PFR Originals - Pro Football Rumors

PFR Poll: Will The 49ers Trade Jimmy Garoppolo?

April 5th, 2021 at 11:27am CST by Zachary Links

There’s an old saying in the business world: “Don’t tell them ‘no.’ Tell ’em how much it’ll cost.” That seems to be the 49ers’ approach when it comes to Jimmy Garoppolo. There’s at least some level of interest in the quarterback, but the asking price has been set at a first-round pick, according to one recent report. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has heard similar chatter of a first or high-second round pick (h/t Bleacher Report).

The Niners only gave up a second-round pick for Garoppolo back when his stock was at its peak, so it seems unlikely that any team will be willing to cough up more. Last year, the Niners went 3-3 in the six games he started, and Garoppolo completed 67.1% of his passes for 1,096 yards and seven touchdowns against five interceptions. That’s a far cry from his best work two years ago, when he was under center for the Super Bowl. In 2019, he racked up 3,978 passing yards and 27 touchdowns (with 13 INTs) en route to the NFC title.

Even after trading up to the No. 3 pick, the Niners are insistent that Garoppolo will be in the fold for 2021. Beyond that, the job will probably belong to one of this year’s top QB prospects — Mac Jones, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, or, perhaps, BYU standout Zach Wilson, if he gets past the Jets.

No one’s going to send a first-round pick to SF for Garoppolo – we can say that with confidence. Would a QB-needy team offer a third-round pick for him? That seems possible, especially since the Patriots are far from sold on Cam Newton as their starter. The Bears could also give that some thought, even though they insist that Andy Dalton will be their guy in 2021.

Assuming that no one meets the 49ers’ initial ask, do you envision the Niners trading Garoppolo between now and September? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Will The 49ers Trade Jimmy Garoppolo?

Yes 57.32% (1,288 votes)

No 42.68% (959 votes)

Total Votes: 2,247

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: BYU QB Zach Wilson

April 5th, 2021 at 9:57am CST by Zachary Links

Could Zach Wilson leapfrog Trevor Lawrence as the No. 1 overall pick in April? No, probably not. New Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer has taken a refreshingly candid approach to the draft process in recent weeks, telling everyone within earshot that the Clemson star will be his quarterback of the future.

“I’d have to say that’s the direction we’re going. I’ll leave that up to the owner when we make that decision official. But I’m certainly not stepping out of line that that’s certainly the direction we’re headed,” Meyer said. “Trevor checks all the boxes, you know?”

Lawrence may be one of the best QB prospects — or pro talents, period — in recent draft memory. Still, Wilson offers lots of promise in his own right. He’s fresh off of a breakout season in which he completed 73.5% of his throws, good for second in the nation. Meanwhile, he placed third with 33 passing touchdowns and lobbed only three interceptions. And, for good measure, Wilson added ten rushing touchdowns in his 12 starts.

Wilson’s mobility is a big part of his appeal. In fact, some see a bit of Johnny Manziel in him — which is not necessarily the pro comparison that young QBs want. Like Manziel, Wilson has shown the ability to escape pressure. He also comes from an affluent background, and draft evaluators tend to nitpick everything about players this time of year. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the similarities are strictly limited to his highlight reel.

“I’ve heard Zach Wilson is an incredible kid, but again, [he’s] a little bit new on the scene,” Schefter said (via KNBR). “Have to vet it out, check him out, make more calls, but I know people that know him pretty well, and they speak pretty highly about him.”

The other major knock on Wilson comes from his so-so decision making in 2019, a season that was cut short by thumb surgery. But, last year, Wilson kept the turnovers to a minimum and consistently found the open man. He’ll be asked to work in the pocket more frequently at the pro level, but his ability to extend the play when the pocket collapses will still serve him well in the NFL. At his pro day, the BYU product showcased that for all to see, intentionally throwing a pass across his body and nailing his target dead-on.

Some critics may also wonder about Wilson’s durability — aside from the aforementioned thumb injury, Wilson underwent thumb surgery after his frosh season. Now, he’ll be facing bigger, stronger, faster defenders with just ~210 lbs on his 6’2″ frame. Still, no prospect is perfect (not even Lawrence), and Wilson profiles as one of the very best QBs in this year’s class.

Right now, just about everyone has Wilson ticketed for the Jets at No. 2. It’s not quite as certain as Lawrence going No. 1, however. Mac Jones, Justin Fields, and Trey Lance are also in the mix, but it seems more likely that those will be the names available for the 49ers. Even if the Jets throw a curveball, we’d be surprised to see him slide much further.

PFR’s NFL Glossary: Supplemental Draft

April 3rd, 2021 at 6:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL’s supplemental draft allows teams to select players who, for one reason or another, were barred from entering the regular draft in the spring. When a team selects a player in the supplemental draft, they forfeit the corresponding pick in the regular draft next year. For example, if a team selects a player in the sixth round of the supplemental draft this year, they will have to give up their 2021 sixth round selection.

In the past, teams have found gems in the supplemental draft. In 2011, the Raiders selected Ohio State quarterback and future standout NFL receiver Terrelle Pryor. In 2012, the Browns used a second round pick to take the talented and troubled Josh Gordon. Other supplemental draft alums include quarterback Bernie Kosar (Browns, 1985), wide receiver Cris Carter (Eagles, 1987), running back Bobby Humphrey (Broncos, 1989), wide receiver Rob Moore (Jets, 1990), nose tackle Jamal Williams (Chargers, 1998), and linebacker Ahmad Brooks (Bengals, 2006).

There were no players taken in the supplemental draft in 2016 or 2017, but the Giants snapped the cold streak when they selected Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal in the third round of the 2018 draft. Then, in the sixth round, the Redskins tapped Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander. In 2019, defensive back Jalen Thompson (Cardinals) was the only player to hear his name called.

Last year, due the pandemic, the NFL cancelled the supplemental draft altogether. The draft is likely to return in 2021, likely on the week of July 12th.

This Date In Transactions History: Patriots Trade Brandin Cooks To Rams

April 3rd, 2021 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

When Brandin Cooks was traded to the Patriots in 2017, there was hope that the wideout would stick around New England as one of Tom Brady‘s top targets. About 13 months later, Cooks tenure with the team had come to an end. On this date in 2018, the Patriots traded the wide receiver to the Rams.

Cooks was plenty productive during his lone season in New England, with the wideout leading the air attack (alongside Rob Gronkowski) following Julian Edelman‘s season-ending injury. The receiver finished the regular season having hauled in 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns, and hee continued producing in the postseason, catching another 19 receptions for 292 yards.

That performance apparently wasn’t enough, as the Patriots sent him out on April 3, 2018. Perhaps the team was wary of Cooks’ impending free agency following the 2018 campaign, or perhaps they thought Brady and Bill Belichick‘s clout would land them a comparable (and/or cheaper) receiver via free agency. Either way, New England ultimately sent Cooks and a fourth-rounder to the Rams in exchange for a first-rounder (a pick that eventually turned into lineman Isaiah Wynn) and a sixth-rounder. The Rams subsequently signed the receiver to a pricey five-year, $81MM extension (including $50.5MM guaranteed).

Even though Cooks didn’t last all that long is Los Angeles, it’s hard to be too critical of the Rams. Cooks had a 1,200-yard season during his first year with the Rams, but he fell off in 2019, compiling only 635 yards from scrimmage in 14 games. Following the season, the Rams paired Cooks with a fourth-rounder and sent him to the Texans for a second-rounder (which ultimately turned into receiver Van Jefferson).

Similarly, it’s hard to be too critical of the Patriots; after all, Wynn is a fine consolation. However, the Patriots’ motivation for the trade has never really been explained. While the financial reasons were obvious, it was assumed that the organization would subsequently replace Cooks spot in the lineup. The team was also especially shallow at wideout after Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins.

While New England would be connected to a number of receivers throughout that 2018 campaign, the team never did anything to significantly improve their receiver corps. That 2018 squad finished without a 1,000-yard receiver, with running back James White leading the squad in receptions. Per usual, that didn’t end up mattering all that much; the Patriots still won the Super Bowl that season after beating (you guessed it) the Rams. While the Patriots selected receiver N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2019 draft, they never really added another veteran receiver like Brady desired, an issue that was exacerbated after Gronkowski’s sudden retirement. That 2019 campaign would ultimately be Brady’s final season in New England.

Is there any takeaway from this trade? Maybe, but I’ll probably end up pulling something with this stretch. Brady was clearly dissatisfied with his weapons during his final seasons in New England. At the time of this trade three years ago, there were already whispers of tension within the Patriots organization. We can only assume that the quarterback wasn’t happy about the trade made on April 3, 2018, and it could have been one of the many reasons (or at least a contributing factor) that ultimately led Brady to walk away from the organization.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase

March 31st, 2021 at 2:41pm CST by Zachary Links

With so much talk about this year’s top quarterbacks, this would be a good time to cast the spotlight on college football’s consensus No. 1 wide receiver. Playing from both the outside and the slot, LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase has shown that he can break tackles and ankles with ease. On April 29th, he figures to be one of the first names called in Cleveland.

Chase opted out of the 2020 season, though his decision wasn’t entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, he was aiming to stay healthy in advance of the draft, but who could blame him? With a promising pro career ahead of him plus millions of dollars from his rookie contract alone, there was little sense in Chase risking an injury. The 6-foot, 208-pounder may have a little rust to shake, but evaluators aren’t too concerned.

In 2019, Chase set SEC single-season records in receiving yards (1,780) and receiving touchdowns (20). That same offense produced three skill positions players that went in the first round of the 2020 draft, including Justin Jefferson. As good as Jefferson was, Chase was even better, capturing the Biletnikoff Award as a sophomore.

Based on talent alone, some have Chase slotted as the third-best player in this year’s class. Of course, quarterbacks always shift the early makeup of the board, and last week’s blockbuster trades may push Chase out of the top five. That’s just fine by the Dolphins, who have reportedly been eyeing the LSU Tiger since he was just a cub. After the Jaguars officially select Trevor Lawrence, it’s expected that Zach Wilson (Jets) and Trey Lance (49ers) will follow. If the Falcons and Bengals stay put, they’re likely to address other needs before delving into WRs.

Barring more trades or early-board surprises, Chase seems destined for South Beach. As the most pro-ready receiver in the draft, many believe that he’s on course for an even stronger career than his old teammate.

“I thought Chase was on a different level [than Justin Jefferson],” one scout told The Athletic’s Bob McGinn. “Watching what Jefferson did this year (with the Vikings), that just makes me say, ‘Good Lord.’ Honestly, I thought (Chase) was the best receiver in the class last year.”

This Date In Transactions History: Cowboys Extend Jason Witten

March 28th, 2021 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Four years ago today, the Cowboys inked Jason Witten to a brand new deal to take him through the 2021 season. The contract was set to cover four years, but the tight end wound up playing just one year on that pact and two more Dallas years in total — with a retirement sandwiched in between.

At the time, Witten was on the verge of his 35th birthday. But, after all of those seasons and crushing blows, he was still productive. The veteran was riding a 13-year streak of perfect attendance — his only missed contest came as a rookie in 2003. In 2016, Witten hauled in 69 passes for 673 yards and three touchdowns — solid work, even if it wasn’t quite as impressive as his past 1,000-yard efforts.

Witten delivered again in 2017, posting 63 grabs for 560 yards and five scores en route to his tenth Pro Bowl selection. But, in May of 2018, he announced that he would “pass the torch to the next generation” and join ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth. Witten’s transition was short-lived – in February of 2019, he surprised everyone by returning to Dallas. His un-retirement was huge for Dallas. Previously, they were looking at a tight end group consisting of Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz, Rico Gathers, and Geoff Swaim.

When Witten changed his mind, the Cowboys issued him a new one-year, $4.5MM deal. It was widely assumed that this would be the final contract of Witten’s career, allowing him to retire in Dallas. Still, Witten had more left in the tank and he was willing to go elsewhere after Jason Garrett‘s departure. That led him to the Raiders, where he turned in an uncharacteristically quiet year. In his age-38 season, Witten caught just 13 passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Having been leapfrogged by Pro Bowler Darren Waller and TEs around the league, Witten announced his second retirement in January.

Poll: Who Will 49ers Draft At No. 3?

March 27th, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trevor Lawrence has been expected to lead off the draft for a while now, while the Jets’ connection to BYU’s Zach Wilson continues to gain steam. Although the Jets are not a lock to move on from Sam Darnold and take Wilson, they appear to be on the doorstep of such a consensus. The draft suspense may, then, begin with the 49ers.

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have each endorsed Jimmy Garoppolo as the planned 2021 starter, and the 49ers are sending out signals they do not expect to trade their incumbent passer. But the team parted with tremendous future draft capital to climb nine spots to No. 3 overall. The 49ers should be widely expected to draft a quarterback in the first round for the first time since they chose Alex Smith first overall in 2005. Which one will they select?

Only two drafts — 1971 and 1999 — have begun with three consecutive teams taking quarterbacks. With the Falcons connected to choosing a Matt Ryan heir apparent, this draft could be the first to start with four straight QBs. Should Lawrence and Wilson head to the Jaguars and Jets, the 49ers will have their pick of seemingly Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones. With a Garoppolo trade seemingly now in play, one of these three could have the keys to the San Francisco’s offense as soon as this coming season.

Fields has resided on this tier the longest, being the 1B option to Lawrence going into the 2020 season. Dwayne Haskins‘ Ohio State successor did not do too much to ding his stock, even though multiple choppy performances did occur this past season. Fields boasted a 41-3 TD-INT ratio in 2019 and dominated in the Buckeyes’ rout of Clemson in the College Football Playoff this past season. That said, Hall of Fame scout Gil Brandt does not expect the 49ers to go with Fields, whom some teams have well outside the top 10 on their respective boards.

Fields’ final college QB opponent, Jones has received glowing endorsements from soon-to-be first-round picks DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The ex-Crimson Tide pass catchers preferred Jones to the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, and the former completed a stunning 77% of his passes, averaged 11.2 yards per attempt and finished a 13-game season with 41 touchdown passes. Scouts Inc., however, has the less mobile Jones well below Fields and Lance, slotting the one-year Alabama starter 28th overall.

Scouts Inc. rates Lance as this draft’s third-best QB prospect, placing him 12th (to Fields’ 13th position). The North Dakota State prodigy profiles as one of the strangest prospects to ever land on the top-10 radar. Division I-FCS players typically do not enter drafts early; Lance put his name in this year’s draft after one full season as the Bison’s starter. While that season featured eye-popping production (28 TD passes, no INTs, 1,100 rushing yards) and resulted in North Dakota State’s latest title, a team using a top-five pick on an FCS prospect with one season of experience and no Scouting Combine to further judge him would be a historic move.

Where will the 49ers go at No. 3? How will they proceed with Garoppolo and his $26.4MM cap number? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Who will the 49ers draft at No. 3 overall?

Justin Fields 33.82% (2,054 votes)

Trey Lance 32.54% (1,976 votes)

Mac Jones 15.00% (911 votes)

Zach Wilson 14.13% (858 votes)

A non-quarterback (specify in comments) 4.51% (274 votes)

Total Votes: 6,073

This Date In Transactions History: Titans Extend GM Jon Robinson

March 27th, 2021 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

Three years ago, the Titans organization showed their faith in general manager Jon Robinson. Fast forward to today, and ownership must be happy that they committed to the executive.

On March 27, 2018, the team announced that they had signed general manager Robinson to a contract extension that would last through the 2022 season.

At the time of the signing, Robinson’s numbers didn’t necessarily pop off the page. The Titans went 18-14 during his first two years at the helm, and the team collected a lone playoff victory. Context is important, though. Tennessee had compiled only five wins in the two years that preceded Robinson’s hiring, and the executive had done an excellent job of rebuilding the roster and guiding the Titans towards back-to-back winning seasons. Many of his veteran signings may have gone unheralded at the time, but additions like DeMarco Murray, Rishard Matthews, and Logan Ryan (along with draft pick Kevin Byard) were big reasons why the team returned to the playoffs in 2017.

A few months before signing his extension, Robinson may have made his biggest move of all: he hired Mike Vrabel to be his new head coach. While the team missed the playoffs during Vrabel’s first season in Tennessee, they still finished with nine wins. Following a 2019 campaign that saw the Titans make it to the AFC Championship Game, they collected 11 wins in 2020, their most victories since 2008.

While Vrabel’s hiring obviously played a huge role in Tennessee’s organizational turnaround, that success should also be attributed to Robinson. Besides adding a new head coach, the executive has continued to make big moves. He inked cornerback Malcolm Butler during the 2018 offseason, with the defensive back providing 36 starts in three years with the team. The Titans made a trade for Ryan Tannehill in 2019 and watched as the quarterback evolved into a Pro Bowler, and the team saw one of Robinson’s first draft picks, running back Derrick Henry, emerge as one of the top running backs in the NFL.

While the likes of Corey Davis, Adam Humphries, and Jonnu Smith left town this offseason, Robinson decided to reinvest on the defense, adding pass rusher Bud Dupree and cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Will these moves help the Titans take another step forward in 2021? Obviously, time will tell. However, one thing’s certain: assuming the wheels don’t suddenly fall off in Tennessee, their 45-year-old general manager will likely be inking another extension before long.

PFR Poll: Will Saints’ Drew Brees Retire?

March 7th, 2021 at 3:49pm CST by Zachary Links

In the midst of the playoffs, it was widely reported that Drew Brees would retire after the season. Now, we’re in March, and Brees has yet to make any sort of announcement.

Of course, Brees has nothing left to prove. The 42-year-old can walk away with one of the most illustrious careers in the history of the sport. He currently has the most yards in league history, and more touchdowns than anyone not named Tom Brady. He even has his post-retirement career lined up after signing a deal with NBC Sports last April.

Brees has missed significant time with health issues in each of the past two seasons and he’d be leaving the Saints in a pretty okay place, provided that they can re-sign Jameis Winston. The Saints also have Taysom Hill on the roster with hope that he can be the answer under center in the long run. So, what’s the hold up?

Over the past few weeks, many have speculated that Brees could be having second thoughts about retiring. The longer this goes on, the more chatter picks up about the Super Bowl XLIV champ actually playing in 2021 on the (effectively) final year of his contract.

At this point, do you expect Brees to retire? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Will Drew Brees Retire?

Yes 52.82% (2,194 votes)

No 47.18% (1,960 votes)

Total Votes: 4,154

This Date In Transactions History: Browns Release Jamie Collins

March 6th, 2021 at 12:36pm CST by Ben Levine

In January of 2017, the Browns made Jamie Collins one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL. Two years later, the organization moved on from the Pro Bowler. On March 6, 2019, Cleveland released the veteran linebacker.

Collins, of course, spent the first three-plus seasons of his career with the Patriots, earning a Super Bowl ring and a Pro Bowl appearance. Despite his production, New England wasn’t too eager to hand the impending free agent the sizable contract he desired. So, in October of 2016, the Patriots traded Collins off to Cleveland. In return, New England received a third-round pick, a selection that’d ultimately pair with a first-rounder to acquire Brandin Cooks (and a fourth-rounder, which was ultimately forfeited due to Deflategate) from the Saints.

Collins continued producing down the stretch of the 2016 season, and the Browns decided to open their check book for him during the following offseason. Cleveland inked the linebacker to a lucrative four-year, $50MM pact, including $26.4MM in guaranteed money, making him the highest-paid traditional linebacker in the NFL. Collins struggled with injuries during his first full season with the Browns, appearing in only six games. However, he managed to appear in every game during the 2018 campaign, finishing with 104 tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble. Despite the solid numbers, Collins graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

The Browns apparently recognized that Collins wasn’t living up to his lofty contract. The team was reportedly looking to move him during the 2018 trade deadline, and they spent the early parts of the 2019 offseason shopping him around. The front office couldn’t find a taker, forcing them to cut bait with the veteran. The move ultimately saved the organization $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money.

Predictably, Collins ended up landing back in New England for the 2019 season, starting 15 games and finishing with a career-high seven sacks. That performance earned him a three-year, $30MM contract with the Lions, where he reunited with former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The 31-year-old started all 14 of his games in 2020, finishing with 101 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles.

Is there a lesson to be learned from all this? Eh, maybe, but it wouldn’t be some new revelation. If a team’s so willing to move on from a Pro Bowler at the end of their rookie deal, that’s probably an indication that the team doesn’t believe the player will be worth his second contract. There were already reports that Collins was freelancing on defense during his final half-season in New England, leading to questions about the player’s commitment to winning.

The Browns not only ponied up financially for Collins, but they also gave up assets to acquire his half-season before free agency. Sure, Cleveland’s probably not kicking themselves over a lost third-rounder (a pick that eventually turned into Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson), and the organization is two front offices removed from that 2016 administration. Still, if the organization could receive a mulligan on the trade and contract, they’d probably take it.

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