Checking In On 2017 Restricted Free Agents
The deadline for NFL restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with rival clubs passed on Friday, so RFAs no longer have the option of landing with another club (except via trade). So far, thee RFAs have inked offer sheets, and Bills running back Mike Gillislee is still in limbo as he waits to hear if Buffalo will match the Patriots’ proposal.
Other high-profile restricted free agent cases exist, as well. The Saints held a public dalliance with Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, but declined to sign him to an offer sheet that would have forced them to sacrifice the No. 11 pick. A trade between the two teams is still possible, however, but may need to be completed before the draft begins on Thursday.
Browns running back Isaiah Crowell, meanwhile, reportedly drew interest during the RFA period, but never landed an offer sheet as any club would have had to give up a second-round pick to sign him away. Crowell is now staying away from Cleveland’s offseason workouts, though his end game is unclear.
In total, more than 40 restricted free agents have been tendered this offseason, and nine have yet to sign their RFA tender. Let’s take a look at where things stand with each restricted free agent:
Under Contract
Signed to offer sheet:
- Garry Gilliam, T: Signed one-year, $2.2MM offer sheet with 49ers. Seahawks declined to match.
- Mike Gillislee, RB: Signed two-year, $6.4MM offer sheet with Patriots. Bills have until Monday to match.
- Ryan Groy, OL: Signed two-year, $5MM offer sheet with Rams. Matched by Bills.
First-round tender ($3.91MM):
- Malcolm Butler, CB (Patriots)
Second-round tender ($2.746MM):
- Trey Burton, TE (Eagles)
- Todd Davis, LB (Broncos)
- Taylor Gabriel, WR (Falcons)
- Wesley Johnson, C (Jets)
- Andrew Norwell, G (Panthers)
- Chris Thompson, RB (Redskins)
- Marcus Williams, CB (Jets)
Original round / right of first refusal tender ($1.797MM):
- Denico Autry, DE (Raiders)
- Marcus Burley, CB (Browns)
- Ross Cockrell, CB (Steelers)
- Cameron Fleming, T (Patriots)
- Ryan Griffin, QB (Buccaneers)
- Chris Hubbard, T (Steelers)
- Ryan Jensen, OL (Ravens)
- Cornelius Lucas, T (Lions)
- Cairo Santos, K (Chiefs)
- Michael Thomas, S (Dolphins)
- Korey Toomer, LB (Chargers)
- Ethan Westbrooks, DE (Rams)
- Kerry Wynn, DE (Giants)
Tendered, then extended:
- Kiko Alonso, LB (Dolphins): Tendered at first-round level before signing three-year deal.
- T.J. Johnson, OL (Bengals): Tendered at original round level before signing two-year deal
- Daniel Sorensen, S (Chiefs): Tendered at second-round level before signing four-year deal.
- Adam Thielen, WR (Vikings): Tendered at second-round level before signing three-year deal
Tendered, then signed lesser deal:
- Michael Campanaro, WR (Ravens)
- James Hurst, T (Ravens)
In addition to those players listed above, there is a small group of restricted free agents who haven’t yet signed their tenders (plus two who had their tenders withdrawn). The players below don’t have the option of leaving for another club, so odds are that they’ll all eventually ink their tenders. If they don’t do so by June 15, however, their respective teams can reduce their salaries to 110% of their 2016 pay.
Unsigned
Second-round tender ($2.746MM):
- Isaiah Crowell, RB (Browns)
- Dontrelle Inman, WR (Chargers)
- Brandon McManus, K (Broncos)
Original round / right of first refusal tender ($1.797MM):
- William Compton, LB (Redskins)
- Dominique Easley, DT (Rams)
- Jacquies Smith, DE (Buccaneers)
- Terrance West, RB (Ravens)
- Damien Williams, RB (Dolphins)
- Albert Wilson, WR (Chiefs)
Tendered, then withdrawn:
- Marqueston Huff, S (Ravens)
- Jumal Rolle, CB (Ravens)
Titans, Bills Hoping To Trade Down In Draft
The Titans and Bills are among the teams currently holding picks in the top 10 of next week’s draft who are inquiring on possible trades down the board, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who also confirms Peter King of TheMMQB.com‘s recent report indicating the Jets and 49ers are eager to trade back, as well.
Tennessee, of course, traded the first overall selection to the Rams in 2016, acquiring a bevy of draft picks in the process. Depending on how far back the Titans are aiming to drop this year, the resulting compensation package may not be as lucrative, as Cole reported earlier today that top draft picks aren’t worth as much in 2017 due to the lack of “overwhelming” prospects available at the outset of Round 1. The Titans own the fifth overall selection at present, and also holds the No. 18 pick.
Buffalo, meanwhile, is thought to be considering a quarterback at No. 10, and could theoretically look to trade down if the signal-caller it wants is not available when its turn come around, as Josh Norris of Rotoworld speculates (Twitter link). Bills general manager Doug Whaley is reportedly “in love” with Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, but the club’s highest-graded QB may be UNC’s Mitch Trubisky.
The Browns stand out as one obvious team who may be willing to trade up, specifically with the Titans, and in fact have already been linked to such a trade. If Cleveland doesn’t select Trubisky with the No. 1 pick, it could move up with the intention of jumping — among other teams — the Bills, especially if Browns owner Jimmy Haslam continues to press for a quarterback.
Browns RB Isaiah Crowell Not Attending Workouts
Although the deadline has passed for restricted free agents to ink offer sheets with rival clubs, Browns running back Isaiah Crowell has yet to sign his second-round RFA tender and is not attending Browns workouts, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Crowell is one of three restricted free agents tendered at the second-round level who hasn’t yet signed his tender, a list that also includes Broncos kicker Brandon McManus and Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman. If and when Crowell does ink the tender, he’ll be scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed $2.746MM base salary for the 2017 season. While Crowell did reportedly draw interest as an RFA earlier this year, it was always unlikely another team would sacrifice a second-round pick in order to add a running back with limited results at the NFL level.
That doesn’t mean Crowell can’t be traded at some point, but he’d need to officially sign his tender before that can happen. The Browns have expressed interest in collegiate backs such as Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, and Joe Mixon throughout the predraft process, so it’s possible Cleveland could use the No. 12 or No. 33 pick on a runner while dealing Crowell away. In addition to Crowell, other backs on the Browns’ roster include Duke Johnson, George Atkinson, and Darius Jackson.
Draft Rumors: Kelly, Peterman, Jones, Chiefs
In addition to the Bills, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly has also met with the Seahawks and Chiefs, as Kelly told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). In addition, Kelly said he’s had phone calls with several other clubs. Kelly, the nephew of Bills legend Jim Kelly, is considered a Day 3 prospect thanks a multitude of injury concerns and off-field issues. After recovering quickly from a ACL tear, Kelly underwent wrist surgery in early April and won’t be able to throw for three months. Both Seattle and Kansas City are potentially looking for developmental quarterbacks to play behind Russell Wilson and Alex Smith, respectively.
Here’s more on the 2017 NFL draft:
- Both the Chargers and Cardinals have hosted Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman on visits, as Peterman himself explained on Pro Football Talk Live. Peterman, who is likely to be selected on Day 2 of the draft, is viewed as a high-floor signal-caller in the vein of an Andy Dalton. Los Angeles and Arizona each employ veteran quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer and could be looking to find long-term successors under center. The Chargers, notably, have been more open about their desire to land a youthful passer in 2017, and are reportedly putting in “ample work” on the 2017 class.
- North Carolina State safety Josh Jones embarked on a “last minute” visit with the Raiders earlier this week, tweets Josh Norris of Rotoworld. Oakland already used a first-round pick on defensive back Karl Joseph in 2016, but Jones could be an eventual replacement for 33-year-old Reggie Nelson. Jones is considered a Round 2 prospect, but he’s been hosted by a significant number of NFL clubs during the predraft process, and there’s a chance he could sneak into Day 1. In 2016, Jones put up 109 tackles, three interceptions, and one sack.
- A Redskins contingent traveled to Alabama on Friday to meet with Crimson Tide edge defender Ryan Anderson, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson, who managed 8.5 sacks in 2016, has also met with Houston, Carolina, and Arizona. Likely a Day 2 prospect, Anderson was compared to San Francisco’s Ahmad Brooks by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith are penciled as Washington’s starting outside linebackers (Trent Murphy is suspended for the first four games of 2017).
- Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham took late predraft visits with the Jaguars and Broncos, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cunningham, a projected Day 2 pick, has also been linked to the Giants and Saints. Earlier this year, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Cunningham “needs to gain strength” and “make more tackles.”
Jaguars Considering Quarterback At No. 4?
The Jaguars have largely coalesced around quarterback Blake Bortles this offseason, as general manager Dave Caldwell said Bortles can win a Super Bowl, while new executive VP Tom Coughlin indicated Bortles will be Jacksonville’s signal-caller in 2017. But there’s a chance — however small — that those proclamations are part of a smoke screen, as one rumor circulating in league circles has the Jaguars selecting a quarterback with the fourth overall pick, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The possibility of taking a quarterback makes some sense for Jacksonville on a number of levels. For one, Bortles regressed mightily in 2016, taking a step back from his relatively successful sophomore campaign. Bortles, 25, finished 26th in quarterback rating, 27th in adjusted yards per attempt, and 26th in DVOA while tossing at least 16 interceptions for the third consecutive season. As such, Caldwell told reporters Friday the Jaguars have yet to make a decision on Bortles’ 2018 fifth-year option. Jacksonville has until May 3 to exercise or decline the option.
Additionally, there aren’t a ton of great prospect fits for the Jaguars at No. 4. Having already spent a good deal of money on free agents along the defensive line and in the secondary, Jacksonville doesn’t necessarily need an impact player on the defensive side of the ball. No offensive lineman is thought to be worth a top-five selection, leaving running back or tight end as possible options for the Jaguars’ first-round pick. Neither would fit a strategy of position-based drafting, whereas a quarterback clearly would.
The Jaguars have only had a few quarterbacks in for visits, as they’ve met with Clemson‘s Deshaun Watson and Pittsburgh‘s Nathan Peterman. However, Caldwell and the rest of the Jacksonville staff proved in 2014 they could keep a secret, as the team’s intention to select Bortles was never divulged prior to the draft.
Cole’s Latest: Panthers, Rivera, Watson, King
If the Panthers don’t earn a postseason berth in 2017, head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman could be on the hot seat, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Carolina, of course, finished the 2016 campaign with a 6-10 record after losing only regular season game and securing a Super Bowl appearance the year prior. Both Rivera and Gettleman are now facing extra pressure, says Cole, which would be one reason the Panthers handed defensive tackle Kawann Short an extension earlier this week, as the club may have wanted to ensure Short was present for offseason activities.
Here’s more from around the league, all courtesy of Cole:
- Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson displayed a “CEO presence” in predraft meetings with NFL team, and his intangibles are highly impressive to personnel executives, reports Cole (video link), who adds Watson is considered the best leader among the top QB prospects. Listed at 6’2″, 220 pounds, Watson’s size does have some scouts concerned, as they aren’t sure he’ll be able to withstand the pounding of an NFL campaign. For what it’s worth, I sent Watson to Kansas City in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
- Some NFL decision-makers believe Washington cornerback Kevin King is the most overrated player in the 2017 draft, per Cole (video link). King is an impressive physical specimen, especially for a defensive back, as he stands at 6’3″ and 200 pounds. But evaluators don’t believe King’s performance on the field matches his stature. While King has been creeping into the first round of mock drafts — specifically as a possible Seahawks target — one scout said he grades King as no better than a seventh-round choice.
- As Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported earlier this week, the 49ers and Jets are among the clubs most eager to trade down at the top of the draft, but any such deals could come with a relatively cheap price attached, according to Cole (video link). Outside of Texas A&M edge defender Myles Garrett, the draft doesn’t contain multiple “overwhelming” players, per Cole, while the supply of clubs looking to trade down doesn’t equal the demand of teams hoping to move up.
- One prospect that could lead to draft-day discussions is Stanford pass rusher Solomon Thomas, whom most NFL clubs consider the “clear” No. 2 player in this year’s class, reports Cole (video link). If the cost of trading up does remain low, several teams might consider moving up the board in order to land Thomas, as such a maneuver would be viewed as an “extraordinary bargain.”
Giants Monitoring Adrian Peterson, LeGarrette Blount
The Giants are among the clubs keeping an eye on free agent running backs Adrian Peterson and LeGarrette Blount, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Specifically, New York is waiting to see if either Peterson or Blount’s contract demands decrease before the draft.
Peterson has been linked to the Giants before, as head coach Ben McAdoo said “never say never” in response to a possible Peterson inquiry (previous reports had indicated Peterson was not a fit for Big Blue). Having visited the Seahawks, Patriots, and Saints, Peterson is still without a contract and is thought to be waiting until after the draft to find a new team. The 32-year-old reportedly looked “explosive” during a workout in New England, and may be willing to accept $5MM or less to play in the “right situation.”
Blount, meanwhile, hasn’t generated anything close to the market that has Peterson, as the only team that’s even remotely shown interest in Blount is Seattle. Although he reportedly had an offer on the table to return to New England, the Patriots’ dalliance with Bills restricted free agent back Mike Gillislee may change the status of that proposal. If Buffalo doesn’t match New England’s offer sheet to Gillislee and he heads to the Patriots, Blount likely will have lost his chance to re-sign with the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Giants did make one change to their running back corps this offseason, swapping out veteran Rashad Jennings for ex-49er Shaun Draughn, who signed a one-year deal. New York also boasts Paul Perkins, Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, and George Winn in the backfield.
Rams Claim OL Tre’ Jackson Off Waivers
The Rams have claimed guard Tre’ Jackson off waivers from the Patriots, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Los Angeles can use reinforcements all along the front five after finishing as a bottom-five unit in both pass protection and run-blocking, per Football Outsiders. Veteran Rodger Saffold is projected to start at left guard, while Rob Havenstein is moving from right tackle to right guard, paving the way for former No. 2 overall pick to take over at tackle. Jackson, then, will likely start his Rams career as a depth option on the interior.
Jackson, 24, was a fourth-round pick in 2015, and played a significant amount of snaps during his rookie campaign as he started nine games for New England. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson was roughly average in 2015, grading as the NFL’s No. 47 guard. Knee injuries knocked Jackson out at the end of that season, however, and forced him to spend the entire 2016 campaign on the PUP list.
The Rams will now assume the two remaining years on Jackson’s rookie contract. They’ll take on Jackson’s base salaries of $615K and $705K over the next two respective seasons, leaving the Patriots with only Jackson’s accelerated bonus money (roughly $260K) as dead cap space.
Chargers Putting In “Due Diligence” On Mitch Trubisky
The Chargers are doing “due diligence” on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com.
The drum beat signalling a possible Los Angeles quarterback draft pick has gotten louder in recent weeks, as both franchise owner Dean Spanos and head coach Anthony Lynn have expressed their willingness to bring in a young signal-caller behind Philip Rivers. The Chargers are reportedly “serious” about finding a successor to Rivers, and have been linked to DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame), Davis Webb (California), and Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee) thus far.
Overall, the Chargers are putting in “ample work” on the 2017 quarterback class, but it’s unclear if the team will use the seventh overall pick on a passer. Los Angeles has other needs on its roster, and if, for example, a safety such as Ohio State’s Malik Hooker or LSU’s Jamal Adams is still on the board, the Chargers may be hard-pressed to pass up an immediate contributor in favor of a long-term prospect.
Los Angeles is far from the only team with interest in Trubisky, as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report indicated earlier today the Browns could trade up from No. 12 to No. 5 or No. 6 in order to land the UNC quarterback. In that scenario, Cleveland would not only be moving ahead of the Bills, who reportedly are intrigued by Trubisky, but in front of the Chargers at No. 7.
Browns Considering Trade Up For Mitch Trubisky?
The Browns may be mulling a trade up from pick No. 12 in order to select quarterback Mitch Trubisky, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter links). The Titans at No. 5 and the Jets at No. 6 could be potential trade partners as Cleveland seeks to jump ahead of the Bills at No. 10.
Speaking to the media earlier today, Browns general manager Sashi Brown indicated he isn’t totally averse to the idea of trading up, but noted he isn’t interested in converting multiple picks into a single selection on a regular basis. “Open to it,” said Brown. “Positioned to do it. Don’t want to make a habit of it.” Peter King of TheMMQB.com recently speculated Cleveland could move up — perhaps as high as No. 2 — in order to acquire a quarterback after selecting Myles Garrett first overall.
Multiple reports have linked Trubisky to the Browns, and the club was reportedly considering him with the No. 1 pick at one point. But even if Cleveland goes with Garrett with the draft’s first pick, the club has enough ammunition to move back up in the first round. In addition to No. 12, the Browns own picks No. 33 and No. 52 in the second round and No. 65 in the third round. In 2018, they have two extra second-rounders, an extra fourth-rounder, and an extra sixth-rounder.
Tennessee, sitting at pick No. 5, doesn’t need a quarterback, and is in an excellent position to trade back if it so chooses. Notably, the Titans traded the first overall pick in 2016, sending the top selection, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick to the Rams in exchange for a first-rounder, two second-rounders, a third-rounder, a 2017 first-rounder, and a 2017 third-rounder. New York, meanwhile, could use a signal-caller, but may prefer to amass draft capital as they begin a rebuilding process.