Raiders To Sign Kenyan Drake
This one is going to raise some eyebrows. The Raiders are signing running back Kenyan Drake, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
They’re making a significant investment, giving Drake a two-year $11MM pact that can be worth up to $14.5MM. In a follow up tweet, Schefter reports that the $11MM is all guaranteed. Jon Gruden clearly is looking to reinvent his running game this offseason, as most of the offensive line has already been shown the door this month.
The signing, and money they committed, are somewhat surprising given the presence of 2019 first-round pick Josh Jacobs in the backfield. Jacobs had a very promising rookie season but took a step back in 2020 as the O-line struggled in run blocking and he averaged only 3.9 yards per carry. He did still have 12 touchdowns on the ground though.
As for how they’ll complement each other, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets that Gruden views “Drake as a jack-of-all-trades” who will “figure prominently in the passing game.” He also notes that Drake is close with Jacobs, which makes sense considering both went to Alabama, so don’t expect any bad blood in this timeshare.
Drake only had 25 catches for 137 yards in Arizona last year, but he was much more involved in the passing attack his last couple of years in Miami. A third-round pick of the Dolphins back in 2016, Drake showed plenty of promise but clashed with the coaching staff over his role and was eventually traded to Arizona around the 2019 trade deadline.
He caught fire in the second half of that season under Kliff Kingsbury, and expectations were sky-high in 2020. He didn’t quite meet those expectations, averaging a shrug-worthy 4.0 yards per carry and losing playing time to Chase Edmonds at times. He did still rush for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the Raiders will have a very solid one-two punch at running back in 2021. Now they just need an offensive line.
Raiders Ask Marcus Mariota To Take Pay Cut; Release Or Trade Likely
Marcus Mariota appears to be nearing the end of his time in Las Vegas. The Raiders have asked Mariota to take a pay-cut down to only $3MM this year, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
If he refuses, the team will “move on,” Rapoport writes. Mariota is currently due $10.725MM, which is obviously quite steep for a backup to Derek Carr. Rapsheet says that a release is “likely,” but as he points out the team was just able to trade offensive linemen Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson yesterday after reports had already leaked that they’d be cut. We heard in February that Mariota was generating trade interest, but a couple weeks after that the interest had cooled significantly.
Meanwhile, Mariota “believes he has options” on the market, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets. Garafolo adds that he expects Mariota to “hold firm” on not taking the pay-cut as a result. With Chicago signing Andy Dalton and Washington adding Ryan Fitzpatrick the list of teams looking for veteran bridge quarterbacks is dwindling, but there are still a few realistic destinations out there.
Jon Gruden added Mariota as insurance last offseason, but after Derek Carr had a career year he’s no longer as necessary. Mariota appeared in one game in place of an injured Carr and showed fairly well against the Chargers on national TV, completing 17 of 28 passes for 226 yards a touchdown and an interception. He also added 88 yards and another score rushing.
The former second overall pick spent his first five years with the Titans, starting 61 games for them before getting pulled for Ryan Tannehill midway through the 2019 campaign. Still only 27, it’ll be interesting to see where the former Heisman winner lands next.
Steelers To Re-Sign Chris Wormley
The Steelers just let Tyson Alualu walk to the Jaguars in free agency, but they aren’t letting all their big guys up front head out the door. Pittsburgh is re-signing defensive tackle/end Chris Wormley to a two-year deal, a source told Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Jordan Strack of WTOL 11 was first to tweet the news. Pittsburgh sent a 2021 fifth-round pick to the Ravens in a rare inter-division trade to acquire Wormley almost exactly a year ago. Baltimore had originally drafted him 74th overall back in 2017. Wormley has played both in the middle and on the end, and stands at 6’5 and 300 pounds.
He started 13 games for Baltimore between 2018-19, then moved into a rotational role in Pittsburgh last year. He missed three games due to injury, and played just under 20 percent of the defensive snaps when he was active. He finished with three QB hits and a sack in his relatively limited action.
Chargers To Sign Jared Cook
Tight end news is just flying in, and this time it’s the Chargers finding a replacement for Hunter Henry. Los Angeles has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran Jared Cook, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The pact has a max value of $6MM, Schefter notes. The deal comes with $4.5MM guaranteed, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Cook’s last contract was worth $15.5MM over two years with the Saints, so he’s taking a bit of a pay cut for this season.
It’s a nice signing for the Chargers after they lost Henry to the Patriots on a massive deal, and Cook was one of the bigger name players left on the board. Cook is 33 now, but has remained an effective pass-catcher over the middle. This will now be the sixth team in Cook’s career that started as a third-round pick of the Titans back in 2009.
From Tennessee he made his way to the Rams, then the Packers, then the Raiders (where he had his best season in 2018), and finally the Saints the past two years. His production dipped a bit in 2020, but he still had 504 yards and seven touchdowns despite Drew Brees missing a handful of games and failing to push the ball downfield in others.
He was a Pro Bowler each of the previous two seasons in 2018 and 2019. In 2018 with the Raiders he had 896 yards and six touchdowns, and 705 yards and nine touchdowns the following year with New Orleans. Los Angeles had been linked to the Zach Ertz talks as a possible trade partner, but this now likely takes them out of the running there.
With Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler all still in the fold, Justin Herbert will once again have a very solid group of weapons as he enters his sophomore campaign. The Chargers have also upgraded his offensive line big time, so watch out for this offense in 2021.
Patriots To Trade Ryan Izzo To Texans
The Patriots upgraded their tight end room in a big way this offseason by signing both Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, making one member of that room expendable. New England is trading away Ryan Izzo to the Texans, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Houston will send back a seventh-round pick for Izzo. The news comes just moments after we heard the Texans were releasing tight end Darren Fells. The position was a huge weak spot for the Patriots in 2020, as Izzo led the team’s tight ends in yards… with 199. The Pats originally drafted Izzo 250th overall back in 2018, and now they’re getting that seventh-rounder back.
Without Fells the Texans only had Jordan Akins, former practice squader Pharaoh Brown, and 2019 third-round pick Kahala Warring (three career catches) at the position, so the acquisition of Izzo can’t hurt.
A Florida State product, Izzo started all 12 games that he appeared in last season. He didn’t do a ton as the Patriots’ whole passing game struggled, but it’s a low-risk move for the Texans on a player that’s still only 25. Obviously there’s a connection between these front offices, with former New England exec Nick Caserio now running the show in Houston.
Raiders To Re-Sign Johnathan Hankins
The Raiders are keeping one of their own in the fold. Las Vegas is re-signing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins to a one-year deal, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets.
Hankins’ contract is a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. It comes with a $1.75MM salary and a $1.75MM signing bonus, per Wilson. This will represent a slight salary decrease for the mammoth D-tackle, whose previous Raiders pact was a two-year, $8.5MM accord. 
The big fella from Ohio State has been with the Raiders the past three seasons now. Originally a second-round pick of the Giants back in 2011, he spent his first four years in New York. He then signed a three-year, $30MM pact with the Colts in 2017, but was released just one season into that. He landed with the Raiders, where he’s been ever since.
He’s started at least 14 games in each of his three seasons with the team, including all 16 in 2020. He finished with 48 tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery while playing a little over 60 percent of the defensive snaps as a run-stuffer. He received middling marks from Pro Football Focus.
He signed a two-year, $8.5MM deal prior to the 2019 season, and it’ll be interesting to see how the financials on this one compare to that.
Titans To Sign LS Morgan Cox
It’s been a busy past couple of days, but we’ve still got to make some time for our beloved long snappers. Most snappers might find themselves in our ‘minor moves‘ posts, but not this one.
The Titans will be signing long snapper Morgan Cox, a source tells Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Cox is more notable than your typical specialist since his peers regard him as one of the league’s best. Not only did he make the Pro Bowl this past year, he was also a first-team All-Pro for the Ravens.
It’s a homecoming for Cox, who grew up in Tennessee and played for the Volunteers in college. He signed with Baltimore as an UDFA in 2010, and spent the next 11 seasons with the team. He’s a Super Bowl XLVII champion, and has made the Pro Bowl in four of the past six seasons.
49ers To Re-Sign DT D.J. Jones
The 49ers have been locking up a lot of their own guys so far in free agency, and they can check another one of the list. San Francisco is re-signing defensive tackle D.J. Jones, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.
Financial terms weren’t immediately available, although Rapoport reports it’s a one-year deal for the big man in the middle. A sixth-round pick back in 2017, Jones just wrapped up his rookie contract. The Ole Miss product played rotationally his first two seasons before becoming a full-time starter in the last two.
He started all 25 games that he appeared in over the past two years, racking up five sacks in those games while mostly being counted on to clog up running lanes. San Francisco’s vaunted defensive front was decimated by injuries last year, and the team is hoping Jones will be a big part of the unit’s bounce back in 2021.
Vikings To Re-Sign WR Chad Beebe
The Vikings have mostly made moves on defense so far, but their locking up one of their own offensive players now. Minnesota will re-sign Chad Beebe on a one-year deal, his agent Mike McCartney announced on Twitter.
It’s a veteran minimum deal worth just $920K, a source told Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). We heard on Monday that the Vikings wouldn’t tender Beebe as a restricted free agent, as the lowest tender would’ve been worth a little over $2MM. Instead they were able to re-sign him for less than half of that.
Beebe had 20 catches 201 yards and two touchdowns in 2020, including a game-winning score with 46 seconds left against the Panthers. The Northern Illinois product signed with Minnesota as an UDFA in 2018, and also split punt return duties for them last season. 2020 was his first time making any significant contributions as a receiver.
Texans Release Zach Fulton
Houston is clearing some more cap space. The Texans have released veteran offensive lineman Zach Fulton, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Fulton had been due a $1MM bonus on March 22nd, which explains the timing of this move. He had a $3.75MM cap charge for 2021. That’s not very much for a starting guard, but apparently Houston wasn’t too happy with his play. The Tennessee product originally entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Chiefs back in 2014.
He started all 16 games as a rookie, and after riding out his rookie contract in Kansas City he signed a four-year, $28MM contract with the Texans in 2018. He started at least 13 games in all three of his seasons in Houston, including all 16 this past year.
The release clears about $3MM in cap space for this season, numerous beat writers tweeted. Pro Football Focus graded Fulton acceptable enough and considering he has NFL starting experience at both center and guard there should be suitors. The 29-year-old has started 90 career games.