AFC Notes: Bush, Hopkins, Taylor, Raiders
New Bills signee Reggie Bush isn’t committing to playing beyond 2016, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) reported — prior to Bush agreeing to terms — that the veteran running back wanted to play at least one more season to “round out” his career. Bush, 31, waited to find a new club because he wanted to make sure his ACL injury, suffered when he slipped on the concrete at the Edward Jones Dome last year, was fully healed, per Cole. And while Buffalo has seen its running back depth chart depleted by off-the-field drama, Bush figures to act mainly as a returner, although he could see some work in package plays alongside LeSean McCoy, tweets Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- DeAndre Hopkins ended his holdout after a single day over the weekend, and speaking to reporters today, the Texans explained the goal of his decision. “I wasn’t trying to send a message or anything like that,” Hopkins said, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I was doing what I felt was best for me and my family.” Hopkins will earn under $1.5MM during the upcoming season, but reports yesterday indicated Houston was willing to discuss his contract. Owner Bob McNair echoed that sentiment today, telling reporters the club would “deal with [Hopkins’] contract at the proper time,” although Wilson adds that the Texans remain against negotiating this year.
- The Broncos aren’t expected to welcome defensive tackle Phil Taylor back to the club in 2017 after placing him on injured reserve yesterday, according to Troy Renck of Denver7 (Twitter link). In fact, Taylor might be off Denver’s roster in the very near future, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS reports that Taylor’s MRI came back positive — as such, Taylor could be released off IR with an injury settlement. Taylor, a former first-round pick, was signed by the Broncos in February after spending last season out of the NFL while dealing with knee injuries.
- Elsewhere in the AFC West, the Raiders will field as many as four new starters on their revamped defense, and that number could include two rookies — defensive lineman Jihad Ward and safety Karl Joseph — says Cole in a separate video. Just this morning, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas analyzed Oakland’s rookie class, noting that Joseph has the ability to line up against tight ends and a nose for the ball, while adding that undrafted free agent defensive lineman Darius Latham (Indiana) could also play a role.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Redskins, Cowboys
The Giants still need help along their offensive line, and some within the organization are pushing to acquire recently-reinstated 49ers tackle Anthony Davis, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Davis, of course, is back with San Francisco after taking the 2015 season off, and while the 49ers are reportedly cognizant that Davis could retire again, the “sense” is the club wants to keep the former first-round pick on its roster rather than trade him. New York, though, would be a logical destination for Davis is the Niners change their tune, as Big Blue is current counting on journeyman Marshall Newhouse to man the right side.
Let’s take a look at more from the NFC East:
- Although they won’t be targeting controversial defensive end Greg Hardy, the Redskins could still look to add a veteran edge presence before the season begins, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Who exactly Washington might got after is unclear, as most reports in the wake of Junior Galette‘s torn Achilles have detailed whom the club won’t sign. Hardy, Dwight Freeney, O’Brien Schofield, and Mike Neal have all been ruled out, as the Redskins would reportedly like to see how their younger pass-rushers perform in camp before bringing in an experienced option.
- The Cowboys have traditionally locked up their core players, and the organization is hoping to add center Travis Frederick to that list. “Nothing scheduled, but pretty sure that certainly we’ll broach that and approach that with his team,” said executive vice president Stephen Jones, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “Travis has been great for us. Not only is he a great football player on the field who represents, as Jason [Garrett] said, with most of our guys [he’s] what you want off the field. He’s a guy we want to be around here.” Frederick is under control through the 2017 season courtesy of the fifth-year option.
- Given the rash of suspensions that have taken a toll on their front seven, the Cowboys make the most sense as a landing spot for free agents Stephen Tulloch and Dwight Freeney, opines John Clayton of ESPN.com. Three key members of Dallas’ defense — Rolando McClain, Demarcus Lawrence, and Randy Gregory — are facing multi-game bans, while Gregory recently entered a treatment facility. Quarterback Nick Foles also seems like a logical fit for the Cowboys on paper, writes Clayton, but the club has already denied that it has any interest in the former Rams/Eagles signal-caller.
Browns Notes: RG3, McCown, DePo, Hairston
The Browns have made numerous changes over the past few months, altering their front office, field staff, and roster. If you haven’t been following along, we’ve got you covered — check out our Offseason In Review to learn about Cleveland’s moves on and off the field, and read our Impact Rookies piece to see scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas’ thoughts on the Browns’ expansive rookie class.
Here’s the latest of out of Cleveland:
- The quarterback competition is all but over in Cleveland, and Robert Griffin III is highly likely to be named the starter ahead of the club’s first preseason game, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. Of course, the Browns and head coach Hue Jackson seemed to favor Griffin from the moment they signed him to a two-year deal, so veteran Josh McCown and third-round rookie Cody Kessler never had much of a shot to wrest away the starting gig. Cleveland isn’t likely to carry four quarterbacks on its opening day roster, so either Austin Davis (who signed an extension in September) or McCown is probably going to be released or traded. McCown, for what it’s worth, was mentioned in trade talks earlier this year.
- Although the Browns are pleased with Griffin, the team figures to continue its ongoing search for a franchise quarterback, chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta tells Tony Grossi of ESPN.com. DePodesta made the argument that we’ve heard other Cleveland decision-makers espouse, asserting that quarterbacks are valuable enough that a club should never cease trying to acquire difference-makers at the position. The former MLB executive also explained why Cleveland opted to trade the No. 2 overall pick rather than select North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, suggesting that the team may have kept the draft choice had Jared Goff been available. “I think the hardest part, and where we have to stay the most disciplined, as much as you want a player, you can’t invent him if he doesn’t exist,” said DePodesta. “In a given year, there may be two or three NFL-ready quarterbacks at the college level. In another year, there literally may be zero. There just may be not be anybody in that year who’s good enough to be a top 20 quarterback in the NFL.”
- The Browns are bringing in former East Carolina running back Chris Hairston for a workout, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. Hairston, not to be confused with the Chargers offensive lineman of the same name, went undrafted earlier this year, but he did earn an invite to the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp. During his senior season, Hairston rushed 165 times for 754 yards and eight touchdowns, and also added 29 receptions. Cleveland’s roster currently includes a number of backs, with Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, Raheem Mostert, and Terrell Watson among them, but lacks an established option.
AFC Notes: Fins, Jones, Texans, Broncos, Colts
The Dolphins have not ruled out renegotiating, or even extending, the contract of safety Reshad Jones, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Jones was planning a holdout in the hopes of landing an extension from Miami, and reportedly even mulled a season-long boycott, but eventually reported to camp in June. The 28-year-old Jones doesn’t seem very worried about his deal at this point, telling Jackson that he’s “just worried about helping [his] team win.”
Here’s more from the AFC:
- Offensive tackle Chris Clark attracted interest from four teams over the offseason, and the free agent was able to use that leverage to land a two-year, $6MM deal from the Texans, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. Clark, who will act as Houston’s swing tackle, is set to serve in an especially valuable role given that starting left tackle Duane Brown is recovering from a torn quadriceps. But Clark might needed on the right side as well, as starter Derek Newton suffered a strained hamstring today and will be sidelined for a few weeks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- The Broncos don’t have a clear line of succession at owner, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post details, noting that the club is currently run by president/CEO Joe Ellis. Ellis is one of three trustees who will determine which of Pat Bowlen‘s seven children will take over as the team’s primary owner as Bowlen himself deals with Alzheimer’s disease. For now, though, Ellis, along with strong leadership by GM John Elway and head coach Gary Kubiak, have the team moving a good direction.
- Although Eric Fisher‘s new contract is probably an overpay, the Chiefs are both spending on future performance and working under a “fear of the unknown,” writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. With fewer qualified offensive tackles entering the league due to the prevalence of the spread offense in the NCAA, Kansas City was willing to extend Fisher now rather than wade into the draft to find a risky tackle option. Plus, given that Fisher was effectively guaranteed $15.3MM over the next two seasons, his new guarantee of $22MM isn’t completely out of left field.
- The Colts are working out former Panthers offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila, Mike Chappell of Fox59 tweets. The Panthers selected Kugbila in the fourth round of the 2013 draft but he has yet to play a single professional snap due to various injuries.
Latest On Reggie Bush, Bills
While one report last week indicated the Reggie Bush could be waiting for a club’s backfield to suffer an injury before determining where to sign, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that if Bush decides to continue his career, it will be with the Bills. Bush has been engaged in ongoing negotiations with Buffalo, and his decision on whether to ink a deal could come this week, per Cole.
[RELATED: The Beat — Q&A with Bills beat writer Vic Carucci]
The Bills are said to be “working out the deal points” of a contact with Bush, while other reports have stated that the two sides have significant obstacles to overcome in order to reach a deal. If signed, Bush would add depth to a backfield that has seen each of its top options — LeSean McCoy, Karlos Williams, and Jonathan Williams — involved in varying levels of off-the-field drama over the past several months. Karlos Williams is already facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, while Jonathan Williams could be looking at his own ban after being arrested for DUI.
Bush announced in February that he was intent on playing in 2016, though it was unclear at the time whether that feeling was being reciprocated back from any of the league’s 32 teams. Recently, the veteran indicated that there was at least a pair of clubs that would be interested in having him aboard. Thanks to the Bills’ unfortunate series of events in recent weeks, it seems that Buffalo is his most fervent suitor.
The Lions cut Bush prior to the 2015 season to save money after he missed much of the previous campaign with ankle injuries. Bush went on to sign with the 49ers, but he played just five games before tearing his left ACL on the concrete at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis.Bush later sued the St. Louis Regional Convention and Stadium Authority over his injury, which capped his season’s statline at a grand total of 28 yards. Now, Bush says he has recovered from his ACL tear and is ready for action.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos Sign Billy Winn
The Broncos have swapped out one former Brown for another, announcing today that they’ve signed defensive lineman Billy Winn and placed defensive tackle Phil Taylor on injured reserve.
[RELATED: Broncos sign WR Marlon Brown]
Winn, 27, spent the first three years of his career in Cleveland before being traded to the Colts right before the 2015 campaign got underway. He didn’t play much of a role, appearing in 12 games but playing less than 400 snaps as a rotational defensive lineman. Winn piced up six tackles and two fumble recoveries, and graded out as the league’s No. 112 interior defender among 123 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus.
As Roster Resource shows, Denver didn’t acquire a veteran this offseason that can adequately make up for the loss of Malik Jackson, as Vance Walker and Jared Crick are thought to be the primary contenders for playing time at end. Neither option is particularly inspiring, meaning Winn could have the opportunity for playing time if he makes the roster and can beat out raw second-round pick Adam Gotsis.
Taylor, meanwhile, was signed by the Broncos in February after spending last season out of the NFL while dealing with knee injuries. Taylor suffered another knee ailment on Friday, tweets James Palmer of NFL.com, but the former first-round pick has been dealing with chronic knee pain for years. In four seasons with the Browns, Taylor started 42 contests, losing nearly two years to various injuries, including a torn pectoral.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Lynch, Cards, Mathis
49ers linebacker Aaron Lynch unsuccessfully attempted to appeal his four-game substance abuse policy, as he explained to reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Lynch entered stage one of the NFL’s drug program via positive tests in college, and he maintains he failed his most recent test due to a “unreliable specimen” caused from drinking too much water, tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. While he’ll be allowed to attend training camp, play in the preseason, and attend regular season team meetings, Lynch won’t be able to practice once the regular season begins, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Let’s take a look at more from the NFC West:
- If he’s able to win another Super Bowl with the Cardinals in 2016, Evan Mathis says he’ll retire immediately, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). “Absolutely,” said Mathis, when asked if he’ll hang up his cleats. “Not even thinking twice.” Mathis, 34, won a title during his first (and only) season with the Broncos, and proceeded to join Arizona on a one-year, $4MM deal. The veteran guard can earn another $2MM via incentives.
- The Cardinals could conceivably keep a third quarterback on the active roster, but that No. 3 QB will have to compete with a fourth tight end, fourth running back, or sixth wide receiver, head coach Bruce Arians told reporters, including Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Arizona’s third signal-caller battle will come down to Matt Barkely and 2016 undrafted free agent Jake Coker, each of whom will compete to work behind Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton.
- Trent Baalke knew Tom Gamble‘s promotion to assistant general manager would invite more scrutiny as to who holds the power in the 49ers‘ front office, as Branch writes in a full piece. Gamble spent two seasons with Chip Kelly in Philadelphia in between two stints in San Francisco, so Gamble acquiring a stronger voice could make it appear as though Kelly is usurping control. “I don’t live in a cave,” Baalke said. “I think I understood exactly what was going to happen. And that should show you even more that I don’t care. In all honesty, (Gamble is) deserving of the position.”
- Meanwhile, Baalke says the 49ers will carry over the nearly $50MM in cap space that they currently possess, and could use it on extensions for players like Eric Reid, Carlos Hyde, Jimmie Ward, and others. Maiocco has the details and Baalke’s full statements in a separate piece.
Giants Considering Extension For Justin Pugh
The Giants were among the most active teams during the free agent period, spending freely on the open market and handing nearly $200MM in contracts to veterans Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins, and Damon Harrison. But with the regular season approaching, the club is turning its attention to incumbent players, and have had discussions about hammering out extensions for offensive linemen Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg, general manager Jerry Reese told reporters, including James Kratch of NJ.com (Twitter link), today.
[RELATED: Giants extend punter Brad Wing]
Pugh is under team control for two more seasons, as the Giants announced earlier this year that they would exercise Pugh’s fifth-year option for the 2017 campaign. As such, Pugh will earn abut $1.5MM during the upcoming season before making $8.821MM in 2017, meaning New York has its 2013 first-round pick locked up for a relative bargain. But if the Giants want to extend Pugh beyond next year, they’ll likely have to offer him an increase, likely working off that $8MM figure.
In his age-25 season, Pugh started 14 games at left guard after spending the first two years of his career dabbling (and struggling) at tackle. The move inside worked extraordinarily well, and Pugh helped New York’s offensive line to finish sixth in adjusted sack rate and 11th in adjusted line yards. Among left guard contracts, Pugh’s $8.821MM 2017 salary would rank second only to Kelechi Osemele‘s $11.7MM annual rate, and any negotiations would likely revolve around an $8MM average.
Like Pugh, Richburg has performed much better after undergoing a position change, as he transitioned to his natural center spot after playing guard as a rookie in 2014. The 25-year-old played the most snaps of any Giants offensive lineman, and graded out as the league’s third-best center, according to Pro Football Focus. However, because he was a 2014 draft pick, Richburg can’t renegotiate his deal under after the 2016 season, so any “discussions” New York management has had about extending him must have been internal and merely hypothetical.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
7 Key Stories: 7/24/16 – 7/31/16
Our long national nightmare is over. After months of speculation, offers, negotiations, denials, stories, and tweets, Ryan Fitzpatrick is — as we all expected — headed back to the Jets, having agreed to a one-year contract worth a fully guaranteed $12MM. Because of New York’s tight cap space situation, the pact contains a void year in 2017 that will 
help spread out the cap charge. Gang Green reportedly set a Friday night deadline for talks to end, which may have helped spur a resolution. Controversial defensive end Greg Hardy is now the only member of PFR’s top 50 free agents list that remains unsigned.
Another quarterback hits the market. The Nick Foles deliberations never quite reached Fitzpatrick levels, but it was readily apparent that the veteran quarterback was never going to head into the regular season with the Rams. Los Angeles granted Foles his release this week after he agreed to lower his 2016 guarantee, as the club opted to roll with Jared Goff, Case Keenum, and Sean Mannion. As many as 10 teams, including the Vikings and Cowboys, have expressed some level of interest in Foles.
Extensions galore. With free agency and the draft complete, clubs have turned their extensions to signing their incumbent talent to new contracts. Two members of the 2013 draft class — first overall pick Eric Fisher (link) and second-round corner Darius Slay (link) — landed large deals, while veterans such as Darren Sproles (link), Kurt Coleman (link), and Willie Young (link) all signed more modest pacts.
Three notables get reinstated. Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is expected to hit the field for the first time since 2014, as the NFL granted him conditional reinstatement (but also handed him a four-game suspension). Former No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan, meanwhile, will be back with the Dolphins, although he was placed on the non-football injury list earlier today. And 49ers tackle Anthony Davis, who took the 2015 season off on his own accord, was also reinstated off the reserve list.
Veterans find landing spots. After sitting on the free agent market for several months, wide receiver Anquan Boldin finally found a new destination, agreeing to a one-year pact with the Lions. Boldin wasn’t the only veteran pass-catcher 
to ink
a deal, as Andre Johnson signed with the Titans and Hakeem Nicks latched on with the Saints. On defense, the Bears landed slot corner Brandon Boykin, while two former Chargers linebackers — Donald Butler (link) and Kavell Conner (link) — signed with the Cardinals and Ravens, respectively.
Leadership gets extended. A number of clubs opted to lock in their executive and head coaches for years to come, hoping that continuity will help maintain success. The Seahawks reached new deals with both general manager John Schneider (through 2021) and head coach Pete Carroll (through 2019), while another NFC contender, the Vikings, extended head coach Mike Zimmer. Meanwhile, two AFC clubs on the upswing, the Raiders and the Texans, each signed their general managers to long-term contracts, reaching new deals with Reggie McKenzie (link) and Rick Smith (link), respectively.
Pre-camp retirements pepper the news. After presumably spending the past few months attempting to find a new home, several veterans decided to hang up their cleats before training camp begins. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams probably posted the best career of the bunch, but three other former Vikings — tackle Phil Loadholt (link), receiver Greg Jennings (link), and defensive end Corey Wootton (link) — also announced their retirements, while former Falcons/Panthers safety Charles Godfrey decided to call it quits, as well.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
PFR Originals: 7/24/16 – 7/21/16
The original content and analysis produced the PFR staff during the past week:
- In PFR’s new series The Beat, Zach Links is conducting interviews with beat writers, columnists, and TV personalities about the team that they cover. Zach spoke with four writers this week:
- Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times discussed the Buccaneers, Doug Martin, Dirk Koetter, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Miko/Brent Grimes.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald talked about the Dolphins, Dion Jordan, Arian Foster, Ryan Tannehill, and Adam Gase.
- Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and 1500 ESPN explored the Vikings, Harrison Smith, Laquon Treadwell, Mackensie Alexander, and Cordarrelle Patterson.
- Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News touched on the Bills, Tyrod Taylor, Stephon Gilmore, and Fred Jackson.
- PFR has continued to go over each team’s rookie class with the assistance of scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas, who has served as a consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades. Dave covered two clubs last week:
- Meanwhile, PFR has continued to look back at the offseasons for all 32 clubs, examining the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable offseason events for each team. We covered two clubs over the past week:
- Zach rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.