Raiders QB Marcus Mariota Generating Trade Interest
Derek Carr isn’t the only Raiders quarterback who’s generating trade interest. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that teams have “legitimate and real” trade interest in backup Marcus Mariota.
[RELATED: Raiders Open To Derek Carr Trade?]
Mariota joined the Raiders last offseason on a two-year, $17.6MM deal. He had an IR stint in September and October, and he didn’t leave the bench until the Raiders’ Week 15 loss to the Chargers. Mariota completed 17 of his 28 pass attempts for 226 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in that game, and he added another score and 88 yards on the ground. Rapoport says that singular performance caught the eyes of other teams, with some organizations believing that Mariota could have a similar career path as Ryan Tannehill (who, of course, resuscitated his career after replacing Mariota in Tennessee).
Mariota showed glimpses of promise during his five seasons in Tennessee, but he obviously disappointed considering his second-overall-pick pedigree. The quarterback went 18-16 during his final three seasons with the Titans, but he also had only 31 touchdowns vs 25 interceptions.
We learned earlier this week that teams had inquired on Carr, and reports indicated that the Raiders were willing to listen to offers on their starting quarterback. Rapoport clarifies that while the Raiders wouldn’t hang up the phone on any team, they’re not eager to move on from the 29-year-old, and a deal for Carr would be “incredibly expensive.”
CB Richard Sherman Wants To Play Two More Seasons
Richard Sherman is set to hit free agency, and it sounds like he could be looking for a two-year deal. While talking with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, the veteran cornerback laid out the plan for the rest of his playing career.
“I only want to play two more [seasons],” Sherman said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “I want to get on a competitive team. I think I still have a lot to give to the game. I think I still have a lot that I want to accomplish and I think I can go out there and help a defense come together like it should and reach their potential, reach the heights that the defenses that I’ve played on have reached.”
As Wagoner notes, Sherman really hasn’t had a traditional trip to free agency during his career. He became a free agent after getting released by the Seahawks, but he quickly caught on with the 49ers. That time around, Sherman acted as his own agent and secured a three-year, $27.15MM deal that was mostly based on incentives.
Sherman somewhat returned to form during the 2019 campaign, earning a Pro Bowl nod after compiling 61 tackles and three interceptions in 15 games with San Francisco. His 2020 was derailed by a calf injury, limiting Sherman to only 18 tackles and one interception in five games. Assuming that Sherman will hold fast on his request for a one- or two-year deal from a contender, he’ll likely have to take a significant pay cut in 2021.
The soon-to-be 33-year-old previously opined that he probably wouldn’t be back in San Francisco next season. One potential suitor could be Las Vegas, as the cornerback and head coach Jon Gruden expressed interest in joining forces this offseason.
Patrick Mahomes Expected To Undergo Foot Surgery
Patrick Mahomes was visibly hobbled during last night’s Super Bowl loss, and it sounds like his turf toe injury will result in surgery. Before the game, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported (via Twitter) that the quarterback was likely to go under the knife once the season ended.
Rapoport noted that Mahomes will first meet with a foot specialist before determining how he should proceed, but he’s expected to undergo surgery to repair the issue for the “long term.” The surgery would require a “multi-month” recovery process that would likely knock Mahomes out for much of the spring. Rapoport estimates that that the 25-year-old will be fully recovered by the start of training camp.
The injury has been lingering since the Chiefs playoff win over the Browns. Mahomes was still able to toss three touchdowns in the AFC Championship against the Bills, and the quarterback pointed to that performance when he was asked if injuries were to blame for his performance yesterday.
“I can’t say the toe was a problem when I played two weeks ago and I played well on it,” Mahomes said. “If you’re playing football, you have to battle through injuries. We’ll look at it tomorrow and make a final decision on it if we’re going to have to have surgery on it or not.”
Still, the injury sounds like it may have been more significant than Mahomes let on. A source told Rapoport that “it’s amazing how good [Mahome’s] looked considering the issue.”
Colts Notes: QBs, Hilton, Pascal, Houston
The Colts are hunting for a quarterback following the retirement of Philip Rivers, but at least one individual believes the replacement is already on the roster. Jacob Eason recently told Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star that it’s “realistic as soon as possible” for him to compete for the Colts starting quarterback gig.
“I got a lot of work ahead of me, a lot of areas to improve and grow, but if the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to put my best foot forward and give you the best shot I can,” Eason said.
Following a standout career at Washington, Eason was a fourth-round pick by the Colts in this past year’s draft. While the rookie didn’t see the field during his first NFL season, he was able to garner the praise of GM Chris Ballard and former quarterbacks coach (and current offensive coordinator) Marcus Brady.
“I didn’t have that many opportunities to go out there and prove myself and show what I can do to these coaches and this team,” Eason said. “But there were moments in training camp where I was given the opportunity to go play and do my thing, and I did that.”
Let’s check out some more notes out of Indy…
- Speaking of quarterbacks, Ballard kept the door open on retaining backup QB Jacoby Brissett. “We like Jacoby,’’ Ballard said (via Mike Chappell of Fox59.com). “We’ve got to let that work out.’’ The 28-year-old has alternated between being a starting QB and backup QB during his four seasons with Indianapolis. Following a 2019 campaign that saw Brissett complete 60.9-percent of his passes while tossing 18 touchdowns in 15 starts, the quarterback was limited to only 48 offensive snaps in 2020. The former third-round is set to hit free agency this offseason.
- The Colts have interest in retaining a pair of free agent wideouts. Ballard said he believes veteran T.Y. Hilton can still play a significant role, and he noted the market will dictate whether the receiver returns to Indianapolis (via Kevin Bowen of 1075 The Fan on Twitter). Hilton finished the 2020 season having hauled in 56 receptions for 762 yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, Ballard hinted that the organization will be bringing back restricted free agent receiver Zach Pascal, presumably via a tender (via Bowen). Pascal had a career year for the Colts, surpassing or tying career highs in receptions (44), receiving yards (629), and touchdowns (five).
- Ballard also attributed Justin Houston‘s future in Indianapolis to the “market,” per Bowen on Twitter. Following an eight-year stint with the Chiefs, Houston joined the Colts on a two-year, $24MM deal prior to the 2019 season. In two seasons with the Colts, the 32-year-old has collected 69 tackles and 19 sacks in 32 starts.
Latest On Ravens OL Orlando Brown Jr.
Orlando Brown Jr. has established himself as one of the most versatile offensive tackles in the entire league, but the Ravens lineman is making it clear that he only wants to play one position. Per Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com, Brown Jr. recently took to Twitter to declare “I’m a LEFT tackle.”
Brown clarified that his father, former NFL player Orlando Brown, always wanted his son to be a left tackle in the NFL. Brown Jr. had a chance to play some of the position in 2020, but he’s traditionally played on the right side. Considering incumbent Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley should be fully healthy next season, Brown Jr. seemed to insinuate that he may have to move on in order to achieve his father’s dream.
“It’s never been about the money,” Brown wrote. “I’m so appreciative for this organization and all my teammates. I couldn’t thank [GM Eric] DeCosta enough, he’s a incredible football mind and one the best men I know. I want to live out the dream my dad had for me.”
The 2018 third-round pick has spent his entire career in Baltimore, starting 42 of his 48 games. He earned a Pro Bowl appearance as a right tackle in 2019, and he garnered another nod in 2020 while splitting time between left and right tackle. His versatility was required following an injury to Stanley, but the organization recently gave the fellow lineman a hefty five-year, $98.75MM contract. There’s little chance the front office moves on from Stanley following that kind of commitment, meaning Brown Jr. likely won’t have an opportunity to play left tackle in Baltimore.
If Brown Jr. heavily values the position he plays, that could be very relevant when the lineman hits free agency following the 2021 season. The Ravens could look to move on from the 24-year-old if they believe he’s a flight risk, and they also might not want to deal with a disgruntled player as they make another push toward a championship next season.
RB Frank Gore Would Welcome 49ers Reunion
Frank Gore seems to be keeping his options open as he considers whether to return for his 17th NFL season. However, the veteran running back made is abundantly clear that he’d delay his potential retirement if it meant he could return to the 49ers.
[RELATED: Frank Gore May Continue Playing]
“Oh, oh, I’d come back fast,” Gore said during an appearance on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “Man, I’d love to wear that No. 21 jersey one more time. If that was to happen, that would definitely be my last year, if I could come back and sign with the 49ers. I respect Jed, I respect the York family, I respect Kyle, I feel like one of the best play callers in the game right now . . . You gotta tell Jed and Kyle, just bring me back.”
Gore, a third-round pick in the 2005 draft, spent the first 10 seasons of his career in San Francisco, earning five Pro Bowl appearance and a second-team All-Pro nod. Gore has a considerable lead on the team’s all-time rushing record (11,073), but he’s four touchdowns behind Joe Perry for the 49ers all-time rushing touchdown record.
Following a three-year stint with the Colts, Gore has spent the past three years touring the AFC East, spending time with the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets. The 37-year-old started 14 of his 15 games for New York in 2020, collecting 742 yards from scrimmage and a pair of offensive touchdowns.
Gore’s iron-man approach and veteran savviness would be welcomed by many squads, but the 49ers could theoretically have an open spot on their depth chart. Both Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon are set to hit free agency, meaning the front office could be looking for depth behind leftovers Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.
Kirk Cousins, Mike Zimmer Discuss QB’s Future
The quarterbacks carousel is already spinning, but it sounds like one name may not be involved in the trade chatter. During an appearance on NFL Network, Vikings head coach offered some rare praise for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“Kirk’s our guy,” Zimmer said (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “You know, he had a terrific year this year. We were fourth in the league on offense. We have to get better on defense — we had a lot of injuries and young guys — that’s my job to get it fixed.”
As Patra notes, Zimmer has traditionally been “vague and cantankerous” when discussing his franchise signal-caller, so this is an interesting pivot. While Cousins hasn’t been roped into trade rumors by any reputable sources, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com threw some fuel on the fire when he examined the intricacies of a hypothetical Cousins trade earlier this week.
As Florio writes, if the Vikings were to move on from Cousins, they’d presumably be eyeing one of the few potential upgrades at the position. Alternatively, the organization could look to move on from the $56MM remaining on his deal, including a $35MM base salary for 2022 that becomes fully guaranteed in mid-March. After signing a two-year extension last offseason, the two sides could work on a new deal to save the organization same cash. For what it’s worth, Cousins recently told Florio that he’d be open to sticking around Minnesota beyond 2022.
“Honestly, I just signed the extension last offseason and it really doesn’t kick in ’til this coming year,” Cousins said. “It’s a two-year deal. Those two years begin with 2021. . . . I think it’s more about going out there next season and the year after that and playing at a high enough level that would justify being able to do another deal beyond that. That’s really where my focus is. As I said earlier, would like to be a Viking for the remainder of my career. I’ve got to play well enough to make that happen.”
While Minnesota struggled a bit in 2020, it wasn’t because of a lack of production from their quarterback position, as Cousins tossed a career-high 35 touchdowns.
Chiefs C Daniel Kilgore Cleared To Play In Super Bowl
Daniel Kilgore is back on track to appear in Super Bowl LV. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs center has been cleared to play on Sunday. The player will presumably be activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list this afternoon.
Kilgore, along with wideout Demarcus Robinson, received haircuts last weekend from a barber who tested positive. The veteran offensive lineman spent the past week sitting on the reserve list, but he consistently tested negative throughout the week. After completing his five-day clearance period, Kilgore will be able to travel with his team to Tampa Bay today.
Kilgore, 33, caught on with the Chiefs late in the preseason. He started three games for Kansas City between Week 6 and Week 8, but he only appeared in three more regular season games the rest of the way, with two of those outings seeing him collect a total of only five offensive snaps. Kilgore appeared in the Chiefs’ win over the Bills in the AFC Championship, playing on six special teams snaps.
With Robinson and Kilgore off the reserve list, it’s looking like no players will have to miss the Super Bowl due to COVID-19 concerns. Rapoport tweets that both the Chiefs and Buccaneers have exclusively returned negative tests this week.
Wisconsin’s Jim Leonhard Won’t Accept Packers DC Job
It sounds like Jim Leonhard was offered the Packers defensive coordinator gig, but the veteran coach decided to stick with Wisconsin. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic tweets that Leonhard informed the Packers last night that he won’t accept their defensive coordinator job.
Wisconsin State Journal reporter Tom Oates tweets that Leonhard met with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur via Zoom on Tuesday and in-person on Thursday. After careful consideration, Leonhard determined that “his heart was at UW and in college coaching at this time,” and he ended up rejecting Green Bay’s apparent offer (via Oates).
“It was me choosing UW,” Leonhard told Oates (Twitter link). “I want to stay at UW. I want to be at this level right now. Extremely flattered. Awesome opportunity. But it was not the right time for me to go back to the NFL.”
Following a 10-year playing career, Leonhard joined the Wisconsin coaching staff in 2016. After initially serving as a defensive backs coach, the Wisconsin alumni was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. During his first season in his new role, Leonhard was nominated for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the top assistants in the country. Under Leonhard’s watch, Wisconsin has deployed a top-10 scoring defense in three of the past four seasons.
With the 38-year-old Leonhard out of the picture, the Packers will shift focus to one of their many other candidates. We learned this week that LaFleur was set to interview a long list of names as potential replacements for Mike Pettine, including Dolphins DC Matt Burke, Browns defensive line coach Chris Kiffin, Saints D-line coach Ryan Nielsen and Packers secondary coach Jerry Gray. The team has also interviewed Chargers passing-game coordinator Joe Barry, Washington secondary coach Chris Harris and Rams safeties coach Ejiro Evero, along with Bob Sutton and Kris Richard (who have since found gigs elsewhere).
Saints, QB Drew Brees Renegotiate Contract
In a move that further signals the future Hall of Famer’s impending retirement, Drew Brees has reworked his contract. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com reports (via Twitter) that the Saints have renegotiated the quarterback’s deal. The move frees up nearly $24MM in cap space for 2021.
NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that Brees has agreed to drop his 2021 base salary to the league minimum. New Orleans will temporarily carry a $12MM cap charge for Brees until June, a drastic decrease from his previous $36MM cap charge. Thanks to these cap machinations, the Saints will be able to keep Brees on their roster past June 1 while opening an abundance of cap space (assuming the veteran ultimately hangs up his cleats). Pelissero notes that the move also results in an $11.5MM cap charge in 2022.
The move does more than provide the Saints (who are an estimated $78MM over the cap) with some much-needed financial relief. Rather, as Fitzgerald writes, the restructuring buys Brees some time as he determines whether or not he’ll retire. Either way, the transaction is another major hint that Brees career may have come to an end. Indeed, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football seems to be hinting at the impending retirement announcement, tweeting that “one thing seems to be foreshadowing another.”
Of course, the writing’s been on the wall for a while. There were whispers about a potential retirement throughout the 2020 season, and the rumor mill has naturally heated up following the Saints’ elimination from the playoffs. While GM Mickey Loomis kept the door open on a potential return, there have been several subsequent reports stating that Brees will retire.
If this is truly the end for Brees, it will wrap up a bona fide Hall of Famer career. The 42-year-old has the most yards in league history, and he’s collected the second-most touchdowns behind Tom Brady. The next time we see Brees could be in the booth, as he signed a deal with NBC Sports last April.