NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

We have the reaction to the comments of QB DREW BREES as he tried to craft an acceptable position in today’s social media world (below), but here we look at QB AARON RODGERS whose posts and quotes are more in line with prevailing sentiment.

Zach Kruse of USA TODAY:

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered his first statement regarding the nationwide protests over police brutality and racism following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

On Instagram, Rodgers backed on-field player protests during the national anthem and provided his own opinion on how the country should move forward on racial issues.

From Rodgers: “A few years ago we were criticized for locking arms in solidarity before the game. It has NEVER been about an anthem or a flag. Not then. Not now. Listen with an open heart, let’s educate ourselves, and then turn word and thought into action.”

NFC SOUTH

CAROLINA

Luke Kuechly may be taking an entry-level position (or maybe one up from entry level) in the Panthers front office.  David Newton of ESPN.com:

Retired Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly is considering a front-office job as a pro scout, the team said Wednesday.

Kuechly, 29, surprisingly retired in January, saying he wasn’t sure if he could play as “fast, physical and strong” as he did during his eight NFL seasons that included seven Pro Bowl selections and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2013.

He didn’t explain why he wouldn’t be able to play at the level to which he was accustomed, but Kuechly missed seven games from 2013 to ’17 because of concussions.

Kuechly has been weighing options to stay involved in the NFL in some capacity, either with the Panthers or as a television commentator/analyst. The team statement said a decision could be reached soon.

The Panthers officially placed Kuechly on the NFL’s reserve/retired list Tuesday. That will allow the organization to spread $11,840,000 in dead money from his contract over the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

The ninth pick of the 2012 draft out of Boston College, Kuechly had 1,092 tackles from 2012 to ’19 — the most in the NFL in that span.

Carolina owner David Tepper said when Kuechly announced his retirement that his “presence can’t be replaced,” and new coach Matt Rhule has said that he hopes Kuechly will join the staff at some point.

“I’ve had a great relationship with Luke. He’s my neighbor,” Rhule said Tuesday about the prospect of Kuechly becoming a scout. “It’s great if it works out, if it’s what he wants to do. … I certainly hope it works out.

“He’s a great, great person. Forget who he was as a player. He’s got to figure out what’s right for him. Since the first day, my advice has always been do what’s right for you.”

NEW ORLEANS

When QB DREW BREES sees the United States flag, he sees the sacrifices of his forefathers against Nazi and Japanese aggression and places a high value on it.  He is quickly informed that in June of 2020, that is an unacceptable prioritization.

Mike Triplett of ESPN.com:

After earlier sharing a message of unity on social media, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees attracted backlash Wednesday when he reiterated his stance on how he will “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America” during an interview with Yahoo Finance.

They were his first comments in the wake of George Floyd’s killing last week. Brees’ remarks on the flag drew a sharp rebuke on social media across the sports landscape, including from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Brees gave a lengthy response to ESPN when asked about the perceived conflict between his stances — including a potential divide in his locker room, where players like Malcolm Jenkins and Demario Davis are among the leaders of the players’ coalition seeking social justice and racial equality.

“I love and respect my teammates, and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice,” Brees said. “I also stand with my grandfathers who risked their lives for this country and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis.”

An emotional Jenkins, in a video that has since been deleted from social media, said he was “hurt” by Brees’ comments and that they were “extremely self-centered.”

“Our communities are under siege and we need help,” Jenkins said in one of the videos. “And what you’re telling us is don’t ask for help that way, ask for it a different way. I can’t listen to it when you ask that way. We’re done asking, Drew. And people who share your sentiments, who express those, and push them throughout the world, the airwaves, are the problem.

“And it’s unfortunate because I considered you a friend. I looked up to you. You’re somebody who I had a great deal of respect for. But sometimes you should shut the f— up.”

Jenkins said the video was made just prior to Brees reaching out to him to discuss his point of view, but Jenkins still originally posted it “because it’s important for anyone who wants to consider themself an ally to know how these words and actions affect those you want to help.”

Jenkins then deleted the video.

On Twitter, James said kneeling during the national anthem has “nothing to do with the disrespect of [the United States flag] and our soldiers.”

@YahooFinance

Highlight: @readdanwrite asks @drewbrees what the star NFL quarterback thinks about “players kneeling again when the NFL season starts.”@drewbrees: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”

Brees was outspoken in 2016 when he said he supported Colin Kaepernick’s desire to speak out against racial injustice but disagreed with Kaepernick’s method of protest during the national anthem.

In 2017 in London, Drew Brees and other Saints players took a knee before the playing of the national anthem and then stood for the anthem prior to a game against the Miami Dolphins. The Saints’ decision was a response to President Trump at the time saying that NFL players who choose not to stand for the anthem should be fired.

Brees has not wavered from that stance of not kneeling during the anthem — though he insisted Wednesday that his actions should represent what kind of a person he is.

“I believe we should all stand for the national anthem and respect our country and all those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms,” Brees said via text message. “That includes all those who marched for women’s suffrage in the 1920s and all those who marched in the civil rights movements and continue to march for racial equality. All of us … EVERYONE … represent that flag. Same way I respect all the citizens of our country … no matter their race, color, religion.

“And I would ask anyone who has a problem with what I said to look at the way I live my life. Do I come across as someone who is not doing my absolute best to make this world a better place, to bring justice and equality to others, and hope & opportunity to those who don’t have it? That’s what I meant by actions speak louder than words. … My ACTIONS speak for themselves.”

Brees was referencing his social media post from Wednesday morning, which began with the header, “Words to unite,” and talked about the importance of teaching and modeling to children “what it is to love all and respect all.”

“There is a saying in every locker room I have been in,” Brees wrote. “‘Don’t just talk about it, be about it.’ Acknowledge the problem, and accept the fact that we all have a responsibility to make it better. ‘Your actions speak so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.'”

Brees and his wife, Brittany, have been heavily involved in charitable efforts throughout his 19-year NFL career, including a recent donation of $5 million to help Louisiana during the coronavirus pandemic.

Saints coach Sean Payton offered a passionate stance Tuesday, saying on social media that Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery were “murdered not killed” and calling for change in the November elections.

Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Gayle Benson released a lengthy statement Monday, decrying police brutality and announcing the creation of a Social Justice Leadership Coalition within both organizations involving Davis, Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick.

While Jenkins and other current teammates were quick to criticize their quarterback, he did have support from the unlikely source of his former receiver Joe Horn:

Former Saints receiver Joe Horn told Jeff Duncan of TheAthletic.com that people like LeBron James, who bashed Brees’ comments, should get to know Brees first.

“People should not be throwing Drew Brees under the bus, and they definitely need to pump the brakes on labeling him a racist,” Horn said. “I know Drew Brees. Drew has done a lot to help black families and the black community in New Orleans. If Drew Brees didn’t love black families and low-income families he wouldn’t have helped the way he has over the years. People that are criticizing him like LeBron James and other celebrities don’t know him. They need to check his resume. I love my race. And I love New Orleans to death. But I know Drew Brees. And Drew is a good person. And until you have walked beside him and gotten to know him, his wife and family, you definitely have to give him a pass on this one and allow Drew a chance to think about what he said and come back and make this right. And I know he will.”

Some of Brees’s critics, including teammate Malcolm Jenkins, do know him. But Horn clearly believes some of the criticism Brees is getting has been unfair.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com lets Brees know he has damaged his hopes for a post-football career in politics or the media:

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who possibly has political aspirations, may be rethinking his future career choices after jumping onto a third rail with both feet on Wednesday.

Brees, at a critical moment in American history that has caused many to reconsider the message arising from the anthem protests launched by Colin Kaepernick in 2016, has reiterated his objection to the method.

“I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country,” Brees said.

Apart from the remark making “Drew Brees” on the Twitter’s top trending topics as of this posting, one of his most important teammates has posted a couple of tweets that, given the context, seem to be a message to Brees.

“He don’t know no better,” Thomas initially said.

Thomas later added: “We don’t care if you don’t agree and whoever else how about that.”

Brees has since provided a statement to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.

“I love and respect my teammates and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice,” Brees said. “I also stand with my grandfathers who risked their lives for this country and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis.”

Brees may have more to do to put the toothpaste back in the tube on this one. There’s a chance that, ultimately, he may just have to find a way to coexist with the uncontained dental product.

And these tweets from Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report:

I said yesterday that Saints coach Sean Payton is incredibly talented at managing the locker room. He’s one of the best at it. He will need those skills because after conversations with Saints players last night, the fury over what Drew Brees said is even worse than I thought.

@mikefreemanNFL

I want to focus on two quotes from two players. The first said Brees mirrors the beliefs of some whites that symbolism is more important than black life.

@mikefreemanNFL

 “The flag is a thing. It’s a symbol. An important one. But George Floyd was a human being who was murdered like he was a fucking dog.”

@mikefreemanNFL

Second player: “How could Drew be around a locker room of black men and know nothing about what happens to us?”

@mikefreemanNFL

Players tell me they will take this conversation from one of Brees to a more national one about policing and race.

@mikefreemanNFL

We are just getting started with this not just in the New Orleans locker room, but around the sport.

mike freeman

@mikefreemanNFL

I think the Saints will survive this. But for now, for right now, things are beyond tense.

Brees is now aghast and remorseful about the damage caused by his antiquated words.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Saints quarterback Drew Brees responded to a question about players kneeling to protest racial inequality and police brutality by saying that he “will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country” and that response brought a slew of strong rebukes from inside and outside the football world.

Some of those rebukes came from Brees’ teammates in New Orleans, including safety Malcolm Jenkins, wide receiver Michael Thomas and defensive end Cam Jordan, and most of the responses centered on Brees missing the point being raised by protestors.

Brees responded to those men and others who were critical of his comments with an apology posted to Instagram on Thursday morning. Brees wrote that his comments were “insensitive and completely missed the mark” and the entire statement is printed in its entirety here:

“I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday,” Brees wrote. “In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused.

“In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character.”

“This is where I stand:

I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.

I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today.

I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community.

I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement.

I will never know what it’s like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right.

I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy.

I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability. I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening . . . and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen.

For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness.”

This hopeful sign for Brees from LB DEMARIO DAVIS.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Linebacker Demario Davis was asked about Brees’ apology during an appearance on CNN Thursday. Davis said it is “not easy” to admit when you’re wrong and that he thinks others can learn from Brees’ reaction.

“I think that is a form of true leadership,” Davis said. “That’s taking ownership. What we had hoped the first time was that Drew would elaborate more on racism and the sentiments of the black community. He admitted he missed the mark. For him to come out and say ‘I missed the mark, I’ve been insensitive but what I’m going to start doing is listening and learning from the black community and finding ways that I can help them.’ I think that’s a model for all of America. . . . For him to admit that he was wrong and say I can do better and I will do better. I think that is leadership at its finest.”

This tweet from Tim Brando:

@TimBrando

Ya wanna disagree with @drewbrees fine? Wanna question his timing? Sure. Painting him as a racist as a result of his answer? No! Sorry, but his personal views on how he feels when the anthem is played is just that, his American right. Just as it is, Kaepernick’s to take a knee.

NFC WEST

SEATTLE

Pete Carroll’s Seahawks danced with Colin Kaepernick, but reportedly did not sign him after he refused to say he would abandon his National Anthem kneeling.  Now, he is all in with Kaep, in the wake of George Floyd’s death.  Nick Friedell of ESPN.comL

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said “we owe a tremendous amount” to Colin Kaepernick for taking a stand against police brutality and racial oppression in 2016.

“I think that there was a moment in time that a young man captured. He took a stand on something, figuratively took a knee, but he stood up for something he believed in — and what an extraordinary moment it was that he was willing to take,” Carroll said while speaking on The Ringer’s “Flying Coach” podcast with Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Tuesday.

“… But what happened from the process is it elevated awareness from people that just took everything away from what the statement was all about, and it just got tugged and pulled and ripped apart.

“And the whole mission of what the statement was, such a beautiful … it’s still the statement that we’re making right today. We’re not protecting our people. We’re not looking after one another. We’re not making the right choices. We’re not following the right process to bring people to justice when actions are taken. So I think it was a big sacrifice in the sense that a young man makes, but those are the courageous moments that some guys take.

“And we owe a tremendous amount to him for sure.”

Kaepernick’s actions came up on the podcast when Carroll was asked about how it relates to recent events, including the death of George Floyd.

Floyd, a black man, was killed last week in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. On Wednesday, Chauvin’s charge was upgraded to unintentional second-degree murder, while the other three officers — Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao — have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, according to criminal complaints.

Kaepernick’s decision to protest during the anthem — and his inability to get back into the NFL after the 2016 season — came back to the forefront because of Floyd’s death, as well as a piece on CNN.comby former NFL executive Joe Lockhart in which he urged a team, specifically the Minnesota Vikings, to sign the quarterback who many had believed was “bad for business.”

“To me, it’s really hard to look at what’s going on right now with all the violence and the protests and not look back to four years ago and say, ‘Look, this guy [Kaepernick] was trying to peacefully protest and nothing came of it,” Kerr said. “The killings went on and nothing changed and he was actually ridiculed, so it’s a real tough one to think about.”

The Seahawks were linked to Kaepernick two years ago, when they discussed hosting the free-agent quarterback for a preseason workout. But the April visit was called off after Kaepernick declined to inform the Seahawks whether he planned to stop kneeling for the anthem, according to ESPN and multiple reports.

Sources told ESPN at the time that Kaepernick was unwilling to give any assurances to the Seahawks, who wanted to know that he would not kneel before games during the 2018 season. Carroll publicly acknowledged the Seahawks’ interest in Kaepernick but said in April 2018 that reports of what happened with the intended workout were “blown up.”

AFC WEST

DENVER

After reflection, Vic Fangio admits the error of his previous comments.  Mike Klis of News9.com:

Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio has apologized for saying during a Zoom press conference Tuesday that he doesn’t see racism or discrimination in the NFL.

Fangio addressed the matter to his players and coaches during a team meeting Wednesday, then issued a statement in which he admitted he had made a mistake while also apologizing to the NFL and Broncos’ fans and followers.

“While reflecting on my comments yesterday and listening to the players this morning, I realize what I said regarding racism and discrimination in the NFL was wrong.

“While I have never personally experienced those terrible things first-hand during my 33 years in the NFL, I understand that many players, coaches and staff have different perspectives. I should have been more clear and I am sorry.

“I wanted to make a point yesterday that there is no color within the locker rooms I have been in, or on the playing field I have coached on. Unfortunately, we don’t live or work only within those confines. Outside of those lines in the NFL and society there’s a lot of work to be done in the areas of diversity and providing opportunities across the board for minorities.

“As a head coach, I look forward to listening to the players both individually and collectively to support them and work hand-in-hand to create meaningful change.”

During a Zoom video conference call with the Denver media on Tuesday, Fangio had been asked about the evolution of player activism in the NFL since he first joined the league as a linebackers coach in 1986 – 34 years ago.

“I don’t know that it’s changed a whole lot, to be honest with you,’’ Fangio said. “I haven’t seen a great, great change other than—I just don’t think there’s been a tremendous change, and I don’t say that to be negative.

“I think our problems in the NFL along those lines are minimal. We’re a league of meritocracy. You earn what you get, you get what you earn. I don’t see racism at all in the NFL. I don’t see discrimination in the NFL. We live in a great atmosphere.

“Like I alluded to earlier, we’re lucky. We all live together joined as one for one common goal, and we all intermingle and mix tremendously. If society reflected an NFL team, we’d all be great.”

KANSAS CITY

Joel Corey, the former agent writing at CBSSports.com, takes a guess at how much moolah will be soon heading into the bank accounts of QB PATRICK MAHOMES:

The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes’ representatives, Chris Cabott and Leigh Steinberg, have reportedly started negotiations on the 24 year old quarterback’s new contract. The Mahomes negotiations are highly anticipated by the NFL community because a deal should shatter existing standards in most, if not, all major contract metrics. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who signed a four-year contract extension last year, is currently the league’s highest-paid player at $35 million per year. Rams quarterback Jared Goff’s $110,042,682 are the most overall guarantees in an NFL contract, while Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan leads with $94.5 million fully guaranteed at signing.

Mahomes, who is the youngest player to ever win both NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP, has an inordinate amount of leverage. He earned MVP honors in 2018 after having one of the league’s most prolific seasons for a passer as a first-year starter after essentially being redshirted while a rookie in 2017. He became the only quarterback besides Peyton Manning to ever throw for at least 50 touchdowns and 5,000 or more yards in the same season. If Mahomes is willing to fully exploit his leverage, he could become the first NFL player to sign a $200 million contract.

Quarterback market increases

The expectation is Mahomes will become the NFL’s first $40 million per year player with his new contract. In order to do so, Mahomes will have to get the biggest individual percentage increase when becoming the league’s highest-paid player since the 2011 lockout ended. It will take a 14.29 percentage increase from Wilson’s $35 million per year for Mahomes to reach the $40 million mark. Aaron Rodgers’ 11.67 percent increase over Ryan becoming the first ever $30 million NFL player when he received $33.5 million per year from the Packers in 2018 is currently the biggest jump during this span. The market has moved over 10 percent on one other occasion. In 2016, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck’s $24.594 million per year was 11.12 percent more than Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco’s $22,133,333.

Unprecedented financial movement took place with quarterbacks during 2018 when the salary bar was raised by multiple players (Jimmy Garoppolo-49ers, Kirk Cousins-Vikings, Ryan and Rodgers). The market moved 24.07 percent from Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford signing for $27 million per year in 2017. The next biggest jump from one year to the next wasn’t even half as much as in 2018. Luck’s 2016 contract was 11.65 percent more than Rodgers’ league leading $22 million per year in 2015.

Franchise tag relevance

It probably makes sense for Mahomes’ camp to look at the franchise tag dynamic as a guide for a long-term deal although there would have to be some sort of major breakdown in negotiations for Mahomes to be in a position to be franchised in 2022. Nonetheless, the 2022 quarterback exclusive franchise number, which would be the average of the top five 2022 quarterback salaries (usually salary cap numbers) at the end of that year’s restricted free agent signing period, currently projects to $39.403 million. This number is subject to change depending on new quarterback deals, contract restructures, pay cuts and/or releases over the next two years. A second franchise tag in 2023 at a collective bargaining agreement-mandated 20 percent increase over Mahomes’ projected 2022 franchise number would be $47,283,600. A third franchise tag in 2024 with a 44 percent increase from the 2023 figure would be astronomical at slightly over $68.1 million.

Mahomes could make right around $154.75 million with three franchise tags after playing out the final two years of his rookie contract. The average of franchising Mahomes three straight years would be just over $51.5 million per year.

It might be more appropriate to factor two franchise tags into the equation. A player hasn’t been designated three times since the three franchise tag limitation was implemented in the 2006 CBA. Under a two straight designations, Mahomes would make approximately $86.75 million, which is essentially an average of $43,337,500 per year over 2022 and 2023.

Length of high-end quarterback contracts

The length of high end quarterback contracts has been decreasing in recent years. Up until 2018, top quarterback deals were usually for five or six new contract years. There are seven passers with contracts averaging $30 million or more per year. Ryan is the only one whose deal contains more than four new contract years. He signed a five-year extension. The average length for these seven quarterback deals is 3.57 new years. Since all seven deals were extensions (had at least one year remaining on their existing deals when signed), the quarterbacks are under contract for average of five total years. Rodgers’ $175 million over six years in 2018 (four year extension at $33.5 million per year) is the biggest NFL contract to date.

Goff and Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz’s contract lengths might be particularly relevant since they were first round picks who received extensions after playing three NFL seasons, which is the same stage Mahomes is in his career. Both received four-year extensions, so their contracts are six years long. Goff’s extension averages $33.5 million per year while Wentz’s is $32 million per year.

Putting a $200 million contract into context

Mahomes is under contract through the 2021 season for a total of $27,631,905. He is scheduled make $2,794,905 this year and $24.837 million on a fifth year option in 2021. $1,969,905 of Mahomes’ salary for this year is a fifth day of training camp roster bonus. Getting a deal done before this bonus is due would give the Chiefs the most salary cap flexibility. The roster bonus could be converted to nearly $9.845 million of signing bonus and prorated for five years without affecting Mahomes’ $5,316,443 2020 salary cap number. After the fifth day of training camp passes, proration of the roster bonus is no longer a possibility. Assuming there aren’t any delays to training camp opening because of COVID-19, the fifth day would be right around August 1.

Mahomes would need to sign a four-year extension averaging approximately $43.1 million per year to be the first NFL player to sign a $200 million contract. This type of extension is in line with Mahomes being franchised two consecutive years after playing out his rookie contract. It is also consistent with the biggest year-to-year increase for quarterbacks in the last decade. The 24.07 percent increase in 2018 applied to Wilson’s $35 million per year is just over $43.425 million per year.

Goff, Rodgers, Wentz and Wilson’s four-year extensions could provide a roadmap for Mahomes’ cash flow and guarantees. The range for new money through the first and second new contract years is 43 percent to slightly under 51 percent, and just over 60 percent to approximately 64.25 percent respectively. To put this in better perspective, Mahomes would have a little less than $112.5 million of new money through 2023 (his second new contract year) at $43.5 million per year if his cash flow percentage is comparable to high end of the range with these four-year extensions.

Mahomes’ total dollars in his first four contract years (2020 through 2023) would be approximately $140 million because the $27,631,905 in the remainder of his rookie deal is added to the almost $112.5 million of new money in the same time frame. Essentially having 70 percent of the 201,631,905 six-year total is consistent with the structure of Goff and Wentz’s deals, which are in the 68 percent neighborhood. In Goff’s case, his guarantees run through his first four contract years. Doing the same for Mahomes with this model would put his overall guarantees practically at $140 million.

I would imagine that Cabott and Steinberg would insist on the Chiefs fully guaranteeing first three years of the contract, if not the first four years, at signing. This would likely make $110 million the lower end of the amount fully guaranteed at signing under these parameters.

One challenge may be structuring Mahomes’ contract to account for the potential impact the COVID-19 pandemic could have on the 2021 salary cap if league revenues decrease because games are played in empty stadiums or in front of limited fans. The Chiefs aren’t a proponent of the signing bonus/option bonus contract model but utilizing an option bonus in 2021 could be a way to make Mahomes’ 2021 cap figure more manageable in case of a flat or lower salary cap next year.

My preference would be to sacrifice the potential of the $200 million contract for a three-year extension. Mahomes would be better positioned to a take advantage of the anticipated financial growth in the salary cap because of the addition of a 17th regular season game and new media rights deals with a shorter term. Most of the current TV deals expire after the 2022 season and the 17th game most likely will be implemented at some point before the 2023 season.

Salary cap percentage concept

There has been plenty of speculation that Mahomes may be able to use his immense leverage to tie his salary in the later years of the contract to the growth in the salary cap. This was something Rodgers unsuccessfully attempted to get with his 2018 extension. Rodgers would have been in a better position to take strong stand about his contract in 2013 as a 29 year old entering the prime of his career. Wilson never really got anywhere last year in trying to get a salary cap percentage based contract.

My experience as an agent was extreme pushback when trying to establish new contractual precedents. The idea of a new precedent was considered a deal breaker in most instances. Teams routinely cited their concern about the precedent being used against them in future negotiations with other players. It always seemed a little disingenuous because teams should be able to distinguish the circumstances of different negotiations.

The high end four-year extensions signed over the last couple of years have salary escalators and/or incentives. Rodgers, Wilson, Wentz and Goff’s contracts have $4 million, $6 million, $12 million and $14 million in performance bonuses respectively. Goff’s deal has the highest potential value at $148 million.

Performance bonuses would seem to be a necessity for Mahomes given these contracts. Instead of tying his money to a percentage of the salary cap, Mahomes’ camp could explore a different kind of mechanism, which has been used before, that would keep his contract from becoming outdated.

When I was first getting started in the agent business, I worked on a deal for six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Eric Allen. He was one of the clients of the firm that employed me. After a lengthy preseason holdout in 1992, Allen signed a three-year contract with the Eagles where his 1994 salary would be adjusted so that his pact would equal the average of the three highest paid NFL defensive backs deals if he was no longer being paid in that stratosphere provided he earned Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors in the previous two seasons. A mechanism for Mahomes could be the greater of a specific dollar value like a traditional performance bonus or an adjustment that would ensure he remained the league’s highest paid player with extraordinary individual achievement and/or team success.

AFC SOUTH

TENNESSEE

The Titans realize that RB DERRICK HENRY only has so many miles on his tires.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Last year Derrick Henry led the NFL with 303 carries and 1,540 rushing yards. This year, those numbers may go down, by design.

Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said it will probably be better for Tennessee’s offense “if more guys are touching the ball,” according to Michael Giardi of NFL Network.

Smith said he’s excited about rookie third-round draft pick Darrynton Evans, who is likely to be the Titans’ No. 2 running back this season.

Henry has signed his franchise tender and is ready to play for a one-year, $10.278 million contract this year. If Evans successfully reduces Henry’s workload this year, the Titans may allow Henry to walk in free agency next year.

THIS AND THAT

UNLOCKING THE LOCKDOWN

The three teams that represent New York, including the one that actually plays in New York, have unlocked their buildings and allowed a privileged few to enter.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

In what can be seen as a significant step in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, two franchises that call a major market home are reopening their facilities.

The New York Giants and New York Jets resumed operations at their headquarters Wednesday in a limited capacity, NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones reported. A “small number of employees” returned to the Giants’ facility, Jones added.

The Buffalo Bills, the only NFL team to play and train in New York State, also confirmed to NFL.comthat their facility opened this week to “a limited number of staff members, per local county/NFL regulations.”

New York and New Jersey are among the states affected most by the pandemic, resulting in more stringent restrictions. While the NFL allowed teams to reopen beginning on May 19, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy didn’t permit professional sports teams residing in the state to return to their facilities until an announcement made on May 26. With that announcement, the Giants and Jets were able to work toward establishing plans for reopening, which commenced Wednesday. New York governor Andrew Cuomo made a similar announcement in mid-May regarding the Bills.

The league on Tuesday informed all 32 of its clubs that training camp will only be permitted at team facilities this season, unless a “club can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of a joint NFL-NFLPA medical task force, that it would not be feasible to conduct at their club facility.”

But although most of the team headquarters buildings are open, the rumors are the NFL will ban players from visiting until training camp.  Adam Schefter of ESPN.com:

NFL players are not expected to return to their team facilities until training camp, sources told ESPN.

Most teams already have reopened their facilities on a limited basis for essential employees amid the coronavirus pandemic, but healthy players still are not allowed to return.

Discussions about when to allow players to return are ongoing, sources said, and neither the NFL nor any teams have announced official dates for when training camp will begin.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell informed teams Tuesday, in a memo obtained by ESPN, that they must hold training camps at their main practice facilities because of the virus.

The memo also said that teams will not be allowed to hold joint training camp practices with other teams.

Goodell cited limiting travel, exposure and contact along with eliminating the need to clean and maintain two facilities in the league’s decisions, which he noted that the “NFLPA was strongly in favor of.”

“These steps are being taken for the 2020 preseason to address the current conditions and are not expected to be in place in 2021,” Goodell said.

Ten teams practiced away from their main practice facilities last year.

TOP 10 PRESSURE QUARTERBACKS

Nick Shook of NFL.com uses NextGenStats to tell us who thrives under pressure among current QBs.  In this study, pressure is defined as looming pass rushers, not tight late game situations:

To organize our list of the top 10 QBs under pressure in 2019, we’re going to rely on two specific numbers tracked by Next Gen Stats. The first is passer rating under pressure, a slightly modified version of a traditional metric that most football fans should understand (158.3 is perfect, while anything 100 or better is pretty darn good, etc.). The second is completion percentage above expectation while under pressure, which might be the best indicator of all. How effective are you in the most trying moments on the football field? That statistic attempts to answer that question.

The criteria for this is simple: Quarterbacks must have thrown a minimum of 250 pass attempts. That’s going to loop in some quarterbacks who only played half of a season, like Matthew Stafford and Ryan Tannehill, for example. Yes, this means you’ll see some names here that didn’t qualify for my earlier ranking of the top 10 deep passers — but that ranking required a larger sample size to provide an accurate picture.

Enough of the introduction. Let’s sort this out.

1 – Ryan Tannehill

UNDER PRESSURE: 112.4 passer rating, +8.7% completion rate above expectation, 64.2% completion rate.

Tannehill’s return to a starting gig came at an unexpected turning point in the Titans’ season. Coach Mike Vrabel needed a spark at the most important position on the field, and he found it in Tannehill in Week 7. The one-time first-round pick by the Dolphins teamed with Derrick Henry to resurrect Tennessee’s offense and help the Titans sprint to the AFC Championship Game, recording a pair of stunning playoff victories in the process. Tannehill did it by performing masterfully under pressure, posting the only passer rating above 110 in such circumstances in the entire league (among those with a minimum of 250 total pass attempts) while also targeting receivers in tight windows on 23.9 percent of such attempts. He pushed the ball under pressure more than any other quarterback, becoming the only qualified passer to average 10-plus yards per attempt under pressure in a season since 2016. His completion percentage above expectation of +8.7 punctuated his stellar campaign, which was good enough to earn him NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors — and a new contract for four years and $118 million, with $62 million guaranteed. As Robert Griffin III loves to say, no pressure, no diamonds.

2 – Drew Brees

UNDER PRESSURE: 105.9 passer rating, +4.4% completion rate above expectation, 63.3% completion rate.

Brees’ numbers aren’t too far off of Tannehill’s, though Brees wasn’t pressured as often (72 times) as Tannehill (98). Brees would have been the best quarterback of this entire ranking had it not been for Tannehill’s remarkable play in less than a full season. Brees’ 105.9 passer rating under pressure is the second-best mark in a single season since 2016, trailing only Tannehill’s rating. In keeping with the theme of Michael Thomas’ productivity (which we covered earlier in this series), Brees found success under pressure by getting the ball out quickly (3.01 seconds on average per pressured throw) to targets who were nearby, averaging 9.6 air yards per pressured attempt. That helped boost his success rate on pressured pass attempts, which led all the players on this list at 41.7 percent. The numbers are great, Brees is great, and we shouldn’t be too surprised. That about sums it up.

3 – Derek Carr

UNDER PRESSURE: 103.7 passer rating, +5.9% completion rate above expectation, 66.7% completion rate.

Now here we can be surprised. We just spent four months listening to folks openly wonder whether Carr’s days as a Raider were numbered, as if the team’s struggles were his fault and not a product of a thin receiving corps hamstrung by the absence of Antonio Brown (and the volatile nature of his brief time with the team), as well as a somewhat porous defense. A “heck of a player” in the eyes of Raiders coach Jon Gruden, Carr demonstrated skill under pressure in 2019, posting the third-best passer rating in such situations in 2019. Carr’s completion percentage of 66.7 under pressure was the best of any qualifying quarterback in the entire NFL in 2019, and his completion percentage above expectation of +5.9 further emphasizes how effective he was under duress. A big reason for his achievement under pressure: Carr targeted open receivers often, doing so at a rate of 56.9 percent. No other quarterback on this list was even close. Logically, it seems simple and might serve as an indication that Gruden’s offense is capable of providing Carr a safety valve. Whatever the broader implications are, Carr did keep things moving, nonetheless. That’s ultimately what a quarterback needs to do to be successful, right? Carr did so when things were toughest in 2019.

4 – Lamar Jackson

UNDER PRESSURE: 93.1 passer rating, +5.5% completion rate above expectation, 49.2% completion rate.

Jackson set a new bar for dual-threat quarterbacks in 2019, setting the single-season rushing record for signal-callers — but as his numbers here show, escaping with his legs is not his only option under pressure. The most intriguing statistic was the touchdown-to-interception ratio Jackson posted while under pressure — 8:3 — which tells us nearly a quarter (22 percent) of Jackson’s 36 touchdown passes came under duress. Only one other quarterback on this list matched Jackson’s touchdown total under pressure (Daniel Jones). Interestingly, Jackson gained less than 470 passing yards under pressure while also completing 49.2 percent of his 65 attempts, which makes us think coordinator Greg Roman’s offense took advantage of its ever-present running threat to create passing windows deep in opposing territory, helping explain the eight touchdowns. Regardless, it’s just another set of numbers that illustrate how Jackson is one of the league’s most exciting players.

5 – Kirk Cousins

UNDER PRESSURE: 91.5 passer rating, +3.8% completion rate above expectation, 58.1% completion rate.

Cousins was a stud under pressure in the earliest years of NGS tracking, which helped destroy a narrative of him being average at the absolute best. But thanks to a play-action offense built out of an emphatic rushing attack led by Dalvin Cook, Cousins doesn’t face as much pressure as he once did. Even with that considered, he still lands in the top five of most under-pressure metrics. His passer rating under pressure was fifth-best, his completion percentage under pressure was fourth-best and his completion percentage above expectation while pressured was also in the top five. You won’t often see Cousins’ name mentioned among the Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes of the league, but he has the numbers to back it up.

6 – Matthew Stafford

UNDER PRESSURE: 84.2 passer rating, +2.2% completion rate above expectation, 49.1% completion rate.

Stafford was limited to just eight games in 2019, but he capitalized while his health still allowed it. Most of Stafford’s placement here depends on his passer rating and completion percentage above expectation, especially when you consider he’s the only player on this list who threw more than 30 percent of his under-pressure throws into tight windows. Stafford is another who has proven over the last four seasons he is a man of consistency under pressure. His combined passer rating under pressure of 83.8 is the third-best mark of any qualified NFL quarterback since 2016, trailing only Matt Ryan (87.9) and Alex Smith (86.3). While his 3:1 TD-to-INT ratio under pressure from 2019 isn’t awe-inspiring, the combination of his advanced passing statistics under pressure earns him this position.

7 – Matt Ryan

UNDER PRESSURE: 78.4 passer rating, +2.9% completion rate above expectation, 57.1% completion rate.

No one on this list faced more pressures in 2019 than Ryan’s 216, with the next closest total belonging to rookie signal-caller Daniel Jones, sitting 31 pressures away with 185. Even in his team’s worst season in recent memory, Ryan still posted a passer rating under pressure that was more than 12 points higher than the league average of 66.2.

We shouldn’t be all that surprised. No one in the NFL owns a higher passer rating under pressure in every season combined since 2016 than Ryan, whose mark of 87.9 puts him at the head of a top-five list that also includes Stafford, Alex Smith, Tom Brady (82.9) and Mahomes (81.2). Only Brady has thrown more touchdown passes while under pressure (30) than Ryan (27) since 2016. Ryan owns the highest passer rating that didn’t occur in 2019, too, with his 104.9 mark from 2016 sitting third in the top five passer ratings under pressure since 2016. And for those who will say most of these combined numbers are inflated by that memorable run to Super Bowl LI in 2016, here’s the numerical retort you weren’t seeking: Ryan tied for the third most touchdown passes thrown under pressure in a single season with nine, and he did so in 2018.

8 – Dak Prescott

UNDER PRESSURE: 80.5 passer rating. +0.0% completion rate above expectation, 49.3% completion rate.

As you can see, we’re organizing by a combination of passer rating under pressure and completion percentage above expectation while under pressure, but Prescott is a unique member of this group in that he completed exactly the amount of pressured passes as was expected. He was satisfactory under pressure, you might say. But then, if you dive deeper into the numbers, you see Prescott attempted the third-most pressured passes (144) of anyone on this list. And you see he’s one of just two on this list to break 1,000 passing yards under pressure. And then you see his 7:3 TD-INT ratio while under pressure, and his 167 pressures recorded and his three DIMES completed on pressured attempts. And you sit back and say, “You know, that’s quite all right.” THEN you dive deeper into the NGS record books and see Prescott is tied with Philip Rivers for the fourth-most touchdown passes completed under pressure since 2016 (19), whereupon you flip the page to discover Prescott has the highest single-season completion percentage above expectation under pressure in a single season since 2016, which for whatever reason was a banner year for that metric in the history of Next-Gen Stats. I’m sure other less fortunate franchises would be happy to secure this man’s services for years to come.

9 – Josh Allen

UNDER PRESSURE: 80 passer rating, -0.2% completion rate above expectation, 47.1% completion rate.

We’ve come to know Allen as a bit of a magician within the madness in the first two years of his promising career, so I guess we shouldn’t be all that surprised. He is, of course, the only player on this list who posted a negative completion percentage above (or in his case, below) expectation while under pressure, but his passer rating shines enough to land him here, as does his TD-to-INT ratio of 5:2 (yes, the two are related). Allen takes exactly three and a half seconds on average to throw the ball when under pressure — something Allen face 125 times, through which Allen attempted 87 passes — yet he still managed to finish mighty close to expectation. We know he still has kinks to work out, but an ability to find success under duress is a very big plus mark on a player’s resume.

10 – Daniel Jones

UNDER PRESSURE: 73.3 passer rating, +0.2% completion rate above expectation, 53.1% completion rate.

Welcome to Next Gen Stats, rookie! Jones was a surprise pick, but only because, well, he’s Daniel Jones, a first-year pro forced in by a lame-duck coach as Eli Manning’s successor — and he somehow made the most of it while playing behind a sieve of an offensive line (that doesn’t include you, Kevin Zeitler). Jones’ numbers were comparable to those of Matt Ryan, which should signal to Giants fans that, hey, they might have another guy like Eli! Manning secured two Super Bowl rings, of course, while so far we’re talking here about Jones’ 8:6 TD-INT ratio under pressure and nearly 1,000 passing yards. Many rookies have fared much worse when the blindingly fast NFL pass rush threatens to swallow them whole on a per-down basis. Kudos to the kid from Duke. Who’d have thought this khaki-wearing fella would’ve been so cool amid the heat?

KAEP

Bears S AKIEM HICKS is among the NFL players who have noted their teams signing lesser perceived talents than Colin Kaepernick in the last four years.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Akiem Hicks could have said a lot when asked about Colin Kaepernick’s continued unemployment. Instead, he needed only four words to make his point.

– – –

 “All I will say is this: We saw it. We watched how it unfolded,” Hicks said. “And we see that he doesn’t have a job now. This call isn’t to advocate for Kaep getting a job, but he did sacrifice his position for where he is now. His career was ended because of it, in my opinion.”

He then added his exclamation point: “We signed Mike Glennon.”

Hicks later said about his Glennon line, “You heard that, huh? Yeah, I said that. It was a feeling.”

Hicks hopes what’s happening around the world after the death of George Floyd will change things.

“We signed Mike Glennon,” the Bears defensive lineman said Wednesday, via Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Bears signed Glennon to a three-year, $45 million contract with $18.5 million guaranteed in March 2017 when Kaepernick was a free agent. Glennon started four games before Mitchell Trubisky took over.

Glennon has signed three times since then, while Kaepernick hasn’t played since 2016. In fact, Kaepernick hasn’t even gotten so much as a workout since parting ways with the 49ers.

NFL teams have blackballed Kaepernick since he took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial inequality, Hicks said.

Jack Dorsey from Twitter is all-in with Kaep.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

In this historic moment that has caused many to realize that perhaps the message from Colin Kaepernick should have been heeded, his efforts are receiving even more support.

Via CNBC.com, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has given $3 million to Colin Kaepernick’s “Know Your Rights” camp.

The donation will “advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization to elevate the next generation of change leaders,” Dorsey said.

Twitter has become an important tool for sharing ideas and videos and other information relevant to world events. Twitter also has become, in many instances, a cesspool of hostility and hatred and ugliness, with people attacking each other based on their opinions and viewpoints. In many respects, we are better for having access to Twitter. In many respects, we are worse.

Regardless, it’s good to see that the person who runs the platform is willing to contribute to efforts at effecting change. We can only hope that change eventually will come to Twitter, in the hopes of focusing on enhancing what makes it good and limiting what makes it not.