Giants Decline Daniel Jones’ Fifth-Year Option, Exercise Dexter Lawrence’s
The Giants have become the latest team to make their decisions with respect to 2019 first rounders. Not surprisingly, they declined to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Daniel Jones (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Judy Battista). 
Jones, the sixth overall pick and second QB off the board that year, has failed to live up to expectations so far in his career. He has started all but one game during his three years with the team, compiling a 12-25 record. His completion percentage (62.8% overall) and yards per attempt average (6.6) have remained consistent throughout his tenure, representing an underwhelming level of development in his passing ability. That, coupled with a combined 49 turnovers (29 interceptions and 20 lost fumbles) make this the expected move.
Picking up the option would have given Jones a guaranteed 2023 salary of $22.4MM. Instead, he will now enter the 2022 campaign knowing his future with the team will be exclusively tied to his level of play under new head coach Brian Daboll. Ownership has publicly backed the Duke alum as the starter of the immediate future, so this news shouldn’t have an effect on the team’s draft plans.
Meanwhile, the Giants announced that they did exercise the option on defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence. He becomes the fifth player at that position to be retained through 2023 via the option. Without a Pro Bowl to his name, he will earn $10.753MM that season. The 24-year-old has started 41 of 48 career games, putting up solid, if unspectacular, numbers. Overall, he has totalled 145 tackles and nine sacks across his three seasons in the league.
As the Giants head towards a 2022 campaign in which significant improvement is expected, they now have a bit more certainty with respect to 2023 as well.
Dolphins To Pick Up Christian Wilkins’ Fifth-Year Option
As the hours continue to count down to the draft, there are a few more decisions to made on 2019 first rounders. Another one has been made this morning, with the Dolphins picking up the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe). 
The 26-year-old was taken 13th overall by the Dolphins as one of several highly-touted defensive linemen in that year’s class. He earned significant playing time right away in his rookie season, carrying a workload which has remained similar throughout his three-year career.
Wilkins posted 56 tackles and a pair of sacks in his first year, and put up similar numbers in 2020. This past season, though, he took a step forward with 89 stops (which ranked second on the team), 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble. That has established the Clemson alum as a “foundational player” for the team’s defense, as Wolfe notes. Along with Emmanuel Ogbah and Jaelan Phillips, he was a large part of the reason why the Dolphins ranked sixth in the league in sacks last season.
Still waiting for his first Pro Bowl invitation, Wilkins’ fifth year will come in at a lower price than some of his other d-line counterparts. He will earn a fully guaranteed $10.753MM in 2023, which could represent solid market value at the position by that time. Given his age and career arc, though, a long-term extension somewhere down the line would come as little surprise as well.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/27/22
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LS Liam McCullough
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Donnie Lewis, WR Trey Quinn
Detroit Lions
- Waived: LB Curtis Bolton
- Waived with non-football injury designation: TE Hunter Bryant
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: QB Anthony Gordon
Cardinals Pick Up Kyler Murray’s Fifth-Year Option
Not that it was ever in question, murky extension status notwithstanding, the Cardinals picked up Kyler Murray‘s fifth-year option Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
This ties Murray to the Cardinals through 2023 and would give the Pro Bowl quarterback a substantial raise in that fifth year. Because Murray is a two-time Pro Bowler, he is eligible for the top-tier option price. For 2019 first-round QBs, that comes in at a fully guaranteed $29.7MM.
Murray, 24, should not be expected to play for that salary; the former No. 1 overall pick has been seeking an extension for months. Murray’s camp established a goal of the Cardinals extending the newly extension-eligible passer by the draft. It does not appear the team will comply. This situation has not yet become contentious, however, with Murray sending out multiple tweets affirming his desire to stay in Arizona.
Murray’s contract now including the 2023 season gives the Cards leverage, but the threat of a holdout by the 2018 Heisman winner could significantly affect Arizona’s preparations for the coming season. The 2020 CBA made holdouts more difficult to wage, but it does not seem Murray will be willing to play next season on his rookie contract. He is set to make $965K in 2022.
Extending standout QBs before their fourth seasons has been the norm, with Lamar Jackson being the exception among recent first-rounders. The upcoming Murray talks also represent the Cards’ first major negotiation with a homegrown quarterback since they relocated to Arizona in 1988, raising the stakes a bit for a franchise that has seen outside additions — Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer — be its top modern-era passers. With the sides having yet to begin negotiations, this saga figures to last deep into the offseason.
Patriots Re-Sign DT Carl Davis
Carl Davis is returning to New England. The nose tackle is re-signing with the Patriots, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
Davis joined the Patriots during the 2021 season, and he’s seen time in 20 games over his year-plus with the organization. This includes a 2021 campaign where the defensive lineman appeared in all 17 games (four starts), finishing with 19 tackles and one sack.
Davis was originally a 2015 third-round pick by the Ravens. He lasted three years in Baltimore, and in between his stint in New England, he had gigs with the Browns, Colts, and Jaguars. In total, the 30-year-old has seen time in 56 regular season games.
Davis will be hard pressed to play a significant role on New England’s defense in 2022, especially if 2021 second-round pick Christian Barmore continues to develop. The Patriots are also rostering Davon Godchaux, who the Patriots inked to a two-year deal last offseason.
Titans Pick Up Jeffery Simmons’ Fifth-Year Option
Another fifth-year option is being picked up on a productive 2019 draftee. The Titans announced on Wednesday that they have exercised the option on defensive linemen Jeffery Simmons. 
Despite being drafted 19th overall, Simmons was only the fifth interior d-linemen off the board in his draft class. Beside the strength of a position group which also included Quinnen Williams and Ed Oliver, part of the reason he slid past the top half of the first round was a torn ACL he suffered in the lead-up to the draft. He was still able to play in nine games during his rookie campaign, though.
After a step up in production in 2020, the Mississippi State product showcased his pass-rushing potential this past season. He registered a career-high 8.5 sacks, adding 12 tackles for loss and 25 total pressures. Along with edge rusher Harold Landry, the 24-year-old played a leading role in the team’s resurgent pass rush, which finished top-10 in sacks in 2021. He earned his first career Pro Bowl as a result of his play.
As is the case with other players who have had their options picked up, this move comes as no surprise. As a member of Tier 2 with respect to the valuation of the guaranteed fifth-year contract, Simmons will earn just over $14.7MM. With that said, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reports (on Twitter) that he is a player the Titans “have plans to give a lucrative long-term extension [to] down the line”. For at least the near future, he will remain in place with Tennessee.
Commanders To Pick Up Montez Sweat’s Option
The Commanders are set to exercise Montez Sweat‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via Ben Standig of The Athletic). With that, they now have the defensive end under contract through the 2023 season. 
[RELATED: Bucs Pick Up D. White’s Option]
Sweat was limited to just ten games in 2021 thanks to a fractured jaw. Still, his past performance made this a pretty easy decision for Washington. Across all three years, the former first-round pick has 119 tackles and 21 sacks to his credit. He’s also registered seven forced fumbles, including three last year.
It’s also worth noting that Sweat suited up for 40 straight regular season games before the jaw injury. That helped the Commanders feel more comfortable with Sweat’s fully-guaranteed $11.5MM salary for 2023.
Sweat fell on draft day due to a misdiagnosed heart condition that tanked his stock. The Washington front office wasn’t bothered by the noise — they traded back into the first round, snagged Sweat at No. 26, and secured one of the better talents in the 2019 class.
NFL teams have until May 2 to exercise the fifth-year options for 2019 first-round draft picks. Earlier today, we learned that Bucs linebacker Devin White will have his option picked up for the 2023 season.
Bucs To Pick Up Devin White’s Option
The Buccaneers will pick up Devin White‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). With that, the linebacker is now set to make a fully-guaranteed $11.7MM in 2023.
[RELATED: Brady’s Contract Restructure Includes No-Tag Clause]
White, the No. 5 overall pick in 2019, was set to enter the final year of his four-year, $29.3MM rookie deal. There was no chance that the Bucs would let him get away after his Pro Bowl season. White notched 128 stops and 3.5 sacks, helping the Bucs finish as a top-five defense in points allowed.
White has been a starter throughout his career, dating back to his 91-tackle rookie campaign. All in all, he’s got 359 tackles, 15 sacks, four forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and one interception to his credit. Meanwhile, he just celebrated his 24th birthday in February. The Buccaneers will work to sign White to an even longer deal down the road. But, for now, they’ve got him locked in for another two seasons.
Teams have until May 2nd to exercise their options for 2019 first-round picks. Some decisions will be tough, now that the fifth-year option is fully-guaranteed rather than just guaranteed-for-injury. For Bucs GM Jason Licht, this one was a no-brainer.
Jaguars, Cam Robinson Agree To Extension
The Jaguars have reached agreement on an extension with tackle Cam Robinson (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Robinson will receive a three-year deal worth $54MM, according to RapSheet (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Jaguars’ Shad Khan, Trent Baalke Disagree On No. 1 Pick?]
The 26-year-old was franchise tagged for the second straight year, guaranteeing that he would be in Jacksonville for at least the 2022 campaign. That tag bought the Jaguars some time, allowing them to negotiate a long-term arrangement up until the middle of the summer. Instead of waiting things out, they’ve pounced just before draft day.
Robinson has started all 61 games across his five years in Jacksonville, though he hasn’t performed as a top-tier tackle. Last year, his 67.4 PFF grade in 2021 placed him No. 48 out of 83 qualifying tackles. Still, the Jags went ahead with the $16.6MM tag, which would have slotted him eighth in terms of left tackle salaries. Now, they’ve followed it up with a whopping $18MM/year extension.
The Jaguars have already invested heavily in their offensive line, adding All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff to the interior. Now, they can apply their draft ammo elsewhere — starting with the No. 1 overall pick, where they could select Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker. Of course, they’ve long been expected to target one of those elite edge rushers, but North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu was also said to be on their radar.
Broncos Re-Sign RB Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon is sticking around Denver. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the veteran running back is re-signing with the Broncos. It’s a one-year deal. Jordan Schultz was first with the news that the RB was re-signing with the organization.
Earlier this evening, Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reported (on Twitter) that the Broncos were “in discussions” about bringing back the veteran running back for another season. Ryan O’Halloran of The Denver Post was first to tweet that the two sides were discussing a new one-year deal. Per Klis (on Twitter), the deal is worth $2.5MM, with Gordon having the chance to earn up to $4MM.
As Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets, Broncos GM George Paton has kept an open dialogue with the veteran RB throughout the offseason, and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett has also shown interest in having a pair of trusted running backs on his roster. Now, the Broncos can roll forward with their successful 2021 tandem, with Gordon joining 2021 second-rounder Javonte Williams in Denver’s backfield.
Following five years with the Chargers, Gordon inked a two-year, $16MM deal with the Broncos in 2020. The 29-year-old couldn’t expect as much this time around; a report from earlier this offseason indicated that the RB could expect a one-year, $2.5MM deal. The veteran eventually changed agents, going from Fletcher Smith and Damarius Bilbo to Brian Murphy and Joe Panos of Athletes First, and the move apparently garnered him some extra cash.
Gordon stood as one of the best free agent RBs remaining on the market, especially since he’s posted more than 1,100 all-purpose yards in each of his last two seasons. He’s also scored exactly ten touchdowns in each of those Broncos campaigns. Gordon also generated interest from the Ravens before landing back in Denver.