HEADLINES

Month: April 2022

Chargers WR Jalen Guyton, TE Donald Parham Sign ERFA Tenders

April 12th, 2022 at 10:17pm CST by Ben Levine

A pair of offensive skill players signed their tenders with the Chargers today. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), wide receiver Jalen Guyton and tight end Donald Parham officially inked their exclusive rights free agent tenders.

Guyton, a 2019 undrafted free agent out of North Texas, has spent the majority of his three-year career with the Chargers. He basically redshirted his rookie campaign before turning into a serviceable target for Justin Herbert over the past two seasons. In 32 games (11 starts) between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Guyton has hauled in 59 receptions for 959 yards and six touchdowns.

After bouncing around the NFL and XFL to begin his professional career, Parham caught on with the Chargers in 2020. He’s seen time in 27 games (14 starts) over the past two years, hauling in 30 receptions for 349 yards and six touchdowns. His 2021 season ended on IR after he suffered a scary concussion in December.

The Chargers also officially announced the signing of linebacker Troy Reeder today. We learned that Reeder was inking a one-year deal with the team this past weekend.

Latest On Jaguars RB Travis Etienne

April 12th, 2022 at 7:48pm CST by Ben Levine

After having to sit out his entire rookie season with a foot injury, Travis Etienne believes he’s just about back to full health. According to ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, the Jaguars running back expects to be fully cleared by the time training camp comes around.

Etienne is already participating in his team’s voluntary offseason conditioning program with new head coach Doug Pederson. The running back estimated that he’s 85-90% recovered from his Lisfranc injury, and while he’s still limited “in some of his weight-room work,” he’s been able to take part in most of the on-field drills.

“If I didn’t know I had a screw in my foot, I couldn’t tell,” Etienne said of his recovery (via DiRocco). “I feel like that’s a testament to where I’m at in my transition and how I’m healing.

“The screw is there. I think I will take it out. I could leave it there forever. I know most guys say leave it there, it never bothers them, but I just don’t want to be 40 years old with a screw in my foot, really.”

Considered a top prospect in the 2020 class, the Clemson product surprised many by returning for his senior season. His yards-per-carry figure dropped from 7.8 to 5.4, which probably helped the Jaguars secure him towards the end of the first round at No. 25. Despite the dropoff, he still had two 1,600-yard seasons and 70 career rushing TDs to his credit. As DiRocco writes, former head coach Urban Meyer was expected to use the rookie in “a Percy Harvin-type role,” but the preseason foot injury ended up knocking out the running back for the entire season. Of course, the injury also meant Etienne didn’t have to really deal with the turmoil surround Meyer’s brief tenure in Jacksonville, providing him with a clean slate heading into the 2022 campaign.

“Just seeing the results, you’re definitely like, ‘Whew, if there was any year to miss, I missed a great one,'” he told DiRocco.

With a new coaching staff in place, it will be interesting to see how Etienne is utilized during his first NFL season. Fellow RB James Robinson suffered an Achilles injury in December, so Etienne could find himself getting the bulk of the carries early in the season.

Rams Have Been In Contact With CB Stephon Gilmore

April 12th, 2022 at 7:21pm CST by Ben Levine

The Rams are seemingly connected to every big name, and it sounds like they’ve kicked the tires on a former Defensive Player of the Year. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams “have been in contact” with cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Of course, while the Rams may have interest in a player of Gilmore’s caliber, it’s uncertain if they’ll be able to afford the defensive back. As Rodrigue notes, the organization “couldn’t pay anywhere near” what the cornerback was expecting heading into the offseason. Still, it wouldn’t be the first time a player has taken a significant pay cut in pursuit of a ring, and if Gilmore’s market isn’t what he anticipated, it’d make some sense if he settled for a one-year, prove-it deal with a contender.

In Los Angeles, Gilmore would be a natural fit opposite Jalen Ramsey. Plus, as Rodrigue writes, Gilmore’s presence on the outside would allow Ramsey to also serve in the “star” position. In that situation, Gilmore and someone like Robert Rochell or David Long Jr. would occupy the outside spots.

Gilmore, 31, being patient is unsurprising here, given his quest to see a pay raise during the second half of his Patriots tenure. Gilmore voiced frustration about his Pats contract — a five-year, $65MM deal that became wildly team-friendly as the market moved — in 2020 and 2021, leading to a pay bump for the ’20 season and a trade to the Panthers the following year. Leading up to free agency, Carolina had not closed the door on a Gilmore re-signing. He’s since received interest from the Raiders and Chiefs, but a deal hasn’t materialized.

The veteran was limited to only nine games this past season, but he still managed to earn his fourth-straight Pro Bowl nod after finishing with a pair of interceptions.

Lions To Meet With DE Aidan Hutchinson, S Kyle Hamilton

April 12th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

If Aidan Hutchinson is still on the board when the Lions pick at No. 2 overall, it would seemingly represent a perfect fit between the Michigan product and a rebuilding team in need of young cornerstones. The Lions will do more homework on the Heisman finalist, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting (via Twitter) they will meet with Hutchinson next week.

The Lions will also meet with another top prospect ahead of the Hutchinson visit. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is set to visit this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. It would be a surprise if the Lions went with Hamilton, considering his position, but the former Fighting Irish standout has secured meetings with five of the eight teams holding top-10 picks.

[RELATED: Hamilton In Danger Of Falling In Draft?]

Hutchinson is also meeting with the Giants and Jets this week. It would be a surprise if the former Michigan pass-rushing dynamo made it past the Lions at 2. The Jaguars are favored to select the defensive end first overall. That would put the Lions to a decision. Both ESPN.com’s Todd McShay and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah have Jacksonville taking Hutchinson and Detroit going with Georgia D-lineman Travon Walker. Hutchinson’s college production laps Walker’s, but the latter showcased elite athleticism at the Combine. A defensive end often used inside as well, Walker made a Detroit visit recently. Hutchinson is a Michigan native who played high school football in a Detroit suburb.

The Lions have also been connected to Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux at 2 but are keeping their options open. The pick is for sale, and GM Brad Holmes would be OK parting with it before the draft.

No team has used a top-two pick on a safety since the first Browns iteration selected Eric Turner second in 1991. The Lions have the Okwara brothers at defensive end, but after cutting Trey Flowers and not making a notable addition in free agency, the team certainly needs edge-rushing help. Detroit re-signed safety Tracy Walker this offseason, giving the 2018 draftee a three-year deal worth $25MM, and used Will Harris as a 17-game starter last season. Pro Football Focus graded Harris poorly in 2021, however.

John Harbaugh Addresses Lamar Jackson’s Slow Pace Toward Extension

April 12th, 2022 at 5:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens continue to put word out Lamar Jackson is not pursuing an extension. John Harbaugh said Tuesday no talks have occurred between the former MVP and the team since shortly after the season ended.

A recent report indicated Jackson was not planning to discuss a new deal until after the 2022 season wraps, and owner Steve Bisciotti‘s first comments about the state of the team in years centered on Jackson. Bisciotti broached the subject of a two-franchise tag future. That still seems too early to predict, and Jackson reiterated his happiness in Baltimore. But the team is ready to do a deal; its quarterback is not.

“We had a serious conversation at the end of the season with Lamar and [GM] Eric [DeCosta] and myself,” Harbaugh said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (via Pro Football Talk). “And he made it pretty clear where he was at with it and what he wanted to do this offseason, and that was really the last formal one we had.

“When he’s ready to do it, it’s going to become a priority for him, then we’re gonna know it, you know? It doesn’t have to be a priority for us right now. It’s got to be a priority for both sides. We can do something, or we can wait. Because we know it’s gonna get done when it’s supposed to get done.”

The three-time Pro Bowler is attached to a $23MM fifth-year option salary. An extension would help the Ravens by bringing that number down. Should this process progress to a franchise tag in 2023, that cap figure would become an issue for the team.

Jackson’s patience looks to be more of a gamble than Kirk Cousins‘ or Dak Prescott‘s, considering his unprecedented carry pace. Jackson’s 615 carries through four seasons are 148 more than any other quarterback in NFL history compiled to that point, with Cam Newton in second. Newton’s short prime could serve as a warning here, as it would seemingly behoove Jackson to cash in early. Of course, it is not known how far the Ravens are prepared to go financially. As of November, they were not ready to give Jackson a deal matching Patrick Mahomes‘ $45MM-per-year accord. The Deshaun Watson contract — averaging $46MM annually and coming fully guaranteed — may well have changed the game for star quarterbacks, complicating potential Ravens-Jackson talks.

Harbaugh has said several times Jackson would get paid. His first such comments on the matter came shortly after the 2020 season ended, when the longtime Baltimore HC expected a deal to be finalized either during the 2021 or ’22 offseasons. Jackson’s approach has clearly surprised the Ravens, as their owner, GM and head coach have confirmed he is not pursuing a new deal.

“I do believe Lamar when he tells me that, man, he just wants to be the best quarterback he can be, and that’s what he’s thinking about right now,” Harbaugh said. “He doesn’t think he has to think about his contract. He feels like he’s got time to do it. Yeah, you could argue that one way or the other. But everybody gets to make that decision for themselves. That’s a great thing. That’s his choice, not somebody else’s.”

If Jackson’s patience does pay off and he retains his elite value by the time he is ready to negotiate, the self-represented passer will do incredibly well for himself. But this saga does not appear set to conclude soon. This reaching the two-tag path represents the best bet as of now, OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald posited recently (via The Athletic). That would mean Jackson putting extension talks off until at least 2025. It would easily be one of the boldest plays in NFL contract history.

Giants Looking Into QB Sam Howell

April 12th, 2022 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants are prepared to give Daniel Jones another season to show he can be the team’s long-term starter, but the regime that drafted Jones is out, leaving the former No. 6 overall pick’s future with the franchise in question.

GM Joe Schoen signed Tyrod Taylor, who was with the Bills during Schoen’s first year in Buffalo, to back up Jones. Taylor’s deal runs through 2023. The Giants have not decided on Jones’ 2023 option. The team will almost certainly not take a quarterback with its No. 5 overall pick, but its second-round selection (No. 36) could be a spot where the position is considered.

Sam Howell has popped up on the Giants’ radar. The North Carolina quarterback drew a sizable Giants contingent at his pro day, including new Big Blue QBs coach Shea Tierney, and SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes the team visited with the ex-Tar Heel passer over the weekend. While this is the NFL calendar’s prime smokescreen period, the Giants make sense as an interested team.

Once firmly on the first-round radar, Howell slipped a bit after a junior season with a new-look Tar Heels cast. Exoduses of Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown undoubtedly impacted Howell, whom ESPN ranks 50th among this year’s prospects. Still, a few teams are monitoring the 6-foot-2 QB. The Commanders and Saints were sent several staffers to Howell’s pro day, while the Steelers met with him just ahead of his Giants meeting. The Panthers are also meeting with the in-state prospect this week.

Second-round QBs are obviously riskier propositions, though a Howell pick now probably would not dissuade Schoen and Co. from investing a first-rounder on another passer in 2023 or ’24 — should Jones not show enough this season. The Giants hold one second-round pick but could acquire additional Day 2 capital by trading one of their top-10 choices for a sizable haul.

Seahawks Pick Up TE Noah Fant’s Fifth-Year Option

April 12th, 2022 at 2:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Weeks into his Seahawks tenure, Noah Fant saw his contract extended. The Seahawks are picking up Fant’s fifth-year option, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

This will keep Fant on his rookie deal through the 2023 season. Because Fant has not made a Pro Bowl but has logged a participation rate north of 50%, he qualifies for the third-tier option price ($6.85MM). This will give the Seahawks a longer look at the tight end acquired in the Russell Wilson trade.

This marks the first time the Seahawks have exercised a fifth-year option, which has been in place since the 2011 CBA. The team passed on the option for James Carpenter (2011), Bruce Irvin (2012), Germain Ifedi (2016) and Rashaad Penny (2018). Given 2019 first-rounder L.J. Collier‘s usage rate, the defensive end is not an option candidate. The 2020 CBA introduced the tiered option structure, giving teams more to consider due to the options now being fully guaranteed.

Joining Drew Lock and Shelby Harris in coming over from Denver last month, Fant is set to become one of Seattle’s top pass catchers. The Iowa alum did not become a top-flight tight end in Denver, but the Broncos’ longstanding issues at quarterback limited just about all their targets in recent years. Fant caught 68 passes for 670 yards and four touchdowns last season — similar numbers to a 2020 season spent with Lock as his quarterback.

That 2020 season — a 62-catch, 673-yard, three-TD slate — could prove relevant considering Lock’s presence. The Seahawks have repeatedly praised their quarterback acquisition, unsurprisingly, and have not added competition. That could well come in the draft or via a Baker Mayfield trade. For now, however, Lock is in position to have a strong chance at another starting gig.

Having run a 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the 2019 Combine, Fant combined for 18 touchdowns in his final two Iowa seasons. This topped Hawkeyes teammate T.J. Hockenson by a considerable margin. The Lions plan to pick up Hockenson’s option, which will cost slightly more due to his Pro Bowl nod. Fant, 24, played with numerous starting quarterbacks in Denver, which also saw Albert Okwuegbunam eat into his target share when healthy. A case can certainly be made Fant has a higher ceiling to reach with his new team. Fant will join Will Dissly in Seattle. The Seahawks re-signed the injury-prone tight end to a three-year, $24MM deal last month.

Falcons Sign TE Anthony Firkser

April 12th, 2022 at 2:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Arthur Smith will bring another of his former Titans charges to Atlanta. The Falcons agreed to a one-year deal with Anthony Firkser on Tuesday.

This comes not long after the Titans added ex-Falcon tight end Austin Hooper. Not as accomplished as the former Atlanta and Cleveland pass catcher, Firkser waited a bit longer to find a home in free agency. But he will see some familiar faces with the Falcons.

Smith coached Firkser for the first three seasons of his career, the first as his position coach and the next two as Titans offensive coordinator. Firkser, 27, will rejoin Marcus Mariota on a Falcons team that has also added ex-Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans this offseason. Firkser should be expected to fill the No. 2 tight end role behind Kyle Pitts, one vacated after Hayden Hurst signed with the Bengals last month.

The Titans not using their franchise tag on Jonnu Smith led the previous starter to the Patriots, though this defection did not exactly lead to a Firkser production increase. After a 39-catch 2020 season, the Harvard alum snared 34 passes for just 291 yards last season. Those numbers still led Titans tight ends. On a Falcons team currently without much at wide receiver, Firkser could see similar opportunities.

Melvin Ingram Visiting Dolphins

April 12th, 2022 at 1:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Melvin Ingram found himself in a new NFL home for the first time last season. That may be the case again in 2022, as the free agent is visiting the Dolphins (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). 

The soon-to-be 33-year-old signed with the Steelers last year, ending a nine-year stint with the Chargers. He only started one of six games in Pittsburgh, however, registering a single sack. That led to a trade request, which the team honored. He was acquired by the Chiefs in November; in Kansas City, he saw similar playing time and put up comparable numbers.

Given the South Carolina alum’s play, and the team’s defensive turnaround which coincided with his arrival, the Chiefs made it clear they would welcome Ingram back if he wished to stay. “I do think if a guy like Melvin decides he wants to come back and play, I think that we would be at the top of his list” said general manager Brett Veach. Since those comments, though, the team has managed to retain Frank Clark, whom many felt would be a cut candidate.

The Dolphins have made significant additions to their offense this offseason, but they have been able to retain a number of key defensive players as well. Among those is defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who, along with 2021 first-round pick Jaelan Phillips, will remain central to the team’s pass rush. Signing Ingram would add experienced depth in that department, while helping to fortify an already strong unit on a team with significant 2022 aspirations.

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