2022 March - Pro Football Rumors

Alejandro Villanueva Retires

March 9th, 2022 at 3:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of several roster moves announced on Wednesday by the Ravens included the retirement of left tackle Alejandro Villanueva. The 33-year-old is ending his career after seven seasons.

The veteran signed a two-year deal worth up to $14MM in Baltimore last offseason. That came after six seasons spent with the Steelers, a span which included back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2017 and 2018. A late starter in terms of his football career due to Army service, he established himself as a durable, consistent blindside protector in Pittsburgh.

He began to show signs of slowing down the later stages of his time with the Steelers, however. That opened up the possibility of him transitioning to right tackle, which was the expectation when he joined the Ravens. Due to Ronnie Stanley‘s ankle injury not healing as expected, though, he required a second straight season-ending surgery. That pushed Villanueva back to his more comfortable position.

Unfortunately, Villanueva was a member of an offensive front which struggled throughout the campaign in Baltimore. He played over 1,200 snaps, as availability wasn’t a concern. However, PFF credits him with 11 penalties committed and nine sacks allowed, leading to an overall grade of 65.2. Despite the other year remaining on his deal, then, many felt his first year in Charm City would be his last.

The news saves the Ravens $6MM in cap space, while leaving $3.25MM on the books in dead money. Stanley is still under contract long-term, and the team has been optimistic about his ability to fully heal in time for the 2022 season. The other tackles currently on the roster are Ja’Wuan James, who missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, and Patrick Mekari, who has emerged as a key utility linemen, filling in as needed at multiple positions.

While the Ravens will move forward looking to add at least some tackle depth either in free agency next week or the draft next month, Villanueva will end a celebrated NFL career that made him one of the most well-respected players in the league.

Ravens Release CB Tavon Young

March 9th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tavon Young battled back from three major injuries to play in all 17 Ravens games last season. The team is still moving on from its longtime slot cornerback.

The Ravens announced Young’s release Wednesday. This move will save them nearly $6MM. Young was a productive player in Baltimore, but the 2016 fourth-round pick ran into rampant injury trouble over the past several years.

Two knee maladies and a neck injury combined to sideline Young for 46 games over the 2017, ’19 and ’20 seasons. Young bounced back in 2018, playing 15 games and earning his Ravens extension — a three-year, $13.9MM pact. But a neck injury sustained during the 2019 offseason stalled that momentum. His 2020 knee injury led to a reworked contract.

Young, 27, played 51% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps in 2021. The Ravens endured a brutal injury season, one that saw corners Marcus Peters miss the entire year and Marlon Humphrey go down in December. This came after Baltimore traded rookie Shaun Wade to New England just before the season. Young broke up three passes, intercepted another and registered three sacks in 2021, giving him a bit of momentum after the run of injuries. But the various health setbacks stand to limit Young’s value on the market.

Latest On Giants’ Evan Engram

March 9th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Teams have interest in Giants tight end Evan Engram as a slot WR, in addition to his native tight end position (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). With that, Engram’s market could be shaping up to be even stronger than previously expected.

Engram has plus speed and agility for a tight end, so these teams believe that he’d be a matchup nightmare as a WR3. The Giants, meanwhile, seem to have cooled on the idea of keeping him. The new regime won’t break the bank to retain the former Pro Bowler, which means that he’ll likely be moving on when free agency opens next week.

Engram, a 2017 first-round pick, has had a rocky five years with the Giants. Limited to just 19 games between 2018 and ’19, he turned in a healthy and productive 2020. That year, he played in all 16 games and tallied 63 catches for 654 yards and one touchdown (plus a rushing TD), earning his first Pro Bowl nod. He stayed healthy for the most part last year, though his numbers sagged along with everyone else on the G-Men. Last year, he finished out with 45 catches, a career-low 404 receiving yards, and just three TDs.

Now that Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki have received the franchise tag, Engram profiles as a top-tier TE in this year’s class, along with Rob Gronkowski and Zach Ertz. Unlike those veterans, Engram offers youth and, perhaps, is the only one versatile or willing enough to line up in the slot.

Haason Reddick Seeking Lucrative Free Agent Deal

March 9th, 2022 at 2:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Given his production over the past two years, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Haason Reddick to receive a big payday this offseason. More specifics on his potential new deal came out recently, courtesy of CBS’ Jonathan Jones.

The 27-year-old is thought to be aiming for a contract “averaging up to $17MM per year”, Jones writes. That would represent a massive increase from the $8MM he played for last seasons in Carolina. It would also not catch general manager Scott Fitterer off guard, as he let it be know last week the team “anticipates” Reddick testing the market.

After three relatively underwhelming seasons with the Cardinals, the former first rounder broke out in 2020 with a 12.5 sack campaign. That led to his reunion with Matt Rhule last offseason with the aforementioned ‘prove it’ deal. Reddick did just that, putting up another 11 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles.

Jones adds that the high price Reddick is said to be asking “explains why the Panthers aren’t rushing to re-sign him”. The restructure of fellow linebacker Shaq Thompson‘s deal is the latest in a series of moves the team has made to free up cap space. With plenty of financial flexibility, a deal which keeps Reddick in Charlotte can’t be ruled out, though the Panthers have a number of other offseason priorities. Wherever he ends up, Reddick figures to be one of the top defensive free agents when the new league year begins.

Cardinals Release LB Jordan Hicks

March 9th, 2022 at 2:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three seasons as a Cardinals starter, Jordan Hicks is back in free agency. Arizona is releasing the veteran linebacker, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Cards have since announced the move.

This move comes a year after Hicks landed in trade rumors, once the Cardinals added Zaven Collins as a first-round pick. Arizona went back-to-back with off-ball linebackers in Round 1 from 2020-21, and it will be Collins and Isaiah Simmons leading the group going forward.

Hicks should garner interest as a street free agent. He is a vested veteran and can sign with a team at any point going forward. This release will give the seven-year vet a chance to catch on elsewhere before the free agent market opens March 16. While Hicks will turn 30 this offseason, he did well to change his career trajectory in three Arizona seasons.

The former injury-prone Eagle stayed healthy as a Cardinal, playing in every game with his second NFL franchise. While the Cardinals gave Hicks permission to seek a trade shortly after selecting Collins in last year’s first round, Hicks logged his usual snap rate in 2021. He played 97% of Arizona’s defensive snaps last season, that coming after working on 92% of the team’s defensive plays in 2020 and 100% in 2019. Collins will surely see more run in 2022, after participating on just 20% of Arizona’s defensive plays last season.

Last season, Hicks racked up 116 tackles and registered a career-high four sacks. He finished with 29 tackles for loss in three seasons in the desert. The Cardinals will save $6.5MM by cutting Hicks, who had one year remaining on his contract. This doubles as the end of an obscure era as well, one that featured two Jordan Hickses affiliated with professional Cardinal franchises. The other, a St. Louis reliever, remains with his team.

Latest On Dolphins’ Byron Jones, Xavien Howard

March 9th, 2022 at 1:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cornerback is arguably the strongest position group on the Dolphins, but it is also one of the most intriguing ones for this offseason. Byron Jones recently had ankle surgery, something which affects not only his contract, but also any potential trade market.

The 29-year-old posted a photo of his ankle after the surgery on Instagram. The ailment didn’t stop him from playing in 16 games this season, his second in Miami. He totalled 58 tackles and 10 pass breakups, while performing essentially the same in coverage as he did in 2020.

As Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports, the procedure fixed a lingering issue and is expected to keep the former Pro Bowler on the shelf for two months (video link). That should mean he is available in time for training camp, though, Wolfe adds, it makes his $14.375MM salary fully guaranteed. That would complicate any potential trade market for Jones, something which had reportedly been developing. It would also make a run at another top corner – such as J.C. Jackson, whom Wolfe reports Miami has shown interest in – more difficult.

Meanwhile, Wolfe further reports that Xavien Howard could be in line for a re-worked contract (Twitter link). While there is “no deal close yet”, Wolfe adds that Howard “wants to be paid what he deserves”. That would mean a raise from the $13.7MM he is set to make next year, which ranks second on the team to Jones at the position. With 15 interceptions over the past two seasons, the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year finalist has demonstrated he is among the most productive defensive players at any position in the league.

As free agency approaches, then, what can be considered one of the most accomplished cornerback tandems in the league is set to be one worth watching.

Colts To Trade Carson Wentz To Commanders

March 9th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). In exchange, the Commanders will send their 2022 third-round pick and their 2023 third-round pick to the Colts. The ’23 third-rounder can also convert to a second-round choice if Wentz plays on 70% of Washington’s snaps in 2022. The deal will also see a swap of second-round picks with the Colts moving from No. 47 to No. 42. Schefter adds that the Commanders are also receiving the Colts’ 2022 seventh-round pick (Twitter link).

Colts GM Chris Ballard recently indicated that he was “still working through” the Wentz situation with head coach Frank Reich and owner Jim Irsay. Ultimately, following Tuesday’s Russell Wilson blockbuster, they’ve chosen to move their own starter and reshape the quarterback position. The Colts — who already had about $37MM in available cap room — have carved out even more space by trading Wentz.

“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said in January. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”

The QB was widely panned for his Week 18 performance against the Jaguars, the loss that cost the Colts a playoff berth. He also clashed with team brass throughout the year and even rankled Irsay. Still, despite all the issues, Wentz managed to finish the year with a 27-7 TD-INT ratio while placing ninth in league-wide QBR.

The Commanders were previously linked to Wilson and said to have interest in 49ers signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo. Ultimately, they didn’t want to wait on the Niners, choosing instead to pivot to Wentz. (The Colts, meanwhile, could consider Jimmy G as their next QB, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.)

Wentz, 30 in December, may be a consolation prize, but he’s still a strong pickup Ron Rivera & Co. They’ll have Wentz under contract at a $22MM salary this year with a $6.294MM roster bonus. After that, they’ve got him for two more seasons. In 2023, he’s due $20MM in salary with a $6.176MM roster bonus. In 2024, that salary increases to $21MM with a $6.235MM bonus payout.

The Colts will now move on to their fifth starting quarterback in Ballard’s sixth year at the helm. So far, they’ve gone through Jacoby Brissett, Andrew Luck, Rivers, and Wentz — none of those players served as the primary starter in back-to-back seasons. Now, Wentz is out less than one year after his arrival in Indianapolis.

As noted by ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Colts sent a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round choice to the Eagles for Wentz. The Colts now have one rocky year and significantly less draft capital to show for it. The Eagles, meanwhile, went on to parlay the third-rounder into a trade up for DeVonta Smith, and they’re still set to pick at No. 16 overall in April.

Mutual Interest Between Bills, Shaq Lawson For Return

March 9th, 2022 at 12:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills may soon be welcoming back a familiar face. There is “mutual interest” in a return to Buffalo between the team and edge rusher Shaq Lawson according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Bills Release LB A.J. Klein]

Lawson, 27, was a first rounder of the Bills in 2016. He racked up 16.5 sacks during his four-year stay in Buffalo, which wasn’t enough for the team to pick up his fifth-year option. He stayed in the division when he signed with the Dolphins in 2020 on a three-year, $30MM deal. His production was essentially on par with his days in Buffalo, though, and he found himself being traded to the Texans one year later.

Lawson never played in Houston, however, being moved once again later that offseason, this time to the Jets. In New York, he managed just one sack and was let go before the end of the campaign. Over his six years in the NFL, he has established himself as a capable rotational pass rusher, and a reunion in Buffalo could return him to his most productive form.

Fowler notes that “nothing is imminent” as of now, which is understandable given that the Bills are currently projected to be over the cap by roughly $2MM. Still, the team could likely find room to fit in the veteran without much issue. If they do, he would add an experienced presence to one of the AFC’s best rosters.

Latest On Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence

March 9th, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

Recently, DeMarcus Lawrence declined the Cowboys’ request for a pay cut. Now, with days to go before the start of the new league year, there’s been zero progress on that front, according to Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter). On the plus side, Slater hears that the Cowboys are making headway on a new deal with wide receiver Michael Gallup.

Lawrence, 30 in April, earned a five-year, $100MM+ extension following consecutive seasons with double digit sacks. Unfortunately, he hasn’t topped seven sacks since 2018 and he missed much of 2021 with a foot fracture.

The Cowboys could conceivably cut Lawrence and save $19MM if they use the post-June 1 designation. Meanwhile, they also have to consider Randy Gregory, who is out of contract. Releasing Lawrence and losing Gregory to free agency would leave the Cowboys without both of their incumbent starting edge rushers. The Cowboys could have used the franchise tag on Gregory — they chose to cuff tight end Dalton Schultz instead on Wednesday.

As it stands, Lawrence is set to earn $17MM in base salary this year. That’s the second-highest sum of anyone on the Cowboys, behind franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.

The Gallup deal — which seemed to be nearly finished last week — will reportedly pay the wide receiver upwards of $10MM per year. The Cowboys are aiming for a five-year pact, but it’s possible that Gallup’s camp is pushing for a shorter arrangement.

Colts Unlikely To Re-Sign Eric Fisher

March 9th, 2022 at 10:31am CST by Zachary Links

Eric Fisher is unlikely to re-sign with the Colts, according to sources who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The two sides have been working to hammer out a new contract, but all indications are that the left tackle will be heading elsewhere when free agency opens next week.

Fisher earned Pro Bowl nods with the Chiefs in 2018 and 2020. In the latter season, he suffered a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship Game, keeping him out of the Super Bowl. His presence was clearly missed – the Chiefs’ disastrous blocking effort opened the door for the Buccaneers’ victory.

Before that Fisher was mostly healthy and started every game at left tackle for Kansas City from 2014-2018. The Colts, banking on his recovery, inked Fisher to a one-year, $9.4MM deal last spring. Fisher went on to play in 15 games for Indy, but he didn’t look much like his old self.

“He was coming off the Achilles (and) I thought he had a seven-game stretch where he played really good,” GM Chris Ballard said recently (via 107.5 The Fan). “And then he had a pec and a knee (injury) at the end of the year. He tried to fight through it, and it affected him some.”

Ultimately, it sounds like Fisher’s asking price didn’t line up with what the Colts had in mind. With that, they’ll look elsewhere for left tackle help and, perhaps, solidify the position for the long-term.