Those who “opt out” in 2021 will not be paid a single solitary dime.  The AP:

NFL players must decide by July 2 if they plan to opt out of playing this season due to COVID-19 concerns, though players who voluntarily opt out will not be paid any stipend this year.

In a memo sent to clubs Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league and the NFL Players Association agreed that only high-risk players will receive a stipend of $350,000. Voluntary opt-outs received a $150,000 stipend in 2020.

To qualify as high risk, a player must have opted out last season and have an effective contract executed before Oct. 1, 2020, or have been newly diagnosed with a CDC-defined higher-risk condition. Rookies wouldn’t be eligible unless they were diagnosed with a high-risk condition after signing a contract.

A total of 67 players opted out last year before vaccines were available.

The contract for any player who opts out will toll at the end of the year, and all provisions of the 2021 contract will become applicable to 2022. For players under contract beyond 2021, all subsequent years will be extended.

The NFL and the players’ union also agreed that fully vaccinated players who have a per-game roster bonus are eligible to receive that bonus even if they miss a game because of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Teams might not be permitted to challenge if a player’s COVID-19 infection is football-related if the player was fully vaccinated at the time he contracted the virus and the player received an initial negative test upon timely reporting to preseason training camp. Also, a team can’t challenge if a fully vaccinated player tests positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a bye week.

NFC EAST

WASHINGTON

WFT is excited about a second season for RB ANTONIO GIBSON.  John Keim ofESPN.com:

The improvement was obvious, even if it was just a spring practice with shoulder pads tucked in a storage room. Washington Football Team running back Antonio Gibson ran around the end on a tight zone play, pressing the line of scrimmage, and then made a tight cut outside for a gain of five yards.

It wasn’t a spectacular play, but it was a notable one for this reason: Running backs coach Randy Jordan said that a year ago, Gibson would have immediately cut upfield for, perhaps, a gain of two. Gibson now knows better where he must be — and when. And he knows how to set defenders up.

“It’s like night and day,” Jordan said.

It’s why Washington is excited about Gibson as the offseason closes — and it’s why he’ll be intriguing, and then some, for fantasy football players this season. As a rookie, transitioning from playing mostly receiver in college, Gibson rushed for 795 yards and 11 touchdowns.

In his first eight games, he averaged 4.34 yards per carry with seven runs of 10 yards or more. In his last six games — he missed two because of a turf toe injury — Gibson averaged 5.05 yards per carry with 14 runs of 10 yards or more.

“Last year was still a learning process for me,” Gibson said. “I got the hang of it as the season went on and I started showing progress. But … I feel like I should be able to show a lot of different things this year.”

Washington’s coaches hope the offense benefits from the addition of players such as receivers Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries and third-round pick Dyami Brown. They hope the offensive line was solidified by drafting tackle Sam Cosmi in the second round and signing veteran left tackle Charles Leno Jr., among other moves.

But Gibson’s continued ascension will be equally vital to Washington’s offense.

“You can tell he’s matured, got a better feel and understanding,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said of Gibson during minicamp this month. “Those natural instincts that you look for, the intangibles that guys that have been playing the positions their whole career naturally have. You start to see those come to light with Antonio. It’s exciting.”

Gibson improved as a rookie, especially in how he ran through the hole. Early in the season, he ran more upright and averaged just 1.44 yards after contact, according to ESPN Stats & Information. In the last five games he averaged 1.79 — a sign that he had matured but still had room to improve in this area. He also created more room; in the first five games he averaged 2.44 yards before contact compared to 3.4 the rest of the season.

Washington also hopes for more improvement in the pass game. Gibson caught 36 passes last season. Whether or not he catches more passes this season, the hope is to use him in more passing situations — or run a greater variety of routes.

“The biggest thing for him is continuing to progress, not only as a runner but as a pass-catcher,” Jordan said. “That’s something we haven’t really tapped in[to] a lot.”

It’s not just about his hands — Gibson showed he can catch well. In spring workouts, he caught passes in traffic down the seam, on slant routes and on wheel routes out of the backfield. Jordan said it’s also a lot about the subtleties: where he aligns, what his splits are and how to execute the route at an NFL level.

“The more opportunities he has to do it, [the better] he’ll get … at it,” Jordan said.

NFC SOUTH

CAROLINA

David Newton of ESPN.com on whether small-market Carolina is what QB SAM DARNOLD needs.

As much as Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold seemed to embrace the New York City spotlight that turned Joe Namath into “Broadway Joe,” the spotlight can take its toll when you’re not succeeding. It can swallow you up and spit you out like a failed Wall Street stockbroker.

Darnold, 24, failed. He went 13-25 as a starter for the New York Jets after being selected with the third pick in the 2018 draft. He completed only 59.8 percent of his pass attempts and threw almost as many interceptions (39) as he did touchdowns (45).

So the Jets split with Darnold and traded him to Carolina, where for many years the fan base was known as a “wine-and-cheese” crowd, more laid back at games more for the experience and not the most enthusiastic in terms of creating a home-field advantage.

Several former Carolina quarterbacks who are familiar with going from a large market to a smaller one — New York is the largest market in the country, Charlotte ranks 22nd — believe the change will be good for Darnold. They agree there will be fewer demands on his time and more time to spend on football and enjoying life.

They agree it will be good for him to get away from a fan base that is as likely to greet you with an improper gesture as they are to applaud you.

Few understand more than Rodney Peete, who, like Darnold, went to USC and spent most of his career in big markets such as Dallas and Philadelphia before coming to Carolina in 2002.

“The fans at Carolina are passionate and they love football,” Peete said. “But it’s not the nastiness of a Philadelphia or New York, where it can get extremely personal. So that’s going to be a relief for him.”

Steve Beuerlein, who played for the Panthers (1996 to 2000) after stops in Los Angeles (Raiders), Dallas and Phoenix, agreed.

“This could end up being the best thing to ever happen to Sam,” Beuerlein said. “He gets a chance to rejuvenate his career in a city that is as welcoming as any in the country.”

Jamie Ortiz, Darnold’s high school coach in San Clemente, California, said Darnold is the only NFL quarterback without a Twitter account and had to be forced to open a Facebook page for college recruiters to contact him.

His point: Darnold is private and doesn’t crave the spotlight, even though his position puts him in it, so Charlotte will be good for him.

“Sam’s a very old-school, old-soul kind of guy,” Ortiz said. “So maybe the Southern charm of Carolina is something that will fit him very well. The aggressive New York drivers, who give you the middle finger, that’s just not his nature.”

‘Reminds me of home’

Carolina wide receiver Robby Anderson recently noticed a “glow” and “aura” in Darnold that he never saw with the Jets when they were together in 2018-19.

He didn’t elaborate, and neither did Darnold when asked what Anderson meant.

One thing’s for sure: Darnold is comfortable in his new surroundings. He compares his new home to San Clemente, a beach town with a population of about 65,000 although it is much smaller than Charlotte (estimated 900,000).

“Honestly, it reminds me of home,” Darnold said. “Where I live, there’s kind of a small-town feel, which I like. It’s nice to be able to walk around.”

While Darnold wasn’t a hermit in New York, he knew the paparazzi were lurking. For example, there was a 2019 story in “Page Six,” the gossip column of the New York Post, saying Darnold was “wasted” after a win over the Oakland Raiders.

When Darnold missed three games in 2019 with mononucleosis, it was all over the tabloids that the quarterback got the “kissing disease” from a random woman who showed up at a game wearing a No. 14 Darnold jersey and holding up a sign that said “I gave Darnold mono,” even though the two never met.

When mic’d up for a 2019 Monday Night Football game, Darnold was caught saying “I’m seeing ghosts” during a loss to New England that had fans laughing at him. He became the butt of jokes.

It wasn’t even a story in the Charlotte Observer when Darnold recently celebrated his 24th birthday with star running back Christian McCaffrey — who was celebrating his 25th birthday — and McCaffrey’s girlfriend, model Olivia Culpo.

However, pictures posted by Culpo were turned into a story in “Page Six.”

“Charlotte’s such a great place to live, such an easy place to live,” McCaffrey said. “People are always extremely nice and respectful of people’s boundaries and space and time.”

To Darnold’s credit, he never expressed angst over reports about his personal life in New York. The one that seemed to irk him the most was the “ghosts” comment that he and the Jets believed never should have gotten out.

If anything, Darnold felt playing at USC prepared him for the New York market.

“When I was the backup, I was actually third string when Cody Kessler was the starter at USC,” Darnold said at the 2018 combine. “Then Max Browne got the starting job my redshirt freshman year, and I thought during that process I was preparing every single day to be the starter.

“Being in L.A., being at USC, has prepared me really well for the opportunity to go to a big stage like New York City.”

Still, those who know Darnold and have played for the Panthers believe Charlotte will be a better fit for the player who is more comfortable in sandals than designer shoes.

Former Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme said he would be living in Charlotte now instead of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, if he and his wife didn’t grow up there and still have family in the area.

The few times he was booed in Charlotte, he felt he deserved it.

“If ever they were against me, it was the 2009 season,” said Delhomme, who threw 18 interceptions and only eight touchdowns two years after leading the Panthers to a 12-4 record and six years after taking them to the Super Bowl. “And you know what? I sucked.

“And even at that time, I had my kids in school and I picked them up from school when I could, nobody never, ever said anything [bad] outside to me.”

Peete says that atmosphere will benefit Darnold.

“He’s not Mr. Flashy, Mr. Big City New York guy,” said Peete, who has gotten to know Darnold through their USC connection. “He’s more laid back and ‘I don’t crave the limelight.’

“He’s not Hollywood.”

‘Flannel jeans and a hat’

Ortiz got a chuckle out of seeing a recent Panthers video of Darnold wearing San Clemente High shorts.

It reminded him of draft night when Darnold was backstage with him, a few high school buddies, his parents and long-time quarterback coach Jordan Palmer. There weren’t any big names from USC or other high-profile people.

“To me, that’s a sign of the character of the kid,” Ortiz said.

Darnold wore a simple navy blue suit that night. Nothing flashy like a lot of draft picks.

“He usually wears flannel, jeans and a hat,” Ortiz said. “He wears the same stuff he wore in high school.”

Talent greater than market

While the external pressure on Darnold to succeed may be less in Carolina, the internal pressure is the same.

“I’ve always had high expectations for myself,” Darnold said.

Big market or small, Darnold expects to win. If he doesn’t, he’ll be looking for another market.

“In a smaller market you have less to deal with,” Palmer said. “So yes, that’s an advantage. But for Sam, it’s not a huge advantage.”

Darnold still doesn’t know the Carolina offense — which Robby Anderson insists is much easier to grasp than New York’s — well enough to consistently win. But coach Matt Rhule seems pleased, choosing to call Darnold’s offseason good with the potential to get great.

McCaffrey likes what he’s seen.

“He’s just been very consistent,” he said. “When you stack a bunch of consistent days on top of each other, you’ll ultimately create a lot of growth, and that’s what he’s done.”

Being surrounded by McCaffrey, wide receivers Anderson and DJ Moore, and a respected coaching staff full of teachers, ultimately will be more beneficial to Darnold than Southern hospitality.

Ortiz likes that Rhule talks about the “process” more than he did at San Clemente.

Peete likes that Darnold won’t have to win games on his own, as was the case at USC and in high school.

“You could put Patrick Mahomes in Detroit or with the Jets, and he doesn’t have the success he’s had in Kansas City,” he said. “Why? Because of the weapons.”

The weapons, more than the market, are why Peete and other former Carolina quarterbacks believe Darnold has a chance to succeed. As much as Darnold failed with the Jets, they believe the Jets failed Darnold by not providing that.

“I’m confident saying he won’t be in a situation where he is down by 25 at halftime and has to throw the ball 40 times, as he often was with the Jets,” Peete said.

Beuerlein, who lives about 15 miles from San Clemente, agreed. He also doesn’t downplay the benefit of the smaller market.

“There’s still going to be pressure,” he said. “But the Southern hospitality, people are just more welcoming and understanding and polite than what he’s used to.

“People likely aren’t going to walk by and say ‘you suck’ like in New York.”

NFC WEST

SEATTLE

The Seahawks poached TE GERALD EVERERTT from the Rams, and Coach Pete Carroll is glad they did.  Brent Stecker of MyNorthwest.com:

When Carroll joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant on Thursday morning, guest host Mike Salk asked Carroll who was going to be the Seahawks’ breakout player this year. Carroll didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“Oh, I think you’re going to be really excited to see Gerald Everett,” Carroll said. ” … This is I think the fanciest, sweetest-looking receiver/tight end mix that we’ve had. He’s like a wide receiver, he’s got terrific after-the-catch run ability, really aggressive and he’s a good blocker, too.”

As 710 ESPN Seattle’s Stacy Rost pointed out later that day on Jake and Stacy, calling Everett the “fanciest, sweetest-looking receiver/tight end mix that we’ve had” really jumps out when you consider Jimmy Graham, the prototypical receiver/tight end hybrid, spent three seasons with Carroll’s Seahawks.

Everett, a 2017 second-round pick, spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, and that’s notable because he comes to Seattle with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who was Rams tight end coach during Everett’s rookie season and their passing game coordinator from 2018-20. Because of that, Carroll mentioned that Everett knows the offense Waldron is installing “inside and out,” which is only going to make him more valuable during the season.

“What Gerald brings us is a real threat in the throwing game. Should be a big factor on third down,” Carroll continued. “Our tight end spot is a good position already with Will (Dissly) and you’re going to see Colby Parkinson coming up – he’s been really impressive. But Gerald is a really unique player and he should catch a lot of balls and be right in the middle of the action this year.”

AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH

The Steelers have found that the NFL won’t let them travel to Latrobe for training camp.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Steelers wanted to return to St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for training camp this year. The NFL decided not to allow it.

The Steelers have announced that their plan for “safely hosting training camp on campus with fans” was not approved by the league, given the COVID protocols.

The Steelers will instead split training camp between their practice facility and Heinz Field. The Steelers will host fans at Heinz Field “for a select number of practices.”

It’s clear from the statement that the Steelers wanted to go back to Latrobe, but that the league said no. No specifics were provided regarding the actual or perceived flaws in the team’s proposed, and rejected, plan.

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS

After 35 years, the NFL has apparently decided that Indianapolis is not big enough for the NFL combine anymore.  Eric Edholm of YahooSports.com follows the money:

Fans of St. Elmo’s Steak House, Prime 47 and people watching of the who’s who in one of the NFL’s smallest cities might want to sit down for this report.

According to reports from Indianapolis Business Journal and WISH-TV, the NFL will open bidding for the NFL scouting combine to other host teams and cities starting in 2023.

The combine first arrived in Indianapolis in 1987, and it will remain the host city through at least 2022. Indy officials reportedly are prepared to make a robust offer to keep the event, but there likely will be serious competition.

Franchises with NFL cities also can bid on hosting multiple years of the event, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. It’s not clear if the event will be a traveling circus, year to year, a la the NFL draft since that event moved out of New York City.

This actually comes with little shock. Rumors of the combine moving are not new. For years, the NFL has expanded its offseason fan activities, turning league events such as the combine and NFL draft into bigger showcases.

The NFL combine has increased its television imprint significantly, and limited numbers of fans have been able to attend the on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium and watch the bench press at the adjacent Indianapolis Convention Center.

Which cities might be the early favorites for NFL scouting combine?

Talk of moving the combine to a bigger market has been whispered about for years now. With NFL Network located in Los Angeles and the league wanting to show off the city’s SoFi Stadium, that city has to be considered one of the front-runners.

Las Vegas, with its newly minted and largely unused Allegiant Stadium just waiting to be put on the league’s pedestal, would have to be considered another prime choice.

Both of those cities also lost big events in recent years, too.

SoFi was supposed to be the host of Super Bowl LV this February, but the game was moved to Tampa when stadium construction fell behind. (NFL bylaws require stadiums to be operational for two years prior hosting a Super Bowl.) It also doesn’t hurt that NFL Network’s studios sit adjacent to the stadium.

And Vegas was supposed to host the 2020 NFL draft, but the in-person draft was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cold-weather cities in big markets that might not be part of the regular Super Bowl rotation might also put in bids host the combine. That would include places such as Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. All three of those cities have hosted the draft in the past decade.

The 2021 NFL combine in Indianapolis was also canceled because of COVID-19. The league barely put a bow on the 2020 combine before the country was mostly shut down a few weeks later because of the pandemic.

Expect Indy to make a last-ditch effort to keep an event that has become synonymous with the city. Via the IBJ report, Visit Indy vice president of tourism Chris Gahl told the outlet that Indianapolis plans to make a “highly competitive, comprehensive bid” with the hope of keeping the combine in place for many years.

For one week, downtown transforms into bustling hive of football activity by day and a see-and-be-seen social event at night. Local businesses have become hubs for both employees, agents and media alike, with combine week delivering big business, aided by the cozy downtown’s walkability — even in the throes of an Indiana winter.

The NFL, however, might buck tradition for more bucks. It’s highly possible that other NFL cities could make more lucrative bids and steal away the event from the city that has hosted it for more than three decades.

Next year’s combine in Indianapolis will be the city’s 35th year of hosting the event. Will it also be the last?

And this from Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones built the team’s training facility with the Scouting Combine in mind. The Star has a sports medicine facility and a hotel on property, along with two outdoor practice fields and two indoor fields, including one that seats 12,500.

So it comes as no surprise that the Cowboys plan to bid to host the combine, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.

The NFL will begin accepting bids for the 2023 combine after the contract with Indianapolis runs out. Indianapolis has hosted the event since 1987 and will again in 2022, perhaps for the final time.

North Texas has hosted a Super Bowl and an NFL draft, and, per Watkins, could bid to use both The Star in Frisco and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, which are 37 miles apart.

The Indianapolis Business Journal reported in 2019 that local hospitality officials estimated the city of Indianapolis generated $8.4 million and provided close to $10 million in media revenue from the combine.

On a related note, we wonder if Dallas can ever get back into the Super Bowl rotation.  Super Bowl 45 in February of 2011 was a fiasco, partly due to a generational Winter Storm in a Metroplex ill-prepared and the avarice of Jerry Jones trying to pack too many people into Cowboys Stadium.

Still, with something like 20,000 more seats than any other possible venue (even without the greed of temporary seats) that’s a lot of revenue – even if we are talking at a retail price of say $1,500 per seat, that’s $30,000,000 in extra revenue.

Here is a list of SBs and their venues, as we note that one is available in two years:

XLV     February 6, 2011             Cowboys Stadium                          Arlington, Texas

XLVI    February 5, 2012             Lucas Oil Stadium                         Indianapolis

XLVII   February 3, 2013             Mercedes-Benz Superdome          New Orleans

XLVIII  February 2, 2014             MetLife Stadium                           New York/New Jersey XLIX    February 1, 2015             State Farm Stadium                      Glendale, Arizona

50        February 7, 2016             Levi’s Stadium                                Santa Clara, CA

LI         February 5, 2017             NRG Stadium                                Houston

LII        February 4, 2018             U.S. Bank Stadium                        Minneapolis

LIII       February 3, 2019             Mercedes-Benz Stadium               Atlanta

LIV       February 2, 2020             Hard Rock Stadium                       South Florida

LV       February 7, 2021             Raymond James Stadium             Tampa Bay

LVI       February 13, 2022           SoFi Stadium                                 Los Angeles

LVII      February 5, 2023             State Farm Stadium                       Glendale, Arizona

LVIII     February 11, 2024           TBD

LIX       February 9, 2025             Mercedes-Benz Superdome          New Orleans

Why, you ask, is SB 58 (LVIII) up for grabs?

The game was originally scheduled for New Orleans, but a scheduling conflict (due to the game being pushed back by the implementation of the 17-game schedule) with Mardi Gras pushed the Big Easy’s hosting rights back a year.

Scott McDonald of Newsweek has thrown out this list of candidates for 58 (and presumably 60)

The NFL will soon determine which city can host the 2024 Super Bowl that will follow the 2023 season. Candidates that immediately jump to mind for having either new or updated stadiums, or haven’t hosted in a long time, are:

Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, which just opened this year for the Las Vegas Raiders

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which hasn’t hosted a Super Bowl in 10 years

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, which will host next year’s college national championship

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta

TIAA Bank Stadium in Jacksonville, which hasn’t hosted a Super Bowl game since 2005

We would think Las Vegas, which will host this year’s re-scheduled Pro Bowl, has to be a strong candidate for one of the games.

Don’t underestimate how fast the NFL will shuffle a game back to Los Angeles.

Does Indy get one as a consolation prize for losing the Combine?

Does Dallas greedily rake in both the Combine and a Super Bowl?

We don’t think the NFL will be in any rush to go back to Atlanta.  And Jacksonville probably will only get one as a prize for a significantly re-furbished stadium, if then. No one seemed particularly enthralled with Santa Clara.

Downtown Minneapolis is now unsafe and unappealing, but the stadium is exemplary.

Maybe in 2030 on the 10-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd?

Was New York/New Jersey good or a not so good?  We’re not sure a return is out of the question.

What about if there is a new stadium in Washington?

In conclusion, we would say Vegas and Dallas or Indianapolis for the next two. Then back to Miami, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Arizona and maybe, Tampa.

AFC EAST

MIAMI

The Dolphins have a disagreement on contract value with CB XAVIEN HOWARD.\ per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

Xavien Howard remains adamant about getting more money. The fact others have received new deals (including Jason Sanders, nothing personal) has made him even more dug in. If he doesn’t get a new deal with more money, this could stretch well into August.

NEW ENGLAND

Chris Simms makes the case that QB CAM NEWTON is still a top 20 QB. NBCSports.com:

Cam Newton has plenty to prove in 2021 following what was a tumultuous debut season in New England.C

The Patriots quarterback struggled as a passer last season, finishing with only eight touchdowns through the air and 10 interceptions in 15 games. That resulted in a 7-9 finish and New England missing the playoffs for the first time in 2008.

Despite the lackluster campaign, Newton is back to give it another try with a full offseason to prepare this time around. He’ll have competition for the starting job with first-round draft pick Mac Jones in the mix, but head coach Bill Belichick seems ready to roll with the veteran.

NBC Sports’ Chris Simms is a believer in Newton heading into the new season. He has the former NFL MVP ranked 20th in his Top 40 QB Countdown and while that’s a big drop from last year when Newton was 10th, Simms still likes what he brings to the table.

“Cam Newton is still one of the 20 best quarterbacks in football for my money,” Simms said of Newton’s spot on the list. “It’s not about the quarterback stats all the time, it’s the effect you have on the football game. He’s a little bit of a force of nature that way and I think that sometimes gets swept under the rug. …

“Cam Newton still has got one of the greatest presence of all quarterbacks on the NFL field. He’s a great leader, he’s a great worker. … You have to get over the passing numbers at times, and I understand work needs to be done. He’s one of the best running quarterbacks in football still, and his skillset running the football is one of the things that made that not-very-talented offense somewhat of a threat in certain weeks and it certainly made them one of the best running offenses in football.”

As for Jones, the rookie comes in at 30th in Simms’ Top 40 QB Countdown. Not a bad spot to be in for a guy who has yet to play an NFL game.

“Yeah, he’s a rookie, but he’s an experienced rookie,” Simms said. “And I know there’s only 17 games in college, but it’s all those years in Alabama and playing the tough SEC schedule and everything about that. And all the things you hear right now, listen, it’s been nothing but positives. You don’t even hear things about first-round picks in New England. They’re quietly gushing about him. That just tells you it all. He is the most NFL-ready quarterback to come out in the draft this year, hands down.”

With Jones breathing down his neck, Newton will be forced to step up his game from the jump in camp. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels recently expressed confidence that Newton will improve in 2021, saying he “has a different grasp of the offense” than he did last season.

If improvements aren’t made, Newton could be passed by Jones in both Simms’ rankings and the Patriots’ depth chart sooner rather than later.

NEW YORK JETS

DT SHELDON RANKINS, who saw Sean Payton in action, is impressed with how Robert Saleh goes about his business.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

As a member of the Saints for his first five seasons, Sheldon Rankins knows what a winning culture looks like. New Orleans has four consecutive NFC South titles, netting double-digit victories in each of those years.

But now Rankins is with the Jets, a team trying to turn around its fortunes with new head coach Robert Saleh. Rankins said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio that he’s been encouraged by how his new teammates have taken what Saleh’s preached to heart.

“I’ve watched it grow. I’ve watched guys get more comfortable — offensively, defensively, special teams,” Rankins said. “I’ve watched competition. And I’ve watched what he’s really trying to breed, and it’s something special. Everyone’s buying in. Everyone’s coming in every day with the mindset of, we’re not just here to [say], ‘Maybe we’ll do alright this year.’ No, guys are coming in ready to compete and really take this league by storm. And we’re hoping we can do so.”

Rankins feels like the foundation the team is laying now will be a key factor once the regular season begins.

“One thing about us, I know we’re going to compete,” he said. “There’s never going to be a game we go into where people are going to cut that game on and be like, ‘Oh they’re just there. They’re just out there. They’re just out there for a check.’ That’s never going to be a thing with us.”

The Jets have a long way to go when it comes to being successful in the AFC East. But if nothing else, they can be a tough out for teams every week in 2021.

THIS AND THAT

DEAD MONEY

Ex-agent Joel Corry is on a hunt for all the Dead Money.

Dead money is a salary cap charge for a player that is no longer on a team’s roster. It exists because of how salary cap accounting rules operate.

Signing bonuses, option bonuses and certain roster bonuses are prorated or spread out evenly over the life of a contract for a maximum of five years. When a player is released, traded or retires, the remaining proration of these salary components immediately accelerate onto his team’s current salary cap.

There are two major exceptions to this general rule of bonus proration accelerating. Only the current year’s proration counts toward the cap with players released, traded or retiring after June 1. The bonus proration in future contract years is delayed until the following league year, which typically begins in early to mid-March.

A team can also release two players each league year prior to June 1 (known as a post-June 1 designation) that will be treated under the cap as if 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 part of the roster. The player’s salary comes off the books at that time, unless it is guaranteed.

This means dead money is typically a sunk cost where money isn’t owed to a player. A payment is associated with dead money when there are salary guarantees at the time of release or departure comes after the player has already begun receiving a portion of his compensation in that particular league year.

Excessive dead money can inhibit a team’s ability to field a competitive team. The salary cap room needed to be active in free agency or give contract extensions to important players on the team shrinks.

The largest amounts of dead money from individual players in NFL history are below and separated into two categories. The first is dead money from a single league year. The other is dead money taken over two league years because of a post-June 1 designation, a player being traded, released or a retirement processed after June 1.

Single league year

Carson Wentz (QB) – Eagles: $33,820,611

Wentz leaving Philadelphia in 2021 seemed unthinkable prior to his stunning regression last season. He was considered the long-term answer at quarterback when he signed a four-year, $128 million extension in June 2019. The deal contained a then-NFL record $107,870,683 of guarantees, which included a $16,367,683 signing bonus and $30 million option bonus.

An option bonus is essentially an additional signing bonus that’s usually paid in the second or third year of a contract to exercise later years in the deal. Since an option bonus is given the same treatment on the salary cap as signing bonus, it is also prorated or evenly spread out over the life of a contract for a maximum of five years.

Conventional wisdom suggested Wentz would remain with the Eagles because the record for dead money relating to an individual player in one league year would be shattered in a trade. This didn’t stop the Eagles from dealing Wentz to the Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and conditional 2022 second-rounder that becomes a first-round pick if he takes at least 75% of Indianapolis’ offensive snaps this season, although the salary cap has dropped $15.7 million from $198.2 million in 2020. Wentz’s dead money is a whopping 18.53% of the 2021 league-wide salary cap of $182.5 million.

Philadelphia’s cap savings in 2021 are minimal because Wentz’s cap number was $34,673,536 prior to the trade. Wentz is off Philadelphia’s books after 2021, where $31,274,536, $34,273,539 and $32 million of cap room is gained, respectively, in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Jared Goff (QB) – Rams: $24.7M

Goff became expendable despite signing a four-year extension averaging $33.5 million per year shortly before the 2019 regular season started. Rams head coach Sean McVay wanted an upgrade at quarterback. Goff was included in the trade that brought Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles.

A record-setting $110,042,682 of guarantees, which included a $25 million signing bonus, were a part of Goff’s four-year, $134 million extension. Nine million of Goff’s 2020 base salary was converted into signing bonus to give the Rams $7.2 million of cap relief last year. Since Goff wasn’t traded on the first day of the 2021 league year (March 17), the Rams are responsible for his $2.5 million second day of the league year roster bonus (March 18). The 2020 salary conversion and the timing of the trade account for $9.7 million of Goff’s dead money. The other $15 million is the original signing bonus proration associated with his 2021 through 2023 contract years.

Brandin Cooks (WR) – Rams: $21.8M

The record Cooks set for the most dead money related to an individual player for one league year in 2020 is obsolete thanks to Goff and Wentz. The Rams used a signing and option bonus contract structure with the five-year, $81 million extension Cooks signed in 2018. The Cooks deal contained a $7 million signing bonus and a $17 million option bonus to pick up his 2023 contract year. Cooks was traded to the Texans in April 2020 about two weeks before the NFL Draft. Adding to the dead money is a $4 million third day of 2020 league year roster bonus that had already become a Rams financial obligation when the trade was made.

Antonio Brown (WR) – Steelers: $21.12M

Brown signed a four-year, $68 million extension containing a $19 million signing bonus in February 2017, which made him the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver. The Steelers didn’t expect Brown to force a trade a year later when restructuring his contract in March 2018 by converting $12.96 million of his 2018 salary into signing bonus to create cap room. Brown had three years left on his contract when traded to the Raiders in March 2019. The $21.12 million comes from the signing bonus proration relating to the $19 million signing bonus originally in the extension and the $12.96 million signing bonus from the 2018 restructure.

Matthew Stafford (QB) – Lions: $19M

The 12-year veteran requested a trade after the 2020 season. The Lions dealt Stafford to the Rams for Goff, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick in March. The $19 million in dead money is because of the bonus proration in his 2021 contract year and voiding 2022 and 2023 contract years inserted in a 2020 contract restructure. Ten million of the $19 million comes from the $50 million signing bonus in the five-year, $135 million extension Stafford signed in 2017, which made him the NFL’s highest-paid player at $27 million per year. The signing bonus was an NFL record at the time.

Two league years

Running back Todd Gurley isn’t included, although the Rams have $20.15 million in dead money from his 2020 release with a post-June 1 designation. The Rams initially had an $11.75 million cap charge in 2020 for Gurley after his departure as $2.5 million of Gurley’s $7.55 million third day of the 2020 league year roster bonus, which became fully guaranteed in March 2019, was subject to an offset, making the total net dead money $17.65 million. The $2.5 million was recouped from the one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Falcons Gurley played under last season. The Rams have an $8.4 million cap charge for Gurley this year because of using a post-June 1 designation on him.

Marcell Dareus (DT) – Bills: $23,939,215 ($10,374,510-2017/$13,564,705-2018)

Dareus, who signed a six-year, $95.1 million extension in 2015, was dealt to the Jaguars for a 2018 fifth-round pick at the 2017 trading deadline after he got off on the wrong foot with the new regime of head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane. Both were hired from the Panthers after the 2016 season. Because Dareus was traded during the middle of the season, slightly more than $4.25 million of the 2017 dead money is base salary and a workout bonus he received prior to being dealt. The remainder is bonus proration from Dareus’ $25 million signing bonus and $7 million option bonus in the 2015 extension.

Julio Jones (WR) – Falcons: $23.25M ($7.75M-2021/$15.5M-2022)

Atlanta’s primary motivation in trading Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Titans for a 2022 second-round pick and 2023 fourth-round pick was an extremely tight salary cap. The Falcons had less than $300,000 of cap space before the trade. The lack of cap space had been preventing the Falcons from signing any of the nine players selected in this year’s draft. By waiting until after June 1 to trade Jones, the Falcons picked up $15.3 million of cap room because of the Titans assuming his 2021 base salary in the transaction. Atlanta gains $3.763 million and $19.263 million of cap space in 2022 and 2023, with the Titans becoming responsible for Jones’ $11.513 million base salary for each of those years in the trade.

Drew Brees (QB) – Saints: $22.65M ($11.15M-2021/$11.5M-2022)

The Saints’ liberal use of fake or voiding/dummy years to stretch out bonus proration over a longer time frame in Brees’ most recent contracts finally caught up with them. As expected, Brees announced his retirement in March. Prior to the announcement, Brees and the Saints agreed to reduce his $25 million 2021 base salary to $1.075 million — his 2021 league minimum salary — in February so $23.925 million much-needed cap relief could be gained instantly. The Saints easily had the NFL’s worst salary cap situation for 2021 when the offseason began. Brees was carried on the Saints’ roster until June 11 to prevent the $11.5 million in bonus proration relating to his voiding 2022 and 2023 contract years from becoming a 2021 cap charge.

Ndamukong Suh (DT) – Dolphins: $22.2M ($9.1M-2018/$13.1M-2019)

Suh became the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback when he signed a six-year, $114.375 million contract averaging $19,062,500 per year with the Dolphins an as unrestricted free agent in 2015. Miami’s 2016 contract restructure for cap purposes helped hasten Suh’s departure in March 2018 after playing three years under the deal. Suh’s $26.1 million 2018 cap number was unmanageable. The restructure made a post-June 1 designation the only way to pick up significant cap room with Suh’s release. Miami didn’t have the luxury of time because $8.5 million of Suh’s $16.985 million 2018 base salary was set to become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year. The post-June 1 designation allowed the Dolphins to take Suh’s cap hit over two years instead of having $22.2 million count in 2018.

Tony Romo (QB) – Cowboys: $19.6M ($10.7M-2017/$8.9M-2018)

Contract restructurings in 2014 and 2015 for cap purposes to Romo’s 2013 contract extension were primarily responsible for the $19.6 million. He was released in 2017 with a post-June 1 designation after he decided to retire. If Romo’s 2013 extension had been left alone, the Cowboys would have had a $5 million cap charge in 2017 relating to the retirement instead of the $10.7 million of dead money they had for him. There also wouldn’t have been any 2018 dead money for Romo.