Texans, Jacob Martin Talking Contract
Defensive end Jacob Martin, selected by the Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, was part of the package received by the Texans in the 2019 trade that sent Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle. Over his three years in Houston, Martin has quietly turned himself into a key component of the club’s defense, and as Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network writes, the Texans are actively discussing a new contract that would keep Martin off the open market when free agency opens this week.
In 2021, the Temple product started 14 games and appeared in 61% of the Texans’ defensive snaps, both of which represented career bests. While he posted only four sacks, his peripherals suggest that there is room for continued growth. As Wilson writes, Next Gen Stats credited Martin with the third-fastest “get-off” among all defensive players, behind only the Chargers’ Joey Bosa and the Steelers’ Alex Highsmith.
Pro Football Focus handed Martin a solid 67.3 overall score last season, which was also a career-high. The strides he has made are thanks in no small part to the fact that he was able to operate as a true 4-3 DE when Lovie Smith took over as defensive coordinator last year. Prior to that, Martin had worked as an outside linebacker in the Texans’ 3-4 scheme, which included pass coverage duties that he struggled to handle. With Smith having earned a promotion to head coach, the 4-3 alignment will remain.
Neither Martin nor fellow DE Jonathan Greenard are household names at this point, but they provide the rebuilding Texans with a young, talented, and fairly inexpensive foundation to build upon. Indeed, assuming Martin and the Texans are able to come to terms on a multi-year deal, it’s unlikely to include an eight-figure AAV, and Greenard has two seasons left on his rookie contract.
In related news, the Texans recently worked out former Broncos WR DaeSean Hamilton, as Wilson tweets. Hamilton was officially waived last week, and though the 2018 fourth-rounder was unable to carve out a consistent role in Denver, his size and raw talent figure to get him another opportunity somewhere. It’s unclear if that opportunity will come in Houston, as the Texans re-upped Chris Conley after meeting with Hamilton.
Panthers “Very Impressed” By Malik Willis, Not Interested In Kirk Cousins
The Panthers came away from last week’s scouting combine “very impressed” by Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, per Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network (video link). Carolina presently holds the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 draft, and if the club decides that any member of this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate signal-callers is worthy of that selection, Willis would seem to be the choice.
Indeed, Albert Breer of SI.com believes that Willis’ combine performance, both on the field and in his interviews, has positioned him as the current favorite to be the first QB off the board. Much will depend on his March 22 pro day, but his athleticism, arm strength, and personality give teams hope that, once he learns the complexities of the professional game, he can become a top-flight starter.
Wolfe’s report surfaced several days before a grand jury decided against indicting Texans QB Deshaun Watson. Even before that development, the Panthers were keen on acquiring Watson, and now that the three-time Pro Bowl has avoided criminal charges, Carolina is stepping up its pursuit.
As expected, however, a number of other clubs are also willing to get in the mix in the wake of the grand jury’s decision, so the Panthers could be facing some stiff competition as they try to bring a decisive end to their search for a long-term answer at quarterback. Houston is courting as many as 10 suitors for Watson, so the trade package required to land him will be significant, and that’s to say nothing of the voice that Watson has in the process thanks to his no-trade clause (though the most recent reports suggest that Watson would now accept a deal to Carolina).
Should the Panthers miss out on Watson, they could decide that Willis is the next best option, either with the No. 6 pick or in a trade-down scenario. Willis could then serve as Sam Darnold‘s backup for a season before taking the reins in 2023, when Darnold’s contract expires.
Although there are other QBs available on the trade market — Jimmy Garoppolo and (perhaps) Kirk Cousins, for instance — Carolina does not appear interested. In fact, Wolfe’s source laughed off a report that the Panthers had called the Vikings to inquire on Cousins’ availability, saying that the team does not view Cousins as a significant upgrade over Darnold or current QB2 P.J. Walker.
Buccaneers Have Evaluated Browns QB Baker Mayfield
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers have evaluated Browns QB Baker Mayfield in case he should become available via trade (Twitter link). The Bucs are reportedly still part of the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, though they could be battling a host of other teams, including the Browns, for his services.
Mayfield’s future in Cleveland is uncertain at the moment. While the club has publicly committed to him as its starting signal-caller for 2022, no extension talks will take place this offseason. As such, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft is scheduled to play out the upcoming campaign on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, worth a fully-guaranteed $18.9MM.
Cleveland’s reluctance to authorize a long-term accord for Mayfield is understandable. After a promising showing as a rookie, the Oklahoma product — along with the rest of the offense — took a major step back during Freddie Kitchen‘s only season as head coach in 2019. Everything was looking rosy for all involved in 2020, Kevin Stefanski‘s first year at the helm, which saw Mayfield post a top-10 QBR en route to a divisional round appearance.
However, the Browns regressed again in 2021, compiling an 8-9 record and failing to make it back to the playoffs. For his part, Mayfield struggled through a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder and finished near the bottom of the league in terms of QBR and quarterback rating, so of his four professional seasons, two of them can be fairly classified as major disappointments.
If Cleveland is able to acquire Watson, Mayfield would land squarely on the trade block (unless, of course, he heads to the Texans as part of the Watson deal). Assuming the Bucs like what they have seen on film, they could then make a push for Mayfield to fill the void left by Tom Brady, provided Brady doesn’t reverse course and decide to suit up for Bruce Arians for one more season.
Stroud’s report suggests that the evaluation Tampa Bay has done is more due diligence than anything else. Indeed, it’s unclear if Watson would waive his no-trade clause for the Browns — ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin believes that he would not (Twitter link) — and it presently seems as if any other veteran passer that Cleveland might acquire this offseason (like Marcus Mariota or Mitchell Trubisky) would be brought in as competition for Mayfield, not as a replacement.
Still, it’s yet another indication that the Bucs have every intention of competing in 2022 and adding a legitimate starter to a QB room that currently features only 2021 second-rounder Kyle Trask.
Latest On Browns C J.C. Tretter, O-Line Plans
Browns center J.C. Tretter profiles as a potential cap casualty, given that his release would save the team $8.2MM against the cap while incurring a modest $1.6MM dead money charge. Cleveland GM Andrew Berry recently addressed Tretter’s status, and he stopped short of confirming Tretter will be back in 2022, the final year of his current contract.
“For all of these situations on our roster, we work through them over the next couple weeks,” Berry said (via Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal). “J.C.’s been a real productive veteran for us, he’s been a starter since 2017 for us and played a lot of really good football, we expect him to continue to play some really good football.”
Tretter, 31, has dealt with ankle and knee injuries over the past three seasons, but he has missed just one game since joining the Browns in 2017 (which came in Week 16 of the 2021 season and which was due to a positive COVID-19 test). Although he has never made a Pro Bowl, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics have consistently rated him as a high-end starter, with a grade no lower than 72.0 since 2018. And with the Browns angling for a postseason berth in 2022, a quality veteran on a reasonable salary at the pivot is a nice luxury for Berry to have.
That is especially true when considering that RT Jack Conklin, who recently restructured his deal, missed 10 games in 2021 due to a variety of injuries, including a torn patellar tendon. Berry said that Conklin is “doing well” in his recovery, but in light of the play-time incentives included in the reworked contract, it seems as if there is at least a chance that Conklin will miss game action in 2022.
If that happens, though, the Browns do not plan to shift LT Jedrick Wills to the right side. Wills had some injury issues of his own in 2021 and did not play particularly well in his 13 contests, but he is going to stay right where he is, despite his RT experience in high school and college.
“No, Jed will stay at left tackle,” Berry said. “We feel good about the depth that we have at the tackle position.”
Berry did leave open the possibility of supplementing that depth. Swingman Chris Hubbard, who played in just one game in 2021 due to a triceps injury, is eligible for free agency, and as a result of the health issues experienced by Hubbard, Wills, and Conklin, 2021 fourth-rounder James Hudson and former Jets taxi squad member Blake Hance were forced into significant action.
On the plus side, 2020 fifth-rounder Nick Harris played well in Tretter’s absence last year. If Berry were to move on from Tretter, that would suggest that he has considerable faith in Harris.
In related news, head coach Kevin Stefanski will continue calling the team’s offensive plays, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter). This is despite the fact that Alex Van Pelt no longer has to pull double-duty as offensive coordinator and QB coach.
Latest On FA Pass Rushers
In the estimation of Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link), the quality and depth of this year’s collegiate class of pass rushers could negatively impact their professional counterparts seeking new contracts. Some of the most notable names in that latter category include the Cardinals‘ Chandler Jones and the Rams‘ Von Miller.
Rapoport believes that Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill genuinely wants to retain Jones (as we heard last month), but the franchise tag value for the four-time Pro Bowler would be roughly $25MM, so that option is not feasible for the Cards. As such, Jones will hit the open market, and given that there has been something of a strained relationship between player and team for several years, he could be playing elsewhere in 2022.
Meanwhile, Rapoport expects the Rams to do everything they can to retain Miller, who is, like Jones, prepared to test the open market. Of course, the reigning Super Bowl champs also have new contracts for Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald on their radar, so GM Les Snead will have his work cut out for him when trying to re-up his prized trade acquisition.
A less heralded (but much younger) option for clubs in need of pass rush help could be Chargers OLB Uchenna Nwosu. As Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reports, the Bolts and Nwosu have mutual interest in a new contract, but despite Nwosu’s desire to remain with his hometown team, the money will need to be right. Wilson suggests that the 25-year-old is targeting a contract with an average annual value between $10MM-$13MM, which would seem to be a fair price for an ascending player who put together a strong 2021 campaign — five sacks, eight TFL, 17 QB hits, and an interception — despite playing through a serious labrum injury.
The Colts, Packers, Bills, and Jets are all teams that could have interest in Nwosu, per Wilson. There is a good chance that Green Bay releases Za’Darius Smith, so Nwosu could serve as a Smith replacement in Wisconsin. In a separate piece, Wilson reports that the Jets, like the Chiefs, would be in on Smith should he indeed become a Packers cap casualty.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman is certainly monitoring both collegiate pass rushers as well as the free agent market. When discussing how he is prioritizing his team’s pass rush, Roseman recently said, “I’d be surprised if we didn’t do something there” (Twitter link via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com). Zach Berman and Bo Wulf of The Athletic (subscription required) believe there is a good chance Philadelphia grabs an edge rusher with at least one of its three first-round picks, especially since they expect Roseman to let DE Derek Barnett depart in free agency.
ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid, Matt Miller, and Todd McShay provide a detailed breakdown of the strong performance put on by the 2022 draft class of front seven players at this year’s scouting combine (subscription required).
Panthers Expected To Let Matt Paradis Depart In Free Agency; Latest On FA Plans
As Joseph Person of The Athletic (subscription required) writes, the Panthers are likely to part ways with center Matt Paradis, who is eligible for free agency. Pat Elflein, who opened the 2021 season as Carolina’s left guard but who moved over to center following Paradis’ injury, is likely to continue as the starting pivot despite his struggles in that role.
Paradis, 32, signed a three-year, $27MM contract with the Panthers in March 2019, and he started every game for the club from Week 1 of the 2019 season through Week 9 of the 2021 campaign. Unfortunately, a torn ACL suffered in that Week 9 contest ended his walk year prematurely, and it leaves him in a less-than-desirable position as he hits the open market for the second time in his career (interestingly, when he hooked on with the Panthers in 2019, he was coming off a serious leg injury that he sustained in November 2018, which may have limited his earnings then in the same way that his recent ACL tear will limit his earnings now).
Still, given his track record as a solid starter and the fact that he has been quite durable except when he’s playing out a contract year, he should garner a fair amount of attention from teams in need of a center. The Bengals, Jets, and Jaguars are all rumored to be interested in Bucs center Ryan Jensen, and Tampa Bay wants to retain its four-year starter. The losers of the Jensen sweepstakes could turn to Paradis, and the Ravens, who may be unable to afford a new contract for Bradley Bozeman, could also be in play.
The Panthers, meanwhile, will have plenty of work to do on the O-line. Luckily for them, this year’s college class is deep at the LT position, and Carolina could net a high-quality prospect even if it trades down from its No. 6 overall selection. In a separate piece (subscription required), Person opines that the Panthers will not be in the market for a high-priced free agent like longtime division-rival Terron Armstead, so the draft would be the place to nab a blindside blocker. Person does expect the team to sign a free agent guard, and while Brandon Scherff and Laken Tomlinson may be too pricey, old friend Andrew Norwell or Bears OL James Daniels could be viable targets.
In related news, Person says the Panthers do want edge defender Haason Reddick back, but only if the price is right. We recently heard that Reddick is likely to test the open market for the second year in a row. And while the club has not shut the door on a new contract for CB Stephon Gilmore, Person hears that the team is prioritizing a deal with fellow corner Donte Jackson, who is five years younger than Gilmore (both players are also eligible for free agency). GM Scott Fitterer is also doing his due diligence on available safeties.
Finally, the Panthers reportedly want to re-sign K Zane Gonzalez and may be eyeing P Pat O’Donnell as a replacement for Lachlan Edwards.
Giants Notes: Jones, Barkley, Engram
Giants GM Joe Schoen recently told reporters that no decision has been made with respect to QB Daniel Jones‘ fifth-year option for 2023, which must be exercised or declined by May 2. “We haven’t been around him other than a couple weeks,” Schoen said (via Mike Florio of PFT). “Again, we’re going to take our time with the process. We’re going to be around Daniel. We’re going to get the chance to see him throw and work with the guys that we have. … We’re going to be patient with that decision.”
New York is interested in signing free agent passer Mitchell Trubisky and having him compete with Jones for the starting job in 2022. Given that, and given Jones’ struggles over his first three professional seasons, it would be surprising if Schoen were to pick up Jones’ option, which is worth a fully-guaranteed $21.3MM.
Now for more from Big Blue:
- When asked about the possibility of trading RB Saquon Barkley, Schoen did not rule it out. However, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes, Schoen would have to be floored to make a deal. Although the Giants are obviously in rebuild mode, they also want to field a competitive team and surround Jones or any other passer with enough talent to fairly evaluate their QB situation. Furthermore, Barkley’s “strong preference” is to stay with New York, and Dunleavy’s sources believe that if the Giants were to trade him now, they shouldn’t expect much more than a fourth-round pick in return.
- Before Schoen was hired, it was reported that the Giants were unlikely to break the bank to retain tight end and pending FA Evan Engram. We have not heard anything to suggest otherwise now that Schoen is in charge of personnel, which means that Engram is poised to hit the open market. As Dunleavy tweets, some interested teams are looking to utilize Engram more as a slot receiver and are preparing proposals with that goal in mind.
- Georgia DE Travon Walker was one of the biggest winners at the scouting combine, putting on a display that solidified his position as one of the top D-linemen in the class. The fact that he was asked to fill a variety of roles along the Bulldogs’ defensive front limited his sack production, but his athletic traits are hard to beat, and ESPN draftnik Jordan Reid believes Walker might now be a top-five choice (subscription required). Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com suggests that the Giants may consider Walker with their No. 5 or No. 7 overall selections (Twitter link).
Falcons Unlikely To Trade Matt Ryan
The Falcons are apparently receiving at least some trade interest in quarterback Matt Ryan. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports hears that clubs that have inquired on the four-time Pro Bowler are getting the “distinct impression” that he will not be dealt (Twitter link).
Thus far, the Seahawks have turned away all teams interested in trading for signal-caller Russell Wilson, and while Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is said to be torn on whether he wants to remain in Green Bay, there is a good chance that both players stay put in 2022. Couple that with a collegiate quarterback class that has some promise but no surefire stars, and Atlanta would theoretically be in a good position to net some draft pick compensation in a Ryan trade, compensation that could help usher in a new era for the franchise.
That is especially true given Ryan’s relatively modest base salaries of $16.25MM and $20.5MM over the final two years of his contract. Even when considering his age (he will be 37 in May) and the $7.5MM roster bonus he is due later this month and in March 2023, a team that believes it is a quarterback away from title contention might be willing to pull the trigger. The Commanders, who are leaving no stone unturned in their search for a quality QB and who recently made a strong push for Wilson, could be one such club, and the Steelers could be another.
From Atlanta’s perspective, though, the prospect of a trade is a bit messier. As a result of multiple restructures, the most recent of which GM Terry Fontenot begrudgingly made, Ryan’s dead money charge for 2022 if he were to be cut or traded prior to June 1 is a whopping $40.5MM. Even a post-June 1 transaction would result in a dead money number just shy of $25MM, and that’s not to mention the fact that HC Arthur Smith wants Ryan back. Indeed, the NFC South could be wide open in 2022, and Smith may feel that, with Ryan under center, he might be able to nab a division title.
On the other hand, even if Atlanta were to earn a playoff berth, it does not presently profile as a legitimate championship contender. Although a $40MM+ dead money charge would be tough to swallow, a Ryan trade or release prior to the $7.5MM roster bonus coming due on March 19 would also give the Falcons an additional $8MM of cap space to work with, and it would allow them to start afresh in 2023.
The team is already eyeing a Ryan succession plan, and if rival clubs are interested in making a deal, it may be in Fontenot’s best interest to think long and hard about accelerating that plan.
Cardinals Owner Michael Bidwill On HC Kliff Kingsbury
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill touched on a number of key topics during a Friday radio interview, including rumors of acrimony between the team and QB Kyler Murray. In addition to his affirmation that Murray remains in the Cards’ long-term plans and that he has had “good conversations non-stop” with his star signal-caller, Bidwill also discussed head coach Kliff Kingsbury‘s future in the desert.
“I look at the college coaches who have made the transition from college to the pros and the ones that are successful, and Kliff is [successful],” Bidwill said (via Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network). Throughout the interview, Bidwill reiterated that Kingsbury has a “bright future” and gave no indication that he is on a short leash.
Wilson, though, says that the 42-year-old HC is on “something of a hot seat” heading into 2022. If true, that would be due to Arizona’s late-season swoon that culminated in an ugly wildcard round loss to the eventual-Super Bowl champion Rams.
Indeed, we heard in early December that an extension for Kingsbury was one of the Cardinals’ top offseason priorities, but that report surfaced at a time when Arizona was sitting at 9-2. The team would go on to lose five of its final seven games, including the playoff defeat, which added to the narrative that Kingsbury is unable to make necessary in-season adjustments. As Wilson notes, Kingsbury’s teams at both the collegiate and professional levels have a 42-20-1 record in the first seven games of a season but are just 17-45 from the eighth game forward.
Bidwill ascribed the Cardinals’ stumbles down the stretch of the 2021 campaign primarily to the injuries sustained by Murray and top wideout DeAndre Hopkins. “I think [the struggles are] a combination of things, certainly (Hopkins’) impact on the field and off the field is huge,” Bidwill said. “And losing him from not only a football Xs and Os standpoint, but also from an emotional standpoint was big.”
He added, “Kyler got injured for three games. He certainly, before the injury, was playing at the top of his game, and then he came back. I think having a healthy Kyler Murray is always better than Kyler coming off of an injury. This team has a bright future and I’m excited about it, especially knowing those guys are coming back 100 percent.”
Kingsbury’s contract expires at the end of the 2022 season, though Arizona holds a team option for 2023. It remains to be seen if the Cardinals will explore an extension in the coming months, or if they wait to see if Kingsbury can overcome his reputation as a fast starter but slow finisher (as well as the concerns that have been expressed about his play-calling acumen).
At least publicly, Bidwill is confident in his HC’s abilities. “I feel like (Kingsbury’s) had an adjustment period. Had a few years to adjust and I feel like he’s going to get better and better because I feel like he understands the pro rules and the pro game and the pro speed and everything else much better than he did a couple of years ago,” Bidwill said. “[W]e’ve got a bright future together. Kliff, Kyler, [general manager] Steve [Keim], all of us have to make great contributions as we go forward. I know they have a great relationship.”
Latest On Texans OL Tytus Howard, Team’s OL Plans
Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard, a 2019 first-round pick, spent the first two years of his career almost exclusively at right tackle. In 2021, he was shifted inside to left guard, and he played 11 games there, but he also suited up for four games at left tackle due to an injury to starting LT Laremy Tunsil. As Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle writes, Howard’s role for the 2022 campaign remains unclear.
Per Pro Football Focus, Howard was much more effective at left tackle (73.75 pass-blocking grade) than left guard (47.7). However, former OC Tim Kelly and OL coach James Campen both praised Howard for his versatility and indicated he was improving as a guard, and new OL coach George Warhop concurs.
“I thought he did a nice job at guard,” Warhop said. “I mean, so to have that flexibility going into the season, to manage to get the five best on the field, I think that’s good for us.”
Assuming the Texans really do think Howard can be effective outside or on the interior, his versatility gives GM Nick Caserio a little more flexibility with his offseason strategies. Tunsil has been mentioned as a trade candidate, and Kubena confirms that the two-time Pro Bowler could be on the move, which would add more draft ammo to a stockpile that could become seriously impressive if Caserio is able to deal QB Deshaun Watson. Houston would then be able to slide Howard to LT — which was the intent when he was originally drafted — and would not necessarily have to use a high draft choice or FA dollars on an immediate Tunsil replacement.
On the other hand, as Kubena notes, Max Scharping and Justin McCray are the only interior linemen aside from Howard who started at least one game last year and who remain under contract through 2022. So depending on how the Texans’ offseason shakes out, the club may have no choice but to keep Howard at LG.
One way or another, Caserio will have to make a decision on Howard’s fifth-year option no later than May 2. If exercised, that option would lock in a $12.735MM fully-guaranteed salary for 2023, and while that sum would be more than reasonable for a starting-caliber LT, Howard’s small sample size at that position in the pros and his general lack of effectiveness at RT and LG seem to indicate that 2022 will serve as his contract year.