Falcons Extend RB Devonta Freeman
The Falcons and running back Devonta Freeman have reached agreement on a five-year extension, the club announced today. The deal, which will keep Freeman in Atlanta through the 2022 campaign, is reportedly worth $41.25MM, which makes Freeman the league’s second-highest-paid running back in the NFL, behind only the franchise-tagged Le’Veon Bell. Freeman will earn $22MM in guarantees — a total which includes a $15MM signing bonus — and $26MM over the first three years of the pact.
Negotiations between Freeman and Atlanta had seemingly been enveloped by cooperation on both sides, as the only comment from either party that was even mildly rancorous — Freeman’s notion that he’d be seeking “elite money” — had since been walked back. Freeman had indicated that he wouldn’t request a trade, wouldn’t hold out, and was willing to wait until next spring for talks to resume, while general manager Thomas Dimitroff suggested a Freeman extension was an important item on the Falcons’ itinerary.
Given that Bell is something of an outlier as he plays out the 2017 season on the franchise tender, Freeman is now the NFL’s top-paid back currently working on a multi-year deal. His $8.125MM annual salary slots him just ahead of Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who is earning $8.01MM per annum, and the Buccaneers’ Doug Martin, who is at $7.15MM per season. Freeman had been scheduled to earn just $1.797MM in base salary for the upcoming year.
Freeman, 25, has earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the past two seasons, and averaged 1,068 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns during that span. He’s also been highly effective in the passing game, where he averaged 64 receptions and 520 yards from 2015-16. He’ll return in 2017 along with most of a Falcons offense that ranked first in DVOA a season ago, with the only real change coming at coordinator, where Steve Sarkisian is replacing Kyle Shanahan.
Mike Silver of NFL.com first reported the extension and its basic terms (Twitter links). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) followed with more contractual details. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
South Notes: Falcons, Saints, Colts, Titans
The Falcons don’t intend to waive recently suspended cornerback Jalen Collins in the very near future, but it appears the club is still assessing its options, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “The disappointment for having a second, repeat offense is stronger,” head coach Dan Quinn said Monday. “This just came through yesterday. Some trust has been broken. We’ll take all the time that we need to make the best decision for the team.” Atlanta now has the secondary depth to withstand a Collins release, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who identifies C.J. Goodwin and Deji Olatoye as valuable reserve pieces. Collins is suspended through late November, so the Falcons don’t have to make a decision on his status for some time.
Let’s check in on the latest from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Chase Daniel will almost assuredly serve as the Saints‘ backup quarterback during the upcoming season, meaning the battle for New Orleans’ third signal-caller job will come down to Garrett Grayson and Ryan Nassib, as Nick Underhill of the Advocate details. Grayson, a third-round pick just two years ago, currently has the upper hand, per Underhill, as Nassib — a free agent addition who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Giants — is considered a “long shot” to earn a roster spot. Of course, the Saints could opt to keep only two quarterbacks, at which the team would likely attempt to sneak Grayson onto their practice squad.
- Colts wide receiver Chester Rogers has changed representation, hiring Rosenhaus Sports to replace Warren and Simpson, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. As a former undrafted free agent, Rogers is eligible to renegotiate his contract after only two seasons (in his case, following the 2017 season). Thus far, Rogers hasn’t done enough to earn an extension, as he managed only 19 receptions for 273 yards during his rookie campaign. However, the 23-year-old Rogers has been working as the Colts’ No. 3 receiver during training camp, ahead of Kamar Aiken and Phillip Dorsett, reports Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
- If the stress fracture in his right foot continues to act up, Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe could begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would force him to miss the first six games of the year, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com writes. Sharpe, a fifth-round selection in 2016, reportedly has a tenuous grasp on a roster spot, but placing him on PUP could give Tennessee more time to make a decision on his fate. Currently being sued after an alleged assault, Sharpe is countersuing his accuser.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/17
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived/injured: TE Keith Towbridge
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Alton Howard
- Waived: K Andy Phillips
Houston Texans
- Waived: TE Zach Conque
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Maurice Swain
- Waived: LB Reshard Cliett
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Mike Estes, WR Cameron Posey
- Waived/injured: TE Asante Cleveland
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived/injured: WR Bradley Marquez
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: DE Arthur Miley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Jake McGee
- Waived/injured: TE Scott Orndoff
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: T Darrell Brown
- Waived: S Jordan Simone
Washington Redskins
- Signed: S Tim Scott
- Waived: S Josh Evans, S Earl Wolff
- Waived from IR: DB Lou Young
NFC West Rumors: Hawks, Lacy, 49ers, Cards
Speaking to the media today, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said today that rookie defensive tackle Malik McDowell is going to be sidelined “quite a while” after suffering injuries in an ATV accident last week, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Initial reports indicated McDowell could be in danger of missing the 2017 campaign, and Carroll confirmed “it might be a lot to ask” McDowell to play during the upcoming season, tweets Dave Mahler of 950 KJR. Seattle has already placed McDowell on the non-football injury list, meaning he isn’t currently counting against the club’s roster count.
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- While he could still return in time for the start of the regular season, 49ers guard Joshua Garnett will be hard-pressed to do so as he’s expected to miss one month after suffering a knee injury over the weekend, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reported Saturday, veterans Brandon Fusco and Zane Beadles are now working as San Francisco’s starting guards. Garnett, the 49ers’ first-round pick in 2016, started 11 games during his rookie season, but graded near the bottom of Pro Football Focus‘ guard rankings.
- For the third time this year, Seahawks running back Eddie Lacy has met a weight requirement that will net him $55K, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Lacy earned $55K in May for weighing in below 255 pounds, while his two most recent thresholds were 250 pounds. Signed to a one-year deal in March, Lacy’s contract has a base value of $4.25MM, which includes $385K in weight bonuses. An additional $1.3MM is available via incentives.
- Cardinals offensive tackle Jared Veldheer took a personal day away from the club last month to contemplate retirement after chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was found in 99 percent of deceased NFL players’ brains that were donated to scientific research, as Bob McManaman and Andrew Vailliencourt of the Arizona Republic write. “It wasn’t really like, ‘Oh my gosh! This is scary.’ I wasn’t going to … It was more complicated than that,” Veldheer said. “Everyone kind of would like to know more about (CTE) just because that kind of stuff has only been brought up in the last five years or so really and there’s just a lot of stuff they need to do research-wise.” Veldheer, 30, will shift to right tackle in 2017 in order to allow former first-round selection D.J. Humphries to take over on the blindside.
Brandon Flowers To Retire
Veteran cornerback Brandon Flowers will formally announce his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, according to Steve Wyche of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Flowers, 31, is currently a free agent and had drawn interest since being released by the Chargers earlier this year. He met with the Cardinals last month, but Arizona chose another experienced defensive back — former Brown Tramon Williams — over Flowers. Additionally, the Steelers and Patriots both put in calls to Flowers and his representation, but neither team ever set up a (known) visit.
Originally selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2008 draft, Flowers became an instant starter for Kansas City, teaming with fellow 2008 draftee Brandon Carr to give the Chiefs one of the league’s more underrated corner duos. Flowers started 87 games for Kansas City over the course of six years, posting 17 interceptions during that time. A scheme change in 2013 led to a down season for Flowers, and he was subsequently released.
Flowers stayed in the AFC West, inking a one-year deal with the division rival Chargers. After an excellent San Diego debut in 2014, Flowers signed a new four-year, $36MM pact to stay with the Chargers. Injuries began to take their toll the following season, however, as Flowers missed five games in 2015 before concussions limited him to six contests in 2016. The Chargers cut ties this spring, and Flowers had sat on the open market since.
While he may have never been a household name, Flowers was an outstanding defensive back for nearly a decade. From 2008-15, Flowers was the NFL’s 21st most valuable cornerback in terms of weighted approximate value, Pro Football Reference’s catch-call metric. PFR extends Flowers all the best in retirement and congratulates him on a superb career.
Branden Albert To Un-Retire, Report To Jags
Offensive tackle Branden Albert has informed the Jaguars he will reverse his decision to retire and instead report to camp, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, there are many “moving parts,” and Albert is not yet officially a member of Jacksonville’s roster, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s unclear if the Jaguars are interested in welcoming Albert back to the club, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Albert, 32, originally announced his retirement a week ago today, a decision that leave Jacksonville with something of a void at left tackle. Second-round rookie Cam Robinson had been set to protect quarterback Blake Bortles‘ blindside, but he now figures to shift back to left guard, with Albert taking over tackle once again. Overall, it’s a marked improvement for a Jaguars offensive line that will be essential to the club’s success in 2016.
Jacksonville acquired Albert from the Dolphins in exchange for a 2018 seventh-round pick earlier this year, and the veteran offensive lineman requested a new contract almost immediately upon becoming a Jaguar. General manager Dave Caldwell & Co. refused to rework Albert’s pact, and could have sought to recoup $3.4MM in signing bonus money had Albert stayed retired. While entirely speculative, its possible the idea of losing those funds led Albert to report to camp.
Albert, who met with the Jaguars over the weekend (Twitter link via Garafolo), will enter his 10th NFL campaign if his decision to return sticks. Miami will also see a small benefit from Albert’s resolution, as the club should acquire that aforementioned 2018 draft choice if Albert says on Jacksonville’s roster for at least three games.
At present, Albert is scheduled to earn non-guaranteed base salaries of $8.9MM in 2017 and $9.6MM in 2018.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Cutler, Jets, Bills
If Jay Cutler didn’t return to the NFL in order to sign with the Dolphins, Miami would have considered Robert Griffin III and Christian Ponder, reports Peter King of TheMMQB.com. Of course, RG3 and Ponder were far from the only options on the table for the Dolphins, as Colin Kaepernick, Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton, Brock Osweiler, Blaine Gabbert, and Teddy Bridgewater were all at least discussed internally. Griffin has been linked to the Seahawks, Chargers, and Ravens this offseason, while Seattle was also interested in Ponder at one point. At least one league executive believes the Dolphins had better options available under center, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
Here’s more from Miami and the rest of the AFC East:
- Cutler will essentially earn $10MM in guaranteed money under the terms of his Dolphins contract, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). As previously reported, Cutler will take home a $5MM base salary and a $5MM roster bonus, but that bonus is due this August 9 (this Wednesday). Additionally, Cutler can earn another $3MM in incentives: $1MM if he plays 75% of Miami’s offensive snaps and the club is in the top-10 in touchdowns; $1MM if he plays 75% of snaps and the Dolphins earn a postseason berth; and another $1MM if he plays 75% of snaps and Miami wins a playoff game.
- “No concerns” were raised about Cutler’s shoulder in his pre-signing physical, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). For what it’s worth, Cutler says he was cleared in March. Meanwhile, Dolphins head coach Adam Gase says the Dolphins have a “plan” for how they’ll manage Cutler’s preseason repetitions. “We’re going to have to be smart with that because I’m sure (Cutler) wasn’t out in the backyard throwing 100 balls a day,” Gase said, per Pelissero (Twitter link).
- While the Jets won the rights to wide receiver Bruce Ellington last week, the Bills, Texans, and Chiefs all put in waiver claims for the former 49ers draft choice, tweets Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday. Ellington, of course, didn’t last long in New York, as the Jets waived him with an injury designation just one day after acquiring him. That means any of the other clubs that attempted claims on Ellington should have an another opportunity to acquire him, either through the waiver process or after New York potentially cuts Ellington from injured reserve.
- Free agent running back Stephen Houston worked out for the Jets last week, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Houston, originally an undrafted free agent out of Indiana, has never played in a NFL game despite bouncing between several rosters since entering the league in 2014. Most recently, Houston spent time on Baltimore’s practice squad, but was waived by the Ravens in May. The Jets, who already boast Matt Forte, Bilal Powell, Brandon Wilds, and others at running back, also auditioned Shaquille Cooper last week.
Bears OL Eric Kush Done For Season
Bears offensive lineman Eric Kush suffered a torn hamstring and will undergo season-ending surgery, head coach John Fox announced today. Chicago has officially placed Kush on injured reserve and signed offensive lineman Brandon Greene.
Kush, 27, wasn’t going to crack an excellent Bears interior offensive line that includes Kyle Long, Cody Whitehair, and Josh Sitton, but he was set to serve as Chicago’s top reserve on the inside. In 2016, Kush appeared in eight games (four starts), playing on roughly a quarter of the club’s offensive snaps while earning solid pass-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus. He re-signed with the Bears over the offseason, agreeing to a two-year, $2.7MM deal that included $1.35MM in guarantees.
With Kush sidelined, Chicago is deploying Whitehair as a backup guard while inserting Hroniss Grasu as the starting center, tweets Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. While that’s a temporary alignment while Long recovers from injury, it’s probably how the Bears would line up if another injury strikes along the interior. Other Chicago linemen with guard experience include Tom Compton, Cyril Richardson, and Taylor Boggs.
Greene is a rookie undrafted free agent out of Alabama who spent his collegiate time playing both offense and defense. Although he’s played offensive line in the past, Greene was a tight end only in 2016.
Colts Sign Olympic Sprinter Marvin Bracy
The Colts have signed wide receiver/Olympic sprinter Marvin Bracy, the club announced today. In a related move, Indianapolis has waived/injured wideout Harvey Binford.
Bracy, 23, was a 100-meter Olympian at the Rio Games and is a former United States 60-meter dash champion. He spent a year on the Florida State football team as a redshirt before leaving the program to focus on track. As such, Bracy hasn’t played football since 2012, although he was an All-American in high school.
At 5’9″, Bracy doesn’t offer elite size, but he’s considered a “great raw talent” as a wideout, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report reported earlier this year. Bracy tried out for the Panthers at their rookie minicamp in May, while the Saints were also interested in the former Seminole.
The Colts current have a dozen wide receivers on their roster, a group that includes T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, Kamar Aiken, Chester Rogers, Phillip Dorsett, Quan Bray, and others.
Steelers Expect Martavis Bryant Clearance
The Steelers expect wide receiver Martavis Bryant to be fully cleared for return at some point this week, a source tells Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link).
Bryant, who was suspended for the entirety of the 2017 campaign following repeated violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, was conditionally reinstated in by the league in April. The NFL decreed that Bryant would need to arrange “clinical resources” in Pittsburgh before suiting up for preseason practices or games, so it’s likely those machinations are holding up Bryant’s return to the field.
“Upon his conditional reinstatement in April, Martavis Bryant was made aware it was only the beginning of a process toward a return to being a full contributing member of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” general manager Kevin Colbert said last month. “We have been informed by the NFL that Martavis is still in the process of being fully reinstated. Until that time, Martavis will be permitted to take part in off-the-field team activities at training camp, but he will not be permitted to practice or play in any games.”
Bryant, of course, is one of the more dynamic pass-catchers in the NFL when on the field. In 21 career games (eight starts), Bryant has totaled 76 receptions for 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns.