Newsstand - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys To Tag Demarcus Lawrence

By Sam Robinson | at February 22, 2018 7:54 pm

The Cowboys are not planning to let Demarcus Lawrence test free agency after his breakout season.

They will not place the franchise tag on the fifth-year defensive end on Tuesday — the first day teams can do so — but do plan to by March 6 (the last day this option is on the table for teams), David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter). Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones confirmed Dallas will deploy the tender if necessary, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

The sides will then begin negotiations toward a long-term deal and have until July 16 to do so. This will take one of the top UFAs off the market. A defensive end tag will cost the Cowboys $17.5MM. Without Lawrence on their 2018 books, the Cowboys are projected to enter the ’18 league year with $19.1MM in cap space. They will have to do a bit of work to create more in order to be a player in free agency.

Lawrence was not expected to head there after his Pro Bowl campaign. The Cowboys were set to begin negotiations this month with their former second-round pick and have established retaining him as their top offseason priority.

After an inconsistent first three seasons featuring injuries and a suspension, Lawrence dominated in his contract year by registering 14.5 sacks. He picked up 7.5 in the Cowboys’ first three games and collected at least one sack in each of Dallas’ first seven contests, doing so for a team that’s been in search of edge help since cutting DeMarcus Ware after the 2013 season. Dallas essentially drafted Lawrence to replace Ware and now intends to pay him in hopes of the sides establishing a long-term Cowboys partnership like the franchise had with Ware.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Tennessee Titans

By Dallas Robinson | at February 22, 2018 7:38 pm

In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Tennessee Titans, who advanced to the Divisional Round but still replaced head coach Mike Mularkey with former Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Eric Decker, WR
Harry Douglas, WR
DaQuan Jones, DE
David King, DE (ERFA)
Josh Kline, G
Brice McCain, CB
Curtis Riley, S (RFA)
Brian Schwenke, G
Quinton Spain, G (RFA)
Erik Walden, LB
Brandon Weeden, QB
Avery Williamson, LB

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:

Jurrell Casey, DT: $14,920,000
Logan Ryan, CB: $11,166,666
Taylor Lewan, T: $9,341,000
Brian Orakpo, LB: $9,000,000
Derrick Morgan, LB: $8,500,000
Marcus Mariota, QB: $7,704,446
Delanie Walker, TE: $7,033,334
Johnathan Cyprien, S: $6,750,000
DeMarco Murray, RB: $6,500,000
Rishard Matthews, WR: $5,833,334

Other:

Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $49,488268
25th pick in draft
Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for QB Marcus Mariota

Three Needs:

1) Find a young edge rusher: Three edge rushers played more than 50% of the Titans’ defensive snaps in 2017: Brian Orakpo, who will be 32 years old when the 2018 campaign gets underway; Derrick Morgan, who turned 29 last month; and 32-year-old Erik Walden, who is an unrestricted free agent. Tennessee finished in the middle of the pack in both adjusted sack rate (12th) and total sacks (18th), but the team needs to get younger at outside linebacker.

To be clear, the Titans do have some youthful pass rushers on their roster, but none that have shown anything at the NFL level. Kevin Dodd, selected near the top of the second round in the 2016 draft, missed time with a foot injury during his rookie season and subsequently failed to make an impact in 2017. In total, he’s played only 279 defensive snaps during his first two years in the league. A pair of former seventh-rounders — Aaron Wallace and Josh Carraway — also haven’t produced in their brief NFL tenures.

Tennessee has plenty of 2018 salary space (seventh-most in the league, at present), but general manager Jon Robinson isn’t likely to find what he’s looking for on the open market. The Cowboys intend to use the franchise tag on Demarcus Lawrence, while the next-best edge option, Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, will turn 29 years old in May, meaning he’s probably not a fit. While there are several intriguing pass rushers scheduled to become free agents, they’re likely not the type of premier edge players that will immediately affect opposing offenses.

The most fascinating free agent that could be of interest to the Titans is actually on the restricted free agent market. Shaquil Barrett played two-thirds of the Broncos’ defensive snaps a season ago, and while he posted only four sacks, the 25-year-old managed 30.5 pressures. Denver will likely place a second-rounder tender on Barrett, but I wonder if they’ll be able to match a creative offer from Tennessee. Not only does Denver boast far less cap space than the Titans, but general manager John Elway & Co. will likely spend the early days of the free agent period trying to woo Kirk Cousins or another free agent quarterback into joining his club.

The Broncos have botched the restricted free agent process in the very recent past: in 2016, Denver assigned running back C.J. Anderson the original round tender when a second-round offer would have cost just $900K more. The Broncos ultimately matched a Dolphins offer sheet, but Elway completely misread Anderson’s market from the outset, and ended up paying a financial price.

If the Titans craft an offer to Barrett that includes a hefty base salary or roster bonus designed to eat up 2018 cap space, and officially hand that offer to Barrett on the first day of free agency, how will the Broncos react? At a time when they’ll be searching for a signal-caller, possibly fielding trade offers for wideouts Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders, and attempting to keep another RFA (center Matt Paradis), the Broncos may be blindsided yet again.

If a Barrett acquisition proves unrealistic, the Titans will still have the option of perusing the unrestricted free agent market. I’ve previously mentioned Aaron Lynch (49ers) and Jeremiah Attaochu (Chargers) as potential additions for clubs in need of upside at the edge position, and the Titans could show interest. Lynch, notably, ranked fifth in the NFL with 34 pressures as recently as 2015, and if he can keep his weight down, he’d be a viable reserve option for Tennessee. With an eye toward youth, the Titans may also consider Cardinals outside linebacker Kareem Martin, who offers 56 games worth of experience and is only 26 years old. Chris Smith (26) flashed in the 2017 preseason with the Bengals and is now freely available. Matching any of these younger defenders with veteran defensive coordinator Dean Pees could result in success.

The draft will offer yet another avenue for the Titans to acquire a pass rusher, but a top heavy class of defensive ends/linebackers means Tennessee might not have a shot at a blue-chip prospect at the end of the first round. Josh Norris of Rotoworld sent Sam Hubbard to the Titans in his most recent mock draft, but there are legitimate concerns about the Ohio State product’s athleticism. Perhaps Tennessee gets lucky and sees Marcus Davenport (UTSA) or Harold Landry (Boston College) slip, but if not, the club will have to be comfortable selecting a player with off-field concerns such as LSU’s Arden Key, or wait until Day 2 and pick up someone like Kansas’ Dorance Armstrong, whom Matt Miller of Bleacher Report calls the draft’s biggest sleeper on the edge.

2) Bring in a complement to Derrick Henry: The Titans are fully expected to release veteran running back DeMarco Murray this offseason in a move that will save the club $6.5MM in both cash and cap space, and while the club and new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur will turn over the rushing attack to second-year back Derrick Henry, Tennessee will need to find a pass-catching back to pair with its bruiser.

LaFleur was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2017, and Los Angeles attempted to bring in a back — Lance Dunbar — to spell Todd Gurley on the cheap. Gurley proved he didn’t really require breathers on the way to being named Offensive Player of the Year, and Dunbar was never able to stay healthy, but the Rams at least had the idea in mind. Henry has shown the ability to become an every-down back, a runner who become the foundation of an offense, but I’d expect Tennessee to pursue at least one other RB to play alongside him.Read more

Dion Lewis would be an enviable signing for the Titans, but he’ll likely look for a situation where he can serve as a team’s bell-cow. But fellow Patriots free agent Rex Burkhead could offer Tennessee a similar player, a tough runner who is also excellent in the passing game. Burkhead finished ninth in Football Outsiders‘ receiving DVOA, a measure of how effective a back is on a per-play basis. After only garnering a one-year deal last offseason, Burkhead shouldn’t be expected to land much more than that on the open market next month.

Jerick McKinnon will likely cost more than Burkhead, but he’s also two years younger and arguably a more dynamic back. McKinnon is an outstanding receiver, and he’s ranked 14th in targets among running backs since entering the league in 2014. He also has far more experience as an actual runner than Burkhead: while McKinnon has managed 474 rushing attempts during his career, Burkhead is sitting at just 151. Additionally, McKinnon is a solid blocker in the pass game: among 46 qualifying RBs, McKinnon graded as the No. 8 pass-blocker in 2017, per Pro Football Focus.

Other options abound for the Titans, including free agents such as Darren Sproles, Charles Sims, and Shane Vereen, none of whom should cost much on the open market. Tennessee could also wait to see if a veteran such as Danny Woodhead gets released for his current contract, or even pursue a trade. Would the Seahawks accept a late-round pick for C.J. Prosise? How about the Eagles and Wendell Smallwood? No stone should be left unturned as the Titans look for a Henry complement.

3) Solidify the interior of the offensive line: Per Football Outsiders, ranked first in adjusted line yards when running behind left tackle Taylor Lewan, but 28th when running up the middle. Center Ben Jones still has two years left on the free agent deal he inked in 2016, but the Titans could seek an upgrade at either guard spot.

Tennessee’s guards were both above average a season ago: Josh Kline finished 22nd among 77 PFF qualifiers, while Quinton Spain ranked 27th. Spain is a restricted free agent, so he can be retained at a low cost. Because guard isn’t exactly a highly-valued position, the Titans can likely feel comfortable assigning Spain a second-round tender (at an expected cost of $2.916MM). At that price, it doesn’t make sense for Tennessee to search for an improvement through the draft or on the open market.

Kline is a solid player, too, and given that he’s still only 28 years old, he could generate more interest than expected when the free agent period begins next month. I’d expect Kline to look for $7-8MM annually on a multi-year deal, and he’ll use Jeff Allen‘s four-year, $28MM deal and Brandon Brooks‘ five-year, $40MM pact as comparables. If that’s the price for Kline, the Titans will need to ask themselves if they should A) go all-in on a free agent replacement or B) use an early-round pick to find a starter on an inexpensive rookie contract.

If the Titans take the first path, the club has two options it could go after: Andrew Norwell or Justin Pugh. Norwell is the clear top guard on the market, and given that he won’t be franchise-tagged by the Panthers, he could hypothetically reach for $13MM annually. As one of the better interior lineman in the NFL, Norwell is well-worth the money, and I don’t see any reason Tennessee couldn’t sign him (aside from the team’s historic unwillingness to target high-priced free agents). Pugh isn’t quite the player that is Norwell, but he’ll also be a little more affordable ($10MM per year?) and could offer an option at tackle if injury befalls Lewan or Jack Conklin.

If Tennessee can’t land Norwell or Pugh, the team should either attempt to hammer out a new deal with Kline, or use their first-round pick on an interior lineman. With an offense that’s heavily reliant on a rushing attack, solidifying the front five is a task that can’t be taken lightly. In his first mock draft of the year, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com sent Iowa center/guard James Daniels to the Titans at pick No. 25. Other that could be available near the end of Day 1 include Will Hernandez (UTEP), Isaiah Wynn (Georgia), and Billy Price (Ohio State).

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Dolphins To Cut Lawrence Timmons, Julius Thomas

By Ryan Posner | at February 22, 2018 2:57 pm

The Dolphins are planning to cut linebacker Lawrence Timmons and tight end Julius Thomas prior to the beginning of the new league year on March 14 to help relieve cap issues, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Salguero also speculates that the team may look to shed the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James, making him a free agent.

In total, the move would save the Dolphins $21MM and would open up around $11MM in cap space. As it stands without the cuts, the Dolphins are projected to be $7MM-$8MM over a projected $177MM salary cap, with 55 players under contract.

By cutting Thomas, the Dolphins would save $6.6MM in cap room and would save $5,5 MM by cutting Timmons. If they don’t pick up the option on James, that would save them $9.34MM. Salguero points out that $11MM in cap space may not be enough to make a major splash in free agency this offseason, considering what sources described to him as a shallow free agent pool that could lead to prices being driven up for top-level talent.

Timmons signed a two-year, $12MM with the Dolphins last offseason. He appeared in 14 games (13 starts) and recorded 58 tackles, his lowest total since 2009. Thomas ended his first season with the Dolphins on injured reserve. The two-time Pro Bowler was set to enter the second season of a two-year, $12MM deal. James made eight starts at right tackle last season and has made 47 starts through the first four years of his career.

The Dolphins may be in the market for an outside linebacker, with Koa Misi also due to hit free agency. Backup tight end Anthony Fasano is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason as well.

Latest On DeSean Jackson

By Ryan Posner | at February 22, 2018 2:45 pm

An investigation surrounding a Christmas Eve crash that involved a car owned by Buccaneers wide receiver DeSean Jackson is now inactive, the Tampa (Fla.) police told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times on Thursday (Twitter link). Jackson claimed a friend was driving a Chevy Silverado registered to him when it struck a tree and was abandoned near a mall in Tampa.

Police also found two .38 caliber hollow-point bullets and 6.3 grams of marijuana in the abandoned car. Auman also noted that the mall in which the car struck a tree does not plan to prosecute the case (Twitter link).

Jackson is set to enter the second season of a three-year, $33.5MM contract he signed with the Bucs last offseason. Jackson was not with the team at the time of the accident as he was inactive for their Week 16 matchup against the Panthers due to an ankle injury. He appeared in 14 games last year, catching 50 passes for 568 yards and three touchdown catches.

In a separate piece, Auman identified the person driving Jackson’s car as Therrian Fontenot, a former teammate from his days with the Eagles. Fontenot also spent six months in jail in 2015 after burglarizing the home of former NFL wide receiver Bernard Berrian. Jackson helped in identifying Fontenot as the driver of the car but did not assist the police in locating him, per Auman. Fontenot and Jackson were seen together in an Instagram post from Fontenot at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 10.

Even if there are no legal consequences for Jackson, it’s still possible that he could face league discipline if the NFL finds any wrongdoing.

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Seahawks Unlikely To Franchise Tag Sheldon Richardson

By Ryan Posner | at February 22, 2018 2:01 pm

The Seahawks are hoping to keep Sheldon Richardson long term but placing a franchise tag on him is unlikely, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Richardson is currently slated to hit the open market in mid-March.

The Jets traded Richardson to the Seahawks on Sept. 1 for wide receiver Jermaine Kearse and a second-round pick in the 2018 draft. Richardson tallied one sack last season – a career low – while making 27 tackles in 15 starts.

Along with Richardson, the likes of Jimmy Graham, Luke Joeckel, Paul Richardson, Luke Willson, Bradley McDougald, Blair Walsh and others are set to become unrestricted free agents. The franchise tag for a defensive lineman this offseason is expected to be $17.5MM. Richardson made $8.01MM in base salary last season.

Recently, Zach Links of Pro Football Rumors categorized Richardson as a “Toss Up” when analyzing potential franchise tag candidates.

Despite being shipped out at the beginning of last season, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported in December that there was mutual interest in the Jets and Richardson reuniting this offseason. Richardson was taken with the 13th overall pick of the 2013 draft by the Jets out of Missouri.

The Jets are likely to part ways with Muhammad Wilkerson this offseason, creating an opening on the team’s defensive line. Wilkerson has disappointed since signing his five-year, $86MM extension prior to the 2016 season.

The Seahawks are set to return Jarran Reed at defensive tackle, after making 15 starts last season, and also have Malik McDowell, Garrison Smith and Nazair Jones under contract next season.

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Panthers May Franchise Tag K Graham Gano

By Ryan Posner | at February 22, 2018 1:17 pm

The Panthers are leaning toward placing their franchise tag on kicker Graham Gano rather than guard Andrew Norwell, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). This is a shift from a report on Monday from Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that said the team was unlikely to use its franchise tag.

The franchise tag for kickers and punters is expected to be in the $5MM range. Gano, 30, was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season, connecting on 29 of 30 field goals. There is a precedent for placing the franchise tag on a kicker, as the Ravens and Justin Tucker, as well as Stephen Gostkowski and the Patriots, have done so in recent years. Gano has a career 81.8% success rate through 257 field goal attempts.

Norwell was selected as an All-Pro for the first time last season and the offensive lineman franchise tag is expected to be $14.3MM. Rapoport went on to note (Twitter link) that Norwell is set to be one of the top free agents, regardless of position, but the Panthers are in a tough spot because the offensive lineman franchise tag is meant to apply to tackles. The Patriots were the last team to place a franchise tag on a guard, using it on Logan Mankins in 2011. Norwell has started all 16 games the last two seasons at left guard for the Panthers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014.

Also serving as a potential franchise tag candidate for the Panthers is defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, though Person noted in his story that the team may elect to give more playing time to 2016 first-round pick Vernon Butler at defensive tackle.

The window for teams to use their franchise tags began Tuesday and ends on March 6, a week before free agency opens.

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Colts To Re-Sign Adam Vinatieri

By Ryan Posner | at February 22, 2018 10:30 am

The Colts and Adam Vinatieri have officially agreed to a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), setting up an opportunity for the veteran kicker to break the NFL’s all-time scoring record.

Vinatieri’s deal is worth $3.63MM in total, with $1MM upon signing and $2.63MM in base salary, per Schefter (on Twitter).

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported Wednesday that Vinatieri would be returning for his 23rd season and that he was nearing a deal to re-sign with the Colts.

Vinatieri currently owns the second-most points in NFL history with 2,487 and is second all-time with 559 field goals made. Hall of Famer Morten Andersen is the league’s all-time leader in points at 2,544 and field goals made with 565. Vinatieri, 45, hit 29 of 34 field goals last season, with a long of 54 yards. His 85.3% accuracy rate placed him at No. 13 in the league and was his worst since 2013, the season before he connected on a career-best 96.8% of his field goals. He’s also converted 12 field goals from over 50 yards between the last two seasons.

Vinatieri has been with the Colts the last 12 seasons after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Patriots. He stands as one of the most accomplished postseason kickers as well, hitting 56 of 68 career postseason field goal attempts. He’s been a part of four Super-Bowl winning teams (three with the Patriots, one with the Colts).

Nick Folk, Kai Forbath, Matt Bryant, Graham Gano, and Sebastian Janikowski now serve as the top kickers due to become free agents with Vinatieri off the market.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Atlanta Falcons

By Dallas Robinson | at February 21, 2018 7:48 pm

In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Atlanta Falcons, who finished with a 10-6 record before being bounced in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.