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Month: December 2024

Latest On Cowboys G Zack Martin’s Holdout

July 29th, 2023 at 5:39pm CST by Ely Allen

Year in, year out Cowboys guard Zack Martin is a top-ten offensive guard in the league. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), up until last year, Martin was a perennial top-five guard in the NFL, more often than not ending up in the top two. Years ago, when he signed an extension with the team, he got paid like the top guard he was. But years later, after multiple reworked deals and the rising contracts of younger guards, Martin has been unhappy with his compensation, leading to the holdout he is currently staging.

Despite Martin’s persistence in holding out, Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones doesn’t seem interested at all in adjusting Martin’s deal in a way that rewards him for performing at the top of his position. He dropped two sounds bites today, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic, explaining why he doesn’t plan on taking any action. The first put the blame on star defender Micah Parsons. Jones claimed that the team will “need the money to pay” other players like Parsons in the future. The second sound bite claimed he already got his reward five years ago.

“Nothing,” Jones said in response to what needed to happen in order to resolve the situation. “He’ll come to camp when he comes to camp. There’s no resolution. There are a lot of consequences if he doesn’t.” The consequences that Jones is referring to are the daily $50K fines that Martin incurs with each missed day at training camp. So far, Martin has racked up $250K of fines.

“He’s been at the top of the money all the way through,” Jones claimed, “drafted high and got a lot of money, got a lot of money over the years. It’s just hard to get it all. The bottom line is: nothing needs to happen.”

Currently, Martin’s contract gives him the eighth-highest annual average value (AAV) at his position. Yes, he makes a lot of money as the eight-highest paid offensive guard in the NFL, but after delivering as a top player at the position for so long, one could argue he’s severely underpaid. Martin is only set to make $13.5MM this year as two other guards in the league have contracts with AAVs of over $20MM.

Jones claims he’s worried that caving in to Martin’s demands will put him in a situation in which he can’t pay anyone else, according to Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. “You make an adjustment like that, all of the sudden, you don’t have the money to go pay the guys that are in their first contract that you need to pay.” It’s unclear whether Jones has learned from the mistakes made in the Ezekiel Elliott contract, or if he has just ironically forgotten his own past actions, but these comments are antithetical to his own previous transactions.

This is one of two recent outbursts we’ve seen from team owners of players who are upset with their contract situations. In both instances, the owners seem to think they’re in the right, falling back on bargaining agreements and “how things are done.” In the process, they seem to be alienating the best players on their rosters. Jones very well may end up saving money by not adjusting Martin’s deal, but he may end up losing one of the best guards in the NFL in the process.

Bengals To Sign Former XFL QB Reid Sinnett

July 29th, 2023 at 4:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Following the calf injury that will keep star quarterback Joe Burrow out for most, if not all, of the preseason, the Bengals have decided to add another camp body to their quarterbacks room. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Cincinnati plans to sign former XFL quarterback Reid Sinnett in order to help manage through the preseason.

This is not Sinnett’s first stint on an NFL squad. He originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buccaneers in 2020 out of San Diego. He also previously spent time with the Dolphins (twice) and Eagles before finding his way to the XFL. He never made any NFL appearances, but he did spend time on the active rosters in both Miami and Philadelphia.

In the XFL, Sinnett got his first professional playing time with the San Antonio Brahmas. Unfortunately, his time on the field was cut short. After only starting one game as a pro, Sinnett was placed on injured reserve after suffering a broken foot.

Sinnett is likely not a threat to push Bengals backup quarterbacks Trevor Siemian or Jake Browning for playing time, and he’s obviously not going to challenge Burrow upon his return, but Burrow went down early into training camp, and the Bengals have a long way to go before they start playing football that matters. Going through the preseason with only two active quarterbacks is just not a viable option, so Sinnett gets more NFL experience under his belt to help Cincinnati get through camp without putting too much on Siemian and Browning.

Dolphins To Sign CB Eli Apple

July 29th, 2023 at 3:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Former Bengals cornerback Eli Apple‘s long wait on the free agent market has come to an end. Days after star cornerback acquisition Jalen Ramsey underwent surgery for a knee injury, the Dolphins have reached out for veteran starting experience, signing Apple to a one-year deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Miami lost Ramsey this week to a knee injury that required a full meniscus repair. It was originally reported that Ramsey may just miss the start of the season, but more recent reports have delineated a timeline that doesn’t see Ramsey return until December. Ramsey was obviously a big part of the team’s plan in the secondary moving forward. The Dolphins immediately started looking for options to attempt to negate his absence, also working out veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau and Anthony Averett before ultimately signing Apple.

It looked like a starting duo of Ramsey and Xavien Howard would shape up to be one of the league’s best, with strong young talent like Kader Kohou, Keion Crossen, and rookie second-round pick Cam Smith rotating in. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio also had plans of working Ramsey at nickel more often, based on his recent success in that role with the Rams. In this situation, Kohou, Crossen, Smith, or Nik Needham would come on when the team needed extra defensive backs on the field and play on the outside while Ramsey shifted in. Apple’s consistent presence on the outside changes that plan.

First, let’s start with what Apple does bring to the table. A former first-round selection taken five picks after Ramsey in 2016, Apple has been a consistent starter over his career, starting 78 of the 88 games he’s appeared in. He’s struggled with injuries in the past, having never played every game of a given season, but in every season but two, he’s been available for at least 14 games. Not only does he have starting experience, but he’s got playoff experience, as well.

With that being said, Apple has never been considered a top player at the position. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Apple has never ranked higher than 61st in the league. Last year, the site credited Apple with allowing a 99.8 passer rating in his coverage area. So, while Apple provides them with the starting experience, Miami may be hoping that they will still get some of their best play out of their incumbent corners.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald suggests that Apple’s experience will make him a top candidate to start outside opposite Howard. Apple’s main competition should be Kohou, who started 13 games as an undrafted rookie last year out of Texas A&M-Commerce. Jackson foresees a situation in which Kohou could take the role that Fangio envisioned for Ramsey, starting on the outside then shifting in to the slot when the team needs three cornerbacks on the field. If Apple can earn the starting spot on the outside, though, Kohou would become the immediate primary nickel cornerback.

Past that, much of the plan remains the same. A healthy Needham becomes a strong rotational piece as Crossen and Smith continue to develop in the early years of their careers. Thanks to the injuries that forced Kohou and Crossen into starting time last year, the Dolphins have a relatively deep group at cornerback that should absorb the temporary loss of Ramsey well. That’s not to say that this group won’t be significantly better once Ramsey returns, but while he’s gone, the addition of Apple combined with the capabilities of Miami’s younger defensive backs should hold the team over until Ramsey’s back.

Bengals Expect Joe Burrow To Miss Several Weeks

July 29th, 2023 at 2:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 29: While Taylor still refused to budge on the phrasing of “several weeks” in an interview today with Pelissero, the vibe around camp seems a bit less cautious. “Several weeks” could indicate that Burrow’s recovery could carry into the regular season, causing him to miss a few games, but Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport reports that, in Cincinnati, “there doesn’t appear to be concern” about the star quarterback being ready for Week 1.

JULY 28: The Bengals will not have their superstar quarterback at practice for a while. They are expecting to be without Joe Burrow for several weeks, Zac Taylor said Friday.

Burrow suffered a calf strain during practice Thursday. After reports of the strain circulated, Taylor confirmed this is the injury. The Bengals are planning to add another quarterback, Taylor said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

Trevor Siemian and Jake Browning are the healthy Cincinnati passers presently. Set to each see first-team time, the two will enjoy more important work soon. Letting previous Burrow backup Brandon Allen walk (to the 49ers) in free agency, the Bengals signed Siemian soon after that transaction. When asked about the possibility Burrow’s absence will stretch into the regular season, the fifth-year Bengals HC did not comment.

Burrow has battled back from bigger injuries in his career, having made it back from a November 2020 ACL tear in time for the 2021 season opener. He also missed camp time due to appendicitis last year.

Wearing a sleeve on his injured leg at Thursday’s practice, Burrow went down on a noncontact play and was eventually carted off the practice field. The Bengals did not consider holding Burrow out of practice yesterday, Taylor said. While it represents good news Burrow’s injury did not affect his Achilles’ tendon, it is obviously not ideal for a Bengals team whose championship hopes hinge on their QB’s availability. Opening with a road game against the Browns, the Bengals do not begin their season for six weeks.

Camp absences have not led to Burrow missing time in the regular season. The former No. 1 overall pick has not missed a start due to injury since returning from the ACL tear. The Bengals held Burrow out of their Week 18 game in 2021. Other than that, the 2019 Heisman winner has been on the field leading the Bengals’ ascent in this span.

An experience disparity exists between the Bengals’ two backups, with Browning — a 2019 Vikings UDFA — having yet to play a regular-season game. Since being given the keys to start Denver’s Super Bowl title defense in 2016, Siemian has made 30 starts. Browning, 27, may have an uphill battle for QB2 duties, despite having been with the team since September 2021. Siemian, 31, has been with five teams — the Vikings, Jets, Titans, Saints and Bears — since his Broncos tenure ended.

This calf issue should not affect the Bengals’ timeline for Burrow’s extension; the fourth-year passer expressed patience when asked about his negotiations this week. With Justin Herbert agreeing to a $52.5MM-per-year deal with the Chargers on Tuesday night, Burrow will be expected to finish the offseason as the NFL’s highest-paid player. It will just be a matter of how much the Cincy QB moves the bar from the Herbert point. This injury figures to keep Burrow off the field until he signs that long-rumored extension.

Dalvin Cook Receiving Interest From “About Five” Teams

July 29th, 2023 at 1:34pm CST by Ely Allen

JULY 29: Cook went on ESPN today to discuss his visit plans prior to tomorrow’s date with the Jets. According to Rich Cimini of the network, Cook confirmed tomorrow’s plans but claimed that, as of right now, no other visits are in the books. He did say that “thing are definitely heating up,” and a Patriots visit has been rumored for a couple days now, so there’s a chance he could be shipping up to Boston in the coming days, as well.

As for the Jets, Cook pointed to their roster as a factor that piqued his interest. The team, the coaching staff, and the prospect of playing in an offense with Rodgers all certainly contributed to his desire to take tomorrow’s visit. It will be interesting to see if he comes away from New York tomorrow with a new deal or not.

JULY 28: Since being released by the Vikings back in early-June, veteran running back Dalvin Cook has been a bit hush-hush about his free agency. Rumors and speculations have come from all over without any hint of how much was true, but today, during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Cook informed Patrick that “probably about five” teams have shown legitimate interest in acquiring his talents.

As soon as Cook was released, early speculation was pointed at his hometown Dolphins and the Broncos. It was established fairly soon after that Denver was unlikely to bring Cook aboard. The team apparently felt confident in a 1-2 punch of the recovering Javonte Williams and career-RB2 Samaje Perine. There seemed to be quite a bit of back and forth between Cook and Miami, but in the end, the Dolphins never gave Cook an offer worth taking.

As the weeks rolled on with no deal, two other AFC East teams entered the fold as the Jets and Patriots began to show interest. Both teams have been active in adding new talent this offseason. The Patriots added JuJu Smith-Schuster to their wide receiving corps and seemingly finished second in the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes. Adding Cook to a backfield led by Rhamondre Stevenson could be extremely attractive for new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

New York added wide receivers Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, and Randall Cobb to a corps that already rostered Garrett Wilson and Corey Davis. All these weapons were brought in to provide new quarterback Aaron Rodgers with a strong offensive cast. They do have a solid, if not unproven, group of running backs in Breece Hall, Michael Carter, and rookie Israel Abanikanda. Adding a veteran like Cook could be beneficial for the room, but it certainly isn’t a necessity. Cook is set to visit the Jets this Sunday.

So, who are the five teams? Assuming the Broncos, who ruled themselves out early, aren’t on the list, the Dolphins, Jets, and Patriots should make up three of those teams. The fourth AFC East team, the Bills, was mentioned as a possibility as Cook entertained the idea of playing with his little brother, James, according to Zach Dimmitt of Sports Illustrated.

It’s unclear who the fifth team would be. Our early speculations listed the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Commanders as early possibilities, but no serious interest has been reported from any of these teams. Regardless of who the fifth suitor happens to be, it still seems like there is at least an 80 percent chance that Cook ends up in the AFC East.

Panthers Sign QB Jake Luton

July 29th, 2023 at 11:21am CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers have added another arm to their revamped quarterbacks room. According to ESPN’s David Newton (via Twitter), the Panthers have signed Jake Luton.

[RELATED: Panthers Name Bryce Young Starting QB]

As Newton notes, the Panthers had been seeking another arm to help soak up some training camp and preseason snaps. Luton will presumably have a legitimate chance to make the roster or practice squad.

Luton was a sixth-round pick by the Jaguars in 2020, and he ended up starting three games as a rookie. Jacksonville was winless in those three contests, with Luton completing only 54.5 percent of his passes for 624 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. The Oregon State product also scored a touchdown on the ground.

The Jaguars moved on from Luton at the end of the 2021 preseason, and he’s since spent time with the Seahawks, Dolphins, Jaguars (second stint), and Saints. The 27-year-old inked a futures contract with New Orleans back in January but was waived by the organization a few months later.

The Panthers used the first-overall pick on Bryce Young, and the organization has made it abundantly clear that the rookie will start at quarterback in 2023. The team also added veteran Andy Dalton via a two-year deal, so the top spots on the depth seem pretty set in stone. Luton could theoretically compete with Matt Corral for the QB3 spot, although the organization just used a third-round pick on the quarterback in last year’s draft. Corral missed his entire rookie season while recovering from a Lisfranc injury.

Lawrence Guy, Patriots Discussing New Deal

July 29th, 2023 at 9:15am CST by Ben Levine

Lawrence Guy continues to seek a new contract, and it sounds like the defensive lineman’s camp has started negotiations with the Patriots. After arriving to training camp on time, Guy told reporters that he’s been in contact with the organization about a new contract but wants to “keep that private between us.”

[RELATED: Patriots DT Lawrence Guy Seeking New Deal]

“I’m here. A big smile on my face,” Guy said (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). “I’m going to do whatever I can for the organization. I’ll work as hard as I can. That’s why we play this game — to be out on this field. To be a brotherhood.”

The Patriots’ longest-tenured player still has two years and $6MM remaining on the four-year, $11.5MM pact ($24MM max value) he signed with the organization during the 2021 offseason. Guy is set to earn $2MM in 2023 and could earn another $3.5MM via incentives, and there’s no remaining guaranteed money on his contract. Per Kyed, the Patriots could free around $3MM in cap space by releasing or trading the veteran (and they’d be left with a $500K dead cap hit).

As a result of his contract situation, Guy skipped mandatory minicamp earlier this summer. A source previously described the contract situation as “a challenging negotiation,” so there were some pundits who wondered if the defensive lineman could end up holding out during training camp. Guy would have faced daily fines of $50K if he skipped out on practices.

Guy is one of the team’s few remaining Super Bowl champs. The 33-year-old 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. In 2022, Guy started all 14 of his appearances, compiling 46 tackles, two sacks, and five QB hits. Pro Football Focus wasn’t all that fond of his performance, ranking him 89th among 127 qualifying interior defenders while also handing him the lowest grade of his career.

“It’s football season. Most players play football in football season,” coach Bill Belichick said when asked about negotiations. “We’ll see how it goes.”

The Patriots aren’t cash strapped at the moment, so they do have some flexibility to give Guy a raise. However, New England has traditionally been stubborn when it comes to handing out revised deals, so it will be interesting to see what side prevails during negotiations.

Patriots, OLB Matt Judon Have Discussed New Deal

July 28th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Since joining the Patriots on a four-year, $54.5MM contract, outside linebacker Matt Judon has been a star. He seems to want to stay in New England for the foreseeable future, and one would assume the Patriots would like nothing more than to keep him around and producing. While Judon won’t talk to the media about anything contract-related, according to Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal, it does sound like some conversations between the two parties have taken place.

After five years in Baltimore, Judon gave New England the first double-digit sack total of his career. He followed that up this past season by topping that double-digit sack total with 15.5 sacks, a new career high. After only amassing 34.5 sacks during his time with the Ravens, Judon has exploded onto the scene with 28.0 sacks in only two years as a Patriot.

With his production exceeding expectations, naturally, a new deal that reflects his output has been brought up by the media. Despite Judon’s insistent secrecy, some comments that he made today hinted at some discussions having taken place between him and some team brass.

Last year saw Judon restructure his contract to lessen his cap hit going into the 2022 season. Seeing as he is set to account for the 19th highest defensive cap hit in 2023, it would behoove both parties to seek an adjusted deal. Judon could help clear some cap space for New England, while the Patriots could kill three birds with one stone by lowering Judon’s cap number, giving him a bit of a raise as a reward, and keeping him in town for a few more years.

With discussions on the brain, reporters inquired about whether or not Judon was staging a “hold-in” over the first few days of camp. He had participated in a limited capacity for the first two days of training camp but progressed towards more involvement today.

“Me and the guys talked about it,” Judon said in response to the allegations, “and we both felt like, ‘Alright, we can do that for two days. Then we can ease into things.'”

So, it looks like Judon’s soft “hold-in” has trickled out and returned to full participation. It was, presumably, a passive-aggressive communication that he is still hoping to work towards a new deal. It sounds like both parties have interest in getting something done, but wanting it and getting it done are two different things. It seems that there is still a ways to go in these discussions, but there is a hint optimism.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/23

July 28th, 2023 at 7:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league as we head into the weekend:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Waived: OL Dylan Deatherage

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

  • Waived: OL James Empey

Mullen was placed on the NFI list two days ago. Apparently, his failure to disclose the non-football injury led to his release. Claimed off of waivers early into the offseason this year, Mullen has spent a good amount of time in Baltimore but has yet to see any game time. The Ravens hoped he might add some depth to their secondary, but with today’s transaction, the former second-round pick hits the free agent market.

Dantzler, a former third-round pick in Minnesota, also finds himself available in free agency after a short stint with the Bills. After signing with his second team of the offseason last month, Dantzler was waived with an injury designation.

Broncos Work Out DT Shelby Harris

July 28th, 2023 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest team to see one of its players hit with a gambling suspension, the Broncos look to be considering a reunion as a result. Shelby Harris worked out for his former team Friday, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic tweets.

On the workout circuit months after his Seahawks release, Harris is obviously quite familiar with Denver. The Broncos featured Harris as a defensive line regular from 2017-21, re-signing him to a three-year, $27MM deal in the process. The team included Harris in 2022’s Russell Wilson trade, however.

Revamping their D-line once again, the Seahawks cut bait on the Broncos-constructed Harris contract in March. The Broncos added Zach Allen to replace Dre’Mont Jones, who ended up replacing Harris in Seattle, but lost one of their 2022 D-line draftees — Eyioma Uwazurike — to an indefinite gambling ban. The former fourth-round pick, obtained with a selection that came back to Denver in the Wilson swap, was found to have bet on NFL games, clouding his future.

Although the Broncos have changed coaching staffs multiple times since Harris last took the field for them, the interior D-lineman has experience with new Denver DC Vance Joseph. The Broncos initially signed Harris during Joseph’s run as head coach. The soon-to-be 32-old DT played for the team throughout the Joseph and Vic Fangio HC tenures.

Harris started 49 games for the Broncos from 2017-21, spending most of the Fangio period as a first-stringer. He became known for pass batdowns while in Denver, deflecting 16 between the 2019 and ’20 seasons, and registered six sacks apiece in 2019 and ’21. With Seattle last year, Harris started all 15 games he played. Pro Football Focus rated Harris as a top-20 inside D-lineman, but while the Seahawks were open to bringing him back, his 2022 production has not led to a known wave of interest.

The Broncos have Allen, D.J. Jones and Mike Purcell up front, with 2022 draftee Matt Henningsen expected to play a key role as well. The team added Tyler Lancaster this offseason, with reserve Jonathan Harris remaining on the team after arriving in 2019.

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