NFL - NEWS & NOTES

I knew he was an original investor. Didn't know how much of the pie he owned.

 

Report: J.J. Watt seriously considering Browns



The Browns were one of the first teams to show interest in signing defensive end J.J. Watt after he was released by the Texans last Friday and it appears the interest is mutual.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that Watt is “seriously considering” making his way to Cleveland to play for the Browns. Among the reasons that the Browns have caught Watt’s eye is the cap space they have to make a deal with the three-time defensive player of the year as well as a roster he thinks can compete for a Super Bowl.

Serving as a preferred destination for a free agent because of your playoff outlook isn’t something the Browns have much experience with, but Watt’s interest shows how much their success under first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski last season was noticed around the league.

There’s no word on a timeline for Watt to make a decision or if there are talks with the Browns about contract parameters going on at this point.

The Steelers, Titans, Bills, and Packers have also been named as teams with interest in Watt. Their level of interest isn’t clear, but Cabot’s report could lead one or more of them to step up their pursuit if they don’t want to see him playing on the same defensive front as Myles Garrett.

NBC

 

Dolphins signing Jason Sanders to five-year, $22 million extension



Not that it was ever in question, but the Dolphins are keeping kicker Jason Sanders around for a while.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Miami is signing Sanders to a five-year, $22 million contract extension to tie him to the club through 2026. The deal reportedly includes $10 million in guarantees.

Sanders just completed his third season out of New Mexico, making him one of the first members of the 2018 draft class to receive an extension. Miami selected him with the 229th overall pick in the seventh round.

Sanders was one of the most accurate kickers in 2020, missing only three of his 39 attempts. He hit 12-of-14 attempts from 40-49 yards and 8-of-9 kicks from at least 50 yards. He nailed all 36 of his extra points and sent 70.3 percent of his kickoffs for touchbacks.

Overall, he’s sent 86.5 percent of his field goals and 98 percent of his era points through the uprights.

NBC

 

well, If it's really about money, then the Steelers are out...

 

lol

 

That was funny

 

Report: J.J. Watt, Bills have mutual interest



A report last week listed the Bills among the teams that had contacted the representation for free agent defensive end J.J. Watt.

Kimberley Martin of ESPN reports that the interest is “definitely mutual.”

The Bills, having reached the AFC Championship Game this past season, definitely qualify as a contender, which reportedly is a consideration for Watt. He never got beyond the divisional round during his career in Houston.

The Texans cut Watt on Friday, making him an immediate free agent. He since has called free agency “wild.”

Watt reportedly is “seriously considering” the Browns, and Titans General Manager Jon Robinson confirmed Tuesday his team has had contact with Watt.

Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert called any interest in Watt “just speculation at this point.” The Packers are another team linked to Watt.

But it remains unclear what kind of commitment any team is willing to make to Watt without knowing the salary cap for 2021.

Watt, who turns 32 next month, made 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, 17 quarterback hits, seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception in 2020. He hasn’t reached double-digit sacks since 2018, when he recorded 16.

Watt has 101 sacks in his career.

NBC

 

I find it absolutely hilarious that every asshat "sports journalist" on the planet has published a "report" that an NFL team wants to (or is close to) signing J.J.Watt.

From where I'm sitting . . . the only team without a chance in hell of signing him is Houston.

 

Any team in a rebuild is likely out too.

 

NFL, NFLPA agree to increase salary cap to at least $180 million



Last year, as part of the negotiations that allowed pro football to proceed in a pandemic, the NFL and NFL Players Association agreed that the 2021 salary cap would be no lower than $175 million. They have now agreed it will be a little higher than that.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the league has advised all teams that the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to bump the minimum salary cap per team to $180 million.

“This is not the final Salary Cap for the 2021 League year, which will be set following review of final 2020 revenue figures and other audit and accounting adjustments,” the memo explains. “This agreement simply increases the minimum 2021 Salary Cap by $5 million per club, from $175 million to $180 million.”

The memo provides no indication as to when the salary cap will be set. The uncertainty makes it hard for teams to create budgets, negotiate contracts, and target potential free agents.

Some around the league expect the final number to be $180 million. The increase of the minimum to $180 million could now make that higher.

NBC

 

I knew it'd essentially be for nothing. No one even coming back apparently. No leverage whatsoever and cap hell.

 

The only way Wentz doesn’t get the first rd pick is if he gets injured or sucks ass. But with the Colts oline he won’t be under pressure before he secures the ball in his hand.

 

Good deal for the Colts, especially if they pick up where they left off and even improve. Wentz ought to be very well pleased.

The Eagles basically gave him away... which is surprising a little to me, but teams wernt lined up kicking the door down or making 1st round pick offers, so the Eagles just took what they could, which wasnt very much.

Looks like the Eagles just flat out wanted him gone. And Wentz flat out wanted to be gone.

 

Another thing is that contract situation. The Eagles found a team in the Colts willing to pay Wentz big bucks to the tune of about $40M gauranteed.

 

Bruce Arians hopes Buccaneers can keep most of their free agents: 'I think our guys really want to stay'

After winning Super Bowl LV, the next task for Tampa Bay Buccaneers brass is to retain much of the talent that helped lift a Lombardi Trophy to make a run at a repeat.

Chris Godwin, Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David, Rob Gronkowski, Ndamukong Suh and Leonard Fournette are just some of the big-name Bucs slated to hit free agency in a month.

Speaking on 95.3 WDAE Radio on Thursday ahead of Friday's Arians Family Foundation event, "Happy Hour Cocktails with The Arians," coach Bruce Arians said he hopes that the allure of potentially winning another championship can pull most of those free agents back to Tampa.

"If it's close, I think our guys really want to stay," Arians said, via Greg Auman of The Athletic.

The Bucs are in solid shape salary cap-wise compared to much of the league. The NFL just raised the cap floor to $180 million, which could help some veterans find money on the open market.

Arians believes that if the Bucs can make competitive offers, they'll keep many of their free agents.

"It's usually the money ... if it's close, I think our guys really want to stay," he said. "They know they have something special. I don't think any of them want to leave. I don't get involved in the dollars. I just let them know we want them back."

For players like Suh and Gronk, the question is whether the allure of another Lombardi run with Tom Brady will trump dollars other teams might toss their way.

"I don't think it'll trump it much," Arians said. "Hopefully, we can keep them within the framework of the team. I know they both want to be back."

Brady's presence should have veterans seeking to chase a ring want to join the Bucs. Likewise, TB12 could help keep a number of players who helped win the Super Bowl in Tampa.

Godwin sits as potentially the top receiver slated to be a free agent. The Bucs won't let the wideout leave the building. It might take franchise-tagging the 24-year-old (estimated around $16 million) to ensure he's around for another year, but of all Tampa's free agents, Godwin seems like the least likely to hit the open market.

The Bucs are already paying Mike Evans $12.25 million in base salary in 2021. There will be a lot of money tied up at the position in Tampa, but Arians believes the talent is worth the price.

"He loves it here," Arians said of Godwin. "It's hard to leave and go to another system just for money. But it's not bad paying two No. 1 receivers, that's for sure, when they're as good as our two No. 1s."

NFL.com

 

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert: Pittsburgh's run game wasn't 'good enough' in 2020

The focus of Pittsburgh Steelers GM Kevin Colbert's message to the media Wednesday was rightfully on his tepid comments regarding signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger. Quarterback wasn't the only position with question marks Colbert touched on, however.

The Steelers general manager noted that regardless of who the quarterback is in 2021, Pittsburgh must get more out of its running game.

"I will look at it from the personnel standpoint," Colbert said of the run game, per the team's official transcript. "And the group of guys we had last year -- the offensive line, the running backs, the wide receivers, the quarterbacks -- it did not produce a good running game. I think schematically, that's up for the coaches and up to coach (Mike) Tomlin to figure that. And my input would be if we need to do certain things schematically, these are the types of players that may be available to help us achieve that."

The Steelers' top four running backs combined for 1,230 rushing yards for the 2020 season. Their lead back, James Conner, compiled 721 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.3 yards per carry, with six TDs. Conner averaged just 2.87 yards after contact for the season, per Pro Football Focus, and lacked lateral explosiveness. With the 25-year-old set to hit free agency, the Steelers' running back room is likely in for a massive overhaul.

Colbert noted that getting more out of the running game needs to be a group improvement, not just about adding different RBs to the equation.

"Again, it is a collective effort," he said. "You can't say the runners weren't good enough, or the quarterbacks weren't good enough, or the line wasn't good enough. To put out the kind of running game we did, no one was good enough. And again, that is a collective effort. We need to be better, quite honestly, just in reference to what Mike (Tomlin) was talking about; we need to finish. And I think having a strong running game helps teams finish in that time of year."

Injuries and inefficient play along the offensive line helped lead to the struggling run game in Pittsburgh. The Steelers ranked 31st in run blocking according to PFF grades in 2020. With center Maurkice Pouncey retiring, tackle Alejandro Villanueva, guard Matt Feiler and tackle Zach Banner (also coming off injury) all hitting free agency, Pittsburgh's once-sturdy O-line could be also in for a significant makeover.


"As you mentioned, Al [Villanueva] is a free agent, Matt Feiler is a free agent, Maurkice has retired, Zach Banner is coming off an ACL, so it is an uncertain group that we have upfront," Colbert said when asked if rebuilding the line was a priority. "Again, I don't know where the free agency part will go for both Matt and Al. We know Maurkice won't be back with us. How that comes together, it will be ongoing. The draft itself, it is stronger at the tackle position than it is at the interior. Center and guard, traditionally, is not a very strong group. In any draft, the tackles are unusually deep this year. I think we can add players through the draft. Hopefully, we will be able to do some type of business in free agency. And we are always going to look at our own players first."

In an offseason destined to be defined by a salary-cap crunch, the Steelers have a bevy of high-level questions to answer throughout their roster, not just when it comes to the quarterback.

NFL.com

 

I can easily play devils advocate here.
If you’re comparing it strictly to the Stafford deal it looks like a bargain. But the consensus is the Rams overpaid there. So that isn’t a fair comparison.

And without age in the equation I think it’s fair to say over the last 5 years Stafford has easily been a better, and healthier QB than Wentz has.

Add to that that there is potentially a 1st round pick involved (and more), and I just can’t agree they gave him away.

They created this situation themselves and I think it could be argued they’re lucky they got as much as they did.

I think that end result comes from two shrewd GM’s both playing hardball and grinding it out over a series of calls.

 

Enter Sonny Weaver - - - Stage left.