Raiders Have Made Offer To Khalil Mack
The Raiders have made an extension offer to star edge rusher Khalil Mack, according to Vic Tafur of the Atheltic (Twitter link). Mack and his representatives are currently mulling the terms of the deal, per Tafur.
Mack, who turned 27 years old last week, is one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, and has solidified that status by posting 36.5 sacks over the past three seasons. In 2017, Mack put up 10.5 sacks, finished second in the league with 53 pressures, and graded as the NFL’s No. 5 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus. The fifth overall selection in the 2015 draft, Mack has never missed a game during his four-year pro career.
The Raiders have Mack under contract for one more year, and he’ll earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $13.846MM in 2018. While Oakland could conceivably use the franchise tag on Mack in 2019, the club surely prefers to hammer out a long-term deal. General manager Reggie McKenzie recently indicated that a 2018 extension was likely to be arranged.
Mack will likely seek to top fellow AFC West pass rusher Von Miller‘s $19.083MM annual value, and should be fully expected to shoot for a $20MM per year salary on his next contract. For what it’s worth, the Raiders generally prefer to avoid signing bonuses (and in turn, work out contracts that are relatively easy to escape), but Oakland did give quarterback Derek Carr a $12.5MM signing bonus on his recent extension. Whether the Raiders will stick to their typical contract structure, or be amenable to changes given Mack’s talent and importance, is unclear.
Saints Won’t Re-Sign DB Kenny Vaccaro
The Saints do not plan to re-sign free agent defensive back Kenny Vaccaro, sources tell Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com.
Vaccaro is wrapping up his rookie contract (which included an exercised fifth-year option) with the Saints, and he’ll be an interesting free agent given that he has the ability to play both safety and slot cornerback. The 27-year-old graded as one of the NFL’s best run-defending defensive backs in 2017, but ranked as the single-worst coverage safety in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
Despite that lack of production, it’s still possible Vaccaro meets a solid market given his first-round pedigree and positional versatility. The Cowboys, speculatively, could have interest given that they reportedly attempted to trade for Vaccaro last season. On the open market, Vaccaro will join a list of safeties that includes Lamarcus Joyner, Eric Reid, and Morgan Burnett, while available slot corners include Nickell Robey-Coleman, Aaron Colvin, and Patrick Robinson.
The Saints, for their part, have drafted two safeties — Vonn Bell and Marcus Williams — in the past two years, so their need to retain Vaccaro is lessened. New Orleans is also hoping to get a number of cornerbacks healthy in 2018, so Vacarro wouldn’t have been required in the slot.
Raiders To Retain LB Bruce Irvin
The Raiders will not release linebacker Bruce Irvin, general manager Reggie McKenzie told reporters, including Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review Journal. 
[RELATED: Raiders To Bring Back Michael Crabtree]
Irvin will enter the third season of a four-year, $37MM pact he signed with Oakland prior to the 2016 campaign. Next season, the 30-year-old defender will earn an $8MM base salary and a $250K workout bonus. The Raiders could have cleared that entire total by cutting ties with Irvin this offseason, but they’ll instead retain him for at least one more go-round.
Last year, Irvin totaled 58 tackles and matched his career high with eight sacks. For his efforts, he graded out as the No. 48 ranked edge defender in the league, per Pro Football Focus. His 77.0 overall score was roughly in line with his career average, but a slight downtick from his career-high 81.8 showing in 2016.
Steelers Notes: Bryant, Haden, Vander Esch
Here’s the latest out of Pittsburgh:
- Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert says the team is not interested in trading wide receiver Martavis Bryant (Twitter link via Dale Lolley of DKPittsburghSports.com). Colbert indicated that he received calls on Bryant from other teams based on media reports, but he intends to keep the 26-year-old. Bryant, of course, is one of the more dynamic wideouts in the NFL, but Pittsburgh could conceivably be growing tired of his off-field antics. The Bills, for one, reportedly attempted to trade for Bryant last season, but it sounds as if the former fourth-round pick will return to the Steelers in 2017. He’s under contract for one more year at a base salary of $705K.
- Veteran cornerback Joe Haden is not in danger of being released despite his relatively high 2018 cap charge, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Haden, who was excellent during his first season in Pittsburgh, is due a $9MM base salary next season and will count for nearly $12MM on the Steelers’ cap. Given that the Steelers are pressed for cap space, Haden had been speculatively mentioned as a candidate for release. Instead, Pittsburgh could approach Haden about reworking his contract down the line, but no machinations of that kind are underway at present.
- The Steelers have already started “doing their draft due diligence” on Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, Fowler tweets. In some mock drafts, analysts have the Steelers targeting the athletic tackle machine at No. 28 overall. Vander Esch is now expected to come off the board earlier than many project, and has even been compared to 2018 Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher. He’s reportedly been running the 40-yard dash in under 4.65 seconds, and could officially beat that number at this week’s combine.
Latest On Cowboys WR Dez Bryant
The Cowboys have yet to make a decision on whether veteran wideout Dez Bryant will be with the club in 2018, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
“I don’t have a time frame just yet,” said Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones. “Obviously, it’s going to happen sooner than later. … We have to continue to work on our end and see where we are gonna end up on it.”
Bryant is due a $12.5MM base salary in 2018, and will count for $16.5MM on Dallas’ salary cap. If he’s released, the Cowboys would save $8.5MM but still be on the hook for $8MM in dead money. Dallas could designate the 29-year-old Bryant as a post-June 1 release and in turn save $12.5MM in 2018 space, but that extra room wouldn’t be available until June. As such, it wouldn’t help the Cowboys sign free agents in March.
Bryant has managed to get into the end zone 14 times over the past two seasons, but he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since the 2014 season. 2017 also marked the first year that Bryant was able to stay healthy for all 16 games since that 2014 season. Bryant only posted 69 receptions and 838 yards, however, which isn’t in line with a salary that makes him the NFL’s eighth-highest-paid wideout.
Speaking at the scouting combine today, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett also sidestepped the issue of Bryant’s roster status. “We have a tremendous amount of love for Dez Bryant,” said Garrett, who indicated Dallas has yet to discuss personnel decisions (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “He’s been a great player for us for a long time.”
Broncos Rumors: Thomas, Sanders, Wolfe
Here’s a quick look at the latest out of Denver:
- As had been previously reported, the Broncos plan to retain wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, general manager John Elway told reporters, including Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Specifically, Denver will exercise its $4MM option on Thomas, which will lock the 30-year-old pass-catcher into a $8.5MM base salary for the 2018 season. Sanders, meanwhile, is due an $8.15MM base salary next year. While neither receiver performed up to expectations in 2017, the Broncos likely want to keep both veterans around as they search for a new quarterback.
- Similarly, the Broncos will bring back defensive end Derek Wolfe, who’d been mentioned as a possible cap casualty, tweets Jhabvala. Wolf, 28, signed a four-year, $36.7MM extension prior to the 2016 campaign, forgoing free agency in order to re-sign with Denver. Since that time, Wolfe has been limited by minor injuries, and played on fewer than half of the Broncos’ defensive snaps a season ago. Pro Football Focus ranked Wolfe — who managed two sacks in 2017 — as the No. 58 interior defender among 122 qualifiers. He’ll collect a base salary of $8MM and count for ~$10.769MM on Denver’s cap in 2018.
- While Thomas, Sanders, and Wolfe appear safe, Elway refused to give the same declaration on cornerback Aqib Talib or running back C.J. Anderson, per Jhabvala (Twitter link). Denver is reportedly attempting to trade Talib (and his $11MM salary), but the club could release the veteran defensive back if no interest is found. Anderson, meanwhile, may also be cut, and the Dolphins — who signed Anderson to a restricted free agent offer sheet in 2016 — are expected to pursue him.
Cardinals Undecided On Tyrann Mathieu’s 2018 Option
The Cardinals are evaluating the contract status of defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, general manager Steve Keim told reporters today, but the Arizona decision-maker sounded “very non-committal” about picking up Mathieu’s 2018 option, tweets Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com.
Mathieu, 25, inked a five-year, $62.5MM extension with the Cardinals prior to the 2016 campaign. That deal, on its face, locked the former third-round pick in Arizona through 2021, but the deal contains a roster bonus that will determine Mathieu’s fate with the club. Mathieu will collect a $5MM bonus if he’s on the Arizona roster on March 14. Not only that, but Mathieu’s entire 2018 base salary ($5.75MM) and $8MM of his $10.75MM 2019 base salary would become fully guaranteed.
The Cardinals could release Mathieu before mid-March and not be forced to make those payments, but the club would still be on the hook for $9.3MM in dead money. Arizona would create $4.8MM in cap space by cutting Mathieu, but it’s possible the two sides could work out a pay reduction or contract restructuring, allowing Mathieu to stay in the desert while the Cardinals save cash and cap space.
Mathieu was a Pro Bowler and one of the NFL’s best defensive backs as recently as 2015, but he’s struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness over the past two seasons. Last year, Mathieu managed to start all 16 games, but only graded as the league’s No. 61 cornerback among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
AFC Notes: Dolphins, Bortles, Ravens, Chiefs
The Dolphins are “strongly” considering releasing offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James instead of paying his $9.341MM base salary in 2018, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. James, a former first-round pick, is under contract next season thanks to his fifth-year option, but given that his salary is non-guaranteed, Miami can get out of the deal with no penalty. While the Dolphins could speculatively be interested in retaining James at a reduced price, the 25-year-old has little incentive to accept a pay cut, as he’d immediately become one of the best tackles on the open market if he were to be released. Indeed, the top end of an extremely weak free agent tackle class includes Nate Solder, Justin Pugh, Cameron Fleming, and Chris Hubbard, so James would surely draw interest.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- Blake Bortles‘ new three-year deal with the Jaguars contains offset language, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Jacksonville inked Bortles to a $54MM extension over the weekend that includes a partially guaranteed ($6.5MM of $16MM) base salary in 2019. If the former first-round pick flops during the upcoming campaign, the Jaguars could release him next spring and still create $4.5MM worth of cap space. That figure could be even greater thanks to offset language, however, as the Jaguars would be off the hook for whatever salary Bortles hypothetically earns with his next club.
- The Ravens and tight end-turned-offensive lineman Crockett Gillmore have mutual interest in new contract, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Reports last week indicated Gillmore would transition to offensive line, and he’s apparently begun the change by packing on “considerable bulk” to aid the move. Baltimore, understandably, wants a “better gauge” of Gillmore’s physical condition, not solely due to his upcoming position switch, but because he missed the entire 2017 with a knee injury. Gillmore, 26, was always considered an outstanding blocking tight end while playing in the 250-pound range.
- Cornerback David Amerson inked a one-year deal with the Chiefs earlier this month, and while Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star previously reported the pact has a base value of $2.25MM, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (Twitter link) has now provided the contract’s specifics. Amerson, 26, receives a $500K signing bonus, a $1MM base salary, $625K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $125K workout bonus. The deal also contains unknown incentives which, as Paylor indicated, could bring the total value of the agreement to $6MM.
- In desperate need of offensive line depth, the Bengals recently signed ex-Giants tackle Bobby Hart, but his contract details show that he’s not a lock for Cincinnati’s roster, as Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (Facebook link). Hart got a $50K signing bonus and will collect another $200K bonus if he’s on the Bengals’ Week 1 roster. All told, Hart will be an easy cut for Cincinnati if he doesn’t prove his worth during the summer.
Vikings Unlikely To Franchise Case Keenum
The Vikings are not expected to use the franchise tag on quarterback Case Keenum, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Barring an extension, Keenum will hit the free agent market on March 14.
Keenum, a career journeyman who inked a one-year, $2MM pact with Minnesota last offseason, posted the best season of his career in 2017 while leading the Vikings’ offense to a No. 5 finish in offensive DVOA. The 30-year-old ranked seventh in passer rating and ninth in adjusted net yards per completion during the 2017 regular season, and finished first in Football Outsiders‘ individual DVOA metric.
The Vikings have the ninth-most cap space (about $49MM) of any NFL team in 2018, so the ~$23.3MM franchise tag would have been palatable for general manager Rick Spielman & Co. A franchise tender would have also allowed Minnesota to lock in Keenum for only a single season, alleviating any concerns that Keenum will turn back into a pumpkin during the course of a long-term deal.
A franchise tag would have come with its own risks, however, with most of those being financial in nature. Keenum isn’t likely to receive much more than $23MM guaranteed on a long-term deal, so the Vikings may not see value in handing him that figure for a single campaign.
Minnesota could still reach a multi-year pact with Keenum, but the club will also have the option of jumping into the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes when the free agent period begins next month. Hypothetically, the Vikings could pursue a quarterback via the draft, but given that they’re sitting near the end of the first round, the team likely won’t have a shot at one of this year’s top passing prospects without trading up.
Keenum, of course, isn’t the only Vikings quarterback scheduled to hit free agency, as Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater are also on expiring contracts.
Jets LB Dylan Donahue Charged With DWI
Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue has been arrested and charged with DWI and reckless driving after causing a car crash in New Jersey early this morning, according to Caitlin Mota of NJ.com.
Donahue, 25, reportedly drove around traffic cones near the Lincoln Tunnel and eventually hit a jitney bus carrying 15 people. Four of those passengers suffered minor injuries and were subsequently treated, while Donahue failed sobriety and breathalyzer tests, per Mota.
The Jets used a fifth-round pick to select Donahue — a West Georgia product — in the 2017 draft. He played 53 defensive snaps and 38 special teams snaps before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 4.
Donahue has three years remaining on his rookie contract, and is scheduled to count for more than $600K on New York’s salary cap in each of the next three seasons. The Jets would save roughly $450K if they waived Donahue this offseason.