This Date In Transactions History: Raiders Extend OL Gabe Jackson
Four years ago today, it looked like Gabe Jackson could be playing for the Raiders for the rest of his career. Of course, as we’ve learned many times, we shouldn’t assume that a player will stick with a team for the entirety of his extension.
On June 29, 2017, the Raiders inked the offensive lineman to a five-year, $56MM deal, a pact that included $26MM in guaranteed money. The deal was expected to keep Jackson with the team through at least the 2022 campaign.
The 2014 third-round was an immediate contributor after joining the organization, and up to the signing of the extension, Jackson had started 44 of his 45 regular season appearances. The Mississippi State product didn’t always grade out as one of the best offensive guards; in 2016, he was only ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 22nd-best player at his position. However, Jackson provided the offensive line with more consistency and continuity, something that was especially important after the organization inked quarterback Derek Carr to a massive extension only weeks before.
With the signing, the Raiders locked themselves into two of the highest-paid offensive guards in the NFL, as the team had previously signed Kelechi Osemele to a five-year, $58.5MM contract. Jackson’s $56MM pact ranked behind only two offensive guards: Bengals’ Kevin Zeitler (five years, $60MM) and Osemele. Jackson was also second to Zeitler’s $31.5MM in guarantees.
After signing the extension, Jackson didn’t see a sudden turnaround in production, as PFF still ranked him as a middling offensive guard. However, Jackson did see a turnaround in his reliability…in other words, he started to miss more and more time due to injuries. He missed nine games for the Raiders between the 2017 and 2019 seasons, and the front office started shopping the lineman during the 2020 draft.
They didn’t find a taker for Jackson, and the veteran managed to appear in all 16 games for the Raiders in 2020, making it the first time the lineman had accomplished that feat since 2016. Still, the Raiders were hoping to somewhat revamp their offensive line this offseason, and we learned in early March that the Raiders were planning on releasing Jackson after he refused a pay cut.
However, Las Vegas found a trade partner at the last second, and the team shipped Jackson to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick (which eventually transformed into Illinois cornerback Nate Hobbs). The Seahawks subsequently extended Jackson to a three-year, $22.58MM deal.
The Raiders did manage to get 55 starts out of Jackson after he signed his new deal, including 40 starts that were played under the extension. Still, the Raiders were surely expecting more when they inked the lineman on this date in 2017.
Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman Eyeing Breakout Season
Mecole Hardman has been apart of some high-flying offenses, but the 2019 second-round pick still hasn’t cracked 600 receiving yards in a season. With Sammy Watkins now out of the picture, Hardman should be in line for a larger role in 2021, and Nate Taylor of The Athletic opines that the 23-year-old has an opportunity to be the offense’s “breakout player this season.”
Taylor notes that Hardman has already shown a handful of noticeable improvements, including pass-catching consistency and route running. The writer cites a specific play from minicamp where the receiver overcame some excellent defense from cornerback Mike Hughes and corralled a tipped pass for a reception. Hardman’s performance has also led to some praise from his teammates.
“I think he’s hungrier than he’s ever been,” said safety Tyrann Mathieu. “Each and every practice, he’s trying to find me. I know iron sharpens iron, but it seems like every day he wants to see me. I’m grateful that I can get him better. It’s been a pleasure to see him come to work.
“Even when he makes a mistake, he’s not hanging his head. He’s running back to the huddle. You can see it in his eyes that he’s ready to go. A big part of that is him understanding that we’re going to need him. We need him to play big and we expect him to do that.”
Hardman earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie thanks to his return numbers, and he saw a bit of a larger offensive role as a sophomore in 2020. The wideout finished this past season with 41 receptions for 560 yards and four scores, but he saw a reduced role in the postseason, hauling in only eight catches for 66 yards in three games.
With Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce still entrenched as Patrick Mahomes‘ top targets, Hardman has an opportunity to slide in at third in the pecking order. The wideout will compete with the likes of Demarcus Robinson, Byron Pringle, and fifth-round rookie Cornell Powell for targets.
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler Discusses New OC Joe Lombardi
With Joe Lombardi now serving as the Chargers offensive coordinator, it’s easy to assume that the offense will see a handful of changes. While the running game will surely see some new wrinkles, running back Austin Ekeler is confident that he’ll have another chance to lead a successful running backs corps.
“I think that’s something that I’ve learned about Joe coming in like this man is going to get his playmakers in space and situations where they can be successful,” Ekeler said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “I think you see that as far as the running back position with Kamara with the Saints. They would give him the ball any way they could, and he was making plays. And it just depends on me, right? As far as, hey, if coach is going to trust me with the ball, my hands are going to make sure I make it work, make him right. If I don’t do that, we got a lot of other talent on the team too. So I like it, ’cause it’s putting the pressure on me. I love that ’cause now I’m betting on myself to go out there and make plays. I have no doubt about that.”
Ekeler mostly served as backup during his first few seasons in the NFL, but following a breakout 2019 campaign where he finished with more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage (and with Melvin Gordon officially out of the picture), the 26-year-old finally had an opportunity to start full time in 2020. Unfortunately, Ekeler was limited to only 10 games, and his 530 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown were his lowest marks since his rookie season.
The team will return a similar running back depth chart in 2021, with Ekeler leading a grouping that includes returnees Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley (plus sixth-round rookie Larry Rountree III).
Patriots Notes: Rookies, Winovich, Uche
Bill Belichick and the Patriots front office still have some tasks to complete before the start of training camp. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes, the team still hasn’t signed first-round quarterback Mac Jones, and both second-round defensive tackle Christian Barmore and third-round defensive end Ronnie Perkins also remain unsigned. According to Reiss, the players’ agents are waiting “to see more contracts finalized before moving forward,” so it’s only a matter of time before these rooks are under contract.
The team also needs to resolve their standoff with cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who’s set to play the 2021 season on a below-market $7MM salary. Reiss said the situation “hardly seems contentious,” but both sides will eventually be looking for a resolution.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com recently suggested that a new deal could be in place by the end of the summer (Twitter link), and since New England clearly has designs on returning to the playoffs this season, keeping Gilmore in the fold would seem imperative. However, there are complications. Gilmore will turn 31 in September, and though he made the Pro Bowl last season, that bid seemed to be based more on name recognition than anything else. He played in only 11 games due to injury and COVID-19, and Pro Football Focus ranked him just 61st among qualified corners. On the flip side, he’s only a year removed from a Defensive Player of the Year Award.
More news out of New England:
- Reiss recently observed that he didn’t see much of Chase Winovich during minicamp, and the writer wondered if the third-year player could see a reduced role following the additions of linebackers Matt Judon and Kyle Van Noy (paired with the return of Dont’a Hightower). Reiss later noted that Winovich is sticking around New England before training camp, and he’s been preparing for the upcoming season at Gillette Stadium. We recently explored Winovich’s potential availability via trade.
- There’s another reason why Winovich could see a lesser role in 2021: teammate Josh Uche was one of the standouts during minicamp. Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that the team could use Uche similarly to Van Noy; while the 2020 second-round pick will have a surefire role on the edge, he could also see some time at inside linebacker depending on his development in coverage.
- Earlier tonight, we celebrated (?) the one-year anniversary of Cam Newton joining the New England Patriots.
AFC West Notes: Raiders, Jefferson, Broncos, Massie
During an appearance on HBO’s The Shop: Uninterrupted, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady discussed his reactions to a potential 2020 free agent suitor pulling out of the sweepstakes to stick with their incumbent signal-caller.
“There was a story, in free agency, one of the teams, they were interested and all of sudden they weren’t interested at the very end,” Brady said. “I was sitting there thinking, you’re stick with that [expletive]? Are you serious?
“When I look back I’m like, there’s no [expletive] way I would’ve went to that team. But they said they didn’t want me. I know what that means, I know what that feels like.”
There’s been plenty of speculation about the mystery team and quarterback that Brady was referring to, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com cites multiple league sources who believe the future Hall of Famer was referring to the Raiders and Derek Carr. Las Vegas had been mentioned as a potential Brady suitor during the 2020 offseason, but the organization dropped out of the sweepstakes after balking at Brady’s long list of requests. As Florio notes, Brady had his chance at payback last season, when he tossed four touchdowns in a 45-20 Tampa Bay victory over Las Vegas.
Unless Brady unexpectedly reveals who he was talking about, we’ll never truly know if it was the Raiders. Plenty of other teams and quarterbacks have been mentioned, including the Bears/Mitch Trubisky and the Titans/Ryan Tannehill. The 49ers and former teammate Jimmy Garoppolo have been a popular suggestion, but considering Brady’s lifelong affinity for San Francisco (and his declaration that he was never going to sign with that team in the first place), we can probably cross them off the list.
Here’s more out of the AFC West…
- Quinton Jefferson has played all over the defensive line during his five-year career, but despite the Raiders depth at defensive tackle, the team is still planning to play their free agent acquisition at his natural position. The 28-year-old will be teaming up with the Raiders main offseason acquisition, defensive tackle Yannick Ngakoue, and Jefferson is excited to form a two-headed monster with his good friend and former college teammate. “Yannick is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL right now and he brings that intensity,” Jefferson told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “He is going to bring some pressure and help relieve Maxx (Crosby), free Maxx up so that other teams can’t key on one guy. And then hopefully I can bring some interior pressure as well, so we should have a good mix out there. I am excited to see how that all comes together.”
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post explores several Broncos players who find themselves on the roster bubble prior to training camp and the preseason. Atop his list is defensive tackle McTelvin Agim, a 2020 third-round pick who was limited to only 110 defensive snaps as a rookie. O’Halloran notes that it’s troubling that the young defensive lineman wasn’t working with the starters during minicamp despite the absences of Mike Purcell and Shelby Harris. Offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, running back Royce Freeman, safety Trey Marshall, and linebacker Derrek Tuszka also earned spots on the list.
- The Broncos brought in both Bobby Massie and Cameron Fleming to compete for the starting right tackle spot, and ESPN’s Jeff Legwold believes Massie will get the first shot at the gig. Massie certainly has the advantage when it comes to experience; the 31-year-old has started 110 of his 118 career games, including each of his eight games in 2020. Meanwhile, Fleming has mostly served as backup throughout his career (91 games, 42 starts), although he did start a career-high 16 games for the Giants last season.
Raiders QB Derek Carr Would “Welcome” Reunion With Davante Adams
Derek Carr has had a rotating cast of receivers since he joined the Raiders as a second-round pick in 2014. So, when he was recently asked about the opportunity to team up with impending free agent wideout (and former college teammate) Davante Adams in 2022, Carr was naturally on board.
[RELATED: QB Derek Carr Discusses Future With Raiders]
“I’ve learned in this business, you never shut the door on anything,” Carr said to Bri Mellon of ABC30 (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I know that he’s obviously the best receiver — everyone said one of the best, he’s the best receiver in the NFL. The guy is unbelievable. He’s been one of my best friends since we were in college together. I love the guy.
“I would always welcome to play with him again. I think it would unlock some things in both of us that people haven’t seen yet. I’m always open to that and I will be recruiting very hard. When that time comes, it will be a full-court press.”
Carr was a two-time Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year during his collegiate career, and a big reason for those accolades was the presence of Adams. Carr threw for 9,187 yards between the 2012 and 2013 seasons, with Adams collecting 3,031 yards through the air (plus 38 touchdowns).
While the Raiders have done some work to improve Carr’s receiving corps (including acquiring Antonio Brown and drafting Henry Ruggs in the first round of the 2020 draft), the Raiders have still had a tight end lead the squad in receiving in each of the past three years (Jared Cook and Darren Waller (twice)). Even assuming that Ruggs is able to develop into a top-end starter, the team would surely still be in the market for some receiving help.
Considering the Packers uncertain future at quarterback, it’s only natural that front offices are dreaming of adding Adams to their offense. Of course, Green Bay could end that sentiment by extending the wideout, or they could alternatively franchise the receiver following the 2021 campaign. Still, if Aaron Rodgers is gone, Adams could push for a trade, in which case Carr and the Raiders would presumably be at the front of the line.
This Date In Transactions History: Cam Newton Joins The Patriots
The Cam Newton era in New England effectively began one year ago today. On June 28, 2020, we learned that the former MVP was signing a one-year deal with the Patriots. While the contract was officially inked on July 8, we’re going to count today as the one-year anniversary.
Newton dealt with a number of injuries during his final seasons with the Panthers, including a 2018 shoulder relapse and 2019 Lisfranc surgery. After barely playing during that 2019 campaign, the Panthers ended up pivoting to Teddy Bridgewater, making their former first-overall pick expendable. The Panthers were unable to find a trade partner for Newton, and they ultimately cut the veteran in late March. Several months later, Newton finally found a suitor in the Patriots, who signed him to an inexpensive, prove-it deal.
Newton was entering a tricky situation with the Patriots. For starters, he was replacing a legendary quarterback in Tom Brady, and it was going to be a major uphill battle for any new signal-caller to somewhat replicate the production and success of the (then) six-time champ. Plus, Newton was limited to only a pair of games in 2019, and instead of getting a full offseason to fully rehab and learn a new system, he lingered in free agency for more than three months. In other words, Newton wasn’t necessarily put in a position to succeed.
Still, with only Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham standing in his way, Newton predictably earned the starting gig. The veteran missed one game while recovering from COVID, but Newton otherwise saw time in 15 games for the Patriots. While the team had a solid 7-8 record with the 2015 MVP under center, Newton’s numbers were disappointing. He still showed his usual talent on the ground, collecting 592 rushing yards and 12 scores (plus a receiving touchdown), but he only threw for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Following that 2020 performance, many assumed that Newton wouldn’t be in New England in 2021. However, the Patriots ended up re-signing the 32-year-old to a one-year pact that could be worth up to $13.6MM. Plus, following a 2020 season where Newton’s targets were mostly unproven, the team brought in a number of free agent weapons, including Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne. This time around, it seems that the Patriots were actually putting their veteran in a position to succeed.
Of course, the difference this time around is that Newton faces some formidable competition from first-round quarterback Mac Jones. While it sounds like the Patriots may initially lean on Newton as their starter, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the rookie takes over if (or when) the veteran struggles.
With a year of hindsight, it’s tough to describe the Patriots/Newton pairing as a success. The two sides have a chance to reverse that narrative in 2021, but there’s a better chance that the veteran eventually finds himself as a backup.
QB Paxton Lynch Joining CFL
Paxton Lynch is heading to the CFL. The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today that they’ve signed the former NFL quarterback.
It was only five years ago that the Broncos selected the Memphis product in the first round of the 2016 draft (No. 26). When Lynch managed to see the field for Denver, his performance was underwhelming. In five games (four starts) between two seasons, Lynch completed 61.7-percent of his passes for 792 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. The quarterback was ultimately cut by the Broncos at the beginning of the 2018 campaign.
Lynch hasn’t seen the field for a regular season NFL game since that time. He’s had stints with the Seahawks and Steelers, and he spent most of the 2019 campaign on Pittsburgh’s active roster. After getting cut by the Steelers at the end of last year’s preseason, Lynch sat unsigned for the entire 2020 campaign.
In Saskatchewan, Lynch will be joining a quarterbacks room that includes former Jets quarterback Luke Falk.
Former MLB Player Dylan Cozens Retiring From Baseball, Pursuing NFL Job
A former MLB player is leaving baseball to pursue his NFL dream. Former Phillies outfielder Dylan Cozens recently announced on Twitter that he’s stepping away from the sport to make a run at professional football.
“I’ve decided it’s time to chase my dream of playing in the [NFL],” Cozens wrote. “I want to thank the [Phillies, Rays, and Brewers] organizations for giving me the opportunity to play professional baseball but more importantly the people, experiences, and memories I’ll keep forever.”
Cozens was a second-round pick back in 2012, and he earned his MLB debut in 2018. He saw time in 27 games through two seasons with the Phillies, batting only .154 with a homer and two RBIs. The 27-year-old signed a minor-league deal with the Brewers late last year, and he saw time in 31 games this season for their AAA affiliate in Nashville.
His connection to football isn’t completely random. Cozens’ father was a four-year player at the University of Pittsburgh, and he was drafted by the Broncos in the 17th round of the 1976 draft. The younger Cozens was a defensive end in high school, and he committed to play football at Arizona before signing with the Phillies.
From Tim Tebow to Jordan Matthews, there have been plenty of athletes looking to reinvent their careers via the NFL this offseason. Obviously, the difference with Cozens is that he hasn’t played organized football since high school. For what it’s worth, he is still only 27, and his body naturally hasn’t taken the same kind of physical beating as a 27-year-old NFL player. He’s also listed at six-foot-six and 245 pounds, so while he may have to put on some weight to compete as a defensive lineman, he certainly possesses the height.
Trade Candidate: Jets LB C.J. Mosley
When C.J. Mosley inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets during the 2019 offseason, the linebacker was expected to lead the team’s defense for at least the next half-decade. He’s certainly looked the part of a defensive stalwart through two games with the organization, collecting nine tackles, a pick-six, and a fumble recovery.
However, Mosley suffered a groin injury that ultimately sidelined him for all but two games during the 2019 season. The veteran ended up opting out of the 2020 campaign, meaning he’s only seen times in two games through two years. The Jets certainly haven’t received a return on their investment, and rival teams believe they may be able to make a move for the former Pro Bowler…we learned back in March that the front office had received calls on Mosley.
To be clear, those reports indicated that the Jets were receiving the trade calls, not necessarily initiating the trade calls. Plus, there haven’t been many developments over the past three-plus months. However, it’s still easy to see a path where the Jets justify moving their former major free agent acquisition, and it’s easy to understand why a rival team would take a chance on the veteran.
From the Jets standpoint, a Mosley trade would be mostly financial. Since he sat out the 2020 season, Mosley still has four years and $56MM left on his deal, including $22MM guaranteed (this remaining commitment is a big reason why Mosley won’t be released any time soon). The Jets aren’t necessarily hurting for money, but as the front office looks to introduce the Zach Wilson/Robert Saleh era, it’d make sense for them to move some future money with the hopes of loading up during future offseasons.
Further, the Jets have a bit of a logjam at the position after the team signed middle linebacker Jarrad Davis to a $5.5MM deal this offseason. The Jets defense is expected to play in a 4-3 scheme, meaning one of Davis or Mosley will either find themselves on the bench or playing (somewhat) out of position at outside linebacker. Sure, Davis probably isn’t the caliber of player who should be pushing a player like Mosley out of the lineup…but we also have no idea what to expect from a player who’s barely seen the field over the past two years.
If the Jets aren’t willing to take a risk on Mosley, why would another team? Well, for starters, the financial ramifications wouldn’t be as severe as you think. The 29-year-old’s 2021 cap hit is only $6MM, so while the future commitments may cause some teams to pause, you could easily see a contender talking themselves into Mosley’s upside (especially if the linebacker has a solid preseason). Plus, the trade costs surely wouldn’t be that high, meaning a team wouldn’t be compromising their future in a deal.
For what it’s worth, Mosley recently indicated that he has no worries about his ability to come back following a two-year absence:
“Yeah, I don’t have any doubts in myself,” he said during an appearance on The Official Jets Podcast (via the team website). “I mean, [Rob Gronkowski] took two years off [only one] and won a Super Bowl, so it is what it is. I’m here, so we’ll let the play do the talking.
“When you’re out for a while, you’re always in your head, thinking, ‘When I get back, how’s it going to feel? Am I going to be able to move like I used to?’ I feel great.”
Mosley has a chance to be a top comeback candidate, or he could emerge as an albatross contract. While the Jets will surely prefer to see the former option, they could ultimately reduce their risk, pivot more toward the future, and trade the linebacker over the next few months.