Extra Points: Fisher, Kendricks, Dolphins

Jeff Fisher may already have a contract extension in place with the Rams but is declining to confirm it. Asked about rumors of a potential extension being signed, Fisher did not confirm or deny rumors connecting him to another Rams pact, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

I never talk about my personal stuff or my extensions or non-extensions or anything,” Fisher told media Thursday. “That’s between me and the organization.”

We heard earlier today Fisher and GM Les Snead were still likely to receive contract extensions despite the pair’s lack of substantial success with the franchise. The Rams have won seven games in three of Fisher’s four seasons and are coming off a 28-0 nationally televised defeat in their return as the Los Angeles Rams. While Fisher’s fared better than Scott Linehan or Steve Spagnuolo, who combined to coach four seasons with either three or fewer victories between 2007-11, many fans may not be thrilled an extension is coming. Florio posits the extension, if it has in fact been agreed to, will likely be announced after the Rams score a key victory this season.

Here’s more from around the league as the explosive Thursday-night game continues.

  • Mychal Kendricks agreed to a four-year, $29MM extension with the Chip Kelly-run Eagles last year but saw his role changed to that of a base defense-only linebacker in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense. The fifth-year ‘backer isn’t exactly ready to concede he’s not a three-down linebacker, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. “I’m not putting my ego aside. I’m just putting it in check,” Kendricks said. “Trust me, that [stuff] is very much there. And quote that. Write that [stuff].” Sidelined during the preseason with a hamstring injury, Kendricks saw Nigel Bradham join Jordan Hicks in the Eagles’ nickel package in Week 1. None of Kendricks post-2016 money is fully guaranteed, McLane writes. Kendricks would see $4.35MM become fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2017 league year, however, if he remains on Philadelphia’s roster by then.
  • The Dolphins should cut bait with Ryan Tannehill if he doesn’t take a step forward this season, Doug Keyd of NESN.com opines. Tannehill’s $11.6MM cap number balloons to $20.3MM in 2017, tied for sixth highest among quarterbacks and ahead of guys like Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger. For what it’s worth, New England coach Bill Belichick already seems to think that Tannehill is a solid QB. “He’s a good quarterback,” Belichick said. “He’s smart, he handles the offense well, he certainly takes control of things at the line of scrimmage, as we’ve seen quarterbacks do in Coach [Adam] Gase’s offense. It obviously runs through the quarterbacks. It tracks adjustments, but he’s a good decision maker, he’s athletic, throws the ball well. He can certainly make plays out of the pocket. … He’s a good player. He’s definitely a problem for us.”
  • The Raiders‘ potential trek to Las Vegas will still rely on owners getting behind a Mark Davis-backed venture, something that shouldn’t be considered a sure thing, Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com writes. Ratto writes the Jaguars and Chargers are the two logical candidates for the NFL to place in Vegas if the stadium deal is agreed upon. Neither has been seriously connected to a Nevada move. However, Ratto notes Jerry Jones‘ power among the owners shouldn’t be dismissed. Despite working against the Raiders in February to push the Rams to Los Angeles, Jones has voiced support for a Raiders-to-Vegas venture and could be expected to whip votes if this measure reaches a vote.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

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