Trent Williams Not Asking For $20MM/Year?
A quality back-and-forth battle between the Redskins and Trent Williams‘ camp has formed over the acclaimed left tackle’s asking price for what would be his third NFL contract. Team Williams insists it is not as high as what has been reported.
While Williams is believed to want a new contract post-trade, Williams’ agent, Vince Taylor, said — during an appearance on 106.7 The Fan — reports of his client wanting a $20MM-per-year deal are “totally false.”
Multiple reports this month linked Williams to seeking a tackle-record contract; SI.com’s Albert Breer reiterated this as an issue for teams during a Wednesday appearance on 106.7. Williams’ contract demands are believed to be a bigger impediment toward a deal than the Redskins’ asking price of a second-round pick.
However, Taylor said multiple teams called Washington’s asking price “outrageous.” He hopes the Redskins will release Williams, but a report earlier Thursday indicated that will not happen. One year and $12.5MM remains on the soon-to-be 32-year-old left tackle’s contract. Taylor added that a $16MM offer would not be out of step. With Williams having not played since 2018 and having run into injury trouble on a few fronts over the past few years, that price will probably be too high as well.
“If we could get to a point where we could talk about those numbers, that would not be a holdup for us,” Taylor said. “The contract has never been the holdup. The Redskins prior to the Combine put Trent on the trade market. They had him on [the trade block] maybe 10 days, and even through the Combine, which is the biggest business platform for teams looking to wheel and deal. Upon leaving the Combine, the Redskins had not gotten one offer that they could bring to Trent and I so that I could negotiate our side.”
The Browns, Jets and Vikings have been mentioned as interested parties, but it does not look like a deal is close at this point.
Latest On Trent Williams Market
Thursday marks three weeks since the new Redskins regime gave Trent Williams permission to seek a trade, but he remains on Washington’s roster. The Redskins’ search continues, however.
Some teams around the league appear to believe the Redskins will end up cutting their longtime left tackle, but John Keim of ESPN.com notes the team will not do that. Washington remains intent on prying a second-round pick from a team in exchange for its disgruntled blocker. Williams’ contract demands have likely interfered.
Mentioned from the jump as a Williams suitor, the Jets remain uninterested in surrendering their second-round pick (No. 48 overall), and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes Williams’ hopes for a raise have hindered Jets-Redskins trade talks as much as compensation has. Just as contract demands played a role in lessening the compensation the Steelers received for Antonio Brown and, apparently, what the Texans got for DeAndre Hopkins, Williams’ aims have impacted the Redskins’ trade talks.
He may want a deal in the $20MM-per-year ballpark, Mehta adds. No offensive lineman currently earns that, though Laremy Tunsil‘s Texans extension may make him the first. Williams is set to earn $12.5MM in base salary under his current contract, which expires after the 2020 season. Although Williams is a seven-time Pro Bowler, he will be 32 next season and has experienced steady health issues over the past few years.
A new suitor may also be in the mix. The Vikings have expressed Williams interest, Keim adds. Williams blocked for Kirk Cousins for the better part of his three-plus-season run as Washington’s starter, and the Redskins have pegged the Vikings as a team in a win-now window and, thus, one that would be a logical Williams destination, per Keim. Minnesota still has Riley Reiff penciled in at left tackle, though he has been mentioned as a cut candidate.
The Browns continue to show interest, but Keim cautions that the Andrew Berry regime does not look to be as interested as the John Dorsey-led front office was. Cleveland offered Washington a second-rounder for Williams last year, but then-Redskins president Bruce Allen turned that down.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/25/20
Here are today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Trevon Coley
- Re-signed: RB D.J. Foster
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: QB Tyler Bray
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB LeShaun Sims
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed: LB Kyle Wilber
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Anthony Zettel
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OT Jarron Jones (XFL), S Tyree Kinnel (XFL), DT Cavon Walker (XFL)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: LB Kevin Minter
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Jeremy Vujnovich
Redskins To Sign WR Cody Latimer
The Redskins have agreed to sign wide receiver Cody Latimer, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). Latimer spent the last two years with the division-rival Giants.
Latimer was selected by the Broncos in the second round of the 2014 draft, and to say that he failed to live up to Denver’s expectations would be an understatement. Though he finally started to show some signs of life as a receiver in 2017, his last year in Denver — a year in which he averaged a healthy 15.1 yards per catch — he mostly stuck around because of his excellent work on special teams.
He hooked on with the Giants in 2018, but he missed 10 games that year due to injury. Still, he managed 17.3 yards per catch in limited action and had impressed Big Blue’s coaching staff during his first training camp with the team, so New York brought him back for another look in 2019.
Thanks to a thin and injury-ravaged WR corps, Latimer set career highs in starts (10), receptions (24), and yards (300). He may find similar opportunities with the Redskins, who have second-year pros Terry McLaurin and Kelvin Harmon at the top of their depth chart. McLaurin enjoyed an excellent rookie campaign, and Harmon showed some promise down the stretch, but Latimer could carve out a role for himself.
TE Richard Rodgers Signs With Redskins
The Redskins have agreed to sign veteran tight end Richard Rodgers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). It will almost certainly be a one-year, veteran minimum pact for the 28-year-old.
Rodgers was selected by the Packers in the third round of the 2014 draft, and he was a reasonably useful part of the club’s receiving corps during his four years catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. His best season came in 2015, when he hauled in 58 passes for 510 yards and eight scores, including a memorable buzzer-beating Hail Mary in Detroit.
His post-Green Bay career has not been as kind to him. He signed with the Eagles in April 2018, but a knee injury kept him off the field until November of that year, and he ultimately recorded just one regular season catch. And though he re-upped with Philadelphia last March, his season was derailed by a knee injury. He was released off IR with an injury settlement in September and re-signed in December, but he appeared in just one game.
He will try to resurrect his career in Washington, and he stands a decent chance of doing just that. The Redskins — who pursued Greg Olsen earlier this year — have very little talent at the tight end position at the moment, and outside of Delanie Walker, the free agent cupboard is pretty bare.
Redskins To Sign RB Peyton Barber
Free agency action has resumed Tuesday afternoon, and another running back is off the board. Peyton Barber will sign with the Redskins, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
The former Buccaneers starter agreed to a two-year, $3MM deal that comes with $600K guaranteed, per Anderson. Barber will join Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice in a suddenly crowded Washington backfield. This deal may have been in the works for a few days, with The Athletic’s Greg Auman tweeting Sunday that Barber was finalizing a contract.
Barber started 28 games with the Bucs, 23 of those coming over the past two seasons, but fell out of favor during Bruce Arians‘ first season. The 26-year-old ex-UDFA started 16 games in Dirk Koetter‘s final season but lost his job to Ronald Jones last year. Barber, who led the Bucs in 2018 with 871 rushing yards, averaged just 3.1 yards per carry on 154 totes in 2019.
The Auburn alum has never topped 115 receiving yards in a season, however. With Peterson also mostly a run downs-only back, the Redskins appear set to devote at least half of their backfield resources to players who are not accomplished passing-game weapons.
In addition to their most notable incumbents, the Redskins also have the recently added J.D. McKissic and 2019 draftee Bryce Love in the fold. Their roster certainly will not have room for all five backs, which will make for an interesting competition when the Redskins reconvene for 2020 work.
Browns Still Interested In Trent Williams
The Browns have long been mentioned as the primary suitor for Redskins left tackle Trent Williams, and while no trade is on the immediate horizon, Williams does remain an option for Cleveland, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. At the moment, Washington is asking for too much in trade compensation, while Williams is demanding too expensive an extension. If either of those prices drops, the Browns could make a move for a (much-needed) new blindside protector.
Here’s more from the AFC North:
- While the Browns are still considering Williams, Vikings safety Anthony Harris –= whom Cleveland has reportedly considered in trade — is no longer an option for the Browns, per Cabot. Minnesota apparently wants at least a third-round pick in order to part with Harris, while the 28-year-old defensive back would want a new deal to supersede his franchise tag. Instead of pursuing Harris, the Browns signed free agent safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo.
- Franchise-tagged edge rusher Matthew Judon is not close to reaching a new deal with the Ravens, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Judon will earn $15.828MM in 2020 if he sticks on the franchise tender, but he was reportedly asking for $20MM annually earlier this year, per Zrebiec, who adds that asking price may have since come down. The 28-year-old Judon played 80.8% of Baltimore’s snaps last season and posted a career-high 8.5 sacks.
- Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has been eyeing an extension since at least January, and according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the 30-year-old should receive a new deal “soon.” Heyward, is set to earn $9.5MM and count for ~13.25MM on the Steelers’ salary cap in 2020. An extension would give Heyward more immediate cash but likely lower his cap charge for next season.
Contract Details: Brees, Mariota, Apple
Let’s take a closer look at the details of a few recently-signed free agent contracts:
AFC
- Marcus Mariota, QB (Raiders): Two years, $17.6MM $7.5MM guaranteed. $2.4MM in incentives available in 2020 (60% snaps). $1.5MM in playtime and win incentives. $10MM in similar incentives available in 2021. $2MM in playoff/Super Bowl wins each year. $12MM 2021 salary escalator (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com).
- Eli Apple, QB (Raiders): One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed. $500K available via incentives (Twitter link via Garafolo.
- Pierre Desir, CB (Jets): One year, ~$3.75MM. Max value of $5.5MM via incentives (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).
- Chad Henne, QB (Chiefs): Two years, $3.25MM. $2MM guaranteed. Max value of $7.25MM (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- Nelson Agholor, WR (Raiders): One year, veteran salary benefit. $887K guaranteed. $137K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).
NFC
- Drew Brees, QB (Saints): Four years, $100MM. $25MM guaranteed. Void years used in 2022-23. Brees receives no-trade clause and no franchise/transition tag can be used after 2021 (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Jalen Mills, DB (Eagles): One, $4MM. Up to $1MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio).
- Thomas Davis, LB (Redskins): One year, $3.5MM. $250K available via incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Shon Coleman, T (49ers): One year, $2.2MM. $1.37MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Miles Killebrew, S (Lions): One year, $2MM. $1.137MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Jayron Kearse, S (Lions): One year, $2MM. Up to $1.25MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Pharoh Cooper, WR (Panthers): One year, $1.21MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Redskins Still Looking For WR Help
After failing to pry Amari Cooper away from the Cowboys, the Redskins are still on the prowl for help at wide receiver, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes. However, while the 2020 draft is historically loaded with pass-catchers, Washington certainly won’t use the No. 2 overall selection on a wideout, and the club doesn’t own a second-round pick. The Redskins could theoretically pursue a trade for someone like the Rams’ Brandin Cooks, or look to the free agent market, where options such as Robby Anderson and Breshad Perriman still lurk.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins wasn’t aiming for top-end money on a reworked deal with the Eagles, reports Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Instead, Jenkins — who was due $7.6MM in 2020 — wanted a two-year commitment at a slightly higher salary. The Eagles rebuffed that request, per McLane, and attempted to trade Jenkins before cutting him. Jenkins, of course, agreed to a reunion with the Saints after leaving Philadelphia.
- The Giants pursued free agent center Joe Looney before he re-signed with the Cowboys, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. New York will continue to look for help at center, where Spencer Pulley is currently the projected starter as Jon Halapio recovers from an Achilles tear. Looney, for his part, may now be a starter in Dallas following the retirement of Travis Frederick.
- The Eagles are hoping 2019 undrafted free agent T.J. Edwards is the club’s starting middle linebacker during the upcoming campaign, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP writes. Edwards, a 23-year-old Wisconsin product, played only 112 defensive snaps a year ago, but earned an exemplary 83.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Seahawks To Acquire CB Quinton Dunbar
The Seahawks have agreed to acquire cornerback Quinton Dunbar from the Redskins, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Seattle will ship a fifth-round pick to Washington in exchange for Dunbar, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Unhappy with the extension he signed with the Redskins in 2018, Dunbar has been attempting to orchestrate a trade or release since February. Further reports indicated that Dunbar had been open to working out a “reasonable” restructure of his contract with the Redskins, but the club reportedly had no interest in doing so.
Dunbar, 27, arguably has every reason to be displeased with the three-year, $10.5MM deal he inked two years ago, as he’s largely outplayed the pact. The former undrafted free agent played the most snaps of his NFL tenure in 2019 and posted a career-high four interceptions. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, graded Dunbar as the league’s second-best cornerback behind only Richard Sherman.
Now heading into the final year of his contract, Dunbar will surely ask the Seahawks for an extension at something closer to market value. On the field, he’ll compete with Tre Flowers — who took a large step back in his second NFL campaign — to play opposite Shaquill Griffin.
Washington, meanwhile, is losing yet another member of its defensive backfield after parting ways with Josh Norman earlier this offseason. The Redskins brought back Kendall Fuller on a four-year deal last week, but the club’s secondary depth behind him is largely barren.