Josh Lambo Sues Jaguars
Free agent kicker Josh Lambo has filed a lawsuit against the Jaguars, as Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com writes. The suit alleges that former head coach Urban Meyer created a hostile work environment and that the organization did nothing to rectify the situation.
Lambo missed a kick in each of Jacksonville’s first two preseason games in 2021, and during a practice before the final preseason game, Lambo alleges that Meyer kicked him in the leg and said, “Hey dips—, make your f—ing kicks!” When Lambo told Meyer, “Don’t you ever f—ing kick me again!” Meyer replied by saying, “I’m the head ball coach. I’ll kick you whenever the f— I want.” The suit further avers that Lambo notified his agent, Richard Irvin, of the interaction and that Irvin made the team’s counsel aware of the matter the following day.
These allegations became public in December, and at the time, the Jaguars released a statement saying that the team immediately responded to Irvin’s query and that, “[c]ounsel offered to speak with Josh, or to assist Josh in speaking with coaching or any other football personnel, if he was comfortable with her sharing the information. Any suggestion otherwise is blatantly false.”
The day after the alleged incident, Lambo claims that Meyer approached him and said, “if you ever speak to me like that again, you’ll be out of here. You’re the first player I’ve ever let speak to me that way in my career, and if you do it again, you’re gone.”
Though Lambo remained on the roster and operated as the Jaguars’ kicker through the first several games of the 2021 season, he missed all three of his field goal attempts and two of his seven PATs. He was released in October before catching on with the Steelers’ taxi squad. Pittsburgh dropped him a week later.
In 2019, Lambo led the NFL with a 97.1% field goal conversion rate. Then, in 2020, he lost the bulk of the year to injury, but went 5-of-5 on his FG tries while making 8-of-10 extra point attempts. His suit alleges that Meyer’s physical and verbal abuse impacted his ability to maintain his previous levels of performance, and he is seeking backpay and other damages.
Prior to the 2019 campaign, Lambo signed a four-year extension that was scheduled to run through the 2022 season. He was set to earn $4MM in 2022, but as a vested veteran, he did collect the full $3.5MM salary he was owed in 2021, and he took home $14K while on the Steelers’ p-squad.
Meyer, who was fired in December before completing one season as Jaguars’ HC, flatly denied Lambo’s allegations.
Contract Notes: Hughes, Walker, Boyle
Here are some details on a deal recently reached in Houston:
- Jerry Hughes, DT (Texans): Two-year, $10MM. The deal , reported by ESPN’s Field Yates, has a guaranteed amount of $4.5MM comprised of a $2.5MM signing bonus and Hughes’s 2022 base salary of $2MM. The contract has two different per game active bonuses for each year. In 2022, Hughes will receive a per game active bonus of $29,411 for a potential season total of $500,000. In 2023, Hughes will receive a per game active bonus of $58,823 for a potential season total of $1MM.
Here’s an interesting detail in the contract of the 2022 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick:
- Defensive end Travon Walker‘s first NFL contract currently has a detail that no other rookie contract from this year holds: the deal contains no offset language, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Offset language usually pertains to what will happen to a player’s salary if he should be cut in his first four seasons (the duration of each drafted rookie’s contract). Breer reports that it’s currently the only such deal this year. He also points out that it only occurred with two players from last year’s Draft: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. Jacksonville has clearly started a trend of being uniquely generous to their first-round picks.
Here are some details from a contract recently restructured in Baltimore:
- Nick Boyle, TE (Ravens): Two-year, $13MM. According to Yates, Boyle agreed to rework his contract, lowering his 2022 salary from $5MM to $1.12MM with a signing bonus of $2.63MM and possible incentives of $1.25MM. His 2023 salary was lowered $1MM with that money being converted to a roster bonus for that year. The deal creates $2.57MM of new cap space for the Ravens to work with.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Kingsley Keke
- Placed on Non-Football Injury List: TE Alex Ellis
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: CB Kendall Sheffield, TE Ryan Becker
Chicago Bears
- Waived: TE Jesper Horsted
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Abu Daramy-Swaray
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: RB Tre Harbison (non-football injury)
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: K Chris Naggar
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-Signed: OL Jared Hocker
- Released: OL Denzel Okafor
New England Patriots
- Waived: OL Liam Shanahan (failed physical designation)
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: TE Dylan Soehner (failed physical designation), TE Ethan Wolf
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OL Trenton Scott
- Released: OL Malcolm Pridgeon
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: WR Connor Wedington
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Deontez Alexander, WR Kevin Kassis
- Waived: WR Matt Cole, WR Jake Herslow, WR John Mitchell, WR Demetris Robertson
Washington Commanders
- Waived: S De’Vante Cross
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/22
Thursday has featured several rookie deals finalized. Here are the mid- and late-round draftees to sign their four-year contracts today:
Arizona Cardinals
- RB Keaontay Ingram (sixth round, USC)
- OL Lecitus Smith (sixth round, Virginia Tech)
- LB Jesse Luketa (seventh round, Penn State)
Atlanta Falcons
- RB Tyler Allgeier (fifth round, BYU)
- G Justin Shaffer (sixth round, Georgia)
- TE John FitzPatrick (sixth round, Georgia)
Buffalo Bills
- LB Terrel Bernard (third round, Baylor)
Cleveland Browns
- CB Martin Emerson (third round, Mississippi State)
- DE Alex Wright (third round, UAB)
- WR David Bell (third round, Purdue)
- RB Jerome Ford (fifth round, Cincinnati)
- WR Mike Woods (sixth round, Oklahoma)
- DE Isaiah Thomas (seventh round, Oklahoma)
- C Dawson Deaton (seventh round, Texas Tech)
Dallas Cowboys
- DT John Ridgeway (fifth round, Arkansas)
Denver Broncos
- WR Montrell Washington (fifth round, Samford)
Detroit Lions
- TE James Mitchell (fifth round, Virginia Tech)
Houston Texans
- RB Dameon Pierce (fourth round, Florida)
- DT Thomas Booker (fifth round, Stanford)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Snoop Conner (fifth round, Ole Miss)
- CB Gregory Junior (sixth round, Ouachita Baptist)
- CB Montaric Brown (seventh round, Arkansas)
Las Vegas Raiders
- G Dylan Parham (third round, Memphis)
- DT Matthew Butler (fifth round, Tennessee)
- T Thayer Munford (seventh round, Ohio State)
- RB Brittain Brown (seventh round, UCLA)
Miami Dolphins
- DE Cameron Goode (seventh round, California)
Minnesota Vikings
- DE Esezi Otomewo (fifth round, Minnesota)
- RB Ty Chandler (sixth round, North Carolina)
- T Vederian Lowe (sixth round, Illinois)
- WR Jalen Nailor (sixth round, Michigan State)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- RB Rachaad White (third round, Arizona State)
- CB Zyon McCollum (fifth round, Sam Houston State)
- TE Ko Kieft (sixth round, Minnesota)
- OLB Andre Anthony (seventh round, LSU)
Tennessee Titans
- RB Hassan Haskins (fourth round, Michigan)
- WR Kyle Philips (fifth round, UCLA)
- CB Theo Jackson (sixth round, Tennessee)
- LB Chance Campbell (sixth round, Ole Miss)
Jaguars Sign Round 1 LB Devin Lloyd
The Jaguars made a tremendous commitment to their off-ball linebacker positions this offseason. The highest-profile addition is now under contract.
First-round pick Devin Lloyd agreed to terms on his rookie deal Thursday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The No. 27 overall pick, Lloyd will score a fully guaranteed rookie contract — one that can run through 2026, via the fifth-year option. The Utah product, for whom the Jags traded up six spots (via the Buccaneers) to land, will earn more than $13MM on his rookie pact.
Jacksonville now has both its first-round picks under contract, having signed No. 1 overall choice Travon Walker earlier Thursday. Lloyd figures to be fast-tracked to the Jags’ starting lineup. The team made Myles Jack a cap casualty and will have a third defensive coordinator in three years (Mike Caldwell). The Jags paid up for ex-Falcons starter Foyesade Oluokun, giving the productive linebacker a three-year deal worth $45MM, and then drafted Wyoming linebacker Chad Muma in Round 3. It is safe to say the Jags viewed this position as a weakness entering the offseason.
Lloyd delivered a dominant senior season with the Utes, recording 111 tackles and registering seven sacks. He added four interceptions and 22 tackles for loss, offering up Micah Parsons-type versatility. Lloyd also tallied 6.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2019. It remains to be seen if Lloyd will be capable of a Parsons-esque NFL debut, but a Jags Lloyd-Oluokun three-down linebacker pairing presents the opportunity for a major upgrade from recent years.
Jaguars Reach Agreement With No. 1 Pick Travon Walker
The top pick in this year’s draft is about to sign his rookie contract. The Jaguars have agreed to terms with Travon Walker, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
Walker gained steam throughout the pre-draft process as a member of the class’ deep edge rusher pool. One month before the draft, though, he was named as a candidate for the Jaguars to be selected first overall. Even at that time, many still believed the team would lean towards the more known commodity in Aidan Hutchinson, or look to bolster their offensive line by choosing either Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu.
One day before the first round, Jacksonville signed left tackle Cam Robinson to an extension, a move which took the latter two prospects out of consideration. By that point, Walker had become the favorite for the top pick, having been identified as an attractive blend of size and athleticism for general manager Trent Baalke. While there was a reported disagreement between he and owner Shad Khan on the Walker-Hutchinson debate, Baalke ultimately landed his preferred option.
Across three seasons at Georgia, Walker flashed his potential as a disruptive force against both the pass and the run. His final season was his most productive, as he totalled 33 tackles, including 7.5 for a loss, along with six sacks. The contrast between those numbers and those of more accomplished pass rushers like Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux were weighed against Walker’s perceived ceiling and the limitations placed on him in the Bulldogs’ highly-talented defense.
As a result of being the top pick, Walker will earn a fully-guaranteed $37.4MM over four years. The deal also includes a $24.4MM signing bonus. In Jacksonville, he will look to pair with 2019 first-rounder Josh Allen as the focal points of a re-vamped defensive unit.
Contract Details: Addison, Michel, Chargers
We’ve compiled some updated numbers on recent NFL signings:
- Mario Addison, DE (Texans): two-year deal. Contract has a $7.7MM base value, including a $2MM signing bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.
- Bryce Callahan, CB (Chargers): signed. It’s a one-year deal worth $1.27MM, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). The deal has a cap hit of $1.04MM thanks to the veteran salary benefit. Callahan will earn a base salary of $1.12MM and a signing bonus worth $152.5K.
- Mike Davis, RB (Ravens): signed. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran running back, per Yates (on Twitter). The deal is worth a bit more than $1.20MM, meaning Davis’s cap hit will qualify for the veteran salary benefit contract.
- Tyrann Mathieu, CB (Saints): three-year, $33MM deal ($18MM guaranteed). The deal features a $9.5MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed base salaries in 2022 and 2023. The contract is effectively a three-year pact worth $27MM, with $18MM guaranteed and $2MM in yearly bonuses (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).
- Sony Michel, RB (Dolphins): one-year, $2.1MM deal. The contract includes a $1.75MM base value, including a $350K signing bonus (per Yates on Twitter).
- E.J. Perry, QB (Jaguars): signed. The UDFA received $230K in guaranteed money from Jacksonville, including a $23K signing bonus and a guaranteed $207K salary, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
- Kyle Van Noy, LB (Chargers): one-year deal. The contract’s base value and cap hit are worth $2.25MM. Includes $1.5MM base salary and $750K signing bonus, per Yates on Twitter.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/11/22
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: DT Xavier Kelly
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: LB Azur Kamara
Chicago Bears
- Claimed (from Giants): TE Rysen John
- Waived/failed physical: TE Jesper Horsted
Detroit Lions
- Waived: QB Steven Montez
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed (from Colts): TE Eli Wolf
- Waived: WR Chris Blair
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: OL Jared Hocker
New England Patriots
- Claimed (from Lions): TE Matthew Sokol
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: RB Josh Adams, DT Braxton Hoyett
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reverted to IR: CB Isaiah Johnson
Jaguars Waive K Matthew Wright, Claim OL Wes Martin
A day after the Giants cut Wes Martin, the fourth-year guard is on his way to a third team in three years. The Jaguars added the former Washington draftee via waiver claim Wednesday.
Jacksonville also waived Matthew Wright, who served as the team’s primary kicker last season. Wright, who came to the Jaguars after spending part of the 2020 season with the Steelers, put together a solid season in Jacksonville and could well generate interest elsewhere.
Wright made 21 of 24 field goal attempts last season, his first run as a full-time kicker. This included a 4-for-6 success rate from 50-plus yards — including two in the team’s London win over the Dolphins. The Central Florida product made a 56-yard try. Jacksonville did not draft a kicker but did add one as a UDFA (Andrew Mevis). The team also has Ryan Santoso rostered. Santoso kicked in four games with the Panthers and Lions last season, being cut after one Panthers game before resurfacing with the NFC North franchise.
Martin joins the Jags after two years in Washington and one in New York. A former fourth-round pick out of Indiana, Martin made 10 starts with Washington from 2019-20 but just one for a Giants team that ran into early-season trouble on its interior offensive line. The Giants signed Martin off Washington’s practice squad in late September. One season remains on Martin’s rookie contract.
The Jags also claimed edge defender Rashod Berry off waivers from the Lions. A former UDFA out of Ohio State, Berry has played in eight NFL games in two seasons.
AFC Rumors: Jaguars, Williams, Van Roten, Leonard, Browns, Griffin III
After the Jaguars fired former head coach Urban Meyer, it became public that Jacksonville had no intentions of paying Meyer the remaining money on his contract, as he was being fired for cause. There was speculation at the time that the parties may follow existing precedents and negotiate a settlement in order to avoid a legal situation.
According to Jarrett Bell of USA Today, an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation informed the columnist that, to date, the two sides have been unable to strike a settlement agreement.
Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting with a rumor out of South Beach:
- The Dolphins should have plenty of options for their offensive line configuration, but it most likely hinges on what they do with interior offensive lineman Connor Williams. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami isn’t quite sure what to do with Williams, working him at center and left guard over the past three weeks. The good news, is that it gives them plenty of options. With Terron Armstead solidified at left tackle and Robert Hunt solidly at right guard, Williams could fit at either position. If you put Williams at left guard, the team would likely have Michael Deiter start at center and leave Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson to compete for the starting right tackle job. If you start Williams at center, Eichenberg can slide in to the left guard job and Jackson can man the right tackle position.
- The Jets recently released guard Greg Van Roten. According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, head coach Robert Saleh claimed that they released Van Roten because they believe he has the potential to start for other teams in the league. His release is meant to allow him to find those teams that would provide him a starting opportunity. Saleh was quoted saying they’d “love to have him back,” if he fails to find such opportunities.
- Colts linebacker Darius Leonard had ankle surgery in June last year before the season. The surgery helped him to get healthy for the season, where he played every game but one and was named a first-team All-Pro for the third time in his career. While the ankle is still ailing him, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reported that Leonard says the ankle is better now than it was at this point last year. This is an encouraging sign for Leonard and a scary message for the other teams in the AFC South. Leonard has been named to an All-Pro team every year of his career while being nagged by his ankle ailment. A healthy Leonard is a dangerous weapon for opposing teams to have to game-plan against.
- With the return of free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry seeming less and less likely, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com believes the Browns will be able to push a bit harder now for free agent pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney to return. Cabot points out that drafting UAB pass rusher Alex Wright makes the need to sign Clowney a little less urgent, but also mentions that fellow pass rusher Myles Garrett wants Clowney back, which could help his case. Cabot claims that, if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Cleveland will consider former Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes instead.
- We’ve all seen Rich Eisen of NFL Network run the 40-yard dash for charity. Well, this year, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, currently an analyst for ESPN, participated and reportedly was clocked at 4.48 seconds. Mike Florio of NBC Sports reports that on Eisen’s show, Griffin made the claim that some teams took notice of his impressive run and reached out to him. This doesn’t necessarily mean that any teams have offered to bring him back to the NFL, but Griffin has publicly stated his desire to return to football in the past, even claiming that his contract with ESPN would allow him to sign with an NFL team if the opportunity presents itself. Griffin last spent time in the league as Lamar Jackson‘s back up on the Ravens. He filled in multiple times leading many to wonder if he still had the ability to lead an NFL offense based on his brief appearances.