HEADLINES

Month: March 2022

Cowboys Hopeful To Re-Sign Cedrick Wilson; Could Bring Back Anthony Hitchens?

March 8th, 2022 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

There are lots of moving parts with the Cowboys’ plans right now. Even with the moves made to shed salary and push some cap charges down the road, finances will be tight for any further deals. As a result, wide receiver Cedrick Wilson is likely to at least hit the open market. 

[RELATED: Cowboys Re-Sign Noah Brown]

The 26-year-old saw a much bigger role in 2021, and certainly took advantage of it. He posted 45 catches for 602 yards and six touchdowns, all career-highs. For that reason, Clarence Hill Jr. of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Cowboys “believe they will be priced out” of his market (Twitter link).

There is still interest on Dallas’ part for a return, however. Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News tweets that the Cowboys want to bring him back, but that they will “want to see” what kind of market develops. With CeeDee Lamb under contract, a new deal with Michael Gallup reportedly close and tight end Dalton Schultz having been franchise tagged earlier today, a core group of pass-catchers is already in place in Dallas.

Watkins also reports that Hitchens “has a desire to return” to Dallas after his four-year stint in Kansas City. The 29-year-old was released by the Chiefs in a cost-cutting move, and a signal of their linebacking corps’ potential. Hitchens still played 60% of defensive snaps last season, more than he did in three of his four years with the Cowboys. His return would give the team an experienced, productive presence in the middle of the defense to pair with Micah Parsons. On the other hand, LB could be a draft target in April.

While much has been taken care of regarding the Cowboys’ big-name priorities in recent days, they face several other important decisions.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/8/22

March 8th, 2022 at 3:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest NFL minor moves:

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Latest On Texans’ Deshaun Watson

March 8th, 2022 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Deshaun Watson will plead the fifth in Friday’s civil proceedings, attorney Rusty Hardin says (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). For his part, Hardin says this is ultimately comes down to a timing conflict. 

[RELATED: Broncos Trade For Seahawks’ Wilson]

“I’m not going to allow him to testify (in the civil cases) until the grand jury completes its investigation,” Hardin said.

The district attorney investigating Watson will present her case to a grand jury on Friday, the same day as the civil deposition. Hardin says this is standard practice — as Watson’s lawyer, he cannot advise the Texans QB to testify in the civil hearings before the grand jury investigation plays out.

The Broncos — once believed to be a Watson suitor — took themselves out of the market today by trading for longtime Seahawks superstar Russell Wilson. That deal will see quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant go to Seattle along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick for Wilson and a fourth-round choice.

Given Watson’s inactivity and off-the-field situation, it’s hard to imagine the Texans topping that haul. Previously, the Texans were said to be seeking three first-round picks — plus starting-caliber help — in any deal for Watson. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have also shut the door on the embattled QB. For his part, Watson has been said to like the Buccaneers and Vikings as landing spots. Ultimately, the Panthers may be his most logical destination.

Despite all the issues, we do know that multiple teams are interested in Watson. At least some of those clubs are willing to trade for Watson before the civil suits are resolved, but they all want to see how things play out on Friday with regards to charges.

Bills Release LB A.J. Klein

March 8th, 2022 at 3:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

A.J. Klein‘s two-year run with the Bills ended Tuesday. The Bills released the veteran linebacker, creating some cap space in the process.

The Bills, who used Klein as a first- and second-string ‘backer during his tenure, will save just more than $5MM. This bumps Buffalo toward cap compliance, though more moves will be made to ensure the AFC East champions have a bit more breathing room.

One of many ex-Panthers to find a home in Buffalo in under Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane, Klein rejoined McDermott after three seasons in New Orleans. The Panthers selected Klein in the 2013 fifth round, with both McDermott and Beane still in Carolina, and he has managed a nine-year career thus far.

The team has Matt Milano tied to a long-term deal and Tremaine Edmunds heading into his fifth-year option season. Klein started 11 games in 2020 but only four last season, a healthier Milano campaign. Klein delivered a versatile season in 2020, tallying 78 tackles and adding five sacks to help a limited Bills pass rush. He is going into his age-31 season, should another team make a move for the role player.

Titans Don’t Tag Harold Landry

March 8th, 2022 at 3:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the biggest omissions from the list of players receiving franchise tags is Harold Landry. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Titans elected not to tag him (Twitter link). 

While the team still hopes to get a long-term deal done, Landry is now one week away from free agency. The 25-year-old is coming off a breakout season, where he essentially set career highs across the board. Playing the full regular season, he notched 75 tackles, 12 sacks and one forced fumble. He added 1.5 sacks in the team’s playoff loss to Cincinnati. Those numbers earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl for the first time.

The tag would have cost Tennessee $18.7MM – a massive raise for Landry compared to his rookie deal, but a guarantee he’d be in the fold for at least the 2022 campaign. A longer-term contract could end up around that figure on a per-year average, according to some estimates.

When discussing a potential deal, Titans general manager Jon Robinson said “we’re going to do our best to keep him“. The situation is complicated by the team’s current salary cap circumstances. The Titans are presently projected to be over the cap by nearly $8MM, so plenty of other moves would be needed to accommodate a new Landry contract of any kind. What the team does in the coming days, then, will now be one of the most important storylines in the updated context of the free agent market.

Browns To Decline Andy Janovich’s Option

March 8th, 2022 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns will decline the option on Andy Janovich’s deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). With that, the fullback is now on course for free agency in March.

[RELATED: Browns Place Franchise Tag On Njoku]

Janovich has appeared in 77 career games for the Broncos and Browns over the last six years. This year, he just missed the cut as a Pro Bowler, winding up as an alternate for the game. With his 29th birthday just around the bend in May, Janovich is regarded as one of the league’s best fullbacks.

The Browns could still circle back to Janovich at a lesser-rate, but it’s not currently clear whether that’s in the cards. Even if the Browns don’t look to re-sign him, he should find a healthy market for his services. Ultimately, it’ll come down to how many teams will want to use a fullback in their offense this year and his own tolerance for waiting. While free agency officially opens on March 16th, teams will look to prioritize premium positions first, which may mean sitting things out until the second wave of free agency.

In other Browns news, the club has placed the franchise tag on tight end David Njoku. Now, they’ll turn their attention to a long-term deal, one that could pay him upwards of $10MM per season.

Buccaneers Place Franchise Tag On Chris Godwin

March 8th, 2022 at 2:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

It seems a new pact won’t be forthcoming for Chris Godwin today, at least. The team has indeed placed the franchise tag on him for the second straight year, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Bucs, Godwin Still In Talks]

Negotiations for a long-term deal are ongoing between the team and player. However, it was widely expected that Tampa Bay wouldn’t hesitate to tag the 26-year-old to buy time for a new contract. The two sides now have until mid-July to agree on terms.

A third rounder in 2017, Godwin has certainly outperformed his draft status during his time in Tampa Bay. His 2019 Pro Bowl season showcased his ability even without a quarterback the caliber of Tom Brady in the picture. His 2021 season with the future Hall of Famer (98 catches, 1,103 yards, five touchdowns) confirmed his talent level.

If he remains on the tag, Godwin will earn $19.2MM. Still, a deal could be coming “in the next few days” according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine (Twitter link). Godwin has clearly been made the team’s top offseason priority, which is understandable given his age and production. On the other hand, his ACL tear suffered late in the season could be the source of trepidation from Tampa’s perspective.

With Godwin on the books for at least one more season, this increases the likelihood that Carlton Davis reaches free agency. Greg Auman of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the Bucs could still ink him to a new deal, though he will presumably have other suitors.

Aaron Rodgers Agrees To Extension In Green Bay

March 8th, 2022 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:50PM: The Aaron Rodgers saga has apparently reached a conclusion. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that he has signed a four-year, $200MM extension with the Packers (Twitter link). Rodgers himself has tweeted a rebuttal to the reported deal, though he confirms that he is staying in Green Bay.

The $50MM per-year average will indeed make the reigning MVP the highest-paid player in NFL history, something which had been reported in the build-up to today’s news. Rapoport adds that the deal includes $153MM in guaranteed money, and will lower his 2022 cap hit.

12:37PM: In a follow-up, Rapoport reports that Rodgers’ 2022 cap hit is set to go “way down”, and that in 2023, it won’t rank in the top ten amongst QBs (video link).

Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds that the 38-year-old “figures to be year-to-year” until he decides to retire (Twitter link). With this extension signed, it is now all but a certainty he will end up having played exclusively for the Packers, regardless of when he hangs up his cleats.

Rodgers had been the center of speculation on a number of fronts throughout the offseason, as retirement and trades to AFC teams – especially the Broncos – were named as distinct possibilities. The hiring of Nathaniel Hackett in Denver in particular was thought to be one of the reasons Denver was fully committed to bringing in Rodgers, and in doing so ending their own search for a franchise QB dating back to Peyton Manning‘s retirement.

Reporting then focused more on the specific actions taken by the Packers to accommodate not only Rodgers’ contract wishes, but also to manufacture the needed cap space to keep him and pending free agent Davante Adams. Through a series of restructures, along with the particular details of this new contract, the team should be able to field a team similar in strength to the one which earned the NFC’s No.1 seed in 2021. It had been reported recently that the team was intending to keep 2020 first rounder Jordan Love; today’s deal may change the organization’s stance on that front.

With the biggest domino in the QB market – and the offseason as a whole – now having fallen, attention will turn to other big names such as Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and Allen Robinson. Plenty of other big moves are likely to be made involving at least some of those names. For the Packers, at least, the Super Bowl window will remain open for the near future.

Jaguars Franchise Tag Cam Robinson

March 8th, 2022 at 1:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars will retain offensive lineman Cam Robinson via the franchise tag, per a club announcement. The move comes just before the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline and gives Jacksonville until the middle of the summer to hash out a long-term pact. 

This marks Robinson’s second-straight tag, but the offensive line tag is even higher than the would-be 20% raise. He’ll earn $16.662MM in 2022 — up from $13.75MM in 2021.

Robinson is entering his third year with the Jaguars and he’ll be playing for his third head coach in Doug Pederson. At first glance, the deal may seem like a clear overpay — Robinson was in the middle of the pack for starters at the tackle position, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Still, quality young LTs are hard to come by and the Jaguars didn’t have a better replacement at the ready.

Robinson, 26, has made 61 starts for the Jags since being drafted in 2017. His presence will solidify the line in front of Trevor Lawrence and, perhaps more importantly, give the Jaguars more flexibility with the No. 1 overall pick. They’re no longer obligated to take a tackle, though Alabama star Evan Neal would be a tremendous opposite-side partner for Robinson.

Ikem Ekwonu of North Carolina State is another potential candidate for the Jags at No. 1, though Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson might make more sense than any of the big-name OLs.

Chargers, Mike Williams Agree On New Deal

March 8th, 2022 at 1:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top remaining franchise tag candidates has signed an big-money contract. The Chargers have inked Mike Williams to a three-year, $60MM deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). $40MM of the total is fully guaranteed. 

The Chargers had made it clear they were willing to tag Williams, though a long-term deal was always the preference. The 27-year-old played out last season on the fifth-year option, which earned him $15.7MM. Given his play during the campaign, it became clear a significant raise would be coming.

Williams posted 76 catches and 1,147 yards – both career highs. He also registered nine touchdowns, the second-highest total of his NFL tenure. Alongside Keenan Allen, he played a major role in the Chargers ranking second in the league in passing yards, while finishing top-five in scoring. This deal means that both Williams and Allen will next become free agents in 2025.

The $20MM per-year average is almost exactly what the franchise tag ($19.1MM) would’ve cost the Chargers in 2022 anyway, though Schefter notes that the first year of the deal includes $28MM. Unlike so many other teams, cap space was hardly an issue for Los Angeles; they entered the day with more than $56MM to work with for the upcoming season. This deal obviously takes a large bite out of that, but the medium-term pact should provide solid value for the team.

The main pieces to the Chargers’ passing attack will remain in place, something which is likely a necessity to compete in the AFC West. In a division already featuring Patrick Mahomes – and that just saw the arrival of Russell Wilson – points will need to be scored early and often to keep up.

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