Tag: Sooners In NFL

A look at the details behind Mark Andrews contract extension with the Ravens

A look at some of the details of Mark Andrews’ 4-year $56 million contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens.

With week one of the NFL season a day away, this is generally the time of the year where teams start shuffling money around to create cap space for the upcoming season. Though the NFL has a hard cap, contracts are pliable. They can be reduced if mutually agreed upon by the player and organization. They can be restructured, which turns the base salary into a bonus, lower the cap hit, and spreading the difference over the remainder of the contract. Or teams will extend players that are entering the final year of their contracts.

Teams generally don’t want to bid for their own players when they get to free agency. Working out contract extensions before the final year helps them avoid the bidding war that is sure to follow when one of the best players at his position gets to free agency.

And that’s what the Baltimore Ravens were trying to avoid by signing Mark Andrews to a four-year $56 million contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2025 season.

As part of the extension per Over The Cap, Andrews received $30 million guaranteed at signing and has another $7.5 million guaranteed over the remainder of the contract if he remains on the roster.

The guaranteed money in Mark Andrews’ contract extension represents the third-highest fully guaranteed money for a current tight end contract behind rookie tight end Kyle Pitts, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and 2021 free agent signing by the New England Patriots Jonnu Smith.

Andrews’ contract puts him third in average annual value (AAV) at $14 million per season with his new extension. He sits behind George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Since entering the NFL in 2018 as a third-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens, Mark Andrews has caught 20 touchdown passes, ranking fourth at the tight end position. Only Kelce (26), Jared Cook (22), and Eric Ebron (21) have more touchdowns in that span than Andrews. Including wide receivers, Andrews sits 16th since 2018 in touchdown receptions, ahead of Julio Jones, Allen Robinson, Cooper Kupp, and Odell Beckham Jr.

Mark Andrews is off to a stellar career with Baltimore and should have six or more touchdowns to his stat sheet this year. Though the expectations have always been high for Andrews, he’ll have to take his game to another level as one of the highest-paid at his position. And with Lamar Jackson slinging the football, Andrews should be in store for another big season.

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Former Sooner Rhamondre Stevenson continues to climb Patriots’ depth chart

The first two preseason games of Stevenson’s career seem to have landed him a promotion.

A lot of people in and around the NFL will tell you that the preseason is useless. It is safe to say that former Sooners running back Rhamondre Stevenson is not one of them.

The first two preseason games of the rookie’s career seem to have landed him a promotion. News broke Wednesday that the Patriots are trading away the man in front of Stevenson (Sony Michel) to the Los Angeles Rams for a pair of 2022 draft picks.

Stevenson’s production on the ground and the Patriots’ 2-0 preseason record are no coincidence. In week one, he carried the ball 10 times for a team-high 127 yards and two touchdowns in New England’s 22-13 win over Washington.

In week two, he proved he was no preseason one-hit-wonder by racking up another two touchdowns and 66 rushing yards. While two games is a small sample size to support trading away a productive running back like Michel, the Patriots are infatuated with Stevenson’s physicality.

Comparisons between Stevenson and former New England power back LeGarrette Blount are well documented. Our colleagues over at Touchdown Wire had this to say about the similarities between the two.

The comparisons between New England Patriots rookie Rhamondre Stevenson and retired running back LeGarrette Blount are legit. Stevenson, just like Blount, has decent speed and loves to break tackles. Nobody is saying Stevenson is an exact replica of Blount, but they have strikingly similar styles that fit perfectly into the Patriots’ power run scheme.

They both have patience behind blockers, lateral jump cuts using those blockers and the ability to shed arm tackles while maintaining north and south speed in the open field. Those three qualities are what must have led the Patriots to draft him in the fourth round in 2021. – Laurie Fitzpatrick

If we’re being honest, the Patriots’ decision to trade away Sony Michel isn’t entirely based on Stevenson’s preseason success. New England is also impressed with the production of undrafted free agent J.J Taylor.

However, if Stevenson puts together an NFL career remotely similar to Blount (56 TDs, 4.4 ypc), he won’t get to be a fantasy sleeper much longer.

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Trio of former Oklahoma Sooners named to NFL Top 100

As voted on by the players, three former Oklahoma Sooners make the NFL Top 100 for 2021.

Under Lincoln Riley, the Oklahoma Sooners have become quite the offensive juggernaut. The level of production he’s gotten out of his offenses has been something to marvel at. His quarterbacks, in particular, have helped spur a movement of offensive skill players to the Sooners through both the transfer portal and via traditional recruiting.

The success on Saturdays has carried over to Sundays, and the more success Oklahoma’s Sooners in the NFL have, the more it will speak to recruits making their decisions on where to play college football.

As the NFL season is about to start, the NFL Network is working through its annual list of the Top 100 players in the NFL. The Oklahoma Sooners had three players make the list heading into 2021; let’s take a look.

71. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns

The last we saw of Mayfield, he was nearly leading the Browns to a huge playoff upset of the Chiefs after playing the best ball of his pro career during the second half of 2020. He’s closed out all three of his seasons on a high note. He’s also gotten off to slow starts each year. Perhaps all the turnover at head coach and offensive coordinator were the primary cause. Will stability on the sideline manifest into consistency on the playing field? Cleveland needs more from its QB in order to fulfill Super Bowl aspirations. Mayfield’s past suggests he’s up for the challenge. – Adam Maya, NFL.com

Baker Mayfield’s shown a ton of growth since entering the league. After a strong rookie season, he and the Browns struggled a bit in his second year in the NFL. Last season, under new head coach and play-caller Kevin Stefanski, Mayfield had the best season of his career thus far.

After 14 interceptions in his rookie season and 21 in year two, Mayfield cut his interceptions to eight in 2020. A dramatic decrease while posting the highest QBR of his career.

Mayfield and the Browns won their first playoff game in 26 years, and the Browns are one of the teams to watch in the AFC heading into 2021.

A former Sooners offensive lineman ranks in the top 50.

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Baker Mayfield gets well-earned rest vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars

Former Oklahoma Sooners Quarterback Baker Mayfield won’t play vs the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 of the preseason

The NFL preseason is about as meaningful as a team scrimmage to front-line starters in the NFL. That’s no different for a player such as Baker Mayfield, who has cemented his status as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

Not only is he the present for an organization that just had its deepest run to the playoffs in years, but he’s the long-term answer as the Browns enter 2021, looking to build off last year’s success.

As the Browns prepare for the start of the NFL regular season, Mayfield will not play in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As Jared Mueller of the Browns Wire notes, this is a situation Mayfield has earned.

For Mayfield, injury has nothing to do with this decision. Instead, Mayfield is getting the respect many quality quarterbacks have gotten in recent years. After a very good 2020 season under (Kevin) Stefanski, including a great second half to the season, the Browns are showing their belief in the former Heisman Trophy winner.

It is also a sign of Mayfield’s development in Year 2 of an offense. For the first time in his professional career, he can build upon what he did last season. Camp Baker gave him a chance to lead the returning veterans in getting prepared for minicamp, and it showed as the offense has been mostly sharp so far. – Mueller

Mayfield had a really nice rookie season before struggling a bit in his second year. In 2020, though, under the leadership of Stefanski, the first-year head coach, Mayfield had a career year and the Browns went to the divisional round of the playoffs.

The preseason can provide reps for players looking to make the team or become more proficient with their coaches’ schemes. Preseason games also bring about risk as players can get injured in a meaningless game such as Neville Gallimore Friday night in the Dallas Cowboys’ loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Stefanski’s showing confidence in his franchise quarterback by letting him sit on the sidelines in Game 1 of the preseason.

Neville Gallimore suffers elbow injury in Dallas Cowboys preseason game

According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Gallimore suffered a hyperextension of his left elbow. 

Heading into his second season with the Dallas Cowboys opportunities abound for defensive tackle Neville Gallimore. The presumed starter at the three-technique defensive tackle spot had little competition for snaps and was expected to make a huge leap after a strong finish to the 2020 season.

His sophomore season may have suffered a setback after suffering an injury early in the Dallas Cowboys preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Gallimore suffered a hyperextension of his left elbow.

According to Ian Rappoport of NFL Network, Gallimore will have an MRI of the elbow on Saturday to determine the severity of the injury. After further evaluation of the injury, a treatment plan and a timeline for return can be developed.

It’s a huge loss for a Dallas Cowboys defense that struggled mightily on defense, in particular the interior defensive line.

For Neville Gallimore, this is an unfortunate setback to what has been a promising training camp.

Update:

Per Ian Rapoport, Neville Gallimore will miss 4-6 weeks. At the long end of the time frame, that would take Gallimore to the last weekend in September, which would be only 2 games missed if there are no setbacks.

Former Sooners QB headlines PFF’s fantasy football rankings

Kyler Murray is expected to take another step into fantasy football stardom.

With the NFL season just four weeks away, it’s time to prepare your fantasy football master plan.

Pro Football Focus’ Andrew Erickson named former Sooner Kyler Murray as a top quarterback pickup for any PPR (points per reception) fantasy team this season. 

Erickson labeled Murray as a tier-one option, placing him in the same category as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Dak Prescott.

While few believe Murray will lead the Cardinals to a Lombardi trophy this year, his status as a top-five fantasy quarterback is already cemented.

The 2018 Heisman winner averaged 23.7 fantasy points per game last season to finish with the third-most in the entire league (378.74). Murray’s 3971 passing yards and 26 touchdowns ultimately made DeAndre Hopkins a top 10 receiver in fantasy production.

While any improvement to the young signal-caller’s passing game is welcomed, his ability on the ground is what makes him so deadly to NFL defenses and your fantasy rival. 

Murray’s 811 rushing yards were by far the most from the quarterback position last season (Cam Newton was second with 513). The former Sooners’ dual-threat capabilities give him the fantasy production of two players for the price of one draft pick. 

Heading into 2021, the third-year quarterback not only returns a star receiver in Hopkins, but adds another after A.J. Green signed with Arizona in free agency.

The schedule will not be easy, as the Cardinals face the NFL’s top defense twice in the form of the Los Angeles Rams. However, expect Murray to rise to the occasion and earn you a piece of fantasy football glory.

Sterling Shepard and Cody Ford standing out in NFL training camps

Former Sooners make the list of 32 players standing out in NFL training camps.

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As August continues to roll along, we get closer and closer to the start of football season. The Oklahoma Sooners will open their regular season on September 4th against the Tulane Green Wave, and the NFL will get started the following week.

As training camp rolls along, USA TODAY took a look at 32 training camp standouts that we need to know. Two former Sooners were featured on that list (subscription required), Cody Ford and Sterling Shepard.

After starting his career for the Buffalo Bills at right tackle, Cody Ford made the switch to left guard in 2020. Though he only played seven games due to a knee injury, it looks like he’s found a home at guard for the Bills.

This is a big year for the 2019 second-round draft pick because injuries have curtailed him in his first two seasons with Buffalo. Ford played every game as a rookie but was hindered much of the time with nagging injuries. Last season, a knee injury knocked him out at midseason. Early in camp, the Bills are flipping him between the right and left guard spots. He looks like he’s ready to secure one of those starting jobs, which would go a long way toward solidifying the Bills’ offensive line, a group that has to be better this season, especially in the run game. Ford is also working with a mental coach, and he says that has gotten him into a great head space as camp rolls on. – Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Like Ford, Sterling Shepard has had injury issues of his own. He’s only played two full seasons in the NFL and hasn’t played 16 games since the 2018 season. In 2018, he produced his best numbers as a pro when he caught 66 passes on 107 targets for 872 yards and four touchdowns.

Entering year six with the New York Giants, Shepard is still looking for his first 1,000 yard receiving season.

I asked Shepard last week if he feels as dialed-in as he’s looked so far in camp. His answer: Without a doubt. The longest-tenured Giant said he reported to camp in tremendous shape after meeting with head coach Joe Judge at the end of the offseason program, and that was part of the challenge. Changing jersey numbers from 87 to 3 has set the stage for Shepard to remind everyone just how important he is to this offense, going back to his college days at Oklahoma, where he was an absolute stud. Shepard has been working over talented defensive backs with the Giants, and it’s been fun to watch. – Art Stapleton, Bergen Record

The Giants signed Kenny Golladay to join a wide receiver group that already included the dangerous Darius Slayton. The former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver should get more room to run in 2021 if he can stay healthy. With a returning Saquon Barkley drawing the attention of opposing defensive coordinators and the likelihood that the Giants will be playing from behind regularly, Shepard might be in line for his most productive season yet.

Former Sooners stars CeeDee Lamb, Baker Mayfield, and Kyler Murray have been stealing the headlines at their respective training camps, and Creed Humphrey and Orlando Brown have revitalized the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line. With Sterling Shepard and Cody Ford set for bounce-back seasons, former Sooners will be making a big impact across the NFL in 2021.

Baker Mayfield lands in one analysts top 10 Quarterbacks in the NFL

Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield ranked as a top 10 quarterback.

It may be June, but football is right around the corner. In the next few weeks, NFL teams will begin reporting to their respective training camps in preparation for the 2021 NFL Season. Continue reading “Baker Mayfield lands in one analysts top 10 Quarterbacks in the NFL”

Former Sooner among PFF’s top LB rankings entering 2021

Former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray lands in Pro Football Focus’ top LB’s list ahead of 2021 season.

The role of a linebacker is pivotal to the success of a defense. Whether it be blitzing the quarterback or being tasked with covering a tight end or running back in man coverage, LBs are given multiple assignments to disrupt an offense. Over the years as pro offenses have evolved, more offensive coordinators are incorporating tight ends into the formation for the nightmare mismatch over the middle of the field that many create.

With their size and pass-catching ability, it makes it difficult for linebackers to contain. Against cover 3, offenses typically use short routes and underneath passes with the middle of the field opened up. This puts added stress on linebackers and eliminates a team’s pass rush.

Many premiere linebackers still exist across the NFL and PFF highlights their top 32 linebackers ahead of the 2021 season. Former Oklahoma Sooner Kenneth Murray appeared among the stellar compilation. He checked in at No. 23.

Rookie linebackers have struggled hugely to hit the ground running in the NFL over recent years, but Kenneth Murray did as good a job as any of the bunch a season ago. He endured the typical struggles in coverage but brought an obvious physical presence to the Chargers’ defense, making three pass breakups. Year 2 could be when we see Murray really emerge as a star at the position.

Murray, the Los Angeles Chargers‘ first-round draft pick in 2020, found his rhythm in the second half of the season. He passed Derwin James’ single-season franchise rookie tackle record with 106. At Oklahoma, Murray typically covered running backs out of the backfield but had to transition and expand his duties in the NFL. He had to drop back additional yardage to cover tight ends.

As expected from a rookie, there was an acclimation period. Murray was quickly thrust into action and became a day one starter, having to learn the ropes as he went along on the turf. The speed of the game is much quicker in the NFL and diagnosing/calling out assignments is a big role for any player, much less a rookie. He flashed rare athleticism and showcased enough as a first-year player to land on PFF’s radar.

Down the stretch he became more comfortable in the Chargers’ scheme that led to faster play. Against the Patriots in Week 13, Murray bulldozed ball carriers with relentless pursuit and collapsed the pocket around Cam Newton. His talent is evident and in year two, Murray has the capability to ignite the Chargers defense to a dominate force in the AFC West.

Former Sooner Mark Andrews to attend Travis Kelce’s Tight End University

Mark Andrew among list of star NFL tight ends joining ‘Tight End University’ summit.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce teamed up with 49ers tight end George Kittle and recently-retired Greg Olsen to create a camp for the NFL’s top players at the position named Tight End University. To increase production at the position and camaraderie across the league, the All-Star summit will occur this summer in Nashville, Tennessee. The nightmare mismatches will share experiences and knowledge to better the group.

According to the official Twitter account of Tight End University, 12 players have committed and announced as attending the inaugural meeting. The compilation consists of 11 veterans and one rookie, Falcons’ fourth overall pick Kyle Pitts. The hybrid players will now cheer one another on and learn from one another, as opposed to traditionally rooting against the opposing team. Whether it be run blocking, route running, or pass protecting- the best in the NFL will collaborate.

  • Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
  • Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
  • Noah Fant, Denver Broncos
  • Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
  • T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
  • Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
  • David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
  • Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
  • Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots
  • Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers
  • Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders