NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Steelers to pay just $5 million of Allen Robinson’s salary as part of trade

The Steelers won’t be giving up much to acquire veteran receiver Allen Robinson from the Rams — assuming the deal goes through.

According to multiple reports, Los Angeles will pay $10.25 million of Robinson’s 2023 salary with Pittsburgh taking on $5 million. The two teams will also swap seventh-round picks, with the Rams receiving No. 234 and the Steelers getting No. 251.


Jourdan Rodrigue of TheAthletic.com reports $5 million is about half of the remaining guaranteed money Robinson was owed this year. Los Angeles had already paid Robinson $5 million, so the club will pay the receiver $10.25 million to free up $5 million of cap space.

The trade is pending Robinson’s physical, which is set for Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

For the Steelers, it’s a low-cost, low-risk move that could boost a talented young group of receivers. Diontae Johnson has proven his value for Pittsburgh over the last few years and George Pickens flashed his considerable talent plenty of times as a rookie in 2022.

Robinson, who turns 30 in August, gets a fresh start on a team with an up-and-coming young QB in Kenny Pickett. He caught just 33 passes for 339 yards with three touchdowns in 10 games for Los Angeles last year.

As noted by Field Yates of ESPN, the Rams will end up paying Robinson $25.75 million in cash for that one season of production.

Robinson signed L.A. in free agency last year.

PFT

 

I like Robinson but here's the two issues. Due 14 million next year and physically, he looks more OBJ than DeAndre Hopkins. Maybe he was hurt and will be better. Great trade value wise with the picks but you're absolutely not getting a true number one receiver with the cap issues.

 

He's Calvin Austin insurance. #3 receiver with experience.

 

I get that. It's just the money and fit that seems off. It's truly a flier.

 

The five million that the Steelers are taking on is guaranteed so Robinson is pretty much on the team if he passes the physical. No way the Steelers just hand him that money and cut him. Unless he blows our minds in 2023 he won’t get the large amount of money in 2024. That season isn’t guaranteed.

 

Dak Prescott remains hopeful the Cowboys will re-sign Ezekiel Elliott

The Cowboys made Ezekiel Elliott‘s release official on March 16. Despite his public wish list of teams for whom he would like to play, the running back remains a free agent.

He isn’t likely to receive an offer until after the draft when teams reassess where they are and what their remaining needs are.

The Cowboys used the franchise tag on Tony Pollard, so he will start in 2023. They signed veteran Ronald Jones to join Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis in the running backs room.

The team, though, has kept the door ajar for Elliott’s possible return if it doesn’t draft a running back. Texas running back Bijan Robinson is a possibility for Dallas if he unexpectedly falls that far.

“I know myself, and I can tell you there’s a lot of people not only on the team but the organization that would love that,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said on The Adam Schefter podcast, via Mike Fisher of SI.com. “We understand that this is a business and the market changes and things go up and down, so it doesn’t always work out the way we see it, but hopefully, that could happen.”

Prescott and Elliott became fast friends after arriving together in the 2016 draft. Prescott said it “doesn’t still feel right” starting the offseason program without Elliott in the building.

“[He’s] been my locker room buddy for years and just a guy I’ll go to war with, and I’ll do anything for in this world,” Prescott said. “It’s tough not going to work with him now, but change is good as well, and I’ve got to embrace that and embrace what we’ve got moving forward, and I’m excited for it.”

Elliott had the Bengals, Eagles and Jets on his wish list, but those teams did not show interest.

He had career lows in carries (231), rushing yards (876), yards per attempt (3.8), touches (248) and yards from scrimmage (968) in 2022. His longest run was only 27 yards.

PFT

 

That 2024 part is the kicker that makes me think it was a good trade for Pittsburgh... they have nothing at all committed to him for 2024 at this point, and he knows he's going to have to prove himself to have ANY chance of collecting that 2024 roster bonus or of getting a solid contract next year from some other team. So from Pittsburgh's end of things, he's essentially on a one-year "prove it" deal.

 

I don’t think he’ll be on the Steelers in 2024 unless his contract changes.

 

Exactly. 2023 and done from Pittsburgh's end, for $5 million and flipping seventh rounders. The team has no long term risk at all, and if he does play well they also have the first shot at working out a new deal for 2024.

 

NFL suspends Jameson Williams and others for violating gambling policy

When it comes to its gambling policy, the NFL doesn’t mess around.

Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the league has suspended multiple players for violating the rules regarding gambling, including most notably Lions receiver Jameson Williams.


Williams is suspended for six games. Lions receiver Stanley Berryhill also received a six-game suspension.

Three other players have been suspended for at least one year, including Lions safety C.J. Moore and receiver Quintez Cephus, as well as Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney.

The reasons violations aren’t clear at this point. Previously, the NFL has imposed one-year suspensions for those who placed bets in violation of league policy.

PFT

 

Morons.

 

Apparently they gambled inside team facilities. You can't do any betting in team facilities. Such a dumb rule.

 

Team facilities, flights, buses or hotels. No betting. I get it. Beyond a slippery slope.

 

Wow WTF that's so dumb it is a slippery slope

 

Following an NFL investigation, the Detroit Lions have cut wideout Quintez Cephus as well as safety C.J. Moore for gambling on NFL games during the 2022 season.

“As a result of an NFL investigation, it came to our attention that a few of our players had violated the league’s gambling policy,” said Detroit General Manager Brad Holmes. “These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules.”

“We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately,” added Holmes.

Cephus, a 2020 fifth round draft pick in 2020 out of Wisconsin, produced limited production in his three seasons with the club making 37 receptions for 568 yards while snagging four touchdowns.

Meanwhile Moore appeared in only 11 games last year, registering just 12 tackles.

Star wide receiver Jameson Williams, who was only suspended six games by the NFL for his gambling violations, remains on the team.

SI

 

Quintez Cephus had a mighty 2 receptions in 4 games last season (starting one of them) before he went on IR with an injured foot.

Detroit had already signed at least two fringe players who were going to challenge him pretty hard for his roster spot, and if the Lions draft a receiver at any point next weekend Cephus would have been seriously hard pressed to make the team anyway.

CFL training camps start on May 14. Maybe he can still latch on to one of those teams and take the first step towards reviving his career.

 

That’s poor judgement in my opinion. Openly condemning the activity, then allowing one of the three to stay on the team. It makes a mockery of the statement. It would have been better if they said it is what it is. Their suspension made the two players dispensable, but the investment in Williams saved his ass.

When you blantantly say it goes against what the organization values are, they are saying “no one should be above those values”. Yet, under their breath they are saying “unless they have the ability to help us win games”.

 

Yup. Kind of like Big Ben vs Santonio Holmes disparity. I get the whole "never charged" diatribe but, I still shook my head on that.

 

Also blocks really well in the run game.

 

I watched some of Will Levis highlights he looks like a Josh Allen wannabe and a jacked up Capt Kirk I wonder will he run over player's in the NFL like he did in college some of his throws were very impressive he does have a strong arm can he meet the high expectations that will
be expected from him that's my question