PFR Originals: Jacobs, Cook, Bills, Ravens

Here are the recent originals produced by the PFR staff:

• Josh Jacobs resides as one of this year’s three franchise-tagged running backs. Ben Levine took a look at how the fifth-year Raider’s extension process might play out. Jacobs not signing a long-term extension by July 17 would force him to play the season on the $10.9MM tag — or make an unexpected move to follow Le’Veon Bell‘s rarely traversed path by skipping a season (and passing on an eight-figure guarantee) in protest.
• The running back position looks to be in one of its most important offseasons. Dalvin Cook‘s Vikings release and ensuing free agency represents one of the job’s many storylines. I asked readers where the high-profile back will end up signing. Thus far, the Cook-Dolphins rumblings have led to Miami leading the pack. But other AFC East teams have received a number of votes as well.
• The Bills’ Leonard Floyd addition crowds their defensive end corps. Von Miller anticipates being ready for Week 1, and the team also brought back Shaq Lawson. The latter will join three homegrown defensive ends alongside Miller and Floyd. With Gregory Rousseau‘s roster spot not in question, one of the recent Buffalo second-round D-ends is far from a lock to make the roster. As such, Adam La Rose looked into a potential trade involving 2021 second-rounder Boogie Basham.
• A number of NFL extensions have come to pass during the period between minicamp and training camp. The Cowboys have a few candidates for re-ups this year. CeeDee Lamb is primed to collect an upper-crust receiver payday, and Ely Allen explored the Pro Bowler’s situation in detail. The Cowboys picking up Lamb’s fifth-year option keeps him signed through 2024, giving the team time on this front.
• Lamb, however, may need to wait. Since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts, no team has extended a first-round receiver with two years of control remaining. I looked into the first-rounders who bucked this trend by signing extensions during their fourth NFL offseasons. Many of them have been quarterbacks, but teams also made some early moves at other spots. Receiver has not been one of them, which could affect the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson talks.
• The Ravens also boast a pair of extension candidates on their defensive line. Both Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington are going into contract years. While Baltimore is known to covet compensatory picks and has let a number of ascending starters walk in free agency, Ely examined the extension cases for the two 2020 draftees.
• It has now been six years since the Chiefs broke up their Andy Reid–John Dorsey power structure. Kansas City employed Dorsey as GM from January 2013 until June 2017. While current GM Brett Veach has guided the team to three Super Bowls and two wins, Dorsey draftees Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones remain the Chiefs’ pillars. Ben took a look at how this situation unfolded and assessed the fallout.