Ravens, Monroe Remain Far Apart In Talks
While the two sides continue to talk, the Ravens and left tackle Eugene Monroe remain “far apart” in negotiations on a new contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. According to Wilson, some progress has been made and both Monroe and the team would like to work something out, but as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com noted last week, there’s still a gap to bridge.
If the two sides haven’t reached a compromise by 3:00pm CT today, which looks like a long shot, the Ravens could turn to the franchise tag. Some teams are reluctant to tag offensive linemen because the franchise salary for the position is determined by the highest-paid left tackles, meaning it will be worth about $11.65MM in 2014. For someone like Monroe though, who actually plays that position, the one-year cost may represent a worthwhile investment. Having reached a long-term agreement with Dennis Pitta, the Ravens no longer need to use their franchise tag on their tight end, and Wilson hears from a source that the team has considered the possibility of tagging Monroe.
Whether or not the Ravens decide to franchise Monroe, the two sides will have another week to work out a long-term deal before the ex-Jaguar can officially hit the open market. If he does reach unrestricted free agency, Monroe figures to be one of the top tackles available, and should draw interest from the Dolphins and Cardinals, among other teams.
Colts Won’t Franchise Vontae Davis
The Colts are still engaged in talks with cornerback Vontae Davis in an effort to lock him up to a long-term contract, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, today’s franchise deadline looming, the team won’t use its tag on Davis, La Canfora reports.
The deadline for NFL teams to use their 2014 franchise tags is today at 3:00pm central time. Assuming the Colts and Davis don’t agree to terms on a new deal by this afternoon, the two sides are expected to continue negotiating throughout the week, with Indianapolis attempting to keep the former 25th overall pick from hitting the open market. Even if Davis does become a free agent on March 11, that doesn’t mean he won’t return to Indy — gauging offers from other suitors may give Davis and the Colts a better idea of his value, allowing them to strike a deal.
Although Davis grabbed just one interception in 2013, the 25-year-old ranked among the best cornerbacks in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Only Darrelle Revis and fellow free-agent-to-be Brent Grimes had higher overall grades at the position than the Colts’ standout CB, according to PFF. Given his age and production, Davis figures to draw plenty of interest if he reaches unrestricted free agency.
Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star adds (via Twitter) that the Colts won’t use their franchise tag at all this year, which is unsurprising now that we know the club doesn’t intend to use it on Davis. Because kicker Adam Vinatieri has been tagged twice previously, he’s not a candidate to receive the franchise tag again. The only other viable candidate on the team is Antoine Bethea, but even the relatively modest franchise price for a safety ($8.433MM) looks a little too pricey for Bethea.
NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals
The Jim Harbaugh saga continues. Today we learned that some 49ers players may be getting sick of their head coach. Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that “Harbaugh’s act has worn thin in the locker room, particularly among some key “face of the 49ers” type players.” As Killion points out, this information comes close to a week before free agency is set to open. Harbaugh had been reportedly discussed in a potential deal between the 49ers and Browns.
Now, for more news around the NFC West…
- The Seahawks will not offer the franchise tag to Steven Hauschka, tweets Tom Pelissero of the USA Today. Pelissero mentions that he thought the team might be tempted to use the tag on the journeyman kicker.
- The Rams have three quarterbacks without contracts and may be looking for two backups for next season, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Wagoner believes the team will go with a rookie and a veteran, and thinks that Kellen Clemens is likely to return. He also mentions Mark Sanchez as a possibility, pointing out the connection between Sanchez and Rams’ offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
- As the salary cap continues to grow, so do the chances that Larry Fitzgerald stays with the Cardinals beyond 2014, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.Weinfuss hypothesizes that if the cap increases to north of $140MM, there may be another restructuring of Fitzgerald’s contract that would be more manageable for the team.
NFC North Links: Packers, Bears, Lions
On this date in 2001, the Packers traded backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, a first- and seventh-round pick to the Seahawks for a first- and third-round pick. The trade ultimately proved to be a win for Seattle, and it goes beyond the team acquiring an eventual three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. With the first-round pick they acquired, the Seahawks drafted guard Steve Hutchinson, who would play in three Pro Bowls for the team. Center Dennis Norman was drafted out of Princeton with the Seahawks’ seventh-round pick. Norman played about four seasons with Seattle before continuing his career with the Jaguars and Chargers.
The Packers acquired the tenth pick in the 2001 NFL Draft and selected defensive end Jamal Reynolds. Injuries resulted in Reynolds only playing in 18 career games, compiling 16 tackles and three sacks. With their third-rounder, Green Bay took linebacker Torrance Marshall, who served a back-up role with the team for four seasons.
Let’s take a look at some Packer and NFC North rumors…
- The Packers are trying to re-sign Sam Shields for a contract worth less than $6MM a year, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Multiple reporters responded to the tweet, with Aaron Nagler of Bleacher Report suggesting that the cornerback will receive $8MM to $9MM (via Twitter).
- Brandon Marshall with get a contract extension from the Bears, but he may not sign it this offseason unless it’s a cap-friendly deal, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. Wright refers to Marshall’s previous comments that he wants to end his career in Chicago.
- For Charles Tillman to return to the Bears, he’d have to take a discount, Wright also says. He believes that Tillman does not need to move to the safety position and can still be an above-average cornerback.
- Cornerback is a position of need for the Lions and they could look to improve that position through free agency, says Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Rothstein suggests Rashean Mathis and Corey Graham as potential targets.
AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Raiders, Jaguars
A couple of notes from around the AFC on this Sunday evening…
- D’Qwell Jackson flew to Denver to meet with the Broncos today, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It was reported last week that Jackson would also meet with the Titans.
- The Browns will not cut or restructure the contract of defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, Cabot writes in another article. There were rumblings that Rubin might be a cap casualty only a couple of days ago.
- The Raiders like Derek Carr more than Johnny Manziel, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. As Farmer points out, the team is known to make unconventional picks, so Manziel would “seem like a natural fit for them.”
- Justin Forsett and Jason Babin could potentially be cut by the Jaguars, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com writes.
- In the same article, DiRocco says that the Jaguars’ cap room means they can get involved with free agents like Alex Mack or Brian Orakpo.
Extra Points: Manning, Draft, Steelers
An assortment of news items from around the NFL:
- Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will have his long-awaited physical on Monday, and it could determine his future, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. He has undergone four surgeries on his neck, and if the examination shows any risk of further damage, the future Hall-of-Famer could be forced to retire. A physical at the same time last year guaranteed his $20MM salary for both 2013 and 2014, but negative results now would void his 2014 salary. All parties involve believe the tests will be reveal that Manning is good-to-go for next season.
- Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com looks at whether it makes sense to trade a first-round-pick for a head coach. This article comes in the wake of the Jim Harbaugh-to-Cleveland rumors, and is buttressed by comments from Patriots president Jonathan Kraft. The Patriots, notably, traded their 2000 first-round-pick for Bill Belichick.
- Football Outsiders pioneered the “speed score,” which uses a running back’s forty-yard-dash time and his physical size to assess his explosiveness, and they take a look at the top four backs in this year’s class by said metric.
- The Steelers will have to make some tough decisions to emerge from their current cycle of mediocrity, writes Greg Bedeard of TheMMQB.com.
- Grantland.com’s Bill Barnwell examines the rise of analytics in sports, and how they could be useful in both play-calling and roster construction.
Eagles May Gauge Interest In DeSean Jackson
The Eagles could possibly look to trade receiver DeSean Jackson, according to Jimmy Kempski of CSNPhilly.com. Kempski is clear that the team will not actively shop Jackson, but if another team called with interest, “the Eagles certainly wouldn’t laugh and hang up.”
Jackson is entering the third year of five-year, $47MM deal he signed in March 2012. The star receiver, who enjoyed the best season of his career in 2013 in Chip Kelly’s new offense, has had contract squabbles before, including this year, leading a team source to state that a new pact was unlikely. According to Kempski, Jackson’s attitude has rubbed some in Eagles headquarters the wrong way, and his personality may run counter to the type of “locker room culture that Chip Kelly is trying to cultivate.” Additionally, fellow receiver Jason Avant had acted as something of a buffer between Jackson and receivers coach Bob Bicknell; Avant, however, is expected to be released.
There is also a disconnect between recent comments by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and the team’s roster construction. The team recently re-signed both Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, and is now second in the league in wide receiver investment, something Roseman might be concerned about. “We’re trying to figure out the whole dynamic of it,” said the GM. “You can only put a limited amount of resources at a particular position before it starts taking out from other places.”
Still, a trade of Jackson does seem unlikely. He is a great fit in Kelly’s scheme, with his ability to both stretch the field and act as a weapon on short out patterns. He ranked as the seventh-best receiver by both Pro Football Focus’ and Football Outsiders’ metrics. The Eagles, meanwhile, would be relegated to relying on the one-year sample size of Cooper, and, in Maclin, a player coming off of a torn ACL. In the event of Jackson’s being made available, there would certainly be a market for his services, with the 49ers among his potential suitors, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
NFC Notes: Suh, Bethea, Ware, Graham
Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is going to be the next player to break the bank, writes Joel Corry of the National Football Post. Suh is under contract through the 2015 season; however, that year is a player option, which Suh will likely decline. 2014, then, is effectively the last year of his current deal. If the Lions do not sign the star lineman to a new contract before next season, the franchise tag will probably not be an option, as his tag figure would be an untenable $26.87MM.
Suh has restructured his contract twice in as many years in order for the Lions to gain more cap space. An extension would serve the same purpose, as well as lowering Suh’s cap number, which is second in the league at approximately $22.4MM. The Lions are still feeling the effects of selecting high in the draft under the previous collective bargaining agreement, when rookie salaries were much higher. The rookie deals of Suh, quarterback Matthew Stafford, and receiver Calvin Johnson have put the team in an unenviable position. Extending Suh, as the Lions did with both Stafford and Johnson, would help to alleviate some of that cap strain.
More items from the NFC:
- Safety Antoine Bethea could be an option for the Falcons, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The team is expected to release Thomas DeCoud, and has been linked to free agent Louis Delmas. Jairus Byrd could also be intriguing, but both he and Delmas might be too expensive for Atlanta’s tastes.
- Demarcus Ware, due $26MM over the next two seasons, is too expensive to be traded, but he could brought back to the Cowboys at a lower salary, argues Todd Archer of ESPN.com in a recent mailbag.
- Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes the Saints’ Jimmy Graham is a tight end, writing that lining up in the slot is simply part of that position’s job description in today’s NFL. Triplett thinks the murky situation could be resolved with a long-term contract in excess of $10MM annually.
- The Rams could add two quarterbacks to backup Sam Bradford, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Kellen Clemens could return, and the team figures to draft a quarterback somewhere in the third-to-fifth-round range.
- In a mailbag segment, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com says receiver will be a priority in the draft for the 49ers, and singles out Oregon State WR Brandin Crooks as an option. He also writes that running back LaMichael James could be used more in the slot and on screens as the teams aims to get the speedy back more touches.
PFR Originals: 2/24/14 – 3/2/14
The original content produced this past week by the staff at PFR:
- A look at the free agent market for offensive tackles, with Branden Albert, Eugene Monroe, and Jared Veldheer leading the way on the left side, and Zach Strief and Austin Howard topping the list on the right.
- Alex Mack is far and away the best option among free agent centers; here’s a look at his stock and the rest of the pack.
- A detailed examination of contract bonuses and how they affect teams’ cap space.
- A list of the potential franchise tag candidates.
- The free agent outlook for quarterback Michael Vick, who could be a possible starting option for some QB-needy teams.
Week In Review: 2/24/14 – 3/2/14
A look back at the week’s headlines:
- The Bears re-signed safety Derrick Martin and center Taylor Boggs.
- The Titans re-signed running back Jackie Battle.
- The Panthers cleared cap space by restructuring the contracts of center Ryan Kalil and running back Jonathan Stewart.
- The Raiders extended the contract of running back Taiwan Jones.
- The Panthers offensive line was dealt a blow as tackle Jordan Gross announced his retirement.
- Rumors abounded that several teams have inquired as to the availability of Buccaneers cornerback Darrelle Revis.
- The Eagles signed veteran left tackle Jason Peters to an extension.
- The Texans signed tight end Zach Potter.
- The Browns released linebacker D’Qwell Jackson.
- Center Jason Kelce signed an extension with the Eagles.
- The Eagles also signed receiver Riley Cooper to a five-year contract.
- The Bears signed longtime center Roberto Garza to a one-year pact.
- The Redskins and defensive lineman Chris Baker agreed to terms on a new deal.
- The Ravens cut fullback Vonta Leach and linebacker Jameel McClain.
- The Bears signed veteran tight end Dante Rosario.
- The Eagles are expected to release receiver Jason Avant.
- The Panthers signed kicker Graham Gano to a four-year contract.
- The 49ers signed center Daniel Kilgore to an extension, which could signal the end of Jonathan Goodwin‘s tenure in San Francisco.
- The Bears re-signed cornerback Kelvin Hayden.
- The Patriots intend to release safety Steve Gregory.
- Tight end Dennis Pitta agreed to a five-year contract with the Ravens.
- The Chargers re-signed linebacker Donald Butler.
- The Eagles culminated their series of moves by signing receiver Jeremy Maclin to a one-year deal.
- The Seahawks officially released defensive lineman Red Bryant, as well as receiver Sidney Rice.
- The Jets opted to use their franchise tag on kicker Nick Folk.
- Linebacker Jasper Brinkley was cut by the Cardinals.
- The Cowboys released former secound-round-pick Everette Brown.
- The Panthers placed their franchise tag on defensive lineman Greg Hardy.
- Several reports indicated that the Dolphins had gauged interest in receiver Mike Wallace and defensive lineman Cameron Wake and Dion Jordan. The team denied the reports.
- The Cowboys plan to release center Phil Costa.
- The salary cap was officially set at $133MM.
- The Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes.
- The Saints placed the non-exclusive tag on pass-catcher Jimmy Graham, but a battle over his position designation likely looms.
- Cornerback Sam Shields will not re-sign with the Packers before the start of free agency.