HEADLINES

Author: Zachary Links

Bills Re-Up Siran Neal

February 23rd, 2022 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills and Siran Neal have agreed to a new three-year deal, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The new pact — worth up to $10.9MM — will keep the special teams standout in Buffalo for years to come. Before the new contract, Neal was set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.

[RELATED: Bills LBs Coach Bob Babich To Retire]

Neal entered the league in 2018 as a fifth-round draft pick of the Bills. The safety out of Jacksonville State has since appeared in 64 games while spending much of his time on special teams. All in all, he’s got 83 career tackles, four tackles for loss, two QB hits, one sack, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

He’s been a reliable presence for the Bills, having missed just one game over the last four years. And, since ’18, he’s suited up in six playoff games for Buffalo, tallying seven tackles and one sack in those contests.

With Neal’s contract taken care of, the Bills will turn their attention to more pressing matters, including a potential new deal for cornerback Levi Wallace. Wallace, a former UDFA, has started in all of his games since 2018. This year, he was more crucial than ever as the Bills were forced to play without Pro Bowler Tre’Davious White in the second half of the season.

NFL Suspends Amani Bledsoe

February 23rd, 2022 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL has suspended free agent defensive end Amani Bledsoe for six games, per the transactions wire. The ban is due to a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

[RELATED: Titans Back Tannehill As Starting QB]

Bledsoe previously lost a season of eligibility at the University of Oklahoma for an alleged PED violation. That may have contributed to him going undrafted in 2019. Bledsoe took the NCAA to court over that but wasn’t able to get the decision overturned.

Bledsoe went on to appear in 14 games for the Bengals in 2020 with four starts. That year, he logged 17 total tackles with two passes defensed. In 2021, he jockeyed between the Titans’ taxi squad and active roster. He finished out with five appearances, two starts, one pass defensed, and one tackle.

Per league rules, Bledsoe’s suspension will carry over if/when he signs with a new team for the 2022 season. Given the latest news and his lack of significant production over the last two years, it’s possible that teams will deprioritize Bledsoe and wait until the fall to audition him.

Packers Rework Kenny Clark’s Deal

February 23rd, 2022 at 8:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have created $10.892MM in 2022 cap space by restructuring Kenny Clark‘s contract (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). As As a part of the agreement, Green Bay has converted $13.615MM of the nose tackle’s 2022 comp into a signing bonus while tacking on two void years. 

[RELATED: Packers, Adams Not Discussing Deal]

The extra dollars could help the Packers carve out room for star wide receiver Davante Adams, who is expected to receive the franchise tag in the next couple of weeks. Clark, 27 in October, inked a four-year, $70MM extension with the Packers in 2020, so he remains under contract through the 2024 season. His original deal furnished him with $37MM over the first two years — now, by being a team player, he’ll get a good chunk of the remainder in his bank account sooner.

Clark appeared in 16 games for the Packers this season with 48 stops, four sacks, six tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery. His performance earned him Pro Bowl honors for the second time in his career while Pro Football Focus ranked him eighth amongst all interior defenders in pass rush proficiency.

Meanwhile, the Packers could also save nearly $20MM by trading Aaron Rodgers. The reigning MVP has not yet made up his mind about returning to the team, though he’s promised to make his decision soon.

MCL Sprain For Bengals’ Joe Burrow

February 16th, 2022 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

After the Bengals announced a brand new deal for head coach Zac Taylor, they delivered even more good news on Wednesday. Quarterback Joe Burrow is only dealing with an MCL sprain, according to doctors, which means that he won’t need surgery this offseason. 

[RELATED: Bengals Sign Zac Taylor To Extension]

Burrow went down in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl clutching his right knee. He was clearly in pain after the takedown from Von Miller, but still managed to finish out the game. Fortunately, this shouldn’t hamper him in the 2022 season.

Burrow has dealt with much worse in the past, including the 2020 offseason when he had to rehab from a torn ACL (and MCL). Since then, the Bengals have prioritized their offensive line, but it’s safe to say that they’ll do even more on that front this spring.

In the regular season, Burrow played in 16 games and led the league with 70.4% of his throws completed. His TD/INT ratio (34-14) further positioned him as one of the NFL’s brightest young talents. Even though he didn’t capture a ring on Sunday, it stands to reason that he’ll have plenty more opportunities in the years to come, starting with the ’22 campaign.

Vikings Hire Kevin O’Connell

February 16th, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. On Wednesday, the Vikings officially announced the hiring of Kevin O’Connell as their new head coach. 

“We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach,” said Vikings owner Mark Wilf. “He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin’s direction.”

The Vikings shook hands with O’Connell two weeks ago, though they had to wait as his Rams went on to win the Super Bowl. As LA’s OC, O’Connell guided the unit to place No. 9 in total offense (372.1 yards/game). Meanwhile, his veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp both enjoyed career years. Even when Odell Beckham Jr. was taken out of the championship game, the Rams’ offense still had enough juice to top a tough Bengals team and win it all — that’s a testament to the team’s remarkable depth, as well as O’Connell’s coaching.

O’Connell will be the Vikings’ first offensive-minded head coach since Brad Childress.The past two HCs — Mike Zimmer and Leslie Frazier — were known for their defense but did not deliver the desired results in Minnesota.

Although O’Connell is respected all around the NFL, he’s only been a play-caller for a three-month stretch, doing so after Washington fired Jay Gruden early in the 2019 season. Sean McVay kept the laminates in Los Angeles, but he’s always been a huge advocate of O’Connell, encouraging other clubs to consider him for head coaching jobs. That surely helped his case in Minnesota, though the Vikings didn’t need much convincing.

“As I spent time with Kevin during the interview process, it became immediately clear he will be a great partner in building this football team for long-term success,” said new Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. “He understands what is critical to leading a team that wins at the highest level, and he has an ability to simplify the complex, which will help us in problem-solving in all football areas. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment.”

Bengals Sign Zac Taylor To Extension

February 16th, 2022 at 9:16am CST by Zachary Links

Zac Taylor is going to stay awhile. On Wednesday morning, the Bengals announced a brand new extension for their head coach that will take him through the 2026 season. 

[RELATED: Burrow Avoids Serious Injury]

“Zac has come into the league and worked to develop the foundations for a winning program that can be successful over time,” said Bengals president Mike Brown. “The fruits of Zac’s efforts were seen this year, and Zac is well-regarded by our players and coaches. I know the effort and passion Zac brings to the building and to our team, and I am pleased by his approach. And I think the city of Cincinnati sees him the way the players and I do. He’s brought excitement to the town and deserves credit and recognition for that.”

The news comes as no surprise, following the Bengals’ Super Bowl appearance. After years of disappointing finishes, the Bengals are clearly on the right track with Taylor at the helm. Of course, the last two years were a different story. Taylor’s teams went 6-25-1 between 2019 and 2020, but the franchise’s decision to stick by him has paid off.

“If I coached in any other organization in football, I probably wouldn’t be here right now in my third year. That’s the truth,” Taylor said during the postseason.

Taylor, 38, became one of the youngest coaches in Super Bowl history this year. With Joe Burrow under center and Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase at wide receiver, Taylor’s Bengals will head into 2022 as an early championship favorite. Meanwhile, more extensions are expected for coaches including wide receivers coach Troy Walters, D-line coach Marion Hobby, tight ends coach James Casey, DC Lou Anarumo, and OC Brian Callahan.

Rams’ Von Miller To Explore Free Agency

February 13th, 2022 at 1:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Von Miller would like to stay with the Rams, but he still intends to explore his options in free agency, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link). So, while the Rams may explore early extensions with other stars, Miller will see what else is out there.

[RELATED: OBJ Wants To Stay, Willing To Take Less?]

Miller is in the final year of the six-year, $114MM deal he signed with the Broncos back in 2016. Between that and his rookie pact, the veteran edge rusher has never explored the open market. This time, he intends to take full advantage. According to Garafolo, Miller believes that he has multiple years of quality football to offer teams as he looks ahead to his 33rd birthday on March 26.

The Rams would surely like to keep Miller, though their cap situation will be tough to navigate. As it stands, they’re projected to be $14MM+ over the cap for 2022. That’s without counting the expiring contracts of Miller or Odell Beckham Jr. . Meanwhile, they also plan to chat with Matthew Stafford about an extension that would take him beyond 2022, as noted by the NFL Network trio of Garafolo, Ian Rapoport, and Tom Pelissero. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Miller will be leaving Los Angeles, and he’s already gone on record to say that he’d like to stay with the NFC champs.

Between his seven regular season games with the Broncos and eight Rams contests, Miller tallied 9.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and 50 total stops in 2021. His presence has been felt in the playoffs too, with 12 tackles, one forced (and recovered) fumble, and a dozen tackles. Now, he’ll try to add to those totals in the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, OBJ has indicated that he’d be willing to take a hometown discount from the Rams, rather than chasing the biggest payday possible.

Steelers To Interview John Spytek

February 11th, 2022 at 9:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers plan to interview John Spytek for their GM vacancy, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Spytek, the Buccaneers’ VP of player personnel, has been a popular name in this cycle, but has yet to land a GM spot.

Spytek spoke with the Raiders and Vikings before they hired former Pats exec Dave Ziegler and ex-Vikings VP of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, respectively. As a top lieutenant to Jason Licht, Spytek played an integral role in building the Buccaneers’ championship roster. All in all, he’s spent six years in Tampa. Before that, he worked as a scout for the Broncos during the Peyton Manning era and as a college scout for the Browns.

In addition to Spytek, the Steelers have been connected to:

Odell Beckham Jr. Wants To Stay With Rams 

February 11th, 2022 at 9:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Odell Beckham Jr. has a rough idea of what he wants to do next season. As he gets set for the Super Bowl, the star wide receiver says he’s hoping to remain with the Rams. 

[RELATED: OBJ Had Interest In Patriots, Saints]

“This place, it feels good in my heart,” OBJ said (Twitter link via Nick Shook of NFL.com). “It feels like a home.”

Beckham even went so far as to say that he would take a little less to stay in Los Angeles. “Yeah, of course,” Beckham said when asked whether he’d be open to a hometown discount.

Beckham, still only 29, has posted 19 grabs for 236 yards and a touchdown so far in the playoffs. And, while his 27/305 showing in the second half of the regular season wasn’t in line with his best work, he did register five TDs in his eight regular season games for the Rams. Some say that Beckham has been a diva in the past but, this year, he’s embraced his role as the No. 2 WR alongside Cooper Kupp (in Robert Woods’ stead).

The Rams surely feel the same way, but they’ll have to work some cap magic in order to keep OBJ in the fold. As of this writing, they’re projected to be roughly $14MM over the limit in March. Fortunately for the Rams, Beckham seems willing to meet them somewhere in the middle.

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