2017 April - Pro Football Rumors

Month: April 2017

Bills Debating Watkins’ Fifth-Year Option

April 15th, 2017 at 9:13am CST by Ben Levine

The Bills only have several weeks to decide whether they’ll pick up Sammy Watkins fifth-year option, and Sal Capaccio of WGR550.com reports that the organization is still debating whether they’ll make the move. According to the writer, the team is especially wary of the fact that the option is guaranteed against injury.

The option would cost the Bills around $13MM against the cap for the 2018 season, although Capaccio notes that the team could pick up the option and subsequently negotiate a lower value via a long-term contract. Watkins has participated in rehab with the team over the past couple of weeks after undergoing foot surgery, and both the front office and head coach Sean McDermott are set to meet with the medical staff to get an update on the wideout’s progress.

Picking up the option seems likely, and the Bills would still have some flexibility. The option wouldn’t be guaranteed (except for injury) until the 2018 offseason, so if Watkins struggles next season, they team isn’t obligated to pay him that money. If the team decides to not pick up the fifth-year option, they could still retain the receiver via the franchise tag. Capaccio estimates that the franchise tag for wideouts will be around $16.5MM next offseason.

Watkins struggled through a foot injury in 2016, and the wideout ended up missing half the season. He finished the campaign with only 28 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns. The former first-rounder also missed three games during the 2015 season, but he still managed to haul in 60 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine scores.

Extra Points: Hankins, Stafford, Falcons

April 14th, 2017 at 9:51pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Even though it took him until Tuesday to visit the Colts, newly signed defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins said Friday that his agent had been in contact with the team since the scouting combine in March. “We spoke to ’em I guess when my agent met with them at the combine and always been in contact with them,’’ Hankins revealed (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). “We were always in contact with a number of teams, and the Colts really stepped out among them all. Took a visit here, met with the coaches and everything just fell right in place. It was a good — I won’t say easy — decision, but it was a good decision for me and my family and I’m excited to be here.” Now armed with a three-year, $30MM contract, Hankins expects to make an impact in Indianapolis from both run-stuffing and pass-rushing standpoints.

Here’s more from around the league.

The Lions continue to engage in conversations about a Matthew Stafford extension, and the talks are unfolding amicably, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Bob Quinn told season-ticket holders today he and Jim Caldwell, unsurprisingly, want Stafford in Detroit long-term but still doesn’t anticipate anything being done until the summer. That’s been his stance throughout the offseason.
Stafford joins Matt Ryan and Derek Carr as quarterbacks who could become the league’s highest-paid player by summer’s end. The Lions’ ninth-year starter should look to build in protections for future cap spikes to ensure he stays near the top of that list, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. While this kind of deal has not been completed, Florio notes some quarterbacks and agents have tried to insert such language into contracts. It would cost the Lions $26.4MM to use the franchise tag on Stafford next season.
O.J. Howard has the Falcons slotted as his final pre-draft visit, Conor Orr of NFL.com tweets. The Alabama tight end would seem to require a near-Julio Jones-level trade from the Falcons if they were to select him, being presently stationed in the No. 31 position. PFR’s Dallas Robinson has the pass-catcher going off the board to the Jaguars at No. 4.
The Texans hosted safety Josh Jones on a visit today, per Caplan (via Twitter). Safety may now reside as Houston’s top need on an otherwise loaded defense after the unit lost Quintin Demps to the Bears. An N.C. State product, Jones paid a visit to Miami last week and has trips to meet with the Panthers, Jets and Redskins set up.
As he prepares for a contract year, Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland will switch agencies, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. Breeland is ditching CAA Sports in favor of Joe Flanagan, two sources told Tesfatsion. Breeland has been productive since the Redskins selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, having totaled 42 starts and seven interceptions during his first three seasons. The 25-year-old logged career highs in tackles (71) and picks (three) in 2016, though Pro Football Focus ranked his performance just 81st among 111 qualified corners.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report.

Brian Robison Plans To Retire After 2018

April 14th, 2017 at 9:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brian Robison signed a contract extension that could allow him the opportunity to retire as a Viking, the same way Chad Greenway did. As of now, the veteran defensive end does not plan to play beyond that contract.

This will be Robison’s 11th season, and the 34-year-old defender told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press the 2018 season will likely be his last.

“I really do believe that probably at the end of those two years, it will be it,’’ Robison said. “It’ll be about my time to call it (a career), but we’ll see how I feel when I get there. … But I would say that more than likely, that will probably be the time that I’m going to have to lay things to the side and get ready for life after football.”

Having arrived in the same draft class with Adrian Peterson, Robison is set to outlast the future Hall of Famer in purple. He is now the longest-tenured player on the team after Greenway retired. Robison’s contract now runs through 2017, with an overall pay reduction being agreed upon in exchange for an extra year and more guaranteed dollars. Robison expected the Vikings to call about a renegotiation, per Tomasson, and the result gave Minnesota $1.8MM in additional cap space.

“This solidifies me to be able to retire as a Minnesota Viking,” Robinson said, via Tomasson. “… I had a long talk with Rick Spielman. We were on the phone for probably 45 minutes, just discussing it.”

The former fourth-round pick registered 7.5 sacks last season and made 16 starts for the Vikings. Since commandeering a starting end job in 2011, Robison has missed just one start. Robison acknowledged third-year player Danielle Hunter could be in position to snare his starting job at some point in the near future, but the veteran’s skill set could probably be used as a pass-rushing-specific capacity in that event.

Texans Eyeing Jadeveon Clowney Extension?

April 14th, 2017 at 8:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans made the predictable decision to exercise Jadeveon Clowney‘s fifth-year option earlier today, but the team appears to have bigger near-future plans for its former No. 1 overall selection.

Expectations are the Texans will plan a Clowney extension after the 2017 season, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Wilson provides the caveat that Clowney will have to show last season wasn’t a fluke. If Clowney is not extended before the 2018 season, he would make $13.8MM, the Chronicle’s John McClain notes.

Of course, Wilson tweets that the near-$14MM amount isn’t certain yet. The Texans moved Clowney to defensive end, and he will have to play more snaps there than at linebacker (approximately $12MM) to earn the end figure. However, if Clowney can stay healthy opposite J.J. Watt and finally provide the Texans with a glimpse at the tandem they thought they were securing in 2014, that figure could be a moot point.

The 24-year-old Clowney would be in line to exceed both Watt and Muhammad Wilkerson‘s 3-4 defensive end salaries with another big year, considering the cap’s continued climb. Wilkerson leads the lot at $17.2MM AAV. Although, the Texans could be forced to then revisit Watt’s wages in that event. The three-time defensive player of the year is signed through what would be his age-32 season 2021 on a six-year, $100MM extension that now looks incredibly team-friendly given Watt’s historic production.

AFC East Rumors: McCourty, Pats, QBs, Fins

April 14th, 2017 at 7:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several connections between the Patriots, Titans and Jason McCourty point to the recently released cornerback having a logical route to New England. Bill Belichick‘s relationship with Tennessee GM Jon Robinson, along with McCourty having played for Belichick friend Greg Schiano at Rutgers help Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (video link via CSNNE.com) see a reasonable chance the parties unite. Of course, the obvious driving force here is twin brother Devin McCourty residing in the Patriots’ secondary. The Pats looked into trading for McCourty at the 2015 trade deadline. Due to these relationships, and the fact that Jason McCourty will be much cheaper, makes him a better fit for the Patriots than expensive trade-block defender Richard Sherman in Breer’s eyes.

Here’s more from the AFC East.

McCourty would be an insurance policy if the Patriots traded Malcolm Butler, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. He would become the Pats’ No. 2 corner if Butler ventured elsewhere as a restricted free agent, Reiss notes. We’re at a bit of a standstill on the Butler-to-Saints discussion, but Breer noted earlier this week there’s a slightly better chance the RFA corner ends up on the Saints than Patriots in 2017.
Butler’s RFA price — a first-round tender — will make a Jason McCourty/Pats union unrealistic, Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com writes. Hannable expects Butler to play on that $3.91MM tender after signing it, believing no team will give up its first-round pick for a cornerback who isn’t a lock to re-sign. Of course, the Saints’ talks are believed to be based on the premise the sides would work out a different deal than New Orleans forking over its No. 11 overall pick. Other teams are almost certainly going to pursue the 29-year-old McCourty as well.
Some Jets brass are intrigued by Mitch Trubisky, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. But Mehta doesn’t envision Mike Maccagnan taking a quarterback in Rounds 1 or 2, believing the GM will save his franchise-passer pick for 2018 if necessary. However, if the Jets do bring in another high QB pick in addition to Christian Hackenberg, Mehta sees Bryce Petty being the odd man out. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report is also skeptical of any Jets/Trubisky talk, believing the franchise would love for a team to offer picks to move up to the No. 6 window to take the North Carolina passer.
The Dolphins hosted cornerback Teez Tabor on a visit, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Tabor met with the Dolphins on Monday at their facility, according to Jackson. Miami is in need of cornerback help, but Jackson places that need below front-seven assistance. Miami did not add to its cornerback stable this offseason, leaving a higher-end need there.
As for the Bills‘ reported interest in Deshaun Watson, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News is betting that’s a smokescreen tactic. The Bills are indeed sending some strong signals Watson’s way, it appears, but Carucci believes the Tyrod Taylor adjusted contract will allow them to keep an eye on future prospects as opposed to developing one now. Buffalo can again escape from Taylor’s deal a season after authorizing it.

Jets Cut LB Julian Stanford

April 14th, 2017 at 6:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Spending recent years attempting to stick on 53-man rosters, Julian Stanford carved out a spot with the Jets last season and started two games — his first in four years. But the Jets are going to move on without him, making the linebacker another of their many offseason cuts, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

A 2012 UDFA, the 26-year-old Stanford has vacillated between practice squads and active rosters for much of his career. The Jets, though, promoted him last season after Erin Henderson‘s surprise trip to the season-ending NFI list.

Stanford started six games for the Jaguars in 2012 and played as a backup ‘backer for the Lions from 2013-14, but the Henderson-related promotion marked his first game action since his last Lions season. He made 19 tackles in 2016.

The Jets return young linebackers in Jordan Jenkins, Lorenzo Mauldin and Josh Martin to flank higher-touted inside ‘backers David Harris and Darron Lee.

Marshawn Lynch Updates: Friday

April 14th, 2017 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marshawn Lynch has dominated headlines today, with the longtime Seahawks running back close to coming out of retirement to play for the Raiders. Despite a deal being reported earlier today, it doesn’t look to be finalized yet. And Seattle still holds the soon-to-be 31-year-old back’s rights.

Here’s the latest coming out of the Lynch-to-Oakland saga.

A deal has yet to commence, with the report of such finality being “100 percent false,” per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Gehlken adds that the contract length for the Raiders and Lynch is expected to carry over to the team’s Las Vegas years. The Raiders’ stay in Oakland could be limited to one year, based on how their lame-duck arrangement goes this season, but the team is not scheduled to venture to Vegas until at least the 2019 season. Lynch coming back and playing for at least three more seasons may take a bit of a leap of faith considering his recent retirement. He will turn 31 next weekend.
Lynch himself, in a way few can, candidly dismissed notion a deal was done (Twitter link). Lynch’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, texted an Oakland-area radio show (per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, via Twitter) to say no agreement is yet in place. Florio adds (on Twitter) the deal is “not even close” to being done.
The Raiders, though, are reportedly impressed with the kind of shape the retired back was in during his visit to team headquarters, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets. Breer adds the talks between the Raiders and Lynch on a deal remain “ongoing and positive.” Lynch played only seven games in 2015 for the Seahawks and saw a streak of four straight 1,000-yard seasons end.
Lynch is not currently at the Raiders’ facility, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), who does not expect an accord to arrive today. Tafur tweets there isn’t much urgency on the Raiders’ part for this, but he believes the sides will agree and Lynch will be playing for his hometown team in 2017. Lynch would be in line to head up a backfield that also features promising complements DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard.
Tafur expects Reggie McKenzie to land Lynch for cheaper than the Vikings paid previous Oakland starter Latavius Murray (Twitter link). Murray, whom the Raiders were open to re-signing before he latched on with the Vikes, signed with Minnesota on a three-year, $15MM deal. Although, that deal could void after one season. So, Tafur expects Lynch to sign with the Raiders for less than $5MM. The last time Lynch made less than $5MM in a season was 2011.

Saints Notes: Fournette, Foster, Vaccaro

April 14th, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

LSU running back Leonard Fournette was on hand Friday for the Saints‘ local pro day, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Fournette didn’t go through workouts, however, tweets Herbie Teope of NOLA.com. Barring something unexpected, odds are the Saints won’t emerge from Round 1 with Fournette. They’re set to pick 11th, while Fournette appears likely to come off the board in the top five.

Fournette isn’t the only running back the Saints have discussed. Continuing a candid offseason, Sean Payton offered effusive praise for Christian McCaffrey to the extent of giving the Stanford dual-threat back a hypothetical role in his offense.

“I’ve got a crystal-clear vision of the player. He’d be like Darren Sproles, Reggie Bush for us, kind of the Joker role. But I think you have to have him on a pitch count,” Payton told TheMMQB.com’s Peter King (via Nick Underhill of The Advocate).

McCaffrey has not visited the Saints, and this is full-on smokescreen time. But if nothing else, Payton would have an apparent fit for McCaffrey alongside Mark Ingram. The fast-rising McCaffrey’s stock could force a trade-up from the Saints’ first selection window, but the team is believed to be focused on continuing their defensive rebuild.

Here’s more out of New Orleans.

Adrian Peterson wouldn’t appear to complement Ingram as well as McCaffrey could, being a run-centric veteran, but a 1-2 punch between Ingram and Peterson is still possible, per Underhill. Peterson would serve as Ingram’s backup in this arrangement, Underhill writes, to the point that the Saints might not be inclined to give Peterson more than Ingram’s $3.7MM salary for 2017. Peterson’s New Orleans visit reportedly went well.
In addition to a meeting with Zach Cunningham, the Saints met with SEC linebackers Reuben Foster and Kendell Beckwith, Underhill reports. New Orleans also met with UCLA edge defender Takkarist McKinley. Beckwith (LSU), McKinley and Cunningham (Vanderbilt) joined Foster during his meeting with the Saints last week. Underhill reports Foster’s meeting went well. The Saints drafted Stephone Anthony two years ago to potentially man that spot, but the experiment hasn’t gone well and has led to Anthony moving to the strong side. The team remains in search of a long-term cog at that spot. The Saints would reportedly “love” to draft Foster at No. 11.
An Adderall-induced suspension led to Kenny Vaccaro‘s stock falling a bit last season, but the fourth-year safety wanted to assure Payton such a mishap wouldn’t again occur. “It was selfish of me, and I’m just mad I couldn’t be out there with my teammates. I’ll never do that again,” Vaccaro said, via The Advocate. “I think the Saints knew that. Coach Payton was real cool about the whole process. I think he knew it was an honest mistake.” The safety wants to sign a long-term extension to stay in Louisiana, but those talks aren’t expected to commence until the summer.

Connor Byrne contributed to this report.

Marshawn Lynch, Raiders Nearing Deal

April 14th, 2017 at 4:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Beast Mode is back: Running back Marshawn Lynch has officially ended his retirement, agreeing to a contract with the Raiders, reports Michael Silver of NFL.com (Twitter link). Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it figures to be worth far less than the $9MM Lynch would have made on his previous pact.

Not so fast, report several outlets — including Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Pelissero tweets that Lynch and the Raiders don’t quite have a deal yet. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets the deal isn’t quite done but is expected to be completed soon.

Lynch is still under Seahawks control, meaning he can’t become a Raider until the two sides work out a trade. However, reaching a new contract was seemingly the only major obstacle blocking Lynch’s return. With that out of the way, Seahawks general manager John Schneider and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie should be able to work quickly toward a trade, though talks haven’t yet occurred, tweets Silver. Schneider and McKenzie are friends stemming from their time together in Green Bay’s front office, which makes a painless swap all the more likely.

In Lynch, the Raiders will acquire one of the NFL’s best running backs in recent memory, albeit one who comes with obvious question marks. Lynch is a 30-year-old with over 2,100 carries under his belt, and he wasn’t particularly effective in his most recent action. The last time we saw Lynch, he averaged 3.8 yards per attempt on 111 carries during an injury-shortened, seven-game 2015 campaign.

Prior to 2015, Lynch posted four straight seasons of at least 1,200 rushing yards, including a 1,590-yard 2012, and averaged between 4.2 and 5.0 YPC each year. He also amassed between 11 and 13 rushing touchdowns in all of those seasons. Anything resembling that production would obviously be a boon for the Raiders, who lost their previous starting running back, Latavius Murray, to the Vikings in free agency.

Along with potentially providing the Raiders’ already potent offense with another high-end weapon, Lynch could give the franchise some much-needed positive PR in the Bay Area. Signing the Oakland native might make watching the Raiders a bit more palatable for their local fans as the organization counts down to its Las Vegas relocation in 2019. Regardless, Lynch is now poised to vie for his second Super Bowl ring as a member of one of the league’s elite teams.

Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

NFL Suspends Trent Murphy Four Games

April 14th, 2017 at 3:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The NFL has suspended Redskins outside linebacker Trent Murphy for four games without pay for a violation of its policy on performance-enhancing drugs, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Murphy unsuccessfully appealed the ban, which the league originally handed down last month.

A 2014 second-round pick, Murphy seemingly boosted his stock last season – his second straight 16-game campaign – by picking up career-high totals in sacks (nine) and forced fumbles (three) during his penultimate year of team control. Impressively, Murphy posted that gaudy sack total without starting a game, instead serving as a reserve behind Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith. Murphy was mostly a No. 1 in his first two years, during which he combined for 23 starts and six sacks in 31 appearances.

Now that the league has upheld Murphy’s suspension, he’ll miss a quarter of the season, thus hurting him as he vies for a strong contract year and subtracting a key defender from Washington’s lineup. The Redskins finished last season tied for ninth in the league in sacks (38), 20 of which came from Kerrigan (a team-leading 11) and Murphy.

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