Zachary Links | Pro Football Rumors

Saints Interested In Tyrann Mathieu

March 8th, 2022 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are interested in signing Tyrann Mathieu, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Furthermore, the feeling is mutual for the former LSU star.

Mathieu, 30 in May, is on course for free agency after his three-year, $42MM deal officially wraps. The nine-year vet has spend the last three seasons helping to bolster a once bottom-tier defense and, even though he’s a little older, he should be in line for another massive contract.

The Saints’ interest in Mathieu is understandable – they can use the help in their secondary and it’s not every day that a three-time first-team All-Pro becomes available. Meanwhile, the incumbent Chiefs seem ready to put their resources into other areas, especially given Juan Thornhill‘s emergence at safety.

Mathieu finished the regular season with 76 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, and six pass deflections last season. He also notched a pick six against the Ravens for the third defensive touchdown of his career. The Ravens — Wilson notes — would also love to have Mathieu, though he doesn’t appear to be a high priority for them.

Giants, Blake Martinez In Talks

March 8th, 2022 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants want to keep Blake Martinez, but there’s still some business to discuss. The two sides are in talks to rework his contract for 2022 (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) and, if they can’t come to terms, they may wind up parting ways.

As it currently stands, Martinez is due $8.525MM this season with a sizable cap number of $14.025MM. Those are the terms of the three-year, $30.75MM deal he inked with the Giants back in 2020, but they have some doubts after Martinez’s lost season. The veteran ‘backer tore his ACL in late September of 2021, limiting him to just three games and 23 stops on the year.

Of course, the Giants also know what Martinez is capable of while healthy. As the Giants’ left inside linebacker in his debut year, he tallied 151 tackles, three sacks, five passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one interception.

Martinez, 28, could be released to save $8.525MM with $5.5MM in dead money. Meanwhile, they could free up additional room by trading other Dave Gettleman holdovers like cornerback James Bradberry and running back Saquon Barkley. Both have been rumored possibilities, though a Bradberry deal seems far more likely than a Barkley blockbuster.

Cowboys Rework Prescott, Martin Deals

March 8th, 2022 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have restructured quarterback Dak Prescott‘s contract to create roughly $15MM in cap space, per a club announcement. Meanwhile, they’ve also reworked the contract of guard Zack Martin to free up an extra ~$7MM in room. Between the two moves, the Cowboys have an additional $22MM to work with in advance of free agency.

This appears to be a simple restructuring — one that converts 2022 base salary into a signing bonus. Prescott has done this before, agreeing to tweak his contract last year to give Dallas an extra $5MM in space.

Injuries limited Prescott to just five games in 2020, but he managed to play in 16 games last year. He finished the year with an 11-5 record in his starts with 4,449 yards and 37 touchdowns against ten interceptions. That marked the best TD% of his career to date (6.2). Statistically, that’s what the Cowboys were hoping for when they inked him to a four-year, $160MM extension in March of ’21. His contract — which made him the league’s second-ever $40MM/year player — remains largely the same after today’s adjustment.

Martin, a seven-time Pro Bowler, missed six regular season games in 2020 with a calf injury. In 2021, he bounced back strong with 16 starts and yet another All-Pro nod.

Packers Expected To Tag Davante Adams

March 8th, 2022 at 10:51am CST by Zachary Links

One down, one to go. Now that Aaron Rodgers has a new deal, the Packers are expected to apply the franchise tag to Davante Adams (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).

2:30PM: Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers have now officially applied the tag (Twitter link).

Rodgers has himself a new four-year, $200MM contract, making him the highest paid player in NFL history. Despite the sum – which includes $153MM guaranteed — his cap number will decrease for the coming year. That gives the previously cash-strapped Packers some much needed flexibility, and they’ll parlay much of that money into Adams’ tag.

Adams will be happy to reunite with Rodgers, but he won’t be thrilled about the tag. After today, the Packers will have until the middle of the summer to reach a multi-year compromise with their star wide receiver.

The Packers haven’t used their tag since 2010, but this is a fairly easy decision. There was no way they’d let their All-Pro wide receiver reach the open market this spring, so they’ll buy themselves some time instead. For what it’s worth, Adams and the Packers haven’t discussed an extension since the Packers’ 2021 season ended.

Last time they talked, Adams pushed for a megadeal to top DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM/year contract. No matter how this plays out for Adams, it’s safe to say that he’ll get a massive bump over his last four-year, $58MM re-up, signed in December of 2017.

Cowboys Re-Sign Noah Brown

March 8th, 2022 at 10:49am CST by Zachary Links

Noah Brown is still in the building. On Tuesday, the Cowboys re-signed the wide receiver to a fresh one-year deal, per a club announcement.

Brown, a 2017 seventh-round draft pick, has been a special teams regular for Dallas. Last year, however, he reeled in 16 catches for 184 yards while playing on 302 snaps. That accounts for roughly half of his career production — 39 catches and 425 yards.

It’s possible that Brown will see more offensive action going forward, especially since Amari Cooper is on his way out. The Cowboys are set to either trade or release their one-time star, though the trade market is looking fairly soft at the moment. Cutting Cooper would save the Cowboys $16MM in cap room while adding a four-time Pro Bowler to this year’s free agent class. Despite this year’s hiccups, he’s not far removed from his strong 2019 (79 catches for 1,189 receiving yards and eight touchdowns) or his still solid follow-up in 2020 (92 grabs, 1,114 yards, and five scores).

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are keeping tight end via the tag and working to re-up wide receiver Michael Gallup in advance of free agency.

Panthers Listening On Christian McCaffrey Trade Calls

March 8th, 2022 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers aren’t necessarily shopping Christian McCaffrey, but they’re at least willing to listen. As the calls keep coming in, the Panthers are open to the right offer, according to league sources who spoke with David Newton of ESPN.com.

Newton hears that another team could pry the star running back away for a quality package, one that includes a first-round pick and a cap-friendly player. From a football perspective, that’s not a monumental ask. However, when considering CMC’s contract, that could be easier said than done.

McCaffrey’s contract furnishes him with $16MM/year on average, an all-time record for running backs. And, as the years go on, that cap hit escalates. This year, it’ll be a $14.3MM figure. In 2023 and 2024, he’s in line for cap hits of $17.7MM. The Panthers — currently projected to have $26.5MM in space — can afford to keep him, but they may prefer draft capital and flexibility instead.

McCaffrey, 26 in June, has played just ten games over the past two seasons. Before the ankle and hamstring injuries, CMC was a 2019 All-Pro with an NFL-leading 2,392 scrimmage yards.

Bears Won’t Tag Allen Robinson

March 8th, 2022 at 9:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Bears will allow Allen Robinson to reach free agency without a franchise tag (Twitter link via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com). The Bears cuffed the wide receiver last year at a rate of $17.9MM, but they’ll pass on the chance to do it again with a 20% bump.

Poles has told reporters that he wants to “be selective in free agency” — apparently, that means moving on from Robinson, a talented wide receiver that has clashed with team brass throughout the years. His dissatisfaction with Matt Nagy was apparent last year and his production was nowhere near his once stellar work. In 2021, Robinson tallied 38 catches for 410 yards and one touchdown, down from his 1,100-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020.

Now, Robinson has a chance at a fresh start and an opportunity to pick his next quarterback. He’s unlikely to get something in the range of $20MM — the would-be value of his 2022 tag — but he should still be able to land somewhere around $15MM/year on average. Despite his challenging 2021, a three-year, $45MM deal doesn’t seem out of reach for Robinson given his overall track record.

Meanwhile, the rest of the wide receiver market is starting to take shape. The Buccaneers are still working on a long-term deal with Chris Godwin, but they plan to franchise tag him if that doesn’t come to fruition. Meanwhile, the Packers are prepared to do the same for Davante Adams, though we might not know for sure until the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline today.

Buccaneers, Chris Godwin Still In Talks

March 8th, 2022 at 9:04am CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers and Chris Godwin are still working on a long-term deal, according to a source who spoke with Tyler Dragon of USA Today (Twitter link). If no deal is reached, however, the Bucs are prepared to franchise tag the star wide receiver before today’s 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline.

That would mark a second consecutive tag for Godwin, so he would be in line for a 20% bump over last year’s rate. For most of the year, Godwin was trending towards a top-of-the-market multi-year deal, but that all changed when he suffered a torn ACL. Instead of a long commitment, the Bucs may prefer to see how Godwin bounces back in 2022, at a rate of $19MM+. On the plus side for Godwin, the tag would be fully guaranteed.

Godwin, 26, saw his season end in Week 15. Still, he turned in yet another 1,000-yard season — 98 catches for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns. Despite the setback, his camp is (understandably) making the case for long-term security. The Bucs may be flexible on that front, too, especially with an additional $26MM added to the NFL’s cap max.

Meanwhile, the Bucs are also hoping to keep offensive line starters Ryan Jensen and Alex Cappa. Both players are extra crucial for Tampa Bay following Ali Marpet‘s retirement — Jensen profiles as the best center in this year’s free agency class while Cappa is among the very best available guards.

Bills To Pick Up Ed Oliver’s Fifth-Year Option

March 8th, 2022 at 8:44am CST by Zachary Links

Another key defensive linemen will be staying put on his team in the AFC East. Bills general manager Brandon Beane confirmed that the team will pick up Ed Oliver‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg).

Slotting in at the third of four tiers with respect to value, Oliver’s option will come with a value of $10.753MM. The Bills had until May 2 to make the call, but they didn’t need the extra time to deliberate. Oliver is coming off of a strong year with perfect attendance, 41 tackles, 14 quarterback hits, ten tackles for loss, and four sacks. That brings his Buffalo career totals to 12 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 28 QB hits.

Now, it’s just a matter of bringing Oliver and his reps to the table for a long-term extension. He remains under contract for 2022 per his original rookie deal while this fifth-year option locks him in through 2023. Thanks to performance incentives, that ’23 season will pay him the average of the No. 3 — No. 20 highest paid DTs in the league today.

For 2024 and beyond, Oliver will likely be looking at a $10MM+ annual salary. That’s a good chunk of change for a not-quite-elite player, but there’s always a premium on young, disruptive defensive linemen.

This Date In Transactions History: Peyton Manning Retires From NFL

March 6th, 2022 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Prepare to feel old, because it’s been six years since Peyton Manning‘s retirement. In 2016, the quarterback left the game as a two-time Super Bowl champion, the NFL’s all-time leader in total wins, and one of the sport’s greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Manning spent the first 14 seasons of his remarkable career with the Colts. Then, came his neck surgery in 2011, followed by spinal fusion surgery. He’d miss out on the entire ’11 campaign, snapping his streak of 208 consecutive regular season starts. After months of rehab, Manning said he could barely throw a football ten yards. Many feared that he was finished at this point, but Manning disagreed. Ditto for the Broncos, who were happy to furnish him with a lavish contract in 2012.

The Broncos backstopped Manning by drafting Brock Osweiler in the second round of the 2012 draft, but it’d be a while before he took the reins. Instead, Manning went on to enjoy a four-year stint in Denver. He completed 66.5% of his passes for 17,112 yards and 140 touchdowns against 53 interceptions. Along the way, he picked up three of Pro Bowl nods, two First-Team All-Pro selections, yet another MVP award, and yet another Super Bowl ring.

When all was said and done, Manning set new watermarks for total wins by a QB (200), passing yards (71,940), and passing touchdowns (539). He also set the record for most single-season TD tosses (55; 2013). All in all, the No. 1 overall pick of the 1998 draft managed 14 Pro Bowl bids, seven First-Team All-Pro selections, and five MVP trophies. Needless to say, he could have called it quits in 2011 and still walked away as one of the NFL’s GOATs. That’s doubly true when considering his lifetime earnings of $250MM+ — not counting his piles of endorsement checks. Still, Manning wanted to go out on his terms, and he did just that.

Manning wasn’t at his personal best in his final season, but he was good enough while teamed with the league’s most feared defense. A few weeks after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, Manning closed the book on his Hall of Fame career.