NFL Investigation Does Not Substantiate Hue Jackson’s Claims That Browns Incentivized Tanking
The investigation into former Browns head coach Hue Jackson‘s allegations that Cleveland incentivized tanking during Jackson’s time as HC has concluded. In a statement released by the league, it was announced that the investigation — which was conducted by former U.S. Attorney and SEC Chair Mary Jo White, along with a team of lawyers from the Debevoise law firm — could not substantiate any of Jackson’s claims.
According to the statement, the investigation saw full cooperation from the Browns, including owner Jimmy Haslam and current and former members of the organization. Jackson himself originally agreed to meet with investigators but ultimately declined to do so.
Jackson, who has also claimed that the Browns set him up for failure by pitting him against an analytics-driven front office, accused the team of paying bonus money to him, current GM Andrew Berry, current chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, and former executive VP Sashi Brown to tank during the 2016-17 seasons.
“We were paid for it,” Jackson said in February. “You’re going to see it as losing, but the way the team was built there was no chance to win at a high level. My record that year [2016] was 1-15. There was a four-year plan that was crafted, and I have documentation that any coach would cringe if he saw it, because it talked things that had nothing to do with winning. Aggregate rankings, being the youngest team, having so many draft picks — none of those things lead to winning.”
After 2016’s 1-15 campaign that Jackson referenced, the Browns finished 0-16 the following year and started the 2018 season 2-5-1 before Jackson was fired. Under interim HC Gregg Williams, Cleveland finished 2018 on a 5-3 run, which the team was quick to point out when Jackson first levied his accusations.
So while Haslam is still dealing with the PR backlash of the Deshaun Watson acquisition and the uncertainty that continues to swirl around that matter, he has at least avoided the type of fallout that would have ensued had the league substantiated Jackson’s allegations.
Jackson, meanwhile, was recently hired to be Grambling State’s head coach.
Seahawks Were High On QB Sam Howell
New Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, whom Washington selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft, had a lot of supporters in the Seahawks organization, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (subscription required). Seattle, which of course traded franchise icon Russell Wilson to the Broncos earlier this offseason, was connected to collegiate QBs throughout the predraft process, but the team decided against drafting a signal-caller.
Part of the reason for that is the Seahawks’ opinion of Drew Lock and Geno Smith. Head coach Pete Carroll has consistently praised Lock since acquiring him in the Wilson deal, and Smith flashed when filling in for an injured Wilson for a few games in 2021. Plus, as Fowler adds, the team wanted to improve the overall depth of its roster since it had only three selections in the 2021 draft.
The ‘Hawks are particularly high on fourth-round cornerback Coby Bryant, whom they believe only fell to the middle rounds because of injury concerns, and second-round running back Kenneth Walker III, who will pair with Rashaad Penny to create a potentially formidable 1-2 punch in the offensive backfield. Plus, since a quarterback like Howell would almost certainly be behind Lock and Smith on the 2022 depth chart, Seattle felt its draft resources would be better-utilized on immediate contributors like Bryant and Walker instead of a QB3. If the team is still in need of a signal-caller next year, the 2023 draft offers more intriguing quarterback talent than the 2022 draft did.
That is not to say, of course, that another QB addition is off the table. Although Carroll said he does not believe the Seahawks will trade for a passer (like well-documented trade candidates Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo), injuries could always change that stance. And if Mayfield and/or Garoppolo should be released by their current clubs and become free agents, Seattle could be interested at that point.
The team is also rostering Jacob Eason and rookie UDFA Levi Lewis at the moment.
Colts Open To Veteran QB Addition
The Colts will be deploying Matt Ryan, who will turn 37 in two days, under center in 2022 (and perhaps for several years beyond that). But as Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star writes, the club remains open to adding a veteran passer.
At the Colts’ rookie minicamp on Friday, head coach Frank Reich was asked specifically about the possibility of signing Nick Foles, who was released by the Bears at the end of April. “We’re always looking at who makes this team better, at every position,” Reich said. “Who are the available veterans? Who can we still sign? [GM] Chris [Ballard] is very methodical about that process. We’re not in a rush. There is a timing to the way things go, and the way the roster is put together, that is very intentional.”
Of course, Reich was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2017 when Foles, filling in for an injured Carson Wentz, led Philadelphia on a magical run to its first Lombardi Trophy. Foles and Reich have a strong relationship, and Foles recently said, “I learned more with [Reich] and that staff in that season in 2017 than I ever have.”
Foles’ subsequent stints with the Jaguars and Bears were eminently forgettable, but he would certainly represent a qualified backup for Ryan. And that could be critical for a team that saw firsthand in 2021 how an inexperienced QB2 can negatively impact a season.
In a close game against the Rams in Week 2 of the 2021 campaign, Jacob Eason replaced (coincidentally) Wentz, who had suffered two sprained ankles. Eason, a 2020 fourth-rounder who was seeing his first regular season action, promptly threw a crippling interception and finished the game 2-for-5 for 40 yards and the pick. He was waived a month later.
Indianapolis is high on 2021 sixth-rounder Sam Ehlinger, and it would not be surprising to see him as Ryan’s clipboard holder come Week 1. However, he has not thrown a regular season pass in the NFL, and the same can be said for James Morgan and rookie UDFA Jack Coan, who round out the current QB depth chart.
As such, Foles could be an attractive option. Aside from him, the pickings on the free agent quarterback market are pretty slim, with Cam Newton at the top of a list that also includes Ryan Fitzpatrick — who is 39 and who suffered a season-ending hip injury in the first game of the 2021 season — Mike Glennon, and A.J. McCarron.
Latest On Lawsuits Against Browns QB Deshaun Watson
Two of the 22 women who have filed suit against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson have amended their claims to include counts of negligence and gross negligence, as Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today reported last month. In addition to creating more grounds for financial recovery, those claims allow the plaintiffs to propound more discovery, and the gross negligence claim carries with it the possibility of punitive damages.
As Schrotenboer noted in a separate piece, almost all of the lawsuits already included counts of civil assault and infliction of emotional distress, and other suits could be amended to include the negligence-based claims as well. Essentially, those claims allege that Watson “knew of his sexual proclivities in massage settings” but did not take steps to prevent those proclivities from manifesting or to warn the plaintiffs of them.
David Ring, a Los Angeles-based attorney who has represented sexual assault victims and whom Schrotenboer consulted for his article, acknowledges that the new claims represent something of a reach (“how does a person negligently have a massage?” Ring wondered). Nonetheless, they have already helped the plaintiffs achieve an important discovery-related victory. The parties were battling over whether Watson should be compelled to list all women that gave him massages since 2019, and the court ruled that he must do just that, as such a list could be relevant to proving Watson’s alleged proclivities.
Shortly after the suits were filed against Watson, the quarterback’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, publicly released a list of 18 other therapists who had sessions with Watson but who had no issues with him. The plaintiffs, though, want to know more about those sessions, along with sessions Watson might have scheduled with women aside from the 18 therapists and 22 plaintiffs. If Watson had sexual relations with them, that could bolster the argument that he routinely scheduled massage sessions with sexual intentions, and it will make the plaintiffs’ claims more believable.
So even if the legal theory behind the amended suits is shaky, the plaintiffs might still be backing Watson into a corner, as Ring and South Texas College of Law Houston professor Kenneth Williams believe. Although plenty of harm has already been done to Watson’s reputation, he was still able to land a historic contract from Cleveland and can begin taking steps towards redemption if he settles these cases quickly and avoids further revelations of (at best) embarrassing and (at worst) predatory behavior.
Per Adam Ferrise of Cleveland.com, the trial of this matter is unlikely to take place before August 1, and the parties have agreed that no trial will be scheduled between August 1 and March 1, 2023, so as to avoid conflict with the football season. As such, if the cases ultimately proceed to trial, there will be no resolution until sometime next year.
Saints To Pursue Tyrann Mathieu
The Saints did not select a safety during the 2022 draft, and as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, they are expected to make an “aggressive push” to sign free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu. The club met with Mathieu — a New Orleans native and former LSU Tiger — in early April but elected to wait until after the draft to explore a contract in earnest.
New Orleans has already added Marcus Maye and Daniel Sorensen in free agency, but given Sorensen’s coverage limitations and Maye’s season-ending Achilles tear in 2021, there is still room for a player of Mathieu’s caliber. That is especially true in light of Marcus Williams‘ free agent defection to Baltimore and Malcolm Jenkins‘ retirement.
Mathieu, who will turn 30 later this month, has suited up for the Cardinals, Texans, and Chiefs in his NFL career. Each of his three years in Kansas City ended with Pro Bowl or First Team All-Pro honors, and he racked up 213 tackles, 13 interceptions, 27 passes defensed, and two defensive TDs during that time. He was instrumental to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV outfit and their 2021 AFC Championship.
Despite those contributions, the Chiefs decided against offering him a contract this offseason. That decision and Mathieu’s extended stay on the open market qualify as something of a surprise, though we do not know what type of money he is seeking. It’s also possible that he is not being valued as highly as his raw totals would suggest; in the 2020-21 campaigns, Pro Football Focus graded him as an average to slightly-above average defender, and an ever-increasing reliance on advanced metrics could be suppressing his market.
Nonetheless, his pedigree in terms of traditional statistical achievements, not to mention his positional versatility and leadership qualities, would seem to make him a valuable addition to any number of clubs. In addition to the Saints, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News believes the 49ers — who also came out of the draft without filling their safety need — could be in play (Twitter link). The Rams and Steelers were also said to be interested, though Pittsburgh’s recent safety additions would seem to foreclose the possibility of a Mathieu signing.
The Eagles may also loom as a potential landing spot. Mathieu met with Philadelphia shortly after his visit with the Saints.
Taylor Heinicke To Remain Commanders’ Backup QB
The Commanders did a great deal of homework on this year’s top collegiate quarterbacks, and they came away from those evaluations most intrigued by UNC passer Sam Howell, as Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post writes. Washington ultimately selected Howell with the first pick of the fifth round of the 2022 draft, making him the sixth signal-caller to hear his name called.
Though his draft-day slide was doubtlessly disappointing, the Commanders certainly present an intriguing opportunity for Howell. The club acquired Carson Wentz from the Colts in March, and while Wentz will serve as the starting quarterback in 2022, he can be released after the season with no dead money ramifications. Current QB2 Taylor Heinicke, meanwhile, will be out of contract at the end of the upcoming campaign.
As Jhabvala notes, head coach Ron Rivera was clear during his postdraft press conference that Heinicke would remain the backup. So Howell will have the chance to develop as the No. 3 signal-caller, and both he and Rivera appear excited by that prospect.
“To have Sam fall to us was something we had to jump on,” Rivera said. “We had a very good grade on him — he was, at that point, the highest guy left on our board. … We feel this was a home run for us.”
Howell said, “I’ve had a good amount of communication with [the Commanders], but I just kind of knew all along. I kind of had a couple teams that I was interested in. Just after that combine interview and talking to Coach Rivera, I knew this was a place I definitely wanted to be.”
Howell’s trademark deep ball should mesh well with OC Scott Turner‘s Air Coryell-based offense, and if he makes the necessary strides in 2022, he will enter 2023 with a real chance to at least serve as Washington’s backup QB, and perhaps a shot to compete for the starting gig.
Heinicke, who wound up starting 15 games for Washington in 2021 after a Week 1 injury to Ryan Fitzpatrick, completed 65% of his passes last season. However, he also threw for 20 TDs against 15 interceptions, a ratio that leaves much to be desired. He is certainly a competent backup if nothing else, and while he will serve as Wentz’s clipboard holder in 2022, his future with the Commanders was complicated by the Howell selection.
Steelers Sign S Damontae Kazee
The Steelers have signed free agent safety Damontae Kazee to a one-year deal, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). After re-signing Karl Joseph in March and reuniting with Terrell Edmunds at the end of April, it would seem that Pittsburgh’s safety contingent, led by two-time First Team All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, is largely set.
Kazee brings plenty of starting experience to the table, with 49 starts in 69 regular season appearances. After four seasons with the Falcons, who made him a fifth-round draft choice in 2017, Kazee signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys last offseason. The San Diego State product appeared in nearly 80% of Dallas’ defensive snaps in 2021, recording 52 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions.
Pro Football Focus assigned him a middling overall grade of 60.9, but given his experience and playmaking upside — 12 career picks, including a league-best seven in 2018 — he can be a useful part of the Steelers’ DB rotation. He also offers some positional versatility, as he is capable of playing corner as well as safety.
Kazee, who will turn 29 in June, also visited with the Seahawks in April. Given that Seattle’s safety depth chart is topped by Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, Kazee perhaps saw a better opportunity in Pittsburgh, despite the presence of Fitzpatrick.
The Steelers had been linked to free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu, but the transactions the club has made at the safety position in recent weeks suggest that Mathieu will be looking elsewhere for his next home. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, may be exploring a monster extension for Fitzpatrick, who is entering the final year of his contract.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert Officially Steps Down
We learned in January that longtime Steelers GM Kevin Colbert would be stepping down at the conclusion of the 2022 draft. The draft wrapped up yesterday, and Colbert is indeed following through on his plan to leave his post at the top of Pittsburgh’s front office.
In his final postdraft press conference, Colbert, 65, struggled to contain his emotions. “I’m proud to say we added to that [trophy] room,” he said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “It was four trophies. There was four when we got here. And you knew the task. You think about DMR [the late Dan Rooney] and being able to add to that room means a ton. It doesn’t mean it’s over. The next step, I mean we gotta get more than, and we’ll never lose that. But it means a lot.”
The four trophies that Colbert referenced grew to six under his watch. The Pittsburgh native, who became the Steelers’ director of football operations in 2000 before assuming the general manager title in 2010, oversaw two Super Bowl titles with two different coaches, along with a third Super Bowl appearance. In all of that time, the Steelers only had one losing season, which came way back in 2003 (one year before quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was drafted).
Colbert had repeatedly stated that he would remain in his role as long as Roethlisberger was under center, and with Roethlisberger officially hanging up the cleats at the end of the 2021 season, the Steelers are moving into a very different era. One of Colbert’s parting gifts, though, is University of Pittsburgh passer Kenny Pickett, the only quarterback selected in the first round of this year’s draft and Roethlisberger’s heir apparent. The hope is that, even with Colbert no longer operating as GM, Pickett will help carry on his legacy and keep the Steelers entrenched as one of the most successful franchises in the league.
Per a separate tweet from PFT, Colbert is expected to remain with the club in a reduced capacity. He indicated at his press conference that he did not want to be a hindrance to his successor, but his presence will certainly make for an easier transition. The club has undertaken an exhaustive interview process for Colbert’s replacement, with 16 reported interviews as of the time of this writing. The list of candidates includes former GMs Jerry Reese, Rick Spielman, and Doug Whaley, as well as top in-house option Omar Khan, the current vice president of football and business administration.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/1/22
We will keep track of all of today’s minor moves here:
Tennessee Titans
- Released: QB Kevin Hogan. After the Titans selected Liberty QB Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 draft, the writing was on the wall for Hogan, who has not thrown a regular season pass since 2017. In addition to Willis and presumptive starter Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee is also rostering Logan Woodside, whom the club re-signed in March.
Eagles Sign UDFA QBs Carson Strong, EJ Perry
The Eagles will go into the 2022 season with Jalen Hurts under center, and perhaps Hurts will prove, in his second full season as the starting quarterback, that he is the club’s long-term answer at the position. But Philadelphia has added two intriguing UDFA passers to the QB room just the same.
Per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus, the Eagles are not only signing former Nevada quarterback Carson Strong, they are furnishing him with a massive (for a UDFA, anyway) $320K guarantee (Twitter link). GM Howie Roseman doubled down on undrafted signal-callers, signing former Boston College and Brown QB EJ Perry as well.
Strong, who elected to forego his senior season and enter the 2022 draft — possibly motivated by a weak collegiate class of quarterbacks — was not among the draft’s 262 selections. That is despite a tremendous run for the Wolfpack that saw him complete over 70% of his passes in the 2020 and 2021 seasons and earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors in both years. During that time, he threw for 63 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions, and his combination of arm strength and touch has been praised by scouts.
The concern with Strong is his medical chart. As Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports writes, Strong suffers from osteochondritis dissecans, a knee condition that includes cartilage problems. Strong has had multiple surgeries on the knee, so that will need to be monitored throughout his professional career, and it is expected to limit his mobility in a big way.
Still, from a pure talent perspective, the Eagles will have a great deal to work with as they attempt to develop Strong. The 6-4, 226-pounder is currently projected to compete with Reid Sinnett for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, but he could be bumped up the pecking order if he shows promise and if Philadelphia elects to trade current QB2 Gardner Minshew. With Hurts’ future still somewhat uncertain, and with Minshew’s contract expiring at the end of the 2022 season, it’s easy to see why Strong elected to sign with the Eagles.
Perry, meanwhile, will likely be fighting for a practice squad spot unless there is a trade or injury. He earned Ivy League Player of the Year acclaim in 2021 after throwing for 3,033 yards and 23 TDs in just 10 games and adding another 402 yards and seven scores on the ground, showcasing his dual-threat capabilities.