East Notes: Amendola, Cowboys, Giants, Dez, Jonathan Allen
After playing five seasons with the Patriots, receiver Danny Amendola signed with the rival Dolphins in the 2018 offseason. The move happened, in part, because New England did not come close to matching the two-year, $12MM deal he received from Miami, the receiver told Jimmy Hascup of USA Today.
After taking pay cuts in the past to stay with the Patriots, the veteran wideout was expecting to have a chance to stay with the team. That did not happen with the notoriously stingy Bill Belichick.
“When free agency broke, I came to the realization that he wasn’t going to really come close to any of the other offers I had,” Amendola said. “I had to make a decision for my family and go down to Miami and continue my career there.”
Amendola also commented on playing for Belichick, saying, “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. He’s an (expletive) sometimes,” Amendola said. “There were a lot of things I didn’t like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn’t like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him.”
Here’s more from around the East:
- The Cowboys will be looking for a new go-to receiver after the departure of Dez Bryant. One of those candidates is Terrance Williams, who will be ready for work in June after recovering from a broken foot earlier in the offseason, ESPN’s Todd Archer writes. Though he will be ready to go, Williams is best used as a No. 2 or 3 wideout due to his inconsistency.
- Speaking of Bryant, the receiver reportedly left his meeting with Jerry Jones saying he would see the team twice next season. If he is going to join a division foe, the Giants seem like an unlikely spot, SportsNet New York’s Ralph Vacchiano writes. The team’s depth at receiver with Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shephard seems to indicate there is no room for Bryant.
- The Redskins are expected to have defensive tackle Jonathan Allen when the team resumes activities next week, NBC Sports’ JP Finlay writes. He suffered a Lisfranc injury in Week 5 of 2017 and did not play the rest of the season. A healthy Allen could helped Washington improve on its last-ranked run defense in 2017.
Draft Notes: Key, Jackson, Kirk, Price, Patriots
Former LSU defensive end and top draft prospect Arden Key has told teams that he has been sober for more than a year, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes.
This is big news from a player who has been speculated to have off-the-field concerns. Key is supposedly being up front with the teams about his issues, which included taking a leave of absence from the Tigers for four months beginning in February 2017 for personal reasons. He will not disclose the reasoning for that absence with the media — which is his right — but is reportedly laying it all out in front of teams.
Rated as one of the top prospects before the start of the 2017 season, Key is now viewed mostly as a potential late-first-round pick, but more likely to go off the board on second day of the draft.
Noted pass rush coach Chuck Smith is a big fan of Key, saying he is a threat to challenge for double-digit sacks the moment he enters the league. His honesty with teams and ability to stay sober for more than a year could put teams more at ease about taking a shot on the talented pass rusher.
Here’s more surrounding the draft:
- Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk visited with the Steelers on Friday, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Kirk has also visited with the Seahawks and Panthers, a pair of teams in need of a receiver. The Steelers seem set at the position with Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster but have not been shy about adding to a loaded receiver position in the past.
- Former Cardinals head coach and quarterback guru Bruce Arians is a big fan of Louisville product Lamar Jackson, Bob McManaman of AZ Central writes. “I think Lamar puts the time in. He’s going to get better, and he just brings that unique ability to break the game open with his legs. Because he does it. He sits in there and flips it up the field,” Arians said. “He’s been in a pro-style offense. He’s more of a scrambler with designed runs. I don’t think I’d design runs for him. I would just let him, a la Russell Wilson, take what’s there, and whoosh, take off running.” The Cardinals could have interest in Jackson at the No. 15 spot in the upcoming draft.
- In a panel piece on ESPN, a host of writers tabbed left tackle as the position the team should focus on in the first round if everything were to fall perfectly. With the team owning the 23rd and 31st picks, New England could potentially address the position by taking Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey late in the first round. The tackle is rated by many pundits as the best at the position this year.
- Ohio State center/guard Billy Price had his NFL Combine medical recheck on Friday, Darren Wolfson of KSTP 5 News reports (Twitter link). He notes the potential first-round pick is expected to receive full clearance soon.
Extra Points: Manziel, Saints, Broncos, Webster
Former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel kicked off his comeback efforts today in Texas, playing two quarters in the Spring League. NFL teams took notice, with at least eight teams sending representatives, according to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson (Twitter link).
Robinson also noted that at least 17 NFL teams have caught a glimpse of Manziel this week as he ramped up activities. Though it is a long way from the NFL, the appearance marked Manziel’s first on a professional field since December 2015.
Manziel’s overall goal, of course, is to land an NFL contract and he is reportedly willing to accept a practice squad deal with no guaranteed money to prove that he belongs in the league. If he can not catch on with a team, the Heisman Trophy winner has not ruled out a move to the CFL.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- After the trade of Aqib Talib, the Broncos could use a little depth at the cornerback spot. According to Denver 7 ABC’s Troy Renck, former Denver defensive back Kayvon Webster be interested in returning to the team (Twitter link). Renck notes the Broncos are more likely to see what their options are in the draft before bringing back Webster, who played four seasons in Denver before spending time with the Rams in 2017.
- The Lions have an opening at tight end after the departure of Eric Ebron to the Colts. The team thinks 2017 rookie Michael Roberts could fill that role, Tim Twentyman of detroitlions.com writes. Roberts only caught four passes during his first season in the league, but the fourth-round pick does offer intriguing upside. As a senior at Toledo, he hauled in a whopping 16 touchdowns.
- In February, Michigan defensive tackle and potential first-round pick Maurice Hurst was not allowed to participate in the NFL Combine after doctors discovered a heart condition. He was not later needed for a medical recheck, a common practice in the NFL, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. A recheck is only needed when further imaging or examination is deemed necessary.
Poll: What Should Giants Do At No. 2?
With the Browns likely to take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft later this month, the attention is now firmly on what the Giants will do with the very next pick.
Just a year ago, the team entered the 2017 season as one of the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LII. With the acquisition of veteran pass catcher Brandon Marshall and the core of its standout defense in tact, the team seemed destined to at least challenge for a playoff spot. That, of course, was not the case. Marshall and Odell Beckham Jr. suffered season-ending injuries, the defense was not what was expected and the team stumbled to an almost unthinkable 3-13 finish.
Down the stretch, the team even benched longtime quarterback Eli Manning to get a look at Geno Smith. That move seemed to mark the end of Manning’s time in New York, but he is now set to return for his 15th season in the Big Apple. Which puts the team in an interesting spot.
With the No. 2 pick in a draft full of quarterback prospects and a 37-year-old signal-caller at the helm, the logical move would be to snap up a Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield with the pick at let them learn behind a two-time Super Bowl winner.
But the team is hoping that last season was an aberration, and with a new general manager in the fold in Dave Gettleman, the Giants could be looking for a quick rebound in 2018. If that is the route, the team could pounce on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 2, similar to how the Cowboys took Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 in 2016, and field a formidable offense. 
With the Giants moving to a 3-4 defense in 2018, the team traded longtime defensive end and unlikely scheme fit Jason Pierre-Paul to Tampa Bay in the offseason. That seemed to signal a move toward N.C. State pass rusher and near-unanimous top defensive player in the draft Bradley Chubb being the target. Chubb himself is more suited for the 4-3, however, and might not reach his full potential in the scheme.
New York could also look to protect Manning with Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, heralded by most draft pundits as a can’t-miss prospect. If that route came to fruition, Nelson could be the target if the team decided to trade back with another quarterback-hungry team craving the No. 2 spot.
So, what do you think? Should the Giants go after one of the top quarterbacks, take arguably the top player in the draft in Barkley, add a dynamic defender in Chubb, fortify their offensive line with Nelson or stockpile assets with a trade down? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Poll: Which Team Has Been The Biggest Winner In Free Agency?
With March drawing to a close and many of the game’s top free agents already inked to deals with their new teams, it’s time to take a look at the winners of free agency so far.
Entering the period, the focus was solely on Kirk Cousins and where the former Redskins signal-caller would sign and likely become the highest-paid player in the league. He expressed interest in wanting to win and followed through with his word, selecting the Vikings over a host of other suitors that included the Jets, Broncos and Cardinals. Landing a top quarterback on the open market is a rarity, which makes Minnesota easily one of the top beneficiaries of the early free-agent period. 
The team wasn’t done there, however, and added an impact defensive tackle in Sheldon Richardson to a defensive unit that was already arguably the best in the league. Coupling Richardson with Linval Joseph in the middle of the front four will make for one of the most impenetrable run defenses in the league. Minnesota also added Trevor Siemian to back up Cousins, re-signed kicker Kai Forbath and tabbed Kendall Wright to replace Jarius Wright, who the team released shortly after free agency opened.
Adding Cousins to an offense that already includes Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook and Kyle Rudolph, and slotting Richardson into the fray on the other side of the ball left the Vikings as one of the top Super Bowl favorites in 2018.
While the Vikings swung for the fences with a pair of big moves, no team has had a more active few weeks than the Rams. Just this week, the team added five-time Pro Bowl selection and 2010 Defensive Player of the Year Ndamukong Suh to a defensive front that already featured arguably the game’s most dominant defender in Aaron Donald. Needless to say, that pairing is sure to cause plenty of chaos for opposing offensive lines.
Despite losing Sammy Watkins to the Chiefs and trading Alec Ogletree to the Giants, the team did retain safety Lamarcus Joyner by placing the franchise tag on him. It also retained center John Sullivan to maintain some continuity up front on offense.
Where the Rams were the most active was not in signing players, but trading for them. In late February, the team traded for Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters and then later dealt for Broncos star cornerback Aqib Talib. The pairing, coupled with the Suh signing, gives the Rams a defense that is just as good on paper as the team’s high-powered offense.
The Browns entered the free-agent period with tons of cap space and they didn’t wait long to get to work. In one day, the team traded for Tyrod Taylor from the Bills, dealt DeShone Kizer to the Packers for Damarious Randall and used another trade to snatch up Jarvis Landry. All those moves were accomplished with the team still holding onto a majority of their stockpiled draft assets. The move of Taylor provided the team with a more than capable quarterback who can serve as a bridge to the signal-caller the team is expected to draft with either the No. 1 or No. 4 pick in the upcoming draft.
Though the team did lose Joe Thomas to retirement and a big contributor in Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland did also secure the services of Carlos Hyde to serve as the team’s workhorse. After addressing the offense in free agency, the team is set up to pursue top defensive talent in the draft after it nabs its quarterback of the future. 
The Bears made it a point to surround 2017 first-round pick Mitch Trubisky with plenty of weapons in his second season under center. They did just that by tabbing Allen Robinson, Super Bowl-hero Trey Burton and Taylor Gabriel, giving the team a steady group of pass catchers for new head coach Matt Nagy’s dynamic offense. On defense, it retained the services of breakout cornerback Kyle Fuller, who the team had to match an offer for from the Packers.
One under-the-radar signing was the deal to bring in veteran quarterback Chase Daniel. A longtime backup in New Orleans, Kansas City and Philadelphia, the former Missouri gunslinger should help Trubisky in the film room while also serving as a capable fill-in if need be.
The Buccaneers invested heavily in their offense early in free agency, re-signing wide receiver Mike Evans and tight end Cameron Brate to long-term deals. Where they made the biggest splash, however, was the signing of center Ryan Jensen from the Ravens. After just one season at the position, Jensen signed the largest deal for a center in NFL history, a four-year deal for $42MM with $22M in guaranteed money.
Tampa Bay didn’t ignore the defense, however, bringing in the likes of Jason Pierre-Paul in a trade and signing Vinny Curry. If things fall right, the Buccaneers could even add the top defensive end in the draft in Bradley Chubb, should a run on quarterbacks happen early in the first round.
Among the other teams with notable additions include: The Texans (Tyrann Mathieu), 49ers (Richard Sherman), Raiders (Jordy Nelson), Jaguars (Andrew Norwell) and Giants (Nate Solder).
So who has had the best offseason so far? Is it a team that made a flurry of moves or one who made one notable addition? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/30/18
Today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Nelson Spruce
Lions Unlikely To Sign Ansah To Long-Term Deal?
Some teams use the franchise tag to buy some time to negotiate with their players on a long-term deal. That doesn’t appear to be the case in Detroit with Ezekiel Ansah. Appearing on PFT Live, general manager Bob Quinn alluded to taking a wait-and-see approach with the fifth-year defensive end. 
“We’re hoping he stays healthy, has a productive year and we go from there,” Quinn said.
Quinn said it is about new head coach Matt Patricia being able to get to know Ansah through the off-season program before the team makes a decision about a long-term deal. The fact that Ansah has been inconsistent early in his career — sandwiching a pair of double-digit sack seasons in 2015 and 2017 with a two-sack campaign in 2016 — also surely factors into the decision to wait.
Though he wants Patricia to become familiar with the defensive end through the offseason program, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio also writes Ansah isn’t likely to attend the offseason program with a long-term deal.
The 2015 Pro Bowl selection has until July 16 to sign his franchise tender, which will pay him an expected $17.14MM.
Vikings Inquired About Marquette King
It might not take long for punter Marquette King to find a new home after being released by the Raiders earlier today. The Vikings have reportedly already reached out to him according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). 
If it wasn’t already apparent, the Vikings are all in on going for it this season. Though punter Ryan Quigley, who is still under contract for 2018, did down 29 of his 71 punts inside the 20-yard line, the Vikings also ranked last in the league in yards per punt in 2017 (42.2). So it makes sense for Minnesota to kick the tires on one of the best in the league the last few years.
King was in the midst of a five-year, $16.5MM contract signed in March of 2016 before being released on Friday.
The sixth-year pro led the NFL in punting yards in 2014 and earned a second-team All-Pro nod two years later. Last year, King’s 47.4 yards per punt average was the sixth-highest mark in the NFL and his net average of 42.7 per try was third.
Contract Details: Gore, Osweiler, Waddle
Some details on recent free agent deals:
- Brock Osweiler, QB (Dolphins): One year, $880K ($790K base salary + $90K signing bonus). $630K guaranteed (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9 News Denver).
- Frank Gore, RB (Dolphins): One year, $1.105MM. $90K signing bonus (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- LaAdrian Waddle, OT (Patriots): One year, $1.5MM. Includes $800K base salary, $200K signing bonus, $50K workout bonus and $450K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN).
- Tom Johnson, DT (Seahawks): One year, $2.1MM. Includes $950K base salary, $900K signing bonus, $250K in per-game active roster bonuses (Link Via Brady Henderson of ESPN).
- Shamar Stephen, DT (Seahawks): One year, $2.1MM. Includes $800K base salary, $1MM signing bonus and $300K in per-game active roster bonuses (Link Via Brady Henderson of ESPN).
Trevone Boykin Arrested For Aggravated Assault
Former Seahawks quarterback Trevone Boykin was arrested and booked into the Mansfield Law Enforcement Center in Mansfield, Texas on charges of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, WFAA in Dallas reports (Twitter link). 
The charges stem from a March 21 incident during which Boykin allegedly assaulted his girlfriend Shabrika Bailey. She claims that an extremely violent incident with Boykin left her with a broken jaw and a constricted airway, resulting in a lengthy hospital stay. She also says that this was not a one-time event.
According to the police report, Mansfield Police Officers responded to a call at Parkland Hospital in Dallas about the alleged incident on March 21. The following day, detectives executed a search warrant at the location of the offense and gathered items of evidence. During the investigation, the detectives observed cameras inside the residence that may have captured the assault and removed a recording device that was connected to the cameras. After obtaining a search warrant for the contents of the camera, the detectives reviewed the footage on Wednesday which appeared to detail an assault. Boykin was arrested later that day and his bond has yet to be set.
The Seahawks released the quarterback on Tuesday after the allegations surfaced. Boykin responded to the allegations on Tuesday:
“I understand the Seahawks’ decision to release me. The story that was reported casts a bad light on the organization and on me. I want to be clear that the story is false,” Boykin said (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). “The police have taken statements from the accuser, another witness, and me. All of these statements confirm that I was not involved in the physical altercation. This woman has lied about me and it has cost my job. I know guilt by association is real. This person has fabricated a story and I am suffering the consequences. I will let the legal system run its course and I know I will be vindicated.”
This marks the third arrest for Boykin in a little over a year. On March 27, 2017, he was arrested for suspicion of public intoxication and marijuana possession. On April 6, authorities picked up Boykin on a possible parole violation.
Boykin was with the Seahawks for his entire NFL career and was slated to return for another season as Russell Wilson‘s backup. He won’t be doing that now and, if the allegations are proven to be true, it is extremely unlikely that he’ll ever play in the league again.