2019 NFL Cap Space, By Team
With eight days to go before the 2019 trade deadline, here’s a look at the cap space possessed by each team, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter):
1. Colts: $43.5M
2. Browns: $32.9M
3. Dolphins: $28M
4. Bills: $24.7M
5. Cowboys: $24M
6. Titans: $23.7
7. Chiefs: $23.1M
8. Raiders: $22.4M
9. Eagles: $22.2M
10. Texans: $21.6M
11. Lions: $18.9M
12. Bears: $17M
13. 49ers: $14.4M
14. Panthers: $14.2M
15. Bengals: $13.6M
16. Redskins: $13.5M
17. Jaguars: $10.3M
18. Broncos: $10M
19. Packers: $9.5M
20. Seahawks: $7.8M
21. Buccaneers: $6.5M
22. Jets: $6.1M
23. Rams: $4.6M
24. Cardinals: $4.1M
25. Chargers: $4.1M
26. Steelers: $3.4M
27. Patriots: $2.5M
28. Giants: $2.2M
29. Ravens: $2.1M
30. Saints: $1.9M
31. Falcons: $1.7M
32. Vikings: $623K
Raiders Work Out C.J. Anderson
Running back C.J. Anderson worked out for the Raiders today, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. The Raiders appear to be looking at bringing in additional depth behind starter Josh Jacobs. 
Jacobs has been fantastic for the Raiders and is a prime candidate to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. However, after sharing running back duties in college at Alabama, Oakland has given him the lion’s share of carries. Last week the team auditioned a pair of backs and continues to monitor the market. While he is not expected to miss any time, Jacobs did leave their game against the Packers for some time, giving the team another reason to bring in an additional back.
Anderson, currently in his seventh NFL season, has amassed nearly 3,500 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns over his career. He served as one of the primary backs for the Broncos from 2014-17, but has yet to find a long-term home since.
He has appeared in games for the Panthers, Rams, and Lions over the past two seasons. In between his stints in Carolina and Los Angeles, Anderson actually signed with the Raiders last season before being released less than a week later.
No one believes the Raiders need an additional running back. However, a veteran like Anderson would seem well equipped to allow them to give their rookie more rest and hopefully, keep him healthy moving forward.
Ramsey Fallout: Ravens, Chiefs, Coughlin
Jalen Ramsey returned to action Sunday, and the Rams snapped their losing skid. Here is the latest on how Ramsey got to Los Angeles, and other franchises’ involvement, courtesy of SI.com’s Albert Breer.
- In addition to the Eagles’ offer of first- and second-round picks, the Ravens resided as a Ramsey finalist, Breer notes. Baltimore and Philadelphia were the top runners-up for the All-Pro cornerback. One reason the Jaguars preferred the Rams‘ offer, other than the first-round picks coming their way: a desire for a “clean” trade that did not come with the Jags parting with draft capital in a pick-swap-style exchange. The Rams agreed to these terms, and it’s unclear if the other teams did. The Ravens were on Ramsey’s list, but hours before the Rams won the pursuit, Baltimore acquired Marcus Peters from the Rams to help facilitate the deal.
- Both the Chiefs and Raiders were also on Ramsey’s list. While the two AFC West teams were previously reported as meeting with Ramsey’s approval, the Chiefs were not a serious contender to land him. However, it appears they wanted to be. Kansas City would have preferred to be in the Ramsey mix, but no Jacksonville call came as the process progressed, per Breer. The Jags expected the Chiefs’ draft picks to be too low for their liking, perhaps pointing to the Chiefs as being the team that initially offered two first-rounders. It’s unclear if the Raiders were a serious bidder.
- Ramsey’s issues with the Jaguars‘ front office were all about Tom Coughlin, Breer notes. The third-year executive VP has been known to ruffle feathers, and the old-school leader made comments about certain Jaguars’ lack of attendance at offseason workouts. The Jags informed Ramsey over the summer they would not extend him in 2019, though Breer adds that he was fine playing out this season on his rookie deal. However, the fourth-year cornerback said the last straw was a contentious meeting after the Week 2 Texans game. Coughlin was not with the Jaguars when they drafted Ramsey in 2016.
Texans Acquire Gareon Conley From Raiders
Eight days away from this year’s trade deadline, two AFC teams have struck a deal. The Raiders agreed to send cornerback Gareon Conley to the Texans in exchange for a third-round pick, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (on Twitter).
Conley has started every Raiders game this season and will head to a Texans team dealing with injuries at corner. The 2017 first-round pick is signed through the 2020 season and can be controlled through 2021 via fifth-year option. The Ohio State product has started 20 games over the past two seasons, shaking off an injury-marred rookie slate.
And just like the Broncos did when they traded Demaryius Thomas to the Texans last season, the Raiders will see Conley again soon. The Raiders will be in Houston for a Week 8 Texans matchup Sunday.
This marks yet another high 2020 pick the Texans have surrendered, with the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain reporting (via Twitter) it’s a 2020 third. The Texans owned the Seahawks’ 2020 third-rounder from the Jadeveon Clowney deal and will send that selection to the Raiders. The Texans traded their 2020 first-rounder in the Laremy Tunsil deal and are likely to send a third-rounder to the Browns for Duke Johnson. Overall, Houston has traded five 2020 or ’21 Day 1 or Day 2 picks since August.
This would stand to leave Houston with only its second-rounder on Days 1-2 of next year’s draft, further committing the current GM-less team to a hopeful deep 2019 playoff run.
This marks an interesting deal between two teams contending in the AFC. Although the Raiders did not fare well in Green Bay on Sunday, they remain 3-3. They have struggled in pass defense this season, with Aaron Rodgers‘ historic day being the most recent such reminder. Oakland also added two corners in this year’s draft — second-rounder Trayvon Mullen and fourth-rounder Isaiah Johnson — and signed Nevin Lawson. Lamarcus Joyner has also worked in the slot as a Raider. Johnson is expected to make his debut soon, and this transaction figures to mean more Mullen snaps going forward.
The Texans have lost Bradley Roby, also an Ohio State-produced first-rounder, and on Sunday saw veteran Johnathan Joseph carted off the field Sunday. They drafted Lonnie Johnson in Round 2, but he has graded as Pro Football Focus’ second-worst cornerback this season. The Texans also placed Phillip Gaines on IR on Monday. The 4-3 team will add Conley to the mix, and he should be set to contribute immediately. PFF has Conley slotted as this year’s No. 82 overall corner. He has four career interceptions, one of which coming this season.
Conley, 24, represents yet another Reggie McKenzie-era first-rounder the Jon Gruden regime has jettisoned. Gruden shipped out Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper in trades last season and has now dealt away McKenzie’s final first-round pick as Raiders GM. Karl Joseph is the last remaining McKenzie first-rounder on the Raiders’ roster.
Trade Rumors: Seahawks, Broncos, Beasley
In the wake of Will Dissly‘s season-ending Achilles tear, the Seahawks are in the TE trade market, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Of course, Seattle already traded Nick Vannett to the Steelers earlier this season, and the club’s TE depth chart is so thin that they used several backup DEs as blocking tight ends in practice this week and may do so against the Ravens today.
Now for more trade rumors from around the league as we approach the October 29 trade deadline
- No surprises here, but the Broncos are getting trade calls on WR Emmanuel Sanders, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. Though Denver GM John Elway has refuted the notion that any of his players are on the trade block, Schefter says the Broncos will listen to offers for Sanders, though they are expected to ask for at least a third-round draft choice in return.
- Another member of the Broncos that could be on the move is cornerback Chris Harris Jr. The Eagles made a strong offer for Jalen Ramsey, and Harris would still be a welcome addition to Philadelphia’s secondary and would not require the team to part with nearly as much draft capital. Former NFL agent Joel Corry (among others) wonders if the Eagles will make a push for Harris (Twitter link).
- The Falcons have put Vic Beasley on the trade block, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Beasley’s play has tapered off dramatically since his breakout 15.5-sack performance in 2016, but he’s a former first-round pick and is only 27, so he could be a low-risk, high-reward target for a team in need of pass rushing help.
- Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes the Browns still have a chance of landing Redskins LT Trent Williams, but she concedes that it will take a first-round pick and more to land him.
- Schefter tweets that the Raiders will be buyers in advance of the deadline and have already begun looking for LBs and pass rushers.
Antonio Brown Generating Interest; Latest On Grievance
Wide receiver is one of the most coveted positions during the run-up to this year’s trade deadline, but with A.J. Green seemingly off the market, and given the uncertain availability of other big names like Emmanuel Sanders, WR-needy teams that are unable to swing a trade prior to October 29 may turn to another option.
Indeed, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says a number of teams are keeping a close eye on Antonio Brown, and his name has come up in internal personnel meetings. Once the trade deadline passes, La Canfora’s sources expect interest in Brown to further intensify.
Of course, the league has not yet interviewed Brown regarding the sexual assault/rape allegations that have been made against him, and if he were to sign with a team, the league will reportedly put him on the commissioner’s exempt list until the interview takes place. On the other hand, his signing may trigger the NFL to hold that interview and make a disciplinary decision, because it doesn’t want to look like it’s deliberately dragging its feet just to delay Brown’s return to the field. The last we heard, Brown prefers to wait until he is cleared by the league to sign, but he may have to force the issue.
Obviously, a Brown signing would need to be green-lighted by team ownership, which is not going to be an easy sell. But all it takes is one owner to pull the trigger.
In other Brown news, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports that AB’s grievance against the Raiders has taken a major hit (Twitter link). Brown is seeking to recoup $30MM in guaranteed money from Oakland, but in the discovery phase of the grievance, the Raiders submitted multiple text messages from Brown to owner Mark Davis asking for his release. That will certainly not help Brown’s cause.
Tyrell Williams Out For Week 7
- Tyrell Williams will miss his second straight game. The Raiders‘ No. 1 wide receiver is out for Week 7. The Raiders are largely down to rookies (Hunter Renfrow, Keelan Doss) and in-season trade acquisitions (Zay Jones, ex-Packer Trevor Davis) in Green Bay.
Raiders Extend TE Darren Waller
The Raiders are signing breakout tight end Darren Waller to an extension through the 2023 season, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the transaction.
Oakland already controlled Waller’s rights for the 2020 campaign, as the former sixth-round pick had been scheduled to become a restricted free agent next spring. Waller’s new deal is essentially a three-year extension on top of what would have been a one-year RFA tender, tweets Pelissero, adding Waller will collect roughly $9MM annually under his new pact.
Waller has played in just five games as a result of the Raiders’ early bye week, but he still ranks second to only Austin Hooper in receptions among tight ends, and is sixth at the position with 359 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus grades Waller as the league’s ninth-best run-blocking tight end.
Waller, 27, was selected by the Ravens in the 2015 draft. Suspended twice by the NFL (the second time for a full season), Waller has since courageously overcome addictions involving cocaine and opiates. Oakland signed him off Baltimore’s practice squad last November, and has been rewarded with one of the more surprising stories of the 2019 season.
While full details of Waller’s extension aren’t in just yet, a $9MM annual average would rank fifth among tight ends behind Jimmy Graham, Travis Kelce, Jordan Reed, Kyle Rudolph, and Greg Olsen. In terms of guarantees, Trey Burton leads the way with the $22MM he received under his free agent deal with the Bears.
Raiders Work Out LeGarrette Blount
The Raiders worked out running backs LeGarrette Blount and Bo Scarbrough today, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Blount hasn’t been heard from this offseason, as he hasn’t take any known visits or workouts with NFL clubs. That’s perhaps to be expected after the veteran back struggled through a 2018 campaign with the Lions in which he managed an anemic 2.7 yard per carry on 154 rush attempts. Now 32 years old, Blount has nearly 1,500 carries on his ledger through nine pro seasons.
It’s unclear if Oakland is seriously considering a Blount addition or merely updating its emergency free agent list. First-round pick Josh Jacobs has shined in his rookie year, and the Raiders also have Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington in reserve.
Scarbrough, a seventh-round pick of the Cowboys in 2018, has also spent time with the Jaguars and Seahawks. He’s yet to post an NFL carry.
Raiders’ Trent Brown Accused Of Assault
Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown has been accused of domestic violence by girlfriend Diorra Marzette-Sanders in a lawsuit, according to ESPN.com. Marzette-Sanders says she’s been “bruised, bloodied and battered” by the veteran NFL player on multiple occasions.
Brown, meanwhile, denied the allegations in a statement:
“I am aware that my ex-girlfriend has filed a civil suit against me. I deny the claims. They are false. I believe in the court system where I will clear my name. I will not be making any further comment at this time.”
A police report was filed following a June 2019 in which Marzette-Sanders says she was bruised by Brown. Based on that attack, and others dating back to 2018, she says she lived in fear of the 26-year-old.
Brown joined the Raiders on a four-year, $66MM deal this past offseason. To date, he’s started in all five of the Raiders’ 2019 games.