The NFL offseason is officially here and the first part has concluded. The window for teams to place a franchise tag — and they can only use one per team with the new CBA ratified — has come and gone. Below is a recap of which teams used their tag (along with which tag they used) and what potential free agent they decided to keep off the market for now.
There’s been another big move in “pre-agency”. After the Tennessee Titans locked up Ryan Tannehill, the New England Patriots just re-signed a vital piece to their team. The quarterback of their defense, safety Devin McCourty and the team have agreed to terms on a new deal for the veteran playmaker.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the contract is for two years, $23 million with $17 million guaranteed:
The #Patriots are giving safety and team leader Devin McCourty a 2-year deal worth $23M, sources say. He gets $17M guaranteed – keeping him in New England for his career and allowing him to play with his brother again.
However, the true news breaker was none other than McCourty himself. He took to YouTube to film a special edition of Double Coverage—a show that features himself and his twin brother Jason—to share the news that the he would remain in New England.
The team had already announced they would be bringing back Jason McCourty and now the two will spend their third season playing together—the first of which resulted in a Super Bowl victory.
Early indications seem to suggest that Bill Belichick is more interested in keeping the team together as opposed to venturing into an on-the-fly rebuild or makeover for the franchise.
The Tennessee Titans shocked most of the football world with their run through the AFC playoffs, which culminated in a trip to the AFC Championship game.
Their season turned around when they inserted Ryan Tannehill into the starting lineup and benched former number two overall pick, Marcus Mariota.
Tannehill’s contract was set to expire and for weeks there was speculation that the Titans may be after Tom Brady—a former teammate of current head coach, Mike Vrabel. However, all the rumors can now be put to rest. Tennessee has agreed to a multi-year extension with Tannehill.
The report from ESPN’s Jeff Darlington says the contract will be for four years and worth $118 million with $62 million fully guaranteed:
Ryan Tannehill has agreed to terms on a new four-year contract with the Titans, per source. Here’s the numbers:
$118m total $29.5m average per year $62m full guarantee $91m total guarantee
With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) now in place, the Titans acted quickly to secure Tannehill. Not only does it fortify their quarterback position but they also leave themselves the option to franchise tag running back Derrick Henry if they are unable to reach an agreement.
With the Ryan Tannehill deal done, Tennessee can now franchise tag RB Derrick Henry — keeping both of their key players from the 2019 season. https://t.co/NNIetSKiqU
The Titans are hoping they can keep the momentum from last year’s season going and that all starts with bringing back the quarterback who helped spark the fire.
Needless to say, Tannehill was happy with the deal:
Now that all 32 teams understand what they are dealing with as the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has been officially ratified by the players it’s back to business as normal.
For the Jacksonville Jaguars, that means attacking an impending rebuild head-on. Last season, they shipped off Jalen Ramsey to Los Angeles. Earlier this offseason they sent A.J. Bouye to the Denver Broncos.
Now, they have made another move by sending Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the deal:
Jaguars and Ravens have agreed to a trade in principle that would send Pro Bowl DE Calais Campbell to Baltimore for a 2020 fifth-round pick, per sources. Campbell will try to finalize an extension with Baltimore.
Yet, Jacksonville continues to stockpile assets for the future. NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo notes the amount of draft picks they have over the next two seasons:
The Calais Campbell trade gives the #Jaguars 11 draft picks in 2020. They already have nine in 2021, including two firsts.
For Baltimore, they are focused on the present. With Lamar Jackson on a cheap rookie deal, the Ravens are making moves to bolster their team—that finished with the league-best 14-2 record last season—as they try to remain at the top of the NFL.
With linebacker Matthew Judon already receiving the franchise tag, adding Campbell only makes the Ravens defense even stronger. Campbell can be impactful in both the run and passing game.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Campbell will sign a two-year extension worth $27 million:
The #Ravens and new DL Calais Campbell are finalizing a 2-year new deal for $27M, sources say. It gives him $20 guaranteed after the trade from the #Jaguars. It’s not completely done yet, but sounds like it will be.
With NFL Free Agency still scheduled to begin in one day (for now), the league finally has certainty over its future as the NFL players ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will keep labor peace for the next 10 years.
In a tight vote—1,019 voted yes and 959 voted no—the new deal was just barely approved as only 51.5 percent of players who voted were in favor of adopting this new CBA.
Now that we know there will be football played, there’s a need to look at what changes will come to the game in the new deal.
First, there will be two big ones that go into effect immediately.
Teams will no longer be able to use both of the franchise tag and transition tag in the same offseason. For instance, the Dallas Cowboys can no longer place tags on both Dak Prescott or Amari Cooper.
Also, the playoffs will be expanded to add two additional teams (one from both conference) and only the number one seeds will receive a bye. Had the rule been in place last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams would’ve made it into the postseason.
By 2021, the NFL will transition to a 17-game regular season with teams playing just three preseason games as a trade off.
Off the field, the CBA now provides a bump in the percentage of league revenue from 47 percent to 48 percent—and it could potentially grow larger as the league negotiates a new television deal in the coming years.
On the whole, this new agreement is most beneficial to the majority of the league. 60 percent of players in the NFL fall under the category of “lower-earning” and in this deal, minimum salaries are getting a 20 percent increase. By 2030, the minimum salary for players with less than one year experience will have risen from $510,000 to $1,065,000.
Also, game-day rosters will increase from 46 players to 48. By 2021, teams will be able to keep 14 players on their practice squad.
Another big takeaway from the deal is that the NFL will no longer be suspending players who test positive for marijuana use. Instead, any player who tests positive will have medical professionals review their results and offer any clinical care or treatment that they deem may be necessary for the player.
These are all just the tip of the iceberg in the new CBA and the new deal is going to bring a lot of changes to the NFL and relatively soon.
It’s Junior year “Grown-ish,” Season 3 is here and Ms. Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi) is now an upper-class woman. As the pre-game to adulthood Zoey is ready to put all that boy drama behind her and continue to kill it as a personal stylist to Rapper Joey Bada$$. Now back on the campus of Cal U lets see how long this drama-free life lasts.
(Before we move any farther I would like to issue a spoiler alert, as I will be reviewing the entire series)
Zoey pulls up to here new off-campus apartment where she and her girls plus Vivek ( Jordan Buhat ) will be living it up. Zoey is surprised with an HBCU-style welcome home party, Ana (Francia Raisa), Sky (Halle Bailey), Jazz ( Chole Bailey), and Zoey are ready to get into formation with their Beyoncé inspired Cal U hoodies that moment of being Sasha Fierce didn’t last long once Zoey spotted Aaron (Trevor Jackson).
When we last saw those two together they were lip-locking on the tar mack before her flight. Not speaking to Aaron since the kiss Zoey Needing her girls for consul about what to do. After apologizing to Ana who had a history with Aaron last season. Ana shrugs it off and encourages Zoey to go talk to him to find out what that kiss meant.
This makes for a comedic interaction because before the conversation Doug (Diggy Simmons) convinced Aaron to partake in his bud brownie. Aaron needs a break from the reality that this is his last year at Cal U and adulthood is right around. Now on a high plane of thinking, Zoey questions about what happened after there kiss aren’t registering with him. He tells Zoey it means nothing, just a kiss, but if she’s down to do more his okay with that. Zoey declines but feels great that she was able to resolve the situation she left behind.
And just like that situation number two pops up, ex-boyfriend Luca (Luka Sabbat) is also at the party and to make matter worse he lets Zoey know he tried to catch her at the airport. Unable to digest this information she is summoned by Joey Bada$$ for a fashion emergency. Now falling back into old habit Zoey is wondering what Luca would’ve said and would they still be together? Joey gives her some much-needed advice that she can’t second guess herself, be proud of her decision in choosing herself over someone else.
Now re-energize Zoey returns to the party to participate in a swag surf line and then the surprise that many fans believe would come later in the season the last housemate Nomi (Emily Arlook) walks in 8 to 9 months pregnant. This is just episode 1 and there is so much more to unpack.
The next few episodes deal with the surprise of Nomi’s pregnancy, as many thought she was a lesbian. Turns out after getting drinks with Zoey, she stayed at the restaurant were she would hook-up with Phil unprotected. It revealed that she hook-up knowing without protection because she didn’t care about the repercussions and it wouldn’t be bad to have someone who would love her unconditionally. Nomi who considers him one nightstand don’t think she should bother him with news of her pregnancy raises the debate if she should or shouldn’t tell him among the friend group. Nomi’s tune chance once she realizes Phil is an actual person after looking at his social media account. Nomi also is dealing with the choice to keep the baby or put it up for adoption. With the pressures of her current situation, Nomi decided to leave Cal U and head home to figure out the best course to take.
Amid Nomi pregnancy surprise, Zoey and Luca are backsliding. The couple never got the closure their relationship needs are trying to find how to be friends again. The two even hook-up one last time, creating an awkward what happens next question that needed to be answered. Luca’s answer was made apparent when he was found hooking up with season 3 new character Jillian (Ryan Destiny) This made the decision easy for them to call their relationship over and start their friendship.
Zoey catching Luca at Jillian’s dorm
Throughout this season Zoey’s faults as a friend have been on full display, this is made clear when Graduate to be Aaron’s student loan troubles come to a head when he looks for a job at the Cal U job fair, which leads him to ask Zoey for her help in getting a job working for her dad at Stevens & Lido. Aaron goes to Stevens & Lido, only to discover that Zoey didn’t call her Dad to schedule an interview. Instead, he meets Andre on the elevator as he leaves for the evening. Andre reveals that he’s filled the position already. Once Doug gives Zoey more info on Aaron’s situation, her guilty about forgetting to contact her Father leads to her going to see him. Upset, he shouts at her for always being a taker but never a giver, and he’s sick of it. Aaron leaves Zoey in tears after calling her selfish and slamming the door in her face. To make it up to Aaron, Zoey’s Father gets him a job as a Dean’s assistant where any Master’s program is available at no cost.
Aaron realizing Zoey didn’t call her Dad to schedule an interview
Other charters to see growth throughout the season were Sky and Jazz, both having to give up something to gain what they want. Jazz struggles to balance track and her personal life, she’s been late to the last several times and continues to do poorly at practice. Sky taking notice thinks Doug is getting in the way of her focus, and she needs Jazz to get her head in the game so they can reach the Olympics like they always intended. Jazz begins to avoid Doug and it has him wondering what his done wrong. Once they’re able to sit down and talk Jazz tells Doug that she wants to take a break while she goes through training for the next six months. She asks Doug to wait for her, but he doesn’t respond.
Sky and Jazz talking about Jazz priorities
On the other hand, Sky is dealing with the fact she is dating outside her race. After giving Doug such a hard time back in season 1 about him talking to white girls it is irony that Rodney the guy she dating is white. Sky who wants a connection with her significant other through their shared cultural experiences. It then becomes that Sky has to decide if she wants to stay true to her beliefs or change her way of thinking to be happy with the guy she likes.
The spring finale of Grown-ish had the most shocking decision made all season. During Zoey’s 21st birthday, she passes out from a panic attack. it seems the stress has taken its toll on her with studying for finals, planning Joey Bada$$’s big show, and she and Aaron still aren’t talking. Once regaining consciousness she sees Samuel L. Jackson aka Aaron, their discussion ended with the question of why Zoey is trying to balance everything and why not choose to focus on one thing. Aaron thinks that choice would be quitting her job with Joey but it backfires as Zoey decides to leave Cal U. After her meeting with the Dean it official Zoey is the second Johnson to drop out of college. Before she leaves, Aaron and her share one more kiss, giving fans another will they or won’t they scenario. The episode ends with Zoey and Nomi having some Facetime catching her up on the drama that went down on her birthday, and suddenly Nomi’s water breaks.
Zoey dressed as Aaliyah for her 90s themed birthday party
Even though the “Grown-ish,” is going on break it will be back this summer with more exciting and hilarious college advantages. For now, check out the promo below:
