The Los Angeles Chargers get a surprise, the Seattle Seahawks retain a defensive back and the Washington Commanders' new ownership group is met with positive reviews.
Good things are happening across the NFL with the likes of the Los Angeles Chargers, the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders, of all places.
We might be rapidly approaching the slower part of the offseason, but we have to remember that the NFL is a 24/7/365 sport. This thing is a business, man. Never forget that. So while there are certainly interesting news items popping off with the other 29 professional franchises, these three did something that moved the needle probably more than they should have. Oh, this will be fun!
Here are the latest and most important NFL rumors you are going to need on Tuesday morning.
NFL rumors: Jerry Jones on-board with new Washington Commanders ownership
With Josh Harris's group on the precipice of buying the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder, owner of the division rival Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones had something to say on the matter, mostly because … he is Jerry Jones… The good news is what Jones had to say about the impending ownership group is indeed more than favorable.
Jones is, at his core, a businessman, so he gets it.
He is a Pro Football Hall of Famer for being one of the most transcendent and influential owners in all of professional sports. The way Jones approached franchise ownership took the mom-and-pop feel out of the league and injected it with the ego of a renegade oil magnate. Needless to say, the league has never been the same. Great owners like Jones are why the NFL is as big as it is today.
Back in the 1970s, the Washington franchise was a cornerstone of the NFC and one of the six or so teams that really moved the needle. After chaotic 20-plus years under Snyder's guidance, Washington is seen as one of the cheapest and goofiest franchises in the league. Harris isn't a saint, but he's also not Snyder. He will help bring respect back to the nation's capital NFL franchise.
His ownership of the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia 76ers proves that he is ready for this.
NFL rumors: Seattle Seahawks re-up with Artie Burns in secondary for 2023
After spending part of last season with Seattle, Artie Burns will re-up with the Seahawks on a one-year deal. He spent his first four professional seasons out of Miami with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After failing to make much of an impact in four years, the former first-round pick signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears in 2021 before playing three games last year for Seattle.
Clearly, this signing means the Seattle front office and coaching staff like what they saw out of Burns in limited action last year. It may have been a small sample size, but I tend to trust whatever Pete Carroll and John Schneider want to do from a team-building perspective on the back-end of their defense. One could argue the Seahawks might be the team to beat in the NFC West now.
This is entirely contingent on the health and play of the quarterback position in San Francisco. Los Angeles could bounce back after a hellish Super Bowl hangover, while Arizona is at least two years away from being two years away. Seattle may not have the highest ceiling, but very rarely do we see this franchise bottom out. Carroll won't let them. Retaining Burns feels like a savvy move here.
Look for the Seahawks to be one of the five-to-eight best teams in the NFC again next season.
NFL rumors: Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler takes hometown discount
After a tumultuous offseason where a trade request was involved, star running back Austin Ekeler will be back with the Los Angeles Chargers. He is reportedly returning to the Bolts for his seventh year with the franchise. Ekeler will be getting roughly $2 million in incentives added to this year of his Chargers contract. This is a massive move for Los Angeles franchise for this season.
Ekeler has carved out quite an NFL career after going undrafted out of Western Colorado. His ability to catch passes out of the backfield has made him a safety valve for quarterback Justin Herbert, as well as a fantasy football darling for the rest of us who play games inside the games themselves. Getting Ekeler back will only help the Chargers overcome a humiliating playoff defeat.
Simply put, this is a make-or-break year for them. The Bolts have to make the playoffs and win a postseason game. Otherwise, they are going to have to get a new head coach who doesn't actively cause them to lose games. This roster is too talented to be this underperforming for this long. The best way for the Chargers going forward is to surround Herbert with as much talent as possible.
Being able to have Ekeler back for at least one more year will serve the Chargers as they press on.
