HEADLINES

Month: August 2014

2014 Offseason In Review Series

August 8th, 2014 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

Over the last several weeks, with the 2014 regular season fast approaching, the Pro Football Rumors writing team has been taking a look back at the offseason. Zach Links, Rob DiRe, Rory Parks, Dallas Robinson, David Kipke, and Ben Levine have tackled all 32 teams, examining free agent signings, trades, draft picks, and all the other moves made by clubs in 2014, breaking down what sort of impact those decisions will have going forward. If you missed any of our Offseason in Review posts, be sure to check them out below, where we’ve rounded them all up in one place:

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

49ers Preparing For Aldon Smith To Be Suspended 4-8 Games

August 8th, 2014 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

10:53am: According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Niners believe they’ll be without Smith for six games, or perhaps fewer than that. The team is hoping for a four-game ban, says Rapoport.

8:30am: As we heard last night, 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell this week to discuss Smith’s multiple legal run-ins, including DUI and gun charges. Following that meeting, it should be just a matter of time before the league announces a suspension for the linebacker to kick off the season, and according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link), the team is bracing for a ban that covers six to eight games.

Maiocco notes that the team isn’t certain of the NFL’s verdict yet, so Smith’s penalty may ultimately not be quite so harsh — in fact, San Francisco may be preparing for the worst possible scenario so as not to be caught off guard in the event of a lengthy suspension. However, Goodell and the league figure to be under scrutiny after receiving criticism for a Ray Rice suspension that was viewed as too light, so it’s unlikely that the commish would be overly lenient on Smith, particularly since the 24-year-old has repeatedly violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The Niners exercised Smith’s fifth-year option for 2015 earlier in the offseason, suggesting that the club has confidence he can stay out of trouble in the future. Still, that salary isn’t yet fully guaranteed, so the 2014 season represents an audition of sorts for the talented pass rusher — if he performs well again on the field and doesn’t have any off-field issues, he’ll be a strong candidate for an extension in 2015. On the other hand, if he has more troubles with the law, Smith may not have a long-term future in San Francisco.

East Notes: Mallett, Pouncey, Jets, Cowboys

August 8th, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

After Ryan Mallett’s preseason debut for the Patriots, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe thinks it’s time to stop pretending that any of the league’s 31 other teams will give up anything of value for New England’s backup signal-caller. As I wrote yesterday, the Pats seem to be showcasing Mallett this summer in the hopes of finding a trade partner, but Volin believes the 26-year-old is too much of an enigma to even warrant a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a deal.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • It hasn’t been a great year for Mike Pouncey, who is expected to miss several weeks of the regular season with a hip injury and also was involved in the Dolphins‘ bullying scandal, but he may have finally caught a break — according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins center isn’t expected to face charges for an incident at his South Beach birthday party last month. However, his brother, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, is likely to be charged with misdemeanor battery, says Beasley.
  • There were no “competition-tilting developments” for Geno Smith or Michael Vick in the Jets’ first preseason game, but the fact that Vick led the team to its only touchdown drive indicates the free agent signee is continuing to push the incumbent QB, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • Team executives around the NFL are upset after a TMZ video showed head of officiating Dean Blandino out for a night of partying with Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora quotes several execs voicing concerns about possible preferential treatment, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that no formal complaints have been lodged with the league office about Blandino’s and Jones’ night out.

Extra Points: McNair, Smith, Brent, Dalton

August 7th, 2014 at 9:38pm CST by Zachary Links

After a 10-month ordeal in which he battled two forms of cancer under an assumed name at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texans owner Bob McNair has been given a clean bill of health by the team of doctors that treated him, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Here’s a look around the NFL as we enjoy some preseason football..

  • It was originally scheduled for Friday, but 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith actually met with commissioner Roger Goodell earlier today, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Goodell is expected to discipline Smith, perhaps with a multiple-game suspension, to start the season.
  • Former Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent also met with Goodell and a source tells Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com that the meeting went well. Owner Jerry Jones said earlier that he’ll create a roster spot for the defensive lineman if he’s not suspended.
  • In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry gives his take on Andy Dalton‘s new contract with the Bengals. Corry writes that the deal sets a new middle salary tier for quarterbacks, one that hasn’t been in place since Mark Sanchez was cut by the Jets and Matt Schaub took a paycut from his Texans deal upon joining the Raiders. The pact may also set a salary ceiling for teammate A.J. Green.
  • Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes that everything is “lined up for” his team in 2014, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “I feel like everything’s lined up for us, with the buildings and the upgrades and everything. It’s all about progress and growth. That’s the way we run our football operations, and I feel like we’re just getting ready to have our best run, hopefully,” the coach said. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is excited about their young talent at the skill positions, Jordy Nelson‘s new contract, and the addition of Julius Peppers on the defensive line.
  • Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon might have been the only person in Tampa Bay who was upset to see coach Greg Schiano go, writes Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times. Schiano was absolutely convinced Glennon was not only the Bucs’ franchise quarterback of the future, but the present. Now that Schiano is out and Lovie Smith is in, Glennon has gone from starter to backup.
  • The Saints traded Darren Sproles to the Eagles this offseason but they might have a clone in UDFA Derrick Strozier, writes Jarrett Bell of USA Today. It won’t be easy landing a spot in a backfield that includes veterans Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, and Travaris Cadet, but the diminutive Strozier looks good so far.

Offseason In Review: Seattle Seahawks

August 7th, 2014 at 7:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired Terrelle Pryor from the Raiders in exchange for a seventh-round pick (No. 247).
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 40) and a fourth-round pick (No. 108) from the Vikings in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 32).
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 45), a fourth-round pick (No. 111), and a seventh-round pick (No. 227) from the Lions in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 40) and a fifth-round pick (No. 146).
  • Acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 123) and a sixth-round pick (No. 199) from the Bengals in exchange for a fourth-round pick (No. 111).

Draft picks:

  • Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado (2.45): Signed
  • Justin Britt, OT, Missouri (2.64): Signed
  • Cassius Marsh, DE, UCLA (4.108): Signed
  • Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama (4.123): Signed
  • Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, Boston College (4.132): Signed
  • Jimmy Staten, DT, Middle Tennessee State (5.172): Signed
  • Garrett Scott, OT, Marshall (6.199): Signed, and later waived due to health issues
  • Eric Pinkins, S, San Diego State (6.208): Signed
  • Kiero Small, FB, Arkansas (7.227): Signed

Other:

What’s that cheesy adage? “Save the best for last“? Well, here at Pro Football Rumors we did just that. Here’s a look back at the Seahawks’ offseason as they look to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Seattle’s bid to reach the top of the mountain again in the years to come won’t be easy, but it’ll be made easier thanks to their success in retaining their most critical pieces. Outspoken cornerback Richard Sherman got a deal that made him the highest paid cornerback in the NFL – at least for a couple of months or so. The corner got four new years that will pay him $56MM with roughly $12.4MM guaranteed. Big bucks, but it’s money well spent if the Legion of Boom’s leader continues his stellar play. The 26-year-old is one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks and you could certainly make the case he deserves to be atop that list. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked Sherman outside the top five at the position in 2013, though quarterbacks compiled a meager 47.3 QB rating on passes into his coverage, which was the best mark in the league. The former fifth-round pick also grabbed a league-leading eight interceptions in 2013.Richard Sherman

Seattle also gave safety Earl Thomas a four-year extension that made him the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Thomas earned an All-Pro spot in back-to-back years, and has made three straight Pro Bowls. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), Thomas has recorded a positive grade every year of his career, and ranked ninth among 86 qualified safeties in 2013. He also recorded 127 tackles and grabbed five interceptions last season.

Not everyone in the Seahawks’ secondary will be returning, however. Brandon Browner, who played on the opposite side of the field from Sherman at cornerback, inked a three-year deal with the Patriots that could be worth up to $17MM when all is said and done. The 6’4″ corner wasn’t the star of the show, obviously, but he did wind up covering a lot of No. 1 receiving targets since Sherman didn’t follow No. 1 WRs across the formation. Walter Thurmond was also a valuable part of Seattle’s secondary last season, even though he missed four games due to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Still, he recorded 24 tackles to go along with one interception and one sack and he’ll now take his talents to the Meadowlands to join forces with the Giants.

Moving to the defensive line, the Seahawks managed to keep Michael Bennett, one of the top available free agents this offseason, with a lucrative four-year deal. The 28-year-old settled for a one-year deal with Seattle last offseason and boosted his value tremendously by registering 8.5 sacks and 65 quarterback pressures. According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Bennett’s was the NFL’s fifth-best 4-3 defensive end in 2013 — his 617 defensive snaps were also the fewest of any ends in PFF’s top 10, making his overall grades and stats even more impressive. On the interior of the d-line, Tony McDaniel will return after agreeing to a two-year deal with a max payout of $6.3MM. The 29-year-old appeared in all 16 games last season, something he hasn’t accomplished since 2009, and also was a regular starter for the first time.

To help make room for Bennett’s new contract, the Seahawks bid farewell to Red Bryant and Chris Clemons. Bryant spent all six seasons of his NFL career in Seattle and started in 15 games last season, registering 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Chris Clemons, who was set to have a cap hit of nearly $10MM in 2014, was released after a down year. The 32-year-old recorded at least 11 sacks in his first three seasons with the Seahawks, but recovery from a torn ACL slowed him down in 2013, resulting in just 4.5 sacks and a -7.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, which placed him 42nd among 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends.

The offensive line will look a little bit different this season after Breno Giacomini left for the Jets and Michael Bowie was waived earlier this week. Giacomini, who is currently tearing things up for Gang Green in practice, missed significant time during the regular season but came back and started at right tackle for the Super Bowl champs. Bowie, a 2013 seventh-round choice, was thrust into significant playing time thanks to injuries on the o-line and played well, but dissatisfaction from the team’s front office with his conditioning apparently spelled the end for him in Seattle.

Golden Tate started the offseason by saying that he’d take a hometown discount to stay with the Seahawks before quickly walking those comments back. Ultimately, he spurned Seattle to sign with the Lions. After the most productive season of his career in which he hauled in 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns, that loss could sting. However, there are a lot of people who are big fans of early second-round choice Paul Richardson. The speedster battled back from injury to have a strong final season at Colorado and he’ll be there as an insurance policy for the oft-injured Percy Harvin. Still, Seattle could wind up wishing they still had Tate this season if they stumble in the passing game or if they’re unable to get the same sort of production on returns.

It seemed somewhat doubtful at different points this offseason, but Marshawn Lynch will return after a lengthy holdout resulted in a few contract tweaks. He won’t get any new money, but a bit more money given up front was enough to get Beast Mode back in the fold. There was some talk this summer that the Seahawks would go with a running back by committee approach, but Lynch and his fantasy owners can breath a little easier now that Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has backed off of his earlier comments on the matter.

The Seahawks will have many of their key pieces, including coach Pete Carroll, in place for the foreseeable future, but staying at the top in the NFL is tremendously difficult. Keeping the band together is great, but it remains to be seen whether they can win in the tremendously competitive NFC West.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor Moves: Thursday

August 7th, 2014 at 5:53pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here..

  • Quarterback Tyler Wilson and wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin passed through waivers unclaimed, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Baldwin, soon-to-be 25, was waived by the Lions with a failed physical designation yesterday. Wilson, selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Raiders, was waived-injured by the Titans.
  • With three tight ends unavailable to practice today, the Jaguars addressed the position by signing Fendi Onobun and waiving injured rookie Reggie Jordan, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Onobun, who played one game for Jacksonville in 2011, was one of three tight ends who worked out for the Jaguars after their walk-through. Jordan, an undrafted free agent from Missouri Western, was injured in practice earlier this week.
  • The Raiders announced on Twitter that they have inked free agent kicker Kevin Goessling and waived punter/kicker Michael Palardy to make space. Like longtime Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski, Palardy is a lefty, and played as both a kicker and punter at the University of Tennessee before going undrafted last month. He won’t have an opportunity to follow in his footsteps, however.

NFC West Links: Cards, Harbaugh, 49ers

August 7th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Thursday notes from around the NFC West….

  • Following Jake Ballard‘s retirement and the release of linebacker Ernie Sims, the Cardinals have opened up a pair of roster spots. However, the team doesn’t appear to be in any rush to make sure the roster’s back up to 90 players, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. “We got too many (players) now,” head coach Bruce Arians joked.
  • Outside of actually agreeing to an extension, tabling talks until after the season was the best thing Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers could have done, writes Dan Pompei of Sports on Earth. As Pompei observes, there was no rush to get something done now, since the San Francisco head coach remains under contract through 2015, and both sides should have a better understanding of Harbaugh’s value after this season.
  • Praising the 49ers for having so many solid contracts to choose from, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap identifies offensive tackle Anthony Davis as the player with the most team-friendly deal of the bunch. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Fitzgerald wasn’t a fan of the club’s new agreement with Anquan Boldin, which includes a voidable year to make it work under the cap.

Eight Bidders To Meet With Bills

August 7th, 2014 at 4:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

4:20pm: Former Sabres owner Golisano has indeed submitted an initial bid for the Bills now, after not doing so prior to last week’s deadline, tweets Graham. In a separate tweet, Graham adds that Morgan Stanley, the firm heading the sale, is “still bringing people to the table.”

9:33am: As many as eight groups interested in bidding on the Bills franchise will attend personal presentations given by the team’s trust, reports Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. Though only three parties were confirmed to have submitted offers by the July 29 deadline, it appears that the cutoff date wasn’t hard and fast, and more prospective candidates surfaced.

The presentations will presumably allow the potential buyers a more circumspect look at the Bills’ finances and inner-workings, while acting as an opportunity for the trust to get a better sense of the parties bidding. While the order of the meetings isn’t known, Graham did learn that this week’s sessions are being held in the Detroit area, while next week’s gatherings are to take place in Manhattan.

Donald Trump, who reportedly advanced to the second round of the sale selection process, was presumably meeting with the trust in Detroit yesterday, as his jet was seen in the area. A source tells Graham that Trump was the first bidder to meet with the trust.

Another potential ownership group involves former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, who has been linked to the process since April. Kelly would apparently team with bond investor Jeffrey Guldlach in an effort to purchase the Buffalo franchise. Jon Bon Jovi will meet with the trust this week, while Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula will see the presentation next week in New York.

The remaining bidders aren’t yet known, but one strong possibility is former Sabres owner Tom Golisano. It has yet to be confirmed that Golisano even submitted a bid, but he has been linked to the sale for some time. Per Graham, another interested party might include Dean Metropoulos, the owner of the Pabst Brewing Company, who expressed interest in the process in early June.

No Settlement Talks Yet For Josh Gordon

August 7th, 2014 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve written in recent weeks, following Josh Gordon‘s appeal hearing earlier this week, hearing officer Harold Henderson will have to make an all-or-nothing judgment on the Browns wideout — either he upholds the year-long suspension for Gordon or eliminates the ban entirely, allowing the star receiver to take the field in Week 1. If a settlement is agreed upon by the league and the NFLPA, Gordon’s penalty could fall somewhere in between zero and 16 games, but according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, no negotiations on a settlement have taken place so far.

A compromise would seem to be in Gordon’s and the Browns’ best interests, since as Florio points out, even if he suspension is reduced to 15 games, that would allow the 23-year-old to rejoin the club by the end of the season and for the offseason — if he receives a year-long suspension, he wouldn’t be allowed to rejoin the team until next August. The fact that no negotiations have occurred could mean any number of things, but perhaps Gordon’s camp has confidence in its case, and expect the appeal to win out.

The NFL’s leading receiver in 2013, Gordon is facing a year-long ban for repeated violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. However, his lawyers argued at his appeal hearing that his positive test was a result of second-hand smoke, calling into question the results of his test, in which one urine sample passed and one failed.

If no agreement is reached on a settlement, a decision from Henderson is expected within the next couple weeks.

East Notes: Eagles, Revis, Idonije, McCoy

August 7th, 2014 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

While most teams around the NFL are shuffling players in and out at the back of their rosters, the Eagles have stood pat all summer, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out. According to Berman, Philadelphia’s last roster move came on May 19, which is the longest any NFL club has gone without signing or cut this year. Besides being relatively healthy in camp so far, the Eagles also like the 90 players currently on their roster, according to GM Howie Roseman.

“We’re trying to upgrade, we’re trying to get better at every spot,” Roseman said. “We’re trying to have the best possible 90-man, the best possible 61, the best possible 53 when there’s opportunities to do it. But at the same time, to change for change’s sake doesn’t make a lot of sense, either. It’s not the right message.”

Let’s check in on a few other notes from out of the NFC East and AFC East….

  • While there may be mutual interest between Darrelle Revis and the Patriots in a contract extension, no actual negotiations have occurred yet, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Nonetheless, Howe takes a closer look at what a longer-term agreement with the cornerback might look like, if the Pats try to lock him up.
  • Israel Idonije‘s new one-year deal with the Giants is a minimum salary benefit contract, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan, who adds (via Twitter) that the veteran defensive end can earn a $25K bonus if he makes the 53-man roster to start the season.
  • Eagles running back LeSean McCoy ranks as one of the league’s most indispensable non-quarterbacks, accroding to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider link).
  • Ryan Tannehill‘s play has been up and down so far in training camp, but in his latest look at the Dolphins, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald points to a couple positive signs from the quarterback.
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