Redskins Sign LB Pernell McPhee
The Redskins have officially signed free agent edge rusher Pernell McPhee, the club announced today.
McPhee, 29, was released by the Bears earlier this offseason after a disappointing three-year run in the Windy City. Chicago inked McPhee to a five-year deal prior to the 2015 campaign, but he was only able to stay healthy for 36 games over the past three years. The former undrafted free agent still managed to post 12 sacks during his time with the Bears, and he was effective when able to stay on the field.
Despite his question marks, McPhee still ranked as the No. 4 edge rusher heading into the free agent period. While that ranking was due in part to McPhee’s talent, it also spoke to the lack of pass-rushing options on the free agent market. Among PFR’s top-15 edge rushers, only three — Kony Ealy, Connor Barwin, and Junior Galette — are still without a contract.
Washington won’t ask McPhee to serve as a starter, as he’ll instead provide rotational snaps behind Preston Smith and Ryan Kerrigan. McPhee has shown the ability to line up from several different areas of the field in the past, and keeping his playtime low could help stave off further injuries. The Redskins don’t intend to re-sign fellow veteran Junior Galette, so McPhee will immediately step into Galette’s role as the Redskins’ third pass-rusher.
Before signing with Washington, McPhee also took a meeting with the Falcons.
Johnny Manziel To Throw At Texas A&M Pro Day
Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel will throw at Texas A&M’s pro day on Tuesday, according to Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).
Manziel worked out at the University of San Diego’s pro day last week, but only 13 teams were in attendance. Texas A&M obviously has a much larger profile than USD, especially in terms of football, and all 32 NFL clubs will be on hand to watch Manziel and the rest of the Aggie prospects.
Manziel was thought to be interested in working out a deal to play in the Canadian Football League during the 2018 campaign, and was in fact offered a contract by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in January. However, Manziel and his team reportedly weren’t pleased with the terms of the pact, and he’s now scheduled to play in the upcoming Spring League. The former first-round pick is reportedly amenable to a minimum salary or a practice squad slot.
Although Manziel is still only 25 years old, he hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2015 campaign. In eight career starts for the Browns, the former Heisman trophy winner completed 57% of his passes for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Jets Offered Ndamukong Suh One-Year Deal
The Jets’ rescinded offer to free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was for one year and came with a “hard deadline,” general manager Mike Maccagnan told reporters, including Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
New York was reportedly offering Suh the most money of any interested party, but that may have only meant Gang Green was willing to give Suh the largest annual average. An annual average doesn’t make much of a difference if the contract is only one year in length, and Suh is almost assuredly going to land a multi-season pact with a hefty guarantee.
The Rams are now considered the favorites to land Suh, although the Titans and Saints are still interested, as well. The Jets, for what it’s worth, possess more cap space than any of those clubs, but owner Christopher Johnson indicated signing Suh “wasn’t in keeping with [the Jets’] long-term plans.”
Eagles DE Chris Long To Play In 2018
Despite rumors that he’d been considering retirement, Eagles defensive end Chris Long plans to continue his career in 2018, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (Twitter link).
Long reportedly signed a new deal with Philadelphia last week, leading to speculation that he would indeed return for the upcoming campaign. Long is now guaranteed $3MM in 2018, and his base salary will increase from a non-guaranteed $1MM to $2.5MM guaranteed. Additionally, the Eagles eliminated Long’s $750K in per-game roster bonuses and $750K in incentives.
Philadelphia has revamped its defensive line this offseason, as the club added Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata while losing Vinny Curry and Beau Allen. Bennett, though, is scheduled to turn himself into authorities on Monday after being indicted on a felony charge, so Long’s presence will be all the more important if Bennett is handed a league-imposed suspension.
Long, 32, appeared in all 16 games and saw roughly 50% playtime for the Super Bowl champion Eagles last season. In that time, Long managed 20 tackles and five sacks while grading as the NFL’s No. 30 edge defender among 106 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Cowboys Sign OT Cameron Fleming
The Cowboys have officially signed free agent offensive tackle Cameron Fleming to a one-year deal worth up to $3.5MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The reported news of the Cowboys signing Fleming comes on the heels of the team restructuring the deals of tight end Jason Witten and center Travis Frederick, opening up around $10.5MM in available cap space. Fleming gives the Cowboys much-needed depth at tackle as they struggled last season while Tyron Smith missed three games due to injury.
Dallas also returns La’el Collins at right tackle. Chaz Green and Jarron Jones were the only other player on the Cowboys roster at tackle, with Byron Bell still unsigned in free agency.
The Patriots took Fleming in the fourth round of the 2014 draft and he’s appeared in 40 games in four seasons, making 20 starts. Fleming started six games last season and started in the AFC Championship game and Super Bowl as well.
Fleming was ranked as the No. 24 offensive tackle in the NFL for last season, per Pro Football Focus. The Cowboys had Fleming in for a visit earlier this week and the Patriots also showed interest in retaining him. The Cowboys could also opt to start Fleming at right tackle and move Collins to left guard.
Odell Beckham Jr. Considering Holdout?
Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be threatening a holdout, as he is reportedly unlikely to play in 2018 without a contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Beckham’s reported stance is being made public just one day after Giants owner John Mara said he is “tired of answering questions about” Beckham’s behavior and refused to say that “anybody is untouchable.” The 25-year-old superstar was involved in controversy earlier this month, as he was witnessed in a video which may have contained drug use.
While New York almost surely won’t release Beckham, Mara said a “possibility” exists that OBJ could play out his rookie deal without a new contract. Beckham, though, doesn’t appear amenable to such a scenario, especially given that he’s coming off a fractured ankle which limited him to just four games last season. Scheduled to earn roughly $8.5MM for the upcoming campaign, Beckham will likely target a top-end wide receiver deal with an annual salary approaching $17MM+.
The Giants could conceivably trade Beckham, although it’s unclear what kind of return they could expect. NFL executives suggested wildly different offers to Mike Sando of ESPN.com, with some decision-makers saying New York could reap two first-round picks, with others indicating the Marcus Peters package — a second-rounder and a fourth-rounder — is more likely.
During his first three seasons in the league, Beckham was one of the more productive young wideouts in NFL history. From 2014-16, Beckham totaled 288 receptions, 4,122 yards, and 35 touchdowns, figures which rank first, second, and fourth, respectively, among wide receivers in NFL history during the first three seasons of their respective careers.
Rams Are Favorites For Ndamukong Suh
The Rams are now the front-runners for free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). While Suh has not officially ruled out the Titans or Saints, he seems to be focusing in on Los Angeles.
Suh has been linked to five clubs since being released by the Dolphins earlier this month. In addition to the Rams, Titans, and Saints, Suh also received an offer from the Jets, and that proposal was believed to have been the largest in terms of dollars. New York, however, rescinded their offer on Sunday, with owner Christopher Johnson indicating Suh “wasn’t in keeping with [the Jets’] long-term plans.” Suh was also scheduled to meet with the Raiders, but that visit was ultimately canceled.
Los Angeles uses a 3-4 scheme, meaning Suh would be moving away from a 4-3 defense for the first time in his career. The Titans and Jets also deploy 3-4 fronts, so working in a new look clearly doesn’t present an issue for Suh. With the Rams, Suh would play end opposite superstar Aaron Donald, providing the club with what would be the most feared defensive line in the NFL.
Suh is now 31 years old, but he’s still a dominant player: he managed 20.5 pressures and and 4.5 sacks from his defensive tackle position while grading as the NFL’s No. 5 interior defender in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. He’s also incredibly durable, as he hasn’t missed a single contest since 2012. Last season, Suh played a whopping 883 snaps, the second-most of any defensive tackle in the league.
At present, the Rams possess roughly $28MM in cap space, per Over the Cap, so they’ll have enough room to fit a hefty Suh salary on their 2018 books.
Jets Rescind Offer To DT Ndamukong Suh
The Jets have rescinded their offer to free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, owner Christopher Johnson told reporters, including Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link). New York was believed to have had the largest offer out to Suh.
Gang Green was a late entrant into the Suh sweepstakes, as the veteran defender was though to have narrowed his potential destinations to the Rams, Saints, and Titans. The Jets had the most cap space of any of the teams involved in the bidding, but Johnson said adding Suh “wasn’t in keeping with [the Jets’] long-term plans,” tweets Vacchiano.
Suh is now 31 years old, but he’s still a dominant player: he managed 20.5 pressures and and 4.5 sacks from his defensive tackle position while grading as the NFL’s No. 5 interior defender in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. He’s also incredibly durable, as he hasn’t missed a single contest since 2012. Last season, Suh played a whopping 883 snaps, the second-most of any defensive tackle in the league.
While the Jets were reportedly willing to offer Suh the most money, he was never certain to simply follow the dollars. The Rams, Saints, and Titans each made the postseason in 2017, while New York is still embarking on a rebuild, so Suh may forgo the largest contract offered in order to sign with a contender.
If he had signed with the Jets, Suh would have likely lined up as a 3-4 defensive end opposite Leonard Williams. If New York is still searching for more affordable options along its line, the club could hypothetically look at other free agents such as Alan Branch, Karl Klug, or Quinton Dial.
Latest On Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.
After witnessing star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. in a video which may have contained drug use, Giants owner John Mara doesn’t sound pleased with his club’s most high-profile player, and didn’t rule out the possibility of a Beckham trade.
“I can’t answer that one way or another,” Mara told reporters, including Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. “We’re certainly not shopping him if that’s what you’re asking. But again, when you’re coming off a season where you’re 3-13 and played as poorly as we played, I wouldn’t say that anybody is untouchable.
“You always listen to those things,” Mara said. “But that’s not a scenario that I would like to see happen. I’m tired of answering questions about Odell’s behavior and what the latest incident is. I think he knows what we expect of him. Now it’s up to him.”
While the Giants surely won’t release Beckham, Mara didn’t completely shut the door on the idea of dealing the 25-year-old, while Mara also said there is a “possibility” New York will allow OBJ to play out his rookie contract without an extension in 2018, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. Beckham will earn roughly $8.5MM during the upcoming season, while the 2019 franchise tag will likely cost ~$16-17MM.
Although the Giants seem frustrated by Beckham at the moment, his talent cannot be denied. From 2014-16, Beckham totaled 288 receptions, 4,122 yards, and 35 touchdowns, figures which rank first, second, and fourth, respectively, among wide receivers in NFL history during the first three seasons of their careers. In 2017, however, Beckham managed only four games before a fractured ankle ended his year.
Steelers Put Le’Veon Bell Talks On Hold
The Steelers are putting negotiations with star running back Le’Veon Bell on hold while the team continues to navigate free agency and prepare for the draft, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. GM Kevin Colbert indicated that his club will resume talks with Bell’s reps “eventually,” and he hopes Bell will report to training camp.
Colbert added, “We’re not intentionally ignoring [Bell’s contract]. More urgent business needs to get taken care of. We will reassess where that is. He’ll reassess where his interests are as well. I anticipate us continuing that process once we get through the free agency period and maybe even through the draft. The draft can change things on both sides.”
We heard several weeks ago that Pittsburgh was getting closer to meeting Bell’s asking price, but obviously the team has not gotten there yet. Bell, of course, was hit with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season earlier this month, and while he will receive a healthy $14.544MM if he plays out the 2018 campaign under the tag, he is still looking for long-term security at a rate that the Steelers do not seem to be willing to pay.
Nonetheless, both Fowler and Mark Kaboly of TheAthletic.com (Twitter link) believe it is unlikely that the Steelers rescind Bell’s franchise tag. If they did, it could leave Bell in a tough position, as many teams have already spent their free agent budget, and even those that have not done so would probably be just as unwilling as the Steelers to satisfy Bell’s contract demands. Therefore, Bell may have to simply sign the franchise tender at some point prior to the start of the season. He has indicated previously that he will not attend training camp if he does not get a multi-year deal to his liking, even though his early-season performance in 2017 was not up to his usual standards, perhaps because he also skipped last year’s training camp.
Colbert’s comments that the team cannot divert its attention from free agency right now may raise some eyebrows given the Steelers’ small amount of cap room, but Kaboly tweets that Pittsburgh may not be done in free agency if a player it likes unexpectedly becomes available.
The Steelers also have several other in-house matters to resolve. Colbert said that the team could still extend Ben Roethlisberger‘s contract this offseason, which was mentioned as a possibility last month (Twitter link via Fowler). Big Ben’s current deal keeps him under club control through 2019.
Also, Kaboly tweets that no decision has been made with respect to Bud Dupree‘s fifth-year option, which must be exercised by May 3, but Fowler tweets that Colbert seems open to exercising it.