Saints Eyeing QB Kyle Trask?
While it’s been assumed that one of Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston will emerge as Drew Brees‘ heir apparent in New Orleans, it sounds like the organization could end up pivoting to the draft to find their future quarterback. During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the Saints are a “sneaky contender to get a quarterback” after the first round, with Fowler pointing to Florida’s Kyle Trask as a main target (video link).
Fowler adds that there was plenty of buzz during Florida’s Pro Day that the Saints could be eyeing the Heisman Trophy finalist. If the team does end up opting for Trask (or another quarterback), Fowler opines that the player probably wouldn’t see the field much as a rookie. However, that QB would likely be in a position to take on the starting gig in 2021, especially if the team uses a second- or third-round pick on the player.
If New Orleans is indeed seeking a rookie quarterback, Trask would make sense. For starters, the Saints will presumably miss out on the grouping of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones and Trey Lance, so there’s some merit to staying patient and seeing how far the second-tier QBs fall. After their first-round pick (No. 28), the Saints are armed with a second (No. 60) and two thirds (No. 98, No. 105); the team may need to trade up in the second round if they truly have their eye on Trask.
The Florida quarterback broke onto the scene in 2019, and he followed that up with a standout campaign in 2020. Trask ultimately finished this past season having connected on 68.9-percent of his passes for 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
The Saints made sure to retain Winston via one-year, $12MM deal (including $5.5MM guaranteed) earlier this offseason. Hill will also be playing the 2021 campaign on a one-year, $12MM deal (despite the funky restructuring by the organization last month). Hill got eight starts filling in for an injured Brees in 2020, while Winston was limited to only 11 attempts in four games (although he tossed a 56-yard touchdown during the postseason).
This Date In Transactions History: Patriots Trade Brandin Cooks To Rams
When Brandin Cooks was traded to the Patriots in 2017, there was hope that the wideout would stick around New England as one of Tom Brady‘s top targets. About 13 months later, Cooks tenure with the team had come to an end. On this date in 2018, the Patriots traded the wide receiver to the Rams.
Cooks was plenty productive during his lone season in New England, with the wideout leading the air attack (alongside Rob Gronkowski) following Julian Edelman‘s season-ending injury. The receiver finished the regular season having hauled in 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns, and hee continued producing in the postseason, catching another 19 receptions for 292 yards.
That performance apparently wasn’t enough, as the Patriots sent him out on April 3, 2018. Perhaps the team was wary of Cooks’ impending free agency following the 2018 campaign, or perhaps they thought Brady and Bill Belichick‘s clout would land them a comparable (and/or cheaper) receiver via free agency. Either way, New England ultimately sent Cooks and a fourth-rounder to the Rams in exchange for a first-rounder (a pick that eventually turned into lineman Isaiah Wynn) and a sixth-rounder. The Rams subsequently signed the receiver to a pricey five-year, $81MM extension (including $50.5MM guaranteed).
Even though Cooks didn’t last all that long is Los Angeles, it’s hard to be too critical of the Rams. Cooks had a 1,200-yard season during his first year with the Rams, but he fell off in 2019, compiling only 635 yards from scrimmage in 14 games. Following the season, the Rams paired Cooks with a fourth-rounder and sent him to the Texans for a second-rounder (which ultimately turned into receiver Van Jefferson).
Similarly, it’s hard to be too critical of the Patriots; after all, Wynn is a fine consolation. However, the Patriots’ motivation for the trade has never really been explained. While the financial reasons were obvious, it was assumed that the organization would subsequently replace Cooks spot in the lineup. The team was also especially shallow at wideout after Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins.
While New England would be connected to a number of receivers throughout that 2018 campaign, the team never did anything to significantly improve their receiver corps. That 2018 squad finished without a 1,000-yard receiver, with running back James White leading the squad in receptions. Per usual, that didn’t end up mattering all that much; the Patriots still won the Super Bowl that season after beating (you guessed it) the Rams. While the Patriots selected receiver N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2019 draft, they never really added another veteran receiver like Brady desired, an issue that was exacerbated after Gronkowski’s sudden retirement. That 2019 campaign would ultimately be Brady’s final season in New England.
Is there any takeaway from this trade? Maybe, but I’ll probably end up pulling something with this stretch. Brady was clearly dissatisfied with his weapons during his final seasons in New England. At the time of this trade three years ago, there were already whispers of tension within the Patriots organization. We can only assume that the quarterback wasn’t happy about the trade made on April 3, 2018, and it could have been one of the many reasons (or at least a contributing factor) that ultimately led Brady to walk away from the organization.
Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Future With Packers
Since the Packers surprised many by trading up for quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of last year’s draft, starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers has continually expressed doubt that he’ll finish his career with Green Bay. During an appearance on ESPN yesterday, Rodgers reiterated that skepticism.
“I said last year, I didn’t know if that was actually possible…to be able to finish [In Green Bay],” Rodgers said (via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter). “I still feel like that’s kind of where we’re at. I don’t know if a lot of that’s in my hands, and I guess we’ll see as we go.”
Rodgers seemed to respond to the Packers’ selection of Love, as the veteran had one of the best seasons of his career in 2021. The 37-year-old led the NFL and set career-highs in completion percentage (70.7) and touchdowns (48), earning him his first MVP award since the 2014 campaign (he also finished with first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors). However, the Packers lost in disappointing fashion to the Buccaneers during the NFC Championship Game, and Rodgers’ comments following the loss raised some eyebrows.
Rodgers repeated that his future with the team was uncertain, with some pundits interpreting the comments as a goodbye message. The quarterback has since downplayed those comments, and the organization has continued to assert that the future Hall of Famer will be back next season. Still, we’ve since heard that Rodgers is now seeking a new deal, and rival coaches and executives believe that the veteran wants out immediately (the Rams even reportedly made a run at the quarterback before pivoting to Matthew Stafford).
Chiefs To Sign FB Michael Burton
Michael Burton is heading to the AFC. The veteran full back is signing with the Chiefs, reports Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the 29-year-old worth $1.27MM, including more than $700K guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).
Despite playing for four different organizations, Burton has spent his entire career in the NFC. He entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick out Rutgers in 2015, and following a pair of seasons with the Lions to begin his career, he spent another two years with Chicago between 2017 and 2018. After spending the 2019 campaign with Washington, Burton joined the Saints last offseason, marking it his second stint with the organization (the fullback had spent the 2019 preseason with the team).
During his lone season in New Orleans, Burton appeared in 19 percent of his team’s offensive snaps, his highest percentage since 2017. While the veteran is generally known for his blocking prowess, he did manage to compile a career-high 46 (yep, that’s it) yards from scrimmage. He added another 15 yards in two postseason games.
The Chiefs have presumably been hunting for a fullback since Anthony Sherman, their starter for the previous eight years, announced his retirement. Burton will now have the responsibility of protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes and starting running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Steelers Host S Karl Joseph
Following one season in Cleveland, Karl Joseph could find his next opportunity with another AFC North squad. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that the free agent safety visited the Steelers.
The Raiders’ 2016 first-round pick earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors as a rookie, and he had a solid campaign as a sophomore in 2017. However, he bounced in and out of the starting lineup in 2018, and the Raiders decline his fifth-year option prior to the 2019 campaign. That 2019 season ended up being Joseph’s final year with the organization. and he was limited to only nine games after suffering a foot injury.
He signed a one-year deal with the Browns last offseason, and he proceeded to play 14 games (eight starts) for his new squad. He finished the year having compiled 67 tackles, two tackles for loss, four passes defended, and one interception. He also came up big in the playoffs for the Browns; he recovered a botched Steelers snap for a touchdown, and he intercepted a pass by Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne.
While Joseph probably wouldn’t push either Minkah Fitzpatrick or Terrell Edmunds for playing time, he could serve a role as a solid backup safety. Pittsburgh’s 2020 backups, Sean Davis and Jordan Dangerfield, are both free agents.
Cardinals C Rodney Hudson Restructures Contract
The Cardinals have done some work today to open extra cap space. Veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer writes that center Rodney Hudson has restructured his contract.
[RELATED: Cardinals LB Jordan Hicks Takes Pay Cut]
Arizona traded for Hudson and his hefty $9.9MM cap charge earlier this month, and it always seemed inevitable that the veteran would work with the organization to reduce that number. Balzer notes that $8.8MM of the lineman’s compensation was converted into a signing bonus, thus reducing Hudson’s salary to $1.1MM. The team also added three voidable years to the contract, meaning the new signing bonus can be prorated over five years. As a result, Hudson’s 2021 cap charge was reduced to $2.86MM.
Hudson also had his 2022 workout bonus converted into base salary, increasing that latter number to $10.85MM. As a result, the lineman’s new cap charge is $12.61MM.
Earlier this month, the Cardinals sent a third-round pick to the Raiders for Hudson and a seventh-rounder. He will now join the likes of D.J. Humphries and Justin Pugh on a talented offensive line in Arizona. Pro Football Focus graded Hudson as its No. 8 overall center last season, and the veteran has three Pro Bowl appearances on his resume.
Cardinals LB Jordan Hicks Takes Pay Cut
Jordan Hicks has taken a sizable pay cut to stay in Arizona. Veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer writes that the veteran linebacker has restructured the final two years of his contract.
Hicks was set to have a $9MM cap charge via a $5MM base salary, a $1MM roster bonus, and $3MM of his original signing bonus. The 28-year-old will now have a base salary of $2MM, and the team replaced the roster bonus with $1MM in per-game bonuses, thus leading to a reduced cap figure of $6MM.
Hicks also reduced his 2022 compensation — which were identical to his 2021 numbers — to a $4.25MM base salary, a $750K roster bonus, and $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. As Balzer explains, that roster bonus will likely be due at the beginning of the 2022 league year, at which point the Cardinals will have to decide whether they want to keep the veteran around.
The former third-rounder spent the first four seasons of his career with the Eagles before signing a four-year, $36MM deal ($20MM guaranteed) with the Cardinals in 2019. Hicks has started all 32 games for Arizona over the past two years, compiling 268 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Hicks will likely slide back into the starting lineup in 2021, although Isaiah Simmons, Tanner Vallejo, and/or Zeke Turner could push him for playing time.
Broncos, 49ers Showed Interest In QB Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton had multiple suitors before joining the Bears. Both the Broncos and 49ers expressed interest in the veteran quarterback before he signed with Chicago, writes Dan Pompei of The Athletic.
Dalton ultimately inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Bears, a contract the other reported suitors were unwilling to match. Per Pompei, the Bears also promised the 33-year-old that he’d have the inside track at the starting gig, a commitment that neither the Broncos nor 49ers could offer.
Still, Denver’s interest in Dalton isn’t that surprising, as the organization has seemingly been connected to every available quarterback (except, reportedly, Sam Darnold). The team made an offer for Matthew Stafford, and they were planning to pursue Deshaun Watson before his off-field conduct began to surface. Dalton presumably would have competed with Drew Lock, the league-leader in interceptions this past season, for the starting gig.
The 49ers’ interest is more of a surprise, and it could be a bit telling. San Francisco has since traded for the third-overall pick, and considering the draft capital that they surrendered, they’ll presumably select a rookie quarterback at that spot. The front office has since committed to incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo as their starter in 2021 and their stopgap until the rookie QB is ready to step in, and it sounds like the veteran has yet to hit the trade block. The 49ers’ interest in Dalton could be a sign that the team was indeed considering trades for Garoppolo, as three (somewhat) starting-caliber quarterbacks would have been redundant.
Patriots Notes: Kraft, Newton, Stidham, Free Agency
The Patriots went 7-9 during the inaugural season of the post-Tom Brady era, making it the first time New England had missed the postseason since 2008 (when the team was forced to rely on Matt Cassel in place of an injured Brady). Robert Kraft and the entire Patriots brass are focused on getting back to the playoffs, and they made that clear when they handed out an NFL-record $165MM in guaranteed money during the early parts of free agency.
“What happened here last year was not something to our liking. We had to make the corrections,” Kraft said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “In all the businesses we’re involved in, we try to take advantage of inefficiencies in the market. We were in a unique cap situation this year and it allowed us to try to [fix] things we missed, to a certain extent, in the draft. So this was our best opportunity.”
While Bill Belichick and the Patriots front office were able to patch some holes by spending in free agency, Kraft also acknowledged that this strategy isn’t a recipe for long-term success.
“In the end, if you want to have a good, consistent, winning football team, you can’t do it in free agency. You have to do it through the draft. I don’t feel we’ve done the greatest job the last few years and I really hope, and I believe, I’ve seen a different approach this year,” Kraft said.
Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, linebacker Matt Judon, and wideout Nelson Agholor were among the Patriots’ major free agent acquisitions.
Let’s check out some more notes out of New England:
- Kraft seemed to excuse quarterback Cam Newton‘s uneven play in 2020, noting that the veteran was joining a new team during an abbreviated preseason, had COVID-19, and dealt with an inconsistent receiver corps. “In fairness to Cam, I’m not sure he had the proper weapons around him last year,” Kraft said. “I really do believe Cam getting COVID, and what it did to the team, it changed a lot. Now we’ll get a chance to see…Players on the team, in the locker room, really love the guy. In the end, I trust Coach Belichick’s ability to build a team, and put the right players in the best position to succeed.”
- While the owner seemed to hint that Newton would be under center next season, he also kept the door open for former fourth-rounder Jarrett Stidham, who was expected to receive more playing time during his sophomore season. “I don’t know that Jarrett has ever really gotten a fair shot,” Kraft said. “We have to wait and see what happens, and we still have the draft. … Quarterback is the most important position on the team. One way or the other, we have to get that position solidified.”
- While the Patriots certainly had the ability to spend on free agents, Reiss writes that Belichick’s “cachet” was a major reason why the Patriots were able to recruit players. “This opportunity couldn’t be passed up because of the prestige, being coached by some of the best coaches in the NFL,” said linebacker Raekwon McMillan. “Coach Belichick told me that he’s been watching my career. For a player, you’re talking to a Hall of Fame coach, that really inspired me.”
- Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia rejoined the organization this offseason as an assistant, but Reiss notes that the coach’s role has continued to evolve. Patricia has spent recent weeks helping to negotiate and finalize contracts, thus serving “as an added layer of support to Belichick,” per Reiss.
Giants “Not In Any Hurry” To Extend RB Saquon Barkley
The Giants have eagerly dished out cash this offseason, but that doesn’t mean Saquon Barkley will benefit from the spending spree. Speaking to reporters, Giants owner John Mara said an extension for the running back isn’t coming any time soon.
[RELATED: Giants Undecided On Saquon Barkley’s Fifth-Year Option]
“We’re not in any hurry to do that,” Mara said (via SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano on Twitter). “We fully expect him to be as good as new. … We hope he’s going to be a Giant for life. At the appropriate time, we’ll start those discussions.”
The former second-overall pick quickly established himself as one of the top running backs in the league, averaging 1,734.5 yards from scrimmage and 11.5 touchdowns per season through his first two years in the NFL. However, after missing a handful of games in 2019, Barkley was limited to only two games in 2020 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury.
The 24-year-old is about to enter the final year of his four-year rookie contract, but he has an affordable fifth-year option that’s valued at only $7.2MM. Barkley is also eligible to sign an extension after having spent three years in the league. Despite the modest fifth-year salary, it isn’t guaranteed that the running back has his option picked up. Earlier this month, GM Dave Gettleman didn’t seem to commit one way or the other, hinting that health could be a concern.
The Giants may be dragging their feet with the fifth-year option (and the subsequent extension), but Mara still made it clear that he wants Barkley to spend the rest of his career in New York. This Giants are likely doing their due diligence before committing to any future deals with the star running back.