2016 July - Pro Football Rumors

Month: July 2016

Latest On Chargers’ Stadium Efforts

July 10th, 2016 at 9:40am CST by Rory Parks

The Chargers have submitted enough signatures in support of their downtown stadium proposal to the city of San Diego to land the proposal on the November ballot, according to the City Clerk’s Office (report via 10News.com). The Chargers submitted 110,380 signatures collected over a six-week period for consideration, and a random sampling of 3% of the signatures indicated that the team had collected more than enough to send the measure to the San Diego City Council, which is expected to formally place the initiative on the ballot.

But while the Chargers have cleared one major hurdle in their efforts to remain in San Diego, most sources with knowledge of the situation believe that voters will not approve the plan. Those voters will need to decide if they want to increase the hotel room tax to 16.5%, up from its current effective rate of 12.5%. The proceeds generated by that tax hike would help fund the $1.8 billion plan, which calls for a 61,500-seat facility in the East Village. $650MM of that cost would be footed by the Chargers, who would pay $350MM of their own money while obtaining a $300MM loan from the NFL.

Hoteliers, predictably, are expected to heavily oppose the initiative, but the rest of the San Diego citizenry doesn’t seem especially fond of the idea either. As Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today observes, the team presented polling data to the NFL last year that showed about 65% disapproval of public funding for a new stadium in San Diego.

A recent and unrelated court case in California has also complicated matters quite a bit. Back in March, a California appellate court held that citizens’ initiatives like this one required only a simple majority of more than 50%, as opposed to the two-thirds majority that is typically required when a tax hike is proposed by a government agency. However, the California Supreme Court has vacated that ruling pending its decision on the matter, and that decision will probably not be rendered before November. As such, the Chargers will likely need the full two-thirds majority to approve their stadium plan.

If the San Diego measure does not receive the requisite voter support, team president Dean Spanos has an agreement in place to have the Chargers become the second team in the Rams’ future Los Angeles home.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

East Notes: Pats, Jets, Fins, Jordan, Redskins

July 9th, 2016 at 8:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If the Patriots suffer an injury during training camp or the club isn’t satisfied with its current wide receiver depth chart, New England could sign a veteran pass-catcher such as Andre Johnson or Roddy White, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. As Roster Resource shows, the Patriots are pretty well-stocked at receiver, with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Keshawn Martin, and Nate Washington among the many options available to New England. But if the team does want to add another receiver, Johnson and White make sense as candidates — Johnson recently said he wants to continue his career, while White has stated he only wants to play for a contender.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Offensive line could be an area of focus for the Jets if they add a veteran before or during camp, but the club doesn’t have the cap space to add a quality option at this point, according to Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. New York made a move to acquire left tackle Ryan Clady from the Broncos during the offseason, but Clady has a notable injury history that could give the Jets pause. Any addition would probably be for depth purposes, which would likely rule out a pursuit of someone like Jahri Evans or Will Beatty, both of whom are among the best unsigned free agents available on the open market.
Dion Jordan applied for reinstatement near the end of May, and while he hasn’t heard back from the league yet, James Walker of ESPN.com only gives Jordan a 50% chance at making the Dolphins‘ roster even if he is allowed to return to the NFL. As Walker notes, Miami already has a solid defensive line after adding Mario Williams, Jason Jones, and Andre Branch to a front four that already included Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake. Additionally, Jordan must prove that he is healthy, as there is some concern that his shoulder might still not be quite right.
Spencer Long became a full-time starter for the Redskins at guard after Shaun Lauvao suffered a season-ending injury early last season, and now it’s unclear which of the two will man left guard in 2016. Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com debate the topic, and each scribe comes to a different conclusion.
Last night, we took a look at some internal and external options the Cowboys could look to as they seek to replace middle linebacker Rolando McClain, who will be suspended for 10 games.

AFC North Notes: Le’Veon, Steelers, Browns

July 9th, 2016 at 6:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell recently suggested through song that he’s worth $15MM annually, there’s almost no chance that he’d earn that salary on the open market. Adrian Peterson is currently the highest-paid running back on an average annual basis at $14MM, while LeSean McCoy, at roughly $8MM per season, is second. Bell, who would have to redefine the running back market in order to land $15MM, walked back his comments while speaking with James Walker of ESPN.com today.

“I’m not a real greedy guy. I don’t play football just for money or things like that,” said Bell, while also reiterating that he’ll be ready for training camp after spending the offseason recovering from a MCL/PCL injury. “I just want to be valued. Wherever it is — whether its $15 million or lower or higher, whatever it is – I think we will get to an agreement eventually. “Obviously, I want to be a Steeler for my whole life. My family grew up Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and it’s crazy I even got drafted there. So I want to be with them and hopefully we’ll reach an agreement. But that will take place once that time come.”

Here’s a few more items from the AFC North:

Former first-round pick Barkevious Mingo isn’t a lock to earn a spot on the Browns‘ roster, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com, who writes that it’s difficult to see how Mingo fits among Cleveland’s linebacking corps. I reached the same conclusion in our recent review of the Browns’ offseason, noting that Mingo has essentially become a glorified special teams player. Cleveland has already declined Mingo’s fifth-year option for 2017, meaning he’ll become a free agent after the upcoming season, but with Nate Orchard, Paul Kruger, and potentially Joe Schobert ahead of him on the depth chart, Mingo could hit the open market as soon as this summer.
The Browns’ safety room will have a completely different in makeup this season now that 2015 starters Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner are gone, per Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. With Gipson in Jacksonville and Whitner still looking for work as a free agent, Cleveland will turn to Ibraheim Campbell and Jordan Poyer as starters, as Roster Resource shows. But the club has a few more interesting options who could eventually factor into the secondary picture, including Rahim Moore, Don Jones, Sean Baker, Derrick Kindred, and A.J. Stamps. Moore, notably, looks like a strong option to steal snaps down the road, as he has 54 career starts under his belt.
Earlier this afternoon, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tubin spoke on a number of topics, including whether Cincinnati might add a veteran free agent, whether his club has spoken with receiver Anquan Boldin, and Tobin’s own future with the Bengals.

Bengals Exec Duke Tobin On FAs, Boldin, LaFell

July 9th, 2016 at 4:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Along with owner Mike Brown and head coach Marvin Lewis, director of player personnel Duke Tobin is part of the triumvirate that has reinvigorated the Bengals in recent seasons, turning the organization into an annual contender that has made five straight postseason appearances. Tobin’s behind-the-scenes work hasn’t gone unnoticed, as both the Titans and Lions requested interviews this offseason as they sought to fill their respective general manager vacancies. But Tobin is still in Cincinnati, and he recently spoke with Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com about the club’s roster, potential free agent additions, and his own future.

On whether the Bengals could add a veteran free agent:

We have the ability right now. We have a spot open so we’ve talked about some things. We feel good about the roster as it is. If there’s an opportunity to add another piece at the right position at the right price, we’ll think about doing it. From our standpoint in personnel, the roster is never set. We’re always open to improvements if we can find them. Who knows what will happen, but it’s a pretty quiet time around the Bengals facility right now.

On whether Cincinnati has considered free agent receiver Anquan Boldin:

I don’t like to proclaim yes or no on anybody that’s out there, but we have not had any discussions with him. We feel pretty good about some young guys that we have in that position group. It’s a position group that’s in flux, and it’s a position group that’s going to have to step up – particularly with [Tyler] Eifert out early in the year. We’re going to have to have some production from there and we have some good candidates. So we want to see when we get going in the preseason who steps up and who raises their hand and says, ‘I’m the guy.’ Hopefully multiple people will do that.

On how the club weighs signing a free agent:

I think you always weight the ramifications of adding a guy. Anybody that we bring in at this time of the year is going to have to make his way. We’re not going to be signing anybody – I don’t care if it’s an eight-time Pro Bowler or a college free agent – there’s no guarantee for anybody you bring in at this point. Whoever we sign if we sign somebody will have to prove their value and will have to make the club. And they’re going to have to be better than who we already have on the club. At the end of the day we’ll make some tough cuts – we always have – and this year won’t be different. But we’re going to keep the 53 best players for sure.

On what the Bengals saw in free agent pickup Brandon LaFell;

We wanted some experience and he’s got that. We liked his size. We liked that he’s played in a number of different systems. And I don’t think that the game is too big for him. Any time that you change teams there’s a transition and he’s going through that right now. He’s like anybody else on our team – he’s going to have to prove his worth and make his way and we hope that’s the case. But we felt like we needed to add another veteran presence there after losing Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu and hopefully he’ll fill that and be the guy that we think he is.

On his future in the Bengals’ front office:

When I came here in ’99 – and this is another thing that my dad (ed. note: former Bears/Colts GM Bill Tobin) did for us when we were in Chicago – I fully committed to the Bengals and wanted to be here long term. I wanted to make myself valuable to the club and make an entire career out of this and they gave me an opportunity to show that. There are very few organizations like the Cincinnati Bengals and people like the Browns and Blackburns to work for and it’s just a really neat situation and I’m thankful for the opportunity that I have here. I really can’t imagine wanting to be somewhere else and wanting to work for another team. Sure the challenges would be fun, but we have challenges here to work through that keep me occupied. I’m very happy to stay and be a part of it.

Broncos Submit New Proposal To Von Miller

July 9th, 2016 at 2:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Following a day full of updates on Friday — during which time the Broncos and general manager John Elway reportedly upped their offer to franchise player Von Miller — Denver has once again increased the compensation in its latest proposal to their star linebacker, reports Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The two sides have largely agreed on the framework of a six-year, $114.5MM deal, but Miller and his camp have voiced concerns about the structure and guarantees put forth in the contract.

Earlier reports had indicated that the Broncos agreed to move the date of the full guarantee trigger of Miller’s 2019 proposed base salary up, and Klis adds more details to that subsection of the story, reporting that Denver would transfer that date from 2018 to March of 2017. In other words, Miller’s $19MM base salary in 2019 would become fully guaranteed when the 2017 league year begins, and because it’s extremely unlikely that the club would release Miller before that date, that $19MM would be considered part of an “effective” guarantee.

Miller and his team have traded counteroffers with Broncos management, and he and his agent, Joby Branion, haven’t accepted or rejected the team’s latest proposal, which came on Friday afternoon and included another sweetening of the pot. According to Klis, Miller used last night to consider the proposition, and will further discuss terms with Elway today.

Miller has not been amenable to signing the Broncos’ $14.129MM exclusive franchise tender to this point and could sit out the season in lieu of accepting it. First, though, next Friday’s deadline will have to pass without an agreement between him and the team. Elway, however, has signed each of the three Broncos previously tagged under his watch — Matt Prater (2012), Ryan Clady (2013) and Demaryius Thomas (2015) — and is now aiming to do the same with Miller.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Increase Offer To Von Miller

July 9th, 2016 at 12:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

SATURDAY, 12:10pm: The Broncos and Miller are expected to talk more today, tweets Cole. However, the reporter notes that it’s still “iffy” as to whether Miller will accept the team’s offer.

FRIDAY, 4:39pm: Elway and Branion still haven’t engaged in their scheduled discussion for today, though they are expected to, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio also throws cold water on the notion of the Broncos’ willingness to fully guarantee a non-injury third year earlier (mentioned in the 11:27 a.m. update) being real progress.

2:12pm: The Broncos are currently offering $61MM in guaranteed money as part of a six-year, $114MM contract, according to Cole, though he notes it’s shy of Cox’s $63MM in guarantees and well short of Andrew Luck‘s $87MM (Twitter link).

1:19pm: There remains a wide chasm between the sides, per Rand Getlin of NFL Network (Twitter link), with both guaranteed money and the structure of the contract serving as roadblocks.

12:10pm: Denver still isn’t guaranteeing enough money for Miller’s liking, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Further, Miller’s “extremely upset” with Elway and the Broncos over the public nature of the negotiations, per Cole.

11:27am: The Broncos’ improved offer to Miller comes with a willingness to trigger the non-injury guarantee for the third year earlier than before, tweets Werder.

11:10am: The Broncos submitted an offer with more guaranteed money to Miller on Thursday, according to Mike Klis of 9News.

10:58am: With the clock continuing to tick toward the July 15 deadline for teams to sign franchise-tagged players to new contracts, the Broncos and linebacker Von Miller‘s agent, Joby Branion, will talk over the phone Friday, reports Ed Werder of ESPN. This comes less than a week after general manager John Elway did his best to ease the tensions via phone with Miller, the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Elway also had a conversation last weekend with Branion.

The Elway-led Broncos and Miller previously ceased communication after the sides could not agree on total guaranteed money in a long-term deal last month. Denver presented Miller a six-year, $114.5MM offer that satisfied the pass-rushing force in both contract length and total value, but it fell way short of his asking price in guaranteed cash. The previous proposal contained $39.8MM in full guarantees, a sum worth less than defensive tackle’s Marcell Dareus‘ 2015 extension with the Bills. The offer, one the Broncos technically rescinded after Miller declined it, also did not provide the four-time Pro Bowler as much guaranteed money within the first nine months as the Eagles included in the extension they recently gave defensive lineman Fletcher Cox.

In the event the Broncos and Miller do agree on a contract, he stands a strong chance to become the highest-paid defender in NFL history, slightly surpassing tackle Ndamukong Suh‘s 2015 Dolphins accord. Suh received $59.5MM fully guaranteed at signing. While the Broncos haven’t shown a willingness to approach that figure yet, it stands to reason they’ll have to in order to lock up Miller, whom they took second overall in the 2010 draft.

Miller has not been amenable to signing the Broncos’ $14.26MM exclusive franchise tender to this point and could sit out the season in lieu of accepting it. First, though, next Friday’s deadline will have to pass without an agreement between him and the team. Elway, however, has signed each of the three Broncos previously tagged under his watch — Matt Prater (2012), Ryan Clady (2013) and Demaryius Thomas (2015) — and is now aiming to do the same with Miller.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Colts Notes: London, Fournette, Tulloch, Swoope

July 9th, 2016 at 11:32am CST by Ben Levine

While some Colts players are surely anticipating their trip to London this season, it’s just more of the same for running back Frank Gore. The 33-year-old will be making his third career appearance at Wembley Stadium, and he compiled 189 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his previous two games.

The veteran told Kevin Bowen of Colts.com of his first trip to London in 2010. While the player was in an unfamiliar setting, it didn’t take long for him to feel at home.

“I saw people wearing my jersey and I was surprised by that,” he said. “I don’t know how they pick what team they want to cheer for but they are into it.”

Winston Guy (then with the Jaguars) played in London in 2013, and the veteran safety distinctly remembers the energy of the fans.

“It felt like a Super Bowl,” he said. “They didn’t care who won. They were just excited…It’s different, especially for guys that have never been across the world. Definitely a good week of experience.”

Let’s check out some more notes out of Indianapolis…

LSU running back Leonard Fournette would be an excellent fit for the Colts in next year’s draft, writes Bowen. The team has a need for a young running back, and the Colts’ depth may take a hit if Gore decides to retire. Of course, Bowen also notes that the organization shouldn’t be reaching for Fournette at the top of the first round.
Bowen can’t envision the Colts pursuing former Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch. General manager Ryan Grigson recently said that the team probably wouldn’t be adding more veteran talent, and the organization is also looking to make their defense younger. Considering the presence of Nate Irving and Sio Moore, signing Tulloch may not be the best use of the Colts limited cap space. The 31-year-old was released by the Lions earlier this week.
If the Colts end up seeking additional depth at other positions, Mike Chappell of Fox59 in Indy believes that receivers Brian Tyms or Josh Boyce could be out of a job.
After two years on the practice squad, it’s time for tight end Erik Swoope to make the active roster, writes Chappell. If the 24-year-old doesn’t prove that he’s worthy of the spot, rookie Darion Griswold could see himself sliding in behind Dwayne Allen and Jack Doyle.

Chargers Sign Third-Rounder Max Tuerk

July 9th, 2016 at 10:00am CST by Connor J. Byrne

SATURDAY, 10:00am: The Chargers announced the deal via their website.

THURSDAY, 1:44pm: The Chargers have signed third-round pick Max Tuerk, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). With Tuerk signed, first-round defensive end Joey Bosa – the No. 3 overall selection – is now the only member of the Chargers’ eight-player draft class who hasn’t put pen to paper on a rookie contract.

The 66th overall pick, Tuerk was a standout at nearby USC, where he played guard, tackle and center and totaled 38 starts. A season-ending knee injury concluded Tuerk’s career with the Trojans five games into his senior campaign in 2015, but he should be ready to go for his first year in the NFL. As Roster Resource shows, Tuerk joins a center group that includes free agent pickup Matt Slauson, Chris Watt and Trevor Robinson.

Bosa, meanwhile, is one of only three first-rounders without a deal. As of late June, the ex-Ohio State star and the Chargers were at loggerheads over the offset language in his contract.

Saints Sign Nick Fairley

July 9th, 2016 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 9th, 9:35am: More than three months after the deal was signed, Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate has some details on Fairley’s $1.75MM worth of incentives.

There are three ‘playing time thresholds’ that Fairley could reach, with each bonus adding $250K to his salary. There are also three ‘sack thresholds’ worth $250K each. Finally, if the veteran manages to play 35-percent of his team’s snaps and record at least four sacks, he’ll make another $250K.

MARCH 29th, 11:46am: Fairley gets a one-year, $3MM deal from the Saints, including a $2.235MM signing bonus, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Fairley can earn an additional $1.75MM via incentives, and his contract technically runs through 2018 for cap purposes — the final two years will void.

MONDAY, 10:00am: The Saints have officially signed Fairley, the team announced today in a press release.

8:41am: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley will be signing with the Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Fairley has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with New Orleans. Rapoport had indicated last week that the Saints were the frontrunners to land the ex-Ram.

A free agent a year ago, Fairley signed a one-year pact with the Rams, and was a rotational piece on the team’s talented defensive line in 2015, appearing in less than 40% of the defensive snaps. Although he wasn’t a full-time player and his counting stats were modest (29 tackles and 0.5 sacks), the former first-round pick graded out as a top-25 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus.

This time around in free agency, Fairley once again signed a one-year pact, but he may get an opportunity to play a little more in New Orleans, since the Saints’ defensive line isn’t as deep and talented as the Rams’ unit. Per Rapoport (via Twitter), the 28-year-old chose the Saints over offers from the Patriots and Texans. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle adds (via Twitter) that the Eagles offered Fairley a contract as well.

Fairley is the latest addition for a Saints team that has been busy lately adding pieces to its defense — the club also signed linebackers James Laurinaitis and Craig Robertson last week. It’s not clear how New Orleans is squeezing all these deals in under the cap, since the team had less than $1MM in cap room available at last check. It seems likely that the team has restructure at least one big contract – perhaps Cameron Jordan‘s or Jairus Byrd‘s – and it has yet to be reported.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Talks Between Chiefs, Eric Berry Moving Slowly

July 9th, 2016 at 8:35am CST by Dallas Robinson

SATURDAY, 8:35am: Paylor has some quotes from Berry, who elaborated on the slow negotations.

“I thought it would progress a little bit more,” he said. “But it’s still been pretty much the same since the last time we talked. A lot can change in a week. A lot can change for whenever the deadline is.”

Of course, the safety also noted that he intends and hopes to stay in Kansas City longterm.

“Obviously I’d love to be a Chief — I want to be a Chief long term, just because of the community, the staff, from top to bottom, the players and everything,” he added. “But sometimes things don’t go as planned, and I’m prepared for that, but hopefully it goes as planned, and I’m prepared for that, as well.”

FRIDAY, 8:28pm: The Chiefs have until next Friday to reach a long-term deal with franchise player Eric Berry, but the star safety tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links) that he’s surprised at the slow pace of negotiations. However, Berry did reaffirm his desire to hammer out an extension with the club, adding a tone of optimism to the talks.

Berry, 27, has always been thought to be among the franchise-tagged players with the highest chance of inking a new contract with his club, especially given his superb relationship with Chiefs management. But given that Berry likely has his sights set on becoming the highest-paid safety in the league — and topping the five-year, $51.25MM extension signed by Vikings safety Harrison Smith — it’s not entirely surprising that no deal has yet been finalized. Additionally, it’s worth noting that even back in May, Kansas City general manager John Dorsey said he expected negotiations with Berry to be a “slow process.”

Berry, who earned Pro Bowl nods in three of his first four NFL seasons, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014, raising some doubts about his future in the league. However, the veteran safety was declared cancer-free in 2015 and enjoyed one of his best seasons this past year for the Chiefs.Appearing in all 16 games for Kansas City in 2015, Berry logged 61 tackles to go along with a pair of interceptions and 10 passes defended. Pro Football Focus ranked the Tennessee product sixth among 88 qualified safeties, and the standout season earned Berry his fourth Pro Bowl berth, along with a spot on the NFL’s All-Pro first team.

The Chiefs aren’t the only club to hit a speed bump in talks with their franchise-tagged player this week. The Broncos and Von Miller are locked in a tight dispute over contract structure and guaranteed money, while the Redskins and Kirk Cousins are at an impasse, meaning the quarterback will play the 2016 season under the franchise tender. Meanwhile, the Bears and Alshon Jeffery appear unlikely to reach a new pact, and the same can be said in New York, where the Jets aren’t close to a deal with Muhammad Wilkerson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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