Vince Young To Attempt NFL Comeback?
Former NFL quarterback Vince Young has hired veteran agent Leigh Steinberg, who earlier today tweeted that Young has a “dream of playing more football.”
As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk notes, the word “dream” seems to be the operative word in Steinberg’s tweet, especially given that Young hasn’t attempted an NFL pass since the 2011 season. That’s not meant to sound callous, but instead represents just how difficult it will be for the now 33-year-old Young to return to the NFL
Young, a former third overall selection, signed with the Eagles in 2011 after five seasons in Tennessee, and managed to complete 63 passes for Philadelphia during his one season with the club. Over the next three years, Young had short-lived offseason stints on the Bills, Packers, and Browns rosters, but never made it to the regular season with any team.
After formally announcing his retirement nearly three years ago, Young attempted to attend the NFL’s veteran combine in 2015, but was rejected. Earlier this year, the nascent Spring League invited Young and other former NFL players to join its emerging ranks, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported at the time.
AFC North Notes: Browns, Steelers, Bengals
Pending free agent wide receiver Terrelle Pryor has told his representation he wants to stay with the Browns, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Browns management is reportedly “redoubling efforts” to re-sign Pryor, and the club is set to meet with Pryor’s agent this week. Cleveland, of course, holds the franchise tag as an option, but is loathe to go down that avenue unless a long-term deal cannot be reached. Pryor has spoken highly of the Browns and head coach Hue Jackson in the past, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s willing to take a hometown discount to remain Cleveland.
Here’s more from the AFC North:
- Veteran offensive tackle Eric Winston says he’s “hopeful” about a return to the Bengals, and noted a new deal “looks promising,” per SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Thought to be buried on Cincinnati’s depth chart, Winston ended up rotating right tackle snaps with former first-round pick Cedric Ogbuehi, and ultimately played on roughly a quarter of the Bengals’ offensive snaps. Winston, 33, signed a minimum salary benefit contract with Cincinnati in 2016, and would likely be forced to accept a similar deal this year.
- If the Viking release running back Adrian Peterson (or ask him to take a paycut), the Steelers could confidently argue that Peterson’s $14MM annual salary was an anomaly, and pressure pending free agent Le’Veon Bell to accept something closer to LeSean McCoy‘s $8MM per year, opines Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh is likely to franchise Bell at a cost north of $12MM for 2017, and would probably be willing to go near $10MM annually on a long-term extension, per Fowler. Approaching, or exceeding, Peterson’s $14MM figure would represent a problem, however.
- The Ravens will not hire a formal quarterbacks coach for the 2017 season, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will lead the QBs room, while Craig Ver Steeg — whom previous reports had indicated would become Baltimore’s new quarterbacks coach — will remain an offensive assistant.
- In his latest chat at ESPN.com, Tony Grossi covers which quarterbacks the Browns may target if they strike out on Jimmy Garoppolo, the likelihood of Tyrod Taylor — who is said to be on Cleveland’s radar — heading to northern Ohio, and other position groups the Browns may target in free agency.
Steelers Re-Sign LB Steven Johnson
The Steelers have re-signed linebacker Steven Johnson to a one-year deal, the club announced today. Johnson had been set to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins on March 9.
[RELATED: Steelers Want To Retain Lawrence Timmons]
Johnson, 28, agreed to one-year deal with Pittsburgh last spring, was subsequently cut during the summer, then re-signed with the Steelers once fellow linebacker Bud Dupree went down with injury. While he didn’t play a single defensive snap during the 2016 campaign, Johnson did see action on 101 special teams snaps before being placed on injured reserve in November with an ankle issue.
Although he’ll likely serve in a special teams capacity once again in 2017, Johnson has a chance to see more playing time given that Lawrence Timmons and Jarvis Jones could both leave via free agency. Johnson, An undrafted free agent out of Kansas in 2012, Johnson spent time with the Broncos and Titans before joining the Steelers last year.
The Steelers have been the most active team in terms of re-signing their own free agents thus far in 2017, as they’ve agreed to new deals with Chris Boswell, Cobi Hamilton, Roosevelt Nix, Anthony Chickillo, and several others already this year.
Texans Unlikely To Franchise CB A.J. Bouye
Although the Texans want to retain pending free agent cornerback A.J. Bouye, they’re not expected to use the franchise tag to do so, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The Texans have just under $25MM in available cap space, so deploying a tender that’s likely to come in around $14.297MM simply isn’t tenable.
[RELATED: 2017 Franchise Tag Candidates]
An undrafted free agent out of Central Florida in 2013, Bouye had started only eight games during his first three years in the league, but was pressed into duty in 2016 and ended up starting 11 contests. During that time, Bouye managed one interception and 16 passes defensed, and graded as the NFL’s third-best corner behind Denver’s Chris Harris and Aqib Talib, per Pro Football Focus. In the most recent edition of PFR’s Free Agent Power Rankings, Bouye ranked seventh overall, and was the only defensive back listed within the top 10.
Bouye has expressed an interest in returning to Houston, but he could be poised to cash in on the open market — earlier this month, Wilson predicted Bouye could earn as much as $13MM annually via free agency. Given that he’s only 25 years old and has just a single season of elite production, Bouye is viewed by rival general managers as the “most intriguing” free agent on the board, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). As such, front offices must weigh the risk of Bouye being a one-year wonder versus his potential as a shutdown cornerback.
If he does reach free agency, Bouye will join a corner class that features several other high-profile defensive backs, including Trumaine Johnson, Stephon Gilmore, Morris Claiborne, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Brandon Carr.
Buccaneers May Retain RB Doug Martin
After running back Doug Martin was suspended four games for PED usage at the tail end of last season, the general thought was that Martin wasn’t long for the Buccaneers roster. However, Tampa Bay intends to “play the Martin situation out” and see where things stand in a few months, according to Roy Cummings of FanRag Sports.
[RELATED: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Depth Chart]
Part of the reason for the Buccaneers’ stance on Martin is contractual — because Martin was suspended, his previously guaranteed $7MM base salary for the 2017 campaign is no longer guaranteed. Additionally, Martin is banned until Week 3 of next season, so Tampa doesn’t have to make a call on Martin until nearly a month into the season.
At that point, the Bucs will be able to more fully assess their needs and options at the running back position, and decide if retaining Martin is worth the risk. One player who could fill the void in Tampa Bay’s backfield is Jacquizz Rodgers, who rushed for 560 yards in his first season with the Buccaneers. Rodgers is a pending free agent, however, and though he appears to be a priority for Tampa, the club has not started a dialogue regarding a new deal, per Cummings.
Because the Buccaneers rarely use large prorated signing bonuses, they can release Martin without any dead money accruing on their salary cap. If he is cut, the 28-year-old Martin — who averaged only 2.9 yards per carry last season — would join a free agent running back class that includes Le’Veon Bell, Latavius Murray, LeGarrette Blount, and Eddie Lacy
FA Notes: Cowboys, Williams, Church, Gabriel
The free agent period opens in less than one month, but at least front office staff isn’t enthralled by the prospect of adding players from the 2017 open market. “It’s a brutal free agent class,” an AFC executive tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. “You’ve got to hope some guys get cut who can fill a role at a decent price. We’re more interested in seeing who gets released than where these free agents sign.” While this year’s crop of players may not feature the depth of other free agent classes, there is still some intriguing talent at the top of the market, as exhibited in the latest edition of PFR’s Free Agent Power Rankings.
- NFL front offices are more willing than ever to employ the franchise tag, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who notes that the franchise tender allows clubs to retain elite-level talent without worrying about large signing bonuses. Those bonuses become prorated onto teams’ salary caps, making it difficult to release players down the road, while the franchise tag — while expensive — only ties a club to a player for a single season. PFR’s Zach Links examined candidates for the 2017 franchise tag earlier today.
- The Cowboys coaching staff is “much higher” on free agent Terrance Williams than the rest of the league, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, who notes Dallas’ decision-makers respect Williams’ consistency and availability. Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones has already expressed an interest in re-signing Williams, who finished the 2016 campaign with 44 receptions for 594 yards and four touchdowns, but Archer believes another club with more financial wiggle room will likely swoop in and steal Williams away from Dallas.
- Pending free agent safety Barry Church sounds open to giving the Cowboys some sort of hometown discount, but like most players reaching the open market for the first time, Church wants to capitalize on his next contract. “It’s definitely a business decision, but … the Cowboys … were the team that gave me that gave me the opportunity coming out of the draft, being undrafted,” Church told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Everybody else kind of passed up on me. But it’s definitely a business decision.” Church, 29, managed two interceptions and four passes defensed in 12 games with Dallas last season, and now joins a free agent safety class that includes Eric Berry and Tony Jefferson.
- The Falcons will likely place a second-round restricted free agent tender on wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, and a first-round offer isn’t out of the question, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The second-round tender should be worth roughly $2.8MM in 2017, while a first-round tender will come in around $4MM. Using a high tender would dissuade a club like the 49ers, which now employs former Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, from stealing Gabriel. In his first season with the Falcons, the 25-year-old Gabriel posted 35 receptions for 579 yards and six scores.
Dolphins Expected To Target Defensive Ends
The Dolphins are expected to cut ties with Mario Williams and Dion Jordan in the near future, and as such, defensive end is expected to be the club’s “highest priority” this offseason, one source told Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Indeed, head coach Adam Gase has reportedly told associates that he expects Miami’s draft to focus almost entirely on the defensive side of the ball, per Salguero.
[RELATED: K’Waun Williams To Visit Dolphins]
With Williams and Jordan gone, the Dolphins’ depth chart at defensive end will be comprised of only two players, Cameron Wake and Terrence Fede, the latter of whom saw less than 200 snaps in 2016. Miami is said to be prioritizing a new deal for free agent Andre Branch, but it’s possible that he’ll find a better contract on the open market. The Dolphins, then, could look not only to the draft (where they hold the 22nd overall pick), but to free agency and/or the trade market in order to acquire new edge defenders.
Miami, which ranks in the middle of the pack with nearly $30MM in cap space, ranked just 22nd in DVOA and 31st in adjusted sack rate last season. I recently identified several potential defensive line targets for the Dolphins when assessing the club’s top offseason needs.
Jaguars Decline LT Kelvin Beachum’s Option
The Jaguars have declined their option on left tackle Kelvin Beachum, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. Beachum will become a free agent on March 9.
[RELATED: Chad Henne, Jaguars Rework Contract]
Last offseason, Jacksonville signed Beachum to a unique contract which included a $5MM option bonus for 2017-2020. The option, which would have fully guaranteed Beachum an additional $13MM in base salary, had to be exercised or declined 22 days prior to the start of the new league year, which meant the Jaguars had to make a decision by today.
Beachum, 27, was an elite left tackle during the 2014 with the Steelers, but an ACL injury during the 2015 campaign ended his season and torpedoed his free agent value. Like fellow injury-affected left tackle Russell Okung, Beachum agreed to an oddly-structured contract that fully guaranteed him only $1.5MM, but contained the aforementioned option bonus, option years, and $11MM in incentives and escalators.
Perhaps still recovering from his knee injury, Beachum struggled in 2016, grading as the league’s No. 63 tackle among 78 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, the same organization that rated him as the NFL’s fifth-best OT in 2014. As such, it’s fair to wonder how much the ACL is/was still bothering Beachum, even though he was able to remain on the field for 15 games.
The Jaguars could attempt to re-sign Beachum at a lower price, but if they fail, the club will essentially have to start over at the left tackle position. The free agent market includes Andrew Whitworth, Riley Reiff, Ryan Clady, and not much else, while the draft doesn’t feature any prospects that would make sense at the top of the first round.
Jets Working To Re-Sign OT Ben Ijalana
Having declined Ryan Clady‘s 2017 option, the Jets are in need of a starting left tackle, and the club may look internally to fill the void on the blindside. New York is trying to re-sign pending free agent offensive lineman Ben Ijalana, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
[RELATED: New York Jets Depth Chart]
Ijalana, 27, was slated to act as a backup during the 2017 campaign, but injuries along Gang Green’s offensive line forced him into the starting lineup. Over the course of 13 starts, Ijalana graded out as the league’s No. 60 offensive tackle, per Pro Football Focus, which ranked Ijalana just two spots higher than Clady.
A former second-round pick, Ijalana had never started a contest before 2016. Two ACL tears wrecked his time with the Colts, who eventually waived him in 2012. Ijalana has been under New York’s control ever since, but didn’t factor into the club’s plans until this past year.
The Jets could still theoretically re-sign Clady at a lower salary, but otherwise the team’s options at left tackle are limited. The draft doesn’t feature any high-end prospects at the position, while free agency offers Andrew Whitworth, Riley Reiff, and a cavalcade of unsurprising options.
Jets Decline LT Ryan Clady’s 2017 Option
The Jets have informed Ryan Clady that they will not exercise his 2017 option, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Clady will become a free agent when the new league year begins on March 9.
[RELATED: Jets Interested In K’Waun Williams]
The Jets restructured Clady’s contract at the end of last month, but as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk subsequently reported, the alteration didn’t do much to change Clady’s status. New York was still faced with a $1MM decision on Clady thanks to a roster bonus, and Clady’s $10MM non-guaranteed base salary remained in play. As Florio speculated, the Jets could have paid the roster bonus and then attempt to talk Clady into a pay reduction, but that would have been an unnecessary risk and a potential waste of $1MM.
Clady, 30, played in only eight games last season before suffering a season-ending rotator cuff injury, the latest in a long line of health issues that Clady has dealt with throughout his career. In that half-season of play, Clady wasn’t all that effective, as Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 62 tackle among 78 qualifiers. Clady’s replacement, Ben Ijalana, wasn’t much better (No. 60), and is now also scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Jets cleared $10MM in 2017 cap space by declining Clady’s option, but the club is now in need of a starting left tackle, and the free agent market isn’t exactly flush with options. Clady joins a barren left tackle group that includes Andrew Whitworth, Riley Reiff, Matt Kalil, and Mike Remmers, among others.