Washington QB Kyle Allen Signs ERFA Tender
The top of Washington’s quarterbacks depth chart will look different in 2021, but it sounds like the team will be rolling with the same backups. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that quarterback Kyle Allen has signed his ERFA tender.
After getting 12 starts for the Panthers in 2019, Allen ended up following his former head coach, Ron Rivera, to Washington after he was traded for a a fifth-rounder. Allen ultimately got four starts for Washington, completing 69-percent of his passes for 610 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.
However, Allen suffered a dislocated/fractured ankle in early November, and the subsequent surgery ended his season early. That injury paved the way for Alex Smith to take over the full-time starting gig, and the veteran ended up going 5-1 en route the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
In 2021, Allen will be backing up a different veteran, as the organization moved on from Smith and replaced him with Ryan Fitzpatrick. The team is also still rostering Taylor Heinicke.
Cowboys To Sign LB Tarell Basham
It sounds like Tarell Basham is heading to Dallas. Agent Aaron Henderson tweets that the free agent edge defender is signing with the Cowboys (Twitter link). It’s a two-year deal worth up to $6.5MM, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
Basham spent the past two-plus seasons with the Jets, starting 12 games for the organization. He had a career year in 2020, finishing with 36 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles in 16 games (nine starts).
The 2017 third-round pick out of Ohio spent the first year-plus of his career with the Colts. In total, he’s appeared in 58 career games, collecting 7.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 23 QB hits.
The Cowboys have been busy adding to their defensive line today, inking a pair of free agents in Brent Urban and Carlos Watkins.
Bills GM Discusses Potential Josh Allen Extension
Josh Allen is now eligible for an extension, but it doesn’t sound like the Bills are currently prioritizing a long-term pact for the franchise quarterback. During an appearance on The Cris Collinsworth Podcast, general manager Brandon Beane admitted that his team was focused on free agency and the draft.
“Yeah, [Allen] said he was going to give us a nice hometown discount, and hopefully we’ll get him done,” Beane joked (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “No, in all seriousness, we’ll talk to Josh and his people later in the spring, get through the draft where we can just focus on that. That’s obviously a big financial commitment that you have to make. That will probably be sometime May through the summer. I don’t know.”
In other words, the Bills are obviously going to explore an extension with their star quarterback, but there are more pressing matters at the moment. We heard similarly earlier this year, when NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Bills would likely approach Allen’s camp about an extension in the spring or summer.
Allen had a breakout campaign in 2020, transforming into an MVP candidate and guiding the Bills to 13 wins. He finished the year having completed 69.2-percent of his passes for 4,544 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and he added another 421 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He also helped lead the Bills to the AFC Championship Game, the organization’s first appearance in the game since 1993.
With the 24-year-old passer under team control through 2022 — via the fifth-year option the Bills will exercise by May — the team will have some time to complete this process. Considering some of the recent quarterback deals that have been handed out, Allen will certainly be eyeing a lucrative pay day when he inevitably puts pen to paper.
Titans To Sign CB Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson is heading back to the AFC South. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the veteran cornerback will be signing a one-year deal with the Titans.
The 16th-overall pick of the 2015 draft spent the first four seasons of his career in Houston. After starting 10 games as a rookie, Johnson settled into more of a backup role during his final three seasons with the team. He also struggled to stay on the field following that 16-game rookie campaign; he missed 10 games in 2016 with a broken foot, four games in 2017 with a sprained MCL, and 15 games in 2018 with a concussion suffered during Week 1.
Following that 2018 season, Johnson was released by the Texans, who had previously picked up his fifth-year option. He caught on with the Bills and proceeded to appear in all 16 games. That performance earned him another one-year deal last offseason, this time with the Browns. He finished the 2020 campaign having appeared in 13 games (six starts), compiling 35 tackles, one forced fumble, and three passes defended. He also started Cleveland’s playoff loss to the Chiefs.
The Titans have worked on revamping their cornerbacks corps this offseason. The team already added Janoris Jenkins, with 2020 second-round pick Kristian Fulton being one of the lone holdovers from last year’s squad.
Colts Host OL Julie’n Davenport
The Colts are apparently eyeing some offensive line help. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that free agent offensive tackle Julie’n Davenport visited the team today.
The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Bucknell spent the first two seasons of his career with the Texans, including a 2018 campaign where he started 15 games. He was traded to Miami as part of the Laremy Tunsil trade in 2019, and he proceeded to spent the next two years with the organization. After starting eight games for the Dolphins in 2019, Davenport only appeared in five percent of his team’s offensive snaps in 2020 (although he did see time in all 16 games).
It would make sense for the Colts to be sniffing around at some offensive line help. The team has a hole at left tackle following Anthony Castonzo‘s decision to retire.
Lions To Sign QB Tim Boyle
Tim Boyle is sticking around the NFC North. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the veteran quarterback is signing with the Lions. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that it’s a one-year deal worth $2.5MM, including $1.5MM guaranteed.
Boyle joined the Packers as an undrafted free agent back in 2018, and he became a bit of a cult hero as Aaron Rodgers‘ backup over the past few years. The 26-year-old has seen time in 11 career games, mostly as a human victory cigar; he has 18 “carries” for -16 yards. He’s attempted four passes in his brief career, connecting on three of them for 15 yards.
The 26-year-old was set to hit restricted free agency this offseason, but the Packers decided to not tender the fan favorite. The Packers will move forward with 2020 first-rounder Jordan Love as the definitive backup quarterback.
The Lions were presumably looking for some reinforcement at the position after letting go of Chase Daniel earlier this week. Boyle will likely compete with David Blough for backup reps behind Jared Goff.
Browns To Re-Sign WR Rashard Higgins
Rashard Higgins is heading back to Cleveland. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Browns are re-signing the free agent wideout. It will be a one-year deal for Higgins.
The 2016 fifth-round pick has spent his entire career in Cleveland, appearing in 67 regular season games in parts of five seasons. The wideout had one of his best seasons in 2020, hauling in 37 receptions for 599 yards and four touchdowns.
In total, the 26-year-old has collected 113 career receptions for 1,615 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Browns have been a bit quiet this week, but securing Higgins’ services assures that they’ll return much of the same receiving corps next season. Barring a trade, Higgins will likely slide in behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry on the depth chart.
Giants To Sign DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
Ifeadi Odenigbo is heading to the Big Apple. The defensive lineman is signing with the Giants, according to his agency on Twitter. It’s a one-year pact for Odenigbo. The deal is worth $2.5MM, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
After bouncing around the NFL a bit to start his career, Odenigbo broke onto the scene in 2019 with the Vikings. The defensive lineman ultimately finished the campaign having compiled 23 tackles, seven sacks, and one forced fumble despite appearing in only 34 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.
The 26-year-old took on a starting role in 2020, compiling 35 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 15 games (15 starts). Despite his starting role, he was non-tendered by Minnesota earlier this week.
Now, Odenigbo will enjoy a bit of a homecoming with his new squad. The defensive lineman was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, about a 20-minute drive from MetLife Stadium.
Chiefs Have Made Offer To C Austin Reiter
Austin Reiter might end up back in Kansas City after all. Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs have made an offer to the free agent center. Reiter is considering the organization’s offer.
We learned last week that the Chiefs were likely going to let Reiter hit the open market, and there was an expectation that he’d ultimately land elsewhere. However, the 29-year-old has yet to commit to an offer, so perhaps Kansas City changed their tune when they learned of the player’s adjusted asking price.
Reiter started 12 games this past year (and played every snap in the Super Bowl), and all 16 the season before. A seventh-round pick of Washington back in 2015, he quickly ended up on the Browns and only had one career start under his belt when he landed in Kansas City via a waiver claim in 2018.
He turned into a nice diamond in the rough find for the Chiefs as a serviceable player, but it sounded like the veteran could end up being a victim of the organization’s desire to revamp their offensive line in front of Patrick Mahomes. The team has already started with that makeover, inking Joe Thuney to a five-year deal and signing Kyle Long out of retirement.
Cowboys Sign LS Jake McQuaide
After a decade with the Rams organization, Jake McQuaide is moving on. The Cowboys announced (on Twitter) that they’ve signed the former Pro Bowl long snapper to a one-year deal.
McQuaide joined the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2011, and he proceeded to spend the next 10 years with the Rams organization. The veteran hasn’t missed a single regular season game since joining the Rams, and he’ll leave the organization ranked 16th in franchise history in games played.
Outside of one offensive snap in 2019, the 33-year-old has exclusively appeared on special teams. Besides his long snapping duties, McQuaide has also compiled nine tackles. He earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2016 and 2017.