Ravens To Sign Ja’Wuan James
In a surprise move, the Ravens have agreed to sign offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). James is unlikely to play anytime soon, due to his ruptured Achilles. Still, the Ravens moved to sign him with the hope that he’ll be 100% healthy for 2022. The deal could pay up to $9MM in total. 
[RELATED: James Files Grievance Against Broncos]
The deal is still pending a physical, though the exam will account for James’ primary injury. If all goes well, James will put pen to paper this week and collect $500K in guaranteed money for 2021. In essence, he’s getting $500K to rehab under team supervision this year and agreeing to play for $8MM in 2022. Beyond that, James can reach the full $9MM via incentives.
After spending his first five years with the Dolphins, James inked a four-year, $51MM deal with Denver to serve as their long-term starter. But, due to knee injuries, the former first-round pick only appeared in three games in 2019. Then, he opted out of the 2020 season. Now, he’s moving on to Baltimore, though he’s still hashing out some financial matters with his old club.
The Ravens see James as a potential heir to the right tackle job. They’ve got Alejandro Villanueva under contract for the next two years, but he’s unlikely to match Orlando Brown‘s level of performance. James, in theory, could provide better protection in 2022 with Villanueva serving as a backup.
Ravens, Gus Edwards Agree To Extension
The Ravens have agreed to a brand new deal with Gus Edwards. The running back now has a fresh two-year, $10MM contract, tying him to the club for multiple seasons. 
[RELATED: Latest On Lamar Jackson]
Edwards has been a big part of the Ravens’ dynamic ground game, averaging at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his three pro seasons. This past season, he suited up for all 16 games and made six starts, rushing for 723 yards and six touchdowns. With Mark Ingram now out of the picture, Edwards is set to split carries with second-year player J.K. Dobbins.
The Ravens retained him as a restricted free agent in March, cuffing him for around $3.4MM with the second-year tender. Instead, they’ve extended the arrangement. It’s a smart move — the Rutgers product is now poised to do career numbers with a larger role in the offense.
The Ravens are prioritizing new deals for their young stars, which helps to explain why they backed out of their recent trade talks for Juli0 Jones. Without Jones and his $15MM salary to tangle with, they’ve got the necessary funds to keep players like Edwards and key in on a megadeal for star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Seahawks’ Russell Wilson Reports To OTAs
Seahawks star Russell Wilson will be on hand for the Seahawks’ voluntary offseason team activities (Twitter link via Jake Heaps of 710 ESPN). Wilson has been upset with the team’s inability to build a strong offensive line around him, but it appears that he’s now on the same page with Pete Carroll & Co. 
The Seahawks haven’t exactly overhauled the O-Line, but they did trade for talented right guard Gabe Jackson. They also explored a trade for Julio Jones to give Wilson another weapon alongside D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but the Titans beat them to the punch on Sunday. So, while Wilson didn’t get everything he wanted, it seems like he’s willing and ready to stay in Seattle. That’s consistent with what he told newcomer Carlos Dunlap, who re-signed with the team in March.
“I did ask him if, obviously, he was going to be with us. Because if I’m coming back, I’m coming back because I see him as my quarterback — and the rest of the team. I want to pick up where we left off,” Dunlap said. “And he told me that he’s with us and that he’s here to stay.”
Wilson is one of less than ten players in the NFL to hold a no-trade clause. With that leverage, he told the Seahawks that he’d be willing to play for the Bears, Raiders, Saints, or Cowboys. Ultimately, nothing came of that — the Seahawks rebuffed every call to keep their franchise QB and avoid a whopping $39MM in dead money on the cap.
Packers Might Not Fine Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers probably won’t be on hand when the Packers start their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. As a result, the Packers could fine him ~$93K per day. However, they’re thinking about issuing him an excused absence, which would mean no fines for the star quarterback (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). 
[RELATED: Packers Say They Won’t Trade Rodgers]
“The situation we face with Aaron Rodgers has divided our fan base,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said earlier this month. “The emails and letters that I’ve received reflect this fact…We remain committed to resolving things with Aaron and want him to be our quarterback in 2021 and beyond. We are working to resolve the situation and realize that the less both sides say publicly, the better.”
Excusing Rodgers from the fines could help to mend fences. The reigning MVP wants to be traded — the Packers say he’s not going anywhere. Rodgers is reportedly willing to stand his ground throughout the summer to get what he wants — especially since he says that the Packers promised to trade him.
Ultimately, the Packers hold the leverage. If the club refuses to deal Rodgers, the 37-year-old passer would miss out on his $14.7MM salary and $6.8MM roster bonus for 2021. He’d also have to pay back $23MM in unearned signing bonus money. If the stalemate continues, the Packers will be left to pick from the still-green Jordan Love and Blake Bortles under center.
49ers To Sign Tony Jefferson
Tony Jefferson is back. On Monday, the 49ers agreed to sign the veteran safety, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Jefferson hasn’t played since 2019, when he tore his ACL. Then, the pandemic slowed his rehab, keeping him off the field throughout 2020. Under normal circumstances, Jefferson would have been mostly healed by April.
“I was really getting into a groove with my workouts and my rehab,” Jefferson said in April. “Now, I’m waiting two or three weeks just to get a medicine ball.”
After spending the early part of his career with the Cardinals, Jefferson inked a four-year, $34MM contract with the Ravens in 2017. He started in all 35 of his games for Baltimore from 2017-2019, but the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus weren’t fond of his five-game 2019 season. The Ravens released Jefferson in February of 2020, but he wasn’t healthy enough to land a deal elsewhere.
Jefferson will surely play for less than his last contract, but he has an opportunity to restore his stock in San Francisco. If all goes well, the 29-year-old could be the first safety off of the bench behind free safety Jimmie Ward and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt.
Former Broncos OL Ja’Wuan James Files Grievance
Offensive lineman Ja’Wuan James has filed a grievance against the Broncos (via PFT). The offensive lineman is seeking to recover $10MM of his 2021 salary, plus $5MM in 2022 salary.
James’ 2021 pay was guaranteed for skill and injury while $5MM of his ’22 salary was guaranteed for injury. The Broncos say they owe James nothing, because his workout injury happened outside of the team facility. James, meanwhile, contends that he was working out in a fashion that was “specifically authorized” by the club. Furthermore, he was working out with other Broncos teammates. And, on top of all of that, James claims that the Broncos’ facilities were not in compliance with Colorado’s COVID-19 safety guidelines.
In the filing, James’ attorneys noted a May 5 NFL memo which noted that workout injuries outside of facilities “specifically or as specifically authorized by his club are considered ‘football-related injuries.’” The Broncos placed James on the reserve/non-football injury list two days later. And, on May 14, the Broncos cut James.
In response, the Broncos will likely argue that his non-facility workout was strictly voluntary. And, as a result, they’re not responsible.
Chiefs Weren’t In Julio Jones Mix
The Chiefs were “never truly in” the Julio Jones sweepstakes, according to Peter Schrager of NFL.com (on Twitter). Like every team in the league, the Chiefs would have loved to have him, but it just didn’t make sense financially. Instead, Jones is en route to the Titans, who landed him on Sunday morning. 
[RELATED: Titans Trade For Julio Jones]
The Titans shipped a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Falcons for Jones. Meanwhile, the Falcons also sent their 2023 sixth-round pick to the Titans in the swap. That’s a far cry from the Falcons’ initial ask of a first-round pick, but that was the best they could do given Jones’ age (32) and contract.
The veteran is owed a $15.3MM base salary for 2021 and still has some guaranteed dollars for 2022. That would have been tough to swing for the Chiefs, who have less than $8MM to work with heading into ’21.
Needless to say, the Chiefs are already well-set on offense with Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman in the fold. Jones would have been one heck of a replacement for Sammy Watkins, but it would have come at a great expense.
“If I could play alongside Julio Jones, that would be amazing,” Hill said recently (via FOX 4). “I used to be in high school when he was doing his thing at Alabama and I’ve been a fan ever since.”
The Chiefs have other plans for those dollars, including a 2022 extension for Orlando Brown. Meanwhile, Jones is said to be aiming for a new deal of his own.
The Ravens — who could have teamed Jones with Watkins — reached a similar conclusion, backing out of talks last week. Ditto for the Seahawks, who already traded their 2022 first-round pick for star safety Jamal Adams. The 49ers and Rams also had varying degrees of interest in the multiple-time Pro Bowler, but the Titans ultimately topped every other offer.
Pro Football Rumors Seeking Part-Time Writer
We’re looking to add a part-time contributor to the Pro Football Rumors writing team. The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NFL teams, with no discernible bias.
- Knowledge of the salary cap and transaction-related concepts.
- At least some college education.
- Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
- Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
- Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
- Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use Twitter is crucial.
- Strong weekend availability is crucial. You must be available to work between 1pm-4pm central time on Sundays and frequently be available to work between 5-11 pm CT on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.
If you’re interested, email pfrapplications@gmail.com by June 17th and take a couple of paragraphs to explain why you qualify and stand out. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/4/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: QB Kenji Bahar
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Michael Warren
- Waived: RB Rakeem Boyd
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G Parker Ehinger
- Waived: CB Rashaan Gaulden
Latest On Geno Atkins
Defensive tackle Geno Atkins is expected to be cleared by July 1, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). That’s good news for the free agent, who should be ready to go for training camp later in the month. RapSheet adds that multiple teams have expressed interest in Atkins.
Atkins have his torn rotator cuff checked out by Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper in a few weeks, Rapoport hears. For now, that’s just an appointment — not a Cowboys visit. Still, they may want to meet with Atkins while he’s in Dallas. If not, Atkins should hold appeal for plenty of other teams as a low-risk, high-reward type of signing. Even the Bengals have indicated that they’d be interested in a reunion, despite cutting him in March.
“Geno is one of the greatest players in franchise history and one of the best defensive tackles of the last decade,” exec Duke Tobin said in April. “He gave us what he had last year…We’ll see if there are things that can be worked out. If it is, great. If not, I think we’ve got other guys that can fill the role.”
Atkins fought through a shoulder injury throughout 2020. He suited up for just eight games in total, and, even when he was healthy, he wasn’t happy about his playing time. His final tally: zero sacks and zero starts. It was a sharp drop from his pre-extension season in 2017, when he finished out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 ranked interior defender.
Before all of that, he was a perennial Pro Bowler. Once he’s healthy, Atkins could be a difference-maker for contenders in need.