Latest On Raiders’ Darren Waller
While most of the buzz around the NFL is related to the upcoming draft, a report recently surfaced regarding what would be another sizeable trade seeing a Pro Bowler on the move. Aaron Nagler of CheeseHead TV wrote earlier this week that the Packers and Raiders were in discussion on a trade involving tight end Darren Waller. 
When referencing the report, ESPN’s Matt Miller added that Waller “was being shopped due to age and expected cost” previously (Twitter link). That would seem to open the door to Vegas dealing the 29-year-old, who has two years remaining on an extension he signed in 2019. He is due $6.25MM in each season, with slightly higher cap hits. None of that money is guaranteed, however.
A swap involving the Raiders and Packers would, of course, be the second notable one of the offseason. But it is in large part because of Vegas’ acquisition of Davante Adams that Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote “they have no desire to part ways with [Waller]”. The price – both in terms of draft capital and the financial commitment of a lucrative extension – the Raiders paid to add the ex-Packers star would indeed make any thought of moving Waller rather puzzling.
Bonsignore added that while Waller is on a below-market deal relative to his production (including two straight 1,100 yard seasons in 2019 and 2020), the team’s decisions on an extension or any possible trade if terms can’t be agreed upon “appear [to be] at least a year away”. Recently re-signed quarterback Derek Carr added (on Twitter) further rejection to the notion of Waller playing anywhere but in Vegas this upcoming season.
For what it’s worth, Waller doesn’t believe he’ll be moved. During an appearance on The Zach Gelb Show, the tight end said he was told by the organization that he’s staying put.
“They said that’s not a thing that’s happening and there’s no trade that’s going to happen,” Waller said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter).
The Raiders will be waiting until the third round of the draft to make their first selection, as a result of the Adams deal. In the meantime, this storyline could be one to watch during the weekend.
Packers Interested In George Pickens
- Shifting to the draft, Georgia wideout George Pickens has emerged as a polarizing prospect. Some teams have the SEC-produced talent off their board altogether, citing character concerns, via SI.com’s Albert Breer. Others, however, have done extensive work on him. Pickens said the Cardinals, Chiefs and Packers have been the teams who have come in contact with him most, Fowler notes. Arizona and Kansas City have been linked to first-round wideouts, with the Chiefs connected to a Round 1 trade-up, while the Packers have famously not taken a first-round receiver since Javon Walker in 2002. Although the 6-foot-3 wideout referred to himself as the draft’s best wideout, he views his likely draft slot in the 25-45 range. Pickens, who posted 1,240 yards and 14 touchdowns between his freshman and sophomore seasons, is coming off a slate he largely missed due to a March 2021 ACL tear.
Jets Are “Front-Runners” To Acquire 49ers WR Deebo Samuel
We heard previously that the Jets were “all in” on 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel, and it sounds like their aggressive stance has made them the favorites in the Deebo sweepstakes. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Jets are considered to be the “front-runners” for the wideout.
[RELATED: Jets “All In” On Deebo Samuel]
Despite Samuel asking out of San Francisco, John Lynch and the 49ers front office publicly stated an unwilligness to engage in trade talks. However, Fowler writes that the organization is “at least listening” to pitches from suitors. The team’s public stubbornness could ultimately be posturing in pursuit of extra assets in a trade.
While the Jets remain the favorite to acquire the talented wideout, the Lions and Packers continue to have interest, echoing a report from the other day. However, a source believes it would take a haul for Green Bay to acquire Samuel from an NFC rival.
New York currently holds the No. 4 and No. 10 selections in tomorrow’s draft, and Jets GM Joe Douglas is prepared to use the latter choice as part of a package to acquire Samuel. The All-Pro wideout, meanwhile, wants a deal with an AAV of at least $25MM, and while that’s a hefty sum, the Jets were willing to dole out that kind of money for Tyreek Hill.
Last week, Samuel requested a trade from the 49ers. The request wasn’t entirely about money; rather, Samuel is also hesitant about his increased usage as a running back. The 49ers gave the physical receiver 59 carries last season, tying Tavon Austin‘s 2017 output for the most by a wide receiver since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Packers, Lions Interested In Deebo Samuel?
Staying in character, the Jets are prepared to make an offer involving the No. 10 overall pick for Deebo Samuel. In addition to the persistent wide receiver-chasing team, NFC squads are interested in the disgruntled 49er.
The Lions and Packers are believed to be on the radar for Samuel, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). Green Bay is on the verge of entering the draft with a glaring hole at the position, and although Detroit saw Amon-Ra St. Brown progress down the stretch last season, Samuel would step in as a clear-cut No. 1 weapon with the rebuilding team. The prospective price would hover around a mid-first-round pick, per Rapoport. The 49ers dealt DeForest Buckner for a mid-first-rounder in 2020, doing so after extension talks reached a price point too high for the team.
[RELATED: Samuel, Brown, McLaurin To Skip Offseason Workouts]
Of course, this all might be premature. The 49ers are not believed to be listening to Samuel proposals, and while John Lynch said these recent hiccups have surprised the team, the plan remains to find a way to salvage this partnership.
“I can’t ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo,” Lynch said Monday. “He’s just too good of a player. You don’t let guys like that walk.”
Samuel trade rumors have only emerged in the past week, though the trade-and-extend sequences involving Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill have impacted the receiver market for several weeks. The 49ers have planned Samuel and Nick Bosa extensions, but the team’s initial offer — less than $19MM per year — did not go over well with the All-Pro wideout. Samuel submitted a trade request last week, with issues like his frequent backfield usage and not wanting to live in California any longer surfacing. The 49ers, however, have thus far closed off this route.
The 49ers trading their top receiver to the Packers, one of their top conference rivals, seems farfetched. An interconference deal to the Jets would add up, especially given ex-49ers coach Mike LaFleur running the Jets’ offense. The Lions (Nos. 2 and 32), Jets (Nos. 4 and 10) and Packers (Nos. 22 and 28) each have two first-round picks, providing additional ammo in the event the 49ers do decide to enter trade talks. The team still holds considerable leverage, with Samuel under contract through 2022 and the franchise tag in play for 2023, but may well be able to recoup better value ahead of the draft.
NFC Rumors: Toney, Packers, Hainsey, Ragnow
With the news early this morning that Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney is on the trading block after only one season in New York, questions have arisen about the value Toney commands. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, interest in Toney covers the gamut across the NFL.
Howe reports that some teams have absolutely no interest, while other teams believe that giving him a chance to develop in their system will allow his talent and ability to shine. Toney showed explosive ability in college at Florida, scoring on big plays and showing elite ability after the catch. The Giants looked past several off-field concerns during his time in Gainesville when drafting Toney at 20th overall. Unfortunately for New York, Toney’s off-field issues continued into Year One of his NFL career.
Howe thinks that New York has potentially been trying to move Toney for a while now with little success. He posits that the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft will create some urgency either for receiver-needy teams looking for a young boost to their pass-catching group or for New York to accept a lesser price to get any value out of their failed first-round experiment from 2021.
Here are some other rumors from around the NFC, starting with a new name in Green Bay:
- According to the Packers’ website, Green Bay finalized their staff this week with the addition of John Donovan as a senior analyst. After 19 years in college football culminating in offensive coordinator jobs at Vanderbilt and Penn State, Donovan first entered the NFL as an offensive quality control coach for the Jaguars. He left Jacksonville to return to college for the offensive coordinator job at the University of Washington. After two years in that role, Donovan will give the NFL another try, this time in Green Bay.
- Former third-round pick Robert Hainsey played offensive tackle at Notre Dame before working through his rookie year in Tampa Bay at center. Greg Auman of The Athletic believes Hainsey could split the difference and compete for a starting job at guard this year. With Ali Marpet retiring and Alex Cappa signing in the offseason with the Bengals, the Buccaneers will need to replace both spots. They addressed one position, signing former-Patriots guard Shaq Mason to slot in at right guard. They also re-signed Aaron Stinnie who has been a reliable backup in Tampa Bay, but has only started one game in his four-year career. Expect Hainsey to get a chance to compete for the starting spot this offseason.
- After suffering a season-ending toe injury in a Week 4 loss to the Bears last season, the Lions have reported that Frank Ragnow is feeling strong, healthy, and ready to return to his role as a leader in the middle of the Lions’ offensive line. The Lions will look forward to getting Ragnow back to lead an impressive-sounding group that includes Jonah Jackson, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Taylor Decker, and Penei Sewell.
WR DeSean Jackson Considering Retirement
It’s been quiet on the DeSean Jackson front this offseason, and the veteran wideout may be considering retirement. During an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Ashley Nicole Moss, Jackson admitted that he might hang up his cleats.
“I’m not really sure if I’m going to play next year or not,” Jackson said (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon). “I know I announced and said I was going to play. It’s just really at this point where I’m at in my life, it’s gotta be the right fit.”
Jackson was also asked what would qualify as “the right fit,: with the receiver noting that any suitor would need to feature a “great quarterback.” Jackson even mentioned a potential reunion with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who coached Jackson when the two were in Philly.
“Chiefs may be one,” said Jackson. “The Browns. Russell Wilson in Denver. Green Bay … we’ll see for sure.”
The three-time Pro Bowler joined the Rams last offseason. However, after hauling in only eight catches in seven games, Jackson asked for and was granted his release. He later caught on with the Raiders, and while his receptions-per-game average slightly increased, he still put up similar yardage per game. He ultimately saw time in nine games (four starts) for Las Vegas, hauling in 12 receptions for 233 yards and one touchdown. He also had a single 26-yard reception in the postseason.
Contract Details: Gilmore, Cooks, Nelson, Smith, Bynes, Watkins
Here are some details on deals recently signed around the NFL:
- Stephon Gilmore, CB (Colts): Two-year, $20MM. The deal includes $10.51MM guaranteed at signing and $14MM in overall guarantees. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Gilmore’s Year 1 payout will total $10.02MM.
- Brandin Cooks, WR (Texans): Two-year, $39.76MM. The deal includes $36MM guaranteed at signing consisting of the $16MM signing bonus (applied over three years) and the first two years of base salary ($2MM in 2022 and $18MM in 2023), according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Cooks will have a per game active bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000 and will receive a roster bonus in 2024 of $3MM.
- Steven Nelson, CB (Texans): Two-year, $9MM. The deal is worth up to $10MM, according to Wilson. It includes $4.5MM guaranteed at signing consisting of a $2MM signing bonus, the 2022 base salary of $1.75MM, and $750,000 of the 2023 base salary. Nelson will have a 2022 per game active bonus of $44,117 for a potential season total of $750,000 and a 2023 per game active bonus of $58,832 for a potential season total of $1MM. The deal includes an unspecified incentive worth $250,000 for the 2022 season.
- Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks): One-year, $3.5MM. The deal is worth up to $7MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, with up to $3.5MM worth of incentives likely triggerable if he wins the starting job. The deal includes a guaranteed amount of $500,000.
- Josh Bynes, LB (Ravens): One-year, $1.27MM. According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, the deal includes $600,000 of guaranteed money consisting of the signing bonus worth $152,500 and $447,500 of the base salary (worth $1.12MM total).
- Sammy Watkins, WR (Packers): One-year, $1.85MM. The deal includes a signing bonus of $350,000 and is worth up to $4MM, according to USA Today’s Ryan Wood, with incentives for playtime, catches, yards, and touchdowns. Watkins can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $525,000 if he plays a snap count percentage of 55%, 60%, or 65%, respectively. He can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $525,000 if he records a receptions total of 50, 60, or 70 catches, respectively. He can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $525,000 if he has yardage totals of 550, 650, or 700, respectively. Lastly, Watkins can earn an extra $150,000, $350,000, or $575,000 if he catches 7, 8, or 9 touchdowns, respectively.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 4/18/22
Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:
RFAs
Signed:
- Rams: LB Travin Howard
ERFAs
Signed:
- Browns: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, G Michael Dunn
- Chargers: T Storm Norton
- Jets: CB Javelin Guidry, S Elijah Riley, WR Jeff Smith, DE Tim Ward
- Lions: WR Tom Kennedy, TE Brock Wright
- Packers: LB Krys Barnes, TE Dominique Dafney, C Jake Hanson, T Yosh Nijman, LB Randy Ramsey; WR Malik Taylor
- Ravens: C Trystan Colon, QB Tyler Huntley, LS Nick Moore, LB Kristian Welch
NFC Notes: Packers, Cousins, Seahawks, Kaepernick
Following the mass exodus of the Packers’ staff this offseason, longtime NFL quarterbacks coach Tom Clements received a phone call from his old player, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as reported by Ryan Wood of Packers News.
Rodgers had just watched the dissolution of the Packers’ 2021 coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett departed to Denver for a head coaching position. Passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy took an offensive coordinator job for the rival Bears.
Clements was enjoying retirement, looking forward to heading into Year 2 of armchair quarterbacking like the rest of us. Clements claimed he “didn’t have the itch to come back,” but after conversations with Rodgers and Packers head coach Matt LeFleur, Clements found himself back in the NFL, returning to his longest tenured home from his first stint in coaching.
Here are a few other notes from around the NFC, starting with another note from the North:
- Following a shiny new deal from the Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins appears content to finish his NFL career in Minnesota, according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff. Cousins certainly didn’t need an early extension. He set an example years ago for how a player can bet on himself, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to be franchise-tagged in consecutive years then signing the league’s first ever (and highest at the time) fully-guaranteed contract. Despite this history, Cousins agreed to a deal that freed up some cap space for Minnesota. When asked why he agreed to this deal, Cousins simply stated, “The short answer is: I want to be a Minnesota Viking.”
- Jason La Canfora wrote a piece Friday asserting his belief that two quarterbacks will go in the Top 10 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft, notably that he expects Atlanta and Carolina to select one of Liberty’s Malik Willis or Pitt’s Kenny Pickett. If either NFC South franchise ends up addressing another position, though, La Canfora expects Seattle to fulfill his prediction with the No. 9 overall pick. Should neither quarterback be available to the Seahawks, several executives believe that Seattle would trade back, allowing teams who are hungry to select a specific prospect to relinquish some of their draft capital while keeping alive the Seahawks ability to draft a value-player without reaching.
- Should Seattle not find a quarterback in the Draft, one option they’ve kicked the tires on is former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick hasn’t played since January of 2017, but has stayed in shape amidst lawsuits and accusations against the NFL that settled in 2019. A connection was reported with the Seahawks in March after some comments from head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll gave an update, as reported by USA Today’s Scooby Axson, saying that, while not much has progressed in terms of a contract, Carroll notices the work Kaepernick has put in and admires the 34-year-old’s desire to compete. No deal seems imminent, but Kaepernick remains a possibility should Seattle strike out in the Draft later this month.
Packers To Sign WR Sammy Watkins
1:14PM: Not surprisingly, the two sides have indeed been able to reach an agreement on a deal. Watkins is signing a one-year contract worth up to $4MM (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
1:07PM: One of the teams most in need of wide receiver additions is meeting with one of the top remaining free agents at the position. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports (on Twitter) that Sammy Watkins is visiting the Packers today. 
Green Bay has been able to retain most of the key players on their NFC-leading team from 2021. Two of the most notable departures, though, are of course Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. That has left the team in search of multiple replacements for their pass-catching corps; given the current state of the free agent market, many expected the draft to become the Packers’ main area of focus.
Watkins is on a small list of notable veterans still available, though. He, along with Julio Jones, Jarvis Landry and Will Fuller could all be on the move around, or just after, the draft. The Packers would represent Watkins’ fifth career team, as he spent the 2021 campaign with the Ravens after three years in Kansas City. That, in turn, was preceded by a single season with the Rams and three with the Bills. Since his lone 1,000 yard campaign in Buffalo, he has established himself as a consistent secondary option in the passing game.
Green Bay would still have some familiar faces for the former fourth-overall pick. Head coach Matt Lafleur was the Rams’ offensive coordinator during his lone season there in 2017. Likewise, WRs coach Jason Vrable worked with Watkins as an offensive staffer when he was in Buffalo. If he were to sign, the 28-year-old would add experienced depth to the WR room, while leaving the door open to at least one other noteworthy addition, either in free agency or the draft.