HEADLINES

Author: Dallas Robinson

Raiders Rework Cory Littleton’s Contract

September 9th, 2020 at 6:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders have restructured the contract of linebacker Cory Littleton in order to create more than $8MM in cap space, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The move will give Las Vegas, who had been projected to be over the cap, some financial breathing room.

Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, the Raiders appeared to have converted $10.09MM of Littleton’s 2020 base salary into a signing bonus while adding two void years to the end of his contract. In sum, Las Vegas reduced Fitzgerald’s 2020 cap charge by $8.072MM but added $2.018MM in each remaining season of his contract.

Restructures nearly always benefit the player in question. Not only does Littleton get more money up front in the form of a new signing bonus, but he’s now more difficult to release in future years. Indeed, many contracts simply have a restructure clause built in, so the team doesn’t even have to ask the player before making the move. However, it’s rare to see a newly-signed player like Littleton get a restructure before he ever plays a down for his new club.

Littleon, 27, spent four years with the Rams before inking a three-year, $35.25MM pact with Las Vegas earlier this year. An exceptional coverage linebacker, Littleton joined Nick Kwiatkoski as new additions to the Raiders’ linebacking unit.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Clowney, Bucs

September 9th, 2020 at 6:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Before Jadeveon Clowney signed with the Titans, the Saints attempted to orchestrate a sign-and-trade in order to land the star edge rusher — but the NFL put the kibosh on such a maneuver, as Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com write. In the proposed scenario, an unidentified team (widely believed to be the Browns) would have signed Clowney to a one-year deal with a $5MM signing bonus and a $10MM base salary.

Clowney then would have been dealt to the Saints in exchange for a second-round pick, per the NFL scribes. The mystery team would have absorbed the $5MM signing bonus on its salary cap, giving the cap-strapped Saints the breathing room they would have needed in order to acquire Clowney. But the league office gave word it wouldn’t approve a deal that amounted to trading cap space.

“We felt like we got close,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said, via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “We weren’t able to match the money, and that’s one of the challenges every year. Mickey (Loomis) and Khai (Harley) did a great job working with (Clowney’s agent).” The Ravens may have also attempted a sign-and-trade strategy to land Clowney, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk indicates Baltimore tried to arrange a similar strategy involving the Jaguars. Tennessee ultimately landed Clowney on a one-year, $13MM pact that includes $2MM in incentives.

  • Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans is dealing with a hamstring injury and could be a game-time decision for Sunday’s tilt against the Saints, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Evans ended last season on injured reserve with a hamstring issue, but he hadn’t missed any time during camp, so the injury must have flared up recently. If Evans is forced to miss Week 1, Chris Godwin could see even more targets than usual, while Justin Watson and Scotty Miller would likely become more involved in Tampa Bay’s offense.
  • The Buccaneers‘ backfield split became extremely murky following the addition of Leonard Fournette, but head coach Bruce Arians says Ronald Jones is still the club’s starter, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Of course, Arians has been anything but fully truthful when it comes to running back touches over the years, but Jones should at least get the first snap of 2020. Arians said Fournette will have a “situational role” in Week 1 (Twitter link via Pewter Report), while LeSean McCoy should still be a factor on passing downs. Tampa Bay also worked out a number of running backs, including veteran Kenjon Barner, earlier this week, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com.
  • Saints owner Gayle Benson has thankfully recovered after contracting COVID-19 in August, as Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk writes. The 73-year-old Benson was not forced to spend any time in the hospital while quarantined, and was still able to take part in team business.

Vikings, Dalvin Cook Not Close On Extension

September 9th, 2020 at 5:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Vikings are “not close” on an extension with running back Dalvin Cook, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Minnesota reportedly tabled talks in mid-August, but the club is still apparently hoping to work out a new deal for Cook before the season begins. However, the two sides still appear to be far apart in negotiations.

Earlier this year, Cook was reportedly targeting a $15MM/year salary, but it always seemed unlikely the Vikings would come anywhere near that figure. Joe Mixon, perhaps the best comparable for Cook, recently inked a four-year, $48MM deal with the Bengals that contains a team-friendly structure (just $10MM guaranteed), but it’s unclear if Cook and his camp would accept such a pact.

Cook staged a mini-holdout earlier this year, but the new CBA essentially prevents any longstanding preseason holdouts from taking place. Additionally, if Cook sits out regular season games, he could put his 2021 unrestricted free agent status at risk.

Now 25 years old, Cook has been always been productive when he’s been able to remain on the field. Last year, the former second-round pick posted 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground and added 53 receptions and 519 yards in the passing game. Health has always remained a question mark for Cook, however, and his 14 games in 2019 marked a career-high.

Jaguars To Sign RB Dare Ogunbowale

September 9th, 2020 at 4:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars are signing free agent running back Dare Ogunbowale, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Released by the Buccaneers last week after they signed fellow running back Leonard Fournette, Ogunbowale didn’t last long on the open market.

Jacksonville, of course, was the club that released Fournette, and it will now add Ogunbowale to a backfield that also includes Chris Thompson, Devine Ozigbo, and undrafted rookie free agent James Robinson, the latter of whom is listed as the nominal starter for Week 1.

Ogunbowale’s skill set would seem to overlap with that of Thompson. Both are running backs who excel in the passing game — the 26-year-old Ogunbowale caught 35 passes in 2019 on just 361 offensive snaps, but rushed just 11 times for 17 yards.

An undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2017, Ogunbowale will likely contribute immediately on the Jaguars’ special teams unit. He was a core special teamer for the Buccaneers last season, playing more than 60% of Tampa Bay’s ST snaps.

Prior to signing with Jacksonville, Ogunbowale visited the Raiders, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Las Vegas was on the lookout for another pass-catching back after trading rookie Lynn Bowden to the Dolphins last week.

Latest On Rams WR Cooper Kupp

September 9th, 2020 at 4:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Rams are working on an extension for wide receiver Cooper Kupp, it doesn’t appear that a new contract will be in place before Week 1, according to Steve Wyche and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter links).

Los Angeles is hoping to get a fresh deal finalized for Kupp before the Rams open their season on Sunday Night Football, per Wyche, but there is “a lot of work to be done” before an extension is complete. Garafolo adds there’s “not a lot of optimism” that a deal is inked this weekend, but that obviously doesn’t mean an extension couldn’t be worked out in-season.

The Rams are already in a tight position from a salary cap perspective. Los Angeles extended star cornerback Jalen Ramsey earlier today, and that move should help them financially — the Rams had been roughly $600K over the cap before Ramsey’s new deal, but the ability to spread out his signing bonus should actually reduce his 2020 cap charge.

Kupp, on the other hand, is only making a tad over $2MM in 2020, so it could be difficult to reduce his 2020 cap figure. A substantial signing bonus would add to his cap number, and new salaries for Kupp over the next few seasons could also do harm to LA’s budget, as the club is only projected to have ~$9MM in cap space in 2021.

Projecting a Kupp extension is difficult given that the majority of top-end pass-catcher deals have been handed to outside receives. Among the top-15 highest-paid wideouts, the only player who spends most of his time in the slot is Browns receiver Jarvis Landry, who inked a five-year, $75.5MM deal in 2018. Kupp, who has arguably been more productive than Landry was at the time of his extension, would likely aim to top that annual value.

Kupp, a third-round pick in the 2017 draft, has been a key part of LA’s offense over the past three seasons. 2019 marked his best campaign to date, as the 27-year-old posted 94 receptions for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, 49ers

August 13th, 2020 at 6:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks waived undrafted free agent rookie cornerback Kemah Siverand earlier this week after he attempted to sneak a woman into Seattle’s team hotel, a violation of COVID-19 protocols, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siverand reportedly tried to disguise the woman as a Seahawks player by having her dress in Seattle apparel, per Pelissero. While the situation could be viewed with levity in normal circumstances, Siverand’s decision — and subsequent release — reinforce how seriously NFL teams are (and should be) taking the prospect of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

  • Robert Woods has become of the NFL’s most consistent wideouts since joining the Rams in 2017, and with two years remaining on his current contract, it’s possible he could be looking for a new deal. The 28-year-old had “talks early on” this year and is now looking to “get paid,” as Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times writes. Woods, who has topped 85 receptions and 1,110 yards in each of the past two seasons, is only earning $6.8MM annually. He’s due to count for $8.175MM on the Rams’ 2020 cap.
  • After serving as a consultant last season, Chris Foerster has been hired as the 49ers‘ assistant offensive line coach, per Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports. Foerster, of course, resigned as the Dolphins’ OL coach in 2017 after a video surfaced showing him snorting a white substance. The 58-year-old, who was San Francisco’s offensive line coach in 2015, has been sober since that time, per Chan, who adds Foerster signed a two-year deal with the 49ers this time around.
  • The 49ers are searching for defensive tackle depth, and free agent Marcell Dareus is a “name to watch,” tweets Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio. San Francisco traded away DeForest Buckner during the offseason, and while the team replaced him with first-round pick Javon Kinlaw, it could still use depth. Dareus, the No. 3 overall pick in 2011, spent most of the past three years with the Jaguars. He missed most of last season with a core muscle injury, and Jacksonville subsequently declined his 2020 option.
  • Wide receiver Aleva Hifo is scheduled to work out for the Cardinals, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Hifo signed with the Chiefs after going undrafted earlier this year, but was cut in July.

Domata Peko Has Turned Down Offers

August 13th, 2020 at 6:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent defensive tackle Domata Peko has turned down offers from several clubs, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds Peko is focused on locating the “right fit, city, and chance to win.”

Peliserro reported in late July that Peko was interested in continuing his career and had garnered interest from multiple teams. Entering what would be his 15th NFL season, Peko wants to remain in the NFL despite the current COVID-19 climate, and it appears he’ll have the chance to do so.

Now 35 years old, Peko has 208 games of NFL experience under his belt. Largely a run-stuffer, Peko could offer a veteran presence on many defensive lines even if he’s only asked to play on early, obvious run downs.

After 11 years with the Bengals, Peko spent 2017-18 with the Broncos before latching on with the Ravens last November. He appeared in seven games and made three starts for Baltimore in the regular season while racking up 14 tackles.

Lions Work Out C.J. Prosise

August 13th, 2020 at 5:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running C.J. Prosise was among the group of players that worked out for the Lions today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Prosise, 26, worked with Detroit offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Seattle from 2016-17, so he presumably has a grasp of the offense Bevell is deploying with the Lions. That could prove to be especially important in this COVID-shortened offseason when meeting and practice time is at a minimum.

The Lions don’t have a dire need for running back depth at the moment. Rookie D’Andre Swift and incumbent Kerryon Johnson will serve as the club’s top two options, while Bo Scarbrough is available in reserve. Johnson has missed plenty of time due to injury in his short career, though, so Prosise could become an emergency option.

The Seahawks drafted Prosise in the third round of the 2016 draft but were never able to find a regular role for him in their offense. In four seasons in Seattle, Prosise never topped more than 30 carries or 20 receptions. Last year, he played 123 offensive snaps but handled only 33 total touches.

Per the NFL’s transaction wire, Detroit also worked out running backs Troymaine Pope and Jonathan Williams, cornerbacks Brian Allen and Dominique Hatfield, center Erik Magnuson, and linebacker Avery Moss.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/20

August 13th, 2020 at 4:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans

  • Waived: T David Steinmetz

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived: LB DeMarquis Gates

New England Patriots

  • Placed on reserve/retired list: C Dustin Woodward
  • Waived: DE Nick Coe

New York Giants

  • Claimed off waivers (from Jaguars): WR C.J. Board

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

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