PFR Originals News & Rumors

PFR Originals: 2/5/17 – 2/12/17

February 12th, 2017 at 3:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

In PFR’s series The Beat, Zach Links is conducting interviews with beat writers, columnists, and TV personalities about the team that he or she covers. This week, Zach spoke with Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com and discussed the Rams, Sean McVay, Jared Goff, Les Snead, Trumaine Johnson, and Kenny Britt.
Kyle Shanahan‘s play-calling near the end of Super Bowl LI is sure to be scrutinized for years, but does his failure to run the clock out affect his status as a new head coach? That’s the question Zach asked PFR readers last week, and 60% of respondents don’t believe there’s any reason to be worried about the 49ers’ new head coach.
Tom Brady figures to continue his NFL career for the foreseeable future, so the Patriots are gauging interest in backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who has one year remaining on his rookie contract. A number of clubs, including the Browns and Bears, have already expressed interest, but Ben Levine asked whether New England should trade Garoppolo given that Brady is now 39 years old. Nearly three-quarters of voters think Garoppolo should be dealt this offseason.
As the offseason progresses, PFR will assess each team by examining the top three needs on each respective roster. We covered two organizations last week:
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars

Top 3 Offseason Needs: Jacksonville Jaguars

February 10th, 2017 at 9:56pm 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 Jacksonville Jaguars, who failed to live up to their preseason sleeper status and finished with a 3-13 record.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Tyson Alualu, DE
Prince Amukamara, CB
Joe Banyard, RB (RFA)
Arrelious Benn, WR
Jonathan Cyprien, S
Jordan Hill, DT
Luke Joeckel, OL
Abry Jones, DT
Patrick Omameh, G
Denard Robinson, RB
Tyler Shatley, C (RFA)
Peyton Thompson, S (ERFA)
Bryan Walters, WR
Josh Wells, T (RFA)

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

Malik Jackson, DL: $15,500,000
Kelvin Beachum, T: $8,500,000
Jared Odrick, DL: $8,500,000
Julius Thomas, TE: $8,300,000
Allen Hurns, WR: $7,000,000
Blake Bortles, QB: $6,571,983
Jermey Parnell, T: $6,500,000
Dante Fowler Jr., DE: $6,406,429
Tashaun Gipson, S: $6,300,000
Davon House, CB: $6,000,000

Other:

Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $64,357,959
Fourth pick in draft
Must exercise or decline 2018 fifth-year option for QB Blake Bortles

Top Three Needs:

1) Bolster the offensive line: Blake Bortles isn’t going anywhere. That seems readily apparent based on comments from Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell, who believes his club can win a Super Bowl with Bortles under center, and new executive vice president Tom Coughlin, who headed off complaints about the fourth-year pro by saying “Blake Bortles is our quarterback.” Jacksonville could certainly draft another signal-caller or add a low-tier veteran such as Brian Hoyer or Josh McCown this offseason, but it’s fair to assume that Bortles — who reportedly dealt with shoulder and wrist injuries throughout the year — will return as the Jaguars’ starter.

With the club unlikely to change quarterbacks, Jacksonville will have to look to other avenues to improve an offense that ranked just 27th in DVOA. Having already fired head coach Gus Bradley and offensive coordinator Greg Olson, the Jaguars have formally installed Doug Marrone and Nathaniel Hackett in those respective roles with the hope the two offensive minds will be able to overhaul their offensive unit. With Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, T.J. Yeldon, Chris Ivory, and Julius Thomas in tow, Jacksonville’s skill positions don’t need to be immediately addressed. That leaves the offensive line as an obvious area of focus for the Jaguars in the coming weeks.

While the Jags have all offseason to repair their front five, they do face one immediate decision that will affect their plans for the offensive line as a whole. Jacksonville has until February 15 to exercise or decline a $5MM option bonus on left tackle Kelvin Beachum. If the Jaguars pick up the option, Beachum would be guaranteed an additional $13MM in base salary, making it extremely difficult for the club to release him at any point during the next two seasons. The 27-year-old Beachum wasn’t very effective in 2016 as he continued to recover from an ACL injury suffered the year prior, grading as the league’s No. 63 tackle among 78 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus, but he was an elite blindside protector for the Steelers before going down with that knee issue.

The ideal course of action for the Jaguars would entail the club declining the option, and subsequently working out a new, more team-friendly deal that includes less guaranteed money. The problem, however, is that the left tackle market is already barren, meaning a) Beachum could garner significant interest from around the NFL and potentially price himself out of Jacksonville’s range, and b) if a new pact can’t be agreed to, the Jaguars would have limited options to replace Beachum.

Andrew Whitworth and Riley Reiff are the only two reliable left tackles available on the free agent market, and even Reiff has flaws given that he was shifted to right tackle for the 2016 campaign. Otherwise, the Jaguars would be looking at subpar options such as Matt Kalil, Mike Remmers, or Will Beatty, none of whom would represent an upgrade over Beachum. In the draft, the top offensive tackle prospects — Alabama’s Cam Robinson, Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk, and Utah’s Garett Bolles — are considered mid-to-late first-round picks, and would be reaches at fourth overall.

After assessing the alternatives, the Jaguars may simply exercise their option on Beachum and lock in their starting left tackle for the next couple of seasons, and instead turn their attention to addressing the interior of the offensive line. Center is well-handled by Brandon Linder, but Jacksonville could use at least one, and potentially two, new starting guards, depending on how the club views A.J. Cann, who played every offensive snap in 2016 and graded as PFF’s No. 48 guard among 72 qualifiers.

Unlike tackle, the free agent guard market is flush with talent, and the Jaguars could spend some of their ample cap space on a top-flight lineman such as Kevin Zeitler or T.J. Lang, each of whom are right guards and would likely force Cann to shift to the left side. Zeitler and Lang could each command north of $10MM per year, but cheaper options such as Larry Warford, J.C. Tretter, and Ronald Leary should also be available. Former second overall pick Luke Joeckel could return, but it’s difficult to imagine the Jaguars handing him a starting job.

2) Add to the defensive front: The Jaguars certainly haven’t been shy about investing in their defensive line during the past few offseasons, as they’ve signed or drafted Malik Jackson, Jared Odrick, Dante Fowler Jr., Yannick Ngakoue, Sheldon Day, Michael Bennett, and Jonathan Woodard since 2015. But the unit, which ranked 19th in sacks and 17th in adjusted sack rate, will likely see a good deal of overhaul before the 2017 campaign gets underway, as Odrick and Roy Miller look like clear release candidates, while contributors Abry Jones and Tyson Alualu are unrestricted free agents.

Jones, 25, didn’t generate any sacks from the interior last year, but he did perform well against the run and graded as the NFL’s No. 21 defensive tackle per PFF. Jacksonville clearly values him, as the club placed a second-round restricted free agent tender worth $2.553MM on Jones prior to last season. He’s worth at least that amount as a free agent, and could see his salary tick up into the $3-4MM range. Odrick and Miller, meanwhile, are scheduled to count for more than $12.5MM on the Jaguars’ 2017 salary cap, an untenable total given the duo played a combined 417 snaps last season. Because Jacksonville rarely employs extravagant signing bonuses, Odrick and Miller’s dead money charges would amount to pocket change.

Even if they cut bait with some of their overpaid defenders, the Jaguars will still have a good group of lineman up front, but another body — preferably, a player with the versatility to move between tackle and end — would be ideal. Luckily for Jacksonville, that prospect exists in the former of Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, whom many mock drafts, including that of Rotoworld’s Josh Norris, have sent to the Jags at pick No. 4. In his ranking of the draft’s top 50 players, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com says Allen — whom ranks fifth overall — has “very strong, violent hands and he generates a lot of push with his bull rush,” but noted that Allen is more of a complete defender than a straight pass-rusher.

Allen isn’t the only defensive lineman who could be available to Jacksonville, and though it’s unlikely, a scenario does exist where the Jaguars could have a shot at Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett, who is universally ranked as the draft’s top player. Each of the three teams selecting ahead of the Jaguars — Cleveland, San Francisco, and Chicago — could use a quarterback, so if signal-callers come off the board at pick Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Garrett could be there for Jacksonville.

Again, that situation is pretty implausible, but the Jags could instead be interested in Solomon Thomas (Stanford), Taco Charlton (Michigan), or Derek Barnett (Tennessee), either at fourth overall or later in the round following a trade down. Clemson’s Carlos Watkins could also be on the table given that new Jacksonville defensive line coach Marion Hobby spent the past six seasons with the Tigers.

Coaching connections could factor into the Jaguars’ free agent (or trade) pursuits, as well. Jacksonville recently hired Mark Collins — who spent the past two years coaching the Jets’ outside linebackers — as its new LBs coach, and his familiarity with DL/LB Sheldon Richardson could potentially lead to trade speculation. The Jaguars weren’t among the clubs that expressed interest in Richardson last season, and although New York reportedly asked for a first-round pick in exchange for its mercurial pass rusher, that price tag could have since softened. If the Jets are now willing to accept, say, an early third-rounder for Richardson, a deal could make some sense.

Free agency offers a variety of line options depending on what the Jaguars are looking for. If the club wants a big body to stick in the middle of the defense and play next to Jackson, Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Bennie Logan will be available. Interior rushing free agents include Nick Fairley and Charles Johnson, while the list of edge rushers on the market includes Melvin Ingram, Jabaal Sheard, or, if Jacksonville is willing to break the bank, Jason Pierre-Paul. Veteran defender Chris Baker stands out as a possible target, as well, given that new Jags coach Perry Fewell was with the Redskins for the past two years.

3) Figure out who’s playing opposite Jalen Ramsey: Jacksonville’s pass defense was among its better attributes in 2016, as the club ranked fifth in passing yards allowed and 16th in both opponent quarterback rating and pass defense DVOA. Jalen Ramsey fell into the Jaguars’ lap at pick No. 5, and proceeded to play like a shutdown cornerback for much of the season, while free agent signee Prince Amukamara produced dividends after signing a one-year, $5.5MM contract.

The Jaguars figure to see some changes in the secondary, however, as Amukamara is now a pending free agent. Entering his age-28 season, and coming off a campaign in which he graded out as an above-average corner per PFF, Amukamara is probably looking at his last chance to land a hefty free agent contract. A three- or four-year deal at $7MM per season isn’t out the question, and it’s unclear if Jacksonville would be willing to meet that demand. Elsewhere, 2015 free agent addition Davon House appears to be an obvious release candidate given his $6MM cap charges in 2017-18 and his limited playing time (25% of snaps) in 2016.

If Amukamara doesn’t return, Jacksonville needs to find a defender to play opposite Ramsey, and it doesn’t figure to spend much money on the position given that it’s already investing ample funds along the defensive line, at linebacker, and at safety. If they’re searching for bargains on the free agent market, the Jaguars won’t be in the running for the available elite corners, a list that includes Trumaine Johnson, A.J. Bouye, and Stephon Gilmore. Cowboys cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr could both be on the Jags’ radar depending on cost, while the club could also take a shot on veteran Sam Shields, whom the Packers earlier this week. Marcus Cooper, Leodis McKelvin, and Coty Sensabaugh represent options even further down the free agent rankings.

The Jaguars don’t seem likely to use a high first-round pick for the second consecutive season, but Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore could conceivably be a fit at fourth overall. The second round is a more probable area for Jacksonville to expend resources on its secondary, and given that defensive backs are plentiful in this year’s draft, the Jags should be able to find a decent corner. After Lattimore, Teez Tabor (Florida), Tre’Davious White (LSU), Sidney Jones (Washington), Quincy Wilson (Florida), and Marlon Humphrey (Alabama) rank as the next-best options in the seconday, according to Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com, and at least one of those prospects figures to fall to the part of Day 2.

Safety could also be a concern for Jacksonville this offseason, as fourth-year pro Jonathan Cyprien broke out just in time for free agency, grading as the league’s No. 7 safety per PFF. The 26-year-old figures to be one of the more attractive safeties on the open market, joining a free agent class that also includes the likes of Eric Berry, Tony Jefferson, and Barry Church. The Jaguars should make an effort to extend him, but if that fails, Donte Whitner and/or Duke Ihenacho could be options given that new Jacksonville secondary coach Perry Fewell worked with the pair in Washington last year. Adding a safety early in the draft is also a possibility, and Todd McShay of ESPN.com recently mocked LSU’s Jamal Adams to the Jaguars at fourth overall.

Top 3 Offseason Needs: Indianapolis Colts

February 9th, 2017 at 8:02pm CST by Sam 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 Indianapolis Colts, who have now followed up three straight playoff seasons with back-to-back 8-8 slates. The Colts fired GM Ryan Grigson and hired Chris Ballard, and Jim Irsay will retain Chuck Pagano. But Indianapolis must address some on-the-field needs as well.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Mike Adams, S
Quan Bray, WR (ERFA)
Darius Butler, CB
Chris Carter, LB
Trent Cole, LB
Jack Doyle, TE
Jonotthan Harrison, C (RFA)
Zach Kerr, DE (RFA)
Josh McNary, LB
Erik Swoope, TE (RFA)
Hugh Thornton, G
Jordan Todman, RB
Robert Turbin, RB
Erik Walden, LB

Top Cap Hits for 2017:

Andrew Luck, QB: $19,400,000
Anthony Castonzo, T: $12,800,000
Vontae Davis, CB: $10,250,000
T.Y. Hilton, WR: $10,000,000
Arthur Jones, DE: $7,350,000
Dwayne Allen, TE: $5,937,500
Patrick Robinson, CB: $4,500,000
Kendall Langford, DE: $4.250,000
Frank Gore, RB: $3,500,000
Adam Vinatieri, K: $2,750,000

Other:

Projected cap space (via OverTheCap): $55,371,812
Fourteenth or 15th pick in draft (will be determined by coin flip between Colts and Eagles)

Three Needs:

1.) Locate linebackers: Both parts of the Colts’ linebacking corps need help, now even more so after Thursday’s D’Qwell Jackson release leaves the team without much at any of the spots on the second level. But the pass-rushing stable is hurting the most. Robert Mathis‘ retirement signals the end of a special era for Indianapolis pass-rushers, with both he and Dwight Freeney ranking as two of the best players in franchise history. Almost every relevant pass-rusher on last year’s roster either plans to retire or will be a free agent. The Colts finished as a middle-of-the-pack team with 33 sacks last season (19th), but more than half of those came from players no longer attached to the roster. Erik Walden registered a team-high 11 despite recording 12 in his three prior Colts campaigns, and entering his age-32 season, his best football could well be behind him.

The franchise hired Chris Ballard, who’s respected for his draft acumen, having helped the Bears and Chiefs land many gems. He’ll be tasked with making this crucial repair. The potential exodus here is somewhat staggering given what the Colts have on their roster.

The Colts do not have an outside pass-rusher on their roster who recorded a sack in 2016. Entering free agency, Indianapolis employs Akeem Ayers and a host of UDFAs. The Ryan Grigson-era Colts were not shy about throwing money around in March, and the John Dorsey-led Chiefs haven’t been either. Although, the Chiefs’ buys have benefited the team more. The Colts need outside help here. Walden could be retained, but that’s a risky proposition after he nearly doubled his single-season sack best in a contract year. As for the UFA market, there are options. It’s unclear, however, if the impact players will make it to the market.

Chandler Jones and Melvin Ingram headline this class of 3-4 pass-rushers, while Jason Pierre-Paul and Nick Perry profile as other high-end performers. The Cardinals are reportedly willing to apply the franchise tag (projected at $14.754MM for linebackers) to keep Jones after his third double-digit-sack season. PFR’s No. 2 overall free agent, Jones joins Calais Campbell and Tony Jefferson as Arizona UFAs, so the Cardinals have some tough decisions to make. The former Patriot will likely be the Cards’ top priority.

Not much has surfaced on Ingram’s status in Los Angeles, but he’s the Chargers’ top outside rusher and is now free of his five-year rookie contract. The Bolts are also moving to a 4-3 set under Gus Bradley, potentially leaving Ingram without a natural position. That’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but Ingram could be a more realistic target for the Colts as a result of that philosophical change. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap notes Ingram could ask for Ryan Kerrigan money (five years, $57.5MM) but could also be franchised and placed at defensive end in Bradley’s 4-3.

Pierre-Paul wants to match or top Olivier Vernon‘s contract. He’s a tougher sell due to the injury history, position change, and the demands he’s making. Perry has played exclusively in the Packers’ 3-4 and would be an obvious fit. He’s a similar contract-year story to Walden, recording 11 sacks last year after a nondescript statistical history previously, but he differs in being set for just his age-27 season in 2017. Perry did not receive abundant interest as a UFA last year but will after his 2016 emergence. The Packers like to retain their own but have talents like Jared Cook and T.J. Lang residing as impending UFAs as well, complicating their equation.

Venturing off the top tier, the Colts could target DeMarcus Ware or Julius Peppers on a short-term deal, but having employed three 30-somethings outside in ’16, Indy could be in the market for a reboot. That said, the Colts are a perennial contender in the AFC South because of Andrew Luck, so veterans can’t be considered off the table. Another 30-something who would be interesting is Lorenzo Alexander, a strange belated breakout who surpassed his previous career sack total last season, accruing 12.5 for the Bills. Expressing a desire to test the waters in what could be his only chance for a reasonable NFL payday, Alexander will be 34 in May. He qualifies as a short-term answer as a result. As for younger talent, Jabaal Sheard, Alex Okafor (eight sacks in 2014, but two biceps tears in his career) and suspension risk Armonty Bryant stand as cheaper choices than the edge players who run the risk of being tagged. Regardless, the Colts will need to address this position via veterans or rookies.

Since choosing Freeney in 2002, the Colts have not had much luck identifying pass-rushers in the first round. Jerry Hughes (2010) did not blossom in Indianapolis, and Bjoern Werner (2013) has already retired. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. (Insider link) has the Colts selecting UCLA outside linebacker Takkarist McKinley, who recorded 18 tackles for loss and 10 sacks last season. The Colts are not going to be able to select Myles Garrett without a major trade, and the likes of Solomon Thomas (Stanford) and Derek Barnett (Tennessee) are viewed as top-12 picks, per Chad Reuter of NFL.com. Todd McShay of ESPN.com has Michigan’s Taco Charleton (10 sacks in ’16) in that realm as well, viewing the ex-Wolverines edge man as an option for a 4-3 or 3-4 team. The Colts are likely to have edge-rushing options picking 14th or 15th, but it may come down to choosing whichever one of these talents remains on the board by the time they pick.

Their need at inside linebacker isn’t as glaring, if only because this position does not require the same kind of investment to upgrade. But Jackson’s release, following an inconsistent tenure and some off-the-field trouble, leaves the team without much experience. Cutting the 33-year-old veteran saves more than $5.5MM, helping the team potentially pursue younger free agents. But beyond Jackson and aside from safety/hybrid ‘backer Clayton Geathers, Indianapolis houses a fourth-round pick and UDFA — each possessing one year of NFL seasoning.

In their initial full-season stays in Indiana, Edwin Jackson and Antonio Morrison excelled in disparate fashion, according to Pro Football Focus. While neither linebacker graded particularly well, Edwin Jackson showed promise in coverage while Morrison fared better as a run defender. These two now representing the Colts’ top inside incumbents, each will be given another chance to make an impact.

Without much money tied up in the linebacker position (as of now), the Colts could target a free agent as they did D’Qwell Jackson. The likes of Lawrence Timmons, Zach Brown, Kevin Minter and Perry Riley stand to be available as UFAs. Dont’a Hightower is no lock to be franchised given the Patriots’ ways of operation, but he will cost eight figures per year. That’s not the best way to allocate funds at linebacker if no pass-rushing threats are on the roster. So, this could be an auxiliary need that could see more attention in April than March. The Colts’ first-round window doesn’t lend itself to inside-linebacking help, at least not the way this draft class breaks down so far, but by the time Round 2 rolls around, Indianapolis could be in the market for help here. That is, if the Colts don’t see a running back they covet.

2.) Figure out Frank Gore‘s successor: One of the most enduring backs in NFL history, Frank Gore will enter the final season of his Colts contract. He became the oldest running back since John Riggins in 1984 to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season and will finish his career as one of the NFL’s all-time leading rushers. A second franchise will now have to formulate a succession strategy after the 49ers took Carlos Hyde to replace Gore three years ago.

A massive reliability chasm existed between Gore and his backups last season, with the Colts entrusting change-of-pace duties to Robert Turbin. Gore will turn 34 in May and enter his 13th season soon, and contrary to everything he’s shown in his career, the former Miami Hurricane will slow down at some point. A pending UFA, Turbin would like a chance at succeeding Gore, but he’s already 27 and averaged fewer yards per carry (3.5) than did Gore last season. The journeyman is not a long-term option based on what he’s shown.

The Colts have a window to draft their next starting running back, with so many early-entry prospects becoming part of the 2017 pool. While they should strongly consider a pass-rusher in Round 1, a Day 2 back selection is in play. With Gore set for at least one more year, 2017 would represent a chance to groom said back as a reserve option before turning over the 2018 reins to him.

If Indianapolis’ rearranged power structure doesn’t believe a pass-rusher provides solid first-round value, Dalvin Cook (2,253 total yards last season) profiles as a flashy consolation prize. Reuter envisions this future for the Colts. A Round 2 or 3 pick could see the likes of Alvin Kamara (Tennessee) and D’Onta Foreman (Texas) available at those respective middle-round junctures. A third-round selection of Joe Mixon could be a route as well, but the Oklahoma standout will obviously come with baggage. Mixon’s backstory makes projecting when he’ll be selected somewhat difficult as well.

While a rookie makes more sense given Gore’s timeline, finding a pass-catching back in free agency would be another way to go as a means of supplementing the starter.

Likely cap casualty Jamaal Charles, 30, is coming off consecutive knee injury-marred seasons, but the two-time All-Pro may be amenable to being a part-time back to stay in the league. He earned his second All-Pro honor during Ballard and Dorsey’s first year in Kansas City, and the Colts’ new personnel chief is familiar with the yards-per-carry dynamo. Danny Woodhead looms as a UFA but is nearly two years older than Charles. Younger options for this specific role include Lance Dunbar, Fozzy Whittaker and Andre Ellington. The latter averaged 5.5 yards per carry as a rookie before largely fading out of the Cardinals’ backfield. None of these options would be expensive, if the Colts sought a temporary change-of-pace player instead of a high- or middle-round draft pick to team with Gore.

3.) Strengthen the offensive front: The Colts have some nice pieces up front in Anthony Castonzo, Jack Mewhort and Ryan Kelly, and they used several draft choices last year on their O-line. But Luck still took 41 sacks last season, and Colts QBs as a whole absorbed 44 — fifth-most in the league. Colts passers also took 128 hits, which was No. 31 in the league — ahead of only the Browns’ 140 allowed. The team selected Kelly in Round 1, Le’Raven Clark in Round 3 and Joe Haeg in Round 5 last year, so this could be an area where only one additional starter is needed. The right side of Indy’s line needs a patch job, and it could be an interesting year for it on the market. Considering the Colts have just one veteran contract on their front, Castonzo, they can afford a second. Although, Mewhort is entering his contract year.

It’s a good year to need a guard in free agency, with several upper-echelon starters potentially available. Kevin Zeitler, Ronald Leary, T.J. Lang and Larry Warford. All four were top-25 PFF guards in 2016, and each has an extensive history as a starter. Zeitler and the Bengals have yet to enter contract talks, with the Packers lagging behind in discussions with Lang as well. Although, the longtime Green Bay guard wants to stay. PFR’s Zach Links rated Zeitler as the No. 8 UFA overall and tabbed the 29-year-old Lang as an honorable mention. Considering the capital the Cowboys have tied up in their line, Leary seems a great bet to leave. Warford has his eyes on free agency as well, creating what could be a hotly contested pursuit of players who don’t receive a ton of in-game notoriety.

Gore managed 1,025 yards, but they came on just 3.9 per carry. That’s the second-lowest mark of his career, with his worst yards-per-handoff number coming in 2015. This group at least needs supplementation.

Ravens right tackle Ricky Wagner seems likely to hit the market, with Baltimore prioritizing nose man Brandon Williams, but this UFA tackle class doesn’t quite possess the depth of the guard group. A Warford Lions mate, Riley Reiff could be available and has experience at both left and right tackle. Andre Smith is coming off injury, so the former longtime Bengals blocker could be had on a short-term pact.

The Colts used Haeg at both guard and tackle last season. He made eight starts at right tackle, four at right guard and two at left guard. Slotting Haeg at tackle would line up better if the Colts wanted to pursue a veteran guard, but it remains to be seen where he’s going to land. Clark could still be the answer at right tackle, but he was inactive for eight games.

The Beat: ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez On The Rams

February 8th, 2017 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

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

This week, we caught up with Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com to discuss the Rams. You can follow Alden on Twitter @alden_gonzalez and check out his stories here.

Zach Links: After a wide-ranging search, the Rams hired the youngest coach in NFL history. Do you think the 31-year-old Sean McVay will prove to be a smart hire?

Alden Gonzalez: I think he’s going to make their offense better – it can’t be any worse – and I think the players are going to like him. I think they’re going to feed off his energy. The question is how quickly McVay can adapt to all the responsibility that comes with being an NFL head coach, from managing a game to handling a locker room to orchestrating practices. On top of all that, McVay will call the plays on offense. But he could not have made a better hire than the 69-year-old Wade Phillips as his defensive coordinator. McVay basically only has to worry about one side of the ball.

Young coaches have been very hit and miss throughout NFL history. John Madden, Don Shula, Mike Tomlin and Jon Gruden succeeded. Lane Kiffin, Raheem Morris, David Shula and Josh McDaniels did not. It’s a pretty remarkable leap of faith for what is perhaps the most important coaching hire in Rams history. But I give them credit for trying to hit a home run, and I’m trying not to get caught up on the date of McVay’s birth certificate. If he were five years older and had the exact same resume, I don’t think anybody would be making a big deal about it. He sure doesn’t act 31.

Zach Links: Before the start of the 2016 season, you told us that Jared Goff “needs to be more decisive, he needs to take care of the football and he needs to do a better job of picking up blitzes.” What have you seen from him in those areas? How do you feel about him heading into 2017?

Alden Gonzalez: Clearly he didn’t do any of that. Goff put up a 22.2 Total QBR that was by far the worst among those who made at least seven starts last season. He made poor decisions, missed easy throws and didn’t display very good presence in the pocket. But he also faced a ton of pressure, threw to an underwhelming group of receivers and ran an offensive scheme that was, for all intents and purposes, systematically broken.

So, I don’t think it’s totally fair to judge Goff just yet. I do like his arm. He’s more mobile than I expected, and many have raved about how mentally tough he is. Occasionally he also made impressive throws downfield. But he has a lot to prove and has a longer road ahead of him at this point than the Rams might have hoped. McVay’s offense is very quarterback friendly, so now is when we’ll start to see how good Goff can be.

Zach Links: Despite the coaching changes, the Rams opted to retain GM Les Snead. Would you say that he is on the hot seat? What needs to happen in 2017 for him to remain in that position?

Alden Gonzalez: I think he is. To stay, he needs to take advantage of the $40 million or so in salary cap space at his disposal and the Rams need to start seeing more out of their draft picks. The Rams drafted seven offensive linemen from 2014 to ’15, and none of them have really panned out. And now there are varying degrees of questions surrounding their top pick from each of the last five years – Goff, running back Todd Gurley, left tackle Greg Robinson and receiver Tavon Austin. Jeff Fisher wore the brunt of the blame for the Rams’ shortcomings, but Snead’s job wasn’t secured until McVay was announced as head coach. And even then, it’s not as if he received a ringing endorsement.

Zach Links: Rams COO Kevin Demoff has said the Rams are not in a rebuilding phase this offseason. Do you agree with that assessment? Does this roster require heavy lifting or just some tweaking?

Alden Gonzalez: I agree in this sense: The defense is solid, though only if they can re-sign Trumaine Johnson and replenish some depth in the secondary, and the special teams is a real asset. It all comes down to how quickly McVay can turn that offense around. But it’s been so terrible that it’s enough to make the Rams seem like they’re worlds away from contention. It’s one thing to make it work on a Redskins team with Kirk Cousins at quarterback and a collection of dynamic pass-catchers; it’s a whole other thing to make it work here. I don’t think the Rams will do much heavy lifting with their roster; I think they’ll try to supplement their young core. But a lot has to be figured out.

Zach Links: Do you expect Johnson to be back with the Rams next season? How about Kenny Britt?

Alden Gonzalez: Johnson is by far their most important free agent and I have to think the Rams will do whatever it takes to keep him. They lost their top cornerback, Janoris Jenkins, and a talented free safety, Rodney McLeod, last year, and cannot absorb similar losses this year; not with an injury plagued E.J. Gaines and a handful of undrafted free agents as the alternative options at cornerback. As for Britt – I think the Rams will move on. There will be other free-agent priorities at receiver.

Poll: Should The Patriots Trade Jimmy Garoppolo?

February 7th, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have drafted a number of quarterbacks over the past 15 or so years to back up Tom Brady, including Matt Cassel, Ryan Mallett, and (my personal favorite) Rohan Davey. However, none of these signal-callers held as much intrigue as current second-string quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Patriots hadn’t drafted a quarterback in the first two rounds since Drew Bledsoe in 1993, which added plenty of hype around the team’s second-round selection of Garoppolo during the 2014 draft. While many declared him the heir apparent to Brady, the Eastern Illinois product didn’t have much of a chance to showcase his skills during his first two years in the league. Excluding brief cameos during the 2014 season, Garoppolo served mostly as coach Bill Belichick’s victory cigar.

That was until this past season, when the third-year player had an opportunity to start the first four games of the season while Brady served his four-game suspension. The 25-year-old showed plenty of poise during his first two starts, completing 71-percent of his passes for 496 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Unfortunately, Garoppolo injured his AC joint during that Week 2 victory, and rookie Jacoby Brissett ultimately took over as the starter until Brady’s return.

Brady was dynamic following his suspension, throwing a career-low two interceptions while completing 67.4-percent of his passes (his highest completion percentage since his record-breaking 2007 campaign). Of course, the former MVP also led his team to the biggest Super Bowl comeback of all-time, giving him a record fifth ring.

Despite being 39-years-old, Brady hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, and this has predictably led to trade speculation regarding his back-up. These whispers have now been lingering for months, but the logic goes beyond the fact that Garoppolo is more than a decade younger than Brady. The quarterback is set to become an unrestricted free agent following next season. The Texans dished out $37MM in guaranteed money to Brock Osweiler following seven starts, so there’s no doubt that some desperate team would commit long-term money to Garoppolo.

Would the Patriots be willing to spend the money to retain him? The organization could re-sign the quarterback, or they could even opt to franchise him following the 2017 season. However, Brady has continually restructured his contract, and the current iteration of his deal lasts through the 2019 season. Even then, reports from this weekend indicated that the team was looking to extend Brady again next offseason. Plus, the Patriots still have Brissett signed to his rookie contract, and reports indicate that the organization is intrigued by the young signal-caller.

There certainly would be a number of teams willing to give up some assets for Garoppolo. Recent reports have connected the Bears, Browns, and 49ers to the quarterback, and more teams will surely pop up as the offseason continues. For what it’s worth, recent reports indicated that the Patriots would be willing to move their young quarterback, and the team is apparently seeking a first- and fourth-round pick in return.

The downside is all based on hypotheticals. Brady could realistically fall off a cliff suddenly, similar to what happened to Peyton Manning in 2015. Brady could also suffer a devastating injury, leaving the team with no options besides Brissett. Of course, Brady will have to retire eventually, and having a replacement ready to go has typically worked out for franchises.

That leads to my question: should the Patriots trade Jimmy Garoppolo? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Should the Patriots Trade Jimmy Garoppolo?

Yes 72.46% (2,579 votes)

No 27.54% (980 votes)

Total Votes: 3,559

Poll: Do You View Kyle Shanahan Differently?

February 6th, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

In the wake of what could have been the most exciting Super Bowl ever, everyone is trying to suss out exactly what happened: was Tom Brady a miracle worker or did the Falcons effectively give the game away? Things fell apart for Atlanta on both sides of the ball, but there is a lot of finger pointing in the direction of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

Shanahan, who will serve as the next coach of the 49ers, was hired to help get the offense back on track after two abysmal years. The Niners are hoping that he’ll exercise better judgement than he did in the late stages of last night’s game. The Pats rallied back from a 28-3 deficit to bring the score to 28-20 late in regulation. Instead of running the ball three times at the Pats’ 22-yard-line with ~4:30 left, Shanahan got too cute and called for a deep pass play on second down. Ryan got sacked on the play and the Falcons’ subsequent attempts to dig out of the hole only pushed them further out of field goal range. Atlanta was forced to punt on fourth down, and that set up the Pats’ tying drive.

Should this be chalked up to a momentary lapse in judgement, or do you think less of Shanahan’s ability to lead SF after last night’s costly error? Vote here and explain your position in the comments below.

Do You Now Think Less Of Kyle Shanahan?

No 59.32% (2,463 votes)

Yes 40.68% (1,689 votes)

Total Votes: 4,152

Poll: Where Will Tony Romo Play In 2017?

February 4th, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys’ unquestioned starter for nearly 10 years, Tony Romo is now a key element in the NFL offseason because of his arrow pointing out of Dallas. While it’s no certainty the Cowboys will let him go, he wants another chance to be a starter. And several teams have emerged on his prospective list.

Sources pointed to Romo preferring the Broncos last month, and the latest coming out of the Romo sweepstakes leads to the 36-year-old quarterback wanting to play for a contender. The Broncos, Chiefs, Cardinals and Texans are on this short list, one that does not appear to include the Bills despite the franchise’s interest. Each of Romo’s choices has a reason not to pursue the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, but with the exception of the Cards, none of these teams has a better option. That is, if Romo is healthy after two injury-besieged seasons.

It would qualify as a high-profile risk, and one teams likely aren’t willing to take due to the veteran’s league-high $24.7MM 2017 cap number. But given how close the aforementioned AFC squads are to Super Bowl contention with suboptimal passing attacks, acquiring a proven veteran like this should be considered.

Initially zooming to the front of the Romo race, the Broncos are reluctant to trade for Romo. Although, despite John Elway‘s proclamation about the team preferring another Trevor Siemian-vs.-Paxton Lynch battle — one likely to be tilted toward Lynch — Mike Klis of 9News reported recently the Broncos could be interested in Romo as a free agent. They obviously have experience in this kind of decision, but having Lynch as an incumbent is a bit different than only Tim Tebow standing in Peyton Manning‘s path in 2012.

The Broncos’ recent first-round investment in Lynch makes wanting to see what the 6-foot-7 prospect can do soon reasonable, but after a year in which he struggled in Gary Kubiak‘s offense, the raw talent having to learn Mike McCoy‘s could make him closer to a longer-term project than a player who would help complement the Broncos’ elite defense next season. Due to Denver not having a franchise-quarterback salary on its books and deploying the No. 1 DVOA defense in back-to-back seasons, a Romo/Broncos partnership should remain a high-volume talking point for a while. Although, the Broncos currently have the worst offensive line of the teams in this conversation, which should be a factor for an injury-prone passer.

Kansas City is now 0-for-5 in its past five divisional-playoff games, spanning 22 seasons, after losing to Pittsburgh despite the Chiefs scoring two more touchdowns than did the Steelers. The Chiefs are a logical Romo destination because management may be determining Alex Smith has taken the team as far as he can. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported earlier today the Chiefs are eyeing a quarterback upgrade.

Romo would be the only quarterback, among veterans who figure to be available this year, that would qualify as an upgrade on the 32-year-old Smith. Although, the Chiefs have a staggering modern history of eschewing the draft route for veteran signal-callers. From Joe Montana to Smith, the Chiefs’ preferred signal-callers have been veterans. This string predates Montana, with Todd Blackledge (1983) being the franchise’s last first-round QB choice. So it could be time for management to look toward a younger heir apparent. But the Chiefs’ nucleus appears close to pushing for a Super Bowl, and Smith’s $7.2MM dead money figure makes a split more plausible than in the past.

Houston may have made the most sense for Romo due to its proximity to Dallas and having a defense housing J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. It would have been an ideal fit before the team’s ill-fated Brock Osweiler investment. The Texans, though, are believed to be prepared to draft a quarterback and are not expected to pursue Romo. The Texans have at least one more year before they’re able to make a non-damaging Osweiler cut. The four-year, $72MM deal would come with a $25MM dead money blow if Houston was to release Osweiler in 2017. Next year, that figure drops to $6MM. And making that financial sacrifice for a player who hasn’t been healthy for a full season since 2014 would be risky.

The Cardinals are also equipped to win after advancing to the 2015 NFC championship game, but they might be due for another season with their incumbent 37-year-old passer. Bruce Arians expects Carson Palmer to announce a return soon, and Larry Fitzgerald coming back would make a Palmer 2017 re-emergence more likely.

Romo is currently signed through 2019, and the Cowboys are looking set to continue the Dak Prescott era. Despite Prescott’s nondescript pedigree, he shined in Dallas’ ball-control offense and played well in the team’s last-second playoff defeat. Having him under team control for three more seasons on a rookie deal makes this an easy decision.

The interest in Romo should be constant, pointing to a trade. But the aforementioned contending teams won’t be eager to make that happen. If no trade materializes, the Cowboys would be forced to decide if they want to follow through on carrying the league’s most expensive backup. They are currently projected to be $11MM over the cap, complicating this situation further.

So, where do you think Romo will play in 2017? Will he follow Manning’s path to Denver? Will the Chiefs pull the plug on the Smith experiment after four years? How serious are the Texans about avoiding this pursuit? Is there a darkhorse team out there?

Where will Tony Romo play in 2017?

Denver Broncos 37.13% (968 votes)

Kansas City Chiefs 16.72% (436 votes)

Houston Texans 15.54% (405 votes)

Another team 14.88% (388 votes)

Dallas Cowboys 11.32% (295 votes)

Arizona Cardinals 4.41% (115 votes)

Total Votes: 2,607

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2017

February 2nd, 2017 at 5:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While many 2017 NFL draft picks that get traded won’t be moved until later in the offseason, or during next year’s draft itself, plenty of selections have already changed hands. This list will continue to be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back after trades have been consummated for an updated look at which picks are on the move for 2017. If you have any corrections, please contact us.

Here are 2017’s traded draft picks:

Updated 4-4-17 (2:49pm CT)

Round 1

Titans acquired pick from Rams in deal for No. 1 overall pick.
Browns acquired pick from Eagles in deal for No. 2 overall pick.
Eagles acquired pick from Vikings in deal for QB Sam Bradford.
Saints acquired pick from Patriots in deal for WR Brandin Cooks.

Round 2

Browns acquired pick from Titans in deal for No. 8 overall pick.
Panthers acquired pick from Patriots in deal for DE Kony Ealy.

Round 3

Patriots acquired pick from Panthers in deal for DE Kony Ealy.
Ravens acquired pick from Eagles in deal for DT Timmy Jernigan.
Vikings acquired pick from Dolphins in deal for WR Leonte Carroo.
Eagles acquired pick from Ravens in deal for DT Timmy Jernigan.
Titans acquired compensatory pick from Rams in deal for No. 1 overall pick.
Saints acquired pick from Patriots in deal for WR Brandin Cooks.

Round 4

Redskins acquired pick from Jets in deal for T Brandon Shell.
Bears acquired pick from Bills in deal for LB Reggie Ragland.
Patriots acquired pick from Saints in deal for WR Brandin Cooks.
- Pick is forfeited as a result of league discipline (Deflategate)
Vikings acquired pick from Dolphins is deal for WR Leonte Carroo.
Patriots acquired from Seahawks in deal for DT Quinton Jefferson.
Colts acquired pick from Patriots in deal for TE Dwayne Allen.
Eagles acquired compensatory pick from Browns in deal for No. 2 overall pick.
Texans acquired compensatory pick from Browns in deal for QB Brock Osweiler.

Round 5

Redskins acquired pick from Saints in deal for DT David Onyemata.
49ers acquired pick from Redskins in deal for TE Derek Carrier.
Patriots acquired pick from Broncos in deal for TE A.J. Derby.
Bills acquired pick from Cowboys in deal for Matt Cassel.
Browns acquired pick from Patriots in deal for LB Barkevious Mingo.

Round 6

Ravens acquired pick from 49ersin deal for C Jeremy Zuttah.
Browns acquired pick from Texans in deal for QB Brock Osweiler.
49ers acquired pick from Ravens in deal for C Jeremy Zuttah.
Patriots acquired pick from Colts in deal for TE Dwayne Allen.
49ers acquired pick from Broncos in deal for TE Vernon Davis.
Broncos acquired pick from Titans in deal for CB LeShaun Sims.
Rams acquired pick from Dolphins in deal for DE William Hayes.
Redskins acquired pick from Texans in deal for WR Will Fuller.
Lions acquired pick from Patriots in deal for LB Kyle Van Noy.

Round 7

49ers acquired pick from Browns in deal for P Andy Lee.
Redskins acquired pick from 49ers in deal for TE Derek Carrier.
Dolphins acquired pick from Rams in deal for DE William Hayes.
Seahawks acquired pick from Panthers in deal for WR Kevin Norwood.
Cowboys acquired pick from Bills in deal for QB Matt Cassel.
Panthers acquired pick from Browns in deal for P Andy Lee.
Rams acquired pick from Ravens in deal for WR Chris Givens.
Patriots acquired pick from Lions in deal for LB Kyle Van Noy.
Jaguars acquired pick from Dolphins in deal for TE Julius Thomas.
Raiders acquired pick from Seahawks in deal for S Dewey McDonald.
Lions acquired pick from Patriots in deal for OL/TE Michael Williams.

Lost draft picks

Patriots lost fourth-round pick due to NFL discipline (Deflategate).
Giants‘ fourth-round pick was downgraded a maximum of 12 spots due to NFL discipline (walkie-talkies).
Seahawks lost fifth-round pick due to NFL discipline (offseason contact policy).
Chiefs lost sixth-round pick due to NFL discipline (anti-tampering policy).

ProSportsTransactions.com was used in the creation of this post.

Top 3 Offseason Needs: Cincinnati Bengals

February 1st, 2017 at 8:10pm 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 Cincinnati Bengals, who missed the postseason for the first time in six years after finishing with a 6-9-1 record.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Chykie Brown, CB
Rex Burkhead, RB
Karlos Dansby, LB
Wallace Gilberry, DE
Margus Hunt, DE
T.J. Johnson, C
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
Brandon LaFell, WR
Cedric Peerman, RB
Domata Peko, DT
Andrew Whitworth, T
Eric Winston, T
Kevin Zeitler, G

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

Andy Dalton, QB: $15,700,000
A.J. Green, WR: $13,500,000
Geno Atkins, DT: $10,600,000
Adam Jones, CB: $8,166,666
Carlos Dunlap, DE: $7,250,000
George Iloka, S: $5,400,000
Michael Johnson, DE: $5,125,000
Clint Boling, G: $4,925,000
Tyler Eifert, TE: $4,782,000
Vontaze Burfict, LB: $4,725,000

Other:

Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $44,293,339
Ninth pick in draft
Must exercise or decline 2018 fifth-year option for CB Darqueze Dennard

Three Needs:

1) Add an edge defender: The Bengals are now two years removed from a 2014 campaign in which they finished dead last in the NFL with only 20 sacks, and thanks to the return and gradual recovery of All Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who suffered a torn ACL halfway through the 2013 season, the club’s pass rushing attack is now league average, as the unit ranked 15th in adjusted sack percentage and 19th in sacks. Much of that production (52% of Cincinnati’s 30 sacks in 2016), however, comes from Atkins and defensive end Carlos Dunlap, and given the lack of other high-quality edge rushers on the roster, and the fact that Dunlap and Atkins will both be nearing 30 years old when the 2017 season gets underway, the Bengals need to invest in another pass rushing force.

To be sure, the interior of Cincinnati’s defensive line could use some work as well, but the presence of Atkins makes up for a lot. Veteran nose tackle Domata Peko is a pending free agent and is unlikely to be re-signed, but the club does have other options up the middle. 2016 fourth-round pick Andrew Billings should be ready to contribute after missing his entire rookie season with injury, Brandon Thompson‘s one-year contract will toll after he spent all of last year on the physically unable to perform list, and Pat Sims and Marcus Hardison are still under team control for 2017.

The edge, however, is relatively barren outside of Dunlap. Michael Johnson has never been a prototypical defensive end, as his prowess in the run game far outweighs his ability to take down opposing quarterbacks, and the 29-year-old is coming off arguably the worst season of his career. The Bengals are loathe to release veterans in the midst of multi-year deals, but cutting Johnson has to be in consideration this offseason. At the very least, he’ll need to see far fewer snaps than the 831 he played in 2016. Failed second-round pick Margus Hunt and multi-stint Bengal Wallace Gilberry are both heading for the open market, and it would be a surprise to see either return to Cincinnati. As such, Will Clarke — a former third-rounder who played on roughly a third of the Bengals’ defensive snaps last year — could be the only other defensive end available to play opposite Dunlap.

The free agent market for pass rushers isn’t exactly overflowing with options, and the Bengals won’t even think about adding a high-priced player such as Chandler Jones or Jason Pierre-Paul. The most expensive free agent Cincinnati might contemplate is the Patriots’ Jabaal Sheard, who spent four seasons in the AFC North with the Browns before defecting to New England. Sheard, 27, is capable against the pass but is excellent in the run game, a trait the Bengals value immensely. Datone Jones (Packers) could also be on the table, and could benefit from playing in a 4-3 scheme, while Courtney Upshaw (Falcons) and Andre Branch (Dolphins) may also make sense.

More likely, though, Cincinnati will instead target a veteran on a low-cost one-year contract, attempting to fill the edge void on the cheap (the club has used a similar strategy over the past two seasons at linebacker by signing Karlos Dansby and A.J. Hawk). Dwight Freeney is the most obvious candidate for such a deal, as the Bengals worked out the 36-year-old last May before he signed with the Falcons. It’s possible Freeney will retire at season’s end, especially if Atlanta wins the Super Bowl, but he was still effective in 2016 while playing on nearly 40% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps.

A reunion with former Bengal Frostee Rucker could also be in the cards, especially given that Rucker offers the versatility to move inside on passing downs. Rucker, who spent 2007-11 in the Queen City, shouldn’t be expensive as he enters his age-34 season. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be surprising if Cincinnati called Chris Long about a contract, while fellow veterans Jason Jones, Mario Addison, and Charles Johnson could all be available with various price tags. If released, Mario Williams, Jared Odrick, and Connor Barwin could also be on the Bengals’ radar.

If the Bengals do opt for a one-year stop gap at end, the club will almost certainly devote additional resources to the position in the form of draft picks. Sitting within the top-10 for the first time in years, Cincinnati should have the opportunity to select a near-elite prospect who can contribute immediately. While Myles Garrett will be off the board, the Bengals should have a shot at one of Jonathan Allen (Arkansas), Derek Barnett (Tennessee), Tim Williams (Alabama), or Solomon Thomas (Stanford), the latter of whom was mocked to Cincinnati by both Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com and Josh Norris of Rotoworld. Michigan’s Taco Charlton, Missouri’s Charles Harris, and Auburn’s Carl Lawson, meanwhile, could be available in the early part of Day 2.

2) Sort out the offensive line: In 2015, with starting offensive tackles Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith set to become unrestricted free agents the following offseason, the Bengals used their first- and second-round picks on collegiate tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, respectively. Though Cincinnati had other — and perhaps more pressing — needs at the time, the club stuck to its normally forward-thinking approach and should have set itself up along the offensive line for years to come.

That hasn’t happened. Whitworth eventually agreed to a one-year extension and has continued to play at an exceptionally high level, but is now headed for free agency once again, while Smith did leave when he hit the open market, agreeing to a deal with the Vikings. Ogbuehi, recovering from an ACL injury suffered during his final season at Texas A&M, barely played during his rookie season and face-planted after being handed the starting right tackle job in 2016, eventually being relegated to backup duty behind journeyman Eric Winston. Fisher, meanwhile, has mostly been deployed as an extra offensive lineman in jumbo packages.

While the Bengals have issues at tackle, changes could be coming on the interior, too, as right guard Kevin Zeitler will become an unrestricted free agent in March. As of mid-January, Cincinnati had not begun talking extension with Zeitler, but the two sides will surely speak about a long-term deal in advance of free agency. Zeitler, who earned the eighth spot on PFR’s most recent Free Agent Power Rankings, isn’t going to come cheap, though, especially given that fellow right guards Kyle Long and David DeCastro recently inked pacts that pay $10MM annually. And given that the NFL frustratingly still assigns one franchise tender amount to all offensive lineman instead of separating interior players from tackles, the tag isn’t an option given that it’s expected to be worth north of $14MM.

So what would an ideal outcome look like for Cincinnati? Re-signing both Whitworth and Zeitler would be a home run, but given that both offensive linemen are the best available free agents at their respective position, there will be plenty of other suitors around the league. As such, if pressed to choose between the two, the Bengals need to prioritize Zeitler, not only because he’s more than eight years younger than Whitworth, but because retaining Zeitler would give the club more options going forward.

Re-signing Zeitler — and letting Whitworth walk — would allow the Bengals to move Ogbuehi to left tackle while placing Fisher on the right side. Given that Ogbuehi has struggled at right tackle, moving him Andy Dalton‘s blindside may seem like a odd solution, but Ogbuehi has been adamant that left tackle is his “natural position,” and indicated that he simply doesn’t feel comfortable on the right side. Of course, handing left tackle to a player who has thus far given no indication that he’s a starting-caliber NFL lineman is a risky strategy, but it might be the best chance the Bengals have to begin a youth movement up front.

Keeping Whitworth for another few years (likely at a cost of more than $10MM per season) is another potential avenue, and Cincinnati does have options to replace Zeitler at right guard in such a scenario. 2016 fifth-round pick Christian Westerman would be involved in the competition, as would both Ogbuehi and Fisher. A free agent could be in consideration as well, either at tackle or guard. Reuniting with Smith, who barely played with Minnesota before landing on injured reserve, would allow the Bengals to stage an all-out battle at right guard while Smith locks down right tackle. Adding an interior lineman such as Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack would likely mean full-fledged competition at multiple positions along the line.

Clearly, there are number of multi-forked roads the Bengals can travel down this offseason in regards to the construction of the offensive line, and we haven’t even discussed the play of center Russell Bodine, who has steadily improved but still ranks as one of the league’s worst starting pivots. But one way or another, Cincinnati needs to stabilize its front five, which ranked 26th in adjusted sack rate after perennially placing as a top-10 unit during the club’s recent run of success.

3) Go young at cornerback: Given that they’ve used three of their last five first-round picks on defensive backs, the Bengals have accrued a stockpile of youthful cornerback talent on their roster. However, thanks to the club’s developmental schedule (which moves at a glacial pace), those corners receive scant amounts of playing time until they’ve put in a few years as backups. By that time, their rookie contracts have nearly expired, and Cincinnati has wasted the advantages of having first-round talents on cheap deals.

Take Darqueze Dennard, for example: Drafted 24th overall in 2014, Dennard was oozing with pedigree. In his final season at Michigan State, Dennard was a unanimous All-American and received the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate defensive back. But he still couldn’t get on the field with the Bengals. In three seasons with Cincinnati, he’s averaged less than 20% playtime, spending most of his snaps on special teams. Injuries have certainly played a factor in his limited action, but Dennard has admitted that his time with the Bengals has been frustrating.

The Bengals have until this May to decide on Dennard’s 2018 fifth-year option, but they have essentially no basis on which to make their decision. And this isn’t the first time Cincinnati has taken this approach. Fellow first-round corner Dre Kirkpatrick didn’t become a full-time starter until his fourth season in the NFL, and it’s still unclear if he’s capable of being a reliable No. 1 cornerback. (2016 first-rounder William Jackson III can be thrown in here, but his rookie year absence was neither the fault of the Bengals nor Jackson, as a torn pectoral cost him all of last season).

Kirkpatrick, Dennard, and Jackson need to be Cincinnati’s starting corners next season, and given that Kirkpatrick is an unrestricted free agent, that obviously means he needs to be re-signed. Though Kirkpatrick should be one of the top corners on the market, behind the top-tier group comprised of A.J. Bouye, Trumaine Johnson, and Stephon Gilmore, the Bengals should be able to retain Kirkpatrick at a decent price. The rest of the league simply hasn’t seen enough from Kirkpatrick that would entice competing teams to outbid Cincinnati, which intimately knows Kirkpatrick and would presumably feel comfortable retaining him. Even if the price tag approaches $10MM/year, the Bengals should take the plunge.

Cincinnati could make a dent in Kirkpatrick’s cost by releasing veteran Adam Jones, as cutting him loose this offseason would create nearly $7MM in 2017 cap space. We won’t delve into Jones’ entire history of off-field incidents here, and it’s only fair to note that — until recently — Jones had stayed out of trouble for a good amount of time. But his most recent incident, which included an alleged assault, disorderly conduct, and an extremely unbecoming encounter while in police custody, was especially disturbing, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Jones will likely face a suspension in 2017, but the Bengals reportedly haven’t decided whether they’ll release him this spring. The club doesn’t need the headache, could use the cap room, and needs to find out what they have in their younger cornerbacks, all of which points to Cincinnati cutting ties within the next few months.

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings 2.0

January 31st, 2017 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

For 30 of the NFL’s 32 teams, the offseason is already underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the early January edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): Cousins may not be the best player on this list, but he will come away with the most guaranteed money of any free agent this offseason. Quarterbacks are perpetually in high demand and short supply and as a result Cousins could become one of the league’s three highest paid signal callers. Because Washington has already used the franchise tag on Cousins, a repeat would cost them a whopping $23.94MM for 2017. The belief is that Cousins is seeking that $23.94MM number as an AAV goal. There has been talk of the Redskins shopping their star QB, but the team has since publicly stated its intention of locking him up to a long-term deal.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Jones has been an absolute stud ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. If we go by the numbers at Pro Football Focus, 2016 was actually Jones’ best year to date. This past season, he finished out with a strong 87.4 overall score, tying him for seventh amongst all edge rushers with Houston’s Whitney Mercilus. In the previous four seasons with New England, Jones averaged a 79.38 on PFF. Every team could use a sack machine like Jones, but coach Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. He’s technically ticketed for unrestricted free agency, but it doesn’t sound like Jones is going anywhere.

3. Kawann Short, DT (3): Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short says he won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short in early January. In 2016, he turned in his fourth straight 16-game season and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender. Short, 28 this week, also had six sacks on the year. I think the Panthers would be wise to hit Short with the ~$13.468MM franchise tag or sign him to a long-term deal, but there is at least a non-trivial chance of him reaching the open market.

4. Melvin Ingram, LB (5): The Chargers are moving to Los Angeles, but it remains to be seen whether they will be bringing Ingram with them. Ingram has established himself as one of the game’s brightest young edge rushers, so retaining him will cost a pretty penny. Ingram shed the first-round bust label in 2015 and in 2016 he proved himself all over again, silencing doubters and cementing his major payday this spring. When Ingram celebrates his 28th birthday in April, he’ll be a much richer man regardless of where he winds up.

5. Alshon Jeffery, WR (4): In our first installment of the Free Agent Power Rankings, Dallas Robinson had Jeffery ranked No. 3 overall. However, that was before his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Once considered an elite talent at the wide receiver position, Jeffery now seems like more of a second tier type after two disappointing seasons. A second franchise tag would cost the Bears quite a bit and it seems like they’re ready to move on, so you can expect to see him reach the open market. Some team out there will roll the dice on Jeffery, hoping that they can get a stud WR at a discount price.

6. Dont’a Hightower, LB (6): Unlike the aforementioned players, Hightower has bigger fish to fry before he starts thinking about free agency. This Sunday, Hightower has an opportunity to seize his second career Super Bowl ring. After that – win or lose – we’re expecting the Pats to act fast and lock up Hightower for the foreseeable future. The Pats’ decision to jettison Jones and Jamie Collins didn’t slow them down in 2016, but they’d be downright crazy to let Hightower get away. Without those two defensive stars to consider, New England should have enough room to get something done with Hightower before free agency starts.

7. A.J. Bouye, CB (8): Bouye is a fascinating free agent case. This year, he graded out as PFF’s No. 3 cornerback in the NFL and he continued to get the job done in the Texans’ two postseason games. He also doesn’t turn 26 until August. The trouble here is that his 2016 performance pretty much came out of the blue. With no real resume to show for his first three years in the NFL, teams are looking at Bouye with a healthy bit of skepticism. There is mutual interest between the corner and the Texans in a reunion.

8. Kevin Zeitler, G (9): Teams looking to beef up their O-Line will be on the horn with Zeitler’s reps as soon as they are allowed (and maybe a little before that point). As of January 14th, Zeitler has not discussed a new deal with the Bengals and it seems possible they will let him ascertain his value on the open market. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. In 2014 and 2015, he earned similar scores for his work. Kelechi Osemele got a five-year, $58.5MM deal from Oakland last year and that could be in play for Zeitler if he is on the board in early March.

9. Calais Campbell, DL (10): After turning in one of the best seasons of his career, Campbell is in line for another healthy payday. The Cardinals were probably planning to move on from the former University of Miami star after landing Jones in 2016, but they’ll have to give real consideration to keeping both players, if they can swing it. If they can’t, the durable defensive lineman will get paid elsewhere after notching 53 total tackles and eight sacks in 2016. The only thing really working against Campbell here is his age. He’ll turn 31 just before Week 1 of the 2017 season.

10. Le’Veon Bell (NR): Bell gets listed here for his tremendous ability, but there’s little chance that he actually reaches the open market. The Steelers have already made it clear that they will use the franchise tag on the running back and we expect the two sides to shake hands on a long-term deal soon after. If it happens, that deal should easily best LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees.

Honorable mention: Eric Berry, Jason Pierre-Paul, T.J. Lang, Stephon Gilmore, Tony Jefferson, Trumaine Johnson, Nick Perry, Dontari Poe, Martellus Bennett

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