Extension Candidate: Julio Jones
Over the last two offseasons, a handful of productive wide receivers have signed new contracts, including Jeremy Maclin, Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, Torrey Smith, Eric Decker, and DeSean Jackson. Out of that group, only Nelson has a strong case for being placed amongst the league’s very best wide receivers, and the Packers star signed his extension well before reaching free agency, accepting a below-market deal.
In other words, it had been a while since a top wideout had signed a contract that reset the market for receivers, establishing a new baseline for the NFL’s best players at the position. Mike Wallace‘s five-year, $60MM deal, finalized in March 2013, was the last signing that qualified up until last week, when Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas inked new extensions at the 11th hour before the franchise-tag deadline. The Cowboys’ and Broncos’ Pro Bowlers had their deals structured a little differently, but they look identical in terms of years and overall base value — five years and $70MM.
The per-year salaries for Bryant and Thomas fall well short of Calvin Johnson‘s $16.27MM annual average value, but that deal was an outlier, and the fact that the two franchised stars easily topped Wallace’s $12MM annual average better reflects their place among the NFL’s best wideouts. It also sets a clear baseline for the next crop of elite receivers who will seek new contracts, such as A.J. Green and Julio Jones.
Green may sign an extension this year, but he has suggested that he doesn’t mind playing out the 2015 season without a new agreement in place, and the Bengals seem content to wait as well. That leaves Jones as the receiver most likely to sign a lucrative new deal in the coming weeks, or even the coming days, with training camp just around the corner.
At the moment, Jones is set to play the 2015 season on his fully guaranteed fifth-year option, worth $10.176MM, which puts him in a slightly different situation that Bryant’s or Thomas’. Atlanta will have the option of franchising the team’s No. 1 receiver in 2016, meaning Jones’ case could eventually play out like the ones resolved last week.
However, as we saw with Bryant’s situation in particular, a prolonged negotiation can often result in some unpleasantness along the way. The Cowboys wide receiver was the subject of reports suggesting he was having money problems, and whispers about off-field concerns and a Walmart video tape that may or may not exist followed him for most of the offseason. If the Falcons could get Jones’ contract situation squared away now, it could save both sides some unnecessary stress down the read, considering the team has made it clear the wideout is considered a key long-term piece in Atlanta.
Before we automatically place Jones in the same five-year, $70MM range as Bryant and Thomas, it’s worth considering how he stacks up to the franchised duo. On paper, his 2014 numbers certainly compare favorably — in 15 games, Jones racked up 1,593 yards and six touchdowns on 104 receptions, setting a new Falcons team record for most receiving yards in a season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also ranked him right behind Bryant and Thomas, despite the fact that he played fewer snaps than either player.
Jones’ ability to explode for huge yardage totals was on full display in Green Bay last December, when the 26-year-old went off for 259 yards on just 11 receptions in Week 14. His 106.2 receiving yards per game last season also topped the career-best marks for both Bryant and Thomas, and his eye-popping 116.0 mark during five 2013 games suggests last year’s mark wasn’t an aberration.
Still, there are some areas in which Jones doesn’t match up to the league’s other top receivers quite so favorably. He only appeared in five games in 2013 because of a fractured foot that brought his season to a premature end, and that’s not the only time he has dealt with injuries. The former sixth overall pick missed a game in 2014 after suffering a hip pointer, and has had multiple hamstring-related issues since entering the league in 2011.
Not including that 2013 season that was cut short after five weeks, Jones has only missed four games in his three other years in the NFL, so it’s not as if he’s a major question mark to be on the field going forward. But considering neither Bryant nor Thomas has missed a game over the last three seasons, it’s a factor the Falcons must take into account when they consider a long-term investment in their own No. 1 receiver.
Another factor worth considering for the Falcons is who Matt Ryan will be throwing the ball to for the next several years, if not Jones. The former first overall pick no longer has future Hall-of-Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez to rely on, and longtime slot man Harry Douglas is now in Tennessee. Roddy White is still in the mix, but White will turn 34 in November, and is no longer a perennial lock for 1,000 yards.
A quarterback like Ryan will post solid numbers no matter who’s on the receiving end of his passes, but it’s worth noting that in 2013, when Jones missed 11 games, the Falcons signal-caller threw a career-high 17 interceptions and averaged a career-low 10.3 yards per completion en route to a 4-12 season. It would be a significant blow to the Atlanta offense to be without Jones at any point over the next few years.
So what will it take for the Falcons and Jones to get a deal done before the 2015 season gets underway? In examining the situation for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry suggests that an extension in the neighborhood of $15.25MM per year makes sense, based on the likely franchise-tag figures for 2016 and 2017. If we assume a five-year extension at that rate, tacked onto Jones’ $10.176MM salary for 2015, it would work out to a total of six years and $86.426MM, an average of about $14.4MM annually.
Depending on the guaranteed money attached to such an offer, that looks like a pretty good deal for Jones, who could edge out Bryant and Thomas to become the league’s second-highest-paid receiver in that scenario. However, I’m not sure whether the Falcons would sign on the dotted line quite yet, considering they still have the franchise tag at their disposal, and they may want to see Jones stay healthy for one more year.
Still, if the Falcons were to make such an offer, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve gone out on a limb for Jones — Atlanta parted with two first-round picks, a second-rounder, and two fourth-rounders to move up for the former Alabama wideout in 2011, and it’s hard to imagine the team thinks any less of him now. After all, his career mark of 88.4 receiving yards per game places him atop the all-time NFL leaderboard, slightly ahead of Johnson, the league’s current highest-paid receiver. I don’t expect the Falcons to make an offer in the Megatron neighborhood to Jones, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the club soon make him the league’s second-highest-paid wideout.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Colts, Galette, Falcons
Colts GM Ryan Grigson recently told Mike Chappell of CBS4 (Twitter link) that there were “language issues” to finalize when it came to deals for cornerback D’Joun Smith and defensive lineman Henry Anderson. Grigson added that there was no reason to believe those contracts wouldn’t get done for the two third-round draftees before August 1st. Smith and Anderson are the only remaining unsigned rookies now that Marcus Mariota and the Titans have reached agreement.
Here are a few more Wednesday evening odds and ends from around the league:
- NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune that there is no update on outside linebacker Junior Galette‘s status with the Saints, just one week away from the start of training camp. McCarthy said the NFL would not comment or even confirm on whether there was meeting between Galette and league officials. “We consider a meeting a confidential part of the process between our office and the player,” he said.
- This offseason, the Falcons moved on from veteran running back Steven Jackson and will go with a younger group at the position. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes a look at the group, headlined by Devonta Freeman, a fourth-round pick in 2014 and Tevin Coleman, a third-round pick in 2015.
- Commissioner Roger Goodell told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link) on Tuesday that the NFL won’t expand past 32 teams. Interestingly enough, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred recently said that he will at least explore the idea of expansion.
- The Raiders could use another young player to step up and create depth on the interior defensive line, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. Still, Oakland did add some size to its line this offseason with the signing of Dan Williams in free agency. C.J. Wilson, meanwhile, is expected to serve as a super-sub for the Raiders.
Community Tailgate: Who Will Win NFC South?
We’re still over a month and a half away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
As the 2015 season inches closer, we’re examining each NFL division, asking you which team you expect to finish atop the East, North, South, and West. Having already taken a closer look at the East and North divisions, we’re shifting our focus to the NFC South, home of 2014’s most tepid division race.
A year ago, it only took seven wins – and, of course, a tie – for the Panthers to snag the NFC South crown, and Carolina is bringing back most of its key players that contributed to that team. Armed with a handful of veteran additions, including offensive tackle Michael Oher, cornerback Charles Tillman, and return specialist Ted Ginn Jr., the Panthers will be looking to repeat as division champions.
The Saints entered 2014 as favorites in the South, but it never came together for Drew Brees‘ squad, and the disappointing season resulted in a major overhaul over the last few months. Jimmy Graham, Kenny Stills, Curtis Lofton, and Ben Grubbs are among the players who were traded or released, and while the team brought in some veteran talent like C.J. Spiller, Max Unger, and Brandon Browner, there will be more pressure on the club’s younger contributors to produce in 2015.
While Carolina and New Orleans could only muster seven wins apiece, the Falcons and Buccaneers combined for just eight in total. It’s not clear yet whether either team has a bounce-back season in store, but there are major changes afoot in both Atlanta and Tampa Bay — the Falcons hired former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to be their new head coach, while the Buccaneers used the No. 1 overall pick in the draft to land a new quarterback, Jameis Winston. Quinn should help plug the leaks on the Falcons’ defense, and the Bucs could be an intriguing sleeper if Winston provides solid quarterback play.
What do you think? Does the NFL’s worst division from 2014 look any better in 2015? Which team do you expect to win the NFC South this season? Make your pick and let us know what you think in the comment section!
2015 Release Candidates: NFC South
Most clubs have fairly set rosters at this point, as OTA, minicamp, and preseason performances won’t do much to alter roster composition. The majority of key releases came in March, but there are still several scenarios where certain contributors could lose their roster spot in the coming months. For the most part, we’ll focus on situations where the cap savings would be in excess of $1MM.
Because free agency has already passed, financial ramifications won’t play a huge role in these decisions; there aren’t a ton of high-profile free agents on which to spend that saved money, so these calls will mostly be made based on performance. However, any cap space saved through these potential releases could be rolled over into 2016, so that’s something clubs have to consider.
We’ve already looked at the AFC East, NFC East, AFC North, NFC North, and AFC South, so let’s dive into the NFC South…
Atlanta Falcons:
- Jonathan Babineaux, DT: The Falcons have accumulated quite a bit of defensive line depth over the past few years, signing Tyson Jackson, Paul Soliai, Adrian Clayborn, and O’Brien Schofield and using draft picks on Vic Beasley, Ra’Shede Hageman, and Grady Jarrett, as well as re-signing Kroy Biermann earlier this year. The lone constant has been the 34-year-old Babineaux, who has been with Atlanta since being selected in the second round of the 2005 draft. Given his age, the club’s newfound depth at his position, and the fact that the Falcons could save nearly $3MM by cutting him, he sounds like an ideal candidate for release, right? However, new head coach Dan Quinn likes to use a rotation along his defensive line, and more importantly, Babineaux was pretty good last year, grading as the league’s No. 28 defensive tackle and rushing the passer quite effectively, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Prediction: not released.
Carolina Panthers:
- Jerricho Cotchery, WR: Spending 70% of his time in the slot last season, Cotchery nearly replicated his reception and yardage statistics from the year prior, catching 48 balls for 480 yards, but his touchdown numbers lagged far behind, as he scored just once as compared to 10 times in 2014 with the Steelers. The Panthers invested a second-round pick in Michigan receiver Devin Funchess, and the club likely hopes that he’ll ascend to the starting lineup immediately, joining last year’s first-rounder Kelvin Benjamin. Free agent addition Ted Ginn Jr. figures to take some of Cotchery’s snaps in the slot, and other than Ginn Jr., Carolina is going with at youth movement at receiver, with Jarrett Boykin, Mike Brown, and Stephen Hill fighting for playing time. Cotchery isn’t a bad player, but he doesn’t seem to fit with the team’s roster construction, and the Panthers can save $1.5MM by cutting him. Prediction: released.
- Roman Harper, S: Harper, 32, started all 16 games for the Panthers last season, posting 41 tackles and a career-high four interceptions. Based on PFF’s metrics, Harper produced his best season since 2010, but his overall grade of +0.1 was still just barely above-average, ranking 46th among 87 qualifiers. Carolina’s issues in the secondary have been well-documented in the past couple years, but now that the club has some other options in the back end — Tre Boston emerged as a rookie last year, and the Panthers signed Kurt Coleman to a two-year deal in March — I don’t see Carolina being too desperate to hanging on to Harper, especially given that they can save $1.5MM by severing ties. Prediction: released.
- Mike Tolbert, RB: Tolbert is an odd player in today’s NFL: He doesn’t fit the H-back mold, instead acting as a running back/fullback hybrid that doesn’t really exist in the league anymore. After suffering a hairline fracture in his left leg during Week 3 of last season, Tolbert was placed on IR/designated to return, ultimately coming back in Week 13. He’s nearly 30 years old, but given that Carolina doesn’t have a ton of depth behind Jonathan Stewart after releasing DeAngelo Williams, Tolbert should be safe. The Panthers would incur $1MM in dead money by cutting him. Prediction: not released.
New Orleans Saints:
- Ben Watson, TE: Those around the Saints have talked up third-year pro Josh Hill as the leading candidate to replace tight end Jimmy Graham, who was traded to the Seahawks over the offseason. But Hill doesn’t have much in the way of experience, having logged just 20 receptions during his first two seasons, and earlier today Mike Triplett of ESPN.com wrote that he expects New Orleans to use a committee approach at tight end. All of which is to say that 34-year-old Ben Watson is probably safe for 2015; the club would only save $1.5MM by cutting him, and they probably value his veteran presence enough to keep him around. Prediction: not released.
- Had the Saints not restructured the contracts of Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and David Hawthorne earlier this year, they all would have been candidates for release.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
- Michael Koenen, P: Koenen is the sixth-highest paid punter in the league in terms of annual value, and his 2015 cap hit is also sixth at his position. However, he finished fourth-worst in terms of net punting average last year, and though he finished with a positive grade from PFF, he still ranked only 23rd among 41 qualifiers. Koenen has no remaining bonus money or guarantees left on his current deal, so the Buccaneers could cut him at anytime, clearing out his $3.25MM salaries for ’15 and ’16. Maybe they’ll wait until training camp or the preseason to see how Koenen looks, but I think they’ll probably cut him and look for a cheaper (and younger) option. Prediction: released.
- Brandon Myers, TE: Now 29 years of age, Myers has seen a swift decline since his high-water mark season with Oakland in 2012: His receptions have dropped from 79 to 47 to 22 in the past three seasons, while his receiving yards have decreased from 806 to 522 to 190. 2014 second-round pick Austin Seferian-Jenkins is expected to take on a larger role next season, Luke Stocker will maintain his in-lone blocking job, while Tampa also re-acquired Tim Wright via waivers. It doesn’t look like there will be a spot for Myers, or his $3MM+ in cap charges over the next two seasons. Prediction: released.
NFC South Notes: J. Jones, McKay, Kuechly
After checking in on the AFC East earlier this afternoon, let’s shift our focus to the NFC South and pass along a few items from out of the division….
- Falcons receiver Roddy White tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter links) that if he were the team’s GM, he’d get fellow wideout Julio Jones locked up now. “The more they wait, the more it’s going to cost them,” White said. “It’s important that he feels comfortable.” There’s a sense that Atlanta could get something done with Jones this summer, but the club will have the franchise tag available to use on the 26-year-old in 2016, if necessary.
- Falcons president Rich McKay is now eligible to apply for reinstatement, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. McKay was suspended from the NFL competition committee as part of the team’s penalty for pumping fake noise into the Georgia Dome during the 2013 and 2014 seasons — the NFL also fined the Falcons $350K and took away its fifth-round pick in the 2016 as part of the punishment. At this time, it’s unknown whether McKay has applied for reinstatement.
- Justin Houston’s new deal with the Chiefs deal likely won’t impact Panthers Pro Bowler Luke Kuechly, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Unfortunately for Kuechly, there hasn’t been enough advancement in the inside linebacker market to really give him momentum. “The problem is the market’s been stagnant,” former agent Joel Corry said. “There’s no one to advance the ball. So Kuechly’s the one’s who’s going to be setting new standards.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Details, Reactions On Bryant/Thomas Deals
Reports earlier this week suggested neither Dez Bryant nor Demaryius Thomas had better than a 50/50 chance of signing an extension this week, so it came as a bit of a surprise yesterday when both players got deals done with their respective teams. We examined a few specific details of those contracts earlier today, and now we’ll round up a few more notes and reactions related to the pair of extensions. Let’s dive in….
Bryant negotiations:
- Although Bryant admitted that going through his contract situation this summer was “extremely hard,” he reiterated on Wednesday that he was willing to sit out regular season games if he didn’t get a new deal (link via Dallas Morning News). “I am that guy that, I have to stand by my word, because that’s how I want to raise my babies,” Bryant said. “It was all me. It was honest.”
- Appearing on 105.3 FM in Dallas, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones answered a few specific questions about the negotiations with Bryant, noting that the “false financial perspective” set by Calvin Johnson‘s and Larry Fitzgerald‘s contracts was problematic during contract discussions. The Dallas Morning News has that quote and several more from Jones.
- During his own radio appearance in Dallas, executive VP Stephen Jones also discussed the deal in some depth, admitting the Bryant negotiations were among the most difficult the Cowboys have ever had. Once again, the Dallas Morning News has the details.
Thomas negotiations:
- Broncos general manager John Elway told reporters, including Troy Renck of The Denver Post (Twitter link), that there wasn’t any movement from June 1st until Wednesday morning on Thomas’ deal. At that point, talks between the two sides reignited and led to a five-year, $70MM deal being reached.
- Elway also explained that keeping Thomas and locking him up long term was the first step in keeping this Broncos team together, tweets James Palmer of NFL Network.
- According to Mike Klis of 9News, the Broncos had a seven-year, $100MM offer on the table for Thomas, but the Pro Bowl wideout opted for the five-year, $70MM pact instead. While the seven-year deal looks more impressive on paper, and would’ve increased the average annual value of the extension, those final two years essentially would’ve been risk-free options for Denver, so it’s not a surprise that Thomas chose the shorter deal.
Potential impact of Thomas/Bryant deals on other players:
- Now that Thomas and Bryant have gotten something done, there’s a “general sense” around the Falcons that Atlanta could lock up Julio Jones by the start of training camp, despite a lack of progress so far, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The Falcons’ camp is scheduled to get underway two weeks from Friday.
- After seeing the deals signed by Bryant and Thomas, Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton might be hearing cash registers in his head. The 25-year-old Hilton, who has back-to-back seasons of 80-plus catches and 1,000-plus yards, is entering the final year of his deal, and issued the following tweet on Wednesday: “All this BREAKING NEWS. Does this mean the bar is set?? #THEGHOST”
- Hilton will have a hard time demanding a contract in the same range as the five-year, $70MM extensions signed by Bryant and Thomas, but those deals help to reset the market for receivers, and should benefit the Colts wideout in other ways, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
Other Thomas/Bryant leftovers:
- While collusion between teams during contract negotiations isn’t permitted, players and agents are allowed to talk, and it was legal collusion between agents Tom Condon and Todd France that helped both Bryant’s and Thomas’ extensions get done, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Condon’s agency, CAA, is on the verge of buying France’s agency, Five Star Athlete Management, and the two agents took advantage of their new relationship.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines how the Bryant and Thomas contracts compare to one another, as well as how the deals match up to those signed by a few top players at other positions.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Reactions To Dez Bryant’s New Deal
Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones flew to New York to spend five hours on Tuesday night meeting with Roc Nation officials to hammer out Dez Bryant‘s deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Now, the Cowboys have their star wide receiver locked up for the next five years and they won’t have to worry about him potentially skipping games. Here’s some of the latest fallout on Dez’s new deal..
- Jerry Jones said he was optimistic at 3am that a deal would get done, Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram tweets.
- Jones said he took Bryant’s threats of missing camp and regular season games seriously, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. The Cowboys owner added that he knew the wide receiver wasn’t playing around since neither one of them are careless with their words.
- There are no special stipulations in Dez’s contract to protect the team from off-the-field indiscretions, Jones told reporters, including Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter).
- Now that the Cowboys and Bryant have reached a five-year deal worth $70MM with $45MM guaranteed, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com wonders if the Falcons have a better sense of Julio Jones‘ price tag in a long-term extension. Of course, there are many differences between their situations, including timing. Today was the Cowboys’ deadline to get a deal done with Bryant. Meanwhile, the Falcons have roughly a year to go on the shot clock.
- Bryant is finally being paid what he deserves, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports writes. A strong argument can be made that Bryant enters this season as the NFL’s best wideout, but a holdout of any sort would have thrown a wrench into things.
Jones, Falcons Haven’t Talked Extension
While Dez Bryant is threatening to hold out if he doesn’t get a new deal, another superstar receiver continues to wait patiently for a long-term offer. The Falcons and Julio Jones have yet to discuss an extension, a league source told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Teammate Roddy White has stated that he believes Jones should be the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. Atlanta probably doesn’t want to give Jones that mantle seeing as how Calvin Johnson earns $16.2MM per year off of his deal with the Lions. That seven-year pact also gave Megatron a hefty $43.75MM guarantee. Jones, 26, has one year remaining on his contract at $10.176MM.
The Falcons wide receiver told reporters back in June that he doesn’t intend to hold out as he seeks a new contract. Of course, things could always change this time next year if the two sides can’t hammer out a new pact. There are, however, incentives for both sides to get something done. Jones is a virtual lock to receive the franchise tag in 2016 (~$14MM) and a second one in 2017 would cost Atlanta nearly $17MM. The average of those two years could be used as justification for a long-term deal in the $15MM per year range with over $40MM in guarantees. That would put Jones shy of Megatron but, then again, it’d be surprising to see anyone best his deal since there were such unique circumstances surrounding Johnson’s negotiations.
In 2014, Jones established new career highs with 104 receptions and 1,593 yards in 2014, earning his second Pro Bowl berth. The 26-year-old missed most of the 2013 season with a foot injury, he ranked among the league leaders in receiving yards (1,198) and receiving touchdowns (10) in 2012.
Extra Points: Battle, Broncos, Saints, Jags
There is a strong chance that former Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle will be taken in Thursday’s supplemental draft, which allows NFL clubs to select players who for some reason (academic trouble or disciplinary issues are a couple of examples) were unable to enter the standard draft. If a team does choose Battle, it should be the Eagles, Jets or Giants, opines Mark Eckel of the Star-Ledger.
Battle – who is in need of further seasoning – could learn behind established tackles in the Eagles’ Jason Peters or the Jets’ D’Brickashaw Ferguson before eventually taking over for either, writes Eckel. Meanwhile the Giants have two recent first-round tackles in Justin Pugh and Ereck Flowers, but Eckel believes they’d be wise to follow the example of NFC East rival Dallas and try to stock up even more along the O-line.
Landing Battle would likely cost any of the above teams a third-round pick, per Eckel, with the Falcons ahead of them in the draft order. Atlanta is the leading candidate to pick the 22-year-old, on whom it could use a fourth-rounder.
More from around the league:
- Broncos running back C.J. Anderson burst on the scene in 2014, his second season, with nearly 1,200 total yards (849 rushing, 324 receiving) and eight touchdowns in his first true taste of NFL playing time. Anderson enters this season as Denver’s starting back, but Mike Kils of 9News writes that the 24-year-old isn’t resting on his laurels. “I’m going to keep my head down, keep grinding every day and keep pushing. What happened last year, happened last year. That’s completely over and done with,” said Anderson, who will try to fend off Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman for reps.
- Saints rookie quarterback Garrett Grayson is glad he ended up in New Orleans to serve as Drew Brees‘ apprentice, though the third-round pick from Colorado State also would’ve been happy if the Cowboys or Broncos selected him. “There were three teams that I said I’d love to end up at, and that was the Saints, Cowboys and Broncos,” Grayson told NFL.com, per Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. “They’ve all got older QBs. Two of them are first-ballot Hall-of-Famers.”
- Speaking of Brees, the 14-year veteran’s arm hasn’t shown any real signs of decline, ESPN’s Mike Triplett writes. According to Triplett, Brees attempted 35 throws of 40-plus yards from 2009-11 and completed only seven for 356 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Compare that to 2012-14, when Brees went a far better 15-of-35 for 773 yards, seven scores and no picks, and it’s obvious the 36-year-old can still get the ball downfield. That said, in 2014 Brees did put up his lowest yardage and TD totals since 2007 on throws that traveled 20-plus yards, Triplett notes.
- Although new Jaguars offensive coordinator Greg Olson is tasked with helping turn around a unit that finished last in points and second last in yardage a year ago, he’s encouraged with the results so far. “Actually, it’s gone a little bit better than I hoped,” Olson said after minicamp, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “It’s a really intelligent football team from position to position and that’s made the transition much smoother for them and me.” For what it’s worth, the Olson-led Raiders were the only team to amass fewer yards than the Jaguars last season, and they managed a mere 15.8 points per game compared to the Jags’ 15.6.
Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: NFC South
Before NFL training camps get underway next month, we’ll be taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series last week by focusing on the NFC East and AFC East divisions, and earlier this week, we looked at the NFC North and AFC North. Today, we’ll head back to the NFC to examine the South division.
Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four NFC South franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….
Atlanta Falcons:
- Matt Ryan, QB: $19,500,000
- Julio Jones, WR: $10,176,000
- Roddy White, WR: $5,556,250
- William Moore, S: $5,368,750
- Paul Soliai, DT: $4,400,000
- Jon Asamoah, G: $4,268,750
- Justin Blalock, G: $4,120,000 (dead money)
- Joe Hawley, C: $4,000,000
- Tyson Jackson, DT: $3,850,000
- Jake Matthews, LT: $3,733,977
Total: $64,973,727
Besides Ryan’s substantial cap hit and an eight-digit figure for Jones, which could be reduced if he signs a contract extension this year, the Falcons aren’t carrying a single cap number exceeding $5.56MM in 2015. Overall, Atlanta’s top 10 players account for less than $65MM of the team’s 2015 cap, a very club-friendly total.
Of course, the Falcons are somewhat lacking in star power outside of the players involved in their passing game, so it makes sense that they wouldn’t be too heavily invested at other positions. In recent years, offensive and defensive line play has been one of Atlanta’s shortcomings, and the club’s recent investments at those positions is reflected in this list — Soliai, Asamoah, Jackson, and Matthews have all been added to the roster within the last year and a half.
At $4.12MM, Blalock easily represents the largest dead-money charge on the Falcons’ books, but if he had been retained for the 2015 season, his cap number would have been $7.91MM, third on the team behind Ryan and Jones.
Carolina Panthers:
- Charles Johnson, DE: $20,020,000
- Cam Newton, QB: $13,000,000
- Ryan Kalil, C: $11,795,000
- Jonathan Stewart, RB: $8,300,000
- Greg Olsen, TE: $6,300,000
- Thomas Davis, LB: $5,900,000
- DeAngelo Williams, RB: $4,333,333 (dead money)
- Luke Kuechly, LB: $4,002,283
- Steve Smith, WR: $4,000,000 (dead money)
- Mike Tolbert, RB: $3,425,000
Total: $81,075,616
With a $20.02MM cap hit for the 2015 season, Johnson has a cap charge that ranks first among defensive players, and is also one of just three figures over $20MM at any position — Lions receiver Calvin Johnson‘s cap number also exceeds $20MM, as does another player in the NFC South, whom we’ll discuss shortly.
Still, despite Johnson’s extravagant figure, it may not even be the most noteworthy feature of the Panthers’ list. Even more unusual is the fact that three running backs show up within Carolina’s top 10 cap hits. Combining for a total cap charge of nearly $12MM, Stewart and Tolbert alone would represent an overpayment at the position, and that doesn’t even take into account Williams’ $4MM+ dead-money charge. I imagine GM Dave Gettleman is looking forward to eventually getting those deals off the books and perhaps investing in younger, cheaper backs.
The rest of the Panthers’ top 10 is made up primarily of core players who either recently signed extensions or will do so soon. Newton, Olsen, and Davis all agreed to new contracts this offseason, and it’s just a matter of time before Kuechly does the same.
New Orleans Saints:
- Drew Brees, QB: $26,400,000
- Jimmy Graham, TE: $9,000,000 (dead money)
- Jahri Evans, G: $7,000,000
- Marques Colston, WR: $6,500,000
- Ben Grubbs, G: $6,000,000 (dead money)
- Jairus Byrd, S: $5,500,000
- Junior Galette, OLB: $5,450,000
- Curtis Lofton, LB: $5,000,000 (dead money)
- Keenan Lewis, CB: $4,500,000
- Max Unger, C: $4,500,000
Total: $79,850,000
Heading into the offseason, no team had more cap maneuvering to do than the Saints, who were about $20MM over the cap prior to free agency. All the dead-money charges on the team’s top-10 list don’t look great, but they reflect the moves New Orleans had to make in order to create a little flexibility this spring. If the team had kept Graham, Grubbs, and Lofton rather than trading or releasing them, their cap figures would be even larger.
The Saints aren’t quite out of the woods yet. Contracts like Byrd’s, Galette’s, and Cameron Jordan‘s – which didn’t make the cut here – have relatively modest cap numbers in 2015 before jumping significantly in future seasons. Those three players will count for a total of about $32MM against the cap in 2016, representing the club’s top cap numbers besides Brees.
Speaking of Brees, his $26.4MM cap hit is by far the biggest one in the NFL this year. However, the Saints did well to avoid restructuring his contract and pushing more money onto future seasons. Brees’ cap number will increase to $27.4MM in 2016, but since that’s the last year of his contract, New Orleans should be able to reduce that figure by extending him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
- Gerald McCoy, DT: $14,595,000
- Vincent Jackson, WR: $12,209,777
- Michael Johnson, DE: $7,000,000 (dead money)
- Logan Mankins, G: $7,000,000
- Carl Nicks, G: $4,714,000 (dead money)
- Jameis Winston, QB: $4,609,323
- Bruce Carter, LB: $4,250,000
- Alterraun Verner, CB: $4,250,000
- Dashon Goldson, S: $4,000,000 (dead money)
- Evan Smith, C: $3,750,000
Total: $66,378,100
Like the Saints, the Buccaneers have three dead-money charges amongst their top 10 cap hits, which I was somewhat surprised to see — Tampa Bay often structures contracts to include larger base salaries and small signing bonuses, in order to make it easier to go year to year. That wasn’t the case for these three players, though, particularly Johnson, who epitomizes the team’s misguided 2014 spending spree.
One factor that could give the Bucs a leg up on their division rivals within the next three or four seasons is the small amount of cap room they’re dedicating to their quarterback. The NFC South’s other three starters have an average cap hit of more than $19MM for 2015, while Winston comes in below $5MM. If the No. 1 overall pick develops into a solid NFL starter, it will allow Tampa Bay to surround him with pricier impact players at other positions until he’s eligible for his second contract.
Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.