2017 April - Pro Football Rumors

Saints, Willie Snead Working On New Deal

April 17th, 2017 at 1:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Wide receiver Willie Snead is attending Saints offseason workouts despite not technically being under contract, reports Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. Snead hasn’t yet signed his exclusive rights free agent tender, and is discussing a “more lucrative” deal with New Orleans, per Katzenstein.

As an exclusive rights free agent, Snead essentially has no other options than to sign his tender and play for the Saints in 2017. That tender will pay him at or near the minimum salary level, but New Orleans could conceivably reward him for his play by upping his salary. The Saints are under no obligation to do so, however, and such a move would simply be a show of good will. Snead is also eligible for a multi-year extension after only two NFL seasons given that he was originally an undrafted free agent.

Snead, 24, has been a revelation for the Saints since entering the league out of Ball State in 2015. In two seasons in New Orleans, Snead has averaged 70 receptions for 940 yards and four touchdowns. He’ll return as one of the Saints’ top receivers in 2017 alongside Michael Thomas, filling the void left by the Brandin Cooks trade.

Without an extension, Snead will become a restricted free agent in 2018 and an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

Cal QB Davis Webb Visiting Chiefs, Jets

April 17th, 2017 at 12:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cal quarterback Davis Webb will take the last of his predraft visits this week, as he’ll meet with the Chiefs on Monday and the Jets on Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).

[RELATED: PFR’s 2017 Mock Draft]

Webb has bandied about as a potential first-round pick, but it’s extremely unlikely the Jets would use the No. 6 selection to tab Webb. New York certainly has issues at quarterback, but if Gang Green drafts a quarterback early, they’d almost surely go for one of Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, or Patrick Mahomes. Webb, then, could be an option in Round 2, or at the back end of Round 1 if the Jets trade back into the first round to ensure a fifth-year option.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, have been linked to quarterback upgrades throughout the offseason, Chiefs management has been adamant that Alex Smith is the club’s quarterback for 2017. That doesn’t mean Kansas City won’t target a long-term successor in the draft, and Webb would be an option if he’s still on the board at No. 27.

Webb, 22, transferred to Cal from Texas Tech after losing out on the Red Raiders’ starting job to Mahomes. In his only season with the Bears, Webb completed 61.6% of his passes for 4,295 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Christian McCaffrey Received First-Round Guarantee?

April 17th, 2017 at 11:56am CST by Dallas Robinson

Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey has reportedly received a guarantee from a club with a draft pick in the teens that they will select him if he’s still on the board, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com.

Speculatively, the list of teams that currently own a first-round pick between No. 11 and No. 19 and could use a running back include the Saints, Browns, Eagles, Colts, Ravens, Redskins, and Buccaneers. But McCaffrey might not even be available at that point in the draft, as one report has indicated McCaffrey is likely to be a top-ten selection. The Panthers, specifically, have been linked to McCaffrey at No. 8, and the Cardinal back recently visited Carolina. For what it’s worth, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said no spot is “too high” to draft a running back.

Interestingly, McCaffrey has chosen not to workout for any teams during the predraft process, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While he’s clearly met with clubs, McCaffrey is declining to run through physical workouts, presumably with the intention of avoiding injury. No NFL personnel have demonstrated a concern about McCaffrey’s position on the issue, per Florio. Notably, McCaffrey sat out Stanford’s bowl game in order to alleviate injury risk.

McCaffrey, who won’t turn 21 years old until June, broke out as a sophomore in 2015, averaging six yards per rush while totaling nearly 2,700 yards from scrimmage. For that performance, McCaffrey earned consensus All-American honors, was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, and finished second to Alabama’s Derrick Henry in Heisman voting. Last year, McCaffrey ranked first in the nation in all-purpose yards per game, and ninth in rushing yards.

Bucs Exercise Mike Evans’ Fifth-Year Option

April 17th, 2017 at 10:53am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers have exercised wide receiver Mike Evans‘ 2018 fifth-year option, general manager Jason Licht announced today.

While the NFL hasn’t yet announced the fifth-year option figures for 2018, wide receivers selected within the top-10 picks will earn $12.268MM for the 2017 campaign, so Evans figures to rake in slightly more under the terms of his option. That salary made the decision an easy one for Tampa Bay, and the club is interested in inking Evans to a long-term deal, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Evans, 23, has lived up to his draft status since being chosen with the seventh overall pick in 2014. He’s topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three NFL seasons, and posted his best overall campaign in 2016. Last year, Evans put up 96 receptions for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 2016 Pro Bowler will count for roughly $4.6MM on the Buccaneers’ salary during the upcoming season.

Evans becomes the fifth member of the 2014 draft class to see his fifth-year option be picked up, joining Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Aaron Donald (Rams), Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), and Zack Martin (Cowboys).

Adrian Peterson Willing To Play For Less Than $5MM?

April 17th, 2017 at 10:44am CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running back Adrian Peterson is willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation,” according to Peter King of the TheMMQB.com.

Which club would represent that ideal situation is presently unclear, as King reports there’s no “leader in the clubhouse” for Peterson at the moment. The Saints, per King, stand out as a good fit given New Orleans’ closeness to Peterson’s home in Houston. Peterson met with the Saints earlier this month, and he’d give the team another option in a backfield that currently includes Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, and others.

Peterson, of course, has also visited with the Patriots, and reportedly looked explosive during a workout session in New England. The Patriots’ backfield is especially crowded, as offseason addition Rex Burkhead joined a stable comprised of Dion Lewis, James White, Brandon Bolden, and D.J. Foster. New England also has an offer out to LeGarrette Blount, who led the league in rushing touchdowns a year ago.

The 32-year-old Peterson isn’t expected to sign a new deal until after the draft, but his openness to inking a deal at a reduced rate could open up his market. Previously, Peterson took to Twitter to reject claims he was seeking in excess of $8MM annually.

Cardinals, Texans, Bears Interested In Patrick Mahomes

April 17th, 2017 at 10:18am CST by Dallas Robinson

Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one of the more divisive prospects in the 2017 draft. While he received a second-round grade from the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, reports have indicated Mahomes could possibly be a top-three selection. Mahomes seems unlikely to slip out of the first round next week, and several teams have emerged as potential suitors.

The Cardinals are in search of Carson Palmer‘s long-term successor, and they “like” Mahomes, according to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, who adds Arizona may indeed “love” the Red Raider signal-caller. That jibes with reporting from Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, and Mahomes would seemingly be a good fit in head coach Bruce Arians‘ vertical offense. The Cardinals, who own the 13th pick in the first round, attended a Mahomes workout in March.

The Texans, too, are in need of a quarterback, and head coach Bill O’Brien “absolutely loves” Mahomes, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported last week Mahomes is unlikely to fall past Houston at pick No. 25, and the Texans are meeting with Mahomes today. Following the trade of Brock Osweiler, Houston only has two quarterbacks — Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden — on its roster.

Finally, Mahomes was scheduled to meet with the Bears last weekend, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago inked Mike Glennon to a three-year deal last month, but that may not eliminate the club from selecting another passer with the third overall pick, according to Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com.

Branden Albert Holding Out For New Deal

April 17th, 2017 at 9:31am CST by Dallas Robinson

New Jaguars left tackle Branden Albert has not reported for team meetings today and is holding out for a new contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Albert, of course, was nearly released by the Dolphins earlier this year before Miami worked out a trade to send him to Jacksonville for minimal draft pick compensation. That deal became official when the new league year began in March, but was supposed to be contingent on Albert agreeing to report. Albert was reportedly discussing his contract with Jaguars brass in February, but it appears a solution was not fully hammered out.

Albert, 32, is under contract through the 2018 campaign. The Dolphins absorbed on his remaining prorated bonus money via the trade, but the Jaguars are scheduled to pay Albert $8.9MM in 2017 and $9.6MM in 2018. None of that money is guaranteed, but Jacksonville presumably haggled over the issue when negotiating the trade conditions with Albert.

Contractually, the Jaguars have little reason to give in to Albert’s demands, except for one glaring fact — they need Albert to be their starting left tackle. Albert wasn’t great in 2016 as he struggled with injuries throughout the season, but he’s the best option Jacksonville has on the blindside.

Panthers Extend Kawann Short

April 17th, 2017 at 8:44am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have signed defensive tackle Kawann Short to a five-year extension, the club announced today. The new deal is reportedly worth $80MM, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, while $35MM is fully guaranteed, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). $20MM of that guarantee comes in the form of a signing bonus, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).

Short had been assigned the franchise tag, meaning the two sides had until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. He’d expressed a willingness to sign his franchise tender, which would have paid him a fully guaranteed $13.387MM for the 2017 campaign. After staging a short holdout during Carolina’s OTAs in 2016, Short had no plans to use similar tactics this year. The Panthers, of course, rescinded cornerback Josh Norman‘s franchise tag last offseason, but a similar situation won’t play out this year, as Short is now locked up through 2021.

Now earning $16MM annually, Short places third among defensive tackles in yearly salary, just behind Ndamukong Suh and Fletcher Cox. He’ll earn $40MM over the first two years of the deal, tweets Florio. The extension also likely clears a bit of cap room for the Panthers, who won’t be forced to carry Short’s ~$13MM franchise tag on their books in 2016. Any signing bonus included in the pact can be prorated over the life of the deal.

Short, 28, played on nearly three-quarters of Carolina’s defensive snaps in 2016, posting six sacks and grading as the league’s No. 3 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. The 2015 Pro Bowler has earned positive marks during all four seasons he’s played with the Panthers, grading out as an excellent pass rusher from the inside.

For the Panthers, Short’s extension indicates a continued investment on front four players. General manager Dave Gettleman has used early round picks on Star Lotulelei, Vernon Butler, and Short, signed Mario Addison, Charles Johnson, and Wes Horton to multi-year deals, and inked external free agents such as Julius Peppers in an effort to solidify Carolina’s defensive line.

Dolphins’ Michael Thomas Signs RFA Tender

April 17th, 2017 at 8:26am CST by Dallas Robinson

Dolphins safety and special teams ace Michael Thomas has signed his restricted free agent tender, ensuring that he’ll remain in Miami for the 2017 season, tweets Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Thomas had interest from two other clubs, one of whom offered him a three-year contract, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.

Thomas was assigned the original round tender, so he’ll earn $1.797MM for the upcoming campaign. Because Thomas was originally an undrafted free agent, the Dolphins wouldn’t have been entitled to any draft pick compensation had they declined to match a Thomas offer sheet. It’s unclear as to why Thomas would reject a three-year contract in lieu of the RFA salary, but it’s difficult to assess the multi-year pact without knowing its specifics, such as structure and guarantees.

In 2016, Thomas continued his excellent work on special teams, playing on nearly 80% of Miami’s special teams plays while performing as one of the league’s best teams aces, per Pro Football Focus. Thomas, 28, was also called on to start eight contests due to injuries suffered by Reshad Jones and Isa Abdul-Quddus. Playing on roughly half the Dolphins’ defensive snaps, Thomas put up 39 tackles and one sack, but graded as a bottom-10 safety overall, according to PFF.

East Rumors: Giants, Jets, Njoku, Redskins

April 16th, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets have been entangled in some confusing visit scheduling today. Now, they’re going to be meeting Monday with a player previously slated to visit the Giants on that date. Gang Green will host tight end David Njoku on a visit, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Njoku’s Giants visit, which he first spoke about nearly two weeks ago, has been cancelled, per Raanan. This comes hours after some rescheduling moved Gareon Conley‘s Jets summit to Tuesday back from Monday. The Jets have a need at tight end after seeing some of the sparsest production in modern NFL history from that position over the past two years. Of course, new OC John Morton figures to use that spot a bit more than predecessor Chan Gailey, whose offense did not feature tight ends much in his passing game.

Here’s the latest coming out of the Eastern divisions as teams continue to make their final draft preparations.

Mentioned as one of three teams to be pursuing Jared Odrick, the Giants might not have too much interest in the recently released defensive lineman, per Raanan. Big Blue’s focus may be more specified than just adding a talented defensive lineman. With three high-paid starters on that unit, the Giants are likely seeking a run-stuffing tackle to replace Johnathan Hankins, who spurned their reported four-year, $28MM offer to sign with the Colts. The Giants currently employ fourth-year man Jay Bromley and former waiver claim Robert Thomas. Both of those players’ skill sets are geared more toward getting into the backfield, Raanan writes, whereas the Giants want someone to complement Damon Harrison. A backup for most of his career, Bromley has one sack in three seasons. Thomas has registered one in two years.
Odrick will cost some money the Giants may not be willing to spend up front, and the defensive tackle is going to have some other interested parties, pointing James Kratch of NJ.com to not make it a given the former Dolphins and Jags lineman comes to New York. Harrison, Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul are signed to high-value contracts, making another expenditure up front dicey. The Eagles and Seahawks are believed to be interested in Odrick as well.
Jay Gruden believed the Redskins needed extensive help up front that one player wasn’t going to provide. That was a debate among Washington’s evolving power structure this offseason, and John Keim of ESPN.com notes the results of that choice yielded the signings of Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain rather than the more expensive Bennie Logan. The Chiefs swooped in and added Logan after he’d visited the Redskins. Those two Washington signees will have a combined cap figure of $6.9MM in 2017, while Logan’s is set to come in at $7.953MM on Kansas City’s payroll. Washington will have a new-look defensive line in 2017 after the departures of Chris Baker and Ricky Jean-Francois.
Jets second-year wide receiver Robby Anderson parted ways with his agent, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports (on Twitter). Anderson will presumably look for new representation after moving on from Chris Wiestling of SIG Sports. Wiestling also represents Muhammad Wilkerson.