2014 February - Pro Football Rumors

Corry On Pay Cut Candidates

February 14th, 2014 at 9:35pm CST by Matt Feminis

In our previous post, we highlighted young stars entering their prime years and poised to land lucrative second contracts. At the other end of the spectrum, Joel Corry of National Football Post spotlighted five veterans who could be asked to take a pay cut:

Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey – Will be 36 next season after playing just five regular season contests in 2013 (foot injury). Simply put, Bailey’s cost to the team is not commensurate with his diminished skills, as he’s scheduled to count $10.5MM against the cap next year.
Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware – Dallas’ cap woes were detailed last week. At the top of the “To Do” list is Ware, who carries a $16MM cap number as a result of three restructurings. Bothered by an elbow injury which necessitated off-season surgery, Ware managed just six sacks in 2013. Corry says Ware has indicated he’s willing to go down that road again, “but a pay cut is a different story.” If the Cowboys release Ware, the team stands to gain approximately $7.4MM of cap room.
49ers running back Frank Gore – Not unlike catchers in baseball, running backs trend downward beyond age 30. Gore will be 31 in 2014 when he’s scheduled to count $6.45MM against the cap, though he’s considered an “old” 31 given his career workload and injury history. With a strong offensive line and dual-threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick entering his prime, it’s reasonable to think Gore’s production could be had for cheaper, be it in the form of Gore himself at a reduced rate or perhaps 2013 “redshirt” Marcus Lattimore, who is waiting in the wings.
Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu – The soon-to-be 33-year-old has the NFL’s highest 2014 cap number among safeties (approximately $10.9MM), but Polamalu’s play has fallen off to the point where his reputation exceeds his performance. According to Corry, “A pay cut could be folded into an extension that lowers Polamalu’s cap number and ensures that he never plays with another NFL team.”
Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork – Corry describes the veteran Wilfork’s situation as “precarious” because the final year of his five-year deal weighs $11.6MM against the cap. That number ranks second-highest on the roster behind Tom Brady, and the team has just under $3.9MM of cap room at present time. Wilfork has been a rock, but the Pats cannot afford to devote nine percent of the cap to a 32-year-old run stuffer coming off a torn Achilles tendon injury, especially with the team attempting to re-sign Aqib Talib.

Young Stars In Line For Payday

February 14th, 2014 at 8:43pm CST by Matt Feminis

The NFL published its “All-Under-25” team, highlighting the league’s best players under the age of 25. From a contractual standpoint, five stand out as free agents to be at the conclusion of the 2014 season:

Rams defensive end Robert Quinn – Everyone knew Quinn was dripping with upside when the Rams picked him the first round of the 2011 draft, and the pass rusher extraordinaire’s third season was something to behold. Quinn was an unblockable one-man wrecking crew, garnering NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and putting himself in position to break the bank on his second deal.
Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith – Knocking on the door of elite status at a critical position, Smith is expected to get a mega contract extension to ensure the safety of Tony Romo‘s blind side.
Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson – Did not have as many impact plays in 2013, but is a three-time Pro Bowler and legitimate No. 1 coverman at a time when big cornerbacks are in high demand.
Bengals middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Pre-draft character concerns which knocked him off draft boards and seem like a distant memory now. Burfict played at an elite level, leading the league with 171 tackles. If he behaves himself for another year, he’ll receive an exponential bump from his six-figure 2014 salary.
Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey – A stout run defender, Casey’s sack production jumped from 5.5 2011-2012 to 10.5 in 2013 when he was one of the most balanced interior defenders in the league.

Dolphins Owner Responds To Wells Report

February 14th, 2014 at 6:53pm CST by Matt Feminis

After taking the day to review the Wells report detailing the Dolphins bullying scandal centered around Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross issued a statement via the team’s website (full report here), saying, “I now have had a chance to read the report and obviously, the language that was used and the behavior as described is deeply disturbing.”

While Ross did not directly address the futures of Incognito or Martin, neither will play another down for the team, which is expected to place an increased emphasis on character under new GM Dennis Hickey. Although he’s a rookie GM, Hickey has a reputation as a trustworthy information gatherer in the college scouting process, according to former Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik, who was quoted in a story by the Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins at the time of Hickey’s hire in Miami.

“He got accurate information because people trust him,” Dominik said. “When he goes to a school he can talk to a coach to get accurate information about the kid’s character, his background.”

NFL Notes: Saints, Redskins, Vikings

February 14th, 2014 at 6:29pm CST by Matt Feminis

Despite cutting ties with a handful of veterans earlier this offseason, the Saints hover just $3MM under the salary cap with free agent tight end Jimmy Graham‘s future still uncertain. Accordingly, Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune lists a handful of veterans who could be released in order to create more room (cap figure in parentheses): Brodrick Bunkley ($6.1MM), Lance Moore ($5.1MM), Pierre Thomas ($2.9MM), Darren Sproles ($4.25MM) and Patrick Robinson ($2.8MM).

In other NFC notes:

The Redskins “must devote a significant of attention and efforts to improving the offensive line,” says Mike Jones of the Washington Post. The coach and scheme will not change, and eight of the team’s top nine linemen are under contract, but personnel upgrades are needed. Aside from stalwart left tackle Trent Williams, left guard Kory Lichtensteiger (who could be tried at center) seems like the only 2013 starter whose job is safe. Whether or not the team intends to release center Will Montgomery, right guard Chris Chester and/or right tackle Tyler Polumbus is uncertain, but any of the three could be replaced via free agency or draft.
Vikings new head coach Mike Zimmer plans to implement a more aggressive defensive scheme, meaning the team’s scouting staff will take a longer look at prospects whose skill sets might not have fit with Leslie Frazier’s more conservative cover-2 system, writes ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling.
Panthers free agent Captain Munnerlyn says his agent will meet with team officials at the Combine next week, according to Charlotte Observer beat reporter Joe Person (via Twitter).

Minimum Salary

February 14th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL salary cap is expected to exceed $126MM in the 2014 season, and while that figure gives teams a good deal of spending flexibility, each and every club will still have to fill out the back of its roster with players earning minimum salaries. The amount of that minimum salary varies from player to player, depending on service time. A veteran with 10 or more years of NFL experience is eligible for a minimum salary that more than doubles a rookie’s minimum salary.

For the 2014 season, the minimum base salary for a rookie will be worth $420K, while a veteran of 10+ years will earn $955K on a minimum salary. However, those figures are on the rise with each passing year, increasing annually by $15K. Here’s a breakdown of what the NFL’s minimum salaries will look like from the 2013 season through 2020 (dollar amounts in thousands):

Hypothetically, let’s suppose that when free agency opens next month, a player with three years of experience signs a two-year contract worth the minimum salary, with no signing bonus. His salary for the first year of the deal would be $645K, the 2014 amount for a player with three years of experience. The second year would check in at $745K, the 2015 figure for a player with four years of experience.

Players on minimum base salaries can still receive various kinds of bonuses, but those will count toward the player’s cap number, so teams are generally reluctant to include significant signing bonuses on minimum salary contracts.

As for that cap number, a team can avoid having a veteran player’s full minimum salary count against the cap by signing him to a qualifying contract. The league’s Minimum Salary Benefit Rule ensures that, for a player with four or more years of experience, his cap hit on a minimum salary contract will only be equal to the cap number for a minimum-salary player with two years of experience — for 2014, that figure is $570K. To qualify for this reduced cap number, the contract must be for no more than one year, and the bonus money cannot exceed $65K (this maximum bonus increases by $15K every three years).

In other words, let’s say a player with nine years of experience signs a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Cowboys for the 2014 season. The deal also includes a signing bonus of $30K. While that player would earn a total salary of $885K (a base minimum of $855K plus the $30K bonus), the cap hit for Dallas would only be $600K — the $570K minimum, plus the $30K bonus. This rule ensures that teams won’t necessarily opt to sign young players over veterans in an effort to minimize cap charges.

While a player can sign a contract with a team and spend a full season with the franchise, that doesn’t necessarily earn him a credited season for minimum salary purposes. A player must be on a club’s 53-man roster for at least three weeks in order to earn a credited season. So if a rookie spends three games on a team’s 53-man roster, and then is cut, he’ll be considered to have one year of experience the following season, even if he didn’t appear in a single game. However, if a player spends two games on a team’s 53-man roster, then is placed on injured reserve, that’s not a credited season.

Players on injured reserve may also not earn their full minimum salaries. The contracts for many young players and veterans with injury histories include what is known as a split salary, so that if the player is placed on injured reserve, his salary is reduced to an IR minimum. Here’s the breakdown of what those minimum salary figures look like for the next several years:

While there are plenty of rules and guidelines surrounding minimum salary contracts, the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t include a limit on what a player can earn a season. A team must fit its full roster under the salary cap, which is why we typically don’t see annual salaries larger than $20-25MM. But with no defined maximum salary in place, an NFL team could, in theory at least, pay a player for double or triple that amount, assuming that player was surrounded by a few dozen teammates on minimum salaries.

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 OverTheCap.com was used in the creation of this post.

Brandon Weeden Seeking Trade?

February 14th, 2014 at 4:36pm CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 4:36pm: Asked today if he wanted to stay in Cleveland, Weeden said yes, according to Gina Mizell of The Oklahoman (hat tip to Pro Football Talk). However, the Browns quarterback acknowledged that his fate isn’t necessarily in his hands.

“I understand the business side of everything that’s going on,” Weeden said. “It’s kind of out of my control, because I’m still under contract. The ball’s kind of in their court, depending on what they want to do and do with me going forward. I kind of have no control over it. It is what it is, and things will work out.”

TUESDAY, 10:47pm: Last year’s coach, CEO, and GM are gone and now the one-time starting quarterback wants out too. Brandon Weeden wants the Browns to trade him elsewhere before the start of the 2014 season, according to Mike Silver of the NFL Network (via Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald).

Two sources close to the Browns’ 2012 first-round draft choice told Silver that Weeden wants to get a fresh start with another club. The news isn’t terribly surprising since new head coach Mike Pettine made a point to stay that he is a fan of Michigan State product Brian Hoyer, calling him a “winner” with “off the charts” intangibles during his introductory press conference. It’s still possible that the Browns will target a signal caller in the draft, which would bump Weeden down the depth chart even further.

Silver mentioned the Cardinals, Buccaneers and Texans as teams that might be interested in Weeden, who has a 5-15 record under center. Weeden’s salary of $1,124,872 for 2014 is guaranteed.

AFC Notes: Martin, Bonuses, Colts, Kolb

February 14th, 2014 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the publication of the Ted Wells report, Jonathan Martin’s agent Kenny Zuckerman reiterated to several reporters today, including ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), that his client fully intends to continue his NFL career in 2014. Jim Harbaugh, Martin’s former coach at Stanford, believes that the offensive tackle should fare better in another team’s locker room, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee details. Meanwhile, Mike Garafalo of FOX Sports tweets that Martin’s camp will meet with the Dolphins as soon as next week at the scouting combine.

Richie Incognito‘s lawyer has publicly suggested that the Wells report is “replete with errors,” while Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears from a Dolphins source that offensive line coach Jim Turner is almost certainly done in Miami (Twitter link). There may still be more twists and turns coming in this story, but for now we’ll focus on a few other non-Dolphins items around the AFC:

While it won’t affect teams’ salary cap figures, plenty of clubs are set to pay out deferred bonus money this weekend. The Patriots will pay Tom Brady $5MM of his signing bonus, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Brian McIntyre reports (via Twitter) that the Chiefs and Dolphins will also pay out bonus money on Saturday, including $6MM to Tamba Hali and $5MM to Dwayne Bowe for Kansas City.
With Trent Richardson and Vick Ballard set to return to the Colts’ backfield, it wouldn’t be surprising to see prospective free agent Donald Brown land elsewhere, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
A history of concussions has placed Kevin Kolb‘s NFL future in doubt, and Bills coach Doug Marrone told WGR 550 today that he still isn’t sure if Kolb is planning to return to the team. ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak has the details. With a $1MM roster bonus owed to the quarterback next month, the Bills may end up releasing Kolb or restructuring his deal.
Within his latest look around the NFL, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei revisits the Browns‘ front office situation, providing details about Ray Farmer‘s GM candidacy with the Dolphins, Cleveland’s head coaching search, and Joe Banner‘s future job prospects.
The Titans should try to re-sign cornerback Alterraun Verner, safety Bernard Pollard, and defensive end Ropati Pitoitua, but should be content to let wide receiver Kenny Britt and a few other free agents walk, suggests Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

Lions Re-Sign Dominic Raiola

February 14th, 2014 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 14: Raiola’s new contract will pay him a $1.5MM base salary for 2014, along with a $250K signing bonus, reports Birkett (via Twitter).

FEBRUARY 7: The Lions have re-signed center Dominic Raiola to a one-year contract, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). After agreeing to a contract restructure a year ago that reduced his 2013 base salary to the veteran’s minimum, Raiola has received a “nice raise” this time around, according to Birkett.

Raiola, who turned 35 in December, has been a longtime mainstay of the Lions’ offensive line. With the exception of four 2008 contests, Raiola has started every single game in the last 12 seasons for the franchise, and appears poised to do the same in 2014. The Nebraska product indicated last month that he hoped to play a couple more seasons in the NFL, so it’s possible that this new one-year deal won’t be his last contract in the league.

While the specific financial details of the contract aren’t yet known, Raiola’s “nice raise” likely won’t be too drastic, since the Lions are already facing a cap crunch. As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com detailed earlier this week, only three teams currently have less projected 2014 space than the Lions. However, Detroit can create some flexibility via cuts and restructures, and after re-signing Raiola, the team only has three 2013 starters still eligible for free agency, notes Birkett (via Twitter).

Buccaneers Sign Steve Maneri, D.J. Moore

February 14th, 2014 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers added two more players to their 2014 roster today, signing tight end Steve Maneri and cornerback D.J. Moore, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com. While both players were on NFL clubs in 2013, neither player finished the season on a team’s active roster, making them eligible to sign before the free agent period begins on March 11.

It’s worth noting that Maneri and Moore both have experience with the Bears, though only Moore played under current Bucs head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago. A fourth-round draft pick in 2009, Moore racked up 10 interceptions for the Bears in three seasons from 2010 to 2012, playing primarily as a nickelback. The Vanderbilt product, who turns 27 next month, signed a one-year deal with the Panthers for the 2013 season, but was released by the club in October after missing multiple games with knee issues.

As for Maneri, his most significant playing time came in 2012 when he started eight games and caught five passes for the Chiefs. The 25-year-old is a converted offensive tackle, so if he makes the Bucs’ regular season roster, he figures to see the brunt of his playing time as a blocker in sets featuring multiple tight ends.

Terms of the contracts weren’t released, but I’d guess both players will be in line for minimum base salaries, perhaps with modest signing bonuses.

NFL Paid Roger Goodell $44MM+ Last Year

February 14th, 2014 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell received another significant bump in salary during the last fiscal year, according to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal. Kaplan reports that the NFL paid Goodell a total of $44.2MM in the year that ended March 31, 2013, a figure that includes $9.1MM in deferred pay.

A year ago, word broke that Goodell had earned nearly $30MM during the previous fiscal year, a salary that raised plenty of eyebrows since it came on the heels of a league lockout. Prior to the league’s new labor deal, Goodell’s top pay was $11.5MM, according to Kaplan. The league, which defended Goodell’s pay, stressed that his actual earnings for the year are closer to $35MM, with $9MM+ of that overall amount coming from deferred bonuses and pension from the 2011 lockout period.

“Goodell’s compensation reflects our pay-for-performance philosophy and is appropriate given the fact that the NFL under his consistently strong leadership continues to grow,” wrote NFL team owners Arthur Blank (Falcons), Robert Kraft (Patriots), and Jerry Richardson (Panthers) in a letter that Kaplan says was to be emailed to the rest of the league’s owners this afternoon.

Despite the justification from the league’s compensation committee, Goodell’s massive salary doesn’t do much to dissuade the notion that the 2011 labor deal was one that favored the league’s management owners, an agreement for which the commissioner is now being reward. It also figures to raise more questions about the NFL’s non-profit status.

According to Kaplan, Goodell’s earnings for last year almost certainly make him sports’ highest-paid executive, likely surpassing MLB commissioner Bud Selig.