Latest On Eagles RB Ryan Mathews
While the Eagles are still expected to release Ryan Mathews, the veteran running back will likely stay on the club’s roster until at least August as he continues to recover from a neck injury, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
As Bowen has previously reported, Philadelphia needs to wait to cut Mathews until he’s healthy in order to avoid paying $1.1MM in injury protection. Mathews will still count for $1MM in dead money once he can pass a physical and is released, but that money will only count for salary cap purposes. No further cash will head Mathews’ way if the Eagles hold off on cutting him until he is fully recovered.
Mathews, 30, has often been effective on a per-play basis during his seven-year career, but injuries have limited his overall contributions. He’s appeared in all 16 games just once during his NFL tenure, started 14 games just twice, and has managed only 510 carries over the past three seasons. On the bright side, Mathews did average 4.6 yards per carry during that three-year span.
The Eagles have prepared for the eventual loss of Mathews by signing free agent LeGarrette Blount to a one-year deal and drafting Donnel Pumphrey in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Byron Marshall comprise the rest of Philadelphia’s current backfield options.
NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Giants, Redskins
The NFL is reportedly wrapping up its investigation into Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, but franchise owner Jerry Jones stood behind Elliott when addressing the media earlier today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I have reviewed everything and there is absolutely nothing – not one thing – that had anything to do with domestic violence,” Jones said. Last week, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported a “growing sense” that Elliott will face a league-imposed suspension. Elliott was never arrested or charged in the incident, but his accuser addressed her allegations in a statement today.
Here’s more from Dallas and the rest of the NFC East:
- Echoing statements he made earlier this year, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones reiterated his club’s desire to reach an extension with right guard Zack Martin, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “We’d love to get Zack Martin‘s [deal] done,” said Jones. “He’s an important part of our future…confident we’ll get something worked out.” The Cowboys plan to meet with Martin’s agent during training camp, per Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Dallas, which has already hammered out deals with left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick, controls Martin through 2018 via the fifth-year option. Martin, a 2016 All Pro, ranked as the second-best guard in the league a season ago, per Pro Football Focus.
- With B.J. Goodson entrenched as the club’s starting middle linebacker, the Giants are unlikely to re-sign Kelvin Sheppard, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Sheppard, 29, started 11 games for New York last season, but was essentially a two-down player, as he saw action on only 40% of the team’s defensive snaps. Goodson, Jonathan Casillas, and Devon Kennard figure to serve as Big Blue’s starting ‘backers, with Kenan Robinson and J.T. Thomas serving as relatively high-priced reserves.
- The Giants aren’t expected to reach an extension with guard Justin Pugh, as the fifth-year pro seemingly wants to reach the free agent market in 2018, as James Kratch of NJ.com writes. The upper echelon of the guard market has now hit the $12MM mark, and it’s possible Pugh could hit that barrier with another solid season. Pugh, a 55-game starter during his career, will earn $8.821MM next year, and Kratch believes the franchise tag (with a cost near $15MM) could be in play for 2018.
- Free agent addition Brian Quick isn’t likely to act as one of the Redskins‘ top four wideouts next season, meaning his roster spot could be in danger, details John Keim of ESPN.com. If Quick isn’t a contributor on offense, he’d need to be a factor on special teams, something he hasn’t been throughout his career. Washington inked Quick on a minimum salary benefit contract that contained just $80K in guarantees, so cutting him wouldn’t represent much of a fiscal loss.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
5 Key Stories: 7/16/17 – 7/23/17
Panthers make a front office change. Carolina shocked the NFL world last week by firing general manager Dave Gettleman and re-hiring former GM Marty Hurney in an interim capacity. Gettleman was known to be a “brusque” contract negotiator, and his personality often rubbed others the wrong way. Hurney has worked quickly, as he’s already finalized a contract extension for guard Trai Turner and released tackle Michael Oher. New deals for linebacker Thomas Davis and tight end Greg Olsen could also be on the table, as Gettleman wasn’t inclined to address either veteran’s pact before his ouster.
No deals for remaining franchise players. Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, and Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson all failed to reach extensions with their respective clubs by last week’s deadline, meaning all three will play out 2017 under one-year tenders. Washington claimed it offered Cousins $53MM in guarantees, but Cousins wants more time to evaluate the organization following this year’s front office changes. Bell, meanwhile, reportedly rejected a five-year, $60MM proposal from Pittsburgh.
Ezekiel Elliot saga nears a resolution. The NFL is wrapping up its investigation into Elliott, and has already shared its findings with the NFLPA and the Cowboys running back. A suspension would not only cost Elliott games, but money, as Dallas would have the right to recoup a portion of his signing bonus. Earlier today, Elliot’s domestic violence accuser addressed her allegations against the second-year pro. Meanwhile, Elliott was reportedly involved in a recent bar fight, but Dallas police are dropping their investigation due to a lack of evidence.
RG3 drawing free agent interest. Robert Griffin III could soon be joining a new club, as teams have reportedly expressed “mild” interest in the veteran quarterback. The only team to express public intrigue in Griffin so far this season had been the Seahawks, but they went in another direction by signing journeyman Austin Davis. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report indicated NFL clubs are curious to see what RG3 has left to offer after numerous injuries have limited him in recent seasons.
Anquan Boldin takes a visit. The Bills are planning to work out Boldin on Monday as they seek a another receiver to add to their uninspiring pass-catching unit, which is currently lead by Sammy Watkins and second-round rookie Zay Jones. Boldin, 36, reportedly may seek to sign with a club that plays closer to his Florida residence. Perhaps seeking to avoid the grind of training camp, Boldin is apparently willing to wait for a new deal, and could look to ink a contract later in the offseason.
PFR Originals: 7/16/17 – 7/23/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- With the 2017 regular season only two months away, PFR began its annual Offseason In Review series, assessing the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable events for each of the 32 NFL clubs. We covered three teams this week:
- The Redskins failed to sign franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins to a long-term extension last week, meaning he’ll now play out the 2017 campaign on a one-year tender. With that in mind, Connor Byrne asked PFR readers if Cousins will be back in Washington next season, either on a third consecutive franchise tag or on a multi-year deal. The response has been clear, as more than three-quarters of voters believe Cousins will be playing elsewhere in 2018.
Alterraun Verner Has Visit Next Week
Free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner has a workout with an unidentified team scheduled for next week, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (via Twitter). Verner most recently worked out for the Jaguars back in May, but apparently that audition did not go well, as Verner was a little out of shape. However, reports at the time indicated that the two sides could reconvene later on, so perhaps this latest workout will again be with Jacksonville.
The Buc released Verner in February, and immediately thereafter, Verner himself said that four or five teams had reached out to him. Before the Jaguars visit, however, we did not know of any specific teams with interest. The UCLA product has been quite durable during his seven-year career, but he saw his playing time wane dramatically over the past two seasons. He started just three games in 2016, tying a career low, and only appeared in 22.8% of Tampa Bay’s defensive plays. Still just 28, Verner will not command anywhere close to the same type of money he did when he inked a four-year, $25.5MM pact with the Bucs in 2014, but he never seemed to play to his potential in Tampa Bay, and it’s possible that a change of scenery could reinvigorate him.
Verner was selected by the Titans in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, and he parlayed an excellent 2013 campaign into that multi-year free agent pact with Tampa. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2013 and was a second-team All-Pro. He intercepted a career-best five passes that season, and although the fact that he showed up to his Jaguars workout out of shape is disappointing, he makes plenty of sense as a rotational piece, with the upside to be more.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Osweiler, Hali
Tyler Eifert and Vontaze Burfict are both entering their contract seasons, and while the Bengals have not allowed a Pro Bowl player to leave via free agency who is under the age of 32 since 2011, both players present unique considerations. Both are justified in aiming to be paid at the top of the pay scale for their respective positions, but Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer says Burfict, because of his injury history and run-ins with the league’s player safety rules, is more likely to receive a contract like Dont’a Hightower‘s (four years, $35.5MM with $17MM in guarantees) than Luke Kuechly‘s (five years, $61.8MM with $34MM in guarantees). Also, given Hightower’s difficult time in free agency this season, it is unclear whether Burfict will want to try his luck on the open market.
Eifert’s own injury history could hinder his financial prospects, though league sources indicate he is in line for a five-year pact with an AAV of roughly $9MM. Unlike Burfict, however, the franchise tag is an option for Eifert if the two sides cannot hammer out a long-term deal this year, although both parties are motivated to get something done.
Now for more from the AFC:
- Brock Osweiler apparently still has a chance to start for the Browns in Week 1. Although Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer are considered the most likely candidates to open the season under center, a lot will depend on Kizer’s development. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, if Kizer does not develop as anticipated during training camp — he has progressed well to this point, but things can always change when the pads are on — then Osweiler could reenter the mix as a challenger to Kessler.
- Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich is entering his contract year, but at this point, he does not foresee himself playing for anyone other than New England, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Ninkovich was drafted by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 draft and spent several years with the Dolphins, but his career did not blossom until he signed with the Pats in 2009. Since 2010, he has posted at least four sacks per season as a versatile defensive end/linebacker, including three consecutive eight-sack seasons from 2012-14. He is so grateful for his time in New England that, when asked if he could envision himself playing for another club, he said, “I wouldn’t do that.”
- Tamba Hali‘s Twitter rant last night drew quite a bit of attention, but the Chiefs linebacker says he is not considering holding out and he has not been told he is not in the team’s 2017 plans. He said he simply wants to play more (Twitter link). Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star says (via Twitter) that Hali did address the matter internally back in January, and he was told by head coach Andy Reid to just “keep getting better.” That obviously did not sit well with Hali, who apparently stewed about it for some time before unleashing a bit last night.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders what, if anything, Trai Turner‘s recent four-year, $45MM extension could mean for Jaguars center Brandon Linder, who was drafted one spot behind Turner in the 2014 draft. Linder started his career at right guard but was moved to center last season after missing 13 games due to a shoulder injury in 2015. He has missed 15 total games in his career, and it sounds as if Jacksonville will simply allow him to play out his contract because of that injury history. If contract talks do commence this year, it will be interesting to see if Linder gets paid like a center or if he receives a deal that suggests he could return to right guard in the future.
Duane Brown Not Expected To Miss Games; Latest On DeAndre Hopkins
Texans left tackle Duane Brown stayed away from the team during voluntary OTAs and mandatory minicamp to express his displeasure over his current contract. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports, unsurprisingly, that Brown is expected to miss the start of training camp as well.
Brown is subject to fines of $40K for each day of camp that he holds out, though Wilson concedes that the 31-year-old has some leverage considering that Houston, which has championship aspirations this season but virtually no experience at the quarterback position, does not have an adequate replacement at left tackle. Nonetheless, there have been no negotiations between player and team, as Brown still has two years remaining on his current contract and the Texans do not renegotiate deals with two or more years remaining (Houston made exceptions to that rule for franchise icons Andre Johnson and J.J. Watt, but as good as Brown has been, he is not at that level).
Wilson adds, however, that Brown is not expected to miss any regular season games, so if the team does not give in, it sounds as if Brown will ultimately report. He ranks 11th among left tackles in cash compensation this year, as the six-year, $53.4MM deal he signed with Houston a few years ago has been surpassed by larger deals. He stands to earn $9.65MM in 2017.
In other Texans news, Wilson writes that the team and star wideout DeAndre Hopkins remain “highly motivated” to come to terms on a long-term deal, although negotiations have yet to pick up steam. However, there has been no “acrimony” on either side, and Hopkins is expected to report to camp on time, in contrast to his one-day holdout last year. Hopkins is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is due to earn $7.9MM in 2017.
Latest On Nick Mangold
It is not particularly surprising that all has been quiet on the Nick Mangold front, as it became clear earlier this offseason that the 33-year-old free agent was more likely to be a training camp signing if he elected to continue his football career. But now that training camp is upon us, there are still no new public reports regarding a possible match.
We most recently heard that the Dolphins are not interested in the Ohio State product, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com scratches another AFC East club off the list of potential suitors. Reiss, in response to a fan question as to whether Mangold could be a fit for the Patriots, says New England is not a likely landing spot at this time because Mangold is looking for a team that needs a starting center; he does not want to be “veteran depth.”
That, of course, is consistent with what we have heard all along. More interesting is Reiss’ report that Mangold was still getting physical therapy on his foot/ankle as of a month ago, which is not going to make teams that have been skeptical about his medicals — and that have considered him as more of a guard or depth option — any more excited about the prospect of signing him.
Reiss suggests that Mangold does not need or want to go through the grind of a training camp at this point in his career, and one camp injury could entirely change a team’s perception of Mangold (although Max Unger‘s injury did not prompt the Saints to check in on Mangold, Unger could be ready for Week 1).
The guess here, though, is that Mangold ends up in Baltimore. The Ravens, who met with Mangold back in May, have two glaring needs along their offensive line, at center and at right tackle. If Mangold can slot in at center, Baltimore would have a potentially excellent center-right guard combo with Mangold and Marshal Yanda. That would make the team much more comfortable in allowing Ryan Jensen, John Urschel, and rookie Nico Siragusa battle for the left guard job — and the losers of that competition would represent fairly strong depth — and it would allow the Ravens to move Alex Lewis out to right tackle, where he would represent a considerable upgrade over James Hurst.
As we heard several months ago, though, retirement is not out of the question for Mangold, so if he does not find an opportunity that suits him, he may simply elect to call it a career.
Ezekiel Elliott Accuser Addresses Alleged Incident
The NFL’s investigation into the domestic violence allegations against Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott is “wrapping up,” but considering this saga has dragged on for a year, it’s only fitting that there would be a new wrinkle to the story at the eleventh hour. Per TMZ.com, Elliott’s accuser issued the following statement on social media:
“Exactly one year ago today my life changed forever. Loving someone as much as I did, putting my all in no matter what happened. I finally got the strength to be the strong woman I was and got myself out of a very toxic relationship. Ladies never think you’re too in love or too scared to leave because at one point that was me. There’s plenty of opportunities out there for you. Love yourself first. Speak up and stop domestic violence.”
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes that, if the league chooses not to punish Elliott — though there is a sense he could receive a short suspension — the alleged victim may decide to tell her full story via an interview, a lawsuit, or both. I would posit that the NFL’s decision with respect to Elliott does not have much bearing on what action the alleged victim takes for herself, though Florio is correct in that her decision could put the NFL in an awkward position. If she does choose to go “more public,” the league would have to decide whether to reveal details that would refute her claims, or else face another PR storm.
Police have halted their investigation into a Dallas bar fight that allegedly involved Elliott because they can’t find the victim and witnesses aren’t cooperating.
Latest On Chargers Rookie WR Mike Williams
Conflicting reports emerged this week regarding the health status of Chargers rookie wideout Mike Williams, and today Williams attempted to clarify the nature of his back injury, according to James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
“I’m good,” Williams said. “Everything good. The back situation. That was some false information being released. I don’t know who released it, but everything is good.”
While Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported Wednesday that Williams may require season-ending surgery for a herniated disc, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated that surgery wasn’t on the table for the No. 7 overall pick. Still, Williams is likely to begin training on active/PUP, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, which theoretically means he could start the regular season on reserve/PUP, which requires an absence of six weeks.
Williams is “feeling better” following a recent epidural, tweets Garafolo, but even if he is forced to miss time, Los Angeles should have enough wide receiver depth to overcome his unavailability. The Chargers boast Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin, Tyrell Williams, and Dontrelle Inman, giving the club ample weapons to withstand Williams’ hypothetical recovery period.