Stanford Head Coach David Shaw Won’t Pursue NFL Job
David Shaw has been connected to NFL head coaching vacancies for years. He’ll likely continue to draw interest from pro teams, but Shaw tells Mike Tirico of NBC Sports that he’s staying on campus. 
“Stanford’s not a place you just go through, do a good job and jump out of here,” Shaw said (via PFT). “That’s not the way I see this job…I love being at Stanford because I get the brightest guys, I get the most competitive guys on and off the field. I still tell people I write more recommendations than any football coach in America for graduate school, for job opportunities. I’ve helped guys get to the point where they’re starting their own companies. That doesn’t happen on any other campus other than ours, so I love the energy. I love the passion. Not to mention we’re coming off a pretty darn good decade and ready to start the next decade on a high note also.”
Shaw, 48 in July, spent several years as an NFL assistant with the Eagles, Raiders, and Ravens before going back to school in 2006 with the University of San Diego. In 2007, he joined the Stanford staff and he was promoted to head coach in 2011. That’s where he’s been ever since, despite repeated head coaching inquiries from NFL clubs.
At Stanford, Shaw has enjoyed an 86-34 record, including a 58-22 mark in conference play. The National Championship has eluded him and his program is coming off of a 4-8 season – his worst showing ever – but Shaw says he’s staying put.
The Redskins were the most recent club to try and pull Shaw back to the NFL, expressing interest in him late last year before hiring Ron Rivera.
Cowboys Not Interested In Trading For Jets’ Jamal Adams?
The Cowboys aren’t currently interested in trading for Jets star Jamal Adams, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News tweets. The Cowboys have long been connected to Adams, but it sounds like they’re skittish about coughing up significant draft capital and a market-resetting extension for the standout safety. 
[RELATED: Jets, Joe Flacco Agree To Deal]
The Jets and Adams have had a drama-filled year, but things have mellowed between the two sides. They’ve been discussing an extension for the last few months and GM Joe Douglas has gone out of his way to publicly praixse the two-time Pro Bowler.
“[Adams] was a big reason I was excited about coming here,” Douglas said in April. “I feel this guy is a core player. The main goal that I’m trying to do right now is to surround him with like-minded players, because we know Jamal is a dog.”
There’s no “animosity” between Adams and Gang Green, but the 24-year-old (25 in October) remains “open” to a trade, Watkins hears. That’s not a huge surprise – Adams is currently set to earn $7.1MM in 2020 and $9.86MM in 2021, via the fifth-year option. After that, the Jets could cuff him via the franchise tag at least once, possibly twice, and, theoretically (but not realistically) three times. As one of the league’s premier safeties with youth on his side, Adams is understandably antsy to get his payday.
Adams’ camp is likely eyeing a contract that would push him ahead of Eddie Jackson‘s recent deal with the Bears, a four-year, $58.4MM pact to lead the league in average annual value at safety. Jackson also landed $33MM in guarantees, representing more than 50% of the deal’s total value.
From a football perspective, the Cowboys would obviously love to have Adams, but that would require a breakdown in talks and a serious slashing of the Jets’ asking price. At one point, Douglas was reportedly seeking a first round pick, plus two second-round picks in exchange.
Jets’ Joe Flacco Cleared To Start Throwing
New Jets quarterback Joe Flacco has been medically cleared to start throwing again, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). 
The team also believes that the veteran will be on course for contact by early September. In the meantime, he’ll be able to toss the ball and prepare for the 2020 season.
[RELATED: Cowboys Not Interested In Jamal Adams?]
The Jets inked Flacco to a one-year deal on Friday, bringing him in as a veteran backstop to starter Sam Darnold. Flacco will be at the ready in case Darnold misses more time and he also figures to serve as a mentor to the soon-t0-be 23-year-old. Earlier in his career, Darnold had a similar dynamic with Josh McCown.
The Jets’ first choice for the QB2 role was Andy Dalton, but the Cowboys beat them to the punch. After that, Flacco stood as the most attractive option. Or, at least, the most attractive and realistic option. Cam Newton is still waiting for the right opportunity and he would have cost significantly more than Flacco. The ex-Broncos QB and former Ravens star signed on for just $1.5MM, though performance bonuses could take him up to $4.5MM. Outside of those notables, May’s free agent QB market included the likes of Blake Bortles, Drew Stanton, 2019 Jet Trevor Siemian, and Matt Moore, who was not high on their list despite his relationship with head coach Adam Gase.
With Flacco in the fold, the Jets will have some decisions to make in the QB room. Currently, they have David Fales, fourth-round pick James Morgan, and former Cowboys Day 3 pick Mike White on the roster.
Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott
The Cowboys and Dak Prescott might not be as far apart as previously believed. For months, we’ve been hearing that Prescott is aiming for a two or three-year deal while the Cowboys wanted something more traditional – likely five or six years. Instead, the quarterback is seeking a four-year deal while the Cowboys are pitching five years, according to one source who spoke with Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Latest On Cowboys’ Randy Gregory]
That doesn’t necessarily mean that the previous talk of Prescott wanting a two or three year deal was inaccurate. It’s possible that the current climate has changed Prescott’s views on potential open market upside versus long-term security. With a longer contract, Prescott can secure more in effective guarantees as well as guaranteed dollars at signing. Either way, it now seems like the Cowboys and their franchise QB are inching closer to a deal as the July 15th deadline approaches. They might not be on the same page, but they’re at least on the same chapter.
Prescott reportedly (and, naturally) wants to top Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM average annual value. The Cowboys are hoping to hold the line and retain him at a lower rate, but any multi-year deal will have to wind up in that ballpark. If they can’t come to terms before the mid-June deadline, Prescott will earn $31.4MM in 2020 while remaining on course for free agency in ’21.
The Cowboys could franchise tag Prescott all over again next year, but that would leave them perilously thin everywhere else. Next year’s tag would call for a 20% raise over this year’s tag, which comes out to about $37.7MM. A third tag? That’d be a 44% jump – more than $54MM.
If the Cowboys want to stay in business with Prescott for the long haul, they’ll have to get something done sooner rather than later. And, if they can’t come to terms in the next few weeks, they’ll risk Prescott’s price jumping astronomically.
The latest news indicates that the Cowboys will hash things out by 6/15. History also suggests that a deal will get done. As Ed Werder of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter), seven of the league’s last ten franchise-tagged quarterbacks have agreed to multi-year deals before the deadline.
200+ NFL Draft Picks Remain Unsigned
We’re one month removed from the start of the 2020 NFL Draft and more than 200 of the league’s draft picks have yet to sign their contracts, as PFR’s NFL Draft tracker shows. To be exact, there are 207 stragglers and 48 signed, out of 255 picks. 
Thanks to the modern NFL’s draft slotting system, rookie deals are mostly a formality. Still, that’s an atypical amount of unsigned players for the ~30 day mark. In 2016, for example, there were only about 50 unsigned rookies by 5/24.
Obviously, the pandemic has complicated matters and changed the normal course of operation. As team facilities begin to open up and more states lift restrictions, we’ll see more draft picks sign their deals. It could be a while before we see some of this year’s top draft picks put pen to paper, however. No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow recently raised some eyebrows when he indicated that it could take months for his deal to be finalized.
The uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season has left teams concerned about their finances. In Burrow’s case, he’s set to collect a $24MM bonus from the Bengals. With cash flow concerns, teams are skittish about taking the plunge before necessary.
This year’s rookie class could drag longer than most, but, ultimately it should be business as usual – especially since first-round picks are not expected to put up a fight over offsets.
NFL Lists Colin Kaepernick As Retired, Changes Him Back To Free Agent
This week, the NFL redesigned its website and designated Colin Kaepernick as “retired” on his player page. Kaepernick’s girlfriend Nessa took notice and at-mentioned the league in a tweet on Friday. But, on Saturday morning, the league updated Kaep’s page to show that he is a UFA (an unrestricted free agent).
[RELATED: Checking In On Eric Reid]
Kaepernick did not retire from professional football, but it’s hard to see him getting another opportunity in the NFL at this point. The quarterback will turn 33 in November and he hasn’t played in more than three years – his last live snap was on January 1, 2017.
Late last year, the league organized an open workout for Kaepernick, which took the entire football world by surprise. The planned audition caught Kaepernick off-guard, too – they didn’t give much notice to the longtime 49ers star, and he responded by no-showing the showcase at the Falcons’ facility and holding his own personal combine at a different location in Georgia. The NFL’s original workout reportedly would have seen executives from 25 teams in attendance. At the new location, attendance was sparse.
Afterwards, Kaepernick’s camp sent footage of the workout to all 32 teams. There were no bites, and it’s hard to imagine that his chances of landing a deal have improved. Still, Kaepernick says he wants to return to the NFL.
“My desire to play football is still there,” Kaepernick said in February. “I still train five days a week. I’m ready to go, I’m ready for a phone call, tryout, workout at any point in time. I’m still waiting on the owners and their partners to stop running from this situation. So I hope I get a call this offseason. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
In the meantime, Kaepernick says he will continue his initiatives for social justice. Later this year, he’ll release a memoir in conjunction with Audible.
Eagles Open To Signing LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy wants to fly with the Eagles one more time. The running back remains available in free agency and the Eagles are at least open to the idea, Tim McManus of ESPN.com hears. 
McCoy started his career with the Eagles and mostly excelled in those four seasons. Shady secured three Pro Bowl trips and two First-Team All-Pro nods in Philly before he was traded to Buffalo, where he secured the bag.
Before the start of the 2019 season, the Bills dropped McCoy and the remainder of his five-year, $40MM contract. Then, he hooked on with the Chiefs. He started strong in the first half, but his role was greatly reduced down the stretch. On the whole, it was a bounceback year for the veteran – he averaged 4.6 yards per tote, up from his career low of 3.2 in ’18. He also captured a Super Bowl ring to cap it off.
McCoy isn’t the only veteran RB on the Eagles’ radar. They’re also interested in Carlos Hyde and Devonta Freeman. Last we heard, the Eagles were pretty much lowballing Hyde, pitching the 1,000-yard rusher a veteran’s minimum deal. They might not be able to land Freeman, either. The Seahawks have offered him a deal worth around $3-4MM, which could be too rich for their blood.
McCoy would likely come at a cheaper rate than Freeman. If he returns to Philly, he’ll join Miles Sanders and Boston Scott in their RB group.
Latest On Dak Prescott, Cowboys
The Cowboys have until July 15th to hammer out a new deal with Dak Prescott. Apparently, they’re not all that close to an agreement. So far, the talks have consisted of the Cowboys pushing for a longer deal and the quarterback gunning for a shorter contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
There’s little doubt that Prescott’s next deal will make him a very, very rich man. However, Schefter’s report indicates that there’s no truth to a recent rumor that made the rounds on Wednesday. The internet was buzzing with talk of a five-year, $175MM offer for the quarterback, but there was apparently no truth to those rumors. According to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, the Cowboys have an offer on the table that would make Prescott the league’s second-highest player in terms of average annual value (behind Seahawks star Russell Wilson and his $35MM AAV). That jibes with what we heard several months ago, when it was reported that Dallas had offered a contract with an AAV of about $33.5MM during the scouting combine (though that proposal didn’t gain much traction).
Currently, Prescott is slated to earn ~$31.4MM in 2020, per the terms of the franchise tag. If they can’t come to terms on an extension by July 15th, they’ll have to wait until after the season to restart talks. There’s clear mutual interest in a multi-year arrangement, but Prescott wants a shorter deal so that he can cash in all over again with youth on his side. The Cowboys, meanwhile, want a longer deal that won’t completely break the bank.
“There’s all sorts of analytics out there that show if your quarterback takes up too big a percentage of your salary cap, it decreases your chances to win,” COO Stephen Jones said recently. “We’re just trying to figure out the right fit. No one wants to sign Dak to a longer term deal more than Jerry and myself. We’re on the record time and time again on what we think of him as a leader. He has the ‘it’ factor. He’s a fierce competitor. He wants to win as well, and it’s just gotta be right for him and right for us.”
Prescott, a two-time Pro Bowler, threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019. He’s seeking a deal that would make him the league’s highest-paid quarterback, vaulting him ahead of Wilson. But as a source tells ESPN’s Ed Werder, the two sides are close enough on dollars that a long-term deal by July 15 is in reach (Twitter link). If they can agree on the length of the contract, this matter could come together quickly.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
NFL To Vote On Major Rule Changes
The NFL figures to look mighty different in 2020. On Tuesday, owners will vote on the following rule proposals, per a press release from the league office: 
- From the Eagles: An alternative to the onside kick, that would allow the trailing team a chance to keep the ball after scoring by going for it on a 4th-and-15 play from the kicking team’s 25-yard line. As Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes, this is similar to the rule used by the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.
- From the Eagles: A permanent expansion of automatic replay to including “scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul, and any successful/ unsuccessful try attempt.”
- From the Dolphins: Give the defense the option to have the clock to start on the referee’s signal, if the defense declines an offensive penalty late in the first or second half.
- From the Ravens and Chargers: The addition of a “booth umpire” as well as the addition of a “Senior Technology Advisor to the Referee” to assist officials.
- Increased “defenseless player protection” for a kick or punt returner who is “in possession of the ball but who has not had time to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent.” (from the Competition Committee)
- Cutting down on game clock manipulation by disallowing “multiple dead-ball fouls while the clock is running.” (from the Competition Committee)
The Eagles’ proposed amendment to the league’s onside kick is the boldest of the bunch, and support is growing among owners, Pelissero hears (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the Ravens/Chargers idea for a “sky judge” also has momentum (Twitter link). Either way, Pelissero gets the sense that some version of that concept will be tested in the preseason.
Seahawks, Devonta Freeman Discussing Deal
The Seahawks are showing interest in one of the NFL’s best remaining free agents. They’ve made an offer to running back Devonta Freeman, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM reports (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). However, they’re not aligned on dollars, and the Seahawks are holding their ground for now. Seattle is offering a one-year deal with a base value of less than $3MM and a maximum value of up to $4MM, tweets Mike Silver of NFL.com.
[RELATED: The Top Remaining Free Agents In The NFL]
The Seahawks’ interest in Freeman is partially due to Rashaad Penny‘s knee injury. Penny is unlikely to be available for the start of training camp and Caplan hears that his Week 1 availability is in question. Beyond Penny, the Seahawks also have Chris Carson, Travis Homer, and fourth-round pick Deejay Dallas on the depth chart.
Seattle believes Carson will be good to go this year and feels big things are in store for Homer after he averaged 6.3 yards per carry as a rookie. Still, they could use more help at RB and Homer’s impressive showing came in a limited sample size of totes.
Freeman, 28, appeared in 14 games for the Falcons in 2019 but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry on 184 attempts. Advanced metrics weren’t any more complimentary of Freeman’s performance, as Football Outsiders ranked him just 41st among 43 running backs in success rate.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have also discussed a reunion with Marshawn Lynch. There’s likely only room for one of the two vets in Seattle.