James Bradberry Eyeing Redskins?
On the cusp of his first turn through free agency, Panthers cornerback James Bradberry says he wouldn’t mind reuniting with former head coach Ron Rivera. 
[RELATED: Redskins Meet With Greg Olsen]
“I would love to play for Coach Rivera again,” Bradberry told NBC Sports. “He’s a great man and a great coach. He coached me for four years. I didn’t realize how much he meant to us until that day [he got fired]…Just how he spoke to us as men. He wasn’t overly aggressive unless he needed to be. He put his foot down when he needed to be.”
Of course, Bradberry added that he’s looking to be paid what he’s worth. For any team that signs him, that’ll require a significant commitment – the former second-round pick has stifled some of the league’s best receivers in Carolina, setting him up for a huge payday on the open market. In other words, if there’s any “discount” to be had for Rivera & Co., it won’t be a substantial one.
Meanwhile, Bradberry says that, ideally, he’d like to re-up with the only team he’s ever known.
“Dream scenario, I would love to continue my career with the Carolina Panthers,” he said. “I’ve been there for four years. One of my closest friends on the team, Shaq Thompson, he’s still there. I would love to get to finish the rest of my career alongside him.”
Thompson, a tenacious linebacker, inked a four-year, $54MM extension with the Panthers in December. That deal put him in the top five for all linebackers in the NFL, and Bradberry is also aiming for top placement at his position.
In 2019, Bradberry snagged three interceptions and registered 65 total tackles. The advanced metrics have never been too fond of his work, but Rivera is a fan, and a number of clubs will be interested in the 26-year-old (27 in August). He’s also be a logical fit from a football perspective, especially if Rivera drops another old colleague in Josh Norman.
Redskins To Hire GM After Draft
The Redskins are expected to go into the NFL Draft without a GM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Without a replacement lined up for Bruce Allen, Redskins VP of Player Personnel Kyle Smith will be in charge of draft operations in April.
The Redskins canned Allen on Dec. 30, after ten years at the helm. In that span, the Redskins went 62-97-1 and made the playoffs only twice.
The Redskins’ next GM likely won’t have complete control over the 53-man roster. New head coach Ron Rivera is expected to have significant sway when it comes to personnel, which could dissuade some of the league’s more experienced candidates.
Allen wasn’t the only significant front office figure to exit D.C. this offseason. In the wake of Allen’s dismissal, senior VP Eric Schaffer was expected to see an increased role. Instead, they parted ways with the cap guru after nearly two decades together.
Rapoport hears similar news for the Panthers – their assistant GM job will also be filled sometime after the draft. The Panthers made a run at hiring Andrew Berry, but the Eagles blocked them because the position did not include roster control. Ultimately, Berry became the Browns’ new GM, where he’ll have say over the 53-man roster.
Latest On Redskins, Trent Williams
The Redskins’ revamped regime is fully intent on keeping Trent Williams, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The old guard was intent on moving on from a messy situation with their star left tackle, but Ron Rivera & Co. see him as a huge part of their plan going forward. 
This jibes with recent word on Williams – the club is optimistic about their chances of mending fences with the multiple-time Pro Bowler. Hurdles remain, but the Redskins plan to do a deep dive on Williams’ game tape and situation starting next week, Rapoport hears, and formulate a plan to keep the veteran happy and healthy.
Williams missed all of 2019 in a drama-filled year between him and the franchise. Last offseason, Williams underwent surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his head. Williams says that he first noticed the growth way back in 2013, but team doctors told him that the issue was not serious and advised him to continue without surgery.
Since then, Williams has been diagnosed with Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP), a soft tissue sarcoma. In October, he made an effort to end his holdout and return to the field, but he was in immense pain when he tried to put on his helmet.
In November, the Redskins parked Williams on the NFI list and chose not to pay the rest of his $5.1MM salary. Williams has voiced frustration with the Redskins on a number of levels, but there’s at least a chance that he’ll resume playing for the Redskins and their new leadership.
Redskins Visit Up Next For Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen finished up his Bills visit on Thursday morning, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Olsen, who isn’t in any particular rush to sign, left without a deal. His next visit will be with the Redskins, followed by the Seahawks. 
The order of Olsen’s three visits may or may not be an indicator of his preference. The Bills would make some sense for Olsen – they’re not high on anyone’s list of Super Bowl contenders for 2020, but they do have a talented young quarterback in Josh Allen and Olsen could provide him with a better security blanket than rising NFL sophomore Dawson Knox.
Ditto for the Redskins – expectations aren’t high in D.C., but they would give Olsen an opportunity to reunite with old friend Ron Rivera. Of course, the two were together for years in Carolina, where Olsen went on a tear of three straight 1,000-yard seasons. No one knows what’s in store for Jordan Reed after a scary number of concussions; Olsen can help them fortify that position and possibly take over as the TE1, if needed.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, are in a better position to win right away. And, with serious uncertainty around their tight end situation, Olsen would be a logical fit. Will Dissly might not be 100% after his Achilles tear and Ed Dickson could be a cap casualty in the coming weeks. Beyond those two, Luke Willson is scheduled for free agency in March and Jacob Hollister will be a restricted free agent.
There will probably be more teams beyond those three with interest in Olsen. Earlier this week, Olsen said that he’d like to hear from the Bears – his first NFL team – but hasn’t been in touch with them since his release from the Panthers.
Trent Williams To Play For Redskins In 2020?
Not too long ago, left tackle Trent Williams was adamant about never playing for the Redskins again, even though he’s under contract with Washington through the 2020 season. Now, however, the tide could be turning.
Per JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington, there is optimism that the club could get its seven-time Pro Bowler back. Williams sat out the entire 2019 season, because even when he ended his holdout in late October to prevent his contract from tolling, he could not pass his physical due to the pain he felt when he put on his helmet.
That pain, of course, is one small part of a much larger battle between Williams and the Redskins. Williams felt a great deal of animosity towards the organization for how it dealt with what turned out to be a cancerous tumor on his head, and the fact that the Redskins put him on the NFI list in November and opted to not pay him the remainder of his $5.1MM salary only made things worse.
But previous reports indicated that most of Williams’ ire was directed towards former team president Bruce Allen, who was fired at the end of December. Since then, the Redskins have hired the well-respected Ron Rivera as head coach, and Rivera has overhauled the club’s medical staff.
Rivera, in a recent interview with Larry Michael on Redskins Nation, indicated he wants Williams back. “We got to get Trent in, we got to sit him down, see where he is, see how he is, healthwise too,” Rivera said. “We have not really had the contact we need to have to know. He’s still our guy.”
Williams, who will turn 32 prior to the 2020 regular season, missed 13 games over the 2016-18 seasons due to various injuries, but he graded out as the league’s best overall tackle in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus, and still managed to place No. 21 in a relatively down 2018. He is due a $12.5MM salary in 2020 if he stays with the ‘Skins under his current deal.
Greg Olsen To Visit Bills, Redskins
That didn’t take long. Hours after Greg Olsen‘s release from the Panthers was made official, his free agency tour is taking shape. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the veteran tight end will take visits with the Bills and Redskins this week (Twitter link).
Though it doesn’t guarantee anything, this development makes it sound as if Olsen will play in 2020 and will postpone his journey to the broadcast booth for at least another year. If he were to sign with Washington, Olsen would reunite with longtime Carolina head coach Ron Rivera, and recent rumors suggested that Olsen is indeed amenable to joining the ‘Skins.
Fresh off their second playoff appearance in three years, the Bills would appear to give Olsen a better chance at bringing home a championship ring in 2020. But both Buffalo and Washington are obvious fits for the 34-year-old (35 in March), as neither club got much production from the tight end position in 2019.
The Bills were paced by rookie Dawson Knox, who averaged just under 26 yards per game. Rookie tight ends rarely excel, and while the Bills surely expect Knox to take a step forward in 2020, Olsen would represent a reliable veteran target for QB Josh Allen.
The Redskins, meanwhile, lost Jordan Reed for the 2019 season due to yet another concussion, and they have a young quarterback of their own in Dwayne Haskins who would benefit from Olsen’s presence. But Olsen will likely generate more interest from other clubs before he decides to put pen to paper.
2020 Draft Order
Super Bowl LIV is in the books, which means the order for the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is set. By virtue of their 31-20 win Sunday night, the Chiefs will have the final pick in the first round. The 49ers dropping to 5-2 in Super Bowls will result in the NFC champions approaching the podium at No. 31.
Here is the full first-round order:
1. Bengals (2-14)
2. Redskins (3-13)
3. Lions (3-12-1)
4. Giants (4-12)
5 Dolphins (5-11)
6. Chargers (5-11)
7. Panthers (5-11)
8. Cardinals (5-10-1)
9. Jaguars (6-10)
10. Browns (6-10)
11. Jets (7-9)
12. Raiders (7-9)
13. Colts (7-9)
14. Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Broncos (7-9)
16. Falcons (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
21. Eagles (9-7)
22. Bills (10-6)
23. Patriots (12-4)
24. Saints (13-3)
25. Vikings (10-6)
26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
27. Seahawks (11-5)
28. Ravens (14-2)
29. Titans (9-7)
30. Packers (13-3)
31. 49ers (13-3)
32. Chiefs (12-4)
Vernon Davis Announces Retirement
This is the end of the line for tight end Vernon Davis. The Redskins tight end casually announced his retirement during a pre-Super Bowl sketch with Rob Gronkowski on Sunday and, soon after, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link) confirmed that Davis is, in fact, walking away from the game.
This marks the end of Davis’ 14-year run in the NFL, which was mostly split between the Redskins and the runners-up to Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers. All in all, Davis hauled in 441 receptions for 583 receptions for 7,562 yards and 63 touchdowns.
In between his runs in D.C. and SF, Davis spent half of the 2015 season with the Broncos. In that magical year, Davis earned a Super Bowl ring as the Broncos went on to top the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
Davis’ career began in 2006, when the Niners chose him with the No. 6 overall pick. His true breakout year came in ’07, when he posted a 52/509/4 stat line as the team’s season-long starter. He’d go on to capture two Pro Bowl nominations, starting with the 2009 season in which he co-led the NFL with 13 receiving touchdowns.
This past season, Davis was limited to just four games after suffering a concussion. Davis has endured several brain injuries over the years, which was likely a factor in his retirement.
Davis, who just turned 36, should have ample football-adjacent opportunities ahead of him. We here at PFR wish Davis the best in retirement.
Alex Smith: ‘Lucky To Be Alive’ After Leg Condition
Alex Smith‘s long road back to a potential NFL comeback might not end up coming to fruition, but the Redskins quarterback considers himself “very much lucky to be alive” after the infection and numerous surgeries that became required on his broken leg.
Information about Smith’s surgery history has continued to trickle out over the past year and change, but the veteran passer revealed during an appearance on ESPN’s Outside the Lines (via ESPN.com’s Stephania Bell) he developed sepsis. The potentially life-threatening condition stemmed from the infection Smith encountered, and the possibility of leg amputation was very real following the November 2018 injury.
“[The] next thing I remember is waking up several weeks later faced with the decision of amputation or limb salvage at that point,” Smith said during the interview of a choice presented to him weeks after the injury.
The former 49ers and Chiefs quarterback opted for numerous surgeries to save his injured leg. Smith suffered a compound right tibia fracture and a right fibula fracture. The most recent information indicated Smith underwent 17 operations on the leg since suffering the injuries during a Redskins-Texans game in November 2018.
Smith since overcame the infection and has made strides over the past 14 months. He remains interested in returning to action, and Ron Rivera brought up the injured passer’s name unprompted during a recent interview.
“I also don’t want to forget Alex Smith,” Rivera said during an appearance on The Team 980’s Doc & Galdi show. “Here’s a guy that’s doing everything he can to come back, and if Alex can come back and be the player that he was, we have a good situation; we [would] have competition at that position.”
Smith, who will turn 36 in May, is on Washington’s payroll at $21.4MM in 2020. His $16MM 2020 base salary is fully guaranteed. Dwayne Haskins remains expected to be the Redskins’ Week 1 quarterback.
Greg Olsen To Consider Redskins?
If longtime Panthers star Greg Olsen continues his playing career, he could wind up with an old friend. The tight end would consider reuniting with Ron Rivera by signing with the Redskins, a person familiar with the situation tells Mark Maske of the Washington Post. 
[RELATED: Panthers, Greg Olsen Part Ways]
Olsen, 35 in March, will also have is broadcasting opportunities to consider. In the past, Olsen has rejected overtures from ESPN and FOX to consider his pursuit of a Super Bowl ring. The Redskins would not represent his best chance at a championship, but Olsen is at least open to the idea of teaming up with his longtime coach.
Rivera has a good deal of authority in Washington and has already shown a predilection for getting the band back together via his coaching hires. Olsen would be a logical fit for the Redskins, who could use his veteran leadership and help at the tight end position. Thanks to his latest concussion, Jordan Reed missed all of last season.
During his nine season with the Panthers, Olsen enjoyed a streak of three straight 1,000-yard seasons. He was still reasonably productive in 2019, notching 52 catches for 597 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
Before that, Olsen spent four seasons with the Bears. All in all, he has 718 catches for 8,444 yards and 59 touchdowns across 13 seasons. Currently, he ranks fifth all-time in catches and receiving yards by a tight end in the NFL.