East Notes: Pats, Jets, Fins, Jordan, Redskins
If the Patriots suffer an injury during training camp or the club isn’t satisfied with its current wide receiver depth chart, New England could sign a veteran pass-catcher such as Andre Johnson or Roddy White, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. As Roster Resource shows, the Patriots are pretty well-stocked at receiver, with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Keshawn Martin, and Nate Washington among the many options available to New England. But if the team does want to add another receiver, Johnson and White make sense as candidates — Johnson recently said he wants to continue his career, while White has stated he only wants to play for a contender.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Offensive line could be an area of focus for the Jets if they add a veteran before or during camp, but the club doesn’t have the cap space to add a quality option at this point, according to Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. New York made a move to acquire left tackle Ryan Clady from the Broncos during the offseason, but Clady has a notable injury history that could give the Jets pause. Any addition would probably be for depth purposes, which would likely rule out a pursuit of someone like Jahri Evans or Will Beatty, both of whom are among the best unsigned free agents available on the open market.
- Dion Jordan applied for reinstatement near the end of May, and while he hasn’t heard back from the league yet, James Walker of ESPN.com only gives Jordan a 50% chance at making the Dolphins‘ roster even if he is allowed to return to the NFL. As Walker notes, Miami already has a solid defensive line after adding Mario Williams, Jason Jones, and Andre Branch to a front four that already included Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake. Additionally, Jordan must prove that he is healthy, as there is some concern that his shoulder might still not be quite right.
- Spencer Long became a full-time starter for the Redskins at guard after Shaun Lauvao suffered a season-ending injury early last season, and now it’s unclear which of the two will man left guard in 2016. Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com debate the topic, and each scribe comes to a different conclusion.
- Last night, we took a look at some internal and external options the Cowboys could look to as they seek to replace middle linebacker Rolando McClain, who will be suspended for 10 games.
AFC North Notes: Le’Veon, Steelers, Browns
Although Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell recently suggested through song that he’s worth $15MM annually, there’s almost no chance that he’d earn that salary on the open market. Adrian Peterson is currently the highest-paid running back on an average annual basis at $14MM, while LeSean McCoy, at roughly $8MM per season, is second. Bell, who would have to redefine the running back market in order to land $15MM, walked back his comments while speaking with James Walker of ESPN.com today.
“I’m not a real greedy guy. I don’t play football just for money or things like that,” said Bell, while also reiterating that he’ll be ready for training camp after spending the offseason recovering from a MCL/PCL injury. “I just want to be valued. Wherever it is — whether its $15 million or lower or higher, whatever it is – I think we will get to an agreement eventually. “Obviously, I want to be a Steeler for my whole life. My family grew up Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and it’s crazy I even got drafted there. So I want to be with them and hopefully we’ll reach an agreement. But that will take place once that time come.”
Here’s a few more items from the AFC North:
- Former first-round pick Barkevious Mingo isn’t a lock to earn a spot on the Browns‘ roster, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com, who writes that it’s difficult to see how Mingo fits among Cleveland’s linebacking corps. I reached the same conclusion in our recent review of the Browns’ offseason, noting that Mingo has essentially become a glorified special teams player. Cleveland has already declined Mingo’s fifth-year option for 2017, meaning he’ll become a free agent after the upcoming season, but with Nate Orchard, Paul Kruger, and potentially Joe Schobert ahead of him on the depth chart, Mingo could hit the open market as soon as this summer.
- The Browns’ safety room will have a completely different in makeup this season now that 2015 starters Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner are gone, per Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. With Gipson in Jacksonville and Whitner still looking for work as a free agent, Cleveland will turn to Ibraheim Campbell and Jordan Poyer as starters, as Roster Resource shows. But the club has a few more interesting options who could eventually factor into the secondary picture, including Rahim Moore, Don Jones, Sean Baker, Derrick Kindred, and A.J. Stamps. Moore, notably, looks like a strong option to steal snaps down the road, as he has 54 career starts under his belt.
- Earlier this afternoon, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tubin spoke on a number of topics, including whether Cincinnati might add a veteran free agent, whether his club has spoken with receiver Anquan Boldin, and Tobin’s own future with the Bengals.
Bengals Exec Duke Tobin On FAs, Boldin, LaFell
Along with owner Mike Brown and head coach Marvin Lewis, director of player personnel Duke Tobin is part of the triumvirate that has reinvigorated the Bengals in recent seasons, turning the organization into an annual contender that has made five straight postseason appearances. Tobin’s behind-the-scenes work hasn’t gone unnoticed, as both the Titans and Lions requested interviews this offseason as they sought to fill their respective general manager vacancies. But Tobin is still in Cincinnati, and he recently spoke with Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com about the club’s roster, potential free agent additions, and his own future.
[RELATED: Reviewing the 2016 Cincinnati Bengals offseason]
On whether the Bengals could add a veteran free agent:
We have the ability right now. We have a spot open so we’ve talked about some things. We feel good about the roster as it is. If there’s an opportunity to add another piece at the right position at the right price, we’ll think about doing it. From our standpoint in personnel, the roster is never set. We’re always open to improvements if we can find them. Who knows what will happen, but it’s a pretty quiet time around the Bengals facility right now.
On whether Cincinnati has considered free agent receiver Anquan Boldin:
I don’t like to proclaim yes or no on anybody that’s out there, but we have not had any discussions with him. We feel pretty good about some young guys that we have in that position group. It’s a position group that’s in flux, and it’s a position group that’s going to have to step up – particularly with [Tyler] Eifert out early in the year. We’re going to have to have some production from there and we have some good candidates. So we want to see when we get going in the preseason who steps up and who raises their hand and says, ‘I’m the guy.’ Hopefully multiple people will do that.
On how the club weighs signing a free agent:
I think you always weight the ramifications of adding a guy. Anybody that we bring in at this time of the year is going to have to make his way. We’re not going to be signing anybody – I don’t care if it’s an eight-time Pro Bowler or a college free agent – there’s no guarantee for anybody you bring in at this point. Whoever we sign if we sign somebody will have to prove their value and will have to make the club. And they’re going to have to be better than who we already have on the club. At the end of the day we’ll make some tough cuts – we always have – and this year won’t be different. But we’re going to keep the 53 best players for sure.
On what the Bengals saw in free agent pickup Brandon LaFell;
We wanted some experience and he’s got that. We liked his size. We liked that he’s played in a number of different systems. And I don’t think that the game is too big for him. Any time that you change teams there’s a transition and he’s going through that right now. He’s like anybody else on our team – he’s going to have to prove his worth and make his way and we hope that’s the case. But we felt like we needed to add another veteran presence there after losing Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu and hopefully he’ll fill that and be the guy that we think he is.
On his future in the Bengals’ front office:
When I came here in ’99 – and this is another thing that my dad (ed. note: former Bears/Colts GM Bill Tobin) did for us when we were in Chicago – I fully committed to the Bengals and wanted to be here long term. I wanted to make myself valuable to the club and make an entire career out of this and they gave me an opportunity to show that. There are very few organizations like the Cincinnati Bengals and people like the Browns and Blackburns to work for and it’s just a really neat situation and I’m thankful for the opportunity that I have here. I really can’t imagine wanting to be somewhere else and wanting to work for another team. Sure the challenges would be fun, but we have challenges here to work through that keep me occupied. I’m very happy to stay and be a part of it.
Broncos Submit New Proposal To Von Miller
Following a day full of updates on Friday — during which time the Broncos and general manager John Elway reportedly upped their offer to franchise player Von Miller — Denver has once again increased the compensation in its latest proposal to their star linebacker, reports Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The two sides have largely agreed on the framework of a six-year, $114.5MM deal, but Miller and his camp have voiced concerns about the structure and guarantees put forth in the contract.
Earlier reports had indicated that the Broncos agreed to move the date of the full guarantee trigger of Miller’s 2019 proposed base salary up, and Klis adds more details to that subsection of the story, reporting that Denver would transfer that date from 2018 to March of 2017. In other words, Miller’s $19MM base salary in 2019 would become fully guaranteed when the 2017 league year begins, and because it’s extremely unlikely that the club would release Miller before that date, that $19MM would be considered part of an “effective” guarantee.
Miller and his team have traded counteroffers with Broncos management, and he and his agent, Joby Branion, haven’t accepted or rejected the team’s latest proposal, which came on Friday afternoon and included another sweetening of the pot. According to Klis, Miller used last night to consider the proposition, and will further discuss terms with Elway today.
Miller has not been amenable to signing the Broncos’ $14.129MM exclusive franchise tender to this point and could sit out the season in lieu of accepting it. First, though, next Friday’s deadline will have to pass without an agreement between him and the team. Elway, however, has signed each of the three Broncos previously tagged under his watch — Matt Prater (2012), Ryan Clady (2013) and Demaryius Thomas (2015) — and is now aiming to do the same with Miller.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Talks Between Chiefs, Eric Berry Moving Slowly
SATURDAY, 8:35am: Paylor has some quotes from Berry, who elaborated on the slow negotations.
“I thought it would progress a little bit more,” he said. “But it’s still been pretty much the same since the last time we talked. A lot can change in a week. A lot can change for whenever the deadline is.”
Of course, the safety also noted that he intends and hopes to stay in Kansas City longterm.
“Obviously I’d love to be a Chief — I want to be a Chief long term, just because of the community, the staff, from top to bottom, the players and everything,” he added. “But sometimes things don’t go as planned, and I’m prepared for that, but hopefully it goes as planned, and I’m prepared for that, as well.”
FRIDAY, 8:28pm: The Chiefs have until next Friday to reach a long-term deal with franchise player Eric Berry, but the star safety tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links) that he’s surprised at the slow pace of negotiations. However, Berry did reaffirm his desire to hammer out an extension with the club, adding a tone of optimism to the talks.
Berry, 27, has always been thought to be among the franchise-tagged players with the highest chance of inking a new contract with his club, especially given his superb relationship with Chiefs management. But given that Berry likely has his sights set on becoming the highest-paid safety in the league — and topping the five-year, $51.25MM extension signed by Vikings safety Harrison Smith — it’s not entirely surprising that no deal has yet been finalized. Additionally, it’s worth noting that even back in May, Kansas City general manager John Dorsey said he expected negotiations with Berry to be a “slow process.”
Berry, who earned Pro Bowl nods in three of his first four NFL seasons, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014, raising some doubts about his future in the league. However, the veteran safety was declared cancer-free in 2015 and enjoyed one of his best seasons this past year for the Chiefs.Appearing in all 16 games for Kansas City in 2015, Berry logged 61 tackles to go along with a pair of interceptions and 10 passes defended. Pro Football Focus ranked the Tennessee product sixth among 88 qualified safeties, and the standout season earned Berry his fourth Pro Bowl berth, along with a spot on the NFL’s All-Pro first team.
The Chiefs aren’t the only club to hit a speed bump in talks with their franchise-tagged player this week. The Broncos and Von Miller are locked in a tight dispute over contract structure and guaranteed money, while the Redskins and Kirk Cousins are at an impasse, meaning the quarterback will play the 2016 season under the franchise tender. Meanwhile, the Bears and Alshon Jeffery appear unlikely to reach a new pact, and the same can be said in New York, where the Jets aren’t close to a deal with Muhammad Wilkerson.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
How The Cowboys Could Replace Rolando McClain
For the second consecutive season, Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain will serve a suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on substance abuse. In 2015, Dallas only had to survive without McClain for a quarter of the season, but given that McClain is facing a 10-game ban for 2016, the Cowboys will need to more seriously consider how they’re going to make up for the loss of their middle linebacker.
We’ve examined how Dallas might go about finding a replacement for McClain, looking at players already on the Cowboys’ roster, free agents sitting on the open market, and veterans who could be on the roster bubble with their respective clubs. Let’s dive in…
Internal options:
The primary name being floated to replace McClain in the middle is third-year linebacker Anthony Hitchens, whom the Cowboys selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. Thing is, Hitchens was already a starter — he played on the inside in 
McClain’s absence last year, and then moved to the outside, ultimately seeing action on about half of Dallas’ defensive snaps. So if Hitchens is being counted on to man the middle full-time, including in sub packages, the Cowboys would need to find a replacement at strong-side linebacker, meaning Kyle Wilber and/or Andrew Gachkar could see meaningful snaps after spending most of their respective careers as special teams players.
[RELATED: Updated Dallas Cowboys depth chart]
Gachkar, meanwhile, is another option to fill in at middle linebacker, and he has experience at the position. If chosen, Gachkar would likely be a two-down player, as Pro Football Focus’ grades have shown him to be effective against the run but a liability in pass coverage. The 27-year-old has never been a major defensive contributor — he was forced to step into the starting lineup when the Chargers suffered a variety of injuries at the linebacker position in 2014, but even then, he only played on 36.5% of San Diego’s defensive snaps.
The “wild card” in this race is second-year player Mark Nzeocha, according to Bryan Broaddus of the Cowboys’ website. A seventh-round pick in last year’s draft, Nzeocha only appeared in two games during his rookie season, managing 14 snaps, all of which came on special teams. Extremely athletic, Nzeocha was all over the field at Wyoming, playing safety and all three linebacker positions. His learning curve might be steep, but he clearly has all the physical tools to play the position.
A source tells PFR that the Cowboys are, for the most part, satisfied with the current state of their linebacker room, and are looking forward to have their young players compete for playing time while McClain is suspended. Dallas, says the source, hasn’t shown a lot of interest in scouring the free agent market for substitutes, so one of Hitchens, Gachkar, or Nzeocha might be the favorite to earn significant snaps this fall.
Free agents:
Donald Butler — After selecting Denzel Perryman in 2015 and Joshua Perry in this year’s draft, the Chargers parted ways with Butler, who had spent the past five seasons with the club. At age-27, Butler is the youngest free agent option on this list, but he’s coming off the worst season of his career, having posted just 40 tackles during the 2016 campaign. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune accused Butler of “losing interest” after receiving a massive extension prior to the 2014 season, so perhaps some other clubs have made that same assessment.
Justin Durant — Durant started 12 games for the Falcons last year, but prior to his time in Atlanta he spent two seasons with the Cowboys, so at the very least he’d offer some familiarity with Dallas defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli‘s playbook. Versatility is another point in Durant’s favor, as he played mostly inside linebacker with Atlanta and Detroit, roamed the middle during his Jacksonville tenure, and moved between both positions with the Cowboys.
A.J. Hawk — The Bengals signed Hawk to a two-year deal before the 2015 campaign, but despite injuries limiting fellow linebacker Vontaze Burfict to just 10 games, Hawk rarely saw the field, playing on roughly a quarter of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps. Hawk recently told Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer that although he’s aware a club might not express interest until late in camp (or perhaps after the season begins), he’s staying in shape in the hopes of receiving a phone call.
David Hawthorne — Like Durant, Hawthorne offers positional versatility, having seen action at both inside and outside linebacker. In 2015, Hawthorne was shifted to the weak side in favor of rookie Stephone Anthony, but was then benched, declared inactive, and ultimately released after an unproductive season. Still, he’s got 83 career starts under his belt, and would presumably feel comfortable in the middle of the Dallas defense.
Keep reading for more external options that could be on the Cowboys’ radar…
Latest On Muhammad Wilkerson
With only eight days remaining before the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term deals with their respective clubs, defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson doesn’t appear to be any closer to hammering out an extension with the Jets. The two sides are not even currently negotiating, and there is “nothing” happening in talks, a source tells Dom Cosentino of NJ.com.
[RELATED: Sheldon Richardson suspended one game]
Last month, Wilkerson voiced his displeasure at his contract dispute, indicating that the Jets haven’t expressed an interest in retaining him beyond 2016. “It’s shocking. It’s frustrating,” Wilkerson told Brian Costello of The New York Post. “Because I feel like I’ve earned it and I deserve it. It would be different if I was just a mediocre player. I feel like each and every week I’m dominating and it’s showing. The stats speak for themselves. Basically, what more do I need to do? You know what I mean?
“Do I feel that they want me back? As of right now, no. I don’t feel like they want me,” the 26-year-old said. “I’m a talented guy. Everybody knows that. I feel like they’re going to get the best they can out of me and just let me go. That’s how I feel. Do I like that feeling? No. I’m a New Jersey guy, born and raised and would love to raise my family here.”
According to Costello’s reports, Wilkerson is looking to match — or top — the six-year, $103MM extension inked by defensive tackle Fletcher Cox in June, but New York, which has an excellent crop of defensive lineman including Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams, and free agent addition Steve McLendon, has shown little interest in meeting that demand. The Jets have reportedly shopped Wilkerson, but have yet to find a suitable trade partner.
Wilkerson isn’t expected to sign his franchise tender, which would pay him a guaranteed $15.701MM, any time soon, and could skip part or all of training camp, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com recently reported. Typically, players who don’t attend camp are subject to fines, but since Wilkerson technically isn’t under contract until he accepts his franchise tag, he wouldn’t be at risk of losing any money.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Offseason In Review: Cleveland Browns
While the NBA’s Cavaliers have brought a title back to Cleveland, the city’s true love remains the Browns, a club which is seemingly stuck in a cycle of perpetual reassembly. After once again overhauling their front office and coaching staff, the team finally seems to have to be moving in the right direction, formulating a plan both for free agency and the draft (and sticking to it). The 2016 Browns offseason may not have been flashy, but the organization accomplished a number of goals and — more importantly — accrued assets, all with an eye towards the future.
Notable signings:
- Robert Griffin III, QB: Two years, $15MM. $6.75MM guaranteed. Max value of $22MM.
- Demario Davis, LB: Two years, $8.1MM. $4.1MM guaranteed.
- Alvin Bailey, OL: Three years, $6MM. $1MM guaranteed.
- Rahim Moore, S: One year, $1.85MM. $400K guaranteed.
- Tank Carder, LB: Two years, $2.5MM. $300K guaranteed.
- Don Jones, DB: One year, $1.671MM. Signed original-round RFA tender.
- Austin Pasztor, OL: One year, $1.671MM. Signed original-round RFA tender.
- Terrelle Pryor, WR: One year, $1.671MM. Signed original-round RFA tender.
- Justin Tuggle, LB: One year, $700K.
- Patrick Murray, K: One year, $525K.
The Browns entered the free agent period armed with nearly $50MM in cap space, but given that they’re in the midst of a full rebuild, they didn’t figure to spend much of it. And they didn’t, as the club still has roughly $42MM in 2016 cap room. But while Cleveland wasn’t very active over the past several months,the team did manage to ink a few interesting free agents, and former Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is atop that list.
Griffin isn’t the only signal-caller on the Browns’ roster, as Josh McCown, Austin Davis, and third-round rookie Cody Kessler are also under the team’s employ. Cleveland reportedly did not promise Griffin the starting job, but all expectations are 
that he will be under center come Week 1. Head coach Hue Jackson likely won’t officially name a starter until the preseason begins, but with rumors swirling that McCown could be traded (or released), Griffin is the overwhelming favorite to handle snaps for the Browns.
And for a team in transition, Griffin makes a ton of sense as a high-upside play. There’s no question that Griffin, who is still only 26 years old, never built upon the highs of his 2012 campaign, when he was named the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. But despite reports of infighting and constant media attention on his situation in Washington, Griffin handled his time in the nation’s capital relatively well, especially during the past two years when he was benched in favor of Kirk Cousins. Signed to what is effectively a one-year deal with an option for 2017, both Griffin and the Browns have quite a bit to gain from this working relationship.
Cleveland’s only other significant addition on the offensive side of the ball was former Seahawks offensive lineman Alvin Bailey, whom the club lured with a three-year agreement. Bailey never made a true impact during his time with Seattle, although he does have youth on his side, as he won’t turn 25 until next month. However, it’s telling that Bailey could never find his way into the Seahawks’ starting lineup on a consistent basis given how poor Seattle’s offensive line has been in recent years (he only played 
about a quarter of the team’s offensive snaps in 2015). He figures to compete with rookie Shon Coleman for time at right tackle, the only open spot on the Browns’ offensive line.
On defense, the Browns managed to land linebacker Demario Davis, who had spent the entirety of his career with the Jets. Davis, who started all 48 games during the past three seasons with New York, will take over at inside linebacker for Karlos Dansby, who was released. The decision to go forward with Davis over Dansby must have come down to age alone — Davis is 27, Dansby is 34 — as Dansby is clearly the superior player and would have actually been a little bit cheaper in 2016. Dansby is regarded as a solid locker room presence, and given that neither linebacker will be in his prime the next time Cleveland is in contention, it was surprising to see the club make the swap.
In the secondary, veteran Rahim Moore will fill the void at safety left when Tashaun Gipson departed for Jacksonville in free agency. As Roster Resource shows, Moore isn’t locked into a starting job, as he’ll have to compete with Jordan Poyer — who played roughly 40% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps last year — for time at free safety. Although Moore bombed with the Texans after inking a three-year pact (he was benched by November), he was a full-time starter for the Broncos from 2012-2014, so he isn’t lacking in experience.
The Browns also invested resources in two linebackers, Tank Carder and Justin Tuggle, who are primarily special teams players. Carder, for his part, played on more than 80% of Cleveland’s special teams snaps in 2015, and was rewarded for his efforts with a $300K guarantee. The Browns ranked in the middle of the pack in special teams DVOA last year, so perhaps that’s an area of the game where they feel they can show marked improvement on the cheap.
Clearly, the Browns didn’t see much use in using their ample cap space during this free agent period. Rather, the club will continue to carry that cap room over to future seasons, allowing them to spend more freely when they enter a period of contention. It’s a solid strategy, and one that will only help Cleveland in the long run, as there’s little reason for the team to sign a few more veterans in order to improve from, say, three wins to five wins in 2016.
Continue reading about the Browns’ offseason…
Sammy Watkins Expected To Return By Camp?
JULY 7: It now appears that Watkins is on track for training camp, as Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News tweets.
JUNE 26: Watkins has backed off his recent prediction that he will miss a maximum of two or three days of training camp, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports (citing a conversation that Watkins had with ESPN’s Vaughn McClure during a charity bowling event yesterday). Watkins told McClure, “Hopefully I’ll be back [for training camp]. If not, then cool. Get ready for the first [regular season] game.” It sounds as if Watkins’ earlier prediction was perhaps more optimistic than realistic.
JUNE 20: After Bills wideout Sammy Watkins suffered a minor foot fracture last month, there were conflicting reports as to exactly how long the third-year pass-catcher would be sidelined. While initial reports suggested that Watkins would be able to return to practice later this summer, head coach Rex Ryan didn’t sound as sure, stating that “the goal” was for Watkins to be available for the regular season. But speaking with Mike Hetherington of TSN.ca, Watkins was clear that he expects to be back in action by the time training camp rolls around.
[RELATED: No extension “imminent” for CB Stephon Gilmore]
“For training camp, I think I’ll definitely be available,” said Watkins. “I might sit out two or three days. It’s all about how I feel within those days. The goal is to come back and be prepared for training camp. Basically we are just taking it slow. Doing the little things now as far as cutting and moving around; the basics. There’s really no timetable. It’s really when I feel healthy, when I am healthy.”
As he continues to recover, Watkins plans to remain in the Buffalo area, maintaining contact with club officials and medial staff for the duration of the summer, according to Chris Brown of the team’s website. Watkins, 23, missed three games with injury in 2015, but still posted an excellent season, hauling in 60 passes for more than 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns.
Despite the injury to Watkins, and the relative lack of receiver depth behind him, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said last month that he doesn’t anticipate signing any free agent pass-catchers for the time being. However, Whaley didn’t rule out inking a veteran such as Anquan Boldin down the road, presumably if the club’s young receivers don’t blossom, or Watkins doesn’t heal as hoped.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Checking In On The Vikings’ Offensive Line
The Vikings’ 2015 offensive line was, in a word, lackluster. Minnesota gave up 45 sacks, eighth-most in the league, and ranked 29th in adjusted sack rate. The unit was more successful in the run game, earning the No. 10 spot in Football Outsiders’ rankings — but even FO admits that its offensive line metrics are heavily influenced by the quality of the team’s running back, and Adrian Peterson certainly gave his front five a leg up.
[RELATED: Minnesota Vikings depth chart]
But that poor overall performance overlooks the fact that the Vikings had several surprising contributors among their top five lineman. Mike Harris, thrust into a starting role for the first time in his career, played exceptionally well, helping lock down the right side while seeing action at guard after primarily playing tackle in past seasons. Joe Berger, a 34-year-old reserve who had started more than 10 games only once in his career, was even better, grading out as the second-best center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Neither Harris nor Berger is projected to enter the upcoming season as a starter, however, as Minnesota’s line will undergo a series of changes. Berger is likely to be usurped by John Sullivan, who missed the entire 2015 campaign after undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy. Sullivan, 30, was a full-time starter for the Vikings from 2009-14, and was consistently viewed as one of the elite pivots in the league, ranking eighth in approximate value during that period.
Harris, meanwhile, will head back to the bench as Brandon Fusco moves from left to right guard, paving the way for free agent signee Alex Boone to take over on the left side. Fusco wasn’t very effective last year, but he’s been much more productive at right guard during his NFL stint, so perhaps the move back will do him good. Boone, meanwhile, is locked in as a starter after inking a four-year, $26.8MM deal in the offseason.
The Vikings didn’t stop after adding Boone, though, and subsequently signed former Bengals tackle Andre Smith to a one-year pact. Minnesota now ranks first in offensive line spending among all NFL clubs, ahead of other team such as the Raiders, Eagles, and Dolphins. Here’s a look at the top names on the Vikes’ offensive line depth chart, sorted by 2016 cap figure:
So with Boone, Sullivan, and Fusco manning the interior — and fending off competition from Berger and/or Harris — our attention turns to the outside, which is perhaps the most interesting subset of Minnesota’s offensive line. Matt Kalil‘s struggles have been well-documented, and he’s never returned to the heights he exhibited during his rookie season. The Vikings somewhat surprisingly exercised his 2016 fifth-year option, and his $11.096MM base salary for this year is now guaranteed.
At right tackle, Smith, who is protected by a $1MM guarantee, will compete with longtime Viking Phil Loadholt. The 30-year-old Loadholt has been an elite option on the right side when healthy, but he missed the tail of end of the 2014 campaign with a torn pectoral, and was sidelined for the entire 2015 season after tearing his Achilles. As such, many observers — including Ben Goessling of ESPN.com — have given the edge to Smith in this position battle.
Loadholt reworked his contract earlier this year, reducing his base salary to $2MM while not adding any guarantees, in the hopes of “betting on himself.” There’s likely only room for either Loadholt or Smith on the roster, as neither offers much versatility, and given that Smith has that $1MM guarantee in his back pocket, he is likely the favorite. Loadholt and his camp, however, expect him to venture into a strong market if he does enter free agency, a source tells PFR (Twitter link).
The makeup of this offensive line could realistically go any number of ways over the next few months, and how the front five shakes out could have free agent implications. If Berger mounts an attempt to hold onto the starting center position, is it possible Sullivan is released, especially given that he has no guaranteed money remaining and very little in the way of a prorated bonus? Or could the Vikings decide to go with Harris/Berger at right guard and clear out Fusco’s $3MM+ base salary?
We haven’t even discussed how the Vikings’ front five might change after 2016, when much of the offensive line is projected to hit free agency — but that’s a topic for another day. Suffice it to say: a solid player is going to emerge from this group and hit the free agent market at some point before September, and although Loadholt looks like he’ll be the odd man out, other scenarios could certainly come into play.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.