AFC Rumors: Dolphins, Jets, Clowney, Texans
As they continue attempting to fortify their offensive line, the Dolphins are hosting 25-year-old free agent Jason Fox for a visit, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. According to Salguero, if the team were to sign Fox, who reportedly worked out for the Chiefs earlier this week, the former Lion would be viewed as a depth piece with a chance to earn a larger role, not the Dolphins’ starter at right tackle.
Here’s more on another free agent paying a visit to Miami, as well as a few other notes from around the AFC:
- The Dolphins will also host free agent wideout Lestar Jean for a visit and workout, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Jean met with the Panthers last month, but left Carolina without a deal.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) still expects the Titans to release Chris Johnson this week. If and when that happens, look for the Jets to “pounce” on the veteran running back, says La Canfora.
- Asked about Jadeveon Clowney at South Carolina’s Pro Day today, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed that his club met with Clowney last night, tweets James Palmer of CSNHouston.com. However, according to O’Brien, the Texans’ No. 1 pick is still “wide open” (Twitter link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
- Before he signed with the Raiders, Maurice Jones-Drew was strongly considering the Patriots and Steelers as well, as he said today on Mad Dog Sports Radio (Twitter link).
- In a pair of tweets, Aaron Wilson provides details on Dimitri Patterson‘s one-year, $3MM deal with the Jets, which includes a $1MM signing bonus, and C.J. Wilson‘s one-year, minimum-salary benefit contract with the Raiders.
Dolphins To Sign Kevin Cone
Free agent wide receiver Kevin Cone has agreed to terms with the Dolphins, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). Cone had been eligible for a contract tender from the Falcons this offseason, but the team elected not to hang onto his rights, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Cone, 26, has only appeared in 51 offensive snaps since entering the league with the Falcons in 2011, recording a single reception for 12 yards in 2013. However, he was a regular special teams contributor last season, logging six tackles in kick and punt coverage for the unit.
The Panthers brought Cone in for a visit last month.
Titans Notes: Nwaneri, Olsen, FAs, Carr
Let’s take a quick look at a few updates relating to 2013’s AFC South runner-up…
- We heard last night that Garrett Reynolds is visiting the Titans today, and it seems he’s not the only free agent lineman in town. Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com tweets that the club is also hosting Uche Nwaneri for a visit, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean says (via Twitter) Eric Olsen is meeting with the team as well. As Wyatt, tweets, the team is looking for an alternative to Mike McGlynn, who visited Tennessee but ultimately signed in Washington instead.
- Although the Titans continue to seek offensive line depth, team president and CEO Tommy Smith likes what the franchise has done so far in free agency, which includes signing players like Shaun Phillips, Michael Oher, Dexter McCluster, and Wesley Woodyard. Wyatt has the details at The Tennessean.
- Fresno State signal-caller Derek Carr, who worked out for the Browns on Monday, is flying to Tennessee today for a pre-draft visit with the Titans, tweets Wyatt.
Draft Notes: Bridgewater, Amaro, Steelers
Word broke on Tuesday that Johnny Manziel would be visiting the Patriots today, a few days after the club met with Blake Bortles in Orlando. It shouldn’t be too surprising then that Teddy Bridgewater is also visiting the team, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As we noted yesterday, the Pats are likely just doing due diligence on the top players in this year’s quarterback class, but those meetings are still worth keeping an eye on.
Here’s more on pre-draft visits, with May 8 just over five weeks away:
- Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro, who is said to be drawing interest from the Jets, is working out for the Falcons today, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Steelers are hosting a pair of defenders today, in Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard and Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- Washington State safety Deone Bucannon visited the Lions today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along word of a pair of visits, reporting that Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will meet with the Saints, while Middle Tennessee State cornerback Sammy Seamster has a visit on tap with the Chiefs.
Raiders Sign Carlos Rogers
WEDNESDAY, 10:07am: The base value of Rogers’ one-year deal with the Raiders is $2.5MM, including a $1MM signing bonus, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, who says the cornerback can earn up to $3.5MM via incentives.
MONDAY, 7:41pm: The Raiders have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with cornerback Carlos Rogers, according to Colleen Dominguez of Fox Sports (via Twitter). The team has officially announced the transaction on their Twitter account.
Rogers, 32, is a veteran of nine NFL seasons, and played the past three years with the 49ers, before being cut on March 10. He was originally a first-round draft pick of the Redskins, and spent 2005-2010 in Washington. Though his durability has not decreased with age (he started all 16 games in each of his seasons with the Niners), his play, on the other hand, has suffered. Last season, while notching 49 tackles and two interceptions, he ranked as just the 71st out of 110 cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics.
For the Raiders, the signing of Rogers further adds to their veteran-dominated offseason, following the acquisitions of experienced players like Matt Schaub, Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Rogers, along with fellow former 49er/new Raider Tarell Brown, will attempt to strengthen a Raiders defensive backfield that ranked 28th in 2013 in terms of passing yards allowed. The current plan is for Brown and second-year player D.J. Hayden to start on the outside, with Rogers manning the slot, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Sulia).
Post-June 1 Cuts
As we covered in our contract bonuses entry in the Pro Football Rumors glossary, including bonuses in NFL contracts is a good way to spread out a cap hit that might otherwise be exorbitant. For instance, if a player’s five-year deal includes a $10MM signing bonus, that money can be paid immediately but spread out over five years for cap purposes. So the cap charge for the bonus would be $2MM per year, rather than $10MM in year one.
This practice can come back to haunt teams if they want to get out of a contract early, however. Suppose the team in the above scenario wanted to release the player in the third year of his contract. Even if none of the player’s base salary is guaranteed at that point, the team will still have to account for that remaining prorated bonus money. So rather than counting on the cap as $2MM per year for three seasons, that dead money “accelerates,” and applies to the cap for the league year in which the player is released. In other words, the remaining $6MM in prorated bonus money immediately counts against the club’s cap.
Although these rules apply to many cuts, a different set of rules is in place for players released after June 1. In that case, a team can spread the cap hit across two seasons rather than one — for the current season, the prorated bonus figure stays at its original amount, with the remaining bonus balance accelerating onto the following season. Referring again to the above scenario, that means the player would count against the cap for $2MM in the league year in which he was cut, with the remaining $4MM applying to the following league year.
The guidelines for pre-June 1 and post-June 1 cuts are fairly straightforward, but things become a little more complicated when we take into account that teams are allowed to designate up to two players as post-June 1 cuts even if those players are released before June. So far this offseason, players like Miles Austin (Cowboys), Daryn Colledge (Cardinals), Thomas DeCoud (Falcons), David Baas (Giants), LaMarr Woodley (Steelers), and Carlos Rogers (49ers) have been designated as post-June 1 cuts.
So how exactly does this scenario work? Let’s look at DeCoud’s contract for an example. Before he was cut, the remaining years on the safety’s contract looked like this:
Typically, DeCoud’s release would mean a $1.8MM cap number for 2014, with the three $600K bonus charges accelerating to the current league year. However, because Atlanta decided to designate him as a post-June 1 cut, that’s not the case. For now, DeCoud remains on the Falcons’ books, as if he hasn’t been released. His non-guaranteed base salaries for 2015 and 2016 have been wiped out by the transaction, but for the time being, his 2014 base remains on the Falcons’ books, along with his bonus money. Until June 1, DeCoud’s contract will look like this:
When June 2 finally rolls around on the calendar, DeCoud’s non-guaranteed base salary will officially come off the books, as would any likely to be earned incentives. The result:
Because the cap charge for the current league year isn’t reduced until June, designating a player as a post-June 1 cut isn’t hugely advantageous for teams. By June, just about every notable free agent is off the board, so the new savings likely won’t be put toward a major move.
Still, releasing a player in March and designating him a post-June 1 cut can be mutually beneficial. It allows the player to hit the market when potential suitors still have cap room and are still looking to add free agents, and it allows the team to spread out the player’s cap charge without having to actually wait until June 1 to release him — waiting until that point could mean paying roster or workout bonuses in the interim. Additionally, even if the team doesn’t need that June cap space for free agency, it will often come in handy for signing draft picks.
A couple loose ends related to post-June 1 cuts:
- The same rules applying to players who are released apply to players who are traded — if a team trades a player after June 1, his remaining bonus money can be spread out over two seasons. However, a club can’t designate anyone traded prior to June as a post-June 1 player.
- Teams cannot designate post-June 1 cuts during the final league year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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 Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.
Notes On Visits: Reynolds, Verrett, Smallwood
Free agent guard Garrett Reynolds is scheduled to meet with the Titans on Wednesday, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.
Reynolds, selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, appeared in 15 games for Atlanta last season and started 10 of them. He only played in seven games in 2012 (starting six of them), so he has accumulated about a full season’s worth of snaps over the course of the past two years. Over that time, however, he has earned positive grades for his play, so this would mark a quality, low-cost signing should Tennessee pull the trigger.
Our Luke Adams put Reynolds in the third tier of free agent guards last month but specifically mentioned him as a potentially valuable asset for a team not looking to pay big money at the position.
Now for some quick notes on other visits:
- Joe Buscaglia of WGR550 has compiled a list that will continue to be updated of the prospects the Bills are bringing in to team facilities for official visits. This list might be particularly relevant for Bills fans; Buscaglia tweets that Buffalo’s first round pick in each of the last four years visited Orchard Park prior to the draft.
- One of the top corners in this year’s draft, TCU’s Jason Verrett, will be visiting the Steelers, Jets, and Cardinals in the coming weeks, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
- Although he did not play at a big-time football program, UConn linebacker Yawin Smallwood was a bit-time playmaker for the Huskies. Despite tweaking his hamstring at the combine, Smallwood has a number of visits lined up, according to Ross Jones of FOX Sports. He will meet with the Falcons later this week.
Corry On The Franchise Tag
After a flurry of low-key but significant signings, the night has suddenly grown quiet. While we wait for the next piece of news concerning DeSean Jackson, let’s take a look at a typically excellent piece from Joel Corry of the National Football Post. Corry describes how the rules surrounding the use of the franchise tag have become a bit antiquated and do not necessarily reflect how the league has evolved. Some snippets are provided below, but the entire piece is certainly worth a read.
On how to avoid the issues created by “tight ends” like Jimmy Graham:
A new classification differentiating between tight ends who take a majority of their snaps in-line and those who don’t could be created. One possibility could be for tight ends that function similarly to wide receivers to receive a franchise tag with the average of the tight end and wide receiver franchise tags. This hybrid tag would be $9.593 million this year.
Personally, the only problem I would have with this would be that it seems to create a new issue of what players qualify as “tight ends that function similarly to wide receivers.” As the league continues to evolve, there will be fewer and fewer players who play the majority of snaps as the traditional in-line end, and those that do are unlikely to have to worry about the franchise tag anyway; they will simply be end-of-the-roster players summoned in certain short-yardage or max protect packages.
As such, the term “tight ends that function similarly to wide receivers” will increasingly become a redundant one; almost all of them will function similarly to wide receivers. At that point, the only justification for labeling certain players as a tight ends will be their body type (i.e. are they built more like Tony Gonzalez or Jacoby Jones?), which is certainly an undesirable outcome.
Nonetheless, Corry is certainly right in theory, and a hybrid tag containing a tiered compensation system based upon how much time a player spends as an in-line tight end and how much time they spend in the slot or split out wide is probably the best bet. And if a player spends little to no time as an in-line tight end, then teams will simply have to bite the bullet and pay them like the wideouts they are.
On separating offensive linemen by specific position:
Offensive line should be split to reflect the three main positions (center, guard and tackle). Typically, the franchise tag is composed of tackles, so guards and centers get a financial windfall when franchised. For example, New York Jets center Nick Mangold had the only center salary cap number over $7 million while the 2013 franchise tag for offensive linemen was $9.828 million.
This is a common sense proposal and it is baffling as to why the NFL has not adopted it yet. Browns center Alex Mack, who was given the transition tag by Cleveland this offseason–the transition tag, of course, has similar compensation rules to the franchise tag–will be paid like a top left tackle, not a top center, which is nonsensical.
On eliminating the July 15 deadline for multiyear contracts:
Prior to the 2006 CBA, there was a 30-day period immediately following the franchise tag designation deadline to agree to a long-term deal with a franchise player before what essentially amounted to a four-month signing moratorium began. During this four-month period, if a franchise player signed a long-term deal, his designation lasted for the duration of the contract, which prevented teams from franchising another player until then. The restriction didn’t apply for long-term deals signed after July 14.
The 2006 CBA eliminated the rules—which led to the signing moratorium—but created a July 15 deadline for long-term deals. In 2013, Broncos offensive tackle Ryan Clady was the only one of the eight players given a franchise tag that got a multi-year contract. The deadline has led to Cliff Avril, Dwayne Bowe and Jairus Byrd missing parts of training camp and the preseason over the last two years to either protest their franchise tags or as an attempt to minimize the risk of injury before regular season play began. The best of the past and current CBA rules on franchise tag signings can be achieved by abolishing the July 15 negotiating deadline.
No problems here. For a league that ostensibly would like to put the highest-quality product on the field and protect its players’ long-term security, one would think that an arbitrary deadline limiting the possibility of a long-term deal would be eliminated.
On decreasing franchise tag compensation
Franchise players rarely switch teams because the compensation on an unmatched offer sheet is two first round picks….The current CBA eliminated the highest restricted free agent tender, which required first and third round picks as compensation for unmatched offer sheets. This level of compensation may be more appropriate for franchise players than two first round picks.
Although I tend to agree with this proposal, and although it would create more excitement as teams would be more hesitant to use the tag and other teams that covet a certain player might be more willing to pony up a first- and third-round pick rather than two first-rounders, it’s not necessarily a proposal that impacts fairness to the player or improves the quality of the game.
DeSean Jackson Updates: Tuesday
It appeared late Monday night as if the Redskins and DeSean Jackson were getting closer to finalizing an agreement, but last we heard, there’s no deal in place yet between the two sides. It could just be a matter of time until that changes, so we’ll keep tabs on Tuesday’s rumors and updates on Jackson right here, with any new items added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- In a positive development for those hoping that Jackson will sign with the Redskins, Diana Russini of NBC Washington tweets that Jackson had a flight out of Washington scheduled for this evening, but he did not get on it. He will stay in the capital tonight.
Earlier updates:
- Although it was reported earlier that Jackson has left Redskins Park without a contract, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Jackson is still in the area and negotiations with the Redskins are continuing. As ESPN.com’s John Keim noted, the issue was not whether Jackson left Redskins Park, but whether he left the area altogether. If he does ultimately leave without a contract, there is a real fear among the Redskins’ brass that they might lose him.
- Citing sources close to Jackson, Diana Russini of NBC Washington tweets that if Jackson leaves town without a contract, he will meet with the 49ers tomorrow.
- James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that the Bills have removed themselves from the running for Jackson as other teams push to land the receiver.
- Agent Joel Segal and members of the Redskins‘ brass are sitting down to begin negotiations for Jackson, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- A league source tells Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Washington (via Twitter) that Jackson has left Redskins Park after about three hours of meeting with the team. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) confirms as much, though he adds that the plan is for Jackson to remain in town in hopes of working out a deal.
- A.J. Perez of NJ.com, one half of the reporting team who originally published last week’s report about Jackson’s alleged gang ties, hears from a law enforcement source that the Raiders and 49ers have reached out to the LAPD to inquire about Jackson, but the Redskins haven’t.
- The Redskins and Jackson have yet to discuss specific contract terms, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who tweets that the 49ers‘ interest is “real but guarded.”
- With Dianna Russini of NBC Washington reporting that the Browns and 49ers are in the mix for Jackson, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com and Albert Breer of the NFL Network caution that the price would have to be right for San Francisco to have legitimate interest in the standout receiver (Twitter links).
- Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie is wary about going all-in for Jackson, given the ex-Eagle’s reputation as a me-first player, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- Echoing what we hearing last night, Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports tweets that there’s no agreement in place between Jackson and the Redskins, but that he’s had a “solid visit” in Washington so far. Mike Jones of the Washington Post hears from one source that the two sides may be “getting close,” while John Keim of ESPN.com says (via Twitter) Washington head coach Jay Gruden “really wants” Jackson, adding that both sides are motivated to get something done.
- Jackson is out to breakfast this morning with Redskins officials, as his visit continues, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
- According to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, if Jackson leaves Washington without a deal, he’s expected to visit the Raiders next. Garafolo also mentioned in the tweet linked above that Oakland remains in the mix.
Ravens Notes: TEs And Backup QBs
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke with reporters today, and while there were no “major revelations,” he did indicate that the team is still talking to free agent tight ends Ed Dickson and Owen Daniels, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team is looking for a complement to No. 1 tight end Dennis Pitta, who recently signed a five-year extension with the club.
It is unclear if the team prefers Dickson or Daniels at this point. Dickson has generally underperformed and has struggled with drops since the Ravens drafted him in 2010, so Daniels would present a significant upgrade from a pure talent standpoint. However, Daniels is five years older and has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, so Baltimore would be taking a gamble with him as well.
A few early mock drafts predicted that North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron would fall to the Ravens in the draft, but now it is generally believed that he will be off the board before the Ravens are on the clock with the No. 17 overall pick.
A few more quick notes from Charm City:
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team is “in discussions” with several veteran backup QBs. Wilson does not indicate who those veteran backups might be, but it became clear that the Ravens would look to bring in legitimate competition for current backup Tyrod Taylor when it was revealed that they had spoken to Brandon Weeden before he signed with the Cowboys. The top QBs still available include Matt Flynn, Josh Freeman, and Rex Grossman.
- In a separate tweet, Zrebiec notes that it is worth keeping an eye on the Texans’ quarterback situation. Houston currently has three quarterbacks on the roster–Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, and T.J. Yates–and is likely to draft a QB in the early rounds of the draft, so it appears as if at least one of Keenum or Yates will become available. Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is of course familiar with both players, and Baltimore seems to have a penchant for acquiring Houston’s cast-offs and successfully integrating them into its roster.
- The Ravens signed newly-acquired center Jeremy Zuttah to a five-year extension shortly after trading for him, an extension that lessened Zuttah’s 2014 cap hit to $1.7MM. Baltimore now has $6.971MM to work with, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.