PFR Originals: 10/19/14 – 10/26/14
The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- We rolled out the Trade Rumors App, which allows you to access content from PFR, MLB Trade Rumors, and Hoops Rumors all on one platform. It’s available for both iOS and Android, and best of all, it’s free!
- Zach Links rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.
- We learned that the Broncos don’t plan of signing either Demaryius or Julius Thomas to an in-season extension, leading Luke Adams to ask if Denver should work hardest to extend one of the two Thomases or corner Chris Harris. Nearly 68% of voters said Demaryius Thomas should be the highest priority.
- Trade buzz has surrounded multiple Titans, so Zach wondered which of Nate Washington, Michael Griffin, and Wesley Woodyard was most likely to be traded. About half of respondents though Washington was the favorite to get shipped out of Tennessee. Thanks for voting!
Week In Review: 10/19/14 – 10/26/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Key News:
- The Buccaneers and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy agreed to a seven-year extension worth $98MM, ~$51MM of which is effectively guaranteed.
- The Jets signed receiver Jeremy Kerley to a four-year, $16MM extension, which contains $5.4MM in guarantees.
- The Patriots acquired linebacker Akeem Ayers, the 39th overall pick in 2011, and a seventh-round pick from the Titans in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
- The NFL will play five games in London in 2015.
Signed:
- Bills – RB Phillip Tanner (link)
- Buccaneers – KR Trindon Holliday (link)
- Falcons – OL Jonathan Scott (link)
- Lions – TE Kellen Davis (link)
- Patriots – DL Alan Branch (link)
Waived/Released:
- Panthers – S Charles Godfrey (link)
- Rams – WR Austin Pettis (link)
Injuries:
- 49ers – C Daniel Kilgore; placed on IR
- Bills – RB C.J. Spiller; placed on IR-DTR
- Falcons – C Peter Konz; placed on IR
- Jaguars – LB Paul Posluszny; placed on IR
- Raiders – LB LaMarr Woodley and S Usama Young; both placed on IR
- Seahawks – FB Derrick Coleman; placed on IR
- Washington – LB Brian Orakpo; placed on IR
Extra Points: QB Deals, NFLPA, Jordan Cameron
In an excellent piece, Bill Barnwell of Grantland places each of the league’s 32 starting quarterbacks into six different buckets based on their contracts, separating, for example, the “prove-it” extensions signed by Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton, the large-bonus deals inked by the likes of Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers, and the marginal pacts that employ Brian Hoyer, Carson Palmer, and other mid-tier options. Perhaps most interestingly, Barnwell dives into the soon-to-be expiring rookie contracts of the quarterbacks from the 2011-12 drafts, and projects that Andrew Luck will eventually sign a mega-extension that surpasses the length and value of Calvin Johnson‘s eight-year, $160MM deal, which contained $60MM in guarantees. The entire piece is extremely thoughtful and well worth a full read.
- In a memo to NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, union special counsel Teri Patterson argued that the league’s domestic violence program is severely flawed, and complained that it views all players as “perpetrators.” Patterson also outlined ten more concerns with the program, which is set to be implemented on Monday, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Brian McCarthy, an NFL spokesman, said Patterson’s views couldn’t “be further from the truth.”
- Browns tight end Jordan Cameron will enter free agency in the offseason, and though he’s off to a subpar start, he isn’t worried about his statistics. “People put so much stock into numbers,” Cameron told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. “You can get caught up in that and really go, ‘Oh, this guy has this. He has that. Why am I not up there?’ We all run different systems. We’re asked to do different things. So that’s just the way it is.” The 26-year-old has just ten receptions, and has graded as a very poor blocker per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In my estimation, Cameron could be the ideal candidate for a franchise tag in 2015. The TE franchise figure is typically lower than that of any position outside of kicker/punter, meaning Cleveland could retain Cameron relatively cheaply for the short-term and further evaluate the possibility of extending him.
- A federal judge has put a hold on legalized betting in New Jersey after complaints from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NCAA, writes David Porter of the Associated Press. Governor Chris Christie effectively allowed gambling at the state’s racetracks and casinos through a law signed last week, but the major sports leagues argue that they would be “irreparably harmed” by the law. The issue will be decided in a courtroom, rather than through a law, per Porter.
AFC Links: Sanders, Dolphins, Verrett, Harvin
Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders posted career-high numbers while catching passes from Peyton Manning during last night’s game, racking up nine catches for 120 yards and three touchdowns. But if offseason negotiations had worked out differently, Sanders could’ve been working with a different future Hall of Famer — Tom Brady. As Chris Wesseling of NFL.com details, Sanders, who signed an offer sheet with the Patriots as a restricted free agent in 2013, was interested in signing with New England during the 2014 offseason, but only at the right price. “Emmanuel loved it there,” said Sanders’ agent, Steve Weinberg. “He said, ‘Give me Danny Amendola‘s deal and I’m there.'” The Pats gave Amendola a five-year, $28.5MM deal in 2013, while Sanders ultimately scored just $13MM over three years with Denver. “New England was competitive throughout the process,” continued Weinberg. “Had they been aggressive from the beginning it would have gotten done, but, in this market, nobody knew what to do with the wide receivers.” Here’s more from the AFC.
- As Thursday’s trade deadline approaches, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald looks at several Dolphins who could shipped out for the right compensation. In Salguero’s estimation, offensive lineman Shelley Smith, receiver Brandon Gibson, and defensive end Dion Jordan could all be on the trade block.
- Chargers rookie cornerback Jason Verrett will visit a shoulder specialist next week to determine the severity of his injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports suggested (on Twitter) earlier today that Verrett could miss “significant time.”
- The Jets performed “extensive background checks” on Percy Harvin during the 2009 draft, according to head coach Rex Ryan, so the club feels as if it knows what it’s getting with the mercurial receiver, writes Anthony Rieber of Newsday.
- In a series of tweets, Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle documents the frustration of Texans receiver DeVier Posey, a 2012 third-round pick who seemingly isn’t a fit for Bill O’Brien’s offense. The 24-year-old hasn’t been active for a single game this season after suiting up for 25 contests during his first two years in the league. “I want to be there but this is what I’m asked to do, so this is what I have to do,” said Posey. “You get (frustrated) but you understand.” When asked if he thought he would return to Houston in 2015, Posey was unsure. “I have no idea,” he said. “I have no idea. It’s out of my control.”
NFL Not Cooperating With NFLPA Investigation
Although we learned yesterday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been told to testify in ex-Ravens running back Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing, league officials haven’t been forced to cooperate in the NFLPA’s separate investigation, and seemingly have no plans to do so. Richard Craig Smith, the former federal prosecutor leading the union’s inquiry, tells Rob Maiddi of the Associated Press that the league has not provided him with any documents or witnesses. The Ravens have also failed to assist the NFLPA probe, per Smith.
“I am interested in the facts, and if we get cooperation from all the parties that were involved, we will have an understanding of what happened,” said Smith. “We cannot accept public statements that call for transparency, candor and openness and then not allow the investigators to do their jobs. If the NFL is genuinely concerned about fixing the issues that led to an admitted mistake, then they should be honest and forthright about what they knew and when they knew it. We want both our team and [former FBI director Robert] Mueller’s team each to be able to conduct a thorough review of all the relevant facts.”
The union announced exactly one month ago that it would be undertaking an investigation that would “run parallel” to Rice’s appeal hearing, which is expected to take place in mid-November. The NFLPA probe was expected to delve into the specifics of the initial Rice incident, and examine the machinations of both the NFL and the Ravens that led to Rice’s release and indefinite suspension. The league itself has tasked Mueller with performing a third investigation into the matter.
Neither of the three inquiries are bound by law or carry legal penalties for uncooperative actions, so just as Goodell can disregard the “order” to testify in Rice’s appeal hearing, the NFL won’t be forced to provide any help to the union investigation. I’d ultimately Goodell to testify in the hearing; he’s under enough pressure already that he won’t want it to appear as though he’s hiding anything. But because the league won’t be compelled to share any information with the league, it’s hard to imagine them doing so at their own discretion.
NFC Notes: Cobb, Griffen, Orakpo, Coaches
Randall Cobb started the 2014 season a little slow, and he admits that his frame of mind may have played a role in his lackluster production during the first three games. “The mental side of things is very important,” Cobb told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I think I was pressing a little bit too much early on this season, trying to do too much instead of just being myself and doing what I do. Just relaxing and playing ball.” Cobb, playing under the final year of his rookie deal with the Packers, also allowed that his contact situation played into his slow start. “I mean, it definitely had something to do with it,” Cobb said when asked about his contract status. “But I think I found peace mentally, and that’s the biggest thing, having that peace and being able to not worry about those things.” I profiled the 24-year-old Cobb as a extension candidate a few weeks ago, and projected that he could receive a contract in line with Golden Tate‘s, five-year, $31MM deal. Here’s more from the NFC.
- Many NFL observers panned the Vikings’ decision to re-sign defensive end Everson Griffen to a five-year contract worth $42.5MM, but as Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes, the 2007 fourth-round pick has been worth the money so far. Griffen has already registered seven sacks, and Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) say that he’s an excellent run defender.
- In a piece for the Sporting News, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap writes that Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo is the latest victim of the evolution of franchise tag use. Per Fitzgerald, clubs simply use the tag as a way to keep players to whom they don’t want to commit. When a player gets injured during his franchise tag season, as Orakpo did, the player is forced to sign a bargain basement deal the next offseason, à la Henry Melton and Anthony Spencer.
- Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell are among the top head coaching candidates in the league, according to Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Giants, Redskins
The NFC East looks to be a competitive division, at least near the top, where the Cowboys and Eagles have a combined record of 11-2. Let’s take a look at some injury updates from Philadelphia, New York, and Washington:
- Making his weekly appearance on CSNPhilly, Eagles guard Evan Mathis said he has been cleared to resume practicing (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN). Mathis, who sprained his MCL in Week 1, is on injured reserve/designated to return and isn’t eligible to return to game action until Week 10.
- Mathis also told CSNPhilly that center Jason Kelce, who has been sidelined since Week 3, is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery from a sports hernia, and could play for the Eagles again as soon as Week 9 (Twitter link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
- Though Giants linebacker Jon Beason is expected to travel to North Carolina to meet with an ankle specialist, New York has no intention of shutting down the veteran as of yet, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger.
- Meanwhile, guard Geoff Schwartz is expected to begin practicing next week, but he likely won’t make his regular season debut for the Giants until Week 9, per Raanan.
- The Redskins will be without linebacker Brian Orakpo for the rest of the season, leading John Keim of ESPN.com to examine how Washington will aim to replace a key cog in its defense. Rookie Trent Murphy will see more snaps, and a team source tells Keim that the Redskins will consider re-signing Rob Jackson, who played for the team until 2013.
West Notes: Young, Seahawks, 49ers
The Raiders are the only winless team remaining in the NFL, and they’ll be without one member of their secondary as they try to right the ship. Safety Usama Young will miss the remainder of the season after tearing both his ACL and MCL, reports Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Young, 29, is in his seventh NFL season, and has also spent time with the Saints and Browns. Brandian Ross will take over at strong safety in Oakland, and presuming Young is placed on injured reserve, the team will be able to add another body to the defensive backfield to fill his roster spot. Here’s more from the NFL’s two West division:
- After fullback Derrick Coleman broke his foot during warmups on Sunday, Pete Carroll today told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link), that the Seahawks will keep all options open with regards to adding a new FB.
- For his part, Coleman will be out at least six weeks, per Carroll (Twitter link via Condotta).
- Seattle wanted to sign fullback Kiero Small off the Browns’ practice squad, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, so Cleveland promoted him to the active roster to ensure the Seahawks couldn’t steal him. Small was originally drafted by Seattle.
- Don’t look for former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson to reappear in Seattle. Carroll coyly told reporters that Robinson is doing a good job in his role as a television commentator (Twitter link via Condotta).
- Jim Harbaugh has no knowledge of Mike Florio’s Pro Football Talk report that indicated Aldon Smith‘s suspension could be reduced, the 49ers coach told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Bills, Jets
The NFL’ s October 28 trade deadline isn’t nearly as monumental as MLB’s, as trades in the NFL simply aren’t common. Having said that, the Patriots have never been afraid to be active in the trade market. Over the years, they’ve shipped out veteran players like Richard Seymour and Logan Mankins, and acquired playmakers such as Randy Moss and Wes Welker. With the deadline less than two weeks away, will New England seek to add talent via trade?
The Pats made a deadline deal last season, acquiring defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga from the Eagles (along with a sixth-round pick) in exchange for a fifth-rounder. Tom Curran of CSNNE.com sees Bill Belichick & Co. being aggressive again this year, and believes the team could target linebacker and/or defensive end help. With the major injury to Jerod Mayo, and a minor back ailment nagging Rob Ninkovich, a move to bolster depth along the front seven would certainly make sense. It’s just my speculation, but the Pats might be moved to look for a running back, as well, in the wake of Stevan Ridley‘s season-ending injury. Here’s more from New England and the rest of the AFC East.
- Some league insiders don’t believe Percy Harvin has the temperament to play in the NFL, said Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on NBC’s pregame coverage. Sources tell Florio it was a surprise the Jets gave Harvin what amounts to a third chance to correct his attitude, after failed stops in Minnesota and Seattle. Despite his playmaking ability, Harvin probably won’t be offered a fourth chance at success if he flames out in New York, per the PFT scribe.
- Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner was suspended for the first four games of the season, meaning the ex-Seahawk couldn’t practice with his new team during that span. As Belichick told reporters, including Phil Perry of CSNNE.com, it might take a few contests before Browner feels completely comfortable. “He wasn’t able to participate on the field with the team for those four weeks but he was able to work out and be in meetings and keep up with the adjustments and game plan things that we put in from week-to-week,” said Belichick. “Now he’s had an opportunity to get back on the field and refine those skills — at game speed or practice/game speed that are important.”
- Injuries to both Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller open the door for opportunities for Anthony Dixon and Bryce Brown, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. The Bills gave up a conditional fourth-rounder for Brown during the offseason, so it’s a bit of surprise he hasn’t been utilized thus far.
- The Jets didn’t play today, but Rich Cimini of ESPN.com passes along some thoughts on New York’s acquisition of Harvin, Geno Smith‘s development, and Quinton Coples‘ decreasing playing time.
C.J. Spiller Breaks Collarbone, Out For Season
5:56pm: A source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter) that Spiller will miss the rest of the season.
4:53pm: Spiller will have surgery on Monday, per Adam Caplan of ESPN (link via Caplan’s colleague, Mike Rodak). Bills head coach Doug Marrone says Spiller will be out “an undetermined [amount] of time.”
2:17pm: The Bills have had success in recent years by employing a two-headed approach at running back, utilizing the talents of both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. The duo may have played together for the final time in 2014, however, as both RBs were injured during the second quarter of today’s game against the Vikings. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the initial diagnosis for Spiller is a broken collarbone. Jackson will have an MRI tomorrow to determine the severity of his injury, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (Twitter link) hears the ailment is “serious.”
It’s unclear how much time Spiller will miss, as clavicle injuries often result in varying degrees of absence. For example, Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone during Week 9 of the 2013 season, and was able to return for the season finale and playoffs. However, Tony Romo suffered the same injury in mid-October of 2010, and missed the remainder of the year. I would guess that Buffalo’s performance will play some role in a potential Spiller return — if the Bills are out of the playoff picture if and when Spiller gets healthy, there’s probably no reason to bring him back.
Spiller, 27, carries a $5.917MM cap charge in what is effectively the final season his rookie contract. The Clemson product has a 2015 player option that will pay him $2.197MM in base salary. While it had seemed readily obvious that he would void that year, it’s fair to wonder if this injury might force him to reconsider. Spiller had been the subject of trade rumors as of late, given that he was seemingly being phased out of the Bills’ offense; clearly, he won’t be dealt now. For the season, the 2010 first-rounder has 68 carries for 234 yards, along with one kick return touchdown.
The Bills are down to one healthy running back — fifth-year player Anthony Dixon — in addition to fullback Frank Summers. Bryce Brown, who was acquired from the Eagles during the offseason, was a healthy scratch for today’s game; he figures to be active next week. Buffalo could look to add an external option either through free agency or trade — the trade deadline is October 28.