HEADLINES

Month: March 2020

Cowboys’ Travis Frederick Announces Retirement

March 23rd, 2020 at 5:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys center Travis Frederick, who missed the entire 2018 season while dealing with Guillain–Barré syndrome before returning for the 2019 campaign, has announced his retirement from the NFL.

“[2019] was a difficult year for me,” Frederick said in a statement released on Twitter. “Each day I faced a struggle: I could no longer perform at my highest level. Playing “well” is not what I expect of myself and is not what my teammates deserve.”

Selected by the Cowboys with the 31st overall pick in the 2013 draft, Frederick is arguably the greatest center of his generation. In his six healthy NFL seasons, Frederick started all 96 possible games, and routinely graded at the top of Pro Football Focus’ center rankings.

Still only 29 years old, Frederick was a key cog in a Dallas offensive line that was the NFL’s best for most of the 2010s. A five-time Pro Bowler (including in 2019), Frederick also earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2016 and second-team berths in 2014 and 2015.

The loss of Frederick creates a massive hole in the middle of the Cowboys’ front five. Veteran Joe Looney, re-signed to a new contract last week, could take over at the pivot, as could 2019 third-rounder Connor McGovern. Alternatively, Dallas could look to the free agent market (where the options are slim), explore a trade for a center, or spend another draft pick on the position.

Clearly, Frederick’s long-term health is the most important factor in his hanging up his cleats, but his retirement will have an effect on the Cowboys’ salary cap. Dallas will incur a dead money charge of $11.04MM in 2020 due to Frederick’s retirement, while the move opens up just $935K in cap space.

Ravens To Re-Sign CB Jimmy Smith

March 23rd, 2020 at 5:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens have agreed to re-sign cornerback Jimmy Smith, as Smith himself tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Smith will ink a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who adds Smith can earn another $2.5MM via playtime incentives.

Smith had spent his entire career in Baltimore since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2011, but it was unclear if he’d be sticking with the Ravens going forward. Baltimore allowed the veteran defensive back to reach the free agent market, but he’s now returning on a relatively team-friendly deal.

Smith made the fewest starts of his career (five) in 2019, thanks in large part to a knee injury that sidelined him for much of the season. Health questions have historically been a problem for Smith, who has only played a full 16-game slate twice in nine NFL seasons.

Baltimore ranked fourth in the league in pass defense DVOA, and the club will now return almost all of its cornerbacks — save for Brandon Carr — in 2020. Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, and Tavon Young comprise the Ravens’ starting corner package, leaving Smith as a well-compensated, highly-experienced dime defensive back.

Seahawks To Acquire CB Quinton Dunbar

March 23rd, 2020 at 5:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks have agreed to acquire cornerback Quinton Dunbar from the Redskins, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Seattle will ship a fifth-round pick to Washington in exchange for Dunbar, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.

Unhappy with the extension he signed with the Redskins in 2018, Dunbar has been attempting to orchestrate a trade or release since February. Further reports indicated that Dunbar had been open to working out a “reasonable” restructure of his contract with the Redskins, but the club reportedly had no interest in doing so.

Dunbar, 27, arguably has every reason to be displeased with the three-year, $10.5MM deal he inked two years ago, as he’s largely outplayed the pact. The former undrafted free agent played the most snaps of his NFL tenure in 2019 and posted a career-high four interceptions. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, graded Dunbar as the league’s second-best cornerback behind only Richard Sherman.

Now heading into the final year of his contract, Dunbar will surely ask the Seahawks for an extension at something closer to market value. On the field, he’ll compete with Tre Flowers — who took a large step back in his second NFL campaign — to play opposite Shaquill Griffin.

Washington, meanwhile, is losing yet another member of its defensive backfield after parting ways with Josh Norman earlier this offseason. The Redskins brought back Kendall Fuller on a four-year deal last week, but the club’s secondary depth behind him is largely barren.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/23/20

March 23rd, 2020 at 4:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

Jets To Re-Sign Jordan Jenkins

March 23rd, 2020 at 4:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets have agreed to re-sign linebacker Jordan Jenkins to a one-year, $5MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News was the first to report a deal between Jenkins and New York was close (on Twitter).

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams represents a key part of why Jenkins is interested in returning, tweets Mehta. Jenkins has led the Jets in sacks in each of the past two seasons, totaling 15 in that span.

Previously, both Mehta and SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano indicated the Jets and Jenkins were either far apart on terms or that the team had not made much of a push to re-sign the mid-level edge rusher. The Giants expressed interest in bringing Jenkins to MetLife Stadium’s other locker room, but the Jetswill take a step toward filling their annual need at outside linebacker with a Jenkins reunion. The team still has a need at this spot, but the late-blooming Jenkins will be a good start for Gang Green.

Despite being a near-full-time player in 2016-17, Jenkins totaled just 5.5 sacks in that span. The former third-round pick out of Georgia took a step forward over the final two years of his rookie contract, totaling 15 sacks and 28 QB hits. The 2020 season will be Jenkins’ age-26 campaign.

Giants, Dion Lewis Agree To Deal

March 23rd, 2020 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dion Lewis will be heading back east. Recently released by the Titans, the veteran running back will sign with the Giants, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The parties agreed to a one-year deal.

The former Patriots running back spent two years with the Titans. While Lewis will turn 30 in September, he has logged only 710 touches in since coming into the league in 2011.

A 2011 Eagles fifth-round pick, Lewis was a late-blooming talent. He caught on as a key Patriots presence in the mid-2010s and led the team in rushing (with 896 yards) in 2017. The Titans signed the diminutive back to a four-year, $20MM deal. Lewis’ market did not hit the level it did two years ago, but he will have a chance to work as the top complementary option to Saquon Barkley.

This move will also reunite Lewis with Joe Judge. He becomes the latest Patriot to join the Giants, following tackle Cameron Fleming and special-teamer Nate Ebner. Lewis spent three seasons with the Patriots, coming back from injuries in both 2015 and ’16 to spearhead the ’17 Pats’ ground attack. Lewis scored nine of his 18 career touchdowns during that 2017 slate. Lewis lost out to rushing champion Derrick Henry last year, totaling just 54 carries and just 373 scrimmage yards.

The Giants have struggled to fill their No. 2 running back spot. Wayne Gallman remains under contract, but he was drafted two coaching staffs ago and saw just 29 carries last season.

Redskins Cut Nicholson, Four Other DBs

March 23rd, 2020 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Montae Nicholson having one more season on his rookie contract, the Redskins will waive the fourth-year safety, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Nicholson worked as a full-time starter for last season’s Redskins team, being a first-stringer in 13 games. His departure will create more than $2MM in cap space for Washington, which also cut veteran cornerback Kayvon Webster (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The latter is a vested veteran and will go straight to free agency, while Nicholson will hit the waiver wire.

As it turns out, this was part of an interesting position-specific purge. The Redskins cut three other defensive backs as well, dropping cornerbacks Coty Sensabaugh, Dee Delaney and Breon Borders.

In his full-time role, however, Nicholson did not fare especially well. Pro Football Focus graded the former fourth-round pick as its third-worst safety in 2019. PFF also graded Nicholson as one of the league’s worst safeties in 2018. The Michigan State alum did intercept two passes in his third season and, due to his experience, profiles as an interesting waiver claim for a team in need of safety help.

Both Sensabaugh, 31, and Webster, 29, played in just two games with Washington last season. They joined the team as late-season injury replacements.

Patriots To Release Stephen Gostkowski

March 23rd, 2020 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The longest-tenured kicker in Patriots history will need to head elsewhere to continue his career. The Pats are releasing Stephen Gostkowski, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter).

Gostkowski signed a two-year deal to stay with the Patriots in 2019 but is coming off an injury-marred season. He has been New England’s kicker since 2006, taking over after the Pats let Adam Vinatieri walk in free agency. A Gostkowski release will save the Pats nearly $3.5MM. They entered Monday with less than $5MM in cap space.

Gostkowski spent a few days as the Patriots’ longest-tenured player, rising to that position after Tom Brady defected to the Buccaneers. That distinction now belongs to 12th-year special-teamer Matthew Slater. Gostkowski’s 204 regular-season games played ranks fourth in Patriots history. When postseason contests are included, his games-played total ranks only behind Brady’s.

New England used four kickers last season, with Kai Forbath, Nick Folk and Mike Nugent taking turns replacing the injured Gostkowski. While Folk finished the season as the Pats’ kicker, he is currently a free agent. Gostkowski, 36, is coming off hip surgery. This marks another big change for the Pats, who last week saw the most decorated player in franchise history opt to leave.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Gostkowski resides as one of this era’s best kickers. He landed on the 2008 and 2015 All-Pro first teams as well. The former fourth-round pick’s 87.4% career field goal success rate ranks fifth in NFL history, and his 39 career playoff field goals rank behind only Vinatieri’s 56 in playoff history.

49ers, LB Joe Walker Agree To Deal

March 23rd, 2020 at 2:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Walker will change NFC West teams, moving from the Cardinals to the 49ers. The defending NFC champions agreed to a one-year deal with the linebacker, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

A former Eagles seventh-round pick, Walker supplanted Haason Reddick in the Cardinals’ lineup last season. He originally caught on with the Cards after being signed off the Eagles’ practice squad. The 27-year-old defender will have a chance to carve out a role with the 49ers.

San Francisco did not tender linebacker Elijah Lee as a restricted free agent last week, opening up a depth spot for Walker. While the 49ers have their top three fairly well positioned — in Kwon Alexander, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw — the 2019 Cardinals starter will be a prime candidate to serve as a backup.

The Oregon product registered 65 tackles (five for loss) and a forced fumble last season. He had previously made just 17 stops in his Eagles career. Despite being a starter, Walker also played 70% of Arizona’s special teams snaps last season.

Giants To Bring Back Corey Coleman

March 23rd, 2020 at 1:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite their transition to a new coaching staff and Corey Coleman having missed all of last season due to injury, the Giants are re-signing the former first-round pick. They will retain Coleman to a one-year deal, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets.

Coleman missed all of last season due to a summer ACL tear. He will now make another attempt to contribute in New York. The former No. 15 overall pick has not fared well since his initial weeks in the NFL in 2016. Coleman caught just five passes in eight Giants games in 2018.

Set to turn 26 in July, Coleman has enjoyed a modicum of stability with the Giants after being discarded by a few AFC teams in the months prior. Shortly after Coleman displayed an extensive sneaker collection on 2018’s Hard Knocks installment, the Browns traded him to the Bills. Buffalo then waived him. The Patriots cut him from their practice squad in the fall of 2018. Coleman then rose from the Giants’ P-squad to their active roster.

Despite this latest Giants agreement, Coleman is nearly out of chances in the NFL. The first receiver taken in the 2016 draft has 61 receptions for 789 yards and five touchdowns in his career. He will be no higher than fourth on a Giants depth chart that houses Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate and Darius Slayton.

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