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PFR Originals: 4/28/19 – 5/5/19

May 5th, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

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

  • After the Jets’ draft ended up not producing a long-rumored trade-down maneuver in the first round, instead bringing Quinnen Williams to the Big Apple, PFR’s Zach Links asked readers to grade Gang Green’s 2019 rookie class. Despite the team using its top three picks on linemen, center and edge rusher still profile as need areas. So far, readers view the Jets as having done fairly well in this year’s draft.
  • Zach also revisited decisions involving two of the more controversial players in recent NFL history, continuing PFR’s “This Date in Transactions History” series.
    • This week in 2016, the Chiefs used a fifth-round pick on Tyreek Hill — a player not on many teams’ draft boards due to the horrendous incident that resulted in Oklahoma State kicking him off its roster. While the Chiefs have thus far reaped rewards from this decision, with Hill becoming one of the NFL’s best wideouts, the deep threat’s NFL future is now in question after recent events.
    • Also this week in 2016, the Cowboys ruled out bringing back Greg Hardy. The defensive end’s alleged domestic violence incident resulted in his promising Panthers career ending. Hardy’s one season in Dallas produced tumult and led the team to look elsewhere for edge-rushing help after it ended.

This Date In Transactions History: Chiefs Draft Tyreek Hill

April 30th, 2019 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2016, the Chiefs altered the course of their franchise with a controversial fifth-round pick. In that draft, many teams ruled out Tyreek Hill, a shockingly fast wide receiver, due to a horrendous incident in which he was said to have beaten and choked his pregnant girlfriend. 

The Chiefs felt that Hill had shown remorse and was deserving of a second chance. And, early on in his career, Hill made the most of the opportunity.

As a rookie, he electrified the football world with his head-turning kick returns, two of which he took all the way to the house. Then, in 2017, he had his true breakout season when the Chiefs utilized him more as a receiver. Those who took a chance on Hill in fantasy football were handsomely rewarded as he caught 75 passes for 1,183 yards and seven touchdowns.

Then, last year, Hill firmly established himself as one of the most impressive playmakers in the game. Hill nearly reached 1,500 yards receiving, averaged 17.0 yards per grab, and gave opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. Between Hill, tight end Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and star rusher Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs’ offensive stars were simply impossible to guard for most clubs.

However, things have changed dramatically over the last five months. In late November, TMZ released footage of Hunt striking a woman in the corridor of a hotel and kicking her while she was on the ground. The Chiefs responded quickly and released Hunt soon after.

Then, in the offseason, authorities opened an investigation into Hill’s alleged abuse of his three-year-old son. Last week, the DA declined to press charges, citing a lack of hard evidence. However, newly leaked audio of a conversation between Hill and his child’s mother led to the investigation being re-opened. The Chiefs have banned Hill from team activities indefinitely and it seems likely that he’ll be released outright in the weeks to come.

This Date In Transactions History: Cowboys Rule Out Re-Signing Greg Hardy

April 29th, 2019 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

On this date three years ago, Greg Hardy officially blew his second chance. In the midst of the 2016 draft, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters that he had officially ruled out the possibility of re-signing the embattled defensive end. 

Hardy was long considered to be one of the NFL’s most imposing edge rushers, but things took a turn in May of 2014 when he was arrested for allegedly abusing and strangling his ex-girlfriend. After suiting up for the first game of the 2014 season, Hardy was parked on the commissioner’s exempt list and did not return to play in another game for Carolina. The Panthers decided they were done with Hardy, but the Cowboys rolled the dice on him by inking him to a one-year, $11.3MM contract prior to the ’15 campaign.

After serving a four-game ban to start the 2015 season, the Cowboys’ faith in Hardy was not necessarily rewarded. Yes, Hardy managed six sacks across 12 games and, yes, he still managed to grade out as the league’s 28th-best edge defender, according to Pro Football Focus. However, he was not nearly as dominant as he was during his peak years and Hardy was routinely late to team meetings and practices. After dealing with the attitude issues and the PR headaches, the Cowboys decided that they wanted out of the Hardy business.

The rest of the NFL reached a similar conclusion. Teams, for the most part, steered clear of the one-time Pro Bowler. The Jaguars briefly considered signing Hardy, but shut the door on him in August.

“Well, I mean, to me, there are a lot of issues,” Jags owner Shad Khan said. “You have to understand them all and the only way is to experience them first-hand. What the upside/downside might be – I think we’re not even close to a decision like that.”

Hardy failed to reboot his career after that, but you can still find him on ESPN. The 30-year-old (31 in July) recently turned his attention to mixed martial arts and is now a member of the UFC’s heavyweight division. Over the weekend, Hardy defeated a Russian journeyman by the name of Dmitry Smoliakov who, frankly, looked defeated before the first punch was thrown. Hardy now boasts a professional record of 4-1 in MMA with many fans calling for a step up in competition in his next bout.

His next opponent is TBD, but this much is clear: Hardy’s future is confined to the cage and his NFL playing days are undoubtedly over.

Poll: Grading The Jets’ Draft

April 29th, 2019 at 9:26am CST by Zachary Links

It’s hard to find fault with the Jets’ top pick – Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was regarded by some as the best overall talent in the 2019 class and the Jets’ decision to forgo an edge rusher to pounce on him at No. 3 overall makes plenty of sense. After that, however, things get a little bit murky. 

The Jets were already behind the 8-ball in this year’s draft thanks to last year’s move up for Sam Darnold. In order to jump from No. 6 to No. 3 last year, Gang Green forfeited their 2019 second-round pick (No. 34 overall) to the Colts (and then some), meaning that their second pick in this year’s draft did not come until the third round at No. 68 overall.

Here, they took Florida linebacker Jachai Polite, a player who once had first round buzz but slipped after bombing at the combine. Polite also dropped like a stone thanks to rumblings about his work ethic and unwillingness to do what was asked of him by coaches, but GM Mike Maccagnan seems to think that he can get more out of him.

“We know some of the risk in him,” Maccagnan said of Polite after the draft. “We also think there are some very good qualities about him.”

From there, the Jets used their remaining selections on USC tackle Chuma Edoga, West Virginia tight end Trevon Wesco, Minnesota linebacker Blake Cashman, and Rutgers cornerback Blessuan Austin. Edoga – who served as one of Sam Darnold‘s primary protectors – has some NFL potential, but did not fill the Jets’ need for a center. Cashman offers the kind of hard-nosed playing style that coaches love, but it’s hard to get juiced about a player who is one year removed from double shoulder surgeries. Ditto for Austin, a corner with great size and tools who has not played much over the last two years thanks to knee injuries. Wesco, meanwhile, is a quality blocking tight end, but the Jets probably would have been better served by tapping a developmental wide receiver here.

How would you grade the Jets’ draft? Click below to cast your vote (link for app users):

How would you grade the Jets' draft?
B 40.32% (675 votes)
C 34.47% (577 votes)
D 9.80% (164 votes)
A 8.72% (146 votes)
F 6.69% (112 votes)
Total Votes: 1,674

PFR Originals: 4/14/19 – 4/21/19

April 21st, 2019 at 2:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

2020 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker

April 18th, 2019 at 9:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Teams across the NFL have until May 3 to officially pick up their 2020 options on players who are entering the final year of their rookie contracts. These fifth-year options can only be exercised on first-round picks, and the salaries are determined by where players were drafted and what position they play.

If a player has his option exercised, his rookie contract will be extended by one year and he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2021, after the conclusion of the 2020 season. If a player’s option is declined, he’ll be eligible to hit the open market a year earlier. Of course, if a 2016 first-rounder is no longer on his rookie contract, there will be no option to exercise or decline. We explained the intricacies of the fifth-year option in a PFR Glossary post, so you can read up on the specific details there.

Soon, we’ll learn the official salary figures for all 2020 fifth-year options. What we do know is that the option salaries for top 10 picks is equal to the transition tender at the player’s position during his fourth season. So, because the transition tag for quarterbacks this year was $22.783MM, we already know that Jared Goff and Carson Wentz‘s fifth-year option will be worth that amount.

With next month’s deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league based on various reports and official announcements. Here are this season’s fifth-year option decisions so far:

  1. Jared Goff, QB, $22.783MM (Rams): Exercised
  2. Carson Wentz, QB, $22.783MM (Eagles): Exercised
  3. Joey Bosa, DE, $14.360MM (Chargers): Exercised
  4. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, $9.099MM (Cowboys): Exercised
  5. Jalen Ramsey, CB, $13.703MM (Jaguars): Exercised
  6. Ronnie Stanley, T, $12.866MM (Ravens): Exercised
  7. DeForest Buckner, DT, $12.378MM (49ers): Exercised
  8. Jack Conklin, T, $12.866MM (Titans): Declined
  9. Leonard Floyd, LB, $13.222MM (Bears): Exercised
  10. Eli Apple, CB, $13.703MM (Saints): Declined
  11. Vernon Hargreaves, CB, $9.954MM (Buccaneers): Exercised
  12. Sheldon Rankins, DT, $7.690MM (Saints): Exercised
  13. Laremy Tunsil, T, $10.350MM (Dolphins): Exercised
  14. Karl Joseph, S, $6.466MM (Raiders): Declined
  15. Corey Coleman, WR, $10.162MM (Giants): Not applicable due to release
  16. Taylor Decker, T, $10.350MM (Lions): Exercised
  17. Keanu Neal, S, $6.466MM (Falcons): Exercised
  18. Ryan Kelly, C, $10.350MM (Colts): Exercised
  19. Shaq Lawson, DE, $9.451MM (Bills): Declined
  20. Darron Lee, LB, $9.501MM (Jets): Declined
  21. Will Fuller, WR, $10.162MM (Texans): Exercised
  22. Josh Doctson, WR, $10.162MM (Redskins): Declined
  23. Laquon Treadwell, WR, $10.162MM (Vikings): Declined
  24. William Jackson, CB, $9.954MM (Bengals): Exercised
  25. Artie Burns, CB, $9.954MM (Steelers): Declined
  26. Paxton Lynch, QB, $15.693MM (Seahawks): Not applicable due to release
  27. Kenny Clark, DT, $7.690MM (Packers): Exercised
  28. Joshua Garnett, G, $10.350MM (49ers): Declined
  29. Patriots forfeited pick as result of Deflategate scandal
  30. Robert Nkemdiche, DT, $7.690MM (Cardinals): Declined
  31. Vernon Butler, DT, $7.690MM (Panthers): Declined
  32. Germain Ifedi, T, $10.350MM (Seahawks): Declined

PFR Originals 4/7/19 – 4/14/19

April 14th, 2019 at 2:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

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

  • Yesterday, I asked readers which offensive free agent was the best left available. The pickings are relatively slim, but there are still some decent options left. Some of the biggest names still on the market include Demaryius Thomas, Michael Crabtree, and Jay Ajayi. Ajayi is currently leading the poll with 27.8% of the vote.
  • Speaking of available players, remember that you can always use PFR to track 2019 NFL Free Agents.
  • With the draft right around the corner, make sure to bookmark PFR’s 2019 NFL draft content:

POLL: Best Available Offensive Free Agent?

April 13th, 2019 at 4:29pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Last week, we asked readers who the best available defensive free agent was. Today, we’ll be looking at the best available offensive players. Most of the remaining talent left in the free agent pool is on the defensive side of the ball, but there are still some serviceable options on offense.

All the top quarterbacks are gone, but there are still some decent players left at some skill positions and along the offensive line. This late in the process, many teams will wait until after the draft to see what needs they still have unfilled. Another key date remaining in free agency is May 7th. After that date, signings no longer will count against teams in the compensatory pick formula, so more teams will re-enter the market then for bigger signings.

With that in mind, here are the top remaining offensive free agents:

Demaryius Thomas, WR

Thomas would’ve likely been signed long ago, but his free agency has been complicated by both a devastating injury and an ongoing legal situation. After being traded from the Broncos to the Texans last year, Thomas tore his Achilles. He was then arrested and charged with vehicular assault, which could result in discipline from the league. New England was interested in trading for Thomas at the deadline, and they’re apparently still intrigued. Earlier this week, the Patriots hosted Thomas for a visit. It’s unclear if Thomas will be ready for Week 1, or if he’s facing a suspension. But he’s still only 31, and has remained a very productive receiver when on the field. He had 59 catches for 677 yards and five touchdowns in less than 15 full games last year. The year before that he had 949 yards and five touchdowns, which was his first time not having at least 1,000 yards since the 2011 season. Thomas has been declining, but he could still be a very nice piece for a contending team.

Andy Levitre, G

Levitre is an interesting case. Originally a second round pick of the Bills back in 2009, Levitre was one of the league’s better guards the past handful of seasons. He always received strong marks from Pro Football Focus, but his career was derailed by injuries the past couple of season while playing with the Falcons. Levitre was a 16-game starter each of his first eight seasons in the league, but then went down with a triceps injury after 13 games in 2017. Last season he appeared in just two games before landing on injured reserve with another triceps injury. The Falcons appears set to move on, and we haven’t heard of much interest for him yet. Levitre is 33 now, but indicated recently he isn’t planning on retiring. Levitre has started all 143 games in his career, and should resurface somewhere soon.

Michael Crabtree, WR

Crabtree is another high profile receiver still looking for a new home. Crabtree signed with Baltimore last offseason hoping to revitalize his career, and ended up starting all 16 games. Unfortunately for him, the Ravens transitioned to a very run-heavy offense with Lamar Jackson at quarterback, so he couldn’t play quite as large of a role as he would’ve hoped. He had a solid season given the circumstances, catching 54 passes for 607 yards and three touchdowns. In his previous three seasons in Oakland, he had at least eight touchdowns each year, and had over 1,000 yards in 2016. Crabtree has looked like virtually the same player he has for a while now, so it’s not clear why he hasn’t been scooped up yet. It’s possible he’s demanding too much money, as we haven’t heard much about him since the Ravens cut him in late February.

Donald Penn, OT

Penn is yet another player who had his 2018 season cut short due to injury. The Raiders released Penn on March 16th, ending a five-year run in Oakland. He indicated at the time that he wasn’t going to be retiring. Penn is going to turn 36 later this month, and was making too much money for the Raiders. We heard a few weeks back that the Texans were interested in Penn, but nothing has materialized yet. He was one of the league’s better tackles as recently as 2017, when he made the Pro Bowl, and is presumably still capable of playing at a high level. He only appeared in four games last year because of his groin injury. Penn should be getting plenty of calls from teams still in need of offensive line help after the draft.

Jermon Bushrod, OL

Sensing a trend yet? While many of the top remaining defensive players are defensive linemen, many of the top players left on this side of the ball are offensive linemen. Bushrod was the Dolphins’ starter at right guard in 2016 and 2017, and started six games at tackle for the Saints last season. Bushrod has the versatility to play both inside and out, so it’s a little surprising he’s still on the market. ProFootballTalk rated Bushrod as their 82nd-best free agent heading into the offseason, and he’s one of very few in their top-100 who haven’t been signed yet. Bushrod has been around for a while, and was New Orleans’ starting left tackle for their Super Bowl XLIV win. He’s 34 now, but still capable of playing at a fairly high level at several different spots along the offensive line.

Jay Ajayi, RB

At this time last year, it would’ve been pretty surprising to think that Ajayi still wouldn’t be signed. After being traded from the Dolphins to Eagles in 2017, Ajayi had a great second half of the year for Philly and helped them win a Super Bowl. But his injury issues resurfaced this past season and he ended up appearing in just four games. Even super-agent Drew Rosenhaus hasn’t been able to get him a gig yet, although he has been drawing some interest. The Eagles are apparently still potentially interested in re-signing him, and he also had a visit with the Colts last month, who could still sign him down the line. In seven games with the Eagles in 2017, Ajayi averaged 5.8 yards per carry and was electric. If he can shake the injury bug and keep his knees healthy, he could still start for a team.

So what do you think? Which of these players is the best offensive player still available on the free agent market? If it’s none of the above, let us know in the comments! Other big names like T.J. Yeldon, Jermaine Kearse, and Jared Veldheer are still out there. (Link for app users).

Who is the best available offensive free agent?
Jay Ajayi 28.66% (611 votes)
Demaryius Thomas 23.12% (493 votes)
Michael Crabtree 18.95% (404 votes)
Andy Levitre 9.19% (196 votes)
Donald Penn 8.91% (190 votes)
Other 5.86% (125 votes)
Jermon Bushrod 5.30% (113 votes)
Total Votes: 2,132

PFR Originals: 3/31/19 – 4/7/19

April 7th, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

Poll: Best Available Defensive Free Agent?

April 4th, 2019 at 8:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If your favorite team is searching for help at quarterback, running back, pass-catcher, or offensive line, you can probably go ahead and look towards the draft. Sure, Jay Ajayi can help a backfield, Jermaine Kearse can still play, and Jared Veldheer or Jermey Parnell could step in at right tackle. But there aren’t any top-end offensive options available on the offensive side of the ball.

That’s not the case on defense, where starting-quality players are still hunting for new contracts. It’s entirely possible that none of the players listed below will sign in the next few weeks. Free agent additions will still count towards the NFL’s compensatory pick calculations though May 7, so teams may be wary of adding new talent until after that date. But if a club wants an instant injection of defensive talent, the free agent market is still a place to look.

Let’s take a look at the best defensive players still available:

Ezekiel Ansah, DE

Ansah collected $17.143MM as the Lions’ franchise player in 2018, but his season could barely have gone worse. He missed nine games thanks to a shoulder injury and a subsequent re-aggravation, and eventually ended the campaign on injured reserve. The former first-round pick has generated legitimate interest this offseason, meeting with both the Saints and Bills, but clubs are reportedly wary of his shoulder issues. As such, Ansah isn’t expected to sign with a new club until he completes a mid-April medical check. Typically, a one-year deal would make sense for a player coming off injury like Ansah, but given that he’s entering his age-30 season, Ansah may want to reel in as much guaranteed money as possible.

Shane Ray, DE/LB

Ray doesn’t have the name value or production of the other players listed here, but he does have at least one thing working for him: age. He’ll only be 26 years old when the 2019 season gets underway. Like Ansah, Ray has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, and he’s only played a full 16-game slate one time in his four NFL seasons. As recently as 2016, though, Ray was a force on the edge, posting eight sacks while tying for 21st among all defenders with 21 quarterback hits. Ray’s former Broncos teammate Shaquil Barrett landed only one year and $4MM from the Buccaneers, and while Ray may have to settle for a similar figure, he could also match Barrett as a potential bargain addition. Thus far, the Colts are the only club known to have taken a visit with Ray.

Ndamukong Suh, DT

Los Angeles is reportedly unlikely to re-sign Suh, but any number of teams could use an interior defender with his track record. Other defensive tackles like Malik Jackson, Sheldon Richardson, and Henry Anderson have secured multi-year deals since the free agent period opened in March, but Suh is still on the board. That’s likely due to his asking price, as it’s fair to wonder if he’s pushing for a pay raise after collecting a fully guaranteed $14MM with the Rams in 2018. Suh is now 32 years old, but he’s still extremely effective. And perhaps even more important, he doesn’t come off the field: last season, Suh played 1,062 defensive snaps, the second-most of any interior defender behind only teammate Aaron Donald.

Zach Brown, LB

Because he was released by the Redskins, Brown won’t count towards the NFL’s compensatory pick calculations, but it still won’t be surprising if he’s forced to wait a while to land a new contract. Teams with vacancies at linebacker — such as the Steelers, Bengals, Broncos, and Eagles — may want to see what the draft has to offer before bringing in a veteran like Brown. Historically a streaky player, Brown was excellent in 2018, grading out as the No. 3 linebacker in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

Jamie Collins, LB

When Cleveland acquired Collins from New England midway through the 2016 season, he was expected to become the face of a revamped Browns roster. That was especially true after Collins signed a four-year, $50MM extension that — at the time — made him the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league. While he didn’t live up to that contract, Collins is still a useful player, a versatile defender who can cover and rush the passer. Could the Patriots be interested in a reunion at the right price?

Eric Berry, S

A three-time All-Pro, Berry is a terrific safety when on the field. But it’s perhaps no surprise that he hasn’t found a new team after being released by Kansas City last month, as other clubs are surely concerned about his health. In five of his nine pro seasons, Berry has failed to play more than five games. He’s been available for only three total regular season contests over the past two years after rupturing his Achilles in September 2017. In spite of that, Berry doesn’t plan to undergo offseason surgery to correct his nagging heel concerns. He met with the Cowboys in March, but they’ve since signed fellow defensive back George Iloka.

Tre Boston, S

Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid, and Kenny Vaccaro were all victims of a league-wide safety shun in 2018, but all three have landed multi-year deals this offseason. That’s not the case for Boston, who had to wait until last July to sign with the Cardinals and still hasn’t found a new home yet this year. Boston is just 26 years old and has posted eight interceptions over the past two seasons, excelling in a deep safety role that’s critical in most clubs’ schemes. He’s garnered interest from the Raiders and Browns in recent weeks, but Oakland and Cleveland have since added Lamarcus Joyner and Eric Murray, respectively.

So what do you think? Which of these players is the best defender still available on the free agent market? (Link for app users).

Who is the best available defensive free agent?
Ndamukong Suh 40.73% (975 votes)
Eric Berry 14.95% (358 votes)
Ezekiel Ansah 14.29% (342 votes)
Zach Brown 10.57% (253 votes)
Tre Boston 8.44% (202 votes)
Jamie Collins 6.31% (151 votes)
Shane Ray 4.05% (97 votes)
Other (specify in comments) 0.67% (16 votes)
Total Votes: 2,394
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