HEADLINES

PFR Originals News & Rumors

2017 NFL Trades

March 10th, 2017 at 10:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the NFL isn’t typically considered a trade-happy league, that reputation has been earned due to a lack of major trade-deadline activity, and doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. In the NFL offseason, big-name players and early-round draft picks change hands with greater frequency, as trades serve as a key tool for teams looking to upgrade their rosters or accelerate a rebuild.

We’ve already seen a few trades consummated since the 2017 league year began on March 9th, and with the draft not too far off, several more deals figure to be completed this spring. We’ll track those moves – and the rest of the year’s trades, right up until the fall deadline – in this space.

Here’s a breakdown of 2017’s trades to date, in reverse chronological order:

Post-Draft

October 31

  • Bills acquired WR Kelvin Benjamin.
  • Panthers acquired a 2018 third-round pick and a 2018 seventh-round pick.

October 31

October 31

  • Eagles acquired RB Jay Ajayi.
  • Dolphins acquired a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick.

October 30

  • 49ers acquired QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 second-round pick.

October 30

  • Seahawks acquired T Duane Brown and a 2018 fifth-round pick.
  • Texans acquired a 2018 third-round pick and a 2019 second-round pick.

October 27

  • Jaguars acquired DT Marcell Dareus.
  • Bills acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

October 25

  • Bears acquired WR Dontrelle Inman.
  • Chargers acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

October 10

  • Cardinals acquired RB Adrian Peterson.
  • Saints acquired a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick.

September 20

  • Dolphins acquired LB Stephone Anthony.
  • Saints acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

September 3

  • Steelers acquired S J.J. Wilcox and a 2019 seventh-round pick.
  • Buccaneers acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick.

September 3

  • Cowboys acquired LB Jayrone Elliott.
  • Packers acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 2

  • Patriots acquired DE Cassius Marsh.
  • Seahawks acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick and a 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 2

  • Seahawks acquired T Isaiah Battle.
  • Chiefs acquired a conditional draft pick.

September 2

September 2

  • Giants acquired CB Ross Cockrell.
  • Steelers acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 2

  • Ravens acquired OL Luke Bowanko.
  • Jaguars acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick.

September 2

September 2

  • Rams acquired TE Derek Carrier.
  • Redskins acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 2

  • Cowboys acquired CB Bene Benwikere.
  • Bengals acquired a conditional 2019 sixth-round pick.

September 2

  • Browns acquired WR Sammie Coates and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
  • Steelers acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick.

September 2

September 1

  • Titans acquired DE David King.
  • Chiefs acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Vikings acquired CB Tramaine Brock.
  • Seahawks acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 1

September 1

  • Seahawks acquired CB Justin Coleman.
  • Patriots acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Ravens acquired OL Tony Bergstrom.
  • Cardinals acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

September 1

  • Falcons acquired T Ty Sambrailo.
  • Broncos acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

August 31

  • 49ers acquired G Laken Tomlinson.
  • Lions acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.

August 30

  • Chiefs acquired OL Cameron Erving.
  • Browns acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

August 29

  • Steelers acquired TE Vance McDonald and a 2018 fifth-round pick.
  • 49ers acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick.

August 29

  • Patriots acquired LB Marquis Flowers.
  • Bengals acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick.

August 28

  • Saints acquired LS Jon Dorenbos.
  • Eagles acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick (pick returned to New Orleans due to Dorenbos’ heart condition).

August 28

  • Chiefs acquired LB Reggie Ragland.
  • Bills acquired a 2019 fourth-round pick.

August 28

August 27

August 23

August 21

  • Seahawks acquired T Matt Tobin and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
  • Eagles acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

August 11

August 11

  • Rams acquired WR Sammy Watkins and a 2018 sixth-round pick.
  • Bills acquired CB E.J. Gaines and a 2018 second-round pick.

July 28

July 27

  • Chargers acquired QB Cardale Jones.
  • Bills acquired a conditional seventh-round pick in 2018 or 2019.

July 27

  • Broncos acquired G Allen Barbre.
  • Eagles acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick.

June 15

  • Lions acquired T Greg Robinson.
  • Rams acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick.

June 1

During Draft

April 29

  • Buccaneers acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 223; DT Steve Tu’ikolovatu).
  • Dolphins acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 237; WR Isaiah Ford) and a 2018 seventh-round pick.

April 29

  • Patriots acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 211; T Conor McDermott).
  • Cowboys acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 216; CB Marquez White) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 239; WR Noah Brown).

April 29

  • Cardinals acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 208; S Johnathan Ford).
  • Raiders acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 221; DB Shalom Luani) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 231; T Jylan Ware).

April 29

  • Bengals acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207; S Brandon Wilson).
  • Titans acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 217; OL Corey Levin) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 227; LB Josh Carraway).

April 29

  • Giants acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200; T Adam Bisnowaty).
  • Titans acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 241; RB Khalfani Muhammad).

April 29

April 29

  • Cowboys acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 191; S Xavier Woods).
  • Jets acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

April 29

April 29

April 29

April 29

  • Chiefs acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 139; WR Jehu Chesson).
  • Vikings acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 170; WR Rodney Adams) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 180; OL Danny Isidora).

April 29

  • Eagles acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 132; RB Donnel Pumphrey).
  • Vikings acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 139) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 230).

April 29

  • Browns acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 126; CB Howard Wilson) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 252; RB Matthew Dayes).
  • Broncos acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 145; TE Jake Butt) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 175).

April 29

  • Rams acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 125; LB Samson Ebukam).
  • Jets acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 141; WR Chad Hansen) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197; CB Jeremy Clark).

April 29

  • 49ers acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 121; RB Joe Williams).
  • Colts acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 143; RB Marlon Mack) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 161; LB Anthony Walker).

April 29

  • 49ers acquired RB Kapri Bibbs and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 177; WR Trent Taylor).
  • Broncos acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick.

April 29

  • Bears acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 112; S Eddie Jackson).
  • Rams acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 117; WR Josh Reynolds) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197).

April 29

April 28

  • Buccaneers acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 107; LB Kendell Beckwith).
  • Jets acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 125) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 204; CB Derrick Jones).

April 28

  • 49ers acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 104; QB C.J. Beathard).
  • Vikings acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 109; DT Jaleel Johnson) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 219; WR Stacy Coley).

April 28

  • Chiefs acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 86; RB Kareem Hunt).
  • Vikings acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 104), a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 132) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 245; CB Jack Tocho).

April 28

April 28

  • Panthers acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 77; DE Daeshon Hall).
  • Cardinals acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 98; WR Chad Williams) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 115; OL Dorian Johnson).

April 28

  • Titans acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 72; WR Taywan Taylor) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200).
  • Patriots acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 83; DE Derek Rivers) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 124).

April 28

  • Vikings acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 70; OL Pat Elflein).
  • Jets acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 79; WR ArDarius Stewart) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 160).

April 28

  • Saints acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 67; RB Alvin Kamara).
  • 49ers acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 229; CB Adrian Colbert) and a 2018 second-round pick.

April 28

  • Bills acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 63; OL Dion Dawkins).
  • Falcons acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 75; LB Duke Riley), 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 149; CB Damontae Kazee), and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 156; RB Brian Hill).

April 28

  • Vikings acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 41; RB Dalvin Cook).
  • Bengals acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 48; RB Joe Mixon) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 128; WR Josh Malone).

April 28

  • Bills acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 37; WR Zay Jones) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 149).
  • Rams acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 44; TE Gerald Everett) and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 91; S John Johnson).

April 28

  • Cardinals acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 36; S Budda Baker) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 221).
  • Bears acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 45; TE Adam Shaheen), a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 119; RB Tarik Cohen), a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197), and a 2018 fourth-round pick.

April 28

  • Jaguars acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 34; T Cam Robinson).
  • Seahawks acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 35; DT Malik McDowell) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 187; S Mike Tyson).

April 27

  • 49ers acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 31; LB Reuben Foster).
  • Seahawks acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 34) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 111; S Tedric Thompson).

April 27

  • Browns acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 29; TE David Njoku).
  • Packers acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 33; CB Kevin King) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 108; LB Vince Biegel).

April 27

  • Falcons acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 25; DE Takkarist McKinley).
  • Seahawks acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 31), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 95; S Delano Hill), and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 249; RB Chris Carson).

April 27

  • Texans acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 12; QB Deshaun Watson).
  • Browns acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 25; S Jabrill Peppers) and a 2018 first-round pick.

April 27

  • Chiefs acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 10; QB Patrick Mahomes).
  • Bills acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 27; CB Tre’Davious White), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 91), and a 2018 first-round pick.

April 27

  • Bears acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 2; QB Mitch Trubisky).
  • 49ers acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 3; DL Solomon Thomas), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 67), a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 111), and a 2018 third-round pick.

Pre-Draft

April 26

  • Raiders acquired RB Marshawn Lynch and a 2018 sixth-round pick.
  • Seahawks acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.

April 11

  • Bengals acquired DE Chris Smith.
  • Jaguars acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.

April 4

  • Eagles acquired DT Timmy Jernigan and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 99).
  • Ravens acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 74).

March 15

  • 49ers acquired C Jeremy Zuttah and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 198).
  • Ravens acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 186).

March 10

  • Patriots acquired WR Brandin Cooks and 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 118).
  • Saints acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 32) and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 103).

March 10

  • Patriots acquired DE Kony Ealy and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 72).
  • Panthers acquired 2017 second-round pick (No. 64).

March 10

  • Dolphins acquired DE William Hayes and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 223).
  • Rams acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 206).

March 9

  • Browns acquired QB Brock Osweiler, a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 188), and a 2018 second-round pick.
  • Texans acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 142).

March 9

  • Patriots acquired TE Dwayne Allen and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200).
  • Colts acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 137).

March 9

  • Dolphins acquired TE Julius Thomas.
  • Jaguars acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 240).

March 9

  • Jaguars acquired T Branden Albert.
  • Dolphins acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (returned due to Albert’s release).

Updates On Top Remaining Free Agents

March 10th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Some big names came off the board on Wednesday and Thursday, but tons of notable free agents remain. Here’s a look at some of the notables who are still out there and where they stand:

  • Adrian Peterson, RB (Vikings): Poor, poor AD. As we summed up on Friday morning, there are no clear suitors for No. 28 at this time. Despite previous reports to the contrary, the Texans, Patriots, Raiders, Giants, and Seahawks are showing little to no interest in signing the veteran running back. The incumbent Vikings haven’t put an offer on the table since declining his bloated $18MM option. Peterson is one of the best running backs in NFL history, but teams are skeptical of what he can do as he looks to rebound from another serious right knee injury on the verge of his 32nd birthday. We know that there will be teams with interest in Peterson – perhaps even some of those aforementioned clubs – but Peterson is far from their Plan A and it doesn’t sound like any team wants to pay him like a top running back. Ultimately, Peterson seems likely to settle for a low-base, one-year deal with a good amount of performance incentives. His best payday, I think, would come from the Vikings. Peterson is a fan favorite and the organization would probably like to have him finish his career in purple. With all that said, Adrian’s dad publicly trashing the team probably isn’t helping matters. Adrian Peterson (vertical)
  • Eddie Lacy, RB (Packers): The Vikings, Seahawks, and incumbent Packers seem to be the frontrunners for Lacy at this time. The Seahawks will meet with Lacy, but they also have meetings scheduled with Latavius Murray and Jamaal Charles. The Vikings, of course, are looking into Peterson replacements. Even though Lacy has had problems with consistency and conditioning over the years, he’s my top-ranked running back in this year’s FA crop.
  • Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): Hightower, surely, has interest from a number of clubs. But, for whatever reason, leaks have been kept to a minimum. For all the speculation about the Dolphins and other clubs swarming the non-rush linebacker, we’ve only heard talk of “positive” dialogue between Hightower and the Pats. The Patriots are more unpredictable than ever, but I think the most likely outcome is that he re-signs. Bill Belichick was cocky enough to trade Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones in the same year – and it obviously worked out – but I don’t think he’s crazy enough to also let Hightower leave.
  • Dontari Poe, DT (Chiefs): The defensive tackle market is starting to take shape. Brandon Williams has re-upped with the Ravens on a lucrative five-year, $54MM deal that includes $27MM in guarantees. Chris Baker, considered a run below Williams and Poe, has a three-year, $15.75MM with $9MM guaranteed. We had Williams and Poe fairly close to each other on the Top 50 list and the early thinking was that they could fetch similar contracts. However, the latest word is that he may have to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal. The Falcons, 49ers, and Redskins have been linked to Poe this week, but the Redskins might not be in the market for him anymore after adding Stacy McGee.
  • Johnathan Hankins, DT (Giants): Hankins’ camp has been keeping things on the QT. There have been estimates that he could fetch around $7MM to $8MM per year (or more) on a multi-year deal. The Giants would love to keep the soon-to-be 25-year-old and we’re sure that other teams want him too, but there have been zero leaks from his negotiations. Hankins may not be as good as Williams right now, but the age factor could allow him to approach or top his contract. Teams also might feel better about committing years and dollars to Hankins over Poe. Of course, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison since Hankins is a 4-3 DT and Williams and Poe are 3-4 nose tackles. They are different players and they have different groups of suitors due to their scheme fits.
  • T.J. Lang, G (Packers): Lang is a talented guard, but teams are concerned about his surgically-repaired hip. Right now, the Packers, Lions, and Seahawks are known to be in the mix for him, but he might not sign right away as teams go over his medical info. Teams might want to see him work out in full before committing to him. He’s ranked No. 14 overall on my Top 50 list and was second only to Kevin Zeitler on our list of free agent interior linemen.
  • Martellus Bennett, TE (Patriots): There’s heavy mutual interest between the Raiders and Bennett and the Giants and Bills have also been linked to him. However, after the Giants spent a good chunk of coin to add Rhett Ellison, it’s not clear if Bennett is still a consideration. Bennett is far and away the best available tight end out there and he should fetch a nice payday for himself. It’s just not clear where that might be. A Patriots return can be ruled out after the Dwayne Allen trade. The Lions are also looking into tight ends, but we haven’t specifically heard about them reaching out to Bennett.
  • Jared Cook, TE (Packers): The second-best tight end on the board is drawing interest from the Lions and Bills. Contract talks with the Packers have reportedly broken off, so he could very well wind up leaving.
  • Jabaal Sheard, DE (Patriots): The Dolphins were linked to Sheard, but I’m guessing they’re no longer interested after acquiring William Hayes in a brilliant trade with the Rams on Thursday. He’s on his way to meet with the Colts and we haven’t heard a peep about any possible Pats reunion. Towards the end of the season, the feeling was that Sheard would not be back in New England.

PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents

March 7th, 2017 at 10:55pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s free agency week! This year, thanks to the salary cap increase, the dollars will be flying and players will make more than you ever could have expected. Our lists for offense and defense rank free agents based on overall ability, but our Top 50 ranks players based on earning power. Here, you’ll get a good sense of what the market will be like this week and who the big fish are.

The league’s “legal tampering” window will open on Tuesday at 11:00am CT. Technically, teams and players aren’t permitted to finalize agreements on contracts during that legal tampering window, but that’s often treated as a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule. We will almost certainly see handshake agreements go down on Tuesday and Wednesday before they become official on Thursday, the technical beginning of free agency.

Our list of 2017’s top 50 free agents doesn’t include restricted free agents, or franchise tagged players, since they’re effectively restricted free agents as well.

With those caveats out of the way, let’s dive right in! Here are Pro Football Rumors’ top 50 NFL free agents for 2017, along with a few predictions on how much they might earn and what teams could be in the mix to sign them:

1. A.J. Bouye, CB (Texans): Bouye is an overnight sensation, going from unknown to elite talent in the blink of an eye. No one knows exactly what to make of Bouye, but his upside is too much for teams to pass up. The Texans declined to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old (26 in August), but they’re still hoping to get a deal done this week. The Jets are said to have interest, but it’s not clear if they’ll have the room to get something done. Cornerback-needy teams like the Panthers, Saints, Jaguars, Titans, Bears, and Eagles can be expected to at least kick the tires on this year’s top player in the secondary. Could something like Janoris Jenkins‘ five year, $62.5MM contract ($28.8MM fully guaranteed) from last year be within reach? Jenkins had a longer history of success than Bouye, but consider these facts: Bouye nearly two years younger than Jenkins was at time of signing and the salary cap has risen by about $12MM.
Signed with Jaguars for five years, $67.5MM.A.J. Bouye (vertical)

2. Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): He was hurt for most of 2015 and he slumped along with the entire Bears offense in 2016, but his natural ability is still evident and he is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. At one point, it seemed like Jeffery could wind up as the league’s highest-paid wide receiver. That won’t be the case, but he will likely get more cash than any other wide receiver in this year’s class. The Eagles and Titans have been hot on his tail for some time now. The 49ers could also get involved and a return to the Bears cannot be ruled out either. Ultimately, Jeffery should wind up fetching at least $10MM per year and perhaps as much as $12MM per year on his next deal.
Signed with Eagles for one year, $9.5MM.

3. Kenny Stills, WR (Dolphins): Jeffery isn’t the only wide receiver who could fetch $12MM per year. Stills isn’t necessarily the best wide receiver on his own team, but he is just on the cusp of his 25th birthday and his ability to stretch the field is tantalizing. It doesn’t sound like the Dolphins are ready to be the highest bidder for his services and it’s not hard to imagine a team like the Eagles landing him. Naturally, there’s quite a bit of overlap between the potential suitors for Jeffery and Stills: the Eagles, Titans, Bears, and 49ers will probably come calling. The Rams may not have enough room to squeeze in Stills, but they could certainly use a playmaker like him if they do not re-sign Kenny Britt. Stills reportedly likes the West Coast (who doesn’t?) so the Niners and Rams could have a leg up on the others if the bidding is close.
Re-signed with Dolphins for four years, $32MM.

4. Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): The market is capped for non-rush linebackers, but Hightower is pretty much the best at what he does and is also lauded for his intangibles. The Patriots have always embraced the “next man up” philosophy, so it is possible they will allow him to go elsewhere. The Dolphins have been frequently connected to Hightower, but that might be too ambitious for a team that has multiple major needs to address. The Colts might also make sense, but the price might be too rich for their blood. A Patriots return appears to be the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
Re-signed with Patriots for four years, $35.5MM. 

5. Kevin Zeitler, G (Bengals): Zeitler has age on his side and he’s one of the safest free agents in the top ten after three consecutive years of dominance. Interior offensive linemen don’t get as much love as their counterparts on the outside, but they are still incredibly vital and Zeitler’s next contract will reflect that. If he doesn’t circle back to the Bengals, the Jaguars, Cardinals, Packers, and Seahawks all make varying degrees of sense for Zeitler. From a football standpoint, you can add the Jets to that group too, but I’m not sure they can meet a ~$12MM/year asking price.
Signed with Browns for five years, $60MM.

6. Logan Ryan, CB (Patriots): There are bigger names available at the cornerback position, but Ryan slots ahead of many of them after a career year. It also doesn’t hurt that this fresh-faced Super Bowl champ only just turned 26 in February. If the Patriots don’t tie him down, Ryan’s earning power could conceivably vault him past Trumaine Johnson in terms of guaranteed cash. The Jaguars and Titans would be wise to zero in on Ryan if they can’t land Bouye and it’s possible that some of their evaluators might even prefer Ryan over the Houston standout. Ryan’s next deal will probably pay him eight figures per year and it should be a lengthy pact.
Signed with Titans for three years, $30MM.

7. Terrelle Pryor, WR (Browns): There is strong mutual interest in a new deal between Pryor and the Browns. Still, the Browns passed on the opportunity to franchise tag the Ohio State product and he now appears poised to test the open market. With pretty much just one year to show, how will Pryor fare in free agency? His next deal should pay him at least $10MM/year and he could get up to $12MM/year. In addition to the Browns, the usual suspects for this year’s high-end WRs will explore signing Pryor (say it with me): Eagles, Titans, and 49ers. There’s conflicting word about whether the Steelers will get involved. The Giants are known to have interest, but I don’t think they’ll be splurging on free agents like they did one year ago.
Signed with Redskins for one year, $6MM.

8 .Ricky Wagner, OT (Ravens): There’s already talk of Wagner fetching around $10MM/year and it’s not like this year’s free agent market is flush with young, quality tackles. When you also consider the lack of quality tackles in the draft, it’s apparent that Wagner is about to get PAID, in all caps.Believe it or not, $10MM/year might be his floor. When all is said and done, he’ll be the league’s biggest earner at right tackle. The Bears are particularly interested in Wagner, so he could go from the AFC North to the NFC North this week.
Signed with Lions for five years, $47.5MM.

Calais Campbell (vertical)9. Calais Campbell, DL (Cardinals): Campbell was supposed to be an afterthought in Arizona after the addition of Chandler Jones. Perhaps motivated by a perceived slight, Campbell turned in a stellar year. Now, the Cardinals would very much like to keep him, but they can only go so far as they back up the Brinks truck for Jones and look into retaining other key free agents. If Jones does not agree to a cap-smoothing long-term deal between now and March 9th, the odds of Campbell leaving increase. The Jaguars are said to be a leading contender for Campbell while the Titans, Broncos, Colts, and Bears could also use a force like him. His age (31 in September) gives him a bit of a ceiling in terms of overall compensation, but he should still do nicely this month.
Signed with Jaguars for four years, $60MM.

10. Stephon Gilmore, CB (Bills): In terms of pure talent, Gilmore might be the best cornerback available. Trouble is, no one knows what to make of him after a down 2016. Some have openly theorized that Gilmore was playing it safe to avoid injury in his pivotal contract year. It’s also possible that Buffalo’s injuries in the front seven put undue stress on the secondary. The Bears are reportedly high on Gilmore and he may represent a cheaper option than Bouye or Ryan. A Bills return would also make sense here.
Signed with Patriots for five years, $65MM.

Read more

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Defense

March 6th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL free agency gets underway on Thursday and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. Here is our updated outlook for each defensive and special teams position.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as franchised players aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for this offseason:

Edge defender:

  1. Nick Perry
  2. Jabaal Sheard
  3. John Simon
  4. DeMarcus Ware
  5. Lorenzo Alexander
  6. Andre Branch
  7. Julius Peppers
  8. Charles Johnson
  9. Datone Jones
  10. Dwight Freeney
  11. Chris Long
  12. Mario Williams
  13. Paul Kruger
  14. Courtney Upshaw
  15. Jarvis Jones

Now that Chandler Jones, Melvin Ingram, and Jason Pierre-Paul have all been assigned the franchise tag, Nick Perry stands as the top edge defender on the free agent market, and is now in a position to cash in. The Packers opted against the franchise tender for the 26-year-old Perry, so he’ll hit the open market following a career year which saw him post 11 sacks."<strong

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among players with youth still on their side, Datone Jones figures to interest clubs thanks to his versatility, as he can vacillate between end and linebacker, while fellow former first-round pick Jarvis Jones is solid against the run. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. Charles Johnson, meanwhile, looks like a good bet to return to the Panthers, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

  1. Calais Campbell
  2. Johnathan Hankins
  3. Brandon Williams
  4. Dontari Poe
  5. Chris Baker
  6. Bennie Logan
  7. Nick Fairley
  8. Alan Branch
  9. Jared Odrick
  10. Karl Klug
  11. Terrell McClain
  12. Lawrence Guy
  13. Stacy McGee
  14. Stephen Paea
  15. Sylvester Williams
    Honorable mention: Paul Soliai

Calais Campbell is the best overall player among interior defenders, and though he’s entering his age-31 season and may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe, Campbell will still be highly-sought after as he searches for his last substantial payday Campbell’s agent met with the Cardinals last week, but other speculative fits for the veteran defender include the Broncos, Raiders, Ravens, Colts, and Titans."<strong

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Karl Klug), and run stoppers (Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

Read more

PFR Originals: 2/26/17 – 3/5/17

March 5th, 2017 at 2:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Top 3 Offseason Needs: New England Patriots

March 3rd, 2017 at 8:44am CST by Ben Levine

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors has been detailing each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We conclude the series today with the Super Bowl champs.

[RELATED: Click Here For The Complete Top 3 Offseason Needs Series]

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

Other:

Three needs:

1) Help on the Defensive Line: With linebacker Dont’a Hightower and cornerback Malcolm Butler set to hit free agency, most pundits will say that those two positions should be the Patriots’ main priority as they head into the draft and free agency.

However, the team should be absolutely fine at both spots, even in the unlikely event that both of these top free agents depart. Now, there’s nothing to suggest that the potential linebacker or cornerback replacements would immediately replace the production of Hightower and/or Butler. Rather, history tells us that the Patriots will adequately fill those roles with rookies or veterans.

Dont'a Hightower (Vertical)Hightower didn’t have his most productive season when it comes to plain statistics. In 13 games, the former first-rounder finished with 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Of course, the 26-year-old proved his worth in the Super Bowl, where he collected a sack and a key forced fumble. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was particularly fond of his performance this past season, as the website ranked him as the 12th best linebacker in 2016 (as well as the second best at his position in pass rushing).

The organization made it clear that they were committed to Hightower following the trades of impending free agents Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones. Despite the team’s abundance of cap room, it was unlikely that the organization would be able (or willing) to sign the trio to lengthy, lucrative contracts. By moving on from the other talented defenders, the front office made it clear that Hightower was going to be the anchor of their defense for years to come.

That sentiment still seems to be the case, although a recent report indicated that the team wasn’t going to slap Hightower with their franchise tag. The linebacker presumably won’t command the franchise tag’s $14.7MM annual salary in free agency (although it may be close), so this news seems to be more of a financial decision, and there haven’t been any reports suggesting that the Patriots are prepared to move on without Hightower. Rather, I’d expect the team to approach his situation similarly to how they handled Devin McCourty’s free agency. They’ll offer the linebacker a contract and allow him to shop around for better offers from inferior teams. Assuming Hightower gets a better offer, he’ll presumably allow the Patriots to match. Therefore, the ball still seems to be in the organization’s court.

If Hightower does leave the Patriots, the team’s remaining linebackers shouldn’t be relied on to fill his starting role. Following the trade of Collins, coach Bill Belichick relied on a rotation of Elandon Roberts, Shea McClellin, Barkevious Mingo, Kyle Van Noy, and Rob Ninkovich (when he wasn’t playing defensive end) to play opposite Hightower. While the Patriots were able to rely on the hot hand through the rest of the season and the playoffs, it’d be tough to rely on two of those guys as starters next season.

Fortunately, in the event that Hightower does leave town, the Patriots shouldn’t be overly worried. While the team has generally struck out on all of their recent late-round linebackers (Xzavier Dickson, anyone?), the team has had plenty of success drafting the position in the first two rounds. Hightower, Collins, Jerod Mayo, and Brandon Spikes are among the team’s successful linebackers taken in the first two rounds of the draft. Furthermore, there’s plenty of depth at the position in free agency, and a number of aging veterans could adequately fit the role that the Patriots coaching staff is seeking. After all, the team doesn’t need a game-changer at linebacker. Instead, they just need someone who is capable in pass protection and stopping the run. Of course, all of this is moot if Hightower re-signs with the team.

Butler’s situation is a bit different than Hightower’s. There’s no denying that the cornerback is one of the most indispensable members of the Patriots defense, and his Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sportsrole is arguably more essential to the Patriots’ success than Hightower’s. The former undrafted free agent put his name on the map during the 2015 Super Bowl, and he was solid during his first season as a starter. In 2016, the 26-year-old established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the game. Butler finished the campaign with 63 tackles, two fumbles recoveries, and four interceptions, and PFF ranked him as the seventh-best cornerback in the NFL.

Logan Ryan may have had his best season in a Patriots uniform (ranking 16th among cornerbacks by PFF), but there’s no way the former third-rounder can be relied on as a number-one cornerback (not to mention that he’s a free agent himself). Additionally, former Eagles cornerback Eric Rowe flashed plenty of potential during his nine games this season, and the squad clearly thinks highly of rookie Cyrus Jones. Still, there’s no reason to think that any of these players could step in and seamlessly replace Butler.

Fortunately for the Patriots, Butler is a restricted free agent, so the team will have the opportunity to match any contract he receives. Belichick has shown that he’s willing to spend big on the position (Darrelle Revis and Aqib Talib come to mind), so it’d be a shock if the team let Butler walk without a clear replacement in place. His return is all but inevitable, and that means cornerback shouldn’t be a position of need.

That brings me back to my original point. While a hypothetical Butler or Hightower departure would certainly open a giant hole on the depth chart, no part of the Patriots defense needs as much work as the defensive line. The team’s pass rush was plenty impressive during the Super Bowl, but the unit struggled for stretches during the season. Despite finishing the season as one of the top defenses in the NFL, the Patriots still ranked 16th in sacks (34) and failed to develop a consistent pass-rush.

Furthermore, while Hightower and Butler more-or-less seem to be shoo-ins to return to New England, many of the team’s impending defensive line free agents do not. Chris Long (vertical)Chris Long already made it clear that he won’t be returning next season, and Alan Branch may be looking for a payday following the best season of his career (49 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble). Jabaal Sheard is also set to be a free agent, and I’m not convinced that he’ll return after getting benched during the regular season.

Fortunately, the team does have some young stars on the defensive line in Trey Flowers and Malcom Brown. Flowers was a revelation this past season as he essentially replaced Chandler Jones in the lineup. After sitting out his entire rookie campaign, the former fourth-rounder responded with 45 tackles and seven sacks in 2016. Meanwhile, Brown looked a lot more confident during his second season in the league, compiling 50 tackles and three sacks while ranking as PFF’s 31st-best interior defender. The Patriots can at least take solace in the fact that they have two spots on their defensive line covered.

However, considering the impending free agency of Long, Sheard, and Branch, the Patriots could be lacking depth at multiple positions, and these players all played an integral role in the team having one of the best run defenses in the NFL. The draft seems to have plenty of talented edge defenders, so the team could theoretically use several of their picks to fill that depth. The team could also look to free agency to fill those holes, especially if they’re seeking the play-making type of player they lost when they traded Jones.

Read more

PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents For 2017 1.0

March 2nd, 2017 at 3:13pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF PFR’S TOP 50 FREE AGENTS]

There will be oodles of free agents available in March, but only a certain percentage of them can be real difference makers for your team. To help separate the wheat from the chaff, we’ve assembled our early list of the Top 50 Free Agents for 2017.

Our early version of the NFL’s top 50 free agents may include players who will be re-signed between now and March 9. When we update this list next week, a few of the big names will be spoken for while new high-profile names will join the fray as veterans become cap casualties.

Last month, we broke down the top free agents by position on both offense and defense, but our rankings below may not have each player listed in the same order. Those position lists took the short-term value of a player into account more heavily, meaning many players in their 30s received prominent placement. Our overall top 50 list favors longer-term value, and is more about forecasting which players will be in highest demand when it comes to years and dollars.

With those caveats out of the way, let’s dive in! Here are Pro Football Rumors’ top 50 NFL free agents for 2017:

  1. A.J. BouyeA.J. Bouye, CB (Texans): Out of nowhere, Bouye went from unknown to elite. The Texans would like to retain him, but they opted against using the franchise tag to get it done. That means that we’re about to see one of the most intriguing free agent cases in recent memory play out. Bouye doesn’t turn 26 until August and he finished out the year as one of the league’s best cornerbacks. Conversely, he didn’t do much of note in his previous three NFL seasons. Recently, one executive told Albert Breer of The MMQB that he’s expecting Bouye to be the highest-paid free agent in this year’s class, “assuming the guys we believe will be franchised actually are.” Another posited that he could match Janoris Jenkins‘ five year, $62.5MM contract from last spring, a deal that included $28.8MM fully guaranteed. The Jets could be among the clubs to pursue Bouye.
  2. Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): There are question marks a-plenty, but no one can deny Jeffery’s natural ability. Not long ago, it seemed like Jeffery would fetch a free agent deal to totally reset the wide receiver market. Even after an iffy season, the projected salary cap increase and lack of available star receivers should allow Jeffery to become a very rich man.
  3. Kenny Stills, WR (Dolphins): Stills is going to get paid this offseason and the average annual value on his next deal could be far, far more than anticipated. The latest reports indicate that he could make up to $12MM/year on his next deal. The Eagles are said to be high on him and other WR-hungry teams like the Titans could also show interest.
  4. Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): The market is capped for non-rush linebackers, but Hightower is pretty much the best at what he does and is also lauded for his intangibles. The Patriots have always embraced the “next man up” philosophy, so it is possible they will allow him to go elsewhere.
  5. Kevin Zeitler, G (Bengals): Zeitler has age on his side and he’s one of the safest free agents in the top ten after three consecutive years of dominance. Interior offensive linemen don’t get as much love as their counterparts on the outside, but they are still incredibly vital and Zeitler’s next contract will reflect that.
  6. Calais Campbell, DL (Cardinals): Campbell was supposed to be a goner in Arizona. However, instead of staying in Chandler Jones‘ shadow, Campbell turned in one of his best seasons to date. Now, the Cardinals would very much like to keep him, but they can only go so far as they back up the Brinks truck for Jones. If Jones does not agree to a cap-smoothing long-term deal between now and March 9th, the odds of the former University of Miami star leaving increase.
  7. T.J. Lang, G (Packers): In 2016, Lang earned a strong 87.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (8th amongst guards), including a 92.9 score for pass blocking (2nd). Lang, who turns 30 in September, also spent some time at tackle early in his career and could be moved around the line in a pinch.
  8. Tony Jefferson, S (Cardinals): The metrics at PFF actually placed Jefferson slightly ahead of Eric Berry in 2016. He’s also a full three years younger than the KC star. The Cardinals want to keep Jefferson, but he will test the open market no matter what.
  9. Terrelle PryorTerrelle Pryor, WR (Browns): Pryor and the Browns haven’t exactly played it coy about their intentions. Both sides badly want to get a long-term deal done and we’d be surprised if that didn’t come to fruition. The franchise tag was too expensive here, so Pryor will garner considerable attention as a young WR2 type if a multi-year pact is not struck in the coming days.
  10. Logan Ryan, CB (Patriots): There are bigger names available at the cornerback position, but Ryan slots ahead of many of them after a career year. It also doesn’t hurt that this fresh-faced Super Bowl champ only just turned 26 in February. If the Patriots don’t tie him down, Ryan’s earning power could conceivably vault him past Trumaine Johnson in terms of guaranteed cash.
  11. Ricky Wagner, OT (Ravens): Wagner could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The free agent market is short on young, quality tackles and this year’s draft is no great shakes.
  12. Duron Harmon, S (Patriots): Surprised to see Harmon so close to fellow safety Tony Jefferson on this list? Don’t be. Free safety is where the money is at and Harmon figures to get make more than any of us anticipated six months ago. Like Ryan, Harmon is also just 26.
  13. Martellus Bennett, TE (Patriots): Rob Gronkowski‘s injury woes were unfortunate, but the Patriots barely missed a beat thanks to Bennett. Recently, Bennett gloated about Super Bowl winners getting overpaid and he’s not wrong – the shine of a championship ring tends to illuminate free agents. Still, Bennett shouldn’t sell himself short: he’s a big, bruising tight end who can be a major factor in the red zone, as evidenced by his seven touchdowns last season.
  14. Stephon Gilmore, CB (Bills): In terms of pure talent, Gilmore might be the best cornerback available. Trouble is, no one knows what to make of him after a down 2016. Some have openly theorized that Gilmore was playing it safe to avoid injury in his pivotal contract year. It’s also possible that Buffalo’s injuries in the front seven put undue stress on the secondary. GMs will use these justifications and more to convince ownership to pony up big dollars.
  15. Brandon Williams, DT (Ravens): The Ravens are prioritizing a new deal for Williams this offseason, but if they don’t re-sign him, the Dolphins could be among the teams in pursuit. Williams doesn’t fill up a stat sheet, but he is an effective run-stuffer with age on his side. At 28, teams won’t be hesitant about making a multi-year commitment.
  16. Dontari Poe, DT (Chiefs): Poe is a bit inconsistent, but when he’s on it’s a clear reminder of why the Chiefs made him the No. 11 overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Memphis product boasts two Pro Bowl selections and his athleticism may allow him to occasionally play a bit on the outside.
  17. Nick Perry, DE (Packers): After this year’s premier edge defenders were franchised, Perry stands as the best defensive end available. In just 14 games (12 starts), the former first-round pick amassed 11 sacks. Teams employing a 3-4 scheme will be especially interested in his services.
  18. Kenny Britt, WR (Rams): Britt managed to turn in his first career 1,000+ yard season despite playing in the NFL’s worst offense. He could match or even best Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson when it comes to average annual value and his age could lead to a longer deal. The Giants could bring the Rutgers product back to New Jersey to fill Victor Cruz‘s spot and take attention away from Odell Beckham Jr., but we’re expecting them to put their resources in other areas. Kenny Britt
  19. Mike Glennon, QB (Buccaneers): I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that players are ranked here based on projected earnings, not ability. As of this writing, Glennon is the second-best QB in this year’s free agent class (and, remember, Kirk Cousins could be inked to a long-term deal or given the exclusive tag). When we revisit this list next month, Glennon’s placement among QBs may be challenged by Tyrod Taylor and others.
  20. Johnathan Hankins, DT (Giants): Hankins has youth on his side as he won’t turn 25 until late March. He also played a hand in the Giants’ strong run defense last year – as a team, they allowed just 88.6 yards on the ground per game.
  21. Larry Warford, G (Lions): The knock on Warford when he was coming out of Kentucky was that he might not be able to make it at the next level due to his lack of agility and athleticism. Today, he’s not the quickest guard in the NFL, but he’s unquestionably starting caliber. Warford has never missed more than three games in one NFL season and he’s just entering his age-26 season.
  22. Kevin Minter, LB (Cardinals): The Cardinals have lots of free agents to address this offseason and that could lead to the 26-year-old Minter going elsewhere. Last year, he racked up 81 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in 16 games.
  23. Andrew Whitworth, OT (Bengals): Whitworth is a stud, but his earning power is capped by his age (he’ll celebrate his 36th birthday in December). Last year, PFF rated him as the second-best tackle in the entire NFL and he’s been a Top 5/Top 10 guy for the last five years in a row. It should also be noted that he has been remarkably durable throughout his career, missing only two games since 2009.
  24. Pierre Garcon, WR (Redskins): Garcon is a solid possession receiver, a label that he personally rejects. We understand where he’s coming from. This year, the Redskins had the veteran running deeper routes than he has in the past and he showed that he could stretch the field a bit, even though he wasn’t the fastest guy on the WR depth chart. He didn’t approach his gaudy 2013 numbers, but he still turned in a respectable stat line of 79 catches for 1,041 yards. His 69.1% catch rate was a career-high.
  25. Zach Brown, LB (Bills): Finally, Brown lived up to his second-round draft status in 2016. After settling for a cheap one-year deal last year, Brown should do a lot better this time around.
  26. Chris Baker, DT (Redskins): Baker is well-rounded and can be used on both the interior and outside of the defensive line. The Redskins have been leaning on him more each year and he has thrived with the increased responsibilities.
  27. Prince Amukamara, CB (Jaguars): After being slowed by injuries in New York, Amukamara managed to stay on the field for most of the season in Jacksonville. He probably won’t blossom into a shutdown corner this late in the game, but the former first-round pick would make a fine CB2 somewhere.
  28. DeSean Jackson, WR (Redskins): Jackson is on the wrong side of 30 and, typically, blazing speed does not age well. Still, he’s one of the game’s best deep threats and we can’t help but think that the Eagles will overspend to bring this fan favorite home.
  29. Jabaal Sheard, DL (Patriots): Sheard saw his playing time reduced in the middle of the season and was even a healthy scratch for one game in November. Despite that bump in the road, the 27-year-old (28 in May) still managed to finish out the year with five sacks and 33 total tackles. Teams may have some questions about Sheard’s effort and/or conditioning after he wound up in Belichick’s doghouse. His stock could be affected if the Patriots don’t make a genuine effort to re-sign him.
  30. Jonathan Cyprien, S (Jaguars): Jacksonville fans are often frustrated with Cyprien, but he’s coming off of a career year and he appears to have put many of his bad habits behind him. He finished out 2016 with 126 total tackles, one sack, and four pass deflections. PFF’s 87.8 overall grade was the best of his career and placed him No. 7 among safeties, just ahead of Eric Berry.
  31. Ronald Leary, G (Cowboys): Leary has no interest in a reserve role and he’ll get the full-time starting job he craves this spring.
  32. Adrian Peterson Raiders (vertical)Adrian Peterson, RB (Vikings): As expected, the Vikings will decline Peterson’s hefty option for the 2017 season. A return to Minnesota is still possible and contenders like the Giants and Raiders will also be making a strong push to add AD to their backfield. Still, given his injury history, it’s hard to see Peterson getting a lucrative multi-year deal on the cusp of his 32nd birthday, hence his ranking this far down on the list. We have him as our top running back in the Top 50 because he should still score a fat one-year contract.
  33. Barry Church, S (Cowboys): Church isn’t a megastar, but he is a well-rounded strong safety who should draw plenty of interest. Berry re-signing with the Chiefs should cause a domino effect that enhances his market.
  34. J.C. Tretter, C (Packers): In an admittedly small sample last year, PFF rated Tretter as the ninth-best center in the NFL last season. Despite playing in only six games before his season-ending injury, Tretter should outearn every other center thanks in large part to his youth. The former fourth-round pick just recently turned 26.
  35. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Bengals): We’re still waiting for Kirkpatrick to live up to his first-round billing.
  36. Eddie Lacy, RB (Packers): Lacy’s weight issues are well documented but when he’s on, he’s on. Before his unfortunate injury this past fall, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry.
  37. Riley Reiff, OT (Lions): Personally, I prefer Russell Okung and Kelvin Beachum to Reiff, but I anticipate Reiff getting more money than both. He’s younger than Okung and coming off of a much better year than Beachum.
  38. John Simon, LB/DE (Texans): J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus get the attention in Houston, but Simon is a quality edge rusher in his own right. This spring, the 26-year-old could go from supersub to starter with a significant pay bump.
  39. T.J. McDonald, S (Rams): I’m not as high on him as others, but he’s young and can knock receivers into next week.
  40. Morris Claiborne, CB (Cowboys): After multiple disappointing seasons, Claiborne broke out in his contract year. Then, his campaign ended after seven games. Will teams take the glass-half-full view of the former No. 6 overall pick? We believe they will, but there’s also a good crop of defensive backs in this year’s draft.
  41. Micah Hyde, S (Packers): Hyde, who just turned 26 in December, offers versatility and can be slotted anywhere in the secondary. In that respect, you might be thinking that he’s Darius Butler-lite. Many will prefer Butler as a player for the here and now, but Hyde could get more years and dollars thanks to the age gap.
  42. Latavius Murray, RB (Raiders): He’s not the most explosive runner out there, but he’s a quality option for teams in need. Here’s an interesting scenario based on what we’ve been hearing: Murray could land with the Vikings while Peterson joins up with Oakland.
  43. Russell Okung, OT (Broncos): Last year, Okung went into free agency without an agent. That decision bit him in the behind after he turned in a so-so year and the Broncos turned down his pricey multi-year option. This time around, I hope he doesn’t cheap out and hires proper representation. Regardless, his market will be a lot softer than it was in 2016.
  44. Jamaal Charles, RB (Chiefs): After releasing Charles, the Chiefs issued a press release thanking the “future Hall of Famer.” Charles could very well be Canton-bound someday, but the jury is still out on what he can do in 2017. In the last two years, Charles has appeared in just eight games.
  45. Kayvon Webster, CB (Broncos): Webster has been vocal about his desire for more playing time and he’s not going to get it in Denver where he is blocked behind proven corners. Webster will go elsewhere and I see him getting a solid payday based on his age (just turned 26), athleticism, and special teams ability.
  46. Perry Riley, LB (Raiders): After he was a cap casualty of the Redskins last year, Riley quietly had a bounce-back year in Oakland.
  47. Bennie Logan, DT (Eagles): The rival Redskins are apparently among the teams with interest in Logan.
  48. Darius Butler, DB (Colts): His ability to play multiple positions will work in his favor.
  49. Ryan Clady, OT (Jets): Lots of injury concerns, but also lots of potential.
  50. Terrance Williams, WR (Cowboys): Markus Wheaton, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Michael Floyd may offer more upside, but Williams could edge them in earnings. We’ll find out soon.

Honorable mention (in no particular order): LeGarrette Blount, Nick Mangold, Colin Kaepernick, Nick Fairley, D.J. Swearinger, Bradley McDougald, DeMarcus Ware, Stefen Wisniewski, Lawrence Timmons, Captain Munnerlyn, Jairus Byrd, Darrelle Revis, Jared Odrick, Alterraun Verner, Kelvin Beachum, Lorenzo Alexander, Brandon Carr, Charles Johnson

The Beat: Justin Rogers On The Lions

March 2nd, 2017 at 8:12am CST by Zachary Links

Now that the offseason is in full swing, we’re chatting with beat writers from around the league to gain insight on each team and how those moves will impact the season ahead.

Recently, we caught up with Justin Rogers of The Detroit News to discuss the Lions. You can follow Justin on Twitter @Justin_Rogers and check out his stories here.

Zach Links: The Lions have not selected a linebacker in the first round of the draft since Ernie Sims in 2006. After disappointing production from the LB group last year, will Detroit snap that streak and take one in the first round? If not, how do you see them potentially addressing the issue in free agency?

Justin Rogers: There are too many factors in play to speculate exactly who the Lions will draft at No. 21, but it would be foolish to suggest "<stronglinebacker isn’t in play. The team wants to believe DeAndre Levy will return to form, but they can no longer bank on his durability or performance and must plan accordingly. In the middle, Tahir Whitehead racked up big tackle numbers, but struggled in coverage and didn’t make many impact plays. The team is also developing an intriguing young talent in Antwione Williams on the strong side, and bringing back free agent Josh Bynes would be smart. Still, a talent injection is needed.

In the early rounds, the athletic Haason Reddick, and playmakers Zach Cunningham and Jarrad Davis would all be fits, depending how the board shakes out in front of the Lions.

Zach Links: The Lions could also use some help on the defensive line. Recently, you ran down some of this year’s available options in free agency and you mentioned Nick Fairley‘s name. Do you think the Lions would be open to a reunion after his strong 2016?
Read more

2017 NFL Franchise Tag Players

March 1st, 2017 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The deadline to designate franchise or transition players for 2017 has passed. Here’s the rundown of the players that were tagged, plus the candidates that did not receive the designation:

Franchise players (exclusive):

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

*second tag; players receive raise over designated salary for position tender

Candidates who didn’t receive tags:

Top 3 Offseason Needs: New York Jets

March 1st, 2017 at 11:04am CST by Dallas Robinson

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the New York Jets, who finished 2016 with a 5-11 record, last in the AFC East.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

  1. Muhammad Wilkerson, DL: $18,000,000
  2. Eric Decker, WR: $8,750,000
  3. Buster Skrine, CB: $8,500,000
  4. Sheldon Richardson, DL: $8,069,000
  5. Brian Winters, G: $8,000,000
  6. Brandon Marshall, WR: $7,500,000
  7. Marcus Gilchrist, S: $7,375,000
  8. James Carpenter, G: $6,805,000
  9. David Harris, LB: $6,500,000
  10. Leonard Williams, DL: $5,081,146

Other:

Three Needs:

1. Find a franchise quarterback — or at least a stopgap: Consider where the Jets stood at quarterback position at the end of the 2016 preseason. Ryan Fitzpatrick had led New York to a 10-6 record and a near-playoff berth the year prior, and while the tape clearly indicated Fitzpatrick hadn’t transformed into an elite signal-caller, he had tossed 31 touchdowns and posted the best season of his career in 2016. Former fourth-round pick Bryce Petty was coming off an exhibition campaign that had seen him throw for nearly 500 yards, three touchdowns, and complete this gem to Robby Anderson, and while rookie second-rounder Christian Hackenberg admittedly struggled during the preseason, a rose-colored lens might have offered some hope on the 51st overall selection.

Fast forward to 2017, and any optimism regarding Gang Green’s quarterbacks has vanished. Despite finishing 27th in passes attempted, Fitzpatrick threw the league’s third-most interceptions, and while his contract has since expired, he’ll still count for $5MM in dead money on New York’s 2017 salary cap. Petty started four games but posted an even higher interception rate than Fiztpatrick, while Hackenberg never managed to get on the field, even in the midst of a lost season. Jets management now regards Petty and Hackenberg as nothing more than potential backups, and the club is essentially back to square one under center."<strong

As usual, the free agent quarterback market is extremely lackluster, and contains only one player — the Buccaneers’ Mike Glennon — who could reasonably be considered a long-term option. Glennon, 27, has only thrown 11 passes over the past two seasons, but as the only available signal-caller who has both youth and a history of success on his side, he could be in for a nice payday. The Jets are reportedly interested in Glennon, but it’s doubtful they’ll pay the $13-15MM annual salary Glennon is apparently targeting.

Other passers will hit the open market next week, but none offer any sort of upside and are better viewed as potential bridge options. Brian Hoyer, Nick Foles, Josh McCown, Geno Smith (just kidding!), Case Keenum, Matt Schaub, and the like aren’t going to take the Jets to the postseason in 2017, but they could hold down the fort while the club develops a rookie. Jay Cutler is also a possibility for New York after he’s released by the Bears, while general manager Mike Maccagnan & Co. could hypothetically explore trades. The Patriots aren’t going to ship Jimmy Garoppolo to a division rival, though (and may not trade him to anyone), while the Bengals might also hold onto A.J. McCarron.

If Gang Green doesn’t find what it’s looking for in free agency or via trade, it will likely turn its attention to the draft. Owners of the sixth overall pick, the Jets will have the opportunity to select a quarterback if they so choose. They’ve already been linked to UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, who is being considered by multiple quarterback-needy teams at the top of the draft and may not even be on the board at No. 6. If Trubisky is still available, however, opposing clubs believe New York will run to turn in its card.Mitch Trubisky (Vertical)

“They got their eyes set on the North Carolina quarterback,” one rival scout said in December. “The Jets are all over this kid. All over him. They’ll probably deny it if you ask, but they love that kid. That’s their guy. They’re not going to get him though, because I think that kid is going to get over-drafted.”

Clemson’s Deshaun Watson is also reportedly on the Jets’ radar, while other players such as Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer or Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes could be in the cards at the top of the second round (or later in the first if New York trades back). Even if New York signs Glennon (and especially if they only bring in a stopgap option), the Jets should look into spending a mid-round pick on a quarterback. Yes, the club has already witnessed two early-to-mid-round choices waste away on the bench, but a rebuilding club can never take enough bites at the QB apple. Brad Kaaya (Miami), Nathan Peterman (Pitt), Davis Webb (Cal), and Chad Kelly (Ole Miss) could come off the board on Day 2 or later.

Read more

Load More Posts