Browns, Olivier Vernon Rework Contract
Olivier Vernon is staying put. The Browns worked out a new deal with the defensive end to turn his $15.25MM non-guaranteed pact into $11MM guaranteed with the potential to earn an additional $2MM via incentives (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). 
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Vernon’s guarantees come in the form of a $3.75M base salary, $7MM signing bonus, and a $250K workout bonus. The new deal also ensures that he’ll be eligible for free agency following the 2020 season. Vernon now has a “no-tag” clause, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter), giving him an opportunity to cash in all over again.
The Browns have been in talks with Jadeveon Clowney for months, but they’re now poised to stick with Vernon as their starting DE, opposite Myles Garrett. Last we heard, Clowney rejected the Browns’ offer of a one-year deal in the $15MM range. Instead of bumping the offer up towards Clowney’s $17-$18MM asking price, they’ve retained Vernon for far less.
Vernon posted just 3.5 sacks last year, but the advanced metrics were fairly fond of his work. And, before Vernon came to Cleveland, he managed 22 sacks over the course of three years with the Giants, despite a good deal of missed games. In his last Giants campaign, he averaged four pressures per contest – the Browns would be very happy with a reprise of that in 2020.
There’s now one less landing spot for Clowney, though Jon Gruden and the Raiders have reportedly come into the mix. Meanwhile, Clowney is far from the only big-name DE on the open market – Everson Griffen, Markus Golden, Ezekiel Ansah, and Michael Bennett are still available for teams in need of edge help.
Jets’ Adam Gase Pushed For Marcus Maye Trade
Head coach Adam Gase wanted the Jets to trade Marcus Maye shortly after he was hired in 2019, sources tell Manish Mehta of the Daily News. The Jets talked Gase into keeping Maye, though GM Joe Douglas reportedly fielded trade inquiries on the safety after joining the club. 
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Maye, selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft after Jamal Adams in Round 1, has started in all 38 of his games for the Jets. He missed ten games in 2018 with a broken thumb, though that was sandwiched by two years of perfect attendance.
Douglas rejected calls about Maye before last year’s trade deadline, but he could be inclined to listen after selecting safety Ashtyn Davis in the third round. Of course, the Jets’ view of Maye could change if they cave to Jamal Adams’ trade demand.
Maye, 27, finished out the year with 65 tackles, one interception, and seven passes defensed. The University of Florida product is set to make just $1.4MM in 2020, but that’s the final year of his contract. If the Jets want to keep him beyond that, it’ll cost ’em a whole lot more on a multi-year commitment.
The shortened offseason means that Davis won’t have much time to ramp up for September, which means that the Jets probably wouldn’t feel comfortable with dealing Maye right now and inserting the rookie into the starting lineup. However, it’s a situation to monitor, especially if the Jets manage to mend fences with Adams.
This Date In Transactions History: Vikings Extend Harrison Smith
In 2016, Vikings GM Rick Spielman praised Harrison Smith as “better safeties” in the NFL. Actually, Smith proved himself to be one of the best in the league at his position but, as Spielman joked, assigning him that label would have driven up the price. Four years ago today, the two sides met in the middle to tie Smith to Minnesota through the 2021 season. 
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All told, it was a five-year extension worth $51.25MM in new money with $15.278MM fully guaranteed and $28.58MM in total guarantees. At the time, the deal made Smith the highest-paid safety in the league. Smith fell short of Devin McCourty‘s $22MM watermark for full guarantees, but he was the kingpin in terms of average annual value and total value.
The metrics certainly indicated that Smith was one of the best in the league and this contract reflected it. Pro Football Focus positioned the then-27-year-old as the NFL’s No. 1 safety in 2015, despite the fact that he only played 13 games. He ranked in PFF’s top 10 for safeties in pass coverage, run defense, and pass rush grades. And, since 2012, he was the only player to post 300+ tackles (311), 5+ sacks (5.5), 10+ interceptions (12), and a 4+ interception/touchdown ratio.
Sometime after Smith’s big extension, the NFL’s safety market dipped dramatically. In 2018, teams weren’t willing to make major committments to mid-field veterans, leaving notables like Kenny Vaccaro, Eric Reid, and Tre Boston in limbo throughout the offseason. Other ill-fated deals ruined the fun for safeties, but Smith’s deal was different.
Smith has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last five seasons and he’s missed only three regular season games in the last four, under the extension. This year, he’s slated to earn $10.75MM, which puts him eighth among all safeties in 2020 comp. The Smith extension was pricey, no doubt, but it’s now an undeniably team-friendly deal. And, if his performance slips for whatever reason this year, the Vikings have an easy escape hatch – his $9.85MM base salary for 2021 is non-guaranteed. However, history suggests that he’ll continue to deliver, and the Vikings will probably start chatting with him about his next contract soon.
Browns Aren’t Interested In Everson Griffen, Clay Matthews
The Browns are still showing interest in Jadeveon Clowney, but they’re not quite as keen on the market’s other top edge rushers. Everson Griffen and Clay Matthews do not seem to be on their radar, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer.
[RELATED: The NFL’s Top 10 Available Edge Rushers]
Griffen’s market has been slow to develop so far. Earlier this summer, he was linked to the Cardinals, but there hasn’t been any movement on that front, to our knowledge. Griffen, 32, has 74.5 sacks to his credit over ten NFL seasons. And, since Clowney came into the league in 2014, Griffen has registered 55 sacks. Still, Clowney is six years younger and the Browns likely see him as having better upside for 2020.
Matthews, 34, racked up eight sacks in 13 games (all starts) last year, despite missing some time with a broken jaw. In the interest of equal time, the sacks may not tell the whole story – Matthews had just 11 QB hits in 2019, similar to his 12 QB hits in 2018 with the Packers. In his final season with Green Bay, Matthews finished out with just 3.5 sacks.
Ultimately, it sounds like the Browns are open to replacing Olivier Vernon as their No. 2 DE, but only if they can find an edge rusher who represents a clear upgrade. And, from the sound of it, Clowney is the only available pass rusher who fits the bill.
5 Key NFL Stories: 6/28/20 – 7/5/20
Been busy? Let’s get you caught up with a look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:
Chiefs’ Chris Jones Threatening Holdout?: Chris Jones wants a multi-year deal worth at least $20MM/season. If he doesn’t get it, he says he “won’t play.” The two sides have until July 15th to hammer out an extension. Otherwise, they’ll have to table talks until next year. If Jones follows through on his threat, he’ll give up more than $16MM for the 2020 season and lose out on a year of credit towards free agency. 
NFL To Cut Preseason Schedule In Half: After 86’ing the Hall of Fame Game, the NFL has moved to cut the preseason in half. Instead of the standard four-game slate, teams will now play a two-game exhibition schedule. Rather than cancelling Weeks 1 and 2, the league will drop Weeks 1 and 4, giving players extra time to prepare before the start of the regular season. The revamped preseason schedule is expected to be released in the coming days.
NFL Cancels Supplemental Draft: The NFL held its annual draft remotely in April, so it was a surprise to see the supplemental draft – which is always held remotely – cancelled. Players who would have been eligible for the second-chance draft will have to wait until 2021 to join the pros.
Antonio Brown Interested In Seahawks Deal: Antonio Brown would love to play with the Seahawks and workout partner Russell Wilson. And, for what it’s worth, the Seahawks are considering AB internally. The Buccaneers and Ravens, meanwhile, will pass.
Redskins Expected To Change Name: For years, Redskins owner Dan Snyder has resisted calls for the team to change its name. Now, it sounds like change could be on the way, and it could happen soon. Under pressure from sponsor FedEx, Snyder says he’ll work in concert with head coach Ron Rivera and others to conduct a “thorough review” of the matter. Meanwhile, sources tell the Washington Post that they expect the process to end with a new name and a new mascot.
PFR Originals: 6/29/20 – 7/5/20
Here’s a look back at some of our faves from the past week:
- Even in July, the free agent market is still packed with big names and impact players. The current crop of available pass rushers is especially impressive, as Rory Parks writes. Jadeveon Clowney tops the list, but there are many more accomplished edge players out there, including Everson Griffen, Ezekiel Ansah, and Michael Bennett.
- Four years ago, the Colts made Andrew Luck the highest-paid player in the history of the game. The deal was supposed to keep the former No. 1 overall pick to the club through 2021, but, of course, things did not go according to plan.
- When Rolando McClain was suspended for ten games, the Cowboys probably figured they’d have him back for their late-season playoff push. Today, it seems unlikely that the once-promising linebacker will ever play another down in the NFL.
- In his prime, Ed Reed was one of the most feared defenders in the league. In the middle of the 2006 summer, the Ravens rewarded their standout safety with a six-year, $40MM deal, making him the highest-paid safety in NFL history. The deal didn’t come without risk – Reed was coming off of an ankle injury, and it wasn’t a given that he would get back to his old form. The Ravens weren’t worried, however, and their investment paid off.
Lions Sign D’Andre Swift
D’Andre Swift took to Twitter this weekend to announce the signing of his rookie contract. Per the terms of his slot, the running back out of Georgia will earn $8.5MM over the course of his four-year deal.
Heading into the draft, many praised Swift as the best running back in this year’s class. The Lions weren’t thought to be targeting an RB early, but they seized the opportunity to grab the two-time 1,000-yard rusher at No. 35 overall.
Swift will provide a safety net behind Kerryon Johnson, who suffered injuries in each of his first two seasons. The youngster’s advanced blocking ability may allow him to perform as an every-down back at the next level and there’s reason to believe that he can develop into an adept pass-catcher as well. Swift didn’t post gaudy receiving numbers at UGA, but he’s got a 72-inch wingspan, so the potential is there.
With Swift signed, the Lions now have five of their 2020 rookies officially in the fold. Here’s the full rundown of their class, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:
1-3: Jeffrey Okudah, CB (Ohio State)
2-35: D’Andre Swift, RB (Georgia): Signed
3-67: Julian Okwara, OLB (Notre Dame): Signed
3-75: Jonah Jackson, G (Ohio State): Signed
4-121: Logan Stenberg, OL (Kentucky): Signed
5-166: Quintez Cephus, WR (Wisconsin)
5-172: Jason Huntley, RB (New Mexico State)
6-197: John Penisini, DT (Utah): Signed
7-235: Jason Cornell, DE (Ohio State)
NFLPA Pushing To Cancel Preseason?
NFL owners are looking to shorten the preseason from four games to two. Meanwhile, some of the NFLPA’s leaders are wondering whether there should be any exhibition games played at all, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com hears (Twitter link).
Those opposed to preseason games argue that it’s an unnecessary risk. The games, after all, don’t count towards the standings. The league, meanwhile, believes that they can mitigate some of that risk and give extra lead time to teams by cutting the preseason in half.
Per the terms of the CBA, this isn’t a matter that’s up for negotiation. The NFL has the right to schedule up to four preseason games per year, making them the sole party in charge of the exhibition slate’s length. Still, because this is a matter of public safety, the NFLPA figures to have some pull. The two sides will chat on Thursday and Friday. After that, we should have a clearer picture of what’s to come.
For now, the league is planning to start training camps on July 28th. The NFL is hoping to bring rookies in for COVID-19 testing on July 19, Mike Florio of PFT hears, with conditioning starting on July 21. After that, the league is proposing conditioning and testing for veterans in the days that follow.
Jets, Demaryius Thomas In Talks
The Jets are “still talking” with wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic. Thomas, 32, has said that he wants to continue playing, even though he’s not the player he used to be. 
Thomas, 32, could potentially help to mentor some of the Jets’ younger players, including rookie Denzel Mims. Beyond Mims, Breshad Perriman, and Jamison Crowder the Jets are looking pretty thin at wide receiver. DT would offer experience behind that trio, where Braxton Berrios and Vyncint Smith currently sit.
Thomas tallied more than 9,000 yards across nine seasons with the Broncos. Now, he’s on the back nine of his career. After his time with the Texans, Thomas hooked on with the Patriots. Before the 2019 season started, the Patriots pulled off a rare intra-divisional trade, sending Thomas to the Jets for a sixth-round pick. The four-time Pro Bowler had 36 catches for 433 yards and one touchdown for Gang Green.
If Thomas returns to the Jets, or hooks on with another club, he’ll have an opportunity to crack 10,000 career receiving yards. Currently, Thomas has 9,763.
49ers Mulling Kendrick Bourne, Raheem Mostert Extensions
The 49ers have discussed extensions for running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. It’s not immediately clear whether the Niners have engaged in serious talks with either player, but, at minimum, the front office has been planning internally. 
Mostert is under club control through 2021 thanks to the three-year extension he signed last year. The Niners don’t necessarily have to rush things, but Mostert is clearly underpaid – that deal pays him less than $3MM per year on average. At the time, Mostert was mostly a special teams player, but now, after posting 772 yards and eight touchdowns, he finds himself as the team’s RB1. As veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson says, Mostert requested a pay raise earlier this offseason to reflect his heightened status, although his current deal does include certain rushing incentives (Twitter link). Mostert is 28 and is well aware of the shelf life of RBs, so his request makes plenty of sense.
Bourne, meanwhile, has one year to go before he hits the open market. The Niners cuffed him with the restricted free agent tender at the second-round level, retaining him for a cool $3.27MM in 2020. The 24-year-old (25 in August) has spent the last three years with SF and has been a key part of the offense over the last two. Between 2018 and 2019, Bourne has totaled 72 catches for 845 yards and nine touchdowns. This year, he has a prime opportunity to take things up a notch. With Emmanuel Sanders out of the picture and Deebo Samuel nursing a broken foot, Bourne could open the year as one of Jimmy Garoppolo‘s top targets.