Colts Still Considering Eric Fisher
Eric Fisher‘s Thursday visit with the Colts ended without a deal. However, a league source tells Jim Ayello of the Indy Star (Twitter link) that the visit went well and a deal remains possible for the veteran left tackle. 
The Colts passed on adding a top-level tackle in the draft, so the eight-year Chiefs starter could be a solid candidate for them. It also helps that he has history with GM Chris Ballard who was in KC when they tapped Fisher No. 1 overall in 2013 and extended him in 2016. Now, they need a solid LT to help replace Anthony Castonzo.
The Colts do have other options, including newcomers Sam Tevi and Julie’n Davenport. However, Fisher laps both in accomplishments and experience. The 30-year-old blocker did not miss a start due to injury from 2014-18 and proved instrumental upon return from core muscle surgery in 2019; his re-emergence coincided with the Chiefs’ late-season win streak that ended with a Super Bowl LIV victory.
The Chiefs dropped Fisher, a two-time Pro Bowler after he suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon in the AFC championship game. Since then, they’ve replaced him by trading for Ravens standout Orlando Brown Jr.
PFR’s NFL Glossary: The Fifth-Year Option
Every year, NFL teams have until May 3 to officially pick up their options on first-round picks who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. In a change from years past, fifth-year option seasons are now fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement, and specific performance metrics:
- 2-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
- 1-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
- Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the 3rd-20th highest salaries at their position:
- 75%+ snaps in two of their first three seasons
- 75%+ average across all three seasons
- 50%+ in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will get the average of the 3rd-25th top salaries at their position.
This year, some believed that we’d see less players have their options exercised due to the full guarantee. Instead, 20 out of 32 players had their options picked up. (Really, 21/32, when considering Kolton Miller’s extension with the Raiders):
- QB Baker Mayfield, Browns: Exercised ($18.858MM)
- RB Saquon Barkley, Giants: Exercised ($7.217MM)
- QB Sam Darnold, Panthers (via Jets): Exercised ($18.858MM)
- CB Denzel Ward, Browns — Exercised ($13.294MM)
- LB Bradley Chubb, Broncos — Exercised ($12.716MM)
- G Quenton Nelson, Colts — Exercised ($13.754MM)
- QB Josh Allen, Bills: Exercised ($23.106MM)
- LB Roquan Smith, Bears: Exercised ($9.735MM)
- OT Mike McGlinchey, 49ers: Exercised ($10.88MM)
- QB Josh Rosen, Cardinals: N/A (traded/released from original rookie deal)
- S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers (via Dolphins): Exercised ($10.612MM)
- DT Vita Vea, Buccaneers: Exercised ($7.638MM)
- DT Daron Payne, Washington — Exercised ($8.529MM)
- DE Marcus Davenport, Saints: Exercised ($9.553MM)
- OT Kolton Miller, Raiders — N/A (extension)
- LB Tremaine Edmunds, Bills: Exercised ($12.716MM)
- S Derwin James, Chargers: Exercised ($9.052MM)
- CB Jaire Alexander, Packers: Exercised ($13.294MM)
- LB Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys: Declined ($9.145MM)
- C Frank Ragnow, Lions: Exercised ($12.657MM)
- C Billy Price, Bengals: Declined ($10.413MM)
- LB Rashaan Evans, Titans: Declined ($9.735MM)
- OT Isaiah Wynn, Patriots: Exercised ($10.413 MM)
- WR D.J. Moore, Panthers: Exercised ($11.116MM)
- TE Hayden Hurst, Falcons (via Ravens): Declined ($5.428MM)
- WR Calvin Ridley, Falcons: Exercised ($11.116MM)
- RB Rashaad Penny, Seahawks: Declined ($4.523MM)
- S Terrell Edmunds, Steelers: Declined ($6.753MM)
- DT Taven Bryan, Jaguars: Declined ($7.638MM)
- CB Mike Hughes, Vikings: Declined ($12.643MM)
- RB Sony Michel, Patriots: Declined ($4.523MM)
- QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Exercised ($23.106MM)
Last year, only 17 players from the 2017 class saw their fifth-year options exercised for the 2021 season. Meanwhile, the 2016 class saw 20 options exercised. So, even with the 100% guarantee, things panned out roughly the same this year.
NFL: Teams Can’t Cut Players For Refusing Vaccine
Earlier this week, Bills GM Brandon Beane caused a stir by saying that he would release players who refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, the league has spoken with Beane to let him know that teams cannot cut players solely for not getting their shots (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
“Yeah, I would [cut them], because it would be an advantage,” Beane said on One Bills Live (via the New York Post). “I think there’s going to be some incentives if you have X -percent of your players and staff vaccinated. You can live normal…let’s just call it, back to the old days.”
“If you don’t, it’s going to look more like last year…I hope that, if those are the rules, we’ll be able to get enough people vaccinated and not have to deal with all the headaches from a year ago.”
The NFL has previously said that the vaccine would not be mandatory for players. However, players who do get vaccinated will have less restrictions put upon them, including distancing requirements.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/7/21
We’ll keep track of today’s late-round signings here:
New York Jets
- CB Michael Carter II (fifth round; Duke)
- CB Jason Pinnock (fifth round; Pittsburgh)
- LB Hamsah Nasirildeen (sixth round; Florida State)
- CB Brandin Echols (sixth round; Kentucky)
- DT Jonathan Marshall (sixth round; Arkansas)
Jets Cut WR Josh Doctson
The Jets are doing some spring cleaning. On Friday, the Jets released six players from their offseason roster, including wide receiver Josh Doctson. Meanwhile, they also welcomed 12 new undrafted free agents. Here’s the full rundown:
Released:
- WR Josh Doctson
- K Chase McLaughlin
- CB Kyron Brown
- TE Connor Davis
- OL Leo Koloamatangi
- WR Jaleel Scott
Signed:
- Isaiah Dunn, DB, Oregon State
- Michael Dwumfour, DL, Rutgers
- Milo Eifler, LB, Illinois
- Parker Ferguson, OL, Air Force
- Grant Hermanns, OL, Purdue
- Tristen Hoge, OL, BYU
- Kenny Yeboah, TE, Mississippi
- Chris Naggar, K, SMU
- Jordyn Peters, S, Auburn
- Hamilcar Rashed Jr., DE, Oregon State
- Teton Saltes, OL, New Mexico
- Brendon White, LB, Rutgers
Doctson, a former first-round pick of the WFT, joined the Jets in February as a street free agent. In August, he exercised his right to opt out, tolling his one-year pact to 2021. While Doctson did not deliver on Washington’s investment, he did post multiple 500-plus-yard seasons from 2017-18 and profiled as a somewhat interesting candidate to factor into the Jets’ wideout mix last season. Now, he’ll seek employment elsewhere.
Dede Westbrook Drawing Interest
Former Jaguars wide receiver Dede Westbrook has received interest from “several teams,” ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler hears (Twitter link). Now more than six months removed from his ACL tear, Westbrook hopes to be ready for training camp in August. 
The Oklahoma product went down in late October against the Chargers on an ill-fated kick return. Soon after he was carted off of the field, doctors confirmed that his year was through. Before that, Westbrook recorded 66 grabs in both 2018 and 2019 for an average of 699 yards and four touchdowns per slate. He was hoping to get back into the offensive mix last year — instead, he played in just two games between the ACL tear and an early season injury.
Westbrook could be a logical fit for the Lions, who did not draft a wide receiver until the fourth round. In addition to USC product Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions have Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Quintez Cephus, Kalif Raymond, Damion Ratley, Geronimo Allison, Jonathan Adams, Tom Kennedy, and Victor Bolden in their WR group.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/6/21
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Juwan Green
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: CB Will Sunderland
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: G Marquel Harrell
Los Angeles Chargers
- Claimed (from Cowboys): DB Kemon Hall
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Albert Huggins, WR Easop Winston
New York Jets
- Waived: CB Kyron Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed (from Cowboys): CB Saivion Smith
- Signed: TE Nick Guggemos
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed (from Cowboys): LB Ladarius Hamilton
- Signed: CB Nate Brooks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Justin March-Lillard, CB Greg Mabin, RB Brian Hill
- Waived: CB Kareem Orr
Panthers Sign Fourth-Round RB Chuba Hubbard
The Panthers have signed fourth-round running back Chuba Hubbard, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Per the terms of his draft slot, the Oklahoma product will earn $4.2MM over the next four years. 
After finishing eighth in the 2019 Heisman Trophy voting, Hubbard caught the attention of scouts everywhere. He also made an impression on Julie Rhule, the wife of Panthers head coach Matt Rhule. Julie encouraged her husband to take the 6’0″ tailback and got her wish on Saturday.
This past year, Hubbard rushed for just 625 yards and saw his yards-per-carry figure drop from 6.4 to 4.7. Still, he compiled four straight 100-plus-yard outings, which gave him a good enough platform to go pro. And, just one year ago, he was a 2,000-yard rusher. Late last year, Scouts Inc. had him slotted him as the third best RB in this year’s class, behind only Clemson’s Travis Etienne and Alabama’s Najee Harris.
Now, Hubbard will fight for reps behind star Christian McCaffrey. Veteran RBs Trenton Cannon and Reggie Bonnafon are also in the mix for Carolina.
Lions, Frank Ragnow Agree To Record Extension
Lions center Frank Ragnow has agreed to a brand new four-year deal (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The extension will position Ragnow as the highest-paid center in NFL history and keep the young center in Detroit through 2026. 
On average, Ragnow will make $13.5MM per year (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). In total, the deal is worth approximately $70MM with $25.5MM fully guaranteed and $42MM in total guarantees. That’s not chump change, but new Lions GM Brad Holmes has long said that he’d be willing to pay the price.
“It’s extremely important. We already view him as a long-term piece and he is a foundational piece because Frank is a guy that plays the game the right way,” Holmes said (via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com). “He’s everything that we look for and what we want as a Lion. I’ll never forget when it first got announced that I got the job, Frank reached out immediately. I told him, ‘Man, huge fan of you and you play the game the right way.’ So, very important to get it done. Not going to comment on timetable right now — that would be a little bit premature — but we’re not sitting back and waiting on that one.”
Ragnow has been first-string for the Lions ever since he was taken with the No. 20 overall pick in 2018. At first, the Lions used the Arkansas product at left guard. In 2019, they shifted him to the middle. He’s started in every game since, save for three missed contests due to injury.
Earlier this spring, the Lions made the easy call to pick up Ragnow’s fifth year for $12.657MM. Now, Ragnow has a fresh deal to top Chargers center Corey Linsley for the richest contract at the position.
Dolphins To Cut Bobby McCain
The Dolphins have informed safety Bobby McCain that he’ll be released today (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). By cutting the team captain, the Dolphins will nix the final two years of his four-year, $27MM deal. 
McCain was set to count for $7.14MM against the 2021 cap. The Dolphins will be left with just $1.48MM in dead money while saving $5.66MM on the books. At least, that’ll be the breakdown if he’s formally released. NFL teams will occasionally leak word of an impending release in order to stir up trade talks. That could the case here, with the Dolphins aiming to get something in return for McCain before the end of the business day.
McCain, a 2015 fifth-rounder, has been a staple of the Dolphins’ defense over the last six years. All in all, he’s started in 55 of his 87 games, collecting seven interceptions and four sacks along the way.
Last year, McCain was first-string for 15 of his 16 games, notching one INT, 46 stops, and five passes defensed. However, his performance left something to be desired — he ranked just 55th out of 94 qualified safeties, per Pro Football Focus. Ultimately, the Dolphins chose to go younger and cheaper. One way or another, they’ll shed McCain’s contract while working third-rounder Jevon Holland into the rotation.
Without McCain, the Dolphins project to use Eric Rowe, Brandon Jones, and Holland as their top safeties.