2020 NFL Free Agency: Saints options from the Falcons

We highlight which players could be options for the New Orleans Saints from every other team, with today highlighting the Atlanta Falcons.

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With NFL free agency nearly a month away, we are going to take a look at every team’s free agents in the days ahead. We will highlight which players could be potential options for the New Orleans Saints from every other team, with today highlighting the Atlanta Falcons. We’ll survey the Baltimore Ravens tomorrow, and the Buffalo Bills on Monday, following the list in alphabetical order. Here’s who the Saints could target from our archrivals:

  • DE Vic Beasley (UFA)
  • DT Jack Crawford (UFA)
  • P Matt Bosher (UFA)
  • DE Adrian Clayborn (UFA)
  • QB Matt Schaub (Club Option)
  • WR Justin Hardy (UFA)
  • CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (UFA)
  • SS Kemal Ishmael (UFA)
  • DT Tyeler Davison (UFA)
  • FS J.J. Wilcox (UFA)
  • DE Steven Means (UFA)
  • RB Kenjon Barner (UFA)
  • FB Kevin Smith (UFA)
  • SS John Cyprien (UFA)
  • P Ryan Allen (UFA)
  • CB Jamar Taylor (UFA)
  • TE Austin Hooper (UFA)
  • DE Ra’Shede Hageman (UFA)
  • OLB De’Vondre Campbell (UFA)
  • G John Wetzel (UFA)
  • S Sharrod Neasman (UFA)
  •  QB Matt Simms (RFA)
  • BT Michael Bennett (RFA)
  • K Younghoe Koo (RFA)
  • C Wes Schweitzer (UFA)
  • RB Brian Hill (RFA)
  • G Sean Harlow (ERFA)

Atlanta actually has 27 free agents this offseason, two more than the Arizona Cardinals we did yesterday. While there are quite a few options that the Falcons put on the marketplace, only a few will be intriguing to the Saints.

Again, New Orleans could potentially be in the market for additional depth at guard, wide receiver, linebacker, and tight end.

Vic Beasley is the most obvious option for the Saints, but the 27-year old will be highly coveted by nearly every team that needs help along the defensive line. Beasley played in all 16 games for the Falcons, and averaged 73% of the defensive snaps. The defensive end had a down year in 2019. PFF graded him out a 58.9, which could potentially affect his value on the open market. However, he could command a price that the Saints are unwilling to meet.

The only other real option that New Orleans could pursue to make an upgrade to the current squad is tight end Austin Hooper. At just 25-years old, Hooper has solidified himself as one of the best tight ends in the game. While his price tag would be incredibly high, it could be worth it for the Saints to kick the tires on. New Orleans’ offense is heavily reliant on pass catching tight ends, and Hooper represents some of the best of that in the league despite his young age.

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Should Redskins target Packers’ TE Jimmy Graham this offseason?

Some expect the Packers to move on from Jimmy Graham this offseason, and the Redskins could wind up targeting him via trade or free agency.

There are a number of potential tight ends that the Washington Redskins could choose to target in the 2020 free agency period, and one more name might be added to the list soon.

So far we have players like Hunter Henry, Greg Olsen, Austin Hooper, and Eric Ebron. Now it’s starting to look like Jimmy Graham might be up for grabs as well.

According to a report from Rotoworld Football, the Green Bay Packers are expected to move on from Graham this offseason, though he still has one year left on his contract. Graham has spent the last two years in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, but he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations he built as a young player.

Starting his career with the New Orleans Saints, Graham had 51 total touchdowns in the first five years of his career. After leaving to join the Seattle Seahawks, Graham’s production started to drop off, and he’s totaled just 22 touchdowns in the five years since.

Still, Graham is a big-bodied receiver that has proven before what he can do when given the opportunity, Should the Redskins miss out on some of the top names that we mentioned above, it’s highly possible that they could take a shot on Graham and hope that he returns to his younger form. Whether it be by trade or signing, a path exists for Graham to end up in Washington ahead of the 2020 season. Even if he doesn’t return to what he once was in New Orleans, the version we’ve seen in years past in both Seattle and Green Bay would be a great improvement over what the Redskins currently have at the TE position.

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20 candidates for NFL franchise or transition tags

Dak Prescott heads a list of 20 candidates for the NFL’s franchise and tags.

When all else failed in negotiations in past years, NFL teams had the option of using either the franchise tag or transition tag to keep a player they didn’t want walking away as a free agent. This year is a little different. In the final year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are allowed to use both the franchise and transition tags.

The tags can be designated between Feb. 25 and March 10. There are two types of franchise tags, exclusive and non-exclusive. A player with the non-exclusive franchise tag can negotiate with other teams. If an offer is received from outside, the current team has the option to match the offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. The franchise tag is calculated by the average of the top five salaries at a given position or 120 percent of the player’s salary from last year (whichever number is greater).

The transition tag is valued at an average of the top 10 salaries at the player’s position or 120 percent of his salary from the previous year. There’s one big difference between the franchise and transition tags. With the transition tag, the current team receives no compensation if it elects to not match an offer from another team.

Some players, such as New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, New England quarterback Tom Brady and Seattle defensive end Jadeveon Clowney have language in their contracts that forbids the use of franchise and transition tags.

Let’s take a look at the top candidates for franchise or transition tags in 2020:

20. James Bradberry, CB, Carolina Panthers

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

General manager Marty Hurney has told Bradberry the team wants to keep him. That makes sense because Bradberry is Carolina’s best cornerback in a division that features receivers Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. But there’s a potential problem on the horizon. Former Carolina coach Ron Rivera is now in Washington and Bradberry was one of his favorites. The best way to box out Rivera may be to franchise Bradberry.

These two tight ends should be the Patriots’ top priority in free agency

The tight end class in free agency is extremely talented.

The New England Patriots had a pass-catcher problem in 2019. And the solution seems obvious. Bill Belichick should go out a sign a big-name free agent during free agency. The obvious answer isn’t always the correct one.

Receiver A.J. Green will be available, for example. Or maybe the Patriots can look beyond the free agency market to pry Odell Beckham Jr. away from the Cleveland Browns in a trade. But those deals could prove debilitating for New England. They also hinge largely up on Tom Brady’s return — and they work off the assumption that Brady, who is set to enter free agency, is still a desirable quarterback after his rough 2019 season. Green’s contract is likely to exceed his production, considering his injury history. Unless the Patriots get him to accept an incentive-laden deal, he won’t be worth the money. He won’t take that show-me deal unless he really wants to play with Brady or for Belichick.

Beckham, while extremely talented, has pricey value on the trade market, even at what is probably his lowest point. He may not even be excited about joining the Patriots, if Brady isn’t on the team in 2020.

While the receiver position is thin, there are a handful of supremely talented tight ends hitting the market in free agency. These players are far more likely to be worth their large salaries. In particular, the Patriots should consider Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, who were two of the most productive tight ends in the NFL in 2019. Even Eric Ebron, who had a breakout season in 2018, could be a good option. Just one of the three will do.

There’s a common adage: Belichick doesn’t go after top talent, he develops it. And that adage is wrong. The Patriots coach and general manager went after Jared Cook last offseason — he was the premier free agent at the position. And Belichick hasn’t done a great job developing tight end talent in the wake of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement. In fact, Jacob Hollister put together a nice season with the Seattle Seahawks (41 catches, 349 yards, three touchdowns) after Belichick traded Hollister during the 2019 offseason. He essentially bested the production of the Patriots’ tight ends combined (36 catches, 418 yards, two touchdowns).

Belichick will spend for talent, if the talent is right (see: Stephon Gilmore). If the Patriots pursued a tight end in free agency, they could finally begin to close the gap in production after Gronkowski’s departure. New England also has some potential at the receiver position, with 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry and veteran Mohamed Sanu, who cost the Patriots a 2020 second-round pick at the trade deadline. This year might be the perfect offseason to spend big on tight end to support Brady or the team’s next quarterback.

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Free agency provides the Jags with best chance to land a starter at TE

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a variety of needs but one of their most pressing without a doubt is at tight end. It seems as though they’ve been trying to address the position for much of Dave Caldwell’s career as general manager and he’ll once …

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a variety of needs but one of their most pressing without a doubt is at tight end. It seems as though they’ve been trying to address the position for much of Dave Caldwell’s career as general manager and he’ll once again be left looking for answers at the position in 2020.

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Caldwell’s first big attempt at fixing the position came when the team signed Julius Thomas to an expensive five-year, $46 million contract in 2015. However, injuries held him back and he was eventually traded to the Miami Dolphins within two seasons.

In 2018, the team released longtime veteran Marcedes Lewis and tried to replace him with tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. That approach didn’t pan out either as he didn’t have the second year of his contract picked up.

Last offseason, the team took a different approach and used the draft to pick up a tight end by selecting Josh Oliver in the third-round. Unfortunately, just like their other attempts at the position, it didn’t pan out although the young tight end has plenty of time to blossom into a starter in the future.

Now, with an important offseason coming up, the Jags once again don’t know who their starter will be at the position in 2020. Three of their eight tight ends are set to hit free agency in April in Seth DeValve, Nick O’Leary, and Ben Koyack.

Additionally, veteran Geoff Swaim could be a cap casualty, which could leave the Jags with just Oliver, Charles Jones, James O’Shaugnessy (a favorite target of Gardner Minshew), and Matt Skol. Clearly, that means the Jags could look to add a No. 1 at the position this offseason, even with the returns of promising players like O’Shaugnessy, and Oliver. 

When looking at the Jags’ failures to find a No. 1 at the position regardless of their approach, the big question fans will have going into 2020 is whether they should look to get a No. 1 out of the draft or free agency. Upon looking at the options this offseason, it appears the answer may be to try and land a veteran as the tight end free-agent class for 2020 is set to have several stars.

Per Over the Cap, some of the marquee names who will hit the market include Indy’s Eric Ebron, Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers and Austin Hooper of the Atlanta Falcons. All three are under the age of 28 and are currently in their primes, which could make them perfect to lead the Jags’ tight end group.

If the Jags are looking for experience, Ebron could be intriguing as 2020 will mark his sixth season, giving him the edge over Hooper and Henry, who will be entering their fourth seasons. The Jags also might be intrigued by Ebron because of their familiarity with him as he’s put up some big-time numbers against them while at Indy. That was especially the case when looking at his 2018 season as he caught 66 passes for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns, all of which were career-high figures.

With Colts general manager Chris Ballard stating that the team will “probably move on” from the veteran, it appears the Jags are guaranteed to have an opportunity to sign Ebron, but of course, they’ll have to get their cap situation right. Once that happens, it’s a given they’ll start trying to add weapons for whoever the 2020 starter at quarterback is and coordinator John DeFilippo, who really needs some production at tight end for his scheme to flourish.

As for Henry and Hooper, both are young and will be coming off career years. Hooper finished the 2019 season with nearly 800 yards and six touchdowns and hasn’t had a season with less than 500 yards since his rookie year. Meanwhile, Henry will be coming off a 2019 season in which he accumulated 652 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also at least accumulated 478 yards or more since entering the league, which like Hooper, marks the kind of production the Jags haven’t had at the position for a while.

Of course, granted the age of all of the aforementioned players, none of them may come cheap and that may be a problem with defensive end Yannick Ngakoue needing a new deal. However, Caldwell and cap specialist John Idzik have been solid in making space for free-agents, so there may be a solution for them to get one big free agent and sign Ngakoue, too.

Three tight ends the Redskins should target in 2020 Free Agency

The Redskins desperately need to find someone to step up at the TE position, and it’s likely they’ll look to fill that need in free agency.

For any young quarterback, arguably the biggest asset that you can have to help him on offense is a reliable tight end that is able to get him out of a jam over the middle. If there’s anything that Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins didn’t have in his rookie season, it was a reliable tight end.

Jordan Reed was lost for the season after suffering his seventh documented concussion, and Vernon Davis also missed a lot of time due to injury. That left Haskins to rely on Jeremy Sprinkle and Hale Hentges; hardly anything to write home about for a rookie passer.

So, going into Haskins’ second year in the NFL, what’s one roster move that the Redskins could make that would greatly bolster their offense’s potential? Sign a high-profile tight end in free agency, and give their young QB a safety valve over the middle.

But who would they sign? Here are a few names to look out for.

Hunter Henry | Los Angeles Chargers | 25
CARSON, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 15: Hunter Henry #86 of the Los Angeles Chargers catches a pass while defended by free safety Harrison Smith #22 of the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter at Dignity Health Sports Park on December 15, 2019 in Carson, California. The Vikings defeated the Chargers 39-10. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Henry has been a great player for the Chargers over the last several years after he was drafted in the second round in 2016. Taking over for an aging Antonio Gates, Henry burst onto the scene with eight touchdowns in his rookie season, and he had 652 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games this season.

With 17 career touchdowns, Henry has proven that he can be a dynamic threat over the middle and down the seam, though he does have a bit of an injury history that could be cause for some concern for Washington fans. However, that injury risk could help knock down his price a bit on the open market this year, and when healthy, Henry has shown that he can be an absolute difference-maker.

Austin Hooper | Atlanta Falcons | 25
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 27: Austin Hooper #81 of the Atlanta Falcons stiff arms Marquise Blair #27 of the Seattle Seahawks in the second half of an NFL game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Hooper has been highly productive as of late, with six touchdowns and 787 yards in 15 games with the Falcons this season. On top of that, Hooper has publically said that he is yet to receive a contract offer from Atlanta this season, which means that he could very well be available on the market. That won’t come at a cheap price though, as the top TE’s in the league are signing for roughly $9-10 million per year.

For the added dimension that Hooper could bring to the Redskins’ offense, though, that number is extremely worth it. Hooper has a large body that makes him a solid blocker in both the run and pass game and his ability to go up and get the ball makes him a dynamic threat in the red zone.

Eric Ebron | Indianapolis Colts | 26
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – OCTOBER 27: Eric Ebron #85 of the Indianapolis Colts runs the ball after a catch in the game against the Denver Broncos during the third quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Ebron is a difficult player to scout, as he’s shown both an incredible ability to make plays in high-pressure situations, but also a distinct knack for disappearing down the stretch. With a very up-and-down career since being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2014, Ebron had one of the worst seasons of his career this year with the Colts, hauling in only one touchdown and 248 yards in 13 games this year. However, he put on a show in 2018, when he had 66 catches for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Colts have already said that they don’t plan on bringing Ebron back into the mix next season, so he will definitely be available on the open market this season, and his recent down year will cheapen his price tag. For whatever team is willing to take the risk, Ebron will be available.

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Should Bears pursue Falcons TE Austin Hooper in free agency?

Considering the importance of the tight end position in Matt Nagy’s offense, TE needs to be a top priority for Bears this offseason.

As far as positional needs go this offseason, tight end ranks near the top for the Chicago Bears. Considering the importance of the tight end position in Matt Nagy’s offense, this has to be a top priority for general manager Ryan Pace this offseason.

Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen underperformed and underwhelmed — and that was before both were placed on season-ending injured reserve, along with Chicago’s third tight end Ben Braunecker.

There will be several attractive tight end options in free agency, among them Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper, who has yet to be locked down to an extension by his team.

“I obviously would like to be here,” Hooper said. “I’m open to coming back here. I haven’t received an offer yet. If I do, I’d definitely like to be here. But, at the same time, it’s a business. So, I’m going to let my representation and the representation of the Falcons handle that.”

Hooper, who missed three games due to injury, had career highs with 75 catches for 787 yards and six touchdowns with Atlanta in 2019. His performance earned him a Pro Bowl alternate spot.

Before his injury, Hooper was tied for the league lead in receptions and touchdowns for tight ends. He ended up finishing the season tied for fourth in touchdowns among tight ends and sixth in receiving yards.

“It was cool leading the league for a little bit,” Hooper said. “And then I got hurt and saw all of my stuff go away, but it’s the reality of the sport. People get hurt; all I could do from there is when I was back on the field try to bounce back as best I could, and I feel like I did that.”

For comparison sake, Bears tight ends combined for 46 receptions for 416 yards and a single touchdown in 2019. This, for an offense that relies heavily on tight end production.

None of Chicago’s tight ends broke the 100-yard receiving mark. The Bears’ leading tight end was J.P. Holtz, who had seven receptions for 91 yards followed by rookie Jesper Horsted with eight receptions for 87 yards.

While Hooper expressed his desire to return to the Falcons, if he hits the open market, the Bears need to pursue him as a viable free-agent addition to the roster.

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Ranking the top 25 potential free agents for 2020

Dak Prescott, Jadeveon Clowney, Cam Newton and Jameis Winston highlight the list of impending NFL free agents for the upcoming offseason.

 

 

 

Behind Enemy Lines: What does Austin Hooper’s return mean for Falcons?

To learn more, we spoke with Matt Urben, managing editor of Falcons Wire.

The Panthers play the Falcons again this week, not long removed from a blowout 29-3 loss to Atlanta at Bank of America Stadium. Despite that dominant showing, this division rival has fallen dramatically short of expectations this season.

To learn more, we spoke with Matt Urben, managing editor of Falcons Wire.

Panthers Wire: The Falcons are 3-9 this season and just 1-5 at home. What’s going on that has them under-performing so much?

Falcons Wire: Atlanta has been disjointed all season, but the team’s biggest issue has been its inability to play a complete game. One week, it’s the
offense starting slow, while another week, it’s the defense getting
picked apart. If I had to point to one area that’s been the biggest
disappointment, though, I’d say it’s the offensive line. The Falcons
started the season with three new starters up front, two of them
rookies. Injuries to Chris Lindstrom, James Carpenter, Alex Mack and
Jamon Brown have hindered this group from building any real chemistry.
This has led to poor protection up front and a non-existent rushing
attack. The Falcons have won just 10-of-22 games at Mercedes-Benz
Stadium and have looked a step slow at home all year.

PW: Are we going to see tight end Austin Hooper back in the lineup this week? If so, how does he help Atlanta?

FW: The Falcons’ star tight end was back at practice on Wednesday and
Thursday. He should be back out there on Sunday after suffering an MCL
sprain a few weeks ago. Hooper became QB Matt Ryan’s second-favorite
weapon this season, and his absence was especially noticeable with
backups Jaeden Graham and Luke Stocker offering very little in the
receiving game. Hooper has been a consistent threat over the middle
and his consistency this season made Mohamed Sanu expendable. If he’s
back out there, the Falcons unquestionably have a better shot at
winning.

PW: Julio Jones hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 3. Are they not using him right or is there something else wrong?

FW: Julio Jones is one of the most dominant players ever between the 20s,
but this season especially, the team isn’t getting him the ball in the
red zone. It’s mostly due to a lack of protection causing Ryan to
throw the ball before the play has developed. Some of that is on
Falcons OC Dirk Koetter. who has made fans think of the glory days
when Steve Sarkisian was calling the plays. You also can’t overlook
the presence of Austin Hooper and Calvin Ridley, each of whom have six
touchdowns this season. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for the
team going forward, however.

PW: Game prediction?

FW: I think we see the same inconsistent Atlanta team we’ve seen all
season at home. The Panthers, on the other hand, are coming off of a
coaching change, which tends to wake players up. Even with Julio and
Hooper back, something is just missing from the Falcons this year.
Carolina has been the better team in 2019, and I think they give
Atlanta its sixth loss this season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday:
Falcons 20, Panthers 24.

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First glance at the top 2020 free agents

Dak Prescott and Jadeveon Clowney highlight the list of potential free agents for 2020.

At the moment, the 2020 free-agent class looks stellar. It’s loaded with current, former and potential franchise quarterbacks and one big-time wide receiver

It also has some strong pass rushers. There are a few solid offensive linemen and a smattering of talented players at other positions. There could even be some big additions that could be added to the list if their current teams decide to let them go.

Hypothetically, this could rank as the best free-agent class ever. But let’s keep in mind that much can change between now and the official opening of free agency in March.

When it comes to the very top players on the list, their current teams are going to fight like heck to keep them with new contracts. That’s especially true with the quarterbacks.

Think about this for a second – who’s the last true franchise quarterback to switch teams in free agency? I say Drew Brees, who went from the Chargers to the Saints in 2006. Even then, the circumstances were unique. Brees had a severe shoulder injury and there was uncertainty if he would be able to play again. Plus the Chargers had Philip Rivers waiting in the wings. The Saints took a gamble on Brees and it paid off hugely.

But, again, that kind of thing is rare. The list of free agents will look much different in March than it does now.

Still, it’s fun to look at who is scheduled to be available in free agency. Here’s a list of the top 25 players, who, at the moment, are supposed to be available in March and it includes a couple of guys who are likely to be added to the list (Cam Newton, for example) who are likely to be released by their current teams and join the free-agent pool.

25. Brandon Scherff, G, Washington Redskins

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Interior linemen seldom get big money in free agency. But Scherff could be the exception. He’s a dominant run blocker and those are hard to come by.