AFC Notes: Patriots, Ravens, Colts
The latest from the AFC:
- Eric Rowe isn’t necessarily a lock to serve as the Patriots’ No. 3 cornerback in 2017, suggests Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Rather, it could be Jonathan Jones who emerges behind stars Stephon Gilmore and Malcolm Butler, as Reiss notes that the second-year man got first-team reps as the Patriots’ nickel corner during OTAs last week. With that in mind, Rowe’s playing time during the upcoming season might depend on matchups. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, the Patriots could feature Rowe as their nickel corner against teams with multiple big receivers or clubs with tight ends who function as large wideouts, relays Reiss. That was the case in Super Bowl LI when the Pats put Rowe on the Falcons’ best receiver, the 6-3, 220-pound Julio Jones.
- Now-49er Kyle Juszczyk was more of a Swiss Army knife than a fullback for the Ravens, meaning it may take multiple players to replace him, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Running backs Lorenzo Taliaferro and Danny Woodhead, fullback Ricky Ortiz and tight end Nick Boyle could try to make up for Juszczyk’s departure as a group. The versatile Juszczyk parlayed his time in Baltimore as a lead blocker/pass catcher/special teamer into a record contract for a fullback (four years, $21MM, including $10.5MM guaranteed). Although the Ravens wanted to keep Juszczyk, their offer wasn’t competitive with the 49ers’, reports Zrebiec.
- Le’Raven Clark started in just three of eight appearances as a third-round rookie in 2016, but he ended the year as the Colts’ No. 1 right tackle and looks likely to win the job this season, per Kevin Bowen of the team’s website. Joe Reitz and Joe Haeg picked up the bulk of the work at right tackle while Clark was on the bench, but the former has since retired and the latter is primarily a guard. As for Clark, he’s “got enough talent” to be a full-timer, according to Chuck Pagano, though the head coach noted that the 24-year-old must improve as a pass blocker. Pro Football Focus agrees, having assigned Clark an awful pass-blocking grade during his inaugural campaign.
Poll: Highest-Impact Rookie Quarterback?
Of the 15 quarterbacks selected in last year’s draft, seven ended up starting at least one regular-season game in 2016. The Rams’ Jared Goff and the Eagles’ Carson Wentz comprised the top two picks of the draft, but it was Cowboys fourth-round signal-caller Dak Prescott, the 135th overall choice, who ultimately emerged as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and the face of a 13-3 team.
When the Cowboys drafted Prescott, there was little expectation he’d garner significant playing time right away, let alone thrive from the get-go, with Tony Romo on the roster. But debilitating summer injuries to Romo and backup Kellen Moore opened the door for Prescott, who’s now firmly entrenched under center in Dallas. Romo, realizing he wasn’t going to start again for the Cowboys, is now working for CBS.
While it’s hard to imagine any rookie quarterback from this year’s 10-man class bursting on the scene in Prescott-like fashion, it stands to reason at least some will get opportunities to do so. Like last year, three passers went in the first round of the 2017 draft, though immediate playing time isn’t a guarantee for any. For now, Mitch Trubisky (No. 2 overall, Bears), Patrick Mahomes (No. 10, Chiefs) and Deshaun Watson (No. 12, Texans) are in understudy roles.
Trubisky, a one-year starter at North Carolina for whom Chicago somewhat controversially traded up a spot to select, reportedly won’t see the field as a rookie unless free agent investment Mike Glennon flops. Considering Glennon previously held a starting job in Tampa Bay but didn’t do enough to keep it, he very well could struggle enough for Trubisky to grab the reins in 2017.
Watson might also take the helm sooner than later, as the ex-Clemson national championship winner whom the Texans traded up 13 spots to draft is behind a veteran, Tom Savage, who’s almost completely untested. Given that the Texans have sullied quality rosters with subpar quarterbacks in recent seasons, it could behoove them to plug in Watson if Savage, he of two career starts and zero touchdown passes, looks like another Brock Osweiler this year.
An early path to playing time appears less clear for Mahomes, even though Kansas City paid a high price to go up 17 places to secure him. At the moment, the ex-Texas Tech gunslinger looks like a good bet to red shirt 2017 behind Alex Smith as the Chiefs take at least one more kick at the Super Bowl can with the steady (albeit non-elite) veteran at the helm.
Perhaps more than any other QB in this year’s class, Browns second-rounder DeShone Kizer stands out as someone who looks destined to amass playing time as a rookie. The 52nd pick and former Notre Dame dual threat has impressed in the very early going in Cleveland. Moreover, his main competitors for the Browns’ open starting job, Osweiler and Cody Kessler, aren’t exactly Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar.
As Prescott and 2012 third-rounder Russell Wilson have shown in the past half-decade, a quarterback doesn’t necessarily have to come off the board at the top of the draft to star right away. That’s surely heartening to the Giants’ Davis Webb (third round, No. 87), the 49ers’ C.J. Beathard (third round, No. 104), the Steelers’ Joshua Dobbs (fourth round, No. 135), the Bills’ Nathan Peterman (fifth round, No. 171), the Lions’ Brad Kaaya (sixth round, No. 215) and the Broncos’ Chad Kelly (seventh round, No. 253). Barring injuries, though, Webb, Dobbs and Kaaya have virtually no chance to earn starting roles at any point in 2017, as each is behind an established veteran. On the other hand, there’s no Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Matthew Stafford on any of the rosters of the 49ers, Bills and Broncos, which could give Beathard, Peterman and Kelly a glimmer of hope. Still, for various reasons, all three look like major long shots to break out as rookies. Then again, the same could’ve been said about Prescott 12 months ago.
Which rookie QB will make biggest impact?
-
Deshaun Watson 44% (1,478)
-
DeShone Kizer 17% (581)
-
Mitch Trubisky 10% (351)
-
Patrick Mahomes 6% (204)
-
Nathan Peterman 5% (182)
-
C.J. Beathard 5% (171)
-
Chad Kelly 4% (148)
-
Joshua Dobbs 3% (110)
-
Davis Webb 2% (70)
-
Brad Kaaya 2% (69)
Total votes: 3,364
Photos via USA Today Sports Images and Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
NFC Notes: Kap, Giants, Seahawks, Cards
Count the Giants among the teams that didn’t consider signing free agent Colin Kaepernick when they were in the market for a backup quarterback, co-owner John Mara told Jenny Ventras of The MMQB. Mara, whose Giants ended up signing Geno Smith and drafting Davis Webb to back up Eli Manning, revealed to Ventras that the team’s fans haven’t been shy about voicing their disdain for the polarizing Kaepernick. “All my years being in the league, I never received more emotional mail from people than I did about that issue,” said Mara. “If any of your players ever do that, we are never coming to another Giants game. It wasn’t one or two letters. It was a lot. It’s an emotional, emotional issue for a lot of people, moreso than any other issue I’ve run into.”
More from the NFC:
- Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has reportedly been disgruntled since their February 2015 loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, and Peter King of The MMQB places some of the blame for that on Pete Carroll. The head coach has created too loose an atmosphere, suggests King; in spite of that, though, King doesn’t expect any drama this year from Sherman, as he’ll have plenty of eyes on him from both the team and the media on the heels of a contentious 2016 and a trade rumor-filled offseason.
- One of Sherman’s Seahawks teammates, second-year runner C.J. Prosise, has a chance to emerge as one of the NFL’s best pass-catching backs this year, posits Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. With fellow RBs Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls in the fold, carries will be difficult to come by for Prosise, but he could break out as a 60-catch type for a team whose backs hauled in 75 passes last season, writes Kapadia. Only three RBs – Arizona’s David Johnson, Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell and New England’s James White – racked up 60 or more receptions in 2016. Prosise, who missed 10 games as a third-round rookie, finished with 17 grabs on 19 targets and posted a lofty yards-per-catch average for a back (12.2).
- Cardinals third-round rookie wide receiver Chad Williams has stood out as an “athletic freak” during OTAs, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. The former Grambling State star has impressed head coach Bruce Arians, who said of the 98th overall pick: “He’s shown up a lot already. It’s a tough room to crack but he’s off [to] a good start.” Arizona’s receiving corps underwhelmed last season, thanks in part to injuries, with its second, third, fourth and fifth wideouts only combining for 10 more catches (117) than No. 1 man Larry Fitzgerald had by himself (107). Given that Fitzgerald might be entering his last season and John Brown is scheduled to hit free agency next March, Williams could soon become an integral piece of the Cardinals’ offense if his work this spring carries into game situations.
Extra Points: Kizer, Moore, Patriots, Jackson
We recently heard that the Browns‘ staring QB job is Cody Kessler‘s to lose, and while that still might be true, the team selected DeShone Kizer in the second round of this year’s draft for a reason, and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says the Notre Dame product demonstrated superior physical skills during the first week of OTAs, especially with respect to arm strength and mobility. Cabot also says Kizer is picking up the offense quickly, and even if he does not start Week 1, he will get his chance early on in the season. Hue Jackson has spent more time with Kizer and will continue to do so, while quarterbacks coach David Lee will have a bigger role with Kessler, Brock Osweiler and Kevin Hogan, per Cabot.
“I want to make sure I have my hand on him as much as I can,” Jackson said, via Cabot, of coaching Kizer. “I will continue to do so. I have to find out probably more about [Kizer] than I do any of the guys. He’s not going to get too far away from me, I know that. He’s done a good job. He just has to keep getting better. He’s improved from day to day.”
Here’s more from around the league.
- With only four draft picks, the Patriots allocated a considerable amount of funds to their UDFAs. The Pats guaranteed $415K to their 19-man UDFA class, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Reiss pointed this out after Mike Zimmer revealed the Vikings spent $192,500 on their 13-man class, which the coach said was the most in his four years. The Packers, meanwhile, guaranteed their 20-man pool just $63K. The Pats were aggressive with possible late-round picks that slipped out of the draft in BYU linebacker Harvey Langi — who took up a sizable portion of New England’s total with a $100K base salary guarantee and $15K signing bonus — and Wyoming tight end Jacob Hollister, Reiss reports.
- Cowboys 11th-year quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson would be on board with the team bringing in competition for Kellen Moore, who is entering his sixth season but has just three career games (all with the 2015 Cowboys) to his name. “I do think that we need to create competition for him, and that’s at every position, but especially at the quarterback position,” Wilson said, via Matt Galatzan of Scout.com. “So because he hasn’t played, if there’s a veteran out there that we want to bring in and compete against him, I’d be all for that, but if not, I feel very comfortable about him going out there and playing.” The Cowboys were in on Josh McCown but didn’t come close to matching the Jets’ offer. They signed Moore, who is coming off a season-ending injury, to a one-year, $775K deal in March.
- Lamar Jackson dazzled the college football world last year, but Louisville’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback doesn’t strike NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks as a polished passer ready to make an NFL impact in that area yet. While Brooks described Jackson (1,570 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns) as a more explosive runner than recent dual-threat prodigies Marcus Mariota or Robert Griffin III, he needs to improve upon his footwork, passing mechanics and defensive diagnoses to elevate into a franchise-type passing prospect. Both CBS and the Sporting News had Jackson as a first-round pick in their way-too-early 2018 mocks.
- Brooks also heard from an NFC scout that Penn State running back Saquon Barkley‘s early hype is justified going into what most expect will be his final college season. The anonymous evaluator viewed the junior Nittany Lion as a player who is as “complete as they come” at this position. This follows an NFL exec saying Barkley could be the best running back prospect in a decade.
Rory Parks contributed to this report.
West Rumors: Pulley, 49ers, Broncos
The Chargers received upper-echelon production from Matt Slauson last season, with the veteran continuing to function well at center despite being a natural guard. Slauson being moved back to guard this offseason opens the door at center, and the Bolts have 2016 third-round pick Max Tuerk seemingly waiting in the wings after essentially redshirting as a rookie. But second-year UDFA Spencer Pulley is throwing off that natural succession plan presently. Pulley is currently the Bolts’ starting center, Eric Williams of ESPN.com notes, while pointing out that it’s still May and Tuerk will have a chance to compete.
“I have a great comfort level with Spencer,” Philip Rivers said, via Williams. “That’s what he played in college his whole time there at Vandy. Slauson was great there last year, and Spencer played some there in that Cleveland game and a few other times, so I have a good feel with him. He’s had a heck of an offseason, so he’s in there right now with the first group and we’ll see how it goes.”
Pulley being ahead of Tuerk, who started at USC before catching the Mike McCoy-led Chargers’ eye last April, complicates matters for the former Trojan. Because the Chargers used their most recent third-round pick on Indiana interior lineman Dan Feeney, who joins second-round pick Forrest Lamp in the interior-line mix for Los Angeles. Williams doesn’t mention Feeney as a prime candidate here, so the Bolts could work him in at guard for now. Feeney did take reps at center earlier this offseason. Regardless of how this situation works out, the Chargers will have a remade interior line after relocating Slauson and cutting D.J. Fluker and Orlando Franklin.
Here are some more Western-division notes.
- Kyle Shanahan plans to divide offense-management responsibilities based on how the ball travels. The new 49ers coach did not hire an offensive coordinator, as he’ll function in that role after serving as an OC for three different teams since 2013, but he assigned two assistants jobs. Mike McDaniel will be in charge of the ground game, and Mike LaFleur will oversee the passing attack, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports. Bobby Turner, who worked with both in Atlanta after many seasons on Mike Shanahan‘s staffs in Denver and Washington, is the team’s running backs coach. So, it looks like he and McDaniel will be working together for a 49ers team that saw Tom Rathman move on after many years of being involved with the team’s rushing attack.
- Carlos Henderson rated as Broncos wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert‘s No. 5 wide receiver prospect, according to Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post. The Louisiana Tech prospect went to the Broncos in the third round and was the 10th wide receiver off the board. Wolfe expects Henderson to challenge for a return job as well after taking back three kickoffs for scores in his three-year college career. He and fifth-round rookie Isaiah McKenzie (five punt-return TDs from 2014-16) figure to enhance a Denver return game that’s struggled since Trindon Holliday‘s short but explosive run ended after the 2013 season.
- It is clear to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post that the Broncos want to give Paxton Lynch every chance to win the starting quarterback job over Trevor Siemian. Lynch is a high-risk, high-reward gunslinger, while Siemian is a no-nonsense game manager, but Kiszla points to the division rival Chiefs to explain why Denver wants Lynch to win the job. Kansas City’s Alex Smith, the definition of a solid, game-manager type quarterback, has been just good enough to get the Chiefs beaten in the playoffs, which prompted the team to jump through hoops to draft the immensely talented but erratic Patrick Mahomes in the first round of this year’s draft.
- Derek Carr‘s extension talks with the Raiders are expected to ramp up, with the fourth-year passer believed to be in position to sign a deal that is a “strong step above” Andrew Luck‘s five-year, $122.97MM deal.
Rory Parks contributed to this report.
NFC Notes: Folk, Eagles, Lions, Vick
Despite spending the entirety of the 2010s thus far with the Jets and being that franchise’s most accurate kicker, Nick Folk wasn’t especially surprised by his early-offseason release. The 32-year-old kicker is now with the Buccaneers, which would be surprising given their recent investment history at this position. Roberto Aguayo‘s struggles have opened the door to an ongoing competition, but Folk doesn’t believe he has to win it to be kicking in the NFL this season.
“If I kick well, I’ll be kicking here or somewhere else,” Folk said, via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. “I can’t worry about things I can’t control. If I kick the best I can, I’ll be just fine.”
Folk signed a one-year, $1.75MM deal with $750K guaranteed. Aguayo went 22-for-31 on field goals last season, putting the former second-round pick’s future in question. Auman offers that Folk’s experience as an 11th-year veteran could give him the edge if this competition is close, Aguayo’s status as a rare Day 2 kicker pick notwithstanding. As Auman points out, Folk winning the job would make it six straight years the Bucs will have deployed a different kicker.
Here’s the latest from the NFC.
- Despite Michael Vick seeming to indicate he was in the process of coming to an agreement with Falcons management on a one-day retirement contract, the former Falcons Pro Bowler said Sunday he hasn’t spoken with anyone with the team about doing this yet. But he has it on the agenda. “I haven’t talked to anybody about it specifically,” Vick said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “It’s something that I’ve really been thinking about trying to get done. I was asked the question the other day is that what I want, and I said, ‘Yeah.’ … When I spoke to [Falcons owner] Arthur [Blank], we talked about various other things,” Vick said. “Like I said, [retiring as a Falcon] is something that can happen down the road, and I think we both know that.” Vick told McClure he still has a good relationship with Blank despite one of the most notorious exits from a team in league history. Blank did invite Vick and other former Falcon greats to the Georgia Dome on New Year’s Day for a celebratory ceremony. The 36-year-old added that the Falcons are where his “identity lies as a player.”
- A hamstring injury limited Teez Tabor this week at Lions OTAs, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports. Tabor is not expected to start this year, Rothstein points out, but the second-round pick missing time during his developmental stage would bring a sharper learning curve. The Lions have 16-game starter Nevin Lawson as the likely frontrunner to open the season opposite Darius Slay, and they signed D.J. Hayden to a one-year deal.
- Dorial Green-Beckham‘s Eagles roster spot is in trouble, Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com opines. After the Eagles outfitted Jordan Matthews with outside hired guns in Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, Zangaro expects Green-Beckham to fail to make the 53-man roster. Philadelphia’s wide receiver group also houses Nelson Agholor and rookie fourth-rounder Mack Hollins. The 24-year-old Beckham, once the No. 1 recruit in the country coming out of high school, played extensively for the Eagles last season but didn’t stand out. The former second-round Titans pick caught a career-high 36 passes but saw his yards-per-catch figure drop drastically, from 17.2 as a rookie to 10.9 in 2016. That said, Matthews, Jeffery and Smith could all be free agents after 2017 — Smith’s deal has option years — so retaining a formerly coveted player with two years left on his contract might be prudent from a long-term perspective.
Cowboys Not Interested In Darrelle Revis
The Cowboys are not interested in free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis, team sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
[RELATED: 8 Fits For Darrelle Revis]
Dallas’ secondary depth was depleted during the free agent period, as cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr, plus safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox, all signed with other clubs. However, the Cowboys took steps to bolster their defensive backfield both in free agency — where they signed veteran Nolan Carroll — and the draft, where they selected Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, and Marquez White.
In addition to those four corners, Dallas will also return Anthony Brown and Orlando Scandrick, each of whom graded as top-50 CBs in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Brown, a sixth-round pick last year, has proven to be a draft steal, while Scandrick figures to stick on the roster after the Cowboys denied they were shopping him.
Revis, meanwhile, had reportedly drawn the interest of two unidentified clubs earlier this month, but he still hasn’t landed a contract after being released by the Jets in March. Already earning $6MM from New York, the 31-year-old Revis will likely be forced to accept a cheap one-year pact if he wants to play in 2017. Last week, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reported some NFL executives simply don’t see a healthy market for the former All Pro.
5 Key Stories: 5/21/17 – 5/28/17
Patriots restructure Gronk, add another wideout. Even coming off injury, Rob Gronkowski now has the chance to be the league’s highest-paid tight end in 2017 after New England agreed to add new incentives to his contract. The maximum value of his deal is now $10.75MM for the upcoming season, and that total can be achieved through a variety of incentives that include playing time thresholds, receiving statistics, and an All Pro nod. Meanwhile, the Patriots also inked free agent wide receiver Andrew Hawkins to a one-year deal. He’ll compete with Brandin Cooks, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, and Danny Amendola for playing time.
Victor Cruz finds a home. Three months after being released by the Giants, Cruz landed a one-year pact with the Bears, where he’ll join a wide receiver corps that already includes Cameron Meredith, Kevin White, Markus Wheaton, and Kendall Wright. Cruz, 30, will now try to recapture the production he posted from 2011-13, when he averaged more than 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns per year. Before signing with Chicago, Cruz also drew interest from the Ravens and Jaguars.
Colin Kaepernick closer to signing? Kaepernick met with the Seahawks last week, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com subsequently reported that a deal between Kaepernick and Seattle is “likely to happen”. Kaepernick would become Russell Wilson‘s clear-cut backup, supplanting Trevone Boykin, who’s been arrested twice already this offseason. For what it’s worth, fellow free agent quarterback Austin Davis also came in for a meeting with the Seahawks.
Redskins could franchise Kirk Cousins again. Washington will pay Cousins nearly $24MM in 2017 as a result of using the franchise tender for a second consecutive season, but that doesn’t mean the club won’t deploy the tag again in 2018. Team president Bruce Allen admitted the franchise tag will be an option next spring, even though that would mean handing Cousins roughly $35MM for the 2018 campaign.
Jets still shopping Sheldon Richardson. Gang Green is still trying to rid itself of Richardson, and reportedly offered him to the Seahawks, Buccaneers, and Colts without finding a taker. Richardson is clearly talented, but that wasn’t on display last season, as he posted only 1.5 sacks. Off-field concerns also complicate his stock, as does his contract situation — he’s only signed through 2017, at a cost of more than $8MM.
Photos courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram and USA Today Sports Images.
PFR Originals: 5/21/17 – 5/28/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Free agent tight end Gary Barnidge has been linked to a few clubs since being released by the Browns after the draft, so PFR examined the top potential fits for the veteran pass-catcher. While noting that his age (31) should prevent him from landing a hefty multi-year pact, we offered the Broncos, Falcons, Steelers, and others and possible landing spots for Barnidge.
- Darrelle Revis, meanwhile, hasn’t been connected to a specific team since being handed his walking papers by the Jets earlier this year (although two unidentified clubs have reportedly checked in on the 31-year-old corner). As arguably the top cornerback left on the board, Revis could draw interest from teams such as the Cowboys, Cardinals, and Redskins.
- In addition to Barnidge and Revis, PFR examined the outlooks for three other top free agents: Rory Parks took a look at the stock of linebacker Perry Riley, tackle Ryan Clady, and center Nick Mangold, mulling potential fits for each veteran free agent.
East Rumors: Jets, Pats, Switzer
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com recently expounded on last week’s discussion of the Jets‘ QB battle, and while he does not believe the team’s insistence that it will be an open competition is a charade, he does reaffirm his (and everyone’s) belief that Josh McCown is the heavy favorite to open the season under center. But in his latest post, Cimini goes into a little more detail as to how he believes the next few months will play out. He believes that, by the end of minicamp in mid-June, McCown will be the clear-cut front-runner and Christian Hackenberg will be the No. 2. When training camp opens, head coach Todd Bowles will remove Bryce Petty from the starting competition, as it’s hard enough to have a competition among two quarterbacks, much less three. Cimini also believes Hackenberg will get plenty of action in the team’s first two preseason games, but that Bowles, with his job on the line, will ultimately give the job to McCown, though Hackenberg will get the nod at some point this year.
Now for more from the league’s east divisions:
- The Jets picked up tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins after he was waived by the Buccaneers last September, and while he posted only 10 catches in seven games for New York last season, the team believes the light has finally come on for the former second-round pick. As Cimini writes, ASJ has dropped 25 pounds, he was a diligent participant in the offseason conditioning program, and his performance has caught everyone’s eye at OTAs. Now that the Jets have an offensive coordinator who utilizes the tight end as a pass catcher, ASJ is a dark horse candidate for a breakout season, especially as he enters his contract year.
- Mike Reiss’ of ESPN.com reports that Andrew Hawkins‘ one-year deal with the Patriots is a minimum salary benefit pact, meaning his base salary will be $900K, his bonus won’t exceed $80K, and his salary cap charge won’t be more than $695K. Reiss says that Hawkins passed up more lucrative opportunities with other clubs because New England was his top choice.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe applauds the Patriots‘ recent decision to add a healthy incentive package to Rob Gronkowski‘s current contract even though they had no need to do so, as he believes it’s simply smart business to keep Gronk healthy and motivated. Volin does wonder, though, whether the incentives will compel Gronkowski to push himself more than he otherwise would throughout the regular season, thereby reducing his effectiveness when the playoffs roll around.
- Ryan Switzer, whom the Cowboys selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft, took first-team reps as the slot receiver during the first week of OTAs, as Cole Beasley was held out due to hamstring soreness. But as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes, the Cowboys have big plans for Switzer even when Beasley returns, and they are working on packages for both to be on the field at the same time. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said of Switzer, “He’s a classic slot receiver. He has a similar game [to Beasley], but he has his own things. We would really like those two guys to be able to complement each other and run real similar route trees. He complements Beasley and also gives us some big-time needed depth at that position.”