Josh Norman Aiming For $16MM Per Year
Since the Panthers officially placed the franchise tag on cornerback Josh Norman on March 1, any signs of progression towards a long-term deal have been essentially non-existent. A report last week indicated that Norman and Carolina remained far apart in contract talks, and one reason could be Norman’s asking price, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports that Norman is seeking a salary “in the neighborhood of $16MM a year.”
[RELATED: Free agent CB Brandon Boykin to visit Panthers]
A $16MM annual salary would make Norman the highest-paid corner in the league by a wide margin — Darrelle Revis currently tops the list at just over $14MM per season. But as Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (Twitter link), Norman’s ask isn’t all that surprising, as Revis’ frontloaded deal calls for him to earn $48MM over his first three seasons with the Jets.
Still, the $16MM figure is probably just a starting point in negotiations, and it’s unlikely that Norman will reach that target for several reasons. Norman doesn’t have the track record needed to redefine the market at a position, and he’ll be 29 years old in December, so his age is working against him. The franchise tag for corners is worth $13.95MM, so the Panthers have no reason to entertain a significantly higher figure. I examined Norman’s case for an extension back in November, pegging him for a $14MM annual salary.
General manager Dave Gettleman has downplayed the notion that Norman would cause any distraction in an effort to land a long-term contract, and Norman himself has previously said that while he won’t accept a hometown discount, he doesn’t anticipate missing any portion of training camp. But speaking to the NFL Network, Norman did seem to indicate that he could skip offseason workouts and/or OTAs. “I can’t report if I haven’t signed anything so I don’t feel as if I’m at the point where I’m ready to get back to working right now,” said Norman.
Norman isn’t the only franchise-tagged player who is gunning for a significant contract, as a report on Friday indicated the Bronco linebacker Von Miller is targeting $22MM per year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dolphins Notes: Morris, Shelby, Moore, Jordan
The Dolphins expressed interest in free agent running back Alfred Morris before he signed with the Cowboys, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Miami, of course, signed Broncos restricted free agent C.J. Anderson to a four-year, $18MM offer sheet, only to see Denver eventually match the deal. The club has also eyed free agent options such as James Starks and Chris Johnson, and is now said to be exploring the trade market as its search for a back continues.
Let’s take a look at a few more items out of South Beach…
- Morris wasn’t the only free agent whom the Dolphins initially targeted, per Jackson, who reports that Miami also showed interest in cornerback Patrick Robinson before he joined the Colts. Additionally, the Dolphins might have more strongly gone after fellow corner Josh Robinson had they known they’d have cap space available once Denver matched the offer to Anderson.
- Among their own free agents, Miami reportedly did not contact defensive end Derrick Shelby “for months,” according to Jackson, before calling him at the last minute to ask if he’d accept $3MM. Shelby ultimately signed a $21MM deal with the Falcons.
- Like Shelby, quarterback Matt Moore received the cold shoulder from the Dolphins as the club met with Brandon Weeden and, per Jackson, showed interest in Luke McCown before he re-signed with the Saints. Moore eventually re-signed with Miami after being endorsed by head coach Adam Gase, reports Jackson.
- The Dolphins weren’t fans of this year’s class of free agent corners, which explains why they didn’t target any of the top-rated players on the board at that position.
- Miami does still need secondary help, however, and as Jackson explains in a separate article, the Dolphins are studying the top cornerbacks available in the draft.
- Jackson believes that former third overall pick Dion Jordan would make the Dolphins’ roster if he’s reinstated from his yearlong suspension.
Draft Notes: Hargreaves, Prescott, Cowboys
Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves has visits lined up with eight clubs, including the Jaguars, Ravens, Cowboys, and Buccaneers, reports Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Hargreaves, considered one of the best defensive backs available in the draft, will probably garner interest from any team picking in the top 15.
Let’s take a look at some more draft news and notes…
- The Cowboys have scheduled a private workout with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Wilson says the meeting will take place today, while Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) says the workout will occur on Monday, but regardless of the specifics, Prescott could make sense as a mid-round pick for the Cowboys. Prescott, who was arrested for DUI last week, has also met with the Panthers, Steelers, and Browns, per Wilson.
- Prescott isn’t the only Mississippi State prospect to workout for the Cowboys, as Wilson reports (via Twitter) that receiver Robert Johnson will also audition for the club on Monday.
- The Texans are doing their due diligence prior to the draft, as Wilson details in a story for the Houston Chronicle, reporting that the club worked out Maryland edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
- Cal tight end Stephen Anderson has visits and/or workouts set up with the Patriots, Titans, Falcons, and Texans, tweets Getlin.
- The Saints will work out Boston College safety Justin Simmons this week, a source tells Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. Simmons has also drawn interest from the Lions.
Week In Review: 3/13/16 – 3/20/16
Although we’ll typically round up every major transaction and bit of news in our Week in Review, the free agent frenzy — even during the second phase — renders that approach completely untenable. We’ll highlight the key moves here, but remember that you can visit PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents post to see that status of the league’s top FAs; click on the Newsstand tag to filter the site down to the largest news stories; or use the Transactions tag to focus on roster movement.
Headlines:
- The Cardinals made a big move for 2016, acquiring edge rusher Chandler Jones from the Patriots in exchange for guard Jonathan Cooper and the No. 61 pick.
- The Patriots weren’t done trading, as they acquired tight end Martellus Bennett and the No. 204 pick from the Bears in exchange for the No. 127 pick.
- C.J. Anderson will remain in Denver, as the Broncos matched the Dolphins’ four-year, $18MM offer sheet to the restricted free agent running back.
- Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant was suspended for the entire 2016 season as a result of multiple substance abuse violations.
- Ravens cornerback Tray Walker tragically died as a result of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident.
Notable Signings/Re-Signings:
- Broncos – Russell Okung, T (link)
- Cardinals – Chris Johnson, RB (link) and Evan Mathis, G (link)
- Chargers – Casey Hayward, CB (link)
- Jaguars – Prince Amukamara, CB (link) and Kelvin Beachum, T (link)
- Patriots – Chris Long, DE (link) and Shea McClellin, LB (link)
- Ravens – Mike Wallace, WR (link) and Eric Weddle, S (link)
- Raiders – Donald Penn, T (link)
- Saints – James Laurinaitis, LB (link)
- Vikings – Andre Smith, T (link)
Notable Releases:
- Browns – Dwayne Bowe, WR (link) and Karlos Dansby, LB (link)
- Ravens – Will Hill, CB (suspended 10 games)
Other:
- Former Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji won’t play in 2016 (link)
- Free agent safety Walter Thurmond is contemplating retirement (link)
- Cowboys sign Raiders RFA Benson Mayowa to offer sheet (link)
PFR Originals: 3/13/16 – 3/20/16
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Now that the dust has cleared, Luke Adams has taken several overviews of the free agent period and all its implications. Last Monday, Luke looked at where things stood from a 10,000-foot view, including going over the contracts of PFR’s top free agents and taking a peek at the best remaining free agents.
- Today, with even more free agents having been signed, Luke detailed the best players still on the board, looking at the best available free agents on both offense and defense.
- Perhaps the most interesting contract signed this offseason has been left tackle Russell Okung‘s deal with the Broncos, which Okung negotiated himself. The pact contains no guaranteed money, and features an option that would trigger the four additional years after 2016. Luke has the full breakdown of the contract, as well as a look at the best- and worst-case scenarios for Okung.
- We posted our list of 2016 NFL Trades, which will be updated throughout the season until the fall trade deadline.
- Zach Links rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.
Steelers Notes: Bryant, Green, Allen, Draft
The Steelers never thought about releasing wide receiver Martavis Bryant, even as he’s set to miss the 2016 as a result of a yearlong suspension, general manager Kevin Colbert told reporters, including Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune, at a press conference today. Bryant’s absence also won’t overly affect the club’s draft plans, per Colbert, who says Pittsburgh won’t feel the need to draft a replacement pass-catcher.
Let’s dive into the other highlights from Colbert’s presser…
- The Steelers would not have pursued free agent tight Ladarius Green had Heath Miller not retired, according to Colbert, and Kaboly adds (via Twitter) that the team targeted offensive free agents because of the deep defensive draft class. Pittsburgh will “hammer” the defensive side of the ball in the draft, per Colbert.
- Cornerback, specifically, is one area that the Steelers could address through the draft. “We can’t say we’ll take a cornerback first, second or third,” Colbert said, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “But there are enough that we should be able to get one.” Pittsburgh will visit with Houston’s William Jackson III this week, tweets Dulac.
- One reason the Steelers will target corners is the underwhelming play of Cortez Allen, who is presumably on the roster bubble — Colbert says the club is still trying to ascertain where Allen is health-wise, per Dulac (Twitter link). Head coach Mike Tomlin said last month that he’s not convinced Allen is an impact player.
- Free agent signee Ryan Harris will battle with incumbent Alejandro Villanueva to act as the Steelers’ starting left tackle, writes Kaboly.
- The Steelers might not be done in free agency, and could still add another player via the open market, per Kaboly.
Vikings Re-Sign DE Justin Trattou
MARCH 18, 12:47pm: The Vikings have officially re-signed Trattou, the team confirmed in a press release.
MARCH 12, 5:24pm: The Vikings have reached an agreement to re-sign defensive end Justin Trattou, as Trattou himself announced on Instagram. Speaking to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Trattou confirmed it’s a one-year deal.
“Couldn’t be more excited to be part of the best young team in the NFL,” Trattou said. “There is no ceiling on what we can accomplish and I’m excited to be part of it. Can’t wait to get back to work.”
The 27-year old Trattou only managed to play in five games last season as he dealt with a foot injury, but despite seeing just 22 defensive snaps on the year, he somewhat miraculously posted two interceptions. After spending a week unemployed after the Vikings waived him in December, Trattou admitted that he received an offer to join another club, but declined the overture, saying he wanted to remain Minnesota. Trattou, who also plays a bit on special teams, will stay with the Vikings for a fourth season after spending the first two-and-a-half years of his career with the Giants.
Trattou made the veteran’s minimum in 2015, and I’d expect that he’ll be paid the same during the upcoming season, especially given how little he played last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Vikings Sign Michael Griffin
MARCH 14, 1:43pm: The Vikings have officially confirmed their deal with Griffin, via a press release.
MARCH 9, 5:20pm: Griffin will sign for one year, and can earn $3.5MM (or $4MM through incentives), tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
5:03pm: The Vikings are in agreement with free agent safety Michael Griffin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Griffin was released by the Titans at the beginning of February.
Minnesota has been fairly active on the free agent market today, but they’d also been proactive in retaining one of their own safeties in Andrew Sendejo, who agreed to a four-year deal earlier in the week. But even after retaining Sendejo, the Vikings showed interest in other safeties — such as George Iloka and Reggie Nelson — so it’s probably safe to say the club is more comfortable with Sendejo as a reserve.
Griffin, then, is probably being counted on to start, at the age of 31, he’s not the player he once was. He still managed to start 14 games for Tennessee last season, accruing 65 tackles, one interception, and one sack, and he won’t have to be the focal point of the Vikings’ secondary — Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes are the premier players in Minnesota’s defensive backfield, so Griffin can take on more of a complementary role. Griffin ranked as PFR’s No. 15 available safety.
AS noted, the Vikings have made a number of signings today, including guards Alex Boone and Mike Harris and linebackers Emmanuel Lamur and Travis Lewis.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cardinals Re-Sign Jermaine Gresham, Red Bryant
MONDAY, 10:52am: The Cardinals have confirmed their deal with Gresham, and added that they’ve officially re-signed veteran defensive lineman Red Bryant as well (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Bryant played sparingly in Arizona last year after serving as a full-time starter in Seattle and Jacksonville in previous seasons.
SUNDAY, 2:16pm: Gresham will sign a one-year deal with Arizona after receiving “strong” four-year offers from both the Jets and the Bears, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com.
2:02pm: Jermaine Gresham will spend a second year in the desert, as he’s agreed to re-sign with the Cardinals, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per Rapoport, Gresham accepted less money than he could have earned elsewhere to stay with Arizona.
Gresham spent the first five years of his career with the Bengals before joining the Cardinals prior to last year. In 15 games (12 starts) the 27-year-old tight end posted 18 receptions for 223 yards and one touchdown. Those totals were a far cry from his Cincinnati days, when Gresham averaged 56 catches for more than 500 yards and five scores from 2010-2014, but it’s fair to wonder if he was still feeling the affects of the surgery he underwent last March to repair a herniated disc.
And though his receiving numbers were down, Gresham did contribute in other ways — he graded as the league’s third-best run-blocking tight per Pro Football Focus, helping pave the way for Chris Johnson and David Johnson on the ground. Gresham will return to a Cardinals tight end group that also includes Darren Fells, Troy Niklas, and Gerald Christian.
Free agency went much smoother this time around than it did last year for Gresham, who ranked as PFR’s No. 11 free agent tight end, as he signs less than a week into the free agent period (he also drew interest from the Jets prior to agreeing to terms with Arizona). In 2015, largely due to his back operation, Gresham sat on the market until the end of July before landing with the Cardinals.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
OT Ryan Harris To Visit Steelers
SUNDAY: Harris will visit the Steelers on Thursday, per Renck (Twitter link).
SATURDAY: The Steelers are leaving no stone unturned as they seek to upgrade their offensive line, and they’re now expected to meet with a left tackle who was part of a championship club in 2015. Former Broncos offensive lineman Ryan Harris is expected to make the trip to Pittsburgh this week, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
The Steelers, of course, have a hole at left tackle pending the status of Kelvin Beachum, who, like Harris, is also a free agent. Beachum is coming off of a torn ACL that wiped out most of his 2015 season, but he’s been stellar in the past, and isn’t wanting for suitors around the league. The 27-year-old has already set up visits with the Jets, Jaguars, and Seahawks, while the Ravens have also expressed interest. While Pittsburgh presumably has interest in re-signing Beachum, the club is said to believe (or possibly hope) it can retain its left tackle via a one-year deal — a possibility that now seems remote given the reported level of interest from other teams.
Harris, then, might be something of a backup plan for the Steelers in the event that Beachum does move on — at the very least, a Harris visit could be used as leverage in any ongoing negotiations between Pittsburgh and Beachum. Harris, 31, started all 16 games for the Broncos last season, grading as the league’s No. 53 tackle among 77 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. It’s starting to look unlikely that he’ll return to Denver in 2016, especially after the club gave a three-year, $14MM deal to fellow tackle Donald Stephenson earlier this week. PFR ranked Harris as the No. 10 free agent offensive tackle, just behind Will Beatty and Byron Bell, and just ahead of Jake Long.
Harris isn’t the only outside option the Steelers are considering — they’ve also set up a visit with Seahawks free agent Russell Okung which is expected to take place tomorrow. Internally, Pittsburgh also acted quickly to retain one key member of its offensive line, signing guard Ramon Foster to a three-year deal earlier this week.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.