No ACL Tear For Ravens’ Breshad Perriman
The Ravens got some great news today as it turns out wide receiver Breshad Perriman does not have a torn ACL and “will be fine for the season,” a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Perriman received a stem cell injection today and barring further aggravation of the knee, it sounds like he’ll be ready to go for Week 1. 
[RELATED: Ravens Kicker Justin Tucker Confident About Extension]
Perriman was busy working his way back to 100% from his lingering PCL issue when he suffered an injury to his ACL. Perriman missed his entire rookie season due to his PCL and a full ACL tear would have meant two consecutive lost seasons. Now, Perriman is cleared to use his blazing speed to help the Ravens in 2016.
The former UCF star impressed at the combine with his speed as he ran a 4.26 second 40-yard dash. Evaluators last year believed that Perriman’s NFL future was bright and, hopefully, that is still the case despite his setbacks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Joey Bosa, Chargers In Contract Dispute
The June minicamp is underway, but it is not mandatory for rookie Joey Bosa since he is still not under contract. Bosa’s reps have advised him to hold out amid a stalemate in contract negotiations, a source tells Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. 
The majority of this year’s rookies have already signed their deals, but Bosa’s camp wants no offset language in his contract. With no offset language, the Chargers would pay Bosa the balance of his four-year guaranteed contract even if they release him sometime during it. Then, theoretically, Bosa could collect two salaries upon signing elsewhere. With offset language in place, the Chargers would be off the hook for Bosa’s salary with his new team, paying him only the difference. The two sides also are in disagreement about the deal’s cash flow.
The most recent collective bargaining agreement has largely made rookie contract disputes a thing of the past, but there are still instances where teams and players will clash over offset language. Last year, the Titans did not sign No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota until July after extended haggling.
The Ohio State product was widely projected to be a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, but few pundits saw the Chargers pouncing on him at No. 3. While teams traded into the top 2 picks to select quarterbacks, the Bolts were more than happy to stay put and grab Bosa.
Reactions To Fletcher Cox’s Deal
On Monday night, the Eagles announced that they got a multi-year deal done with standout defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. The Eagles are thrilled to have Cox locked up for years to come but, of course, it cost the team a pretty penny. Not only is Cox getting a six-year, $103MM deal – he’s coming away with $36.299MM fully guaranteed and he’s unlikely to see any less than $55.549MM in total. 
How did the Eagles do here? And what does Cox’s deal mean for other notable defensive linemen around the league? Here are some of the reactions to Cox’s payday:
- Kawann Short is surely hoping for Cox money, but the “sense inside the building” is that Panthers GM Dave Gettleman “won’t go much further than $15MM per season,” Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review writes. Short, who recorded 11 sacks in 2015, is currently scheduled to count for just $1.473MM against the 2016 cap.
- Cox did tremendously well when it comes to the guarantee and bonus structure, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. The Eagles paid a hefty price to extend the defensive tackle and Fitzgerald says the Eagles would have been better off extending him a year ago when the price tag wouldn’t have been as high. Meanwhile, in terms of year-by-year cash, he doesn’t see this deal moving the market for Broncos star Von Miller.
- Mike Florio of PFT believes that Cox’s contract with help Miller in his case with the Broncos. The Broncos were previously able to chalk up deals for Ndamukong Suh and Olivier Vernon to free agency inflation. However, Cox has shown that a defensive lineman can score a similar contract without hitting the open market.
- Interestingly, a 2017 franchise tag for Cox would’ve been unusually favorable for the Eagles because he switched from defensive end to defensive tackle, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter). Defensive ends earn more on the tag and the defensive tackle number is expected to decline.
- Muhammad Wilkerson will get long-term deal like Cox, but it won’t be from the Jets, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. The door seemed pretty much closed on a monster deal for Wilkerson in New York, but that door has now been slammed shut now that Cox pushed the defensive line market even further. Cimini is personally perplexed as to why the Jets won’t pay the price to keep Wilkerson for the long term.
- Cox’s deal either confirms to Von Miller‘s camp that their position is right or raises the price for a deal – or perhaps both, Corry tweets.
- Cox showing up and beginning to bond with his Eagles coaches at minicamp was important for this deal getting done, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- Given the rapidly rising cost of defensive linemen, Fitzgerald (on Twitter) believes that the Patriots made the correct decision moving on from Chandler Jones. Jones, who is slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season, netted the Pats offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick in a trade with the Cardinals.
- The Eagles have proven that they’re serious about spending money, Darin Gantt of PFT writes. Philly has now doled out more than $280MM in guaranteed money this offseason, nearly double of any other team.
AFC North Notes: Smith, Steelers, Perriman
Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith is jogging again but he won’t put a timetable on his return just yet, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes.
“I don’t know when I’m coming back,” he said. “I just know I have to be able to do something in training camp to be able to play for the season. That’s just the way I operate. I can’t go from doing absolutely nothing [and] sitting on my butt for all of training camp and then go out there and play.”
At 37, Smith is the oldest wide receiver in the NFL. He was more effective than ever in the first half of the 2015 season, with 46 receptions for 670 yards in his seven games. All in all, the 95.7 yards per game average was the second-highest of Smith’s 15-year NFL career.
Here’s more from the AFC North:
- The Steelers have lots of offseason work ahead of them, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Several important players are scheduled to hit the open market after the 2016 season, including guard David DeCastro and running back Le’Veon Bell. Fowler sees the Steelers first focusing on DeCastro, then moving on to their marquee running back. When it comes to Bell, things could take a while to unfold as his knee issues could complicate talks. After those two, Pittsburgh can be expected to look into new deals for receiver Markus Wheaton and linebackers Jarvis Jones, Lawrence Timmons, James Harrison, and Arthur Moats.
- Breshad Perriman’s latest knee injury means that the Ravens‘ other pass catching options have to step it up, including offseason addition Mike Wallace, Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. Wallace is coming off his worst NFL season with the Vikings, recording just 39 catches, 473 yards, and two touchdowns. Still, he’ll be counted upon to provide the Ravens with a serious deep threat along with fourth-round rookie Chris Moore. The latest word is that Perriman might not miss the entire 2016 season.
- Is Bengals coach Marvin Lewis on the hot seat? Recently, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com listed him as one of seven coaches who are on shaky footing.
- Browns coach Hue Jackson says that RGIII is getting a clean slate in Cleveland.
Latest On Jets, Muhammad Wilkerson
While the Jets’ stare down with Ryan Fitzpatrick is getting all of the publicity, the team also has an ugly situation brewing with star defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson won’t sign his franchise-tag tender anytime soon and might not report for the start of training camp in late July, sources tell Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. 
[RELATED: Former Agent Suggests Compromise For Jets, Fitzpatrick]
Players typically are subject to fines if they skip June’s mandatory minicamp. However, since Wilkerson has yet to ink his tender, he is in a loophole in which he cannot be docked salary. In fact, Wilkerson could show up as late as Week 1, sign his tender, and still earn his full salary.
It should also be noted that the 26-year-old is still rehabbing a surgically repaired broken leg, so he wouldn’t have been able to practice anyway in minicamp. Still, Cimini writes that Wilkerson abstaining from minicamp would change the tenor of talks, taking them from ugly to contentious.
Adding fuel to the fire is the newly-inked extension between the Eagles and star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Cox’s deal will reportedly pay him $103MM over six years with $63MM guaranteed. Of the $63MM in guarantees, $36.299MM is fully guaranteed at the time of signing and, for all intents and purposes, it seems to be a mortal lock that he will see at least $55.549MM of that money. After Cox secured the biggest guarantee for a non-quarterback in league history, Wilkerson is surely even more focused on his own payday.
The Jets have explored trading Wilkerson in the past but, so far, they have been unable to find a suitable deal. Cimini writes that the team has not ruled out the possibility of tagging him again next year at a salary of $18.8MM, though I believe that could just be posturing by the Jets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC West Notes: Rams, Baldwin, Driskel, 49ers
While the Rams could still be in the market for a veteran safety, the club likes what it’s seen from defensive backs Maurice Alexander, Cody Davis, and Christian Bryant, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link). LA has been on the lookout for secondary help since losing safety Rodney McLeod during free agency, and the team has met with Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson over the past several months. Both safeties reportedly remain “in play” for the Rams, but for now, it sounds as though the team is happy where they are.
Here’s more out of the NFC West…
- Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin says his contract situation “will take care of itself,” as Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. Baldwin is entering the final season of a three-year deal he inked prior to the 2014 season. Now, after tying for the NFL lead with 14 receiving touchdowns in 2015, Baldwin could be in line for $10MM/year or more. Baldwin should be helped by the four-year, $40MM extension the Jaguars recently gave to Allen Hurns, though Hurns is three years younger than the Seattles standout.
- The 49ers are high on rookie quarterback Jeff Driskel, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “I think he’s done a really nice job,” 49ers coach Chip Kelly said. “He’s really intelligent. (He) picked things up conceptually very quickly. (He) was exposed to a couple of systems because he was at Florida and then Louisiana Tech. I think he’s already been exposed to multiple systems at the college level, so we’ve been impressed with him. He’s very athletic. I think he was the fastest quarterback at the combine. He’s big. He’s got a good arm.” Driskel, a sixth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, could get involved in special teams packages and give San Francisco some trick play options. Driskel currently sits as the team’s No. 4 QB behind Blaine Gabbert, Colin Kaepernick, and Thaddeus Lewis. It’s conceivable that Driskel could leapfrog Lewis to become the team’s No. 3 signal caller, or he could become the club’s No. 3 signal-caller if Kaepernick is traded or released.
- Jermaine Gresham apparently had more lucrative offers from other clubs — such as the Bears and Jets — but he chose to take less money to remain with the Cardinals.
- Yesterday, we learned that the Cardinals are unlikely to reach an extension with defensive back Tyrann Mathieu before the start of training camp.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/13/16
Today’s minor moves:
- Cornerbacks Isaiah Frey and Dax Swanson signed with the Cowboys, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Both players tried out for Dallas last week and apparently made a good impression.
- The Bills have signed offensive lineman Chris Martin to a one-year contract, according to agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). Martin, 26, has been a member of seven NFL teams and spent time on the Bills’ practice squad last season.
- After being waived by the Cowboys, cornerback Terrance Mitchell will latch on with the other NFL club in Texas, as the Texans have claimed him off waivers, reports Mark Berman of FOX26 (Twitter link).
- The Lions waived wide receiver Austin Willis and signed defensive back Keith Lewis today, as Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press tweets.
- The Chargers cut safety Matt Daniels from injured reserve, per Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). the two sides presumably reached an injury settlement.
- The Chiefs have signed former Akron defensive back Bryce Cheek (Akron) while the Rams have inked former San Diego State long snapper Jeff Overbaugh (San Diego State), Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports tweets.
- Tight end Michael Williams (Patriots), cornerback Brandon McGee (Cowboys), and receiver Corey Washington (Lions) all reverted to injured reserve after clearing waivers, according to Balzer (Twitter link).
Ben Grubbs To Retire
Former Pro Bowl guard Ben Grubbs is likely going to retire this offseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Grubbs, who was with the Chiefs in 2015, has been plagued by a neck injury that ended his season last year and will probably end his career. 
[RELATED: Chiefs Sign Entire Draft Class]
Grubbs was released by KC a failed physical designation around the start of this year’s free agency. The veteran’s contract, which he reworked upon his arrival in Kansas City, ran through the 2018 season and included $6.6MM in guaranteed money. The Chiefs were left with a sizable portion of dead money on their 2016 cap by cutting Grubbs, but they obviously felt that the move was necessary. By cutting the 32-year-old, the Chiefs agreed to be on the hook for $5.2MM in dead money while saving only $1.1MM against the cap.
Grubbs entered the league as a first-round draft choice of the Ravens in 2007. Since then, Grubbs has been something of an ironman, appearing in all 16 regular season games of every NFL season with the exception of 2011 (ten games) and 2015 (seven games). Grubbs earned Pro Bowl nods in 2011 with the Ravens and again in 2013. Despite his down year, we recently rated Grubbs as one of the 20 best offensive free agents still on the board based on his successful history.
We here at Pro Football Rumors wish Grubbs nothing but the best in retirement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nate Robinson Trying Out For Seahawks
3:52pm: The Seahawks aren’t signing Robinson today, but they’ll keep his number handy for down the road, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
2:35pm: It appears that former NBA player Nate Robinson is making a run at playing in the NFL. The diminutive point guard is now packaging himself as a defensive back as he tries out for the Seahawks today, sources tell Master Tesfatsion and Mark Maske of The Washington Post.
Robinson originally went to the University of Washington 
on a football scholarship and made a name for himself on the gridiron with his electrifying plays, but it has been many years since he tried his hand at football. In a YouTube video released in March, the 32-year-old first announced his NFL aspirations and spoke about playing both offense and defense. However, the early word is that Robinson is looking to play on defense.
Strangely, Robinson signed a deal with an Israeli basketball team just days after saying that he would pursue football. As teams tinker with 90-man rosters, however, Robinson is shifting his focus back to the gridiron once again. It would make for a great story if Robinson is able to land a deal from the Seahawks, particularly since he is a Seattle native.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bills Sign Leger Douzable, Chris Martin
3:40pm: The Bills announced that they have signed Douzable along with tackle Chris Martin. Martin spent some time on the Bills’ taxi squad in 2015 and other practice squads. To make room, defensive end Claudell Louis and tackle Keith Lumpkin have been let go.
8;37am: Former Jets defensive lineman Leger Douzable is visiting the Bills today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Douzable, of course, has history with current Bills coach Rex Ryan after playing for him in 2013 and 2014.
[RELATED: No Extension “Imminent” For Stephon Gilmore]
As Joe Buscaglia of WKBW notes (on Twitter), Douzable would be a five-technique defensive end in Ryan’s scheme. Douzable, 30, has inked one-year deals with the Jets in each of the last three offseasons. This time around, coach Todd Bowles & Co. apparently decided to go in a different direction at bookend. We haven’t heard much in the way of Jets interest in Douzable this offseason – or much about any other team’s interest in him.
In 322 defensive snaps as a part-time contributor in 2014, the Central Florida product recorded 25 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In 2015, Douzable saw only 207 snaps and recorded a total of 14 tackles. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Douzable as the No. 89 edge defender in the NFL last season out of 110 qualified players.
If Douzable signs with the Bills, he could work in support of defensive ends Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Corbin Bryant, and Adolphus Washington. To earn a spot, however, he’ll probably have to supplant Jerel Worthy and/or Lavar Edwards.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.