AFC Links: Gordon, Patriots, Moreno, Bortles
If Josh Gordon is allowed to play this season (as expected), he will then only be under contract through 2015, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (Twitter link). Had Gordon’s suspension been upheld, and he had been forced to sit out the entire year, his contract would have tolled, meaning the Browns would have controlled his rights through the 2016 season. Instead, Gordon will earn $1.068MM in 2015 and then hit free agency unless an extension is worked out. If his 2014 ban is reduced to ten games as reported, he will earn 7/17 of that salary (~$440K) in base salary this season. Here’s more from around the AFC.
- Defensive lineman Kona Schwenke, who was waived from the Chiefs’ practice squad on Thursday, worked out for the Patriots today, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). At 6’4″, 303 pounds, the 22-year-old Schweneke has the size required to play in New England’s multiple defensive fronts.
- Patriots offensive lineman Ryan Wendell has $200K in gameday active roster bonuses included in his contract — he’s already been ruled out for tomorrow’s game, meaning he will miss out on $12,500K, per Reiss (on Twitter).
- In a piece for Athlon Sports, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News examines 10 offseason moves that look regrettable following Week 1. Atop the scribe’s list is the Broncos’ decision to let Knowshon Moreno defect to the Dolphins. Moreno reportedly didn’t receive interest from any other team besides Miami, so it’s hard to quibble with Denver’s lack of interest in retaining the veteran running back. Still, Moreno did perform well on Sunday, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders when the Jaguars should transition to rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, arguing that it should be after Jacksonville wins it first game, so that the pressure on Bortles isn’t as extreme.
NFC Notes: Quinn, Lattimore, Lions, Eagles
The Rams had been discussing a long-term deal with Richard Quinn throughout the spring, and because there was no hard deadline for the talks to end, St. Louis management pushed to continue negotiations even as Week 1 came and went, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. The Rams and the 24-year-old Quinn eventually agreed to a four-year extension worth more than $66MM. For his part, Quinn weighed the potential benefits of reaching free agency against the security of guaranteed money. “You have got to take everything into account,” Quinn told Wagoner in a separate piece. “Maybe I have another monstrous year, maybe I have a mediocre year so like I said I am definitely blessed and honored for the Rams to even offer that to me…” Quinn becomes the fourth 2011 first-rounder to sign an extension, joining Patrick Peterson, Tyron Smith, and J.J. Watt. Here’s more from the NFC.
- Marcus Lattimore, who is currently on the reserve/NFI list, could be the 49ers’ No. 3 running back during the second half of the season, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Following LaMichael James‘ release, rookie Bruce Ellington, who played receiver in college, is acting as San Francisco’s third RB behind Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde.
- In his latest mailbag at ESPN.com, Michael Rothstein passes along several observations, chief among them being that Richie Incognito is not an option for the Lions. Additionally, Rothstein registers his surprise that Detroit did not add secondary depth during the week, especially following the season-ending injury to slot corner Bill Bentley. The Lions have auditioned several DBs in recent weeks.
- The Eagles have added a replay specialist to their staff, reports Jason Wolf of the News Journal. Former ACC official Frank Kosman will assist Philadelphia, who won 50% of its challenges last season, in all aspects of replay. It’s a unique move by the Birds, and one I’d expect other teams to emulate.
- Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines the development of Eagles teammates Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks, each of whom was selected in the 2012 draft. Both Cox, a defensive lineman, and Kendricks, a linebacker, have had to adjust to the 3-4 scheme that was implemented in Philadelphia last season.
Giants Work Out Devlin, Boyd, Six Others
In advance of tomorrow’s game against the Cardinals, the Giants brought in eight players for auditions, according to Jordan Raanan of the Newark Star-Ledger. New York might just be updating its emergency list at certain positions, but there were some notable names among those whom the team worked out:
- Nate Askew, LB
- Tajh Boyd, QB
- Kevin Cone, WR
- B.J. Cunningham, WR
- Pat Devlin, QB
- Mark Harrison, WR
- Caesar Rayford, DE
- L’Damian Washington, WR
Devlin, 26, was released by the Dolphins a month ago after Miami added fellow QB Brady Quinn. After playing college ball at Delaware, Devlin joined the Dolphins in 2011 after going undrafted. He has yet to appear in an NFL game. Boyd, a former Clemson star, was once viewed as a potential first-round pick, but was ultimately selected in the sixth round by the Jets in May. He was cut as the Jets moved to a 53-man roster in late August. As Raanan notes, the Giants have only two quarterbacks on their roster (Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib), so it’s possible one of Devlin or Boyd is added to the club if they feel they need a No. 3.
New York is a tad thin at receiver, where 2014 first-rounder Odell Beckham Jr. is currently out with a hamstring injury, so perhaps one of the WR group listed above might stick on the Giants’ roster. Only Cone has caught a pass (one) in the NFL, doing so last year for the Falcons. Cunningham, a sixth-round choice of the Dolphins in 2012, was waived by the Eagles last month after being active for two Philadelphia games in 2013. Harrison, an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2013, is well-traveled — he’s spent time with the Bears, Patriots, and Chiefs.
Audition Notes: Patriots, Cardinals, Chiefs
We passed along the latest tryout updates from the East and South divisons earlier today, and we’ll close out the night updating workout lists from around the league:
- After allowing 191 rushing yards to the Dolphins on Sunday, the Patriots might be looking to beef up their defensive line by taking a look at veteran tackle Fred Evans. The 30-year-old ex-Viking, who started three games last season, worked out for New England today, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. The Pats play Minnesota on Sunday, so Bill Belichick might be trying to glean some inside information on the Vikings’ scheme from Evans.
- The Cardinals tried out offensive tackles Winston Justice, Martin Wallace, and Edawn Coughman, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Justice has the highest pedigree of the three — he was a second-round pick in 2006. Arizona’s offensive line came out of Monday’s win unscathed, so the Cards are probably just updating their emergency list.
- After losing Derrick Johnson to a season-ending injury, the Chiefs are looking to upgrade their linebacking unit, trying out Nick Barnett, Desmond Bishop, and Marvin Mitchell. Barnett, a veteran of 11 NFL seasons, spent 2013 with Buffalo, but is most known for his time in Green Bay. Bishop is also an ex-Packer, but was with the Vikings last year. Kansas City also auditioned offensive tackles Jason Weaver and Curtis Feigt, per Wilson (Twitter link).
AFC North Notes: Flacco, Gordon, Steelers
In a piece for the Sporting News, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap opines that among quarterbacks, the Ravens’ Joe Flacco has the least team-friendly pact. Flacco, of course, scored a huge deal after winning the Super Bowl in 2013 — $63MM comes his way in the first three years of the contractl, including $50MM in bonus money. It’s nearly impossible for Baltimore to get out the contract any time soon, as cutting Flacco after 2015 would result in more than $28MM in dead money on the Ravens’ cap. Also included on Fitzgerald’s list of bad deals is Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart, Bills defensive end Mario Williams, and Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson. More from the AFC North:
- A new drug policy could be agreed upon as soon as tomorrow, and although it’s unlikely that Josh Gordon is immediately reinstated, the Browns wouldn’t hesitate to put him on the field on Sunday, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. “I’d like to get him out there,” said offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. “I think he would help.”
- For his part, Gordon thinks he’ll be able to play for the Browns this season — his new boss at an auto dealership in Northeast Ohio tells Mary Kay Cabot of the the Cleveland Plain-Dealer that the receiver is “very optimistic” his suspension will at least be reduced. “He thinks there’s a good possibility,” said Jeff Sarchione. “…He wants to get back on that field so bad.”
- The Steelers used to be the model of consistency, both in terms of on-field success and cap management, writes Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com. In recent years, however, Pittsburgh has committed too much money to aging veterans, leading to its current cap woes, per Barnwell.
Extra Points: Fifth-Year Options, Kerley
Clubs currently hold quite a bit of leverage over recent first-round picks — 2011 first-rounders were eligible to be kept around via fifth-year options, meaning teams can wait on extension talks. However, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, players affected by this stipulation have one mechanism by which to regain the upper hand: holding out. While some teams believe that a player who fails to show up for Week 1 will have his contract tolled for another season, Florio points to a 2000 case regarding Joey Galloway, who argued that his contract should not toll despite his missing eight games. An arbitrator ruled in Galloway’s favor, leading Florio to believes that 2011 first-rounders could do the same thing — miss up to half of a season — in the hopes of exerting enough leverage to jumpstart extension negotiations.
Here are some other contract notes from around the NFL:
- Former agent Joel Corry points out (via Twitter) one flaw in Florio’s argument, noting that first-round picks that holdout during the option year are subject to a fine of one week’s salary for each missed preseason game. This wouldn’t necessarily stop players from holding out, but the potential loss of nearly 25% of one’s salary could dissuade the practice.
- In the final chapter of a three-part series, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines how closely current teams match the spending patterns of past Super Bowl champions. The Cardinals and Vikings have cap structures that most closely resemble former title-winning teams.
- Fitzgerald also offers his thoughts on Jets receiver Jeremy Kerley (Twitter link), noting that if he can stay healthy for the entire season, Kerley could be in line for a contract extension. The 25-year-old is set to earn $1.431MM in 2014, the final year of his deal.
Chiefs’ Johnson, DeVito Rupture Achilles
Week 1 couldn’t have gone much worse in Kansas City — the Chiefs not only suffered a 26-10 loss at the hands of the Titans, but will likely miss two key defenders for the rest of the season. Linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive lineman Mike DeVito both ruptured their Achilles tendons, announced head coach Andy Reid (via the team’s Twitter account).
Johnson, 30, leads an Chiefs inside linebacking unit that simply doesn’t have the depth to withstand his absence. Johnson played on 97% of Kansas City’ defensive snaps last season, racking up 95 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two interceptions. Advanced metrics rated him well, as he graded out as the third-best 3-4 inside linebacker among 55 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). With Joe Mays having been placed on short-term IR, the Chiefs will turn to Josh Mauga and James-Michael Johnson to hold the fort in the middle of the field.
DeVito’s loss is just as devastating, as the 30-year-old started 13 games last season, finishing with 18 tackles. Like Johnson, DeVito fared well according to PFF, grading as the seventh-best 3-4 defensive end on 446 snaps. The Chiefs have a little more depth along the line than at linebacker, but Vance Walker, Damion Square, and Jaye Howard can’t be expected to match the production of DeVito.
Already expected to regress in 2014, the Chiefs can’t afford to lose players of Johnson and DeVito’s caliber. Kansas City’s defense experienced life without its stars in 2013, as well — the Chiefs ranked 14th in weighted defensive DVOA, which more heavily factors in late-season performance, following injuries to Justin Houston and Tamba Hali (after ranking ninth for the year in total). After accounting for today’s news, and the fact that Brandon Flowers and Tyson Jackson departed over the offseason, 14th is probably the ceiling for the Chiefs’ defensive DVOA performance in 2014.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Mathis, Bucs, Vikings
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys won’t face tampering charges resulting from Jones’ June conversation with Adrian Peterson, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN. Late last month, Don Van Natta of ESPN.com reported that Jones and Peterson had spoken over the phone, and the Vikings running back expressed interest in playing for Dallas. As our Luke Adams noted at the time, if a team is contacted by a player who is under contract with another club, that team must immediately report the contact to the club which holds the player’s rights. Sources tell Mortensen that Jones asked the Cowboys’ legal team to call the Vikings after the story came out, and Minnesota agreed not to file any charges. More from the NFC:
- An injury forced Evan Mathis from today’s game against the Jaguars, but early indications are that the Eagles guard didn’t tear his ACL, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Losing Mathis, who will have an MRI tomorrow, would be devastating for the Eagles — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated him as the best guard in the league last season.
- Buccaneers offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford will join the team for today’s game after revealing that he recently underwent a coronary angioplasty. “I had a couple stents,” Tedford told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “…It’s nice just to be up and around. We’ll see how much I can do next week and kind of ease back into it.” Quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo will call plays for the Bucs for the time being.
- Christian Ponder was inactive as the Vikings No. 3 quarterback against the Rams today, and Jason La Canfora wonders (via Twitter) if a trade for the 2011 first-rounder makes sense for a QB-needy team.
- The 49ers will use Lawrence Okoye, currently a member of San Francisco’s practice squad, at both defensive end and offensive tackle, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, who notes that long-limbed Okoye might fit better along an offensive line than on a defensive front.
- In a piece for the National Football Post, Joel Corry looks some key questions heading into the 2014 season, including whether the 49ers can overcome absences from contributors like Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman, and Glenn Dorsey.
Browns Owner Vetoed Gordon Trade In 2013
With all the news surrounding Josh Gordon, it’s easy to forget the trade rumors that swirled regarding the troubled Browns receiver last season. Today, we have a little more specification on one such proposed deal courtesy of Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who reports that the 49ers were highly interested in acquiring Gordon in the midst of last season.
Per La Canfora, San Francisco was willing to part with a second-round pick in “addition to other players” in order to add Gordon to what at the time was a struggling offense. However, Cleveland’s decision-makers were split on the idea of dealing their young star — while team president Joe Banner was “very open” to trading Gordon, head coach Rob Chudzinski, who had developed a personal relationship with the receiver, was less willing to deal him. Ultimately, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stepped in and nixed any tentative deal, and requested any further Gordon trade discussions be tabled.
While neither Banner nor Chudzinski remains in the Cleveland organization, it’s worth wondering whether Haslam regrets his decision. Gordon’s status is still very much in the air, and while he’s certainly talented, garnering a second-round pick and transferring his risk to another team could have been viewed as a win for the Browns. The 49ers, of course, eventually reached the NFC Championship game even without Gordon — they acquired another receiver, ex-Bill Stevie Johnson, over the offseason.
La Canfora’s report could also give us some clarity as to Gordon’s current trade value. Though the Browns have denied any interest in waiving Gordon, it wouldn’t be out of the question for them to look to move him (especially if his one-year suspension is reversed, or lessened). Cleveland wouldn’t get more than the 49ers offered given Gordon’s current concerns, but a team desperate for a playmaker could propose some sort of package for the young receiver. Setting a second-rounder as the ceiling, and assuming his suspension is overturned or reduced, I could perhaps see a team sending a fourth-round pick to the Browns in order to acquire Gordon.
However, if Haslam’s view on dealing Gordon hasn’t wavered, any further trade discussions would be moot. Additionally, La Canfora writes that the Browns went to great lengths to help Gordon last season, working with the Cleveland Clinic to find sports psychologists who could assist him in his personal life. The Browns clearly have a lot invested in Gordon, and given that they’ve stuck by him through his latest episodes, I doubt they’d look to get rid of him now.
PFR Originals: 8/31/14 – 9/7/14
The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- We’ll be keeping a running list of the 10 players each team places on its practice squad. PS movement is constant throughout the season, so be sure to follow our tracker to stay on top of whom each team is keeping in reserve.
- In our latest PFR Glossary entries, Luke Adams explained the injured reserve/designation to return exemption (which was first implemented in 2012), and the concept of vested veteran salary guarantees
- I examined the largest 2014 cap hits among defensive position groups.
- Luke asked which team will win the 2015 Super Bowl — while a plurality thought an unlisted team would win the title, the Patriots took second place with about 17% of the vote. Thanks for participating!
- The writers at PFR posted their predictions for the upcoming season, projecting division winners, playoff outcomes, and major league awards.