HEADLINES

Month: April 2022

Kyle Hamilton In Danger Of Falling In The Draft?

April 1st, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Less than one month from the 2022 Draft, there are a number of questions surrounding some of this year’s top prospects. While much has been said about the possibility of edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux falling down the board, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton may have joined him in that regard. 

[RELATED: Thibodeaux Could Fall In The Draft]

As noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid and Matt Miller, the defensive back faces a number of factors currently hurting his stock. The first – and the one which was always going to be a concern, regardless of his pre-draft testing – is his position. The very fact that he is a safety (albeit one who is lauded for his versatility) has led many to believe his overall position in the draft order would undersell his skillset.

Secondly, Miller notes that Hamilton had “an uneven showing at his pro day”. That has amplified concerns related to his athletic profile, something which isn’t helped by the knee injury which ended his third and final season with the Fighting Irish. As a result of those factors, Miller writes that “it’s possible he falls all the way into the second half of Round 1”. While that would represent a considerable slide from his once-presumed top-five status, the insider further states that “the consensus around the league is that a drop is expected”.

In three seasons at Notre Dame, the six-foot-four, 219-pounder totalled 138 tackles and eight interceptions. That production, coupled with his positional flexibility and leadership has led to a connection with the Jets on multiple occasions. New York currently holds the fourth and tenth overall picks, but if their view of Hamilton becomes more congruent with that of the rest (or at least a sizeable portion) of the league, he may find himself waiting until after their selections to hear his name called.

Rob Gronkowski Leaning Towards Returning?

April 1st, 2022 at 8:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Tom Brady and most of the 2021 Buccaneers roster returning for at least one more season, one of the few remaining questions concerns the future of Rob Gronkowski. According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, there are signs pointing towards the tight end continuing his career (video link). 

[RELATED: Bucs To Re-Sign RB Bernard]

“I don’t see him anywhere else but Tampa if he plays”, La Canfora said. “He’s given some indications that he does expect to play… The band is essentially back.”

Given that, the insider posits that he expects the soon-to-be 33-year-old to ultimately re-sign in Tampa “at his own pace”. While the veteran may not be present for the totality of the Buccaneers’ offseason workouts, he already has a career’s worth of familiarity with Brady and a consistent track record of production.

After un-retiring to reunite with Brady in Tampa, the 2010s All-Decade member has played 28 games with their new team. Over that span, he has made 100 catches for 1,425 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s added another three scores in six playoff contests.

It was reported last week, however, that Gronkowski remained undecided on his football future. He heaped praise on Joe Burrow and the AFC champion Bengals, leading to speculation that could be his next destination. Brady has since un-retired himself, though, so it is expected to be Bucs-or-bust at this time.

Given Tampa Bay’s current cap situation, the team wouldn’t be able to afford to bring Gronkowski back at the $9.25MM he averaged over his two years with the team. Should he choose to continue playing, though, Tampa would surely welcome him back.

Dolphins, Xavien Howard Agree On New Contract

April 1st, 2022 at 6:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

After much talk about a new contract being in the works for star cornerback Xavien Howard, the Dolphins have indeed signed him to an extended deal. As detailed by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the pact is five years in length and includes $50.7MM in new money. 

USA Today’s Josina Anderson adds the new per-year average that Howard will receive is just over $25.3MM (Twitter link). Per his agent, that figure sets a new record for the most new money gained by a player signing a re-worked contract. Howard previously had three years and $39.3MM on his existing deal, so in all, he is now on the books for the next five seasons at a cost of $90MM. Meanwhile, Field Yates of ESPN reports that the new pact also includes the most guaranteed money ever given to a corner (Twitter link).

The 28-year-old agreed to a restructured deal before the start of last season, and actually re-worked it a second time in November. As Yates notes, those moves came with the understanding that a longer-term contract (and with it, a sizeable raise) was coming relatively soon. That time has clearly now come. After six seasons in Miami, the three-time Pro Bowler has totalled 27 interceptions and 71 pass deflections, leading the league in each category during an All-Pro 2020 campaign.

The $25MM-plus annual average comfortably eclipses the previous record for cornerbacks, held by Jalen Ramsey at exactly $20MM per annum. Pro Football Talk’s Aaron Wilson reports that Howard is the first corner to have five seasons’ worth of his compensation fully guaranteed. He now also has the unique distinction of becoming the first player to have a contract restructured with four, and now, three, years remaining on it at the time of signing.

This is the second notable financial move the Dolphins have made with respect to their CB tandem. They restructured Byron Jones‘ contract one week ago to create some financial flexibility while keeping the pair under contract. In other significant news this offseason, Miami has also, of course, added the likes of Tyreek Hill and Terron Armstead.

The Dolphins look to have a much-improved offense in 2022. The backend of their defense, though, will remain the strength of the roster for the foreseeable future with Howard in the fold long-term.

Texans To Sign Marlon Mack

April 1st, 2022 at 6:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

After meeting with the team last week, Marlon Mack is set to join the Texans. Houston is signing the veteran tailback, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Texans Host Mack]

Mack, 26, was a fourth round pick of the Colts in 2017. While he didn’t start any of the 14 games he played in during his rookie season, he totalled 583 scrimmage yards, setting him up for much larger workloads in the two years to follow. Between 2018 and 2019, Mack received 442 carries, posting 1,999 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.

His tenure in Indianapolis went downhill from there, however. After just one game, his 2020 season was ended by a torn Achilles. That – coupled with the emergence of second-round rookie Jonathan Taylor – led many to feel he would be seeking a new home in free agency. However, he stayed put, signing a one-year deal to try and prove he had recovered from the injury.

That plan didn’t come to fruition, however. The South Florida alum played in only six games, rushing for 101 yards. Again, many felt he would be on the move – this time via a trade – but he didn’t generate much of a market for an in-season move. Not surprisingly, the Colts are now moving forward with Taylor as one of the league’s preeminent workhouse backs.

In Houston, Mack will remain in the AFC South while joining a Texans team which should provide him with plenty of touches. After spending most of the season with the likes of David Johnson and Mark Ingram in 2021, those two veterans have hit free agency and been traded, respectively. Alongside Rex Burkhead, Mack should be in line to command a healthy workload on the rebuilding squad.

Lions Bullish On Jared Goff, Open To Drafting Quarterback

April 1st, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions do not appear to have a long-term quarterback solution on their roster, but they were not connected to any of the passers who switched teams via trade last month. This positions Jared Goff to go into a second season as Detroit’s starter.

This scenario seems fine for Lions GM Brad Holmes, who was with the Rams when Goff was drafted and pulled the trigger on a trade to acquire Goff’s contract — something that netted Detroit more draft capital in the Matthew Stafford swap. Goff’s deal does not make him a realistic cut or trade candidate this year, but the former No. 1 overall pick can be jettisoned much easier in 2023.

As veterans like Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo have shrinking markets, Goff is set to move into another season unchallenged for a starting job. Although the team can save $20MM by moving on from Goff next year, Holmes said this week the seventh-year veteran can still be Detroit’s long-term QB answer.

“Jared played good football for us late in the year, so we have a lot of optimism about Jared going forward. We have a quarterback,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “If you’re asking, like, why did not we not kind of hop into that world [of offseason QB movement], we’re happy with where Jared’s at right now. We’re looking forward to him having a productive year for us.

“… Jared’s our quarterback and we’re going to make sure that he’s put in the best position to succeed and that’s — we’ll let the chips fall from there.”

The Lions started 0-10-1 under Goff, who was transported from Sean McVay‘s offense that came equipped with quality wide receivers to a newly assembled coaching staff with one of the worst wideout depth charts in the league. Goff ranked 24th in QBR last season, when he averaged 6.6 yards per attempt but did finish with a 19-to-8 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. The Lions, who moved on from OC Anthony Lynn earlier this year, re-signed Tim Boyle as a backup in March.

Another Goff-Boyle season could well transpire in Detroit, but select NFL personnel view Goff, understandably, as a placeholder for the Lions, Birkett notes. They are set to carry two first-round picks this year and next. This year’s moderately appealing crop of quarterbacks does not seem to align with the Lions’ No. 2 overall draft slot, though Holmes discussed the topic of a rookie learning behind Goff. If the Lions opt not to reach for one of this year’s top QB prospects at 2, they could conceivably be in play for Matt Corral or Desmond Ridder at 32 or 34.

“Sure, I could see some advantage of there is a young quarterback that can learn under Jared,” Holmes said. “I don’t think Jared would have any issues taking on that role. He’s had younger guys with less experience behind him, so he’d be very comfortable with that.”

It would be interesting if the Lions made their quarterback move now instead of 2023. The team is not expected to contend this season, and the 2023 QB class is — a year out — viewed as superior to this one. Holmes has also discussed Detroit’s No. 2 pick with teams and is open to dealing it before the draft. The Lions floating a scenario where they could be in play for a QB may factor into that approach as well.

Vikings, OL Chris Reed Agree To Deal

April 1st, 2022 at 3:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chris Reed loomed as a potential option to replace Mark Glowinski in the Colts’ starting lineup, but he will take another opportunity instead. The veteran guard signed with the Vikings on Friday.

The Colts showed interest in re-signing Reed, who made six starts for them last season, but agreed to a two-year Vikings deal, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter links). Reed played collegiately at Division II Minnesota State, where he was teammates with Adam Thielen, and becomes the second starter-caliber O-lineman to sign with the Vikings this week, following ex-Dolphin Jesse Davis.

Reed, 29, subbed for both Glowinski and Quenton Nelson at points last season and spent the 2020 campaign as a full-time Panthers starter, being a first-stringer in each of the 14 games he played that year. Reed and Davis were briefly teammates with the 2019 Dolphins, and the former UDFA spent the first four seasons of his career as a Jaguars backup. The two may wage a battle for the Vikings’ right guard spot soon, with Tomasson viewing Davis as the favorite for the gig (Twitter link). The loser would fit as a valuable swingman.

Minnesota lost three-year contributor Dakota Dozier in free agency but has left guard Ezra Cleveland under contract for two more seasons. The team is poised to return four starters from last season’s O-line and now has options to fill the other slot, with primary 2021 right guard Oli Udoh still under contract.

Indianapolis lost Glowinski early in free agency, with the team’s longtime right guard signing with the Giants. While Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith form the core of a top-tier O-line, the Colts will look to replace two starters — Glowinski and left tackle Eric Fisher, whom they are not expected to re-sign. Unless the Colts are eyeing a veteran guard, 2020 fifth-round pick Danny Pinter will have an opportunity replace Glowinski, CBS4’s Mike Chappell tweets.

Falcons To Sign WR Damiere Byrd

April 1st, 2022 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons hosted Damiere Byrd on a visit earlier this week, becoming the second team to do so since free agency started. Byrd agreed to a deal to join them Friday.

Byrd will head to his fourth team in four years, committing to the Falcons on a one-year deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The former UDFA visited both the Falcons and Raiders recently but will partner with a team in transition at wide receiver.

After trading Julio Jones last summer, the Falcons saw Calvin Ridley step away from football near the midseason point. Ridley has since been handed a one-year gambling suspension, and the Buccaneers signed Russell Gage earlier this month. This all left Atlanta extremely shorthanded at wide receiver. While the team figures to target wideouts early in the draft, Byrd will be a candidate to contribute for the franchise’s first post-Matt Ryan squad.

Byrd, 29, played with the Bears last season, the Patriots in 2020 and the Cardinals in 2019. Prior to that, he spent three seasons with the Panthers. While Byrd played an auxiliary role with the Bears, catching 26 passes for 329 yards and a touchdown, the speedster factored in more prominently with the Cam Newton-quarterbacked Patriots team two years ago. The 5-foot-9 target posted career-high marks in receptions (47) and yards (604) for that Pats edition. Byrd broke out post-Carolina, having combined for barely 100 yards in three Panthers seasons.

This marks the Falcons’ third notable receiver deal this offseason. They have added ex-Bengal Auden Tate and former Browns backup KhaDarel Hodge to a receiver group that still features ex-UDFA Olamide Zaccheaus.

Buccaneers To Re-Sign Giovani Bernard

April 1st, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another member of the 2021 Buccaneers’ roster is set to remain on the squad. The team is re-signing running back Giovani Bernard on a one-year contract, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Greg Auman of the Athletic adds (on Twitter) that it is a veteran salary benefit deal valued at $1.12MM. 

[RELATED: Buccaneers Re-Sign Fournette]

Bernard, 30, spent last year in Tampa Bay after eight seasons with the Bengals. Slotted in behind Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones on the depth chart, he only received eight carries in 12 games. He did, on the other hand, chip in via his usage in the passing game; he made 23 catches for 123 yards and three touchdowns. In the team’s pair of playoff contests, he added 83 total yards and another score.

A second round pick in 2013, Bernard has always been known as a change-of-pace back more so than an every-down workhorse. His pass-catching ability garnered interest after he was released by the Bengals last offseason. Ultimately, he was recruited to Tampa by Tom Brady and Bruce Arians. While he played a small role in the team’s offense, he was able to win a playoff game with them for the first time in his career.

As was the case one year ago, Bernard had “multiple offers”, Pelissero notes. Instead of heading to a new NFL home for the second straight year, though, he will stay in Tampa with an offense that has remained almost entirely intact from 2021.

Latest On Deebo Samuel

April 1st, 2022 at 1:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

After his most productive season to date, Deebo Samuel is eligible for a new contract for the first time in his career. Given the recent shifts in the WR market, he should be in line for a healthy raise relative to his rookie deal. On that point, NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco recently wrote about the terms he should be receiving shortly. 

[RELATED: 49ers Planning Extensions For Bosa, Samuel]

General manager John Lynch has already made it clear that new deals for both Samuel and fellow 2019 draftee Nick Bosa have been “budgeted for”. The former second rounder stood out in his rookie season, posting 961 scrimmage yards. That was followed by an injury-marred 2020 campaign, but he had a breakout year this past season.

The South Carolina alum totalled 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns, good for a league-leading average of 18.2 yards per reception. Taking on a larger role in the team’s run game down the stretch, however, he added another 365 yards and eight scores on the ground. During San Francisco’s run to the NFC title game, Samuel recorded 291 combined yards and two total touchdowns in three games.

That production, as Maiocco notes, should elevate the All-Pro ‘wide-back’ near the top of the league in terms of annual compensation. The position has seen a number of market-shifting contracts in recent weeks, most notably the deals given to Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams. Extensions signed by the likes of D.J. Moore, Chris Godwin and Mike Williams have also reached the $20MM-per-year plateau.

Keeping in mind the aforementioned deals, Maiocco writes that “the true numbers on Samuel’s contract extension can be expected to be no lower than $22MM per season and, probably, no higher than $24MM annually”. Those figures would place him just short of the top spot at the position. If both sides can begin negotiations in that range, though, there could rightfully be “plenty of optimism” that a long-term pact can be finalized before the start of the 2022 season.

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