5 Key Stories: 5/28/17 – 6/4/17
Chiefs release WR Jeremy Maclin. Kansas City’s decision to part ways with Maclin came as a surprise both for financial reasons and due to the lack of pass-catching depth on the Chiefs’ roster. KC could have designated Maclin as a post-June 1 release months ago, allowing him to hit the free agent market early while gaining cap space at the same date (June 2). Tyreek Hill, Chris Conley, and rookie Jehu Chesson, meanwhile, now top the Chiefs’ depth chart at wideout. Bills running back LeSean McCoy is now attempting to lure Maclin to Buffalo.
Jets trade a former first-rounder. New York shipped 2014 first-round safety Calvin Pryor to the Browns last week, re-acquiring linebacker Demario Davis in return. Pryor, whom the Jets reportedly wanted out of their locker room, will now try to restart his career on a rebuilding Cleveland roster. Davis, for his part, is now back with the club with which he spent the 2012-15 campaigns, but he may not make the roster without accepting a pay reduction.
Seahawks pass on Colin Kaepernick. While Seattle had genuine interest in adding Kaepernick as a backup to starter Russell Wilson, the Hawks aren’t giving Kaepernick a roster spot right now. Head coach Pete Carroll lauded Kaepernick, indicating that the former 49ers quarterback can still be a starter in the NFL. But reports indicated that the two sides were apart on money, as Kaepernick may be looking for a larger payday than the Seahawks are willing to provide.
Two Ravens go down. Fresh off a comeback season during which he led all NFL tight ends in receptions, Baltimore’s Dennis Pitta dislocated his hip for the third time in four years, a devastating injury which could lead to the end of Pitta’s career. While the veteran tight end hasn’t yet made a decision on his future, it’s difficult to imagine the 31-year-old will continue the risk of playing. Nickel cornerback Tavon Young, who shined during his rookie campaign in 2016, also suffered an serious injury, an ACL tear which will likely end his season before it began.
Christine Michael finds a home. One month after being cut by the Packers, Michael landed with the Colts last week. Indianapolis marks the fifth club that’s employed Michael over the past two years, joining the Seahawks, Cowboys, Redskins, and the aforementioned Packers. While the Colts are counting on Michael to play a lead back role, he’s landed in a favorable position, as Josh Ferguson, Robert Turbin, and rookie Marlon Mack represent Michael’s only competition to serve as Frank Gore‘s backup.
LeSean McCoy Recruiting Jeremy Maclin
LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin were teammates with the Eagles from 2009-14, and McCoy would like to reunite with the newly free agent wide receiver. McCoy is recruiting Maclin to sign with the Bills, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
“I know he could help us out tremendously,” McCoy said. “I’ve been doing my recruiting already, and don’t be surprised if it happens. That would be cool to have another weapon on the offense. But you never know. A lot of things would have to work out for that to happen. You know how the business goes.”
While McCoy was clear that he has no inside information on Buffalo’s plans, a Maclin addition would make sense for the club. Sammy Watkins is the Bills’ No. 1 wideout, but he’s had problems staying healthy, and second-round pick Zay Jones will be making the transition from East Carolina to the NFL. Other wide receivers on Buffalo’s depth chart include Rod Streater, Andre Holmes, and Corey Brown, so the team could certainly use a veteran presence like Maclin.
McCoy isn’t the only Bills offensive player who plans to speak with Maclin, as quarterback Tyrod Taylor told Rodak he’ll reach out to the former Chiefs wide receiver and lobby Buffalo coaches about Maclin. “Would love to have a guy like him on our team competing and coming out and making plays for us,” Taylor said. “Especially means a lot to our wide receiver room, putting another veteran guy with a whole bunch of talent and still potential left to reach his best. I would love to have him.”
PFR Originals: 5/28/17 – 6/4/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff:
- Given that Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor is entering the final year of his contract, Connor Byrne examined what kind of extension the All Pro defensive back could land if Seattle chooses to retain him for the long haul. While Reshad Jones‘ four-year, $48MM deal with the Dolphins could serve as a basis for talks, the Seahawks might have pause about handing Chancellor — on the verge of 30 and with a concerning injury history — that type of money.
- 10 quarterbacks were selected in the 2017 draft, starting with Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 (Bears) to Chad Kelly at No. 253 (Broncos), leading Connor to ask which rookie signal-caller will have the largest impact during the upcoming season. Thus far, the Texans’ Deshaun Watson leads the poll with more than 40% of the vote.
- The Jets are still shopping defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, so Ben Levine asked where the former first-round pick will be playing in 2017. Although New York reportedly offered Richardson to teams such as the Colts, Seahawks, and Buccaneers, most PFR readers Richardson will be suiting up for an unidentified club next season.
Jets Likely To Ask Demario Davis For Paycut
The Jets re-acquired linebacker Demario Davis last week in a trade that sent safety Calvin Pryor to the Browns, but unless Davis accepts a reduction on his $3.7MM base salary, he isn’t likely to make New York’s final roster, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.
None of Davis’ 2017 salary, so the Jets could cut him without incurring any dead money on their salary cap. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap wrote last week, the trade was odd on its face: given that Pryor is due a salary of roughly $1.6MM for the upcoming season, New York is essentially paying $2.1MM in order to rid itself of Pryor.
If the Jets do opt to release Davis, the club would be in the same position it would have been in had they simply cut Pryor. Because none of Davis’ money would accelerate onto their cap, the only remnants of the trade on the Jets’ book would be Pryor’s ~$1.1MM in dead money. That total would have remained on New York’s cap whether it traded or waived Pryor.
Davis, 28, is an strange fit for a Jets club that already employs veteran David Harris and 2016 first-round pick Darron Lee at linebacker, but New York is familiar with Davis given that he played for Gang Green from 2012-15. While Davis could conceivably serve as a backup and a special teams player (he played on a quarter of the Jets’ ST snaps during his last season with the team), he isn’t likely to do so on a $3.7MM salary.
NFC Notes: Giants, Saints, Bears, Vikings
Veteran signal-caller Josh Johnson is likely to emerge as the Giants‘ backup quarterback in 2017, which means free agent signee Geno Smith is in danger of being released, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Johnson spent the entire 2016 campaign with Big Blue, and though he was only for two games, he earned the trust of Giants’ coaches. New York, meanwhile, would only incur $325K in dead money by parting ways with Smith. Third-round pick Davis Webb, of course, is slated to open the season as the Giants’ third-string quarterback.
- The Saints have now signed every member of their 2017 draft class aside from first-round offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, and the Wisconsin product’s deal is on hold until he can pass a physical, reports Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter links). Ramczyk, the 32nd overall selection, is dealing with a hip issue. New Orleans had been one of two clubs (along with the Rams) that hadn’t signed a draft pick before yesterday, and the reason for that delay was fiscal. The Saints picked up $7.8MM in cap space Thursday when Jairus Byrd‘s post-June 1 release was officially processed, giving the team a bit more breathing room to sign its rookies.
- While the Bears “would like nothing more” than to extend left tackle Charles Leno, it’s unclear if Chicago plans to open contract talks before the season gets underway, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Leno, 25, is certainly a success story, as the former seventh-round pick has started 32 games for the Bears over the past two seasons. He’s steadily improved, as well, and last year graded as the No. 41 tackle among 78 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Chicago will get a relative bargain on Leno in 2017, as he’s due a base salary of only $1.797MM. A long-term deal could easily take Leno over the $10MM per year barrier, if not higher.
- Michael Floyd‘s one-year deal with the Vikings doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, but the veteran wideout can earn a pay bump through several incentives, as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com details. If Floyd maxes out his incentive-based by reaching 70 catches, 1,000 yards, or 12 touchdowns, he’ll bring in an extra $4.6MM. The bonuses start at $1.5MM, which Floyd can earn by hitting 40 receptions, 500 yards, or six touchdowns. None of that incentive money is on Minnesota’s salary cap for now, as it’s all considered “not likely to be earned” because Floyd didn’t reach even the lowest thresholds in 2016. Additionally, Floyd could struggle to hit the top rung of his incentive ladder given that he’s expected to face a suspension in 2017.
Saints DT Nick Fairley Has Heart Issue
Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley has been sidelined from the club’s organized team activities with a heart issue that could threaten his career, according to Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Fairley has dealt with this condition for his entire NFL career, as the issue was originally detected during the predraft process in 2011, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). The veteran defensive tackle recently saw a doctor who wanted to run further tests regarding the ailment, says Rapoport. Fairley has reportedly not communicated his health struggles with his New Orleans teammates, as Saints players who regularly speak with Fairley have not heard from him, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
Fairley, 29, started 16 games and posted 6.5 sacks during his first campaign with the Saints, grading as the league’s No. 34 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. He re-signed with New Orleans this spring, inking a four-year, $28MM deal that contains $9MM in guarantees.
West Rumors: Maclin, Chiefs, 49ers, Cards
The news of Jeremy Maclin‘s release on Friday surprised much of the NFL world, and Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was among those blindsided by the decision, as he tells Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. “Shocked,” Smith said of Maclin’s departure. “Jeremy is a really good friend, an amazing teammate, so still kind of just processing that he’s not going to be in there with us, a guy that’s done a lot for us the last two years, a guy I’ve grown really close to.” Maclin, 29, averaged 66 receptions, 812 yards, and five touchdowns in two seasons catching passes from Smith.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- Now that Maclin is a free agent, he could be a consideration for the 49ers, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes. San Francisco invested in one experienced wideout (Pierre Garcon) this offseason, but the rest of their receiving corps is relatively uninspiring. Marquise Goodwin, Jeremy Kerley, Bruce Ellington, Aldrick Robinson, and rookie Trent Taylor are among the 49ers’ other options at receiver. From a talent standpoint, Maclin would represent a clear upgrade, but it’s unclear if he prefers to sign on with a contending team. In the midst of a rebuild, San Francisco doesn’t figure to be overly competitive in 2017, meaning Maclin could look to latch on with a club closer to earning a postseason berth.
- Cardinals center A.Q. Shipley underwent core muscle surgery three weeks ago, and while he figures to miss organized team activities, Shipley will be ready for training camp, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The 31-year-old Shipley, who re-signed with Arizona on a two-year, $3.5MM deal in March, graded as the league’s No. 14 center in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Reserve interior lineman Cole Toner is currently working as the Cardinals’ center in Shipley’s absence, per Somers.
- Former Villanova linebacker Austin Calitro worked out for the Falcons and Chiefs this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Calitro, who went undrafted earlier this year, signed with the Jets in May but lasted only 10 days on their roster. During his senior collegiate season, Calitro registered 85 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three passes defensed.
Cowboys, Zack Martin Extension Talks On Hold
The Cowboys and guard Zack Martin aren’t expected to reach agreement on an extension in the near future, as negotiations won’t begin “in earnest” until later this summer, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
The lack of urgency between Dallas and Martin isn’t entirely surprising, as the Cowboys control the All Pro offensive lineman through 2018 after exercising his fifth-year option earlier this year. But executive VP Stephen Jones called an eventual Martin extension a “big priority,” and Martin himself is in favor of a long-term deal.
“It would be huge,” Martin said. “I’m not real worried about that. I’m worried about playing. Obviously I’ll be here for hopefully a long time. These guys make it fun to come to work every day…Hopefully we can get something done.”
Martin, 26, has started all 48 games since joining Dallas three years ago, and has emerged as one of the league’s best guard on one of the NFL’s finest offensive lines. Playing alongside talents such as left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick — each of whom are signed to long-term deals — Martin graded as the third-best guard of 2016, per Pro Football Focus.
As Archer notes, the Cowboys picked up $14MM in cap space today when Tony Romo‘s post-June 1 release was officially processed, but that savings doesn’t figure to be immediately utilized on a Martin extension. Based on Dallas’ precedents, Martin’s new deal figures to be “cap neutral,” meaning his 2017 cap charge won’t be altered.
Seahawks, Colin Kaepernick Were Apart On Money
While the Seahawks did have interest in free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the two parties’ inability to come to an agreement was based on money, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Reports earlier this offseason indicated Kaepernick might be searching for a salary “befitting a high-end backup quarterback or a low-end starter,” and that type of pay might not be palatable for the Seahawks, who are already paying Russell Wilson nearly $22MM per year. But Seattle clearly had sincere interest in Kaepernick, who remains the top quarterback available on the free agent market.
“Colin has been a fantastic football player and he’s going to continue to be,” said head coach Pete Carroll, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “At this time we didn’t do anything with it but we know where he is and who he is and we had a chance to understand him much moreso. He’s a starter in this league and I can’t imagine — we have a starter. But he’s a starter in this league and I can’t imagine somebody won’t give him a chance to play.’’
For now, the Seahawks will forge on with only Trevone Boykin and Jake Heaps behind Wilson. Of the pair, only Boykin boasts any NFL experience (18 passing attempts), but the second-year pro has already been in legal hot water this offseason.
Chiefs Tried To Trade Jeremy Maclin
The Chiefs “dabbled” in trade negotiations to evaluate interest in wide receiver Jeremy Maclin before releasing him, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
That Kansas City wasn’t able to find any takers is rather unsurprising, as any club that acquired Maclin would have been responsible for his 2017 base salary of $9.75MM. While that figure isn’t guaranteed, it wouldn’t have made sense for another team to give up assets for Maclin unless it was prepared to pay his salary. With Maclin now a free agent, any club with interest can now add Maclin without sacrificing draft capital (and perhaps at a cheaper salary).
The Chiefs didn’t ask Maclin to accept a paycut before cutting him, reports Garafolo. Additionally, it’s unclear why Kansas City didn’t release Maclin near the start of the new league year in March. Given that the Chiefs could have designated him as a post-June 1 cut, the financial ramifications would have been the same. Such a move would have allowed Maclin to hit the free agent market much earlier, however.
Maclin will receive a prorated portion of the $250K workout bonus he was due, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com.