Michael Bennett Will Be A 2020 Free Agent
Defensive end Michael Bennett signed a new contract after being acquired by the Cowboys that will allow him to reach free agency at the conclusion of the 2019 season, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Under his previous contact, Bennett was due roughly $2.25MM in salary and roster bonuses for the rest of the season. Now, he’ll collect “close” to $2MM in base salary and bonuses but can also bring in another $750K via incentives. And instead of waiting until the 2021 offseason to hit the open market, Bennett can now sign with a new team this coming spring.
As Pelissero notes, Bennett has already been paid $5.6MM by the Patriots, who acquired him from the Eagles earlier this year. New England gave Bennett a new two-year deal after trading for him which included a $4MM signing bonus. That bonus money will stay on the Patriots’ books following Bennett’s trade to Dallas.
While he’s still a talented player, the now-32-year-old Bennett had his role reduced in New England and also had issues with his defensive line coach Bret Bielema. The Patriots weren’t able to get much in return for the veteran pass-rusher, acquiring only a conditional 2021 seventh-rounder in exchange for Bennett.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/31/19
Today’s practice squad updates:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB D.J. White
Green Bay Packers
- Released: WR Keon Hatcher
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Doug Middleton
New York Giants
- Signed: P Sean Smith
More Minor NFL Transactions: 10/30/19
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Greg Mabin
- Placed on injured reserve: DT Ryan Glasgow
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers (Giants): LB Tae Davis
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Brett Rypien
Detroit Lions
- Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: CB Michael Jackson
- Waived: RB Paul Perkins
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun
- Placed on injured reserve: DE J.J. Watt (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Tevaughn Campbell
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (Saints): CB Ken Crawley
- Signed: TE Clive Walford
- Waived: WR Isaiah Ford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jordan Leggett
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Jack Cichy
Washington Redskins
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Cassanova McKinzy
Jets’ Jamal Adams On Trade Talk, Cowboys
The Jets passed on offers for Jamal Adams before the trade deadline, signaling a desire to keep one of the game’s best young safeties in the fold. After rejecting the Cowboys, Ravens, and others, the Jets will now have to focus on mending fences. 
In a Wednesday press conference with reporters, Adams said that he was “hurt” by the rumors. Then, he professed his love for the Cowboys.
Here’s a look at the highlights of Adams’ bizarre presser, via Brian Costello of the New York Post.
On the trade rumblings:
“When I heard that, my agent called me and told me what was going on, it definitely hurt me…I hold myself at a high level. The Rams don’t take calls on Aaron Donald. The Patriots don’t take calls on Tom Brady. That’s where I hold myself. When you feel like you’re on the same page and you have a meeting and you’re told something different, it sucks.”
On the Cowboys:
“I would love to go to (the Cowboys). I am born and raised in Dallas. … Michael Irvin is like my uncle.”
On whether he wants to remain with the Jets beyond this season:
“For the future, I don’t know. I really don’t. I thought I did, but I don’t know right now.”
“I have a lot of goals and aspirations and dreams here in New York. I was told something and it didn’t happen that way…For three years, I came here and I’ve done nothing but work my butt off, continue to improve, continue to be a great leader, continue to be a great teammate, and when you see certain things like that, you hear about it, you get calls, you’re in shock a little bit. At the end of the day, it’s a business. I get it. I understand it. I hold myself in a high regard and obviously they don’t feel that way.”
Deadline Fallout: Penny, Rams, Adams
Since using a first-round pick on Rashaad Penny last year, the Seahawks have not given him a lead backfield role. They preferred Chris Carson and Mike Davis leading the ball-carrying group last season and have Carson entrenched atop the depth chart this year. As such, the Lions expressed interest in Penny prior to Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, John Clayton of ESPN 710 AM Seattle notes. Seattle sought a second-round pick for Penny, though it doesn’t sound like the team was shopping the second-year back. Penny can be under Seahawks control through 2022. The Lions have run into trouble in their backfield, losing starter Kerryon Johnson. They were interested in Kenyan Drake, but the Cardinals ended up making a deal with the Dolphins. Ty Johnson, Tra Carson and ex-Seahawk J.D. McKissic represent the Lions’ primary running back options for the stretch run.
Here is the latest deadline fallout:
- The Dolphins will send the Rams a 2022 seventh-round pick for Aqib Talib, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. With Talib on IR until at least Week 15, the rebuilding team is likely only interested in the fifth-round 2020 choice it acquired. The 33-year-old cornerback looks headed toward free agency for the first time since 2014.
- As for the Rams, they want to use some of the savings from this move to re-sign emerging linebacker Cory Littleton, Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Littleton is one of a few key Rams on expiring contracts, joining Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler in that group. Playing on a second-round RFA tender, Littleton has operated as Los Angeles’ top linebacker this year and would stand to attract considerable interest as a 2020 UFA. With a high-end Jalen Ramsey re-up coming, the Rams will be tight on cap space, however, and may have to bid farewell to a few role players — like they did this offseason.
- Chris Harris has stuck to his guns about testing free agency this time around. He signed a five-year, $42.5MM extension with the Broncos in late 2014, and that deal became one of the most team-friendly pacts in the league in the latter part of the 2010s. The 30-year-old cornerback does not plan to sign a Broncos extension before reaching the market, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. However, Harris has said he wants to finish his career in Denver. He and the Broncos were not close on terms this offseason, but Renck added a that third Broncos contract could be in play for the four-time Pro Bowler.
- The Day 3 pick the Cowboys offered the Jets, in addition to the first-round pick included in the proposal, for Jamal Adams was either a fourth- or fifth-rounder, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The Jets wanted a first and a pair of seconds for the Pro Bowl safety, one GM Joe Douglas still calls firmly part of the team’s long-term plan, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini.
Ravens Tried To Trade For Jamal Adams
Jamal Adams is staying with the Jets, but not for a lack of interest. Before the deadline, the Ravens tried to swing a trade for the Pro Bowl safety, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Jets Hold On To Le’Veon Bell]
Ultimately, the two sides couldn’t come to terms. It was a similar story for the Cowboys, who also engaged in an aggressive pursuit of Adams before the bell rang.
Speaking of the Cowboys: They were willing to part with a first-round pick as part of a Minkah Fitzpatrick-type package, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) hears. The Steelers acquired Fitzpatrick for a first-round pick and also agreed to exchange third-day draft choices. That’s what the Cowboys were looking to do, but they were not willing to venture into Jalen Ramsey territory, which means coughing up two first-round picks, plus a fourth-rounder.
The 1-6 Jets worked the phone lines in recent days with hopes of parlaying their best talent into future draft capital. Even after dealing defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Giants, they were nowhere near satisfied: quarterback Sam Darnold and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams represented their only untouchable players, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (on Twitter) hears.
The Jets will move forward with Adams, running back Le’Veon Bell, wide receiver Robby Anderson, and the other notable names they had at the start of business on Tuesday. Ultimately, Jets GM Joe Douglas wasn’t able to completely dismantle the team he inherited, but that ultimately might be for the best.
Jets, Cowboys Discussed Jamal Adams Trade
The Cowboys inquired on Jets safety Jamal Adams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, there will be no deal – the asking price proved to be too high for the Cowboys, Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter) hears.
The Jets were open to dealing big-name players at the deadline and Adams – a Texas native –was open to a change of scenery.
“I know he wants to play [for the Cowboys]. I know he wants to go home,” former NFL safety Ryan Clark told ESPN. “This is from speaking to him.”
[RELATED: Jets Trade Leonard Williams To Giants]
The Jets’ high asking price was and is understandable. They wanted a first-round pick and then some for their high-end safety, Rapoport tweets. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have balked in giving up major assets for a safety for two offseasons now, so making another trade involving a first-rounder — after 2018’s Amari Cooper swap — was a scary proposition.
Adams is one of the very best young safeties in the game, but he ranks just 19th in salary. That means the Cowboys, or any other team acquiring Adams, would have had to give him a pay bump. The Jets, meanwhile, were thinking about allocating those dollars in different areas. For now, the Adams Era continues in New York, even as the Jets continue to struggle.
The Cowboys flirted with significant safety upgrades over the years, but they never closed on Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, or the other Pro Bowlers linked to Dallas. Adams would have arguably been the greatest get of ’em all, due to his age and rookie contract.
The Jets may be star-crossed and, at times, downright dreadful, but Adams has been nothing but stellar throughout his young career. The former No. 6 overall pick turned in a strong rookie year, earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2018, and, so far, he’s stopped defenders 39 times in 2019. Pro Football Focus presently has him ranked as the seventh-best safety in the league – ahead of Thomas and other multiple-time Pro Bowlers.
Cowboys Eyeing Trades For Safeties
The Cowboys will be scanning the trade market for safety help between now and Tuesday’s deadline, owner Jerry Jones says (via Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram). Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones also made similar comments over the weekend, which suggests that this will be an area of priority for Dallas.
Nothing is on the table right now, JJ says, but this could be an area of focus, potentially as a replacement for strong safety Jeff Heath. Heath, 28, has started in all seven of his games this year, but has lacked consistency. Currently, he ranks as just the No. 48 safety in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, way down from his best work in 2016 and 2017.
It’s a familiar refrain for the Cowboys: they have been after safety help, on and off, for years. Their past flirtations with Earl Thomas, Eric Berry, and others of that ilk went nowhere, but this could finally be the time for the Cowboys to make a substantial upgrade.
Just days ago, the Cowboys made a pre-deadline deal by acquiring defensive end Michael Bennett in a trade with the Patriots. The next move could be for a safety such as Damarious Randall, Reshad Jones, or Jessie Bates. The real home run would be Jamal Adams, but it’s not clear if the Jets are willing to consider deals for the young standout.
Cowboys Called On Jets’ Leonard Williams
There are just a couple of days before the trade deadline, and the Jets could be busy. They’ve reportedly been taking calls on receiver Robby Anderson and defensive lineman Leonard Williams, and it sounds like they’re going to be sellers. We now have word on one of the teams that was interested in Williams, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the Cowboys inquired.
However, Schefter writes that Dallas’ recent trade for Michael Bennett took them out of the running for the USC product. Schefter says New York has “heard from other teams,” so it sounds like they’ll be able to find a suitor if they want to. Williams has been the center of trade speculation in the past, and is in the final year of his contract. Back in January the Jets apparently thought about moving Williams, and were reportedly looking for at least a second-round pick in return.
Williams is still only 25, and will surely be looking for a big payday this offseason. If the Jets don’t get offered an early draft pick, they could decide to just hold onto him and hope to recoup a compensatory draft pick when he signs elsewhere. While the Jets seem to be shopping Anderson and Williams, they aren’t going to conduct a full-on fire sale. Schefter reports that multiple teams have inquired about safety Marcus Maye, but that they’ve been told he’s “not available.”
Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott
The Cowboys want to re-up Dak Prescott, but only on a team-friendly deal that would allow them flexibility on other parts of the roster. That was the prevailing sentiment in Friday interviews given by owner Jerry Jones and EVP Stephen Jones. 
“The only thing we need him to do is work with us a little bit, and I understand because it’s his money and it’s easy for someone else to say, but the only reason we’re having a negotiation is to talk him into all the reasons why it’s good to have a good supporting cast around him,” Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan. “Other than that, it would be really easy to write the check. It’s not saving Jerry and I any money. What we’re trying to do is keep this young football team together. We think it’s a really good one. We think it’s only going to keep getting better because it is young. Other than that, this negotiation would have been over with months ago. But I think he understands where we’re coming from. We understand where he’s coming from. Ultimately, we’ll figure this out.”
Ditto for Double-J – he says he’s only willing to go so far, but he’s optimistic about an extension getting ironed out.
“How close we are to getting it done is really not identifiable because it takes two, and it takes the will of two looking at it from two different perspectives,” Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “You never know what that is, and the other one never knows where that is until it’s actually done…both parties are continuing to operate as though we’re going to get something done at some point.”
Through seven games, Prescott has led the Cowboys to a 4-3 record (good for first in the NFC East) with 8.9 yards per throw (behind only Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins). The mark Prescott likely has in mind: Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM/year average.