Minor NFL Transactions: 6/5/18
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: OT Matt McCants
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: OT Michael Dunn
Rams’ Other Contract Talks On Hold Until Aaron Donald Signs?
Aaron Donald is staying away from Rams workouts for a second straight offseason. But some big names are now in the picture for new Rams deals, creating a more complex situation.
Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks are each in different situations with the franchise, but each appears on the docket for a big contract. However, Donald’s process will supersede these talks, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Considering how long it took Donald to merely report to the Rams last year, this delay could be interesting.
As for the Donald talks, no significant progress is being made despite the previously expressed optimism a deal will be done. Rapoport reports that the start of training camp looks like a better benchmark to gauge these discussions. So, it doesn’t appear a deal is particularly close.
Donald is surely gunning for a contract that bumps Von Miller‘s six-year, $114.6MM accord as the richest for a defender in NFL history, and Les Snead‘s acknowledged the team will have to agree to that. It’s uncertain, though, how far into franchise-quarterback money Donald’s camp wants this new deal to land.
Gurley has two years remaining on his contract, after the Rams picked up his fifth-year option, and the recently acquired Cooks is entering his option season. No NFL team gave a 2014 first-rounder a deal prior to that first-round class’ fifth-year option seasons transpiring, so a Gurley pact prior to his may be a long shot. A Cooks pact prior to the deep threat playing a down for Los Angeles could be as well. But the Rams have not been shy about acquiring rookie-contract players expecting big deals in the near future, with Marcus Peters also profiling as such, and they now have Ndamukong Suh on a one-year agreement.
But in terms of deadlines, Lamarcus Joyner‘s does come first, with the date for franchise-tagged players looming July 16.
It’s unclear where the safety’s talks reside, but he signed his franchise tender and has been working out with the team during the offseason. Donald continues to stand as Los Angeles’ clear top priority, and the Rams’ $2MM-plus in cap space represents the lowest figure in the league presently. This will not be an easy matrix to navigate for a franchise that clearly believes, judging by the bevy of win-now moves over the past few months, it can win Super Bowl LIII.
Poll: Which NFC West Team Had The Best Offseason?
A few days ago we asked you which AFC West team had the best offseason. Perhaps the only division which had a busier offseason than the AFC West was the NFC West. The NFC West is quickly becoming one of the most exciting divisions in football, with a pair of young innovative coaches and several franchise quarterbacks. Each team made moves this spring with lofty ambitions in mind, but only one will reign supreme this time next year.
The Cardinals probably had the most eventful offseason of all NFC West teams. They have a new head coach and totally remade their quarterback room from last year after the retirement of Carson Palmer and free agency departures of Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert left them without any quarterbacks under contract. First they signed Sam Bradford, and weeks later made a splash in the draft, trading up to take Josh Rosen with the 10th overall pick. They also added Mike Glennon after he was cut by the Bears. Bradford will likely begin the season as the starter, but with his lengthy injury history, it’s very possible Rosen sees the field early. They cut longtime staple of their defense Tyrann Mathieu and hired Steve Wilks to replace the retiring Bruce Arians as head coach. They brought in Andre Smith and Justin Pugh to help improve last year’s dreadful offensive line, and signed Brice Butler away from the Cowboys as an extra pass-catcher behind Larry Fitzgerald. They’re being cast as the underdogs of the division, but have enough talent on paper to make some noise.
The Seahawks officially dismantled the once vaunted ‘Legion of Boom’, cutting one former staple in Richard Sherman and trading another in Michael Bennett. In a bid to get younger, the Seahawks have moved on from several longtime veterans this offseason. They made what many called the surprise move of the draft by taking running back Rashaad Penny in the first round. The Seahawks’ running game has been abysmal since Marshawn Lynch left, so it makes sense they reached for a running back early. They signed wide receiver Jaron Brown away from the Cardinals, but overall weren’t too active in free agency. The story of the Seahawks’ offseason was definitely more about what they subtracted rather than what they added. Last year snapped a streak of five consecutive seasons of reaching the playoffs, and the Seahawks will face a much tougher path back to the postseason than they have in recent years. With the NFC West set to be the best it’s been in a long time, the Seahawks will need some heroics from Russell Wilson to regain their dominance division.
The Rams made the biggest acquisitions of any team in the NFC West. After coach Sean McVay led the team to an 11-5 record and division title in his first year, he’ll have even more pieces to work with in year two. General manager Les Snead was aggressive in the trade market, acquiring wide receiver Brandin Cooks and All-Pro cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib in exchange for draft picks. The Rams also signed Ndamukong Suh after he was let go by the Dolphins. Due to all the trades, the Rams didn’t have many draft picks, but they still added a ton of talent to the team. They did lose cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who signed with the Jets, but the additions of Peters and Talib should more than make up for that. If quarterback Jared Goff can take a leap next year with a full offseason to digest McVay’s complicated playbook, the Rams should be able to repeat as division champs.
The 49ers were maybe the most quiet NFC West team this offseason. After winning five straight games to end the season once Jimmy Garoppolo became the team’s starting quarterback, the 49ers opted to mostly stay put. They did sign center Weston Richburg and Sherman after he was cut by the Seahawks, but didn’t do all that much in terms of adding pieces. They drafted offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with the ninth overall pick to help keep Garoppolo upright for years to come. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is confident that he’s found his guy in Garoppolo, and the 49ers should be able to build on last season’s late success and turn it into a playoff birth in 2018.
Which team do you think had the best offseason in the NFC West? Vote in PFR’s poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Which NFC West team had the best offseason?
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Rams 54% (611)
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49ers 23% (260)
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Cardinals 12% (131)
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Seahawks 11% (123)
Total votes: 1,125
This Date In Transactions History: Rams Release Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner is now essentially NFL royalty. A Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP, Warner was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2017, serves as an analyst on both television and radio, and was recently considered for a color commentary role on Monday Night Football. But Warner’s fairy-tale career once appeared destined to end with him finishing as nothing more than a flash in the pan, especially after the Rams released him on June 1, 2004.
Warner had been designated as a post-June 1 cut, meaning that while the then-St. Louis Rams had telegraphed their intentions on Warner’s roster status for some time, they waited to officially release him as a salary cap maneuver. Everyone knows Warner’s story up until this point: a former grocery store employee-turned-AFL/NFL Europe star, Warner rose to fame as the captain of “The Greatest Show on Turf,” leading a high-flying Rams offense to two Super Bowl appearances in three seasons.
But things began to change in 2002, as Warner struggled to open the campaign and then missed a chunk of the season with a broken finger. Although he began 2003 as the Rams’ starter under center, he made only one start before giving way to Marc Bulger. St. Louis released Warner following that season, clearing out the remaining three years of a seven-year, $47MM contract he’d signed in 2000.
While it seems ridiculous to ponder with the benefit of hindsight, there was a real possibility Warner’s career could have ended right then and there. Articles (rightly) surfaced with headlines such as “Warner’s career on the decline,” while analyst Phil Simms doubted Warner would ever be a highly-productive quarterback again. “Can [Warner] still be a starting quarterback in this league? Sure,” said Simms. “But I don’t think it could be like before.”
Even Warner and his representatives were bleak on the subject of his future. “Does [Warner] have to find a starting job to be happy? We’re going to keep an open mind,” agent Mark Bartelstein said. “Most teams today have their starting quarterback set.” Warner did in fact land a starting gig by inking a one-year, $3MM deal with the Giants, but he was replaced prior to midseason by No. 1 overall pick Eli Manning. In his nine starts, Warner played well but didn’t exactly set the world on fire, and once again, it was conceivable his career was nearing its nadir.
But of course, Warner’s NFL run was far from over. After signing a one-year pact with the Cardinals, Warner served as Arizona’s starting quarterback for parts of the next three seasons, at times losing snaps to Josh McCown and first-round rookie Matt Leinart. But in 2008, Warner started all 16 games for the Cards and eventually led the club to a Super Bowl which likely cemented his Canton credentials (even though it was a loss). Warner played one more year in Arizona before hanging up his cleats in January 2010, and then briefly considered a comeback attempt earlier this year.
So what’s the takeaway from Warner’s career? To paraphrase Yankees great Yogi Berra, a career is never over until it’s over. Warner looked dead and buried when he was released by the Rams in 2004, but six NFL campaigns later, he was a Hall of Fame shoo-in. Perhaps there’s a free agent still currently on the open market who could experience a similar turnaround, with Warner serving as an example.
Latest On Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher has been out of the coaching world since being fired by the Rams in 2016. Apparently, he has had opportunities to come back to the sidelines as an assistant coach, but he is holding out for another head coaching gig. 
“I’ve had opportunities to stay in it, but I don’t see myself coming back and coordinating,” Fisher told SiriusXM. “As we all know, success in the National Football League is built on a number of different things. And it starts with the quarterback and you’ve got to stay healthy and you’ve got to hit things running and you’ve got to have a good staff, all those things. So getting out for a year or two, I don’t think that should, by any teams, eliminate somebody.”
At 173-165-1, Fisher has the 12th-most wins in NFL history. However, a Fisher-led team has not made the playoffs since 2008 when he was with the Titans.
You can never say never on Fisher’s candidacy, but he would not be the most exciting hire for a team. Fisher has had five 8-8 seasons and four 7-9 seasons (plus one 7-8-1 campaign) as head coach, numbers that have largely overshadowed his success in Tennessee. In his nearly five year run with the Rams, Fisher went 31-45-1 with no playoff appearances.
Fisher says that he has been contacted by networks for broadcasting opportunities over the last couple of years, but he declined because he did not believe that former rivals like Seahawks coach Pete Carroll would give him information in pre-production meetings. But, if Fisher does not get the head coaching opportunity he’s after, he says he’ll reconsider television.
Fisher, who has the 12th-most wins in NFL history, celebrated his 60th birthday this past winter.
Rams’ Morgan Fox Suffers Torn ACL
Rams defensive end Morgan Fox tore his ACL on Thursday, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Naturally, the injury will rule him out for the entire 2018 season. 
Fox appeared in all 16 games (376 snaps) for the Rams last season and tallied 2.5 sacks and 19 total tackles. Fox, 24 in September, was set to offer support off of the bench this season for L.A., behind the likes of Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh, and Aaron Donald.
The Rams may bring in another defensive lineman to compete for a job, but they could be able to get by with what they have in-house. Ethan Westbrooks and Dominique Easley figure to be heavy in the rotation while Day 3 picks John Franklin-Myers and Sebastian Joseph probably have improved odds of seeing the field this fall.
This week’s round of OTAs have been costly for teams as Fox is the third player to succumb to serious injury in recent days. Eagles linebacker Paul Worrilow and Chargers tight end Hunter Henry will also miss the entire season with ACL tears.
Rams Unlikely To Pursue Mychal Kendricks
- While the Rams seemingly upgraded at nearly every conceivable position this offseason, the club’s linebacker depth chart is still relatively weak after it traded Alec Ogletree to the Giants earlier this year. Nevertheless, don’t expect Los Angeles to be a major suitor for free agent ‘backer Mychal Kendricks, who was released by the Eagles on Monday, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link). Cory Littleton, Ramik Wilson, and rookie fifth-rounder Micah Kiser are among the candidates to play opposite entrenched starter Mark Barron, and the Rams are content to let those contenders battle for playing time. Kendricks, for his part, shouldn’t want for interest, as he’s the most coveted linebacker on the open market at present.
Fifth-Round LB Okoronkwo Undergoes Foot Surgery
- Linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, the Rams‘ fifth-round pick, underwent surgery on his foot and is expected to return sometime during training camp, head coach Sean McVay told ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry (Twitter link). Okoronkwo starred at Oklahoma in 2017, earning Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Big 12 after logging 17.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/21/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DT Ashaad Mabry
- Waived: OT Korren Kirven
- Signed: TE Jason Vander Laan
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: G Damien Mama
- Waived: OL Jarron Jones
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers: WR Chris Lacy (from Patriots)
- Waived: CB Josh Okonye
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on Reserve/Retired list: DT Filipo Mokofisi
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DT Chunky Clements
Aaron Donald Skips Rams OTAs
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has informed the team that he will not be in attendance for Organized Team Activities on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Donald, of course, is still pushing for a new contract, and his absence from OTAs is no coincidence. 
On the plus side, the Rams remain optimistic about hammering out a new deal with the three-time First-Team All-Pro. While Donald will not be with the club for their voluntary workouts this week, Rams head coach Sean McVay has been texting with Donald, and he says the line communication is stronger than last summer.
“He’s responding more than he was at this time last year, so that’s what I feel good about,”said McVay.
Given that Donald has been an elite player in each of his four NFL seasons, it seems likely that he’ll top Von Miller‘s $19.083MM average annual value, making him the highest-paid defender in league history. The Rams are aware of what it will take to lock him up, but they also have to be careful not to blow their budget with several other stars due for new deals. That group includes running back Todd Gurley and cornerback Marcus Peters as both players are due for unrestricted free agency after the 2019 season.
Last year, Donald amassed eleven sacks, five forced fumbles, and 41 total tackles playing mostly from the interior. Opposing teams will have their hands full as they deal with a defensive line unit that includes Donald, Ndamukong Suh, Michael Brockers, Ethan Westbrooks, and Dominique Easley in the rotation.