Seahawks Extend Pete Carroll Through 2019
The Seahawks have signed head coach Pete Carroll to a long-term extension that will keep him in Seattle through the 2019 season. Carroll’s contract had been set to expire after the upcoming season.
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Carroll’s extension comes just two days after the Seahawks locked up general manager John Schneider through the 2021 campaign, meaning the club’s brain trust will be together for at least the next four seasons. Seattle was always expected to hammer out a new deal with its head coach, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reported yesterday that there was no rancor in negotiations. Rather, the Seahawks (and Carroll) simply wanted to follow their usual offseason plan — tackling free agency, the draft, and extensions for contract year players — before working out a new agreement.
In addition to allowing Carroll avoid a lame-duck status in 2016, the extension also gives both Seattle and Carroll some added security — Carroll will be guaranteed a salary for a few extra years, and the Seahawks mitigate the risk of their head coach eyeing another job. While there has been no indication that Carroll would want to leave Seattle, one January report suggested that the former USC head coach may eventually have interest in a Los Angeles NFL job, with the Rams – and possibly Chargers – returning to L.A.
Carroll’s current contract is believed to place him among the NFL’s top three highest-paid coaches, with an annual salary in the range of $7-8MM per year. Presumably, his new deal wouldn’t involve a pay cut of any sort, so Carroll will continue to rank near the top of the salary leaderboard for coaches after signing his extension.
Since taking over as the Seahawks’ head coach in 2010, Carroll has led the team to a 60-36 regular-season record, with a 9-6 record and a Super Bowl win in the postseason. Seattle has won at least 10 games and made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, winning at least one postseason contest every year and earning a spot in the Super Bowl twice.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) was the first to report the extension and noted that it runs through 2019. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Redskins, Neal, Schofield, Vick
Even though they’ve lost edge rusher Junior Galette for the season due to a torn Achilles, the Redskins aren’t interested in free agent defenders Mike Neal or O’Brien Schofield, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link). At this point, it appears as though Washington is going to rely on internal options to replace Galette (who, it should be noted, didn’t even play in a single contest for Washington last year), as reports have indicated that the Redskins won’t target free agent Dwight Freeney or controversial pass rusher Greg Hardy. Instead, the club figures to ask Preston Smith, a second-round pick in last year’s draft, to provide increased production.
Here’s more from around the league…
- Free agent quarterback Michael Vick has stated he’d like to continue his NFL career multiple times this offseason, and he repeated that sentiment earlier this week on The Dan Patrick Show, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “We had a couple phone calls,” Vick said. “I won’t say as many phone calls as I’d like. I understand the dynamics. I’m 36 years old. The thing is I still have a lot in the tank. I go work out, still go throw, still feel good.” The Seahawks are known to be looking for a veteran quarterback behind Russell Wilson, and Vick’s name has been tossed out in relation to that vacancy.
- The NFL and NFLPA have reached an agreement to more strictly enforce the league’s concussion protocol, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Both the NFL and the players’ union will designate a representative to investigate potential violations, and discipline — including fines or loss of draft picks — could be handed down as penalties. Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirms that the NFLPA had threatened to sue the league and claim malpractice against team doctors after Rams quarterback Case Keenum was allowed to remain in a game last season after appearing concussed.
- Ra’Zahn Howard‘s signing bonus with the Texans is worth $5K, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Houston signed the former Purdue defensive tackle to a three-year, $1.625MM deal shortly after he went unclaimed in this year’s Supplemental Draft. Many viewed Howard as the strongest player out of this year’s supplemental class and early projections had him going somewhere between rounds five and seven.
- NFL agent Tory Dandy, who represents Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman, and Bills cornerback Ronald Darby, has joined CAA Sports, as Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Eagles LB Nigel Bradham Arrested
Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham was arrested yesterday following his involvement in an alteration in Miami on Thursday, NBC Miami was the first to report. Bradham turned himself into police today and was charged with aggravated battery, a second-degree felony, according to the police report.
[RELATED: Carson Wentz could be gameday inactive during season]
Bradham was reportedly part of a six-person group that began arguing with a Hilton Bentley hotel employee over the amount of time it took to receive an umbrella they had apparently purchased. The scene grew violent, and the worker was struck over the head with a glass bottle, and, according to the police report, Bradham “without provocation, struck the victim in the nose with a closed fist, causing the victim to fall to the ground.” The group eventually left, but police located a cell phone and a receipt indicating Bradham had paid for the umbrella.
The Eagles issued a statement confirming that they are aware of the situation, but offered no further comment on Bradham, who signed a two-year, $7MM deal during the offseason and is expected to report to training camp tomorrow, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Bradham, 26, becomes the second Eagle to enter legal hot water this year, as wide receiver Nelson Agholor was accused of rape in June before being cleared of all charges earlier this month.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Josh Gordon
After being conditionally reinstated by the NFL yesterday, wide receiver Josh Gordon is still on “thin ice” with the Browns’ leadership team, and the club’s new coaching staff will be watching him closely, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who adds that Cleveland has become “weary” of Gordon’s antics. Nevertheless, Browns executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown was supportive of Gordon in a statement issued yesterday.
[RELATED: Impact Rookies — Cleveland Browns]
“With the league’s decision to afford Josh the opportunity to resume his career, he will be with us for the start of training camp,” said Brown. “At that time, we will discuss directly with Josh the direction of our team, our expectations of our players and a plan to support him on and off the field.”
Brown was placed on the non-football injury list today with a quad injury, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, but he should be able to return to practice in a few weeks. In a somewhat unprecedented move, the league will allow Gordon to not only play in all four preseason contests, but permit Gordon to attend team meetings during his suspension. Meanwhile, Gordon’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is confident that the Browns are willing to welcome the former star wide receiver.
“I do believe the Browns are a big part of Josh getting reinstated,” Rosenhaus said today on Pro Football Talk Live. “I do believe that Sashi Brown …had a lot to do with this. I believe that Hue Jackson is very committed to working with Josh Gordon. I believe that Jim Brown, who’s an integral part of this process who got to know Josh and has served as a mentor in some respects had a lot to do with this. I really do think that the Browns are committed to Josh and want to see him succeed.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Offseason In Review: Chicago Bears
After two years of uncertainty under the management of former GM Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman, the Bears seem to be on the upswing under John Fox, Ryan Pace, and the rest of the club’s new leadership. The key area of focus for Chicago this offseason was defense, and the club made a significant investment to add talent for coordinator Vic Fangio, but a new voice on the offensive side of the ball could go a long way towards building on last year’s 6-10 record.
Notable signings:
- Alshon Jeffery, WR: One year, $14.599MM. Fully guaranteed. Accepted franchise tag.
- Danny Trevathan, LB: Four years, $24.5MM. $12MM guaranteed.
- Bobby Massie, T: Three years, $18MM. $6.5MM guaranteed.
- Jerrell Freeman, LB: Three years, $12MM. $6MM guaranteed.
- Akiem Hicks, DE: Two years, $10MM. $5MM guaranteed.
- Tracy Porter, CB: Three years, $12MM. $4.25MM guaranteed.
- Zach Miller, TE: Two years, $5.5MM. $3MM guaranteed.
- Sherrick McManis, CB: One year, $2.85MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Brian Hoyer, QB: One year, $2MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Mitch Unrein, DL: Two years, $2.26MM. $500K guaranteed.
- Ted Larsen, G: One year, $1.65MM. $350K guaranteed. $750K available via incentives.
- Sam Acho, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $130K guaranteed.
- Jacquizz Rodgers, RB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Marc Mariani, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Chris Prosinski, S: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Deonte Thompson, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Nick Becton, T: One year, $675K.
- Aaron Brewer, LS: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Rob Housler, TE: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Tony Moeaki, TE: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Amini Silatolu, G: One year, contract terms unknown.
The Bears’ defense actually got a little better in 2015 under new coordinator Vic Fangio, improving from 15.6% below average to 11.6% below the league norm (according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric), but the unit still needed a lot of work. Heading into last offseason, Andy Benoit of TheMMQB.com wrote that Chicago needed to replace 10 of its 11 starters on the defensive side of the ball, with cornerback Kyle Fuller representing the only option who could stay in his current role. Nearly 18 months later, general manager Ryan Pace and the rest of the front office have reached that goal, replacing every starter besides Fuller while also accruing depth.
After inking do-it-all front-seven player Pernell McPhee last offseason, the Bears this year signed a pair of linebackers who will play more conventional roles, and former Bronco Danny Trevathan may have been the least surprising addition of the spring. Trevathan, 26, played under Chicago head coach John Fox when the pair was in Denver, and Trevathan had long stated that he expected the Bears to show interest in him.
Chicago faced stiff competition for Trevathan, as both the Falcons and Titans also were intrigued by the idea of adding the former sixth-round pick to their linebacking corps. Still, Trevathan wasn’t all that expensive, as his $6.125MM annual average ranks just 12th among inside ‘backers. His market may have been somewhat stunted by his recent injury history, as a broken kneecap ended his 2014 campaign. But Trevathan stayed healthy for 15 games and 73 tackles last season, and he’ll act as a stabilizing presence in Chicago.
Joining Trevathan in the middle of the field will be fellow linebacker Jerrell Freeman, who was lured away from the Colts by a three-year, $12MM pact. Though he just hit free agency for the first time, Freeman is actually 30 years old, having spent the first three years of his professional career in the Canadian Football League. But he’s been remarkably productive during his NFL stint, and last year he graded out as the fourth-best linebacker in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, which also ranked him as the No. 1 LB against the run.
Like Trevathan, Freeman has a recent injury record, missing seven games over the past two seasons while dealing with nagging hamstring and concussion issues. But the Bears structured Freeman’s contract in such a way that they can get out of it after 2015 if Freeman’s production suffers, as Chicago would only carry $1.5MM in dead money if it made Freeman a post-June 1 cut next year. But that’s a worst-case scenario, obviously, as the club hopes that Freeman will follow in the footsteps of Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Derrick Johnson, and London Fletcher, fellow linebackers who performed well after crossing age-30.
The Bears didn’t stop adding to their front seven after signing Trevathan and Freeman, as the team also inked defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who figures to immediately slot in at end. Hicks spent most of last year with the Patriots, but prior to that was a member of the Saints, so Pace — who started his career in the New Orleans front office — has a familiarity with the fifth-year pro. Mitch Unrein, a capable run-plugger, will rotate with rookie Jonathan Bullard at the other end spot in Chicago’s 3-4 scheme after re-upping on a two-year deal.
Cornerback Tracy Porter was also re-signed after a solid 2015 campaign that saw him earn 13 starts. Porter will turn 30 next month, and didn’t grade all that well according to PFF (No. 78 CB among 111 qualifiers), but Bears coaches were insistent that Porter was not only a steady force in the secondary, but added a veteran presence in a young defensive locker room. Still, for another $1MM per year or so, Chicago could have signed someone like Patrick Robinson or Casey Hayward, who would probably offer more upside. Elsewhere in the defensive backfield, Sherrick McManis will be back to act primarily as a special teams ace after playing the third-most ST snaps among all Bears last season.
On offense, the key storyline of the offseason was clearly the status of wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who was set to enter free agency for the first time. Jeffery, 26, dealt with injuries all season long, and ultimately missed seven games. But when he was on the field, Jeffery was tremendous, acting as a target monster and topping 80 yards receiving six times. On a yards per game basis, 2015 was the best season of Jeffery’s career.
But given his lengthy history of physical ailments, Jeffery was going to have trouble finding common ground on a long-term contract with the Bears. Jeffery likely wanted $14-15MM per year, the same average earned by A.J. Green, Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, and Demaryius Thomas, but Chicago was never going to commit that much to a pass-catcher who struggles to stay on the field. The franchise tag was the only other option, and it’s probably a good deal for both sides, as the Bears can limit their long-term risk, while Jeffery can earn nearly $15MM for one year while aiming to cash out next offseason.
The Bears also acted quickly to re-sign another one of Jay Cutler‘s weapons, agreeing to terms with veteran Zach Miller a few days after free agency opened. Miller had reportedly been looking for $5MM per season on the open market, but as a 31-year-old with one productive season under his belt (until 2015, Miller hadn’t played a down since 2011!), he wasn’t going to come close to that figure. Instead, Miller inked a deal that will pay him $5.5MM over the next two years, and should step into a more consistent role on offense now that Martellus Bennett has been traded.
Miller will line up frequently next to new right tackle Bobby Massie, whom the Bears signed after a productive platform year in Arizona. Chicago’s offensive line was pretty decent last year, ranking seventh in adjusted line yards and 12th in adjusted sack rate, but the front five will have a very different look during the upcoming season. In addition to Massie, whose signing will allow Kyle Long to move back to guard, the Bears inked fellow former Cardinal Ted Larsen and former Panther Amini Silatolu to compete at left guard. Larsen has been one of the worst offensive lineman in the league during his career, and Silatolu has seen his time in the NFL derailed by injuries, meaning neither should be a serious threat to overtake rookie Cody Whitehair.
While the offensive line will be blocking for Cutler, new signee Brian Hoyer would step in if Chicago’s starter went down, giving the Bears their most respectable backup quarterback since Josh McCown. Hoyer posted the best season of his career in 2015, leading the Texans to the playoffs before suffering an embarrassing defeat to the Chiefs in the Wild Card round. Still, he was the most sought-after No. 2 QB on the open market, and the Bears had to fend off the Steelers and Cowboys by offering Hoyer $750K guaranteed.
One final note: For the second year in a row, Pace and his staff made use of the minimum salary benefit, bringing in veterans at a low cost and letting them compete for jobs. I praised the strategy last season, and the Bears unearthed several contributors, including Porter, Miller, and linebacker Sam Acho, without having to shell out big bucks. The club has taken the same approach this season, re-signing Acho while adding or keeping players such as Tony Moeaki, Rob Housler, and Chris Prosinski on the cheap. Not every one of these veterans is going to hit, but they don’t have to — employing the minimum salary benefit enables a team to throw things against the wall and see what sticks, and Chicago has mastered this concept over the past two offseasons.
Continue reading about the Bears’ offseason…
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Gamble, Davis, Carroll
The 49ers have hired Tom Gamble as assistant general manager, the club announced today. Gamble is in his second stint with San Francisco, as he worked alongside GM Trent Baalke in the club’s front office from 2005-2012 before re-joining the team in January 2015 as a senior personnel executive. Notably, current 49ers head coach Chip Kelly brought Gamble with him to Philadelphia as his top personnel man, but Gamble was ousted following the 2014 campaign.
Here’s a look at the latest from the NFC West:
- Although the 49ers are reportedly more interested in keeping offensive tackle Anthony Davis than trading him, the club is “wary” of Davis’ reinstatement and could be questioning his commitment to football, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). San Francisco is somewhat worried that Davis will be challenged in his return to the everyday grind of the NFL, and the team’s staff will watch him closely as camp and the preseason progresses. Davis, a former first-round pick, is far more talented than the Niners’ incumbent right tackle, Erik Pears, so the club doesn’t have much to lose by letting Davis attend training camp and compete for a starting position.
- Now that the Seahawks have extended the contract of general manager John Schneider, head coach Pete Carroll will be next, sources tell Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Seattle uses a specific approach to the offseason, tackling free agency, the draft, and then extensions for their players entering the last year of their deals. Carroll, sources tell Condotta, merely wanted to get through that period of the club’s to-do list, and there’s been no rancor of any kind in negotiations. Plus, Carroll likely wanted to ensure that Schneider was kept under contract before agreeing to re-sign, as he did when the pair was up for new deals previously.
- The Seahawks are in good shape for the future after extending Schneider, writes Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com, and Schneider says the most critical part of the club’s success is a lack of vanity. “No ego. Ego is the enemy,” said Schneider. “And it’s being able to communicate, being able to communicate in a clear, concise fashion and make decisions as quickly as you possibly can. But knowing that, first and foremost, we’re looking out for the organization, No. 1, what’s best for the organization.” Carroll has final say on personnel moves in Seattle, but that distinction has never proved controversial among the team’s leadership.
- Earlier today, we learned that the Seahawks will meet with the agent for defensive lineman Michael Bennett to discuss a new contract.
Latest On Joey Bosa, Chargers
The Joey Bosa stalemate continues to drag on, and even though Bosa is now one of only three draft picks (all first-rounders represented by CAA) who is still unsigned, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco isn’t sure if a deal can be hammered out this week before training camp begins on Saturday.
[RELATED: Offseason in Review — San Diego Chargers]
“I don’t know,” Telesco told 1090 AM when asked if Bosa would attend the start of camp, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. “I guess we’ll see. I really don’t know if he’ll [show up]. We’re still working on it. Hopefully we’ll get something done, but I don’t know.
“We’ve never really had an issue signing draft picks since I’ve been here,” Telesco continued. “We’ve actually been one of the quicker teams in getting guys done. Especially when it’s not really over money — or guaranteed money — I know people get puzzled by it. But it really just comes down to generally this — there’s some things that are negotiable, and money always is negotiable, obviously — but there’s certain things in contracts language-wise, whether you’re picked third, 33rd or 203rd, there’s certain things of consistency and doing things the same way for everyone on the team.”
As Telesco alludes to, Bosa and his camp are not only arguing to not include offset language in his rookie contract, but also to change the payout structure of his fully guaranteed signing bonus. San Diego typically also uses offset clauses in its rookie deals, and as Williams adds, the club also likes to spread out the payment of bonuses to its first-year players.
With no offset language, the Chargers would pay Bosa the balance of his four-year guaranteed contract even if they release him midway through the deal. Then, theoretically, Bosa could collect two salaries upon signing elsewhere. With offset language in place, the Chargers would be off the hook for Bosa’s salary with his new team, paying him only the difference. The Bolts see offset language as the biggest barrier to a deal, but Bosa’s agent apparently has other qualms outside of that.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Cowboys To Sign Cameron Bradfield
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with offensive tackle Cameron Bradfield, according to Bradfield’s agent Andy Simms (Twitter link). Contract specifics haven’t yet been released, but it’s likely a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal.
[RELATED: NFL investigating Ezekiel Elliott allegations]
Bradfield, who will turn 29 in September, was part of a contingent that auditioned for Dallas at the beginning of June. It’s entirely possible that the Cowboys are simply adding Bradfield as a camp body, as the club famously has one of the best offensive lines in the league. Three members of the club’s front five — left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, and right guard Zack Martin — earned second-team All Pro honors last season. Right tackle Doug Free, meanwhile, is no slouch, and left guard La’el Collins was considered a first-round prospect before unfounded legal issues caused him to go undrafted in 2015.
The Cowboys also have enviable depth up front, as the club boasts veterans Ronald Leary (who could be traded) and Joe Looney on the interior, and former third-round pick Chaz Green at tackle. Bradfield, though, has his own merits, though he didn’t appear in the NFL last year. Bradfield has played in 41 games (27 starts) during his career, and was a starter for the Jaguars from 2013-14. He’s bounced around the past few seasons, and most recently inked a futures deal with the Cardinals before being waived at final cutdowns last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Dion Jordan
Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan applied for reinstatement almost two months ago, and while the organization is hoping to hear back from the NFL this week, Miami has been given no definite indication as to whether Jordan will be allowed to rejoin the club, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
[RELATED: Dolphins sign Arian Foster]
However, even if Jordan is granted reinstatement, the Dolphins might not welcome him back to their roster, and the chief reason could be financial. As Salguero writes, Jordan is owed a fully guaranteed $1.69MM roster bonus if he’s on Miami’s roster on the fifth day of training camp, and there’s disagreement within the team’s leadership as to whether Jordan should be paid that figure. Some in the club’s hierarchy believe that Jordan still possesses the talent that made him a No. 3 overall pick, while others in the front office don’t think a player with three drug suspensions and little production should be handed a bonus.
If he makes the roster, Jordan could still have time finding snaps, as the Dolphins added several pieces to their defensive end rotation over the offseason, signing Mario Williams, Jason Jones, and Andre Branch. Miami also signed starter Cameron Wake to an extension, so the best bet for Jordan might be as a special teams player. Additionally, there is still some concern that Jordan’s shoulder, which was flagged before the 2013 draft, might not be quite right.
The Dolphins have tried to trade Jordan in the past, Salguero notes, as they attempted to deal him to the Eagles when Jordan’s former college coach Chip Kelly was in charge. Now that Kelly is in San Francisco, Salguero suggests that the 49ers could have some interest in acquiring Jordan.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Investigating Aldon Smith Social Media Post
Raiders edge rusher Aldon Smith is under scrutiny from the NFL after a suspicious post appeared on Smith’s Periscope account roughly two weeks ago, according Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link). CSNBayArea.com was the first outlet to report on the video, which contains the voice of a man — who purportedly sounds like Smith — possibly engaging in illegal drug activity.
[RELATED: Oakland Raiders Depth Chart]
Smith, of course, is suspended until mid-November for violating the league’s substance abuse policy following a DUI last year, so any repeat offense could have serious implications. The video shows an unidentified female and the hands and voice of a man (who is never shown on screen) appearing to smoke marijuana as the man engages in what he calls a “fire up session” and continues to tape the incident despite the woman’s protestations, claiming “we’ve got zero followers.” The video, one of 31 on Smith’s account, was posted July 8 and has been archived ever since.
The league’s substance abuse policy states that any player in stage three of the plan must engage in “abstinence from substances of abuse throughout the entire period of his banishment,” so if the NFL finds that Smith did indeed use illicit drugs during his suspension, he is unlikely to be reinstated in November. Smith, for his part, appears to have issued a denial through his Twitter account: “Good try, not me.”
An immensely talent player when his head is right, Smith played in seven games for Oakland last season before agreeing to a two-year extension this spring. The deal, worth $11.5MM, contains no guaranteed money and is heavily incentivized, so the Raiders can easily cut bait if they feel the need to.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.