North Rumors: Steelers, Vikings, Browns
Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier will not play in 2018 after suffering a devastating spinal injury in 2017, but he today reiterated his desire to resume his career at some point, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). Meeting with the media for the first time since his injury, Shazier took an optimistic tone, but it’s unclear if he’ll ever realistically have the chance to step on the field as a player again. Pittsburgh has already placed him on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he’s now ineligible to play during the upcoming campaign. In something of a goodwill gesture, the Steelers also converted the majority of Shazier’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus, allowing the former first-round pick to collect his entire paycheck immediately.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The Vikings have lost undrafted free agent edge rusher Hercules Mata’afa for the season after he suffered a torn ACL today, reports Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (Twitter link). While he ultimately wasn’t selected in the draft, Mata’afa was labeled as a potential fifth-rounder by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, who lauded Mata’afa’s toughness and motor. Mata’afa, a Washington State product, would have had to make the Minnesota roster on special teams, but he’ll now have to wait until his second NFL season for another opportunity. He’ll be waived/injured and removed from the Vikings’ active roster, and then placed on injured reserve if he’s not claimed.
- Mychal Kendricks‘ one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Browns contains a $500K signing bonus and a $1.4MM base salary, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. As such, it appears Kendricks is due either a roster bonus or a significant total in per-game roster bonuses. Either way, his new pact doesn’t appear to guarantee him a roster spot in Cleveland, especially given the Browns’ depth at the position. Cleveland believes Kendricks can play all three linebacker positions, but the club already boasts Jamie Collins, Christian Kirksey, and Joe Schobert at the second level, meaning snaps could be sparse for Kendricks.
- The NFL announced it has fined the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh, and docked the club its final two organized team activity sessions, following a “violation of offseason workout rules.” While the infraction is unclear, it’s possible — based both on Baltimore’s history and the club’s statement — that players were either asked to hit or practice for too long a duration, violating the collective bargaining agreement.
Bears Work Out Joshua Perry, Kasim Edebali
The Bears worked out free agent linebackers Joshua Perry and Kasim Edebali at their minicamp on Wednesday, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
Perry, a fourth-round pick in 2016, saw a good deal of action during his rookie campaign, although most of his snaps came on special teams (75% playing time). He was waived/injured at the outset of the 2017 season, and subsequently released to the free agent market. After bouncing on-and-off the Colts’ practice squad a year ago, Perry inked a futures deal with Indianapolis in January, only to be waived again last month. He’d give Chicago special teams depth, but Perry would never see the field on defense barring an injury, as Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan will handle inside linebacker duties for the Bears.
Like Perry, Edebali has spent most of his career on special teams, but he could be of a bit more interest to the Bears given his ability to play on the edge. Aside from former first-rounder Leonard Floyd, Chicago is counting on cast-offs such as Aaron Lynch and Sam Acho at outside linebacker, so Edebali could conceivably compete for rotational snaps if signed. The 28-year-old Edebali split the 2017 season between Denver and Detroit following three years in New Orleans.
NFC West Notes: Cards, Pugh, Rams, Donald
Justin Pugh ultimately signed a five-year, $45MM deal with the Cardinals this offseason, but the phone wasn’t exactly ringing off the hook when Pugh hit the open market on the first day of free agency, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. “I thought I would get all these calls,” said Pugh. “Saw [Andrew] Norwell get signed [to a 5-year, $66.5MM with the Jaguars] and thinking I’m breaking the bank. And, you know, coming off an injury, coming off the season that we had, you get humbled a little bit. That is kind of what happened. You win three games in a season, not many things are going to go well for you.”
While Pugh landed a $9MM annual average, he didn’t reset the positional market as did Norwell. Pugh, who has the ability to play tackle but will start at right guard for the Cardinals, ranks seventh at his position in terms of yearly value, and 14th in full guarantees. For what it’s worth, Pugh’s former employer — the Giants — never contacted the former first-round pick once he reached free agency.
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- While Aaron Donald has certainly made a case to earn a hefty extension, the Rams have the option of exerting leverage over the All-World defensive tackle, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News. While Donald likely wants to allow Raiders edge rusher Khalil Mack to reset the market for defensive players, Mack — thanks to his higher draft slot — will earn nearly double Donald’s salary in 2018. Donald, of course, has made a strong argument for his next contract by playing as the league’s best defender for some time. The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Donald has earned Pro Bowl nods in each of his four pro campaigns, and was named a first-team All-Pro from 2015-17. Donald predictably skipped Los Angeles’ organized team activities, but the Rams are reportedly “optimistic” they’ll get a new deal in place before the regular season kicks off.
- Tight end Jermaine Gresham suffered a torn Achilles in Week 17 of the 2017 regular season, but the Cardinals are “hopeful” he’ll be ready to play in time for Week 1, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. If Gresham isn’t available, Arizona would turn to last year’s breakout in Ricky Seals-Jones, while fellow tight ends Gabe Holmes, Bryce Williams, and Beau Sandland could also be in line for more looks. Gresham, who turns 30 next week, posted 33 receptions for 322 yards and two scores last season. In other Gresham news, he’s recently become something of a viral sensation after helping a fellow airline passenger, as Katherine Fitzgerald of the Arizona Republic details.
- In case you missed it, Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark has stayed away from team activities, but there’s been no discussion of a contract extension for the fourth-year pro.
Shane Ray To Undergo Wrist Surgery
Broncos edge rusher Shane Ray will undergo wrist surgery which is expected to sideline him for three months, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Given his recovery timeline, Ray may not be available for the start of the 2018 regular season.
The operation was fully expected, as Mike Klis of 9 News recently reported that Ray — who missed eight games with a wrist ailment in 2017 — appeared set for another surgery. For Ray, it’s yet another disappointment in what has already been a discouraging offseason. Denver declined its 2019 fifth-year option on Ray in May, withholding the chance for the 25-year-old to collect north of $5MM in his fifth NFL campaign.
Ray, whom the Broncos selected 23rd overall in 2015, has steadily seen his playing time increase over three pro seasons, and had seen action on nearly three-quarters of Denver’s defensive snaps a year ago before going down with injury. With his wrist hampering him, Ray graded as a bottom-10 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus, and wasn’t able to match or exceed his 2016 production (eight sacks on 58% playing time).
Denver fortified its edge rushing corps by drafting Bradley Chubb with the No. 5 pick earlier this year, and he’ll add depth to a unit that already includes All-Pro Von Miller and Shaquil Barrett. Still, without Ray in tow, it’s possible the Broncos turn to the free agent market in search of another option. Given that they’d likely be looking for players with 3-4 experience, the Broncos might theoretically look at Erik Walden, Willie Young, Ahmad Brooks, Junior Galette, or Connor Barwin.
Ray had been speculatively viewed as a trade candidate given Denver’s depth along the edge, but any deal won’t occur now that Ray is sidelined. Instead, he’s now — depending on how his operation and recovery goes — an (admittedly remote) candidate for the physically unable to perform list. Ray will earn a base salary of ~$1.7MM before hitting the open market next spring.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Pryor, Dolphins
New Jets wide receiver Terrelle Pryor recently underwent a scope on his knee, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per head coach Todd Bowles, it will be “close” as to whether Pryor will be available for training camp, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. While reports on Pryor seem positive, any injury is worth noting for the ex-Browns and Redskins wideout. Pryor underwent ankle surgery last November and missed the remainder of what was already a disappointing campaign in Washington, and subsequently dealt with another, unrelated ankle issue last month. If Pryor is forced to miss any time, fellow receivers Chad Hansen, ArDarius Stewart, or Andre Roberts could conceivably see more action.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Defensive tackle Leonard Williams is under the Jets‘ control through the 2019 campaign thanks to his fifth-year option, and the former first-round pick isn’t concerned about his next contract, as Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. “The contract’s going to come,” Williams said. “There’s no pressure for it. I’m not like thirsty for it or anything like that. I just want to keep working hard and keep focusing on year by year and just making myself the best possible and helping my team be the best possible, and the money will come.” Williams, who will earn a combined total of roughly $17MM over the next two years, graded as the NFL’s No. 21 interior defender in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. He’s eligible for an extension now, but New York hasn’t made any known contractual overtures.
- A number of Jets players — including rookie tight end Chris Herndon, linebacker Dylan Donahue, and perhaps most infamously, wide receiver Robby Anderson — have been in legal hot water in recent months, but Bowles doesn’t think the club’s string of arrests is much of an issue. “It’s not a Jets problem or a league problem. It’s a nationwide problem,” Bowles said, as Costello writes in a separate piece. “We deal with them on a daily basis as they come. We talk about [how] we’re against them. You know you’re against certain things. Things happen in your 20s and we treat them on an individual basis and you move by.” As Costello notes, the majority of the Jets’ legal troubles have stopped following initial arrests, as most charges in these cases have been reduced or dropped.
- The Dolphins recently picked up $17MM in salary cap space when Ndamukong Suh‘s contract officially came off the books on June 1, and while much of that money will be used to sign the rest of the club’s draft class, or put away for roster emergencies, Miami could utilize some of that cash on a cornerback upgrade, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald opines. Although the Dolphins recently locked up slot corner Bobby McCain on a four-year extension, they could still use another outside defensive back to play opposite Xavien Howard. As Salguero notes, Adam Jones, Jeremy Lane, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are among the veteran defenders still available, as are Bashaud Breeland, Delvin Breaux, and Kayvon Webster.
Key NFL Stories: 5/27/18 – 6/3/18
Brandon Marshall finds a home…The Seahawks were the only team known to have expressed interest in Marshall, and they’re the club that ultimately signed the veteran wideout, inking him to a one-year deal that can be worth as much as $2.155MM. Marshall will only receive $90K in guaranteed money, and needs to hit certain production thresholds in order to max out the contract. Seattle doesn’t have a ton of depth behind Doug Baldwin, and it’s entirely possible Marshall can take playing time away from Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, and the rest of the Seahawks’ wide receivers. Marshall, for his part, admitted he “didn’t have a ton of options” before landing with Seattle.
…but Dez Bryant hasn’t, and might not for awhile. Bryant, instead, may need to wait until training camp begins to sign with a new team, and it may even take an injury before he can sign a fresh contract. There hasn’t been a single team concretely linked to Bryant, although he recently lobbied for the 49ers to sign him. It doesn’t seem as though the NFL is still high on Bryant, as many clubs reportedly wouldn’t even consider the 29-year-old on a minimum salary deal. Bryant reportedly rejected a three-year, $21MM pact from the Ravens earlier this offseason.
Tre Boston takes another meeting. A trio of safeties — Boston, Eric Reid, and Kenny Vaccaro — are surprising still available as the calendar turns to June, but Boston’s market could be heating up, as he took a visit with the Cardinals last week. Boston, one of the best free agents who still remains unsigned, has also taken a meeting with the Colts, and has been linked to the Browns, Giants, and Raiders. Free agent safeties aren’t getting much interest this year, and it’s possible that Reid’s social activism — and ongoing collusion case against the NFL — has set the entire positional market back.
Dolphins extend CB Bobby McCain. Miami locked up McCain — its starting slot cornerback — through the 2022 campaign, signing the 24-year-old to a four-year, $27MM extension. A former fifth-round pick, McCain will earn nearly $2MM in 2018 thanks to the NFL’s proven performance escalator program. McCain has appeared in all 16 games in each season of his three-year career, and last year made seven starts while posting two interceptions and grading as the league’s No. 46 cornerback among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
PFR Originals: 5/27/18 – 6/3/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Although free agency opened nearly three months ago, there are still excellent players available on the open market. Zach Links took a look at the best options, a list that includes Eric Reid, Dez Bryant, and DeMarco Murray.
- Zach analyzed the five clubs that utilized a post-June 1 release this year, and also explained exactly what a post-June 1 cut is.
- We covered four notable moves in our This Date In Transactions History series:
- Ben Levine on the Giants’ release of safety Ryan Clark, which allowed the defensive back to sign with the Steelers.
- Sam Robinson looked back on Pittsburgh’s decision to let wide receiver Andre Hastings walk in free agency and the subsequent choices the Steelers have made in evaluating their own wide receivers.
- I covered the Rams’ release of franchise icon Kurt Warner and his subsequent career rebirth with the Cardinals.
- Andrew Ortenberg on Terrell Owen‘s four-year, $34MM extension with the Cowboys, which would become the mercurial wideout’s last multi-season contract.
- Andrew attempted to get a sense of PFR readers’ opinions on the NFL’s two West divisions, asking which AFC West and NFC West clubs posted the best offseasons.
Browns To Sign LB Mychal Kendricks?
3:37pm: Kendricks denies that he’s signed with the Browns, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
2:14pm: The Browns have agreed to sign free agent linebacker Mychal Kendricks to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Kendricks, who was released by the Eagles on May 22, drew immediate interest on the open market, and took meetings with both the Raiders and Vikings before visiting the Browns on Friday. After leaving Oakland and Minnesota without a contract, Kendricks has now landed a single-season pact with Cleveland, a deal which will allow the 27-year-old to hit free agency again next spring.
At first glance, the Browns are something of an odd fit for Kendricks, as Cleveland already employs two linebackers — Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert — who played 100% of the club’s defensive snaps a year ago. Jamie Collins is expected to return from injury as a full-time player, leaving even less potential playing time for Kendricks. A future trade could hypothetically be possible, but both Kirksey and Collins recently signed long-term deals with the Browns, while Schobert is under contract at cheap rates for the next two seasons.
Cleveland still has the most salary cap space in the NFL (Over the Cap listed the Browns with nearly $70MM in reserves prior to the Kendricks signing), so perhaps the club is merely looking to add depth. Oakland and Minnesota are also largely set at linebacker, meaning Kendricks may have experienced limited playing time in either of those destinations, so he likely accepted his largest financial offer. And while Kendricks hasn’t typically been a special teams ace, he did play roughly 30% of the Eagles’ ST snaps in 2016, so he can be a factor there.
Long a subject of trade rumors, Kendricks appeared in 15 games and made 13 starts for Philadelphia in 2017. A season-ending injury to fellow linebacker Jordan Hicks allowed Kendricks to reclaim his spot in the Eagles’ starting lineup, and he subsequently posted 51 tackles and two sacks while grading as the NFL’s No. 9 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Rob Gronkowski Confirms He’ll Attend Patriots Minicamp
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski didn’t attend voluntary workout sessions last month, but he will show up for mandatory minicamp next week, as he confirmed to reporters at a charity event on Sunday, per CBS Boston.
“We’ve got mandatory minicamp this week,” Gronkowski said. “So I’ll be there this week. I’ll be full go. I’m looking forward to it. Can’t wait to get back to work. I’m excited.”
While Gronkowski hasn’t publicly addressed his motivation behind skipping organized team activities, his contract situation is likely a key factor. Gronk, who is signed through the 2019 campaign, is scheduled to earn an $8MM base salary in 2018, but New England is reportedly working on “tweaking” his deal. The Patriots are expected to add some sort of incentive package to Gronkowski’s pact, as they did in 2017.
Gronkowski, of course, has had an eventful offseason, and reportedly considered retirement after battling a variety of health issues. In 2017, Gronk was on the field for 14 games, and managed 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdowns, all of which placed him within the top-five among tight ends.
Lamar Miller Open To Playing With Adrian Peterson
Native Texan and free agent running back Adrian Peterson has long expressed his willingness to play for Houston’s NFL franchise, and incumbent back Lamar Miller would have no problem with the Texans adding the 33-year-old Peterson, as he explained during an appearance on NFL Network (video link).
“I used to look up to Adrian Peterson growing up,” Miller said. “He runs the ball hard. He’s a great running back. He’s been a great running back in this league for years. It would be good to have him join us, just his leadership, seeing the things he’s done in previous years, that I feel like I could probably learn from him. It would help us out as a team.”
Miller handled the lion’s share of Houston’s carries in 2017, toting the ball 238 times while managing a 3.7 yards per carry average. The Texans certainly have room for another back however, as D’Onta Foreman — who is recovering from a torn Achilles and could hypothetically start the season on the physically unable to perform list — rushed 78 times last year. Alfred Blue, whom the Texans recently re-signed, handled 71 carries of his own.
Arizona acquired Peterson from the Saints last October for the price of a 2018 sixth-round pick, and installed him as its starting running back in the absence of superstar David Johnson. Peterson, who has maintained he wants to continue his career, managed 3.5 yards per carry on 129 rushes and scored twice in the desert. However, he was among the least effective backs in the league: Football Outsiders ranked Peterson 46th among 47 running backs in both DYAR and DVOA, metrics which measure overall and per-play value, respectively.