2022 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: June 2022

Latest On Patriots’ LB Competition

June 26th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Inside linebacker has been the source of plenty of roster turnover this offseason in New England. The team has seen a number of veterans depart recently, leaving them with much uncertainty amongst their current options at the position.

The losses of Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins and Kyle Van Noy left the Patriots with a significant number of snaps to fill in the middle of their defense. That made LB as a position many expected would be a draft target for New England; however, they elected not to add rookies with any of their selections, and even declined to sign any UDFAs to add competition for roster spots.

As a result, the team is using the offseason to re-order its new depth chart at the position. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that Raekwon McMillan has been one of the “top” linebackers in practice, taking starter’s reps alongside Ja’Whaun Bentley. The former signed with New England after brief stints with the Dolphins and Raiders. A torn ACL – already the second of his career – prevented him from seeing the field this past campaign. New England still extended him, though, paving the way for what could be a significant role in 2022.

Other linebackers slated for notable playing time include Mack Wilson, whom the Patriots acquired in a trade with the Browns during the early stages of free agency. He has rotated amongst McMillan and Bentley, seeing time with Josh Uche. Where the latter (a 2020 second-rounder drafted as a pass-rusher) lines up will remain a key storyline into the summer. Reiss notes that Uche’s precise fit in the LB corps “looks like a moving target,” given his usage in spring practices.

A veteran addition would come as little surprise at this point, given New England’s lack of known commodities at linebacker. If they elect to maintain the status quo, however, the position could provide one of the most intriguing training camp competitions on the roster.

Boston College G Christian Mahogany To Miss 2022 Season

June 26th, 2022 at 12:26pm CST by Rory Parks

Boston College guard Christian Mahogany tore his ACL while working out at his home in May, and he will miss the 2022 season as a result, per Pete Thamel of ESPN.com. Mahogany will return to BC in 2023 in an effort to rebuild his draft stock.

Had he remained healthy and performed at the level that he has established over the past several seasons, Mahogany likely would have been one of the first guards off the board in the 2023 draft. ESPN draftnik Mel Kiper Jr. had ranked the 6-3, 335-pounder as the second-best guard in his class.

Mahogany said of his decision to return to school in 2023, “I think I’m probably going to come back because it’s hard [after an injury]. I’m going to leave no doubt on my college career. Especially after an injury like this, I’m going to prove that I can still do it.”

Indeed, if he were to enter the 2023 draft after having missed all of the 2022 season, it is possible that he would be viewed as a mid- or late-round prospect, as teams would doubtlessly be wary of how he will respond to such a significant injury. But a return to form next season could put him back in the Day 1 conversation in 2024.

Mahogany became a starter for the Eagles in his redshirt freshman campaign in 2020, and he proved himself to be a top-flight player in 2021, earning second-team All-ACC acclaim. Playing opposite Zion Johnson, whom the Chargers selected with the No. 17 overall pick of this year’s draft, Mahogany missed just one run block on 371 run block plays, allowed just two pressures on 314 pass block plays, and was charged with just two penalties.

Boston College has been a fertile breeding ground for NFL offensive linemen over the years, and Mahogany still appears to have a good chance to continue that tradition despite being forced to delay his professional career. He underwent surgery on his injured knee on May 27, and he indicated his recovery has progressed well so far.

“This is the plan for me,” he said. “This is something that I have to overcome in my career. I’m going to make a full recovery and come back by any means necessary.”

Free Agent WR Golden Tate Signs With Summer Baseball League

June 26th, 2022 at 10:52am CST by Rory Parks

Free agent wide receiver Golden Tate recently signed with the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League, a collegiate summer baseball league, according to a press release from the WCL itself. Tate had not generated any reported interest from NFL teams this offseason.

Tate, who will turn 34 in August, did not see any regular season NFL action in 2021. From 2014-17, he enjoyed a solid run as a member of the Lions, earning his first and only Pro Bowl bid in 2014 and recording at least 90 catches per season over that four-year stretch. In the middle of the 2018 campaign, the final year of his contract with Detroit, the Lions shipped him to the Eagles in exchange for a 2019 third-rounder. He would catch the game-winning TD pass from Philadelphia QB Nick Foles in the team’s wildcard round victory over the Bears that season.

He earned a four-year, $37.5MM contract ($23MM guaranteed) from the Giants in the 2019 offseason, but his tenure with Big Blue was rocky at best. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2019 season for a violation of the league’s PED policy, and though he was a useful member of the club’s receiving corps upon his reinstatement — posting a 49/676/6 slash triple-slash in 11 games (10 starts) — 2020 was a different story. He was deactivated for New York’s Week 9 contest that year, with the team citing effort and performance issues as the reason for the move, and he publicly voiced his frustration over his lack of targets. He finished the season with a 35/388/2 slash line, his lowest totals since his sophomore season in 2011.

The Giants released Tate in March 2021, and he did not find a new home until he hooked on with the Titans’ taxi squad in November. He was cut a few weeks later without having earned a promotion to the active roster.

Given his age, his disappointing 2020 season, the fact that he was essentially out of football in 2021, and his inability to spark any interest this offseason, Tate’s NFL career looked to be finished even before his decision to reenter the baseball world. A three-sport athlete in high school, Tate was drafted by the Dodgers in the 42nd round of the 2007 MLB draft, though he did not sign, choosing instead to attend college at Notre Dame. He made his name as a football player with the Fighting Irish, but he continued to play baseball as well, and he was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 50th round of the 2010 MLB draft (several months after the Seahawks made him a second-round choice of that year’s NFL draft). Obviously, he ended up signing with the ‘Hawks, which proved to be a wise decision.

In 2012, Russell Wilson‘s rookie year, Tate became a full-time starter for Seattle. In 15 games (all starts), he caught 45 passes for 688 yards and a career-best seven TDs, and he was a key component of the team’s aerial attack in their Super Bowl-winning campaign in 2013, hauling in 64 catches for 898 yards and four scores.

Assuming we have seen the last of Tate in the NFL, he leaves the game with a terrific resume. In addition to his Pro Bowl nod and Super Bowl ring, Tate took home over $56MM in career earnings — thanks largely to two notable free agent contracts with the Lions and Giants — and recorded three 1,000-yard seasons.

Deshaun Watson’s Disciplinary Hearing Scheduled

June 26th, 2022 at 8:11am CST by Rory Parks

The disciplinary hearing for Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is set to begin on Tuesday, June 28, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. The matter will be heard by Sue L. Robinson, who served as a judge in the Unites States District Court for the District of Delaware for over 25 years. Robinson was jointly appointed by the league and the NFLPA, although commissioner Roger Goodell would handle any appeal of the discipline that Robinson imposes.

As we have learned, the league will be pushing for a lengthy suspension, and Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network hears that an indefinite ban may be the NFL’s goal. One potential problem there is that the league was unable to speak with a significant number of the 26 women who have levied accusations against Watson, so its case will be based upon the testimony of only a fraction of those women. It’s important to note, however, that Goodell would also hear the league’s appeal if it feels Robinson’s punishment is too light.

The NFL and NFLPA, along with Watson’s advisors, attempted to negotiate a suspension before the hearing, although the parties were unable to agree to suspension length. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, it is unlikely that those negotiations will be revived (Florio adds in a separate piece that the NFL was insisting upon a one-year ban in its talks with the union).

Another key piece of the Watson saga, of course, is his contract. When additional lawsuits were filed against the quarterback after he became a member of the Browns, it seemed possible that Cleveland could attempt to void Watson’s fully-guaranteed deal, though a report at the time suggested that the club had no such intentions. Andrew Brandt of SI.com, citing a league source, says that the money to be paid over first two years of the pact — 2022 and 2023 — are not subject to forfeiture anyway.

Per Brandt, the Browns could attempt to void the final three years of the contract for “new misbehavior” that triggers league discipline. And while it might seem that the lawsuits filed after Cleveland authorized the Watson deal in March would qualify as “new misbehavior,” Brandt is not so sure. The former Packers exec points out that the allegations contained in the most recent suits are consistent with those in the suits that the Browns already knew about, so if they were to try and back out of the deal, they would be facing a grievance that might prove difficult to win.

As for the more immediate disciplinary matter, Robinson’s decision is expected to be made no later than the beginning of training camp, although Schefter says it could be handed down within a week of the end of the hearing. As Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets, if Robinson feels there was no violation of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, then there will not only be no suspension, but the NFL could not take an appeal; Watson would simply be free to play. In light of everything we have heard to this point, such a finding seems unlikely.

NFC West Rumors: Rams, Seahawks, Wilson, Cardinals

June 25th, 2022 at 9:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Rams’ celebration period for their Super Bowl LVI victory over the Bengals has wound down, and it’s time for Los Angeles to start gearing up for a potential repeat. There’s a bit of work to do on the offensive line with the retirement of left tackle Andrew Whitworth and the departure of right guard Austin Corbett in free agency.

According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, the Rams have long hoped that 2018 third-round pick Joseph Noteboom would eventually be prepared to fill in when Whitworth finally hung up his cleats. He’ll likely get that opportunity this season. Barshop also mentions that head coach Sean McVay said during minicamp that a competition will take place for the vacant right guard spot. Bobby Evans has been penciled into that starting role since Corbett left for Carolina, but the Rams were reportedly ecstatic to land Wisconsin guard Logan Bruss in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Expect Bruss to push Evans for the starting right guard job this summer.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a note out of last year’s fourth-place team in the division:

Ten years ago, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll relied on preseason games to determine the quarterback competition between Russell Wilson and Matt Flynn. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, Carroll will stick to his guns and use preseason game-tape as a heavy factor in determining if Geno Smith or trade-acquisition Drew Lock will start Week 1, when Wilson returns to Lumen Field. Carroll has claimed that the team is in “good shape” with its current quarterback room that rosters Smith, Lock, and Jacob Eason.
Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson turned heads last summer in Arizona and surprised many when he was named a starter alongside Byron Murphy Jr. over veteran free agent addition Robert Alford. After six strong years in Atlanta (five as a full-time starter), Alford was expected to serve as the starting cornerback opposite Murphy while Wilson matured as a rookie at the NFL level. After a pectoral injury ended his season on injured reserve, the Cardinals allowed Alford to hit free agency. There’s still a chance Arizona brings back the 33-year-old, but, even if they do, Cardinals staff writer Darren Urban expects Wilson to retain his starting job opposite Murphy.
The Cardinals announced some promotions in their scouting staff last week. After spending the last three seasons as the team’s Western regional scout, Josh Scobey has been promoted to director of college scouting going into his 11th season in Arizona. Glen Fox will similarly spend his 10th season with the Cardinals as their director of pro personnel after being promoted from pro scout. Another nine-year Cardinal staffer, John Mancini will spend his 10th season as a national scout after serving previously as an area scout. Zac Canty will become the team’s Central regional scout in his 11th season with the team. Rounding out the organization’s impressive show of longevity, Ryan Gold has been made assistant director of college scouting after eight years with the team in different scouting roles, most recently college scouting coordinator. Lastly, former scouting assistant Alex Valles has been made an area scout for the Cardinals.

Latest On 49ers’ Running Backs Room

June 25th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers’ running backs room is loaded with talent but loaded, too, with questions marks and a history of injuries. In a breakdown of every San Francisco player from OTAs to minicamp, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows laid out the situation.

The 49ers counted on a sixth-round rookie as their lead back last year. Elijah Mitchell took over early in the season as the Week 1 starter, Raheem Mostert, ended his year after only two carries. Mitchell went on the start ten games for San Francisco totaling 963 yards in eleven appearances to break the 49ers’ single-season rushing record for a rookie. The one notable drawback on Mitchell’s rookie campaign was that he was inactive for six games, a theme that will be repeated throughout this piece. Continuing on that note, Mitchell had knee surgery in the offseason that forced him to miss all of the team’s spring practices. He’s expected back for training camp and is likely to start the season as the 49ers’ lead back once again.

The top backup running back is a bit up to debate as Barrows believes Jeff Wilson is next in line, while ESPN’s Nick Wagoner asserts that rookie third-round draft pick Tyrion Davis-Price will jump the rest of the room on the depth chart.

Wilson served as the starter when Mitchell missed time last year and took over RB1-duties this spring with Mitchell sidelined. Surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee forced Wilson to miss the first eight games of the year last season, and it took him a little while to regain his footing. Now over a year removed from surgery, Wilson should be back to full strength and provide a strong secondary-option beside Mitchell.

Davis-Price declared for the 2022 NFL Draft early after a strong junior year at LSU where he rushed for 1,003 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was brought in to shore up a running back room that’s been oft-riddled with injuries, but Davis-Price suffered a minor injury in the first week of OTAs and sat out the remaining work outs. Hopefully, this is the extent of the effect San Francisco’s running back curse has on the 21-year-old.

Trey Sermon was drafted three rounds before Mitchell last year but saw his teammate overtake him on the depth chart as the speed of the game at the NFL-level proved a bit too much for Sermon during his rookie season. Sermon had two starts early in the year, when Mostert and Mitchell were injured and Wilson had yet to return from surgery. Coaches desired that he be more decisive when toting the ball and he found himself sidelined for the last six weeks of the season, once Wilson and Mitchell were back and (relatively) healthy. Sermon served as RB2 this spring with Mitchell out, but, if Wagoner is correct and Davis-Price is slotted in as the second-string running back, Sermon could find himself fourth on the depth chart to start the season, and it’s hard to imagine San Francisco carries more than four running backs into the regular season.

If that last statement is true, and hypothesizing that the 49ers will decide to carry four running backs into September, Sermon will have his work cut out for him as he competes with JaMycal Hasty. The former undrafted free agent isn’t quite the rusher that Sermon is, but Hasty has been the team’s best pass-catching option out of the backfield all spring. If the coaches trust Wilson to return to 100%, they may be able to rely on him on those passing downs, but Hasty’s quickness could grant him favor in those situations. Plus, Hasty’s ability and history returning kickoffs adds a special teams value that Sermon doesn’t provide.

There it is, all laid out. Based on talent, the depth chart likely reads: Mitchell, Wilson, Davis-Price, Sermon, Hasty. Maybe, due to the injury luck they’ve had in seasons past, San Francisco decides they want to utilize 5 of their 53 roster spots on running backs (not including full back Kyle Juszczyk). If not, a top-three of Mitchell, Wilson, and Davis-Price seems likely with a possible fourth-spot being granted to either Sermon or Hasty, depending on need and value.

NFC North Rumors: Gafford, Graham, Bears, Jenkins

June 25th, 2022 at 6:35pm CST by Ely Allen

Packers’ offseason acquisition Rico Gafford has been asked to move from wide receiver back to his original position of cornerback, according to Matt Schneidman who did an early projection of how the Packers’ 53-man roster could play out for The Athletic this week. Gafford is a speedy player whose versatility led the Raiders to use him as a Lamar Jackson stand in on scout team before playing the Ravens when he was in Las Vegas a couple of years ago.

Gafford was an undrafted cornerback out of Wyoming back in 2018. Over two years of play with the Cowboys, he recorded 6 interceptions, 11 passes defensed, and 3 forced fumbles at the collegiate level. After signing initially with the Titans, Gafford was cut before training camp and signed with the Raiders who asked him to change his primary position to wide receiver because of his speed. He played mostly special teams in Oakland but did catch two balls including a 49-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr in 2019.

Green Bay has a history of moving undrafted wide receivers to cornerback, most recently in 2016, when the Packers convinced University of Miami wide receiver Herb Waters to move to cornerback due to a couple of injuries in the position room. More famously, the Packers persuaded another former Hurricanes’ receiver, Sam Shields, to switch to cornerback after he went undrafted in 2010. Shields was named the third cornerback on the depth chart after the preseason, behind Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams, and went on to start 62 of the 80 games he would play in a Packers’ uniform over a seven-year stay in Green Bay.

Here are a few more rumors out of the NFC North, all of these coming out of the Windy City:

After making his NFL debut late into the season last year, Bears cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. could have a shot at a starting spot in the slot over free agent addition Tavon Young in the upcoming season, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN. A sixth-round pick in 2021, Graham struggled early to make the team, spending most of the season on the practice squad. In a late-December game against the Vikings, though, Graham heard his name called as the Bears’ roster was depleted by injuries and COVID-19. An impressive performance in that game made his promotion permanent as he spent the rest of the season on the active roster. The Bears used their highest draft pick this year to select Kyler Gordon in the second round to start opposite Jaylon Johnson on the outside. This will leave Graham to compete with the former Raven, Young, in the slot. Young, once the highest-paid nickel corner in the NFL, has suffered multiple torn ACLs and a neck injury that have forced him to miss the entire 2017 and 2019 seasons, as well as most of the 2020 season. Even if Graham can’t beat out Young to start, the Bears will be glad to have him as a strong back-up option.
The Bears announced some updates to their staff this week, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. The team has announced Reese Hicks as the new West Coast scout, Tom Bradway as the new Northeast scout, and Ryan Cavanaugh as the team’s new Midwest scout. In addition to those personnel positions, Chicago announced two moves in the analytics department. Krithi Chandrakasan will be the director of football analytics and Ryan Hubley will serve as the football systems developer.
With recent news that the Bears will look at 2022 fifth-round draft pick Braxton Jones at left tackle in camp, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reminded readers that when Teven Jenkins was drafted in the second round last year, many saw him as a guard at the NFL-level. If Jones does end up impressing on the blindside this summer, Jenkins could find himself filling the Bears’ hole at right guard.

Latest On D.K. Metcalf

June 25th, 2022 at 5:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

The D.K. Metcalf storyline remains the most important one for the Seahawks during this offseason. In a breakdown of the situation as things currently stand, ESPN’s Brady Henderson writes that an extension being signed in the near future “hardly seems like a slam dunk.”

The Seahawks have stated on a number of occasions that they intend to come to an agreement on a long-term deal with the 24-year-old wideout. Metcalf himself has likewise expressed a desire and expectation to remain in Seattle, despite the departures of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner this offseason.

The other main factor in negotiations, of course, is the massive spike in the receiver market which has taken place in recent months. Among the beneficiaries of that trend is A.J. Brown, Metcalf’s former college teammate. The pair also share an agent, something which could work against the Seahawks during contract talks. Henderson reports that Tory Dandy, the player rep in question, could be “more motivated to top Brown’s deal [with a Metcalf extension] than he would be if another agent negotiated it,” citing a poll of other agents.

Brown signed a four-year, $100MM extension with the Eagles after his draft-day trade to Philadelphia. The aforementioned agents estimate a range of outcomes in Metcalf talks between a contract very similar in length and value on one hand, and a breakdown in negotiations requiring a trade as the ultimate outcome on the other. Seattle received calls about Metcalf’s availability in the build-up to the draft, but maintained that they intended to keep him, even at the risk of a free agent departure next offseason.

The fact that a trade never materialized opened the door to negotiations continuing, but Metcalf’s unexcused absence from minicamp was an unexpected turn of events from Seattle’s perspective. Still, Henderson reports that head coach Pete Carroll remains “no less optimistic about getting a deal done” than he was during OTAs. As training camp draws nearer, the progress made on extension talks will dictate how much – if at all – the team will need to consider its trade options with one of its top players.

Cowboys Expected To Add To K Competition

June 25th, 2022 at 3:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys currently have just one kicker on their roster, but that could change in the near future. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Dallas will, “in all likelihood,” add to the position before training camp next month.

The Cowboys signed Jonathan Garibay as an undrafted free agent this offseason, making him the starter by default at this point. He will have the opportunity to replace Greg Zuerlein, whom the team released in March. The veteran ultimately signed with the Jets, further limiting the experienced options available to Dallas as they look for competition. Archer notes that the USFL could provide an answer, along with, of course, kickers let go by their current teams.

Garibay enjoyed a productive final college season at Texas Tech. He made 15 of 16 field goals, including a 62-yarder, the longest made kick in the FBS in 2021. He earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors as a result. The former Red Raider has drawn praise from head coach Mike McCarthy in the early stages of his NFL career. “You can definitely get a feel for his ability,” McCarthy said, adding that Garibay is “off to a good start.”

Archer names Chris Naggar as a candidate to be brought in for training camp. The 21-year-old was signed by Dallas to a futures contract in February, but released last month. His lone NFL game came last year with the Browns, so he would essentially be on level terms with Garibay in terms of experience. Nevertheless, it would come as little surprise if the Cowboys were to add one or more other kickers by July as they look for more consistency at the position heading into another season filled with high expectations.

Packers Eyeing Veteran Edge Addition?

June 25th, 2022 at 2:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers have made a number of changes to their edge rush group this offseason, but another addition may be in the cards. The team “might be looking for upgrades” at the position, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

Green Bay lost Za’Darius Smith in free agency to the Ravens, it appeared at first, but he ultimately signed with the Vikings. With the two-time Pro Bowler gone, it became increasingly important that the Packers had re-signed fellow veteran pass rusher Preston Smith at the onset of free agency.

The latter is set to maintain his starting role in 2022. He will be paired with 2019 first-rounder Rashan Gary, who took a significant step forward last season. While that tandem should be in line to replicate their playing time and production from 2021, depth has been a talking point throughout the offseason.

To little surprise, Green Bay added Kingsley Enagbare in the fifth round of the draft to help address that need. The South Carolina product never had more than six sacks in a single college season, but he is listed in Demovsky’s projected depth chart as the No. 3 edge rusher on the roster. Another name included is that of Randy Ramsey, who played almost exclusively on special teams in 2020 as a rookie, and missed the entire 2021 campaign due to an ankle injury.

With very little experience behind Smith and Gary, a veteran signing would make plenty of sense. Some of the top free agents still available include Jason Pierre-Paul, Trey Flowers and, depending on the outcome regarding his UFA tender, Justin Houston. Green Bay currently ranks in the top-10 in the league in cap space, so a short-term, low-cost addition would also be financially feasible. Whether they choose to make one in the coming days or weeks could be one of the most important roster decisions still facing the team.

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