Extra Points: Jets, Ravens, Draft
Some assorted notes from around the NFL…
- The Jets were reportedly interested in free agent centers Mitch Morse and Matt Paradis, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. However, the team never made an offer to either player. Morse ultimately signed with the Bills, while Paradis ended up inking a deal with the Panthers. With the Jets unable to secure either of the top two free agent centers, the front office continues to reach out to other veterans to gauge the market. Mehta notes that the draft could be another way of acquiring a center.
- Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg is retiring, the team announced. The 63-year-old had been with the organization since 2008, winning one Super Bowl championship along the way. Rosburg previously served in the same role with both the Falcons and Browns. Assistant Special Teams coach Chris Horton is expected to take over, with Rosburg briefly sticking around as a consultant. “I will stay on for a period of time to be a resource for Chris and anyone else during that transition,” said Rosburg. “I have a lot of plans. Me and my plans center around my family. I don’t want to miss as many hockey games and volleyball games as I have. Our days are limited on this earth, and there are some things that I’m missing I don’t want to miss anymore.”
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Rashan Gary wasn’t active in Michigan’s pro day. According to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), the potential top-five pick only weighed in and didn’t participate in any drills or testing. Instead, the running back stuck around to support his teammates. As Pelissero notes, the defensive tackle “crushed the combine,” and he didn’t want to risk his draft stock with a lackluster outing today.
Contract Details: Thomas, Barr, Peterson
Some assorted contract details from the around the NFL:
- Earl Thomas, S (Ravens): Four years, $55MM, $32MM guaranteed. $20MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $2MM, fully guaranteed (2019), $10MM, fully guaranteed (2020), $11MM (2021), $12MM (2022). Contract notes via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
- Anthony Barr, LB (Vikings): Five years, $67.5MM, $33MM guaranteed. $13MM signing bonus. $39MM through first three years of deal. Twitter link via Manish Mehta of New York Daily News.
- Adrian Peterson, RB (Redskins): Two years, $8MM. $1.5MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $1.03MM (2019), $2.25MM (2020). $1.5MM in incentives per season. ESPN link via John Keim.
- Cole Beasley, WR (Bills): Four years, $29MM. $10.7MM guaranteed, $6MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $2.2MM (2019), $4.4MM (2020), $4.7MM (2021), $4.9MM (2022). Contract details via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.
- Darryl Roberts, CB (Jets): Re-signed. Three years, $18MM. $18MM is maximum value, with game-day roster bonuses (no incentives or escalators). Twitter link via Mehta.
Raiders Notes: Brown, Bell, Williams, Joyner
The 49ers weren’t the only team to miss out on Le’Veon Bell. Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes that the Raiders made an offer to the star running back, and “there was some real buzz in the building” yesterday.
The reporter also notes that the Raiders thought they could land Bell if “money wasn’t the most important thing,” as the running back reportedly preferred to play for the Raiders. After missing out on Bell, the team also took a run at Mark Ingram, who ended up landing in Baltimore.
Bell ultimately agreed to a four-year, $52.5MM deal with the Jets, forcing the Raiders to look elsewhere for a running back. At the moment, the team is rostering three backs in DeAndre Washington, Chris Warren, and James Butler.
Let’s check out some more notes out of Oakland…
- The Raiders weren’t even considering an Antonio Brown trade until the deal between the Steelers and Bills fell apart, general manager Mike Mayock told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com (Twitter link). The organization ultimately acquired the Pro Bowl wide receiver in exchange for a third- and fifth-round pick in this year’s draft.
- The Raiders continued to show interest in wideout Tyrell Williams even after pulling off the Brown trade, according to Jason La Canfora (on Twitter). The team ended up agreeing to a four-year, $44MM deal ($22MM guaranteed) earlier today. La Canfora notes that several other teams pursued Williams, including the Ravens, Saints, Steelers, Jets. Many of those teams were offering contracts between $8MM and $9MM annually, with the 27-year-old ultimately receiving $11MM a season from the Raiders.
- The Raiders are planning to rely on Lamarcus Joyner as their primary nickel cornerback, writes Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 28-year-old has primarily played safety throughout his career, although he did play some cornerback early on his career. The team will occasionally deploy Joyner at safety, although Gehlken notes that the team could still add another player at the position. Joyner is set to sign a four years, $42MM deal with the Raiders.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/19
Here is the latest news involving restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents, with updates coming throughout the day:
ERFA
Tendered:
- Bears: DE Roy Robertson-Harris, LB Isaiah Irving, OL Rashaad Coward
- Seahawks: LB Austin Calitro, LB Emmanuel Ellerbee, C Joey Hunt, RB J.D. McKissic, CB Kalan Reed
Non-tendered:
- Bears: S DeAndre Houston-Carson (via Howard Balzer on Twitter)
- Bengals: QB Brad Kaaya (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Gabe Martin, DE Zach Moore, C Daniel Munyer (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: TE Alex Ellis (via Balzer)
- Colts: S Ronald Martin (via Balzer)
- Falcons: WR Marvin Hall (via Balzer)
- Giants: DT Kristjan Sokoli (via Balzer)
- Patriots: WR Cody Hollister (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
- Raiders: CB Tevin Mitchel (via Balzer)
- Rams: LB Garrett Sickels (via Balzer)
- Ravens: OT Steven Moore (via Balzer)
- Saints: DB Rickey Jefferson (per NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein, on Twitter)
- Seahawks: DE Ricky Ali’ifua, DB T.J. Green, RB Tre Madden, DB T.J. Mutcherson
- Steelers: T Joseph Cheek, S Malik Golden, LB Keith Kelsey, TE Jake McGee (via Balzer)
- Vikings: OT Cedrick Lang, TE Josiah Price (via Balzer)
RFA
Tendered at second-round level:
- Seahawks: T George Fant (per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, on Twitter)
Tendered at original-round level:
- Chiefs: S Jordan Lucas
- Saints: CB Ken Crawley (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate)
- Seahawks: DL Quinton Jefferson (via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, on Twitter)
Non-tendered:
- Bears: LS Patrick Scales (via Balzer)
- Bengals: TE Matt Lengel (via Balzer)
- Bills: TE Logan Thomas (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
- Broncos: QB Kevin Hogan, LB Deiontrez Mount, WR Jordan Taylor (via Balzer)
- Browns: CB Juston Burris, TE Orson Charles (via Balzer)
- Buccaneers: TE Alan Cross, CB Javien Elliott, T Leonard Wester (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Jeremy Cash, OT John Wetzel (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: LB Terrance Smith (via Balzer)
- Dolphins: WR Leonte Carroo (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald)
- 49ers: S Tyvis Powell (via Balzer)
- Jaguars: OG Chris Reed (via Balzer)
- Jets: DT Destiny Vaeao (via Balzer)
- Panthers: WR Damiere Byrd (via Balzer)
- Raiders: DE Shilique Calhoun (via Balzer)
- Redskins: WR Maurice Harris (per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, on Twitter), RB Rob Kelley (via Balzer)
- Saints: WR Tommylee Lewis (via Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com, on Twitter)
Ravens To Sign Mark Ingram
The Ravens will sign running back Mark Ingram, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. When finalized, it’ll be a three-year, $15MM pact.
Ingram was displaced this week when the Saints agreed to sign Latavius Murray. Murray will now serve as the backup to Alvin Kamara while Ingram will move on to Baltimore, where he’ll part of a rotation likely to include Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon. Ingram’s move to the Ravens will likely decrease the chances that fellow running back Javorius Allen — a free agent — returns to Baltimore.
Ingram, 29, served a four-game suspension to begin the 2018 campaign, but was highly effective once he returned to the field. On 138 carries, Ingram rushed for 638 yards and scored six touchdowns, while he also chipped in 21 catches, 170 yards, and a score in the passing game.
Ingram’s efficiency was off the charts, as he ranked third in Football Outsiders‘ success rate, meaning he was excellent at keeping the Saints’ offense on schedule with regard to down and distance. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus assigned Ingram a 75.7 grade in pass-blocking, placing him among the best at his position.
Ravens To Sign Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas intends to sign a four-year, $55MM deal with the Ravens, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal will include a whopping $32MM fully guaranteed and pay Thomas $22MM inside of the first nine months.
With the deal, Thomas has secured an average annual salary of $13.75MM. That beats out his earlier goal of eclipsing $13MM per year, but puts him shy of the $14MM/year mark obtained by Landon Collins (Redskins) and Tyrann Mathieu (Chiefs). It’s also a big step up from the $10MM/year he earned with the Seahawks on his last contract.
For the Ravens, the deal gives them ample firepower and star power to replace Eric Weddle. Baltimore, which already featured a pass defense which third in DVOA last season, will now field a secondary that includes Thomas, fellow safety Tony Jefferson, and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, and Tavon Young.
Thomas, 29, spent nine years in Seattle as arguably the premier safety in the NFL, but his final years with the Seahawks were tinged with his displeasure at not receiving a new contract. After angling for a trade or a new deal prior to the 2018 campaign, Thomas suffered a broken leg in Week 4 which ended his season prematurely. That injury wiped out his most of his platform year, and may have prevented him from becoming the league’s highest-paid safety.
Thomas comes to Baltimore with a decorated history. He’s been named first-team All-Pro three times, second-team All-Pro twice, and earned six Pro Bowl nods. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, has never assigned Thomas a below-average grade for his performance, and he’s regularly ranked among the NFL’s best safeties per PFF metrics.
Latest On Le’Veon Bell
The market for Le’Veon Bell may not actually be all that robust. Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets that the Bears, Colts, Ravens, Texans and Bills “haven’t really been in it” for the All-Pro running back.
This is particularly notable following reports from earlier today that six teams were in the running for Bell: the Jets, Colts, Ravens, Packers, Texans, and Bills. With four of those teams out of the running (along with the Bears), that would seemingly mean that New York and Green Bay are going head-to-head for the running back’s services. The Raiders have also been mentioned as a potential suitor for Bell.
Breer notes that the market’s been tough for the former Steelers offensive weapon, and he adds that more teams may enter the bidding if the asking price drops. As of right now, there’s a feeling that Bell could be secured for a deal that will pay him between $11MM and $12MM per season.
Regardless of who’s in and who’s out of the bidding, we may get a resolution sooner than later. We learned earlier today that the Jets have given Bell a deadline to make a decision. If the Jets don’t hear back by that unreported time, they’ll likely move on to other free agent targets.
Ravens Out On Le’Veon Bell?
It appears the Le’Veon Bell sweepstakes are coming to an end. It “seems like” Bell is down to the Jets and the Ravens as his final two choices on where to sign, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Contradicting Rapoport’s report, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that he continues “to be told the Ravens are not in on Le’Veon Bell.” It’s unclear who’s right, but the Ravens would definitely be at a significant disadvantage as they’re in a much worse cap situation than the Jets.
The Jets have been the team most consistently and heavily linked to Bell over the past handful of months, but the Ravens appear to be making a late push and coming on strong, depending on who you believe. We also just heard the Ravens were the “frontrunners” to sign Mark Ingram, which could limit their willingness to pursue Bell.
Bell appears genuinely interested in the Ravens, and “has indicated to some friends around the league how much he likes Baltimore,” Rapoport writes. Less than an hour ago it was reported the Raiders hadn’t quite ruled out signing Bell yet, but it appears they’re lagging far behind if they’re even still in it at all.
The Jets were just spurned by linebacker Anthony Barr, and the latest word is that the Jets were going to use some of the money they were going to pay Barr to make “a last and final big offer” to Bell. The Jets desperately need a running back and have some of the most cap space in the NFL, so they can outbid anybody.
The Colts have officially been declared out and other teams like the Texans and Bills always seemed like long-shots. If it’s really down to just the Jets and Ravens like it appears to be, we should know where Bell is heading very soon.
Ravens Frontrunners For Mark Ingram
New Orleans signing running back Latavius Murray seemed to signal the end of the Mark Ingram era in New Orleans. But the longtime Saints running back might not be on the open market very long.
The Ravens have emerged as the “frontrunner” for Ingram’s services, according to Josh Katzenstein of The New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link). Ingram has been with the Saints ever since New Orleans took him in the first round back in 2011. The former Heisman Trophy winner is 29 now, but his play hasn’t dipped much.
He averaged a robust 4.7 yards per carry this past season, which was actually his lowest total in the last three years. He was suspended for the first four games of the season for using PEDs, but came back as his reliable self for the final 12.ecause Ingram has always split time in a committee with the Saints, he doesn’t have as much tread on his tires as your typical 29-year-old running back. The Saints apparently want to get Alvin Kamara more touches, and don’t want to pay Ingram the salary he’s seeking.
Ingram was making around $4MM annually on his most recent contract, and seems to be looking for a raise. The Ravens have also been linked to Le’Veon Bell recently, and signing Ingram would presumably remove them from those sweepstakes. Whoever the Ravens end up signing is likely to see a heavy workload, as Baltimore has transitioned to the league’s most run-heavy offense with Lamar Jackson.
Le’Veon Bell Deciding Between Five Teams?
Free agents have been flying off the board but perhaps the biggest name, running back Le’Veon Bell, remains unsigned. The market does appear to be narrowing down for Bell’s services, and there’s a “good likelihood” he signs with one of the Jets, Colts, Ravens, Packers, Texans, or Bills, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com soon tweeted that the Colts are officially out on Bell, which would narrow down the list to five teams. Furthermore, the Packers have already spent a ton of money today on Adrian Amos, Za’Darius Smith, and Preston Smith, so they might not no longer be able to fit the massive contract Bell is seeking into their cap.
The Jets have been the team most heavily linked to Bell for months now. There have been conflicting reports about their level of interest, and rumors they’re concerned about his weight, but they’ve been the one constant when discussing Bell. The Jets are looking to add some excitement, need a running back, and have plenty of cap space, so they still make the most sense on paper.
The Ravens make some sense as well, as they’re looking for weapons for Lamar Jackson and are planning to have a very run-heavy offense. The Texans and Bills are more outside the box options, as both have established running backs. The Texans have Lamar Miller, while the Bills have LeSean McCoy and just added Frank Gore. Both Gore and McCoy are getting up there in age while the Texans could get out of Miller’s contract fairly easily, so they’re both definitely options.
Interestingly, Anderson’s list doesn’t include the Raiders. After trading for Antonio Brown, rumors began swirling that Jon Gruden would attempt to re-pair him with Bell in Oakland. That could still be the case, although they didn’t make Anderson’s shortlist.