Connor J. Byrne | Pro Football Rumors

Reactions To Von Miller’s Deal

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 15, 2016 7:25 pm

In a day packed with enthralling stories across the NFL, none was as important to a team’s long-term future as the Broncos’ record-setting contract agreement with all-world pass rusher Von Miller, the reigning Super Bowl MVP. After a lengthy and contentious battle over guaranteed money, the Broncos finally locked up the linebacker shortly before Friday afternoon’s contract deadline for franchise-tagged players. The defending champions inked Miller to a six-year, $114.5MM deal with $70MM in guarantees. Here’s a roundup of reactions to the accord:

While Miller was adamant about remaining a Bronco over the long haul, his threat to sit out the season in lieu of playing under the tag was not a bluff, according to agent Joby Branion. Having avoided that scenario, Branion praised Denver’s front office, calling general manager John Elway & Co. “extraordinarily smart people.” The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback and now-title-winning executive is “the ultimate competitor,” Branion added (Twitter links via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).
Negotiations between the Broncos and Miller became serious July 7 for two reasons, writes Mike Klis of 9News: 1. The team needed to begin drawing up trade plans for Miller if if knew it wouldn’t be able to sign him by the deadline. 2. Elway had out-of-country vacation plans. Elway’s urgency led the Broncos to significantly raise their offer from $39.8MM in full guarantees over the first two years and $58MM in partial guarantees during the initial three to $42MM and $70MM, respectively. That increase was enough for Miller to sign on the dotted line and avoid a season-long holdout or a trade.
Largely as a result of their tug of war with Miller, the Broncos have established themselves as a brutal team to negotiate with, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. That stubbornness is sometimes to the Broncos’ detriment and sometimes to their benefit, notes Robinson, who reports that it’s the former in this instance. The Broncos could have re-signed Miller at a lower guaranteed amount in February, multiple sources told Robinson, who argues that doing so might have enabled them to retain quarterback Brock Osweiler via the franchise tag instead of having to use it on Miller. Without the tag tying him down, Osweiler departed for Houston in free agency, leading Denver to acquire derided signal-caller Mark Sanchez and use a first-round pick on Paxton Lynch.
With Miller under wraps, attention in Denver now turns to contract-year receiver Emmanuel Sanders, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post explains. As of last week, negotiations between the Broncos and Sanders went on the back burner while the club turned its entire focus to Miller. Sanders hopes to stay a Bronco, though, and Elway said in June that extensions for Miller, linebacker Brandon Marshall and Sanders by mid-July would be “ideal.” The only one of those three Elway hasn’t since re-upped is Sanders, so it seems like a matter of time for the 29-year-old.
As the cap continues to rise, Miller’s new pact will eventually set the standard for Raiders superstar defensive end Khalil Mack and Rams dominant defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post contends. Mack and Donald – who, like Miller, are among the league’s premier players – are controllable under their current deals for three more seasons. The two 2014 first-round picks have 2018 fifth-year options that, barring something catastrophic, their teams will undoubtedly exercise when the time comes.

Offseason In Review: Dallas Cowboys

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 15, 2016 6:01 pm

The Cowboys entered the 2015 season with championship aspirations, but ruinous injuries to franchise cornerstones Tony Romo and Dez Bryant helped torpedo their hopes and send them to a 4-12 finish. With Romo and Bryant back, the Cowboys expect to rebound from last year’s fourth-worst showing – one in which they went 2-6 in one-score games – and it looks as though they’ll have to rely heavily on their star quarterback and receiver (and rookie running back) in order to climb back atop what should be a wide-open NFC East.

Notable signings:

Cedric Thornton, DT: Four years, $17MM. $6MM guaranteed.
Benson Mayowa, DE: Three years, $8.25MM. $3.3MM guaranteed. Raiders declined to match RFA offer sheet.
James Hanna, TE: Three years, $8.25MM. $2.25MM guaranteed.
Jeff Heath, S: Four years, $7.671MM. $1.8MM guaranteed. $1MM available via incentives.
Alfred Morris, RB: Two years, $3.5MM. $1.8MM guaranteed. $1MM escalator available.
Kyle Wilber, LB: Two years, $3.25MM. $1MM guaranteed.
Morris Claiborne, CB: One year, $3MM. $500K guaranteed.
Rolando McClain, LB: One year, $4MM. $500K guaranteed. $1MM available via incentives.
Jack Crawford, DL: One year, $1.1MM. $240K guaranteed.
Lance Dunbar, RB: One year, $1.25MM. $100K guaranteed.
Joe Looney, OL: Two years, $1.675MM. $100K guaranteed. $750K available via incentives.
Charles Brown, T: One year, minimum salary benefit. $55K guaranteed.
Ronald Leary, G: One year, $2.553MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
Josh Thomas, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit.

Although it’s obviously a big-market franchise, Dallas took a rather modest approach to free agency. Financially speaking, its most significant transaction was to pilfer defensive lineman Cedric Thornton from division-rival Philadelphia for $17MM over four years, including $6MM in guarantees. Thornton, 28, started in every one of his appearances with the Eagles from 2013-15 (45 in total) and mostly served as an end in their 3-4 alignment. He’ll switch to tackle in the Cowboys’ 4-3, which he played in sparingly as a rookie with the Eagles in 2012. The 309-pound Thornton has a mere four sacks on his resume, though he does have a reputation as a quality run defender. Pro Football Focus ranked Thornton just outside the top 30 of interior defenders against the run last season (and a far better eighth among 3-4 DEs in 2014), so he’s primed to aid a Cowboys defense that allowed the 19th-highest yards-per-carry average in the league and had the fourth-worst DVOA versus rushing attacks in 2015. Now that he’s out of the shadow of Fletcher Cox and Bennie Logan, Thornton should experience an uptick in playing time over the 40.6 percent of snaps he appeared in last year. He figures to start alongside Tyrone Crawford on the Cowboys’ interior.

After Thornton, the largest monetary commitment the Cowboys made during the winter was to defensive end Benson Mayowa, a restricted free agent they pried out of Oakland with a three-year, $8.25MM offer sheet and $3.3MM in guarantees. The Raiders deemed the 24-year-old inessential to their cause when they declined to match the Cowboys’ offer to Mayowa, who has only made three starts in his NFL career. Mayowa amassed a combined 30 appearances for the Seahawks and Raiders from 2013-15 and recorded 16 tackles, a sack and two fumble recoveries last season. Despite his lack of experience and relative anonymity, the Cowboys are betting on a noteworthy edge-rushing future from Mayowa, as chief operating officer Stephen Jones said upon signing him. Considering the Cowboys ranked 25th in the league in sacks last year (31) and have since opted against re-signing pass-rushing threat Greg Hardy and fellow end Jeremy Mincey, and have lost Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory to quarter-season suspensions, they’ll need a Mayowa breakout sooner than later.

Joining Gregory and Lawrence on the suspended list is middle linebacker Rolando McClain, whom the team brought back for a third year at a palatable cost ($4MM total, $500K guaranteed). Four months later, the league banned McClain for 10 games thanks to another violation of its substance abuse policy. McClain, 26, will sit for 10 games this year after an earlier suspension kept him out of four contests last season.

McClain clearly brings plenty of baggage, but his loss should be a damaging one for Dallas on the field after he played in 60.4 percent of its defensive snaps last season, piled up 80 tackles, two sacks and an interception, and graded as PFF’s 28th-best linebacker among 97 qualifiers. McClain’s suspension this late in the game no doubt puts the Cowboys behind the 8-ball, as free agency isn’t exactly teeming with high-end replacements. PFR’s Dallas Robinson ran down several available options in the wake of McClain’s suspension, with ex-Cowboy Justin Durant among them. The Cowboys have since contacted Durant about a reunion, though no deal has materialized yet and a source informed Robinson that they’re content with their McClain-less linebacker corps.

If Dallas doesn’t sign anyone, the in-house favorite to replace McClain is Anthony Hitchens, who finished third among Cowboys linebackers in snap percentage last year (50.9) while playing on the inside and outside. Hitchens didn’t draw praise from PFF, though, which rated him as the league’s 69th overall LB. It was only his second season, however, so there’s still room for growth from the 2014 fourth-round pick. Regardless, as Robinson noted, Hitchens was already on track to start prior to McClain’s suspension, so the latter’s absence could force Kyle Wilber into a top role on the strong side. Wilber took part in a paltry 21.2 percent of defensive snaps for the club last season and accumulated 24 tackles, and the Cowboys were encouraged enough to retain him on a two-year, $3.25MM deal.

Continue reading about the Cowboy’s offseason…

The Cowboys’ other prominent defensive move in free agency was to re-sign cornerback Morris Claiborne to a one-year, $3MM pact after he appeared in 62.7 percent of their snaps in 2015. The sixth overall pick in 2012, Claiborne hasn’t lived up to his draft billing since a promising rookie season. He tallied only 21 starts over the past four seasons because of injuries and subpar play, though he did start in all 11 of his appearances last year. The LSU product failed to grab an interception for the first time in his career, however, and ranked 104th among 111 qualifying corners at PFF.

Aside from re-up Claiborne and hope Orlando Scandrick bounces back from a torn ACL and MCL that sidelined him for 2015, the Cowboys did little to address their pass defense, which ended last season 31st in INTs (eight), 23rd in opposing yards per attempt (7.6), 20th in passer rating allowed (94.2) and 17th in DVOA.

In terms of offensive name recognition, the Cowboys’ only somewhat high-profile pickup was ex-Redskins running back Alfred Morris, who accepted a short-term offer in free agency from his former rivals. Morris was a workhorse in Washington, where he accrued 1,078 carries in his first four seasons (and 200-plus each year), but his yards per carry dropped precipitously each campaign and he found the end zone only once in 2015. Morris looked like a decent bet to pick up a solid chunk of touches in Dallas before it spent the fourth overall pick in the draft on Ezekiel Elliott, who will be the bell cow. With Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar also in the mix behind Elliott, touches figure to be scarce for Morris.

The Cowboys made a more substantial multiyear commitment to tight end James Hanna than any other offensive free agent during the offseason, awarding him a three-year, $8.25MM contract and $2.25MM in guarantees. The 26-year-old has acquitted himself nicely as depth behind starter Jason Witten, catching the occasional pass and acting primarily as a blocker. Hanna, who has 33 career receptions, drew interest from outside of Dallas in free agency, but he elected to stay in the fold behind Witten and alongside Gavin Escobar.

Finally, there’s the matter of offensive guard Ronald Leary, to whom the Cowboys assigned a second-round tender (worth $2.553MM) as a restricted free agent. Leary requested a trade in the spring after losing his job to La’el Collins last season, but the club is fine with retaining him as depth. Leary, whom the Cowboys signed as an undrafted free agent in 2012, has started in all 35 of his pro appearances – including four in 2015 – but with Collins and two-time Pro Bowler Zack Martin entrenched at the guard spots, he’s now a reserve.

Notable losses:

Mackenzy Bernadeau, G
Matt Cassel, QB
Tyler Clutts, FB
Greg Hardy, DE
Nick Hayden, DT
Cameron Lawrence, LB
Danny McCray, S
Jeremy Mincey, DE
Robert Turbin, RB

From solely a production standpoint, Hardy’s exit will leave a void in Dallas. Hardy wasn’t the dominant entity with the Cowboys that he was in prior years with the Panthers, but he was still one of the few bright spots for a mostly underwhelming defense. Hardy, PFF’s 28th overall edge rusher in 2015, finished second on the Cowboys in sacks (six) and third among their D-linemen in snap percentage (56.3) during his 12-game stint in their uniform. However, Hardy’s highly problematic off-field behavior made him a PR nightmare and overshadowed his gridiron output. With that in mind, head coach Jason Garrett and his staff are probably glad Hardy’s gone. But whether they’ll effectively replace him between the lines is another matter, especially with Lawrence and Gregory set to miss four games apiece.

Along with Hardy, the Cowboys have seemingly waved goodbye to Mincey, who was on the field for 35.9 percent of their defensive plays last year. Mincey remains a free agent after failing to collect a sack in 2015, which was particularly unexpected after he notched six the previous season. Given the Cowboys’ dearth of pass rushers, it doesn’t speak well for what the 33-year-old Mincey has left in the proverbial tank that they haven’t re-signed him on a cheap deal. No Mincey, Hardy, Lawrence or Gregory (temporarily in the latter two cases, of course) leaves Dallas with Mayowa, Ryan Russell, David Irving and fourth-rounder Charles Tapper as its top four ends going into training camp. There’s little track record to speak of with anyone in that quartet.

The third relied-on member of the Cowboys’ 2015 D-line who’s now without work is tackle Nick Hayden, who participated in 55 percent of their defensive snaps, appeared in 16 games and made 15 starts. Hayden, 30, started in 47 of a possible 48 regular-season games during his three years with the Cowboys, and he has a fan in defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, but the club hasn’t shown interest in re-signing him after upgrading with Thornton and using a third-round choice on Maliek Collins. Hayden’s durability was on display yet again last season, as mentioned, but he ranked just 115th out of 123 qualifying interior defenders at PFF for his performance.

Given what he displayed last year in relief of Romo, Cowboys fans are surely pleased the team didn’t re-sign Matt Cassel. Collarbone issues kept Romo out of action for all but four games last season, leading Cassel – whom the Cowboys acquired from Buffalo in late September – to receive the lion’s share of time under center. The Cassel era was an unmitigated disaster for Dallas, which went 1-6 in his starts as he completed 58 percent of passes, averaged 6.2 yards per attempt and threw five touchdowns against seven interceptions in parts of nine games. Kellen Moore, who grabbed the reins from Cassel in the final weeks of the season, is now the full-time No. 2. But it’s debatable whether Moore is the best choice for a squad whose backup QB situation factored heavily into its demise in 2015.

Draft picks:

1-4: Ezekiel Elliott, RB (Ohio State)
2-34: Jaylon Smith, LB (Notre Dame)
3-67: Maliek Collins, DT (Nebraska)
4-101: Charles Tapper, DE (Oklahoma)
4-135: Dak Prescott, QB (Mississippi State)
6-189: Anthony Brown, CB (Purdue)
6-212: Kavon Frazier, S (Central Michigan)
6-216: Darius Jackson, RB (Eastern Michigan)
6-217: Rico Gathers, TE (Baylor)

With so many defensive questions entering the draft, ex-Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey looked like a strong bet to end up with the Cowboys in the first round. They ultimately left Ramsey on the board at No. 4 overall, though, and swung for the fences on offense by selecting Elliott, a soon-to-be 21-year-old wunderkind who’s fresh off back-to-back 1,800-yard seasons at Ohio State. The newly popular school of thought, however, is that running backs shouldn’t go that high in the draft; that’s especially true for the Cowboys, who don’t need an all-world talent behind their dominant line. After losing 2014 Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray to a payday in Philadelphia, the Cowboys put together a spartan group that finished ninth in the league in rushing and fifth in per-carry average last season. That was without any threat of a passing attack, by the way, making the work of their linemen and McFadden all the more worthy of praise. Nevertheless, the Cowboys should now have their long-term backfield solution in Elliott, who, if he pans out, will make life easier on Romo as he advances into his late 30s.

Having secured Elliott, the Cowboys added another household name, Jaylon Smith, with their second-round pick. Dallas is prepared to go without Smith this season as a result of the torn ACL and MCL he suffered in a New Year’s Day Fiesta Bowl tilt against Elliott’s Buckeyes. Prior to both that and the diagnosis of a nerve issue in Smith’s ankle, the expectation was that he’d come off the board somewhere in the top 10 of the draft. Considering his upside, the Cowboys couldn’t pass on Smith as a long-term investment at No. 34, though multiple teams gave him a failing grade during his physical at the combine and then removed him from their draft boards. Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper performed Smith’s surgery, however, so the club likely had unique insight into his injury entering the draft. That doesn’t make going a year without any contributions from your second-rounder easy to swallow, though, particularly for a team with clear weaknesses on defense.

The injury bug has also bit the aforementioned Collins, a third-rounder, in recent months. The broken foot Collins suffered during the spring isn’t anywhere near as serious as Smith’s situation, fortunately, and Garrett expects the ex-Nebraska Cornhusker back by camp. Once healthy, the 67th overall pick should team with Terrell McClain to provide interior depth behind Thornton and Crawford.

The Cowboys’ flashiest selection in the latter half of the draft was dual-threat quarterback Dak Prescott, who totaled 114 touchdowns (70 passing, 41 rushing, three receiving) during his four-year career at Mississippi State. While Moore is currently Dallas’ top option behind Romo, the raw Prescott could eventually push for the role. “I don’t want to write a check with my mouth that he has to cover here, but (Prescott) has it,” owner Jerry Jones said of the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder after the draft.

Extensions and Restructures:

Tyron Smith, T: Restructured contract to create $7.2MM in cap space, converting $9MM in 2016 base salary into a signing bonus.
Tyrone Crawford, DT: Restructured contract to create $4.4MM in cap space, converting $5.5MM in 2016 base salary into a signing bonus.
Brandon Carr, CB: Accepted pay cut, creating $3.1MM in cap space by reducing 2016 base salary from $9.1MM to $6MM.

In order to clear cap space, Dallas made changes to three key veterans’ contracts. In the case of Tyron Smith, who has earned three straight Pro Bowl nods at left tackle, the Cowboys converted $9MM of his $10MM base salary for 2016 into a signing bonus. Rather than counting solely against this year’s cap, that $9MM bonus will now be prorated over five seasons, counting for $1.8MM annually from 2016-2020. By doing that, the Cowboys freed up $7.2MM in space for this year and added $1.8MM to the cap each season from 2017-20.

Crawford, meanwhile, was set to pocket a fully guaranteed $6.75MM base salary in 2016 after inking a contract extension last September. Dallas instead reduced his salary to $1.25MM and converted $5.5MM into a signing bonus. The team gave Crawford that bonus immediately, but it will be spread out on its cap for the next five seasons at $1.1MM per annum. While the restructuring cut Crawford’s 2016 cap number from $8.75MM to $4.35MM, it increased his cap charges from 2017-20. Crawford will count for at least $9MM annually against the Cowboys’ cap, including $10.35MM in 2017.

Brandon Carr‘s future with the Cowboys hung in the balance after last season, his fourth with the franchise, but the starting corner stuck around once he agreed to a pay reduction. Carr, who has now gone back-to-back seasons without an interception, will earn $6MM this year instead of his originally scheduled $9.1MM. His cap number dropped, too, from $13.8MM to a still-high $10.22MM. Carr’s contract also includes a voidable 2017, so this could be his last year in Dallas.

Other:

Exercised 2017 fifth-year option for C Travis Frederick ($8.821MM).
Learned LB Rolando McClain would be suspended 10 games (substance abuse policy).
Learned DE Randy Gregory would be suspended four games (substance abuse policy).
Learned DE Demarcus Lawrence would be suspended four games (substance abuse policy).
Learned DL Maliek Collins has a broken foot and may be out until September.
Signed 13 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

Travis Frederick has emerged as a premier center since the Cowboys drafted him 31st overall in 2013, making it no surprise that they exercised his $8.821MM fifth-year option for 2017. Frederick, who has started 48 straight regular-season games in Dallas and has made back-to-back Pro Bowl trips, seems likely to land a long-term extension sometime soon.

Top 10 cap hits for 2016:

Tony Romo, QB: $20.835,000
Dez Bryant, WR: $13,000,000
Brandon Carr, CB: $10,217,000
Jason Witten, TE: $8,612,000
Orlando Scandrick, CB: $7,796,385
Tyron Smith, T: $6,800,000
Sean Lee, LB: $5,950,000
Doug Free, T: $5,500,000
Barry Church, S: $4,750,000
Ezekiel Elliott, RB: $4,537,516

Led by Romo, Bryant, Elliott and a stellar offensive line, the Cowboys are unlikely to have much difficulty scoring points this year. The problem is that their defense looks primed to give up plenty, too, as the front office failed to make enough immediate improvements on that side of the ball. The suspensions to McClain, Lawrence and Gregory should only exasperate the already unenviable situation in which Marinelli found himself.

Contract information from Over the Cap, Spotrac, and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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AFC East Notes: Brady, Jets, Bills, Bush

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 15, 2016 5:32 pm

In response to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady abandoning his Deflategate fight on Friday and accepting his four-game suspension to begin the season, owner Robert Kraft issued a statement blasting the NFL for its handling of the matter. Kraft expressed frustration with the notion that Brady “was denied his right to a fair and impartial process. The League’s investigation into a football pressure matter was flawed and biased from the start, and has been discredited nearly unanimously by accredited academics and scientists.”

Kraft continued: “The penalty imposed by the NFL was unprecedented, unjust and unreasonable, especially given that no empirical or direct evidence of any kind showed Tom did anything to violate League rules prior to, during or after the 2015 AFC Championship Game. What Tom has had to endure throughout this 18-month ordeal has been, in my opinion, as far removed from due process as you could ever expect in this country.”

Unsurprisingly, Kraft went on to pledge both his and the franchise’s full support to Brady, saying, “This entire process has indelibly taken a toll on our organization, our fans and most importantly, Tom Brady. His reluctant decision to stop pursuing further action and to put this situation behind him is what he feels is best for the team in preparation for this season and is fully supported by me and our entire organization.”

Here’s more from around the AFC East, whose three other teams are likely feeling a little better about their chances in light of the Brady news:

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson‘s stunning Friday extension with the Jets could spell trouble for Sheldon Richardson‘s long-term prospects with the club, opines CBS Sports’ Joel Corry, who wonders if the latter will end up on the trading block next year (Twitter link). Richardson, 25, is signed through the 2017 campaign at less than $10MM in combined salary, and he has palatable cap hits of $3.115MM and $8.069MM, respectively.
On the other hand, Albert Breer of TheMMQB (on Twitter) expects Richardson to stay with the Jets through at least his current contract. The Jets would then have an opportunity to decide whether to go forth with Richardson or Wilkerson, who has $37MM in guarantees coming his way through 2017, or even both. Gang Green will also have further time to develop fellow lineman Leonard Williams – its first-rounder last year – during that period, Breer points out.
Thanks to Karlos Williams‘ four-game suspension, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter) looks for the Bills to pursue free agent running back Reggie Bush. With Williams set to miss a quarter of the season and fellow backup Jonathan Williams dealing with his own off-field issues, the Bills suddenly don’t look nearly as deep in the backfield, though they’re still positioned well with LeSean McCoy, 2015 breakout Mike Gillislee and Dan Herron in the fold. Bush, meanwhile, hasn’t yet found work since tearing his ACL as a member of the 49ers last November.

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Broncos Increase Offer To Von Miller

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 9, 2016 12:10 pm

SATURDAY, 12:10pm: The Broncos and Miller are expected to talk more today, tweets Cole. However, the reporter notes that it’s still “iffy” as to whether Miller will accept the team’s offer.

FRIDAY, 4:39pm: Elway and Branion still haven’t engaged in their scheduled discussion for today, though they are expected to, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio also throws cold water on the notion of the Broncos’ willingness to fully guarantee a non-injury third year earlier (mentioned in the 11:27 a.m. update) being real progress.

2:12pm: The Broncos are currently offering $61MM in guaranteed money as part of a six-year, $114MM contract, according to Cole, though he notes it’s shy of Cox’s $63MM in guarantees and well short of Andrew Luck‘s $87MM (Twitter link).

1:19pm: There remains a wide chasm between the sides, per Rand Getlin of NFL Network (Twitter link), with both guaranteed money and the structure of the contract serving as roadblocks.

12:10pm: Denver still isn’t guaranteeing enough money for Miller’s liking, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Further, Miller’s “extremely upset” with Elway and the Broncos over the public nature of the negotiations, per Cole.

11:27am: The Broncos’ improved offer to Miller comes with a willingness to trigger the non-injury guarantee for the third year earlier than before, tweets Werder.

11:10am: The Broncos submitted an offer with more guaranteed money to Miller on Thursday, according to Mike Klis of 9News.

10:58am: With the clock continuing to tick toward the July 15 deadline for teams to sign franchise-tagged players to new contracts, the Broncos and linebacker Von Miller‘s agent, Joby Branion, will talk over the phone Friday, reports Ed Werder of ESPN. This comes less than a week after general manager John Elway did his best to ease the tensions via phone with Miller, the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Elway also had a conversation last weekend with Branion.

The Elway-led Broncos and Miller previously ceased communication after the sides could not agree on total guaranteed money in a long-term deal last month. Denver presented Miller a six-year, $114.5MM offer that satisfied the pass-rushing force in both contract length and total value, but it fell way short of his asking price in guaranteed cash. The previous proposal contained $39.8MM in full guarantees, a sum worth less than defensive tackle’s Marcell Dareus‘ 2015 extension with the Bills. The offer, one the Broncos technically rescinded after Miller declined it, also did not provide the four-time Pro Bowler as much guaranteed money within the first nine months as the Eagles included in the extension they recently gave defensive lineman Fletcher Cox.

In the event the Broncos and Miller do agree on a contract, he stands a strong chance to become the highest-paid defender in NFL history, slightly surpassing tackle Ndamukong Suh‘s 2015 Dolphins accord. Suh received $59.5MM fully guaranteed at signing. While the Broncos haven’t shown a willingness to approach that figure yet, it stands to reason they’ll have to in order to lock up Miller, whom they took second overall in the 2010 draft.

Miller has not been amenable to signing the Broncos’ $14.26MM exclusive franchise tender to this point and could sit out the season in lieu of accepting it. First, though, next Friday’s deadline will have to pass without an agreement between him and the team. Elway, however, has signed each of the three Broncos previously tagged under his watch — Matt Prater (2012), Ryan Clady (2013) and Demaryius Thomas (2015) — and is now aiming to do the same with Miller.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Chargers Sign Third-Rounder Max Tuerk

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 9, 2016 10:00 am

SATURDAY, 10:00am: The Chargers announced the deal via their website.

THURSDAY, 1:44pm: The Chargers have signed third-round pick Max Tuerk, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). With Tuerk signed, first-round defensive end Joey Bosa – the No. 3 overall selection – is now the only member of the Chargers’ eight-player draft class who hasn’t put pen to paper on a rookie contract.

The 66th overall pick, Tuerk was a standout at nearby USC, where he played guard, tackle and center and totaled 38 starts. A season-ending knee injury concluded Tuerk’s career with the Trojans five games into his senior campaign in 2015, but he should be ready to go for his first year in the NFL. As Roster Resource shows, Tuerk joins a center group that includes free agent pickup Matt Slauson, Chris Watt and Trevor Robinson.

Bosa, meanwhile, is one of only three first-rounders without a deal. As of late June, the ex-Ohio State star and the Chargers were at loggerheads over the offset language in his contract.

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Extra Points: Brees, Packers, Bills, Jets

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 8, 2016 4:26 pm

This is a contract year for quarterback Drew Brees, and if he and the Saints don’t reach an agreement on a new deal by next offseason, the franchise tag probably won’t be an option for the team. Tagging Brees would leave the Saints with an unpalatable $43.09MM cap hit for 2017. Given that fact, the future Hall of Famer might have the leverage to land a fully guaranteed, multiyear contract by next winter, Andrew Brandt of The MMQB.com suggests. In the meantime, the 37-year-old is slated to play 2016 on a $19.75MM salary and count a quarterback-leading $30MM against New Orleans’ cap. As of last month, multiple sources projected Brees’ next pact would be a four-year, $95MM accord featuring $65MM in guarantees.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Tucker, Raiders, Chargers

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 8, 2016 1:33 pm

As the Ravens’ franchise player, kicker Justin Tucker will make $4.572MM this year if he and the team don’t agree to a new contract by the July 15 deadline. The two sides haven’t struck a deal yet because Tucker is likely looking to eclipse the Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski as the NFL’s highest-paid kicker, according to Clifton Brown of CSN Mid-Atlantic. Gostkowski inked a four-year, $17.2MM pact that features $10.2MM in guarantees last summer, when he was 31. The 26-year-old Tucker is significantly younger than Gostkowski and has hit a higher rate of field goal attempts (87.8 percent to 87.3), albeit in 168 fewer tries. Both the Ravens and Tucker want to extend their relationship, writes Brown, who expects them to reach an agreement by next Friday’s cutoff.

Elsewhere around the AFC…

Big-money Raiders acquisition Bruce Irvin expects to reap the benefits of playing with superstar defensive end Khalil Mack, the ex-Seahawks linebacker told Eddie Paskal of the team’s website. “I think me being on the other side of him, I’m going to benefit a lot and get one-on-one situations, and I have to win those matchups.” That’s presumably why the Raiders awarded $19MM in guarantees to Irvin, who totaled 22 sacks in his four-year tenure in Seattle. Mack picked up 15 on his own in 2015, which was only his second season, but no other Raider had more than four. “He’s just a freak, man,” Irvin said of Mack. “He can play the run. He can rush. He can do all types of stuff, [he’s] the kind of guy you want to play with.” Mack ranked ahead of Von Miller as Pro Football Focus’ best edge defender last season and earned even higher marks as a run defender than as a pass rusher. Mack’s grade against the run (96.3) was far and away tops among edge defenders last year.
Center Trevor Robinson is a potential cap casualty for the Chargers this summer, reports Tom Krasovic of the San Diego-Union Tribune. By moving on from Robinson, the Bolts would save $2.3MM and take on just $75K in dead money. If the team keeps the 26-year-old, it could be after restructuring his deal, per Krasovic. Robinson, who’s still not 100 percent from a shoulder injury he suffered last season, made 13 starts in 15 appearances for the Chargers in 2015. San Diego has since added free agent pickup Matt Slauson and third-rounder Max Tuerk to the fray at center.
In case you missed it, the Jets and franchise-tagged defensive linemen Muhammad Wilkerson aren’t progressing toward a new contract.

0 comments Baltimore Ravens Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Bruce Irvin Justin Tucker Khalil Mack Trevor Robinson

Bears, Alshon Jeffery Unlikely To Reach Deal

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 8, 2016 12:20 pm

12:20pm: The Bears are irked at Jeffery for missing their offseason workouts, according to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (video link), who adds that they don’t want to allocate top-tier money to the receiver position. Chicago would rather spread that type of cash around the roster, which is one reason it drafted wideout Kevin White in the first round last year.

8:04am: There’s only a week remaining for NFL teams to sign their franchise-tagged players to long-term contracts, and it looks as though Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery will enter the season without a new deal. As of now, “there’s not a lot of confidence” the Bears and Jeffery will reach an agreement by the cutoff, July 15 at 4 p.m. EDT, NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo said Thursday on NFL Total Access (link via Tyler Dragon of NFL.com). If Chicago doesn’t lock up Jeffery up by then, it won’t be able to negotiate with him again until the end of the season.

Jeffery – who has already signed the $14.6MM franchise tender and looks likely to play 2016 under that – is seeking a contract richer than the ones fellow receivers Doug Baldwin (Seahawks) and Allen Hurns (Jaguars) inked last month, according to Garafolo. Baldwin, 27, landed a four-year, $46MM extension that includes $24.25MM in guarantees, while the 24-year-old Hurns shook hands on a four-year pact worth over $40MM, $20MM of which is guaranteed.

Jeffrey, 26, has been the most productive of the three when healthy, but the Bears are concerned about his injury history, per Garafolo. The 6-foot-3, 216-pounder missed six games during his rookie season, 2012, because of hand and knee injuries and sat out seven contests last year on account of calf, hamstring, groin and shoulder issues. Still, in the nine games he did appear, Jeffrey was eminently productive, piling up 54 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns. Since his breakout in 2013, the former second-round pick from South Carolina has amassed 228 receptions, 3,361 yards and 21 scores in 41 regular-season games. Impressively, those numbers average out to 89 grabs, 1,312 yards and eight TDs per 16 games.

Given his elite on-field output and size, Jeffrey will certainly put himself in position to earn a substantial payday next winter if he’s able to mimic his healthy 2013 and ’14 campaigns. Whether that money come from the Bears remains to be seen, of course. For now, it appears the two sides are content to enter 2016 without long-term security in place for Jeffery.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

6 comments Chicago Bears Newsstand Alshon Jeffery

NFC Notes: Vikes, Turner, Redskins, Giants

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 8, 2016 10:30 am

With former Rams and Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur now on the Vikings’ staff as the tight ends coach, O-coordinator Norv Turner‘s job could be in jeopardy if Minnesota’s attack doesn’t improve this season, writes Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune. The Vikings’ Turner-led offense ranked just 27th and 29th over the previous two seasons, and the latter finish came despite excellent production from running back Adrian Peterson. One way Turner could help his cause is to involve receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in the game plan, Souhan offers. Patterson – a first-round pick in 2013 – racked up just two targets and two carries under Turner last season. He was at his most productive as a rookie in Bill Musgrave‘s 13th-ranked offense, with 45 catches on 78 targets, 469 yards and seven total touchdowns (four receiving, three rushing).

Kirk Cousins To Play 2016 Under Franchise Tag

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 8, 2016 8:26 am

The July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign new contracts is fast approaching, but the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins have not made progress toward an agreement, reports Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who adds that circumstances will not change over the next week. That means the Redskins and Cousins won’t be free to negotiate a long-term deal again until the end of the season. In the meantime, Cousins will play 2016 under the $19.95MM franchise tender he signed in March.

Given the lofty price of the tag this season – which will increase to $23.94MM if Washington uses it again on Cousins in 2017 – the 27-year-old doesn’t have much incentive to ink an extension. If the two sides were to strike a deal, it would take the Redskins the combined price of the tags, $43.89MM in guarantees, over the first two seasons of the pact, per Florio.

Tagging Cousins again in 2018 would cost the Redskins an unpalatable $34.47MM. That’s a long way off, though, and the franchise first wants Cousins to prove his red-hot finish to the 2015 campaign wasn’t a fluke. The four-year veteran closed the regular season on a tear, completing 74 percent of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, 12 touchdowns and a 134.0 quarterback rating over the final four weeks. That astounding stretch helped the Redskins to a 9-7 overall mark and an NFC East title.

In total, Cousins ended his first full season as a starter with a 69.8 completion percentage, 29 scores, 11 interceptions, 4,166 yards and a 101.6 passer rating. Before usurping the No. 1 job from former second overall pick Robert Griffin III last summer, Cousins appeared in 14 games and made nine starts from 2012-14. Notably, Griffin and Cousins were part of the same Redskins draft class in 2012, though the team invested only a fourth-rounder in the latter signal-caller.

At $660K, Cousins earned a paltry sum for a starting quarterback last season. But thanks to his down-the-stretch brilliance, the ex-Michigan State Spartan will pace all QBs in base salary this year.