Raiders Release WR Antonio Brown
And just like that, Antonio Brown‘s tenure with the Raiders has come to an end. The organization announced that they’ve released the star receiver. This comes hours after Brown requested his release from the team via Instagram.
Of course, the saga between these two sides is far from over. Brown effectively hasn’t seen a dime from the organization (Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com estimates that he earned a week’s salary), as the majority of his 2019 money was via a guaranteed $14.625MM base salary that was voided last night. As Mark Maske pointed out earlier today (on Twitter), Brown’s camp will likely fight both the team’s attempt to revoke the entire $29.1MM in guaranteed money and his $215K in fines.
As we noted earlier, the Raiders told Brown that he would “no longer will be entitled to termination pay” should he be released; former GM (and current ESPN employee) Mike Tannenbaum notes that the organization can’t “unilaterally take away a player’s right to termination pay” (which is a CBA perk for veteran players). On the flip side, the Raiders could pursue a “conduct detrimental claim” to recoup the money. That’s when things get tricky; the organization would then be dependent on the ruling of an arbitrator. If Brown’s behavior isn’t deemed to be detrimental, then the Raiders would have sacrificed more than $30MM and a pair of draft picks for zero production.
Brown has been a constant source of drama throughout his brief tenure in Oakland. Following frostbitten feet and a helmet dispute, it all seemed to culminate this week when the receiver berated general manager Mike Mayock after being fined for missing practices. The organization was then reportedly set to suspended the wideout, although the two sides seemingly made up, Brown was simply fined, and reports indicated that he’d play in Week 1. Then, last night, Brown was officially slapped with those fines, which then voided his guarantees. As a result, the 31-year-old requested his release this morning, and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Brown is attributing his discontent to the team’s apparent lack of respect.
“Told me do not come in Thursday. Bad my name,” Brown told Rapoport (Twitter link). “Then come work, give two papers after the press conference. No guaranteed no way.”
For the Raiders, the drama has seemingly ended for the time being. As Fitzgerald tweets, the move should open up around $28MM in cap space this season (pending any grievances). Meanwhile, the team will now have clarity on their receiver depth chart heading into Week 1. As of right now, Tyrell Williams and JJ Nelson are listed as Derek Carr‘s top targets.
Considering his status as a veteran, Brown isn’t subject to waivers, tweets NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the receiver is free to sign with a new team at 4:01 PM EST today, although he won’t be eligible to play for a new team tomorrow. Agent Drew Rosenhaus indicated that he’ll immediately start looking for a new home for his client.
“Now that Antonio is a free agent, we are focused on the future and I will immediately work on signing him to a new team,” Rosenhaus said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). “Antonio is looking forward to a new beginning.”
The agent also provided some insight into Brown’s failed stint with the Raiders.
“It’s been well-documented that it’s been a rocky road from the beginning,” Rosenhaus told Rapoport. “Unfortunately, not all relationships between players & teams work out. … Everybody had the best intentions going in but it didn’t pan out.”
Raiders’ Antonio Brown To Play Vs. Broncos
What a week. What an offseason. 
Antonio Brown will play on Monday night against the Broncos, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden announced. Brown made a mea culpa to Raiders staffers and teammates on Friday morning, and that apparently put him back in the team’s good graces.
It’s a stunning turn of events, particularly after Brown’s latest incident. For those of you who haven’t been tuned in to the NFL’s most fascinating story of the offseason:
- Brown threatened to retire, and skipped practices, when the NFL refused to let him wear his helmet of choice.
- Brown was handed a letter, outlining fines for those missed practices when he returned to the club in late August. He expressed his dissatisfaction by posting a picture of the letter to social media and indicated that he would not pay the fine.
- Sometime after, Brown nearly came to blows with GM Mike Mayock. He punted a football, threatened to punch him, and called him a “cracker.”
At least, that’s the Reader’s Digest version. There’s also the strange saga of Brown’s final two years in Pittsburgh, the trade that brought him to the Raiders, and the cryotherapy session gone awry that left him with a foot malady.
In light of all of that, the strangest twist of all is this: Brown will suit up and play in the Raiders’ season opener against the Broncos on Monday night.
Raiders’ Antonio Brown To Play On Monday?
Things move fast in Oakland. On Thursday, Raiders coach Jon Gruden told people that Antonio Brown was not in the team’s plans for Monday. Now, there is a real chance he will not be suspended, allowing him to suit up for the season opener against the Broncos (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
On Friday, Brown issued “an emotional apology” at a team meeting, while standing alongside team captains (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com). Things have been extremely fluid between Brown and the team all offseason long, but this could be a real turning point. At this moment, it appears that Brown is on course to face Denver.
Days ago, Brown got into a heated argument with GM Mike Mayock that reportedly included Brown:
- Punting a football in Mayock’s vicinity
- Threatening to punch Mayock in the face
- Cursing Mayock out, and calling him a “cracker”
After the incident, the Raiders appeared set on suspending Brown and voiding his ~$30MM in guarantees. But, despite that exchange, and all of the wild drama of the summer, the two parties appear ready to bury the hatchet – for now.
Chiefs, Tyreek Hill Agree To Extension
The Chiefs have agreed to a brand new deal with star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The deal is worth $54MM over three years, Mike Florio of PFT tweets. 
Hill, of course, is a controversial figure. His partner, Crystal Espinal, has accused him of domestic violence, and, recently, there were allegations that Hill broke his three-year-old son’s arm. Hill did not receive league discipline or legal consequences for the claims of child abuse, and the Chiefs have stood by him.
Recently, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt met with Hill in person to discuss the latest controversy.
“So I had a good visit with him,” Hunt said. “I’m not going to get into the details of that conversation, but it was a very frank conversation, talking to him about responsibility as he comes back to be a Kansas City Chief.”
On the field, Hill has been absolute dynamite for the Chiefs. Last year, Hill nearly reached 1,500 yards receiving, averaged 17.0 yards per grab, and gave opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. His nickname – Cheetah – says it all. Hill is one of the fastest players in the entire league and one of the most dangerous on-field weapons the game has seen in years.
The $18MM average annual value of the deal makes Hill one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. It’s also shorter than it would have been, if not for his off-the-field issues, and includes a “unique structure” that is almost certainly team-friendly (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports). Hill will get a relatively modest $5.8MM signing bonus, though the deal includes $35.2MM in total guarantees.
From a football perspective, the deal is a big win for the Chiefs. They boast one of the league’s very best offenses with a core that is locked down for years to come thanks to these recent extensions:
- RB Damien Williams (signed through 2020)
- WR Sammy Watkins (2020)
- TE Travis Kelce (2020)
- C Austin Reiter (2020)
- OT Eric Fisher (2021)
- OT Mitchell Schwartz (2021)
- OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (2022)
- WR Tyreek Hill (2022)
Raiders To Suspend Antonio Brown
There’s never a dull moment when it comes to the Raiders and Antonio Brown. The wide receiver and GM Mike Mayock got into an argument on Wednesday, and the team is now planning to suspend Brown, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
Here’s where things stand at the moment:
- The Raiders have yet to formally suspend Brown for Week 1 (Twitter link via CBS’ Jason La Canfora).
- The incident between Brown and Mayock did not get physical (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). However, there was a screaming match, and Brown told Mayock that he would hit him in the face. Then, Brown punted a football and said, “Fine me for that.”
- A fun side note: Vontaze Burfict, who has had incidents of his own and has a history with Brown, held Brown back from escalating things with Mayock (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur).
- Some around the league believe the Raiders could suspend Brown with the idea of trying to void his $30.125MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link via Schefter). Of course, Brown would not take this lightly, and this would result in a serious showdown involving the Raiders, the NFLPA, the NFL, and Brown.
- As noted by former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum (Twitter link) – If Brown is on the active roster on opening day, his $14.625MM salary for 2019 will become guaranteed, because he meets the service time requirement for veteran status. It’s not immediately clear whether today (Thursday) is “opening day” for these purposes, or if that corresponds with the Raiders’ Week 1 opener.
For those of you who haven’t been following this summer’s craziest NFL storyline, here’s a quick recap. Brown, who was acquired via trade from the Steelers and given a lucrative new contract, missed time due to a combination of a cryotherapy session gone awry and a battle with the NFL for his right to wear his favorite helmet.
This week, the Raiders sent Brown a letter informing him that he would be fined for missing a practice and a walkthrough last month. Brown, in turn, posted a picture of that letter to social media to inform the Raiders (and the world at-large) that he would not be paying said fines.
Along the way, Mayock indicated that Brown would have to decide whether or not he was “all in” with the team. At this moment, it’s unclear as to whether Brown is “all in” with Mayock & Co. – and vice versa.
Eagles, Chargers Discuss Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon could be on the move and the Eagles, for the right price, would be interested in acquiring him. The Eagles offered up a trade in which they would send Jordan Howard to Los Angeles and swap mid-round picks, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. In the proposed swap, the Chargers would also eat a portion of Gordon’s salary. Unsurprisingly, the Chargers declined the offer. 
Howard, at one point in time, was a powerful rusher with juke ability for the Bears. However, he eventually lost his footing in Chicago, thanks in part to the emergence of Tarik Cohen. This year, the Bears shipped Howard to the Eagles for a draft choice and went on to add their new starting running back in the first round.
The Chargers are unwilling to extend Gordon this year and are, in theory, willing to trade him. The latest word – with at least one team, they’ve pitched a Gordon trade that would call for a 2020 first-rounder or a 2020 fifth- and 2021 first-rounder in exchange.
Cowboys Sign Ezekiel Elliott To Extension
It’s a done deal for the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott. At long last, America’s Team has ended America’s biggest ongoing football saga by inking a brand new extension with the star running back. 
Elliott’s new deal will give him $90MM over the course of a six-year add-on. The deal includes a whopping $50MM in guarantees, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) hears, though it’s unclear how much is fully guaranteed at signing.
More importantly, perhaps, the deal will bring an end to his 40-day holdout. With that, Elliott will take the field on Sunday against the Giants for the club’s 2019 season opener.
It remains to be seen how Elliott will adjust to the quick turnaround, as well as the plays of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. On the plus side, Moore’s offensive game plan is not believed to be a radical departure from the playbook of last year. Also, head coach Jason Garrett seems to think that Elliott will be able to pick up where he left off.
“Zeke is as capable as anybody I know,” Garrett said. “He’s an experienced player, he’s been a really good player for us, he knows our system of football. I don’t think they’ll be a lot of learning there. He’s a smart guy, an instinctive guy.”
In theory, the new deal ties Elliott to the Cowboys for the next eight seasons, though the exact breakdown of the deal may reveal that it’s something more akin to a four or five-year commitment for Dallas. Either way – it’s a lengthy add-on with enough cash to satisfy Zeke.
Here’s what we do know: Elliott’s “new money,” on average, gives him $15MM per season. That’s enough to match the league-high AAV for running backs, a mantle that used to belong solely to Rams star Todd Gurley.
Next up for the Cowboys – new deals for quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper. If they ink both players to long-term deals, they’ll likely have Top 5 AAVs at the QB, RB, and WR position.
Rams, Jared Goff Agree To Extension
The Rams and quarterback Jared Goff have agreed to a four-year extension that will keep Goff in LA through 2024, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The team announced that the two sides have indeed agreed to terms.
Schefter reports in a separate tweet that the four-year pact is worth $134MM and includes a record $110MM guarantee. When factoring in the two years that were remaining on Goff’s rookie deal (including the fifth-year option), LA effectively has Goff on a six-year, $161MM contract.
Carson Wentz, who was taken No. 2 overall in the 2016 draft — one spot behind Goff — signed a massive extension several months ago that ties him to the Eagles through 2024. Wentz’ extension is for four years and $128MM ($32MM per year) with just over $107MM in guarantees, so it stands to reason that Goff’s deal would top Wentz in terms of AAV and guarantees.
After all, Goff does not have the major injury concerns that have plagued Wentz in the early stages of his professional career, and Goff is coming off a stellar campaign in which he threw for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while earning a Pro Bowl nod and a trip to the Super Bowl. There was some chatter that the Rams would simply allow Goff to play out his contract and walk in free agency after the 2020 campaign, but head coach Sean McVay dismissed that notion back in June while fully committing to his soon-to-be 25-year-old signal-caller.
Obviously, the QB market is only growing, and it makes sense for the Rams to make a move now before it hits $40MM/year territory. Goff is not perfect, but he’s quite good already, and he still has room to grow. Plus, the Rams profile as Super Bowl contenders for at least the next couple of seasons.
The team already extended McVay and GM Les Snead in July, so three of the most important people in the organization are set to guide LA for the long haul.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com first reported that the deal would pay Goff over $32MM per season and would include the largest guarantee in league history (Twitter links).
Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott Nearing Deal
It’s happening – we think. The Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott are nearing agreement on a deal that would allow the running back to suit up for Week 1, Mike Florio of PFT hears. 
Word has it that this would be a six-year, $90MM extension. That deal would tie Elliott to the Cowboys for an unfathomable eight years, since he has two years remaining on his rookie contract.
Of course, as with any NFL deal, it wouldn’t be a true eight-year deal. The guarantees, cash flow, and structure will dictate how long the Cowboys are truly committed to their star running back.
If all goes well, the Cowboys will have Elliott in action against the Giants on Sunday.
Cowboys, La’el Collins Agree To Deal
The Cowboys and La’el Collins have reached agreement on a brand new five-year extension, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The new deal will keep Collins under control through the 2024 season. 
It’s a five-year, $50MM add-on that includes $35MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That gives Collins the highest guarantee of any right tackle in the NFL. Collins was set to make $8.5MM this year so it’s a six-year, $58.5MM deal in total.
The new deal has been a long time coming, with strong interest on both sides.
“I would love to stay in Dallas my entire career,” Collins said recently. “I love the Cowboys, I love Mr. (Jerry) Jones; I love the Jones family. I love everything about the whole organization and what they’ve done for me as a person and as a player. For me, it’s just all about going out there and taking it one day at a time, and proving myself, proving my worth, showing them that I want to be there by what I do and now what I say.”
Collins ranked as the No. 31 tackle in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, and has looked the part of a top-tier protector at times. Still in his mid-20s, the sky is the limit for the powerful lineman.
The Cowboys have long boasted one of the league’s best offensive lines and they’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that things will stay that way. Not only is Collins inked through 2024 – they’ve also got left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick through 2023 and guard Zack Martin through the 2024 campaign.
The Cowboys’ O-Line has helped turn quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott into superstars. Now, after addressing Collins’ deal, it remains to be seen how they’ll handle new contracts for Prescott, Elliott, and the reborn Amari Cooper.