Chiefs Re-Sign DL Mike Pennel, FB Anthony Sherman
The defending Super Bowl champs have re-signed defensive lineman Mike Pennel to a one-year pact, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). Pennel said last month that he wanted to return to the Chiefs, and he got his wish.
Besides winning a Super Bowl with KC — and his interception-causing hit on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo was a big reason for that win — the organization also helped to revitalize Pennel’s career. Following two underwhelming seasons with the Jets, the lineman signed a two-year deal with the Patriots last offseason. However, he didn’t make it to the regular season with New England, and Pennel still found himself out of work in mid-October.
He eventually caught on with the Chiefs, and he proceeded to compile 24 tackles and one sack in eight games for the team. He also appeared in each of Kansas City’s three playoff games, starting two of them, and he earned high praise for his work against the run. Pelissero reports that Pennel had other offers — the Cowboys were said to be in on him — but he will try to recapture the magic with the Chiefs.
Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports reports that KC is also re-signing FB Anthony Sherman to a one-year deal (Twitter link). Sherman has appeared in every game for the Chiefs since he joined the club in 2013, and he earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2018. His offensive snaps have decreased dramatically since Patrick Mahomes became the starting QB, but he remains a critical part of the special teams unit.
Jarrett Stidham To Start For Patriots?
We heard earlier today that the Patriots may be gearing up for a starting quarterback competition between Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham, but Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston says that as of now, the job is Stidham’s to lose.
There is plenty of logic to that. The Patriots selected Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 draft and are said to be high on him, and most believe that New England will spend 2020 cleaning up its salary cap situation and preparing for a return to contention in 2021. That means that the club will not pursue a potentially pricey QB like the recently-released Cam Newton, and it means that Stidham will have a chance to prove that he can be the rightful heir to Tom Brady.
Curran does say that if the COVID-19 pandemic puts a damper on Stidham’s development — which it seems almost certain to do — then Hoyer could get the nod to open the 2020 season. Stidham, though, would probably step in at some point thereafter. The Auburn product threw just four passes in his rookie campaign but put together a strong two years against SEC defenses in 2017-18.
While we’re on the subject of the Patriots, let’s round up a few more notes out of Foxborough:
- The release of longtime kicker Stephen Gostkowski did not create $3.5MM of cap space, as originally reported. Because $2MM of Gostkowski’s 2020 salary was fully-guaranteed, the move actually frees up less than $1MM of space. So as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets, Gostkowski’s release wasn’t financially motivated; the team just wanted a new kicker.
- Hoyer’s contract calls for a $1.05MM salary with $2MM in playing time incentives, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Because his deal with the Colts contained offsets, Hoyer will earn at least $2MM in 2020.
- The Patriots agreed to sign veteran defensive back Cody Davis yesterday, and ESPN’s Field Yates reports that Davis will take home a $1.1MM base salary and landed a $100K signing bonus (Twitter link). He will carry a cap charge of $1.5MM.
- Fullback Dan Vitale‘s new contract is a one-year pact worth $1.3MM, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. He received a $100K signing bonus and can earn another $200K in playing time incentives.
NFL Orders Teams To Close Facilities
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo to all 32 teams tonight mandating that they close their facilities by 6pm tomorrow, March 25, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). The full memo can be found here.
Of course, many teams had already closed up shop, and others had limited personnel at their facilities. We heard earlier tonight that the league was going to look into the matter to determine if the teams that remained “open” were gaining a competitive advantage, and Goodell ultimately decided that closing headquarters was for the best.
Importantly, teams remain free to conduct all normal business operations, including signing free agents. The league will reevaluate the situation on April 8.
As we know, the decision to move forward with free agency upset some execs, and the league’s plans to hold the draft from April 23-25 as normal is also being met with resistance. Per Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini of ESPN.com, the general manager subcommittee unanimously recommended to Goodell that the draft be moved back, but Goodell has not made any changes as of yet.
The desire to reschedule the draft makes plenty of sense. After all, with teams unable to visit with prospects, give them physicals, etc., they will be unable to make fully-informed decisions when the draft rolls around. And clubs in states that have been hit hardest by the coronavirus may still be on lockdown on April 23 and therefore could not be at their facilities for the draft.
The situation remains fluid, and it would not be a surprise to see Goodell reverse course at some point. As one league source told Schefter and Russini, “I think a lot of owners aren’t sold on keeping it on schedule. Of course the power owners are calling the shots. Plus, add to the fact that April is going to be the toughest month with this virus. It’s really a poor look.”
TE Richard Rodgers Signs With Redskins
The Redskins have agreed to sign veteran tight end Richard Rodgers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). It will almost certainly be a one-year, veteran minimum pact for the 28-year-old.
Rodgers was selected by the Packers in the third round of the 2014 draft, and he was a reasonably useful part of the club’s receiving corps during his four years catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. His best season came in 2015, when he hauled in 58 passes for 510 yards and eight scores, including a memorable buzzer-beating Hail Mary in Detroit.
His post-Green Bay career has not been as kind to him. He signed with the Eagles in April 2018, but a knee injury kept him off the field until November of that year, and he ultimately recorded just one regular season catch. And though he re-upped with Philadelphia last March, his season was derailed by a knee injury. He was released off IR with an injury settlement in September and re-signed in December, but he appeared in just one game.
He will try to resurrect his career in Washington, and he stands a decent chance of doing just that. The Redskins — who pursued Greg Olsen earlier this year — have very little talent at the tight end position at the moment, and outside of Delanie Walker, the free agent cupboard is pretty bare.
Bengals To Add LB Josh Bynes
The Bengals acted quickly to replace starting linebacker Nick Vigil, who agreed to terms with the Chargers earlier today. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Cincinnati is signing free agent Josh Bynes to a one-year deal (Twitter link).
Bynes was one of a handful of veterans the Ravens added to their defense in the middle of the 2019 season, and his presence helped stabilize the unit. Though he is by no means an elite player, he is a solid ‘backer whose experience and on-field savvy will be a boost to the Bengals’ front seven.
He has started 47 games in his nine-year career, which includes an earlier stint with the Ravens from 2011-13, a three-year run with the Lions, and a two-year stay with the Cardinals. In 2019, he recorded 46 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions, and Pro Football Focus gave him high marks for his coverage and run-stopping abilities.
The Ravens had expressed interest in retaining the Auburn product, and it’s not as though Baltimore is loaded with ILBs at the moment, but Bynes saw a better opportunity with the division-rival Bengals. As it stands now, he would start alongside second-year pro Germaine Pratt.
During his first stint in Baltimore, Bynes made the final tackle of Super Bowl XLVII, which earned him a championship ring.
Jets To Sign WR Breshad Perriman
The Jets have found their replacement for Robby Anderson. After watching Anderson agree to terms with the Panthers earlier today, New York will sign Breshad Perriman to a one-year, $6MM deal, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (Twitter link).
Perriman’s contract can reach up to $8MM with incentives, which is quite a nice payday for a player who not long ago was classified as a first-round bust. The Ravens selected him with the No. 26 overall pick of the 2015 draft, but he was cut prior to the 2018 season after three years of injuries and inconsistent play.
He hooked on with the Browns shortly thereafter and played well enough to earn another contract from Cleveland last offseason. But the Browns allowed him to back out of the deal after they acquired Odell Beckham Jr., and he ultimately signed with the Bucs. Through 12 weeks in Tampa, it again looked like he was going to wash out of the league, but in the wake of injuries to star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he exploded.
From Weeks 15 to 17, the big-play threat caught 17 passes for 349 yards and four TDs and made himself an attractive free agent target. Though he doesn’t have the track record of Anderson, Perriman offers the same field-stretching skill-set. And as most of the remaining starting-caliber wide receivers came off the market today, it appears as if Perriman will have plenty of opportunities with the Jets, even if the team picks up a wideout or two in the draft.
Broncos To Sign P Sam Martin
The Broncos have agreed to sign punter Sam Martin to a three-year, $7.05MM contract, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Twitter). The deal puts him in the middle of the pack in terms of AAV, but it clearly suggests that Denver plans on having him usurp incumbent Colby Wadman.
Martin was drafted by the Lions in the fifth round of the 2013 draft and served as Detroit’s primary punter from the jump. He agreed to take a pay cut before the 2019 season got underway, but in exchange, the 2020 year of his prior contract became a voidable year, which allowed him to hit the open market this offseason.
As Troy Renck of Denver 7 notes, Martin represents an upgrade over Wadman in most relevant statistical categories for punters. In 2019, the Lions ranked 11th in the league in terms of yards per attempt (41.8), while the Broncos ranked 27th (39.4). The Lions also allowed the fourth-fewest punt return yards, and Martin offers a bigger leg that should play well in the Mile High air.
The Broncos’ punting team has been a constant source of trouble since the club cut Britton Colquitt in 2016, and Denver hopes Martin will bring an end to those woes.
Packers To Sign WR Devin Funchess
The Packers are expected to sign free agent wide receiver Devin Funchess, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Twitter). It’s a rare foray into the free agent wide receiver market for Green Bay, which hopes that Funchess’ size and physicality will be an asset to Aaron Rodgers.
The Panthers selected Funchess in the second round of the 2015 draft, but he has yet to put it all together in the pros. He enjoyed the best year of his career in 2017, compiling 63 receptions for 840 yards and eight touchdowns, but it took him 111 targets to get those 63 grabs. After a somewhat disappointing 2018 campaign, Funchess was still able to pull down a one-year, $10MM deal from the Colts last offseason.
Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich reportedly “banged the table” for the team to sign Funchess, and Reich later said the Michigan product had displayed good route-running and a solid grasp of the club’s offense throughout spring workouts. Unfortunately, Funchess broke his collarbone in Week 1 of the 2019 campaign, and he never got healthy enough to return to the field.
Funchess still has plenty of talent, and perhaps Rodgers will be the key to unlock his potential. Although the Packers have a number of big-bodied wideouts, none of them have Funchess’ upside. He will join a WR corps that includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Kumerow in support of the elite Davante Adams.
NFL Hopes To Start 2020 Season On Time
As of now, the NFL remains hopeful that the 2020 regular season will start on time, as Mark Maske of the Washington Post writes. But the COVID-19 pandemic — which has already had a major impact on the draft, free agency, and offseason activities — could delay the start of training camp, and an adjustment to the regular season still looms as a real possibility.
In addition to the obvious health concerns, there are also competitiveness issues to consider when it comes to training camp. If the league tries to proceed as normal and a player tests positive for coronavirus — thereby forcing that player’s team to cease operations — the team is suddenly at a major competitive disadvantage. Similarly, Maske reports that the NFL will soon look into how many teams have closed their facilities and how many have not to determine if significant fairness concerns already exist.
One way or another, it seems as if offseason programs, including minicamps and OTAs, will be canceled entirely. As one league owner told Maske, “I would be shocked if we had any kind of offseason program at team facilities.” The same owner also said it is too soon to tell what the league will do with respect to training camp.
As Maske observes, any change to the regular season may require a corresponding shift to the Super Bowl, which would be a Herculean task. Executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Rob Higgins, told Maske that there has been no discussion of contingency plans at this time.
Earlier today, we heard that the NFL is moving forward in negotiating new TV deals.
Patriots Re-Sign Shilique Calhoun
The Patriots have agreed to re-sign DE/LB Shilique Calhoun, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Calhoun appeared in 15 games (one start) for the defending AFC East champs in 2019.
New England has seen three LBs depart via free agency this offseason, and while the club will surely add reinforcements, Calhoun could be in line for a bigger role in 2020. He appeared in just over a quarter of the Pats’ defensive snaps last year and recorded 16 total pressures, though he was unable to covert any of those pressures into a sack.
He did establish himself as a core special teamer and will continue to see plenty of burn in that role regardless of what happens on the defensive side of the ball. And that still represents an upgrade over the disastrous start to his career with the Raiders.
Oakland selected Calhoun in the third round of the 2016 draft, but he never started a game in his three years in the Silver-and-Black. In fact, he was waived during final cutdowns in September 2017, went unclaimed, and was subsequently re-signed to the Raiders’ practice squad.