HEADLINES

Month: June 2017

Andrew Luck Still On Track For Week 1

June 4th, 2017 at 8:50am CST by Rory Parks

We have not heard much about Andrew Luck‘s recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, which is probably a good thing for Colts fans. Although the procedure itself was something of a surprise, given that club owner Jim Irsay had insisted during the 2016 season that Luck wouldn’t need surgery on the right shoulder injury that has bothered him the past two years, Luck was expected to be fully recovered by the start of training camp.

Andrew Luck

Mike Wells of ESPN.com says Luck is still on track to start the Colts’ Week 1 contest against the Rams, though he did not indicate whether the star signal-caller would be ready for camp. Wells simply wrote, “The Colts report to training camp at the end of July. It’ll be interesting to see if Luck is at the point by then where he can practice.”

The team itself has not provided any meaningful updates on Luck’s status. When asked about Luck during a May 31 exchange with the media, head coach Chuck Pagano said that Luck is “[d]oing great. I’ve got to give you the same thing. He’s doing well rehabbing every single day. He’s a coach out there on the field. He’s in the meetings. He’s doing everything but obviously taking snaps, but he’s taking every one of them from a mental standpoint.”

As Pagano suggested, Luck has been a regular at the Colts’ facility, but it is unclear what exactly his training regimen entails. Wells, though, surmises that no news is good news, and he fully expects to see Luck under center when the regular season rolls around.

After inking a record extension last summer, Luck completed 63.5 percent of passes, threw 31 touchdowns against 13 interceptions and piled up 4,240 yards in 15 games in 2016. Those numbers represented a significant revival for the 27-year-old Stanford product, who struggled mightily during a seven-game, injury-plagued 2015. If Luck is healthy in 2017, the Colts should reasonably expect to challenge for a playoff berth.

NFC Notes: Giants, Saints, Bears, Vikings

June 3rd, 2017 at 8:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran signal-caller Josh Johnson is likely to emerge as the Giants‘ backup quarterback in 2017, which means free agent signee Geno Smith is in danger of being released, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Johnson spent the entire 2016 campaign with Big Blue, and though he was only for two games, he earned the trust of Giants’ coaches. New York, meanwhile, would only incur $325K in dead money by parting ways with Smith. Third-round pick Davis Webb, of course, is slated to open the season as the Giants’ third-string quarterback.

  • The Saints have now signed every member of their 2017 draft class aside from first-round offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, and the Wisconsin product’s deal is on hold until he can pass a physical, reports Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter links). Ramczyk, the 32nd overall selection, is dealing with a hip issue. New Orleans had been one of two clubs (along with the Rams) that hadn’t signed a draft pick before yesterday, and the reason for that delay was fiscal. The Saints picked up $7.8MM in cap space Thursday when Jairus Byrd‘s post-June 1 release was officially processed, giving the team a bit more breathing room to sign its rookies.
  • While the Bears “would like nothing more” than to extend left tackle Charles Leno, it’s unclear if Chicago plans to open contract talks before the season gets underway, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Leno, 25, is certainly a success story, as the former seventh-round pick has started 32 games for the Bears over the past two seasons. He’s steadily improved, as well, and last year graded as the No. 41 tackle among 78 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Chicago will get a relative bargain on Leno in 2017, as he’s due a base salary of only $1.797MM. A long-term deal could easily take Leno over the $10MM per year barrier, if not higher.
  • Michael Floyd‘s one-year deal with the Vikings doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, but the veteran wideout can earn a pay bump through several incentives, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com details. If Floyd maxes out his incentive-based by reaching 70 catches, 1,000 yards, or 12 touchdowns, he’ll bring in an extra $4.6MM. The bonuses start at $1.5MM, which Floyd can earn by hitting 40 receptions, 500 yards, or six touchdowns. None of that incentive money is on Minnesota’s salary cap for now, as it’s all considered “not likely to be earned” because Floyd didn’t reach even the lowest thresholds in 2016. Additionally, Floyd could struggle to hit the top rung of his incentive ladder given that he’s expected to face a suspension in 2017.

Saints DT Nick Fairley Has Heart Issue

June 3rd, 2017 at 7:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley has been sidelined from the club’s organized team activities with a heart issue that could threaten his career, according to Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports (Twitter link).Nick Fairley (Vertical)

Fairley has dealt with this condition for his entire NFL career, as the issue was originally detected during the predraft process in 2011, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). The veteran defensive tackle recently saw a doctor who wanted to run further tests regarding the ailment, says Rapoport. Fairley has reportedly not communicated his health struggles with his New Orleans teammates, as Saints players who regularly speak with Fairley have not heard from him, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.

Fairley, 29, started 16 games and posted 6.5 sacks during his first campaign with the Saints, grading as the league’s No. 34 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. He re-signed with New Orleans this spring, inking a four-year, $28MM deal that contains $9MM in guarantees.

West Rumors: Maclin, Chiefs, 49ers, Cards

June 3rd, 2017 at 7:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The news of Jeremy Maclin‘s release on Friday surprised much of the NFL world, and Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was among those blindsided by the decision, as he tells Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. “Shocked,” Smith said of Maclin’s departure. “Jeremy is a really good friend, an amazing teammate, so still kind of just processing that he’s not going to be in there with us, a guy that’s done a lot for us the last two years, a guy I’ve grown really close to.” Maclin, 29, averaged 66 receptions, 812 yards, and five touchdowns in two seasons catching passes from Smith.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:

  • Now that Maclin is a free agent, he could be a consideration for the 49ers, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes. San Francisco invested in one experienced wideout (Pierre Garcon) this offseason, but the rest of their receiving corps is relatively uninspiring. Marquise Goodwin, Jeremy Kerley, Bruce Ellington, Aldrick Robinson, and rookie Trent Taylor are among the 49ers’ other options at receiver. From a talent standpoint, Maclin would represent a clear upgrade, but it’s unclear if he prefers to sign on with a contending team. In the midst of a rebuild, San Francisco doesn’t figure to be overly competitive in 2017, meaning Maclin could look to latch on with a club closer to earning a postseason berth.
  • Cardinals center A.Q. Shipley underwent core muscle surgery three weeks ago, and while he figures to miss organized team activities, Shipley will be ready for training camp, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The 31-year-old Shipley, who re-signed with Arizona on a two-year, $3.5MM deal in March, graded as the league’s No. 14 center in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Reserve interior lineman Cole Toner is currently working as the Cardinals’ center in Shipley’s absence, per Somers.
  • Former Villanova linebacker Austin Calitro worked out for the Falcons and Chiefs this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Calitro, who went undrafted earlier this year, signed with the Jets in May but lasted only 10 days on their roster. During his senior collegiate season, Calitro registered 85 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three passes defensed.

Cowboys, Zack Martin Extension Talks On Hold

June 3rd, 2017 at 6:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys and guard Zack Martin aren’t expected to reach agreement on an extension in the near future, as negotiations won’t begin “in earnest” until later this summer, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com.Zack Martin (Vertical)

The lack of urgency between Dallas and Martin isn’t entirely surprising, as the Cowboys control the All Pro offensive lineman through 2018 after exercising his fifth-year option earlier this year. But executive VP Stephen Jones called an eventual Martin extension a “big priority,” and Martin himself is in favor of a long-term deal.

“It would be huge,” Martin said. “I’m not real worried about that. I’m worried about playing. Obviously I’ll be here for hopefully a long time. These guys make it fun to come to work every day…Hopefully we can get something done.”

Martin, 26, has started all 48 games since joining Dallas three years ago, and has emerged as one of the league’s best guard on one of the NFL’s finest offensive lines. Playing alongside talents such as left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick — each of whom are signed to long-term deals — Martin graded as the third-best guard of 2016, per Pro Football Focus.

As Archer notes, the Cowboys picked up $14MM in cap space today when Tony Romo‘s post-June 1 release was officially processed, but that savings doesn’t figure to be immediately utilized on a Martin extension. Based on Dallas’ precedents, Martin’s new deal figures to be “cap neutral,” meaning his 2017 cap charge won’t be altered.

North Notes: Steelers, Davis, Stafford, Pack

June 3rd, 2017 at 4:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Alejandro Villanueva continuing to attend Steelers OTAs, the left tackle and the team are still not on the same page regarding his contract, Bob Labriola of Steelers.com notes. Using a situation one-time Pittsburgh ERFA Willie Parker found himself in several years ago as a comparison, the Steelers writer advocates that Villanueva take what the team is offering to get some more money upfront. As an ERFA, Villanueva can make just $540K this season on the tender he hasn’t signed. But as a two-year starter for the Steelers, the former Army Ranger is obviously worth more than that. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk argues Villanueva should not accept a Steelers lowball offer and withhold his services this summer until the team submits a viable proposal. Nothing’s come out on what kind of deal the team has offered. The sides have talked since at least February on this pact, so this has reached impasse status.

Villanueva is a rare 28-year-old ERFA, and under the terms of his initial NFL contract, the would-be third-year starter won’t be able to become an unrestricted free agent until he’s 30 in 2019. Labriola notes Parker signed a three-year, $13.6MM deal to stay in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2006. As the going rate for linemen continues to rise as teams’ ability to develop them out of college becomes more difficult, Villanueva would have considerable value on the market. But his current circumstances could force him to make a decision soon.

Here’s the latest coming out of the North divisions.

  • The common view around the league, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, is the Lions will make Matthew Stafford the league’s highest-paid quarterback by summer’s end. One NFL source said last month Stafford will wait for Derek Carr to sign his extension first and work off of that, and Birkett noting Stafford’s better body of work compared to the younger Carr puts him in a position to wait and command more money.
  • Demario Davis did not have the speed the Browns wanted at their linebacker position, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes. The Browns traded their incumbent No. 1 middle linebacker to the Jets in exchange for Calvin Pryor. Davis is returning to the Jets and their 3-4 scheme. Cleveland is pivoting back to a 4-3 after hiring Gregg Williams, and while the Browns installed Davis as their primary middle ‘backer and moved 2016 breakout performer Christian Kirksey to the weak side, the team plans to use Kirksey and Jamie Collins in its nickel sets. As for the starting middle linebacker in the base alignment, the Browns may first turn to Tank Carder for now, per Pluto. Carder has been with the Browns for six years but has worked as a backup throughout that time.
  • We heard earlier the Browns are considering using a 4-2-5 nickel-type look more frequently to help Jabrill Peppers — often a linebacker at Michigan — and Pluto notes the team does plan to bring a large dose of nickel sets this season. While the league has already gravitated toward passing-down sub-packages as offenses have spread out more in recent years, the Browns would seem to have personnel that fits better with this alignment. Especially after the team signed Jason McCourty to join Joe Haden and Jamar Taylor.
  • Punter Jake Schum cleared waivers and will be transferred back to the Packers‘ IR list, according to the Associated Press. The Packers cut Schum earlier this week after he served as the punter last season in all 19 Green Bay games. It’s unclear what injury Schum sustained. UDFA Justin Vogel is the only punter on the team’s roster, but the Packers didn’t acquire Schum until August after using a waiver claim on him.

Lions Rumors: Carter, Maclin, Golladay

June 3rd, 2017 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions are planning a position switch for a recent draft pick. Additions of D.J. Hayden, Teez Tabor and fifth-round pick Jamal Agnew at cornerback led the Lions to ask their 2015 third-rounder — Alex Carter — to relocate to safety, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports. This would stand to give Carter a better chance to make the roster and attempt to launch a career that hasn’t taken off yet. The former Stanford performer has only played in one NFL game in two years. A 2015 ankle injury put Carter on IR, and the team didn’t see enough from him in 2016 to activate him for more than one contest.

At safety, Detroit has starters Glover Quin — who is in a contract year — and Tavon Wilson, with backups Miles Killebrew and Don Carey behind them. It’s a thinner situation than cornerback looks, as Roster Resource details, but Meinke notes Carter is no lock to make the team. More is expected of Killebrew, a 2016 fourth-round selection, in Year 2, and Carey is a constant on special teams. Jim Caldwell identified Carter’s frame, at 6-foot and 205 pounds, as a reason for the move.

Here’s more out of the Motor City.

  • The Chiefs made one of the more surprising moves of the offseason by making Jeremy Maclin an old-school, June 2 cut. Maclin immediately vaults to the top of the UFA wide receiver contingent, and the Lions could still be in need of a third reliable wideout after Anquan Boldin‘s contract expired. Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com weighs the fit for Maclin in Detroit, noting the salary would have to be right. Maclin just saw the Chiefs move on from a five-year, $55MM contract. That said, Maclin, at 29, probably profiles as a player who will want a role more substantial than as a No. 3 behind Golden Tate and Marvin Jones. Tate earns $6.2MM per year, and Jones averages $8MM annually. A Maclin commitment may be untenable. Boldin fits that description better, but the sides haven’t talked a deal in a while.
  • June 1 passing means the Lions do, however, gain $5.99MM in cap space after the funds from DeAndre Levy‘s release became available, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap notes. The Lions now possess $8.638MM in cap space. Levy’s deal will saddle the team with $4.8MM in 2017 dead money.
  • Third-round wide receiver Kenny Golladay remains the only Lions draft choice unsigned. This is due to the CBA’s cloudier language regarding third-round picks, with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press noting third-rounders’ base salaries in Years 2-4 of their contracts can fluctuate compared to players chosen in every other round of the draft. Golladay, though, is working out with the team and expected to be signed by training camp.
  • Jarrad Davis signed a fully guaranteed rookie deal worth $10.969MM, Birkett reports. Davis receives a $6.117MM signing bonus. Tabor, assigned to travel from Florida to the Motor City a round after Davis, saw the Lions fully guarantee the base salaries in his first two seasons. Tabor’s signing bonus came in at $1.647MM, per Birkett. Both ex-Gators will have $465K base salaries as rookies.
  • Sixth-round quarterback Brad Kaaya signed for four years and $2.523MM after being a one-time Day 2 prospect, Birkett reports, with a $123K signing bonus. None of the Lions’ draft choices received any additional bonuses beyond their signing bonus.

Is The NFLPA Still Preparing For A Lockout?

June 3rd, 2017 at 12:49pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned back in May that the NFLPA’s board of representatives had approved a plan that would set aside millions of dollars into a “work-stoppage fund,” allowing the players to make some money if an NFL season is cancelled or delayed. Now, it sounds like the Players Association wants the athletes to start saving up their own personal money as they prepare for a potential lockout in 2021.

George Atallah“We wound up in a situation where unfortunately [savings] didn’t happen across the league as much as it could have happened,” spokesman George Atallah recently said on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).

“In 2009, we were faced with a major sort of signal that the owners were going to try and lock players out. We were trying to get as many players prepared as possible. . . We need players of every generation to really help the young guys understand what it takes to go through some labor strife. For the players who went through it in 2011, the union administration and player leadership did everything it could to prepare players across the league. I think it needs to happen again with the same sort of fervor.”

This game plan is easier said than done. Florio notes that a solid portion of the potentially impacted players are currently in college or high school. Therefore, it might be especially unrealistic to expect these kids to be financially conservative after they finally sign their first NFL contract.

Alternatively, Florio suggests that the NFLPA could find a clever way for players to make money during a potential lockout, thus providing them with some leverage as they’re negotiating with the league. There were talks in 2011 of unaffiliated exhibition games, and the writer believes the players should start the process of determining these specifics now (as opposed to down the road).

The union already has more than $314 million in net assets, and that doesn’t account for the $90MM they’re expecting from that previously-mentioned “work-stoppage fund.” 2016 royalty money will still be handed out to players this fall, with the “equal share” starting to see an impact for the 2017 campaign

The NFL has reportedly approached the NFLPA regarding a renegotiation multiple times, but to no avail. “Stadium credits” will surely be atop the list of sticking points, along with how money is allocated via the lucrative television deal. Offseason practice rules and Roger Goodell‘s “authority over discipline” will also presumably be discussed.

 

 

 

Extra Points: Seahawks, Lynch, Browns, Rice

June 3rd, 2017 at 11:59am CST by Ben Levine

While it doesn’t sound like the Seahawks are going to add quarterback Colin Kaepernick, starter Russell Wilson indicated that he’d welcome the former division rival.

“I haven’t had the chance to be around Colin too much, but the times I have he’s been great,” Wilson said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “Obviously, I think first of all he’s a really, really good football player. He’s made a lot of good plays in a lot of big games and done a lot of good things. I have tons of respect for him in that way. And then in terms of everything else he stood for, I think he was trying to stand for the right things, he was trying to stand for equality. And so I respect that too, as well. . . . I wouldn’t have any issue at all. As many good players as we could have, the better.”

Reports indicated that the Seahawks weren’t going to sign Kaepernick because they believe he deserves a starting role, and there were whispers that the two sides also couldn’t agree on a monetary value for the quarterback. However, Florio wonders if Pete Carroll and the organization may be trying to avoid a controversy.

There have been murmurs that Wilson hasn’t received the full support of his teammates. If the Seahawks faced any adversity next year, Florio wonders if some members of the Seahawks would push for Kaepernick to take over the starting role.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

  • According to ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia, Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch has several performance-based incentives in his contract that could add $5.5MM to his salary in 2017 and $2MM in 2018. As the writer explains, the running back could earn this extra money via incentives for “rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, the Raiders making the playoffs, Lynch making the Pro Bowl, Lynch earning regular-season MVP honors and Lynch earning Super Bowl MVP honors.”
  • The Browns acquistion of Calvin Pryor does provide some much-needed depth at safety, but ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon notes that the team is still “one player short of a starting unit at linebacker.” There have been whispers that the Browns could utilize Pryor and rookie Jabrill Peppers in a 4-2-5 alignment, with Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey serving as the linebackers. However, before the team commits to this strategy, McManamon believes they have to determine whether Pryor is even capable of starting.
  • After having served as an unofficial coach for New Rochelle High School’s football team over the past three years, former Pro Bowler Ray Rice is now the squad’s official running backs coach, according to Josh Thomson of Lohud.com. The 30-year-old will also assist with the secondary, his defensive position during his time with the Huguenots. “Ray has been around so much that there’s more buzz when visiting teams see him and when visiting parents see him or when we’re out in public,” said coach Lou DiRienzo. “These kids are around him all the time. He’s Ray to them. A celebrity is not in their midst.”

NFC Notes: Saints, Cowboys, Falcons

June 3rd, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Ben Levine

The Saints signed linebacker Alex Okafor to a one-year, $3MM deal earlier this offseason. While the money and opportunity were obviously alluring, the former fourth-rounder acknowledged that he was really entice by the opportunity to play with former college teammate, Kenny Vaccaro.

“He definitely stuck his neck out for me,” Okafor told the Associated Press. “It’s surreal. Not many guys get to go back and play with some of their college teammates that, I mean, are as close as we are.”

Having started 25 games between 2014 and 2015, Okafor played more of a reserve role for the Cardinals last season. However, the 26-year-old was working with the starters during OTAs, and he’s confident that he can still play a major role on the Saints’ defense.

“It’s just a fresh start and a great opportunity,” Okafor said. “I’ve been that guy before and I know I can be that here.”

That’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…

  • It’s sounding like the NFL’s investigation into Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott is winding down, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says there are three possible scenarios that could play out next. For starters, the NFL could simply continue their investigation. They could alternatively determine that the running back “violated the Personal Conduct Policy,” and they’d presumably slap him with some type of punishment. The ideal route (at least in this impartial writer’s eyes) is the third option, which sees the NFL clearing Elliott and ending their investigation.
  • Thanks to Claire Z. Cardona of The Dallas News, details have emerged on Nolan Carroll‘s arrest last week for driving while intoxicated. Police pulled the Cowboys cornerback over at 2:20am after seeing him driving on the wrong side of the road. The 30-year-old told police that he hadn’t been drinking, and he noted that he “had not taken prescription medications or illegal drugs in the last 24 hours.” After getting arrested, Carroll “refused to voluntarily give a blood specimen.”
  • Now that he’s done playing, Michael Vick is turning his attention to a new pursuit in the NFL. “I would love to coach in the National Football League one day,” Vick told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “… At some point, I’d definitely love to help work with young quarterbacks and develop them and still compete, you know, with the team and with the coaches. It’s another way to chase a championship. You know I’m not done. I’m not done by any means. You know I didn’t get the championship when I was playing, so, hey, maybe I’d get lucky one year, maybe fortunate enough to join the staff that may be good enough.” The former quarterback is hoping to sign a one-day deal to retire with the Falcons, an indication that his career is officially over. He also confirmed to Schefter that he is done playing.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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