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Notable Incentives Still In Play For 2022

December 30th, 2022 at 10:47am CST by Sam Robinson

As we head into Week 17, a number of players still have key incentives available. Here is a handful of the notable escalators in reach — many involving Smiths — courtesy of SI.com’s Albert Breer.

  • Justin Houston, OLB (Ravens): Already collecting $1MM by reaching 7.5 sacks, the 12th-year pass rusher (nine sacks) can move that number to $1.5MM by getting to 10.
  • Christian Kirk, WR (Jaguars): The big-ticket Jags signing can collect $500K by hitting 80 receptions, with another $500K available if he reaches 90. Kirk has 76 catches. The ex-Cardinal (988 receiving yards) can also collect $1MM by surpassing 1,100.
  • Raheem Mostert, RB (Dolphins): The offseason addition will almost certainly add $1MM to his 2022 earnings. By clearing 900 scrimmage yards, Mostert needs only the Dolphins to stay in the top 25 in total offense. Considering Miami ranks ninth, it is a good bet the ex-49er — who signed for one year and $2.2MM — will cash in.
  • Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks): After already collecting $1MM for hitting playing-time incentives and $500K by making the Pro Bowl, Smith is likely to add another $1MM by eclipsing 4,000 passing yards for the first time. Smith, who signed for one year and $3.5MM, has 3,886 yards through 15 games.
  • Preston Smith, OLB (Packers): Sitting on 8.5 sacks, the veteran edge rusher can collect $1MM by ballooning that number to 10. Another $1MM would be in play for Smith if he reached 12 sacks this season.
  • Za’Darius Smith, OLB (Vikings): The 2022 Minnesota signee can up his incentive package to either $750K by hitting 10.5 sacks or $1MM by reaching 12.5. The veteran edge has 10 sacks through 15 games.
  • JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR (Chiefs): Leading Chiefs wideouts in receiving yards (877) by a wide margin, Smith-Schuster is likely to enhance his already-impressive incentive collection by topping 900 receiving yards. That would put the ex-Steeler at $3MM in total incentives earned. Signing a one-year deal worth $3.76MM, Smith-Schuster has already collected $2.5MM in escalators.
  • J.J. Watt, DL (Cardinals): Lastly, the retiring D-lineman collected $900K by reaching nine sacks (9.5); he can bump that number to $1MM by tallying a 10th sack over the team’s final two games.

S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Retires

December 29th, 2022 at 8:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran NFL safety Ha’Sean “Ha Ha” Clinton-Dix reportedly joined his former team in order to retire today, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Clinton-Dix has effectively been out of the league for over a year now and has decided to hang up his cleats at 30 years old.

Clinton-Dix was a first-round draft pick after electing to forgo his remaining eligibility at Alabama back in 2014. In the draft process, Clinton-Dix was often compared against Louisville safety Calvin Pryor for the title of the draft’s top safety prospect. After the Packers did not re-sign free safety M.D. Jennings, the team selected Clinton-Dix to come in and compete with then-second-year safety Micah Hyde for the starting spot at free safety alongside strong safety Morgan Burnett.

Hyde would win the starting job to start the season, but Clinton-Dix would receive plenty of playing time to start his rookie season as a fifth defensive back. It didn’t take long for Clinton-Dix to push Hyde for the starting role, though, earning his first start only seven weeks into the year. Clinton-Dix would refuse to relinquish the starting job from then on, starting every game for whatever team he would play on after that all the way through the 2019 season.

Clinton-Dix played nearly all of the remainder of his rookie contract as the Packers’ starting safety in tandem with Burnett. As a Packer, Clinton-Dix would haul in 14 interceptions, including a 2016 Pro Bowl season that would see him intercept five passes. He also proved himself to be a physical safety for Green Bay’s defense, leading the team in 2015 with 100 total tackles.

After exercising his fifth-year option, the Packers would trade Clinton-Dix halfway through his fifth year in the league to Washington. After playing out the remainder of his rookie deal in DC, Clinton-Dix signed a one-year contract with the Bears, with whom he would nab two more interceptions as a full-time starter. These games in Chicago would end up being the last starts, and the last significant playing time, of his career.

Clinton-Dix reunited with former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas and was expected to take over at safety for the Cowboys after the loss of Jeff Heath. Unfortunately for Clinton-Dix, he was soon passed up by Darian Thompson on the depth chart and released just prior to the regular season. After sitting out the 2020 season following his release from the Cowboys, Clinton-Dix would spend a couple weeks of the offseason in San Francisco before being released prior to the 2021 season. He would be signed to the Raiders practice squad. He would appear in two games for Las Vegas off of the practice squad, playing only on special teams. Clinton-Dix was released in December and spent the short remainder of the season on Denver’s practice squad.

Over 13 months after making his last appearance on an NFL field, Clinton-Dix announced his retirement today, signing a one-day contract to end his career in his original NFL home of Green Bay.

Packers Place DL Dean Lowry On IR

December 27th, 2022 at 3:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dean Lowry‘s streak of 101 straight regular-season games will come to an end. The Packers placed the veteran defensive lineman on IR on Tuesday.

The seventh-year defender suffered a calf injury against the Dolphins. To replace him on the roster, the Packers signed wide receiver Bo Melton from the Seahawks’ practice squad; Seattle drafted Melton in this year’s seventh round out of Rutgers. He has not seen any game action yet. The Packers also released linebacker Tipa Galeai from IR, weeks after opting against using one of its IR activations on him.

In order for Lowry to be activated, the Packers would need to reach the NFC championship game. While Green Bay has accomplished this twice under Matt LaFleur, the team is 7-8 and still has an uphill battle to make the playoffs. FiveThirtyEight gives the Pack a 27% chance to secure a wild-card spot. Tuesday’s transaction is likely to end Lowry’s season.

Lowry, 28, has been with the Packers since they drafted him in the 2016 fourth round. He has started 80 career games, becoming a primary starter during LaFleur’s time in Green Bay. The Northwestern product recorded five sacks last season but has only a half-sack this year. Still, Lowry has maintained a regular role on a defensive line housing Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed and first-round pick Devonte Wyatt. Lowry has played 53% of the Packers’ defensive snaps this season.

Pro Football Focus ranks Lowry just outside the top 60 interior D-linemen (out of 125 qualified players), after slotting him 33rd overall last season. Lowry’s three-year, $20.3MM extension expires after this season, though three void years are tacked on for cap purposes. Wyatt saw his highest snap share against the Dolphins, being on the field for 24 defensive plays. While the Packers have eased the Georgia product into action, he stands to see more time in the team’s final two regular-season games.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

December 27th, 2022 at 12:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, much is still to be decided both in terms of playoff positioning and the order of the upcoming draft. Five teams are still eligible to land the top pick.

The Texans remain in pole position to hold the No. 1 spot, but their win over the Titans (coupled with the Bears’ losing streak extending to eight games) leaves Chicago just a half-game away. The fact that the Bears would likely select a defensive player rather than a quarterback with the top pick adds considerable intrigue to the potential implications of them ending up with that slot.

With the Browns continuing to struggle even with Deshaun Watson back from suspension, there is a distinct possibility that four first-rounders which changed hands (including Cleveland’s top 2023 pick, part of the package they sent to Houston for Watson) land in the top 10. Another premium selection would obviously soften the blow of losing out on the No. 1 spot from the Texans’ perspective, should that take place.

The final Wild Card spot in each conference is still being contested by several teams, resulting in a logjam of 7-8 squads in the middle of the order. Several head-to-head matchups will be played out between those clubs, which could lead to plenty of change in their positioning over the next two weeks. The race for both the AFC and NFC South titles will also have a significant impact on the final order, given the average (at best) record each division’s winner will have at the end of the regular season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 17:

  1. Houston Texans: 2-12-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-12
  3. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-11
  5. Indianapolis Colts: 4-10-1
  6. Atlanta Falcons: 5-10
  7. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  8. Carolina Panthers: 6-9
  9. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-9
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  12. Seattle Seahawks: 7-8
  13. Tennessee Titans: 7-8
  14. New England Patriots: 7-8
  15. New York Jets: 7-8
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-8
  17. Green Bay Packers: 7-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 7-8
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars: 7-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-8
  21. Washington Commanders: 7-7-1
  22. New York Giants: 8-6-1
  23. Los Angeles Chargers: 9-6
  24. Baltimore Ravens: 10-5
  25. Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 11-4
  27. Cincinnati Bengals: 11-4
  28. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-3
  29. Minnesota Vikings: 12-3
  30. Buffalo Bills: 12-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-2

Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Packers, Elgton Jenkins Agree On Extension

December 23rd, 2022 at 9:28am CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers will not let Elgton Jenkins hit free agency. They agreed to a four-year extension with the fourth-year offensive lineman, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The versatile blocker agreed to bypass a run on the 2023 market by signing a $68MM deal that could max out at $74MM. While Jenkins has worked at both guard and tackle, he has settled in at guard this season. This deal makes him the league’s second-highest-paid guard — behind only Quenton Nelson. Incentives can take the deal to the $74MM mark, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (on Twitter).

Davante Adams notwithstanding, Green Bay has an extensive history of keeping its priority free agents. (Though, this deal does come around the same point on the calendar when the Packers locked down Adams to his second NFL contract back in 2017.) Months after Jaire Alexander‘s cornerback-record contract, the Packers have Jenkins locked in through the 2026 season. The former second-round pick will collect a $24MM signing bonus, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has the signing bonus at $22MM (Twitter link).

The Packers do not have too much history with the franchise tag, going 12 years between bringing it out for Ryan Pickett (in 2010) and Adams. But Rapoport notes a tag was likely here. Jenkins’ signing bonus comes in a few million north of the projected $18.3MM O-lineman tag, which undoubtedly came into play during the talks. Jenkins, 27 next week, would have been one of the top free agents on next year’s market. Instead, the Packers paid to make him a long-term cornerstone.

At $17MM per year, Jenkins’ extension checks in closer to the guard field than to Nelson, who is attached to a $20MM-per-year accord. But Nelson’s accomplishments are on another level compared to his age group. Like Alexander, the Packers did not appear to deviate from their preferred contract structure of not including guarantees beyond Year 1. If the signing bonus represents the full guarantee here, Jenkins will be tied to either the fifth- or seventh-highest figure among guards.

This agreement also punctuates Jenkins’ return from the ACL tear that cut his 2021 season short. Although the Packers’ 2022 season has fallen well shy of expectations, this deal rewards a player who has bounced to a few positions along the O-line. Jenkins has made a Pro Bowl at guard — in 2020 — but began last season filling in for David Bakhtiari at left tackle. After Bakhtiari made his long-awaited return to his blindside post this season, Jenkins began his contract year at right tackle. But the Packers kicked him back inside to guard. Despite the move, Friday’s extension compares favorably to most right tackles’ money. The AAV matches Taylor Moton‘s for the fifth-highest at right tackle.

Green Bay selected Jenkins 44th overall in 2019 and made him an instant starter. Stationed alongside Bakhtiari, the Mississippi State alum soon teamed with the All-Pro blindsider to form one of the league’s top inside-outside duos. After Bakhtiari’s career-altering ACL tear on New Year’s Eve 2020, it took until this season for he and Jenkins to play together again. By the time they did, Corey Linsley — whom the Packers let walk in 2021 — was in his second season with the Chargers. Letting Linsley leave freed up funds for Jenkins, who is four years younger.

Last season represented a missed opportunity, though the Packers still secured the No. 1 seed without either standout. Bakhtiari, who underwent three surgeries to address the knee injury, has bounced in and out of the lineup this season. He remains tied to the four-year, $92MM contract he inked during the 2020 campaign. While Bakhtiari has missed five games this season, Jenkins has only missed two. He returned in Week 2 and has played at a Pro Bowl level. No such honor came this week, but Pro Football Focus ranks Jenkins as the league’s No. 7 overall guard. The Packers are paying up for what should be his prime seasons.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

December 21st, 2022 at 10:18am CST by Sam Robinson

Christmas Day’s Broncos-Rams matchup will pit two of the league’s most disappointing teams against one another, and the Seahawks and Lions will have a vested interest in this contest. The loser of this game will give one of the latter teams — via the Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford trades — a better chance of landing a top-three pick in next year’s draft.

At 1-12-1, the Texans are cruising home. The Bears are on their heels, potentially set to become the team that selects the 2023 draft’s first non-quarterback. But eight four- or five-win teams reside behind these two, providing some intrigue for fanbases whose squads are not moving toward the playoffs.

The NFC South’s plunge toward becoming perhaps the worst division in NFL history carries draft stakes as well. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers each have five wins, and Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia (via the Saints’ pre-draft trade this year) would see those picks land in the top 10 as of now. The division-leading Buccaneers would see their draft slot check in no higher than 19th. Should one of Tampa Bay’s challengers vault the current first-place team in the standings, the Bucs would see their 2023 first-round slot rise considerably.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 16:

  1. Houston Texans: 1-12-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-11
  3. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  4. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  5. Arizona Cardinals: 4-10
  6. Indianapolis Colts: 4-9-1
  7. Atlanta Falcons: 5-9
  8. Carolina Panthers: 5-9
  9. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  10. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-8
  11. Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-8
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-8
  14. Green Bay Packers: 6-8
  15. Seattle Seahawks: 7-7
  16. New England Patriots: 7-7
  17. New York Jets: 7-7
  18. Detroit Lions: 7-7
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-8
  20. Tennessee Titans: 7-7
  21. Washington Commanders: 7-6-1
  22. Los Angeles Chargers: 8-6
  23. New York Giants: 8-5-1
  24. Baltimore Ravens: 9-5
  25. Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 10-4
  27. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-4
  28. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-3
  29. Minnesota Vikings: 11-3
  30. Buffalo Bills: 11-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-1

Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/22

December 19th, 2022 at 7:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Packers Waive WR Sammy Watkins

December 19th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Adam La Rose

After an underwhelming tenure in Green Bay, Sammy Watkins is headed elsewhere to finish the season. The Packers are waiving the veteran wideout, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the move.

Watkins, 29, has bounced around in recent years while struggling to stay healthy. He spent last season in Baltimore, after signing a one-year deal to provide the Ravens with a veteran pass-catcher while rebuilding his free agent value. He was unable to replicate his more productive campaigns with the Bills, however, leading him to join Green Bay in April on another one-year contract.

Watkins’ arrival came after an offseason in which the Packers traded away Davante Adams and saw Marquez Valdes-Scantling depart in free agency. That left an opening for the veteran to take on at least a rotational role in a new-look WR room led by Allen Lazard and multiple rookies. His first two weeks as a Packer were promising, but another hamstring issue led to an early IR stint. Overall, Watkins has totaled just 206 scoreless yards on 13 receptions in 2022.

The move comes as Romeo Doubs is ready to return from an ankle injury. The fourth-rounder has yet to play since Week 9, but could compliment leading receivers Lazard and fellow rookie Christian Watson now that he is back in the fold. Randall Cobb is also available as a veteran pass-catcher who has out-performed Watkins so far this season.

Watkins will now go on waivers, making him available for any teams looking for late-season wideout depth. Any acquiring team would be responsible for the remainder of his contract, which includes just over $186K in base salary and modest games-played bonuses (Twitter link via Pelissero). Should he go unclaimed, the former fourth overall pick will become a free agent – something which would give him an open choice of destinations for the remainder of this season as he continues to search for a permanent NFL home.

Packers HC Matt LaFleur Wants Aaron Rodgers To Return In 2023

December 18th, 2022 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Things have not gone according to plan for the Packers in 2022, leading to serious speculation about their future at a number of positions. One of those is quarterback, but if head coach Matt LaFleur has his way, the top of the depth chart will remain the same next year.

Aaron Rodgers entered the year with significant expectations given not only his personal accolades, but the lucrative new deal he signed in the offseason. That contract is believed to allow the reigning MVP to operate on a year-to-year basis with respect to his retirement decision, though it would not be until 2025 that the Packers would see any cap relief with a trade or release given its structure.

The 39-year-old’s performance has – like Green Bay’s offense as a whole – been underwhelming to date, with Rodgers dealing with multiple injuries. That led to speculation that a quarterback change would be in order, but an extended look for backup Jordan Love is not expected to take place in at least the near future. To little surprise, then, LaFleur’s has stated a continued commitment to the four-time All-Pro moving forward.

When asked about his desire to have Rodgers back in 2023, he said, via Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons, “Yeah, absolutely. Of course.” He added, on the subject of Love’s presence and his relative lack of playing time given his draft pedigree, “I think we’ve got a great problem in terms of when you have confidence in multiple people.

“I do think, just thinking about expectations, and certainly people expect – we all expect – a certain level from [Rodgers] every time and especially when you’re coming off back-to-back MVP seasons. I think you’ve got to be realistic about the situation, too, in terms of, you’re losing almost your entire receiving corps and there’s a lot of new pieces around [him].”

With Green Bay sitting at 5-8 on the campaign and unlikely to make a playoff push, the idea of shutting Rodgers down for the rest of the year has been floated. The team’s bye week represented a logical time to do hand the reins over to Love, but the veteran is expected to play at least until a postseason berth is no longer attainable. The closing stages of their season begin tomorrow night against the Rams.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/22

December 14th, 2022 at 7:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

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