HEADLINES

Month: March 2018

Allen Robinson Confident He’ll Receive Multi-Year Deal

March 12th, 2018 at 5:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite missing the majority of the 2017 campaign due to injury, wideout Allen Robinson still believes he’ll get paid this offseason. Appearing on Mad Dog Sports Radio today, Robinson told the hosts that he doesn’t believe his ACL injury will keep him from earning a multi-year deal (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com).

Of course, it was likely that same ACL tear that kept the Jaguars from placing the franchise tag on the wideout. As Alper points out, some around the league were wondering if Robinson would have to settle for a one-year deal in order to reestablish his value in time for 2019 free agency. However, the wideout said conversations with his agent have led him to believe that he’ll definitely “get a multi-year deal done.”

While the wideout didn’t definitively name any landing spots, Alper points out that Robinson “reacted positively” when asked about the direction of the Bears and 49ers. The receiver also noted that he could end up back in Jacksonville.

The 2014 second-round pick has spent his entire career with the Jaguars, earning himself a Pro Bowl birth. Following a breakout 2015 campaign that saw him haul in 80 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, Robinson appeared to take a step back in 2016. The receiver finished that campaign with “only” 73 catches for 883 yards and six scores. He tore his ACL during his team’s Week 1 contest against the Texans.

Raiders Cut OT Marshall Newhouse

March 12th, 2018 at 4:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Marshall Newhouse‘s tenure with the Raiders has come to an end. ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that Oakland has cut the veteran offensive tackle.

The 29-year-old spent his lone season with the Raiders in 2017. After joining the team on a two-year, $3.5MM deal, Newhouse proceeded to play in 14 games (14 starts) for the Raiders. The lineman was set to make $1.55MM in 2018, and he could have earned another $200K via a workout bonus (via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Twitter). Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets that the move will save the organization $2.25MM.

Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of the veteran’s production in 2017, ranking him 65th among 81 eligible offensive tackle candidates. For what it’s worth, the 2010 fifth-round pick battled several injuries throughout the season, which could have negatively impacted his play.

With the release of Newhouse, the Raiders could realistically be seeking some reinforcement at offensive tackle. Other than starter Donald Penn, the team is rostering David Sharpe, Vadal Alexander, Jon Feliciano, and Jylan Ware.

Only Two Teams Showing “Serious Interest” In Kirk Cousins?

March 12th, 2018 at 4:43pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been reported that Kirk Cousins is atop several teams’ wish list, but could there only be two teams that are “seriously” pursuing the quarterback? That’s what ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio is hearing, as league sources tell him that the Jets and Vikings are the only two teams to have shown “serious interest” in the free agent. This would somewhat echo a report from earlier today that indicated that there are “at least two teams” in pursuit of Cousins.

Florio notes that other teams may have “made a phone call and/or placed a ballpark number on the table.” However, it’s believed that the Jets and Vikings are the only two serious candidates for Cousins’ services.

We previously heard that Cousins wasn’t expected to make a decision until the new league year begins on Wednesday. However, if it’s true that two teams have put offers on the table, a signing could realistically be announced at any time. It was reported earlier that at least one team was going to offer a deal that was nearly fully-guaranteed, and our own Ryan Posner wrote earlier today that Cousins could receive a deal that approaches $60MM in the first year.

The Vikings are currently armed with $47.6MM in cap room, while the Jets now have a league-high $92MM in space. The Vikings are reportedly in the “driver’s seat” for Cousins, and the organization has made signing the quarterback a “top priority.”

The 29-year-old Cousins finished last season having completed 64.3-percent of his passes for 4,093 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

Extra Points: Cousins, Smith, Gotsis

March 12th, 2018 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Now that he’s going to be departing as a free agent, Kirk Cousins compiled a farewell letter aimed at Redskins fans. However, did Cousins give away his possible destination in the tags portion of his open letter? The earliest version of the quarterback’s published post had “Jets” and “Vikings” as tags, among many other entries, Will Brinson of CBS Sports tweets. So, either the person responsible for operating the tags forgot to leave those out, or has Cousins’ list been narrowed down to two? Of the serious suitors, the Vikings and Jets would make the most sense to be the teams offering a fully guaranteed contract. None of those teams ready to make those offers have been identified. The Broncos and Cardinals do not have as much cap space, though, perhaps making such a proposal dicey. But no finalists have yet to emerge.

Here’s the latest from around the league on Tampering Day 1:

  • Cousins’ old team is ready to commit plenty of guaranteed money to another quarterback. Alex Smith‘s four-year, $94MM Redskins deal is soon to become official, and the contract contains guarantees that surpass Jimmy Garoppolo‘s. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter) Smith’s deal includes $55MM guaranteed at signing and $71MM fully guaranteed by the start of the 2019 league year. Those figures are almost what Matthew Stafford earned with the Lions on his 2017 extension and more than Garoppolo’s 49ers deal. Garoppolo remains the clubhouse leader with $27.5MM AAV, but that contract is light on guarantees compared to other recent re-ups. And Cousins’ contract could well blow those agreements out of the water and represent a seismic shift in NFL contracts, should it indeed be a fully guaranteed deal.
  • Broncos defensive end Adam Gotsis was arrested on rape charges stemming from an alleged 2013 incident while he was a student at Georgia Tech, Kirk Mitchell and Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post report. Gotsis surrendered on the charge of strong-arm rape at the Fulton County Jail and was released upon paying a $50K bond, the Denver Post duo reports. Gotsis, who the Broncos drafted in the second round in 2016, has been accused of overcoming the will of a 25-year-old woman in March 2013. The Australia native became a starter for the Broncos last season. “We were recently informed of an investigation into an alleged incident involving Adam Gotsis that occurred in 2013 when he was in college. Our organization was aware of his arrest on March 7, and it is our understanding that no determination has been made at this time as to whether any charges will be filed,” the Broncos said in a statement. “The Broncos take an accusation of this nature very seriously and will continue to closely monitor the legal proceedings.”

Vikings Reach Out To Drew Brees

March 12th, 2018 at 3:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings have called on Drew Brees, a league source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Brees, of course, is widely expected to re-sign with the Saints, but he is technically available and Minnesota plans to leave no stone unturned. Other QB-needy teams have also reached out to Brees, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Vikings’ top target in free agency is reportedly Kirk Cousins. But, with several other teams after him, including the cash-flush Jets, the Vikings are exploring backup plans. Realistically, their best Plan B may be their own free agent, Case Keenum, but they may prefer to have Brees if possible.

At least two teams in pursuit of Cousins are reportedly willing to give him a three-year, fully guaranteed contract. It’s unclear as to whether the Vikings are one of those clubs. If they’re not willing to give him that unprecedented deal, then they may have to settle for other QB options. “Settling” for Brees would not be a bad outcome for the Vikings at all as he is arguably the better QB for the here and now.

Brees is 39, but he’s coming off of another spectacular season. In 2017, Brees completed a league-leading 72% of his passes with 4,334 yards and 23 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. You don’t need advanced metrics to gauge his value, but Brees graded out as the second-best quarterback in the NFL last season, behind only Tom Brady.

49ers Sign P Jeff Locke

March 12th, 2018 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have signed punter Jeff Locke, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter).

Locke spent the early part of 2017 with the Lions as he filled in for Sam Martin. He was released in October when Martin made his way back to the roster and did not hook on with another team, despite auditioning for a few.

The 49ers have relied on Bradley Pinion, a former fifth-round pick, as their punter for the last three seasons. It’s not clear whether Pinion will be a part of a competition with Locke or if he will be out of the picture altogether.

Last year, Locke averaged a career-high 45.3 yards per punt in a limited sample.

Jonathan Stewart To Visit Giants

March 12th, 2018 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonathan Stewart will make his third offseason visit since the Panthers released him, and a familiar face figures to be a big part of it.

The veteran running back will head east for a Giants meeting, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Dave Gettleman was not part of the regime that drafted Stewart in the 2008 first round, but he did serve as Carolina’s GM for four seasons.

While Gettleman has made the offensive line a bigger priority, the Giants are in need of backfield help. They have not had a particularly strong stable of running backs since Ahmad Bradshaw‘s departure. However, Big Blue could be a candidate to draft Saquon Barkley at No. 2 overall. That would mean passing on a quarterback, so it can’t be assumed the Giants are a surefire Barkley destination.

Stewart averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last season but did play in 15 games — his most since the 2011 season. He visited the Seahawks and Lions already this month.

Latest On Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski

March 12th, 2018 at 2:55pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still waiting on Rob Gronkowski to decide on his football future, but the latest word is promising for the Patriots. Gronkowski’s has been working out at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center at Gillette in recent days, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Late last month, Rapoport reported that Gronkowski was expected to continue playing. So far, agent Drew Rosenhaus has stayed mum on the subject, though Gronk is known to be wrestling with the decision in the wake of a concussion he suffered during the postseason.

Gronkowski, a mainstream star, may have other lucrative opportunities waiting for him outside of football. There has been talk of an acting career and the WWE may be interested in bringing him into the world of sports entertainment. Right now, one has to imagine that Gronkowski will put the silver screen and the squared circle on the back burner.

Last season, No. 87 caught 69 passes for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns for the Pats.

McCarron Possible Broncos Backup Plan?

March 12th, 2018 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

A Kirk Cousins-to-Denver path has lost some steam over the past week or so, and although nothing’s been decided yet, the Broncos appear to have multiple contingency plans.

Having been linked to Case Keenum throughout the offseason, the Broncos may now have A.J. McCarron on their radar. McCarron could be a target for the Broncos if Cousins signs elsewhere, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (Twitter link).

The obvious connection here would be McCarron and Vance Joseph, a former Bengals defensive backs coach during part of the quarterback’s time in Cincinnati. While McCarron could be seen as a mid-tier option on this quarterback market, he figures to receive a chance somewhere since several teams are going after Cousins and the runners-up will need backup plans.

Based on his game inexperience, McCarron profiles as a buyer-beware option. He did play well in an overtime loss in Denver in 2015 while Andy Dalton was out, but Brock Osweiler outplayed him that night. And the latter is not believed to be a consideration for the Broncos as a possible Week 1 starter.

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