NFL - NEWS & NOTES

first it was Aaron Rodgers now Davante Adams the Packers really don't need this ( but as die hard fan of the Minnesota Vikings I Love it )

 

Report: Bengals bringing in Austin Reiter for visit next week



With Trey Hopkins still recovering from a torn ACL late in the 2020 season, the Bengals are continuing to look at options for center.

On Thursday, the club claimed former Cardinals center Lamont Gaillard off waivers. Now on Friday, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports Cincinnati will bring in former Kansas City center Austin Reiter for a visit on Monday.

With the Chiefs overhauling their offensive line this offseason, Reiter was one of the odd men out. He was Kansas City’s starting center for most of the last two seasons, though he was replaced by Daniel Kilgore for a period of time in 2020.

Reiter entered the league in 2015 as a seventh-round pick for Washington. The Browns signed him off Washington’s practice squad but waived him at the end of 2018 training camp. He was with the Chiefs until hitting free agency in March.

PFT

 

Seahawks willing to make Jamal Adams NFL's highest-paid safety with new deal

The Denver Broncos made Justin Simmons the highest-paid safety in the NFL earlier this offseason. Jamal Adams should leapfrog him soon.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Friday on NFL NOW that a deal between Adams and the Seattle Seahawks making the former first-round pick the top-paid player at his position should come down before the start of the season.

"(The Seahawks) are willing to make him, according to my sources, the highest-paid safety in the NFL," Garafolo said. "Now if I'm Jamal Adams, I say, 'Well I'm a safety and a linebacker.' Even though those linebackers sometimes make comparable money, you're going to make your case. The bottom line is the Seahawks in their offers have already come in at the highest-paid safety. Justin Simmons jumped to the top of the market for the Broncos. They're willing to go higher than that. So to me, they're in the right realm already. So I believe at some point before the start of the season, this gets done between the Seahawks and Jamal Adams because they're where they should be as far as making him the highest-paid safety."

Adams is set to make $9.86 million on his fifth-year option in 2021. He was excused from mandatory minicamp last month for personal reasons.

Simmons signed a four-year $61 million contract with the Broncos in March, resetting a stagnant safety market. Simmons' deal averages $15.25 million over the four years, topping Budda Baker, who sits at $14.75 million per season.

Adams may view the $19 million per year deal linebacker Fred Warner got from the San Francisco 49ers this week and believe, as a do-it-all safety, he's worth closer to that figure than the safety market.

Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner earns $18 million per year on his contract, which NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport added the Seahawks would like to keep as their highest defensive player contract.


A new deal for Adams that puts him atop the safety market but below Wagner could come in around the $17 million per year mark.

Regardless, it sounds like sides are close to making Adams the highest-paid safety in the NFL. It was a reality that was destined from the moment the Seahawks shipped two first-round picks to the New York Jets for the former No. 6 overall selection.

NFL.com

 

Safety salaries seem like a bargain compared to a lot of other positions.
Minkah Fitzpatrick will get the new highest safety contract.

 

NFL to fine unvaccinated players $14,650 for COVID-19 protocol violations

NFL players who aren’t vaccinated will be monitored for compliance with mask rules and other restrictions that don’t apply to vaccinated players, and every time an unvaccinated player breaks a COVID-19 protocol, it will cost him.

The standard fine is $14,650 for a violation of the COVID-19 protocols.

Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has confirmed he was referring to the NFL fine when he warned that Bucs players are in for fines if they’re seen violating the COVID-19 rules.

“NFL policy,” Arians told Jenna Laine of ESPN. “League rules.”

Arians said he is confident the Buccaneers will have an 85 percent vaccinated roster, which will ease some restrictions on the team, and that any unvaccinated players will follow the rules, which were in place for all players last year.

PFT

 

Union not thrilled with NFL memo threatening forfeitures for outbreaks among the unvaccinated



Officially, the NFL Players Association didn’t pick a fight with the NFL over Thursday’s memo that ramps up the pressure on unvaccinated players to get vaccinated. Unofficially, the union isn’t pleased.

As one union official predicted on Friday, there were no forfeits in 2020 and there will be no forfeits in 2021 — especially not with full stadiums of paying customers whose money would have to be refunded. They’ll get the games played, like they did in 2020. And they currently have more than enough vaccinated players to make that happen.

NFLPA spokesman George Atallah described the NFL’s memo to PFT as “classically tactless.” Beyond that, Atallah declined to comment.

The union, we’re told, wants to reduce the temperature when it comes to unvaccinated players being backed into a corner. The concern, per the source, is that when players lash out on social media against the vaccine, it potentially influences fans to take the same viewpoint.

That’s one of the main reasons why the union has resisted making vaccines mandatory. If that question were put to a vote of the union, it likely would prevail. After all, more than 80 percent of the membership have already gotten the vaccine. Forcing players who don’t want it and won’t get it to choose between vaccine or football will prompt more of them to use the available channels to complain about the league, about the union, and ultimately about the vaccine.

It’s the complaints about the vaccine that the NFLPA would prefer to avoid, in order to prevent potentially impressionable football fans from saying, for example, “If DeAndre Hopkins isn’t getting the vaccine, I’m not getting it either.”

Whether and to what extent football fans would rely on players for health-care advice isn’t clear, but this much is. When it comes to making important decisions, our nature is such that various factors combine into a stew that swirls around in our brains. Which ingredient will be the one to drive the eventual “yes” or “no” decision? Maybe a Cardinals fan in Arizona was wrestling on Thursday with the fresh pro-vaccine messaging from politicians and commentators who previously had spoken out against the vaccine. Maybe that fan was just about to decide to get vaccinated. Maybe Hopkins’ tweet was the thing that kept that from happening.

It’s impossible to thread popcorn on something like this. The broader point is that, the fewer the players who speak out against the vaccine, the lesser the chance that they’ll influence any of their social-media followers to not get it. That’s what the union is trying to avoid, and that’s why the union isn’t happy with Thursday’s empty threat of forfeitures, all in the name of squeezing any remaining anti-vaxxers in the 32 locker rooms to change their tunes and take their medicine, literally.

PFT

 

Dede Westbrook signing one-year deal with Vikings



When NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday that receiver Dede Westbrook was going to work out with the Vikings, Rapoport noted Westbrook would likely sign with Minnesota if everything went well.

Apparently, there were no snags.

According to multiple reports, Westbrook will sign a one-year deal with the Vikings.

The former Jaguars receiver told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press that he’s “super excited” to play for Minnesota, particularly because Keenan McCardell will be his position coach. McCardell previously coached Westbrook with the Jaguars.

“Keenan’s like a father figure to me,” Westbrook told Tomasson. “I respect him and everything that he’s ever taught me and done for me.”

Though Westbrook suffered a torn ACL last October, he said he’ll “most definitely” will be ready for the first training camp practice this week.

A Jaguars fourth-round pick in 2017, Westbrook has caught 160 passes for 1,720 yards with nine touchdowns in his four-year career. He’s also served as a kick and punt returner at times in the league.

PFT

 

if he has recovered from the ACL and is fully healed up,this is not good news for Bisi Johnson Dede Westbrook as kick returner and punt returner could really help the special teams

 

NFL defers issue of identifying vaccinated players at practice and games to teams

As training camps open and players return to the practice field, a question lingers regarding those who have and haven’t been vaccinated. How, if in any way, will they be distinguished?

Not long ago, the NFL and NFL Players Association were discussing a system for allowing visual identification of vaccinated players at practices and games. (Currently, wristbands or credentials for the vaccinated are required when inside the team facility.) Now, as more and more players have gotten vaccinated, that issue apparently has been nudged to the back burner, at least by the league.

The NFL’s official position is that it’s an issue that will be handled by the clubs. Unofficially, the league is focused on getting as many players vaccinated as possible (and, based on the plain language of Thursday’s memo, encouraging teams to shed players who aren’t vaccinated).

To the extent it’s a team issue, it’s not one on which some teams are ready to comment. PFT has contacted more than a handful of team PR representatives, most of whom answered the question regarding the on-field process for distinguishing vaccinated from unvaccinated players with some version of, “I don’t know.”

In Jacksonville, the current plan is that the unvaccinated players will be identified in the facility and on the practice field with a wristband. The players may not appreciate the COVID equivalent of a scarlet letter, and that could prompt some of them to lash out on social media.

As mentioned on Saturday, the NFLPA hopes to minimize such outbursts, in order to prevent players from influencing their followers to not get vaccinated.

Look for the league and most teams to continue to downplay this question, given that it could make an already delicate issue even more uncomfortable. For now, the focus continues to be getting to the point at which, come Week One, everyone will be vaccinated and the issue of wristbands for those who have or haven’t gotten the shot(s) will become moot.

PFT

 

Sam Hubbard agrees to four-year, $40 million extension with Bengals



Defensive end Sam Hubbard is set to be a Bengal for several more years.

According to multiple reports, Hubbard has agreed to a four-year, $40 million extension with Cincinnati. Hubbard was headed into the final year of the four-year rookie deal that he signed after the Bengals drafted him in the third round of the 2018 draft.

Hubbard had six sacks in a reserve role as a rookie and he’s added 10.5 more while starting all 28 games he played over the last two seasons. He has also recorded 177 tackles, three forced fumbles and a fumble return for a touchdown since entering the NFL.

The Bengals added Trey Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai and Cameron Sample on the edge this offseason. Hubbard’s agreement puts him in position to remain a cornerstone of the group for years to come.

PFT

 

Bears are signing tight end Jesse James



The Bears have reached agreement on a one-year contract with free agent tight end Jesse James, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports.

James will compete for a job behind Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham.

The Lions released James on March 11, and he has remained a free agent since.

James appeared in all 32 games for Detroit the past two years after signing as a free agent in 2019. The Lions drafted T.J. Hockenson in the first round the same year, limiting James to 16 catches for 142 yards in his first year with the team and 14 receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns last year for the Lions.

James, 27, spent his first four seasons with the Steelers, making 120 receptions for 1,189 yards and nine touchdowns in 56 games with 36 starts.

PFT

 

Steelers' Melvin Ingram excited to get to work: 'Right now, I'm 100, 200 percent healthy. I feel amazing'

With each training camp comes a sense of rejuvenation among players.

In Melvin Ingram's case, gearing up for a new season will have the added distinction of taking place in a new city, an experience the new Steelers edge rusher already sounds ecstatic to be a part of.

"I feel 18," Ingram said, per ESPN. "I'm a kid. I've still got a lot left in me. I love football and my body feels great.

"Had an injury last year, but that's a part of the game. It's a physical sport. Right now I'm 100, 200 percent healthy. I feel amazing."

At age 32, Ingram arrives in Pittsburgh looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled season and reclaim the form that made him one of the NFL's best edge rushers during his nine seasons with the Chargers.

Recurring knee injuries tanked Ingram's 2020 campaign, which ended up being his last in L.A. The former Pro Bowler was limited to seven games and turned in his first NFL season without recording a sack.

He's shown resilience in the past, recovering from a torn ACL sustained prior to his second season before eventually breaking out in Year 5. Joining a team known for their unmatched toughness could end up being an ideal fit for Ingram at this stage of his career.


"I just felt like the program, the coaches, the team, everybody," he said, "it was a place I felt like I could call home, a place I can come in and fit in. Everything was amazing here, down to the coaches, the players, the city, just how they do everything. They welcomed me with open arms."

Entering his 10th NFL season, Ingram has logged a lot of miles, with various speed bumps doing their best to try to slow him down on the way. But, even with the lingering health concerns, the one-year deal Ingram signed a week prior to the start of camp could end up looking like a steal, if he holds up.

His glowing review of the Steel City suggests he's eager to get going. Should his output match his enthusiasm, Steeler Nation will embrace him as one of their own in short order.

As for the organization he's leaving behind, Ingram expressed that he was thankful for his time on the west coast but made it clear that he's only focused on his new opportunity, not the franchise it appeared he'd finish his career with.

"That has no motivation for me," he shared. "It's a business. I understand the business. I'm not a person that gets salty about it. They changed my life. Nine years ago, they changed my life. Ten years ago, they changed my life. That's no motivation for me. Me, waking up and doing my work every day is all the motivation. I've got two kids and a family. My family, my girl, my kids, that's what motivates me."

NFL.com

 

Jimmy Graham is still in the NFL?

 

Tim Berbenich will coach Raiders running backs



The Raiders have settled on a new running backs coach for the 2021 season.

Kirby Wilson was set to fill that role for a third season, but he informed the team that he was retiring last week. The Raiders stayed within the organization to replace him.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that quality control coach Tim Berbenich will be working with Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake and the rest of the team’s running backs this season. Other coaches will assist with the position group, but Berbenich will be in the lead role.

Berbenich joined the Raiders in 2018 and also worked for head coach Jon Gruden with the Buccaneers.

PFT

 

Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the first practices of training camp, the Colts announced on Monday.

“I’m excited for training camp, however I’m disappointed I won’t be there with the team as we start,” Reich said in a statement. “I’m fortunate to be fully vaccinated and I’m asymptomatic. I’m feeling well and I’m looking forward to returning as soon as I’m medically cleared.”

According to General Manager Chris Ballard, Reich will likely be out until at least next Monday. But the coach could be back sooner depending on the results of the COVID-19 tests he takes.

“When he’s back, he’s back,” Ballard said, via Zak Keefer of TheAthletic.com. “It sucks, but we’ll keep moving forward.”

Reich is entering his fourth season as Colts head coach, having compiled a 28-20 record in his first three seasons. Ballard said Indianapolis will not have an interim coach while quarantines away from the facility, as Reich will still be involved in meetings through Zoom.

PFT

 

why would the Broncos want Aaron Rodgers now with the weird azz attitude etc. and the clown show he would bring

 

Report: Michael Thomas is expected to start season on PUP, return Week 7



The Saints should be livid and likely are that star receiver Michael Thomas waited so long to have ankle surgery. Now, they are bracing to be without Thomas for about half the season.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports Thomas is expected to start the season on the physically unable to perform list, which will keep him out at least six weeks, and return by Week 7 against the Seahawks.

The surgery, which Thomas underwent in June, calls for a four-month recovery. It’s the same ankle Thomas injured in Week 1 last season, and he ended up playing only seven games.

Thomas signed a five-year, $96 million contract extension with the team in 2019, and he caught 149 passes for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns that season. He made only 40 receptions for 438 yards in 2020.

The Saints are working out receivers Monday, including Chris Hogan, but seeking to replace Thomas the day before training camp begins is not ideal.

The Saints currently have Tre'Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harris, among others, in its receivers room.

PFT

 

Terrible news for the Saints and their fans... gotta tread water and hope things are well when he gets back.

 

That one is gonna hurt. Outside of Brees, the O side of the ball was pretty much intact. But now, I don't see any way to get around the Bucs, so we're playing for a wildcard spot. Maybe.

 

They should trade his butt to the lions