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Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22

By | at July 26, 2022 7:56 pm

Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

3 comments Arizona Cardinals Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Transactions Washington Commanders

Commanders Add Two USFL CBs

By | at July 14, 2022 5:54 pm

A pair of former USFL standouts have found NFL gigs. The Commanders have signed defensive back DeJuan Neal (per ESPN’s John Keim on Twitter) and cornerback Channing Stribling (per Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). To make room on the roster, Washington has cut cornerbacks Nijuel Hill and Devin Taylor.

Neal, a former Division II standout, got his first NFL gig with Washington as an UDFA in 2019, but he didn’t end up making it to the regular-season roster. Since then, he had a stint in the XFL and most recently the USFL. He played for the New Jersey Generals during the 2022 campaign, and while he battled injuries for much of the season, he still contributed 16 tackles.

Stribling went undrafted out of Michigan in 2017 and has had plenty of NFL gigs, spending time with the Browns, Colts (two stints), 49ers and Chargers. Since getting cut by the Chargers during the 2018 season, Stribling has had gigs in the AAF, CFL, XFL, and USFL. In seven games this past season, the 27-year-old had seven interceptions.

Hill, a UDFA out of California, and Taylor, a UDFA who spent time at Bowling Green, Virginia Tech, and Illinois State, were both added to the Commanders roster earlier this offseason.

2 comments Transactions Washington Commanders

Dan Snyder Will Not Testify For House Oversight Committee Under Oath

By | at July 13, 2022 12:03 pm

JULY 13: Another effort from Snyder to avoid questioning from the House Oversight Committee may be in progress. Responding to the committee’s latest salvo, Seymour said her client would only testify voluntarily (and not under oath).

“Under the circumstances, there is no valid basis to issue a subpoena for Mr. Snyder’s testimony,” Seymour said, via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (Twitter links). “We intend that he will testify voluntarily on July 28. We are confident that Mr. Snyder will able to provide full and complete testimony during his voluntary appearance – a view the Committee apparently shared…since the Committee invited him to testify voluntarily at a hearing held just three weeks ago.”

This figures to put the ball back in the committee’s court, continuing what has become a lengthy back-and-forth. The Congressional panel approving Snyder’s request to testify voluntarily would open the door to the Commanders owner ending his silence in this investigation but punting on certain questions. Seymour said Snyder would not answer questions on matters covered by nondisclosure agreements.

“Mr. Snyder has a troubling history of using NDAs to cover up workplace misconduct — behavior that is central to our investigation — and it would be highly inappropriate for him to employ the same tactic to withhold information from the Committee,” Oversight Committee chairperson Carolyn Maloney said Tuesday, via Mark Maske of the Washington Post. “Other former Commanders employees have participated in Committee depositions under subpoena, and Mr. Snyder should not be treated any differently.”

JULY 12: Dan Snyder has both avoided a House Oversight Committee request to testify in its months-long investigation into the Commanders’ workplace misconduct and has been evasive since he was hit with a subpoena to appear before the committee. But the committee is willing to accept one of Snyder’s stipulations in an effort to ensure he testifies.

Last week, Snyder attorney Karen Patton Seymour said her client would be available to be questioned by the committee on July 28 or July 29, via videoconference, but not June 30 — the date initially associated with the committee’s subpoena. The longtime Washington owner remains out of the country. The committee will now accept Snyder’s videoconference testimony, with John Keim of ESPN.com relaying (via Twitter) Snyder’s subpoena has been adjusted to allow for this session to take place July 28.

“The Committee accepts your offer for Mr. Snyder to testify on the subjects under investigation by the Committee on July 28,” the committee said in a statement to Seymour. “[We] will proceed with a subpoena in place to ensure that Mr. Snyder’s testimony will be full and complete.”

This process may encounter more Snyder resistance. The committee’s Tuesday decision pertains to Snyder testifying under its terms — via the subpoena — whereas Snyder’s offer was to testify voluntarily, according to Keim and the Washington Post’s Liz Clarke (Twitter links). Under the committee’s terms, Snyder must testify under oath and cannot choose the questions he does and does not answer. Snyder must decide his next move by 11am CT Wednesday, per Clarke.

Snyder cited a work conflict as the reason he could not testify alongside Roger Goodell at the June 22 hearing. The commissioner appeared virtually and answered the committee’s questions regarding the conduct of Snyder and his franchise. The committee then issued a subpoena to bring forth Snyder testimony.

The next chapter would be Snyder testifying later this month. It will be interesting to see if the embattled Commanders owner does so, or if another move to avoid questioning transpires.

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Commanders Owner Dan Snyder Willing To Testify Before House Oversight Committee?

By | at July 8, 2022 9:15 am

Dan Snyder has made more unwanted headlines recently as the House Oversight Committee continues its investigation into the Commanders’ workplace culture. After commissioner Roger Goodell voluntarily testified to the committee last month, Snyder stated that he was unavailable to do so at the time. 

That led to a subpoena being issued by Chairperson Carolyn Maloney to compel the Washington owner’s testimony. “If the NFL is unwilling or unable to hold Mr. Snyder accountable,” she said, “then I am prepared to do so.” Snyder has, however, reportedly shown an ability to voluntarily be deposed.

As detailed by ESPN’s John Keim and Tisha Thompson, Snyder offered to testify via videoconference later this month. A letter from his attorney, Karen Seymour, states that July 28 and 29 are dates during which Snyder will be available to be questioned; he cited a work conflict as the reason he couldn’t testify when initially requested to do so. Those two days are the last until Congress’ current session ends.

Per the report, Seymour has still yet to accept the subpoena, and both sides “continue to negotiate the terms under which Snyder would testify.” His offer would consist of a private deposition being recorded, some or all of which the Committee could later release. Notably, the fact that he would be speaking voluntarily would give Snyder the ability to cite the nondisclosure agreements many former employees signed as a way of avoiding certain questions – an option which wouldn’t exist if the subpoena were to be accepted.

A statement from a Committee spokesperson reads in part: “We remain committed to securing Mr. Snyder’s testimony on the toxic work environment at the Washington Commanders following his failure to appear voluntarily at the Committee’s hearing and his continued refusal to allow his attorney to accept service of a subpoena.”

This episode also comes amidst uncertainty regarding Snyder’s future in the day-to-day operations of the team. He was removed from those duties last year, and discussions on when he will be allowed to resume them “[have] not yet happened.” Much will depend, likely, on the outcome of his testimony in determining his personal future.

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2022 NFL Cap Space, By Team

By | at July 6, 2022 11:58 am

Between now and training camp, additional free agents will join teams. Several big names — from 2010s All-Decade-teamers Ndamukong Suh and Julio Jones — to longtime starters like Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul, Trey Flowers and J.C. Tretter remain available as camps approach.

With savings from post-June 1 cuts in the rear-view mirror and fewer than 25 draft picks yet to sign their rookie deals, we have a pretty good idea of teams’ cap-space figures. Here is how the league currently stacks up for available funds:

  1. Cleveland Browns: $40.9MM
  2. Carolina Panthers: $25.1MM
  3. Chicago Bears: $23MM
  4. Dallas Cowboys: $22.5MM
  5. Las Vegas Raiders: $21.6MM
  6. Washington Commanders: $17.7MM
  7. Green Bay Packers: $16.9MM
  8. Miami Dolphins: $16.5MM
  9. Seattle Seahawks: $16.4MM
  10. Cincinnati Bengals: $15.8MM
  11. Los Angeles Chargers: $14.5MM
  12. Pittsburgh Steelers: $14.3MM
  13. Kansas City Chiefs: $14.3MM
  14. Atlanta Falcons: $13.4MM
  15. Philadelphia Eagles: $12.8MM
  16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $12.4MM
  17. Indianapolis Colts: $12.3MM
  18. Tennessee Titans: $11.9MM
  19. Arizona Cardinals: $11.5MM
  20. Denver Broncos: $11.5MM
  21. Minnesota Vikings: $10.9MM
  22. New Orleans Saints: $10.7MM
  23. Detroit Lions: $9.8MM
  24. New York Jets: $9.6MM
  25. Houston Texans: $9.2MM
  26. Los Angeles Rams: $7.7MM
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars: $7.7MM
  28. New York Giants: $6MM
  29. Buffalo Bills: $5.6MM
  30. San Francisco 49ers: $4.7MM
  31. Baltimore Ravens: $3.9MM
  32. New England Patriots: $1.9MM
  • The Browns reduced Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 base salary to the veteran minimum. The suspension candidate’s cap number checks in at just $10MM, though the figures from the fully guaranteed deal the Browns authorized begin spiking in 2023. Watson’s cap number is set to rise to an NFL-record $54.9MM next year.
  • Carolina has been in talks with Cleveland for months regarding a Baker Mayfield trade. The sides have not come to an agreement on how to divide Mayfield’s guaranteed $18.9MM salary. While the Browns are believed to have come up to around $10MM, Mayfield remains on their roster.
  • The Bears, Cowboys and Raiders each vaulted into the top five because of post-June 1 cuts. Chicago and Las Vegas were the only teams to designate the maximum two players as post-June 1 releases.
  • The Seahawks have been connected to a Mayfield trade, but they have been more likely to pursue the disgruntled QB via free agency — should this process reach that point. A Mayfield free agent signing would not require Seattle to make adjustments to its cap sheet.
  • After restructuring Patrick Mahomes‘ contract last year, the Chiefs have not done so in 2022. The superstar passer is attached to a $35.8MM figure — the second-highest 2022 cap charge.
  • Atlanta’s cap space factors in the team’s league-leading $63.2MM in dead money, a figure mostly created by Matt Ryan‘s individual dead-cap record ($40.5MM) emerging after the Falcons traded their 14-year starter to the Colts.
  • Upon learning Tom Brady would be back for a third Florida season, the Buccaneers did restructure his deal. Brady counts just $11.9MM on Tampa Bay’s 2022 cap sheet, but due to the void years that helped the team save money, that number spikes to $35.1MM in 2023 — when Brady is not under contract.
  • San Francisco power brokers have said for months a Jimmy Garoppolo trade is the organization’s goal. With the passer not yet fully cleared, the team — which is preparing for Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa extensions to come to pass at some point — has a $26.95MM Garoppolo cap charge on its payroll. Releasing Garopppolo would save the 49ers $24.2MM.
  • The Ravens have attempted to go forward with a Lamar Jackson extension, but the team has confirmed the quarterback has not expressed much interest in doing a deal now. The sides did discuss the former MVP’s deal during minicamp. Jackson is tied to a $23MM fifth-year option salary.
5 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

NFL Teams With Most Dead Cap

By | at July 5, 2022 8:29 pm

The Falcons made history when they traded Matt Ryan to the Colts this offseason. As a result of the trade, the Falcons were left with a record-breaking $40.5MM in dead cap. Thanks to the Ryan trade (as well as the trade of Julio Jones and the release of Dante Fowler), the Falcons lead the NFL with a whopping $63MM in dead cap heading into next season.

For a team that’s probably not looking to compete in 2022, this isn’t the biggest deal in the world. For competitive squads, a hefty dead cap charge could drastically limit their ability to add to their squad following final roster cuts and into the regular season. A team’s current dead cap commitment could also influence who they decide to cut at the end of the preseason.

So which teams have the most dead cap on their books? We’ve listed them in order below (h/t to Sportrac):

  1. Atlanta Falcons: $63,209,124
  2. Chicago Bears: $57,643,341
  3. Philadelphia Eagles: $54,915,221
  4. Houston Texans: $52,289,341
  5. Seattle Seahawks: $46,022,390
  6. New Orleans Saints: $33,347,982
  7. Pittsburgh Steelers: $30,863,174
  8. Las Vegas Raiders: $29,441,565
  9. New York Giants: $29,262,372
  10. Green Bay Packers: $24,628,608
  11. Carolina Panthers: $23,507,283
  12. Dallas Cowboys: $22,713,132
  13. Minnesota Vikings: $22,092,189
  14. Jacksonville Jaguars: $21,852,872
  15. Detroit Lions: $20,324,288
  16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $19,445,910
  17. Cleveland Browns: $18,774,054
  18. Buffalo Bills: $16,601,356
  19. Denver Broncos: $14,938,136
  20. Tennessee Titans: $14,290,108
  21. Los Angeles Rams: $13,522,002
  22. Baltimore Ravens: $12,292,703
  23. Arizona Cardinals: $10,278,530
  24. Cincinnati Bengals: $9,592,578
  25. New England Patriots: $9,158,009
  26. Miami Dolphins: $8,483,400
  27. Kansas City Chiefs: $7,982,236
  28. Indianapolis Colts: $7,037,428
  29. San Francisco 49ers: $6,495,221
  30. Washington Commanders: $6,300,496
  31. Los Angeles Chargers: $3,661,167
  32. New York Jets: $2,092,411
10 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

NFC Rumors: Corral, Howell, Garoppolo, Bears

By | at July 3, 2022 6:27 pm

Many expected there to be an early run on quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Although nine passers did hear their names called in the three-day event, only Steelers’ selection Kenny Pickett was a Day 1 pick. With first-round hopefuls such as Desmond Ridder (Falcons), Malik Willis (Titans), and Matt Corral (Panthers) all falling to the later days of the draft, what does the 2022 NFL season look like for each rookie?

When looking at the potential debut dates for each quarterback, it was determined that only one quarterback was essentially a lock to play in their rookie season, according to ESPN’s David Newton, and it isn’t the first-round pick. When breaking down the percentage chance for each quarterback to start in Week 1, the percentage chance for each rookie to sit all season, and the best prediction for when each player will make their first start, Newton gave Carolina’s Corral a zero-percent chance of sitting all season. The next closest was Ridder, who was given a 20% chance of sitting all season, in the case that Mariota solidifies himself as Atlanta’s starter and keeps them near playoff contention.

Corral shares a position room with incumbents Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker, who both failed to impress in starts last year. Even after bringing back Cam Newton, the Panthers didn’t have a single quarterback on their roster complete at least 60% of their passes or throw more touchdowns than they did interceptions. With Carolina seeing such abysmal quarterback play last year, there is absolutely justification in the assertion that the Panthers are almost guaranteed to give Corral a look at some point in the season.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC, starting with a note on another rookie quarterback:

  • Also a first-round hopeful at points in the pre-draft process, Washington’s first selection of the fifth-round this year, Sam Howell, is potentially on the opposite end of the spectrum from Corral. Howell can probably be considered a guarantee to sit his entire rookie season for the Commanders. A couple weeks before deciding to select Howell, Washington traded second- and seventh-round picks to the Colts in exchange for veteran quarterback Carson Wentz. Wentz will likely take the starting job in DC with last year’s starter, Taylor Heinicke, filling the role of highly qualified backup. Heinicke, though, is in a contract year and drafting Howell provides the Commanders with the option of letting Heinicke walk if the price isn’t right or the need isn’t there. Unfortunately for Howell, this likely means he won’t see the field anytime soon. Fortunately for Howell, he’ll have the old-fashioned approach of sitting, learning, and developing as a new NFL quarterback.
  • The 49ers have been trying for months to work some trade-value out of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. An intriguing trade possibility was hatched during today’s episode of the 49ers Talk podcast involving another team that been looking for trade partners this offseason. NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan discussed the idea of trading Garoppolo to the Browns. Cleveland has been attempting to dump Baker Mayfield off for some value maybe even more desperately than San Francisco has with Garoppolo and offseason trade acquisition Deshaun Watson could be staring down a year-long suspension. Behind Mayfield and Garoppolo, the Browns roster Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs. While, at times, the Browns have boasted confidence in Brissett should they need him, that confidence may have been based on the assumption that Watson would only miss a couple games. A one-year suspension may have Cleveland entertaining the possibility of acquiring their fourth new quarterback of the offseason.
  • At an extremely unlikely time for such moves to be happening, the Bears fired director of player engagement LaMar Campbell this weekend, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Campbell had been with Chicago since 2015 and was most recently a member of the committee that was assembled as the team searched for a new general manager and head coaching tandem. Not only did Campbell have the trust of the owners and committee, but he was highly respected in the locker room, as well. The timing is rough for Campbell as, at this point in the offseason, most teams have already completed their spring cleaning and hiring of their support staffs.
9 comments Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns San Francisco 49ers Washington Commanders

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

By | at June 30, 2022 10:48 am

Wednesday, we took a look at how the 2022 offseason changed the HC landscape. While 10 new sideline leaders are in place for 2022, not quite as much turnover transpired on the general manager front. Five new decision-makers, however, have moved to the top of teams’ front office hierarchies over the past six months.

The Bears, Giants, Raiders and Vikings rebooted their entire operations, hiring new HC-GM combos. The Minnesota move bumped out one of the previous top-10 longest-tenured GMs, with 16-year Vikings exec Rick Spielman no longer in power in the Twin Cities. The Steelers’ shakeup took the NFL’s longest-tenured pure GM out of the mix. Kevin Colbert was with the Steelers since 2000, and although he is still expected to remain with the team in a reduced capacity, the 22-year decision-maker stepped down shortly after Ben Roethlisberger wrapped his career.

Twelve teams have now hired a new GM in the past two offseasons, though a bit more staying power exists here compared to the HC ranks. Two GMs (the Cardinals’ Steve Keim and Chargers’ Tom Telesco) have begun their 10th years at the helms of their respective front offices. They have hired three HCs apiece. The Buccaneers’ Jason Licht is closing in on a decade in power in Tampa Bay; Licht will now work with his fourth HC in Todd Bowles. Beyond that, a bit of a gap exists. But a handful of other executives have been in power for at least five seasons.

Here is how long every GM or de facto GM has been in place with his respective franchise:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
  4. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  5. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  6. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
  7. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2019
  8. Steve Keim (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2013; signed extension in 2022
  9. Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
  10. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  11. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  12. Jon Robinson (Tennessee Titans): January 14, 2016; signed extension in 2022
  13. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  14. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  15. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  16. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  17. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018
  18. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  19. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  20. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
  21. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  22. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  23. Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
  24. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
  25. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  26. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  27. Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
  28. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  29. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  30. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  31. Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  32. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018
14 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Commanders Uninterested In Daron Payne Trade?

By | at June 29, 2022 12:00 pm

Terry McLaurin‘s extension checked the top box on the Commanders front office’s offseason to-do list. While the team’s No. 1 wide receiver is now signed through 2025, the team’s second-highest-profile contract-year player remains tied to a fifth-year option ($8.53MM).

Less clarity has surfaced regarding the team’s plans for Daron Payne. After Ron Rivera said the team wants to have Payne on the team for a long time, the team used a second-round pick on Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis. Payne, 25, then sat out team drills at OTAs and minicamp, at which Rivera was less declarative on the former first-round D-lineman’s future than he was McLaurin’s.

This could be Payne’s final year in Washington, but the team still has plans for the talented interior player in 2022. Trade inquires have come in on Payne, per Ben Standig of The Athletic, who adds the Commanders have thus far rebuffed those (subscription required). Even teams potentially willing to pay “significant” trade prices have been shut down, Standig adds, providing a reasonable indication Washington wants to go into the season with Payne remaining alongside Jonathan Allen up front.

It would be interesting to know just how significant potential Payne trade compensation is, but it has not been enough to sway the Commanders, who have held onto prime assets in recent years (Kirk Cousins, Brandon Scherff, Trent Williams) before either seeing them leave in free agency or belatedly trading them for midlevel returns (in Williams’ case). Washington has already extended Allen. He and Mathis, also a Payne college teammate, are signed through 2025. At Washington’s minicamp, Payne declined to detail where his contract negotiations stood. A lack of progress in contract talks has frustrated Payne’s camp, per Standig. This all puts the durable defender in limbo for 2022 while also placing him a prime position to play for a lucrative 2023 free agency accord.

With McLaurin now signed, Washington would have the franchise tag available for Payne next year. The D-tackle tag came in at $17.4MM this year; Allen’s cap number spikes from $9.5MM in 2022 to $21.5MM in 2023. Montez Sweat, absent a 2022 extension, would be in a contract year in 2023. Chase Young also becomes extension-eligible next year. The team let D-tackles Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle go this year, cutting the former and standing down as the latter trekked to Buffalo. Payne might be the next key Washington D-lineman out the door, but that scenario may not unfold until 2023.

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Commanders, WR Terry McLaurin Agree On Extension

By | at June 28, 2022 11:42 pm

Amid an explosive offseason at the wide receiver position, another major domino is falling. The Commanders and Terry McLaurin agreed to terms on a three-year extension Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

Washington is giving its top target a contract worth up to $71MM, Schefter notes, with a receiver-high $28MM signing bonus (Twitter link). In terms of average annual value, the Commanders went to $23.3MM for the fourth-year standout, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Commanders are guaranteeing 76.4% of the contract, per Schefter, giving the Ohio State alum long-term security and the chance to cash in again in the not-too-distant future. While McLaurin will be protected against injury, the signing bonus represents most of his full guarantee. This deal includes $34.6MM guaranteed at signing Rapoport tweets. That figure ranks just 14th among wideouts, but Washington will add to that total with $12.5MM more becoming guaranteed in March 2023.

A lengthy negotiation that included McLaurin stepping away from the team’s offseason activities for weeks — headlined by a minicamp absence — keyed a resolution. This conclusion will certainly have a significant effect on the rapidly shifting wideout market. AAV-wise, McLaurin, 26, becomes the NFL’s seventh-highest-paid receiver. But the former third-round pick’s deal creates a clear divide between No. 7 and No. 8 (D.J. Moore, who signed a $20.6MM-per-year deal earlier this offseason). Considering McLaurin, Moore and Mike Williams (also extended at $20MM AAV this year) each have no Pro Bowl invites on their respective resumes, McLaurin scoring this deal represents a win.

By agreeing to a three-year accord, McLaurin will be signed through the 2025 season. He will turn 30 that year. Should the Commanders want to continue with McLaurin for the late 2020s, he could have the back end of his prime to factor into those prospective negotiations. For now, however, another of the 2019 receiver draftees has scored a big payday. Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf and Diontae Johnson will be interested observers. Samuel and Metcalf figure to target A.J. Brown‘s Eagles deal (four years, $100MM), but McLaurin’s re-up figures to be of particular interest to Johnson’s camp.

Talks during the minicamp McLaurin missed failed to produce a deal, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter) the two parties backed off for a bit. Tuesday represented the breakthrough. Ron Rivera expressed optimism for a 2022 McLaurin deal on multiple occasions this offseason, and the third-year Commanders HC added that the team would not trade its premier aerial threat. Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew stuck to those guns and have an intriguing receiver duo for the long haul. Both McLaurin and first-round wideout Jahan Dotson are signed through 2025. Dotson can be kept through 2026 on a fifth-year option.

Washington did not receive much from Curtis Samuel last season, with injuries interrupting the former Buckeye’s D.C. debut. But the ex-Panther is tied to a hefty contract as well — three years, $34.5MM. The McLaurin and Samuel contracts, along with the team’s Dotson investment, represent a lofty commitment to the receiver position ahead of Carson Wentz‘s first Washington season. Wentz’s set of Washington weaponry certainly appears to outflank, depth-wise, the troops he played with in Indianapolis. Given the injury problems the Eagles dealt with at receiver during the latter half of Wentz’s Philadelphia tenure, Washington’s seemingly well-rounded trio provides an interesting opportunity for the 29-year-old passer.

Through three McLaurin seasons, Washington struggled to assemble complementary help for its No. 1 weapon. But the 6-foot target kept producing. McLaurin has averaged more yards per game than Metcalf over the course of his career (67.2) and is riding back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. McLaurin doing so with a host of quarterbacks — from college teammate Dwayne Haskins to a near-the-end Alex Smith to Taylor Heinicke — should give the Commanders confidence the production will continue with Wentz.

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