New Jersey Drops Stay-At-Home Orders
The state of New Jersey has dropped its stay-at-home orders effective immediately, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Tuesday. Most importantly, this marks a return to life-as-usual and business-as-usual for millions in the Garden State. In terms of football, it’s a major roadblock lifted for the Jets and Giants as they prepare for the upcoming season.
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Most states have at least partially-reopened in recent days, with California, Tennessee, and Oregon working through a regional reopening plan. That has resulted in a clear path for most of the NFL’s teams, though the 49ers, Rams, Chargers, and Titans are still waiting for full clearance. The Cowboys’ offseason plans have also been impacted – they’ll hold training camp in Texas, per the NFL’s mandate, rather than their usual site in Oxnard, CA.
Meanwhile, the NFL and NFLPA may allow rookies and relocated veterans to participate in on-site offseason activities before the originally planned date on June 26. And, earlier this month, the NFL permitted coaching staffs to return to facilities. There are still major COVID-19-related hurdles to clear, including salary cap negotiations with the players’ union, but the NFL is moving full steam ahead with the intention of kicking off the season in September.
The NFL also hopes to have fans in attendance for games at full capacity. The state of Texas is similarly optimistic, having already OK’d teams to fill stadiums halfway.
Vikings’ Dalvin Cook Seeking $15MM/Year?
Dalvin Cook is staying away from the Vikings until he receives a “reasonable” offer for his next contract. His exact demands are unclear, but sources tell ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin that Cook is seeking something in the range of $15MM per year.
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Cook’s representatives opened talks by pitching the Vikings on a ~$16MM/year deal, roughly matching the record-breaking extension signed by Panthers star Christian McCaffrey. Cook’s camp has dialed that number back, but there’s still a significant gap between the two sides.
Cook has indicated that he won’t show up for work unless he gets the multi-year deal he’s seeking, but he can’t play the game of chicken for too long. Per the new collective bargaining agreement, players must report by the start of training camp in order to receive that year of credit towards free agency. Previously, that deadline was set at 30 days before the start of the regular season. Simply put, if Cook doesn’t show up for the start of camp, he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until after the 2021 season.
Last year, Cook ran for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also added another 519 yards through the air, giving him more than 1,600 all-purpose yards on the year. Those totals would have been much higher if not for a late-season chest injury. For now, Cook is set to earn a base salary of $1.33MM in 2020 and he wants to lock down a larger payday – ideally, with the Vikings.
“I definitely love Minnesota,” the 24-year-old (25 in August) said recently. “I love everything the state has to bring. Being a kid, I was drafted (in 2017) from Miami (his hometown), so I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I actually am happy where I’m at, and I would like to be in Minnesota long term.”
Lions Sign Julian Okwara
The Lions have officially signed rookie Julian Okwara, per a club announcement. The third-round defensive end out of Notre Dame should be able to get acclimated faster than your average NFL frosh – he’ll have help from his brother and new teammate, Romeo Okwara.
According to Pro Football Focus, Okwara posted a 23% pass-rush win rate in each of his last two collegiate seasons, one of the very best in the country. His broken leg hurt his draft stock in April, but the Lions believe that they scored a major value in the Notre Dame product. With tremendous speed, Okwara profiles as a promising pass rusher. If he can bulk up and improve against the run, the Lions may have a future star on their hands.
The Lions have now inked three of their draft picks, as shown in PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:
Detroit Lions
1-3: Jeffrey Okudah, CB (Ohio State)
2-35: D’Andre Swift, RB (Georgia)
3-67: Julian Okwara, OLB (Notre Dame): Signed
3-75: Jonah Jackson, G (Ohio State)
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)
This Date In Transactions History: Rams Sign No. 1 Overall Pick Jared Goff
Four years ago today, the Rams officially signed No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff. The Rams were happy to sign the promising young Cal product to a four-year, $28MM deal in accordance with his slot, though they paid a hefty price for the right to draft him in the first place. 
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After a classic Jeff Fisher middle-of-the-pack season, the Rams came into the offseason with the No. 15 overall pick and a major crush on Goff. A couple weeks before the draft, they pried the top choice away from the Titans with a Godfather offer, a package that included two 2016 second-round picks, plus 2017 first- and third-round choices.
Goff wasn’t everyone’s preferred quarterback in that class, but the Rams saw Goff as a more polished passer than North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. It was hard to argue with Goff’s potential – he threw for nearly 8,700 combined yards and 78 touchdowns during his final two college seasons. And, in his final year, he established new personal watermarks by completing 64.5% of his passes and throwing for 4,714 yards and 43 TDs.
With Goff under center, the Rams reached the Super Bowl following the 2018 season. After Goff threw for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in the regular season and brought them to a snoozer of a championship game, the Rams rewarded him with a four-year, $134MM deal with $110MM guaranteed. Goff’s 2019 showing has raised some question marks about his second contract, but the Rams can’t complain about his first deal.
In keeping with team tradition, the Rams also signed the rest of their entire 2016 draft class on this same day. Thanks to the blockbuster deal to get Goff, the Rams’ next pick didn’t come until the fourth round at No. 110 overall, when they selected the troubled-yet-talented Tyler Higbee, a tight end out of Western Kentucky. In October of last year, the remainder of the class looked pretty unremarkable. But, after Higbee’s incredible finish last year, the Rams’ report card deserves a revised grade.
Todd Gurley Passes Falcons Physical
Two months after agreeing to join the Falcons, Todd Gurley has finally taken and passed his team physical (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). At long last, everything is signed, sealed, and delivered, silencing any whispers about his condition. 
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Up until this week, Gurley wasn’t able to fly to Atlanta due to the pandemic. That’s been the case for many NFL players – especially free agents changing teams – but some wondered if Gurley’s injured knee was far from football-ready. In mid-May, even Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said he wasn’t quite sure what he going on.
“The main question that no one seems to know is, ‘What’s his health status?,” Koetter said.
All along, those close to Gurley insisted that his recovery was on track. Last year, the knee injury clearly hampered the two-time All-Pro. In 2019, he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry and just 6.7 yards per reception. Prior to that, he managed 40 all-purpose touchdowns between ’17 and ’18 while averaging 4.8 yards per tote.
If Gurley flunked his physical, the Falcons would have had an opportunity to escape the one-year, $11MM deal, but they also would have had to restart their running back search. Fortunately, it seems that everything has worked out. The Falcons have Gurley to replace Devonta Freeman, and they’ll only have $6MM of Gurley’s salary on the books thanks to the Rams’ obligation, plus offset pay.
Gurley, a University of Georgia product, will be backed in Atlanta by Ito Smith and Brian Hill.
Make-Or-Break Year: Texans CB Gareon Conley
Before last year’s trade deadline, the Texans swung a deal for former Raiders first-round pick Gareon Conley. The deal gave Conley a change of scenery and an opportunity to turn his pro career around. With fellow former Ohio State first-rounder Bradley Roby and veteran Johnathan Joseph out of action, Conley would have the chance to see significant reps, especially since second-round rookie Lonnie Johnson was greener than expected.
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Johnson didn’t improve much, but the Texans still turned down Conley’s fifth-year option for 2021, which would have paid him $10.24MM, guaranteed for injury only. Now, he’s in limbo with one year and $1.89MM on his deal.
Conley has an awful lot riding on his 2020 season. With a big showing, Conley could secure the bag – either with the Texans or another club. If he doesn’t performed, he’ll be viewed as a low-risk pickup, the kind of player that nets a cheap base salary on a one-year prove-it deal.
Conley didn’t quite cut it in Oakland, so you could be forgiven for overlooking his natural skillset and quietly solid second half with Houston. The Raiders shipped Conley out after he failed to make plays consistently in their zone scheme. But, with the Texans, Conley broke up eleven would-be passes – two less than team leader Johnathan Joseph in five fewer games.
The big-game talent has been there all along – Conley was a first-round pick for a reason and, if not for his strange pre-draft saga, he might have been a Top 10 choice. The Ohio State product was also surprisingly solid in coverage with the Raiders, even though he didn’t quite gel with the team. Conley boasts the highest forced incompletion rate of any cornerback in the NFL over the past four years, as noted by Pro Football Focus (Twitter link). That stat comes with a small asterisk since Conley has only been on the field for two years, but the fact remains that he’s a quality stopper.
If Conley can stave off Johnson for the CB2 job opposite Roby, the stage is set for him to break out and cash in next spring.
Seahawks Sign Freddie Swain
The Seahawks have signed rookie wide receiver Freddie Swain according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In accordance with his sixth-round draft slot, Swain is set to earn $3.424MM over the course of his four-year deal.
The Seahawks nabbed Swain with the No. 214 overall pick, adding to the team’s already tight competition at wide receiver. It’s a group headlined by Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Phillip Dorsett with two or maybe three spots up for grabs on the 53-man roster. Swain will battle with David Moore, John Ursua – a 2019 pick who topped 1,343 yards in his final year at Hawaii, and a number of UDFAs for a place on the depth chart.
Swain, a Florida product, first made a name for himself as a return specialist. Last year, he showed off his pass-catching abilities, notching 38 catches for 527 yards and a Gators-high seven touchdowns.
With Swain signed, the Seahawks are left with six unsigned rookies from their 2020 draft class. Here’s the full rundown, via PFR’s tracker:
1-27: Jordyn Brooks, LB (Texas Tech)
2-48: Darrell Taylor, OLB (Tennessee)
3-69: Damien Lewis, G (LSU)
4-133: Colby Parkinson, TE (Stanford): Signed
4-144: DeeJay Dallas, RB (Miami)
5-148: Alton Robinson, DE (Syracuse)
6-214: Freddie Swain, WR (Florida): Signed
7-251: Stephen Sullivan, TE (LSU)
Jets Notes: Gase, Douglas, OL
Is Adam Gase already on the hot seat? It would be tough for owner Woody Johnson to retain the second-year head coach if the Jets complete their tenth consecutive season without a playoff appearance, Manish Mehta of the Daily News opines. The Jets are obviously fond of Gase, but Mehta believes that Johnson – who will return to his New York area home later this year – wouldn’t be able to ignore the cries for a coaching change if the Jets finish 6-10.
More on Gang Green:
- Jets GM Joe Douglas is also set to enter Year Two and Ralph Vacchiano of SNY turned in an early report card on his work thus far. Among his highlights: shipping Leonard Williams to the Giants for third and fifth-round picks instead of losing him for nothing, bolstering the offensive line, and landing Denzel Mims in Round 2 after a bold trade down the board. Of course, it hasn’t all been roses. Douglas’ messy battle with Kelechi Osemele and the ill-fated Ryan Kalil deal were listed among his demerits. Vacchiano also questions the Jets’ lack of receiver options heading into 2020. This offseason, Douglas watched other teams acquire Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, and Brandin Cooks. Instead of trading for one of those stars, the Jets signed Breshad Perriman to replace Robby Anderson.
- It’s become abundantly clear that the Jets are far from sold on Brian Winters as their starting right guard. Based on what he’s been hearing, Brian Costello of the New York Post believes that new addition Greg Van Roten will wind up as the team’s top RG. With that said, Costello notes that the Jets love Winters’ toughness, so it’s possible that he could avoid getting released this summer.
- Speaking of the interior line, former Bears Pro Bowler Kyle Long says the Jets have not talked to him about coming out of retirement, despite last week’s rumors.
NFL To Allow Players To Return To Facilities?
The NFL’s first ever “virtual” OTA period may wrap up in real life. The NFL and the NFLPA are discussing a scenario in which rookies and newly acquired veterans can return to team facilities before June 26, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).
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No dates have been set or discussed yet, but this would mark a monumental step forward for the league in its quest to keep the offseason moving along and stay on track for regular season kickoff in September. It’s unlikely that minicamps will take place, Pelissero notes, but the advanced timeline would allow fresh faces to get familiar with their new surroundings.
Per the league’s memo, there will be protocols in place to help reduce the risk of viral spread. That includes reconfigured locker rooms to keep players ~6 feet apart, disinfected gear after each game, and mandatory masks, unless they get in the way of “athletic activities.” Once they report to camp, players will be required to wear masks for all non-football-related activities. The memo also indicates a 15-player max in weight rooms at a given time.
Of course, social distancing on the football field is impossible, but the league hopes that these protocols will lower the chances of new coronavirus cases.
Titans Notes: Henry, Davis, QB
While speculation swirls about the Titans and a potential Jadeveon Clowney signing, here’s the latest on the players who are actually on Tennessee’s roster:
- Last year, Derrick Henry led the league in both carries (303) and rushing yards (1,540). This year, he’ll likely be looking at a reduced workload. Tennessee’s offense will benefit “if more guys are touching the ball,” Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith says (Twitter link via Michael Giardi of NFL.com). If a significant number of those touches figure to go to third-round rookie Darrynton Evans, Henry’s future earnings could be impacted. Unless the Titans and Derrick Henry come to terms on an extension between now and the July 15 deadline, the running back will be on course for free agency in 2021. It’s worth mentioning that a lighter workload may actually benefit Henry as teams tend to fret about RB odometers.
- Corey Davis‘ future with the Titans is also in limbo, but Smith tells the team website that he likes what he’s seen out of the wide receiver thus far. “There were some huge explosive plays (last year) that Corey was the unsung hero to,” Smith said. “He’s a big part of this offense and I think he’ll take another step. I feel very confident in Corey, A.J. and Adam (Humphries) and that group.” The Titans, as expected, turned down Davis’ fifth-year option in May. Through three pro seasons, Davis has just six touchdowns to his credit.
- There’s been talk of the Titans adding a veteran backup quarterback, but Smith suggested that the QB2 job will go to either Logan Woodside or Cole McDonald, depending on how the camp competition unfolds.