HEADLINES

Month: August 2023

Offseason In Review: Atlanta Falcons

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Winners of seven games in four of the past five seasons, the Falcons have both overachieved talent-wise — during the Arthur Smith years, at least — while largely hovering off the radar. After two clear transition years that brought substantial dead money into the equation, the Falcons’ Smith-Terry Fontenot operation has moved to a point where playoff contention — in what looks like the worst division in the weaker of the two conferences — should be expected.

While the Falcons’ quarterback plan overshadows the rest of their 2023 blueprint, Smith’s seat is not as hot as Ron Rivera‘s in Washington. The Commanders’ QB approach most closely matches the Falcons’, but the NFC South presents a better opportunity to try a mid-round signal-caller. And Desmond Ridder is set to enjoy a flashy array of weapons. In addition to the team avoiding a push for a better option under center while upgrading around the incumbent, its moves to improve its defensive situation defined the offseason.

Extensions and restructures:

Day 1 of the legal tampering period shaped the Falcons’ offseason. The team reached a few agreements with defensive starters and began its busy day by acquiring Jonnu Smith via trade. But the most expensive transaction transpired minutes later. Four years after going in the first round, Lindstrom secured a guard-record contract.

When the Colts gave Quenton Nelson his $20MM-per-year windfall, that AAV checked in $3.5MM north of any other guard’s. Given Nelson’s accomplishments, it was a bit surprising to see his salary surpassed six months after that Indianapolis contract was finalized. But in a league in which Patrick Mahomes has slipped to the bottom half of the top 10 in QB money, Lindstrom, 26, passing Nelson so soon should not be shocking. While Nelson has three first-team All-Pro nods to Lindstrom’s none, the latter did rate as Pro Football Focus’ top 2022 guard — by a wide margin — to help the Falcons become a top-three rushing team. The salary cap is back on the rise, and Lindstrom also secured $7.2MM more in guarantees at signing compared to Nelson.

This marked a big day for the Boston College alum, who joins Matthews and Kaleb McGary as eight-figure-per-year O-linemen on Atlanta’s roster. With the Falcons planning to build around Ridder’s rookie contract, this monster Lindstrom re-up makes sense. Extending Lindstrom on this level and finding room for the number of defensive additions this offseason brought would probably have been unrealistic had the Browns not lured away Deshaun Watson at the 11th hour last March.

Free agency additions:

After two less eventful offseasons on the acquisition front, Fontenot spent to fill big needs. Safety represented the Falcons’ top upgrade area. Since its Keanu Neal–Ricardo Allen safety tandem split, Atlanta had seemed to be treading water at this position. While Richie Grant remains in position as a starter, the Falcons paid up to acquire an upgrade at the other post. This year’s safety market featured two clear tiers: Bates, then everyone else. Bates, 26, required an AAV that more than doubled every other free agent safety. The Falcons, who came into the tampering period behind only the Bears in cap space, splurged for the five-year Bengals starter.

Juan Thornhill, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jordan Poyer, Donovan Wilson, Marcus Epps and ex-Bates teammate Vonn Bell all signed deals worth in the $6MM-$8MM range per annum. After playing on the franchise tag, Bates blew away his peers, following Tremaine Edmunds in commanding an action-packed market at a lower-tier position. Bates has missed three career games and arrived in Atlanta after a 14-interception Cincinnati tenure. He added two picks during the 2021 postseason, which also included a tipped pass that set up a Bell INT and led to a field goal that sent the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.

The Bengals had hoped to re-sign Bell but had long viewed Bates as out of their price range, as their low-guarantee offer revealed before the July 2022 tag deadline. Now, Bates — PFF’s No. 1 overall safety in 2020 — is tied to the fourth-highest safety AAV and the position’s second-highest guarantee.

Beyond Bates, the Falcons’ decision to hire longtime Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen — an ex-Fontenot New Orleans coworker — as their defensive coordinator shaped their defensive payments. Nielsen brought Onyemata, Ellis and Huggins with him from New Orleans. Prior to the Vikings winning out, the Falcons also attempted to reunite Nielsen with defensive end Marcus Davenport. While Davenport defecting to Atlanta as well would have ratcheted up this underrated rivalry, Onyemata and Elliss making Louisiana-to-Georgia treks bring two talents immensely familiar with Nielsen.

Among active players, only Cameron Jordan had spent more time on the Saints’ defense than Onyemata, who was with the team from 2016-22. Onyemata’s arrival predated Nielsen’s in New Orleans, but the new Falcons DC coached the veteran defensive tackle for most of his Saints run. Working as a full-time Saints starter from 2019-22, Onyemata scored a bigger contract at 30 than he did at 27. Playing out a three-year, $26MM deal, the University of Manitoba alum fared well as an inside rusher alongside Jordan. Onyemata notched two five-plus-sack seasons over the past three years and has totaled 48 QB hits over the past four. He will team with Grady Jarrett, who has not enjoyed much in the way of complementary support since Fontenot and Smith arrived.

This Elliss contract could bring nice value for the Falcons, one of the many teams who preferred a midlevel linebacker contract rather than going after Edmunds this offseason. While Trey Hendrickson turned a contract-year surge into a run as one of the game’s best pass rushers, Elliss’ Saints run featured even fewer contributions ahead of his platform year. New Orleans had used Elliss as a starter exactly once before last season. In 2022, however, the former seventh-round pick came out of nowhere to tally seven sacks, 78 tackles and two forced fumbles. PFF ranked Elliss seventh among off-ball linebackers last year.

Nielsen’s familiarity with the walk-year wonder should put him in a better positions to sustain that form, though some risk comes with this agreement. But that is mitigated by the modest sum the Falcons authorized. After having the Deion Jones extension on their books for three-plus years, the Falcons have Elliss’ $7.2MM-per-year deal as their top ILB contract. By trading Jones last season, however, the Falcons are still on the hook for $12.1MM in 2023 dead money.

Two well-known cap casualties followed the ex-Saints to Atlanta. The Falcons are spending $10MM combined on Campbell and Dupree, who profile as stopgaps. Campbell is certainly a more proven player; Dupree plays a position from which the Falcons need more production. Only the Bears finished below the Falcons in sacks last season. Atlanta totaled just 21, with only Jarrett (six) surpassing four.

Dupree, 30, did not live up to the five-year, $82.5MM contract he signed with the Titans in 2021. As the Titans struggled to fill their OLB post opposite Harold Landry, Dupree became since-fired GM Jon Robinson‘s most expensive mistake there. The former first-rounder tallied just seven sacks in two Titans slates, missing 12 games in that span. Nearly three years removed from an ACL tear, Dupree may have one more shot to show he is a starter-caliber rusher. But the ninth-year veteran is a Georgia native who totaled 19.5 sacks during his final two Steelers seasons.

Like Jordan in New Orleans, Campbell has used his 30s to make a decent Hall of Fame case. Making vital contributions in Arizona, Jacksonville and Baltimore, Campbell turned down an opportunity to join a Jets team loading up with vets around Aaron Rodgers. Citing off-field opportunities and a connection with the staff in Atlanta, the 6-foot-8 D-lineman/kick-blocking phenom will accompany Onyemata in taking heat off Jarrett. It will be interesting to see how the Falcons deploy Campbell, who has been expected to play more as a defensive end despite a 300-pound frame. Any edge help the soon-to-be 37-year-old can provide would benefit a Falcons steam still featuring questions here, but Campbell has also made steady impacts as an interior D-line presence.

Although Ridder did not need to win a camp battle like Sam Howell did in Washington, the Falcons still spent high-end backup money on Heinicke. Like the Marcus Mariota contract, this deal gives Atlanta an out after Year 1. But Heinicke, 30, represents insurance against Ridder sputtering. Coming off the street to rejoin Rivera at a time of great need in Washington, Heinicke went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady in a stunningly effective wild-card performance. Over the next two seasons, Heinicke went 12-11-1 as a starter. The Commanders needed him as a full-timer after Ryan Fitzpatrick failed to make it out of the first half in Week 1 of the 2021 season, and after Carson Wentz‘s hand injury, the former UDFA helped the 2022 team rebound from a 1-4 start.

Heinicke brings obvious limitations, but the 6-1 passer’s starter experience provides a safety net should Ridder — an oft-questioned figure this offseason — burn the Falcons for placing so much faith in him. Only two backup QBs topped Heinicke’s $7MM salary last season.

Ahead of his age-30 season, Hollins comes to Atlanta after a surprisingly productive Las Vegas year. With Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller battling injuries and inconsistency, Hollins became the de facto No. 2 target in Josh McDaniels‘ 2022 offense. The Raiders paid up to upgrade this spot, giving Jakobi Meyers $11MM per year to reunite with his former Patriots OC, but Hollins totaled 690 receiving yards and four touchdowns during his Vegas one-off.

The Falcons will take a flier to see if that is an outlier for a player without another 250-yard season on his resume. The seventh-year veteran is in position to start alongside Drake London. In terms of cap allocations, only the Packers have spent less on their receiving corps that the Falcons, who have $15.3MM devoted to this position on their 2023 payroll.

Re-signings:

With Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard franchise-tagged, right tackle stood as this free agency class’ top position. Each of the three anchors agreed to deals on Day 1 of the legal tampering period. While Jawaan Taylor and Mike McGlinchey fetched big-ticket agreements with the Chiefs and Broncos, respectively, McGary’s market did not soar to the same level. During their busy first day on the market, the Falcons found room to retain McGary on a mid-tier accord.

McGary’s $11.5MM AAV is tied for 10th among right tackles — well south of the $20MM and $17.5MM averages Taylor and McGlinchey scored — and his guarantee-at-signing figure sits outside the top 15. This can be traced to McGary’s smaller sample size as a promising blocker. But rather than a “prove it” deal, the Falcons now have McGary signed to a manageable contract through his age-30 season. It perhaps would have made more sense for McGary to accept a “prove it” pact in order to return to free agency after another strong season, but even with Matthews signed for $18.5MM per year, plans to build around Ridder’s rookie deal made this tackle setup palatable for the Falcons.

McGary allowed a whopping 13 sacks as a rookie, and the Falcons declined his fifth-year option in 2022. But the 2019 first-rounder responded with a big contract year, grading as PFF’s No. 4 overall tackle on the strength of an elite run-blocking campaign to this free agency perch. The Falcons may have locked down an ascending talent on the cheap, and if McGary cannot sustain his 2022 form, the $15MM guarantee will not become especially punitive. With high-profile rookie contracts at quarterback and each of its skill positions, the Falcons have smartly invested big dollars in their O-line.

Read more

Ravens Rumors: Left Guard, Wallace, Washington, Clowney

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The competition for a starting job that began with five or six candidates has seemingly been whittled down to two. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, it seems that veteran John Simpson and rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laula are the final two players fighting for the starting left guard job in 2023.

Simpson appears to be the frontrunner. He has received a good amount of snaps with the first-team offensive line in camp and hasn’t looked out of place. Aumavae-Laula is viewed to have a higher ceiling than Simpson, and while the sixth-round pick out of Oregon has shown less consistency, the staff seems to be open to “letting him learn on the job.” With Simpson receiving the most first-team reps leading up to the regular season, it appears to be his job to lose, but it may be difficult to hold off Aumavae-Laula for long.

On the flipside, it’s a disappointing outcome for former third-round pick Ben Cleveland. After losing the starting battle to Ben Powers last year, the 6-foot-6, 357-pound lineman seems to be on the losing end of the competition for the second straight year. If he can’t show something soon, Cleveland may find himself fighting for a roster spot next summer.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of Baltimore:

  • Weeks ago, wide receiver Tylan Wallace was considered a likely candidate to be cut before the start of the regular season. After Wallace only amassed 56 receiving yards over his first two seasons, the additions of Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, and Zay Flowers made Wallace’s future cut seem like a foregone conclusion. With Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay, among others, set to return, the battle for the WR6 position became a must-win. According to Zrebiec, Wallace responded to the adversity by hiring a new trainer and showing out in the preseason. Wallace has given strong performances in the last two weeks while other fringe receivers like James Proche have seen some rough stretches. There’s no guarantee that Baltimore holds on to six wide receivers, but if they do, Wallace is making a strong case for the job.
  • Formerly an undrafted free agent, Ar’Darius Washington has kept at least a spot on the practice squad with the Ravens over his first two NFL seasons as a promising reserve safety and special teamer. According to Zrebiec, though, he has inflated his stock this preseason by shining as a nickel cornerback. His smaller 5-foot-8, 177-pound frame makes some matchups an issue, but Washington has been one of the Ravens’ top performers in the past two weeks and should make a strong case for a roster spot and a true role on the defense.
  • Finally, while second-year pass rusher David Ojabo hasn’t stood out much in the team’s preseason games, the Ravens staff is still excited about his development after barely playing coming off an injury as a rookie. According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, head coach John Harbaugh made a point to say that the addition of veteran edge Jadeveon Clowney would not impact the playing time of Ojabo. “You want to have enough guys,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a lot of snaps…about 1,200 snaps in the season. You need all those guys.”
  • Hensley’s colleague at ESPN, Field Yates, also provided us with some details on Clowney’s contract with the Ravens. Along with Clowney’s base contract value of $2.5MM, consisting of a $1.17MM base salary and a $1.34MM signing bonus, Clowney can receive up to $3.5MM of incentives. Specifically, he will earn $500K for five sacks, $1MM for seven sacks, or $1.75MM for nine sacks. The same respective amounts would be paid out if Clowney plays over 50 percent, 60 percent, or 65 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. If he hits full incentives, it would push the total value of his contract up to $6MM. Finally, he will earn a per game active roster bonus of $20K for a potential season total of $340K.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones Hints At Extended Holdout

August 23rd, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Chris Jones has been ardently pursuing a new contract in Kansas City. The Chiefs’ star defensive tackle is headed into a contract year, and it seems, until he gets paid, he’s going to see as little of his contract year as possible. He found a couple of opportunities to drop hints on Twitter yesterday that he may not see the field until Week 8 of the regular season.

A disgruntled fan tagged Jones in a tweet demanding to know when he’s finally going to report. Jones gave the terse response of, “Week 8.” When pressed on that plan by a Twitter account made to monitor Chiefs coverage, Jones was once again brief, saying, “I can afford it.”

Now, this could be some bold-faced posturing as Jones utilizes the world’s most public forum to hint at his plans for future negotiations. But there is some method to his madness. As Mike Florio of NBC Sports points out, Week 8 is a key date in the season for any player heading into a contract year.

In terms of a season counting against the duration of a contract, Week 8 means a lot for any player looking to inch closer towards free agency. It is both the latest a player can be held on the exempt list and the latest a player can hold out and still reach the minimum number of games to account for being on the roster for the year. Sitting out that long, Jones would miss out on $7.5MM of the cash owed on his remaining contract in 2023. He would also be liable for $2MM of non-waivable fees for holding out.

There’s a potential hurdle in this plan if Kansas City decides to drop the franchise tag on Jones after this year, but in that case, Jones could hold out without financial punishment in a continuation of this year’s holdout and come back at the same time next season.

Some may be wondering about the rationale of Jones holding out. He’s set to earn $20MM in yearly cash for the 2023 season and would become an unrestricted free agent after that. Why not just play out his last year and play out free agency? Basically, because it doesn’t benefit him.

Jones completed an incredible three-year run of being a top 5 defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), by being PFF’s top interior defensive lineman for the 2023 season. When starting at the top, there’s nowhere to go but down. As of right now, he is considered one of the best defensive tackles, if not the best, in the NFL. Playing in seven games he doesn’t need to in 2023 doesn’t earn him any more money.

While that may sound greedy, understand that Jones just turned 29 years old. Next offseason, suitors will be pursuing a defensive tackle heading into his 30-year-old season. This is likely the last meaningful contract negotiation of Jones’ career. He may find small, one-year deals to close out his career, but he likely won’t be signing more than one multi-year deal from this point forward. He likely genuinely wants to remain in Kansas City, but the offers they’ve floated his way have not been enough to convince him to accept his last multi-year contract.

Instead, he’s threatening to preserve himself, if need be. If the Chiefs don’t want to give him the last big money contract of his career, he’ll save some of his remaining football for a team that wants to pay Jones like the top DT he is.

Head coach Andy Reid hasn’t had much input into the situation, claiming that he hasn’t been able to discuss the holdout with Jones. “There’s been no communication, so I don’t know what’s going to go down,” Reid told the media, according to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride. “Whatever happens happens, and if he’s not there, the game goes on. They got to communicate and do their thing. There’s just been no communication.”

It won’t take long for us to see how serious Jones is about sitting out. If the Chiefs aren’t able to secure Jones under an extension, we’re just over two weeks out from Kansas City hosting the NFL’s season-opening game against the Lions. Jones is providing a clear picture to the Chiefs’ brass of what he plans to do at that time if a deal has not been reached..

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/23

August 23rd, 2023 at 7:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor NFL transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Kemon Hall

New England Patriots

New York Giants

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: LB Troy Brown

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Free Agents

The Broncos get an important piece back today in Purcell. The veteran defensive tackle found a strong role last year on in the Denver rotation. After passing his physical today, Purcell may be able to get his sea legs back in the team’s last preseason game, but they may choose to rest him following his return from a minor knee injury.

It’s bit of a surprise to see Johnson get cut loose in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old lineman had recently been promoted to second-team left tackle. With the Eagles’ preseason finale tomorrow, he was likely set to get a strong share of snaps. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes the team could bring back soon, only cutting him temporarily to fix something to do with his paperwork.

Patriots Activate G Michael Onwenu From Active/PUP List

August 23rd, 2023 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

With less than a week to go until teams must make determinations about players on their respective PUP lists, the Patriots received good news on one of their starting offensive linemen.

Michael Onwenu returned to practice Wednesday, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed notes (on Twitter), ending a lengthy hiatus. The fourth-year guard has been out of the mix since suffering an ankle injury near the end of the Patriots’ Week 18 game in Buffalo.

Coming off the PUP list gives Onwenu a decent shot to be ready for Week 1. The Patriots have used the former sixth-round pick as a regular starter for the past two seasons. Onwenu returning will round out the solid interior of New England’s offensive line. Tackle issues have arisen this offseason, but the Pats’ Onwenu-David Andrews–Cole Strange trio is locked in.

Onwenu, 25, started all 17 Patriots games last season. Pro Football Focus rated the Michigan alum as one of the NFL’s best O-linemen, slotting him fourth among guards. A recovery from ankle surgery, however, did not go smoothly. Onwenu was already battling an ankle issue, but after Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones fell on the back of the Pats blocker’s legs, it forced a slightly early end to his season. Although the surgery took place before the Pats’ offseason program began, Onwenu was down for nearly all of training camp.

This season, a contract year, will be pivotal for Onwenu. Showing full recovery from the ankle surgery will put him on track to command a lucrative second contract. The Patriots do not have a single eight-figure AAV tied to an offensive player beyond 2023, and only Hunter Henry qualifies as such this year. While that could open the door for Onwenu staying in Foxborough — as Shaq Mason did on a second contract — the team’s current right guard could be tough to keep. As of now, Onwenu joins Robert Hunt, Cesar Ruiz, Jonah Jackson, Damien Lewis and Jon Runyan Jr. as guards set to play out their rookie deals in 2023.

Jets’ Corey Davis To Step Away From Football

August 23rd, 2023 at 2:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Finishing his third training camp as a Jet, Corey Davis is not planning to go into another regular season with the team. The former top-five pick informed the Jets he plans to leave the game. Davis announced his intentions via Instagram. The Jets have since placed Davis on the reserve/retired list.

Davis, 28, had resided as a potential cut candidate for months. A summer report indicated a potential pay cut was coming. After it looked like the Jets would instead carry his $11.17MM salary on their roster, a more surprising conclusion will transpire for the veteran wide receiver.

“For some time now I’ve been contemplating stepping away from the sport of football,” Davis said. “This decision has not been easy. Although I am a deep person, I am a man of few words. I’ve been searching my heart for what to do and I feel that stepping away from the game is the best path for me at this time. I have more blessings than I could have ever imagined — I have an amazing family, a beautiful wife and two healthy children that I look forward to spending more time with.

“I am truly grateful for all the opportunities I have had and will continue to have on my journey. Thank you to my family and friends and the Jets organization for supporting me through this process.”

This decision may not necessarily be a retirement, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating Davis will not be with the Jets to begin the season. But the Western Michigan alum’s statement does not point to a near-future return. Robert Saleh said the door is open for Davis to rejoin the Jets, and SNY’s Connor Hughes notes the receiver informed teammates of his decision Tuesday (Twitter links). The Jets’ website is calling this a retirement. Davis had informed certain teammates he was considering retirement before camp, ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweets.

After four seasons with the Titans, Davis joined the Jets on a three-year, $37.5MM deal in 2021. While he totaled 1,028 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a Jet, injuries have impacted the 6-foot-3 wideout’s New York stay. Davis missed 12 games during his first two Jets campaigns, and the team made several updates to its receiver room this offseason. As they zeroed in on Aaron Rodgers, the Jets signed Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman. After completing the trade, the Jets added Randall Cobb.

These moves — and the team’s Odell Beckham Jr. pursuit — invited speculation on Davis’ status, with the team being able to save $10.5MM in cap space by cutting him. But both Saleh and Joe Douglas praised Davis and insisted he remained in the team’s plans. The prospect of a pay cut never led to one — at least, it hadn’t yet — and Davis was set to play a backup role on this year’s Rodgers-led squad. After two seasons on Zach Wilson-centered Jet teams, Davis is out of the picture now.

The first wideout chosen in 2017, Davis enjoyed an inconsistent Titans tenure. But he did make key contributions for two playoff-bound Tennessee teams to close out his rookie contract. Davis’ 984 receiving yards helped the 2020 Titans win the AFC South. This showing came two years after Davis totaled 891 yards for Mike Vrabel‘s first Tennessee team. The Titans let Davis and A.J. Brown go in consecutive offseasons, trading the latter last year.

Lazard and Hardman are expected to start alongside 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson for Rodgers’ first Jets team. Cobb operating as a WR4 would make sense, but given the Jets’ aggressiveness at the skill positions this offseason, it would not surprise to see them pursue an upgrade — potentially via trade — in light of the Davis news.

Jets Activate T Duane Brown From Active/PUP List

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Less than a week before the Jets must finalize their 53-man roster, their expected left tackle is ready to go. Robert Saleh said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) Duane Brown is off the active/PUP list and on track to practice Wednesday.

Brown, 37, has been out while rehabbing offseason shoulder surgery. The 15-year veteran played through a torn rotator cuff last season, returning from an IR stay to start his Jets tenure. The former Pro Bowler did not play up to his usual standards, but the injury certainly impacted his performance. Saleh showed faith in Brown this offseason, and despite Mekhi Becton‘s re-emergence, the veteran remains the likely Week 1 left tackle starter.

The Jets’ tackle situation has been under a microscope for months. The team’s effort to draft Broderick Jones did not pan out, with the Steelers jumping in front of them. Becton has worked as a second-string left tackle during training camp, though the slimmed-down blocker is now moving toward being the Week 1 right tackle starter. Neither Billy Turner nor Max Mitchell have seized the right-side gig, opening the door for Becton, who has not played a regular-season game since September 2021.

Brown’s form following several months of rehab will obviously be worth watching, given the brighter spotlight on the Jets this year. As the team prepares to begin its run with Aaron Rodgers, the issues at tackle that have cropped up during practice have become a regular talking point. Brown could be in position to put a stop to that, though he is the league’s oldest active tackle. The former Texans and Seahawks stalwart will turn 38 in October.

Tied to a two-year, $20MM contract that came to pass due to Becton’s second major knee injury — in August 2022 — Brown started 12 games for the Jets last season. Pro Football Focus slotted the five-time Pro Bowler 69th at the position, marking the worst placement of his career. But both Mitchell and Turner — PFF’s 70th- and 71st-ranked tackles in 2022 — are also coming off seasons in which health issues limited them. Turner battled knee trouble in Denver, missing ninegames, while a blood clot issue ended Mitchell’s rookie year early. The Jets also played without George Fant for most of last season. Fant is now with the Texans, while Brown is due to count $11.28MM against the Jets’ cap.

While Becton could conceivably be a left tackle option as well — a reality he aggressively pushed for this offseason — the Jets’ best bet is likely Brown returning to form and Becton staying healthy while manning the RT post. This has the potential to be an unstable situation, though Brown’s comeback obviously represents a positive development ahead of Rodgers’ debut.

Dolphins, Colts Discussing Jonathan Taylor Deal

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:07am CST by Sam Robinson

A report Tuesday indicated multiple teams had contacted the Colts on Jonathan Taylor, as the team gave the 2021 rushing champion permission to seek a trade. Unsurprisingly, the Dolphins are believed to be one of them.

After the Dolphins were mentioned as an interested party, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reports they have indeed discussed Taylor with the Colts. Talks are ongoing between the AFC teams. This is far from the first running back the Dolphins have been connected to via trade this year, but the Colts have a lofty asking price in mind. They want a first-round pick or a picks package equivalent to that value.

Dalvin Cook, D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley surfaced as Dolphins trade targets during the offseason, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Miami came close to acquiring Cook from Minnesota in March. Those talks, however, did not produce a deal. The Dolphins had their chances to add Cook, a Miami native, during his lengthy (and highly public) free agency tour. But the team let the Jets land the seventh-year veteran on a one-year, $7MM deal. In the wake of that signing, would the Dolphins be willing to both part with high trade compensation and give Taylor a lucrative extension?

Despite Jim Irsay‘s early insistence the Colts would not deal Taylor, Jackson adds the team would like to make a move — provided its asking price is met — before setting its 53-man roster. The Colts must decide on Taylor landing on the active roster or remaining on the active/PUP list — which would sideline him for at least four games — by 3pm CT August 29. Teams have been monitoring this saga since the trade request emerged in late July.

The Dolphins’ frequent connections to high-profile backs aside, they have kept costs low at the position ahead of Mike McDaniel‘s second season. Miami re-signed Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Myles Gaskin in March. None of these contracts even reached $3MM per year, and Gaskin’s deal contains no guaranteed money. The Dolphins then drafted Devon Achane in Round 3, but the former Texas A&M speedster is currently sidelined because of a shoulder injury sustained in the team’s second preseason game.

The difference between Cook and Taylor would seemingly come down to prime years remaining. Cook is going into his age-28 season; Taylor is 24. Cook has totaled 1,503 career touches; Taylor is heading into Year 4 at 860. The Colts have put Taylor’s rookie contract to good use, deploying him as their starter since Marlon Mack‘s Achilles tear in Week 1 of the 2020 season. But the former second-round pick stands to have a few prime years remaining.

Aside from Tyreek Hill‘s receiver-record contract ($30MM per year, with a high 2026 AAV producing that number), the Dolphins do not have an eight-figure AAV in their skill-position group. The team did pick up Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option and is already projected to be $32MM over the 2024 cap.

In what could be the most well-rounded AFC East race since perhaps the 1990s, the Dolphins are at least considering making a splash addition. Though, Jackson adds a handful of other teams have reached out as well. It will be interesting to see which other teams have contacted the Colts on Taylor, who is going into a contract year. It will also be worth monitoring if the Wisconsin alum stands down on a pursuit of an extension this year in order to leave Indianapolis.

That said, the prospect of the Colts franchise-tagging Taylor in 2024 has undoubtedly affected his standing with the organization. While Taylor obviously does not have a no-trade clause, would another team be willing to make a deal for a player on a PUP list without having an extension in place?

Bucs Name Baker Mayfield Starting QB

August 22nd, 2023 at 10:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tampa Bay’s quarterback competition has officially ended. Baker Mayfield was named the Buccaneers’ starter on Tuesday, per a team announcement.

During the offseason, Mayfield has appeared to be the favorite to win out over 2021 second-rounder Kyle Trask. The competition between the two has been close, however, and both signal-callers split first-team reps during training camp. Neither passer did enough to stand out above the other for the first preseason contest to be sufficient to determine a winner.

Trask drew praise for his arm strength and improved ball security during the summer, but the fact that Mayfield did not play in Tampa’s second preseason contest seemed to put the latter in pole position. Head coach Todd Bowles said after that game that both Trask and Mayfield would play in the preseason finale, something which appeared to leave the competition yet to be won by either passer. Instead, a firm decision has now been made, with the far more experienced quarterback getting the nod.

Mayfield, 28, signed a one-year, $4MM deal in free agency with the hopes of serving as Tom Brady‘s successor. The former No. 1 pick’s starting days in Cleveland were over once Deshaun Watson was acquired via trade, a move which eventually saw Mayfield dealt to the Panthers. A fresh start was needed, but it did not go as planned. Mayfield went 1-5 in Carolina and his performance led to his release in December.

A brief audition with the Matthew Stafford-less Rams ensued, and the Oklahoma product started four games in Los Angeles (including a win in his debut which came days after his arrival). It still came as no surprise that Mayfield was only able to land a low-cost, one-year deal on the open market. The former Heisman winner could very well be entering a make-or-break season with respect to his future as an NFL starter.

Trask, meanwhile, will begin his third straight Tampa Bay campaign on the bench. As Brady’s understudy, the Florida product only made one regular season appearance and he has just nine pass attempts to his name. The 2023 offseason represented his best opportunity to earn the No. 1 role – something which would have provided much-needed information for the team regarding how they would approach his long-term future in the organization.

A report from earlier this month indicated Mayfield would have a short leash if named the starter, given Trask’s showings in the offseason. It will be interesting to see if that holds true as all attention will now turn to the former’s ability to rebound from his 2022 performance and, potentially, secure a multi-year future in his new home.

Multiple Teams Inquire On Colts RB Jonathan Taylor

August 22nd, 2023 at 10:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Advancing this saga to another stage, the Colts have allowed Jonathan Taylor‘s camp to look for a trade partner. This comes weeks after Jim Irsay said the former rushing champion would not be traded.

Teams are looking into this situation. Multiple clubs have inquired about Taylor, Stephen Holder and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com report. Real interest has emerged, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated (video link). The Colts want a first-round pick or a picks package that meets that value, though the team is seeking a slightly better haul than the one the Panthers received for Christian McCaffrey.

Carolina fetched 2023 second-, third- and fourth-round picks, along with a 2024 fifth, from the 49ers for the dual-threat dynamo. Early indications around the league do not point to the Colts doing that well, were they to trade Taylor. Of the AFC and NFC execs polled by SI.com’s Albert Breer, none said Taylor will bring back more than a single Day 2 pick. Some believe a second-rounder is possible; others lowered expectations to a third-rounder as the deal’s centerpiece. Fowler noted another exec suggested a Day 2 pick would be in play. No RB has fetched a first-round pick since the Colts acquired Trent Richardson from the Browns in 2013; McCaffrey is the only back to land a second-rounder in that span.

If the Colts’ early stance is to be believed, they would likely hold onto their fourth-year back if these were the best offers to emerge. McCaffrey (four 600-plus-yard receiving seasons, with two years north of 800 yards) is a more versatile back than Taylor, though the latter is three years younger — at 24 — and has a less notable injury history. Last year’s ankle trouble marked Taylor’s first known injury as a pro or during his Wisconsin tenure. But the problem is either still lingering or Taylor is using this as leverage to avoid returning to practice amid this standoff.

The prospect of another team giving Taylor a big-ticket extension has slowed interest. No team has authorized even a $10MM-per-year RB deal since the Browns extended Nick Chubb (three years, $36.6MM) in July 2021. And this year has obviously brought a difficult series of events for the position, with Taylor voicing his frustration about the offseason developments. Upon returning to the Colts’ facility as a non-camp participant, Taylor’s attitude has changed. He has also twice left the facility — once due to his ankle injury and later due to a personal matter — since the team placed him on the active/PUP list.

The Colts have until August 29, when 53-man rosters must be set, to make a call on Taylor’s status. If Indianapolis leaves Taylor on the PUP list, he transfers to the reserve/PUP and must miss the season’s first four games. The Colts can move Taylor to their 53-man unit, going week to week with their disgruntled back. That would require the team to give Taylor an injury designation each week in practice. From a player’s perspective, Jalen Ramsey provided a blueprint for this route in 2019. Seeking a trade, the Jaguars cornerback did not practice fully due to myriad reasons, two of them being back issues and the birth of his daughter. Upon being traded to the Rams, the All-Pro cornerback returned to the field.

After Irsay criticized running backs for holding Zoom meetings about their situation, he met one-on-one with Taylor and made other comments that did not help this situation. When asked about Taylor on Monday night, the longtime Colts owner said GM Chris Ballard will “work hard to calm the waters.”

The Dolphins, who have inquired about multiple backs via trade this year, are believed to be interested. Even after cutting Ezekiel Elliott and not replacing him, the Cowboys are not. Jerry Jones said (via the Fort Worth Star-Telgram’s Clarence Hill) he is “very comfortable” with Dallas’ Tony Pollard backups.

Load More Posts