Chargers To Exercise Mike Williams’ 2021 Option
The Chargers will exercise their 2021 fifth-year option on wide receiver Mike Williams, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link).
Because Williams was a top-10 pick in the 2017 draft, his fifth-year option salary will be equal to that of the 2020 transition tag number for wideouts. That figure comes out $15.68MM, so Williams will see quite an increase over his 2019 cap charge of $6.374MM.
Williams’ fifth-year option will be guaranteed for injury only, so the Chargers will have the option to release him at the end of the 2020 campaign, provided he’s not dealing with medical questions. Starting in 2022, fifth-year options will become fully guaranteed, but Williams is part of the last draft class without that level of financial protection.
After barely contributing as a rookie, Williams posted 43 receptions for 664 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018. While his receiving yardage (barely) cleared the 1,000-yard threshold in 2019, Williams was hit by touchdown regression, and only found the end zone twice.
Depending on how Los Angeles handles’ its quarterback situation, Williams will be catching passes from either Tyrod Taylor or first-round pick Justin Herbert in 2020. He’ll be part of a pass-catching group that also includes Keenan Allen, Hunter Henry, and Austin Ekeler.
Bengals To Release Andy Dalton
The Bengals are releasing veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dalton asked the Bengals to release him, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Dalton had been on the trade block for the entirety of the offseason, as Cincinnati knew it would be replacing the nine-year starter with No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, whom the Bengals officially drafted last week. While the Bengals discussed a Dalton deal with the Bears in February (and may have spoken with other clubs), they were never able to unload the 32-year-old in exchange for draft capital.
Although Dalton indicated earlier this month that a “scenario” existed in which he’d return to Cincinnati, it never seemed likely that the Bengals would carry his $17.7MM salary for 2020. And that salary likely halted any potential trade talks, as well. The Bengals could have — and may — offered to pay down some of Dalton’s salary before trading him, but that may not have been enticing enough to other clubs to facilitate a deal.
Now that he’s on the free agent market, Dalton enters an NFL landscape without many starting quarterback jobs available. Looking around the league, the two teams that still may have somewhat open quarterback competitions are the Jaguars (who employ one of Dalton’s former offensive coordinators in Jay Gruden) and the Patriots. Of course, other veterans such as Cam Newton and Joe Flacco are also still available and could compete for those same roles.
A second-round pick in the 2011 draft, Dalton led the Bengals to five consecutive playoff appearances to begin his career. However, Cincinnati never won a postseason game in any of those five seasons, and the club hasn’t returned to the playoffs since. In 2015, Dalton was playing at a near-MVP level before fracturing his thumb in a December game against the Steelers, but he didn’t match that pace in any of the next four years.
For the Bengals, releasing Dalton not only affirms Burrow’s position as the club’s Week 1 starter, but gives them $17.7MM in additional cap space. The free agent market is largely picked over at this point, but Cincinnati now has extra cash on hand for extensions for A.J. Green and/or Joe Mixon.
Giants Pick Up 2021 Options For Evan Engram, Jabrill Peppers
The Giants will extend the contracts of 2017 first-rounders Evan Engram and Jabrill Peppers through the 2021 season, the team announced.
This marks the final year fifth-year options will be guaranteed for injury only. Beginning in 2018, teams must fully guarantee players fifth-year salaries if they pick up options. The injury component will be key for Engram.
The fourth-year tight end is coming off a second straight injury-marred season. Engram underwent foot surgery in December. While the Giants would obviously prefer he stay healthy and earn the 2021 salary coming to him, they would only be able to cut Engram free of charge if he can pass a physical by the start of the ’21 league year. Engram has missed 13 games between the 2018-19 seasons.
Engram, however, has given Eli Manning and Daniel Jones an intriguing weapon when healthy. He averaged a career-high 58.4 yards per game last season but only played in eight contests. Engram’s 722 yards as a rookie were the most of any rookie tight end during the 2010s.
Drafted two spots after Engram three years ago — at No. 25 overall — Peppers came over in last year’s Odell Beckham Jr. trade. The former Browns draftee started 11 Giants games last season before suffering a transverse process fracture in his back. Pro Football Focus graded the Michigan product as a middle-of-the-pack safety in 2019. Peppers registered 76 tackles, which were only three shy of his career-high figure despite an injury-shortened season, and intercepted one pass — which he took back for a touchdown.
Dolphins Add 10 UDFAs
The Dolphins announced a 10-man UDFA class Wednesday. Here is the full list:
- Matt Cole, WR (McKendree)
- Jonathan Hubbard, T (Northwestern State)
- Kylan Johnson, LB (Pittsburgh)
- Benito Jones, DT (Ole Miss)
- Nick Kaltmayer, T (Kansas State)
- Ray Lima, DT (Iowa State)
- Kirk Merritt, WR (Arkansas State)
- Tyshun Render, DE (Middle Tennessee)
- Donell Stanley, C (South Carolina)
- Bryce Sterk, DE (Montana State)
The Dolphins saw 2019 UDFA Preston Williams make an impact as a rookie and will give two more a shot. A Washington transfer, Sterk recorded a Division I-FCS-best 15 sacks last season. Cole averaged 21.8 yards per catch for his Division II program last season. Merritt, who also played at Oregon, caught 153 passes for 1,811 yards and 19 touchdowns between his junior and senior seasons at the FCS level.
Jones started three seasons for Ole Miss and led SEC nose tackles with 30 stops last season. He finished with 10.5 career sacks as well. Staley started three seasons for the Gamecocks, making 23 starts at center and 11 at left guard. The Dolphins will guarantee $65K of Render’s salary, with $15K coming via signing bonus, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). Render forced two fumbles and recorded 3.5 sacks last season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/29/20
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Bryan Cox Jr.
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Trevor Davis
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Daniel Bituli
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: G Zac Kerin
Bengals Sign 10 UDFAs
This week, the Bengals brought 10 undrafted rookies into the fold:
- Tyler Clark, DT (Georgia)
- Clay Cordasco, G (Oregon State)
- Trey Dishon, DT (Kansas State)
- Kendall Futrell, DE (East Carolina)
- Josh Knipfel, OT (Iowa State)
- Marcel Spears Jr., LB (Iowa State)
- Isiah Swann, CB (Dartmouth)
- Scotty Washington, WR (Wake Forest)
- Devwah Whaley, RB (Arkansas)
- Mitchell Wilcox, TE (South Florida)
Dishon started 50 games at Kansas State, while Futtrell registered 11 sacks last season despite weighing just 222 pounds. The Bengals revealed they view him as either an edge rusher or an off-ball linebacker. Swann, who hails from owner Mike Brown‘s alma mater, was a Division I-FCS All-American. He intercepted nine passes in 2018.
Washington joins Auden Tate as 6-foot-5 Bengals wide receivers; he is coming off a season marred by a broken ankle. Wilcox totaled 71 receptions for 890 yards between his junior and senior seasons. The Bengals did not draft a tight end and let Tyler Eifert walk in free agency, perhaps opening a path for Wilcox to join C.J. Uzomah and 2019 second-rounder Drew Sample on the regular-season roster.
Chiefs To Pick Up Patrick Mahomes’ Fifth-Year Option
In the least surprising development in the short history of the fifth-year option, the Chiefs will pick up Patrick Mahomes‘ 2021 option. Not that this was ever in doubt, but NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero confirms the team plans to do so as a placeholder while extension talks loom (video link).
Since the Chiefs traded from No. 27 to No. 10 in 2017, Mahomes changed the franchise’s fortunes. The 2018 MVP and Super Bowl LIV MVP led the Chiefs to their first title in 50 years and has them positioned as betting favorites to win Super Bowl LV.
As for a Mahomes extension, the expectation remains talks will ramp up at some point between now and the season. The latest coming out of Kansas City is a Chiefs hope to have Mahomes’ deal done before training camp, Pelissero adds (via Twitter).
Going into his age-25 season, the superstar passer can be expected to approach or surpass the $40MM-per-year barrier. This comes as Dak Prescott and Deshaun Watson are discussing extensions, which could further raise Mahomes’ price. Mahomes’ rookie contract calls for an $825K 2020 base salary, a setup that would seemingly drive negotiations.
Despite cost-cutting moves like the Sammy Watkins pay cut and the release of Dustin Colquitt, the Chiefs have barely $5MM in cap space and Chris Jones attached to a $16.1MM franchise tag. Some of the $5MM will be needed for Kansas City to sign its draft picks. The Chiefs continue to work on a Jones deal, which would help create 2020 cap space, even though they already have Frank Clark tied to a $20MM-plus-AAV contract.
Texans To Decline Gareon Conley’s Fifth-Year Option
Months after acquiring Gareon Conley via trade, the Texans plan to make him a contract-year defender. The team is passing on the cornerback’s 2021 option, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 (on Twitter).
While the Texans are still high on Conley, per Berman, this changes his status. The cornerback would have been attached to a $10.24MM salary in 2021 had the Texans exercised the option. Conley will earn $1.89MM in 2020.
This option would have been guaranteed for injury only, with the 2017 class being the last first-round group to not have their fifth-year options fully guaranteed.
The Texans sent the Raiders a third-round pick for Conley before the deadline last season. The former Ohio State defender resides as one of Houston’s key corners, along with Bradley Roby and 2019 second-rounder Lonnie Johnson. Conley, however, played just 38% of Houston’s defensive snaps last season. The Texans, though, let nine-year contributor Johnathan Joseph sign with the Titans, opening up more time in their secondary.
Pro Football Focus graded Conley as the Texans’ top corner last season, though he came in outside the top 50 at the position. Conley missed much of his rookie year with an injury but started 14 games for the 2018 Raiders. He was operating as a 2019 Oakland starter before the trade.
Eagles To Re-Sign RB Corey Clement
After not drafting a running back and seeing Jordan Howard defect to the Dolphins last month, the Eagles are bringing back a familiar face. They are re-signing Corey Clement, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal.
The Eagles did not extend Clement an RFA tender in March but have agreed to terms to keep him in the fold. Clement has spent all three of his NFL seasons with the Eagles, arriving in Philadelphia as a 2017 UDFA and making some notable contributions in Super Bowl LII.
Clement went down with a shoulder injury last season, leading the Eagles to place him on IR. He ended the 2018 season on IR as well. While Clement caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl LII and took the snap that ended up being the Eagles’ “Philly Special” play, he should not be considered a lock to make the 2020 team. He did not log a carry in four games last season.
However, the Eagles saw Howard leave in free agency and Darren Sproles retire. Philly has Clement, Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Elijah Holyfield and two UDFA rookies in its running back group presently.
Titans To Sign CB Johnathan Joseph
Johnathan Joseph has reached an agreement that puts him on track to play a 15th NFL season. The Titans are signing the veteran cornerback, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The 36-year-old corner agreed to a one-year Titans deal Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This marks the first free agency news involving the longtime Texans defender this offseason. As of now, Joseph is the oldest corner to agree to a 2020 contract.
With Tramon Williams a free agent after spending 2019 back in Green Bay, Joseph is the oldest active NFL corner by three years. He spent the past nine seasons with Houston and his first five in Cincinnati. Joseph will join Malcolm Butler, Adoree’ Jackson and second-round pick Kristian Fulton as Tennessee’s top corners. This points to Logan Ryan signing elsewhere. A three-year Titans contributor, Ryan remains a free agent.
Joseph played his lowest percentage of Houston’s defensive snaps last season, dropping to 58% after being a full-time player during his first eight seasons with the franchise. Joseph has started 186 games and played in 200 since being a 2006 Bengals first-rounder. He has nine playoff starts. Last season, he logged 13 passes defensed, made 52 tackles and intercepted a pass.
Should Joseph play with the Titans this year, he will join only Williams and Terence Newman as corners to see action in age-36 seasons since 2012. Among active players, Joseph’s 31 interceptions sit behind only Richard Sherman‘s 35.