NFL Tables Rooney Rule Draft Proposal
On Tuesday, the NFL proposed incentives to further the mission of the Rooney Rule and increase the league’s number of minority coaches and lead executives. That resolution has been tabled for the time being, according to NFL.com’s Jim Trotter (on Twitter).
Under the proposed plan, teams would receive improved draft slots in exchange for hiring head coaches or “primary football executives” (read: GMs) of color. A team hiring a minority HC would move up six spots in the third round; a team hiring a minority GM would move up 10. Those incentives would also be combined – hiring both would mean a 16-spot leap in Round 3.
Reaction to the draft-related proposal was mostly negative, so it is not exactly surprising to see it stalled. But the league did make some key changes this week, implementations that add to teams’ hiring processes — which have received criticism in recent years. Of the past 20 head coaching vacancies, minorities filled only three. The changes will force teams to meet with more people of color.
Teams must interview multiple external minority HC candidates and expanding the Rooney Rule to the coordinator level. Clubs must also interview at least one minority candidate for all coordinator positions. These changes did not require a vote and will take effect immediately. But the more controversial changes involving draft positions, which first surfaced last week, will be pushed back.
Latest On DeAndre Baker, Quinton Dunbar
After being released on bond, Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar have entered not guilty pleas, as ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe writes. Baker is facing eight charges in connection with the alleged armed robbery in Florida; Dunbar is facing four counts. 
[RELATED: DeAndre Baker, Quinton Dunbar Released On Bond]
Meanwhile, the attorneys for both cornerbacks are going on the offensive. Michael Grieco, the lawyer representing Dunbar, says it’s “completely untrue” that the duo gambled away $70K before the night in question (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson). Furthermore, Grieco claims that they’re not especially close friends and they weren’t together at all in the weeks leading up to the fateful Wednesday.
The police department in Miramar, Florida has a different account of things. Authorities say Baker held partygoers at gunpoint while Dunbar robbed them. Some witnesses claimed that Dunbar also had a gun. With the aid of a third man wearing a mask, Miramar PD says they ran off with thousands of dollars, plus a Rolex, Hublot, and a Audemars Piguet.
Now, the duo will wait to find out whether the charges will actually be filed. Grieco expects word within a month and, ultimately, believes that his client will be cleared. Either way, the NFL is expected to conduct its own investigation into the matter.
Raiders Waive CB Nick Nelson
On Monday, the Raiders officially announced their signing of cornerback Prince Amukamara. To make room on the roster, they waived fellow corner Nick Nelson with a failed-physical designation.
Nelson was cut with a failed physical designation, bringing his Raiders run to a close after just two years. Nelson was a fourth-round pick of the (then Oakland) Raiders in 2018 and saw time in ten games as a rookie. Last year, however, he spent most of his time on the practice squad. Jon Gruden called him up to the varsity squad ahead of Week 15, but he landed on injured reserve before the season finale.
Unfortunately, Nelson is no stranger to the injury bug. Just weeks before the draft, Nelson suffered a torn meniscus during a private workout for an NFL club. The Raiders still used a fourth-round choice on the 5’11” Wisconsin product, believing that his coverage skills would translate to the pro game and make up for his stature.
If Nelson goes unclaimed in the next 24 hours, he’ll be free to sign with any team. If he gets picked up, his new team will be on the hook for the two remaining years on his deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/18/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: LB Martrell Spaight
Spaight joined the Chiefs early on in 2019 as a reserve/future signing but retired abruptly last May. Now that KC released him from the reserve/retired list, he’ll be free to sign with another club, if that’s what he’s looking to do. A fifth-round pick of the Redskins back in 2015, Spaight suited up in 30 games before moving on to the Jaguars and Dolphins in 2018. His most productive season came in 2017 when he saw time in 15 games (including six starts) and tallied 75 stops.
NFL Draft Signings: 5/18/20
We’ll keep track of today’s later round draft signings here:
- The Lions agreed to terms with sixth-round defensive tackle John Penisini, according to agent David Canter (Twitter link). Penisini specializes in stopping the run, though he did tally a handful of sacks from the interior while at Utah. Now, he’ll look to make the 53-man roster cut as a supporting cast member behind projected starters Danny Shelton and John Atkins.
Tagovailoa, Brown Have Offset Language
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown have offset language in their contracts, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. So far, they’re the only two first-round picks to have their deals in place, so that’s an indication most of the Top 32 will follow suit. 
Rookie contracts for NFL draft picks are cut-and-dry, for the most part, thanks to the slotting system. However, offset language is usually the biggest barrier to an agreement. If a player with offset language is released midway through the contract and signs elsewhere, the original team is only on the hook for the difference in salary between the two deals. Without offset language, the player can effectively collect two paychecks. Naturally, agents try to preserve that potential earning power while owners push back.
Breer expects just about every first-round pick to make the same concession, except for Jaguars first-round picks C.J. Henderson (No. 9 overall) and K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 20 overall). Historically, the Jaguars have not pushed offsets on players, but most teams do. It would only make sense for teams to insist on offsets, particularly following this truly unprecedented evaluation period. In essence, offset language serves as a bit of insurance against the possibility of a draft bust.
On the whole, the Dolphins are excited about Tagovailoa’s potential, despite his surgically-repaired hip and other past issues on his medical chart. In accordance with his slot at No. 5 overall, he’ll make just over $30MM over the course of a four-year deal. Brown, meanwhile, is set to make just under $24MM over the course of his four year deal with the Panthers. As first round picks, both deals will include fifth-year options. They’ll also come with a bit of extra protection, thanks to the offset language included within.
Latest On Bills DL Ed Oliver
Ed Oliver will continue to participate in the Bills’ offseason program, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the defensive lineman is facing charges for gun possession and driving while intoxicated following his Saturday night arrest. 
[RELATED: Bills’ Ed Oliver Arrested On Gun, DWI Charges]
The Bills plan to let the legal process take its course, Pelissero hears, though it’s not immediately clear how the league office will proceed. Ideally, the Bills would like to have last year’s No. 9 overall pick on the field in 2020. Oliver showed serious potential with five sacks in his rookie year and he’s slated to take on an even larger role now that Jordan Phillips is out of the picture.
Last year, Phillips led the team with 9.5 sacks, but the Bills allowed him to walk in free agency knowing that Oliver could keep the pressure on. If Oliver’s availability is in doubt, the Bills may have to explore some out-of-house options for the front seven. For now, they’re projected to start Oliver, Mario Addison, Star Lotulelei, and Jerry Hughes on the front four. Meanwhile, they’ve got Quinton Jefferson, Vernon Butler, and Harrison Phillips among their backup options for the interior.
In other Bills news, GM Brandon Beane says he did not have any interest in a Sammy Watkins reunion this year. Watkins’ account may be slightly different, but in any case, the Bills are mostly set at wide receiver now that they have former Vikings superstar Stefon Diggs on board.
PFR Originals: 5/10/20 – 5/17/20
In case you missed it, here’s some of our faves from the past week:
- Will the Jets cut ties with Avery Williamson this year? He’s definitely a candidate for release, even though he tallied a career-high 120 tackles in his first year with the Jets. Last year, he saw his 2019 wiped out by a torn ACL. Now, the Jets have a decision to make: They can bank on Williamson’s health, or they could him to save $6.5MM against the cap.
- You already know that the NFL is a revolving door for head coaches, but you might be shocked to see them all listed out, in order of tenure. Spoiler: Bill Belichick leads the way and there are some extremely fresh faces near the top.
- The Buccaneers are beyond loaded at tight end and something has to give. Former first-round pick O.J. Howard and one-time standout Cameron Brate are both on the depth chart behind Rob Gronkowski, and Tampa Bay is probably only big enough for one of the two incumbents.
- Two years ago, the Cardinals signed Josh Rosen, thought to be their quarterback of the future. Two years later, the UCLA quarterback is in Miami, where he sits third on the depth chart behind Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick. We reflected on Rosen’s short-lived tenure in Arizona and what might come next for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2018 draft.
- Another odd anniversary for the Cardinals: Their release of Daryl Washington in 2017 – several years removed from his last on-field snap. After the Cardinals rejected the former Pro Bowler, he failed to find work anywhere else in the NFL. Even Jerry Jones didn’t want to get into business with him.
This Date In Transactions History: Steelers Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster
Three years ago today, JuJu Smith-Schuster officially joined the Steelers by signing his rookie deal. The USC product had considerable buzz heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, but the Steelers managed to snag him in the second round, at No. 62 overall. All in all, the Steelers secured four years of his services for just $4.2MM, including a $1.2MM signing bonus. 
[RELATED: Steelers Deny James Harrison’s Allegations]
Their investment paid dividends immediately. As a rookie, Smith-Schuster caught 58 passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns in just 14 games. In his last regular season game as an NFL frosh, he took a 96-yard kickoff all the way to the house and became the youngest player in NFL history to record more than 1,o00 all-purpose yards in a season. He celebrated his 21st birthday in November, so, yes, Smith-Schuster could drink to that.
In 2018, Smith-Schuster took things to a whole ‘nother level, recording 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven scores en route to his first ever Pro Bowl performance. With Le’Veon Bell staying home, Smith-Schuster was the talk of the town and the focal point of the Steelers’ offense, which didn’t exactly thrill longtime star Antonio Brown.
When Brown was shipped to the Raiders before the start of the ’19 season, Smith-Schuster became the Steelers’ unquestioned offensive superstar. Unfortunately, the Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger for much of the year and Smith-Schuster’s year was marred by a knee injury, plus a concussion suffered in their now infamous Week 11 game against the Browns. It was a year that everyone in Pittsburgh would rather not think about.
What’s next for Smith-Schuster is anyone’s guess. He’s now set to enter the final year of that rookie pact with a modest cap number of $1.335MM. Last year, we expected the Steelers to be gearing up for a massive contract extension that would put him at or near the top of the market. Right now, Smith-Schuster’s best bet would probably be to wait things out so that he can restore his value. The Steelers might not be in a huge rush either – they’ll want to see how Smith-Schuster does before making a monster commitment and, even if he reprises his ’18 season, they’ll have the franchise tag at their disposal.
NFL Draft Signings: 5/17/20
We’ll keep track of today’s draft signings here:
- The Lions announced the signing of fourth-round guard Logan Stenberg. The Kentucky product made 39 consecutive starts in college, finished with first-team All-SEC honors, and did not allow a single sack in 2019. With Detroit, he’ll be a part of the rotation on the interior, though he’ll also have to vie with fellow rookie Jonah Jackson, a third-round pick. For now, the Lions project to lead with some combination of veterans Oday Aboushi, Joe Dahl, and Kenny Wiggins.