Contract-Year Rumors: Brees, Short, Berry
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis confirmed Wednesday that the team and contract-year quarterback Drew Brees have not made any progress toward a long-term deal, though Loomis added that he’s open to discussions, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Brees revealed last week that the two sides last exchanged offers in March. The 37-year-old future Hall of Famer is set to count an NFL-leading $30MM against the Saints’ cap this year, and he’ll also rake in the league’s second-highest QB salary ($19.75MM).
If the Saints don’t sign Brees by the start of the regular season, which is the deadline the 16th-year man has set, retaining him in the offseason could be difficult. Because Brees has already been a franchise-tag recipient twice, it would cost the Saints $43.2MM to tag him in 2017, notes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. With the tag an unlikely option, free agency will become a realistic route for Brees to take if he and the Saints don’t work something out over the next several weeks.
More of the latest regarding high-profile players with unsettled contract situations:
- Unlike New Orleans and Brees, the NFC South rival Panthers and defensive tackle Kawann Short are engaged in extension talks, GM Dave Gettleman said Wednesday (via David Newton of ESPN.com). Short has expressed dissatisfaction this offseason with his current deal, one that will pay him just over $1MM in base salary in 2016, after he led the Panthers in sacks and forced fumbles last year, and ranked eighth among 123 qualifying interior defenders at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Fellow D-line standouts like Fletcher Cox and Muhammad Wilkerson have scored sizable deals in recent weeks, and it’s fair to say the 27-year-old Short could look to those pacts as comparables for his next contract. However, while Cox and Wilkerson will average upward of $17MM a year, Gettleman wasn’t willing to go much higher than $15MM per year as of earlier this month.
- Unhappy with his current status, Chiefs safety Eric Berry is set to skip most or all of the preseason, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). Doing that won’t increase the leverage of Berry, whose only options are to sign his $10.8MM franchise tender at some point or continue sitting out. The Chiefs failed to sign the four-time Pro Bowler to a multiyear deal by the July 15 deadline for tag recipients, meaning the two won’t be able to negotiate again until the end of the season. Because Berry isn’t under contract, he’d be able to avoid showing up for of camp and the preseason without facing fines from the Chiefs. Indeed, the 27-year-old looks primed to take advantage of that.
- The Broncos and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders remain in discussions about a new deal, GM John Elway stated Wednesday (Twitter link via Troy Renck of Denver7). The reigning Super Bowl champions would like to lock Sanders up before the season, according to Elway, who said in June that extending Sanders and two of his teammates – linebackers Von Miller and Brandon Marshall – by mid-July would be “ideal.” Denver has since secured Miller and Marshall, leaving the 29-year-old Sanders as the lone straggler of the group.
- In the biggest news of the day, the Jets and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick finally ended their squabble over a contract.
Bills Rumors: Taylor, Gilmore, Bush
The Bills and quarterback Tyrod Taylor‘s agent, Adisa Bakari, are talking “relatively frequently” about a long-term contract and could reach an agreement before the season, perhaps within the next month, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. It’s a “unique negotiation,” a source told Carucci, because Taylor doesn’t have a long track record of success.
Previously a backup with the Ravens, who chose him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, Taylor joined the Bills last offseason on a cheap contract. He then proceeded to beat out EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel for the No. 1 job over the summer and post strong numbers as a passer and rusher in 14 regular-season games. Taylor (27 next week) ended up top seven among NFL QBs in yards per attempt (7.99) and passer rating (99.4) in 2015. He also completed 63.7 of his throws and accounted for 24 touchdowns (20 passing, four rushing) against a meager six interceptions. Further, Taylor paced all signal-callers in yards per carry (5.5) and trailed only MVP Cam Newton in rushing yards (568). Taylor could now be seeking Brock Osweiler-type money ($18MM per year), writes Carucci, which would be an enormous raise over the $3.1MM he’s scheduled to collect this season.
Elsewhere on the roster, Buffalo and contract-year cornerback Stephon Gilmore continue to make no progress toward an extension, according to Carucci. Gilmore, who’s due $11.082MM in his fifth-year option season, reportedly wanted a deal in the neighborhood of the Redskins’ Josh Norman (five years, $75MM) as of earlier this month. Norman is currently among the league’s top two corners in average annual value ($15MM, first), total guarantees ($50MM, first) and guaranteed money at signing ($36.5MM, second).
With the salary cap consistently on the rise, Gilmore has a case to approach Norman’s deal – especially given that he’s three years younger. And while the ex-South Carolina standout has missed 11 games since 2013, he has nonetheless been a stalwart for Buffalo. The 10th overall selection in his draft class, Gilmore has logged 53 appearances, 51 starts and nine interceptions since entering the NFL. Three of those INTs came last season in 12 games for Gilmore, whom Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked a tremendous ninth among 111 qualifying corners (Norman finished 11th).
If the Bills and Gilmore aren’t able to reach an agreement between now and next March, the franchise tag could be in play, notes Carucci, who doesn’t rule out an in-season extension. The tag would likely cost the Bills upward of $14MM to apply.
Taylor, Gilmore and the rest of the Bills could soon have a new teammate in running back Reggie Bush, whom the club has been in talks with as it seeks a replacement for suspended reserve Karlos Williams. While that dialogue has continued, Bush is mulling whether to jump on Buffalo’s offer or wait for another team’s backfield depth to take a hit this summer, per Carucci. Thanks to Williams’ four-game absence, not securing Bush would leave the Bills with 2015 success story Mike Gillislee and Dan Herron as their primary options behind star LeSean McCoy.
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Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick In Talks
While quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned and therefore was not among those to report to the start of Jets training camp Wednesday, he might not be away from the team for much longer. Negotiations are currently taking place between the Jets and Fitzpatrick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, and he tweets that the talks between the sides “are heating up.” Rapoport reported earlier Wednesday that the Jets would make a major run at signing Fitzpatrick before camp practices begin Thursday.
Fitzpatrick and the Jets have been at odds since March over the club’s three-year, $24MM offer that features $15MM in guarantees, though Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported Monday that the club has presented at least one other option to the 33-year-old. Fitzpatrick – whom the Jets acquired from the Texans for a mere late-round pick last offseason – is looking to cash in on the heels of a career campaign, but neither the Jets nor the rest of the NFL have played ball so far. And given that league’s 31 other teams seems to have their starting quarterback situations figured out, it appears Fitzpatrick and the Jets need each other. The Harvard product helped the Jets to a surprising 10-6 finish and a narrow playoff miss in 2015. Along the way, the career journeyman totaled personal highs in touchdowns (31) and yards (3,905).
Fitzpatrick is easily more accomplished than de facto starter Geno Smith and the Jets’ other quarterbacks, second-round rookie Christian Hackenberg and second-year man Bryce Petty, and would likely give the club its best chance to snap a five-year playoff drought. Judging by their sudden urgency to negotiate as camp is set to begin in earnest, the Jets agree.
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Falcons’ Charles Godfrey Retires
Falcons safety Charles Godfrey announced his retirement Wednesday after eight NFL seasons, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Godfrey, a career-long member of the NFC South, spent last season with the Falcons and re-signed with them in March on a one-year deal. However, a change of heart will end his football career at the age of 30.
Godfrey entered the league with the Panthers, who chose him out of Iowa in the third round of the 2008 draft. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder went on to have a handful of productive years in Carolina, where he totaled 95 regular-season appearances, 75 starts, 11 interceptions, eight forced fumbles and three sacks. In Godfrey’s best statistical season, 2010, he piled up career highs in tackles (84), picks (five) and starts (16). His tenure with the Panthers ended in 2014 after they released him, and he then caught on with rival Atlanta. Godfrey appeared in eight games and picked up 10 tackles with the Falcons last season.
With Godfrey off their roster, the Falcons added a pair of offensive players – wide receiver Corey Washington and tight end Arthur Lynch – on Wednesday, per Ledbetter. Washington’s sole NFL playing experience came as a Giant in 2014, when he caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. Lynch was a fifth-round pick of Miami in 2014, but he hasn’t appeared in a game yet.
Ravens Sign Kavell Conner
The Ravens have signed free agent linebacker Kavell Conner to an undisclosed contract, thus bringing their roster to the 90-player maximum, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
[RELATED: Ravens To Sign Jake Long?]
Conner, 29, has previously seen NFL action with the Colts and Chargers. The former Clemson Tiger entered the league in 2010 as a seventh-round pick with Indianapolis and played there through 2014. Conner started in 36 of 52 appearances with the Colts and picked up 236 tackles, including a career-best 104 in 2011, and two forced fumbles. Conner then partook in 26 regular-season games and amassed 10 starts over the previous two seasons in San Diego, with which he compiled 70 tackles, two forced fumbles and a sack in 2014. The Chargers scaled back Conner’s role last season and then released him in March after a 10-game, 22-tackle showing.
An inside linebacker, Conner will now look to crack a Ravens team set to start C.J. Mosley and Zachary Orr in the middle. Baltimore also has Arthur Brown and Albert McLellan as depth, as seen on Roster Resource.
Saints To Sign Hakeem Nicks
Just over two months after working out free agent receiver Hakeem Nicks, the Saints have agreed to a one-year deal with the veteran, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Financial details are not yet available.
The Saints will be the fourth organization for the 28-year-old Nicks, who has spent time with the Giants, Colts and Titans. The Giants have been Nicks’ employer for the lion’s share of his career. New York selected the ex-North Carolina Tar Heel 29th overall in 2009 and he ended up playing there until 2013 and again last season. As a member of Big Blue, Nicks hauled in 318 catches and 27 touchdowns. None of those scores and just seven of those receptions came in 2015 for Nicks, who caught anywhere from 47 to 79 passes each season from 2009-13 and logged two 1,000-yard campaigns.
In between his two stints with the Giants, Nicks was a Colt in 2014, when he picked up 38 receptions and four TDs, and then briefly a Titan – with whom he didn’t crack the roster. All told, the 6-foot-1, 208-pounder has 92 appearances (67 starts), 356 grabs, 14.3 yards per catch and 31 TDs on his stat sheet.
For New Orleans, the addition of Nicks comes just one day after the team placed fellow wideout Vincent Brown on season-ending injured reserve. In the wake of that move, PFR’s Dallas Robinson listed Nicks as a logical target for the Saints. They agreed, apparently, and Nicks will now join a crowded receiving corps that includes Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, second-round pick Michael Thomas, Brandon Coleman, Reggie Bell and Kyle Prater, as Roster Resource shows.
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Kevin Williams To Retire
Longtime standout defensive tackle Kevin Williams has signed a one-day contract with the Vikings and will officially retire as a member of the organization Thursday, Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune was among those to report.
Williams, 35, spent the vast majority of his career in Minnesota, which selected him ninth overall in the 2003 draft. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy stayed with the Vikings through the 2013 season and racked up six Pro Bowl bids, five first-team All-Pro selections and 60 sacks with the club.
“I had a great time with the Vikings and appreciate them giving me a chance,” Williams said in a statement. “They drafted a small town kid from Arkansas and the organization, the city, the whole state really, helped raise me into a man. I appreciate them for that and look forward to coming back and doing some things with the team.”
[RELATED: Vikings’ Phil Loadholt retires]
After departing Minnesota, Williams played two more seasons – one in Seattle and another in New Orleans. Williams was solid depth for the 2014-15 NFC champion Seahawks, totaling 30 tackles and three sacks in 16 regular-season games (eight starts). He once again played every game last year, this time starting 14 and amassing 32 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles for the Saints, though he failed to record a sack for the only time in his career. Still, Williams’ work in his final campaign earned him a quality ranking at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which placed him 33rd among 123 qualifying interior defenders.
As a free agent, Williams perhaps could’ve caught on with another club looking for D-line depth, but he’ll instead walk away after 13 NFL seasons. In regards to Williams’ exit, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said, “Kevin Williams was an established team leader when we bought the Vikings and his presence was crucial to our success. His consistency and durability makes him a Viking for the ages. We wish Kevin and his family all the best as they enjoy retirement.”
Williams appeared in 203 of a possible 208 regular-season games and logged 193 starts with 525 tackles, 63 sacks and nine forced fumbles. PFR wishes him the best in his retirement.
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Free Agency Notes: Beatty, Welker, Kuhn, 2017
The latest on a few NFL veterans who are currently without contracts and a look ahead to the 2017 class of free agents:
- Eugene Monroe’s retirement is a significant blow to teams that need offensive tackles, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who regards Will Beatty as the best one remaining on the market. Beatty, 31, has 63 starts on his resume, but he missed 2015 with a torn pectoral muscle and the Giants then released him in February.
- In an interview with SiriusXM (Twitter link) on Friday, receiver Wes Welker reiterated that he has not retired. After catching 13 passes for 102 yards in eight games with the Rams in 2015, the 35-year-old has gone back and forth on the state of his career several times this offseason.
- Fullback John Kuhn told SiriusXM on Friday that he continues to work out and wait for someone to call him with an offer, and he hopes the Packers are that team (Twitter link). Kuhn spent 2007-15 in Green Bay, made four Pro Bowls – including earning a Hawaii trip the past two years – and totaled 30 touchdowns between the regular season and playoffs. The 33-year-old appeared in 26.6 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps and 34.7 percent of their special teams plays in 2015.
- In a class that could also feature the likes of Drew Brees, Tyrann Mathieu, Jamie Collins, Le’Veon Bell, Eric Berry and Alshon Jeffery, among other household names, the best prospective 2017 free agent is Panthers defensive lineman Kawann Short, opines John Clayton of ESPN.com (Insider required). Short has expressed dissatisfaction this offseason with his current deal, one that will pay him just over $1MM in base salary in 2016, but Clayton expects the 315-pounder to land a $100MM-plus payday next year – if the Panthers don’t franchise tag him, that is. The three-year veteran led the Panthers in sacks (11), forced three fumbles and ranked a stellar eighth among 123 qualifying interior defenders at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) last season.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC South Notes: Texans, Jags, Hardy, Colts
Receiver DeAndre Hopkins is under Texans control for two more seasons, but he’d like to remain in Houston a lot longer than that. “I love this city. I don’t want to play anywhere else but here,” the 24-year-old said Friday, per Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. Hopkins didn’t go into detail, however, about the type of long-term deal he’s seeking. “I’m not looking for a certain range. I just want to be treated for what I’m worth. That’s fair to say, right?”
There’s no word on whether Hopkins and the Texans are progressing toward an extension, but general manager Rick Smith is eager to retain the 2013 first-round pick from Clemson. “He certainly is one of those guys that we’re going to keep around here for a long time hopefully,” Smith stated.
Worst-case scenario, Hopkins will only stay in Houston through 2017, as the club exercised his $7.915MM fifth-year option in April. A long-term accord would surely cost the Texans far more than that on an annual basis, though, considering Hopkins has emerged as an elite weapon despite having caught passes from a slew of mediocre quarterbacks during his first three seasons. Hopkins is coming off his best year, one in which he hauled in 111 passes for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns, and became the first player to amass a 100-yard receiving game with four different QBs in the same season.
The latest on two of Houston’s division rivals:
- The Jaguars recently worked out controversial free agent defensive end Greg Hardy and might even sign him, though a league source told Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com that such a move isn’t yet under consideration. However, the door isn’t completely closed on it, notes DiRocco, who opines that the Jaguars shouldn’t sign the 27-year-old because of his repellent behavior in Carolina and his issues last season in Dallas, where he was a headache both for the coaches and from a PR standpoint. From purely a football perspective, Hardy would upgrade a Jacksonville team whose top two edge rushers, Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue, have zero NFL snaps between them. The Jags also finished just 20th in sacks last year (Hardy has 33 in his past 44 games), though Fowler missed the entire campaign with a torn ACL, Ngakoue was at Maryland and high-profile free agent pickup Malik Jackson was a Bronco.
- Contary to DiRocco’s argument, there are some Jaguars who believe Hardy would fit in their locker room, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
- After the Colts stumbled through a tumultuous 2015 that resulted in an 8-8 finish, the expectation was that owner Jim Irsay would let go of general manager Ryan Grigson and Chuck Pagano. Irsay did the opposite and extended the pair’s contracts, which has earned quarterback Andrew Luck‘s endorsement. “I think Mr. Irsay showed a lot of guts keeping coach Pagano and Ryan (Grigson),” Luck told Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star. “I think the easy thing is to start all over, I really do. I think that was an awesome, gutsy move. I think it surprised me, but then again, I think any decision would’ve surprised me.” One key reason the Colts went from three straight playoff berths to a .500 finish last season was the injury issues that beset Luck, who missed nine of 16 games. Luck also fared poorly in the seven games he did appear in, but that didn’t stop the Colts from awarding the 26-year-old a record-setting extension in June. In regards to the upcoming season, Irsay said of Luck, “I’ve never seen him more motivated. That fire is in his eye in a special way.”
- Earlier Friday, the league suspended Indianapolis defensive lineman Arthur Jones four games for violating its performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Latest On Josh Gordon’s Future
The meeting Browns receiver Josh Gordon had with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday could bode well for the suspended star’s potential reinstatement to the league, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Goodell wouldn’t have summoned him to New York if the commissioner didn’t believe Gordon had begun taking the necessary steps toward a return, according to Cabot.
[RELATED: Browns Sign Nick Hayden]
Various substance abuse-related suspensions have cost Gordon 29 of the Browns’ past 48 games, including all of the 2015 season, and the league denied his previous petition for reinstatement in April after he failed a drug test. Gordon, 25, is next eligible to apply for reinstatement Aug. 1, and he could rejoin the Browns immediately if Goodell allows him back into the league. Goodell will first need evidence that the ex-Baylor standout has gotten past his substance issues, though, and then the Browns will have to show a willingness to welcome back the immensely talented Gordon.
It might help Gordon’s cause that owner Jimmy Haslam has taken an interest in his well-being, per Cabot. But Gordon’s future (or lack thereof) in Cleveland is likely to rest with new head coach Hue Jackson, who will decide whether the wideout fits into his program. If not, the Browns could trade or cut Gordon – who, with three accrued seasons, doesn’t have enough service time to avoid waivers.
The last time Gordon took the field for an extended period of time, in 2013, he performed like one of the league’s best players, racking up 87 receptions, a jaw-dropping 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games. His ability, youth and the rebuilding Browns’ dearth of talent could lead the club to plug him back into its lineup opposite rookie first-round wideout Corey Coleman, who also attended Baylor. It’s worth noting, too, that Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III played at Baylor with Gordon.
“Josh is family. We went to Baylor together. I love the guy,” Griffin said during his introductory conference call in Cleveland in March (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
In the event Gordon returns, he’ll make a relative pittance this year, $1,068,406, before becoming a restricted free agent next offseason.
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