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NFC North Notes: Vikings, Lions, Savage

May 3rd, 2023 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings have multiple departure candidates still on their roster. The Dalvin Cook–Za’Darius Smith holding patterns may persist, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting the Vikes have informed other teams they are in good enough shape cap-wise to hold onto both veterans. This will be contingent on a bit more work being done, as OverTheCap credits the Vikings as holding $1.2MM in cap space. Cook is due $10.4MM in salary, and the Dolphins’ Devon Achane third-round pick complicates a previously discussed trade. The Vikings could take a Bengals path and prepare for a pay-cut ask, but we have not heard that is in the works yet. Smith, who asked to be cut earlier this year, is tied to a $9.45MM base. The Vikes have he, Danielle Hunter and UFA addition Marcus Davenport in the fold. The Vikings remain open to moving either player, though Breer adds they might need to pick up part of each’s salary — similar to how the Bears proceeded with their Robert Quinn trade last year — to make such a move worthwhile in terms of compensation.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • Between free agency and the draft, the Lions have revamped their secondary. Detroit signed Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson before drafting versatile DB Brian Branch in Round 2. The Eagles had moved Gardner-Johnson to safety last season, but he primarily played slot corner under Aaron Glenn in New Orleans. The Lions DC is planning to use CJGJ frequently in the slot this season, Justin Rogers of the Detroit News notes. It will be interesting to see how the Lions manage the workloads for Gardner-Johnson and Branch, considering both have experience — albeit one of them at the college level only — of working in the slot and as a safety.
  • In the wake of the NFL’s gambling investigation producing four Lions suspensions, the team released recently re-signed special-teamer C.J. Moore and wideout Quintez Cephus. Those two were not the only Lions employees dismissed as part of their involvement in this scandal. The team also fired staffers, and Breer adds a strength and conditioning coach and two equipment managers were let go. Receivers Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill were also suspended, but they are still with the team.
  • The Packers moved some money around in Darnell Savage‘s contract recently, and Field Yates of ESPN.com indicates the restructure created $5.5MM in cap space (Twitter link). Savage is attached to a fifth-year option salary in 2023. The Packers converted $4MM of Savage’s option salary into a signing bonus and tacked on four void years to the former first-round safety’s deal, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tweets. If the Packers do not re-sign Savage before the 2024 league year begins, they will be hit with $5.5MM in dead money due to the void years now on this contract. The Packers, who absorbed a record-tying $40MM in dead money by trading Aaron Rodgers last week, are still near the top of the league in cap space. They hold just more than $17MM in room as May begins.

2024 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

May 1st, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2020 first-rounders who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
  • Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the third-20th highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position.

With the deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

  1. QB Joe Burrow, Bengals ($29.5MM): Exercised
  2. DE Chase Young, Commanders ($17.45MM): Declined
  3. CB Jeff Okudah, Falcons* ($11.51MM): N/A
  4. T Andrew Thomas, Giants ($14.18MM): Exercised
  5. QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins ($23.2MM): Exercised
  6. QB Justin Herbert, Chargers ($29.5MM): Exercised
  7. DT Derrick Brown, Panthers ($11.67MM): Exercised 
  8. LB Isaiah Simmons, Cardinals ($12.72MM): Declined
  9. CB C.J. Henderson, Jaguars** ($11.51MM): Declined
  10. T Jedrick Wills, Browns ($14.18MM): Exercised
  11. T Mekhi Becton, Jets ($12.57MM): Declined
  12. WR Henry Ruggs, Raiders: N/A
  13. T Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers ($18.24MM): Exercised
  14. DT Javon Kinlaw, 49ers ($10.46MM): Declined
  15. WR Jerry Jeudy, Broncos ($14.12MM): Exercised
  16. CB AJ Terrell, Falcons ($12.34MM): Exercised
  17. WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($17.99MM): Exercised
  18. OL Austin Jackson, Dolphins ($14.18MM): Declined
  19. CB Damon Arnette, Raiders: N/A
  20. DE K’Lavon Chaisson, Jaguars ($12.14MM): Declined
  21. WR Jalen Reagor, Vikings*** ($12.99MM): To decline
  22. WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings ($19.74MM): Exercised
  23. LB Kenneth Murray, Chargers ($11.73MM): Declined
  24. G Cesar Ruiz, Saints ($14.18MM): Declined
  25. WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers ($14.12MM): Exercised
  26. QB Jordan Love, Packers ($20.27MM): Extended through 2024
  27. LB Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks ($12.72MM): Declined
  28. LB Patrick Queen, Ravens ($12.72MM): Declined
  29. T Isaiah Wilson, Titans: N/A
  30. CB Noah Igbinoghene, Dolphins ($11.51MM): Declined
  31. CB Jeff Gladney, Vikings: N/A
  32. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs ($5.46MM): To decline

* = Lions traded Okudah on April 11, 2023
** = Jaguars traded Henderson on Sept. 27, 2021
*** = Eagles traded Reagor on August 31, 2022

Packers Sign 12 UDFAs

May 1st, 2023 at 8:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the draft in the rearview mirror, teams’ undrafted free agent contingents are surfacing. The Packers announced theirs, a 12-man class. Here is how that group stacks up:

As was the case last year, 2023 UDFA groups will come in older than the ones in the 2010s. The NCAA’s extraordinary rule change granting players whose careers were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic an additional season of eligibility continues to impact college rosters and the NFL. While players atop the draft are mostly unaffected, late-rounders and the UDFA tier will produce plenty of mid-20-somethings.

Benny Sapp III is the son of former Chiefs, Vikings and Dolphins defensive back Benny Sapp Jr. The Division I-FCS product participated in 19 games in 2021, with the pandemic moving FCS and Division II to the spring, and finished his 2022 senior season as an All-American. A Minnesota transfer, Sapp intercepted four passes and forced two fumbles last season. Filiaga spent five seasons at Michigan before joining the Golden Gophers; he worked as Minnesota’s full-time right guard last season.

Heath also made an intraconference transfer, changing Egg Bowl sides by moving from Mississippi State to Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound wideout produced his best season with the Rebels, catching 60 passes for 971 yards and five touchdowns. Watts joins Heath in following a three-wideout Packers draft class. Watts caught eight touchdown passes for the Green Wave last season, averaging 19.9 yards per catch. Pearson

A Florida transfer, Telfort earned first-team All-Conference USA acclaim as the Blazers’ left tackle. Telfort blocked for UAB running back DeWayne McBride; a Vikings fifth-round pick, McBride led Division I-FBS in rushing yards per game last season. Cox totaled eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss for the Gators in 2021 but saw his 2022 season come to an end early due to a dismissal from the team.

Packers Undecided On QB Jordan Love’s Fifth-Year Option

May 1st, 2023 at 10:54am CST by Adam La Rose

Three of the four quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2020 draft have, to no surprise, had their fifth-year options picked up. The Packers are the only team yet to make their decision on that front, despite the fast-approaching deadline to do so.

Jordan Love is officially in place as Green Bay’s QB1, with the Aaron Rodgers trade having been finalized last week. His fifth-year option would cost $20.27MM next season if the team were to exercise it, a move which would represent at least a short-term commitment. Since the team has already made one by trading Rodgers, it would come as little surprise if they picked up Love’s option. A firm decision has yet to be made, however.

“Yeah, I’ve got to figure that out by Tuesday, I guess,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said on the subject of Love’s option. “We’re kind of still working through that. We’ve been so focused on the draft. We’ve had some preliminary conversations, but we’ll get to that before Tuesday. It’s a lot of money for a guy who hasn’t played. But at the same time, obviously, we’re moving forward with him. So, we’ll figure that out by Tuesday” (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).

Indeed, plenty of questions remain with respect to Love’s preparedness for an NFL starting job despite being three years removed from his rookie campaign. The 24-year-old has made 10 appearances, and only one start, during his time in Green Bay. The team has been consistent in their praise for the Utah State product, though, and a strong 2023 campaign could establish his worth as a legitimate starter.

If that were to happen, a price tag slightly over $20MM would be a relative bargain, considering the heights the QB market has reached in recent years. On the other hand, declining the option to turn this coming season into a make-or-break year for Love would make it easier to move on from him if he were to fail to progress in the way the team expects him to.

The Packers added a fifth-round quarterback during the draft, but also two tight ends and three receivers to give Love a plethora of new pass catchers for his first season at the helm. Before he begins that new phase of his career, though, more clarity will have emerged with respect to his financial future.

Packers Open To Re-Signing K Mason Crosby, S Adrian Amos

April 30th, 2023 at 9:30am CST by Rory Parks

The Packers selected a kicker, Auburn’s Anders Carlson, in the sixth round of this year’s draft. That has led to plenty of justified speculation that Mason Crosby‘s tenure in Green Bay has come to an end, though GM Brian Gutekunst indicated that is not necessarily the case.

Gutekunst told reporters, including Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that he has not ruled out a new contract for Crosby — who is presently a free agent — and that he just “really liked” Carlson (Twitter link). Still, it would seem that only injury to, or underperformance from, Carlson and reserve/futures signee Parker White would open the door to a Crosby return, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com suggests.

Carlson, the younger brother of Raiders K Daniel Carlson, is the first kicker Green Bay has drafted since Crosby himself was selected in the sixth round of the 2007 draft. Crosby has operated as the club’s kicker ever since, though he has never received Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. In 2022, his 86.2% field goal conversion rate was the fourth-highest mark of his career, but it was a middle-of-the-pack showing overall. He also made just one of four attempts from 50+ yards.

Anders Carlson, meanwhile, does not have a particularly notable college resume. Over five seasons with the Tigers, he made just 71.8% of his attempts, which included a 68.4% success rate across his last two collegiate years. He also sustained a torn ACL in November 2021, so he is not necessarily a surefire bet to make the Packers’ roster.

Gutekunst also said that he remains open to a reunion with safety Adrian Amos and that he has stayed in contact with Amos’ camp (Twitter link via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic). We heard last week that Darnell Savage would get the opportunity to reclaim his starting safety job, and even if he is successful in that regard, there is room for another backend defender to compete with the likes of Tarvarius Moore and Anthony Johnson Jr., who was added in the seventh round of the draft yesterday.

Amos garnered interest from the Ravens this offseason, but his free agency stay has otherwise been a quiet one. While he set a career-high with 102 tackles in 2022, he earned a poor 53.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which has generally been high on his work throughout the course of his career.

2023 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

April 29th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway, we will keep track of each team’s haul here:

Arizona Cardinals

Round 1, No. 6 (from Rams through Lions): Paris Johnson, OT (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 41 (from Titans): BJ Ojulari, DE (LSU) (signed)
Round 3, No. 72 (from Titans): Garrett Williams, CB (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 94 (from Eagles): Michael Wilson, WR (Stanford) (signed)
Round 4, No. 122 (from Dolphins through Chiefs and Lions): Jon Gaines II, G (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 139 (from Broncos through Lions): Clayton Tune, QB (Houston) (signed)
Round 5, No. 168 (from Cardinals through Lions): Owen Pappoe, LB (Auburn) (signed)
Round 5, No. 180: Kei’Trel Clark, CB (Louisville) (signed)
Round 6, No. 213: Dante Stills, DT (West Virginia) (signed)

Atlanta Falcons

Round 1, No. 8: Bijan Robinson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 2, No. 38 (from Colts): Matthew Bergeron, T (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 75: Zach Harrison, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 4, No. 113: Clark Phillips III, CB (Utah) (signed)
Round 7, No. 224 (from Raiders): DeMarcco Hellams, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 7, No. 225: Jovaughn Gwyn, G (South Carolina) (signed)

Baltimore Ravens

Round 1, No. 22: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) (signed)
Round 3, No. 86: Trenton Simpson, LB (Clemson) (signed)
Round 4, No. 124: Tavius Robinson, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5, No. 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB (Stanford) (signed)
Round 6, No. 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 7, No. 229 (from Browns): Andrew Vorhees, G (USC) (signed)

Buffalo Bills

Round 1, No. 25 (from Giants through Jaguars): Dalton Kincaid, TE (Utah) (signed)
Round 2, No. 59: O’Cyrus Torrence, G (Florida) (signed)
Round 3, No, 91: Dorian Williams, LB (Tulane) (signed)
Round 5, No. 150 (from Commanders): Justin Shorter, WR (Florida) (signed)
Round 7, No. 230 (from Buccaneers through Jets, Texans, Eagles and Bills): Nick Broeker, G (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 7, No. 252 (from Buccaneers through Rams): Alex Austin, CB (Oregon State) (signed)

Carolina Panthers

Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)

Chicago Bears

Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, OT (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami) (signed)
Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)

Cincinnati Bengals

Round 1, No. 28: Myles Murphy, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 2, No. 60: DJ Turner, CB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3, No. 95 (from Chiefs): Jordan Battle, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4, No. 131: Charlie Jones, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 163: Chase Brown, RB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 6, No. 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR (Princeton) (signed)
Round 6, No. 217 (from Chiefs): Brad Robbins, P (Michigan) (signed)
Round 7, No. 246: DJ Ivey, CB (Miami) (signed)

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Packers Take QB Sean Clifford At No. 149

April 29th, 2023 at 1:25pm CST by Ben Levine

The Packers seem committed to rolling with Jordan Love in a post-Aaron Rodgers offense. However, that hasn’t stopped the organization from selecting a quarterback in the draft. The Packers have picked Penn State signal caller Sean Clifford at No. 149.

Clifford once beat out second-round QB Will Levis for the Nittany Lions’ starting gig. While his former teammate ended up showing more promise for the NFL, Clifford still managed to hear his name called during this weekend’s draft. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out (on Twitter), Clifford is the 11th QB drafted this year, tying the Common Draft Era record set in 1995 for most quarterbacks selected in the first five rounds.

Clifford ended up spending four seasons as Penn State’s starter. That stint included a 2022 campaign where he completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,822 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets, many teams viewed Clifford as a priority undrafted free agent, but the Packers were apparently motivated to add him now.

Love will be positioned atop Green Bay’s depth chart in 2023, but the rookie could make a run for the QB2 spot. The only other Packers quarterback on the roster besides Love and Clifford is Danny Etling.

Packers Send No. 48 To Buccaneers

April 28th, 2023 at 7:19pm CST by Ely Allen

Minutes after sending No. 45 to the Lions, the Packers are moving down again. They are sending No. 48 to the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay will send Nos. 50 and 179 to Green Bay for the right to move up.

With the pick, the Buccaneers took North Dakota State guard Cody Mauch. The Bucs experienced steady trouble at guard last year, after losing Alex Cappa in free agency and ex-small-school find Ali Marpet to retirement. Injuries gripped the Bucs, who have since traded Shaq Mason to the Texans.

Tampa Bay now has Mauch and Matt Feiler in the interior O-line mix. The team signed Feiler late in free agency. Mauch finished his career at the Division I-FCS power as a two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree. This marks the second straight year in which Tampa Bay has chosen a second-round guard. The team added Luke Goedeke in Round 2 last year.

Mauch originally arrived in Fargo as a lean tight end at 6-foot-5, 221 pounds. The Bison worked their magic, bulking him up to 6-foot-6 and 303 pounds as they molded him into an NFL-ready offensive tackle. His final form at NDSU was a team captain and FCS offensive lineman of the year. He heads to Tampa Bay to compete for a starting job in a new-look offense.

Lions Land No. 45 From Packers, Select DB Brian Branch

April 28th, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

For a second straight year, the Lions and Packers will make a second-round trade. After the Packers moved up last year, the Lions will do so Friday. Detroit traded Nos. 48 and 159 to Green Bay.

With the pick, the Lions chose Alabama defensive back Brian Branch. A popular name on the pre-draft interview circuit, Branch stands to give Detroit interesting options. He worked as a safety and slot cornerback with the Crimson Tide. Considering the Lions signed safety/corner C.J. Gardner-Johnson, suddenly Aaron Glenn‘s defense brings intriguing versatility.

Branch filled the stat sheet in his final season, racking up 90 tackles (including 14 for loss), three sacks, a pair of interceptions and seven pass breakups. That allowed him to stand out from an otherwise underwhelming safety class, and led many to expect he would be selected on Thursday.

Instead, his wait will ultimately lead to him the Motor City and a new-look secondary. It will certainly be interesting to see how he is used in 2023 in particular, with Gardner-Johnson having signed only a one-year pact. He and Branch have similar skillsets and could compete for playing time at multiple spots as the Lions look to take a needed step forward on defense next season.

Detroit and Green Bay swapped spots in the move which allowed the Packers to select wideout Christian Watson in 2022. Now, their roles have been reversed in a deal seeing the Lions add what they hope will be a long-term mainstay on their backend. Even with the trade-up, Detroit has another Day 2 picked scheduled at No. 55 overall.

Packers Select Lukas Van Ness At No. 13

April 27th, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Ben Levine

With their first selection in their post-Aaron Rodgers era, the Packers have added a player on the defensive side of the ball. Green Bay used the No. 13 pick on Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness.

The move continues a run of Packers defensive investments in Round 1 and continues to leave Green Bay fans waiting yet another year for a first-round receiver move. The Packers were connected to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and tight end Michael Mayer, but Van Ness became the team’s pick at No. 13 — a choice it obtained in Monday’s long-awaited Rodgers swap. But after taking two defenders in last year’s first round and Eric Stokes in 2021, the Packers continued to bolster Joe Barry‘s unit.

Green Bay is betting on potential here; Van Ness did not work as a full-time starter at Iowa. But the 6-foot-5 defender showed versatility by operating as an outside and inside rusher for the Hawkeyes. Van Ness combines a 272-pound frame with 4.58-second speed, giving the Packers upside as they add yet another early-round defender to their roster.

Van Ness, who totaled 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, could give the Pack some options. The team used a 2022 first-round pick on defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt and still rosters anchor Kenny Clark. Dean Lowry departed as a free agent, joining the Vikings. Van Ness could also line up as a 3-4 outside linebacker. The Packers have Preston Smith under contract and Rashan Gary going into his fifth-year option season. Gary, however, is coming off a November ACL tear.

This marks a big night for the Hawkeyes, who saw two front-seven bastions — Van Ness and linebacker Jack Campbell — become top-20 picks. Campbell also stayed in Big Ten country, going to the Lions at No. 18.

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