Panthers Fire GM Dave Gettleman
The Panthers announced that they have fired GM Dave Gettleman. The news comes as a total shock, particularly since Gettleman was left in charge to oversee the draft and the main stages of free agency before his dismissal. 
“After much thought and a long evaluation of our football operations, I have decided to relieve Dave Gettleman of his duties as general manager,” Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said. “I want to thank Dave for the role he played in our success over the past four seasons. While the timing of this decision is not ideal, a change is needed.”
Like the Chiefs, the Panthers have shocked the football world by firing their GM late in the offseason. And, also like the Chiefs, they have already allowed a prime in-house candidate to leave for another team. Earlier this year, Brandon Beane left his post in Carolina as assistant GM to take over as the Bills’ new GM. In similar fashion, the Chiefs watched Chris Ballard take the Colts’ GM gig only to fire John Dorsey months later. The Chiefs went on to fill the vacancy by promoting Brett Veach to the top job. It remains to be seen whether the Panthers will immediately go in-house or if they will also consider outside candidates.
Whoever takes over for Gettleman, whether it be on a permanent or interim basis, will have to address some high-impact matters in the coming weeks. Gettleman was gearing up for extension talks with linebacker Thomas Davis and tight end Greg Olsen has been pushing for a revised contract. On top of that, someone will have to make the tough decisions as the Panthers trim down to a 53-man roster on Sept. 2.
The Panthers went 6-10 in 2016 after making the playoffs in each of Gettleman’s first three seasons with the team. He was scheduled to return from his Cape Cod vacation this week. Now, Gettleman may want to look into extending his trip.
Nothing Close For Steelers, Le’Veon Bell
With just hours to go before the franchise tender extension deadline, there’s nothing close or imminent in talks between the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Still, negotiations are ongoing. 
There has been a sizable gap between the two parties in talks this summer, but it is believed that Bell is more likely to sign before the deadline than fellow franchise-tagged players Kirk Cousins and Trumaine Johnson. Cousins and Johnson are each set to play on their second consecutive franchise tags, meaning that they both have a 20% salary bump over last year’s salary. Both players also seem eager to test the open market next offseason.
Bell, meanwhile, has made it clear that he wants to stay with the Steelers and that feeling is very much mutual. He can play out the 2017 season for a healthy $12.12MM salary, but it is in the interest of both sides to figure out a multi-year deal that will keep Bell in place for years.
The Steelers can theoretically control Bell through the franchise tag in 2018 and 2019, but the cost would be exceptionally high. Bell, meanwhile, could cash in on the open market next spring, but the high risk of injury for running backs means that he cannot really bank on anything beyond 2017.
Latest On Panthers TE Greg Olsen
When Panthers GM Dave Gettleman gets back from vacation this week, his first order of business will be to work on an extension with linebacker Thomas Davis, a source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Meanwhile, the team has not discussed a new deal with tight end Greg Olsen and Gettleman has yet to show any indication that he is willing to give him a reworked contract. 
Olsen is hoping for a new deal that will reflect his status as one of the game’s most productive tight ends. The 32-year-old is scheduled to earn base salaries of $6.5MM in the next two seasons while counting for $10.35MM and $9.75MM on the Panthers’ salary cap in those respective years. The three-year extension that Olsen signed prior to the 2015 season included a $12MM signing bonus, so the Panthers might not be so quick to give him additional money for the next two years.
Recently, when discussing his contract situation, Olsen did not rule out the possibility of a training camp holdout. Over the weekend, agent Drew Rosenhaus also hinted at the possibility, cautioning that players like Olsen do not want to “exercise” their “leverage” unless it’s necessary. If Olsen skips camp, he’ll be docked $40K for every day he misses.
Davis, 34, said earlier this summer that he is hoping for an extension that will take him beyond 2017. The veteran is coming off of his second straight Pro Bowl appearance after totaling 106 tackles, three picks, and two fumble recoveries.
NFL Window Nearly Closed For Greg Hardy
Greg Hardy was scheduled to participate in last weekend’s Spring League Showcase, but he did not take the field with the other NFL hopefuls in California. Instead, Hardy is choosing to focus on his MMA training, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Mike Florio of PFT. 
Hardy still hopes to get a chance in the NFL, Rosenhaus says, but both the player and his rep are being realistic about the odds. The agent is hoping that the former Panthers and Cowboys defensive end will get a call from an interested team in the next month, but there’s no reason to think that there will suddenly be a groundswell of interest.
Hardy received zero bites from any teams last offseason after starting 12 games for the Cowboys in 2015. He’s now even further removed from live action but he’s just as toxic as he was before from a PR perspective. There’s also the matter of his perceived attitude problem. Even when he was bestowed with a second chance with the Cowboys, Hardy was reportedly irritable and frequently late for practice.
As talented as he is, teams feel they have little incentive to kick the tires on Hardy. Barring a miracle, it sounds like Hardy will be devoting himself to cage fighting full time rather than pursuing a return to the gridiron.
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott Involved In Fight
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was involved in a late-night incident at a Dallas bar Sunday, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The news was first reported by 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas. 
[RELATED: Elliott To Receive Suspension For Domestic Violence Accusations?]
Elliott was not arrested or detained following the altercation, but this is terrible timing for the running back as he faces a potential suspension for accusations of domestic violence. The NFL has been known to levy punishments even when the legal system does not see fit to do so and this bar fight may increase the likelihood of a multi-game suspension.
According to a statement from the Dallas Police, officers were called to a disturbance on Sunday in which a 30-year-old male victim said he was assaulted but he did not know who hit him. The victim was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. No arrests were made and nobody was listed as a suspect, but the investigation is ongoing.
Last week, it was reported that that Elliott could face a one- or two-game suspension from the league. It would make sense for the NFL to levy its punishment sooner rather than later so that Elliott can have time before Week 1 to go through the appeals process, but this latest incident could gum up the works even further.
Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs
Plenty changed in Kansas City since the Chiefs’ narrow divisional-round defeat. High-profile moves came after the Chiefs missed out on another opportunity to advance to an AFC championship game, a round the franchise hasn’t seen in 23 years.
The changes — severing ties with John Dorsey, cutting Jeremy Maclin, and drafting a first-round quarterback for the first time in 34 years — have the defending AFC West champions’ future in question. After being one of the top challengers for AFC supremacy this season, it’s tough to make a case the Chiefs are markedly improved for 2017.
Considering most of the moves the Chiefs made in previous offseasons were about immediate success, and they helped create a team on the rise over the past four years, the team took a bit of a different approach this offseason.
Notable signings:
- Eric Berry, S: Six years, $78MM. $29.8MM guaranteed. Had been assigned franchise tag.
- Bennie Logan, DT: One year, $8MM. $7.68MM guaranteed.
- Gavin Escobar, TE: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Mike Person, G: One year, minimum salary benefit. $50K guaranteed.
- Cairo Santos, K: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
- Albert Wilson, WR: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
- Donald Hawkins, OL: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Jarvis Jenkins, DL: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- C.J. Spiller, RB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Cam Thomas, DT: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Andrew Tiller, OL: One year, $690K.
- Josh Mauga, LB: Contract terms unknown.
- Steven Terrell, S: Contract terms unknown.
During an offseason that became known more for the men the Chiefs parted with than those they acquired, Kansas City did sign Berry to an extension at long last. Berry was attached to an old-CBA rookie contract until 2016, and he played last season on the franchise tag. But the Chiefs’ indecision on Berry last summer ended up costing them financially. The sides reportedly never got close on a deal by July 2016, leading to the tag season, but said campaign ended up being Berry’s best.
He came up with game-saving turnovers in road wins in Atlanta and Charlotte and helped the Chiefs to their first division title in six years. And with the marketplace changing in between Berry negotiations, thanks to the Cardinals’ landmark deal for Tyrann Mathieu in August of last year, Berry’s camp — representing one of only two active three-time first-team All-Pro safeties — could talk from a greater position of strength. Berry is now the highest-paid safety at $13MM AAV, and his deal will take him well into his 30s. The Chiefs continued their Dorsey-era style of backloading contracts, with Berry’s 2017 cap number sitting at $5MM. That jumps to $13MM in 2018 and $16.5MM in ’19.
Kansas City’s only notable March outside acquisition came in Logan, who will be the rare Philadelphia-to-Kansas City transplant that did not have an Andy Reid connection. Logan joined the Eagles as a third-rounder in 2013, months after Reid headed for western Missouri. Logan will take over starting nose tackle duties from Dontari Poe and return to the 3-4 scheme he played in for three seasons in Philly. Kansas City has used a 3-4 scheme since 2009, but Philadelphia switched to a 4-3 look last season that had Logan slightly out of position.
The Chiefs were up against the cap entering free agency again, limiting their ability to spend on multiple players. But for a third straight year, the team did walk away with a proven starter acquired. They signed Maclin in 2015 and Mitchell Schwartz last year despite limited funds. But this offseason, not much else transpired for the team during free agency’s premier month.
5 Key Stories: 7/9/17 – 7/16/17
Ezekiel Elliott could face suspension: Allegations from a woman in 2016 claiming the Cowboys running back hit her on multiple occasions could result in a multi-game suspension for the second-year player. Although no charges were filed nor was an arrest made, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter senses that Elliott could be facing a two-game ban as a result of this allegation. The league’s ugly recent history with domestic violence may cause this ban, especially considering less evidence is required to produce an NFL ban than a legal punishment. The Cowboys host the Giants in Week 1 then travel to Denver for a Broncos tilt in Week 2.
Broncos working to extend John Elway: Denver’s GM is entering his contract year, but several reports came out late this week that the team and its top front office executive are in talks about a new deal. Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) reported nothing was imminent, but the Colorado Springs Gazette’s Woody Paige reported a deal could get done as soon as next week. And Paige reported the deal is expected to make Elway the league’s highest-paid pure GM. Affiliated with the Broncos in a front office capacity since 2011, Elway will see his contract expire in March if no new deal is reached.
Chiefs hire next GM: The Chiefs promoted Brett Veach to succeed John Dorsey. The 39-year-old Veach worked with the team for the previous two years as co-player personnel director and initially made the move to Kansas City from Philadelphia in 2013, along with Andy Reid. Veach interviewed for the job in late June, shortly after the Chiefs fired Dorsey after a successful four-season tenure. Despite working under both Dorsey and now-Colts GM Chris Ballard during his time in K.C., Veach will become the franchise’s seventh GM. Other candidates — like the Chiefs’ other co-player personnel director, Mike Borgnozi, along with Seahawks co-player personnel director Scott Fitterer and Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden were in the running for the job.
Sam Darnold might stay not turn pro in 2018: Potentially the No. 1 overall pick should he declare for the 2018 draft, the USC quarterback said that’s not a certainty at this time. Darnold said he is taking this one year at a time. This comes after a report surfaced last week indicating Darnold might play out his tenure with the Trojans. While the temptation to be paid for playing football might turn out to be too great for Darnold, it won’t be the first time this century a USC passer expected to go No. 1 balked. Matt Leinart was viewed as the 2005 top pick before waiting a year and going No. 10 in the 2006 draft.
Kirk Cousins impasse approaches second tag deadline: The name that dominated the week from a volume standpoint, Cousins remains unsigned and is expected to play another season on the franchise tag. Schefter reported Cousins and the Redskins aren’t expected to agree to a deal by 3pm CT Monday, but the sides are having more productive talks that could produce an agreement in early 2018. Mark Jones of the Washington Post reported the gradual numbers the Redskins proposed over the past two years; the franchise continually isn’t comfortable with the demands coming out of Cousins’ camp. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report noted former GM Scot McCloughan was not on board with paying Cousins $20MM per year after the 2015 season, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported there’s been disagreements internally in Washington about Cousins’ value this offseason.
PFR Originals: 7/9/17 – 7/16/17
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 eight teams this week:
- As the franchise tag deadline looms on Monday, PFR’s Zach Links examined the situation in Pittsburgh. The high tag number ($12.12MM) provides a safe floor for Le’Veon Bell if the Steelers and their star running back can’t agree on terms, but Bell’s injury history and off-field track record could give the team pause.
- The other two franchise-tagged performers, the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins and Rams’ Trumaine Johnson, don’t appear any closer than Bell to reaching an agreement. Zach asked readers which player would be the most likely to sign a long-term deal. Although “none” made a good fight of it, readers went with Bell here.
Extra Points: Contracts, Kaepernick, Manziel
The peak of the NBA’s free agent season and the eye-popping contracts it generated had more of an impact than usual on the NFL this year, thanks in large part to Richard Sherman‘s recent comments that, if NFL players are to begin receiving the same share of their league’s revenue as NBA players receive — and/or see more guaranteed money in their deals — they are going to need to be prepared to go on strike. The NFL Players Association has publicly sided with Sherman (via Twitter), but scribes like Ben Volin of the Boston Globe are not so sure.
Volin says the problem with NFL players going on strike is that their career span is much shorter than their NBA and MLB counterparts, and half of the players who are currently in the league will not be when the current collective bargaining agreement expires in the spring of 2021. That reality means that NFL players will justifiably want to maximize their earnings before their careers are over and do not really care what happens to their successors.
Likewise, Volin does not believe the focus should be on more guaranteed money, though other writers like Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believe teams should consider offering fully guaranteed contracts immediately. Volin believes that, if contracts become guaranteed, owners would simply adjust by giving players shorter deals and less money up front. Instead, Volin says the solution to NFL players’ “problem” is twofold. He says the union should 1) work to remove the franchise tag, which prevents players from realizing their true value and can keep them under their original club’s control through their prime seasons; and 2) fix the rookie contract system, which has eliminated the NFL’s “middle class” by allowing teams to replace serviceable veterans with much cheaper rookies. Indeed, the league has been trending younger and younger, and fewer players are getting a second contract.
This is a discussion that will only pick up steam the closer we get to 2021, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at a few more links from around the league:
- It was not that long ago that running backs were viewed as dime-a-dozen assets in a pass-heavy league, but players like Le’Veon Bell, Ezekiel Elliott, and David Johnson have helped to change that perception. Johnson himself has noticed as much, and he believes Bell’s next contract — the Steelers star will likely play out 2017 on his franchise tender, but another strong season could make for an interesting free agency case in 2018 — will have a ripple effect on the league’s top rushers. Johnson said, “We’re making the running back position more relevant, much more important. I feel like you need a running back to have a successful team. Hopefully starting with [Bell] getting the contract he deserves, hopefully that can jump start the running backs being more important in this league” (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News).
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes that two of the world’s most notable unemployed men, Johnny Manziel and Colin Kaepernick, are represented by the same firm, Select Sports Group (though they are represented by different agents within the firm). Florio says that fact could create a conflict of interest, as both players are vying for the same quarterback jobs. Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal disagrees, as she points out that it is common for NFL agents to specialize in representing players at a certain position (Twitter link). Florio also says that, if Manziel gets an NFL job before Kaepernick — we learned yesterday Manziel has had conversations with several clubs, though it is unclear if they were serious conversations — it will intensify the claims that Kaepernick is being blackballed by the league. That proposition, too, seems suspect, as Kaepernick has not displayed much interest in continuing his football career, his visit to the Seahawks notwithstanding.
- Lance Zierlien of NFL.com takes a look at 10 collegiate offensive linemen who could make a splash in the NFL in 2018. His list includes Ohio State’s Billy Price, who, like Vikings rookie and Ohio State product Pat Elflein, will switch from guard to center this year.
Kirk Cousins’ Asking Price $24MM Per Year?
After the ESPN.com report presenting the bleak prognosis for a Kirk Cousins long-term deal by Monday’s franchise tag deadline, Mark Jones of the Washington Post details some of the numbers believed to be involved in this process.
Jones notes an extension by Monday is unlikely, but the Redskins reporter adds the price changed over the past year — with the franchise tag’s value having plenty to do with it. Now that Cousins is set to earn a guaranteed $23.94MM on a second tag, agent Mike McCartney set the starting point for a long-term Washington deal at $24MM annually. The Redskins were not ready to meet that demand. However, Redskins brass upped their offer considerably over the past year.
ESPN’s John Keim reported Cousins received an initial proposal of a middling $12MM-per-year salary before seeing a $16MM-AAV offer come his way last year. With Cousins’ 2016 tag giving him a $19.9MM salary, McCartney’s demand last year hovered around $20MM per year. But Washington “bristled” at that demand last year, per Jones. Interestingly, the Redskins were ready to pay $20MM annually this year, submitting a five-year, $100MM offer to Cousins.
But with the tag price going up and the $25MM-per-year cost of Derek Carr‘s deal (and Matthew Stafford‘s expected pact anticipated to be north of that), $20MM AAV was no longer satisfactory, leading to the 2017 impasse.
Jones adds that for the Redskins to sign Cousins, a deal worth around $28MM per year — which would be the transition tag amount, should Washington go that route — would need to be committed. (No NFL player has ever signed for more than $25MM per year.) Guarantees at signing for said agreement would need to be $52-$58MM and additional guarantees of between $30-$35MM. Carr signed for $40MM guaranteed at signing, with $30MM more in total guarantees. The Redskins have not been willing to authorize this kind of a pact for Cousins.
Jones reports Cousins has told some he would like to test free agency to see what is out there for him. He will turn 30 by the time he would be set to play for the 2018 Redskins or another team, but with franchise-level passers never reaching that stage, Cousins would surely be in demand.
After Monday, Cousins’ price should go up again because of the costs associated with another one-year rental in 2018. A franchise tag would cost more than $34MM in 2018, and the Lions and Falcons potentially set to raise the per-year salary bar for Stafford and Matt Ryan, respectively, quarterbacks will soon be in line to command more.
That said, Cousins lost two 1,000-yard receivers in Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, and the architect of the offenses that enabled him to establish new Redskins single-season benchmarks is also gone. Without his wideouts or Sean McVay, Cousins may have tougher sledding in matching the kind of seasons he posted under the previous setup. But barring a massive regression, the quarterback’s asking prices probably won’t plummet considerably.