Sam Robinson | Pro Football Rumors

Offseason In Review: Washington Commanders

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 10:00 pm

The Commanders’ roster moves did not receive too much attention this offseason. Dan Snyder‘s prolonged exit overshadowed his former team’s football matters. The Snyder-to-Josh Harris transfer represents the most important storyline involving this franchise this century. Without the historically unpopular owner, the once-respected organization can begin to pick up the pieces.

As the team does so, an interesting blueprint has formed. No head coach’s seat should be considered hotter than Ron Rivera‘s, and longtime HC candidate Eric Bieniemy is now in place as the team’s play-caller. The unusual circumstances surrounding Bieniemy’s arrival aside, the Commanders have operated curiously — and intently — at quarterback. Rivera’s job security will be tied to a fifth-round quarterback — Sam Howell — the team has backed since his Week 18 debut.

Extensions and restructures:

Reached four-year, $90MM deal ($46MM guaranteed) with franchise-tagged DT Daron Payne

The Commanders’ most expensive roster maneuver came before free agency, and it became a seminal development for the defensive tackle market. Payne’s extension laid the groundwork for the new second tier of D-tackle contracts that bridge the gap between Aaron Donald and the field. This agreement came to pass after Payne delivered a strong contract year, starring alongside Jonathan Allen to help a Commanders team still without the full services of Chase Young. After Payne’s 11.5-sack season — which more than doubled his previous single-slate best — Washington unholstered the franchise tag.

Payne and Terry McLaurin loomed as 2022 extension candidates, but the Commanders took care of their top receiver and drafted a potential Payne replacement (fellow Alabama alum Phidarian Mathis) in the second round. But Mathis went down four plays into his rookie season, which turned into a breakthrough year for Payne.

The Commanders expressed a greater interest in extending Payne after his contract-year showing, and his deal at the time became the highest non-Donald AAV at the position. Payne’s pact provided a baseline for Dexter Lawrence, Jeffery Simmons and Quinnen Williams‘ second contracts — each of which ending between $22.5MM and $24MM per year — and has given the Chiefs a Chris Jones price range. The veteran All-Pro, however, has viewed that level as beneath him, holding out for Donald-level dough.

Payne’s deal gives the Commanders two D-tackle AAVs of at least $18MM. The Giants match this and are doing so with Daniel Jones extended. Washington getting off Carson Wentz‘s contract, moving to Howell, will allow for a higher volume of payments elsewhere on the roster. With Payne and Allen extended, it sets the stage for an interesting decision at defensive end — where Young and Montez Sweat are going into contract years.

Free agency additions:

Andrew Wylie, OL: Three years, $24MM ($12MM guaranteed)
Nick Gates, OL: Three years, $16.5MM ($8MM guaranteed)
Jacoby Brissett, QB: One year, $8MM ($7.5MM guaranteed)
Cody Barton, LB: One year, $3.5MM ($3.5MM guaranteed)
Trenton Scott, OL: Two years, $3MM ($655K guaranteed)
Byron Pringle, WR: One year, $1.1MM

Six teams used the franchise tag this year. The Commanders were the only one to hammer out an extension before free agency. Doing so took Payne’s tag price out of the equation and dropped the sixth-year defender’s 2023 cap hit by nearly $10MM. This, along with some notable cuts, gave Washington some cash to spend. The team primarily targeted middling offensive linemen, though Brissett secured a pay increase after a better-than-expected Cleveland campaign.

Wylie, 29, enhanced his value considerably in 2022. While a Chiefs regular, Wylie did not earn much — by NFL standards, at least — during his five seasons in Kansas City. The Chiefs re-signed him on a one-year, $2.54MM deal during the 2022 offseason. Despite the low-end contract, Kansas City stashed Wylie — a former guard — at right tackle. This became an important transition for the former UDFA.

A Chiefs 2021 O-line makeover — after a disastrous blocking effort in Super Bowl LV — produced answers at the four other O-line spots. But the AFC powerhouse skimped at right tackle. (Wylie started 11 games for the Super Bowl LIV-winning Chiefs team but missed those playoffs due to injury.) The only Chiefs Super Bowl LV O-line starter who remained a first-stringer in the aftermath, Wylie held a part-time role in 2021 and lined up with the first-stringers in every game for the Super Bowl LVII-winning team.

Pro Football Focus barely ranked Wylie inside the top 60 among tackles last season, and the Chiefs paid up — via a four-year, $80MM Jawaan Taylor deal — to replace him. But this year’s right tackle market boomed. Mike McGlinchey secured a $17.5MM-per-year contract (and a whopping $52.5MM in practical guarantees), while Kaleb McGary fetched $11.5MM per year to stay with the Falcons. Wylie settled in at a lower rate, but given his pre-2023 earnings, this contract is a game-changer for the Eastern Michigan alum. Wylie’s five-season Chiefs run overlapped entirely with Bieniemy’s OC tenure.

Washington paid market value for Gates, who was among five centers to score a deal worth between $4MM and $6MM per year in March. Gates’ career paused after a severe leg injury during a September 2021 game in Washington. The Giants had given him an extension to be their center, but New York’s revolving door post-Weston Richburg at the position kept spinning once Gates went down. Gates, 27, made it back for a midseason activation last year, helping the Giants to a surprising playoff berth. The former UDFA finished the season in a platoon setup at left guard, but he is returning to the pivot in Washington, potentially manning the job as third-round pick Ricky Stromberg develops.

It is fair to wonder if the Commanders are taking too big a risk by fielding an O-line full of modest investments. This group still features Charles Leno, a Bears castoff going into his age-32 season, at left tackle. Sam Cosmi has shifted from tackle to guard; this will be the former second-rounder’s first season as a full-time starter. Washington held a position battle for the left guard spot, with 2020 fourth-round pick Saahdiq Charles (eight starts in three seasons) expected to open the season as the starter. Howell looks to be stepping in behind an average-at-best unit.

The Commanders gave Barton a “prove it” deal. Seattle’s Bobby Wagner Seahawks replacement alongside Jordyn Brooks, Barton will replace Cole Holcomb in Washington. The Steelers brought in Holcomb in free agency. This will only be Barton’s second season as a starter; PFF assessed his first modestly, ranking the former third-round pick just inside the top 60 at the position. Statistically, Barton delivered a career year — 136 tackles, six passes defensed, two sacks and two INTs — and Jack Del Rio will attempt to plug him in at a position that has caused some issues for the team in recent years.

While Howell received tremendous votes of confidence despite a fifth-round pedigree and a one-game rookie year, the Commanders added Brissett as insurance. Brissett, 30, has made a career out of this, stepping in on short notice twice for Andrew Luck and then backing up Tua Tagovailoa before becoming the Browns’ Deshaun Watson stopgap. After struggling for the Dolphins, Brissett performed admirably in his Browns one-off.

Cleveland went just 4-7 during Brissett’s starter run, but QBR placed the journeyman eighth. Brissett completed a career-high 64% of his passes (at 7.1 yards per attempt, also a career-best mark during a season in which he operated as his team’s primary starter), keeping the Browns in most of their games. Among backup options this year, only Andy Dalton received more guaranteed money ($8MM). The former Patriots third-round pick has made 48 career starts, providing a backstop if Howell does not deliver on this offseason promise.

Re-signings:

Danny Johnson, CB: Two years, $5MM ($2.75MM guaranteed)
Efe Obada, DE: One year, $2MM ($1MM guaranteed)
David Mayo, LB: One year, $1.32MM ($153K guaranteed)

Notable losses:

Jonathan Bostic, LB
Nathan Gerry, LB (released)
Taylor Heinicke, QB
Cole Holcomb, LB
Nick Martin, C
Wes Martin, OL
Bobby McCain, S (released)
J.D. McKissic, RB (released)
Andrew Norwell, G (released)
Chase Roullier, C (designated as post-June 1 cut)
Wes Schweitzer, OL
Cam Sims, WR
Trai Turner, G
Carson Wentz, QB (released)

Wentz’s staggering descent has reached the point he looks unlikely to be on a team ahead of what would be his age-30 season. The former No. 2 overall pick has been working out in preparation of playing an eighth season, but no team has provided an opportunity (or Wentz has not accepted one). The 2017 would-be MVP has been jettisoned in three straight offseasons, with each exit more ignominious than the last. Wentz played four seasons on a $32MM-per-year contract and has pocketed more than $128MM in his career. Said career would still go down as disappointing if a notable second act does not commence.

The Commanders parting with two third-round picks for Wentz, taking on his contract after Jim Irsay was driving the bus over his 2021 starter, was surprising. But Washington’s efforts to trade for Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr (and a potential inquiry into Andrew Luck‘s status) failed. Wentz being the consolation prize helped illuminate this franchise’s standing within the league. Predictably, the Wentz-Washington fit proved poor. A thumb injury limited Wentz to seven starts with Washington, which kept him on the bench as Heinicke provided a spark after Wentz had the team at 1-4.

Rivera turned back to the more talented quarterback in Week 17, but Wentz’s three-interception game sank the Commanders in a make-or-break game against the Browns. Due to the Eagles-constructed contract being traded twice, the Wentz cut did not leave the Commanders with any dead money. The $26MM in cap savings financed the Payne franchise tag.

The Falcons gave Heinicke a two-year, $14MM contract ($6.32MM guaranteed) to back up another 2022 mid-round-pick-turned-starter (Desmond Ridder). Washington had tried to keep Heinicke on the bench, signing Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2021 and then trading for Wentz. But the former Rivera Panthers charge kept finding his way into the lineup. Fitzpatrick’s 16-play Washington career led to 15 Heinicke starts in 2021, while the 2022 Commanders’ best work came with Heinicke at the controls. Heinicke, 30, improved his passer rating, yards per attempt and QBR figures last season, and Washington fans will always have his stunning wild-card duel with Tom Brady. The Old Dominion alum used his Washington stay to carve out a place as a decent NFL backup, a path that could lead to a few more years in the league.

The team did not make any secret of its Howell plans, letting it be known in January he had the inside track to start. Few quarterbacks have parlayed a meaningless season finale into a better opportunity. (Patrick Mahomes and Rob Johnson come to mind, but few others). But the Commanders placed a second-round grade on Howell, who fell from a player on the first-round radar to the top of the fifth. North Carolina losing most of Howell’s established weapons from 2020 to 2021 harmed the QB’s stock. It is safe to say he has rebounded in Washington.

Rivera’s instability makes the Howell call one of the bolder moves in recent memory, and it represents a swerve from the Commanders’ 2022 plans. Calling on just about every quarterback available or potentially available, the Commanders showed desperation — to the point they acquired Wentz without any contractual adjustment — last year. This pattern surely would have seen the Commanders place a call to Lamar Jackson, had the Ravens standout been tagged a year prior. Instead, the team joined the rest of the league in passing on a negotiation with the then-franchise-tagged superstar.

This fascinating pivot to a low-cost option offers high-risk, high-reward potential for the Commanders’ coaching staff. Washington does have a history of coaxing quality work from mid- or late-round passers. Even under Snyder, Kirk Cousins bailed the team out — to a degree, at least — of the mess the Robert Griffin III trade-up caused. Howell propping up Rivera (22-27-1 in Washington) would mark a similar save.

Injuries altered Roullier’s trajectory as Washington’s center. Given a four-year, $40.5MM extension late in Rivera’s first year, Roullier blocked for a brigade of QBs. Solid rookie-contract play earned Roullier that contract, but a fibula fracture and an MCL tear respectively shut him down in 2021 and ’22. The Wyoming alum had only missed two games in the three prior seasons, playing alongside Brandon Scherff and Trent Williams for part of that period. Roullier was believed to be interested in continuing his career, working out for the Cardinals this summer. But he instead decided to walk away after six seasons.

Norwell chose to reunite with Rivera in 2021, and the former All-Pro Panthers blocker worked as a Washington starter for two seasons. The 31-year-old guard only missed one game during his tenure in the nation’s capital but was battling an injury this offseason. Norwell missed Howell’s season-ending start due to a hip injury, but an elbow malady plagued the nine-year veteran this offseason. No team has signed Norwell, whose release created $4.38MM in Commanders cap space.

Injuries limited Schweitzer, but he found a new home — with the Jets — despite expressing interest in staying on a second Washington contract. Schweitzer, 30, played out his three-year deal last season. These exits will lead to four new primary starters taking their places on the Commanders’ O-line.

Draft:

Round 1, No. 16: Emmanuel Forbes, CB (Mississippi State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 47: Jartavius Martin, CB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 3, No. 97: Ricky Stromberg, C (Arkansas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 118: Braeden Daniels, T (Utah) (signed)
Round 5, No. 137 (from Cardinals through Bills): K.J. Henry, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 6, No. 193: Christopher Rodriguez, RB (Kentucky) (signed)
Round 7, No. 233: Andre Jones Jr., DE (Louisiana) (signed)

The Patriots’ decision to trade the No. 14 overall pick to the Steelers produced considerable fallout. The Commanders played a part in the process that led to the Pats giving the Steelers fairly easy access to tackle Broderick Jones, a player the Jets were believed to covet at No. 15. Washington’s angle centered on cornerbacks, and trade talks with New England fizzled because Green Bay taking Lukas Van Ness convinced the Commanders either Forbes or Christian Gonzalez would be on the board at No. 16. As it turned out, both corners remained available at 16.

Forbes became the Commanders’ preference. The Mississippi State product brought size concerns for teams to evaluate, weighing just 166 pounds coming into the NFL. But his playmaking ability was enough to satisfy the Commanders. Forbes returned six interceptions for touchdowns while at Mississippi State, reaching that historic total in just three seasons. He finished his Bulldogs career with 14 INTs and 390 return yards, twice returning three picks for scores in a season (2020, 2022). ESPN’s Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah gave Gonzalez a higher rating, each placing the Oregon prospect in the top 11. Jeremiah ranked Forbes 34th overall. These corners’ careers will certainly be measured against each other.

As Forbes prepares to start, Martin is ticketed to begin the season as a backup. The former Devon Witherspoon college teammate did notch an interception during an up-and-down preseason, however. Martin brings a versatile skillset that allowed him to excel at safety and as a nickel corner, a profile similar to Lions second-rounder Brian Branch, at Illinois. Martin dropped a 44-inch vertical leap at the Combine and also ranked above the 98th percentile in the broad jump. It will be interesting to see how the Commanders utilize this tools-heavy prospect. The team is set to roll out Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste at corner and Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest at safety.

The Commanders met with Hendon Hooker and were connected to potentially using a Day 2 pick on a quarterback, but the Wentz trade left them without their own third-round pick. Well after Hooker went to Detroit near the top of Round 3, Stromberg arrived as a compensatory selection. Going into Week 1, Cosmi is the only former Day 1 or Day 2 draftee on Washington’s O-line. This unusually low number should be expected to expand to two at some point. Stromberg has worked at both center and guard during the leadup to the season; he sits as the top interior backup. Stromberg earned third- and first-team All-SEC acclaim during his final two seasons at Arkansas.

Other:

Dan Snyder sells team to Philadelphia 76ers/New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris
Fired OC Scott Turner, hiring Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy as replacement
Declined $17.45MM fifth-year option on DE Chase Young
DE Shaka Toney receives indefinite gambling suspension

This franchise journeyed to five Super Bowls from 1972-1991 and won three. It produced three MVPs in that span. Washington’s 1983 edition held the single-season scoring record for 15 years, and the 1991 Super Bowl-winning outfit is one of the best teams in NFL history. Although the team trended down during the 1990s, the Snyder era introduced a clear line of demarcation, sinking the franchise to new depths.

Washington has only two 10-win seasons this century and has not made the playoffs in consecutive years. As RG3 faded after an ACL tear and Cousins departed for Minnesota after contentious negotiations with then-president Bruce Allen, Washington proceeded to embark on a historically rare stretch. Howell will make seven Week 1 starting QBs in seven seasons. Though, off-field distractions dwarfed the team’s near-annual quarterback concerns.

The subject of two NFL investigations in three years and hovering at the center of a House Oversight Committee probe, Snyder had weathered storms in the past. But the embattled owner saw a fall 2022 report, one that indicated he had hired investigators to gather dirt on select owners and Roger Goodell, provide a tipping point. The owner who said he would never sell the team was eventually forced to do so. The Congressional report and Mary Jo White’s subsequent offering delivered damning indictments of the culture the Snyder era brought — from financial impropriety to sexual misconduct to playing a key part in the Allen-Jon Gruden emails being leaked, which led to the latter’s Raiders ouster — and Harris being approved as the team’s new owner in July doubled as a banner day for the NFC East franchise.

Snyder still collected an American sports-record $6.05 billion for the team he bought for barely $800MM in 1999. While the two NFL investigations — the second one producing a report released on the same day Harris’ purchase was ratified, a surefire effort to bury the latest round of Snyder findings — led to Snyder being fined a combined $70MM, the 24-year owner was given a historic parting gift to leave the league without further conflict.

Longtime Snyder adversary Jeff Bezos did not end up submitting a bid, and after the Amazon founder (who has been linked to a potential future Seahawks purchase) sat out these proceedings, Harris zoomed to the forefront. Owner of the 76ers, Devils and Premier League club Crystal Palace, Harris brought in a large investment group. Harris, 58, finished second to Rob Walton in the Broncos sweepstakes last year and needed to pay nearly $1.5 billion more for the Commanders. With Harris and Walton many levels apart in net worth, a 17-person investment group — one including Magic Johnson and real estate billionaire Mitchell Rales — became necessary. Rumblings of the NFL only approving Harris’ complex bid because of a desire to oust Snyder surfaced, but regardless of how this process ended here, Harris is in his second month in charge.

A new owner being in place figures to move Rivera closer to the cliff’s edge, and the team hired a longtime HC candidate to replace Turner. Creative differences with Rivera did in Turner, whose admittedly QB-limited offenses did not rank inside the top 20 in points or yards from 2020-22. Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew were believed to want an even more run-oriented attack, which will be difficult to accomplish considering the Commanders logged the fourth-most rushing attempts last season. But Bieniemy became the organizational preference, leaving a prime situation for a potentially rocky one.

During his time as the Chiefs’ OC, Bieniemy interviewed for 16 head coaching jobs. His failure to land one became a lightning rod, and while legitimate reasons may exist for the longtime Andy Reid lieutenant being stuck on the coordinator tier, his status as a Black coach with an offensive background served as the sticking point for many.

Bieniemy not landing an HC job amid one of the greatest five-year runs in QB history — this will be the Chiefs’ first year of the Patrick Mahomes starter era without Bieniemy as Reid’s chief aide — was conspicuous, but Reid’s play-calling role served as a barrier for his five-year OC. Moving from the Chiefs’ luxurious setup to a team trying out Howell will bring significant risk for Bieniemy, whom Matt Nagy has replaced in Kansas City. But the former NFL running back was effectively stuck; only one team (the Colts) interviewed him for its HC job this year.

A 10-year Reid assistant, Bieniemy received OC interest from the Ravens as well. But he only interviewed with Washington. This will be Bieniemy’s first run as a regular NFL play-caller, and while it would be interesting to see if he became a candidate to replace Rivera, new ownership may decide to start with a new staff in 2024 if this Howell experiment falters. Bieniemy, 54, did not stand in the way of Rivera’s plan to install Howell as the starter rather than chase another veteran or plan a trade-up maneuver. As such, Howell looms as a central figure in Bieniemy’s coaching career.

Following Payne’s March re-up, the Commanders’ front office shut down business on the extension front. The ownership transfer delayed matters, with Rivera indicating the tricky dynamic that existed for big-picture contract calls as Snyder headed out the door. This paused movement toward a Sweat extension, though Washington is still eyeing a new deal for the 2019 first-rounder. Complicating matters for the Commanders’ most consistent edge rusher in recent years: Young’s status.

Young tearing an ACL and patellar tendon in November 2021 stalled his career. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year missed 22 straight games because of the injury and returned in a limited role late last season. Young was amid an unproductive second season when he went down in 2021 as well, giving the Commanders a tough ask when it came to greenlighting a fully guaranteed $17.45MM for 2024.

This could set up a Sweat-or-Young scenario regarding an extension. Sweat has offered more consistency, via his 29 career sacks and seven career games missed (all in 2021), with Young’s rookie-year showing offering a glimpse at a higher ceiling. But the former No. 2 overall pick is far removed from that 2020 NFL introduction. He will need to show the Commanders’ new ownership he has recovered from that knee malady.

It should be expected at least one of Washington’s D-ends will be back next year; the team will have the franchise tag at its disposal. But a Sweat extension opens the door to Young staying — provided he displays full health and shows the form from his rookie season — via the tag and at least one more year with the four-first-rounder D-line arrangement.

Top 10 cap charges for 2023:

Jonathan Allen, DT: $21.44MM
Curtis Samuel, WR: $13MM
Charles Leno, LT: $12.5MM
Kendall Fuller, CB: $11.63MM
Montez Sweat, DE: $11.5MM
Terry McLaurin, WR: $11.03MM
Chase Young, DE: $10.99MM
Logan Thomas, TE: $8.68MM
Daron Payne, DT: $8.61MM
Jacoby Brissett, QB: $8.5MM

Washington will redeploy an intriguing skill-position corps around Howell, with their Antonio Gibson–Brian Robinson tandem supplementing the McLaurin-Samuel-Jahan Dotson receiving crew. McLaurin’s preseason turf toe injury injects some concern into this setup, but if the team’s longtime WR1 is ready to go soon, the Commanders will see what they have in Howell. Though, their offensive line bears monitoring.

Del Rio’s defense bounced back last season, finishing as a top-seven unit in points and yards allowed. Given the uncertainty on offense, the Commanders will likely need a similar effort this year. Their prized quartet of D-linemen being together again should strengthen Del Rio’s unit. It seems improbable Rivera could survive a fourth straight .500-or-worse season, especially with new ownership in place. Howell’s progress will undoubtedly determine if the former NFC champion HC can stave off a second firing at the hands of a new owner.

5 comments Offseason In Review PFR Originals Washington Commanders

Patriots Claim QB Matt Corral

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 9:50 pm

The Panthers had expressed interest in bringing Matt Corral back via a practice squad invite, but they took a risk by waiving the former third-round pick. The Patriots will prevent a quick Carolina-Corral reunion from taking place.

New England put in a successful waiver claim for Corral on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Corral will join an interestingly constructed quarterback room. The Pats now have two QBs on their active roster — Corral and Mac Jones — and two more on their practice squad (Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham).

Although the Pats had been connected to wanting a veteran — perhaps Colt McCoy — to be Jones’ backup, Corral is now in that position. Considering Corral missed all of his rookie season and was viewed as a developmental player after last year’s draft, the Ole Miss product might not be New England’s true QB2 in Week 1. But the Pats thought enough of him to use a roster spot via this claim.

Corral spent all of last season on Carolina’s IR, suffering a Lisfranc injury during the preseason. He underwent surgery, but upon recovering, the Panthers had revamped their QB room. Carolina gave up plenty of assets to move from No. 9 to No. 1, via the Bears, for Bryce Young. The team gave Andy Dalton a two-year deal, featuring the largest QB2 guarantee this offseason ($8MM), to mentor the young prospect. Frank Reich spoke highly of Corral’s development, as he aimed to keep him on the taxi squad, but the second-year passer will pack his bags for Foxborough.

The Patriots were the team that allowed the Panthers to move up for Corral in last year’s third round, collecting an additional third-rounder (in 2023) to give up 2022’s No. 94 overall pick. The Carolina selection became No. 76 this year, and the Patriots took promising defender Marte Mapu. Corral also suffered his foot injury during a preseason game at Gillette Stadium last August.

Corral was the last of the third-round QBs chosen last year. He, Desmond Ridder and Malik Willis generated buzz about going much higher than they did, but the draft hit a signal-caller lull after Kenny Pickett went off the board at No. 20. Corral was developing behind Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold when he went down. With P.J. Walker also on the Browns’ practice squad, all four of the Panthers’ QBs from last season are now elsewhere.

New England now has two QBs from the 2022 draft in the mix, though Zappe’s stock has fallen a bit since he generated buzz about competing with Jones. While Corral’s 2021 stats did not measure up to Zappe’s record-setting Western Kentucky numbers, he excelled in the SEC. He averaged 10.2 yards per attempt in 2020, targeting the likes of Elijah Moore and Jonathan Mingo, and posted a 20-5 TD-INT ratio in 2021. Three years remain on the 24-year-old passer’s rookie contract; he is due an $870K base salary this season.

11 comments New England Patriots Transactions Matt Corral

Vikings Sign T David Quessenberry, Place RB/KR Kene Nwangwu On IR

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 4:12 pm

AUGUST 31: Quessenberry’s Vikings deal is official. To make room on their 53-man roster, the Vikes shuttled kick returner Kene Nwangwu to IR. Minnesota’s kick returner for the past two seasons, Nwangwu suffered a back injury that has forced him to miss multiple weeks of practice. The third-year running back has already ripped off three kick-return touchdowns. That is the most in the NFL over the past two seasons; only one other player (Nyheim Hines) has more than one in that span. The Vikings also signed Myles Gaskin to help on the running back depth front behind Alexander Mattison.

AUGUST 30: Beaten out for the Bills’ swing tackle position, David Quessenberry is on track to have another opportunity. The Vikings are planning to sign the veteran offensive lineman, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Quessenberry, 32, spent last season as Buffalo’s swing tackle. Rookie UDFA Ryan Van Demark, however, beat out the experienced blocker for the job. This will be an active-roster addition, Garafolo adds.

The Vikings have Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill in place at tackle. Oli Udoh replaced O’Neill when he went down late last season. The former Minnesota guard starter resides as the only backup tackle option on the team presently, but if Quessenberry passes a physical, that will soon change.

Best known for his AFC South work, Quessenberry has 26 career starts on his resume. Seventeen of those came for the 2021 Titans. As the Titans struggled to replace Jack Conklin, Quessenberry gave them a full season of starter work at right tackle. The team’s Isaiah Wilson whiff preceded its Dillon Radunz pick not producing a ready blocker, leading to Quessenberry taking over. A 2013 Texans sixth-round pick, Quessenberry will bring extensive experience to a Vikings team flush with homegrown O-linemen.

Only Minnesota and New Orleans boast starting O-lines housing five homegrown first- or second-round picks. O’Neill represents the longest-tenured Vikings blocker and their only big-ticket contract. He missed time to close last season. Quessenberry is set to join Udoh, Austin Schlottmann and Blake Brandel as Vikes backup blockers.

2 comments Minnesota Vikings Transactions David Quessenberry

Colts To Sign DE Jacob Martin

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 1:45 pm

Jacob Martin will bounce to a third team this year. This move will be an intra-AFC South switch. After the Texans released the veteran pass rusher, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the Colts will sign him.

The Texans showed interest in bringing Martin back after the Tuesday release, per Wilson. A number of teams have re-signed vested vets they released Tuesday, doing so after rearranging their roster — largely via IR moves — following submissions of their initial 53s. But Martin will instead head to Indianapolis.

Indy will be Martin’s fifth NFL destination. Going from the Seahawks to the Texans in the 2019 Jadeveon Clowney trade, Martin then signed a multiyear Jets deal. The Broncos acquired Martin shortly after sending Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins. Weeks after Sean Payton took over as head coach, Denver released Martin, leading him back to Houston.

The Colts did not bring back Yannick Ngakoue this offseason, despite his extensive history with DC Gus Bradley. Ngakoue signed with the Bears earlier this month. Indianapolis did sign Samson Ebukam, who comes over after two years with San Francisco. Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo remain on their respective rookie contracts, and former second-round pick Tyquan Lewis is on the active roster 10 months after suffering a patellar tendon rupture. Lewis re-signed on a one-year, $2.1MM deal in March.

Martin, 27, is coming off a down season that ended with him on the Broncos’ IR list. He finished with 2.5 sacks last season. However, Martin earned a three-year, $13.5MM Jets deal in 2022; this came after his four-sack, two-forced fumble 2021 slate (which also included a safety). Martin profiles as a depth piece for the Colts, who continue to hope their top two 2021 draftees take steps forward.

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Rams Sign K Brett Maher To Practice Squad

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 1:21 pm

AUGUST 31: The Rams still do not have a kicker on their active roster, but they now carry one on their practice squad. Maher’s deal is a P-squad agreement, the team announced. The veteran specialist is a clear candidate to begin the season as Los Angeles’ kicker; that move would require a promotion or a gameday elevation.

AUGUST 30: After seeing the Broncos replace him with a trade for Sean Payton’s longtime Saints kicker, Brett Maher is on the verge of landing another gig. The veteran kicker is finalizing terms with the Rams, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The Broncos acquired Wil Lutz via trade Tuesday and released Maher, who had been the only kicker in Denver for a bit. Maher competed against Elliott Fry to replace Brandon McManus, but after Fry suffered an injury, the Broncos had Maher effectively competing with kickers on other rosters. Lutz, who lost the Saints’ kicking competition, won out and is back with Payton.

The Rams let Matt Gay walk in free agency; Gay joined the Colts on a big-ticket (for kickers) deal. They brought in rookies to compete for the kicker job but set their initial 53-man roster with that spot vacant. Maher, 33, is set to fill it.

Although this is a Rams team in a vastly different place compared to Sean McVay’s previous seasons, Maher should still be considered a short-leash player. He has managed to both make the most 60-plus-yard field goals in NFL history (four) and miss five extra points in a single playoff run. Maher’s four misses in Tampa did not affect Dallas’ wild-card effort, but he missed another PAT in a close loss to San Francisco.

1 comment Los Angeles Rams Transactions Brett Maher

NFL Will Not Suspend Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 1:18 pm

For the second time in his career, Tyreek Hill has avoided a suspension in connection with an off-field incident. An NFL review of the Dolphins wide receiver’s conduct at a Florida marina this summer will not produce any punishment, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

A video showed Hill slapping a worker at a Miami-era marina, leading to police and NFL investigations. After the Miami-Date State Attorney’s Office declined to hit Hill with a misdemeanor assault charge, the league will follow suit in not taking any action.

This incident does not rival Hill’s two past off-field scandals, which both pertained to domestic violence, but the controversial wide receiver will again avoid a suspension. In 2019, an NFL investigation into alleged Hill child abuse — one limited by a Kansas district attorney’s office — did not bring a suspension for the talented receiver. Hill pleading guilty to punching and choking his pregnant girlfriend in 2014 led to his dismissal from Oklahoma State, but no NFL suspension could commence for that incident due to it having occurred before the eventual fifth-round pick entered the league.

The June marina dustup took place after Hill and an unidentified man were fishing for tarpon from the marina dock, which a Kelley Fishing Fleet employee told police is illegal. After being told to exit the boat, Hill “became enraged” at the boat captain and needed to be restrained by other members of his group. An expletive-laden tirade ensued, with Hill soon identifying himself as “No. 10 from the Miami Dolphins,” telling the boat captain that he could “buy you and the boat.” As Hill walked away, he slapped a 57-year-old Kelley Fishing Fleet employee, who was not the boat captain that drew the receiver’s ire minutes earlier. Hill, 29, had told one of his associates to give the employee $200. The employee declined the offer.

Thursday’s news keeps Hill in the clear ahead of his second season with the Dolphins. The Chiefs traded Hill for a five-asset package, including a 2022 first-round pick, in March of last year. The Dolphins gave the all-time speed merchant a receiver-record extension (four years, $120MM). Hill produced his third first-team All-Pro season as a receiver last year, totaling career-high numbers in receptions (119) and yards (1,710) in his Dolphins debut. Four years remain on Hill’s Miami deal.

20 comments Miami Dolphins Tyreek Hill

Texans Place C Juice Scruggs, P Cameron Johnston On IR

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 12:01 pm

The Texans are now guaranteed to start the season without two starting offensive linemen. After suffering a hamstring strain in the preseason, second-round rookie Juice Scruggs landed on IR.

In place as Houston’s starting center, Scruggs will now miss at least four games. He joins Kenyon Green in being moved off the active roster due to injury. Green, the first guard chosen in 2022, is on season-ending IR due to multiple injuries. The Texans also placed punter Cameron Johnston on IR on Thursday. Like Scruggs, Johnston will be shut down for at least a month.

A calf injury will send Johnston to IR. The Texans signed punter Ty Zentner as an insurance option last week. These moves will allow the team to re-sign linebacker Cory Littleton and running back Mike Boone. Zentner resides on Houston’s practice squad, but this Johnston news could soon lead to a promotion. The Eagles signed Zentner as a UDFA in May but waived him earlier this month.

A Scruggs IR stint emerged as a possibility earlier this week, as matters have worsened for Houston’s O-line. The team is not certain to have right tackle Tytus Howard in the lineup. A hand injury has sidelined the recently extended blocker for weeks. Scott Quessenberry, who re-signed after serving as the Texans’ starting center for most of last season, sustained a season-ending injury weeks ago. Houston has since traded for Josh Jones and Kendrick Green, with recent free agency addition George Fant in place as Howard’s RT backup.

Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason are the only locks among Houston’s first-team O-linemen to be in uniform in Week 1 against the Ravens. For additional depth purposes, the Texans also brought back interior O-lineman Michael Deiter — a March signee who did not make the team — on a practice squad deal and added recent Bears O-line castoff Dieter Eiselen to their taxi squad.

Johnston has been with the Texans for the past two seasons, coming over after the Eagles waived him. The veteran punter is going into the final season of a three-year, $8MM deal. Philadelphia’s punter from 2018-20, Johnston had previously never missed a game as a pro.

1 comment Houston Texans Transactions Cameron Johnston Dieter Eiselen Juice Scruggs Michael Deiter

Broncos Move CB K’Waun Williams To IR; CB Fabian Moreau, DT Mike Purcell Re-Sign

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 11:11 am

Three Broncos are moving to IR. While it remains to be seen how the team will use its eight allotted activations this season, three options became available Thursday.

Cornerback K’Waun Williams, safety P.J. Locke and tackle Alex Palczewski landed on IR. Each must miss at least four games. To replace them on the 53-man roster, Denver brought back longtime nose tackle Mike Purcell, cornerback Fabian Moreau and tackle Quinn Bailey. Each was on the radar to return, and the Broncos are not deviating from their cutdown-day play.

Purcell agreed to be released to help the Broncos manage their roster. He has joined several veterans in yo-yoing off and then back onto an active roster this week. A regular Broncos contributor since he made the jump from the Alliance of American Football to the NFL in 2019, Purcell was also released and then re-signed ahead of last season. Purcell, 32, will again be expected to be a regular on Denver’s defensive line.

An ankle injury, which will require surgery, will lead to Williams’ IR placement. The longtime 49ers slot corner is going into the second season of a two-year, $5.2MM Broncos deal. Essang Bassey, who intercepted three passes during the preseason, may well be called upon to line up alongside Patrick Surtain and Damarri Mathis in nickel sets to start the season.

Moreau, however, will supply depth for the AFC West team. Moreau spent last season with the Giants, coming over after the Texans released him after the preseason. The Broncos signed the former Washington third-round pick earlier this month.

Bailey has been with the Broncos since 2019, working as a backup. Denver’s injury troubles at tackle last season led to Bailey starting his first career game. The team has Cameron Fleming in place as its swing tackle — behind starters Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey — but Bailey is back on the roster to provide additional depth.

0 comments Denver Broncos Transactions Alex Palczewski Fabian Moreau K'Waun Williams Mike Purcell P.J. Locke Quinn Bailey

Vikings, T.J. Hockenson Agree On Extension

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 11:01 am

11:01am: This move, in fact, will lead to Hockenson becoming the NFL’s highest-paid tight end. The Vikings are giving their starter a four-year, $68.5MM deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That will make the AAV $17.13MM, which checks in just north of Waller’s previous position record. Hockenson’s guarantees dwarf Waller’s, however, with Schefter adding this extension comes with $42.5MM guaranteed. That likely accounts for the total guarantee here, rather than the guarantee at signing. Still, that number eclipses George Kittle‘s previous position high of $40MM.

The $68.5MM number may not be the base value here, per Pelissero, who adds the deal is worth $66MM over four years. Incentives can move the deal to that $68.5MM place. This would bump Hockenson down to the No. 2 slot for tight end AAV, at $16.5MM. But he has still done quite well on the through-2027 contract, with Pelissero echoing Schefter’s report on the guarantee figure. Negotiations between the Vikes and Hockenson did not alter this framework much, as Pelissero adds this is close to the deal that was on the table before camp.

10:04am: T.J. Hockenson‘s time as a Vikings practice spectator looks like it will come to an end. The Vikings are rewarding the 2022 trade acquisition with an extension, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report. The team has since announced the move.

While the ex-Lions top-10 pick was believed to be seeking a deal that made him the league’s highest-paid tight end, this agreement will move him close to the top of the market. Minnesota is making Hockenson “one of” the NFL’s top earners, per NFL.com. Hockenson, 26, was going into his fifth-year option season ($9.33MM).

This has been on Minnesota’s radar for a bit. Hockenson had loomed as a Detroit extension candidate coming into last season, but after a 1-6 start, the Lions dealt the 2019 draftee to a division rival for two Day 2 draft choices. Hockenson stepped in as a key Justin Jefferson complementary piece during the Vikings’ surprising 13-4 season. Although Minnesota is also talking with Jefferson about an extension ahead of his fourth season, Hockenson loomed as the priority due to his contract-year status.

One of many productive tight ends to come out of Iowa, the former No. 8 overall pick went through an inconsistent Lions career. Injuries limited him during multiple Detroit seasons, but he did showcase his talents with a 723-yard showing in Matthew Stafford‘s 2020 finale. But the Brad Holmes–Dan Campbell regime inherited Hockenson, a Bob Quinn-era draft choice. The Lions moved Hockenson on deadline day last year and have since replaced him with another ex-Hawkeyes standout, No. 34 overall pick Sam LaPorta.

In Minnesota, Hockenson finished up a 914-yard receiving season. The receiving tight end added a 10-reception, 129-yard day in the Vikings’ wild-card loss to the Giants. This year, Hockenson had missed training camp time due to an ear infection he said affected his equilibrium. The fifth-year pass catcher then complained of back stiffness. The 6-foot-5 tight end has not yet practiced with his teammates since camp began, with this stretch likely doubling as a hold-in measure amid negotiations.

Jefferson is poised to reset the wide receiver market, either this year or next, and it will be interesting to see the Hockenson numbers through that lens. The Vikings will soon have a top-market tight end deal and the NFL’s most lucrative receiver contract on their books. For a team that has Kirk Cousins on a big-ticket contract (complete with four void years), this represents a substantial commitment to its aerial centerpieces. That said, the Vikings moved Dalvin Cook‘s $12.6MM-per-year contract off their books this offseason, and the team only has one offensive lineman (right tackle Brian O’Neill) earning more than $6MM on average. Cousins’ contract also expires at season’s end. The Vikings are paying Hockenson (and soon Jefferson) to anchor their post-Cousins passing attack.

Darren Waller‘s $17MM sits atop the tight end salary spectrum, AAV-wise. This checks in well south of Tyreek Hill‘s receiver-leading number ($30MM). The Patriots holding Rob Gronkowski to his six-year contract, which quickly became a bargain, and Travis Kelce not raising the bar especially high on his second Chiefs extension in 2020 have led to the tight end market stagnating. Hockenson’s figure will make for a notable update, though it is interesting this deal does not appear set not top Waller’s. At this rate, it may still take years for tight ends to crack the $20MM-per-year barrier.

But the Vikings have one of their core passing-game pieces in place for the long haul. Minnesota’s upcoming Jefferson deal — assuming it advances past the goal line — will ensure Cousins (and his successor) will have a Jefferson-Hockenson-Jordan Addison arsenal at his disposal.

17 comments Minnesota Vikings Newsstand Transactions T.J. Hockenson

Lions To Bring Back QB David Blough

By Sam Robinson | at August 31, 2023 11:00 am

Although Jared Goff is going into his third season as the Lions’ starter, Detroit has seen some quarterback turnover in recent days. Teddy Bridgewater joined the team late in the summer, and previous backup Nate Sudfeld landed on season-ending IR. Hendon Hooker landed on Detroit’s reserve/NFI list.

This leaves the Lions in need at the position — for the time being, at least — and a familiar face will step in. David Blough is re-signing with the Lions on a practice squad deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Blough, who went to training camp with the Cardinals before his Tuesday release, was with the Lions from 2019 until his release last year.

Joining the Lions via trade from the Browns before his rookie season, Blough started five games in place of Matthew Stafford that year. The Purdue alum/Hard Knocks featured cast member backed up Stafford in 2020 as well and then started two games in relief of Goff in 2021. The Lions made a QB2 change after cutdown day last year, cutting Blough to sign Sudfeld. The latter was not needed for any starts last season and is now out out of the picture due to the knee injury.

After joining the Cardinals’ practice squad, Blough became a surprise late-season starter for the reeling team. Blough, 27, is 0-7 as a starter in his four-year career. He returns to Detroit after a new Arizona regime made a number of changes at quarterback.

With Kyler Murray on the reserve/PUP list, the Cardinals released Colt McCoy and traded for Joshua Dobbs. After carrying five quarterbacks in training camp, the Cards have only Dobbs and fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune on their active roster.

5 comments Detroit Lions Transactions David Blough

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Author: Sam Robinson