West Notes: Bosa, Raiders, Cardinals, Palmer
Although Joey Bosa‘s camp has reportedly made the latest offer in his contract battle with the Chargers, Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB doesn’t expect the team to blink in the two sides’ stare down. Instead, given that the third overall pick has no leverage, the Bolts will wait him out. The deadline for the Chargers to trade the lone holdout from this year’s rookie class passed Tuesday, so the ex-Ohio State star will either have to sign with San Diego or skip this season and reenter the draft next spring. If Bosa doesn’t sign by the Tuesday after Week 10, he won’t be eligible to play this year. The 21-year-old and the Chargers are locked in a dispute over signing bonus distribution and offset language in a potential contract.
More from the NFL’s two West-based divisions:
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) believes the Raiders’ Reggie McKenzie will have as difficult a job as any general manager for 53-man roster cuts as his team boasts one of the league’s deepest rosters. For a full view of the Raiders’ depth chart, check out their page on Roster Resource.
- McKenzie has fared excellently in rebuilding the Raiders, but he’ll have his work cut out going forward while he tries to retain talent, as Joel Corry of CBS Sports details. If quarterback Derek Carr – whom the Raiders control through 2017 – signs an extension worth $20MM per year after this season, it will somewhat hinder McKenzie’s ability to maintain a deep roster. The same is true of superstar defensive end Khalil Mack, who could become the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year non-quarterback in either 2017 or 2018, writes Corry. Still, even if the Raiders allocate sizable chunks of spending room to those two integral cogs, they’ll still be a long way from the cap problems they had upon hiring McKenzie in January 2012, notes Corry. Since taking the reins, the GM has done a masterful job structuring contracts to avoid dealing with dead money.
- One trade McKenzie made early in his tenure – a 2013 deal that sent quarterback Carson Palmer and a seventh-round pick to Arizona for a sixth-rounder and a conditional selection – looks to be among the best moves in Cardinals history, opines Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Palmer scuffled in Oakland, but he has revived his career with the Super Bowl-contending Cardinals, having helped the team to a 29-9 record in his starts while throwing 70 touchdowns against 36 interceptions. As a result, Arizona extended Palmer through 2018 last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Talks Between Panthers, K. Short Break Down
Any hope the Panthers had of signing defensive tackle Kawann Short to a contract extension extension before the season is all but gone, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. The two sides were negotiating a new deal for Short, which general manager Dave Gettleman acknowledged two weeks ago, but those talks haven’t led anywhere and are “effectively dead,” tweets La Canfora.
The 27-year-old Short broke out last season, his third in the NFL, in leading the NFC champions’ top-tier defense in sacks (11) and forced fumbles (three). Short, who experienced his first 16-start campaign, also graded eighth in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 123 qualified interior defensive linemen (subscription required).
PFF’s 10th-ranked interior D-lineman, the Eagles’ Fletcher Cox, landed a six-year, $103MM extension featuring upward of $55MM in guarantees in June. A month later, the Jets’ Muhammad Wilkerson – No. 11 on the list – secured a five-year, $86MM pact with $53.5MM guaranteed for injury. Short is likely looking for money in a similar neighborhood to those two, and the 6-foot-3, 299-pounder made his dissatisfaction with his contract situation known when he skipped organized team activities in June. However, Short has attended the club’s functions since then and now looks primed to play 2016 for a relative pittance (just over $1MM).
If the Panthers want to retain Short after the season but aren’t able reach a deal with him before free agency opens, the franchise tag would be a likely option. The current cost to tag D-tackles is $13.651MM, and as of late July, Gettleman was reportedly willing to sign Short to an accord worth around $15MM per year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
North Notes: McCown, Iloka, Vikes, Lions
Interestingly, the Browns’ decision to give Robert Griffin III all of their first-team reps in training camp before naming him their starting quarterback Tuesday was backup Josh McCown‘s idea, writes Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
“(McCown) was the guy that came to me and said, ‘Hey coach, make sure this guy gets all the reps he needs to be the best he can be,”’ said first-year Browns head coach Hue Jackson. “(He said) ‘you know who I am.’ Obviously he would love to have the job too, but I think he understands his role.”
That was an unselfish move by McCown, who was ostensibly going to compete for the No. 1 job with Griffin, the Browns’ most noteworthy offseason addition. The 37-year-old has instead served as a mentor to Griffin, 26, with Jackson saying,“A lot of him getting better has to do with Josh McCown.”
As a result of both his leadership and his status as a quality reserve, the Browns would like to retain McCown, notes Cabot, who points out that they rejected Dallas’ attempt to acquire him last week.
More from the NFL’s North-based divisions:
- Before he re-signed with the Bengals for five years and $30MM in March, standout safety George Iloka considered accepting an offer from the Vikings, he said Wednesday (via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press). Joining the Vikings would’ve meant playing for head coach Mike Zimmer, whom Iloka worked under from 2012-13 when Zimmer was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator. “If I was going there, I was going because of Zim,” Iloka, 26, revealed. “I know what type of locker room he has there just by the type of coach he is. But I really wanted to come back. My chances of leaving Cincinnati weren’t too high, and I’m back.’’
- The versatility of big-money offseason signing Marvin Jones, including his ability to cause damage downfield, could make him the Lions’ No. 1 receiver, says Kyle Meinke of MLive.com (video link). Whereas Golden Tate is at his best as a short- to medium-yardage option, quarterback Matthew Stafford has targeted Jones all over the field in training camp, per Meinke, who praises the 26-year-old’s route-running abilities. Fulfilling the role of a No. 1 wideout would be new for Jones, who played second fiddle to elite receiver AJ Green in Cincinnati from 2012-15. Still, Jones is fresh off a productive year (65 catches, 816 yards and four touchdowns), which led the Calvin Johnson-less Lions to award him a five-year, $40MM contract in free agency.
- In an early projection of the Ravens’ 53-man roster, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun lists safety Matt Elam and inside linebacker Arthur Brown (the club’s first- and second-round picks from 2013) as players on track to miss the cut. Elam could lose his spot to Terrence Brooks, who has impressed in training camp, per Zrebiec. Notably, the Ravens declined Elam’s fifth-year option for 2017 earlier this offseason, which came after he struggled in 2014 and then missed the 2015 campaign because of a biceps tear. Releasing Elam, who also has a suspension in his past, would save Baltimore $1.33MM. The club would free up less than $900K by parting with Brown, who has amassed just 17 tackles and a half-sack in 34 games (zero starts).
- In case you missed it, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas ran down which Bears rookies could make impacts this year.
Jahri Evans To Visit Seahawks
SATURDAY, 8:40am: Sources told ESPN’s Adam Caplan that Evans had a “good visit,” but no contract has been signed (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets that the Seahawks made the veteran an offer, although it wasn’t a “big one.”
THURSDAY, 4:13pm: Free agent guard Jahri Evans will visit the Seahawks on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The soon-to-be 33-year-old Evans has been on the open market since the Saints released him in February.
Evans would bring vast experience to Seattle, having appeared in and started 153 games with the Saints from 2006-15. The 316-pounder racked up four first-team All-Pro nods in New Orleans, so he’d easily be the most accomplished O-lineman on the Seahawks’ roster. Evans only logged 11 appearances last year, though, as a result of arthroscopic knee surgery. Notably, Evans’ performance during an abbreviated campaign earned him plaudits from Pro Football Focus, which ranked him 27th among 81 qualifying guards.
Despite losing stalwart left tackle Russell Okung and No. 1 right guard J.R. Sweezy in free agency, the only starting-caliber veteran the Seahawks added during the winter was right tackle J’Marcus Webb. While the team did use its first-round pick on Germain Ifedi, who’s slated to start at right guard, its leading option on the left – Mark Glowinski – has a less impressive pedigree. Glowinski was a fourth-rounder in 2015 who recorded nine appearances and one start as a rookie. Interestingly, Evans has primarily played on the right side, so it’s unknown what signing him would mean for Ifedi or the rest of the Seahawks’ O-line. It’s worth pointing out, of course, that Ifedi was a right tackle during his Texas A&M tenure.
Thanks to the departures of Okung and Sweezy, the Seahawks could clearly use more proven veteran aid along their line. The unit surrendered the sixth-most sacks in the league (46) and ranked 30th in Football Outsiders’ adjusted sack rate metric, so adding a healthy Evans would seem to be a step in the right direction. It’s up in the air how much Evans is capable of contributing at this point, however, evidenced by the fact that he has drawn minimal interest since the Saints released him.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Cowboys, McCown, Titans, Pats
The latest from a few NFL cities as Hall of Fame weekend begins…
- As was reported Thursday, the backup quarterback-needy Cowboys are reluctant to meet the Browns’ relatively lofty asking price for Josh McCown. It’s possible the two will eventually agree to a deal, though, and with that in mind, the Browns have talked to McCown about a possible trade, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Cleveland would prefer to keep McCown, but it hasn’t made the 37-year-old any promises (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys’ lack of cap space might preclude them from acquiring McCown, notes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Giving up a draft pick for McCown, who has a $5MM-plus cap hit each of the next two seasons, would knock the Cowboys’ spending space down to $500K. To soften the financial blow, Dallas could include a member of its roster in a McCown trade, release one or two players it would like to keep, or restructure the quarterback’s deal. None of those are ideal options, as Moore points out, which is why the team is biding its time as it scans for depth under center in the wake of Kellen Moore‘s broken ankle.
- Wide receiver Andre Johnson‘s two-year deal with the Titans is easy for the team to escape after 2016, reports Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. The contract includes base salaries of $985K and $2MM, and it features a $500K roster bonus due on the third day of the 2017 league year. Johnson will also have a chance to earn $250K in per-game active bonuses (Twitter links), though his pact with Tennessee doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The league has suspended Titans safety Marqueston Huff for Week 1 because of a substance abuse violation, Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk writes. Huff has appeared in 30 of 32 regular-season games and made one start since the Titans selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. Most of Huff’s impact has come on special teams, where he participated in 80.8 percent of the Titans’ snaps in 2015.
- The Patriots worked out receiver Cobi Hamilton on Thursday, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. Hamilton ended up signing with Pittsburgh on Friday.
- In case you missed it, the Cardinals awarded extensions to franchise linchpins Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald on Friday. The Saints agreed to a deal with four-time Pro Bowl fullback John Kuhn.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
West Notes: Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers
The contract extensions the Cardinals awarded quarterback Carson Palmer and future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald on Friday extend the team’s Super Bowl window beyond this season, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com contends. As an added benefit, the Cardinals now have extra time to find a successor to the 36-year-old Palmer, and they no longer have to worry about losing two of their top wideouts – Fitzgerald and free agent-to-be Michael Floyd – at season’s end. Worst-case scenario, the Cardinals’ receiving corps will still contain Fitzgerald and John Brown in 2017.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- Palmer’s deal with the Cardinals features a $6.75MM signing bonus and fully guarantees his $15.5MM salary and bonus for 2017, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. On the other hand, neither Palmer’s $12.5MM salary nor $1.5MM roster bonus for 2018 are guaranteed.
- The Chiefs‘ signing of Nick Foles has no impact on Alex Smith‘s short- or long-term future with the club, according to head coach Andy Reid (via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com). “It’s Alex’s football team,” Reid said. “Nick knows that it’s Alex’s team. Alex knows it’s Alex’s team.” Foles, who was next to Reid, echoed that sentiment. Smith is under contract through 2018 after signing a four-year extension in September 2014.
- The four-year extension the Chargers gave receiver Keenan Allen in June is the team’s best deal, opines Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Allen’s contract is worth $45MM, including $20.7MM in guarantees, which Fitzgerald regards as a bargain for a 24-year-old who has averaged 93 catches, 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns per 16 games during his three seasons in the NFL. Conversely, the four-year, $28MM pact the Chargers handed left tackle King Dunlap last offseason is their worst, writes Fitzgerald, who argues the Bolts made an unnecessary commitment (including $8.5MM in guarantees) to a player who only should’ve been a stopgap.
- In other Friday news, Oakland waived pass rusher Damontre Moore, San Francisco lost receiver Eric Rogers for the season and Kansas City agreed to a deal with safety Jeron Johnson.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Saints To Sign John Kuhn
Free agent fullback John Kuhn has agreed to a one-year deal with the Saints. The four-time Pro Bowler had been on the market since it opened in March, but he has finally found a new home just over a month before the beginning of the regular season.
Kuhn, 33, signed with the Steelers in 2005 as an undrafted free agent from Division II Shippensburg University. He appeared in nine games in Pittsburgh, all in 2006, before joining Green Bay. While fullbacks aren’t exactly high-impact players these days, Kuhn nonetheless factored into the Packers’ game plan during his nine years with the organization. All told, he appeared in 148 regular-season games (32 starts) and scored 23 combined touchdowns as a runner and receiver, adding seven more scores in 15 playoff contests.
The Saints rarely made use of a fullback last season, so they seem like a curious fit for Kuhn. However, starter Austin Johnson suffered a knee injury Thursday, the severity of which remains unknown.
New Orleans involved Johnson in its offensive attack on just 7.9 percent of snaps in 2015, though he did appear in 38.9 percent of special teams plays. Kuhn, on the other hand, partook in 26.6 percent of Green Bay’s offensive plays last year and lined up on special teams 34.7 percent of the time. He now joins the 27-year-old Johnson as one of two fullbacks on New Orleans’ roster, as its depth chart shows.
Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com first reported the agreement. Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate reported the length of the deal. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC East Notes: Redskins, Cowboys, Vick
Although the Redskins’ lease at FedEx Field runs through 2027, they and the state of Virginia are already in “very serious negotiations” about building a new stadium, Gov. Terry McAuliffe told ESPN 980 on Friday (via J.J. Regan of CSN Mid-Atlantic). “We’re very aggressive,” revealed McAuliffe, whose state is the home of Redskins training camp and, as he noted, many of their fans and players. The Redskins have played in Landover, Md., since 1997, and McAuliffe expects both Maryland and Washington, D.C., to eventually make their own stadium pitches to the club. In the meantime, McAuliffe hosted a group of Redskins executives at the governor’s mansion Thursday, according to Regan. “If we can come up, be creative with a deal that works for everybody, then I think the team will be here,” said McAuliffe.
More on Washington and its chief division rival:
- Free agent quarterback Michael Vick has indicated that he’d like to join the backup-needy Cowboys, but they have no interest in the 36-year-old, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
- Redskins rookie linebacker Steven Daniels suffered a torn labrum Monday and will undergo season-ending surgery, reports JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic. Daniels, a seventh-round pick from Boston College, was fighting for the team’s fifth inside linebacker spot prior to succumbing to the injury. Even with the loss of Daniels, the club still has no shortage of options at the position, as Roster Resource shows. The Redskins are now likely to waive Daniels with an injury designation and hope he goes unclaimed, thus enabling them to retain the 23-year-old and place him on IR, per Finlay.
- Earlier Friday, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas took a look at other members of Washington’s rookie class and pinpointed three draft picks who could make impacts this year.
Raiders Waive Damontre Moore
The Raiders have made a handful of roster moves, claiming defensive back Tramain Jacobs and linebacker Lenny Jones off waivers from the Giants and 49ers, respectively, and waiving defensive end Damontre Moore and cornerback SaQwan Edwards, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Moore is easily the most notable player of the group, having racked up 9.5 sacks over the previous two seasons. The 23-year-old entered the NFL in 2013 as a Giants third-round pick and was with the club until last December, when it waived him after a dispute over headphones with teammate Cullen Jenkins. Moore, who had picked up three sacks to that point, then joined the Dolphins via waivers. After making three appearances and recording a sack in Miami, Moore ended up back on waivers in May. He signed with the Raiders a week later, but his Silver and Black tenure didn’t even last three months.
Jacobs, who was Moore’s teammate at Texas A&M and last season in New York, is the only other member of this foursome who has played in an NFL game. The 24-year-old registered a combined eight appearances in stints with the Ravens and Giants.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Josh Freeman’s Agent Contacted Cowboys
After backup quarterback Kellen Moore suffered a broken leg Tuesday, the Cowboys engaged in preliminary dialogue with free agent signal-caller Josh Freeman‘s camp Wednesday, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN. A source told Anderson that Freeman’s agent reached out to the Cowboys, who are “reviewing their options” (Twitter links).
Earlier Thursday, ESPN’s Ed Werder reported that the Cowboys aren’t in any rush to find a replacement for Moore, who was set to serve as their top option behind Tony Romo. Dallas has also been connected to Nick Foles, who signed with the Chiefs on Wednesday, and Browns reserve Josh McCown.
In the case of Foles, the Cowboys’ interest was never particularly high. Owner Jerry Jones said Thursday (Twitter link via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News) that the team didn’t make a push to sign Foles as the competition for his services was winding down.
Cleveland is reportedly seeking a mid-round pick for McCown, 37, and the Cowboys are unsurprisingly less than eager to pay such a lofty price for someone they’d acquire with the hope of never having to use in a key situation. That could lead the club to go forward with rookie fourth-round pick Dak Prescott and 2015 undrafted free agent Jameill Showers, which Jones admitted is a possibility.
“We don’t know that we are void on campus at the backup at all,” he said (via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).
Relying on two players who have combined to throw zero passes in the NFL would obviously be a gamble for the Cowboys, who went a miserable 1-11 in the games Romo missed last season because of collarbone issues. In fairness to Jones, however, the Cowboys took the veteran route last year with Matt Cassel – which blew up in their faces – and there’s no guarantee someone like Freeman would be any more effective than either Prescott or Showers.
A first-round pick in 2009, Freeman showed flashes during his four years with the Buccaneers, but his career fell off a cliff early in 2013 and the Bucs released him that October. Now 28, Freeman has since spent time with the Vikings, Giants, Dolphins and Colts. Before signing with Indianapolis last December, he was a member of the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League. As an NFLer, Freeman has totaled 61 starts in 62 appearances, 81 touchdowns, 68 interceptions and a 57.6 percent completion rate. On Jan. 3, his first start since 2013, Freeman completed 15 of 28 passes for 149 yards, a touchdown and a pick in a 30-24 Colts victory over the Titans.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.