Zachary Links | Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Giants’ Evan Engram

March 9th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Teams have interest in Giants tight end Evan Engram as a slot WR, in addition to his native tight end position (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). With that, Engram’s market could be shaping up to be even stronger than previously expected.

Engram has plus speed and agility for a tight end, so these teams believe that he’d be a matchup nightmare as a WR3. The Giants, meanwhile, seem to have cooled on the idea of keeping him. The new regime won’t break the bank to retain the former Pro Bowler, which means that he’ll likely be moving on when free agency opens next week.

Engram, a 2017 first-round pick, has had a rocky five years with the Giants. Limited to just 19 games between 2018 and ’19, he turned in a healthy and productive 2020. That year, he played in all 16 games and tallied 63 catches for 654 yards and one touchdown (plus a rushing TD), earning his first Pro Bowl nod. He stayed healthy for the most part last year, though his numbers sagged along with everyone else on the G-Men. Last year, he finished out with 45 catches, a career-low 404 receiving yards, and just three TDs.

Now that Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki have received the franchise tag, Engram profiles as a top-tier TE in this year’s class, along with Rob Gronkowski and Zach Ertz. Unlike those veterans, Engram offers youth and, perhaps, is the only one versatile or willing enough to line up in the slot.

Colts To Trade Carson Wentz To Commanders

March 9th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). In exchange, the Commanders will send their 2022 third-round pick and their 2023 third-round pick to the Colts. The ’23 third-rounder can also convert to a second-round choice if Wentz plays on 70% of Washington’s snaps in 2022. The deal will also see a swap of second-round picks with the Colts moving from No. 47 to No. 42. Schefter adds that the Commanders are also receiving the Colts’ 2022 seventh-round pick (Twitter link).

Colts GM Chris Ballard recently indicated that he was “still working through” the Wentz situation with head coach Frank Reich and owner Jim Irsay. Ultimately, following Tuesday’s Russell Wilson blockbuster, they’ve chosen to move their own starter and reshape the quarterback position. The Colts — who already had about $37MM in available cap room — have carved out even more space by trading Wentz.

“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said in January. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”

The QB was widely panned for his Week 18 performance against the Jaguars, the loss that cost the Colts a playoff berth. He also clashed with team brass throughout the year and even rankled Irsay. Still, despite all the issues, Wentz managed to finish the year with a 27-7 TD-INT ratio while placing ninth in league-wide QBR.

The Commanders were previously linked to Wilson and said to have interest in 49ers signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo. Ultimately, they didn’t want to wait on the Niners, choosing instead to pivot to Wentz. (The Colts, meanwhile, could consider Jimmy G as their next QB, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.)

Wentz, 30 in December, may be a consolation prize, but he’s still a strong pickup Ron Rivera & Co. They’ll have Wentz under contract at a $22MM salary this year with a $6.294MM roster bonus. After that, they’ve got him for two more seasons. In 2023, he’s due $20MM in salary with a $6.176MM roster bonus. In 2024, that salary increases to $21MM with a $6.235MM bonus payout.

The Colts will now move on to their fifth starting quarterback in Ballard’s sixth year at the helm. So far, they’ve gone through Jacoby Brissett, Andrew Luck, Rivers, and Wentz — none of those players served as the primary starter in back-to-back seasons. Now, Wentz is out less than one year after his arrival in Indianapolis.

As noted by ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Colts sent a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round choice to the Eagles for Wentz. The Colts now have one rocky year and significantly less draft capital to show for it. The Eagles, meanwhile, went on to parlay the third-rounder into a trade up for DeVonta Smith, and they’re still set to pick at No. 16 overall in April.

Latest On Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence

March 9th, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

Recently, DeMarcus Lawrence declined the Cowboys’ request for a pay cut. Now, with days to go before the start of the new league year, there’s been zero progress on that front, according to Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter). On the plus side, Slater hears that the Cowboys are making headway on a new deal with wide receiver Michael Gallup.

Lawrence, 30 in April, earned a five-year, $100MM+ extension following consecutive seasons with double digit sacks. Unfortunately, he hasn’t topped seven sacks since 2018 and he missed much of 2021 with a foot fracture.

The Cowboys could conceivably cut Lawrence and save $19MM if they use the post-June 1 designation. Meanwhile, they also have to consider Randy Gregory, who is out of contract. Releasing Lawrence and losing Gregory to free agency would leave the Cowboys without both of their incumbent starting edge rushers. The Cowboys could have used the franchise tag on Gregory — they chose to cuff tight end Dalton Schultz instead on Wednesday.

As it stands, Lawrence is set to earn $17MM in base salary this year. That’s the second-highest sum of anyone on the Cowboys, behind franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.

The Gallup deal — which seemed to be nearly finished last week — will reportedly pay the wide receiver upwards of $10MM per year. The Cowboys are aiming for a five-year pact, but it’s possible that Gallup’s camp is pushing for a shorter arrangement.

Colts Unlikely To Re-Sign Eric Fisher

March 9th, 2022 at 10:31am CST by Zachary Links

Eric Fisher is unlikely to re-sign with the Colts, according to sources who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The two sides have been working to hammer out a new contract, but all indications are that the left tackle will be heading elsewhere when free agency opens next week.

Fisher earned Pro Bowl nods with the Chiefs in 2018 and 2020. In the latter season, he suffered a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship Game, keeping him out of the Super Bowl. His presence was clearly missed – the Chiefs’ disastrous blocking effort opened the door for the Buccaneers’ victory.

Before that Fisher was mostly healthy and started every game at left tackle for Kansas City from 2014-2018. The Colts, banking on his recovery, inked Fisher to a one-year, $9.4MM deal last spring. Fisher went on to play in 15 games for Indy, but he didn’t look much like his old self.

“He was coming off the Achilles (and) I thought he had a seven-game stretch where he played really good,” GM Chris Ballard said recently (via 107.5 The Fan). “And then he had a pec and a knee (injury) at the end of the year. He tried to fight through it, and it affected him some.”

Ultimately, it sounds like Fisher’s asking price didn’t line up with what the Colts had in mind. With that, they’ll look elsewhere for left tackle help and, perhaps, solidify the position for the long-term.

Jets Want To Re-Sign Joe Flacco

March 9th, 2022 at 8:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are looking to re-sign quarterback Joe Flacco, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The feeling is mutual, Cimini adds, so a deal could come together rather quickly.

The same goes for youngster Mike White, who can be cuffed as a restricted free agent. So, while other teams around the league are making major moves under center, head coach Robert Saleh intends to keep his current trio, led by Zach Wilson.

The Jets traded for Flacco before the 2021 deadline, sending a conditional sixth-round choice to the Eagles in exchange. The veteran went on to make two appearances, including a Week 11 start against the Dolphins. Between those two games, Flacco completed 64% of his throws for 338 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions.

That was a big step up from Flacco’s previous run with Gang Green. In 2020, he completed a career-low 55% of his passes and averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt. Now at the age of 37, Flacco can serve as an experienced mentor for the Jets young signal callers.

In other Jets news, wide receiver Jamison Crowder is expected to reach free agency. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise — Crowder enjoyed a strong 2019 debut with the Jets but has been hampered by injuries ever since. With Crowder out of the picture, the Jets are expected to target a starting-caliber receiver as well as a quality tight end.

Panthers Re-Sign K Zane Gonzalez

March 9th, 2022 at 8:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have re-signed Zane Gonzalez, per a club announcement. The kicker’s two-year deal will pay $4.5MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).

Gonzalez began the year on the Lions practice squad before coming to Carolina in September of 2021. Replacing the likes of Joey Slye and Ryan Santoso, Gonzalez got hot in October, nailing 17 straight field goal tries. He wound up going 20-for-22 for the season, up until he was placed on injured reserve in December with a quad injury. Gonzalez also connected on 22 of his 23 extra point tries.

The Panthers temporarily turned to Lirim Hajrullahu after the injury, but they wanted Gonzalez back for 2022. Even in the midst of larger decisions – including the status of center Matt Paradis — the Panthers were said to be eyeing a new deal for their young kicker. Gonzalez, 27 in May, will return and look to improve upon his career 80.5% field goal rate.

Seahawks To Trade Russell Wilson To Broncos

March 8th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

9:57pm: Wilson has signed his no-trade provision and passed his physical, making the deal official on his end, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The other players involved in the trade still have to take their physical.

12:46pm: The Seahawks have agreed to trade Russell Wilson to the Broncos, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The deal will see multiple draft picks go to Seattle, plus quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant (Twitter link).

Details are still emerging, but when all is said and done, the deal will see three players (Lock, Harris, and Fant) go to Seattle along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick. The Broncos, meanwhile, get Wilson plus a Round 4 choice (Twitter link via Jay Glazer of FOX Sports). Even when accounting for Wilson’s talent and accomplishments, it all adds up to a solid haul for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks have been at odds with their star quarterback for quite some time. Now, after years of speculation, they’ve finally turned the page. The Broncos, meanwhile, have a Hall of Fame worthy quarterback for the first time since Peyton Manning‘s retirement.

Previously, head coach Pete Carroll said that the Seahawks had “no intention” of moving Wilson. Ultimately, however, Wilson wanted a new start. The Seahawks also get an opportunity at something of a clean slate. Wilson’s $35MM-per-year contract wasn’t necessarily outsized, but it was a blocker on their books. Now, Carroll & Co. can reshape the team as they see fit — perhaps with a QB with less gripes about the rest of the roster.

“At this time of year, there’s conversations about everybody, and it’s commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all of the players, particularly marquee players,” Carroll said recently. “That’s not changed. It’s been the same every year. It’s the same…We have no intention of making any move there. But the conversations, [GM] John [Schneider] has to field those, he always has. But nothing specific.”

Wilson has had his eyes on the Broncos for a while, dating back to his four-team list of acceptable trade destinations. Still, in interviews, the 33-year-old tried to slow the rumor mill down.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to play ten amazing years in Seattle,” Wilson said roughly three weeks ago. “My hope and goal is to be back there and keep winning there. That’s the vision, that’s the goal. That’s always been it, never been anything different.”

Wilson has been connected to a number of teams this year, including the newly-crowned Washington Commanders. They were said to have sent a “strong offer,” though it’s unclear if they approached the Broncos’ mega-package. Wilson, of course, holds a no-trade clause, so it’s possible that the Broncos had the second-best offer en route to the winning bid.

The Broncos also had the cap room to accommodate the deal, unlike some of the other teams tied to Wilson. Heading into today, they had $41.999M in cap space. So, even before factoring in Lock and Harris, Denver had the room necessary to take on the deal.

The Broncos may agree to give Wilson a brand-new deal as a part of the trade. So far, we’ve yet to hear any word on that front. For now, they’ve got the superstar under contract for two more non-guaranteed years.

Latest On Texans’ Deshaun Watson

March 8th, 2022 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Deshaun Watson will plead the fifth in Friday’s civil proceedings, attorney Rusty Hardin says (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). For his part, Hardin says this is ultimately comes down to a timing conflict.

“I’m not going to allow him to testify (in the civil cases) until the grand jury completes its investigation,” Hardin said.

The district attorney investigating Watson will present her case to a grand jury on Friday, the same day as the civil deposition. Hardin says this is standard practice — as Watson’s lawyer, he cannot advise the Texans QB to testify in the civil hearings before the grand jury investigation plays out.

The Broncos — once believed to be a Watson suitor — took themselves out of the market today by trading for longtime Seahawks superstar Russell Wilson. That deal will see quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant go to Seattle along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick for Wilson and a fourth-round choice.

Given Watson’s inactivity and off-the-field situation, it’s hard to imagine the Texans topping that haul. Previously, the Texans were said to be seeking three first-round picks — plus starting-caliber help — in any deal for Watson. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have also shut the door on the embattled QB. For his part, Watson has been said to like the Buccaneers and Vikings as landing spots. Ultimately, the Panthers may be his most logical destination.

Despite all the issues, we do know that multiple teams are interested in Watson. At least some of those clubs are willing to trade for Watson before the civil suits are resolved, but they all want to see how things play out on Friday with regards to charges.

Browns To Decline Andy Janovich’s Option

March 8th, 2022 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns will decline the option on Andy Janovich’s deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). With that, the fullback is now on course for free agency in March.

Janovich has appeared in 77 career games for the Broncos and Browns over the last six years. This year, he just missed the cut as a Pro Bowler, winding up as an alternate for the game. With his 29th birthday just around the bend in May, Janovich is regarded as one of the league’s best fullbacks.

The Browns could still circle back to Janovich at a lesser-rate, but it’s not currently clear whether that’s in the cards. Even if the Browns don’t look to re-sign him, he should find a healthy market for his services. Ultimately, it’ll come down to how many teams will want to use a fullback in their offense this year and his own tolerance for waiting. While free agency officially opens on March 16th, teams will look to prioritize premium positions first, which may mean sitting things out until the second wave of free agency.

In other Browns news, the club has placed the franchise tag on tight end David Njoku. Now, they’ll turn their attention to a long-term deal, one that could pay him upwards of $10MM per season.

Jaguars Franchise Tag Cam Robinson

March 8th, 2022 at 1:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars will retain offensive lineman Cam Robinson via the franchise tag, per a club announcement. The move comes just before the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline and gives Jacksonville until the middle of the summer to hash out a long-term pact.

This marks Robinson’s second-straight tag, but the offensive line tag is even higher than the would-be 20% raise. He’ll earn $16.662MM in 2022 — up from $13.75MM in 2021.

Robinson is entering his third year with the Jaguars and he’ll be playing for his third head coach in Doug Pederson. At first glance, the deal may seem like a clear overpay — Robinson was in the middle of the pack for starters at the tackle position, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Still, quality young LTs are hard to come by and the Jaguars didn’t have a better replacement at the ready.

Robinson, 26, has made 61 starts for the Jags since being drafted in 2017. His presence will solidify the line in front of Trevor Lawrence and, perhaps more importantly, give the Jaguars more flexibility with the No. 1 overall pick. They’re no longer obligated to take a tackle, though Alabama star Evan Neal would be a tremendous opposite-side partner for Robinson.

Ikem Ekwonu of North Carolina State is another potential candidate for the Jags at No. 1, though Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson might make more sense than any of the big-name OLs.