Colts, Anthony Castonzo Agree To Extension
8:24pm: The two sides have reached agreement on a four-year, $43.6MM extension, a person with knowledge of the deal tells Michael Marot of The Associated Press. Colts GM Ryan Grigson has confirmed the pact, as Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets.
“Left tackles like Anthony Castonzo are hard to come by. He’s a team first guy that works as hard at his craft as anyone I have ever been around regardless of position. His desire to be great literally consumes him and he is a shining example of the sacrifice it truly takes every single day to be at the top of his game come Sunday. From ownership on down we are all extremely happy that AC will be wearing the horseshoe for many years to come, ” Grigson said.
2:29pm: Castonzo will get a four-year extension worth $42MM, sources tell Rapoport (Twitter link), who adds that the Colts tackle will get $35MM in the first three years of the deal.
2:24pm: After locking up wide receiver T.Y. Hilton earlier in the preseason, the Colts appear poised to sign another key offensive player to a new contract. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), Indianapolis is finalizing an extension for left tackle Anthony Castonzo, and will pay him $10.5MM annually on the new deal.
Castonzo, who turned 27 last month, took over the Colts’ left tackle job on a full-time basis shortly after being selected by the club in the first round of the 2011 draft. In 2013, he ranked 27th out of 76 qualified offensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). In 2014, he placed 12th out of 84 qualified tackles, further increasing his value to Andrew Luck and the Colts.
While owner Jim Irsay indicated this summer that an extension for Luck would likely have to wait until 2016, he suggested that locking up Hilton and Castonzo, who had both been set to enter contract years, would be a top priority for the Colts.
“We have a little time with trying to work on a few extensions,” Irsay said. at the end of July. “There’s no reason Anthony Castonzo and T.Y. Hilton can’t get done. Look for us to keep core players and our top players. I don’t think it’ll be a distraction. I can’t see why we can’t get something done before Labor Day with T.Y. and Anthony.”
The Colts may not have quite met that unofficial deadline of Labor Day, but they were fairly close. Their pending agreement with Castonzo is the latest in a string of new contracts for left tackles around the league — Washington’s Trent Williams signed a mega-deal worth $13MM+ per year at the end of August, and the Patriots extended Nate Solder through 2017 earlier this week.
At $10.5MM per year, Castonzo will earn a top-five salary for left tackles, equaling Ryan Clady‘s per-year figure for the Broncos, according to Over the Cap’s data. Castonzo had been set to earn a $7.438MM for the 2015 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bills Sign Marcell Dareus To Extension
5:00pm: Dareus’ deal calls for $42.9MM fully guaranteed at signing, Rand Getlin of NFL Network tweets. That puts him second only to Ndamukong Suh for defensive players and well north of the guarantees given to quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Cam Newton.
He’ll make a whopping $28MM in the first year of his deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
9:54am: As is often the case with new contracts, it appears the initial reports on Dareus’ extension overvalued the deal a little. Per Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (all Twitter links), the base value for Dareus’ six new years is around $95MM, though he could earn up to about $100.35MM via incentives. That sounds similar to Mario Williams‘ six-year deal with the Bills, which is worth $96MM, or up to $100MM in incentives.
Carucci adds, as expected, that the $60MM in guarantees aren’t all full guarantees.
9:30am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com provides an important detail on Dareus’ deal, tweeting that the $108MM figure includes the 2015 season, so the six new years are worth about $100MM — right in line with Watt’s deal.
9:17am: With just three days to go until their regular season opener, the Bills have locked up star defensive lineman Marcell Dareus to a new contract, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter (via Twitter), the Bills and Dareus have agreed to a six-year extension worth $108MM.
The agreement is the result of negotiations that appeared to be ongoing for a good chunk of the offseason, with Bills GM Doug Whaley indicating after the draft that getting Dareus signed to a new contract was the team’s top priority this summer. Dareus had been set to play out the final year of his rookie contract, with a fifth-year option salary of $8.06MM.
A defensive tackle under old head coach Doug Marrone, Dareus appears likely to continue playing on the inside under Rex Ryan, occupying the nose tackle role in Dennis Thurmond’s 3-4 scheme. Interior defensive linemen typically don’t post huge sack numbers, but Dareus has done an impressive job getting after the quarterback in his first four seasons, recording 28.5 career sacks, including 10 in 2014, a total that matched teammate Jerry Hughes‘ output. That number may decline for the first time in 2015 as Dareus moves to nose tackle, but the Bills value his ability to stop the run at least as much as his ability to bring down the quarterback.
Without extensively studying Dareus’ game tape, his overall impact against opposing run games is hard to quantify, particularly since the Bills were outside of the top 10 run defenses in 2014, allowing 106.4 yards per game and 4.1 yards per carry. However, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Dareus first among the league’s defensive tackles as a run defender, giving him a +20.7 grade. By comparison, Ndamukong Suh was second, with a +17.6 mark.
Speaking of Suh, when Dareus addressed his contract situation last month, he cited the Dolphins’ defensive star when he expressed his frustration with his own negotiations. At that point, the Bills had reportedly offered Dareus an extension worth $90MM over six years, and when he was asked what sort of figures he was seeking, the Bills’ star replied, “I’ll just say, ‘Thank you, Suh.’”
His new extension doesn’t quite match Suh’s deal with Miami, but Dareus appears to have done very well, surpassing J.J. Watt‘s six-year, $100MM contract with the Texans. According to Schefter (via Twitter), Dareus’ contract features $60MM in guaranteed money, which would be the highest guarantee for a non-quarterback deal in NFL history. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that the extension includes $65MM in injury guarantees, along with a $25MM signing bonus.
At this stage, many of those figures are coming from the player’s camp, so we’ll have to see how much of the contract is fully guaranteed. But it sounds like a massive deal for Dareus, and one that will keep him in Buffalo for the next several years. It could also pave the way for other defensive lineman extensions, with players like Muhammed Wilkerson of the Jets and Dontari Poe of the Chiefs among the extension candidates at the position.
Dareus will serve a one-game suspension to start the 2014 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Eli, C. Jordan, Saints, Ellis
Reports this week have indicated that Eli Manning and the Giants are making progress toward a new contract extension, and it looks increasingly possible that a deal could be reached before New York’s Week 1 opener against the Cowboys. Adam Schefter of ESPN is the latest to express optimism, suggesting today on NFL Live that Manning will likely have an extension in place by Sunday that pays him north of $20MM annually (Twitter link).
As we wait to see whether the Giants and Manning can get something finalized this week, let’s round up a few more NFC items….
- Not long after parting ways with their top pass rusher, Junior Galette, due to ongoing off-field incidents, the Saints are potentially dealing with another legal situation involving a key defensive player. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com details, New Orleans police are investigating a nightclub altercation from his past weekend that allegedly involves Cameron Jordan. So far, no charges have been filed and no arrests have been made, and Jordan’s attorneys call the allegations “ridiculous,” as Jonathan Bullington of the Times-Picayune writes. Still, it’s the last thing the Saints wanted to be dealing with as the regular season gets underway.
- Former Jets and Giants defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis was in Carolina today to pay a visit to the Panthers, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Saints are bringing in former Dolphins guard Mike Liedtke for a look on Monday, per agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). After being cut by Miami, Liedtke visited the Jets on Tuesday.
- Addressing the Kam Chancellor holdout in Seattle, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports notes (via Twitter) that it would send the wrong message for the Seahawks to meet Chancellor’s demands when Michael Bennett, who is also unhappy with his contract, was in attendance for the team’s entire training camp.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap and Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News weigh in with some thoughts on Jason Pierre-Paul‘s situation, with Vacchiano writing that the Giants can’t count on JPP being a real contributor this year.
Browns Cut Terrelle Pryor, Add Robert Turbin
3:42pm: Pryor tells Cabot (Twitter link) that the Browns cut him to clear a spot on the roster to claim running back Robert Turbin off waivers from the Seahawks. It makes sense that Cleveland would want another running back on the roster, with just two backs currently active and one of them – Duke Johnson – recovering from a concussion. However, Turbin has an injury of his own — his ankle is expected to sideline him for a few more weeks.
3:34pm: Terrelle Pryor, playing a new position, appeared over the weekend to have earned a spot on the Browns’ Week 1 roster, but it sounds like he won’t be on the team for its regular season opener after all. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the Browns are waiving Pryor, who converted to wide receiver this summer.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), Pryor himself confirmed his release. “This will be a mistake by them,” he said.
The move comes as a bit of a surprise, since Pryor reportedly impressed Cleveland’s coaching staff over the summer as he transitioned into a new role. Although he was limited by a hamstring issue and head coach Mike Pettine said it would require a “leap of faith” to carry him on the roster, Pryor looked like a back-of-the-roster player with some upside, one who could perhaps be involved in some gadget plays and act as the team’s emergency quarterback if necessary.
The last time Pryor was cut, back in June by the Bengals, the Browns snatched him off waivers, and the Cowboys and Patriots also submitted claims, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Of course, at that time, teams were carrying 90 players on their rosters, so it’ll be interesting to see if the former Raiders signal-caller makes it through waivers unclaimed this time around.
A.J. Green, Bengals Pushing For New Deal
3:24pm: Despite all the reports suggesting the Bengals and Green are trying hard to reach a compromise, a deal doesn’t appear imminent. A league source tells Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk that while the two sides are talking, they’re not currently close to an agreement. As expected, the main roadblock appears to be the Bengals’ reluctance to guarantee any money beyond the first year of an extension.
1:55pm: With Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, and T.Y. Hilton all set to play on new contracts this year, A.J. Green is the last notable extension candidate at the wide receiver position without a new deal of his own. However, all signs point to the Bengals and Green pushing hard to get something done before the team’s regular season opener.
Coley Harvey of ESPN.com reported this afternoon that talks between the Bengals and Green had “picked up,” with the two sides seemingly moving closer to an agreement. Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link) agreed that the “extension rumblings” are picking up for Green, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeting that the two sides are working hard to finalize a new contract.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) continues to hear that Green’s camp would like to beat Jones’ deal, which would make the Bengals’ star the second-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. However, La Canfora isn’t sure Cincinnati will be willing to budge that far. The team is typically reluctant to give out significant guaranteed money on contract extensions, with even quarterback Andy Dalton getting a modest $17MM guarantee on his new $96MM deal last year. Jones received $35.5MM in guaranteed money on his five-year, $71.25MM extension with the Falcons.
Green, who would play out the season on his $10.176MM fifth-year option if he doesn’t sign a new contract, has made four consecutive Pro Bowls since entering the league as the fourth overall pick out of Georgia in 2011. After catching 97 balls in 2012 and 98 in 2013, Green was slowed down last year with injuries, finishing with 1,041 yards and six touchdowns on 69 receptions. With the 2015 season about to get underway, the 27-year-old looks healthy and poised for a big year.
Cardinals Sign Joseph Fauria
1:05pm: The Cardinals have officially signed Fauria and moved Momah to their IR, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
8:59am: Several days after he was let go by the Lions, Joseph Fauria has found a new NFL home, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the tight end has agreed to a deal with the Cardinals. Fauria paid a visit to the team yesterday.
For the Cardinals, the addition of Fauria comes on the heels of news that tight end Ifeanyi Momah suffered a torn meniscus and will undergo surgery, which will land him on the injured reserve list. When Arizona makes the Fauria signing official, placing Momah on the IR figures to be the corresponding move for the club.
Fauria, undrafted out of UCLA in 2013, has compiled 24 catches for 281 yards and eight touchdowns during his career. Last year, a late-season ankle injury landed the 25-year-old on the injured reserve. This year, he became expendable in Detroit when the Lions picked up Tim Wright in a preseason trade with the Buccaneers, pushing Fauria further down a depth chart that also features Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew.
In Arizona, Fauria will compete for a playing time at tight end with Darren Fells, Jermaine Gresham, and Troy Niklas.
Pro Football Rumors’ 2015 NFL Predictions
The 2015 NFL season gets underway tonight, and the writers at Pro Football Rumors have weighed in with projections for the upcoming year. We’ve predicted which teams will earn playoff berths, which clubs will win their respective conferences, the Super Bowl champion, and the winners of the league’s major awards.
Despite Jordy Nelson‘s season-ending injury, the Packers are a popular choice among our writers, as three of us are forecasting a Super Bowl win for Green Bay. However, Andrew Luck received more votes for the regular season MVP than Aaron Rodgers did, with five of us predicting the Colts QB will earn the hardware. Elsewhere, many of us are bullish on J.J. Watt to win Defensive Player of the Year and Chip Kelly to win Coach of the Year.
Click on the link below to see forecasts from Luke Adams, Connor Byrne, Rob DiRe, Ben Levine, Zach Links, Rory Parks, Dallas Robinson, and Sam Robinson. And please head to the comments section to chime in with your own prognostications for the 2015 NFL season!
Vikings Extend Jarius Wright
The Vikings have signed wide receiver Jarius Wright to a contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), it’s a four-year extension worth $14.8MM, with $7MM in guaranteed money.
Wright, 25, has been with the Vikings since the team selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. In 2014, he established new career highs in games started (seven), receptions (42), and receiving yards (588), and was also a threat to run the ball, racking up 71 rushing yards on five attempts. He had been set to earn $1.542MM in 2015, the final year of his rookie contract.
“Jarius has been a key member of our offense since we drafted him in 2012 and we felt it was necessary to secure his future with our organization,” GM Rick Spielman said in a statement. “His commitment to this team, hard work and leadership in the WR room are several of the intangibles that he brings to our club on a daily basis and we’re excited for his future with the Vikings. With the help of WR coach George Stewart, Jarius has greatly improved since coming to Minnesota. This extension stays true to our philosophy of drafting young talent, developing them in our system and rewarding their success.”
Wright heads into the season as Minnesota’s third receiver behind Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace, and his new deal is similar to the ones signed by a couple other slot wideouts recently — Cole Beasley of the Cowboys and Jeremy Kerley of the Jets each inked four-year pacts worth between $3.4MM and $3.5MM annually, so Wright did a little better with his $3.7MM annual average.
Vikings Place John Sullivan On IR-DTR
The Vikings have lost another starting offensive lineman for at least half the season. According to a press release from the team, the Vikes have placed center John Sullivan on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Sullivan, who underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy on Wednesday, won’t be eligible to return to the field for eight weeks.
Sullivan, a former sixth-round pick, has been a mainstay on the Vikings’ offensive line since 2009, starting all but three regular season games at center for the team over the last six years. It’s the second major hit Minnesota’s line has taken in recent weeks, as the team also placed starting right tackle Phil Loadholt on season-ending IR after Loadholt suffered a torn Achilles during the preseason.
With Sullivan out, Joe Berger appears to be the next man up at center for the Vikings. The veteran lineman signed a new two-year contract with Minnesota in March after starting nine games at right guard in 2014 for the club.
Here’s the full list of how teams around the league have used their IR-DTR spots so far.
Lions Restructure Golden Tate’s Contract
The Lions have created some breathing room under the cap by restructuring Golden Tate‘s contract, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The simple restructure was completed several days ago in order for the team to be cap-compliant when the season began, tweets Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap.
As Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, the Lions converted $3.005MM of Tate’s $3.75MM salary for 2015 into a signing bonus, which will now be prorated over the remaining four years of his deal. The move reduces Tate’s base salary for this season to the minimum $745K, and creates about $2.25MM in cap room.
As Over the Cap’s data shows, the Lions are among the NFL teams closest to going over the cap in 2015, so reworking Tate’s deal gives the team a little flexibility to get through the season. The move will also increase Tate’s cap numbers by about $751K for each year from 2016 through 2018 — his cap hit will jump to over $7MM in ’16, $8.35MM in ’17, and $9.35MM in ’18.