WR Rumors: Jets, Ruggs, Cowboys, Mims
Buzz about the Jets‘ first-round decision has pointed to a tackle-or-wide receiver dilemma. While the former scenario thus far has been the predicted route GM Joe Douglas will take in his first Jets draft, the team is high on Henry Ruggs, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes (video link). The Jets have eyed Ruggs throughout the pre-draft process. Smokescreens are common at this time, but it might not make much sense in this case. The Jets may not be able to afford to trade down from No. 11 overall, considering the draft’s top four tackles may all be gone by the middle of the first round.
Should Gang Green opt for a wide receiver, Ruggs has generally rated behind former Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma standout CeeDee Lamb in mock drafts. The Jets are believe to be Lamb fans as well. The 5-foot-11 Ruggs, however, has both easily beat in the speed department. The Jets recently signed deep threat Breshad Perriman to replace Robby Anderson and have slot cog Jamison Crowder under contract.
Here is the latest from the league’s wide receiver landscape:
- On the subject of Ruggs, the Cowboys recently went through a video conference with the first-round talent, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Perhaps as an indication of the board the Cowboys expect to see when they pick at No. 17, Hill adds the team has not spoken with Lamb yet (Twitter link). It would certainly be interesting to see the Cowboys choose a wideout in Round 1, considering they just authorized a $20MM-per-year Amari Cooper pact.
- One of this draft’s many receivers who figure to be off the board by the time the third round begins, Denzel Mims produced two 1,000-yard seasons while at Baylor. However, the 6-3 standout struggled with drops with the Bears. Mims played with a broken hand last season, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding that he has discussed this issue with teams. With the NCAA not forcing teams to provide injury reports, players’ maladies can slip under radars far easier than they can in the NFL. After blazing to a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, Mims will likely not have to wait too long Friday night — if indeed he escapes Round 1.
- The Cardinals now have Larry Fitzgerald, DeAndre Hopkins and recent second-round picks Christian Kirk and Andy Isabella on their team. Kyler Murray has also lobbied for the team to draft Lamb — his college teammate — at No. 8 overall. It would be a surprise to see Arizona devote a high pick to a wideout this year, but Steve Keim did not rule out such a move. “You want to look at the long-term contracts you have in place, whether guys can play inside or outside,” Keim said. “If there is a player at the right spot, someone we are high on, we will certainly take advantage of that. Just because it seems on the surface we’re not as needy at wide receiver, that could change pretty quickly.”
Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott
If the Cowboys go forward with a virtual offseason program next week, Dak Prescott won’t log on, unless he has a new deal in place (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). The online OTAs would be voluntary, just like regular OTAs, so the choice is entirely up to him. 
[RELATED: Redskins Wanted To Take Cooper From The Cowboys]
The Cowboys cuffed Prescott with the franchise tag earlier this offseason and he has yet to sign his tender. With a one-year, $31MM+ deal on the table, Prescott is pushing for a multi-year pact that would bring him closer to Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM average annual value. While teammates Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott signed long-term contracts (five years and six years, respectively), Prescott is reportedly looking for a shorter agreement that would allow him to cash in all over again in his prime years.
Even though Prescott’s performance dovetailed in the second half of last season, it’s still possible that he could become the NFL’s new cash leader. The two sides have until July 15 to sort all of that out. If they’re not able to come to terms, Prescott will probably take his time before putting pen to paper, but ultimately play on the one-year tender. Then, after the 2020 season, the two sides will be free to resume negotiations.
Prescott, of course, is not the league’s best quarterback, but he’s one of the better QBs in the game and these deals ultimately come down to age and timing. He won’t turn 27 until the end of July and he’s in a great position to get what he wants from the Cowboys.
The two-time Pro Bowler threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019. Many of those throws went to Amari Cooper, who tallied 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns en route to a massive payday.
Cowboys Like Cesar Ruiz
- The Cowboys may look to find a replacement for All-Pro center Travis Frederick after he announced his retirement earlier this year, but at least one rival executive tells King that Dallas won’t spend the 17th pick on a pivot. However, that same executive believes the Cowboys are fans of Michigan interior lineman Cesar Ruiz, and could trade down before selecting the ex-Wolverine.
2020 NFL Cap Room By Team
The biggest names in NFL free agency might be off the board, but there are still plenty of noteworthy players on the board and high-profile cuts on the way. And, while some teams did their spending early, others are still sitting on lots of cash.
The latest cap figures from OverTheCap show that several teams are poised to pounce in the latter waves of free agency, starting with the Browns. The numbers also show that teams like the Rams still have work to do in order to sign their upcoming draft class. Also, the Eagles’ 2020 figure doesn’t quite tell the whole story – thanks to high-priced multi-year deals including Darius Slay’s new contract, they’re already overcommitted on dollars for 2021.
Here’s the complete rundown for all 32 teams, in descending order of cap space:
- Browns – $40.2MM
- Lions – $29.5MM
- Eagles – $27.1MM
- Colts – $24MM
- Dolphins – $23.9MM
- Redskins – $23.8MM
- Chargers – $22.3MM
- Titans – $21.5MM
- Bills – $20.9MM
- Texans – $18.6MM
- Broncos – $17.5MM
- Giants – $17.1MM
- Jets – $15.5MM
- Jaguars – $14.6MM
- Cowboys – $13.6MM
- Buccaneers – $13.5MM
- 49ers – $13.4MM
- Seahawks – $12.6MM
- Vikings – $12.3MM
- Ravens – $11.3MM
- Packers – $11.08MM
- Bears – $11.03MM
- Panthers – $9.4MM
- Raiders – $8.8MM
- Bengals – $7.3MM
- Steelers – $7.2MM
- Cardinals – $7MM
- Saints – $5.3MM
- Chiefs – $2.9MM
- Falcons – $2.4MM
- Patriots – $1.2MM
- Rams – (-$5.3MM)
Latest On Cowboys' Aldon Smith
The Cowboys gave Aldon Smith another chance in the NFL by signing him to a one-year deal earlier this month. Although the Cowboys have been known to take chances on players with off-the-field issues, the move surprised many. Smith remains indefinitely suspended by the NFL, so it’s not a given that he’ll be allowed to take the field in 2020.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/10/20
A couple of minor moves to pass along as we head into the weekend:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Saivion Smith
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OT Storm Norton
Both players came from the XFL, which just announced earlier this morning that it was shutting down. Norton is getting a two-year deal from Los Angeles, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Smith left Alabama early last season, but went undrafted. He signed with Jacksonville as an UDFA, but was released at final cuts. He played for the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL. Norton is a 2017 UDFA from Toledo who has spent time on the practice squads of the Lions, Cardinals, and Vikings. He played with the Los Angeles Wildcats in the XFL.
Ron Rivera: Redskins Wanted Amari Cooper
The Redskins didn’t pry Amari Cooper away from their divisional rivals this offseason, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. In a virtual presser on Tuesday, head coach Ron Rivera made it known that he was aggressive in his pursuit of the Cowboys star.
“Amari was somebody we chased hard all the way until the end,” Rivera said (Twitter link via The Team 980). “We would’ve loved to have him a part of what we’re trying to do here. He would’ve been a great veteran presence.”
The Redskins made their pitch to Cooper before he re-signed with the Cowboys on a five-year, $100MM extension. Had they landed him, Cooper would have made an immediate impact – the Redskins’ current group has a serious drop-off after rising sophomore Terry McLaurin. After they said farewell to Paul Richardson and lost tight ends Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, there’s a clear need for pass-catchers in D.C.
Ultimately, the Redskins could not compete with the Cowboys in this battle, due in large part to taxes. In Texas, Cooper doesn’t have to pay any state income tax, and those percentage points make a huge difference when it comes to a nine-figure contract.
Last year, Cooper set career-highs in receiving yards (1,189) and TDs (eight), his first full season in Dallas. That performance landed him his fourth career Pro Bowl nod.
The former first-round pick won’t turn 26 until June, so his very best football should still be ahead of him. The Cowboys certainly hope that’s the case – his five-year deal takes him through 2024 and includes $60MM in guaranteed cash.
No Progress On Jamal Adams Contract Talks
We heard at the end of January that the Jets and star safety Jamal Adams were beginning contract talks, but as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes, those talks have been tabled for the time being. If Adams does get a new deal from Gang Green, it will not happen until after this month’s draft, and perhaps not until closer to the start of the regular season.
In the meantime, a trade is still a possibility. The Jets made Adams available in advance of the trade deadline in October, and while their asking price was too rich for a rival club to pull the trigger, we heard that a trade could still come together before the 2020 season gets underway. The Cowboys were negotiating with the Jets in the fall — they reportedly offered a first-round pick and backup corner Anthony Brown — and Cimini says there are rumors that Dallas is planning to make another run at Adams before the draft (though the club did add Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in free agency).
However, it does not sound as if the Jets have reduced their demands. They were asking for a first-rounder and two second-rounders at the deadline, and Cimini reports that it would still take an “extraordinary offer” to convince New York to deal Adams. After all, the LSU product has already established himself as an elite safety, and he won’t turn 25 until October.
The Dallas native previously indicated he would love to join the Cowboys, so if Jerry Jones‘ outfit does swing a trade, Adams would surely be receptive to a long-term pact. But whoever gives him his next contract will need to be prepared to make him the highest-paid safety in the game. Adams stands to land a deal paying him at least $15MM per season with upwards of $45MM in guaranteed money.
Cowboys Interview Hurts
- The Cowboys are still waiting to close an extension with starting quarterback Dak Prescott, and while those negotiations continue they’re apparently taking a look at some of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. Dallas owner Jerry Jones conducted a video interview with Oklahoma passer Jalen Hurts, via a post on the team’s Instagram page. The Cowboys’ post offers a cool behind the scenes look at what the pre-draft process is looking like for teams in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hurts is expected by many analysts to go off the board sometime in the second or third-round, which would be pretty early for the Cowboys to be taking a backup. If they do end up picking Hurts and still don’t have a deal done with Prescott, that would certainly raise a lot of eyebrows.
Details On Aldon Smith’s Cowboys Contract
The Cowboys shocked the NFL world on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year deal with edge rusher Aldon Smith, who hasn’t played in the league since November 2015. As expected, Smith’s pact doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, but Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter links) has outlined the parameters of Smith’s contract, which could potentially net the 30-year-old $4MM.
In order to earn any money whatsoever, Smith must obviously be reinstated by the NFL. The former first-round pick applied for reinstatement last month, and if/when the league allows him to play, Smith will collect $90K from Dallas, per Archer. He’ll then collect a series of bonuses as follows:
- 30 days after reinstatement: $50K
- Start of training camp: $100K
- After two preseason games: $100K
- End of preseason: $100K
Clearly, the NFL’s training camp and preseason schedule could possibly altered due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But if the league’s scheduled goes according to plan, Smith will have earned $440K by the conclusion of the preseason. If the Cowboys released him at that point, they’d be on the hook for that total.
Once the regular season begins, Smith’s contract will follow a slightly more typical structure, accordibng to Archer:
- Base salary: $910K
- $40,625K in per-game roster bonuses, totaling $650K for the season
- Sack incentives up to $2MM
- Eight sacks: $500K
- 10 sacks: $1MM
- 12 sacks: $1.5MM
- 14 sacks: $2MM
Because Smith didn’t play in the NFL in 2019, those incentives are considered “not likely to be earned” and thus do not count against the Cowboys’ salary cap. Smith would likely have to play at something close to an All-Pro level in order to reach every incentive, but he did meet or exceed 14 sacks in each of his first two NFL campaigns.