Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict Loses Appeal
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2018 season, per a league announcement. This means that Burfict has lost his appeal to overturn his ban for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. 
Burfict is no stranger to suspensions, but this marks his first ban for PEDs. In the past, Burfict has been sidelined for violations of league safety rules. Between injuries and suspensions, Burfict has missed 28 regular season games over the past four years. That tally will climb to at least 32 this year.
Despite it all, Burfict remains one of the very best linebackers in the NFL. In 2017, Burfict managed 69 tackles and 1.5 sacks in ten games.
In theory, the suspension could have financial implications for Burfict beyond the missed paychecks. Now that he has lost his appeal, the guarantees in his three-year, $33MM contract will void. With that $11.3MM guarantee off the books, the Bengals have the ability to move on from Burfict without dead money left on the cap. The 27-year-old (28 in September) is slated to be under contract with the team through 2020.
Although he is out for the first four games of the year, Burfict will be permitted to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games. This marks the third consecutive year in which Burfict will serve a suspension to start the season.
Seahawks Postpone Kaepernick Workout
The Seahawks made plans to audition Colin Kaepernick this week, but the trip has been postponed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The workout has been pushed off after Kaepernick declined to stop kneeling during the national anthem next season. 
[RELATED: NFL Lawyers Depose Kaepernick]
Kaepernick did not decline to stop kneeling, per se, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Apparently, the team “asked for his plan moving forward on how to handle everything and there was not a firm plan.” The Seahawks also have concerns about Kaepernick’s overall commitment to football, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times hears. Still, the Seahawks have not closed the door on signing Kaepernick.
Coach Pete Carroll & Co. also showed interest in Kaepernick last offseason during the height of his anthem protest controversy. Seattle ultimately chose journeyman Austin Davis as their backup quarterback, perhaps because of public relations fears. Depending on who you ask, Kaepernick’s salary expectations may have also been a factor.
Kaepernick, of course, is presently embroiled in a collusion suit filed against the league. Kaepernick’s attorneys have deposed a number of owners and executives and, on Tuesday, NFL lawyers responded by deposing Kaepernick himself. Depositions are done behind closed doors, but it is believed that he was asked about whether he expected to be signed as a starter last season, the kind of money he was seeking, and whether his injury history had deteriorated his skills.
It’s unclear how the Seahawks’ latest invitation to work out – and postponement of that audition – may affect his case.
Latest On 49ers’ Reuben Foster
49ers linebacker Reuben Foster is facing multiple felony charges and one misdemeanor in relation to a February incident, according to a press release from the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office. If convicted, he’ll face more than eleven years in prison. 
[RELATED: Former 49ers CB Dontae Johnson Signs With Seahawks]
Foster faces charges of domestic violence with an allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime, and possession of an assault weapon, all of which are felonies. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of a “large capacity weapon magazine.” Foster will be arraigned in California on Thursday afternoon.
Per the DA’s office, Foster’s victim “told responding sheriff’s deputies and Los Gatos police that Foster dragged her by her hair, physically threw her out of the house, and punched her in the head eight to ten times.” In response, the 49ers released a statement indicating that Foster will be jettisoned if he his found guilty of the more serious charges:
“The 49ers organization is aware of today’s disturbing charges regarding Reuben Foster. We will continue to follow this serious matter. Reuben is aware that his place in our organization is under great scrutiny and will depend on what is learned through the legal process.”
Foster made an impact right out of the gate as a rookie in 2017, tallying 72 total tackles in ten games (all starts). In November, he earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors and appeared to be on track for a promising NFL career. Right now, his football future is very much in jeopardy.
Bills Place Richie Incognito On Reserve/Retired List
The Bills have placed Richie Incognito on the reserve/retired list. Things can always change, but this is a sign that Incognito will be following through on his decision to walk away from football. 
On Tuesday morning, Incognito indicated that the Bills could talk him out of retirement if they were to rework his contract. Hours later, he told a different reporter that he would be retiring for health reasons and a pay raise would not be enough to change his mind.
After three straight Pro Bowl seasons, Incognito agreed to take a pay cut for the 2018 season. Weeks later, he fired his agents on Twitter. Apparently, Incognito is not interested in returning, even if the Bills are willing to restore his original deal.
Incognito leaves the game months before his 35th birthday in July. Aside from the bullying scandal in Miami, Incognito had an excellent career as a whole. In eleven seasons with the Rams, Bills, and Dolphins, Incognito earned four Pro Bowl selections and reguarly ranked as one of the best players at his position.
Texans Release OT Derek Newton
The Texans have informed right tackle Derek Newton that he is being released, Mike Jones of USA Today tweets. His business with Houston isn’t necessarily finished, however, as he’ll be filing a grievance to recoup his roster bonus. 
Per the terms of his deal, Newton was due to receive a $500K roster bonus from the team on April 1. For now, Houston is refusing to pay that out, even though a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews ruled that he could take part in next week’s workouts.
Newton started in all 16 games for Houston in in 2013, 2014, and 2015 before tearing both patellar tendons in 2016 and missing all of 2017. Newton wasn’t rated favorably by Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) during his first two years as a starter, but his stats improved as he turned a corner in 2014. He was PFF’s top-ranked right tackle in run blocking in 2014 and went on to crack the top-25 in pass blocking in 2015.
From 2012-2016, Newton played on 4,473 snaps for the Texans. That was good for the second-most in Houston over that span, second only to left tackle Duane Brown.
Browns Sign Jarvis Landry To Extension
The Browns and wide receiver Jarvis Landry are close to finalizing a long-term deal, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. The new pact will give Landry an average annual value of more than $15MM per year.
Landry signed the contract on Friday night.
In total, the deal is worth $75.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. sources say. He adds that the deal includes a whopping $47MM guaranteed, but it’s unclear whether that represents the full guarantee at signing.
Originally, Landry was set to play out the 2018 season on his one-year, ~$16MM franchise tender. However, the Browns traded for Landry with the idea that they would hammer out a long-term deal with his camp. The Dolphins did not want to pay Landry like a top-flight receiver, but GM John Dorsey believes that he is deserving of a mega-deal even though he plays from the slot.
The monster pact should spell good news for Odell Beckham Jr. Between this contract and the mega-contract given to Bucs star Mike Evans, OBJ has favorable comps to make his case for a $90MM+ deal that would make him the league’s highest-paid receiver. Landry now boasts the fifth-highest average annual value of any wide receiver in the NFL. The only receivers with a higher AAV than Landry are Antonio Brown, Evans, DeAndre Hopkins, and Sammy Watkins.
Over the last four seasons, Landry hauled in 400 passes for 4,038 yards and 22 touchdowns for Miami. He finished the 2017 season with 987 receiving yards – nearly giving him a third straight 1,000-yard campaign – and had a career-high nine receiving touchdowns. However, critics are quick to point out that his yards per catch average dipped to a career low 8.8 per reception.
The Browns now possess a lethal 1-2 at wide receiver in Landry and Josh Gordon, which should give quarterback Tyrod Taylor a chance to shine. Former first round pick Corey Coleman is also in the mix and the Browns are hoping that he can take a step forward with a more talented QB throwing to him. Of course, the Browns are expected to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick, so it’s not a given that Taylor will be under center for the entire year.
Cowboys, Dez Bryant To Meet On Friday
Finally, the Cowboys’ saga with Dez Bryant could be coming to a close. The two parties are set to meet on Friday, a source tells 105.3 The Fan. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) has confirmed the news. 
Bryant is slated to earn a base salary of $12.5MM this season, which is more than they are comfortable with given his performance as of late. Ideally, Dallas would like to keep him at a smaller number, but they can afford to walk from negotiations after adding both Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson this offseason. The Cowboys also have have Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley on the roster and the team could further bolster the group in the draft.
If Bryant doesn’t agree to the Cowboys’ revised offer, he’ll find a ripe market for his services. However, Bryant is unlikely to command anything close to the five-year, $70MM extension he signed with the Cowboys prior to the 2016 season. The 29-year-old hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since the 2014 season and last year marked the first season that Bryant was able to stay healthy for all 16 games since ’14. Also, many of the teams that were in search of an impact wide receiver in March have already found their answers in free agency.
Giants Unlikely To Trade Odell Beckham Jr.
It sounds like Odell Beckham Jr. will be staying put. Teams around the league no longer believe the Giants are going to be trading the wide receiver either before or during the NFL draft, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Earlier this offseason, teams believed there was a real chance the Giants would trade the young superstar. 
Beckham reported to the G-Men recently for voluntary activities and the team now believes that he is fully on board with the new regime, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. OBJ’s ankle has also progressed well, so he should be on track for another monster season in 2018.
Meanwhile, not everyone is sold that Beckham will be staying in New York. The Giants could still be persuaded to move OBJ, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY hears, though their asking price could be a barrier to a deal. The Rams are no longer in the mix for OBJ after acquiring Brandin Cooks from the Patriots, but he speculates that a team such as the 49ers could put together a strong offer. Other teams will be wary of Beckham’s desire for a new $100MM+ contract, but the Niners have the cap room to accommodate any such deal and also possess the draft capital to make an enticing offer to the Giants.
The Patriots, in theory, also have the firepower to put together a package for Beckham, but they are not interested in such a move.
Saints To Sign Cameron Meredith
The Bears have chosen to not match Cameron Meredith‘s offer sheet with the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Meredith will now join Drew Brees & Co. in New Orleans on a two-year deal.
The Saints inked the restricted free agent to an offer sheet late last week, which triggered a five-day window for the Bears to match. Because Meredith was tendered at the lowest level, the Bears will not receive draft pick compensation.
The Bears, apparently, were skittish about Meredith’s medical situation. The receiver is coming off of a torn ACL and MCL, so there is a bit of risk in the signing for the Saints. However, if he is healthy, this will likely prove to be a brilliant value add for New Orleans.
The Saints now project to start Mike Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., and Meredith at wide receiver. With Mark Ingram in the backfield, tight end stands as the Saints’ last major need at a skill position. Currently, the Saints have Josh Hill, Coby Fleener, Benjamin Watson, and Michael Hoomanawanui in their TE group. None of those players offer the same upside as, say, Jimmy Graham, whom the Saints tried to sign in March.
The presence of Saints wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson played a big role in Meredith’s relocation to Louisiana. Johnson worked with Meredith in Chicago and fought for him to make the Bears’ final cut in the summer of 2016. Meredith rewarded his confidence by catching 66 passes for 888 yards in just ten starts.
Meredith will now play on a two-year $9.6MM deal with $5.4MM guaranteed. With incentives, the deal could be worth as much as $12.6MM.
[RELATED: Saints Depth Chart]
Jets To Pick Up Leonard Williams’ Option
No surprise here. The Jets will pick up Leonard Williams‘ fifth-year option before the May 3 deadline, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. 
Williams was already under contract for the 2018 season at a reasonable $2.975MM salary. It’s not 100% clear what his 2019 salary will be since he has spent time at both defensive tackle and defensive end.
Fifth-year option salaries for top ten picks are dictated by the average of the top ten players in the NFL at the position, which is equivalent to the transition tag. This year, the transition tag the transition tag for defensive ends was set at $14.2MM. For defensive tackles, it was $11.4MM.
Williams, who will turn 24 this summer, had just two sacks last season, but that was due largely to playing snaps on the interior line. Pro Football Focus placed Williams as the No. 21 ranked defensive tackle in the NFL last season with a solid 84.8 overall score. He has graded out as a top 20 player at his position in each of his three NFL seasons, per PFF, and earned Pro Bowl honors for his work in 2016. It’s conceivable that Williams would have been in line for another Pro Bowl nod in 2017 had he not suffered a wrist injury early in the season. The tender wrist clearly affected his performance, though he did not miss a single game.
The Jets and Williams can still hammer out a long-term extension between now and 2019, which seems likely to happen. The Jets value Williams and they have the cap flexibility to lock him down for years to come.