2017 February - Pro Football Rumors

Month: February 2017

Nick Fairley Expected To Test Free Agency

February 11th, 2017 at 9:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Pending free agent defensive tackle Nick Fairley will explore the open market before considering a new deal from the Saints, according to Larry Holder of NOLA.com.

[RELATED: Saints Re-Sign John Kuhn]

Fairley, 29, has hit free agency in each of the past two offseasons, but has been forced to settle for one-year deals on each occasion. In 2015, Fairley signed with a pact with the Rams that came with a base value of $5MM, but also included incentives and escalators. Last year, the Saints landed Fairley on a fully guaranteed, $3MM contract that will void 15 days prior to the start of the 2017 league year if the two sides don’t work out an extension.

In his sixth NFL season, Fairley appeared in all 16 games for New Orleans and racked up 6.5 sacks, grading out as the league’s No. 34 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. Fairley, a former first-round pick, earned exceptionally high marks for his pass rushing acumen (13th among defensive tackles), and quarterback pursuits have always been Fairley’s strong point.

Fairley has indicated he’d like to re-sign with the Saints, but if the last two years are any indication, he figures to draw significant free agent interest. The Patriots, Texans, Eagles, Jets, and Bengals are among the clubs that were linked to Fairley during the 2015 and 2016 offseasons.

NFC Notes: Rams, Gurley, Panthers, Bears

February 11th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will implement his famed 3-4 scheme with the Rams in 2017, as Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com writes in an excellent piece describing the planned transition. Robert Quinn will likely see the most change as a result of the switch, as the longtime defensive end will shift to outside linebacker. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald, however, will continue on as a three-technique, while the defense as a whole figures to feature more man coverage, per Gonzalez.

Here’s more from the NFC:

Rams running back Todd Gurley lobbied for new head coach Sean McVay to retain RBs coach Skip Peete, and Los Angeles will do just that, according to Gonzalez. “When you’ve got a key player like that, you want to try to demonstrate that you’re going to listen,” said McVay. “Their opinion matters.” Gurley, of course, struggled in 2016 after a dynamic rookie campaign, averaging only 3.2 yards per carry last season, a 50% reduction from the year prior. Peete, meanwhile, will return for a second season with the Rams, working under McVay and new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur.
Entering the final year of his rookie contract, and coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, Panthers guard Trai Turner has signed with Rosenhaus Sports for representation, per Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link). Turner’s previous agent was Ron Butler, whom Turner had just hired in May 2016. The 23-year-old Turner will earn ~$1.8MM in 2017 thanks to the proven performance escalator, which rewards mid-round picks based on playing time.
Bears wide receiver Daniel Braverman has signed Jason Katz of CSE Talent as his new agent, tweets Mullen, who adds Braverman was previously represented by Rosenhaus Sports. Braverman, a 2016 seventh-round pick, was active for three games during his rookie season but didn’t record a reception.

Latest On DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon

February 11th, 2017 at 7:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent receiver Pierre Garcon is expected to garner $9MM per season on the open market, and Redskins teammate DeSean Jackson could command even more, sources tell John Keim of ESPN.com.

Garcon, 30, has already been linked to five clubs — the Rams, Eagles, Bears, Cowboys, and 49ers — a month before the free agent process begins, so it’s not a surprise that he’s targeting an annual salary that would place him among the top-20 highest-paid wide receivers. Although Garcon has hinted he’d prefer a reunion with Washington, Keim expects Garcon to accept the largest contact offer in free agency after posting 79 receptions, 1,041 yards, and three touchdowns.

Jackson, meanwhile, can expect a salary near or exceeding double digits, and as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reported earlier today, Jackson will likely have to take less money in order to remain with the Redskins. The 30-year-old Jackson is reportedly interested in heading back to Philadelphia this offseason, a scenario the Eagles have also contemplated. In his third season with Washington, Jackson led the league in yards per catch for the second time in three years while scoring four times.

The Redskins haven’t begun negotiations with either Garcon or Jackson, but neither are expected to offer any sort of hometown discount. As such, Keim writes that a “real likelihood” exists that both Garcon and Jackson defect via free agency.

Josh McCown Eyeing Future Coaching Career

February 11th, 2017 at 5:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran NFL quarterback Josh McCown isn’t ready for retirement just yet, but he is already considering a career in coaching following his playing days, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Browns coach Hue Jackson recently predicted McCown would be a “rising star” in the coaching ranks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, and told McCown he’d be welcome on the Cleveland staff any time. Indeed, many NFL clubs would be interested in hiring McCown as a coach after he retires, per Rapoport.

“I definitely don’t discount it as part of my future,” McCown said in regard to coaching. “It’s just when that time is. I don’t feel like it’s now. I could wake up tomorrow and feel a deep conviction that, you know what, I was supposed to go that route, and I would pursue it. But right now, I feel like I still have something left to give as a player, so I want to maximize that as much as I can.”

McCown, 37, was released by the Browns earlier this week in a move that saved the club more than $4MM. During his two years in Cleveland, McCown often dealt with injuries and posted only a 1-10 record as a starter, but as Ulrich notes, McCown often played better than his statistics indicated. From 2015-16, McCown completed 60.4% of his passes while tossing 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Redskins Rumors: Cousins, Long, Scheme

February 11th, 2017 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

This week’s been heavy on Redskins news, from the latest on DeSean Jackson‘s status, to counterpart Pierre Garcon being a coveted commodity, to updates on what’s been an interesting month for the team’s defensive staff. Here’s more coming out of Washington.

As a second standoff with Kirk Cousins appears to be brewing, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk injects another scenario that could either keep the quarterback in Washington on a year-to-year basis or affect negotiations on a potential long-term deal. While the Redskins using the franchise tag on their quarterback this year would pay him $23.94MM in 2017, doing so again in ’18 would come out to nearly $35MM. An untenable figure, but Florio notes the team could use the transition tag on Cousins in 2018 to lower that number. Applying the lesser-used tag would bring a 20 percent increase from Cousins’ prospective 2017 tag salary, producing a $28.78MM amount. This arrangement, while unlikely, could have an impact on how the team proceeds with Cousins’ deal in the coming months, with the first two years of said proposal reflecting the franchise-plus-transition amounts instead of the salaries mirroring a two-franchise tag format.
This $52.72MM over two years would make Cousins the highest-paid player in football, but that’s a possibility, notes ESPN.com’s John Keim. Cousins putting a near-5,000-yard season on top of what was a quality second half of the 2015 slate would obviously make him a viable passer on the open market. Although he may not get there, other teams would be lining up with interest, with the 49ers being just one. With that now factoring into his deal, Keim writes there’s a “good chance” Cousins’ AAV exceeds Andrew Luck‘s league-high $24.594MM. But with Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr entering walk years, and now the Falcons sending out signals they want to compensate Matt Ryan for his MVP season, Keim predicts one of these four passers being the league’s highest-paid player before next season starts.
Kory Lichtensteiger resided as Washington’s starting center for most of this decade, but after the 31-year-old retired, Spencer Long is now in that position. And both JP Finlay and Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com expect Long to stay as the starting center next season and possibly serve as the long-term answer. Long’s rookie contract runs through 2017. Tandler also notes Scot McCloughan eyed now-Colts center Ryan Kelly with the Redskins’ first-round pick last year despite a 2014 third-round investment in Long.
The Redkins have used a 3-4 defense since Mike Shanahan‘s arrival in 2010, but Finlay argues they should pivot back to a 4-3 look unless a competent nose tackle arrives via the draft. Finlay expects new DC Greg Manusky to stay with a 3-4 look. Manusky’s been a DC for nine seasons — with the 49ers, Chargers and Colts — and utilized this alignment in each.
Substandard work during his first two offseasons will induce Bruce Allen to apply pressure on McCloughan during this one.

West Notes: Robinson, Broncos, Bolts, 49ers

February 11th, 2017 at 3:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

A new Rams coaching staff seems ready to give Greg Robinson another chance. Despite being benched late in a woeful third season, the underwhelming tackle remains a “big part” of the Rams’ plans going forward, Sean McVay said.

“When you see some of the things he’s able to do, you see the athleticism in space when he’s pulling around and using some of those perimeter schemes that they did offensively last year,” McVay said, via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. “He’s a guy that we’re excited to get around.”

Gonzalez notes a possible course of action prior to McVay’s vote of confidence was simply moving on from Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in 2014. Cutting Robinson, though, would not make much sense financially given that the team would not save any money — while incurring $6.77MM in dead money — by doing so. McVay did not specify whether he wants Robinson to remain at tackle or move to guard, a topic broached during interim HC John Fassel‘s stewardship. Robinson himself wasn’t eager to make a move to guard when asked about doing so in January.

Robinson committed a league-high 31 penalties between the 2015-16 seasons. The former Auburn tackle is entering the final season of his rookie deal, and the Rams have a fifth-year option decision coming on him soon.

Here’s more from some teams out west.

New Broncos quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave turned down offensive coordinator jobs to reunite with Mike McCoy in Denver, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post notes. Musgrave and McCoy each interviewed for the Broncos’ OC job. The pair coached together briefly with the Panthers in the early 2000s and spent the 1995 preseason together as backups to John Elway before the Broncos cut McCoy. Supplanted as the Raiders’ OC after two seasons, Musgrave was only previously connected to the Broncos’ OC job during the hiring period.
Elway probably would not have allowed Adam Peters to interview anywhere besides San Francisco, where he’s now the 49ers‘ VP of player personnel. The Broncos GM said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) he would have restricted a move elsewhere, but since he was going to help John Lynch as a first-time GM, Elway gave the go-ahead.
Despite using him as an evaluator during the 2013 draft process, Elway did not attempt to hire Lynch full-time with the Broncos due to his interest in staying as a television analyst, the Denver GM told Branch.
Matt Slauson figures to return for a second Chargers season, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes, before adding that D.J. Fluker‘s future is less certain. Despite the Bolts picking up Fluker’s fifth-year option last year, Tom Telesco is unlikely to bring the converted guard back at the $8.8MM option price. Fluker’s 2017 salary is guaranteed against injury only, so the Chargers could cut him and save that money.
Gehlken also expects the newly relocated team to at least restructure King Dunlap‘s contract if not outright release the veteran left tackle. Dunlap, 31, is due to make $5.25MM and take up $8.125MM of Los Angeles’ cap. He’s due a $500K bonus if on the roster by March 18. The Chargers reworked Dunlap’s contract last year, converting $1.2MM of his $4.5MM salary into availability-based bonus payments. He earned back $800K of that $1.2MM last season. It would cost the Bolts $3.25MM in dead money to cut Dunlap.

Extra Points: Jackson, Seahawks, Jets, Colts

February 11th, 2017 at 1:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday afternoon…

If DeSean Jackson really wants to stay with the Redskins, he’ll probably have to turn down more money elsewhere, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. DJax says he wants to stay put, but the Redskins are reportedly lukewarm on him because of his inconsistency. Both Jackson and Pierre Garcon are free agents and it sounds like D.C. prefers the latter. Of course, with Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson already on the roster, the team doesn’t necessarily have to re-sign either one of the vets.
Knowing the way the Seahawks operate, it stands to reason that they will bring in a young kicker to compete with new addition Blair Walsh, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. It’s quite unlikely that Steven Hauschka will be kept around for competition, however. Hauschka made $2.7MM last season and Walsh will probably earn something in the $1MM range, so it’s hard to see a scenario in which he would agree to fight for the job and accept a 50 percent-plus pay slash.
ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini believes some members of the Jets organization are probably regretting having not traded defensive end Sheldon Richardson to the Cowboys prior to the trade deadline. While the Jets were steadfast in their desire for a first-rounder in return, Cimini believes a deal would have gotten done had the team been willing to accept a second-round pick. Now, the writer can’t envision the organization getting that kind of value for Richardson. After talking to several sources around the league, Cimini opines that the Jets could now get a third-round pick in return.
While Colts general manager Chris Ballard would prefer to build his team through the draft, Mike Chappell of CBS4Indy.com believes the front office may need to pursue some veteran free agents to help shore up their defense. The Colts ranked toward the bottom of the league in multiple defensive statistics, and the organization is staring at more than $55MM in cap space. Chappell cites the success of the previous regime, as several buy-low free agents ultimately helped the team.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Bears Could Have Difficulty Attracting FAs

February 11th, 2017 at 11:59am CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Bears are projected to have nearly $55MM in cap space this offseason, but they might have difficulty spending it if a new Illinois workers’ comp bill is passed. The bill, which the McCaskey family (owners of the Bears) is spearheading, would deprive injured workers – including professional athletes – of health care beginning at the age of 35. That isn’t sitting well with NFLPA executive director De Smith, who plans to discourage free agents from signing with the Bears if the bill passes.

“I will tell you from the bottom of my heart that this union will tell every potential free agent player, if this bill passes, to not come to the Bears,” he told 670 The Score on Friday (via Chris Emma of CBS Chicago). “Because, think about it, if you’re a free agent player and you have an opportunity to go play somewhere else where you can get lifetime medical for the injury you’re going to have, isn’t a smarter financial decision to go to a team where a bill like this hasn’t passed?”

Continued Smith: “This bill being sponsored by (senate Republican minority leader Christine Radogno) is being designed to target professional athletes and take away their right to health care that every worker in the state of Illinois is entitled to. The Bears’ owners are behind it as well, to beat the expense of the players who actually do all the work. They’re pushing the bill.”

As of now, the majority of permanently injured workers in Illinois can claim compensation benefits until the age of 67. The Bears aren’t on board with pro athletes receiving those benefits, though.

In a statement issued to 670 The Score, the team said: “We join the four other major professional Chicago teams in monitoring and supporting changes to the system that protect athletes’ rights under the workers’ compensation system while acknowledging athletes are not competing professionally until age 67. Nothing in the wage differential language under consideration impacts the right for any athlete to receive just compensation for partial or permanent injury, medical benefits or to file a claim itself.”

The Bears are “just being cheap,” per Smith, whose opinion could prove detrimental to the club if it attempts to delve into free agency in March.

On the flip side, Bears general counsel Cliff Stein told Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times that the bill won’t have any impact on the team’s ability to attract free agents.

“There is no realistic fear there,” he said “We have a really strong relationship with agents, and we’re very transparent. Anytime any question would come up, we would show all the facts.

“The truth of the matter is, agents aren’t really going to listen to what Smith says in that regard.”

RELATED:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raiders Still Have “High Hopes” For Las Vegas Project

February 11th, 2017 at 11:16am CST by Ben Levine

Despite a number of setbacks, the Raiders are not discouraged regarding a potential move to Las Vegas. In early January, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson withdrew his $650MM pledge for a potential $1.9B, 65,000-seat stadium in Sin City. Following those reports, there wasn’t much optimism that the organization could get the necessary financial backing in time for the NFL owners’ meeting in six weeks. However, a recent report by Regina Garcia Cano of SFGate.com noted that the Raiders still have “high hopes for the project.”

Members of the organization met with the stadium authority board this past week for the first time since Adelson bailed from the plan. The two sides are still optimistic that they can still find a suitable lease agreement, and the team is reportedly in discussions with “multiple financial institutions” to make up for the monetary discrepancy.

“We’re in an industry where we’re used to plugging along, and we’re used to having starts and stops,” Raiders president Marc Badain said on Thursday (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez). “[Raiders owner] Mark Davis made a commitment to [Nevada] Governor [Brian] Sandoval, and we intend to see that through.”

The Raiders seemingly thought they’d have the money for a new stadium, with Adelson committing $650MM, the organization promising $500MM, and the stadium authority paying $750MM in tax revenues. However, Adelson’s withdrawal clearly threw a wrench in this plan. The Raiders were apparently hoping for financial assistance from Goldman Sachs, but a recent report implied that they have bailed on the project, as well.

The Raiders are running out of time, as owners would presumably vote on the move during their meeting in late March. Besides accounting for the necessary finances, the organization also has to determine a worthy location for the proposed stadium. Cano writes that a “parcel of land” near the Las Vegas Strip is currently the ideal landing spot. The Raiders would reportedly be sharing their new stadium with UNLV.

“The organization remains fully committed to this project,” Badain said. “We are not deterred. Financing will not be an issue.”

For what it’s worth, commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that investors affiliated with casinos may not be the best choice for the Raiders.

“I don’t see an ownership position in a team from a casino,” Goodell said. “That is not something that is consistent with our policies … not likely a stadium, either.”

Draft Notes: Garrett, Trubisky, Mixon

February 11th, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

Myles Garrett is a candidate to picked first-overall in the upcoming draft, but the Texas A&M defensive end is hoping a specific team with a late first-rounder will make a deal to select him. In a video published on ESPN.com, Garrett urged Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to make a deal to acquire the talented defensive lineman.

“I’m speaking to you, Jerry,” Garrett said (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “Mr. [coach Jason] Garrett, make it happen. Dak Prescott is leading our team right now. I need you to take Tony Romo, take a couple picks and give them to Cleveland so you can pick me up. Please. I’d love to play in Dallas. Just make it happen.”

Of course, following those comments, Garrett had to backtrack and clarify that he’d be fine being selected by the Browns with the top pick in the draft.

“People might say they’re this, they’re that or I made a comment about cold weather and they kind of put it toward Cleveland,” Garrett explained. “It doesn’t matter to me. I’ll play wherever they put me, and it’s about your mindset. If you go out there with a mindset that you’re going to turn things around, you can make that contagious and people start to believe in it, you can turn into a winning program wherever you go.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes pertaining to this year’s draft class…

While Alabama’s Cam Robinson and Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk were previously considered to be the best offensive tackles in the draft, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller believes Utah lineman Garett Bolles is now the top prospect at the position. While the 24-year-old’s age may hurt his draft stock, Miller points to Robinson’s lack of production and Ramczyk’s injury concerns as reasons why Bolles could be the first offensive tackle selected. In fact, the writer believes the Utah lineman could be taken in the first 10 or 15 picks.
While there are questions regarding the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft, one general manager told Miller that UNC signal-caller Mitch Trubisky is “a top-five lock.” While Trubisky is competing with Deshaun Watson and DeShone Kizer to be the first quarterback selected, Miller believes most teams regard the UNC product as the top prospect at the position.
Alex Marvez of The Sporting News points out (via Twitter) that only 16 quarterbacks were invited to this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. There are generally 19 or 20 signal-callers who participate in the event, and Marvez believes the low numbers are indicative of the “projected quality at the position.”
Despite some recent talk to the contrary, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says that many teams already view Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon as undraftable. The offensive weapon certainly has the skill, as he finished this past season with 1,274 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on only 187 carries. Of course, troubling off-the-field issues have clouded Mixon’s draft status.
Ole Miss wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow was not invited to the combine, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). Stringfellow pleaded guilty to assault following a 2014 altercation, and he was also charged with disorderly conduct in early 2015. The wideout finished this past season with 46 catches for 716 yards.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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