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Bolts, Raiders Looking Into Justin Herbert

March 30th, 2020 at 10:41am CST by Sam Robinson

In the coronavirus-altered 2020 NFL landscape, teams are setting up video conferences with prospects. Two AFC West teams have scheduled chats with Justin Herbert.

The Chargers have spoken with the former Oregon quarterback, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Raiders have a FaceTime session set up with the coveted passing prospect on Monday. Teams can speak with a player for up to an hour three times a week leading up to the draft.

With limitations on how many video-chat sessions teams can conduct with prospects looser than the NFL’s usual 30-visit maximum, expect plenty of news to circulate about the top draft-eligible players’ virtual meetings. Herbert has been viewed as a top-10 player for years could require a trade-up past the Dolphins at No. 5. He has been mentioned as a Chargers target, and the Raiders have not been shy about doing due diligence on quarterbacks during Jon Gruden‘s second tenure with the franchise.

The Bolts have an interesting decision to make this offseason. After losing out on Tom Brady, they are not expected to chase another veteran. That would point to Los Angeles focusing on rookie successors to Philip Rivers with Tyrod Taylor as the bridge. However, both Cam Newton and Jameis Winston are now free agents. With the Chargers moving into a 70,000-seat stadium after a less-than-ideal L.A. introduction in a 30,000-seat venue, the team pursuing Newton would certainly raise its profile.

A Newton signing, however, would be costlier than the Bolts going with a Taylor bridge setup. Taylor has not been a full-time starter since 2017. The Bolts have also curiously added three high-profile 30-something free agents — Chris Harris, Bryan Bulaga, Linval Joseph — and their roster does not give off a rebuilding vibe. Their move at No. 6 overall will be one of the most interesting parts of the draft.

The Raiders signed Marcus Mariota to compete with Derek Carr. This would not prevent Gruden from selecting another quarterback, but Las Vegas would likely have to trade up to land Herbert. The Raiders have picks at No. 12 and No. 18. While Herbert likely will not be the only member of this year’s quarterback class the Raiders are connected to, they may well pop up on the QB-seeking radar before next year’s draft as well given their 2020 circumstances.

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

Chargers Sign WR/KR Darius Jennings

March 28th, 2020 at 7:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Chargers are adding a depth piece to their receiving corp. Los Angeles is signing receiver/returner Darius Jennings, his agent announced on Twitter.

Jennings entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Browns back in 2015. He caught 14 passes for 117 yards in only four games as a rookie after getting promoted from the practice squad late in the year. He bounced around on various practice squads the next couple of years, resurfacing with the Titans in 2018. He operated as Tennessee’s kick returner that season, taking a kick back 94-yards for a touchdown and leading the league with a 31.7 yards per return average.

He was cut by the Titans midway through last season, but was re-signed in time for the playoffs and operated as their kick returner in two postseason games. The Chargers have Keenan Allen and Mike Williams at receiver but not a whole lot after them, so it’s certainly conceivable that Jennings will crack the roster.

Contract Details: Funchess, Packers, Bell, Bengals, Vigil, Chargers

March 28th, 2020 at 6:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A few more recent contract figures to pass along:

  • Devin Funchess, WR (Packers): One year, $2.5MM. The $2.5MM is a far cry from the one-year, $10MM deal he got from the Colts last offseason. He got a $1MM signing bonus, $1.2MM base salary, and an extra couple hundred thousand in workout and roster bonuses. He has another $3.75MM in incentives available (via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
  • Vonn Bell, S (Bengals): Three years, $18MM. Bell got a $3MM signing bonus, with a $3MM base salary in 2020 and $1MM reporting bonus. He has base salaries of $4.1MM and $6.1MM in 2021 and 2022 respectively, with $400K in roster and workout bonuses in each of those years (via Albert Breer of SI.com).
  • Nick Vigil, LB (Chargers): One year, $2.4MM. Vigil had to settle for a prove-it deal despite starting 16 games for the Bengals last year. He got a $500K signing bonus, $1.9MM base salary, and can earn an additional $600K in playing-time incentives.

 

Latest On Broncos’ Melvin Gordon Signing

March 28th, 2020 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having seen Phillip Lindsay become the first undrafted player in NFL history to start his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, the Broncos have created interesting optics by signing Melvin Gordon. In an offseason that began with rumors of a possible Lindsay extension, the Broncos gave Gordon an $8MM-per-year deal that ranks sixth among running backs.

“I know there’s people going, ‘Why do you need another horse?’ Well, when you have an opportunity for Melvin Gordon to come in here, we felt like it was an addition to the team,” Broncos GM John Elway said. “He’s a guy that obviously has had a lot of success in this league. He’s scored a lot of touchdowns and has caught the football a ton. So we feel like with him — with Melvin, as well as Phillip — that we’ve got a great one-two punch, and we’ll only get better in the backfield.

“Ultimately, we have to score more points this year. We’ve struggled on the offensive side the last two, three years, and so we’ve got to get better on that side. I think Melvin will be one of those key pieces to help us get better.”

Lindsay, whose two 1,000-yard seasons are more than Gordon’s one, reached out to his new teammate but may now have an uncertain future in Denver. No team currently has multiple backs earning more than $3.5MM AAV. Lindsay is set to make just $750K in 2020 — less than Royce Freeman, whom Gordon is essentially replacing in Denver.

This arrangement would seemingly be untenable for Lindsay, but the Broncos are not prioritizing a re-up for their hometown success story at this time. Lindsay, 25, is set for restricted free agency in 2021.

Gordon’s abilities as a receiver helped influence the Broncos’ decision, with Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic noting that new OC Pat Shurmur sought a more complete back (subscription required). Lindsay caught 53 passes as a junior at Colorado but has yet to top 35 catches or 250 receiving yards as a pro. Gordon peaked at 19 grabs in a season at run-heavy Wisconsin but has caught more than 40 passes in each of his past four seasons. Gordon surpassed 400 receiving yards each season from 2016-18.

Last year, Gordon turned down a Chargers extension worth around $10MM per year. He held out into late September before reporting, and Austin Ekeler ended up outplaying him and landing a Bolts extension. Gordon said if given the choice again he would not hold out.

“I probably would come back just because — more so because of my legacy and what I’m trying to do as a player, my mark that I’m trying to leave,” the former first-round pick said, via Jhabvala. “Obviously, those are games that I can’t get back. Starting out slow and being able to catch stride towards the end of the season, but then it’s too late.“

Contract Details: Anderson, Pennel, Alexander

March 27th, 2020 at 8:56pm CST by Ben Levine

A handful of contract details to pass along:

Chargers To Sign LB Nick Vigil

March 24th, 2020 at 4:27pm CST by Rory Parks

The Chargers have agreed to sign free agent LB Nick Vigil, per NFL Insider Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets that it’s a one-year deal. Vigil was selected by the Bengals in the third round of the 2016 draft and spent the first four years of his career with Cincinnati.

The Utah State turned in a productive platform year in 2019, starting in all 16 games and recording 111 tackles while playing virtually all of the Bengals’ defensive snaps. Advanced metrics were not overly fond of his work, ranking him as the 42nd-best linebacker out of 58 players who played in at least half of his team’s snaps.

But Vigil will not turn 27 until August, and a short-term pact on a fairly young ‘backer with plenty of starting experience and tackling ability makes sense for the Chargers. Indeed, the division-rival Raiders were said to be interested in Vigil before filling their LB needs elsewhere.

Vigil represents the third significant addition to the Bolts’ defense since the start of free agency, joining Linval Joseph and Chris Harris. He becomes part of a LB corps that includes the oft-injured Denzel Perryman and unproven youngsters Uchenna Nwosu and Malik Jefferson, so he is in line to see plenty of action.

Panthers Release Cam Newton

March 24th, 2020 at 2:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers’ efforts to trade Cam Newton evidently did not take off. They are expected to release the former MVP as soon as Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Carolina made the move official Tuesday afternoon.

While the Panthers attempted to deal Newton to the Bears and Chargers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, they could not find a taker. Newton had one season remaining on a deal he signed back in 2015. He was set to earn $18.6MM in 2020 base salary; Carolina will take on just $2MM in dead money for releasing Newton but clear $19.1MM in cap space. The Bears subsequently traded for Nick Foles instead, and the Chargers appear focused on the draft. After pursuing Tom Brady, the Bolts no longer intend to add a veteran quarterback.

A Newton release was the expected outcome, given the unique complications this offseason presents for the Panthers to trade their three-time Pro Bowl passer. This will end a nine-year run for Newton in Charlotte. The move also comes less than a month after Matt Rhule indicated he wanted to keep Newton for the 2020 season. Carolina moved swiftly in another direction after that pronouncement.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2011, Newton fairly quickly solidified himself as the best quarterback in Panthers history. He helped the Panthers to four playoff berths in a five-season span and piloted them to Super Bowl 50 in 2015. However, injuries intervened in the late 2010s and will lead the former superstar to the open market for the first time.

Newton, 30, is recovering from the Lisfanc surgery he underwent in December. The NFL’s all-time QB rushing-touchdown king has not been fully healthy since early in the 2018 season, when he suffered a shoulder injury. Newton is not expected to be game-ready for months.

Considering the changes the COVID-19 pandemic has made to this NFL offseason, Newton could be in limbo. Teams are not permitted to host free agents on visits, and while third-party doctors can still examine players, any franchise signing off on a Newton contract would probably want to put its medical staff to work on the injury-prone passer.

Because of this strange scenario, the Panthers were able to pry a fifth-rounder from the Redskins for Kyle Allen on Monday and will be forced to release Newton. Carolina’s quarterback depth chart now sits at Teddy Bridgewater–P.J. Walker–Will Grier. The Panthers officially signed Walker on Tuesday morning. Bridgewater signed his three-year, $63MM deal Monday night, and David Newton of ESPN.com notes the Panthers will not carry both Bridgewater and Newton’s salaries. The Newton-to-Bridgewater transition will begin Tuesday.

Newton had regressed considerably since the Panthers’ Super Bowl 50 loss, ranking 30th in QBR since 2016, but the nine-year veteran showed promise in Norv Turner‘s offense early in 2018 certainly would have brought back a trade package of some sort in a normal NFL offseason. The former Heisman winner now must continue his rehab on his own and do so in one of the most uncertain times to go about a rehab effort. The NFL may well end up canceling all offseason activities due to conoravirus-related uncertainty, so it might be difficult for Newton to land a noteworthy contract for the 2020 season.

Carolina will have parted ways with Newton, Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly, Trai Turner and Mario Addison this offseason. Rhule’s team will certainly look different when the Panthers are permitted to reconvene under their new coach.

AFC Contract Details: Bulaga, Cobb, Collins

March 22nd, 2020 at 8:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest contract details as of Sunday night. We will focus on the AFC here.

  • Bryan Bulaga, T (Chargers): Three years, $30MM. $19.25MM guaranteed; $10MM signing bonus. Bulaga’s salaries in 2020 ($1.5MM) and 2021 ($7.75MM) are guaranteed. A $2.5MM roster bonus is due on Day 3 of the 2022 league year, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • Randall Cobb, WR (Texans): Three years, $27MM. $18MM guaranteed; $6MM signing bonus. Base salaries in 2020 ($3.75MM) and ’21 ($8.25MM) are guaranteed; non-guaranteed salary of $7.9MM in 2022. Wilson notes (on Twitter).
  • Rodney Gunter, DL (Jaguars): Three years, $18MM. $11.15MM guaranteed; $4.25MM signing bonus. 2020 and ’21 base salaries of $2MM and $4.9MM are guaranteed. Non-guaranteed 2022 base of $5.4MM, per Wilson (on Twitter).
  • Vic Beasley, OLB (Titans): One year, $9.5MM. The $9.5MM is guaranteed and includes a $6MM signing bonus. $2.5MM worth of sack-based incentives exist in the deal, Wilson adds (on Twitter).
  • Maliek Collins, DT (Raiders): One year, $6MM. $5.75MM guaranteed. Deal includes a $1.5MM sack-based incentive, Wilson tweets.
  • De’Vante Bausby, CB (Broncos): One year, $825K. The deal contains no guaranteed money, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.

Chris Harris Turned Down Raiders Offer

March 19th, 2020 at 7:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Veteran cornerback Chris Harris says he turned down a three-year offer from the Raiders before inking a two-year, $20MM deal with the Chargers, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Per Harris, he simply didn’t feel “comfortable” with the Raiders, and preferred to join a Chargers defense that already includes stalwarts like Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Casey Hayward, and Derwin James. Harris, 30, also attracted interest from teams like the Saints, Jets, Eagles, and says he picked up “tons” of one-year offers before deciding on Los Angeles.
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