Panthers Pursuing LT Duane Brown
The free agent market for left tackles is starting to heat up. The Dolphins are reportedly chasing LT Terron Armstead, and the Panthers are pursuing the other top blindside blocker on the market, Duane Brown, as David Newton of ESPN.com tweets.
Brown, who will turn 37 in August, spent the first nine-plus years of his career with the Texans after Houston made him the No. 26 overall pick of the 2008 draft. That stint included three consecutive Pro Bowl selections (and a First Team All-Pro bid) from 2012-14, and he held out of the first seven contests of the 2017 campaign in search of a new contract. He ultimately suited up for one game for the Texans in 2017 before being shipped to the Seahawks in a pre-deadline swap in October of that year.
In July 2018, Brown secured a three-year, $36.5MM extension from the Seahawks, which kept him under club control through 2021. Last summer, he engaged in a “hold-in” in an effort to land another extension in advance of his platform season, and while he did not get it, Seattle did agree to convert some of his per game roster bonuses to guarantees while also offering an injury protection benefit for 2022. Ultimately, that restructuring did not matter too much, as Brown played in all 17 games en route to his fifth career Pro Bowl nod.
The Panthers have been aggressive in upgrading their offensive front this offseason, signing center Bradley Bozeman and guard Austin Corbett, but they are still in need of an LT. Carolina could ultimately upgrade that position in the draft, though the club may need to use its first-round selection on a QB since it missed out on Deshaun Watson.
Brown is obviously near the tail end of his career, but he has enjoyed perfect attendance in three of the last four years and has proven that he still has plenty left in the tank. Sam Darnold, or any other passer the Panthers put under center in 2022, would doubtlessly love to have him and Taylor Moton operating as bookends on the O-line.
It was reported at the end of February that the incumbent Seahawks were interested in re-signing Brown, but it’s unclear if a reunion is still in the cards. Of course, now that the ‘Hawks have traded QB Russell Wilson, it’s hard to say if Brown even wants to remain in the Emerald City. At the moment, though, Seattle’s Drew Lock-topped quarterback depth chart isn’t much less appealing (if at all) than Carolina’s Darnold-fronted crew, so Brown may wait to see what other options materialize unless the Panthers blow him away with the type of offer that he has been seeking for years.
Cowboys Interested In Jason Pierre-Paul
After DE Randy Gregory elected to sign with the Broncos and leave the Cowboys at the altar, Dallas suddenly had a major pass-rushing void to fill. The team’s Von Miller pursuit was unsuccessful, so it pivoted to Dante Fowler, agreeing to terms with the former No. 3 overall pick earlier this week.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, the Cowboys may not be done and may be considering multiple additions to their contingent of edge defenders (Twitter link). Specifically, Fowler reports that Dallas is interested in free agent Jason Pierre-Paul.
Now 33, JPP has long been one of the best pass rushers in the game. Selected by the Giants in the first round of the 2010 draft, he earned two Pro Bowl nods and a First Team All-Pro selection during his time with Big Blue, which shipped him to the Buccaneers in a March 2018 trade. Over his first three seasons in Tampa, Pierre-Paul averaged over 10 sacks per year, and he secured a third Pro Bowl berth in 2020, the Bucs’ championship-winning campaign.
The 2021 season, however, represented a step back for Pierre-Paul. Hampered by a broken finger and a torn rotator cuff that required offseason surgery, he managed just 31 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 12 contests. That was a disappointing platform year, and it could explain why this is the first time we have heard of interest in his services.
On the other hand, the addition of a player like Pierre-Paul to a group of QB hunters that also includes DeMarcus Lawrence — who recently agreed to a new contract — Fowler, and Micah Parsons would help to soften the blow of Gregory’s defection. However, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News cautions that nothing is imminent with respect to JPP at this time (Twitter link).
After Za’Darius Smith agreed to terms with the Ravens, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reported (via Twitter) that Dallas had discussions with Smith. Now that the two-time Pro Bowler pulled a Gregory and chose not to reunite with Baltimore, the Cowboys could circle back to him, but that is only speculation at this point.
More Details On Deshaun Watson Sweepstakes; Latest On Baker Mayfield
Though there were four finalists for QB Deshaun Watson before the Browns and Texans completed the blockbuster trade that sent Watson to Cleveland, as many as 10 teams were reportedly interested in Watson’s services. In remarks he made following the trade, Houston GM Nick Caserio would not say exactly how many teams made inquiries, but he did note that the interest went beyond the Browns, Saints, Panthers, and Falcons.
“I would say there was a fair amount of teams, but what we tried to do was bring the teams that had a legitimate interest, and that was based off the compensation that was presented,” Caserio said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “I don’t want to get into the exact number, but there was a few more, however many teams than what everybody was reporting towards the end.”
Caserio’s comments confirm what had been reported all along: only clubs that were willing to meet the Texans’ steep asking price (three first-rounders and more) were granted permission to have an in-person meeting with Watson. While that seems like the only logical move in hindsight, it was quite a masterstroke by Caserio. Had he allowed Watson to meet with all interested clubs, regardless of proposed compensation, Watson may have decided to waive his no-trade clause for only one team, thereby undermining Caserio’s leverage. But as Florio observes, by having a “pre-qualifying” process, Caserio guaranteed that he would get what he wanted before Watson truly got a say in his next destination.
Per Florio, the Colts put feelers out to the Texans, but Caserio was not willing to deal Watson within his division. Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reports that the Eagles remained interested throughout the process, but Watson was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause for Philadelphia, largely because he is friends with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and did not want to take away Hurts’ starting job. Wilson adds that the 49ers also placed a call to the Texans last year.
Caserio suggested that reports on the Texans’ being interested in players as well as picks in a Watson swap were at least somewhat overstated, saying, “I would say other than three first-round picks, I would say probably the rest of it was a little bit of speculation.” Still, Wilson reports that if Houston swung a deal with the Falcons, Atlanta CB AJ Terrell would have been intriguing to Caserio, and if the Saints had been able to acquire Watson, New Orleans OLs Erik McCoy and/or Cesar Ruiz might have been a part of the package heading back to the Texans.
In the end, the Browns, who were initially believed to be out of the running for Watson, were able to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler because they were willing to give him a contract — five years for a fully-guaranteed $230MM, which Wilson reports includes a $45MM signing bonus — that other teams were not comfortable matching. We heard at the time the Cleveland-Houston deal was consummated that the financial side of the equation became untenable for the Falcons and Panthers, and Wilson confirmed in a separate piece that Carolina was resistant to a fully-guaranteed pact.
Cleveland may have felt compelled to make such a bold strike because of an unsalvageable situation with Baker Mayfield. Mayfield requested a trade while the Browns’ courtship of Watson was ongoing, and when it appeared that Watson would not waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a move to northeast Ohio, the Browns indicated they would not accommodate the request. However, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, Mayfield had no intentions of playing for the Browns in 2022 even if the club had not acquired Watson, and that reality could have forced Cleveland’s hand.
According to Cabot, the Browns had made it clear to Mayfield’s camp that they would pursue a top-flight QB this offseason, but that they were content to run it back with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft if such a pursuit were unsuccessful. Because it had been upfront with him about its intentions, the organization believed it could eventually smooth things over with Mayfield. As we heard last week, though, Mayfield declined owner Jimmy Haslam‘s offer to fly out to Mayfield’s home to discuss the situation, which was a clear indication that there was trouble in paradise.
Cabot further reports that the Watson situation and the team’s comments that it was looking for an “adult” at the quarterback position — thus implying that Mayfield is not, in fact, an adult — merely represented the final straw. Mayfield was said to have issues with HC Kevin Stefanski‘s play-calling and scheme, and as Stefanski will retain play-calling duties in 2022, Mayfield was prepared to skip the Browns’ offseason program and minicamp in an effort to force a trade to a team that has an offense more conducive to his skill-set. As Mayfield is eligible for free agency in 2023, the upcoming season is obviously critical for him, both from a financial and on-field perspective.
We recently learned that Mayfield would prefer to be traded to the Colts. Cabot suggests that, if Indianapolis GM Chris Ballard is interested, he may require the Browns to pay at least some of Mayfield’s $18.9MM salary, and since Cleveland has no choice but to deal Mayfield at this point, the team’s leverage in that regard and in terms of trade compensation is fairly limited.
Both Cabot and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times confirm that the Seahawks may be interested in Mayfield but are genuinely excited by Drew Lock, who recently came to Seattle in the trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Broncos. As for the Texans, Caserio was non-committal when asked if Davis Mills, who started 11 games as a rookie in 2021 and who showed marked improvement down the stretch, would remain Houston’s QB1. Nonetheless, Mills is expected to open the 2022 campaign as the starting signal-caller, despite Caserio’s comments that the team is “starting from scratch” at the most important position in sports.
Dolphins Pursuing LT Terron Armstead
We heard before free agency opened that the Dolphins would be aggressive in their efforts to upgrade their offensive line. The ‘Fins agreed to terms with free agent guard Connor Williams earlier this week, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears from two trusted sources that the club is pursuing free agent LT Terron Armstead (Twitter link).
As the Chiefs elected to place the franchise tag on Orlando Brown, Jr., Armstead is likely the top LT option on the open market (a case could be made for Duane Brown, but he is six years older than Armstead, who will turn 31 in July). Still, despite his three consecutive Pro Bowl bids from 2018-20, and despite a typically strong 75.9 overall score from Pro Football Focus in 2021, there has not been a great deal of reported interest in Armstead at this point.
Indeed, as of the time of this writing, only the Dolphins have been even speculatively linked to the lifelong Saint. Perhaps that is because he missed significant time with a knee injury last year, an injury that will require offseason surgery. Plus, Armstead may have been willing to return to New Orleans on a hometown discount if the Saints had been able to acquire former Texans QB Deshaun Watson via trade.
Now that Watson has been dealt to the Browns, Armstead may be turning his full attention to other suitors. In Spotrac’s estimation, the Arkansas-Pine Bluff product is worth a four-year, $95.8MM contract, and while that would obviously be a hefty investment for the Dolphins, Armstead’s presence should be well-worth such a commitment, assuming there are no complications with his knee surgery.
Just yesterday, Jackson reported that the Dolphins were “monitoring” the recently-released La’el Collins, but the Miami Herald scribe says the club is putting its Collins pursuit on pause while it tries to seal the deal with Armstead. Even if the Dolphins do sign Armstead, Jackson suggests they could subsequently try to acquire Collins to play right tackle.
Jets To Spend Big On Cornerback?
Jets GM Joe Douglas has stressed the importance of maintaining financial flexibility despite his club’s significant amount of cap space, and Brian Costello of the New York Post hears from several agents that Gang Green is unlikely to be a major player for this year’s top FAs. However, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (subscription required) are hearing something a bit different.
The ESPN scribes expect Douglas — who needs to demonstrate tangible progress in his fourth year at the top of the Jets’ front office — to make a few high-profile signings. Graziano confirms earlier reports that New York is interested in center Ryan Jensen, and he adds that the Jets are in on 49ers DT D.J. Jones. Tight end and safety are also priorities.
Fowler, meanwhile, reports that the Jets are prepared to “spend big” on a premier cornerback. J.C. Jackson is generally viewed as the best CB available, though Costello says New York is not expected to be involved in the bidding for Jackson. Carlton Davis, whom Spotrac believes is in line for a five-year pact worth roughly $100MM, could be an option after the Bucs opted against putting the franchise tag on him.
The Jets believe that their young collection of corners, which includes recent Day 3 draftees like Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, and Michael Carter II, have plenty of promise, but they clearly need a true CB1 to anchor the group. Jackson and Davis certainly fit the bill, though signing either player will put a damper on the flexibility that Douglas covets. Plus, as Costello observes, the Jets’ two top-10 draft choices will receive significant upfront signing bonuses, which will further limit the cash that Douglas has to throw around.
The Jets appear to be at least a year away from true contention, but again, Douglas may need to show some improvement to keep his job. That does not mean that he will spend wildly, but it’s probably fair to expect a little more activity than his recent comments on the matter would suggest.
Colts Interested in Marcus Mariota, Kirk Cousins?
We have not heard much about free agent quarterback Marcus Mariota this offseason, save for some speculation based more on perceived fit than anything else. Now, however, we have something more concrete.
Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (subscription required) writes that Mariota is generating the most buzz as the Colts’ next QB now that Indianapolis has traded Carson Wentz to the Commanders. Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick of the Titans in the 2015 draft, showed some promise during his five years in Tennessee, including a 2016 campaign in which he threw for 26 TDs against nine interceptions and rushed for 349 yards and a pair of scores. But Ryan Tannehill supplanted Mariota as the Titans’ starter midway through the 2019 season, and Mariota has spent the last two years with the Raiders as Derek Carr‘s backup.
He garnered some trade interest last offseason, and it appears as if the structure of his Las Vegas contract was the only real obstacle to a deal. Quarterback-needy teams likely view him as at least a capable bridge starter to a younger prospect, and Graziano’s colleague, Jeremy Fowler, reports that Mariota is open to such a scenario.
The Colts have also been connected to the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo and the Eagles’ Gardner Minshew in recent days, though obviously signing Mariota would allow them to acquire a Wentz replacement without sacrificing any draft capital. Interestingly, Graziano also says some in the industry believe Indy could be a landing spot for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Fowler reports that the Vikings are truly torn on what to do with Cousins. Extending him would mean committing more years and dollars to a player who has only led the team to one playoff berth in four seasons, but retaining him without an extension would mean carrying a $45MM cap charge for 2022, which hinders the rest of the club’s roster-building efforts. On the other hand, trading him leaves first-year HC Kevin O’Connell without a proven QB to work with.
Regardless of what the Vikings decide to do with Cousins, the Colts are clearly a key team to watch in the non-Deshaun Watson sector of the quarterback market.
Saints, Panthers Make Offers For Deshaun Watson
The Saints and Panthers have extended trade offers to the Texans for QB Deshaun Watson, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Watson, who wants to make a fully-informed decision before waiving his no-trade clause, will meet with both teams in the near future (Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets that Houston will grant permission for those meetings).
After a grand jury decided against indicting Watson on Friday, trade rumors predictably picked up in a big way. Carolina has been seen as something of a frontrunner for the three-time Pro Bowler since the Dolphins bowed out of the race, but there are now up to 10 teams involved in the bidding.
So while the details of the Saints’ and Panthers’ offers are not yet known, Pelissero says Houston’s asking price — three first-round picks and more — has not changed, and multiple teams are now willing to pay that price. New Orleans and Carolina both have one first-round pick in the 2022 draft, with the Panthers’ No. 6 overall selection obviously quite a bit more valuable than the Saints’ No. 18 selection.
We have known that Panthers owner David Tepper has been willing to pull the trigger on a Watson deal despite the inevitable PR backlash, and Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com says the same is true of Saints ownership (Twitter link). That probably goes without saying in light of the fact that New Orleans has extended a trade offer, but it’s worth noting that, according to Duncan, the franchise has done “extensive background checks” on Watson and is comfortable with its findings.
With free agency opening this week, there is a sense of urgency to these proceedings, at least for some teams. While the Panthers have not been connected to any free agent passers or second-tier trade targets and may pivot to the draft if their Watson pursuit is unsuccessful, New Orleans is interested in re-signing Jameis Winston and doubtlessly wants to get some clarity on where things stand with Watson before Winston is eligible to sign elsewhere. But since Watson wants to take his time and meet with interested clubs, it looks like the process will take a little longer than certain organizations would like.
Texans GM Nick Caserio has been very methodical with respect to the Watson situation, and he is not going to rush things now that he has so much leverage. Soon enough, his patience will pay off in the form of a massive influx of draft capital to accelerate Houston’s rebuilding efforts.
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.