2022 June - Pro Football Rumors

Poll: Which AFC Team Had Best Offseason?

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

Due to a flurry of additions, the 2022 AFC presents a crowded competition for playoff and Super Bowl LVII access. Some of the top-tier teams addressed key weaknesses, and several middle-class squads took big swings in respective aims to improve their chances this season.

The fallout paints a picture in which barely any AFCers can be truly counted out for playoff contention. Future Hall of Famers, potential Canton inductees, and Pro Bowlers moving from the NFC — along with various intra-AFC changes — have made for one of the most captivating offseasons in modern NFL annals. While the offseason is not yet complete, most of the acquisition dominoes ahead of training camp have fallen. Which team did the best work?

With Russell Wilson joining the Broncos, the AFC West’s Wilson-Patrick Mahomes–Derek Carr–Justin Herbert quartet appears of the great quarterback armadas any division has fielded in the five-plus-decade divisional era. The Broncos gave up two first-round selections in a five-pick deal but were able to hang onto their young receivers. Denver, which moved to a younger coaching staff headed by first-time HC Nathaniel Hackett and two rookie coordinators, also added defenders Randy Gregory and D.J. Jones. Going from the Teddy Bridgewater–Drew Lock combo to Wilson represents one of the top gains any team made this offseason, but Denver’s divisional competition will not make improvement easy.

Entering the final year in which Herbert must be tied to his rookie contract, the Chargers addressed several needs. They added defensive help in free agency, via J.C. Jackson and Sebastian Joseph -Day, and traded second- and sixth-round picks for Khalil Mack. The team also extended Mike Williams at $20MM per year — days before the wide receiver market dramatically shifted — and drafted right guard Zion Johnson in Round 1.

The Raiders were partially responsible for the wideout market’s explosion, trading first- and second-round picks for Davante Adams and extending him at $28MM per year. That came shortly after the team’s Chandler Jones addition. Las Vegas’ Josh McDaniels–Dave Ziegler regime has greenlit extensions for Reggie McKenzie– and Jon Gruden-era holdovers — from Carr to Maxx Crosby to Hunter Renfrow. Will a Darren Waller deal follow?

Of last season’s conference kingpins, the Chiefs and Titans endured the biggest losses. Hill and Tyrann Mathieu‘s exits will test the six-time reigning AFC West champs, while last year’s No. 1 seed balked at a monster A.J. Brown extension by trading him to the Eagles for a package headlined by a 2022 first-rounder. Both teams did address some needs early in the draft, but the Bengals and Bills look to have definitively improved their rosters.

Cincinnati augmented its bottom-tier offensive line by signing La’el Collins, Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. The defending AFC champions retained almost their entire defense, though Jessie Bates is not especially happy on the franchise tag. Buffalo reloaded as well, adding Von Miller to a defensive line that has lacked a top-end pass rusher for a while. The team swapped out ex-UDFA Levi Wallace for first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam, and James Cook is the Bills’ highest running back draftee since C.J. Spiller 12 years ago. How significant will the Brian Daboll-for-Ken Dorsey OC swap be?

Although Cincy’s AFC North competition made improvements, some caveats come with them. The Ravens filled their center and right tackle spots, with first-rounder Tyler Linderbaum and veteran Morgan Moses, and are now flush with safeties following the arrivals of Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton. But Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson situation has reached a strange stage, with the top three Ravens power brokers indicating the former MVP has not shown extension interest. Cleveland landed Amari Cooper for Day 3 draft capital and, on paper, rivaled Denver’s QB upgrade. Historic draft compensation and a shocking $230MM guarantee was required for the Browns to pull it off. But their Deshaun Watson trade has generated considerable drama — to the point the ex-Texans Pro Bowler cannot be considered a lock to play in 2022.

Oddsmakers do not expect the Jaguars’ moves to translate to 2022 contention, but the team did hire a former Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson and spend wildly for lineup upgrades — from Christian Kirk to Brandon Scherff to Foye Oluokun — and used two first-round picks (Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd) to further upgrade its defense. Going from Urban Meyer to Pederson should offer stability to a franchise that has lacked it, never more so than in 2021.

The Jets chased big-name receivers for weeks but came away with Garrett Wilson in a highly praised three-first-rounder draft. New York’s last-ranked defense now has new pieces in first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson, along with DBs Jordan Whitehead and D.J. Reed. Miami made a stunning coaching change by firing Brian Flores, which produced a tidal wave of controversy, but the now-Mike McDaniel-led team also paid up for splashy additions in Hill and Terron Armstead while retaining steady edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah.

Are there other teams that warrant mention here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the new-look AFC in the comments section.

Which AFC team had the best offseason?

Denver Broncos 12.92% (421 votes)

Las Vegas Raiders 11.91% (388 votes)

Miami Dolphins 11.33% (369 votes)

Los Angeles Chargers 10.01% (326 votes)

Cincinnati Bengals 9.36% (305 votes)

New York Jets 8.04% (262 votes)

Buffalo Bills 6.48% (211 votes)

Pittsburgh Steelers 5.68% (185 votes)

Baltimore Ravens 5.06% (165 votes)

Kansas City Chiefs 5.00% (163 votes)

Cleveland Browns 4.21% (137 votes)

Indianapolis Colts 3.65% (119 votes)

Houston Texans 2.46% (80 votes)

New England Patriots 2.12% (69 votes)

Jacksonville Jaguars 1.07% (35 votes)

Tennessee Titans 0.71% (23 votes)

Total Votes: 3,258

NFC West Notes: Hawks, Davis-Price, Rams

June 11th, 2022 at 8:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not big on making big cornerback investments, with Richard Sherman‘s 2014 extension the exception, the Seahawks have some questions at the position ahead of training camp. A year after the team let Shaquill Griffin walk in free agency, 2021 starter D.J. Reed joined the Jets in March. The Seahawks did not use a first- or second-day draft pick at corner and, while they brought back Justin Coleman in the slot, have some uncertainty in how they will replace Reed. One option will be Artie Burns, the former Steelers first-round pick who signed a one-year, $2MM deal. Burns, 27, lined up opposite Sidney Jones with Seattle’s first-team defense at minicamp, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Burns, who worked as a late-season starter with the Bears last season, has not been looked upon as a primary starter since the Steelers benched him in 2018. A pair of fourth-round picks — second-year cover man Tre Brown and rookie Coby Bryant — loom as options as well. Brown did not participate in minicamp, due to the knee injury that ended his rookie slate. After nearly four years after his Steelers starter run wrapped, Burns has a chance to carve out a key role with his third team.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

The 49ers‘ Tyrion Davis-Price third-round pick was somewhat surprising, but bolstering a backfield featuring other notable assets may be a two-fold solution. While the 49ers have starter Elijah Mitchell, backup Jeff Wilson and 2021 third-rounder Trey Sermon, Albert Breer of SI.com notes the selection of the LSU running back choice doubled as an “olive branch” of sorts to Deebo Samuel. Kyle Shanahan using Samuel as a between-the-tackles back last season is believed to be one of the gripes the disgruntled wide receiver had when he made his trade request in April. Davis-Price joining the backfield will provide more insurance so that Samuel — his 6.2 yards-per-carry figure notwithstanding — will not be needed for such a role in 2022. The 49ers continue to work toward a Samuel extension.
The Rams‘ big-ticket extensions for Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp will create a bit of cap room in 2022. The defending Super Bowl champions are gaining $3.63MM in space, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, with Donald tied to a $24MM cap number and Kupp tethered to a $17.8MM figure. Los Angeles’ Donald and Kupp deals occurred two days apart. Donald is now the game’s highest-paid non-quarterback, while Kupp’s new pact checks in at $26.7MM per year — fourth among wideouts — and carries a receiver-high $75MM guaranteed.
Shifting back to the Seahawks, they set to return their 2021 guard duo — Gabe Jackson and Damien Lewis — but their oldest O-lineman will be returning from offseason knee surgery, per Condotta. Jackson, 30, missed OTAs and the Seahawks’ minicamp because of the procedure. The former Raiders starter is going into his ninth season. Because of the new contract the Seahawks gave Jackson last year, he is set to count $9MM toward their 2022 cap. Jackson only missed one game in his first Seahawks season.
Staying on the Seahawks’ O-line, the team will feature a right tackle competition in camp. Rookie Abraham Lucas will vie for the job against second-year blockers Jake Curhan and Stone Forsythe, Condotta adds. A former UDFA, Curhan started five games last season. Forsythe, who has mostly worked as a left tackle during his short career, played just 14 offensive snaps as a rookie. Second-year Seattle OC Shane Waldron said he does not have an issue starting two rookies at tackle; No. 9 overall pick Charles Cross is set to succeed Duane Brown on the left side.

Chris Carson Not Planning To Retire

June 11th, 2022 at 7:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Neck injuries have cost longtime Seahawks starters their careers in recent years. Both Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril did not come back after seeing their 2017 seasons end because of neck trouble. Five years later, Chris Carson‘s career is in jeopardy because of a neck ailment sustained early last season.

Pete Carroll confirmed this week the sixth-year veteran running back is not certain to return to the field. Since Carson was forced out of action four games into the 2021 season, not much in the way of good news has emerged from this situation. But Carson, 27, is not ready to call it a career.

“Oh, we still going right now,” Carson said, via Heavy.com’s Jonathan Adams. “I see myself playing until I feel like stopping. My mindset is never to give up, so I’m staying positive like I said, and [will] continue to fight and get back onto the field.

“… Not trying to rush it; I’m just trying to take it one day at a time. Just keep rehabbing, keep getting better. Keep building strength and then go from there. But like I said, there’s no timeline for me.”

A 2017 seventh-round pick, Carson has done well for himself as a pro. The Oklahoma State product has two 1,100-yard rushing seasons and, when healthy, held off former first-round pick Rashaad Penny for Seattle’s first-string running back gig. Carson worked as the top ball-carrying option for three straight playoff teams, leading to a new contract.

Partially due to Penny’s extensive injury history, the Seahawks gave Carson a two-year, $10.4MM deal in 2021. Carson, who has already recovered from a broken leg in his pro career, received $5.5MM guaranteed on his current deal. He is set to earn a $4.5MM base salary this season.

The Seahawks insured their backfield by drafting Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III in Round 2, making that pick after re-signing Penny to a one-year, $5.75MM contract. These two stand to be Seattle’s top backs this season. Carson looms as a wild card for the team’s offense, which will likely continue to be one of the league’s most run-oriented attacks. Training camp serves as the next key point on the resilient runner’s NFL timeline.

Latest On Raiders, Darren Waller

June 11th, 2022 at 5:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Recent developments have magnified the bargain the Raiders have in Darren Waller, who is attached to a contract he has outplayed. Tied to the 17th-highest average salary among tight ends, Waller is set to make $6.25MM in 2022.

David Njoku, whose production Waller has lapped despite having less time as a starting tight end, now has a $14.2MM-per-year contract. The Raiders gave Hunter Renfrow a $16MM-per-year extension Friday. Waller, 29, has not indicated he plans to make his $7.6MM-AAV deal an issue this year, having reported to minicamp this week. Given the circumstances, it would not surprise if the two-time 1,100-yard pass catcher did attempt to inject urgency into this situation before Week 1.

The Raiders view Waller as a key player, and Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal calls a second Waller-Raiders extension imminent. Waller said conversations have occurred this offseason, but Bonsignore adds the team still might be attempting to push true extension talks to 2023. Two seasons remain on the extension Waller signed in 2019. The tight end market is different now, with several players whose work does not compare to Waller’s ahead of him on the salary hierarchy. No guarantees remain on Waller’s deal.

On one hand, waiting until 2023 could benefit Waller. He is coming off an injury-limited season and is set to play for Josh McDaniels, whose play calls helped turn Rob Gronkowski into a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. The Raiders’ Waller-Renfrow-Davante Adams setup should open the door for more looks for the two holdovers. Of course, the other side of this is Waller risks suffering another injury that could diminish his value. The late-bloomer’s age (30 in September) also stands to be an issue, with extension talks ahead of an age-31 season slightly different than prioritizing a deal now.

Will the longtime centerpiece of the Raiders’ passing attack be content going into camp with Adams tied to a deal worth nearly four times his own and now Renfrow attached to a contract worth more than double his? With the Raiders having rewarded their top two wideouts, how they proceed with their standout tight end will be one of this summer’s more interesting storylines.

Michael Thomas Unlikely To Participate In Saints’ Minicamp

June 11th, 2022 at 5:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints’ reassembled receiving corps represents one of this position’s top storylines — amid an offseason loaded with wideout intrigue — going into training camp. Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry are set to complement Michael Thomas for what stands to be one of the NFL’s most improved position groups.

But the Saints continue to wait on their All-Pro target. Although it has been since November when Thomas shut down his rehab effort to return for the 2021 season, the ankle issue he is rehabbing is likely to keep him out of the team’s minicamp next week, Dennis Allen said (via NOLA.com’s Amie Just, on Twitter). Thomas has not played since the 2020 divisional round, and even that wrapped an injury-plagued season, raising the anticipation for the seventh-year standout’s re-emergence.

While it can be interpreted as concerning Thomas is not yet ready to participate in a 2022 minicamp, given how long it has been since he was last at full strength, Allen said he wants the two-time All-Pro at 100% before he returns, via The Athletic’s Katherine Terrell (on Twitter). Thomas, 29, has progressed to running sprints, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football relays (via Twitter), and the Saints have expected him back at training camp for a bit now. Still, the lengthy stretch since New Orleans’ top target was at 100% places his career at a crossroads.

After missing just two games from 2016-19, Thomas suffered a high ankle sprain in the Saints’ 2020 opener. He then encountered a midseason hamstring injury, but the ankle trouble lingered into 2021. Thomas held off on undergoing ankle surgery until summer 2021 — months after the Saints wanted that operation to take place — and ran into a new ankle injury during the ’21 season. He has missed 26 games over the past two seasons. The Saints still managed to finish 9-8 last season, but they obviously missed Thomas, who finished his last healthy season as the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Restructures have knocked Thomas’ 2022 base salary down to barely $1MM, but his cap number jumps from $13MM in 2022 to $28.3MM in 2023. Another injury-limited season would lead to conversations about a 2023 release, which would need to be a post-June 1 designation. For now, the Saints are preparing for a regular-season opener featuring a recovered Jameis Winston targeting a recovered Thomas and his new-look supporting cast. Thomas’ extended hiatus and Winston not being ready just yet provide additional barriers to this reality, creating a high-variance outlook for this season’s New Orleans offense.

Tyreek Hill Addresses Effort To Stay With Chiefs; Davante Adams Contract Changed Talks

June 11th, 2022 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Davante Adams‘ desire to reunite with Derek Carr not only changed the Packers’ wide receiver situation; it directly impacted another Super Bowl contender’s aerial corps. Tyreek Hill went from negotiating a Chiefs extension in early March to being dealt to the Dolphins for five picks three weeks later.

The $30MM-per-year contract Miami authorized came after Kansas City balked at a deal similar to Adams’. Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on the receiver’s first episode of his It Needed To Be Said podcast the Hill-Chiefs talks changed after Adams inked his $28MM-AAV Raiders deal. Shortly after the Adams extension, Rosenhaus “put pressure on the Chiefs” to hammer out an Adams-style accord, with the agent calling his client a superior player to the two-time Packer All-Pro.

“If they didn’t want to do that type of deal, then we would get them a blockbuster trade,” Rosenhaus said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I flat out told them that I felt like I could talk to teams around the league and bring a bunch of — bring great compensation. And I think the Chiefs initially wanted to challenge us and see what we could get from other teams contractually and what we could also get compensation-wise.”

Hill said he told Andy Reid he was not asking the Chiefs to top Adams’ Raiders contract, indicating that a pact in the $25MM- or $26MM-per-year range would be sufficient. Even after the Chiefs gave Rosenhaus permission to talk trades, which led to Jets and Dolphins offers, the high-powered agent asked his client if he wanted to stay in Kansas City. Although Hill said he did, Rosenhaus indicated during the podcast the Chiefs were “millions of dollars” short of the new asking price.

The Chiefs sent Hill to the Dolphins for five picks — including Miami’s first- and second-rounders this year — and the historically dominant deep threat signed a four-year, $120MM extension. That contract is backloaded, and A.J. Brown‘s $56MM fully guaranteed figure soon surpassed Hill’s $52MM. But only Aaron Donald and a handful of quarterbacks top Hill’s $30MM AAV.

“I tried my best,” Hill said of his effort to stay in Kansas City. “I talked to the big man, Andy Reid. I talked to the quarterback. I’m like, ‘Look, can we make something happen? Can we make something happen? Can the guaranteed money make sense to me? Can it make sense to my family, please?”

The ugly off-field baggage Hill carried into the league and the 2019 child-abuse allegation — which did not lead to a suspension — that threatened his place with the Chiefs allowed for an $18MM-per-year extension on a team-friendly structure ahead of the ’19 season. Hill outplayed the contract by playing an essential role on back-to-back Super Bowl-qualifying teams and producing 1,200-yard receiving seasons in 2020 and ’21. The 28-year-old speed merchant will now attempt to stay in top form away from Reid and Patrick Mahomes, while the Chiefs will attempt to replace their star wideout with a group effort involving JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore.

Latest On Packers WR Allen Lazard

June 11th, 2022 at 2:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like a number of other teams, the Packers held their mandatory minicamp this past week. Attendance wasn’t an issue from a legal perspective, but there was a notable absence nevertheless. Wideout Allen Lazard was not with the team, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

Lazard found himself as a restricted free agent for the second straight year earlier this offseason. After going undrafted, the 26-year-old found a home with the Packers in 2018. One season later, he emerged as a complimentary part of Green Bay’s offense, putting up similar numbers in 2020 as well. That led to the Packers placing the exclusive-rights free agent tender on him, which he signed in July.

Playing on the one-year deal, the Iowa State product put up career-highs across the board. Seeing the field for considerably more snaps than previous campaigns, he totalled 40 catches, 513 yards and eight touchdowns. The Packers rewarded that production by placing the second-round RFA tender on him in March, setting him up for a 2022 salary of just under $4MM. As explained by Demovsky, however, Lazard has yet to sign that tender, meaning he wasn’t required to attend minicamp.

Given the fact that Green Bay’s receiver room now no longer includes Davante Adams or Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Lazard could be in line for another career year. The team has added Sammy Watkins in free agency, along with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in the draft, but much of the offense figures to run through the four-year veteran. With more cap space remaining than most other teams in the league, the Packers could absorb the value of the tender should Lazard sign it, but they would also be able to afford a long-term deal, if that is Lazard’s aim. With the team’s offseason having concluded until training camp, this will remain a situation worth watching in the coming weeks.

Lamar Jackson Expected To Attend Ravens’ Minicamp

June 11th, 2022 at 2:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

As the OTA portion of the offseason came to a close, Lamar Jackson remained a key talking point around the Ravens. His absence at the voluntary workouts continued, as noted by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (on Twitter).

Jackson skipped OTAs for the first time in his career this offseason, one which has been dominated by speculation regarding his contract status. Once considered to be a lock for the next mega-deal signed by the league’s top young quarterbacks in recent years, Jackson and the Ravens are widely thought to be in a holding pattern until next offseason. Assuming that remains the case, the 25-year-old will earn $23MM this year on the fifth-year option.

The team has made repeated efforts to negotiate a long-term deal with Jackson, but little traction has been found with respect to contract talks. The ongoing financial situation between player and club was front and center once again when it became known he was conducting offseason work privately, rather than with the team, during OTAs. That activity did, on the other hand, include work with some of the team’s receivers earlier in the spring, something which has added significance given the question marks surrounding that position group.

Not long after confirming Jackson’s absence from the final week of OTAs, Hensley did tweet that he is expected to be present for next week’s mandatory minicamp. Head coach John Harbaugh, Hensley added, “is sure Jackson will report in great shape.” Doing so would ease concerns related to his 2022 prospects, considering the time missed dating back to last season’s injury, and could quell some of the questions related to his long-term future with the team.

Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers Seeking Long-Term Deal

June 11th, 2022 at 12:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have lacked consistent production from their wide receivers in recent years. They seem to have found a significant contributor in the form of Jakobi Meyers, though. If he has his way, the former UDFA will remain in New England for the foreseeable future.

Meyers has been with team at OTAs, despite not being under contract, notes Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. The chief reason, he details, is Meyers’ desire to sign a long-term deal after three seasons with the team. The 25-year-old put up modest numbers as a rookie, but has established himself as a key pass catcher since.

Starting nine contests in 2020, the North Carolina State alum took a major step forward in terms of receptions and yardage. Last season, he led the team in catches (83) and yards (866), finding the endzone for the first two times in his career. To little surprise, the Patriots responded by tendering him at the second-round level. That would give Meyers a one-year contract valued at $3.986MM.

He has yet to sign that tender, however, aiming for a long-term pact. Negotiations on a new deal would be complicated by the expected uptick in the team’s WR corps — which has seen the trade acquisition of DeVante Parker and the addition of Tyquan Thornton in the draft this offseason — and the limited finances New England has to work with. The Patriots currently rank last in the league in cap space, and have yet to sign first-rounder Cole Strange to his rookie contract.

Callahan notes that many key Patriots extensions have taken until August to be finalized. That, coupled with the financial maneuvering the team would need to make to accommodate even his one-year tender, could leave Meyers waiting until after training camp to have a contract in place. At this point, at least, he is remaining optimistic about his future.

“Who wouldn’t, honestly?” he said, when asked about wanting to sign long-term in New England. “It’s a great place to be… It’s just been great to be around those guys. It’s a great city to be in. I’m happy here.”

Dolphins Finalize 2022 Draft Class

June 11th, 2022 at 10:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Getting their 2022 draft class signed wasn’t as tall of a task for the Dolphins as it has been for any other team, due to the class’ size. The Tyreek Hill trade left Miami with only four selections, but each member of that quartet is now under contract, as the team confirmed.

The Dolphins signed receiver Erik Ezukanma to his four-year rookie contract. After a redshirt freshman year, he emerged as a significant contributor to Texas Tech’s offense in 2019. That season, he turned 42 catches into 664 yards and four touchdowns, setting him up for a bigger campaign the following year.

In 2020, Ezukanma posted only four more receptions than the previous year, but put up 748 yards and six scores on a 16.3 yards-per-catch average. His performance placed him in the top six across all categories in the Big 12. Last season, he put up similar receiving numbers, though he added 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.

The fourth-rounder is one of several new faces in Miami’s receiving corps. Hill is the biggest addition, of course, but the signing of Cedrick Wilson Jr. in free agency should help offset the departure of DeVante Parker and compliment Jaylen Waddle. Considering his size (six-foot-three, 220 pounds), Ezukanma represents a different element than most of the rest of the team’s pass-catching options. He should be able to earn a rotational role early in his career, as the team looks to take a significant step forward on offense in 2022.

Here is the final look at Miami’s draft class:

Round 3: No. 102 Channing Tindall, LB (Georgia) (signed)
Round 4: No. 125 (from Steelers) Erik Ezukanma, WR (Texas Tech) (signed)
Round 7: No. 224 (from Texans through Patriots and Ravens) Cameron Goode, DE (California) (signed)
Round 7: No. 247 (from Titans) Skylar Thompson, QB (Kansas State) (signed)