HEADLINES

Author: Dallas Robinson

XFL Cancels Remainder Of 2020 Season

March 12th, 2020 at 5:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The XFL is reportedly suspending play due to the outbreak of COVID-19, sources tell Pro Football Talk. XFL players were notified as such within the past hour, per Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).

The league has since confirmed that it will not play any more games in the 2020 season, but is confident it will return for the 2021 campaign. The XFL, which has played half of a 10-week schedule, was scheduled to field a title game on April 26.

In closing its doors, the XFL is following the lead of other major sports organizations around the country and the world. The NBA, NHL, and MLS have all halted their seasons for the time being, MLB is suspending spring training, and the NCAA has canceled March Madness.

NFL clubs, meanwhile, have begun closing their facilities and canceling predraft preparations, but thus far, the league hasn’t given any indication that it will delay the start of free agency, which is set to begin next week. The NFL has scrapped its upcoming spring meetings, but some teams are frustrated with the lack of communication from the league offices regarding coronavirus protocol.

Bills Extend G Quinton Spain

March 12th, 2020 at 5:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills have extended guard Quinton Spain on a three-year, $15MM deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Spain would have reached the open market next week, but he likely would have been viewed as a second-tier option behind other guards such as Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney. Instead, the 28-year-old will take immediate financial security in order to commit to three more years in Buffalo.

A former undrafted free agent, Spain spent the first four years and 48 starts of his career with the Titans before signing a one-year, $2.05MM pact with the Bills last offseason. In 2019, Spain started all 16 games for the first time in his NFL tenure, grading as the league’s No. 59 guard among 80 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus.

Buffalo made its offensive line a priority last offseason, adding free agents Mitch Morse, Ty Nsekhe, and Spencer Long and second-round draft pick Cody Ford in addition to Spain. Those reinforcements helped the Bills’ running game, as Buffalo improved from 30th in Football Outsiders‘ 2018 run-blocking metrics to 16th last season.

East Notes: Giants, Eagles, Jones, Bills, Jets

March 5th, 2020 at 9:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent offensive lineman Mike Remmers will not re-sign with the Giants before the market opens in two weeks, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Remmers started 14 games at right tackle for New York in 2019, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, it shouldn’t be surprising if he’s forced to settle for another one-year deal in free agency. A former undrafted free agent, Remmers has spent two of the past three seasons playing under Pat Shurmur, leading Florio to speculate that Remmer could now be an option for the offensive line-needy Broncos, who recently brought Shurmur aboard as offensive coordinator.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • A number of teams have expressed early interest in Cowboys free agent cornerback Byron Jones, but Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network hears the Giants and Eagles could potentially engage in a bidding war for the veteran defensive back. The Broncos, Lions, and Raiders have also been mentioned as possible suitors for Jones, who is reaching free agency after five seasons in Dallas. Widely viewed as the best corner available, Jones could reset the CB market by topping $16MM+ in annual salary.
  • Just three seasons into his NFL career, the Bills’ Tre’Davious White has already positioned himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. “Obviously, Tre’s a guy we love and want back,” general manager Brandon Beane indicated on WGR 550 AM (link via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News). “You do look and try and find what the value is. And it’s hard. It can sometimes be hard for agents, too, because they’re trying to look at what the market is today versus what’s it going to be in two years. Do they want to play it out? Do they want security now?” The Bills can control White through at least 2021 via the fifth-year option.
  • Free agent quarterback Trevor Siemian is now fully recovered after suffering a brutal ankle injury in Week 2, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siemian became the Jets‘ starter after Sam Darnold was diagnosed with mono, but attempted only six passes before going down. Just 28 years old and with 25 NFL starts under his belt, Siemian could attract interest as a back-end No. 2 quarterback.

Latest On Giants’ Markus Golden

March 5th, 2020 at 9:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent edge rusher Markus Golden has interest in re-signing with the Giants, but it sounds as though he wants to first reach free agency in order to test his market value, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).

With the free agent period fewer than two weeks away, it probably doesn’t make much sense for Golden — or any other pending free agent — to ink an extension without at least exploring the potential market. Last offseason, Golden garnered interest from multiple teams before landing a one-year, $3.75MM deal with New York.

In his first season with the Giants, Golden experienced something of a resurgence by starting all 16 games and posting 10 sacks. However, that sack total is a bit of a mirage, as Golden ranked just 73rd among edge rushers with 26 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Converting that limited number of pressures into double-digit sacks is likely an unrepeatable task.

Golden, who turns 29 next week, spent the first four years of his career with the Cardinals after being selected in the second round of the 2015 draft. He put up 12.5 sacks in 2016, but after a torn ACL ended his 2017 campaign, Golden wasn’t able to regain his pass-rushing ways until joining the Giants.

Browns Will Consider Trent Williams, Jason Peters

March 5th, 2020 at 8:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns are in need of help at left tackle, and the club will keep its eye on two veteran options as the trade and free agent markets come into focus over the next two weeks. Cleveland will “consider” both Redskins offensive lineman Trent Williams and pending free agent Jason Peters as it aims to solidify Baker Mayfield‘s blindside.

Williams, who was earlier today granted permission to seek a trade by Washington, was a target of ex-Browns general manager John Dorsey in 2019. Cleveland was arguably Williams’ most serious suitor ahead of last year’s trade deadline, but the Redskins held firm on their asking price of a first-round pick.

The Browns declined to meet that ask, but they might have another shot at landing Williams, especially now that Washington’s personnel decisions are being made by head coach Ron Rivera and VP of player personnel Kyle Smith (at least, until after the draft). Williams, who has one year and $12.5MM in base salary remaining on his contract, wants to become the highest-paid tackle in the NFL, meaning he’ll need an extension upon being traded.

A cancer scare and a resulting spat with Redskins management sidelined Williams for the entirety of the 2019 campaign, and other health question marks have caused Williams to miss at least one game in every season since 2013. But the 31-year-old has been excellent when on the field, earning Pro Bowl nods in every season from 2012-18.

Peters, meanwhile, will test free agency instead of re-signing with the Eagles in advance of the market’s opening. Although he’s now 38 years old, Peters remains a high-quality left tackle. Pro Football Focus graded the nine-time Pro Bowler as the league’s sixth-best tackle among 81 qualifiers in 2019.

Cleveland is in dire straits at left tackle after Greg Robinson, who played the majority of the Browns’ snaps on the left side last season, was arrested on a felony marijuana charge last month. Justin McCray, who also saw time on the blindside, hasn’t proven to be anything more than a replacement level player on more than 1,300 career snaps.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/5/20

March 5th, 2020 at 8:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

  • Released: DL Billy Winn
  • Waived: CB Horace Richardson

San Francisco 49ers

Chiefs Will Not Retain LeSean McCoy

March 5th, 2020 at 6:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chiefs are not expected to re-sign free agent running back LeSean McCoy for the 2020 campaign, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (video link).

McCoy, 31, has maintain that he wants to play in the NFL next season, and there could be interest in him on the free agent market. Specifically, Garafolo mentions that McCoy could potentially forge a homecoming with the Eagles, while the Chargers could also express interest. Los Angeles head coach Anthony Lynn was in Buffalo alongside McCoy, and that connection could prove valuable.

McCoy was cut by the Bills just ahead of his 11th NFL season, but Kansas City quickly reached out to the veteran back and landed him via a one-year, $3MM deal. Despite his relationship with Andy Reid, McCoy simply never became a large part of the Chiefs’ high-flying offense. While he handled double-digit carries in three of KC’s first four games, he only exceeded 10 totes twice over the rest of the year.

After missing several games with a rib injury, McCoy became a healthy inactive near the end the regular season and through the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run, as Kansas City instead turned to Damian Williams and Darwin Thompson in its backfield.

All told, McCoy rushed 101 times (the fewest attempts of his career) for 465 yards and four touchdowns during his debut Chiefs season. Through the air, McCoy managed 28 receptions for 161 yards and another score. Among the 45 NFL backs with at least 100 carries, McCoy ranked 25th in success rate, which measures the frequency of plays in which McCoy increased Kansas City’s expected points.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai To Earn $8-12MM/Year?

March 5th, 2020 at 6:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Eagles offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai is expected to command a solid market when he reaches free agency, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, who indicates “Big V” should earn a salary between $8MM and $12MM annually.

While the free agent tackle market hypothetically contains a few interesting options, veterans such as Anthony Castonzo and Andrew Whitworth are largely expected to re-sign with the Colts and Rams, respectively. Vaitai, only 26 years old, will present a youthful alternative among a crop of available tackles that also includes Jack Conklin and Bryan Bulaga.

The Eagles haven’t ruled out re-signing Vaitai, but it seems highly unlikely they’ll have a spot for the former fifth-round pick given the presence of fellow tackles Andre Dillard and Lane Johnson. Philadelphia announced today that veteran lineman Jason Peters will be allowed to test free agency, and it’s unclear if the club is interested in retaining him.

Vaitai played more than 70% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps during his first two years in the NFL, but he hasn’t topped 45% playing in either of the last two seasons. In 2019, appeared in all 16 games for Philadelphia and started three contests, grading as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 22 offensive tackle among 81 qualifiers.

LSU WR Justin Jefferson Enters 2020 Draft

January 15th, 2020 at 10:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

LSU wideout Justin Jefferson has declared for the 2020 NFL draft, as he tells Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.

“We just had a perfect year,” Jefferson said. “We won the national championship and set records. We had a lot of awards and did it with our team. I feel like it was the best way to go.” 

Jefferson, who stands 6’3″ and 192 pounds, posting an outstanding campaign during his final year at LSU, catching 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns while hauling in passes from Heisman winner Joe Burrow. In the National Championship Game, Jefferson posted nine receptions for 106 yards.

In an exceptionally deep wide receiver class, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network ranks Jefferson as the draft’s seventh-best wideout and the 36th overall player, meaning he could potentially come off the board at the end of the first round or the beginning of Day 2.

Bills Deny Giants’ Request To Interview Brian Daboll

January 15th, 2020 at 9:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was “high atop” new Giants head coach Joe Judge‘s list of OC candidates when he took over in New York, but Buffalo denied Big Blue’s request to interview the longtime NFL coach, reports Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.

It’s no surprise the Bills didn’t allow to Daboll to speak with the Giants about what would have been a lateral move. Typically, clubs only allow their coaches to interview with other teams when a promotion is involved. And Daboll, who served as play-caller for the Browns, Dolphins, Chiefs, and the University of Alabama before landing in Buffalo, impressed enough in 2019 to warrant head coaching interest from Cleveland, is certainly a valuable commodity on Sean McDermott‘s Bills staff.

The Giants are clearly looking for an experienced offensive coordinator to pair with first-year coach Judge, who has never been an offensive nor defensive coordinator at any level. New York has already interviewed incumbent OC Mike Shula plus ex-Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, and is thought to also be interested in former Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens and ex-Dolphins OC Chad O’Shea.

Although the Bills ranked just 22nd in offensive DVOA a season ago, Daboll was lauded for running a creative offensive that utilized the strengths of 2018 first-round pick Josh Allen. In New York, Daboll would’ve been tasked with developing another first-rounder, 2019 No. 6 overall pick Daniel Jones.

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