Ravens Sign CB Trevin Wade
The Ravens have signed free agent cornerback Trevin Wade, the club announced today. In order to create roster space, Baltimore has waived/injured fellow cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz.
Baltimore’s secondary hasn’t escaped the injury bug that has afflicted the Ravens’ roster, as second-year slot corner Tavon Young will miss the 2017 season after tearing his ACL, while another sophomore defensive back, Maurice Canady, may also be sidelined after suffering a potentially serious knee injury. At present, the Ravens are expected to start Jimmy Smith and free agent addition Brandon Carr at cornerback, with rookie first-round selection Marlon Humphrey in reserve. Other defensive backs on Baltimore’s roster include Brandon Boykin, Sheldon Price, and Lardarius Webb, who can moonlight in the slot despite having converted to safety.
Wade, 28, will add to the Ravens’ secondary depth, and he offers a decent amount of experience: 47 total appearances, including 32 over the past two seasons. A former seventh-round pick of the Browns, Wade spent 2015-16 with the Giants. Last year, he started two contests and played on roughly a third of New York’s defensive snaps and another third of the club’s special teams snaps.
Shabazz, meanwhile, had just joined Baltimore’s roster in June. If he clears waivers, he’ll revert to the Ravens’ injured reserve list. At that point, the 25-year-old could either spend the year on IR, or be released with an injury settlement.
Latest On Ryan Shazier, Stephon Tuitt Talks
The Steelers will not reach an extension agreement with linebacker Ryan Shazier this summer, but could still negotiate a long-term deal with defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
That Shazier is unlikely to be extended prior to the regular season doesn’t come as a major surprise, as Pittsburgh controls the 24-year-old through the 2018 season thanks to his fifth-year option. Thus far, not a single 2014 first-round pick has agreed to a new deal, as clubs apparently don’t feel an urgency to act given that they have talented players under contract at cheap prices for at least two more seasons.
Shazier, notably, isn’t a fan of the fifth-year option, as he’ll earn only $1.716MM in 2017 and $8.718MM in 2018 before becoming an unrestricted free agent. While Shazier may not be able to match the $12.5MM annual salary recently scored by Browns linebacker Jamie Collins, he should be able to clear the $10MM threshold. Shazier, a 2016 Pro Bowler, graded as the league’s No. 31 linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus, earning excellent marks in run defense and as a pass-rusher. Health is question for the former Ohio State Buckeye, as Shazier has never played a full 16-game slate.
Unlike Shazier, Tuitt doesn’t have to worry about a fifth-year option given that he was selected in the second round of the 2014 draft. Tuitt posted four sacks a season ago while grading as PFF’s No. 20 interior defender, and will earn $1.049MM next year before hitting the open market. The going rate for non-Muhammad Wilkerson/J.J. Watt 3-4 defensive ends is around $10MM annually, and given his age (24), Tuitt could reach or surpass that mark.
Rams’ Dominique Easley Suffers Knee Injury
Rams defensive tackle Dominique Easley was carted off the field during practice today and likely suffered a “serious” knee injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). He’ll undergo an MRI tonight, tweets Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Despite being one of the more productive collegiate interior pass rushers in recent memory, Easley fell to the bottom of the first round 2014 due to a pair of knee injuries. The Florida product had seasons cut short in both 2011 and 2013 after suffering torn ACLs, so if that’s the diagnosis for Easley this time around, it would mark the third such injury for the 25-year-old.
Waived after only two seasons with the Patriots, Easley has found a home with the Rams. In 2016, Easley was exceptional, as he played 470 defensive snaps while posting 3.5 sacks and grading the league’s No. 30 interior defender among 125 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. He had been expected to play starter’s snaps during the upcoming season, especially given that he already has experience in a 3-4 scheme, which new Los Angeles defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is installing.
A potential Easley loss is even more debilitating given standout defensive lineman Aaron Donald‘s holdout. Donald, who is seeking a new contract, isn’t attending training camp, and while he may yet report before the regular season gets underway, the Rams could now be without two of their top three interior players for the majority of the preseason.
Easley, who was tendered at the original round level as a restricted free agent, is scheduled to hit the open market in 2018. If he has torn an ACL yet again, Easley’s stock as a free agent will clearly be negatively affected next spring.
Matthew Stafford, Lions Apart In Talks
While the Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford are involved in “active” discussions, a “substantial gap” exists between Stafford’s asking price and Detroit’s offer, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Although “internal optimism” exists with the Lions front office that a deal will ultimately get done, Stafford last week there is “no timetable” guiding negotiations between the two sides. That lack of a schedule could theoretically be due to the difference between Stafford’s demands and Detroit’s comfort zone, although the Lions are apparently willing to meet nearly any asking price on the part of Stafford. Team president Rod Wood said earlier this year that he’s “comfortable” making Stafford the highest-paid player in the league, which would entail agreeing to an annual salary in excess of $25MM.
Stafford, 29, is fresh off the best season of his eight-year career, as he posted a 70.5 total quarterback rating (eighth in the league) while finishing 11th in adjusted net yards per attempt. While his touchdown percentage dropped to four percent, his interception percentage also decreased from 2.2% in 2015 to 1.7% in 2016. All told, Stafford put up 4,327 yards and 27 touchdowns while completing 65.3% of his passes (although his effective completion percentage was sixth-worst among starting quarterbacks, per Cian Fahey of Pre-Snap Reads).
If the Lions fail to reach an extension with Stafford, they’ll have the option of using the franchise tag in 2018. That tender will come with a $22MM+ price tag attached, but given that Detroit currently projects to have a league-most ~$76MM in cap space next season, the cost shouldn’t present a problem.
Offseason In Review: Washington Redskins
The Redskins narrowly missed earning a second consecutive postseason appearance in 2017, as a tie with the Bengals in London ended up costing Washington another playoff berth. That frustration seemed minor compared to the upheaval that began on the first day of free agency, when the Redskins fired general manager Scot McCloughan and began a summer-long saga of unfruitful negotiations with quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Notable signings:
- Kirk Cousins, QB: One year, $23.944MM. Fully guaranteed. Signed franchise tag.
- Vernon Davis, TE: Three years, $15MM. $7.5MM guaranteed.
- Terrell McClain, DL: Four years, $21MM. $7.25MM guaranteed.
- Stacy McGee, DL: Five years, $25MM. $6.25MM guaranteed.
- D.J. Swearinger, S: Three years, $13.5MM. $6MM guaranteed.
- Terrelle Pryor, WR: One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed.
- Zach Brown, LB: One year, $2.3MM. $700K guaranteed. $2.3MM available via incentives.
- Ziggy Hood, DL: Two years, $2.7MM. $300K guaranteed.
- Chris Carter, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Brian Quick, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Chris Thompson, RB: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
- Will Compton, LB: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
Kirk Cousins has played the free agent game perfectly: assigned the franchise tag for two consecutive seasons, Cousins has now raked in nearly $44MM from 2016-17, and will earn another ~$34.48MM if the Redskins use the franchise tender again in 2018. Exerting all his leverage, Cousins rejected an offer from Washington that the team claims included $53MM in full guarantees, noting that he wanted more time to evaluate an organization that has seen considerable turnover both on the field and in the front office.
While Cousins clearly isn’t the league’s best quarterback, he’s going to be paid like it next season, either through another franchise tag, an extension with the Redskins, or a free agent deal with another club. Over the past two seasons, Cousins has completed 68.3% of his passes while averaging more than 4,500 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. That level of production will earn a quarterback a massive contract on the open market — especially given that Cousins’ former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, is now the head coach of a quarterback-needy 49ers club — and Cousins will easily clear the $27MM per year mark if he reaches unfettered free agency.
Cousins will be throwing to a new group of wideouts that includes former Brown Terrelle Pryor, whom the Redskins landed on one of the best value free agent signings of 2017. Pryor is only 28 years old, and posted 77 receptions, 1,007 yards and four touchdowns in his first season as a wide receiver. Given that he was a quarterback until 2016, many clubs seemed reticent to invest in Pryor despite his excellent statistics, but Washington took the plunge. It’s a worthwhile risk, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Redskins attempt to extend Pryor in-season if he continues his run of receiving success.
While receiver Brian Quick may not even make Washington’s final roster, veteran tight end Vernon Davis could play a key role for the club after re-signing on a three-year pact. Starting tight end Jordan Reed has had difficulty staying healthy during his four-year career (four missed games last season), and has already been placed on active/PUP with a toe issue. Davis, who looked finished in Denver two years ago, put up 44 receptions for more than 500 yards in his first season as a Redskin. While he still can’t block (bottom-10 among tight ends in the run game, per Pro Football Focus), Davis is a serviceable starter if Reed is sidelined again.
On defense, the Redskins sought to beef up a defensive line that ranked just 27th against the run, according to Football Outsiders‘ adjusted line yards metric. While Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain should do just that along Washington’s front, both signed contracts that can be escaped relatively easily. McClain, notably, is two years older than McGee, but received a larger guarantee, a larger signing bonus, and a longer contract than the former Raider. While both interior defenders will see time up front on a rotational basis, both players could see their deals effectively turn into effective one-year pacts.
At the second level, Washington made an addition that rivals its signing of Pryor in terms of value, inking linebacker Zach Brown to a one-year deal. Finally utilizing the speed and athleticism that made him a second-round pick in 2012, Brown played 91.2% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps a year ago while posting 149 tackles, four sacks, and one interception. That performance earned Brown second-team All Pro honors, but his market never developed, as interest from the Raiders, Dolphins, Colts, and incumbent Bills never materialized into a deal. Landing a linebacker of Brown’s caliber for just $2.3MM is an absolute steal.
Like Brown, safety D.J. Swearinger is a former second-round draft choice who never put it all together until 2016, when he started 12 games for Arizona and graded as the NFL’s No. 9 safety, per PFF. Swearinger, who is already drawing praise for his work in Washington, is expected to line up next to Su’a Cravens (yet another ex-second-rounder) in the Redskins’ secondary. The Redskins ranked 25th in DVOA against tight ends last season, so the club is hoping Swearinger can help cover the middle of the field.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/1/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The Jaguars announced that they’ve signed cornerback Charles Gaines and waived/injured fellow cornerback Taurean Nixon. A sixth-round draft choice in 2015, Gaines appeared in six games for the Browns during his rookie campaign, starting four contests while playing on a quarter of Cleveland’s defensive snaps. Despite seeing that level of playing time in his first NFL season, Gaines was subsequently waived, and spent time with the Bills’ practice squad in 2016. Nixon, meanwhile, came to Jacksonville via waivers last month.
- The Texans have signed wide receiver DeAndrew White and waived/injured wideout Deante’ Gray, the cub announced today. White, 25, signed with the 49ers in 2015 after going undrafted out of Alabama. He spent his rookie season solely as a return man, appearing in four games while returning six kickoffs and one punt. White spent the majority of the 2016 campaign on New England’s practice squad, but was waived by the Patriots in June. Gray, meanwhile, suffered a torn ACL last week and will miss the 2017 season.
- The Saints are signing running back Darius Victor, per his representatives at Players First Sports Agency (Twitter link). Victor, a Towson product, left the collegiate ranks early in order to enter the NFL draft but ultimately wasn’t selected. Although he played in only four games in 2016, Victor had topped 200 carries in the each the prior two years, averaging five yards per carry from 2014-15. In order to create a roster spot, New Orleans waived/injured linebacker Sae Tautu, who has a sprained MCL, per Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link).
- The Cardinals have signed defensive tackle David Moala, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Moala, 24, signed with Denver in 2016 as an undrafted free agent out of Utah State. After being cut last August, Moala — the brother of former NFL defender Fili Moala — spent the season on the workout circuit but failed to land a contract. Arizona also signed defensive tackle Peli Anau and waived cornerback Elie Bouka, the club announced.
- The Bengals have waived wide receiver Monty Madaris off the physically unable to perform list with an injury settlement, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). Madaris, an undrafted rookie out of Michigan State, signed with Cincinnati in May but had been on PUP for the duration of his stint in the Queen City.
Andrew Luck Could Start Season On PUP?
Speaking to the media earlier this week, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck didn’t commit to playing in Week 1, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has heard “rumblings” that Luck could begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would force him to miss the first six games of the 2017 season.
Luck is currently on active/PUP, the preseason version of the physically unable to perform list that doesn’t allow the player to practice. If Luck practices, even for one day, he’ll have to be removed from active/PUP and won’t be allowed to be transferred to reserve/PUP (the regular season edition that requires a six-game absence). But if Luck is held out of action for the remainder of the preseason, the Colts will have the option of using the reserve/PUP list.
Still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Luck did tell reporters on Sunday that he “can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” an indication that the 27-year-old signal-caller ultimately believes he’ll be ready for the season opener. General manager Chris Ballard, too, seems confident Luck will be removed from PUP in time for Week 1.
If Luck isn’t available when the regular season rolls around, Indianapolis will turn to backup Scott Tolzien, who has three career starts under his belt. The only other quarterbacks on the Colts’ roster are Stephen Morris and Phillip Walker, an undrafted rookie out of Temple. Indianapolis would likely be forced to add another passer if Luck isn’t active for Week 1, and free agent options include Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Shaun Hill, and Christian Ponder.
Giants Haven’t Discussed Extension For OBJ
The Giants haven’t had any recent talks regarding extensions for key players such as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., guard Justin Pugh, center Weston Richburg, or linebackers Jonathan Casillas and Devon Kennard, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.
New York reportedly isn’t prioritizing a new deal for Beckham, and that’s likely because the star wideout is under team control for at least more seasons. Thanks to the fifth-year option, the Giants have Beckham signed through 2018 at a cost south of $11MM. In 2019, Big Blue could opt to utilize the franchise tag to retain Beckham for one more year, although that tender would come with a price tag exceeding $18MM. Beckham recently indicated his desire to become the NFL’s highest-paid player, but that’s not a realistic goal in today’s quarterback-driven league.
Pugh and Richburg, however, are entering the final years of their respective rookie contracts, which makes their situations all the more pressing. The franchise tag isn’t a practical option, as the offensive line tender’s price is enhanced by tackles, meaning it’s unsuitable for interior lineman. As James Kratch of NJ.com reported last month, the Giants aren’t expected to reach an extension with Pugh, who seems intent on hitting the open market. A new pact for Pugh would need to include at least $25MM in guarantees for Pugh to take the offer “seriously,” per Raanan.
At linebacker, Kennard isn’t a full-time player, as he saw action on roughly 40% of the Giants’ snaps. As a ‘backer who comes off the field on third downs, Kennard isn’t on track for a hefty pact. Casillas is an every-down player, but he’s entering his age-30 campaign and didn’t earn positive grades from Pro Football Focus a year ago. Still, he’s a stabilizing force on New York’s defense, and Rannan suggests there are reasons for Big Blue to “extend its relationship” with Casillas.
Ravens OL Nico Siragusa Done For Season
The injury curse has struck the Ravens once again, as rookie offensive lineman Nico Siragusa will miss the 2017 season after tearing his ACL, MCL, and PCL today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Siragusa becomes the seventh key player Baltimore has lost for the season since June 1, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun indicates (Twitter links). Tight ends Crockett Gillmore and Dennis Pitta, running back Kenneth Dixon, and cornerback Tavon Young have all suffered serious injuries, tight end Darren Waller was suspended for the season, and offensive lineman John Urschel retired. This string of bad luck is beginning to cause a roster crunch for the Ravens, as injured non-vested veterans can’t be placed on injured reserve without being risked to waivers, tweets Zrebiec.
Siragusa, a San Diego State product, was selected with the 122nd overall pick in this year’s draft. Despite his rookie status, he’d been projected to start on a Ravens interior offensive line that is extremely short on talent aside from right guard Marshal Yanda. Baltimore’s remaining options at guard are nearly all as inexperienced as Siragusa, as players such as Jarell Broxton, Jarrod Pughsley, and Jermaine Eluemunor are all either rookies or second-year pros. Alex Lewis, a 2016 draft pick, currently looks like the favorite to take over at left guard.
If the Ravens decide to scan the open market for interior solutions, they’ll find a number of veterans who could offer serviceable play. Nick Mangold has been linked to Baltimore for some time, and could conceivably play either guard or center, allowing the Ravens to configure their line with flexibility in mind. Other free agent options include Austin Pasztor, Alvin Bailey, Tre’ Jackson, Khaled Holmes, and Austin Howard, the latter of whom reportedly piques Baltimore’s interest.
Jaguars Can Recoup Branden Albert Bonus
If Branden Albert stays retired, the Jaguars have the right to recoup $3.4MM in signing bonus from the left tackle, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Jacksonville absorbed Albert’s base salaries when it acquired him from the Miami earlier this year, but — as with any trade — Albert’s prorated bonus money stayed with his original club, with the Dolphins taking on $3.4MM in accelerated dead money. Despite that, Albert’s rights, and the rights to any forfeited money, transferred to the Jaguars as part of the swap with the Dolphins, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explains (Twitter link).
In sum, the Jaguars will never actually pay Albert a dime of his 2017-18 base salaries, which would have totaled $18.45MM. Instead, provided Albert stays retired, they’ll pick up $3.4MM in cash (not cap space). Plus, Jacksonville won’t even lose the 2018 seventh-round pick it sent to the Dolphins — because Albert wasn’t on the Jacksonville roster for at least three games, Miami was forced to return the draft choice, reports Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
Contract squabbles between the Jaguars and Albert are nothing new, as the veteran blindside protector held out for a new deal soon after being traded to Jacksonville. General manager Dave Caldwell & Co. refused to rework Albert’s pact (with, hypothetically, could have played a role in his retirement), and Albert eventually reported to camp.