2022 March - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots To Sign Malcolm Butler

March 23rd, 2022 at 3:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Malcolm Butler is returning to where his NFL career began. The veteran cornerback is signing with the Patriots on a two-year contract worth up to $9MM (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

Butler, 32, joined the Patriots as a UDFA in 2014. The final play he made in his rookie season – the game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLIX – remains what he is best known for. From that point on, he established himself as a productive corner, earning his lone Pro Bowl nod the following season.

In 2018, the West Alabama alum signed with the Titans on a five-year, $61.25MM contract. He remained a starter throughout his his three seasons there, putting up his most productive season in 2020 with 110 tackles and four interceptions. However, he was released last offseason.

Butler then signed a contract with the Cardinals, but he stepped away from the team just before the season began. That led many to believe that his career was over, and he missed the entire 2021 campaign. However, he aimed at a comeback by visiting the Texans, then the Patriots, this month. The team is banking on Butler being able to return to his previous form, as he ranked 15th amongst corners in PFF grade (74.5) in 2020.

The signing comes after the Patriots lost J.C. Jackson to the Chargers in free agency. While Butler likely won’t replicate the statistical success of Jackson in terms of interceptions, he should bring a veteran presence to New England’s secondary, which ranked second against the pass in 2021.

Commanders Sign DE Efe Obada

March 23rd, 2022 at 2:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Efe Obada has found his latest home in the NFL. The Commanders announced on Wednesday that they are signing the veteran defensive end.

Obada, who will be 30 by the start of the 2022 season, has played four seasons in the league. The first three of those came with the Panthers, where he suited up for 42 games. The 2019 season saw him make a career-high 24 tackles, but it’s the only year in which he didn’t register a sack.

Obada’s ability to get to the quarterback was on display the following season, as he posted 5.5 sacks, to go along with a pair of forced fumbles. After signing back-to-back one-year deals to stay in Carolina, the former UDFA joined the Bills last offseason. He started one of ten games in Buffalo, registering 3.5 sacks.

Obada – who was born in Nigeria and raised in London – is best known for a unique distinction he holds. After starting his football career with the London Warriors of the British American Football Association, he entered the NFL via the International Player Pathway Program. When he successfully made the Panthers’ 53-man roster in 2018, he became the first player to do so who took that route.

Now, Obada will join a Commanders’ defensive front headed by edge rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat. Given his success as a rotational option, he should play a role in helping the unit improve on its disappointing performance in 2021.

Colin Kaepernick Drawing Interest From NFL Teams?

March 23rd, 2022 at 2:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Colin Kaepernick is reportedly catching the eye of NFL teams. As reported by TMZ, a recent workout he had with renowned trainer David Robinson has generated interest the quarterback returning to the league.

Robinson says that “multiple NFL teams have contacted him” regarding Kaepernick. More specifically, he adds that “at least” five different clubs have been in communication with him following a recent training session the two participated in at the beginning of March.

“A few teams have reached out to me and asked how his arm looked,” said Robinson, who has worked with a number of high-profile players in the NFL. “He definitely has the ability to play on somebody’s roster… He looked real good“.

The 34-year-old last played in 2016 with the 49ers, who drafted him in 2011. He started 58 of 69 games with the team, winning the NFC championship in 2012. Now six years removed from playing, however, many have doubted he would land a deal with an NFL team, despite reports indicating otherwise in past years. Kaepernick has been “traveling all over the country this month,” as the report says, though, demonstrating his willingness to re-enter the league.

Pete Carroll mentioned recently he spoke with Kaepernick, but no team has been seriously connected to the polarizing passer since the Seahawks nixed a visit with him in 2018. Kaepernick also met with the Seahawks in 2017. Kaepernick sent Carroll workout videos recently, though the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta notes the 13th-year Seahawks HC was noncommittal when asked about a potential meeting with the former 49ers QB.

“Still hopeful. There’s been a lot of conversation around it. Again, we’ve had conversations with Pete and John [Schneider] previously,” Kaepernick said, via Condotta. “As Pete mentioned, we have spoken recently and still hoping that door is open and get a chance to walk through it.”

On that point, Robinson has optimism a return could happen. “I definitely think that this go-around, he may get a shot,” he said — something which could further add to a QB market which has already seen sizable movement take place this offseason.

Latest On LB Jermaine Carter

March 23rd, 2022 at 1:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers recently added to their linebacking corps with the addition of Cory Littleton. A mainstay at the position from last season could very well be on the move, however. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that Jermaine Carter has generated a significant market for himself (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Panthers Sign Littleton]

Specifically, La Canfora states that Carter is “drawing interest from a multitude of teams”. The 27-year-old was a fifth-round pick of Carolina in 2018. His role has grown with each passing season, as he’s transitioned more from a special-teamer to a defensive starter. He was on the field for 78% of the unit’s snaps in 2021.

That increased playing time, not surprisingly, led to a career year in terms of production. Carter totalled 88 tackles, along with one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. His career arc has been timed well, as he is an unrestricted free agent immediately following that breakout campaign.

The Maryland product could field any number of offers from teams looking for upside at the position. Interestingly, the Panthers are currently listed among the teams with the most cap space in hand, so a return is still a possibility, at least from a financial standpoint. With significant money already invested in Shaq Thompson and the signing of Littleton, however, Carter could soon find a new home as he looks to cash in on his recent improvement.

Chiefs To Trade Tyreek Hill?

March 23rd, 2022 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have given Tyreek Hill permission to seek a trade (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero). Already, the Jets and Dolphins are engaged in “serious talks” to acquire the star wide receiver, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link).

Hill, who turned 28 this week, was previously in extension talks with the Chiefs. As of this writing, he still has one more year to go on his three-year, $54MM deal. His next contract could very well come from another team. Multiple clubs have chatted with the Chiefs, Schefter hears (Twitter link), but the Dolphins and Jets currently stand as the frontrunners.

Clearly, the two sides had a bridge to gap in extension talks, but few expected Hill to be on the block. It’s yet another stunner in what has been a chaotic offseason. We’re hardly past the midway point in March, but Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Davante Adams, Khalil Mack, Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, Amari Cooper, and Yannick Ngakoue have all been traded. Depending on how things shake out, Hill could be the next superstar on the move.

The speedy wideout has teamed with Travis Kelce to form a top-end receiving duo for Patrick Mahomes. Teams limited Hill on deep routes this past year, dropping his yards-per-catch figure to 11.2, but he still managed career-high 111 receptions with 1,239 yards.

Beyond those two, the Chiefs haven’t gotten tremendous production out of their other targets. They’ve taken some steps to revamp their unit, including the recent additions of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Corey Coleman. Still, if you subtract Hill from the group, the Chiefs’ WR depth chart consists of Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Josh Gordon, Justin Watson, Cornell Powell, Dieter Gehrig, and Corey Coleman. If the Chiefs trade Hill, they’ll likely aim for a difference maker in the draft.

Despite his off-the-field controversies, Hill has been absolutely outstanding over the course of his career. Over the last six seasons, Hill has 479 catches, 6,630 receiving yards, and 56 touchdowns to his credit.

Ravens Meeting With Arden Key

March 23rd, 2022 at 8:56am CST by Zachary Links

The Arden Key tour continues. On Wednesday, the free agent defensive end will meet with the Ravens (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo).

Key, a 2018 third-round pick of the Raiders, spent three seasons with his original team, starting in ten of his 37 games. He fell out of favor over time, however, and wound up getting released last year Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson made their way to Las Vegas.

Key stayed local, moving on to the 49ers on a one-year deal. The change of scenery served him well as he recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks, plus 22 stops, five tackles for loss, and one pass defensed while playing in all 17 games.

The Niners used Key as a supporting piece, but other teams may consider giving him a chance at the starting lineup, depending on how the rest of the offseason goes. In addition to the Ravens, the Jaguars and Lions have also checked in with Key — they likely see him as a supplement to their incoming rookie class, which will likely feature some big-name DEs.

The Ravens are also meeting with Rasheem Green today, a Seahawks free agent who is also coming off of a strong platform year.

Ravens To Meet With Rasheem Green

March 23rd, 2022 at 8:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are set to meet with Rasheem Green (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). We haven’t heard much about Green in recent weeks, but the former Seahawks defensive lineman could be on the verge of finding a new home.

Green enjoyed a career year in 2021 with 6.5 sacks, nearly doubling his previous career total. He also added to his highlight reel by turning a blocked XP into a two-point conversion against Washington. No longer a seat warmer, Green started in 16 of his 17 games and showed himself to be one of the most impactful defenders in Seattle.

That’s the kind of production the Seahawks were hoping for when he fell to them in the third round of the 2018 draft. In his last year on campus, the USC product was deployed mostly as a defensive tackle, but he still managed ten sacks for the Trojans.

After losing much of his 2020 to injury, Green put it all together last year as he notched 34 quarterback pressures. He also proved his versatility, moving from defensive end to defensive tackle to outside linebacker whenever needed. Green won’t turn 25 until May, so teams like the Ravens believe that he has plenty of room to grow.

Chiefs To Sign Deon Bush

March 23rd, 2022 at 8:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have agreed to sign safety Deon Bush, according to agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Financial terms are not yet known, but it’ll be a one-year deal for the former Bear.

[RELATED: Chiefs To Sign Coleman]

Bush, 29 in August, came into the league as a fourth-round pick of the Bears in 2016. Up until now, he spent all six years of his career in Chicago, serving mostly as a special teams specialist. Last year, however, Bush saw more defensive action, suiting up for 14 games (four starts) while notching two interceptions and five passes defensed. The Chiefs may use Bush for occasional support at free safety or slot coverage, but he’s likely to see more time on special teams.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, the Chiefs have retooled their wide receiver group by signing one-time Steelers standout JuJu Smith-Schuster as well as former first-round pick Corey Coleman.

NFC East Notes: Wentz, Luck, Gallup, Giants

March 22nd, 2022 at 9:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Before acquiring Carson Wentz, the Commanders scoured the league for their next passer. They made a three-first-rounder offer for Russell Wilson and pursued Aaron Rodgers. Those avenues closed quickly, leading Washington to Wentz. The team made a list of eight QBs it viewed as a satisfactory upgrade, with John Keim of ESPN.com noting this included Deshaun Watson. It is unclear if the team pursued Watson, but Texans GM Nick Caserio pointed out there were more interested teams than the four finalists. The Commanders’ search, which involved Ron Rivera participating in an lengthy QB-centered discussion with three-time Super Bowl champion HC Joe Gibbs, also included a consideration of Andrew Luck. That did not get off the ground, per Keim. Luck has been retired for three seasons now and has dropped some weight from his playing days. Wentz resided somewhere on the Commanders’ eight-man list, with his 6-foot-5 frame appealing to his new team. The Colts initially told the NFC East team he was not available, but that changed at the Combine and led to a deal.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Given a five-year, $57.5MM Cowboys contract, Michael Gallup is coming off an ACL tear sustained in Week 17. The fifth-year receiver is unlikely to be ready by Week 1, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Dallas is obviously looking at Gallup’s long-term trajectory, having jettisoned Amari Cooper to keep his former sidekick at a lower rate. But the team may need to stash Gallup on the PUP list or make him an active-roster non-participant to start the season, depending on his timetable.
The Giants added multiple interior offensive linemen — Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano — last week but are still in need at right tackle. They sent key personnel to Mississippi State prospect Charles Cross‘ pro day Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, offensive line coach Bobby Johnson and assistant O-line coach Tony Sparano Jr. were on-hand in Starkville, Miss., per NJ.com’s Zack Rosenblatt. Cross said the Giants and Jets have been the teams most interested thus far. Cross is viewed as this draft’s third-best tackle prospect, behind Alabama’s Evan Neal and North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu. The Giants hold two top-10 picks — Nos. 5 and 7 — and will not surprise anyone if they use one of them on an O-lineman.
James Bradberry and Saquon Barkley remain Giants, but Bradberry’s $21.9MM cap number jumps out on the team’s payroll. The Giants will probably have to jettison Bradberry, even if they would prefer to keep him, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano writes, due to their cap situation. Big Blue has discussed Barkley and Bradberry in trades, and while they may hang onto the latter until draft weekend, dumping the talented cornerback later in the offseason remains in play. Bradberry’s through-2022 deal already contains a void year, but the Giants would save $11.5MM by designating him as a post-June 1 cut. A trade before or after June 1 would free up more than $12MM in funds, though it remains to be seen how late of a draft pick the Giants would accept for their No. 1 corner.

Falcons Re-Sign DB Erik Harris

March 22nd, 2022 at 9:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Erik Harris is returning to Atlanta for another season. The safety is re-signing with the Falcons, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Harris is inking a one-year deal.

Harris signed a one-year deal with the Falcons last offseason and ended up starting all 12 of his games. Harris ended up collecting 64 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and eight passes defended while appearing in 84 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. The 31-year-old’s season ended early after he suffered a torn pectoral.

Following a brief stint with the Saints to start his NFL career, Harris had a four-year stint with the Raiders, starting 30 games. He had five interceptions between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

The Falcons have been busy dealing with their secondary this offseason. The team has already signed Casey Hayward and re-signed Isaiah Oliver.