Tag: nfl free agents

Fantasy football free agency roundup

NFL free agency will drastically help reshape the fantasy football landscape as the new league year begins.

Now that NFL free agency is upon us, here is where we’ll run through the fantasy football outlooks for trades, re-signings, midrange players, and tag recipients.

This analysis will be updated as players sign/re-sign in free agency, so be sure to check back regularly.

Signed with new team or traded

RB Mark Ingram, Houston Texans: The 31-year-old inked a one-year, $2.5 million deal in Houston to pair with fellow well-aged runner David Johnson. The duo will create a one-two punch, so long as what we saw from Baltimore making Ingram a healthy scratch late last year wasn’t foreshadowing. Some of that was due to him not playing special teams and the team wanting to get a closer look at rookie J.K. Dobbins. Presuming quarterback Deshaun Watson returns, Ingram still has a dicey outlook. The Texans’ porous defense has so many needs that it’s tough to see the offense being able to consistently run the ball if the other side cannot contain opposing offenses. Ingram needs bulk to make a mark in fantasy lineups, which rarely will be the case, unless he finds regular success around the goal line, consider the veteran merely roster depth or a handcuff to Johnson.

Re-signed/extensions

QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: There’s no surprise associated with the four-year, $160 million extension Prescott signed prior to free agency opening. He wasn’t ever going to be allowed to leave the building, as evidenced by a formality of being tagged again. As long as his ankle rehab goes according to plan, this potential No. 1 overall fantasy quarterback has the tools to pick up where he left off.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers:While it’s technically an extension, Big Ben’s deal was reworked to provide cap relief for the Steelers and keep him in a black-and-yellow uni for one last go of it. Roethlisberger will almost assuredly be without WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Pittsburgh has a new offensive coordinator in Matt Canada, but there’s still enough to like about the situation for Roethlisberger to be in the conversation of a low-tier rotational starter.

QB Cam Newton, New England Patriots: The knee-jerk reaction is to scoff at Newton getting a one-year, $14 million deal to re-sign with the Pats. A closer look should elicit a more measured response. Last year, just about everything worked against Cam finding success. He signed late (June 28), there was no offseason program, the offensive system is intricate, New England lost several key players to the opt-out, the offensive line had to shuffle talent several times, no receivers to speak of, zero tight ends of consequence, an erratic rushing attack, and Newton was returning from foot surgery prior to joining New England. Excuses, you may say … perhaps, but all of those factors are undeniable reality. Newton is finally healthy after three straight offseasons of rehabbing from surgery. Wait to see how the Patriots address wide receiver and tight end concerns, but it’s unwise to entirely dismiss a rebound by Newton.

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QB Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team: The former Panther parlayed an admirable playoff start into a two-year extension in Washington. He knows the system and the brain trust’s nucleus from his time in Carolina. Alex Smith’s release opens the door for Heinicke to compete for a starting job while having the upper hand against a newcomer who won’t be as familiar with the playbook. It’s unlikely, however, Heinicke is the season-long starter for this offense as an incoming rookie or free-agent acquisition will have that momentum on his side.

Franchise/transition tagged

WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: No one paying attention expected the Buccaneers to allow Godwin to walk into free agency. Look for a stronger showing in 2021 after an injury-pocked season a year ago derailed Godwin’s campaign from nearly the onset. He’s a legit WR2 in all settings, but his upside is capped at that position overall with the bevy of talent around him in the passing game.

WR Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears: It seemed for quite some time that Chicago wouldn’t have the cap space to tag Robinson, but he was indeed slapped with the tender of $17-plus million for 2021. While he would like a long-term deal, and the team may still yet find a way to meet his demands by July 15, there also remains a chance this could get ugly. Robinson doesn’t want to play on the tag, nor must he sign the tender. He then wouldn’t play or get paid, so there’s that, and $17.89 mill is nothing to sneeze at during an offseason in which the salary cap actually goes down. At 27, Robinson could put his John Hancock on the offer sheet and still hit free agency in 2022 young enough to get one last shot at a huge deal when teams will have more money to throw around. Long story short, he mostly is quarterback-proof, but Chicago still needs to put a better product on the field. Whether it is Nick Foles or someone else under center in 2021, A-Rob is a viable PPR WR1 with a hint of downside.

Remains unsigned

  • Quarterbacks: Alex Smith, Mitchell Trubisky, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett
  • Running backs: Aaron Jones, Chris Carson, Kenyan Drake, Todd Gurley, Duke Johnson, Tevin Coleman, James White, Matt Breida, Brian Hill, Leonard Fournette, Malcolm Brown, Jerick McKinnon, Adrian Peterson, Le’Veon Bell, Kalen Ballage, James Conner, Marlon Mack, Wayne Gallman, Jamaal Williams, Mike Davis
  • Wide receivers: A.J. Green, T.Y. Hilton, Emmanuel Sanders, Larry Fitzgerald, Golden Tate, DeSean Jackson, Adam Humphries, Sammy Watkins, Marvin Jones, John Brown, Breshad Perriman, Corey Davis, Willie Snead, John Ross, Keelan Cole, Kendrick Bourne, Will Fuller, Demarcus Robinson, Antonio Brown, Curtis Samuel, Damiere Byrd, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Nelson Agholor, Rashard Higgins, David Moore, Kenny Golladay
  • Tight ends: Hunter Henry, Rob Gronkowski, Kyle Rudolph, Jared Cook, Tyler Eifert, Gerald Everett, Jordan Reed, Jonnu Smith, Trey Burton

A trio of NFL free agents with more fantasy football upside than hype

Uncovering possible fantasy football values from 2021 free agency.

This year’s NFL free-agent class is as deep as ever, and there’s no doubt fantasy footballers will see several marquee names changing teams. In this piece, we’ll examine three unheralded players whose movement will fly under the radar in comparison to their elite counterparts.

These names are more along the lines of intriguing options than surefire fantasy targets, regardless of where they land, so we’ll revisit when all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

RB Brian Hill

The 25-year-old impending free agent is likely to leave the Atlanta Falcons in search of another opportunity, although a return to the Dirty Birds isn’t totally out of the question. He’d have an opportunity to be the guy, in theory. Hill was cut twice early in his career and said he did some soul searching as a result, which helped lead to him receiving rave reviews entering 2020, and it showed on the field.

Some of him being buried on the depth chart can be blamed on the pedigree of the players ahead of him (Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Todd Gurley) since coming back over from a brief stint the Cincinnati Bengals, but injuries and poor play still didn’t open enough opportunities for Hill to fully take over until this past season.

Hill has been efficient in his short NFL run. He had played only seven NFL games in his first two years, and he saw just 22 utilizations come his way in 2018. The sample size is small, but Hill averaged 7.8 yards per carry that year. He followed it up with three scores on 88 touches and averaged 4.1 yards per carry in 2019 behind what was a horrendous offensive line. In 2020, Hill saw his workload increase to a personal-high 100 carries and 25 receptions. He averaged 4.7 yards rushing and 8.0 receiving, so there’s something to be found here in the right system.

Speaking purely on opportunity, the best fits include the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta. Finding a team with a consistently split backfield is the more likely scenario for Hill. There could be valuable roles found in Houston, New Orleans and Carolina.

WR Kendrick Bourne

Entering his first shot at free agency, Bourne probably outplayed himself re-signing with the 49ers after posting career highs for receptions (49) and yardage (667) in 15 appearances. He scored only twice, down from five in 2019 and four the year prior, as the Niners struggled at quarterback. San Francisco has to address its secondary and other contractual situations before paying Bourne what he’s worth on the market. Both sides have interest in exploring a renewal, and Bourne has stated his goal is to play for a contender.

In San Fran, should he return, Bourne is no better than the fourth weapon on any given play. The 49ers could opt to pay him a little more than the front office desires on a one-year pact to keep continuity in the offense after injuries derailed wide receiver Deebo Samuels and tight end George Kittle’s 2020 seasons.

A better fantasy situation is Bourne sells his services — highlighted by being clutch and displaying strong work ethic — to the highest-bidding playoff contender. On such a short list, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Seattle, New Orleans and Green Bay. In the event he is lured by money or opportunity over a shot at playing late into the postseason, Detroit, Carolina, Chicago, Miami, both New York teams, and Jacksonville make ample sense for both parties.

QB Mitchell Trubisky

The former Chicago Bear was a project when he entered the NFL in 2017, and one could soundly argue his first four years in the league hindered his progress. It’s tough to find consistency with three offensive coordinators in four years.

The key for Trubisky to make a difference in fantasy football is finding the right landing spot. Not only will he need the weapons around him and line to protect him, but Trubisky has to be comfortable. He played his best football in Chicago when he had nothing to lose.

Getting all of those things to line up accordingly is going to be an issue. The best place for this to happen is with the New Orleans Saints. The only other viable options are Denver and Jacksonville, and neither is even remotely close to being the same caliber setting as New Orleans.

He’s not going to immediately turn into Peyton Manning after signing in a new city. That also doesn’t mean he should be totally written off. What is needed: more consistency. Trubisky posted 25-plus fantasy points in seven of his past 16 full contests (regular season). For comparison, Russell Wilson had nine, Kyler Murray had 10, Tom Brady posted nine, and Ryan Tannehill authored six — all were top-nine fantasy quarterbacks in 2020.

Keep tabs on his travels in free agency and remain open-minded about Trubisky’s future rather than dwell on his past.

Kyle Rudolph released by Vikings, could help solve 49ers TE depth problem

The San Francisco 49ers should kick tires on Kyle Rudolph after he was released by the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday announced the release of Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph. While the 49ers won’t have a ton of money to play with in free agency, Rudolph is the type of player they could allocate some of their resources to.

San Francisco last offseason pursued free agent TE Austin Hooper before he signed what was then the most expensive tight end contract ever with the Cleveland Browns. If they’re still in the hunt for a pass-catching TE option to pair with George Kittle, Rudolph makes a lot of sense.

At 31-years old, Rudolph’s days as a primary weapon are likely behind him. However, until last year when he caught only one, he was still an efficient touchdown scorer. The five years prior to that he averaged six touchdown catchers per season.

The former second-round pick is still a weapon in the red zone who’s crafty enough to get open, and physical enough to beat defenders on contested throws. Being able to plug him in as a pass catcher would be a significant upgrade for San Francisco over the likes of Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner who’re both primarily blocking TEs.

San Francisco shouldn’t be willing to break the bank for Rudolph, and if a team offers him starter money, the 49ers will be out of the running. On the other hand, if his market comes in at something they can afford, the 49ers should absolutely be aiming to bring in the two-time Pro Bowler.

49ers shouldn’t aim for reunion with Alex Smith

Alex Smith is leaving the Washington Football Team, but the San Francisco 49ers shouldn’t be the team to sign him.

The Washington Football Team and quarterback Alex Smith are set to part ways during the offseason according to multiple reports. An available veteran quarterback will always be tied to the 49ers this offseason, and Smith’s prior history with San Francisco makes a reunion make sense on paper. He’s not the veteran signal caller the 49ers should be seeking though.

Smith was a remarkable story last season in becoming the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, and he still has enough to help a quarterback-needy team. However, the 49ers’ needs under center don’t quite jibe with Smith is bringing to the table as he enters his 17th season in the league.

Last season Smith started six games and won five of them, completing 66.7 percent of his throws. His other numbers weren’t great – six touchdowns, eight interceptions, and 6.3 yards per attempt – but it’s easy to chalk that up to his return from injury and some rust following more than a season away from the football field while he learned how to walk again.

On the other hand, even if Smith is fully healthy, it’s worth wondering how his game will age as he enters his Age 37 season. He’s never been stellar at stretching the field vertically and his last really strong season was four years ago with Kansas City.

He’d likely present an upgrade at the backup QB position for San Francisco, which is looking for a player who can fill in and win a few games should Jimmy Garoppolo be unavailable. Smith’s price tag is probably going to stretch beyond what the 49ers are willing to pay for a backup though with a sizable free agent market and the NFL draft coming in April.

There are also teams with young quarterbacks or that are transitioning that could pay Smith with the goal of working him in as a bridge starter and a mentor for a young signal caller the way the Kansas City Chiefs did with Patrick Mahomes. The Jacksonville Jaguars and new head coach Urban Meyer, who coached Smith in college at the University of Utah, come to mind. That’s not the place the 49ers are in as they try and contend for a Super Bowl in 2021 with Garoppolo at the helm.

It would certainly be a cool story to have Smith back in the Bay Area, and acquiring an incredibly smart backup quarterback who’s calling card has been a knack for ball security is something San Francisco may like to do given how disastrous the 2020 season was from a giveaway standpoint. However, Smith’s price tag is likely to be too steep for the 49ers and his added value as an on-field coach doesn’t fit where the team sits going into this year.

If his market doesn’t develop and his price tag falls into an affordable range, there are certainly worse options among available veterans. Until then though, a reunion between the 49ers and Smith isn’t in the cards.

NFL teams can now use franchise tag but should the Ravens?

The Baltimore Ravens can officially use the franchise tag now but should they do it for either Matthew Judon or Yannick Ngakoue?

The window for using the franchise and transition tags is finally open as of today. Starting February 23 and running through March 9, NFL teams can designate a franchise or transition tag player. But that now begs the question . . . Should the Baltimore Ravens use the franchise tag this year?

While the Ravens have quite a few pending free agents this offseason, Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue are the only two that would make any sense as franchise-tag options. Both players are considered to be among the top free agents this offseason, making them attractive options for plenty of teams if they were to hit free agency. But between the cost of the franchise tag, the available options in free agency, and both players’ production in 2020, there’s reason to take a closer look at all sides before making any decision.

Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue among TD Wire’s top free agents of 2021

The Baltimore Ravens will have to work fast if they want to return Yannick Ngakoue or Matthew Judon as both are top free agents this year.

It’s the offseason in the NFL, which means it’s time to start thinking about how each team can improve ahead of next season. But before we even begin thinking about which free agents and draft prospects the Baltimore Ravens should acquire, the Ravens have to think of their own. And with an impressive list of pending free agents about to hit the open market, Baltimore has its work cut out for it in the next few weeks.

Just how impressive of a free-agent list is it for the Ravens? Well, Mark Schofield and Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire compiled their list of the 101 top free agents and Baltimore finds two of their own — defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and outside linebacker Matthew Judon — being talked about. Ngakoue appears at No. 34 on the list while Judon sits at No. 48.

While neither player had the best production in 2020, that was largely the case around the league as offenses used quick passes to get the ball out faster and beat the pass rush. For Judon, his versatility meant that he didn’t have just a standard role as a pure pass rusher. For Ngakoue, being on three separate teams over the course of the 2020 season undoubtedly had an impact on his effectiveness. But as Schofield and Farrar pointed out, both showed plenty of flashes and promise.

With limited salary-cap space, Baltimore likely has the funds to sign just one pass rusher to a long-term deal. Though Judon has been with the Ravens since they selected him in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft and Baltimore traded for Ngakoue, there are no guarantees either returns in 2021. With other pass rushers hitting free agency, the Ravens could choose to go a different route entirely. However, that hasn’t often been Baltimore’s strategy, usually aiming for continuity over big splashes.

If the Ravens do indeed want to bring Ngakoue and/or Judon back, they don’t have much time remaining. March 15 marks the legal tampering window where teams can begin talking to free agents; and as both Ngakoue and Judon are among the top free agents this offseason, they’ll receive plenty of attention.

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8 free agents 49ers could lose to Jets and Robert Saleh

The San Francisco 49ers have a slew of free agents who could follow Robert Saleh to the New York Jets.

The New York Jets find themselves in a favorable financial situation heading into an offseason where money for some teams will be a significant issue. They hold the second-most cap space in the league with $67,948,314 according to Over the Cap. With head coach Robert Saleh at the helm following his successful four-year stint as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, they’re in a position to dramatically improve their roster via free agency.

Saleh and his coaching staff that contains a number of former 49ers coaches on both sides of the ball will undoubtedly aim to establish a new culture in the Big Apple by way of adding some of San Francisco’s free agents.

Here are eight unrestricted free agents from the 49ers who could make their way to the Jets to pair up with Saleh.

Uncertain salary cap future could lead to a wild offseason

With the salary cap expected to reduce for the first time in over a decade, crazy free agency deals could be on the horizon.

While it’s still too early to tell right now, a messed-up salary cap provides the potential for this offseason to be a wild one.

With COVID-19 limiting the number of fans in the stands throughout the 2020 season, it’s expected to wreak havoc on the 2021 salary cap. After sitting at $198.2 million last year, some projections put the 2021 salary cap around $185 million — a reduction for the first time in over a decade. Because of that unexpected drop, several teams will need to make moves just to be compliant when the 2021 league year begins.

According to Over The Cap, there would be nine teams in the negative right now if the salary cap is at the $180 million floor currently set. The New Orleans Saints are at the bottom of the league, being $70 million in the red currently if the salary cap is $180 million. Even the teams who were expected to be flush with cash in 2021 are going to be hurting. The Ravens, one of the teams that were expected to be sitting pretty, are projected to have around just $17.5 million, which is a drop in the bucket of the $35.4 million they’d have if the salary cap had even remained the same from last year to this year.

The sudden and unexpected salary-cap changes could make this offseason really interesting. Teams could be incredibly cautious this offseason, refusing to sign blockbuster deals out of fear of a repeated reduction in salary cap next offseason. Teams could also go into this offseason looking to recoup some money, either in the form of pay cuts and restructures for higher-paid players or outright cutting poor performers they normally would have taken a longer-term approach with.

That means there could be a sudden surge of first- and second-tier unrestricted free agents hitting an open market that doesn’t have the money to pay them top contracts. That could leave free agents with just two choices: Either take a cheaper one-year deal to hit free agency again in a year when there could be more money, or sign a long-term deal that is backloaded and offers less security. Neither choice is ideal for the players but the scramble could be a huge boon for teams willing to go all-in for a year or two.

Teams, like Baltimore, who are already close to winning a championship could choose to take a damn-the-torpedoes approach this offseason in an effort to make a push for a ring. Free agency is expected to be chock full of aging veterans who never got a chance to earn a ring, setting up the potential for a dream-team scenario.

Guys like Allen Robinson, J.J. Watt, A.J. Green, Everson Griffen, Ryan Kerrigan, and so many more could look to make the most of this odd offseason by signing cheap one-year deals with a Super Bowl-caliber team. In many cases, these guys have already earned extremely lucrative deals in the past and could effectively exchange a lower-value cap hit in 2021 for the best chance to win a Lombardi Trophy. If a team can manage to sell several players on that idea, it’s not out of the realm of possibility the NFL will be a little top-heavy this season with a few true Super Bowl contenders.

The question the Ravens have to ask themselves now is if they want to take that risk. They’ve been to the divisional round of the playoffs each of the last two years but have seen the offense stagnate in those games as they lack the firepower to truly compete with the league’s elite. If they could manage to woo Robinson and Green on offense and possibly even Watt on the other side, it’s hard to see how Baltimore wouldn’t be the new favorites to win Super Bowl LVI.

However, if other teams have the same idea, the Ravens might be set up to do little more than window shop in free agency as they watch top free agents sign elsewhere. Given Baltimore’s typical long-term and more cautious approach to the offseason, that’s also a very real possibility. Of course, all the potential for a crazy offseason could fizzle out as teams and agents change little if they have a good feel for what the future salary cap will bring.

We’ll have to see if any teams make that type of push or if they all remain cautious. But the potential for an insane offseason is definitely there for the adventurous and if things hit the frenzy they could, it’s going to be a very fun offseason.

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Richard Sherman not holding any grudges as time with 49ers winds down

Richard Sherman is a free agent and sounds like he’s ready to leave the San Francisco 49ers.

Richard Sherman hasn’t been shy about discussing his future as he gets set to enter unrestricted free agency. During the season he laid out the reality of the situation he and the 49ers faced. He’s looking to get paid what he’s worth on the open market, and San Francisco has too many other free agents and not enough money to pay them all.

It was jarring to hear an athlete openly say during the season he was likely leaving the team, but nothing he said was wrong, and he told Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee that there are no hard feelings between himself and the team.

Sherman, wasn’t alone in ironing out his future. He said in an interview with the Bee that there were conversations with the organization that made their future plans for the CB apparent.

“It’s been made pretty clear,” Sherman said. “It was a good conversation, nothing crazy. Just a good conversation about where they are and where I am, and their plans. We were both very positive and as good as you can be in a situation like this.”

Breakups in the NFL can be messy, especially when it’s a team telling a player – and in this case a future Hall-of-Famer – they no longer need his services. The amicable impending split says a lot about Sherman as a person (and agent), and about the 49ers’ front office and the relationship they built with the cornerback since he joined the club as a free agent in 2018.

Sherman was at one point Public Enemy No. 1 for 49ers fans after his years of dominance and an important tipped pass followed by an epic bit of trash talk on national television. Any animosity that might’ve existed even when Sherman arrived in the Bay Area has subside, at least on his side.

“It was an incredible chapter in my career and I got to meet and play with some incredible human beings,” Sherman told the Bee. “I met some phenomenal coaches, and obviously the relationships that were forged will be lifetime connection and my relationship with the Faithful has obviously evolved during that time, which has been a pretty cool arc in the story. And I’m grateful for it.”

Sherman won’t officially be able to sign with another team until free agency opens on March 17. However, if there was any doubt he was out the door in Santa Clara, his conversation with the Bee appears to confirm that he and the 49ers are ready to part ways.

Candlestick Chronicles: 49ers biggest free agents and how to replace them

The San Francisco 49ers have a few key free agents they may have to replace in the 2021 offseason.

The 49ers are due to have 40-plus players hit free agency in mid-March when the new league year opens. While that inflated number jumps off the page, what matters long-term for San Francisco are the names at the top of that list.

On this episode of Candlestick Chronicles, Chris and Kyle roll through the 49ers’ five biggest free agents and how the club might go about replacing them should they leave. Given the 49ers’ salary cap situation, it’s likely they lose multiple players to larger deals on the open market. Contingency plans for each are necessary, so the guys give some names and possible plans of action based on available salary cap space.