This Date In Transactions History News & Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: Bears Sign Victor Cruz

May 26th, 2021 at 10:33am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2017, Victor Cruz joined the Bears on a one-year deal. With that, the longtime Giants wide receiver was set to start his next chapter. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as expected.

Cruz was a logical fit for the Bears after they lost Alshon Jeffery in free agency. With their WR1 gone, they were left with Cameron Meredith, the injury-prone Kevin White, veteran Kendall Wright, Daniel Braverman, and Markus Wheaton as their top targets. Cruz was not a one-for-one replacement for Jeffery at this stage of his career, but there was a clear path to the 53-man roster. Then, in the preseason, he suffered a knee injury that took him out of the equation.

From 2011 through 2013, Cruz averaged 80 receptions, 1,209 yards, and eight end zone salsas per season for the Giants. Cruz, a former undrafted free agent out of UMass, came out of nowhere and captivated the NFL . Later, the Giants locked Cruz down with a five-year extension worth up to $43MM. Cruz could have gambled by staying on track for free agency after the 2013 season. With hindsight, Cruz was pretty happy about his decision, which yielded nearly $16MM in guaranteed cash.

Things started to come apart in 2014, thanks to a torn patellar tendon, followed by a calf injury. By ’18, Cruz was still just 31, but also years removed from live action. So, after unsuccessfully lobbying the Giants to bring him back, Cruz called it a career. His final NFL contract came from the Bears, but he left the game having only played for the G-Men.

This Date In NFL Transactions History: Dan Snyder Approved As Owner Of Washington Franchise

May 25th, 2021 at 9:53pm CST by Ben Levine

As with any ownership change, there was optimism in Washington on this date in 1999. Fast forward 22 years, and this was an era that fans would probably prefer to forget. On May 25, 1999, Daniel Snyder was approved as the new owner of the Washington NFL franchise.

The organization was up for sale following the death of former owner Jack Kent Cooke, and Snyder ponied up a then-record $800MM for the team and Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (which is now FedEx Field). Snyder’s first season at the helm was a success; his team won 10 games, the first time they hit double-digit victories since their Super Bowl-winning season in 1991. Since that time, the on-field product has been disappointing (to say the least).

Since Snyder took over as owner, the team has gone 149-202-1 with only six playoff appearance. The team has also shuffled through 10 head coaches, including four different coaches between 1999 and 2002. Snyder hasn’t necessarily endeared himself to fans during this time; he sued season ticket holders during a recession, he temporarily banned fans from bringing signs into his stadium, and he threatened a lawsuit against a local newspaper that detailed his various controversies.

Speaking of…Snyder has also found himself in a number of off-field controversies. The owner was at the forefront of the whole name-change fiasco, refusing to change the Redskins moniker until pressured by major sponsors in 2020. That same year, Snyder was a main player in a Washington Post series that detailed rampant sexual harassment and discrimination within the organization. All the while, Snyder has found himself engaged in a number of additional ventures. This includes sports radio, an Arena Football League team, Six Flags, and Johnny Rockets. Generally, these side hustled didn’t work out all that well.

Unfortunately for fans of WFT, it doesn’t sound like Snyder is going anywhere any time soon. After selling part of his ownership to pay off team debt, Snyder managed to repurchase the remaining 40.5-percent of the team this past March. The purchase was unanimously approved by league owners.

On this date in 1999, Washington fans were likely dreaming of a return to glory. Instead, these fans have endured plenty of controversies (along with rising ticket prices and parking) in exchange for a pair of playoff wins over two-plus decades.

This Date In Transactions History: Seahawks Sign D.K. Metcalf

May 22nd, 2021 at 9:32pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2019, the Seahawks inked D.K. Metcalf to his first pro contract. The Ole Miss product was projected to be a first-round pick, but was left to sign for just $4.6MM over four years after an unexpected slide.

Earlier in the evening, the Seahawks moved down twice. Then, once Metcalf tumbled, the Seahawks went back up the ladder to grab the Patriots’ No. 64 pick. Some evaluators weren’t all that high on Metcalf, apparently, but few could argue with the value.

Metcalf drew national attention for his physique, but the Seahawks saw him as more than just a 6’3″ mass of muscles. He first broke out on the scene with 39 grabs for 646 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore at Ole Miss. His follow-up year wasn’t quite as stellar — Metcalf was limited to just seven games while A.J. Brown stole the show.

Taken near the end of Round 2, Metcalf wound up as the ninth receiver to come off the board. But, other than Brown and Terry McLaurin, he dazzled like no other rookie WR that year. Straight off the bat, Metcalf had 58 catches for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. Then, last year, he took his game to a whole ‘nother level with 83 receptions for 1,303 yards and ten touchdowns.

Metcalf used his draft night slight as fuel and took that momentum into 2020 for an even bigger year. With similar progression, Metcalf could set himself up for a serious fifth-year payday while his first-round counterparts play out their option seasons.

This Date In NFL Transactions History: Giants Acquire K Lawrence Tynes

May 22nd, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Ben Levine

On this date 14 years ago, the Giants and Chiefs pulled off a trade that probably would have been filed under one of our ‘Minor Transactions’ posts (had PFR existed at the time). While no one knew it at the time, the key player in the trade would ultimately play a major role in both of the Giants Super Bowl runs. On May 22, 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs traded kicker Lawrence Tynes to the Giants for a future seventh-round pick.

The 2001 undrafted free agent out of Troy had to spend a couple of years in the Canadian Football League before finally getting an opportunity with the Chiefs. He spent three years in Kansas City but didn’t do anything miraculous, converting only 78.2-percent of his field goals attempts. He also blew a field goal attempt in a playoff game against the Colts, drawing the ire of head coach Herm Edwards. The organization would later select UCLA’s Justin Medlock in the fifth-round of the draft, leading to Tynes departure.

The Giants seemed like a natural trade partner after losing Jay Feely in free agency, and they were looking for a veteran who could compete with former undrafted free agent Josh Huston. So, on May 22, 2007, the two teams pulled off the transaction, with Kansas City receiving a reported ‘undisclosed’ pick. We later learned that the mystery selection was a 2008 seventh-round pick (which ultimately turned into No. 239), which the Chiefs used on fullback Michael Merritt.

Tynes ended up winning the job for the Giants, and he proceeded to have a career year in 2007. He connected on a career-high 85.2-percent of his field goals, and he converted 40 of his 42 extra point tries. However, the kicker truly inserted himself into Giants lore with his performance in the 2007 postseason. At one point, Tynes was in the doghouse instead of the penthouse; in the NFC Championship Game, he missed a pair of fourth-quarter field goals (although one was on a bad snap), and the game ultimately went to overtime. However, Tynes redeemed himself by making a 47-yarder in overtime to send the Giants to the championship game. Tynes wasn’t the hero of the Super Bowl, but he still converted his one field goal attempt and two extra point attempts, earning himself his first ring.

Tynes missed most of the 2008 season with a knee injury, but he returned to the starting gig the following year. The kicker maintained his 83-percent(ish) field goal percentage in 2009 and 2010, but he started to show some cracks in 2011, missing five of his 24 field goal attempts. During the 2011 postseason, Tynes redeemed himself once again with playoff heroics. He kicked another game-winning field goal (this time against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game), becoming the only player in NFL history to have a pair of postseason overtime/game-winning field goals. The Giants would again beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, with the kicker making each of his field goal attempts in that game.

Tynes would spend one more season in New York, making a career-high 33 field goals. He signed with the Buccaneers the following offseason, but he missed the entire season thanks to a toe infection that ultimately led to a lawsuit against the team (if you’re curious, Google ‘Buccaners MRSA’). Tynes ultimately retired after getting released the following offseason.

When this trade was pulled off on May 22, 2007, it probably didn’t catch the attention of many fans. However, with the value of hindsight (and considering Tynes’ penchant for making dramatic overtime field goals in the playoffs), you could argue that this was one of the biggest transactions that influenced the Giants two Super Bowl runs.

This Date In Transactions History: Broncos, Panthers Swap Punters

May 19th, 2021 at 7:25pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s not everyday we get a punter trade; per ProFootballReference, there have been four trades involving punters since 1994. On May 19, 2005, we hit the jackpot of punter-centric trades, as a pair of punters were LITERALLY TRADED FOR EACH OTHER.

That’s right: on this date 16 years ago, the Panthers sent Todd Sauerbrun to the Broncos, with Denver sending Jason Baker and a future seventh-round pick to Carolina (a selection that eventually turned into defensive end Stanley McClover).

At the time, this move seemed like a clear win for Denver. Sauerbrun, a former second-round pick, earned three-straight All-Pro nods between 2001 and 2003, and he set a number of Panthers punting records during his four years with the organization. However, by 2005, the veteran had worn out his welcome in Carolina. During the 2004 campaign, he publicly complained about his contract’s weight-limit clauses, he was cited for driving under the influence, and he was investigated for allegedly receiving steroids. So, by May of 2005, it wasn’t some giant revelation that Sauerbrun was on the trade block; the team had even made it clear that they’d just cut the punter in June.

Considering the Broncos special teams struggles, they emerged as a clear suitor. However, in the days leading up to 5/19/2005, there was some doubts that a deal would get done. Sauerbrun requested that the Broncos convert some of his base salary into a signing bonus, something that stalled the trade negotiations between the two front offices. However, the two sides ultimately pulled off the transaction.

While the Broncos proceeded to go 13-3 in 2005, Sauerbrun didn’t necessarily provide the consistency they were seeking. The veteran’s 43.8 yards per punt and touch back percentage were among the worst of his career, although he somewhat redeemed himself in the postseason when he forced a fumble on an Ellis Hobbs‘ kickoff return. The punter didn’t see the field for Denver during the 2006 season, and following a two-game stint with New England, he rejoined Denver in 2007 before calling it a career.

While the Panthers let go of a Pro Bowler in the trade, they ended up acquiring a future standout in the process. After having spent time with five different teams during his first four seasons in the NFL, Baker would proceed to spend the next eight seasons in Carolina following the trade. During that time, Baker set a number of his own franchise records, including punts (570) and punting yards (25,064). Baker also briefly held the distinction of being the NFL’s highest-paid punter.

We know, we know: punters don’t elicit a whole lot of excitement. However, when it comes to punter trades (especially a punter-for-punter trade), this one is hard to bear.

This Date In Transactions History: Bills Sign Tre’Davious White

May 18th, 2021 at 10:28am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2017, the Bills inked cornerback Tre’Davious White to his first NFL contract. Per the terms of his slot, his four-year deal was worth $10.1MM, including a $5.48MM signing bonus.

Of course, the Bills were not initially set to for the backend of the first round. They originally held the No. 10 overall selection, but moved down after the Chiefs agreed to send the No. 27 pick, a third-round pick, and their 2018 first-round selection. With that No. 27 pick, the Bills selected White. And, at No. 10, the Chiefs took a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes.

That’s a factoid that will forever be attached to White. However, that’s not exactly fair to the LSU product. White immediately stepped into a primetime role after Stephon Gilmore‘s departure. The Bills had also moved on from slot specialist Nickell Robey-Coleman that year — White showed his skills and promise right off the bat.

After notching six interceptions in his first two seasons, White doubled his total with a stellar 2019. His six picks led the league that year, earning him Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. In 2020, the Bills happily re-upped White on a four-year, $69MM extension with $55MM guaranteed.

Consider this: White allowed just five touchdowns in his first three seasons and led all cornerbacks during that time with a 60.6 passer rating. Fans can keep talking about Mahomes if they want, but White is one heck of a consolation prize.

This Date In Transactions History: Eagles Sign RB LeGarrette Blount

May 17th, 2021 at 8:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Four years ago today, the Eagles made a signing that ended up having a huge impact on their Super Bowl LII victory. On May 17, 2017, Philly added veteran LeGarrette Blount to their running back corps.

Blount was actually coming off a 2016 campaign where he led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns. However, he finished with only 3.9 yards per attempt, and during the Patriots run to a championship, the veteran ceded carries to pass-catching backs like Dion Lewis and James White. With the veteran eyeing his age-31 season, Blount remained unsigned through the 2017 draft.

Predictably, the Patriots saw this as an opportunity to pull off some transaction tomfoolery. By this point of the 2017 offseason, free agent signings no longer impacted the compensatory pick formula. However, New England slapped Blount with the rare May 9 Tender; the tender was worth 110% of his total pay in 2016, it gave the Patriots exclusive negotiating rights starting in late July, and (most importantly) Blount’s signing would still could toward the compensatory pick formula. This move surely deterred some suitors from making a move for Blount, as signing Blount would negatively impact their chances at an extra draft pick.

This wasn’t a concern to the Eagles. On May 17th, 2017, the Eagles inked Blount to a one-year deal worth up to $2.8MM. While Philly never fully committed to Blount as their starting running back throughout the regular season, the veteran still led the squad with 766 rushing yards (his 816 yards from scrimmage also ranked second on the team behind Zach Ertz). Blount really showed his worth during the postseason; the running back found the end zone in each of the Eagles’ three wins, and he had 90 yards on only 14 carries in a Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

Even though Blount didn’t end up sticking around Philadelphia, the move was still a clear win for the Eagles. While the Patriots lost the big game against their former player, there was some silver lining; New England ultimately got their compensatory pick, a selection that was ultimately included in a trade for offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn.

Four years ago today, this move was probably seen as a standard post-draft veteran signing. Instead, it was a move that had a major influence on that year’s championship.

This Date In Transactions History: Bill Parcells Steps Down As Giants HC

May 15th, 2021 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill Parcells‘ Hall of Fame coaching career included stops leading four teams. But he is best remembered for the first of those stays, when he led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles. That run came to an end 30 years ago today.

On May 15, 1991, Parcells stepped down from his post as Giants head coach. Although Parcells did not indicate health reasons prompted this move at the time, he later confirmed as such. Parcells spent eight seasons as Giants HC, rising from his role as Big Blue’s defensive coordinator to assume that post in 1983. The Big Tuna’s exit signaled the end of the Giants’ best Super Bowl-era stretch.

“This is the ’90s; I was in the ’80s. It’s going away from me. My interests are going in a new direction,” Parcells said upon announcing his exit. “I’ve given everything I could for 10 years. This job for me now was going to be just to maintain.”

Parcells, 49 when his initial coaching sabbatical began, led the Giants to five playoff berths and two Super Bowl wins. His final Giants team won Super Bowl XXV despite losing Phil Simms for the season that December. The 1990 Giants ended the 49ers’ three-peat bid and upset the Bills, who were seven-point favorites. The Giants’ 1991 coaching staff looked quite different.

Bill Belichick served as Parcells’ defensive coordinator from 1985-90 and was with the Giants throughout the ’80s. However, shortly after Super Bowl XXV, the future Hall of Famer agreed to become the Browns’ head coach. While Belichick would have been a logical Parcells successor, he was in Cleveland when then-Giants GM George Young promoted running backs coach Ray Handley to head coach. (Even had Belichick not left, Young was not especially high on him succeeding Parcells.) Parcells did not inform Young he was leaning toward leaving until late April of 1991, and the Giants promoted Handley the same day Parcells stepped down.

The Giants took a step back under Handley, going 8-8 in 1991 and 6-10 in ’92. Fired after two seasons, Handley did not coach again. Parcells resurfaced in New England in 1993, revitalizing a Patriots franchise that had sunk to the bottom of the NFL. Belichick went 1-for-5 in playoff berths in Cleveland; the franchise fired him shortly after becoming the Ravens in 1996. He rejoined Parcells soon after, becoming the Patriots’ secondary coach for the 1996 season. After the Parcells-Belichick tandem led the Jets from 1997-99, their paths diverged for good. Parcells left coaching after the 2006 season, his fourth with the Cowboys.

This Date In Transactions History: Cardinals Sign Josh Rosen

May 10th, 2021 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2018, the Cardinals inked their quarterback of the future. At least, they thought that’s what they were getting when they signed No. 10 overall pick Josh Rosen.

The Cardinals’ quarterback search was an open secret, one that dragged for years. In 2017, they tried and failed to trade up for Patrick Mahomes – they settled for Haason Reddick at No. 13 instead. This time around, they didn’t want to walk out of the 2018 draft with “what-ifs,” so they vaulted up from No. 15 to No. 10 for Rosen, a promising young passer out of UCLA.

Most evaluators viewed Rosen as the most polished and most NFL-ready passer in the entire class. There was a lot to like, especially after the Hebrew Hammer threw for 59 touchdowns over the course of three college seasons. He also saved his best for last. As a junior, Rosen turned in the best TD/INT ratio of his career (26/10) and his best completion rate (62.5%).

Rosen’s talent was apparent – he didn’t have a cannon for an arm, but his technique and footwork were virtually flawless. He was also an all around bright kid, though some evaluators wondered if he was too brainy for his own good. Curiously, his own head coach was among the nay-sayers.

“Because of fit, I would take Sam Darnold if I were the Cleveland Browns,” said Jim Mora. “I think that blue collar, gritty attitude, I think his teammates will love him, I think the city will love him. He’ll say the right things. He will come in and he will represent well. I think he kind of represents what Cleveland is. And if I was one of the New York teams, I would take Josh *snap* just like that. I think they will both be great in the pros.”

Later on, Mora backtracked, but only slightly. Ultimately, the Browns chose the brash confidence of Baker Mayfield over the “gritty attitude” of Sam Darnold. Today, the Browns are pretty happy with their decision.

Rosen went 3-10 as the Cardinals’ starter as a rookie, completing just 55.2% of his throws with 11 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. A deeper look at Rosen’s rookie stats and metrics don’t do him any favors, either. Rosen completed 55% of his throws and averaged just 5.8 yards per attempt. He also finished with a league-worst 26.1 Total QBR and Football Outsiders listed him as the league’s worst full-time quarterback.

Midway through the year, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy got the heave-ho. After the season, head coach Steve Wilks was sent packing. Ditto for Rosen – just one year after the Cardinals selected him, they drafted his replacement in Kyler Murray. Rosen hoped for a fresh start after he was traded to the Dolphins, but he floundered in his three starts.

In 2020, Rosen had a cup of coffee with the Bucs’ practice squad before being claimed by the Niners. Now, after being retained as an ERFA, Rosen is set to battle for his place on SF’s Week 1 roster.

This Date In Transactions History: 2014 NFL Draft

May 8th, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Ben Levine

The first-round of the 2014 NFL Draft took place seven years ago today. While there was plenty of hype heading into the first day of the draft, surely no one expected the first round to produce so many accomplished players. Among the 32 individuals who heard their name called on May 8, 2014, 17 of those players eventually earned Pro Bowl nods. That’s not shabby.

From a transactions standpoint, there were five trades completed on that Thursday evening, with the Browns and Vikings starring in a handful of the deals. While there were whispers that the first-overall pick could get traded from Houston, the Texans ultimately kept the selection and drafted Jadeveon Clowney at No. 1.

The first trade of the evening was between the Browns and Bills. Cleveland wanted to move back to select a cornerback, so they sent No. 4 to Buffalo for No. 9, a future first, and a future fourth. The Bills ended up selecting wideout Sammy Watkins. As the first round continued to progress, the Browns apparently didn’t feel comfortable staying at No. 9. So, they packaged that selection and a future fifth-round pick to the Vikings for the No. 8 pick, and they proceeded to select cornerback Justin Gilbert. The Vikings selected linebacker Anthony Barr with their new selection.

The Saints later got into the action, acquiring the No. 20 pick from the Cardinals to select receiver Brandin Cooks. New Orleans sent Arizona No. 27 and No. 91, with the Cards selecting safety Deone Bucannon with that first-round selection.

The Browns made another trade later in the night, this time in pursuit of a quarterback. Cleveland traded No. 26 and No. 83 to Philly in exchange for No.22…and the Browns ultimately selected quarterback Johnny Manziel. Really, the writing was on the wall with that selection; the team had previously drafted two other QB busts (Brandon Weeden, Brady Quinn) at that same spot in the draft.

The last trade of the evening once again featured the Vikings. Minnesota acquired the No. 32 pick from the Seahawks for picks No. 40 and No. 108. The Vikings used their new selection on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

It was surely an entertaining evening, with Cleveland serving as the star of the show. However, fast forward to today, and Browns fans are surely still shaking their head at how everything unfolded.

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