Release Candidate: Mike Gillislee
When the Patriots signed running back Mike Gillislee last year, it was a case of the rich getting richer. Gillislee, a restricted free agent, averaged 5.7 yards per carry for the Bills in 2016 and his future seemed extremely bright in the Patriots’ backfield. One year later, the Patriots find themselves with an embarrassment of riches in the backfield, and that could leave Gillislee without a spot on the roster. 
[RELATED: Patriots’ Julian Edelman Won’t Sue NFL]
Despite rushing for three touchdowns in the Pats’ season opener against the Chiefs, Gillislee was left off of the active roster for much of the season. Although he had some decent performances in a limited role and averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry in October, Gillislee was way behind Dion Lewis in the pecking order and also snaps to Rex Burkhead and James White. When it came time for the playoffs, the Patriots did not ask Gillislee to suit up.
Lewis is out of the picture after signing a lucrative free agent deal with the Titans, but the competition is still fierce in New England. The Patriots used a first-round pick to select Sony Michel, who projects to be the team’s leading rusher. White, Burkhead, and Branden Bolden are still in the fold, and the latest word is that former Bengal Jeremy Hill may have a better chance of making the final cut than Gillislee.
Patriots fans were rightfully ecstatic about plucking Gillislee from the rival Bills last year, but he’s no longer a focal point of the team’s plans. Gillislee’s two-year, $6.4MM deal has no guaranteed money remaining, so the team can save $2.18MM by cutting the Florida product with no dead money left on the cap. If Gillislee can’t step it up in camp, that’ll be the likely outcome for the 27-year-old.
NFC South Notes: Bucs, Winston, Saints
Earlier this month, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston dumped his agents. Apparently, he won’t have a hard time finding new representation. Winston is expected to get pitches from CAA, Athletes First (David Dunn), Joel Segal and other agents hoping to work with him, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
Winston reportedly fired Greg Genske and Kenny Felder because the bulk of their experience is in baseball. With one year to go on his rookie deal plus a 2019 fifth-year option worth $20.9MM (guaranteed for injury only), Winston reportedly wants to go with a tried and true football agency to help negotiate his next deal. Still, the timing of his switch was suspicious as it came just moments after Winston’s reps negotiated a settlement in which he will miss the first three games of the 2018 season for his alleged sexual misconduct with an Uber driver.
Many are wondering whether Winston will have a long-term future with the Buccaneers, but the league’s top agents clearly still believe in his prospects going forward.
Here’s more from the NFC South:
- The Saints gave up their 2019 first-round pick to go from No. 27 to No. 14 this year, where they picked defensive end Marcus Davenport. It was a big gamble, but coach Sean Payton tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that the opportunity to add Davenport was too good to pass up. “It’s something we felt that could help our team right now,” Payton said of the trade. “And obviously there is downside and you give up some compensation and you give up some flexibility next year. But we are worried about this year, too, and our focus is on winning this year, and that was the cost to move from where we were in the first round to getting really into a different part of that round.”
- This week, the Falcons informed Julio Jones that they will not be giving him a new deal this year.
- Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis sounds like he wants to play beyond 2018.
Patriots’ Julian Edelman Won’t Sue NFL
Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman won’t follow the Tom Brady playbook when it comes to his disagreement with the league. Edelman won’t take the NFL to federal court after an arbitrator recently upheld his PED suspension, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Instead, Edelman will focus his energy on football and prepare for his season, which will not start until Week 5. 
Edelman was suspended in early June following a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, and his appeal was heard in early July. There was at least some mystery regarding Edelman’s failed test, but his argument centered around the fact that the NFL mishandled the documentation and delivery of his sample.
Edelman will miss games against the Texans, Jaguars, Lions, and Dolphins before returning in Week 5 to face the Colts. The Patriots have Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Matt Slater, and Braxton Berrios to lean on (and star tight end Rob Gronkowski), but Brady will still miss his projected No. 1 target at wide receiver.
Over his past four healthy seasons, Edelman has averaged 89 catches, 956 yards, and five touchdowns per campaign. But, unfortunately, Edelman hasn’t been on the field for more than a year, as a torn ACL ended his 2017 campaign before it began. Now that he has decided against legal action, we know that it will take him an extra month before he can return to the field.
Extra Points: Dolphins, Anthem, Fisher, Jets
The Dolphins (perhaps unintentionally) became the first team to publicly wade into the national anthem protest debate, as the club listed “proper anthem conduct” as a section under actions considered “conduct detrimental to the club,” reports Rob Maadi of the Associated Press. Miami later clarified that the NFL required clubs to stipulate their anthem policy before training camp, so the Dolphins — who open camp on Friday — were forced to list their policy somewhere. Now that the NFL and NFLPA have announced the league’s anthem stance, which would have fined the clubs of players who did not “show respect” while the anthem was performed, is on hold for the time being, the Dolphins’ actions won’t have much of an effect.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- FOX may aim to hire former Rams head coach Jeff Fisher as a game analyst, but it doesn’t sound as though Fisher will call a full slate. “I don’t think 15-16 games in the fall is something I wanna do right now because I still have that desire to get back on the sideline,” Fisher said, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Fisher isn’t going to find a coaching job at this point in the offseason, so it’s unclear why a 16-game schedule would affect his plans to return to the coaching ranks. Nevertheless, Fisher appears likely to re-appear during the 2019 hiring cycle, although it’s anyone’s guess as to whether any NFL clubs will express interest after he posted a 31-45-1 record with the Rams.
- Former Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant wasn’t selected in last week’s supplemental draft, but he did eventually land with the Jets, and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) has now provided the terms of Bryant’s rookie contract. Bryant will earn the league minimum after inking a three-year deal worth $1.73MM, and also received a $20K signing bonus and a $70K overall guarantee. Certainly, that contract won’t tie Bryant to New York’s roster, but he could force his way onto the club with a standout training camp and/or preseason performance.
- In case you missed it, new Bears wideout Allen Robinson won’t start training camp on the physically unable to perform list, a good sign after he missed the 2017 season with a torn ACL.
NFL, NFLPA Issue Statement On National Anthem
The NFL and the NFL Players Association have issued a joint statement indicating the league will no longer enforce the national anthem protest policy introduced in May. which required all league personnel to “stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.”
“The NFL and NFLPA, through recent discussions, have been working on a resolution to the anthem issue. In order to allow this constructive dialogue to continue, we have come to a standstill on the NFLPA’s grievance and on the NFL’s anthem policy. No new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks while the confidential discussions are ongoing.
The NFL and NFLPA reflect the great values of America, which are repeatedly demonstrated by the many players doing extraordinary work in communities across to promote equality, fairness and justice.
Our shared focus will remain on finding a solution to the anthem issue through mutual, good faith commitments, outside of litigation.”
The NFL announced its aforementioned anthem policy earlier this year, and it indicated players would longer be required on the field while the anthem was performed. If a player failed to stand for the anthem, his team would then be fined. The new rule also gave commissioner Roger Goodell the power to impose “appropriate discipline” on personnel who violated the stipulations.
The NFLPA subsequently filed a grievance, arguing that the rights of players were being violated, but that suit is now also on hold. The national anthem protests, which have ignited nationwide discussion as well as comments from President Donald Trump, were in the news earlier this week on two occasions. First, Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey said he would kneel for the anthem and accept any subsequent fines. And today, the Dolphins caused a fervor after classifying anthem protests under a “conduct detrimental to the club” umbrella.
West Notes: Cardinals, Peterson, Rams, Donald, Broncos
Darrelle Revis earlier this week retired as the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback of all time, but Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson has a chance to pass him in due time, as Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com notes. Peterson is currently under contract in the desert through the 2020 season, and if he plays out his deal, he’ll have collected $98.6MM, which would place him just $26MM behind Revis. Of course, Peterson will be 31 years old by that time, so he’ll need to have kept up something close to his current level of play in order to bridge the Revis gap. But Peterson hasn’t shown any recent signs of slowing down, and it’s possible that he’ll eventually overtake Revis as the league’s most expensive cornerback.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- The Rams and defensive tackle Aaron Donald haven’t yet hammered out a new contract, leading Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk to analyze why talks haven’t led to an extension. Los Angeles holds an enormous amount of leverage over Donald, as they can control his rights through the 2020 season thanks to his fifth-year option and two potential franchise tags. That strategy would only cost the Rams roughly $40MM over the next three seasons, a pittance given Donald’s status as the NFL’s best defensive player. As Florio notes, Donald is probably looking for at least $60MM over the next three years, so a gap of at least $20MM exists. For what it’s worth, Donald reportedly expects to receive a fresh pact before training camp opens.
- The Broncos will have a new lead running back after releasing C.J. Anderson this offseason, but it’s unclear who will top Denver’s depth chart, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post writes. Devontae Booker, the most experienced of the Broncos’ backs, is the early favorite to lead the team in carries, but third-round rookie Royce Freeman is also a candidate for reps and will likely emerge as Booker’s top backup. Elsewhere on the roster, Denver boasts De’Angelo Henderson plus undrafted free agents David Williams and Phillip Lindsay.
- In case you missed it, the Chiefs worked out former Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter, who was not selected in last week’s supplemental draft.
South Notes: Panthers, Anderson, Titans, Bucs
Free agent signee C.J. Anderson will likely be the Panthers‘ lead “traditional back,” according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. Anderson, who inked a one-year deal worth $1.75MM, is coming off a 1,000-yard season with the Broncos, but he struggled as an early-down rusher in 2017. Still, that’s the role he’ll take on in Carolina as 2017 first-round pick Christian McCaffrey performs in a passing game role. McCaffrey should keep up his receiving work after managing 80 receptions during his rookie campaign, but Rodrigue reports McCaffrey was never able to “find a rhythm” in the running game. Whether that can change during the upcoming season is unclear, but McCaffrey will now have limited reps thanks to Anderson’s presence.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- The Titans could be setting up a position battle at left guard, as Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com writes. Quinton Spain started 14 games a season ago and is back under contract after inking a second-round restricted free agent tender, but Tennessee also signed Kevin Pamphile and Xavier Su’a-Filo, and either could see snaps on the interior. Spain has a better track record than either player, but a camp battle appears likely, per Wyatt. Pamphile’s versatility could come into play, as his ability to play left tackle could keep the Titans comfortable if incumbent Taylor Lewan continues to hold out.
- Given that they have vacant roster spots, the Buccaneers might aim to sign a long snapper before training camp opens next week, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). At present, Tampa Bay only has one long snapper under contract, and that player — Drew Ferris — has never made an NFL appearance. Still, the Buccaneers have yet to contact Garrison Sanborn, a nine-year veteran who snapped for Tampa in 2017.
- In case you missed it, the Falcons are not open to giving wide receiver Julio Jones a new contract and are instead focusing on extensions for other players.
- Veteran Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis now hopes to play behind 2018 after previously hinting he could be nearing his final season.
Poll: Which First-Round QB Will Start Most Games?
Five quarterbacks — Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson — were selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, but each signal-caller will have different outlooks for his rookie campaign. Team status, the presence of other options under center, and each quarterback’s own development will play a role in when exactly he starts his first game.
So which rookie passer will start the most contests in 2018? Let’s take a look at each individually:
Baker Mayfield, Browns
None of the first-round quarterbacks are guaranteed to open as a Week 1 starter, and Mayfield especially may face an uphill battle to overtake his club’s presumptive starter. Cleveland management has been adamant that Tyrod Taylor will be under center to begin the season, and there’s no reason (at present) to think that will change. However, Mayfield could certainly change minds during training camp and the preseason, and if the Browns get off to a slow start, Taylor could conceivably be benched in favor of the No. 1 overall pick.
Sam Darnold, Jets
Mayfield only needs to overtake Taylor in order to become the Browns’ starter, but Darnold might need to beat out two veterans: Josh McCown, who started 13 games for the Jets in 2017, and Teddy Bridgewater, who reportedly impressed during organized team activities. Darnold is the future of the New York franchise, of course, but that doesn’t mean the Jets are interested in throwing him on the field behind a porous offensive line and with limited offensive weapons.
Josh Allen, Bills
Like Darnold, Allen may also be competing against two other quaterbacks, as Buffalo signed former Bengal A.J. McCarron this offseason while 2017 draft pick Nathan Peterman is also still in the fold. Additionally, Allen was viewed as a raw prospect coming out of Wyoming, and the Bills will field one of the league’s worst offensive lines during the upcoming season. Buffalo’s wide receiver depth chart is a terrifying sight, while the club’s best offensive player — running back LeSean McCoy — could face discipline if domestic violence accusations prove true. The Bills may want to hold Allen on the bench for awhile, allowing either McCarron or Peterman more reps.
Josh Rosen, Cardinals
Another rookie quarterback facing a battle with two other options? Sounds familiar. Although in Rosen’s case, it’s unclear if Mike Glennon is a serious obstacle. Sam Bradford is the favorite to act as the Cardinals’ starter in Week 1, but Rosen is viewed as the most pro-ready signal-caller of the rookie bunch, so he could get on the field sooner rather than later. Arizona faces a stiff schedule to open the 2018 campaign, and if the club struggles, the Cards’ staff may choose to turn to Rosen.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Jackson might be the first-round quarterback who sees the field first in 2018, but it may not be under center. The Ravens are reportedly interested in deploying Jackson as an “offensive weapon,” and could line him up on the field with starting quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco has produced poor performances in recent seasons, so Jackson is a reasonable candidate to see starts later in the year, especially if Baltimore falls out of the playoff picture.
So what do you think? Which first-round quarterback will make the most starts in 2018? Vote below!
NFC East Notes: Owens, Redskins, Giants
Former Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens says he isn’t “actively seeking to get into the NFL” but would entertain the possibility, “as well as the CFL,” if an opportunity arises (via ESPN.com).
“I know that I do have the ability to play. I know everybody sees the shape that I’m in. There’s a lot of athletes that play their prospective sports, but there are few guys that defy the odds. I think I’m one of those guys,” Owens said Wednesday.
Owens’ CFL rights are owned by the Edmonton Eskimos and he recently triggered a clause that gives them until Tuesday to work out a deal. The 44-year-old, who is on the verge of being inducted into the Hall of Fame while he celebrates elsewhere, will become a CFL free agent if he does not receive an offer to his liking.
It’s fair to wonder whether Owens can compete in the CFL at his age, and the NFL appears to be a longshot since he is seven years removed from playing and has not drawn any recent interest. Still, when T.O. talks comeback, we can’t help but listen.
Here’s a look at the NFC East:
- By failing to participate in 90% of the team’s OTAs, Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams‘ 2018 base salary has now officially de-escalated from $10MM to $9.85MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cornerback Josh Norman is in a similar boat. His salary has dipped from $13.5MM to $13.3MM.
- Giants third-round supplemental draft cornerback Sam Beal‘s deal is worth $4,082MM over four years and includes a $1.048MM signing bonus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
- Meanwhile, Redskins cornerback Adonis Alexander, taken in the sixth-round of the supplemental draft, is set to earn $2.616MM over the course of his four-year deal.
Panthers’ Davis Hopes To Play Beyond ’18
In January, Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis indicated that 2018 would probably be his final year in the league. Now, it sounds like the veteran wants to continue his career into 2019, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. 
It’s possible that Davis has had a change of heart after learning that he would be suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season. What would have been a 16-game regular season swan song has now been reduced to 12 games, and Davis is probably looking to leave the game on a high note. Davis has denied taking performance-enhancing substances and told fans that he is “not a cheater.”
Davis has just one year to go on his deal, so he’ll need a new deal or an extension in order to stay on board. When asked whether he has discussed an extension with new owner David Tepper or GM Marty Hurney, Davis said, “We haven’t had those conversations.”
The Panthers value Davis, but they also have a younger linebacker in Shaq Thompson that has flashed serious potential at times. If Thompson excels during Davis’ four-game ban, the Panthers could opt to move on from the 35-year-old.
Despite his age, Davis continues to play at a high level. Last year, he earned his third straight Pro Bowl berth and finished second on the team with 88 tackles. He also stands as the franchise’s all-time leading tackler.