Jets, Giants Permitted To Start Training Camp, Play NFL Games
The Jets, Giants, and other professional sports teams in New Jersey have been given the green light to resume training and “even competition” by the state of New Jersey, per an announcement from Governor Phil Murphy. With that, the NJ-based NFL teams will be permitted to conduct camp in Florham Park and East Rutherford, respectively. 
[RELATED: New York OKs Bills To Hold Training Camp]
Murphy’s announcement comes on the heels of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s declaration, which will allow the Bills to get back to business. Other states, governing bodies, and leagues seem to be following suit. In a matter of days, the NCAA will Division I football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball to hold voluntary activities and practices. Meanwhile, the NFL plans to stay on schedule for the offseason and the regular season, with the expectation/hope that the games will include “full stadiums.”
The Jets “will begin to open our facility using a phased approach at a time that is most practical for our operations,” a team spokesperson tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Giants issued a similar statement (Twitter link via WFAN’s Kimberly Jones), signaling a cautious approach in their return to the practice field.
Once things get back to normal – or, closer to normal – the Jets’ front office will work on getting a multi-year extension finalized with star safety Jamal Adams. There was talk of the two sides having reached an impasse, but the delay reportedly has more to do with the ongoing pandemic than anything else. The Giants, meanwhile, will monitor the Deandre Baker saga. Baker, a 2019 first-round pick, was expected to serve as one of their starting cornerbacks. Following the incident in Florida, his availability is in question.
Devonta Freeman: I’ve “Got 10 More Years In Me”
Over the weekend, there was talk of Devonta Freeman potentially sitting out the 2020 season and speculation that he could consider retirement if he does not find a deal to his liking. On Monday night, Freeman set the record straight in a tweet that he deleted moments later (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). The family-friendly portion of the message that we can share here: “I got ten more years in me. Kill that fake retirement [stuff]!” 
Freeman talked with the Jets and Eagles in recent weeks and turned down a one-year, $3MM offer to join up with the Seahawks. It’s unlikely that he’ll land a deal to match his last one – a five-year,$41.25MM deal with an average annual value of about $8MM – but he’s aiming for something in between. Only trouble is, there aren’t a ton of teams that are desperate for RB help at this stage of the offseason and Freeman’s stock has taken a tumble.
In 2018, Freeman was limited to just two games. Last year, he managed to play in 14 of the Falcons’ 16 games, but he looked like a shell of his former self and averaged just 3.6 yards per attempt.
Roughly three years ago, Freeman became the second-highest paid running back in the NFL on an annual basis, behind only the franchise-tagged Le’Veon Bell. As a reminder of how quickly things change in this league – the league’s other leaders in compensation in 2017 were LeSean McCoy and Doug Martin. McCoy may be on the cusp of a bargain basement deal to return to the Eagles and Doug Martin has not played a down since the 2018 season.
Latest On Jets’ Jamal Adams
The Jets and Jamal Adams aren’t close to a new deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) hears. That doesn’t mean they won’t eventually come to terms on a new multi-year deal, but they are in a bit of a holding pattern due to the ongoing pandemic. Rapoport stresses that it’s “not an impasse,” so there’s no reason for Jets fans to panic just yet. 
[RELATED: Jets’ Joe Flacco Cleared To Start Throwing]
Rapoport adds that there’s no real traction between the Jets and the Cowboys on a potential Adams trade. The Cowboys have been connected to Adams for a long time now, but, as Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News reported over the weekend, they’re not pursuing him at the moment.
The Jets have dangled Adams in the past, but they’ve set a sky-high asking price every time. Talks heated up before last year’s trade deadline, but Joe Douglas stuck to his guns by asking for a first round pick and two second-round picks. That was too rich for the Cowboys blood; they countered with a first-round pick plus a Day 3 choice.
The Ravens also pursued Adams last year, and one has to imagine that they’d still like to have him, given their friction with Earl Thomas. However, they’ve got limited cap room and several players of their own to lock up, so Adams-to-Baltimore also seems unlikely. At this moment, it sounds like Adams will probably be a Jet in 2020.
Devonta Freeman Willing To Skip 2020 NFL Season
So far this offseason, Devonta Freeman hasn’t been able to find a deal to his liking. If that doesn’t change between now and the fall, the running back is willing to sit out the entire 2020 season, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
In theory, the 28-year-old could easily walk away – he’s earned upwards of $24MM and he’s got plenty of spectacular performances to look back upon. Retirement, however, is not a consideration for Freeman at this time, Rapoport hears.
Freeman’s drawn interest from the Seahawks, Jets, and Eagles since being released by the Falcons. And, just recently, Seattle tried to sell him on a one-year deal worth $3MM – he said no, prompting Pete Carroll & Co. to turn to Carlos Hyde. The Eagles may still be a fit for Freeman, Rapoport posits, despite the presence of Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Corey Clement, and the newly-signed LeSean McCoy. Ditto for the Jets, who are looking to fortify the group behind Le’Veon Bell. Ultimately, it’ll come down to dollars and Freeman would rather stay patient than slash his price here in May.
Last year, Freeman appeared in 14 games for the Falcons but averaged just 3.6 yards per tote on 184 carries. Meanwhile, Football Outsiders placed him just 41st among 43 running backs in success rate. In 2020, Freeman is hoping to redeem himself and get closer to the form he exhibited in 2016, his last Pro Bowl campaign. In that season, Freeman ran for 4.8 yards per try and scored 13 all-purpose touchdowns.
Release Candidate: Redskins RB Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson has big plans for 2020. The 35-year-old is 1,054 rushing yards away from passing Barry Sanders on the league’s all-time board and he believes that he might have enough gas in the tank to overtake Emmitt Smith’s No. 1 position. In February, the Redskins exercised his option for 2020, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the veteran will be in D.C. this year. 
[RELATED: Redskins’ Latimer Makes Court Appearance]
Peterson was already facing backfield competition from Derrius Guice and Bryce Love when the Redskins picked up his option, but the RB depth chart became even more crowded in the spring. First, the Redskins signed former Buc Peyton Barber to a two-year, $3MM free agent deal. Then, in April, they used a third-round pick to select Antonio Gibson out of Memphis. Gibson, a young and sure-handed playmaker, more or less has his roster spot cemented. That leaves no more than three – and, possibly, only two – running back spots up for grabs. Peterson, one of the most electrifying rushers the game has ever seen, could be the odd man out.
Peterson is set to earn $2.25MM in base pay this year, but the Redskins can drop him without much fiscal penalty. Cutting Peterson would leave the Redskins with just $750K in dead money, versus $2.48MM in savings. Would that be the smart move? There’s a case to be made in both directions. Peterson offers veteran leadership for the Redskins’ inexperienced backfield and could serve as a safety net for Guice if the former LSU star gets sidelined again. He’s also delivered for the last two years in D.C., despite the skeptics who said he was washed up. Between 2018 and 2019, Peterson has averaged a solid 4.2 yards per carry while suited up for 31 of a possible 32 games.
Ultimately, we expect the Redskins to do what’s best for business. Or, at least, what they think will be best for business. If the rest of the Redskins’ RB room stays healthy through training camp, Peterson could easily wind up on the curb this summer.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/25/20
We’ll keep track of the MDW draft pick signings here:
- The Packers inked seventh-round defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin, per a club announcement. Garvin waited a long, long time on draft weekend and watched a handful of his University of Miami teammates come off the board before him at No. 242 overall. There, he became the Packers’ ninth selection, giving him a chance to reunite with old Hurricanes teammate Gerald Willis. Garvin, a 6’4″, 263-pound lineman, put himself on the radar with 60 stops, 5.5 sacks, and five pass breakups in 2018. He wasn’t as sharp last year, but the Packers still see the potential.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Kittle, Seahawks
The 49ers already know that they want to keep George Kittle for the long haul, but they also know that it won’t come cheap. Kittle is on course to become the league’s highest-paid tight end of all-time. As Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com explains, Kittle’s value goes beyond the gaudy yardage and touchdown totals.
In Kittle’s 14 games last year, the Niners averaged 4.83 yards per carry and tallied 23 TDs on the ground. Without him? They averaged just 2.63 yards per carry with zero rushing scores.
“What’s amazing about him is what he does in the running game,” former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum said. “He’s a dominant blocker and he’s been dynamic in the passing game. He’s a rare weapon that I think is more valuable than just a regular tight end because he can block so effectively.”
Then, of course, there are the obvious drivers behind Kittle’s value. Since 2017, Kittle has amassed 2,945 receiving yards, the most of any TE inside of their first three pro campaigns. in NFL history. And, in the past two seasons, he’s totaled 1,464 yards after the catch, good for No. 2 in the league.
It’s pretty much a given that Kittle will top Hunter Henry‘s $10.6MM average annual value, as well as Austin Hooper‘s four-year, $42MM watermark for the largest total contract among TEs. How much further will it go? Wagoner expects Kittle and the Niners to settle for a four-year deal in the range of $68MM-$72MM with roughly $40MM in guarantees.
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- The 49ers have the most dynamic tight end in the NFC West – and the entire NFL – in Kittle, but they don’t necessarily have the division’s best receiver group. That mantle belongs to the Cardinals thanks to their DeAndre Hopkins pickup, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. However, Johnson notes that SF’s depth makes it a closer call than you might think. Deebo Samuel and Kendrick Bourne profile as the Niners’ top receiving options and they’re backed by loads of potential – first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk, plus Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd.
- Earlier this month, the Seahawks brought back Geno Smith on a one-year deal to serve as a backup to Russell Wilson. It wasn’t a costly deal, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets. Smith will make just $1.2MM with his $137K signing bonus representing the only guaranteed portion of the deal. Meanwhile, he’ll count for just $887K on the cap, thanks to the minimum-salary benefit.
- As the Niners prepare to back up a Brinks truck for Kittle, the Rams are making similar plans for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Here’s a look at what it might take to keep the superstar cornerback in LA.
PFR Originals: 5/18/20 – 5/24/20
In case you missed it, here’s a look at some of our faves from the past week:
- Tuesday marked the anniversary of the first ever NFL Draft. Or, as it was known in 1935, the NFL’s “Annual Draft of College Players”. Ben Levine gave us the rundown on this absolute game-changer in football. Before the historic ’35 draft, college players were allowed to sign with professional teams at random. Obviously, that would be a major hinderance to competitive balance and parity in today’s NFL. The first NFL Draft was the brainchild of Eagles co-owner Bert Bell, who grew tired of the Bears and Packers buying the country’s best new talent.
- On Wednesday, Rory Parks ran down the top remaining free agents in the NFL, a group headlined by edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney. Devonta Freeman also appeared on the list and he’s still available after rejecting an offer from the Seahawks last week.
- In early May, the Cardinals turned down Haason Reddick‘s fifth-year option. Now that he’s no longer on the books for the 2021 season, he profiles as a clear trade candidate.
- When we ran down the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL, we found that less than half of the league’s current coaches have been in their positions for more than three years. This past week, when we ran down the league’s longest-tenured GMs, it was a different story.
- With Jalen Ramsey entering his walk year, the Rams have some work to do. Despite a down year, Ramsey still figures to top the cornerback market and the Rams seem willing to make it happen. We explored Ramsey’s case for a monumental payday and LA’s potential salary cap barriers.
- Two years ago, the Bills released Richie Incognito from the reserve/retired list. At the time, no one was sure whether the veteran guard would play another down.
- More than 200 NFL Draft picks remain unsigned, an unusually high figure considering that we’re ~30 days removed from the 2020 Annual Draft of College Players. As we explain, the pandemic isn’t the only reason for the holdup.
NFL Exec: We’re Planning For Full Stadiums
The NFL is “planning to have full stadiums” in the fall, league executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent says. Still, the league will yield to professionals and government restrictions before opening up the gates.
[RELATED: NY To Allow Training Camps]
“We are planning to have full stadiums until the medical community tells us otherwise,” Vincent told The Team 980 (transcription via NBC Sports). “Now, remember when we’re talking — we’re talking about September, August, September. So there’s a lot that can happen here. So we’re planning for full stadiums.”
Vincent went on to explain that the league has contingencies in place for multiple scenarios. That could include “half stadiums,” and stadiums that are filled to just “three-quarters” capacity. Games could still be played without fans in attendance, of course, but it’s a major shift in tone from what we were hearing just a few short weeks ago.
The NFL could still rake in considerable revenue without fans, thanks to their TV contracts, but gate attendance still accounts for billions of dollars league-wife. If it’s feasible and safe for fans to fill the seats, Vincent says the league will find a way to make it happen.
New York To Allow Training Camp For Pro Sports Teams, Effective Today
Effective today, professional sports teams will be permitted to being training camps in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). Naturally, teams will also have to follow appropriate health protocols, Cuomo says. 
[RELATED: Latest On College Football’s Plans]
Cuomo’s announcement gives the Bills the greenlight to hold training camp in Pittsford, NY on the campus of St. John Fisher College. This also opens up a potential avenue for the Jets and Giants, who ordinarily hold their camps in Florham Park and East Rutherford, New Jersey, respectively. For the last couple of months, teams in hotspot states like New York, New Jersey, and California have been weighing alternate sites in states that have lifted their restrictions. If New Jersey continues to stay on lockdown, the two Meadowlands teams may see a move to New York as an easier and more cost effective solution.
On the whole, it’s an encouraging sign for the NFL, professional sports, and the country as a whole. Soon, we could see restrictions eased in even more NFL-hosting states.
Starting June 1, the NCAA will allow voluntary activities for Division I football and basketball. The NFL is moving in a similar direction and plans to play things by ear, in accordance with their phase-by-phase program.