WR DeVante Parker Announces Retirement
MAY 22: The Eagles officially placed Parker on their reserve/retired list Wednesday. Barring a comeback attempt, Parker will wrap his career after seven seasons as a Dolphin, two as a Patriot and two months with the Eagles.
MAY 20: DeVante Parker is calling it a career. After signing with the Eagles earlier this offseason, the veteran wide receiver told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he has decided to retire.
“I want to see my kids, spend quality time with them,” Parker said of his decision. “I want to be there for them whenever I can.”
The former first-round pick spent the first seven seasons of his career in Miami, including a 2019 campaign where he hauled in 72 catches for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. Parker ultimately finished his Dolphins career having collected 4,727 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. While Parker didn’t necessarily live up to his first-round billing in Miami, he still left the organization ranked top-10 in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
“I also appreciate the Dolphins for drafting me and giving me the opportunity,” Parker told Schefter. “I always will have love for the Dolphins and their organization. And I want to thank all the teams, the Patriots and the Eagles, too. But the Dolphins were the first team, and I really want to thank them.”
Parker was traded to the Patriots ahead of the 2022 campaign and ultimately had two inconsistent seasons in New England. The Patriots’ QB uncertainty limited the wideout to only 933 yards in 26 games with the organization, including this past season where he finished with a career-low 394 receiving yards.
He was released by the Patriots in March and quickly caught on with the Eagles, where he was expected to compete for the third spot on the depth chart behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. With Parker out of the picture, the job is now Parris Campbell‘s to lose. The veteran addition will be competing with the likes of rookie Ainias Smith (fifth round) and Johnny Wilson (sixth round) for reps.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins Not Expected To Sign Franchise Tender Before OTAs
Tee Higgins has yet to sign his franchise tender and doesn’t intend to. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bengals wide receiver is not expected to sign the tender by next week, meaning he won’t be able to participate in the team’s upcoming OTAs.
[RELATED: Bengals Did Not Approach $20MM AAV In Higgins Talks]
Higgins can’t join the team until he signs the tender, the lone leverage he has during his ongoing quest for a new contract. The two sides have until July 15 to agree to a new deal. Otherwise, Higgins would be connected to the $21.82MM salary for the 2024 campaign.
After getting slapped with the franchise tag, Higgins requested a trade out of Cincinnati. The receiver later admitted that he’d likely play out the 2024 campaign with the Bengals, although that was mostly due to his lack of alternatives vs. any progress in contract talks.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow extension and its plans for a Ja’Marr Chase payday — its top WR priority — have led many to believe that a Higgins extension is untenable. We heard last month that Bengals didn’t approach a $20MM average annual value in their latest offer to Higgins, cutting off the talks relatively quickly. The two sides didn’t discuss guarantees, although that was reportedly an issue between the parties last summer.
As Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic points out, the current Higgins holdout is an “exact replica” of Jessie Bates‘ standoff with the Bengals in 2022. Bates ended up holding out until August, right before the signing deadline for franchise tenders. The safety played out the 2022 campaign on his franchise value before getting a pay day from the Falcons in free agency.
It’s previously been suggested that the Bengals could treat Higgins similarly. This route would come with the understanding that Higgins would be a “rental” for the 2024 season, and the two sides would likely part ways when the receiver hits free agency next offseason.
Broncos LB Drew Sanders Suffered Torn Achilles
One of the Broncos’ rising defenders will miss a significant chunk of the 2024 campaign. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, linebacker Drew Sanders suffered a torn Achilles.
The injury occurred back in April during Denver’s offseason program. Sanders later underwent surgery that was deemed successful. Wilson notes that there’s some hope that Sanders could return late in the 2024 campaign, but there’s also a chance the defender misses his entire sophomore season.
The Arkansas product was selected in the third round of last year’s draft and got into all 17 games as a rookie. While the Broncos initially had him lined up at inside linebacker, Sanders ended up transitioning to the edge towards the end of the season. He finished the campaign with 24 tackles while garnering four starts.
Towards the end of last season, Sanders was soaking up leftover snaps behind Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning, and that was likely going to be the arrangement heading into 2024. The team does still have 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto hanging around, and Wilson notes that Sanders’ injury may have influenced the team’s decision to select outside linebacker Jonah Elliss in the third round. The Utah product was ultimately the team’s second pick, behind first-round quarterback Bo Nix.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/24
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Qadir Ismail
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DL Junior Aho
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: K Lucas Havrisik
- Waived: WB Jacob Sirmon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Matt Dickerson
Latest On Patriots’ QB Depth
The Patriots are currently rostering four quarterbacks, but the team is expected to resolve the crowded depth chart as soon as possible. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Patriots’ plan is to “narrow the competition down to three guys by the end of spring.”
With OC Alex Van Pelt installing a new offense, the Patriots are hoping for a “more efficient” approach by the time the team gets together in the summer. New England’s organized team activities started today and will run sporadically until mandatory minicamp on June 11. The front office will presumably use that following month to resolve the logjam.
After being selected with the third-overall pick, rookie Drake Maye will obviously take up one of the roster spots. Free agent acquisition Jacoby Brissett will also be on the roster, and Breer notes that the veteran still has “an early leg up” on the QB1 spot. Assuming the Patriots intend to roster a third quarterback, the competition for the final spot will come down to Bailey Zappe and rookie Joe Milton III.
Zappe, a former fourth-round pick, has spent the past two seasons in New England, occasionally filling in for Mac Jones. Zappe went 4-4 in his eight career starts, and in his 14 appearances, he’s completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. After showing some promise as a rookie, Zappe seemed to take a step back in 2023, with some sources pointing to his inability to grasp Bill O’Brien‘s offensive system. Zappe’s ability to click with Van Pelt could end up determining his future with the organization.
Milton was selected in the sixth round of the Patriots, so he’s not necessarily entitled to a roster spot. Known more as a developmental passer, the Michigan and Tennessee product is known for his size (six-foot-five, 235 pounds) and his cannon of an arm. With Maye and Brissett firmly atop the depth chart, the Patriots may opt for the rookie’s upside vs. the more experienced option in Zappe.
Raiders Legend Jim Otto Passes Away
Hall of Fame offensive lineman and Raiders legend Jim Otto has passed away. Otto was 86 years old. The team has confirmed the news.
“The personification of consistency, Jim’s influence on the American Football League and professional football as a whole cannot be overstated,” the Raiders said in a statement. “His leadership and tenacity were a hallmark of the dominant Raider teams of the 1960s and 70s, and his ferocious work ethic and talent enabled him to start a remarkable 210 consecutive league games for the Oakland Raiders.”
Otto joined the franchise for their inaugural season in 1960 and proceeded to appear in every game for the organization over the next 15 years. The center earned nine AFL All-Pro nods through his first 10 professional seasons, including a 1967 campaign where the Raiders won the AFL Championship. Otto was one of three players to appear in every AFL game through the league’s 10-year existence.
“Mr. Raider” quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s premier offensive linemen following the merger in 1970, with Otto earning three Pro Bowl selections in his five seasons in the league. The Miami (FL) product finished his professional career in 1974 after having appeared in 210 regular season contests.
Otto was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1980. He also continued to have a presence with the Raiders organization, even following their move to Las Vegas in 2020. As The Associated Press notes, Otto was most recently seen in the team’s locker room following their 2023 season finale.
Widely known for the ’00’ on his jersey, Otto “was the foundational piece of a transcendent offensive line that not only propelled the Raiders to success on the field but resonated with fans and helped build the Raiders persona and mystique,” as the team wrote in their statement.
We here at PFR would like to extend our condolences to Otto’s family, friends, and colleagues.
This Date In Transactions History: Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins Agree To Extension
The Dolphins are currently navigating a quarterback extension, as the front office is working with Tua Tagovailoa on a lucrative second contract. Almost a decade ago, the team found themselves in a very similar situation.
On this date in 2015, the Dolphins signed quarterback Ryan Tannehill to an extension. The six-year, $96MM extension included $45MM guaranteed, and it was intended to cover the last year of the quarterback’s rookie deal, the fifth-year option season, and four additional free agent years.
At the time, it was hard to be overly critical of Miami’s long-term commitment to the former first-round pick. Tannehill topped 3,000 passing yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, and he improved on his touchdown totals in each of his campaigns (culminating in a 2014 season where he tossed 27 scores). While the Dolphins had yet to break through with a postseason run, the team’s worst showing through Tannehill’s first three seasons was a 7-9 mark during his rookie campaign.
There was some urgency on the Dolphins’ part to complete a deal. Tannehill was one of four QBs from the 2012 draft class (along with Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson) to be eyeing lucrative extensions, and Miami assured they wouldn’t be boxed into a corner by completing the first deal from that group. Luck ended up getting $140MM from the Colts while Wilson got around $88MM on a four-year deal with the Seahawks (Griffin never got a second contract from Washington). When compared to his draftmates, Tannehill’s average annual value didn’t break the bank.
Of course, the move didn’t come without risk. This was the first major move by Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins’ new executive vice president of football operations. It was Tannenbaum’s decision to hand Mark Sanchez a sizable extension in New York that ultimately led to the executive’s ouster. Tannenbaum wasn’t looking to make the same mistake twice.
“We are thrilled that we were able to sign Ryan to an extension,” Tannenbaum said at the time (via the Miami Herald). “He is an ascending talent, a team leader and checks all of the boxes you are looking for at the position.”
While the Dolphins dropped to 6-10 during Tannehill’s first year playing on the extension, the QB continued to validate the organization’s decision. The fourth-year player tossed a career-high 4,045 passing yards that season, making him the fourth QB in NFL history to top 3,000 passing yards in each of his first four seasons. The Dolphins took a step forward during Tannehill’s fifth season at the helm, with the team finally earning a playoff nod. However, after going 8-5 through the first 13 games, Tannehill suffered a season-ending knee injury that knocked him out for the postseason.
That injury ended up greatly altering Tannehill’s ability to finish his contract with Miami. The quarterback opted for rehab over surgery to his injured ACL, allowing him to be on the field for the start of 2017 training camp. However, he suffered another injury during the first day of 11-on-11 drills, and he eventually went under the knife to repair the torn ACL.
That following offseason, the Dolphins faced a major cap crunch. While Tannenbaum could have moved on from Tannehill (via release or trade) without any financial penalty, the executive instead reworked the player’s contract. That move temporarily opened up some breathing room under the cap, but it also kicked some sizable guaranteed money down the road. That decision ended up greatly reducing the organization’s return for the QB a year later.
Tannehill returned in time for the 2018 campaign but was forced to miss a chunk of games due to a shoulder injury. After the Dolphins were forced to rely on their QB2 for three-straight seasons, the team finally decided to cut bait on their franchise signal caller. During the 2019 offseason, the Dolphins traded Tannehill to the Titans for draft compensation. The QB agreed to rip up his contract with Tennessee, locking him into a one-year prove-it deal for the 2019 campaign.
Tannehill bounced back in a big way that season, earning his first career Pro Bowl nod while guiding the Titans to a 7-3 regular season record and a pair of postseason victories. That performance earned him a new contract from the Titans, a four-year, $118MM pact. Tannehill continued to guide a playoff squad in Tennessee for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but he had an inconsistent role in 2022 and 2023 following the additions of Malik Willis and Will Levis. The 35-year-old is currently a free agent.
Nine years after signing the extension, things couldn’t have worked out much better for Tannehill. Of course, that doesn’t mean the quarterback didn’t take a handful of risks. For starters, much of his future guaranteed money was only due if Tannehill played, meaning he could have been cut at any time without any penalty (an advantage that the Dolphins squandered following that aforementioned restructuring). Tannehill also could have played hard ball with the Titans with the hope of getting cut, but he ultimately fave up some significant future money as he looked to rehabilitate his image. That gamble immediately worked out for the QB, as the Titans signed him to his third contract.
While the Dolphins never reached the success they were surely envisioning when they extended Tannehill, the team at least waved the white flag at the right time. Following a bridge season with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, the team quickly found their future answer at QB in Tagovailoa. Of course, that glass-half-full perspective wasn’t enough to save Tannenbaum’s job. The executive was reassigned from his role in 2018, and while it was the Dolphins’ entire body of work that led to his demotion/firing, the Tannehill restructuring in 2018 certainly didn’t help.
As the Dolphins look to sign Tagovailoa to a second contract, the top decision makers will surely proceed with caution after seeing how things unfolded with their last major QB investment.
Dolphins RB Salvon Ahmed On Roster Bubble?
Despite being the longest-tenured member of the Dolphins running back corps, Salvon Ahmed is a major release candidate. As Pierre Taylor of the Miami Herald writes, the veteran running back is “at serious risk” of getting cut during the preseason.
Ahmed is the lone holdover at the position from the pre-Mike McDaniel era, although he did have a chance to work with the coach in San Francisco as a UDFA in 2020. Since McDaniel was hired as Miami’s head coach in 2022, he brought in a pair of former 49ers RBs in Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. to lead his depth chart. While that duo has struggled with injuries throughout their career, Ahmed hasn’t seen a significant uptick in playing time when either teammate has been out of the lineup.
Ahmed was already positioned as the team’s fourth RB after the Dolphins selected De’Von Achane in last year’s draft, but the veteran was pushed further down the depth chart earlier this month. The Dolphins added another player at the position in fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright, putting Ahmed’s roster spot in serious doubt.
If the Dolphins move on from Ahmed, they wouldn’t be left with any of his $1.1MM cap hit, making him a logical cut candidate. As Taylor notes, Wilson and his $1.2MM of potential dead cap means he could also be considered a cut candidate, but it seems unlikely that the organization would move on from the veteran.
A release could end up being the best thing for Ahmed. The former UDFA got an extended look as a rookie in 2020, finishing with 380 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He followed that up with a 266-yard outing in 2021, but he’s seen a limited role over the past two years. Between 2022 and 2023, Ahmed compiled only 221 total yards and three scores. Pro Football Focus was fond of his performance in both 2020 and 2022, so Ahmed may have some untapped potential that won’t be realized on Miami’s crowded depth chart.
Latest On Jaguars’ EDGE Depth
The Jaguars have made some notable additions to their defensive line this offseason, adding Arik Armstead via free agency and Maason Smith via the draft. However, the front office hasn’t done a whole lot to address their depth on the edge behind Josh Allen and Travon Walker.
During a conversation with Juston Lewis of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union, assistant general manager Ethan Waugh acknowledged that the organization needs to identify at least two more pass rushers if they hope to compete for a Super Bowl.
The team’s depth is set to look a bit different in 2024. The Jaguars let K’Lavon Chaisson walk via free agency following a 2023 campaign where the edge rusher soaked up about 25 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. Further, after Yasir Abdullah got some looks on the edge as a rookie, the 2023 fifth-round pick is expected to be moved to SAM linebacker in defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen’s system.
The team’s main move at the position was extending Allen, who inked a five-year, $150MM contract with the organization, but they’ve otherwise been quiet adding players behind their starting duo. The Jaguars did bring in former Bears part-time starter Trevis Gipson, but the veteran was limited to only 76 defensive snaps in 2023. The team may end up being reliant on the free agent acquisition; the rest of the team’s depth consists of rookie seventh-round pick Myles Cole and former UDFAs like DJ Coleman and De’Shaan Dixon.
While the Jaguars could always turn to the handful of experienced veteran edge rushers who remain on the market, Waugh is confident that the team’s solution could already be on the roster.
“We added Trevis Gipson, we had some guys there,” Waugh told Lewis. “We have some guys that were on the practice squad previously, DJ Coleman types. Yasir Abdullah is playing the SAM spot, which is really kind of an edge rusher too at times. “What we want to do is see those guys fight it out and develop.
“I think you do really need to come up with four edge rushers if you want to play at a Super Bowl level, and finding guys that can affect the quarterback in waves is really key to what we’re trying to do.”
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/14/24
Teams continue to sign their draft picks to rookie contracts. We’ve collected today’s miscellaneous signings below:
Chicago Bears
- OT Kiran Amegadjie (third round, Yale)
Cincinnati Bengals
- WR Jermaine Burton (third round, Alabama)
- TE Erick All (fourth round, Iowa)
Denver Broncos
- EDGE Jonah Elliss (third round, Utah)
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Anthony Gould (fifth round, Oregon State)
Minnesota Vikings
- OT Walter Rouse (sixth round, Oklahoma)
New York Giants
- CB Dru Phillips (third round, Kentucky)
Seattle Seahawks
- CB Tyrice Knight (fourth round, UTEP)