Draft Rumors: Murphy, Banks, Branch, Forbes, Torrence
One of the top edge defenders available in the draft, Clemson’s Myles Murphy will have a busy week. The 6-foot-5 pass rusher met with the Jaguars earlier this week, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, and Bengals, Falcons and Texans visits are on tap for one of Clemson’s two first-round-caliber D-line talents. Joining D-tackle Bryan Bresee on this front, Murphy submitted a consistent resume at the ACC power. In three seasons, the 268-pound edge recorded 18.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss. The Jaguars, who have drafted an edge in Round 1 three times since 2019, go on the clock at No. 24. The Bengals, who have Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard signed beyond 2023, hold the No. 28 pick. The Texans (Nos. 2, 12) and Falcons (No. 8) are needier on the edge, but their draft slots might not align with a player ranked just outside the top 20.
Here is the latest from the draft:
- Both Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah grade Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks just outside the top 20 as well, but he appears to be interviewing well with teams and trending upward. The Commanders, Ravens and Steelers are three of the teams impressed by Banks, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who adds others are intrigued by the 6-foot cover man. The Raiders will host the former Big Ten defender today, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The Steelers will be connected to Round 1 corners, having lost Cameron Sutton, and the Ravens have not re-signed Marcus Peters. Both Washington and Pittsburgh cut William Jackson over the past seven months. The Raiders, who have not re-signed Rock Ya-Sin, seemingly have a perpetual cornerback need.
- In addition to Emmanuel Forbes‘ Lions visit, the Mississippi State corner is a popular pre-draft guest. The Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, Steelers, Titans and Vikings are on his visit schedule, Jon Sokoloff of WCBI tweets, with Wilson adding the Bengals and Commanders will take a look as well. Forbes’ frame will certainly come up at these meetings. Despite posting a Division I FBS-record six pick-sixes and intercepting 14 passes in three seasons, Forbes being 6-foot and 166 pounds will be an issue for teams. Nevertheless, he profiles as a late-first-round talent.
- Staying on the DB front, Alabama’s Brian Branch might be the best bet for safety-needy teams in what is viewed as a weak class at the position. The Falcons, Commanders, Raiders, Texans and Vikings are on Branch’s pre-draft itinerary, per Wilson, who adds the Bills have a workout scheduled for the multiyear Crimson Tide contributor as well. Branch has extensive slot experience as well, providing potential flexibility for teams considering him in the late first round.
- Like Branch, Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence profiles as the top player at his position going into the draft. The Louisiana transfer became a consensus All-American in 2022, and the Bills, Commanders and Steelers have auditioned him thus far, per Wilson and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). Each of these teams have added at guard already this offseason. The Steelers signed both Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, while the Bills signed Connor McGovern. The Commanders signed ex-Giant Nick Gates but have plans to use him at center, where he played before a severe September 2021 injury sidetracked his career.
Tension Remains Between Bill Belichick, Mac Jones; Patriots Shopped QB?
The Patriots placed Mac Jones at the center of a historically unusual experiment last season, giving career defensive coach Matt Patricia the keys to the offense. It backfired, and Jones expressed steady frustration with the plan.
Jones’ irritation spilled outside the building, with NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran noting the former first-round pick was asking for assistance from coaches not on New England’s staff. Those efforts getting back to Bill Belichick has affected the sides’ relationship, Curran said during a WEEI interview (video link).
Alabama staffers received calls from Jones regarding the Patriots’ plan on offense, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms reports. This comes after a report that indicated Jones had said during the 2022 offseason he would be teaching the Pats’ offense to Joe Judge, who was moved into position as the team’s de facto quarterbacks coach following his Giants ouster. Judge remains on New England’s staff; Patricia is not currently with the team but has a potential path to stay.
This looks to be a storyline to monitor. Belichick has since shopped Jones this offseason, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who notes the 24th-year head coach has discussed his starting QB in trades with multiple teams. It is not known who Belichick discussed Jones’ potential availability with, but the Raiders were mentioned as a potential suitor before free agency. Las Vegas has since signed former Josh McDaniels pupil Jimmy Garoppolo. McDaniels worked with Jones in 2021.
The Texans also came up, per Florio. Houston GM Nick Caserio was not with the Patriots when they drafted Jones, but he obviously has deep New England ties due to his run as Belichick’s right-hand personnel man. Were the Patriots to attempt to trade Jones outside the AFC, teams like the Buccaneers and Commanders emerged as potential suitors. Those teams have since added Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett, respectively. These veterans would not seemingly be an impediment to a Jones pursuit, so how each organization proceeds in the draft could be relevant to the Patriots.
Jones talks may well have reached the offer stage, with AtoZsports.com’s Doug Kyed adding no offer was good enough to prompt the Patriots to act here. Tension remains between Belichick and Jones, per Kyed, who adds both Robert and Pats president Jonathan Kraft are fond of of the third-year quarterback. This makes it worth wondering if Belichick would have the green light to move on from the former No. 15 overall pick. Jones’ rookie contract can run through 2025, via the fifth-year option. After 2022, it cannot be assumed the Pats will pick up that option. The former national championship-winning QB’s deal has been mentioned as a barrier in the way of a Lamar Jackson pursuit; the Pats are one of the many teams planning to steer clear of the Ravens superstar.
“I’m a big fan of Mac,” Kraft said at the league meetings. “He came to us as a rookie. He quarterbacked in his rookie season and did a very fine job I thought. We made the playoffs. I think we experimented with some things last year that frankly didn’t work when it came to him, in my opinion.”
Belichick’s unusual Patricia-based plan also may have bothered Brian Hoyer. The off-and-on New England backup was not on board with installing a former defensive coordinator as the play-caller, Curran adds. He was not the only one, with veteran NFL reporter Mike Giardi noting (via Twitter) every position group observed the dysfunction on offense last season.
The Patriots released Hoyer this offseason, eating $1.6MM in dead money to do so, and the 15th-year veteran agreed to terms with the Raiders on Tuesday. Following Hoyer’s 2022 concussion, the Pats used third-stringer Bailey Zappe in place of Jones. A mini-QB controversy developed after the Western Kentucky one-and-done won both his starts. Jones regained his job after recovering from the high ankle sprain he sustained, but Zappe is now believed to have a chance at pushing Jones this offseason.
A fourth-round pick who played one season of Division I football — albeit a record-setting showing in a pass-crazed offense — Zappe would be an underdog against Jones, who now has Bill O’Brien in place as OC. On his way out of Tuscaloosa in 2021, Jones helped teach Nick Saban’s then-new OC the Crimson Tide’s offense. After Kraft called Belichick’s decision to install Patricia as the Pats’ primary play-caller a mistake, O’Brien — in his second tour of duty as New England’s OC — is now in place to help clean up the mess.
After elevating the Patriots’ passing attack — at least, compared to their Cam Newton season — and helping the 2021 team to the playoffs, Jones has seen his New England tenure veer off course. It will be interesting to see how he, Belichick, Judge and O’Brien coexist moving forward.
Commanders To Host QB Hendon Hooker
Multiple teams out of range to grab one of this draft’s top quarterbacks are set to meet with Hendon Hooker. In addition to a Saints summit, the ex-Tennessee QB will meet with the Commanders, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.
Hooker is the only quarterback presently part of the Commanders’ visit itinerary, Albert Breer of SI.com adds (on Twitter). The rehabbing passer will head to Washington later this month. Thus far, only the Saints and Commanders have been confirmed as Hooker hosts. New Orleans brass is meeting with Hooker today.
The Commanders hold the No. 16 overall pick — 13 spots ahead of the Saints’ first draft slot — and Ron Rivera did not rule out a quarterback addition in the draft. The team has added Jacoby Brissett and offered 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell considerable praise, given the North Carolina product’s one NFL appearance, this offseason. While Hooker’s November ACL tear could slide him into the developmental realm, he is also 25. That is a concern for some teams, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com notes. This and the knee injury have affected the productive passer’s draft stock.
Hooker put up big numbers during both his Tennessee seasons. Over the past two years, he posted a 58-to-5 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. The 6-foot-3 passer also topped 1,000 rushing yards over his two Volunteers campaigns. Despite his season ending a bit early, Hooker finished fifth in the 2022 Heisman voting. He completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes as a senior. The 6-foot-3 passer targeted multiple wideouts expected to be chosen fairly early — Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman — and led the Volunteers to wins over five ranked teams in 2022, including Alabama in a shootout that featured five Hooker touchdown passes.
Hooker would be an interesting addition for one of the teams not in position to draft C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. Teams like the Titans, Buccaneers, Saints and Commanders represent potential destinations. Excepting the Saints, who have Derek Carr signed to a deal with a $100MM practical guarantee, the rest of this lot has starters signed for just one season.
Scouts Inc. slotted four QBs inside its top 25; Hooker is the only other passer inside the top 85. Sitting at No. 67 (No. 49 on Jeremiah’s board), the former Virginia Tech recruit will be a wild card come draft weekend.
Commanders Looking To Add Running Back
A desire to for an even more run-oriented offense served as one of the disagreements between Ron Rivera and since-ousted OC Scott Turner last season. The Commanders ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing attempts in 2022 and stood down in free agency, despite many starter-caliber backs being available at low rates.
Rivera still wants to add another piece at the position, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Washington released J.D. McKissic, who had backtracked on a Buffalo commitment in 2022 to re-sign with the team, last month to clear some cap space. And Rivera indicated Antonio Gibson, who saw Brian Robinson move into his role as the team’s lead running back, can step into the McKissic role.
Still, the Commanders can be expected to bring in another notable player at this spot. The team’s potential sale has held up some offseason matters, including signing bonus finality, but a running back addition would likely not qualify as a major financial investment. This year brought a deep class of backs in free agency, but most have found homes — many doing so on low-cost deals. Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette remain unattached, however.
Washington has used Round 3 to add each of its current backfield mainstays, taking Gibson in 2020 and Robinson in 2022. Gibson is going into a contract year. Former UDFA Jaret Patterson and veteran Jonathan Williams, signed off the Giants’ practice squad in December 2021, round out the Commanders’ backfield crew. These two can expect more competition for a roster spot to arrive soon.
Washington ranked 12th in rushing but just 28th in yards per carry last season. Robinson and Gibson each averaged under four yards per tote, but Robinson’s return from August gunshot wounds coincided with the team’s resurgence. Gibson also caught 46 passes, helping the aerial cause after McKissic was lost for the season after eight games; Robinson did not factor into the team’s passing game much as a rookie.
Bijan Robinson (Texas) and Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama) reside as this draft class’ top two backs, though it is viewed as a deep crop. Zach Charbonnet (UCLA), Devon Achane (Texas A&M) and Senior Bowl standout Tyjae Spears (Tulane) represent the top contingent of backs expected to be in consideration for Day 2 selections.
Commanders Likely To Be Sold In A Matter Of Weeks
Momentum towards a Commanders sale continues to build, with Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reporting that owner Dan Snyder is likely to sell the franchise in the next one to three weeks. Although no Commanders-related matter was officially on the agenda at last week’s league meetings, Falcons owner Arthur Blank appeared to confirm that a sale is imminent.
“The league is doing whatever it can to help support the Snyders in this transaction and transition,” Blank said. “I saw [Snyder’s wife] Tanya [Snyder] this morning and wished her well, Dan as well. I think their family has moved to London, I believe. We’ll see what will happen. He’s a young man, his children are young, his wife’s young and they have a whole life ahead of them. I certainly wish them well.”
Indeed, as Nicki Jhabvala, Liz Clarke, and Mark Maske of the Washington Post reported in January, the Snyders recently filed a certificate of incorporation of a private limited company for Snyder UK Investments Limited with the registrar of companies for England and Wales. On that certificate, the Snyders — both of whom are listed as company directors — name England as their usual place of residence.
Furthermore, the Synders’ son, Gerry Snyder, is no longer on the Appalachian State football roster, and Jones reports that Gerry is not enrolled at the school this semester. Dan Snyder has cleared out his ownership offices and has put one D.C.-area estate on the market.
In addition to Josh Harris, Steve Apostolopoulos, and Tilman Fertitta, there is a mystery fourth bidder in the mix, according to Jones, although the identity of that bidder is presently unknown. While the most recent reporting on the matter suggested that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos remains in play, Charles Gasparino of FOX Business Network says that Mark Cuban, the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, has no interest in the Commanders (Twitter link). Interestingly, former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III is interested in joining the Harris group, as the one-time face of the franchise said during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (via Madison Williams of SI.com).
Gasaprino also hears that reports of the Harris- and Apostolopoulos-led groups hitting the fully-funded $6 billion are a bit overstated. Instead, those bids come with contingencies, and the “real” number is actually closer to $5 billion (Twitter links). One way or another, Dan Snyder is going to realize quite a return on investment, as he purchased the club for $800MM back in 1999.
Another point to consider is that, regardless of the details of the final proposals, Dan Snyder does not have to sell the Commanders to the highest bidder, and can instead sell to the group he likes the most. For instance, Jones suggests that Snyder may not care for the fact that the Harris and Apostolopoulos groups have leaked reports of their ability to obtain the necessary cash for the purchase of his team when he himself has not even confirmed that the team is for sale. Similarly, the personal tension between Snyder and Bezos has been oft-cited as a reason why Bezos may not be able to acquire the franchise despite having the financial wherewithal to blow other candidates out of the water.
The pending sale also has some on-field ramifications. We had already heard about the delayed payouts of signing bonuses included in recent player contracts, and JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington says that the status of DE Chase Young‘s fifth-year option could be impacted by the ownership situation (Twitter link). After a tremendous rookie campaign, Young sustained a torn ACL and patellar tendon in Week 10 of the 2021 season, which limited him to nine games that year and just three contests in 2022. However, because Young does have a Pro Bowl nod on his resume, his fifth-year option would check in at a fully-guaranteed $17.5MM.
A decision on Young’s option must be made by May 2. And, while the team is reportedly committed to 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell as its starting quarterback, head coach Ron Rivera said that a new owner’s viewpoints on the matter could alter the Commanders’ QB direction.
Contract Details: Hughes, Hollins, Anderson, Scott, Johnson, Evans, Morstead, Ham
Here are some details on more deals signed recently around the NFL:
- C.J. Ham, FB (Vikings): Two years, $8.65MM. The extension, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, has a guaranteed amount of $4.4MM composed of a $2.3MM signing bonus, Ham’s 2023 base salary of $1.1MM, and $1MM of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $2.4MM. The 2025 base salary is worth $2.55MM. Ham is set to earn $100,000 workout bonuses in each year of the newly extended deal.
- Mike Hughes, CB (Falcons): Two years, $7MM. The deal, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, has a guaranteed amount of $3.24MM consisting of a $1.5MM signing bonus, Hughes’s first year base salary of $1.08MM, and his 2023 roster bonus of $660,000. The second year base salary is worth $2.57MM. The contract includes an annual per game active roster bonus of $35,000 for a potential season total of $595,000.
- Trenton Scott, G (Commanders): Two years, $3.02MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $655,000 consisting of a $305,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of Scott’s first year base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). The second year base salary is worth $1.13MM. The contract includes an annual per game active roster bonus of $15,000 for a potential season total of $255,000. Scott can earn an additional $500,000 through an incentive based on playing time.
- Justin Evans, S (Eagles): One year, $1.59MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $600,000 composed of a $250,000 signing bonus and $350,000 of Evans’ base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). The deal includes a per game active roster bonus of $15,294 for a potential season total of $260,000. Evans can earn an additional $1.25MM through incentives based on playing time and a Pro Bowl selection.
- Henry Anderson, DE (Panthers): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $152,500 consisting of Anderson’s signing bonus. His base salary is worth $1.17MM.
- Thomas Morstead, P (Jets): One year, $1.32MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $1.09MM consisting of a $152,500 signing bonus and $940,000 of Morstead’s base salary (worth a total of $1.17MM).
- Justin Hollins, OLB (Packers): One year, $1.28MM. The contract, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $155,000 consisting of Hollins’s signing bonus. The base salary is worth $1.08MM. The deal includes a workout bonus of $45,000, and Hollins can earn an additional $350,000 through an incentive based on playing time.
- Ty Johnson, RB (Jets): One year, $1.23MM. The deal, according to Wilson, has a guaranteed amount of $250,000 consisting of a $75,000 signing bonus and $175,000 of Johnson’s base salary (worth a total of $1.08MM). Johnson can earn a $77,500 roster bonus if he’s active in New York’s Week 1 matchup.
NFC Coaching Updates: Giants, Commanders, Eagles, Bucs, Seahawks
The Giants announced the finalization of their 2023 staff early last month, according to Giants staff writer Michael Eisen. We’ve covered a couple of minor changes in previous posts, but there are a number of new updates in this announcement that have yet to be covered.
With the departure of Tony Sparano Jr., who left to coach the Colts‘ offensive line, New York has hired Chris Smith to fill the role of assistant offensive line coach. Smith has just finished a six-year career at Holy Cross, serving as offensive coordinator last year and offensive line coach, run game coordinator, and recruiting coordinator in previous years. The team also promoted two assistants. An offensive assistant with New York last year, Christian Jones will serve in 2023 as assistant quarterbacks coach. Angela Baker, the inaugural recipient of the Rosie Brown Minority Coaching Fellowship, will move from offensive quality control coach to offensive assistant.
Two staffers received promotions on the defensive side of the ball, as well. Last year’s assistant defensive backs coach Michael Treier was promoted to safeties coach for this year. And, after spending time as a football data & innovation research analyst, Ben Burress will rejoin the coaching staff in 2023 as a defensive assistant.
The Giants made a special teams addition, as well, hiring former Lions defensive quality control coach Stephen Thomas to fill a role as the team’s second assistant special teams coach.
Here are a few other coaching updates from around the league:
- A strong candidate early in their search, the Commanders announced the hiring of Bobby Engram as their new wide receivers coach. The former Seahawks wideout has coaching stints at the 49ers and Ravens but mostly recently served as offensive coordinator at Wisconsin. Washington also hired Shane Toub as the team’s offensive quality control coach. Toub was a defensive quality control coach at Kansas last year after serving in the same position for the Bears previously. The team also hired former NFL cornerback Reggie Howard as a defensive quality control coach. Howard started coaching in 2015, about nine years after his playing career ended. This will be his first NFL coaching opportunity. Lastly, as the Commanders continue to try and fill their vacant offensive line coaching role, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post provided the update that head coach Ron Rivera has informed John Matsko that they will not be hiring him for the job.
- New Eagles defensive coordinator Sean Desai filled two position coaching roles last month. The team tweeted out that they would be hiring D. J. Eliot as their new linebackers coach. Eliot has been coaching at the college level since 1999, serving as defensive coordinator for Colorado, Kansas, and Temple, most recently. Eliot will receive his first NFL opportunity under Desai. Philadelphia also brought in Ronell Williams to serve as nickels coach, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Williams previously served as a defensive quality control coach for the Bears.
- The Buccaneers have added a new role to their staff, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, hiring Jordan Somerville as their new assistant quarterbacks coach. Somerville coached running backs at New Mexico before serving last year as an offensive analyst at Oregon. This will be Somerville’s first NFL role.
- The Seahawks made an addition to their defensive staff, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, hiring Roy Anderson as secondary coach. Anderson comes over after three years as assistant defensive backs coach in Minnesota. With the addition of Anderson, Karl Scott, who served last year as defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach, will now take the title of defensive passing game coordinator/senior assistant.
Falcons Plan To Keep Desmond Ridder As Starting QB
Desmond Ridder supplanted Marcus Mariota as the Falcons’ starting quarterback late last season, and although pronouncements about Week 1 roles in March should not be considered full-fledged endorsements, it is clear the 2022 third-round pick will enter offseason workouts ahead of Taylor Heinicke for the gig.
Arthur Smith said Tuesday, “The plan is to start Desmond.” GM Terry Fontenot had previously communicated this plan to Ridder, who made four starts as a rookie after being last year’s No. 74 overall pick. Arthur Blank stopped short of endorsing the Cincinnati product as the Falcons’ 2023 starter in February, but the team has taken a step forward here in the weeks since.
The Falcons subsequently signed Heinicke to a deal that topped the other backup QBs’ money — for average annual value — but the ex-Washington starter’s two-year, $14MM deal will not lead to an open competition with Ridder this offseason.
“We’re very excited to have Taylor in the room, a guy with experience who has won games in this league,” Smith said, via AtlantaFalcons.com’s Scott Bair. “The chemistry in the quarterback room is important, as we expect Desmond to take the next step. But we also have a guy who can go in and win you football games and be ready to play.”
Heinicke has 25 regular-season starts under his belt, along with a playoff outing two years ago. He completed 64% of his passes with Washington, at 7.0 per toss, and went 12-12-1 as the team’s starter. The Commanders gave Carson Wentz his job back in December but installed Sam Howell as their starter for Week 18. The team expressed interest in re-signing Heinicke, but he said he chose a better Falcons offer, Josh Kendall of The Athletic tweets. Atlanta gave Heinicke $6.32MM fully guaranteed. Ridder completed 64% of his throws as well — at just 6.2 yards per attempt — but obviously does not have an extensive NFL sample size to judge.
Smith’s declaration affects Heinicke at present, and the former starter has said he is OK being Atlanta’s backup (Twitter link via Kendall). the Falcons have been connected to both Lamar Jackson and a potential first-round investment at the position. The team will meet with Florida’s Anthony Richardson soon and likely will host other top-flight QB prospects during the pre-draft process. The Falcons have not drafted a quarterback in the first or second rounds since their Matt Ryan pick (No. 3 overall) in 2008. They have only drafted two (Ridder and 2013 seventh-round pick Sean Renfree) since the Ryan pick.
As Fontenot and Smith go into Year 3 in charge, signing off on a Ridder-Heinicke QB depth chart when Jackson is available will likely not go over well with some Falcons fans. But the Falcons have not been connected to the disgruntled Ravens superstar, who is aiming for either a fully guaranteed contract or a deal that enters the Deshaun Watson guarantee neighborhood ($230MM). The Falcons were believed to have finished second for Watson last year; the guarantee led to Blank’s team standing down.
Being prepared to trade three first-round picks and change for Watson and then passing on Jackson altogether would certainly make for an interesting path, but as of Tuesday, that is the organization’s plan. Arriving just after the Browns pried Watson from the Falcons’ grasp, Ridder is now the NFC South team’s centerpiece player.
Josh Harris, Steve Apostolopoulos Submit Bids For Commanders
Dan Snyder has not committed to selling the Commanders, but two bids that would break an American sports record have come in for the franchise. The groups headlined by Josh Harris and Steve Apostolopoulos have submitted fully funded bids hitting the $6 billion mark.
Although more issues are in play here, Adam Schefter and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com note a growing belief has emerged Snyder will sell before the draft (Twitter link). It is unclear which bid is higher. No Commanders matter is believed to be on the docket at this week’s league meetings, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, but it is a safe bet this topic will be among those informally discussed at the latest league gathering.
Harris finished second in the bidding for the Broncos, which the Rob Walton-fronted group won after submitting a then-record $4.65 billion bid. Magic Johnson has rejoined Harris’ group; the NBA legend was part of the Philadelphia 76ers owner’s group when it contended to purchase the Broncos. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has also emerged as a potential bidder. A Canadian billionaire, Apostolopoulos was not part of the Broncos bidding. Another anonymous group has joined these in touring the team’s facility, per ESPN.
It will require 24 votes for either prospective owner to acquire the Commanders, though a vote is not expected to be the primary issue here. Engulfed in investigations, Snyder has pushed for indemnification as part of a sale. Colts owner Jim Irsay, who spoke out against Snyder during owners’ meetings last fall, came out against offering Snyder any sort of special protections in order to streamline his NFL exit, NFL.com’s Judy Battista tweets. NFL owners are not expected to allow Snyder indemnification.
Rumors emerged following Irsay’s fall comments that Snyder could sell part of the franchise, and he hired a firm to explore that possibility soon after. Snyder had long said he would never sell, but this process has moved down the road in the months since he and wife Tanya hired the firm. The Harris and Apostolopoulos bids have moved this process further along. Snyder is unlikely to fetch the $7 billion price he has sought, per NBC Sports’ Peter King, but these bids are still 7.5 times the price he paid to buy the team in 1999 ($800MM).
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos still lurks here, and many around the league expect the Snyder rival to submit a bid the Harris- and Apostolopoulos-led groups refuse to top. Snyder is no longer believed to oppose a Bezos bid, FOX Business’ Charles Gasparino reports (on Twitter). Bezos bidding will obviously bring more intrigue compared to the two numbers that surfaced Tuesday, but he has yet to submit his own price.
The NFL’s second investigation into Snyder and the Commanders — one of a few the embattled owner has become embroiled in over the past few years — is ongoing. A full report is expected soon. Snyder has declined to be interviewed as part of the Mary Jo White-run probe, Mark Maske, Liz Clarke and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post report. White will continue to pursue Snyder cooperation; this would not be the first time Snyder has attempted to evade providing testimony in an investigation. He did so last year amid the House Oversight Committee’s probe and declined to answer more than 100 questions when he did end up testifying. White’s investigation, which followed a league probe that did not produce a written report, has now run for 13 months.
Owners have paused any effort to remove Snyder from his seat, per the Washington Post. The NFL has never voted to remove an owner, and a sale will certainly be the league’s preferred outcome. This process is obviously far more complicated compared to recent sales involving the Broncos and Panthers, but the finish line may soon be in sight.
Commanders OL Nick Gates Expects To Play Center
New Commanders offensive lineman Nick Gates expects to line up at center for the club, as the player himself recently indicated (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). Gates signed a three-year, $16.5MM contract with Washington earlier this month.
The former UDFA of the Giants saw his first regular season action in 2019, appearing in 16 games (three starts) before becoming Big Blue’s full-time starter at center in 2020. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were not particularly fond of his performance that year, though New York thought highly enough of him to keep him at center going into the 2021 campaign and name him a team captain. Unfortunately, he suffered a career-threatening leg fracture in Week 2 of the 2021 season — after he was moved to left guard out of necessity — but made it back on the field halfway through the 2022 slate.
Gates’ contract value and length suggests that the Commanders see him as a starter, not as a backup. Which means that Chase Roullier, a former stalwart at center whose strong performance landed him a four-year, $40.5MM extension with Washington in January 2021, could be on the outs (though that is simply my speculation at this point). Due to multiple serious injuries — a fibula fracture in 2021 and an MCL tear in 2022 — Roullier has played in just 10 of a possible 34 regular season contests over the last two years, and his release would create $8.4MM of cap space if he were to be designated as a post-June 1 cut.
In related news, Washington plans to slide Sam Cosmi to right guard, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Cosmi, a 2021 second-round pick, has taken most of his pro snaps at right tackle and has played reasonably well there. However, he has dealt with injury issues in each of his first two seasons in the league, and the Commanders recently signed Andrew Wylie to man the RT post.
Per Keim, the club is likely to add more O-line reinforcements in this year’s draft.