HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Latest On Vikings, Danielle Hunter

June 13th, 2023 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

With Danielle Hunter choosing to skip the Vikings’ mandatory minicamp, attention is bound to heat up with respect to a potential trade. The veteran pass rusher has already been mentioned in trade talks this offseason, but it remains to be seen how willing Minnesota is to follow through with a potential deal.

Teams have called about Hunter, who has one year remaining on his current contract. The 28-year-old had an encouraging bounce-back season in 2022, racking up 10.5 sacks after two straight campaigns of significant missed time. The Vikings have moved on from several veteran contributors (especially on the defensive side of the ball) this offseason, so it would come as little surprise if a lack of progress in extension talks led to Hunter playing elsewhere in 2023.

However, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert notes that there have been “no serious trade talks to date” with respect to the LSU product. Hunter’s holdout may apply pressure on Minnesota to entertain offers more than they already have, but Seifert’s colleague Jeremy Fowler adds that the team’s preference is to keep the former third-rounder in the fold (Twitter link). That falls in line with previous reporting on the matter indicating Minnesota’s desire to work out a deal which is more favorable for both club and player.

Hunter’s 2023 compensation ($5.5MM) is less than half of his scheduled cap hit ($13.1MM) as a result of the multiple restructures to his deal which have taken place. Another multi-year commitment on the Vikings’ part could be in order given Hunter’s continued production when healthy, though the team has made a clear commitment to freeing up future cap space to be devoted to its younger core players. The former third-rounder could be a member of that group, though the risks of an extension will need to be weighed against the compensation yielded from a trade.

On that point, Fowler adds that a second-round pick may be the starting point in terms of the price of a Hunter acquisition. That would, understandably, represent a better haul than the one Minnesota received for fellow edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in their swap with the Browns last month. A trade would also, on the other hand, leave the Vikings lacking in experienced pass rushers outside of free agent addition Marcus Davenport. The extent to which a trade market develops for Hunter could inform the team’s intentions with respect to his short- and long-term future.

Patriots Release RB James Robinson

June 13th, 2023 at 8:49am CST by Adam La Rose

JUNE 13: To little surprise, injury issues were indeed the reason Robinson was let go. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reports (via Twitter) that Robinson “couldn’t stay on the field,” something which will no doubt hurt his value during his bid to find a new team in free agency (presuming he clears waivers today).

JUNE 12: New England’s addition of James Robinson proved to be a very short-lived one. The Patriots released the running back on Monday, per a team announcement. He will now be subject to waivers, and become a free agent if he clears.

Robinson joined New England in March, signing a two-year deal. On its face, that suggested the former UDFA would be a member of the team’s backfield for at least the short-term future, but no guranteed money was included in the contract as a result of injury concerns. Now, on the day physicals are taking place ahead of mandatory minicamp, he has been let go.

The 24-year-old burst onto the scene in his rookie campaign with the Jaguars. He posted 1,070 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, adding 344 yards and another three scores in the passing game. Jacksonville used a first-round pick on Travis Etienne in 2021, however, signaling the onset of at least a timeshare once he was healthy enough to see game action. That time came last season, and the latter quickly worked his way into the starting role.

With Etienne in place as lead back, Jacksonville dealt Robinson to the Jets in October. The Illinois State alum was brought in as depth for New York, and he saw limited usage during his time there. Robinson received just 29 carries, recording 85 scoreless rushing yards.

He was set to compete for a backup role in New England, a team which still has Rhamondre Stevenson in the fold but lost Damien Harris in free agency. Without Robinson, more attention will likely be paid to 2022 fourth-rounder Pierre Strong Jr. and sixth-rounder Kevin Harris; each of the latter two saw limited usage in their rookie seasons, but they could now be in line for an increased workload in the team’s new-look depth chart.

Robinson, meanwhile, will wait to see if he is claimed off waivers by a team looking for depth in its backfield. If that doesn’t take place, he will join a number of experienced backs still searching for their next NFL opportunity as the league’s last on-field actions before training camp begin to draw to a close.

Danielle Hunter To Skip Vikings’ Minicamp

June 12th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Danielle Hunter has emerged as the latest veteran prepared to miss out on mandatory minicamp amidst a contract dispute. The edge rusher is planning on remaining absent from the Vikings this week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Hunter has one year remaining on his contract, which has put his future in doubt. The 28-year-old is due $5.5MM in 2023, but his cap hit is $13.1MM, leading in part to the financial impasse he and the Vikings now find themselves in. Hunter was also absent from voluntary OTAs, though this latest decision could lead to fines. Players can be docked a total of nearly $99K if they remain away from their team during three-day minicamps.

Not for the first time, Hunter’s future in Minnesota has come into question this offseason. He was mentioned in trade rumors previously, and the Vikings have received inquiries into his availability in a potential swap. Hunter dealt with injury troubles in 2020 and ’21, but his level of play last season has boosted his value on a new Vikings deal or one with another team.

The LSU product racked up 10.5 sacks in 2022, adding 12 tackles for loss and 22 QB hits, which matched his career high. With his health and production less of a question than previous years, Hunter’s desire to secure a multi-year extension is understandable. On the other hand, the Vikings have parted ways with a number of veterans this offseason, as they look to implement their ‘competitive rebuild’ strategy going forward.

Minnesota released the likes of Eric Kendricks, Adam Thielen and, more recently, Dalvin Cook. The team also saw Dalvin Tomlinson and Patrick Peterson depart in free agency, and traded away edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. The latter’s starting role appeared to be filled by ex-Saint Marcus Davenport, who inked a one-year deal this offseason. Moving on from Hunter via trade or release would yield modest cap savings and a dead cap charge of $7.6MM, and it would leave the Vikings in need of a late edge rush addition to replace him.

The degree to which Hunter’s decision to hold out opens up contract talks will be a key story to follow in the coming days and weeks. If little progress is made on that front, speculation about his future will no doubt continue to heat up.

Cardinals Work Out C Chase Roullier

June 12th, 2023 at 9:28pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals got a look at a veteran center today. The team worked out free agent offensive lineman Chase Roullier, per Matt Lombardo of Heavy.com (on Twitter). Darren Urban of the team’s website passed along the news (via Twitter).

After being limited to only 10 games with Washington over the past two years, Roullier watched as the Commanders added Nick Gates in free agency and Ricky Stromberg in the third round of the draft. Shortly thereafter, Roullier earned his walking papers, with the Commanders saving a significant chunk of the player’s upcoming $8.3MM (2023) and $8.7MM (2024) base salaries.

When healthy, Roullier was one of the most dependable centers in the NFL. After starting seven of his 13 appearances as a rookie, the former sixth-round pick started all 46 of his appearances between 2018 and 2020. In each of those three seasons, Pro Football Focus graded Roullier as an above-average center, culminating in him being ranked sixth (among 36 qualifiers) in 2020.

The center inked a four-year, $40.5MM contract with Washington prior to the 2021 campaign, and he appeared to take it to another level after signing the deal. Through eight starts, Roullier was graded as PFF’s fourth-best center, but a fractured fibula ended his season prematurely. The 29-year-old managed to return for the start of the 2022 campaign, but a torn MCL ended his season after only two games.

Hjalte Froholdt is the most experienced of the Cardinals’ current options at the center position. Lecitus Smith could be an option after appearing in 10 games (two starts) as a rookie, while fourth-round guard Jon Gaines could also swing over to the center spot if needed. None of those options can probably match the upside of Roullier, assuming full health.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/12/23

June 12th, 2023 at 7:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s late-round rookie signings:

Los Angeles Rams

Johnson earned the moniker of Mr. Irrelevant after being selected with the No. 259 (and final) pick of the 2023 draft. The defensive lineman was especially productive over his final two seasons at Toledo, combining for 135 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks in 27 games. He’s the first member of the Rams’ draft class to ink their four-year rookie contract.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/12/23

June 12th, 2023 at 5:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

New England Patriots

The Cardinals are swapping out receivers. Brandon Smith spent a few years on the Cowboys practice squad before joining the XFL this past February. He ended up catching eight passes for 118 yards and one touchdown in four games with the D.C. Defenders. Auden Tate, meanwhile, spent four years with the Bengals before spending much of last season of the Eagles practice squad. He has 12 catches in 35 career games.

Justus Tavai was cut by the Patriots last week, but the brother of Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai is back on the roster. That will come at the expense of Tae Hayes‘ roster spot. The cornerback spent much of last season on New England’s practice squad, getting into a pair of games with the big-league team.

Patriots DT Lawrence Guy Seeking New Deal

June 12th, 2023 at 5:41pm CST by Ben Levine

One of the Patriots’ longest-tenured players was a no-show at the first day of mandatory minicamp. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy didn’t report to the Patriots on Monday and is reportedly seeking a reworked deal.

Per Reiss, Guy wants to redo the four-year, $11.5MM deal ($24MM max value) he signed with the Patriots during the 2021 offseason. The veteran has since changed agents and is hoping to adjust his contract following what sources described as “a challenging negotiation.” Guy is set to earn $2MM this season and could earn up to another $3.5MM via incentives. The defensive tackle has no remaining guaranteed money on his contract.

Bill Belichick didn’t explicitly mention Guy’s holdout today, but he noted that the team was “working through a couple things” when it came to player absences. Per Reiss, Guy would see his daily fines balloon to almost $50K if he isn’t in the building by Wednesday.

This is a bit of a surprising development for one of the team’s few remaining Super Bowl champs. Guy spent the previous six seasons in New England, earning a spot on the organization’s All-2010s Team after starting 60 of his 62 regular-season games between 2017 and 2020.

This past season, Guy started all 14 of his appearances, finishing with 46 tackles, two sacks, and five QB hits. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance, ranking him 89th among 127 qualifying interior defenders while giving him the lowest grade of his career.

Guy wasn’t the only Patriots player not in attendance today. Per Mark Daniels of MassLive.com (on Twitter), left tackle Trent Brown also didn’t show up for the first day of minicamp. However, his absence isn’t money-related; Brown’s flight from Texas was cancelled due to weather, delaying his trip to New England.

Bucs To Work Out K Rodrigo Blankenship

June 12th, 2023 at 3:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Rodrigo Blankenship‘s search for a new NFL opportunity will take him to Tampa Bay. The kicker will spend minicamp with the Buccaneers on a tryout this week, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).

Tampa Bay waived Jake Verity earlier this month, briefly leaving them with only one kicker on the roster (Chase McLaughlin). The arrival of Blankenship will give the Buccaneers another opportunity to conduct a competition at the position, something the latter will need to win out to get his career back on track.

Blankenship had a strong rookie season with the Colts in 2020, converting 86.5% of his field goal attempts (including 31 of 34 from inside 50 yards). The Georgia alum also made all but two of his extra point kicks, and appeared to be on course for a lengthy tenure as Indianapolis’ kicker. Things have taken an unwanted turn since, then, however.

The 2019 Lou Groza award winner was limited to just three games in 2021, and was waived early last season. That marked a disappointing end to his Colts tenure, and ultimately led him to the Cardinals’ practice squad. Blankenship, 26, made a pair of appearances in Arizona last season, converting both of his field goal tries and two of three extra point attempts. With Matt Prater re-signing in March, though, the team’s kicker situation is not in doubt.

Blankenship is thus in need of a new opportunity as he looks to re-discover the form he enjoyed three seasons ago. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is in search of a Ryan Succop successor, after the veteran was released following a three-year run with the team. Blankenship will likely need to wait until training camp to land his next tryout if this endeavor does not result in a deal being offered.

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn Suffers Ankle Injury

June 12th, 2023 at 2:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jaycee Horn has dealt with multiple injuries already in his brief NFL career, and he has encountered another (albeit minor) setback in that regard. The Panthers corner recently suffered an ankle and foot injury, as detailed by team reporter Darin Grant.

The injury kept Horn out of the team’s final voluntary OTA practices, and will also keep him sidelined during this week’s mandatory minicamp. However, the former top-10 pick will not require surgery and is expected to recover in full in time for training camp next month. The foot affected by this latest injury is not the same one which was broken in 2021, something which cost Horn most of his rookie campaign.

The 23-year-old enjoyed a strong bounce-back season in 2022, posting three interceptions and seven pass breakups. He surrendered a completion percentage of 55% and allowed only one touchdown as the nearest defender, showcasing his potential as the long-term No. 1 corner he was drafted to be. Horn once again ended the year on IR, however, after he suffered a broken wrist.

The South Carolina product’s most recent injury is one of several absences Carolina has dealt with at the CB spot this year. Veteran Donte Jackson has been sidelined while recovering from Achilles surgery, while former trade acquisition C.J. Henderson has also missed time for personal reasons, per The Athletic’s Joe Person (subscription required).

The Panthers put up below-average performances in a number of categories in 2022, and more will be expected of their secondary this season under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Horn will have a central role in the unit’s performance in 2023, so his health will be of the utmost concern through the remainder of the offseason heading into the fall. His ability to recover in full over the coming weeks will no doubt be closely monitored as the Panthers prepare for training camp.

Ravens OL Kevin Zeitler Seeking New Deal

June 12th, 2023 at 1:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens currently have a vacancy at left guard, but they have had stability at the opposite spot with Kevin Zeitler for the past two seasons. If the veteran has his way, that will continue beyond 2023.

Zeitler is seeking a new contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The 33-year-old is attending the Ravens’ mandatory minicamp, though, and plans to be a full participant in the three-day practice period. While he is not holding out, it will be worth watching how Zeitler approaches extension talks with Baltimore.

The former first-rounder signed a three-year, $22.5MM deal with the Ravens in 2021. That pact allowed him to return to the AFC North after he spent time with the Bengals and Browns before a two-year stint with the Giants. Zeitler gave Baltimore an experienced successor to Marshal Yanda at the RG spot, and he has been as advertised for the first two years of his time in Charm City.

Zeitler has started all 32 of his appearances for the Ravens, and his performances have remained consistent during his time with the team. He earned PFF grades of 75 and 74.1 over the past two years, excelling in pass protection in particular. While penalties (seven) were an issue in 2021, that figure dropped to just two last season as Zeitler was part of an offensive line which helped pave the way for the league’s second-most productive rushing attack.

The Wisconsin alum is set to carry a cap hit of $5.2MM in 2023, a reasonable figure given his status as a full-time starter. However, the Ravens selected Andrew Vorhees in the seventh round of this year’s draft, giving them a potential Zeitler successor. The former is expected to miss most or all of his rookie season while recovering from an ACL tear, but he was named the Pac-12’s top offensive lineman and a first-team All-American in 2022, which will lead to considerable expectations for the 2024 campaign. It will be interesting to monitor what developments (if any) will have taken place with respect to Zeitler’s financial future by that point.

Load More Posts