Sheldon Richardson‘s name has been included in rumors since last season’s trade deadline, but the Jets have been unable to find a suitable deal. We learned yesterday that the organization had shopped the defensive end to the Buccaneers, Colts, and Seahawks, and previous reports indicated that the Broncos and Cowboys had expressed interest. However, reports continually suggest that the Jets won’t simply give Richardson away. As a result, it’s uncertain if Richardson will be playing in New York or elsewhere in 2017.
The former first-rounder’s best campaign arguably came during his 2013 rookie season, when the Defensive Rookie of the Year compiled 78 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Following an eight-sack 2014 campaign, Richardson’s production has dropped in recent years, including a 2016 season where he only compiled 1.5 sacks. Given his previous suspensions, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that trade interest has been lukewarm.
Further clouding a Richardson acquisition is his contract situation. The defender is set to make $8.069MM next season after the Jets previously picked up his fifth-year option. Following the 2017 campaign, Richardson will be a free agent, meaning any trade for the lineman could end up just being a rental.
The Colts could certainly use Richardson on their defensive line, as the 26-year-old could surely provide an upgrade over Kendall LangfordandHenry Anderson. The Buccaneers’ defensive end depth chart is rather crowded behind starters Robert AyersandWilliam Gholston, and it’s unlikely that Richardson could displace Michael BennettorCliff Avril in Seattle.
The Broncos, meanwhile, added defensive end DeMarcus Walkerin the draft, as well as Kasim EdebaliandBobby Richardson via free agency, so it’s unlikely that they still have interest in Richardson. The same goes for the Cowboys, especially after they selected Taco Charlton in the first-round.
If Richardson wants to continue playing defensive end, he seemingly doesn’t even have a fit in New York. Muhammad WilkersonandLeonard Williams are slotted in as the Jets starting defensive ends, forcing Richardson to linebacker.
There don’t really seem to be any logical suitors for Richardson, although the Jets are clearly motivated to move him. That leads to our question: where will Richardson be playing in 2017? If your choice isn’t included in the poll, mention it in the comments below!
Dwight Freeney, Elvis Dumervil, and Mario Williams have combined for 16 Pro Bowl appearances, six first-team All-Pro selections, and 319 sacks during their playing careers. Yet, the trio of edge defenders still find themselves unsigned. Their current free agent status isn’t particularly surprising, especially when you consider their age and mileage. However, with several teams still needing help at edge rusher, it’s easy to assume that at least one of these guys will find a new home relatively soon.
Freeney might be the most attractive name on the list, and he was still useful as a reserve in 2016. The 37-year-old ended up playing in 15 games (one start) for the Falcons, compiling 10 tackles and three sacks. The former AFC Defensive Player of the Year also started a pair of playoff games for Atlanta, and he collected a sack on Tom Brady during the Super Bowl. The veteran is clearly slowing down, and considering that he’s started a total of 14 games over the past four seasons, he’s best used as a situational pass rusher.
Following the Falcons Super Bowl loss, there were whispers that Freeney might decide to call it a career. However, the veteran made it sound like he’d be returning for the 2017 season. The Falcons have been the only team connected to the defensive end throughout free agency, with one report indicating that Atlanta was going to wait until after the draft to decide on Freeney.
The market has been even quieter for Dumervil and Williams. Dumervil was released back in March by the Ravens, with the team saving nearly $6MM in the transaction. However, following the move, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said he wouldn’t rule out re-signing the 33-year-old. Since then, the market for the linebacker has apparently been non-existent. The veteran did compile 17 sacks as recently as 2014, but his production tailed off a bit this past season. Dumervil ended up playing in only eight games (three starts) in 2016, collecting 11 tackles, three sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles.
Despite being the youngest of the three, Williams is the lone edge defender not to be connected to any teams this offseason. The former first-overall pick set career-lows in solo tackles (nine) and sacks (1.5) during his lone season in Miami, and he was subsequently released by the Dolphins in February. At only 32-years-old, there should be some optimism that Williams can return to form. Between 2012 and 2014, Williams averaged more than 12 sacks a game, so he could surely be useful in a reserve role.
There are still several teams that could use some reinforcement on the defensive line. The Cardinals have former first-rounder Robert Nkemdiche starting at defensive end, but they could seek some depth alongside him. The Panthers might be looking for some help behind Charles JohnsonandMario Addison, while the Cowboys, Lions, Chargers, and Saints are other teams that could theoretically use a pass rusher.
So, among these three veteran edge rushers, who do you think will end up signing with a team first?
LeGarrette Blount may have led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns last season, but the running back is still out of a job. The veteran’s big season was more based on opportunity than talent, as his 3.9-yards-per-carry was certainly underwhelming. Still, there’s presumably a handful of teams that could use a bruising running back of Blount’s caliber… but when will those teams finally make an offer?
We learned several weeks ago that both the Lions and Giants had expressed interest in the 30-year-old. Detroit is counting on Ameer Abdullahto be their main guy next season, with Theo Riddick serving as the team’s third-down back and Zach Zennerand Dwayne Washingtonwaiting in the wings. However, the 250-pound Blount would certainly provide a change of pace from the 190-pound Abdullah.
Meanwhile, New York’s depth chart currently features Paul Perkins, Shaun Draughn, Shane Vereen, and Orleans Darkwa. Much like the Lions, there are several intriguing names, but also like the Lions, no one fits Blount’s unique body type.
This interest was slightly complicated when the Patriots assigned the rare May 9 tender to the veteran. Thanks to the designation, a Blount departure would now count towards the compensatory draft pick formula. However, any signing team would only be required to sacrifice a compensatory pick if the contract exceeds $2.05MM. Considering Blount barely made over $1MM last season, that’s probably unlikely.
Following this designation, it was reported that two teams were “poised” to work out a contract with Blount, but the tender apparently caused them to pause. We could assume that these two mystery teams were the Lions and Giants, but the two organizations wouldn’t have any reason to back out of negotiations. For starters, Detroit doesn’t have any projected compensatory picks in 2018. The Giants do have a fourth-rounder, but there’s surely a way that the organization could sign Blount and keep that compensatory pick.
If Blount doesn’t sign the tender by July 22, New England will own his exclusive negotiating rights through Week 10. If the running back refuses to sign the tender, he’ll have to sit out the entire 2017 season. In this situation, it would make sense for the running back to return to the Patriots, although the team’s running back corps is rather crowded. The team already added Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee to a depth chart that includes James White and Dion Lewis.
Our own Zach Links previously explored the top-eight fits for Blount, with Detroit and New York leading the way. The article also noted that the running back could find a gig with the Packers, Ravens, Dolphins, Chiefs, Redskins, and Eagles.
So there seems to be three clear scenarios: Blount signs with a new team, Blount signs with the Patriots, or Blount sits out the 2017 season. How do you see it unfolding? Where do you think LeGarrette Blount will be playing next season? Let us know what you think in the comments.
The Broncos giving Jamaal Charles an opportunity represented a key step for the high-profile free agent running backs. After a complicated offseason for just about every big-name back in search of a new home, the 30-plus contingent of this group found new homes in quick succession.
LeGarrette Blount still needs a new employer, but after the Charles/Adrian Peterson/Marshawn Lynch troika agreed to terms, the 30-year-old’s price range will presumably narrow. With Peterson, Lynch and Charles each being attached to accords worth around $3MM AAV for 2017, with various incentives looming as critical deal points, the 30-year-old Blount may follow suit soon now that the market has essentially been set.
But it’s certainly going to be a change of pace for each of the trio that’s already signed. Each will transition from being his team’s clear-cut No. 1 running back to a cog in backfields that aren’t as certain to be geared around these players.
The Vikings, Seahawks and Chiefs received top-of-the-line production from these three dynamos during the first half of this decade, but the Saints, Raiders and Broncos, respectively, will expect less of them in 2017. How much less is the key question.
Lynch appears to have the clearest road to a steady role, with Oakland prioritizing the 31-year-old recently unretired back instead of diverting resources to a younger ball-carrier in a loaded draft. He’s also going to have a chance to run behind a high-end Raiders offensive front. But Beast Mode has not played a full season since 2014 and will be more than 18 months removed from his last NFL game by the time he suits up in Week 1.
Oakland also has multiple change-of-pace backs in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard that boasted per-carry averages well north of 5.0 as rookies. Lynch steamrolled his way to four Pro Bowls in Seattle and averaged 4.7 yards per tote in 2014 but struggled a year later to a 3.8-per-handoff average. While the Seahawks’ embattled offensive line can be singled out as a key reason for this production dip for Lynch, Thomas Rawls (5.6 ypc in ’15) looked better by comparison in the pair’s lone season together. The Raiders will deploy a much better array of blockers than did the ’15 Seahawks, but by eschewing younger investments at this young man’s position this offseason, they’re still gambling Lynch can operate at close to his Seahawks form. The Raiders are pleased by Lynch’s condition thus far, at least.
Peterson figures to team with Mark Ingram in New Orleans, but with Ingram being used frequently in the Saints’ passing game the past two seasons, the former Vikings All-Pro’s role will be interesting to observe. Peterson has functioned best as a pure runner since returning from his ACL tear in 2012. While the 32-year-old UFA addition might still be a better ground operator than Ingram when healthy, he struggled behind a porous Vikes offensive line in 2016. Averaging a ghastly 1.9 yards per carry during a season that saw Peterson tear his meniscus, the future Hall of Famer will have to prove he can make another comeback but do so at an age where most running backs are out of the game.
That said, Peterson offered maybe the greatest comeback season for a skill-position player in memory in compiling that 2,097-yard slate five years ago. He then won the 2015 rushing title after the near-season-long 2014 suspension. Drew Brees‘ explosive offense, which ranked No. 1 last season, will help divert defenses from concentrating on stopping Peterson the way Minnesota opponents could for years. Alvin Kamara‘s potential place in this backfield could be a big factor as well, but the Tennessee rookie may carve into the team’s extensive passing-down work instead of exclusively cutting into Peterson’s handoff count.
Charles may bring the highest variance of the acclaimed trio. The Chiefs’ all-time rushing leader will easily be the most accomplished running back on the Broncos’ roster, but he’s obviously missed extensive time the past two years due to knee injuries and is a threat to not make it back at all. Mike Klis of 9News reported Charles was “90 percent” healthy on his signing day. As a result, the NFL’s all-time yards-per-carry king received the smallest financial commitment, at $1MM base value, comparatively. However, at 30 — and with nearly 1,000 fewer career carries (1,332) than Peterson (2,418) and Lynch (2,144) — Charles is the youngest of the three and has a skill set his Bronco mates don’t.
He of a 70-catch season in 2013, the two-time first-team All-Pro has a clear avenue toward the Broncos’ passing-down responsibilities — with the obvious health caveat representing the only barrier. C.J. Anderson is also coming off a severe knee injury. The fifth-year player remains expected to start, but the between-the-tackles grinder hasn’t shown himself to be the type of back Charles has when healthy. The Broncos don’t have an upper-echelon offensive line, but Charles hasn’t been afforded that luxury much in his career and has never finished a season averaging fewer than 5.0 yards per rush. While he surmounted a 2011 ACL tear to re-emerge with dominant 2012 and ’13 campaigns, the veteran now has to do that at an older age and with a more extensive medical history.
There are a lot of moving parts to these stalwarts’ situations, but each certainly has upside. Who do you think will make the biggest impact for his new team this season? Will Charles’ open-field skills make him a bigger weapon than his run-centric peers? Or will Lynch’s comeback tour succeed behind an offensive line featuring three Pro Bowlers? Will Peterson capitalize on Brees and Co.’s setup and prove everyone wrong again? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section about what should be an interesting year for the running back position.
Every year, we see high-end NFL Draft prospects slide as the draft approaches. As talented as he is, we have to wonder if Thursday’s report of Reuben Foster‘s failed drug test from the combine will affect his stock.
From a talent perspective, there’s reason to believe he could go within the top 10. Our first mock draft had Foster going No. 8 overall to the 49ers in a projected draft day trade with the Panthers. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper says he would give the Titans an “A” grade if they were to select him No. 5 overall. The Alabama star is also Todd McShay of ESPN.com‘s ninth-ranked prospect. The Niners and Titans aren’t the only potential landing spots this high in the draft. The Bengals could consider Foster at No. 9 overall since newly-signed inside linebacker Kevin Minter is only under contract for one season. There’s also the possibility of teams trading up to nab Foster and clubs like the Saints, Cardinals, Colts, and Redskins could be among those with interest.
On the other hand, there’s all of the red flags to consider. Foster had shoulder surgery in February and some teams could be wary of how that will hold up in the long term. His argument with a hospital worker at the combine also didn’t do him any favors and portrayed him as something of a loose cannon. The failed drug test is now the latest piece of bad publicity to emerge, though the linebacker is insistent that he did not purposely dilute his sample. Instead, he says that he over-hydrated in order to combat a stomach bug and also keep his weight up for when it came time to step on the scale.
All things considered, do you see Foster going in the top 10? Cast your vote below.
The No. 1 overall pick is an open and shut case – unless it isn’t. Popular thinking in recent weeks has Myles Garrett going to the Browns, but they’re not ruling outLeonard Fournette with the top selection. The LSU running back is a possibility, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, although JLC concedes that it’s still unlikely to happen.
Garrett is widely considered to be the best talent in this year’s class at any position and would be a strong choice for the rebuilding Browns. By the same token, there are other quality defensive ends to be had early in the draft and the Browns have a stockpile of picks to use. Solomon Thomas, Derek Barnett, Charles Harris, Takkarist McKinley, Taco Charlton, and T.J. Watt all hold varying levels of promise and some of those names can be had as late as the second round. The Browns presently own four picks in the top 52 and five picks in the top 65. Passing on Garrett could come back to haunt them – the Texas A&M actually says that he’ll “punish” the Browns in the NFL if he doesn’t hear his name called at the top of the draft – but there are still alternatives to consider later on.
Fournette isn’t the only non-Garrett player to be mentioned in connection with the top pick. Though Mitch Trubisky‘s momentum has cooled significantly, it wasn’t long ago that he was thought to have a chance at going No. 1. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who considers Trubisky to be the BPA (best player available), but Cleveland has an obvious need under center. If the Browns really like Trubisky or Deshaun Watson, they could theoretically play it safe and shock the world by taking a quarterback at No. 1 instead of waiting for pick No. 12 or later.
With a few weeks to go until the draft, what does your gut tell you about the Browns’ intentions with the top pick? Will they select Garrett, a player who they have bestowed with an “astronomical grade”? Or will they go in a different direction and take someone else? Alternatively, if they trade the pick, do you envision the deal being for someone other than the Texas A&M star? Cast your vote below to choose between Garrett and the rest of the field.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
This year’s quarterback class is widely considered to be a weak one, but that has not stopped the usual pre-draft chatter surrounding the top signal-caller prospects. After all, quarterback is the most important position in all of sports, so even in a down year, teams without a long-term solution under center will be anxious to find one.
North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky is considered by many to be the most talented passer in the draft, but he has only one year of starting experience at the collegiate level, and that has led some to wonder whether he is truly ready to take the next step. Patrick Mahomes of Texas Tech has seen his stock rise dramatically over the past several months, and it has been speculated that he could be a top-3 pick.
Meanwhile, the Bills are said to be “in love” with Clemson’s Deshaun Watson (my personal favorite), though there are concerns about his instincts and decision-making. And Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer has a strong arm, but questions about his accuracy persist, and in late January, we heard that scouts were “cooling” on him.
Further complicating projections is the sheer number of teams who could theoretically draft a QB on Day 1. The Browns are almost certain to select DE Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall selection, but they could have their pick of the litter when they are back on the clock at No. 12. The 49ers, who currently hold the No. 2 overall pick — but who are apparently open to trading down — could also draft a quarterback in the first round, as could the Bears (No. 3 overall), Jets (N0. 6), Bills (No. 10), Cardinals (No. 13), Texans (No. 25), Chiefs (No. 27), and Saints (who hold the No. 11 and No. 32 picks, but who would be more likely to use the No. 32 pick on a passer). And those are just the obvious possibilities.
In PFR’s first mock draft, Dallas Robinson projects Trubisky as the first QB off the board, predicting that the Browns would snag him with the No. 12 selection. After that, our mock shows the Chiefs trading up to No. 24 to land Watson, while the Saints nab Kizer with the last pick of the first round.
But what do you think? Make your voice heard in the poll below, and let us know your thoughts on this year’s class in the comments section.
Barring something unexpected, Myles Garrett can begin researching the ins and outs of Cleveland. The Texas A&M standout looks destined to head to the Browns, who are not planning to unload the No. 1 pick for a quarterback.
The No. 2 choice, though, doesn’t appear nearly as certain. A number of talents could hear their names called when the 49ers or another team turns in the draft’s second player card.
San Francisco will be open to trading the No. 2 overall selection, which the Browns did last year in acquiring draft picks to send Carson Wentzto Philadelphia. The 49ers have needs at many positions after going 2-14 last season and having parted ways with their coach following the past three campaigns. They have been monitoring the quarterbacks in this class. They worked outMitch Trubisky, and John Lynch attended Patrick Mahomes‘ pro day. The 49ers also visited with Garrett and Reuben Foster.
The team has short- and long-term questions at quarterback. The 49ers signed the 2016 Bears’ Nos. 2 and 3 quarterbacks in Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, and Hoyer would probably be the starter as of now. But the team has also been connected toKirk Cousins, and with a Redskins extension for the signal-caller not gaining any steam, might San Francisco be content to start Hoyer in this rebuilding season and either take the second-best player in the draft or add picks from another team? With ex-Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan now at the controls, the 49ers would seemingly be a top destination for Cousins in 2018. A third Washington franchise tag in ’18 is untenable, so no extension by July 15 could trigger a unique modern bidding war next year.
Players like Foster, edge man Solomon Thomas and interior defender Jonathan Allen have also been connected to the 49ers, who have used first-round picks fortifying their defensive interior — in Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner — the past two years. They are also switching to a 4-3 scheme after many years in base 3-4 looks. Their defense plummeted to No. 32 in the league last season, with just two players registering more than three sacks. Defensive backs Jamal Adams (LSU) and Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State) have been generating top-five buzz after the Combine, and the 49ers are thin in the secondary as well. Beyond quarterback, mock drafts are leaning to a potential impact defender going to San Francisco.
But would the 49ers, whose offense ranked 31st in 2016, be better unloading this coveted selection and gathering potential starters with the returns of a trade?
The Panthers are interested in acquiring the 49ers’ pick, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes, with the purpose of said swap being Thomas or Leonard Fournette. Other teams could also be pondering that move as well. It would almost certainly cost the Panthers their second-round pick (No. 40) and possibly their third-rounder as well, with certain value models requiring Carolina to surrender more assets to complete that deal. But Fournette probably isn’t going to go to the 49ers if they keep the pick.
Wentz was not believed to be a No. 2 overall-level talent until the Eagles pulled the trigger on their seminal trade. A quarterback-needy team could still be looking at a trade centered around taking Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer or even Mahomes — the quartet’s enduring scrutiny notwithstanding — and shake up the draft like the Titans, Browns, Rams and Eagles did last year. But these quarterbacks have not received the praise Jared Goff (and eventually Wentz) did, further complicating this draft.
So, where would the 49ers go with their selection? Should they take a quarterback and bypass a potential Cousins pursuit? Should they go with one of the impact front-seven Alabama stalwarts in Allen or Foster? Or after bolstering their defensive interior the past two years, is an edge threat like Thomas in the cards? Would another team make a deal to land one of the quarterbacks or Fournette? Take PFR’s latest poll to weigh in on this unique draft.
Greg Hardy‘s stock is lower than we ever could have expected. An Indoor Football League team flirted with the idea of signing the defensive end, but opted against it after he did not pass a fan referendum. No one wants to go near the former Pro Bowler because of his unsettling history with domestic violence and perceived lack of accountability for said violence. Even when the Cowboys gave him a second chance in 2015, he was moody, lazy, and late to practice. It’s easy to understand why the NFL wants nothing to do with him and one can even understand the IFL’s hesitation in getting involved with him.
Still, when he’s on the field, Hardy is a game-changing talent. Between 2011 and 2013, the former sixth-round pick averaged 56 tackles and 10 sacks per season season. Even in a down year with Dallas in 2015, he ranked as the league’s 28th-best edge defender out of 110 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus. At his worst, Hardy is a starting caliber defensive end and he won’t turn 29 until this summer.
Today, we borrow a page from the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles’ book and ask this of PFR readers: Would you want your favorite team to sign Hardy? Vote below and, if you want, explain your choice in the comments.
Currently saddled with one of the thinnest quarterback depth charts in the league, the Jets reportedly aren’t rushing their decision on which veteran they decide to bring in to presumably deploy as their latest stopgap option after Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s exit.
However, it’s clear the Jets intend to sign at least one veteran to serve as a bridge player while they continue to evaluate Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. It’s not expected New York will draft a quarterback with its first-round pick, having taken Hackenberg in Round 2 last year. Although, if the Jets don’t see what they like out of the current market, it’s conceivable the rebuilding outfit could turn the reins over to Petty to continue an audition that an injury interrupted in 2016. However, the team is not believed to have much faith in either incumbent at this time.
Cutler is a higher-end talent than McCown but is coming off a rough 2016, which turned out to be a contract year since the Bears made him a first-time free agent. Once traded for two first-round picks, Cutler is probably the best quarterback available on the UFA market. He will turn 34 next month, but McCown will be 38 by the time Week 1 begins in September. McCown also served as Cutler’s backup for three seasons in Chicago. As recently as 2015, Cutler finished with a career-best 92.3 quarterback rating. He threw 21 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions during his one season in Adam Gase‘s offense. A 2008 Pro Bowler, Cutler threw for 28 touchdown passes in 2014. Only two Jets passers — Fitzpatrick and Vinny Testaverde — have matched such a showing in a season. But the 12th-year player carries considerable baggage at this point.
McCown played reasonably well with the 2015 Browns, completing 63.7 percent of his passes for a team devoid of much talent. But he missed most of last season due to injury and struggled for the 2014 Buccaneers. Since being given additional opportunities by multiple teams after a solid small success sample on the 2013 Bears, McCown has a 2-20 record as a starter over the past three seasons. He would be an upgrade over Petty and Hackenberg in the short-term but might not make a ton of sense for a team that just axed several veterans and doesn’t have much in the way of pass-catching talent presently, especially with Eric Decker‘s status uncertain. McCown, though, wouldn’t command the kind of per-year salary Cutler likely would.
For a team that is not likely to contend in 2017, throwing Petty or Hackenberg into the fire would make sense if the Jets believe either can be a medium- or long-term answer. But that doesn’t appear the case.
Tony Romo‘s eventual decision (or the Cowboys’, in the event of a trade) could open the door to a possible Trevor Siemian/Jets setup. The team would be interested in acquiring the Broncos’ 2016 starter via trade if Romo ends up in Denver, but conflicting reports have emerged on whether or not the Broncos would unload him. Siemian has two years remaining on a seventh-round rookie deal.
So how will the Jets proceed here? Will it be a caretaker like McCown, or will they roll the dice with Cutler? Will Gang Green’s search delve deeper into the UFA market and look at a career backup in Daniel? Or will the Jets decide to invest their No. 6 pick in one of the scrutinized rookies? Take PFR’s latest poll.
The former first-rounder’s best campaign arguably came during his 2013 rookie season, when the Defensive Rookie of the Year compiled 78 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Following an eight-sack 2014 campaign, Richardson’s production has dropped in recent years, including a 2016 season where he only compiled 1.5 sacks. Given his previous suspensions, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that trade interest has been lukewarm.
