunsil’s early-season injury. Last season, Tunsil and Howard stayed healthy. This did not exactly translate to success, with the Texans going 3-13-1, or quarterback progress. But the team has a new passer in place this year. It looks like the Texans plan to pair C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract with two lucrative tackle accords.

For the second time, the Texans made Tunsil the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. The Pro Bowler is signed to a three-year, $75MM deal, which runs through 2026. Stroud’s rookie contract will span four years as well, with the fifth-year option making it possible for the deal to go through 2027. Either way, Stroud’s deal will make it possible for the Texans to devote more money to starters at other spots for the foreseeable future. Not long after the Tunsil re-up, the team moved further down this road by extending Mason, giving the guard trade acquisition a three-year, $36MM deal. This came after Houston chose center Juice Scruggs in the second round.

While both those contracts cover Stroud’s rookie-deal time, it should be expected a Howard pact will tie the Alabama State alum to the team into the late 2020s. Pro Football Focus rated Howard just outside the top 40 among tackles last season, marking a nice improvement for the Division I-FCS product. Howard could set himself up for a bigger payday by continuing this momentum in a contract year, but opting for a commitment ahead of that point makes sense as well.

Howard should not be expected to join Tunsil as a top-three highest-paid player at his position. The Chiefs moved the right tackle bar to $20MM per year, via their Jawaan Taylor agreement, and Lane Johnson subsequently topped it. Howard could take aim at the five-year, $87.5MM deal the Broncos handed 2018 first-rounder Mike McGlinchey. Though, the latter’s superior track record might make that difficult. Two other tackles — the Colts’ Braden Smith and Panthers’ Taylor Moton — are tied to deals in the $17MM-AAV ballpark.

Tunsil’s status as the league’s highest-paid lineman and Howard’s smaller sample size of promising work could complicate negotiations, but it looks fairly clear GM Nick Caserio will make an effort to have both the team’s tackles locked down soon.

Raiders Reworked Jimmy Garoppolo’s Deal; Tom Brady Not Realistic Emergency Option?

May 28th, 2023 at 10:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Derek Carr did not exactly bring a high ceiling at quarterback for the Raiders, the nine-year starter is one of the NFL’s most durable quarterbacks. Carr missed two regular-season games (and one playoff contest) due to injury with the Raiders. Las Vegas’ plan to replace Carr is not off to a great start.

Shortly after Jimmy Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal, he underwent surgery to repair the fractured foot he sustained in early December. Faint hopes had kept the door narrowly ajar for a Garoppolo return for Super Bowl LVII, which would have been as a backup given Brock Purdy‘s stunning production, so the new Raiders QB being sidelined likely until training camp raised a red flag. The Raiders ended up making a change to protect themselves.

A delay between Garoppolo’s free agency agreement and the signing of the contract commenced in March. In that time, the Raiders inserted a clause that will offer them protection in the event Garoppolo cannot pass a physical, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. This addendum gives the Raiders an out in the event the left foot injury keeps Garoppolo off the field, and it converted $11.25MM from roster bonus to base salary.

Garoppolo’s reported agreement featured $33.75MM guaranteed at signing. The $11.25MM bonus — due on Day 3 of the 2024 league year — comprised part of that total. Garoppolo’s other guaranteed cash comes from a $22.5MM 2023 base salary, which the Raiders will only be on the hook for if Garoppolo passes a physical. To some degree, their situation resembles a fifth-year option setup during the period in which the options were guaranteed for injury only. But teams could only cut those former first-rounders free of charge if said player passed a physical a year later; Garoppolo failing his opens the door to a free-of-charge Raiders release.

This reality would introduce significant concerns for Las Vegas, which dumped Carr for one of the NFL’s most injury-prone players. Garoppolo has missed 33 games due to injury since suffering an ACL tear in September 2018 and has only finished two of his past five seasons. In the two Garoppolo did complete, he started Super Bowl LIV and piloted the 49ers to the 2021 NFC championship game. But calf, thumb and shoulder injuries — the latter two requiring surgeries — affected him during the latter season. At 31 and coming off three straight injury-plagued years, Garoppolo is certainly a poor bet to make it through this season unscathed.

On the other side of this, Garoppolo passing a physical removes the clause from the equation, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur report (subscription required). Josh McDaniels, who coached Garoppolo in New England from 2014-17, said everything is on schedule for the 10th-year veteran, with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore indicating the team believes the clause will be moot (Twitter link).

A window exists for the Raiders to release Garoppolo before he passes his physical. Of course, they would be doing so with limited options at the position. The team has used offseason addition Brian Hoyer as its first-stringer during OTAs thus far, per The Athletic, though the 37-year-old passer is far past his prime and would invite obvious questions about the Raiders’ competitive viability this season. The Raiders attempted to keep Jarrett Stidham, but he signed with the Broncos to be Russell Wilson‘s backup. The team hosted the draft’s top five QB prospects and discussed a trade for the No. 1 pick with the Bears. But the Raiders did not make their QB move until the fourth round (Aidan O’Connell). The ex-Purdue arm is viewed as a developmental player.

Carson Wentz stands as the top passer available, and new Raiders pass-game coordinator Scott Turner did coach Wentz as Commanders OC last season. Teddy Bridgewater resides as the other starter-caliber QB left in free agency. Ryan Tannehill could become an option, though the Titans making that move — one rumored earlier this year — could remove them from contention consideration this season.

Moving into elephant-in-the-room status by virtue of his agreement with Mark Davis to buy a piece of the Raiders, Tom Brady looms as well. But owners will need to approve the recently retired quarterback’s purchase. As was the case with the Brady-Dolphins rumors during his first retirement, they would be unlikely to do so if he returned to play. In fact, a league source informed Bonsignore that Brady’s Raiders stake could come with a provision he will only serve as an owner — and not a player — for the franchise.

The Raiders looked into Brady as a free agent — before retirement No. 2 — this offseason. Brady’s past with McDaniels would make him the top emergency solution for the Raiders, even ahead of an age-46 season. But owners were unlikely to approve Miami’s long-rumored Brady plan in which he would have served as a player and owner. Twenty-four “yes” votes will be required for Brady to buy a piece of the Raiders. That could be contingent on the 23-year veteran staying retired. Were Brady dead-set on making a second comeback, he could simply back out of his ownership agreement.

Absent that long-shot solution, the Raiders will need to hope Garoppolo can finish his latest rehab effort. But the team’s quarterback stability has taken a substantial hit this offseason.

Jets, DT Quinnen Williams Making Progress On Extension Talks

May 28th, 2023 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top remaining priority in what has been a busy Jets offseason is finalizing a new deal for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. That process has taken longer than many expected, but the situation appears to still be in a relatively good place.

Brian Costello and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post note that both sides remain confident an extension will be agreed to, potentially before mandatory minicamp in mid-June. They add that team and player are not believed to be “that far apart” on contract terms, an encouraging sign which points to an agreement being reached to keep the All-Pro in New York for the long-term future.

Williams, 25, put himself in line for a massive extension in 2022. He earned his first career All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods by totaling 55 stops, 12 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. He is due $9.59MM this season on the fifth-year option, but a multi-year deal will check in at a much larger figure than that, especially given the upward movement seen in the DT market this offseason. Deals signed by Dexter Lawrence, Daron Payne and Jeffery Simmons have all averaged either $22.5MM or $23.5MM per year with at least $60MM in gurantees.

Williams could command such a rate on a four- or five-year deal, given his age and production. The former third overall pick has been away from the Jets’ OTAs, however, and he recently removed all mention of the team on his social media pages amidst contract talks. That, in turn, came not long after a report remerged that the two sides were not close on terms.

Today’s update is certainly more encouraging, though, as Williams and the Jets continue to look to take care of their long-term future with each other this spring. New York currently sits near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, but plenty of roster moves are yet to be made this offseason aimed at freeing up financial flexibility. Given the team’s expectations for immediate success in 2023, Williams figures to play a large role in their performance at the start of the Aaron Rodgers era and beyond. A deal securing his status as one the team’s top investments may not be far away.

Raiders Looking To Add Another Linebacker?

May 28th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Ely Allen

After losing starting linebacker Denzel Perryman to free agency and allowing Jayon Brown to walk after ending the year on injured reserve, the Raiders’ linebacker depth is a bit sparse. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, it would make a lot of sense for Las Vegas to sign a veteran free agent or two before the year starts.

Only eight linebackers saw snaps for the Raiders last seasons, so with eight currently on the roster, the number of bodies is a problem but maybe not the most pressing one. The steep decline in experience and talent is a more troubling situation, though. Last year’s group was led by the Pro Bowler Perryman, second-year starter Divine Deablo, and Brown. Due to various injuries, each of the three missed at least five games last year, with Deablo and Brown appearing in just under half of the team’s contests. The absence of their top players led Las Vegas to lean on undrafted rookie Luke Masterson and veteran Blake Martinez. The team also utilized Harvey Langi, Darien Butler, and Curtis Bolton, but the three were mainly relegated to special teams.

Deablo returns to lead a group of de facto starters that includes free agent signing Robert Spillane and Masterson. None of the three have ever started for more than half of an NFL season, but all will enter 2023 as full-time starters. Deablo was off to a strong sophomore season before injury, racking up 74 total tackles in just eight games as a full-time starter. After initially signing as an undrafted free agent with the Titans, Spillane broke out in 2020 as an injury replacement for Steelers starter Devin Bush. Bush’s return resulted in a diminished role for Spillane the next year, but he finally earned more time on defense last season in Pittsburgh. Masterson handled himself admirably when thrust into action as a rookie last year, but ultimately, he has a ways to go before proving himself to be an asset to the starting lineup.

Aside from those three contributors, the team returns reserves Bolton, Butler, and Kana’i Mauga, an undrafted rookie who didn’t see any playing time last season in Las Vegas. While those three didn’t contribute much last year and shouldn’t be relied upon too much this season, perhaps some depth will be provided from the team’s sixth-round draft pick out of Florida, Amari Burney. Burney projects as an outside linebacker after serving in a hybrid safety/linebacker role for the Gators throughout his career. He started all 13 of the team’s games as a fifth-year senior and added strong contributions with 79 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and four sacks. He provides some versatility, as well, as he tallied two interceptions, four passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. The Raiders also signed NC State’s Drake Thomas as an undrafted free agent. Thomas was a tackling machine in Raleigh, reaching 99 and 101 total tackles over his final two seasons, respectively. Over that time, the disruptive defender tallied 32.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. If he can contribute near the same level as a pro, Thomas could add to the list of undrafted linebackers getting significant playing time on the Raiders defense.

It’s hard to determine who Las Vegas might pursue to add some depth and experience to the room. Former Viking and Cowboy Anthony Barr is available and, although he’s 31 years old, he still started 10 games for Dallas last season. Brown is still available if healthy and agreeable to a return. A couple years separated from a Pro Bowl season, Jaylon Smith is available after starting 11 games for the Giants last year. Rashaan Evans is still fairly young and hit free agency after starting every game for the Falcons last season and racking up 159 total tackles. Kwon Alexander and Zach Cunningham should be available for relatively cheap, as well.

It does look like Las Vegas could desperately use some more experienced bodies in the linebackers room, especially after the onslaught of injuries they dealt with in 2022. There are plenty of options available out there if the team is looking. The Raiders just need to find the right fit for the right price or settle for what they’re working with.

Titans Satisfied With WR Group?

May 28th, 2023 at 8:07pm CST by Ely Allen

In a recent interview, newly appointed Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly responded in the affirmative when asked if the team currently had enough to work with at the wide receiver position, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. Many have regarded the team’s wide receiving corps as a weakness, but while not a guarantee that the team will stand pat at the position, Kelly seems to be satisfied with what he currently has to work with.

After releasing last season’s leading receiver, Robert Woods, Tennessee returns last year’s first-round pick Treylon Burks (444 receiving yards in 2022), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (397), Kyle Philips (78), Racey McMath (40), Mason Kinsey (3), and Reggie Roberson (0). The team also added former Ravens and Texans wideout Chris Moore in free agency back in April after a bit of a breakout season in Houston that saw him reach career highs in starts (7), catches (48), and receiving yards (548).

The team signed five rookie pass catchers, as well. The Titans drafted Tennessee-Martin wide receiver Colton Dowell in the seventh-round and added Oregon State’s Tre’Shaun Harrison, Georgia’s Kearis Jackson, Maryland’s Jacob Copeland, and Baylor’s Gavin Holmes in undrafted free agency after the draft. Dowell earned his draft slot after racking up over 1,000 receiving yards for the Skyhawks in 2022. Harrison posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (604), and touchdowns (4) last year in his third season with the Beavers after transferring from Florida State. Copeland’s best season came when he was in Gainesville and caught 41 balls for 642 yards and four touchdowns. He failed to improve upon that performance in a grad transfer season with the Terrapins. Jackson never quite lived up to the billing of his high recruiting ranking. His strongest season came in 2020 when he caught 36 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns. Holmes was a bit of a deep ball threat for the Bears last year, catching 27 balls for 521 yards and four touchdowns.

It’s fair to say that the room lacks established star power and experience. Moore, Burks, and Westbrook-Ikhine are the obvious leaders of the group with no changes moving forward. It helps to return star running back Derrick Henry as the focus of the offense and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, who finished second on the team last season with 450 receiving yards. Otherwise, it’s not easy to be as confident as Kelly in what quarterback Ryan Tannehill has to work with in 2023.

Latest On Brian Davis’s Commanders Bid

May 28th, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Ely Allen

For a moment about a month and a half ago, the snag in the Commanders sale from Dan Snyder to Josh Harris had nothing to do with the source of Harris’s funds or awaiting a vote for ownership approval. Back then the snag in the deal was another bidder as Brian Davis offered up a $7 billion bid.

Davis is a D.C. native and a former star for the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, winning two national championships alongside Christian Laettner in the early-1990s. The two remained close friends and eventually pursued a few sports ventures together. They have businesses in real estate development and founded D.C. United Holdings, a holding company that controls the operating rights to the MLS team D.C. United.

Davis entering in a bid nearly $1 billion over Harris’s may have some wondering why Davis isn’t the presumed future owner of the franchise, but questions were almost immediately raised about Davis’s bid. Primarily, while Davis asserted a $7.1 billion bid, the firm tapped to handle the sale of the Commanders never considered the bid to be legitimate. Davis alleges that the reason for this lies with Bank of America, leading to a current lawsuit between Davis’s company Urban Echo Energy and Bank of America.

According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, the lawsuits “claims that Bank of America failed to present the $7.1 billion bid to outgoing owner Daniel Snyder and that, if Bank of America had done so, Snyder would have accepted it.” According to Davis’s company’s attorneys, Davis deposited $5.1 billion for the transaction as a proof of funds in two separate transfers. In the court filings, the team included “images of two alleged copies of the bank drafts,” according to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports. The attorneys allege that “upon information and belief, (Bank of America) never made the Snyders aware of the existence of the bank drafts.”

Pending the first court hearing tomorrow, Bank of America told the appointed judge that the documents they have in their possession raised “considerable concerns about their genuineness,” claiming that the documents look “fictitious,” according to Daniel Wallach of The Athletic. If Bank of America truly had doubts about the legitimacy of Davis’s transfer documents, it stands to reason that they were unwilling to back his bid for the sale.

On the other side of things, with the Harris deal, progress reportedly continues to be made towards an eventual sale and approval by the NFL. According to Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of The Washington Post, until the deal is ratified by the league’s team owners, Harris “cannot have any role in team operations.” Harris’s group is actively working though the approval process with the league, and discussions appear to be productive.

Za’Darius Smith Addresses Vikings Contract, Recovery From Knee Injury

May 28th, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Vikings moved on from Za’Darius Smith this offseason by trading him to the Browns. The veteran edge rusher recently spoke about his financial situation, which was the driving force behind his arrival with a new team for the third time in his career.

Smith signed a three-year Vikings contract last offseason, but guranteed money was a sticking point for the 30-year-old heading into this spring. He requested his release in March, something which would have allowed him to test the open market once again. Instead, Minnesota ended up trading him to Cleveland in a deal which saw Day 3 picks swapped and the Vikings elect to retain some of his compensation. Smith’s new contract still has him one year from free agency, however, something which is clearly a signficant factor for him.

“It wasn’t set up right,” the former fourth-rounder said of his Vikings pact. “It was the guarantee part. The first year was only guaranteed. Now I’m basically in the same situation, but it’s OK now because I can get a chance to go into free agency next year” (h/t Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune).

All $6.45MM of the signing bonus Smith earned on his Minnesota agreement was indeed paid out in 2022, but after the re-working of his pact following the trade, he could still see up to $13MM in cashflow this season. Expectations will be high for him with the Browns, a team which will have one of the league’s better edge rushing groups if Smith is able to remain healthy in his new home.

The Kentucky product joins Myles Garrett and free agent addition Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in that department for Cleveland. Smith earned his third Pro Bowl nod in 2022 after notching 10 sacks in his lone Vikings campaign. That marked the third time in the least four years that he eclipsed double-digit sacks, with the lone exception being the 2021 season in which he was limited to just one game. Another injury – to his knee – slowed him down last last season, though.

Smith recorded only 0.5 sacks during the final eight games (regular and postseason combined) while he dealt with the ailment. He cited the weekly roster bonus he was paid out as the reason he continued suiting up despite being at less than 100%, and the resultant drop-off in production. Ahead of his Browns debut, however, he said he is much healthier.

“I couldn’t rest last year,” Smith said. “I was making like [$176K] just to dress up. So, you’d dress up, too, right? Exactly. That was different for me. I had a chance to rest my knee, get some rehab… I’m all healthy now and ready to go.”

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