Justin Simmons signs franchise tender with Broncos By Kyle Newman Denver Post July 15, 2020 Broncos safety Justin Simmons signed his franchise tender on Tuesday, according to a league source. If Simmons and the Broncos don’t reach agreement on a long-term contract by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, he will be paid $11.441 million this year. The team’s leader with four interceptions last year, Simmons told the Broncos last week he intended to sign the tender, which means he will report to training camp, tentatively scheduled for later this month. A second-team All Pro in 2019, Simmons will be eligible for free agency in March 2021 if the Broncos don’t tag him again.

Source: Long-term deal between Broncos, Justin Simmons 'doesn't look good' By Mike Klis KUSA July 15, 2020 Barring a final hour rush to negotiate, a new long-term contract for Broncos safety Justin Simmons is expected to wait till next year. A source familiar with negotiations told 9News on Tuesday that a multiyear deal between the Broncos and Simmons “doesn’t look good.’’ After an exchange of proposals in late-April, talks between the Broncos and Simmons’ agent Todd France have stalled. With the deadline set for 2 p.m. Wednesday for franchise-tagged players to receive a multiyear deal, the two sides had not been talking as of early Tuesday afternoon. If the deadline passes without an agreement, Simmons would play the 2020 season on the one-year, $11.441 million salary he was tendered as a franchise tagged player. A source said Simmons' initial asking price was for greater than the $14.6 million annual average Chicago's Eddie Jackson gets as the NFL's highest-paid safety. Simmons has played four seasons with the Broncos, the past three as a starter who never missed a snap in the past 32 games. He was named second-team All Pro last season, although he was yet to secure a Pro Bowl berth. With the negative impact the coronavirus pandemic is expected to have on NFL revenues, it’s possible the threat of a drastic reduction in future salary cap years could bring Simmons back to the bargaining table before 2 p.m. Wednesday. But that wasn’t the way negotiations were headed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Deadline for new deal approaches with Broncos safety Justin Simmons By Troy Renck KMGH July 15, 2020 Justin Simmons evolved into the Broncos' best player last season. The safety earned second-team All-Pro honors, and played every snap for the second consecutive year. His skill set and intellect proved a perfect marriage with coach Vic Fangio's read-and-react blend of coverages. Simmons also was named the Broncos Walter Payton Man of The Year for his community work, and he created his own foundation this offseason. Simmons has positioned himself for a new contract extension. In January, Broncos general manager John Elway admitted he would like to secure Simmons on a longterm deal, while acknowledging the franchise tag would be used as a placeholder. Then came the coronavirus pandemic, making it less likely a deal is struck. It has changed the dynamics on longterm deals across the league given the uncertainty of revenue streams and the possibility the salary cap decreases moving forward. Simmons has indicated he will play on the franchise tag this season — he had the option to hold out, and he did not participate in voluntary virtual OTAs — but remained hopeful of a new deal. The sides have talked, per sources, with Wednesday's 2 p.m. deadline approaching quickly. If no deal is struck, and it appears less likely, Simmons must play on the $11.44 million franchise tag this season, and the team would have the option to tag him again after the season. So what's the holdup? NFL management has floated the figure that teams could face $70 million each in losses this season as a result of limited or no fans at games. As it stands, the NFLPA is talking with owners, trying to find common ground to start training camp on July 28. The players remain focused on safety protocols — those in the facility are strict, but will it matter if teams practice the same way? — a longer acclimation period to minimize injuries and playing one or zero preseason games. The owners want two preseason games — one home, one away — for revenue. And there is concern about the salary cap. Will the sides agree to take a huge hit in one year — reducing the salary cap by $40 or $50 million next season, for instance? — or spread it out over multiple seasons? Tuesday, the Chiefs agreed with defensive tackle Chris Jones on a a four-year, $85 million deal with $60 million guaranteed and a $37 million signing bonus, per ESPN. Will he be the only franchise tag player to land a deal? The expectation by players and agents alike is that there would be significant revenue increases from new TV deals. Those appear more uncertain, creating wrinkles in contract talks.

Simmons, 26, can look at the Eddie Jackson contract as a potential framework. In the first week of January, the Bears signed the safety to a four-year, $58.4 million contact with $22 million guaranteed upon signing. Todd France represents Simmons, and his former Creative Arts Agency colleague Rich Hurtado now works as the Broncos vice president of football administration. Hurtado knows Simmons' value as well as anyone as he previously talked with the Broncos about it before joining the team. The risk of not getting a deal done with Simmons is that the price will go up if he delivers another terrific season. Elway is the lead negotiator in these types of talks. And the previous four players he placed the franchise tag on agreed to longterm deals: Matt Prater (2012), Ryan Clady (2013), Demaryius Thomas (2015) and Von Miller (2016). It provides hope, but this offseason and season are unlike any in history, making finding common ground more challenging.

#BroncosCamp preview: Evaluating a revamped wide receiving corps By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com July 15, 2020 The Broncos' 2020 season is almost here, and as training camp approaches, we're taking a look at each of the Broncos' position groups. In this set of previews, we'll take a deep dive into what we know about the given position group and what we still need to learn. We'll also identify a player to watch and choose a battle that bears watching. At the end of the series, we'll provide an overarching look at the best training camp battles and which players have the most to prove. We continue the series with a look at the wide receiver position. What we know: No position group underwent a bigger transformation this offseason than the Broncos' wide receiving corps. A year ago, Courtland Sutton was the only Broncos receiver to post more than 400 receiving yards as he finished with 1,112 and six touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl appearance. Emmanuel Sanders, whom the Broncos dealt to San Francisco before the trade deadline caught 30 passes for 367 yards in seven games. Behind him, though, no one cracked the 300-yard mark. DaeSean Hamilton (28 catches, 297 yards) and Tim Patrick (16 catches, 218 yards) were the only other receivers to catch more than six passes. The group will look drastically different this season. Denver opted not to sign a receiver in free agency, but the team added an influx of talent to the group in April's 2020 NFL Draft by selecting Alabama's Jerry Jeudy with the 15th-overall pick and Penn State's KJ Hamler with the 46th-overall selection. The Broncos also added Florida's Tyrie Cleveland late in the seventh round. Sutton is poised to enter training camp as the team's unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver and will attempt to add another Pro Bowl to his resume in 2020. Behind him, Jeudy's pro-ready game should make him the team's instant No. 2 receiver. Hamler, a threat from the slot, should earn snaps as the third wide receiver, but he will face competition from a number of players, including Hamilton, Patrick, Cleveland, Diontae Spencer and Juwann Winfree. Trinity Benson, Fred Brown and Kelvin McKnight also all return to Denver after spending time on the team's active roster in 2019, and undrafted players Kendall Hinton and Zimari Manning will aim to leave an impression on the coaching staff. What we need to learn: The Broncos now have plenty of dynamic pieces in their wide receiving corps, but we don't yet have a solid idea of how they'll come together. In three-wide-receiver sets — a Pat Shurmur staple — will Sutton and Jeudy play the outside receiver positions with Hamler in the slot? Or will Sutton and Patrick assume the outside roles with Jeudy in the slot? In the red zone, how will Shurmur rotate the Broncos' receivers to give Drew Lock and the offense an edge? And speaking of Lock, how quickly will he develop chemistry with Jeudy and Hamler after missing the offseason program?

On paper, this group has potential to be among the league's best receiving corps. Now, we have to see it on the field. Player to watch: Jerry Jeudy Let's see what the kid can do. For three months, we've heard about Jeudy's flawless route-running and his pro-ready game and seen videos of him executing seemingly impossible cuts. Soon, though, we'll get the chance to see how Jeudy's Biletnikoff Award-winning skill set translates to the practice field. Jeudy should draw attention from cornerback Bryce Callahan, who was among the NFL's best slot cornerbacks in 2018. That's where Jeudy excels, and it will be a promising early sign if Jeudy can hold his own against Callahan. If the 15th-overall pick is going to live up to the high expectations surrounding his rookie season, he may need to post north of 55 catches and 800 yards in Year 1. Training camp will set the stage for whether he's on pace to meet those goals. Battle to watch: This new-look position group may also be the most competitive during training camp. Sutton, Jeudy and Hamler are all locks to make the roster, and Head Coach Vic Fangio has spoken highly enough about Spencer's punt-return ability that I expect him to make the roster, as well. That means — assuming the Broncos keep six wide receivers on the roster — nine players will battle for just two roster spots. I would presume that Hamilton and Patrick hold an advantage entering camp because of their experience, but it's quite possible that Tyrie Cleveland or one of the other talented young players could push one of the veterans off the roster bubble. Patrick and Cleveland are both bigger-bodied players who also contribute on special teams, so I'd be surprised if Denver kept both on the active roster. Hamilton, meanwhile, must prove that his end-of-year chemistry with Lock has continued into training camp.

Mile High Morning: Will Bradley Chubb's return earn him a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2020? By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com July 15, 2020 The Lead In 2019, Courtland Sutton became the first member of the Broncos' 2018 draft class to make a Pro Bowl. This year, Denver's first-round pick from that class could be next in line. That's what NFL.com's Marc Sessler believes; in predicting a first-time Pro Bowler for each team in the AFC, he chose Bradley Chubb. The third-year linebacker missed much of his second season after tearing his ACL in a Week 4 game against the Jaguars, but many analysts and spectators see him returning to form in 2020. "Peering beyond the wreckage of last year's injury-ravaged sophomore outing, Chubb's 12 sacks in 2018 set a franchise mark for rookies," Sessler wrote. "Beyond the takedown tally, his rookie-leading 58 total pressures told the story of a chaos-spinning nuisance off the edge who — when healthy — forms the AFC's most dangerous pass-rushing duo with all-world talent Von Miller." A couple of other Broncos could be in line for their first Pro Bowls, too. In 2019, Justin Simmons was a second-team All-Pro selection yet missed out on Pro Bowl honors, and the other half of Denver's defensive backfield, Kareem Jackson, was a Pro Bowl alternate. If you combine that talent with the 13 total Pro Bowls between Von Miller and Jurrell Casey, the Broncos should have a good chance to add to their Pro Bowl count. Below the Fold As you may have seen on this site already, ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell is big on the Broncos' collection of offensive weapons following a busy offseason for John Elway & Co. In the larger context of the entire NFL, he placed the group 14th, up from their 2019 ranking of 31. "After using the past two drafts to rebuild their weaponry, the Broncos have one of the more exciting young cores in the league," Barnwell wrote. After organizing the Broncos' player-led protest for racial justice in June, Jackson penned a powerful column for The Players' Tribune about the movement and his own experiences with racism. "That march we held in Denver truly opened my eyes to the massive potential that exists to spur real change," Jackson wrote. "And I've been inspired by so many other protests and marches that have taken place over the past few weeks."

Initial expectations and projections for K.J. Hamler with the Broncos in 2020 By Zac Stevens DNVR July 15, 2020 John Elway’s quest to add explosiveness to Denver’s offense didn’t stop after landing a two -time Pro Bowl running back in free agency and an All-American receiver in the first round of the draft. In the second round, Elway turned around and grabbed one of the fastest, if not the fastest, receivers in the 2020 draft class with the 46th-overall pick. While K.J. Hamler wasn’t able to run the 40-yard dash at the combine due to a hamstring injury which is now healed, many — including himself, Vic Fangio and his new teammate Albert Okwuegbunam — believe he has sub-4.3 speed. That’s the type of explosiveness and speed Elway and the Broncos were looking to add to the offensive side of the ball this offseason. But will that speed translate immediately to the NFL? Here’s what to expect from the second-round receiver in 2020 as a rookie. Projections for 2020: 48 receptions; 592 receiving yards; 6 TDs; 26 receptions for a first down Hamler is certainly capable of putting up bigger numbers due to his talent and the pass-friendly offense he’ll be in under Pat Shurmur. But it’s also important to remember that this would be an impressive season for a rookie receiver. In fact, it’s not uncommon for rookie receivers to be boom or bust. Just last year, seven receivers were taken in the second round. Four of them — Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, Mecole Harman and D.K. Metcalf — had tremendous seasons. All four eclipsed 500 receiving yards, with all but Hardman going over 800. However, on the other hand, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Parris Campbell and Andy Isabella — the other three second-round receivers — had totally forgettable years with not a single one eclipsing 200 receiving yards. Fortunately for Hamler, he has many things going his way to be closer to the boom than the bust. Shurmur’s offense will incorporate three receivers on the field more often than not, allowing Hamler to have ample playing time. Additionally, the 5-foot-9 speedster has rare speed, which will allow him to break out for big plays. Finally, Hamler will be the third or even fourth receiving option for opposing teams to key in on, which could allow him to have more success than other rookie receivers that garner more attention. In the past few years, receivers similar to Hamler’s skillset have had similar numbers to those projected for the Penn State rookie. Marquise Brown, Mecole Harman and Tyreek Hill averaged 44 receptions for 572 yards and six touchdowns during their rookie season. There’s no reason Denver’s second -round pick won’t be able to have similar success.

Timeline 25: One part of the Paxton Lynch trade remains in Denver By James Merilatt 104.3 The Fan July 15, 2020 On March 6, 1995, The Fan was born. In the 25 years since, a lot has transpired on the fields, courts and ice in Colorado, giving the hosts and listeners who’ve been part of the station during that time plenty to talk about and debate. During the course of the next few weeks, we’ll take a look back at that history, remembering the good times and the bad, the winners and the losers, the successes and the failures. It’s a series we’re calling “Timeline 25” and it continues today with a look at a remaining connection to one of the biggest draft blunders in Colorado sports history – the Paxton Lynch. *** The Broncos 2016 draft was a borderline disaster. Less than three months removed from winning Super Bowl 50, the team whiffed on nearly all of their eight selections. Perhaps they were feeling invincible after hoisting a Lombardi Trophy and got cocky, taking unnecessary risks. Or maybe they simply had some bad luck. Whatever the reasons, Denver’s class of 2016 picks is not good. Currently, only Justin Simmons remains on the roster. Granted, the third-round selection is a very good player, having earned All-Pro honors last season, but his time with the team could be limited. According to reports, he’s going to play the 2020 campaign under the franchise tag, as he’s been unable to reach a long-term deal with the team. That means his days in a Broncos uniform could be numbered. If Simmons leaves after this season, that would mean that only one player – Andy Janovich – received a second contract with the team. And the fullback out of Nebraska has already been dealt, having been traded to the Browns this offseason. In the second round, John Elway and company missed on Adam Gotsis, a converted rugby player who never panned out along the defensive line. In the fourth, they blew a pick on Devontae Booker, a running who fumbled on his first professional carry and never saw many better days. One round later, Denver took Connor McGovern, who played guard and center with the team but was allowed to walk via free agency this offseason. The same thing happened with Will Parks, the safety who was taken in the sixth round. And Riley Dixon, a punter taken in the seventh, was dealt to the Giants. But none of those misses are the story of the 2016 NFL Draft for the Broncos. Instead, that distinction goes to Paxton Lynch, the quarterback whom Denver traded up to pick in the first round at No. 26 overall. Elway was enamored with the big-armed, athletic QB from Memphis, so he dealt the team’s first (No. 31) and one of their thirds (No. 94) in that draft to move up five spots, fearful that the Cowboys would leapfrog

the Broncos if they waited. Dallas remained patient and grabbed Dak Prescott in the fourth round, a quarterback who is about to ink a mega-contract. Meanwhile, Lynch lasted two seasons in Denver, posting a 1-3 record in four starts. It can be argued that he never got a fair shot with the Broncos, but the fact that he’s also flamed out with the Seahawks and couldn’t beat out Devlin “Duck” Hodges with the QB-starved Steelers last season says a lot. But the Lynch story doesn’t end there for the Broncos. This year, a connection to that ill-fated trade will be in Denver. With the 31st overall pick, the Seahawks selected Germain Ifedi, an offensive tackle out of Texas A&M. Seattle thought so little of him that they declined his fifth-year option and let him sign with Chicago this year in free agency. The other pick the Seahawks received from the Broncos was used to select a tight end out of Ohio State. After three-plus seasons in Seattle, he was traded to Pittsburgh. The Steelers didn’t re-sign him during this past offseason, however. Who did? That’s right, the Broncos. Every time Denver fans see No. 88 on the field, they’ll be reminded of the Lynch trade. That’s because Nick Vannett, the second part of the deal that allowed the quarterback to become a Bronco, is now in the orange and blue.

Agent's Take: Sizing up situation for Cowboys' Dak Prescott, other unsigned franchise-tagged players By Joel Corry CBS Sports July 15, 2020 Use of the franchise player designation increased dramatically this year. More players were franchise tagged this offseason than over the last two years combined. In total, 14 players received franchise tags while 11 designations were used collectively in 2018 and 2019. Usage hasn't been this high since a record 21 teams placed the designation on players in 2012 when there was almost a 20 percent drop in the franchise tender amounts from 2011 as the method of calculating these figures changed. The clock is ticking with the players who were given franchise designations. The deadline for franchise players to sign long-term deals is 4 p.m. ET on July 15. Chris Jones and the Chiefs reportedly just beat the deadline, agreeing to a four-year extension Tuesday. After the deadline passes, players with franchise tags are prohibited from signing multi-year contracts until the end of the regular season on Jan. 3, 2021. So far, Jones is the only one of this year's franchise players who has signed a long-term deal. The only times no tagged players signed extensions since the change with the calculations in 2012 has been 2013 and 2015. COVID-19 is certainly complicating matters this year. Teams are being more cautious generally in signing core players to new contracts with league revenues expected to drop because of the pandemic and have an impact on the 2021 salary cap due to games potentially being played in empty stadiums or in front of limited fans. Here's a look at the situations of the 14 players given franchise tags. Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys The Cowboys don't have to worry about a Prescott training camp absence if a long term deal can't be worked out because he signed his $31.409 million franchise tag several weeks ago. The Cowboys have reportedly offered Prescott a contract averaging $35 million per year for five years with guarantees in $106 million range. A major sticking point in the negotiations is the length of contract. Prescott wants a four-year deal. The recent trend with high-end quarterback contracts has been a shorter term than what Dallas would prefer. There are seven passers with contracts averaging $30 million or more per year. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is the only one whose deal contains more than four new contract years. He signed a five-year contract 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 an average of five total years. The longer the Cowboys wait to lock up Prescott, the more costly it's probably going to be. By next offseason, there could be two $40 million per year quarterbacks. An extension for 2018 NFL MVP and Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes is a priority for the Chiefs. The Texans have had preliminary discussions with 2017 12th overall pick Deshaun Watson, who is also under contract through the 2021 season, for a new deal. Watson is reportedly seeking a three-year extension. Barring a major regression

with Prescott this season, the Cowboys would be forced to top their most recent offer by a considerable margin with one of both of these contracts in the market place. Dallas and Prescott have reportedly not negotiated since March. Derrick Henry, RB, Titans Titans general manager Jon Robinson is hoping to find common ground with Henry, who has already signed his $10.278 million franchise tender, on a long term deal. It wouldn't be surprising for Henry's camp to view the recording setting four-year extension Christian McCaffrey signed with the Panthers averaging $16,015,053 per year right around April's draft as an indicator of the running back market after a stellar 2019 season. Henry led the NFL in rushing (1,540 yards) and tied for the league's most rushing touchdowns with 16 despite missing a game late in the season because of a hamstring injury. He earned his first Pro Bowl berth and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-NFL team. Since the middle of the 2018 season, Henry has been the NFL's most productive ball carrier. He has league bests of 2,299 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns with 5.4 yards per carry. Henry really made his mark in the playoffs during the Titans' run to the AFC Championship Game. He became the first player to ever have two games of at least 180 rushing yards in the same postseason. Henry also set an NFL record for the most rushing yards during a playoff run (not including the Super Bowl) with 446. His 148.7 rushing yards per game this postseason is the fourth-best mark ever in any single playoffs. A common denominator with the running backs who have commanded top dollar in recent years is their dual-threat capabilities. The bottom of the top tier is the $13 million per year the Cardinals gave David Johnson in 2018. Henry may become the exception. He doesn't add much in the passing game. Henry is more of a traditional ball carrier from the previous era. Nonetheless, Henry is Tennessee's best offensive player. On Tuesday, it was reported that Henry is expected to play under the franchise tag. A.J. Green, WR, Bengals Green wasn't thrilled the Bengals designated him as a franchise player for $18.171 million. Choosing to have Green play on the franchise tag may make the most sense for the Bengals given his injury history. Green has been one of the NFL's best wide receivers when healthy, which he hasn't been in recent years. He didn't play at all last season because of an ankle injury suffered in training camp that required surgery. Green, who turns 32 at the end of July, also missed six games in 2016 because of a hamstring tear and was limited to nine games in 2018 due to a toe injury also requiring surgery. He had career lows of 46 receptions and 694 receiving yards in 2018. Brandon Scherff, OG, Redskins Initial contract talks had reportedly gone well after the Redskins made Scherff the first offensive guard to be given a franchise tag since the Patriots used one on Logan Mankins in 2011. Retaining Scherff, who earned his third Pro Bowl berth in 2019, takes on additional importance after trading disgruntled left tackle Trent Williams to the 49ers. Scherff's franchise tag is $15.03 million, which is 120 percent of his $12.525 million 2019 fifth-year option salary. Ensuring that Scherff remains in Washington for many years will likely require a long-term contract averaging more than $16 million per year because a second

franchise tag in 2021 at a NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement mandated 20 percent increase would be $18.036 million. Leonard Williams, IDL, Giants Curiously, the Giants gave up a 2020 third-round pick and a 2021 fifth-round pick for Williams as last season's trading deadline was approaching when there was a better shot at the first overall pick in 2020 NFL Draft than securing a playoff berth. Giants general manager Dave Gettleman doubled down on Williams with the franchise tag. Williams may not have been a hot commodity in free agency since he has yet to live up to the potential that made him 2015's sixth overall pick. In the eight games Williams played with the Giants in 2019, he had half a sack, which was also his season total, but 31 quarterback pressures (combined sacks, quarterback hurries and quarterback hits). Placing the $16.126 million franchise tag on Williams only raised his salary expectations for a long term deal. In many instances, an agent will use the number as the starting point for negotiations, if not the average of two franchise tags as a barometer with a long term deal. In Williams' case, this would be approximately $17.75 million per year. On Tuesday, it was reported that the Giants don't plan to extend Williams. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE, Buccaneers Nobody could have foreseen Barrett having a league-leading 19.5 sacks in 2019. The 2014 undrafted free agent produced a total of 14 sacks in his previous four seasons with the Broncos. A long-term deal for Barrett might be comparable to the $18 million per year with the $40 million fully guaranteed at signing Trey Flowers got from the Lions in free agency last March. COVID-19 aside, any reluctance on making a long term commitment to Barrett would be understandable because of his limited track record for producing at the highest level. Barrett reportedly signed his $15.828 million franchise tender Friday and filed a grievance over his position listing. Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE, Jaguars Ngakoue wants to be traded. He has no interest in signing long term to stay in Jacksonville. Ngakoue's relationship with the Jaguars soured during acrimonious negotiations for a contract extension last offseason. Ngakoue had a brief training camp holdout, which primarily came to an end because of the need to earn another accrued season (i.e.; a year of service towards free agency). Under the CBA rules in existence at the time, Ngakoue wouldn't have earned a fourth one if he had waited until there were less than 30 days before the NFL's first 2019 regular season game to report to the Jaguars. Four accrued seasons are necessary to achieve unrestricted free agent status when a player's contract expires. Whether Ngakoue eventually signs his $17.788 million franchise tag, sits out some portion or the entire season remains to be seen. Hunter Henry, TE, Chargers Henry will make $10.607 million for the 2020 season absent a long term deal. The most relevant data point for Henry is the four year, $42 million deal with $23 million in guarantees Austin Hooper received from the Browns in this year's free agency to become the first tight end in league history to sign a contract averaging more than $10 million per year. Henry is unlikely to be franchised again in 2021 because wide receiver Keenan Allen and defensive end Joey Bosa's contracts will expire after the season. Henry having a true breakout season while putting the injury bug that's plagued him in the past could lead to dea l significantly more than Hooper's in 2021, especially if 49ers tight end George Kittle has dramatically re-set the market. Bud Dupree, EDGE, Steelers

Dupree rewarded Pittsburgh's faith in him by keeping his $9.232 million fifth-year option intact for 2019. He had a career-high 11.5 sacks, which matched his combined 2017 and 2018 sack total. T.J. Watt, Dupree's edge-rushing counterpart, seems destined to join the $20 million per year pass rusher club, as soon as next year, after posting 27.5 sacks in the last two seasons. The Steelers must decide their comfort level with having two outside pass rushers on big money long term contracts. Joe Thuney, OG, Patriots The Patriots putting a $14.781 million franchise tag on offensive guard Joe Thuney wasn't expected. Thuney could potentially have become the NFL's highest-paid interior offensive lineman on the open market if recent history is any indication A Pro Bowl-caliber guard in his prime has been re-setting the market in free agency (Andrew Norwell, Kelechi Osemele, Kevin Zeitler). The current standard is the four-year, $56.55 million extension averaging $14,137,500 per year Brandon Brooks received from the Eagles during the middle of last season. Mike McCartney, Thuney's agent, has demonstrated a willingness to embrace the franchise tag through his representation of Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. Thuney quickly signed his franchise tender. McCartney surely recognizes that a second franchise tag for Thuney in 2021 at a CBA-mandated 20 percent increase would be $17,737,200. A long term deal must be attractive enough for Thuney to forego the possibility of hitting the open market next year since a second franchise tag might be too cost-prohibitive. The Patriots haven't been afraid to let offensive linemen go during free agency (Trent Brown and Nate Solder) in recent years rather than set the market. Matthew Judon, EDGE, Ravens The Ravens learned from letting Za'Darius Smith hit the open market in 2019. Judon didn't get the chance to test free agency after earning his first Pro Bowl berth last season while setting a career-high with 9.5 sacks. He isn't stressing about his franchise player status because he and the Ravens agreed to a compromise tag of $16.808 million, which is the midpoint between the linebacker and defensive end numbers. Judon won't get tagged again in 2021 if both he and All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley aren't under long term contracts by next March. The salary floor for a long term deal with Judon is probably the deal Smith got from the Packers in free agency last year. Smith signed a four-year deal averaging $16.5 million per year. Justin Simmons, S, Broncos Simmons picked the right time to play his best football, his contract year. He thrived in first-year head coach Vic Fangio's defense. Eddie Jackson raised the salary bar for safeties when he signed a four-year extension averaging $14,604,250 with the Bears in January. There is a unique dynamic in Simmons' negotiations. Rich Hurtado left CAA Sports, who represents Simmons, to become Denver's chief contract negotiator as vice president of football administration. Anthony Harris, S, Vikings There had been some talk that the Vikings could trade Harris to break up arguably the league's best safety tandem he forms with Harrison Smith earlier in the offseason. The chatter has cooled considerably but Harris would be virtually powerless to stop a trade because he signed his $11.441 million franchise tender in May. Any long term deal Harris, who tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions last season, signs would likely make him the highest-paid defensive back in Vikings history. That distinction belongs to cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who was released in March, at $14.02 million per year.

Chris Jones, IDL, Chiefs - (Signed extension) (Editor's note: On Tuesday, Chris Jones and the Chiefs reportedly agreed to a four-year extension.) The Chiefs should have anticipated that making a major investment in a pass rusher last offseason that had never done anything for the franchise, defensive end Frank Clark, wasn't going to sit too well with Jones after the type of 2018 season he had. Clark, who had been franchised, was signed to a five year, $104 million contract with $62.305 million in guarantees ($43.805 million fully guaranteed at signing) in connection with his trade from the Seahawks shortly before the 2019 Draft. Jones set a NFL record by posting a sack in 11 straight games and was third in the league with 15.5 sacks during the 2018 season. An encore performance in 2019 was always going to be a difficult task. Despite missing three games with a groin injury, Jones still had nine sacks. Clark's deal was always going to be an important data point to Jones. The Colts giving defensive tackle DeForest Buckner a four year, $84 million extension averaging $21 million per year after acquiring him from the 49ers in March only confirmed Jones' contract demands. Jones invoked running back Le'Veon Bell's name by suggesting he wouldn't pay this season unless signed to a long-term deal. Bell sat out the 2018 season rather than play for the Steelers under a $14.544 million franchise tag. One big difference between Jones and Bell's situations is Bell gained a level of financial security that Jones doesn't have by waiting until he was franchised for a second time before taking such an extreme stance. Jones made just over $6.125 million during the four years of his rookie contract. His $16.126 million franchise tender is close to three times as much as he made on his rookie deal.

Coronavirus surge means once again politicians can put halt to NFL's bullish plans By Dan Wetzel Yahoo! Sports July 15, 2020 In the face of a continuing surge of coronavirus cases in California, home to three NFL teams, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday ordered the closing of bars and indoor dining statewide, plus fitness centers and malls in 30 select counties. “We’re continuing to see hospitalizations rise and we continue to see an increase in the rate of positivity in the state,” Newsom said. “We are moving back into a ‘modification mode’ of our original stay at home order.” In Texas, home to two NFL franchises, Gov. Greg Abbott recently mandated face masks be worn in most counties and provided for restrictions on gatherings of over 10 people while warning that a continued increase in cases could result in “the necessity of closing Texas down.” More specifically, in hard-hit Houston, the mayor has discussed the possibility of a localized two-week “step back.” “We’re going to need a shutdown for a period of time,” Mayor Sylvester Turner predicted if there isn’t a turnaround in the spread. Meanwhile, school districts in, among other NFL places, Nashville and Atlanta will have school years begin with remote learning. Call it a retreat on the reopening. Or call it a concern going forward for the NFL – and Major League Baseball – who may be able to draw up plans and procedures for a 2020 season, but can’t guarantee how the virus will behave or how local governments with the power to stop just about everything will react to it. The NFL training camps are expected to open later this month and the regular season is set to begin on Sept. 10. If there is one thing this pandemic has proven it’s that predicting anything two weeks out, let alone two months, is dangerous. Things ebb and flow. Places that were once safe are now hot spots. And vice versa. Back in April, in the early days of this, the executive officer of Santa Clara County (home to the San Francisco 49ers) said he didn’t expect “any sports games until at least Thanksgiving, and we’d be lucky to have them by Thanksgiving.” That prediction hasn’t held as the 49ers and every other NFL team are currently green-lit to play. However, it highlighted the challenges of trying to stage a normal season. Can a single county, or a single outbreak in a single market, upend everything?

Maybe you could deal with one. Maybe. What if it’s three? Will the playing of a season not be the decision of commissioner Roger Goodell but rather a fairly unknown county commissioner somewhere? Or would no elected official risk the wrath of being the person that shut down the NFL? No one knows. No one ever knows with this thing. The NBA and NHL have gone the bubble route in an attempt to complete their 2019-2020 seasons. Basketball is in Orlando. Hockey went to Canada (Edmonton and Toronto) where the virus is far less prevalent than the States. Those leagues can control a lot of things. If the bubble holds, then they’ll be successful. Football can’t do that. The idea of a safe zone for 32 massive NFL operations running from late July training camp to a February Super Bowl is impossible. Same for MLB, which is slated to begin on July 25 and especially college football, which at its highest level is played by 130 teams in 43 states in communities ranging from L.A. to Laramie. “It is clear that current circumstances related to COVID-19 must improve,” said SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, arguably the sport’s most influential person, about the prospect of a season. Already the Big Ten and Pac-12 have cut their schedules to only nine conference games. Those decisions were made by the schools themselves, not local officials. That might change. No one has cancelled anything yet. Everyone is barreling toward a season with the best intentions of normalcy. Yet pessimism sits on the horizon. An influential NFL agent told Yahoo Sports he expects the season to last 6-10 games before the patchwork of decision-making becomes untenable. It’s just an informed prediction, though. What’s clear is that whatever the NFL’s plans are, they can be upended by state and county politicians who are reacting to localized circumstances that don’t care about national television contracts. That leaves the NFL to attempt what amounts to a seven-month slog (training camp to Super Bowl) dealing not just the back-and-forth of a pandemic, but the whims and opinions of politicians who don’t answer to them. What the past couple weeks have shown is that what’s open today isn’t always what will be open tomorrow. Buckle up.

Broncos, Simmons not expected to reach deal before deadline By Kevin Patra NFL.com July 15, 2020 The work toward a long-term contract for Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons will come up short. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Broncos and Simmons are not expected to reach a deal before Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, per sources informed of the situation. The Broncos had been working on a long-term deal for the rising young player they love, but couldn't find common ground on a multi-year solution a day before the deadline. The previous four franchise-tagged players by Broncos general manager John Elway had all gotten long-term deals before the deadline. Simmons will have to wait for his big payday. The safety is set to make $11.44 million on his one-year tender in 2020. Simmons is already among the game's best ball-hawking safeties and continues to improve. In his four seasons, the former third-round pick has compiled 289 tackles, 28 passes defended, 11 interceptions, one touchdown and two sacks. After the deadline passes, Simmons and the Broncos can't work on a long-term deal until after the 2020 season. At that point, Elway can get back to work on locking down the play-making safety long-term.

Justin Simmons signs franchise tag By Charean Williams Pro Football Talk July 15, 2020 It doesn’t appear Broncos safety Justin Simmons will get the long-term deal he coveted, but he will step on the field on day one of training camp. Simmons has signed the franchise tag, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. That means Simmons will make $11.44 million this season if the sides don’t get something done in the next 24 hours. The four players previously tagged by General Manager John Elway all reached mutliyear deals before the deadline, though things this year are complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic creating uncertainty with the salary cap. Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is the only franchise- or transition-tagged player to agree to a multi-year deal thus far and there’s been pessimistic reports about the prospects of other deals getting done before the deadline. Simmons, 26, has played 58 games in four seasons, making 289 tackles, 11 interceptions and 28 pass breakups.

Colorado neighborhood changing name, has Broncos suggestions By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk July 15, 2020 Since FedEx and Nike couldn’t twist their wallets into making a change, residents of a Denver neighborhood named after a racist are looking to the NFL for inspiration for a new moniker. According to Kyle Newman of the Denver Post, there were seven Broncos-related suggestions for renaming the Stapleton neighborhood in Denver. The neighborhood was originally named after a former mayor who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, so it’s reasonable to understand why they might want to distance themselves from it now. The community conducted an online straw poll of 3,422 people, and 331 names were suggested. Three of the suggestions were in honor of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen — Bowlen Green, Bowlen Place, and Bowlenville. (Although, we’re probably too close to the tragedy of the Bowlen Green Massacre fo r that to be appropriate.) Other suggestions included Peyton Place and Peytonville, and Elwayville in honor of Super Bowl-champion quarterbacks. Another suggestion was Briscoe, in honor of former Broncos quarterback Marlin Briscoe, the first black quarterback to start in the modern era. One renegade NBA fan also suggested Doug Moe Town in honor of the former Nuggets coach. Sadly, none of those sports-themed suggestions made it to the list of nine finalists — Central Park, Concourse, Meadowlark, Mosley, Park Central, Peterson, Randolph, Skyview and Tailwinds. Residents are voting on those beginning today.

NFLPA has leverage on the financial side of the pandemic negotiations By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 15, 2020 The ongoing negotiations between the NFL and NFL Players Association regarding pandemic protocols could result in an impasse, with the league implementing its preferred rules and the union challenging the rules via an expedited grievance. Or the talks could result in a compromise. The NFLPA’s leverage in these discussions comes from the financial side of the equation. It’s the league, not the NFLPA, that currently is looking for an adjustment to the status quo, because the status quo significantly favors the players. It’s a topic we’ve mentioned multiple times. The Collective Bargaining Agreement, ratified by the union after the pandemic began, contains no force majeuere clause. More specifically, it has no provision that allows the NFL to reduce 2020 player pay in the event of canceled games or a significant revenue drop arising from, for example, a pandemic. Among league and union personnel alike, it has become accepted that, if the NFL plays just one week of games, the players become automatically entitled to 100 percent of their pay. The only argument that would support not paying players their base salaries comes from the Standard Player Contract, which can be interpreted to mean that no obligation to pay salary arises until at least one game is played. In other words, if the entire season is scrapped, the obligation to pay salary to players becomes scrapped, too. The league’s only protection in the CBA, as acknowledged in April by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, appears at page 82: “If one or more weeks of any NFL season are cancelled or [All Revenue] for any League Year substantially decreases, in either case due to a terrorist or military action, natural disaster, or similar event, the parties shall engage in good faith negotiations to adjust the provis ions of this Agreement with respect to the projection of [All Revenue] and the Salary Cap for the following League Year so that [All Revenue] for the following League Year is projected in a fair manner consistent with the changed revenue projection caused by such action.” This provision means that the cancellation of games or a significant revenue drop due to the pandemic requires the league and the union to engage in “good faith negotiations” regarding the impact of the lost revenue on the 2021 cap. Of course, they do that anyway; every year, the cap is the product of NFL and NFLPA discussions on what it should be. All of this means is that, as to the financial side of the current dialogue, the players have the power to cross their arms and say, “We have a deal in place that applies to this situation.” The current deal means that, unless there’s no season, the players get full pay and, come 2021, the two sides will figure out what the cap will be. The simple answer is that the cap will drop significantly based on the money lost this year. But does anyone truly think teams want that to happen? They need to field competitive teams, and they won’t

want to shed key players. The NFLPA has proposed smoothing the losses over the next nine years; that’s what the NFL should want, too. And here’s the key: The union’s willingness to do anything other than what the current CBA calls for gives the union leverage to get what it wants when it comes to the safety procedures for pro football in a pandemic. Here’s hoping that the interplay between the safety side of the talks and the financial side will allow all issues to get resolved as soon as possible, so that management and labor can pivot arm in arm toward the far greater challenge, given the current state of the outbreak, to make the 2020 season work.

NFL, NFLPA prepare to continues talks on Wednesday By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 15, 2020 Talks between the NFL and NFL Players Association will resume on Wednesday, as the two sides try to hammer out various lingering issues regarding the safety procedures and financial realities of football in a pandemic. On Tuesday, the NFLPA conducted a call with players regarding the status of the discussion. Here’s a quick summary of some of the pending issues, per a source with knowledge of the call. The list isn’t intended to be exhaustive or complete. The NFLPA continues to push for a limit of 20 players in the facility at any given time for the first three weeks of camp. The union separately wants the NFL to be prohibited from ever having more than 20 players in the building until a formal Infectious Disease Emergency Response plan (i.e., procedures in the event of an outbreak) is signed. The NFLPA also is considering on expedited grivance, in the event that the league requires players to report without an agreement in place as to the IDER. The goal would be to get a ruling within three days, given the urgency of the situation. The union also believes that the final rules will give players the ability to individually opt out of the season. However, there will not be a vote of all players on any final proposed agreement with the league. Another lingering issue relates to the procedures that apply if a player tests positive while the team is in another city, in preparation for a road game. The NFL will be making a proposal as to this issue and others soon. Soon is the key word, as to this entire effort. As one source put it, the NFL owes the NFLPA answers on multiple different proposals. And the clock isn’t just ticking at this point; the bells are starting to ring at this point. If camps are going to open, decisions need to be made. Unless, of course, the decision is to wait a bit, given the extent to which the pandemic is currently getting worse instead of better.

Will Week One of the regular season happen? By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 15, 2020 Two months from tonight, Week One of the regular season will end with a Monday night doubleheader. Unless it doesn’t. Everything remains in flux as NFL training camps prepare to open, and no one knows whether pro football will be able to overcome the various hurdles that stand in the way of playing football in a pandemic that continues to spread, fueled by equal parts stupidity and selfishness with more than a dash of deliberate misinformation and distortion from media outlets hoping to get clicks and likes from people looking for someone, anyone to justify their stupid and selfish behavior. So will there be a Week One? We put the question out to Twitter on Monday. Based on more than 20,000 responses (which is more than enough to establish a trend), 64.9 percent believe that Week One will not happen. The construction of the regular-season schedule created a very clear sense that the league is determined to get through Week One and then, if necessary, press pause and reassess. As the virus keeps spreading and hot spots keep raging, it’s becoming harder to envision football thriving, as Dr. Anthony Fauci said several weeks back, in anything but a bubble. And at this point it’s far too late to construct a bubble for 32 teams of 53 players plus coaching staffs and practice squads and everyone else who would be kept inside the bubble for five or six months. We’re extremely hopeful that the NFL will find a way to make it work. But we’re also realistic. Ultimately, whether the current plan works is out of the league’s control. A full 2020 season of NFL football will happen only if the virus will let it, and the virus is proving over and over again that it’s not going to be doing us any favors.