2018 March - Pro Football Rumors

Rams Tag Lamarcus Joyner

March 6th, 2018 at 12:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams have placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner. Because each team is only allowed to tag one player per offseason, this means that Sammy Watkins will be ticketed for free agency unless the two sides come to an agreement between now and March 14.

The Rams are still intent on keeping Watkins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Although the Rams value both players, tagging Joyner was the less costly option. The franchise tag for safeties this year is $11.287MM. Conversely, the tag for wide receivers is $15.982MM.

The Rams have a fair amount of flexibility this offseason, so an extension for Watkins could still be in the cards. At the same time, they’ll have to factor for future deals with running back Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron Donald. On the plus side, their recent trade of Robert Quinn to the Dolphins has opened up additional room.

Joyner, a 2014 second-rounder, never started more than eight games in a season until 2017. He shifted from cornerback to free safety in his contract year and broke out in a big way. Last season, Joyner started 12 contests and graded out as the third-best safety in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

The Rams have until July 16 to hammer out a long-term deal with Joyner. If the two sides are unable to reach a multi-year accord, Joyner will play out the 2018 season under the terms of his one-year tender.

Before the tag, Joyner profiled as the top available safety in free agency. Now, the best safeties available include the likes of Eric Reid, Morgan Burnett, Tre Boston, Kenny Vaccaro, Bradley McDougald, Tyvon Branch, and Marcus Gilchrist. It remains a deep class at safety, but none of those players offer the same kind of upside as Joyner. There will be some notables on the trade market as well, but as of this writing, the Seahawks seem intent on keeping Earl Thomas.

Tre Mason Looking To Make NFL Return

March 6th, 2018 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

Tre Mason is looking to make an NFL return, sources tell Matt Zenitz of AL.com. People close to Mason have reached out to teams to let them know that Mason’s mental health has greatly improved since 2016 when he had multiple run-ins with police.

It remains to be seen whether Mason will get another opportunity. In March of 2016, the former SEC Offensive Player of the Year was arrested for reckless driving, resisting arrest, and possession of cannabis. In July of that year, he was “admitted for evaluation” after an incident at his mother’s house.

Due to his personal issues, Mason has not played since the 2015 season. The Rams placed the running back on the reserve/did not report list in August 2016 he failed to show up to a meeting. Leading up to that, he had not been in contact with the organization for months.

The Auburn product didn’t produce a whole lot when he was on the field and he’s now years removed from the game. At this point, Mason may not be able to get so much as a non-guaranteed, minimum salary deal.

Mason appeared in 25 games for the Rams (12 starts) in his two seasons with the Rams. He ran for 972 rushing yards and five touchdowns off of 254 carries, and he added another 34 receptions for 236 yards and one score. After averaging a solid 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie, that number plummeted to 2.8 yards as a sophomore.

Kirk Cousins Has Not Ruled Out Any Team

March 6th, 2018 at 10:59am CST by Zachary Links

Despite some speculation to the contrary, Kirk Cousins has not ruled out any team, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). That’s good news for the Jets, who have been buying into the increasing chatter that the Vikings will be his destination.

A recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com identified four “final” teams vying for the quarterback’s services: the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets and Vikings. The Browns were conspicuously absent from that list, but Mehta’s latest report leaves open the possibility that Cleveland can still be a factor for him. Still, the Browns may prefer to sign a lower-cost veteran to pair with a quarterback selected at No. 1 or No. 4 overall in April’s draft.

Other than the Browns, the Jets have the most room on hand of any QB-needy team to pull off a Cousins deal. The Vikings can also make it work with $47.6MM in cap space if they allow Case Keenum to walk. It’s a bit trickier to see how the Broncos ($23MM in space) and the Cardinals ($20.2MM) can work him into the budget.

As of last week, Cousins was planning to wait until at least March 14 to sign with a club, even though he could reach a handshake agreement with teams as soon as March 12. Right now, it seems like everything is on the table and it may be more than a week until Cousins reaches a decision.

Jaguars Won’t Tag WR Allen Robinson

March 6th, 2018 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars have informed Allen Robinson that they will not use the franchise or transition tag on him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). If no deal is reached between the wide receiver and the Jaguars in the coming days, Robinson will be able to speak with teams on March 12 and free to sign with any club starting on March 14.

In a weak class of free agent wide receivers, Robinson stands out as the best. WR-needy teams will be lining up for Robinson if he reaches the open market – including the Redskins – but they better bring their checkbooks. It stands to reason that Robinson will clear $10MM per year in average annual value and he may require a multi-year arrangement.

Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL. However, he remains a top flight talent. In 2015, Robinson pulled down 80 catches for 1,400 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. Even in a down year in 2016, Robinson had 73 grabs for 883 yards and six scores.

The Jaguars nearly reached the Super Bowl without the services of Robinson, so they’d surely like to see what they’re capable of with him back in the lineup. If the Jags get into a bidding war for Robinson, they might not be able to hold on to him, given their limited cap space.

Bills Sign RB Chris Ivory

March 6th, 2018 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

Chris Ivory is off of the board. The Bills are signing the veteran running back, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a two-year deal worth $5.5MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal gives him $3.25MM guaranteed in the first year and it can be worth as much as $6MM.

Ivory was released by the Jaguars late last month, freeing him from the final three years of a five-year, $32.5MM deal. At the time, the Jaguars thought they were getting a high-end running back as Ivory was coming off of a 1,000+ yard, seven-touchdown season with the Jets. Unfortunately, he did not produce in Jacksonville. Last season, Ivory averaged just 3.4 yards per carry.

Even though we haven’t seen Ivory play consistently well since 2015, multiple teams expressed interest in recent days. The Browns also met with Ivory before he agreed to a deal with Buffalo.

Ivory will slot somewhere behind LeSean McCoy on the Bills’ depth chart. Other tailbacks currently under contract in Buffalo include Marcus Murphy and Aaron Green. Bills veteran running backs Travaris Cadet and Taiwan Jones are eligible for free agency next week, as is fullback Mike Tolbert.

Most of the league’s impact free agents will not be able to sign with teams until March 14. Because Ivory was released from his contract, he had the ability to sign with a club at any time. The Bills snagged another “early” free agent recently when they inked cornerback Vontae Davis to a one-year deal.

Redskins Eyeing WR Allen Robinson, Paul Richardson

March 6th, 2018 at 9:17am CST by Zachary Links

If Allen Robinson is not franchise tagged by the Jaguars today, the Redskins will be among the teams ready to pounce on him, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Keim adds that Seahawks free agent Paul Richardson is also among the receivers who are of interest to the Redskins.

Robinson stands as my top ranked free agent wide receiver this year, edging Sammy Watkins. Beyond those two, there are no surefire WR1 types to be had, but Richardson (ranked sixth) does offer promise.

Last year, the Redskins tried to fortify their receiver group by signing Terrelle Pryor and Brian Quick in free agency. Neither signing really panned out as Quick barely played and Pryor hardly produced. But, with at least one of those receivers likely to move on, there is room for the team to reload and try its hand at finding weapons through free agency once more.

Signing both Robinson and Richardson in a seller’s WR market could be hard to pull off, even with $47.7MM of cap space at the Redskins’ disposal. However, the Redskins realistically only need one impact receiver with Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder already under contract. Alternatively, Washington could sign one top WR and potentially re-sign Pryor at a cheaper rate once he explores the open market.

Top 2018 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

March 5th, 2018 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency will get underway on Wednesday, March 14th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market. The same goes for players who have been franchise tagged or transition tagged.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2018:

Quarterback:

There were many difficult calls when putting this list together, but ranking Kirk Cousins as the No. 1 QB available was not among them. Cousins is the best quarterback to reach free agency in recent history and he’ll become the highest-paid player of all-time – at least, for some period of time – in mid-March. Who will make history with Cousins? That’s anyone’s guess right now. The Browns have more cap room than any other team, but a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings as the final suitors for Cousins. Of those four, the Jets have the most money to work with, but they’re concerned about the Vikings winning out and Cousins’ desire to win could point him in another direction. If the Broncos and Cardinals want in on the Cousins sweepstakes, they’ll have to get creative with the books.

Drew Brees is included here, but by his own admission, he’ll be re-signing with the Saints rather than testing the open waters of free agency. Unless the Saints lowball their franchise QB, it’s hard to see him leaving New Orleans.

Case Keenum put together a tremendous season for the Vikings, but he doesn’t have a history of success beyond 2017. There will be plenty of interest in Keenum, but only after QB-needy teams strike out on Cousins. The incumbent Vikings could re-sign Keenum, but right now, it seems like they are intent on exploring the Cousins waters first.

There isn’t a ton of footage on A.J. McCarron, which made his placement on this list awfully tricky. We know this much: McCarron did well in place of Dalton in the home stretch of the 2015 season and his former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was salivating at the chance of landing him before the Browns bungled the trade with the Bengals. McCarron’s relative youth is a plus (he won’t turn 28 until September) and his lack of experience can be looked at as a positive. Unlike some of the other names on this list, he hasn’t run up his NFL odometer.

What will NFL teams make of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford this offseason? Not long ago, both seemed like quality starting options. However, there are serious injury questions about both players and any team signing them will either look to backstop them with another decent option or ask them to come onboard as a QB2. With that in mind, one has to wonder if Bradford would consider retirement if asked to hold the clipboard for another signal caller. Bradford has earned upwards of $110MM over the years in the NFL, so it’s safe to say that he has enough money in the bank to call it quits if he wants. For now, he’s intent on playing.

Colin Kaepernick‘s placement on this list is sure to draw some strong reactions from his fans and detractors alike. Looking purely at his football ability, there’s no question that he belongs on someone’s roster. At minimum, Kaepernick profiles as a high-end backup, even after a year out of the game.

Quarterbacks coaches have long believed that Mike Glennon is capable of great things, due in part to his height. At 6’7″, he can see over any defensive line, but he hasn’t done much on the field to prove that he is a quality Week 1 starting option. Josh McCown, who is a decade his senior, edges him here for his surprisingly strong performance in 2017 at the helm of a weak Jets offense.

Running back:

We’re in the illegal tampering period which, frankly, is just as active as the legal tampering period. Already, Dion Lewis is attracting attention from a number of teams and it’s speculated (wink wink) that the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts will have interest in him when things get underway next week. Le’Veon Bell has a franchise tag coming his way, so Lewis stands as the most attractive RB option out there.

Carlos Hyde didn’t have the kind of platform year he was hoping for, but he’s still just 26 and could headline a running back by committee group.

Jerick McKinnon‘s placement on this list figures to be controversial, but his athleticism and pass-catching ability can blow a game wide open. No one will bank on McKinnon to carry the ball 20 times per game, but he can be a real difference maker for a team out there.

Can Frank Gore outrun father time? History indicates that he can’t and so does his 3.7 yards per carry average in 2017. You have to give credit where credit is due, however. Gore has been ruled out by many for years, but he has not missed a regular season game since the 2010 season. He’s also just one year removed from cracking 1,000 yards and he almost did the same last year.

Wide receiver:

For most teams, Allen Robinson would be a franchise tag candidate. However, that may be too much of a luxury for the cash-strapped Jaguars. He presents a fascinating free agent case. Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s the most talented wide receiver on the board in the eyes of many. His 2015 season – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes GMs drool. His quieter year in 2016 (73 catches, 883 yards, and six touchdowns) is less worthy of salivation. His 2017 season, of course, was a lost cause. For all the question marks, you can expect Robinson to see more dollars than any other free agent WR this year, particularly since Jarvis Landry has been held back by the tag.

Some in the football world may prefer Sammy Watkins for his big-play ability, but his down contract year amidst a capable offense is cause for concern. His injury history doesn’t do him any favors either. No matter your feelings on Watkins, there’s no debating that this year’s WR market has a top tier comprised of just two players – Watkins and Robinson. With few quality receivers out there, they’ll both get paid.

Marqise Lee represents a much less sexy option (speaking in football terms, of course), but he had the most receptions of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Teams looking for a quality WR2 in free agency could do a lot worse than Lee and he’ll be far cheaper than the two-man top tier.

Danny Amendola hauled in 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, teams will wonder if he can thrive in his age-33 season while playing outside of the Patriots’ offense. It’s also quite possible that he never tests the market as his stated preference is to remain in New England.

After that, you’ll notice a pretty significant drop off. That’s because this year’s WR class isn’t all that deep. Terrelle Pryor had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract last year and, to put it mildly, he did not prove it. Paul Richardson caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but that marked his first NFL season of real note.

Tight end:

Trey Burton spent most of the year behind Zach Ertz on the Eagles’ depth chart, but he emerged late in the season and set himself up nicely for free agency. Given his age and potential, there’s no question that he is the belle of the ball at tight end.

The rest of the tight end crop is not nearly as inspiring. Jimmy Graham has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks, but he’ll turn 32 in November and he’s no longer the monster playmaker that he was in New Orleans. He had ten touchdowns in 2017, but his 9.1 yards per reception average is a career low.

Odds are, you have Tyler Eifert ranked over Austin Seferian-Jenkins given the fact that Eifert has played just ten games over the last two years. ASJ, meanwhile, rebounded from personal issues to post a 50-catch season for the Jets. Personally, I’m picking Eifert based on upside. Hopefully, we can still be friends.

Virgil Green, Darren Fells, and Lee Smith aren’t exactly fantasy football superstars, but they are quality blocking tight ends that will draw more dollars than expected.

With some uninspiring names towards the backend of the list, you may be wondering where former Ravens notable Crockett Gillmore is on this list. Gillmore is transitioning to the offensive line, so he did not warrant consideration here.

Fullback:

Jon Gruden may go eagerly shopping for fullbacks, but they’re not nearly as popular as they once were.

Offensive tackle:

Offensive line play is down across the board and evaluators around the league have been openly complaining about an increasing dearth of tackles coming out of college. That makes for a generally uninspiring lot in free agency.

Nate Solder battled through injuries in 2017 and did not miss a game. He’s no longer a top-flight option, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 tackle last year, meaning that he’s starter quality at left tackle. You’ll notice that three of the top five tackles on this list are Patriots. There’s little chance that the Pats let all three get away.

Justin Pugh offers the ability to play both guard and right tackle, though he might not do either one particularly well.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Andrew Norwell is the undisputed king of this category after netting an All-Pro selection in 2017. Norwell also earned a career-high 88.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which positioned him third in the entire NFL amongst guards. A team with greater means than the Panthers might have used the franchise tag on him. Fortunately for rival teams in need of interior help (such as the Giants), they won’t cuff him with the one-year placeholder.

Extra Points: Kaepernick, Ravens, Swanson

March 5th, 2018 at 9:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens were reportedly interested in signing quarterback Colin Kaepernick before the 2017 campaign, but a high-ranking U.S. military official may have been part of squashing the club’s plans to meet with the signal-caller, according to TMZ Sports. Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh consulted with several friends while his team was discussing Kaepernick, and one such friend — the unnamed official — “cautioned” Harbaugh about the former 49ers signal-caller. While the official did not tell Harbaugh not to sign Kaepernick, he did indicate the Ravens should give Kaepernick a “set of specific guidelines to follow” in order to remain employed. Kaepernick, of course, was the progenitor of kneeling for the national anthem as a form of silent protest. After passing on Kaepernick, Baltimore went on to sign journeyman Thad Lewis to serve as depth behind starter Joe Flacco.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Lions center Travis Swanson is headed towards free agency, and it’s conceivable his reported late-season concussion could be a red flag for interested teams. However, Swanson’s representatives claim that he didn’t actually suffer a concussion in 2017, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Instead, Swanson says a bad reaction to the medicine he was given to treat his (non) concussion was the source of his symptoms. The 27-year-old pivot has a medical note to back up his version of the story, but the Lions are sticking by the original injury report that landed Swanson on injured reserve prior to Week 17. Thus far, both the Jets and Dolphins have expressed preliminary interest in Swanson, who offers 42 games worth of starting experience.
At least one unidentified NFL team has Louisville’s Lamar Jackson rated as the draft’s No. 2 quarterback prospect, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Jackson, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2016, is generally listed behind Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen is consensus rankings, but it sounds as though at least one team prefers Jackson to many of those signal-callers. Some teams reportedly had interest in working out Jackson as a receiver at the combine, but he declined to take part in non-quarterback drills.
The upcoming season is likely to be a “make-or-break” campaign for Redskins president Bruce Allen, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington has had its fair share of turnover — in the front office, on the coaching staff, and on the roster — during Allen’s tenure, but he’s managed to stick around since 2009. During that time, the Redskins have posted a disappointing 52-75-1 record. Additionally, the club has lost respected general manager Scot McCloughan (reportedly because of a rift with Allen), and will not re-sign franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The NFL’s scouting combine will remain in Indianapolis through at least 2020, but the function’s long-term location is unclear, writes Mike Chappell of FOX59. While speculation has arisen that Los Angeles or Las Vegas could be the combine’s next home, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk indicates Indianapolis is considered ideal given that every part of the event — meetings, workouts, medical testing — to be located within a small radius.

Coaching Rumors: Eagles, Patriots, Lions

March 5th, 2018 at 8:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a quick spin on the NFL’s coaching carousel:

The Eagles are set to hire University of North Carolina offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer as their new wide receivers coach, according to Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice. Brewer will take over for Mike Groh, who was recently named Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator. Brewer, who also served as the Tarheels’ receivers coach, offers an extensive collegiate résumé, as he’s made stops at Mississippi, Oklahoma State, and Marshall, among others. However, Brewer has never coached at the NFL level. He’ll now lead an Eagles receiving group that includes Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Nelson Agholor, and Mack Hollins, whom Brewer coached in college.
Former Arizona State head coach Todd Graham attended the scouting combine with the Patriots‘ staff, and it’s possible he’ll join New England as a consultant, tweets Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com. The Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick often enjoy close relationships with current and former collegiate head coaches — former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, notably, previously worked as something of an informal advisor for New England. Graham, for his part, was fired by Arizona State following the 2017 campaign, but he’s also led teams at Rice, Tulsa, and Pittsburgh. The 53-year-old has a career record of 95-61.
The Lions announced that they’ve hired Derius Swinton as an offensive assistant. Swinton, 32, has coached in the NFL since 2009, although he’s spent his entire career on special teams, not offense. Swinton led the 49ers’ special teams unit under Chip Kelly in 2016, and spent this past season as an assistant with the Bears.

Seahawks Don’t Plan To Trade Earl Thomas

March 5th, 2018 at 8:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although trade rumblings have circled around Earl Thomas for the better part of two months, the Seahawks don’t intend to deal the veteran defensive back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Seattle wants to reach a long-term contract with Thomas, whom the club considers “firmly” in their 2018 plans, per Rapoport.

The Seahawks have undergone a significant offseason makeover on the defensive side of the ball, changing out much of their staff and replacing former coordinator Kris Richard with Ken Norton Jr. Seattle is engaged in trade talks regarding defensive lineman Michael Bennett, while other tenured players such as Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Cliff Avril could also be moving on. Thomas, though, doesn’t appear to be in danger of being traded any time soon.

Thomas, for his part, has been vocal about his desire to sign an extension, either with the Seahawks or another club (Thomas has been linked to the Cowboys, largely due to his own comments). Entering the final season of his contract, Thomas has threatened to hold out if he doesn’t land a new deal. Thomas, whose $10MM annual salary ranks sixth among safeties, will collect an $8.5MM base salary in 2017.

While Thomas doesn’t appear to going anywhere, the Seahawks prefers to wrap up its Bennett trade talks in the next week or so, per Rapoport. As Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reported Sunday, the Falcons are discussing a deal for Bennett, and Rapoport indicates there are other (unknown) clubs that potentially have interest in acquiring the three-time Pro Bowler.