Tag: 2021 free agents

Report: Bengals, Texans pursuing former Saints OL Nick Easton

The New Orleans Saints released veteran guard/center Nick Easton as a salary cap casualty, so the Bengals and Texans are hoping to sign him.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyahgz6p2j3xp7 player_id=none image=https://saintswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The New Orleans Saints hope to reunite with offensive lineman Nick Easton, but they might be hard-pressed to bring him back. Easton was one of their first salary cap casualties earlier this offseason, with the accounting figured tied to him too steep for New Orleans to stomach. Ideally, he would return at a more affordable price point.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals are angling to bring Easton in for facilities visits soon, which was confirmed by the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, who added that other teams are also in pursuit of the 45-game NFL veteran.

Easton started nine games for the Saints in 2020, refusing to cede the right guard spot to rookie draft pick Cesar Ruiz; however, a series of concussions forced him out of the lineup and ultimately ended his season on injured reserve. But it appears Easton is interested in continuing to play, and he has quite a market to consider. He’s started at both guard and center in the past, so teams value his combination of skills set and experience.

We’ll see if the Saints can ultimately bring him back. Because Easton’s contract was terminated, he would not qualify for a 2022 compensatory draft pick should he sign with a new team.

[listicle id=44002]

Grading CB Mike Hilton’s deal with the Bengals: A-

The addition of Mike Hilton to Cincinnati’s secondary is a great value-add, though it doesn’t solve all of the Bengals’ coverage issues.

The Bengals already agreed to terms on Tuesday with former Cowboys cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to a three-year, $21,750 million deal with $7.5 million guaranteed, and they’ve now added ex-Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton to their secondary. Hilton gets $24 million over four years, and while these moves won’t ease the pain if the Bengals aren’t able to retain free-agent cornerback William Jackson III, Hilton comes in as a more than credible slot defender. In 2020, he allowed 23 catches from the slot on 35 targets for 246 yards, 167 yards after the catch, one touchdown, three interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 59.9.

Without a lot of fanfare, Hilton has become a very solid overall defender  — especially in zone coverage, where he allowed just seven receptions on 11 targets for 81 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Just as crucially, all three of Hilton’s interceptions last season were on deep passes, and this pick of Deshaun Watson in Week shows Hilton’s acumen to stay with Watson through the scramble drill and break to the ball when it’s coming. Hilton (No. 28) has developed a preternatural sense of what quarterbacks are doing, and he’ll occasionally run a route better than the receiver he’s covering.

Last June, I ranked Hilton as the 11th-best slot defender in the NFL, noting that he was “aggressive to a fault at times, [and] can get gobbled up by smarter receivers running exact routes. But he also has the recovery speed to swoop in even after he’s beaten to deflect a pass and benefit his defense.” I’d say he’s cleaned up a lot of that, and I’d put him in the top five among slot defenders at this point.

An excellent blitzer with three sacks and nine total pressures in 2020, Hilton is an ideal addition for any defense playing primary sub-package schemes out of zone, especially against speed slot receivers who can be very tough to match across the field. The Bengals do fit those particular categories when they’re not experiencing scheme-related coverage busts.

Report: Browns, Vikings, Jets among teams pursuing Saints DE Trey Hendrickson

New Orleans Saints pending free agent DE Trey Hendrickson reportedly has a hot market, with the Browns, Vikings, and Jets pursuing him.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyahgz6p2j3xp7 player_id=none image=https://saintswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

https://twitter.com/JosinaAnderson/status/1371503475016732673

Trey Hendrickson is expected to enjoy a busy market as the top New Orleans Saints pending free agent, and NFL insider Josina Anderson has already reported three teams seeking his services. Anderson listed (in no specific order) the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns as three suitors interested in Hendrickson at the opening of the NFL legal tampering window.

Now, we’re in a very fluid situation. No deals can be signed until the new league year begins Wednesday afternoon. Any of these teams could drop out and others could be in play. But it’s clear that Hendrickson’s breakout 2020 season caught the attention of several big spenders.

And there’s quite a demand for accomplished pass rushers. Romeo Okwara returned to the Detroit Lions on a $39 million contract; Shaq Barrett dwarfed that in a $72 million extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hendrickson should earn comparable money after tying for second-best in the NFL last year with 13.5 sacks.

Of those three teams, the Jets have the most to offer with more than $68 million in cap space; the Browns are expected to be more discerning investors with $24 million to work with, while the Vikings only have roughly $9 million to spend. But Minnesota might have the worst need after logging just 23 sacks as a team last year — New York had 31, and Cleveland bagged 38 but wants to improve with a complimentary edge rusher to Myles Garrett. Let’s see where Hendrickson ends up.

[vertical-gallery id=43819]

Cowboys have other free-agent concerns besides Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys will have a ton of questions to answer this free-agency season. Currently, the team has 16 player set to hit the market.

The Dallas Cowboys will have a ton of questions to answer this free-agency season. Currently, the team has 17 players set to hit the unrestricted market. This is in addition to five ERFA/RFA as well. While Dak Prescott will be the center of attention, the team does have a decision to make on its other tenured players.

Todd Archer of ESPN recently broke down a list of players the Cowboys should bring back, and others who may not be worth the risk. Here is what he had to say about offensive players Joe Looney and  Blake Bell.

Joe Looney, OL: This might be their toughest call because of what Looney means in the locker room. He started 12 games at center, but Tyler Biadasz, a fourth-round draft pick in 2020, seems pegged for that job in 2021. If they can get Looney back on a similar one-year deal like last season, then they should do it. Keep him.

Blake Bell, TE: The Cowboys liked what he brought to the offense beyond 11 catches for 110 yards. He’s a solid blocker who can bring some versatility. Blake Jarwin will be back from a knee injury that cost him all but one game last season. Dalton Schultz had a breakout season in 2020. Maybe it makes some sense to run it back with the same three guys, plus rookie Sean McKeon. Keep him.

When it came to players like Andy Dalton, Noah Brown and Cameron Erving, Archer believes it’s not in the interest of either side to make a deal.

On the defensive-side of the ball, the breakdown came down to the team’s ability to take risks. Linebackers seemed to be favored more, than those within the secondary position.

Aldon Smith, LB: The Cowboys passed on a chance to trade Smith last season to the Seattle Seahawks, which made it seem like he would for sure be back in 2021. But he did not close the season as fast as he started and dealt with a knee injury for a good portion of the year. Considering his five-year layoff, he probably played too much in 2020, which wasn’t his fault. It’s a tough call that depends on price. Keep him.

Sean Lee, LB: Like Crawford, he might make the decision for the Cowboys relatively easy by retiring. Lee, 34, has thought about it the past couple of years, but late last season he sounded like somebody who wanted to give it another run. Leighton Vander Esch is coming off two straight seasons of injuries. Jaylon Smith has not lived up to expectations. Would one more year at a smaller salary make sense, especially considering Lee’s leadership value? Keep him.

Other names that fit the “keeping” category included Long-Snapper L.P. Ladouceur, LB Joe Thomas and cornerback Jourdan Lewis. Some of the major factors for the decision included: financial stability and level of production.

There is no doubt Prescott will be the center of attention this offseason, but it is worth consideration that Dallas takes a look at their other big names.

[listicle id=664654][lawrence-newsletter]

Five free agents the Falcons should avoid

The Falcons need to be active during free agency, but there are some high-profile names the team should avoid.

The Falcons need to be active during free agency, but there are some high-profile names the team should avoid. Whether it be age, injury history or level of performance, Atlanta should stay away from these five free agents.

Saints could be $79M over 2021 salary cap, per latest projections

ESPN reports that the 2021 salary cap could be set as low as $180 million, which isn’t great news for the cash-strapped New Orleans Saints.

[jwplayer F57WSh1B-ThvAeFxT]

The NFL has not set its 2021 salary cap just yet, but the latest estimate from ESPN’s Adam Schefter doesn’t bring good news for the New Orleans Saints. Schefter reported Sunday that teams will be working with a cap in the $180 to $181 million range, which is a drop from last week’s $185 million projection.

And Schefter’s ESPN colleague Field Yates reports that the Saints have about $269 million on the books for 2021, which would put them over the cap by $79 million. That’s after Drew Brees agreed to a pay cut that likely foreshadows his upcoming retirement announcement, which created $24 million in cap space for New Orleans as the first big domino to fall for their offseason.

Many, many more moves are expected. The Saints will have to restructure contracts with some of their highest-paid players while seeking pay cuts from others, but there are still unavoidable cap casualties ahead of them. And that’s all before they can start re-signing their free agents; standouts Trey Hendrickson and Marcus Williams should both receive heavy interest on the open market.

Still, being in the red by $79 million is more manageable than $101 million, which is where the Saints stood not too long ago. Any increase to the $175 million floor the NFL and players union agreed to will be helpful for them, as will the $4.1 million or so in unspent 2020 cap space New Orleans hopes to roll over into 2021. It’s going to be a busy Saints offseason, so check this space often for updates on the weeks ahead.

[listicle id=42720]

4 teams that could target Marcus Williams in free agency

New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams should be a big free agent target for teams in need of upgrades, like the Lions and Raiders.

It goes without saying at this point that the New Orleans Saints have their work cut out for them in 2021. Between questions at quarterback and their salary cap bookkeeping, it’s a lot to handle — making it tough to figure out how they can retain talented free agents like Trey Hendrickson and Marcus Williams (plus Jameis Winston), all of whom should have active markets.

Someone is going to fall through the cracks and play for another team next season. And that could be Williams, who has started four years and played at a high level in New Orleans. He’s bagged 13 career interceptions, already tying him with Mike McKenzie and Fred Thomas to rank 10th-best in franchise history. After working hard to clean up his tackling in 2020, he’s set up for a nice pay day at age 24.

And his asking-price should start at around $8 million per year, which is what Malcolm Jenkins is earning, if not higher. Williams is one of the most-accomplished free agents available this year, and he fits the ball-hawking prototype set by other top earners like Kevin Byard ($14.1 million per year) and Eddie Jackson ($14.6 million).

4 possible landing spots for Saints free agent DE Trey Hendrickson

New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson broke out at the right time, setting him up to be one of the higher-paid 2021 free agents.

Trey Hendrickson is on track to be one of the most-coveted free agents in the 2021 offseason — New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis certainly expects him to draw plenty of attention. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive end broke out in a huge way for the Saints in 2020 with 13.5 sacks, tying Aaron Donald for the second-highest total in the league. And now he gets to cash in.

But will the Saints be able to match his price? The bidding for star pass rushers typically starts at a rate of roughly $1 million per sack created, and while that stat isn’t the end-all, be-all of evaluating players, it is one of the most significant plays in the game. Sacks are drive killers, between the loss of a down and the yards that set back the offense — Sportsradar found that, in 2018, offensive drives including a sack allowed ended with a score just 23.8% of the time.

So let’s assume that Hendrickson is on his way out, even if that isn’t a sure thing just yet. Maybe the Saints can work some magic and re-sign him, or his market isn’t as open as expected. Anyway: here are four teams that need pass-rush upgrades and have the funds to pull off a big signing in 2021.

2021 free agents: Saints, Sean Payton have ‘big interest’ in Jameis Winston

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was pleased with what he saw from backup QB Jameis Winston, and hopes to re-sign the 2021 free agent.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”ItbEjph1L3-1137109-7498″]

The storyline commanding the New Orleans Saints offseason is what happens next at quarterback. Drew Brees has been reticent in sharing his thoughts on retirement, though reports suggest he’s already thrown his last pass in the NFL. When he was asked about what he expects to develop — and who to be under center — Saints coach Sean Payton spoke highly of his options during an interview on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”

“That’s easy,” Payton replied. “We had a great exposure, for one year, with Jameis Winston. We didn’t have a normal offseason, but we had enough time to see what we had with him as a player, as a leader, as an athlete. I really like what we had a chance to see.”

Payton added that Winston’s leadership traits stood out for him, which is unusual to see from a player in his first year with a new team as a free agent — much less as a backup. The smooth transition was encouraging to see, and it’s something that weighs heavily in their evaluation before approaching the next free agency cycle.

But he’s not interested in playing coy here. Payton stumped for Winston to return to New Orleans in 2021, saying: “A lot of times you want to hold your cards close to the vest, and [Winston] is a free agent. but him along with Taysom Hill, who is in the building, we’ve said it all along: we’re going to develop and coach those guys and Jameis is one of those guys we have a big interest in.”

It’s as strong an endorsement as you can expect to see from a coach about a free agent at this stage in the offseason. Brees, Hill, and practice squad holdover Trevor Siemian are the passers currently under contract for 2021, but it’s clear as day that Payton wants Winston back in the mix.

The most plausible scenario — flying in the face of mock drafts and blockbuster trade ideas — has always felt like a training camp battle between Hill and Winston to start after Brees retires to the NBC Sports broadcasting booth. A lot has to happen before that materializes, but these comments from Payton sure make that feel possible.

[vertical-gallery id=33835]

10 Free Agents for Cowboys fans to Watch in Saturday’s playoff games

10 best free agents on display in Saturday’s two divisional round matchups. several who could be targets of the Cowboys this offseason.

While the natural inclination once a fanbase’s team is eliminated from the playoffs to turn their attention to the draft. Following the draft has become far more than a cottage industry as some argue it’s more entertaining than the regular season when it comes to loving the pursuit of a championship. However, unlike other sports which wisely start with their amateur draft, the NFL holds free agency first.

That means the Dallas Cowboys and 23 other teams will now be focusing on plugging holes with veteran players available in free agency. While scouting departments spend months and months watching film of prospects, coaching staffs are finally getting a chance to dive into the fun of watching other NFL teams, which means the playoff games are breeding grounds for offseason crush developments.

Here’s a guide as to which higher-profile players who will be unrestricted free agents come March and the new league year, are playing in the two Saturday contests. We’re using Pro Football Focus’ Top 100 free agents list to compile this collection.