NFC North Notes: Stafford, Lions, Slay, Vikings
Matthew Stafford was pleased that quarterback Andrew Luck landed a mega-extension with the Colts, and he hopes that contract will help every other signal-caller during their respective negotiations. “I thought it was a good deal,” Stafford told Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. “I’m never against anybody making as much money as they can. That’s great. This is a limited-time business. We don’t get to play this game until we’re 50, and he’s a heck of a player, deserving of every cent.” Luck is now the league’s highest-paid player, but Stafford himself could soon hold that moniker, as his current contract expires following the 2017 season.
Here’s more from the NFC North:
- After signing Darius Slay to a lucrative extension earlier this week, the Lions have turned their attention to punter Sam Martin, as Rothstein writes in a separate piece. Martin, who is entering a contract year and who has established himself as one of the better punters in the league, had the best net punting numbers of his career last season at 41.95 yards per punt, while opponents averaged only 6.12 yards per return. Detroit is in negotiations with Martin’s representatives, and the fourth-year pro could soon be clearing more than $3MM per year.
- The aforementioned Slay extension is a representative of the Lions‘ strategy going forward under new general manager Bob Quinn, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “That’s the plan,” said team president Rod Wood. “Build our own through the draft and find good guys, then extend them and keep them here. It’s a lot easier when you know the guy then signing them from free agency when you’re hoping that you know them, so we’re really happy that it worked out this way.” Detroit will have a chance to execute that approach next offseason, when offensive linemen Riley Reiff and Larry Warford are scheduled to become free agents.
- Offensive lineman Mike Harris is on the non-football injury list while he deals with an illness, and there’s not a specific timeline for his return to Vikings‘ camp, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. As such, Harris’ training camp battle with right guard Brandon Fusco has essentially become a non-competition, and Minnesota’ starting offensive line is now all but certainly going to feature Matt Kalil, Alex Boone, John Sullivan, Fusco, and Andre Smith. I wrote about the Vikings’ depth up front earlier this year, but several of those options are now out of the picture.
- Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway hinted that 2016 will be his last year in the league, per Shari L. Jones of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (video link). That does not come as much of a surprise, as Greenway hinted even before signing his current one-year deal with Minnesota that he would be hanging up his cleats at season’s end.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
DeAndre Hopkins Ends Holdout
2:36pm: Hopkins has officially returned to camp, and Texans have expressed an willingness to engage in contract talks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
1:49pm: DeAndre Hopkins‘ holdout is over after after one day, as the Texans wideout has released a statement and will return to camp, according to Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Hopkins will hold a press conference tomorrow.
[RELATED: Texans extend GM Rick Smith]
“I too am disappointed that the Texans organization has elected not to enter into contract negotiations to secure my future as a Texan,” reads Hopkins’ statement. “I have expressed my sincere position regarding my contract status and with sound mind have expressed my stance to the Texans organization. My focus also is on the 2016 season and to help my team reach our ultimate goal. Having said that I am returning to the Houston Texans to play for a Super Bowl…”
The 2013 first-round pick is set to earn $1MM in 2016 via his base salary and an additional $445K via a roster bonus, and the team recently picked up the receiver’s $7.92MM fifth-year option for 2017. Paying less than $10MM for two years of All-Pro production is an obvious bargain, and Hopkins’ 2016 base salary ranks 65th in the league. For comparison’s sake, Bears wideout Alshon Jeffery leads all wideouts with a $14.59MM base salary for next season.
Following a breakout 2014 campaign, Hopkins truly established himself as one of the league’s top receivers in 2015. Hopkins finished with career-highs in receptions (111), receiving yards (1,521), and touchdowns (11), earning him his first Pro Bowl appearance, while Pro Football Focus placed Hopkins sixth among their rankings of the league’s pass-catchers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Joey Bosa, Chargers
The contract stalemate between the Chargers and No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa is centered around offset language and payout structure, and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune adds a few more specifics to the dispute, reporting that Bosa and his camp want the entirety of his ~$17MM signing bonus to be paid in 2016. San Diego, meanwhile, prefers to pay a “significant portion” of the bonus next March.
[RELATED: Impact Rookies — San Diego Chargers]
The Chargers’ offer to Bosa is similar in nature to the deal signed between the Cowboys and fourth overall pick Ezekiel Elliott, according to Acee. Elliott will receive roughly 61% of his signing bonus during this calendar year, so using the same structure, San Diego wants to delay about $6.6MM of Bosa’s signing bonus until next March. Bosa’s agent Todd France, meanwhile, made clear last month that that structure is unacceptable.
The two sides still disagree on offset language, per Acee, as Bosa wants some sort of compensation — namely, his prefered bonus payout schedule — as a reward for agreeing to negate his fourth-year guarantee if he’s released by the Chargers and signs with a new club. So while offsets aren’t a key sticking point in talks, they are inextricably linked to the structure negotiations.
Bosa, who is now the only rookie who remains unsigned after Joshua Garnett reached a deal with the 49ers this morning, did not report to training camp yesterday, but general manager Tom Telesco indicated that the Chargers will stand by their contract approach in the name of precedent. Head coach Mike McCoy also told reporters today, including Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, that Bosa “needs to be here” in order to get comfortable with the club’s playbook.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Pats, Jets, Robinson
The Dolphins were never mentioned as a suitor for cornerback Sean Smith during the free agent period, but Smith’s agent met with Miami general manager Mike Tannenbaum in the spring and pitched his client to the club, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The Fins, who originally drafted Smith in 2009, weren’t interested in reuniting with the veteran defensive back, who ultimately signed with the Raiders for nearly $10MM annually. Passing on Smith was a mistake, opines Salguero, who adds that Miami is still looking for a press cornerback opposite Byron Maxwell, where the leading contenders for playing time are Xavien Howard, Tony Lippett, and recent signee Rashaan Melvin. Another defensive back could be on the way, as the Dolphins worked out former Bear Al Louis-Jean today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Let’s take a look at more from the AFC East:
- Given that they’ll enter next offeason with more than $60MM in cap space, there’s no reason the Patriots can’t reach extensions with a decent number of their defensive free agents, explains Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins are the high-profile names, and New England could use the franchise tag to retain at least one of that duo. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard is also heading for free agency, while Malcolm Butler will be a restricted free agent. Further down the list, defensive backs Duron Harmon and Logan Ryan and defensive linemen Rob Ninkovich, Chris Long, and Terrance Knighton will all see their contracts expire.
- Now that the Jets have re-signed Ryan Fitzpatrick, the conventional wisdom states that the club won’t carry Fitz, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty, and Christian Hackenberg on the 53-man roster, but head coach Todd Bowles downplayed that notion, telling Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk it’s “conceivable” that New York brings all four signal-callers to Week 1. However, as Florio notes, Bowles’ stance could merely be posturing in the hopes that another team will offer to trade for one of Gang Green’s reserve quarterbacks.
- Jets owner Woody Johnson doesn’t appear to have meddled in contract negotiations with Fitzpatrick, as Darryl Slater of NJ.com writes. “…Woody is knowledgeable of what’s going on,” said general manager Mike Maccagnan. “From a negotiation standpoint and all that stuff, we communicate with him because he owns the team and he runs the team, but he lets us do our jobs and hopefully do it well.”
- Running back Khiry Robinson isn’t close to appearing in Jets camp as he recovers from a broken leg, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Robinson, 26, fractured his leg in November and was subsequently non-tendered by the Saints in the spring. He agreed to a one-year deal with New York that includes $80K guaranteed and $370K in per-game roster bonuses, so Robinson will be missing out on a decent chunk of money every time he misses a regular season contest.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Rams Place Tre Mason On Reserve/DNR List
The Rams have officially placed troubled running back Tre Mason on the reserve/did not report list, according to multiple reports. Los Angeles held mandatory team meeting Friday morning, and Mason did not attend, reports Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (all Twitter links). Per Bonsignore, the Rams weren’t surprised by Mason’s absence, but because of their inability to get in contact with him, the club wasn’t sure if Mason would be present.
[RELATED: Rams Release Nick Foles]
Mason’s recent off-field issues have been well-documented, beginning with a March arrest for reckless driving, resisting arrest, and possession of cannabis, an incident that is reportedly one of just five that have involved Mason and the police in the past several months. According to TMZ Sports, Mason’s family is concerned for his well-being, while the Rams have seemingly accepted that Mason won’t be contributing any time soon, as head coach Jeff Fisher said in June that his team has to “prepare [itself as though] that Tre’s not going to be here.”
At this point, a team or league suspension for Mason appears all but certain, while Los Angeles could also simply waive the third-year running back. The Rams are well-stocked at running back, as Roster Resource shows 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year Todd Gurley leads a group that includes Benny Cunningham, Chase Reynolds, and Malcolm Brown. But Mason, who rushed for more than 700 yards in 2014, could have surely played a role had his personal life not become so dire.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Colts Unlikely To Add Veteran Wide Receiver
Though their depth chart is lacking behind their top three receivers, the Colts are unlikely to sign a veteran pass-catcher any time soon, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), who adds that it’s “practically certain” general manager Ryan Grigson & Co. are not interested in adding an experienced option.
[RELATED: Impact Rookies — Indianapolis Colts]
The Colts, of course, were burned by last year’s veteran wide receiver addition, as Andre Johnson posted the worst season of his 13-year career, managing only 41 receptions for just over 500 yards before being released this spring. Depth option Griff Whalen was also cut this offseason, meaning that Indianapolis has little in the way of depth behind T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief, though 2015 first-round pick Phillip Dorsett will be asked to play a lot more than the 212 snaps he saw last season. As Roster Resource shows, Quan Bray, Josh Stangby, and Josh Boyce are next in line behind Indy’s starting trio.
Several veteran wideouts, including Johnson and Anquan Boldin, have found new homes this week, but other options such as Roddy White, Devin Hester, Marques Colston, James Jones, Brian Hartline, and Denarius Moore still remain on the free agent board. Both White and Hester recently reiterated their desire to continue playing in 2016, and Hester said this morning that seven clubs have already reached out to him. One other intriguing name could be Vincent Brown, who was recently released with an injury settlement by the Saints — Brown spent last summer on the Colts roster before being let go during final cutdowns, so he could be a familiar face for Indianapolis, provided he’s healthy.
Brian Tyms, meanwhile, could have been a candidate to scratch out a role on Indy’s roster, but the former Patriots receiver was placed on injured reserve today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). To replace Tyms, the Colts signed fellow wide receiver Andre Debose, whom the Raiders waived in early June.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Desmond Bryant To Miss 2016 Season
JULY 28th: The Browns officially announced that Bryant has been ruled out for the season. To fill his roster spot, Cleveland signed tight end David Reeves.
JULY 13th: The Browns announced that Bryant will be forced to miss the 2016 season due to his pectoral injury.
JULY 12th: The Browns appear to have lost one of their best defensive players for the duration of the 2016 season, as defensive lineman Desmond Bryant underwent surgery today to correct a torn pectoral muscle, according to Anthony Lima of CBS Cleveland/92.3 The Fan (Twitter link). Given that he’s facing a five-to-six month recovery, Bryant is likely to miss the entire 2016 campaign.
[RELATED: Reviewing the Cleveland Browns’ offseason]
Bryant, 30, had been expected to start at defensive end under new coordinator Ray Horton, but his absence will now open the door for younger players to see more snaps. Xavier Cooper, who appeared in 14 games last season but started none, is a candidate for an increased role, as are John Hughes and rookie pass-rusher Carl Nassib. The Browns had hoped that Nassib would add weight this summer in order to slide inside on passing downs, but with Bryant out of the picture, Nassib could see more snaps on the outside immediately.
Cleveland’s defense couldn’t afford any more losses, as the club had already ranked 29th in defensive DVOA in 2015 before losing starters Tashaun Gipson, Donte Whitner, Karlos Dansby, and Craig Robertson over the past few months. Bryant, for his part, was likely the best player remaining on the defense outside of cornerback Joe Haden, as he led the Browns in sacks last season with six. Pro Football Focus assigned Bryant a middle-of-the-pack rank among interior defenders, though he did grade much better as a pass-rusher than against the run.
Bryant is signed through the 2017 season, but the Browns can easily get out of his contract once he gets healthy. Bryant is due a $7MM base salary in 2017, and will only have $1MM remaining in signing bonus proration. Therefore, if Cleveland doesn’t think Bryant is going to be worth his salary next season, it can release Bryant and save $6MM against the salary cap.
For a majority of clubs in the NFL, the loss of a starter would spur a search of veteran free agents still left on the board, but that isn’t a calculation for the Browns. In the midst of a full-scale rebuild, Cleveland has no incentive to replace Bryant with an experienced player, both because the club is better served letting its young options see more playing time, and because adding a veteran won’t help the club’s long-term development (even if it would make the team a bit better in the present).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions
The Lions had high hopes for their 2015 campaign after reaching the postseason a year before, but an 0-5 start dashed any playoff chances the club might have had (Detroit’s only win in the first half of the year was an overtime squeaker against the Bears). The second half of the season was much more successful, as the Lions posted a 6-2 record that likely saved head coach Jim Caldwell‘s job. A new front office structure means roster changes, and although much of the coaching staff returns, Detroit looks like a different club heading into the upcoming season after a team legend surprisingly announced his retirement.
Notable signings:
- Marvin Jones, WR: Five years, $40MM. $13MM guaranteed.
- Haloti Ngata, DT: Two years, $12MM. $6MM guaranteed.
- Tahir Whitehead, LB: Two years, $8MM. $4.75MM guaranteed.
- Johnson Bademosi, S: Two years, $4.5MM. $2.9MM guaranteed.
- Stefan Charles, DT: One year, $1.75MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Tavon Wilson, S: Two years, $2.2MM. $500K guaranteed.
- Wallace Gilberry, DE: One year, $1.25MM. $340K guaranteed.
- Rafael Bush, S: One year, $1.5MM. $250K guaranteed.
- Stevan Ridley, RB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $250K guaranteed.
- Geoff Schwartz, OL: One year, minimum salary benefit. $200K guaranteed.
- Dan Orlovsky, QB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $160K guaranteed.
- Tyrunn Walker, DL: One year, $1.6MM. $150K guaranteed. $650K available via incentives.
- Don Muhlbach, LS: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Darrin Walls, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Jeremy Kerley, WR: One year, $850K. $50K guaranteed. $300K available via incentives.
- Orson Charles, TE: Two years, $1.29MM.
- Tim Wright, TE: One year, $815K.
- Crezdon Butler, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Andre Caldwell, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Matthew Mulligan, TE: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Andre Roberts, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Zaviar Gooden, LB: One year, $600K.
- Anquan Boldin, WR: One year, contract terms unknown.
Given that franchise icon Calvin Johnson formally announced his retirement one day prior to the beginning of the free agent period, the Lions waded into the open market with wide receiver atop their list of needs. And instead of settling for a mid-tier option like Rishard Matthews or Rueben Randle, Detroit struck early and added the 
top pass-catcher available, inking former Bengals receiver Marvin Jones to a five-year deal worth $40MM. In most offseasons, Jones wouldn’t have been considered the No. 1 WR on the market, but with the Bears’ Alshon Jeffery restricted by the franchise tag, Jones was the best obtainable choice.
The 26-year-old Jones never got an opportunity to be Cincinnati’s primary offensive weapon given the presence of A.J. Green, so it’s difficult to know for certain if he’ll be able to take on that role in Detroit. In his two seasons as a full-time player, Jones has averaged 58 receptions for 764 yards and seven touchdowns, and because Golden Tate is still expected to garner a ton of targets in 2016, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones only sees a slight uptick in those numbers. Clearly, other clubs around the league think highly of Jones, as the Lions had to outduel the Browns, the Patriots, and, naturally, the Bengals for his services.
Just yesterday, the Lions signed another pass-catcher, agreeing to terms with veteran receiver Anquan Boldin after meeting with him in June. Even as he ages, Boldin has continued to post solid production — he’s managed at 
least 65 receptions in each of the past four years, averaging nearly 1,000 yards and five touchdowns during that time. Besides Detroit, the Redskins and the Saints were the only clubs to express known interest in Boldin over the past several months, but he’ll act as a malleable weapon who can play outside and slot receiver in the Lions’ offense.
Detroit also made several smaller additions to its receiver corps, agreeing to deals with Jeremy Kerley, Andre Caldwell, and Andre Roberts. The trifecta are all very similar players, from their work in the slot to their returning ability, but given that Boldin spent most last year on the inside, it’s conceivable that none of the group makes the final roster, even though the Lions’ depth chart is pretty wide open behind the top three. Kerley, for what it’s worth, was the only member of the trio to receive any guaranteed money, but even he only garnered $50K.
None of the three tight ends added on minimum contracts — Matthew Mulligan, Tim Wright, and Orson Charles — figure to make an impact, or even the roster, this season, meaning the only other Lions addition at a skill position was running back Stevan Ridley, whom new general manager Bob Quinn is familiar with given the pair’s time with the Patriots. Ridley, 27, looks to be in a position to make Detroit’s roster after a knee injury limited him in each of the past two seasons. However, the Lions were set to work out free agent Arian Foster before he signed with the Dolphins last week, which indicates that the team isn’t sold on its running backs, so Ridley (and second-year pro Zach Zenner) may have to fight for their jobs during camp.
Like Ridley, offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz signed a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract with the Lions, and also like Ridley, Schwartz was guaranteed a hefty portion of his base salary. As a reminder, the MSB allows a club to pay a veteran player the minimum for a player with his service time, 
while only taking on the cap charge of a player with two years experience. So while Schwartz, for example, will earn $840K if he makes Detroit’s roster, he’ll only count for $680K ($600K base salary plus an $80K signing bonus) on the Lions’ salary cap.
That $80K bonus figure is the maximum allowable on a minimum salary benefit deal, but the contractual bargaining agreement doesn’t place restrictions on how much base salary a team can guarantee a player. Ridley and Schwartz, then, will each be guaranteed in excess of $200K even though their cap charges will remain relatively small. Of course, when compared against a $155MM salary cap, a savings of $80K or so looks like pennies, but every dollar counts. And it’s a smart strategy by Quinn & Co., because it enables the Lions to woo veteran free agents with financial guarantees without worrying about exorbitant cap hits.
Schwartz, for his part, isn’t in line for a starting position now that Detroit has drafted Taylor Decker, but he’s an extremely valuable asset who can play every spot up front except for center. His only problem over the past few seasons has been his health, as he started only 18 games in two years after signing a free agent contract with the Giants. But in a league where Joe Barksdale (for example) can score $22MM over four years, landing Schwartz for a relative pittance is a steal.
The Lions secured another bargain on the defensive side of the ball, re-signing outside linebacker Tahir Whitehead to a two-year, $8MM deal that includes less than $5MM in guarantees. Non-rush ‘backers aren’t a highly-coveted commodity, 
but PFR ranked Whitehead as the best free agent among his position group this offseason, and the 26-year-old graded as the No. 14 linebacker in the league in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus. Whitehead, 26, could be playing a new role in 2016, as middle linebacker is now open following the release of Stephen Tulloch.
Detroit’s other additions along the front seven all came up front, as the club re-invested in its defensive line after losing Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and others following the 2014 campaign. A year after sending a fourth-round pick to Baltimore to acquire Haloti Ngata, the Lions re-signed the veteran defensive tackle, inking him to a two-year deal. Ngata, 32, wasn’t quite as effective in 2015 as he’d been in recent seasons, and given that he missed two games with a calf injury, it’s fair to wonder if Ngata is finally slowing down. Detroit handed him a $4MM signing bonus, however, so he has a decent amount of dead money protection that could keep him from being released in the next two years.
Perhaps in an effort to guard against any fall-off on the part of Ngata, the Lions also re-upped fellow interior defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker, and added free agent Stefan Charles from the Bills. The 26-year-old Walker turned down a three-year offer from the Patriots last offseason in favor of a one-year deal from Detroit, but then spent most of the season on injured reserve after suffering a broken fibula. Walker will be healthy for 2016, and along with Charles, he’ll provide depth on the interior as part of a group that includes holdovers Caraun Reid, Khyri Thornton, Gabe Wright, as well as second-round rookie A’Shawn Robinson. Ngata, therefore, should see a decrease in snaps after seeing action on roughly 57% of Detroit’s plays last year.
Along the edge, the Lions signed defensive end Wallace Gilberry, who had spent the past four years with the Bengals. Gilberry was exceptional during in 2013, posting 7.5 sacks while serving as Cincinnati’s third defensive end, but his play dropped off in later seasons when he was asked to take on a larger role. Luckily, Detroit will place him back into a rotation, but Gilberry is now 31 years old, so he can’t be counted on to produce at a high level. As such, I identified the Lions as a possible landing spot for veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney, and, if the club can stomach him, controversial defensive end Greg Hardy.
Detroit figures to stage a three-man competition to replace Isa Abdul-Quddus at strong safety, with two free agent signings — Rafael Bush and Tavon Wilson — facing off against fourth-round rookie Miles Killebrew for the starting job. Though Wilson was a Quinn draft pick in New England, Bush probably has the edge in this battle, as he was very effective during his time with the Saints — when he could stay healthy. Bush has ended each of the last two seasons on injured reserve (he played in only one game in 2015), so if he can’t stay on the field, Wilson and/or Killebrew should see plenty of opportunities.
Defensive back Johnson Bademosi doesn’t figure to factor into the starting safety competition, but after inking one of the largest contracts for a special-teamer in league history ($2.9MM guaranteed), he will certainly play an important role. The Lions ranked 13th in special teams DVOA last season, and given that Quinn comes from New England, which consistently ranked in the top-five of ST DVOA, teams is likely an area where the new general manager figures he can improve on the cheap.
Continue reading about the Lions’ offseason…
Saints To Cut Vincent Brown With Injury Settlement
WEDNESDAY: The Saints will indeed release Brown with an injury settlement, per Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com.
TUESDAY: The season is over before it began for Vincent Brown, as the Saints have placed the veteran wide receiver on injured reserve, according to Joel Erickson of the Advocate (Twitter link). Brown signed a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract with New Orleans a little over two months ago.
[RELATED: Saints, Drew Brees haven’t negotiated in three months]
As Roster Resource indicates, the loss of Brown doesn’t do much to deplete a relatively deep Saints receiver corps, which is fronted by starters Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead. Former Ohio State pass-catcher Michael Thomas, chosen in the second round of the 2016 draft, is expected to man the slot during his rookie year, while New Orleans is still holding out hope that Brandon Coleman can contribute in some fashion. The club also boasts Reggie Bell and Kyle Prater further down the depth chart.
As well-stocked as the Saints are at receiver, they don’t necessarily need to add a free agent to make up for the loss of Brown, but there are certainly options available on the open market even after veteran Anquan Boldin — probably the best receiver who was still unsigned — agreed to a deal with the Lions earlier today. Three names that stand out are Hakeem Nicks, Denarius Moore, and Nathan Palmer, each of whom attended a May workout in New Orleans with Brown.
Brown, for his part, has been limited by injuries for much of his career, and he hasn’t posted a full season since 2013, when he caught 41 balls for the Chargers. If his current ailment isn’t serious, he could negotiate an injury settlement with the Saints, allowing him to be removed from the IR and reach free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers, Kurt Coleman Agree To Extension
WEDNESDAY, 2:12pm: Coleman’s three-year extension is worth $17MM, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The deal includes $7MM guaranteed with $6MM paid up front.
TUESDAY, 6:43pm: The Panthers and safety Kurt Coleman have agreed to a three-year extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Coleman will sign the deal tomorrow.
[RELATED: Charles Tillman announces retirement]
Coleman, 28, was scheduled to reach free agency next spring, so this multi-year contract will take him through the 2019 campaign. After inking a two-year deal prior to the 2015 season, Coleman was set to earn about $1.6MM during the upcoming season, but he’s now presumably in line for a substantial raise. Earlier this month, Coleman expressed hope that he and the Panthers could come to some sort of agreement.
“I respect everyone that’s involved in the process and I’m trusting that both sides are going to do what’s right and what’s fair,” Coleman said. “Honestly, it’s out of my hands. My job isn’t to negotiate. I probably wouldn’t be that good at it. My personal feelings might get (involved). I just control what I can control.”
Serving as a full-time starter for only the third time in his six-year career, Coleman posted his best season to date, starting 15 games while picking up 53 tackles and seven interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Coleman, an Ohio State alum, also posted two more picks during Carolina’s postseason run. He graded out as the league’s No. 14 safety in 2015, according to Pro Football Focus, just ahead of other playmakers like George Iloka and Will Hill.
Coleman becomes the second Panther to sign an extension this offseason, joining offensive lineman Ryan Kalil and Michael Oher, each of whom were signed through 2018.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.