Cowboys Trade Ryan Switzer To Raiders
Hours after acquiring Tavon Austin from the Rams, the Cowboys are set to send one of their slot weapons and return options to California.
The Raiders will trade for Ryan Switzer, Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater of NFL.com report (Twitter link). Switzer came to the Cowboys as a 2017 fourth-round pick. The deal will bring back 2016 Raiders second-round pick Jihad Ward, a defensive lineman that has struggled as a pro.
Switzer served as Dallas’ primary return man, working in both return capacities as a rookie. He’ll now join a Raiders team that not only added a former Cowboy return man this offseason in Dwayne Harris but one that’s retooling its non-Amari Cooper contingent of the wideouts’ room.
This is Oakland’s second wide receiver acquisition via trade this weekend. The Raiders added Martavis Bryant as well. The primary connector here between Switzer and the Raiders is new Oakland special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who coached the North Carolina product with the Cowboys last season.
The Raiders have been trying to unload incumbent slot player Seth Roberts, but as of now he remains on the team. They’ve added Jordy Nelson as well and dumped Michael Crabtree, so the Silver and Black’s receiving corps will look completely different in 2018.
An Illinois product, Ward profiled as a project player coming to Oakland in 2016. The Raiders have a new defensive coordinator and have added a slew of defensive line options in this draft — most notably Arden Key and Maurice Hurst Jr. — so Ward will be departing. He graded as the worst full-time interior defender as a rookie, per Pro Football Focus, and didn’t see much time last season.
Rams To Trade Tavon Austin To Cowboys
The Tavon Austin era with the Rams looks to be over, and he’ll attempt to restore his career on a team that just lost its highest-profile wideout.
Austin will head to the Cowboys as part of this exchange, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The No. 8 pick in the 2013 draft, Austin will go to Dallas for the No. 192 overall pick.
A slot target/gadget specialist, Austin fell out of favor with the Rams despite being signed to a memorable contract nearly two years ago. He caught just 13 passes for 47 yards during Sean McVay’s debut season, a year after he established a career high with 509 air yards for what was the league’s worst passing attack.
Austin joins a Cowboys team that has some depth in the slot/gadget department, employing Cole Beasley and Ryan Switzer. However, Austin’s speed could be attractive to the Cowboys, who are ready to take a chance on him. The 5-foot-9 West Virginia alum has one season remaining on his contract, one he restructured in March in order to stay with the Rams. He’s attached to a $7MM cap number and is signed only through the 2018 season.
For the Rams, they now own an incredible stake in this year’s sixth round. Los Angeles now has seven sixth-round picks.
Draft Rumors: Sutton, Chargers, Landry
The Cowboys exited Round 1 without taking a wide receiver, but the team is aiming for one in the second round. Dallas is hoping SMU’s Courtland Sutton is available, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. La Canfora notes the Saints are also interested in Sutton, whom some mocks had going in Round 1. New Orleans’ interest is noteworthy due to the deep arsenal of wide receivers on its roster, with Cameron Meredith now in the fold and Brandon Coleman having re-signed. But Ted Ginn is now 33. The Cowboys, conversely, need a wideout now after cutting Dez Bryant. Coupled with the news of Jason Witten‘s rumored departure and it’s logical to assume the Cowboys will exit Day 2 with a pass-catcher. Dallas’ next pick is at No. 50, and rumors of a possible Earl Thomas swap have emerged. Should the Cowboys unload their second-round selection for the All-Pro safety, they will almost certainly miss out on Sutton being there. And they may even have to trade up to land him regardless.
Here’s the latest from the draft world as Day 2 looms:
- The Chargers have not drafted a quarterback since 2013, but La Canfora tweets a lot of buzz has surfaced about the Bolts’ interest in Mason Rudolph. Viewed as this draft’s sixth-best quarterback prospect, Rudolph may require the Chargers to trade up. The Bolts did their homework on this draft’s quarterback prospects, and that included a workout with the Oklahoma State passer.
- And the Bolts are indeed considering a trade-up from their No. 48 position, per La Canfora, who adds the Chiefs are inquiring about a move north as well (Twitter link). Kansas City considered moving into the back end of the first round but decided against, and Brett Veach said those talks weren’t too close to producing a deal. However, the Chiefs don’t pick until No. 54 and have several needs across their defense.
- Boston College standout pass rusher Harold Landry is still be on the board entering Round 2, and injury concerns may be at the root of it. Some teams have flagged Landry for medical reasons, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), adding knee and back issues have impeded a possible pick. Landry played in only eight games for Boston College last season, missing time with an ankle malady. However, he registered 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss as a junior in 2016. It may be up to a team that doesn’t view Landry’s issues as enough of an investment deterrent to take him off the board Friday night.
- The Browns are high on Georgia running back Nick Chubb, La Canfora notes (via Twitter). Cleveland was linked to Saquon Barkley but didn’t have a chance to get him at No. 4. John Dorsey acquired the reigning NFL rushing champion, Kareem Hunt, in the third round last year. The Browns recently signed Carlos Hyde and have Duke Johnson entering a contract year.
- Former Wichita State basketball player Shaq Morris has an interesting decision on his hands, it appears. Morris is determining if he will try to make an NBA push or, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter), try his hand at an NFL career. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound athlete averaged a career-high 14.0 points per game last season for the Shockers and finished as the now-American Athletic Conference program’s all-time dunks leader. Garafolo reports Morris has hired NFL agent David Canter and will entertain interest from teams. Morris played high school football and may be attempting to follow in the footsteps of Antonio Gates, Julius Thomas and others whose college careers mostly commenced on basketball courts.
Jerry Jones: Jason Witten Might Not Retire
Jerry Jones said Friday he’s met several times with Jason Witten and that no decision has been made. The Cowboys owner said the future Hall of Fame tight end will take a few days before he makes an official decision, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Although, Rapoport adds Witten has made his decision to step away after 15 seasons.
ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen reported earlier today that Witten plans to move into broadcasting, joining the revamped Monday Night Football crew for the 2018 season. If Witten follows through on his retirement plans, it stands to reason that the Cowboys will select a tight end in Round 2 or 3 of the draft on Friday night. However, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones‘ comments indicate that might not happen.
“We feel really good about our tight ends,” Jones said on 105.3 (on Twitter). “With what we have on our roster with [Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, and Rico Gathers], we got some really good football players. We don’t think we’re going into a season without a good tight end.”
The Ravens selected Hayden Hurst in the first round, but top tight ends Dallas Goedert, Mike Gesicki, and Mark Andrews remain available should the Cowboys look to fortify the position. Having just released Dez Bryant, the Cowboys are in need of wide receiver help as well. Both Witten and Bryant being out of the picture will signal a major changing of the guard in Dallas, creating key needs in the process.
Cowboys TE Jason Witten To Retire?
Jason Witten could go from the field to the broadcast booth. The Cowboys tight end is planning to retire after 15 years in the NFL to join ESPN’s new Monday Night Football broadcast team as a lead analyst, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com tweets. However, he’ll meet with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Friday before finalizing his decision. 
Witten has spent his entire 15-year career with the Cowboys and has been selected to eleven Pro Bowls. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions (1,152), receiving yards (12,448) and most consecutive games played (239).
Witten, 36 in May, has missed one regular season game for Dallas as a rookie, but has a perfect attendance record dating back to 2004. His 2017 numbers were not his gaudiest, but he was still productive with 63 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns. He was also among the ten best run blockers at the tight end position, per Pro Football Focus.
News of Witten’s potential retirement comes as a surprise. Just last week, Witten indicated that he had some football left in the tank.
“There’s been a lot of things [said] over the years, especially the last few months. I guess that’s what happens when you get old,” Witten said (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “Hopefully I can play until I’m 40. I’ll take it one day at a time. My plan is to be here with the Cowboys. Absolutely.”
ESPN nearly poached another big name tight end for its broadcast booth earlier this year. Panthers tight end Greg Olsen auditioned for the job and appeared to be giving it real consideration before signing a lucrative extension with Carolina on Thursday.
Latest On Cowboys, Seahawks’ Earl Thomas
Friday may be the de facto deadline for the Cowboys to pull off a trade for Seahawks safety Earl Thomas. The Seahawks have had some recent talks with Dallas about the star defender and we’ll know by tonight whether the Cowboys will land him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
It’s only logical that a blockbuster trade for Thomas would have to involve picks from Day 2 of the draft. The Cowboys are not willing to sell out for Thomas, as Ed Werder detailed earlier this week, but they do have a second round pick (No. 50) and a third round pick (No. 81) to work with if a deal is within reach. Still, Rapoport classifies the odds of a deal coming together as something of a longshot.
Last month, it was reported that the Seahawks were seeking a first round pick and a third round pick for the six-time Pro Bowler. The ship has sailed on netting a 2018 first-round choice, but Seattle, in actuality, could be willing to take less.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys will have to consider the cost of a new contract for Thomas in any potential trade. The safety is entering the final year of a four-year, $40MM deal and they’d probably have to hammer out a sizable extension before pulling the trigger on a deal.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Latest On Cowboys, Earl Thomas
The Cowboys have long been connected with Earl Thomas, but they’re not about to sell out to land the Seahawks safety. A trade for Thomas is not a draft priority for Dallas, a source tells veteran NFL reporter Ed Werder (on Twitter). However, they remain interested in him as a player and they are willing to engage in trade talks if Seattle lowers its asking price. 
In March, it was reported that the Seahawks were asking teams for a first-round pick and a third-round pick to part ways with the six-time Pro Bowler. Seahawks GM John Schneider recently went on the record to say that he expects Thomas to be a part of the team in 2018, but his contractual situation complicates things. Thomas is entering the final year of his four-year, $40MM accord and is pushing for an extension. The safety was absent from the start of Seattle’s offseason program and he has threatened to hold out if he does not get a new deal before the start of the season.
The Seahawks parted ways with stars Michael Bennett and Richard Sherman this offseason, so they are clearly not opposed to trading established veterans. The Cowboys, meanwhile, will have a spot for Thomas if they follow through on their plan to move Byron Jones from safety to cornerback. For a deal to go down, however, Seattle will have to meet Dallas somewhere in the middle.
Dez Bryant Rejects Offer From Ravens
Former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant turned down a multi-year offer from the Ravens, according to veteran NFL reporter Ed Werder (on Twitter). Bryant is seeking a significant one-year deal that will allow him to secure a lucrative long-term contract as an unrestricted free agent next year. 
It’s not clear if the Ravens are still pursuing Bryant, but it would be surprising if their offer was still on the table after the signing of restricted free agent Willie Snead was finalized earlier this week. Baltimore now boasts a wide receiver group that is headlined by three newcomers in Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Snead and as well as Chris Moore and former first-round pick Breshad Perriman, so it’s hard to see how there could be enough targets for everyone to share.
The Ravens wanted to lock Bryant down for multiple seasons, but other Bryant suitors will likely be willing to do a one-year deal. Bryant was once amongst the league’s very best wide receivers, but there are tons of question marks about his ability after he posted just 838 yards off of 69 catches in 2017. A one-year deal would also help to ensure that Bryant is exceptionally motivated as he chases another high-paying contract.
Earlier this month, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter identified the Cardinals, Bills, and Packers as potential fits, along with the Ravens. So far, the Ravens have been the only team concretely connected to Bryant. Ideally, Bryant says that he would like to sign with an NFC East team in order to exact revenge on Dallas twice in 2018. On paper, the Giants would make the most sense of any team in the division, but they have yet to express interest in him, even after releasing Brandon Marshall. Meanwhile, we’ve heard nothing connecting the Eagles to the wide receiver and the Redskins do not have him on their radar.
Dez Bryant Won’t Sign Before Draft
Dez Bryant will land somewhere, but it won’t happen today or tomorrow. The former Cowboys wide receiver is not expected to sign before the draft and his free agency stint could last into May, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
At this point, it only makes sense for teams to wait until after the draft to assess their level of need for Bryant. Bryant won’t match the $12.5MM he was set to earn with Dallas in 2018, but it’s safe to say that he’ll command at least a few million on a one-year contract and that’s not exactly chump change for teams. If a club that is interested in Bryant drafts someone like Calvin Ridley, D.J. Moore, or Christian Kirk, they’ll be less apt to spend on the 29-year-old.
It’s not clear which teams are after Bryant at this stage. The Ravens were said to have interest, but the addition of Willie Snead likely takes them out of the running. For his part, Bryant is reportedly looking to sign with an NFC East team in order to exact revenge on Dallas, but there’s no obvious fit within the division. The Redskins are not interested, it’s not clear whether the Eagles have him on the radar, and the Giants are not pursuing him at this time. A return to Dallas is not in the cards either.
Bryant averaged 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Cowboys between 2012 and 2014. Over the last three years, however, those averages have plummeted to 50 catches for 678 yards and 6 TDs. He also missed ten games due to injury between 2015 and 2016.