Dolphins Trade Ryan Tannehill To Titans
The Titans have a new quarterback. On Friday, the Titans acquired Ryan Tannehill in a trade with the Dolphins, according to a tweet from Tannehill’s agents. ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe tweets that Miami will be receiving a 2019 seventh-rounder (presumably No. 233) and a 2020 fourth-rounder. Meanwhile, the Titans will be getting Tannehill and a 2019 sixth-rounder (presumably No. 188).
As a part of the deal, the Titans have also restructured Tannehill’s contract for the 2019 season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that it’s effectively a one-year deal worth $7MM guaranteed. There are playing-time incentives that could boost that total to $12MM. Either way, Tannehill will be one of the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in the NFL. Furthermore, it’s not as significant of an investment for the Titans thanks to the Dolphins; Miami ultimately paid $5MM of that $7MM guarantee via a signing bonus, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
With Marcus Mariota under center in Tennessee, Tannehill will be eyeing a backup role from the onset. However, the veteran could end up working his way into the lineup; Mariota has missed at least one regular season game in each of his four seasons, including two in 2018. With Tannehill, the Titans at least have reliable insurance in case their starter does go down.
The 30-year-old finished last season having completed 64.2-percent of his passes for 1,979 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 11 starts. He led the Dolphins to a 5-6 record during his outings. While these numbers aren’t outstanding, they’re probably significantly better than what the Titans incumbent backup, Blaine Gabbert, would be able to put up.
The Dolphins have been dangling Tannehill for some time and had little interest in keeping him under the terms of his contract. Tannehill was scheduled to carry a $26.6MM cap hit for Miami in 2019 with a roughly even split in dead money and cap savings in the event of a release.
This week, the Dolphins tried – and failed – to land Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater. With few free agent difference-makers remaining, the organization may be forced to shift their focus to the draft. At the very least, it’s unlikely the Dolphins roll into the regular season with their current quarterbacks depth chart, a grouping that consists of Luke Falk and Jake Rudock.
Contract Details: Funchess, LaCosse, Golden
Some assorted contract notes from around the NFL:
- Devin Funchess, WR (Colts): One year, $10MM. $7MM guaranteed via roster bonus. $3MM base salary. $3MM in incentives for receptions, receiving yards, TDs, Pro Bowl, All-Pro. Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star.
- Tyrann Mathieu, S (Chiefs): Three years, $42MM. $26.8MM guaranteed, $14.8MM signing bonus. Base salaries: $850K (2019), $1.15MM (2020), $14.5MM (2021, nonguaranteed). Details via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
- K.J. Wright, LB (Seahawks): Two years, up to $15MM (original story). $8MM in 2019, including $5MM signing bonus, $1.5MM base salary, $1.5MM roster bonus. Second year isn’t guaranteed. Twitter link via ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
- Matt LaCosse, TE (Patriots): Two years, $2MM, $500K guaranteed for 2019 (original story). Base salaries: $700K (2019), $1MM (2020). $300K signing bonus, $25K per-game bonus. $500K in playing time/receptions incentives. Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate.
- Markus Golden, LB (Giants): One year. Worth up to $4.75MM, $2.225MM guaranteed. Twitter link via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
- Cameron Fleming, OT (Cowboys): Two years, $8.5MM. 2019: $1MM base salary, $1.5MM signing bonus, $2.25MM cap number. $300K for 60-percent playing time, $600K for 70-percent. Twitter link via ESPN’s Todd Archer.
- Bruce Ellington, WR (Patriots): One year, $25K guaranteed. Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
Buccaneers To Sign Shaq Barrett
The Buccaneers have agreed to sign Shaquil Barrett, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. It’s a one-year deal for the Bucs and the former Broncos linebacker.
Barrett drew some interest on the open market and met with the Bengals on Thursday. Ultimately, he wound up in a warmer climate. The UDFA success story, though, did not land a long-term deal. He agreed to a one-year, $5MM Bucs contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Broncos discussed a new deal with Barrett, but he aimed for more playing time this offseason. At the end of last season, Barrett publicly declared he wanted to be a full-time starter in 2019.
“I want to start. I want to be a guy somewhere. I don’t want to just be a role player,” Barrett said. “I can’t do it. … Reserve role is done for me, unless that’s the only role I got after this year. But that’s not what I’m looking for going into free agency,” Barrett said at the time.
Barrett put himself on the map with 5.5 sacks in 2015. He hasn’t been able to replicate that production since, mostly due to lack of playing time, but the Broncos thought highly enough of him to put a second round tender on him last offseason.
While Barrett’s sack numbers are not eye-popping, he was one of the better run defenders at his position during his Denver years. He became a more reliable cog than former first-round pick Shane Ray, and this continued in the duo’s contract years — Barrett being the Broncos’ top off-the-bench option and Ray ending his season as a healthy scratch.
This move crystallizes the Broncos’ need for edge help off the bench, with the team’s run of depth at this position ending with this signing, the Bucs have a proven defender that could perhaps push for a starting role in Todd Bowles‘ 3-4 defense. Jason Pierre-Paul remains on the Bucs’ roster but has never functioned as a 3-4 outside linebacker, a role in which Barrett has played exclusively. Tampa Bay also released Vinny Curry earlier this offseason.
Raiders Add WR J.J. Nelson
A third new wide receiver will join the Raiders’ corps. Following the additions of Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, J.J. Nelson is joining the fold.
The four-year Cardinals auxiliary weapon figures to compete for a similar role in Oakland. Based on how Nelson played during the Bruce Arians era, the Raiders may have brought in another key contributor. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound receiver is one of the league’s top deep threats, despite having been used in a niche capacity.
Nelson totaled more than 1,000 yards between the 2016 and ’17 seasons, the latter coming when the Cardinals had to turn to mostly backup quarterbacks. Nelson’s 17.8 yards per catch leads all NFL receivers since 2015.
In 2016, Nelson hauled in six touchdown receptions, and he followed that up by posting 508 yards on just 29 receptions while working mostly with Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert in 2017. But last season, Nelson was a non-factor. Working in the NFL’s worst offense, the former fifth-round pick caught just seven passes for 64 yards.
Oakland has released Jordy Nelson, and beyond Brown and Williams, this seems to be a wide-open competition.
Bucs Re-Sign Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Rakeem Nunez-Roches is returning to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers announced that they’ve re-signed the defensive tackle to a one-year deal.
The 25-year-old was waived by the Colts prior to the 2018 season, and the lineman eventually caught on with the Bucs in October. Nunez-Roches proceeded to play in three games for Tampa Bay, compiling a pair of tackles. He’s only a year removed from a 2017 campaign where he started 11 of his 16 games with the Chiefs.
It will be tough for Nunez-Roches to supplant either Gerald McCoy or Vita Vea in the starting lineup, but he should be able to compete with Beau Allen and Stevie Tu’ikolovatu for snaps.
Nunez-Roches is the eighth player to re-sign with the Bucs over the past few days. We learned earlier today that the team was re-signing cornerback De’Vante Harris.
Saints Expected To Sign DE Mario Edwards Jr.
The Saints are adding a defensive end. Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate tweets that the team is expected to sign Mario Edwards Jr. today. It will be a two-year, $5MM deal with $1.5MM “upside for sacks,” according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com (via Twitter).
The 25-year-old was claimed off waivers by the Giants in September after having spent the first three seasons of his career with the Raiders. The former second-rounder proceeded to play in 15 games for the Giants, compiling 14 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble.
While Edwards didn’t play enough snaps (232) to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus‘ interior defender rankings, his grade indicates that he performed as an above-average lineman in 2018.
We heard earlier this week that the Saints had interest in Edwards. The lineman would likely play a backup role behind Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport. Edwards would also be competing with Trey Hendrickson and Tomasi Laulile for reps.
Redskins, DRC Agree To Deal
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has a new team. The veteran cornerback, who backtracked on his recent retirement, will sign with the Redskins, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
After retiring midseason, the soon-to-be 33-year-old cornerback revealed intentions to resume his career just prior to free agency. He found a taker and will join former Giants teammate Landon Collins in a changing Redskins secondary. While this will be DRC’s first run in Washington, the Redskins did show interest during training camp last year.
Should DRC be on the Redskins’ roster come Week 1, he will have bounced from a Jon Gruden-coached team to Jay Gruden‘s roster. DRC ended up retiring in October of last year, doing so after Jon Gruden did not play him a snap in a game against the Colts. Rodgers-Cromartie played 147 snaps last season, functioning in an inconsistent Raiders secondary. He occupied a more prominent place with the Giants, with whom he was a four-season starter.
DRC and Collins started together in Giants secondaries from 2015-17, before the Giants cut him after pondering an experiment where the former would move to safety. It is not clear if Washington plans to play the lanky defender at corner or safety. Washington is a bit thinner at safety, even with Collins now heading that unit, but DRC has been a corner throughout his 11-year run of game action.
He made the Pro Bowl with the 2015 Giants, the second of his two Pro Bowl honors, and intercepted six passes in 2016. He has 30 career picks, six of which he returned for touchdowns. This will be DRC’s fifth NFL team and third NFC East employer. The Eagles traded for him in 2011, beginning a two-season run for the former first-round pick in Philadelphia.
Browns Sign T Kendall Lamm
Kendall Lamm‘s 2018 run as a Texans starter ended up helping him secure a raise in free agency. The Browns are signing the fifth-year tackle, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
It’s a two-year deal worth more than $7MM. This contract figures to position Lamm for a swing-type role in Cleveland. However, Lamm did function as a starter for most of last season — albeit for an embattled Houston offensive front.
While the Browns have an entrenched right tackle in Chris Hubbard, who signed a long-term pact in 2018, they never exactly settled their left tackle position after Joe Thomas‘ retirement. Greg Robinson ended up there by season’s end and re-signed on a one-year, $7MM deal. It would seem the No. 2 overall pick has the inside track on the job, at this point. But this would appear to be Lamm’s best path to another first-string role.
A 2015 UDFA, Lamm started 13 games last season after opening 11 games with the Texans’ first unit from 2015-17. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 52 overall tackle, far better than Houston left tackle Julie’n Davenport, and profiled as a competent pass blocker. Although, Houston’s line did allow Deshaun Watson to be sacked 62 times, which was more than any other quarterback went down last season.
Broncos Re-Sign TE Jeff Heuerman
Jeff Heuerman is returning to Denver. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that the tight end is signing a two-year, $9MM deal with the Broncos.
The 2013 third-round pick has spent his entire four-year career with the Broncos, including a 2018 campaign where he established himself as a legitimate threat in the passing game. Heuerman finished the campaign with career-highs across the board, including receptions (31), receiving yards (281), and touchdowns (two).
The 26-year-old earned more praise from Pro Football Focus for his blocking ability, with the site ultimately ranking him 41st among 70 eligible tight ends. The tight end’s season ended on the injured reserve after he suffered three broken ribs and a bruised lung.
The Broncos lost tight end Matt LaCosse to the Patriots, meaning Heuerman will presumably slide behind Jake Butt on the team’s tight end depth chart. Denver is also rostering Troy Fumagalli and Temarrick Hemingway.
Bengals To Sign G John Miller
John Miller is heading to Cincinnati. The Bengals will sign the free agent guard to a three-year, $16.5MM deal, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Miller, a third-round pick in 2015, started 47 games over the last four years with Buffalo, including all 15 of his games last year. By signing Miller, the Bengals have upgraded an O-line that will return right tackle Bobby Hart.
Miller has only played at right guard in his professional career, a position that Alex Redmond held down in 2018 for Cincinnati. Redmond, a former UDFA, performed decently, but he was hardly a world-beater, and the same can be said for left guard Clint Boling. At the very least, Miller will provide young, experienced depth.
For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics preferred Miller to Redmond last year. Miller was demoted in favor of Vlad Ducasse during the 2017 season, but he regained his starting job in 2018, and he may have done enough to land a modest multi-year pact.
One year ago, the Bills traded left tackle Cordy Glenn to the Bengals. Now, Miller will reunite with his former line mate in Cincinnati.