Raiders GM, Owner On Dennis Allen, Future
The Raiders’ top executives spoke with reporters today following the firing of head coach Dennis Allen, and general manager Reggie McKenzie and owner Mark Davis each offered insight on the move and the future in Oakland:
- The decision to fire Allen was McKenzie’s; the GM took his plans to Davis, who approved the dismissal, according to NFL Network’s Around the League (Twitter link).
- Despite speculation that he too could lose his job, McKenzie claims he “will hire the next coach,” per ATL (on Twitter).
- While Davis says he’s never considered firing McKenzie (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle), Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News notes (via Twitter) that Davis made it apparent that the rest of the season will determine the GM’s fate.
- The Raiders have reportedly shown interest in bringing back former head coach Jon Gruden, and Davis says he “may reach out to…Gruden and [Gruden] may reach out to [Davis],” according to Tafur (Twitter link). Davis also implied the permanent coach could already be on Oakland’s staff.
- A close friend of Gruden tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) that “one of these days, [Gruden is] going to accept these offers he gets every year. Maybe it’s this one.”
- Interim head coach Tony Sparano almost left the team after his contract expired last season, but McKenzie essentially told him that he was next-in-line in the event of Allen being fired, tweets Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks the fact that Sparano will be judged on 12 games will help guard against any “artificial improvement in performance” that often leads to teams retaining interim coaches, and then regretting the decision.
- Stanford head coach David Shaw denied any interest in the Raiders position, writes Jon Wilner of InsideBayArea.com. “Everyone knows I’m dedicated (to Stanford), that I love it here,” Shaw told Wilner. “It’s great. It’s flattery, and I tell players that’s sign that we’re doing something right here, when they get attention and I get attention. But our work here is unfinished, and I love being here.”
Titans Eyeing Cornerbacks
The Titans brought in several cornerbacks for auditions today, working out Derek Cox, Brandon Ghee, and Curtis Marsh, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Tennessee didn’t list any CBs on its latest injury report, but Jason McCourty was questionable last week while dealing with a groin ailment, so perhaps the Titans are looking to add depth at the position.
Cox, 28, is probably the most notable name of the three players who tried out. He’s had a busy 2013 — after being cut by the Chargers in March, Cox quickly signed with the Vikings, but was let go in August. He joined the Ravens, and after being the victim of several back-end roster machinations in Baltimore, he was released on September 6. Since becoming a free agent, Cox has had auditions with numerous CB-needy teams, including the Jets, Bears, and Lions. In his five-year career, he has started 56 games, accruing 13 interceptions and 204 tackles.
Like Cox, Ghee is also a former Charger, having signed a two-year deal with San Diego early in the offseason. He never logged game time with the team however, as he was cut August 28 despite being guaranteed $300K. The Wake Forest product was a third-round pick by the Bengals, but played in just 23 games over four seasons in Cincinnati. He’s worked out for the Saints, Jaguars, and Bears since being let go by the Chargers, but has yet to find work.
At 26, Marsh is the youngest of the group; a 2011 third-round pick, the Utah State has played in 26 games over three seasons. He has spent time with both the Eagles and the Bengals. Since being cut by Philadelphia on August 30, Marsh has yet to garner any known interest.
Giants Release Mario Manningham
The Giants have released veteran receiver Mario Manningham, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). After signing a one-year deal with New York in March, Manningham was placed on injured reserve when the Giants made their final roster cutdowns in August. However, Manningham’s calf injury was not season-ending, meaning he can now explore joining a team with a need at WR.
Manningham, 28, spent his first three NFL seasons with the Giants after being selected in the third round of the 2008 draft. He is perhaps best known for his sideline catch in the 2012 Super Bowl that helped New York overtake the Patriots in the final minutes of the contest. He played with the 49ers from 2012-13, but was active for just 18 total games during those two seasons. For his career, Manningham has caught 211 balls for 2,849 yards and 19 touchdowns.
As our Luke Adams explained last week, players are cut from injured reserve in one of two ways — the team and player agree to an injury settlement that pays the player until he is fully recovered, or the player attains full health while on IR, and the team is forced to release him or add him to the 53-man roster. It’s unclear which avenue the Giants took with Manningham.
Buccaneers rookie Mike Evans is expected to be sidelined for several weeks, so perhaps Tampa Bay would be interested in adding Manningham. Similarly, the Jets (Eric Decker) and Bears (Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery) have been hit by wideout injuries, and could look to bring in Manningham. Additionally, the Patriots, Browns, and Steelers are among the teams who could be on the lookout for upgrades at receiver.
Audition Notes: Titans, Giants
As we approach halftime of the late afternoon contests, we have a couple audition notes to pass along:
- Following the season-ending injury to Zach Brown, the Titans are leaving no stone unturned while searching for replacements at linebacker. Tennessee brought in 10 linebackers for a workout, according to Howard Balzer (on Twitter): James Anderson, Nate Askew, Allen Bradford, Larry Dean, L.J. Fort, Will Herring, Paris Lenon, Stephen Nicholas, Justin Staples, and Kion Wilson all auditioned on Friday.
- We already heard that Giants worked out several punters on Friday, but Balzer reports (via Twitter) that New York also brought in kicker Chris Boswell for a tryout. Boswell was released by the Texans in August.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Week In Review: 9/7/14 – 9/14/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Key News:
- Ray Rice released by the Ravens, suspended indefinitely
- Adrian Peterson indicted in child abuse case
- NFLPA reps approve new drug policy
- Josh Gordon‘s suspension reduced to 10 games
- Pegulas reach agreement to purchase the Bills for $1.4 billion
Extended:
- Rams – DE Robert Quinn: four years, $66.575MM
- Steelers – CB Cortez Allen: five years, $26MM
Signed:
- 49ers – WR Kassim Osgood (link)
- Bears – OL Eben Britton (link)
- Bengals – DT Devon Still (link)
- Buccaneers – DE Larry English (link) and CB Crezdon Butler (link)
- Chargers – OL Doug Legursky (link)
- Chiefs – DT Kevin Vickerson (link)
- Colts – RB Dion Lewis (link)
- Dolphins – LB Kelvin Sheppard (link)
- Eagles – OL Wade Smith (link)
- Jets – CB Ellis Lankster (link)
- Lions – OL Garrett Reynolds (link)
Placed On IR:
- Bengals – TE Tyler Eifert, designated to return (link)
- Buccaneers – CB Mike Jenkins (link) and DE Adrian Clayborn (link)
- Chargers – C Nick Hardwick (link)
- Chiefs – LB Derrick Johnson and DE Mike DeVito (link)
- Dolphins – LB Dannell Ellerbe (link)
- Rams – DE Chris Long, designated to return (link)
Contract Restructured:
- Chargers – TE Antonio Gates (link)
- Panthers – DE Charles Johnson (link)
Waived/Released:
- 49ers – RB LaMichael James (link)
- Bears – CB Kelvin Hayden (link)
- Jets – CB Leon McFadden (link)
Retired:
- CB Jabari Greer (link)
Other:
- Robert Mathis tears Achilles, out for 2014 (link)
- Arthur Brown drawing trade interest (link)
- John Abraham‘s career in jeopardy (link)
AFC Links: Bills Sale, Patriots, Manziel
Jon Bon Jovi’s Toronto-based group came up short in its attempt to buy the Bills franchise, and one key reason was its refusal to pledge to keep the team in Buffalo, reports John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The clan’s bid was also uncompetitive, as the Pegula family ultimately won the team with a bid of $1.4 billion. But the Toronto group always stopped short of guaranteeing to keep the franchise in Western New York. Instead, per Kryk, it used coy phrases, writing in a statement that it “remain[ed] committed to working collaboratively” to keep the club in Buffalo. The team’s trust apparently read between the lines and deduced that Bon Jovi & Co. eventually planned to relocate the team to Canada. Here’s more from the AFC:
- Save for Tommy Kelly, no player released by the Patriots as trimmed their roster to 53 made it on to another squad, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who asserts that perhaps New England wasn’t as deep team as some thought.
- Reiss also notes that Armond Armstead, who retired in July, received $54K from the Patriots as part of an injury settlement.
- J.J. Watt‘s extension with the Texans, which pays the defensive end $16.5MM annually, and Richard Quinn‘s $14.25MM/year deal with the Rams sets the market for edge rusher extensions, tweets former NFL executive Ari Nissim, who notes that the next wave of deal for 2011 first-rounders will likely be in the $12-13MM range.
- With Jordan Cameron inactive and Josh Gordon suspended, the Browns could roll a few packages centered on Johnny Manziel in Week 2, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
NFC Notes: Hardy, Palmer, Abraham, Rams
The Panthers have deactivated defensive end Greg Hardy for today’s game, reports Ed Werder of ESPN (Twitter link). Hardy is embroiled in a domestic violence case, and given the response to the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson incidents, it appears as though Carolina decided to heed public sentiment and not allow Hardy to play. The move is a little surprising, as the Panthers had insisted all week that Hardy would be active. Meanwhile, it seems the 49ers will allow Ray McDonald, also accused of domestic assault, to play tonight. Here’s more from the NFC.
- As he continues to recover from a shoulder injury, Carson Palmer will not play in today’s game against the Giants, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Backup Drew Stanton for the Cardinals. Stanton, 30, has not attempted a pass in four years, but as Robert Raiola notes (Twitter link), Stanton has earned $12.225MM since 2011.
- John Abraham will not make a decision on retirement until the weekend is over, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The Cardinals currently have a roster exemption for Abraham; if he doesn’t return to the team by Tuesday, he will ineligible for the rest of the year.
- The Rams have $32.5MM tied up in players on injured reserve, tweets Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. The Chiefs are second in that regard, at $12.7MM. In a separate piece, Fitzgerald looks at which teams have lost the most cap space to IR and dead money combined, a list that the Rams once again top.
Vikings To Address Peterson Situation Monday
The Vikings plan to make a decision on Adrian Peterson‘s roster status on Monday, general manager Rick Spielman told Sal Paolantonio of ESPN (Twitter link via Palantonio’s colleague, Kevin Seifert). Following Peterson’s indictment for child abuse, Minnesota will not make a “knee-jerk decision,” per Spielman, but “all options are on the table” (link).
Peterson will not play in today’s game against the Patriots after the Vikings chose to deactivate him. But as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes, the new CBA restricts a team from continuing to deactivate a player for an ongoing period of time. Minnesota, then, has three options regarding its star running back: keep him on the roster; allow him to be present at the team’s facility and practices, but deactivate him on gamedays; or suspend him without pay.
Sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) that Peterson’s deactivation will likely last for longer than just Week 2. La Canfora reports that the NFL is not likely to take action against Peterson any time soon, even in the wake of the Ray Rice incident. Instead, the Vikings will continue to act proactively against Peterson, lessening the need for league intervention.
Peterson’s indictment could have ramifications that go beyond the current season, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While Peterson is obviously still talented, he is 29 years old, plays a devalued position, and is owed more than $43MM in base salary over the next three years. This incident could make it viable for the Vikings to release Peterson, a move that would have seemed highly unlikely just last week. But with this ugly episode hanging over Peterson’s head, Minnesota could cut him, and only see $2.4MM in dead money.
New Drug Policy To Be In Place By Week 3
The NFL and the NFLPA will not finalize an agreement on a new drug policy today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who reports that a deal should be in place early this week. In fact, the negotiations could be completed by as early as Monday night, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
After approving the altered policy on Friday, the union has continued to hammer out minor issues with the league — however, Rapoport tweets that the return dates of suspended players is not a point being debated. Rather, the two sides are discussing “language issues,” such as the use of neutral arbiters in the event of law violations. As La Canfora notes, lawyers for the two parties have worked on the agreement for nearly four years, so there’s a committed approach to concluding negotiations.
Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that both the NFL and the NFLPA are pleased with the final outcome of the process, and that the new agreement is “one both are proud of.” Additionally, Rapoport says (Twitter link) that Giants cornerback Jayron Hosley, who was hit with a four-game suspension in June for violating the substance-abuse policy, could see his ban dropped, making him eligible to play in Week 3.
Latest On Champ Bailey
For a surefire future Hall of Famer, Champ Bailey has had a tumultuous offseason. After being released by the Broncos in March, Bailey signed a two-year deal with the Saints, only to be cut again, this time in late August. The 36-year-old cornerback worked out for the Lions on September 4 but wasn’t immediately signed; he’s garnered no other known interest. Bailey doesn’t sound like he’s ready to retire just yet, however, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that “if [the Lions] call, that’s a team [he’d] really like to talk to.”
Additionally, Bailey seems amenable to moving to safety, a transition that many aging corners make in order to find work in the NFL. The change has been suggested for Bailey over the past few seasons, and while he’s previously resisted such a move, he says he’d be “open to pretty much anything (position wise) at this point” (link). Since auditioning Bailey, Detroit has worked out a multitude of other cornerbacks, suggesting it wasn’t pleased with Bailey’s workout. It’s just my speculation, but the Jets, who could use help at both corner and safety, could make sense as a landing spot for Bailey.
As evidenced by his lack of employment, Bailey struggled in 2013 — while dealing with injuries, he amassed a -2.5 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, nearly all of that negative value was due to lackluster performance in the Super Bowl. As recently as 2012, Bailey was his usual self, rating as the 10th-best CB among 113 qualifiers, per PFF. For his career, Bailey has started 212 games, racking up 52 interceptions and 812 tackles.