Richard Rodgers (TE) - Pro Football Rumors

Packers No Longer Interested In TE Ed Dickson

March 14th, 2018 at 10:42am CST by Zachary Links

Ed Dickson has lost a suitor. After the Packers agreed to sign Jimmy Graham on Tuesday, they are no longer interested in the Panthers free agent, according to Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter). Meanwhile, they have “done nothing” with free agent Richard Rodgers.

Based on what we’ve heard, that could mean the Falcons are in the catbird seat for his services. Atlanta needs another tight end after cutting Levine Toilolo, so Dickson could potentially remain in the NFC South. He’d serve as the Falcons’ No. 2 behind starter Austin Hooper.

Dickson, 30, didn’t play a large receiving role during his first three years with the Panthers, but an injury to starting tight end Greg Olsen allowed Dickson to play on 80% of Carolina’s offensive plays last season. While he wasn’t a world-beater, Dickson did manage 437 yards and a touchdown, solid numbers considering he’d managed just 370 receiving yards from 2014-16.

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.

2017 Proven Performance Escalators

January 17th, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.

If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.8MM in 2017. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2017 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:

49ers: Aaron Lynch, LB; Marcus Martin, OL

Bears: Charles Leno, T; Will Sutton, DT

Bengals: Russell Bodine, C

Bills: Preston Brown, LB; Seantrel Henderson, T

Broncos: Michael Schofield, OL

Browns: Christian Kirksey, LB

Buccaneers: Kevin Pamphile, G

Cardinals: John Brown, WR

Chiefs: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G; Zach Fulton, G; Phillip Gaines, CB

Colts: Donte Moncrief, WR

Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens, LB

Falcons: Devonta Freeman, RB

Giants: Devon Kennard, LB

Jaguars: Aaron Colvin, CB; Brandon Linder, G; Telvin Smith, LB

Lions: Nevin Lawson, CB; Travis Swanson, C

Packers: Corey Linsley, C; Richard Rodgers, TE

Panthers: Tre Boston, S; Trai Turner, G

Raiders: T.J. Carrie, CB; Justin Ellis, DT; Gabe Jackson, G

Rams: Maurice Alexander, S; E.J. Gaines, CB

Redskins: Bashaud Breeland, CB; Spencer Long, G; Morgan Moses, T

Texans: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE; Andre Hal, S

Titans: DaQuan Jones, DL; Avery Williamson, LB

Vikings: Shamar Stephen, DT

Potential Replacements For Andrew Quarless

July 5th, 2015 at 2:04pm CST by Rob DiRe

With starting tight end Andrew Quarless dealing with the aftermath of being arrested early on July 4th, the Packers could be missing a key member of their offense in 2015, either due to suspension or release.

Quarless was arrested after firing a weapon in public while in Miami yesterday morning. The team released a statement on their official website, noting they will not make any decisions until they have more information.

“We are aware of the matter involving Andrew Quarless and are in the process of gathering more information. We will withhold further comment.”

More information seems more likely to hurt Quarless than help him, and many fans and pundits expect his release. He is in the second year of a two-year deal that he signed last offseason, and is due a base salary of $1.3MM plus roster and workout bonuses.

Although he was a starter, he caught only 29 passes for 323 yards last season, and has career totals of only 85 catches and 909 yards in his four years with the team. Still, whether Aaron Rodgers needs big production from tight end or not, losing a starter is rarely a good thing, and he will need to be replaced.

If they choose to look to free agency, Jermaine Gresham remains available as one of the best overall players on the market. He should be easy to sign on a short-term deal, and has experience both as a pass catcher and blocker as a former first-round pick in Cincinnati.

The 6’6″ Gresham has had consistent production since coming out of Oklahoma has a big-time playmaker at the position. His numbers came in between 45 and 65 catches each of his professional seasons, catching between four and six touchdowns each year. While those numbers were underwhelming considering his hype coming out of college, he was a reliable option for Andy Dalton, and could thrive in the Green Bay offense.

Zach Miller, formerly of the Seahawks, could also be a relatively cheap option, but after Gresham the market is weak for tight ends. Miller is entering his age-30 season, and hasn’t produced much of anything since leaving Oakland for Seattle in 2011. He missed most of the 2014 season with an ankle injury, but is not the player he once was even if he gets healthy.

Besides Gresham and maybe Miller, the list of available players at the position (courtesy of Spotrac.com) is full of uninspiring choices who either have no history of producing on the field or a long gap since the last time they were effective players.

Signing or trading for an impact player at the position is out of character for the Packers and general manager Ted Thompson anyway. The most likely scenario is an upgrade in role for second-year tight end Richard Rodgers, who caught 20 passes for the team in 2014. They also drafted Kennard Backman in the sixth round, who could see some action in a backup role.

Either way, smart money says it will not be Quarless catching passes in Green Bay this coming season.

South Notes: Jones, Blackmon, LeBeau

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Zachary Links

News out of the AFC and NFC South..

Some have concluded that since Julio Jones has one year left on his contract and is on the verge of getting a lucrative extension that new Falcons coach Dan Quinn would prefer to trade him for extra draft picks. However, his comments during a Tuesday news conference indicate that Jones is a part of Quinn’s gameplan going forward. “Absolutely — I can’t wait (to meet him). Just a chance to go through the process with him. … We love great players. We’re trying to celebrate all the good guys. We’re trying to collect more great players, not the other way around,” Quinn said, according to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The odds are against guys like Josh Gordon and Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon making it back to the NFL, opines Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Both have lots of work ahead of them in the league substance abuse program and have spent a good deal of time away from the team structure.
Dick LeBeau might have several former players who could be available to join him with the Titans, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Safety Troy Polamalu, defensive end Brett Keisel, linebacker James Harrison, and cornerback Ike Taylor could all be available and interested in a reunion with the 77-year-old coach. Polamalu currently has two years left on his deal with Pittsburgh but it’s conceivable that they could part ways. Taylor was considering retirement but recently decided that he would return to football.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera reassigned special teams coordinator Richard Rodgers, sources told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina’s special teams finished at or near the bottom in a number of major special teams categories this past season. Rivera will promote Rodgers’ assistant Bruce DeHaven to fill that role.

Friday Night Game Notes: NFC North

August 23rd, 2014 at 12:29pm CST by Matt Feminis

This morning, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport said the Packers were pessimistic about an arm injury suffered by nose tackle B.J. Raji last night. In his latest tweet, Rapoport reports (via Twitter) the belief is Raji tore his biceps, and tests will determine whether it’s fully or partially torn.

12:29: Raji’s biceps tear is confirmed, per JSOnline’s Tom Silverstein (via Twitter), who says the fear is Raji will be lost for the season.

Here’s some more links derived from last night’s action involving the Packers, Bears and Lions:

“There’s a good chance that rookie TE Richard Rodgers will be the Green Bay Packers’ starter against the Seattle Seahawks Sept. 4.,” says JSOnline’s Tom Silverstein.
Casey Hayward is nursing a hamstring injury, and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wonders if it’s time to worry.
The Bears were drubbed in Seattle, and ESPN’s Michael C. Wright provided his observations, including the continued struggles of young linebackers Shea McClellin and Jon Bostic.
Safety Chris Conte saw his first game action since last season. . .and promptly sustained a concussion (confirmed by the team via Twitter), adding yet another question mark to the Bears’ unsettled safety situation.
Tahir Whitehead‘s strong play is making the Lions’ strong-side linebacker competition a three-horse race, writes Josh Katzenstein in the Detroit News.
Ndamukong Suh‘s roughing-the-passer penalty drew headlines, but the quantity of Lions penalties is concerning to head coach Jim Caldwell, says MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke.

NFC Notes: Gabbert, Cromartie, Peterson

June 21st, 2014 at 4:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 49ers acquired Blaine Gabbert from the Jaguars earlier this offseason, with the hopes that he could become the backup to Colin Kaepernick. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman had good early impressions of Gabbert, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “(I’m) excited about Blaine,” said Roman. “He asks all the right questions.”

Gabbert appears humbled in his time with Jacksonville, and is ready to make a new start. “I just came in here and tried to put my best foot forward every day and really enjoy the process and get better on a consistent basis,” Gabbert said. “That’s what you look for in the spring — just consistent improvement and getting comfortable in the offense and with the new surroundings and the new guys you’re working with.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

While Cardinals‘ superstar Patrick Peterson has emerged as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, but his new teammate Antonio Cromartie is not sold on his skills, writes Nate Davis of USAToday.com. “You got three young guys that are up and coming, but right now it’s either me or (Revis) when we’re healthy. … We have zero help at all; we tell the safety to roll up to the other side. So we know what we can do,” said Cromartie. “I want these guys (Sherman, Peterson and Haden) to be on an island by themselves and play zero coverage (no safety help) – they (haven’t done) it yet. They haven’t done anything that me and Revis have done in a Rex Ryan defense.”
As new offensive coordinator Norv Turner implements his offense on the Vikings, one key aspect he would like is increasing Adrian Peterson‘s role in the passing game, writes Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN.com. “A big part of that is finding ways for Adrian to not have to run in such crowded areas all the time. He’s going to have to do that, that’s part of his job, he’s the best in the league at it.,” said Turner. “But if we can get him more space we can take advantage of his great abilities.”
The Packers have an open starting job at tight end with Jermichael Finley not re-signed, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Andrew Quarless filled in well for Finley last season, but has not reported for OTAs this season as he looks for a new contract. In his absence, rookie Richard Rogers has emerged as a possible frontrunner for the starting job.
T.J. Yates, who was traded from the Texans to the Falcons on Wednesday night, tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he couldn’t be happier with his change of scenery.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Packers Notes: Rodgers, Finley, Jones

June 14th, 2014 at 10:02pm CST by Peter Sowards

In an exhaustive Q&A with Packers All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com delves into the psyche of the former Cal standout and 10-year vet, with questions ranging from dealing with public scrutiny to his relationship with coach Mike McCarthy.

Wilde also touches on the length of Rodgers’ career, which has been a topic of discussion after the quarterback hinted at how many years he has left in a tweet on the nine-year anniversary of his drafting. Here’s Rodgers’ response when asked if he has changed his timeline:

I think the way I’ve been feeling the last two years, with changing some things off the field in the offseason with my eating patterns, my body’s been feeling really good. To the point of, I feel like I can really keep my legs underneath me for a long time and as long as I have my legs, I feel like I can play the position the way I want to play it. I’d love to be able to play this contract out and then do a few more [years]. I think that’d be a lot of fun. This is a great place to play and live and work, and this is what we do. This is what I’m talented at more than anything else in my life, and I want to keep doing it.

More links and notes from the NFC North can be found below…

After suffering through a 2013 season filled the hamstring injuries, many Packers have taken to alternative methods of prevention, in particular yoga, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Even without mainstay Jermichael Finley, the Packers still have plenty of tight ends on the roster, including third-round choice Richard Rodgers and intriguing undrafted free agent Colt Lyerla, Dunne writes.
2013 first-round defensive lineman Datone Jones headlines a group of six Packers who need to step up this season, reports Mike Vandermause of Green Bay Press-Gazette. The other five are B.J. Raji, Nick Perry, Derek Sherrod, Jerel Worthy and Johnathan Franklin.
In his weekly mailbag, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes that fourth-round wide receiver Jared Abbrederis could find his niche in the slot for the Packers, allowing Randall Cobb to play more on the outside.
Demovsky details a series of players who have returned from injuries, as well as those who are still recovering.

Packers Sign Davante Adams, Richard Rodgers

June 12th, 2014 at 4:14pm CST by Luke Adams

4:14pm: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun confirms (via Twitter) that the Packers have signed Rodgers to his four-year rookie contract, which includes a signing bonus of around $506K.

3:40pm: The Packers have signed second-round wideout Davante Adams to his four-year contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN Boston (Twitter link). Locking up Adams ensures that third-round tight end Richard Rodgers is the only Green Bay draftee who remains unsigned, though the team is also expected to get him under contract today, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Adams, who was selected 53rd overall out of Fresno State, will receive a signing bonus worth about $1.181MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. In total, the four-year contract will have a value in the neighborhood of $3.933MM.

When the Packers get Rodgers signed, they should be the 19th team in the NFL to secure their entire 2014 draft class. You can follow all the draft pick signings using our tracker, right here.