NFC Notes: Olsen, Suh, Remmers, 49ers
We now have some details on Mike Remmers‘ release from the Vikings earlier today. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle points out (on Twitter) that the offensive lineman was cut with a “failed physical designation.” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin notes (via Twitter) that the 29-year-old was listed on Minnesota’s final injury report of the season with a back injury, but he proceeded to play the entire game.
This provides a bit of reasoning for why the Vikings decided to bail on Remmers after inking him to a five-year, $30MM in 2017. In fact, it sounds like Minnesota is actually considering bringing Remmers back. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press tweets that the team would considering re-signing the lineman on a lesser deal.
The move ultimately saved the organization $4.55MM against $1.8MM in dead cap. The veteran has experience playing both offensive guard and offensive tackle, so a team will surely bite on his versatility.
Let’s check out some more notes out of the NFC…
- Ndamukong Suh isn’t expected to stick with the Rams, but it sounds like the hulking defensive lineman wants to stay on the West Coast (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). As the writer points out, that’d leave Suh with three options: the 49ers, Chargers, or Seahawks. The 32-year-old signed a one-year, $14MM deal with the Rams last offseason, and he proceeded to compile 59 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 16 starts.
- It sounds like some networks were working hard to add Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that both ESPN and Fox made offers to the veteran, but it wasn’t enough to convince Olsen to retire. Person warns that Monday Night Football “could still come calling, but nothing imminent.” The 34-year-old battled injuries for a second straight season, finishing with 27 receptions for 291 yards and four scores in nine games.
- Bradley Roby isn’t the only cornerback the 49ers are eyeing. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (via Twitter), the team is also showing interest in Colts cornerback Pierre Desir. The 28-year-old has a breakout season with Indy in 2018, finishing with 79 tackles, eight passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one interception.
Giants To Re-Sign C Spencer Pulley
The Giants are signing restricted free agent center Spencer Pulley, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The two sides have agreed to a three-year, $9.6MM extension, keeping him in the fold through the 2021 campaign. 
[RELATED: Giants Notes – Cornerbacks, Desir, Jenkins]
Pulley, 26 in April, spent the first two seasons of his career with the Chargers. In 2017, he started every game in the middle for L.A. In 2018, he hooked on with the Giants, where he started in nine of his 13 games.
Last year, Pulley graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 26 ranked center in the NFL out of 38 qualified players. His 567 snaps made for a limited sample size, but the score was more or less the same as his 2017 showing.
Details On Perryman Contract
- Denzel Perryman and the Chargers agreed on a new two-year deal yesterday, and now we have the details. The inside linebacker will earn $12MM over the course of the two years, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Perryman, who was set to be an unrestricted free agent, has been a good run-stuffer for the Chargers when he’s been able to stay healthy. The 2015 second round pick out of Miami has missed 16 games over the past two years. If he can stay on the field next year, it’ll be a huge boost to Los Angeles’ talented defense.
Chargers To Release S Jahleel Addae
The Chargers are moving on from one of their longest-tenured players. ESPN’s Eric Williams reports (via Twitter) that the team is releasing safety Jahleel Addae.
Addae signed a four-year, $22.5MM deal with the organization back in 2017. The 29-year-old was set to earn $11MM over the next two seasons, but the organization had an opportunity to get out of the contract. The Chargers are apparently opting for that route, leaving the team with $1MM in dead cap.
The former undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan had spent his entire six-year career with the organization. He started all 16 games in each of the past two seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he compiled 75 tackles, one sack, three passed defended, and one interception. While Addae had previously earned high marks via Pro Football Focus, he was ranked 76th among 93 eligible safeties in 2018.
With Addae out of the picture, the team will now have a bit more money to throw at safety Adrian Phillips, who is set to hit free agency. The 26-year-old earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2018. This move could also provide a playing opportunity for former fourth-rounder Rayshawn Jenkins.
Chargers, Denzel Perryman Agree To Deal
Despite Denzel Perryman‘s injury trouble over the past two seasons, the Chargers plan to give him another chance. They are re-signing the inside linebacker to a two-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
A former second-round pick, Perryman has had stretches of quality play but has also been known for the time he’s missed. The Bolts’ top middle linebacker has been unavailable for 22 games during his career, 32 of which coming in the past two seasons.
But when he was healthy in 2018, Perryman was productive. Pro Football Focus graded the second-level defender as its No. 32 linebacker. The Chargers had to get creative at linebacker in the playoffs, using defensive backs in that role against the Ravens and Patriots. The strategy had mixed results, but the Bolts are hoping Perryman’s return can help stabilize the unit.
Following the New England defeat, Tom Telesco said he would make a point to address the team’s linebacker situation this offseason.
Perryman started 11 games during the 2016 season but underwent ankle surgery during the 2017 offseason before suffering a hamstring injury after returning late that season. Perryman’s 2018 campaign ended early because of an LCL injury. He will return to a promising Chargers team, albeit one that has experienced persistent injury trouble on both sides of the ball in recent years.
Chargers Working To Re-Sign Denzel Perryman
The Chargers are working to retain linebacker Denzel Perryman before he hits free agency, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Perryman has dealt with injuries in the past, but he has been a real difference-maker when healthy.
Last year, Perryman suffered LCL and hamstring injuries and had to be shut down in November. Before that, the 26-year-old tallied 51 total tackles and an interception across nine games. The inside linebacker didn’t log any sacks, but, at the time of his injury, he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 23rd best linebacker on the strength of his pass rush pressure.
Perryman, a second-round pick in 2015, is no stranger to the injury bug. In 2017, Perryman started the year on IR and went right back after seven games. Still, the Chargers are hopeful that he can stay on the field and provide the team with continuity in the front seven.
If Perryman is re-signed, the Bolts will more or less have the band back together, though defensive tackle Corey Liuget could be out after the club declined his 2019 option.
Chargers Lose Assistant Defensive Line Coach
- The Rams are making another change to their coaching staff. So far this offseason they’ve lost Zac Taylor to the Bengals, promoted Jedd Fisch and Shane Waldron, and hired Wade Phillips’ son Wes to be their tight ends coach. Now, they’re hiring away Eric Henderson from the Chargers to be their new defensive line coach, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Henderson had been serving as an assistant defensive line coach with the Chargers. Before that, he had been an assistant with Oklahoma State. The Rams haven’t made any announcement, but Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic was able to confirm that their incumbent defensive line coach, Bill Johnson, won’t be back with the team next year (Twitter link).
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/20/19
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: LB Thurston Armbrister
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Artavis Scott (was scheduled to become an exclusive rights free agent)
Chargers Re-Sign DB Jaylen Watkins
The Chargers are re-signing defensive back Jaylen Watkins to a one-year deal, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
Watkins, who can play both cornerback and safety, had signed with the Chargers last Spring, but went down with a torn ACL in Los Angeles’ second preseason game that ended his season. Rapoport notes in his tweet that Watkins was having a “very promising preseason” before getting hurt. He was originally drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round back in 2014.
The Florida product spent most of the next four years in Philadelphia, and was a part of the team that won Super Bowl LII. For his career, Watkins has tallied 56 tackles and eight passes defended, and was a major part of the Eagles’ secondary in 2016 and 2017, starting games each year. The Chargers already have a very talented secondary, so he’ll likely be little more than depth assuming he makes the team. Watkins is also the older half-brother of Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
Charges Decline DT Corey Liuget’s Option
The Chargers have declined their 2019 option on defensive tackle Corey Liuget, the club announced tonight. However, Los Angeles also indicated it would be open to re-signing Liuget at a reduced rate.
Liuget, 28, agreed to a reworked contract in advance of the 2018 campaign that changed his 2019 season to an option year. Under the terms of that deal, Liuget was scheduled to collect a $4MM roster bonus on March 15. Instead, Liuget will now hit the free agent market two days earlier on March 13. Because the Chargers opted not to exercise his option (and didn’t outright release him), Liuget will still factor into the NFL’s compensatory pick calculations.
Had the Chargers picked up Liuget’s option, he would’ve been under contract in 2019 with a base salary of $4MM. That total, plus his $4MM roster bonus and $1.5MM of prorated bonus money would’ve given him a cap charge of $9.5MM. Los Angeles likely viewed that as an untenable figure given that Liguet played in only six games a year ago.
Liguet missed the first four games of the 2018 season after being handed a four-game performance enhancing-drug suspension. That ban essentially forced Liuget to accept his aforementioned pay cut, and ensured he didn’t appear in a game until Week 5. After coming back, Liuget five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while earning a 66.9 grade from Pro Football Focus, a mark that would have ranked him as a middling defensive tackle if he had enough snaps to qualify.
The Chargers will now have now have a vacancy along the interior of their defensive line, especially given that fellow defensive tackles Brandon Mebane, Darius Philon, and Damion Square are all free agents. Liuget, meanwhile, will join a free agent class that includes not only those fellow 2018 Chargers, but options such as Grady Jarrett, Sheldon Richardson, and Ndamukong Suh.