Redskins Exercise Adrian Peterson’s Option
The Redskins announced that they have exercised Adrian Peterson‘s option for the 2020 season. With that, they’ve committed to the legendary running back for his age-35 campaign. 
[RELATED: Greg Olsen Turns Down Redskins, Signs With Seahawks]
Peterson will count for a $3.1MM hit against the Redskins’ 2020 cap. Had they declined the option, the Redskins would have saved $2.4MM.
In 2020, Peterson will be chasing history. He currently sits fifth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list and he can leapfrog Barry Sanders with another ~1,000 yards. That won’t be easy to do, but Peterson ran for 1,042 yards in his first season with the Redskins and notched 898 yards on the ground last year.
Peterson has had his ups and downs, but he staved off Father Time in 2019. Last year, he played in 15 games and averaged 4.3 yards per tote. At the same time, Derrius Guice was limited to just five games and there are serious question marks about his status given his longstanding medical history.
Bringing back Peterson solves one part of the Redskins’ RB puzzle. They still have to figure out what they’ll do with pass-catching specialist Chris Thompson, who is slated for free agency. The Redskins will also have to keep an eye on 2019 fourth-round pick Bryce Love who has yet to play an NFL down thanks to his pre-draft ACL tear.
Browns’ Greg Robinson Arrested
Greg Robinson could be in some legal trouble as he gets set for free agency in March. The former No. 2 overall pick was arrested near the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday and police say that he was carrying a large quantity of marijuana (via TMZ). 
Robinson is facing a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute, according to the report. This may hamper Robinson’s market, which was already looking iffy after a down year with the Browns.
Robinson, 28 in October, was solid in his first year with Cleveland. He re-upped with the Browns on a one-year, $7MM deal before the 2019 season, but he failed to deliver an encore performance. He allowed lots of pressures against Baker Mayfield, garnered lots of flags, and temporarily lost his starting job.
Despite his natural talent and size (he stands at 6’5″ and weighs about 330 pounds), Robinson has yet to show consistency at the pro level. The dearth of tackles across the NFL probably would have allowed him to find some guaranteed money on the open market, but this latest news will hurt his chances. And the Browns, who are open to giving running back Kareem Hunt another chance after his latest slip-up, might not have the same level of patience with Robinson.
Latest On Eagles, Alshon Jeffery
Contractually, the Eagles seem to have little choice but to keep Alshon Jeffery for the 2020 season. However, a clause in his deal could allow them an escape hatch, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
Last season, a WIP reporter alleged that Jeffery was the anonymous team source behind unflattering comments about quarterback Carson Wentz. Jeffery’s deal, like many, includes default language against “any public comment that criticizes the team, teammates, coaches, ownership, etc.” The Eagles, meanwhile, retain the right to put that into motion if the team “reasonably determines, in its sole discretion” that a default is called for.
It would be a messy war to wage, but the Eagles engaged in a similar battle with Terrell Owens after he slammed Donovan McNabb. The big difference, of course, is that Owens was on-the-record and Jeffery been largely complimentary of Wentz publicly.
Such a move seems unlikely, but it’s worth keeping in mind as the Eagles try to improve at wide receiver this offseason. As it stands, they’re bound to just about every WR in the group, save for pending free agent Nelson Agholor.
Jeffery’s four-year, $72MM deal gave him a whopping guarantee of nearly $55MM. And, thanks to a restructure, releasing him now would cost the club more than $26MM. An outright release without defaulting his deal is simply off the table. Trading Jeffery, in theory, could be more palatable – it’d shave $10MM off of the cap hit, though teams probably aren’t lining up for him at this stage.
The most likely outcome is that the Eagles will bring back Jeffery with the hope that he’s happy and healthy. They’ll also have to hope that he finds the same kind of chemistry with Wentz that he had with Nick Foles.
Dolphins To Keep Josh Rosen?
The Dolphins seem intent on heading into 2020 with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their bridge to a rookie quarterback. That leaves Josh Rosen without much of a role, but that won’t necessarily result in the former first-round pick being pushed out of Miami. Rosen is likely to stay on the roster, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Cooling On Tua, Warming Up To Herbert?]
From a fiscal standpoint, the Dolphins would have little reason to release Rosen. Still on his rookie deal, Rosen is slated to count for just $2.079MM against the 2020 cap. Releasing him would only leave them with a larger dead money hit and zero savings. Cutting Rosen would also be bad optics – they shipped a second-round pick, plus a fifth-round choice, to the Cardinals for him just one year ago.
Rosen hasn’t shown much at the pro level, but he’s still only 23 and not far removed from his impressive game film at UCLA. There’s always the possibility that injuries elsewhere lead to trade interest in Chosen Rosen between now and September. Granted, the Dolphins won’t have a ton of leverage if they’re rostering Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, or another top rookie QB alongside Fitz.
For his part, Rosen has indicated that he wants to stay in Miami, even though that means playing second fiddle to a 37-year-old.
“I’m very encouraged just in general day to day, in how I’ve developed and watching Fitz do his thing,” Rosen said in December, some time after losing his starting job. “It’s not really the window is opened and closed like that. But there’s a sense of understanding time and opportunity. I’m aware of it, but it’s all for you guys to write about more than for me to worry about. Opportunities will come and I’ll try to seize them.”
Falcons Re-Sign Younghoe Koo, Ryan Allen
The Falcons have re-upped two key members of their special teams unit. Kicker Younghoe Koo and punter Ryan Allen will return on new one-year deals, per a club announcement.
[RELATED: Looking Back At Roddy White‘s Career]
Last year, Koo flashed his unique onside kick ability, helping Atlanta recover the ball on multiple occasions in crunch time. That included three straight conversions against the Saints on Thanksgiving, if counting the one that was erased by a penalty. He also nailed 15 of his 16 field goal tries, proving that he belongs in the NFL and solidifying his place in Atlanta’s offseason plans.
Last year, Matt Bosher‘s groin injury started a cycle of punters. Allen latched on with the team in November, lost his spot a few weeks later when Bosher returned, then rejoined his old friends in early December when Bosher reverted to the injured reserve list.
In other Falcons news, they’ll have a decision to make on longtime running back Devonta Freeman.
Latest On Broncos’ Joe Flacco
After Joe Flacco‘s latest beck MRI, the Broncos are confident that the quarterback will be able to play in 2020, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter) hears. Of course, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be playing in Denver. 
If the Broncos move forward with youngster Drew Lock as their starter, Flacco would be a logical veteran backup. However, his contract calls for $20.25MM in base salary next year, so he’d have to agree to a sizable pay cut in order to make that work. Barring a new deal, the Broncos can release Flacco to save $10MM+ against the cap with $13.6MM left in dead money.
Injuries have hampered Flacco throughout his career. He missed time in 2015 and 2018 and also played through back pain in 2017, but his latest neck injury was especially serious. In early November, the Broncos shut the signal caller down for the second half of the season.
Flacco, 35, completed 65.3% of his passes in 2019, higher than any previous season in his career. That doesn’t quite tell the whole story, though – he also threw just six touchdown passes against five interceptions.
If Flacco reaches free agency, he’ll be overshadowed by a crop of QBs that may include some mix of Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill, Teddy Bridgewater, and other big names. Still, his latest scan indicates that he’ll be ready to go for teams eyeing a backup or a bridge solution for a rookie passer.
Eagles Part Ways With Nigel Bradham
The Eagles are moving on from linebacker Nigel Bradham, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. By declining his option, they’ll make him a free agent in mid-March. 
After spending his first four seasons with the Bills, Bradham joined the Eagles as a free agent in 2016. That first deal – two years at $7MM – proved to be a tremendous value. After that, he was re-upped on a five-year, $40MM deal that delivered mix results. And, thanks to a one-game suspension for aggravated assault, Bradham’s $14MM in guarantees were wiped out.
Bradham did not perform up to his usual standards in 2019 and he was limited to just 12 games. Over the last four years, he’s started in all 58 of his games for the Birds, notching 348 tackles along the way.
Had he stayed, Bradham would have counted for $9.7MM against the salary cap. Instead, they’ll save roughly $4.5MM.
Given his history with the team, it’s possible that he could return on a cheaper deal, but the Eagles will prioritize other linebacker options in the interim. Bradham surely would have liked to play out the remainder of his $40MM contract, but they’ve at least done him a solid by giving him advanced notice.
Bradham, turns 31 in September, just before the start of what would be his ninth career season as a pro.
Saints’ Drew Brees To Play In 2020
Drew Brees isn’t going anywhere. On Tuesday, the Saints star took to social media to announce that he will continue playing in 2020. 
“I look forward to the grind and the journey, for the reward at the end will be worth it,” Brees wrote on Instagram. “Love you #WhoDatNation. Let’s make another run at it!”
Most expected Brees to stave off retirement for at least one more year, though he’s been mulling over his future since the end of the season. And, although he’ll technically reach free agency next month, he’s left little doubt about his intentions – he’s gone on the record to say that he’ll either play for the Saints, or retire. Now that Option #2 is no longer on the table, he’ll re-sign with New Orleans in short order.
Brees, who turned 41 in January, completed 74.3% of his passes in 2019, marking his third straight year as the NFL’s leader in that category. His thumb injury cost him five games, but he still managed 2,979 yards with 27 touchdowns against just four interceptions in eleven contests. And, the postseason did not go as planned, but he capped off the regular season in unbelievable fashion – he connected on 29 of 30 throws against the Colts as he set the league’s new all-time record for career touchdown passes.
Given everything he’s accomplished, it stands to reason that this will be his final season in New Orleans. He’ll also be tasked with passing the baton in 2020 – likely to Taysom Hill, a restricted free agent who is expected to be retained. Brees has said that he is comfortable with acting as Hill’s mentor in a bridge year, so it should be a seamless transition for one of the league’s most high-powered offenses.
We already knew that Brees would not be exploring the open market, but his return will have plenty of ramifications in the free agent quarterback carousel. The biggie, of course, is that backup Teddy Bridgewater is most likely out of the picture. Without the luxury of keeping the former first-round pick as a second- or third-stringer, he’ll be allowed to walk, where plenty of teams will pursue him as a starter or a bridge QB.
Latest On Lions’ Darius Slay
In the past, Darius Slay has expressed a desire to remain with the Lions – albeit, with a contract that reflects his true value. But, after two years of unfruitful extension talks, Slay would welcome a fresh start elsewhere, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link) hears. 
Earlier this week, we learned that multiple clubs have reached out with interest in the Pro Bowl cornerback. The identities of those clubs are not yet known, but we can take some educated guesses on the suitors. The Eagles, who tried to swing a pre-deadline trade for Slay after whiffing on Jalen Ramsey, have a clear need for him. The Broncos, who could be on the verge of parting ways with pending free agent Chris Harris, would also make lots of sense. Ditto clubs for the Colts – who have the cap flexibility to give Slay the deal that he wants – and the Texans.
Slay has one year to go on his four-year, $48MM deal with Detroit. He’s slated to earn a base salary of $10MM this year, well below his true value. He’s not coming off of his best season, but he’s played as one of the league’s best cover men in the past. In 2017, he notched a league-leading eight interceptions and 26 passes defensed. It was near impossible to match those numbers in 2018, of course, but he still turned in a strong year with three picks and finished out as a top 25 cornerback in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics.
Beyond the dollar amounts, there could also be some hurt feelings between the Lions and their top cornerback. Last year, Slay was vocal about his displeasure with the club’s trade of Quandre Diggs. Later, when asked about the possibility of being traded himself, Slay said that he “personally wouldn’t care.”
Chris Harris Doesn’t Expect Broncos Return
Four-time Pro Bowler Chris Harris is on his way to free agency. Based on the lack of talks between him and the Broncos, he figures that he’s also on his way to a new team. 
[RELATED: Looking Back At Shannon Sharpe’s Departure From The Broncos]
“I think that’s the direction right now,” Harris said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic). “I think everybody deserves to see what they’re worth, and I deserve it at this point. I think I worked my tail off for nine years, I gave the city every ounce of effort that I could give and, shoot, it’s time to see what everybody else thinks about me.”
Harris, 31 in June, has spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Broncos. The Broncos have made an effort to keep him, though their offer of a $12MM/year deal before last year’s trade deadline fell short. Reportedly, that offer included only one guaranteed season. In terms of real money, Harris can probably do a lot better elsewhere, even though he didn’t play up to his usual standards in 2019.
“I didn’t really do what I’ve done in the past,” Harris said. “I (previously) played everywhere on the field on the defensive side, getting everybody lined up, telling them what’s about to happen and things like that. But when really, when you just have me at corner, I’m just playing corner. I’m not doing everything that I’m doing on the football field.”
In 2014, Harris passed up his chance at the open market by signing a team-friendly extension. He won’t be doing that this time as there should be several clubs ready to discuss deals in the $15MM/year range with him.
Other notable free agent corners this offseason include James Bradberry, Josh Norman, Logan Ryan, Byron Jones, and Mike Hilton. Meanwhile, teams are burning up the phone lines with interest in Lions star Darius Slay.