Trade Candidate: Cowboys DT Trysten Hill
Cowboys defensive tackle Trysten Hill has seen his fair share of obstacles en route to a career in the NFL, some self-inflicted. It appears he hasn’t seen the end of these obstacles yet, as ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Hill’s road to continue playing in the NFL may require him to boost his stock and earn some trade-value at camp this summer. 
The Cowboys selected Hill in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft as their top draft pick that year. Hill had entered the draft early, forgoing his senior season after three years at UCF. He had started all 13 games in both his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Knights, but, by his junior year, Hill had reportedly fallen out of favor with the UCF coaches and only started one game during his third season. Despite not being granted the privilege of starting, 2018 was Hill’s best year in Orlando as he doubled his career sack total from 3.0 to 6.0 and more than doubled his career tally of tackles for loss from 9.5 to 20.0.
The Cowboys’ top-drafted rookie didn’t see much of the field in his first season. Playing behind Maliek Collins and Christian Covington, Hill only saw seven games of action in 2019, never playing in even half of the team’s defensive snaps. In those seven appearances, Hill was only able to make 5 total tackles, one for a loss, and 2 quarterback hits.
In his second year with the team, a preseason injury to presumed starter Gerald McCoy left the door wide open for Hill. Hill was named the starting three-technique defensive tackle to start the season. Unfortunately for Hill, he tore his ACL in a Week 5 game against the Giants and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve.
His time before the injury wasn’t all sunshine and roses, though. While he was starting to make more of an impact on defense, racking up 11 total tackles, one for a loss, and 3 quarterback hits, a couple of plays with questionable intention brought back memories of the behavior that lost Hill his starting honors in college. In a Week 3 game against Seattle, Hill caused controversy on plays against running back Chris Carson and quarterback Russell Wilson. After tackling Carson, Hill appeared to twist Carson’s knee after the whistle had blown. Carson suffered a knee sprain and Hill was fined $6,522 for the act. On the same drive, Wilson was the recipient of a late, helmet-to-helmet hit from Hill. While Wilson suffered no injury as a result, the league still fined Hill an additional $6,522 for the hit.
Last year saw Hill start the season on the reserve/PUP list. He wasn’t activated until Week 10 and failed to make the same impact he had the prior year, though he did record his first portion of a sack in the NFL. Hill fought for playing time behind Osa Odighizuwa, Carlos Watkins, and Quinton Bohanna. When he wasn’t fighting for playing time, though, he was still fighting. After a Week 12 game against the Raiders, Hill punched Las Vegas guard John Simpson, leading to a one-game suspension.
Now, Hill is headed into a contract year. Odighizuwa, Watkins, and Bohanna all return this year after taking playing time from him last season. Even Neville Gallimore has apparently risen above Hill on the depth chart, leading to some long odds for Hill to earn significant playing time.
As Archer suggested above, the best path forward for Hill might be to seek a less-crowded depth chart. If Hill can take advantage of the playing time he will get as a back up in the preseason and prove that he can behave and play nicely with the other players in the NFL, the Cowboys may be able to move Hill for a reasonable return and provide him with an opportunity to start again in a new city.
Release Candidate: Colts DE Ben Banogu
The Colts have a strong recent history picking in the second round of the NFL draft. General manager Chris Ballard has hit multiple homeruns on both sides of the ball with picks like linebacker Darius Leonard in 2018 and running back Jonathan Taylor in 2020. Defensive end Ben Banogu, though, a 2019 second-round draft pick, may soon see his opportunity in Indianapolis come to end, according to Mike Wells of ESPN. 
Banogu’s college career granted him access into the league. After one year of play at Louisiana-Monroe as a redshirt freshman, Banogu transferred to TCU, sitting out for a year before he could play in Fort Worth. The Nigerian-native made the most out of his final two years of eligibility, compiling 8.5 sacks in each of his two seasons with the Horned Frogs and totaling 34.5 tackles for loss in those years. In both seasons of Big 12 play, Banogu was named first-team All-Big 12.
Banogu’s domination at the collegiate-level justified Ballard’s use of a second-round pick at the time. The Colts saw what he did at TCU and wanted to see that production in their blue and white, putting him on the field early and often during his rookie season. That first year in the league, under the mentorship of Justin Houston while playing with Al-Quadin Muhammad and Jabaal Sheard, was Banogu’s best. While he only tallied 11 total tackles, he recorded 2.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss, 5 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a pass defensed. He was on the field for a quarter of the team’s defensive snaps as a back up, getting a good amount of experience as a rookie.
In the two years since, Banogu has only made 8 total tackles and 1 quarterback hit. He hasn’t collected a sack or tackle for loss since November of 2019. While Banogu has seen a significant drop in snap count when he’s active, the other factor that has crushed his production is his availability. Banogu has seen long stretches of time over the past two seasons as a healthy scratch, a situation where an injury is not the reason a team lists a player as inactive for a game.
Banogu has seen his opportunity begin to wane. The Colts drafted pass rushers in the first and second rounds last year in Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo, who both currently sit above Banogu on the depth chart. Indianapolis also brought in former Pro Bowler Yannick Ngakoue to add a veteran presence to the ends-group.
Banogu has seen the field less and less each season, spending most of last year on the inactive list. The team’s moves to add production to the defensive end position over the past year or so points to the end of their patience. Banogu is trending fast towards a bust-label and it could cost him his job by the end of August.
Panthers QB Transactions Since 2020
It’s been two years since the Panthers moved on from Cam Newton, and the organization’s QB room has seen plenty of change in that short amount of time. Besides the financial commitments 
to free agent additions like Teddy Bridgewater and Newton (for a second stint), the Panthers have also invested plenty of draft capital into the position. Over the past 15 months, the organization has effectively used a second-round pick, third-round pick, fourth-round pick, fifth-round pick, and sixth-round pick to construct their current depth chart of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Matt Corral.
Of course, the Panthers have rostered plenty of additional signal-callers since settling on their current trio. Over the past two years, the Panthers have started four different QBs, and 13 different quarterbacks have made their way through the organization (either via the active roster or practice squad). These 13 different QBs have accounted for 18 different transactions over the past 28 months.
We went back to the 2020 offseason and listed all of the Panthers QB transactions below:
March 10, 2020
- Signed Kyle Allen to a one-year contract
Allen inked a one-year pact with the Panthers to avoid ERFA.
March 17, 2020
- Signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year contract
March 23, 2020
- Signed P.J. Walker to a two-year contract
- Traded Kyle Allen to Washington for a 2020 fifth-round pick
March 24, 2020
- Released Cam Newton
April 5, 2021
- Acquired Sam Darnold from Jets for 2022 second-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2021 sixth-round pick
April 28, 2021
- Traded Teddy Bridgewater to Broncos for 2021 sixth-round pick
April 30, 2021
- Picked up Sam Darnold‘s fifth-year option
August 31, 2021
- Waived Will Grier
Grier was a 2019 third-round pick by the Panthers.
September 2, 2021
- Signed James Morgan to practice squad
November 2, 2021
- Signed Josh Love to practice squad
November 9, 2021
- Signed Matt Barkley to active roster
Barkley was signed off the Titans practice squad.
November 11, 2021
- Signed Cam Newton to one-year contract
December 28, 2021
- Waived Matt Barkley
December 31, 2021
- Signed Jordan Ta’amu to practice squad
April 29, 2022
- Drafted Matt Corral in third round
May 1, 2022
- Signed Davis Cheek (UDFA)
July 6, 2022
- Acquired Baker Mayfield from Browns for 2024 fifth-round pick
Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Chargers
This year marks the final season Justin Herbert must play on a rookie contract. That gives the Chargers both a significant roster-building advantage while also raising the stakes for this season. Through two years, Herbert has displayed future MVP-caliber talent. But the Chargers have little to show for it, having gone 16-17 over the past two years. The organization is clearly making a point to capitalize on Herbert’s rookie deal. Major upgrades, mostly on defense, give the Bolts — frequent providers of letdowns after preseason hype — far more appeal as a true contender than they have been in recent years.
The Chargers have often carried quality quarterbacks, rostering Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, Canton-bound Drew Brees and potential inductee Philip Rivers over the past 40 years. The team has one Super Bowl appearance to show for this (and it came during Stan Humphries‘ stint). Last year’s Pro Bowl starter, Herbert is on the Fouts-Brees-Rivers stardom track. Herbert’s first two seasons not only dwarf that trio’s starts but compare favorably to just about any quarterback in league history. While the 24-year-old QB has plenty of time to push for Super Bowls, 2022 does look like a key point on his timeline — due to the rookie-contract component. In a deep AFC, will the Bolts’ upgrade efforts pay off?
Trades:
- Acquired OLB Khalil Mack from Bears for second-round pick in 2022, sixth-round pick in 2023
Tom Telesco‘s team struck early, making a pre-free agency trade for one of Brandon Staley‘s most talented ex-charges. The Bears sent the Raiders a package highlighted by two first-round picks for Mack in 2018; the price the Bolts paid revealed the league’s current view of the veteran edge rusher. But the Chargers provide Mack with a unique bounce-back opportunity, with he and Joey Bosa poised to be one of the most talented edge defender duos in modern NFL history.
Mack and Bosa carry 10 Pro Bowls between them, despite the former top-five picks respectively going into their age-31 and age-27 seasons. Although Mack is coming off a foot injury that ended his fourth Chicago season after seven games, he earned All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition in his previous six healthy seasons. Mack, who recorded six sacks in his abbreviated 2021 slate, checked in as this year’s ninth-best edge rusher — per various NFL evaluators (via ESPN.com). Bosa sits fourth on that list. The age ranges and accomplishments here remind of the Broncos’ mid-2010s Von Miller–DeMarcus Ware tandem. Like Ware, Mack settling in as a complementary pass rusher will be quite different compared to his previous roles.
Mack staying healthy would provide a major upgrade on Uchenna Nwosu, who signed with the Seahawks. Mack’s Bears-constructed deal runs through 2024. The Bears restructured Mack’s contract multiple times, leading to a sizable dead-money hit for the rebuilding franchise. Bosa on a $27MM-per-year deal and Mack on a $23.5MM-AAV accord does push the Bolts into new territory, but these are the kind of moves teams can make when equipped with a rookie-contract quarterback. Mack’s cap hit spikes from $8.75MM this year to $27.4MM in 2023, but if his reunion with Staley — his Bears position coach in 2018 — does not go as planned, the Chargers can get out of the contract with minimal damage next year.
Notable signings:
- J.C. Jackson, CB. Five years, $82.5MM. $40MM guaranteed.
- Sebastian Joseph-Day, DL. Three years, $24MM. $15MM guaranteed.
- Austin Johnson, DL. Two years, $14MM. $10.63MM guaranteed.
- Gerald Everett, TE. Two years, $12MM. $8MM guaranteed.
- Kyle Van Noy, LB. One year, $2.25MM. $2.25MM guaranteed.
- Josh Harris, LS. Four years, $5.6MM. $1.92MM guaranteed.
- Chase Daniel, QB. One year, $2MM. $1.12MM guaranteed.
- Bryce Callahan, CB. One year, $1.27MM. $153K guaranteed.
- Morgan Fox, DL. One year, $1.19MM. $100K guaranteed.
- DeAndre Carter, WR. One year, $1.14MM. $100K guaranteed.
- Troy Reeder, LB. One year, $1.1MM. $25K guaranteed.
- J.K. Scott, P. One year, $965K.
Staley’s renegade fourth-down strategies overshadowed the Charger defense’s lackluster performance in the young coach’s debut. Mostly healthy seasons from Bosa and Derwin James barely kept Staley’s unit out of last place; the Bolts’ defense ranked 29th in points allowed and 26th in DVOA. Telesco’s March additions, understandably, went mostly toward this side of the ball.
After moving up from UDFA to elite turnover producer in New England, Jackson escaped the franchise tag this year. Best known for his turnover frequency (25 career interceptions), Jackson allowed quarterbacks to sub-50 passer ratings as the closest defender in coverage in three of his four Patriots seasons. Jackson’s work over the past two years helped the Pats compensate for Stephon Gilmore‘s unavailability and eventual departure.
Bill Belichick made an exception for Gilmore, signing him to a high-end deal in 2017, but continued to let corners walk rather than commit long-term. Darrelle Revis (2015), Logan Ryan (2017), Malcolm Butler (2018), Gilmore (2021) and Jackson have all departed New England. The Chargers will hope Staley and DC Renaldo Hill can continue to coax Pro Bowl-level play from their big-ticket signing. Jackson, 26, signed for an AAV outside the top five at the position ($16.5MM). Following the Denzel Ward and Jaire Alexander deals, that figure now ranks ninth among corners. It took a $28MM Year 1 payment to entice Jackson to head to Los Angeles.
2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Between now and training camp, additional free agents will join teams. Several big names — from 2010s All-Decade-teamers Ndamukong Suh and Julio Jones — to longtime starters like Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul, Trey Flowers and J.C. Tretter remain available as camps approach.
With savings from post-June 1 cuts in the rear-view mirror and fewer than 25 draft picks yet to sign their rookie deals, we have a pretty good idea of teams’ cap-space figures. Here is how the league currently stacks up for available funds:
- Cleveland Browns: $40.9MM
- Carolina Panthers: $25.1MM
- Chicago Bears: $23MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $22.5MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $21.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $17.7MM
- Green Bay Packers: $16.9MM
- Miami Dolphins: $16.5MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $16.4MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $15.8MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $14.5MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $14.3MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $14.3MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $13.4MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $12.8MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $12.4MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $12.3MM
- Tennessee Titans: $11.9MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $11.5MM
- Denver Broncos: $11.5MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $10.9MM
- New Orleans Saints: $10.7MM
- Detroit Lions: $9.8MM
- New York Jets: $9.6MM
- Houston Texans: $9.2MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $7.7MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $7.7MM
- New York Giants: $6MM
- Buffalo Bills: $5.6MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $4.7MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $3.9MM
- New England Patriots: $1.9MM
- The Browns reduced Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 base salary to the veteran minimum. The suspension candidate’s cap number checks in at just $10MM, though the figures from the fully guaranteed deal the Browns authorized begin spiking in 2023. Watson’s cap number is set to rise to an NFL-record $54.9MM next year.
- Carolina has been in talks with Cleveland for months regarding a Baker Mayfield trade. The sides have not come to an agreement on how to divide Mayfield’s guaranteed $18.9MM salary. While the Browns are believed to have come up to around $10MM, Mayfield remains on their roster.
- The Bears, Cowboys and Raiders each vaulted into the top five because of post-June 1 cuts. Chicago and Las Vegas were the only teams to designate the maximum two players as post-June 1 releases.
- The Seahawks have been connected to a Mayfield trade, but they have been more likely to pursue the disgruntled QB via free agency — should this process reach that point. A Mayfield free agent signing would not require Seattle to make adjustments to its cap sheet.
- After restructuring Patrick Mahomes‘ contract last year, the Chiefs have not done so in 2022. The superstar passer is attached to a $35.8MM figure — the second-highest 2022 cap charge.
- Atlanta’s cap space factors in the team’s league-leading $63.2MM in dead money, a figure mostly created by Matt Ryan‘s individual dead-cap record ($40.5MM) emerging after the Falcons traded their 14-year starter to the Colts.
- Upon learning Tom Brady would be back for a third Florida season, the Buccaneers did restructure his deal. Brady counts just $11.9MM on Tampa Bay’s 2022 cap sheet, but due to the void years that helped the team save money, that number spikes to $35.1MM in 2023 — when Brady is not under contract.
- San Francisco power brokers have said for months a Jimmy Garoppolo trade is the organization’s goal. With the passer not yet fully cleared, the team — which is preparing for Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa extensions to come to pass at some point — has a $26.95MM Garoppolo cap charge on its payroll. Releasing Garopppolo would save the 49ers $24.2MM.
- The Ravens have attempted to go forward with a Lamar Jackson extension, but the team has confirmed the quarterback has not expressed much interest in doing a deal now. The sides did discuss the former MVP’s deal during minicamp. Jackson is tied to a $23MM fifth-year option salary.
Largest 2022 Cap Hits: Defense
After looking at this year’s top salary cap numbers on the offensive side of the ball, here is a rundown of the players counting the most toward their teams’ payrolls in 2022.
As could be expected, the salary figures here start below the quarterbacks. A few pass rushers, however, are tied to notable cap hits. Those numbers that check in within the top 20 leaguewide regardless of position. With the exception of true nose tackles and pure slot cornerbacks, every defensive position is represented here.
Here are the top cap figures on the defensive side for the ’22 season:
- T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $31.12MM
- Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $29.42MM
- Joey Bosa, OLB (Chargers): $28.25MM
- Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): $27.3MM
- Aaron Donald, DT (Rams): $27MM
- Jalen Ramsey, CB (Rams): $23.2MM
- Deion Jones, LB (Falcons): $20.1MM
- Bud Dupree, OLB (Titans): $19.2MM
- Justin Simmons, S (Broncos): $18.85MM
- Javon Hargrave, DT (Eagles): $17.8MM
- C.J. Mosley, LB (Jets): $17.5MM
- Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $17.42MM
- Robert Quinn, DE (Bears): $17.14MM
- Matt Judon, OLB (Patriots): $16.5MM
- DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $16MM
- Shaquill Griffin, CB (Jaguars): $16.44MM
- Tre’Davious White, CB (Bills): $16.4MM
- J.J. Watt, DL (Cardinals): $15.9MM
- Marcus Peters, CB (Ravens): $15.5MM
- Carl Lawson, DE (Jets): $15.33MM
- Eddie Jackson, S (Bears): $15.1MM
- Lavonte David, LB (Buccaneers): $14.79MM
- Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $14.78MM
- Romeo Okwara, DE (Lions): $14.5MM
- Trey Hendrickson, DE (Bengals): $14.49MM
- Illustrating how much the cap has climbed over the past several seasons, T.J. Watt is tied to a number nearly twice that of J.J. Watt, who has been tied to $16.7MM-per-year (a defender-record number in 2014) and $14MM-AAV deals as a pro. Trailing his older brother in Defensive Player of the Year honors, T.J. is signed to an edge defender-record $28MM-per-year accord.
- Jones’ four-year Chiefs deal vaults from an $8.5MM cap number in 2021 to the league’s second-highest defensive figure this year. The standout defensive tackle’s cap hit accompanies Patrick Mahomes‘ $35.79MM number, which is well north of his 2021 figure, on Kansas City’s new-look payroll.
- After two franchise tags, Williams scored a monster extension in 2021. The well-paid Giants D-lineman’s cap number this year is way up from his 2021 number ($9.4MM).
- The Rams redid Donald’s contract last month, adding no new years to the through-2024 pact. The all-world defender’s cap hit actually decreases in 2023, dropping to $26MM
- It is not certain Deion Jones will be back with the Falcons, who have jettisoned other Super Bowl LI cornerstones from the roster since the current regime took over in 2021. But they would save just $1MM were they to release the seventh-year linebacker.
- To date, this represents the high-water mark for Mosley cap hits on his Jets deal, which at the time (2019) began a sea change for off-ball linebacker contracts. Mosley’s cap hit, on a pact that runs through 2024 because of the linebacker opting out of the 2020 season, increased by $10MM from 2021-22.
- Hargrave is one of five Eagles pass rushers signed to veteran contracts. The ex-Steeler’s 2021 deal accompanies Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, and Fletcher Cox‘s new agreement on Philadelphia’s defensive front. As cap hits do not reflect average salaries, Hargrave is the only member of this quartet tied to an eight-figure cap number in 2022.
- Quinn has also been connected to a departure, with the 31-year-old pass rusher skipping minicamp after it became known he would like to be traded away from the rebuilding team. His cap hit tops the Bears’ payroll. The Bears would save $12.9MM by trading Quinn, should another team sign up for taking on his full 2022 base salary.
Free Agent Stock Watch: WR Will Fuller
Will Fuller has had an up-and-down NFL career to date, and it may now stand at something of a crossroads. He currently finds himself among an interesting crop of free agent receivers seeking new deals well after teams have done the bulk of their roster retooling. 
After two straight hugely productive seasons to finish his college career at Notre Dame, in which he totalled over 2,300 yards and 29 touchdowns, Fuller was one of the top receiver prospects in the 2016 draft class. He was the second wideout to hear his name called, going 21st overall to the Texans. That set him up in a favorable situation to begin his pro career.
Landing in Houston allowed Fuller to serve as an effective compliment to DeAndre Hopkins, given his vertical speed and field-stretching ability. He was an integral part of the team’s passing offense during his rookie season, as he saw a career-high 92 targets. Unfortunately, that year was also the one in which he saw the most time on the field, appearing in 14 contests.
Injuries have been a constant in the 28-year-old’s NFL tenure, unlike those final two years in college which made him so highly regarded. During his five seasons in Houston, he missed 27 total games, mostly due to injury. Part of that total also came from a six-game PED suspension, which was handed down late in the 2020 season. Despite the missed time, Fuller still put up career-best totals that year in receptions (53), yards (879) and touchdowns (eight).
That made him one of the top available free agents last offseason, as he hit the open market for the first time in his career. He signed with the Dolphins, a team which also added Jaylen Waddle in the draft as part of their WR overhaul. The deal carried a value of over $10MM, but was only one year in length and included incentives, as the team clearly had concerns about his availability.
Those proved to be well-founded; after missing the first week of the season due to the suspension, Fuller was also absent for Week 2 as a result of a non-injury-related matter. In October, he then suffered a broken finger, adding further to the list of ailments which have proved increasingly cumbersome to his career. The injury wasn’t expected to end his season, but it ultimately did limit him to just two games played. After recording four scoreless receptions, it comes as little surprise that Fuller is still a free agent this late into free agency.
As shown by his 16.6 yards per catch average in 2020, though, he has the ability to make a significant impact as a complimentary receiver when healthy. That qualifies him as one of the best remaining wideouts on the market, as the likes of Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. have significant injury concerns of their own. A number of teams looking for veteran pass-catchers could stand to add him.
One such team is the Ravens, who were recently named as a logical destination for Fuller. The team traded away Marquise Brown during the draft, so they could use him as a replacement for Brown’s speed. Baltimore currently ranks second-last in the league in cap space, however, so any deal would need to be a short-term, low-cost one like that given to Sammy Watkins last year.
Other potential landing spots include the Colts (who have yet to re-sign T.Y. Hilton, or a similar compliment to Michael Pittman Jr.) and Packers (who considered trading for Fuller in 2020 and lost their top two WRs this offseason). Wherever he signs, Fuller could prove to be an effective addition given the right team fit and a bit of injury-related luck.
PFR Originals: 6/27/22 – 7/4/22
In case you missed it, here is a look back at our recent originals:
- PFR’s Offseason in Review series for 2022 kicked off with two entries, beginning with the Broncos and Giants.
- I took a look at a Denver offseason headlined by the Russell Wilson trade but one that also included a transaction stretch involving few front-seven additions, the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as head coach and the franchise being sold.
- The Giants made more power-structure changes, adding a new GM-HC duo, but Big Blue becoming one of just 20 teams in the 56-year common draft era to make two top-10 picks headlined their offseason.
- With the summer representing an annual window for teams to decide on players’ long-term statuses, our extension candidate series produced five more entries.
- One of a handful of receiver standouts from the 2019 draft eyeing big-ticket re-ups, Marquise Brown now has a team that did not draft him handling his potential extension. Rory Parks took a look at the Cardinals wideout’s extension outlook.
- The Bills have already paid linebacker Matt Milano and took care of 2018 first-rounder Josh Allen. Ben Levine examined the extension candidacy for Buffalo’s other 2018 first-rounder, Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
- Jeffery Simmons did not participate fully in the Titans‘ minicamp, inviting questions ahead of Tennessee’s training camp. Ely Allen delved into the blossoming defensive lineman’s case to be a long-term Titans front-seven bastion.
- After the Packers separated their edge-rushing Smiths, making Za’Darius a cap casualty, Rashan Gary has a chance to become a potential cornerstone Green Bay defender. Adam La Rose looked into the former first-rounder’s value.
- The Chiefs have not poured much money into their cornerback positions in recent years, but after letting Charvarius Ward walk, the team may have an opening for a midlevel extension in this position group. Ely addressed Rashad Fenton‘s case for a long-term Missouri future.
- The Packers made some additions at receiver this offseason, but after the exits of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay’s wideout depth chart differs considerably from the other NFC contenders. Examining the Packers’ post-Adams outlook, I went into the team’s unique setup and augmentation options at this marquee position.
- The departures of Sean Payton and Mike Zimmer removed two of the NFL’s longest-tenured head coaches from the 2022 equation. The updated list features 10 new HCs and nearly half the league employing coaches hired over the past two offseasons.
- Kevin Colbert‘s retirement also removed a longtime general manager from the 2022 contingent. Here is how the league’s GM collection looks entering the ’22 campaign.
- Various changes to quarterbacks’ contracts — via trades, extensions or fifth-year option bumps — adjusted the NFL’s 2022 earnings hierarchy. Ryan Tannehill and Patrick Mahomes surged to the top of the list, though several non-QBs’ contracts appear among the top of the largest 2022 cap figures.
- Jimmy Garoppolo has been on the trade block for five months. In PFR’s latest poll, I analyzed the early-July landscape for the 49ers quarterback, whose 2022 endgame features a number of options.
- A neck injury has put Chris Carson‘s career in jeopardy, a development similar to those of Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor. While the veteran Seahawks running back is not planning to retire, Ely offered a look into Carson’s future in Seattle.
- Sheldon Richardson has bounced around the league, and although he has been a starter throughout his career, the defensive lineman has not enjoyed a long-tenured run with any team but the Jets. In our latest This Date In Transactions History entry, Ben went into an offseason event seven years ago that affected his time in New York.
Poll: How Will 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo Saga Conclude?
Since the Rams held off the No. 6-seeded 49ers to advance to Super Bowl LVI, the NFC’s second-place finisher has not made a secret of its plans with its four-plus-year starting quarterback. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have said a Jimmy Garoppolo trade will be the likely conclusion for this relationship.
Now that we are in July, when Garoppolo is expected to be cleared to throw again following his right shoulder surgery in March, more news surrounding this trade saga figures to emerge. Because Garoppolo’s procedure changed his trade market, Baker Mayfield rumors have been far more commonplace than rumblings of a Garoppolo deal. But the 49ers are planning to make an aggressive push here, to the point the team will let the 30-year-old passer discuss his through-2022 contract with other teams ahead of a trade.
The Panthers and Seahawks loom as the most obvious landing spots for the Super Bowl LIV starter, but clear barriers exist blocking those avenues. Although Carolina has been discussing Mayfield with Cleveland for months, the team not believed to be interested in trading for Garoppolo.
The $24.2MM salary has long been a non-starter for the Panthers, who have some degree of doubt about Garoppolo’s injuries and are carrying a fully guaranteed $18.9MM Sam Darnold salary. Garoppolo missed most of 2018 with an ACL tear, was sidelined for much of 2020 with ankle trouble, and battled calf, thumb and shoulder maladies last season. In his lone 49ers season without a notable injury (2019), Garoppolo finished 12th in QBR. The shoulder ailment hijacked a trade market the 49ers hoped would yield a Day 2 pick to one in which NFL insiders expect San Francisco to eventually cut bait rather than risk Garoppolo’s salary becoming guaranteed come Week 1.
Although precedent exists for intra-division QB trades, with the 2010 Donovan McNabb Philadelphia-to-Washington swap being a fairly recent example, it is difficult to envision the 49ers dealing Garoppolo to the Seahawks. Considering Seattle’s issue with Mayfield’s $18.9MM salary, it is also hard to imagine the team signing off on acquiring Garoppolo without a considerable contract adjustment. Still, Garoppolo making it to free agency — especially in a reality in which the Browns and Panthers agree on a Mayfield deal — opens the door to the longtime NFC West arm moving to Seattle. The Drew Lock–Geno Smith battle will continue into training camp, but the Seahawks going with either is a significant risk for a team that enjoyed tremendous QB security for a decade.
Other teams could lurk. The Browns are about to learn Deshaun Watson‘s punishment. If disciplinary officer Sue Robinson hands the embattled passer a lengthy suspension, or the NFL powers through with its desire for a full-season ban on appeal, would Cleveland make a play for Garoppolo? The Browns could adjust Garoppolo’s salary, dangling the carrot of the ninth-year veteran boosting his 2023 free agency prospects by playing behind a strong offensive line with a top-tier backfield. Considering where the Browns-Mayfield relationship stands, a move to acquire another veteran — in the event a Watson suspension long enough shakes the team’s faith in Jacoby Brissett — makes sense.
The Texans have also been connected to Garoppolo, whose Patriots tenure overlapped with Nick Caserio‘s. The second-year Houston GM has not been shy about acquiring middling veterans on short-term deals. But a Garoppolo arrival would affect Davis Mills‘ development. The 49ers waiting for a potential training camp injury changing Garoppolo’s market — similar to Sam Bradford‘s in 2016 — should be on the table as well.
While Shanahan and Lynch view a trade as the goal, both said keeping the passer is in play. Jed York also cited, in a historically extreme example, the 49ers’ former Joe Montana–Steve Young partnership — which ran from 1987-92, just before the salary cap era — as evidence Garoppolo and Trey Lance can play together for a second season.
The 49ers could certainly benefit from Garoppolo sticking around to push Lance. San Francisco stands to be an NFC contender, and Lance injects uncertainty into its signal-caller situation. But the team is eyeing a Deebo Samuel extension and sits 30th in cap space ($4.9MM). Lance struggling in camp and in the preseason could force the 49ers to keep Garoppolo and table extensions for Samuel and Nick Bosa — the latter of which the team appears willing to push to 2023 — but the team is currently preparing to move forward with the 2021 top-three pick.
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Largest 2022 Cap Hits: Offense
After the COVID-19 pandemic led to the second reduction in NFL salary cap history last year, the 2022 cap made a record jump. This year’s salary ceiling ($208.2MM) checks in $25.7MM north of the 2021 figure.
While quarterbacks’ salaries will continue to lead the way, a handful of blockers and skill-position players carry sizable cap numbers for 2022. A few of the quarterbacks that lead the way this year may not be tied to those numbers once the regular season begins. The 49ers, Browns and Ravens have made efforts to alter these figures via trades or extensions.
Here are the top 2022 salary cap hits on the offensive side of the ball:
- Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $38.6MM
- Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $35.79MM
- Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $31.42MM
- Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $31.15MM
- Aaron Rodgers, QB (Packers): $28.53MM
- Carson Wentz, QB (Commanders): $28.29MM
- Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $26.95MM
- Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $24MM
- Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $23.02MM
- Kenny Golladay, WR (Giants): $21.2MM
- Garett Bolles, T (Broncos): $21MM
- Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $19.73MM
- Derek Carr, QB (Raiders): $19.38MM
- D.J. Humphries, T (Cardinals): $19.33MM
- Keenan Allen, WR (Chargers): $19.2MM
- Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $18.9MM
- Sam Darnold, QB (Panthers): 18.89MM
- Baker Mayfield, QB (Browns): $18.89MM
- Matt Ryan, QB (Colts): $18.7MM
- Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $18.55MM
- Donovan Smith, T (Buccaneers): $18.4MM
- Ezekiel Elliott, RB (Cowboys): $18.22MM
- DeAndre Hopkins, WR (Cardinals): $17.95MM
- Cooper Kupp, WR (Rams): $17.8MM
- Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $17.71MM
- The Chiefs’ cap sheet looks a bit different this year, with Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu off the roster. But Mahomes’ cap number rockets from $7.4MM in 2021 to the league’s second-largest figure in 2022. This marks the first time Mahomes’ 10-year contract is set to count more than $10MM toward Kansas City’s cap, with the AFC West champs not yet restructuring the deal this year.
- Tied to a few lucrative extensions since relocating to Minnesota, Cousins’ third Vikings deal dropped his cap number from $45MM. The fifth-year Vikings QB’s cap number is set to climb past $36MM in 2023.
- Prior to negotiating his landmark extension in March, Rodgers was set to count more than $46MM on the Packers’ payroll.
- The 49ers are aiming to move Garoppolo’s nonguaranteed money off their payroll. That figure becomes guaranteed in Week 1, providing a key date for the franchise. San Francisco is prepared to let Garoppolo negotiate contract adjustments with other teams to facilitate a trade.
- Wilson counts $26MM on the Seahawks’ 2022 payroll, due to the dead money the NFC West franchise incurred by trading its 10-year starter in March.
- Jackson, Darnold and Mayfield are attached to fifth-year option salaries. Jackson’s is higher due to the former MVP having made two Pro Bowls compared to his 2018 first-round peers’ zero. The 2020 CBA separated fifth-year option values by playing time and accomplishments. The Browns and Panthers have engaged in off-and-on negotiations on divvying up Mayfield’s salary for months, while a Jackson extension remains on the radar.
- Golladay’s cap number jumped from $4.47MM last year to the highest non-quarterback figure among offensive players. The Giants wideout’s four-year deal calls for $21MM-plus cap hits from 2023-24.
- Prior to being traded to the Colts, who adjusted their new starter’s contract, Ryan was set to carry an NFL-record $48MM cap hit this year. The Falcons are carrying a league-record $40.5MM dead-money charge after dealing their 14-year starter.
- The Texans restructured Tunsil’s deal in March, dropping his 2022 cap hit from $26.6MM to its present figure. Because of the adjustment, Tunsil’s 2023 cap number resides at $35.2MM
Contract information courtesy of Over The Cap