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Top 2018 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

March 5th, 2018 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency will get underway on Wednesday, March 14th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market. The same goes for players who have been franchise tagged or transition tagged.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2018:

Quarterback:

There were many difficult calls when putting this list together, but ranking Kirk Cousins as the No. 1 QB available was not among them. Cousins is the best quarterback to reach free agency in recent history and he’ll become the highest-paid player of all-time – at least, for some period of time – in mid-March. Who will make history with Cousins? That’s anyone’s guess right now. The Browns have more cap room than any other team, but a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings as the final suitors for Cousins. Of those four, the Jets have the most money to work with, but they’re concerned about the Vikings winning out and Cousins’ desire to win could point him in another direction. If the Broncos and Cardinals want in on the Cousins sweepstakes, they’ll have to get creative with the books.

Drew Brees is included here, but by his own admission, he’ll be re-signing with the Saints rather than testing the open waters of free agency. Unless the Saints lowball their franchise QB, it’s hard to see him leaving New Orleans.

Case Keenum put together a tremendous season for the Vikings, but he doesn’t have a history of success beyond 2017. There will be plenty of interest in Keenum, but only after QB-needy teams strike out on Cousins. The incumbent Vikings could re-sign Keenum, but right now, it seems like they are intent on exploring the Cousins waters first.

There isn’t a ton of footage on A.J. McCarron, which made his placement on this list awfully tricky. We know this much: McCarron did well in place of Dalton in the home stretch of the 2015 season and his former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was salivating at the chance of landing him before the Browns bungled the trade with the Bengals. McCarron’s relative youth is a plus (he won’t turn 28 until September) and his lack of experience can be looked at as a positive. Unlike some of the other names on this list, he hasn’t run up his NFL odometer.

What will NFL teams make of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford this offseason? Not long ago, both seemed like quality starting options. However, there are serious injury questions about both players and any team signing them will either look to backstop them with another decent option or ask them to come onboard as a QB2. With that in mind, one has to wonder if Bradford would consider retirement if asked to hold the clipboard for another signal caller. Bradford has earned upwards of $110MM over the years in the NFL, so it’s safe to say that he has enough money in the bank to call it quits if he wants. For now, he’s intent on playing.

Colin Kaepernick‘s placement on this list is sure to draw some strong reactions from his fans and detractors alike. Looking purely at his football ability, there’s no question that he belongs on someone’s roster. At minimum, Kaepernick profiles as a high-end backup, even after a year out of the game.

Quarterbacks coaches have long believed that Mike Glennon is capable of great things, due in part to his height. At 6’7″, he can see over any defensive line, but he hasn’t done much on the field to prove that he is a quality Week 1 starting option. Josh McCown, who is a decade his senior, edges him here for his surprisingly strong performance in 2017 at the helm of a weak Jets offense.

Running back:

We’re in the illegal tampering period which, frankly, is just as active as the legal tampering period. Already, Dion Lewis is attracting attention from a number of teams and it’s speculated (wink wink) that the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts will have interest in him when things get underway next week. Le’Veon Bell has a franchise tag coming his way, so Lewis stands as the most attractive RB option out there.

Carlos Hyde didn’t have the kind of platform year he was hoping for, but he’s still just 26 and could headline a running back by committee group.

Jerick McKinnon‘s placement on this list figures to be controversial, but his athleticism and pass-catching ability can blow a game wide open. No one will bank on McKinnon to carry the ball 20 times per game, but he can be a real difference maker for a team out there.

Can Frank Gore outrun father time? History indicates that he can’t and so does his 3.7 yards per carry average in 2017. You have to give credit where credit is due, however. Gore has been ruled out by many for years, but he has not missed a regular season game since the 2010 season. He’s also just one year removed from cracking 1,000 yards and he almost did the same last year.

Wide receiver:

For most teams, Allen Robinson would be a franchise tag candidate. However, that may be too much of a luxury for the cash-strapped Jaguars. He presents a fascinating free agent case. Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s the most talented wide receiver on the board in the eyes of many. His 2015 season – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes GMs drool. His quieter year in 2016 (73 catches, 883 yards, and six touchdowns) is less worthy of salivation. His 2017 season, of course, was a lost cause. For all the question marks, you can expect Robinson to see more dollars than any other free agent WR this year, particularly since Jarvis Landry has been held back by the tag.

Some in the football world may prefer Sammy Watkins for his big-play ability, but his down contract year amidst a capable offense is cause for concern. His injury history doesn’t do him any favors either. No matter your feelings on Watkins, there’s no debating that this year’s WR market has a top tier comprised of just two players – Watkins and Robinson. With few quality receivers out there, they’ll both get paid.

Marqise Lee represents a much less sexy option (speaking in football terms, of course), but he had the most receptions of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Teams looking for a quality WR2 in free agency could do a lot worse than Lee and he’ll be far cheaper than the two-man top tier.

Danny Amendola hauled in 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, teams will wonder if he can thrive in his age-33 season while playing outside of the Patriots’ offense. It’s also quite possible that he never tests the market as his stated preference is to remain in New England.

After that, you’ll notice a pretty significant drop off. That’s because this year’s WR class isn’t all that deep. Terrelle Pryor had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract last year and, to put it mildly, he did not prove it. Paul Richardson caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but that marked his first NFL season of real note.

Tight end:

Trey Burton spent most of the year behind Zach Ertz on the Eagles’ depth chart, but he emerged late in the season and set himself up nicely for free agency. Given his age and potential, there’s no question that he is the belle of the ball at tight end.

The rest of the tight end crop is not nearly as inspiring. Jimmy Graham has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks, but he’ll turn 32 in November and he’s no longer the monster playmaker that he was in New Orleans. He had ten touchdowns in 2017, but his 9.1 yards per reception average is a career low.

Odds are, you have Tyler Eifert ranked over Austin Seferian-Jenkins given the fact that Eifert has played just ten games over the last two years. ASJ, meanwhile, rebounded from personal issues to post a 50-catch season for the Jets. Personally, I’m picking Eifert based on upside. Hopefully, we can still be friends.

Virgil Green, Darren Fells, and Lee Smith aren’t exactly fantasy football superstars, but they are quality blocking tight ends that will draw more dollars than expected.

With some uninspiring names towards the backend of the list, you may be wondering where former Ravens notable Crockett Gillmore is on this list. Gillmore is transitioning to the offensive line, so he did not warrant consideration here.

Fullback:

Jon Gruden may go eagerly shopping for fullbacks, but they’re not nearly as popular as they once were.

Offensive tackle:

Offensive line play is down across the board and evaluators around the league have been openly complaining about an increasing dearth of tackles coming out of college. That makes for a generally uninspiring lot in free agency.

Nate Solder battled through injuries in 2017 and did not miss a game. He’s no longer a top-flight option, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 tackle last year, meaning that he’s starter quality at left tackle. You’ll notice that three of the top five tackles on this list are Patriots. There’s little chance that the Pats let all three get away.

Justin Pugh offers the ability to play both guard and right tackle, though he might not do either one particularly well.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Andrew Norwell is the undisputed king of this category after netting an All-Pro selection in 2017. Norwell also earned a career-high 88.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which positioned him third in the entire NFL amongst guards. A team with greater means than the Panthers might have used the franchise tag on him. Fortunately for rival teams in need of interior help (such as the Giants), they won’t cuff him with the one-year placeholder.

Darren Sproles Leaning Towards Return

December 7th, 2017 at 2:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Eagles running back Darren Sproles has yet to decide on his football future. However, he says that he is leaning towards playing in 2018 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).

Sproles is still recovering from his knee injury, but he indicated that he wanted to leave the game on a higher note. “I can’t end like this,” Sproles said.

The diminutive runner had high hopes for this season, but he was forced out in Week 3 when he simultaneously suffered a broken forearm and a torn ACL. Sproles will turn 35 this summer, but his three consecutive Pro Bowl nods prior to this year indicate that he still has some football left in him. In 2016, he set a new personal watermark with 94 carries while also catching 52 passes. The 865 yards from scrimmage were the third-highest total of his career.

If Sproles does decide to return, it may or may not be with the Eagles. His contract expires at the end of this year, meaning that he’ll be eligible for free agency in March.

Eagles’ Darren Sproles Has Torn ACL

September 25th, 2017 at 10:10am CST by Zachary Links

Darren Sproles‘ outlook for 2017 has gone from bad to worse. In addition to a broken arm, it turns out the running back also suffered a torn ACL on the same play on Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The torn ACL will rule Sproles out for the season, forcing the Eagles to place him on injured reserve.

Sproles, 34, indicated that 2017 would be his final NFL season. The serious knee injury likely seals that decision for the veteran running back.

In three games this year, Sproles had 15 carries for 61 yards, good for a respectable 4.1 yards-per-carry average. He also caught seven passes for 73 yards. He was expected to have a big role as the Eagles’ pass-catching specialist out of the backfield, but he wasn’t utilized all that much.

The Eagles will move forward with Wendell Smallwood and signed LeGarrette Blount as their top backs while UDFA Corey Clement will be asked to play a larger role. They may want to add a running back to the mix to help replace Sproles’ hands, particularly in light of the team’s overall RB issues in September.

Sproles totaled the most carries of his career last year with 94 and he also caught 52 passes. The 965 yards were the diminutive runner’s third-most in his career.

Eagles RB Darren Sproles Breaks Arm

September 24th, 2017 at 9:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Sproles left the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Giants on Sunday with what could be a season-defining injury. The veteran running back is believed to have suffered a broken arm, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Although an MRI is scheduled for Monday, Rapoport notes Sproles is out indefinitely. This is potentially the 34-year-old running back’s final season. He indicated as such late last year but backtracked on confirming it ahead of this season, so a lengthy absence could play a big impact on his decision.

This is the final year of Sproles’ contract. The Eagles have Wendell Smallwood and signed LeGarrette Blount as a free agent. UDFA Corey Clement also saw action today. But Sproles returned as a key performer for the team, and he could well be an IR candidate after this injury. Sproles would join rookie Donnel Pumphrey on IR if the Eagles take that course of action.

The Eagles ran for 193 yards as a team today, with Smallwood contributing 71 yards and Blount 67. But Sproles has primarily served as a receiver out of various backfields in his career, maintaining quality form and a key role despite being in his 13th season.

The former Chargers and Saints weapon is in his fourth season with the Eagles, the past three being Pro Bowl campaigns for his return work. Sproles led all Eagles players with 865 yards from scrimmage last season. He’s returned a punt for a touchdown in each of his three Philadelphia campaigns. Philly parted ways with Ryan Mathews and Kenjon Barner from its 2016 backfield, so a Sproles absence will signal a changing of the guard.

Extra Points: Sproles, Patriots, Browns, Snee

June 5th, 2017 at 9:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Sproles may now be reconsidering retirement. The 13th-year passing-down back said in December that this season was likely going to be his last, but on Monday, the soon-to-be 34-year-old Eagles running back wasn’t quite ready to go that far. “We’re going to see,” Sproles said about retirement (via Zach Berman of Philly.com), adding “right after we make the playoffs, come back and ask me.” Sproles totaled the most carries of his career last year with 94, and he caught 52 passes. The 965 yards were the diminutive runner’s third-most in his career. Philadelphia drafted 2016 Division I-FBS rushing leader Donnel Pumphrey in the fourth round and signed LeGarrette Blount, but the team is likely to cut Ryan Mathews. Berman notes Sproles is still expected to play a big role for the Eagles this season, which is the last year of his contract.

Here’s more from around the league.

Vance Walker is expected to be medically cleared by next week and ready for training camp after tearing an ACL during his most recent camp experience, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Walker remains a free agent, but a cleaner bill of health should bring back interest in the 30-year-old interior defender. His last healthy season involved a role as a rotational defensive end on 2015’s Super Bowl champion Broncos defense.
Former All-Pro guard Chris Snee will be working with his father-in-law again, with the Jaguars hiring the ex-Giants guard as an area scout, Neil Stratton of Inside the League reports (on Twitter). Snee was Tom Coughlin‘s first Giants draft pick that actually played for the team, with Philip Rivers being the then-coach’s first selection in New York, and the four-time Pro Bowler played 10 years with the Giants. The 35-year-old Snee’s been out of the league since 2014 but will work with the Jags, who hired Coughlin as their executive VP of football operations in January.
Desmond Bryant returned to the practice field for the Browns last week after missing the 2016 season with a torn pectoral muscle sustained away from the team’s facilities. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the veteran defensive lineman, who also played for Hue Jackson on the 2011 Raiders, will stay at defensive end in Gregg Williams‘ 4-3 after playing end in the Browns’ 3-4 looks previously. The 2017 Browns are in position to have Bryant and Myles Garrett at end, joining 2016 Day 2 picks Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib.
Stedman Bailey will undergo an upcoming procedure he believes can increase his chances of returning to football, the former wide receiver told TMZ. The website does not specify what type of procedure the former Rams wideout will undergo, but the 26-year-old Bailey said if it doctors tell him after it’s over that he shouldn’t play football again he will move on in a quest to return to the sport. Sustaining two gunshot wounds to the head in December of 2015 ended Bailey’s Rams run. Bailey returned to his alma mater, West Virginia, as a student assistant in 2016. The Rams officially waived Bailey in April.
Bill Belichick will have both of his sons coaching under him this season. The Patriots coach’s youngest son, Brian Belichick, is set to rise from scouting assistant to coaching assistant, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter). A 2016 college graduate, Brian Belichick will join older brother — the Patriots’ second-year safeties coach — on the sideline in an as-of-yet unspecified capacity.

Eagles To Consider Jamaal Charles

March 1st, 2017 at 5:03pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles don’t have a bell cow running back on their roster, but it appears five-time 1,000-yard rusher and four-time Pro Bowler Jamaal Charles is on their radar. Philadelphia will consider pursuing Charles, whom the Chiefs released Tuesday, according to head coach Doug Pederson (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com).

“I’ve got some history with him in Kansas City for three years,” said Pederson, who coordinated the Chiefs’ offense from 2013-15. “I think he’s a tremendous running back and it’s something that we’ll evaluate now. And we’ll grade him just like we do every free agent and ever person that’s released and see where he can fit into our offense.”

Charles was superb under Pederson during his first two years atop the Chiefs’ offense, but knee injuries hampered him during the previous two seasons. The 30-year-old Charles tore his ACL in October 2015, thereby limiting him to five games and 71 carries, and he missed all but three games last season thanks to a setback that led to November surgery. As a result, Charles picked up a mere 12 carries in 2016.

On a rate basis, the Eagles last year received impressive production from rushers Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood and Kenjon Barner, all of whom averaged at least 4.1 yards per carry. But none finished with more than 155 attempts, a total that a healthy Charles has eclipsed five times during his nine-year career. Adding Charles would give the Eagles a logjam of ball carriers, but it doesn’t seem as if it would affect the 33-year-old Sproles’ status. Pederson said Wednesday Sproles will be on next season’s roster, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com (Twitter link).

NFC East Notes: Romo, Sproles, Redskins

December 30th, 2016 at 2:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will likely make his season debut this weekend against the Eagles, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer and Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The veteran signal-caller hasn’t taken the field since Thanksgiving of 2015.

According to Archer and Schefter, the 36-year-old will see the field for only a series or two before handing off to Mark Sanchez. The Cowboys are presumably hoping to limit the chance of an injury as they look to shop the veteran quarterback this offseason.

Romo missed the first several months of the season as he recovered from a back injury. By the time he returned, rookie Dak Prescott was in complete control of the Cowboys’ starting quarterback gig. The last time the veteran played in at least 15 games was 2014, when he threw for 3,705 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC East…

Veteran running back Darren Sproles announced that the 2017-2018 campaign will likely be his final season in the NFL, writes ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. While the 33-year-old would prefer to end his career with the Eagles, he understands that it’s not necessarily his decision. “That’s not up to me. That’s up to the people upstairs. I’ve got nothing to do with that,” Sproles said. “But that’s the plan.” Over the offseason, Sproles inked a one-year extension with Philly that would keep him on the team through next season. Sproles hasn’t done anything to prove that he couldn’t be productive next season, as the 12-year veteran has compiled 406 rushing yards (the second-highest total of his career) and 423 receiving yards in 15 games this season.
This weekend could be the final time defensive tackle Bennie Logan takes the field as a member of the Eagles, writes Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. The 27-year-old has averaged more than 12 starts a season for Philly since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2013. For what it’s worth, the impending free agent would like to stick around. “Trying to start over and do something new, is something I’m not looking forward to,” the defensive tackle said. “Because I enjoy being here, the city and everything. This is where I see myself at.”
The Redskins defense has underperformed this season, and the team ranks towards the bottom of the league in many defensive metrics. As a result, defensive coordinator Joe Barry has naturally found himself on the hot seat. Despite his lack of job security, the coach isn’t thinking about whether he’ll be out of a job. “That’s a good question,” he told Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “Those are things that we will obviously address, but right now, I’m just 1,000 percent on the Giants, and I’m not even thinking a day past that right now.”

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Collins, Eagles

December 16th, 2016 at 1:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys are leaning toward activating left guard La’el Collins from injured reserve instead of rookie defensive end Charles Tapper, Brandon George of the Dallas News writes. No final decision has been made, however. Collins was meant to be the Cowboys’ starting left guard this year, but he has been out since Week 3 with a toe injury and was forced to undergo surgery. Fortunately, Dallas has been able to lean on Ronald Leary in his absence.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

The Eagles announced that running back Darren Sproles will be out on Sunday versus the Ravens in the wake of his concussion. As of this writing, the Eagles have three healthy options on the running back depth chart – Ryan Mathews, Kenjon Barner, and Byron Marshall. Barner is expected to serve as the punt returner.
The Eagles could have used Michael Floyd, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com argues, and he listed several reasons why the former Arizona receiver would have been a good fit for Philly. He argues that unlike others already in-house, Floyd is a proven performer and if you overlook his rookie season and his current so-so campaign, he has at least 800 yards, 47 catches, and five touchdowns in his other three campaigns. He’s also a down-the-field threat, something that the Eagles arguably haven’t had since parting ways with DeSean Jackson. This year, Floyd is averaging just 13.5 yards per catch, but he had an average of 16.0, 17.9, and 16.3 yards per grab in his previous three seasons. By comparison, Jackson averaged 16.2 yards per catch in his final Philly season. Yesterday, the Patriots grabbed Floyd off of waivers while the rest of the league – including Philly – passed on him.
Recently, we listed Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay as one of ten potential candidates for the Rams’ head coaching job.

Eagles Make Several Pre-Week 15 Moves

December 12th, 2016 at 7:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles’ running back corps continues to take hits and will be without one of its members for the rest of the season. Among a host of Monday moves, Philadelphia placed rookie Wendell Smallwood on IR.

Tackle Matt Tobin will also venture to the team’s IR list, where he’ll join long snapper Jon Dorenbos, whom the Eagles placed on the season-ending list after he was declared out for the season earlier today.

To begin filling this trio’s roster spots, the team signed former Jaguars cornerback Dwayne Gratz and long snapper Rick Lovato. Gratz’s deal is for two years, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Both the Jaguars and Rams cut Gratz this season. The former third-round pick played in three games for both teams this season, recording five tackles. He started in 17 games for the Jags in 2014 and ’15 but did not show enough to stick around through what began as his contract year.

A knee injury will close Smallwood’s initial NFL campaign. The fifth-round pick rushed 77 times for 312 yards, receiving multiple carries in 11 of the Eagles’ 13 games. This news comes after it became known Darren Sproles is in the concussion protocol, leaving the Eagles with Ryan Mathews, who returned last week from his latest injury to rush for 60 yards, and Kenjon Barner as healthy backfield options.

Tobin, a fourth-year ex-UDFA, started one game this season after breaking with the first unit in 20 games in ’14 and ’15. He played 31 snaps against Washington on Sunday but will miss the season’s remainder with a knee injury.

Lovato has been something of a snapper-on-call during his two-year career, with the Old Dominion product catching on with the Packers to close last season and joining the Redskins for a two-game stint in November. He’ll likely snap for the Eagles in their final three games.

Extra Points: Gronk, Rodgers, Sproles, Bills

September 9th, 2016 at 8:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, did not accompany the Patriots on their trip to Arizona on Friday, reports Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal (Twitter link). That means Gronkowski will not play Sunday against the Cardinals, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). Gronkowski’s absence will leave New England’s offense without its two best players (quarterback Tom Brady is suspended) as the Jimmy Garoppolo-led club goes on the road to face one of the NFL’s premier teams.

More from around the league as the first Sunday of the regular season draws closer:

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 32, would like his playing career to last until at least age 40, he told Pete Dougherty of USA Today. “I think it’s more realistic now than it was when I first started playing,” the eight-year veteran said of achieving his goal. “The way the (practice) schedule is now, training camp, the research on nutrition. I think it is possible to play and play well into your 40s.” Only three QBs – Packers legend Brett Favre, Hall of Famer Warren Moon and Vinny Testaverde – have started at least 10 games in their 40s since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, notes Dougherty. Aside from Rodgers, fellow current signal-callers Brady and Drew Brees have also expressed a desire to last that long. As a 39-year-old (40 next August), Brady looks like a shoo-in to accomplish that goal.
The Eagles’ Darren Sproles will act as more of a receiver than a running back this year, writes Paul Domowitch of Philly.com. Sproles led all running backs in receptions (232) from 2011-13 as a member of the Saints, but he wasn’t as involved in the Eagles’ passing game under now-former head coach Chip Kelly the previous two seasons. Sproles still caught 95 balls, including 55 last year, while combining for 140 carries. As a runner, he’s unlikely to approach last year’s 83-attempt mark in new head coach Doug Pederson‘s offense, per Domowitch, with Ryan Mathews and Kenjon Barner set to receive the bulk of the work. For his part, Sproles is content with taking on more of a pass-catching role. “They’re playing to my strengths,” he said. “I really like this offense.”
Brian Fettner, the agent for the Bills‘ Seantrel Henderson, explained Friday why he and his client dropped their appeal of the right tackle’s four-game suspension for marijuana use. Fettner stated (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter): “Merciful or not, there is no medical exception that the NFL will accept. It doesn’t matter that Seantrel is battling Crohn’s disease, and has had his intestines outside his body. It doesn’t matter how you take it, if you digest the cannabis, that’s it. And they don’t care. So you can appeal and lose, and push it back, or you can get it over with. Per the negotiated letter of law, it seems like a futile appeal. We don’t want to waste anyone’s time. We want Seantrel back as soon as possible.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.