Raiders Still In Play For Odell Beckham; OBJ Prefers Seahawks?
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will be available to be claimed on waivers tomorrow. By Tuesday at 4pm ET, we will know whether a team has claimed him or if he will be a free agent.
Because a claiming team would be on the hook for $7.25MM — a sum that most clubs can’t fit onto their books at this point in the season — multiple execs tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that OBJ will likely go unclaimed. And if that happens, Schefter confirms that Beckham wants to sign with a contender.
If a non-contender should claim the enigmatic wideout — the 1-6 Jaguars and 2-6 Washington Football Team are two outfits that currently possess the cap space to add Beckham without dropping or restructuring another player — Schefter hears that there will be “issues.” He does not specify what those issues might be, but it presumably means OBJ would consider sitting out (though since he is now eligible for free agency after the season, it would seem that Beckham would want to produce as much good tape as possible and to prove that he is not a distraction, regardless of who he plays for).
Interestingly, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has heard that Beckham prefers the Seahawks of the three teams — the Saints, 49ers, and Seahawks — that have been definitively linked to him. The 3-5 ‘Hawks have the worst record of those clubs, but they also have easily the best QB situation once Russell Wilson returns to the field. Obviously, any team that acquires Beckham would have exclusive negotiating rights with him until free agency opens in March, so perhaps he views Seattle as the best long-term fit despite the current sub-.500 record.
Florio says that the Raiders are also still in play. After parting ways with Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas has been connected to Beckham but reportedly prefers DeSean Jackson, who is already a free agent and whose abilities as a speed merchant may be a better replacement for Ruggs’ skill-set.
However, according to Florio, the Raiders are waiting to see what happens with Beckham before deciding how to proceed with Jackson. That suggests that Vegas is preparing to either submit a waiver claim — the club would need to create cap room to do so — or to make a push to sign Beckham if he clears waivers. The 5-2 Raiders are in first place in the AFC West and have a good QB in Derek Carr, so they would seem to meet Beckham’s criteria.
Latest On Giants RB Saquon Barkley
Giants running back Saquon Barkley will miss today’s matchup with the Raiders, the fourth straight game he will be forced to sit out after sustaining an ankle sprain in New York’s Week 5 loss to the Cowboys. The day after that game, head coach Joe Judge indicated that Barkley had avoided a serious injury and was considered week-to-week, but the fact that he has yet to return to the field suggests that his recovery has not gone particularly smoothly.
Indeed, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says he heard several weeks ago that Barkley’s ankle was not healing as quickly as hoped (Twitter link). On Friday, Judge declined to say whether his RB1 had suffered a setback, and Barkley himself has not spoken to the media in about a month. The Giants are on a bye next week, so Barkley’s next chance to return to the field will be in Week 11 against the Bucs.
After a stellar rookie campaign that helped to justify GM Dave Gettleman‘s decision to make Barkley the No. 2 overall pick of the 2018 draft, things have not gone all that well for the Penn State product. An injury to his other ankle forced Barkley to miss three games in 2019, and though he still produced at a fairly high level that year, he admitted that the ailment nagged him for most of the season. Then, in 2020, ACL and MCL tears ended his season after just two games.
Despite all that, New York elected to exercise Barkley’s fifth-year option for 2022, so he will get one more chance to post a fully healthy year and to return to his 2018 form prior to becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency. In four-plus games in 2021, the 24-year-old has shown some flashes but has posted a mediocre 3.6 YPC average on 54 carries. He has caught 14 balls for 130 yards and has scored three total TDs.
In brighter news for Big Blue, WR Kenny Golladay is expected to play against the Raiders today. Golladay, the Giants’ top free agent acquisition this offseason, suffered a hyperextended knee in the same game that Barkley sustained his injury. As Raanan tweets, the knee has held up well in recent practices, and Golladay is set to return after a three-game absence.
Ravens, Dolphins Discussed Xavien Howard Trade
Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard‘s dissatisfaction with his contract led to his requesting a trade this summer, and although player and team were able to work out a revised pact to keep Howard placated, Miami’s 1-7 record in 2021 made him an obvious trade candidate in advance of last week’s deadline. And as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, the Ravens made a push to add Howard in an effort to bolster their secondary.
Baltimore is sitting at 5-2 and clinging to first place in the AFC North, but the club has dealt with myriad injuries to star players and other key contributors. Per Rapoport, GM Eric DeCosta was actively trying to trade for proven talent at multiple positions of need, and Howard was the most notable target. The Ravens lost playmaking CB Marcus Peters for the year just before the regular season started, and Howard — who has twice the led the league in interceptions — would have made for an excellent replacement.
Pro Football Focus has assigned Howard a below-average 56.2 coverage grade this season, a steep drop-off from his 89.6 mark one year ago. Still, having him line up across from Marlon Humphrey was doubtlessly a tantalizing proposition for DeCosta, and with Howard, Humphrey, and Peters all under club control through at least 2022, the Ravens would have been loaded at CB next season. It would have also made it easier to allow Anthony Averett, who has replaced Peters in the starting lineup, to depart in free agency.
Of course, the Dolphins were not going to let Howard go for nothing, and Rapoport says that the ‘Fins were likely looking for a first-rounder and more for their star defender. DeCosta may have been willing to pony up that type of capital, but only if Miami absorbed at least some of Howard’s remaining $13.785MM salary for 2021.
In the end, the good faith negotiations between the two clubs did not produce a deal, and the Ravens — who did not swing a trade with any team, despite DeCosta’s best efforts — will attempt to secure a playoff berth with the talent already on the roster.
Texans Unlikely To Trade WR Brandin Cooks
Houston wide receiver Brandin Cooks is no stranger to trade rumors, having been dealt three times in his career. The 1-6 Texans are obvious trade deadline sellers, and Cooks — a high-end talent who is only under club control through the 2022 season — has naturally drawn interest from other clubs.
Those clubs may have been buoyed in their pursuit by the fact that Cooks took to Twitter to voice his displeasure when Houston traded good friend Mark Ingram earlier this week. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the Texans are unlikely to trade Cooks. Rookie GM Nick Caserio reportedly sees Cooks as a foundational talent that he can build around, and it sounds as if he would demand a hefty return if he were to trade his WR1.
Cooks’ $12.5MM base salary for 2022 is reasonable for a player of his caliber, which explains both why Caserio wants to keep him around and why he is piquing the interest of contending teams hoping to acquire him. Despite catching passes from struggling rookie Davis Mills for most of the year, Cooks has tallied 45 receptions for 502 yards and a score.
Of course, most of the trade chatter surrounding the Texans has been focused upon QB Deshaun Watson, but we learned earlier today that Watson is not expected to be dealt prior to Tuesday’s deadline. However, LB Zach Cunningham is on the trading block, and other veterans like QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Phillip Lindsay, LB Christian Kirksey, and CB Desmond King could also be on the move.
Speaking of King, the former First-Team All-Pro was scratched from today’s game against the Rams for disciplinary reasons, as Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790 tweets. King reportedly had an unexcused absence from a team activity, and like Cooks, he may be unhappy with the current state of the Texans. Unlike Cooks, he might get a chance to suit up for a contender this year.
Browns Likely To Be Quiet At Trade Deadline
The Browns, currently sitting at 4-3 and in third place in the AFC North, are not expected to swing a major deal in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot does not anticipate the club acquiring a high-profile talent or trading one away.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham became the subject of trade speculation even before his first season in Cleveland was over, and those rumors have continued to crop up ever since. The Browns have done their best to quash all such rumblings, and Beckham will likely stay put at least through the end of the 2021 campaign. After all, he is dealing with a painful sprain in his right shoulder, and he is still owed $9MM over the rest of the season, so even if Cleveland were interesting in making a trade, there are obvious hurdles.
Plus, the Browns have every reason to keep Beckham around. Although he and QB Baker Mayfield have yet to develop a consistent rapport, OBJ continues to get open and remains an elite talent, so it would be surprising to see a Cleveland outfit that has postseason aspirations make that type of trade.
The same logic applies to tight ends David Njoku and Austin Hooper. Neither player has offered much production in 2021 — aside from a monster Week 5 game for Njoku that accounted for over half of his 2021 receiving yards and his only touchdown — but the hope is that the passing game will improve as the season goes on, just as it did last year. Njoku is playing on an expiring contract and requested a trade on several occasions last summer, but his most recent comments on the matter suggested that he would like to remain in Cleveland, and Cabot expects both him and Hooper to still be Browns once the deadline has passed.
Speaking of Mayfield, Cabot says the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft will likely require offseason surgery on his injured shoulder. His injury has complicated extension talks, and now, if an extension is reached, it probably won’t happen until after the season. Mayfield is under club control through 2022 via the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which the Browns exercised earlier this year.
In related news, Cleveland does have starting RT Jack Conklin back in action for today’s critical matchup with the Steelers. Conklin had missed the prior two games with a knee injury.
Eagles DT Fletcher Cox Drawing Trade Interest
Teams have called the Eagles to inquire about the possibility of trading for DT Fletcher Cox, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Those clubs are attempting to acquire Cox for a mid- to late-round selection, but Rapoport says GM Howie Roseman would require a “high” pick to pull the trigger.
Philadelphia selected Cox, who will turn 31 in December, with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2012 draft. He is well-established as a franchise icon, having earned six consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2015-20, one First Team All-Pro selection (2018), and, of course, a Super Bowl ring. The club furnished him with a six-year, $103MM contract in 2016, but his best days seem to be behind him.
Cox is mired in something of a down year, and he has publicly complained about the scheme that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is running. With the 2-5 Eagles unlikely to make a postseason run in 2021, it stands to reason that Roseman would at least entertain calls from contenders looking to fill a hole on the interior of their defensive lines.
However, the Eagles did restructure Cox’s contract earlier this year, which could make him virtually untradeable. Although the restructure bought Philadelphia a fair amount of cap relief this season, it pushed a great deal of guaranteed money into future seasons, and a trade would leave a considerable dead cap charge on the Eagles’ books. And if Roseman is going to absorb that type of hit, he is only going to do it for a Day 2 selection, which other clubs might view as a prohibitive cost in light of Cox’s disappointing 2021 effort.
The Eagles might also consider trading DE Derek Barnett, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com tweets. Barnett, a 2017 first-rounder, has yet to record a sack in 2021, but teams are always in search of edge help, and as Barnett is eligible for free agency this offseason, Roseman may be willing to swing a deal.
Jaguars Owner Shad Khan “All In” On Urban Meyer
There are rumors that Urban Meyer could be a one-and-done head coach, if he even makes it to the end of his first season with the Jaguars. But Jacksonville owner Shad Khan — who publicly condemned his HC’s behavior after the team flight/bar room debacle a few weeks ago — has not lost faith in Meyer.
A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that Khan is “all in” on Meyer, and Khan himself has disputed the rumors of turmoil within his club’s locker room. Earlier this month, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reiterated his previous reports that Meyer has struggled to earn his players’ trust and respect, and he added that Meyer’s inability to make appropriate halftime adjustments, along with his overworking his team in practice, has led to second-half collapses in games.
La Canfora is not the only one who has detailed Meyer’s issues in adjusting to his first NFL gig. Khan, however, says perception does not match reality.
When speaking about the Jags’ gritty Week 6 victory over the Dolphins in London — a victory that snapped a 20-game losing streak — Khan said, “I couldn’t ask for anything more from the players. The cohesiveness and the strength to pull it out. This is where the impression from the outside is very different from the inside. … I mean, there are a lot of times and I’m not just talking about football, in business situations, what you read is so different from what the reality is and this was one of those cases. I wasn’t surprised, I believe in us.”
Khan went on to say that he “absolutely” has faith in Meyer. Of course, the Jaguars are still just 1-5 after their London victory, and it could take a few more wins and continued development from rookie QB Trevor Lawrence to convince Khan to keep Meyer around for 2022. For now, though, it seems the owner has moved past Meyer’s earlier transgressions and is committed to giving him every chance to succeed.
Jacksonville will try to make it two wins in a row when they take on the Seahawks in Seattle this afternoon.
Texans Unlikely To Trade Deshaun Watson Before Deadline?
Despite reports that the Dolphins and Texans have agreed to compensation in a prospective Deshaun Watson trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says that, as of this morning, there is not much hope of a deal being completed prior to Tuesday’s deadline. Josina Anderson of CBS Sports HQ had reported earlier in the week that Houston was not feeling any pressure to swing a trade by the deadline and was content to wait until the offseason (video link).
Although Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants to see his team land Watson, he is said to want more clarity on the passer’s legal situation before green-lighting a trade. And, as Watson’s legal situation is rife with uncertainty at this point, Ross might not be comfortable in authorizing a deal that likely includes three first-round draft picks.
Schefter’s report also casts doubt on whether Miami and Houston are actually in agreement on the trade package. The ESPN scribe suggests that, in addition to all of the legal concerns, there are still lingering “compensation issues” that would need to be hammered out before a trade can be finalized. Indeed, GM Nick Casersio is unwilling to trade Watson for anything less than what he perceives to be maximum value. On the other hand, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the Dolphins and Texans were close to a deal a few days ago, and that a trade was not consummated only because the ‘Fins want Watson to settle his legal matters first (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald on Twitter).
Of course, Watson theoretically could settle the civil suits that 22 women have filed against him, but he can’t control whether criminal charges are filed. Glazer’s report, though, lends credence to the notion that a deal will not be consummated within the next two days.
Meanwhile, Texans owner Cal McNair wants to put the matter behind him and would like to see Watson traded by Tuesday. But Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says McNair has given Caserio full authority to handle the situation however he sees fit, and if that means retaining Watson through the deadline, then so be it.
We also have an interesting nugget to pass along with respect to the Panthers’ involvement in this process. Schefter confirms that Watson did not waive his no-trade clause for Carolina — or for any team other than Miami — which is at least one reason why the the Panthers are not pursuing Watson in advance of the deadline (though other reporters have said an offseason deal could still happen if Watson remains with the Texans). However, there was speculation that a deal that would send Watson to Carolina would see star RB Christian McCaffrey heading back to Houston as part of the return.
Joe Person of The Athletic says McCaffrey was never part of the trade talks (Twitter link), and Schefter adds that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule actually called McCaffrey on Friday night to tell him as much.
Latest On Eagles’ OL Andre Dillard
A report back in August indicated that Eagles OT Andre Dillard was generating trade interest, and as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports, teams are still calling Philadelphia about Dillard in advance of the November 2 deadline. With left tackle talent at a premium, other clubs in need of a boost to their offensive line are trying to pry the 2019 first-rounder from GM Howie Roseman.
Of course, the Eagles drafted Dillard with the hopes that he would become the team’s answer at LT. But after an up-and-down rookie campaign, the Washington State product missed all of 2020 with a biceps injury and has seen 2018 seventh-rounder Jordan Mailata take over as Philadelphia’s blindside blocker (while pulling down a four-year, $64MM extension in the process).
The good news is that Dillard, who started the season on the bench, filled in nicely for Mailata when the latter went down with an MCL sprain in a practice in late September. In fact, Dillard’s performance was good enough to convince the Eagles’ coaching staff to keep him at left tackle and to shift Mailata to the right side of the line when RT starter Lane Johnson was forced to miss time to attend to his mental health.
In four starts this season, Dillard has earned a strong 78.0 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, and his overall grade of 69.5 positions him as the 27th-best tackle out of 79 qualified players. He was especially stout in the Eagles’ Week 5 victory over the Panthers, though he struggled against the Bucs’ talented pass rush last week.
Despite Dillard’s mini-resurgence, the contract situations of Mailata and Johnson — who is signed through 2025 — suggest that he is probably not in Philadelphia’s long-term plans. Which means that a trade is certainly plausible, and Rapoport believes a “quality” Day 2 selection could be enough to get a deal done.
Dillard, 26, is under contract through at least 2022, and the Eagles or any acquiring team could theoretically keep him under club control through 2023 if his fifth-year option is exercised next spring.
Deshaun Watson Would Not Be Placed On Exempt List If Traded
Multiple teams are still interested in trading for Texans QB Deshaun Watson, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports (video link). Critically, Rapoport says Watson would not be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list if he were to be dealt.
Of course, Watson has no interest in playing for the Texans, and the Texans have no interest in trying to force their best trade asset to suit up. So he has effectively been on paid leave all season, but we have heard all along that if another club were to trade for the three-time Pro Bowler, the league could step in and park him on the exempt list until his legal situation is resolved, thereby making a trade difficult to consummate.
Rapoport, citing the provision of the NFL’s personal conduct policy that states that a player can be placed on the exempt list if he has been charged with a felony or violent crime, says Watson — who has not been criminally charged at this point — should be eligible to play for any team that acquires him. And, RapSheet hears that a deal is expected to be completed prior to the November 2 deadline.
A recent report indicated that the Panthers and Eagles were no longer involved in the Watson sweepstakes and that the Dolphins were the only team left standing. However, Rapoport says the Dolphins are not alone in their pursuit, and that in addition to Carolina, Philadelphia, and the Broncos, there are other clubs sniffing around.
That report could have been leaked by the Texans in an effort to get Miami to increase its offer. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that no team has been as motivated as the Dolphins to get a deal done, and Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the Texans have told another club that they have to beat Miami’s offer (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald on Twitter). Plus, it’s unclear if Watson will waive his no-trade clause for any team other than the Dolphins.
In addition to Watson, there are other Texans players that could be on the move in the next week or so. La Canfora hears that LT Laremy Tunsil could have been a trade candidate if he had not suffered a serious thumb injury earlier this month, and other players that GM Nick Caserio might seek to trade include QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Phillip Lindsay, LB Christian Kirksey, and CB Desmond King.