Nick Saban Signs Extension With Alabama
Maybe this will keep Nick Saban‘s name out of NFL consideration for a little while. Saban has agreed to a long-term contract extension with Alabama that could keep him in place through the 2024 season. 
As part of the deal, Saban gets a $4MM signing bonus plus an additional $4MM spread out between the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons. The second bonus is likely meted out over those seasons to incentivize Saban to stay. Of course, college coaches break contracts all the time and it’s unlikely that Saban would agree to anything ironclad.
“Terry and I are pleased and happy to agree to the contract extension The University of Alabama has offered us, ensuring our time here in Tuscaloosa will continue for many more years,” Saban said. “This has become our home and we are looking forward to finishing our career at Alabama. I want to thank President Bell, Greg Byrne, our athletic administration, football staff and the entire University community for all of their support, which has been instrumental in the success of our organization. We are extremely proud of the young men who have represented the Crimson Tide on the football field, and more importantly, what they have been able to accomplish in their lives off the field because of their involvement in our program.”
Saban’s last go-round in the NFL was not so successful, but he has consistently been linked to NFL jobs in every offseason for the last few years. It remains to be seen whether Saban has the itch to try the NFL again and whether this new contract would be a barrier to him going pro.
Jets To Decline Calvin Pryor’s Option
The Jets are not going to pick up safety Calvin Pryor‘s fifth-year option, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He is now eligible to reach the open market after the 2017 season. 
[RELATED: “50-50 Chance” Jets Trade Sheldon Richardson]
After the Jets used their first two picks in the 2017 draft on safeties, it was expected that they would turn down Pryor’s option for the 2018 season. The John Idzik regime drafted Pryor in 2014 with the hope that his hard-hitting style would translate well at the professional level. The Louisville slugger brought some big hits, but he has not improved enough in coverage. The Jets will now focus on Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye while saving themselves $5.597MM on Pryor in 2018.
The Jets would reportedly like to trade Pryor, though GM Mike Maccagnan claims that he would like to keep him.
Lions Pick Up Eric Ebron’s Option
The Lions have exercised Eric Ebron‘s option for the 2018 season, according to a team announcement. As shown in PFR’s Fifth-Year Option Tracker, Ebron is now scheduled to earn $5.194MM in ’18. 
[RELATED: 2018 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
Detroit took its time making the call on the tight end and it wasn’t a given that he would get the additional season tacked on to his contract. Since entering the league in 2014, Ebron has struggled with drops (he had seven in 2016) and hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations set for him when he was selected No. 10 overall.
On the bright side, Ebron has been steadily improving as a receiver. The 24-year-old went from 25 catches as a rookie to 47 in 2015 to 61 in 2016. Last season, only nine tight ends had more receptions than Ebron. The Lions are hoping that he can take yet another step forward in 2017 while losing the Roberto Duran act.
Extra Points: 49ers, Cowboys, Colts, Dobbs
Of all the quarterbacks in this year’s draft, Iowa’s C.J. Beathard was the only one 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had interest in selecting, details Peter King of The MMQB. Shanahan ultimately got his man toward the end of the third round, pick No. 104, after the 49ers sent the 109th and 219th choices to Minnesota to trade up. “We’d all sleep a little better if we got him instead of waiting ’til tomorrow,” CEO Jed York told other members of the 49ers’ draft room before they moved up for Beathard. Shanahan compares Beathard to a former pupil, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, noting that Beathard “processes the game so well” and is “tough as sh–.”
More from around the game:
- Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick is “miffed” that he was the subject of trade rumors during the draft, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). Nevertheless, Scandrick, who was on hand Monday for the second phase of Cowboys workouts, is “being professional,” Hill adds.
- Rookie general manager Chris Ballard‘s restructuring of the Colts’ scouting department has led to the ouster of Jimmy Raye III. The Colts parted with Raye, their former vice president of football operations, on Monday, tweets Albert Breer of The MMQB. The two sides split on “amicable” terms, per Breer. At one point this past winter, Raye looked like the favorite to succeed the fired Ryan Grigson as the Colts’ GM. Now, he’ll presumably look to catch on with another team’s front office.
- The belief is that the Seahawks and Vikings had interest in Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs on the third day of the draft, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dobbs ended up with the Steelers in the fourth round, pick No. 135. The Seahawks used their fourth-rounder, No. 111, on Colorado safety Tedric Thompson. Minnesota selected Michigan linebacker Ben Gedeon 120th.
- Chattanooga defensive end Keionta Davis is a “name to watch” as the undrafted free agent process continues, notes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Senior Bowl invitee was a third- to fifth-round possibility before a bulging disc scared teams away on draft weekend. Davis’ specialist expects his neck to heal, though, according to Rapoport.
Latest On Raiders CB Gareon Conley
9:28pm: Spellacy has clarified his previous comments, telling Rapoport via text message: “When I referenced a ‘consensual sexual event,’ I was NOT referring to intercourse. That did NOT happen.” Spellacy added, “Nothing that Gareon has said has been inconsistent” (Twitter links).
9:13pm: Raiders first-round pick Gareon Conley, who was accused of sexual assault before the draft, gave a statement and provided a DNA sample to Cleveland police Monday, his attorney, Kevin Spellacy, told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It could be six to eight weeks before the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office decides whether to pursue charges against the former Ohio State cornerback, according to Spellacy.
In speaking with police, Conley claimed that he and his accuser had a consensual sexual encounter on April 9, per Spellacy. That “changes everything,” writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. After all, when news of the accusation came to light last week, TMZ reported that two of Conley’s friends told police that he did not have sex with the woman in question. With that in mind, this is now a “he said, she said situation,” notes Florio (also an attorney), who points out that Conley’s fate might ultimately rest with a jury. And if that jury believes Conley’s accuser, he could be indicted on first-degree felony charges and face a three- to eight-year prison sentence.
Less serious than Conley’s predicament is the plight of the Raiders, who went out on a limb in using the 24th overall pick on him. The Raiders conducted their own investigation before drafting Conley, with general manager Reggie McKenzie telling Peter King of The MMQB: “I understand the issues involved. But we did our research, and we read all the reports, and we did more than our due diligence. After all the information we got, we were comfortable with making this choice and confident in who this player is.”
Conley, for his part, has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
NFC Notes: Panthers, Redskins, Lions, Giants
Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin showed up to voluntary workouts overweight, which is concerning to head coach Ron Rivera (via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). Rivera did say that he has spoken with Benjamin and that the wideout is doing everything he has been asked to do to lose weight. Benjamin has battled weight problems throughout his collegiate and professional career, and Rivera believes Benjamin’s previous hamstring issues can be at least partially attributed to his poor conditioning and extra pounds.
More on Carolina and a few other NFC teams:
- Redskins right tackle Morgan Moses‘ five-year extension contains a $40MM base value and a $42.5MM maximum worth, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It also features $20MM in guarantees. Moses now has the third-richest deal among RTs, trailing only the Eagles’ Lane Johnson and the Lions’ Rick Wagner, and is second to Johnson in guaranteed money.
- Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that Lions GM Bob Quinn has been in contact with free agent wideout Anquan Boldin. Quinn said that the “door is open” should Boldin wish to return to Detroit. The 36-year-old does want to play next season, which would be his 15th in the NFL, but he’s unlikely to sign until training camp nears. Boldin took that approach last year, when he didn’t ink a deal with the Lions until July 30. He went on to haul in 67 passes and eight touchdowns, though he also posted a career-worst yards-per-catch average (8.7).
- Giants GM Jerry Reese revealed Monday that he wants to add a veteran kicker (Twitter link via James Kratch of NJ.com). Considering the only kicker on the Giants’ roster is Aldrick Rosas, who has never played an NFL game, Reese’s desire to bolster the position isn’t surprising. Free agency isn’t exactly teeming with options, though, with Dan Carpenter and Zach Hocker representing the most experienced unsigned kickers.
- The Panthers withdrew an offer to Washington State defensive tackle Robert Barber, an undrafted free agent, after learning that he’s facing a trial on second-degree felony assault charges, reports Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. Barber accepted Carolina’s offer Saturday, but the team pulled it off the table Sunday.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/1/17
Monday’s minor moves…
- The Giants have waived running George Winn and quarterback Keith Wenning, per a club announcement. Winn has been a member of seven organizations since going undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2013, though he has only seen action with one (Detroit). As a Lion from 2014-15, he rushed for 74 yards on 23 attempts. Wenning, who went to Baltimore in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, signed with the Giants’ practice squad in late December. They retained him on a reserve/futures deal in January, but he’s now out of the organization roughly five months later.
- The Bears have waived running backs Bralon Addison and David Cobb; cornerbacks De’Vante Bausby and Jacoby Glenn; wide receiver Dres Anderson; and tight end Justin Perillo. Of those six players, only three (Addison, Bausby and Glenn) took the field for the Bears last season. Glenn made the biggest impact, logging three starts and an interception in seven games. The biggest name of the bunch is Cobb, a fifth-round pick of the Titans in 2015 who ran for 146 yards on 52 carries as a rookie.
- The Bears did make one addition to their roster Monday, signing center Taylor Boggs, according to his agency, Schwartz & Feinsod (Twitter link). Boggs was a Bear from 2013-14, appearing in five games, before moving on to the Lions and Cardinals. With Arizona last year, he picked up the first two starts of his career.
- The Saints have waived defensive end D.J. Pettway with a non-football injury designation and defensive back Jimmy Pruitt with a failed physical designation, tweets Joel A. Erickson of the Advocate.
- The Rams have cut offensive lineman David Arkin, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. Last season was the four-year veteran’s only campaign with the Rams. Arkin appeared in two games.
Colts Cut 10 Players
There was a house cleaning Monday in Indianapolis, which rid itself of 10 players. In addition to releasing long snapper Matt Overton, safety Duke Williams and cornerback Charles James, the Colts waived linebackers Alex Bazzie and Deon King, punter Devon Bell, long snapper Joe Fortunato, safety Stefan McClure, cornerback Larry Scott and wide receiver Devin Street.
Overton was the longest-tenured and most successful Colt of the group, as he became their long snapper in 2012, made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and posted five straight 16-game seasons. After his release, the 31-year-old took to Twitter to express his gratitude toward the Colts and a desire to continue his career.
Williams and James only played one game apiece with the Colts last year, but they previously logged extensive action with other teams. Williams appeared in all 48 of the Bills’ games from 2013-15 and another nine last year, accumulating 10 starts during that span. James took the field for 12 of the Giants’ contests as a rookie in 2013 and another 21 with the Texans from 2015-16, including 12 last season.
Like Overton, Williams and James, King and Street have also accrued NFL experience. King, undrafted from Norfolk State last year, suited up for six games as a rookie – four with the Chargers, two with the Colts – though he managed only one tackle. Street was also involved in six contests last season, all with Indy, and caught one pass on six targets. He hauled in nine throws with the Cowboys from 2014-15.
Troy Hill Gets Two-Game Suspension
The NFL has suspended Rams cornerback Troy Hill two games for a violation of its substance abuse policy, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The ban stems from Hill’s arrest on a DUI charge in November.
Although Hill graded as one of Pro Football Focus’ 10 worst corners last year, his second season in the league, the former Bengal saw action in the majority of the Rams’ games (12) and made four starts. The 25-year-old may have played a full season had he avoided off-field trouble, but the Rams cut him shortly after his arrest. The club re-signed Hill to its practice squad the next day, though, and added him back to its active roster in mid-December.
If Hill remains with Los Angeles through the summer, he’ll be eligible to participate in training camp and the team’s preseason games. His reinstatement would come prior to the Rams’ Week 3 trek to San Francisco.
Saints, 12 UDFAs Reach Deals
The Saints have agreed to deals with 12 undrafted free agents, all of whom are listed below.
- Colin Buchanan, G (Miami)
- Chase Dominguez, LS (Utah)
- Travin Dural, WR (LSU)
- Ahmad Fulwood, WR (Florida)
- Devaroe Lawrence, DT (Auburn)
- Andrew Lauderdale, OL (New Hampshire)
- Cameron Lee, G (Illinois State)
- Arthur Maulet, CB (Memphis)
- John Robinson-Woodgett, FB (Massachusetts)
- Sae Tautu, LB (BYU)
- Cameron Tom, C (Southern Mississippi)
- Clint Van Horn, G (Marshall)