In about an hour, the Bengals lost one former Spartan corner in Darqueze Dennard and then signed a new one in Trae Waynes.
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Less than an hour ago on Tuesday, it was announced that former MSU Football cornerback Darqueze Dennard would be heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Shortly thereafter, another former member of the Michigan State ‘No Fly Zone’ is on the move. In a funny move, the Cincinnati Bengals are replacing Dennard with his former teammate, signing former Spartan Trae Waynes to a contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The #Bengals aren’t done yet: They are landing former #Vikings CB Trae Waynes, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. Two big splash free agents today.
Waynes was a first round pick (No. 11 overall) for the Minnesota Vikings back in 2015, leaving MSU early after his junior season for the pros. The former Big Ten Champion has been productive for the Vikings, so it’s no surprise that he quickly found a new home in the NFL.
Formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, Waynes was the 11th pick in the 2015 draft and at 27 years old comes over as an instant starter in the secondary just after the Bengals lost Darqueze Dennard in free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A Mike Zimmer understudy, Waynes helps the Bengals get younger and retain upside in the secondary. The Bengals had previously made it clear they intend to overhaul cornerback this offseason.
Waynes is a start — the Bengals still have to figure out what to do with Dre Kirkpatrick’s contract.
The Vikings cut ties with cornerback Xavier Rhodes in a somewhat expected move on Friday afternoon.
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The Vikings cut ties with cornerback Xavier Rhodes in a somewhat expected move on Friday afternoon.
The last two seasons for Rhodes have been disappointing after an All-Pro season in 2017.
Rhodes, 29, was drafted by the Vikings with the 25th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Florida State.
Rhodes will likely get a “prove-it” deal with a team that’s mainly incentive-based.
So, how much has Rhodes made during his career so far?
Per Spotrac, that number is just shy of $50 million. Coincidentally, it’s pretty close to what Linval Joseph, who the Vikings also cut, has made.
It will be really interesting to see what the Vikings do to address the cornerback spot in free agency. Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander are also free agents.
Drawing upon Andersen’s “The Ugly Ducking,” Touchdown Wire highlights eleven players who could thrive in a new situation come next season.
So they felt quite at home. But the poor duckling who had been the last one out of his egg, and who looked so ugly, was pecked and pushed about and made fun of by the ducks, and the chickens as well. “He’s too big,” said they all. The turkey gobbler, who thought himself an emperor because he was born wearing spurs, puffed up like a ship under full sail and bore down upon him, gobbling and gobbling until he was red in the face. The poor duckling did not know where he dared stand or where he dared walk. He was so sad because he was so desperately ugly, and because he was the laughing stock of the whole barnyard.
-Hans Christian Andersen: “The Ugly Duckling”
We all remember the tale, although perhaps some of us are more removed from elementary school than others. Back in 1843 Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen penned the tale of “The Ugly Duckling,” which told the story of a small bird born in a barnyard who suffered abuse from the others around him until he matures into a beautiful swan, stunning those who previously mocked and ridiculed him.
With the start of free agency in the National Football League upon us, there are some potential ugly ducklings waiting to hear the phone ring. Players who perhaps need a change or scenery, a new scheme fit, different coaching or just another shot to become the players they can be. The league’s own versions of the Andersen classic. Here are 11 potential swans for the 2020 NFL season, listed with either their current or their most recent team.
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
As we await word on what Bruce Arians will do with his current quarterback, it is important to remember that if he moves on from Tampa Bay or not, Jameis Winston is going to need a bit more development to be a solid and consistent NFL quarterback.
Last season, in Arians’ vertical-based passing offense, Winston had quite the roller-coaster ride. Sure, he threw for 5,109 yards, the most in the league. Sure, he threw 33 touchdowns, second only to Lamar Jackson. But when you move away from some of these counting statistics you get the full picture of Winston’s 2019 campaign. His NFL quarterback rating of 84.3 placed him 26th in the league, behind Daniel Jones, Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh Allen and even Joe Flacco. His Adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt (ANY/A) of 6.15 was good for 18th in the league, and his interception percentage of 4.8 was the highest in the league.
Due to another counting stat: His league-high 30 interceptions.
That big number might force Arians to move on from Winston, but when you pour through his film from a season ago, you might find some of what you see. For example, take this deep shot to Mike Evans against the Carolina Panthers:
Facing a first-and-10 against the Panthers, Tampa Bay lines up with Winston under center and with a tight bunch to the right. Evans is isolated to the left. The Buccaneers run a vertical concept sometimes termed 969, with dual go routes on the outside and a dig route in the middle of the field. Winston sees the Panthers in single-high coverage and comes to Evans on the go route. The receiver does an excellent job with his release off the line and gets to the outside, quickly beating the press coverage and getting open for his QB. Combine the release and route with a perfect throw, and Tampa Bay has a big play.
And yes, every route was open on this snap, just to be clear.
Then there was this read and throw in the red zone, also against the Panthers:
To the three-receiver side the Buccaneers run a Dino – or double post – concept with O.J. Howard and Chris Godwin. Evans runs a go route on the backside of the passing concept. Concerned with Evans, the one safety drops to help over the top of a potential vertical route. That creates dual one-on-one matchups backside, with no inside help on either post route.
The concern over Evans draws potential safety help away from the three-receiver side of the formation, and leaves both the backside safety and backside corner on islands with no help to the inside. Winston throws a strike, and the Buccaneers are in the end zone.
Winston might have racked up the interceptions a season ago, but reads and throws like this show he still has promise in a vertical-based passing offense. That would make him still a fit for what Arians runs, but if he does have to find a new home, there is a ton of potential for his next offensive coordinator to mold and sculpt.
If the Houston Texans are looking for another free agent cornerback, Minnesota Vikings CB Trae Waynes could be an option.
The Houston Texans need to address their cornerback situation with starters Johnathan Joseph and Bradley Roby set to hit free agency on March 18. At 36 years old come Week 1, Joseph may not return, and Roby missed six games in 2019, the most of his career, which raises questions about his durability.
Whether by free agency or the 2020 NFL Draft, the Texans have to replenish their cornerback group. They can’t rely on Gareon Conely and Lonnie Johnson alone.
Even with Johnson and Conley waiting in the wings, the Texans might want to bring in additional help on the outside. That makes a one-year, “prove it” type of deal with Waynes and enticing option. Waynes was solid last season for the Vikings in man coverage situations, allowing just 71 yards receiving on 134 man coverage snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He struggled a bit more in zone coverage situations, but Anthony Weaver, the Texans’ new defensive coordinator, is expected to maintain Romeo Crennel’s reliance on man coverage schemes. That would play to Waynes’ strengths as a man coverage corner, and make him an ideal fit in Houston on a “prove it” deal.
Waynes produced an interception, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in his 14 games for the Vikings, all of which started. The former 2015 first-round pick from Michigan State will be 28 years old, just the right age for one of the “prove it” deals that Schofield referred to and that the Texans gave to Roby in 2019 and defensive back Tyrann Mathieu in 2018.
If the Texans don’t use free agency to fix their cornerback issues, they will have to rely on their picks from the upcoming draft.
With free agency upon us, the season of hope looms in the NFL. Who is a critical target in free agency for each NFL franchise?
Hope is a powerful emotion.
One of the reasons that the National Football League manages to dominate the sports conversation year-round is how it packages and sells hope to its fans. Through free agency, the draft, and then schedule releases, the league manages to build up a strong sentiment of hope in virtually every single fan base as the crescendo builds to the start of a new season.
When free agency kicks off in just under a week, 32 fan bases will start to believe that their team is putting together a winning roster, and that this year will finally be the year.
Of course, we know it does not always work out that way. There are many teams that have “won the off-season” but such victories do not always translate into Super Bowl banners.
But with free agency nearly upon us, let hope live on.
Here is a free agency acquisition for each of the 32 NFL teams to strongly target next week. Given how team needs overlap, there are a few names listed twice. Scheme fit and salary cap considerations play a critical role in these selections (looking at you Pittsburgh and Minnesota). They are grouped by division, and in alphabetical order. Additionally, these are all additions. Many teams have in-house needs that need to be addressed first, and for the most part those are discussed in the team’s write-up.
Buffalo Bills: Robby Anderson, WR (New York Jets)
(Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
The Buffalo Bills took a big step forward in Josh Allen’s second season as a quarterback in the National Football League. While Allen still has room to grow as a quarterback, acquisitions such as Cole Beasley and John Brown helped Allen become a better timing- and rhythm-based passer.
One area where Allen could stand to improve is in the deep passing game. Among qualified passers last season, Allen ranked 23rd (out of 24) in Pro Football Focus’ adjusted completion percentage on downfield throws (defined as throws of 20 yards or more downfield). While the vertical passing game was a strength of Allen’s coming out of the University of Wyoming, that aspect of Buffalo’s offense was lacking last year.
Beasley and Brown were solid acquisitions for the Bills, but adding Anderson would give the Buffalo offense a huge jolt, specifically in the downfield passing game. Anderson has been a dangerous vertical threat for the New York Jets the past few seasons, and according to PFF’s grading he has the 15th best grade in the NFL on throws of 20 yards or more downfield since 2016. In addition, last year he was targeted six times on throws of 20 yards or more over the middle, and he caught four of those passes, three of which went for touchdowns.
Adding Anderson would give Allen a vertical option downfield, while creating space for Beasley, Brown and emerging tight end Dawson Knox room to operate in the intermediate passing game. Plus, it would wrestle a valuable commodity away from a division rival.
Miami Dolphins: Kyle Van Noy, OLB (New England Patriots)
(Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
The Miami Dolphins have three first round selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, and a number of needs they can address. Offensive line, every level of the defense and of course quarterback are positions most commonly linked with the Dolphins with those three early-round selections.
Adding Van Noy in free agency would enable the Dolphins to address a position other than EDGE/OLB with one of those selections. Players like K’Lavon Chaisson from LSU and Zack Baun are familiar names associated with Miami, but Van Noy would give head coach Brian Flores an experienced linebacker who can function both as a pass rusher off the edge or as an outside linebacker in space.
Van Noy seemed to be a potential bust after being selected in the second round by the Detroit Lions in the 2014 draft. Van Noy was then acquired by the New England Patriots via a trade, in which the Patriots acquired the linebacker and a seventh round pick in exchange for just a sixth round selection. But during the past few years in New England, Van Noy has settled into a hybrid role in the Patriots’ defense much more suited for his abilities. On any given down you can see him rushing the passer off the edge, dropping into coverage in space, or even aligning on the inside and letting players like Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower attack the pocket on the outside.
Flores has seen up close and personally what Van Noy can bring to a defense, and how he can be best utilized in the NFL. Acquiring a player with his trait set will allow Miami to address other positions of need early in the draft
New England Patriots: Hunter Henry, TE (Los Angeles Chargers)
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Obviously the Patriots are one of those aforementioned teams that have some decisions to make about their own free agents before looking outward. Van Noy, as previously discussed, is a free agent who plays a critical role on their defense. Other defensive free agents include Collins and free safety Devin McCourty, as well as left guard Joe Thuney.
And of course there is that Tom Brady guy.
Regardless of how the organization deals with those decisions, tight end remains a massive hole for this team. The decision by Rob Gronkowski to retire last season late in free agency left the franchise behind the eight ball when it came to acquiring a veteran player before the draft. A year ago the Patriots tried to sign Jared Cook during free agency, but according to Mike Reiss of ESPN the uncertain status of Gronkowski had Cook look elsewhere. Then during the draft, the Patriots passed on picking a tight end despite the general consensus that the 2019 tight end class was a very strong group.
Instead, New England tried to piece the position together on the secondary free agency market, with players like Benjamin Watson and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, as well as relying on younger players already on the roster like Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse. That experiment failed, and the tight ends in New England failed to come anywhere close to the production the team lost with Gronkowski’s retirement.
This year, the picture looks much different. The rookie tight end class has some questions, and that makes Henry a very enticing option. The Chargers tight end has struggled with injuries, but when healthy he is a very impressive option in the passing game, and he can also contribute as a blocker which is something the Patriots value at the position. Adding Henry and then drafting a tight end later in the draft would put New England in position to finally restock their tight end room.
New York Jets: Amari Cooper, WR (Dallas Cowboys)
(Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)
Last off-season the New York Jets were active in free agency by making two big splash signings: Linebacker C.J. Mosley and running back Le’Veon Bell. While those acquisitions made headlines, they failed to translate into wins on the field. The Jets started the season with four-straight losses (hampered in large part by illness sidelining quarterback Sam Darnold) and they were 1-7 at the midway point of their season.
But they finished strong, winning six of their final eight games, and that has brought a bit of hope back to Gang Green. But they still have holes to address on both sides of the football. They need to add some help up front on the offensive line – and many expect that the Jets will draft one of the “big four” offensive tackles with the 11th overall selection – and they could use some help at cornerback on the defensive side of the football.
Additionally, they could use help at the wide receiver spot. Bringing Robby Anderson back would make sense, but even then they could use some help. Especially if Anderson leaves town, however, a player with Cooper’s skill-set would make a great deal of sense for the Jets. If you look at the growth the Cowboys saw in Dak Prescott after acquiring Cooper, you will see what a WR with the ability to consistently get separation can mean for a quarterback. Cooper has been a well-rounded route runner since his time at Alabama, and his ability to get separation will give Darnold some big windows to attack in the passing game, boosting not only his play but the level of execution for the entire Jets’ offense.
“Waynes earned a 65.1 grade for the season from PFF and had one interception, while [Mackensie] Alexander had one interception and earned a 65.7. The two have put up virtually identical numbers, and both serve different roles in the defense.”
The outlet compared Waynes to Alexander and found that both are about the same, but they play different roles. Personally, I think the Vikings should bring back Alexander regardless of whether he plays the nickel or the Vikings decide to make him one of the mainstay cornerbacks out wide. I think he’s earned his way back onto the team, and he’s arguably a top-two corner on the team, even though he plays sparingly.
As if the Vikings haven’t dealt with enough Instagram drama this offseason . . . Cornerback Trae Waynes is an unrestricted free agent after five seasons with the Vikings. Many are speculating that Waynes is long gone. And with that, the Vikings are …
As if the Vikings haven’t dealt with enough Instagram drama this offseason . . .
Cornerback Trae Waynes is an unrestricted free agent after five seasons with the Vikings.
Many are speculating that Waynes is long gone. And with that, the Vikings are also expected to cut ties with cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who would save the team more than $7 million.
Earlier this week, Waynes shared a post on Instagram picturing him and Rhodes with the caption, “where we going fam!”
The New Orleans Saints will evaluate all pending free agents, including Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham, a restricted free agent.
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The New Orleans Saints are going to be on the hunt for upgrades when NFL free agency begins in just a few weeks, searching all throughout the league for players who can help them remain in Super Bowl contention. That means evaluating every possible addition — including players from the conference-rival Minnesota Vikings, who have dealt the Saints painful playoffs exits in two of the last three years. Here’s who may be available:
CB Trae Waynes
CB Mackensie Alexander
CB Marcus Sherels
DE Everson Griffen
DE Stephen Weatherly
FB C.J. Ham (RFA)
K Dan Bailey
LB Kentrell Brothers
LB Eric Wilson (RFA)
OC Brett Jones
OG Rashod Hill
OT Dakota Dozier
P Britton Colquitt
QB Sean Mannion
RB Ameer Abdullah
SS Jayron Kearse
SS Anthony Harris
SS Andrew Sendejo
WR Laquon Treadwell
The number-one target on this list should be Ham, which is difficult because he’s a restricted free agent. Hypothetically speaking, the Vikings can match any contract offers Ham receives, or even ward off suitors with a second- or first-round tender. But if they go with the lowest level option (Minnesota is, for once, working close to the salary cap), the Saints should be all in on Ham. He was one of two fullbacks to play more often than Zach Line (who retired) last year, along with San Francisco 49ers chess-piece Kyle Jusczyk. Line was also once a Vikings standout before the Saints bagged him, and they would do well to pursue Ham if he’s available.
He’s not someone they should sign, but the Saints should closely monitor the interest and contract offers that Anthony Harris gets in free agency. He was one of the few free safeties to intercept more passes (6) than Marcus Williams (4) last season and is projected to earn $13.8 million per year on his next contract. That should set the market for Williams, whose contract expires after the 2020 season.
But let’s circle back to players the Saints should have an interest in signing. They need bodies at cornerback, and both Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander offer starter’s experience at an easier-to-justify rates than Patrick Robinson’s $6.25 million cap hit. Alexander and Waynes are each projected to reel in $8.4 million per year, which could make them attractive options if Robinson is cut (or if negotiations fall apart with Janoris Jenkins over his $11.25 million cap hit, despite him clearly being the best prospect of the bunch).
