Steelers Won’t Tag Le’Veon Bell
The Steelers are not tagging Le’Veon Bell, according to GM Kevin Colbert. Bell was unlikely to return to Pittsburgh, but there was speculation that the Steelers might employ a transition tag on the running back in order to get something for him via trade. 
“Le’Veon is still a great player. We can’t afford to use any other type of tags. Le’Veon will be an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year,” Colbert said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler).
Nothing has been easy for the Steelers and Bell, and the transition tag would have carried its own complications. For starters, the tag-and-trade scenario would have required Bell’s cooperation, and the running back likely wouldn’t have signed off on a scenario where the Steelers would have had control over his destination. The Steelers also would have pushed for Bell’s tag value to be $9.5MM rather than $14.5MM with the argument that Bell’s 2018 holdout reset the formula.
By allowing Bell to hit unrestricted free agency instead, the Steelers will avoid drama and assure themselves of getting a third-round compensatory pick in the 2020 draft. Conversely, an unmatched transition tag would have left the Steelers with nothing in the way of compensation.
Bell, 27, had 1,291 yards off of a league-high 321 carries in 2017. He also reeled in a career-high 85 catches for 655 yards and scored eleven all-purpose touchdowns. His resume is extremely impressive, but many free agent running backs have been let down by lackluster offers in the past and Bell’s odometer may actually work against him.
Steelers Agree To Trade Antonio Brown?
Antonio Brown‘s meeting with Art Rooney may lead to a divorce between the two sides. At the meeting, which was later joined by agent Drew Rosenhaus, GM Kevin Colbert, and executive Omar Kahn, everyone agreed the trade will be for the best,” a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
With that, the Steelers have more or less promised to find Brown a suitable trade. However, Brown has not been given the OK to speak to other teams, Mike Florio of PFT hears.
No trade can become official until March 13, but the Steelers can work out a tentative deal with another team between now and then. For example, the Ravens and Broncos shook hands on the Joe Flacco trade last week, though that trade will not be official for a few more weeks.
If Pittsburgh deals Brown before March 17, it would saddle the franchise with just more than $21MM in dead money. That number rises to $23.2MM after St. Patrick’s Day, because of a $2.5MM bonus due that day. A trade after June 1 would allow the team to avoid absorbing that cap hit all at once. No trade can be finalized until March 13, when the new league year opens.
Despite friction with key Steelers figures and being overshadowed by JuJu Smith-Schuster at times last year, Brown earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl selection as he caught 104 catches, 1,297 yards and a league-leading and career-high 15 touchdowns. The future Hall of Famer has been consistently dominant since the 2013 season and remarkably healthy in that span, too.
Even though he may have some red flags, Brown is unquestionably the hottest player on the trade block at this time. Of course, Odell Beckham Jr. could give him a run for his money in that regard if the Giants truly decide to shop him.
Brown has scared off at least one interested team with his tweets and he still may have to answer for a January domestic dispute. We’ll soon find out how badly those red flags will impact Brown’s market.
NFL Settles With Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid
The NFL has reached a settlement agreement with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid regarding their grievances, according to a joint statement from their attorney and the league: 
[RELATED: AAF Reached Out To Kaepernick, Tebow]
“For the past several months, counsel for Mr. Kaepernick and Mr. Reid have engaged in an ongoing dialogue with representatives of the NFL. As a result of those discussions, the parties have decided to resolve the pending grievances. The resolution of this matter is subject to a confidentiality agreement so there will be no further comment by any party.”
Kaepernick and Reid accused NFL teams of colluding in order to keep them out of work. Reid eventually found a home with the Panthers in 2018, but Kaepernick has been out of football since the 2016 season. To some, the settlement agreement may signal the NFL’s unwillingness to disclose information that would give credence to allegations from the former 49ers. It’s also possible that both sides reached a compromise after taking a full assessment of the resources that would be needed for litigation.
In recent weeks, Kaepernick’s camp rebuffed NFL settlement attempts, but it appears that the NFL upped its offer to a satisfactory point. It remains to be seen whether the deal will pave the way for Kaepernick to return to the NFL, but Reid has a home thanks to his recent three-year, $22MM+ extension with the Panthers.
The NFLPA also issued a statement on the matter:
“Today, we were informed by the NFL of the settlement of the Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid collusion cases. We are not privy to the details of the settlement, but support the decision by the players and their counsel. We continuously supported Colin and Eric from the start of their protests, participated with their lawyers throughout their legal proceedings and were prepared to participate in the upcoming trial in pursuit of both truth and justice for what we believe the NFL and its clubs did to them. We are glad that Eric has earned a job and a new contract, and we continue to hope that Colin gets his opportunity as well.”
Kaepernick, 31 in November, has spent his entire NFL career to date with the 49ers. From 2011-2016, he went 28-30 in his starts, though he did take the team to the Super Bowl following the 2012 season and the NFC championship game following the 2013 campaign. Kaepernick’s last start came in January of 2017 as the 49ers closed out a trying season with a loss to the Seahawks.
Since then, clubs have shunned the QB following his national anthem demonstrations. Kaepernick has not played at an elite level in several years, but, from a talent perspective, he is unquestionably deserving of a roster spot given the dearth of quality QB options on the open market.
Latest On Antonio Brown
Steelers owner Art Rooney II and wide receiver Antonio Brown will meet in Florida in an effort to clear the air, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Initially, Brown was hesitant to meet, but this could be a big step towards reconciliation for the two sides.
Brown has not been bashful about airing his grievances in public and has let the world know that he wants a trade. If things can’t be worked out quickly, trade discussions could ramp up during the draft combine period in Indianapolis.
The Steelers are reluctant to trade Brown because he is one of the game’s best wide receivers and dealing him would result in a major dead money cap charge. Meanwhile, word on the street is that they are unlikely to even fetch a first-round pick for him.
Of course, Brown has not done himself any favors by saying he wants a new deal if traded. The Steelers have lost a great deal of leverage over the past couple of months thanks to Brown’s outspokenness and the Steelers proved their mettle last year when they held their ground in the Le’Veon Bell standoff. Ultimately, the Steelers may be willing to play a game of chicken with Brown until he’s willing to mend fences with Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Tomlin, and other key figures in the organization.
One way or another, we should have a resolution by March 17, when Brown is due a $2.5MM roster bonus. If he is still on the Steelers’ roster on March 18, then he is likely to still be on it come Week 1.
Broncos To Part Ways With Brandon Marshall
The Broncos are set to part ways with linebacker Brandon Marshall, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Broncos informed Marshall that they are not planning to pick up his option, making him a free agent in March. 
Free agency officially kicks off on March 13, but Marshall’s injury history could force him to wait a week or two before landing anywhere. If he does sign quickly, it’ll be for a lesser sum than the $7MM he was set to earn in 2019 with Denver.
Marshall, 30 in September, was injured for much of the 2018 season. He finished out with just 42 tackles in eleven games, giving him his lowest number of stops since becoming a starter in the 2014 season.
The Broncos inked Marshall to a four-year, $32MM extension in the summer of 2016, tacking multiple years on to his RFA tender season. After he finished out with 102 tackles, it was an easy decision for GM John Elway & Co. But, given his injuries in 2016 and 2018, the Broncos felt compelled to cut him loose.
“I love the organization, they gave me my first chance to play,” Marshall said, via Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). “I love all my teammates. I really love city. I felt embraced on and off the field. I’m just sorry I was injured two of the last three years. … It’s a really great organization so we’ll see what happens.”
NFL Owners Eyeing NBA’s Adam Silver?
Could Adam Silver go from the pages of Hoops Rumors to Pro Football Rumors? NFL owners have asked Silver if he would be willing to switch leagues and replace Roger Goodell as commissioner, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. For what it’s worth, Silver claims he has given no thought to the possibility. 
“I’ll just say I have not given it any thought,” Silver said. “I feel very fortunate to be in this position. As a longtime fan, as a longtime league employee, the opportunity to become the commissioner of this league was beyond anything I even ever dreamed of as a kid. I’ve loved every day I’ve been in this job, and I think there’s nothing but enormous opportunity ahead for this league. And ultimately, I realize I’m just passing through like every player who’s gone through this league and ultimately like every owner, and I feel an enormous obligation to the fans and to this greater NBA family to do my best and try my hardest every day. But that’s where 100 percent of my focus is.”
The NBA has gained serious traction under Silver, but the NFL still reigns supreme in American sports. A move to football would represent a major step up for the young exec and would likely mean a larger salary.
In Silver’s five years as the NBA’s head honcho, league revenues have increased from $4.8 billion to roughly $9.1 billion. Meanwhile, team valuations have shot up 267%. Those results have some NFL owners salivating and there are some owners who would like to move on from the bad PR associated with Goodell.
Of course, the NFL has also seen enormous growth under Goodell, so it’s far from certain that they’ll give him the hook before his contract runs out after the end of the 2024 season. Instead, Silver could be a potential successor for Goodell – his own deal with the NBA expires after the 2023-24 campaign.
49ers To Part Ways With Pierre Garcon
The 49ers will not pick up their option on wide receiver Pierre Garcon, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The move terminates his five-year, $47.5MM contract just two years into the deal. 
Despite Garcon’s past accomplishments, his release does not come as a total surprise. Last year, he played in just eight games and finished out with just 24 catches for 286 yards and one touchdown. In 2016, the season before he signed with the Niners, Garcon put up 79 catches for 1,041 yards and three touchdowns, which is the kind of production SF expected.
Unfortunately, injuries slowed Garcon during his time in SF, limiting him to just eight games in each of the last two years. But, in 2017, Garcon showed promise with a 40/500 line that had him on pace for a very solid season.
Garcon will enter a thin free agent WR market, which could enable him to land a solid deal. However, with his 33rd birthday coming up in August, he’ll have to brace for a lesser salary and a shorter deal than his last pact.
Ravens To Trade Joe Flacco To Broncos
The Joe Flacco era is effectively over in Baltimore. The Ravens agreed to trade the quarterback to the Broncos, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Ravens will receive a fourth-round pick in return, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. Denver will send the selection it acquired in the Demaryius Thomas trade (No. 23 in the round) to Baltimore.
Technically, the trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 13, but the two sides have a deal in principle. The Ravens will absorb a $16MM dead money hit from the trade and, as expected, move forward with Lamar Jackson as their top QB. Meanwhile, they’ll save roughly $10MM against the cap in 2019, enabling them to strengthen the rest of the offense by landing a playmaker or two in free agency.
The Broncos have yet to speak with Flacco about his contract, but they do not anticipate any issues if they keep his salary of $18.5MM unchanged for 2019, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Effectively, he’d move forward under a prove-it deal that the Broncos can either move on from in 2020 or re-work.
New Broncos head coach Vic Fangio spent a season in Baltimore, so he has some familiarity with the 34-year-old. Former Broncos executive Gary Kubiak was also a champion of Flacco, which may have influenced GM John Elway‘s decision to trade for him.
The Broncos signed Case Keenum to a lucrative contract last offseason, but the arrival of Flacco could put him out of work. Keenum has one year to go on his two-year, $36MM pact, but the Broncos can shed the deal if they are willing to take a $10MM dead money hit.
Flacco was overshadowed by Jackson last season, but he still more-than-serviceable in his nine games. The veteran signal-caller completed 61.2% of his passes for 2,465 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Coach John Harbaugh was also very complimentary of his skills.
“Joe Flacco is going to play really well in this league. Joe can still play — I think we saw that the first half of the season,” Harbaugh said in January. “Joe’s going to have a market. There’s going to be a lot of teams that are going to want Joe because they understand that. I’ll be in Joe’s corner wherever he’s at. He’s special. Joe Flacco is a great talent; he’s an even better person. He’s the best QB in the history of the Ravens without question…He’s going to do just fine.”
The Flacco deal will have ramifications elsewhere as one QB-needy team is no longer in the Nick Foles sweepstakes. The Giants, Dolphins, Jaguars, Redskins, and the incumbent Eagles all figure to kick the tires on Foles, but the Broncos are almost certainly out of the picture.
Texans Release Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Thomas‘s tenure with the Texans has come to an end, as the team announced it has released the veteran wideout. James Palmer of the NFL Network first reported (via Twitter) that the release was forthcoming, and ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates tweets that Thomas was released with a failed physical designation.
After spending eight-plus seasons with the Broncos, the 31-year-old was traded to the Texans (along with a seventh-rounder) for a fourth-rounder and seventh-rounder back in October. Thomas proceeded to play in seven games for Houston, hauling in 23 receptions for 275 yards and two touchdowns. However, he tore his Achilles in late December, ending his season.
As Palmer notes, the release isn’t an indication that the Texans think Thomas is done. The wideout tore his Achilles during the 2011 offseason, but he was fully healthy after only six months. It will naturally take the veteran a bit more time to recover this time around, but it doesn’t sound like this is the end of the road for the receiver (though Yates observes that Thomas does have a long recovery ahead of him).
Thomas was due $14MM next season, but thanks to an “out” in his contract, the Texans won’t be left with any dead cap. The team could theoretically look to re-sign Thomas at a smaller cap number, although the team is already pretty deep at the position. As of right now, the Texans will roll into next season with DeAndre Hopkins, Keke Coutee, and Will Fuller (who’s recovering from an ACL injury) atop their depth chart.
Antonio Brown Submits Trade Request
Is this the end of the line for the Steelers and Antonio Brown? On Tuesday, the wide receiver bid farewell to the Steelers, via Twitter.
“Thank you SteelerNation for a big 9 years…time to move on and forward……….✌🏽 #NewDemands,” Brown wrote.
This has been building for a while, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweeting Brown is tired of being scapegoated for the Steelers’ problems and seeks a new start. Although Adam Schefter of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) Brown has submitted a trade request to the Steelers, the ball will still be in the team’s court. It will cost the Steelers to trade the disgruntled superstar.
If Pittsburgh deals the soon-to-be 31-year-old wide receiver before March 17, it would tag the franchise with just more than $21MM in dead money. That number rises to $23.2MM after St. Patrick’s Day, because of a $2.5MM bonus due that day. A trade after June 1 would allow the team to avoid absorbing that cap hit all at once. No trade can be finalized until March 13, when the new league year opens.
On Tuesday, Brown was also found guilty for reckless driving after failing to appear in court, per Fowler (on Twitter). In November, police cited Brown for driving over 100 mph through a Pittsburgh suburb. Although it will only cost Brown $426.00, it adds to his list of off-field developments.
If the $20MM-plus in dead money were not enough of a deterrent for the Steelers to unload their four-time All-Pro first-teamer, Brown’s more significant off-field issue may well lower teams’ demand. One of the mothers of Brown’s children accused him of shoving her to the ground. Brown has denied any wrongdoing. Still, considering the other off-field trouble associated with Brown, it will be difficult for the Steelers to come close to getting market value in a trade.
Art Rooney II had gone from expecting Brown to be out of the picture by training camp to softening that stance. It appears Brown is trying to force the Steelers’ hand. This saga appears far from over.