The Daily Briefing Thursday, February 24, 2022

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

If Bill Barnwell ran the Bears, his number one priority would be the offensive line:

Get (most of) a new offensive line.

New coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy have a huge task ahead of them. The Bears have quarterback Justin Fields, which is exciting, and we generally know whom he’ll be throwing to in 2022. They will need to find a replacement for free agent Allen Robinson, but they will otherwise run out David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet. That part’s easy.

When it comes to protecting Fields, Chicago doesn’t have any solid answers. James Daniels, Germain Ifedi and future Hall of Famer Jason Peters are all free agents and unlikely to return. Center Sam Mustipher isn’t an NFL-caliber lineman. Cody Whitehair hasn’t lived up to the five-year, $51.2 million extension he signed in 2019, in part because he has been moved to guard, and the regime that handed Whitehair that deal is no longer in power. Rookie fifth-rounder Larry Borom was solid during the second half of the season at right tackle, but second-rounder Teven Jenkins was limited to 161 snaps by injuries.

Phew. Realistically, if the Bears want to try to retain some continuity while giving Fields a chance to thrive, they could move Whitehair to center, install Jenkins and Borom as the two tackles and go find two new guards. If Getsy wants to make more significant changes, there’s a chance that Jenkins is the only guy on the current roster who starts Week 1. New offensive line coach Chris Morgan is going have his work cut out for him.

GREEN BAY

Comments from GM Brian Gutenkist as he waits for word from QB AARON RODGERS:

The arrival of the offseason brings another crucial period for the Green Bay Packers.

The most important piece of the entire operation in Green Bay is Aaron Rodgers, the quarterbacking linchpin of the Packers. Without him, Green Bay can’t confidently expect to contend at the same level of the last two seasons, campaigns in which Rodgers has won consecutive AP NFL Most Valuable Player awards.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is well aware of this fact and is not interested in moving Rodgers for a hefty return. He also understands how the rest of the franchise depends on Rodgers’ decision between returning, requesting to head elsewhere or riding off into the sunset a four-time MVP, but just one-time Super Bowl champion.

“Obviously everything around here centers around the quarterback. That’s kind of how we do things,” Gutekunst said Wednesday. “It’s a big piece. It’s a domino that has to fall before we go down other avenues. So it’s important as we go through this and the puzzle pieces that we got to make fit. That’s the first one to go. … There’s some timing elements to things. We’ve had really good conversations with Aaron and everybody throughout the process.”

Almost as important to the Packers’ roster construction going forward is the future of Rodgers’ favorite target, receiver Davante Adams, who is headed toward free agency if Gutekunst can’t strike a new deal with the superstar pass-catcher. Green Bay has the franchise tag available at its disposal, but it’s nothing more than a last-ditch option to prevent Adams from hitting free agency, where he’d undoubtedly field lucrative offers.

The Packers wouldn’t do themselves any favors by tagging Adams and using an option that players dislike, as it prevents them from both cashing in and receiving long-term security. Using the tag on Adams likely wouldn’t make Rodgers the happiest camper, either.

“It’s not something we’d like to do — not like to do that if we don’t have to — we’d certainly like to come up with a long-term deal that works for both sides,” Gutekunst said of using the tag on Adams. “Again, it’s a hypothetical that a lot of things have to happen before we get to that point.”

There’s a chance Rodgers stays and Adams leaves, especially when considering Green Bay’s current cap situation. A restructure of defensive tackle Kenny Clark’s contract moved the Packers from $42.7 million over the projected $208.2 million cap to slightly under $32 million, leaving Gutekunst with plenty of work still to do to put the Packers in a position to both pay Rodgers and find a way to retain Adams. It’s a tall task, no doubt, but not impossible.

Gutekunst acknowledged it’s possible Adams leaves in free agency and Rodgers sticks around, but added “everything’s open at this point.”

The Packers’ hands are essentially tied until Rodgers makes a definitive decision on his future, one the quarterback said after the 2021 season would arrive fairly quickly. Unlike last offseason — a period in which Rodgers held firm in his displeasure with the front office before mending fences and receiving additional input on organizational decisions — lines of communication with Rodgers appear to be open. That doesn’t mean either side is in a rush, though.

“No deadlines. We’re working together,” Gutekunst said. “I think the conversations after the season were very impactful. … Again, there are some timing things that will come into play where we will have to make decisions down the road. But Aaron’s well aware of that. Like I said, the communication’s been very good.”

Gutekunst, however, said he did not communicate any agreement to trade Rodgers if the QB still wanted out after the 2021 campaign, as has been reported. In an interview with Packers beat writers on Wednesday that followed his initial news conference, Gutekunst said the communication with Rodgers was that things would be worked out, but a willingness to trade him was not specified.

“That was not something I told him,” said Gutekunst, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “Again, I think the whole conversation with Aaron last season before he came back was that, regardless, at the end of this past season, that we would sit down as a group and we would work it out one way or another.”

Former Packers assistant Tom Clements is back with the team after spending 2019 and 2020 in Arizona, a move many saw as one intended to work it out with Rodgers. Gutekunst said it wasn’t about appeasement as much as it was a product of clear communication.

“I wouldn’t characterize it like that,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s an example of how Aaron is part of the conversation of things that do affect his job, though.”

With the restructure of Clark’s contract (which included tacking on void years to spread out his cap hit), Green Bay is now following in the footsteps of the New Orleans Saints when it comes to keeping expensive, key players on the team and paying the corresponding bill in the future. This is how franchises are now operating when they have elite quarterbacks, but don’t have the advantage of plenty of time left.

To no one’s surprise, the Saints are currently in the worst cap situation in the league at over $76 million over the cap. Green Bay might find itself in a similar situation in the future, but if the Packers can keep Rodgers and Adams, finally get over the hump and win a Super Bowl, it will have been worth the trouble.

“Our football team is in a position right now to compete for championships. That’s what the main goal is about right now, and it always has been,” Gutekunst said. “But when the pandemic hit, if we were going to continue to be that way, we were going to have to do some different things. … We’ve always been about championships here, that’s all that matters, Super Bowls. And when the pandemic hit, obviously with our team, to be able to keep it together, we were going to have to do things differently. So, we’ve adjusted.”

NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

If Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com ran the Giants, he would not offer QB DANIEL JONES the fifth-year option:

Decline Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option.

Everything out of New York so far suggests that the Giants are still occupying most of the seats on the Jones bandwagon. Owner John Mara suggested that the organization had “done everything possible to screw [Jones] up,” before mentioning that all of the people the team had interviewed to take over as coach and general manager were excited about his potential. Of course, it’s generally not a good idea to tell the person interviewing you for a job that he made an ill-advised choice a few years ago, but new coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen will start their tenures with Jones as their starting quarterback.

The first big decision facing them will be figuring out what to do with his fifth-year option. Under the most recent collective bargaining agreement, fifth-year options became fully guaranteed when they’re picked up, which is what has left the Panthers in a bind. Carolina traded for Sam Darnold last April and the picked up his fifth-year option. Despite benching Darnold at points last season, the Panthers are on the hook to pay him $18.9 million in 2022.

The Giants would owe Jones $21.4 million in 2023 if they pick his fifth-year option up this spring. The chances of him emerging as an above-average starter after beginning his career with three subpar seasons are extremely slim. He has posted adjusted net yard per attempt indices (ANY/A+) of 88, 83 and 92 to start his career. The only other quarterbacks since the merger to fail to post even an ANY/A+ of 95 across 300 attempts in their first three seasons are Darnold, Jeff George and Rick Mirer.

The same arguments we saw with Darnold have popped up with Jones, and they’re even less applicable for the quarterback on the blue side of the Meadowlands. Jones has had to deal with injuries, but he has been surrounded with significant investments on offense. Six players were targeted at least 30 times by him in 2021. That group included three first-round picks (Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram and Kadarius Toney), a high-priced free agent (Kenny Golladay), a slot receiver retained on a significant deal (Sterling Shepard) and Darius Slayton. The Giants used another top-five pick in 2020 on left tackle Andrew Thomas, who played much better last season.

Jones hasn’t always had great offensive line play, but his propensity to wait aimlessly in the pocket has created his own problems. His 48.2 QBR when the opposing defense didn’t produce a single pass rush win within 2.5 seconds ranked 22nd in the league. He actually posted the third-best QBR on deep throws, but he threw deep less frequently than the majority of passers. He outproduced the other quarterbacks on New York’s roster, but I’m not sure being better than Mike Glennon or Jake Fromm should justify another season at more than $20 million.

Guaranteeing Jones’ 2023 salary is an unnecessary commitment. If Daboll can’t coax a turnaround out of him, the Giants will be able to avoid a Darnold situation and end the Jones era without any further investment, allowing them to find a new quarterback next offseason. Even if he does turn things around, though, the Giants would be able to use the franchise tag in 2023 to create some leverage if they want to do a new deal. The Giants are still in on Jones, but there’s nothing here to justify a longer commitment. Yet.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

Co-defensive coordinators for the Saints with former DC Dennis Allen now the head coach.  Mike Triplett of ESPN.com:

The New Orleans Saints have promoted assistant coaches Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard into the roles of co-defensive coordinators under new head coach Dennis Allen, the team announced Wednesday.

Nielsen and Richard will continue to oversee the Saints’ defensive line and secondary units, respectively.

Allen previously served as New Orleans’ defensive coordinator under Sean Payton, while Nielsen was the assistant head coach/defensive line coach and Richard was the secondary coach.

Allen hinted at his introductory news conference that he will likely continue to call plays for the defense, though he hasn’t made that official yet.

The use of co-defensive coordinators is much more common in college than in the NFL. However, the Minnesota Vikings used co-defensive coordinators during their final two seasons under coach Mike Zimmer, and the New England Patriots have split duties on defense without naming anyone as their official coordinator over the past four seasons. Other teams have used passing game coordinators and run game coordinators. Richard served as a passing game coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys from 2018 to 2019.

Most likely, Allen wanted to find a way to promote both of his highly valued assistants to make sure to retain them on his staff. Nielsen has been with the Saints since 2017, while Richard arrived in 2021. The Saints ranked fourth in the NFL in points allowed last season and seventh in yards allowed. They have ranked fourth in both categories overall since 2019. And they became the first team to shut out Tom Brady in 15 years with a 9-0 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past December.

Nielsen and Richard, both 42, were teammates on USC’s defense in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Richard went on to play six NFL seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders. Nielsen signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but never cracked a NFL roster.

Richard then became one of the architects of the Seahawks’ famed “Legion of Boom” secondary as a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator from 2010 to 2017. He has had multiple head-coaching interviews in recent years and also interviewed for multiple defensive coordinator positions in the NFL this year.

Nielsen, meanwhile, has had multiple opportunities in recent years to become a college defensive coordinator. But the Saints didn’t want to let him go and promoted him to assistant head coach last year while keeping him away from nearby LSU.

The Saints have had the NFL’s No. 1 run defense since Nielsen arrived in 2017.

Before joining the Saints’ staff, Nielsen spent four years as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator at NC State. His previous coaching stops were at USC, Idaho, Ole Miss, Central Connecticut State, Tennessee-Martin and Northern Illinois.

As previously reported, the Saints are retaining longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. The team also officially announced former Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone as its offensive line coach and Kodi Burns, who spent last season with the Tennessee Volunteers, as their new receivers coach.

Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has added assistant head coach duties to his plate. Rizzi, a 29-year coaching veteran, including a ten-season stint with the Miami Dolphins from 2009-18, joined the Saints in 2019.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Would QB MARCUS MARIOTA be the right guy to share the 2022 49ers QB room with QB TREY LANCE?  Marcus Mosher at YahooSports.com:

The free-agent market for Marcus Mariota should be very robust this offseason. He’s healthy. He’s got a ton of experience and he is only 28 years old. With so many teams searching for competent quarterback play this offseason, Mariota should be in for a big payday.

But what team(s) will be interested in Mariota? The usual suspects include the Washington Commanders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints. However, what if a team with a young quarterback decides to bring in Mariota to help be a bridge?

In a recent article by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he suggested that the 49ers could be interested in Mariota to help second-year quarterback Trey Lance. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on why Mariota to San Francisco would make a ton of sense.

“If the 49ers move on from Jimmy Garoppolo, which is largely expected, they could spend money on an accomplished free-agent quarterback to pair with Trey Lance. That would give San Francisco flexibility, with the new quarterback either supporting Lance in a backup role or actually starting games if Lance needs a little more developmental time — at a lesser cost than Garoppolo is due in 2022 ($25.5 million).

Mariota would make a lot of sense in that scenario. He would thrive off coach Kyle Shanahan’s designed runs while providing experience.”

On the field, Mariota fits perfectly into Kyle Shanahan’s offense. They use a ton of play-action and misdirection to keep defenses honest. The quarterback in Shanahan’s offense needs to be able to take care of the ball and make quick throws and reads. Those are all strengths of Mariota and his ability to run makes him an even better fit.

While Lance is still the future in San Francisco, Mariota would give the 49ers a high floor at quarterback and someone who can help him develop. As long as the salary matches up, this seems like a perfect fit for all parties.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Can the Bengals retain S JESSIE BATES?  Adam Maya of NFL.com:

Jessie Bates is about to get paid. The real question is how much and, perhaps, by whom.

Decisions must be made between the fourth-year safety and the Bengals in the coming weeks, with Bates eligible for the franchise tag or free agency. After breaking out in 2020 and taking a star turn in the 2021 playoffs, Bates is hoping to avoid playing under the projected tag of $13.5 million.

“That’s a conversation I think that we’ll have with my agency and my team,” he said Wednesday during an appearance on NFL Now. “I put a lot of trust in them with this whole process. I’m just trying to stay focused, control what I can. We’ll see. Hopefully I’m not under a franchise tag. That’s something that needs to be discussed as NFLPA a little bit. Some of the top guys got hurt under a franchise tag. It’s tough; you only get one shot at this. You just got to play your cards right, I guess you could say.”

Bates looks to have a pretty strong hand. The Bengals have ample cap space, and coach Zac Taylor made it clear re-signing the 24-year-old is a priority in the aftermath of their Super Bowl run. Bates did more than his part in getting Cincinnati to the Big Game, recording three passes defensed in the Wild Card Round, an interception in the Divisional Round, a pass breakup that led to a turnover in overtime of the AFC Championship Game and an end-zone pick in the Super Bowl.

In 2020, Bates earned second-team All-Pro honors while grading out at 90.1 by Pro Football Focus. His 406 tackles since entering the league in 2018 rank third among all safeties. While his services would surely be in demand, he’s not necessarily looking to reset the market.

“I’m not too worried about the ego part of being the highest-paid safety, but I do know value over cost,” Bates said. “That is something that not just myself but my agency, my team, that we’re going to continue to evaluate over the next couple weeks.”

The Bengals will be operating under a similar timeframe, as the franchise tag window opened Tuesday and closes March 8. With or without a tag, negotiating a long-term deal might not be complicated for the two sides. Bates said he has internally expressed his desire to remain in Cincinnati, noting the “positive work environment” and its proximity to his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

“I know what type of men are in that locker room, along with the guys that are leading us. We have awesome coaches,” Bates said. “I look forward to being a Cincinnati Bengal, but we’ll see what happens.”

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Yesterday, we said it was hard to imagine any team wanting to take on QB DESHAUN WATSON, his massive contract, unresolved legal issues and questionable character without at least those legal issues being resolved.

Today, Mike Florio says we are wrong:

Teams are making plans to acquire veteran quarterbacks — officially as of March 16 and unofficially before then. For Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, his legal situation complicates any effort to work out a long-expected trade.

He faces two tracks, criminal and civil. His lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said Monday in open court that he expects the grand jury to make a decision regarding whether Watson will be charged with any crimes and the level of the charges (felony or misdemeanor) will be determined by April 1.

The civil cases, brought by 22 massage therapists, undoubtedly won’t be. So the question becomes whether teams would refrain from trading for Watson while the civil cases are pending.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, multiple teams are indeed willing to make the deal, as long as the criminal situation is resolved. Last year, the Dolphins insisted on settlement of all cases before a trade would be finalized. The Panthers were willing to make the deal regardless of the civil (or criminal) cases, but Watson didn’t want to waive his no-trade clause for a trade to Carolina.

The teams currently willing to do a deal without a settlement of the civil cases aren’t known. But they’re out there, lurking and strategizing and planning as the quarterback carousel prepares to spin.

THIS AND THAT

ON THE MOVE?

This from Joel Corry of CBSSports.com:

An offseason roster purge is an annual NFL occurrence because long term contracts aren’t fully guaranteed. Players are released (and occasionally traded) because of this every year, primarily when salaries aren’t deemed to match production.

The Chiefs made such a move on Tuesday by releasing linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Salary cap room of $8,441,176 for 2022 was gained through parting ways with Hitchens.

A majority of the time when a player is traded or released, there is a residual cap charge. This cap charge for a player that is no longer on a team’s roster is commonly referred to as dead money. It exists because the remaining proration of the salary components that are treated like signing bonus immediately accelerate into his team’s current salary cap with a trade or release. Dead money is typically a sunk cost where money isn’t owed to a player. Only if there are salary guarantees when a player is released will there be a payment associated with dead money.

There are two major exceptions to this general rule of bonus proration accelerating. Just the current year’s proration counts toward the cap with players released or traded after June 1. The bonus proration in future contract years is delayed until the next league year beginning in the following March.

A team can also release two players each league year prior to June 2 (known as a Post-June 1 Designation) that will be treated under the cap as if they were released after June 1. With a post-June 1 Designation, a team is required to carry the player’s full cap number until June 2 even though he is no longer a part of the roster. The player’s salary comes off the books at that time unless it is guaranteed.

Here’s a look at fifteen noteworthy players who could be in different uniforms next season because of a trade or as salary cap casualties. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins isn’t listed despite the Panthers reportedly inquiring about his availability. That’s because new Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who was Cousins’ quarterback coach with Washington in 2017, indicated he wants to build around him (at least for 2022) during his introductory press conference.

Derek Carr isn’t listed either because the Raiders are reportedly prepared to discuss a contract extension with the quarterback. Things could change with Carr if signability becomes a major concern.

Aaron Rodgers

GB • QB • 12

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $46,664,156

2022 Compensation: $26,970,588

2022 Dead Money: $26,847,138

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $19,817,018

The issues that made Aaron Rodgers disgruntled last offseason are in the rearview mirror. Rodgers intends to make a decision about his football future before the 15 day franchise player designation period ends on March 8 to be sensitive to All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams’ situation. Green Bay’s front office and coaching staff are adamant about wanting Rodgers back for 2022 and beyond. 2022 is Rodgers’ contract year after his 2023 contract year was turned into a voiding/dummy year last July in an effort to end his rift with the organization. Whether Rodgers decides to remain in Green Bay or tries to force a trade, it’s conceivable he becomes the NFL’s first $50 million per year player in a contract extension unless winning a second Super Bowl ring is put ahead of money because of his playoff shortcomings over the last decade.

Deshaun Watson

HOU • QB • 4

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $40.4 million

2022 Compensation: $35 million

2022 Dead Money: $16.2 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $24.2 million

Deshaun Watson remains in trade limbo with the Texans because of allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. A trade is unlikely to occur without more clarity on Watson’s situation. The Texans have reportedly wanted three first round picks and two second round picks in return. The acquiring team would be getting a cost controlled 26-year old franchise quarterback. Watson is under contract for four years running through the 2025 season with an average of $34 million per year ($136 million total). $35 million of cap space would be necessary to absorb Watson’s 2022 salary.

Russell Wilson

SEA • QB • 3

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $37 million

2022 Compensation: $24 million

2022 Dead Money: $26 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $11 million

Russell Wilson and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll insist their relationship is in a good place. One thing that can’t be ignored is Wilson’s agent caused an uproar about a year ago by revealing Wilson was willing to waive to his no-trade clause for the Bears, Cowboys, Raiders and Saints. The Seahawks having no intention of trading Wilson hasn’t stopped reporting that the Broncos, Giants and Saints are now on Wilson’s short list of approved teams. The most logical time for any trade would be before the fifth day of the 2022 league year on March 20 when Wilson’s $5 million roster bonus is due. Wilson’s contract runs through the 2023 season. The final two years are worth $50 million, with Wilson scheduled to make $26 million in 2023.

Carson Wentz

IND • QB • 2

2022 Salary Cap Number: $28,294,119

2022 Compensation: $28,294,119 (includes $15 million 2022 Base Salary Guarantee)

2022 Dead Money: $15 million (assumes a release)

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $13,294,119 (assumes a release)

Carson Wentz’s poor play down the stretch, particularly in the regular season finale against the lowly Jaguars when the Colts controlled their own playoff destiny, has put him on the hot seat. Colts general manager Chris Ballard was non-committal about Wentz’s future in Indianapolis after failing to secure a playoff berth. Parting ways with Wentz would mean the Colts gave up a 2021 third round pick and a 2022 first round pick for a one-year rental. That doesn’t happen very often. The trade market for Wentz would be extremely limited. The Colts would be getting back a lot less in draft capital than given up to obtain Wentz if a taker can be found, which is far from a certainty. It’s hard to imagine any team wanting Wentz’s $28,294,119 of 2022 compensation in addition to his 2023 and 2024 contract years worth $53,411,765. The Colts releasing Wentz would occur before the third day of the 2022 league year, which is March 18, when the remaining $7 million of his 2022 base salary becomes fully guaranteed and his injury guaranteed $5 million roster bonus is due.

Jimmy Garoppolo

SF • QB • 10

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $26.95 million

2022 Compensation: $25.6 million

2022 Dead Money: $1.4 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $25.55 million

Jimmy Garoppolo’s days in San Francisco were numbered once the 49ers moved up to the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to select quarterback Trey Lance. The last time the 49ers traded a starting caliber quarterback, Alex Smith in 2013, two second round picks were obtained from the Chiefs for him. The 49ers might be looking for something similar but willing to settle for a Day Two draft pick (2022 second or third round pick). Garoppolo is entering the final year of a five-year, $137.5 million contract signed in 2018 that briefly made him the league’s highest paid player. Any contract extension from the acquiring team would surely be for more than $27.5 million per year in his 2018 deal.

Amari Cooper

DAL • WR • 19

2022 Salary Cap Number: $22 million

2022 Compensation: $20 million

2022 Dead Money: $6 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $16 million

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently expressed frustration with Amari Cooper not having a bigger impact despite being a focal point of opposing defenses. 2020 first round pick CeeDee Lamb was Dallas’ most productive wide receiver in 2021. Cooper’s roster spot in Dallas is only potentially in jeopardy because the five-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2020 free agency inexplicably has a team-friendly structure. Instead of Cooper’s 2022 base salary becoming fully guaranteed at the beginning of the second contract year last March, it isn’t completely secure until this upcoming March 20 on the fifth day of the 2022 league year. Cooper’s $10 million signing bonus was surprising low for a Cowboys contract with such a high dollar value. By contrast, the five-year, $105 million contract defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence signed in 2019 as a franchise player had a $25 million signing bonus. Lawrence’s full guarantee in his third contract year vested at the beginning of his second contract year, which should have happened for Cooper.

Frank Clark

KC • DE • 55

2022 Salary Cap Number: $26.3 million

2022 Compensation: $19.5 million

2022 Dead Money: $13.6 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $12.7 million

Frank Clark hasn’t been the pass rushing force the Chiefs expected when he signed a five-year, $104 million contract with $62.305 million in guarantees in connection with his trade from the Seahawks for a 2019 first round pick and a 2020 second round shortly before the 2019 Draft. His 18.5 sacks in three seasons with the Chiefs are the same as Bears edge rusher Robert Quinn had during the 2021 season.

Laremy Tunsil

HOU • OT • 78

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $26,153,333

2022 Compensation: $17.85 million

2022 Dead Money: $16,606,667

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $9,546,666

Laremy Tunsil never made it back on the field after undergoing left thumb surgery five games into the 2021 season. The versatile Tytus Howard filled in capably at left tackle towards the end of the season during Tunsil’s absence. This has prompted increasing speculation that Tunsil could be available for the right price, which would be more than a 2022 first round pick. Tunsil is entering the second year of the three-year contract extension he signed in 2020 averaging $22 million per year.

Za’Darius Smith

GB • OLB • 55

2022 Salary Cap Number: $27,661,250

2022 Compensation: $15.75 million

2022 Dead Money: $12.38 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $15,281,250

It’s probably just a matter of time before the Packers part ways with Za’Darius Smith because of a challenging salary cap situation. The Packers are currently in neighborhood of $40 million over the expected $208.2 million 2022 salary cap after restructuring defensive tackle Kenny Clark’s contract. This doesn’t factor in a franchise tag for Adams. Smith didn’t return until the playoffs after missing nearly all of the 2021 regular season because of back surgery. He has 2022’s fifth largest cap number for a non-quarterback.

Jarvis Landry

CLE • WR • 80

2022 Salary Cap Number: $16,379,412

2022 Compensation: $15.1 million

2022 Dead Money: $1.5 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $14,879,412

Jarvis Landry had career lows of 52 receptions, 570 receiving yards and two touchdown catches in 12 games during a 2021 season where he wasn’t healthy. Among the injuries Landry dealt with were a sprained MCL in his left knee and a partially torn quad. Landry has expressed a desire to remain in Cleveland but is also confident that he can be a key contributor elsewhere on a Super Bowl contender.

Danielle Hunter

MIN • DE • 99

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $25,838,750

2022 Compensation: $20 million

2022 Dead Money: $11.48 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $14,358,750

Danielle Hunter is one of the NFL’s best pass rushers when healthy, which hasn’t been much over the last two seasons. He missed all of the 2020 season with a herniated disc in his neck and a torn pectoral muscle limited him to seven games in 2021. Hunter’s unhappiness with the five-year, $72 million extension averaging $14.4 million per year he signed in 2018 led to the Vikings reworking his contract last offseason. The two-time Pro Bowler didn’t get a raise in 2021 but $7.25 million of 2023 compensation was shifted up a year so he’s making $20 million in 2022. $18 million of this $20 million is a fifth day of the league year roster bonus due on March 20. Instead of trading Hunter before this date, the Vikings could choose to create $13.5 million of cap room by converting the $18 million into signing bonus where it’s prorated over the last two years of Hunter’s deal as well as the dummy/voiding 2024 and 2025 years that were added in last year’s reworking of his contract.

Landon Collins

WAS • SS • 26

2022 Salary Cap Number: $16,082,353

2022 Compensation: $12 million

2022 Dead Money: $9.6 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $6,482,353

Landon Collins struggled in pass coverage during the early part of the 2021 season in his return from 2020’s torn left Achilles. He played his best football in 2021 after switching to a hybrid safety-linebacker role that had him playing closer to the line of scrimmage. The improved play may not be enough to keep Collins off the chopping block.

Calvin Ridley

ATL • WR • 18

Availability: Trade only

2022 Salary Cap Number: $11.116 million

2022 Compensation: $11.116 million (fully guaranteed fifth year option)

2022 Dead Money: None

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $11.116 million

Calvin Ridley was expected to be Atlanta’s biggest offensive weapon after a 2020 breakout season of 90 catches for 1,374 yards with nine touchdowns because wide receiver Julio Jones and a 2023 sixth round pick were dealt to the Titans last June for a 2022 second round pick and a 2023 fourth round pick. He only played five games in 2021 because of personal problems. Falcons owner Arthur Blank would like to have Ridley back but acknowledges that the 2018 first round pick might think a change of scenery is best.

Trey Flowers

DET • OLB • 90

2022 Salary Cap Number: $23.239 million

2022 Compensation: $17.625 million (includes $1.625 million 2022 Base Salary Guarantee)

2022 Dead Money: $12.853 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $10.386 million

Trey Flowers reunited with Lions head coach Matt Patricia, his former Patriots defensive coordinator, when he signed a five-year, $90 million contract containing $56 million in guarantees, which included a $28.07 million signing bonus, in 2019 free agency. Only generating 1.5 sacks in an injury plagued 2021 season where Flowers was limited to seven games wasn’t the best audition for the first year of general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell’s new regime.

Trae Waynes

CIN • CB • 26

2022 Salary Cap Number: $15,858,823

2022 Compensation: $11 million

2022 Dead Money: $5 million

2022 Salary Cap Savings: $10,858,823

Trae Waynes has been a disappointment ever since signing a three-year, $42 million contract in 2020 free agency largely because of injury. He missed the entire 2020 season with a torn pectoral muscle. Waynes was limited to five regular season games (with four starts) because of a hamstring injury in 2021. His only action during Cincinnati’s four playoff games was on special teams.

BROADCAST NEWS – AIKMAN TO ESPN?

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post says Troy Aikman is indeed leaving FOX, but not for Amazon’s Thursday night package.  Lots of interesting other nuggets as well.

Hall of Famer Troy Aikman is expected to leave Fox Sports to become the main analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” The Post has learned.

Aikman’s ESPN deal will be for five years, according to sources, and his yearly salary is expected to approach or exceed the neighborhood of Tony Romo’s $17.5 million per year contract with CBS. The deal is not yet signed, but it is near completion.

ESPN declined comment.

Aikman’s seismic move will shake-up NFL TV free agency. Already this offseason, the contract of Al Michaels, arguably the greatest NFL play-by-player of all time, ran out with NBC.

Michaels, 77, has been on the 1-yard line in his negotiations to be the lead play-by-play voice when Amazon Prime Video begins its exclusive coverage of “Thursday Night Football.” Michaels had hoped Aikman would join him on Thursday nights.

Though Rams head coach Sean McVay has said he will continue on the sidelines this year, Amazon could make a serious run at him, according to sources. Tom Brady can’t be fully counted out as a candidate, but it should be stressed he has shown no indication he wants to work in a booth.

ESPN currently has Steve Levy, Louis Riddick Jr. and Brian Griese as its lead “Monday Night Football” team. Over the next few years, ESPN will have an expansion in NFL games from 18 to 25. They will need multiple crews to call them.

While ESPN has considered making a run at Michaels — it hasn’t done so yet — there is another wild possibility.

With Joe Buck’s contact up next year, sources said ESPN could try to pry Buck from Fox. Buck also calls the World Series for the network. Fox would have to grant Buck permission if he wanted to leave early.

Meanwhile, Fox suddenly has a hole atop its No. 1 broadcast team with two Super Bowls in the next three years. Fox, however, has added depth to its NFL analyst group in recent years.

It will consider its No. 2 analyst Greg Olsen, McVay, Sean Payton and, in a twist, could try to trade for NBC’s Drew Brees, according to sources. Brees, who is in NBC’s studio, is also a candidate for Amazon on Thursday nights.

Fox will also wait if a mystery candidate, someone not apparent right now, arises. 49ers GM and ex-TV game analyst John Lynch could fall into this category for either Amazon or Fox.

Fox would also have interest in Brady, but, if the network wasn’t going to match ESPN for Aikman, it seems impossible to believe it would go into the stratosphere it would take to possibly even entice Brady.

Like Peyton Manning, Brady will be able to choose when and if he wants to be in a booth. Manning and his brother, Eli, are scheduled to do 10 telecasts basically over Zoom the next three years. Their rookie year edition of the Manningcast on ESPN2 for Monday night games was very well received.

It was almost exactly two years ago in February 2020 that Romo’s deal with CBS for 10 years and $180 million changed the NFL analyst industry, as it was the richest in history.

Aikman has been in the booth far longer than Romo. Before this past season, according to sources, Aikman used the leverage he had to make this new deal possible.

He had an out in his contract in which he could say he would not do “Thursday Night Football” this season. With that leverage, Fox agreed to give Aikman a four-year extension at $13.2 million per year, according to sources.

There was one final stipulation to the contract — Aikman could opt out after this season if he were to secure a bigger and better contract, according to sources.

For the past year, Aikman has flirted with leaving. He spoke openly about possibly going to Amazon.

In the end, ESPN, which has been trying to figure out its top booth for years, came in with the strongest offer yet.

Aikman’s new deal will run through Super Bowl 61 in 2027. That is no coincidence, as that game will be televised by ABC/ESPN. The next question is: Who will Aikman’s booth partner be?

2022 DRAFT

The great Daniel Jeremiah with his 2^nd Mock Draft at NFL.com:

1 Jacksonville Jaguars

Evan Neal   Alabama · OT · Junior

This offseason is all about supporting Trevor Lawrence. Neal isn’t a flawless prospect, but he’s consistently improved and has a huge upside.

2  Detroit Lions

Aidan Hutchinson    Michigan · Edge · Senior

Hutchinson is a natural fit for the Lions as they continue their rebuild. He is my top-rated player in the draft.

3  Houston Texans

Kyle Hamilton            Notre Dame · S · Junior

I wouldn’t be shocked if the Texans tried to trade down from this spot. They have so many needs. If they stay here, Hamilton’s versatility and playmaking ability would make a lot of sense.

4   New York Jets

Ickey Ekwonu            N.C. State · OT · Junior

The Jets should be very active in free agency to upgrade a porous defense. On the other side of the ball, Ekwonu would be an immediate upgrade at right tackle or right guard.

5  New York Giants

Travon Walker             Georgia · Edge · Junior

Walker is a unique talent because of his size, athleticism and versatility. The Giants need more playmakers on defense.

6   Carolina Panthers

Trevor Penning           Northern Iowa · OT · Senior (RS)

The Panthers are desperate for O-line help. This is a little early for Penning, but he has guard/tackle flexibility and he’ll start from Day 1 in Carolina.

7  New York Giants (via Bears)

Drake London            USC · WR · Junior

The Giants seem very committed to giving Daniel Jones a fair evaluation in 2022. London has inside/outside versatility and he’ll be a monster in the red zone.

8  Atlanta Falcons

Kayvon Thibodeaux         Oregon · Edge · Junior

Thibodeaux is a true wild card in this draft. I could see him going anywhere from No. 2 overall to outside of the top 10. Atlanta has a HUGE need for pass-rush help.

9   Denver Broncos

Jermaine Johnson II           Florida State · Edge · Senior (RS)

Johnson continues to check every box. He followed up a productive fall with a dominant week at the Senior Bowl. Denver could draft a QB but there are veteran options available.

10  New York Jets  (via Seahawks)

Sauce Gardner   Cincinnati · CB · Junior

This would be a home run for the Jets. Gardner is my top-rated cornerback in the draft and he’d immediately be the team’s most talented player in the secondary.

11  Washington Commanders

Kenyon Green    Texas A&M · G · Junior

The Commanders could lose Brandon Scherff in free agency and Green would be a plug-and-play replacement.

12  Minnesota Vikings

Trent McDuffie       Washington · CB· Junior

McDuffie is one of the cleanest evaluations in the draft and he plays a position of need for the Vikings.

13  Cleveland Browns

George Karlaftis        Purdue · Edge · Junior

The Browns will need to continue to reinforce their pass rush, especially if they lose Jadeveon Clowney in free agency. Karlaftis didn’t post huge sack numbers at Purdue, but he provided consistent pressure.

14  Baltimore Ravens

Derek Stingley Jr.         LSU · CB · Junior

The Ravens need to address the offensive line, but they usually stick to a best-player-available philosophy. Stingley is coming off a foot injury, but he’s immensely talented and plays a premier position.

15  Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)

David Ojabo               Michigan · Edge · Sophomore (RS)

The Eagles need to refresh the defensive line and Ojabo has an incredible burst off the ball. He’s raw but he has as much upside as any edge rusher in the draft.

16 Philadelphia Eagles  (via Colts)

Devonte Wyatt           Georgia · DT · Senior

Wyatt is going to surprise when he tests at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s a dynamic athlete and was a force in practice at the Senior Bowl.

17  Los Angeles Chargers

Chris Olave     Ohio State · WR · Senior

The Chargers have a solid WR corps (they need to re-sign pending free agent Mike Williams) but they lack a big-time deep threat. Olave would be a perfect fit.

18   New Orleans Saints

Kenny Pickett    Pittsburgh · QB · Senior (RS)

The Saints begin a new chapter at head coach and quarterback. Pickett is the most NFL-ready QB in the class.

19   Philadelphia Eagles

Garrett Wilson            Ohio State · WR · Junior

Wilson would pair with DeVonta Smith to provide an excellent young duo for Jalen Hurts.

20   Pittsburgh Steelers

Malik Willis            Liberty · QB · Senior (RS)

The Steelers are looking to get more dynamic at quarterback and Willis is a special athlete.

21     New England Patriots

Devin Lloyd           Utah · LB · Senior (RS)

Lloyd is long and athletic. He’ll be a tremendous asset in the Patriots’ pass defense.

22       Las Vegas Raiders

Charles Cross          Mississippi State · OT · Sophomore (RS)

Cross would start at right tackle from Day 1 and address an area of need for new head coach Josh McDaniels.

23     Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Gordon           Washington · CB · Junior (RS)

Gordon is going to create some buzz at the NFL Scouting Combine. He is big and explosive!

24      Dallas Cowboys

Nakobe Dean            Georgia · LB · Junior

Dean would be the perfect middle linebacker for the Cowboys. He can direct traffic, provide leadership and free up Micah Parsons to be used as a pass rusher.

25    Buffalo Bills

Treylon Burks              Arkansas · WR · Junior

The Bills could opt for a CB here, but Burks would be too tempting as a big addition to their offensive firepower.

26  Tennessee Titans       

Tyler Linderbaum          Iowa · C · Junior (RS)

Linderbaum is an athletic center with a mauling mentality in the run game. That’s an ideal blend for the Titans.

27  Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jameson Williams        Alabama · WR · Junior

The Bucs will need to add some reinforcements at receiver if they lose Chris Godwin via free agency. Williams would’ve been long gone by this point in the draft if not for the knee injury he suffered in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

28  Green Bay Packers

Boye Mafe                      Minnesota · Edge · Senior (RS)

The Packers love raw, explosive edge rushers. Rashan Gary has steadily improved in his three NFL seasons. Mafe is a similar player.

29    Miami Dolphins  (via 49ers)

Tyler Smith                  Tulsa · OT · Sophomore (RS)

Smith is a mauler with outstanding quickness and agility. He needs to clean up the penalties (16 last season) but I love his upside and temperament.

30   Kansas City Chiefs

Dax Hill                    Michigan · S · Junior

Hill could fill the void if Tyrann Mathieu departs in free agency. He can play from back deep to covering in the slot.

31    Cincinnati Bengals

Bernhard Raimann     Central Michigan · OT · Senior

The Bengals need to protect Joe Burrow. Raimann had an up-and-down week at the Senior Bowl, but he has all of the tools to be a quality right tackle.

32    Detroit Lions  (via Rams)

Jordan Davis          Georgia · DT · Senior

The Lions could look for a QB here, but Davis would be a nice addition to a young defensive unit.