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Filling The Voids Left By Key NFL Opt Outs

August 6th, 2020 at 6:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

67 NFL players have decided to opt out from the 2020 NFL campaign due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly every team was affected, as only the Steelers, Chargers, and Falcons didn’t have a player who elected to sit out.

Some players’ absences will be felt more than others. Teams that are losing starters or other key pieces of their roster will feel an outsized impact during the upcoming campaign. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most important players who are opting out in 2020, and how their respective clubs could look to replace them for the season ahead.

Buffalo Bills

  • Opted out: DT Star Lotulelei
  • Filling the void: Aside from possibly Jerry Hughes, the Bills don’t necessarily have a star along their defensive line, but general manager Brandon Beane has built one of the deepest front fours in the NFL. On the interior specifically, Buffalo will turn to Quinton Jefferson, Vernon Butler, Harrison Phillips, and Vincent Taylor to play more snaps opposite 2019 first-round pick Ed Oliver. Jefferson, who inked a two-year, $13.8MM deal to leave the Seahawks, is a top-notch run-stuffer but also notched 39 pressures in just 589 snaps a year ago. He is the favorite to soak up the majority of Lotulelei’s projected playing time.

Chicago Bears

  • Opted out: DT Eddie Goldman
  • Filling the void: Goldman is something of a relic, a true 3-4 nose tackle in a league that no longer prioritizes that potion. The Bears thought of enough of Goldman’s recent efforts to reward him with a four-year, $42MM extension in 2018, but they’ll have to go without him for the 2020 campaign. Chicago will likely first look internally to replace Goldman, and John Jenkins is an underrated player who could surprise in extended action. But if the Bears go to the free agent market, Damon Harrison could be of interest, as the 31-year-old has indicated he’s open to continuing his career.

Green Bay Packers

  • Opted out: WR Devin Funchess
  • Filling the void: To many, it was nearly inconceivable the Packers didn’t use a single draft pick on a wide receiver, and it could be even more unthinkable if Green Bay doesn’t acquire another pass-catcher now that Funchess has opted out. Taylor Gabriel is probably the best free agent wideout left on the market, but a trade could make even more sense for the Packers. Veterans like Kenny Stills (Texans) and Keelan Cole (Jaguars) may be available, but a more intriguing option may be Broncos second-year WR DaeSean Hamilton, who could be without a role after Denver drafted both Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler earlier this year.

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Opted out: G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, RB Damien Williams
  • Filling the void: The defending champions have already made one low-cost move in an attempt to replace Duvernay-Tardif, inking former All-Pro Kelechi Osemele to a one-year pact reportedly worth up to $2MM. Osemele is now 31 years old and hasn’t been fully healthy in a few years, but he’s as good a guard as a club is going to find on the open market at this point in the summer. The loss of Williams will sting as well, but Kansas City spent its first-round pick on fellow running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who now figures to take the lion’s share of the Chiefs’ backfield action.

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Opted out: DT Michael Pierce
  • Filling the void: The Vikings lured Pierce away from the Ravens on a three-year, $27MM deal with the hope that he’d replace Linval Joseph, who defected to the Chargers. Now, Shamar Stephen, Jaleel Johnson, and Jalyn Holmes are the top-three options to start at defneisve tackle. Minnesota will likely turn to the free agent market to add another body, and former No. 3 overall selection Marcell Dareus could make for a solid Pierce replacement. Dareus missed most of last season with an injury and doesn’t offer much a pass-rusher, but he could fill Pierce’s projected role as a run-stuffer.

New England Patriots

New York Giants

  • Opted out: T Nate Solder
  • Filling the void: The Giants have a ready-made replacement for Solder in first-round pick Andrew Thomas, whom New York made the first offensive lineman to be chosen within the top-four overall selections since 2014. Thomas should step in immediately on Daniel Jones‘ blindside, leaving right tackle as the biggest question on the Giants’ offensive line. Fellow rookie Matt Peart is now projected to take over on the right side, and he’s probably the best option for Big Blue unless they want to invest in an older free agent like Cordy Glenn.

New York Jets

  • Opted out: LB C.J. Mosley
  • Filling the void: Not only is Mosley out for the 2020 season, but fellow veteran linebacker Avery Williamson could be traded or released. Perhaps the Jets will be more amenable to retaining Williamson now that Mosley has opted out, but either way, it probably doesn’t make sense for general manager Joe Douglas to use draft capital or cap space to bring in another ‘backer. The Jets don’t look like 2020 contenders, and after trading safety Jamal Adams, the club is looking towards the future. New York should see what 2019 fifth-rounder Blake Cashman can do with more playing time rather than acquiring a veteran.

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Opted out: WR Marquise Goodwin
  • Filling the void: The Eagles spent all offseason acquiring weapons for Carson Wentz, spending three draft picks on wideouts (including first-rounder Jalen Reagor) while also trading for Goodwin, who had fallen out of favor in San Francisco. Clearly, Philadelphia was looking for more speed in picking up Goodwin, but another trade candidate could offer the same sort of game-breaking ability. Robert Foster posted 541 yards for the Bills in 2018, but wasn’t a part of Buffalo’s offense last season and certainly won’t be in 2020 after the club added Stefon Diggs. The Eagles could likely pick him up for a late-round draft selection.

This Date In Transactions History: Browns Extend OL John Greco

July 23rd, 2020 at 7:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The 2013 offseason was a busy one for the Cleveland Browns. The organization replaced general manager Tom Heckert Jr. with Michael Lombardi, and they hired Rob Chudzinski as head coach after canning Pat Shurmur. The team also made significant changes to the roster, ditching former third-round quarterback Colt McCoy and signing veteran Jason Campbell to a two-year deal. The front office also traded former third-overall pick Trent Richardson.

One of the moves that went under the radar was a move made on July 23rd, 2013. On that date, the organization signed offensive lineman John Greco to a five-year, $13MM deal. The contract featured only $3MM in guaranteed money.

Greco originally joined the Browns before the 2011 season, as the Rams traded their former third-round pick to Cleveland for a conditional seventh-rounder. Greco appeared as a backup in 15 games during the 2011 campaign, but he endeared himself to the organization in 2012 when he started 10 games in place of Jason Pinkston.

The Browns proceeded to ink Greco to a surprisingly lengthy extension, but the organization ended up getting plenty out of the offensive guard. The lineman started 56 games for Cleveland between 2013 and 2016, including a stint at center when regular starter Alex Mack was sidelined.

While Greco dealt with a handful of injuries during his tenure in Cleveland, he emerged as a dependable, reliable option for the coaching staff. While he certainly wasn’t a household name, the lineman consistently ranked in the top-20 of Pro Football Focus’ offensive guard rankings.

Cleveland made some changes to their offensive line before the 2017 season, adding Kevin Zeitler and center J.C. Tretter. Greco was ultimately cut by the Browns at the end of the preseason. He didn’t end up seeing the field during his subsequent stint with the Saints, but he appeared in 21 games (with seven starts) for the Giants between the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

While Greco’s career ended unceremoniously, he’s getting his time in the (PFR) limelight today.

PFR Originals: 7/13/20 – 7/19/20

July 19th, 2020 at 5:30pm CST by Zachary Links

A look back at some of our faves from the past week:

Extension Candidate: Kenny Golladay

July 19th, 2020 at 11:33am CST by Rory Parks

Top Lions wideout Kenny Golladay is due to make $2.133MM in 2020, the final season of his rookie contract. Considering his importance to the team, his overall abilities, and the fact that he is starting to look like one of the better receivers in the league, that represents a terrific value for Detroit.

It stands to reason that the Lions would like to extend Golladay before he is eligible to hit the open market next offseason, and both sides are interested in a new deal. But as of March 30, no contract talks had commenced, and it’s highly unlikely that anything will change in that regard until there is more clarity on future salary caps.

Indeed, big-money extensions have been rare in the current climate, and Golladay’s next contract will undoubtedly be a hefty one. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com believes the Northern Illinois product will land a deal with an average annual value of at least $17MM (Twitter link), and a review of the receiver market shows that estimate might actually be on the low end. While Golladay may not be on the level of the Saints’ Mike Thomas, it can certainly be argued that he is at least as good as the Cowboys’ Amari Cooper, who just inked a five-year, $100MM contract ($60MM guaranteed) this offseason.

Golladay could stand to improve his consistency, as he put up a couple duds in 2019 even before QB Matthew Stafford was lost for the season. But when Stafford was under center last year, Golladay posted four 100-yard efforts, and he was a TD machine throughout the season, hitting paydirt 11 times. For what it’s worth, Golladay graded out as a top-10 receiver in terms of Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement, and he also made the first Pro Bowl of his career.

In all, he tallied 1,190 yards to go along with those 11 TDs, both career-highs. And though his career catch rate is a little on the low side (57.6%), that often comes with the territory for a big-play threat. After all, Golladay posted a whopping 18.3 yards-per-reception last year, good for fourth in the league.

He has been on an upward trajectory over his first three professional seasons, and it would be fair to expect another step forward in 2020, assuming Stafford stays healthy. As soon as the team gets a better understanding of its future financial picture, it seems likely that it will start negotiations in earnest.

This Date In Transactions History: Dolphins Sign Arian Foster

July 18th, 2020 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Four years ago today, the Dolphins signed running back Arian Foster. Although he was only 29 years old at the time of signing, it would prove to be his last NFL contract ever. 

At his peak, Foster was among the very best running backs in the game. In 2010, he led the NFL with 1,616 yards on the ground and 16 rushing touchdowns. He was a constant threat as a pass-catcher as well: he had 66 catches for 604 yards in that season and 53 grabs for 617 in the following campaign. Injuries sidetracked Foster in 2013 and 2015, but he turned in four campaigns with 1,200+ yards rushing while with the Texans.

Unfortunately, the sport tends to be cruel to standout running backs. After suffering a ruptured Achilles in 2015, Foster drew little attention in the initial waves of free agency. With Miami, Foster would merely support second-year pro Jay Ajayi after Miller fled to join his old friends in Houston. Despite his accomplishments, Foster netted just a one-year deal worth $1.5MM. The only guaranteed portion of his pact came in the form of a $400K signing bonus.

After appearing in four games for the Fins, Foster shocked everyone with his abrupt retirement.

“There comes a time in every athlete’s career when their ambition and their body are no longer on the same page. I’ve reached that point,” Foster revealed in a written statement. “My father always said, “You’ll know when it’s time to walk away.” It has never been more clear than right now. I’m walking away with peace. I know it’s not commonplace to do it midseason, but my body just can’t take the punishment this game asks for any longer. I want to thank the Miami Dolphins, with everything in me, for allowing me to bow out with grace and making this process as easy as possible.”

Foster cited the injuries as his primary motivation to move on from the game, but he later explained that he had fallen out of love with the game of football. In a 2017 interview with Joe Rogan, Foster said that he found himself on the sidelines of games thinking about physics and other topics of personal interest.

“I kind of just fell out of love with it,” said Foster, who spent his time on the sidelines pondering physics. “Football is not a place for thinkers. If you are inquisitive it comes off as disruptive.”

Release Candidate: Patriots QB Brian Hoyer

July 18th, 2020 at 1:09pm CST by Zachary Links

When the Patriots signed Brian Hoyer back in March, many expected him to wind up as the Patriots’ new starter to replace Tom Brady. A few months later, things have changed dramatically. Between the addition of Cam Newton and the presence of youngster Jarrett Stidham, Hoyer may wind up back on the curb this summer.

Hoyer started out with the Patriots way back in 2008. Since then, the one-time undrafted free agent out of Michigan State has been a practice field favorite. This year would mark his third go ’round with Bill Belichick, so he knows the schemes and terminology inside and out.

He’s also signed to a very reasonable one-year, $2MM deal, and it’s fully guaranteed. Financially speaking, the Patriots would gain nothing by releasing the 34-year-old (35 in October).

Since 2010, the Patriots have generally rolled with two QBs on the depth chart, a savvy move to increase flexibility in other areas. Of course, they’re in a very different situation without Brady under center. At one point, in Brady’s rookie year, the Patriots housed four passers on the roster. If they don’t feel the need to backstop Newton and Stidham with their proven – and already paid – signal caller, the Patriots could drop him and create an extra spot for an edge rusher like Shilique Calhoun or a tenth offensive lineman.

This Date In Transactions History: Tony Boselli Retires

July 17th, 2020 at 3:17pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2003, one of the most underrated offensive linemen in the history of the game called it a career. Tackle Tony Boselli, the first ever draft pick of the Jaguars, retired at the age of 31. 

Soon after being drafted with the No. 2 pick in the 1995 draft, Boselli established himself as one of the best players in Jacksonville. He earned five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances from 1996-2000 with three First-Team All-Pro selections coming in 97-99. The Jaguars reached the postseason in four of their first five seasons in existence, and Boselli played a huge role in their success.

Tom Coughlin, who’s managed some of the game’s most legendary talents, says Boselli is the single greatest player he’s ever coached.

“No question, he certainly is,” Coughlin said (via Mike Kaye of First Coast News). “Without a doubt, because he could do so many different things. He is such a great athlete on top anything else that he does. I remember seeing him as a pro athlete. Six-foot-seven, he goes out on the golf course and shoots 85 or 86 or something like that. He just had that kind of ability. The real thing was the competiveness in him. He would go out on the field and the look in his eye and the way he could dominate people at times. No matter what you say. No matter what run you pick. All the All-Pro’s, the All-Pro teams, all of the things – the much deserved honors that he has received. No doubt in my mind.”

Unfortunately, injuries started to chip away at Boselli in 2001 and he appeared in only three games that season. In February 2002, the Jaguars made Boselli one of their five exposed players for the Texans’ expansion draft. With the very first pick, Houston took on Boselli’s $6.883MM cap figure, but they did not get the All-Pro they were expecting.

”I am retiring because of medical reasons, specifically my left shoulder, which did not continue to improve to the point where I could play,” said Boselli as he announced his retirement.

Boselli’s career was relatively short, but highly impactful. In seven seasons with the Jaguars, Boselli allowed only 15.5 sacks and cemented his legacy as one of the Jaguars’ most important players of all-time.

Boselli signed a one-day deal to retire with the Jaguars in 2006 and became the first inductee into the team’s Hall of Fame. Still, the football Hall of Fame eludes him. This year, Boselli was denied entry in his 14th year of eligibility and his fourth straight year as a finalist.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

This Date In Transactions History: Steelers Extend Cameron Heyward

July 16th, 2020 at 6:43pm CST by Ben Levine

As Cameron Heyward continues to hunt for his next contract, we’ll go back to a transaction from five years ago. On July 16, 2015, the defensive lineman signed a six-year, $59.25MM extension with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh selected the Ohio State product with the 31st pick of the 2011 draft. It took a while for Heyward to settle into a starting role, but he never looked back after starting 13 games during the 2013 campaign. After combining for 12.5 sacks between the 2013 and 2014 seasons, the Steelers decided to make a lengthy commitment to the lineman. However, the deal did provide the organization with some flexibility at only $15MM in guaranteed money.

Heyward has more than lived up to that deal. He’s earned Pro Bowl appearances in each of the past three seasons, and he received first-team All-Pro honors in 2017 and 2019. The veteran has only missed a single regular season game over the past three years, averaging just under 10 sacks per season.

Following a 2016 campaign where he was limited to only seven games, Heyward agreed to restructure his contract (he also restructured prior to the 2018 season). Now, the 31-year-old is looking to get paid.

With Heyward set to hit free agency following the 2020 season, some sources believe he could get a contract that’s pushing Aaron Donald‘s six-year, $135MM deal ($50MM guaranteed). Sure, Heyward is on the wrong side of 30, but his versatility and continued production means he’ll surely find a lucrative deal. Considering the uncertainty of the 2021 cap, it’s uncertain if the Steelers will even be able to retain their defensive captain.

While Heyward’s future in Pittsburgh may be a bit uncertain, the team can at least rest easy knowing they inked the lineman to an excellent deal five years ago today.

Poll: How Many Tagged Players Will Land Extensions?

July 14th, 2020 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day away from the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions, the NFL finally saw a player from this year’s group do so. The Chiefs’ Chris Jones extension represents the outlier move thus far. Discounting Jones’ deal, how many more tagged players will sign by the 3pm CT deadline Wednesday?

The 14 remaining tagged players reside in limbo for various reasons — from uncertainties about their career trajectories to the pandemic clouding the NFL’s financial future. There could be plenty of players going through the 2020 season on guaranteed one-year deals, which would both table key negotiations for several months and add to the 2021 free agent market.

Here is how everything looks with the tagged group as of Tuesday afternoon:

Already Signed Tag

*Received transition tag (vs. franchise tag)

Hasn’t Signed Tag, Won’t Hold Out

Hasn’t Signed Tag, Threatening Holdout

More players were tagged this year than in 2018 and ’19 combined. This represents the largest contingent of tagged performers since 2012, when 19 were tagged. That also came in an era when of salary cap stagnancy. After steady cap growth since 2014, the league’s best hope may be for the 2021 cap to plateau. The coronavirus has threatened to keep fans out of stadiums, with limited capacity being the likely best-case scenario. That will cost the league upwards of $3 billion, and the NFL-NFLPA talks about how to manage this have transpired for several weeks without a resolution.

But deadlines, per the cliche, incite action. Will this year be the exception? Are teams willing to carry big tag salaries on their books? Or will they prefer that to signing off on long-term extensions before the cap reality clears up? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Of the 14 players still attached to tags, how many will sign extensions?
1-2 44.57% (238 votes)
3-5 36.33% (194 votes)
4-7 13.30% (71 votes)
More than 8 5.81% (31 votes)
Total Votes: 534

5 Key Stories: 7/5/20 – 7/12/20

July 12th, 2020 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chiefs give out record contract: Patrick Mahomes stunned the NFL world by signing a 10-year, $450MM extension. The Chiefs quarterback raised the league’s per-year salary bar by $10MM, but it took him agreeing to a through-2031 commitment to do so. Mahomes’ deal can net him up to $503MM. Not everyone was on board with the 24-year-old superstar’s decision to tie himself to a team for so long. The contract trails other well-paid QBs’ pacts in fully guaranteed money but includes a number of player-friendly roster bonuses. Andy Reid also motivated to work with his top pupil for the duration of the contract.

College football making major changes: Certainly showing the kind of trouble that could be ahead for the NFL, college football saw seismic decisions take place this week. The Ivy League began the tide turn, announcing it would postpone its fall sports. Then, the bigger dominoes fell. Two of the Power 5 conferences — the Big Ten and Pac-12 — announced they will only play conference games this season. While no official word has come from the ACC, Big 12 and SEC, the COVID-19 pandemic has the NCAA landscape in an a chaotic state.

NFL continues to navigate coronavirus crisis: NFL training camps are still scheduled to begin by July 28, but the league and the NFLPA have key issues to sort out at the 11th hour. The sides have not agreed on preseason length, testing frequency or an opt-out policy, but a key meeting looms Monday. Protocols for positive tests are in place, but clarity on how positive tests will affect teams’ rosters remains elusive. Rosters will likely decrease soon, with the NFLPA proposing an 80-man maximum for camp. Practice squads are likely to expand, however. On the financial side, the league and the union have not agreed on how to handle the expected loss of billions. They exchanged proposals this week, with both sides preferring the 2021 cap does not decline.

Inaction on franchise tag front: Due largely to the uncertainty the pandemic has created for the NFL’s financial future, no franchise- or transition-tagged players have been extended. And news is not great here. Dak Prescott‘s two-offseason saga appears unlikely to produce a long-term deal by Wednesday’s deadline. A.J. Green, Brandon Scherff and Hunter Henry are not believed to be close on terms with their respective teams. Neither are edge rushers Shaquil Barrett and Bud Dupree, but both 3-4 outside linebackers are playing the grievance game in hopes of being tagged as defensive ends. The Chiefs and Chris Jones are negotiating again, at least.

More steam for Washington name change: It appears Washington’s “Redskins” moniker is on its last legs. The franchise is not planning to play as the Redskins for another season, with owner Daniel Snyder now intent on changing the name. The franchise plans to keep the same color scheme, but a new identity could come to pass this week.

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