NFC East Notes: Allen, Giants, Eagles, Cravens
The Redskins took defensive tackle Jonathan Allen in the first round of last year’s draft but he was limited to just the first five games of his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury. The Alabama alum is hopeful to be ready for the team’s voluntary OTAs in late April but is not making any guarantees.
“I’m going to be honest, the OTAs they start like end of April, and this will be my first time, so I would like to think so, but I mean, honestly, there’s no way of telling at this point,” Allen said to Stephen Czarda of Redskins.com. “I feel like I’m going to be in a good spot come OTAs, so I’m excited for that, and right now, I’m just taking it day by day just trying to grind.”
Allen tallied a sack and three tackles in five starts last season. He’s projected to start at defensive end in the team’s 3-4 scheme alongside Matthew Ioannidis, with Evander Hood at nose tackle. There are still viable defensive-line options on the free-agent market as well, including Johnathan Hankins, Bennie Logan and Charles Johnson, among others. Stacy McGee and Anthony Lanier are projected to immediately back up Allen and Ioannidis on the defensive line.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- Matt Lombardo of NJ Advanced Media looks at some wide receivers the Giants might target in the draft if they were to trade Odell Beckham. The team is unlikely to take a wide receiver with their No. 2 overall pick in the draft but if they were to acquire a first-round pick in a trade for Beckham, Lombardo identifies Courtland Sutton (SMU), Calvin Ridley (Alabama), D.J. Moore (Maryland) and James Washington (Oklahoma State) as potential fits.
- In his Eagles mailbag, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ Advanced Media shot down the team potentially trying to acquire Beckham or Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in a trade. In both instances, the Eagles available cap space would make a deal unlikely. In Beckham’s case, especially, it’s unlikely the Giants would deal Beckham to a divisional rival.
- In an interview with Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, newly-acquired Broncos defensive back Su’a Cravens continued to explain why he was optimistic about his new home compared to his time with the Redskins. “I was going through some personal issues with my family and I didn’t feel like myself,” Cravens said. “I did tell my teammates I was going to retire but I never officially retired. … The Redskins brought me in, they told me they wanted me to get checked out, make sure I was all right. I go to a doctor and he tells me I’m going through something I didn’t even know I was going through. He said this is the reason why you feel this way and you’re in no condition to be making these decisions because of this and I guarantee if you rehab and get yourself better, you won’t be feeling this way.Once I got cleared in December, it was like I was a completely different person. Looking back at myself I’m thinking, that’s crazy. I thought I was just messed up but come to find out, I was going through something I wasn’t even aware of.’’
Latest On Buccaneers, DeSean Jackson
There’s no hiding the fact that DeSean Jackson struggled in his first season with the Buccaneers, catching 50 passes for 668 yards and three touchdowns. Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter didn’t believe that all the struggles fell on the shoulders of the three-time Pro Bowler as he never looked to gain a rapport with quarterback Jameis Winston.
“DeSean … we did not get the production out of DeSean. And when I say production out of DeSean, when you go back and look at the tape, we have a tape of just plays where we didn’t hit DeSean,” Koetter said to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “DeSean was where he was supposed to be. He was either behind the defense, in between the corner and safety, or he was in position to make explosive plays and we didn’t get the ball to him. That’s on myself, it’s on Jameis to do better. I think DeSean and Jameis have said they need to spend more time working together and I think they’re addressing that.
Jackson has a potential out on his deal after next season. If the Buccaneers were to cut Jackson prior to this season, the team would absorb $7.5MM in dead cap space. He signed a three-year, $33.5MM deal with the Buccaneers last offseason, with $20MM guaranteed at signing. A one-car crash last Christmas Eve in Tampa, Fla., in which the vehicle was left unattended, was linked to a car owned by Jackson but the authorities are no longer actively investigating the case.
Stroud notes that Jackson trains in California during the offseason, which likely won’t help with developing a rapport with Winston, and that he missed out on most of the team’s voluntary OTAs last offseason. Stroud also opines that Chris Godwin could take on an extended role in the offense in the near future.
Godwin, who the team took in the third round of last year’s draft, had 34 catches for 525 yards and a touchdown last season, including nine catches for 111 yards (and the lone touchdown) in the team’s regular-season finale.
“I think Chris is capable of being a No. 1 if you want him to be,” Koetter said. “He can also be your two, he can be your three. His ego does not show up. He’ll do what you ask him to do and he’ll do it to the best of his ability and he’ll play through discomfort.”
Jets Aligned To Be Active In 2019 Free Agency
The Jets missed out on their biggest free-agent target in quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed with the Vikings. The team entered the offseason with an NFL-best $89.8MM in cap space and could have $90MM in cap space for next offseason, with the possibility of that number moving closer to $100MM. 
The 2019 free-agent class is loaded, with the likes of Todd Gurley, Le’Veon Bell, Odell Beckham, Jadeveon Clowney, Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack and Demarcus Lawrence all possibly becoming free agents. If they’re unable to solve their quarterback dilemma this season, the Titans’ Marcus Mariota, the Buccaneers’ Jameis Winston and the Falcons’ Matt Ryan are also due to become free agents.
“The list is impressive,” said Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan to Calvin Watkins of Newsday. “What you tend to do is you go through and try and look at teams and who they anticipate they’re franchising and, of course, if they have that ability. A lot of things can happen between now and then.”
The Jets were still busy in free agency this offseason, signing quarterbacks Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater, defensive back Trumaine Johnson, wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and linebacker Avery Williamson. They also have two key players due to reach free agency themselves next offseason in defensive tackle Leonard Williams and guard James Carpenter.
New York holds the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft after trading up with the Colts. It’s held private workouts for Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen and UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen.
“We feel pretty good how we positioned ourselves and how it’s going to play out,” Maccagnan continued to Watkins. “I’m very confident from that standpoint, that doesn’t faze me. [In] the [upcoming] college draft, [there are] guys you will [try] and guys that don’t pan out. That’s part of the process. We feel pretty good about this year’s group and where we’re situated.”
Bengals Notes: Atkins, Dunlap, Ross
Defensive tackle Geno Atkins is near the top of the Bengals’ wishlist of players to extend. The six-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of a five-year $55MM extension and though he turned 30 earlier this week, he’s not showing signs of slowing down.
Atkins has tallied nine sacks in each of the last two seasons without missing a game. In fact, he hasn’t missed a game since 2013.
The Bengals have indicated his extension will certainly be a priority.
“In our football business, you pay for high-end talent and Geno has been at the top of our industry for a long time and we think he can continue to do that and that’s why we’re trying to see what the opportunities are going forward,” said Bengals vice president Troy Blackburn to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Atkins set the market for defensive tackles back in 2013 but has since been upstaged by the likes of Gerald McCoy (seven years, $98MM) and Ndamukong Suh (six years, $114MM — with the Dolphins). Suh most-recently signed a one-year, $14MM deal with the Rams.
Here’s more from the Bengals:
- The Bengals have another defensive lineman nearing free agency in Carlos Dunlap. He’s also entering the final year of his deal — a six-year, $40MM extension signed in July 2013. The 29-year-old two-time Pro Bowler hasn’t logged less than 7 1/2 sacks in a season since 2013 while not missing a game since 2012. Blackburn said “That’s right” to Dehner Jr. when asked if Dunlap was viewed in the same scope as Atkins. But excess talent at defensive end in Carl Lawson and Jordan Willis could complicate matters. “At the same time, we’re going to be looking at the young guys we have coming up,” Blackburn said.
- John Ross had an abysmal rookie season with the Bengals, fumbling on his only touch of the year. But his lack of production didn’t have to do with a fractured relationship with coach Marvin Lewis. “He wasn’t in my doghouse. I don’t have a doghouse,” Lewis said to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I think he’s all the ability we wanted. That’s why we drafted him. He had to get fixed. We knew he was injured going in and he got nicked up a couple of times in his lower legs and the other shoulder was bothering him. He’s all fixed now.” The Bengals took the speedster out of Washington with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2017 draft.
- Earlier this week, Bengals president of player personnel Duke Tobin acknowledged that building around a player like Vontaze Burfict hasn’t been “ideal” but the team plans to stick by him and his recently-signed three-year extension for the time being. Burfict is suspended for the first four games of the upcoming season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Extra Points: Griffin, Falcons, Wallace, Fitzpatrick, Patriots
UCF held its pro day Thursday and 31 teams from around the NFL came out in part to watch linebacker Shaquem Griffin work out, per ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The Titans and Saints have already visited with the linebacker who captivated many at the Scouting Combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds and putting up 20 reps on the bench press with a prosthetic hand.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported that Griffin has been invited to the upcoming NFL Draft after a struggle to just get invited to the Scouting Combine. The 49ers were the only team not in attendance Thursday. Laine noted that most teams see Griffin as a weakside inside linebacker at the next level. His brother, Shaquill Griffin, is a cornerback for the Seahawks.
“I was a guy who was under the radar who they didn’t believe in at first but I feel like they’re starting to believe now,” Griffin said Thursday, via Laine. “I have the entire nation behind me now.”
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- While speaking with ESPN’s Vaughn McLure, former NFL agent Joel Corry opined that Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is likely to get $100MM in total guarantees, including $85MM guaranteed at signing, whenever he signs his new deal — based off previous quarterback deals. Both the Falcons and Ryan’s agent, Tom Condon, who also represents Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford, haven’t set a timetable on a possible deal. Curry believes that means that Ryan’s asking price is too high for the Falcons. Curry also doesn’t expect Ryan to take a hometown discount.
- Mike Wallace‘s one-year deal with the Eagles is worth $1.92MM in guaranteed money and he can make up to $2.09MM with incentives, per Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic (on Twitter). Wallace got a signing bonus of $1MM and will make $915K in base salary.
- NFL Draft analyst Benjamin Albright suggested (on Twitter) that mock drafts have Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick going too high and Boston College pass-rusher Harold Landry going too low, based off sources he’s spoken to.
- Doug Kyed of NESN opines that people shouldn’t be surprised if former undrafted rookie Cole Croston competes for the Patriots‘ starting left tackle spot if they’re unable to address the position properly with the No. 31 overall pick in the draft. Croston, an Iowa alum, appeared in three games last season as a rookie. Both of the Patriots’ tackles from last season — Nate Solder and Cameron Fleming — have departed in free agency this offseason.
Minor NFL Transcations: 3/29/18
Today’s minor moves:
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett
Washington Redskins
- Waived: RB LeShun Daniels
Cowboys Don’t Have Timeline For Dez Bryant Talks
The Cowboys plan on speaking with wide receiver Dez Bryant regarding a restructuring of his deal. On Wednesday, it was reported that the Cowboys hoped to resolve the issue at some point over the next two weeks. 
The team seemed to step back from that notion Thursday.
“We haven’t put that timeline on it,” said Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones during a press conference at the team’s facility, per Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com. “When we get ready on a decision with Dez, we’ll make it.”
Bryant, 29, signed a five-year, $70MM extension with the Cowboys prior to the 2016 season. He’s due to have a cap hit of $16.5MM in 2018. Veteran tight end Jason Witten and center Travis Frederick have already restructured their deals this offseason to create cap space. The team added a pair of wide receivers in free agency as well in Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson.
“We’re going to sit down and we have a lot to talk about,” Jerry Jones said at the press conference. “I don’t want to say or not say anything to imply that Dez won’t be a Dallas Cowboy.”
In related news, the Cowboys have attended the pro days for wide receivers Christian Kirk (Texas A&M), Courtland Sutton (SMU) and Calvin Ridley (Alabama), who are all projected to go in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft. The Cowboys hold the No. 19 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
North Notes: Taylor, Toilolo, Bengals, Browns
Some believe that the Browns overpaid for quarterback Tyrod Taylor when they gave up the first pick in the third round for him, but Browns head coach Hue Jackson says that’s not the case.
“Maybe people don’t think Tyrod has performed as well as he has because he’s not talked about as an upper-echelon guy in the league, but the guy has performed really solidly over the last several years,” Jackson said (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). “He’s made some tremendous plays. He’s led teams to the playoffs and winning seasons. He’s stayed healthy. He hasn’t turned the ball over, and those are things coaches look for. I’m just happy we got him. I know for a fact other teams wanted him, too. I think we’re fortunate to have this guy as our starter.”
Jackson doubled-down on his confidence in Taylor earlier this offseason, saying that he will enter the season as the team’s starter and that there won’t be training-camp competition. The team is destined to pick a quarterback with either the first or fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft and traded Cody Kessler to the Jaguars earlier this week.
Here’s more from around the AFC/NFC North:
- Tight end Levine Toilolo‘s deal with the Lions is a one-year pact worth roughly $2MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- Despite a flurry of off-the-field issues, the Bengals have stuck with linebacker Vontaze Burfict, keeping his three-year, $32,53MM extension signed last September on the books. That doesn’t mean the team hasn’t considered building around someone a little more reliable. Burfict was suspended for the first four games of next season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy and has missed 29 of 66 possible games over the last four years due to suspension. “Do we have conversations on that a lot? Sure, we have conversations on that a lot,” said Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin of cutting ties with Burfict, via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cinncinati Enquirer. “But at the end of the day we are a player-oriented business and the players are the ones that win or lose for us. We try to collect as many players that can help us win. That’s our job.
- Southern Mississippi safety Tarvarius Moore has visits scheduled with the Browns and seven other teams over the next few weeks, per Jason Munz of the Hattiesburg American and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (on Twitter) Moore clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at Southern Miss’ pro day Thursday.
Arrest Warrant Issued For Aldon Smith
A bench warrant has been issued for free agent Aldon Smith after he failed to appear in court Thursday in a protective order stemming from his arrest on charges of alleged domestic violence earlier this month, according to TMZ Sports.
Smith’s attorney claimed that he had never missed a prior court date and that he planned to be present Thursday, per the TMZ Sports report. Smith was charged with four misdemeanors in early March after an alleged altercation with his fiancee. He was also arrested earlier this week after violating a mandate that stated he was to refrain from contact with the victim from the alleged domestic violence incident and he eventually turned himself in to authorities.
The Raiders promptly released Smith earlier this month after the initial domestic violence charges. A series of off-the-field issues led the 49ers to cut the former No. 7 overall pick in August 2015. He latched on with the Raiders and signed a two-year deal to remain in Oakland in April 2016.
Smith last appeared in a game in 2015 with the Raiders, recording 3.5 sacks in just nine games. He showed flashes of greatness on the field in his career, including 41 sacks through his first three seasons. But it appears Smith’s chances of ever suiting up with an NFL team again are slim at best.
West Notes: 49ers, Decker, Suh, Chiefs, Broncos
With a full year under their belt, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch helped devise a new strategy for the team’s free-agent approach.
Rather than list the top five players in their opinion at each position they were looking to address, then go down the list until agreeing to terms with a player, they identified specific players of interest they believed were fits. This offseason, that included center Weston Richburg and running back Jerick McKinnon, who were both signed by the 49ers.
“It started with the foundation of John and Kyle being on the same page on how we want to build our team and this is ultimately where we want to get to, and we want to get to sustainable success,” 49ers CEO Jed York said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Of course, the 49ers’ most notable move of the offseason came in the form of a three-year deal for cornerback Richard Sherman. The team officially introduced Sherman on Thursday.
Here’s more from around the AFC/NFC West
- Former Broncos wide receiver and current free agent Eric Decker is back in Denver but for personal reasons, per Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter), but he does not have a visit scheduled with his former employer at the moment.
- Ndamukong Suh‘s $14MM base salary with the Rams is fully guaranteed, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). With incentives, he can push the value of the deal to $15MM.
- The Chiefs, along with the Titans and Texans, hosted Kansas pass rusher Dorance Armstrong Jr. for a visit, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Though he played as a 4-3 defensive end in college, Wilson notes he’s likely destined to work as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL. Armstrong is projected to go as early as the third round in the upcoming draft.
- While speaking on a podcast with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, John Elway said the Broncos still haven’t decided on the direction it’ll take with the No. 5 pick in the draft. That direction could still include the team taking a quarterback at No. 5, even after signing quarterback Case Keenum. “That’ll be wide open,” Elway said, via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. ” … I’m betting we won’t know what direction we’re going to go until probably the day of [the first round] or the day before.”