Giants Work Out William Jackson; Latest On Team’s CB Plans
Using two rookie starters at cornerback has surfaced as a potential Giants strategy, with sixth-rounder Tre Hawkins impressing during his first NFL training camp. But the team is still on the hunt for help at the position.
William Jackson is on the Giants’ radar, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, who adds a workout is scheduled (Twitter link). Teams are checking in on the former first-round pick. Jackson, 30, met with the Ravens earlier this month. The workout occurred Tuesday, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post notes.
After Don Martindale‘s former team took a look at the ex-Bengals starter, the second-year Giants DC will determine a fit. Jackson worked as an NFC East starter in 2021, but a disastrous 2022 tanked his value. The Commanders benched Jackson early and then traded him to the Steelers — for a low-end return that ended up not conveying — at the deadline. With Ronald Darby signing for just $1.7MM, it would surprise if Jackson were able to secure more than the veteran minimum given his most recent season.
Washington inked Jackson to a three-year, $40.5MM deal in 2021. A 48-game starter with the Bengals, Jackson loomed as one of the top free agents on a 2021 market impacted by the COVID-19-induced salary cap reduction. The veteran still cashed in, but the tide turned for him early in 2022. Commanders DC Jack Del Rio benched Jackson in Week 5, leading to the trade to Pittsburgh. A back injury, however, kept him from suiting up for the Steelers. Although they designated Jackson for return ahead of a potential Week 18 win-and-in game, Jackson was never activated. He received his walking papers in March.
Hawkins is not a lock to start for the Giants, but first-rounder Deonte Banks is. Banks is set to join Adoree’ Jackson in the Giants’ lineup. The Giants have experimented with Jackson in the slot during camp, a configuration that would allow Martindale to use Banks and Hawkins on the outside. The team has two slot options — in Darnay Holmes and 2022 third-rounder Cor’Dale Flott — as well, but the Dunleavy adds the Giants going with a Banks-Hawkins-Jackson trio to start the season remains in play. This would be an interesting ask of Jackson, a career-long boundary corner, and shine a spotlight on Hawkins.
Additionally, Aaron Robinson, a Week 1 starter last season, remains on the team’s active/PUP list due to the knee injury he sustained early in the year. Robinson remaining on the PUP list after the Giants finalize their roster on August 29 would mean a mandatory four absences to start the season. Considering Robinson has not practiced yet, that scenario seems likely.
Ravens To Sign CB Ronald Darby
AUGUST 22: This contract’s base value checks in at $1.7MM, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting it contains a $1.2MM base salary and a $500K signing bonus (Twitter link). The Ravens are only guaranteeing the $500K, per OverTheCap.
Darby retaining even a part-time role into the regular season would net him some extra cash. The veteran corner will collect $250K by playing 25% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps and $500K with a 35% snap share, Wilson adds. This incentive structure reaches $1.5MM, the number for a 75% snap rate. The ninth-year vet staying healthy would put him in line for a nice bonus, but the career-long starter has only played more than 11 games in a season once (2020) since his Buffalo days.
AUGUST 17: After a four-visit summer, Ronald Darby has a gig in place. The Ravens are signing the eight-year veteran cornerback, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Darby, who visited the Titans earlier this week, met with the Ravens today. Baltimore also worked out ex-Cowboys corner Anthony Brown on Thursday, but Darby will be the addition. Darby, 29, agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $3.2MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Baltimore will be Darby’s fifth NFL destination. The former Bills second-round pick has spent time in Philadelphia, Washington and Denver since being traded to the Eagles back in 2017. This offseason featured a number of Darby flight itineraries as well. The Florida State alum met with the Texans in July and the Vikings earlier this month. The Ravens will kick the tires on the longtime starter, who is attempting to rebound from a season marred by a familiar injury.
Seeing his 2018 Eagles season end because of an ACL tear, Darby suffered the injury again last year. Working as the Broncos’ outside cornerback opposite Patrick Surtain, Darby went down with an ACL tear during a Week 5 game that also featured Denver lose left tackle Garett Bolles to a broken leg. In Sean Payton‘s first offseason at the controls, the Broncos made Darby a cap casualty. They are planning to go with his 2022 replacement, fourth-rounder Damarri Mathis opposite Surtain. Darby will land with a team suddenly in need at the position.
Although the Ravens saw Jalyn Armour-Davis return to practice Thursday, they are still depleted at corner. Marlon Humphrey and Damarion Williams underwent surgeries this week, and recent signee Arthur Maulet has missed time as well. Humphrey’s issue — a foot injury — obviously serves as the biggest concern here for Baltimore, which let Marcus Peters walk in free agency. The Ravens were in need of an outside cornerback while Humphrey rehabs, and Darby’s experience matches up with that deficiency.
Darby has started 88 games as a pro, becoming an instant starter in Buffalo and continuing as such during his other stops. Most notably, Darby started for the Eagles during their Super Bowl LII run. He later turned in a 16-game 2020 season with Washington, prompting the Broncos to give him a three-year, $30MM deal. But injuries have tripped up Darby for most of his career. The 2020 season with Washington marked his only 16-game campaign. Hamstring trouble limited Darby to 11 games in 2021, and he missed 12 last season. Darby missed eight games in 2017, going down with an ankle malady, and seven because of his first ACL tear in 2018.
When not injured, however, Darby has been a well-regarded defender for extended stretches. Pro Football Focus graded Darby as a top-40 option in 2017, 2019 and 2020. As injuries have continually intervened, consistency has eluded the 5-foot-11 cover man. But the Ravens are a bit desperate presently. They will see if Darby can shake off his injury trouble and provide them with some veteran experience.
NFC South Notes: Saints, Panthers, Edmonds
The Saints made a key tweak to their front office Tuesday, announcing Khai Harley will move into the assistant GM role. Harley has been with the Saints for 16 years, most recently serving as the team’s VP of football administration. Mickey Loomis has credited Harley as being one of the chief architects behind the franchise’s aggressive strategy with regards to the salary cap. Omar Khan used this background to become the Steelers’ GM, and Harley rising to this post may put him on the radar for interviews.
New Orleans also Scott Kuhn as director of football administration, Zach Stuart as director of analytics and Rishi Desai as a scouting assistant. Gaining extensive experience on the analytics front, Kuhn spent 16 years with the Vikings. Stuart spent the past three years as the Jets’ analytics coordinator. Additionally, former safety Matt Giordano is now an assistant on Dennis Allen‘s staff. Giordano, 40, spent one season with the Saints (2010); the 30-game starter also played for the Colts, Packers, Raiders and Rams from 2005-13. Giordano had spent six seasons as head coach of Buchanan High School in his native Fresno, concluding that tenure after the 2021 season.
Here is the latest from the NFC South:
- Although Payton Turner carries a first-round pedigree, he is unlikely to beat out Carl Granderson for the starting role Marcus Davenport vacated this offseason. The Saints are more likely to turn to Granderson — a former UDFA — than Turner opposite Cameron Jordan, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com notes. Granderson, 26, has stood out in training camp and has two five-plus-sack seasons over the past three years. Turner entered camp after two iffy years, and while the Saints are likely to give the 2021 first-rounder another shot, a rotational role looks to be how this will play out.
- Jordan’s two-year, $27.5MM Saints extension is fully guaranteed, and it will also include sack incentives. Jordan can pick up an extra $500K with a 10-sack season this year, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. The 34-year-old defensive end can add $250K by reaching $250K in 2024 and 2025. Sitting 23rd on the official sack list (115.5), Jordan has six double-digit sack slates on his resume — including a 12.5-sack showing in 2021.
- Frank Reich is in place as the Panthers‘ play-caller to start his HC tenure, but OC Thomas Brown continues to loom as a future option for the post. The first-year Carolina HC said the long-term goal remains to make Brown the play-caller, Darin Gantt of Panthers.com tweets. This is Brown’s first OC post, but he has already booked HC interviews and received interest from other teams regarding their respective OC jobs. A former Rams assistant, Brown earning play-calling responsibilities this year would enhance his case for a top coaching job.
- Deion Jones‘ one-year Panthers agreement is worth $1.17MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. That doubles as the veteran minimum, though Wilson adds the former Falcons mainstay will receive a $75K bonus for making the Panthers’ 53-man roster. The Falcons gave Jones a four-year, $57MM extension before the 2019 season, but the team cut bait on that deal before the 2022 trade deadline. The Browns also removed a year from Jones’ contract, and scant interest came his way this offseason. This will be a key year for the 29-year-old linebacker.
- The Panthers included four void years in Justin Houston‘s contract, dropping his cap hit to $2.13MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Houston signed a fully guaranteed one-year, $6MM deal earlier this month. The contract will include sack incentives, with Wilson adding Houston will receive $500K by reaching 11 sacks and could earn another $500K by hitting 12 (Twitter link). These are classified as not likely to be earned; Houston has one 11-sack season since 2015.
- As the Buccaneers prepare to use Rachaad White as their starting running back, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes offseason addition Chase Edmonds is locked into the third-down role. Edmonds, who received just $153K guaranteed on a one-year Bucs deal, operated as a solid pass catcher for the Cardinals but is coming off a down year. The Dolphins included him as salary filler in the Bradley Chubb trade, and the Broncos made him a cap casualty in March.
Saints Waive WR Bryan Edwards
One of the ex-Raider pass catchers to follow Derek Carr to New Orleans, Bryan Edwards will not stick around with the Saints. The team waived the former third-round pick Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Saints gave Edwards a $1.1MM deal with no guarantees, putting him on the roster bubble at signing. The two-year Raider will not join Foster Moreau on the Saints’ 53-man roster.
Edwards, who spent last season with the Falcons, joined a Saints receiving corps housing Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, Tre’Quan Smith, Lynn Bowden and sixth-round rookie A.T. Perry. The team also brought back Keith Kirkwood this summer, though he is not exactly a roster lock. This early exit will give Edwards a chance to find a spot elsewhere, potentially on a practice squad.
A 6-foot-3 wideout chosen in the 2020 third round, Edwards produced for a Raiders team that lost Henry Ruggs midway through the 2021 season. Edwards caught 34 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns that year, but not long after hiring Josh McDaniels as head coach, the Silver and Black traded Edwards to the Falcons. The South Carolina product did not catch on in Atlanta, catching just three passes and being waived in November. Edwards then spent time on the Chiefs’ practice squad.
Thomas’ health history brings questions regarding the Saints’ receiving corps, which lost Jarvis Landry this offseason. The former All-Pro remains healthy at this point, however, with Shaheed expected to again play a major role on offense. The Saints obtained Perry via the pick they received from the Broncos in the draft-weekend Adam Trautman trade.
Texans To Sign CB Cameron Dantzler
Cameron Dantzler is headed to a fourth team in 2023. The former Vikings draftee has gone from 2022 starter to 2023 nomad; the Texans are giving the former third-round pick another shot.
After a workout that also included former Titans defensive back Chris Jackson, Houston will add Dantzler, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Dantzler has now been both waived and signed three times this offseason. He will vie for a spot on the Texans’ active roster, though teams must decide on their final 53 players by 3pm CT on August 29.
The Vikings used Dantzler as a 26-game starter from 2020-22, doing so for nine games last season. Although the team drafted Andrew Booth in Round 2 last year, Dantzler played ahead of him opposite Patrick Peterson when healthy. But Minnesota’s defense struggled. Not long after Brian Flores took over, Dantzler was given his walking papers. The Commanders and Bills took fliers on the Mississippi State product, but each waived him — Washington in May, Buffalo in July.
Pro Football Focus graded Dantzler outside the top 60 at corner last season; the 6-foot-2 corner also spent time on injured reserve last season with a high ankle sprain. Although the soon-to-be 25-year-old defender did not exactly pan out in Minnesota, it has been surprising to see a young starter cut three times in one offseason.
With a week to go before cut day, the Texans have a deeper cornerback group than they did last season. Derek Stingley leads the way, while the team agreed to a revised deal with Steven Nelson. Desmond King and Shaquill Griffin also remain on the roster, with the Texans having re-signed Tavierre Thomas as well.
Colts Grant Jonathan Taylor Permission To Seek Trade
The latest chapter in the Jonathan Taylor saga has begun. The Colts have granted the All-Pro running back permission to seek a trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
Indianapolis had initially resisted, with Jim Irsay emphatically insisting the team was not dealing the 2021 rushing champion. But those comments came weeks ago. And rumblings of some in the organization being open to such a move have since come out. With no resolution in sight, the Colts are following the Chargers’ lead by letting their standout running back explore the market. This situation is far more contentious than the Austin Ekeler-Bolts backdrop, however, with Taylor leaving Colts camp on multiple occasions amid this standoff.
Taylor’s agent has begun calling teams, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Interest is believed to exist, but a team that acquires Taylor will both need to part with notable compensation and authorize an upper-crust extension. The latter component has given teams pause, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini tweets. The Colts are seeking a first-round pick or a package of picks for Taylor, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder reports (on Twitter).
No running back has been traded for a first-round pick since the Colts surrendered one for Trent Richardson in 2013, though Christian McCaffrey fetched second-, third-, fourth-and fifth-rounders last fall. The Colts are expected to want more than what the Panthers landed for McCaffrey, per Rapoport.
While the Colts made the disastrous Richardson trade, they did not extend him upon doing so. They were unable to, since the ex-Browns draftee was in his second season. McCaffrey also remains on his Panthers-constructed deal. For high-profile trade-and-extend sequences involving a running back, going back to 2015 (LeSean McCoy, Bills), 2004 (Clinton Portis, Washington) or 1999 (Marshall Faulk, Rams) is necessary. This is not widely explored modern terrain.
The Colts have tabled extension talks with Taylor, who has taken a long time to recover from the ankle injury that forced him to miss six games last season. Taylor, 24, underwent surgery in February but remains on the Colts’ active/PUP list. Of course, the fourth-year back has also been connected to using this injury as a way to stage a hold-in. Then again, Taylor still dealing with ankle pain this long after a minor surgery will only hurt his trade market. This trade news also comes after Shane Steichen said (via Holder) Taylor would travel with the team to Philadelphia for joint practices this week.
The Dolphins have emerged as an interested party. They are planning to explore the Taylor market, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. This should not be surprising, given Miami’s path at running back this offseason. The Dolphins discussed Dalvin Cook with the Vikings and D’Andre Swift with the Lions. They may or may not have reached out to the Giants about Saquon Barkley. After the Jets landed Cook, the Dolphins will look into Taylor. While the Dolphins did not want to give Cook $7MM ahead of his age-28 season, Taylor — who is heading into his age-24 campaign — is a more valuable asset.
Since Irsay made his comments about the Colts’ lack of interest in trading Taylor, the irked RB left training camp for the purposes of additional injury rehab. At least, that was the reported reason. Shortly after returning to the facility, Taylor left again due to a personal matter. Having hired a new agent this offseason, Taylor has operated differently with the Colts. The contract-year back went from wishing to retire as a Colt to requesting a trade in a matter of months.
The running back market cratering looks to have been the tipping point for Taylor, who is surely seeking to avoid playing out his rookie deal and being hit with a 2024 franchise tag. The Colts’ efforts since this impasse became public have not helped matters.
GM Chris Ballard pointed to the market when addressing Taylor’s future with the team, and Irsay — as he has increasingly done over the past two offseasons — got involved. The outspoken owner took a shot at running backs for holding meetings involving the state of their position. After a one-on-one meeting with Taylor, Irsay made the comment about not trading the former second-round pick. A rumor then emerged about the Colts considering Taylor being shifted from the PUP list to the NFI list, which would put his $4.3MM 2023 base salary at risk. The Colts have not followed through with that move, which would undoubtedly be challenged due to Taylor having denied mentioning any injury beyond the ankle issue.
Despite leading the NFL in touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and bringing elite receiving chops to the table, Ekeler was not believed to have generated much trade interest. This ultimately led to the Bolts reeling Ekeler back in with a low-level incentive package. Taylor is four years younger, but the Ekeler market may be telling here.
The Colts would obviously be a better team with Taylor, as they have Zack Moss rehabbing a broken arm and only have Kenyan Drake, Deon Jackson and fifth-round rookie Evan Hull as notable options. But this relationship has deteriorated rapidly. The Colts would have the option of franchise-tagging Taylor on what will again be a low number in 2024, but given recent events, how eager will the team be to recoup a prime asset and end this drama?
Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions
Finishing last season with rare momentum, the Lions are in a stranger position coming into Dan Campbell‘s third year. The Campbell-Brad Holmes rebuild has progressed to the point Detroit comes into a season as the favorite to win the NFC North. Since the NFL redid its divisions after the Texans entered the league in 2002, the Lions have never won this division. Although they made the playoffs three times during the 2010s, their last divisional conquest came in 1993 as part of the NFC Central — in Barry Sanders‘ fifth season.
Making the second first-round pick brought from the Matthew Stafford trade and making a number of moves to improve a porous defense, the Lions operated intently this offseason. The rebuild that covered the past two seasons is over. It will now be deemed a failed season if the Lions do not qualify for the playoffs.
Free agency additions:
- Cameron Sutton, CB: Three years, $33MM ($21MM guaranteed)
- David Montgomery, RB: Three years, $18MM ($8.75MM guaranteed)
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB: One year, $6.5MM ($6.5MM guaranteed)
- Marvin Jones, WR: One year, $3MM ($3MM guaranteed)
- Teddy Bridgewater, QB: One year, $3MM ($2.55MM guaranteed)
- Graham Glasgow, OL: One year, $2.75MM ($2.5MM guaranteed)
- Emmanuel Moseley, CB: One year, $6MM ($2MM guaranteed)
- Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB: One year, $1.75MM ($500K guaranteed)
- Christian Covington, DL: One year, $1.17MM
- Bobby Hart, T: One year, $1.17MM
- Germain Ifedi, T: One year, $1.17MM
- Benny Snell, RB: One year, $1.1MM
- Saivion Smith, CB: One year, $940K
The Lions went 8-3 in their final 11 games and made defensive strides; Aaron Glenn‘s unit still finished last in yards allowed, 28th in DVOA and 30th against the pass. Holmes and Co. aggressively targeted the secondary in free agency and the draft. The aftermath brought considerable depth, giving Glenn options in his third season as Detroit’s DC.
This effort started with Sutton, who had been on the Steelers’ radar to retain. Sutton, 28, had already signed two Pittsburgh contracts; his performance over the past two years turned the two-year, $9MM pact from 2021 into a team-friendly deal. The Steelers were not prepared to go where the Lions did for the former third-round pick, and a contract agreement emerged within hours of the legal tampering period’s opening. Sutton’s arrival illustrated a Lions versatility lean this offseason.
Each of their top three acquisitions in the secondary supplies experience in multiple roles, with Sutton joining Gardner-Johnson and second-rounder Brian Branch as having extensive slot seasoning. But the Steelers had shifted Sutton, an early-career slot corner, to the outside. That is where the Lions are expected to use the seventh-year vet, but Sutton’s history as an inside defender will help his new team. The 5-foot-11 cover man finished in the top five in passer rating allowed as the closest defender last season (among corners), per Next Gen Stats, and ended the year with a career-high 15 passes defensed. He will take over for Jeff Okudah as the Lions’ top corner investment, though Sutton has proven far more than the recently jettisoned top-five pick.
Ideally, Sutton would join Moseley as the Lions’ outside corners. But the ex-49er remains on the Lions’ active/PUP list due to a late-summer knee surgery. A stay on the reserve/PUP list — a designation mandating a four-game absence — is firmly in play. Moseley, 27, suffered an ACL tear midway through last season. That brought the sixth-year corner’s price down to a level that proved palatable for the Lions, per Holmes. Moseley made his way into a regular 49ers role in 2019, replacing Ahkello Witherspoon opposite Richard Sherman on the outside for the Super Bowl LIV-bound team. Pro Football Focus has graded Moseley as a top-35 corner in three of the past four seasons. His last full season (2021) featured substantial improvements in passer rating against (65.6) and yards per target (5.8) compared to his prior work.
Moseley recapturing that form for the Lions would set him up for a big free agency payday in 2024 or a nice Lions extension. But his extended layoff will be something to keep monitoring as the season nears.
Gardner-Johnson, who has enjoyed quality seasons at safety and as a slot corner, may have misread the market en route to Detroit. The Eagles offered their 2022 trade acquisition a multiyear deal early in free agency. Seeking a higher payout, Gardner-Johnson turned it down. This led to the Eagles pivoting and re-signing James Bradberry to and giving ex-Lion Darius Slay another extension. Rather than extend CJGJ — a pre-free agency goal — Philly reinvested at corner and went with low-cost safeties. Beyond Jessie Bates, none of this year’s free agent safeties secured more than $7.5MM per year. Gardner-Johnson, 25, will attempt to use this season to solidify his value.
Known as much for his trash talking as his coverage acumen, Gardner-Johnson has both served as a full-time slot corner — with the Saints during Sean Payton‘s final seasons — and a regular safety. As a safety last year, Gardner-Johnson tied for the INT lead (six) despite missing five games with a lacerated kidney. Rumors about Glenn, who coached New Orleans’ DBs during CJGJ’s first two seasons, returning the brash defender to a slot role emerged. But the Lions have been trotting him out at safety alongside 2022 third-rounder Kerby Joseph during camp.
A Joseph-CJGJ safety pairing has led to Tracy Walker, who re-signed on a three-year deal worth $25MM in 2022, dropping to a backup role. Branch played a hybrid role at Alabama, and he has been given steady time in the slot during camp. This has led to converted safety Will Harris (again, the Lions ooze DB versatility) working as a second-string corner behind Sutton and third-year UDFA Jerry Jacobs. PFF rated Harris much higher than Jacobs last season, so it would be interesting to see the sixth-year veteran demoted. But Moseley’s re-emergence would stand to lead to Jacobs losing his starting gig, too. On the verge of including four new starters, the Lions’ secondary is poised to present a much higher ceiling.
On offense, the Lions pried the Bears’ four-year starting running back to replace last season’s rushing touchdowns leader. After Jamaal Williams turned down a similar offer, Montgomery swooped in and will step in as Detroit’s between-the-tackles runner. It is worth wondering if the Lions overpaid here, given what happened to the running back market this offseason.
Montgomery finished with the NFL’s sixth-worst rushing yards over expected figure (minus-53), per Next Gen Stats, though Williams was not too much better (minus-11). Montgomery, however, finished with the eighth-worst RYOE mark in 2021 (minus-80). That said, Montgomery is two years younger, at 26, and has been better in the passing game (617 yards from 2020-21) than Williams (230 in that span). Still, Williams, who regrouped and signed a $4MM-AAV deal with the the Saints, led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (17) and totaled his first 1,000-yard season.
Offseason developments involving Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s top sidekicks moved the Lions to bring back Jones, who played out a five-year contract with the team in 2020. Working alongside Golden Tate to help the Lions pick up the pieces after Calvin Johnson‘s earlier-than-expected retirement, Jones offered high-end WR2 work during most of his first stint (three 900-plus-yard seasons). The ex-Bengals deep threat led the NFL with 18.0 yards per reception in 2017. Jones, 33, is far removed from that point and now profiles as a possession receiver. With DJ Chark departing and Jameson Williams continuing to encounter obstacles, Jones — whose second Jaguars year ended with his worst full-season yardage total (529) — will likely be needed for regular work.
It did not seem realistic the Lions would trudge into a second season with Nate Sudfeld as their backup quarterback. Even after Campbell expressed satisfaction with his QB room during the Lions’ offseason program, the team kept tabs on Bridgewater. Detroit had made the ex-Minnesota first-rounder an offer in April. After it cost the Dolphins $6.5MM to sign Bridgewater last year, the Lions landed him for less than half that.
Bridgewater left multiple 2022 games due to injuries, causing major issues for a Dolphins team that hit a crisis point with starter Tua Tagovailoa‘s availability. This tanked Bridgewater’s market. But the journeyman will reunite with Campbell, who was in New Orleans during both the QB’s years there, and provide Jared Goff with a much more accomplished backup.
Goff did not miss any time due to injury last season, but the Lions went 0-3 without their starter in 2021. Bridgewater, 30, had the Broncos at 7-7 before a second concussion ended his 2021 season. This looks like a clear stopgap situation, with Hendon Hooker positioned as the likely Lions backup in 2024. With the Tennessee product on the NFI list as he winds down ACL rehab, the Lions needed a better option than Sudfeld — he of 37 passes in seven seasons.
Re-signings:
- Alex Anzalone, LB: Three years, $18.75MM ($9MM guaranteed)
- John Cominsky, DL: Two years, $8.5MM ($4MM guaranteed)
- Will Harris, DB: One year, $2.52MM ($2.52MM guaranteed)
- Isaiah Buggs, DL: Two years, $4.5MM ($2.1MM guaranteed)
- Nate Sudfeld, QB: One year, $1.6MM ($1MM guaranteed)
- Craig Reynolds, RB: One year, $1.1MM
As the third tier of the 2023 inside linebacker market formed, the Lions found common ground with Anzalone, who will continue his career under Glenn. Anzalone’s four New Orleans seasons featured Glennon staff as well, though the veteran linebacker found more playing time in Detroit. After never clearing a 50% defensive snap barrier during a full season as a Saint, Anzalone has been a three-down presence with the Lions. The former third-round pick played a career-high 1,080 defensive snaps last season, totaling 125 tackles — far and away a career high — and notching seven stops behind the line.
One of 11 linebackers to score a deal with an AAV between $5MM and $7.25MM this offseason, Anzalone — after two low-cost, one-year deals — did well to secure a midlevel Lions pact. Although first-rounder Jack Campbell should vie for this status soon, Anzalone remains entrenched as Detroit’s lead linebacker going into his third season with the team.
The Lions’ waiver priority became valuable re: Cominsky, who saw a staggering eight teams attempt to claim him when the Falcons cut bait in May 2022. Following the Lions’ flier, Cominsky put together his best season. The Lions turned to the D-lineman as a regular, giving him eight starts and using him on a career-high 556 defensive snaps. That came after the Falcons made Cominsky a healthy scratch often in 2021. The Division II alum totaled four sacks, 12 QB hits and three pass deflections. Throwing most of their defensive investments at its secondary this offseason, the Lions look set to once again turn to Cominsky often.
Buccaneers Waive K Rodrigo Blankenship
Rodrigo Blankenship partook in a training camp rematch of sorts, being part of a kicking battle against Chase McLaughlin. That series is now tied at one apiece.
Three years after Blankenship unseated McLaughlin as the Colts’ kicker, the Buccaneers are going the other way. Tampa Bay waived Blankenship on Monday, leaving McLaughlin as the only kicker on the roster.
Blankenship went 1-for-3 on field goal tries against the Jets on Saturday; McLaughlin made his only attempt. Although Blankenship was 1-for-1 in Tampa Bay’s first preseason game, McLaughlin is the team’s kicker pick.
The Bucs added Blankenship after minicamp, bringing him in nearly three months after signing McLaughlin on a one-year deal with $100K guaranteed. The Bucs did not guarantee Blankenship anything. While this competition was not to succeed a Hall of Famer, as the 2020 Colts duel was after Adam Vinatieri‘s exit, McLaughlin now looks like he will go into the season as Ryan Succop‘s successor. Succop, who remains unsigned, spent the past three seasons in that role. Succop provided some continuity for a Bucs team that spent most of the 2010s changing kickers annually, but a cap-strapped Tampa Bay operation made the veteran a cap casualty this year.
Monday’s development continues the intertwined careers of McLaughlin and Blankenship. The latter, a former Groza award winner while at Georgia, kicked in all 16 Colts games in 2020. But he suffered an injury five games into the 2021 season. Blankenship struggled in Week 1 of last season, missing a 42-yard field goal in overtime and sending two kickoffs out of bounds. Indianapolis’ usual kickoff man, Rigoberto Sanchez, was out due to a season-ending injury sustained in training camp. The team then signed McLaughlin to replace Blankenship.
McLaughlin kicked in 16 Browns games in 2021 and 16 Colts contests last year. The Bucs added him, in part, because of long-range success. McLaughlin made 9 of 12 50-plus-yard tries in 2022 and was 4-for-4 in 2021. Succop went just 2-for-7 last season. Blankenship, who finished last season with the Cardinals, is not a vested veteran and will head to the waiver wire.
Kickers frequently change cities around this point, with teams monitoring other rosters to fill this oft-unstable position. Blankenship could soon land another opportunity, though he has now been cut twice in 11 months.
Offseason In Review: New Orleans Saints
After one of the most stable QB periods in NFL history, the Saints spent the past two seasons on a lower tier. While the Saints’ post-Drew Brees run of quarterbacks did not receive the attention the Broncos’ batch of failed Peyton Manning successor efforts did, New Orleans immediately regressed to a midlevel operation once Brees retired. The team’s 2023 offseason featured relevant non-QB moves, but the clear centerpiece transaction came just before the free agent market opened.
Free agency additions:
- Derek Carr, QB: Four years, $150MM ($60MM guaranteed)
- Nathan Shepherd, DT: Three years, $15.1MM ($10.18MM guaranteed)
- Jamaal Williams, RB: Three years, $12MM ($8.15MM guaranteed)
- Foster Moreau, TE: Three years, $12.23MM ($8MM guaranteed)
- Khalen Saunders, DT: Three years, $12.3MM ($4.6MM guaranteed)
- Jimmy Graham, TE: One year, $1.3MM ($153K guaranteed)
- Trai Turner, G: One year, $1.32MM ($153K guaranteed)
- Lonnie Johnson, DB: One year, $1.23MM
- Max Garcia, G: One year, $1.17MM
- Jesse James, TE: One year, $1.17MM
- Johnathan Abram, S: One year, $1.16MM
- Bryan Edwards, WR: One year, $1.1MM
- Storm Norton, T: One year, $1.1MM
- Kyle Phillips, DL: One year, $1.1MM
- Jaylon Smith, LB: One year, $1.1MM
- Darrel Williams, RB: One year, $1.1MM
- Lynn Bowden, WR: One year, $870K
- Tommy Kraemer, OL: One year, $870K
Jameis Winston‘s October 2021 ACL led to the Saints starting four quarterbacks (Winston, Trevor Siemian, Taysom Hill, Ian Book) during a 9-8 season. Andy Dalton then replaced Winston in October 2022. Not long after the Raiders publicly ended Carr’s nine-season starter run ahead of their Week 17 game — which led to the former second-round find leaving the team early, as Jarrett Stidham replaced him — the Saints put pieces in place for a big-ticket signing. As GM Mickey Loomis went through his usual round of winter restructures, the Saints became the only team to seriously negotiate a trade with the Raiders.
The Raiders gave Carr permission to speak with other teams, and an early-February trip to New Orleans ensued. But Carr ended up wielding the no-trade clause the Raiders gave him as part of their April 2022 extension. The veteran passer refused a trade, forcing the Raiders to release him before a $40MM guarantee vested Feb. 15. The Saints, who had agreed with the Raiders on trade compensation, then needed to compete with other teams on the open market. While Carr met with the Panthers and Jets at the Combine, both teams clearly slotted him as a Plan B.
The Panthers were negotiating with the Bears about a trade to acquire the No. 1 overall pick. The Jets made no secret of Carr being their Aaron Rodgers backup plan. Carr did visit the Jets, who had hired ex-Raiders OC Todd Downing as QBs coach. This meeting came before Rodgers determined he would play a 19th season and before he signed off on becoming a Jet. Without assurances, the Jets bowed out, leading to the Saints agreement. It later came out Carr felt “far more comfortable” with the Saints, who were not courting Rodgers, compared to the Jets. The Saints landed their top QB choice, paying up to do so.
Agreed to more than a week before the UFA market opened, Carr’s contract includes $60MM guaranteed. That is more money at signing compared to his final Raiders deal and more than double what Geno Smith received from the Seahawks. The recently cut QB’s decision to pass on a trade paid off. The four-year contract includes a practical guarantee of $70MM; a $10MM Carr 2025 injury guarantee will shift to a full guarantee in March 2024. The $70MM approaches the territory the Giants needed to go to for Daniel Jones ($81MM fully guaranteed). Carr’s remaining 2025 money ($30MM) will become guaranteed if he is on New Orleans’ roster in March 2025, setting this agreement up as a two-year audition. Due to a nonguaranteed $50MM base salary in 2026, Carr will almost definitely not play out this contract. But if the 32-year-old passer plays well, it is easy to see he and the Saints agreeing on another contract before that point.
This AAV does not match Carr’s 2022 Raiders re-up, but that deal giving the Silver and Black an early escape hatch did not provide much security. The Saints accord puts Carr back on track; he will have a chance to compete a division that looks much less imposing compared to what the Raiders are facing. Whereas the Raiders gave up on Carr, they will roll the dice with the injury-prone Jimmy Garoppolo. In Carr, the Saints have a player who has only missed three career games (plus a 2016 wild-card tilt) due to injury. While paying Andy Dalton $3MM is more cost-effective than giving Carr $70MM guaranteed, the Saints felt they needed to take a swing after they saw their long-dependable QB situation deteriorate over the past two seasons.
Familiarity exists here. Dennis Allen was with the Raiders when they drafted Carr in 2014, though he was fired early that season. The Saints also brought in four-year Carr HC Jon Gruden as a consultant. The team also added ex-Raiders Moreau and Edwards. Finishing third in the 2016 MVP voting, Carr fell off that level in 2017. Thanks to the Raiders’ Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams bets busting (an understatement) and then Henry Ruggs being released after his DUI manslaughter charge, Carr did not have much help at receiver under Gruden. But he finished with a top-11 QBR in 2019 and ’20, before piloting the Raiders to the playoffs in 2021. Carr’s QBR checked in at 14th — seven spots ahead of Dalton — last season. Carr’s completion percentage (60.8) and yards per attempt (6.7) numbers cratered under Josh McDaniels, despite Davante Adams‘ arrival.
While it is debatable Garoppolo is an upgrade on Carr and worth wondering if the ex-Raider is worth this guarantee for the Saints, Las Vegas’ decision to cut the Carr cord will have longstanding ramifications for two franchises. As a result of the Carr contract, the Saints did not authorize any other splash deals this offseason. But the team did hand out a few lower-middle-class contracts of note.
Holding in-season workouts and trying a few players as Kamara insurance in 2022, the Saints operated with more intent at running back this spring. Expecting the long-rumored Kamara suspension to be handed down this year, New Orleans added Williams, who will take an AAV discount despite coming off his best season. The fiery back overtook D’Andre Swift as the Lions’ primary runner, blazing to an NFL-high 17 rushing TDs last season. Never gaining more than 601 rushing yards in a season previously, the ex-Packers draftee finished with 1,066 last year. After the Lions gave Williams a two-year, $12MM contract in 2021, he settled for a $4MM AAV this year. Citing disrespect in the Lions’ offer — one featuring similar terms to David Montgomery‘s three-year, $18MM deal — Williams joined the Saints. He is positioned to be the team’s September starter and should have a regular role once Kamara returns.
Losing David Onyemata early during the legal tampering period, the Saints completed an overhaul of their defensive tackle contingent. Before drafting Bryan Bresee in Round 1, New Orleans added Saunders and Shepherd on the same day in free agency. Onyemata signed a three-year, $35MM Falcons contract. With Carr on the books, the Saints passed on that D-tackle salary range by signing two players whose AAVs do not add up to Onyemata’s.
Bresee will be expected to move into New Orleans’ starting lineup soon — probably this season — but Saunders and Shepherd reside there now. Each former third-round pick worked most recently as a rotational D-tackle. Shepherd, 29, never cracked the Jets’ lineup on a full-time basis, but the Robert Saleh regime retained the Division II alum and used him on 400-plus defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. Saunders, 27, has not started a game since 2020. He recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks with the Chiefs last season, finishing his rookie contract with backup roles on two Super Bowl-winning teams.
For name value, the Saints made some considerable strides at tight end. Jesse James is a veteran who, in addition to being associated with one of this era’s most controversial plays, has eight years’ experience. With Moreau, Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill in place, James is far from a lock to be on the team. Graham should have a better chance, though his summer arrival was certainly more surprising.
Graham spent last season out of football, having played out a two-year Bears contract. He sought a deal to return to the Saints. At 36, the one-time hoops-to-gridiron sensation is far past his prime. Graham appeared on a Hall of Fame trajectory the last time he donned a Saints uniform, but his Canton pace slowed with the Seahawks, Packers and Bears. Graham delivered dominant work during his four-year run as the Saints’ top tight end, catching 51 of his 85 career touchdown receptions. Even after the 2015 trade for a first-round pick and Max Unger, Graham excelled as a red zone threat. He totaled eight TD grabs in 2020. Graham’s guarantees present this contract as a last-chance flier, but this was easily one of the most surprising signings of the year.
Perhaps more surprising: Moreau going from a cancer diagnosis in March to a $12MM contract in May. Moreau’s Saints visit led to the Hodgkin’s lymphoma discovery, but the New Orleans native stayed in touch with the team as he received treatment. By July, Moreau was in full remission. He rejoins Carr to help a deep tight end corps. The Raiders attempted to re-sign Moreau, but they moved on (via Austin Hooper and second-rounder Michael Mayer) in the weeks after the LSU alum’s diagnosis. Darren Waller running into injury trouble over the past two years opened the door for Moreau, who tallied 793 receiving yards and five TDs in that span.
Trades:
- Traded former HC Sean Payton‘s rights and a 2024 third-round pick to Broncos for 2023 first-rounder, 2024 second
- Sent TE Adam Trautman and a 2023 seventh-rounder to Broncos for 2023 sixth
Rumors about Payton returning to his old job ended up quickly squashed, with the Saints committing to Dennis Allen for a second season. This set the one-year FOX analyst on a tour. As the highest-profile coach on this year’s carousel, Payton met with four of the five HC-seeking teams (all but the Colts). The 15-year Saints HC, who was connected to the Cowboys and Chargers jobs, considered staying at FOX and re-entering the market when better jobs were available. But he ended up preferring the Broncos among this year’s lot. The Cardinals were not Payton’s first choice, though Michael Bidwill belatedly called the Payton trade cost too steep. Denver’s deep-pocketed ownership group won over the former Super Bowl winner, setting up negotiations with the Saints on compensation.
In a complex April 2022 trade, the Saints dealt their 2023 first-rounder to the Eagles. This move gave New Orleans a second 2022 first-rounder, which it used to trade up for Chris Olave. As a result, the Saints entered the offseason without a 2023 first. Payton gave them a chance to recoup that asset, but his longtime coworker wanted more initially. Loomis asked for two first-rounders for Payton, whose Saints contract ran through 2024.
Latest On Giants, Saquon Barkley
The Giants-Saquon Barkley saga is on hold for the next several months. The Giants gave the sixth-year running back a small incentive package to report to camp on time, and Barkley is tied to the $10.1MM franchise tender this season.
Twists and turns emerged on the way here, of course, and this certainly could be the final year of this partially fruitful partnership. Barkley, 26, made comments regarding the Giants-side leaks that came out of these negotiations and, just before the tag deadline, discussed a number of topics — including his skillset and usage rate. His skillset, naturally, came up during negotiations.
Barkley’s receiving ability became a sticking point during the ultimately failed talks, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, who notes the team made a point to state that the former No. 2 overall pick’s receiving prowess was not on the level of Christian McCaffrey‘s. During his appearance on the Money Matters podcast just before the July 17 deadline, Barkley disputed the team’s contention about his aerial capabilities.
“If that’s what you are telling me and I know what they signed for, what are we really talking about?” Barkley said. “After hearing that, they tell you, ‘This is the type of player you are.’ I’m like, ‘Eh, no. I can catch the ball. I had 91 catches, the rookie record for a running back.”
In attempting to find common ground, the Giants compared Barkley to two run-oriented backs. That assessment can be deemed partially inaccurate, but the way Barkley has been used since that 91-catch 2018 season does not paint it as entirely misleading. The Giants have not involved Barkley nearly as much as a receiver since Pat Shurmur‘s firing. Eli Manning being benched early in the 2019 season became a tipping point for Barkley’s pass-game usage.
En route to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, the former No. 2 overall pick totaled 721 receiving yards in 2018. Only Hall of Famers Edgerrin James and Eric Dickerson have topped Barkley’s 2,028 scrimmage yards as rookies. While Barkley’s 2022 comeback season resulted in a career-high rushing total (1,312 yards), he did not approach the 2018 yards-from-scrimmage number due to less pass-game involvement. Barkley caught 57 passes for just 338 yards during his first season with Brian Daboll. That is his third-highest career total, with Shurmur’s second season — featuring Daniel Jones as the primary QB — ending with 52 Barkley receptions for 438 yards.
McCaffrey has averaged 8.5 yards per catch over his career; Barkley is at 7.4. If the Giants view Barkley as more of a runner, naturally his value will drop. Of course, Barkley’s camp almost definitely argued he remains a high-end receiving talent — just in an offense that has not properly utilized that skill. It will be interesting to see how the Giants use Barkley this year, but seeing as the team made a point to acquire Darren Waller and more receiving help, a spike in Barkley targets is harder to envision. Barkley’s receiving total this year will certainly make an impact in his 2024 market value — should the Giants pass on a second franchise tag.