PFR Originals: 7/13/14 – 7/20/14
The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- We continued our Offseason in Review series, as Rory Parks covered the Lions, David Kipke covered the Packers, and Zach Links evaluated the Bears and the Redskins.
- Prior to Jimmy Graham‘s new deal with the Saints, Luke Adams took a look at the potential outcomes for the tight end.
- In our latest Free Agent Stock Watch piece, Rory profiled receiver Santonio Holmes, who is still looking for a job after being released by the Jets in March.
- Zach rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.
- Our Extension Candidate series plugged along, as Luke examined the case for 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree.
- Alex Boone and Vernon Davis are both unhappy with their current contracts, and Crabtree and Mike Iupati are among the other 49ers who could be searching for new deals. With that in mind, Zach asked which Niners will get extensions. Thanks for voting!
- I spoke with Chris Kluwe‘s lawyer, Clayton Halunen, as the former punter prepares his lawsuit against the Vikings following his 2012 release.
Week In Review: 7/13/14 – 7/20/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Major Move:
- Following his appeal of his positional designation, tight end Jimmy Graham agreed to a four-year, $40MM contract with the Saints; $21MM is guaranteed.
Extended:
- 49ers – OT Joe Staley, through 2019 (link)
Signed:
- Colts – OL Chad Anderson (link)
- Redskins – FB Stephen Campbell (link)
- Bills – LB Stevenson Sylvester (link)
- Cowboys – TE Dallas Walker (link)
- Lions – OL Garrett Reynolds (link)
- Patriots – TE Nate Byham (link)
Released:
- Cowboys – QB Kyle Orton (link)
Suspended:
- Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer: three games (link)
Retired:
- DT Armond Armstead (link)
Other:
- Franchise tag designees Brian Orakpo (Redskins) and Greg Hardy (Panthers) failed to reach long-term deals by Tuesday’s deadline (link)
- Browns owner Jimmy Haslam’s company, Pilot Flying J, avoided criminal charges (link)
- Chiefs LB Justin Houston likely to report to training camp (link)
- Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe to sue Vikings (link)
- NFL considering financing a stadium in Los Angeles (link)
Sunday Roundup: Mauga, Peppers, AFC North
More and more beat writers are providing season previews, roster breakdowns, position battles, etc. as training opens (for one team, at least) in just a few hours. So let’s have a look at some links from around the league:
- Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at 10 question the Panthers will face this summer, including what will happen with Greg Hardy and how the team’s receiving corps will shake out.
- Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune looks at five key newcomers for the Buccaneers, including (of course) Josh McCown, Mike Evans, and Alterraun Verner.
- Linebacker Josh Mauga, who played for the Jets last season, will work out for the Chiefs on Monday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean provides training camp previews for the Titans‘ quarterback, running back, offensive line, and tight end positions.
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looks at the Broncos players who are “under the microscope” this season, including Von Miller and Orlando Franklin.
- Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com continues his positional previews of the Packers with a look at the club’s receiving unit.
- Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com adds a preview of the Packers‘ linebacker corps, noting that Green Bay needs to manage Julius Peppers‘ snaps to get the most out of the aging star.
- Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that newcomers like Ryan Shazier will have to contribute on both sides of the ball for the Steelers as the club continues to infuse youth into its roster.
- Bouchette, in a separate piece, provides five storylines for Steelers‘ fans to track, including the aforementioned infusion of youth and increased use of the no huddle offense.
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com offers his training camp preview for the Ravens, writing that the performance of right tackle Ricky Wagner and the secondary competition will be among the most critical summer developments to watch.
- Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal still believes Brian Hoyer will open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback.
- Speaking of Hoyer and the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects Hoyer to be 100% healthy for the regular season opener against Pittsburgh, and she would be surprised if Josh Gordon were to have his indefinite ban reduced.
Texans Links: Johnson, Season Previews
Jerome Solomon of The Houston Chronicle believes the Texans are being “pretty petty” with star wideout Andre Johnson. Solomon calls GM Rick Smith‘s handling of the Johnson saga one of the top five mistakes of Smith’s tenure, and he goes on to say that owner Bob McNair needs to inject himself into the situation before it gets even more out of hand.
Solomon writes that the team’s denial of a $1MM bonus for Johnson was “cheesy” and that the club should make amends by guaranteeing Johnson’s contract for the 2015 season. In so doing, the Texans–who say they want Johnson to retire in their uniform–would be setting a precedent of “you deliver, we deliver,” a precedent they want the rest of their roster and free agents from other clubs to understand.
The dispute over the bonus and the hard-line stance the team took with it helped turn Johnson’s public disappointment with the team’s horrible 2013 campaign into something much more significant. Solomon believes that Johnson, who may well be the club’s first Hall-of-Famer and Ring-of-Honor inductee, is deserving of the type of “special treatment” that players of his caliber and importance frequently receive (particularly since Johnson has never been a malcontent, underachiever, or off-filed problem). As such, if Houston needs to guarantee his contract for the 2015 season to save face and to restore peace, then that’s what they need to do. And if McNair himself needs to get involved, then so be it.
Now for some more links out of Houston:
- Joel Corry of The National Football Post tweets that the Johnson situation will go from bad to worse on the sixth day of Johnson’s anticipated holdout, when the Texans can begin to recoup his signing bonus.
- Brian T. Smith of The Houston Chronicle offers a position-by-position look at the Texans’ roster, noting that last season’s disappointment, combined with a new head coach and a hodgepodge of Pro Bowl talent and unproven question marks, will make for the most intriguing training camp Houston has had in years.
- Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com projects the Texans’ 53-man roster heading into the 2014 season. She, like the team itself, is expecting Johnson to return.
- John McClain of The Houston Chronicle looks at best- and worst-case scenarios for the Texans’ 2014 season.
NFC East Notes: Robinson, Sanchez, Escobar
After running through some AFC East notes this morning, let’s run down the NFC East:
- Ebenzer Samuel of The New York Daily News examines fives issues facing the Giants as training camp nears, including which of the team’s promising-but-unproven receivers will replace Hakeem Nicks and if Jason Pierre-Paul is truly healthy.
- Dan Graziano of ESPN.com projects the Giants‘ roster for 2014.
- Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that the Giants‘ competition at tight end will be the team’s most exciting roster battle to watch, and he believes Adrien Robinson is the early favorite.
- Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com wonders if the Eagles should make a play for Andre Johnson.
- Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com looks at how the Eagles‘ roster might shake out. He writes that Mark Sanchez is the presumptive favorite to win the backup quarterback job, and that if head coach Chip Kelly utilizes Darren Sproles more as a receiver than as a traditional running back, that could open the door for backs like Matthew Tucker and Henry Josey to make the squad.
- Rainer Sabin and Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News look at five major issues facing the Cowboys this summer, including, of course, who will replace Sean Lee and when Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer will return to practice.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com contributes his projections on the Cowboys‘ 53-man roster, noting that although Gavin Escobar is entrenched behind Jason Witten as the team’s No. 2 tight end, his role figures to expand as he may be used more frequently as a No. 3 wideout.
- John Keim of ESPN.com projects the Redskins‘ 2014 roster. Keim notes that both the offensive line and defensive line will be especially fluid as training camp progresses.
AFC East Notes: Unga, McCourty, Jets
The Bills will be the first team to open training camp in 2014, with a 6pm practice this evening. And, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets, every team in the league will be in camp by this time next week. As the anticipation continues to build, let’s take a look at some Bills notes and swing around the rest of AFC East on this Sunday morning:
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com wonders if the recently-signed Stevenson Sylvester can crack the Bills‘ roster. Rodak pegs Sylvester’s chances at 40%, writing that Sylvester’s best chance to make the club is as a contributor on special teams.
- Rodak also tweets that the Bills have removed guard J.J. Unga from the active/non-football injury list, but Marcell Dareus remains on that list.
- Rock star Jon Bon Jovi has been confirmed as a partner in a Toronto-based group interested in buying the Bills, writes Tom Precious of The Buffalo News.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says a contract extension between the Patriots and Devin McCourty is not imminent at this time.
- Tom E. Curran of CSNNewEngland pegs Danny Amendola as the Patriots‘ top breakout candidate (as he is every year).
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com breaks down the Jets‘ current linebacker corps.
- Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News looks at five issues facing the Jets as training camp approaches, including whether the secondary can hold up and what newly-signed running back Chris Johnson has left in the tank.
- Adam H. Beasley of The Miami Herald writes that a renovation of Sun Life Stadium and a more aggressive sales force are helping the Dolphins regain their share of the local market.
AFC Notes: Bills, Patriots, Broncos, Texans
Let’s see what’s going on around the AFC on this Saturday evening…
- The Bills have activated cornerback Leodis McKelvin from the physically unable to perform list, the team announced today. The former first-round pick was recovering from offseason hip surgery. The team also placed defensive lineman Marcell Dareus and offensive lineman J.J. Unga on the active/non-football injury list.
- Rob Gronkowski is expecting to be ready for the Patriots season opener, telling ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss that he hopes to play all 16 games. “I’m planning on playing the whole season this year,” he said. “I just want to play football. I love playing the game.”
- Mike Klis of The Denver Post could envision the Broncos adding a veteran running back. The writer isn’t concerned about Montee Ball, but he is skeptical of backups Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson.
- Arian Foster‘s “future with the Texans and career arc are on the line in 2014,” writes the Houston Chronicle’s Brian T. Smith.
NFL Considering Owning Stadium in Los Angeles
The NFL’s return to Los Angeles is starting to look more and more realistic. Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times reports that the league is considering financing and owning a stadium in the City of Angels.
As Farmer writes, the most common scenario would involve a team asking the NFL for financial assistance in building a stadium. The league would assist, but the club would have to pay a hefty relocation fee. However, the team would subsequently have full control of the venue.
Instead, the league seems to be going down a different path. If the NFL owns a stadium, the league would essentially act as a team’s landlord. The league might struggle to find a team willing to work under those conditions, but the NFL could also use various revenue streams to entice a potential tenant.
An NFL-owned stadium would also mean that the venue would host more than regular season (or postseason) football games. As Farmar suggests, Los Angeles could host the draft, the Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl. The writer also believes the league could relocate the NFL Network and NFL.com to the city.
If you ask some of the league’s owners, they’re willing to do just about anything to bring an NFL team back to Los Angeles for the first time since 1994. Take Patriots owner Robert Kraft for example…
“Whatever gets us a team in L.A., that would be awesome. That might be the solution. Whatever it takes, I know I’d be willing to support.”
AFC North Links: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers
When Anquan Boldin left the Ravens last offseason, it looked like former undrafted rookie Deonte Thompson could potentially step up and fill the void. However, the former Florida Gator struggled during his sophomore season. The wideout missed the first three games with a foot injury and was reportedly arrested in February (the case was dropped).
As a result, Thompson is trying to make up for lost time. With the odds stacked against him, the 25-year-old is hoping for a breakout season. Via Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com…
“It’s a big year,” Thompson said. “I’m motivated, man. I’m so motivated. You can’t take anything for granted out here. You have to give it your all.
“It’s going to be a great competition, man. No doubt. The cream always rises to the top, so the best will definitely stick out.”
Thompson also touched on his disappointing 2013 season…
“Everything was going good and I felt like the sky was going to be the limit, then bam, I get hurt.
“When I got back, just catching back up and trying to get back in, the season’s already rolling and guys are plugged in. That really set me back.”
Thompson certainly has some competition for a roster spot. Besides shoo-ins Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones, he’ll also have to compete with Jeremy Butler, Michael Campanaro and LaQuan Williams.
Let’s check out some more news from the AFC North…
- If Ray Rice is suspended, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley thinks that would “increase the chances” of veteran running back Justin Forsett making the Ravens.
- Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and safety Taylor Mays are among the roster “bubble” players heading into Bengals training camp, writes ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey.
- If the Bengals decide to keep Green-Ellis, Harvey could see the team keeping James Wilder Jr. as a possible replacement. By redshirting Wilder, the team could then turn to the bruising running back when Green-Ellis’s contract expires at the end of 2014.
- Brandon Tate could be a notable cut by the Bengals, Harvey writes in his roster prediction. Adam Jones is expected to be more involved in the return game while Dane Sanzenbacher appears to be a better option at wideout. The presence of that duo could make Tate expendable.
- The Browns‘ 2013 third-round pick might not stick around for a second year. Leon McFadden could be the odd man out in the cornerback rotation, and ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon omits him from his theoretical roster.
- Depending on fourth-round pick Martavis Bryant‘s ability to contribute, Scott Brown of ESPN.com says that the Steelers could potentially hold on to six receivers. That final spot would likely go to veteran Darrius Heyward-Bey, who Brown currently has as the odd man out.
Jaguars Notes: Watson, Gerhart, Evans
There’s a chance that one of the Jaguars new additions, linebacker Dekoda Watson, could begin next week’s training camp on the team’s physically unable to perform list. According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, the former seventh-round pick underwent hernia surgery in late June, but he is expected back for the start of the regular season.
The Jaguars inked the 26-year-old to a three-year deal in March. Watson spent his first four NFL season with the Buccaneers, where he compiled 106 tackles and three sacks. O’Halloran adds that second-year player LaRoy Reynolds took the first-team reps during minicamp and will likely do the same during training camp.
Let’s take a look at some more notes out of Jacksonville…
- NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling believes Toby Gerhart could lead the NFL in carries next season, the reporter said on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast.
- “Not participating in organized team activities and minicamp because of foot surgery certainly hurt” the chances for defensive back Josh Evans, says ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. If Evans can start to show consistency, DiRocco believes he could unseat Winston Guy.
- DiRocco believes the team’s biggest position battle heading into training camp is between right guards Jacques McClendon and Brandon Linder. Considering the interior offensive line’s struggles in 2013, production from right guard will be key if the Jaguars hope to have a successful season.
- The competition for the the team’s final two receiver spots should be interesting, DiRocco writes. Mike Brown and Kerry Taylor make DiRocco’s projected roster, but the writer warns that Tandon Doss, Allen Hurns and Chad Bumphis are also in play.
- When looking at the team’s defensive backs, DiRocco thinks the Jaguars will have to choose between Jeremy Harris or Mike Harris for the final cornerback spot. At safety, the writer snubs Chris Prosinski.