The top NFL reporter around has college football news on Thursday afternoon and he says its a matter of when for 2020, not if.
Nobody breaks more NFL news than Adam Schefter. Whether it’s a trade, a firing or a free agent signing, its practically an upset when NFL news isn’t broken by Schefter.
Schefter also has sources outside of the NFL as he’ll dip his toes in other waters from time to time and Thursday afternoon was one of those times as the veteran reporter shared what he’s hearing about college football having a season.
Speaking to people in and around college football this week, there is “strong conviction” there will be college football this season. Uncertainty about when – multiple scenarios being debated – but they sound certain there still will be college football this season.
We’ve heard various different dates. Some believe that things will go off without a hitch and college football will open up the last weekend of August as scheduled. Others think it may be until October or even later. Whatever the case it certainly seems that college football will be played in some capacity.
I don’t know about you but personally I can’t wait to be sitting in Notre Dame Stadium on a Saturday afternoon in January. I might have to buy a new pair of wool socks, though.
Yannick Ngakoue is the hottest name on the trade market currently but it appears Shad Khan would prefer to keep him over trading him.
Yannick Ngakoue wants out of Jacksonville but it remains to be seen if he’ll get his request. At this point, most of the fanbase is simply ready for the team to make a move so the organization can simply move away from the fractured relationships caused during Tom Coughlin’s tenure. However, it appears he lead man in the organization, Shad Khan, really would like to keep Ngakoue according to several insiders.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently spoke on the matter to 97.5 the Fanatic of Philadelphia. He went into details of when Ngakoue could be traded in his eyes, what the Jags may want, and emphasized that Khan would prefer to keep him.
“I still think the team; the Jaguars have to move him during the draft. You know, the week of the draft, during the draft, my guess is these are usually deals that are made often while teams are on the clock. They’re going to want back significant compensation for him. It remains to be seen how much they actually will get back. There will be people in that organization, like the owner, who will not want to move him, which means that they’ll be firmer on their price. But if they don’t trade him, then they’ve got a mess on their hands. And I believe the guy, the player, when he said that he doesn’t plan to play for them again. I believe he will continue to sit, so that’s not good for anybody.
I think that the right thing for them to do logistically is to move on from him. And so they’re gonna want a first-round pick, maybe then some for him. I don’t know whether they’ll get a first-round pick for him or not, we’ll see how it shakes out. It could be swapping draft spots; it could be swapping picks; it could be any combination of factors that get a deal done. Now, in the end I would guess that they do trade him. I think they have to. I think that’s the best thing for everybody involved. I don’t think they want that headache on their hands, and I think the owner will see that eventually.”
In terms of the compensation, it’s possible that a team may be willing to give up what the Kansas City Chiefs did for Frank Clark last year as the draft gets closer, which was their 2019 first-round selection, 2020 second rounder, and swapped thirds for 2019.
As an analyst well connected with the Jags, CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco echoed those sentiments about Khan wanting to keep Ngakoue, too, on a debate with Jason La Canfora via 105.7 The Fan of Baltimore.
“I hear the owner doesn’t want to trade him no matter what because it’s a bad look for the organization. These guys complain and then you get traded. I’m telling you, unless they get their socks knocked off on some deal [they won’t trade him], which, by the way, isn’t happening. There’s not a lot out there for those pass rushers and we saw that [during the offseason]. Look at [Jadeveon] Clowney. He’s floundering looking for money. He initially asked for $22 million.”
While he didn’t say Khan’s name specifically, NFL insider Ian Rapoport also told Jags Wire something along the lines of Prisco and Schefter, stating that he believes if the Jags had it their way they prefer to have Ngakoue play for them. While Ngakoue’s mind is seemingly made up, Rapoport also added that players have changed their minds in the past about their stance on an organization.
“He is a great asset for Jacksonville. I think if they could just do whatever they wanted, whatever it is, I think they would have him play for them this year. He is a great player. If it’s just on the tag, I think that would be OK for them.
The other thing I’ll say, and I don’t know what’s going to end up happening, if he plays on the tag this year and the experience is OK [maybe] he decides to re-sign. I’ve seen situations where players have called teams a lot of things and ended up back there. Maybe this is a little different but I would think if Jacksonville had the choice, they would have him play for them this season.”
When reflecting on the past, Khan expressed a similar message about cornerback Jalen Ramsey last season after their saga with him, however, they ended up trading him anyway. It’s worth noting that Khan probably would’ve stuck with his word but the Los Angeles Rams’ offer was just too good for the Jags to pass up.
With Ngakoue I’m sure they would do the same if they were offered two more first-round selections. However, that’s unlikely, and instead, they may get an offer closer to the one I mentioned with Clark earlier at best. That would then lead to the question of whether or not that’s good enough for Khan to come off the disgruntled pass-rusher, but only time will tell.
“They are determined to put this on while there is carnage in the streets!”
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The 2020 NFL Draft is scheduled to go on as planned – well, at least on the same date – on April 23-25. It will no longer be held in Las Vegas and it will be done mostly virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic that has brought our country and the world to a standstill.
On Tuesday we heard from president Trump who said: “We’re going to go through a very tough two weeks” coming up as things with the coronavirus worsen across the country.
Dr. Anthon Fauci said on Tuesday that we could see 100,000-240,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the coming weeks.
And the NFL is just going to go about things with its draft?
Yeah, its hard to see how something like the NFL draft is going to matter later this month, especially if things go as badly as predicted by the health experts.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter voiced his frustrations Tuesday night with the NFL and its desire to keep chugging along with business as usual despite all the horror that is happening in the world.
Schefter’s passionate rant happened during an appearance on Scott Van Pelt’s SportsCenter (if you’re reading the newsletter version of this post you can watch Schefter’s rant here):
“The draft is happening only through the sheer force and determination and lack of foresight from the NFL, frankly. They are determined to put this on while there is carnage in the streets!”
Schefter is absolutely right. What we might see over the next few weeks could change everything. If it gets as ugly as it could get, the NFL draft is not going to be any type of distraction that could lift us out of shocked state that we will be in.
I know this is all a little depressing. OK, a lot depressing. But this all seems to be heading down an even more depressing road.
And it’s not something that football can “fix” by calling out a bunch of names in late April.
So good for Schefter to voice his concerns with the NFL, a league he has covered very well for many years and has built many important relationships with during that time. And good for him to do it on ESPN, which has a TV deal with the league and has often made their reporters “stick to sports.”
This is all a lot more than sports and we’d be silly to stick to the games and the sports that aren’t going on right now.
Schefter is right – the NFL needs to sit back and take a real, hard look at what it wants to do the next few weeks.
Because draft talk right now seems entirely out of place.
Typically, ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter is upbeat and positive in doing his insider reports on all things NFL. But it seems quarantine might be getting to Schefter a little bit. Schefter showed up on ESPN and let himself go a little bit with his concerns about the NFL season starting on time.
Schefter vented bigtime about the NFL season. “OTAs, that’s not happening. The offseason program? That’s not happening. The draft is happening only through the sheer will, force and determination and lack of foresight,” Schefter said. “They are determined to put this on while there is carnage in the streets.”
Wow.
To see Schefter lose his cool like that was really something. It just illustrates just how challenging this whole situation is for everyone involved and how divided everyone connected to the NFL season can be. Clearly, Schefter isn’t banking on the season starting on time and he feels very strongly against the NFL choosing not to push the draft back.
Could Tom Brady be throwing touchdown passes to Antonio Brown next year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Pro Football Talk reported that teams who spoke with Tom Brady believe that he wants to play with Antonio Brown. The rumor mills are always at a full churn during the off-season, and with all eyes on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the first time since 2002, expect nothing less.
Brady has been open about his support for Brown, most recently responding to a tweet by the wide receiver, who seemingly was apologetic for his recent off-field antics. When Brady took to his Instagram to thank the New England Patriots organization, Brown returned the support by simply posting a goat emoji.
Wording around the deal that was pitched to Brady was he would be receiving a “God offer” allowing him input for personnel. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Brady hasn’t signed the contract due to difficult language, namely in getting a physical during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the details of the deal unknown. Schefter also said this morning that Brady has brought the LeBron James effect to the Buccaneers as a high numbers of players have called about playing for the team this season.
The Buccaneers have some areas to address before the regular season starts, and wide receiver is certainly not one of them. However, if the Buccaneers can bring in a superstar like Antonio Brown –without the drama– it’s worth taking a look. Coach Bruce Arians was on Schefter’s podcast in January 2019 and spoke about Brown, whom he coached for two seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “There’s too much miscommunication, too much…diva,” Arians said.
Failing to reach a contract agreement with the Steelers, Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders on March 10, 2019. Ultimately, Brown signed a 3-year $50 million deal with the Raiders before it all fell apart on September 7, 2019 and he was released. Subsequently, he was picked up by the Patriots on a 1-year $15 million deal, before being released when sexual assault allegations surfaced. This has left Brown with possibly the lowest market value of his career, meaning a lower offer from the Buccaneers could be a viable option.
Whether there is any merit of truth to the reports, a hypothetical wide receiving corps of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Brown catching passes from arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time will be nothing short of a pick your poison for opposing defenses.
Now that quarterback Tom Brady is Tampa bound, Adam Schefter reports a high number of players have reached out to the Bucs.
Spring break may be on the back-burner for a number of people due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it seems that Tampa Bay is suddenly becoming the hot destination for NFL players now that quarterback Tom Brady is expected to sign with the Buccaneers.
Brady, the six-time Super Bowl champion who announced his decision to leave New England earlier this week, will undergo a physical in New York today while the language in his contract gets hammered out. And, not surprisingly, now that Brady is Tampa bound, other players are hoping to follow suit, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Since word surfaced that Tom Brady is expected to land in Tampa, an unexpected high number of players have reached out to the Buccaneers to let them know they want to join the former Patriots’ QB there, per league sources.
Tampa Bay, which hasn’t been to the postseason since 2007, is suddenly looking like a formidable NFC contender. Brady brings experience and leadership with him, and with a stacked offense, the Bucs will be one of the most feared teams in the league next year.
Players who sign with the Bucs would not only get a chance to play on the same team as the greatest quarterback of all time, but they get to play in sunny Florida where there’s no state income tax.
It seems one Hall of Fame wide receiver is already on board with the idea.
The Seattle Seahawks agreed to terms with their second free agent offensive lineman in as many days, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that former Jets tackle Brandon Shell is coming to Seattle on a two-year, $11 million dollar deal.
Shell appeared in 15 games for the Jets last year, starting 11. He earned an overall grade of 63.6 from Pro Football Focus, and is expected to come in and compete right away for Seattle’s vacant right tackle position.
The 28-year-old was a fifth round pick by the Jets back in 2016 out of South Carolina University. He has made 40 starts in his NFL career, and has some experience playing guard and lining up in the tight end/sixth tackle role as well, which makes him a versatile weapon for Pete Carroll and Mike Solari to utilize in a variety of different roles next season, if need be.
However, this signing likely indicates that Germain Ifedi, who is also a free agent, won’t be back in Seattle next season.
The NFL does not plan to halt the start of free agency this week, despite the rapid spread of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus.
The NFL season officially kicks off on Monday, March 18 at 1:00 p.m. PT when teams can officially begin signing unrestricted free agents, after a two-day negotiation period.
COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus, has absolutely decimated the sports landscape over the last week, officially bringing about the cancellation or postponement of the NCAA tournament, the NBA season, all NCAA spring sports, the MLS, the XFL and the MLB in less than a week’s time.
The NFL has remained largely unchanged, although the league did prohibit draft-related travel, which shut down college Pro Days and a lot of potential visits with draft-eligible players.
However – despite the global pandemic and the draft-related travel ban, the league is planning to operate as usual this week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The decision has spawned concern and skepticism among league officials, who have a hard time believing the amount of travel and human contact that is required for free agent signings can reasonably occur while the disease is still spreading wildly.
NFL continues to say it’s business as usual and new league will start this week.
Multiple team officials express widespread skepticism that the NFL can start its league year this week, when our country is in crisis and so much – travel, visits, physicals – would have to happen.
With a few days until free agency officially kicks off, it’s worth paying close attention to the news cycle, as things could change in an instant.
As one of very few sports that hasn’t completely shut down operations – it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if free agency and/or the NFL draft are put on hold while the pandemic continues.
Seattle Seahawks tight end Greg Olsen revealed in an interview with 710 ESPN Seattle why he wanted to suit up in the blue and green.
Tight end Greg Olsen recently joined 710 ESPN Seattle to discuss why joining the Seattle Seahawks was the best choice for his NFL career at 35 years old.
“Obviously the football part was a no-brainer, we were looking for the perfect opportunity and we weren’t looking to force anything,” Olsen said. “Between the fan base and the city and obviously the sustained success they’ve had on the field and then you factor in the coach and the quarterback and there’s not a whole lot that they’re missing and that was really appealing to me.”
Olsen drew comparisons between Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Panthers signal-caller Cam Newton, the latter of whom he played with for the past nine seasons. The idea of playing with Wilson excited the veteran tight end, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter backed this up.
Greg Olsen really liked Buffalo and Washington, and strongly considered both. But the lure of playing with Russell Wilson in Seattle was just too strong. Olsen takes a 1-year, $7 million deal with the Seahawks.
“I’ve been real fortunate the last nine years to play with someone like Cam and now to be able to transition to somebody like Russ is a really unique opportunity,” Olsen said. “They share a lot of similar characteristics. Obviously Russ, his mobility and movement and his ability to keep plays alive, no play is ever dead. He’s a rare and special talent, as was Cam.”
Olsen stated that he wanted to be with a team that would provide him with the perfect situation, and the Seahawks were the best choice.
“All along, we set out and I said it’s going to take the perfect situation and what that was at the time is kind of hard to predict,” Olsen said. “I had a handful of boxes in my head I wanted to be checked and I didn’t know if that situation I had in my mind existed . . . I asked every question you could come up with and the Seattle situation from top to bottom just checked every box for me.”
The Seahawks offense has been prolific under Wilson in recent years. Olsen particularly emphasized that he wanted to be involved in this system.
“I’m excited to get into that offense and show them what I’ve done, but also, I’ve told them, I’m really open-minded to learning what they’ve done,” he said. “I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I’m eager to go in there and learn new things and learn the way they want to operate as an offense and kind of mold my game into what fits for them and I’m excited for that process to start.”
Seahawks fans will anticipate Olsen suiting up in the blue and green until the 2020 season starts in September.
The sports world has been virtually shut down thanks to COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus, but the NFL and the Seattle Seahawks are trucking on.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday the Seahawks are hosting free agent tight end Jordan Reed on a visit.
Reed would be a surprising addition considering the team’s only other signing so far was Greg Olsen, another veteran tight end.
Olsen, Dissly, and Jacob Hollister form a solid trio at the tight end position, but evidently coach Pete Carroll and company are on the hunt for more depth.
Dissly suffered a pair of season-ending injuries in each of his first two NFL seasons, and Olsen dealt with injuries in both 2017 and 2018, and just turned 35 years old, so Reed is likely being viewed as injury insurance for Seattle.
The 29-year-old hasn’t exactly been a beacon of health in his career either. He spent the entire 2019 season on injured reserve with a concussion, and missed most of the 2017 season with an injury as well.
However, he’s been very productive when healthy, racking up 329 receptions for 3,371 yards and 24 touchdowns in his six-year-career, which included a Pro Bowl appearance in 2016.
A tight end trio of Dissly, Olsen and Reed would be among the best in the NFL, assuming all three are healthy.
With six days until free agency is set to open, the Seahawks are getting a head start on their preferred targets for 2020.
