NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/30/21
Here are the latest reserve/futures deals handed out around the league:
Baltimore Ravens
- OL Greg Mancz
Las Vegas Raiders
- LB Asmar Bilal
Los Angeles Chargers
Ravens Re-Sign Jordan Richards
Jordan Richards is sticking with Baltimore. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Ravens have signed the veteran to a one-year, $1.015MM deal. The contract includes $125K in guaranteed money. As Yates notes, the contract “qualifies for the veteran salary benefit,” meaning Richards will have a cap charge of only $875K.
Richards was a second-round pick by the Patriots back in 2015, and he spent most of his three years in New England as a rotational defensive back. His final game for the Patriots came in Super Bowl LII, when he collected six tackles in a loss to the Eagles. He was traded to Atlanta the following offseason, and he put up career-highs during his one year with the Falcons, including 39 tackles and three passes defended. Richards inked a one-year deal with the Raiders prior to the 2019 season, but he was cut by the team at the end of training camp. He ended up landing back on New England, but he was cut after a month with his old/new team.
Richards caught on with Baltimore for the stretch run of that 2019 campaign, appearing in nine games (including a Week 17 win over the Steelers where he returned a fumble for a touchdown). Despite getting cut at the end of the 2020 preseason, the 28-year-old still managed to appear in 16 games for the Ravens this season. All but 15 of his snaps came on special teams, and he finished the year with four tackles.
The Ravens have been busy this week retaining their veterans. We learned yesterday that the organization signed tight end Nick Boyle to an extension.
Ravens Sign TE Nick Boyle To Extension
The Ravens have agreed to another extension with Nick Boyle. The veteran tight end had a season left on the 2019 deal he signed, but he is now locked up through the 2023 season.
Boyle’s new two-year extension is worth $13MM, with $10.5MM of that being fully guaranteed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. While this represents a show of faith the blocking tight end will re-emerge as a productive player after a severe knee injury ended his season midway through, the move will create some near-future cap space for the Ravens.
On his previous three-year, $18MM extension, Boyle was set to earn a $5.5MM base salary in 2021. That number will drop to $1.5MM, with the tight end’s cap figure being reduced by $2MM as well, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets. Boyle, 27, will be attached to $5MM and $6MM salaries in 2022 and ’23, respectively.
Boyle topped out at 31 catches for 321 yards in 16 games in 2019. He has scored four touchdowns over the past two seasons — the only four of his career. This move figures to precede contract talks with Mark Andrews, who has one season left on his rookie deal. The Ravens want to extend their top receiving tight end.
Ravens’ Matt Judon Seeking $20MM/Year?
The 2020 Ravens became the unusual team to roster two franchise-tagged pass rushers, in tagging Matt Judon and trading for Yannick Ngakoue. A year after both edge defenders’ rookie deals expired, each is again on the verge of free agency.
Baltimore attempted to extend Judon last year and will likely do so again, given its dearth of pass rushers signed long-term. But the five-year veteran has aimed for a $20MM-per-year deal, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes. The Ravens are projected to be under even a $176MM cap — which may not be the new salary ceiling, with recent reports indicating the upcoming cap freefall will not be as dire as initially feared — but they have a Lamar Jackson extension to discuss and are interested in extending Mark Andrews. The latter will be in a contract year soon.
Although Judon made the Pro Bowl this season, he finished with six sacks and 21 QB hits — down from 9.5 and 33, respectively, in 2019. That said, Ngakoue registered just three sacks and three QB hits in nine Ravens games and played only 20 defensive snaps in the team’s divisional-round loss. Judon does not have a 10-sack season on his resume, however, and could well be heading into free agency at a bad time.
There are currently five edge players earning $20MM-AAV deals. Judon has no chance of venturing into Joey Bosa–Myles Garrett territory (north of $25MM per year), and even a deal in the Frank Clark–DeMarcus Lawrence $21MM-AAV neighborhood might be a stretch considering the circumstances. Teams opted to tag some of the top rushers on the 2020 market, so Judon will join Shaquil Barrett and Bud Dupree again soon.
With a 2021 franchise tag costing 120% of Judon’s $16.8MM salary, the Ravens are unlikely to go there — especially with a cap reduction expected. But the team again has next to nothing at this position long-term, with Tyus Bowser and Pernell McPhee due for free agency as well, and Judon expressed interest last summer in staying with the Ravens. Although the Ravens have let a few pass rushers land big-ticket deals elsewhere in recent years, they will need an edge plan soon.
Earl Thomas, Ravens Continue Battle
The Ravens released Earl Thomas before the start of the 2020 season. As they look ahead to the 2021 slate, the safety’s grievance case remains unresolved, as Daniel Oyefusi of The Baltimore Sun writes. 
[RELATED: Ravens Hope To Re-Up Mark Andrews]
“That’s ongoing,” said Ravens GM Eric DeCosta. “There are some different moving parts. So, I’ll sort of answer that question like that, and just say that it’s ongoing...There are always a lot of different things, and there are all these different elements to an offseason,” DeCosta said. “We don’t even know what the salary cap is going to be yet. It’s hard to build a football team without a salary cap — not knowing what the salary cap is going to be. So, the Earl Thomas situation is just one part of that.”
Thomas was due a guaranteed $10MM in base salary this season before his release. However, the Ravens cited “personal conduct” that “adversely affected” the team to try and void the commitment. While things are in limbo, the Ravens are carrying a $4MM charge on the 2021 books. If Thomas wins, the remaining $6MM will be tacked on.
As DeCosta suggested, that’d be a significant strike against their flexibility given the league’s salary cap uncertainty. Thomas, meanwhile, is free to sign with any team, though he was out of football last year.
Ravens Won’t Re-Sign LS Morgan Cox
Following 11 years with the organization, it sounds like Morgan Cox won’t be a member of the Ravens next season. General manager Eric DeCosta informed the impending free agent that the organization won’t be extending him an offer, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
“Obviously, I’m certainly disappointed that I won’t be back with the Ravens next year,” Cox said. “Regardless of the other stuff, the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro stuff, I just felt like I had been playing really well and I’ve been healthy. Contract-wise, we hadn’t gotten to that point yet. I felt pretty good about it, but you know, just disappointment in the near term obviously. At the same time I really fought those feelings.
“I take a lot of pride in what we’ve accomplished there. All of that to say, rather than be frustrated or disappointed on this end, which would be easy to fall into, I’m really just thankful that it happened. I am sad that it’s over, but I’m also eternally happy that it happened.”
Cox joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2010, and he proceeded to spend the next decade-plus with the organization. During his stint in Baltimore, Cox earned four Pro Bowl nods, All-Pro recognition (during the position’s first year of eligibility in 2020), and a Super Bowl ring. He’s played the seventh-most games in franchise history.
As Zrebiec notes, Cox helped form one of the best long snapper/kicker/punter trios in the NFL. The Cox/Sam Koch/Justin Tucker grouping has been together for nine seasons, with Tucker previously referring to his teammate as the “best long snapper in the NFL.” Next season, the Ravens are expected to roll with Nick Moore, a 2019 undrafted free agent out of Georgia.
Coaching Notes: Chargers, Steelers, Ravens, Taylor, Marrone
After adding Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator and Renaldo Hill as defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley has found the coach who will lead his special teams unit. The Chargers announced this evening that they’ve hired Derius Swinton as their special teams coordinator.
The 35-year-old has made his way up the coaching ranks over the past decade-plus, spending time with the Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Bears, 49ers, Lions, and Cardinals. He served as San Francisco’s special teams coordinator in 2016, and he helped the 49ers improve their kickoff return average by nearly six yards that season.
We’ve already heard of some other additions to the Chargers’ coaching staff. The team added Joe Barry as their defensive passing game coordinator, and they’ve hired Frank Smith to be their new offensive line coach and run game coordinator.
Let’s check out some more coaching notes…
- Today, the Steelers officially announced the promotion of Matt Canada to offensive coordinator. Canada served as quarterbacks coach during the 2020 season, and Ben Roethlisberger finished with one of the lowest interception rates (1.6) and sack totals (13) of his career. As Teresa Varley of Steelers.com points out, Canada helped implement jet sweeps and pre-snap motions to the Steelers’ offense.
- The Ravens have added D’Anton Lynn as their new defensive backs coach, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (via Twitter). The 31-year-old previously spent time on the Jets, Bills, Chargers, and Texans coaching staff, and he earned a promotion to Houston’s defensive backs coach for the 2020 campaign.
- Press Taylor won’t be back in Philly next season. Mike Kaye of NJ.com reports (via Twitter) that the Eagles won’t be retaining their quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator. The 33-year-old had been with the organization since the 2013 season, and after serving as QBs coach in 2018 and 2019, he took on the additional role of passing game coordinator in 2020. The Eagles passing game was dreadful this past season, ranking either 31st or 32nd in the NFL in passer rating, completion percentage, yards per attempt, and interceptions.
- Doug Marrone is joining the Alabama coaching staff as offensive line coach, per a team announcement. Marrone, of course, spent the past four seasons as the Jaguars head coach, including a 2017 campaign that saw him make the AFC Championship. The 56-year-old has plenty of familiarity with new Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, as the two coaches worked alongside each other during their stints with Georgia Tech back in the 1990s.
Ravens Hope To Re-Up Mark Andrews
The Ravens aren’t just focused on a new deal for Lamar Jackson. The Ravens also hope to extend Mark Andrews‘ contract this offseason, GM Eric DeCosta says (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). 
“Mark Andrews, in my opinion, is one of the best TEs in the NFL. We’d be foolish to not try and keep him,” DeCosta said. “Those discussions will start up at some point.”
Andrews, 25, turned in a solid encore to his 2019 Pro Bowl season. In 2020, he reeled in 58 grabs for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. Over the course of three pro years, he’s got 156 catches, 2,105 yards, and 20 TDs to his credit. As one of the Ravens’ 2018 third-round picks, he’ll be extension eligible for the first time. The same goes for fellow ’18 third-rounder Orlando Brown, though DeCosta acknowledged that the tackle might not get a re-up due to their cap situation.
Morgan Cox, who has served as the Ravens’ long snapper for eleven years, will also be a victim of the numbers crunch. The four-time Pro Bowler tells Zrebiec that he will not be re-signed after his contract lapses in March.
“Obviously, I’m certainly disappointed that I won’t be back with the Ravens next year,” Cox said. “I take a lot of pride in what we’ve accomplished there. All of that to say, rather than be frustrated or disappointed on this end, which would be easy to fall into, I’m really just thankful that it happened. I am sad that it’s over, but I’m also eternally happy that it happened.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/23/21
Here are the latest NFL minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to reserve/futures deal: WR Deon Cain
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Dane Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: DL Brian Price, CB KeiVarae Russell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Marcus Kemp, DB Chris Lammons
New York Giants
- Signed to reserve/futures deal: DB Keith Washington
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: S Javon Hagan, G Ted Larsen
Ravens Hire Anthony Weaver
After spending the 2020 season as the Texans’ defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver will migrate to a familiar location. Nineteen years after drafting Weaver in the second round, the Ravens hired him as their defensive line coach and run-game coordinator.
Weaver spent the past five seasons with Houston, serving first as the Texans’ D-line coach before a 2020 promotion to succeed Romeo Crennel as DC. The 40-year-old assistant received interest elsewhere but is now on Baltimore’s staff, joining Rob Ryan among former coordinators set to work under Don Martindale next season.
The Jaguars interviewed Weaver for their D-coordinator position, but the Urban Meyer-led team’s decision to hire Joe Cullen ended up helping Weaver land another job. Cullen served as Baltimore’s D-line coach for the past five seasons.
Weaver’s Texans defense did not fare well this past season, ranking 30th in DVOA. The former NFL D-linemen, however, has been an NFL assistant since 2012 and has a history with the Ravens. He operated as a starter for four seasons in Baltimore, from 2002-05, before signing with the Texans. It will be the Ravens who provide him an opportunity to bounce back.
“As a former Ravens draft pick who made significant contributions while playing here, he understands the culture of our organization and the standard to which Baltimore defense is held,” John Harbaugh said of Weaver.