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Marcus Maye

NFC South Notes: Bucs, QBs, Maye, Panthers

February 15th, 2023 at 10:26am CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady‘s retirement shoved the Buccaneers‘ void-years bill to 2023, and the $35.1MM cap hit will complicate the team’s plans to replace the all-time great. Tampa Bay is more than $55MM over the cap, as of Wednesday, and has upper-crust cornerback Jamel Dean on track for free agency. While the rest of the NFC South is being connected to quarterbacks, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets the Bucs should not be considered players for top-tier QB free agents. This would include Jimmy Garoppolo and almost definitely Derek Carr, and while Stroud adds the team will look at the market, the Bucs’ price range could be considered in the midlevel area.

Former second-rounder Kyle Trask, whom Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes Bucs players are high on as a player who can compete for the starting job (after two years in development), is the only quarterback left on the roster. The team holds the No. 19 overall pick. Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • The Saints have been the team most closely connected to Carr. They will need to complete their usual batch of winter restructures to be in position to pay him, though there are not as many avenues available to the crafty organization compared to recent years. But the Saints started their path to cap compliance Wednesday. They restructured Marcus Maye‘s deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. By moving $6.07MM of Maye’s salary into a signing bonus, the team created $4.85MM in cap space. Baby steps. The Saints are still more than $50MM over the cap.
  • Another Matt Rhule-era hire is no longer with the Panthers. The team parted ways with VP of player personnel Pat Stewart, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Stewart, who worked with Rhule at both Western Carolina and Temple, joined the Panthers in 2020.
  • New Panthers HC Frank Reich will bring in ex-Rams assistant Jonathan Cooley, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets. Cooley is set to join the Panthers as their defensive backs coach. He and new Carolina DC Ejiro Evero worked together in Los Angeles, with the Rams promoting Cooley after Evero left for Denver last year. The Rams, despite blocking Cooley from interviewing with the Vikings in 2022, fired him just after this past season ended.
  • Another Rams staffer fired along with Cooley in January will catch on in the NFC South. The Saints are hiring Kevin Carberry to be their assistant offensive line coach, Yates adds (on Twitter). Carberry served as the Rams’ offensive line coach during their Super Bowl LVI-winning 2021 season and last year. He will replace Zach Strief, who is now the Broncos’ O-line coach.
  • When Ryan Jensen went down during a July practice, he tore his MCL and PCL fully but only partially tore his ACL. This allowed for the veteran Buccaneers center to avoid surgery, Dan Pompei of Athletic notes (subscription required). Jensen also suffered meniscus damage, per Pompei, who adds retirement was a consideration for the injured blocker. Jensen took out a $5MM insurance policy in the event of a career-ending injury. A stem cell treatment in Antigua, however, made a difference in Jensen’s recovery. The 31-year-old blocker managed to make it back to practice late in the season and played in Tampa Bay’s wild-card loss to Dallas. Two years remain on Jensen’s three-year, $39MM contract.
  • Eddy Pineiro came to Charlotte as a Zane Gonzalez replacement, but the ex-Bears kicker fared well. Pineiro made 33 of 35 field goals, including a 15-for-16 mark from beyond 40 yards, and Person views him as the most likely Panthers kicker in 2023. Gonzalez suffered a preseason quad injury, leading to a full-season IR stay. The Rhule signee is under contract through 2023, while Pineiro is a free agent. But the latter has ties to special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, whom Person adds Reich is retaining. Tabor coached Pineiro in Chicago as well.

Saints WR Michael Thomas Out For Week 4; QB Andy Dalton To Start

October 1st, 2022 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 1: The Saints confirmed on Saturday that Winston is indeed out, meaning that Dalton will make his Saints debut Sunday morning.

SEPTEMBER 30: When they take on the Vikings in London on Sunday, the Saints will be without at least their top wide receiver, and, in all likelihood, their starting quarterback as well. Head coach Dennis Allen confirmed on Friday that Michael Thomas is out for the game due to a foot injury; Jameis Winston, meanwhile, did not practice for the third consecutive day and is listed as doubtful. 

Thomas had just returned to full health after missing most of the past two seasons with lingering ankle issues. His presence, along with that of free agent signing Jarvis Landry and first-round rookie Chris Olave, led to heightened expectations for the Saints’ offense. The former Offensive Player of the Year started all three of New Orleans’ games to start the year, recording 16 catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

Winston has been dealing with spinal fractures so far this season, but this would be the first game action he missed in the event he cannot suit up. That, too, would represent a notable setback given his season-ending ACL tear from last season. His absence, along with that of Thomas, greatly contributed to the Saints’ passing offense finishing as the league’s worst in 2021.

To guard against a repeat of that taking place, even if Winston were to miss time, New Orleans added Andy Dalton in free agency. Given the impression the 34-year-old made on the team during training camp, it would come as no surprise if he got the nod over a banged-up Winston on Sunday. Allen further indicated that the Saints are prepared to have Dalton make his New Orleans debut when speaking to the media.

“Our plan right now is to have Andy ready to go,” he said, via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “We’ll see how things go overnight, but Andy will be ready to go if that’s the direction that we go.” 

Dalton spent one season with the Cowboys in 2020 and the Bears in 2021 as he has transitioned into a backup. He still saw a combined total of 19 appearances and 15 starts over that stretch, though, earning him a one-year deal with the Saints worth up to $6MM. It appears Sunday will be his first opportunity to demonstrate his value, albeit with a shorthanded group of pass-catchers available to him.

The Saints also ruled out guard Andrus Peat and safety Marcus Maye due to a concussion and rib injury, respectively. With that pair, along with Thomas and (probably) Winston sidelined, they will look to get to 2-2 on the year against Minnesota.

Saints S Marcus Maye Arrested For Aggravated Assault With Firearm

September 1st, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Saints safety Marcus Maye was arrested Thursday morning on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football reports (on Twitter).

Maye’s attorney (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter) said his client “vehemently denies” an allegation that stems from a motor vehicle incident. Maye signed a three-year, $22.5MM deal with the Saints this offseason. This arrest, however, marks his second in as many years. Ahead of his final Jets season, Maye was arrested for DUI. Thursday’s arrest could have a considerable impact on Maye’s NFL future.

The Saints are moving to a new safety duo this year, having signed Maye to team with New Orleans native Tyrann Mathieu. The veterans are replacing Malcolm Jenkins, who retired, and Marcus Williams, who signed with the Ravens. Maye’s path toward doing so could become complicated.

Maye, 29, did well to cash in despite suffering a torn Achilles’ tendon in 2021. The Jets kept him off the market via the franchise tag last year, and the sides did not come to an extension agreement. The former second-round pick scored $14.5MM in guarantees from the Saints. Those guarantees would be vulnerable, should the NFL suspend Maye under the personal conduct policy.

New Orleans’ secondary came into the week as one of the NFL’s deepest. The team was confident enough in this group to trade away promising slot cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who will move to safety with the Eagles.

Contract Details: Watson, Adams, Stafford, Jones, Maye, Reed, Joseph-Day, Bozeman

March 21st, 2022 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from contracts recently agreed to across the league, starting with the Browns’ fully guaranteed deal for their new quarterback.

  • Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): Five years, fully guaranteed $230MM. Everything else about Watson’s Cleveland arrival is complicated; his contract is not. Following the 2022 season, in which the Browns reduced his salary to $1MM due to the likely forthcoming suspension, Watson is set to make $46MM in base salary from 2023-26, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.
  • Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): Four years, $160MM. The Rams are keeping Stafford’s base salaries down in the near future; they reside at $1.5MM for both 2022 and ’23, per OverTheCap. The team gave its quarterback a $60MM signing bonus, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. There are no void years on this deal, which includes $49.5MM, $50.5MM and $49.5MM cap numbers from 2024-26.
  • Davante Adams, WR (Raiders): Five years, $140MM. Adams’ deal surpasses DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM-per-year pact, but it is essentially a three-year, $67.5MM accord, Florio notes. Only $22.75MM is guaranteed at signing, but by early 2023, $42.9MM in injury guarantees shift to full guarantees. The Raiders have Adams tied to a $3.5MM 2022 base salary, helping for cap purposes, with a $20MM roster bonus representing part of that $42.9MM guarantee in 2023. Adams’ 2023 salary is set to be $6MM. His 2025 and ’26 salaries — $35.6MM apiece — are nonguaranteed.
  • Chandler Jones, OLB (Raiders): Three years, $51MM. The Raiders guaranteed Jones $32MM, with SI.com’s Howard Balzer noting the deal includes an $8.5MM roster bonus (Twitter link). The Raiders, who have Jones tied to base salaries of $4MM in 2022 and $7.5MM in 2023, tacked on two void years for cap purposes.
  • D.J. Reed, CB (Jets): Three years, $33MM. Reed collected $10.5MM guaranteed at signing and will count just $4.6MM against the Jets’ cap this year, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. Reed is set to count $14.2MM against the Jets’ 2023 and ’24 caps.
  • Marcus Maye, S (Saints): Three years, $22.5MM. Originally reported as three years and $28.5MM, Maye’s deal does include $14.5MM guaranteed, per Spotrac (on Twitter). Maye’s 2022 cap hit is just $2.6MM, and the Saints included two void years. Maye’s cap hits for 2023 and ’24 are $8.6MM and $8.7MM, respectively.
  • Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT (Chargers). Three years, $24MM. Joseph-Day will receive $16.5MM guaranteed, which is up from initial reporting here. His 2022 and ’23 base salaries — $2.5MM and $6.5MM — are guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
  • Bradley Bozeman, OL (Panthers): One year, $2.8MM. Bozeman will receive a $1MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.

Saints To Sign S Marcus Maye

March 15th, 2022 at 9:40pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints have added a big-name free agent to their secondary. New Orleans is signing safety Marcus Maye, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).

Maye got a three-year, $28.5MM deal from New Orleans, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The deal contains $15MM in guaranteed money.

Maye’s 2021 did not go especially well. A DUI arrest came shortly after tense negotiations with the Jets, who did not finalize a long-term extension by the July deadline. Maye played the season on the franchise tag but suffered an Achilles tear, limiting him to only six games. The former second-round pick started 32 games for New York between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

It was only a few hours ago that we heard the Jets were keeping an eye on their free agent. Connor Hughes of The Athletic confirms (on Twitter) that the Jets were interested in re-signing the safety, but Maye ended up taking the better offer.

The Saints, meanwhile, watched as safety Marcus Williams left for Baltimore earlier today. The defensive back got a whopping five-year, $70MM deal from the Ravens, so New Orleans certainly got a discount by pivoting to Maye.

Jets Open To Bringing Back Marcus Maye?

March 15th, 2022 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Long expected to part ways with Marcus Maye, the Jets may be keen on salvaging this relationship. The veteran safety remains on the team’s radar, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

Another Maye agreement coming to fruition would crowd things at safety for the Jets, who have re-signed Lamarcus Joyner and agreed to terms with ex-Bucs back-line defender Jordan Whitehead. Former third-round pick Ashtyn Davis remains under contract as well.

Maye’s 2021 did not go especially well. A DUI arrest came shortly after tense negotiations with the Jets, who did not finalize a long-term extension by the July deadline. Maye played the season on the franchise tag but suffered an Achilles tear. Despite this, Maye still has several fans in the building, Connor Hughes of The Athletic notes (on Twitter).

This would be an interesting move for the Jets, with Maye not only predating the Robert Saleh staff but going back to Todd Bowles‘ Jets stay. The former Jamal Adams tandem partner has started 60 games with the Jets, playing especially well in 2020, when Pro Football Focus graded Maye as the No. 5 overall safety.

Jets’ Berrios, Fatukasi Likely To Test Free Agency

February 11th, 2022 at 11:49am CST by Adam La Rose

With free agency looming, the Jets face some key decisions as they try to retain players that will help their rebuild. The two names at the top of the list, when it comes to 2022 free agents, are wide receiver/returner Braxton Berrios and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. As ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes, New York could be in tough to keep both of them.

Much has already been reported about Berrios, and the type of contract he is expected to be looking for on the open market. Fatukasi, likewise, is expected to command one of the biggest contracts amongst pending Jets free agents. As Cimini writes, “the Jets want to keep both players and have been talking to their agents”, but “there’s a good chance they get to market”.

Berrios put up intriguing numbers, especially late in the season, which has been the source of buzz that he could land somewhere around $9MM per season on a new deal. Cimini cautions, though, that “it would be a surprise if the Jets go that high”, given the money already invested in fellow receivers Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole. 

As for Fatukasi, his play in 2021 has earned him a payday in New York or elsewhere. The 27-year-old was highly effective stopping the run, but failed to develop an effective pass rush. For that reason, he is “thought to be seeking about $8MM per year”. Again, however, the team already has sizeable commitments in other areas across the defensive front. Losing Fatukasi would be a blow to a unit that, even with him, ranked 29th against the run last year.

Cimini also posits that safety Marcus Maye is likely headed elsewhere. The 28-year-old was charged with a DUI this past October, and suffered a torn Achilles one month later. While he “has some support within the organization”, Cimini writes, “it sounds like this relationship has probably run its course”.

With decisions needing to be made around other veterans, including Crowder, for instance, the Jets face what appears to be an uphill battle to keep their best pending free agents. How much they are willing to spend to keep them – or, perhaps more realistically, which one they decide to prioritize over the others – will dictate much of the rest of their offseason, as they look to take a step forward in 2022.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/21

November 9th, 2021 at 6:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Jets S Marcus Maye Suffers Torn Achilles

November 5th, 2021 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marcus Maye‘s season is over, and his prospects for a lucrative long-term deal in 2022 absorbed a brutal blow Thursday night. The fifth-year Jets safety suffered a torn Achilles, the team confirmed Friday.

Maye went down during the Jets’ loss to the Colts and faces extensive rehab that would may well derail the kind of contract he was set to seek in free agency. The Jets franchise-tagged Maye this year, but everything pointed to a 2022 free agency exit.

The Jets and Maye could not agree on an extension at the mid-July deadline, which followed contentious negotiations. Maye did not request a trade, but it was widely expected the sides were set to separate come March. This Achilles injury will sideline Maye well into the 2022 offseason and potentially set him up for a prove-it deal — from either the Jets or another team — rather than a high-end safety pact.

The former second-round pick missed time earlier this year because of an ankle injury but returned in late October. He made six starts this season, but the year certainly proved costly. Although trade interest emerged ahead of the deadline, the Jets’ lofty asking price kept Maye in New York. Maye was also arrested for DUI earlier this year and did not inform the Jets of the incident for months. This injury puts a bow on a tough year for the accomplished defender.

Teams Showing Interest In Jets WRs Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims

November 1st, 2021 at 10:13pm CST by Ben Levine

With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, teams are looking toward New York for some receiver help. According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv, Jets wideouts Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims “have emerged as hot names on the market.” The Saints and Packers are among the teams seeking help at the position, per the report.

However, while teams may have interest in the two receivers, they’re also skeptical if the Jets will be willing to trade the duo. While Zach Wilson is currently out of the lineup, the team is still looking to put him in a position to succeed, and removing two wideouts certainly wouldn’t help that cause.

Mims has been mentioned as a potential target for some time. He was a second-round pick by the Jets in 2020, but he’s been limited to only 14 games through one-plus season. He’s been buried on the depth chart in 2021, although he got his first start during yesterday’s win over the Bengals, hauling in a pair of receptions. Considering Mims’ draft stock, it’d be surprising to see the organization bail on the player this early in his career.

Crowder, 28, makes a bit more sense as a trade piece. The veteran missed the first four games of the season, but he’s been productive since returning to the field, hauling in 23 catches for 203 yards. Crowder is set to hit free agency following the 2021 season.

Meanwhile, it sounds like the Jets will continue to hear offers on safety Marcus Maye. ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes that the Jets want a second- or third-round pick in return, but the team is struggling to find a team that will give up those assets. Some suitors want the Jets to eat part of Maye’s salary, which could end up holding up a trade.

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