Underclassmen Combine In The Works?
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said today that he’s working in tandem with the American Football Coaches Association to develop some form of a combine for underclassmen, according to Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk. NCAA juniors don’t currently have a venue in which to work out for NFL scouts, coaches, and front office personnel without first declaring for the draft, and Meyer would like to see an opportunity for underclass players to showcase their skills without losing their eligibility.
“It’s not a process that’s well done right now,” said Meyer at a youth football camp. “There’s a rule that says the NFL can’t look at juniors. Well of course the NFL [scouts] are going to look at a junior. And they should look at a junior.
“We’re going to try to get something where there’s a time those [scouts] can actually come in and they can work out the juniors. Because information is good. [The players] are getting their information somewhere, so why not get it from the experts — the scouts, the general managers, people who have the right information? They’re getting it from agents and they’re getting it from wannabes, and that’s not good information.”
As Jackson notes, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has expressed support for an underclassman combine, and Meyer said he’s spoken with Saban about the issue in the past. But as Chase Goodbread of NFL.com notes, Saban’s proposal would involve pro day-esque events at every college campus, which would only serve to increase the required hours put in by NFL staffs. Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has also suggested allowing undrafted players to return to college, an idea that is fraught with problems, per Goobread.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cowboys, Tulloch
Just one day after being released by the Lions, linebacker Stephen Tulloch is being linked to other clubs, at least speculatively. One potential destination that would seem to make quite a bit of sense of the surface is the Eagles, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. Tulloch played under new Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in Detroit, and the Eagles have a need for depth at the linebacker position, as the unit is pretty thin after starters Mychal Kendricks, Nigel Bradham, and Jordan Hicks. But another NFC East team could also be on Tulloch’s radar, as James Kratch of NJ.com explains that the Cowboys are also on the lookout for linebacking help, especially after news broke that Dallas linebacker Rolando McClain will be serving a 10-game suspension. The Lions reportedly waited until Tulloch could pass a physical before cutting him, and although that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s fully healthy (it usually requires a major injury to fail a physical), interested clubs can take solace in the fact that Tulloch should presumably be ready for training camp.
Here’s more out of the NFC East:
- The Giants haven’t been mentioned as a suitor for Tulloch, but they do have a relatively unsettled situation at linebacker, as Kratch writes in a reader mailbag. Devon Kennard and Jasper Brinkley are expected to start, but Kratch believes that J.T. Thomas — who last spring signed a three-year deal that contained $4.5MM guaranteed — could be a surprise cut. Kelvin Sheppard, whom New York added this offseason on a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract, could also be released, but the Giants are likely to retain reserve ‘backer Mark Herzlich, who is reportedly viewed as a locker room leader. As Roster Resource details, Big Blue also fields Keenan Robinson (who received $1MM guaranteed this offseason), Jonathan Casillas, and rookie B.J. Goodson at linebacker.
- Although they ultimately selected receiver Josh Doctson earlier this year, the Redskins had defensive line and center ranked as higher needs heading into the draft, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Connecting the dots, that means the Redskins may have been interested in players such as Sheldon Rankins and Ryan Kelly, who were chosen 12th and 18th overall, respectively. Washington might have also simply had a higher grade on Docston than any other individual player remaining on its board, even if the club didn’t consider wide receiver to be a high priority position.
- Earlier today, we learned that former Giants first-round pick Kenny Phillips was officially hanging up his cleats. Phillips, 29, spent six seasons in the NFL, and spent time with the Saints and Eagles in addition to New York.
Extra Points: Vandervelde, T. Jackson, Rosen
Free agent offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde has generated interest from three NFL teams, a source tells PFR (Twitter link). The 28-year-old Vandervelde has spent the duration of his career with the Eagles, but he’s bounced on-and-off the active roster, appearing in just 17 games over five seasons. In 2015 alone, Vandervelde, who can play both guard and center, had three separate stints with Philadelphia. The former Iowa Hawkeye also had a workout with the Seahawks earlier this year.
Let’s take a look at a few more items from around the league:
- Former Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to a report from TMZ Sports. Jackson was arrested last week for allegedly pointing a gun at his wife and threatening to kill her — he reportedly asked for a public defender because he didn’t have the funds to pay for a lawyer. Seattle has apparently moved on, as the club tried to claim Connor Shaw off waivers from the Browns and is still in the process of finding a No. 2 quarterback.
- Looking (far) ahead to the 2018 draft, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is expected to be one of the first players off the board, and NFL clubs are already looking into him, reports Albert Breer of NFL.com. While Bruins head coach Jim Mora Jr. is unsurprisingly a major supporter of Rosen (“His potential is unlimited”), some NFL scouts think that Rosen might need to exhibit more maturity over the next two years.
- Franchise-tagged players have until July 15 to agree to long-term deals with their respective clubs, leading Mark Maske of the Washington Post to placed odds on the likelihood that on Von Miller, Kirk Cousins, and Muhammad Wilkerson will ink new contracts in the next week or so. PFR’s Sam Robinson posed a similar question last night, asking PFR readers which of the franchisees would sign new pacts with their teams before next Thursday.
- As anyone who was watching Amazon’s All or Nothing witnessed, the Cardinals cut defensive end Lawrence Okoye last season after he parked in the wrong parking spot (link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com). Of course, had Okoye been a more high-profile player, the parking issue likely would gone unpunished — instead, the incident was used by head coach Bruce Arians as a way to teach his players to become detail-oriented.
North Notes: Le’Veon, Edsall, Bengals, Browns
Le’Veon Bell recently stated (through song, that is) that he’d like $15MM per season on his next contract with the Steelers, but as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets, that’s simply not going to happen. As Corry notes, the top end of the running back market has stagnated, and it’s the middle class of runners that is seeing a pay increase. Adrian Peterson is still on top in terms of running back deals, earning more than $14MM per year; No. 2 is LeSean McCoy, but he’s all the way down at $8.01MM annually. The burgeoning section of running back pacts is in the $5-8MM range, which Bell, if he can stay healthy, will presumably top. But a running back coming off a major injury redefining his positional market? Highly unlikely.
Here’s more from the North divisions:
- The Lions hired former UConn/Maryland head coach Randy Edsall as director of football research/special projects back in January, and today Jim Caldwell explained exactly what Edsall will be up to during the season. “He’s going to do a little bit of advanced scouting for us, taking a look at teams from a defensive standpoint to help our offense,” Caldwell told Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. “We’re going to have him work with a little bit of time management issues, clock management issues. Across the board, there’s going to be quite a few things.” Twentyman compared Edsall’s role to that of Jim Tressel‘s with the Colts in 2011, while Ernie Adams has done similar work with the Patriots for many years.
- The best contract on the Bengals‘ roster is that of quarterback Andy Dalton, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, who notes that Cincinnati only fully guaranteed Dalton $17MM. The rest of the deal is essentially a pay-as-you-go deal, with the Bengals having the option of getting out down the road. The worst pact, per Fitzgerald, is defensive tackle Domata Peko‘s two-year deal, not due to its poor structure but simply because the Bengals appeared to have overvalued Peko.
- While the Bengals don’t have many poor contracts to choose from, the Browns are lacking in team-friendly deals, but tackle Joe Thomas has been so productive that Fitzgerald believes the veteran has earned his contract. Unfortunately, Cleveland has a long track record of questionable pacts, and the worst might be linebacker Paul Kruger, who signed a five-year, $40.5MM after making just six career starts with the Ravens.
- Earlier today, the Lions officially released veteran linebacker Stephen Tulloch after months of speculation that they would do so. Detroit saved $6MM against the cap by making the move now (and waiting until Tulloch got healthy to cut him).
South Notes: Coleman, Luck, Robinson, Lewan
In his sixth NFL season, safety Kurt Coleman enjoyed something of a career renaissance with the Panthers, starting 15 games while posting seven interceptions, good for second in the NFL. With Josh Norman and Roman Harper no longer around, Coleman will be counted on to act as a veteran leader in Carolina’s secondary, and though he’s entering the final year of his contract, he’s not worried about inking a new deal.
“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 told Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer. “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.”
As Roster Resource shows, the Panthers will be relying on players with little to no NFL experience in the defensive backfield. Bene Benwikere, Tre Boston, James Bradberry, and Daryl Worley are among the defenders who will need to contribute in 2016, and that lack of pedigree is one reason I pegged Carolina as a logical landing spot for free agent safety Donte Whitner.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- After driving into a retention pond and preceding to fall asleep Sunday morning, Jaguars running back Denard Robinson was — somewhat surprisingly — determined to not be impaired while at the wheel, as Joe Daraskevich of the Florida Times-Union reported. Robinson and a passenger were apparently both found asleep at around 4:20am on Sunday, and each reportedly dismissed an officer’s attempt to remove them from the car. “I should not have been driving that late or when I was that tired, but again, I’m just glad that everyone was safe,” Robinson said in part.
- While Andrew Luck‘s new contract set a new NFL record in terms of average annual value, many observers were surprised that the Colts quarterback didn’t receive more (in either guarantees or yearly salary). Personally, I count myself among those that believe that Luck could have held out for a larger payday, but former agent Joel Corry (now a CBSSports.com contributor) has a different take. “I’m surprised that so many people seem so underwhelmed by the deal, because it did establish new benchmarks and certain parameters,” Corry told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, pointing to Luck’s cash flow and effective guarantees as positives in the contract.
- Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan is exhibiting a new level of maturity, and head coach Mike Mularkey has noticed the change, as Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com writes. Meanwhile, Mularkey said that eighth overall pick Jack Conklin‘s development on the right side has gone “smoothly,” according to John Glennon the Tennessean. PFR recently took its own look at Conklin and the other Titans first-year players in our Impact Rookies segment.
8 Teams That Could Sign Donte Whitner
Veteran safety Donte Whitner wasn’t happy with the timing of his release from the Browns earlier this year, and he had every right to be upset. After Rodney McLeod, George Iloka, Eric Weddle, Tashaun Gipson, and a cadre of other safeties had already scored large contracts on the open market, Whitner hit free agency about three weeks after many clubs had already spent their free agent money. As such, Whitner will likely have to settle for a one-year deal in the coming weeks.
But Whitner, who will turn 31 years old later this month, is still a talented player, having graded as the league’s No. 24 safety among 89 qualifiers in 2015, per Pro Football Focus. He’s also remarkably durable, as he’s missed only three games over the past six seasons. As such, PFR recently ranked Whitner as the No. 1 free agent available on the defensive side of the ball, ahead of other players such as Leon Hall, Greg Hardy, and Dwight Freeney.
Let’s take a look at some potential landing spots for Whitner as he looks to ink a contract before (or during) training camp…
Carolina Panthers — Former fourth-round pick Tre Boston spent the first two years of his career as a special teams stalwart, biding his time behind Roman Harper while waiting for a starting opportunity. That time has come, but will Ron Rivera and the rest of Carolina’s coaching staff feel comfortable relying on Boston, who has just six starts to his name and has only averaged about 28% playing time over the past two seasons? After rescinding Josh Norman‘s franchise tag, the Panthers will have enough questions at cornerback without having to worry about their safety group, too. Adding Whitner to play opposite Kurt Coleman could help alleviate any concerns the club might have.
Dallas Cowboys — The Cowboys defense has taken its share of hits this offseason, with Rolando McClain, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Randy Gregory all facing multi-game suspensions. Dallas’ secondary has remained untouched, but second-year safety Byron Jones is the only above-average option projected to start in the club’s defensive backfield. Strong safety Barry Church has never been special, and the Cowboys didn’t select a safety in the draft until the sixth round (Central Michigan’s Kavon Frazier). If Tony Romo can stay healthy during the upcoming season, Dallas should return to contention in the NFC East, and Whitner could be the final piece of the puzzle on defense.
Detroit Lions — Lions general manager Bob Quinn has been adamant that his club will field a wide-open competition at strong safety, but the latest reports indicate the former Saint Rafael Bush holds the upper hand over fellow free agent signee Tavon Wilson and fourth-round rookie Miles Killebrew. Bush, though, hasn’t been able to stay healthy during his five-year NFL career. The 29-year-old ended the 2014 season on injured reserve with a broken leg, and missed all but one game last year after tearing a pectoral muscle. Wilson, meanwhile, never started a single contest for the Patriots despite being a former second-round pick, and played just 83 defensive snaps in 2015. All in all, it’s an unproven and untrustworthy group, and Whitner could represent a more sure thing.
Houston Texans — The Texans boasted one of the NFL’s best defensive units in 2015, so they don’t need to add a free agent like Whitner. Houston already had a poor encounter with a veteran free agent safety last season, as Rahim Moore was benched in early November before being released just one season into a three-year deal. But that experience shouldn’t scare the Texans off, as Whitner could add a hard-hitting force to a safety crop that possesses quantity, but perhaps not quality. Andre Hal looks like the club’s starter at free safety, but strong safety could be a toss-up between Eddie Pleasant, Quintin Demps, Antonio Allen, and rookie Kris Dillon. Whitner, for all his faults, looks to be an improvement over any of those options.
Jacksonville Jaguars — The Jaguars are going all-in on the 2016 season, and they spent the majority of their offseason upgrading their defense. After handing big-money deals to defensive lineman Malik Jackson and safety Tashaun Gipson, general manager Dave Caldwell spent all but one of his draft picks on defenders, using his first two to pluck cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Myles Jack. But after allocating all that capital, strong safety is still a weak spot on the Jags’ roster, as former second-round pick Johnathan Cyprien graded out as a bottom-three safety last year, according to PFF. As such, Cyprien is reportedly in danger of losing his job to James Sample, but perhaps Jacksonville would prefer a more stable veteran. And not for nothing, Whitner has working experience with Gipson, as the pair spent the past two seasons together in Cleveland.
Kansas City Chiefs — Even after losing one safety to free agency (Tyvon Branch) and another to retirement (Husain Abdullah), the Chiefs are still pretty well-stocked at the position. All Pro Eric Berry, the club’s franchise tag designee, will hold down one spot, while Ron Parker will man the other. But with Parker taking on so many other roles in Kansas City’s defense, including nickel corner, Whitner could make for a strong depth addition. It wouldn’t be a perfect match, however, as Berry does his best work close to the line of scrimmage — the same area that Whitner regularly patrols. The Chiefs are going to mess with Berry’s role to accommodate someone like Whitner, so the latter might have to be open to a reserve role.
Los Angeles Rams — The Rams are perhaps the most obvious fit on this list, especially given that they’re the only club with which Whitner has had a known visit. Whitner met with Los Angeles in the beginning of April, and though reports have indicated that he remains “in play” for general manager Les Snead & Co., the Rams might be cooling in their pursuit of veteran safeties. LA’s search for secondary help — which, in addition to Whitner, has involved fellow free agent Dashon Goldson — could be limited by the team’s desire to see how its younger options, such as Maurice Alexander, Cody Davis, and Christian Bryant, play out before adding a more experienced player. The Rams’ only safety with more than five career starts under his belt is T.J. McDonald, who could possibly be facing a suspension after being arrested for DUI earlier this year.
San Diego Chargers — San Diego has already replaced franchise legend Eric Weddle, agreeing to a deal with former Colt Dwight Lowery over the offseason. But strong safety remains a weakness — in his first season as a full-time starter, Jahleel Addae was below-average, ranking as the No. 76 safety in the league, per PFF. The Chargers ranked 25th in defensive DVOA last season, and were even worse specifically against the run, where they placed 31st. Whitner would help in that regard, assisting the front seven in rush defense while Lowery covers the back end. San Diego did assign Addae the second-round restricted free agent tender, so the club clearly values him, but none of his $2.553MM salary is guaranteed, so if the Chargers wanted to go in another direction, they could easily get out of that contract.
Others — Given that former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is now with the Bears, I initially pegged Chicago as a good fit for Whitner, given that the pair enjoyed success together in the Bay Area from 2011-13. However, the Bears selected two safeties in this year’s draft, and as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has written on multiple occasions, Chicago would like to see how those younger options play out, and is quite pleased with 2015 rookie Adrian Amos at strong safety.
The Ravens also struck me as a potential landing spot for Whitner, given that general manager Ozzie Newsome has a history of squeezing every last drop out of veteran free agents. But Baltimore already spent money on Eric Weddle this offseason, and even after offloading the troubled Will Hill, the club still boasts cornerback convert Lardarius Webb, former first-round pick Matt Elam, and Kendrick Lewis at safety, so it’s not exactly a position of need. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com noted that the Ravens have long been fans of Whitner, but allowed that a signing was unlikely.
Finally, the Vikings are known to be looking for the perfect complement to Pro Bowler Harrison Smith, and even after inking Andrew Sendejo to a four-year deal and signing free agent Michael Griffin, the club still doesn’t sound confident with its options at strong safety. Whitner, then, would seem to be a potential fit, but as Ben Goessling of ESPN.com wrote last month, Minnesota is probably looking for a player who can handle pass coverage responsibilities given how often the team moves Smith around the formation. Whitner is not that guy, so perhaps the Vikes aren’t quite a perfect landing spot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Notes: Patriots, McCown, Sanders, Colts
The Patriots have a history of snatching up players who participated against them in joint practices, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who goes on to examine which Saints and/or Bears — the two clubs that will hold sessions with New England this summer — could be of interest to Bill Belichick & Co. While some New Orleans players such as defensive tackle John Jenkins and wide receiver Brandon Coleman could intrigue the Patriots, both are likely to make the Saints roster, so rookie running back Daniel Lasco or linebacker Davis Tull could be more New England’s speed. From Chicago, linebackers Sam Acho and Christian Jones, as well as first-year receiver Daniel Braverman, could face uphill climbs to make the Bears roster, and thus worth keeping an eye on from New England’s perspective.
Let’s take a look at a few more items from the AFC:
- Veteran quarterback Josh McCown‘s status with the Browns seems to be in some dispute — while Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com believes the club would only trade McCown if they received a “tremendous offer,” Tony Grossi of ESPN.com disagrees (Twitter link), and doesn’t project McCown to make the final Cleveland roster. After waiving Connor Shaw on Thursday, the Browns now field Robert Griffin III, McCown, Austin Davis, and third-round rookie Cody Kessler on their depth chart, as Roster Resource shows. McCown was thought to be a trade candidate earlier this offseason, with the Broncos among the teams that reportedly expressed interest. If Cleveland ends up releasing McCown, the team would save nearly $3.4MM on its salary cap.
- The Broncos have engaged in “good talks” with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, but recent receiver contracts have altered the playing field in negotiations, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Allen Hurns, Keenan Allen, and Doug Baldwin have all agreed to extensions with their respective clubs in recent weeks, and all three inked deals that average more than $10MM annually and contain more than $12MM in full guarantees. Those figures would seem to be floors for Sanders, who tops that trio in receptions, yards, and approximate value since 2014. Denver management reportedly exchanged contract offers with Sanders and his camp at the end of last month.
- Extending Andrew Luck is just the first step in turning the Colts into perennial contenders, opines Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Instead of trying to apply a “quick-fix” approach as they’ve done in years past — signing over-the-hill veterans in an attempt to go “all-in” — general manager Ryan Grigson and his staff plan to build through the draft; develop those players once they’re in the Colts system; and retain them with long-term contracts. All in all, this means the days of signing the likes of Trent Cole, Todd Herremans, and others over the ago of 30 are probably over in Indianapolis — extensions like the ones inked by Luck, tackle Anthony Castonzo, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, and tight end Dwayne Allen are more likely to become the norm.
Seahawks Tried To Claim QB Connor Shaw
The Bears and Saints weren’t the only clubs that attempted to claim quarterback Connor Shaw off waivers from the Browns, according to Nick Underhill of the Advocate, who reports that the Seahawks also placed a claim on Shaw. Chicago ultimately ended up with Shaw after New Orleans inadvertently emailed every NFL team — instead of only the league office — and accidentally tipped off other clubs about their plans to acquire Shaw.
[RELATED: Seattle Seahawks depth chart]
Seattle doesn’t boast much in the way of experience behind starter Russell Wilson, and longtime backup Tarvaris Jackson doesn’t figure to be re-signed after being arrested following a domestic violence incident earlier this week. Undrafted rookie free agent Trevone Boykin — who is dealing with legal issues of his own — is competing with Jake Heaps to act as the club’s backup quarterback, and neither of the pair have ever appeared in an NFL game.
The Seahawks’ lack of options at reserve quarterback led me to list Seattle as one of several clubs that could have interest in acquiring Rams signal-caller Nick Foles, though I did note that it wasn’t clear whether Los Angeles would be willing to deal Foles to a division rival. But clearly, the Seahawks are looking to add another arm before training camp begins. Jackson was probably the most qualified of the remaining quarterbacks on the market, but Michael Vick, Charlie Whitehurst, T.J. Yates, and Josh Freeman are still out there as well.
Shaw, who will be 25 years old during the upcoming season, has just one career NFL appearance to his name. He started the final game of the 2014 season for the Browns, completing 14-of-28 pass attempts for 177 yards and one touchdown in a loss to the division rival Ravens. Expected to compete for Cleveland’s No. 3 quarterback job in 2015, Shaw suffered a thumb injury prior to the regular season, and was placed on injured reserve.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC South Notes: Julio, Sweezy, Bucs, Saints
Julio Jones is unlikely to become the first wide receiver in NFL history to top the 2,000-yard mark, opines Jenna Laine of ESPN.com, noting that Jones was able to accrue his massive yardage total — 1,871, second-most in league history — because the Falcons didn’t have many other weapons for quarterback Matt Ryan to throw to.
Since last year, Atlanta has added fellow receiver Mohamed Sanu, signing the former Bengal to a five-year pact, and tight end Austin Hooper, selected in the third round of the draft. Plus, with center Alex Mack now on board, and running back Devonta Freeman hoping to excel again under second-year offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons might not have to rely on the passing game quite as much.
Here’s the latest from the NFC South.
- The Falcons tried to lure guard J.R. Sweezy to Atlanta during the free agent period, but the price tag on the former Seahawk eventually got too expensive, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Sweezy eventually signed with another NFC South club, inking a five-year, $32.5MM deal with the Buccaneers. The Falcons, meanwhile, will fill right guard with either veteran Chris Chester, who was re-signed over the offseason, or Mike Person.
- The Buccaneers might not be done adding free agents, and Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com identifies three veterans — edge rusher Dwight Freeney, wide receiver James Jones, and guard Jahri Evans — who could be of interest to the club in the coming weeks. For what it’s worth, all three players were listed on PFR’s ranking of the best remaining free agents on offense and defense.
- In their series of best and worst contracts, Pro Football Focus zeroes in on the Saints‘ backfield as having two of the five worst deals given to running backs. The analytics site rates C.J. Spiller‘s four-year, $16MM deal as its worst, with Mark Ingram‘s identical contract (in terms of length and overall value) slotting fifth. Although $4MM is cheap for a starting-caliber back, PFF argues Ingram doesn’t fit the profile yet. The site ranked the former first-round pick 33rd among running backs in 2015, a season that doubled as Spiller’s worst.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Roger Goodell Earned $32MM For 2015
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell received $32MM in compensation for the 2015 season, according to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal (all Twitter links). The league has since relinquished its tax-exempt status, so this will be the final time the public gets a glimpse of Goodell’s salary.
Goodell received a slight pay decrease from the 2014 season, when he was paid $34.1MM. During that ’14 campaign, Goodell dealt with – and arguably botched – a pair of off-field incidents involving running backs Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, but as Kaplan points out, the league didn’t seem to hold those instances — nor his handling of Deflategate — against the commissioner, lowering his salary by only ~$2MM.
All in all, it seems as though the league’s owners are still quite pleased with Goodell’s performance, as his pay hasn’t taken a huge hit over the years despite his negative public perception. But there’s no doubt his compensation has dropped from the heights of 2013, when Goodell reportedly earned $44MM. During his ten-year run as commissioner, Goodell has now raked in more than $212MM in earnings.
Previous reports had indicated that 2014 would be the final instance of the public being privy to Goodell’s salary, but Kaplan adds (Twitter link) that the NFL had a stub period between the last filing and present, thus the league was forced to issue one last filing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.