2020 March - Pro Football Rumors

Bucs Still In Contact With Jameis Winston

March 17th, 2020 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Bucs have been exploring their options under center, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll make a change. The Buccaneers are still in “close communication” with Jameis Winston, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).

This jibes with what we heard yesterday as well – the Bucs, clearly, see an opportunity to upgrade from Winston and his endless stream of interceptions. However, they’ve let to find their solution. As of this writing, they seem intent on making a big play for Tom Brady. No one knows where Brady will go – not even Brady himself – but he won’t be back with the Patriots. The Chargers are also believed to be a leading suitor for TB and other teams could still get involved.

Ditto for fallback options like Teddy Bridgewater and Philip Rivers, so the game of musical chairs could very well lead the Bucs back to Winston. It’s impossible to forecast how it’ll all play out this week, but here’s a scenario that could lead to a reunion: Bridgewater to the Patriots, Rivers to the Colts, and Brady to the Chargers.

Cam Newton: I “Never Asked” For Panthers To Trade Me

March 17th, 2020 at 10:58am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have granted Cam Newton permission to seek a trade. Newton, meanwhile, says he never requested one.

“Stop with the word play! I never asked for it,” Newton wrote in an Instagram reply to the Panthers in his signature mangled text. “There is no dodging this one: I love the Panthers to death and will always love you guys! Please do not try and play me, or manipulate the narrative and act like I wanted this. You forced me into this!”

Like it or not, Newton probably won’t be left with much choice. It sounds like the Panthers are already eyeing potential replacements, as the organization has been connected to veteran Teddy Bridgewater. If the front office misses out on a quarterback in free agency, they could turn their focus to the draft, where they own the seventh-overall pick.

While injuries have derailed Newton’s production in recent years, he’s still a former MVP, and he also led the Panthers to the Super Bowl. He’s slated to make just $18.6MM this season, making him a fairly affordable bridge option for a QB-needy team.

Newton was limited to only two games in 2019, but he did make 14 starts in 2018. That season, he connected on a career-high 67.9-percent of his passes for 3,395 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. While he’s not nearly as prolific in the running game as he once was, he still managed to compile 488 rushing yards and four scores on 101 attempts.

Seahawks Re-Sign Luke Willson

March 17th, 2020 at 10:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks are holding on to Luke Willson. The tight end – with help from the Ultimate Warrior – confirmed that he’ll return to Seattle in 2020, via Twitter.

Willson, a 2013 fifth-round pick, spent the first five years of his career with the Seahawks. That streak was interrupted in 2018 when he spent one year with the Lions.

In Detroit, he saw time in 14 games and notched 13 catches for 87 yards. Then, in March of 2019, he had a cup of coffee with the Raiders before missing the final cut. In September of last year, he circled back to the Seahawks and went on to appear in eight games.

Willson finished out ’19 with eight catches for 79 yards. For his career, he has 110 grabs for 1,295 yards and eleven scores.

Giants To Sign TE Levine Toilolo

March 17th, 2020 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have agreed to sign former 49ers tight end Levine Toilolo, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Toilolo will help fill the void following the retirement of veteran Rhett Ellison.

Toilolo, 29 in July, spent the first five years of his career with the Falcons and joined the Lions for his sixth season. Last year, he hooked on with the Niners on a one-year deal.

Like Ellison, Toilolo has built a rep for his blocking ability. He’s also flashed some catching ability in the past – with Atlanta in 2014, he hauled in 31 catches for 238 yards. And, in 2016, he stretched the field a bit with a 20.3 yards-per-catch average on a limited sample of receptions. In 2018, with the Lions, he had 21 catches for 263 yards.

The Giants have had a busy start to the week. Already, they’ve agreed to deals with former Packers linebacker Blake Martinez and ex-Panthers cornerback James Bradberry.

Patriots Interested In Teddy Bridgewater

March 17th, 2020 at 10:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have shown interest in Saints free agent Teddy Bridgewater, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Pats, of course, are in the market for a quarterback after Tom Brady announced that he’ll be heading elsewhere in 2020.

Bridgewater has started in just six games since January of 2016, but he’s also made a complete recovery from his devastating injury. Many believe that Bridgewater can thrive if given the opportunity to start. By extension, there are also many who are questioning the Saints’ decision to move forward with Taysom Hill as the main backup and heir apparent to Drew Brees instead of the proven vet.

Last year, Bridgewater went 5-0 as the Saints’ starter, filling in for Brees while he was sidelined. His performance has made him an appealing option for lots of teams – including the Panthers – so the Pats will have their work cut out for them.

Before the injury, Bridgewater started 28 games for the Vikings from 2014-15, averaging 3,075 yards, 14 touchdowns, and ten interceptions per season. Among the 30 QBs who attempted at least 500 passes in those two seasons, Bridgewater ranked 22nd in passer rating, 25th in adjusted net yards per attempt, and 29th in touchdown percentage.

Lions To Sign Chase Daniel

March 17th, 2020 at 10:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have agreed to sign Chase Daniel, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). It’ll be a three-year, $13.05MM deal for the former Bears quarterback and, interestingly, Schefter hears that the deal will include a voidable clause.

Daniel joined the Bears on a two-year deal back in 2018 – a pact that also included a void clause. The provision works in Daniel’s favor. If he breaks out a la Nick Foles, he can cash in on the open market. If he remains as a steady clipboard-holding hand, the Lions will get to keep him at a reasonable rate for a respected backup.

Daniel represents a fascinating case in the NFL. At the age of 33 (he’ll be 34 in October), he’s started in just five career NFL games. Still, coaches love his talent and his locker room leadership, so he has cashed in with various clubs in recent years.

Last year, Daniel’s lone start came against the Raiders – the Bears lost that game 24-21. In 2018 (just a few starts ago) he led the Bears to victory over the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

Panthers Give Cam Newton Permission To Seek Trade

March 17th, 2020 at 10:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers may be moving on from Cam Newton. On Tuesday, the club announced that they have granted their star quarterback permission to seek a trade.

“One of the distinct pleasures of my career was selecting Cam with the first pick in the 2011 draft,” GM Marty Hurney said in a statement. “Every year difficult decisions are made and they are never easy. We have been working with Cam and his agent to find the best fit for him moving forward and he will always be a Carolina Panther in our hearts.”

Newton, 31 in May, captured the NFL’s MVP trophy in 2015 and led the team to the Super Bowl. He also owns just about every franchise record for QBs.

Unfortunately, injuries have taken his career in a different direction as of late. The three-time Pro Bowler has gone under the knife multiple times, including surgeries to his throwing shoulder and left foot.

Newton may have lost some of his luster, but he should still hold appeal for teams in need of QB help. He’s slated to make just $18.6MM this season, making him a fairly affordable bridge option.

Any interested clubs will want to take a close look at his aforementioned maladies. At last check, we heard that Newton could ready to throw sometime this month, though the Panthers were planning to be cautious with him and delay some of his work until later in the spring.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are showing very strong interest in quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, sources tell Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). They’ll have competition for Teddy Two-Gloves, however – the Bears have shown interest (though they seem ready to pivot towards other passers) and the Bucs also see him as a strong fallback if they’re unable to land Tom Brady.

If the Panthers don’t go for Bridgewater, or another one of this year’s high-profile free agent QBs, they could consider a passer in the first round of the draft. The Panthers own the No. 7 overall pick, putting them in good position for most of this year’s top signal callers.

Bills To Sign Mario Addison

March 17th, 2020 at 10:03am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have agreed to a three-year deal with defensive end Mario Addison, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal is yet another example of the power of networking – Buffalo’s “Carolina North” leadership was happy to reunite with the veteran.

Addison is coming up on his age-33 season, but he’s shown that he has plenty of football left in the tank. Last year, he tallied 9.5 sacks. And, in each of the past four seasons, he’s had at least nine sacks. His durability isn’t in question, either – he’s missed just one game over the past three years with strong attendance dating back to his first season as an NFL regular with the Panthers back in 2013.

Addison will help soften the blow after the Bills lost Shaq Lawson to the Dolphins. He might not be a one-for-one replacement, but he should be able to keep the pressure on, alongside Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy, and the rest of the gang.

Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.

Dolphins To Sign Emmanuel Ogbah

March 17th, 2020 at 9:51am CST by Zachary Links

Emmanuel Ogbah has agreed to terms with the Dolphins on a two-year deal, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The defensive end will earn $15MM on the contract, with $7.5MM of it fully guaranteed.

Ogbah was shipped from the Browns to the Chiefs in April of last year, thanks in part to brokering by agent Drew Rosenhaus. Unfortunately, his season was halted midway when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in November.

Ogbah had 5.5 sacks on the year before going down, leading the team at the time of his injury. Now, the former second-round pick is taking his talents to South Beach.

The Dolphins have been busy this week. Yesterday, they inked former Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy (which came with the bonus of taking him away from the rival Jets). They also fortified their secondary by agreeing to terms with former Cowboys corner Byron Jones.

Saints, Drew Brees Agree To Deal

March 17th, 2020 at 9:40am CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here. Drew Brees and the Saints have agreed to a brand new deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Brees has re-upped with the team on a two-year, $50MM deal. Long ago, he confirmed that he would not be leaving the Saints, so it was just a matter of years and money.

The 19-year veteran turned down a two-year, $60M fully guaranteed deal from the Cardinals in 2018 to sign with the Saints, and he’s back on the same terms — two years, $50MM — he signed for then. This will almost certainly allow Brees to finish his career in New Orleans.

Brees, 41, is still playing at an extremely high level. The Saints, meanwhile, are also looking ahead. They’ll pass the torch from Brees to Taysom Hill this year – all while moving on from proven vet Teddy Bridgewater.

This is the fifth contract Brees has signed with New Orleans. Arriving in 2006, Brees has become by far the best and most important player in franchise history. He has become the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes and moved the Saints’ playoff win total from one to nine.

The future first-ballot Hall of Famer finished second in the 2018 MVP voting and looked sharp upon returning from his thumb injury last season, completing 74% of his throws for a second straight season and throwing 27 touchdown passes in just 11 games. While he may cede more time to Hill this season, the Saints’ best chance at another Super Bowl title will almost certainly involve Brees.