Arizona
Ian Rapoport (NFL Network) reports QB Kyler Murray won’t attend Arizona’s offseason program
Why It Matters: Murray’s camp doesn’t seem to have much confidence in the Cardinals leadership, but they would probably take a top-of-the-market deal to put all this behind them. If Arizona isn’t willing to do that, this holdout will certainly stretch into camp, and going into the season isn’t out of the question. Stay tuned.
Cleveland
CB Denzel Ward signed a five-year, $100.5 million extension
Why It Matters: It’s a smart move as corner, offensive tackle, and edge rusher should experience similar growth to the wide receiver market soon enough. Ward has proven himself as one of the best, and this deal should be a bargain within 2-3 years if he sustains his current level of play.
Indianapolis
The Colts signed CB Stephon Gilmore (Carolina) to a two-year deal, worth around $23 million
Why It Matters: The Colts need to match up with the high-flying passing games of the AFC, and Gilmore gives them the best outside cover corner they have had in a long time - if he’s healthy. He’ll tangle with A.J. Brown twice a year, and also probably see a lot of Brandin Cooks in the two Texans matchups. The Colts got some good football out of Xavier Rhodes when the market wasn’t very interested in him, although that was under defensive backs coach James Rowe, who is now in Chicago under former Colts defensive coordinator and now Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. The team hired long-time defensive backs coach Ron Milus to replace Rowe. Milus worked under Gus Bradley in Las Vegas last year, where Bradley was the defensive coordinator, which is his job in Indianapolis this year.
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New York Giants
GM Joe Schoen said he has taken calls about trading CB James Bradberry, but also said he could remain a Giant in 2022
Why It Matters: The new regime wants to offload Bradberry’s $22 million cap number and would probably take a mid-round pick for the still very good boundary corner. The team could then take Cincinnati corner Ahmad Gardner at #5 or #7. Gardner is a similar lengthy man cover corner who can match up with classic big “X” receivers on Sundays, but he would come at a much much cheaper cost than Bradberry.
Head coach Brian Daboll said WR Kadarius Toney has not received a playbook and is not at voluntary minicamp
Why It Matters: Since it’s voluntary, maybe it won’t matter in hindsight, but this is not the foot you wanted Toney to get off on with the new regime. He missed offseason practice time and games for various reasons, so hopefully the trend will reverse soon and Toney will get into the fold so that he can reap some of the benefits of a new, more competent offensive approach.
Pittsburgh
The Steelers claimed WR Miles Boykin (Baltimore) off of waivers
Why It Matters: Boykin never clicked in the Ravens offense, but he could win a spot on the Steelers depth chart after James Washington, Ray-Ray McCloud and Juju Smith-Schuster left in free agency. Miller is due $2.54 million, which is not guaranteed, so he’s not a sure thing to make the roster and will have to earn his spot to merit that cost.
San Francisco
WR Deebo Samuel has requested a trade
Why It Matters: It might not. The Athletic’s Connor Hughes and NFL Insider Josina Anderson have both said that the 49ers are not inclined to trade Samuel. This is another chapter in a story that started when Christian Kirk first reset the starting quality free-agent wide receiver market and then Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams reset the star #1 wide receiver market. Trade rumors have been hovering around DK Metcalf, and denied about A.J. Brown, as they are in the same situation as Samuel, due a huge payday in 2023 in free agency. As we reported before, Tory Dandy represents all three and what happens with one may soon follow with at least one other, whether it’s a trade, a new deal, or a holdout into the season (Note: Metcalf, unlike Samuel, Brown, and McLaurin, is expected to participate in the Seahawks offseason program). We might as well throw Washington's #1 receiver Terry McLaurin in there too. The Jets are probably the only team willing to pay a receiver top of the market money and give up premium picks for the right to do, and Samuel played while head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur were in San Francisco, so they would be the logical partner for the 49ers if anything happens here. Add all four wide receivers to your possible holdout list with Arizona QB Kyler Murray.
Tampa Bay
GM Jason Licht said that the re-signings of Leonard Fournette and Giovani Bernard won’t preclude taking a running back in the draft, and that they have done a lot of homework at the position.
Why It Matters: Fournette’s value this year should be intact, but it won’t be a surprise if the team drafts a running back on the second day to be the heir apparent after 2020 third-round pick Keshawn Vaughn has been largely unimpressive to date. They are also the only team along with Buffalo to have a non-zero chance of taking a back in the first round, likely Iowa State’s Breece Hall, that is if a running back goes in the first round, which seems unlikely, but not impossible.
Tennessee
Adam Schefter reports WR A.J. Brown won’t participate in the Titans offseason program
Why It Matters: This feels like the least volatile of the four looming fourth-year #1 wide receiver situations because the Titans appear to be set on keeping Brown in Nashville even at the current exploding cost of a top of the market receiver. Brown’s camp isn’t going to blink with the Titans squarely in a Super Bowl window and desperately needing Brown to be on the field if they are going to have a chance in the stacked AFC.
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