QB Dwayne Haskins Killed After Getting Hit By Car
Dwayne Haskins was tragically killed Saturday morning after being hit by a car in South Florida, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Haskins was set to turn 25 on May 3.
The Steelers quarterback was struck by a dump truck while walking westbound on Highway I-595 and was killed while trying to cross lanes, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (via Fox Sports 640’s Andy Slater, on Twitter). Haskins was pronounced dead at the scene.
Haskins had a standout sophomore season at Ohio State, setting a number of school records after completing 70 percent of his passes for 4,831 yards and a whopping 50 touchdowns. That performance earned him a number of accolades, including first team All-Big Ten honors, the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year award, and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year award. Haskins was also named the 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game MVP and the 2019 Rose Bowl MVP.
The quarterback naturally rocketed up draft lists, and he was ultimately selected by Washington with the 15th-overall pick in the 2019 draft. Expectations were high for Haskins; he was even granted permission to wear the (unofficially) retired jersey number of legend Joe Theismann. Despite the fanfare, head coach Jay Gruden decided to roll with Case Keenum as his starting quarterback heading into the 2019 campaign. Haskins eventually found his way into the lineup, starting seven of his nine appearances. Washington went 2-5 in his seven starts, with the QB completing 58.6 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns vs. seven interceptions.
Haskins entered the 2020 season as the starter and a team captain, but he was benched prior to Week 5 for poor play. He found himself back in the lineup late in the season, but that wasn’t enough to save his career in Washington. Haskins was cut by the team before the end of the regular season.
Haskins caught on with the Steelers in 2021, and he didn’t get into a game while serving as the third QB. Pittsburgh placed an original-round restricted free agent tender on Haskins this offseason, and the expectation was that he’d get an extended look alongside Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement. “He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community. Dwayne was a great teammate, but even more so a tremendous friend to so many. I am truly heartbroken.”
Haskins was in South Florida working out with Steelers quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers, per Schefter (on Twitter). That group included Trubisky and running back Najee Harris, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (on Twitter).
We at PFR offer our thoughts and condolences to Haskins’ family and friends.
TE Kyle Rudolph Met With Broncos
After getting cut by the Giants in early March, Kyle Rudolph has finally appeared in the workout circuit. According to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (on Twitter), the veteran tight end met with the Broncos recently.
[RELATED: Giants To Release Kyle Rudolph]
The Giants inked Rudolph to a two-year, $12MM deal in March of 2021, but following a season where the tight end finished with only 26 catches for 357 yards and one touchdown, the team released him to save about $2.5MM. Following his release, Rudolph indicated that he wouldn’t be hanging up his cleats, with the 32-year-old stating that he was “looking forward to what’s next.”
The 2011 second-round pick spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Minnesota, where he hauled in 48 touchdowns in 140 games. Rudolph earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2012 and 2017, although his best offensive season came in 2016 when he finished with 83 receptions for 840 yards and seven touchdowns. Current Broncos GM George Paton was the Vikings’ director of player personnel when the tight end was drafted.
The Broncos included tight end Noah Fant in the Russell Wilson trade, leaving the organization with Albert Okwuegbunam as their top receiving tight end. The Broncos also added tight end Eric Tomlinson, although the veteran is better known for his blocking ability.
Ravens Re-Sign Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell is returning to Baltimore. The Pro Bowl pass rusher is re-signing with the Ravens, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal for Campbell, and the defender is now expected to finish his career in Baltimore. Per Josina Anderson on Twitter, the deal has a max value of $16.5MM, and the deal contains $6MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link).
While Campbell left the door open to retire following the 2021 campaign, he later confirmed that he wanted to stick around for at least another season. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta later admitted that he was trying to convince Campbell to re-sign with the Ravens, and it sounds like the organization ultimately got their way.
“It just felt like the right move,” Campbell told Anderson (via Twitter). “I feel like we started something special and we have unfinished business there.”
A former Cardinals second-round pick, Campbell has excelled for three different franchises. He already rewarded the Jaguars as a 30-something free agent, spearheading the team’s “Sacksonville” D-line to the Super Bowl precipice in 2017. After three Pro Bowl seasons in Jacksonville, Campbell landed in Baltimore via trade in 2020.
In his two seasons with Baltimore, Campbell has started 26 of his 27 games while collecting 5.5 sacks. The 35-year-old delivered another strong season in 2021, helping a Ravens team that had to play without Derek Wolfe‘s for the entire year. Campbell ultimately finished the season with 49 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 12 QB hits.
A six-time Pro Bowler, former All-Pro, Walter Payton Man of the Year winner, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, and a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, Campbell is also in search of his 100th career sack. He currently sits at 93.5, although he has transitioned more and more into a run-stopper than a pass rusher in recent years.
Latest On Jaguars’ Draft Plans
The Jaguars hold the first-overall pick for the second-straight draft, and there’s little chance the pick is dealt elsewhere. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Jaguars’ phone has “not really been ringing” regarding pick No. 1. There really hasn’t been any trade interest in the selection, and the Jaguars are expected to keep the pick.
In a standard year, suitors would be lining up to trade for the top-overall pick in pursuit of the top quarterback prospect, and in this hypothetical, the Jaguars would surely listen after taking Trevor Lawrence with the top pick last season. However, as Rapoport notes, the lack of trade interest isn’t a reflection of the draft class…rather, it’s a reflection of the quarterback quality. While there could be three or four signal-callers selected in the first round of the draft, none of them would be considered for one of the top-overall selections.
Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson and NC State tackle Ikem Ekwonu met with the Jaguars this week. Both players are candidates to go first overall, with Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker joining them.
Jacksonville using its franchise tag on left tackle Cam Robinson seemingly decreases the likelihood of a tackle pick. The team has used four first-round choices on defensive linemen since 2015 (Dante Fowler, Taven Bryan, Josh Allen, K’Lavon Chaisson), but the AFC South squad’s free agency spending spree did not include any edge rusher additions.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/22
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Antoine Wesley
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: RB Derrick Gore
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: T Brandon Kemp
Broncos Re-Sign S Kareem Jackson
Kareem Jackson will be back in Denver next season. Ryan O’Halloran of The Denver Post reports (via Twitter) that the veteran safety is re-signing with the Broncos. The 33-year-old is inking a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Mutual Interest Between Broncos, Kareem Jackson]
The 2010 first-round pick spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Texans before inking a three-year, $33MM deal with the Broncos in 2019. The Broncos declined his option last offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent, but he ended up reupping with the organization on a one-year, $5MM deal.
In three seasons in Denver, Jackson has started all 44 of his appearances, collecting 248 tackles, four interceptions, and 16 passes defended. He had another 16 interceptions in 132 games with the Texans.
While Broncos GM George Paton believes in 2021 fifth-round pick Caden Sterns, the organization understands that they couldn’t rely on the sophomore as they look to make a playoff run. As Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets, the Broncos believe Jackson has set a high bar on defense, and his leadership and physicality will continue to be relied on throughout the 2022 season.
Texans Extend WR Brandin Cooks
It sounds like Brandin Cooks will be sticking in Houston. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the receiver has inked a two-year extension with the Texans.
[RELATED: Texans Seeking Second-Round Pick For Brandin Cooks]
A report from earlier this week suggested that the wideout was on the trade block. However, Schefter notes that Cooks “is off the trade market,” while NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Cooks is “not going anywhere.”
With the Texans in the midst of a rebuild, it only made sense that the wideout was included in trade rumors. However, Rapoport tweets that the Texans declined to deal the receiver at last year’s deadline, and the front office made it clear that they wanted the veteran to stick around Houston for the foreseeable future.
Of course, an extension doesn’t necessarily preclude a trade. We heard yesterday that the Browns considered a trade for Cooks but were wary of the player’s pending free agency in 2023. The Texans were reportedly seeking a second-round pick for the receiver, and you could make an argument that the extension now makes Cooks more valuable in a potential trade (pending terms). However, based on the sentiment from reporters, it sounds like Cooks will indeed be staying put.
Cooks was set to earn $12.5MM in base salary this season, the final year of a five-year, $81MM ($50.5MM) extension he signed with the Rams back in 2018. He was traded to the Texans two years later, and Cooks has topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his two seasons in Houston. Cooks is still only 28, and while that might not necessarily mesh with the rest of the roster (including 23-year-old QB Davis Mills), the receiver should provide the offense with some veteran savviness as they navigate through their rebuild.
Bruce Arians Tried Recruiting WR Larry Fitzgerald
With the Buccaneers facing a number of absences from their receivers last season, Bruce Arians reached out to one of his former players. The former Buccaneers head coach told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke that he tried recruiting Larry Fitzgerald to Tampa Bay last season.
“I did [try to recruit him],” Arians said (h/t ArizonaSports.com). “When we lost our guys, especially when Chris Godwin got hurt, I called Fitz…He said, ‘Coach, I can only run two plays right now but thanks. I said, ‘I just had to check brother.’”
The receiver remained unsigned for the entire 2021 campaign, although he still hasn’t officially retired. He started showing his age during the 2020 campaign, finishing with career-lows in receptions (54), receiving yards (409), and receiving touchdowns (one). Of course, during the previous decade-plus, Fitzgerald was one of the most dominating offensive weapons in the NFL. He made four Pro Bowl appearances during Arians’ five seasons coaching the Cardinals. Based on the wideout’s comments to Arians, it sounds like the player has essentially called it a career.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers dealt with an inconsistent receivers grouping for much of the 2021 season. None of the QB’s top weapons joined him in appearing in all 17 games, and by the time the playoffs came around, Godwin was out with an injury and Antonio Brown had been let go. While Fitzgerald wouldn’t have come close to replicating his previous success, he could have at least provided Brady with a dependable, savvy target.
ERFA Tender Decisions: 4/6/22
Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:
ERFAs
Signed:
- Ravens: S Geno Stone
Dolphins Work Out P Thomas Morstead
The Dolphins are still seeking a punter, and they’ve turned their focus to a former Saints mainstay. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the team worked out punter Thomas Morstead today.
Morstead, 36, first entered the league as a fifth-round draft pick by the Saints in 2009. After earning a ring as a rookie, he signed multiple extensions to stay in New Orleans through 2020. His 12-year stint with the organization included a Pro Bowl nod in 2012. Morstead was released in the middle of the Saints’ 2021 numbers crunch.
He caught on with the Jets in mid-September, replacing the injured Braden Mann. But, with Mann eventually designated for return, Morstead’s services were no longer needed in New York and he was cut. The veteran averaged 48.2 yards per punt with the Jets, his best average since 2016. His spent the second half of the season with the Falcons, where he averaged 46.1 yards on his 22 punts.
Michael Palardy was the Dolphins punter in 2021, but the veteran remains unsigned.