2024 August - Pro Football Rumors

Month: November 2024

Patriots’ Matt Judon Drawing Trade Interest

August 12th, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

No agreement has been reached between Matt Judon and the Patriots as he approaches the final year of his current contract. To little surprise, teams around the NFL are looking into a potential acquisition.

New England has received trade inquiries from “multiple teams,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. The four-time Pro Bowler has not been a full participant in training camp this summer, although he recently resumed practicing on a daily basis. Judon wants to finish his career with the Patriots, but no deal on an extension or an upgraded pact for 2024 appears to be imminent.

As Fowler’s report confirms, New England made an offer earlier this summer. That was rejected by Judon, who is due $7.5MM for the coming season. The top of the edge market is much higher than that, and while the soon-to-be 32-year-old will not command a deal near the top of the pecking order his production suggests he could be due a raise. Judon has recorded 32 sacks in 33 games as a member of the Patriots.

A biceps injury limited the former fifth-rounder to four games last season, something which has hurt his leverage in contract talks. To little surprise, though, Judon has expressed frustration with his situation this offseason, one in which the Eliot Wolf-Jerod Mayo regime has retained a slew of in-house players. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was similarly upset with his deal until an extension was worked out.

New England currently has nearly $45MM in cap space, and the team sits third in terms of projected 2025 finacial flexibility. A raise for Judon in the short term or a deal making him one of the Patriots’ higher-paid players in the long term is therefore feasible, but it remains to be seen if either commitment will be made. While that question remains unanswered, it will be interesting to monitor how aggressively outside suitors pursue a trade and how willing New England is to listen to offers.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson Cleared For Full Contact

August 12th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 12: While Watson will not take part in Cleveland’s second preseason contest, he will make his 2024 debut one week later. Stefanski said on Monday (via Cabot) the Browns plan to play Watson in their exhibition finale against the Seahawks. Making it through that contest healthy would set the stage for a critical regular season slate.

AUGUST 11: Deshaun Watson has hit another checkpoint in his recovery process. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Sunday the team’s franchise quarterback has been cleared for full contact.

Watson was limited to just six games last season due to a lingering shoulder injury. After being shut down for the campaign – the second of his fully guaranteed, $230MM contract – his attention turned to rehab. That process has gone well to date, with an update from June stating he was ahead of schedule.

Now, Watson will continue his preparation for the 2024 season during this week’s joint practices with the Vikings. Stefanski confirmed the three-time Pro Bowler will not play in Cleveland’s second preseason contest, as was the case this past weekend (by which time, as Stefanski clarified via Cleveland.com’s Mary KayCabot, Watson had received clearance). The 28-year-old will, however, receive the “vast majority” of first-team reps over the coming days.

The Browns dealt with a slew of injuries at several offensive positions last season, and the team relied on Joe Flacco at quarterback down the stretch and in the postseason. Flacco departed in free agency and Cleveland has brought in the likes of Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley in addition to returnee Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Regardless of how the rest of the depth chart shakes out, though, Watson will of course face high expectations as starter once the campaign begins.

After sitting out the first 11 weeks of the 2022 season through suspension for a personal conduct policy violation, the former Texan did not impress in his opening Cleveland starts. The Browns went 5-1 during his six appearances this past season, but his passer rating in that span (84.3) fell well short of his career average and his best Houston years. Returning to his previous form – and thus making the monster trade price the Browns paid to acquire him, in addition to the historic extension, easier to justify – would be critical for Cleveland’s chances of making a postseason run.

Unlike last offseason, the team did not adjust Watson’s contract. As a result, he is set to carry a record-breaking cap charge of $63.77MM in 2024. The pact also calls for cap hits of just under $64MM in 2025 and ’26, so remaining healthy and delivering a strong outing on Watson’s part will be critical for the team’s finances now and in the future. This latest update is another sign he is back at 100% well before Week 1.

WR Martavis Bryant Lines Up Second Commanders Workout

August 12th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

Martavis Bryant‘s efforts to return to NFL action will once again take him to the nation’s capital. The veteran wideout is set to visit the Commanders for a workout tomorrow, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Bryant first visited Washington in May as part of his bid to land a roster spot ahead of the 2024 season. No deal was worked out at that point, but this week’s summit could produce a different result. The 32-year-old last played an NFL game in 2018, but he continues to seek out an opportunity to return to the league.

A combination of substance abuse-related suspensions left Bryant sidelined for years after the end of his one-year Raiders tenure. The former Steelers fourth-rounder saw time in the CFL and XFL before making his ongoing attempt at a finding an NFL roster spot. Given the fact the Commanders already hosted him once, it will be interesting to see if tomorrow’s visit produces mutual interest from team and player to work out a deal.

Bryant signed with the Cowboys in November, but he spent the following months on Dallas’ practice squad. After signing a futures deal, the Clemson product was released in May. That has led to a lengthy free agent spell and no known visits with a team other than the Commanders. In Washington, Bryant would spend the coming weeks competing for a complementary role in the team’s passing game.

Terry McLaurin remains comfortably atop the Commanders’ WR depth chart. Recent draftees Dyami Brown and Jahan Dotson are set to hold roster spots in 2024, while Washington also has veterans Olamide Zaccheaus, Jamison Crowder and Byron Pringle in the fold. The Commanders selected Luke McCaffrey in the third round of this spring’s draft, and he too is in the mix for a regular role. Bryant would thus have plenty of competition for a roster spot if he were to sign with Washington.

Falcons To Host S Justin Simmons

August 12th, 2024 at 11:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Another NFC South team is interested in Justin Simmons. The free agent safety is set to visit the Falcons today and tomorrow, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Simmons remains on the open market, but the recent increase in interest could soon produce a deal. The Saints hosted him last week, and head coach Dennis Allen noted team and player had previously been in communication during the spring. New Orleans and Simmons seemed to achieve better clarity on the matter of a potential agreement in the wake of last week’s meeting, but today’s news means the team could have competition in finalizing a contract.

Atlanta made a major safety investment via free agency last offseason. Jessie Bates inked a four-year, $64MM deal, and he delivered on expectations during his first Falcons campaign. The former Bengal racked up six interceptions, 11 pass deflections and three forced fumbles; those totals earned him a Pro Bowl invitation and a second-team All-Pro nod.

While Bates thrived in 2023, the Falcons did not enjoy success in the takeaway department. The team only totaled eight interceptions, and adding another playmaker to partner with Bates would go a long way in spurring a step forward in production. Since entering the league in 2016, Simmons has posted 30 interceptions, the most in the NFL during that span. The two-time Pro Bowler has notched at least three picks in each of the past six campaigns.

Simmons has yet to play a postseason game in his eight-year career, and he has said the ability to join a contender in 2024 is a higher priority than securing the most lucrative deal available. Just like the Saints, the Falcons were unable to win an underwhelming NFC South last season and they missed the playoffs as a result. Atlanta now has a new coaching staff and quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fold, though, leading to expectations for a rebound from the Arthur Smith era.

With two weeks remaining in the preseason, Simmons still has some time to find a new home. The 30-year-old will be counted on to handle starting duties wherever he lands, and in the case of Atlanta that would mean partnering with another centerfield-type safety in Bates and relegating Richie Grant to second-team duties. It will certainly be interesting to see how this Falcons visit goes over the coming days. Atlanta currently sits at the bottom of the league in terms of cap space with $3.5MM available, so any Simmons investment would need to be a modest one.

Rams TE Tyler Higbee Likely To Miss Regular Season Time

August 12th, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Adam La Rose

Tyler Higbee suffered an ACL tear during the Rams’ wild-card loss, and he has remained sidelined during training camp. The veteran tight end should not be counted on to recover in time for Week 1.

Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes the Rams expect Higbee to miss time during the fall (subscription required). That comes as little surprise given the timing of his injury; moving him to the reserve/PUP list would ensure a four-week absence at the start of the year. Higbee is projected to miss at least that much time as he continues to recover, Rodrigue writes.

Higbee has served as a full-time starter since his second season in the league. His eight-year career has been played exclusively with the Rams, and he has posted between 495 and 734 yards each year since 2019. The 31-year-old is under contract for the next two years on his current pact, so it would be logical from the team’s perspective to stick to a cautious recovery approach.

Los Angeles signed Colby Parkinson in free agency. The former Seahawk inked a two-year deal worth $22.5MM to make the intra-divisional move, and he is in line to serve as starter while Higbee is on the mend. Parkinson, 25, saw an uptick in playing time over the past two seasons after primarily being used on special teams during his first and second Seattle campaigns. He will look to offer a pass-catching option to complement Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua during the early portion of his Rams tenure.

The rest of the Rams’ tight end depth chart includes 2023 fifth-rounder Davis Allen and former trade acquisition Hunter Long. Both members of that pair are likely to see playing time at the start of the season in particular while Higbee rehabs. At some point in 2024, though, the latter will be expected to return to action as a key member of Los Angeles’ offense.

Drew Lock To Miss Time; Giants Not Considering QB Addition

August 12th, 2024 at 10:27am CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 12: Daboll’s latest comments on the QB situation (via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News) indicate New York will not, in fact, be making a move at this time. Lock is likely to remain sidelined at practice this week, but Daboll said tight end Tyree Jackson is a candidate to dress as a third QB if needed for the Giants’ second preseason game.

AUGUST 9: Drew Lock joined the Giants in part because of the rehab odyssey Daniel Jones required following his ACL tear. Jones, however, is now back and reclaimed his starting post. And Lock is now the QB in need of a rehab timetable.

The veteran backup sustained a strained oblique and suffered a hip contusion during a sequence in the Giants’ preseason opener Thursday night, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The free agency pickup will not need surgery, but he will miss what sounds like a reasonable chunk of time — to the point the Giants may need another quarterback.

Brian Daboll said (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) the Giants will consider a QB addition. Jones and Tommy DeVito are now the only healthy QBs on New York’s roster. The team cut offseason addition Nathan Rourke upon Jones being fully cleared. Rourke is now with the Falcons.

Lock has a month to recovery in time for the season, but given Jones’ injury history, it is understandable the Giants are discussing an immediate move. DeVito stands to move into the backup role. While the team’s part-time 2023 starter is not a threat to Lock’s job security, his experience last season is suddenly relevant. Regardless of DeVito’s seasoning, the Giants will need another arm to get through preseason play.

Only a starter for one full season (2020), Lock began his career on the Broncos’ IR list a year earlier. The second-round pick did not debut until Week 13 of his rookie year. In 2020, Lock only finished 12 games; though, one absence came due to being a COVID-19 close contact. Lock has only worked as a Teddy Bridgewater or Geno Smith fill-in over the past three seasons, and he signed a one-year deal worth $5MM to back up Jones. Reports of Lock threatening Jones’ job security were quickly debunked, though it is worth wondering if the current Big Blue backup will make starts late in the season regardless of the starter’s health. A Jones $12MM injury guarantee enters the equation for the Giants in 2025, opening the door for Lock seeing time if Jones is parked to prevent guarantees vesting.

Ben DiNucci joins ex-Giants emergency backups Jacob Eason and Matt Barkley as available passers. Technically, Ryan Tannehill is also available, though it would be highly unlikely the ex-Dolphins and Titans starter was interested in a short-term gig. Now 38 and coming off a Raiders release, Brian Hoyer is also available. His Patriots tenure did not overlap with Daboll’s, however.

For now, the Giants have Jones ready to go once again and DeVito (six 2023 starts) a surprisingly experienced — for a second-year UDFA, at least — option behind him. Lock’s status, of course, will be worth revisiting as the season nears.

Dolphins Activate OLB Jaelan Phillips

August 12th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Miami has received positive news on the health front with respect to Jaelan Phillips. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday the fourth-year edge rusher has been activated from the active/PUP list.

As a result, Phillips is now eligible to return to practice. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since the Achilles tear he suffered on Black Friday, and his offseason has been centered on his ability to recover. Returning to action in time for Week 1 has long been a goal, and today’s news is an encouraging sign Phillips will be able to meet it.

Having at least one of Phillips or Bradley Chubb in place by that point would be critical for Miami’s edge rush corps. The latter is rehabbing an ACL tear, and his availability for the start of the campaign remains a question mark. The Phillips-Chubb tandem will handle starting duties when healthy, and with Shaquil Barrett retiring before making his Miami debut, veteran depth could be an issue. The Dolphins do, of course, have rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in place as rotational options.

Miami made the expected decision of picking up Phillips’ 2025 fifth-year option this spring. That move set him up to earn $13.3MM next season, although a long-term deal could be in the cards as well. The UCLA and Miami alum flashed considerable potential as a rookie, racking up 8.5 sacks. That was followed up by seven the year after and another strong showing in the first portion of the 2023 campaign. Phillips recorded 6.5 sacks and 17 pressures before suffering the injury. He now has a short window to ramp up in time for the start of the campaign.

In other Dolphins news, Wyatt Ray‘s efforts to return to the NFL have led him to Miami. The veteran edge rusher has joined the Dolphins, per an announcement from his agency. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported earlier Monday that Ray, 27 worked out for the team. The former UDFA has made 23 appearances in the NFL split across three teams. He posted 5.5 sacks with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this spring, and that production has landed him the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.

Falcons S DeMarcco Hellams Suffers Ankle Injury

August 12th, 2024 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

DeMarcco Hellams‘ efforts to secure a starting spot on defense in 2024 have come to a halt. The second-year safety is set to miss “significant time” due to an ankle injury, head coach Raheem Morris said (via team reporter Tori McElhaney).

Hellams was selected in the seventh round of last year’s draft after pick No. 224 was included in the Bryan Edwards trade. He logged a special teams role right away during his rookie campaign, but as the season progressed he also took on defensive responsibilities. The 24-year-old ultimately made four starts late in the year, surpassing former second-rounder Richie Grant on the depth chart.

In all, Hellams totaled 40 tackles and did not allow a touchdown in coverage last season. That level of play – coupled with his third phase role – had him in line to compete for a full-time defensive spot or at least a key rotational workload in 2024. Now, his attention will turn to recovery and minimizing the time he misses during the regular season.

Today’s news means Grant will regain his starting spot in time for Week 1. That was already the way things appeared to be headed, as noted by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, based on training camp performances. The 26-year-old took on first-team duties in 2022, racking up 123 tackles and seven pass deflections. Grant once again filled the statsheet last season (103 stops, three sacks), but he surrendered six touchdowns and a 126.6 passer rating in coverage. Those struggles led to Hellams seeing additional snaps late in the campaign, but Grant will no longer have competition for the time being.

The latter is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so a strong showing would help his market value on a second Falcons deal or one sending him to a new team. Atlanta already has one major financial commitment on the books in the form of Jessie Bates, but for 2024 Grant and Hellams constitute cost-effective starting options. The team’s depth at the safety spot will be limited for a stretch at the start of the year, though.

Raiders’ Starting QB To Be Announced Next Week

August 11th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Last we heard, the Raiders were in no hurry to announce who would enter the 2024 NFL season as their starting quarterback. That was two weeks ago, and now, that tune has changed. Head coach Antonio Pierce has stated that the team’s “goal is to announce a starter following the team’s next exhibition game,” per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.

So, what changed to prompt Pierce to decide that it’s time? “We’ve got to get ready to play football, and I think we’ve got enough film,” Pierce told the media following the team’s first preseason contest. “We’ll have two games here (by that point) to evaluate both quarterbacks to see how they’ll play.”

It’s currently a two-man race between veteran Gardner Minshew and second-year passer Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell started 10 games (including the last nine games of the season) for Las Vegas last year as a fourth-round rookie out of Purdue. Taking over for a benched Jimmy Garoppolo, he went 5-5 in those starts, completing 62.1 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Minshew’s career as a starter has been a rollercoaster. Drafted out of Washington State as a backup for Nick Foles in Jacksonville, Minshew was immediately pushed into action when Foles suffered an injury that would keep him out for most of the season. Minshew became an overnight sensation that season, going 6-6 in 12 starts and throwing 21 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He entered the following season as the starter, but injuries and a 1-7 record pushed him out of the role.

Minshew was traded to the Eagles, where he started four games over the next two years as a backup to Jalen Hurts. His rookie contract expired, Minshew signed with the Colts, hoping to win an open starting job post-Matt Ryan. Indianapolis ended up drafting Anthony Richardson fourth overall in the first round, but Richardson got hurt, eventually missing the final 12 games of the season. Minshew took over as the Colts’ starter, and returned to his usual self, excelling as a surprise starter. In 13 starts, Minshew went 7-6 last year.

O’Connell started the Raiders’ first preseason game, playing one quarter of football. He went seven of nine for 76 yards as he led the team on an 83-yard field goal drive to open the scoring for Las Vegas. Minshew took over in the second quarter, playing four series. He completed six of 12 pass attempts for 117 yards and a touchdown.

The Raiders were viewed as a team that could have drafted a quarterback in the first round back in April, one that could have competed with these two unlikely starting candidates, but they instead opted to select the draft’s top tight end prospect in Georgia’s Brock Bowers. In a recent interview on Scoop City, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco detailed that the team didn’t “pass” on a quarterback, he just believes the draft didn’t shake out in a way that allowed them to take a passer. There were six quarterbacks taken before their selection, and the next passer wasn’t selected until the fifth round. If something fell to them, the Raiders might have had another competitor for this job. As it played out, though, they instead got a new weapon for the competitors they have now.

Those competitors will now have a week to prove their mettle. A week of practices and a preseason game against the Cowboys is all they have now to prove they deserve the starting job. We’ll keep a close eye on any developments in the coming week.

Browns Trade For Seahawks C Nick Harris

August 11th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns lost some depth at center when Luke Wypler was carted off the field in the team’s preseason opener with an ankle injury that will require surgery. In order to address that issue, Cleveland has opted to bring back a familiar face, trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Seahawks for center Nick Harris and a 2026 seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Browns drafted Wypler out of Ohio State in the sixth-round in 2023. They had been using Harris as their backup center since he was drafted in 2020. He started out behind J.C. Tretter and then was unable to take over the starting job when the Browns signed another former Seahawk in Ethan Pocic. Pocic has served as the team’s starter ever since. Pocic has had trouble staying on the field in recent years, though, missing 10 games in the last three seasons and failing to play a full season since his rookie year in 2017.

Harris hasn’t typically been the top choice to back up Cleveland’s starting interior linemen. He does have starts in every season he’s been healthy, but he’s never started more than two games. In 2022, he would’ve had plenty of opportunities to get on the field, as Hjalte Froholdt earned six starts while Harris sat on injured reserve with a knee injury that he suffered in the preseason. Then, last year, with Wypler on the roster, Harris was temporarily moved to fullback.

Harris signed with the Seahawks early into free agency and was set to compete with Olusegun Oluwatimi and Mike Novitsky for a starting center job devoid of experienced candidates. That battle seemingly came to an end when Seattle signed Connor Williams last week. With Williams the presumed new starter and Oluwatimi having the best claim at the backup job, Harris became superfluous, so it makes sense that Seattle was willing to move him.

In Cleveland, Harris will return to his previous role. With Wypler set to miss some time, Harris will take his place behind Pocic as the primary backup center. His experience filling in at guard, as well, could end up being valuable to the Browns.

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