Ravens, Lamar Jackson Begin Extension Talks
The Ravens and Lamar Jackson have kicked off extension talks, according to GM Eric DeCosta. Jackson, who represents himself, is currently scheduled to earn just $1.77MM in base salary this season.
“That’s ongoing. That’s definitely a fluid thing. Lamar and I have had a discussion about that,” DeCosta said (YouTube link). “I think it’s important to us and it’s important to him. I think Lamar is obviously a very patient guy. He wants to be the best he can be. He wants this team to be the best it can be and he wants to win very badly. So, we’re aligned that way.”
There’s mutual interest in a new deal, though the Ravens aren’t necessarily in a rush. Beyond his low-priced 2021 season, the Ravens can exercise Jackson’s fifth-year option — a fully guaranteed $23.1MM — to keep him under club control through 2022.
If the numbers are right, Jackson would probably prefer to take the safer route. Quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, Jared Goff, and Carson Wentz all opted for security ahead of their fourth-year rookie contracts and earned sizable paydays. On the other hand, he could follow Dak Prescott‘s playbook, which resulted in a four-year, $160MM megadeal.
Deshaun Watson’s Attorney: Lawsuits Are A “Money Grab”
On Monday, Deshaun Watson‘s legal team filed a written response to the lawsuits against him (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The lengthy document denies all allegations of sexual misconduct. 
[RELATED: Texans Submit Offer To Nick Easton]
More than 20 women have filed civil lawsuits against Watson in recent weeks. Meanwhile, some of those women have contacted the authorities, raising the possibility of criminal charges. In his response, lawyer Rusty Hardin said that he wants a jury trial in order to give Watson a chance to clear his name.
Furthermore, Hardin claims that eight of the plaintiffs bragged about working with Watson while seven of the accusers “willingly worked” or “offered” to work with him after “their alleged incidents”. He also claims that some of the accusers “lied” about the number of times they worked with Watson and told others that they wanted to get money out of the NFL star.
“It was not until the plaintiffs saw an opportunity for a money grab that they changed their stories to convert therapy sessions they bragged about to friends and family to something much more nefarious,” Hardin wrote.
Meanwhile, Watson’s football future remains in flux. Last week, Texans GM Nick Caserio declined to comment on Watson’s status with the team.
“If you want to speculate, you should probably go buy Bitcoin,” Caserio said.
One of the civil suits against Watson was dropped earlier this month. However, another plaintiff came forward a few days later to bring the total count back to 22.
Bears Re-Sign Tashaun Gipson
The Bears have agreed to re-sign safety Tashaun Gipson, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Once finalized, it’ll be a one-year deal for the veteran. 
[RELATED: Bears Sign WR Marquise Goodwin]
Gipson spent time with the Browns, Jaguars, and Texans before joining the Bears as a free agent last year. Brought in to help replace Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the 30-year-old (31 in August) went on to start in all 16 games last year. In total, he finished out with 66 stops, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, and a fumble recovery. Now, he’ll return to a Bears secondary that is without Pro Bowler Kyle Fuller. Fortunately, the Bears still have All-Pro safety Eddie Jackson to help hold down the fort.
Gipson, a 2014 Pro Bowler, has 25 career interceptions to his credit. He might not be the player that he once was, but he’s coming off of a solid and disciplined season. Last year, Gipson committed just one penalty across 1,130 defensive snaps.
Alex Smith Retires From NFL
On Monday, quarterback Alex Smith announced his retirement from the NFL (via Instagram). After mounting an improbable comeback in 2020, the 36-year-old says that he’s now ready to begin a new chapter. 
“Two years ago I was stuck in a wheelchair, staring down at my mangled leg, wondering if I would ever be able to go on a walk again or play with my kids in the yard,” said Smith. “I almost lost everything. But football wouldn’t let me give up. Because, no, this isn’t just a game. It’s not just what happens between those white lines on a Sunday afternoon. It’s about the challenges and the commitment they require. It’s about how hard and how far you can push yourself. It’s about the bond between those 53 guys in the locker room and everybody else in the organization. It’s about fully committing yourself to something bigger.”
Smith nearly lost his leg after a horrific injury in 2018. In addition to the numerous fractures, Smith suffered a series of complications. Most believed that Smith’s career was over. But, somehow, he managed to retake the field in 2020 with Washington. After going 5-1 across six starts, Washington released him from the remainder of his contract. According to Smith, Ron Rivera & Co. didn’t necessarily want him back in the first place.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said in February. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance.”
Surely, some teams were willing to give Smith a chance this year. Just a few weeks ago, the Texans were rumored as a possible destination for the former No. 1 overall pick. Still, Smith has nothing left to prove — especially after making his miraculous recovery. We here at PFR wish Smith the best in retirement.
Commenter Mute Button Now Available
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Ravens To Host Alejandro Villanueva
Free agent tackle Alejandro Villanueva is set to meet with the Ravens this week (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Steelers haven’t shown much interest in bringing him back, but they could wind up seeing him a couple of times in 2021. 
Villanueva has spent the last seven years with the Steelers. For much of that span, the Steelers’ offensive line was viewed as a strength. However, things declined over the last couple of years as the unit got older. The departure of offensive line coach Mike Munchak may have also been a factor.
Villanueva was never considered an elite left tackle, but he usually did an okay job of protecting Ben Roethlisberger‘s blindside. He’s also been durable, starting all 16 games in each of the past five seasons.
The Ravens are currently projected to start the returning Ronnie Stanley at left tackle with Orlando Brown Jr. on the right side. However, after performing well in Stanley’s stead last year, Brown says he wants to stay at LT. If Brown forces a trade, Villanueva could be considered for the starting lineup. Of course, the Ravens prefer to keep Brown and employ someone like Villanueva as a backup.
49ers To Meet With Tony Jefferson
The 49ers are set to meet with Tony Jefferson this week (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). The veteran safety has not played in nearly two years, but he could mount a comeback with the 49ers if he passes his physical. 
An ACL tear in October of 2019 sidetracked Jefferson’s NFL career. Then, the pandemic interfered with Jefferson’s rehab. Under normal circumstances, Jefferson would have been mostly healed by April. Instead, he was unable to see his physical therapist or gain access to the equipment he needed.
“I was really getting into a groove with my workouts and my rehab,” Jefferson said. “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 work in 2019 (the five-game season). The Ravens went on to release Jefferson in February of 2020, but he wasn’t healthy enough to land a deal elsewhere.
Jefferson will have to settle for less than his last contract, but he’ll be better positioned next year if he can turn in a healthy season. After all, he’s still just 29 years old with five-plus seasons worth of starting experience to his credit.
PFR Originals: Falcons, Pitts, NFL Draft
In case you missed it, here’s a look back at the best of our original content:
- Who will the Falcons draft at No. 4 overall? So far, the majority of PFR readers say that Florida tight end Kyle Pitts is Atlanta-bound.
- The late Junior Seau will always be remembered as one of the Chargers’ all-time greats. But, in 2003, the Bolts shipped him to the Dolphins. Here’s a look back at the trade that gave Miami three All-Decade defenders.
- Jaylen Waddle went off for 28 catches and 591 yards to start the year, good for 21.2 yards per grab on average. Then, an injury pretty much capped his season after six games. Here’s a look atthe Alabama standout and where he might rank among this year’s top wide receivers in the draft.
- Speaking of the draft — rookie negotiations are just around the corner. They tend to go smoother than, say, 20 years ago, but offset language still causes the occasional hiccup. Here’s a refresher on how offsets work and why they sometimes keep youngsters out of camp.
PFR’s 2021 NFL Draft Prospect Profile Series
In the lead-up to the 2021 NFL Draft, we’re taking a closer look at some of the brightest stars in this year’s class. There’s more to come, but here’s a look at our Prospect Profile series thus far:
- NFL Draft Prospect Profile: LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase
- NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Florida TE Kyle Pitts
- NFL Draft Prospect Profile: BYU QB Zach Wilson
- NFL Draft Prospect Profile: North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
- NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
Multiple Teams Interested In Jason McCourty
Jason McCourty’s recent visit with the Giants went well, according to sources who spoke with ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). However, there are other teams in the mix, so it’s unlikely that the cornerback will put pen to paper straight away. 
[RELATED: Will Giants Draft WR In First Round?]
McCourty huddled up with former Patriots coach Joe Judge earlier this week. The deal wouldn’t just be a reunion — it’d be a homecoming for the Rutgers product, allowing him to play about an hour north of New Brunswick. McCourty spent the past three seasons with the Patriots, alongside his twin brother Devin. Now, he could spend his 13th season in New Jersey, supporting James Bradberry, Adoree’ Jackson, and defensive back Logan Ryan.
The 33-year-old (34 in August) played on 65% of the Pats’ defensive snaps and started eleven games last year. However, Pro Football Focus placed him outside of the top 75 at his position — a significant drop from 2018 (No. 6) and 2019 (No. 18) rankings.