Newsstand News & Rumors

Jon Gruden Sues NFL, Roger Goodell

November 12th, 2021 at 2:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jon Gruden has filed a lawsuit against Roger Goodell and NFL, David Ferrara of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. This comes weeks after leaked emails led to Gruden leaving his post as Raiders head coach.

“Through a malicious and orchestrated campaign, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell sought to destroy the career and reputation of Jon Gruden, the former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” the lawsuit states.

Signed to a 10-year, $100MM contract in 2018, Gruden resigned last month after multiple publications reported he used racist and misogynistic language in emails to former Washington team president Bruce Allen. This included (and was not limited to) crude remarks about Goodell, gay NFL players, female referees, and Washington cheerleaders.

“When their initial salvo did not result in Gruden’s firing or resignation, defendants ratcheted up the pressure by intimating that further documents would become public if Gruden was not fired,” the lawsuit stated. “They followed through with this threat by leaking another batch of documents to the New York Times for an October 11, 2021 article. On October 7, 2021, Jon Gruden was the head coach of the Raiders on a 10-year, $100-million contract. By October 11, 2021, he had been forced to resign.”

Gruden, 58, returned to coaching in 2018 after 10 years as an ESPN analyst. The NFL has not released any emails from the Washington Football Team investigation, and the league said no other violations were found on the level of Gruden’s comments. Gruden filed the suit in Nevada state court, Ferrara adds. The NFL called Gruden’s allegations “meritless,” Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Rams, Odell Beckham Jr. Agree To Deal

November 11th, 2021 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Well, one of the mystery teams revealed itself Thursday afternoon. The Rams have emerged at the 11th hour for Odell Beckham Jr. They are expected to sign him, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, adding that the sides are finalizing an agreement. The Rams have since announced the signing.

The star-chasing franchise was not among the initial squads linked to the free agent wide receiver, but The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicated earlier this afternoon momentum was developing here (Twitter link). Beckham was down to the Rams and Packers, according to NFL.com’s Kim Jones and Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Los Angeles won out, with USA Today’s Mike Jones indicating the Rams and Beckham have a deal in place (Twitter link). The Rams have also shared an image on their team site in anticipation of Beckham’s impending arrival (via Rodrigue, on Twitter). Beckham will follow LeBron James in going from Cleveland to Los Angeles, doing so after James dropped a #FreeOBJ hashtag to help ignite a strange separation from the Browns.

Beckham’s deal will run through season’s end, Rapoport tweets, giving him the opportunity to try and rebuild his stock ahead of a likely 2022 free agency run. OBJ committing to the Rams adds a three-time Pro Bowler to an already-strong receiving corps — one that has played a big role in the team starting 7-2. Beckham sought a contender and a high-end quarterback. The Rams supply both, with Matthew Stafford having provided a big upgrade for the franchise.

The Chiefs, Patriots, Saints, Seahawks and Packers represented the top quintet linked to Beckham this week. The Rams, who already roster the potent Cooper Kupp–Robert Woods pairing in addition to emerging second-year talent Van Jefferson, have pursued big-ticket performers for years. The franchise just sent two Day 2 picks for Von Miller. Beckham becomes a famous complementary piece in Los Angeles’ offense, which ranks in the top five in both scoring and yardage through nine games. Beckham’s fit will be interesting, seeing as the Rams just cut DeSean Jackson due to their depth at the position.

After Beckham’s three inconsistent Browns seasons, Sean McVay will have a chance to catalyze a rebound as his team vies for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Beckham, 29, moved his way out of Cleveland last week, doing so after catching one pass in the Browns’ Week 8 loss to the Steelers. A reworked contract helped OBJ clear waivers, with no team wanting to pick up his $7.25MM in base salary. The Browns saved $3MM by Beckham hitting free agency and will see him leave the AFC rather than land in Kansas City or New England.

The former first-round Giants pick has five 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, but his Pro Bowl streak stopped after the 2016 season. Injuries slowed Beckham at the end of his New York tenure, and his value dipped further with the Browns. Time is running short for the former superstar to show he can still be an impact player. Beckham has more than two receptions in just two of the six games he has played this season, though the eighth-year veteran began the year coming off ACL surgery and has run into shoulder trouble. The Rams, who acquired Miller after an ankle injury, are betting on Beckham still providing difference-making capabilities.

The Packers presented a clearer need for a No. 2 wide receiver. Davante Adams has been the team’s unquestioned WR1 for years. This season, the All-Pro wideout has a 500-plus-yard lead on Green Bay’s second-leading pass catcher. The Seahawks, Saints and Chiefs also took turns as the supposed favorites in this rare midseason sweepstakes, but the Rams — as they did for Miller, Stafford and Jalen Ramsey in recent years — won out.

Panthers Sign QB Cam Newton

November 11th, 2021 at 11:10am CST by Sam Robinson

Cam Newton will return to the Panthers. A Thursday meeting produced a quick contract agreement, one that will lead the former MVP back to Carolina.

The sides agreed on a one-year deal, USA Today’s Josina Anderson tweets, and Newton will do quite well for himself. The Panthers are giving him $4.5MM fully guaranteed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and the veteran passer has a chance to collect up to $10MM. Offset language was present covering $1.5MM in Newton’s most recent Patriots deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This led Newton to hold out for more this season, and he landed such a contract from his initial NFL employer.

The Panthers have cycled through multiple starting quarterbacks since cutting Newton in March 2020. They are now down Sam Darnold, who had regressed after a strong start. With Darnold on IR, P.J. Walker is in line to start against the Cardinals in Week 10. By Week 11, the Panthers’ first-string plans are likely to change.

Newton, 32, went through two sets of meetings before committing to rejoin the Panthers. He had previously met with Matt Rhule, who had signed off on his release last offseason, to clear the air, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A meeting with owner David Tepper, first-year GM Scott Fitterer and VP of football operations Stephen Drummond then commenced. It all led to a reunion, which ends Newton’s latest lengthy free agency stay.

Set to begin his 11th season, Newton is coming off a 15-start slate with the Patriots. That campaign did not go especially well, with Newton throwing just eight touchdown passes. Although the Pats re-signed Newton this offseason, they drafted Mac Jones and decided not to keep both QBs going into the season. This agreement also means the Patriots will add $1.5MM in cap space in 2022 (h/t Patscap, on Twitter). Since the late-August release, Newton spoke with the Seahawks about a deal amid Russell Wilson‘s injury hiatus. No agreement came to pass. Newton is now vaccinated and can rejoin the Panthers immediately.

Rhule will be the third coach Newton has played for as a pro, and the former No. 1 overall pick will be tasked with quickly digesting Joe Brady‘s offense. Newton made three Pro Bowls in his first five seasons, leading the Panthers to three playoff berths during that span. He led Carolina to a 15-1 season in 2015 and spearheaded the Panthers’ run to their second Super Bowl. A rough Newton outing against the Broncos preceded an injury-plagued second half, one that featured the dual-threat talent ranking 29th in QBR cumulatively from 2016-19. A foot injury cost Newton 14 games in 2019. The Panthers then signed Teddy Bridgewater in March 2020, signaling the end of Newton’s first stint.

Bridgewater is now in Denver, following an April trade, and Darnold is out for at least a month. Walker, who was off to a strong start in the XFL before the pandemic ended its second season early, has made one career NFL start — against the Lions last season — and completed 3 of 15 passes in relief of Darnold in Week 7. Newton has 139 starts under his belt. While Walker stands to make a second start this week, Newton will be positioned to move past 140 for his career soon. The Panthers face Washington, run by ex-Newton HC Ron Rivera, in Week 11.

Panthers To Meet With Cam Newton

November 11th, 2021 at 9:25am CST by Sam Robinson

Cam Newton will have a chance to return to the Panthers. The again-QB-needy franchise will meet with the best passer in its history Thursday.

After having been largely off the radar for two months, Newton secured a Thursday meeting with Matt Rhule and David Tepper, according to the Charlotte Observer’s Jonathan Alexander. The Panthers just placed Sam Darnold on IR, moving P.J. Walker into the starting slot. This meeting appears to be more than an exploratory conversation. The Panthers hope to re-sign Newton, with Joe Person of The Athletic noting an agreement is near (Twitter links).

This would be quite the full-circle development for a Panthers regime that jettisoned Newton as one of its first orders of business in March 2020. Rhule made the move to release Newton, instead signing Teddy Bridgewater to a more lucrative deal. The Panthers cut bait on that contract a year later, sending Bridgewater to the Broncos and trading for Darnold. Carolina’s current quarterback leads the NFL in interceptions, with 11.

Newton struggled in his Patriots season and ended up being released, with the Pats going with first-rounder Mac Jones. Newton, 32, has battled extensive injury trouble since his dominant 2015 MVP season. Shoulder and foot injuries nagged Newton during his final years in Carolina. The former No. 1 overall pick missed 14 games in 2019, prompting the current Panthers regime to cut bait rather than sign on for a 10th season with Newton at the controls.

Jones was able to get a crucial leg up on Newton in August, when a COVID-19 testing issue sidelined New England’s 2020 starter for five days. The Pats moved on from the three-time Pro Bowler ahead of roster cutdown day, and the 10-year veteran has spent two months back in free agency. The Seahawks spoke with Newton shortly after Russell Wilson‘s injury but stayed the course with Geno Smith. Now vaccinated, Newton could rejoin the Panthers quickly and become an emergency solution for a reeling team.

Browns, G Joel Bitonio Agree On Extension

November 10th, 2021 at 12:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns have now agreed to extensions with two guards in two days. Shortly after their Wyatt Teller deal, the Browns have come to terms with Joel Bitonio, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

It’s a three-year extension for the 30-year-old left guard, the team announced, keeping tying him to the Browns through 2025. It checks in at three years and $48MM, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). This makes Bitonio the Browns’ highest-paid offensive lineman again and matches Joe Thuney‘s guard-record $16MM AAV.

A second Bitonio extension emerged as a strong possibility earlier today, and the Browns went from having Teller in a contract year and Bitonio on a through-2022 deal to both signed long-term. These moves lock down arguably the NFL’s premier guard tandem, keeping key principals of Cleveland’s dominant run game in the fold. Both Bitonio and Teller are signed through 2025.

Since signing a five-year, $50MM pact in 2017, Bitonio saw the guard market transform. Ten guards entered Wednesday out-earning him, including Teller, who agreed to a four-year deal worth $56.8MM. Bitonio made three Pro Bowls while playing on that $10MM-per-year contract, and over the past two seasons, the Browns have deployed a top-tier offensive line. Pro Football Focus has Teller and Bitonio slotted as its Nos. 2 and 3 overall guards this season.

Cleveland’s historically talented Nick Chubb–Kareem Hunt backfield duo has the Browns second in rushing yards this season, and Chubb has strung together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. In the game both Pro Bowlers missed, ex-Alliance of American Football back D’Ernest Johnson totaled nearly 200 scrimmage yards in a win over the Broncos.

The last link to Cleveland’s Joe Thomas-fronted offensive lines, Bitonio is the longest-tenured player on the team. The Browns selected him during the Ray Farmer GM regime, acquiring him in the second round of the 2014 draft. Bitonio has been a starter since Week 1 of his rookie season and has made 104 starts during his career.

Displaying a tremendous commitment to their front, Cleveland now has four O-linemen — Bitonio, Teller, center J.C. Tretter and right tackle Jack Conklin — signed to veteran deals that run through at least 2022. Tretter and Conklin’s contracts go through next season. Jedrick Wills‘ rookie deal goes through 2023, with a fifth-year option included that could take it through 2024.

Browns Sign OL Wyatt Teller To Four-Year Extension

November 9th, 2021 at 11:00am CST by Ben Levine

Wyatt Teller got himself paid. The Browns signed their starting guard to a four-year extension, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).

The four-year pact will keep Teller in Cleveland through the 2025 season. The deal is worth $56.8MM ($29MM guaranteed), making him one of the highest-paid offensive guards in the NFL (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter). Teller was originally set to hit free agency following this season.

Teller was a fifth-round pick by the Bills in 2018, but he was traded to the Browns after only one season in Buffalo. Since joining Cleveland, the offensive lineman has started 29 of his 35 appearances. That includes nine starts this season, with Teller appeared in 100 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus has been especially fond of his recent performance, grading him as one of the best guards (especially with run blocking) in the NFL (per Garafolo on Twitter).

GM Andrew Berry has been busy investing money and assets into his offensive line since he took on the role. He gave Jack Conklin a $42MM deal, and he selected Jedrick Wills Jr. with the 10th-overall pick in the 2020 draft. Now, Berry can rest easy knowing that he has another foundational piece under contract for the foreseeable future.

Raiders To Sign DeSean Jackson

November 7th, 2021 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

DeSean Jackson has agreed to sign with the Raiders (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com). Terms of the deal are not yet known, but he’ll earn more than the veteran’s minimum, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link).

Jackson, dropped by the Rams last week, reportedly drew interest from seven teams. The Raiders were aggressive from the jump, aiming to sign the 34-year-old in the wake of Henry Ruggs‘ release. They got the deal done on Sunday afternoon, providing quarterback Derek Carr with the deep threat he needs.

Plenty of teams wanted Jackson, though no GM was willing to pay the remainder of his $2.75MM base salary. The Raiders got him for less than half of that price and they’ll probably target him a whole lot more than the Rams did. Jackson only played on ~1/3rd of the Rams snaps and didn’t top 25 snaps in any single game. To date, he has just eight catches in 2021. But, in classic DJax fashion, he’s made the most of them with 221 yards and one touchdown.

The Raiders are down to 5-3 after today’s loss to the Giants. Jackson will try and get them back in the win column next Sunday when they host the Chiefs in Las Vegas.

Browns, Odell Beckham Jr. Rework Contract; OBJ To Be 2022 Free Agent

November 5th, 2021 at 6:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. will officially part ways Monday. They spent days reworking the disgruntled wide receiver’s contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, and the sides reached a separation agreement Friday afternoon.

The Browns agreed to remove the final two years of OBJ’s contract, Schefter tweets. Beckham, whose Giants-constructed extension previously ran through 2023, is now set to be a free agent after this season. The veteran receiver will officially be waived Monday. Waiver claims on Beckham will be due Tuesday afternoon, though the redone contract is pending the NFLPA’s approval, per Schefter (on Twitter).

This might all be immaterial given Beckham’s 2021 salary. He is still due $7.25MM for this season’s remainder, Schefter tweets. The transaction could not be processed Friday because of an NFL rule prohibiting teams restructuring players’ contracts and cutting them on the same business day. Regardless, Beckham will be off the Browns’ roster by Monday, ending a messy divorce that escalated this week.

Although Beckham was once one of the NFL’s most talented receivers, his value has dipped considerably. Injuries have slowed the 29-year-old wideout in each of his three Cleveland seasons. He played through multiple issues in 2019 and saw a torn ACL shelve him midway through last season. That knee injury kept him off the field for this year’s first two Browns games, and Beckham has also run into a shoulder ailment this season. In six 2021 games, OBJ has just 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns.

Last week, Beckham caught just one pass. The Browns could not find a taker for the eighth-year vet ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, and Beckham did not practice with the team this week. He will not play against the Bengals and figures to be on another team by this time next week. Whether that will come via free free agency or the waiver wire remains to be seen.

Only nine teams (excluding the Browns) hold more than $7.25MM in cap space presently. Though teams have myriad ways to create additional room, adding that salary in November is a pretty big ask. A team claiming Beckham could spoil his plans to find a way to a better situation. With the waiver wire determined by inverse record order, OBJ runs the risk of being claimed by a struggling team. However, the lofty second-half salary still provides a fairly good chance this saga ends with Beckham unclaimed and picking his next team via free agency. Even that might be a rental agreement that precedes Beckham signing with potentially a fourth team in March.

Browns Officially Release Odell Beckham Jr.

November 5th, 2021 at 9:10am CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. On Friday morning, the Browns announced that they have released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

“After careful consideration, internal discussions, and conversations with Odell and his representation, we’ve determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns,” GM Andrew Berry said in a statement issued by the team. “We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but we’ve just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career.”

Despite Berry’s diplomacy, it’s safe to say that the Browns are not huge fans of Beckham or his contributions. OBJ won’t be leaving Cleveland with fond memories either. After two-and-a-half seasons and 29 total games, he’ll leave with 114 catches and 1,586 yards, good for an average of 13.9 yards per reception. He scored just seven receiving touchdowns along the way, with per-game averages of 3.9 grabs and 54.7 yards per contest.

But, before he relocated to Ohio, Beckham was an absolute monster in New York. OBJ topped 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons, including a career-high 1,450 yards in 2015. And, after his lost 2017 season, he still managed 77 catches, 1,052 yards, and six touchdowns in a 12-game 2018.

The Browns gave up 2019 first- and third-round picks, plus Jabrill Peppers and Kevin Zeitler, to acquire the star receiver and defensive end Olivier Vernon. He stayed healthy that year, but turned in his worst full season as a pro with 74 receptions, 1,035 yards, and four TDs. Now, that stands as his most productive season in Cleveland.

The rest of the league will have until 4pm ET/3pm CT Monday to claim Beckham. If he goes unclaimed, Beckham will be an unfettered free agent.

Raiders Cut WR Henry Ruggs

November 2nd, 2021 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders cut Henry Ruggs on Tuesday night. The team announced the transaction, which comes shortly after the second-year wide receiver was arrested for his role in a fatal car accident Tuesday morning.

Ruggs is facing two felony charges for an accident that left a woman dead. Las Vegas police say that Ruggs was impaired when his Corvette crashed into another car and killed the driver of the other vehicle. The accident occurred just before 4am in a residential neighborhood west of the Las Vegas Strip. Ruggs and a passenger in his vehicle were hospitalized. Upon being released from a Las Vegas-area hospital Tuesday, Ruggs was booked at the Clark County Detention Center.

Authorities identified the victim as a 23-year-old woman. The collision caused the victim’s vehicle to burst into flames, killing the woman and her dog, according to ESPN.com. Ruggs faces charges of DUI resulting in death and reckless driving. The first charge carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in prison. The second runs from probation to six years. Ruggs, 22, is due to appear in court Wednesday.

Ruggs and a female passenger in his Corvette suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The woman who was in Ruggs’ car remains hospitalized. Raiders players returned to the team’s Henderson, Nev., facility Monday, after their bye week, but had another day off Tuesday, according to ESPN.

Although players hit with felony charges are eligible for the commissioner’s exempt list, which keeps those players on teams’ rosters while legal matters play out, the Raiders acted swiftly to move on from Ruggs. This marks an abrupt end to Ruggs’ Raiders tenure, and the former Alabama standout’s NFL career is obviously in serious jeopardy. Ruggs will head to waivers, though that will almost certainly be irrelevant here. The Raiders have a clear path to voiding the remaining guarantees in Ruggs’ four-year, $16.67MM rookie contract. Ruggs’ deal was fully guaranteed.

Some Raiders staffers preferred Ruggs’ Alabama teammate, Jerry Jeudy in last year’s first round, but the team made Ruggs the first receiver drafted in 2020. Las Vegas drafted Ruggs with the 12th overall pick. The deep threat struggled as a rookie, catching 26 passes for 452 yards in 13 games. Ruggs had shown improvement to become a more consistent part of Las Vegas’ offense this season, having made 24 receptions for 469 yards and two touchdowns through seven games.

Las Vegas has fellow homegrown wideouts Hunter Renfrow and Bryan Edwards signed beyond 2021, with Darren Waller under c contract beyond this season as well. As of now, Zay Jones is set to step into Ruggs’ starting position, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes. The Ruggs exit certainly leaves a void in the AFC West-leading team’s passing attack, but Renfrow, Waller and Edwards each have posted yardage totals north of 300 this season. Ruggs exited Week 7 as the team’s leading receiver, however.

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