HEADLINES

Month: February 2014

Draft Notes: Browns, Rams, Manziel, Ravens

February 18th, 2014 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

On a conference call with reporters today, draft expert Mike Mayock of NFL Network said 2014’s draft class is the deepest in the last 10 years, adding that having a top-20 pick this year is the equivalent of having a top-10 pick in 2013 (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune). Teams searching for receiving help are in especially good position, since this looks like the best WR class in years, according to Mayock (Twitter link via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald). Here are a few more draft-related links, as the 2014 combine nears:

  • While Mayock has discussed several specific players and their stocks during his conference call, one of his more interesting comments was about the depth in the draft at offensive tackle and cornerback. As Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets, Mayock believes there will be quality tackles and cornerbacks available in the third or fourth rounds, perhaps even players who could start for NFL teams.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has published his initial estimates for the rookie pool amounts available to all 32 NFL teams this May. The Browns and Rams, each armed with an extra first-round pick, lead the way with over $9MM+ in projected first-year bonus money.
  • Having met extensively with top prospect Johnny Manziel, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle came away extremely impressed with the Texas A&M quarterback, and believes Manziel would be the Texans’ best choice for the first overall pick.
  • The Ravens will be eyeing running backs in the draft, and Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com suggests a few names that should be on the club’s radar.
  • The NFL has released the schedule detailing when many of the league’s head coaches and general managers will be speaking to the media this weekend at the combine. You can find the specifics right here.

Franchise/Transition Tags

February 18th, 2014 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday marked the first day that teams can apply the franchise tag to free-agents-to-be for 2014. While no clubs have designated franchise players yet, there will likely at least a handful of players receiving the tag before the March 3 deadline, so it’s worth taking an in-depth look at what exactly it means to be designated as a franchise player.

Essentially, the franchise tag is a tool that a team can use to keep one of its free agents from freely negotiating with rival suitors on the open market. Designating a franchise player means tendering that player a one-year contract offer. The amount of that offer varies from year to year and from position to position, and also differs slightly depending on what sort of specific tag the team employs. Here’s a breakdown of the three types of franchise/transition tags:

Exclusive franchise tag:

  • The amount of the one-year offer is either the average of the top five highest-paid players at the player’s position in the current league year or 120% of the player’s previous salary, whichever is greater. The top five highest-paid players at the position are determined once the free agent signing period ends in May, so the exact amount isn’t known until then.
  • The player isn’t allowed to negotiate with other teams.
  • The player and his team have until July 15 (or the first business day thereafter) to work out a multiyear agreement. After that date, the player can only sign a one-year contract.
  • The exclusive tag is generally only used for extremely valuable free agents, such as franchise quarterbacks.

Non-exclusive franchise tag:

  • The amount of the one-year offer is determined by a formula that includes the salary cap figures and the non-exclusive franchise salaries at the player’s position for the previous five years. Alternately, the amount of the one-year offer can be 120% of the player’s previous salary, if that amount is greater.
  • The player is free to negotiate with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet with another team, his current team has five days to match the offer.
  • If the offer is not matched, the player’s previous team will receive two first-round draft picks as compensation from the signing team.
  • As is the case with the exclusive franchise tag, July 15 (or the first business day thereafter) represents the deadline for a multiyear agreement.
  • Due to the attached compensatory picks, the non-exclusive franchise tag is generally sufficient for free agents — few rival suitors are willing to give up multiple first-rounders in order to sign a free agent to a lucrative deal, so there’s not much risk for a team to give up exclusive negotiating rights.

Transition tag:

  • The amount of the one-year offer is either the average of the top 10 highest-paid players at the player’s position in the previous league year or 120% of the player’s previous salary, whichever is greater.
  • The player is free to negotiate with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet with another team, his current team has five days to match the offer.
  • If the offer is not matched, the player’s previous team does not receive any compensatory draft picks.
  • Because it does not include any draft compensation or exclusive negotiation rights, and is only slightly more affordable, the transition tag is rarely used.

The exact amounts of these tags won’t be known until the salary cap number for 2014 is announced, and even then, the exclusive franchise tag amount won’t be established immediately. However, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com has a breakdown of the projected non-exclusive figures, ranging from around $3.4MM for a punter or kicker all the way up to $16MM+ for a quarterback. No quarterbacks will be franchised in 2014 now that Jay Cutler has signed a long-term contract, but plenty of those other projections will be relevant — Jimmy Graham (TE/WR, Saints), Greg Hardy (DE, Panthers), T.J. Ward (S, Browns), Brian Orakpo (OLB, Redskins) are among the candidates to receive the franchise tag.

As we’ve discussed several times on PFR, positions for players like Graham and Dennis Pitta figure to be a point of contention this offseason. Both players lined up as receivers more frequently than they played at tight end in 2013, and the CBA clearly states that the franchise salary shall be determined by the position at which the player “participated in the most plays during the prior league year.” The difference between the tight end and wide receiver franchise salaries is expected to be between $4-5MM, so it’s an important distinction for players like Graham and Pitta.

Here are a few other relevant details on franchise tags:

  • Each year, the period for teams to designate franchise players runs from the 22nd day before the new league year begins, right up until the eighth day before that new year. In 2014, that means February 17 to March 3, with the 2014 league year set to start on March 11.
  • A team can withdraw a franchise or transition tag at any time once when the free agent period begins, but it would immediately make the player an unrestricted free agent, allowing him to sign with any team.
  • If a player is designated a franchise player for a third time, the amount of his one-year offer is equal to the exclusive franchise salary for the highest-paid position (QB), 120% of the five largest prior-year salaries at his position, or 144% of his previous salary. That’s why, for instance, the 49ers won’t franchise Phil Dawson this offseason — it would be his third franchise tag, so he’d be eligible for the QB franchise salary.
  • Teams are allowed to designated one franchise player and one transition player per offseason. A team can also designate two transition players if it doesn’t designate a franchise player, but can’t designate two franchise players.
  • Restricted free agents can be designated as franchise players.
  • If a player chooses to sign the one-year franchise tender, his salary is essentially guaranteed. The CBA notes that if a team releases the player due to a failure “to establish or maintain his excellent physical condition,” the team may recoup his salary. However, a franchise player released due to poor performance, injury, or cap maneuvering will receive his full salary.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Information from Joel Corry and OverTheCap.com was used in the creation of this post.

Free Agent Rumors: Decker, Graham, Bell

February 18th, 2014 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on Sirius XM Radio today, Eric Decker discussed his free agency and didn’t rule out the possibility of a return to the Broncos. However, the wide receiver’s comments suggested that Denver will likely just be one of the many options he’ll consider — Decker indicated that he’d “welcome a call” from the Broncos, but said he’ll need to make the decision that’s best for his family (Twitter link). The free-agent-to-be added that it’s not all about the money, and that he’ll be looking for a spot where he’ll have fun and enjoy going to work every day (Twitter link).

Here are a few more updates on free agents around the league:

  • While there has been no real progress in contract talks between Jimmy Graham and the Saints, expect Graham to immediately file a grievance to be considered a receiver if and when the team designates him as its franchise player, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • In a piece for CBSSports.com, Joel Corry examines the free agents who could be designated as franchise players for each of the league’s 32 teams, and also touches on Graham’s looming positional battle.
  • As both Corry and Robert Mays of Grantland point out, there’s a precedent for a positional grievance related to the franchise tag. In 2008, Terrell Suggs challenged his designation as a linebacker, contending that he spent more time at defensive end. Suggs and the Ravens ultimately compromised on the average of the two positions’ salaries. If Graham and the Saints were to reach a similar agreement, it would have to be considered a win for New Orleans, since Graham will likely be seeking top-five wide receiver money, according to Corry.
  • Justin Rogers of MLive.com attempts to project the cost of a long-term deal for Lions running back Joique Bell, who will be eligible for restricted free agency next month. Rogers concludes that a four-year contract that starts at around $3-3.5MM per year could make sense for both sides.

Sam Bradford’s Future With Rams

February 18th, 2014 at 10:33am CST by Rob DiRe

TUESDAY, 10:33am: Appearing on Mike and Mike in the Morning today, Rams coach Jeff Fisher gave Bradford a vote of confidence, reiterating that the former No. 1 pick will be the team’s quarterback to start the 2014 season (link via Pro Football Talk). However, Fisher was noncommittal about the idea of an extension for Bradford, suggesting that the Rams “talk about extensions with all our players under contract.” GM Les Snead also weighed in on the possibility today, telling ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link), “We have been – and still are – open to extending Sam.”

MONDAY, 6:56pm: It is unclear whether or not the Rams and quarterback Sam Bradford are working on a contract extension, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio notes, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported today that the team had no intention of extending Bradford. Flying in the face of that report was a quote from Rams COO Kevin Demoff directly contradicting the statement.

“We’ve decided Bradford is our guy. If they wanted to do a contract extension, we would do it,” Demoff said (via Twitter).

That quote came back in September, before Bradford tore his ACL and was forced to miss the majority of the 2013 season. Florio also writes that when Demoff declared Bradford to be the quarterback of the future, other members of the organization were less than convinced.

La Canfora later heard from another source that the Rams would be open to an extension for Bradford. However, even with that update, he notes that it would still be a surprise for the two parties to reach an extension, writing that “adding guaranteed money beyond the current deal would make it cumbersome for the team to part with Bradford.”

The perfect juxtaposition to what is going on with Bradford and the Rams is the Cam Newton contract situation. These two players have contracts that will forever be linked. Bradford of course, was drafted first overall in 2010, negotiating a lucrative contract of six years and $78MM, with $50MM in guaranteed money before he had ever played an NFL game. Just one year and one CBA negotiation later, Newton was the first overall pick in 2011. Newton’s contract was very different. The Panthers signed him to a four year contract worth $22MM.

This season, Newton’s contract is coming into its option year, and the sports world is preparing for him to finally start looking for his big contract with huge guaranteed money. Bradford, on the other hand, already got his huge contract, a deal that most fans and writers would argue that he did not come close of living up to.

As of the most recent reports, neither player has been engaged of talks of extension yet. While most fans and NFL people would agree that Newton has been better, maybe even far better, than Bradford through their first contracts, both players still have plenty to prove before signing their next deals. The only difference is that Bradford has already made twice as much money on his first contract, simply by virtue of entering the league one year earlier

East Notes: Allen, Redskins, Eagles, Dolphins

February 18th, 2014 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Five of the eight teams are covered in this morning’s look at the AFC and NFC East divisions, so let’s dive right in and check out Tuesday’s East links….

  • Jets safety Antonio Allen has switched agents and will now be represented by Joel Segal of Lagardere Unlimited, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The 2012 seventh-round pick remains under contract through 2015.
  • In a piece for the Washington Post, Mike Jones explores whether or not the Redskins ought to re-sign outside linebackers Rob Jackson and Darryl Tapp. In Jones’ view, it could make sense for the club to bring back Jackson, but re-signing Tapp won’t be a priority.
  • The Eagles need to add depth at running back behind LeSean McCoy, writes ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan. While Sheridan tosses out the names of a few free agent options, he expects the team to draft a running back rather than sign one.
  • Offensive tackle will be a major area of focus for the Dolphins this offseason, and Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel suggests there are multiple ways the team could address the position.
  • If he were running the Giants, Mike Tanier of Sports on Earth would extend Eli Manning‘s contract and roll the dice on bringing in potentially high-reward offensive playmakers.

Ravens Rumors: Pitta, Monroe, Oher, Ngata

February 18th, 2014 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

We passed along word last night that the Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta remain “far apart” in contract negotiations, but that isn’t the only noteworthy tidbit from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens insider provided several more rumors in his latest piece, so let’s round up the highlights:

  • Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said during Monday’s presser to announce Terrell Suggs‘ new contract that the team has entered negotiations with many of its own free agents: “We’ve engaged in discussions with several of our players. With the combine coming up, the majority of the agents will be there and we will be there. I’m sure we’ll have some more talks, but we’ve engaged in several conversations with several players.”
  • A source predicts to Wilson that the Ravens will designate Pitta as their franchise player, which will likely be followed by Pitta filing a grievance in an effort to be designated as a wide receiver rather than a tight end. Like Jimmy Graham of the Saints, Pitta lined up as a receiver for more than half of his 2013 snaps.
  • The Ravens are prioritizing re-signing offensive tackle Eugene Monroe and have begun negotiations with his camp, says Wilson. If the team is able to lock up Monroe, fellow free agent tackle Michael Oher is unlikely to be retained.
  • Baltimore would also like to bring back middle linebacker Daryl Smith, though no deal is imminent.
  • Defensive lineman Arthur Jones is expected to draw “heavy interest” on the open market, and the Ravens may not have the cap flexibility to re-sign him, according to Wilson.
  • The Ravens explored the possibility of lowering Haloti Ngata‘s cap number, but have been unable to reach a “realistic” financial compromise, a source tells Wilson. Cutting the defensive tackle isn’t viewed as a viable option for the team.

Active Market Expected For Riley Cooper

February 18th, 2014 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

Coming off a breakout 2013 season, Riley Cooper is poised to hit unrestricted free agency next month, and the wide receiver is expected to draw significant interest if and when he hits the open market, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While Eagles GM Howie Roseman has referred to the team’s receiving situation as “complicated,” the team would like to bring back Cooper, according to Florio.

Cooper, 26, became a full-time starter for the Eagles in 2013 in the absence of the injured Jeremy Maclin, and notched career-highs in virtually every category. Cooper finished the year with 47 receptions, 835 yards, and eight touchdowns. Still, with Maclin headed to free agency as well, the club may not have the cap flexibility to re-sign both players. There’s a belief among Eagles beat writers that the team will try to re-sign one of the two, then draft a receiver, though there’s no consensus on which veteran will return.

Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer expects Maclin to be a priority for the Eagles, while suggesting that Cooper could earn in the neighborhood of $5MM per year on the open market. ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan, meanwhile, is skeptical of Cooper’s free agent value, predicting that the club is more likely to re-sign Cooper than Maclin. Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com also weighed in this morning, writing that if the market for Cooper is as active as Florio suggests it will be, the Eagles would be wise to move on and focus on Maclin.

There’s a good chance that the Eagles will meet with reps for both free agent receivers at this week’s scouting combine.

AFC North Notes: Mack, Collins, Pitta

February 17th, 2014 at 10:28pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the changes in the Browns‘ front office this offseason, the status of Alex Mack‘s free agency has wavered back and forth. While Mack was once unlikely to remain with the team, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal writes that the Browns are focused on re-signing their center. The team would like to do so without having to use the franchise tag, which would carry a price tag of over $11MM for an offensive lineman. Here are other notes from the AFC North:

  • The Bengals would like to retain both left tackle Anthony Collins and safety Taylor Mays, writes Joe Reedy of the Enquirer. They also would like to be able to bring back both players on long term deals without having to exercise the franchise tag.
  • The Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta are reportedly “far apart” in contract negotiations, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens could franchise Pitta if a long-term contract is not agreed upon, but there will be contention over whether Pitta is considered a tight end or wide receiver, much like the situation with Jimmy Graham in New Orleans.
  • Many draft pundits have the Steelers selecting Louis Nix of Notre Dame with the 15th overall pick, but it could be a reach according to Alan Robinson of TribLive.com. Nose tackle Steve McLendon only played a third of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in 2013, but Robinson does look to advanced stats to see that McLendon was better than he was thought to be.

Dolphins Updates: Incognito, Martin

February 17th, 2014 at 9:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

The bullying allegations outlined in the Wells Report have greatly changed the free agent stocks of Dolphins’ offensive linemen John Jerry and Richie Incognito. Here at Pro Football Rumors, we’ve looked at how the report has changed the way teams view these players. Between the character questions and looming suspensions, the amount of money Jerry and Incognito stand to lose could be significant.

While Jerry’s prospects are still as slim as they were, things have changed slightly for Incognito. Pundits have been speculating the severity of the embattled guard’s suspension, with many floating the idea that he might be forced to sit out another year. Now there is a possibility he will not be suspended at all, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

According to the CBA, Article 46, Section 4 a player cannot be disciplined by both the Commissioner and the team for the same act. Incognito was suspended by the Dolphins for eight games in 2013, as allegations were first becoming public. This could preclude the NFL from adding an additional suspension. Florio adds that the NFLPA planned on fighting any suspension on these terms.

Florio continues to write that the league could argue the original suspension was for his behavior towards Jonathan Martin, but could still suspend him for other offenses.

While avoiding suspension would certainly help Incognito’s chance of landing with another team, he may have already further hurt his case via his own Twitter rants in the aftermath of the report becoming public. He returned to Twitter today, with an apology. Still, the few defenders who thought his “edge” or “mean streak” was an asset could have trouble reconciling his social media accounts with the idea that he still had some redeemable character qualities.

The victim, Martin, was also thought to have suffered from the report. His release from the club was considered a certainty. It seemed best for both parties to allow him to move on if the team could not trade him.

Cutting Martin seems unlikely, writes Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. Abramson spoke to employment attorney William Amlong of Fort Lauderdale.

“Cutting him would be idiocy because then you do have a lot of great potential for litigation,” Amlong said. “If I were representing him, my argument is going to be that maybe this guy is not the greatest tackle in the world yet, but he’s a second-year guy and he has enough potential. If they didn’t have any plans to cut him before he started complaining and now they do, that’s not good.” 

Martin’s agent is set to meet with the Dolphins at the Scouting Combine this week. Abramson notes that the best solution Amlong provided was for the team to pay Martin the $1.87MM he’s owed for the final two years of his contract, and then they would be free to release him.

NFC South Links: Franchise Tag, Combine

February 17th, 2014 at 8:14pm CST by Rob DiRe

Panthers‘ Greg Hardy‘s impending free agency has been at the forefront of conversation in the NFL world these past few weeks, and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer added to the chatter today, writing that while they want the star pass rusher back, applying the franchise tag on him would eat up all of the team’s remaining cap room. David Newton of ESPN.com agrees that it isn’t about whether the Panthers would like to, but instead whether they could afford to. Unless they can come to a long term agreement quickly, it seems more and more likely that Hardy would be able to reach unrestricted free agency. Here are some other links from around the NFC South:

  • While Hardy, Captain Munnerlyn, and Cam Newton have been the big names of the Panthers‘ offseason, David Newton wrote that the team cannot forget to focus on improving their offensive line, even with their current cap woes.
  • The Falcons do not have any logical candidates for the franchise tag this offseason, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The tag could come into play in the 2015 offseason if the team is unable to sign wide receiver Julio Jones to an extension.
  • With the scouting combine fast approaching, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlights five prospects the Falcons should keep an eye on. Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today picks out five position of need for the team to address in the draft.
  • Reyes also wrote about five positions of need for the Saints to address in the draft, and suggested a few prospects who could fill those needs.
  • The Buccaneers do not have a player who is a logical franchise tag candidate, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. Before the season, quarterback Josh Freeman was considered a likely use for the tag. Freeman was benched and then released early in the season.
Load More Posts