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This Date In Transactions History: Patriots Draft Tom Brady

April 16th, 2020 at 7:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the 2000 NFL Draft, the day the Patriots took a flyer on a quarterback named Tom Brady with the No. 199 overall pick. He watched and waited for his name to be called behind 198 other players, including six other quarterbacks. And, two decades later, he’s still not quite over it. Earlier today, Brady posted a screenshot of the QBs drafted in front of him with a caption: “Nope, I haven’t forgot.” 

[RELATED: Brady On Leaving The Patriots]

Many of the quarterbacks taken in front of Brady have been largely forgotten by football fans, including Giovanni Carnazzi (49ers, No. 65 overall), Chris Redman (Ravens, No. 75), and Spergon Wynn (Browns, No. 183). Others, like Chad Pennington (Jets, No. 18) and Marc Bulger (Saints, No. 168) found some success at the pro level – but nothing like Brady.

The Jets, 49ers, Ravens, Steelers, Saints, Browns, and every other team in the league have been kicking themselves ever since. Then again, hindsight is 20/20, and few can claim that they envisioned Brady as an NFL starter, let alone a league legend. Brady got his first real opportunity in 2001 when Drew Bledsoe suffered a frightening injury. Fast forward to today, he has 14 Pro Bowl appearances, nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowl rings. This year, in his age-43 season, Brady will try for his seventh ring with the Buccaneers.

The Patriots did pretty well for themselves with that sixth-round pick. And, now, they have the unenviable task of trying to replace him.

PFR Originals: 4/5/20 – 4/12/20

April 12th, 2020 at 6:57pm CST by Zachary Links

In case you missed it, here’s a look back at the original content produced by the PFR team over the past week:

Poll: Grading The Texans’ Side Of The Brandin Cooks Trade

April 12th, 2020 at 2:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Once again, wide receiver Brandin Cooks is on the move. Last week, the Rams shipped Cooks the Texans, marking the third time he’s been traded since entering the league in 2014. It’s one of the most curious cases in NFL history – Cooks has four 1,000-yard seasons to his credit, yet he’s been passed around at an unprecedented pace. As Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link) notes, running back Eric Dickerson is the only player on record to have been traded more than Cooks. The longtime Rams running back was dealt four times over the course of his career, though two of those trades came in his twilight seasons. Still only 26, Cooks has time to tie – and perhaps beat – the bizarre record.

The Texans hope that won’t be the case. After trading DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals in a stunning blockbuster, they hope that Cooks will do his part to fill the void and stay for a while. Many, including ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell, are skeptical. The Texans lost a bonafide superstar in Hopkins in exchange for a package headlined by running back David Johnson and a 2020 second-round pick. To land Cooks (and a 2022 fourth-round pick), they sacrificed a lesser 2020 second-rounder. Putting picks and contractual matters aside, they effectively swapped one of the game’s best receivers for two players with major medical red flags. For Cooks, there’s major concern over his concussion history.

There are arguments to be made for the Texans’ end of the deal. Cooks has age on his side and an impressive resume of his own. The Texans, in theory, could have used the No. 57 pick on one of this year’s ultra-promising wide receivers, but Cooks can be expected to outperform the rookies in the near-term. In short, the Texans unquestionably needed to replace D-Hop after sending him to Arizona. That won’t stop people from scrutinizing that head-scratching trade, but rocket ships don’t have rear views, and nothing short of a thoroughly failed Johnson physical is going to bring Hopkins back to Houston.

It’s also worth noting that the Rams are eating much of the up-front cost of Cooks’ contract, including his $4MM bonus for 2020. While the Texans are slated to pay Cooks $47MM over the next four seasons, only $8MM of that sum is guaranteed.

How do you grade the trade from the Texans’ perspective? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and tell us more about your report card in the comment section.

How Do You Grade The Brandin Cooks Trade For The Texans?
C 31.23% (915 votes)
D 27.06% (793 votes)
F 18.91% (554 votes)
B 17.17% (503 votes)
A 5.63% (165 votes)
Total Votes: 2,930

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Tristan Wirfs

April 12th, 2020 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

Quality offensive line talent is hard to come by in today’s NFL, but this year’s class is surprisingly strong in that area. Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, potentially, could be the first one off the board.

At 6’5″ and 320 pounds, Wirfs offers uncommon athleticism for his size. Wirfs put those skills to good use for the Hawkeyes, earning Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors in 2019. In college, he primarily lined up at right tackle, though he also offers experience on the left side, and some say that he can also work on the interior as a pro.

With a reported 40-yard-dash time of 4.85 seconds and a 625-pound max squat, Wirfs has scouts drooling over his potential. Georgia’s Andrew Thomas and Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr. are also pushing to be the first tackle selected, but Wirfs is widely viewed as the most NFL-ready of the bunch.

In all likelihood, the Bengals will kick off the draft by selecting LSU’s Joe Burrow, followed by the Redskins grabbing elite defensive end Chase Young at No. 2. The Lions, at No. 3, are entertaining offers to trade down; any team that moves up will probably use that choice to take a quarterback, or something other than an offensive lineman. But, Wirfs, Wills, and Thomas are all thought to be possibilities for the Giants at No. 4, provided that they don’t move back in the order.

A trade down would make sense for the G-Men, who are also on the hunt for pass rushers, centers, and safeties. However, history suggests that Dave Gettleman will be inclined to stand pat – in five drafts with the Panthers, and two drafts with the Giants, he’s never moved down from his first-round pick. Even if he passes on Wirfs, the Iowa standout won’t have far to fall. The Cardinals have some serious holes to plug on the O-Line as they aim to protect Kyler Murray – with the ability to play on the inside and outside, the No. 8 pick may represent Wirfs’ floor.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Isaiah Simmons

April 10th, 2020 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s little doubt that Isaiah Simmons will hear his name called early in the NFL Draft. His pro position, however, remains in question. At 6’4″ and 230 pounds, the Clemson standout has the size and skillset to make it at linebacker. Meanwhile, he’s also got the chops to play safety and handle the slot. No one’s quite sure how Simmons will be used at the next level, but that’s not a bad thing.

[RELATED: Jeff Okudah’s NFL Draft Profile]

Used sparingly in two frosh seasons, Simmons broke out as a sophomore in 2018 with 88 stops, including nine tackles for a loss and two sacks. Things only picked up from there – Simmons managed 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, and three interceptions as a junior en route being named the nation’s best linebacker. With freakish athleticism for his size, NFL Draft guru Matt Miller went outside of the sport to find a proper comp for the underclassman.

“Can I compare Isaiah Simmons to Zion Williamson?,” Miller tweeted. “Just too big, fast, smart, and athletic for anyone to handle.”

Joe Burrow is considered to be a shoe-in for the Bengals’ No. 1 overall pick. The Redskins, at No. 2, would shock the world by drafting anyone other than Ohio State star Chase Young at No. 2. After that, could it be Simmons’ turn to take center stage (er, monitor screen)?

The Lions don’t seem terribly interested in him, but they do seem to be leaning towards a trade back from No. 3. The team moving up could be in the market for a QB – perhaps Tua Tagovailoa – but don’t discount the possibility of Simmons. After posting a 4.39 40-yard-dash and 39-inch vertical leap at the combine, there will be plenty of teams tempted to pounce on the Tigers defender.

Even if that doesn’t happen, Simmons won’t have far to fall. If the Giants stand pat at No. 4 and Dave Gettleman can resist a “hog mollie” like Jedrick Wills Jr., Mekhi Becton, or Tristan Wirfs, they could add Simmons to a revamped front seven alongside Blake Martinez. The Dolphins (No. 5) are laser-focused on finding their quarterback of the future in the early stages, but there aren’t many other clubs that could be ruled out for the versatile wonder. Simmons’ ceiling is sky-high and so is his draft floor.

This Date In Transactions History: Reggie White Signs With Packers

April 7th, 2020 at 6:20pm CST by Ben Levine

27 years ago today, the Packers made a franchise-altering move that helped propel them towards the top of the league. On April 7th, 1993, Green Bay officially signed pass-rusher Reggie White to a four-year, $17MM deal (hat tip to @HistoricPackers on Twitter).

After starting his professional career in the United States Football League, White spent eight years in Philly. He quickly became one of the best players in the NFL, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and earning Pro Bowl nods each year between 1986 and 1992. White is still the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks.

By the time the 1993 offseason came around, White found himself as a free agent, and he predictably had a number of suitors. The Packers, Redskins, and Browns all made a run at the defensive end, and there was some belief that free-wheeling Washington would sign the future Hall of Famer. However, the Packers ended up emerging with the best offer, and it didn’t take long for White to pounce.

While the $4.25MM average annual salary seems paltry in 2020, it actually made White the third high-paid player at the time (behind Broncos quarterback John Elway ($4.75MM) and Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino ($4.43MM)). Of course, it wasn’t just money that led White to Green Bay. As agent Jimmy Sexton explained, head coach Mike Holmgren and defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes made the effort to visit the player’s family in Tennessee.

“It was huge,” Sexton said (via Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). “They were smart enough and perceptive enough to know that Reggie was a relationship guy. They sold him on the fact that it’s like a big college atmosphere. He was coming out of a place where it wasn’t fun for him the last couple years.

“But if I had to pick one thing he liked most about Green Bay, Holmgren was it.”

White continued to dominate during his stint with the Packers. In six seasons, he compiled 68.5 sacks, which made him the franchise leader in that category (he’s since been passed by Clay Matthews and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila).

More importantly, the pass rusher (alongside a young Brett Favre) helped catapult the Packers atop the standings. Green Bay made the playoffs during each of White’s six seasons with the team, including three division titles. He also led the team to a pair of Super Bowls, including a Super Bowl XXXI victory over the Patriots.

Despite winning his second Defensive Player of the Year award in 1998, White temporarily retired. He returned during the 2000 season and played all 16 games for the Panthers. At the time of his second retirement, White was the all-time leader in sacks (he’s since been surpassed by Bruce Smith).

Still, what really cemented White’s legacy was the Super Bowl victory. Who knows if he would have reached that pinnacle if not for the transaction made 27 years ago today.

Poll: Where Will Jadeveon Clowney Sign?

April 6th, 2020 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

It’s April and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is still without an NFL team. The former No. 1 overall pick isn’t coming off of a banner year, but he plays a premium position and has 32 career sacks to his credit. So, what gives? 

Of course, his price tag is his biggest blocker. Clowney came into the offseason seeking a deal worth $20MM per year. Recently, he backed down from that position, though the incumbent Seahawks are believed to be offering between $13-$15MM per annum, which is still probably less than he’s willing to accept.

A reunion still seems possible, but Clowney’s camp is working to find a better deal in the interim. Late last week, the Browns entered the sweepstakes and some league officials believe that they have the strongest interest of any suitor. The Browns have tons of cap room – about $43MM – and they might be willing to use some of it to swap Olivier Vernon for Clowney. Of course, that might be easier said than done, since the Browns would still have to find a team willing to take on the rest of Vernon’s contract, which is set to pay him $15.25MM.

The Jets could use Clowney’s edge rushing ability, but they’ve been taking a conservative approach to free agency after whiffing on their preferred targets in March. The Titans have also been linked to him, thanks to Clowney’s relationship with head coach Mike Vrabel from their Houston days, but they’re less inclined to spend on the pass rush after committing $9MM to outside linebacker Vic Beasley.

Other teams have been connected to Clowney, like the Giants, Colts, and Dolphins, though their pass rush needs have already been addressed. The Eagles remain an interesting landing spot for him from a football perspective, and they have breathing room to work with for right now, but their 2021 situation could complicate things. In theory, Philly could still land Clowney if he is willing to accept a one-year deal. The Ravens – with less than $11MM in cap space for the current year – seem less likely to sign him. For the sake of casting a wide net, we’ll include all of those teams in our poll.

Where do you think Clowney will sign? Cast your vote in the poll below (link for app users) and back up your pick in the comments.

Where Will Jadeveon Clowney Sign?
Seahawks 35.97% (2,803 votes)
Browns 22.45% (1,749 votes)
Another team (tell us in the comments section) 9.05% (705 votes)
Titans 7.97% (621 votes)
Jets 7.25% (565 votes)
Giants 5.81% (453 votes)
Colts 4.95% (386 votes)
Ravens 3.98% (310 votes)
Dolphins 2.57% (200 votes)
Total Votes: 7,792

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

April 4th, 2020 at 10:40am CST by Ben Levine

With all of the action we’ve seen this offseason, it’s easy to forget that April blockbusters are also relatively common. In fact, we had a significant trade go down two years ago today. On April 4th, 2018, the Rams acquired wideout Brandin Cooks and a fourth-rounder from the Patriots for a first-rounder and sixth-rounder.

Cooks had actually been acquired by New England only 13 months before the Rams/Pats deal. While the former first-rounder had a solid season as one of Tom Brady‘s main targets, he didn’t match his production with the Saints from 2015 or 2016. Cooks ultimately finished the 2017 regular season with 65 receptions, 1,082 yards, and seven scores. While the receiver had a standout performance during that year’s AFC Championship, he was limited to only a single catch in the Super Bowl before exiting with a concussion.

With Cooks set to hit free agency following the 2018 season, the Pats decided to ship the receiver to Los Angeles. The Rams immediately inked the wideout to a five-year, $81MM extension, and that looked to be a good decision at first. Despite playing alongside Robert Woods, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp, Cooks finished that year with 80 receptions, five touchdowns, and a career-high 1,204 receiving yards. He was productive during the Rams’ run to the Super Bowl, finishing with 292 receiving yards in three games.

However, the wheels somewhat fell off in 2019. Cooks battled several ailments, including a concussion that knocked him out of the lineup for several weeks. When all was said and done, Cooks put up some of his lowest numbers since his rookie campaign, finishing with 42 receptions for 583 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.

With $12MM guaranteed in 2020 and his contract lasting through the 2023 season, there were rumblings that the Rams could look to trade the receiver this offseason. However, following the organization’s decision to move on from Gurley, it sounds like Cooks isn’t on the block.

On New England’s side, the team used that first-rounder to select offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn. The Georgia product sat out his entire rookie campaign, and he landed on IR following Week 2 of the 2019 season. However, he managed to return in Week 12, and he proceeded to start each of the Patriots’ remaining regular season and postseason games. In true New England fashion, they traded the sixth-rounder for a pair of seventh-rounders.

Both Cooks and (to a lesser extent) Wynn have been productive for their teams so far. However, their future performance will go a long way in determining who won this specific trade. For the time being, we’re comfortable grading both squads as “incomplete.”

POLL: Where Will Cam Newton Sign?

March 29th, 2020 at 7:08pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The quarterback carousel has mostly come to a stop, and a few big names were left without starting gigs when the dust settled. The highest profile signal-caller on the open market is Cam Newton, and it’s going to be very interesting to see where he ends up signing.

Newton won an MVP and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2015, but his past two campaigns have been derailed by injuries. Last year he was limited to only two games because of a foot injury. The year before that he started the season off hot, but fell apart down the stretch once he started having shoulder issues. Since teams are unable to host free agents on visits due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it might be harder for Newton to find a home for a while with teams’ doctors being unable to examine him in person.

The Chargers are the betting favorite at sportsbooks offering odds on where Newton will end up, and it’s not hard to see why. Los Angeles is arguably a quarterback away from being a legit Super Bowl contender, and on paper they might have the most talented defense in the league. Tyrod Taylor is currently slated as the team’s starter and while he has been solid at times in the past with Buffalo, he doesn’t have the upside that Newton does.

The Chargers own the sixth overall pick however, and they’ve been linked to drafting a passer in the first-round. We also heard a couple weeks ago that they were no longer looking to add a veteran after they whiffed on Tom Brady, although that was before Newton became a free agent.

The Jaguars are another option, as they’re currently rolling with second-year player Gardner Minshew at quarterback and not much else. Minshew showed flashes last year, but he was hardly consistent. The Redskins are another conceivable suitor as they could reunite Newton with his old coach Ron Rivera, although we heard before he was released that they weren’t expected to be interested.

The Dolphins don’t have a firmly entrenched starter right now, but they’re widely expected to draft a quarterback in the first-round. If they surprisingly decide to pass on one, Newton could make sense as an upgrade over Ryan Fitzpatrick. Then there’s the Patriots. New England has a lot of uncertainty at the position after Brady’s departure, and all they have right now is the unproven Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer. Newton being paired with Bill Belichick would certainly be interesting, to say the least.

So where will the former first overall pick be playing next year? Vote in the poll below (link for app users) and show your work in the comments!

Where Will Cam Newton Sign?
Chargers 33.32% (3,786 votes)
Patriots 26.15% (2,971 votes)
Other 11.95% (1,358 votes)
Jaguars 11.26% (1,279 votes)
Dolphins 8.77% (996 votes)
Redskins 8.56% (973 votes)
Total Votes: 11,363

Extension Candidate: Keanu Neal

March 29th, 2020 at 10:16am CST by Rory Parks

Falcons safety Keanu Neal has had a horrible run of injury luck. In 2018, he suffered a torn ACL in the regular season opener, and in 2019, he sustained a torn Achilles during the third game of the season. Both of those injuries were season-enders, so he has played just four games over the past two seasons.

Prior to that, however, he was establishing himself as one of the better young safeties in the game. He was selected by Atlanta with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2016 draft, and he racked up 106 tackles in 14 starts in his rookie campaign, which culminated in a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to New England.

He built on that performance in 2017, starting all 16 games and piling up 116 tackles en route to a Pro Bowl nod. He moves with fluidity and has a nose for the football, as evidenced by his high tackle totals and the eight fumbles that he forced over his first two seasons in the league. That ability also helps him in coverage on the back end, though he has just one career interception to date.

The Falcons exercised the fifth-year option of his rookie contract last April, which suggested that they weren’t too concerned about the 2018 ACL tear. Of course, they didn’t bank on the 2019 Achilles tear, and Neal is presently slated to count for about $6.5MM against the 2020 cap thanks to the fifth-year option (the option was guaranteed for injury only at the time it was exercised but became fully-guaranteed when the 2020 league year opened earlier this month).

Though $6.5MM would ordinarily look like a relative bargain for someone with Neal’s abilities, the fact that he has been unable to stay on the field complicates matters a bit. That is especially true since the Falcons have limited salary cap space at the moment.

So on the one hand, it would make sense for Atlanta to let Neal simply play out his contract and revisit the situation prior to the opening of free agency next offseason (after all, although the team’s pass defense was one of the worst in the league from 2018-19, per DVOA, that unit didn’t grade out much higher even when Neal was in the lineup in 2016-17). But the top of the safety market now includes contracts with average annual values of over $14MM, and if Neal has a healthy, bounceback campaign, other clubs may pony up that type of cash to steal him away from the Falcons.

As such, the Falcons could explore an extension with Neal. Such a move would be risky given the health concerns — Neal also dealt with a knee injury not long before his rookie season — but it also has a couple of obvious benefits. One, it would help the Falcons’ immediate cap situation, and two, it could keep a talented young player under contract for several more seasons at a potentially discount rate.

From Neal’s perspective, an extension may represent an undersell if he does play up to his 2017 levels in 2020, but it would also provide him extra security in the event that he cannot recapture his prior form. As of yet, there have been no reports of negotiations between the two sides, but it would not be a surprise to hear of exploratory talks in the coming months.

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