Sam Bradford Tears ACL, Will Miss 2014 Season
A MRI has revealed Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has suffered a torn left ACL, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). Bradford will miss the entire 2014 season. The Rams will hold a news conference later today to confirm the news.
The injury, which occurred in last night’s contest preseason game against the Browns, afflicts the same ACL which Bradford tore during Week 7 last season. Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner and the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, has had trouble staying healthy in his career, starting only 49 out of a possible 64 games. Additionally, he hasn’t been very successful when he has played, averaging just 2,766 yards through the air, with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions over four years, while his career completion percentage sits at just 58.6%.
Rumors of Bradford’s release surfaced over the offseason, and though he was ultimately retained, there’s virtually no scenario in which he returns to St. Louis in 2015. The Rams could save nearly $13MM against the cap next year by releasing Bradford, who is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. For his part, Bradford’s 2015 potential free agency prospects look grim — as Evan Silva of Rotoworld tweets, Bradford will likely enter the market not only coming off back-to-back ACL tears, but having missed 31 of out a possible 80 games.
The Rams will presumably turn to backup Shaun Hill, who was signed to a one-year deal over the offseason, to take over as their starting quarterback. If St. Louis wants to look to bring in depth behind Hill, it could either look to find a trade partner, or scan the list of available free agent quarterbacks.
Adam Schefter of ESPN was the first to report the Rams’ concern that Bradford might have re-torn his ACL.
Redskins Release Rob Jackson
The Redskins have released linebacker Rob Jackson, a source tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). In confirming the report, John Keim of ESPN.com adds (Twitter link) that Washington cut Jackson now so that it would be easier for him to find work elsewhere.
Jackson, 28, joined the Redskins as a seventh-round pick in 2008. His best season came in 2012, when he started 14 games, and finished with four-and-a-half sacks and four interceptions. His contract expired after 2013, and he wasn’t re-signed until April 2014, indicating a lack of interest around the league.
Surprisingly (especially for a reserve linebacker), Jackson doesn’t offer much special teams value, tweets Jones, who notes that fellow backup LB Everette Brown has shown ST prowess. Keim concurs (on Twitter), saying that in addition to playing special teams, Brown spent time with the first-team nickel defense in last night’s preseason game.
Bills Cut Alan Branch
The Bills have released defensive tackle Alan Branch, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Branch did not play in last night’s preseason game against the Buccaneers after being arrested for DUI.
Bracnh, 29, was a second-round pick by the Cardinals in 2007. After his stay in Arizona, he spent time with the Seahawks before joining the Bills in April 2013. Just last December, Buffalo signed him to a three-year, $9.1MM extension, which included a $3.1MM signing bonus. Branch was set to earn $1.85MM in base salary in 2014, $875K of which was guaranteed for injury only, per Brian McIntyre (on Twitter). Buffalo saves just $350K in cap space by releasing the veteran defensive lineman.
It’s rare to see a recently-extended player cut so quickly, but in the case of Branch, it’s not completely unexpected. Even before Branch’s arrest, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com was speculating that the former Michigan Wolverine could be released.
Branch started 13 games for the Bills last season, and has started 47 during his career, accruing 112 tackles and eight sacks. As far as Branch’s prospects in free agency, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News tweets that the 49ers could show interest in the DT, especially since San Francisco nose tackle Glenn Dorsey figures to miss the entire season with a torn bicep. Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that Branch would be an upgrade at nose tackle in the Chargers’ 3-4 scheme.
Dan Marino Joins Dolphins As Special Advisor
Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, who starred with the Dolphins from 1983-1999, has been hired by Miami as a special advisor, the team announced in a press release. Marino, 52, was a fixture on CBS’ The NFL Today for the past decade, but left the show in February.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role. I have always considered myself a Dolphin for life and I look forward to supporting the organization anyway I can,” said Marino. “[Owner] Stephen Ross is a passionate guy who is committed to building a first-class, winning organization. I’m excited about the future of the team and where the organization is headed.”
In 2004, Marino accepted the title of Senior Vice President of Football Operation with the Dolphins. The position, created specially for Marino, entitled him to final say on all football decisions — however, he resigned just three weeks after taking the job. This time around, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Marino won’t have any “formal involvement” in football operations, instead working on community- and business-related projects. General manager Dennis Hickey, hired in in January, will presumably retain control of football matters.
“Dan is and will always be an important part of the Miami Dolphins and we are excited to get him involved in a more formal way,” said Ross. “Dan is unquestionably one of the greatest players in NFL history and his enthusiasm and passion for the Dolphins is inspiring to everyone here.”
Panthers Cut Marvin McNutt, Seven Others
Having already released receivers Tiquan Underwood and Toney Clemons, the Panthers have cut eight more players, the team announced in a press release:
- Jordan Gay, P
- Linden Gaydosh, DT
- Alex Hall, DE
- Oscar Johnson, OT
- Marvin McNutt, WR
- Anthony Morales, LB
- Kealoah Porales, WR
- Craig Roh, DE
Each of the players listed above was waived, since none has accrued more than four NFL seasons. The most notable name here is probably McNutt — a sixth-round pick by the Eagles in 2012, he was expected to compete for playing time in Carolina’s depleted receiving corps.
North Notes: Manziel, Spence, Bears, Holmes
Let’s take a look at the latest from the NFL’s two North divisions as Ndamukong Suh continues his reign of terror…
- Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Browns head coach Mike Pettine didn’t dismiss the possibility of using Johnny Manziel in specified packages in relief of starting quarterback Brian Hoyer. “That is on the table,” said Pettine. “I don’t know if that’s anything that we want to commit to just now, ’cause I think Brian, because of the competition, is a little behind, with the chemistry and continuity in working with that first group. I think that is something that we can potentially look at down the road.” (Link via Jason Butt of the National Football Post).
- 2012 third-round Steelers linebacker Sean Spence, who had been working his way back from a career-threatening knee injury suffered two years ago, re-injured his PCL in Thursday’s preseason game, writes Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Nothing official has been announced yet, but the 24-year-old’s NFL tenure might be over.
- Among the teams that didn’t qualify for the 2013 playoffs, the Bears trailed only the Cardinals in total DVOA. Field Yates of ESPN Insider (subscription required) explains why that level of base talent, combined with a revamped defensive line and developing second- and third-level defenders, could make Chicago a force this season.
- Despite only being signed less than a week ago, Santonio Holmes has impressed the Bears’ coaching staff, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
- The Bears’ free safety competition is “wide open,” tweets Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report. Rookie Brock Vereen and free agent signee M.D. Jennings are the primary contenders.
Bon Jovi Group Bid $1B+ For Bills?
8:58pm: Binding bids are due September 9, updates Kryk. If the the Bills trust wants a new owner in place to be approved at the owner’s meetings, only about a week remains for the process to conclude. If the owners are unable to vote on a new Bills owner by October 7-8, the Buffalo franchise may not have an owner until December.
8:25pm: While Mike Ozanian of Forbes reported this morning that the Toronto group vying for the Bills had bid just $820MM for the franchise, John Kyrk of the Toronto Sun disputes that figure, writing that the clan including Jon Bon Jovi, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment head Larry Tanenbaum, and the Rogers Family placed a bid between $1-1.1 billion. Per Kryk, each group was allowed to place either specific bid, or one that fell within a range, with the Toronto party presumably choosing the latter.
Kryk didn’t fully dispute Ozanian’s claim that Sabres owner Terry Pegula had placed a $890MM bid, but notes that if that was the actual figure, it is considerably less than the Toronto group’s proposal. Kryk also writes that he thinks initial reports regarding the bidding process, which indicated Pegula’s offer was closer to $1.3 billion, are probably closer to the truth. In fact, it’s possible that Pegula, like the Bon Jovi group, used a sliding bid, an offered something like $1.1-1.3 billion.
Regardless of the details, none of the bids offered are binding; final, binding bids are due early next month. For what it’s worth Forbes recently placed a $935MM valuation on the Bills, so a reported bid of $890MM does sound low. It’s doubtful we will learn any specific details of the process until we get closer to the conclusion of the sale.
Largest 2014 Cap Hits By Position Group: Offense
Earlier this offseason, our Luke Adams examined the largest 2014 cap hits by position on offense, scrutinizing the most expensive individual cap charges for next year. The list that follows, while along the same lines, tabulates the largest cap hits by position group. Some overlap in the lists is unavoidable — if a single player has an exorbitant cap charge, it will inevitably raise the team’s cap hit for his position as a whole.
Still, it’s important to look at how teams invest at certain positions, and how much value they place on supplementing highly-paid star players with competent depth. For example, Andre Johnson has the second-highest 2014 cap hit among wide receivers, but the Texans are nowhere to be found in the top three highest-spenders for the receiver position as a whole. In fact, Houston ranks just 15th in terms of receiver spending, which gives some indication that the team has failed to find suitable talent with which to surround Johnson.
One final interesting note: of the four 2014 Championship game qualifiers (Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks, 49ers), only one shows up on any of the following lists (49ers, tight end). This is notable because it speaks to the importance of spreading the wealth — not placing too high a value on any one position and equally distributing cap space to each part of the team. Without behemoth contracts that push cap limits, clubs are able to build depth in all areas, an approach that has shown to be largely successful.
Quarterback:
- Steelers, $21.753MM
- Giants, $21.643MM
- Rams, $20.37MM
Ben Roethlisberger‘s cap hit of $18.895 obviously helps propel Pittsburgh to the top of this list, but backup Bruce Gradkowski is no slouch — his $1.65MM cap charge is second among No. 2 signal-callers. The Giants’ Eli Manning ($20.4MM) has the second-largest cap hit in the NFL, trailing just Ndamukong Suh. The Rams are the outlier here, as Sam Bradford‘s exorbitant contract is a result of him being the final No. 1 overall draft selection under the previous contractual bargaining agreement.
Running back:
- Vikings, $19.074MM
- Eagles, $17.668MM
- Panthers, $16.026MM
Adrian Peterson is in a class of his own among running backs — his contract counts over $14MM against the cap. Arguably the second-best RB in the league, LeSean McCoy ($9.7MM), buoys Philadelphia to the second-place ranking, although the rest of the Eagles’ running backs are also well compensated — Darren Sproles and James Casey combine for a $5.985MM cap hit. Just as at quarterback, the No. 3 slot on the RB list is an aberration, as the deals Carolina handed out to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart now appear regrettable.
Wide receiver:
- Dolphins, $32.082MM
- Redskins, $23.194MM
- Lions, $23.002MM
Mike Wallace‘s five-year, $60MM deal with Miami includes a massive 2014 cap hit of $17.25MM, while No. 2 wideout Brian Hartline carries a cap charge of over $6MM. Washington also has two highly-paid WRs, as DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon count nearly $14MM combined against the cap. Despite Calvin Johnson‘s mammoth contract, his 2014 cap hit is only fourth-highest among wideouts, behind Wallace, Johnson, and Percy Harvin.
Tight end:
- Chargers, $12.062MM
- Jaguars, $11.959MM
- 49ers, $11.502MM
San Diego and San Francisco each have established tight ends backed up by promising young pass-catchers. Antonio Gates will count $7.663MM against the Chargers’ cap, while No. 2 TE Ladarius Green accounts for just $683K — third tight end John Phillips, however, carries a cap charge of $1.842MM. Vernon Davis has the second-highset cap hit on the 49ers at $7.343MM, while second-year player Vance McDonald will count only $818K against San Francisco’s cap. Marcedes Lewis, while an adept pass-blocker, is probably overpaid, and leads to Jacksonville’s second-place listing among the tight end group.
Offensive line:
- Browns, $34.586MM
- Eagles, $30.835MM
- Redskins, $30.088MM
Cleveland left tackle Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack have the highest 2014 cap hits at their respective positions, meaning the Browns top the offensive line list despite modest cap charges for the rest of their front five. LT Jason Peters will count more than $8MM against Philadelphia’s 2014 cap, and the rest of the Eagles’ line is also well-paid — the other four starters will each count between $2.6MM and $6.2MM against the cap this year. Trent Williams, still playing under his rookie contact, leads Washington’s O-line with a $10.98MM cap charge, the second-highest on the Redskins.
Contract information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.
Eagles Acquire Kenjon Barner From Panthers
WEDNESDAY, 8:30am: According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Barner will need to be on the Eagles’ active 46-man roster in at least four games this year in order for the Panthers to receive the seventh-round pick in the deal.
TUESDAY, 8:53pm: The Eagles have acquired running back Kenjon Barner from the Panthers in exchange for a conditional 2015 seventh-round draft choice, the Eagles announced in a press release. Barner played under Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly while at Oregon, who praised Barner in a statement:
“Kenjon will hopefully bring some depth to both our running back and return positions,” said Kelly. “He’s obviously a guy I know really well from Oregon, where he had a very productive career. He has a lot of speed, explosiveness and had a knack for making some really big plays. But our plan with him right now is get him in Philadelphia as soon as we can and plug him in at running back and returner and let him compete.”
Barner, 25, was a sixth-round choice by Carolina in last year’s draft. He didn’t play much, registering just 24 offensive snaps and 28 on special teams (per Football Outsiders). However, as Kelly notes, speed is the name of Barner’s game, as he ran multiple sub-4.4 40-yard-dashes leading up to the draft. Barner will probably feel comfortable after being reunited with his college coach, but as ESPN’s Adam Caplan notes (via Twitter), Kelly’s NFL playbook has a few tweaks, a lesson fellow ex-Duck Josh Huff learned early on in training camp.
With the Eagles, Barner will fight for a backup running back position behind LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. Chris Polk, currently third on the depth chart, is battling an injury, and as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets, the acquisition of Barner probably doesn’t bode well for Polk as he tries to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. However, Jeff McLlane of the Philadelphia Inquirer adds (Twitter link) that the Eagles likely added Barner to cover for the potential special teams loss of Huff (who is also injured), rather than to push Polk.
49ers Sign Glenn Dorsey To Two-Year Extension
WEDNESDAY, 8:12am: A source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Dorsey’s extension features $6.075MM in new money, with $2.575MM in guarantees and $1.75MM in incentives. In total, the lineman can earn up to $10.957MM through 2016 if he maxes out the deal.
TUESDAY, 6:04pm: The 49ers have signed defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey to a two-year extension through 2016, the team announced in a press release. The 29-year-old Dorsey tore his right bicep earlier this month, and could potentially miss the entire season, so it’s curious that the team would choose to lock him up now.
“Glenn is a true pro who has quickly become a valued contributor to our organization both on and off the field,” said San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke. “He is a quick study and a very good football player that has earned this extension, and we look forward to his future contributions.”
Dorsey was set to enter the second year of a two-year, $6MM deal — $2.3MM of which he is to earn this season in base salary. Terms of his new deal aren’t yet known, but it will be interesting to see if the Niners were able to take advantage of the fact that Dorsey is probably going be injured for the duration of his contact year. As Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 notes (via Twitter), this could be something of a buy-low opportunity for San Francisco — Dorsey was probably amendable to receiving any sort of guaranteed money while rehabbing from his injury, even if it was for pennies on the dollar.
Prior to joining the Niners, Dorsey spent five seasons with the Chiefs after being selected fifth overall in the 2008 draft. After playing mostly defensive end in Kansas City’s 3-4 scheme, he was expected to do the same in San Francisco, albeit in a reserve role. However, after starting nose tackle Ian Williams went down with an injury, Dorsey became the starter on the interior. He’s not an ideal fit for NT at 6’1″, 297 pounds, but he was competent in the role — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) assigned him a +4.5 grade for 2013, noting that he especially excelled against the run. In his career, the former LSU Tiger has started 78 games, accruing 189 tackles and six sacks.
Dorsey probably shouldn’t be counted on for much production in 2013. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Dorsey will require one more MRI on his healing bicep before the 49ers make a decision on his roster status. In that vein, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee adds (on Twitter) that Dorsey is a strong candidate to be labeled San Francisco’s injured reserve/designated to return player.
This 49ers, however, agreed to this new pact with the long-term future of their defensive line in mind. Ends Justin Smith and Ray McDonald are signed through 2015 and 2016, respectively, but both could become cap casualties during next offseason. Williams is once again injured, and the rest of the position group includes youtful players like Tank Carradine, Quinton Dial, and Demarcus Dobbs. In extending Dorsey, San Francisco has added some stability to a defensive line that could see quite a bit of turnover during the next 12 months.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.