NFL Workout Updates: 1/13/19
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Jacksonville Jaguars
- TE Keith Towbridge; CB D.J. Killings
Los Angeles Chargers
- Ks Jon Brown, Marshall Koehn, Blair Walsh
Los Angeles Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- T Ryker Mathews; DL Jon Cunningham, Quincy Redmon; LBs Zaire Anderson, Cory James, Matthew Oplinger, Robert Spillane; CB Sojourn Shelton; S Marcelis Branch
2019 Proven Performance Escalators
According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.
If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $2MM in 2019. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.
Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2019 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:
Bears: RB Jordan Howard, LB Nick Kwiatkoski
Bengals: LB Nick Vigil
Broncos: G Connor McGovern, S Will Parks, S Justin Simmons
Browns: S Derrick Kindred, LB Joe Schobert
Buccaneers: G Caleb Benenoch, DE Carl Nassib, CB Ryan Smith
Chargers: LB Jatavis Brown
Chiefs: CB Kendall Fuller, WR Tyreek Hill, S Eric Murray, WR Demarcus Robinson
Colts: QB Jacoby Brissett, T Joe Haeg
Cowboys: CB Anthony Brown, DT Maliek Collins, QB Dak Prescott
Dolphins: RB Kenyan Drake
Eagles: CB Jalen Mills, T Halapoulivaati Vaitai
Falcons: LB De’Vondre Campbell, TE Austin Hooper, G Wes Schweitzer
Jaguars: DE Yannick Ngakoue
Jets: LB Jordan Jenkins, CB Rashard Robinson, T Brandon Shell
Lions: C Graham Glasgow
Packers: LB Kyler Fackrell, DE Dean Lowry, LB Blake Martinez, LB Antonio Morrison
Patriots: G Joe Thuney, LB Elandon Roberts
Rams: G Austin Blythe, TE Tyler Higbee
Ravens: DE Matt Judon, OL Alex Lewis, CB Tavon Young
Saints: DT David Onyemata
Steelers: DT Javon Hargrave
Texans: DT D.J. Reader
Titans: S Kevin Byard, WR Tajae Sharpe
OverTheCap.com was essential in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos An Antonio Brown Suitor?
The Antonio Brown news cycle continues, with this week bringing an update from Art Rooney II. The Steelers owner pointing to the All-Pro wide receiver having potentially worn out his welcome has ignited trade rumors.
An interesting team has emerged on that front. The Broncos are a team to keep an eye on as a Brown suitor, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). While mentioning cap-rich teams like the Colts, Jets and 49ers as potential Brown buyers, Rapoport notes the Broncos may be “plotting a run” at the superstar wideout.
Teams eyeing Brown may not have to fork over an Amari Cooper price, either. Rival GMs expect a second-round pick and possibly some additional compensation being enough to get a deal done, RapSheet adds. Brown’s four-year, $68MM deal, and perhaps the way his 2018 season ended, may well give teams caution despite his obvious superiority to Cooper as a player. The Steelers may well approach teams in trade talks, per Rapoport.
By the end of the regular season, the Broncos were reeling at receiver. They traded Demaryius Thomas and saw Emmanuel Sanders go down with a season-ending Achilles injury. But they do have Sanders’ contract on their books for one more season.
Sanders and Brown were both 2010 Pittsburgh rookies and played together until 2013. Sanders has been an essential part of Denver’s past five passing attacks and was on pace for another 1,000-yard season prior to going down. Sanders, 32 in March, is a year older than Brown (31 in July). He does not expect his former teammate to be a Steeler next season (Twitter link). But with Sanders set to make a non-guaranteed $10.15MM in 2019 and Brown tethered to a wideout-record deal ($22MM-plus ’19 cap number), Brown-to-Denver is a curious fit. Unless the Broncos are planning to replace Sanders with Brown.
The Broncos do have rookie contracts comprising the rest of their receiving corps and stand to hold more than $45MM in cap space, with some possible cap-casualty contracts — like Brandon Marshall or Ronald Leary — on their books. But reuniting the former Steelers teammates would tag the Broncos’ payroll with a historic cost at this position, even if it would mean a far more potent passing attack than what recent Denver teams have possessed.
Latest On Antonio Brown, Steelers
On Friday, Antonio Brown, through his rep, declined to comment on prospective trade talks. However, the receiver is reportedly open to either being traded or returning to the Steelers in 2019, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. 
According to Fowler, the perennial Pro Bowl pick is “open/eager” to prove he can thrive in any offense, but is fine with returning to Pittsburgh “if things shake out that way.” This comes a day after Steelers president Art Rooney II said it would be “hard to envision” Brown with the team next season.
This has all spiraled out of control fast since Brown’s blowup leading up to Week 17, which led head coach Mike Tomlin to bench him for a pivotal game against Cincinnati. Shortly thereafter, it was reported the star receiver was requesting a trade.
Thanks to the $19MM signing bonus he received in his four-year, $68MM extension and the $12.96MM restructuring bonus he later secured, cutting or trading Brown would result in a $21.12MM cap charge in 2019.
While it could be difficult to deal the wideout financially, the Steelers seem willing to explore trading Brown. Despite the hefty price tag, Brown is sure to find suitors looking to get its hands on the most consistent receiver from the last five years.
Broncos To Meet With Mike Munchak
The Broncos’ agreement with Gary Kubiak went bust, but they’re still intent on adding experience to Vic Fangio‘s staff. The Broncos notified the Steelers of their intention to speak with Mike Munchak, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Munchak’s contract with the Steelers has (or will soon) expire, so the Steelers wouldn’t truly have the means to block him from taking a clear promotion elsewhere. Munchak’s possible role in Denver is unknown, but he would fit as a logical OC candidate to fill the role that was set aside for Kubiak.
Just days ago, Munchak was interviewing with the Broncos in their head coaching search. He did not get the nod, but he did impress and he wound up as a finalist alongside Fangio.
Munchak is widely regarded as one of the league’s best offensive line coaches in the NFL. Under his command, the Steelers’ front five helped transform Le’Veon Bell into a star and also made backup James Conner
Munchak served as the Titans’ coach from 2011-13 and has overseen one of the NFL’s best offensive lines in recent years. Pittsburgh’s front helped turn Le’Veon Bell into a star and James Conner into a quickly capable replacement while also aiding Ben Roethlisberger to four straight Pro Bowls and a 2018 5,000-yard season.
Steelers OL coach Mike Munchak is among the best at what he does, and Denver had him in the final 2 for their HC interviews. Possibly adding both Munchak and Vic Fangio would be quite a coup for the #Broncos… and clearly a rough loss for Pittsburgh.
Steelers Hire Teryl Austin
The Steelers hired former Bengals’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin to serve as a senior defensive assistant, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In Pittsburgh, Austin’s focus will be on the secondary. 
After the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Austin was in the mix for head coaching jobs around the league. In 2018, he pushed for the Lions to promote him from defensive coordinator to head coach after Jim Caldwell was fired, but the team was dead set on hiring Matt Patricia. When that became apparent to Austin, he hooked on with the Bengals to serve under Lewis.
Unfortunately, things did not work out with the Bengals. He was canned in November after the Bengals suffered a brutal one-sided loss to the Saints.
In other Steelers news, the club seems open to trading star wide receiver Antonio Brown. It’s a big departure from their stance just a couple of weeks ago when Brown blew up at teammates and coaches in practice.
Latest On Steelers, Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown is unhappy with Steelers brass and coach Mike Tomlin, but the assumption so far has been that the Steelers would not trade the wide receiver. Apparently, things have changed. In an interview with Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette, Steelers president Art Rooney II said it would be “hard to envision” Brown being with the Steelers in training camp this summer. 
“There’s not much we can do right now; we have time to make a decision,” Rooney said. “We’ll look at all the options. We’re not going to release him, that’s not on the table. But I will say all other options are on the table.”
With that, it appears that one of the game’s most dangerous offensive weapons could be on the market. It’s likely that every team will have interest in adding Brown, but the cost figures to be sky high. Not only is Brown a superstar player, but trading him would also leave the Steelers saddled with an astronomical cap hit. Even though dissatisfied players are often traded for pennies on the dollar, a Brown trade could call for the forfeiture of two first-round picks, and possibly more.
Even though Rooney is leaving the door open to a possible trade, he’s not slamming the door on a potential reconciliation either.
“I’m not going to use those words. All options are on the table. We have two months to go before we can do anything. There’s no sense making the decision now,” Rooney said. “We’ll see how things play out. Maybe he decides to come talk to us some day and we learn more about where he is. We’ll see.”
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/19
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2019 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots
- DT David Parry
New York Jets
- WR Tim White
Philadelphia Eagles
- T Tyreek Burwell, DB Mercy Maston
Pittsburgh Steelers
- TE Kevin Rader, DL Conor Sheehy
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/8/19
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2019 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Baltimore Ravens
- G Kofi Amichia
- T Randin Crecelius
- CB Robertson Daniel
- RB Tyler Ervin
- FB Christopher Ezeala
- S Bennett Jackson
- LB Alvin Jones
- TE Nick Keizer
Buffalo Bills
- WR Duke Williams
Chicago Bears
- OL Dejon Allen
- DL Abdullah Anderson
- DB John Franklin III
- WR Tanner Gentry
- WR Cyril Grayson
- DB Michael Joseph
- DB Jonathon Mincy
- RB Ryan Nall
- LB James Vaughters
- LB Josh Woods
Cleveland Browns
- OL David Bright
- DB Ashton Lampkin
Miami Dolphins
- LB Sam Eguavoen
New England Patriots
- C Jake Eldrenkamp
New York Jets
- WR Stacy Coley
- DE Harvey Langi
Philadelphia Eagles
Houston Texans
- TE Jerell Adams
- LB Davin Bellamy
- RB Josh Ferguson
- LB Chris Landrum
- OT Rick Leonard
- G Maurquice Shakir
- T David Steinmetz
- WR Jester Weah
- WR Issac Whitney
Philadelphia Eagles
- LB Alex Singleton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- K Matt McCrane
Seattle Seahawks
- CB Jeremy Boykins
- WR Caleb Scott
- WR Keenan Reynolds
- CB Simeon Thomas
- SS Marwin Evans
- TE Tyrone Swoopes
- LB Justin Currie
- C Marcus Henry
- G Jordan Roos
Broncos Deciding Between Vic Fangio, Mike Munchak?
The Broncos’ head coaching search may soon be coming to a close. Denver is GM John Elway appears to be deciding between Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak, according to Mike Klis of 9News.
[RELATED: PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Fangio was largely overlooked in last year’s cycle, but he’s high atop the Broncos’ list this year. The two sides met on Monday and Elway was said to be seriously mulling him on his flight home. Fangio is 60 and has never been a head coach his 40 years of coaching, but his resume and recent results are impressive. In 2018, the Bears ranked No. 1 in scoring defense and allowed just 17.7 points per game. For all of the Broncos’ offensive woes, they’d be doing a lot better if they got back to being one of the league’s scariest defenses.
Munchak, meanwhile, is widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. Since taking the job in Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger‘s sack rate has been cut roughly in half, which is no small feat. Unlike Fangio, Munchak boasts previous head coaching experience, though he’s also in the same age range. Munchak will turn 59 in March, but Elway does not seem afraid of bucking the league’s youth-forward trend.