2024 February - Pro Football Rumors

Month: December 2024

Texans, DE Jonathan Greenard Exploring Deal

February 28th, 2024 at 11:17am CST by Sam Robinson

Although Danielle Hunter might be the top edge rusher headed to free agency, this year’s batch of UFA-to-be defensive ends features some younger options with upside. Though, this crop carries some uncertainty as well.

With the cap spiking to $255.4MM, however, two of the second-contract-seeking DEs — Jonathan Greenard and Bryce Huff — are probably in great shape. That will put their current teams to the test. Regarding Greenard, the Texans may need to prepare an offer worth more than $20MM per year to retain him.

Greenard’s price tag is set to climb past $17MM per year, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds it might take more than $22MM per annum to sign the former third-round pick. Mutual interest exists between the parties, and Wilson indicates the sides are now motivated to hammer out a deal. They are exploring if a new agreement is possible. Considering the Texans’ $67.3MM in cap space (as of Wednesday morning), it is. Of course, it will be on the team to determine if Greenard is worth this price.

Will Anderson won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, but Greenard led the team in sacks by a wide margin. Greenard notched 12.5 sacks and 22 QB hits last season. Greenard’s 32 pressures tied for 20th in the NFL. The former Louisville and Florida pass rusher, who is going into his age-27 season, also tallied eight sacks for a lower-profile Texans team in 2021.

“JG did a good job for us,” DeMeco Ryans said. “He was very productive; his play was physical. He did the things we asked him to do. We’ll see where free agency plays out, but we love JG. We loved what he did for us this year.”

It would seem a franchise tag could be in play, though the cap spike leaves that number at $21.3MM. Wilson does not mention the possibility the tag will be used to keep Greenard off the market, but the Texans do have cap space and a uniquely structured payroll presently. Beyond the offensive line and a midlevel Maliek Collins deal, the Texans do not really have much allocated to the other positions on their roster. This opens the door to some interesting possibilities for a team that will build around the rookie contracts of Anderson and C.J. Stroud.

After two lean years and a surprising playoff season, the Texans will enter a new phase of Nick Caserio‘s rebuild. This will mark the first offseason bringing expectations; it will be interesting to see if the team is ready to spend to load up the roster around Stroud. The Greenard decision will be a key component in this upcoming chapter.

Giants GM: Saquon Barkley Tag Still In Play

February 28th, 2024 at 10:15am CST by Sam Robinson

Before the $255.4MM salary cap became a reality, a report indicated the Giants were highly unlikely to use their franchise tag on Saquon Barkley a second time. A subsequent rumor about an Xavier McKinney transition tag surfaced, injecting more intrigue into this situation.

But the cap came in about $10MM north of the Giants’ expectations. Considering the cost of tagging Barkley a second time ($12.1MM), the cap spike could play a key role in extending this long-running relationship. Though, Barkley still has a good chance of hitting the market for the first time.

Schoen said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz) the Giants would like to have Barkley back in 2024 and added a tag is “not off the table,” though the third-year GM noted the goal would be to reach a deal with the Pro Bowl running back without using the tag. Teams regularly aim for this resolution, as it avoids a cap hold hitting a payroll before free agency.

Barkley may well be the top back available this offseason, should no tag commence, as neither the Raiders (Josh Jacobs) nor Cowboys (Tony Pollard) are planning second tag efforts at RB. Of course, the presences of Jacobs, Pollard, Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry, D’Andre Swift and the Ravens’ Gus Edwards–J.K. Dobbins pair stand to dilute the market and work against Barkley, who played on a $10.1MM tag last season. The Bengals may also send Joe Mixon to the market, further crowding a pool that features higher-profile talent compared to last year’s deep RB free agent crop.

As of now, it appears the influx of cap space will “not greatly affect” how the Giants proceed with Barkley, Schwartz notes. The Giants and Barkley have engaged in on-and-off negotiations since November 2022. The sides came close on a deal last July, but as the team increased its guarantee to approximately $22MM, it reduced the offer’s base salary south of $12MM. That prompted Barkley to pass and play on the tag. He can begin speaking to other teams for the first time when the legal tampering period begins March 11.

“I wouldn’t say his value has changed, especially to the organization,’’ Schoen said. “He’s a captain; he’s a leader; he’s a hard worker. I think the world of Saquon, and I still think he can play. Unfortunately throughout the process starting back in November of 2022, we weren’t able to come to an agreement in terms of where we were for where a deal made sense. We’ll circle back again.”

The Giants are expected to make the two-time Pro Bowler an offer soon, and it will be interesting to see if it rivals what they proposed in July. Additionally, Schwartz notes Roc Nation’s Kim Miale, Barkley’s former agent, is not part of these negotiations. Barkley had brought CAA’s Edward Berry into the picture just before the 2023 tag extension deadline; Berry is now the RB’s lead representative.

As for McKinney, Schoen indicated (via Schwartz) talks have not begun. The sides will begin talking Friday in Indianapolis, when the safety’s agent arrives. McKinney will be one of the top DBs available, and the cap spike will certainly help him. It would cost the Giants $13.82MM to use the transition tag on McKinney, who will not turn 25 until August. Only four players have been transition-tagged over the past 10 years; teams are not entitled to any compensation if they fail to match an offer sheet for a transition-tagged player.

Chiefs To Release Marquez Valdes-Scantling

February 28th, 2024 at 9:17am CST by Sam Robinson

Marquez Valdes-Scantling collected two Super Bowl rings as a veteran presence in what became a wildly inconsistent Chiefs receiving corps. The ex-Packer, of course, contributed to the inconsistency. And his cap charge in 2024 will lead to a separation.

The Chiefs are expected to release Valdes-Scantling, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. The move will save $12MM for the two-time reigning champions. MVS was due to make $11.56MM in nonguaranteed base salary next season.

While Valdes-Scantling frequently drew scrutiny due to his drop penchant — not exactly the lone Chiefs cog to struggle on this front — he made some important contributions as a member of the team. MVS caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl LVIII and snagged a deep toss from Patrick Mahomes that held off the Ravens in the AFC championship game. In the 2022 AFC title game, the Chiefs lost their three other top receivers due to injury. Valdes-Scantling’s 116-yard performance played a pivotal role in the Chiefs fending off the Bengals.

But the NFL’s latest dynasty is in need of cap space due. Both Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed are due for free agency. The Chiefs are prepared to tag Sneed, at $19.8MM, but as of Wednesday morning, they did not hold enough cap room to even do that. With the team still in talks with Jones, the $12MM in additional funds will help. Though, the future Hall of Famer is a real threat to hit the market come March 11.

Shortly after trading Tyreek Hill in March 2022, the Chiefs reached an agreement with Valdes-Scantling to come over from the Packers. MVS signed a three-year, $30MM deal that morphed into a pay-as-you-go structure following the 2022 season. The Chiefs liked enough about what they saw to keep the former fifth-round pick in 2023, doing so as they let JuJu Smith-Schuster walk in free agency. MVS finished with 687 receiving yards in 2023 but tailed off — the AFC title game resurgence notwithstanding — down the stretch. Last season, the up-and-down pass catcher totaled only 315 yards despite playing 16 games. A crucial drop may have cost the Chiefs a November win against the Eagles.

While MVS joined Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore in submitting iffy seasons that turned wide receiver into the team’s biggest weakness, the veteran was still needed down the stretch. The Chiefs effectively determined they were a more reliable offense without Moore and Toney. Neither of the young receivers played after Week 15. Kansas City went 6-0 without the drop-prone pass catchers henceforth, but both Toney and Moore remain tied to rookie deals. Toney’s January outburst on social media — related to the team keeping him on its injury report for the AFC championship game — preceded the former first-round pick becoming a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. The 2022 trade acquisition is far from certain to be a Chief in 2024.

In addition to Moore, the Chiefs still roster 2023 second-round pick Rashee Rice. Backup wideout Justin Watson, who became a more important piece due to the higher-profile WRs’ drop issues, is also under contract for the ’24 season. It is a mortal lock, however, the Chiefs make a major upgrade attempt at the position this offseason.

Broncos Expected To Keep Courtland Sutton, Want Tim Patrick Back At Reduced Rate

February 28th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Sam Robinson

Two of the NFL’s top trade chips leading up to the past two deadlines, Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy remain in Denver. Offers have come in at various points, but the Broncos stood pat. They may not this year, as Sean Payton begins his second offseason.

Rumored to be considering disbanding this duo at long last, the Broncos do not appear ready to part with Sutton. Emerging as the team’s top weapon in Payton’s first season, Sutton has two years left on the four-year, $60MM extension he signed in 2021. That is a below-market rate for a No. 1 wide receiver, and 9News’ Mike Klis notes the six-year veteran is expected back next season.

Sutton, whom the Broncos nearly traded to the Ravens prior to the AFC North team’s Odell Beckham Jr. addition, does not have any guarantees remaining on his deal. Notching a number of acrobatic receptions for an offense that did not have much in the way of reliable weaponry last season, Sutton is due a $13MM base salary in 2024. $2MM of Sutton’s 2024 base ($13MM) becomes guaranteed on March 17. The former second-round pick is going into his age-29 season.

This would point to another round of trade rumors involving Jeudy, who is coming off a disappointing season. Although Jeudy’s 758 yards nearly matched Sutton’s total (772), the shiftier target struggled to be a steady target for Russell Wilson in Payton’s offense. A new quarterback almost definitely coming could change Jeudy’s standing in Denver, and the 2020 first-round pick’s trade value likely dropped due to his spotty performance and the $12.99MM guaranteed salary that comes with his fifth-year option.

The Broncos held out for a second-round pick for Sutton and a first-rounder for Jeudy last year. No such proposals are believed to have emerged, though Jeudy is reported to have drawn an offer including third- and fifth-rounders before the deadline. It will be interesting to see if the Broncos finally move on, as they have Marvin Mims likely to assume a bigger role in 2024.

While Tim Patrick remains on Denver’s roster, the former Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater target looms as a cut candidate due to a $9.5MM nonguaranteed 2024 salary and the fact he has not played since the 2021 season. Still, Klis adds the Broncos would like Patrick back at a reduced rate. If the parties cannot agree on that lower price, Patrick would be on track to be cut. Patrick going into his age-31 season will not help his value, making it rather important for the former UDFA to have signed an extension before his injury-plagued stretch.

ACL and Achilles tears over the past two training camps have kept Patrick off the field since his 734-yard showing in 2021. The surehanded 6-foot-4 wideout remains tied to the three-year, $30MM deal he signed just before Sutton back in fall 2021.

It is safe to assume the Broncos will not bring back all four of their top receivers next year, with Jeudy and Patrick on the radar to be moved. As of now, however, the team — which is $16MM-plus over the cap — is determining a plan early in an offseason in which Wilson is likely to be cut to bring an $85MM dead-money charge (over two offseasons, via a post-June 1 designation).

This cap situation will make it difficult for the Broncos to re-sign center Lloyd Cushenberry, who made a contract-year leap. After two healthy but unremarkable seasons to start his career, the former third-round center investment missed much of the 2022 season due to a groin injury. Cushenberry bounced back, ranking 11th among interior O-linemen in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric. The Broncos want to re-sign the four-year starter, but GM George Paton said the team is high on 2023 seventh-round pick Alex Forsyth and fellow holdover Luke Wattenberg. While the Broncos should not be ruled out from making a center move, early signs point to one of the rookie-deal cogs winning the job.

Raiders Not Planning To Trade Davante Adams

February 27th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

While GM proclamations about trades involving marquee players have led to course reversals before, new Raiders front office boss Tom Telesco did make a notable effort to insist Davante Adams will not be going anywhere this year.

Regarding Adams, Telesco said Tuesday “He’s a Raider.” Adams had recently expressed excitement about returning for a third season in Las Vegas, but after a run as the No. 1 receiver for playoff-bound teams in Green Bay, the past two years have brought a step out of the spotlight — and more rumors about a potential departure.

Adams was among the players to stump for Antonio Pierce this year. Although neither Pierce nor Telesco were in their current roles when the Raiders traded first- and second-round picks for Adams, it certainly appears the new regime wants to keep the All-Pro target in place as the team’s top wide receiver. This follows up a recent report that indicated the Raiders have no desire to move on from Adams, despite the changes that have occurred since his acquisition.

The Jets came up as an Adams suitor at multiple junctures. The AFC East team made overtures about acquiring Adams, Mike Evans or Tee Higgins. None of the inquiries gained much traction, but a December report indicated the Jets had been monitoring Adams since they traded for Aaron Rodgers. The two, of course, played eight seasons together in Green Bay. Rodgers said he attempted to convince Adams to stay with the Packers in 2022, but the latter moved to reunite with college teammate and longtime friend Derek Carr. That partnership lasted one year, with the Josh McDaniels–Dave Ziegler regime cutting Carr. Adams stayed in Vegas but expressed frustration during the final weeks of the McDaniels period.

While seemingly more content with the Raiders’ setup under Pierce, Adams still saw his numbers drop from 2022. After a 1,516-yard Raiders debut that featured an NFL-high 14 touchdown catches, Adams totaled 1,144 yards and eight TDs in 2023. With the team in dire need of a quarterback upgrade — a situation Pierce has made no secret of — Adams is an expensive receiver on a team in transition. Adams will, however, be reuniting with ex-Packers assistant Luke Getsy in 2024.

“Open-mindedness and, like I said, that innovation to the offense and a good run-pass balance,” Adams said (via Gutierrez) of Getsy earlier this month. “And that’s what I’m used to, that West Coast style. Going to be fun getting to work on a new system, [yet] something that’s a little bit more familiar.”

It is unclear who will be targeting Adams next season, but Telesco — like Bengals exec Duke Tobin did re: Higgins at last year’s Combine — is providing a firm indication the accomplished wideout is in the Raiders’ plans for the upcoming season.

Buccaneers To Release OLB Shaquil Barrett

February 27th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

In need of retaining several key members of their 2023 team, the Buccaneers have a few likely salary cap casualties. One of those has long been believed to be outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, and he is indeed set to see his time in Tampa Bay come to an end.

The Buccaneers will release Barrett, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The two-time Super Bowl winner was owed an option bonus of $15.04MM on the fifth day of the new league year. Rather than absorbing that cap charge, Tampa Bay will cut bait after Barrett’s five-year run with the team.

This move will come in the form of a post-June 1 release, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms. Taking that route will allow the team to spread out Barrett’s $26.67MM dead cap figure across two seasons. The Bucs will be hit with $9.27MM in dead money in 2024 and $17.4MM next year. They will save $4.9MM in cap space for this season, but only after June 1.

Barrett recently admitted he was likely to be released this offseason given his burdensome cap hit. The 31-year-old was owed $17MM in 2024 and he was due to carry a cap hit of $14.19MM, along with a charge of $29.43MM in a void year in 2025. One of many Bucs veterans to have their contracts restructured in recent years, Barrett’s release will be part of the process of Tampa Bay clearing out financial wiggle room in the post-Tom Brady era. The modest cap savings will not be available during the opening wave of free agency, but it will still help as the team aims to retain important members of the squad which went to the divisional round of the postseason.

Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr. are each pending free agents (although the latter is likely to receive the franchise tag). A new contract for Mayfield in particular will be an expensive priority, given his success in his debut Tampa season. Barrett, by contrast, delivered underwhelming totals in 2023 despite managing to play in 18 combined regular season and playoff games coming off an Achilles tear the previous season. The two-time Pro Bowler posted 4.5 sacks in 2023, after recording three in eight contests the year prior.

Those totals mark a stark contrast to Barrett’s 19.5 sacks in 2019. That figure led the league and set a single-season franchise record. The Colorado State product also delivered four sacks in the 2020 postseason to help Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl that year; after a 10-sack campaign the following season, though, things have not gone according to plan. Barrett will now turn his attention to free agency in the hopes of regaining his previous form in a new environment.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, will move forward with an inexpensive edge contingent including the likes of Anthony Nelson, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and YaYa Diaby. The latter finished tied for fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after he delivered 7.5 sacks in 2023. Another investment along the edge via the draft could be in play for Tampa Bay, or the team could dip into the secondary free agent market if sufficient funds for a Barrett replacement exist. Entering today, the Buccaneers had $43.68MM in cap space with a slew of major financial decisions still to make.

Latest On Patriots OL Michael Onwenu

February 27th, 2024 at 9:04pm CST by Ben Levine

With Michael Onwenu set to hit free agency in a few weeks, the Patriots offensive lineman is currently operating without an agent. The lineman recently informed NFL teams that he has “terminated his prior relationship” with representatives Roosevelt Barnes and Jovan Barnes, per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. NFL Players Association records also show that Onwenu doesn’t currently have an agent.

This could end up being a non-story. After all, players need to wait five days after terminating representation before hiring a new agent, per Florio. However, there’s also the possibility that the lineman could simply be looking to represent himself. With rookie contracts becoming more and more standard, we’ve seen a handful of first-year players enter the NFL without representation. However, it’s extremely rare for a veteran to operate without an agent, especially when they’re set to hit free agency for the first time in their career.

Onwenu has spent his entire career in New England. The former sixth-round pick found himself in and out of the starting lineup in 2021, but he started all 32 of his appearances over the past two years. Listed as a tackle in 2023, Pro Football Focus ranked Onwenu 29th among 81 qualifiers this past season. The lineman ranked top-10 at his position in each of his first three seasons in the league.

The 26-year-old may simply be gearing up to sign with the highest bidder in free agency. The Patriots apparently remain an option to retain the offensive lineman, with executive Eliot Wolf telling reporters today that the latest development about Onwenu’s representation doesn’t change anything for the organization.

“It doesn’t impact us,” Wolf said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “Mike is a core player for us. It’s no secret we want to try to keep Mike, and it will just be a little bit of a wrinkle dealing with him. Mike is really smart, he’s introspective, he’s thoughtful, and he understands; he knows what he wants, which is always good when you’re dealing with a player. He’s certainly someone we view as a cornerstone for us.”

Panthers Would Consider Using Franchise Tag On Brian Burns

February 27th, 2024 at 6:28pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Panthers would prefer to sign Brian Burns to an extension, GM Dan Morgan told reporters that “all options are on the table” when it comes to retaining their star pass rusher, including the franchise tag. With the March 5 franchise tag deadline rapidly approaching, Morgan revealed that he’ll be meeting with Burns’ agent this week regarding a potential extension.

“We’ll have a little more clarity on the situation after that, but we’re working on it,” Morgan said (via Darin Gantt of the team’s website). “I think right now, all options are on the table. You know, what those options are, we’ll find out. I’ll have a little more clarity on that after I meet with the agent.”

The franchise tag for Burns would come in at $24MM for the 2024 campaign. While a hypothetical extension could produce a higher average annual value, the team would have more flexibility to lessen the impending cap hits. Still, the Panthers clearly don’t want Burns to walk away for nothing, and when asked pointedly if the Panthers would consider the franchise tag, the GM didn’t mince words.

“We would definitely use it if we had to use it, and you know, we love Brian,” Morgan continued. “Brian’s a Panther. Somebody that I know and that I’m close to, I played with his brother. So, I definitely love Brian. But all options are on the table for him.”

Burns has spent his entire career with the Panthers, earning Pro Bowl nods in both 2021 and 2022. From a counting-stats perspective, his 2023 numbers were down a bit; after averaging more than 10 sacks per season between 2020 and 2022, Burns finished with only eight sacks last year. He still finished the campaign with 16 tackles for loss and 18 QB hits, and Pro Football Focus still graded him as the 37th edge rusher among 112 qualifiers.

Nick Bosa currently paces all edge rushers with a $34MM AAV, and three other pass-rushers are making north of $25MM per season (T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa, and Myles Garrett). Burns is younger than those higher-paid counterparts, and while he may not receive the same total money or guarantees, he could push to be among the highest-paid edge rushers in terms of AAV.

We heard recently that the Commanders joined a number of teams in contacting Carolina about Burns’ availability leading up to this year’s trade deadline. While the pass-rusher would surely have a number of suitors in free agency, it sounds like he won’t even make it that far.

Vikings Hire Josh McCown As QBs Coach

February 27th, 2024 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Known for making a few team jumps during his lengthy quarterback career, Josh McCown has landed a second gig as a quarterbacks coach in as many years.

The Vikings hired McCown as their quarterbacks coach, the team announced Tuesday. This comes months after the Panthers fired him in the wake of Frank Reich‘s early dismissal. Minnesota is among the cities McCown, 44, did not stop through as a player, but he will get to work under third-year HC Kevin O’Connell.

A candidate to become the Texans’ head coach in two offseasons, McCown did not land that job. Such an appointment would have come as controversial given his inexperience coaching. Following interviews for the Houston job in consecutive years, McCown landed in Carolina. That became a mistake.

In an attempt to assemble an all-star staff around Reich, David Tepper allowed a complex Bryce Young developmental effort to commence. This included marrying concepts from Reich and OC Thomas Brown, with McCown having an influence in the offense’s direction as well. The experiment faceplanted, and after Jim Caldwell and interim HC Chris Tabor orchestrated McCown’s firing, the Panthers have a new staff in place.

McCown played 18 NFL seasons, skipping the 2010 campaign while playing in the original United Football League, and bounced around the league. While the journeyman has no prior history in Minnesota, he did throw a rather important pass in Vikings annals. McCown’s final-seconds toss to Nate Poole produced a game-winning Cardinals touchdown that knocked the Vikings out of the 2003 playoffs. That was McCown’s second season; he will now aim to use the Vikings as a bounce-back opportunity in his second coaching season.

The Vikings are moving Chris O’Hara from QBs coach to pass-game specialist. O’Hara has been on O’Connell’s staff throughout the latter’s Twin Cities tenure. He came over from the Rams along with O’Connell and OC Wes Phillips.

Broncos To Pick Up Patrick Surtain’s Fifth-Year Option

February 27th, 2024 at 3:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

In a decision similar to the first fifth-year option call in Broncos history (Von Miller‘s), the team will extend Patrick Surtain‘s contract through 2025.

The Broncos will make the “easy decision” to exercise Surtain’s fifth-year option, GM George Paton said Tuesday. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Surtain has become one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks. He is almost definitely the Broncos’ top player, and the team is naturally interested in a long-term extension.

Picking up Surtain’s option will buy the Broncos time on that front; he will have two more years of control remaining as a result of the long-expected transaction. The salary cap coming in at a surprising $255.4MM will bump Surtain’s option number a bit. Because Surtain is a two-time Pro Bowler, his option price lands on the top tier of the layered option structure. For cornerbacks, that number checks in at $19.8MM, matching this year’s CB franchise tag tender.

Criticized for passing on Justin Fields three years ago, the Broncos joined the Panthers in choosing a corner over the Ohio State QB prospect. Injuries have impacted Jaycee Horn‘s ascent, while Surtain has stayed healthy thus far. Denver has been unable to solve its long-running quarterback issue, but Surtain has become one of the 2021 draft’s top players. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and was named a 2023 Pro Bowler. Following the likes of Champ Bailey, Chris Harris and Aqib Talib as All-Pro Broncos corners over the past two decades, Surtain will likely see his extension talks begin with the clear expectation of him becoming the NFL’s highest-paid corner.

Surtain, 23, drew trade interest at the deadline. The Broncos set the price at two first-round picks to initiate a conversation, and while multiple teams were believed to have made offers, none came in on that level. Surtain trade rumors may persist, and the 49ers were among the teams to have reached out about the second-generation NFL corner, but the team as of now is planning to move forward with its top cover man.

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