HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Trade Candidate: Darius Slayton

May 26th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants offense has the potential to look extremely different in 2024 than they did in 2023. The starkest change obviously came with star running back Saquon Barkley heading to division-rival Philadelphia. The departures also included those of backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor and backup running back Matt Breida, and there’s a chance that the team is not nearly done seeing players walk out the door.

One possible additional departure could be veteran tight end Darren Waller. After injuries limited him in each of the past three years, Waller has been seriously contemplating retirement. While the team was hoping for an update by the draft, that deadline came and went with no decision. The most recent report claims that Waller will inform the team of his intentions by the time the Giants dismiss players for the summer break.

The other potential departure is a bit less cut-and-dried. The more mercurial situation is that of the contract of veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton. The 27-year-old wideout is heading into his sixth year of NFL play and the second year of the two-year, $12MM contract he signed last year to remain in New York. With another contract-year on the horizon, Slayton has been playing hardball in his attempts to attain his third NFL deal.

In April, Slayton made it clear that he was staying away from the first phase of offseason workouts for the Giants, taking a note out of Courtland Sutton‘s book in Denver. That strategy can only work for so long, though, as missing any of the team’s mandatory minicamp in June will result in fines. Giants general manager Joe Schoen denied at that time that the team was engaging in any extension conversations, but Slayton claimed that his agent, Michael Perrett, was in negotiations with Schoen following the draft.

Slayton has excelled in his role after being drafted in the fifth-round out of Auburn in 2019. He exploded onto the scene as a rookie, leading the team in receiving yards (740) and touchdown receptions (8). Since then, Slayton has led the Giants in receiving yards while surpassing 700 yards in every season except for one injury-limiting 2021 campaign. While impressive as a rookie, his inability to improve on those numbers has been limiting to New York’s offensive potential.

While leading the team is certainly an accomplishment, it may also be more a mark on the talent of the team’s receivers. He’s hardly ever the most-targeted player on the team and has twice been targeted fewer times than a running back or tight end. He’s put up impressive numbers for a fifth-round pick catching balls off the arm of Daniel Jones, but he hasn’t nearly put up solid, WR1 numbers.

The results of the draft may play a key role in Slayton’s future, as well. The Giants utilized their No. 6 overall draft pick on LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who many believe has the potential to be a true No. 1 wideout. Nabers also has the potential to add to a youth movement that could make Slayton superfluous. Last year saw second-year receiver Wan’Dale Robinson start to break out, and rookie third-round pick Jalin Hyatt began earning some starting snaps in the back half of the season. The two could pair up with Nabers to form a receiving corps that doesn’t need to depend on Slayton to lead the team anymore.

These three factors — Slayton’s hold out strategy, his limited top-end production, and the potential youth movement at receiver — could push the veteran out of New York altogether. The Giants have yet to show that extending Slayton is a priority, and continuing to add young talent to the position room shows that he is not likely to become one.

There are plenty of teams who could use a receiver who could be a strong WR2. As we pointed out in our profile on Titans wideout Treylon Burks earlier this weekend, the Bills and Chargers are paramount on that list after each team watched top receivers (Stefon Diggs–Gabriel Davis and Keenan Allen–Mike Williams, respectively) depart in some fashion. The Steelers, Jets, and Ravens all have some question marks on the roster at those positions, as well, but each team would likely be wary of giving away too much for Slayton.

That is another factor for whether or not Slayton finds himself on the trading block. He may not bring in a massive return for New York. Still, even for only a late-round pick or two, shipping Slayton off may be the cleanest way out of overpaying Slayton as a subpar WR1. The team’s top receiver since his arrival in 2019 is set to represent a $8.15MM cap hit in 2024. Trading him away could result in $6.4MM of cap savings.

Peyton Manning Not Currently Considering NFL Ownership

May 26th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

When bids were coming in on the Broncos, Peyton Manning‘s name frequently came up. The Hall of Fame quarterback was mentioned by several prospective bidders as someone a buyer would include in the new ownership group, one of them being the winner of the bidding process (Rob Walton).

However, Manning is not currently involved in the team’s operations despite previously mentioning interest in a Broncos ownership role. Walton mentioned both Manning and fellow Broncos Super Bowl winner John Elway as candidates to take on a position of some kind upon the beginning of his tenure as owner. The latter remained with the organization until recently, but the former is not actively seeking out a role.

“I don’t think that’s anywhere on my radar by any means,” Manning said when asked about future ownership or other front office responsibilities (via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post). “I love being an ambassador for the Broncos and for the Colts, for the University of Tennessee. Obviously, living here I get to go to all the Broncos games. I was out at the facility the other day… I still have my key fob from when I played.

“I still feel an attachment and have really enjoyed getting to know the Walton-Penner family as well. But as far as running a team, I don’t think that’s on my radar.”

Manning’s attention is currently aimed on his post-playing media endeavors, which have proven to be rather fruitful. His Omaha Productions company has a long-term agreement in place with ESPN, and he and brother Eli will again take part in the ManningCast this season. He is thus on track to remain in Denver (where he played four seasons to close out his career) in his current situation for the foreseeable future.

Walton brought on a number of notable names to join his ownership group, including former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. Manning would of course represent another high-profile addition if he were to come aboard. That should not be expected any time soon, though.

Patriots’ Matt Judon Won’t Hold Out At Minicamp

May 26th, 2024 at 8:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Last offseason, Patriots star pass rusher Matt Judon embarked on negotiations for a new contract knowing that he was one year away from a contract-year. He even staged a bit of a “hold-in” to start camp, participating in a limited capacity to presumably send a message about his dissatisfaction with the progress of the negotiations. Once again, Judon plans to be in attendance, as he refuses to sacrifice current money for future money, per Karen Guregian of MassLive.

Last year, the result of Judon’s restricted protest was a restructured deal that included several incentives. Unfortunately, he fell short of many of those incentives due to injury. Regardless, the compromise was reached with the understanding that the two sides would return to the table for negotiations this offseason.

Reaching a deal in the past few months has been difficult for both sides, though. After seeing him miss significant time, the Patriots are likely to once again focus much of Judon’s future money on incentives that he must earn by being available. Judon, on the other hand, will be seeking a deal heavy in guarantees after missing out on a good deal of money from last year’s deal.

As a result, the two are still far from a reaching a deal. While it can’t be said for certain until either party confirms, it seems that Judon’s sparse attendance in team activities recently has been a result of continued dissatisfaction with his contract situation. Judon was seemingly not in attendance for much (if any) of the team’s voluntary offseason program and missed the portion of OTAs open to the media last week. New head coach Jerod Mayo claims Judon has been “in and out” of the team facility, though it’s unclear how much of that is contract- or football-related.

Regardless of the lack of clarity on the recent situation, Judon has made one thing clear: he does not plan to give away money in pursuit of a new deal. If Judon were to miss the team’s mandatory minicamp from June 11-13, he would be subject to $101K of fines. When asked if he would be there, Judon told Guregian, “Hell yeah, I ain’t giving no money away.”

We’re still a ways off from training camp and the regular season, so there’s still plenty of time for Judon and the Patriots to come to an agreement that works for both sides. In the meantime, though, Judon seems willing to be there only so much as is completely required. The potential is there for these negotiations to foment enmity. As both sides continue to play hardball, they may run out of time and see the situation end up in free agency.

AFC East Rumors: Patriots OL, Saleh, Milano

May 26th, 2024 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

With veteran left tackle Trent Brown departing in free agency, the Patriots are looking to fill his old role this offseason. As organized team activities have opened, free agent addition Chukwuma Okorafor has been taking first-team snaps at the position, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Okorafor, a former third-round pick for the Steelers, has spent the first six years of his NFL career in Pittsburgh. His first two seasons only saw the Nigerian find starting time as an injury replacement. After Okorafor finished out his rookie contract with two straight seasons as a starter, the Steelers rewarded him with a three-year, $29.25MM extension. After losing his starting job to first-round rookie Broderick Jones last year, though, the Steelers released Okorafor to free agency.

Now in New England, Okorafor will have the opportunity to re-earn a starting job and fill in for the departed Brown. Okorafor’s competition for the job will be Vederian Lowe, who started eight games in injury relief for the Patriots last year, and third-round rookie Caedan Wallace out of Penn State.

In additional offensive line news out of New England OTAs, second-year lineman Atonio Mafi was seen taking snaps at center behind starter David Andrews. Mafi, a former fifth-round pick who converted from defensive line to guard at UCLA, had yet to seen time at center while making five starts at left guard as a rookie. New offensive line coach Scott Peters and assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler seem to have some interest in expanding his role on the line.

Here are some other rumors coming out of the AFC East:

  • We had reported previously that Jets head coach Robert Saleh had explored the idea of reducing the role of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. This exploration came after the seeing Hackett seemingly lost for options after the loss of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the season. A more recent report from ESPN’s Rich Cimini claims that Saleh is now taking a deeper role in the offense himself. The former defensive coordinator seems to be keeping a close eye over the shoulder of Hackett as their jobs both heat up in 2024.
  • Long-time Bills starting linebacker Matt Milano missed 12 games after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. The team is looking to pair Milano back up with last year’s emergent starter Terrel Bernard, but that won’t be happening in OTAs. According to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN, Milano is on schedule with his recovery, but “it’s probably going to be more closer to training camp until” he sees the field again.

5 Key Stories: 5/19/24 – 5/26/24

May 26th, 2024 at 4:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

This week marked the beginning of organized team activities in many cases around the NFL. The spring event represents an early marker with respect to contract talks for a number of players, which includes deliberate absences from the voluntary practices in several instances; a few notable developments on that front have been seen recently. In case you missed the past week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

  • Tagovailoa Participating In Dolphins’ OTAs: Unlike past years, Tua Tagovailoa was absent for much of the Dolphins’ early offseason program in 2024. To no surprise, that move was reportedly driven by the fact he does not have an extension in place. As talks continue, the team’s franchise quarterback is however taking part in OTAs. Tagovailoa is also believed to have turned down at least one extension offer to date, and developments in that respect will of course be more significant than his spring attendance and performances. The former No. 5 pick is set to play on his fifth-year option ($23.17MM) this season, but he will be aiming to join the quintet of passers currently attached to a deal averaging more than $50MM per season.
  • Jefferson Aiming For Market-Resetting Vikings Deal? Among the many receivers eligible for an extension this offseason who are skipping OTAs is Justin Jefferson, whose Vikings career has seen him enjoy an historic start in terms of production. He is looking to parlay that into the league’s most lucrative deal for non-quarterbacks. Reaching that goal would require an extension worth more than Nick Bosa’s $34MM-per-year pact, a record-breaking one for defenders signed last year. Jefferson, 24, did not follow up his Offensive Player of the Year campaign as planned in 2023, with a hamstring injury sidelining him for seven games. Still, he is on track to earn much more than the $19.74MM he is due for 2024 on a multi-year agreement. The top of the receiver market reached $32MM in AAV earlier this offseason, and Jefferson has a strong case to surpass that mark.
  • Wirfs Not Close To Buccaneers Extension: The Buccaneers have been busy this offseason with respect to retaining members of their core. The last major piece of business remaining is a monster extension for left tackle Tristan Wirfs. The three-time Pro Bowler excelled on the right side to start his career before shifting to the blindside in 2023. Wirfs, 25, has upped his market value well beyond the $18.24MM he is due this season, and a new deal will no doubt be much more valuable. Team and player are not close on contract terms at the moment, however, and the Iowa product has elected to skip OTAs. Tampa Bay’s offense will depend on Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans (both of whom received extensions this offseason) moving forward, and that will also be true of Wirfs. The latter’s contract status will be a key topic in the summer if no agreement is reached.
  • 49ers’ Aiyuk Eyeing Top Of WR Market On New Deal? Another receiver attempting to use his leverage to secure a new deal is Brandon Aiyuk. Often connected to 49ers trade talk this offseason, he is reportedly aiming for a deal at or near the top of the receiver market. That would essentially peg his asking price at $30MM per season on a multi-year deal, one San Francisco will be hard-pressed to authorize given the team’s other contracts at the skill positions. Quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for an extension next offseason, and the team must budget for that during Aiyuk negotiations. The latter (coming off a career year) is not close to working out a deal at this point, so his status will remain worth watching closely. That could especially be true given the 49ers’ decision to use a first-round pick on a receiver this year (Ricky Pearsall).
  • Goodell, Many Owners Support 18-Game Schedule: One of the topics discussed at the May owners meetings was an expansion of the regular season to 18 games. Commissioner Roger Goodell voiced support for the move, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is among those who are in agreement. Giants owner John Mara cited health and safety concerns as a reason for opposing an 18th regular season game, but many of the league’s decision-makers were already known to be on board with replacing a preseason contest with an additional one during the season. The league did so as part of the current CBA to create the 17-game schedule, and further movement could be pursued before the through-2030 deal expires. Concessions such as a second bye week would be required for the NFLPA to get on board, but more would no doubt be necessary for such a change to be finalized.    

Contract Talks Between Rams, Matthew Stafford Ongoing

May 26th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

During last month’s draft, it was learned Matthew Stafford is seeking a new Rams deal. Two years remain on his existing contract beyond 2024, but his salaries for that span are not guaranteed.

Stafford enjoyed a healthy campaign last year, rebounding from the 2022 season in which he was limited to nine games. He helped the Rams make a somewhat surprising run to the postseason, helping his leverage in contract talks. Head coach Sean McVay recently confirmed the team has been in discussion on a new deal, and that process is still unfolding.

Jourdan Rodrigue of the Athletic reports team and player are still talking in Stafford’s case (subscription required). That comes as little surprise considering McVay’s other remarks with respect to the 36-year-old’s future. Stafford has faced retirement questions in the past, but the team appears poised to keep him atop the depth chart for the foreseeable future. Working out an agreement featuring additional up front money would of course go a long way to ensuring that.

Stafford is currently set to receive salaries of $27MM and $26MM in 2025 and ’26. His cap hits for those seasons are $50.5MM and $49.5MM, though; the latter figure matches his cap charge for 2024. A new deal could lower his burden on Los Angeles’ cap sheet, although term will be a reasonable concern on the team’s part given Stafford’s age. The team has Jimmy Garoppolo as a veteran backup for this year, with 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett back in place as a developmental passer.

Much of the Rams’ success on offense this season will depend on Stafford’s level of play. Unlike a number of players angling for new deals, he has participated in Los Angeles’ OTAs, and his status will remain worth watching. As Rodrigue notes, the team generally works out contract matters such as this before training camp begins in July. It will be interesting to see if Stafford has a new agreement in place by that point.

Latest On Saints DEs Cameron Jordan, Chase Young

May 26th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Rory Parks

Saints stalwart Cameron Jordan underwent surgery earlier this year to address the significant ankle injury he sustained in November. While the eight-time Pro Bowler was able to play through the injury, he was clearly limited by it down the stretch of the 2023 season, and he ultimately recorded just two sacks (his lowest total since his rookie year in 2011).

Fortunately, Jordan is on the mend. He told reporters, including Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, that he is running again and participating in walk-throughs, and he hopes to do some on-field work by the end of OTAs and minicamp (the last OTA session is on June 6, and the club’s three-day mandatory minicamp commences on June 11).

Despite the diminished sack total, Jordan still played fairly well in the eyes of Pro Football Focus, securing a solid 73.5 overall grade that positioned him as the 41st-best edge defender out of 112 qualified players. That is off the pace of his elite performances from 2015-21 but right in line with his 2022 work. His overall mark was pulled down by a middling 63.8 pass rush grade, though there is hope that a healthy ankle will at least allow him to replicate the counting stats he accumulated in 2022, when he tallied 8.5 sacks, 66 total tackles (13 TFL), and a pair of forced fumbles.

One way or another, it appears that Jordan, who will turn 35 in July, has another two years to go in his illustrious playing career. The Cal product inked an extension last August that keeps him under club control through 2025, which he expects to be his last season. In classic Saints fashion, the team restructured his contract in March to clear cap space.

Joining Jordan on the New Orleans defensive front is free agent acquisition Chase Young, who has yet to get the big-money deal that he was doubtlessly eyeing when the Commanders made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2020. Young, of course, earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors that season but struggled with a serious knee injury thereafter, though he did manage to post 7.5 sacks between the Commanders and 49ers in 2023. While he can earn up to $13MM on his one-year pillow contract with the Saints, most of that value comes in the form of per-game roster bonuses.

Young’s market was limited in part by the fact that he required neck surgery this offseason, and while the Saints were comfortable with his prognosis, they knew he would need some time to recover. As Triplett notes, Young will likely remain in “walk-through mode” through minicamp, which is consistent with earlier reports that he would be sidelined into training camp in July.

Latest On Broncos’ Center Competition

May 26th, 2024 at 10:33am CST by Rory Parks

The cap-strapped Broncos saw one of last year’s top offensive performers, center Lloyd Cushenberry, sign with the Titans in free agency, leaving Denver with a major question mark at the pivot as it ushers in yet another new era at quarterback. 2022 fifth-rounder Luke Wattenberg will certainly have a chance to become the club’s starting center, but as Ryan McFadden of the Denver Post writes, the Broncos are also high on 2023 seventh-round selection Alex Forsyth.

McFadden says that the team views Forsyth as a potential starting-caliber center, which jibes with the comments that GM George Paton made on the matter earlier this year. Forsyth’s candidacy is buttressed by the fact that he served as the snapper for quarterback Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall selection in this year’s draft, when the two were at Oregon in 2022.

Wattenberg, meanwhile, started 16 games at center while in college, but he has played sparingly in his two years in the professional ranks, with most of his reps coming at the guard positions. And though his 129 total snaps certainly qualify as a small sample size, he has not played particularly well in that limited action.

The Broncos did sign Sam Mustipher to a one-year contract in April, and he has the experience that Forsyth and Wattenberg lack, having played 52 games (42 starts) in the NFL. He served as the Bears’ full-time pivot from 2021-22, but the fact that he was non-tendered by Chicago last year and had to settle for a one-year pact with the Ravens — and the fact that he did not even crack Baltimore’s initial 53-man roster — underscores his middling performance in the Windy City. The soon-to-be 28-year-old blocker did start two games for the Ravens last season in relief of the injured Tyler Linderbaum, and he performed reasonably well as a stopgap.

As McFadden notes in a separate piece, Wattenberg was working with the first-team offense in OTAs earlier this week, while Forsyth worked with the second unit. Still, the center competition in Denver appears to be wide open, despite the fact that Forsyth did not see any action at all in his rookie campaign. Sooner rather than later, Nix will take the reins at quarterback, and there is a good chance he will have a familiar face snapping him the ball.

Latest On Falcons LB Troy Andersen

May 26th, 2024 at 9:27am CST by Rory Parks

After seeing action in all 17 games (five starts) as a rookie in 2022, Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen opened the 2023 season as a full-time starter alongside Kaden Elliss in Atlanta’s defense. Unfortunately, the shoulder and pectoral injuries he sustained in Week 3 sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign, and his replacement — 2022 UDFA Nathan Landman — piled up 110 tackles, three forced fumbles, two sacks, and an interception in his stead.

As D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes, Andersen has no limitations as he participates in OTAs, with the player himself saying, “yeah, I feel good. Kind of back to normal. Hopefully, better than normal. Yeah, it’s pretty good.”

Landman has been working with Elliss and the first-team defense, while Andersen has been finding his footing with the second-team unit and fifth-round rookie JD Bertrand. But given Andersen’s draft pedigree — he was a second-round draft choice in 2022 — it is fair to assume that he will at least push for a starting role, and Ledbetter actually lists Andersen as a starter ahead of Landman on his depth chart.

The Falcons are transitioning to a 3-4 alignment under new head coach Raheem Morris, so there will be an opportunity for Elliss, Andersen, and Landman to get plenty of burn, and Morris indicated that all three players could be on the field at the same time on some occasions.

“Watching those three guys out there, man, it’s been fun to watch,” Morris said. “You’re talking about some big humans that can move really quickly and do some special things, particularly with the ball and getting in the way and getting in the way of passing lanes. They do so many good things, it’s almost like three different coaches sitting in a room at the same time. It is going to be exciting to get them on the field. Maybe all at the same time, because they have that type of ability that warrants more playtime.”

Elliss is the big-money member of the trio, having signed a three-year, $21.5MM contract with Atlanta last March. He held up his end of the bargain, recording 122 tackles and four sacks while grading out as Pro Football Focus’ 20th-best linebacker in the league out of 82 qualifiers in 2023.

Landman also fared well in the eyes of PFF’s metrics, finishing as the site’s 28th-best LB. PFF dinged him for his work in pass coverage — something many ‘backers struggle with — but he more than made up for it with his performance against the run.

As such, Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake have a good problem on their hands when it comes to finding reps for all of their linebackers, and the return of Andersen will further bolster a defense that finished 11th in total yardage last season. In his two games in 2023, the Montana State product notched 19 total tackles (including one TFL) and a half-sack.

Ravens Officially Convert Malik Cunningham To WR

May 26th, 2024 at 8:22am CST by Rory Parks

When the Ravens signed 2023 UDFA Malik Cunningham off the Patriots’ practice squad in December, it was widely assumed they were doing so with an eye towards installing Cunningham as quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s backup for the upcoming season (and perhaps beyond). However, as Ryan Mink of the Ravens’ official website notes, Cunningham is now listed as a wide receiver on Baltimore’s roster.

The Ravens allowed Jackson’s former backup, Tyler Huntley, to depart in free agency while re-signing 38-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson, which appeared to set the table for a Johnson v. Cunningham battle for the QB2 role. Instead, head coach John Harbaugh anointed Johnson as the second passer on the depth chart earlier this month, and at the time, we heard that Cunningham may transition to wideout.

The transition has been made official, as the Ravens are apparently comfortable with their quarterback situation after selecting Devin Leary in the sixth round of this year’s draft (Leary and UDFA rookie Emory Jones will compete for the QB3 job). Cunningham, whose rawness as a passer is what caused him to go undrafted last spring, is nonetheless a highly-athletic talent for whom the Patriots designed a special package of gadget-type plays when he was on their roster.

While Cunningham only saw action in one game (six snaps) with New England, he will now have a chance to focus exclusively on his craft as a receiver. According to Mink, the Louisville product has shown promise in that role in the early stages of the Ravens’ offseason program.

Baltimore did not make an effort to re-sign Odell Beckham Jr., a key ancillary weapon in last year’s passing attack, and the team also saw Devin Duvernay defect to the Jaguars in free agency. Despite a re-up for Nelson Agholor, those departures left the Ravens a little thin at the WR position, especially given Rashod Bateman‘s history of injury troubles. Like the 2023 edition of Duvernay, free agent acquisition Deonte Harty is likely to see more action as a return specialist than on offense.

The club did add Devontez Walker in the fourth round of April’s draft, and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely have proven themselves to be terrific pass catchers, but Cunningham still appears to have a decent chance to carve out a spot for himself in the WR room. Behind Zay Flowers, Bateman, and Agholor, the rest of the Ravens’ wideouts are either unproven or ticketed for a third phase role, so if Cunningham continues to perform well as the summer progresses, he and Jackson — who were actually teammates at Louisville in 2017 — could find themselves on the field together when the regular season rolls around.

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