Tag: 2018 NFL Draft

Browns exercise fifth-year option on Baker Mayfield

The Cleveland Browns announced on Friday that they will exercise the fifth-year option on their franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield gained a little clarity surrounding his contract situation on Friday. The Cleveland Browns announced they exercised the fifth-year options on Mayfield and Denzel Ward.

The options cover the 2022 NFL season, allowing the organization to work on a long-term deal with their No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Mayfield, the No. 1 pick in 2018, had a breakout 2020 campaign in which he threw for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His passer rating of 95.9 was the third-best mark in franchise history. Since taking over as the full-time starter in Week 4 of the 2018 season, Mayfield has started 45 consecutive regular-season games and made both starts in the team’s 2020 playoff games. For his career, Mayfield has thrown for 11,115 yards, 75 touchdowns and 43 interceptions.

After one year in Lubbock, Texas, with the Red Raiders, Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma. Head coach Lincoln Riley help mold him into a NFL quarterback from 2015-17. He eventually won the Heisman Memorial Trophy and led the team into the College Football Playoffs for the first time during the 2015-16 college football season. They returned in the 2017-18 season with Mayfield at the helm.

This isn’t the last we will hear about Sooners and fifth-year options. Next offseason, Mayfield’s backup in Norman, Kyler Murray will be up for getting the fifth-year option call. For now, Mayfield is locked into Cleveland for two more seasons. It is quite possible he will get a new deal next offseason.

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Saints stay put, pass on falling Marcus Davenport in 2018 draft do-over

A do-over of the 2018 NFL draft from Pro Football Network had the New Orleans Saints passing on Marcus Davenport in favor of Mark Andrews.

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It is always fun going back and asking yourself “what if?” when looking at past NFL drafts. Pro Football Network’s Oliver Hodgkinson did just that. Notoriously one of the weakest draft classes in memory for the New Orleans Saints, PFN’s do-over of the 2018 NFL draft made much more sense.

According to PFN, the Saints should have drafted Oklahoma State tight end Mark Andrews, a savvy pass catcher, rather than trading up and selecting defensive end Marcus Davenport. Here is what Hodgkinson had to say about the re-draft:

“Although Marcus Davenport earned All-Rookie honors in 2018, I think it’s fair to say the Saints have yet to see a decent return on their investment. Let’s not forget, New Orleans traded up to 14 to select the former UTSA pass rusher. Considering that their biggest needs ahead of the draft were thought to be tight end and wide receiver, selecting a pass catcher at No. 27 seems much more sensible.

Originally a third-round pick for Baltimore, Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews broke Ravens records for single-season touchdowns, most receiving yards by a rookie tight end, and snagged a 74-yard catch to break the record for longest reception by a tight end.”

Because the Saints did not address tight end in this draft, they were stuck with 38-year old Ben Watson on top of the depth chart, and he finished the year with just 35 catches for 400 yards. With the selection of Andrews, it likely would have meant that Jared Cook would have never signed with New Orleans the following offseason, and the Saints could have avoided burning a late-round pick on Alize Mack, who they cut before he ever appeared in a game.

Instead, a young, reliable tight end that would have fit perfectly in with Sean Payton’s scheme is now breaking franchise records with the Baltimore Ravens. And he’s been doing it since he stepped on the field, when Andrews’ 558 receiving yards were the most-ever by a Ravens rookie tight end.

It’s easy to make these sort of criticisms in hindsight, but the Saints were widely negged for trading up to get Davenport. There’s quite a butterfly effect at play here in asking what may have happened if they’d been less aggressive on draft day: Davenport’s disappointing saga and Cook’s stint with the Saints may have never happened. Here’s hoping for a better approach to the 2021 draft.

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Notre Dame releases results from Pro Day

On Wednesday, Notre Dame was the training ground for its now-former players with NFL aspirations.

On Wednesday, Notre Dame was the training ground for its now-former players with NFL aspirations. With representatives from many teams planning their draft strategy on hand, this was the time to make an impression. The Pro Day served as something of a substitute for the usual Scouting Combine that has become so highly regarded for NFL prospects and fans. Notre Dame has released the results from Pro Day, so here they are:

With Notre Dame having as great a season as it did in 2020, it’s no surprise that there was plenty of young talent for NFL teams to scout. Some players required more of a look than others. While Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Liam Eichenberg are sure to be selected in the first or second round, many more players needed to have a good showing to improve their chances. One notable example was Ian Book looking slightly better than Baker Mayfield did shortly before he was the top pick in 2018:

Obviously, that doesn’t mean Book is going to be the first selection of the 2021 draft. However, he and others undoubtedly went higher on the big boards of many coaches and scouts during this event. Here’s hoping that works pays off next month.

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Lamar Jackson’s 5th year option will cost Ravens small fortune

With a price tag of over $23 million, QB Lamar Jackson’s 5th-year option will be pretty expensive for the Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been outstanding since taking over in the middle of the 2018 season. Unfortunately, he’s nearing the end of his rookie deal and with it, the end of his affordable salary. With the 2021 NFL salary cap finally set, we now know what Jackson’s fifth-year option will run Baltimore.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, teams will have until May 3 to exercise the fifth-year option on first-round picks. For Jackson, who was selected with the final pick in the first round, his fifth-year option will cost $23.016 million against Baltimore’s 2022 salary cap. As of right now, that would make Jackson the 18th highest-paid quarterback in the league, just behind Tom Brady.

Part of the reason for the high price tag is the expense of the position to begin with. Quarterback is the highest-paid position on the field, without question. Add to it Jackson’s single Pro Bowl nod and it boosts his fifth-year option value pretty significantly. Had he not been named to any Pro Bowls, Jackson’s fifth-year option would have run the Ravens just $18.858 million — a difference of $4.158 million.

While that’s a significant cost, it’ll likely pale in comparison to the deal Jackson eventually signs with Baltimore. Recent deals for Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and Dak Prescott have all averaged around $40 million a year, according to Over The Cap. Whether you believe Jackson is at the level of those three players or not, franchise quarterback deals tend to either reset the market or be among the very top of it regardless of their stats. And considering Jackson’s resume thus far it’s easy to see how he could command that type of contract as well.

Jackson is 30-7 throughout the regular season, guiding the Ravens to three trips to the playoffs in three years. He’s shattered records along the way, most notably Michael Vick’s single-season rushing record for quarterbacks. With a league-leading 36 touchdown passes to go with his rushing record in 2019, Jackson won the NFL’s MVP award. Even last season, a down year for Jackson respectively, he still posted the third-best touchdown percentage in the league while also picking up his first playoff win.

If the fifth-year option is a little too rich for Baltimore’s wallet, they could always ink him to a long-term contract extension before then. As noted earlier, that will carry a much larger price tag but it would also give the Ravens the ability to structure the deal in a way that could lower his 2022 cap hit if needed.

This might not be the end of Baltimore’s Super Bowl window but it definitely puts a lot more pressure on the Ravens to build a championship-caliber team around him this offseason to take advantage of his lower cap hit. If Baltimore felt it was up against the cap in previous seasons, it’s only going to get worse when they have to pay one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks his true value.

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Falcons WR Calvin Ridley is ready to sign a long-term extension

As Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley enters his fourth season in the league, the team will soon have to make a decision regarding his future.

As Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley enters his fourth season in the league, the team will soon have to make a decision regarding his future. Given Ridley’s production, the Falcons are going to do whatever it takes to keep him in Atlanta. But when is a long-term deal likely to place?

Both Ridley and tight end Hayden Hurst were selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft and Atlanta has until May 3 to decide whether or not to exercise their fifth-year options.

Ridley weighed in on the issue in response to an article shared by The Falcoholic on Twitter, saying the team might as well give him a contract extension.

This would become Terry Fontenot‘s first major contract negotiation since taking over as general manager of the Falcons. It’s in the team’s best interest to get a deal done with Ridley before the 2021 NFL draft because it would give Atlanta more options this offseason.

Also, it is important to remember the Falcons did not originally draft the third-year tight end, but acquired him via trade with the Baltimore Ravens. The Falcons could be tempted decline Hurst’s fifth-year option and let him test the market in 2022. However, this would pit Hurst in the same free agency pool as Foye Oluokun, Russell Gage and Isaiah Oliver.

If the Falcons find themselves trading down in the draft, one option could be to go after Florida tight end Kyle Pitts to save money for 2022. Pitts is undoubtedly the best tight end in the draft and proved to be nearly impossible to cover at times. The Gators play-maker has the versatility to line up at the receiver position as well.

It’s safe to say that Fontenot has some potentially franchise-defining decisions to make in the coming months.

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Falcons WR Calvin Ridley makes AP All-Pro Second Team

The Atlanta Falcons went 4-12 this season, and were left completely off the 2020 Associated Press All-Pro first team. One player, third-year wide receiver Calvin Ridley, was named to the All-Pro second team, though.

The Atlanta Falcons went 4-12 this season, and were left completely off the 2020 Associated Press All-Pro first team. One Falcons player though, third-year wide receiver Calvin Ridley, was named to the All-Pro second team on Friday.

Ridley had a breakout 2020 campaign, finishing with 90 catches for career-high 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The team’s other former All-Pro wideout, Julio Jones, missed seven games this year and finished with less than 1,000 yards for the first time in seven seasons.

In Jones’ absence, Ridley became the team’s No. 1 receiving option, but it’s likely he would have put up similar numbers even with Jones playing. The  former first-round pick out of Alabama had been a very productive player during his first two seasons in Atlanta.

This year, Ridley took his game to another level and is well-deserving of his first All-Pro accolade.

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Adam Gase: ‘I haven’t done a good enough job’ developing Sam Darnold

The Jets coached admitted he didn’t do a good job turning Sam Darnold into a franchise quarterback.

Adam Gase finally took some responsibility for Sam Darnold’s struggles.

The coach admitted Thursday that he hasn’t been able to develop Darnold over the past two seasons, but also wouldn’t take all the blame for Darnold’s lack of progression.

“I came here to help him and help him develop his career and we haven’t been able to do that. That’s why these games are so important, to help him continue to grow,” Gase said, according to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano.

“I haven’t done a good enough job.”

Gase also pinned some of Darnold’s struggles on the players around him.

“At the same time, that’s what’s frustrating about the quarterback position, you do need 10 other guys to do their job as well,” Gase continued, per Vacchiano. “When he throws one of those really good balls and it’s dropped, that’s frustrating.”

After a promising sophomore season, Darnold’s 2020 campaign could end up his worst as a pro. He’s only thrown for 1,242 yards with just three touchdowns and eight interceptions in seven games after missing four games with a shoulder injury. Darnold is on pace to finish the season with just 2,129 passing yards, five touchdowns and 14 interceptions, all career-worsts. It’s easy to see the Jets moving on from him after the season if they land a top-two pick in the 2021 draft.

Darnold has thrown for 7,131 career passing yards with 33 passing touchdowns to go along with the 36 picks in 33 starts for the Jets since he was drafted third overall in 2018. Those numbers rank near the bottom of quarterbacks who have started at least 30 starts and attempted at least 500 passes since Darnold was drafted.

The Jets hired Gase in 2019 primarily to be an offensive mentor for Darnold after the quarterback had an up-and-down rookie season. Darnold saw slight statistical improvements from Year 1 to Year 2, but a lot of fundamental issues and decision-making miscues continued to exist in his game last year. That’s been the case — and just as frequent — in Darnold’s second year with Gase even though Joe Douglas added a few weapons and a slightly-improved offensive line. The Jets offense, too, regressed with Gase running the show – dropping from 23rd in points and 29th in yards in 2018 to 31st/32nd in 2019 and 32nd/32nd in 2020.

Gase hasn’t just done a good enough job with Darnold, but with the entire offense. Now, the expectation is that the Jets will part with the coach once this potentially winless season comes to an end.

Touchdown Wire names former Texas DT Poona Ford a ‘secret superstar’

After becoming an undrafted free agent in 2018, defensive tackle Poona Ford quickly made a name for himself in Seattle.

Former Texas defensive tackle Poona Ford is a diamond in the rough. Continue reading “Touchdown Wire names former Texas DT Poona Ford a ‘secret superstar’”

Former Saints draft pick Boston Scott sustaining success with the Eagles

The New Orleans Saints gave up on their former 2018 NFL draft pick Boston Scott, a Louisiana Tech product who has caught on with the Eagles.

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The New Orleans Saints deserve serious credit for the turnaround they’ve created in drafting college talent after hiring former Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland to overhaul their scouting department, but New Orleans’ 2018 draft class is proof the Saints still aren’t infallible.

Just three of their seven draft picks are still on the team: defensive end Marcus Davenport, wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith, and backup offensive lineman Will Clapp, who has been bouncing on and off of the practice squad.

To be fair, each of the players they drafted and cut months later are still kicking around the league. Fourth-round tackle Rick Leonard is on the Cardinals practice squad, safety Natrell Jamerson was recently called up to play for the Panthers, and cornerback Kamrin Moore is hanging on with the Giants. But the biggest missed opportunity of the group remains running back Boston Scott.

Scott, a sixth-round pick out of nearby Louisiana Tech, performed well in training camp and preseason but the Saints coaches decided to cut him in favor of backups Jonathan Williams and Mike Gillislee. With Mark Ingram sidelined by a four-game PED suspensions to start the year, they reasoned that the bigger backs could fill in better next to Alvin Kamara than the 5-foot-6, 203-pound Scott.

They were wrong. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Scott off their practice squad in December 2018, and the Saints chose to not keep him around by promoting him to the active roster. 22 months later and Scott is starting games for the Eagles while Gillislee is out of the league and Williams is buried on the Lions depth chart.

Scott has proven to be a clutch player in Philly, running a dozen times for 46 rushing yards while catching 3 of his 5 targets for another 46 receiving yards and a touchdown scored in the Eagles’ narrow 22-21 win over the Giants last week. He’s already halfway there to matching his 2019 scrimmage yards total (449) with 207 total yards of offense in seven games. Scott is also fielding kicks this year with 167 return yards.

The Saints probably would have enjoyed having someone with those talents when Kamara missed time last year with injuries, and when he returned to battle through those same issues.

It isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It’s barely even a blemish, to be honest; the Saints remain very deep at running back between Kamara and 2019 free agent pickup Latavius Murray, and their special teams unit is, well, strong, to say the least (Deonte Harris won All-Pro recognition in the role last year).

But it’s still disappointing to see a player the Saints passed on finding so much success somewhere else. Especially when neither of the players they bet on instead are also not a factor on this year’s team.

So keep situations like these in mind when the Saints are on the clock in the closing rounds of next year’s draft; sure, they could find the next Marques Colston or Zach Strief with their final pick. They could also help someone else find the next Boston Scott.

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