Latest On RB Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley hasn’t seen the field for an NFL game since January, 2021…and that’s fine with the veteran running back. Speaking with Keith Kocinski of NBC LX (h/t to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com), Gurley admitted that he never had the itch to play during the 2021-22 campaign.
“There was never not one time where I watched a game and was like, ‘I wish I was out there,’” Gurley said. “I appreciated my time in the league and I’ve done things I could have never even dreamed about.”
Of course, the former Offensive Player of the Year acknowledged that there’s still a chance he could find himself back on an NFL roster.
“I like doing stuff on my time,” the RB said. “I like doing whatever I want to do. I’ve never been the one that liked to be controlled. I like to be in control of my own path. That’s the best thing about being in the position I’m in. If I want to try to play again, I can try to pursue that. Or if I don’t, I can just relax and chill at the house and spend a lot more time with my family because that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. And then at the end of the day, still becoming a businessman and still venturing off in that next phase of my life.”
Gurley had a prolific two-year stretch with the Rams (2017-2018) that saw him compile 3,924 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns in 29 games. His numbers dipped considerably in 2019, and he was released by the Rams the following offseason. He caught on with the Falcons for the 2020 campaign but continued to regress, finishing with 842 yards from scrimmage (3.8 yards per touch) and nine touchdowns.
Despite the numbers, the veteran still managed to generate some interest last offseason, meeting with the Lions and Ravens. A deal never materialized, and Gurley ended up sitting out the entire 2021 campaign. The RB is still only 27 years old (28 in August), but he’ll likely have to wait for injuries to start hitting before he gets another chance at a gig.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/23/22
We’ve got a number of minor NFL transactions to pass your way:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Diego Fagot
- Released: S Chris Moore
Chicago Bears
- Waived from IR: LB Ledarius Mack
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Reggie Robinson
- Waived: QB Felix Harper
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Darrell Daniels
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: QB James Morgan
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Malkelm Morrison
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: LB Jake Gervase
New York Jets
- Signed: WR D.J. Montgomery
- Waived from NFI: WR Rodney Adams
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DL Chris Slayton
Washington Commanders
- Signed: OT Aaron Monteiro
Giants WR Kadarius Toney Had Knee Scope
Kadarius Toney may or may not be playing for the Giants next season. However, the fact that he hasn’t been a full participant during OTAs has nothing to do with the trade drama. According to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News (and passed along by Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com), the wide receiver recently had a knee scope.
[RELATED: Giants GM: Kadarius Toney Not Being Shopped]
This explains why Toney was spotted in a red jersey during this week’s practices. Fortunately for the Giants (or potential suitors), the arthroscopic surgery shouldn’t sideline the wideout for very long, and he’s expected to be good to go by the time training camp starts.
The Giants have reportedly listened to offers on the 2021 first-round pick, but the organization has also made it clear that they’re not actively shopping the wideout. The intriguing Florida product has struggled to stay on the field and been a bit of a headache off it for the Giants, leading to some tension. The organization also raised some eyebrows when they selected receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in the second round of the 2022 draft, adding the rookie to a crowded depth chart that also features Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton.
While Toney may have started to wear out his welcome in New York, he’d still be a hot commodity on the trade market. He showed plenty of flashes as a rook, finishing the 2021 campaign with 39 receptions for 420 yards despite inconsistent play from the QB position. Further, as our own Sam Robinson recently pointed out, the Giants would take on $11MM in dead money by trading him. That means a suitor would only be on the hook for Toney’s rookie-deal base salaries, creating some additional value in trade talks.
Packers Add 14 Undrafted Free Agents
The Packers roster now includes 14 undrafted rookies:
- RB BJ Baylor, Oregon State
- LB Caliph Brice, Florida
- LB Ellis Brooks, Penn State
- DL Akial Byers, Missouri
- WR Danny Davis, Wisconsin
- RB Tyler Goodson, Iowa
- OT Jahmir Johnson, Texas A&M
- OT Caleb Jones, Indiana
- LB Chauncey Manac, Louisiana
- G George Moore, Oregon
- DL Hauati Pututau, Utah
- C Cole Schneider, Central Florida
- S Tre Sterling, Oklahoma State
- CB Raleigh Texada, Baylor
The Packers already added three rookie wideouts via the draft, but that didn’t stop them from signing Davis. The Wisconsin product played 51 games during his collegiate career, hauling in 1,642 yards and 14 scores. He also contributed a bit in the running game, and he even served as a backup punt returner.
The team also added a trio of linebackers. Brice is a good story, as the defender worked his way from Hutchinson Community College (Kansas) to Florida Atlantic, where he collected 141 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss in 30 games. Brooks earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2021, and he finished his career with the Nittany Lions having compiled 230 tackles. Manac earned second-team All-Sun Belt in 2021 after collecting 57 tackles and 10.5 sacks.
Cowboys Add 20 UDFAs
The Cowboys had one of the biggest UDFA classes in the NFL, signing 20 undrafted rookies to contracts:
- S Markquese Bell, Florida A&M
- DE Markaviest Bryant, Central Florida
- RB Malik Davis, Florida
- WR Dontario Drummond, Ole Miss
- C James Empey, BYU
- WR Ty Fryfogle, Indiana
- K Jonathan Garibay, Texas Tech
- LB Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M
- TE Peyton Hendershot, Indiana
- WR Dennis Houston, Western Illinois
- LB Storey Jackson, Liberty
- C Alex Lindstrom, Boston College
- CB Quandre Mosely, Kentucky
- WR Jaquarii Robinson, Wake Forest
- RB Aaron Shampklin, Harvard
- OT Amon Simon, Texas A&M-Commerce
- DE Mike Tafua, Utah
- CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Southern Cal
- S Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia Tech
- S La’Kendrick Van Zandt, TCU
Bell got a chunk of money to join the Cowboys, receiving $215K in guaranteed money, per PFF’s Doug Kyed (on Twitter). The Florida A&M product missed the 2020 campaign but returned for the 2021 season, finishing with 95 tackles and a pair of sacks. Bell has shown some ability to play on both sides of the ball, making him an intriguing prospect (and, presumably, a good fit for special teams).
Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets that Empey got $110K in guaranteed money. The lineman was a four-year starter at BYU, although injuries limited him to only 15 combined appearances between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Drew Brees Underwent Shoulder Surgery
Drew Brees‘ potential return to the field already seemed very, very unlikely. But for those holding out hope, a recent operation will likely end any of the discussions. According to Peter King of Football Morning in America, the legendary QB recently underwent surgery on his left shoulder.
[RELATED: Drew Brees Acknowledges Potential Return To NFL]
After having been out of football for more than a year, the operation (and rehab) would likely shut the door on a Brees return in 2022. If the quarterback was considering a return, the shoulder surgery means he wouldn’t be able to play football until at least September or October, per Ed Werder (on Twitter).
Brees unintentionally flamed the fire earlier this week when he announced that he was leaving his broadcasting gig with NBC Sports. While the 43-year-old didn’t explicitly state that he was considering a return to the NFL, he did acknowledge that a comeback was one of many potential paths as he decides what to do next.
“Despite speculation from the media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided,” Brees said. He continued, “I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy, I may train for the pickleball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I’ll let you know.”
Ever since Brees decided to walk away following the 2020 campaign, there has been plenty of speculation regarding a potential return. When Brees’ replacement for the 2021 season, Jameis Winston, went down with a season-ending injury, Brees joked that he had no plans to return and save the Saints’ season. When Winston’s backups, Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian, both found themselves on the COVID-19 list, the Saints’ reportedly asked Brees to come out of retirement. Brees’ response was once again in jest, as he replied with a picture of himself golfing, hinting that he was content in his post-football activities.
Brees would be the second-oldest player in the NFL (behind Tom Brady) if he played in 2022. Considering he last played 18 months ago, it’s questionable if Brees could even be productive under center. That seems to be the sentiment among those close to Brees, with one source telling King that the quarterback is “not playing football” again.
Giants Make Handful Of Roster Moves
The Giants made some minor moves to shake up their defense today. The organization signed defensive back Michael Jacquet and waived defensive tackle Antonio Valentino (via Dan Salomone of the team’s website on Twitter).
Jacquet went undrafted out of Louisiana in 2020 before catching on with the Eagle. He ended up seeing time in seven games (two starts) as a rookie, finishing with 18 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He started the 2021 campaign on Philly’s practice squad before earning his walking papers. He later joined the Jaguars and ended up getting into one game for Jacksonville.
Valentino recently joined the Giants as an undrafted free agent. The defensive tackle saw time in 10 games as a senior at Florida, finishing with 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack.
Meanwhile, Jordan Mosley reverted to injured reserve after recently being waived-injured, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). The Maryland product has had an eventful week after only joining the organization on Saturday. Mosley started all 13 games in 2021, leading Maryland with 83 tackles. He previously participated in the Jets rookie minicamp.
Latest On Seahawks QB Competition
The Seahawks may be having an open competition for their starting QB spot. However, veteran Geno Smith‘s familiarity with the offense gives him the early lead over newcomer Drew Lock. During a recent radio appearance, Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron admitted that Smith is the current front runner for the starting gig.
“Right now, Geno has done such a good job of carrying over (the offensive principles from 2021). He already had a head start over Drew right there,” Waldron (h/t to Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “We have a long time to go. We are just in T-shirts and shorts right now, going against air. We have a long way to go to see where this competition (goes).”
The Seahawks were apart of the quarterback carousel when they dealt Russell Wilson to Denver, but they surprisingly haven’t been on the receiving end of the continuous turnover. The team has seemingly distanced themselves from available QBs like Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo, and they’re prepared to navigate this post-Wilson era with either Smith, who spent the last three seasons as Seattle’s backup, or Lock, a former second-round pick acquired in the Broncos trade.
It’s obviously in the organization’s best interest to develop the 25-year-old Lock vs. the 31-year-old Smith, although Lock’s impending free agency certainly adds some uncertainty to the situation. Lock has largely struggled as a starter, and while the ex-Mizzou prospect did play in two offensive systems in his first two years, Teddy Bridgewater beat him out for Denver’s QB1 job last year and held him off throughout the Broncos’ time in playoff contention. This came after the strong-armed passer tied for the 2020 interception lead, with 15, despite missing three-plus games. Smith has made five starts over the past seven seasons. Three of those came last season, with the former second-round pick did show some promise, completing 68% of his passes on 7.4 yards per attempt — numbers superior to his Jets-era work, albeit in a small sample size — and finishing with a 5-to-1 TD-INT ratio.
Latest On Rams DL Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald‘s next contract with the Rams could be more than just a raise. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Donald’s next deal will likely be an extension.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has three years remaining on his current deal, which he signed in 2018 following a holdout one year earlier. While Donald’s current deal once reset the market, the going rate for top defensive players is now around $28MM. The star defensive tackle is currently making $22.5MM per year, so there’s a bit of a gap to make up between the two sides.
As Fowler notes, the retirement rumblings coming out of Donald’s camp were “real,” and they may have been influenced by his contract. Per the reporter, Donald has a certain “number he will play for,” so the Rams will have to pony up if they want him on the field next season. While contract talks were previously described as “nothing but positive,” Fowler cautions that Donald could still hang up his cleats if his demands aren’t met.
An extension would be an interesting tactic for the Rams to take. By adding extra years to the three remaining three years on Donald’s contract, the Rams would be locking themselves into the player through his mid-30s. However, as Fowler notes, this would be the team’s best path to spread cap space and retain their core.
While Donald wasn’t able to defend his Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021, he still had a standout campaign, earning his seventh-straight first-team All-Pro nod. Donald finished the season with a career-high 84 tackles to go along with 12.5 sacks, 25 QB hits, and four forced fumbles.
Latest On Minkah Fitzpatrick Extension Talks
Don’t expect a Minkah Fitzpatrick extension anytime soon. A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that the Steelers “won’t be rushed into a deal.”
This could ultimately be the difference of a few months, as Fowler estimates that Pittsburgh could start negotiations with their star safety in July. However, if Pittsburgh still follows soon-to-be-retired GM Kevin Colbert’s philosophy of not negotiating in-season, that would give the organization a limited amount of time to discuss a deal. After having his fifth-year option picked up, Fitzpatrick has one year remaining on his contract.
As Fowler notes, the Steelers have been willing to extend their former first-round picks, with T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, and David DeCastro all getting new deals before the start of their fifth-year option season. Watt’s extension also set a new precedent, as the Steelers were willing to offer guarantees beyond the signing bonus, something the organization used to shy away from. A new GM could change any front office philosophy, but the organization’s apparent preference for internal candidates (and their continued reliance on Colbert) indicates they want to keep things running as normal.
Fowler estimates that Fitzpatrick will be aiming for a contract in the range of Jamal Adams‘ deal, which reset the market at the position at $17.5MM. The 25-year-old could certainly justify a top salary, as he’s established himself as one of the league’s top safeties since joining the Steelers in 2019. Fitzpatrick earned first-team All-Pro nods in both 2019 and 2020, and while he didn’t earn any accolades in 2021, he still finished with a career-high 124 tackles to go along with seven passes defended and two interceptions.