Terrelle Pryor Worked Out For Patriots
Terrelle Pryor, who was cut by the Browns before the team’s Week 1 loss to the Jets, worked out for the Patriots on Monday, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who tweets that no signing is imminent. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report first reported Pryor’s workout with the Pats (via Twitter).
Pryor, making the transition from quarterback to wide receiver this summer, impressed Browns coaches in training camp. However, after the team set its 53-man roster prior to Week 1, Pryor was essentially the 53rd man, making him expendable when other holes needed to be filled.
When word of the Browns waiving Pryor broke, the former Raiders quarterback said that it would be “a mistake” by the team. Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine acknowledged that possibility, but explained last week that the fact that Pryor was slowed in camp by a hamstring injury also contributed to the Browns’ decision to cut him.
“The fact is that [Pryor] wasn’t [healthy] and that he was not prepared at this point to be a viable productive member,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not saying that he never will be. I’m very confident that he will be knowing his work ethic. Knowing his skill set, he will be. Like I said, it’s timing and it’s circumstances.”
It sounds like New England may not be the only stop this week for Pryor — a report over the weekend indicated that the ex-Brown would be auditioning for two teams in the coming days.
Cowboys Working Out Hakeem Nicks, Others
With Dez Bryant sidelined for at least the next month, the Cowboys are considering adding some extra roster depth at wide receiver, and the team is bringing in several free agents today for workouts. According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com, the Cowboys are taking a look at Hakeem Nicks, Nick Toon, Austin Pettis, and Clyde Gates.
Nicks, who spent his first five years with the Giants, posting multiple 1,000-yard seasons in New York, caught just 38 balls for 405 yards and four touchdowns last year in Indianapolis. He found a new home in free agency when he signed with the Titans earlier in the year, but Tennessee opted to keep just four wideouts on the roster to start the season, cutting Nicks earlier this month. The veteran wideout has since worked out for the Saints as well.
While Nicks is obviously the biggest name in the group, all four wideouts have NFL experience, and each has at least one season with double-digit receptions on his résumé. Outside of Nicks, Pettis has the most career catches (95), including 38 for the Rams in 2013.
If the Cowboys do add a veteran free agent to their wide receiving corps, I wouldn’t expect the new player to have a major role in the offense during Bryant’s absence. Instead, players like Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Devin Street, and Jason Witten figure to get a few more looks until the club’s No. 1 receiver returns.
NFC East Notes: Dez, Washington, Eagles
The Cowboys are hoping Dez Bryant returns in four to six week after undergoing foot surgery, but ESPN’s Dr. Mark Adickes thinks eight to 12 weeks might be a more realistic recovery time frame for the star wideout (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). For now, the Cowboys have no plans to use their IR/designated to return slot on Bryant — such a move would sideline him for at least eight weeks.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC East….
- With starting cornerback Chris Culliver set to miss Washington‘s Week 2 contest due to a one-game suspension, the club is bringing in free agent corner Will Blackmon for a visit today, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Blackmon, who was cut by the Jaguars earlier in 2015, signed with the Seahawks in March but was released by Seattle during the cutdown to 53 players.
- Before Washington signed free agent kicker Dustin Hopkins yesterday, the team also worked out former Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis, along with punter Brandon Fields, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- The Eagles auditioned tight ends Connor Hamlett, Brian Leonhardt, and Jacob Maxwell, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Presumably, those workouts took place before the club was certain that Zach Ertz – coming off groin surgery – would be ready for such a significant role on Monday night.
- Cornerback Byron Maxwell, the Eagles‘ biggest free agent addition of the winter, was also the team’s biggest disappointment in Week 1, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. McLane also notes that the offensive line – featuring Allen Barbre and Andrew Gardner in starting roles – was overmatched by Atlanta’s defensive front, which could raise questions about Philadelphia’s decision to cut both Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans in the offseason.
Forbes Releases NFL Franchise Valuations
Forbes has unveiled its annual franchise valuations for all 32 NFL teams, with the Dallas Cowboys once again sitting atop the list. According to Forbes, the Cowboys are worth a staggering $4 billion, unseating soccer’s Real Madrid ($3.26 billion) as the world’s most valuable sports franchise. Overall, the average NFL team is worth $1.97 billion, per Forbes — that’s a 38% increase over last year’s $1.43 billion average, which itself represented a 23% increase over 2013’s figures.
All 32 teams saw their values rise this year, and each team’s valuation is now well over $1 billion — a year ago, seven teams fell short of that mark, but this time around, the Bills’ $1.4 billion figure ranks last in the NFL. Of course, that was the exact amount Terry and Kim Pegula paid for the franchise when they bought it in 2014.
While Forbes’ figures shouldn’t be taken as gospel, they at least provide a general idea of the league’s most valuable and least valuable franchises, as well as a baseline for the sort of money owners would be seeking if they decided to sell their teams. Here’s the complete list of Forbes’ franchise values:
- Dallas Cowboys: $4 billion
- New England Patriots: $3.2 billion
- Washington: $2.85 billion
- New York Giants: $2.8 billion
- San Francisco 49ers: $2.7 billion
- New York Jets: $2.6 billion
- Houston Texans: $2.5 billion
- Chicago Bears: $2.45 billion
- Philadelphia Eagles: $2.4 billion
- Green Bay Packers: $1.95 billion
- Denver Broncos: $1.94 billion
- Baltimore Ravens: $1.93 billion
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.9 billion
- Indianapolis Colts: $1.88 billion
- Seattle Seahawks: $1.87 billion
- Miami Dolphins: $1.85 billion
- Atlanta Falcons: $1.67 billion
- Minnesota Vikings: $1.59 billion
- Carolina Panthers: $1.56 billion
- Arizona Cardinals: $1.54 billion
- Kansas City Chiefs: $1.53 billion
- San Diego Chargers: $1.525 billion
- New Orleans Saints: $1.52 billion
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $1.51 billion
- Cleveland Browns: $1.5 billion
- Tennessee Titans: $1.49 billion
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $1.48 billion
- St. Louis Rams: $1.45 billion
- Cincinnati Bengals: $1.445 billion
- Detroit Lions: $1.44 billion
- Oakland Raiders: $1.43 billion
- Buffalo Bills: $1.4 billion
Extra Points: Ravens, Patriots, Clay, Bush
With Terrell Suggs lost for the season, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh believes his team has the internal options to fill the void. However, he acknowledges that the club is also looking at external options and could add somebody soon (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun). Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com scans the free agent market and identifies a few possible targets for Baltimore.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Patriots employees John Jastremski and Jim McNally won’t face further discipline from the NFL for their possible involvement in DeflateGate, and will meet with the league soon to discuss new roles with the team, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Neither Jastremski nor McNally will be involved in the preparation, handling, or supervision of game balls going forward.
- According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, new Bills tight end Charles Clay had his knee drained at least a half-dozen times last season while he was a Dolphin. Clay’s knees were a source of concern for suitors in free agency, and specifically for the Dolphins, who declined to match Buffalo’s huge offer sheet to Clay back in March. As Schefter explains, there are some who wonder how much longer Clay will be able to play.
- The Saints received some bad news on the injury front, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that safety Rafael Bush tore his pectoral muscle during Sunday’s loss in Arizona.
- Elsewhere in the NFC South, the Panthers will be without offensive tackle Daryl Williams for two to four weeks after he sprained his right MCL, as David Newton of ESPN.com details.
Chris Culliver Suspended One Game
Washington cornerback Chris Culliver has been suspended one game by the NFL for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy that occurred long before he was a member of the team, the club announced today (via Twitter). Culliver will miss Week 2’s game against the Rams as a result of the penalty.
Culliver, who signed with Washington in free agency this past March, reportedly hit a bicyclist, fled the scene, and threatened a citizen with brass knuckles back in March of 2014. The 27-year-old was originally charged with misdemeanor hit and run and felony possession of brass knuckles. However, his attorneys got the felony charge reduced a misdemeanor and Culliver pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges earlier this year.
The four-year, $32MM deal that Culliver signed with Washington earlier this year calls for base salaries of $8MM in the final three years, but only a $3MM salary this year. That means the former 49ers cornerback will only lose about $176K in salary as a result of his one-game ban.
While Culliver goes on the reserve/suspended list for the week, fellow Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland comes off of it. Breeland served his own one-game suspension this past weekend, and will be eligible to return to the field for the club’s Week 2 contest.
Raiders To Re-Sign Taylor Mays
Safety Taylor Mays continues to bounce around from one NFL team to another, and this time, he’s going to a familiar club. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Mays is re-signing with the Raiders, after also considering the Seahawks.
In five NFL seasons with the 49ers and Bengals, Mays has made 84 tackles, recorded one sack, and recovered a pair of fumbles. While his numbers aren’t exceptional, the former second-round pick is a solid contributor on special teams, and drew interest from multiple teams when he hit the market this offseason.
Since he became a free agent in the winter, Mays has signed with the Vikings, Lions, and Raiders, but was cut by all three times. Most recently, Oakland parted ways with Mays during the cutdown to 53 players.
Now, with Charles Woodson ailing and Nate Allen having suffered an injury that could potentially put his season in jeopardy, it makes sense that the Raiders would bring back a familiar face and a veteran to provide some depth at safety.
NFC Notes: Ellington, Cowboys, Eagles
Cardinals running back Andre Ellington suffered a PCL sprain in Sunday’s game, as first reported by Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) and confirmed by head coach Bruce Arians (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). While Anderson suggested a recovery timetable of two to three weeks for Ellington, Arians indicated his running back could just miss one week, and the team hasn’t ruled him out for its Week 2 game yet.
If Ellington isn’t able to practice by Friday, it will likely lead to a flurry of roster moves for the Cardinals, according to Arians. As ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss tweets, the team could promote running back Kerwynn Williams to its roster for next Sunday’s game against the Bears.
- With Dez Bryant expected to miss at least a month, the Cowboys will sign a wide receiver for depth purposes, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), on the other hand, hears that the team is still undecided on whether to sign a receiver. If Dallas signs a wideout, I wouldn’t expect him to play a major role in the offense in Bryant’s absence.
- Sam Bradford‘s start in tonight’s game eliminates the possibility of the Eagles getting the Rams‘ 2016 third-round pick, as Adam Schefter of ESPN notes. Philadelphia would have received that pick if Bradford hadn’t been able to play a game this season due to injury. Now, it’s worth watching whether or not the former first overall pick will play 50% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps — if he doesn’t, Philadelphia will get St. Louis’ 2016 fourth-rounder.
- Former Eastern Washington offensive tackle Jake Rodgers, cut earlier this month by the Falcons, has a tryout with the Saints on Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
- Three defensive backs – former Rams cornerback Montell Garner, ex-Seahawks safety Ryan Murphy, and former Bengals safety Floyd Raven – worked out for the Packers, tweets Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com. Green Bay also auditioned defensive end Martin Ifedi, a 2015 seventh-round pick who was cut by St. Louis.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News examines 49ers CEO Jed York‘s legacy in San Francisco.
- If St. Louis wants to keep the Rams, one critical issue to work through is who will pay cost overruns, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
Panthers Sign Luke Kuechly To Extension
SUNDAY, 10:45am: Former NFL agent Joel Corry passes along a few notes on Kuechly’s new deal in a series of tweets. The exact average annual value of the contract is $12,359,059, an homage to Kuechly’s No. 59 jersey number. The deal includes over $34MM of guarantees, of which $26MM is fully guaranteed ($6MM of that $26MM figure is an option bonus that isn’t technically guaranteed, but Kuechly’s receipt of that bonus money is certain).
THURSDAY, 5:56pm: It’s official – the Panthers have announced the deal in a press release.
THURSDAY, 1:42pm: A pair of local Panthers reporters, Steve Reed of The Associated Press and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links), indicate that the deal isn’t quite done, with Person reporting that the two sides are “hammering out [the] final details.” It sounds to me like the Panthers and Kuechly have agreed to the general parameters of a contract, but the linebacker has yet to put pen to paper. We’ll keep you posted on the latest as it breaks.
THURSDAY, 11:36am: After reporting yesterday that the Panthers and Luke Kuechly were nearing a new deal, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports says today (via Twitter) that the two sides have reached an agreement. The star linebacker will get a five-year, $62MM contract, according to Getlin. That makes Kuechly the NFL’s highest-paid inside linebacker, as he surpasses Bobby Wagner‘s $10.75MM annual salary.
Kuechly, 24, has established himself as one of the game’s best defenders since entering the league in 2012. The Boston College product has started all 48 regular season contests during his three-year career, averaging 167 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 10 passes defended per season. The former ninth overall pick has received his fair share of accolades, winning the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams.
Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required) confirms Kuechly’s dominance. After ranking seventh in his rookie season and eighth in 2013, Kuechly placed first among all qualified inside linebackers last season, with a +28.4 overall grade. That grade was buoyed by a strong performance against the pass, as he easily ranked as the league’s best coverage inside linebacker, per PFF.
Despite his impressive résumé, Kuechly was never in line for the sort of megadeal that the league’s best quarterbacks or pass rushers can land. However, as I wrote last month when a report suggested extension talks between the two sides were heating up, Kuechly had a strong case to land an average annual salary of $12MM, after Wagner set a new standard for inside linebackers earlier this year. The new deal will pay the Panthers’ star $12.4MM per year.
It’s not yet clear how long the Panthers have now locked up Kuechly — he still had two years remaining on his rookie contract, including a fifth-year option worth $11.058MM in 2016, so five new years would take him through the 2021 season. However, that ’16 year may be included in the initial reports on his new deal. We’ll wait for further word to find out for sure.
In any case, it’s the latest contract extension in an offseason full of them for the Panthers. So far this year, the team has also locked up quarterback Cam Newton, tight end Greg Olsen, and Kuechly’s fellow linebacker Thomas Davis. GM Dave Gettleman had indicated earlier this year that this offseason would be less about bringing in outside players and more about Carolina securing its core pieces for the future.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Raiders Sign Aldon Smith
SUNDAY, 8:11am: The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport passes along a bit of news on the Smith signing this morning (via Twitter). We already knew that Smith chose the Raiders’ offer over competing contracts from the Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Rams, and Rapoport says those other clubs actually offered more money than Oakland. Smith, however, wanted to stay close to his support system in the Bay Area. Rapoport also reports that the Raiders are confident in the information they have on Smith’s criminal charges, which suggests that Smith may not be facing significant punishment from the judicial system or, consequently, from the league.
SATURDAY, 11:25am: ESPN’s Field Yates has slightly different contract numbers for Smith (Twitter link), reporting that the base salary is worth $1.25MM. He also notes that there is $2.75MM in sack incentives and $4MM in per-game bonuses, both of which differ from Rapoport’s tweet.
FRIDAY, 5:06 pm: Smith’s deal with the Raiders is worth up to $8MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). It includes a $1MM base salary, $5MM in 53-man roster bonuses, and $2MM in sack incentives.
12:47pm: The Raiders have officially signed Smith, cutting defensive end Lavar Edwards to create a spot on the roster, according to a team release.
11:16am: After being released last month by the 49ers, outside linebacker Aldon Smith has found a new home across the bay. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), the Raiders have agreed to sign Smith to a one-year contract.
When he’s healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, the linebacker recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 as a starter in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team.
However, Smith’s off-field issues have limited his production since then — he missed nearly half the Niners’ games over the last two seasons after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014. Most recently, Smith was arrested by Santa Clara police on hit and run, DUI, and vandalism charges, though when he was released from jail, the outside linebacker disputed the fact that he had been driving under the influence.
The incident is the latest in a series of off-field run-ins for Smith, who has had DUI arrests in the past, and it was the last straw for the 49ers. The team parted ways with him in early August, with GM Trent Baalke issuing the following statement: “This organization has tried very hard to help Aldon fight his issues. Although he is no longer a member of this team, our support and concern for him will continue.”
Cole reported earlier this week that at least four teams had interest in signing Smith, but things were still in a holding pattern at that point, since the NFL had yet to make a decision on possible discipline after his latest legal situation. As Cole noted, if Smith were to sign with a club and then received a year-long suspension, that would be a PR embarrassment for both the team and the league.
The fact that the Raiders are willing to bring Smith aboard suggests that the club either has an idea of what his potential suspension might look like or is simply willing to roll the dice on a talented but troubled player. It’s also not clear how long the NFL’s investigation will take, so Smith could potentially play until the league announces its decision. If he’s able to stay on the field for the majority of the 2015 season, the Raiders should have a very strong pass rush this year, with the ex-Niner joining Khalil Mack and Justin Tuck in Oakland.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Smith chose the Raiders over the Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Rams.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.