Texans Franchise Tag Jadeveon Clowney
The Texans have franchise tagged outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, according to a team announcement. If no long-term deal is reached between now and the July extension deadline for franchised players, Clowney will be cuffed by a one-year, $15.443MM tender. 
The Texans used the non-exclusive tag on Clowney, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. With this designation, Clowney can shop his offer sheet around, but an unmatched offer sheet would result in the new team sending two first-round picks to the Texans as compensation. The non-exclusive version used more commonly than the exclusive tag in the NFL and only occasionally results in a trade. Last year, however, the Dolphins and Browns swung a tag-and-trade involving Jarvis Landry, though the compensation was much lower than two first-round picks.
Teams have rankled players in the past by tagging them as outside linebackers rather than defensive ends, but it won’t make a huge difference for Clowney. Last year, the Texans gave Clowney an extra $1MM to settle a dispute over his fifth-year option, so the 120% rule on the tag would give him a $15.967MM salary for 2019. Therefore, the difference between Clowney’s tag and the tag he’d get as a defensive end ($17MM) is minimal.
Clowney likely would have preferred to test free agency before coming to the table with the Texans, but, like the other top edge rushers, Clowney will be held back by the tag. The 26-year-old would undoubtedly cash in as an unrestricted free agent, but the Texans are reportedly unwilling to go “anywhere near” the market-resetting deals signed by Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald last summer. For what it’s worth, GM Brian Gaine says the team’s “goal is to continue to work with his representation on a long-term contract.”
For his part, Clowney is expected to take his sweet time when it comes to signing the tender. Without a long-term deal or a signed tender, the defensive end will have the right to abstain from offseason activities, training camp, and even games. An in-season holdout would cost Clowney $900K+ for every missed game.
Chiefs To Tag Dee Ford, Plan To Listen To Trade Offers
The Chiefs are set to place their franchise tag on Dee Ford, as expected. The unexpected news: they are going to listen to trade offers for the sixth-year pass rusher, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Kansas City is shifting to a 4-3 defense under new DC Steve Spagnuolo, and although Ford played defensive end at Auburn, the Chiefs are evidently willing to explore trading one or both of their edge defenders. Justin Houston trade rumors emerged this week as well.
This would change the pass rusher market, which is set to see its top prizes, per usual, receive franchise designations. DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney and Frank Clark are set to be tagged by Tuesday’s deadline. None of the other three have been mentioned as tag-and-trade candidates. Ford is the first to officially be tagged, and Schefter adds the Chiefs do plan to use him as an end this season. This may be contingent on the franchise not being blown away with a trade offer in the meantime.
Ford has not enjoyed a consistent career, failing to see the field much as a rookie and being an injury replacement for Houston for a period during his second season. In 2016, Ford broke out with 10 sacks, and the Chiefs picked up his fifth-year option. However, an injury ended Ford’s 2017 season early, and that option vested because he was not healthy enough to pass a physical last year.
The soon-to-be 28-year-old pass rusher, though, delivered his best season in his contract year, registering 13 sacks and forcing seven fumbles. He is now in line for a $17MM payment, once he signs his franchise tender, and when healthy has produced more than the pass rushers likely to hit the market.
It seems unlikely both Ford and Houston would be traded, with the Chiefs — who already have major questions on defense — not having surefire replacements on a Super Bowl-contending roster.
The duo played well together as 3-4 outside linebackers last season, their first extensive run as a starting tandem. Both were key components of the Chiefs’ run to the AFC championship game. While Ford’s neutral-zone infraction allowed the Patriots to escape with a victory, denying the Chiefs their first Super Bowl berth in 49 years and placing the Pats in position to claim another Super Bowl title, he earned his first Pro Bowl berth during the regular season.
Houston is two years older than Ford and has a $15.25MM salary in 2019. He has enjoyed the better statistical career, but injuries have limited him since he signed that six-year, $101MM contract. Two years remain on that deal.
Neither Chief comes with too much certainty, but both figure to draw extensive interest on the trade block. Kansas City also has significant contracts to authorize soon, in Chris Jones and Tyreek Hill. And Patrick Mahomes is on track for an NFL-record deal come 2020. It appears unlikely the Ford-Houston tandem will be in place by then, and it might be broken up in the coming weeks.
Dolphins Release DE Andre Branch
The Dolphins have made one of their first cost-cutting moves. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the team is releasing veteran pass-rusher Andre Branch.
Following an underwhelming tenure with the Jaguars, the former second-rounder joined the Dolphins back in 2016. He proceeded to sign a three-year, $24MM deal with the organization in 2017, but he hasn’t necessarily been worth the investment. After starting all 14 of his games in 2017, the 29-year-old only started one of his 14 games in 2018.
He finished the campaign with 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus wasn’t fond of his performance in 2018, ranking him 101st among 103 eligible edge defenders. With Branch set to earn close to $7MM in 2019, the Dolphins decided to move on from the veteran.
Cameron Wake and William Hayes are set to hit free agency this summer, leaving the team with Robert Quinn, Charles Harris, and Johnathan Woodard (ERFA) as their lone defensive ends. There were rumors that the Dolphins could be frontrunners for Patriots’ lineman Trey Flowers, and the organization can hope that some of the other top free agent pass rushers (a grouping that includes DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark and Dee Ford) somehow don’t get franchised.
Raiders, Redskins, Titans Have Shown “Most Interest” In WR Antonio Brown
While plenty of teams will surely express interest in Steelers receiver Antonio Brown, it sounds like a handful of teams have been particularly aggressive. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that three teams have “shown the most interest” in the wideout: the Raiders, the Redskins, and the Titans.
It’s not too surprising that these three teams are seemingly emerging from the pack, as they all struggled with wide receiver production in 2018. In fact, as ESPN’s Field Yates tweets, the Titans (seven), Redskins (eight), and Raiders (nine) were all in the bottom-three for touchdowns by receivers last season. For comparison’s sake, Brown finished the campaign with a league-leading 15 touchdown receptions.
It’s been almost a month since Brown requested a trade from the Steelers, but few teams have definitively been connected to the receiver. We heard earlier this week that the Jets were considering making a move for the veteran, although they had yet to reach out to Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated tweets that we should “keep an eye” on the Saints during this sweepstakes, and several other reporters have backed his sentiment.
We also heard about the Raiders interest in the receiver yesterday. The organization is a natural fit due to their need for talent and their draft capital, but our own Zach Links noted that the Steelers would be unlikely to pry away the fourth-overall pick. Instead, the Raiders’ pair of late first-rounders could be in play. Half of the Raiders receivers depth chart is set to hit some form of free agency, and the team will presumably be looking for an upgrade on Jordy Nelson as their top receiver.
It sounds like Redskins coach Jay Gruden will be battling with his brother to acquire the star receiver. With Alex Smith‘s future in doubt, the organization will also presumably be seeking another quarterback to compete with Colt McCoy. You could assume that Brown’s presence in Washington would improve their chances of attracting one of the top free agent signal-callers.
The Titans have struggled to surround Marcus Mariota with elite weapons during his brief career, although former first-rounder Corey Davis did take a major step forward last season. Adding Brown to the picture would surely improve the team’s chances of returning to the postseason.
Cowboys’ David Irving Banned Indefinitely
Defensive tackle David Irving was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, according to a league press release. The Cowboys were reportedly ready to let Irving walk in free agency due to a variety of issues, but this marks the second indefinite ban to a Cowboys defender in the last week. 
Just days ago, linebacker Randy Gregory was hit with an indefinite suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for the umpteenth time. Irving, meanwhile, has been battling his own demons and had a tumultuous 2018 season.
For the second time in a row, Irving missed the start of the year with a drug suspension. Then, he was entangled in a custody battle for his daughter last year and was served with a restraining order from the mother of his child. He suited up just twice for Dallas in 2018.
In 2017, he missed eight games between his suspension and late-season concussion.In between, though, he was terrific, as he registered seven sacks in eight games.
Irving was in line to receive interest from teams looking to beef up the front seven, but he has some serious hurdles to clear before he can think about retaking the field.
Giants Exploring Olivier Vernon Trades
The Giants have discussed the possibility of trading linebacker Olivier Vernon with other clubs, sources tell Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Vernon inked a massive five-year, $85MM deal with the Giants in 2016, but the club is now looking to move his deal and put those resources to use elsewhere. 
Vernon, 28, gave the Giants a career-high 8.5 sacks in his first season with the club. He’s continued to get to the QB with 22 sacks over the course of three years, but injuries have cost him nine games over the last two campaigns. Last year, he averages four pressures per contest in eleven games.
Currently, Vernon is set to carry cap hits of $15.5MM in each of the next two seasons. The Giants have also considered releasing him outright, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (on Twitter) hears, so this could be a last ditch effort for the club to get something instead of losing him for nothing. Cutting Vernon would result in $11.5MM in cap savings, but would also saddle the team with $8MM in dead money.
It stands to reason that other clubs will be interested in adding Vernon, especially now that Eagles standout Brandon Graham is off the market. The Jets, for example, could use an edge rusher of his caliber, and the two sides could theoretically discuss Vernon in a deal that would call for the Jets to move down from the No. 3 overall pick to the No. 6 overall choice. Of course, it’s not a given that the two sides will do business together.
Despite the injuries and the Giants’ overall woes, Vernon graded out as the 13th best edge defender in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. His 86.3 score – from an admittedly smaller sample of 665 snaps – ranked as the best mark of his career.
Eagles, Brandon Graham Agree To Extension
Brandon Graham isn’t reaching the open market after all. On Friday, the Eagles agreed to a new three-year deal with the defensive end that will pay him $40MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
It’s a solid payday for Graham, who will bank north of $13MM per season on average. Meanwhile, he has a real chance to retire in Philadelphia. Graham will celebrate his 31st birthday in April, and the Eagles can safely focus on areas other than the pass rush later in the month.
Earlier this offseason, Graham indicated that he would probably test the open market rather than inking a new deal with Philadelphia before March. However, the Eagles came to the table with a deal that made sense for the veteran.
“I love Philly but I owe it to myself and my family to explore free agency,” Graham said in January. “I’m in the business of doing what’s best for my family. I need to explore the market.”
Graham, who’s been with the Eagles since 2010, inked a four-year deal with Philly in 2015. He’s discussed a potential extension on numerous occasions with the Eagles since then, but a fresh deal never came to fruition until now. The Eagles added extra incentives to his pact heading into the 2017 campaign, but did not otherwise amend his deal over the past four years.
Graham would have drawn serious interest in the open market, but he also would have been going up against a stacked free agent edge defenders group. Players such as Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dee Ford, and Trey Flowers are all candidates for the franchise tag, but Graham got enough money to bypass the hassle of free agency and stay with the only NFL team he’s ever known.
Graham’s last deal paid him $6.5MM annually, so the new contract represents a substantial pay bump. While his sack total dipped to just four in 2018, Graham still managed to affect rival passers by generating 33.5 quarterback pressures and 11 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus graded Graham as the league’s ninth-best edge defender last season, assigning him exemplary marks in both run and pass defense.
Jason Witten Signs With Cowboys
Jason Witten has decided to end his retirement and return to the Cowboys, according to a team press release. Witten walked away from the game last year to join ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast, but he has decided to put his broadcasting career on hold in order to resume his playing career. 
“The fire inside of me to compete and play this game is just burning too strong,” the 36-year-old (37 in May) said in a statement. “This team has a great group of rising young stars, and I want to help them make a run at a championship. This was completely my decision, and I am very comfortable with it. I’m looking forward to getting back in the dirt.”
With this news, Witten is now set to return for a 16th pro season. From 2003-17, Witten was among the best tight ends in the league and earned eleven Pro Bowl nominations, a Cowboys record for any offensive player.
The veteran will earn a base salary of $3.5MM with a maximum earning potential of $5MM for the coming year, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Witten will make less than he has in previous seasons, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes that this could be a bridge to a head coaching role for him.
Witten’s “unretirement” may drastically alter the Cowboys’ offseason plans. Previously, tight end was among the team’s biggest needs, but the Cowboys should be set with Witten, Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz, and Rico Gathers under contract. Geoff Swaim, an impending free agent, could also be re-signed to compete for a backup role.
By returning to the field, Witten leaves a void to fill in ESPN’s booth. That could help to explain the network’s interest in Greg Olsen, and the Panthers tight end could theoretically end his own career if offered one of the most prestigious jobs in sports television.
Witten has 1,152 career receptions to his credit, which ranks fourth in NFL history behind Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez, and Larry Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, his 12,448 receiving yards are good for second among all tight ends behind only Gonzalez (15,127).
Eagles Won’t Franchise Tag Nick Foles
Nick Foles will be a free agent in March. On Wednesday, Eagles GM Howie Roseman confirmed that the team will not be placing the franchise tag on the quarterback. 
“He deserves an opportunity to lead a team,” said Roseman (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com), adding that it was a hard decision for the Eagles.
With Carson Wentz entrenched as the starter and little in the way of cap space, franchising Foles was not a real option, unless the Eagles were willing to thin themselves out in other areas. A tag-and-trade scenario could have allowed them to recoup something for Foles, but it sounds as though the league’s other QB-needy teams sat on their hands with a belief that this would be the ultimate outcome.
Foles spent the bulk of his career as a backup, but wound up as the Super Bowl MVP following the 2017 season. It stands to reason that he’ll cash in next month since he is far and away the best starting option available.
Foles, 30, was once again called upon in 2018 as Carson Wentz was once again sidelined by injury. He went 4-1 in his five starts and completed 72.3% of his passes, his highest mark in any of his NFL seasons. He also threw for seven touchdowns against four interceptions.
This year’s free agent QB crop is slim, as per the usual. Foles is expected to draw the interest of teams like the Jaguars, Dolphins, and Redskins en route to a deal that should pay him higher than the league average starting QB.
NFL Evaluating David Irving, Could Suspend Him Again
The Cowboys are apparently willing to let defensive tackle David Irving hit free agency, and there are a number of reasons for that, as we explored earlier this month. Today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that the league is evaluating Irving and could hit him with a suspension, which could be another reason why Dallas is content to let Irving walk.
Irving was suspended for the first four games of the 2017 campaign for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, and he missed the last four games of that season due to a concussion. In between, though, he was terrific, as he registered seven sacks in eight games and earned a second-round RFA tender last offseason.
Things went south for Irving after that, though, as he was suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Between the suspension, injury, and personal matters, he played in only two games last season, which did not make for an ideal platform year.
Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News confirms (via Twitter) that the Cowboys were not expected to re-sign Irving anyway. The 25-year-old, who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2015, will doubtlessly get another shot in the league, but he will first have to concentrate on avoiding or limiting a third suspension.
That potential suspension, though, may not be related to PEDs or recreational drugs. Per Calvin Watkins of The Athletic, Irving’s ex-girlfriend, Angela Sanchez, has spoken with NFL senior vice president of investigations, Lisa Friel, about numerous alleged domestic violence incidents. We learned back in April that Sanchez accused Irving of domestic violence, but the police investigation into those allegations was closed because Sanchez recanted her claims.
Sanchez and Irving have a daughter together, and Irving has sole custody of her. However, Sanchez claims Irving has denied her court-ordered visitation, and that she has not seen her daughter since December 6. That is why, after rebuffing Friel’s attempts to speak with her in the past, Sanchez is willing to open up now. One of Watkins’ sources says that Friel has spoken with both Irving and Sanchez, and that both parties have credibility issues.
Irving’s recent Instagram post is not likely to help his cause. In the post, he wrote, “I’m in the NFl [sic] because I’m great at what I do. I’m not in the NFL because I’m an Eagle Scout , or the perfect model citizen. I didn’t put on a mask or kiss ass to be where I am. Im here on natural ability . This is God’s plan. Not mine. Trust me , I’m adjusting to it as well. Once I step on the field and stop performing , THEN we have a problem .. . So does anyone have anything to say about my play?”
It’s been a tough day for Cowboys pass rushers, as we learned earlier this afternoon that Randy Gregory has been suspended indefinitely.