Tag: Ereck Flowers

The head-scratchers: Free-agency moves that don’t make sense

Free agency is slowing a bit, so it is time to take stock of moves made to date. What are some decisions that have us wondering?

With free agency starting to slow down a bit, we here at Touchdown Wire are starting to take stock of the moves made so far. Some of those have us excited, as outlined recently with some players set to benefit from new situations in the year ahead.

Other moves have us puzzled.

Here are some of the head-scratchers.

George Fant, OT, New York Jets

(Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

The New York Jets needed to address their offensive line this off-season. Many writers assume the Jets are a lock to select one of the “Big Four” offensive tackles in the upcoming draft, whether Tristian Wirfs, Mekhi Becton, Andrew Thomas or Jedrick Wills, Jr. However, if they added an offensive tackle via free agency, they would be able to address another need with that 11th overall selection.

Perhaps they could address wide receiver. After all, the Jets are poised to lose Robby Anderson in free agency. In a year with several top-flight talents at that position, a player like CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy or Henry Ruggs could give Sam Darnold the type of threat in the passing game the Jets’ offense desperately needs.

There were some tackles available. Bryan Bulaga and Jack Conklin for example.

The Jets went in a different direction: George Fant from the Seattle Seahawks.

Now Fant has done some nice things for the Seahawks the past few seasons. He has played in a few different spots, for example last year he saw 264 snaps at left tackle and 215 at tight end, when Seattle used a jumbo formation. Over his career he has seen snaps at left tackle and right tackle as well.

He even does some good things on film. Take, for example, this snap against Derek Barnett in pass protection:

He can even catch passes if asked:

The main issue here is the cost, in two different terms. The Jets gave Fant a three-year, $27.3 million dollar contract.

The Los Angeles Chargers gave Bulaga a three-year, $30 million dollar contract.

Noted offensive line guru Brandon Thorn had this to say about the move:

The point is this: The Jets could have acquired a better offensive tackle than Fant for roughly the same money. Bulaga, for example, might have allowed them to address a different position with that 11th overall selection. Fant, however, likely means they still have to address offensive line with that pick. Of course, in this deep wide receiver class the Jets could get a wide receiver on Day Two that can contribute as a rookie, but will that player have an impact like one of the top WRs could with that 11th pick?

A true head-scratcher.

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What do Dolphins’ offensive additions suggest about the 2020 offense?

What do Dolphins’ offensive additions suggest about the 2020 offense?

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The Miami Dolphins have been more content to boost the personnel on the defensive side of the football to start the NFL’s legal tampering period this week. Miami has made prominent additions to both the front seven (Shaq Lawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, Kyle Van Noy) and to the secondary (Byron Jones) in the NFL’s sanctioned negotiations period. But with the NFL window formally set the open this afternoon, Miami’s commitments to the offensive side of the ball are quietly more telling.

The Dolphins have agreed to terms with OG Ereck Flowers and RB Jordan Howard thus far — which provides Dolphins fans some needed context as far as what to expect from the Miami offense under the leadership of new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey in 2020.

Both Howard and Flowers play the same brand of football — the kind that punches you in the mouth and dares you to stop them from plowing forward and resetting the line of scrimmage. Howard is at his best as a runner when he’s square to the line of scrimmage and carrying momentum through the hole. Flowers? He’s a power oriented player who will do his best work when he’s charged with driving defenders off the line of scrimmage to create gaps. It’s a bit of a departure from what Miami seemed to find some marginal success with in 2019 — inside zone concepts. But the Dolphins’ 2019 rushing attack was so broken that taking a different direction shouldn’t be an issue at all.

What this does provide? A chance to zero in on some power players up front that will continue to compliment what Miami seems to be trending towards. If you’re looking for candidates to step into the Dolphins’ starting lineup, the first question to ask would be whether or not he’s got the power to reset the line of scrimmage.

Who is Wes Schweitzer, the Redskins newest left guard?

The Redskins signed G Wes Schweitzer on Monday, putting him in a place to compete with Wes Martin to fill the hole left by Ereck Flowers.

The Washington Redskins had a relatively quiet day on Monday while several teams around the NFL were making a splash in free agency. Though they did fill a few holes on the roster by re-signing MLB Jon Bostic and reuniting with CB Kendall Fuller, there was nothing that jumped off the page at you.

However, just hours after it was announced that former Redskins left guard Ereck Flowers would be packing his bags to return home to Miami, Washington did add G Wes Schweitzer to the roster. If you don’t know what that is and are struggling to get overly excited, we don’t blame you. Let’s take a look at what we know about him.

Schweitzer is a 6-foot-5, 300-pound guard that was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 6th round of the 2016 draft. He started all 16 games for the Falcons in 2017, but was relegated to a reserve role as of late, and only played sparingly across the front line.

According to The Athletic, several people in Atlant are fond of Schweitzer and note his dedication to the game.

I checked with two sources and both mentioned Schweitzer’s intelligence. One praised his “grinder” vibe and forecasted Schweitzer as the type of player “for a new coach to point to as in ‘be like Wes in everything you do, and we will win.’”

Sounds like a great guy for Ron Rivera and his new coaching staff to lean on and trust to set a good example for the rest of the team in the midst of a changing culture. Don’t take the signing to mean that Washington now has their surefire starting left guard. Schweitzer will compete for the top spot with Wes Martin, a second-year player who showed promise at the RG position in 2019.

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Dolphins agree to terms with free agent OG Ereck Flowers

Dolphins agree to terms with free agent OG Ereck Flowers

The Miami Dolphins have struck their first agreement in the legal tampering period. It wasn’t necessarily the free agent guard that everyone expected to see the Dolphins gunning for, but Miami’s first upgrade along the offensive line has reportedly been secured. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dolphins agreed in principle with free agent guard Ereck Flowers on a three-year, $30M contract with nearly $20M in guarantees. It was one of the first reported agreements of the 2020 “legal tampering” window.

The addition makes lots of sense for Miami in that the offensive line needs infusions of talent across all positions. And Flowers, with both guard and tackle experience, enjoyed a career revival this past season in Washington. That’s the good news.

The bad news? Flowers does come with a bit of a tarnished reputation after flopping hard in New York with the Giants — after he was made an early NFL Draft selection. That stigma hasn’t been fully shaken yet, so Miami would be wise to continue to introduce competition to the group to ensure they don’t just address the guard position but rather fully invest in fixing the offensive interior.

One plus to the structure of this contract is that it isn’t presumed to be overly long or high in commitment. The Dolphins offered significant dollars to Flowers, but if his play tanks in 2020 the Dolphins should feasibly be able to part ways with him without any lingering after-effects — especially if the news breaks that the Dolphins stuffed the guarantees into the first year or two of the deal.

Stay tuned as the Dolphins target more free agents to help bolster the roster. There are rumors swirling that this team might be in the market for a cornerback sooner rather than later as well — more on that as it comes.

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With Ereck Flowers gone, it’s Wes Martin’s time to shine at left guard

Ereck Flowers is off to Miami, but the Redskins have a young and confident player in Wes Martin who will likely step up to the plate.

I think we all knew it was possible, but until it actually happened, I don’t think any of us expected it to become a reality.

No, I’m not talking about the coronavirus and it’s rapid spread across the United States; rather I’m talking about Washington Redskins left guard Ereck Flowers and his departure from the team in free agency.

Flowers agreed to terms on a 3-year, $30 million deal with the Miami Dolphins that will guarantee him over $19 million. For a former first-round pick who was labeled a bust and cast off by the New York Giants just over a year ago, that is an inspiring comeback story. You have to feel great for Flowers, who saw his career saved by a stop in Washington and a move from left tackle to left guard.

But now that Flowers is gone, what are the Redskins to do at the left guard position? They placed the franchise tag on right guard Brandon Scherff over the weekend, so that side of the line is set with Morgan Moses at RT and Chase Roullier at C. But the left side of the line is a major question mark, with LT Trent Williams’ situation always up in the air.

Enter Wes Martin, a second-year guard who showed promise in his rookie season.

Martin was drafted by the Redskins in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, and he played in nine games last year, starting in five of them. During his time starting at RG for an injured Scherff, Martin looked to be highly-competent at the position and provided a spark on the right side of the line. Now, he will likely be asked to move positions, but that shouldn’t be detrimental to a young dog capable of learning new tricks.

Would it have been nice to keep Flowers in Washington on an extension that paid him somewhere between $6-8 million per season? Of course. But the market demanded that he get some nice money from a team willing to pay him, and now he’s headed back home to Florida. As for the future in Washington, Martin will do just fine taking over at the LG spot.

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Ereck Flowers expected to sign 3-year, $30 million deal with Miami Dolphins

Flowers had a breakout year with the Redskins in 2019, and now he will get paid big money by the Miami Dolphins.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Miami Dolphins have agreed to sign former Washington Redskins left guard Ereck Flowers.

Flowers, who had a breakout year with the Redskins in 2019 after switching from left tackle to LG, will sign a deal with Miami that sees him paid approximately $10 million per season.

The Redskins were high on keeping Flowers this offseason, as he had a stellar year in 2019 and help the questionable left side of the offensive line with Trent Williams gone, but it was apparent that they could not match the price brought forth by the competitive free agency market surrounding him.

Now, the Redskins will likely be forced to move rookie right guard Wes Martin to the left side of the line and hope that he can fill the hole.

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Report: Redskins could likely lose LG Ereck Flowers in free agency

Flowers had a breakout year in 2019, and now he is likely to test the free agency market after finally having his ‘bust’ label removed.

After the franchise tag was placed on right guard Brandon Scherff over the weekend, the Washington Redskins seemed to have a solid outlook on the future of their offensive line, with only the left tackle position in question.

Now, that doesn’t quite seem to be the case. As the NFL enters the legal tampering period for free agents, and the open market gets open on Wednesday, a name that is skyrocketing up for teams around the league is Ereck Flowers, the Redskins left guard.

After being cut by the New York Giants and subsequently moved from LT to LG by the Redskins, Flowers had a breakout year in 2019 and is now set to earn a nice payday from whatever team wants him.

The Redskins have reportedly worked to get a deal done with Flowers, who is just 25-years-old, but the two sides have not come to an agreement yet, and Flowers is likely to test the FA market and see what kind of money he can make.

That doesn’t mean that the Redskins have lost him just yet; I expect Washington to continue to pursue their young LG and try to bring him back in, but Flowers has finally seen his ‘bust’ label removed, and he wants to be courted at the dance. It’s hard to blame him.

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2020 NFL Free Agency: Rounding out with Saints options from the Redskins

The New Orleans Saints will consider pending free agents from every team during the 2020 offseason, including the Washington Redskins.

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Well, we’ve reached the end of our daily series previewing pending free agents from every NFL team, identifying potential targets for the New Orleans Saints along the way. Surveying the league has been an informative journey, revealing the depth of this year’s free agency class and finding which teams may have options for the Saints — or be in competition with New Orleans in bidding wars for prized additions.

Our survey wraps up with the Washington Redskins. Here is their full list of pending free agents, with a few picked out as possible Saints targets at the bottom:

  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
  • CB Aaron Colvin
  • DE Nate Orchard
  • DE Treyvon Hester (RFA)
  • DE Chris Odom
  • DE Caleb Brantley (RFA)
  • DE Myles Humphrey (ERFA)
  • FB Michael Burton
  • LB Jon Bostic
  • OC Tony Bergstrom
  • OG Brandon Scherff
  • OG Ereck Flowers
  • OT Donald Penn
  • QB Case Keenum
  • QB Colt McCoy
  • QB Josh Woodrum (ERFA)
  • RB Chris Thompson
  • RB Wendell Smallwood
  • SS Kenny Ladler
  • TE Jordan Reed
  • TE Vernon Davis
  • TE Jerome Cunningham (RFA)
  • WR Paul Richardson

One player already familiar to the Saints is fullback Michael Burton, who spent the 2019 offseason with New Orleans before he was released during roster cuts. He signed with Washington in mid-October and appeared in 10 games, logging 68 snaps on offense and 177 on special teams. The Saints lost Zach Line, their starter the last few years, to retirement this offseason so Burton would make sense as a candidate to bring back into training camp.

While Brandon Scherff would have been one of the biggest targets in free agency, he’s likely to be franchise tagged. But keep an eye on left guard Ereck Flowers, who would make sense as veteran competition with Nick Easton and Cameron Tom in replacement of Andrus Peat. Flowers flamed out as a left tackle but has turned his career around after moving inside.

While Jordan Reed and Paul Richardson are both dynamic receiving threats, they’ve each struggled with serious injuries in recent years and may not be suited for starting jobs and prolonged exposure to contact. The Saints could make a run at either of them in hopes of quick returns to good health, but they might be better off looking for younger options who have experienced less wear and tear.

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Report: Redskins in contract talks with left guard Ereck Flowers

The Redskins are looking to keep Flowers around after he had a stellar year in 2019.

While the Trent Williams trade situation is fluid, and ongoing talks are taking place with right guard Brandon Scherff, the Washington Redskins are now reportedly engaging in a discussion with left guard Ereck Flowers, looking to sign him to an extension.

Flowers spent his first year with the Redskins in 2019, and he was highly-successful after moving from LT to LG. After being drafted with the ninth overall pick in 2015, Flowers was labeled as a bust with the New York Giants. That label was removed last year after his stellar year where he allowed just two sacks throughout his first season with the team.

Assuming that the Redskins can get a deal done with Scherff as well, the front line will be in solid shape, returning four of the previous five starts. The only question mark that would remain is at the left tackle position, and who knows what’s liable to happen there.

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5 free agent guards to replace Marshal Yanda

The Baltimore Ravens will have to replace Marshal Yanda this offseason following his pending retirement. They could find help in free agency

With guard Marshal Yanda set to retire this offseason, the Baltimore Ravens find themselves desperately needing an answer to his replacement. While the team could turn to their own roster to remedy the problem, free agency is about to begin and the Ravens could instead look for a more experienced option on the open market.

Sadly, finding an exact replacement for Yanda is likely going to prove impossible. Yanda was one of the best offensive linemen last season and has been consistently among the best throughout his entire career. After creating a Hall of Fame level resume over the years, matching that level of production and locker room presence is something very few teams have ever managed to pull off before.

But for Baltimore, there are a handful of options that make sense for them to look at. A few former first-round picks are set to hit free agency as well as a former member of their own team. While the best option might still be from within, the Ravens are likely to explore free agency for some competition at the position at least.

Here are five free-agent options Baltimore would be wise to consider this offseason.

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Brandon Scherff

If the Ravens want an immediate plug-and-play replacement for Yanda, Scherff is likely the guy they’d look to. The problem here is that the Washington Redskins really don’t want to lose their top offensive lineman and could turn to the franchise tag.

On the off chance Washington lets Scherff hit the free-agent market, he’s going to have plenty of suitors as the top guard available. That means he’s going to cost a fortune with $15 million a year a possibility on a long-term contract.

But there isn’t a better free-agent guard on the market this offseason and there’s little doubt Scherff would come in as a direct replacement to Yanda. According to Pro Football Focus, Scherff earned a 75 overall grade last season. Though it’s a good deal lower than Yanda’s 2019 grade, Scherff’s continued success proves he’d be a viable option, albeit an expensive one.

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