2020 March - Pro Football Rumors

Jets To Release CB Trumaine Johnson

March 9th, 2020 at 9:56am CST by Sam Robinson

A Jets long-anticipated Jets transaction will commence soon. The Jets have informed Trumaine Johnson he will be released, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports.

The Jets signed Johnson to a monster contract in 2018, but injuries and ineffectiveness have marred the cornerback’s post-Rams career. Johnson’s $11MM 2020 base salary would have become guaranteed on March 20.

This move is not especially advantageous to the Jets, who will eat $12MM in dead money while reaping just $3MM in cap savings. A new CBA being agreed to will allow the Jets to designate Johnson as a post-June 1 release, thus spreading out the cap hit over multiple years. If the players do not ratify the CBA proposal, the Jets will be tagged with that $12MM this year since post-June 1 cuts are not permitted in a CBA’s final year.

Since-fired GM Mike Maccagnan signed Johnson for five years and $72.5MM two years ago. After an appearance on the Forbes list due to his back-to-back franchise tags with the Rams from 2016-17, Johnson intercepted four passes in 10 games with the Jets in 2018 but made just five starts last season. Johnson dealt with a quad injury in 2018 and went on IR midway through last season.

The Jets hoped Johnson reuniting with ex-Rams DC Gregg Williams would reignite the veteran defender, Mehta adds, but nothing of that sort transpired. Pro Football Focus viewed Johnson’s 2019 play as having fallen off considerably compared to his first seven NFL seasons, and Adam Gase benched him during the campaign. The Jets attempted to trade him at last year’s deadline but predictably found no taker for his contract, which contained $34MM in guarantees.

Although Johnson did not make a Pro Bowl with the Rams, he commanded two franchise-tag salaries after the team moved to Los Angeles. However, the Jets’ decision to sign him will go down as another major Jets misstep during Maccagnan’s run. The bulk of the Jets’ major veteran investments under Joe Douglas‘ predecessor have either failed — Johnson, Darrelle Revis, Muhammad Wilkerson — or not taken off (Le’Veon Bell, C.J. Mosley).

The Jets are expected to be active in free agency again this year, and cornerback will be one of Gang Green’s goals when the market opens.

Giants, Leonard Williams Not Close On Deal

March 9th, 2020 at 9:17am CST by Sam Robinson

Five-plus months after making a surprising trade for contract-year defensive lineman Leonard Williams, the Giants still have some work to do to re-sign him. The sides are not close on an extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The former top-10 pick is expected to have a strong market in free agency, and Rapoport adds that the franchise tag remains a possibility. The Giants stand to hold more than $70MM in cap space but have many needs.

Dave Gettleman said earlier this year that Williams wanted to re-sign with the Giants. Williams, however, said he would not do so without a top-tier deal. The Giants traded for Williams just before the deadline. If the Giants extend Williams before free agency opens, they owe the Jets third- and fourth-round picks. If no extension occurs in that time, the compensation drops to third- and fifth-round selections.

The prospect of a Williams re-up with the Giants may stand at 50-50, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Big Blue has been linked to Jadeveon Clowney in free agency while also not being prepared to give him a top-market deal. Given that the Giants’ present strength on defense resides up front — where Dexter Lawrence and Dalvin Tomlinson are under contract — it would be interesting to see them hand Williams a major extension and pass on Clowney, who has the Giants on his short list. With B.J. Hill also in the fold, it can be argued the Giants should pass on a long-term Williams deal and devote money to other needs.

Nevertheless, the Giants want to retain Williams. This makes sense given that they dealt a third-rounder and change for him despite not being a contending team last season. Williams recorded career-low numbers in sacks (0.5) and quarterback hits (11) last season and has not delivered on the promise he carried into the 2015 draft, when the Jets selected him at No. 5 overall. Williams, however, is just 25 and has a Pro Bowl on his resume. He also registered a career-high 25 QB hits in 2017 and, lack of sacks notwithstanding, has graded fairly well in the view of Pro Football Focus throughout his career.

Bills To Sign Josh Norman

March 9th, 2020 at 8:19am CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Norman will attempt to bounce back with some familiar personnel. The former Panthers and Redskins cornerback agreed to terms with the Bills on a one-year deal, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The contract is worth $6MM but could climb to $8MM based on incentives, Garafolo notes. This will reunite Norman with former Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and ex-Carolina assistant GM Brandon Beane. The top two members of Buffalo’s power structure were with Carolina throughout Norman’s Panthers tenure. Beane revealed the Bills were interested last month.

Several teams expressed some degree of interest, which helps explain the $6MM Bills proposal, but Garafolo adds (via Twitter) Norman opted for Buffalo because of his familiarity with McDermott’s system and the presence of top-tier cornerback Tre’Davious White.

Washington released Norman earlier this year, cutting ties with what was the league’s top cornerback contract for years. The 32-year-old defender will return to the system that turned him from 2012 fifth-round pick to a first-team All-Pro.

As of now, Norman will become Buffalo’s highest-paid cornerback. While the team wants to extend White, the Bills’ CB1 remains attached to his rookie deal. The Bills have fellow rookie-contract cogs Levi Wallace and Taron Johnson in place as well, but Kevin Johnson looms as a free agent. Pro Football Focus graded Kevin Johnson as its No. 24 overall cornerback last season.

Norman dominated during the Panthers’ 2015 season, playing a key role in their run to Super Bowl 50. He intercepted four passes, taking two back for touchdowns. It remains one of the best contract-year performances in modern NFL history. The Panthers rescinded Norman’s franchise tag in April 2016, leading to his five-year, $75MM Redskins pact. He did not match that play in Washington, a tenure that ended with the Redskins benching him last season.

Norman’s $15MM-per-year deal did not produce a Pro Bowl with the Redskins, but he will land on his feet with a chance to become a supporting-caster on a talented Bills roster.

TV Negotiations Nixed Two-Bye Schedule?

March 8th, 2020 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

It seems somewhat strange the NFL is attempting to move to a 17-game season without adding an additional bye week. After such a format was initially rumored, it did not take off.

This CBA proposal includes a 17-game season — which would begin as early as 2021 — and three preseason games. The TV networks’ past stance against a double-bye schedule influenced the owners to keep the single-bye setup this time around, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets.

The NFL, which used 16-week seasons from 1978-89, introduced the 17-week campaign in 1990. In 1993, the league placed two byes on the schedule. However, the 18-week season turned out to be a one-year experiment. And TV networks’ past issues with the double-bye format look to have intervened in these CBA talks.

The league has placed obvious importance on the next round of TV deals, and Maske notes the prospect of networks remaining against the two-bye setup led to this CBA proposal not including it. NFLPA executive committee member Aaron Rodgers expressed disappointment owners did not introduce the 17-game concept until midway through the talks and offered that a 16-game season with two byes would make more sense (Twitter links via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). Word of the 17-game season did not emerge until late September — months after the talks began.

Some owners may still be holding out hope for 18 games, which would be odd given that such a format would induce a 19-week schedule ownership just opted to avoid. During these CBA talks, the players deemed the long-rumored 18-game schedule a non-starter.

Extra Points: Broncos, XFL, Vikings, Hawks

March 8th, 2020 at 9:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Derek Wolfe has made it clear for months he would like to return to the Broncos, but the eight-year veteran does not want to take a pay cut to do so, Mike Klis of 9News notes. Both Wolfe and Shelby Harris are free agents, and Klis adds the Broncos will not bring back both players. It will be an either/or setup, or the Broncos will let both walk and essentially remake their defensive line. Both were starters over the past three seasons. Wolfe has been a Denver starter since his 2012 rookie slate and joins Chris Harris in being first-stringers from the team’s Super Bowl champion defense set to hit the market. Shelby Harris, 28, joined the Broncos in 2017, after being out of football in 2016, and will be in demand on the market. The Broncos met with Wolfe’s agent at the Combine.

Denver extended Wolfe, now 29, on a four-year, $36.75MM deal in January 2016. With John Elway indicating defensive line doubles as this free agent class’ deepest position, it is certainly possible the team moves on from Wolfe rather than give him a third contract — north of that $9MM-per-year rate — as he enters his 30s.

Here is the latest from around the league:

Vikings tight end David Morgan missed all of last season because of a knee injury, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes his contract will toll to 2020. Morgan’s contract was set to expire after the 2019 season, making him a first-time free agent this year. But after spending last season on Minnesota’s PUP list, Morgan will again be tethered to the Vikings this year. The rate will depend on the CBA. If the players reject the owners’ proposal, Morgan will make $735K again. If the CBA is ratified this week, Morgan’s salary would spike to $825K. A sixth-round pick in 2016, Morgan has 16 receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown in his three seasons with the Vikings.
One of the XFL’s top players has drawn interest from the Seahawks. Seattle scouts were on hand at Saturday’s Seattle Dragons-Houston Roughnecks game, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noting they were looking into Roughnecks quarterback Phillip Walker. The former NFL practice squad passer has Houston as the XFL’s lone unbeaten, at 5-0. His last NFL connection came in a Buccaneers workout in September 2019. Walker, 24, bounced on and off the Colts’ practice squad in 2018. The Seahawks used Geno Smith as Russell Wilson‘s backup last year; he is now a free agent. XFLers cannot sign NFL deals until the XFL season ends in April.
Speaking of the XFL, their kickoff setup has drawn some notable praise. Packers president Mark Murphy is a fan of the league’s kickoffs and its post-touchdown format, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com tweets. The XFL placing 10 members of the kickoff and kick-return teams five yards across from each other naturally stands to reduce high-speed collisions the NFL has sought to minimize for years. The XFL replaced extra-point kicks with one-, two- or three-point conversions — from the 2-, 5- and 10-yard lines — in its second go-round.

Jets To Work Out OL Tristan Wirfs

March 8th, 2020 at 7:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pre-draft workout season is underway. In need at all three offensive line positions, the Jets will get started on their in-person scouting this week by working out Iowa O-lineman Tristan Wirfs, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes.

One of this draft’s high-end tackle prospects, Wirfs has also been mentioned as a player who could move to guard — like former Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff did upon being a top-five pick. The Jets’ positional view of Wirfs is not yet known, but with Gang Green needing help at tackle and guard, acquiring dependable blocking talent may be more important than landing positional fits.

Wirfs left Iowa after his junior season and wowed the Combine audience. The 320-pound lineman blazed to a 4.85-second 40-yard dash and posted a 36.5-inch vertical jump. Both numbers easily led the offensive line group in Indianapolis.

The Jets have openings at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and center; though, they want to re-sign left guard Alex Lewis. And right guard Brian Winters is a candidate to become a cap casualty. The Jets are linked to multiple high-priced free agent blockers, but new GM Joe Douglas is believed to be targeting this position with the team’s No. 11 overall pick. ESPN’s Todd McShay has Wirfs going off the board at No. 9 to the Jaguars.

POLL: Who’s The Best Free Agent Safety?

March 8th, 2020 at 5:12pm CST by Marc Delucchi

As free agency inches closer, we’ll continue previewing the impending market. One of the most interesting comparisons surrounds the safety position.

Anthony Harris and Justin Simmons are the consensus top two options at the position, but determining which should is the best option for a team in need of a new safety is a more difficult proposition. Harris, has been an established and proven veteran, while Simmons jumped to the top of the pack this year.

Harris, at 28, has ranked among the league’s best safeties in his time with the Vikings. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), Harris ranked among the five best-graded safeties in both 2018 and 2019. Over the past two seasons, he’s nabbed 9 interceptions, recorded 17 passes defended, and 106 tackles.

While Simmons does not have the longevity and track record of Harris, the Bronco graded as the 2nd best safety this season, per PFF, receiving a 90.8 grade. Simmons recorded 4 interceptions, 15 passes defended, and 93 tackles this season alone, but never graded above 80.0 prior to this season.

Most compelling to his case, at just 26 years old, Simmons could be poised to be one of the best centerfielders in football, but will teams want to gamble on that over Harris’ proven track record?

There are a number of other solid options at safety including Jimmie Ward and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but neither combine the health history and top end recent performance of Harris and Simmons.

Which safety do you prefer? Let us know in the poll below.

Who is the best impending free agent safety?

Anthony Harris 50.27% (560 votes)

Justin Simmons 49.73% (554 votes)

Total Votes: 1,114

Jeff Driskel Expected To Have Strong Market

March 8th, 2020 at 3:57pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Lions backup quarterback Jeff Driskel is expected to have a “plump” free-agent market for his services, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Birkett notes that as the NFL becomes more open to dual-threat quarterbacks, Driskel’s skill set has become more desirable to NFL teams.

The former Florida quarterback appears well-positioned to secure a backup job after vagabonding around the league since the 49ers selected him in the 6th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. After failing to make the 49ers 53-man roster, the Bengals claimed him off waivers and he served as depth in Cincinnati behind Andy Dalton and A.J. McCarron.

Following the 2017 season, McCarron signed with the Bills and Dalton became the primary backup behind Dalton. In 2018, Driskel began contributing in sub-packages where the team utilized his athleticism. An injury to Dalton allowed Driskel to make five starts as well. He finished the season completing 105 of 176 passes for 1003 yards, 6 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, with 130 rushing yards on 30 carries.

Last season, with the Lions, Driskel was the first to step in for Matthew Stafford after his injury. He made three starts before a hamstring injury of his own ended his season. He completed 62 of 105 passes for 685 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions with 151 rushing yards on 22 attempts.

No Vote On CBA Would Stifle 2020 Spending

March 8th, 2020 at 3:04pm CST by Marc Delucchi

While there are legitimate reasons for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) to reject the NFL’s proposed collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in pursuit of a better deal, a no vote would severely dampen this offseason’s free agency spending, according to a report by Mike Florio of ProFootball Talk.

Sources tell Florio that the NFLPA estimates rejecting the deal would stunt offseason spending roughly $600MM-$700MM. Since an affirmative vote on the CBA would result in an increase in the player’s portion of revenues, thus causing a relatively large spike in the salary cap over the coming years. While it would not have any immediate effects, teams would be more willing to spend now with the knowledge they would get cap relief soon.

It is worth noting, however, that the union itself seems invested in the deal’s approval since NFLPA president DeMaurice Smith has come out in favor of the deal. Thus, the NFLPA may be releasing news and notes in an attempt to sway undecided players before they vote on March 12th.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Arik Armstead

March 8th, 2020 at 1:59pm CST by Marc Delucchi

While teams will surely apply the franchise tag to a number of the best pass rushers on the market, one has seemed to receive much less buzz than warranted. 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead failed to live up to his first-round selection early in his career but has quietly become a difference-maker along the San Francisco front four.

In free agency rankings and previews Jadeveon Clowney, Shaquil Barrett, and Yannick Ngakoue have all consistently ranked ahead of the 17th overall selection in the 2015 Draft. However, there is a pretty compelling argument that Armstead is the best player of the bunch.

Few experts would argue that Armstead wasn’t the most productive of the group last season. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), Armstead was the 6th highest graded edge defender last season of the 107 qualified players. Clowney ranked 20th, Barrett ranked 25th, and Ngakoue ranked 36th. Barrett accrued a league-leading 19.5 sacks (Armstead recorded 10, Ngakoue had 8, and Clowney just 3), but recorded fewer hurries than Armstead, which tend to be more predictive of future sack production.

It seems that most experts view Armstead as a one-hit-wonder, only producing in his contract year, but the evidence is a bit more complicated. With the exception of the 2016 season (when he missed 8 games with injury), Armstead has always graded out by PFF as a solid defensive lineman (receiving grades of 79.0, 70.1, and 74.8 in 2015, 2017, and 2018) who was particularly effective against the run. There’s no denying that Armstead reached another level of productivity in 2019, but it appears a bit disingenuous to say it came entirely out of nowhere.

Most impressive of all, even as Armstead built his reputation on run-stopping ability, he has generated hurries at the greatest rate of the group, not in 2019, but over his entire career. Armstead has generated a hurry on over 9.2% of his pass-rush snaps over his career, according to PFF, none of the other three have surpassed 7.8%.

Of course, the 49ers have been especially baron along the defensive line (aside from DeForest Buckner) for most of Armstead’s career. Obviously the additions of Nick Bosa and Dee Ford this offseason turned one of the team’s previous weaknesses into its greatest strength. But, some evaluators attribute Armstead’s jump to the improvement in his teammates more than a true change in him as a player.

Injuries, which were problems for Armstead in his second and third NFL seasons, have been a nonfactor over the previous two seasons and especially this season-when he played on 912 snaps between the regular season and playoffs as a part of the 49ers NFC Championship run.

At just 26 years of age, Armstead, an Oregon alum, appears poised to enter his prime of productivity, but will the market view him that way? Or will teams remain skeptical that his elite production in 2019 is sustainable without an elite supporting cast alongside him?

The top of the market for a player like Armstead would likely approach Frank Clark‘s 5-year, $104MM contract with the Chiefs last offseason, on the flipside, Armstead’s floor is probably around his teammate Dee Ford‘s 4-year, $85MM deal. Reports have suggested the 49ers want to resign Armstead, but limited on cap space following their Super Bowl loss to Kansas City, the team will have to shuffle some money around to make a new deal feasible (ironically, a new deal for Armstead could result in the release or trade of Ford).

If they are unable to resign him, San Francisco, already short of draft capital, could very likely recoup a strong return for Armstead via a tag-and-trade move, but the team would need to clear the necessary cap space to apply the franchise tag before they made any move.

Since most focus remains on Clowney, Ngakoue, and Barrett, few rumors have tied Armstead to any other teams, but don’t be surprised if teams seem to evaluate Armstead at the same level (or maybe even above) some of the other options.