Former 49ers G Mike Person Retires
Mike Person is calling it a career. Following his offseason release from the 49ers, the longtime NFL guard announced his retirement. 
[RELATED:49ers Sign Javon Kinlaw, Brandon Aiyuk]
“I just feel like now is the right time,” Person told Greg Rachac of 406 MT Sports. “Obviously I wish it would have ended differently, especially this past season. You take a beating, and anybody who’s played knows that. At some point you just have to tell yourself now is the right time. My kids are getting older and most likely I’d spend the entire season away from them if I were to sign with someone. I’ve missed too much already.”
Person, 32, spent the last two seasons as the Niners’ starting right guard. Last year, they kept him from free agency with a three-year, $9MM pact including $3MM in guarantees. Few could argue with the value – in 2018, Person graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 18 ranked guard in the NFL out of 71 qualified players.
Before SF, Person suited up for the Seahawks, Rams, Falcons, and Colts. All in all, he spent nine years in professional football and played in six of those seasons. Along the way, he earned millions and played in a Super Bowl – not bad for a seventh-round pick.
Person was hoping that his knees and elbows would be less bothersome after taking some time to recover in the offseason. Ultimately, he decided to hang ’em up, but he admits that it wasn’t an easy decision.
“It was in the back of my mind. I knew once this contract played out, if it had, that I would retire,” he said. “It’s one of those things where 75% of you wants to be done with it but there’s that 25% that knows you can still do it and still play.”
PFR Originals: 6/22/20 – 6/28/20
Here’s a look back at some of our faves from the past week:
- Contractually speaking, the Jets hold all the cards. However, Jamal Adams believes that he can force his way out of the Meadowlands. Will the Pro Bowl safety get traded to one of his preferred destinations this summer? Or will the Jets hang on to him? We asked PFR readers to predict the outcome and, so far, the results are pretty much split.
- The franchise tender extension deadline is roughly two weeks away and there are still a handful of stragglers that have yet to sign their tenders. We checked in on those players: Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Broncos safety Justin Simmons, Buccaneers edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, and Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
- The Vikings made a big commitment to edge rusher Danielle Hunter when he was still shy of his 24th birthday. Two years later, that $72MM deal is looking like a strong value.
This Date In Transactions History: Ravens’ Ed Reed Signs Record Deal
In his prime, few players were more fearsome than safety Ed Reed. On this date in 2006, the Ravens rewarded Reed with a six-year, $40MM contract, making him the highest-paid player at his position in league history. 
The previous league-leading deal for safeties belonged to Adam Archuleta, who inked a six-year, $30MM deal with the Redskins in March of ’06. Reed blew past him on a rocket ship, and for good reason.
Reed became a starter as a rookie in 2002 and quickly cemented himself as a key cog in Baltimore’s defense. He notched 21 interceptions in his first three seasons and led the league with nine picks in 2004. Although he was held back by an ankle injury in 2005, the Ravens saw a Reed as a multiple-time Pro Bowler who was ready to get back to his old form.
“It was his time,” GM Ozzie Newsome said. “He has earned the contract.”
Indeed, the Ravens were right. Reed came back in a big way in ’06 as he started in every game and tallied five picks, plus two in the postseason. He earned Pro Bowl nods in every season from 2006 through 2012 and picked up four First-Team All-Pro nods in that span.
Reed earned his first ring in the Super Bowl following the 2012 season and notched his ninth career postseason interception in the big game. Although he was still productive, Reed and the Ravens went their separate ways in the offseason. Reed signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Texans, but that deal was terminated midway through the ’13 campaign. He reunited with Rex Ryan by signing with the Jets, but he was unable to turn back the clock. After sitting out the 2014 season, Reed signed a one-day contract with Baltimore so that he could retire a Raven.
Reed’s final season on the field was forgettable, but the extension he signed with the Ravens in 2006 proved to be a win-win for both sides. Reed cashed in and gained financial security in a violent sport, and the Ravens got elite level production out of him for the majority of the deal.
This Date In Transactions History: Vikings Lock Up Danielle Hunter
Two years ago today, Danielle Hunter inked a five-year deal worth $72MM. It was a serious pay bump for the former third-round pick, who was still a few months away from his 24th birthday. The add-on gave him ample security – a $15MM signing bonus, $40MM in overall guarantees, and favorable cashflow with $48MM over the first three years. Still, the deal proved to be a win for the Vikings. 
[RELATED: Latest On Dalvin Cook, Vikings]
The Vikings didn’t want to let Hunter get anywhere near the open market. In his first three pro seasons, Hunter registered 25.5 sacks, more than any other player who entered the league in 2015. He waited a while to hear his name called on draft weekend, but he outperformed Vic Beasley, Leonard Williams, and other notable edge rushers in that class by a longshot. Also, Hunter and teammate Everson Griffen combined for 57 combined sacks from 2015-17, the second most of any duo in the NFL in that span.
In 2017, just prior to the extension, Hunter graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 29 ranked edge defender in the NFL. Last year, Hunter finished seventh in the category, ahead of Cameron Jordan, Myles Garrett, Demarcus Lawrence, and a host of other big names. He’s notched 14.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons, bringing his career tally to 54.5.
Meanwhile, his $14.4MM average annual value ranks 18th among edge rushers, according to Over The Cap. The Vikings have four more years of control over Hunter and, at this time, he stands as one of the league’s best veteran values.
Latest On Colin Kaepernick
It’s looking more and more likely that Colin Kaepernick will be “back in the league soon,” Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Multiple teams have been doing their homework on the quarterback, though those teams reportedly have not reached out to Kaep directly.
Garafolo’s sources tell him that teams have been in communication with people close to Kaepernick, even if they haven’t chatted with the QB or his agent. Garafolo’s understanding is that they’re first looking to do their research and gauge Kaepernick’s interest in joining. If those teams are satisfied with what they find and confident that they can come to terms, they’ll engage in contract talks.
Of course, that’s not the typical order of operations for free agents, but Kaepernick is anything but the typical free agent. It’s fair to wonder whether some teams are looking to keep their interest on the hush in order to avoid a PR backlash. Still, some NFL officials have been willing to go on the record in favor of Kaepernick. Recently, newly appointed Lions principal owner Shiela Ford Hamp said that she would authorize the signing Kaep if her football people wanted him on the team.
Kaep also found support from Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, who said that he should be on every club’s emergency workout list. Meanwhile, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll recently expressed regret over not signing Kaepernick back in 2017.
Kaepernick, 33 in November, has not played since the 2016 season. But, based on what we’ve been hearing lately, it sounds like he could be back on the field in 2020.
Redskins’ Emanuel Hall Tears Achilles
Emanuel Hall‘s season is likely over. The Redskins wide receiver announced via Instagram that he has torn his Achilles. 
[RELATED: Redskins Had Chance At Peyton Manning]
Hall, 23, joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2019. After the Missouri product missed the final cut, he went on to spend time with the practice squads of the Bucs and the Redskins. This year, the Redskins re-signed him on a futures deal, giving him a place on the 90-man offseason roster and a chance to make the team. Now, he’ll likely have to wait until 2021 before retaking the field.
Before the injury, Hall was pushing for one of the final spots on the WR depth chart, though he was facing some long odds. Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, and Trey Quinn headline the group, while Cam Sims, Steven Sims Jr., and fourth-round pick Antonio Gandy-Golden are among those fighting for supporting roles.
In other Redskins news, Ryan Kerrigan says he wants to finish out his career with the Redskins. It’s not clear if the Redskins are willing to discuss an extension, but a longer deal could make sense for both sides. The veteran edge rusher’s $11.5MM salary for this year is totally non-guaranteed; an extension could smooth out that hit and give the Redskins some extra space.
Latest On Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon‘s camp says he’s sober, clearheaded, and ready to resume his football career. However, his camp isn’t sure whether he’s been drug tested in recent months (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). 
[RELATED: Josh Gordon Applies For NFL Reinstatement]
Naturally, the pandemic has complicated matters. Over the last few months, elective surgeries and other non-life threatening medical appointments have been postponed, making it difficult for anyone to undergo drug testing. Testing sometimes calls for a proctor, as well, and that’s tough to pull off in the social distancing era.
Gordon formally applied for reinstatement earlier this month in hopes of getting yet another chance from the league office. Meanwhile, the 29-year-old has been working out in the Seattle area. If Gordon is allowed to play, it’s safe to say that he’ll have interest from teams. The Ravens – who recently ruled out Antonio Brown – could theoretically be one landing spot. The Seahawks have also indicated that the door remains open to Gordon after he posted seven catches for 139 yards in five games for them last year.
Jets Sign OT Cameron Clark
The Jets have signed fourth-round offensive tackle Cameron Clark, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Per the terms of his slot, Clark will get about $4MM on his four-year deal.
The Charlotte product didn’t come with as much hype as No. 11 overall pick Mekhi Becton, but the Jets believe that he may also have a bright future as a pro. Another plus: Clark and Becton have already worked together.
“Me and Mekhi, we trained together at MJP in Dallas,” Clark said earlier this year (via the team website). “We got real close in the combine process, even at the combine, post-combine. I was definitely excited about joining him up there with the Jets. Mekhi’s a heck of a player. He’s nasty, he loves finishing blocks. I feel like both of us have that in our game. I’m excited to see what we can do.”
Clark, who stands at 6’4″ and weighs over 300 pounds, was a three-year starter in college. He’s only the third Jets draft pick to sign, so GM Joe Douglas still has some work ahead of him. Here’s the rundown, via PFR’s tracker:
1-11: Mekhi Becton, T (Louisville)
2-59: Denzel Mims, WR (Baylor): Signed
3-68: Ashtyn Davis, S (California)
3-79: Jabari Zuniga, DE (Florida)
4-120: Lamical Perine, RB (Florida)
4-125: James Morgan, QB (Florida International)
4-129: Cameron Clark, OT (Charlotte): Signed
5-158: Bryce Hall, CB (Virginia): Signed
6-191: Braden Mann, P (Texas A&M)
Five Franchise Tagged Players Have Yet To Sign Tenders
Teams have until July 15th to hammer out long-term deals with franchise tagged players. As of this writing, there are five players who have not signed their one-year tenders: Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Broncos safety Justin Simmons, Buccaneers edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, and Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. 
[RELATED: Dak Prescott Still Wants Four-Year Deal; Cowboys Want Five-Year Deal]
The franchise tag is a sore spot for players, because it prohibits them from realizing their true value on the open market. Sometimes, players begrudgingly sign on the dotted line after skipping out on a portion of offseason activities. There have also been some notable holdouts to extend into the regular season – Le’Veon Bell, for example.
You can put Green in the former camp. The Bengals superstar wants long-term security from the only team he’s ever known, but he says he’ll sign the one-year tender if they can’t come to terms.
In the past, Simmons has indicated that he won’t skip Broncos activities, but Mike Klis of 9News speculates that agent Todd France could talk him into playing some hardball. Offers have been exchanged between the two sides, but, for now, the safety is looking at a one-year, $12.7MM proposition.
Jones – currently in line for a $16.1MM deal – has expressed frustration with the slow pace of negotiations with the Chiefs. The Chiefs, meanwhile, already have a $20MM defensive lineman in Frank Clark. Barrett, who said he’d be a good sport about signing the tender, says he’s expecting to have some movement by tomorrow, though it’s not clear if that means receiving an extension offer or putting pen to paper.
Ngakoue, of course, is prepared to go to war with the Jaguars. The two sides have been locked in a heated stalemate for a long time and the Jags say they won’t cave to the defensive end’s trade demand.
Buccaneers’ Shaquil Barrett Unsure About Signing Franchise Tag
Buccaneers defensive end Shaquil Barrett isn’t making any promises when it comes to the franchise tag. Before he was cuffed in mid-March, Barrett indicated that he would sign the tender. Now, that’s “up in the air.” 
[RELATED: Jets’ Jamal Adams Has Bucs On Trade Destination List]
“It’s still up in the air right now, about 50-50,” Barrett told NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe. “We’ll find out a little more information on Friday.”
It’s not clear if Barrett is expecting an extension offer by Friday, or if he’s hinting at signing his tender by the end of the week. It’s believed that Barrett was tagged as a linebacker, rather than a defensive end, so the one-year placeholder would pay him $15.8MM. Defensive ends, meanwhile, are marked at $17.8MM for the franchise tag this year.
After spending four seasons in Von Miller‘s shadow, Barrett broke out with the Bucs. Last year, he shattered Bucs’ single-season record and led the league with 19.5 sacks, plus 37 total quarterback hits. After that performance, Barrett rightfully wants some long-term financial security.
“I’m gonna play off the tag [if] I got to but I do want that long-term deal,” Barrett said in March. “It’s all about security for me and my family; that’s all I’ve been fighting for my whole time in the NFL. Even a franchise tag, I’m still getting the security too but I just want a long contract and long-term security.”
The two sides will have until July 15 to finalize an extension. If they can’t come to terms, they’ll have to wait until next year to resume negotiations.