Extra Points: Gates, McClain, Supplemental Draft
A look at the latest from around the NFL, including notes relating to this afternoon’s rash of surprise suspensions..
- The four suspensions handed down this afternoons are likely the final ones today before the holiday weekend, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. Of course, there could always be more suspensions lurking around the corner on Monday.
- The cases of Antonio Gates, Datone Jones, Sheldon Richardson, and Rolando McClain have all gone past the appeals phase, so those penalties are final, Breer tweets.
- Fifteen NFL teams were on hand for the Pro Day workout at West Georgia for Dalvon Stuckey and Darrius Caldwell, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. Among the teams in attendance are the Cardinals, 49ers, Packers, Raiders, Titans, Jets, Dolphins, Lions, Seattle, Chargers, Falcons, Rams, Bucs, and Washington (link). Stuckey, a defensive tackle, signed with FSU but never played a snap for them. He wound up at West Georgia where he had 4.5 sacks, nine tackles for a loss, and three forced fumbles in 2014. Caldwell, who is entering the supplemental draft due to academic issues, was initially an Illinois recruit. He had an eye-popping 12 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss last season.
Falcons Eyeing Isaiah Battle In Supplemental Draft
The perception around the league is that the Falcons are hot on supplemental draft candidate Isaiah Battle, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. The Clemson offensive tackle could reportedly have third-round value in the July 9th draft.
Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, is perhaps the most intriguing player to declare for the 2015 supplemental draft. Earlier this year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com identified the 22-year-old Brooklyn native as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”
Recently, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports suggested that a strong 2015 season at Clemson might have pushed Battle into the top five prospects at his position for the 2016 draft. Battle is very green, but his upside is undeniable. Battle played 27 games at Clemson and started 16.
“I’ll be surprised if he’s not taken,” a personnel executive for a NFC team told Mark Eckel of the Star-Ledger, adding that he hears Atlanta is the most interested. “He’s worth a shot, for sure. It’s just a matter of how much is he worth to you.”
As a refresher, the supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select Battle in the sixth round of the supplemental, it will lose its 2016 sixth-rounder as a result.
Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be picked were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.
West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, and North Carolina Central receiver Adrian Wilkins have also declared for the 2015 supplemental draft.
Extra Points: Bennett, Sam, Manning, HGH
Making an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Cliff Avril said this week that he supports fellow Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett in his quest for a new contract, writes Kirk Larrabee of 247Sports.com.
“I’ve been through the whole contract situation, so I don’t fault him from wanting a new deal from a standpoint of they cut you after a year if they feel you don’t play as well as that contract,” Avril said. “If you feel like you outplayed the contract after a year, go for it. What’s the worst they can tell you? I don’t blame him for that … Hopefully they figure something out, if not this year, hopefully he outplays it again next year and they make sure something happens next year.”
Here are a few more Friday odds and ends from around the NFL (and the CFL):
- Former Mizzou pass rusher Michael Sam returned to Montreal and is expected to be at the Alouettes’ team meetings this Sunday and at practice the following day, reports Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette. Sam left the team about two weeks ago for personal reasons, but GM Jim Popp indicated earlier this week that he thought the former Rams seventh-rounder draftee would be back.
- Using this week’s Peyton Manning trade rumor as a point of reference, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report explains that NFL teams and executives often engage in “hypothetical” trade discussions, which gives them plausible deniability if word of those talks leak. As for Manning, one general manager tells Freeman that the Broncos “would be stupid not to talk to teams” about trading him, even if a deal was never likely.
- Since the NFL’s instituted human-growth hormone testing last October, no player has tested positive. However, it’s possible that those glowing results can be attributed to the limitations of the test. Dr. John Lombardo tells Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt on SiriusXM NFL Radio that the current test has a “very short window,” meaning a player who used HGH a few days before being tested may not test positive. A new test in development would have a much longer window – about five to eight days – according to Lombardo.
- In case it needed to be clarified, Falcons PR man Jay Adams (Twitter link) and head coach Dan Quinn (link via ESPN.com) both confirmed this week that Quinn’s comments about bringing 53-year-old Herschel Walker to the team’s training camp were made in jest.
NFC Rumors: Brees, Rams, Moeaki, Locke
The city of St. Louis and the development commission tasked with extracting funds to finance a new Rams stadium along the Mississippi River front continued their arguments in court Thursday.
At the crux of this is a St. Louis city ordinance that requires a public vote for city funds to be used to finance a stadium, and the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority (curiously referred to as the RSA) insists that ordinance is restricting its ability to keep the Rams in St. Louis, according to John Henry of KSDK, a local TV station.
What the RSA refers to as “broad” language in the 2002 city ordinance prompted the commission to sue the city in order to ask a judge if the law is constitutional, and St. Louis mayor Francis Slay said the city would defend the ordinance “vigorously.”
This is just one of the many disconnects between cities and their football futures occurring right now as the Los Angeles market appears set to re-open.
Here are some other notes from the NFC this afternoon.
- In speaking with ESPN.com’s Ed Werder, Drew Brees is “very convinced” the Saints will win another Super Bowl before he retires (Twitter link). The presumptive Hall of Famer also iterated he was “heartbroken” after the team shipped Jimmy Graham to Seattle on Day 1 of free agency, noting that there were “big plans” for Graham in the ensuing years of the star tight end’s contract. Stripped of key weaponry and coming off a disappointing 7-9 season, the Saints are not an attractive pick to challenge for an NFC title this season. But the 36-year-old quarterback hasn’t missed the playoffs in back-to-back campaigns since the 2007-08 bracket absences, and it’s not like the NFC South is teeming with juggernauts.
- Housing one of the league’s worst tight end stables, the Falcons are the latest team to give the injury-riddled Tony Moeaki a chance. Despite making just $744K this season, Moeaki will compete with Jacob Tamme — the Broncos’ third-string tight end last season who signed a two-year, $4MM contract in March — to be the Falcons’ top pass-catching tight end, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Incumbent Levine Toilolo received the worst pass-receiving grade from Pro Football Focus among 67 qualified tight ends last season, opening the door for an odd Tamme-Moeaki battle.
- At special teams coach Mike Priefer‘s request, the Vikings declined to bring in competition for Jeff Locke at punter, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. A fifth-round pick in 2013, Locke ranked 25th in yards per punt (39.2) last season and dropped just 8% of his boots inside the 10-yard line, which was 30th.
NFC Notes: Morris, Benson, Haslett
The addition of third-round rookie Matt Jones clouds the future of running back Alfred Morris in Washington, writes John Keim of ESPN.com, noting that a source said in the spring that the odds of Morris signing an extension before the season were about 50/50. According to Keim, however, the team still has room to make a deal happen for Morris, who is worth keeping even if he’s not elite.
Here are a few more Wednesday notes from around the NFC:
- The attorney for Tom Benson‘s heirs announced today that his clients are filing an appeal after the Saints owner was declared mentally competent last week, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The battle among the Benson family over ownership for the NFL franchise – along with the NBA’s Pelicans – has been ongoing for several months.
- Former Saints head coach Jim Haslett, who spent the last several year in D.C. as Washington‘s defensive coordinator, has joined the Penn State staff as a consultant, tweets Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports. Haslett was replaced by Joe Barry in Washington following the 2014 season.
- Former NFL running back Herschel Walker recently declared that he could still play in the league at age 53. While Walker’s comments weren’t taken all that seriously, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was asked if his team would have room for the former Georgia back and replied in the affirmative, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details. “He’s one of my all-time favorite players. Yeah, we have room for him,” Quinn said. “For him, the legacy he left at Georgia. … He’d definitely fit in great from a competitive standpoint.” In spite of Quinn’s response, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the Falcons to offer Walker a spot on their 90-man roster.
NFC South Notes: Saints, Panthers, Falcons
A judge on Thursday ruled 87-year-old Saints owner Tom Benson mentally competent and fit to continue running his business empire, but that doesn’t mean he’s in the clear. Benson announced in January that he was cutting his daughter and her children out of Saints ownership and leaving the team to his wife of 10 years, which led to lawsuits in both Louisiana and Texas. Those lawsuits were filed by his daughter, Renee, and her children, Rita and Ryan LeBlanc, who tried to prove that Benson was incapable of running his businesses. That failed, but his daughter and grandchildren might appeal, writes Andy Grimm of NOLA.com, and it could set off a years-long fight for ownership of both the Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.
Here’s more on the Saints and two of their NFC South rivals:
- Even though the Panthers signed quarterback Cam Newton to a mega-deal earlier this month, general manager Dave Gettleman told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that he doesn’t want the 26-year-old to change his dual-threat playing style to avoid potential injuries. “He’s got to be Cam. You don’t hold back a thoroughbred, you don’t,” said Gettleman. Newton has established himself as an elite running QB during his four-year career, piling up over 2,500 yards and 33 touchdowns.
- One of Newton’s go-to targets, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, struggled with weight issues at Florida State and has tacked on some pounds this offseason after a stellar rookie year, but Gettleman isn’t concerned. “It really is much ado about nothing. Right now he’s only five pounds off his playing weight. That’s it,” Gettleman told Person.“He’s a few pounds over, that’s all. He’ll be fine.”
- Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan‘s sack total dropped precipitously last year, going from 12.5 the previous year to 7.5 for a defense that had the third-fewest sacks in the NFC. Defensive line coach Bill Johnson believes Jordan is primed for a return to his 2013 form.“There’s two or three things that we’re going to go after and he’s made improvement on those things. At this time in the year you break down each guy individually and try to give him their needs and I think he accepted them well,” Johnson said, according to Andrew Lopez of NOLA.com. “He’s been consistent on the practice field. It’s a coaching eye. I’ve looked at him going on five years; I know what I’m seeing.”
- Falcons coach Dan Quinn wouldn’t comment directly Thursday when asked about free agent offensive guard Evan Mathis, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter (via Twitter). The Falcons, like many other teams, are a potential fit for Mathis – a two-time Pro Bowler whom the Eagles released last week.
Minor Moves: Thursday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Titans waived tight end Taylor Thompson, tweets the Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt. Thompson, whom the Titans chose in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, has 11 career catches. It was reported earlier this week that the Titans were primed to fine Thompson for showing up late to mandatory minicamp. He has also been dealing with knee issues.
- The Patriots cut tight end Logan Stokes, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Stokes signed with the Pats last week as an undrafted free agent out of LSU.
- The Chiefs signed cornerback Kenneth Penny and waived both guard Melvin Meggs and cornerback De’Vante Bausby, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The Bills signed free agent tight end Matthew Mulligan and released defensive back Merrill Noel, according to the Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci (Twitter link). The 30-year-old Mulligan, who has 16 career receptions, played under current Bills coach Rex Ryan as a member of the Jets from 2009-11.
- The Falcons signed veteran wide receiver Carlton Mitchell and waived fellow wideout Shane Wynn, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mitchell, a sixth-round pick in 2010, last saw action in 2011, when he caught three passes for the Browns. Wynn signed with Atlanta last month as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana.
- The Lions waived Bill Bentley after minicamp practice on Thursday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). The cornerback was attempting to return from a torn ACL. Bentley played some nickel for Detroit over the last three years.
- The Packers released cornerback Travis Manning, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (on Twitter). Taking Manning’s place on the roster will be tight end Harold Spears, who was waived by the Saints earlier this week, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (on Twitter). Green Bay still has 89 players on the roster after today’s moves.
Community Tailgate: 6/18/15
We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This week, we’ve 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 day, 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.
Today, we’ll be discussing the crop of top wide receivers who are eligible for contract extensions. Dez Bryant has received most of the headlines this week, but Demaryius Thomas is currently in the same situation as the Cowboys wideout, having received a franchise-tag tender that he has yet to sign. Meanwhile, both A.J. Green and Julio Jones are entering their fifth-year option season, making them eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016.
All four players could ultimately play out the coming season on one-year contracts and be franchised in 2016, but there’s a belief that once one of the four reaches a long-term agreement with his team, it will provide a template for the other three to negotiate their own deals. It’s just not clear yet what those extensions might look like.
While Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and others would have something to say about it, you could make a reasonable case that these four extension candidates are among the top five wide receivers in the NFL. Consider the following résumés:
- Dez Bryant: Has averaged approximately 91 receptions, 1,312 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns over the last three seasons, earning an All-Pro spot in 2014.
- Demaryius Thomas: His three-year averages (99 catches, 1,494 receiving yards, 12 TDs) match up favorably with Bryant’s, and he’s coming off a career year in which he racked up 111 catches and averaged more than 100 yards per game.
- A.J. Green: Has been a Pro Bowler in each of his four NFL seasons, and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of those seasons as well, despite being slowed by injuries last year. In 2013, his last fully healthy campaign, he totaled 98 catches, 1,426 yards, and 11 TDs.
- Julio Jones: Established new career highs with 104 receptions and 1,593 yards in 2014, earning his second Pro Bowl berth.
All four appear headed for huge paydays, but there’s plenty to debate and discuss. For instance: Will any of these player challenge Calvin Johnson’s seven-year, $113MM+ contract? Which of the four will sign first, and which will receive the largest deal? Which of the four would you want on your favorite team? Would you be reluctant to invest significant money in any of them? We want to hear from you, so head to the comments section to place your bets and voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!
NFC South Notes: Falcons, Jones, Oher
Buccaneers running back Doug Martin has a lot of goals for the 2015 season, including one that might surprise you.
“The name ‘Muscle Hamster’ is the worst nickname possibly ever given to somebody,” Martin told Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “I hope it changes, and I hope that I play to a level where my nickname changes. That’s what my goals are.”
As Martin gets to work on that, let’s check out more from the NFC South..
- Falcons star Julio Jones says he won’t be holding out to get a better deal like Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure writes. “[Agent] Jimmy Sexton, he’s going to negotiate that with [general manager] Thomas [Dimitroff] and [Falcons owner] Mr. [Arthur] Blank. That’s the side they handle. My side, I’ve got to handle on the football field. I’ve got to keep showing up every day and putting in work,” Jones said. Atlanta picked up Jones’ fifth-year option, meaning that he’ll earn $10.2MM for 2015. The Falcons will have the option of slapping him with the franchise tag in 2016 if they don’t work out a new deal. If that happens, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Jones’ position change a bit.
- The movie “The Blind Side” made Michael Oher a household name but the Panthers offensive tackle believes that the film has had an adverse affect on his career, ESPN.com’s David Newton writes. “I’m not trying to prove anything,” Oher said. “People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field. This stuff, calling me a bust, people saying if I can play or not … that has nothing to do with football. It’s something else off the field. That’s why I don’t like that movie.” Unable to live up to his first round billing, the Ravens released Oher this offseason, leading him to hook on with Carolina.
- Kevin Williams will earn a base salary of $1MM with a $500K signing bonus on his deal with the Saints, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). He can earn another $600K through playing time incentives. In 2014, the former first-round pick ranked in the middle of the pack among defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Williams 40th out of 81 qualified DTs, as he finished the season with 38 tackles and three sacks.
NFC Notes: Gurley, Carr, J. Jones, Bears
Former agent Jimmy Halsell passes along an interesting note on Todd Gurley‘s rookie contract with the Rams, observing that the running back will get his full 2015 and 2016 salaries even if he’s on the non-football injury list due to his knee (Twitter link). Gurley’s ACL injury occurred when he was still at Georgia, so based on the NFL’s definition, it would be considered a non-football injury, and teams can opt not to pay full salaries when placing players on the NFI list.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- Brandon Carr won’t be released late in the offseason like Evan Mathis was, as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said today that the cornerback will be with the team for the 2015 season. However, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets, the club is still working on lowering Carr’s cap number ($12.717MM).
- Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones told reporters today, including D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that he doesn’t intend to hold out at all as he seeks a new contract.
- A pair of former second-round picks, running back Daniel Thomas and defensive back Sherrod Martin, are trying out for the Bears at the team’s minicamp, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Thomas has been busy over the last few weeks, working out for the Lions and Cowboys as well.
- The Panthers promoted director of football operations Brandon Beane to assistant general manager, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Beane was briefly Carolina’s interim GM before Dave Gettleman took over the job in 2012.