HEADLINES

Month: May 2015

Bears Release Ray McDonald

May 25th, 2015 at 3:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears announced that they have released Ray McDonald, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).

“We believe in second chances, but when we signed Ray we were very clear what our expectations were if he was to remain a Bear. He was not able to meet the standard and the decision was made to release him,” GM Ryan Pace said, according to the Bears (on Twitter). Ray McDonald (vertical)

On Monday, McDonald was arrested on charges of domestic violence and child endangerment. This is the third time in about a year that McDonald has found himself in legal trouble. McDonald was arrested and accused of domestic violence last August, and faced a sexual assault allegation in December, resulting in his release from the 49ers.

McDonald inked a one-year deal with the Bears earlier this offseason despite his checkered past. Chicago brass went to bat for McDonald against public criticism and concerns, but that vote of confidence has apparently backfired. While the Bears aren’t in the office for Memorial Day, they clearly didn’t want to let this situation fester any longer than they had to. The defensive end’s season was already in a bit of jeopardy since the league had yet to make a decision on his December incident. Given the latest events, the 30-year-old might not see the gridiron at all in 2015.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), McDonald was the league’s 12th-best 3-4 defensive end in 2014, grading well both against the run and as a pass rusher. Over the last four regular seasons as the 49ers’ starting left defensive end, McDonald racked up 14.5 sacks, 153 tackles, five forced fumbles, and a safety.

Chicago’s agreement with McDonald was a one-year, $1.05MM deal without guaranteed money, so the Bears won’t have to carry on dead money on their cap due to today’s move.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Top FAs Who Signed One-Year Contracts

May 25th, 2015 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Most of this year’s best free agents were able to land multiyear deals that gave them a decent amount of security, with many of those contracts featuring guaranteed money beyond just the first year. A quick look at the top 10 players in our list of 2015’s top 50 free agents shows that nine of them signed for at least five years, while a 10th (Randall Cobb) got a lucrative four-year pact.

However, the 11th player on our list, Greg Hardy, landed just a one-year contract. The fact that Hardy was the top free agent to sign a one-year deal isn’t surprising — his domestic violence case created uncertainty about his stock, and dissuaded any teams from making him a big, long-term offer.

Hardy was far from the only player in our top 50 to sign for just one season, however. While there were at least a couple other players whose stock was affected by off-field question marks, many of these players were coming off injuries or had other issues that impacted their ability to negotiate a long-term deal. Terrance Knighton, for instance, looked like a top-20 free agent based on his 2014 performance, but concerns about his weight scared off many suitors, and he had to settle for a contract that was far from a top-20 valuation.

Some of these deals may backfire — Hardy, for instance, already looks like he may not have been a great investment, since he’s facing a 10-game suspension. But many of these players may turn into great single-season bargains for their respective clubs, who may have gotten discounts based on unfounded concerns. Whether these contracts turn out good or bad, they’ll expire in a year, so none of these teams will see their caps hampered for multiple seasons by these investments.

Here’s the full list of players on our list of top 50 free agents – along with a couple of honorable mentions – who signed one-year contracts this offseason:

* Contract also includes incentives

Ray McDonald Arrested Again

May 25th, 2015 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

2:24pm: In a news release, Lt. Kurt Clarke said that McDonald was arrested after officers said he “physically assaulted the victim while she was holding a baby,” according to the NBC Bay Area report.

12:01pm: Ray McDonald is in legal trouble for the third time since last summer, according to Damian Trujillo of NBC Bay Area, who reports that Santa Clara police arrested McDonald on charges of domestic violence and child endangerment. McDonald was arrested and accused of domestic violence last August, and faced a sexual assault allegation in December, resulting in his release from the 49ers.

The exact date and nature of McDonald’s latest incident isn’t immediately known, but Trujillo writes that two San Jose police sources confirmed on Monday that they assisted the arresting agency (Santa Clara police) with McDonald’s detention. While the investigation into December’s allegation didn’t immediately result in a charge and was said to be ongoing, it doesn’t appear that this arrest is related to that case.

McDonald signed a one-year contract with the Bears earlier this offseason, with team ownership expressing confidence in the defensive lineman’s character after some initial apprehension. The NFL cleared McDonald of any violation of the league’s personal conduct policy relating to last August’s arrest, but had yet to make a decision on December’s accusation, and the 30-year-old’s latest arrest figures to put him in the league’s crosshairs again.

Whether or not the Santa Clara district attorney’s offices decides to pursue a case against McDonald this time around, the Bears may decide to part ways with the embattled defender. Chicago’s agreement with McDonald is a modest $1.05MM deal that doesn’t include any guaranteed money, so it wouldn’t hurt the team’s cap to cut him, if necessary.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Schwartz, Peterson

May 25th, 2015 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Given what a pass-happy league the NFL has become, many linebackers are seeing the field less frequently, but that didn’t stop the Cowboys from loading up at the position this offseason, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. As executive vice president Stephen Jones explains, the focus on the position should give the Cowboys some depth in case some players with histories of injuries or off-field problems are forced out of action.

“We have some players there that have had issues in the past,” Jones said. “You want to make sure if something does happen that you have quality players there.”

Here’s more from around the NFL on this holiday Monday:

  • Former Lions head coach and Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will serve as a consultant to the league’s officiating department during the 2015 season, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. According to Marvez, Schwartz will help provide a coach’s perspective with some decisions made by the NFL’s officiating office. While Schwartz drew interest after being replaced in Buffalo, he decided to be judicious about choosing his next job, and may returning to coaching in 2016.
  • While agent Ben Dogra didn’t offer any specifics on Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and his apparent plan to skip OTAs, he told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) in a text message that his client “is very strong… he’s like [Darrelle] Revis.” As Cole notes, that may point toward an extended holdout for Peterson.
  • A source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNBayArea.com that new Eagles scout Marty Barrett will patrol the West Coast as the club’s senior scout. Barrett’s move to Philadelphia, after 18 seasons with the Bears, was first reported by the Chicago Tribune.

Poll: Will Justin Houston Sign Long-Term Deal?

May 25th, 2015 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Four players who received the franchise tag from their respective teams earlier this offseason have yet to sign their one-year contracts, which means they’re technically still free agents, as I explained a couple weeks ago. Nonetheless, the most likely outcome for these players involves them returning to their current clubs, either on a one-year deal or on a long-term extension.

One of these four players is Justin Houston, the NFL’s reigning sack leader, who earned an All-Pro nod after racking up 22 sacks and forcing four fumbles in 2014. While Houston’s 22 sacks doubled his previous career high, he took down quarterbacks 21 times in 27 combined games in 2012 and 2013, so his ascent to the top of the league’s leaderboard certainly didn’t come out of nowhere.

On the heels of his third consecutive Pro Bowl season, Houston is in line for a massive raise, and he’ll earn $13.195MM in 2015 if he simply signs his one-year tender. However, the standout pass rusher is seeking a long-term deal worth even more than $13MM per year. Top defenders like J.J. Watt and Mario Williams are earning $16MM+ annually, and it makes sense that Houston would aim for something in that neighborhood, while the Chiefs may prefer a Robert Quinn-type pact (four years, $57MM).

Of course, Ndamukong Suh might have altered the entire market for front-seven defenders earlier this year when he landed a six-year contract with the Dolphins averaging over $19MM. However, Suh reached the open market and attracted multiple bidders, while Houston remains under the Chiefs’ control this year and next (if they decide to franchise him again). Joel Corry of CBSSports.com recently suggested that Suh’s deal could prompt agent Joel Segal to raise his salary demands for his client, but the Chiefs are extremely unlikely to commit a larger per-year amount to Houston than they’re paying to quarterback Alex Smith ($17MM annually).

What do you think? Will the Chiefs and Houston be able to reach a compromise and strike a deal on a multiyear extension before the July 15 deadline? Will the 26-year-old simply play out a one-year contract and try his luck again in 2016? Or do you see Houston’s contract situation heading in a more unexpected direction?

Adrian Peterson Still Pushing For Trade?

May 25th, 2015 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

A report last night indicated that Adrian Peterson won’t report to the start of the Vikings’ organized team activities, and Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports indicates that the running back isn’t expected to show up to any part of the club’s spring program. A “longtime Peterson confidant” tells Robinson that Peterson hasn’t yet made a decision about sitting out of Minnesota’s mandatory minicamp in June or training camp in late July.

Robinson’s source suggests that Peterson is sending a message to the team with his absence, conveying to the Vikings that he still wants to be traded. According to Robinson, the former MVP hasn’t wavered privately about his desire to play for a team besides the Vikings, and has made the front office aware of that stance.

If Peterson remains that insistent on being traded, it comes as a bit of a surprise, since recent reports indicated that agent Ben Dogra had given up on the idea of a deal, and had instead shifted his focus to reworking his client’s contract with the Vikes to secure more guaranteed money. Robinson’s source, however, says that it has “never been about the money” for Peterson, and that it has evolved into a personal issue between him and the team.

Speaking of money, missing the Vikings’ OTAs would cost Peterson his $250K workout bonus, and if he decides to skip the team’s mandatory June minicamp as well, the team could fine him another $73K. While $323K certainly isn’t pocket change, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what the 30-year-old will earn if he plays out the 2015 season, since he’s in line for a $12.75MM base salary. If his holdout extended into the preseason and the regular season, Peterson could forfeit more than $15MM, between his salary and recoupable bonuses.

Since most teams now have a pretty good idea of what their rosters will look like for the 2015 season, it’s hard to imagine the Vikings finding a suitable offer for Peterson this late in the offseason, particularly if they didn’t receive any proposals they liked prior to the draft. Ben Goessling of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter) that the Vikings have been adamant all along that they don’t want to trade Peterson, and it’s hard to imagine them changing their minds now.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Peterson doesn’t have a ton of leverage, and if his camp attempts to paint him as the victim, it’s hard to see them garnering much sympathy. After all, Peterson’s primary gripe with the Vikings seems to be that the team didn’t sufficiently support him publicly when he faced child abuse charges — yet the club has still been vocal about wanting to bring him back, and continues to pay him the highest salary of any NFL running back.

NFC Notes: 49ers, Armstead, Briggs, Saints

May 24th, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a look at the latest regarding a pair of NFC teams:

  • The 49ers are hoping their roster is so deep that first-round defensive end Arik Armstead doesn’t start contributing on the field until 2016, according to of Paul Gutierrez ESPN.com. Armstead might have to make his mark this year, though, as the 49ers’ defensive line took a big hit with the recent retirement of Justin Smith. Veteran Darnell Dockett is expected to be San Francisco’s No. 1 right end, which could leave the left side open for Armstead, Gutierrez notes.
  • Smith’s retirement freed up cap room for the 49ers, but Gutierrez doesn’t necessarily think they’ll use it this year. The team could sign free agent linebacker Lance Briggs, whom it has expressed interest in, but Gutierrez doesn’t expect it to happen unless Briggs comes cheap. Moreover, the Niners have 13 players entering contract years – Aldon Smith, Alex Boone, Anquan Boldin, and Vernon Davis among them – so they have to watch out for the long term.
  • Quarterback Ryan Griffin‘s roster spot with the Saints is in jeopardy after they used a third-round pick on Garrett Grayson. Nonetheless, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes Griffin still has a chance to beat out Luke McCown as one of the team’s top three QBs. The winner of the Griffin-McCown battle will likely be the No. 2 behind Drew Brees, leaving Grayson to develop as a No. 3, while the Saints are expected to be cut the loser.
  • Free agent wide receiver Kris Durham told Sirius XM NFL Radio that he worked out for the Saints, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. It was reported earlier this week that Durham worked out for the Cowboys. The four-year veteran has played for the Seahawks, Lions, and Titans during his career, hauling in 55 passes and three touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson Won’t Report To Start Of OTAs

May 24th, 2015 at 7:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won’t report to the start of organized team activities on Tuesday, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. The decision could be costly for Peterson, who must partake in 90% of OTAs and minicamp in order to receive a $250,000 workout bonus from the Vikings. Despite that, a source expressed doubt to Tomasson when asked if Peterson would report to OTAs at all.

Peterson, 30, missed all but one game last season because of domestic violence issues. The NFL reinstated the onetime MVP last month. Tomasson notes that Peterson’s attitude toward the Vikings has been bitter since last fall because he doesn’t believe the team did enough to help him get back on the field. The Vikings don’t plan on trading Peterson, though, and he’s still under their control for three more years at $44.25MM.

Given that the Vikings’ upcoming OTAs aren’t mandatory, it’s unlikely they’ll fine Peterson. However, the Vikings can fine him $72,920 if he misses mandatory minicamp from June 16-18, reports Tomasson.

AFC Notes: Bills QBs, Mario, Titans, Ravens

May 24th, 2015 at 6:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Most expect the Bills’ starting quarterback in 2015 to be either Matt Cassel or EJ Manuel, but don’t discount Tyrod Taylor, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. Taylor, who backed up Joe Flacco in Baltimore from 2011-14 and signed with the Bills as a free agent earlier this offseason, has a fan in head coach Rex Ryan. Although Taylor has thrown just 35 passes in his pro career, Ryan recruited the 25-year-old to Buffalo and views his dual-threat abilities as a plus in coordinator Greg Roman’s run-first offense, notes Orr.

Bills general manager Doug Whaley said earlier this week that all three QBs are going to get a real chance to win the No. 1 job prior to the season.

“The way they’re structuring practices everyone is getting a run with the ones,” Whaley stated. “So it’s a fair shake. In this system that we’re trying to figure out who is going to be the number one it’s all about competition. That’s why everybody involved is excited about it.”

Here’s more on the Bills and a couple of their fellow AFC teams:

  • Star pass rusher Mario Williams is entering his fourth year with the Bills and will work under his fourth different defensive coordinator. Williams isn’t concerned about the latest change, however, despite the success the defense experienced last season led by departed coordinator Jim Schwartz. The Bills will go from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 base under Schwartz’s replacement, Dennis Thurman, but they used a similar scheme two years ago with ex-coordinator Mike Pettine. Williams thinks that gives him and his fellow defenders a leg up. “Understanding the defense, I love it,” Williams told the Buffalo News. “It gives everybody ample opportunities to just do different things and just be able to bring different looks, different angles, and attacks, stuff like that. So I’m ecstatic.”
  • The pecking order at wide receiver will be something to watch during Titans training camp, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Kuharsky expects Kendall Wright, second-round pick Dorial Green-Beckham, and Harry Douglas to comprise Tennessee’s top three wideouts. Things get murkier thereafter, though, with Justin Hunter, Hakeem Nicks, and seventh-rounder Tre McBride jockeying for position.
  • The Ravens’ offense was a success last year under Gary Kubiak, finishing 12th in yardage, eighth in points, and ninth in Football Outsiders’ efficiency rankings. With Kubiak having left to be Denver’s head coach, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes the offense will change in 2015 to fit new coordinator Marc Trestman’s identity as a play caller – which should mean more screen passes – but will still tailor to the the players’ strengths.

NFC Links: Mathieu, Washington, Rams

May 24th, 2015 at 4:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyrann Mathieu claims he feels better than ever, and NFL.com’s Conor Orr notes that the Cardinals defensive back is no longer wearing a knee brace or thumb cast. Despite Mathieu being healthy for the first time in his career, the former third-rounder is still tentative about his recovery:

“It just feels good to be free…You try to stay as optimistic as possible, but there is a reality to it, too. It’s kind of hard to keep telling yourself it’s going to be all right, especially when we got into the thick of everything last year, thinking that if I was 100 percent, I’d probably be able to help my team a whole lot more than I’m doing right now.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

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