Las Vegas Raiders News & Rumors

Tag Rumors: Barkley, Jacobs, Engram

July 14th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

With the Monday deadline for franchise tagged players to sign long-term deals approaching fast, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo gave some quick updates on the last remaining franchise tagged players. The Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson agreed to a long-term deal, as did the Commanders and defensive tackle Daron Payne, while Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has decided to play out the 2023 season on the franchise tag. This leaves Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, and Jaguars tight end Evan Engram as the last remaining cases to be solved.

According to Garafolo, there hasn’t been much good traction on a deal between New York and Barkley. He reports that the two sides “are still far apart.” He notes that three days is technically plenty of time to get a deal done, especially for the franchise that signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a new deal minutes before the franchise tag deadline. Garafolo confirms that Barkley has “threatened to potentially holdout into the season,” meaning that he certainly shouldn’t be expected at training camp unless a new deal is reached.
Similar news for Jacobs, as we’ve been reporting throughout the day. It’s become clear that he and Las Vegas are not near an agreement as the clock ticks down. Garafolo relays a report from colleague Tom Pelissero that Jacobs is not going to be at training camp without a new deal and is also a candidate to holdout into the regular season.
Engram’s situation appears to be a bit less harrowing. Despite the fact that Engram wasn’t present for the team’s spring OTAs and minicamp because of the unsigned tag, he is still expected to be present at training camp, even if the two sides fail to reach an agreement on a long-term deal. According to Garafolo, the likelihood of that deal coming to fruition appears to just under a 50-50 chance.

‘Significant’ Value Gap Between Raiders, Josh Jacobs

July 14th, 2023 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The second-most publicized of the negotiations between running backs and the teams who franchise-tagged them, the Josh Jacobs-Raiders talks do trail the Giants and Saquon Barkley for volume. But more is emerging in these Las Vegas-based discussions.

Although this is likely to come down to the wire, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore notes a significant gap is believed to exist between Jacobs and the Raiders. The sides have not broken off talks, but less than three days remain until the deadline for tagged players to be extended. If the Raiders and Jacobs cannot agree on terms by 3pm CT Monday, he will be tied to the $10.1MM tag number this season.

If Jacobs does not sign by Monday, he is almost certain to miss training camp. Jacobs’ camp has relayed this, Paloma Villicana of FOX 5 News in Las Vegas tweets, with Bonsignore and Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson confirming the fifth-year running back is prepared to skip camp if he remains on the tag after Monday’s deadline. With teams unable to fine players who have not signed their franchise tenders, Jacobs is not subject to the five-figure-per-day fines mandatory for contracted players who miss camp days. Jacobs, Barkley and Jaguars tight end Evan Engram have not signed their tenders; Tony Pollard signed his Cowboys tag in March.

A guarantee gap — one that may not be especially wide — stands between the Giants and Barkley coming to terms, but more hurdles may be present on Jacobs’ path to an extension. Authorizing a big-ticket running back contract is incongruent with the way Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler are planning to build the Raiders’ roster, Robinson adds. This is in step with The Patriot Way, which has seldom rewarded backs.

New England did extend trade acquisition Corey Dillon in 2005, but running back value began to shift in the years following that agreement. The Patriots later passed on re-ups for Laurence Maroney, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley or Damien Harris. LeGarrette Blount‘s second Pats deal did not eclipse $2MM per year. After extending Dion Lewis on a low-level accord, the Patriots let the Titans pay him in 2018. Seeing as McDaniels and Ziegler are the latest ex-Patriot bastions given the keys to a franchise, how the Pats proceeded is relevant regarding the Raiders-Jacobs talks.

The Raiders traded away their top-market tight end contract, growing concerned about Darren Waller‘s injuries and shipping him to the Giants, but still have three eight-figure-per-year wide receiver deals on the books. The team added ex-McDaniels Patriots charge Jakobi Meyers on a three-year, $33MM accord ($16MM guaranteed) to go with Davante Adams‘ $28MM-per-year pact and Hunter Renfrow‘s two-year, $32MM extension. Rumblings about Renfrow going into his last year with the Raiders have surfaced, but the veteran slot receiver remains tied to an upper-middle-class receiver contract.

The team is carrying Jacobs’ $10.1MM franchise tag number along with these wideout contracts, and while that cap hit would drop with an extension, it does not seem like too much urgency exists on the Raiders’ part. Unlike Barkley’s negotiations, no terms have come out to indicate where the Raiders are with Jacobs. The reigning rushing champion, however, has not sounded particularly pleased with how the talks have unfolded.

A Jacobs trade should not be considered out of the question, Bonsignore adds, but the bleak Austin Ekeler and Dalvin Cook markets make such a move an unlikely scenario. And tag-and-trade scenarios after the July deadline lead to rental agreements, since Jacobs would be unable to sign a long-term deal with anyone until 2024. McDaniels also may face some pressure in Year 2, considering his 6-11 debut. Jacobs staying healthy — after logging a league-high 393 touches — will be key for the second-year Las Vegas HC. But the team does not appear ready to pay up to keep Jacobs around past 2023. The former first-rounder staying in Vegas beyond this season may be contingent on him making a major compromise.

Barkley has collected nearly $40MM during his five-year career; Jacobs has accumulated just more than $11MM in four seasons. Neither player is a realistic candidate to follow in Le’Veon Bell‘s 2018 footsteps, and Jacobs — despite a rumor that suggested Week 1 is up in the air if no deal is reached by Monday — should be considered less likely than Barkley to pass on game checks. But if no deal happens over the next 70 hours, the Raiders should not expect to see their starting running back for a while.

2023 NFL Dead Money, By Team

July 14th, 2023 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Accounting for players who appear on teams’ cap sheets but not on their rosters, dead money is a factor for all 32 teams. This year, dead money comprises more than 20% of five teams’ payrolls. Two teams who followed through (successfully) with all-in missions in recent years — the Buccaneers and Rams — each have more than 30% of their payrolls devoted to dead-cap hits.

Going into training camp, here is how dead money factors into each team’s cap sheet:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $75.32MM
Los Angeles Rams: $74.23MM
Green Bay Packers: $57.14MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $54.73MM
Carolina Panthers: $51.54MM
Arizona Cardinals: $36.96MM
Tennessee Titans: $36.56MM
Minnesota Vikings: $35.54MM
Houston Texans: $31.72MM
Las Vegas Raiders: $29.95MM
Indianapolis Colts: $24.89MM
New Orleans Saints: $24.58MM
Chicago Bears: $23.52MM
Washington Commanders: $23.01MM
New York Giants: $22.74MM
New England Patriots: $21.82MM
Atlanta Falcons: $18.78MM
Detroit Lions: $18.69MM
Seattle Seahawks: $17.91MM
San Francisco 49ers: $17.16MM
Cleveland Browns: $16MM
Dallas Cowboys: $14.64MM
Pittsburgh Steelers: $13.26MM
Baltimore Ravens: $10.78MM
Denver Broncos: $9.72MM
Miami Dolphins: $8.43MM
New York Jets: $7.95MM
Kansas City Chiefs: $7.65MM
Buffalo Bills: $5.23MM
Jacksonville Jaguars: $4.7MM
Los Angeles Chargers: $2.19MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $593K

No team broke the Falcons’ record for dead money devoted to a single player. The Falcons’ Matt Ryan trade left them with $40.52MM last year. But the Bucs and Rams incurred some dead money collectively this offseason.

Tom Brady‘s Tampa Bay exit created much of the Bucs’ issue here. Brady not signing another Bucs deal, instead retiring for a second time, accelerated $35.1MM in dead money onto the Bucs’ 2023 cap sheet. The team had used void years increasingly during Brady’s tenure, and his second restructure created the $35.1MM figure. The Bucs will swallow the post-Brady pill this year, with no dead money related to that contract on their books in 2024.

Three ex-Rams combine to take up $55MM of their dead-money haul. The Rams traded Allen Robinson to the Steelers earlier this year, but that three-year, $46.5MM deal Los Angeles authorized in 2022 will result in Robinson’s former team carrying a $21.5MM dead-money hit in 2023. The Rams are eating $19.6MM of Jalen Ramsey‘s contract, and bailing on Leonard Floyd‘s four-year, $64MM extension after two seasons moved $19MM in dead money to L.A.’s 2023 payroll. The Rams did not use the post-June 1 designation to release Floyd, keeping the dead money on that deal tied to 2023 only.

The Packers did come close to breaking the Falcons’ record for dead money on a single contract. Green Bay following through on the Aaron Rodgers trade left $40.31MM in dead money on this year’s Packers cap. Because the Packers traded Rodgers before June 1, that hit will be entirely absorbed this year. It also took a Rodgers restructure on his way out to move the cap damage down to $40MM. The Panthers trading Christian McCaffrey after June 1 last year left the second chunk of dead money ($18.35MM) to be carried on this year’s cap. It also cost Carolina $14.63MM in dead cap to trade D.J. Moore to the Bears.

The Bears used both their post-June 1 cut designations last year (Tarik Cohen, Danny Trevathan) and also have a $13.23MM Robert Quinn cap hold. The Cardinals had already used their two allotted post-June 1 cut designations this offseason. As result, DeAndre Hopkins is on Arizona’s books at $21.1MM this year. Because they cut the All-Pro wide receiver before June 1, the Cards will be free of Hopkins obligations after this year.

While the Raiders built in the escape hatch in Derek Carr‘s 2022 extension, keeping the dead money on their nine-year QB’s contract low, Cory Littleton — a 2022 post-June 1 cut — still counts nearly $10MM on their cap sheet. Fellow 2022 post-June 1 release Julio Jones still counts more than $8MM on the Titans’ payroll. The Cowboys went to the post-June 1 well with Ezekiel Elliott this year, but their 2022 designation (La’el Collins) leads the way with $8.2MM on this year’s Dallas payroll.

No Deal Imminent Between Raiders, Josh Jacobs

July 14th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Adam La Rose

The deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign a long-term deal is fast approaching, meaning the Raiders have plenty to do with respect to Josh Jacobs negotiations. Talks are not expected to produce an agreement in the immediate future.

Instead, they are likely to “come down to the wire” on Monday, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (subscription required). A deal must be agreed upon by 3pm central on July 17 to avoid Jacobs (and the other three franchise tag recipients yet to sign a new contract) playing on the one-year pact in 2023. He would earn $10.1MM in that event, a lower figure than what his play last season would suggest he is worth on an extension.

The former first-rounder led the NFL in scrimmage yards in 2022, making the team’s decision to decline his fifth-year option a regrettable one in retrospect. Now, the Raiders are faced with the prospect of committing to a lucrative multi-year contract, or leaving one of the franchise’s most respected players disgruntled ahead of a season in which notable improvement compared to last campaign is seen as a requirement. The Dave Ziegler-Josh McDaniels regime must calculate Jacobs’ value within the context of what is unlikely to be an all-in approach in the near future.

The Alabama product has a fan in owner Mark Davis, however, and reports of mutual interest regarding an extension have emerged over the course of the offseason. Running backs have not fared well this offseason, though, which leaves the Raiders with plenty of leverage as negotiations continue. Jacobs has expressed frustration at his own financial situation and that of the position in general, leading to the outside possibility of a Week 1 absence on the All-Pro’s part.

Much of the speculation centered on the franchise tag has been related to Giants back Saquon Barkley, as negotiations on that front have become increasingly public. The situation has been quieter for Jacobs, but many have felt the two situations could be connected with respect to the value one (or both) will be able to earn on a long-term deal. On that point, Tafur adds that it “seems unlikely” either back will wait to see how the other fares, given the limited time remaining before the deadline.

Jacobs’ camp and the Raiders will have the weekend and Monday morning to hammer out an agreement, and both sides will presumably operate with more urgency in the coming days. The wait will, however, likely continue all the way to the deadline to determine if a satisfactory pact can be worked out in time.

Darren Waller Injuries Led Raiders To Pursue Trade; Team Tried To Re-Sign Foster Moreau

July 13th, 2023 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Raiders attempted to regroup after their 2019 Antonio Brown trade netted them zero game appearances from the mercurial talent, a Darren Waller flier paid considerable dividends. Waller anchored multiple Raiders passing attacks, leading to two contract extensions.

The second of those came just before last season, when Waller hired Drew Rosenhaus to hammer out a three-year, $51MM deal that was finalized just before Week 1. However, Waller ended up missing more time due to injury last season. As the 2023 league year began, the Raiders traded Waller to the Giants for a third-round compensatory pick — the same choice the Chiefs sent over for Kadarius Toney last year.

It is not especially common to see teams bail on players months after authorizing extensions, and while rumors about off-field issues cropped up, Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com notes the Raiders are believed to have grown concerned about Waller’s mounting injury trouble. Some Raiders staffers viewed the injury trouble as a big enough issue to explore the trade, per Caplan. Trade talks with the Packers even occurred before last year’s deadline.

Waller, 30, has missed 14 games over the past two seasons. Last year, hamstring trouble led to eight absences. Waller missed three games before being placed on IR, ensuring he would be sidelined for at least four more. The nagging issue ended up taking two months of game action off Waller’s schedule, and his extended absence led to some in-house frustration. While the veteran tight end returned in mid-December and played the final four Raiders games, the team still decided to accept the Giants’ offer and move on after four-plus years.

The Raiders initially signed Waller off the Ravens’ practice squad late during the 2018 season. In 2019, the converted wide receiver who nearly saw substance-abuse issues lead him out of the NFL posted a 1,145-yard receiving season. A year later, Waller accumulated 1,196 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2021, however, ankle trouble affected Waller during training camp and then recurred in-season. An IT band injury sustained during the Raiders’ Thanksgiving win over the Cowboys later cost Waller four games.

Lacking the receiving talent the Raiders currently possess, the Giants will count on Waller shaking off his injury problems. Waller’s contract, which the Giants restructured soon after acquiring him, runs through 2025. Although the restructure makes a future cut slightly more expensive, the Giants can move on from Waller and take only a $2.5MM dead-money hit by designating him as a post-June 1 cut in 2024. While the team did trade a third-round pick for the accomplished pass catcher — one of just eight tight ends to ever record two 1,100-yard receiving seasons — the Giants can move on rather cheaply despite Waller securing a position-leading AAV from the Raiders last September.

Waller’s injuries led to increased Foster Moreau time. The former fourth-round pick was not a notable part of the Raiders’ passing attack in 2019 or 2020, but as Waller became increasingly unavailable, the team needed its backup more. Moreau combined for 63 receptions, 793 yards and five touchdown receptions over the past two years. The Raiders attempted to re-sign Moreau, Caplan adds, but ended up going with a combination of UFA addition Austin Hooper and second-round pick Michael Mayer.

Moreau also saw a cancer diagnosis hijack his free agency. The Bengals hosted the fifth-year player on a visit, but a subsequent Saints meeting led to a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. But Moreau is now in remission and signed to a three-year, $12.23MM Saints contract. As the Raiders turn the page at tight end and quarterback, the LSU alum and New Orleans native will play for his hometown team and keeping working with Derek Carr.

Jon Gruden Does Not Intend To Settle Suit; Latest On Dan Snyder’s Role In Scandal

July 12th, 2023 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jon Gruden has resurfaced on the NFL radar, seeing the Saints bring him in as a consultant earlier this offseason. Gruden spent time working with Derek Carr, with the Saints wanting to install some of Gruden’s concepts in their Carr-led offense. Carson Wentz is also receiving Gruden pointers while training as a free agent this offseason.

But the veteran NFL coach is unlikely to land another top job in the league given the way his most recent HC stint ended. More details surrounding Gruden’s Raiders exit have come to light, via ESPN.com’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham, who report the team was initially aiming to retain the embattled coach before the second batch of problematic emails dropped on October 11, 2021.

Communication between Gruden, an ESPN employee when he wrote these seminal emails, and then-Washington president Bruce Allen included crude remarks about Roger Goodell, gay NFL players, female referees and Washington cheerleaders. The first email — made public Oct. 8, 2021 as a result of the NFL’s Dan Snyder investigation — included Gruden using a racist trope to describe NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith. In between that email becoming public and the wave of New York Times-uncovered emails three days later, Mark Davis planned to stick with Gruden. Before the second wave of emails emerged, Davis discussed Gruden’s status with current and former Raiders, per Wickersham and Van Natta, who report some wanted the embattled HC gone while others did not.

In between the Wall Street Journal report and the New York Times follow-up that ended up sealing Gruden’s fate, Davis and then-Raiders president Dan Ventrelle spoke with Roger Goodell and lead NFL counsel Jeff Pash. The two NFL bigwigs applied pressure on Davis to act, according to ESPN, with Goodell indicating more emails were coming. While Gruden coached the Raiders’ Week 5 game — a loss to the Bears — he submitted a forced resignation the next day. A month later, Gruden sued Goodell and the NFL.

Thus far on Gruden’s legal journey, he has enjoyed success. Gruden does not intend to settle this suit, according to ESPN, for any amount and aims to “burn the house down” to expose the league for an alleged conspiracy to remove him as Raiders HC. After Davis was nudged to remove Gruden as HC, the Raiders owner blasted the league and Snyder in a conversation with the recently dismissed coach.

The Gruden matter coming out of the NFL’s Snyder investigation helped induce the House Oversight Committee to launch its investigation into the Washington owner. The Congressional probe included Lisa Friel, the NFL’s special counsel for investigations, indicating the leak came from the Commanders and not the league. Denials from every accused party — except for Smith, whom ESPN asserts bragged about leaking the email that included Gruden’s racist trope to describe him — have followed. Gruden has long believed Goodell was responsible for the leak.

Snyder is accused here of leaking the emails to curry favor with the commissioner and to deflect from his scandals. The longtime Washington owner, however, is believed to have attended each of his team’s games during his suspension. Snyder’s July 2021 de facto ban was supposed to last “several months,” but he believed the punishment was to last only a month. With Snyder already receiving what most perceived as a light penalty (the $10MM fine, the short ban and the Beth Wilkinson investigation not producing a report), some owners believe he would not have been effectively forced to sell his franchise had he complied with the terms of the 2021 suspension.

Months later, an ESPN report that contended Snyder had gathered dirt on Goodell and a number of owners accelerated the push for a sale. Snyder and Philadelphia 76ers/New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris have agreed on a sale, and a ratification vote is scheduled for July 20. Snyder, who remains the subject of a second NFL investigation, has owned the NFC East franchise since 1999.

Largest 2023 Cap Hits: Offense

July 11th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s salary cap once again ballooned by more than $10MM, rising from its $208.2MM perch to $224.8MM. Factoring in the pandemic-induced 2021 regression, the NFL’s salary risen has climbed by more than $42MM since 2021.

This has allowed teams more opportunities for roster additions and opened the door for more lucrative player deals — at most positions, at least. However, it does not look like this season will include a $40MM player cap number. The Browns avoided a record-shattering Deshaun Watson $54.9MM hit by restructuring the quarterback’s fully guaranteed contract, calling for monster figures from 2024-26.

Here are the largest cap hits for teams on the offensive side going into training camp:

Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $39.69MM
Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $36.6MM
Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $30.98MM
Jake Matthews, T (Falcons): $28.36MM
Trent Williams, T (49ers): $27.18MM
Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $26.83MM
Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $26.61MM
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $23.8MM
Amari Cooper, WR (Browns): $23.78MM
Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $23.69MM
Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $23.67MM
Joe Thuney, G (Chiefs): $22.12MM
Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $22MM
Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $22MM
Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $21.75MM
David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $21.29MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $20.25MM
D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $20.17MM
Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $20MM
Brian O’Neill, T (Vikings): $19.66MM
Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $19.35MM
Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $19.1MM
Braden Smith, T (Colts): $19MM
Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $18.64MM
Courtland Sutton, WR (Broncos): $18.27MM

As should be expected, quarterbacks dominate this list. Mahomes’ number checks in here despite the Chiefs restructuring his 10-year, $450MM contract in March; the two-time MVP’s cap hit would have set an NFL record had Kansas City not reduced it. The Chiefs did not restructure Mahomes’ deal last year, but if they do not address it — perhaps via a complex reworking — before next season, Mahomes’ $46.93MM number would break an NFL record.

The Titans have not touched Tannehill’s contract this offseason, one that included some trade rumors months ago. This is the final year of Tannehill’s Tennessee extension. Mahomes and Tannehill sat atop this ranking in 2022.

Cousins is also heading into a contract year, after the Vikings opted for a restructure and not an extension this offseason. Cousins does not expect to discuss another Minnesota deal until 2024, when he is due for free agency. Two relatively low cap numbers have started Wilson’s $49MM-per-year extension. The Denver QB’s cap number rises to $35.4MM in 2024 and reaches historic heights ($55.4MM) by ’25. The subject of a Goff extension has come up, and it would bring down the Lions passer’s figure. But Goff remains tied to his Rams-constructed $33.5MM-per-year deal through 2024.

Jackson and Jones’ numbers will rise in the near future, with the latter’s contract calling for a quick spike in 2024. Next year, the Giants QB’s cap hit will be $45MM. Watson’s 2024 hit, as of now, would top that. The Browns signal-caller is on the team’s ’24 payroll at $63.98MM. Long-term consequences aside, the Browns can be expected to once again go to the restructure well with Watson’s outlier contract.

The Raiders did not backload Garoppolo’s three-year contract; it only climbs to $24.25MM on Las Vegas’ 2024 cap sheet. The Bills did backload Allen’s pact. Its team-friendly years are done after 2023; the six-year accord spikes to $47.1MM on Buffalo’s cap next year. The Cowboys have gone to the restructure well with Prescott. Like Watson, the Cowboys quarterback is tied to a seemingly untenable 2024 cap number. The March restructure resulted in Prescott’s 2024 number rising to $59.46MM. Two seasons remain on that $40MM-AAV extension.

Another notable cap hold that should be mentioned is Tom Brady‘s. When the Buccaneers did not sign the again-retired QB to another contract before the 2023 league year, his $35.1MM dead-money figure went onto Tampa Bay’s 2023 cap sheet. The Bucs will absorb that entire amount this year. Brady’s 2022 restructure, after retirement No. 1, led to the $35.1MM figure forming.

Were it not for another O-line-record extension, the Tunsil number would have come in at $35MM this year. Matthews signed an extension last year. Moore would have come in higher on this list were he still on the Panthers, who took on $14.6MM in dead money to move their top wideout for the No. 1 overall pick. Sutton came up regularly in trade rumors, with the Broncos wanting a second-round pick for the sixth-year veteran. The former second-rounder’s high base salary ($14MM) hinders his trade value.

Latest On Raiders’ CB Depth

July 10th, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders cornerbacks depth chart isn’t any clearer now than it was a few months ago. Earlier this offseason, the Raiders hosted Marcus Peters, and it seemed like the former All-Pro CB was destined to join the organization.

Fast forward to the middle of July and a contract still hasn’t materialized. However, the inaction from the front office doesn’t mean the Raiders are necessarily content with their in-house options. As Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes, the Raiders are still expected to add either Peters “or another veteran free agent” at the position.

For the time being, the Raiders are left with a questionable depth chart at cornerback. Tafur projects that Duke Shelley, who started five games for the Vikings last season, and Nate Hobbs, who has started 20 games over the past two seasons for the Raiders, will be the starters on the outside. That configuration would likely provide journeyman Tyler Hall with an inside track at the main slot role.

Further down the depth chart, Tafur opines that Brandon Facyson will have a safety net with his two-year contract (plus his experience in a Gus Bradley defense). The Raiders also used a fourth-round pick on Jakorian Bennett, and the rookie could end up emerging as one of the team’s top options at the position. When you account for the five aforementioned cornerbacks and a potential acquisition, that means Amik Robertson could be fighting for a roster spot heading into the 2023 campaign.

The 2020 fourth-round pick was in and out of the lineup through his first two seasons in the NFL, but he took on a bigger role with a new coaching staff in 2022. Robertson ended up starting seven of his 17 appearances, finishing with 38 tackles and two passes defended.

There is some depth here, and that could explain why the organization hasn’t jumped into a deal with any free agents. When it comes to Peters in particular, we previously heard that the front office would take their time as they monitored the veteran’s health. A 2021 ACL tear has led to questions about Peters’ ability to return to the form he showed earlier in his career, and those questions continue to persist following a rough 2022 campaign with the Ravens.

Options As Clock Ticks Down On RB Franchise Tags

July 10th, 2023 at 1:40pm CST by Ely Allen

JULY 10: During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Darlington added to his previous reporting on the Barkley and Jacobs situations (video link). He stated that Barkley remains the likelier of the two backs to ultimately sign a long-term deal before the deadline, with Jacobs’ tenure in Vegas having seemed uncertain since the arrival of head coach Josh McDaniels last year. Many of the remaining RB free agents – including, quite possibly, Dalvin Cook – will see their value determined in part by the developments (or lack thereof) which take place with the Giants and Raiders in the coming days.

JULY 9: Running back has notoriously become the most difficult position at which to earn a salary worth your performance in the NFL. For the clearest examples we’ve seen of this, look no further than Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley.

Both running backs delivered elite performances in contract years, which at any other position would set them up for big extensions. Unfortunately, both players were franchise tagged by their respective teams and have threatened holdouts to try and gain leverage in their contract negotiations. So, how do their teams respond to the situation? After talking with league executives, Dan Graziano of ESPN provided a few options.

The first option involves both players getting a “fair market” deal, a new contract extension that will keep Jacobs and Barkley home. Another option involves the team’s doing nothing. They would allow the backs to play out their tags and likely tag them a second time the following offseason. A third option would try to avoid the second. With the second option being the most likely, the teams could offer the two a two-year, fully guaranteed deal that would pay slightly more than two consecutive franchise tags. This provides slightly more security over the next year and a half before the two would hit free agency again. Lastly, Graziano mentions a fourth, “nuclear” option of rescinding the tags then signing someone cheaper.

Because the combination of youth and rookie contracts have proven some success in the recent past, it really feels like most of the decision lies with the teams. Both teams have the simple option of locking the backs down with the franchise tag and then tagging them a second time in 2024 at a still relatively cheap price, compared to other positions. In that situation, the teams get to have their star running backs for the 2023 season but aren’t committed to them past that. If either back shows signs of regression next season, they can allow them to walk away at no financial risk. Jacobs and Barkley can always hold out during the regular season (as their own financial burden), but they’ll just come out the other side in a similar situation.

With the deadline for franchise players to sign multi-year contract approaching on Monday, July 17, conversations are expected to pick up between the teams and running backs. New York and Las Vegas are both expected to make some last-ditch efforts to sign their backs to a deal other than their franchise tags. If either player gets a deal done before the deadline, it will certainly lay the groundwork for the other.

Regardless, in today’s NFL, hitting the open market is the worst-case scenario for a running back. If two consecutive franchise tags is the alternative, at least it keeps them on a roster for 2023. Barkley’s relationship with the Giants has proven a bit less rocky than Jacobs’s relationship with the Raiders, so it might be on Barkley and New York to set the tone if new deals are going to get done.

Looking Into The Four Remaining Franchise Tag Situations

July 6th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Less than two weeks remain until this year’s franchise tag extension deadline. Following spring extensions for Lamar Jackson and Daron Payne, four franchise-tagged players remain. Three of those (Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram, Josh Jacobs) have not signed their respective tenders. Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has, guaranteeing his 2023 salary.

If no extension agreements are finalized before 3pm CT on July 17, these players will be tied to the tag this season. For players who remain on the tag after that date, no long-term negotiations are permitted until season’s end. With one position dominating the tag landscape this year, here is how the four situations look entering crunch time:

Saquon Barkley, Giants; tag price: $10.1MM

Easily the negotiation that has brought the most twists and turns, Barkley has been in off-and-on talks with the Giants since November. The Giants’ Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime inherited Barkley, but they have extended two other Dave Gettleman-era draftees (Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence) this offseason. But the team’s most popular player finds himself is battling another leaguewide devaluation of the running back position. As Barkley turned down two offers with AAVs north of $12MM — one of those being higher than $13MM per year — the Giants pulled their top proposal off the table after their March extension-tag sequence involving Jones and Barkley.

Barkley, 26, took issue with being characterized as greedy, citing Giants leaks that did not reveal the full truth about the offers he declined. Insufficient guarantees hover at the root of Barkley’s gripes. With the Giants having the option of re-tagging Barkley for barely $12MM in 2023, it is understandable the two-time Pro Bowler would seek a guarantee north of $22MM per year — to cover both tags.

Only two veteran backs (Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry) are tied to deals including more than $20MM fully guaranteed. While McCaffrey encountered injuries on his second contract, the 1,000-1,000 performer did not run into Barkley’s rookie-deal health issues. Those could certainly be giving Giants brass pause regarding guarantees.

These talks have included rumblings of Barkley skipping training camp — if unsigned by July 17 — and a (likely idle) threat of following Le’Veon Bell‘s 2018 path of sitting out the season in protest. The Giants are believed to be OK with Barkley playing on the tag, but ownership remains high on the former No. 2 overall pick. That might be driving the recent optimism in these talks. The skill-position-deficient Giants relied on Barkley (1,650 scrimmage yards) last season, and while they have let two players (Jason Pierre-Paul, Leonard Williams) play on the tag, the team has never not extended a player whom it tagged. (Both D-linemen signed extensions after being tagged again.)

Evan Engram, Jaguars; tag price: $11.35MM

Barkley’s former Giants teammate broke through for a Jaguars single-season tight end record last season, posting 766 receiving yards to boost Trevor Lawrence‘s development. The Jaguars added Calvin Ridley but cuffed Engram as well. Both the Jags and the seventh-year tight end want to strike a deal, but the most recent rumor coming out of these talks placed the sides as far apart on terms.

Dating back to their Julius Thomas miss, the Jaguars have struggled to staff this position. Engram provided a win for GM Trent Baalke, whose first free agency class as lead Jags decision-maker made significant contributions. But Engram also has a history of inconsistency, having never put it together for an extended stretch as a Giant. Engram does have an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod on his resume (2020) and saw the Giants pick up his fifth-year option prior to that performance. His 2021 provided a letdown, but the Giants — with Jones going down with a neck injury that November — were not exactly in position to see any pass catcher thrive at that point.

Guarantees are undoubtedly an issue here. A 2024 Engram tag would cost $13.62MM, likely giving the 28-year-old pass catcher a guarantee target of $25MM. Only three veteran tight ends (Mark Andrews, George Kittle, Hunter Henry) have secured that at signing, but with those deals taking place in 2020 or ’21, Engram can make a case — on a $224.8MM salary cap — he deserves such security as well. The tight end market appears out of step with its top cogs’ contributions, with Travis Kelce still tied to a $14.3MM-per-year deal. That offers an interesting complication in these Engram discussions as well.

Josh Jacobs, Raiders; tag price: $10.1MM

A threat to miss game checks makes more sense from Barkley, who has earned nearly $40MM in five seasons. Jacobs following suit is less logical, as he has made $11.9MM in four NFL years. The Raiders passed on Jacobs’ fifth-year option, and he proceeded to become the team’s first rushing champion since Marcus Allen did so in a 1985 MVP season. Jacobs, 25, zoomed onto the tag radar with his 2022 performance, but while the Giants have made multiple offers to Barkley, it is unclear if the Raiders are making a serious push to extend Jacobs. The team is still hopeful, but numbers have proven elusive.

The Alabama product has offered cryptic assessments of his negotiations, hinting at making a stand for the running back position. Seeing as Bell has expressed belated regret for passing on $14MM with his 2018 anti-tag crusade, it would surprise if Barkley or Jacobs stayed away into the season. It might be a negotiating tactic, as RBs are low on leverage these days, but the threat of Jacobs skipping Week 1 has surfaced. With Josh McDaniels in a crucial year — after his first Raiders HC season went south quickly — and the Raiders now employing the league’s most injury-prone quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo), Jacobs putting regular-season absences on the table is an interesting move.

While Jacobs is still more likely than not to be in uniform in Week 1, the prospect of an injury or regression affecting his 2024 market should be a factor here. Jacobs’ light Crimson Tide workload (251 college carries) worked in his favor, but the Raiders giving him an NFL-most 393 touches last season undercuts that advantage to a degree. Players to log that many touches in a season over the past 10 years (Henry, McCaffrey, Bell, DeMarco Murray) either fared far worse the following year or, in Bell’s case, skipped the next season.

With Jacobs not the same threat out of the backfield McCaffrey, Barkley or Alvin Kamara are, a top-market pact will be hard for the fifth-year vet to secure. With McDaniels previously expressing support for the Jon Gruden-era draftee, will be interesting to see what numbers come out of these talks.

Tony Pollard, Cowboys; tag price: $10.1MM

The Cowboys are certainly unafraid to unholster their franchise tag, having used it in each of the past six years. In addition to keeping Pollard away from free agency, Dallas tagged Dalton Schultz, Dak Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence in that span. With Prescott and Lawrence being tagged twice and Schultz leaving after his tagged season, the Cowboys have been fine letting players carry tag figures into seasons. Considering Pollard’s is the lowest cap hit among Dallas’ recent tags, the team is likely OK with the $10MM number staying on its books this year.

Pollard, 26, presents perhaps a more interesting case for a mid-2020s ascent compared to the Giants and Raiders backs. He has taken just 510 handoffs as a pro — Barkley sits at 954, Jacobs at 1,072 — and offers pass-game explosiveness that helped lead Dallas to drop Ezekiel Elliott.

The six-year, $90MM Elliott extension did not age well for the Cowboys, who are eating $11MM-plus in dead money over the next two years after the post-June 1 cut designation. But Elliott also accumulated more mileage (868 carries) before signing that extension. Pollard’s rookie-contract usage rate and skillset point to a promising late-20s stretch. Although Elliott’s deal helped spread out his cap hits, the Cowboys are eyeing a shorter-term Pollard pact.

As a former fourth-round pick, Pollard was smart to sign his tender and secure the guaranteed salary. Coming off a season in which he totaled 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns, the Memphis alum’s arrow is pointing up. The Cowboys can look at the deal the Packers gave dual-threat back Aaron Jones in 2021 (four years, $48MM) as an example of a good contract for a multipurpose back. The organization’s history with re-tagging players should also point to Pollard aiming for $22MM-plus in guarantees, but with no back earning between $7MM and $12MM on average, both Pollard and the team have interesting decisions to make in the coming days. Unlike Schultz’s 2022 tag period, however, updates have been scarce regarding Pollard talks.

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