HEADLINES

Month: August 2023

Raiders Place T Brandon Parker On IR

August 15th, 2023 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

A starter during his most recent active season with the Raiders, Brandon Parker re-signed with the team this offseason. But Parker’s future with the franchise is again cloudy after another August injury.

The Raiders placed the veteran tackle on IR on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. This marks the second straight year in which Parker has landed on IR before the season. Because of the preseason placement on the Raiders’ injured list, Parker is not eligible to be activated later in the season.

A recent roster projection from The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed placed Parker on the final 53, with the duo indicating he had held the role of the fourth tackle — behind Kolton Miller, Jermaine Eluemunor and Thayer Munford (subscription required). This transaction will nix that path for the Silver and Black, who have not been able to turn to Parker since the 2021 season.

The Raiders initially drafted Parker in the 2018 third round, grabbing him two rounds after Miller in Jon Gruden‘s first draft at the helm. Primarily a right tackle, Parker started 13 games in 2021. The Raiders had drafted Alex Leatherwood that year but moved him to guard quickly. Even with the Josh McDaniels-led staff shifting Leatherwood back to tackle in 2022, the Alabama product could not avoid the chopping block. But neither Leatherwood nor Parker factored into the Raiders’ plans last season. A triceps injury landed Parker on IR on August 28 of last year.

Just before free agency, the 27-year-old blocker re-signed with the Raiders on a one-year, $1.5MM deal. Las Vegas guaranteed the sixth-year vet $475K. The North Carolina A&T alum has made 32 starts as a Raider. With Parker out of the picture, 2022 trade acquisition Justin Herron figures to have a better chance of making the 53-man roster as a backup.

With the open roster spot, the Raiders signed wide receiver Isaiah Zuber, Wilson tweets. Zuber’s only game action came with the Patriots in 2020, during McDaniels’ lengthy second stint as New England’s OC.

Giants, Adoree’ Jackson Discuss Extension; Leonard Williams Deal Not On Radar

August 15th, 2023 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adoree’ Jackson‘s MCL sprain decimated the Giants at cornerback last season. Although the team made a surprising run to the playoffs, it spent much of the stretch run without Jackson and its other Week 1 starting corner (Aaron Robinson).

Robinson has not returned to practice yet, remaining on New York’s active/PUP list due to the knee injury he suffered early last season, but first-round pick Deonte Banks now joins Jackson as a surefire starter. Banks’ presence, along with the host of big-ticket deals the Giants handed out this year, complicates Jackson’s Big Apple future. The former first-round pick is going into the final year of a contract the Joe Schoen regime did not authorize.

[RELATED: Giants Do Not Intend To Extend Xavier McKinney In 2023]

While a previous report indicated the Giants were not planning Jackson extension talks, the seventh-year defender said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) conversations about a second agreement with the team have occurred. Jackson’s three-year, $39MM deal calls for a $19.1MM cap number this season. The team already attached a 2024 void year for cap purposes.

The Giants doled out a $40MM-per-year deal for Daniel Jones, while Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence are now respectively tied to $23.5MM- and $22.5MM-AAV extensions. Each contract will produce a significant cap spike between 2023 and ’24. Jones’ cap number rises from $21.75MM this year to $45MM in 2024. Thomas’ vaults from $9.3MM to $23.7MM, while Lawrence’s balloons from $6.7MM to $21.9MM. These changes will result in adjustments for the Giants, with Jackson’s future with the team in doubt.

Jackson, who is going into his age-28 season, became a more important Giants piece following the team’s May 2022 James Bradberry release. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson, a former Pac-12 long jump champion while at USC, just outside the top 30 at corner last year. Missing seven games due to injury, the 5-foot-11 defender still returned in time for the team’s wild-card win in Minnesota and accounted himself well against Justin Jefferson.

The Giants have experimented with Jackson in the slot during training camp. A strong second year in Don Martindale‘s system could create another good market for the ex-Titans first-rounder in March. Even with Banks in the fold, cornerback will be a key need for the Giants if they do not re-sign Jackson before the 2024 legal tampering period.

This offseason has revealed zero hesitation on Schoen’s part about committing to Dave Gettleman investments, with Jones, Lawrence and Thomas all first-rounders under the since-departed GM. Higher on the Giants’ 2023 payroll, Leonard Williams is also going into a walk year. Gettleman gave the 2019 trade acquisition a three-year, $63MM extension shortly after applying a second franchise tag in March 2021. Williams holds the highest cap number among NFL defenders this year — by a wide margin. Williams’ $32.3MM number jumps out on a Giants payroll that does not include another cap hit north of $22MM.

A June report pointed to the Giants not eyeing an adjustment to bring down Williams’ monster cap number, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team remains unlikely to address the deal. No extension or pay cut should be expected here, with the Giants viewing the ninth-year veteran as an important piece in Brian Daboll‘s second season. Williams, 29, is not a 2024 franchise tag candidate, since the Giants have already tagged him twice. He is open to an extension with the team.

Williams fared well during his most recent contract year (2020), totaling a career-high 11.5 sacks and 30 quarterback hits. Jackson’s former USC teammate has not topped 15 QB hits in the two seasons since, but with the prospect of one final major payday in play, motivation will certainly exist for the ex-Jets top-10 draftee in 2023. With Lawrence’s contract running through 2027, however, Williams is no longer the Giants’ D-line centerpiece.

Latest On Bengals’ Right Tackle Situation

August 15th, 2023 at 2:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals’ Orlando Brown Jr. signing created a crowded situation at right tackle, seeing three-year left tackle starter Jonah Williams begrudgingly change positions. But the former first-round pick is settling in at his new spot.

Williams rescinded his trade request earlier this summer, and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes he is the clear leader in this tackle matchup. The top Williams competitor coming into camp, Jackson Carman, no longer appears a serious threat to start opposite Brown. Carman may now be battling for a roster spot (subscription required).

Although Carman lost two guard battles in his first two training camps, he fared better as Williams’ left tackle replacement in the playoffs. The former second-round pick replaced Williams against the Ravens in the wild-card round, after the starter suffered a dislocated left knee, and started against the Bills and Chiefs. But Carman may no longer be competing with Williams for the starting RT role; Dehner adds fellow 2021 draftee D’Ante Smith is pushing Carman for the swing role.

Smith has seen time at right tackle recently, moving over from the second-string left tackle role he had held earlier. With Williams in place as the top Brown replacement option, as the Bengals would slide him back to his old spot and move their swingman to right tackle, Dehner notes the RT2 role represents the Bengals’ top tackle backup. Viewed as a project upon coming into the league as a fourth-rounder out of East Carolina, Smith has played just 56 career offensive snaps.

Cincinnati’s right tackle situation will become more complicated when La’el Collins comes off the active/PUP list. Rehabbing ACL and MCL tears, Collins is a candidate for the reserve/PUP list but may also be a cap casualty. Given Collins’ experience, he would stand to generate interest from tackle-needy teams if released. Collins, 30, has not returned to practice. The Bengals were also not exactly thrilled with his pre-injury work.

As for Williams, he can create a nice free agent market with a good contract year. The 2019 first-round pick last played right tackle as a freshman at Alabama. Pro Football Focus graded Williams outside the top 60 at tackle last season, but the veteran blocker attributed his shakier form to not being 100% after a Week 5 kneecap subluxation. The Bengals and Jaguars discussed Williams before the draft, but Jacksonville took Anton Harrison in Round 1. No trade rumblings regarding Williams have come out since.

“He looks like he’s been there for a few years,” Bengals offensive line coach Frank Pollack said, via Dehner, of Williams. “I’m impressed. He’s a good player. He’s athletic, he’s a smart player and he’s just grooving that power hand and that power foot, and my hat’s off to him. It’s really been a lot more seamless and smooth than I would anticipate for any guy.”

While Williams is going into a contract year, two seasons remain on Carman and Smith’s rookie deals. Collins is under contract through 2024 as well, though the Bengals would take on just $1.7MM in dead money by releasing him before September’s vested veteran guarantee date.

Bills Place T Brandon Shell On Reserve/Retired List

August 15th, 2023 at 2:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandon Shell caught on with the Bills earlier this offseason, moving into position to play for a third AFC East team. But it does not look like that will happen. The veteran tackle is now on Buffalo’s reserve/retired list, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia tweets.

Earlier Tuesday, Buscaglia noted Shell was not at Bills practice and was planning to retire (Twitter link). This news will wrap a seven-year career. A 2016 fifth-round pick, Shell worked as a regular starter for most of his pro career.

A Jets draftee, Shell moved into the team’s starting lineup as a rookie and ended up starting 40 games for the team. Blocking for the likes of Josh McCown and Sam Darnold, Shell signed a decent second contract (two years, $9MM) with the Seahawks in 2020 and became a starter for a playoff-bound team. Seattle used the South Carolina alum as a two-year starter, trotting him out as such in 20 games. Shell, 31, added a start in the Seahawks’ wild-card playoff loss to the Rams to close that season.

Although Shell’s third NFL team — the Dolphins — also ventured to the playoffs, Miami’s primary right tackle last year was not healthy enough to start against the Bills in January. A high ankle sprain sidelined Shell for the Dolphins’ wild-card tilt. Nevertheless, Shell made 11 starts for a Dolphins team that lost Austin Jackson in Week 1 of last season. The Seahawks moved on from Shell to 2022 third-rounder Abraham Lucas last year, while Dolphins are giving Jackson another opportunity.

This retirement comes after Shell was believed to have interest in re-signing with the Dolphins, who instead signed Cedric Ogbuehi. Shell ended up with the Bills in May. Buffalo added Shell on a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum; he did not receive any guaranteed money from the defending AFC East champions. For his career, Shell made 72 starts.

The Bills have Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown returning as starters. They also re-signed swingman David Quessenberry, whom Buscaglia recently had making the 53-man roster over Shell (subscription required). In light of Shell’s mid-camp retirement, the Bills could be in the market for a backup option at tackle.

Seahawks Activate LB Jordyn Brooks From Active/PUP List

August 15th, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jordyn Brooks suffered an ACL tear during the Seahawks’ Week 17 game last season, making him a candidate to start the season on the reserve/PUP list. That is no longer an option for Brooks, who passed his physical Tuesday.

The Seahawks moved the fourth-year linebacker off their active/PUP list. A Brooks return to practice makes him ineligible for a reserve/PUP designation — a move that would have shelved him for the season’s first four games — and increases the chances he will be in uniform come Week 1.

While the Seahawks might slow-play Brooks’ return to regular practice work, Tuesday’s development is obviously a good sign for the contract-year defender. Brooks, 25, has been a three-down performer for the Seahawks for the past two seasons, moving into the lineup alongside Bobby Wagner in 2021 and anchoring the position group after Wagner became a March 2022 cap casualty. Wagner is now back in Seattle, and a Brooks return would give the Seahawks a solid outlook at the position.

In addition to bringing back Wagner, the Seahawks added ex-Steelers first-rounder Devin Bush in free agency. That move came after Cody Barton left for Washington. Wagner is back ahead of an age-33 season, and Bush is looking to re-establish his value after the Steelers let him walk in free agency.

Hurting the Seahawks’ chances in their playoff matchup against the 49ers, the knee injury Brooks suffered on New Year’s Day also put the former No. 27 overall pick on shaky ground regarding his fifth-year option. The Seahawks joined the other teams who made linebacker picks in 2020 — the Cardinals, Ravens and Chargers — in passing. Declining Brooks’ $12.7MM option, the Seahawks made 2023 a contract year for their top tackler. Brooks has only missed one regular-season game since his full-fledged lineup entrance. He led the NFL in solo tackles in 2021 (109) and registered 103 solo stops last season. In that span, Brooks tallied 345 total tackles. Only Foye Oluokun (376) has totaled more over the past two seasons.

Pete Carroll said in May the option decision does not mean the team plans to move on from Brooks after this season, but the Texas Tech alum has a clear opportunity in front of him. Returning to form would put Brooks in solid position for a nice second contract — from either the Seahawks or another team.

Broncos Waive K Elliott Fry

August 15th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The in-game portion of the Broncos’ kicking competition began with misses by both specialists. Brett Maher and Elliott Fry each missed their first field goal tries in Friday’s preseason opener in Arizona. Denver will now shift to a new phase in its search to fill Brandon McManus‘ longtime role.

Denver waived Fry with an injury designation Tuesday, with 9News’ Mike Klis noting the young kicker tweaked a lower-body injury (Twitter link). It is not believed to be a serious setback, but the Broncos moved on from Fry to clear a roster spot for a long snapper signing. The team added Jack Landherr.

Maher, 33, is now the only kicker on the Broncos’ 90-man roster. Fry pulled a muscle, per Sean Payton, who has not ruled out bringing in another kicker to compete with Maher, Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette tweets.

Fry, 28, joined the Broncos shortly after their McManus release, catching on with yet another team to continue a nomadic NFL journey. Fry, who has kicked in three NFL games (from 2020-21) and done so with three separate teams, was with the Cardinals earlier this offseason. After a May Arizona exit, Fry wound up in Denver after a workout.

Maher received the first opportunity against the Cardinals, missing a 47-yard field goal in the first quarter. Payton then summoned Fry for the team’s second field goal attempt — from 50 yards — but that misfired as well. Fry, however, rebounded to make a 55-yarder in the second quarter. Maher finished the game 0-for-2 on his field goal tries, having seen a 52-yard attempt blocked as well.

McManus had served as the Broncos’ kicker for the past nine seasons; he is now with the Jaguars. Veteran options remain on the market. Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, Ryan Succop and Randy Bullock are unsigned. It would surprise if the Broncos handed the job to Maher, who capped a strong 2022 Cowboys regular season (90.6% FG accuracy) with a disastrous two-game playoff effort.

A UCLA alum, Landherr participated in the Broncos’ rookie minicamp in May. Mitchell Fraboni sits as the other long snapper on Denver’s roster. Fraboni snapped in four Broncos games last season, marking the only regular-season experience of his NFL career.

Jets Activate RB Breece Hall

August 15th, 2023 at 11:50am CST by Adam La Rose

One day after making a high-profile addition to their running back corps, the Jets’ backfield is now at full strength. The team announced on Tuesday that Breece Hall has been activated from the PUP list.

The long-anticipated deal sending Dalvin Cook to New York may have signaled that Hall was not as far along in his recovery as the team hoped. Instead, it simply confirmed the team’s all-in approach for 2023, which will involve a two-pronged approach in the running game. Hall has been expected to suit up for Week 1 throughout the offseason.

The 2022 second-rounder has impressed coaches while doing individual work, adding to the optimism surrounding his ability to return to full health following an ACL tear. That injury ended a promising rookie campaign, one in which Hall averaged 5.8 yards per carry and scored five total touchdowns in seven games. Resuming that level of production should allow him to continue operating as the team’s lead back.

However, the Jets gave Cook $7MM (with the potential for more), making him a pricey backup option. It will be interesting to see how the four-time Pro Bowler is used with Hall now back in the picture. Cook has eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards every year since 2019, averaging over 42 catches per season over that span. His pass-catching role faded to an extent over his final two campaigns with the Vikings, though, and the Jets have a re-vamped array of receivers to begin the Aaron Rodgers era.

Hall, meanwhile, caught 82 passes in three years at Iowa State, then 19 in his shortened rookie season last year. The way in which carries and targets are divided between he and Cook could go a long way in determining the effectiveness of the tandem, and thus New York’s offense as a whole. The competition for snaps and roster security between Zonovan Knight and Michael Carter will also be worth following with Hall now back in the fold.

The latter will continue to rehab while taking part in team drills during the remainder of training camp. Presuming he is green-lit to return for the start of the season, the Jets will have their ideal RB tandem in place ahead of a campaign where the team faces substantial expectations.

Cardinals Activate TE Zach Ertz

August 15th, 2023 at 11:16am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 15: To no surprise, Ertz has officially been activated, per a team announcement. He can now take part in team drills as he attempts to return to full health in time for Week 1.

AUGUST 14: Zach Ertz saw his 2022 campaign come to an end in November, and he remained sidelined deep into the offseason as a result. The three-time Pro Bowler has now been cleared to return to practice, though, as noted (on Twitter) by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

[RELATED: Evaluating Cardinals’ Offseason]

Garafolo adds, crucially, that Ertz is “on track” to suit up for Week 1. That will be a welcomed development for team and player, given Ertz’s continued production in the desert and Arizona’s need for a healthy offense with quarterback Kyler Murray expected to miss regular season time. The latter will be the only Cardinal on the PUP list once Ertz is officially activated.

Arizona initially believed the worst-case scenario had been avoided when Ertz suffered a knee injury. Further testing revealed ACL and MCL tears, however, setting him up for a lengthy recovery. It came as little surprise that he began training camp on the PUP list, but being cleared now leaves him some time for reps in practice and/or the team’s remaining preseason games to ensure he will be able to take the field when the regular season begins.

The 32-year-old saw his Eagles tenure come to an end when he was dealt to the Cardinals (after a trade agreement with the Bills fall through), and 2022 was Ertz’s first full season in the desert. He posted a 47-406-4 statline in 10 contests, proving he can still be a reliable producer in the passing game. With Arizona set to begin the post-DeAndre Hopkins era at the receiver position, Ertz should be a key contributor as he enters the second year of his $31.65MM Cardinals pact.

The team has a few other options at the TE spot should Ertz not be able to return to the field in time for Week 1. That includes 2022 second-rounder Trey McBride, who assumed a larger role once Ertz went down last year. McBride recorded 265 yards and one touchdown on 29 catches as a rookie, totals he will look to improve on in 2023. With Ertz set to be back in the fold, however, the Cardinals will be at full strength at the position soon.

Giants Will Not Extend S Xavier McKinney In 2023

August 15th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

Xavier McKinney is set to begin the final year of his rookie contract, and a new deal will not be coming until after it expires. Giants general manager Joe Schoen confirmed that the team will let the starting safety play out the 2023 season before discussing a new deal.

[RELATED: Evaluating Giants’ Offseason]

It was reported last month that no extension talks had taken place, foreshadowing Schoen’s declaration that none will be coming soon. McKinney has become as a key member of New York’s defense, showcasing considerable production (93 tackles, five interceptions in 2021) and emerging as a leader for the unit. Two of his three seasons in the league have been shortened by injuries, however, which will limit his leverage when negotiations commence.

The Giants currently have just under $5.4MM in cap space, the fourth-lowest figure in the league. Given that McKinney is due to carry a cap hit of only $2.67MM in 2023, however, there would be little (if any) immediate upside to working out a multi-year deal with respect to freeing up funds. As a result, the 24-year-old will need to wait until after the season to begin talks on a new agreement keeping him in the Big Apple.

“X is a leader, he was a captain last year, he had the unfortunate incident, but he is a young player with upside,” Schoen said during an appearance on WFAN’s Evan & Tiki program. “We’ll have to see where we are” (h/t Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post).

McKinney was limited to nine regular season games last year due to an ATV accident, though he was able to return in time for the playoffs. The former second-rounder had a down year in terms of coverage statistics and PFF evaluation compared to previous campaigns, which could help explain the Giants’ reticence to make a long-term commitment at this point. New York made multiple attempts to re-sign fellow safety starter Julian Love, but he ultimately went to Seattle on a less lucrative contract.

Seeing McKinney walk next offseason would leave the Giants in need of another replacement on the backend, but Schoen’s remarks make it clear the team would prefer to avoid that scenario. The Alabama product is still in their long-term plans, provided common ground can be found after the season (one in which his market value could change significantly, based on his availability and performance) has been played out.

“We don’t have a lot of cap space to do much more,” Schoen added. “I think our pockets are empty. But he’s a guy who is important to us, that we’d like to be here long term. We’ll see how it plays out through the season. If we can get something done down the road, he’s somebody we’d like to have here.”

Lions Extend WR/PR Kalif Raymond

August 15th, 2023 at 8:45am CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 15: The veteran receiver/returner agreed to terms on a two-year, $10.5MM deal that comes with $8.15MM fully guaranteed. The Lions created $1.3MM in cap space via this extension, per OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald (on Twitter). Detroit used a 2026 void year to spread out Raymond’s cap hits. Raymond can earn up to $14MM on the deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets, noting incentives tied to receptions, receiving yards and Pro Bowl acclaim are in place. Raymond’s 2023 and ’24 salaries are guaranteed, with Wilson adding $1.4MM of his $4.35MM 2025 base is locked in at signing.

AUGUST 11: Kalif Raymond has made important contributions in his two seasons with the Lions, and the team will keep the veteran receiver/returner on another contract.

The Lions are extending Raymond on a two-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes, adding that the contract is expected to make the team’s top punt returner one of the highest-paid return men in the game (Twitter link). Raymond, 29, is going into his third season with the Lions; this extension will keep him tied to the team through 2025.

A former UDFA out of Holy Cross, Raymond has done well to carve out a role in Detroit. The former Broncos, Giants, Jets and Titans wideout/returner has worked as the Lions’ primary punt returner in his two Motor City seasons, doing so while making under-the-radar contributions at receiver as well. Raymond has combined for 1,192 receiving yards with Detroit.

This marks Raymond’s third Lions contract. He initially came over during GM Brad Holmes‘ first offseason, signing for one year and barely $1MM. The team then re-signed him in March 2022, authorizing a two-year, $5MM deal. After Raymond has proven a fit with the team, he will undoubtedly be rewarded with a raise.

Prior to his 2021 Detroit arrival, Raymond had never topped 200 receiving yards in a season. A Lions team that was starting over at receiver in 2021 put the 5-foot-8 cog to work. Raymond finished that season with 48 receptions for 576 yards and four touchdowns. With Jameson Williams debuting late in the season (and not playing a big role upon doing so) and DJ Chark missing more time due to injury, Raymond kept his spot as a regular on offense. He totaled a career-best 616 receiving yards in 2022. With Williams banned six games for betting on non-NFL games while on team grounds, Raymond should be in position to keep his gig as an auxiliary receiver to start the year.

Once Williams rejoins a receiving corps including Amon-Ra St. Brown and the reacquired Marvin Jones, it is possible Raymond’s receiving workload will be scaled back. But he still is set to be Detroit’s main punt returner. Raymond notched a punt-return touchdown last year, helping the Lions to a three-point win over the Jets, and finished with a career-high 13.1 yards per return. While Raymond did not have enough returns to qualify, that 13.1-yard average would have been among the NFL’s best marks. The Lions will reward him as such.

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