XFL Commissioner On Colin Kaepernick
The XFL kicked off its (second) inaugural season over the weekend with a handful of notable quarterbacks under center. Colin Kaepernick – the best-known free agent in professional football – was not among that group of signal callers. In an interview with NPR’s Michel Martin, XFL commissioner Oliver Luck once again cited Kaep’s salary demands as a barrier and was noncommittal when asked about the possibility of the former 49ers star joining the league in the future. 
[RELATED: Antonio Callaway Joins XFL]
“I don’t know,” Luck said (transcript via NBC Sports). “That was well over a year ago, so I don’t know what kind of shape, you know, Colin is in. And, you know, we haven’t followed that because obviously, again, we want the best players who are interested in playing in our league. That’s, you know, pretty much a requisite for our job.”
On the field, the XFL features a unique rule set that allows for “double forward” passes and three-point conversions. On the sidelines, the players are required to stand for the national anthem. Luck indicated that an exception would not be made for Kaepernick, even if the two sides were able to come to terms on salary.
“Players have numerous opportunities to express themselves with all the platforms that exist today,” Luck told NPR. “So, you know, standing for the national anthem we believe is a part of their responsibility as players in our league. But we think it’s important to have that — you know, that requirement for our players…We think it’s important. We think it’s part of what we as a league should do.”
Kaepernick, 33 in November, has not played since the 2016 NFL season finale. At this point, a return to professional football does not seem imminent in the NFL or the XFL. Among the notable QBs that are on the field for Vince McMahon‘s second attempt at football: Brandon Silvers, Cardale Jones, Josh Johnson, Philip Walker, Landry Jones, and Matt McGloin.
Ravens Sign Chuck Clark To Extension
Chuck Clark isn’t going anywhere. On Monday, the Ravens announced the signing of a three-year extension for their safety. 
“Chuck is a great story about hard work, patience, preparation and passion,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “He waited for his chance and seized the opportunity. Chuck’s a good football player, a fine teammate and a respected leader. He’s the type of player we want on our defense for a long time. Congrats to Chuck and his family.”
Clark, 24, enjoyed a breakout season in 2019. After starting the year as a reserve, he cracked the starting lineup in Week 6 and delivered impressive performances throughout the second half of the year. All in all, he logged 68 tackles, one sack, one interception, and nine passes defensed across 16 games (12 starts).
Before the extension, Clark was set to play out the final year of his rookie deal in 2020. After the former sixth-round pick earns a modest salary for the 2020 season, he’ll see a significant step up – he’ll make $15.3MM over the course of the additional three years, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) hears. Including the ’20 season, the Ravens have him for four years and $16MM, Schefter hears. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that the three additional deals are actually worth $19MM with $10MM in guarantees (the $19MM figure may include incentives; it’s not yet clear whether the $10MM figure represents full guarantees at signing.)
Given Clark’s status as a starting safety, this profiles as a very team-friendly deal for the Ravens. Clark won’t turn 25 until April and the Ravens have locked him down through most of his prime years at a very reasonable rate. Meanwhile, Clark has secured his financial future with the deal in exchange for sacrificing open market upside.
With Clark in the starting lineup, the Ravens boasted the league’s best defense from Week 7 onward. They’ll look to keep the momentum going with several key secondary players signed for multiple seasons – cornerback Marcus Peters and nickel corner Tavon Young are under contract through 2022 thanks to their extensions last year.
Greg Olsen Expected To Sign With NFL Team This Week
Greg Olsen is almost ready to make his free agent decision. By the end of the week, the tight end expects to choose his next NFL squad, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
Olsen kicked off his free agent tour by meeting with the Bills last week. Today, he’ll huddle up with the Redskins before moving on to the Seahawks on Wednesday.
It has been said that Olsen is also weighing a jump to broadcasting, but from the sound of it, the tight end will be staving off retirement for another offseason. Olsen has garnered lucrative offers from both ESPN and FOX over the years, so it stands to reason that those opportunities will be there waiting for him, whenever he’s ready to hang ’em up.
The Seahawks would probably represent Olsen’s best chance to win a Super Bowl ring, but the Bills and Redskins also have a lot to offer. With the Bills, Olsen would have an opportunity to pair with the young and promising Josh Allen and occupy a significant role in the offense. The Redskins, meanwhile, would allow him to reunite with Ron Rivera, the longtime Panthers coach that guided him to a streak of three 1,000-yard seasons and multiple Pro Bowl appearances.
Olsen, 35 in March, has notched 718 catches for 8,444 yards and 59 touchdowns over the course of his career. Last year, he had an uncharacteristically quiet season with the Panthers – 52 grabs, 597 yards, and just two touchdowns in 14 games.
Redskins To Keep Adrian Peterson?
It’s not a sure thing just yet, but the Redskins are likely to exercise Adrian Peterson‘s option for the 2020 season, according to a source that spoke with ESPN.com’s John Keim. If the option is triggered, Peterson will count for a $3.1MM cap hit. If they decline it, they’ll save $2.4MM. 
[RELATED: James Bradberry Eyeing Redskins?]
Despite his advanced age, Peterson has been one of the Redskins’ most durable players in recent seasons. That’s key, especially given the question marks surrounding the health of Derrius Guice. The LSU product is immensely talented, but he’s undergone three knee surgeries over the last couple of years.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Redskins’ RB room is in flux – pass-catching specialist Chris Thompson is ticketed for free agency and 2019 fourth-round pick Bryce Love has yet to play thanks to a pre-draft ACL tear.
Peterson, a four-time first-team All-Pro, has averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry for the Redskins. He’s also racked up quite an odometer – Peterson has carried the ball 3,036 times over the course of 13 seasons. In March, he’ll celebrate his 35th birthday, though he has expressed a desire to play up until the age of 40.
Currently fifth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, Peterson is 1,000 yards shy of toppling Barry Sanders for No. 4.
Seahawks To Stick With Jason Myers?
On Friday, a large chunk of Jason Myers‘ salary became guaranteed for the 2020 season, as ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson (on Twitter) notes. With that, Myers should enter the core of the offseason as the Seahawks’ presumptive kicker. 
Myers joined up with the Seahawks on a four-year, ~$16MM deal last March. He went on to make 82.1% of his field goals – a step down from his career average and a significant drop from his 91.7% connection rate with the Jets in 2018. In that season with Gang Green, Myers earned his first ever trip to the Pro Bowl.
The Seahawks tend to steer players towards injury-only guarantees that become fully guaranteed in each offseason. That was the case with Myers, who locked in $1.5MM of his $2.6MM base salary for 2020 this week. Ditto for bigger names, including Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, and Tyler Lockett.
For his career, Myers has made 83.9% of his field goal tries and 88.5% of his extra point attempts. Over the last five seasons, he’s appeared in 70 games for the Jaguars, Jets, and Seahawks.
Latest On NFL CBA Talks
On Thursday, the NFLPA gathered in Los Angeles to discuss the owners’ latest proposal for the collective bargaining agreement. Although there is no true deadline for an agreement, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that there is some sense of urgency within the union to work out an accord. It’s expected that more meetings between the two sides, or at least internally for the NFLPA, will be scheduled for next week.
Some player representatives continue to be staunchly opposed to an expanded 17-game season, which is the foremost issue in the talks. Owners are looking for the new CBA to give them the option to add an extra game between 2021 and 2023. The proposal would boost the players’ cut from 47% of league revenue to 48.5%, a number that would inch even higher if the option is triggered.
The union is looking for ways to make the expanded season “more palatable for players,” Graziano reports. The owners’ say they’ll eliminate one preseason game for every regular season game that’s added. Meanwhile, their proposal still calls for only one bye week. In theory, we’d speculate that a compromise could include the addition of a second bye week, to give players additional in-season rest.
Both sides are aiming to get a new deal done in time for the start of the 2020 league year on March 18, Graziano hears. If that happens, the fresh CBA would supersede the final year of the existing one and take both sides through 2029.
James Bradberry Eyeing Redskins?
On the cusp of his first turn through free agency, Panthers cornerback James Bradberry says he wouldn’t mind reuniting with former head coach Ron Rivera. 
[RELATED: Redskins Meet With Greg Olsen]
“I would love to play for Coach Rivera again,” Bradberry told NBC Sports. “He’s a great man and a great coach. He coached me for four years. I didn’t realize how much he meant to us until that day [he got fired]…Just how he spoke to us as men. He wasn’t overly aggressive unless he needed to be. He put his foot down when he needed to be.”
Of course, Bradberry added that he’s looking to be paid what he’s worth. For any team that signs him, that’ll require a significant commitment – the former second-round pick has stifled some of the league’s best receivers in Carolina, setting him up for a huge payday on the open market. In other words, if there’s any “discount” to be had for Rivera & Co., it won’t be a substantial one.
Meanwhile, Bradberry says that, ideally, he’d like to re-up with the only team he’s ever known.
“Dream scenario, I would love to continue my career with the Carolina Panthers,” he said. “I’ve been there for four years. One of my closest friends on the team, Shaq Thompson, he’s still there. I would love to get to finish the rest of my career alongside him.”
Thompson, a tenacious linebacker, inked a four-year, $54MM extension with the Panthers in December. That deal put him in the top five for all linebackers in the NFL, and Bradberry is also aiming for top placement at his position.
In 2019, Bradberry snagged three interceptions and registered 65 total tackles. The advanced metrics have never been too fond of his work, but Rivera is a fan, and a number of clubs will be interested in the 26-year-old (27 in August). He’s also be a logical fit from a football perspective, especially if Rivera drops another old colleague in Josh Norman.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/7/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: P Sam Irwin-Hill
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: C Jake Brendel
Dez Bryant Wants To Return To Cowboys
Could Dez Bryant reunite with the Cowboys? Cowboys VP Stephen Jones says the wide receiver has reached out to him and he’s not ruling out the possibility of signing the veteran.
“He has texted me that he would like to come back,” Jones said (via Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram). “We have nothing but great respect for Dez and what he accomplished here. Certainly, as we look forward into the future we look at all opportunities and all potential players that could maybe help us out.”
There haven’t been advanced discussions regarding Bryant just yet, however. Jones explained that he has only started discussing personnel with head coach Mike McCarthy. The two haven’t made determinations on their own free agents either, so Jones says nothing has been decided regarding tight end Jason Witten or linebacker Sean Lee.
Bryant spent eight years with the Cowboys, racking up 531 catches, nearly 7,500 yards, and a franchise-high 73 receiving touchdowns. His run included three straight seasons of at least 88 grabs, 1,200 yards, and 12 touchdowns. During that window from 2012-2014, Bryant was one of the league’s best receivers, and the Cowboys gave him a lucrative contract to reflect his production.
Of course, things didn’t end too well for Bryant and the Cowboys. In his last three seasons with Dallas, Bryant failed to top 900 yards. Then, the Cowboys dropped him in April of 2018, which put him on the curb after most of the NFL’s available free agent dollars had been allocated. Midway through the ’18 season, Bryant hooked on with the Saints. He never suited up for them, however, thanks to an Achilles tear in practice. Last year, Bryant was away from the NFL and training for an eventual return.
Bryant, a three-time Pro Bowler, will turn 32 in November.
Wade Phillips Waiting For Next NFL Opportunity
When the Rams parted ways with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, we expected the veteran coach to garner tons of interest from teams. Apparently, that hasn’t been the case. Phillips says that he has been hanging on the telephone to no avail. 
“I just want to be able to help somebody win,” Phillips told Albert Breer of The MMQB.
Phillips, 72, spoke with new Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski about a position on his staff, but a deal never came together. At this point, Phillips may be looking at his first year outside of the NFL since 2014. Most in their 70s would be content in retirement, but that’s not the case for Phillips, who began his pro coaching career all the way back in 1976.
In 2019, Phillips’ Rams D allowed 22.8 points per game and 339.6 yards per contest, putting them in the middle of the NFL pack in both categories. It wasn’t his finest year, but Phillips has guided some elite defenses over the years. Before he linked up with Sean McVay, Phillips oversaw the Broncos’ vaunted “No Fly Zone” secondary and helped the franchise capture a Super Bowl ring in 2015. Despite last season’s hiccups – including the surrender of 44 points to the Cowboys in December – Phillips remains a beloved and well-respected figure in the NFL.
For now, Phillips and his wife are still in California. If he doesn’t land a job for this upcoming season, they’ll relocate back to their permanent home in Houston.