Newsstand News & Rumors

Chargers LT Rashawn Slater Likely Out For Season

September 26th, 2022 at 11:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers’ offensive line was dealt a massive blow during yesterday’s loss. Left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a torn biceps tendon, and will likely miss the remainder of the season, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).

It was already known that the 23-year-old was eyeing a lengthy absence in the aftermath of the team’s game against the Jaguars. This represents the worst-case scenario after today’s testing, though, and could be a crippling loss for Los Angeles’ offensive front.

The No. 13 overall pick last year, Slater was an immediate full-time starter on the blindside as a rookie. He entered the league with questions about whether he would be better suited on the inside at least to begin his career. He answered those rather definitively, earning Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors.

The Northwestern alum generated a PFF grade of 83.6 last year, and his play led to similar ratings so far this season. The Chargers have taken significant steps in recent years to protect quarterback Justin Herbert, including the selection of Slater and signing of center Corey Linsley last offseason. The team invested another first-round pick in Zion Johnson this April to man the right guard spot.

With those two in place, Los Angeles should be better-equipped to handle a loss like this than in years past. Still, replacing Slater with, in all likelihood, Storm Norton, will notably weaken the team’s o-line. This news also marks another unfortunate update on the injury front early in the campaign.

Reserve tackle Andrew Trainer is on IR. More significantly, cornerback J.C. Jackson has only played in one contest so far, after undergoing offseason ankle surgery. Herbert is currently dealing with the rib cartilage injury he suffered last week, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Yesterday, four-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa suffered a groin injury which will necessitate further tests (Twitter link via Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport). Regardless of the length of the pass rusher’s absence, the Chargers’ 2022 prospects have taken a major hit.

Bills S Micah Hyde Done For Season

September 24th, 2022 at 9:20pm CST by Ben Levine

9:20pm: Poyer is not expected to play tomorrow, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). The news confirms what was feared about the status of his foot injury, and means that Buffalo will indeed be without both members of their highly-touted safety duo against the Dolphins.

10:40am: The Bills have suffered a major blow to their secondary. Safety Micah Hyde will miss the rest of the season with a neck injury, agent Jack Bechta announced on Twitter. The veteran is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2023 season. Hyde will land on injured reserve later today.

Hyde suffered a neck injury during Monday’s win over the Titans. The injury limited him to only 64 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in Week 2, and he was held out of practice all this week. While Hyde had already been ruled out for Week 3 prior to today’s news, there wasn’t any hint that the injury would ultimately sideline him for the entire 2022 campaign.

While the Bills have been rolling through the first two weeks of the season, it’ll be hard for them to make up the absence of Hyde, who has established himself as one of the team’s defensive leaders. The veteran had one of the best seasons of his career in 2021, finishing with 74 tackles, five interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He finished the season ranked fifth among 92 qualifying safeties on Pro Football Focus. Through one-plus games in 2022, the 31-year-old was still plenty productive, with PFF ranking him 21st among 67 qualifying safeties. Hyde totaled seven tackles between his two appearances.

NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe tweets that fourth-year safety Jaquan Johnson will likely slide into the starting lineup in place of Hyde. Johnson saw time in 44 games between his first three seasons in the NFL, but he was limited to only one start while mostly playing a special teams role. He’s already seen a jump in playing time in 2022, with the 26-year-old compiling three tackles through two games. The Bills don’t have much else for depth at strong safety, with Jordan Poyer and 2021 sixth-round pick Damar Hamlin serving as the other safeties on the roster.

Speaking of, the Bills are also awaiting the status of Poyer for tomorrow’s contest against the Dolphins, as the safety is currently dealing with a foot injury and is “very much questionable,” per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (on Twitter). If Poyer is forced to sit out tomorrow’s game, the Bills will be eyeing an inexperienced safeties corps heading into a showdown with a Miami offense that scored six touchdowns last weekend.

49ers’ Trey Lance Undergoes Ankle Surgery

September 19th, 2022 at 2:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

2:47pm: In a statement, the team confirmed that the procedure was successful in repairing a “fibula fracture and ligament disruption.” The 49ers are confident that Lance will be able to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2023 season.

1:54pm: One day after his season came to an abrupt end, Trey Lance is beginning the recovery process which will allow him to get back on the field. The 49ers quarterback is undergoing surgery to repair his fractured and dislocated ankle today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets.

Lance was carted off the field during yesterday’s game against the Seahawks. The injury was immediately thought to be serious, and it was confirmed not long after that season-ending surgery would be required. Pelissero notes that the 22-year-old did not suffer a compound fracture, but that provides little in the way of consolation considering the blow this injury represents to his career arc and San Francisco’s QB plans.

2022 was meant to mark the beginning of Lance’s tenure as the undisputed starter, something which was signalled last April when the 49ers traded up to draft him third overall. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo helped guide the team to the NFC title game last year, but was thought to be a key figure in the offseason’s quarterback market. A shoulder injury left San Francisco with few suitors outside of their division, however.

Ultimately, he stayed in San Francisco on a deal which greatly reduced his base salary but includes plenty of incentives. The fact that he has now once again become the No. 1 gives the 30-year-old significant earning potential. As detailed by ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Garoppolo could make $5.6MM based on playing time and victories, in addition to his $6.5MM base salary, which is fully guaranteed.

A repeat of last year’s success (along with that of the 2019 campaign, in which the 49ers went to the Super Bowl) cannot be ruled out, given Garoppolo’s track record. Still, he is scheduled to hit free agency this spring, while the 49ers will no doubt keep an eye on the recovery process of their presumed future franchise signal-caller.

Seahawks’ Jamal Adams To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

September 15th, 2022 at 12:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The quadriceps injury Jamal Adams suffered early in Week 1 will end his season. The veteran safety plans to undergo surgery to repair a torn quad tendon, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Adams sought additional opinions from doctors this week, but the conclusion will bring a quick end to the former All-Pro defender’s sixth NFL season. The Seahawks will move Adams to IR, and Rapoport adds they are signing cornerback Teez Tabor off the Falcons’ practice squad (Twitter link).

This deals the Seahawks’ defense a major blow, and it continues a string of Adams unavailability since he was traded to Seattle in 2020. Adams, however, only missed four and five games, respectively, during the 2020 and ’21 seasons. This will be new territory. He played 15 snaps against the Broncos. Adams only missed two games during his three-season Jets tenure.

With Jets contract negotiations not progressing, the Seahawks stepped in with a monster trade offer to acquire the former top-10 pick. The Seahawks sent two first-round choices, a third-rounder and veteran safety Bradley McDougald to the Jets for Adams. After playing a fourth season on his rookie contract, Adams cashed in last year. The Seahawks’ decision to trade for the acclaimed blitzer and give him a then-market-topping extension has backfired to this point.

Adams’ $17.5MM extension last summer topped the safety market by more than $2MM (AAV-wise). Although Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James have since surpassed that deal, Adams is the highest-paid defender on Seattle’s defense and — post-Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner — the second-highest-paid player on the team. Seattle re-signed Quandre Diggs this offseason, giving the franchise two of the league’s top-10 highest-paid safeties. Diggs will have to go it alone for the season’s remainder.

While Adams is not regarded as a high-quality cover man, the Seahawks put him to work as a hybrid player over his first two seasons. After a 6.5-sack 2019 season with the Jets — an All-Pro campaign — Adams set a safety record with 9.5 sacks in his first Seahawks season, helping the team to the playoffs. Adams did not record a sack in 2021. Injuries have dogged him for much of his Pacific Northwest stay, however. Two shoulder surgeries have occurred since Adams arrived in Seattle, and he underwent multiple finger operations this offseason. The LSU alum’s finger issues have left him no longer able to make a fist with his left hand, and Adams said his shoulder trouble had him playing “with one arm for damn near two years.”

The Adams contract runs through 2025. He is due an $11MM base salary in 2023 and is in line to count $18.1MM on Seattle’s cap next year. Adams, 26, counts just $9.1MM this year. His 2024 and ’25 cap numbers come in at $23.6MM and $24.6MM, respectively.

Dak Prescott Undergoes Thumb Surgery

September 12th, 2022 at 5:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

5:27pm: Prescott has undergone the thumb surgery, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). The operation was successful, but the wait begins. Rather than acquire another quarterback, the Cowboys are sticking with Rush. The former UDFA has been Dallas’ primary backup since Tony Romo‘s 2017 retirement. Prescott is expected to attend the now-Rush-centered position meetings as he rehabs.

8:51am: The Cowboys suffered a significant loss on the scoreboard and the depth chart last night, as quarterback Dak Prescott left the game with a thumb injury. He will undergo surgery to address the issue, which ESPN’s Todd Archer reports is expected to keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks. As a result, Archer adds, Prescott will likely be placed on IR.

During postgame availability, head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that the injury is “significant.” Prescott, meanwhile, offered a somewhat encouraging update by saying that the fracture in his throwing hand “was much cleaner than it could have been.”

Nevertheless, the injury is a crushing blow for the Cowboys, whose offense already faced plenty of questions heading into last night. Left tackle Tyron Smith will be sidelined until at least December due to a torn hamstring, and the injuries to wideouts Michael Gallup and James Washington leave the team with few established pass-catchers. Overcoming those absences will be significantly more difficult without Prescott, who will be on the shelf for the second time in the past three seasons after an injury-free start to his career.

The two-time Pro Bowler was limited to five games by an ankle injury in 2020, but still landed a $40MM-per-year deal the following offseason. He played in 16 games last year, posting an 11-5 record while throwing for 4,449 yards and 37 touchdowns. Expectations were high for he and the team again in 2022, but things have changed dramatically in the span of one night.

“It’s very disappointing,” Prescott said, via Bobby Kownack of NFL.com. “But injuries happen. You can’t necessarily control it. It’s just unfortunate… but I’ll do what I’ve always done any time adversity comes. Take it on headfirst, give it my best, and I’m sure I’ll come out of this thing better.”

Cooper Rush will now take over as Dallas’ starting QB; the former UDFA had made 11 appearances with the Cowboys before filling in for Prescott last night (but only one start). He, along with Will Grier, were temporarily let go of during roster cutdowns, but the team fully intended to keep both of them in the fold. Grier will likely be signed to the active roster from the practice squad, unless the Cowboys search for outside options to replace their signal-caller for the intermediate future.

Lamar Jackson Rejected Six-Year, $290MM+ Offer

September 11th, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Rory Parks

One of the most prevalent NFL storylines this offseason has been the Ravens’ extension negotiations with star quarterback Lamar Jackson, and we learned on Friday that the two sides had not come to terms. As such, it is likely that contract talks will be tabled until the offseason.

We now have more details on Baltimore’s most recent offer. Per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Ravens proposed a six-year deal worth over $290MM, which included $133MM guaranteed at signing (Twitter link). The full guarantees and the average annual value would have eclipsed the figures included in the recent contracts signed by Denver’s Russell Wilson ($124MM fully guaranteed, $48.5MM AAV) and Arizona’s Kyler Murray ($103.3MM fully guaranteed, $46.5MM AAV). Indeed, Mortensen says that Wilson’s pact — which was signed just 10 days ago — prompted the Ravens to up their offer.

As has become increasingly clear, Jackson wants his entire contract to be fully guaranteed, just like the one the Browns gave to Deshaun Watson. Of course, clubs are trying to treat the Watson accord as an outlier, and Wilson and Murray clearly did not object to that approach. According to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson, Baltimore was frustrated that Jackson, unlike Wilson and Murray, did not accept that unique circumstances precipitated Watson’s deal (Twitter links).

Anderson adds that helping elite quarterbacks land fully guaranteed contracts in the future is important to Jackson (links to Twitter). One wonders if the NFLPA — which, as Mortensen tweets, counseled the agentless Jackson — might have influenced the 2019 MVP in that regard, though there is presently nothing to suggest that is the case.

If Jackson continues to bet on himself and takes the “Kirk Cousins approach” to the situation — i.e., forcing the Ravens to put the franchise tag on him in 2023 and ’24 — he would earn around $100MM in guaranteed money over those two seasons, along with the $23MM he is earning in 2022. In 2025, when the cap charge of a third franchise tag becomes untenable, Jackson could theoretically have the leverage to get the fully guaranteed deal he desires from Baltimore or another franchise.

That obviously assumes that his play remains at a high level and that he does not suffer a career-altering injury, though Anderson hears that Jackson is essentially bullet-proof; no matter what happens to him (barring something completely catastrophic), sources expect him to ultimately get what he wants (Twitter links). That may or may not be true, but it is clearly a risk Jackson is willing to take.

We heard previously that the negotiations have not led to any acrimony between Jackson and the Ravens, and for what it’s worth, the union believes the team has negotiated in good faith (Twitter link via Mortensen). Baltimore did include $2.5MM “de-escalator” clauses if Jackson did not attend a certain percentage of offseason workouts, though it’s unlikely that particular provision had much of an impact in talks.

For now, the Ravens and Jackson will turn their attention to Sunday’s opener against the Jets, the start of another campaign in which expectations are high for player and team.

Raiders, TE Darren Waller Agree To Extension

September 11th, 2022 at 11:52am CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 11: Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network offers some insight on Waller’s new deal (Twitter link). Waller will earn roughly $10MM more over the next two years than he would have under his old contract, which jibes with OverTheCap.com’s breakdown. Per OTC, Waller will earn $11MM in base pay in 2022 and ’23, a $4MM raise over the $7MM payouts he was previously scheduled to take home in those two seasons. Combine that base salary with the $1.275MM in per-game roster bonuses that Waller can earn, and we arrive at the $10MM increase that Pelissero references.

The new contract also comes with $250K Pro Bowl incentives in each year of the deal.

SEPTEMBER 10: The long-anticipated new deal between the Raiders and tight end Darren Waller has been finalized. Waller is signing a three-year extension which includes $51MM in new money, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the deal.

The Pro Bowler had two years remaining on his existing deal, but for months has been considered a prime extension candidate. He was set to earn $7MM in non-guaranteed money this season and next, and will likely now have considerable security. In all, he is tied to the Raiders for the next five years at a total cost of $66.25MM.

That $13.25MM-per-year overall average will move Waller into sixth in the league in terms of overall compensation at the position. The tight end market was altered this offseason by David Njoku‘s deal with the Browns, one which Waller was expected to eclipse in value. His age (30 next week) and injury history, on the other hand, represented a potential disincentive on the Raiders’ part to make a commitment such as this.

The possibility of Las Vegas – now led by general manager Dave Ziegler – waiting one more year to finalize an extension seemed quite real earlier this summer. That would have come as a notable decision, given the team’s substantial investments made earlier this offseason in Derek Carr, Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow. Things began to change once Waller took steps to accelerate the negotiating process.

The former sixth-rounder changed agents recently, taking on Drew Rosenhaus as his new representative. Not long after that move, it was reported that an extension could be just days away. Now, on the eve of the season, both sides have indeed finished this important business.

“This was one of the most challenging negotiations I’ve encountered,” Rosenhaus said. “It is very rare for a 30-year old player with two years left on his contract to get a new deal” (Twitter link via Schefter).

With his long-term future no longer in doubt, Waller will look to return to his 1,000-yard form after being limited to 11 contests in 2021. He will face significant competition for targets after the arrival of Adams, but he has shown himself capable of being the focal point of the Raiders’ passing attack. The former Raven has gone from a failed receiving prospect met with multiple suspensions — one for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, one for violating the PED policy — to one of the league’s highest-paid tight ends.

Ravens Fail To Agree On Contract Extension With Lamar Jackson

September 9th, 2022 at 11:04am CST by Adam La Rose

Today was considered the deadline for the Ravens to finalize an extension with quarterback Lamar Jackson, after he named today as the last negotiating window before turning his attention to the 2022 campaign. The team confirmed that a deal will not be coming in time for the start of the season.

“Despite best efforts on both sides, we were unable to reach a contract extension with Lamar Jackson,” general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “We greatly appreciate how he has handled this process and we are excited about our team with Lamar leading the way.”

The news comes as little surprise at this point; a mega-deal like several others signed this offseason was reported as being unlikely earlier this week. The matter of guaranteed money has long been seen as the sticking point between team and player, as Jackson is believed to be seeking a deal which is fully guaranteed, just as Deshaun Watson‘s historic Browns contract is.

The Ravens have not, at any point during negotiations, been willing to go that far, including when they reportedly increased their offer to the 25-year-old. The same has been true of the Cardinals and Broncos, who have extended Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson, respectively, on deals which outstrip the $46MM-per-year average of Watson’s pact, though they fall well short in terms of guaranteed compensation.

That has led to the growing sense around the league that the Watson deal is an outlier. Baltimore is among the teams concurring with that view, as confirmed by Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson. He adds, however, that the Ravens are “believed to be willing to guarantee a large portion” of any Jackson extension, even eclipsing Wilson’s $165MM figure and at least approaching Murray’s $189.5MM mark.

Wilson also cites sources emphasizing that negotiations between DeCosta and Jackson (who does not have an agent) have not resulted in an “acrimonious situation.” Nevertheless, this is a disappointing development for the team, and one which leaves Jackson months away from unrestricted free agency.

Assuming he holds true to his aversion to in-season talks, Jackson will play out his rookie contract in 2022 and become subject to a franchise tag in March. The one-year pacts will represent a significant raise from the $23MM Jackson will earn this season, regardless of whether an exclusive or non-exclusive tag is used. The former would place a massive burden on the team’s 2023 cap structure, while the latter would leave open the possibility of an offer sheet.

“We will continue to work towards a long-term contract after the season,” DeCosta’s statement concludes, “but for now we are looking forward to a successful 2022 campaign.” The Ravens open the season on Sunday against the Jets, but this storyline will hang over the franchise for the duration.

Rams Extend GM Les Snead

September 8th, 2022 at 12:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the offseason, new deals were expected to be finalized for Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead. Per a team announcement on Thursday, both are indeed set to remain with the team for years to come.

McVay had already confirmed his new deal one month ago, and he made it clear at that time that an announcement regarding Snead would be forthcoming. With the Rams’ title defense beginning in a matter of hours, many expected that announcement to come today. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the pair are now on the books through the 2026 season.

To no surprise, both McVay and Snead are now thought to be among the league’s highest-paid at their respective positions. The Rams have seen consistent success during their time guiding the franchise, including last season’s Super Bowl win. That has come during Snead’s increasing reliance on his unorthodox roster-building strategy of forgoing premium draft picks in return for proven commodities at important positions (including, most notably, quarterback Matthew Stafford).

Los Angeles has not made a first-round selection since 2016, and does not own one until 2024. Still, the effectiveness of the 51-year-old’s actions led to joint extensions for both he and McVay in 2019. Another set of deals keeping them together was widely expected to be the team’s preference, and became possible once the latter confirmed that he would continue coaching in lieu of a broadcasting career.

Snead has held his current title since 2012, ranking him in the top-10 with respect to the NFL’s longest-tenured GMs. He will look to continue climbing the ladder in that regard, while seeking continuity on the roster he has molded into a champion. Much of that has already been taken care of, with new deals being signed in recent months by Stafford, defensive tackle Aaron Donald and receiver Cooper Kupp.

The long-term future of the organization has been questioned by some given the ‘all-in’ nature of Snead’s moves. Further titles remain possible for at least the next few years, however, and he will still be at the helm if/when the team’s Super Bowl window closes given today’s news.

Cowboys To Sign T Jason Peters

September 5th, 2022 at 8:04am CST by Sam Robinson

Days after Jason Peter s‘ Cowboys visit, the parties agreed to terms. The 40-year-old left tackle will continue his career in Dallas, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets.

The former Bears, Eagles and Bills blocker will aim to fill the void left by Tyron Smith‘s injury. This will be Peters’ 19th NFL season. The Cowboys came into Labor Day holding the fourth-most cap space in the league (just more than $14MM). Some of it will go to Peters, who stands to play an important role in helping the Cowboys defend their NFC East title. Peters grew up in northeast Texas, making this a homecoming of sorts to potentially cap off a Hall of Fame career.

Not much of Dallas’ cap space, it turns out, will be needed for the time being. The team is giving Peters a ramp-up period, with CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adding (via Twitter) Monday’s deal is a practice squad agreement. Since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the NFL to expand practice squads to 16 players, teams have increasingly used it as a way to add veterans ahead of promotions to the active roster. The Cowboys will be the latest team to take this route.

This transaction marks the third straight year in which Peters found a deal after waiting in free agency for months. He re-signed with the Eagles in July 2020 and joined the Bears in August of last year. The longtime Philly mainstay will now get to work on helping the Cowboys hold off an Eagles team that saw Smith’s injury strengthen its chances of winning the division.

This week’s vested veteran guarantee is a factor here as well. Vets’ salaries become guaranteed if on a 53-man roster this week, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes the Cowboys had not planned to add a free agent tackle until Week 2 (Twitter link). It opens the door to an unusual scenario in which the Cowboys start a rookie at left tackle in Week 1 before promoting Peters to play there.

Smith’s avulsion fracture, which he sustained August 24, is expected to sideline him until at least December. The 12th-year tackle has undergone surgery. With it being possible the perennial Pro Bowler will miss the season, the Cowboys were left scrambling. They had been belatedly preparing first-round pick Tyler Smith to begin his run as Tyron’s blindside heir apparent early. Jerry Jones said last week it was “safe to say” the Tulsa-developed rookie would start at left tackle, via Jon Machota of The Athletic (on Twitter). Peters either gives the Cowboys high-profile insurance, or a scenario in which the first-rounder moves back to left guard once Peters is ready emerges.

Peters does not represent the safest of bets here; injuries have cropped up fairly frequently during the latter half of the acclaimed performer’s career. He missed eight games in 2020 and only played in seven during the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII-winning season. But he is coming off a 15-game season in Chicago. The Bears added Peters in the wake of Teven Jenkins‘ back injury, and the veteran produced what Pro Football Focus graded as a top-25 tackle season. While this did not draw too much attention, as the Bears struggled in 2021, it showed Peters remained a viable left tackle option for a contending team. Peters indicated this offseason he wanted to play an age-40 season, and the Cowboys’ need looks to have created that opportunity.

The Eagles had Peters tied to high-end contracts for most of his 12-year stay with the franchise, but the UDFA success story played last season on a one-year, $1.75MM deal. It will be interesting to see how much Cowboys wind up paying him, once this P-squad agreement translates to an active-roster promotion. Duane Brown signed a two-year, $20MM deal to be Mekhi Becton‘s emergency fill-in. Becton’s avulsion fracture is expected to sideline him for the season. Brown is also a decorated left tackle and is three years younger than Peters, but the latter is a nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.

As the Cowboys currently employ two All-Decade tackles and All-Decade guard Zack Martin, they have Terence Steele ready to take over for La’el Collins on the right side and Connor McGovern prepared to start at left guard. Peters (218 career starts) moving into Dallas’ lineup would likely bump McGovern down to a swing player.

If/when Peters moves up to Dallas’ 53-man roster and suits up for a game, he would join only three other tackles to play an age-40 season. Andrew Whitworth, who turned 40 late in his final season, joins only Ray Brown and Hall of Famer Jackie Slater in accomplishing this rare feat.

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