NFC Notes: Falcons, Bryant, Finley, Nelson
In the wake of Sean Weatherspoon‘s season-ending Achilles injury, the Falcons added a pair of veteran free agent linebackers, signing Pat Angerer and Tim Dobbins to minimum salary contracts. However, the team hasn’t ruled the possibility of making further changes, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reports that former Packer Nick Barnett remains on Atlanta’s radar.
Per McClure, the Falcons were impressed with Barnett’s workout earlier in the offseason, but opted to sign Angerer and Dobbins instead. After Angerer left Tuesday’s practice complaining of headaches though, there was concern he may have sustained a concussion, which may prompt the Falcons to turn to Barnett.
As we wait to see whether the Falcons make any roster moves, let’s check in on a few other NFC teams….
- Having extended Tyron Smith, the Cowboys will now have the franchise tag available next year for Dez Bryant, but team executive vice president Stephen Jones said today that Dallas is “totally committed” to locking up the star receiver for the long term (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Ed Werder).
- After Anthony McCoy suffered an apparent torn Achilles tendon in practice earlier this week, the Seahawks may be looking for some tight end depth, but the team won’t be revisiting the possibility of signing Jermichael Finley, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (link via PFT’s Curtis Crabtree).
- Florio also has the full breakdown of Jordy Nelson’s new extension with the Packers, suggesting that the deal should secure the wideout’s place on the roster through at least 2016.
- Insider linebacker will be a position to watch for the Eagles this year, after the club didn’t really address the position in free agency or the draft, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- A federal court hearing will take place in California this Monday to determine whether Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson will have to repay agent Drew Rosenhaus $516K+, as an NFLPA arbitrator previously ruled, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
Poll: Who Will Win The NFC South?
The NFC South was a two-team race in 2013, with the 12-4 Panthers ultimately eking out the division title over the 11-5 Saints. However, unlike in most of the NFL’s other divisions, the defending NFC South champions aren’t the frontrunners to take the crown again in 2014 — betting side Bovada.lv has New Orleans as the odds-on favorites to win the South.
The Saints certainly look good heading into the season, having added first-round wideout Brandin Cooks to an already explosive offense and signed star safety Jairus Byrd to fortify the secondary. But they aren’t a lock to win one of the league’s most intriguing divisions.
According to Bovada, the Panthers aren’t even the second-most likely club to win the South in 2014. That distinction goes to the Falcons, who won the division in 2012 before unexpectedly slipping to 4-12 last season. Having revamped their offensive and defensive lines this offseason – with rookie tackle Jake Matthews, guard Jon Asamoah, and defensive linemen Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson among the new additions – the Falcons are poised to bounce back.
Another 2013 underperformer, the Buccaneers, shouldn’t be ruled out as a contender either. As our Zach Links detailed last night, Tampa Bay’s ’13 season was derailed by controversy surrounding then-coach Greg Schiano and then-quarterback Josh Freeman, but the club has made a number of interesting offseason moves, including signing defensive end Michael Johnson and drafting Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans. The Bucs’ success – or lack thereof – this coming season may hinge on Josh McCown‘s performance under center, since the roster is certainly loaded with plenty of talent at other positions.
And of course, last season’s division champs shouldn’t be overlooked. A candidate for regression, Carolina’s cap struggles forced the team to part ways with a few key contributors, including longtime Panther Steve Smith, and there are questions about whether Cam Newton will have enough weapons to utilize. But this is still a strong team, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, where few clubs have a scarier pass-rushing duo than Carolina’s Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson.
What do you think? Who wins the NFC South in 2014?
Which team will win the NFC South?
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Carolina Panthers 40% (110)
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New Orleans Saints 31% (86)
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Atlanta Falcons 18% (50)
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12% (32)
Total votes: 278
Previously:
Who will win the AFC North?
Who will win the AFC West?
Who will win the AFC South?
Who will win the AFC East?
Who will win the NFC North?
Who will win the NFC West?
Who will win the NFC East?
Contract Details: Nelson, Reynolds, White
With a number of veteran free agents signing deals recently, and others being extended, the latest contract details have been a little more complicated than the usual minimum salary contracts we’d seen over the last few weeks. With that in mind, here’s a roundup of a few of the latest specific figures to surface:
- Over at the National Football Post, Aaron Wilson provides a year-by-year summary of Jordy Nelson‘s new extension with the Packers, which averages $9.7MM per year in new money and features an $11.5MM signing bonus.
- Garrett Reynolds‘ minimum salary benefit contract with the Lions includes a $15K signing bonus, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- Details of Roddy White‘s extension with the Falcons have emerged, and, unsurprisingly, the deal doesn’t look quite as lucrative as initially reported. According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (all Twitter links), White’s new four-year contract has a base value of $23MM, which means there’s $18MM in new money on the three-year extension. The pact also features a $7.55MM signing bonus and $8.5MM in escalators which could push the overall value to as high as $31.5MM. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap has all the details in chart form.
- We heard last week that Tyson Clabo‘s new two-year deal with the Texans is worth $2.4MM, and now Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has the breakdown of the specifics (via Twitter). Per Wilson, the contract includes annual base salaries of $900K, a $200K signing bonus, roster bonuses worth up to $80K ($5K per game) in 2014, and roster bonuses worth up to $320K ($20K per game) in 2015.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) clarifies that the Seahawks can now recover up to 15% of the prorated portion of Marshawn Lynch‘s signing bonus, rather than the entire thing. That means the team could go after $225K of the bonus, rather than $900K.
- The 49ers can do the same thing with Alex Boone‘s contract, as Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group details. 15% of Boone’s prorated signing bonus works out to $51K.
Minor Moves: Panthers, Seahawks, Chiefs
Here are a few Saturday minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Panthers have swapped one defender for another, waiving cornerback DeQuan Menzie and signing defensive tackle Micanor Regis, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- The Seahawks have officially placed Marshawn Lynch on the reserve/did not report list, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Players with that designation don’t count toward the 90-man roster, which is how the club was able to sign two players and cut just one, as noted below.
- Wilson also clarifies (via Twitter) that tight end Adam Schiltz is joining the Chiefs as a waiver claim rather than a signing, as indicated below.
Earlier updates:
- The Seahawks have waived/injured defensive tackle Dewayne Cherrington and signed linebacker Brandon Denmark and safety Steven Terrell, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- The Chiefs signed former Titans’ tight end Adam Schiltz to replace the retired Sean McGrath, according to Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). The team also waived Rokevious Watkins, who was suspended for four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
- The Bengals have waived offensive tackle Curtis Feigt, reports Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (via Twitter). Feigt reportedly had already left the team after they brought in veterans at his position.
- The Falcons have signed former Colts receiver Jabin Sambrano, according to their official Twitter account.
- The Bills have signed tight end Dominique Jones, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The team also waived offensive lineman Mark Asper.
NFC South Notes: Newton, Falcons, Bucs
Four paragraphs into an article about the Panthers’ Fan Fest, Charlotte Observer writer Joseph Person quotes Cam Newton, who admits his ankle isn’t fully healed yet: “I can’t stress enough that I’m not 100 percent yet. I’m treating it day in and day out.”
Here’s some more NFC South reading:
- One of Newton’s newest blockers, 21-year-old rookie guard Trai Turner, is drawing early praise, according to the Observer’s Jonathan Jones, who quotes veteran center Ryan Kalil: “He’s so young and he’s doing such a good job.”
- Falcons head coach Mike Smith was interviewed the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Orlando Ledbetter. Smith said there will be competition at the Falcons’ free safety spot, but veteran Dwight Lowery is the starter to begin training camp. As for the nickel back job, Robert McClain, Josh Wilson, Javier Arenas and Ricardo Allen are vying for reps.
- Buccaneers new head man Lovie Smith isn’t deviating from the coaching philosophy and roster structure that sustained him for nine years in Chicago. He’s hand-picked his game managing quarterback in Josh McCown, writes Chris Urso of the Tampa Tribune: “The Bucs don’t need a Drew Brees. Lovie Smith would settle for a Trent Dilfer, a Brad Johnson. The man went to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman at quarterback.” And on the defensive side of the ball, Smith has demanded players trim down in order to play fast and execute his Tampa 2 scheme, writes Alan Dell in the Bradenton Herald.
- Jason Fitzgerald at OverTheCap.com gave his reaction to yesterday’s Carl Nicks news, saying, “The contract was a good example of the problems that can occur with the all cash salary cap model that is employed by Tampa Bay. Because all cash contracts contain no signing bonus it often leads to lower cash flows in the first year of the contract than awarded in more traditional NFL contracts. The players also receive no “dead money” protection in the contract. These factors lead to teams overpaying for talent and guaranteeing large portions of the contract. Nicks received a ridiculous $25 million in fully guaranteed salary upon signing, an unheard of total for a guard. $31 million of the contract was guaranteed for injury.” Ultimately, the Buccaneers payed Nicks $25MM for nine games of work.
Extra Points: McClain, Nicks, White, Johnson
Recently-acquired linebacker Rolando McClain is expected to make his team debut at the Cowboys walkthrough on Saturday. McClain was tardy because he was in court in Alabama, where he was found guilty of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct stemming from an April 2013 incident (via John Breech of CBSSports.com). The 25-year-old has been sentenced to 18 days in jail, but his lawyers have filed an appeal.
According to ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys were aware of the trial when they acquired the 25-year-old from the Ravens earlier this month. Even with a potential jail sentence, the team’s executive vice president didn’t sound overly concerned.
“We’ve got to learn a little more about it, but I don’t think it’s anything that’s going to keep him from playing,” Stephen Jones said.
“I had a great visit with (Ravens general manager) Ozzie (Newsome), very comfortable with what he’s been through. That’s why we decided to make the decision we did.”
Let’s look at some assorted notes on this Friday evening…
- Following the release of guard Carl Nicks, ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas writes that the Buccaneers are in rough shape at the position. The team currently has Patrick Omameh, Oniel Cousins, Jamon Meredith and rookie Kadeem Edwards competing for the starting left guard gig and Yasinskas guesses that the team will be monitoring the waiver wire for additional depth.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap points out (via Twitter) that Nicks will count $2.357MM against the Buccaneers cap in 2014 and $4.714MM in 2015.
- The Falcons extended wideout Roddy White yesterday and the veteran reiterated that he always wanted to stay in Atlanta. “There is where I always wanted to be,” White said (via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “You hardly ever see players nowadays being with a team this long, so it was important to me to get the deal done. When we got it done, I was so happy that I’m going to be here for the next couple of years. Hopefully we can go out there and win a Super Bowl.”
- The Falcons waived wideout Darius Johnson earlier today, and ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets that the player had “had enough” with football and intends on coaching at his alma mater, SMU.
NFC Notes: English, Beckham Jr., Redskins, Vikings
Selected in the second round of the 2010 draft, linebacker Pat Angerer made an immediate impact on the Colts defense. It seemed like the Iowa product would have a successful NFL career, but injuries derailed his plans. In December, Angerer underwent microfracture surgery, a procedure seen in the NBA but rarely in the NFL.
Less than a year later, the 27-year-old is playing with the Falcons, competing for a roster spot. Even if he doesn’t ultimately make the squad, Angerer is still thrilled with the opportunity to even play football again.
“It was about 50-50 but more like 20 percent chance of coming back (with) the way my knee was,” Angerer told Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was pretty beat up. To come back and to even be on the field, that’s a pretty big accomplishment and something I’m really proud of. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the opportunity.”
The player is also optimistic about his surgically-repaired knee.
“You definitely see the durability,” he said. “It feels better than it did the last two years. Today it felt good. This is the first time I’ve played football since December. Definitely rusty, got to get a little bit more strength in there, but I feel decent.”
Let’s see what else is going on around the NFC…
- The Cowboys are taking a look at former first-rounder Larry English, a source told Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News. The linebacker was cut by the Chargers earlier this week.
- There is no word on when rookie Odell Beckham Jr. and his injured hamstring will be allowed to practice. As a result, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes that the Giants are “frustrated that their first-round pick is not on the field.”
- The first day of the Redskins‘ kicker competition was a “draw,” writes ESPN.com’s John Keim. Rookie Zach Hocker had longer kickoffs than Kai Forbath, but the two were perfect on their field goal attempts.
- Wide receiver Adam Thielen was on the Vikings practice squad last season and may be in line for a larger role in 2014. “He works his rear end off, he runs his routes real hard, he catches the ball good,” coach Mike Zimmer told ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling. “He’s got an opportunity to make this football team.”
Falcons Waive Darius Johnson
The Falcons have parted ways with wide receiver Darius Johnson, the team announced today (via Twitter). No corresponding roster move was announced, but Johnson’s departure clears a spot on the 90-man roster, so the club will likely sign a player to fill that opening soon.
Johnson joined the Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of SMU last season, and appeared in 10 games for the club, compiling 22 receptions for 210 yards and a touchdown. The 23-year-old was on a minimum salary contract, so he wasn’t cut for cap reasons, but now that he’s no longer in the mix, it could open the door for another young wideout to earn a regular season roster spot — five of the 20 undrafted free agents the Falcons signed following the draft were receivers.
Because he only has one year of experience, Johnson will be exposed to waivers, and must pass through unclaimed before he reaches unrestricted free agency.
Falcons Extend Roddy White Through 2017
8:37am: White will get $10MM in guaranteed money on his new deal, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
8:19am: White’s new deal actually only includes three new years, rather than four, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). That means he’ll be locked up through 2017, and his new deal looks much more comparable to Marshall’s three-year, $30MM extension.
8:03am: The Falcons and Roddy White have agreed to terms on a four-year extension that will keep the wide receiver under contract through the 2018 season, the Falcons announced today in a press release. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter first reported (via Twitter) that an agreement was in place, adding (via Twitter) that the four-year deal will pay White up to $30MM, including $18MM in the first two seasons.
We heard back in May from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that a new contract for White was expected to be in place by the time training camp got underway. Talks between White and the Falcons were temporarily put on hold, allowing the wideout to mourn his half-brother Tyron Moore Jr., who was fatally shot on May 17. However, it appears the two sides later returned to the negotiating table to work out a deal that should allow White to retire as a member of the Falcons.
White, who turns 33 in November, had a string of six consecutive seasons with at least 83 receptions and 1,153 yards, but was slowed by injuries in 2013, and totaled just 63 catches, 711 yards, and three touchdowns. The new contract is a signal that the Falcons believe he can bounce back in 2014 and beyond, acting as one of the league’s best number two receivers opposite Julio Jones.
Reggie Wayne‘s three-year, $17.5MM deal and Brandon Marshall‘s three-year, $30MM pact had been cited as points of comparison for White’s new extension. While the longtime Falcon got an extra year, it looks like his contract falls somewhere in the middle of the two overall, though he’ll earn just under $11MM in 2014, per Rapoport (via Twitter). We’ll have to wait on the full details of the agreement to determine how likely White is to earn the entire $30MM available on his new deal.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank expressed optimism earlier in the offseason that White and Jones will spend their entire careers in Atlanta, so the team figures to eventually shift its attention to an extension for the younger wideout. Jones, a former sixth overall pick, is currently under contract through 2015, after the Falcons exercised his fifth-year option for that season. As such, extension talks for the 25-year-old may not heat up until after the 2014 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Falcons To Sign Pat Angerer
The Falcons have reached an agreement with free agent linebacker Pat Angerer, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson had reported earlier today that Angerer auditioned for Atlanta, and it didn’t take long for the team to extend a contract offer to the former Colt.
Angerer, 27, racked up 226 tackles in his first two NFL seasons but has played more sparsely over the last two years, in part due to foot and knee injuries. Back in April it was reported that the 27-year-old had received interest from multiple clubs but wanted to make sure he was back to 100% health before working out for anyone. The audition for the Falcons was believed to be Angerer’s first of the offseason.
Atlanta has been on the lookout for veteran help at the linebacker spot since receiving word that Sean Weatherspoon ruptured his Achilles tendon and will miss the 2014 season. The Falcons signed former Texan Tim Dobbins to compete for a roster spot and were said to be considering Angerer several weeks ago, before agreeing to terms with him.
In addition to Angerer, wide receiver Jeremy Ebert will also sign with the Falcons, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). By our count, the team two open roster spots heading into today, so no corresponding moves should be necessary to make room.