Fifth-year option roundup: Pats decline three, Jags pass on Fowler

The New England Patriots declined fifth-year options on all three of the 2015 first-round picks currently on their roster -- wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and defensive tackles Danny Shelton and Malcom Brown -- before Thursday's deadline, meaning all three will be free agents after the 2018 season.

Brown, 24, was the Patriots' original first-round pick at No. 32 overall in 2015 and has played in 45 games (37 starts) over the last three seasons, collecting 147 tackles and 8.5 sacks. He is due just under $1.5 million in 2018 and would have made $7.15 million in 2019 had his option been picked up.

New England acquired Dorsett from the Indianapolis Colts in September in exchange for quarterback Jacoby Brissett, but the 25-year-old wideout finished with career lows in catches (12), yards (194) and touchdowns (0) in his first year with the Patriots. He has 63 grabs for 947 yards and three scores across 41 games (nine starts) in three seasons. Dorsett will make about $1.5 million in 2018 but would have cost $9.4 million in 2019 if his option had been picked up.

The Pats traded a third-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for Shelton and a fifth-round pick in March. The 24-year-old has 128 tackles and 1.5 sacks in three seasons and is due about $2 million in 2018. Like Brown, his fifth-year option would have been worth $7.15 million in 2019.

--The Jacksonville Jaguars declined defensive end Dante Fowler Jr.'s fifth-year option, which would have cost $14.2 million in 2019 if picked up.

However, the team still believes Fowler is "an ascending player" and hopes to reach a long-term deal before he hits free agency next March, according to NFL Network.

Fowler, 23, went third overall in 2015 and missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury but has tallied 12.0 sacks over the last two seasons as a situational pass rusher, including 8.0 sacks on just 464 defensive snaps in 2018. He will make $3.6 million in 2018 while likely remaining a rotational player behind starters Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue.

--The Denver Broncos declined outside linebacker Shane Ray's fifth-year option, which would have cost $9.23 million in 2019.

Ray, who turns 25 later this month, will make around $1.7 million in 2018 before hitting free agency next March. Taken 23rd overall in 2015, he finished with just 1.0 sack in eight games in 2017 while battling a wrist injury and struggling to keep on weight after tallying 8.0 sacks in 2016 and 4.0 sacks as a rookie.

General manager John Elway told reporters prior to the draft that a decision had yet to be made on Ray's option. Then the Broncos drafted Bradley Chubb, who will likely supplant Ray as the starter opposite Von Miller, fifth overall in Thursday's first round. The team also gave linebacker Shaquil Barrett a second-round tender as a restricted free agent this offseason. Barrett has 11.0 sacks in 48 games (16 starts) over the last three seasons while rotating with Ray and will also hit free agency in March.

--The Chicago Bears declined wide receiver Kevin White's fifth-year option, which would have cost more than $13.9 million in 2019.

White, who turns 26 in June, has played in just five games in three seasons due to a series of injuries, the latest a fractured left shoulder blade that ended his 2017 campaign after one game. While not fully guaranteed, fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury, which likely factored into the decision on White as it did for cornerback Kyle Fuller last year. Fuller ultimately earned a lucrative extension this offseason after a productive 2017 season.

The No. 7 overall pick in 2015, White has 21 catches for 193 yards and no touchdowns through three seasons.

--The New York Giants declined offensive tackle Ereck Flowers' fifth-year option, which would have cost more than $12.5 million in 2019.

Flowers, who turned 24 last week, is expected to compete for the job at right tackle after the Giants signed free agent Nate Solder in March to play the left side. Flowers was one of only a few players who did not show up for the team's voluntary workouts in April, and he was reportedly shopped in trade discussions during the draft.

The ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft, Flowers has disappointed through three seasons at left tackle, allowing 17.5 sacks and taking 26 penalties in 46 games (all starts). He has not played right tackle since his true freshman season at Miami in 2012.

--The Kansas City Chiefs declined offensive lineman Cameron Erving's fifth-year option, which would have cost more than $9.6 million in 2019.

Erving, 25, was acquired from the Browns for a fifth-round pick last offseason and made four starts for the Chiefs in 2017, playing all over the offensive line. Through three seasons, he has played in 41 games (21 starts) while playing all five positions up front, taking 15 penalties and allowing 11.0 sacks.

Erving will make a little over $1.7 million in base salary in 2018.

--The Cincinnati Bengals declined offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi's fifth-year option, which would have cost more than $9.6 million in 2019.

Ogbuehi, who turned 26 last week, struggled while starting 12 games at right tackle in 2016 and 13 games at left tackle in 2017, allowing 15.5 sacks in that span. The 21st overall pick in 2015 is due to make about $1.7 million in 2018.

Earlier this offseason, the Bengals traded draft-pick compensation to the Buffalo Bills for Cordy Glenn, who will start on the blind side in 2018. Cincinnati also has Bobby Hart and 2015 second-round pick Jake Fisher competing for time at right tackle.

--The Baltimore Ravens declined wide receiver Breshad Perriman's fifth-year option, which would have cost nearly $9.4 million in 2019.

Perriman, 24, missed his entire rookie season due to injury and had just 10 catches for 77 yards in 2017 after 33 grabs for 499 yards and three scores in 2017. The 26th overall pick in 2015 is set to make a little over $1.6 million in 2018.

Baltimore overhauled its receiving corps this offseason, bringing in Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead via free agency while drafting Jaleel Scott and Jordan Lasley over the weekend.

--The San Francisco 49ers declined guard Laken Tomlinson's fifth-year option, which would have cost more than $9.6 million in 2019.

Tomlinson, 26, was acquired in August from the Detroit Lions for a fifth-round pick and started 15 games for the 49ers in 2017, allowing 5.5 sacks and committing five penalties. The 28th overall pick in 2015 started 24 of 32 games through his first two NFL seasons, allowing 8.0 sacks and committing seven penalties in that span.

Tomlinson is due $1.6 million in salary in 2018. San Francisco previously picked up the fifth-year option of its own 2015 first-round pick, defensive end Arik Armstead.

--The Miami Dolphins declined linebacker Stephone Anthony's fifth-year option, which would have cost more than $9.2 million in 2019.

Anthony, 25, was acquired in September from the New Orleans Saints for a fifth-round pick and played in eight games (no starts) for Miami in 2017, making 15 tackles. He had 128 tackles and five passes defensed in 26 games (19 starts) through two seasons with the Saints. The 31st overall pick from 2015 is due nearly $1.5 million in 2018.

The Dolphins released Lawrence Timmons this offseason but drafted Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker in the third round over the weekend, a year after taking Buckeyes 'backer Raekwon McMillan in the second round. McMillan missed all of 2017 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament but is expected to fill a starting role in 2018.

--As previously reported, the following 2015 first-round picks had their fifth-year options -- which are guaranteed only for injury -- picked up prior to Thursday's deadline:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston (No. 1 overall in 2015)

Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota (No. 2)

Oakland Raiders WR Amari Cooper (No. 4)

Washington Redskins OG Brandon Scherff (No. 5)

New York Jets DE Leonard Williams (No. 6)

Atlanta Falcons DE Vic Beasley (No. 8)

Los Angeles Rams RB Todd Gurley (No. 10)

Minnesota Vikings CB Trae Waynes (No. 11)

New Orleans Saints OL Andrus Peat (No. 13)

Miami Dolphins WR DeVante Parker (No. 14)

Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (No. 15)

Houston Texans CB Kevin Johnson (No. 16)

San Francisco 49ers DE Arik Armstead (No. 17)

Los Angeles Rams CB Marcus Peters (No. 18)

Philadelphia Eagles WR Nelson Agholor (No. 20)

Pittsburgh Steelers OLB Bud Dupree (No. 22)

Arizona Cardinals OT D.J. Humphries (No. 24)

Carolina Panthers LB Shaq Thompson (No. 25)

Dallas Cowboys DB Byron Jones (No. 27)

Cleveland Browns DB Damarious Randall (No. 30)

Players selected in the top ten will make the average salary of the top-10 players at their position league-wide in 2019. Players selected outside the top 10 will receive a salary equal to the average of the third through 25 highest-paid players at their position.

--Field Level Media