Week In Review News & Rumors

NFL introduces new national anthem policy. The NFL responded to recent national anthem protests by instituting a new policy that will fine teams if players show signs of “disrespect” for the anthem. Players will no longer be required to be on the field for the pregame ceremony, but those that are will be required to stand. Additionally, personnel who do not stand can be “appropriately” disciplined by commissioner Roger Goodell. The new strictures were put in place without consultation with the NFLPA, and players are now reportedly devising other methods to protest.

Chargers lose Hunter Henry. After suffering a torn ACL last week, Henry will now miss the entirety of the campaign. Henry, who’d been set to enter his third pro season, was expected to take on a larger role after managing 45 receptions and 579 yards a season ago. The Chargers had previously announced they wouldn’t re-sign franchise icon Antonio Gates, but that could possibly change now that Henry is sidelined. Indeed, general manager Tom Telesco said the Bolts will consider all options at tight end and didn’t rule out a Gates pursuit.

Reuben Foster has charges dismissed. Although prosecutors intended to press on with domestic charges against Foster even though his ex-girlfriend testified she’d concocted her story, a judge put an end to Foster’s case by dismissing the DV charges last week. Additionally, Foster saw the charges in an Alabama marijuana case dismissed, as well, although he is still facing a weapons charge in California. Foster, a first-round pick in 2017, has already been welcomed back to the 49ers’ facilities.

Bills cut Richie Incognito. Incognito, who announced his retirement earlier this year, apparently wants to play again, and the Bills have released him from the reserve/retired list. That transaction made Incognito a free agent, meaning the Pro Bowler can now sign with any team of his choosing. Clubs will likely be troubled by Incognito’s most recent incident, however, which involved him getting into an argument at a Florida gym and claiming he is working for the government.

Eagles release Mychal Kendricks. After spending much of the last few years on the trade block, Kendricks was finally cut loose by the Eagles. Kendricks, who is only 27 years old, is expected to garner a significant amount of interest on the free agent market, although he is recovering from a minor ankle operation. Philadelphia lost another linebacker last week, as free agent addition Paul Worrilow tore his ACL on Tuesday.

Panthers have a new owner. The NFL’s Carolina franchise is in new hands, as Steelers minority owner David Tepper purchased the club from Jerry Richardson for a league-record $2.2 billion. That enormous figure may not have even been the high bid, but the NFL looked favorably on Tepper, who not only has league experience, but will own the Panthers in their entirety and without any other investors. While Tepper could make changes to the business side of Carolina’s infrastructure, he’s reportedly unlikely to alter the club’s football operations staff.

Reuben Foster‘s accuser recants allegations. Foster’s ex-girlfriend admitted she fabricated a domestic violence story against the 49ers linebacker, and instead suffered visible injuries during an altercation with another woman. San Francisco had been adamant that it would released Foster had the allegations been proven, but he now appears ready to return to the club at some point. That won’t be during organized team activities, as the 49ers will bar Foster from participation as his case is ongoing.

Johnny Manziel finds work. Although Manziel won’t be playing in the NFL in 2018, he will be on a football field. The former first-round pick signed a two-year deal with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, meaning he’ll be under center for the first time since 2015. Manziel, who will earn a base salary of $122K for the upcoming season, won’t be able to ink another NFL contract until his CFL deal expires, but Hamilton could do Manziel a favor and release him after the 2018 campaign.

Cardinals address cornerback hole. Arizona had been looking for a defensive back to play opposite All-Pro Patrick Peterson, and began seriously exploring options last week. The Cards first took a visit with free agent Bashaud Breeland, whose three-year, $24MM pact with the Panthers was voided following a failed physical. But instead of inking Breeland, Arizona made a trade, shipping a 2020 sixth-round pick to the Browns in exchange for cornerback Jamar Taylor, who figures to see the majority of snaps as the Cardinals’ CB2.

Safety market heating up? Free agent safeties have largely been out of luck this season, as Tyrann Mathieu‘s one-year, $7MM deal with the Texans still represents the largest annual average for any non-franchised player at the position. The tide could be turning, however, as the Colts met with both Tre Boston and Kenny Vaccaro last week. The Jets, too, had planned to visit with Vaccaro following his summit with Indy. Boston, Vaccaro, and Eric Reid comprise the top of what is still a strong free agent safety crop.

Matt Ryan becomes the NFL’s highest-paid player. Fewer than two months after Kirk Cousins inked a fully guaranteed $84MM deal with the Vikings, Ryan has taken over the moniker of the league’s highest-paid player of all time. Ryan signed a five-year, $150MM extension, and both his new $30MM annual average and $94.5MM guarantee are NFL records. The 32-year-old former MVP had always been expected to land a massive deal, and Cousins’ pact surely set the basis for talks with the Falcons. With Ryan now under contract, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers figures to leap the $30MM annual threshold on his next extension, which Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst says will come “soon.”

Jason Witten retires to join MNF. The Cowboys are now extremely thin at tight end, as Witten last week announced his retirement in order to become an analyst on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. While owner Jerry Jones apparently wasn’t ready for Witten to hang up his cleats, the 36-year-old is expected to earn roughly $4-4.5MM on his new TV contract. Witten, who will follow other ex-Cowboys such as Troy Aikman and Tony Romo into the booth, is leaving the NFL with the fourth-most catches (1,152) in league history. Dallas’ tight end depth chart is now led by Geoff Swaim, Rico Gathers, and rookie Dalton Schultz.

Dez Bryant‘s market shrinking. Speaking of former Cowboys, Bryant has yet to find a new team since being released by Dallas last month. Indeed, there are reportedly “far more” teams unwilling to even pay Bryant the minimum salary than there are clubs open to considering a Bryant addition. Bryant recently turned down a pact from the Ravens, a contract that was reportedly worth something close to $21MM over three years. Instead, Bryant is hoping to secure a hefty salary on a one-year deal that will allow him to hit the open market again in 2019.

Derrick Johnson joins a division rival. After 13 seasons with the Chiefs, Johnson will now be suiting up in silver and black. The 35-year-old is the latest addition to Jon Gruden‘s veteran Raiders roster after agreeing to a one-year deal. While Johnson may not be the All-Pro he once was, he will bring leadership and experience to a weak Oakland linebacker depth chart. It’s unclear if the signing of Johnson will prevent the Raiders from bringing back NaVorro Bowman, but the club did cancel its impending meeting with fellow free agent Brian Cushing.

Timmy Jernigan goes under the knife. The Eagles’ vaunted defensive line has taken a hit, as Jernigan is expected to be sidelined four-to-six months after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc. Even in a best-case scenario, Jernigan’s availability for the start of the regular season will be in doubt. Haloti Ngata will replace Jernigan on the interior, while Michael Bennett also has the ability to play on the inside.

Cowboys cut Dez Bryant. Dallas finally cut Bryant on Friday, waiting a month after the opening of the free agent period to do so. The Cowboys did not ask Bryant to accept a pay cut in order to stay (although he says he would have been open to lowering his salary), and the veteran wideout now seems intent on exacting revenge by signing with a club within the NFC East. The decision by Dallas to hold on on releasing Bryant makes little sense, as the club can now no longer enter the market to find a replacement (it’s also not ideal from Bryant’s perspective given that most teams have spent the majority of their free agent dollars). Early potential suitors for Bryant include the Packers, Bills, Cardinals, and Ravens.

Seahawks postpone Colin Kaepernick workout. Seattle had plans to audition the controversial Kaepernick last week, but postponed the scheduled meeting over concerns about Kaepernick’s national anthem protests. While some reports have indicated the Seahawks are still open to signing Kaepernick and simply want to get a sense of his current thinking on the protests, others have said Kaepernick specifically declined to stop kneeling during the anthem. Kaepernick, of course, did not play in 2017 as teams were evidently wary of adding him given his stance on the anthem.

Browns extend Jarvis Landry. A little more than a month after acquiring him from the Dolphins, the Browns handed Landry a five-year, $75.5MM extension that contains $34MM guaranteed. On an annual basis, Landry is now the sixth-highest-paid wideout in the NFL, while his guarantees ranks fifth. Landry, of course, was under the franchise tag when Miami shipped him to Cleveland in excahnge for fourth- and seventh-round picks. One of the better slot receivers in the league, Landry’s new salary could mean the Browns have plans to use him on the outside.

Saints sign RFA Cameron Meredith. The Bears declined to match a two-year, $9.6MM offer sheet for Meredith and thus lost him to the Saints. Because Chicago only tendered Meredith at the original round level, the club won’t receive any compensation as Meredith heads to New Orleans. The Bears had the option of tendering Meredith at the second-round level at a cost of $2.914MM, only ~$1MM more than the original round price of $1.907MM.

Eric Reid visits Bengals. Like Kaepernick, Reid has not drawn much interest after kneeling for the anthem over the past season-plus. However, the safety market has also been slow to develop, as starting options such as Reid, Kenny Vaccaro, and Tre Boston all remain unsigned. Cincinnati owner Mike Brown reportedly asked Reid about his plans for the anthem going forward, and Reid did not say he would stop kneeling.

Brandin Cooks to Rams. New England and Los Angeles completed a blockbuster last week, as the Patriots sent Cooks and a fourth-round pick to the Rams in exchange for the No. 23 overall selection plus a sixth-rounder. Cooks, who will help replace Sammy Watkins in LA, is entering the final year of his contract, but the Rams have every intention on extending him. The Patriots reportedly discussed a multi-year deal with Cooks before trading him, but they’ve begun to fill his void by signing former Bills wideout Jordan Matthews.

Patriots won’t trade Rob Gronkowski. Now that Cooks is no longer in tow, New England has no intention of shipping out Gronkowski. While reports indicated that rival clubs planned to call the Patriots in regards to Gronk’s availability, New England never gave any real indication that the All Pro tight end was on the table. Gronkowski, of course, is still a dominant player when healthy. In 2017, Gronk was on the field for 14 games, and managed 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdowns, all of which placed him within the top-five among tight ends. He’s signed through the 2019 campaign, with base salaries of $8MM and $9MM over the next two respective seasons.

RG3 is back. After spending the 2017 campaign out of the NFL, Robert Griffin III has returned on a one-year deal with the Ravens. Griffin is now slotted in as the Ravens’ backup quarterback behind starter Joe Flacco, and his addition almost surely means Baltimore will not re-sign former No. 2 signal-caller Ryan Mallett. Flacco has been extremely durable during his decade-long career, so there’s no guarantee that Griffin will see any action during the regular season, but the ex-Offensive Rookie of the Year will have a shot to show what he has left during the preseason.

Saints deploy RFA offer sheet. The Saints inked Bears restricted free agent wide receiver Cameron Meredith to a two-year, $9.6MM offer sheet which includes $5.4MM guaranteed, and because Chicago only tendered Meredith at the original round level, the Bears won’t receive any compensation if they fail to match. Chicago general manager Ryan Pace could have avoided this entire situation by tendering Meredith at the second-round level, a decision which would have only cost the Bears an additional ~$1MM. Before signing a proposal with New Orleans, Meredith was also handed an offer sheet from the Ravens.

Odell Beckham Jr. to report to Giants. Despite weeks of speculation, it remains “highly unlikely” that the Giants will trade Beckham as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. New York was reportedly searching for two first-round picks in exchange for OBJ, but barring a mammoth offer, it appears he’ll be suiting up for Big Blue. Beckham will report to workouts on Monday in something of a goodwill gesture.

Rams land a shutdown corner. Following days of chatter, the Chiefs shipped cornerback Marcus Peters to the Rams last week. Terms of the deal are currently unknown — although Kansas City is expected to receive a “package” of draft picks — and the swap can’t become official until the new league year begins on March 14, but the trade has wide-ranging ramifications for both teams involved. Los Angeles now seems unlikely to retain free agent defensive back Trumaine Johnson, while the Chiefs could be entering something of a mini-rebuild.

Blake Bortles gets a new deal. After serving as offensive caretaker for a Jaguars club that reached the AFC Championship Game, Bortles has landed an extension through the 2020 campaign. Already under contract for $19MM in 2017, Bortles will receive $54MM over the next three years on a pact that includes $26.5MM guaranteed. Reports had indicated Jacksonville was exploring potential upgrades under center, but Bortles now appears to be the team’s quarterback choice for at least one more season. Bortles’ 2017 cap charge is now reduced to just $10MM, and the Jaguars can still exit the contract with relative ease following the upcoming campaign.

Franchise tag season is underway. NFL teams could begin deploying the franchise tag beginning last Tuesday, and can continue to do so through March 6. The Dolphins became the first team to officially use the tender by assigning it to wide receiver Jarvis Landry (whom they are still attempting to trade), while the Cowboys confirmed they will use the tag if a long-term deal isn’t reached with defensive end Demarcus Lawrence. Other candidates for the franchise tender could include Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson, and Panthers kicker Graham Gano. The Seahawks, meanwhile, won’t tag defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.

Panthers (sort of) have a new GM. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, as Carolina announced interim general manager Marty Hurney has been named to the full-time position. Hurney, who previously served as the Panthers’ GM from 2002-12, took over again last summer when the club fired Dave Gettleman. Before appointing Hurney, Carolina also interviewed Bills assistant director of college scouting Lake Dawson, 49ers senior personnel executive Martin Mayhew, and Texans vice president of player personnel Jimmy Raye III.

NFL announces compensatory draft picks. The league formally announced 2018’s compensatory draft picks, awarding extra selections to 15 teams. The Bengals, Cowboys, Packers, and Raiders each received four picks, the maximum one club can earn. Arizona, Houston, Denver, and Cincinnati each gained an extra third-rounder, the earliest possible compensatory selection. As a reminder, the NFL’s compensatory pick process is based on the prior year’s free agent process and revolves around a complicated cancellation chart which factors free agents signed/lost, annual salary, and playing time.

Colts find a head coach. Less than a week after Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels rejected their head coaching offer, the Colts decided on Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich to lead their club. Indianapolis will keep defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus — who inked a contract when McDaniels was the presumptive hire — and hire ex-Chargers wide receivers coach Nick Sirianni as offensive coordinator. Before the Colts’ second head coaching search concluded with Reich’s hiring, general manager Chris Ballard also interviewed Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell.

A.J. McCarron will hit the open market. An independent arbitrator ruled last week that McCarron’s contract will not toll, meaning he’ll become an unrestricted free agent rather than a restricted free agent. The Bengals stashed McCarron on the non-football injury list for most of his rookie campaign, but the arbitrator decided Cincinnati won’t get to use that roster trick to keep its backup quarterback for an extra year. The Browns, Vikings, Jets, Broncos, and Cardinals are among the teams that could express interest in McCarron now that he’s available.

Larry Fitzgerald to play in 2018. After agreeing to a one-year contract extension in November, the 34-year-old Fitzgerald will return for at least more season with the Cardinals. Fitzgerald had maintained that he’d only play for Arizona, and he’ll now be suiting up with a new head coach (Steve Wilks) and a new quarterback (to be determined). As the NFL’s oldest wideout in 2017, Fitzgerald posted a career-high in receptions (109) while managing 1,156 yards and six touchdowns. With a healthy 2018, he’ll move ahead of Terrell Owens for second all-time in receiving yardage.

Raiders part ways with Sea Bass. After 18 years, Sebastian Janikowski will no longer kick for Oakland in 2018, as the Raiders announced last week that the soon-to-be 40-year-old will not be re-signed. Janikowski still plans to continue his career, however, and will join Adam Vinatieri and Matt Bryant as aged kickers on the open market. Because Janikowski spent last season on injured reserve, the Raiders turned to Giorgio Tavecchio, who converted 76.2% of his field goal attempts.

Chiefs land a free agent cornerback. David Amerson will stay in the AFC West —after being released by the Raiders, Amerson agreed to one-year, $2.25MM deal with the division rival Chiefs. Although Amerson is still only 26 years old, he’ll now join the third team of his career. The former second-round pick is the second ex-Redskin defensive back to land in Kansas City this offseason, as the Chiefs also acquired Kendall Fuller in the Alex Smith trade.

Eagles win Super Bowl LII. Philadelphia won its first Super Bowl title on Sunday, defeating the Patriots by a score of 41-33 in a classic contest. With the game in the books, both the Eagles and Patriots have several questions to answer this offseason. Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman needs to decide what to do with backup quarterback — and Super Bowl MVP — Nick Foles, while New England seems incredibly unlikely to re-sign cornerback Malcolm Butler, who was benched for the entirety of Sunday’s defeat.

Colts scramble to find a head coach. The Super Bowl was expected to be Josh McDaniels‘ final game on the Patriots’ staff, but the longtime offensive play-caller stunned the NFL world by rejecting the Colts’ head coaching offer last week — after Indy had already announced him as their new leader. McDaniels reportedly had concerns about moving his family away from the New England area, and while he hasn’t been assured of succeeding current HC Bill Belichick, McDaniels will be more involved with personnel decisions going forward. The Colts, meanwhile, were forced to restart their head coaching search, and Eagles OC Frank Reich has emerged as the frontrunner for the position.

49ers ink their franchise quarterback. After trading a second-round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo last year (in a deal that they accepted in “10 minutes”), the 49ers have locked up the 26-year-old signal-caller to a five-year, $137.5MM contract that makes him the league’s highest-paid player in history on an annual basis. San Francisco structured Garoppolo’s deal in way to take advantage of its mountain of 2018 space, and Garoppolo will count for $37MM against the club’s salary cap next season. Overall, Garoppolo will take home $48.7MM in full guarantees, and $74.1MM in injury guarantees.

Panthers still looking for a GM. Nearly seven months after firing Dave Gettleman, the Panthers still don’t have a long-term general manger in place. Interim GM Marty Hurney was viewed as the favorite for the job, but a harassment complaint — albeit one that has been withdrawn — from his ex-wife could reduce his chances. Titans executive Lake Dawson has now garnered two interviews for the role, while other candidates include Jimmy Raye III (Texans) and Martin Mayhew (49ers).

The coordinator carousel. The Eagles lost well-regarded quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo to the Vikings — with whom he’ll become the team’s new offensive coordinator — and could also see Reich leave the staff if he’s hired by the Colts. The Giants, meanwhile, had been looking at Minnesota’s Kevin Stefanski and Philadelphia’s Duce Staley for their OC role, but the Vikings have already denied Big Blue permission to interview Stefanski while the Eagles are expected to do the same with Staley if Reich goes to Indy.