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Month: September 2024

Latest On Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s Training Camp Participation

July 26th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 26: Continuing to vary his participation on a daily basis, Tagovailoa took every first-team rep during Friday’s practice (h/t Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network). McDaniel confirmed earlier on Friday the team will use a day-by-day approach at all positions (video link via Beasley). Until Tagovailoa’s extension situation is resolved, therefore, he can be expected to continue spending time both on and off the field during team sessions.

JULY 25: Last year, Brian Burns made the unusual move to pivot to a hold-in effort days before Week 1. That did not last, but Tua Tagovailoa may be shifting the relatively new negotiating tactic to a new place as well.

After taking just two snaps during 11-on-11 drills Wednesday, Tagovailoa did not participate at all during Miami’s Thursday practice. Labeling this a hold-in measure, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley indicated the Dolphins’ team drills — as could be expected — did not feature too much offensive success.

Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tua’s camp participation would be fluid during negotiations, so it is certainly possible the lefty passer suits up Friday. This would be a rather unusual effort on the QB’s part, as hold-ins typically do not feature yo-yoing with regards to participation. T.J. Watt participated partially in Steelers practices throughout his 2021 hold-in, but he passed on team drills during a negotiation that did not end until just before Week 1. Given his position, Tagovailoa not participating stands to disrupt his team’s process more so by comparison.

While it would be more interesting if Tua indeed practiced Friday, an in-and-out routine would be quite odd amid negotiations. Jordan Love is not participating in Packers practice without an extension. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have been in talks for much of the offseason, though the Packers believed to be closer on terms with their starter compared to Miami’s talks.

Tagovailoa has turned down at least one Miami offer, and reports earlier this summer suggested hesitancy regarding AAV and guarantees with respect to the skyrocketing QB market. Trevor Lawrence secured $142MM guaranteed at signing on a $55MM-per-year deal, one that matched Joe Burrow atop the league’s salary hierarchy. It would surprise if Tagovailoa was not angling to top Lawrence’s guarantee, seeing as he has been more consistent — at least, under McDaniel — than the Jaguars starter.

For the time being, the Dolphins have Mike White and Skylar Thompson taking snaps in team drills. Tagovailoa, who is tied to a fully guaranteed $23.17MM fifth-year option this year, appears set to shift to a full-on hold-in effort or introduce a new strategy for mid-camp negotiations.

Panthers To Sign Kemoko Turay

July 26th, 2024 at 10:41am CST by Adam La Rose

Carolina’s efforts in auditioning several edge rush options will produce at least one deal. The Panthers are signing Kemoko Turay following his workout, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets.

Turay visited the team yesterday alongside Marquis Haynes. He will now spend training camp attempting to carve out a spot on the 53-man roster. Turay’s last regular season appearances came in 2022 with the 49ers, and he spent last offseason with the Falcons. Upon failing to survive roster cuts, though, he was unable to find a deal.

The 29-year-old played out his rookie contract from 2018-21 with the Colts. Turay operated in a rotational capacity during that time, with his only three career starts coming in his rookie season. The former second-rounder flashed potential with four sacks during his debut campaign, but he managed just 2.5 across the following two seasons. Turay only logged a 27% snap share in 2021, but he racked up 5.5 sacks and 12 pressures that year.

The Rutgers product was unable to match that production during his one-and-done San Francisco slate, so he will join the Panthers with limited expectations. Carolina is in need of depth along the edge, though, with plenty of uncertainty in place beyond projected starters Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum. Turay will look to earn a rotational edge rush role; he does not have special teams experience, so third phase duties do not represent a feasible path to a roster spot.

Carolina will audition Yannick Ngakoue and Carl Lawson today, and it will be interesting to see if either of them manage to secure a deal. Regardless of whether of not that happens, Turay will have an opportunity through the next several weeks as he aims to earn a regular season role.

Lions K Michael Badgley Suffers Season-Ending Hamstring Injury

July 26th, 2024 at 8:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Lions head coach Dan Campbell announced on Friday that kicker Michael Badgley injured himself while getting ready for practice. He confirmed (via team reporter Tim Twentyman) Badgley will undergo surgery and miss the entire 2024 season.

“I feel awful for Badgley, man,” Campbell said. “He worked his tail off to get ready for this season and he was having a good spring and was ready for camp. It’s tough.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Badgley suffered a torn hamstring. The 28-year-old was set to compete for the full-time kicking gig in Detroit during training camp, something he had yet to enjoy despite having made 16 total appearances for the team. Badgley took over from Riley Patterson midway through the 2023 season, and he was retained in February on a one-year deal.

Now, the journeyman will hit free agency next March with his market value having taken a hit. Badgley has played 64 games in the NFL split across five teams, and he could be forced to find another new employer when he returns to full health. The Lions, meanwhile, will now turn their attention to finding a suitable replacement over the coming weeks.

Detroit has UFL product Jake Bates as the only healthy kicker on the roster at the moment. The Michigan Panthers alum played his home games at Ford Field, and he connected on 17 of 22 field goal attempts (including three from beyond 60 yards). Campbell said the Lions have already lined up workouts with some of the free agent kickers available, though he added a signing is not necessarily an immediate priority.

Detroit topped the NFC North in 2023 and advanced to the conference title game. Expectations are high for the franchise this year, and maintaining their strong production on offense will be a important task for the Lions moving forward. Badgley was set to play a role in that regard, but those responsibilities will now fall to Bates or a kicker not currently on the roster. Detroit has $34.5MM in cap space, so affording competition for Bates in the near future will not be a problem.

Rams CB Derion Kendrick Suffers ACL Tear

July 26th, 2024 at 8:10am CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 26: Testing confirmed Kendrick did indeed tear his ACL, Schefter notes. Rams head coach Sean McVay said he will undergo surgery “in a couple weeks” before turning his attention to rehab. Kendrick should next take the field in 2025, the final year of his rookie contract.

JULY 25: One of the Rams’ first training camp practices may have resulted in a major blow to the team’s secondary. Third-year cornerback Derion Kendrick is feared to have suffered a torn ACL, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Further testing will take place, but the worst-case scenario being confirmed would represent a major hit to Los Angeles’ defense. Kendrick, a sixth-rounder in 2022, logged six starts as a rookie and another 12 last year. He was projected to remain a key member of the team’s secondary in 2024, but his availability for any portion of the coming season would be all-but eliminated if tests for a tear came back positive.

Kendrick recorded his first career interception in 2023, and to date he has racked up 14 pass deflections. He made notable improvements in coverage last year compared to his rookie slate, allowing a completion percentage of 57.1% and a passer rating of 89.7 as the nearest defender. Improving further in his third year would have given the Rams a cost-effective first-team cover man.

Instead, Los Angeles will be forced to look elsewhere on the CB depth chart if Kendrick is indeed sidelined for the campaign. The team reunited with a familiar face in Darious Williams this offseason, bringing him back into the fold on a three-year deal. The Rams also took a flier on former Bills All-Pro Tre’Davious White, adding him on a one-year pact carrying a base value of $4.5MM. White’s health will be a question mark, but if he can remain on the field this year he will provide his new team with a starting-caliber option.

Los Angeles also has the likes of Cobie Durant and Tre’Vius Tomlinson in place as options to fill the vacancy an ACL tear on the part of Kendrick would create. The team has just over $8MM in cap space, so a modest veteran addition could be feasible if one is deemed necessary.

Packers, Jordan Love Making Progress In Extension Talks

July 25th, 2024 at 9:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jordan Love is present at training camp but not taking part in practices as he and the Packers continue to negotiate a new deal. Nothing is in place at this point, but things appear to be headed in the right direction.

Progress is being made toward a deal being finalized, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Both team and player in this situation expressed a willingness to have an agreement in place before the start of training camp. Likewise, general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed earlier this week his confidence that talks will get over the finish line in the near future. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also notes a deal is “pretty close” as of Thursday morning.

The one-year starter has long been expected to join the $50MM-per-year club on his next contract, one which will take the place of the band-aid deal signed last offseason. That pact replaced his fifth-year option, a move which allowed Green Bay to evaluate Love’s candidacy for a lucrative commitment as Aaron Rodgers‘ successor. After an inconsistent start to the campaign, the 2020 first-rounder delivered strong statistical showings through the divisional round of the playoffs.

Expectations are therefore high moving forward for Love as he prepares to guide a Packers offense featuring a young pass-catching corps and multiple offensive line starters attached to their rookie contracts. As things stand, running back Josh Jacobs is the only skill-position player signed to a big-money deal, but that will change once Love’s deal is in place.

The value of the latter’s pact is thought to be the largest sticking point in negotiations. Issues such as length and guarantees are important as well in any QB mega-deal, but the ones signed over the past two years will provide Green Bay with a number of blueprints to follow. Getting Love back on the field as soon as possible is, of course, another motivating factor for team and player to come to an agreement. The wait on that front may end in the near future.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Seeking Extension, Not Participating In Practice

July 25th, 2024 at 9:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

By virtue of picking up Ja’Marr Chase‘s fifth-year option, the Bengals have their top wide receiver tied to his rookie contract for two more seasons. Coming into this offseason, no team in the option era had extended a first-round wideout with two years of rookie-deal control remaining. But clubs have changed course recently.

The Eagles and Dolphins, respectively, paid 2021 first-rounders DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The Bengals are viewed as unlikely to follow this offseason trend, eyeing a 2025 Chase payday. The fourth-year receiver appears to be attempting to force the issue. Chase is not practicing for a second straight day, and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway indicating the Pro Bowler wants a new contract.

This process is veering toward a hold-in. This tactic has become a common practice during the 2020s, after the 2020 CBA made holdouts more difficult to wage. With the Bengals not known to cave in to player demands often, this will be an interesting storyline to follow.

Chase said during minicamp he was fully healthy, via ESPN.com’s Ben Baby, and the Bengals have not placed him on their active/NFI list. This further points to a hold-in measure being waged. The Bengals have shut down Jonah Williams, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson‘s trade requests over the past two offseasons, but Chase will attempt another way to bring management to the table.

Chase did not show for Cincy’s OTAs but did report to minicamp. At the mandatory offseason event, however, Chase only participated in Bengals walkthroughs. The Bengals have effectively earmarked a Chase extension, as they have Higgins tied to the franchise tag for the 2024 season. Higgins’ Cincinnati future is blurry, while the team has identified Chase as its No. 2 overall priority (behind Joe Burrow, who is already extended).

Mike Brown said (via Conway) the Bengals have started negotiations with Chase. The Vikings had begun talks with Justin Jefferson last year, but the sides were unable to come to terms by Week 1. This led to negotiations being tabled to 2024, when the Vikings hammered out a record-setting deal. The guarantees in Jefferson’s four-year, $140MM extension ($110MM in total, $88.7MM in full) proved eye-popping around the league and are certain to have changed Chase’s target. Chase had indicated he wanted to wait for his former college teammate’s contract before finalizing a push for his own extension. A year younger than Jefferson and vital for a Super Bowl contender’s mission, Chase has some leverage he can try to exert.

That said, the Bengals have the LSU product tied to a $1.1MM 2024 base salary and a fully guaranteed $21.82MM fifth-year option f0r 2025. While the team hold the cards here, Chase will eventually require a contract the Bengals typically have not been comfortable authorizing.

Joining the Packers in being against guarantees beyond Year 1 for non-quarterbacks, and Baby adds the Bengals have bristled at the notion they will need to change their contract preferences for non-QBs. The Vikings guaranteed Jefferson’s 2024 and 2025 base salaries and most of his 2026 money.

Structure figures to become a sticking point for an old-school organization, complicating its Chase talks. The Bengals may well have a clearer path to a deal in 2025, when Higgins — barring a second tag not used to be traded — comes off the books. For now, no deal is imminent.

Steelers Eyeing Pat Freiermuth Extension

July 25th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

In trading Diontae Johnson, the Steelers moved their only remotely expensive offensive player off the payroll. A defense-heavy roster that features big-ticket deals for T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith and Patrick Queen also houses an offense without any eight-figure-per-year players.

While George Pickens resides as a potential extension candidate, his rookie deal runs through 2025. The Steelers are not planning any preseason adjustments to Russell Wilson or Justin Fields‘ contracts, and James Daniels said the team is not planning to give him an extension before its long-held Week 1 deadline. This leaves an interesting imbalance ahead of the 2024 season, but one of Pittsburgh’s skill-position players does appear on the radar for a new deal.

Pat Freiermuth is coming off a down season, but The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes the Steelers have the fourth-year tight end firmly in their long-term plans (subscription required). A deal should be done before Week 1, per Kaboly. Otherwise, the Steelers — who have not negotiated contracts in-season in more than three decades — would need to wait until Freiermuth is on the cusp of free agency to complete a deal.

Arthur Smith‘s Falcons offense enjoyed production from its Kyle Pitts–Jonnu Smith tandem last season; the duo combined for 1,249 yards. Johnson’s departure leaves the Steelers thin at receiver, with the likes of Quez Watkins and Van Jefferson in the mix for the WR2 role — barring an addition before the season — as third-rounder Roman Wilson develops. Pittsburgh’s track record for developing wideouts notwithstanding, it is certainly possible Freiermuth is needed to be the 2024 team’s top Pickens sidekick.

A 2021 second-round pick, Freiermuth caught seven touchdowns in Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season and then totaled a career-high 732 yards (with two TDs) in 2022. A hamstring injury cost Freiermuth five games last season, and he finished with just 308 yards. Freiermuth has also sustained three concussions as a pro. Pro Football Focus viewed the Penn State alum as a top-10 tight end in each of his first two years, however, and the Steelers will again depend on him as a run blocker in another offense set to rely on Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

While David Njoku and Evan Engram topped $13MM per year as franchise players, Freiermuth’s inconsistent production would seemingly move him to a slightly lower tier. The Steelers could potentially shoot for a deal between Cole Kmet‘s $12.5MM-AAV accord and Hunter Henry‘s three-year, $27MM pact authorized in March.

The Steelers added Freiermuth in hopes he could become a long-sought-after long-term option post-Heath Miller. The Steelers had cycled through tight ends — from Eric Ebron to Vance McDonald to Jesse James — since Miller’s 2016 retirement. It would appear the team is convinced Freiermuth can be that player. A commitment over the next six weeks would reflect that belief.

Chiefs Rumors: CBs, Toney, Front Office

July 25th, 2024 at 8:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs have established a clear philosophy regarding cornerbacks, with the L’Jarius Sneed development the latest example of Kansas City’s view at this position. During the Patrick Mahomes era, at least, the Chiefs have been able to get by without a notable cornerback contract on the payroll.

Sneed followed Marcus Peters (2018), Steven Nelson (2019), Kendall Fuller (2020) and Charvarius Ward (2022) as one-contract players. As Steve Spagnuolo has completed a rebound from a disastrous St. Louis HC tenure and re-established himself as one of the NFL’s premier defensive minds, Kansas City has continued to plug in rookie-deal players into these positions. The two-time reigning champions will need to do so again, as Sneed is a Titan after a borderline-dominant contract year led to a tag-and-trade transaction.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs]

With Trent McDuffie‘s rookie contract running through 2025, the Chiefs still figure to have their CB anchor around for a bit. They also acquired Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson in 2022, giving them some time with another low-cost nucleus. But Sneed was an every-down player for both of the past two Super Bowl-winning Chiefs squads, giving Spagnuolo and Co. some work to do. Early in training camp, both Williams and Watson are in a wide-open competition that also features 2022 seventh-rounder Nazeeh Johnson, via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor.

While the Chiefs have 2023 fourth-rounder Chamarri Conner on track for versatile role post-Sneed, the team having four 2022 draftees/UDFAs (in Watson’s case) vying for roles at corner does well to illustrate the organization’s commitment to developing young talent at this position. Watson outsnapped Williams last season, 440-321, but the latter started four games as a rookie. Pro Football Focus rated Williams 25th at corner in 2023, with Watson settling in at a respectable 46th. Johnson has never logged a defensive snap and probably should be considered a long shot to beat out more established corners to start opposite McDuffie.

Shifting to the other side of the ball, the Chiefs are still trying to find a role for Kadarius Toney. Early in camp, the shifty but unreliable receiver has been working at running back at points, Taylor adds (subscription required). Making his most notable Chiefs contribution on a Super Bowl punt return, Toney has shown remarkable elusiveness. But the ex-Giants first-rounder, who is still working at receiver as well this summer, has made many mistakes and frequently run into injury trouble.

Our Ben Levine recently profiled Toney as a release candidate, as he has gone from a player the Chiefs had hoped could grow into their No. 1 wide receiver last season to a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. The Chiefs’ offense functioned smoother with Toney and Skyy Moore sidelined during the playoffs, and the latter accused the team of lying about his injury. The Chiefs welcomed Toney back this offseason, but his status has certainly changed over the past year. Kansas City would be hit with a $2.5MM dead money charge by releasing Toney.

The Chiefs added Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy at receiver this offseason, and even though a Rashee Rice suspension is expected at some point, the Chiefs have a fairly clear top three at receiver. Toney and Moore do not stand to be part of that group, and with Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson also still with the club, a Toney roster spot should not be considered a lock. Andy Reid does reside as one of the most creative coaches in NFL, as his bevy of goal-line plays showcases annually, so the 12th-year Chiefs HC trying to find a gadget-type role for Toney is not too surprising.

Kansas City also added to its front office recently. A year after the Saints moved on from Ryan Herman, the Chiefs added the veteran exec as their senior football strategy and compliance advisor. Herman worked with Jeff Ireland in Miami and New Orleans, specializing in analytics.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/24

July 25th, 2024 at 7:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Placed on active/PUP list: FB Robert Burns

Carolina Panthers

  • Waived/injured: DT Popo Aumavae

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • Cut via injury settlement: WR Jared Wayne

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: WR Griffin Hebert
  • Waived from active/NFI list: T Gottlieb Ayedze

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: WR Ty Scott
  • Waived: CB Andrew Whitaker
  • Activated from active/NFI list: LB Easton Gibbs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: TE Sal Cannella

Tennessee Titans

Via this transaction, the Jets are temporarily moving Reddick off their 90-man roster. Unlike placements on the active/PUP or active/NFI lists that are commonplace in July, Reddick is technically out of the mix for the Jets until his holdout ends. The trade acquisition has not shown up at any point since being traded to the Jets in March.

Diggs suffered a torn ACL during a late-September practice. He is not expected to be sidelined past Week 1, but the Cowboys will not have him at practice for a bit.

Levin has been a Titans backup for most of the past six seasons, playing regularly on special teams and starting four games during his career. An interior O-lineman, Levin played the past two seasons on one-year Tennessee deals. This marks yet another chance for Ray, a Broncos first-rounder back in 2015. This agreement comes after Ray worked out for the Titans in May. Ray, 31, spent time with the Bills during the 2023 offseason but has not played in a regular-season NFL game since 2018.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Faalele, Steelers

July 25th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns wrapping their Amari Cooper negotiations without an extension places Jerry Jeudy as the team’s long-term centerpiece at wide receiver. The recent trade acquisition, who received $41MM guaranteed at signing, is locked in through 2027. Cooper, 30, received $5MM in incentives but is positioned to play for a new contract this season.

In guaranteeing Cooper $20MM in 2024 — money he was almost definitely going to see once his salary became guaranteed in early September — the Browns moved $18.79MM of his salary into a signing bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes, with two void years added. If Cooper is not extended by the start of the 2025 league year, the Browns would incur a $22.6MM dead money hit. For 2024, however, Cleveland created $15MM in cap space, per Spotrac. Despite skipping minicamp, Cooper said he was not considering a training camp holdout.

“Honestly, it wasn’t really about money,” Cooper said, via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling. “It was more so in the language of my contract when I signed a five-year deal with the Cowboys. Only two years is guaranteed. This is the last year of that deal, but it isn’t guaranteed until the week of the first game.”

This agreement seems a small victory for a player of Cooper’s caliber, especially after the former first-rounder established a new career-high in receiving yards (1,250) to help a depleted offense last season. The Browns have an added motivation to extend Cooper before next March now, with the looming void year-driven cap penalty working in his favor.

Here is the latest from Cleveland and the rest of the AFC North:

  • Greg Newsome began Browns camp on the active/NFI list, and Kevin Stefanski shed some light on why. The fourth-year cornerback underwent hamstring surgery Thursday, and cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the team hopes to have him back by Week 1. Newsome landing on the NFI list as opposed to the PUP list indicates he sustained the injury away from the team’s facility. Stefanski did not specify when the injury occurred. Dalvin Tomlinson, who is on the Browns’ active/PUP list, is set for arthroscopic knee surgery Friday. The team hopes, per Easterling, the veteran DT is back by Week 1. Tomlinson and the Browns decided this week surgery would be necessary. Both players were key starters for Jim Schwartz‘s No. 1-ranked defense last season.
  • Third-year Ravens O-lineman Daniel Faalele‘s best shot to start this season may come at right guard. Despite being a tackle fill-in during his first two seasons, the 6-foot-8, 380-pound blocker is being given extensive work at RG, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). Faalele is primarily competing with Ben Cleveland and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu at RG, per Zrebiec. John Harbaugh said the Ravens will move O-linemen around during camp, as Cleveland saw tackle reps this offseason, but the 17th-year HC confirmed the team is giving Faalele a shot to be a rather tall guard early in camp. It would also not surprise to see Faalele be given a shot at right tackle, where he played 157 snaps last season. Baltimore needs three new O-line starters after guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson leaving in free agency and the team trading Morgan Moses to the Jets.
  • Eddie Jackson‘s Ravens deal is a one-year pact worth $1.5MM, Wilson notes. The longtime Bears starter received $1MM guaranteed. While this is a steep reduction from Jackson’s previous Chicago extension (four years, $58.4MM), he is far from the only experienced safety to accept a significant pay cut this offseason.
  • Tyler Matakevich‘s Steelers contract will be worth the veteran minimum, Wilson adds. The ninth-year linebacker will be due $1.21MM in base salary, but the team has not guaranteed its former seventh-rounder anything.
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