NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Byrd visited, but so far it doesn't look like the team has signed him. Could be waiting until later when/if they have cap space, or could just be that something in the visit made one side or the other think the fit wasn't there.

Other than WR, I'm actually pretty happy with the roster moves the team has made so far. They're quietly assembling the pieces to have a halfway competent roster.

Top three positions on my wish list other than WR and QB, you say? Give me an edge rusher, a defensive tackle that can attack a gap, and an interior linebacker with coverage skills.

Former GM Thomas Dimitroff's track record was laughably bad when it came to bringing in pass rushers, either edge or interior. We really, REALLY need Terry Fontenot to get it right so that we can finally stop pouring resources down the drain over and over again and still not have a pass rush.

Most media sources would probably scream that the offensive line is a must. I'm not so sure about that. There are a lot of up-and-coming prospects all across the line. To me the more important thing is we need to stop changing the blocking scheme every two years so that we can finally make use of the players we have in any given season and stop churning the roster.

I'm also happy with Mariota at QB for the next two seasons. Now we just need some legitimate WR threats for him to target.

 

Agreed here. Shore up the defense early on in the draft and target the WR position later in the draft... I personally think its deep enough at that position (WR) to wait until a later round.

I look at the Falcons as having a room full of WR3's at the moment, but i believe that can still be addressed in a later round of the draft.

 

The rich get richer!



Linebacker Bobby Wagner will be staying in the NFC West.

Wagner has agreed to sign with the Rams after being released by the Seahawks earlier this year. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that it is a five-year, $50 million deal for Wagner. The pact reportedly can be worth up to $65 million, but the full structure of the contract is not known at this point.


The Rams were identified as a possible landing spot for Wagner shortly after his release and he visited the team last week. He also visited with the Ravens before opting to sign with the defending champs.

Wagner will step into a leading role in the Rams defense and the hope is that he’ll join Aaron Donald as a playmaker in the middle of the field. It’s not a spot where the Rams got major production on their way to the Super Bowl LVI title, so Wagner’s arrival will bring a different look to their defense as they try to double up on championships.

PFT

 

The Falcons have added veteran safety Dean Marlowe to the secondary.

Marlowe signed a one-year contract today, the Falcons announced.


Last year Marlowe played 16 games for the Lions, with nine starts. Prior to that he spent three years in Buffalo and two years in Carolina.

Although the Falcons are a rebuilding team, they haven’t hesitated to sign veteran players to one-year contracts. The 29-year-old Marlowe can provide some short-term depth on defense and special teams but probably won’t be around by the time the Falcons are in contention.

PFT

 

Safety Karl Joseph will be back with the Steelers in 2022.

The Steelers announced on Thursday that Joseph has agreed to re-sign with the team. Joseph signed to their practice squad last September and made two appearances during the regular season. He was credited with two tackles.



Joseph landed with the Steelers after a return to the Raiders ended with his release in late August. Joseph was a 2019 first-round pick by the AFC West club and spent his first four years with the team before moving on to the Browns for the 2020 season.

Joseph has 305 tackles, five interceptions, three sacks, a forced fumble, and five fumble recoveries over his entire career.

 

Might be the FA move of the off-season right there. Not even especially pricey.

I’m guessing it’s structured to pay a lot in first 2-3 years, but so the cap isn’t bad in year one.

If I had doubts about the team’s ability to repeat, this goes a long way to convincing me.

 

Dimitroff’s issue (imo) in the middle rounds with both OL and Edge was the same. He bet too much on athletic profile and not nearly enough on production. I know you have joked about those “3rd round reaches” before. You weren’t wrong at all.
——————

Good news is I think your biggest needs mesh up well with your draft slots.
Have you checked out Troy Anderson? Him, Chad Muma, or Christian Harris might all be good fits with the LB need. And your 2nd round range is great for either of the other two listed concerns.

Considering the HC’s history, I think finding a strong RB might be a bigger priority for the team than some might think. Maybe they’ll risk playing the late round/Priority free agent card there. I kind of doubt it though.

 

Report: Browns, David Njoku in active talks on contract extension



The Browns used the franchise tag on tight end David Njoku to guarantee he’d be around for the 2022 season.

Njoku may have given some Cleveland fans a scare when he posted on Twitter that he’d requested a trade. That, however, turned out to be an April Fools joke.


Instead, as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports, the Browns and Njoku’s representation are actively discussing a contract extension for the tight end. And there’s confidence a deal will be reached by the July 15 deadline.

Njoku was a Browns first-round pick in 2017. He appeared in 16 games with 11 starts last season, recording 36 catches for 475 yards with four touchdowns. Njoku was third on the team in both receptions and yards. Receiver Jarvis Landry led the club with 52 catches and 570 yards.

Njoku’s best season was his second, as he hauled in 56 passes for 639 yards with four TDs in 2018.

PFT

 

Jim Irsay: Colts looking to add exciting defensive free agent who could 'make a big difference'

The Indianapolis Colts might not be done making splash plays this offseason.

Earlier this week, in an interview with the team's official website, Colts owner Jim Irsay said general manager Chris Ballard could add a defensive playmaker.

"There could be -- it would have to be at the right price -- an addition that excites some," Irsay said, via the Indy Star. "But we'll see. Chris Ballard is looking hard at that. It has to be the right guy at the right number. One more veteran to come in and make a big difference."

After Bobby Wagner signed with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, the biggest-name defensive players are Tyrann Mathieu, Stephon Gilmore, Jadeveon Clowney, Calais Campbell, Melvin Ingram, Landon Collins, Justin Houston, Ndamukong Suh and Larry Ogunjobi.

Following the trade for Yannick Ngakoue earlier this offseason, the most glaring need on the Colts D is in the secondary. Corner is the top need, so snagging a veteran like Gilmore would be a significant improvement. The Colts have two solid safeties, but with Julian Blackmon coming off a torn Achillies, adding a do-it-all playmaker like Mathieu to the back end could be smart too.

Or this could all be hot air, and the traditionally conservative Ballard could just wait for the draft to add to his secondary.

NFL.com

 

Falcons CB Casey Hayward on narrative Atlanta is rebuilding: 'Who says we can't' contend?

The Atlanta Falcons look like a rebuilding roster with more cavities than a pothole-riddled side street following the Matt Ryan trade.

But that's not how the players in the locker room will view the situation.

Case in point: Veteran corner Casey Hayward -- who signed on to join the Falcons before the Ryan trade -- was asked Thursday in his introductory press conference about why an aging veteran might choose Atlanta over a club that might have a better chance to compete for a title. The Georgia native responded in semi-disgust over the question.

"Who says that we can't (contend)?" he said. "You just never know. Every year is a different year. You never know how these things pan out. You never know how each year guys on the team get better and things like that. This game is about opportunity. Chance. Any time you go out there and strap it on, you've got a chance to win the game no matter what people think. No matter what people think about the roster or not."

It's easy to find faults with the Falcons roster. Marcus Mariota is set to be the starting quarterback -- barring Atlanta drafting a rookie early later this month. The receiver room is barren. The pass-catching progression is currently: Kyle Pitts, Kyle Pitts, Kyle Pitts, throwaway. The backfield consists of Cordarrelle Patterson and a question mark. A porous offensive line wasn't upgraded. The defense has been an issue for years. It still doesn't have a consistent edge rusher. The linebacking corps lost its best tackler in Foye Oluokun. And the secondary lacks a playmaking safety.

The pairing of Hayward -- who can still play at 32 years old -- and rising star A.J. Terrell at the corner spots is the best part of the roster.

Despite the negativity surrounding the Falcons, Hayward knows his job is to play the best ball he's capable of.


"We're grown men, we're going out there to try to win each and every game no matter how people view the roster or not," he said. "For me, I just go out there and compete no matter if people think we can win or can't win. Our goal is to go out there and try to win every game. Not saying we will, but that's the goal. Who cares what the outside thinks about the roster and things like that. Maybe we don't win games, and maybe we do, but our goal is to win them."

It's the type of response every professional player should have.

The brutality of the sport dictates the highest levels of commitment to one's craft. If a player enters the week assuming they'll lose, a debacle will ensue. The moment a player succumbs to the belief his team is tanking or has no chance, he might as well retire then and there.

So while the roster makeup is on the front office to figure out and build, the players in the locker room are there to work, compete and ultimately prove the outside narratives wrong.

NFL.com

 

Buccaneers, Giovani Bernard agree to one-year deal



The Buccaneers are bringing back another one of their offensive contributors.

According to multiple reports, running back Giovani Bernard has agreed to a one-year deal with Tampa Bay.


Bernard missed several games due to injury in 2021, his first season with the Bucs. But he was a productive receiver out of the backfield, catching 23 passes for 123 yards with three touchdowns. He also had eight carries for 58 yards.

Long known as a dual-threat, Bernard spent his first eight seasons with the Bengals — who drafted him with the 37th overall pick in the 2013 draft.

In all, Bernard has appeared in 127 games with 30 starts. He’s recorded 3,755 yards rushing with 22 touchdowns along with 365 receptions for 2,990 yards with 14 receiving TDs.

PFT

 

Falcons to sign Damiere Byrd



Wide receiver Damiere Byrd will be joining the Falcons for the 2022 season.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that Byrd has agreed to a contract with the team. He paid the Falcons a visit earlier this week.


Byrd played every game for the Bears last season and caught 26 passes for 329 yards and a touchdown. He set career highs with 47 catches and 604 receiving yards while starting 14 games for the Patriots in 2020 and also played for the Cardinals and Panthers earlier in his career.

The Falcons now have Byrd, Frank Darby, Chad Hansen, KhaDarel Hodge, Auden Tate, Austin Trammell, and Olamide Zaccheaus at wide receiver. They are likely to continue to address that group before getting to training camp this summer.

PFT

 

Free agent running back Marlon Mack is signing with the Texans, Mark Berman of KRIV reports.

He joins Rex Burkhead, Royce Freeman, Dare Ogunbowale and Scottie Phillips in the team’s running backs room. That will give him a chance to earn more playing time than he has seen the past two seasons.



Mack, 26, visited the Texans last week.

He spent most of last season as a healthy scratch after re-signing with the Colts on a one-year deal last offseason. Mack requested a trade before the deadline, but the team chose not to deal him.

Mack played only six games and had 30 touches for 109 yards in 2021. He saw action on only 59 offensive snaps.

Mack played only 11 offensive snaps in 2020 before tearing an Achilles, so he has had little wear and tear the past two seasons.

The Colts made Mack a fourth-round choice in 2017, and he finished his five seasons in Indianapolis with 624 touches for 2,932 yards and 22 touchdowns.

PFT

 

Xavien Howard gets new five-year contract



Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard had three years left on his contract. He no longer does.

The Dolphins and Howard have ripped it up and replaced it with a new five-year contract. His agent, David Canter, announced the deal.



Via multiple reports, the deal includes $50,691,177 in new money. It pushes the amount to $90 million over five years, an average of $19 million per year. He can make another $5 million in upside.

Howard hasn’t been happy with his second contract for a while. The Dolphins had resisted making major changes to it. It’s rare for any team to tear up a second contract with three years left.

Then again, Howard’s prior deal was always team friendly. And when he became a much better player after signing it in 2019, it became obvious that a new deal was needed. Three seasons later, he got one.

PFT

 

Arthur Blank: Falcons need a long-term plan at quarterback



Matt Ryan spent 14 years as the Falcons’ franchise quarterback before they traded him last week. Now the Falcons want to find a new quarterback who can lead their franchise for that long.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said moving on from Ryan was the right call for the long-term health of the franchise.


“It has nothing to do with how much we appreciate or love Matt, which we do both. But you know, there has to be a long-term plan,” Blank said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We have to get ready for the next 14-15 years. And that’s what our fans really should expect us to do. It shouldn’t be a fire drill when we have that transition to make. So, we’re trying to prepare for that as best we can.”

Blank knows this year is going to be a tough one, but noted that the Falcons will be in excellent salary cap shape a year from now.

“Next year we should be in a position where there’ll be the biggest cap space that we’ve had since I’ve owned the team over 21 years,” Blank said. “It’ll be something north of $100 million to $110 million. So, we’ll have an opportunity to extend our own players and be more active in free agency than we were this year.”

A 15-year plan at quarterback likely means drafting the franchise quarterback. Given the state of the Falcons’ roster in 2022, they may have the first overall pick in the draft in 2023.

PFT

 

Dolphins trading DeVante Parker to Patriots



The Dolphins are sending a receiver to a division rival in a rare trade within the AFC East.

Per multiple reports, Miami is trading DeVante Parker to New England in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick.


The Dolphins will also send a 2023 fifth-round pick to the Patriots to complete the deal.

Parker was selected by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2015 draft. He became available after Miami acquired receiver Tyreek Hill from Kansas City last month.

In 10 games last season, Parker caught 40 passes for 515 yards with a pair of touchdowns. He’s gone over 1,000 yards once in his career — in 2019 when he brought in 72 passes for 1,202 yards with nine TDs.

With 93 games of experience, Parker has 338 receptions for 4,727 yards with 24 touchdowns.

Parker currently has two seasons remaining on his contract.

With this trade, Miami now has five picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 draft — two first-rounders, a second-round pick, and a pair of third-round selections.

PFT

 

Mac Jones just shit himself... a good weapon.

 

Veteran safety P.J. Williams will remain in New Orleans.

Williams and the Saints have agreed to a one-year contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The 28-year-old Williams was drafted by the Saints in the third round in 2015 and has spent his entire NFL career in New Orleans. This is the fourth consecutive year he has signed a new one-year contract to remain with the team.

Last year Williams played in 16 games with five starts.

PFT

 

Hopefully we’re getting the 2019 version of Uncle Vante

 

Eh. He’s no Hunter Henry