2020 March - Pro Football Rumors

TE Richard Rodgers Signs With Redskins

March 24th, 2020 at 8:06pm CST by Rory Parks

The Redskins have agreed to sign veteran tight end Richard Rodgers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). It will almost certainly be a one-year, veteran minimum pact for the 28-year-old.

Rodgers was selected by the Packers in the third round of the 2014 draft, and he was a reasonably useful part of the club’s receiving corps during his four years catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. His best season came in 2015, when he hauled in 58 passes for 510 yards and eight scores, including a memorable buzzer-beating Hail Mary in Detroit.

His post-Green Bay career has not been as kind to him. He signed with the Eagles in April 2018, but a knee injury kept him off the field until November of that year, and he ultimately recorded just one regular season catch. And though he re-upped with Philadelphia last March, his season was derailed by a knee injury. He was released off IR with an injury settlement in September and re-signed in December, but he appeared in just one game.

He will try to resurrect his career in Washington, and he stands a decent chance of doing just that. The Redskins — who pursued Greg Olsen earlier this year — have very little talent at the tight end position at the moment, and outside of Delanie Walker, the free agent cupboard is pretty bare.

Bengals To Add LB Josh Bynes

March 24th, 2020 at 7:30pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals acted quickly to replace starting linebacker Nick Vigil, who agreed to terms with the Chargers earlier today. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Cincinnati is signing free agent Josh Bynes to a one-year deal (Twitter link).

Bynes was one of a handful of veterans the Ravens added to their defense in the middle of the 2019 season, and his presence helped stabilize the unit. Though he is by no means an elite player, he is a solid ‘backer whose experience and on-field savvy will be a boost to the Bengals’ front seven.

He has started 47 games in his nine-year career, which includes an earlier stint with the Ravens from 2011-13, a three-year run with the Lions, and a two-year stay with the Cardinals. In 2019, he recorded 46 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions, and Pro Football Focus gave him high marks for his coverage and run-stopping abilities.

The Ravens had expressed interest in retaining the Auburn product, and it’s not as though Baltimore is loaded with ILBs at the moment, but Bynes saw a better opportunity with the division-rival Bengals. As it stands now, he would start alongside second-year pro Germaine Pratt.

During his first stint in Baltimore, Bynes made the final tackle of Super Bowl XLVII, which earned him a championship ring.

Jets To Sign WR Breshad Perriman

March 24th, 2020 at 6:30pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets have found their replacement for Robby Anderson. After watching Anderson agree to terms with the Panthers earlier today, New York will sign Breshad Perriman to a one-year, $6MM deal, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (Twitter link).

Perriman’s contract can reach up to $8MM with incentives, which is quite a nice payday for a player who not long ago was classified as a first-round bust. The Ravens selected him with the No. 26 overall pick of the 2015 draft, but he was cut prior to the 2018 season after three years of injuries and inconsistent play.

He hooked on with the Browns shortly thereafter and played well enough to earn another contract from Cleveland last offseason. But the Browns allowed him to back out of the deal after they acquired Odell Beckham Jr., and he ultimately signed with the Bucs. Through 12 weeks in Tampa, it again looked like he was going to wash out of the league, but in the wake of injuries to star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he exploded.

From Weeks 15 to 17, the big-play threat caught 17 passes for 349 yards and four TDs and made himself an attractive free agent target. Though he doesn’t have the track record of Anderson, Perriman offers the same field-stretching skill-set. And as most of the remaining starting-caliber wide receivers came off the market today, it appears as if Perriman will have plenty of opportunities with the Jets, even if the team picks up a wideout or two in the draft.

Broncos To Sign P Sam Martin

March 24th, 2020 at 5:59pm CST by Rory Parks

The Broncos have agreed to sign punter Sam Martin to a three-year, $7.05MM contract, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Twitter). The deal puts him in the middle of the pack in terms of AAV, but it clearly suggests that Denver plans on having him usurp incumbent Colby Wadman.

Martin was drafted by the Lions in the fifth round of the 2013 draft and served as Detroit’s primary punter from the jump. He agreed to take a pay cut before the 2019 season got underway, but in exchange, the 2020 year of his prior contract became a voidable year, which allowed him to hit the open market this offseason.

As Troy Renck of Denver 7 notes, Martin represents an upgrade over Wadman in most relevant statistical categories for punters. In 2019, the Lions ranked 11th in the league in terms of yards per attempt (41.8), while the Broncos ranked 27th (39.4). The Lions also allowed the fourth-fewest punt return yards, and Martin offers a bigger leg that should play well in the Mile High air.

The Broncos’ punting team has been a constant source of trouble since the club cut Britton Colquitt in 2016, and Denver hopes Martin will bring an end to those woes.

Packers To Sign WR Devin Funchess

March 24th, 2020 at 5:57pm CST by Rory Parks

The Packers are expected to sign free agent wide receiver Devin Funchess, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Twitter). It’s a rare foray into the free agent wide receiver market for Green Bay, which hopes that Funchess’ size and physicality will be an asset to Aaron Rodgers.

The Panthers selected Funchess in the second round of the 2015 draft, but he has yet to put it all together in the pros. He enjoyed the best year of his career in 2017, compiling 63 receptions for 840 yards and eight touchdowns, but it took him 111 targets to get those 63 grabs. After a somewhat disappointing 2018 campaign, Funchess was still able to pull down a one-year, $10MM deal from the Colts last offseason.

Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich reportedly “banged the table” for the team to sign Funchess, and Reich later said the Michigan product had displayed good route-running and a solid grasp of the club’s offense throughout spring workouts. Unfortunately, Funchess broke his collarbone in Week 1 of the 2019 campaign, and he never got healthy enough to return to the field.

Funchess still has plenty of talent, and perhaps Rodgers will be the key to unlock his potential. Although the Packers have a number of big-bodied wideouts, none of them have Funchess’ upside. He will join a WR corps that includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Kumerow in support of the elite Davante Adams.

NFL Hopes To Start 2020 Season On Time

March 24th, 2020 at 5:47pm CST by Rory Parks

As of now, the NFL remains hopeful that the 2020 regular season will start on time, as Mark Maske of the Washington Post writes. But the COVID-19 pandemic — which has already had a major impact on the draft, free agency, and offseason activities — could delay the start of training camp, and an adjustment to the regular season still looms as a real possibility.

In addition to the obvious health concerns, there are also competitiveness issues to consider when it comes to training camp. If the league tries to proceed as normal and a player tests positive for coronavirus — thereby forcing that player’s team to cease operations — the team is suddenly at a major competitive disadvantage. Similarly, Maske reports that the NFL will soon look into how many teams have closed their facilities and how many have not to determine if significant fairness concerns already exist.

One way or another, it seems as if offseason programs, including minicamps and OTAs, will be canceled entirely. As one league owner told Maske, “I would be shocked if we had any kind of offseason program at team facilities.” The same owner also said it is too soon to tell what the league will do with respect to training camp.

As Maske observes, any change to the regular season may require a corresponding shift to the Super Bowl, which would be a Herculean task. Executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Rob Higgins, told Maske that there has been no discussion of contingency plans at this time.

Earlier today, we heard that the NFL is moving forward in negotiating new TV deals.

Patriots Re-Sign Shilique Calhoun

March 24th, 2020 at 5:17pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots have agreed to re-sign DE/LB Shilique Calhoun, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Calhoun appeared in 15 games (one start) for the defending AFC East champs in 2019.

New England has seen three LBs depart via free agency this offseason, and while the club will surely add reinforcements, Calhoun could be in line for a bigger role in 2020. He appeared in just over a quarter of the Pats’ defensive snaps last year and recorded 16 total pressures, though he was unable to covert any of those pressures into a sack.

He did establish himself as a core special teamer and will continue to see plenty of burn in that role regardless of what happens on the defensive side of the ball. And that still represents an upgrade over the disastrous start to his career with the Raiders.

Oakland selected Calhoun in the third round of the 2016 draft, but he never started a game in his three years in the Silver-and-Black. In fact, he was waived during final cutdowns in September 2017, went unclaimed, and was subsequently re-signed to the Raiders’ practice squad.

Lions Re-Sign OL Oday Aboushi

March 24th, 2020 at 4:59pm CST by Rory Parks

The Lions have re-signed offensive lineman Oday Aboushi per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. It’s a one-year deal for the 2013 fifth-rounder.

Assuming he makes the the team, 2020 will offer Aboushi a rare opportunity for geographical stability. In his seven years in the league, he has had stints with the Jets, Texans, Seahawks, Raiders, Cardinals, and Lions.

The UVA product will also have a real chance at starting for Detroit this year after appearing in just seven games (two starts) in 2019. The Lions let right guard Graham Glasgow depart in free agency, and left guard Joe Dahl is coming off a season-ending back injury. 2019 UDFA Beau Benzschawel and swing tackle Tyrell Crosby could also compete for a starting guard gig.

Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions — who generally do not value the guard position — showed interest in free agents like Greg Van Roten before circling back to Aboushi. The 6-5, 315-pounder is not a world beater by any means, but he has started 34 games in his career and doesn’t turn 30 until June.

Chargers To Sign LB Nick Vigil

March 24th, 2020 at 4:27pm CST by Rory Parks

The Chargers have agreed to sign free agent LB Nick Vigil, per NFL Insider Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets that it’s a one-year deal. Vigil was selected by the Bengals in the third round of the 2016 draft and spent the first four years of his career with Cincinnati.

The Utah State turned in a productive platform year in 2019, starting in all 16 games and recording 111 tackles while playing virtually all of the Bengals’ defensive snaps. Advanced metrics were not overly fond of his work, ranking him as the 42nd-best linebacker out of 58 players who played in at least half of his team’s snaps.

But Vigil will not turn 27 until August, and a short-term pact on a fairly young ‘backer with plenty of starting experience and tackling ability makes sense for the Chargers. Indeed, the division-rival Raiders were said to be interested in Vigil before filling their LB needs elsewhere.

Vigil represents the third significant addition to the Bolts’ defense since the start of free agency, joining Linval Joseph and Chris Harris. He becomes part of a LB corps that includes the oft-injured Denzel Perryman and unproven youngsters Uchenna Nwosu and Malik Jefferson, so he is in line to see plenty of action.

Cardinals Re-Sign G Max Garcia, S Charles Washington

March 24th, 2020 at 3:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals will bring back two role players from Kliff Kingsbury‘s first season in charge. Guard Max Garcia and safety Charles Washington signed to stay with Arizona.

Garcia has seen his responsibilities gradually reduced as his career has gone along, but the five-year veteran has logged 41 starts and profiles as one of the NFL’s most experienced second-string offensive linemen entering the 2020 season.

The Broncos used Garcia as a rotational guard during their 2015 Super Bowl season and as a 16-game starter in 2016 and ’17, but by 2018, the former fourth-round pick started just four games and saw an injury end his contract-year campaign. He signed with the Cardinals for one year and $2MM last March. This pact will likely be for a similar amount, seeing as Garcia played in seven games and started none in his Arizona debut. The Cards, however, employ injury-prone starting guards in Justin Pugh and J.R. Sweezy, so it makes sense to have an experienced backup.

This will also be Washington’s second Cardinals season. The former UDFA spent two years with the Lions before signing with the Cards in 2019. He did not see any defensive snaps but played on 45% of Arizona’s special teams plays.