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West Notes: 49ers, Hudson, Raiders, Broncos

January 27th, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers may go into the NFC championship game without Elijah Mitchell. The team’s Week 1 starter, who has become a key off-the-bench contributor behind Christian McCaffrey since the team acquired the high-priced back from the Panthers, is battling a groin injury and did not practice this week. Mitchell is listed as questionable to face the Eagles, but this is the latest in a long run of injuries for a second-year player. Mitchell went on IR twice because of separate MCL sprains this season and battled shoulder, knee and finger injuries as a rookie. Jordan Mason worked as McCaffrey’s primary backup during Mitchell’s second stint on IR, while the team also has rookie Tyrion Davis-Price and Tevin Coleman (practice squad) available. Coleman has logged 12 carries for 26 yards this season; Davis-Price has 34 for 99 as a rookie.

Here is the latest from the West divisions:

  • Rodney Hudson made it through just four games in his second Cardinals season, spending much of it on IR. The 33-year-old center signed an extension — three years, $30MM — with the Cards upon being acquired via trade in 2021, but a recent restructure points him out of town. Hudson agreed to drop his 2023 base salary from $8.25MM to $2.05MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This lends to the notion a new Cardinals regime will release Hudson, with OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald noting the $2.05MM figure doubles as the max amount a player can receive in 2023 via the CBA’s injury protection benefit (Twitter link). Hudson, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders, considered retirement this past offseason and may be headed out the door in 2023. The Cards would be hit with $5MM-plus in dead money by cutting Hudson without a post-June 1 designation.
  • Shifting to the AFC West, the Raiders will spend the next several weeks being connected to quarterbacks. They are expected to trade or release Derek Carr before his $40.4MM guarantee vests Feb. 15, and Josh McDaniels reuniting with Tom Brady or Jimmy Garoppolo is already coming up. Raiders GM Dave Ziegler was also impressed with Florida QB Anthony Richardson when he scouted him against Tennessee this past season, Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock has Richardson going off the board at No. 9 — as the fourth QB selected — but the ex-Gator talent is fairly raw and will have more development to complete once in the pros. If the Raiders were to sign Brady, drafting a QB at No. 7 would obviously cut into their offseason resources to build around him. But Brady also would not solve the Silver and Black’s long-term need at the position.
  • Davante Adams was set to appear in court this week, in connection to the shoving incident at Arrowhead Stadium, but Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes the appearance will be delayed until June 26. Adams faces a suspension for the postgame shove of a photographer, a 20-year-old Missouri-Kansas City student, in October.
  • DeShawn Williams started a career-high 15 games for the Broncos this season, playing a career-most 597 defensive snaps. The 30-year-old defensive tackle, who is on track for free agency in March, said he wants to re-sign with the Broncos, via Denver7’s Troy Renck (Twitter link). Denver will prioritize a new deal with D-lineman Dre’Mont Jones, who sounded like he wanted to test the market, and has D.J. Jones signed through 2024. Williams, though, would not be especially expensive. Contributing regularly to a top-10 defense, Williams totaled 4.5 sacks this season.

Commanders Pursued Derek Carr In 2022; Team Open To Veteran Addition

January 18th, 2023 at 9:40am CST by Sam Robinson

Participating in the veteran quarterback market several times since Kirk Cousins‘ franchise tags led to a departure, Washington has since been linked to cooling off those pursuits. An unexpected Sam Howell promotion, after a one-start season, is being considered.

But the team will not rule out the possibility it again acquires a veteran. After discussing a few vets last year, the team will at least have Howell in the mix for its 2023 starting job. Third-year GM Martin Mayhew, however, said the team will look into an experienced option again.

“You pretty much every season have to look at the entire landscape of what’s available,” Mayhew said, via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano. “I thought we did a pretty good job of that last year. We will do the same things this year. We’re not going to rule out acquiring a vet. We’ll go through the entire landscape of who’s available. We’ll evaluate them, and we’ll get to a consensus.”

Last year’s search included pursuits of Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson, with a three-first-rounder offer being sent to the Seahawks for the latter. Wilson’s no-trade clause intervened, as it did for other non-Broncos teams as well. But the Commanders’ 2022 search also included calls to the Raiders on their then-starter. The Raiders fielded multiple inquiries from the Commanders about Derek Carr last year, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

The Raiders’ Dave Ziegler–Josh McDaniels regime rebuffed the Commanders’ Carr interest, preferring to see if the longtime starter proved a fit in McDaniels’ offense. After Carr did not impress with McDaniels, the Raiders are ready to see what they can get for the 31-year-old passer. They will try to trade Carr and his $40.4MM guarantee, which vests Feb. 15, to stockpile assets for the future. The recent Howell buzz aside, it seems logical the Commanders will revisit Carr as an option.

Washington stands to save $26.2MM by releasing Carson Wentz, who remains on his Eagles extension from 2019. The team would take on a larger contract with Carr, and the former Pro Bowler has a no-trade clause included in his half-measure extension agreed to in 2022. That complicates any team’s pursuit of Carr, who confirmed he wants another chance to start. It will be interesting to see how many teams are truly in the mix for the solid-but-unspectacular passer, who could follow the likes of Alex Smith and Matthew Stafford in being part of a mid-winter trade.

Washington participated in the first of those trades, obtaining Smith from the Chiefs for Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick. The team then extended Smith, but his gruesome leg injury opened the floodgates at this position in Washington. Should Howell or any non-Wentz arm start for the team to open the 2023 season, it will mark the team’s seventh season-opening QB in seven years. Taylor Heinicke is not among this contingent, having replaced Ryan Fitzpatrick minutes into the latter’s Washington debut/one-off last season, and he will be an unrestricted free agent come March.

Mayhew called Howell’s Week 18 outing against the Cowboys promising but cautioned that was “a very small sample” to judge and “there’s going to be a lot of evaluation process for him.” Will that performance stop the team from chasing a higher-profile option?

Raiders To Gauge Derek Carr Trade Market; QB Bids Farewell

January 12th, 2023 at 9:12am CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders are set to meet with Derek Carr soon, and they will do so with the intent of exploring a trade. Not long after Carr’s benching, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports the Raiders have begun the process of evaluating the trade market (Twitter link).

This has been the expected path since the Raiders demoted Carr ahead of Week 17, leading to the nine-year starting quarterback stepping away from the team. The Raiders have just more than a month until Carr’s $40.4MM guarantee vests. As of now, that figure becomes guaranteed three days after Super Bowl LVII (Feb. 15).

Shortly after Rapoport indicated a trade route will be explored, Carr posted a goodbye announcement (via Twitter). In it, he addressed previous comments of pursuing retirement if the Raiders did not want him. As expected, retirement is not in Carr’s plans.

“I once said that if I’m not a Raider I would rather be at home, and I meant that. But I never envisioned it ending this way,” Carr said in a lengthy statement thanking Raiders fans. “That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages. I look forward to a new city and a new team, who, no matter the circumstance, will get everything I have.”

[RELATED: Davante Adams Plans To Stick With Raiders]

A number of teams figure to be in on Carr, even with that lofty guarantee figure looming. The Jets, Saints, Commanders and Panthers come to mind, with a PFR poll last month pegging Gang Green as the clubhouse leaders. Other teams like the Colts, Titans and perhaps the Buccaneers — in the event Tom Brady either retires for a second time or leaves as a free agent — could be on the Carr radar as well.

Carr holds a no-trade clause, giving the 31-year-old passer some control during this process. The Raiders included the clause in their 2022 extension, which featured the guarantee vesting date allowing the franchise to move on if Carr did not prove a fit with the new Josh McDaniels– and Dave Ziegler-run operation. Mark Davis gave the new Raiders regime carte blanche when it came to handling Carr, but the HC-GM combo was believed to be close to keeping Carr as the starter through the end of the season. The owner, who is believed to be lukewarm on Carr, stepped in and may well have pushed the situation to this point.

As could be expected given their McDaniels hire, the Raiders are already being connected to Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo. This marks the second time the Raiders have been linked to Brady in free agency. They pursued the all-time great in 2020, but Jon Gruden deemed the longtime Patriots cornerstone too old even at that point. Wooing a quarterback in advance of an age-46 season will obviously be unprecedented, though Garoppolo is Carr’s age and could serve as a longer-term bridge.

If the Raiders are unable to trade Carr, it is believed they will release him rather than pay that $40.4MM. Despite the team giving Carr a three-year, $121.4MM extension just last year, a release — thanks to the uniquely structured deal — would result in just a $5.6MM dead-money charge. Carr’s deal calls for a guaranteed $32.9MM base salary and 2024 and ’25 bases of $41.9MM and $41.2MM, respectively. Just $7.5MM of the 2024 base salary is guaranteed; the 2025 year is nonguaranteed.

The quarterback trade market has heated up in recent years, producing blockbuster deals that sent franchise cornerstones like Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan out of town. Deshaun Watson fetched even more in compensation. It appears Carr will be another high-profile passer on the move.

Raiders Looking Into Tom Brady Addition

January 10th, 2023 at 10:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Tom Brady still has at least one more game to play for the Buccaneers, but that hasn’t stopped pundits (and, potentially, other NFL teams) from considering where he could play next season. During an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show (Twitter link), Albert Breer of TheMMQB said the Raiders are “unequivocally” looking into the possibility of adding the future Hall of Famer.

The Brady/Raiders comment was preceded by a question about Jimmy Garoppolo, with Breer noting that the Raiders are also doing their due diligince on the 49ers QB. In fact, Breer believes Derek Carr was thrown into a de facto competition with the two impending free agents, with Josh McDaniels, Dave Ziegler, and co. ultimately deciding they could squeeze more out of the quarterback position from someone else.

As Breer explains, when the current regime initially signed Carr to an extension, they thought they were locking in their equivalent of Alex Smith in Kansas City. In other words, the Raiders thought their veteran QB would be able to guide them to postseason performances while the front office identified their play-caller of the future. At 31, Jimmy G could allow the Raiders to continue with that plan, while Brady would obviously force the organization to go in a completely different direction as they load up for temporary contention.

With McDaniels and Ziegler having both worked alongside Brady and Garoppolo in New England, the connections are obvious, and it really wouldn’t be surprising if one of these QBs reunites with their former coach in Las Vegas. At the moment, the big question is which of these two quarterbacks is atop the Raiders’ wish list.

Elsewhere in Raiders QB news, the organization is set to meet with Carr soon. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal explains, the QB and the Raiders agreed to meet after the season to “discuss the situation and all the various options.”

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/23

January 9th, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

18 teams had their seasons come to an end yesterday, and their front offices have already turned the page to the 2023 NFL seaon. This started today, as a number of players were signed to reserve/futures contracts, which allows organizations to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players throughout the offseason. Here are today’s reserve/futures contracts:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

  • WR Ty Fryfogle

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

Josh Jacobs Wants To Re-Sign With Raiders

January 9th, 2023 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Jacobs went from seeing the Raiders decline his fifth-year option to winning the rushing title. No Raider had previously secured that crown since Marcus Allen in 1985. Following the accomplishment, Jacobs said he would like to stay in Las Vegas.

The former first-round pick, naturally, indicated he will not come cheap. That should be expected after a 1,653-yard rushing season, but the Alabama alum would prefer his second contract come from the Raiders.

“For me, it’s got to make sense,” Jacobs said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) on the financial component of a new deal. “But this is obviously where I want to be. Coming in, I remember sitting down with Maxx [Crosby] and all these guys and talking about the Raiders organization and the culture and wanting to be part of the change. I still feel that way so, hopefully, I’ll be back.”

Also amassing a career-high 400 receiving yards, Jacobs paced the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,053) as well. The former No. 24 overall pick also stayed healthy throughout his contract year, setting him up for a payday. Jacobs is still just 24. Although Jacobs handled an NFL-high 393 touches this season, he can factor in his age and a light college workload (251 handoffs) as selling points for prospective longevity. But free agency should not be expected to be in the cards.

The running back franchise tag is expected to come in just north of $10MM — likely a palatable price for teams with top-shelf backs on the cusp of hitting the market. Jacobs and Saquon Barkley represent prime tag candidates, giving their respective teams time to work out extensions ahead of the July 15 deadline. But the Raiders, despite passing on Jacobs’ fifth-year option, want to keep their running back find on a second contract.

“Obviously J.J.’s performance was a huge bright spot for us,” Josh McDaniels said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him as a person and as a player and he kind of embodies all the things that we want a Raider to be. Dave [Ziegler] and I have talked about that; J.J. and I have had private conversations about those kinds of things. I think all that will play out in due time. But love him and would love to have him continue to be a Raider.”

Jacobs finished with six 100-yard rushing games — including a 229-yard outing in Seattle in which he totaled 303 scrimmage yards to rank in the top 10 all time for a single game — in his fourth NFL season. Although Derek Carr looks to be on the move, the Raiders would prefer to pair Jacobs and Davante Adams with their next quarterback. It will be interesting to see if Jacobs pushes for a top-market deal — the $15MM range — or settles for the roughly $12MM-AAV pact five other backs have since 2020. With the cap expected to rise from $208MM toward the $225MM mark, it should be expected Jacobs pushes for the market’s top stratum.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

January 8th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some fireworks came in regarding the draft order on the NFL’s final regular-season day. The Bears upended the Texans for the No. 1 pick, reeling in a team that held that top slot for much of the season. The Bears last made a pick at No. 1 overall in 1947. Their former head coach — Lovie Smith, whom the Texans just fired — oversaw this final-day flip-flop. Clarity on the rest of the non-playoff-bound teams’ draft slots emerged as well.

The Jaguars’ rally to win the AFC South moves them into a postseason spot, and the Titans’ seven-game losing streak to end the season drops them to their highest selection since 2017. Tennessee’s next general manager will have the opportunity to make a pick at No. 11 or deal from that draft position, while Jacksonville will hold its lowest selection since 2018. The Texans will hold two top-12 picks in April, thanks to the Browns’ Week 18 loss to the Steelers, while the Lions will have two in the top 20 as well.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:

  1. Chicago Bears: 3-14
  2. Houston Texans: 3-13-1
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  4. Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
  5. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-10
  14. New England Patriots: 8-9
  15. Green Bay Packers: 8-9
  16. Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 9-8
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  21. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  22. New York Giants: 9-7-1
  23. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
  24. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
  25. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  26. Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
  27. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
  28. Denver Broncos (via 49ers)
  29. Buffalo Bills: 13-3
  30. Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3

This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/23

January 6th, 2023 at 6:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves heading into the Saturday slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

  • Reverted back to IR: P Jake Bailey
  • Moved from IR to reserve/suspended by club: P Jake Bailey, CB Jack Jones

Philadelphia Eagles

 

After working out for the Chiefs yesterday and signing to their practice squad today, Wright will be promoted immediately as a gameday elevation for tomorrow’s regular season finale against the Raiders. Regular kicker Harrison Butker has been ruled out for the fifth game this year and the first time since Week 5 of the season, opening up a playing opportunity for Wright this week.

Bailey has been on injured reserve since Week 9 and was designated to return from IR around December 21, while Jones was placed on IR only a week ago on New Year’s Eve. Bailey’s return window has since closed reverting him to season-ending IR, but in one of the less common transactions seen this season, he and Jones were both moved from an IR designation to the reserve/suspended by club designation. The exact reason why each player has been suspended by the team is unclear, but it is apparently the result of two separate incidents.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

January 5th, 2023 at 10:47am CST by Sam Robinson

As the NFL determines how it will proceed with the postponed Bills-Bengals game, Week 18 is on as scheduled. The No. 1 overall pick remains in doubt, and seven teams enter the final week either 6-10 or 7-9. Several games will impact how the top 10 shakes out.

Having lost nine straight, the Bears (3-13) are a half-game behind the Texans (2-13-1) for the No. 1 overall pick. Houston last held that draft slot in 2014, while Chicago has not picked first since 1947. The Texans are also playing a Colts team they tied in Week 1; Indianapolis enters Week 18 on a six-game skid. Conversely, the Bears face a Vikings squad that still has a path to the NFC’s No. 2 seed.

Week 17 also brought clarity on the NFC South. Although the Buccaneers have disappointed, their comeback win over the Panthers secured the franchise’s third straight playoff berth. That will mean Tampa Bay’s pick will check in no higher than 18th overall, while the Carolina and New Orleans slots could land in the top 10. The loser of Saturday’s Jaguars-Titans game would also see their draft slot rise several positions. Four of the five traded picks remain in the top 12, with the Seahawks’ spot (via the Broncos) still slotting highest — behind only the Texans and Bears’ positions.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 18:

  1. Houston Texans: 2-13-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-13
  3. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-12
  5. Indianapolis Colts: 4-11-1
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Atlanta Falcons: 6-10
  8. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 6-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-9
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-9
  14. Washington Commanders: 7-8-1
  15. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-8
  16. Green Bay Packers: 8-8
  17. Detroit Lions: 8-8
  18. Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8
  21. New England Patriots: 8-8
  22. New York Giants: 9-6-1
  23. Baltimore Ravens: 10-6
  24. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-6
  25. Cincinnati Bengals: 11-4
  26. Minnesota Vikings: 12-4
  27. Dallas Cowboys: 12-4
  28. Denver Broncos (via 49ers)
  29. Buffalo Bills: 12-3
  30. Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-3
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