Extra Points: Cardinals, Rams, Orton, Adams
The Cardinals are looking to possibly add some established veterans, but it’ll be a waiting game for those seeking employment, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. The Cards worked out veteran right tackle Tyson Clabo recently but the two sides have been unable to come to an agreement. Urban is reminded of the dance that the Cards did with tackle Eric Winston last season before ultimately signing him to a below asking price deal right before training camp.
- The Rams will not receive their $3MM offset on cornerback Cortland Finnegan‘s signing with the Dolphins until the 2015 cap year, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, that bit of news had no bearing on the team’s decision to restructure the contract of center Scott Wells, which created some immediate salary relief. Finnegan signed a two-year deal with Miami in March.
- The Kyle Orton watch will be on when the Cowboys hold their mandatory minicamp June 17-19, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Coach Jason Garrett reiterated that he anticipates Orton to take part in the minicamp, but he has not had any recent conversations with the Cowboys backup and he says he’s not sure Orton has a copy of the playbook to understand the changes implemented by new playcaller Scott Linehan.
- Unrestricted free agent safety Mike Adams tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter) that the 49ers, Browns, Jets, and Patriots are potential landing spots for him. However, he says the door for re-signing with the Broncos is likely closed.
- Even though there is no long-term deal imminent, Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds is hoping that will change before the start of the season. “I hope so, but it is one day at a time,” said Worilds, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “If I continue with that approach, everything will fall in line.”
- By the time training camp starts in late July, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter) expects Texans GM Rick Smith to sign a veteran offensive tackle to compete for the swing tackle job.
- Browns coach Mike Pettine is already making a strong impression in Cleveland, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The 47-year-old has instilled a strong work ethic in his new team and showed wisdom when he said no to HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for this offseason.
NFC Notes: Graham, Forte, Giants, Peterson
The grievance hearing on Jimmy Graham‘s franchise tag positional designation is scheduled for next week, and a source tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com that the NFL Management Council is preparing a “strong counterargument” against the NFLPA’s claim that Graham should be considered a receiver.
“The union’s position is a naked cash grab,” the source said. “It ignores Mr. Graham’s use as a traditional tight end on roughly 60% of the snaps where he lined up within four yards of the tackle. It also ignores the historical use of the tight end position.”
It’s fair to assume that Triplett’s source isn’t exactly an impartial observer, considering his comments sound like ones the NFL will make during the hearing. Taking into account that the Saints star lined up in the slot or split out wide for roughly two-thirds of his snaps in 2013, the decision certainly isn’t cut-and-dried, and the outcome could have significant ramifications not just on Graham’s next deal, but on the tight end position going forward.
Here’s more from out of the NFC:
- “I think I can play 12 years,” Bears running back Matt Forte tells John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Forte, who has two years left on his current contract, would have to play through the 2019 season to achieve that goal.
- The Giants have multiple free agents lined up for workouts this week, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, who writes in two separate pieces that the club will audition 6’5″ wide receiver Denzell Jones and former South Carolina cornerback Victor Hampton on Wednesday.
- Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals have yet to reach an agreement on a new long-term contract, but that didn’t stop the cornerback from reporting to the club’s mandatory minicamp today, says Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Agent Joel Segal and the Cards continue to discuss an extension for Peterson.
- Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com believes Justin Durant will be the Cowboys‘ starting middle linebacker when the regular season gets underway, but suggests that if Durant doesn’t play well in camp, the 28-year-old is a candidate to be cut or traded.
- Wide receiver Kain Colter received the biggest bonus ($8K) among the Vikings‘ undrafted free agent signings, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
Cardinals Sign Deone Bucannon
MONDAY, 9:35pm: ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss breaks down the rookie’s contract. Bucannon signed a four-year deal worth $7.71MM, $6.2MM guaranteed. The first three years of the contract are guaranteed, as is the safety’s $3.9MM signing bonus.
Bucannon will receive a base salary of $420K this season, but that will increase to $770K in 2015 and $1.12MM in 2016. In 2017, he has a non-guaranteed base salary of $934K in addition to a $537K roster bonus.
THURSDAY, 4:18pm: The Cardinals have signed first-round pick Deone Bucannon to a four-year deal, reports Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter). As the writer points out, the team has now signed all seven of its draft picks.
The former Washington State standout was the third safety selected in this year’s draft, going 27th overall to Arizona. The team received that pick (along with a third-round selection) from the Saints for pick No. 20.
A four-year starter for the Cougars, Bucannon established himself as one of the best safeties in college football. Last season, the senior was chosen as a first-team All-American and a first-team All-Pac-12 selection. He finished his college career with 384 tackles and 15 interceptions.
No Deal For Cardinals, Tyson Clabo
8:33pm: The Cardinals will not be inking Clabo to a contract, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Caplan says the team was interested in signing the veteran following his workout earlier today, but the two sides could not come to an agreement.
6:55pm: Veteran right tackle Tyson Clabo was expected to work out for the Cardinals on Monday, reported ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
Clabo, 32, is a veteran of 10 NFL seasons and 116 career starts. After seven years in Atlanta, Clabo spent 2013 in Miami, where he made 15 starts, allowing 11 sacks and drawing a -0.9 overall rating from Pro Football Focus, including a poor -8.4 run blocking grade. At one point, Clabo was benched for a week in favor of Jonathan Martin before Martin left the team.
Whether Clabo is offered a contract by the Cardinals remains to be seen, but his presence in Arizona could be reason for concern, as the team is desperately hoping Bobby Massie, Bradley Sowell or Nate Potter emerges as a viable right tackle option. Sowell, who went undrafted out of Ole Miss in 2012, started 12 games last season, but did not establish himself as a long-term answer. Potter, a seventh-round choice in 2012, has 21 career games under his belt, including six starts as a rookie, though he is an underpowered blocker better-suited for a backup role. Massie, a fourth-round pick in 2012, is the most physically gifted of the group (including desirable 35-inch arms), but after he was thrown into the fire as a rookie starter, the presence of veteran Eric Winston made Massie a backup last season.
The fact the team is looking to a street free agent, particularly one clearly past his prime (who did not garner a free-agent contract in March), could indicate the unproven trio is not inspiring confidence. The Cardinals had one of, if not the worst offensive lines in football last season, and the team’s quarterback has been sacked 99 times the last two seasons. Jared Veldheer was signed to solidify the blind side, but it’s apparent right tackle remains a question mark.
Minor Moves: Steelers, Jags, Browns, Cards, Pats
It’s been a fairly quiet day for transactions around the NFL, but a number of teams have completed minor moves, including signing mid-round draft picks. We’ll round up the day’s minor transactions right here:
- The Steelers now have seven of their nine draftees under contract, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve officially signed fourth-round receiver Martavis Bryant. Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports first reported earlier this afternoon (via Twitter) that Pittsburgh was close to locking up Bryant, who will receive a signing bonus worth about $439K, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com,
- The Jaguars also signed one of their draft picks today, as third-round guard Brandon Linder formally inked his rookie deal, per John Oesher of Jaguars.com (via Twitter). Jacksonville has essentially been working backward through its picks, so first-round quarterback Blake Bortles and second-round receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson remain unsigned.
- 2013 sixth-round defensive back Jamoris Slaughter has been cut by the Browns, the team confirmed today (Twitter link). Slaughter didn’t appear in a game for Cleveland during his rookie season. Meanwhile, the Browns added a couple new players to their roster (Twitter link), signing offensive lineman Alex Parsons and kicker Jake Rogers, who was let go by the Redskins last month.
- Veteran center John Estes, who signed with the Cardinals in March and was cut in May, is back with the team on a new contract, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Offensive lineman Christian Johnson was waived to make room.
- The Patriots have signed former New Hampshire tight end Kyle Auffray and cut undrafted rookie receiver Derrick Johnson, according to a team release.
Seven Teams Holding Mandatory Minicamps This Week
According to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk, the Cardinals, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Lions, Saints, and Buccaneers will hold their mandatory minicamps this week.
These mandatory minicamps are heavily regulated by the NFL’s CBA. Per the CBA, players undergo physical exams on Monday. The teams may then hold a mandatory veteran minicamp with three days of practice on Tuesday through Thursday. Although pads and contact drills are prohibited for these mini camps, players can wear helmets. Players may be on the field for a total of no more than 3.5 hours per day. No organized team activities, which include medical treatment and taping, may begin prior to 7:00am local time or end after 8:30pm local times, with one hour provided for both lunch and dinner.
Mandatory minicamps are not to be confused with voluntary minicamps, which are allowed to occur prior to the draft only in the event that a team has hired a new head coach that offseason.
NFC Notes: Zimmer, Newton, Kaepernick
A report yesterday quoted Vikings coach Mike Zimmer as saying that he almost didn’t show up for his second interview for the job. Today he clarified that story for reporters, including Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. The coach didn’t consider bailing on the Vikings interview because he wasn’t enthused for the position; he says he was just disappointed about not getting the Titans’ gig and didn’t think he had a great chance anywhere else. Here’s more out of the NFC..
- A lot of people are surprised by Colin Kaepernick‘s hefty new contract, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk argues that salary cap spikes could drive the quarterback market even higher. Because of that, he says that the Panthers need to move quickly on a new deal for QB Cam Newton. Soon, he says, the high-water mark for an elite QB will be $25MM per year and, eventually, $30MM per season. With another strong year or two, Newton could push the ceiling sky-high.
- The 49ers spent 15 hours straight negotiating with Kaepernick’s representatives, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The 49ers knew that the QB would play out his rookie deal rather than accepting anything with an average annual value under $20MM.
- The Falcons are counting on free agent pickup Dwight Lowery to fill their free safety hole, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After starting eight of 27 games for the Jets in 2009 and 2010, Lowery was a full-time starter for the Jaguars over the past three seasons. However, his season ended after just three games in 2013 after he suffered a bad concussion and went on injured reserve.
- There might not be an opportunity at present, but after signing a three-year extension with the Eagles yesterday, guard Allen Barbre says he would like to start, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Of course, the Eagles value his versatility off the bench as he has filled in admirably at both guard and tackle.
- Brian McNally of The Washington Times wonders if Redskins linebacker Keenan Robinson can fill the void left by the retirement of London Fletcher.
- The Cardinals signed undrafted rookie free agent running back Damien Thigpen, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. To make room, the Cards dropped wide receiver Kevin Smith. Thigpen was in rookie minicamp a couple of weeks ago with Arizona and apparently made quite an ipression. The 5’8″, 180 pound tailback tore his ACL late in his junior year and also missed part of his senior season.
Cardinals Sign Ernie Sims
WEDNESDAY, 11:47am: Sims’ one-year deal is a minimum salary benefit pact, with $10K in per-game roster bonuses, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). It’ll count for $580K against Arizona’s cap.
TUESDAY, 12:57pm: In the wake of Daryl Washington‘s season-long suspension, the Cardinals have moved quickly to shore up their linebacking corps. According to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter), the team has signed veteran linebacker Ernie Sims to a contract. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic adds (via Twitter) that it’ll be a one-year pact.
For much of his NFL career, which includes stints with the Lions, Eagles, Colts, and Cowboys, Sims has been an outside linebacker, but he spent some time playing on the inside during his last two seasons in Dallas. The 29-year-old, who visited the Cardinals last week, likely won’t be tasked with assuming Washington’s starting role, but will compete for playing time and should provide some depth at the inside linebacker position.
With Washington expected to miss the entire 2014 season and Karlos Dansby having departed in free agency, Kevin Minter appears likely to slip into one of the two starting ILB spots in Arizona’s 3-4 scheme. Free agent signee Larry Foote may have the inside track on the other spot.
In 12 games (six starts) for the Cowboys last season, Sims contributed 42 tackles and a forced fumble. However, his Pro Football Focus grades were significantly below average, due in large part to subpar run defense (subscription required).
Latest On Daryl Washington
Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington is facing a year-long suspension from the NFL, but the team doesn’t intend to cut ties with him at this point, says ESPN.com’s Ed Werder. According to Werder, there are two reasons the Cards won’t release Washington: The acceleration of dead money would increase the linebacker’s 2014 cap hit (from $6MM to $11.5MM) and the team would no longer be in position to recoup a portion of his $10MM option bonus.
As Werder explains, even though a prorated portion of that bonus applies to the cap in 2014, none of the $10MM has actually been paid yet. By keeping Washington on the roster through March, Arizona triggered that bonus, but Joel Corry of CBSSports tweets that it’s scheduled to be paid in three separate future installments. As such, the Cards will be looking to at least avoid paying the first $2.5MM installment which applies to the 2014 season, though it remains to be seen what happens with the rest of the bonus.
While the Cardinals attempt to recoup some of the money owed to Washington, the team will place the 27-year-old on the reserve-suspended list, writes Werder. In addition to potentially forfeiting $2.5MM in option bonus money, Washington is also expected to lose his $2.9MM base salary, $100K in workout bonuses, and about $457K in prorated signing bonus money.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Finley, Rams
The 49ers have had some wildly successful draft classes in recent years, and Sports On Earth’s Dan Pompei has a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the team’s 2014 draft. The author explains the strategy and thinking that went into each selection.
The team’s first-round pick, safety Jimmie Ward, wasn’t necessarily expected to be an early pick. While some teams focused on his injury and size, the 49ers focused on a strategy used by former Jets’ duo Bill Parcels and Dick Haley. General manager Trent Baalke said he learned that there are “few players who can perform at a high level regardless of system.” As a result, a coach should draft a player who fits nicely into their scheme.
“I learned that a long time ago,” said Baalke. “Coach Parcells was the guy I looked at and learned the most from, he and Dick Haley. That was always the question with them, how do they fit what we are going to ask him to do? For us, it’s critical.”
The author has other interesting insight, including the team’s selection of basketball player Bruce Ellington and trade for Steve Johnson.
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC West…
- The Seahawks are out of the Jermichael Finley sweepstakes, sources tell Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com added that Seattle was the player’s only free agent visit (via Twitter), but agent Blake Baratz said the tight end had a visit scheduled this past Friday with an unknown team.
- The Seahawks handling of Doug Baldwin‘s extension shows that the organization will reward a performing player regardless of how they were acquired, writes Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. The writer says that the receiver is “emblematic of their incredible knack for not only unearthing talent, but for manifesting the Darwinian forces that allow smart, tough, motivated players to thrive.”
- The Rams will likely make an effort to extend Pro Bowl punter Johnny Hekker, writes ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner.
- When looking at adding veterans, a linebacker may be the most likely addition for the Rams, Wagoner says in his chat. He adds that Will Witherspoon could be that guy.
- While evaluating the Rams‘ depth on the offensive line, Wagoner concludes that there are eight players competing for four or five spots. He says the team could also carry fewer lineman due to the versatility of Rodger Saffold, Greg Robinson and Barrett Jones.
- Following the announcement of Daryl Washington‘s season-long suspension, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com opines that the Cardinals need to cut ties with the linebacker. The writer believes that Washington’s priorities are “not in line with those of an elite player” and that he shouldn’t be given a third chance following his other suspension in 2013.