Cowboys Decline Leighton Vander Esch’s Option
Another big name player is getting his option turned down. The Cowboys have informed Leighton Vander Esch‘s agent that they won’t be picking up the fifth-year option on the linebacker, Jane Slater of NFL Network tweets.
That means Vander Esch is now set to be a free agent after this season. What it doesn’t mean however is that the Cowboys no longer view the Boise State product in their future plans. Instead, Slater writes that the decision was “due to ongoing salary-cap uncertainty” and that the Cowboys “instead hope to sign Leighton to a contract extension before his current deal expires.”
Picking up the option would’ve fully guaranteed LVE $9.145MM for 2022, a steep price considering he’s missed 13 games due to injury the past two seasons. Dallas drafting Micah Parsons in the first-round this past week provided the writing on the wall for this decision, even if the team insists they still want to keep Vander Esch around.
Vander Esch was the 19th overall pick of the 2018 draft. He made the Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro as a rookie, but his last two seasons have been disappointing.
As a rookie, he had 140 tackles, seven passes defended, and two interceptions. In 2020 he had only 60 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and no passes defended in 10 games. He only turned 25 in February, and will have the chance to secure an even bigger payday if he can have a strong 2021 campaign.
Jaguars Work Out Tim Tebow
May 2: The Jaguars’ TE depth chart is very thin. The club just drafted Luke Farrell in the fifth round, but he is viewed as more of a blocking-first type of player. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Meyer conceded that he is concerned about the state of the position.
“There’s some great quality, quantity wasn’t there in the draft this year, and that’s a concern right now,” he said. “That’s a concern right now. . . . We just didn’t hit that today.”
That might be good news for Tebow. Meyer said he did not stay for the entirety of Tebow’s recent workout, but he did say that the team will explore the possibility of signing Tebow in the near future.
Apr. 29: Off the NFL radar for years, Tim Tebow has resurfaced with his former college coach. The Jaguars worked out the former quarterback recently, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Tebow, however, worked out as a tight end, according to Rapoport. Inaccurate as a passer, Tebow resisted previous overtures to move to another position. Having ended his baseball run earlier this year, the 33-year-old TV analyst appears to have changed his mind on playing tight end. The former Broncos first-round pick requested to work out at the position, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
This does not appear to be a case of Urban Meyer offering a courtesy workout to his former Heisman-winning Florida Gators superstar; the sides have discussed a deal, Rapoport adds. This would certainly be a major development, despite Tebow’s lengthy NFL absence. Tebow worked as a three-year starter for Meyer at Florida and played a key role as a freshman. The pair won two national championships together.
It is worth wondering how viable Tebow’s path back to the league is. He has not played a regular-season game since 2012, when he worked as a Jets backup. The popular southpaw passer caught on with the Patriots and Eagles in subsequent offseasons but could not land game-day gigs with either. Tebow spent the past few years in the New York Mets’ farm system. The quarterback-turned-outfielder showed considerable progress, considering he had not played baseball competitively since high school, and logged nearly 300 Triple-A at-bats in 2019. He fell just short of the majors. For what it’s worth, the Mets listed the 6-foot-3 Tebow at a tight end-capable 245 pounds.
The Jags have needed help at tight end for a while now. While Tebow would be a flier at best, it is not like the team is set at this position. Jacksonville should be expected to add a tight end at least by the middle rounds this week.
Aaron Rodgers To Consider Retirement
While the actual players drafted generated the annual interest the event does, the Aaron Rodgers drama took over Thursday’s NFL headlines. It became known the reigning MVP no longer wants to play for the Packers, with last year’s scrutinized Jordan Love pick at the center of Rodgers’ disenchantment with the franchise.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst subsequently issued multiple statements indicating the team will not trade its incumbent starter. The Packers are taking a year-to-year approach with Rodgers, though some type of extension discussions have occurred — even after Green Bay drafted Rodgers’ would-be heir apparent last year. Rodgers may now be ready to play another card.
The 37-year-old passer will threaten to retire, unless this situation is repaired considerably, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
One of the first guest hosts on Jeopardy! this year, Rodgers is among those vying to succeed Alex Trebek. While his two-week run as host was viewed as favorable, there will be several others in contention for the permanent gig. Rodgers previously hoped to land the Jeopardy! gig while continuing his career, and at the time of those comments, regular Green Bay-to-Los Angeles flights appeared to be in the QB’s future. Now, staying in Wisconsin is no longer in the three-time MVP’s plans.
Rodgers’ hopeful trade destinations became known shortly after his desire to leave Green Bay did. The 49ers, Broncos and Raiders appeared on said list. Some buzz about the Broncos moving forward with an effort to land Rodgers emerged on Twitter just ahead of the draft, but Rapoport adds the Rodgers-to-Denver talk was overblown. A few teams called the Packers, with the 49ers confirming as such, but Rapoport notes Green Bay shut down any such efforts.
This stalemate could venture into Carson Palmer-Bengals territory, which would be interesting considering David Dunn — Palmer’s agent at the time he staged a retirement in hopes of ending the Cincinnati portion of his career — also represents Rodgers. Palmer followed through on his retirement threat in 2011, stepping away from the team for several months after making it known he did not want to play a ninth season with the Bengals. The team ended up trading Palmer to the Raiders just ahead of that year’s deadline.
Although the Packers could go after Rodgers’ $6.8MM roster bonus — paid earlier this year — if he retires, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap (on Twitter), the future Hall of Famer has banked a considerable amount of money in his 16-year career. Both he and the Packers could dig in here, creating a lengthy stalemate and a historically unusual situation.
No reigning MVP has ever been traded, but two have retired — Norm Van Brocklin after the 1960 season, when he led the Eagles over the Packers in that year’s championship game, and Jim Brown after the 1965 campaign. Rodgers’ stance also would stand to pull the rug from under this Packers run, which has produced back-to-back NFC championship games.
49ers, Broncos, Raiders On Aaron Rodgers’ Wishlist
3:42pm: While a previous report indicated the 49ers made an offer, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets the Packers have not received a firm trade proposal for their superstar quarterback. Multiple teams have inquired, only to be rebuffed. Given Thursday’s developments, offers figure to come in for the three-time MVP.
3:16pm: It hasn’t even been an hour since the NFL world was rocked by news of Aaron Rodgers potentially wanting out of Green Bay, and we’ve already got a new batch of updates for you.
Perhaps most importantly, a source told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk that Rodgers “could indeed be traded this weekend” (Twitter link). In a separate tweet, he reports the potential destinations. An “unimpeachable” source told Florio that as of last night Rodgers’ wishlist was the “49ers, Broncos, Raiders (not necessarily in that order).”
He also adds that Rodgers wanted the Packers to accept the 49ers’ offer, which we only heard about within the past couple hours. The 49ers make a ton of sense as Rodgers is a Bay Area native, although it’s unclear what his specific attractions to the Broncos and Raiders are.
The Raiders have never seemed particularly committed to Derek Carr, and Jon Gruden would likely jump at the chance to add Rodgers. With only Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater right now, the Broncos would too. San Francisco traded up to get a quarterback with the third overall pick, and they’ve now only got a few hours left until they need to decide on a passer. Maybe they can trade whoever they end up drafting as part of a potential package for Rodgers.
In our original story we heard that the two sides were still in some sort of negotiations over a contract extension, but it sounds like that’s probably not realistic if there’s a real chance he gets traded in the next few days.
Florio has additional bad news for Packers fans, as he says in another tweet that he’s been told Rodgers “doesn’t like anyone in the front office for a variety of reasons.” Meanwhile, Packers brass are continuing to act like nothing is wrong, at least publicly.
GM Brian Gutekunst issued a statement shortly after the news broke, saying “as we’ve stated since the season ended, we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond. Aaron has been a vital part of our success and we look forward to competing for another championship with him leading our team” (Twitter link via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
Whether Rodgers is with the Packers or another team in 2021, it sounds like he wants more input with the organization. The reigning MVP “wants to have a say in personnel decisions for whatever team he is on – both in the draft and free agency,” sources told Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork (Twitter link).
It’s safe to say the Packers wouldn’t have taken Jordan Love in the first-round last year if Rodgers had a say in draft decisions. It’s not an unreasonable ask for a player of Rodgers’ stature, but it’s more confirmation that Rodgers is unhappy and could see himself playing elsewhere in the near future.
That’s all for now, but we should be hearing plenty more on this situation in the coming hours, so stay tuned…
Aaron Rodgers Wants Out Of Green Bay
Well the biggest NFL story of the day no longer has anything to do with the draft. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is “so disgruntled,” that he has told some members of the organization “that he does not want to return to the team,” sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
The absolutely massive report comes just about an hour after word leaked that the 49ers had recently inquired about trading for Rodgers. That same report regarding the 49ers said there was a “zero percent chance” the Packers would be trading him, but it sounds like Rodgers might now be planning on forcing their hand.
All that being said, it doesn’t mean Rodgers is about to get dealt. In fact, the Packers and Rodgers have been “negotiating a long-term contract offer,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Rapsheet writes “they’ve been working on it for weeks,” and that Rodgers “has been unhappy at times during those moments.” He confirms that he’s “not happy now,” but his tone makes the situation sound more salvageable.
In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport reports that Rodgers had his agent Dave Dunn fly to Green Bay “for several days of meetings to work through the situation.” Rodgers refused a restructure, and said he wanted an extension. Teams then called about trades sensing he was unhappy, and Green Bay rebuffed those inquiries. They then went back and offered an extension, but haven’t been able to reach a deal.
Finally, Rapoport tweets that the Packers “remain committed” to Rodgers. “It’s all about getting an extension done… and if that happens, this should take care of the matter,” he writes. That sounds like it’s Green Bay’s perspective, while Schefter’s report makes it seem like Rodgers doesn’t necessarily feel the same way anymore. The matter is more about the 16-year veteran’s desire to leave Green Bay than it is about his contract, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer tweets.
Schefter writes that the team is “concerned” about Rodgers’ feelings, and that team president Mark Murphy, general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur have each flown “out on separate trips to meet with Rodgers at various points this offseason.”
Apparently those trips didn’t go all that well. Sources also told Schefter that the Packers have offered the reigning MVP an extension, which he obviously hasn’t accepted yet. That would of course be what Rapoport was referring to in his tweet. Meanwhile, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets the details on his current contract. If he was traded before June 1st, the Packers would incur over $31.5 in dead cap charges.
As such, don’t expect anything imminently. If it were done after June 1st, it would be a more modest $14.3MM in 2021, with more dead money in 2022 still. While it might sound unthinkable for things to have become so toxic with a player coming off an MVP season and back to back runs to the NFC Championship Game, the Packers did a lot to bring this on themselves.
They shocked everybody, including Rodgers, by drafting Jordan Love in the first-round last April. Schefter confirms that Rodgers not being informed in advance about the Love pick is one of the reasons he’s grown frustrated with the team. Although he responded with one of the best seasons of his career in 2020 it’s been clear something has been brewing beneath the surface, with his recent string of cryptic comments raising plenty of eyebrows.
Nobody knows what will happen next, and it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Rodgers won’t be with the Packers in 2021. He’s under contract through 2023 so Green Bay still has plenty of leverage, and it sounds like their top decision makers are making a real effort to patch things over.
However, it’s no longer deniable that there’s major trouble here. There was a report all the way back in January that many around the league believed Rodgers wanted out. Packers brass have consistently dismissed such speculation, but those denials are no longer realistic in the wake of Schefter’s report.
It’s been a wild day, and the draft hasn’t even started yet. Buckle up…
Giants Pick Up RB Saquon Barkley’s Fifth-Year Option
As we all expected, Saquon Barkley will be sticking around New York through at least the 2022 season. The Giants have picked up the star running back’s fifth-year option, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
[RELATED: 2022 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Barkley will earn a guaranteed base salary of $7.217MM during that 2022 campaign. As things currently stand, Barkley would have the ninth-highest cap hit at his position that season.
Considering the modest salary, it’s hardly a surprise that the Giants have made this move. Since he was selected with the second-overall pick in the 2018 draft, Barkley has establish himself as one of the top running backs in the NFL. He had a historic rookie campaign where he compiled 2,028 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns in 16 games. He had an equally impressive 5.4 yards per touch in 2019, but he missed three games thanks to a high ankle sprain.
Most of us are familiar with Barkley’s 2020 campaign. The 24-year-old only saw time in two games before succumbing to a torn ACL. The injury ultimately ended his season, although Schefter reported earlier today that the running back is on track to be ready for the start of the 2021 season. Considering the short shelf life of running backs, it’s a good sign that Barkley is seemingly recovering well from the injury.
Following the recent trend of teams dumping first-round running backs following their rookie contracts, there have been some questions about whether Barkley would stick around New York long term. While Giants owner John Mara previously stated that the organization wasn’t in any rush to extend the Pro Bowler, he also made it clear that he wants Barkley to stick around New York.
“We’re not in any hurry to do that,” Mara said at the time. “We fully expect him to be as good as new. … We hope he’s going to be a Giant for life. At the appropriate time, we’ll start those discussions.”
Panthers Trade Teddy Bridgewater To Broncos
Teddy Bridgewater is going to the Broncos. The Panthers have agreed to send the quarterback to Denver in exchange for a sixth-round pick, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. 
As a part of the deal, the Panthers will pay out $7MM of Bridgewater’s salary for the coming year. The Broncos will only take on a fraction of his pay, at $3MM. With the Panthers eating the lion’s share of what’s owed to Bridgewater, the Broncos remain open to quarterbacks in the first-round of Thursday’s draft, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears.
Bridgwater represents new competition for Drew Lock, who was already facing the possibility of competing with rookie QB selected with the No. 9 pick. Last year, Lock’s QBR put him near the bottom of the league. In turn, the Broncos tried to swing a deal for Matthew Stafford, but the Rams beat him to the punch. The Broncos didn’t see Carson Wentz or Sam Darnold as worthwhile upgrades, but Lock’s seat has stayed hot throughout the offseason.
Broncos GM George Paton had an up close look at Bridgewater during his salad days with the Vikings. Paton was with the team when they selected the Louisville product in the first round of the 2014 draft. That familiarity likely put Bridgewater ahead of Gardner Minshew, Jimmy Garoppolo, and other available passers on their wish list.
Bridgewater has two seasons left on the three-year, $63MM deal he inked with Carolina. The 28-year-old (29 in November) completed 69% of his passes in 2020 with just 15 touchdown throws. While the Panthers chose Darnold’s upside over another year with the veteran, he still profiles as a solid alternative to Lock.
The Panthers now own the No. 191 overall pick, but the real upside comes in the form of financial relief. Now, GM Scott Fitterer has a few more dollars to work with, plus a substantially lighter cap for 2022. Meanwhile, Darnold may have a little more confidence moving forward as he looks to reboot his career in the NFC South.
Alex Smith Retires From NFL
On Monday, quarterback Alex Smith announced his retirement from the NFL (via Instagram). After mounting an improbable comeback in 2020, the 36-year-old says that he’s now ready to begin a new chapter. 
“Two years ago I was stuck in a wheelchair, staring down at my mangled leg, wondering if I would ever be able to go on a walk again or play with my kids in the yard,” said Smith. “I almost lost everything. But football wouldn’t let me give up. Because, no, this isn’t just a game. It’s not just what happens between those white lines on a Sunday afternoon. It’s about the challenges and the commitment they require. It’s about how hard and how far you can push yourself. It’s about the bond between those 53 guys in the locker room and everybody else in the organization. It’s about fully committing yourself to something bigger.”
Smith nearly lost his leg after a horrific injury in 2018. In addition to the numerous fractures, Smith suffered a series of complications. Most believed that Smith’s career was over. But, somehow, he managed to retake the field in 2020 with Washington. After going 5-1 across six starts, Washington released him from the remainder of his contract. According to Smith, Ron Rivera & Co. didn’t necessarily want him back in the first place.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said in February. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance.”
Surely, some teams were willing to give Smith a chance this year. Just a few weeks ago, the Texans were rumored as a possible destination for the former No. 1 overall pick. Still, Smith has nothing left to prove — especially after making his miraculous recovery. We here at PFR wish Smith the best in retirement.
Browns Release DT Sheldon Richardson
Active in adding defensive starters this offseason, the Browns subtracted one on Friday. They released Sheldon Richardson.
The former first-round defensive lineman had started for Cleveland over the past two seasons. The Browns will save $11MM by making this move, one that comes a month after free agency’s outset, while also leaving a void in the middle of their defensive front.
With Larry Ogunjobi having signed with the Bengals, the Browns now no longer employ either of their starting D-tackles from the past two seasons. On a three-year, $37MM deal agreed to in 2019, Richardson was due a $10.9MM base salary in 2021. This move comes two days after the Browns agreed to terms with Jadeveon Clowney. While Richardson and Clowney do not play the same position, the Browns committed to sign the edge rusher for one year and $8MM.
This move will send Richardson into free agency at an inopportune time — following the most significant cap reduction in the cap era and four-plus weeks after the market opened. The Browns did add veteran defensive tackle Malik Jackson — on a one-year, $3.75MM contract — and have Andrew Billings, who opted out in 2020. But the team now figures to be on the hunt for interior D-line help.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year, Richardson has played with four teams in his eight seasons. The Jets traded him to the Seahawks in 2017, and Richardson signed a one-year deal with the Vikings in 2018. After signing with the then-John Dorsey-run Browns a year later, Richardson accumulated 7.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits during his two Browns seasons. Richardson did not miss a game during his Cleveland stay.
Pro Football Focus graded the Mizzou product as a top-30 interior defensive lineman in 2019 and slotted him just inside the top 50 at the position last season. While now 30, Richardson will surely generate interest and should have a path to a starting lineup in 2021.
Julian Edelman Announces Retirement
Shortly after the Patriots released Julian Edelman, the accomplished wide receiver revealed he will not attempt to play for another team. The 12-year veteran announced his retirement Monday afternoon (video link).
The Pats cut Edelman with a failed-physical designation, doing so after he missed 10 games due to a knee injury last season. As recently as late February, Edelman wanted to play a 13th season. But the 34-year-old pass catcher had not fully recovered from the knee injury he battled last year, and the Patriots signed four new aerial weapons — wideouts Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry — last month. However, Edelman may not be easy to replace. He operated as the top wideout for six playoff-bound Patriot teams during the 2010s and was a significant part in the franchise winning three more Super Bowls during the decade.
Edelman did not hold an extensive role in New England’s offense until his fifth season, which came after Wes Welker signed with the Broncos in 2013, and never made a Pro Bowl. He missed the 2017 season, incurred a four-game PED ban in 2018 and was considerably limited in 2015 and ’20 as well. Regular-season availability notwithstanding, dominated in playoff opportunities and still ranks second in Patriots history with 620 regular-season receptions — behind only Welker’s 672.
“By any measure of what constitutes an elite NFL career – wins, championships, production – Julian has it all,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Day in and day out, Julian was always the same: all out. Then, in the biggest games and moments, with championships at stake, he reached even greater heights and delivered some of his best, most thrilling performances.”
During the 2018 postseason — one Edelman concluded by winning Super Bowl LIII MVP acclaim — the former Kent State quarterback surpassed Michael Irvin on the playoff receiving yardage list. Only Jerry Rice compiled more postseason yards than Edelman (1,442). While Edelman did play in 19 postseason games, only 14 of those came after Welker’s departure opened up a role for him on offense. En route to three Super Bowl titles, Edelman posted six 100-yard playoff games. The former seventh-round pick’s top two playoff yardage performances came two years ago, when he amassed 151 in a rout of the Chargers and 141 in New England’s defense-fueled win over the Rams.
A touchdown pass from the former college QB also did plenty to ensure the Patriots could add to their ring total in the 2010s. Edelman’s touchdown toss to Danny Amendola propelled New England past Baltimore in the 2014 divisional round, and Edelman added a receiving TD in the Patriots’ come-from-behind Super Bowl XLIX win over the Seahawks. Edelman did not score or surpass 100 yards in the Pats’ record-setting comeback win over the Falcons, but his tipped reception on a game-tying drive kept the team’s storied rally in play. The slot receiver’s absence in Super Bowl LII proved pivotal as well, with the Patriots falling short as favorites against the Eagles.
Despite the postseason success, Edelman never earned more than $8MM in average annual salary. He signed five Patriots contracts — the most recent a two-year, $15.5MM deal in 2019 — but was never among the NFL’s highest-paid receivers. Prior to the 2017 ACL tear, a foot injury limited Edelman to nine games in 2015. He will be eligible for up to $2MM in injury protection funds, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The lack of a Pro Bowl honor and a short run as an offensive weapon will almost certainly keep Edelman out of the Hall of Fame. The 12-year veteran sits 156th on the league’s all-time receiving yards list (6,822). But he proved essential to the second leg of the Patriots dynasty taking shape and will be remembered as one of the great postseason performers in NFL history.