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Latest On Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley

June 3rd, 2023 at 11:34am CST by Ben Levine

Calvin Ridley hasn’t seen the field since the beginning of the 2021 campaign. Now playing in Jacksonville, the Jaguars intend to bring Ridley along slowly as he prepares for his return. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the team is being careful with Ridley and is limiting him during OTAs, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco (on Twitter).

Pederson noted that there’s been no signs of rust on the wideout. Ridley is expected to be back to a full workload by the time training camp comes around.

“He’s done an outstanding job for us,” Pederson said (via the team’s website). “He’s picking up the offense. The times that he’s working with Trevor [Lawrence], they’re on the same page, they’re connecting.

“He wants to go so much and so fast and so hard out there at practice that we just have to pump the brakes and just tell him, ‘Hey, now’s not the time.’ He hasn’t played in a while, plus the injury, so we’re just trying to be careful with him.”

Ridley earned a second-team All-Pro nod with the Falcons in 2020 after finishing with 90 catches for 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The wideout later revealed he played most of that season with a broken foot, and after starting each of the first five games of the 2021 campaign, Ridley announced that he was stepping away from football for mental health reasons. It was later announced that Ridley would be suspended for the entire 2022 campaign for gambling on games.

The receiver was traded to the Jaguars in November, and he was reinstated from his suspension in March. He’ll be joining a receivers room that also includes Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. The Jaguars can lean on those top two wideouts while Ridley prepares for his first full season since 2020.

“I have to gradually get my body back to football and be peaking going into the season – not out here [in OTAs],” Ridley said (via the team’s website). “I’m kind of picking it up a little bit, just trying to get myself the reps I could get. But they just want me to slowly build towards the season.

“Of course, I expect I would be a little rusty because you can’t really get ready for this. Just running every day is what really causes you get sore. I just have to make sure I build and not be sore in the season.”

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 2nd, 2023 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The start of June has served as a key NFL financial period for decades. While teams no longer have to wait until after June 1 to make that cost-splitting cut designation, teams pick up the savings from those transactions today. With a handful of teams making post-June 1 cuts this year, here is how each team’s cap space (courtesy of OverTheCap) looks as of Friday:

  1. Chicago Bears: $32.58MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $27.25MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $26.68MM
  4. New York Jets: $24.79MM
  5. Detroit Lions: $23.72MM
  6. Indianapolis Colts: $23.39MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $20.48MM
  8. Houston Texans: $16.81MM
  9. Green Bay Packers: $16.57MM
  10. Pittsburgh Steelers: $15.73MM
  11. Cincinnati Bengals: $14.92MM
  12. New Orleans Saints: $14.27MM
  13. New England Patriots: $14.12MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $13.9MM
  15. Cleveland Browns: $13.86MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $13.85MM
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: $12.61MM
  18. Jacksonville Jaguars: $12MM
  19. Washington Commanders: $11.57MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $11.54MM
  21. San Francisco 49ers: $10.72MM
  22. Atlanta Falcons: $10.7MM
  23. Denver Broncos: $10.13MM
  24. Minnesota Vikings: $9.75MM
  25. Tennessee Titans: $7.99MM
  26. Seattle Seahawks: $7.94MM
  27. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  28. Las Vegas Raiders: $3.37MM
  29. Los Angeles Rams: $1.49MM
  30. Buffalo Bills: $1.4MM
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: $653K
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $402K

The Dolphins gained the most from a post-June 1 cut (Byron Jones) this year, creating $13.6MM in cap space from a deal that will spread out the cornerback’s dead money through 2024. But the Browns (John Johnson, Jadeveon Clowney) and Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott) created more than $10MM in space as well.

The Jets’ number is a bit deceiving. They are still working on a restructure with Aaron Rodgers, as the trade acquisition’s cap number — after a Packers restructure — sits at just $1.22MM. In 2024, that number skyrockets to $107.6MM. Rodgers’ cap hit will almost definitely will climb before Week 1, so viewing the Jets along with the other teams north of $20MM in space is not entirely accurate.

Minnesota is moving closer to separating from its $12.6MM-per-year Dalvin Cook contract. The team already created some space by trading Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Cleveland, which is one of the teams connected to DeAndre Hopkins, added Smith and did so with help from its Deshaun Watson restructure. Watson was set to count $54.9MM against the Browns’ 2023 cap. That number is down to $19.1MM, though the Browns’ restructure both ballooned Watson’s mid-2020s cap figures to $63.9MM — which would shatter the NFL record — and added a 2027 void year.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles sit atop the league in dead money, with the Bucs — largely from their April 2022 Tom Brady restructure — checking in at $75.3MM here. That total comprises nearly 33% of the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The Rams, at more than $74MM, are not far behind. Despite the Bills and Chiefs — the teams most frequently tied to Hopkins — joining the Bucs and Rams near the bottom of the league in cap space, both AFC contenders also sit in the bottom five in dead money.

Cowboys Discussed Riley Patterson With Jaguars, Still Looking For Kicker

June 1st, 2023 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the months since Brett Maher‘s postseason accuracy crisis, the Cowboys have not made a major addition at kicker. Tristan Vizcaino resides as the only one on Dallas’ offseason roster.

At least one team kept the Cowboys in mind as it shopped its kicker. The Jaguars contacted the Cowboys when trying to unload Riley Patterson, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes. This came on a day in which the Jags signed longtime Bronco Brandon McManus, but after announcing they had cut Patterson, the AFC South team found a taker in the Lions. A low-level pick swap ensued to send Patterson back to Detroit.

The Cowboys did not show interest in McManus, according to Archer, who adds the team remains on the hunt at this position. Mike McCarthy mentioned XFL or USFL options. NFL teams are free to sign XFLers; several players who starred in the rebooted league are now on NFL rosters. The second USFL incarnation’s second season runs through July 1. The Cowboys found an All-Pro return man (KaVontae Turpin) from the USFL last year, though they may be eyeing more experience at kicker.

Maher, who worked out for the Broncos last week, remains available. Post-draft, the Cowboys did not shut down — Maher’s five playoff PAT misses aside — another agreement with their two-stint specialist. Maher, who holds the NFL record for most 60-plus-yard field goals (four), went 29-for-32 on field goals last year. That included 9 of 11 makes from beyond 50 yards. But Maher’s postseason issues hampered Dallas down the stretch.

Special teams coordinator John Fassel brought up free agents Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Ryan Succop. The 49ers chose Jake Moody in Round 3 to replace Gould, while Archer indicates the Cowboys were not interested in drafting a kicker in the third or fourth rounds like the 49ers and Patriots (Chad Ryland, Round 4) did. Gould, 40, has been an NFL kicker for 18 seasons. Crosby logged 16 with the Packers, who drafted Anders Carlson in the sixth round. Succop spent the past three seasons with the Bucs, stopping Tampa Bay’s near-decade-long kicker carousel.

This marks the second straight offseason in which the Cowboys are looking around at kicker. Their 2022 competition imploded during training camp. Both Jonathan Garibay and Lirim Hajrullahu ended up being waived in August, with Maher returning after a camp tryout. Vizcaino, 26, has kicked in 10 games for four different teams — the 49ers, Chargers, Cardinals and Patriots — from 2020-22. The Washington alum is 11-for-12 on field goals but was just 10 of 15 on PATs during his lone extended run — with the 2021 Chargers, who cut him after signing Dustin Hopkins.

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2024

May 30th, 2023 at 9:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

As teams regroup on potential trade talks, 2024 draft picks represent the top non-player assets available. Although the usual run of draft-weekend trades featured teams moving up and down the 2023 board, a high number of 2024 picks have changed hands. The Cardinals resided at the center of such movement, but many other teams have already made changes to their 2024 draft arsenals. Three first-rounders have already been traded, and a fourth — barring an Aaron Rodgers injury — will be expected to transfer.

Here are the 2024 picks to have changed hands thus far:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

  • Lions obtained Vikings‘ pick in 2022 deadline deal that sent T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota
  • As part of Payton trade, Broncos collected Saints‘ third
  • As part of Anderson trade, Cardinals acquired Texans’ 2024 third
  • Cardinals picked up Titans‘ 2024 third in deal that allowed Tennessee to draft Will Levis at No. 33
  • Seahawks acquired third from Broncos in exchange for No. 83 overall pick (CB Riley Moss)
    • It is not yet known if Seattle will add Denver or New Orleans’ 2024 third
  • Texans landed third from Eagles in trade for No. 105 (CB Kelee Ringo)

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

  • Broncos acquired Rams‘ seventh in pick-swap deal for LB Kenny Young in October 2021
  • October 2021 Mark Ingram trade gave Texans seventh from Saints
  • Texans obtained seventh from Chiefs for DB Lonnie Johnson
    • Unknown conditions may keep pick from transferring
  • As part of Amadi swap, Eagles obtained seventh from Titans
  • Daley pick swap sent Titans seventh from Panthers
  • Jones pick swap sent Browns seventh from Falcons
  • In Johnathan Hankins pick-swap trade, Cowboys acquired Raiders‘ 2024 seventh
    • It is unknown which of Las Vegas’ 2024 sevenths will be sent to Dallas

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest QB Contract

May 29th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.

On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Mark Sanchez, June 2009. Five years, $50.5MM. $28MM guaranteed

This was the former No. 5 overall pick-turned-TV analyst’s rookie deal, made possible before the 2011 CBA reshaped the rookie salary structure. Chad Pennington‘s September 2004 extension (seven years, $64MM, $23MM guaranteed) marks the top contract the Jets have authorized for a veteran QB.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jaguars To Reduce Travis Etienne’s Workload

May 29th, 2023 at 5:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Travis Etienne made his long-awaited debut with the Jaguars in 2022, and he delivered a strong season as the team’s lead running back. The former first-rounder is part of a more crowded RB room in Jacksonville, now, however, something which is expected to affect his usage rate.

Jacksonville turned lead back duties over to Etienne on a permanent basis midway through the 2022 campaign when they traded away James Robinson. The former was left with a sizeable workload, seeing 74% of running back carries following the trade. That came in part due to his effectiveness, but also the lack of other options the team had on the depth chart.

This offseason, the Jaguars have supplemented Snoop Conner and JaMycal Hasty with free agent signing D’Ernest Johnson and third-round rookie Tank Bigsby. Johnson showed signficant potential in a rotational role with the Browns, while Bigsby put up considerable production during a three-year career at Auburn. Those two are in line to play a notable supporting role in their first season in Duval County.

ESPN’s Michael DiRocco notes that Jacksonville’s moves at the position this year have been aimed at reducing Etienne’s workload moving forward. The Clemson product logged a snap share of 60% overall on the season – though that figure was higher following the Robinson trade. Overall, he totaled 1,125 yards on 220 carries (good for an average of 5.1 yards per attempt), adding 316 yards in the passing game. His aim, and that of the team, will be a setup allowing him to remain efficient on the ground and in the air while lessening the burden he is responsible for in the offense.

“I feel like it keeps the wear and tear off my body,” Etienne said. “I don’t have to go and bang myself up each and every play. I’ve got somebody else to take a couple licks off of me and I love that.”

Offensive coordinator Press Taylor confirmed that the RB pecking order and workload will be determined over the summer, but Etienne remains in line for signficant usage in 2023. On a team with a capable array of pass-catchers (especially considering the reinstatement of Calvin Ridley) and, now, a deeper group in the backfield, though, Etienne’s second NFL campaign should see him on the field slightly less often than his first.

Jaguars Trade K Riley Patterson To Lions

May 25th, 2023 at 10:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions’ decision to cut Riley Patterson led him to Jacksonville in August 2022. Nearly a year later, Detroit will step in to prevent Patterson hitting the waiver wire.

After the Jaguars announced they were cutting Patterson — complete with the customary farewell tweet — they have reached an agreement to trade him to the Lions. Patterson kicked in seven Lions games during the 2021 season. The Jags replaced Patterson with longtime Bronco Brandon McManus earlier Thursday.

Patterson provided the Jaguars with some rare kicker stability last season, kicking in all 19 games for the team after seven kickers came through from 2020-21. McManus obviously provides Jacksonville with much more experience, but the team will still collect an asset for its 2022 kicker. The Lions are sending the Jags a late-round pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That asset will be a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

The Lions initially added Patterson off the Patriots’ practice squad in November 2021. The former UDFA out of Memphis then finished that season as Detroit’s primary kicker. Patterson made 13 of 14 field goals for the Lions that year, but the team waived him coming out of the preseason. In Jacksonville, Patterson made 30 of 35 field goal tries during the regular season and missed just one extra point (36-for-37). He also notched a game-winning field goal to complete a 27-point Jags comeback win over the Chargers in the wild-card round.

Patterson, 23, is due a $940K base salary this season. He can be retained via RFA tender next year. The Jags tendered Patterson as an ERFA in March, but the Broncos’ decision to cut McManus — in part due to cap savings, as they designated him a post-June 1 release — changed the AFC South team’s plans. It will impact the Lions’ path at kicker as well.

In signing XFLer John Parker Romo last week, the Lions already roster two kickers. They finished last season with Michael Badgley in that role. Badgley kicked in 12 games for the Lions last season and re-signed with the team in March. Badgley is tied to a one-year, $1.2MM deal. The Lions guaranteed their incumbent just $350K, opening the door to a kicking competition. Badgley made 20 of his 24 kicks as a Lion last year; both he and Patterson went 2-for-3 from beyond 50 yards.

This trade allowed Detroit to avoid losing Patterson via the waiver wire; the Lions’ 9-8 finish gave them the No. 18 spot in the waiver order. The Lions waived wide receiver Keytaon Thompson to make room for Patterson on the Roster.

Jaguars Sign K Brandon McManus

May 25th, 2023 at 9:35am CST by Sam Robinson

It did not take long for Brandon McManus to find a new home. The longtime Broncos kicker reached an agreement to join the Jaguars. The Jags announced the deal Thursday.

While Denver has enjoyed kicker stability over the past decade, Jacksonville has cycled through several options at the position in recent years. The defending AFC South champions will now add an experienced specialist. The Jags waived kicker Riley Patterson to make room on their roster.

McManus, 31, called his Broncos release an “absolute shock,” per Denver7’s Troy Renck. He will rebound quickly, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com noting this is a one-year Jaguars agreement (Twitter links). McManus will bring nine years’ experience as an NFL kicker, having taken over for Matt Prater in Denver in 2014. While Jacksonville will not offer the altitude advantage Denver provides kickers, the former Super Bowl-winning specialist will move to a team in better position to contend.

The Broncos had extended McManus on a four-year, $17.2MM deal before the 2020 season. Although two years remained on that contract, Sean Payton continues to make special teams changes with his new team. This marks a major change for Denver, which has only used three primary kickers (McManus, Prater, Jason Elam) since 1993. Patterson ended up lasting only one season as Jacksonville’s kicker.

Although McManus served as Denver’s kicker for a lengthy stretch, he is coming off his most inaccurate season since 2017. The former UDFA made just 77.8% of his field goals last season. While one of those was a 64-yard try at sea level — via Nathaniel Hackett‘s bizarre Week 1 decision that began an odd Broncos season — McManus missed four other attempts from beyond 50 yards and two from inside 40 yards. McManus did make eight 50-plus-yard field goal tries last season, marking the second-most of his career. He connected on 10 such attempts in 2020.

McManus served as a significant contributor to the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50-winning season. As Peyton Manning‘s injury-accelerated decline hit in full force in 2015, McManus went 10-for-10 on field goal tries during the playoffs. That included three Super Bowl makes. While the Broncos have largely struggled since that night, McManus represented the most consistent presence on the roster. He will now attempt to carve out a multiyear role with a second NFL employer.

Whereas the Broncos employed McManus since 2014, the Jaguars have used eight kickers in just the past three seasons. Patterson brought stability, after a six-kicker 2020 and multi-kicker 2021. The Jags brought in Patterson as a waiver claim just before last season, adding the young kicker shortly after the Lions waived him. Patterson made 85.7% of his field goal tries last year and was 36 of 37 on extra points. While Patterson only made three kicks from beyond 50 yards, that came on three attempts.

Jaguars LB K’Lavon Chaisson On Trade Block?

May 20th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Ben Levine

A former Jaguars first-round pick is likely on the trade block. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that “it’d hardly be a shocker” to see linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson traded during training camp.

The Jaguars had high hopes for Chaisson when they selected him with the 20th-overall pick in the 2020 draft. The linebacker was coming off a championship-winning season at LSU where he led the team with 6.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits.

The rookie was expected to take the place of Yannick Ngakoue, who publicly feuded with owner Shahid Khan’s son and was eventually traded to Minnesota. Chaisson didn’t do much to make up for his departed teammate, finishing his rookie campaign with only 19 tackles and one sack in 16 games (three starts). He took on a slightly larger role with eight starts in 2021, but he only finished with 31 tackles.

With Doug Pederson on board in 2022, Chaisson found himself struggling for playing time. He played in a career-low 217 snaps, with just about half of those snaps coming on special teams. He finished the season with only 10 tackles in nine games, and he spent a chunk of the season on injured reserve while recovering from a knee injury.

Predictably, the team declined the fifth-year option on Chaisson earlier this month, and the linebacker will now be fighting for a roster spot. The Jaguars used a fifth-round pick on outside linebacker Yasir Abdullah, and with Josh Allen and Travon Walker entrenched as the starting OLBs, Chaisson will have to compete for one of the final spots on the depth chart.

Giants Sign Round 1 CB Deonte Banks

May 18th, 2023 at 8:51am CST by Sam Robinson

The highest Giants cornerback pick in seven years, Deonte Banks is now under contract. The No. 24 overall pick agreed to terms on his four-year rookie deal Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets.

Banks’ contract — worth $13.58MM due to his draft slot — will be fully guaranteed. The deal contains a fifth-year option, which the Giants will need to decide on by May 2026. For the foreseeable future, however, the Maryland product will be attached to this deal.

Although the Giants put in considerable work on this year’s lot of first-round-caliber wide receivers, they saw all four chosen from Nos. 20-23. GM Joe Schoen made an attempt to trade up into receiver territory, with Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison believed to be on the team’s radar. Once those pass catchers ended up going off the board — to the Ravens and Vikings at Nos. 22 and 23, respectively — the Giants decided to trade up one spot (via the Jaguars) to take Banks.

Just as he later did with the Bills during their trade talks, Jaguars GM Trent Baalke made Schoen confirm the Giants’ trade-up move was not for an offensive lineman. (The Jags eyed Oklahoma tackle Anton Harrison, whom they eventually took after both trade-down moves.) The Giants also expressed concern the Ravens would take Banks (video link). Baltimore represented one of Banks’ many pre-draft visits.

One of the teams to bring in Banks for a pre-draft visit, the Giants will make him the centerpiece of their cornerback plan. The team released James Bradberry shortly after the 2022 draft and has current No. 1 corner Adoree’ Jackson going into a contract year. As of now, no extension plans are in the works re: Jackson, who is set to play out his three-year contract this season. With Banks possibly signed through 2027, he will be expected to commandeer a starting job this year.

Banks bounced back from a shoulder injury that ended his 2021 season after two games, but the 6-foot cover man emerged as a Terrapins starter as a true freshman in 2019. Banks held up against potential 2024 top-five pick Marvin Harrison Jr. last season, helping limit the Ohio State superstar to five receptions for 68 yards and no touchdowns. Banks broke up two passes in that game and blocked an extra point. For the season, Banks totaled eight pass breakups and an interception.

The Giants used a first-round pick on eventual bust Deandre Baker in 2019 but last chose a corner higher than Banks seven years ago (Eli Apple, at No. 10 overall). The team will need Banks to perform better than each to justify this investment. The team played without both its boundary corners — Jackson and Aaron Robinson — for much of last season. Robinson was lost for the year due to an early-season knee injury. Banks will be expected to surpass the former third-round pick on the Giants’ depth chart this season.

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