AFC East Notes: Jets, Bridgewater, Patriots
Jets quarterback Teddy Bridgewater should have trade value for other clubs in need of help under center, ESPN.com’s Mike Sando writes. At least one anonymous executive agrees with that assessment.
“Bridgewater is the one that makes the most sense,” an exec said of Bridgewater while weighing his trade value against other potentially available QBs. “He has upside, the Jets already have a young guy they love and a veteran who makes them competitive, and that veteran has less value to anyone else.”
That executive went on to say that Bridgewater would especially make sense for a club with additional compensatory choices in the future. Such a team could afford to deal for the former Vikings QB, even if the cost was as high as a third-round pick. Speculatively, Sando wonders if the rival Patriots could have interest in Bridgewater since they are flush with comp picks in 2019 and could use a QB to groom as Tom Brady‘s eventual replacement.
On the flipside, a different exec said that Bridgewater’s contract could be a barrier to a trade. With $5MM in salary and a $250K bonus for every game in which he plays at least 50% of the snaps, that anonymous decision maker feels that Bridgewater is a better candidate for a release or pay reduction.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Jets GM Mike Maccagnan says edge rusher/outside linebacker is “an area we’re focused on,” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini). Maccagnan added that he will explore waiver wire and trade possibilities throughout the preseason, while also evaluating his own young players.
- The Patriots have several questions of their own at linebacker, Doug Kyed of NESN.com writes. Right now, Kyed sees Dont’a Hightower, Brandon King, and Kyle Van Noy as the only true locks for the final cut. He also expects Ja’Whaun Bentley, Marquis Flowers, Nicholas Grigsby, Harvey Langi and Elandon Roberts to make the 53-man roster, but it wouldn’t be a shocker to see any of them left out. All in all, Kyed feels it’s a thin group, so one has to imagine the Patriots will explore signings or trades to bolster the unit.
AFC West Notes: Raiders, Mack, Broncos
Could the Raiders conceivably trade Khalil Mack? Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com feels that they would be wise to listen if another team blows them away with an offer of, say, two first-round picks for the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year.
Within the blurb, Gutierrez also references an exchange in March with GM Reggie McKenzie in which he asked (perhaps jokingly) if the writer had an extra $100MM on hand to help pay Mack. That may be an indication that the Raiders do not have the cash necessary to make Mack one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, though there is no direct evidence of financial trouble in Oakland at this time.
Here’s more from the AFC West:
- Former Raiders wide receiver and current NFL Network analyst James Jones hears that wide receiver Martavis Bryant is having trouble picking up the team’s playbook (via PFT). In a conversation with Jones, Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson indicated that Bryant has impressed with his natural talent, but his inability to grasp the team’s playbook has been a source of frustration for the club. Despite the hiccups, the Raiders traded a third-round pick for Bryant earlier this year, so it would be a shocker if he is not on the Week 1 roster.
- Broncos defensive tackle Clinton McDonald is dealing with a shoulder issue that may be related to his previous shoulder woes, Mike Klis of 9News hears. It’s a source of concern for the Broncos, though the team is awaiting further tests to get a complete understanding of the situation. McDonald, who signed a two-year deal with Denver earlier this year, missed the club’s entire offseason program while recovering from an infection. He was also forced to accept a pay cut as a result of the issue, although he can earn the $3MM he gave up by appearing in all 16 games for the Broncos this year.
Panthers, Tyler Larsen Agree To Extension
Center/guard Tyler Larsen has agreed to a two-year, $4.4MM extension with the Panthers, Jordan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets. The deal, expected to be signed on Wednesday afternoon, includes $1.4MM guaranteed. 
Larsen, 27, is an important depth piece for the Panthers, particularly in the wake of Amini Silatolu‘s torn meniscus. Undrafted rookie Brendan Mahon may start at left guard in Silatolu’s absence, but Larsen is in line for increased reps no matter what due to his ability to play guard or fill in for Ryan Kalil at center. Kalil, meanwhile, says the 2018 season will be his last, so Larsen could be a low-cost option to start in 2019.
Larsen, a Utah State product, has appeared in 23 games for the Panthers over the last two years. He did an admirable job of filling in for Kalil last year and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 17 ranked center in the NFL.
Falcons Work Out Giorgio Tavecchio
Kicker Giorgio Tavecchio worked out for the Falcons this week, a source tells Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter). Tavecchio was waived by the Raiders on Friday, making him a free agent. 
The Tavecchio audition could be an indication that the Falcons have some doubts about 43-year-old Matt Bryant. That would be somewhat surprising, since the Falcons inked Bryant to a three-year, $10.5MM extension in March to make him one of the ten highest-paid kickers in the NFL. The deal included a $2MM signing bonus, so that would be a sunk cost for Atlanta if they release him.
Last year, Bryant nailed 87.2% of his field goals, good for 12th in the NFL. He also sank eight-of-nine attempts from 50 yards or more, so his power hasn’t deteriorated much. Tavecchio, meanwhile, made 16 of his 21 field goal attempts with the Raiders in 2017 (76%), including three-of-four tries from 50 yards or further.
The Falcons also have Georgia UDFA kicker David Marvin on the 90-man roster.
Raiders Want Donald Penn To Take Pay Cut
The Raiders are pushing for Donald Penn to take a pay cut, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Specifics are unclear, but Gehlken gets the sense that the Raiders will ask Penn to convert most or all of his $3MM guarantee into bonuses or incentives. 
Last year, Penn stayed away from the club as he pressured them for a new deal. His tactics worked as Oakland gave him a two-year, $21MM extension to remove his lame duck status.
Penn more or less played up to the expectations of the new deal last year as he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 23 ranked tackle in the NFL. Unfortunately, however, he suffered a Lisfranc fracture against the Cowboys in December and remains on the PUP list as a result.
Ostensibly, the Raiders still want to move forward with Penn. First-round pick Kolton Miller has impressed in camp this summer, but the ideal arrangement for Oakland is to have both players starting on the offensive line. For that to happen, the 35-year-old may be forced to rework his contract.
Patriots Still Interested In Breeland
Bashaud Breeland auditioned for the Patriots this week, but it doesn’t sound like a deal will come together in the next 48 hours. The Patriots conveyed an intention to circle back to the free agent cornerback after the team’s first preseason game on Thursday night, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. 
With a relatively deep group at cornerback, the Patriots likely want to see how their reserves perform before committing to Breeland. The Pats are already rostering Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jason McCourty, second-round pick Duke Dawson, and Jonathan Jones, and there are still others to consider. At one point this summer, Maryland product J.C. Jackson was getting more reps in the starting defense than Rowe, so he could find a way to crack the 53-man roster. Similarly, seventh-round pick Keion Crossen and Ryan Lewis have looked sharp at times and Cyrus Jones‘ return ability may keep him in the conversation.
The Patriots have more than $8MM to work with, according to the NFLPA’s top-51 cap room report, so they have the flexibility to sign Breeland if they decide to follow through with a deal. However, Anderson notes that there are multiple teams interested in Breeland, including the Jets, so we could see a bidding war play out for one of the best free agents left.
Contract Details: Titans, Vaccaro, Eagles
Kenny Vaccaro’s one-year deal with the Titans includes no guarantees, but his base salary will be locked in if he’s on the Week 1 roster, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Between the $100K bonus he’ll also receive in Week 1 and other bonuses, Vaccaro can earn up to $2.75MM with Tennessee.
It’s a far cry from what Vaccaro likely expected in March, but it’s not a bad deal considering the way the free agent safety market played out this offseason. Vaccaro will turn 28 next February, so he could be in line for a solid multi-year deal if he plays well in Johnathan Cyprien‘s absence.
Here’s a look at details on other recent contracts, courtesy of Pelissero:
- Safety Corey Graham received a one-year, $1.715MM deal from the Eagles with $1.515MM guaranteed, Pelissero tweets. Graham was a solid third safety for Philadelphia last season, playing 35% of the team’s regular season defensive snaps in support of starters Rodney McLeod and Malcolm Jenkins.
- The Seahawks gave guard J.R. Sweezy a $100K signing bonus on his deal, according to Pelissero, but that likely represents the only guaranteed money in the contract. It’s a one-year, $1.5MM deal that can reach a maximum of $2MM.
Latest On WR Jordan Matthews
The injury settlement for Jordan Matthews with the Patriots carries no cap amount associated with it, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That may be an indication he’ll be healthy in time for the start of the regular season. 
The Patriots released Matthews after he tweaked his hamstring in practice. Given his potential, it was speculated that Matthews’ injury was rather serious, but that might not be the case at all. After being officially released from IR on Tuesday, Matthews is free to sign with any club, and it might not be long before he can actually audition for teams.
Dez Bryant is the free agent wide receiver everyone is talking about, but Matthews is four years younger and arguably has more upside. Once healthy, Matthews could hold appeal for teams like the Browns who are looking to shore up their depth at wide receiver.
Injuries limited Matthews to ten games and just 282 yards last year, but he’s not far removed from impressive production with the Eagles. Matthews nearly hit 1,000 yards receiving in 2015 and had a respectable 73/804/3 line in 2016.
Patriots Formally Release Jordan Matthews
Jordan Matthews is officially a free agent. The Patriots released the wide receiver from IR on Tuesday with an injury settlement, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Once Matthews is back to full health, he’ll be free to seek a new team. 
The severity of Matthews’ latest setback is unclear, so no one knows exactly when he’ll be able to audition for teams. It could be a matter of weeks or months before Matthews is able to consider offers.
Matthews is no stranger to the injury bug. He was limited to just ten games with the Bills last year and looked like a shell of his former self in those contests. He finished out with just 25 catches for 282 yards and one score in those games.
Before that down year with Buffalo, however, Matthews averaged 75 receptions for 891 yards and six touchdowns per season for the Eagles from 2014-16. Statistically, his best year came in 2015 when he had 85 grabs for 997 yards and eight touchdowns.
If the former second-round pick can get healthy, he could be an impact addition for another club this year. In the meantime, he’ll be alright financially thanks to the partial payout he received from the Patriots.
Browns Interested In WR Brandon LaFell?
The Browns may have renewed interest in Brandon LaFell, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. The wide receiver was released by the Bengals last week, freeing him up to sign with any club. 
LaFell was the Bengals’ No. 2 WR for the last two years, but his production tailed off a bit last season. After compiling 64 catches for 862 yards and six touchdowns in 2016, LaFell had just 52 grabs for 548 yards and three scores in 2017. Then, this summer, he started “feeling the heat” from other wideouts in camp this summer, according to coach Marvin Lewis. With other options to consider, including speedy 2017 first-round pick John Ross, the Bengals no longer had any use for LaFell.
LaFell had a tremendous 2014 season with the Patriots as he set career highs with 74 receptions, 953 yards, and seven touchdowns. He added another two TDs in the postseason, including one in the Super Bowl.
Few are expecting LaFell to reprise that kind of production in 2018, but he could be an option for the Browns as they sort out Josh Gordon‘s situation. The Browns could also use some additional depth following the trade of former first-round pick Corey Coleman.