Welcome to the first edition of Pombo’s Weekly Football Rewind. This weekly series will go in depth about all of the latest news, rumors, signings, and trades of the past week.
Carson Wentz Lands in Indy
After five seasons in Philadelphia, the Carson Wentz era has reached its conclusion. The Eagles have agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick in 2021, and a 2022 second-round pick. However, the second-round draft pick in 2022 can become a first-round pick if Carson Wentz plays 75% of the offensive snaps, or if he plays 70% of the snaps and the Colts make the playoffs.
This move comes to no surprise, as the Colts were always considered to be the most likely landing spot for Wentz. The clear and obvious reason why was because of Colts head coach, Frank Reich.
Wentz had the best season of his career in 2017, when Frank Reich was his offensive coordinator. Since Reich’s departure, Wentz has struggled, going 17-21-1 in his last three seasons.
In moving Wentz, the Eagles will now be on the hook for the largest dead cap hit in NFL history. The $33.8 million dead cap hit, exceeds the $22.2 million dead cap hit that the Rams were charged, after the Jared Goff trade.
This trade makes sense for both sides, but it’s impossible to not admit that the Carson Wentz era in Philadelphia was a failure.
The Colts get a 28 year old quarterback who has a good relationship with the coach, and a quarterback that truly has a high ceiling. Wentz has struggled in recent years, but he still has some upside. With a championship ready-made roster, the Colts made a move that could potentially put them over the hump if everything clicks.
From the Eagles perspective, they get out of the Wentz contract, and have a change to completely re-assess and re-tool the roster.
J.J. Watt to Cleveland?
After the Texans granted J.J. Watt his release, many people believed that the most logical fit for him was to join his brother T.J. and Derek in Pittsburgh, or to head home to join Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Others pegged teams like the Tennessee Titans to make a run at Watt, due to his relationship and connection with Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel. Even Brady’s Bucs were considered to be suitors if they decided to part with some of the their key personnel on defense.
But, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, reported that, “Watt is seriously considering the Browns as one of his options because they have a lot of what he wants.”
Now, what exactly is Watt looking for? My guess would be that he wants an opportunity to play for a contender, he still wants a reputable salary, and I think he’s looking for a place in which he’ll benefit from the scheme and other personnel. The Browns are contenders in the AFC, and have over $21 million in cap space, and will likely have Myles Garrett draw the majority of the double teams on defense.
It seems like the perfect landing spot for the soon to be 32 year old Watt. Now the question is, is the interest genuine? Or, is this Watt’s agent trying to leverage the division rival, Steelers?
A Cam Newton Reunion?
After the Patriots finished the 2020 campaign with a pedestrian 7-9 record, a lot of the blame was pointed at Cam Newton. In 15 games, Newton only had eight passing touchdowns, which ranked 34th in the NFL. He had a passer rating of 82.9 that ranked 28th in the NFL, and had a QBR of 47.0 that ranked 30th in the NFL.
It’s fair to suggest that Newton was the worst quarterback in all of football last season.
But, according to NFL Network’s Mike Giardi, there is still a decent chance Cam Newton returns to the Patriots in 2021. Giardi went on WEEI, and talked about the chances of Newton returning.
“35, 40 percent.”
Seeing that number, is eye-popping, considering the season Newton is coming off of. But, Giardi was not alone in linking Newton back to the Patriots. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith also had a similar position regarding Cam Newton.
“I don’t think it’s one-and-done, because I’m trying to figure out what assets the New England Patriots have available to get the quarterback that they need.”
Giardi and Stephen A. are both credible sources that should be taken seriously. Giardi has covered the Patriots for over a decade, and Stephen A. Smith is close with Patriots owner, Robert Kraft.
Cam Newton even spoke about returning to the Patriots, while he was on the, “I Am Athlete” podcast. When Newton was asked if he would return to the Patriots, his response was, “hell yes.”
Do the Patriots have legitimate interest in Cam Newton? Or, are they simply just keeping the door open if all other options were to fail?
Are the Broncos Back to the Drawing Board at Quarterback?
The Broncos drafted Drew Lock in the second-round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Lock has started 18 games in the past two seasons, going 8-10, throwing 23 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions. In 2020, Lock led the NFL in interceptions with 15. But, apparently the Broncos have already seen enough of Lock, and are weighing there options for 2021 at the quarterback position.
Michael Lombardi went on the Pat McAfee Show, and revealed that the Broncos were close to acquiring another quarterback last week.
“They've been rumored to be talking to a lot of teams about quarterbacks. I thought they were going to make a trade last week for a quarterback and one of the teams backed out… I think the whole conversation about Drew Lock being the guy is over."
Lomardi did not reveal who the quarterback was, which now leads to some speculation.
I find it very unlikely that the deal was for Deshaun Watson, and I don’t think the Raiders would move Carr or Mariota in-division.
Maybe, the Broncos were interested in Carson Wentz, but Wentz made it known that he had no interest in playing for them. Or, maybe the Broncos were in on Sam Darnold, but the deal fell through. Maybe, Denver was in on Jimmy Garoppolo? All of these are possibilities, and the Broncos have the cap room to afford everyone mentioned.
A dark house candidate could have been Vikings quarterback, Kirk Cousins.
With John Elway stepping aside in day-to-day operations, the Broncos hired George Payton to be their general manager. Payton spent the last 14 years in the Vikings organization, and has worked closely alongside Vikings general manager, Rick Spielman.
After a pedestrian 7-9 season, it’s not out of the question that the Vikings would look to move on from Cousins, and look for a younger, cheaper option at quarterback.
Whether the Broncos were close to a deal for Cousins or for someone else, it now seems unlikely that the Lock era in Denver will continue
The Steelers Refuse to Commit to Ben Roethlisberger for 2021
After the Steelers started off 11-0, they concluded the season by finishing 1-5 down the stretch, including an embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns in the wildcard round of the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger threw four interceptions in that game, and had eight interceptions in his last five games.
Many anticipated that the soon to be 39 year old quarterback would hang it up and retire. But, Roethlisberger reportedly wants to play in 2021.
Roethlisberger has a $41.2 million cap hit in 2021, and the Steelers are over the salary cap by $14 million. If the Steelers were to release Roethlisberger, they would save $19 million.
At this point, Roethlisberger’s career in Pittsburgh is anything but certain.
Steelers general manger Kevin Colbert made that very clear in a conversation with the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
“Hopefully, there is a way we could try and figure out and do what’s best for the organization and do what’s best for Ben…And hopefully, he will be able to do that and feel the same way we do. But there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”
This quote from Colbert sounds oddly similar to what Ram general manager Les Snead said about Jared Goff, before eventually trading him to the Lions.
Now, the Steelers are sitting in an interesting position. They are acting as if they were under the impression that Roethlisberger was going to retire at the end of 2020, and with their rough cap-outlook, they have some big decisions to make.
Trading Roethlisberger would likely be close to impossible, and releasing him without a concrete succession plan could be troublesome.
It’s clear that a restructure is in the cards here, but it’s obvious the Steelers are unhappy about Roethlisberger’s desire to continue playing.
Richard Sherman Will Be Moving on in 2021
After three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Richard Sherman is set to hit free agency, and it does not look like the three-time all-pro cornerback will be returning to the 49ers.
In an interview with The Sacramento Bee, Sherman made it clear that his time in the Bay Area was up.
“It was a good conversation, nothing crazy. Just a good conversation about where they are and where I am, and their plans. We were both very positive and as good as you can be in a situation like this… It was an incredible chapter in my career and I got to meet and play with some incredible human beings.”
This comes to no surprise, even for Sherman himself, who spoke about the unlikelihood of returning to San Francisco earlier in the season.
Sherman wants to play two more seasons, but the question is, where? The Jets are an intriguing landing spot for Sherman, as he has a great relationship with new Jets head coach, Robert Salah.
Sherman had this to say in reaction to the Jets hiring Salah.
“Great pick up! He’s gonna turn that entire culture around!”
The Jets are projected to have over $75 million in cap room, and will certainty be an enticing option for Sherman.
The Raiders could be another intriguing option for Sherman, as he could reunite with former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The Raiders had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, and could use Sherman in their secondary. Sherman is a west-coast guy and the Raiders would give him the opportunity to stay out west.
The Cowboys could also be a possible suitor for Sherman. Dallas holds another connection to Sherman, as the Cowboys recently hired Dan Quinn to be their defensive coordinator. Quinn was the defensive mind behind the Seahawks Super Bowl runs in 2013 and 2014. Once the Cowboys figure out their quarterback situation, Sherman could become a target for them.
Richard Sherman likely will have some suitors, the question becomes, where does he want to finish out his NFL career?
Do Hunter Henry’s Comments Suggest a Change in the Sport?
Hunter Henry is considered to be the best tight end among this free agent class. At only 26 years old, Henry seems poised to take his game to a new level, and poised to break the bank. Henry is coming off a season in which he had 60 receptions, 613 receiving yards, and four touchdown receptions.
After playing under the franchise tag last season, it seems unlikely that the Chargers will put the tag on Henry again. However, the Chargers are projected to have about $23 million in cap space, and still expect to make a run at retaining Henry on a long-term deal.
Henry went on SiriusXM NFL radio to talk about his future.
“I want to play somewhere, where there is a good quarterback. That's huge for our position. It makes things a lot easier... Playing with a good quarterback always makes things better…You gotta look at some of the financial stuff, but not dive too deep into it that you go chasing it because I also want to play with a good quarterback."
So, this comment may not seem significant, but it is. With this comment, Henry seems to indicate that playing with a, “good quarterback” is a priority.
Henry’s comment could become a trend in the NFL. Skill position players could look to pick their spots based on quarterback play, or quarterback situation. The financial component will never be taken lightly, but the comment about quarterbacks could become common. I mean it certainly worked out for Gronk, Antonio Brown, and Leonard Fournette. All three have completely rehabilitated their careers, with Tom Brady being under center.
The NFL could be becoming more like the NBA, when it comes to player mobility, and “super teams,” may become more frequent. The offseason has barely started, and three quarterbacks have already requested a trade. Deshaun Watson, Matthew Stafford, and Carson Wentz all requested a trade, and Stafford and Wentz both ended up in ideal locations.
So, my overall point here is not to say that Hunter Henry is going to turn down a contract offer that would pay him $9 million annually, to join a contender for half the money. But, I do believe that the teams with great quarterback pay will soon get the upper hand in free agency.
DeSean Jackson is on to His Next Chapter
After being traded back to the Philadelphia Eagles from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the expectations were relatively high for DeSean Jackson. After trading for DeSean Jackson, the Eagles immediately gave him a three-year contract worth $27 million.
His first go-around in Philly from 2008-2013 was successful, as he was one of the best deep-threats in the NFL, during that span. But, Jackson’s second stint with the Eagles will be a mere footnote, as Jackson missed 25 of 33 games the past two seasons.
In the eight games that he played, Jackson had 23 catches, with three touchdown receptions.
Releasing Jackson will save the Eagles around $5 million in cap space.
The 34 year old veteran wide out, will certainly be an interesting free agent target, for teams in need of receiver depth. He likely won’t cost much, but he surely can help an offense stretch the field.
But, I have serious doubts about his health status going forward.
The Dolphins Extend Jason Sanders
The Dolphins resigned kicker Jason Sanders to a five-year extension worth $22 million, with $10 million of that being guaranteed.
In 2020, Sanders proved to be one of the best kickers in the NFL, as he made 36 field goals, which ranked second in the NFL. Sanders proved to be lethal from over 50 yards, as he knocked in eight of nine field goals from 50 yards or longer.
Sanders will make an average of $4.4 million per season, which now ranks the fourth highest amongst kickers in the NFL.
The Panthers cut bait with Kawann Short
On April 17th, 2017, Kawann Short signed a five-year extension worth $80 million with the Carolina Panthers. Short was a big part of the Panthers defense in 2015, as he tallied 11 sacks, and was one of the most impactful nose-tackles in the NFL.
But, since signing that extension, Short only played in 19 of 48 games. Shoulder injuries have ended Short’s season each of the last two seasons.
The Panthers will save $8.6 million in cap space with the release of Short.
He concludes his Panthers career as a two-time pro bowler, with 280 tackles, and 32.5 sacks.
The 32 year-old defensive tackle will enter free agency as an intriguing candidate, with some upside. The last time Short played a full season was in 2018. In 2018, He reached the pro bowl, and had a career high in tackles for loss.
Keep an eye on the Giants when it comes to Short’s next stop. Giants general manager David Gettleman drafted Short in 2013, and has constantly praised him. After signing Short to his extension in 2017, Gettleman gushed over Short.
“In 2013, when we drafted KK, I thought he was the best pass-rushing defensive tackle in the draft, and he's been able to develop into one of the top young defensive tackles in the NFL.”
If Kawann Short can stay healthy, he can be impactful.