2017 February - Pro Football Rumors

PFR Originals: 1/29/17 – 2/5/17

February 5th, 2017 at 3:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff last week:

As the offseason progresses, PFR will assess each team by examining the top three needs on each respective roster. We covered the Cincinnati Bengals last week.
Zach Links offered his latest free agent power rankings, post-Jamie Collins. A change occurred in the top five as well, with Melvin Ingram rising.
Dallas Robinson compiled a master list of the 2017 draft picks that changed hands. This includes three teams — the Chiefs, Patriots and Seahawks — losing draft picks, along with a Giants selection being docked in value.
With Tony Romo‘s name continuing to circulate, I asked readers where they thought the Cowboys quarterback would play in 2017. The results thus far reveal Denver.

Extra Points: Patriots, Ryan, Browns, 49ers

February 5th, 2017 at 2:45pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots ultimately traded linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns in late October for a third-round pick, but the Pats initially had their sights set much higher. We learned back in December that New England tried to deal Collins to New Orleans for receiver Brandin Cooks, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com wrote today that the Patriots also tried to trade Collins to the Texans for DeAndre Hopkins. Unsurprisingly, Houston was unwilling to entertain that offer, but New England also attempted to pry Johnathan Joseph from the Texans in exchange for Collins. Houston was more intrigued by that proposal but valued Joseph too highly to pull the trigger.

Now let’s take a look at a few more links from around the league:

On the subject of seminal trades, the Ravens were ready to part with their entire 2008 draft class in order to trade up to take Matt Ryan at No. 2 that year, Rapoport reports. The Ravens held the No. 8 pick and offered their entire ’08 picks stockpile to the Rams, who held the No. 2 choice. St. Louis also wanted Baltimore’s second-round pick in 2009, which ended up being Paul Kruger, to clinch that deal, per Rapoport. The Rams ended up taking Chris Long at No. 2, with the Ravens trading down to No. 18 and selecting Joe Flacco. In the ’08 draft, Baltimore acquired Ray Rice in the second round but largely whiffed on its other picks. However, the Ravens ended up making 10 selections. The Falcons selected Ryan at No. 3 overall.
More trades: we learned in recent weeks that the team is willing to deal backup Jimmy Garoppolo and that the 49ers, Browns, and Bears could be among the teams with interest. In her latest mailbag, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns would be willing to part with their No. 12 overall selection as part of a Garoppolo deal if that’s what it takes to land the young signal-caller.
John Lynch isn’t completely devoid of scouting experience, with Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com noting the former Buccaneers and Broncos safety joining recently hired 49ers exec Adam Peters in Broncos meetings and prospect evaluations, eventually accompanying Denver’s contingent to the 2013 Combine. John Elway also put Lynch on some special assignments in recent offseasons, per Maiocco, dispatching the eventual Hall of Fame finalist to evaluate draft-eligible safeties.
In an expansive breakdown of today’s Super Bowl teams’ financial distribution, CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry writes the Patriots using the franchise tag on Martellus Bennett isn’t out of the question due to Rob Gronkowski‘s inability to stay healthy. Corry projects the tight end tag number to come in at $9.894MM. The Patriots have Dont’a Hightower as their apparent top tag candidate, but the linebacker’s tag is slated to be $14.754MM, which could lead the Patriots to proceed with caution despite having already traded Collins and Chandler Jones.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

Latest On 49ers’ DC Search

February 5th, 2017 at 2:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Now that the 49ers have settled, or are about to settle, their vacancies at GM and head coach, the team will move on to filling its coordinator positions. Two names have surfaced to potentially head up Kyle Shanahan‘s first San Francisco defense, Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores and likely Chargers hire Robert Saleh, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (Twitter link, via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com) and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Glazer reports Shanahan “will want” to talk to Flores about the DC vacancy. The two will coach against each other today, with Shanahan leading the Falcons’ offense for the final time. Rapoport notes Saleh is a candidate as well despite serving in a lower-profile capacity with the Jaguars the past three seasons.

Flores has not surfaced for any previous coordinator jobs this offseason and has spent one season as the Patriots’ linebackers instructor. However, the 35-year-old Flores has worked with the organization for 12 years — the past six as a defensive assistant. Previously, Flores coached New England’s safeties for four seasons before Steve Belichick took over that job, with Bill Belichick relocating Flores to the linebackers’ meetings. He does not have a connection to Shanahan since he’s spent his entire coaching career with the Patriots, but Saleh does.

The 38-year-old Saleh would make for an interesting candidate since he’s the likely choice to become the Chargers’ linebackers coach and follow Gus Bradley for a third time. He accompanied Bradley from Jacksonville to Los Angeles. The Bolts remain likely to hire Saleh as their linebackers coach, but he may have another higher-profile option. Saleh followed Bradley from Seattle to Jacksonville as well, but the duo initially worked together with the Texans during Shanahan’s time in Houston.

San Francisco previously targeted Bradley for this job, only he joined up with Anthony Lynn in Los Angeles after much consideration. The duo is vying to replace Jim O’Neil, who oversaw the league’s worst defense in 2016.

Aldon Smith To Be Reinstated In March

February 5th, 2017 at 12:43pm CST by Rory Parks

As long as he does not suffer any further setbacks in the league’s drug program, Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith will be reinstated in March, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Of course, Smith was eligible to be reinstated from his latest suspension back in November, but the league deferred his request in December, opting to table its decision until the early part of the 2017 league year. Smith is under Raiders’ control through the 2017 season, so he will have the opportunity to put his off-field struggles behind him, reestablish himself as a pass rusher, and set himself up for a nice payday in 2018.

But that will be a tall order for a player who, for all his talent, has been largely unable to keep himself out of trouble. Indeed, Smith’s most recent suspension, a one-year ban, stemmed from his August 2015 arrest on drunken driving, hit and run, and vandalism charges. That was the fifth time Smith had been arrested since he entered the league as the seventh overall pick of the 2011 draft. The 49ers, who drafted Smith and who reaped the benefits of his fearsome pass rush ability for several seasons, had simply had enough at that point, and they cut Smith shortly after the arrest.

He was subsequently scooped up by the Raiders, and he posted 3.5 sacks for Oakland in nine games during the 2015 season before being hit with the one-year suspension (he also served a nine-game ban in 2013 for violating the league’s personal conduct and substance abuse policies). Despite that, Oakland handed Smith a two-year, $11.5MM deal last spring, and GM Reggie McKenzie has repeatedly expressed support for the troubled young talent.

In just 59 career games, Smith has racked up 47.5 sacks, so if he is able to stay on the field in 2017, he and newly-minted Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack could give opposing quarterbacks fits next season.

Cowboys Are Potential Destination For DeMarcus Ware, Adrian Peterson

February 5th, 2017 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys’ unexpected 2016 season, which was filled with so much promise, ultimately ended in heartbreak. However, with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott leading the charge for the foreseeable future, there is every reason to think their championship window is wide open, and they may look to supplement their current roster with a couple of big name veterans.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, is “leaving the door open” to return to Dallas, where his prolific career began in 2005. Ware, of course, has spent the last three seasons in Denver, capturing a Super Bowl ring in the process. His 2016 season was cut short due to a back injury, and though that injury threatened to end his playing career, he underwent successful back surgery and announced in December that he planned to return for the 2017 season. Recently, he told ESPN’s Hannah Storm (article via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com) that he felt like a “a new man,” and he confirmed his intention to play next year. The surefire Hall-of-Famer has been honored with four first-team All-Pro selections and has racked up 138.5 sacks in his career.

Running back Adrian Peterson has been connected to the Cowboys in the past, but that was before the team drafted Elliott, who took the league by storm in his rookie campaign. Peterson is still under Vikings control through 2017, but his cap hit next season will be an unpalatable $18MM, so if the two sides cannot agree on a restructured deal, Peterson could become available.

The 31-year-old has been named to seven Pro Bowls and was the league MVP in 2012, but while his 2016 was cut short due to injury, he did not look like his old self even before the injury, and perhaps he is at the point where he would welcome a role as a complementary back as opposed to the workhorse that he has always been. That still seems like a bit of a stretch at this point, and it’s not as if the Cowboys have enough cap room to overpay a backup running back, but the possibility is apparently there. Indeed, as Schefter notes, Peterson recently named the Texans, Buccaneers, and Giants as teams he would consider joining if he did not finish his career in Minnesota, but here is a belief in league circles that Dallas would definitely be in play as well.

Patriots To Seek Tom Brady Extension Next Offseason

February 5th, 2017 at 10:59am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots will look to capture their fifth Super Bowl championship today, and next offseason, they plan to seek an extension for quarterback Tom Brady, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). They believe Brady will play another three to five years, which is why they are currently willing to trade promising backup Jimmy Garoppolo (Twitter link).

Brady is currently under contract through 2019, his age-41 season, so a new deal would likely take him through the end of his playing career. He is set to earn a total of $14MM next year, $22MM in 2018, and another $22MM in 2019. Andrew Luck is currently at the top of the quarterback heap in terms of average annual value ($24.59MM), although Matthew Stafford may will surpass him in that regard this offseason. Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, is the current pacesetter with respect to total guarantees ($54MM).

An extension after the 2017 campaign would allow the Patriots to spread out Brady’s subsequent $22MM cap hits, which are still pretty reasonable for a quarterback of his caliber. Indeed, Brady’s 2016 campaign was one of his best, as he threw 28 touchdowns to just two interceptions en route to yet another AFC Championship, the seventh of his career. He has captured four Super Bowl titles, a slew of AFC East titles, three Super Bowl MVPs, and two league MVPs.

Plus, he has been durable. He missed almost all of the 2008 campaign due to injury, but otherwise has not missed a game for injury reasons since he captured the starting quarterback job in 2001. Of course, his prodigious offensive lines and the offensive system in which he plays have been a big part of that, but since neither of those things figure to change anytime soon, there is no reason to think that Brady will be more susceptible to injury moving forward than he has been in the past.

Garoppolo, meanwhile, is expected to receive significant interest in the trade market this offseason, and while the Patriots may be hesitant to have Jacoby Brissett serve as their primary backup, the haul for Garoppolo could be too good to pass up.

Rams To Pursue Matt LaFleur As OC

February 5th, 2017 at 10:51am CST by Rory Parks

The Rams will request permission to speak with Falcons quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur about their offensive coordinator position, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. LaFleur and new Rams head coach Sean McVay once worked together in Washington, and McVay believes LaFleur can implement his offense and help quarterback Jared Goff reach his potential. According to Schefter, the interest is mutual.

LaFleur, of course, would be a logical candidate to replace Kyle Shanahan as the Falcons’ OC, as Shanahan is set to accept the 49ers’ head coaching job. Just last week, LaFleur was also mentioned as a candidate to join Shanahan in the Bay Area as the 49ers’ new offensive coordinator, but now another California team could be in the lead for his services.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has expressed interest in Chip Kelly as their next offensive coordinator, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Kelly would have a real shot at the job if he keeps Shanahan’s system in place. Per Rapoport, LaFleur knows that he will be targeted by both the Rams and 49ers, but in the week leading up the Super Bowl, his mind was singularly focused on helping Atlanta capture its first Lombardi Trophy, and he was unwilling to discuss his future at length (Twitter link).

The 37-year-old LaFleur has served as an offensive assistant at both the collegiate and professional levels, with his most recent college job coming as the Notre Dame quarterbacks coach in 2014. He served in the same capacity with the Redskins from 2010-2013.

Latest On 49ers’ QB Outlook

February 5th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Rory Parks

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is all but certain to be named the 49ers’ next head coach, and according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), Atlanta’s current backup quarterback, Matt Schaub, could follow him to San Francisco. If that happens, Schefter says that Schaub could serve as a starter next season to bridge the gap to a younger signal-caller, or he could serve as a backup.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Kirk Cousins remains Shanahan’s first choice, but if the Cousins plan falls through, Rapoport indicates that Jimmy Garoppolo, the Patriots’ current backup QB, would be Shanahan’s Plan B, followed by Schaub as Plan C.

We heard several weeks ago that the 49ers could pursue Cousins, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency this year but who could receive the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. While the Redskins reportedly want to sign Cousins to a long-term deal, they are weighing their options in that regard, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that Washington could tag Cousins and trade him. The 49ers are one team with sufficient cap space to facilitate such a trade, and they would still have the opportunity to work out a long-term contract with Cousins before the summer deadline.

Garoppolo, meanwhile, is not eligible for free agency but is sure to attract attention in the trade market. While the Patriots are reportedly willing to deal him, there are a number of obstacles to such a trade, which makes Schaub the most realistic of the three above-mentioned options.

The Falcons signed Schaub to a one-year deal this past offseason, and he threw just three passes the entire season as the backup to the league MVP, Matt Ryan. Schaub was the Ravens’ backup quarterback in 2015, though he did get the opportunity to start two games for Baltimore in the wake of Joe Flacco‘s season-ending ACL tear that year. Before that, his last significant starting experience came with Houston in 2013. He of course put together a reasonably successful seven-year stint with the Texans — which included two Pro Bowl nods — after spending the first three years of his career in Atlanta, but his days as a starter are clearly over. As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets, Schaub has started just 10 games over the last four seasons, and during that time, he has compiled a 3-7 record with a whopping seven interceptions returned for touchdowns. So if he does head out to the Bay Area, it will be easy to forgive 49ers fans for being a little less than excited.

Tony Romo Will Play In 2017 Despite TV Interest

February 5th, 2017 at 9:41am CST by Rory Parks

Just last night, PFR published a poll so that its readers could offer their opinion as to what team Tony Romo will suit up for in 2017. The choices provided were the Cardinals, Cowboys, Broncos, Texans, and Chiefs, and there was also a choice for “another team.” Conspicuously absent from that list was the possibility that Romo would not play for any team in 2017, and that he would retire instead (currently, over 37% of voters believe that Romo will wind up in Denver; the Chiefs are in second place, with just over 17% of the vote).

[RELATED: Bills Interested In Tony Romo]

Indeed, there have been virtually no rumblings that Romo is considering hanging up the cleats, so this morning’s report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggesting that Romo does not plan to retire almost qualifies as non-news. However, Schefter does note that Romo has already received strong interest from television networks that want him to work as a color analyst, and as a 37-year-old coming off a significant back injury, a television gig could be quite appealing.

But Romo still apparently wants to chase that elusive Super Bowl ring and has no plans to entertain those TV offers at this time. While the Cowboys would of course prefer to trade their longtime signal-caller, it is difficult to envision their being able to convince an opposing team to part with a draft pick and take on Romo’s current contract. It is much more likely that Dallas will be forced to release Romo, at which point he may well have an opportunity to join one of the above-referenced clubs, or another contending team that is looking to take a chance on an aging but talented quarterback that could put them over the top.

Seahawks Will Not Be Heavily Penalized For Richard Sherman Incident

February 5th, 2017 at 9:09am CST by Rory Parks

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Seahawks will not be heavily penalized, if they are penalized at all, for failing to disclose via injury report that cornerback Richard Sherman played the 2016 season with a significant MCL injury.

After Seattle’s season came to an end in the divisional round of the playoffs, head coach Pete Carroll revealed that his star corner had battled the injury all season. But while Sherman appeared on the “did not participate in practice” report in 11 separate weeks, his absence was explained as “not injury-related” in 10 such weeks. The other week was officially chalked up to an ankle injury.

As such, the team was clearly in violation of league policy, and it might have lost a second-round pick as a result. Carroll might also have received a fine. Last September, of course, the league fined Carroll $200K and heavily punished the Seahawks – they received a $400K fine to go along with a loss of a a fifth-round pick and a week of OTAs – after they violated its rules regarding contact practices in the offseason.

But according to Rapoport (via Twitter), Sherman’s injury materials were provided to the league, even if the team was lax in reporting the injury to its opposition. As such, Rapoport believes the violation is not viewed as an egregious one, and the team may escape punishment entirely. The league’s inquiry into the matter is wrapping up, and an official decision will presumably be announced soon.