HEADLINES

Month: May 2022

Texans To Sign Rasheem Green

May 2nd, 2022 at 9:50am CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans didn’t add much to their defensive line during the draft, but they are set to bring in another piece to that position group in free agency. Houston is signing defensive end Rasheem Green to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 

Green, 25 at the start of the season, visited the Texans last week, so a contract comes as little surprise. He had a limited role during the first three years of his time in Seattle, though he flashed potential with a four sack 2019 campaign. By far his best year, however, came in 2021; he set career highs in starts (16), sacks (6.5), tackles (48) and quarterback hits (15).

That generated plenty of interest as he hit free agency for the first time. The USC product met with the Ravens in March, and the Panthers in April. While that signalled a departure was likely, it was reported at the time that he could still re-sign with the Seahawks. Ultimately, the third meeting was the charm for him to find his new NFL home.

In Houston, Green will join a defensive front which – like most of the rest of the roster – is lacking in veterans and long-term, expensive commitments. If he can replicate his level of play from last season, however, he should be able to continue his upward trajectory and help the team’s rebuild.

Saints Expected To Sign Tyrann Mathieu

May 2nd, 2022 at 9:06am CST by Adam La Rose

9:06 AM: New Orleans has, for a while now, been seen as the favorite to land safety Tyrann Mathieu. It appears they have indeed added the veteran, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that the Saints are “expected to sign” him in the coming days.

3:40 PM: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the deal is indeed in place, and will be officially signed shortly (Twitter link). Mathieu will earn $33MM over three years, with $18MM fully guaranteed.

It was reported yesterday that the Saints would make an “aggressive push” for the soon-to-be 30-year-old. The deal would represent a homecoming for the New Orleans native who played at LSU in college. It would also mark his fourth career NFL team, after he had a one-year stint in Houston between stays in Arizona and Kansas City.

It was with the Chiefs that Mathieu had the bulk of his individual and collective success. He added two more Pro Bowls and All-Pro nods to his resume, and won his lone Super Bowl during his three seasons there. A starter and valued team leader throughout that time, he totalled 13 interceptions in Kansas City, showcasing his positional versatility along the way.

The Chiefs moved on in free agency, however, signing Justin Reid to take over Mathieu’s starting role. That led to speculation the Saints – who lost Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins this offseason – could be interested in the All-Decade member. The team has already signed Marcus Maye and ex-Chief Daniel Sorensen, but they avoided drafting a safety this weekend. Meanwhile, teams like the Rams and Steelers showed interest, and the Eagles hosted him on a free agent visit as well.

Assuming the deal isn’t officially signed until after 3 PM central time, the Chiefs won’t be in line for a 2023 compensatory pick. The Saints, meanwhile, will add a hometown player as a key part of their rebuilt safety room.

Seahawks Declining L.J. Collier’s Fifth-Year Option

May 1st, 2022 at 11:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks have made the decision to decline the fifth-year option of the rookie contract for defensive end L.J. Collier, according to Charean Williams of NBC Sports. The writing was on the wall for the former first-round draft pick out of TCU, as Collier’s stock has been trending slowly down since his inception in the league. 

After spending most of his rookie season on the sideline with an injury, Collier started every game in his sophomore season. The full year in a starting position only yielded 3.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss, and 7 quarterback hits.

Throughout the beginning of this past season, Collier was named a healthy-scratch in seven of the first ten games. Newly acquired defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche subbed in for Collier and, by the end of September, Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton said that Nkemdiche had surpassed Collier on the depth chart.

It’s unclear whether the 26-year-old will be able to drum up any interest in the trade market, after failing to do so during the season last year, but, unless Collier has a 2022 NFL season to remember, it may be his last in Seattle.

Latest On Jalen Reagor Trade Rumors

May 1st, 2022 at 10:40pm CST by Ely Allen

In the weeks leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, word was going around that Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor‘s days in Philadelphia were numbered. It stood to reason that it would be more financially favorable to seek a trade partner, rather than cut Reagor and incur dead cap charges of over $6MM. 

There was some reported interest, according to Tim Kelly of 94WIP, but the Draft came and went, and no trade occurred. Now, that doesn’t mean that a trade couldn’t still happen, but if it were going to, it would’ve been most likely to occur during the Draft.

Zach Berman of The Athletic did provide an update on the situation with a quote from Eagles general manager Howie Roseman saying, “Jalen Reagor is a Philadelphia Eagle and he’s going to be here…He’s worked tremendously hard to get in shape and come into this off-season program, and now he has an opportunity. We don’t anticipate anything changing.”

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

So, as of right now, it appears Reagor will be returning for another opportunity to contribute. He currently is the third wide receiver on the depth chart behind last year’s first-round pick, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins. He won’t need to pass either of them on the depth chart, necessarily, but needs to really improve his contribution if he wants to remain in Philadelphia.

Jets Tried To Trade Into First For RB Hall

May 1st, 2022 at 9:37pm CST by Ely Allen

Early in the second round, the Jets drafted former Iowa State running back Breece Hall with the 36th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, making Hall the first running back to come off the board for the year. Despite the annual debate over whether or not it’s worth it to use a first-round pick on a running back, this marked the first Draft since 2014 that a running back did not get selected in the first round. 

It was almost a continuation of the 7-year trend, though. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, New York was so high on Hall that they attempted to trade back into the bottom of the first round to draft him. Whether they just wanted to be extra sure Hall became a Jet or whether they sought to add a fifth-year option to his rookie contract is unclear at the time.

If New York had succeeded in this endeavor, it would’ve been the first time that an NFL team had used four first-round selections since the Jets, themselves, did it in the 2000 NFL Draft. The 2000 Draft saw the Jets select future-Pro Bowl defensive ends Shaun Ellis and John Abraham back-to-back at No. 12 & 13 overall. Five picks later, New York selected quarterback Chad Pennington, who would become their starter two years later and take them to the playoffs three times. Lastly, they drafted tight end Anthony Becht who became a red-zone threat throughout his tenure in New York.

The Jets are certainly hoping to get the same, if not better, success out of this year’s class. With two top-ten picks in cornerback Ahmad Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, in addition to No. 26 overall pick defensive end Jermaine Johnson II and Hall at No. 36 overall, New York has added key pieces to positions of need.

Stacked up with last year’s high value picks of quarterback Zach Wilson, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, and wide receiver Elijah Moore, the Jets are looking to build draft success into success on the gridiron, something they haven’t seen since their last winning season in 2015, a year in which they still failed to qualify for the postseason. They will look to end the NFL’s longest active playoff drought and make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 NFL season.

Panthers Sign 13 Undrafted Free Agents

May 1st, 2022 at 7:11pm CST by Ely Allen

With the 2022 NFL Draft over, the Panthers went quickly back to work, signing 13 free agents from the undrafted rookie class. Here’s the full list of UDFAs headed to Carolina:

Carolina had one of the more interesting draft experiences. They took the Draft’s first offensive lineman, who was a threat to go No. 1 overall, with the sixth pick of the night. After that, they weren’t expected to make another pick until the end of the fourth round. The Panthers, though, made a move as they saw quarterbacks tumbling closer and closer to their draft position, trading up to take former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the third round.

Cheek is being brought in as a bit of additional quarterback competition. Cheek’s a hometown kid who started 40 games at Elon. He passed for 8,548 yards throwing 51 touchdowns to 21 interceptions over his college career.

Carolina’s UDFA class is also headlined by players like Rambo, Tolson, and Hartlaub. Rambo, the former Oklahoma Sooner who transferred to Miami for his last year of college ball, set single season records for the Hurricanes in receptions and receiving yards during his sole season with the team. Tolson can bring a lot of speed to the linebacker room. He ran a 4.45 40-yard dash at 235 lb. during the Fighting Illini’s pro day. The Panthers were eager to bring him in, giving him a guaranteed $85,000, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

Hartlaub is not a name most will recognize, as he spent most of his college career on special teams, but it says a lot about his abilities that he was able to earn an UDFA contract as a career-special teamer. Besides being outstanding on special teams, the Panthers were likely attracted to another aspect of Hartlaub. During the Nittany Lions’ pro day, Hartlaub reportedly ran a 4.22 40-yard dash. If accurate, that would have been the fastest 40-time at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.

Carolina was willing to spend a bit to put together this group. In addition to the impressive amount guaranteed to Tolson, Wilson reported that the Panthers gave Henry a guaranteed amount of $100,000, as well as a $17,500 signing bonus.

Saints Announce 17 Undrafted Free Agent Signings

May 1st, 2022 at 6:09pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints are one of the first teams after the 2022 NFL Draft to officially announce their undrafted free agent class. Here’s New Orleans’ full list:

New Orleans only had five draft picks after having to forfeit a sixth-round pick due to COVID-19 violations, so their UDFA class was going to be important for adding depth.

After seeing Marcus Williams depart for Baltimore in free agency, the Saints were seeking some depth at safety. After failing to address the position in the Draft, the team has reportedly picked up its pursuit of free agent Tyrann Mathieu. They also signed some UDFAs with safety potential for some cheaper depth options.

They were able to nab some quality names like Monday and Pryor and managed to bring in some camp competition for kicker Wil Lutz and punter Blake Gillikin.

Saints To Pursue Tyrann Mathieu

May 1st, 2022 at 1:12pm CST by Rory Parks

The Saints did not select a safety during the 2022 draft, and as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, they are expected to make an “aggressive push” to sign free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu. The club met with Mathieu — a New Orleans native and former LSU Tiger — in early April but elected to wait until after the draft to explore a contract in earnest.

New Orleans has already added Marcus Maye and Daniel Sorensen in free agency, but given Sorensen’s coverage limitations and Maye’s season-ending Achilles tear in 2021, there is still room for a player of Mathieu’s caliber. That is especially true in light of Marcus Williams‘ free agent defection to Baltimore and Malcolm Jenkins‘ retirement.

Mathieu, who will turn 30 later this month, has suited up for the Cardinals, Texans, and Chiefs in his NFL career. Each of his three years in Kansas City ended with Pro Bowl or First Team All-Pro honors, and he racked up 213 tackles, 13 interceptions, 27 passes defensed, and two defensive TDs during that time. He was instrumental to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV outfit and their 2021 AFC Championship.

Despite those contributions, the Chiefs decided against offering him a contract this offseason. That decision and Mathieu’s extended stay on the open market qualify as something of a surprise, though we do not know what type of money he is seeking. It’s also possible that he is not being valued as highly as his raw totals would suggest; in the 2020-21 campaigns, Pro Football Focus graded him as an average to slightly-above average defender, and an ever-increasing reliance on advanced metrics could be suppressing his market.

Nonetheless, his pedigree in terms of traditional statistical achievements, not to mention his positional versatility and leadership qualities, would seem to make him a valuable addition to any number of clubs. In addition to the Saints, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News believes the 49ers — who also came out of the draft without filling their safety need — could be in play (Twitter link). The Rams and Steelers were also said to be interested, though Pittsburgh’s recent safety additions would seem to foreclose the possibility of a Mathieu signing.

The Eagles may also loom as a potential landing spot. Mathieu met with Philadelphia shortly after his visit with the Saints.

Taylor Heinicke To Remain Commanders’ Backup QB

May 1st, 2022 at 11:40am CST by Rory Parks

The Commanders did a great deal of homework on this year’s top collegiate quarterbacks, and they came away from those evaluations most intrigued by UNC passer Sam Howell, as Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post writes. Washington ultimately selected Howell with the first pick of the fifth round of the 2022 draft, making him the sixth signal-caller to hear his name called.

Though his draft-day slide was doubtlessly disappointing, the Commanders certainly present an intriguing opportunity for Howell. The club acquired Carson Wentz from the Colts in March, and while Wentz will serve as the starting quarterback in 2022, he can be released after the season with no dead money ramifications. Current QB2 Taylor Heinicke, meanwhile, will be out of contract at the end of the upcoming campaign.

As Jhabvala notes, head coach Ron Rivera was clear during his postdraft press conference that Heinicke would remain the backup. So Howell will have the chance to develop as the No. 3 signal-caller, and both he and Rivera appear excited by that prospect.

“To have Sam fall to us was something we had to jump on,” Rivera said. “We had a very good grade on him — he was, at that point, the highest guy left on our board. … We feel this was a home run for us.”

Howell said, “I’ve had a good amount of communication with [the Commanders], but I just kind of knew all along. I kind of had a couple teams that I was interested in. Just after that combine interview and talking to Coach Rivera, I knew this was a place I definitely wanted to be.”

Howell’s trademark deep ball should mesh well with OC Scott Turner‘s Air Coryell-based offense, and if he makes the necessary strides in 2022, he will enter 2023 with a real chance to at least serve as Washington’s backup QB, and perhaps a shot to compete for the starting gig.

Heinicke, who wound up starting 15 games for Washington in 2021 after a Week 1 injury to Ryan Fitzpatrick, completed 65% of his passes last season. However, he also threw for 20 TDs against 15 interceptions, a ratio that leaves much to be desired. He is certainly a competent backup if nothing else, and while he will serve as Wentz’s clipboard holder in 2022, his future with the Commanders was complicated by the Howell selection.

Steelers Sign S Damontae Kazee

May 1st, 2022 at 10:47am CST by Rory Parks

The Steelers have signed free agent safety Damontae Kazee to a one-year deal, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). After re-signing Karl Joseph in March and reuniting with Terrell Edmunds at the end of April, it would seem that Pittsburgh’s safety contingent, led by two-time First Team All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, is largely set.

Kazee brings plenty of starting experience to the table, with 49 starts in 69 regular season appearances. After four seasons with the Falcons, who made him a fifth-round draft choice in 2017, Kazee signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys last offseason. The San Diego State product appeared in nearly 80% of Dallas’ defensive snaps in 2021, recording 52 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions.

Pro Football Focus assigned him a middling overall grade of 60.9, but given his experience and playmaking upside — 12 career picks, including a league-best seven in 2018 — he can be a useful part of the Steelers’ DB rotation. He also offers some positional versatility, as he is capable of playing corner as well as safety.

Kazee, who will turn 29 in June, also visited with the Seahawks in April. Given that Seattle’s safety depth chart is topped by Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, Kazee perhaps saw a better opportunity in Pittsburgh, despite the presence of Fitzpatrick.

The Steelers had been linked to free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu, but the transactions the club has made at the safety position in recent weeks suggest that Mathieu will be looking elsewhere for his next home. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, may be exploring a monster extension for Fitzpatrick, who is entering the final year of his contract.

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