2023 August - Pro Football Rumors

Month: August 2023

Vikings Host CB Ronald Darby

August 5th, 2023 at 6:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ronald Darby has yet to find a new home, but his list of serious suitors has grown. The veteran corner visited the Vikings recently, as noted by Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link).

Darby met with the Texans two weeks ago, and it was reported at that time that he was drawing interest from multiple teams. The 29-year-old saw his two-year Broncos tenure come to an end early last season due to an ACL tear, something which continued his unfortunate injury history. His production in Denver showcased his value when healthy, though.

The former second-rounder totaled 67 tackles and nine pass breakups over the course of the past two seasons, while also posting solid coverage numbers. The ACL injury made it an easy decision for the Broncos to release him, and questions about his return timeline have no doubt cratered his market value. Darby (who is believed to be recovering well) could nevertheless prove to be worth a short-term flier from a team looking to improve its secondary.

The Vikings certainly fit that description, after their defense as a whole struggled throughout the 2022 season. Minnesota ranked second-worst against the pass despite compiling a 13-4 record and topping the NFC North. It thus comes as little surprise that many of the corners who spent the 2022 season with the team have since moved on, including Patrick Peterson. The Vikings’ free agent moves aimed at addressing the position were headlined by the signing of Byron Murphy to a two-year deal.

The former Cardinal will be counted on to help lead a turnaround, as will third-round rookie Mekhi Blackmon. Adding Darby to the other new faces at the CB spot in Minnesota would provide experience and consistent play, something which will likely be needed to replicate the overall success seen in 2022 after the team posted a negative point differential. If the Vikings are convinced he can contribute in at least a depth role, Darby could help their secondary’s floor as they look to improve on the performance of its previous contributors.

Jets Rumors: Rodgers, Adams, Becton

August 5th, 2023 at 5:46pm CST by Ely Allen

No matter who’s calling the offense, a team with Aaron Rodgers behind center is going to be influenced by his presence. The Jets appear to be no different as new wide receiver Allen Lazard called the Jets’ system “the Aaron Rodgers offense.” Rodgers backed off that claim a bit in a press conference a couple weeks ago, but he clearly has some influence.

“Well, listen, I’m not going to say it’s ‘my’ offense,” Rodgers told the media. “It’s one I’ve had success in, for sure, but back in 2020, it was a conglomeration of what Matt (LaFleur) wanted to run, what (Nathaniel Hackett) had run in the past, and what I had run in the past. So, we just fit together. And this is kind of an offshoot of that with maybe a little more West Coast flavor to it. But this is really Hackett’s offense that I’ve been able to collaborate with him on. And I love it, but there is a lot of teaching, for sure.”

LaFleur was calling plays as head coach during the period Rodgers was referring to, during which he won back-to-back MVP awards. Hackett was the offensive coordinator, though, at the time. Now reunited with Hackett, Rodgers and his old coordinator appear to be picking up where they left off, collaborating on an offense that has won awards in the past.

Here are a few other rumors surrounding Gang Green in training camp:

The Jets have a potential starter breaking out in training camp as Tony Adams makes a push to start at free safety. An undrafted rookie out of Illinois last year, Adams surprised when he made the roster in 2022. A year later, he’s on track to start, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Last year Lamarcus Joyner spent most of the season starting next to Jordan Whitehead but didn’t do much to impress at the position. After free agent addition Chuck Clark tore his ACL, a starting spot opened up in the defensive backfield. New York signed free agent Adrian Amos as an immediate remedy to the loss of Clark, but it appears that Adams is well on his way to beating him out for the starting job at free safety to start 2023.
In a report this week, Costello’s colleague at the Post, Ryan Dunleavy, speculated that offensive tackle Mekhi Becton is starting to veer further from “fighting for a starting job” and closer to “fighting for a roster spot.” He may have confirmed as much by changing his stance on sticking at left tackle and allowing some run at right tackle, where the Jets are looking for a starter. He would almost certainly be second string behind free agent addition Billy Turner on the left side of the line, but he has a chance to compete for the job on the right side. Dunleavy claimed that Becton was scheduled to get about 20-25 snaps in the Hall of Fame game this past week and that, if he struggled, New York might begin to wonder just how many tackles they can keep on the roster. Unfortunately, Becton left the game after only seven snaps, citing caution while playing on turf. If he can earn a starting spot through the rest of the preseason, Becton should have a chance to prove he’s finally healthy and ready to contribute. If not, he may find himself looking for a new team.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Steelers, Gordon

August 5th, 2023 at 4:10pm CST by Ely Allen

This offseason, the Browns gave offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt the added responsibility of quarterbacks coach. According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the move was part of a concerted effort to give quarterback Deshaun Watson everything he may need in order to succeed.

The team went out this offseason and secured receiving reinforcements for the veteran passer. This offseason, the team added two speedsters of varying vintage. The younger Elijah Moore comes over from the Jets in a trade as he tries to find his footing in the NFL. He’ll have an established veteran to learn from in Marquise Goodwin, whom the team signed back in March. They also added tight end Jordan Akins in free agency and used their top draft pick on Tennessee receiver Cedric Tillman in the third round.

Lastly, they gave Van Pelt the added title, a move that Watson reportedly endorsed heavily. Van Pelt has coached quarterbacks before for the Bills, Buccaneers, Packers, and Bengals, so the move isn’t completely out of left field. But the promotion of such an important coaching position shows just how far Cleveland will go to keep Watson happy.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North:

It’s no surprise that the Steelers plan to start this year’s first-round pick, Broderick Jones, as a rookie. The surprise is that, in their efforts to start the tackle out of Georgia, they are resorting to shuffling around their offensive line configuration. Last year, Chukwuma Okorafor started every game at right tackle for Pittsburgh, while Dan Moore covered every game on the blindside for the Steelers. According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the Steelers opened up the first team period of camp this week with Jones at left tackle, pushing Moore over to the right side of the line. Neither Moore nor Okorafor were necessarily stellar at their positions last year, hence the drafting of a tackle in the first round, but to see Pittsburgh push Moore out of position to make room for Jones shows just how much they want Jones to be in a position to succeed. Keeping Moore in the lineup shows that the Steelers are more concerned with starting the best tackles than keeping their tackles specialized on either side of the line.
The Ravens added some veteran running back depth last month in Melvin Gordon on a deal reportedly worth up to $3.1MM. Jamison Hensley of ESPN was able to provide us a few more details on the deal, disclosing that the contract has a base salary of $1.17MM with no reported guarantees. The remaining $1.94MM to get to the potential ceiling of the deal comes from undisclosed incentives that are not likely to be earned, meaning they won’t count against the team’s salary cap this year. If Gordon does, in fact, earn the full value of the contract, the $1.94MM will be counted against the 2024 salary cap.

Commanders Being Sued By Former Executive Jason Friedman

August 5th, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Ely Allen

This is a bit of an update of an older story we saw during all the drama of the Commanders sale to new owner Josh Harris. According to Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of The Washington Post, former ticket and sales executive Jason Friedman is suing his former employers for defamation.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Friedman’s name in our reports of the Commanders ongoing investigations. Jhabvala and Maske provided a report back in May that the team had been fined $425K by the District of Columbia and was required to “refund more than $200K in deposits to D.C. ticket holders.” That punishment was the result of a settlement reached with the office of D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb. The Commanders had reportedly “improperly held on to security deposits that it was required to return…misused those moneys…knowingly used the security deposit for purposes it wasn’t supposed to use the money for…(and) knowingly made it unnecessarily difficult for fans to get their money back.”

Friedman, as the team’s former vice president of sales and customer service, an employee that would presumably have had knowledge of such accusations, testified on behalf of the District of Columbia, providing testimony damning to the team. His accusations were detailed in the April 2022 letter from the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability to the Federal Trade Commission. Despite agreeing to the settlement, the Commanders refused to admit fault, vehemently denying all allegations against them. In doing so, Friedman’s attorney asserts that Washington defamed his client, “repeatedly and publicly calling him a liar, accusing him of committing the federal crime of perjury, and falsely implying that he was terminated as part of the Team’s sexual harassment scandal that was being widely reported…in the press.”

His attorney further complains that the attacks on his client’s reputation have left him in a devastated mental state of anxiety and depression and unable to find comparable work. As evidence, Friedman’s legal team cites a public statement by the team, a letter the team sent to the Federal Trade Commission, and comments made by team attorney John Brownlee made during a radio interview. The lawsuit seeks $7.5MM in compensatory damages and $350K in punitive damages, plus interest, attorneys’ fees, expenses, costs, and any other damages the court deems proper.

In line with their previous stances, Washington released a statement claiming that the complaint is “completely without merit” and stating that they “will vigorously defend the team against these false allegations.” The NFL is currently awaiting the results of its second investigation into former owner Dan Snyder and the Commanders. The league has been urged to release the findings of this investigation to the public upon its conclusion. Perhaps the findings will disclose some information confirming or disproving the veracity of Friedman’s accusations.

Titans Sign OL Justin Murray

August 5th, 2023 at 11:53am CST by Ben Levine

The Titans have added some much-needed depth on the offensive line. The team announced that they’ve signed veteran offensive lineman Justin Murray.

The former UDFA made a name for himself in Arizona, where he started 19 of his 27 appearances for this organization between the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The lineman was limited to only three games in 2021 thanks to a back injury, and he was ultimately released by Arizona at the end of the 2022 preseason.

Murray spent the 2022 season in Buffalo, getting into five games. He caught on with the Raiders earlier this offseason but was cut by the team earlier this week. In total, the 30-year-old has spent time with the Broncos, Buccaneers, Saints, Bengals, Raiders, Cardinals, and Bills. He’s started 20 of his 37 appearances in five NFL seasons.

Nicholas Petit-Frere is facing a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, and the Titans released his expected replacement, Jamarco Jones, following multiple fights during training camp. John Ojukwu is also dealing with an injury, leaving the team with Chris Hubbard, Jaelyn Duncan, Zack Johnson, and Andrew Rupcich for OT depth. Murray’s ability to play both guard and tackle could provide him with an upper-hand when it comes to earning a Week 1 roster spot.

Saints RB Eno Benjamin Ruptures Achilles

August 5th, 2023 at 11:40am CST by Ben Levine

The Saints’ running back depth has taken another hit. Eno Benjamin ruptured his Achilles during practice today, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football (via Twitter). The injury will presumably keep Benjamin off the field for the entire 2023 campaign.

According to Brooke Kirchhofer of NOF Network (via Twitter), Benjamin suffered the injury towards the beginning of today’s practice. During QB/RB drills, the 24-year-old went to plant his leg and immediately fell to the ground. Benjamin was then carted off the field and obviously didn’t return to the practice field.

The 2020 seventh-round pick didn’t get into a single game with the Cardinals during his rookie campaign but saw a larger role during his sophomore season. Benjamin finished that year with 160 yards from scrimmage in nine games. The running back had a chance to start for the Cardinals during the 2021 campaign, starting three of his 10 appearances with the organization. However, he was cut by the team midway through the year.

He bounced around the NFL a bit to end the 2022 season. Benjamin had a two-game stint with the Texans before catching on with New Orleans, where he got into three contests. In total, Benjamin finished the 2022 campaign with 506 yards from scrimmage, with almost half of those yards coming via the passing game.

We learned yesterday that the organization would be without Alvin Kamara to begin the season, leaving free agent acquisition Jamaal Williams as the current starting RB. Third-round RB Kendre Miller will likely slide in as the primary backup to begin the season, and Benjamin’s injury could open a roster spot for undrafted rookie Ellis Merriweather.

Latest On Falcons CB Jeff Okudah’s Leg Injury

August 5th, 2023 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

After being carted off the practice field yesterday with an ankle injury, Jeff Okudah received some good news on his MRI. Falcons coach Arthur Smith told reporters that the cornerback has a chance to return from his leg injury early in the season (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Twitter). Smith wouldn’t reveal what exact injury Okudah suffered, but it sounds like it should only take about a month to recover.

“Very positive news with Jeff,” Smith said today (via the team’s website). “We have think he has a great chance to be back in the early part of the season. We feel really good for Jeff, all things considered.”

The third-overall pick in the 2020 draft has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his brief career. Okudah got into nine games (six starts) as a rookie before undergoing surgery to resolve a core muscle injury. He returned in time for the 2021 season opener, but he ruptured his Achilles during that contest and didn’t see the field again during his sophomore campaign.

The cornerback stayed mostly healthy during his third season in the NFL. Okudah started all 15 of his appearances last season, finishing with 73 tackles, seven passes defended, and one pick-six. He finished the season ranked 77th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus, although the site did give him one of the best grades at his position for his rush defense.

With Okudah sidelined, Tre Flowers filled in opposite A.J. Terrell during today’s practice. The team has some additional depth at cornerback, including Dee Alford, Mike Hughes and rookie fourth-round pick Clark Phillips III.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Smith revealed that Calais Campbell is “trending in the right direction” as he looks to return to the practice field (per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein on Twitter). The offseason acquisition is currently sitting on the non-football injury list.

Lions Add CB Tae Hayes, Waive LB Zach Morton

August 5th, 2023 at 10:17am CST by Ben Levine

The Lions have started the weekend by reworking the bottom of their roster. The team announced that they’ve signed cornerback Tae Hayes and wide receiver Avery Davis. To make room on the roster, the Lions have waived linebacker Zach Morton.

Hayes has the most experience of the bunch, with the defensive back bouncing around the NFL since going undrafted out of Appalachian State in 2019. Since then, Hayes has spent time with the Jaguars, Dolphins, Vikings, Cardinals, Panthers, and Patriots. The defensive back also had a stint with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.

In total, the soon-to-be 26-year-old has appeared in 13 career games, collecting 16 tackles and a pair of passes defended. He got into seven games with the Panthers and Patriots in 2022, finishing with six stops. He’ll provide some depth to a Lions secondary that is currently dealing with a number of injuries. Jarren Williams was carted off the field with a leg injury the other day and was ultimately waived/injured. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu is also sidelined while dealing with his own knee injury.

Davis spent four years at Notre Dame, with the prospect listed as a quarterback, cornerback, and wide receiver during his four years at the school. He took on a larger role in the offense in 2021 and 2022, compiling 784 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns.

Morton joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent earlier this offseason. The Syracuse and Akron product finished his collegiate career with 24 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and a pair of interceptions.

Saints, Cameron Jordan Agree To Extension

August 4th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The latest new deal keeping Cameron Jordan in New Orleans has been worked out. The parties agreed to a two-year extension which is worth a fully-guaranteed $27.5MM, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The team has confirmed the news.

Jordan is now on the books through 2025, which should set him up well to meet his stated goal of continuing his career for roughly three to four more seasons. Indeed, while Jordan would not rule out a return in 2026 — which would be his 16th year in the league — he expects the 2025 campaign to be his last (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football).

The new money and guarantees included in this pact are the largest ever provided to a defensive player at the age of 34, showcasing Jordan’s ongoing value to New Orleans even in the latter stages of his playing days. The eight-time Pro Bowler began extension talks earlier this offseason, and a strong mutual interest existed to ensure he would not play for a franchise other than the Saints. General manager Mickey Loomis made it clear a deal would be worked out, and Jordan’s future is now secure. The latter will move into second in franchise history in games played if he remains durable during the 2023 season, something which has never been an issue to date.

Jordan has played exactly 16 games in each of his 12 seasons in the NFL, remaining consistently productive over that span. He has reached double-digit sacks six times, and earned a Pro Bowl nod each year since 2017. Amidst his remarks confirming his wishes to remain in New Orleans to finish out his career, the former first-rounder said he intended to retire when it became clear he could no longer operate as a full-time starter. With 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2022, Jordan will still be counted on as an anchor of the Saints’ defensive front moving forward.

New Orleans saw former first-rounder Marcus Davenport depart in free agency, which will leave plenty of snaps available for Payton Turner and second-round rookie Isaiah Foskey this season. Jordan will still be at the heart of the team’s edge rushing contingent, though, as he looks to extend his franchise record in sacks (115.5) while climbing the NFL’s all-time list in that department. Only Von Miller has more sacks amongst active players, and three years of runway will give Jordan considerable opportunity to improve on his current NFL rank of 23rd.

The Cal product was set to count for $15.1MM against the Saints’ cap this season, and it will be interesting to see if this agreement alters that figure. More importantly, though, New Orleans will now not be facing the prospect of seeing a $23.3MM cap charge next season as a result of the numerous void years tacked onto his deal. A multi-year extension should provide the Saints – a team forever tasked with salary cap gymnastics to retain its veterans – some clarity and stability moving forward.

Jordan is now well-positioned to help guide the Saints back to the postseason while adding further to his personal accolades. The 2010s All-Decade member will have a clearer picture of his remaining playing days as he winds down what will likely be a Hall of Fame career.

Bengals, Logan Wilson Agree On Extension

August 4th, 2023 at 9:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Joe Burrow‘s extension is not yet completed, the Bengals are checking off another key box on their offseason to-do list. Logan Wilson will not play out a contract year.

The Bengals and Wilson agreed to terms on a four-year, $37.25MM extension Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The deal will give the fourth-year linebacker an $11.2MM average annual value over its first two years. Wilson had entered Friday joining Burrow, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd as key contract-year Bengals. No longer, as the team now has he and Germaine Pratt — re-signed in free agency — locked up.

Wilson, 27, has resided on Cincinnati’s extension radar for a while now. The full terms of the deal are not yet known, but on the surface, it will not quite check in among the top-10 off-ball linebacker contracts. Just as they did with Orlando Brown Jr.‘s deal, the Bengals look to be frontloading this contract. Wilson’s overall AAV will be $9.3MM, however, will only be good enough for a tie with the Saints’ Demario Davis in 11th at the position. While the salary cap’s rise would suggest higher payouts are coming in the future, this year’s market did not produce a host of impact deals for ILBs.

Pratt enjoyed a strong contract year but could only score a three-year, $20.25MM accord in free agency. The Bengals brought back Pratt while letting safeties Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell walk. Pratt received just $7MM guaranteed. It should be expected Wilson’s contract will provide him more security, as the Bengals have relied on the Wyoming alum as a three-down player — responsibilities that Pratt does not have on a full-time basis — during their rise into an AFC power.

It will be interesting to see what the Bengals are guaranteeing Wilson, as a $9.3MM AAV leaves a bit to be desired for a player who would have certainly enjoyed a nice market — barring a major injury — in 2024. The cap’s restoration following a 2021 reduction will give teams more to spend, and this year’s ILB market did include $18MM- and $10MM-per-year payments — to Tremaine Edmunds and Bobby Okereke. The round of Pratt-level pacts handed out may have come about because of the volume of second-tier-type off-ball ‘backers available. But Wilson had wanted to sign an extension before the season, per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. (subscription required), and will bypass a free agency bid, giving the Bengals what looks like a big win ahead of the 2023 season.

From Boyd to Bates to Higgins to Pratt to Sam Hubbard, the Bengals have found several quality starters on Day 2 of the draft over the past several years. Wilson is squarely on that list, arriving as the No. 65 overall pick in 2020. The Bengals made Wilson a full-time player in 2021, giving him an 83% defensive snap rate. Last season, Wilson played a career-high 955 defensive snaps — a 97% rate — and ranked as a top-20 linebacker in the view of Pro Football Focus. Wilson’s coverage chops represented a key reason for that ranking, with PFF slotting him as a top-15 coverage ‘backer.

After a 100-tackle 2021, Wilson made 123 stops last season. Despite his linebacker role, Wilson has intercepted seven passes and deflected 11 more over the first three years of his career. Wilson added 2.5 sacks and seven QB hits last season, solidifying himself as one of the NFL’s top young linebackers. The Bengals lost both their starting safeties from the past three years, but DC Lou Anarumo will have his top two linebackers locked down for the foreseeable future. While Pratt’s contract is a pay-as-you-go setup, he is signed through 2025. Wilson is locked in through 2027.

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