HEADLINES

Month: March 2022

Jets Want To Re-Sign Joe Flacco

March 9th, 2022 at 8:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are looking to re-sign quarterback Joe Flacco, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The feeling is mutual, Cimini adds, so a deal could come together rather quickly. 

[RELATED: Jets’ Crowder Likely To Hit Free Agency]

The same goes for youngster Mike White, who can be cuffed as a restricted free agent. So, while other teams around the league are making major moves under center, head coach Robert Saleh intends to keep his current trio, led by Zach Wilson.

The Jets traded for Flacco before the 2021 deadline, sending a conditional sixth-round choice to the Eagles in exchange. The veteran went on to make two appearances, including a Week 11 start against the Dolphins. Between those two games, Flacco completed 64% of his throws for 338 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions.

That was a big step up from Flacco’s previous run with Gang Green. In 2020, he completed a career-low 55% of his passes and averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt. Now at the age of 37, Flacco can serve as an experienced mentor for the Jets young signal callers.

In other Jets news, wide receiver Jamison Crowder is expected to reach free agency. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise — Crowder enjoyed a strong 2019 debut with the Jets but has been hampered by injuries ever since. With Crowder out of the picture, the Jets are expected to target a starting-caliber receiver as well as a quality tight end.

Panthers Re-Sign K Zane Gonzalez

March 9th, 2022 at 8:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have re-signed Zane Gonzalez, per a club announcement. The kicker’s two-year deal will pay $4.5MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Latest On Panthers, Paradis]

Gonzalez began the year on the Lions practice squad before coming to Carolina in September of 2021. Replacing the likes of Joey Slye and Ryan Santoso, Gonzalez got hot in October, nailing 17 straight field goal tries. He wound up going 20-for-22 for the season, up until he was placed on injured reserve in December with a quad injury. Gonzalez also connected on 22 of his 23 extra point tries.

The Panthers temporarily turned to Lirim Hajrullahu after the injury, but they wanted Gonzalez back for 2022. Even in the midst of larger decisions – including the status of center Matt Paradis — the Panthers were said to be eyeing a new deal for their young kicker. Gonzalez, 27 in May, will return and look to improve upon his career 80.5% field goal rate.

Browns Intend To Keep TE Austin Hooper

March 8th, 2022 at 10:37pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns may have slapped David Njoku with the franchise tag, but the organization intends to keep their other pricey tight end. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter), the organization’s plan is to keep Austin Hooper.

[RELATED: Browns Place Franchise Tag On David Njoku]

It’s been almost two years since Hooper inked a then record-breaking deal for tight ends, keeping him on the books in Cleveland until 2024. The Browns wouldn’t see a whole lot of savings by cutting Hooper, so it makes sense that they’ll keep him around as another target in the Baker Mayfield-led offense.

Hooper earned two-straight Pro Bowls during his final two seasons with the Falcons, and he had a career season just before hitting free agency. However, he’s disappointed a bit since catching on with Cleveland. In 29 games (29 starts) over the past two years, Hooper has hauled in only 84 receptions for 780 and seven touchdowns.

A first round pick in 2017, Njoku’s best season came one year later, when he posted 56 catches for 639 yards and four majors. The franchise tag means Njoku will make $10.8MM next season, making the two Browns teammates one of the highest-paid tight end duos in the NFL.

Seahawks To Trade Russell Wilson To Broncos

March 8th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

9:57pm: Wilson has signed his no-trade provision and passed his physical, making the deal official on his end, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The other players involved in the trade still have to take their physical.

12:46pm: The Seahawks have agreed to trade Russell Wilson to the Broncos, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The deal will see multiple draft picks go to Seattle, plus quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant (Twitter link). 

Details are still emerging, but when all is said and done, the deal will see three players (Lock, Harris, and Fant) go to Seattle along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick. The Broncos, meanwhile, get Wilson plus a Round 4 choice (Twitter link via Jay Glazer of FOX Sports). Even when accounting for Wilson’s talent and accomplishments, it all adds up to a solid haul for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks have been at odds with their star quarterback for quite some time. Now, after years of speculation, they’ve finally turned the page. The Broncos, meanwhile, have a Hall of Fame worthy quarterback for the first time since Peyton Manning‘s retirement.

Previously, head coach Pete Carroll said that the Seahawks had “no intention” of moving Wilson. Ultimately, however, Wilson wanted a new start. The Seahawks also get an opportunity at something of a clean slate. Wilson’s $35MM-per-year contract wasn’t necessarily outsized, but it was a blocker on their books. Now, Carroll & Co. can reshape the team as they see fit — perhaps with a QB with less gripes about the rest of the roster.

“At this time of year, there’s conversations about everybody, and it’s commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all of the players, particularly marquee players,” Carroll said recently. “That’s not changed. It’s been the same every year. It’s the same…We have no intention of making any move there. But the conversations, [GM] John [Schneider] has to field those, he always has. But nothing specific.”

Wilson has had his eyes on the Broncos for a while, dating back to his four-team list of acceptable trade destinations. Still, in interviews, the 33-year-old tried to slow the rumor mill down.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to play ten amazing years in Seattle,” Wilson said roughly three weeks ago. “My hope and goal is to be back there and keep winning there. That’s the vision, that’s the goal. That’s always been it, never been anything different.”

Wilson has been connected to a number of teams this year, including the newly-crowned Washington Commanders. They were said to have sent a “strong offer,” though it’s unclear if they approached the Broncos’ mega-package. Wilson, of course, holds a no-trade clause, so it’s possible that the Broncos had the second-best offer en route to the winning bid.

The Broncos also had the cap room to accommodate the deal, unlike some of the other teams tied to Wilson. Heading into today, they had $41.999M in cap space. So, even before factoring in Lock and Harris, Denver had the room necessary to take on the deal.

The Broncos may agree to give Wilson a brand-new deal as a part of the trade. So far, we’ve yet to hear any word on that front. For now, they’ve got the superstar under contract for two more non-guaranteed years.

Seahawks To Release LB Bobby Wagner

March 8th, 2022 at 8:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks are cleaning house. The team informed eight-time All Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner that he’ll be released, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

[RELATED: Seahawks To Trade Russell Wilson To Broncos]

Wagner had spent his entire career in Seattle, joining the organization when he was selected in the second round of the 2012 draft. He came off the board a round before future teammate Russell Wilson…who, of course, was traded to the Broncos earlier today. Wagner and Wilson were previously the two longest-tenured members of their team.

Wagner quickly established himself as a key member of the Seahawks defense, starting 15 games as a rookie. He started all three playoff games during the Seahawks Super Bowl-winning 2013 campaign, and he then proceeded to go on an eight-year run of Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. During that stretch, Wagner averaged 145 tackles per season, and he’ll leave the organization as the Seahawks’ all-time leader in tackles.

The 31-year-old was still productive in 2021, compiling a career-high 170 tackles to go along with three tackles for loss and three QB hits. However, his $20.35MM cap hit for next season had Wagner admitting that he could be done in Seattle.

“You think about it,” Wagner said in December (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “You think about what the next year looks like and what the future holds because this was a season that I don’t think we all planned for. We didn’t plan for the season to go this way, so obviously there’s going to be some changes and whether or not I’m part of those changes, I don’t know.”

With Wilson gone, it was clear that the Seahawks were pivoting toward a rebuild. This move will save the organization $16.6MM against the cap. He’ll leave behind $3.75MM in dead cap.

Titans, Harold Landry Agree On Extension

March 8th, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hours after not placing the franchise tag on Harold Landry, the Titans have a long-term agreement with their top edge rusher. Tennessee is signing Landry to a five-year extension, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Jon Robinson said he wanted to retain Landry this offseason, and for a second straight year, the Titans GM will authorize a major payment to an outside linebacker. Landry agreed to a five-year, $87.5MM deal, with Pelissero adding $52.5MM will be guaranteed. Less than a year after Tennessee gave Bud Dupree a five-year, $82.5MM pact (with $33.75MM guaranteed), they now have both signed long-term.

Landry will get a whopping $20.25MM in his first season of the deal, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). The tag would have cost Tennessee $18.7MM

Landry was a second-round pick out of Boston College in 2018, and he’s spent his entire four-year career with the Titans. After serving as mostly a backup during his rookie campaign, Landry has started all 49 games for Tennessee over the past three years. That includes a 2021 campaign where he earned his first Pro Bowl nod after collecting a career-high 12 sacks.

QB Fallout: Packers, Rodgers, Broncos, Wilson, Seahawks, Steelers, Panthers

March 8th, 2022 at 7:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the timing is rather conspicuous, the Broncos‘ move to acquire Russell Wilson may not be closely connected to Aaron Rodgers‘ decision to stay with the Packers. Denver did not engage with Green Bay on Rodgers this offseason, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. The Broncos had been connected to Rodgers for nearly a year, when the then-disgruntled superstar included them on a list of acceptable trade destinations ahead of the 2021 draft. A previous report indicated Denver and Green Bay had trade terms lined up, in the event Rodgers informed the Packers he wanted out, but Schefter’s account would appear to contradict that. It does seem the Broncos were still eyeing Rodgers this year, with 9News’ Mike Klis reporting the team wanted to exit the offseason with either Wilson or Rodgers (Twitter link). After the Combine produced considerable buzz connecting Rodgers to a Green Bay return, Klis adds the Broncos and Seahawks’ Wilson talks accelerated. The clubs had been discussing Wilson for weeks. As such, it probably was not a coincidence both QB headlines occurred within hours of each other.

Here is the latest from an explosive day on the quarterback scene:

  • Wilson made noise about his Seahawks situation in 2021, and Schefter notes those comments irked some within the organization. Wilson continued to say he wanted to stay in Seattle, but Schefter adds he planned to revisit some issues he had with the Seahawks at some point this offseason. The perennial Pro Bowler, however, did not try to force his way out of Seattle this year, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The Seahawks kept Wilson in the loop on their talks with the Broncos, Breer adds. They certainly needed to run it by him, given the no-trade clause included in Wilson’s 2019 extension.
  • The Broncos not only topped Wilson’s destination list, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicates they were the only team he wanted to be traded to this year. Denver does not have receivers who have proven as much as Tyler Lockett or D.K. Metcalf, but the team is deep at that position and employs promising running back Javonte Williams. Ex-Wilson Wisconsin teammate Melvin Gordon is on the radar to return as well. Wilson’s agent named the Bears, Raiders, Saints and Cowboys as acceptable trade destinations for his client last year, but the Broncos emerged as a candidate late in 2021. The Broncos passed on Wilson in 2012, taking Brock Osweiler in the second round, but the Colorado Rockies did draft him in 2010.
  • Denver will keep one of its two 2022 second-rounders, sending Seattle its own 2022 and ’23 Round 2 picks, Mike Klis of 9News notes. The Broncos will retain the second-rounder they obtained in last year’s Von Miller trade (No. 64 overall). The fourth-rounder Seattle is sending to Denver is a 2022 pick, Schefter tweets. The Broncos also have two third-rounders this year, the latter of which acquired in the Miller deal. Miller is rumored to be back on the Broncos’ radar. Tuesday’s Wilson trade probably will not quiet those rumblings, though Klis suggests the longtime Bronco edge rusher is likely to end up elsewhere (Twitter link).
  • The Steelers were connected to Rodgers last week, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes they were not believed to be major players on this trail (ESPN+ link). Bridge-type passers like Jameis Winston, Mitchell Trubisky and previous Broncos starter Teddy Bridgewater are believed to be on Pittsburgh’s radar.
  • More than a dozen teams were believed to have contacted the Seahawks on Wilson, per Schefter. The Panthers, who have longtime Seahawks exec Scott Fitterer as GM, were among those to do so, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Carolina is still in the market for a quarterback. Considering the interest the team showed in Deshaun Watson last year, more rumors connecting these two parties figure to surface in the coming weeks. The Panthers remain interested, though Watson’s 2022 availability remains in doubt.

Jets Notes: Fatukasi, Williamses, Draft

March 8th, 2022 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Run-stuffing defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi moved into a full-time starting role last season and is now expected to generate considerable interest as a free agent. The four-year veteran started 15 games, after combining for eight starts in his first three seasons, and the Jets are prepared for the former sixth-round pick to move out of their price range when free agency opens next week, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. Although the Jets have deployed below-average defenses during Fatukasi’s two seasons as a full- or part-time starter, the UConn product has played well. Having turned 27 last week, Fatukasi should have prime years remaining. The Jets have Quinnen Williams under contract through 2023 and must make a decision on Sheldon Rankins, who will see $1.25MM of his $4.5MM base salary become guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2022 league year (March 20).

Here is the latest out of New York:

  • Fewer than 20 teams in the common draft era (1967-present) have made two top-10 picks in a draft. The Jets have the opportunity, holding the Nos. 4 and 10 selections this year. They might face a major decision at No. 4. The Jets are high on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, but no team has chosen a safety in the top four since the Browns took Eric Turner fourth overall in 1991. Positional value would likely lean Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh to take Kayvon Thibodeaux over Hamilton at 4, in the event Aidan Hutchinson and tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Evan Neal are off the board, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Thibodeaux’s stock has taken somewhat of a hit, but the Oregon edge rusher still figures to be an early pick.
  • The Jets are picking up Quinnen Williams‘ fifth-year option, keeping the 2019 No. 3 overall pick under contract through 2023. A 2022 extension for the D-tackle starter does not sound especially likely, with Cimini noting the Jets are not in a hurry to hammer out a long-term deal. This is unsurprising, considering teams rarely extend first-round non-quarterbacks with two years of control remaining on their rookie contracts.
  • Quinnen’s older brother, Quincy Williams, will play for more money in 2022. Under the NFL’s player-performance escalator provision, the young linebacker will see his 2022 salary spike from $965K to $2.54MM, Cimini tweets. Acquired from the Jaguars last year, Quincy Williams earned sufficient playing time to qualify for the bump. The Murray State product started 13 games alongside his brother and enjoyed by far his most productive season yet, recording 110 tackles and two sacks in his first Jets season. His rookie deal runs through 2022.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/8/22

March 8th, 2022 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:

RFAs

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Commanders Offered Seahawks Multiple First-Rounders, Picks In Three Drafts For Russell Wilson

March 8th, 2022 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks-Russell Wilson era came to an abrupt end Tuesday, with Seattle and Denver agreeing to a monster trade. This arms the Broncos with a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback, filling the position after Denver trotted out a number of starting QBs since Peyton Manning‘s retirement.

But Washington was first connected to making a Wilson offer. The Commanders have made it known they are interested in a veteran passer, and their offer included multiple first-round picks and selections in three drafts, per ESPN.com’s John Keim and the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (Twitter links). It did not prove to be enough, though the Seahawks likely prioritized moving Wilson out of the NFC. And Wilson’s no-trade clause allowed him to control his destination.

The Commanders asked the Seahawks if they wanted a player to be included in the proposal as well, Keim adds, but Seattle did not propose a counteroffer. The Seahawks had been negotiating with the Broncos on Wilson for weeks, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes. Wilson, 33, moved Denver to the top of his destination list, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets. The Broncos did not appear on Wilson’s list of acceptable trade destinations during the 2021 offseason, but a late-season report included them on an amended list of sorts.

While one glaring quarterback need is filled, another remains. Washington still has Taylor Heinicke rostered, but Ron Rivera has made it clear the team wants to upgrade. With Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are off the table, the Commanders could look to Jimmy Garoppolo. They hold the No. 11 pick in the first round, and while this year’s quarterback class has been brushed off for months, Washington sitting behind Carolina, Atlanta and now-QB-needy Seattle will not make it a sure thing the draft’s top QB falls out of the top 10.

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