Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: AFC East
Between now and the start of NFL training camps, we’ll be taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series yesterday by focusing on the NFC East, and we’ll tackle the other East division today, as we move over to the AFC.
Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four AFC East franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….
Buffalo Bills:
- Mario Williams, DE/OLB: $19,400,000
- Marcell Dareus, DT: $8,060,000
- Kyle Williams, DL: $6,950,000
- Eric Wood, C: $6,650,000
- Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB: $6,175,000
- LeSean McCoy, RB: $5,500,000
- Charles Clay, TE: $5,000,000
- Leodis McKelvin, CB: $4,900,000
- Matt Cassel, QB: $4,750,000
- Sammy Watkins, WR: $4,530,819
Total: $71,915,819
Mario Williams’ massive 2015 cap number is one of the highest in the entire NFL, and it won’t get any easier to stomach next year, when it jumps to $19.9MM. The figures make Williams a candidate to be released or to have his deal restructured if his production falls off, but he’s coming off an All-Pro season, so the Bills are likely content to carry that cap number for now, particularly with only one other player above $7MM.
While Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Dareus, and Hughes may see their roles change this year in a new defensive scheme, the four players were all defensive linemen in 2014, so it’s interesting that they all rank in Buffalo’s top five cap hits this year. Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman will certainly enjoy working with the talented, albeit costly, group of front-seven players.
The Bills’ top-10 list also features a number of new additions, with McCoy, Clay, and Cassel all having joined the club this offseason, while Hughes signed a brand-new contract. The cap charges for McCoy, Clay, and Hughes will all rise significantly in future seasons — after totaling a combined $16.675MM cap charge in 2015, the trio will count for a combined $28.75MM against the Bills’ cap next year.
Miami Dolphins:
- Branden Albert, LT: $10,725,000
- Cameron Wake, DE: $10,450,000
- Brent Grimes, CB: $10,000,000
- Reshad Jones, S: $7,712,942
- Mike Pouncey, C: $7,000,000
- Mike Wallace, WR: $6,600,000 (dead money)
- Dannell Ellerbe, LB: $6,400,000 (dead money)
- Ndamukong Suh, DT: $6,100,000
- Ryan Tannehill, QB: $4,873,364
- Dion Jordan, DE/OLB: $4,682,276
Total: $74,543,582
Many of the largest contracts on the Dolphins’ books have relatively modest cap numbers this year — Pouncey and Tannehill earn spots on this list, but they’ll almost certainly place higher in 2016, when their cap charges jump to $10MM+. As for Suh, his cap hit will soar to a staggering $28.6MM next season. With $157MM+ already committed to their top 51 players for 2016, the Dolphins will have some decisions to make next year.
In 2016, the team will also have to try to avoid the sort of dead money charges they’re carrying this year. Wallace and Ellerbe both earn top-seven spots here, and Brian Hartline‘s $4.2MM dead money hit nearly cracked the top 10 as well. Jordan’s cap charge might as well be dead money too, since the former third overall pick has been suspended for the season.
Despite some questionable entries within their top 10 cap hits, the Dolphins are optimistic about their chances in 2015, and that can be partially attributed to their talented and inexpensive offensive skill players — Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, and Lamar Miller count for just over $3MM in total against the 2015 cap.
New England Patriots:
- Tom Brady, QB: $14,000,000
- Rob Gronkowski, TE: $8,650,000
- Nate Solder, LT: $7,438,000
- Sebastian Vollmer, RT: $7,020,833
- Jerod Mayo, LB: $6,100,000
- Devin McCourty, S: $6,000,000
- Darrelle Revis, CB: $5,000,000 (dead money)
- Rob Ninkovich, DE: $4,750,000
- Julian Edelman, WR: $4,656,250
- Stephen Gostkowski, K: $4,590,000
Total: $68,205,083
Brady didn’t rank among the NFL’s top 2015 cap hits for quarterbacks, but he’s still atop the Patriots’ own list by a comfortable margin. For a team coming off a Super Bowl victory though, there aren’t many highly-priced players on New England’s roster, a reflection of the way the team manages its cap — the $68MM total for the Pats’ top 10 cap hits of ’15 is the lowest figure in the AFC East.
Of course, while the Patriots manage their cap well, that doesn’t mean that this is simply a list of their 10 best players. Revis shows up here after New England declined his option, the price the team had to pay for his one year of service. Additionally, the Pats are the only team we’ve seen so far with a kicker in their top 10, and even ones at talented at Gostkowski rarely have cap numbers this high.
New York Jets:
- Darrelle Revis, CB: $16,000,000
- D’Brickashaw Ferguson, LT: $11,698,670
- Nick Mangold, C: $10,407,100
- Brandon Marshall, WR: $9,000,000
- David Harris, LB: $7,500,000
- Antonio Cromartie, CB: $7,000,000
- Muhammad Wilkerson, DL: $6,969,000
- Eric Decker, WR: $6,500,000
- Breno Giacomini, RT: $5,125,000
- Dee Milliner, CB: $3,453,028
Total: $83,652,798
John Idzik may not have been the general manager the Jets needed to lead the franchise back to the playoffs, but he did a good job managing the cap — New York has less than $3.5MM in dead money on its 2015 cap, which allowed the team to spend big in free agency this offseason. By comparison, the Bills have $7MM+ in dead money on their 2015 cap, the Pats have nearly $14MM, and the Dolphins are carrying over $22MM.
All the Jets’ cap room allowed the team to frontload contracts for its big free agent additions like Revis, who shows up on two separate top-10 lists in this division. Marshall and Cromartie also arrived within the last few months, while Harris signed a new contract with the team.
One name to watch from this list going forward is Wilkerson, who could be a fixture among the Jets’ top cap charges for the next few years if he signs an extension with the team. After drafting Leonard Williams sixth overall, however, the Jets are certainly under less pressure to pay Wilkerson a massive salary.
Committing nearly $84MM in cap room to the players on this list, the Jets’ total top-10 cap hit is the highest we’ve seen yet, but that can be attributed in large part to the fact that the team simply had space to burn, having carried over plenty of room from 2014. Most of those deals shouldn’t come back to haunt the franchise down the road.
Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.
AFC Notes: Butler, Brady, Mariota, Ravens
It didn’t take long for Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler to come back down to earth this spring. The Patriots cornerback was reportedly benched by Bill Belichick for a handful of the team’s on-field practices during OTAs after he missed the first voluntary session due to a travel issue.
Now, sources tell ESPN.com that the NFL Players Association has filed a complaint against the Patriots on Butler’s behalf, though the complaint was filed without the cornerback’s approval or involvement. Within the complaint, the union cited Article 21 of the CBA, which states that a player’s absence from a voluntary activity can’t result in “adverse consequences affecting his working conditions.”
While we wait to see what comes of the latest case involving the Patriots, let’s round up a few more items from across the AFC….
- Marc Ganis, who is the president of SportsCorp consulting firm and is close with many NFL owners, thinks a decision on Tom Brady‘s suspension appeal will come “sooner rather than later,” writes Howard Ulman of The Associated Press. Ganis points out that the league has already been criticized for the way the DeflateGate situation has dragged on, though I think the NFL is unlikely to speed things along now after moving deliberately for months. I don’t expect we’ll hear a ruling on Brady’s appeal until at least mid-July.
- Titans GM Ruston Webster recently suggested that it wouldn’t be a big deal if unsigned first-round pick Marcus Mariota missed a few days of training camp, but the QB tells NFL Media’s Tiffany Blackmon that training camp is still a “long ways off,” as Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com details. “It’s the furthest thing from my mind,” Mariota said. “My agent is going to do his job. He’s going to do whatever it takes. It’s a business deal it takes some time. I’m happy to be a part of the organization and I’m sure it will work out.” I’d be very surprised if Mariota still didn’t have a contract in place by the time Tennessee’s training camp begins.
- In his latest piece for Over The Cap, Jason Fitzgerald identifies Joe Flacco‘s contract with the Ravens as the least team-friendly quarterback deal in the NFL.
- Taking into account the Ravens‘ roster patterns from recent seasons, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun predicts what this year’s squad might look like.
Isaiah Battle To Enter Supplemental Draft
The 2015 supplemental draft class has added another entrant, as the Clemson Tigers announced today in a press release that offensive tackle Isaiah Battle will be eligible to be selected. Battle is the fourth player to officially declare for this year’s supplemental draft.
“I have some family matters to address, with a child due this summer, and I feel it is in my best interest to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft,” Battle said in statement. “I want to thank everyone at Clemson, especially Coach [Dabo] Swinney and the assistant coaches, for what they have done for me the last three years. I also want to thank my teammates. They have all had a big impact on my career.”
Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, is perhaps the most intriguing player to declare for the 2015 supplemental draft, and has a realistic chance of being picked late, tweets Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. Earlier this year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”
As a refresher, the supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select Battle in the sixth round of the supplemental, it will lose its 2016 sixth-rounder as a result.
Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be picked were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.
West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, and North Carolina Central receiver Adrian Wilkins have also declared for the 2015 supplemental draft.
Following Specific Players On PFR
As we’ve outlined before, there are a number of different ways to follow Pro Football Rumors via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and RSS. If you don’t want to follow all the site’s updates, you can subscribe to team-specific or transaction-only Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds. Although we don’t have Facebook pages or Twitter feeds for specific players, it’s easy to follow all our updates on your favorite player.
If, for instance, you want to keep track of all the latest news and rumors on Russell Wilson as he enters the final year of his contract and considers an extension with the Seahawks, you can visit this page. If you’re interested in keeping tabs on the latest rumors involving Tom Brady‘s suspension appeal, you can find Brady’s page right here. In addition to players, we also maintain archives for certain specific topics. For example, all our posts relating to the city of Los Angeles can be found here.
Every player we’ve written about has his own rumors page, and each of those players also has his own RSS feed, making it even easier to follow the latest updates. Links to RSS feeds for specific players are all located on this page. You can also find links to RSS feeds for various miscellaneous categories there. For instance, if you only want to receive one update every Sunday recapping the week’s notable headlines, you can subscribe to our Week in Review RSS feed, right here.
Community Tailgate: 6/24/15
We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This month, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning has been a subject of debate among NFL fans for over a decade, and while that argument typically relates to their on-field résumés and legacies, the two quarterbacks are battling it out again this week, as a Manning trade rumor threatens to overtake Brady’s suspension appeal as the NFL’s hot topic du jour.
After a report surfaced that the Broncos and Texans discussed a potential Manning deal this offseason, sources from both sides came out and shot down the report, with the Broncos’ denials sounding particularly emphatic. We may never hear the full story on just how extensive the conversations between the two teams were, assuming they happened at all, but for the purposes of today’s discussion, we’re not interested in the specifics — we’re curious about the general idea of the Broncos trading Manning.
As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes, the Broncos may find themselves at a crossroads soon, with their window for a championship potentially closing. Head coach John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase, and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio all left Denver this offseason; Eric Decker, Julius Thomas, and Wes Welker are no longer Broncos; Ryan Clady is out for the 2015 season with a torn ACL; and – perhaps most importantly – while Manning had another excellent season in 2014, he didn’t look like quite the same quarterback that shattered records in 2013.
The initial report on Manning yesterday, from 94.1 FM Denver/96.9 FM Boulder radio host Benjamin Allbright, suggested that certain members of the Broncos organization wanted to get the Brock Osweiler era underway in Denver. That may or may not be true, but what do you think? Would it have been in the Broncos’ best interests to move on from Manning this offseason? Assuming the team could’ve gotten at least a modest trade haul for the future Hall of Famer, would it have made sense for Denver to see what Osweiler can do, rather than clinging to the hopes of making one last run with Manning?
Jump into the comment section below to voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Tom Brady Updates: Wednesday
The appeal hearing for Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension lasted over 10 hours yesterday, but things eventually wrapped up, and another session won’t be necessary. While the hearing came to an end on Tuesday, we probably shouldn’t expect a ruling until July, as arbitrators typically take at least a couple weeks to announce their decisions on appeals.
Still, we have plenty of reactions and updates on Brady’s appeal to pass along, so let’s dive in and round up the latest….
- The post-hearing briefs in the Brady appeal are due late next week, sources tell Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). That will give Goodell even more information to consider, so his ruling won’t come until some time after that.
- As expected, the reviews on Brady’s Tuesday performance from NFL sources weren’t quite as glowing as the one’s from Brady’s side, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio cites a league source who says that the Super Bowl MVP simply reiterated that he wasn’t involved and didn’t have knowledge of any tampering with the footballs. When pressed on certain issues, Brady’s answers were “regarded by some in the room as not entirely credible,” says Florio.
- Within the same PFT piece, Florio suggests that it’s unlikely Brady will be completely exonerated, and notes that the NFLPA’s defense for Brady hinged in large part on attacking the science in the Wells report.
Earlier updates:
- Sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Brady came off as “very genuine, earnest, and persuasive” during his testimony on Tuesday. According to Schefter, the Patriots quarterback every issue raised in the Ted Wells report, with one source calling it “an A+ performance.” I have to imagine Schefter’s sources are on the NFLPA’s camp rather than from the NFL side.
- Within Schefter’s piece, NFLPA rep Jeffrey Kessler indicated that Brady and the union put forth a “very compelling case,” adding that no timetable for a decision was provided.
- The transcript of Tuesday’s hearing won’t be released, though that could change if Brady and the NFLPA file a lawsuit against the NFL challenging the outcome of the appeal, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- Florio has two more pieces up on the DeflateGate saga, pointing out that the NFL only seems to come out to contradict erroneous reports when it benefits the league to do so, and suggesting that the NFL ought to study the inflation level of its footballs during the coming season to accumulate more scientific data on the subject.
- Given all the gray area and lack of hard evidence in the case, Jarrett Bell of USA Today believes DeflateGate will end up being no more than a footnote to Brady’s legacy.
NFC Notes: Morris, Benson, Haslett
The addition of third-round rookie Matt Jones clouds the future of running back Alfred Morris in Washington, writes John Keim of ESPN.com, noting that a source said in the spring that the odds of Morris signing an extension before the season were about 50/50. According to Keim, however, the team still has room to make a deal happen for Morris, who is worth keeping even if he’s not elite.
Here are a few more Wednesday notes from around the NFC:
- The attorney for Tom Benson‘s heirs announced today that his clients are filing an appeal after the Saints owner was declared mentally competent last week, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The battle among the Benson family over ownership for the NFL franchise – along with the NBA’s Pelicans – has been ongoing for several months.
- Former Saints head coach Jim Haslett, who spent the last several year in D.C. as Washington‘s defensive coordinator, has joined the Penn State staff as a consultant, tweets Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports. Haslett was replaced by Joe Barry in Washington following the 2014 season.
- Former NFL running back Herschel Walker recently declared that he could still play in the league at age 53. While Walker’s comments weren’t taken all that seriously, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was asked if his team would have room for the former Georgia back and replied in the affirmative, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details. “He’s one of my all-time favorite players. Yeah, we have room for him,” Quinn said. “For him, the legacy he left at Georgia. … He’d definitely fit in great from a competitive standpoint.” In spite of Quinn’s response, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the Falcons to offer Walker a spot on their 90-man roster.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL:
- Several days after parting ways with Terrelle Pryor, the Bengals have filled his spot on their 90-man roster by signing former Ball State signal-caller Keith Wenning, the team announced today (via Twitter). Wenning, selected by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, looked poised to compete for the No. 2 job in Baltimore behind Joe Flacco this year before the team signed Matt Schaub. Wenning was cut by the Ravens last month.
- The Bills announced on Tuesday that they have released defensive end Bryan Johnson. Johnson, a product of West Texas A&M, originally joined Buffalo as an undrafted free agent following the 2014 draft. After spending most of last season on the Bills’ taxi squad, Johnson may have been cut to make room for offensive lineman Wayne Hunter, tweets Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: NFC East
Earlier this month, I took a closer look at the top 2015 NFL cap hits by position, checking in on offensive players, defensive players, and special-teamers. Those lists revealed some interesting details about how teams around the NFL are delegating their spending for the 2015 season, with some clubs focusing heavily on certain sides of the ball or specific positions, while others spread out their cap room enough that they barely showed up on any of the top-10 positional lists.
Starting this week, we’ll shift our focus to those individual teams, examining each club’s top 10 cap commitments for the 2015 season. We’ll break it down by division, allowing us to make a few observations about each team’s largest cap numbers for the coming year.
First up? The NFC East. Let’s dive in….
Dallas Cowboys:
- Tony Romo, QB: $14,973,000
- Dez Bryant, WR: $12,823,000
- Brandon Carr, CB: $12,717,000
- Jason Witten, TE: $8,512,000
- Sean Lee, LB: $5,450,000
- Morris Claiborne, CB: $5,175,069
- Miles Austin, WR: $5,106,200 (dead money)
- Tyron Smith, LT: $5,039,000
- Orlando Scandrick, CB: $4,382,271
- Doug Free, RT: $3,980,000 (dead money)
Total: $78,157,540
Of the four teams in the NFC East, only the Cowboys have multiple dead money charges within their top 10 cap hits for the coming year. Unlike Austin, Free is still on the roster, but his previous deal voided after the 2014 season, leaving some dead money on Dallas’ books while the club signed him to a new contract. If we take into account Free’s new contract, which has a $3MM cap number this year, he’s counting for nearly $7MM against the Cowboys’ cap.
Elsewhere on the list, the Cowboys devote significant cap room to the positions you’d expect — quarterback, wide receiver, left tackle, and cornerback. There are no Russell Wilson-esque bargains in the East, where three of the four teams have their quarterbacks at No. 1 on their list of 2015 cap commitments. As such, it makes sense that cornerbacks would be high on each club’s list as well. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, their two highest-paid CBs have either had trouble staying on the field or haven’t been as effective as anticipated, given their price tags.
Bryant’s and Carr’s cap charges could change before the regular season begins, if the former reaches a long-term agreement with the club or the latter agrees to rework his contract.
New York Giants:
- Eli Manning, QB: $19,750,000
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: $14,813,000
- Victor Cruz, WR: $8,125,000
- Will Beatty, LT: $8,050,000
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: $7,250,000
- Prince Amukamara, CB: $6,898,000
- Jon Beason, LB: $4,154,166
- Jameel McClain, LB: $3,400,000
- David Baas, C: $3,225,000 (dead money)
- Steve Weatherford, P: $3,075,000
Total: $78,740,166
The total cost for the Giants’ top 10 cap hits is nearly $79MM, higher than any other team in the NFC East. That figure is largely impacted by Manning’s cap charge, which is approaching $20MM as he enters the final year of his contract. The club could ultimately reduce that figure if Manning signs an extension this year, but it’s not a necessity.
What’s interesting about the Giants’ list is how many question marks there are here — of course, the team won’t get anything out of Baas, whose cap hit is made up of dead money, but there may be concerns about other players here too. A torn pectoral figures to keep Beatty sidelined until November, and Beason, Amukamara, and Cruz are among the players who are coming off serious, season-ending injuries, though they’re expected to be ready to contribute this fall. The Giants’ success this year may hinge significantly on whether those high-priced players are fully recovered.
Also worth noting: New York is the only team in the NFC East with a special teams player in its top 10 cap hits for 2015, as Weatherford sneaks onto the list.
Philadelphia Eagles:
- Sam Bradford, QB: $12,985,000
- Jason Peters, LT: $9,050,000
- Byron Maxwell, CB: $8,700,000
- Connor Barwin, OLB: $7,000,000
- Brandon Graham, OLB: $6,000,000
- Malcolm Jenkins, S: $5,666,666
- Lane Johnson, RT: $5,225,974
- DeMarco Murray, RB: $5,000,000
- Brent Celek, TE: $4,800,000
- Riley Cooper, WR: $4,800,000
Total: $69,227,640
One silver lining of the exodus of highly-paid veterans like DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, Evan Mathis, and Jeremy Maclin? The total cost of the Eagles’ top 10 cap hits for 2015 is the lowest in their division, at just over $69MM, allowing the club to spread out moderate salaries to more players further down on the roster. While the Cowboys and Giants have multiple players with cap numbers exceeding $12MM, the Eagles’ second-largest hit barely surpasses $9MM.
The work the Eagles did this past offseason is reflected heavily on this list, as major free agent signings like Maxwell and Murray show up here. Even Graham, who has spent his career with the Eagles, can be considered a free agent addition since he talked to other teams before returning to Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, I was a little surprised to see Celek and Cooper, a pair of steady but unspectacular veteran pass catchers, crack the top 10 here. Younger, cheaper players like Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor may end up producing better numbers, but if Bradford is going to succeed in Philadelphia, he’ll likely need the veterans to chip in as well.
Washington:
- Trent Williams, LT: $14,230,393
- Pierre Garcon, WR: $9,700,000
- Desean Jackson, WR: $9,250,000
- Ryan Kerrigan, OLB: $7,038,000
- Robert Griffin III, QB: $6,719,713
- Jason Hatcher, DT: $5,203,125
- DeAngelo Hall, CB: $4,812,500
- Kory Lichtensteiger, C: $4,300,000
- Chris Culliver, CB: $4,250,000
- Stephen Paea, DT: $4,250,000
Total: $69,753,731
Like Philadelphia, Washington has some new additions show up on its list, and the money spent on Culliver and Paea reflects the team’s dedication to investing in and improving its defense. Still, the club’s top three cap numbers belong to offensive players, including a pair of wide receivers.
The fact that Washington is the only franchise in the NFC East without an expensive quarterback allows for a little more spending flexibility elsewhere, but the team’s QB situation is also arguably the shakiest in the division. One might wonder if it’s worth dedicating so much cap room to playmaking receivers like Garcon and Jackson, when it’s not clear which of Washington’s quarterbacks is capable of consistently getting them the ball.
As for the No. 1 player on this list, Williams is in the final year of his contract, so we could see his number reduced if he signs an extension. Either way, he’ll likely be much further down on next year’s top 10 list, if he’s on it at all.
Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.
Antoine Cason Out For 2015 Season
Veteran cornerback Antoine Cason is one of the more notable defensive backs left on the free agent market, but he won’t be joining an NFL team for the 2015 season. In an Instagram post, Cason revealed last night that he underwent surgery on Tuesday morning, and will be out for the year. The exact nature of the procedure is unknown, but Cason’s photo appears to show his right foot in heavy bandages.
“Had surgery this morning to fix an ongoing problem,” Cason wrote on Instagram. “Due to the surgery I will miss the 2015 season. … Tough decision but it was one that needed to be made and I am home and well!”
Cason, 28, started 11 of the Panthers’ first 12 games in 2014, but had plenty of ups and downs throughout the year. The former first-round pick was benched in Week 13 after allowing a touchdown to Vikings wideout Greg Jennings, and had an overall grade of -10.2 in Carolina, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). Although he grabbed a pair of interceptions, Cason also allowed six touchdowns, a 122.2 passer rating, and an 80.3% completion rate on passes thrown into his coverage, per PFF.
The Panthers opted to part ways with Cason in early December, and a week later he was scooped up by the Ravens, whose secondary had been ravaged by injuries. Cason, who will turn 29 in July, only briefly saw the field for Baltimore, during the team’s Wild Card game in Pittsburgh.
Despite a down year, the Arizona product has 110 career NFL games, including 60 starts, on his NFL résumé, so he could draw some interest around the league in 2016, assuming he gets fully healthy.