2020 March - Pro Football Rumors

Contract Details: Nassib, Alonso, Jefferson

March 17th, 2020 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Some more contract details from around the league:

DE Carl Nassib, Raiders: signed. Three-year, $25MM deal with $17MM guaranteed, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The deal has a max value of $28MM.
LB Kiko Alonso, Saints: restructured contract. Base salary reduced from $6.4MM to $1.7MM, $4.7MM available in incentives. Already has $1.45MM roster bonus, meaning he can still hit his previous $7.85MM total via playing-time bonuses. All notes via ESPN’s Mike Triplett on Twitter.
DE Quinton Jefferson, Bills: two-year deal. Contract worth $13.5MM total, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Twitter.
FB Derek Watt, Steelers: signed. Three-year deal worth $9.75MM, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on Twitter.
LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, Dolphins: one-year deal. Contract worth $3MM, including $2MM signing bonus, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Twitter. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that there’s up to $500K in playing time incentives.

Broncos Expected To Trade Or Release QB Joe Flacco

March 17th, 2020 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Joe Flacco‘s stint in Denver will end after one season. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that the organization is expected to release or trade the veteran quarterback by the end of the week.

We heard back in February that the organization was confident the veteran could play next season. However, his 2020 contract calls for $20.25MM in base salary, so it would have required a pay cut for him to stick around Denver. That boat apparently sailed when the organization added quarterback Jeff Driskel earlier this evening to serve as a backup to Drew Lock.

Barring a new deal, the Broncos can release Flacco to save $10MM+ against the cap with $13.6MM left in dead money. Clearly, the team would prefer to find a trade partner, but that’s probably easier said than done.

Injuries have hampered Flacco throughout his career. He missed time in 2015 and 2018 and also played through back pain in 2017, but his latest neck injury was especially serious. In early November, the Broncos shut the signal caller down for the second half of the season. Up to that point of the campaign, Flacco had completed 65.3% of his passes. While that was an impressive number, he also threw just six touchdown passes against five interceptions.

The 35-year-old will be entering his 13th NFL season in 2020. The veteran has appeared in 171 games, tossing 218 touchdowns vs. 141 interceptions. He’s also started 15 career playoff games, including four during the Ravens’ 2012 run to a Super Bowl championship.

Steelers Place Second-Round Tender On OT Matt Feiler

March 17th, 2020 at 9:20pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers have placed a second-round tender on offensive tackle Matt Feiler, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).

Besides a brief stint with the Texans, Feiler has spent most of his career with Pittsburgh. The lineman has earned more responsibility each season, leading to him starting a career-high 16 games this past season.

In total, the 27-year-old has appeared in 32 career games (27 starts).

The Steelers have been busy with their impending restricted free agents. Earlier this evening, the organization placed a second-round tender on cornerback Mike Hilton.

Saints Rework CB Patrick Robinson’s Contract

March 17th, 2020 at 9:13pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints are looking to carve out some cap space. The organization reworked the contract of cornerback Patrick Robinson, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).

As Katherine Terrell of The Athletic tweets, this move doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the Saints weren’t going to dedicate a $6.15MM cap number to a backup. The front office made a somewhat similar move earlier this evening when they restructured Kiko Alonso‘s contract.

Robinson, a 2010 first-rounder, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Saints, but he’s bounced around since leaving in 2014. Between 2015 and 2017, the defensive back had stints with the Chargers, Colts, and Eagles.

He landed back in New Orleans in 2018, but he’s been limited to only 14 games over the past two seasons. His 2018 season was derailed by a broken ankle, and he managed to compile 16 tackles and two passes defended in 11 games this past season.

Broncos Expected To Sign QB Jeff Driskel

March 17th, 2020 at 8:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Jeff Driskel is expected to sign with the Broncos, reports Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter).

The 49ers bailed on Driskel after selecting him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft, but he ended up finding a home in Cincy. He spent three-plus years as one of Andy Dalton‘s backups, and he started five of his nine appearances in 2018.

He was let go by the Bengals last September, but he ended up catching on with the Lions, where he started three games filling in for Matthew Stafford. Driskel finished the campaign having connected on 59-percent of his passes for 685 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also added 151 rushing yards and one score on 22 carries.

In Denver, he’ll be backing up starter Drew Lock. It’s uncertain how the organization will proceed with veteran Joe Flacco.

Cowboys Re-Sign LS L.P. Ladouceur

March 17th, 2020 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

L.P. Ladouceur will be back in Dallas for a 16th season. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys have re-signed their long-time long snapper.

Archer notes that it will be a one-year deal that includes nearly $900K in guaranteed money. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets that Ladouceur will earn a $1.05MM salary and a $137K signing bonus.

Ladouceur, 39, joined the Cowboys back in 2005, and he hasn’t missed a regular season game since 2006. In fact, he owns the franchise record for most consecutive games played.

Steelers Place Second-Round Tender On CB Mike Hilton

March 17th, 2020 at 8:26pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers have slapped cornerback Mike Hilton with a second-round tender, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

The move ensures that if any team signs Hilton to an offer sheet and the Steelers decline to match, they’d get that team’s second-round pick in return. If the organization has their way, they’d probably prefer that Hilton just sticks around Pittsburgh.

The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss bounced between the Jaguars and Patriots before landing with the Steelers. After spending much of the 2016 campaign unsigned, Hilton emerged to appear in all 16 games during the 2017 season.

The cornerback has taken on a larger role during each of his seasons in Pittsburgh, culminating in a 2019 season where he appeared in 16 games (eight starts) and compiled 65 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.

49ers Place Second-Round Tender On WR Kendrick Bourne

March 17th, 2020 at 8:09pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have applied a second-round tender to wideout Kendrick Bourne, his agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

Bourne has spent the past three seasons with the 49ers, and he’s really come into his own between 2018 and 2019. Over the past two years, the receiver has hauled in a total of 72 receptions for 845 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He’s also appeared in 16 games in each of the past two years.

Bourne also appeared in all three playoff games for San Francisco this past season, hauling in six total receptions. That included a pair of catches for 42 yards during the 49ers’ Super Bowl loss.

Bourne could have a chance to take on a bigger role in 2020. With Deebo Samuel atop the receiver depth chart, Bourne will compete with the likes of Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin for snaps.

Saints, Kiko Alonso Restructure Contract

March 17th, 2020 at 7:58pm CST by Marc Delucchi

The Saints have agreed to terms on a new deal to bring linebacker Kiko Alonso back into the fold, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. New Orleans acquired Alonso in September in a trade from the Dolphins and had been set to count $8.7MM next season (assuming he was not released). Rapoport added that Alonso’s new deal will fall below that number. The Saints are currently over the salary cap, according to Over The Cap, so other cap saving measures are to be expected.

In 2019, Alonso ranked as the 19th highest graded linebacker by Pro Football Focus out of the 89 qualified players. For the first time since 2015, Alonso was not a primary linebacker, instead, New Orleans deployed him in more specialized sets to take advantage of the veteran’s skillset. In 13 games (4 starts), Alonso recorded 31 tackles (3 for loss), 2 quarterback hits, and 1 pass defended.

The 29-year old was solidly productive before he tore his ACL in the Saints Wild-Card game, but a far cry from the peak of his numbers. From 2016-18, Alonso averaged over 115 tackles per season and started 46 of 48 possible games with the Dolphins.

Seahawks Sign OL B.J. Finney

March 17th, 2020 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

B.J. Finney is joining the Seahawks. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the lineman has signed a two-year, $8MM deal with Seattle.

The 2015 undrafted free agent out of Kansas State has spent his entire five-year career with the Steelers. Finney emerged into a rotational lineman in Pittsburgh, and he’s appeared in 16 games in each of the past two seasons.

In total, the 28-year-old has appeared in 59 games throughout his career. He also has 13 starts, including four this past season.

Seattle, like any team at this time of year, is naturally searching for offensive line help. Finney is their first notable signing, although they did re-sign tight end Luke Willson.