2021 June - Pro Football Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: Chiefs Release Jeremy Maclin

June 2nd, 2021 at 9:06am CST by Zachary Links

Four years ago today, the Chiefs shocked everyone with their release of Jeremy Maclin. Despite a down 2016, Maclin still profiled as one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL and was slated to enter the year as the Chiefs No. 1 wideout. Instead of waiting to see what the 29-year-old could do, they opted for more cap space and more targets for their younger receivers, including second-year pro Tyreek Hill.

At the time of his release, Maclin was not far removed from his 1,000+-yard 2015 season, or even his stellar 2014 with the Eagles, when he set a career high of 1,318 yards. His 2015 debut with Kansas City was, in some respects, even more impressive – Maclin caught 70.2% of his targets, easily topping his career 61.3% mark.

Still, the Chiefs saw an opportunity to save in an area where they already had a surplus of talent. Dropping Maclin saved the club $10MM in cap room with just $2.4MM left in dead money. The move made sense from a club perspective, but the timing was less-than-fair for the veteran.

Had he been released in March, Maclin would have had an opportunity to secure a solid multi-year payday. The league wasn’t all that juiced about the free agent WR market that offseason – Alshon Jeffery led the way with a one-year, $14MM deal and Terrelle Pryor settled for a one-year, $6MM deal, despite his camp’s best efforts to position him as an eight-figure salary player. In June, he was viewed as the bell of the ball, ahead of options like Anquan Boldin, Steve Johnson, Eddie Royal, and Marquess Wilson. But, most of the money had already dried up. He wound up signing with the Ravens on a two-year, $11MM deal.

Maclin never got the opportunity to justify his hefty five-year, $55MM pact in KC, and he clearly wasn’t the same player when he moved on to Baltimore. He finished out with just 40 catches for 440 yards for an average of eleven yards per grab – all career lows. Then, an injury wiped out his 2018 season. In 2019, Maclin wasn’t able to scare up much interest as a free agent, so he retired at the age of 30.

The decision to drop Maclin was puzzling at the time, but it’s hard to argue with the call in retrospect. Hill went on to have a breakout 2017 with 75 catches, 1,183 yards, and seven touchdowns. And, in the last two years, their explosive offense has propelled them to two AFC titles and one Super Bowl ring.

Panthers Executive Leaving Organization

June 1st, 2021 at 10:36pm CST by Ben Levine

One of Matt Rhule‘s right-hand men is leaving the Panthers. Joseph Person of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that vice president of football operations Sean Padden has left the organization “to pursue other opportunities.”

Padden had worked alongside Rhule since 1998 when the two were at Albright College (h/t to Charean Williams). The duo moved on to Temple starting in 2013, and they later joined Baylor, where Padden served as the Associate Athletic Director for Football Operations. When Rhule was hired as the Panthers new head coach in 2020, Padden soon followed.

The Panthers made another front office move today, promoting Mike Anderson to director of football operations. The executive had previously served as the Panthers assistant director of operations, and he’s been with the organization since 2010. He’ll be taking over the role previous held by Bryan Porter.

Rams Sign Fourth-Round CB Robert Rochell

June 1st, 2021 at 9:28pm CST by Ben Levine

The Rams are just about finished signing their draft class. The team announced this evening that they inked fourth-round cornerback Robert Rochell to his rookie pact.

The six-foot-two, 195-pound defensive back spent five seasons at Central Arkansas (including a redshirt freshman year), earning First team All-Southland honors in 2019. He ultimately finished his collegiate career having collected 77 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 25 passes defended. Despite being limited on only seven games in 2020, Rochell still participated in the 2021 Senior Bowl.

Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams are atop the Rams depth chart, but Rochell should have an opportunity to compete with the likes of Donte Deayon and David Long for backup reps.

With the signing, the Rams have signed all but three of their rookies:

Round 2: No. 57 Tutu Atwell, WR (Louisville) (signed)
Round 3: No. 103 Ernest Jones, LB (South Carolina)
Round 4: No. 117 Bobby Brown, DT (Texas A&M)
Round 4: No.141 Jacob Harris, WR (UCF)
Round 5: No. 174 (from Bills via Texans) Earnest Brown IV, DL (Northwestern) (signed)
Round 7: No. 233 (from Bengals via Texans) Jake Funk, RB (Maryland) (signed)
Round 7: No. 249 (from Titans via Jaguars) Ben Skowonek, WR (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 7: No. 252 Chris Garrett, LB (Concordia-St. Paul) (signed)

Panthers Waive QB Tommy Stevens

June 1st, 2021 at 8:06pm CST by Ben Levine

Tommy Stevens brief stint with the Panthers has come to an end. The team announced that they’ve waived the quarterback. The team signed rookie wideout C.J. Saunders to take the open roster spot.

Stevens was in and out of the lineup during his time at Penn State and Mississippi State, but he showed promise both with his arm and on the ground. Thanks to that potential, he was drafted by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2020 draft…but the team made the bold decision of switching him to tight end. He didn’t end up making New Orleans active roster, but he did stick around their practice squad for most of the campaign.

He later caught on with the Panthers (as a quarterback), and he ended up making his NFL debut in Carolina’s Week 17 loss to the Saints. Stevens got four carries in that game for 24 rushing yards.

With the move, the Panthers are now rostering three quarterbacks: Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker, and Will Grier.

Saunders was a former walk-on cornerback at Ohio State, but he ended up transforming into one of the team’s most reliable receivers. He had 27 receptions in two seasons at Ohio State, and he was named a captain in 2019 before succumbing to an injury. He spent rookie minicamp with the Falcons organization.

This Date In Transactions History: Rams Release Kurt Warner

June 1st, 2021 at 6:40pm CST by Ben Levine

One of the best rags-to-riches tales in NFL history (temporarily) came to an end on this date 17 years ago. While no one knew it at the time, the story still had years to go before its conclusion. On June 1, 2004, the Rams released veteran quarterback Kurt Warner.

Warner, of course, went from an undrafted free agent and Arena Football League standout to NFL MVP. By the end of the 2003 campaign, Warner had easily cemented himself as one of the top athletes in St. Louis history. After getting thrust into the Rams starting lineup in 1999, the QB would go on to win a pair of MVPs, twice lead the NFL in touchdowns, and win a Super Bowl (along with a Super Bowl MVP). However, the wheels started to come off a bit during the 2002 season. Warner was limited to only six starts that season, with the Rams going 0-6 in those contests.

Warner was the starter to begin the 2003 campaign, but it somehow got worse. During his lone start, he had six fumbles, leading to his official benching. Meanwhile, fill-in Marc Bulger guided the Rams to a 12-3 record as a starter, cementing his spot as the Rams’ QB of the future. As a result, Warner found himself on the outs in St. Louis.

The writing was on the wall during the 2004 offseason. The Rams organization continued to work on a long-term pact with Bulger, and they also signed Chris Chandler to serve as the backup play-caller. So, with the June 1 deadline officially passing, the Rams decided to move on from Warner on this date in 2004. The move saved the Rams about $4.8MM in cap room while costing them about the same amount in dead cap, and they had to eat another $6MM-plus in 2005.

While Warner was reportedly seeking a starting gig following his release, he ultimately settled into a backup role as Eli Manning‘s mentor with the Giants. Warner actually had a chance to start at the beginning of the year, and he showed some improvement from his dreadful 2002 and 2003 campaigns. Still, he only finished with six touchdowns in nine starts, and the Giants voided the second-year of the QB’s contract at the conclusion of the season.

Warner added another chapter to his story in 2005. The veteran joined the Cardinals, and while he’d eventually earn a place in Arizona lore, it took a while for him to fully secure the starting gig. Thanks in part to injuries and the team’s desire to play top draft picks (including Matt Leinart), Warner only saw time in 16 games through his first two seasons with the organization, collecting a 3-12 record.

However, Warner experienced a career turnaround in 2007; his 27 touchdowns were his highest total since 2001. Then, Warner truly put himself back on the NFL map in 2008, earning a Pro Bowl nod after completing 67.1-percent of his passes for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns. More importantly, he guided his team to the Super Bowl, where he eventually lost to the Steelers. 2009 was another standout season for Warner, as he tossed 26 touchdowns while leading the Cardinals to a 10-5 record. However, that iteration of the Cardinals got blown out in the Divisional Round, and Warner announced his retirement soon after the season.

While no one thought Warner’s career was finished when he was released by the Rams on this date in 2004, few pundits probably envisioned him returning to the Pro Bowl, much less the Super Bowl. Just like Warner did during the early parts of his career, the QB managed to persevere and surprise during the second-half of his storied career.

Ravens Sign DL Jovan Swann

June 1st, 2021 at 5:30pm CST by Ben Levine

After losing one defensive lineman to injury last week, the Ravens are adding another. The team announced today that they’ve signed defensive lineman Jovan Swann. The team also waived/injured defensive tackle Xavier Kelly and wide receiver Donte Sylencieux.

Swann had a standout career at Stanford, and he earned a handful of Pac-12 All-Academic nods during his stint with the Cardinal. He spent the 2020 campaign at Indiana, finishing the season with three QB hits. During his collegiate career, the lineman compiled 8.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.

Swann ultimately went undrafted during April’s draft, and he’s already bounced around the NFL a bit. He spent rookie camp with the Steelers before getting a workout with the Texans.

Kelly, a fellow undrafted rookie, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury last week, opening a spot for Swann. The team may not be finished adding, however; we learned earlier today that the team worked out defensive tackle Darius Kilgo.

Sylencieux joined the Ravens earlier this offseason, reuniting him with high school teammate Lamar Jackson.

49ers Cut Josh Johnson

June 1st, 2021 at 3:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have released quarterback Josh Johnson (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). In a related move, the Niners have added wide receiver Andy Jones to their 90-man offseason roster.

Johnson, who just turned 35, hooked on with the 49ers last November. Previous to that, he was last seen with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL. He could have been on an NFL roster sooner — the Lions offered him a contract, but the XFL stepped in and blocked it.

Over the years, Johnson has signed deals with 13 different teams. That includes multiple stints with the 49ers in 2012, 2014, and 2020. It remains to be seen whether Johnson will pursue another season in the league, but there’s always a market for experienced QBs like him.

Of course, Johnson’s odds of making the final cut weren’t all that great anyway. The 49ers have Jimmy Garoppolo installed as their starter with first-round pick Trey Lance waiting in the wings. That leaves Nick Mullens and Josh Rosen to compete for one — or perhaps zero — QB spots on the 53-man roster.

Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger On Pay Cut, Future

June 1st, 2021 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Ben Roethlisberger is back for his 18th season with the Steelers. It’s fair to wonder if this is his last, but Big Ben says he’s taking things one step at a time, like always.

“I’m going to approach this like I do every season: like it’s my last,” Roethlisberger said (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Aditi Kinkhabwala). “I think that’s the approach you have to take, and you don’t approach it that way because it could be your last, but you approach it because every single play in the game of football could be your last…That just means I’m going out to give it everything I have. I’ve never looked toward the future. I’ve always looked toward the right here and now. That’s what’s important for me for this season is giving everything I have right here and right now for this group of guys.”

After being limited to just two games in 2019, Roethlisberger struggled throughout 2020. After the season, he agreed to slash his salary by $5MM. Many believed that the Steelers would have gone in another direction otherwise. But, according to Big Ben, he volunteered to do it.

“(The pay cut) was my idea,” he said. “I told them I wanted to help the team out however we can, and so I went to them and told them I would do whatever I could to help the team sign the guys that are going to help us win football games….I wanted to come back to be a part of what I think is a special football team that everyone’s overlooking. In order to do that, to help get guys here, I felt that it was necessary to do that.”

Whether it was the Steelers’ idea or Big Ben’s idea, the speculation can be put in the rear view mirror. Roethlisberger is set to lead the way once again in 2020 and, thanks to JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s own home team discount, he’ll have his top target along for the ride.

Ravens Work Out Darius Kilgo

June 1st, 2021 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Darius Kilgo worked out for the Ravens on Tuesday (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Kilgo, who spent the bulk of last year on the Broncos’ taxi squad, profiles as a low-cost and low-risk addition for the Ravens’ 90-man roster.

A 2015 sixth-round pick, Kilgo was a member of that Broncos Super Bowl-winning squad. The 29-year-old hasn’t done a whole lot since getting released by Denver during the ’16 season, however — he compiled five tackles in eleven games for the Titans in 2018, but hasn’t seen live action outside of that. In recent years, he’s also had stints with the Patriots (where he earned a second Super Bowl ring), Jaguars, Titans, and Lions.

In other Ravens news — they could be a team to watch in the Julio Jones sweepstakes. Granted, they’ll only make a move if the price is right. At last check, the Falcons have set the asking price at a first-round pick. Meanwhile, some believe that Jones will want his new team to give him a new deal with more in the way of guarantees.

49ers Audition Delanie Walker

June 1st, 2021 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Delanie Walker could be set for another stint with the 49ers. On Wednesday, the free agent tight end will workout for head coach Kyle Shanahan & Co., according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).

In August of last year, the Ravens and Patriots both expressed interest in Walker. However, he skipped the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave him an opportunity to get back to 100% health. That’s good news, because the final couple of seasons with the Titans were marred by injuries.

A late-bloomer, Walker never did a ton as a receiver during his first seven years in the NFL with the 49ers. Then, in 2013, he hooked on with the Titans and became one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL for a half decade, making three straight Pro Bowls from 2015-17.

An ankle injury limited him to only one game in 2018, and more ankle issues limited him to seven in 2019. In his last healthy season in 2017, he had 74 catches for 807 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll turn 37 in August, but he could be a solid supporting TE to star George Kittle.