Minor NFL Transactions: 3/3/16
Today’s round of minor transactions around the NFL is dominated by exclusive-rights free agents. ERFAs are players with less than three years of NFL experience, who don’t have a contract for 2016.
While these players are technically considered free agents, they don’t have any real freedom when it comes to picking their destinations — if their current teams want them back, all those clubs have to do is submit an ERFA tender (typically worth the minimum salary), which precludes those players from negotiating with any other teams.
Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
- The Bears have tendered a contract offer to ERFA wide receiver Josh Bellamy, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Bellamy saw a decent amount of playing time on offense, catching 19 passes for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and was also one of the club’s top contributors on special teams.
- The Cardinals have assigned ERFA tenders to defensive tackle Josh Mauro and tight end Ifeanyi Momah, signaling that they want to bring back those players, the team announced today on its website. Momah missed the 2015 campaign with a knee injury, while Mauro was a depth piece on Arizona’s defensive line.
- The Titans have re-signed ERFA running back Antonio Andrews, the club announced in a press release. The move is classified as a re-signing rather than a simple contract tender because Andrews has already signed the offer. He figures to compete for a roster spot in Tennessee in 2016.
- The Buccaneers have assigned an ERFA tender to long snapper Andrew DePaola, agent Sean Stellato tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). DePaola has been Tampa Bay’s full-time long snapper since the start of the 2014 season.
Restricted Free Agent Tenders: 3/3/16
Over the next several days, there will be a ton of news on NFL teams assigning contract tenders to their restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents. Until a player signs his tender, he technically remains a free agent, but the offer ensures that he won’t be able to hit the open market.
For restricted free agents, teams can offer a first-round tender, a second-round tender, an original-round/right-of-first-refusal tender. The majority of RFAs will get that last tender, which allows the player to test the market and potentially sign an offer sheet, while giving his current team the opportunity to match that offer. A higher tender would ensure the player’s team compensation in the form of an early-round draft pick if he signs elsewhere.
Here are today’s updates on RFA tenders:
- The Giants have assigned a low-end RFA tender worth $1.671MM to tight end Larry Donnell, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Donnell’s 2015 campaign came to a premature end when he suffered a neck injury, but it’s not expected to jeopardize his career. As Pelissero adds (via Twitter), Tamika Cheatham, Donnell’s agent, says his client is doing well in rehab and can’t wait to play.
- After tendering safety Tony Jefferson at the low-end level on Wednesday, the Cardinals have assigned the same tender to wide receiver Jaron Brown and safety D.J. Swearinger, per Pelissero (via Twitter). Brown and Swearinger will have the opportunity to explore the market next week, though I don’t expect the duo to draw as much interest as Jefferson will.
- The Colts have extended a qualifying offer to tight end Jack Doyle, the team announced today in a press release. With Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen both eligible for free agency, it looks like the team wants to make sure it retains Doyle, a solid depth piece. He also got the low-end tender, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Free Agent Rumors: Roddy, Irvin, Conte, Mack
The Falcons released wide receiver Roddy White earlier today, ensuring that the veteran pass-catcher won’t spend a 12th season in Atlanta. But another NFC club could soon come calling, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) says the Buccaneers are a team to “keep an eye on” as White looks for his new home. The connection makes sense, as new Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter was the Falcons offensive coordinator from 2012-14.
Only one week remains until the start of free agency, so let’s round up the latest rumors…
- In a piece looking at NFL free agency from a broad point-of-view, John Clayton of ESPN.com suggests that Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin should be able to garner $9.5MM per year on the open market, and points to the Jaguars and Falcons as potential suitors. But according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), NFL front offices “would do cartwheels” if Irvin could be had for that price, as the 28-year-old is expected to command a “significantly higher” salary.
- The Buccaneers are meeting with the agent for free agent safety Chris Conte this week as part of an effort to re-sign him before the beginning of free agency, reports Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). A report last week indicated that Tampa would like to retain Conte, who just finished up his first season with the club after four years in Chicago.
- Running back Matt Asiata will hit free agency for the first time next week, and the Vikings seem to want to keep him around, writes Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Minnesota reportedly values Asiata’s pass-blocking acumen, as well as his prowess near the goal line.
- Center Alex Mack opted out of his Browns contract earlier today, and is now the top center available in free agency. One team that isn’t expected to show interest in signing Mack is the Cardinals, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, who notes that the Cards simply have too many internal free agents and other holes to fill to cough up the $10MM salary that Mack will surely request.
Cardinals Tender RFA Tony Jefferson
The first restricted free agent tender of the offseason has been assigned to Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson, a source tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who adds that Arizona offered Jefferson the lowest tender. If he signs the tender, Jefferson will be paid $1.671MM for the 2016 season.
[RELATED: RB Chris Johnson wants to re-sign with Arizona]
By giving Jefferson the lowest tender, the Cardinals are opening themselves up to seeing Jefferson poached by another club. If a competing team signs Jefferson to an offer sheet, and Arizona declines to match, it would only be entitled to original round compensation. But because Jefferson was an undrafted free agent, the Cardinals wouldn’t receive a draft pick in return if Jefferson opts to sign elsewhere.
Joining a new NFL club is certainly on the table for Jefferson, and according to Rand Getlin of NFL Network (Twitter link), the Texans are a “team to watch,” as they are on the hunt for an upgrade at safety. Houston saw four players — Andre Hal, Eddie Pleasant, Quintin Demps, and Rahim Moore — rotate through the safety positions last season, and as I noted in my preview of the Texans’ offseason, the team could look to add another contributor in the secondary.
It’s a bit surprising that the Cardinals would tender at Jefferson at the lowest level, as the 24-year-old has been solid in the defensive backfield during his three seasons in the desert. He’s appeared in all 48 possible games, starting 17, and played on more than 70% of Arizona’s snaps last season. The production has been there, too — Jefferson graded as the No. 18 safety among 88 qualifiers in 2015, per Pro Football Focus.
Cap space is something of an issue for the Cardinals, to be sure, as they rank 20th with about $19.3MM in reserves. And the club does have other free agents to re-sign, including Jefferson’s secondary mates Rashad Johnson and Jerraud Powers. But the second round tender is only valued $2.553MM, not even $1MM more than the original round tender, and likely would have come with enough of a draft pick cost attached to dissuade other suitors. For $882K, Arizona is risking the loss of a valuable option in the secondary.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Coughlin, Peppers, 49ers, Cooper
When Tom Coughlin‘s departure as Giants head coach was announced in January, it was classified as a resignation. At the time though, it was considered more of a firing, with most observers believing that the team would have made a change if Coughlin had been unwilling to step down. The veteran head coach insinuated as much during an appearance on the Jay Mohr Show on FOX Sports Radio, per John Healy of the New York Daily News.
“Hey, do I agree with the move? Of course not,” Coughlin said. “It hurts. It hurts. ‘Former’ is not a good word. I don’t like the word but that’s the way it is.”
As Coughlin continues to consider his next career move, whether that involves joining the Giants’ front office, waiting on another head coaching job, or simply retiring, let’s check out a few more odds and ends from around the NFC…
- Julius Peppers acknowledges that within “the next four years, somewhere in there,” he’ll be calling it a career, but that won’t happen this offseason, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press details. The veteran edge defender plans to play for the Packers in 2016, and based on a February report, it sounds like the club will welcome him back for the final year of his contract.
- In Jerry Jones‘ ideal world, the Cowboys would have the same sort of handoff from Tony Romo to their next QB that the Packers did they had Aaron Rodgers ready to replace Brett Favre. Todd Archer of ESPN.com has the details and the quotes from the Cowboys’ owner.
- Bill Williamson of FanRag Sports (Twitter link) is hearing that the 49ers won’t be shy about spending money during the free agent period next week. Williamson identifies cornerback Sean Smith, running back Doug Martin, and offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele as possible targets for San Francisco.
- The 49ers reworked tackle Joe Staley‘s contract today, converting $4MM into a signing bonus, per ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini (via Twitter). However, the move was procedural and won’t change the club’s cash or cap outlook for 2016, a source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.om (Twitter link). Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examined Staley’s unusual bonus situation last April, and that explanation looks relevant once again.
- The Cardinals are considering moving Jonathan Cooper to center, Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 reports (on Twitter). Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirm Arizona’s plans for their thus-far-disappointing lineman here (Twitter links). Cooper’s made just 11 regular-season starts at guard since being drafted by the Cardinals at No. 7 overall in 2013. A knee injury shelved Cooper last season after he made nine starts, and Ted Larsen supplanted him in the Cardinals’ lineup. Larsen is a free agent, as is Lyle Sendlein, who’s started 124 games at center for Arizona since 2007.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Draft Rumors: Wentz, Jack, Neal, Cardinals
North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz is now considered the favorite to be the the first quarterback off the board in April’s draft, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Of six executives polled by Peliserro, four believed Wentz would be the first QB selected, while two placed votes for Cal’s Jared Goff.
“I knew once (Wentz) got around the coaches and stuff, they’d eat him up,” one scout told the USA Today scribe. “This guy’s unique. He’s just different. And obviously, he’s 6’5″, 230, and can spin it like a mother.”
With the draft just over two months away, let’s take a look at the latest news and notes:
- A report earlier this month indicated that UCLA linebacker Myles Jack was not yet cleared to participate in the combine due to a knee injury, and according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, NFL teams still have some questions about the ailment. Jack tore his meniscus and then underwent surgery in September, and Archer writes that medical issues surrounding Jack will be cleared up following today’s tests at the combine.
- Florida safety Keanu Neal is generating “glowing reports” around the NFL, and it’s possible he could sneak into the first round, per Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com, adding that the only concern about Neal is recurring hamstring issues. Both the Steelers and the Cardinals have been linked to Neal, reports Pauline.
- We’ve heard before that the Cardinals plan to target pass rush help this offseason, but as Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic writes, pass rushers might be hard to find in the 2016 draft class, which is said to be deeper in interior line prospects than in edge defenders. But as Somers notes, Arizona’s defense has shown a history of malleability, so if a top interior prospect falls to them at pick No. 29, the club can take him and mold their defense to fit their new addition.
QB Rumors: Manning, Flacco, Kaepernick
After repeatedly expressing since the Super Bowl that there’s no timeline for Peyton Manning to make his decision on whether or not to retire, Broncos general manager John Elway admitted during an appearance on NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk that he’ll need – and get – an answer before Manning’s 2016 salary becomes guaranteed on March 9th. Elway said on Thursday that the veteran quarterback still needs a little more time.
Here are a few more quarterback-related notes and rumors from around the NFL:
- The Ravens are growing more confident that they’ll be able to get a reworked deal done with quarterback Joe Flacco, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Zrebiec cautions that nothing is done yet, but says the outlook is improving. Any agreement between the two sides would, of course, reduce Flacco’s $28.55MM cap hit for 2016.
- Per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers view Colin Kaepernick‘s 2016 base salary ($11.9MM) as reasonable, and continue to believe that he has plenty of upside, so the team is still debating how to handle his trade request.
- With Carson Palmer set to turn 37 later this year, the Cardinals will need to identify a potential replacement for him at some point in the not-too-distant future. But as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes, that doesn’t mean the club will draft a QB this spring, since GM Steve Keim insists he doesn’t want to force a pick.
- Texans head coach Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith have no problem with owner Bob McNair publicly expressing that the team needs a solution at quarterback, says Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Both men acknowledge that McNair is right, and as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle outlines, O’Brien has a lengthy checklist for what traits he looks for in QBs.
- Generally speaking, teams lock up their starting quarterbacks before they reach unrestricted free agency, but there are several intriguing options set to become available this year, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who thinks 2016’s class could be the deepest and most interesting group of free agent QBs in years.
NFLPA Announces Cap Carryover Amounts
The NFL Players Association issued a press release today announcing the salary cap carryover amounts for all 32 NFL teams for the 2016 season. The official salary cap amount for 2016 has yet to be announced by the league, but it’s expected to be in the neighborhood of $155MM+. When that figures becomes official, it can be added to each team’s carryover amount to determine that club’s official cap for 2016.
According to the press release, the Broncos, Rams, and the Saints are the only teams that opted not to carry over the full amount available to them, though none of those clubs are believed to have left significant amounts on the table.
Here are the salary cap carryover amounts for 2016, per the NFLPA, from highest to lowest:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $32,774,928
- Tennessee Titans: $20,783,801
- Cleveland Browns: $20,734,144
- Oakland Raiders: $13,373,617
- San Francisco 49ers: $12,206,686
- New York Giants: $11,193,231
- Miami Dolphins: $9,137,544
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $7,987,748
- Cincinnati Bengals: $7,587,902
- Philadelphia Eagles: $7,255,362
- Green Bay Packers: $6,953,847
- Washington: $5,837,734
- Indianapolis Colts: $4,950,629
- Buffalo Bills: $4,467,331
- Atlanta Falcons: $3,905,771
- Carolina Panthers: $3,731,200
- Dallas Cowboys: $3,571,239
- Denver Broncos: $3,300,000
- Arizona Cardinals: $3,031,663
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $3,000,327
- Kansas City Chiefs: $2,622,838
- New York Jets: $2,484,216
- San Diego Chargers: $2,287,176
- Minnesota Vikings: $2,090,409
- Houston Texans: $1,637,055
- Baltimore Ravens: $1,633,944
- New Orleans Saints: $1,400,000
- New England Patriots: $1,347,882
- Los Angeles Rams: $933,521
- Chicago Bears: $867,589
- Detroit Lions: $862,191
- Seattle Seahawks: $11,587
NFC Notes: Cousins, Reiff, Falcons, Floyd
As noted earlier this afternoon, Washington‘s Scot McCloughan wasn’t on today’s schedule of general managers or head coaches to hold formal press conferences at the combine in Indianapolis. However, he did speak to the media about his team’s contract talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins.
While McCloughan didn’t go into specifics, he said that he has met with Cousins’ agent face-to-face this week, describing the sit-down as “very positive,” per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). According to McCloughan, conversations are going on “every day” between the two sides, and he remains optimistic that something will get done (Twitter link).
Let’s round up several more of the latest GM and head coach comments from the combine in Indianapolis, with a focus on NFC teams….
- Lions tackle Riley Reiff is currently set to earn an $8.07MM salary for 2016, and while that money isn’t yet guaranteed, Reiff won’t be going anywhere, GM Bob Quinn said today (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). It’s not clear yet what position Reiff will play next season, but he’ll be a Lion.
- Speaking to the media today, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said that he’d like to see defensive free agents Adrian Clayborn and O’Brien Schofield re-signed, and added that no veterans besides Paul Soliai have been approached about restructuring their contracts (Twitter links via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and ESPN’s Vaughn McClure).
- There’s no new deal imminent for Michael Floyd, but GM Steve Keim had plenty of praise for the Cardinals wideout, as Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com details. Floyd is extension-eligible but still has one year left on his rookie contract, so Arizona doesn’t have to get anything done right away.
- Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman confirmed today that wide receiver Kevin Norwood met the conditions of the trade Carolina made with Seattle prior to the 2015 season, so the Seahawks will receive the Panthers‘ seventh-round pick in 2017, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- Despite a fairly sizable cap hit for 2016, Vikings defensive end Brian Robison sounds like a good bet to remain on Minnesota’s roster based on comments made today by GM Rick Spielman, says Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
Free Agent Rumors: Benjamin, Schwartz, CJ2K
Earlier today, we rounded up the latest updates on several current and pending free agents. With the combine underway in Indianapolis, there’s no shortage of news and rumors on free agency, so we’ve got another set of items to pass along already. Let’s dive in….
- According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter), word from the combine suggests that the Chargers and Falcons will be in the hunt for wide receiver Travis Benjamin, if and when he reaches free agency. Current Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan used to hold that same position with the Browns, who have reportedly broken off talks with Benjamin for now.
- The Browns are making an effort to extend the contract of tackle Mitchell Schwartz, but he appears headed for the open market, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. According to Cabot, Schwartz is believed to be seeking left tackle money, and while the Browns have made an offer, the two sides aren’t close to an agreement.
- The Dolphins would like to hang onto wide receiver Rishard Matthews, but if his price tag reaches $5MM+, Miami is unlikely to be seriously in the mix, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Cardinals GM Steve Keim said today that the team will talk to Chris Johnson‘s representatives this week at the combine, per James Palmer of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Johnson said on Tuesday that he would like to re-sign with Arizona.
- The odds of the Eagles getting something done with safety Walter Thurmond prior to the start of free agency next month don’t look great, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, who tweets that the team has not yet made an offer.
- The Cowboys will meet with the agent for linebacker Rolando McClain at the combine this week, per executive VP Stephen Jones (link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). McClain is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.