2018 March - Pro Football Rumors

Josh McCown Told He’ll Be Jets Starting QB

March 13th, 2018 at 5:24pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets have signed Teddy Bridgewater, but he won’t be their starting quarterback. Calvin Watkins of Newsday.com reports (via Twitter) that Josh McCown has been told he’ll be the starter. The veteran quarterback re-signed with the organization earlier today on a one-year, $10MM deal.

While the Jets may be content with who’s atop their depth chart, the rest of the quarterback corps is not as certain. Bridgewater is on board as a backup, but the organization is also considering some of the top rookie options with the No. 6 pick. To complicate matters, the team is currently rostering Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg (as well as Joel Stave). In other words, this isn’t the last we’ve heard of the Jets quarterback situation.

The 38-year-old McCown had arguably his best NFL season in 2017, leading the Jets to a 5-8 record in 13 starts. He finished the campaign having completed 67.3-percent of his passes for 2,926 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. As our own Zach Links pointed out earlier today, wideouts Robby Anderson and Jermaine Kearse played well with McCown. This means the veteran will likely be tasked with mentoring a higher-profile young passer than the ones he was previously tasked with tutoring.

Lions Re-Sign Nevin Lawson

March 13th, 2018 at 5:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have agreed to re-sign cornerback Nevin Lawson, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Lawson will receive a two-year, $9.2MM deal that can max out at $10MM, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, while the pact contains $4.55MM in guarantees, per Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (Twitter link).

Lawson, 27 in April, has been a starter for the last two years and change in Detroit. Last year, he started in all 15 of his games and totaled 43 tackles with four passes defensed. The Lions like what he brings to the table, but the advanced metrics have never held him in high regard (he was one of the ten worst qualified corners last year, per Pro Football Focus) and he is still in search of his first career interception.

It’s unclear if re-signing Lawson will take the Lions out of the cornerback market, but one cornerback who would have made sense for the Lions — former Patriot Malcolm Butler — is now off the table after inking a hefty deal with the Titans. D.J. Hayden, who appeared in all 16 games for Detroit last season, is in talks with the Jaguars, so the Lions may need to replace their slot corner. DeShawn Shead, for one, is scheduled to meet with Detroit today.

If nothing else, Lawson will give the Lions a cheap depth option. Even if Detroit doesn’t plan to deploy him as a starter again in 2018, a $5MM annual value isn’t a bad price for a third cornerback.

The Lions have been active today, re-signing safety Tavon Wilson while adding external free agents in linebackers Christian Jones and Devon Kennard.

Jaguars, CB D.J. Hayden In Talks

March 13th, 2018 at 5:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars working on deal with cornerback D.J. Hayden, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (on Twitter). Hayden spent last season with the Lions.

Jacksonville has invested heavily in its secondary over the past few years, and has added corners Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye through the draft and free agency, respectively. However, the Jaguars aren’t able to keep everyone in their defensive backfield, and today they lost slot cornerback Aaron Colvin to the division-rival Texans.

Hayden, a former first-round pick, could take over Colvin’s old role if signed by the Jaguars. Hayden, 27, has never lived up to his draft billing, but it’s possible his performance could improve if he’s sandwiched by All-Pro corners on either side of him. That would entail a large step forward, however: Pro Football Focus graded Hayden as a bottom-30 corner among 121 qualifiers.

Browns To Sign OT Chris Hubbard

March 13th, 2018 at 5:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are expected to sign tackle Chris Hubbard to a five-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). When finalized, the deal will be worth $37.5MM with nearly $18MM guaranteed.

Beggars can’t be choosers, and most NFL teams these days are beggars when it comes to tackles. This year’s crop of available OTs was uninspiring and Hubbard ranked as our No. 4 option at the position heading into free agency. He’ll now join former Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley in Cleveland.

The Browns have moved to shore up their offensive line so far in free agency after also agreeing to terms with Donald Stephenson. Right tackle was a weak spot for Cleveland in 2017, so Hubbard will improve that position during the upcoming campaign. However, if Joe Thomas retires, it’s also possible Hubbard will slot in on the blindside.

Hubbard, 26, had only started four games during the first three years of his career, but was inserted into Pittsburgh’s lineup for 10 games in 2017. During that time, Hubbard offered league-average production, grading as the No. 40 tackle among 81 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.

Cleveland boasts the most salary cap space in the NFL, but Hubbard is the first big fish they’ve reeled in. Elsewhere, they’ve played in the mid- to lower-tier of the market, adding both Stephenson and edge defender Chris Smith.

Jets Sign RB Isaiah Crowell

March 13th, 2018 at 4:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Isaiah Crowell has found a new home. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the running back has agreed to a three-year deal with the Jets. It’s a three-year, $12M deal for Crowell, but it could be more like a one-year, $4MM pact, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) explains. The tailback has a $2MM injury guarantee which becomes fully guaranteed next March. After that, he’s due $4MM cash each year.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweets Crowell’s deal includes cap charges of $2 MM in 2018, $5 MM in 2019 and $5 MM in 2020, and includes a $3 MM signing bonus. His 2019 base salary ($4 MM) becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2019 league year.

Despite the presence of Bilal Powell, the Jets had previously been linked to several running backs (including Dion Lewis and Orleans Darkwa). They ultimately landed one of the top free agent options in Crowell, who was listed 41st overall (third among running backs) in Zach Links’ ranking of the top-50 free agents.

The 25-year-old has shown flashes during his brief career, including a 950-yard campaign in 2016. This past season, the former undrafted free agent out of Alabama State ran for 853 yards and two touchdowns on 206 attempts (4.1 yards per carry). He also hauled in another 28 receptions for 182 yards. Despite the modest numbers, Pro Football Focus wasn’t thrilled with his performance, ranking him 47th among 58 eligible running backs. While Crowell performed poorly in the receiving and blocking metrics, the rushing numbers are a bit more encouraging.

Crowell could conceivably slot into the top of the running back depth chart, although he’ll face some competition in Powell. The 29-year-old has rushed for at least 700 yards over the past two seasons, so the Jets have two solid options they can turn to. The team is also rostering Elijah McGuire, Jeremy Langford, Akeem Judd, and Jahad Thomas.

Titans To Sign CB Malcolm Butler

March 13th, 2018 at 4:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan are reuniting. This time, it’s in Tennessee. Butler intends to sign with the Titans when free agency formally opens on Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Butler gets a five-year contract worth more than $61MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal includes more than $30M guaranteed.

Butler had interest from multiple teams, including the Texans and the Saints. The Jets, who are said to be seeking two starting-caliber corners, also likely had Butler high atop their list. A return to incumbent Patriots, meanwhile, seemed unlikely after Butler was benched for the overwhelming majority of the Super Bowl.

Had Butler reached unrestricted free agency last offseason, he would have had piles of money thrown at him. However, he was a restricted free agent and the Pats prevented him from joining the Saints when they could not agree to terms on a trade. This time around, Butler was an unfettered free agent and still got paid oodles of money, despite coming off of a down year.

Butler will now collect more than the tentative agreement — four years, ~$50MM — that he’d agreed to with the Saints in 2017. The Patriots, meanwhile, never offered Butler more than $7MM annually.

Raiders To Sign TE Derek Carrier

March 13th, 2018 at 4:46pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s only natural for siblings to steal toys from one another. Perhaps that explains Jon Gruden‘s early approach to free agency. Tight end Derek Carrier and the Raiders have agreed to a three-year deal, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Carrier spent two seasons with the Redskins, under the tutelage of Jon’s brother Jay Gruden. Last year, he was shipped to the Rams in a September trade.

The 27-year-old was mostly irrelevant on offense, hauling in only eight receptions for 71 yards. In 190 snaps, the former undrafted free agent out of Beloit proved to adequate in blocking, especially in pass situations. Carrier didn’t play enough to earn a spot in Pro Football Focus’ rankings, but his rating suggests he would have been listed 30th among 71 eligible tight ends.

Carrier will join a new-crowded tight end crop in Oakland. The team is currently rostering three others at the position, including Jared Cook, Clive Walford, and Pharaoh Brown. Cook is coming off of wrist surgery, however, and Lee Smith is a pending free agent.

Giants Sign RB Jonathan Stewart

March 13th, 2018 at 4:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Jonathan Stewart has reunited with old friend Dave Gettleman. The Giants will sign the veteran running back, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Stewart’s pact is for two years and has a base value of $6.9MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds Stewart gets $2.95MM in guarantees and can max out at $8.4MM.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets the expectation is that the veteran running back will cost $3.425 MM vs. the salary cap in 2018. His contract includes incentives for rushing yards and touchdowns, and also includes a $500,000 option bonus for next year.

The Giants have several needs to address this offseason, including running back. Last year’s top rusher, Orleans Darkwa, is ticketed for free agency and it’s not clear if he’ll be back in the fold. Even if Darkwa is retained, Stewart can serve as veteran depth. Regardless of how the backfield shakes out, it’s hard to envision that Stewart will be relied on as the team’s RB1.

Stewart averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last season but he did play in 15 games, his most since the 2011 campaign. He previously visited the Seahawks and Lions, but they’ll have to find running back help elsewhere.

As of this writing, the Giants still have plenty of free agent running back options at their disposal. They could also spend their free agent dollars elsewhere and use the No. 2 overall pick on Penn State star Saquon Barkley, if he is available.

Rams To Re-Sign CB Nickell Robey-Coleman

March 13th, 2018 at 4:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams have agreed to re-sign cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’ll receive a three-year deal worth upwards of $15.75MM with $8MM guaranteed.

The Rams have completely revamped and reloaded their secondary this offseason. Los Angeles acquired Marcus Peters in a huge trade with the Chiefs and quickly followed that up by acquiring Aqib Talib from the Broncos. Now, Robey-Coleman has been retained as the Rams’ slot cornerback. The team is also rostering free agent addition Sam Shields, Kayvon Webster, and Kevin Peterson, among others.

After having spent four seasons with the Bills, the 2013 undrafted free agent out of USC joined the Rams last offseason.The 26-year-old went on to have a productive season, compiling a career-high 49 tackles to go along with nine passes defended and two interceptions. Pro Football Focus rated Robey-Coleman highly, ranking him 19th among 120 eligible cornerbacks.

Coleman ranked as our ninth-best cornerback heading into free agency, putting him ahead of Prince Amukamara, Brent Grimes, Rashaan Melvin, Ross Cockrell, Tramon Williams, and Johnathan Joseph.

WR Jordy Nelson Wants To Continue Playing

March 13th, 2018 at 4:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite being cut by the only organization he’s ever played for, Jordy Nelson intends to continue his NFL career. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the veteran wideout wants to continue playing. The 32-year-old was released by the Packers earlier today.

The move wasn’t a huge surprise, especially after the Packers inked tight end Jimmy Graham to a pricey three-year deal earlier today. Nelson had been considered a cap casualty for some time, as the organization will save a hefty $10.2MM by moving on from the wideout. Considering his track record, Nelson should be able to secure a modest deal in free agency. Last offseason, the receiver had said he intended to play another two-to-four seasons.

The 2008 second-round pick had spent his entire career with the Packers, winning a Super Bowl and earning a second-team All-Pro nod along the way. Nelson missed the entire 2015 season with a torn ACL, but he had compiled at least 1,200 receiving yards in four of his five healthy seasons between 2011 and 2016.

However, the veteran seemingly took a step back in 2017, as he finished the season with only 53 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns. Of course, the underwhelming numbers could also be attributed to the absence of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.