Michael Vick Wants To Play In 2016
Michael Vick didn’t play much in 2015, attempting just 66 passes in relief of Ben Roethlisberger, but the veteran quarterback isn’t ready to retire just yet. As Vick explained to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, Vick believes he has one more season left in him.
“I haven’t officially retired,” Vick said. “As of right now, it’s pretty much at a stalemate type of thing. Just taking the days as it comes, but most importantly for me, I just have to continue to work out and train. I would love to play this year, suit up for another run at it. I still feel like I could play and there is a lot left in the tank.
“It does matter getting the right offer. I don’t think at this stage you just jump right out there and then just take any opportunity even though if this is going to be my last year, which is what I feel like I’m leaning toward because of where I’m at in my life, I do want to suit up one more time, I do want to put the helmet on one more time. I don’t want it to end the way it ended the last couple years.”
Vick, who will turn 36 later this month, has expressed his desire to play one final year before, and told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com that he wouldn’t extend his career past 2016 — in other words, if no clubs come calling this year, he’ll retire. Whether any teams show interest is an open question, as Vick hasn’t posted above-average results since 2010. The Steelers are thought to have moved on, and at this point, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Vick has to wait until a club suffers a quarterback injury during camp before he lands a deal.
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No Extension “Imminent” For Stephon Gilmore
A long-term extension between the Bills and cornerback Stephon Gilmore does not appear close, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports. Gilmore sat out OTAs while angling for a new contract, but he’ll be in attendance for mandatory minicamp next week, according to Dunne’s BN colleague Vic Carrucci.
Back in February, Bills general manager Doug Whaley said that extending Gilmore, who is scheduled to play the 2016 season under his fifth-year option at a cost of $11.082MM, was a priority, and later indicated that inking long-term deals with core players like Gilmore would become the club’s focus following the draft. More than a month has passed since the draft concluded, and though no agreement has yet been reached, Carrucci reports that Buffalo will be “persistent” in trying to ink a new deal with Gilmore.
Given the rising salary cap, and the fact that he’ll be among the top corners available in free agency in 2017 (along with Trumaine Johnson and hybrid defender Tyrann Mathieu), Gilmore and his camp can make the argument that he deserves to be the highest-paid corner in the league, topping Josh Norman, who will make $15MM annually with the Redskins. The Bills, meanwhile, have incentive to extend Gilmore — by lowering his 2016 cap charge, the club will have extra money to possibly ink quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a new deal, as Carrucci observes.
Gilmore, the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft, had another strong season in 2015, recording 36 tackles, three interceptions, and 18 passes defended. Despite only playing 12 games, the 25-year-old ranked as a top-10 cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required).
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Tyrann Mathieu, Cardinals’ Extension Talks On Hold For Now
Though a report nearly a month ago indicated that the Cardinals were nearing an extension with defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, talks are now on hold as the club breaks for the summer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). The two sides had hoped to reach a deal by now, but a long-term pact could still be hammered out before training camp, per Rapoport.
[RELATED: Cardinals defensive tackle Corey Peters returning from ACL tear]
Arizona is reportedly willing to make Mathieu the highest-paid safety in the league, and Rapoport confirms that information, adding that any extension is expected to come in north of $11MM per season. Currently, the Chiefs’ Eric Berry earns the most on an annual basis among safeties, although the Kansas City defender is under the franchise tag. Vikings safety Harrison Smith, who last week signed an extension that pays him $10.25MM per season, is number two. Of course, Mathieu also spends a great deal of time at cornerback, and an $11MM average annual value would rank eighth among CBs.
“I just want to get paid as a top defender,” Mathieu told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com last month. “I don’t want to be slotted as a corner or a safety, because I’m not Patrick Peterson and I’m not Earl Thomas. I’m kind of different than both of those guys, but I still have the same type of impact on the game as those guys do. I just want to be paid as a top defender, and however that looks on paper, that’s what I want.”
In 2015, Mathieu earned a Pro Bowl selection and was named first-team All Pro. In his 14 games, Mathieu recorded five interceptions, 89 tackles, one sack, 17 passes defensed, and graded out as the No. 1 cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
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Week In Review: 6/5/16 – 6/12/16
Headlines:
- Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was shot at a Dallas nightclub, but the latest reports indicate that Talib may have shot himself.
- The Broncos proposed a six-year, $114.5MM extension to linebacker Von Miller that included $39.8MM in guaranteed money, but Miller and the club couldn’t agree on the structure of the contract.
- Quarterback Andrew Luck is expected to complete an extension with the Colts sometime in July, and the deal will likely make Luck the highest-paid player in the league.
- Former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch says he is staying retired, ending speculation that he may return to the NFL in 2016.
- The Rams are working on extensions for both general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher.
Extensions:
- Bengals – Giovani Bernard, RB (through 2019)
- Chargers – Keenan Allen, WR (through 2020)
- Panthers – Ryan Kalil, C (through 2018)
- Vikings – Harrison Smith, S (through 2021)
Injuries:
- Patriots – Michael Williams, TE (torn ACL)
- Ravens – Breshad Perriman, WR (partially torn ACL)
- Saints – Hau’oli Kikaha, DE (torn ACL)
Signed:
- Bills – Dan Herron, RB (link)
- Browns – Patrick Murray, K (link)
- Panthers – Mike Scifres, P (link)
- Rams – Cam Thomas, DT (link)
- Saints – Roman Harper, S (link)
Retired:
- Manny Ramirez, OL (link)
Stedman Bailey Clears Waivers
WEDNESDAY, June 8: Bailey has officially cleared waivers and will revert to the team’s non-football injury list, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
TUESDAY, June 7: The Rams have waived receiver Stedman Bailey with a non-football injury designation, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Bailey, of course, is still recovering after being shot in the head last fall, and Los Angeles would like to keep the 25-year-old in the organization in a non-playing capacity.
That will only happen in Bailey clears waivers, but given that his NFL career is unlikely to resume any time soon, he is likely to go through the waiver process unclaimed. Being waived with an NFI designation is similar to being waived with an injured designation, in that the club will keep the player if he isn’t claimed by another team. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explains, most players on the NFI list aren’t compensated, or are paid at a lesser rate, but it’s fair to assume that the Rams are taking care of Bailey.
Though Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has said that Bailey’s NFL career is likely finished, Bailey hasn’t been willing to accept that outcome, and has met with doctors as part of the “evaluation process” in recent months. Bailey, a former third-round pick, has been attending Los Angeles’ OTAs as a spectator, but with reports indicating that he wouldn’t be cleared for the 2016 season, it made sense for the Rams to open up his roster spot.
Los Angeles made a handful of other roster moves today, cutting defensive lineman Doug Worthington, linebacker Zach Hodges, and wide receiver Kain Colter, Wilson reports (Twitter link).
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Panthers, Michael Oher Exploring Extension
The Panthers have expressed interest in inking left tackle Michael Oher to a multi-year deal, sources tell Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. There’s no word on how far along discussions are — or, in fact, if talks have even officially begun — but Carolina is apparently intrigued by the idea of extending Oher before he reaches free agency next spring.
[RELATED: Panthers sign punter Mike Scifres]
Carolina has already extended one offensive lineman this week, agreeing to a deal yesterday that will keep center Ryan Kalil with the club through the 2018 season. As Jones details, the Kalil extension, and the reported interest in a pact with Oher, is an indication that general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. are intent on spending some of the money saved when the Panthers rescinded the $13.952MM franchise tag on cornerback Josh Norman.
Oher, for his part, had an excellent campaign in his first year with Carolina, rebounding from a down 2014 with the Titans to grade as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Helping block for one of the best running games in the league (as well as protect league MVP Cam Newton), Oher was a key factor in the Panthers ranking 12th in adjusted line yards, up from 21st in 2014.
Having recently hired Drew Rosenhaus for representation, Oher is clearly interested in a new deal. “It would show that the organization believes in me,” Oher said of what a new deal would mean. “I still have to prove myself. I’m still just trying to prove myself to them and just make sure I’m one of these guys because they do it right.” Scheduled to count for $4.5MM on Carolina’s cap in 2016, Oher would be in line for a healthy raise if he and his team are able to hammer out a deal with the Panthers.
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Keenan Allen, Chargers Discussing Extension
TUESDAY, 6:09pm: The Chargers are offering Allen more than $10MM annually, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who adds that the two sides aren’t all that far apart in talks.
MONDAY, 7:57pm: The Chargers are exploring a long-term deal with wide receiver Keenan Allen, sources tell Connor Orr of NFL.com. Allen and the club are interested in working out an accord with a length of four or five years, according to Orr.
Extension talks between San Diego and Allen have been rumored for some time, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported in March that the club was expected to reach out to its star pass-catcher following once free agency and the draft concluded. Both those markers have passed, of course, but Gehlken tweets today that the situation is “still developing,” indicating that it’s too soon to say whether these negotiations will result in a deal.
Allen has been a force since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2013, and is still only 24 years old. After topping 1,000 yards receiving and scoring eight touchdowns during his rookie campaign, Allen came back down to earth in 2014, but was on pace for the best season of his career last year. With 67 receptions and 725 yards under his belt through only eight games, Allen suffered a lacerated kidney and was forced to miss the rest of the campaign. He’s expected to be fully healthy for the 2016 season, but it’s easy to wonder what might have been.
Given his career stats, Allen’s camp is sure to ask — at a minimum — to match the four-year, $40MM extension inked by Jaguars receiver Allen Hurns last week. Hurns and Allen are the same age, but Allen could surely argue that he’s worth more than than Jacksonville pass-catcher. An $11MM annual salary, making Allen the eighth-highest paid receiver in the NFL, isn’t out of the question, and the Chargers star should also top $20MM in guarantees.
Were the two sides to reach an impasse between now and next spring, the Chargers could hold the franchise tag over Allen’s head, allowing them to control him for one more season (at least). The wide receiver franchise figure was $14.599MM in 2015, so San Diego would need to be willing to carry a cap charge north of $15MM in order to retain Allen if it goes down that road.
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Panthers Sign Mike Scifres
Veteran punter Mike Scifres has found a new NFL home, as he’s agreed to a contract with the Panthers, the club announced. Carolina has waived fellow punter Michael Palardy in a corresponding move.
Scifres sat on the free agent market for a little over a month before landing a new deal, having been released by the Chargers at the end of April. The 35-year-old had been with the Chargers since 2004, having spent his entire 13-year career with San Diego, but after the Chargers selected punter Drew Kaser in the sixth round of this year’s draft, Scifres’ release appeared imminent. Scifres suffered a down year in 2015, ranking just 29th in net punting average, but he has a track record of consistency, and should be the favorite for the to handle the Panthers’ punting duties.
“What I did for 13 years in San Diego I still feel that I’m capable of doing here,” Scifres said. “I still feel I can play. Going into the draft, I knew there was a possibility I would end up getting released by San Diego. This is a new chapter, and it’s about the player I can be for this team.”
“I was extremely excited when I got the call, because this was a situation that I had followed, knowing some of the players and coaches and seeing (former Panthers punter) Brad Nortman go to Jacksonville,” Scifres said. “This was a definitely a team I wanted to play for.”
Palardy, 23, was signed to the Panthers’ roster in April. He spent time with the Raiders in 2014, and has spent the better part of two years working out for various NFL teams, but he has yet to actually see game action.
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Latest On Aqib Talib
In what is unsurprising news, Aqib Talib will not participate in the Broncos’ OTAs over the next two weeks while recovering from a gunshot wound, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. As Klis notes, Denver will take a month off following its last OTA, so Talib will have plenty of time — perhaps as much as six weeks — to heal. Talib, of course, was involved in an altercation at a Dallas nightclub over the weekend and emerged with a gunshot in his right leg.
Talib has told those close to him that he shot himself, Klis reports, but it seems as though the entire situation is murky. On the night of the incident, Talib reportedly told police he was at a park when he was shot, but the police are investigating the evening in full, according to Rebecca Lopez of WFAA (Twitter links). “Everything was a blur and I was too intoxicated to remember what happened,” said Talib, which makes it sound as though more details may emerge from a confusing night.
If Talib did cause self-inflicted harm, he wouldn’t be the first NFL player to have accidentally shot himself, as receiver Plaxico Burress infamously spent time in prison for criminal possession of a firearm after mistakenly shooting himself in the thigh at a New York nightclub. Texas, clearly, doesn’t have the same strict gun standards that does New York City, so it’s doubtful that Talib will face any criminal charges if the events did in fact unfold in a Burress-esque manner.
The NFL is looking into the matter, a league spokesman told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), and has contacted the Broncos for more information. There’s no word yet on whether Talib could face league discipline as a result of the incident.
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Cole’s Latest: Foles, Jets, Mathieu, Nelson
Let’s take a quick look at the latest reporting from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, who touched on a number of topics today in a series of videos…
- The Rams hope to trade quarterback Nick Foles before the beginning of the 2016 season, according to Cole. Los Angeles has plenty of quarterback depth after drafting Jared Goff first overall and re-signing restricted free agent Case Keenum, and Foles looks to be the odd man out. After drawing trade interest at draft time, Foles is sitting out OTAs in order to register his displeasure with the Rams. Because Los Angeles has already paid Foles his guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, an acquiring club would only be the hook for his $1.75MM base salary, not an exorbitant price for a backup quarterback. The Jets, per Cole, have not inquired on Foles’ availability.
- Harrison Smith‘s extension with the Vikings will pay him an average of $10.25MM per season, which means Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Matheiu could target a figure above $11MM annually, Cole reports. Recent reports have indicated that the two sides are closing in on a long-term deal, and negotiations have been described as “smooth.” Speaking with Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com today, Matheiu said he “isn’t necessarily in a rush” to sign a new contract, but is hopeful that a pact can be hammered out eventually.
- The Packers will be especially safe with receiver Jordy Nelson as he recovers from an ACL injury, and the pass-catcher won’t face any defenders until training camp at the earliest, per Cole. Nelson downplayed the severity of Green Bay’s cautious efforts, however, saying that he could play if a regular season was occurring this week.