HEADLINES

Steelers Sign RB La’Mical Perine

May 23rd, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

La’Mical Perine has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity. The former Chiefs running back was let go last week, but the Steelers announced on Thursday he has been signed.

Perine entered the league as a Jets fourth-rounder. He played sparingly on offense between the 2020 and ’21 seasons, receiving just 72 carries during that time. That was followed by short-lived stints with the Eagles and Dolphins, but his next regular season action came in 2023 with the Chiefs. Perine mainly served as a special-teamer during Kansas City’s run to a second straight Super Bowl title.

The Chiefs did not draft a running back this year, but the team nevertheless let Perine go. That has led to questions about how they will fill out their backfield depth chart during the summer, but the 26-year-old will again be joining a RB room with the top two spots accounted for. Pittsburgh has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as returnees from last year. Both are pending free agents, but they are each positioned to once again handle a notable workload.

The Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson this offseason in large part based on his prowess as a returner. He could serve as a third running back contributor as well, though. The team also added Jonathan Ward earlier this week, and he too will be competing for the RB3 role during training camp. Perine will provide Pittsburgh with another option in that regard.

The latter made one start last season, a regular season finale in which Kansas City sat several starters. Perine received all but one of his 22 carries on the season during that game; with only 14 career receptions, the Florida product does not profile as a pass-catching specialist on the Steelers or any other team. A special teams role therefore represents Perine’s likeliest path to playing time in Pittsburgh.

Eagles Sign WR John Ross

May 23rd, 2024 at 12:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Ross took part in the Eagles’ rookie minicamp, and his performance has earned him an extended look. The veteran receiver signed with Philadelphia on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Ross retired last summer, but he attempted a comeback in November. Without having found playing time at the end of the 2023 campaign, he has not played a regular season game since 2021. The 28-year-old will attempt to carve out a roster spot with the Eagles as they sort out the back of their WR depth chart.

Philadelphia is set in terms of starting spots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both wideouts signed lucrative new deals this offseason, and they will be counted on to remain the focal points of the team’s passing game in 2024 and beyond. The Eagles lost Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency, which required the addition of new secondary contributors.

One of those is Parris Campbell, who inked a one-year deal in March. The former Colt had an underwhelming single campaign with the Giants last year, and he will spend the offseason trying to lock down a role in the Eagles’ offense. The same was presumed to be true of DeVante Parker, but he announced his retirement earlier this week.

Ross will now attempt to take advantage of the opportunity created by Parker’s absence. The former is best remembered for his 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 Combine. That performance led to Ross hearing his name called ninth overall, but he struggled during his four-year tenure with the Bengals. The Washington product played a single season as a Giant after his rookie contract expired, but that effort likewise did not yield notable production. To little surprise, Ross has been unable to find a permanent home since.

This agreement will no doubt represent nothing more than a one-year flier on the part of the Eagles. If he performs during the summer and can remain healthy, Ross could provide the team with a deep threat at the receiver spot. If not, Philadelphia will again need to turn elsewhere for depth options ahead of the start of the season.

Dolphins, S Jevon Holland Have Not Discussed Extension

May 23rd, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Tua Tagovailoa is in line for an extension, but a number of other Dolphins are also eligible for deals keeping them in the fold beyond 2024. That group includes safety Jevon Holland, who has one year remaining on his rookie pact.

An April report indicated Miami was interested in a Holland extension, and general manager Chris Grier confirmed that is the case. Both Tagovailoa and receiver Jaylen Waddle (who is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2025) represent more notable financial priorities, however. That has left Holland waiting for negotiations to begin in his case.

“I’m on the back burner,” the latter said when speaking about the lack of contract talks (via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald). “I don’t know much. “I just work here. I just work here.”

Holland, 24, has started all but three of his 46 combined regular and postseason appearances for the Dolphins. The former second-rounder had a strong season in 2022, racking up 96 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He was limited to 12 games last year, however, due to a pair of MCL sprains. In 2023, Holland totaled 74 stops, three forced fumbles and a 99-yard pick-six.

The Oregon product also showed improvement in coverage, allowing a passer rating of 99.3 and a pair of touchdowns as the nearest defender. Still, his level of play after returning to the field likely hindered his asking price on a new contract. The overall landscape of the safety position is also a factor working against him with respect to commanding a lucrative extension.

The 2024 offseason has seen a number of high-profile safeties let go, and a number of them remain unsigned well after the draft. While Antoine Winfield Jr. represents a notable exception, the position as a whole has been undervalued recently. That will most acutely affect veterans seeking third or fourth contracts, but it will no doubt be a factor in Holland’s attempts to secure a raise on his second deal.

The Dolphins lost Brandon Jones and DeShon Elliott in free agency, while the team retained Elijah Campbell and added Jordan Poyer. The latter (who came over from the Bills on a one-year, $2MM deal) is set to handle a starting role in 2024. The same will be true of Holland, and his play will particularly be worth watching in the event no new deal gets worked out over the remainder of the offseason.

Rashee Rice Accuser Asks Police Not To File Charges

May 23rd, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Sam Robinson

MAY 23: A member of Rice’s camp has been informed by Dallas Police the investigation has come to a close, per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. She adds that the second-year wideout himself was never interviewed as part of the investigation. Rice still faces a potential suspension from the hit-and-run incident, but (barring any future league discipline), this episode appears to now be behind him.

MAY 21: Rashee Rice‘s chances of being available for the Chiefs’ full threepeat bid may be bleak, as three separate incidents are factoring into a potential suspension — one the team expects. The most recent of these events is no longer expected to produce a charge, however.

The Kansas City wide receiver was accused of punching a photographer in the face at a Dallas nightclub earlier this month, but the accuser is not preparing to press charges. “The reporting party has signed an affidavit of non-prosecution,” per the Dallas Police Department (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher). The photographer called the incident a misunderstanding, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds.

As Roger Goodell-era NFL fans know well by now, players can still be punished by the league regardless of charges emerging. And Rice still has the matter of the March hit-and-run incident to navigate. The 2023 second-rounder’s biggest offseason hurdle remains the eight felony charges from the car accident. Rice, 24, was believed to be street racing; he was traveling at 119mph and fled the scene following the accident.

An incident in which Rice or a member of his party fired gunshots into an empty car belonging to an SMU basketball player, occurring while Rice was still at the Dallas-area school, is also set to factor into an NFL investigation. The incident involving the photographer may end up the lowest-profile matter in a league probe.

The Chiefs have welcomed Rice back. After participating virtually in the first phase of the Chiefs’ offseason program, Rice is working with the team at OTAs. The Chiefs have navigated extensive off-field troubles involving high-profile players in recent years, and suspensions did come down for the likes of Frank Clark, Charles Omenihu and Kareem Hunt. The latter was with the Browns when he served an eight-game ban. Omenihu served a six-game suspension for a domestic violence arrest, and Clark was popped for two games for a gun issue.

Andy Reid‘s team navigated the D-line suspensions en route to Super Bowl titles. Unless the Rice investigation drags into 2025, the two-time reigning champions should be expected to play a chunk of the season without their leading wide receiver from 2023.

Latest On Steelers’ Quarterback Situation

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Steelers’ top two quarterbacks are in Pittsburgh after unusual separations from their previous teams. Jettisoned after a rocky Denver tenure, Russell Wilson counts for a record-shattering dead money figure on the Broncos’ payroll. The Bears-Panthers swap for the 2023 No. 1 pick created another No. 1 selection for Chicago after Carolina’s 2-15 season, leading to the Bears capitalizing via Caleb Williams this year.

After showing some progress down the stretch last season, Fields is still viewed as a clear backup to Wilson with the Steelers. The three-year Bears starter said he is not prepared to sit behind Wilson for the season’s entirety. Although the Steelers have given Wilson indications he will be the starter, Mike Tomlin has left the door ajar to a training camp competition.

[RELATED: Who Will Lead Steelers In QB Starts In 2024?]

“I’m definitely competing,” Fields said, via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor. “I think Russ knows that we’re competing against each other every day. Him being out there for me, that helps me getting better, especially each other. I definitely don’t have the mindset of me just sitting all year.”

Turning 25 earlier this year, Fields is more than 10 years younger than Wilson. The 2021 first-round pick is certainly not as polished as a passer but offers a more dynamic presence by comparison, though Wilson did display more in the run game under Sean Payton than he did during a bizarrely ineffective season under Nathaniel Hackett. QBR placed Wilson two spots ahead of Fields last season (21st, 23rd), though passer rating gave a considerable edge to the then-Broncos starter. Wilson’s 26 passes and eight interceptions highlighted a bounce-back campaign — to a degree, at least — and an eighth-place finish in rating (compared to Fields’ 22nd).

As for the prospect of this becoming a straight-up competition come August, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly points to no such setup developing. Barring injury, Kaboly notes there is no chance Fields unseats Wilson to begin the season (subscription required).

This matches up with how the Steelers addressed the situation following the Fields trade. Wilson was told before the Kenny Pickett trade he would be the starter; that was among the reasons the 2022 first-rounder was dealt to the Eagles. This messaging continued following the Fields trade, with Tomlin contacting Wilson before the Steelers acquired the ex-Bears starter to ensure him the QB1 job would be his. The 18th-year Pittsburgh HC then brought up competition for the job, though it is still assumed Wilson is the clubhouse leader.

Despite Fields landing with a team that — as of now, at least — plans to sign off on a demotion, the dual-threat performer confirmed a previously reported notion he wanted to be traded to Pittsburgh. The Falcons, Raiders and Vikings were also on Fields’ list of acceptable destinations prior to free agency. Ryan Poles had said he wanted to do right by Fields, and while reports of the third-year Bears GM turning down a better offer to make sure Fields landed on his feet probably does not mean another proposal was significantly better, the new Steelers QB thanked his former GM for trading him to the Steelers.

“Shoutout to Poles. We communicated to him through my agent, and I told him where I wanted to be and this was a place I wanted to be,” Fields said. “He honored that, and I appreciate him for that and glad he was able to put me in a spot where I wanted to be at.”

The Bears only received a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick for Fields; that choice could be bumped to a fourth if the former 1,000-yard rusher plays 51% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps this season.

The Steelers have expressed interest in having both Wilson and Fields back in 2025. It would be highly unlikely that comes to pass, as both players are on expiring contracts and each is accustomed to starting. A Wilson-Fields pecking order could change during the season, but months away from Week 1, the Steelers’ QB plan would only have them sending a sixth-rounder to the Bears.

The Biggest Wide Receiver Contract In Each Team’s History

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason has brought changes to the wide receiver market, but a host of wideouts chosen early in the 2020 draft have taken center stage. Most NFL teams have authorized a big-ticket (by today’s standards) deal for a wide receiver. Ranked by guaranteed money and excluding rookie contracts and accords acquired via trade, here is the most lucrative WR deal in each franchise’s history.

Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald‘s seven-year, $113MM extension (August 2011) holds the Cardinals standard for total value, but Hopkins’ pact checks in higher in terms of guarantees and AAV.

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

In total, Michael Crabtree‘s 2018 deal (worth $21MM) and Derrick Mason‘s 2005 agreement ($20MM) surpass Beckham’s. But the 2023 Baltimore rental’s guarantee came in higher.

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have featured three higher-paid receivers on their roster since Landry’s contract, but both Odell Beckham Jr. and Amari Cooper arrived via trade and played on contracts designed by other teams. Jerry Jeudy‘s AAV ($17.5MM) on his 2024 extension also outpaces Landry’s, though the recent trade pickup’s total guarantee falls short here.

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Courtland Sutton‘s 2021 extension carries a higher AAV ($15MM) but included $18.85MM guaranteed.

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

DeAndre Hopkins‘ 2017 re-up included more in total value but a lower AAV and guarantee

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Tyreek Hill‘s 2022 extension tops his teammate for AAV ($30MM) but came in just south for guarantees ($72.2MM)

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s 2023 deal trails Agholor’s in AAV but carried the same full guarantee. Danny Amendola‘s full payout ($28.5MM) in 2013 tops both deals.

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Allen Lazard‘s 2023 deal and Santonio Holmes‘ contract back in 2011 brought more in total value ($44MM and $45MM, respectively) but did not match Davis’ for guarantees.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Antonio Brown‘s four-year, $68MM extension in 2017 also included a $19MM guarantee at signing but trailed Johnson’s in terms of total guarantees.

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Godwin‘s 2022 deal beats Evans’ for at-signing guarantees ($40MM), while the all-time Bucs receiving leader’s 2024 agreement leads the way in AAV ($20.5MM).

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jerry Jones Supports 18-Game Regular Season; Roger Goodell Addresses Prospective Change

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

A back-burner matter for many years, discussions about an 18-game season did not cross the goal line during the 2020 CBA discussions. A 17-game compromise came to pass. Four years later, however, momentum appears to be building.

Roger Goodell expressed support for another one-game bump to the schedule, noting (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero) Wednesday the prospect of swapping out a preseason game for an extra regular-season contest — a scenario the longtime commissioner addressed last month — would be “a good trade.” The NFL made this trade in 2021, when it dropped the fourth preseason week for the 17th regular-season game.

Jerry Jones backed Goodell on this front, offering support (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske) for moving to 18 games. Goodell confirmed another schedule expansion is not currently being discussed but addressed it in a “long-range context.” A report last month suggested the NFL offering significant concessions to the NFLPA in exchange for an extra game could take place well before this CBA expires. The current agreement runs through the 2030 season.

John Mara views most owners as being onboard with an 18th game, but the Giants owner can be counted as a skeptic. Citing player wear and tear, Mara (via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler) has concerns about expanding the schedule.

The NFL schedule stood at 16 games for 43 years (1978-2020), and its 14-game era lasted 17 seasons before that. The NFL now appears prepared to cap the 17-game schedule at less than a decade. This could become the central talking point when the next round of CBA discussions commence, but judging by this topic’s momentum, it should be considered a good bet owners attempt to make 18 games a reality before this CBA expires.

With this prospect gaining steam, players have naturally been asked about it. The subject of a second bye week has come up. A two-bye setup did not advance too far during the talks regarding a 17-game season, but if this change comes during the 2020 CBA’s lifespan, many players will be holdovers from the 16-game era. Asking players to add two games to a schedule would be new territory. By the time the season expanded from 14 to 16 games in 1978, just one player (ex-Vikings ironman Jim Marshall) was a holdover from the 12-game era. At the rate this is going, many players will be part of the 16-, 17- and 18-game periods.

The NFL tried the double-bye format just once — in 1993 — but TV networks were displeased with a diluted schedule; that may well have impacted talks about two byes going into a 17-game format. With the 18-game season coming up more frequently midway through this CBA, expect a push for a permanent two-bye setup to be part of the NFLPA’s counter — assuming the union will consider expanding the schedule again so soon.

It will take much more than adding a bye week to convince the union on 18 games, of course, but this fight appears on tap in the not-too-distant future.

Latest On Jets’ Depth At Safety

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:04pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets will have a trio of players compete for their two starting safety spots. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters (including ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that the Jets will have an open competition at the position, with Chuck Clark, Tony Adams, and Ashtyn Davis competing for the two starting roles.

With two-year starter Jordan Whitehead having returned to Tampa Bay, there is some uncertainty atop the positional depth chart. Adams got the longest look of the trio in 2023, having started all 15 of his appearances while compiling 82 tackles and three interceptions. However, Pro Football Focus only ranked him as a middle-of-the-road safety (41st among 95 qualifiers), and the former UDFA doesn’t have the resume to justify a definitive starting nod.

Davis saw a progressively larger role as the 2023 season went on, and while he didn’t earn enough snaps to qualify for PFF’s leader board, he would have graded out as a top-20 safety. The former third-round pick has seen an inconsistent role through his first four seasons in the NFL, starting 21 of his 54 appearances in New York. However, he’s become a favorite of Saleh, and the team showed some trust in the defensive back when they re-signed him this offseason.

“It is funny, all Ashtyn does is find the ball,” Saleh said last season (via the team’s website). “I am a big fan of his. He has done nothing but work. He was a valuable and very underrated piece of this defense. The way he goes about his business and the way he works, that play embodies everything that he represents for this defense.”

Clark is the true wildcard, as the veteran is coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2023 season before it began. Clark was a consistent starter during his final few years in Baltimore, and while the Jets didn’t give up a whole lot to acquire the veteran last offseason, they were still counting on the former 100-tackle defender to lead their safeties room.

The Jets will also be welcoming a new player to the position grouping. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Isaiah Oliver is moving to the safeties room. After spending the first five seasons of his career in Atlanta, Oliver spent the 2023 campaign in San Francisco, serving as the 49ers’ nickelback. He started six of his 17 appearances, finishing with 67 tackles and one interception. He’ll be competing with the likes of 2023 sixth-round pick Jarrick Bernard-Converse and 2024 seventh-round pick Jaylen Key for one of the final spots on the depth chart.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/22/24

May 22nd, 2024 at 8:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s draft pick signings:

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A knee injury limited Smith to only one game during his first season at Georgia, and the former West Virginia standout saw a part-time role in 2022. However, the defensive back put himself firmly on the NFL radar with a strong 2023 campaign where he finished with 70 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and four interceptions. The rookie is currently penciled in as Tampa Bay’s starting nickelback.

Johnson finished his four-year career with the Nittany Lions having hauled in 77 catches for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns. With Darren Waller still flirting with retirement, the rookie tight end could end up seeing a role in New York in 2024. Johnson will be competing with the likes of Daniel Bellinger, Jack Stoll, Chris Manhertz, and Lawrence Cager for playing time.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/24

May 22nd, 2024 at 7:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Earnest Brown was a fifth-round pick by the Rams back in 2021. He collected 14 tackles in 12 games through his first two seasons in Los Angeles, but he didn’t get into a single game with the big-league club during the 2023 campaign. He wasn’t retained via a futures contract this offseason, allowing him to catch on with the 49ers. He was waived by San Francisco earlier this month.

He’ll be taking the roster spot previously held by Patrick Laird, who spent the past two seasons on Tampa Bay’s practice squad. The former UDFA previously got into 37 games for the Dolphins between 2019 and 2021, collecting 533 yards from scrimmage. The Buccaneers added a pair of undrafted running backs in D.J. Williams and Ramon Jefferson, so the team may prefer to opt for a rookie on the taxi squad.

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