Josh Allen (DE)

AFC South Rumors: Green, Hines-Allen, Radunz

July 10th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans were forced to scramble last year when second-year starting guard Kenyon Green underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in the preseason. The team opted to trade for the similarly-named Kendrick Green (no relation) to start in his place but were thrown for a loop shortly into the season.

After sitting out the team’s season opener as he was still acquainting himself with the offense, Green started the next three games at left guard for Houston. Unfortunately, near the end of the game against his former team, the Steelers, Green suffered an injury that, while not tearing any ligaments, still required meniscus surgery that would hold him out for the remainder of the year.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Green has now made a full recovery and will make his return during training camp. Kenyon Green was also recently reported to be back to full strength, so now, both healthy Greens will compete for the starting left guard job.

Here are a couple of other notes coming out of the AFC South:

To the relief of many sports writers, a certain Jaguars outside linebacker will no longer sport the exact same name as a player he may potentially be sacking. From now on, Josh Allen will potentially be getting sacked by Josh Hines-Allen. Hines-Allen posted the news on his X account, saying, “Legacy is forever, and I’m proud to carry that tradition on the back of my jersey, following in the footsteps of my family, who have donned the Hines-Allen last name with so much pride and joy.”
In a look at the Titans‘ right guard and right tackle position battles almost three weeks ago, we noted that a healthy Nicholas Petit-Frere had the potential to win the starting right tackle job, which could push last year’s starter at the position, Dillon Radunz, back inside to guard. According to a training camp preview from Titans senior writer/editor Jim Wyatt, we are apparently seeing this come to fruition. Wyatt claims that the team has “locked in” Radunz at guard, where he’ll now compete with Daniel Brunskill and Saahdiq Charles for the starting role.

Jaguars, Josh Allen Agree To Extension

April 10th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

12:37pm: The Burns contract’s influence on the Allen deal extends to the fully guaranteed number as well. Allen secured $76.5MM locked in at signing, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. That is $500K north of Burns’ number, slotting in at third among edge defenders. Like Burns’ deal, Allen’s also falls short of the $30MM-per-year-mark. In terms of base value, the Jaguars pass rusher is tied to a $28.25MM-AAV accord. Yes, that narrowly eclipses Burns’ true number ($28.2MM).

After fully guaranteeing Allen’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries, the Jags guaranteed $10.5MM of his 2026 base ($22MM) at signing. The remainder becomes fully guaranteed in March 2026. Allen’s 2027 and ’28 base salaries ($23.75MM, $24.5MM) are nonguaranteed.

8:04am: This year’s July franchise tag extension deadline may not produce much in the way of fireworks. Teams are making deals early. The Jaguars are the latest, reaching an extension agreement with Josh Allen, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

After a big contract year, the 2019 first-round pick will cash in on a five-year extension worth $150MM, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The veteran edge defender will receive $88MM guaranteed. This will move Allen’s $24MM franchise tag off Jacksonville’s books, replacing it with a through-2028 contract.

Allen, who had gone through a three-year dry spell without a 10-plus-sack season, surged for a Jaguars-record 17.5 sacks in 2023. That was not enough to lift Jacksonville back to the playoffs. But it is enough to make him the NFL’s second $30MM-per-year edge rusher. Allen’s $30MM-AAV contract checks in behind only Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year pact at the position. This contract doubles as a Jaguars franchise record.

The Giants’ Brian Burns extension looks to have played a key role in the Allen negotiations moving across the goal line. Upon trading for the five-year Panthers pass rusher, the Giants gave him a five-year, $141MM deal with $87.5MM guaranteed. (While Burns’ deal was initially reported to be worth $150MM, incentives cover $9MM in the accord.) Allen, who went off the board nine picks earlier than Burns in 2019, will come in just north of those marks to split the difference between Bosa and the field.

In terms of total guarantees — the full guarantees, always the more important number, are not yet known — Allen’s deal comes in behind only Bosa and Myles Garrett among edge players.

Allen’s extension marks the sixth given to a franchise-tagged player this year, and it comes three days after the Patriots became the first team in over a decade to extend a transition-tagged player (Kyle Dugger). Of the nine players who received a tag in March, seven are now extended. Only Tee Higgins and Antoine Winfield Jr. remain tagged.

Teams had inquired about Allen at the 2022 trade deadline, but the Jaguars held onto the Kentucky alum despite unremarkable numbers. Allen produced 7.5 sacks on just 14 QB hits in 2021, and while his number of QB hits ballooned to 22 in 2022, the sack count closed at seven. Last season, Allen erupted for 33 hits. His 17.5 sacks broke Calais Campbell‘s single-season Jags record (14.5) set in 2017. Allen’s 46 QB pressured ranked fourth in 2023. This was not enough to save DC Mike Caldwell‘s job, but as the Jags make changes up front, they prioritized Allen — so much so it meant losing Calvin Ridley to the Titans.

GM Trent Baalke said after the season the Jags viewed Allen as their top priority, and the tag ensured he would not reach the market. This is standard practice with high-end young edge rushers, and it made sense on multiple fronts for the Jags to tag Allen (27 in July) over the 29-year-old Ridley. The trade terms with the Falcons — mandating the Jags lose their second-round 2024 pick if they extended Ridley — made it difficult for the Jags to reach a contract agreement with Ridley before the new league year started. The Jags still tried to re-sign the 2022 trade acquisition, but the Titans ended up blowing both their AFC South rivals and the Patriots out of the water. While Ridley is gone, Allen is now locked in long term.

The Jags have used the tag in each year in the 2020s; Allen marks the third player extended, following Cam Robinson and Evan Engram. Jacksonville used the tag on Yannick Ngakoue in 2020, but the situation simmered to the point a late-summer trade (with the Vikings) came about. No real drama surfaced here, with Allen agreeing to terms more than three months before the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions. Baalke has now hammered out three deals for franchise tag recipients as GM, despite not being with the Jags when any of those players were drafted.

Allen’s deal aligns with Travon Walker‘s rookie contract, to a degree, with the 2022 No. 1 overall pick signed through 2025. He can be kept through 2026 via the fifth-year option, though the Georgia alum — chosen over Aidan Hutchinson — has not shown just yet that will be an easy decision for the Jags. This Allen contract, however, will most likely be paired with a monster Trevor Lawrence extension. The Jags have begun negotiations with their quarterback on what promises to be the top contract in franchise history, and although the former No. 1 pick could be kept on his rookie contract until 2025 via the option, teams generally extend QBs after Year 3.

Big deals for Allen and Lawrence on the payroll will bring mark a new roster-building phase for the Jaguars. With Allen agreeing to a landmark extension, part one of that blueprint is complete.

Jaguars Use Franchise Tag On Josh Allen

March 5th, 2024 at 6:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:15pm: The Jaguars have officially announced that they’ve applied the franchise tag to Allen.

“We were not able to reach agreement on a contract extension with Josh before today’s deadline, and thus, we have tagged him,” general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. “We certainly value Josh’s leadership on the field, in the locker room and in the community. Our objective to keep Josh in Jacksonville in the coming years remains unchanged and negotiations will continue.”

12:49pm: Shortly after the season ended, Trent Baalke confirmed Josh Allen would be a Jaguar in 2024. The third-year GM will make the expected move to ensure that happens.

The Jags are franchise-tagging their top pass rusher, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Making some changes on defense to create cap space, the Jags will not let Allen get away. The freed-up funds, however, will be necessary due to the $24MM coming on a linebacker tag this year.

One of this year’s easiest tags to predict, Allen is coming off a monster contract campaign. The former top-10 pick broke through at a good time for his earning power, setting a Jaguars single-season record with 17.5 sacks last year. With Travon Walker tied to a rookie contract, the Jags will cuff Allen with presumptive hopes of working out an extension with him by the July 15 deadline.

The Jags have used their tag in each 2020s offseason. They cuffed Yannick Ngakoue in 2020, kept Cam Robinson off the 2021 and ’22 markets and then slapped the tag on Evan Engram last year. The team reached extension agreements with Robinson and Engram but traded Ngakoue soon after tagging him. Allen and Ngakoue only played together for one season. Since, the Jags have looked to the Kentucky alum as their premier edge rusher.

Allen’s career arc could point the Jags to making him prove his 2023 was not a fluke, but the team has some other priorities. Trevor Lawrence extension talks have begun, and Baalke has said on multiple occasions this offseason a Calvin Ridley re-up is a goal. Ridley’s situation is more complicated due to the terms of the 2022 trade with the Falcons, but the Jags extending Allen would help on all fronts due to the $24MM cap hold on their payroll as long as he is tagged. The Jags cut Folorunso Fatukasi, Rayshawn Jenkins and Darious Williams over the past two days, creating necessary cap room for their Allen move.

The Jags would owe the Falcons a second-round pick if they reached an agreement with the free agent-to-be before the 2024 league year. If they wait until Ridley hits the market to re-sign him, they would send Atlanta their 2024 third-rounder. The Jags already sent a 2023 fifth as part the exchange, and while Baalke said the pick is not a major factor here, it would surprise if the Jags re-upped Ridley early. That said, Mike Evans and Tee Higgins being off the market and the Colts likely to tag Michael Pittman Jr. before the 3pm CT deadline would stand to drive up Ridley’s price. WR-needy teams will view Ridley, despite his inconsistent past, as a prime option.

As for Allen, he has said he wants to stay in Jacksonville — but not on a hometown discount. Trade interest came in for the veteran pass rusher at the 2022 deadline, but the team stood pat. After not recording more than eight sacks in a season from 2020-22, Allen erupted in 2023 — a season that also included 33 QB hits. Allen, 26, is in line for a big-ticket extension. The Jags passed on giving one to Ngakoue, but they sound far more eager to reward Allen.

Jags In Talks With Calvin Ridley, Josh Allen

February 28th, 2024 at 2:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trent Baalke said in January the Jaguars will have Josh Allen back on their 2024 team, pointing to a franchise tag as a mortal lock. The team is not closing up shop on reaching an extension with its top edge rusher just yet.

Stopping short of confirming the Jags will tag Allen, Baalke said the sides remain in talks. Given Allen’s contract-year surge that ended with a 17.5-sack season — a Jags single-year record — this might be a tricky negotiation that requires more time. The 2019 first-round pick had not previously eclipsed 10.5 sacks in a season. Allen is set to turn 27 in July.

The tag will allow the Jags until July 15 to reach a deal. They have used the tag each year in the 2020s, cuffing Yannick Ngakoue, Cam Robinson and Evan Engram. The team extended Robinson and Engram, after trading Ngakoue.

While Allen’s place on the 2024 Jags appears a near-certainty, Calvin Ridley is tied to unique contract conditions that complicate his future in Jacksonville. Already sending a 2023 fifth-round pick to the Falcons, the Jaguars would owe them an additional 2024 third if they were to let Ridley hit the market. If Ridley re-signs once there or departs, Jacksonville owes Atlanta its 2024 third. If the team views the wideout as a true priority and reaches what is technically an extension — a deal before the 2024 league year begins March 13 — the Jags would owe a second-rounder instead of a third.

It would seem the Jags would be better served by waiting out Ridley and protecting their second-rounder, but the team wants to retain the former first-round pick — regardless of how that comes to pass. Baalke and Ridley met one-on-one recently, and the team is set to talk with the veteran pass catcher’s camp at the Combine.

“We’re not real concerned with that, whether it’s a second or third round,” Baalke said of the second pick to be conveyed in the Falcons trade. “We’re just going to work with the player and see if we can come to an agreement. Whether that’s before the compensation changes or not, that remains to be seen. We’re more focused on the player.

“I had a great talk with Calvin, know exactly where he’s at and and he knows where we’re at.”

Thanks to the end-of-season collapse that left the Jaguars out of the playoffs, their second-round pick checks in 48th. Their third-rounder sits 79th. Barring a Ridley extension before 3pm CT on March 13, that pick will transfer to the Falcons. The Jags have a little more than $24MM in cap space; an Allen tag would account for all of that, as the cap spike moved the linebacker tag to $24MM.

If Ridley were to hit the market, however, the Jags will have likely intense competition. If the Colts follow through with a Michael Pittman Jr. tag, the absences of he and Tee Higgins on the market would boost Ridley’s value.

Do not look for the team to consider Cam Robinson‘s contract as one to move to create space. Baalke expects the team’s 2021 and ’22 franchise tag recipient to be back with the team. The longtime Jags left tackle is due a $16.25MM base salary and is set to carry a $21.19MM cap number. Another extension would reduce that cap charge, though it is unclear if that is the cards just yet for the 2017 second-round pick.

Robinson signed a three-year, $52.75MM extension in April 2022. Although the Dave Caldwell regime drafted Robinson and he was first tagged during Urban Meyer‘s offseason in charge, Baalke was at the helm when the Jags finalized the extension. Pro Football Focus graded Robinson, who missed much of last season due to a PED ban and a subsequent knee injury, 46th overall among tackles.

2024 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 20th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

A valuable tool for teams to keep top free agents off the market, the franchise tag has been in existence since 1993. This week brought the opening of the 2024 tag window. Clubs have until 3pm CT on March 5 to apply tags. As the Giants’ situation showed last year, most of the tag-related business comes near the close of this window. Teams will continue to work toward re-signing their respective tag candidates, thus preventing a lofty franchise tender from hitting their cap sheet.

The legal tampering period opens March 11, with the new league year (and official free agency) starting March 13. Once a player is tagged, he has until July 15 to sign an extension with his respective team. Absent an extension agreement by that date, the player must play the 2023 season on the tag (or go the Le’Veon Bell/Dan Williams/Sean Gilbert route, passing on guaranteed money and skipping the season).

High-profile free agents remain weeks away from hitting the market. As PFR’s tag recipients list shows, a handful of players are prevented from taking their services to free agency each year. This year looks to present a few more tag candidates compared to 2023. With a handful of teams determining if they will need to use the tag to prevent a free agency path, here are the players who figure to be tagged or at least generate conversations about being franchised ahead of the March 5 deadline:

Locks

Josh Allen, OLB (Jaguars)
Tag cost: $24MM

GM Trent Baalke did not leave much suspense when he addressed Allen’s future last month. The veteran exec said the 2019 first-round pick will be a Jaguar in 2024, indicating the team would use its franchise tag if necessary. The Jaguars do have Calvin Ridley as a free agent, but the team would owe the Falcons a 2024 second-round pick if it extended the wide receiver’s contract before the start of the league year. The second pick sent to Atlanta will only be a third-rounder if Jacksonville lets Ridley hit free agency. It makes more sense for Jacksonville to circle back to Ridley after allowing him to test the market. An Allen tag effectively ensures that will happen.

Timing his sack breakthrough well, Allen registered a Jags-record 17.5 during his contract year. The five-year Jaguar has combined for 55 QB hits over the past two seasons and ranks top 10 in pressures over the past three. The tag regularly keeps top edge rushers from hitting free agency, and the 26-year-old pass rusher — while obviously wanting to be paid what he’s worth — expressed a desire to stay in Jacksonville long term.

The Jags have regularly unholstered their tag during the 2020s, cuffing Yannick Ngakoue in 2020 and then keeping Cam Robinson off the 2021 and ’22 markets. The team kept Evan Engram out of free agency last year. Robinson signed an extension in 2022, and the Jags re-upped Engram last July. The Ngakoue situation could be notable, as the edge rusher became disgruntled with the Jags and was eventually traded to the Vikings that summer. No signs of that level of trouble are brewing with Allen yet.

Jaylon Johnson, CB (Bears)
Tag cost: $19.8MM

Johnson is likely to become the first franchise-tagged cornerback since the Rams kept Trumaine Johnson off the 2017 market. The Bears are the most recent team to tag a corner, using the transition tag to cuff Kyle Fuller in 2018. They will almost definitely follow suit with Johnson, who has been rumored to be tagged for several weeks. A Ryan Pace-era draftee, Johnson expressed his desire to stay with the Bears ahead of his contract year. With that platform campaign producing some twists and turns, that price has gone up significantly.

After unsuccessful in-season extension talks, the Bears gave Johnson an 11th-hour opportunity to gauge his trade value. The Bears did not alert teams Johnson, 24, was available until the night before the Oct. 31 deadline. Although the Bills and 49ers engaged in talks about a trade, the Bears held out for a first- or second-round pick. Nothing materialized, which will likely come up during the team’s talks with Johnson. The Bears then extended trade pickup Montez Sweat, leaving Johnson in limbo. But the former second-round pick stuck the landing on an impact season. He is firmly in the Bears’ plans, and the team holds more than $66MM in cap space — plenty to squeeze in a tag onto the payroll.

Pro Football Focus’ top-graded corner in 2023, Johnson displayed a new gear that has made him worthy of a tag. Finishing with four interceptions and allowing just a 50.9 passer rating as the closest defender, the Utah alum soared to second-team All-Pro status. The Bears, who last used the tag on Allen Robinson in 2021, made no secret of their interest in retaining Johnson and will have a few more months to negotiate with him as a result of the tag.

Likely tag recipients

Brian Burns, OLB (Panthers)
Projected tag cost: $24MM

The Panthers hiring a new GM and head coach classifies this as just short of a lock, but familiar faces remain. Carolina promoted assistant general manager Dan Morgan to GM and blocked DC Ejiro Evero from departing. Burns has been viewed as a likely tag recipient since last season, after negotiations broke down. The Panthers have not offered a negotiating masterclass here, as Burns has been extension-eligible since the 2022 offseason. Since-fired GM Scott Fitterer had viewed Burns as a re-up candidate for two offseasons, but multiple rounds of trade talks boosted the 2019 first-rounder’s leverage.

In what looks like a mistake, the Panthers passed on a Rams offer that included two first-rounders and a third for Burns at the 2022 trade deadline. Carolina then kept Burns out of 2023 trade talks with Chicago about the No. 1 pick, ultimately sending D.J. Moore to the Windy City for the Bryce Young draft slot. Carolina also kept Burns at the 2023 deadline, as teams looked into the top pass rusher on the NFL’s worst team. Burns also saw his position’s market change via Nick Bosa‘s record-setting extension ($34MM per year). The 49ers’ landmark accord came to pass after Burns had set a $30MM-AAV price point, complicating Morgan’s upcoming assignment.

Burns, 25, has registered at least 7.5 sacks in each of his five seasons. While he has only topped nine in a season once (2022), the two-time Pro Bowler is one of the league’s better edge rushers. Given the Panthers’ history with Burns, it would be borderline shocking to see the team allow the Florida State alum to leave in exchange for merely a third-round compensatory pick.

Burns has said he wants to stay with the Panthers; he is unlikely to have a choice this year. The Panthers last used the tag to keep right tackle Taylor Moton off the market in 2021; the sides agreed to an extension that offseason.

Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals)
Tag cost: $21.82MM

Seeing their hopes of capitalizing on the final year of Higgins’ rookie contract dashed due to Joe Burrow‘s season-ending injury, the Bengals look to be giving strong consideration to keeping the Burrow-Higgins-Ja’Marr Chase trio together for one last ride of sorts. The Bengals hold $59.4MM in cap space — fifth-most currently — and structured Burrow’s extension in a way that makes a Higgins tag palatable. Burrow’s deal does not spike into historic cap territory until 2025.

While a future in which Chase and Higgins are signed long term is more difficult to foresee, the Bengals still carry one of the AFC’s best rosters. It is likely Burrow’s top two weapons remain in the fold for at least one more year. Higgins, 25, did not come close to posting a third straight 1,000-yard season. Burrow’s injury had plenty to do with that, though the former second-round pick started slowly. A Bengals 2023 extension offer underwhelmed Higgins, but the Bengals kept him out of trades. A tag will give Cincinnati the option to rent him for 2024. A tag-and-trade transaction is viewed as unlikely, as the Bengals load up again.

How the organization proceeds beyond 2024 will be a key storyline, but the Bengals — who kept Jessie Bates in similar fashion in 2022 — are positioned well to run back perhaps the NFL’s best receiving tandem. While director of player personnel Duke Tobin stopped short of guaranteeing Higgins will be a Bengal in 2024, signs point to it.

Justin Madubuike, DL (Ravens)
Tag cost: $22.1MM

Seeing their defensive coordinator depart and once again facing questions at outside linebacker, the Ravens have the option of keeping their top 2023 pass rusher off the market. They are probably going to take that route. Madubuike raised his price considerably during an impact contract year, leading the Ravens with 13 sacks. While Mike Macdonald was able to coax surprising seasons from late additions Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, Madubuike drove Baltimore’s defensive engine and will likely be guaranteed a high salary by signing his franchise tender.

Perennially interested in hoarding compensatory picks, the Ravens have regularly let breakthrough pass rushers walk in free agency. This dates back to the likes of Paul Kruger and Pernell McPhee and subsequently included Za’Darius Smith and Matt Judon. The Ravens have only been able to replace Judon with stopgap options — from Clowney to Van Noy to Justin Houston — and again must figure out a solution alongside Odafe Oweh on the edge. Madubuike, 26, proved too good to let walk; the former third-round pick will once again be expected to anchor Baltimore’s pass rush in 2024.

Antoine Winfield Jr., S (Buccaneers)
Tag cost: $17.12MM

We mentioned Winfield as the Bucs’ most likely tag recipient around the midseason point, and signs now point to that reality coming to pass. The Bucs want to re-sign Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans. The bounce-back quarterback’s tender price would check in at nearly $36MM, and because Evans was attached to a veteran contract, his tag number would come in well north of Higgins’ — at beyond $28MM. As such, the Bucs cuffing Winfield has always made the most sense, and after the second-generation NFL DB’s dominant contract year, it would be stunning to see the team let him walk.

The Bucs have let their recent top free agents test free agency, only to re-sign Shaquil Barrett (2021), Carlton Davis (2022) and Jamel Dean (2023). Winfield may be on a higher plane, having secured first-team All-Pro acclaim last season. Davis and Dean have never made a Pro Bowl; Winfield’s productive and well-regarded 2023 stands to separate him. Winfield, 25, tallied six sacks and three interceptions while forcing an NFL-leading six fumbles. This included a pivotal strip of DJ Chark in the Bucs’ Week 18 win over the Panthers, which clinched them the NFC South title.

Winfield will undoubtedly be eyeing a top-market safety extension. Derwin James established the current standard, $19MM per year, just before the 2022 season. Last year’s safety market did not feature big-ticket prices, for the most part, but the Falcons made Jessie Bates (four years, $64MM) an exception. If Winfield were to reach free agency, he would be expected to eclipse that.

The Bucs, who have used the tag three times in the 2020s, should not be considered likely to let Winfield follow Davis and Dean’s path by speaking with other teams. Tampa Bay has used the tag three times in the 2020s, cuffing Barrett in 2020 and tagging Chris Godwin twice. The team eventually re-signed both, and while the statuses of Mayfield and Evans (and All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs) create a crowded contract queue, the Bucs will certainly be interested in re-upping Winfield.

On tag radar

Saquon Barkley, RB (Giants)
Tag cost: $12MM

Barkley has said he wants to finish his career with the Giants, and the team will meet with the Pro Bowl running back’s camp at the Combine. But a recent report indicated the team is highly unlikely to tag the six-year veteran a second time. The Giants should not be ruled out from reversing course and keeping Barkley, given his importance to an otherwise low-octane offense, but it appears they are prepared to move on if the talented RB does not accept their extension offer this time around. A host of talented backs await in free agency, though Barkley would likely be the top prize were he to reach the market.

Kyle Dugger, S (Patriots)
Tag cost: $17.12MM

With Michael Onwenu profiling as too expensive to tag — especially if the Patriots see him as a guard long term, Dugger looks like the more logical candidate to be retained. Though, it is far from a lock New England pulls the trigger. The team is, however, retaining some of its top defensive staffers. Continuity will help the 27-year-old defender’s chances of sticking in Foxborough. The Pats last used the tag on Joe Thuney in 2020.

More of an asset in the box, Dugger has been a key part of the Patriots’ defense. He has also intercepted nine passes since 2021, returning two for scores (both in 2022). PFF slotted Dugger as a top-15 safety in ’22 but viewed his coverage as spotty enough to place him outside the top 65 last season. The Pats kept Dugger at the deadline, though extension talks did not produce much momentum. A tag would represent a steep cost to prolong those negotiations and ensure the Division II alum stays an extra year. A nice market will form if Dugger is allowed to speak with other teams.

Jonathan Greenard, DE (Texans)
Tag cost: $21.32MM

Greenard served as a productive pass rusher before and after DeMeco Ryans‘ arrival, showing another gear opposite Will Anderson last season. The fourth-year pass rusher totaled a Texans-leading 12.5 sacks — a career-high number by a wide margin. Greenard, 26, totaled 22 QB hits and tied (with Anderson) for 20th with 32 pressures last season.

If the Texans do not tag Greenard, they run the risk of losing him on a market that will probably not include Allen or Burns. That naturally will help the causes of the next-best pass rushers available. Still, this price would be fairly high for Greenard. Interested in retaining the former third-round pick, the Texans can still re-sign him before the March 11 tampering period.

With Anderson and C.J. Stroud on rookie deals through at least 2025, the team remains in good position to make a competitive offer. Holding more than $54MM in cap space, the Texans sit seventh in available funds. Houston, which last used the tag on Jadeveon Clowney in 2019 (preceding a trade), could ensure Greenard does not get away by tagging him. That could set up a rental scenario, though carrying a $20MM cap number would be pricey.

Bryce Huff, DE (Jets)
Tag cost: $21.32MM

Like Barkley, the Jets are more likely than not to pass here. Teams will be monitoring this situation. Huff led the Jets with 10 sacks last season and paced the NFL in pressure rate, beating out Micah Parsons with a 21.8% number. The Jets want to re-sign the former UDFA, but they also seemingly chose his replacement in first-rounder Will McDonald last year. It did not appear New York’s intention to draft McDonald, and he played little as a rookie. After not extending an offer to Huff during the season, Gang Green appears close to letting him test the waters.

The Jets will likely want their top 2023 pick on the field more, though that probably means saying goodbye to a blossoming pass rusher. The team may well view Huff as more of a DH. The Jets kept his snaps below 500 and saw PFF slot him as one of the worst run-defending edges. But clubs, especially if Burns and Allen are out of the mix, will be interesting in paying for a 26-year-old edge player. The Jets have not used the tag since cuffing Marcus Maye in 2021.

Josh Jacobs, RB (Raiders)
Tag cost: $12.4MM

After three running backs were kept off the 2023 market, none may be ticketed for a 2024 tag. The Raiders will undoubtedly look to extend this partnership without applying a tag, which is slightly more expensive than Barkley’s due to the team giving Jacobs a rare pay bump to bring him into the fold after a prolonged tag-driven absence. Jacobs, 25, could not come close to matching his 2022 dominance. The Jon Gruden-era first-rounder finished with less than half his 2022 rushing yardage, totaling 805 on the ground in his fifth season.

Jacobs has expressed interest in staying under HC Antonio Pierce, joining teammates in lobbying ownership to retain the popular interim boss. While the only way the Raiders can ensure Jacobs stays is to bring out the tag, the team probably will be OK competing for him on the open market rather than carry a $12.4MM tender price on its books to start Tom Telesco‘s GM tenure.

Michael Pittman Jr., WR (Colts)
Tag cost: $21.82MM

Becoming the Colts’ No. 1 wide receiver as T.Y. Hilton‘s career wound down, Pittman has been Indianapolis’ go-to pass catcher for most of his career. Under GM Chris Ballard, the Colts have generally avoided letting homegrown standouts reach the free agency precipice. They have re-signed the likes of Ryan Kelly, Braden Smith, Quenton Nelson, Shaquille Leonard and Jonathan Taylor before their contract seasons began. While the Taylor process featured turbulence, that matter is resolved. As that high-profile impasse played out, Pittman trudged through his contract year. Perhaps benefiting from raw passer Anthony Richardson‘s injury, the 26-year-old receiver posted career-high totals in receptions (109) and yards (1,152) to boost his value ahead of free agency.

The 6-foot-4 wideout has naturally expressed interest in testing the market, after indicating some disappointment in not being extended earlier. But the second-generation NFLer also did not sound like he would be displeased with a tag. Aside from the Philip Rivers payment in 2020, Ballard has generally been cautious in free agency. But keeping cornerstone players serves as the eighth-year front office boss’ central philosophy.

It would not surprise to see the Colts, now free of the spree of veteran contracts at quarterback, make Pittman untouchable soon. The Colts have not used the tag in 11 years, since they kept Pat McAfee off the 2013 market.

L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Chiefs)
Tag cost: $19.8MM

Because the Chiefs tagged Chris Jones in 2020, the All-Pro defensive tackle’s 2024 tag price — 120% of his pre-restructure 2023 payment — would come in beyond $32MM. Only the Ravens have ventured past $30MM for a tag, and it was for now-two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Jones is almost definitely headed to free agency, and while the potential Hall of Fame DT has said he is interested in being part of the Chiefs’ threepeat push, he will command a monster salary. A very real prospect exists the Chiefs lose their top two defenders in free agency.

Of course, the Chiefs can prevent this scenario by tagging Sneed. It would involve deviating from an apparent core Andy Reid-Steve Spagnuolo principle of not paying cornerbacks. But Sneed submitted arguably the best season of any Spagnuolo-era Chiefs cover man. Although overlooked for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, Sneed regularly covered No. 1 receivers and allowed only a 56.2 passer rating as the closest defender. That is close to Johnson’s Chicago numbers that are set to produce a tag, and Sneed — a three-time Super Bowl starter — has shown the ability to play outside and patrol the slot.

Kansas City, however, has kept the assembly line going at this position by acquiring cheap talent to replace departing starters. After trading Marcus Peters in 2018, the Chiefs let Steven Nelson (2019), Kendall Fuller (2020) and Charvarius Ward (2022) sign elsewhere. It took a three-year, $40MM accord for the 49ers to pry Ward away; Sneed will probably top that if he reaches the market.

Although the Chiefs have All-Pro Trent McDuffie and fellow 2022 draftees Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson on rookie deals, ensuring Sneed stays would certainly help the team make a spirited effort to become the first to win three straight titles in the Super Bowl era. The Chiefs protected Orlando Brown Jr. in 2022, and while they failed to reach a long-term agreement that summer, the rental helped produce a Super Bowl LVII title.

Christian Wilkins, DT (Dolphins)
Tag cost: $22.1MM

The 2019 first round brought a number of upper-echelon defensive tackles into the NFL. Most of the contingent signed extensions before their fifth season. After 2018 draftee Daron Payne locked in his deal, the floodgates for the ’19 picks opened. Jeffery Simmons, Dexter Lawrence, Ed Oliver and Quinnen Williams signed extensions. Despite months of talks with the Dolphins, Wilkins did not follow suit. He staged a hold-in effort briefly, though the Dolphins rebuffed trade overtures. Tabling talks to this year, Miami is prepared for another chapter. Unless the Dolphins are ready to hammer out a deal before the tampering period, they will need to tag their top DT.

Miami has some notable payments on its front, having extended Bradley Chubb and Zach Sieler. But Wilkins showed another gear in his contract year. Leery of going into the Lawrence-Simmons-Williams range ($22.5-24MM per year) for a player who had topped out at 4.5 sacks in a season previously, the Dolphins saw Wilkins, 28, spearhead an increasingly injury-laden pass rush by tallying nine sacks to go with Sieler’s 10. Wilkins added 23 QB hits.

The Dolphins, who used the tag in 2022 on Mike Gesicki, are more than $51MM over the cap. It will take more than an Emmanuel Ogbah release to move into range to tag Wilkins. But the prospect should be considered in play, given the Clemson alum’s importance to the defense.

Josh Allen Wants To Remain With Jaguars

February 4th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top priorities for the Jaguars this season will be deciding on Josh Allen‘s future with the team. As a pending free agent, Jacksonville’s sack leader is in line for a raise on either a franchise tag or a long-term agreement.

General manager Trent Baalke recently made it clear the Jaguars will not let Allen reach the open market, meaning that, at a minimum, the team will use the franchise tag on him. Doing so would cost roughly $22MM (although the matter of classifying him as a defensive end or an outside linebacker would likely come into play), a steep rise from the $10.9MM he earned in 2023 on his fifth-year option. If a multi-year pact becomes an option, though, Allen will be open to working out an agreement.

During his second career Pro Bowl appearance, the former first-rounder confirmed his desire to remain in Jacksonville in 2024 and beyond (video link via Juston W. Lewis of the Florida Times-Union). Serious talks have not yet taken place, though, and Allen noted the “business” aspect of the NFL when it comes to free agency. Teams which use the tag are allowed to negotiate a long-term contract until mid-July, so it could be used in this case as a means of buying more time to hammer out a deal.

Allen had already established himself as Jacksonville’s top edge rusher entering the season, and his 2023 performance produced career highs in a number of categories. His 17.5 sacks put him in a tie for second in the league in that department, and he recorded a personal best with 46 pressures and 33 quarterback hits. At 26, Allen’s next deal will cover most or all of his prime, and a long-term deal will likely rank near the top of the edge market as a result.

Jacksonville used the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft on Travon Walker, and he took a notable step forward (10 sacks, 30 QB pressures) this year after a quiet rookie campaign. While Walker will likely be in place for another three seasons, maintaining his partnership with Allen for years to come would be a welcomed development for the Jags’ defense. Improvement in the pass rush department will be a target for Jacksonville this offseason in any case after the team tallied 40 sacks (25th in the NFL).

The Jaguars currently sit mid-pack in terms of cap space, but plenty of financial moves will be made in the coming weeks as teams prepare for free agency. Jacksonville also has wideout Calvin Ridley among the players in need of a new contract, but Baalke’s stance suggests Allen will be a higher priority. Talks between the latter and the front office will be a key storyline to follow as the new league year approaches.

Jaguars Prepared To Use Franchise Tag On Josh Allen, Want To Retain Calvin Ridley

January 25th, 2024 at 1:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Josh Allen and Calvin Ridley‘s rookie deals began in different years, those five-year contracts will expire at the same time. Ridley’s 2022 gambling suspension changed his timetable, which puts his second NFL employer on the clock now. Both players are set for free agency, though the team would prefer neither reaches the market.

It appears fairly clear how the Jaguars will approach this decision, with a hierarchy forming early. Allen will be prioritized. GM Trent Baalke confirmed (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) the five-year edge rusher will be a Jaguar next season. This would point to the Jags being prepared to use the franchise tag once again.

Jacksonville has used the tag in each of the past three years, keeping both Cam Robinson and Evan Engram off the market. They tagged Robinson twice. For Allen, a tag would cost nearly $22MM. Though, the recurring linebacker-or-defensive end debate would figure to come up here. Allen is nominally an outside linebacker but for all intents and purposes plays defensive end. This issue has come up for several teams in the past, as the linebacker tag — which groups on- and off-ball ‘backers together — is set to check in around $1.5MM below the DE number.

The Ravens reached a compromise with Matt Judon back in 2020; that could be relevant for the Jags and Allen, who played defensive end when the team used a 4-3 scheme. New DC Ryan Nielsen has used both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes during his time as a coordinator. Judon’s Ravens agreement notwithstanding, teams generally win these debates — should a grievance come from Allen’s side.

The Jags retaining Allen will be pivotal; the Kentucky alum broke through in a contract year. After hitting double digits in sacks once — as a rookie in 2019, with 10.5 — over his first four seasons, Allen registered 17.5 in 2023. This could not prevent a Jacksonville late-season collapse, but it undoubtedly made the former top-10 pick some money. Of course, this performance coming after three seasons in which Allen failed to surpass eight sacks also could lead to a “prove it” request from the team that leads to the tag once again coming out. That said, the Jags kept Allen out of trades at the 2022 deadline. The 26-year-old pass rusher will bring some leverage to extension talks, which Baalke confirms have not yet begun.

Ridley’s situation is more complicated. The Jags re-signing the 2018 first-round pick would determine what draft choice goes back to the Falcons. The Jags already sent the Falcons a 2023 fifth-round pick for Ridley, but the second choice is conditional depending on the Alabama alum’s future in north Florida. If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley, they would owe the Falcons a second-round pick.

“The sky’s the limit; he’s only going to get better because of the way he works,” Baalke said of Ridley. “When you love something as much as he loves football, you can’t help but get better. We would love to have Calvin back. We are going to work toward that. What that means is, I don’t know right now.”

Ridley’s age also could complicate matters for the Jags. He is already 29, being set to turn 30 during the 2024 season. Jacksonville also has Christian Kirk tied to an $18MM-per-year accord and Zay Jones on an $8MM-AAV pact. Engram’s 2023 tag led to a three-year, $41.25MM extension. While Trevor Lawrence remains on a rookie deal, he should be expected — despite an inconsistent season — to receive a mega-extension either in 2024 or 2025. A Ridley re-up would represent a significant commitment to the skill positions. Travis Etienne is also now extension-eligible.

The 2022 trade pickup did produce his second 1,000-yard season, accumulating 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games. This came after Ridley missed the 2022 season and most of the 2021 campaign, the latter absence coming after the talented wideout cited mental health reasons for leaving the Falcons. Ridley re-established some momentum in 2023 and, after generating extensive trade interest in 2022, would be one of the top wideouts on the market, should the Jaguars not re-sign him before the legal tampering period.

Chiefs Pursuing Edge Rusher, Monitoring Jaguars DE Josh Allen

November 1st, 2022 at 11:24am CST by Sam Robinson

Again nearing a midseason point as of the NFL’s best teams, the Chiefs have already made a pre-deadline move by acquiring Kadarius Toney. But pass rusher appears to be the AFC West frontrunners’ premier goal.

Kansas City has inquired on Jacksonville defensive end Josh Allen, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. Teams are believed to be monitoring the fourth-year defensive end ahead of the deadline, though nothing has indicated the Jaguars are holding a bidding war despite their 2-6 record.

Bradley Chubb is also on the Chiefs’ radar, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero. Given Chubb’s Broncos employment, that would be an unrealistic pursuit. The Chiefs, who have Frank Clark on a year-to-year arrangement at this point, could pursue Chubb if he hits free agency in 2023. But the Broncos (or another team that acquires Chubb on Tuesday) would have the franchise tag available.

As for Allen, he is now playing in a third defensive scheme in three years. The Dave Caldwell-era draftee has three sacks and 12 QB hits through eight games this season. A former No. 7 overall pick and rookie-year Pro Bowler, Allen is under contract for two more seasons. The Jags picked up his fifth-year option in May.

No substantive extension talks are believed to have taken place between Allen and the Jaguars just yet, but while the Broncos have discussed Chubb with several teams, the Jags might not be there with Allen. The 25-year-old defender could profile as a long-term Jags piece, with a big-ticket extension pairing with Travon Walker‘s rookie contract.

With the Jags two regimes removed from the one that drafted Allen, he is worth monitoring as a stealth trade candidate ahead of today’s 3pm CT deadline. Chubb is the likelier player to move, and the Panthers have all but shut down trade inquiries for Brian Burns.

The Chiefs will return from their Week 8 bye with Clark suspended. Gun charges led to a two-game Clark ban, and the former tag-and-trade acquisition has been inconsistent in Kansas City. The Chiefs have already allocated 2022 resources to augmenting their pass rush, however, drafting George Karlaftis in Round 1 and signing Carlos Dunlap. In seven starts, Karlaftis has registered just a half-sack and one QB hit. Dunlap has two QB drops but is in his age-33 season.

Chiefs, Rams Expected To Pursue Pass Rushing Help

October 30th, 2022 at 7:58am CST by Rory Parks

The Chiefs and Rams are involved in the Brandin Cooks market, and both clubs are also seeking upgrades to their pass rushing contingent. Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City and Los Angeles would like to add a pass rusher prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

The most notable pass rusher that has the best chance of being moved within the next several days appears to be Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com classifies the 2-5 Broncos as the most likely team to make a trade, and he further reports that one club has offered Denver a package headlined by a first-round pick in exchange for Chubb. Even though two of Chubb’s first four professional seasons were marred by injury, his fifth season has proven that, when healthy, he is one of the game’s better edge defenders. Through seven games in 2022, he has posted 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

As Jones points out, Denver would almost certainly not trade Chubb to the division-rival Chiefs, though the Rams would be a viable trade partner. LA, however, lacks a 2023 first-round pick due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade, so it remains to be seen if it would be able to present Broncos GM George Paton with a winning offer. Jones says the Rams, as is their custom, are willing to trade future first-rounders.

Since Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract, any acquiring club would want to work out a contract extension with him, according to Schefter. Of course, if Paton holds onto Chubb, he would want to come to terms on a multi-year pact as well (as Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes, Chubb is amenable to a contract that keeps him in the Mile High City for the long haul). Regardless of where he ends up, Chubb’s next deal is expected to pay him more than $20MM on an annual basis.

Other pass rushers that could be available for the Chiefs and Rams include players like the Panthers’ Brian Burns and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen. Jones echoes recent reports that Carolina seems unwilling to move Burns, and the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo report that Jacksonville wants to retain Allen, whom it views as a foundational piece.

While Chubb could be dealt, Schefter says the Broncos do not plan to trade wideouts Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, meanwhile, is still likely to be traded, per Troy Renck of Denver 7 (via Twitter). The asking price on Okwuegbunam is “minimal.”

Teams Eyeing Jaguars’ Josh Allen In Trades

October 27th, 2022 at 11:33am CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos are not the only team in London navigating trade rumors. At 2-5, the Jaguars are in that boat. And their top pass rusher is generating interest.

Teams are eyeing Josh Allen as a trade piece, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. It is uncertain if the Jaguars are willing to move on from Allen, but the team is now two regimes removed from the edge rusher’s arrival.

Since going seventh overall in 2019, Allen has become one of the league’s better pass rushers. The Kentucky alum has not matched his rookie-year sack production (10.5); that season produced his only Pro Bowl nod. But Allen has been Jacksonville’s top edge presence during this span. Allen is off to a hot start this season, tallying 11 quarterback hits to go with three sacks and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus slots him just inside the top 15 among edge defenders.

Although the Jaguars picked up Allen’s fifth-year option ($10.89MM), no known extension talks have taken place. Then again, teams commonly exercise the option and wait until ex-first-rounders’ contract years before entering serious negotiations. Allen, 25, being signed through 2023 gives Jacksonville some options as it attempts another rebuild.

The Jags drafted Allen during Tom Coughlin‘s stint alongside Dave Caldwell. They moved on from Coughlin later in 2019 and canned Caldwell a year later, pivoting to Urban Meyer. Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke, who worked with Meyer but operated beneath the brief Jags czar in terms of personnel power, are now running the show. That duo chose Georgia edge Travon Walker No. 1 overall.

With 2020 first-round pick K’Lavon Chaisson not catching on as a reliable starter, however, Allen is a bit more valuable. Unloading him would create a clear need at a premium position, so it would likely take a splashy return to convince the Jags to move on. An Allen extension would pair well with Walker’s rookie contract. The Jags have Walker signed through 2025, and they could play his rookie deal similarly to Allen’s, waiting until Year 5 for extension talks — if Walker turns out to be a player the franchise wants to extend.

The Jags’ London opponent is navigating a similar situation, with former Broncos first-round pick Jerry Jeudy drawing interest despite being under contract beyond this season. This matchup of 2-5 teams might not carry too much weight for AFC playoff standing, but it may end up having a major impact on this year’s trade deadline.

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