2022 April - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Sign WR Malik Turner

April 11th, 2022 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers hosted two veteran wide receivers on visits last week. Both are now signed. Following Marcus Johnson‘s agreement, the 49ers announced they signed Malik Turner on Monday.

Turner also agreed to a one-year deal. The former UDFA will join his third team, coming to San Francisco after two-year stays in Seattle and Dallas.

A University of Illinois product, Turner has worked as a backup and special-teamer for most of his career. The 6-foot-2 pass catcher has 29 career receptions for 414 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those TDs came last season, though each occurred in lopsided contests — two in a loss to the Broncos and one in the Cowboys’ 56-point outing against Washington. Turner, 26, also participated on 59% of the Cowboys’ special teams plays.

Both Turner and Johnson stand to compete for backup jobs with the 49ers. San Francisco has its top three receivers — Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings — under contract. That said, Samuel was frequently used in the backfield last season; Aiyuk produced an inconsistent sophomore campaign; Jennings is a former seventh-round pick who missed his rookie year. The team adding veteran help makes sense. Johnson and Turner join ex-Steelers return man/slot player Ray-Ray McCloud as 49ers offseason receiver additions.

Eagles’ Jalen Reagor Drawing Trade Interest

April 11th, 2022 at 1:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jalen Reagor hasn’t had the start to his NFL career he or the Eagles were hoping for. That has led many to believe his days in Philadelphia are numbered. On that point, Tim Kelly of 94WIP reports that teams are showing interest in trading for him.

[RELATED: Eagles Sign WR Pascal]

The 23-year-old was a first-round pick in 2020. He was highly touted as a vertical threat after a productive college career, but that hasn’t translated yet to his NFL tenure. In 28 games, the TCU product has averaged a healthy 10.9 yards per reception, but only totalled 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. With that said, he has also contributed on special teams as a returner.

As Kelly details, trading Reagor would be preferable to a release from a financial standpoint. Cutting him would incur dead cap charges of $7.8MM or just over $6MM, depending on if it happened before or after June 1st of this year. By contrast, a trade would lower those figures to $3.6MM and $1.8MM, respectively.

Whether teams are willing to trade for Reagor and whether the Eagles are willing to move on from him are, of course, two very different things. Philadelphia has him under contract for at least two more seasons (three if they were to pick up his fifth-year option), and his age and upside would have to weighed against, in all likelihood, a meager trade return. The Eagles have also prioritized adding to the WR room this offseason, though they were unable to land the likes of Calvin Ridley, Allen Robinson and Christian Kirk.

Many expect the Eagles to target a pass-catcher with one of their two remaining first-round picks later this month in the draft. Especially if they do add to the position, it might not come as a surprise for trade talk surrounding Reagor to increase.

Bengals Re-Sign CB Tre Flowers

April 11th, 2022 at 12:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have retained a depth piece of their secondary. The team announced the recent re-signing of cornerback Tre Flowers; Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network adds that the deal is for one year and $1.85MM (Twitter link).

Flowers was a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2018. He started 40 of 47 games in Seattle, totalling 196 tackles and three interceptions. His role was reduced in 2021, however, which signalled a departure in free agency was likely. He got a head start on that process when he asked for – and was granted – his release in October.

The Bengals claimed Flowers off waivers, adding the 26-year-old to their CB room. While he only registered one start in Cincinnati, he made 11 appearances in the regular season, and dressed for all four of the team’s playoff games. In his time with the Bengals, Flowers’ yards per completion against figure (9.6) was the lowest of his career, though he still received a PFF grade in line with his usual sub-par ratings.

Ahead of Flowers on the CB depth chart, the Bengals still have Chidobe Awuzie, Mike Hilton and Eli Apple. With Flowers back in the fold, though, they have experienced depth available at a low cost as they look to make another Super Bowl run.

Commanders Re-Sign K Joey Slye

April 11th, 2022 at 10:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders will be retaining their kicker for the short-term future. The team announced on Monday that Joey Slye has be re-signed. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that the sides have agreed on a two-year deal with a maximum value of almost $5MM. (Twitter link).

Like many others at his position, Slye has bounced around during his three years in the NFL. He spent two seasons with the Panthers, converting 54 of 68 field goal attempts (79.4%). He also went 64-for-71 on extra point tries. Carolina cut him on the eve of the 2021 season, though, after they traded for Ryan Santoso.

That led him to the Texans, although he only played in three games for them. He made the same number of appearances with the 49ers shortly thereafter, before finally ending up in the nation’s capital. The Virginia Tech product stabilized the kicking situation in Washington, making all 12 of his field goals and missing just one extra point.

That success rate has earned him this multi-year deal, and a degree of stability for the first time since his Carolina days. With Slye in place, Washington can move forward with a relatively strong kicking game and an element to what they hope will be an improved offense.

Vikings K Greg Joseph Signs RFA Tender

April 11th, 2022 at 9:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Greg Joseph will be staying in Minnesota for at least one more year. The kicker has signed his RFA tender, as announced by his agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network).

The 27-year-old has found himself on a number of both 53-man and practice squad rosters since entering the league in 2018. Originally signed by the Dolphins as a UDFA, his first action came with the Browns. He made 17 of 20 field goal attempts in Cleveland, along with 25 of 29 extra points.

He wasn’t able to retain his starting spot during the following training camp, though, which had him on the move again. After a stint on the Panthers’ practice squad, he made two appearances with the Titans. The FAU alum then spent the entire 2020 campaign with the Buccaneers; he didn’t make any appearances in Tampa Bay, but still capped off the season with a Super Bowl ring.

That led to his deal with the Vikings last offseason. Coming in as the replacement for Dan Bailey, Joseph played in all 17 games in 2021. He made 33 of 38 field goal attempts, good for a success rate of 86.8%. He also converted 36 of 40 extra points. That level of success led to the Vikings tendering him, and he will now spend multiple seasons with the same team for the first time in his career.

QB Matt Corral To Visit Five Teams

April 11th, 2022 at 9:18am CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the buzz around this month’s draft has been generated, not surprisingly, by the quarterback class. One prospect at the position who has received less attention than the likes of Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis is Ole Miss alum Matt Corral. That may change over the coming week, given the team visits he has scheduled.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (on Twitter) that Corral will meet with the Panthers, Eagles, Steelers, Saints and Falcons. Four of the teams on that list have been regularly linked with a number of the top QB options in this year’s class, and have question marks surrounding their long-term future at the position.

The outlier among those listed is the Eagles. The team has publicly committed to Jalen Hurts as their starter of the present, though they have left the door open to his status as the No. 1 changing in the near future. Many thought Philadelphia would have been active during the QB trade market last month; instead, they tried (unsuccessfully) to trade for a number of high-profile receivers. Then, they traded away one of their 2022 first-round picks to the Saints, adding an extra one next year.

In his final two years at Mississippi, Corral’s production jumped considerably. In 23 games since the 2020 campaign started, he threw for 6,686 yards and 49 touchdowns. He added an additional 1,120 yards and 15 scores on the ground. After leading the Rebels to a 10-3 season in 2021, he finished seventh in Heisman voting. That production is contrasted by many with his frame (six-foot-one, 205 pounds) and subsequent questions relating to whether he can withstand NFL physicality.

As the draft draws closer, it may be become clearer how the QB board will shake out this year. That will include where interested teams – including those five – slot Corral in amongst the other first-round-caliber prospects at the position.

Latest On Browns’ Deshaun Watson

April 10th, 2022 at 8:14pm CST by Zachary Links

None of the lawsuits against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will go to trial during the season, Adam Ferrise of the Cleveland Plain Dealer hears. It’s still possible that Watson’s 22 accusers could call him to court, but those trials won’t take place between August 1 of this year and March 1 of 2023, per the agreement struck by the lawyers handling the matter.

It remains to be seen whether Watson would face 22 separate trials or one trial to consolidate them all. Watson’s camp would prefer the latter and, based on the previous round of talks, would only consider settling with all 22 accusers at once. Publicly, Watson’s reps say that they’re not looking to settle at all.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has kept the door open to suspension, though Watson is on track to take the field in Week 1 as of this writing.

“The civil cases were in play over the last year,” Goodell said recently. “The only thing that’s changed is the criminal element has been at least resolved, and that was an important element in the context of the Commissioner Exempt List as discussed with the Players Association. So that was an important (decision as it relates to the Commissioner Exempt List).

“If the criminal had proceeded, that more than likely would have triggered the Commissioner Exempt. I think at this point, the civil case in and of itself would not do that. If there’s a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy, that may trigger something, but that more than likely trigger some kind of discipline in some fashion.”

Anticipating a suspension at some juncture, the Browns reduced Watson’s 2022 base salary to $1MM. That’ll significantly limit the hit will face if/when the quarterback is penalized.

The NFL’s Post-June 1 Cuts, Explained

April 10th, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL teams will often use contract bonuses as a way to spread out a cap hit that might otherwise be exorbitant. For example, if a player’s four-year deal includes a $8MM signing bonus, that money can be paid immediately but spread out over four years for cap purposes. This way, the cap charge for the bonus amounts to $2MM per year for cap purposes, rather than $8MM in year one.

There’s an obvious benefit to kicking the can down the road, but it can also hurt teams if they want to terminate that deal. If the club in the above scenario wanted to release the player in the second year of his contract, it would still have to account for that remaining prorated bonus money. Rather than counting on the cap as $2MM per year for two seasons, that dead money “accelerates,” and applies to the cap for the league year in which the player is released. In other words, the remaining $4MM in prorated bonus money immediately counts against the cap.

Although these rules apply to many cuts, a different set of rules is in place for players released after June 1. In that case, a team can spread the cap hit across two seasons rather than one — for the current season, the prorated bonus figure stays at its original amount, with the remaining bonus balance accelerating onto the following season. Referring again to the above scenario, that means the player would count against the cap for $2MM in the league year in which he was cut, with the remaining $4MM applying to the following league year.

The guidelines for pre-June 1 and post-June 1 cuts are fairly straightforward, but things become a little more complicated when we take into account that teams are allowed to designate up to two players as post-June 1 cuts even if those players are released before June.

Of course, teams won’t always opt for the dead money deferral. For example, when the Panthers dropped Kawann Short’s contract last year, they swallowed a $11MM cap hit, rather than having it linger into 2022. That gave them a cleaner long-term slate, propelling them to ~$24MM in cap room for this offseason.

5 Key Stories: 4/3/22 – 4/9/22

April 10th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look back at the week that was in the NFL:

Texans Re-Up Brandin Cooks: On Thursday, the Texans re-upped Brandin Cooks on a brand-new two-year extension. The deal — worth roughly $40MM with $36M in guarantees — takes the standout wide receiver off of the trade market following weeks of speculation about his future. Previously, Cooks was set to earn $12.5MM in base salary this season, the final season of his five-year, $81MM extension from 2018. Now, he’ll build on his work in Houston, where he’s topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two years.
Saints Acquire First-Round Pick From Eagles: With a few weeks to go before the draft, the Saints moved up two spots in the first round. The Eagles received pick Nos. 18, 101, and 237, plus a 2013 first-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder. In exchange, the Saints get No. 16 overall, plus No. 19 and No. 194 in this year’s draft. New Orleans now has additional ammo in this year’s draft, while Philly can potentially plan for a move in a 2023 draft that is expected to feature a better crop of quarterbacks.
Ravens Re-Sign Calais Campbell: Calais Campbell is staying with the Ravens after agreeing to a two-year deal worth up to $16.5MM. The deal also contains $6MM in guaranteed money, locking in much of what could be his final NFL contract. While Campbell left the door open to retirement, he later confirmed that he wanted to stick around for at least another season. “It just felt like the right move,” Campbell said. “I feel like we started something special and we have unfinished business there.”
Eagles Meet With Tyrann Mathieu: Tyrann Mathieu is still on the market, but the Eagles might bring his free agency to an end. Although they re-signed Anthony Harris, the Eagles have an opening alongside him at safety. Mathieu could take over at Rodney McLeod‘s long-held spot, but it’d cost the Eagles much more than Harris’ one-year, $2.5MM deal.
Dwayne Haskins Dead At 24: Former Ohio State standout and first-round pick Dwayne Haskins died after being run over by a truck over the weekend. The quarterback, who would have turned 25 in May, enjoyed an extraordinary run with the Buckeyes and parlayed his success into a first-round selection. After two years in Washington, Haskins spent the 2021 season with the Steelers. “I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community. Dwayne was a great teammate, but even more so a tremendous friend to so many. I am truly heartbroken.”

This Date In Transactions History: Packers Re-Sign TE Robert Tonyan

April 10th, 2022 at 2:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Three years ago today, the Packers re-upped a relatively unknown tight end on their 90-man roster. The move went unnoticed by many, but it proved to be one of the savviest pickups of the offseason. On April 10, 2019, the Packers re-signed tight end Robert Tonyan.

The Indiana State product went undrafted in 2017, but he managed to secure a lucrative three-year, $1.66MM deal with the Lions. He didn’t end up making the regular season roster, and he spent the majority of his rookie year as a free agent before catching on with the Packers practice squad. Following that 2017 campaign, Green Bay retained the young tight end via a futures contract.

Tonyan ended up sticking the team in 2018, appearing in all 16 games. However, other than a memorable 54-yard touchdown catch, the tight end didn’t do much on the offensive end, and he ended the season having appeared more on special teams (191 snaps) than on offense (67). Still, the Packers apparently believed in his potential, as they extended him a tender as an exclusive rights free agent. That decision (and the subsequent negotiations) culminated in the minor move that was made three years ago today.

Tonyan’s 2019 campaign was similar to his 2018 season; he saw a bit more offensive responsibility, but he still didn’t put up notable numbers. Following that season, the Packers made him an exclusive rights free agent once again, and the player ultimately signed the tender.

The tight end rewarded the Packers’ confidence with a breakout season in 2020. The then-26-year-old emerged as one of Aaron Rodgers‘ favorite targets, finishing the season with 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. He continued producing in the playoffs, hauling in eight catches for 82 yards and one score in two games.

Tonyan was slapped with a second-round tender last year, locking him into a $3.3MM salary for 2021. In 2021, Tonyan got off to a similar start, minus the massive red-zone impact. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a torn ACL in a Week 8 game against the Cardinals, but the Packers believe that he’ll make a full recovery. Despite the uncertainty, Tonyan is back on a new one-year, $3.75MM deal for 2022.