Zachary Links | Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins Trade DeVante Parker To Patriots

April 2nd, 2022 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are sending DeVante Parker to the Patriots (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Once finalized, the trade will see Parker and a 2022 fifth-round pick go to the Patriots in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick.

Bill Belichick & Co. have done plenty of scouting on Parker, a longtime staple of their AFC East rival. While his career has been up-and-down, his raw talent is undeniable. He’ll provide the Pats with more veteran support in their WR unit, joining a group that also includes Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, N’Keal Harry, Ty Montgomery, Kristian Wilkerson, and Malcolm Perry.

The Dolphins recent acquisition of Tyreek Hill left Parker without a clearly defined role. In turn, Parker’s camp asked the Dolphins to help him find a better landing spot.

“I am truly grateful to the Dolphins and to coach Belichick and [owner] Bob Kraft in their efforts to make this happen,” said Parker’s agent, Jimmy Gould. (Twitter link via Rapoport).

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have bolstered their already impressive stockpile of draft ammo. Even after the Hill blockbuster, they still have two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and, now, two third-round picks in next year’s draft.

The Patriots will assume the balance of Parker’s contract – a $5.65MM base salary in 2022 (with $500K in per-game bonuses) and $5.7MM in 2013 (also with $500K in per-game roster bonuses). However, he’s not owed any guaranteed money, so the Patriots can cut ties whenever they’d like. As Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets, New England was very thorough in its search for a wide receiver, and even had exploratory talks with Odell Beckham Jr. The Pats were also interested in OBJ after he was cut by the Browns in November.

Parker, a 2015 first-round pick, showed serious promise in 2019 with 72 catches, 1,202 yards, and nine touchdowns that year. He hasn’t done nearly as much since, especially following the emergence of Jaylen Waddle last year. In 2021, Parker finished with just 40 grabs for 515 yards and two TDs.

Saints To Sign Jaleel Johnson

April 2nd, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

Jaleel Johnson is headed to New Orleans (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). On Saturday, the former Texans and Vikings defensive tackle agreed to a one-year deal with the Saints, adding serious bulk to the rebuilding club.

Johnson, 28 in July, spend the first four years of his career in Minnesota, where he appeared in 53 games for 20 starts. He hooked on with the Texans last year, seeing time in 12 games as a reserve.

While he’s not a household name, Johnson has carved out a role as a serviceable run-stuffer. Listed at 6’3″, 316 pounds, he’s also managed to get to the quarterback on occasion. In 2019, for example, he notched 3.5 sacks from the interior of the Vikings’ line.

The Saints front office is putting in work this weekend, having also re-upped safety P.J. Williams on a one-year deal.

Saints To Re-Sign P.J. Williams

April 2nd, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

P.J. Williams is back. On Saturday, the Saints agreed to a brand-new one-year deal with their veteran defensive back (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).

Williams has never been a Pro Football Focus darling, but the Saints are fans of his work. This marks his third straight one-year re-up and yet another chance for him to improve his leverage. Last time around, Williams scored a fully guaranteed one-year, $2.3MM deal, up from his $2MM pact in 2020.

The Saints drafted him in the third-round back in 2015, and he’s been with the team ever since. A torn hamstring cost him his entire rookie season, and a serious head injury limited him to only two games in 2016. Fortunately, he’s been able to play in at least 14 games in each of the past five seasons. He’s not a world beater, but he is versatile with extensive experience at both safety and cornerback.

As Williams returns, the Saints will also welcome a new defender in ex-Texans defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson.

Latest On Ravens’ Pernell McPhee, Jimmy Smith

April 2nd, 2022 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens roster is still taking shape and John Harbaugh isn’t sure whether two of his veteran defenders will return. When asked about the status of edge rusher Pernell McPhee and cornerback Jimmy Smith, the head coach couldn’t say whether they’d stick in Baltimore, head elsewhere, or even retire.

“I have (talked to them), but I think it’s for them to say what their plans are. I’ll leave that to them,” Harbaugh said (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).

No matter what McPhee does, it’s likely that the Ravens will be reworking their edge group. Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser could be on his way out after a year of porous pass coverage capped by a torn Achilles. Fellow pass rusher Justin Houston is also a free agent, which means that the Ravens are likely to prioritize the position in the draft.

Smith, 34 in July, has spent his entire career in Baltimore. Since 2011, he’s suited up for 128 games with 90 starts, registering 14 interceptions, three sacks, and 374 career tackles. While he’s been a staple of the secondary, his production has clearly slipped with time. He’s also earned more than enough money to walk away, so it’s possible that he’ll move on to new endeavors this offseason.

Both players are out of contract and free to sign anywhere, but we’ve haven’t heard much about either vet in recent weeks.

Browns Won’t Push Deshaun Watson To Settle Suits

April 2nd, 2022 at 11:24am CST by Zachary Links

Deshaun Watson has a brand new team, but he still has 22 civil lawsuits to face. While other interested clubs wanted Watson to settle those suits before a potential trade, the Browns will not push him to do the same, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes.

“That’s up to them,’’ owner Jimmy Haslam said. “He feels very strongly that he did nothing wrong. We have confidence in Deshaun and his legal team. They’ll make good decisions.”

That’s been the position of Watson’s camp too — the quarterback maintains that his overall innocence and refuses to settle. The Browns — who have furnished Watson with a fully guaranteed $230MM contract — are on board with that plan.

In the meantime, the NFL will hold off on any possible suspension. The league office wants to avoid a situation where they levy a suspension, then have to adjust it later based on new information. Still, their own investigation continues – at least ten of the 22 women have filed suit against Watson have spoken with NFL officials.

Watson’s contract calls for just $1MM in base pay this year, which would limit any fines imposed against him. Most of Watson’s 2022 money has already been delivered / placed in escrow by way of his signing bonus.

While the Browns wait to see how that all shakes out, they’ll work to find a suitable trade for former starter Baker Mayfield.

Latest On Browns, Baker Mayfield

April 2nd, 2022 at 10:50am CST by Zachary Links

Now that the Browns have Deshaun Watson, they’re ready to move on from Baker Mayfield. Trading him, however, could be easier said than done. This week at the league meetings, Browns GM Andrew Berry told reporters that there’s a scenario in which Mayfield remains on the team in 2022.

“We feel like we have three good [quarterbacks], and a lot of teams are still looking for one guy, so you don’t mind being deep here,” Berry said (via ESPN.com). “Quarterbacks are valuable. Baker’s a good player and you can’t have enough good players on your roster. … So, we don’t really feel pressed to rush into anything that’s suboptimal.”

Teams likely have concerns about Mayfield’s injured left shoulder — a likely culprit in his down 2021. There’s also his contract, one that carries a fully-guaranteed $18.858MM this year. Meanwhile, interested clubs know that the Browns aren’t really looking to hang on to Mayfield as Watson’s backup, given the former first-round pick’s base salary and unwillingness to play second fiddle.

It’s unlikely that Mayfield will show for the Browns’ voluntary offseason program on April 19, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, but he could potentially be there for mandatory minicamp from June 14-16. Effectively, it’ll be a move by Mayfield to prevent a breach of contract.

It’s possible that the Browns could swing a trade sometime around draft weekend. In the meantime, Mayfield is busy throwing to a group of non-Browns players, including Cole Beasley, Danny Amendola, and Alex Bachman.

Browns, David Njoku Talking Extension

April 1st, 2022 at 9:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns and David Njoku are in active extension talks (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The two sides only have until July 15 to get a deal done, but all parties are confident that they’ll come to terms.

The Browns used the franchise tag on Njoku, choosing to cuff him despite also having Austin Hooper at the time. The 25-year-old (26 in July) could now command a deal worth upwards of $10MM — something the Browns are reportedly willing to do.

“I’ve been here (Cleveland) for four years going on five,” Njoku said last summer. “I don’t know anything different. I want to keep being here.”

For now, the Browns have Njoku at a $10.8MM cap figure in 2022, a number they hope to tamp down.

Njoku, a 2017 first-round pick, enjoyed his best year in 2018 when he notched 56 grabs for 639 yards and four majors. Despite not putting up eye-popping numbers during his five seasons with the team, he has ultimately shown a willingness to stick around. In 2021, Njoku finished with 36 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns.

Raiders Sign Nick Mullens

April 1st, 2022 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are signing Nick Mullens to a one-year deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). The quarterback will receive just over $1MM guaranteed with a chance to earn up to $2.5MM via incentives (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).

Mullens will support Derek Carr on the Raiders’ depth chart, alongside Garrett Gilbert. It’s not a given that the Raiders will carry three QBs on their final roster, so it may be a one-or-the-other scenario. For what it’s worth, Mullens has $1.5MM guaranteed versus sub-$100K locked in for Gilbert.

Mullens, 27, has appeared in 20 games over the course of his career with 17 starts. The bulk of those starts came with the Niners, where he spent his first three seasons. Last year, he made just one start for the Browns — a December loss to the Raiders.

Meanwhile, the Raiders have kicked off extension talks with Carr. The 31-year-old currently has one year to go on his contract with a cap hit of $19.8MM.

Lamar Jackson: “I Love My Ravens”

March 30th, 2022 at 11:38am CST by Zachary Links

When it comes to his next contract, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens still have a ways to go. However, even though negotiations haven’t gained much momentum, the quarterback says that he remains committed to the only pro team he’s ever known.

“I love my Ravens,” Jackson tweeted on Wednesday. “I don’t know who the hell putting that false narrative out that I’m having thoughts about leaving stop tryna read my mind.”

Unlike other elite QBs, Jackson hasn’t been super aggressive in pushing for an extension. That’s why owner Steve Bisciotti isn’t so sure that Jackson will ink an extension between now and the fall.

“Unless he has a change of heart and calls Eric and says I’m ready. But it’s like, Eric can’t keep calling him and say, ‘Hey Lamar, you really need to get in here and get this thing done,’” Bisciotti said recently.

Jackson’s latest comments are consistent with what he’s said all along — he wants to stay in Baltimore and build towards a Super Bowl ring. The Ravens, meanwhile, could look towards the franchise tag to cuff him beyond his fifth year.

“Kirk Cousins did it that way. What if Lamar says that? I’ll play on the fifth-year, I’ll play on the franchise, I’ll play on another franchise and then you can sign me,” Bisciotti said. “That might be the case, but I don’t talk to Lamar. It’s not my role. I don’t know the answer.”

Cousins turned his prolonged drama with the Commanders into multiple franchise tagged season followed by record-breaking guarantees with the Vikings. If Jackson were to go that route (and perform as a top-tier QB) he could net an unprecedented fortune now that Deshaun Watson has signed a $230MM fully guaranteed contract.

Jaguars Sign Arden Key

March 30th, 2022 at 9:14am CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday, the Jaguars announced the signing of Arden Key. The defensive end will receive a one-year deal that could be worth up to $7MM (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo).

Key has always been viewed as an elite talent, dating back to his college days. Once considered a first-round prospect, Key fell to the Raiders in the third round of the 2018 draft. He didn’t shine with his original team, but he seemed to put it all together with the 49ers in his platform year. After notching 6.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits, his career year led to a strong free agent market.

The Lions, Ravens, and Chiefs all looked into Key, but the Jaguars seem to have come away with the winning bid. The Niners, meanwhile, will be leaning more on Kerry Hyder for quarterback pressure.

The Jaguars could still look to add more pass rushers in the draft, but Key figures to be an important part of the edge rotation no matter what. It’s a huge step up for Key, who looked to be trending in the wrong direction as recently as 2020. In that year with the Raiders, Key played on roughly 40% of the defensive snaps but couldn’t manage a single sack.

It’s worth noting that another strong season could position Key for a much larger payday next year, especially since he won’t turn 26 until May.