HEADLINES

Month: June 2021

Pro Football Rumors Seeking Part-Time Writer

June 5th, 2021 at 8:38pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re looking to add a part-time contributor to the Pro Football Rumors writing team. The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NFL teams, with no discernible bias.
  • Knowledge of the salary cap and transaction-related concepts.
  • At least some college education.
  • Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
  • Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
  • Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
  • Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
  • Ability to use Twitter is crucial.
  • Strong weekend availability is crucial. You must be available to work between 1pm-4pm central time on Sundays and frequently be available to work between 5-11 pm CT on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
  • Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.

If you’re interested, email pfrapplications@gmail.com by June 17th and take a couple of paragraphs to explain why you qualify and stand out. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.

Seahawks Not Serious Julio Jones Suitors?

June 5th, 2021 at 4:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks entered the draft with one of the NFL’s best wide receiver tandems, and they added to their Tyler Lockett–D.K. Metcalf crew by taking D’Wayne Eskridge in the second round. But Seattle surfaced as a Julio Jones suitor last week, joining a few other teams. That pursuit appears to be thinning, however.

Due to a few factors, the Seahawks do not appear to be a top-tier Jones suitor. Their discussions of a potential trade for the All-Pro wideout stemmed more from due diligence than serious interest, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com notes. The past several days have seen this race dwindle to the point it may be a one-on-one showdown — between the 49ers and Titans — though there is always the possibility a stealth team looms.

[RELATED: Rams Out On Julio Jones?]

In addition to having already traded their 2022 first-round pick (in the Jamal Adams swap), the Seahawks are toward the bottom in cap space — at just more than $7MM. For the team to trade for Jones, it would likely need the Falcons to pick up part of his $15.3MM salary, Henderson tweets. Thus far, however, the Falcons have not shown a desire to do so. They remain on the hunt for a first-round pick, though a second-rounder may now be acceptable. While the Seahawks have not been shy about including high picks in trades under their Pete Carroll–John Schneider regime — as the deals for Percy Harvin, Jimmy Graham and Adams have shown — money complicates this situation.

Restructuring Russell Wilson or Bobby Wagner‘s contract would free up cap space for the Seahawks, but the team does not appear eager to go that route. Jones has more than $38MM remaining on his through-2023 contract, but the 32-year-old superstar may well want yet another new deal after being dealt. The Falcons gave its seven-time Pro Bowl pass catcher a wideout-record three-year, $66MM pact in 2019. Atlanta’s new regime views that contract as one that can be moved to help the team’s cap situation.

Both the Rams and Ravens have stepped back on Jones, and it does not sound like the Patriots are eager to part with a key trade chip for the 10-year veteran. Like the Seahawks, each team made big moves at receiver this offseason. In addition to using their top 2021 pick on Eskridge, the Seahawks gave Lockett a four-year, $69MM extension. Jones could work alongside Metcalf and Lockett, with the latter playing in the slot, while Eskridge develops. But at this point, it looks like the Seahawks will sit out the Jones sweepstakes.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Newton, Bills

June 5th, 2021 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although several veterans made a point to skip OTAs this year, Jamison Crowder is away from his team because of a contract issue. The Jets want their leading receiver of the past two seasons to accept a pay cut. Robert Saleh said the veteran slot receiver “definitely” has a role on the 2021 Jets, but SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes the pay reduction the Jets have in mind is “significant.” It would be interesting to see what the Jets do if Crowder balks, given their salary cap space (third-most in the NFL) and his potential value in helping Zach Wilson as a rookie. The 27-year-old wideout is due a $10MM base salary this season, which is the final year of his contract. GM Joe Douglas was not around when Crowder signed with the Jets, and the team used a second-round pick on presumptive Crowder slot successor Elijah Moore. The Ole Miss product stands to cut into Crowder’s workload this season, Vacchiano adds, so the Jets would appear to be comfortable moving on.

Crowder may end up hitting free agency at an inopportune time, should he not approve the team’s pay-cut request. If the Jets release Crowder, they would not incur any dead money. Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • The hand injury Cam Newton suffered will end up impacting his offseason status. The Patriots quarterback is expected to miss time, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. Given Newton’s extensive injury history, this would be notable even without Mac Jones‘ presence. But the prospect of Jones going through the rest of OTAs and minicamp with Newton sidelined figures to impact the Pats’ quarterback competition. New England’s minicamp is scheduled to run from June 14-16.
  • Staying on the quarterback subject, the Jets may need to consider an addition. Wilson’s two backups — 2020 fourth-round pick James Morgan and former UDFA Mike White — are not ready for a QB2 role, Connor Hughes of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The Jets, in Hughes’ view, need to acquire Nick Foles from the Bears. Douglas was with the Eagles during Foles’ memorable second Philadelphia stint, and Foles has become a nonfactor in Chicago. The Jets, however, are not planning any additional costly moves this year; Foles comes with an $8MM price tag. Foles-Jets buzz began brewing shortly after the Bears’ Justin Fields pick, however, and may continue if Morgan and White prove unqualified at Gang Green’s minicamp.
  • The Bills will rely on a group effort to replace Dan Morgan, who left his VP of player personnel gig in Buffalo to become Carolina’s assistant GM. Terrance Gray, Malik Boyd and ex-Texans GM Brian Gaine will split Morgan’s duties, according to Brandon Beane (via Maddy Glab of BuffaloBills.com). The Bills interviewed both Gray and Boyd and promoted each. Gray will rise from college scouting director to assistant director of player personnel; Boyd will shift from pro personnel director to senior director of pro scouting. Gaine remains in his senior personnel advisor role. Boyd interviewed for the Texans’ GM job earlier this year.
  • Buffalo also hired Princeton quality control coach Sophia Lewin as an offensive assistant, according to NFL senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion Sam Rapoport (Twitter link). Lewin and Andrea Gosper, who will rise from Bills scouting intern to player personnel coordinator for the team, caught on with the Bills through the NFL’s Women’s Careers in Football Forum.

Jets’ Mekhi Becton Suffers Foot Injury

June 5th, 2021 at 2:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of a few first-round tackles to make an impact as rookies last season, Mekhi Becton is in position to become a cornerstone player for the Jets. But Zach Wilson‘s blindside blocker will need some time off this summer.

Becton is battling a foot injury, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who tweets plantar fasciitis will keep the second-year left tackle off the field for a time. While Becton is not expected to require surgery or miss training camp time, the Jets are keeping him off his feet for the time being.

This is not the first time Becton has run into trouble on the health front since coming to the Jets. The Louisville alum missed two games with a shoulder injury last season and exited another because of a chest ailment that affected his breathing. At 6-foot-7, 364 pounds, Becton is one of the largest players in NFL history. He is believed to have played at a higher weight than listed as a rookie, according to the New York Post’s Brian Costello, who notes the Jets levied discipline for this last year.

Becton still managed to suit up for 14 games in 2020 and was one of the league’s most impressive rookies. He profiles as the long-term option here the Jets have lacked since D’Brickashaw Ferguson‘s retirement. But unavailability has become a factor early in Becton’s career. If injuries continue to pile up for the talented lineman, this will become a central issue for the team.

Packers President: Aaron Rodgers Situation “Has Divided Our Fan Base”

June 5th, 2021 at 11:53am CST by Ben Levine

It doesn’t sound like the standoff between the Packers and Aaron Rodgers will be ending any time soon. We learned recently that the organization is holding firm on their stance they will not trade their 13-year starting quarterback, and Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy reinforced that sentiment in a column on the team website.

“The situation we face with Aaron Rodgers has divided our fan base,” Murphy wrote. “The emails and letters that I’ve received reflect this fact. As I wrote here last month, we remain committed to resolving things with Aaron and want him to be our quarterback in 2021 and beyond. We are working to resolve the situation and realize that the less both sides say publicly, the better.”

We learned earlier this week that Rodgers is very likely to push his Wisconsin exit strategy into the late summer, with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports noting some close to the future Hall of Famer insist nothing has changed for him; Rodgers remains adamant he will not return to the Packers. The Packer are hoping they’ll call Rodgers’ bluff, although a a Carson Palmer-style pseudo-retirement has entered the equation.

With Rodgers having rebounded from multiple unremarkable seasons to win his third MVP, the 37-year-old passer has considerable trade value at this point. A realistic trade package is believed to require multiple first-round picks and one or multiple established starters. With or without a quarterback coming back in a trade, the Packers can be expected to land a haul for Rodgers — if they decide to entertain offers.

Julio Jones Wants To Play With “Big-Armed QB”

June 5th, 2021 at 10:42am CST by Ben Levine

Another day, another update on Julio Jones. This time, we’re learning more about what Jones is seeking from a potential suitor. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that while the wideout naturally wants to play with a contender, he also wants to play with a “big-armed QB that can deliver the deep ball.”

Jones has established himself as one of the most prolific deep threats in recent history, finishing with more than 1,300 receiving yards for six-straight seasons between 2014 and 2019. The wideout was limited to only nine games and 771 receiving yards in 2020, but his yards per reception were still on par with his career marks.

We learned this past week that the Ravens and Rams are probably out of the Jones sweepstakes, leaving the Seahawks, Titans, Patriots, and 49ers among the (reported) remaining suitors. Would the likes of Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, Cam Newton/Mac Jones, and/or Trey Lance/Jimmy Garoppolo qualify as “big-armed” QBs? It’s definitely hard to make an argument for some of those guys.

One of the Falcons’ main reasons for considering a Jones trade is because of the wideout’s hefty salary (paired with the team’s current cap issues). The team still hasn’t inked any of their rookies (including fourth-overall pick Kyle Pitts) to contracts, but Fowler tweets that several of the agents of these rookies are aware that the team is in a bit of a holding pattern. The team is currently sitting with only $446K in cap space.

WFT RB Antonio Gibson Still Dealing With Toe Injury

June 5th, 2021 at 9:50am CST by Ben Levine

Antonio Gibson is still dealing with a toe injury that knocked him out of two games last season. The WFT running back told reporters that he’s still a bit hobbled, but he’s been able to participate in recent practices.

“It was something small that was causing me not to be able to run 100 percent,” Gibson said, (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post on Twitter). “But I’m fine now. I’ve been cutting in practice … and getting better each day. … Definitely something to monitor. I’ve been fine like I said. I’ve been cutting and running full speed, making cuts I need to make. … But I definitely got to watch and make sure I stay up on my treatment, so nothing goes south. But definitely watching throughout the time until I’m 100 percent.”

The fact that the coaching staff isn’t sitting Gibson is obviously a good sign, and assuming the 22-year-old running back fully recovers, he should be able to build on a standout rookie season. The third-round pick ended up finishing his season with 1,042 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. He missed Week 14 and Week 15 as he dealt with the toe injury.

If Gibson is forced to miss any time, Washington has a long list of veteran RBs who they could fall back on. The team is rostering the likes of J.D. McKissic, Peyton Barber, and Lamar Miller.

Corey Peters, Cardinals Have Discussed New Deal

June 5th, 2021 at 9:03am CST by Ben Levine

Corey Peters‘ stint with the Cardinals may not be finished after all. The veteran nose tackle told Sports Illustrated that he’s discussed re-signing with Arizona.

“We’ve talked, but my options are open,” the 32-year-old said. “I’m looking forward to whatever opportunity presents itself . . . I put roots down here, my home is here, so I would love to stay. And then also my community work; I really have a special connection to the south Phoenix community. I’d love to be here, but I understand the business part of it and it is what it is. And at the end of the day, we will do what’s best for us. Just as I expect the teams to do what’s best for them.”

Following a five-year stint with the Falcons to begin his career, Peters has been with the Cardinals organization since 2015. While he sat out his first season in Arizona, he’s otherwise had a consistent role on their defense, collecting eight sacks and 26 tackles for loss in 67 games. Unfortunately, Peters’ 2020 season was cut short after he suffered a season-ending knee injury, and teams are presumably taking a cautious approach as they see how the defensive lineman recovers.

For what it’s worth, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury also made it sound like he’d welcome re-signing Peters.

“We’re always looking to add talent; we know what Corey’s about,” said Kingsbury. “He was tremendous for us on and off the field, one of the great leaders in our locker room, so we’ll see how that plays out.

“And we’re excited about some of the young talent we have there as well. I thought Rashard (Lawrence) did a nice job last year stepping in. Leki (Fotu) really came a long way. And so we feel like we have some good pieces.”

This Date In Transactions History: 49ers Release Jerry Rice

June 4th, 2021 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2001 free agency period featured some key players change teams. Simeon Rice and Priest Holmes relocated and soon became All-Pros, and the Buccaneers landed eventual Super Bowl starter Brad Johnson. But the biggest name available that year was not up for debate.

Jerry Rice became a free agent 20 years ago today, and although he did not last long unattached, the legendary wide receiver hitting the market was certainly notable. The 49ers made Rice a cap casualty on June 4, 2001, taking advantage of the post-June 1 cut designation that allowed for cap relief. Because post-June 1 cuts at this point required the team to make such moves after that date, another free agency wave took place annually.

This ended Rice’s storied 49ers tenure, which lasted 16 years and saw the eventual 20-year veteran set every major career receiving record there is. Rice signed a seven-year, $32MM contract in the summer of 1996; that deal was set to take him through the 2003 season. The 49ers and their all-time great agreed to multiple restructures, including a redo in 2000. Rice said at the time of the last restructure he wanted to finish his career in San Francisco, but that did not end up coming to pass.

The 49ers prepared for this transaction months ahead of it transpiring. Their Week 16 game against the Bears in 2000 doubled as “Jerry Rice Day,” with the then-38-year-old receiver playing his final game as a 49er at Candlestick Park. Terrell Owens, closing out his fifth season with the 49ers, did some reasonable upstaging by catching 20 passes to break the NFL’s then-50-year-old single-game reception record. A 1996 third-round pick who would end up following Rice to Canton, Owens earned the first of his five first-team All-Pro honors that season and had entrenched himself as San Francisco’s No. 1 wideout entering the 2000s. The last of Rice’s NFL-record 10 first-team All-Pro nods came in 1996.

Rice’s exit marked the end of a 49ers era, one that rapidly wound down after Steve Young sustained a career-ending injury in September 1999. Rice was to earn a $4.1MM salary in 2001, and although his first Raiders contract — a four-year, $5.4MM pact — called for him to make just $1.4MM that season, the veteran landed on his feet in Oakland. After playing on a 6-10 Niners team in 2000, Rice ended up helping the Raiders make the playoffs over the next two years.

He agreed to terms with the Raiders a day after his 49ers release, joining the Silver and Black ahead of what would be Jon Gruden‘s final season (of his first Raiders stay, that is). After back-to-back years in which he was held under 900 receiving yards, Rice rebounded with consecutive 1,100-plus-yard seasons in Oakland. The second of those, during the Raiders’ 2002 AFC championship campaign, produced his 14th and final Pro Bowl invite at age 40. The Raiders gave Rice a six-year, $30MM extension in 2003.

Jets Sign Fourth-Round RB Michael Carter

June 4th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Jets still have higher-profile rookie contracts to finalize, they are done with the Michael Carter section of their rookie deals. The first of the team’s two Michael Carters chosen, the fourth-round running back signed his four-year rookie pact Friday.

This comes nearly a month after fifth-round defensive back Michael Carter agreed to terms. These two played against one another in the ACC and both have paths to immediate playing time. A former North Carolina running back, this Michael Carter figures to become a higher-profile name sooner — perhaps due to the fantasy realm.

Carter split time with Broncos second-round pick Javonte Williams with the Tar Heels and ripped off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons to close his college career. The 5-foot-7, 201-pound back delivered an efficient senior season, averaging 8.0 yards per carry to reach 1,245 and nine touchdowns for a potent Tar Heels ground attack.

The Jets signed Tevin Coleman this offseason, and although the former Falcons and 49ers back has extensive experience working with OC Mike LaFleur, he has battled constant injury trouble over the past two seasons. Carter, who figures to compete for playing time ahead of his rookie season, also joins 2020 fourth-round pick La’Mical Perine in the Jets’ post-Le’Veon Bell backfield.

Of the Jets’ 10-man draft class, seven members have signed. Only the team’s first- and second-rounders — Zach Wilson,Alijah Vera-Tucker and Elijah Moore — are unsigned.

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