Cowboys’ Sean Lee To Play In 2019
Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee expects to play in 2019, according to a source who spoke with Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (on Twitter). This jibes with an earlier report that Lee was leaning towards returning for the ’19 campaign. 
Lee is scheduled to make $7MM in base salary, so it’s not a certainty that the Cowboys will have him back. But, at least from Lee’s end, he feels certain about wanting to move forward in football. After the end of the ’18 season, the veteran said he’d discuss his future with his family before making a determination.
“I want to continue to play the game, but I have to evaluate physically where I’m at. I definitely have some decisions to make,” Lee said in January. “I’m leaning toward playing for sure.”
Lee was sensational for the Cowboys earlier in his career and managed four interceptions in both the 2011 and 2013 seasons. He later missed all of 2014 with a torn ACL, but bounced back to earn a Pro Bowl nod in 2015 and had a Pro Bowl/First-Team All-Pro season in 2016.
Thanks to hamstring injuries, Lee appeared in only seven games in 2018 and was leapfrogged by rookie Leighton Vander Esch. If he comes back to Dallas, he’ll be looking at a smaller role than what he has enjoyed in years past. He may also have to take a pay cut in order to stay.
Broncos To Shop QB Case Keenum
No surprise here, but the Broncos are now set to shop quarterback Case Keenum, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Keenum, of course, was displaced from the starting role after the Broncos agreed to acquire Joe Flacco from the Ravens on Wednesday morning. 
[RELATED: Broncos Acquire Joe Flacco From Ravens]
Keenum is guaranteed $7MM in 2019, so the Broncos see only two options for him if they cannot find a trade: Keenum will either have to accept a massive pay cut to serve as Flacco’s backup, or he’ll be released outright.
Keenum flopped in his lone season as the Broncos’ starter, finishing 31st in Total QBR, 29th in DYAR, and 28th in quarterback DVOA. It was a sharp contract from the 2017 season in which he led the NFL in DVOA as the top signal caller for the Vikings.
In that ’17 season, Keenum ranked seventh in passer rating and ninth in adjusted net yards per completion. The QB no longer profiles as an above-average starting option, but he would be highly coveted as a backup by many NFL teams.
49ers Release OL Garry Gilliam
The 49ers have released offensive lineman Garry Gilliam, according to a team announcement. The move will save the club $5MM in cap space. 
“We would like to thank Garry for his contributions to the team the last two seasons,” 49ers GM John Lynch said in a statement. “He filled in admirably when called upon and was a consummate teammate. We wish him and his family all the best.”
Gilliam came to the Niners in April of 2017 and went on to appear in 24 games over the past two seasons. He started in only one of those contests, so a $5MM salary for 2019 was pretty much untenable for SF brass. He’ll now hit free agency once again, but he’s unlikely to match his would-be 2019 paycheck.
On the plus side, Gilliam now gets an early jump at free agency, rather than waiting until March.
Ravens To Trade Joe Flacco To Broncos
The Joe Flacco era is effectively over in Baltimore. The Ravens agreed to trade the quarterback to the Broncos, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Ravens will receive a fourth-round pick in return, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. Denver will send the selection it acquired in the Demaryius Thomas trade (No. 23 in the round) to Baltimore.
Technically, the trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 13, but the two sides have a deal in principle. The Ravens will absorb a $16MM dead money hit from the trade and, as expected, move forward with Lamar Jackson as their top QB. Meanwhile, they’ll save roughly $10MM against the cap in 2019, enabling them to strengthen the rest of the offense by landing a playmaker or two in free agency.
The Broncos have yet to speak with Flacco about his contract, but they do not anticipate any issues if they keep his salary of $18.5MM unchanged for 2019, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Effectively, he’d move forward under a prove-it deal that the Broncos can either move on from in 2020 or re-work.
New Broncos head coach Vic Fangio spent a season in Baltimore, so he has some familiarity with the 34-year-old. Former Broncos executive Gary Kubiak was also a champion of Flacco, which may have influenced GM John Elway‘s decision to trade for him.
The Broncos signed Case Keenum to a lucrative contract last offseason, but the arrival of Flacco could put him out of work. Keenum has one year to go on his two-year, $36MM pact, but the Broncos can shed the deal if they are willing to take a $10MM dead money hit.
Flacco was overshadowed by Jackson last season, but he still more-than-serviceable in his nine games. The veteran signal-caller completed 61.2% of his passes for 2,465 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Coach John Harbaugh was also very complimentary of his skills.
“Joe Flacco is going to play really well in this league. Joe can still play — I think we saw that the first half of the season,” Harbaugh said in January. “Joe’s going to have a market. There’s going to be a lot of teams that are going to want Joe because they understand that. I’ll be in Joe’s corner wherever he’s at. He’s special. Joe Flacco is a great talent; he’s an even better person. He’s the best QB in the history of the Ravens without question…He’s going to do just fine.”
The Flacco deal will have ramifications elsewhere as one QB-needy team is no longer in the Nick Foles sweepstakes. The Giants, Dolphins, Jaguars, Redskins, and the incumbent Eagles all figure to kick the tires on Foles, but the Broncos are almost certainly out of the picture.
Bengals Zeroing In On Todd Grantham
The Bengals have narrowed their defensive coordinator search to focus on University of Florida DC Todd Grantham, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Grantham returned to meet with the Bengals on Wednesday morning, but they still have their work cut out for them as they try to lure him away from UF, Rapoport reports. 
Grantham reportedly made $1.4MM last year with the Gators, so the Bengals will have to come with a competitive offer to lure him away from one of the nation’s top college programs. Still, the Bengals job clearly holds appeal for Grantham. With Cincinnati, Grantham can return to the NFL with a step up from his previous defensive line coach duties. He’ll also have a great degree of control over the defensive as new head coach Zac Taylor will be focused on the offense.
Over the last week or so, the Bengals have also looked into Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn for the role. Prior to that, the Bengals seemed close on deals with established vets Dom Capers and Jack Del Rio.
Details On Kareem Hunt’s Deal With Browns
Kareem Hunt‘s one-year deal with the Browns includes a base salary of $645K, a $25K per-game roster bonus for each game that he is active, and a $55K offseason workout bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. It’s not exactly a top of the market deal for a running back, but it’s actually a better deal that the one Hunt had with the Chiefs prior to his release. 
Hunt will be able to earn $420K more from the Browns on a new contract than he would under his his old contract, had he been claimed, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap notes (on Twitter). There’s also upside for next year – Hunt will have the ability to earn more as a restricted free agent in 2020 than he would have as a fourth-year rookie.
The Browns’ decision to sign Hunt has stirred up some controversy and the details of his new deal won’t help ease the criticism. Recently, GM John Dorsey admitted the Browns’ investigation into Hunt’s past did not include speaking with the victim of his hotel assault, which didn’t help matters.
“I talked to a lot of people (but) I didn’t get a chance to talk to that victim,” Dorsey said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “That’s probably part of her privacy stuff.”
Hunt won the 2017 rushing title with 1,327 yards on the ground. Prior to his Kansas City departure last year, he compiled 1,202 yards from scrimmage and scored 14 total touchdowns in eleven games.
Patriots Re-Sign Brian Schwenke
The Patriots have re-signed center/guard Brian Schwenke, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The new one-year deal will pay $895K and should keep him with the defending champs in 2019. 
Schwenke, 28 in March, spent his entire career with the Titans until he hooked on with the Pats last summer. His first season in New England, unfortunately, did not go as planned. Schwenke was active for just three games and played in just four offensive snaps before a foot injury landed him on IR in November.
Before signing with the Pats as a free agent, Schwenke appeared in 60 games for the Titans with 30 starts. He’s no longer an NFL starter, but the new deal will give him an opportunity to support interior starters Joe Thuney, David Andrews, and Shaq Mason.
Given Schwenke’s injury history and the timing of the deal, it’s unlikely that there’s much in the way of guarantees. He’ll have to prove his health over the next several months in order to secure his spot on the Patriots for Week 1.
Jeffery Simmons Suffers Torn ACL
Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, projected to be a top 15-pick in the NFL Draft, suffered a torn ACL while going through position drills last weekend, according to Simmons himself. Simmons posted a statement on his Twitter account indicating that he will have surgery early next week. Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter) first reported that Simmons sustained a knee injury, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted that the injury is a torn ACL and that a surgery is forthcoming.
Of course, Simmons’ status as a top draft choice is now very much in flux, as he will probably be sidelined for his entire rookie year.
Simmons, who stands 6’4″, 300 pounds, appeared in 37 total games in his three-year career with the Bulldogs, managing 159 tackles (30.5 for loss), six sacks, and five forced fumbles during that time. He was named first-team All-SEC in both 2017 and 2018, and this season won the Conerly Trophy as the top college football player in the state of Mississippi.
Even before the injury, Simmons had some red flags. He was arrested for simple assault in 2016 after repeatedly striking a woman, though, for his part, Simmons says he was attempting to stop said woman from assaulting his sister. The incident occurred just before Simmons began his collegiate career and he was allowed to enter MSU while completing counseling programs. Williams was later arrested in 2017 for an altercation involving a woman.
As a result of those issues, Simmons was barred from participating in the draft combine.
Bengals To Interview Todd Grantham
The Bengals are set to interview Todd Grantham for their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Grantham has been on the team’s radar in recent days after potential deals with Dom Capers and Jack Del Rio went sideways.
The Bengals also recently received permission to interview Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, so their DC search is moving along. Former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn are also said to be on the radar.
Grantham, 52, offers more experience than the Bengals’ other candidates. He served as the defensive coordinator of the Browns from 2005-07 before heading to the college ranks with stops at Louisville and UF. In the past, he’s also served as a defensive line coach for the Cowboys, Texans, and Colts.
Grantham reportedly made $1.4MM last year with the Gators, so the Bengals will have to come with a competitive offer if they want him on the sideline.
Buccaneers Cut Vinny Curry
Vinny Curry is now on the open market. The Buccaneers released the veteran defensive end on Tuesday, according to a team announcement. 
Curry earned $6.5MM with the Bucs in 2018 after signing a three-year, $23MM deal with the club. Apparently, new head coach Bruce Arians did not see him as a fit for his system, so he’s a free agent once again.
The good news for Curry is that pass rushers are continually in high demand, so he’ll have an opportunity to land another multi-year deal. His 21 tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, and five tackles for loss don’t exactly jump off of the page, but Curry’s 2017 season with the Eagles showed serious promise. After serving as a reserve in his first five seasons with Philly, he was promoted to the starting lineup that year and helped the Eagles capture a Super Bowl ring.
All in all, the Buccaneers improved from a league-low 22 sacks in 2017 to 38 last year, thanks in part to Carl Nassib‘s 6.5 QB takedowns. They’ll look to improve that number even more under Arians.