Falcons Exercise Jake Matthews’ Option
Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff has exercised the fifth-year option on tackle Jake Matthews, according to a team announcement.. For now, a new long-term deal is on the back burner. 
The decision to exercise Matthews’ option was not necessarily a hard one for Atlanta. Since entering the league, Matthews has been on the field for all but one possible regular season game and he has improved since his rookie season in 2014. The former No. 6 overall pick had a decent showing last year, earning a 74.3 overall score on Pro Football Focus. That mark left him ranked No. 37 amongst all tackles, putting him in the middle of the pack out of 78 qualified players.
That might not be indicative of a superstar, but the Falcons believe that Matthews will continue to grow into an even better offensive lineman. It’s also worth considering that the potential ~$12.81MM cap hit for 2018 doesn’t seem exorbitant when juxtaposed with this year’s inflated free agent offensive line market.
The fifth-year option for first-round picks is guaranteed for injury only, so the Falcons will have an escape hatch if Matthews stays healthy and the two sides are unable to reach terms on a new deal.
D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter) first reported the Falcons’ decision.
Bengals Want First Round Pick For A.J. McCarron
A.J. McCarron is available, but the Bengals have set a lofty asking price for the quarterback. Cincinnati wants “at least” a first round pick for him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
It’s hard to see any team making that kind of offer for McCarron, even when considering the dearth of high-level quarterbacks in the draft and free agency. That’s just fine for the Bengals who value McCarron highly as Andy Dalton‘s understudy. McCarron personally wouldn’t mind a trade out of Cincinnati, but he won’t be going anywhere unless the Bengals have a sudden change of heart.
Because McCarron spent most of his rookie year on the non-football injury list, he’ll be a restricted free agent after the season instead of an unrestricted free agent. That development made him even more valuable to the Bengals since they can keep him at a bargain basement price through the 2018 season. McCarron will carry a modest $735K cap number in 2017 while top backups elsewhere are earning $4-$5MM.
Former Bills RB Mike Gillislee Joins Patriots
The Bills have declined to match Mike Gillislee‘s offer sheet, per a club announcement. He will now join the Patriots. Per the terms of his offer sheet, he’ll play for New England on a two-year, $6.4MM deal. The Bills will get the 163rd overall pick (fifth round) from the Patriots by letting him go. That was the better of the Patriots’ two fifth-round choices.
The Bills’ decision to place the original round tender on Gillislee was a surprise in the football world and they might be regretting that decision today. For another $1MM or so, the Bills could have placed the second-round tender on him and – in all likelihood – kept the Patriots and other teams far away. Gillislee averaged 5.7 yards per carry last season and made it clear that he can handle a larger role if given the opportunity. The Bills, for some reason, apparently did not see what the rest of the league saw in the 26-year-old. Now, they’re losing their top understudy and potential heir apparent for starting running back LeSean McCoy.
The Patriots now have a loaded depth chart at running back headlined by Gillislee and free agent pickup Rex Burkhead. Dion Lewis, James White, Brandon Bolden, and D.J. Foster are also under contract for the coming season. Today’s news likely spells the end of LeGarrette Blount‘s time in New England. Lewis and/or Bolden may also be on the chopping block. If the Patriots cut Lewis, they’ll only be on the hook for $200K in dead money.
In Buffalo, five running backs remain on the roster: McCoy, Jonathan Williams, Joe Banyard, Cedric O’Neal, and Mike Tolbert.
Saints, Adrian Peterson Nearing Deal
The Saints and Adrian Peterson are believed to be closing in on a deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact would pay him $3.25MM in the coming year with the potential to earn about $1MM through incentives (Twitter link). It’s not a done deal, Rapoport cautions, but things are moving in that direction. 
Earlier today, it was reported that the Saints were still considering Peterson. Apparently, things have heated up to the point where a deal is in sight. Peterson was reportedly willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation” and that asking price may have been worked down over time. Given his age and injury history, Peterson was not left with a lot of leverage at this stage of the offseason. If Peterson remained on the market past the draft, his pool of suitors would have shrank significantly.
Peterson, 32, appeared in only three games last season, compiling 72 yards on 37 carries. However, Peterson was excellent in 2015, when he led the NFL in both rushing attempts (327) and yards (1,485).
At present, New Orleans has four running backs on it roster: Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy. If signed, Peterson would slot behind Ingram but presumably still get a decent number of carries.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Steelers Exercise Ryan Shazier’s Option
The Steelers have exercised their fifth-year option on linebacker Ryan Shazier, a source tells Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). The Steelers technically had until May 3 to make the call, but they didn’t see any point in delaying. 
There was no real question that the Steelers would trigger Shazier’s fifth-year option. The 24-year-old (25 in September) has been a key cog in the Steelers’ defense for the past two seasons, starting 24 of 25 regular season games played. He had roughly identical production in 2015 and 2016, tallying 87 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in each campaign.
For his work, Pro Football Focus ranked Shazier as the 32nd best linebacker in the NFL last year, tying him with Mark Barron of the Rams and Danny Trevathan of the Bears. His 78.4 overall score was a career high. With his arrow pointing up, the Steelers will retain their rights to him through at least 2018.
49ers To Audition C Tim Barnes
The 49ers will work out center Tim Barnes on Tuesday, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). This marks Barnes’ first known audition since being let go by the Rams earlier this offseason. 
Barnes’ release came as a mild surprise in Los Angeles since he had adequately served as the team’s starting center for two seasons. After 32 consecutive starts for St. Louis/Los Angeles, he’s now seeking his next home. In 2015, he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 29th-best center out of 39 qualifiers. This past season, PFF ranked him 31st out of 38 qualifiers.
The Niners acquired Jeremy Zuttah earlier this offseason and he currently projects to start at center. If they sign Barnes, it’s possible that the Niners could have an open competition to determine the No. 1 role.
Chargers Exercise CB Jason Verrett’s Option
Late last week, Chargers GM Tom Telesco said the team would exercise cornerback Jason Verrett‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via Eric Williams of ESPN.com). On Monday, the Bolts made it official. 
Verrett, 26 in May, missed all but four games last season thanks to a partially torn ACL. Injuries also limited him as a rookie, but he showed what he could do in a full season of work in 2015. In 14 games that season, Verrett earned his first career Pro Bowl nod with 47 total tackles, three interceptions, and 12 passes defensed.
Before being placed on IR, Verrett tried to play through the injury. While his toughness was admirable, his play was clearly suffering as a result. Through four games, Pro Football Focus pegged him as just No. 71 out of 114 qualified corners in the NFL. In the year prior, he was among PFF’s best cornerbacks.
Verrett, the No. 25 overall pick in the 2014 draft, will start opposite of Casey Hayward in 2017. Safeties Dwight Lowery and Jahleel Addae will round out the starting secondary.
Seahawks “Past” Richard Sherman Trade
When asked about a potential Richard Sherman trade, Seahawks GM John Schneider said “right now we’ve kind of moved past it,” as Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. However, he says would still consider a trade if a big offer comes his way. 
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Schneider’s latest comments perhaps send a stronger statement than last week when he said that “odds are” Sherman would be staying put. Sherman reportedly asked out of Seattle, but the team has been unable to oblige that request so far. After originally asking for a first-round pick plus a quality player, the Seahawks lowered the ask to a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional mid-round pick in 2018. Still, no one has met the sticker price.
Now, the two sides are effectively stuck with each other as the draft closes in. If Schneider and Sherman are to be believed, then that’s not necessarily a problem. Both men say that their relationship is in good standing, so things just might be drama free from here on out.
Sherman is under contract with Seattle through the 2018 season.
Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers Fails Drug Test
The NFL notified teams that Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers tested positive for a diluted sample at the combine, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Of course, this is awful timing for Peppers with the draft just days away. For what it’s worth, his reps at CAA say that he was not trying to mask a positive test (Facebook link): 
“Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego. He has a history of cramping. Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance.”
Even before today’s news, no one really knew what to make of the Michigan standout. His versatility, to some, is a great asset, but others see him as a tweener without a real position. Some say he’s a linebacker, some view him as an NFL safety, and others believe he can play on offense. His draft stock seemed to be teetering more on second round than first round to begin with, so logic dictates that we probably won’t hear his name called on Thursday night.
Peppers saw some time on offense last season and rushed 27 times for 167 yards, caught two passes, and scored three touchdowns. He also did well as a punt returner, posting a conference-leading 14.8-yard average on runbacks.
Jake Long Announces Retirement
Offensive tackle Jake Long has announced his retirement from the NFL. In a message posted on Twitter, the former No. 1 overall pick thanked his family, fans, and NFL mentors for their belief in him along the way. 
“Football has been something that I have put my entire heart and soul into,” Long wrote. “I have always given this game the respect and attention to detail that it demands. As I continue with my recent rehab, I realize that although my heart and mind still want to play, my body is telling me something completely different.”
Long dealt with injuries throughout his career and never truly fulfilled his potential as a result. Long started out with four consecutive Pro Bowl nods in his first four seasons with the Dolphins (including one First Team All-Pro nod in 2010), but his health slowly chipped him down. From 2012 through 2016, Long missed 38 regular season games.
After a lengthy career which included two ACL tears and one Achilles tear, one can hardly blame Long for hanging ’em up. Just prior to his 32nd birthday, Long has opted to spend more time with his family than try to hook on with another team for yet another one year deal. We here at PFR wish Long the best in retirement.