NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Somehow this idea seems vaguely familiar...

I'm still going with two five minute overtime periods. Each team kicks off to start one of them, you change ends in between, each team gets one time out, and all replays are booth-initiated. You play out both five minute periods. Who scores first or how often doesn't matter.

 

Report: Bills interested in Rob Gronkowski



Rob Gronkowski has retired once, but Tom Brady and a chance to win another title convinced the future Hall of Famer to return in 2020. Now, Brady has kind of, sort of, maybe called it a career, creating uncertainty about Gronkowski’s future.

Would Gronkowski return to play with Josh Allen for a chance to win a Super Bowl with the Bills?


Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com reports the Bills have interest in signing Gronkowski if he wants to keep playing. Gronkowski, who is scheduled to become a free agent later this month, is an Amherst, New York, native.

Bucs coach Bruce Arians said last week that Gronkowski has been a regular at the team’s training facility.

Gronkowski, a four-time Super Bowl champion and four-time All-Pro, will turn 33 in May. But he caught 55 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season and added nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in two playoff games last season.

In 143 career games, Gronkowski has 621 catches for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns.

The Bills have Dawson Knox at the position. Knox had a breakout season with 49 receptions for 587 yards and nine touchdowns in the regular season and added seven catches for 98 yards and two scores in Buffalo’s two playoff games.

PFT

 

Man I would love for the Bills to sign Gronk just to observe the tectonic shift among all the Barfalo fans.

 

NFL, NFLPA announce suspension of all COVID protocols



COVID-19 protocols have played a big role in the last two NFL seasons, but they are not going to be an issue for teams this offseason.

In a memo to all 32 teams on Thursday, the NFL and NFLPA announced that they are suspending all COVID-19 protocols immediately. The memo cites the declining rates of COVID-19 rates as the reason for the decision while also noting that teams must still comply with any applicable state or local laws.


The suspension means an end to any mandatory testing and, absent local regulations, masks are not required at team facilities. Tests will now be done “when clinically indicated or at the direction of a club physician” and teams must keep some testing equipment at their facilities, but the larger testing trailers can be removed.

Players will no longer be wearing devices to monitor their contacts at team facilities and limits on weight rooms and other gathering spaces have been removed.

Changes to testing protocols for the postseason signaled a move in this direction and Thursday’s memo moves to put an official end to the league’s COVID era almost two years after it began.

PFT

 

Guy was loved until he dirty hit White and then doubled down on being a dick about it instead of apologizing. Honestly I'd expect to see most Bills fans that know about the situation to boo him and if he scores to celebrate but add "but fuck you Gronk". If he truly wants to make up he needs to bring up the hit again and apologoze, even of he already did.

 

Report: Cowboys are likely to release Amari Cooper



Earlier this week, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said it was “too early” to address receiver Amari Cooper‘s status with the team for 2022.

It’s not too early any longer.


According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Dallas is likely to release Cooper by the start of the new league year.

Cooper is due to make $20 million in base salary that becomes fully guaranteed on March 20. Releasing him would save the Cowboys $16 million in cap space.

But just because Dallas is likely to release Cooper doesn’t mean that will be the ultimate result. A receiver-needy team with significant cap space could swoop in and trade for him.

Though he was the league’s highest-paid receiver in 2021, Cooper was not even the leading receiver on his own team. He finished the regular season tied for 39th in receptions (68), 34th in receiving yards (865), and tied for 37th in points among non-kickers with eight touchdowns.

The fourth overall pick of the 2015 draft, Cooper has caught 292 passes for 3,893 yards with 27 touchdowns since being traded to the Cowboys from the Raiders midway through the 2018 season.

Without Cooper, Dallas will have CeeDee Lamb and several question marks at receiver entering the new league year. Notably, Michael Gallup and Cedric Wilson are both set to become unrestricted free agents, as is tight end Dalton Schultz.

But according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, part of the plan is for the Cowboys to secure a long-term deal with Gallup.

PFT

 

cheers for the updates, will

 

My pleasure... and may I have another or 12?

 

Bills give Cole Beasley permission to seek a trade



Bills receiver Cole Beasley may be on the way out of Buffalo.

Beasley asked for and was given permission to seek a trade, Bills General Manager Brandon Beane told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.


At the same time, Beane left open the possibility that Beasley will return, saying, “no door has been closed.”

Garafolo noted a couple of reasons the two sides may be going their separate ways. One is that Beasley may want a new contract that would pay him more than the $4.9 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus and $200,000 workout bonus he’s due this year. Another is that Beasley had what was described as a “rocky year” as one of the most stridently anti-vaccine players in the league.

Beasley’s play declined in 2021, averaging just 8.45 yards per catch, the worst of his career. The Bills like the combination of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis at wide receiver and likely think it won’t be difficult to find another player who can replace Beasley’s contributions. It would seem unlikely that Beasley is back in Buffalo in 2022.

PFT

 

Report: J.C. Jackson is expected to hit the open market



Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson said recently that he’d play on a franchise tag if the team used one on him before the March 8 deadline, but that “it’s time for me to get paid” regardless of how he receives his compensation.

It looks like Jackson won’t have to worry about the tag. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Patriots are not expected to use the tag on Jackson and that he is expected to hit the open market when free agency opens later this month.


Jackson is generally regarded as the top cornerback eligible for free agency this offseason and he’d likely receive plenty of attention from other teams if he is available come the start of the free agency negotiating period.

Jackson has spent all four of his NFL seasons with the Patriots and stepped into the No. 1 role once Stephon Gilmore was out of the picture in New England. If Friday’s report is accurate, his run in that role may be a short one.

PFT

 

Report: Cowboys “close” to re-signing Michael Gallup

The Cowboys were never going to be able to keep Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson and Amari Cooper. Cooper’s $20 million salary, which becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster March 20, makes him the odd man out.

News of the obvious came Friday morning in a report that the Cowboys will cut Cooper before March 20 if they can’t trade him. (Spoiler alert: No one is picking up his contract as is.)


The Cowboys can re-sign free agents Gallup and Wilson for less than if they kept Cooper at his current price.

The team is moving toward the first part of the two-for-one.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Cowboys are “close” to a new deal with Gallup.

Gallup was expected to command a big deal on the free agent market before he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in a Jan. 2 game against the Cardinals. He did not have surgery until Feb. 10, so his return for the start of the season is in doubt.

The 2018 third-round choice has 193 career receptions for 2,902 yards and 15 touchdowns in 55 games.

PFT

 

The Chiefs are working on extending the contract of receiver Tyreek Hill.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Chiefs and Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have exchanged proposals this week. It is unclear if the sides are close to a third contract for Hill.


Hill, who turned 28 this week, is scheduled to enter the final year of a three-year extension he signed in 2019. He is set to make $1.035 million in base salary and count $20.685 million against the cap, the fourth-highest cap number currently on the books at his position for 2022. (The Cowboys are expected to trade or cut Amari Cooper and his $22 million cap number before March 20.)

Rapoport notes that Hill’s previous extension was structured to make Hill earn his money after his off-field incidents. The new extension is expected to be more conventional.

A new deal likely lowers Hill’s cap number for 2022 while rewarding him with a pay raise, a win-win for both sides.

Hill has proved his worth, earning Pro Bowl honors all six of his seasons and All-Pro three times.

PFT

 

With two days to go, no franchise tags yet



Last year, 10 of the NFL’s 32 teams applied the franchise tag to block players from becoming free agents.

And, yes, before we go any farther, let’s pause to review what the franchise tag really is. Despite the implication that the player is a “franchise player” and that there’s some sort of honor that flows from the title, it’s an affront to the player. An insult. A deliberate delay in his opportunity to realize the financial reward he has earned — and an effort to minimize the total value of the long-term deal he eventually accepts from his current team. (For more hard truths about the manner in which the system sticks it to players, and in furtherance of my own efforts to make a little walking-around money, order Playmakers. Please. Thank you.)

This year, no tags have been applied, 12 days into the period for doing so. Teams have two days until the window closes.

The fact that no tags have been applied so far underscores a point we’ve made in the past. There’s no reason to have two weeks to apply the tag. All that’s needed is one day. From 8:00 a.m. ET until 4:00 p.m. ET on one specific day, the tag can be applied.

Some teams in the recent past have dropped the tag before heading to the Scouting Combine, either to get the matter handled without procrastination (and risk of a screw-up) or to put teams inclined to tamper with those players during the Combine gathering on notice to back off.

It’s not as if no tags will be applied this year. While there may not be 10 of them, there will be some. The Bengals reportedly plan to tag safety Jessie Bates. The Chiefs likely will use it on tackle Orlando Brown Jr. The Browns reportedly are considering the use of the tag on tight end David Njoku. Packers receiver Davante Adams seems destined to be tagged. Titan linebacker Harold Landry could be tagged, too.

No team is currently facing the dilemma of having two players rocketing toward free agency, creating an urgency to sign one and tag the other. Thus, as to the players who may be tagged, here’s some get-your-money’s-worth free advice. Force the team to tag you. It’s always better to be tagged once because the next tag, whenever it’s applied, sets the stage for the cost-prohibitive third tag and, as a result, unrestricted and unfettered free agency.

Four years ago, Packers receiver Davante Adams agreed to a four-year deal after the regular season ended, in a rare year that didn’t result in a postseason appearance. He should have waited, at least for the tag decision to be made. If the Packers had tagged him then, he’d be getting his second tag now. And he’d be guaranteed to become a free agent in 2023.

Thus, while it’s a bad thing to have the franchise tag applied, it’s a good thing to force a team that has the tag in its back pocket to put it on the table. One of the essays in Playmakers focuses on how players can beat the tag. But it’s not a complex recipe. Force them to use it twice, because it’s very difficult to use it a third time.

PFT

 

Tyrann Mathieu is expected to hit open market



The Chiefs are using their franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown and another one of the team’s players is set to hit the open market when free agency gets underway next week.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that safety Tyrann Mathieu is not expected to sign a new deal ahead of the start of the new league year.


Mathieu and the Chiefs expressed interest in continuing their working relationship since the team’s season ended with a loss to the Bengals in the playoffs, but no deal has come together and it seems that any return would only come after Mathieu hears what other teams might have to offer.

Mathieu has spent the last three seasons in Kansas City. He has 213 tackles, 13 interceptions, three sacks, and four fumble recoveries since joining the Chiefs.

PFT

 

Chiefs franchise tag Orlando Brown



Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown has become the first player to get the franchise tag this offseason.

The Chiefs are tagging Brown today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.


If Brown chooses to sign the franchise tag, he’ll have a fully guaranteed salary of $16.5 million for the 2022 season and then he’ll hit free agency again next year. The Chiefs and Brown can also continue to negotiate a long-term contract extension, and the Chiefs also could trade Brown if there’s another team willing to both sign him to the contract he wants and send the Chiefs compensation.

NFL teams have until tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag on a player who will otherwise become an unrestricted free agent.

Other players who could get the tag include Packers receiver Davante Adams, Bengals safety Jessie Bates, Browns tight end David Njoku, Bucs receiver Chris Godwin, Chargers receiver Mike Williams, Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz, Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki and Titans edge rusher Harold Landry.

PFT

 

Doomsday defense? More like Doomscroll defense. Dan Quinn’s unit was in the headlines as the weekend came to a close, and none of it was very encouraging for Cowboys fans. DeMarcus Lawrence, the unit’s most obvious veteran leader, has been approached by the front office about taking a pay cut to help the team get below the salary cap. But balancing the books isn’t Lawrence’s job; his reported refusal could end up triggering a bunch of other moves across the roster. On the opposite end of the D-line, Randy Gregory is expected by some to stay in Dallas, though that’s far from certain. Even a role player like Tarell Basham could find himself a cap casualty despite a very modest salary. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Same goes for the offense, where experts around the league are lining up ideal fits for Amari Cooper as if he’s already gone. And other outlets are looking for guys to move in to Dalton Schultz’s locker before he’s even cleared it out. We’re using the financial ledgers to maker roster cuts based on savings, and we’re singing the praises of a multi-talented wideout who may well be taking his talents elsewhere. But there’s always the draft. So we’re shopping in Indianapolis to find the gems… and even sniffing around to see how the Cowboys could play host at next year’s combine. That’s all ahead in News and Notes.

Many Cowboys fans are hopeful that Gregory will give the Cowboys a hometown discount after the team stood by him through years’ worth of off-the-field issues. The franchise tag is an option, but the Cowboys are also reportedly considering that ploy for tight end Dalton Schultz. The tag value for keeping Gregory would be north of $16 million.

The defensive end, slated to make $19 million in base salary in 2022, reportedly refused to take a pay cut after being asked by the team. Such a rejection frequently results in a player’s release. The Cowboys are already in dire straits at the edge rusher position, with Randy Gregory and Dorance Armstrong both set to become free agents.

Basham played in all 17 contests last season and actually had the highest snap count and tackle total of all Cowboys defensive linemen. In a normal year, his modest contract wouldn’t raise many eyebrows, but this year, every penny is fair game for pinching. He could get cut, he could be an insurance policy, or he could be a starter in Dallas by the time it’s all settled.

COWBOYS WIRE

 

Listen, it could always be worse, it could be the MLB

 

Image Source is NBC Sports

Bengals are expected to apply Franchise tag to Jessie Bates III in attempt to continue to negotiate a long term deal while securing the safety for the 2022 season.

Source USA Today

 

Glad to see you back on this site ! @matthewwillson29