2017 March - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Eyeing Gabe Jackson Extension

March 28th, 2017 at 2:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders hope to secure long-term agreements with quarterback Derek Carr and edge rusher Khalil Mack, and a third member of the club’s 2014 draft class is also up for a new deal. Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie mentioned right guard Gabe Jackson‘s name in regards to possible extension, tweets Scott Bair of CSNCalifornia.com, who adds the Raiders “love” Jackson.

Without extensions in place, the Raiders can still hold onto Carr and Mack for several more seasons via the fifth-year option (Mack in 2018) and the franchise tag (Carr in 2018 and Mack in 2019). No such fifth-year option exists for Jackson given he was a third-round pick, and the franchise tender isn’t usually palatable for an interior lineman. As such, a long-term deal with Jackson would not only allow Oakland to keep its excellent offensive line in place, but enable the club to focus on deals for Carr and Mack.

Jackson, 25, has been a full-time starter since entering the league of out Mississippi State, and has appeared in 45 games during his three-year stint in Oakland. Last season, Jackson graded as the league’s No. 20 offensive guard among 72 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. The Raiders’ offensive line, which also includes stars Kelechi Osemele, Rodney Hudson, and Donald Penn, ranked first in pass protection in 2016, allowing an adjusted sack rate of just 3.4%, according to Football Outsiders.

The Raiders have ample cap space in which to fit long-term pacts for Carr, Mack, and Jackson, as the the team has $33MM in 2017 space and $76MM in 2018 (both amounts are among the league’s top five). Jackson, meanwhile, will earn $1.797MM in 2017 under the terms of the proven performance escalator.

Lions Notes: Levy, Boldin, Quinn, Becton

March 28th, 2017 at 1:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Lions released linebacker DeAndre Levy rather than asking him to accept a paycut because the club wants to get younger on defense, general manager Bob Quinn told reporters, including Justin Rogers of the Detroit News (Twitter link). Detroit’s current linebackers — Tahir Whitehead, Paul Worrilow, Thurston Armbrister, and Antwione Williams — are all 27 years old or younger, while Levy is now 30 and had only played in six games over the past two seasons.

Here’s more from the Motor City:

Detroit is still “open for business” during the free agent period, says Quinn (Twitter link via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com). The Lions have been involved in the open market, especially along the offensive line, where the team added T.J. Lang and Ricky Wanger to fortify the right side. Additionally, the Lions made several low-cost signings such as cornerback D.J. Hayden, tight end Darren Fells, and defensive lineman Cornelius Washington and Akeem Spence.
One free agent the Lions may sign is veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin, as Quinn indicates the club still has interest in retaining the 36-year-old, tweets Rogers. Boldin has already indicated he’ll return for a 15th NFL season, but he may not sign with a club until later this summer. On 95 targets, Boldin managed 67 receptions for 584 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016. The Ravens, meanwhile, are also interested in a reunion with Boldin.
The Lions recently met with free agent offensive tackle Nick Becton, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Becton, 27, was an undrafted free agent in 2013, and has since spent time with the Chargers, Giants, Saints, and Bears. He hasn’t appeared in a game since 2015, when he played in five contests for Chicago.

Cowboys Extend Jason Witten

March 28th, 2017 at 12:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys have signed tight end Jason Witten to an extension that will keep him in Dallas through the 2021 campaign, the club announced. The four-year deal has a maximum value of $29.6MM, but doesn’t contain any additional guaranteed cash, tweets Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.

Set to earn a base salary of $7.4MM, Witten will count for $12.262MM on Dallas’ salary cap in 2017. That figure will not change, according to Archer (Twitter link), who indicates Witten’s cap charge will remain stagnant during the upcoming season. However, the Cowboys can still restructure Witten’s contract at any time to gain cap room.

Heading into today, Dallas was in the worst cap situation in the league, as the club had less than $2MM in 2017 cap space. While the Cowboys will pick up more room when Tony Romo is inevitably removed from the roster, the Witten extension could have handed Dallas more financial space. Surprisingly, Dallas opted not to give Witten a signing bonus that would have prorated over the next five seasons and lowered his 2017 cap figure.

From an on-field perspective, Witten’s extension allows the Cowboys to retain a still-productive tight end for the foreseeable future. 2016 marked Witten’s 14th season in Dallas, and the 10-time Pro Bowler posted 69 receptions for 673 yards and three touchdowns. He also remained remarkably durable, as he appeared in all 16 games for the 13th consecutive year (Witten’s only missed contest in his career came during his rookie campaign).

Witten will turn 35 years old this summer, so he’s now signed through his age-40 season.

Todd Archer of ESPN.com first reported the extension. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns Won’t Trade No. 1 Pick For QB

March 28th, 2017 at 12:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns will not trade the No. 1 overall selection for a quarterback, head coach Hue Jackson tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. While the Browns are expected to “make another run” at Patriots signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo, any potential deal will have to be consummated without the first overall pick involved.

“Until we have the guy that we feel comfortable with that will be the face of our franchise, and play QB the way we want them top play, we’re going to keep searching,” said Jackson. “There’s the draft that’s coming up. There’s trade opportunities hopefully. We’ll exhaust every opportunity.’’

Garoppolo is likely the only quarterback for whom Cleveland would have considered parting with the No. 1 pick, but as Jackson says, the club will continue to hunt for another passer this offseason. In addition to Garoppolo, the Browns could consider trading for Bengals backup A.J. McCarron, whom Jackson coached in Cincinnati. While the Bengals aren’t necessarily shopping McCarron, they’re likely open to proposals, and Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com hinted earlier this week that Cincinnati could consider a trade of McCarron and pick No. 9 for pick Nos. 12 and 33.

The Browns could also target a quarterback in the draft, either at selection No. 1 or No. 12, and they’ve been linked to a list of options that includes Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, and Patrick Mahomes.

Lions Planning Extension For DE Ziggy Ansah

March 28th, 2017 at 11:52am CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Lions have defensive end Ziggy Ansah under contract in 2017 thanks to his fifth-year option, Detroit would like to lock up the fifth-year edge rusher for the foreseeable future. The Lions have interest in inking Ansah to a long-term extension, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who cautions talks have not yet started.

After posting 30 sacks during his first three years with the Lions (including 14.5 in 2015), Ansah registered only two quarterback takedowns last year. Bothered by ankle and shoulder injuries, Ansah didn’t put up a sack until Week 11, and garnered his worst Pro Football Focus grade since his rookie campaign (PFF rated Ansah as the No. 51 edge defender among 109 qualifiers).

Ansah, 27, will earn $12.734MM in 2017 before becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Detroit will have the option of assigning Ansah the franchise tag next spring, but that would come with a high price tag. The 2017 franchise tender for defensive ends is worth $16.394MM, so increases in the salary cap could push that figure near $18MM in 2018.

A franchise tag wouldn’t come cheap, but neither will an extension, as Ansah and his representatives will likely to point to recent comparable edge defender contracts when negotiations get underway. Those deals might include Von Miller ($19.083MM annually), Olivier Vernon ($17MM), Chandler Jones ($16.5MM), and Jason Pierre-Paul ($15.5MM).

Eagles Sign Chris Long

March 28th, 2017 at 11:36am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles announced that they’ve signed free agent defensive end Chris Long to a two-year deal. The first year of the deal is similar to the $2.4MM pact Long inked with the Patriots last year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Long’s deal with Philadelphia serves as a nice birthday present, as the nine-year pro turns 32 years old today. After spending one season with New England (and winning a Super Bowl in the process), Long announced earlier this month that he wouldn’t re-sign with the Patriots, citing the need for increased playing time and a more prominent defensive role. Long ranked as PFR’s No. 3 free agent edge defender behind Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil.

With the Eagles, Long will likely fill the role Connor Barwin played in 2016, although unlike Barwin, Long probably won’t be a starter, per Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter links). Instead, Long is set to serve in a rotational capacity, taking pass-rushing snaps behind Brandon Graham and Vinny Curry. While Barwin was never a perfect fit for Jim Schwartz‘s scheme, Long has played in 4-3 fronts for the entirety of his career.

With the Patriots in 2016, Long appeared in all 16 games (seven starts) and played on roughly 65% of the club’s snaps. In that period, Long posted 35 tackles and four sacks, grading as the league’s No. 59 edge defender among 109 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.

Mike Garafolo of NFL.com first reported the signing (Twitter link). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ravens Notes: Boldin, Mosley, Jernigan

March 28th, 2017 at 11:25am CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he’d “obviously” be open to signing veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin, he admitted he’ll leave the club’s personnel decisions to general manager Ozzie Newsome, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). Boldin, 36, has already indicated he’ll return for a 15th NFL season, but he may not sign with a club until later this summer. Baltimore may also look to find a receiver via trade, or perhaps pick up a veteran wideout that has recently been cut by another club, says Harbaugh.

Here’s more on the Ravens:

Linebacker C.J. Mosley‘s fifth-year option is a mere “formality,” per Harbaugh, as Baltimore wants the former first-round pick “to be a Ravens for many years” (Twitter link via Zrebiec). The non-top-10 pick fifth-year option salary for linebackers in 2017 will be $8.369MM, so the figure could tick towards $9MM in 2019. Mosley, 24, missed two games last year but still racked up 92 tackles and four interceptions, grading as the league’s No. 7 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Harbaugh didn’t deny rumors that defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan could be traded, reports Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “Everybody is up for trade,” Harbaugh said. “It’s part of the conversation in the NFL.” Mike Lombardi of The Ringer recently indicated he’s heard Jernigan’s name pop up in trade discussions. Jernigan, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, played in all 16 games last season and managed five sacks.
While veteran tight end Ben Watson hasn’t yet been cleared to practice, he is ahead of schedule as he recovers from a torn Achilles, per Hensley. Watson, 36, signed a two-year, $7MM contract with Baltimore last spring, but never made it on the field after going down in August. There’s no guarantee Watson makes the Ravens’ final roster, as the club also boasts Dennis Pitta (who recently accepted a paycut), Maxx Williams, Crockett Gillmore, Nick Boyle, and Darren Waller at tight end.
Right guard Marshal Yanda underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair a nagging injury that caused him to miss three games in 2016, according to Hensley. Despite his health issues, the 32-year-old Yanda was spectacular once again last season, as PFF graded him as the NFL’s best guard. He’s signed through the 2019 campaign.

Cowboys Won’t Recoup Tony Romo’s Bonus

March 28th, 2017 at 10:01am CST by Dallas Robinson

If Tony Romo opts for retirement this offseason, the Cowboys will not attempt to recoup the $5MM in signing bonus money to which they’d be entitled, reports Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram.

Romo was paid a $25MM signing bonus when he agreed to an extension in 2013, and although that total has already been paid out, $5MM remains on the 2017 salary cap. Signing bonuses are spread out over five seasons for accounting purposes, and the contractual bargaining agreement would allow Dallas to go after that money if Romo decides to hang up his cleats.

Thus far, the 36-year-old Romo has given no indication that he’s ready to retire. In fact, reports have indicated that Romo is set on playing in 2017 despite interest from both CBS and FOX, both of whom are intrigued by Romo’s future in television. But as potential landing spots dwindle — the Broncos, at least publicly, are content to roll with their internal quarterback options — Romo may now believe the Texans or retirement are his only remaining options.

The Cowboys will also not target the signing bonus cash remaining on offensive tackle Doug Free‘s contract, per Hill. Free announced his intent to retire earlier this month.

Jets To Sign Jonotthan Harrison

March 28th, 2017 at 9:11am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets will sign free agent center Jonotthan Harrison to a one-year deal, tweets Kimberely Martin of Newsday.

New York is in the market for new center after releasing veteran pivot Nick Mangold earlier this year. Fourth-year pro Wesley Johnson, who started eight games in Mangold’s absence last season, is projected to enter the 2017 campaign as the full-time center, but Martin reports Harrison will compete for the position. Johnson, a restricted free agent, was tendered at the second-round level, meaning he’ll earn $2.746MM next year.

Harrison, 25, started 19 games for the Colts from 2014-15, but served as a backup last season. In 13 contests, Harrison played on roughly 41% of Indianapolis’ offensive snaps, but he graded as one of the worst interior offensive lineman in the league. Pro Football Focus rated Harrison as the second-worst guard in the NFL in 2016, just ahead of Seattle’s Germain Ifedi.

Colin Kaepernick Pushing For Starting Job

March 28th, 2017 at 8:30am CST by Zachary Links

It has been widely speculated that Colin Kaepernick is being blackballed from the NFL. However, it doesn’t sound like that’s quite the case. The controversial former Niners quarterback doesn’t want just any job, he wants a chance to compete for a starting job with a salary “befitting a high-end backup quarterback or a low-end starter,” ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano hears.

That would put Kaepernick in range for a salary of $9MM-$10MM, Graziano writes, an asking price seems outrageous given his lack of performance and polarizing politics. As noted in the article, there are only five teams who could realistically offer Kaepernick a chance to start – the Browns, Jets, Texans, Broncos, and 49ers. However, there’s no way the Niners are going back down that road and the Jets don’t seem likely given owner Woody Johnson’s relationship with the president. If Tony Romo wants to continue playing and secures his release, he could wind up with either Houston or Denver, taking another team off the already narrow list.

Ultimately, Kaepernick will have to dial down his expectations if he hopes to land a deal for the coming year. He might not get to compete for a starting job and he certainly won’t be paid like a starter. The reality is that multiple teams have probably crossed him off the list over fear of him becoming a locker room distraction. With less suitors in the mix, the price naturally drops for any remaining clubs with interest. Until he’s willing to settle for less, Kaepernick will remain unemployed.