Landon Collins, Giants Agree To Deal
The Giants have agreed to terms with second-round safety Landon Collins on his rookie contract, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). With first-rounder Ereck Flowers having signed his own deal yesterday, the team has now secured all its 2015 draft picks.
Collins, the 33rd overall pick in this year’s draft, narrowly missed being selected in the first round, meaning his contract won’t include a fifth-year option for the 2019 season. Instead, he’ll be eligible for free agency after playing out a four-year deal worth about $6.121MM. His signing bonus will be approximately $2.711MM, per Over The Cap.
Once Collins went undrafted in the first round, the Giants aggressively moved up at the start of the draft’s second day to land him. New York sent its second-, fourth-, and seventh-round picks to the Titans, moving up from No. 40 to No. 33 to secure the former Alabama safety.
Now that Collins had reached an agreement with the Giants, only the Colts, Patriots, Raiders, and Titans still have draftees to lock up — in total, six picks remain unsigned.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots
With June’s mandatory minicamps having come to an end, let’s round up a few items from around the AFC East….
- The Jets had a busy offseason, highlighted by the addition of a number of free agent cornerbacks. One of those new Jets cornerbacks, Buster Skrine, tells Don Banks of SI.com that he has never played on a defense with this much talent: “Our front seven has all-stars and then in the back end, we have all-stars. … We can match up with any offense.”
- Revisiting the to-do list he proposed for the Dolphins heading into the offseason, Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun Sentinel observes that new executive VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum checked off nearly all the boxes on that list, suggesting that the team’s offseason was a success.
- Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon is heading into a contract year and is eligible for a new contract. As Steve Gorten of the Palm Beach Post writes, with Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh getting plenty of attention from offensive lines, Vernon could be poised for a big year, which would set him up for a nice payday.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com takes a quick look at the Patriots‘ financial and cap situation, taking stock of where the team sits in relation to the rest of the NFL.
Community Tailgate: 6/18/15
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 week, we’ve 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 day, 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.
Today, we’ll be discussing the crop of top wide receivers who are eligible for contract extensions. Dez Bryant has received most of the headlines this week, but Demaryius Thomas is currently in the same situation as the Cowboys wideout, having received a franchise-tag tender that he has yet to sign. Meanwhile, both A.J. Green and Julio Jones are entering their fifth-year option season, making them eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016.
All four players could ultimately play out the coming season on one-year contracts and be franchised in 2016, but there’s a belief that once one of the four reaches a long-term agreement with his team, it will provide a template for the other three to negotiate their own deals. It’s just not clear yet what those extensions might look like.
While Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and others would have something to say about it, you could make a reasonable case that these four extension candidates are among the top five wide receivers in the NFL. Consider the following résumés:
- Dez Bryant: Has averaged approximately 91 receptions, 1,312 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns over the last three seasons, earning an All-Pro spot in 2014.
- Demaryius Thomas: His three-year averages (99 catches, 1,494 receiving yards, 12 TDs) match up favorably with Bryant’s, and he’s coming off a career year in which he racked up 111 catches and averaged more than 100 yards per game.
- A.J. Green: Has been a Pro Bowler in each of his four NFL seasons, and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of those seasons as well, despite being slowed by injuries last year. In 2013, his last fully healthy campaign, he totaled 98 catches, 1,426 yards, and 11 TDs.
- Julio Jones: Established new career highs with 104 receptions and 1,593 yards in 2014, earning his second Pro Bowl berth.
All four appear headed for huge paydays, but there’s plenty to debate and discuss. For instance: Will any of these player challenge Calvin Johnson’s seven-year, $113MM+ contract? Which of the four will sign first, and which will receive the largest deal? Which of the four would you want on your favorite team? Would you be reluctant to invest significant money in any of them? We want to hear from you, so head to the comments section to place your bets and voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional transactions added to the top of the list throughout the evening:
- Bills defensive back Deon Broomfield has reverted to the reserve-injured list after being waived-injured and going unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Broomfield was waived on Tuesday to make room for defensive tackle Andre Fluellen.
- The Raiders cut former Michigan receiver Jeremy Gallon from IR, Wilson tweets. Gallon joined Oakland on a reserve deal in December.
- Having been waived yesterday with an injured designation after suffering a torn ACL, tight end Zach Sudfeld went unclaimed and reverted to the Jets‘ injured reserve list today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
Earlier updates:
- The Panthers have signed former Chiefs guard Ricky Henry, waiving center Ronald Patrick to create room, the team announced today (via Twitter). Henry spent the 2014 season on Kansas City’s practice squad before signing a futures contract with the team and being waived last month.
- The Steelers have also made a minor change on their offensive line, signing interior lineman Collin Rahrig and waiving tackle Micah Hatchie with an injured designation, per Burt Lauten (Twitter link). Rahrig initially tried out for Pittsburgh after the draft in May.
- Back-of-the-roster players often find themselves being frequently signed and waived during the regular season, as teams shuffle their regular season rosters, but that back and forth is happening for running back Rasheed Williams during the offseason. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Lions cut Williams again today. It’s the second time Williams has been let go by the club since first being signed as an undrafted free agent last month.
NFC Notes: Gurley, Carr, J. Jones, Bears
Former agent Jimmy Halsell passes along an interesting note on Todd Gurley‘s rookie contract with the Rams, observing that the running back will get his full 2015 and 2016 salaries even if he’s on the non-football injury list due to his knee (Twitter link). Gurley’s ACL injury occurred when he was still at Georgia, so based on the NFL’s definition, it would be considered a non-football injury, and teams can opt not to pay full salaries when placing players on the NFI list.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- Brandon Carr won’t be released late in the offseason like Evan Mathis was, as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said today that the cornerback will be with the team for the 2015 season. However, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets, the club is still working on lowering Carr’s cap number ($12.717MM).
- Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones told reporters today, including D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that he doesn’t intend to hold out at all as he seeks a new contract.
- A pair of former second-round picks, running back Daniel Thomas and defensive back Sherrod Martin, are trying out for the Bears at the team’s minicamp, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Thomas has been busy over the last few weeks, working out for the Lions and Cowboys as well.
- The Panthers promoted director of football operations Brandon Beane to assistant general manager, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Beane was briefly Carolina’s interim GM before Dave Gettleman took over the job in 2012.
John Moffitt Comes Out Of Retirement
3:58pm: The Broncos have officially cut Moffitt, who is subject to waivers, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. As Garafolo observes, Moffitt will have to go unclaimed before he becomes a free agent.
11:04am: Back in November 2013, offensive lineman John Moffitt announced that he was moving on from football after spending parts of three seasons with the Seahawks and Broncos. Almost two years later, he’s ready to return to the NFL, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, who reports that Moffitt officially came out of retirement today (TwitLonger link).
A third-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2011 draft, Moffitt appeared in 17 regular season contests for the club in his first two NFL seasons, starting 15 of those games. However, the former Wisconsin Badger was traded to the Broncos after a deal with the Browns fell through, and ended his career shortly thereafter. According to Glazer, Moffitt had drug issues, but has since gone through rehab and “cleaned up his life.”
While the Broncos still hold Moffitt’s rights, the team is releasing him, tweets Glazer. Once the 28-year-old becomes a free agent, he’ll have the opportunity to sign with any team, and he’ll certainly be a younger, cheaper alternative – albeit one with less upside – to fellow free agent guard Evan Mathis.
With Moffitt spending a year and a half away from the NFL, it’s worth noting that recently-retired 49ers offensive lineman Anthony Davis could take a similar path. When Davis announced that he was stepping away from the NFL, he suggested it may just be for a year or two, rather than permanently.
Latest On Cowboys, Dez Bryant
With contract negotiations between Dez Bryant and the Cowboys producing plenty of rumors and speculation but little progress, the star receiver took to Twitter today to weigh in on the situation. “$13MM is cool, but where is my security?” Bryant tweeted, pointing out that he had been waiting five years for the opportunity to negotiate a long-term deal.
Not long after Bryant published his tweet, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to reporters about the issue himself, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News details. According to Jones, he has spoken to Bryant within the last two weeks, and while he’s not sure if the wideout will be at the team’s training camp, the Cowboys “would like nothing more than to have long-term security with Dez.” Jones wants Bryant to be a Cowboy “for life,” tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
While Jones may have said all the right things, the apparent impasse between the two sides has arrived as a result of the team not meeting Bryant’s asking price, and the Pro Bowler attempted to regain some leverage recently by suggesting he was prepared to sit out regular season games if an extension isn’t in place. Jones didn’t seem to put much stock in that though, saying today that he has “no doubt” Bryant will be on the field for Dallas’ Week 1 game against the Giants.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Jones’ response is a polite way of saying that he and the Cowboys believe Bryant is bluffing, and it doesn’t appear it has changed the team’s stance at all. Because he has yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, Bryant can’t be fined for missing this week’s minicamp, or August’s training camp. However, once he starts missing regular season contests, he’ll lose nearly $753K per week. It appears the Cowboys aren’t buying that their No. 1 receiver would be willing to simply forfeit those pay checks.
The Cowboys and Bryant have until July 15 to reach a multiyear contract agreement.
NFC South Notes: Colston, Dotson, Green
While longtime Saints like Jimmy Graham, Ben Grubbs, Curtis Lofton, and Pierre Thomas were traded or released by New Orleans this offseason, wide receiver Marques Colston was able to work out an agreement to stay with the team on a reworked contract. As Colston tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, staying with the Saints was more important than trying to max out his value.
“At this point in my career, it’s not necessarily about maximizing every penny of every contract,” Colston said. “For me it came down to, ‘What’s my priority?’ I probably could have went somewhere else and maybe got a little bit more money. But the priority for me was to come back to an organization that I really enjoy playing for. I enjoy coming to work every day and being in this locker room.”
Colston, who added that he didn’t want to leave a “Hall of Fame quarterback” in Drew Brees, is on track to earn $3.8MM in 2015 than the $7MM he was originally set to make. Here’s more from around the NFC South, as we check in with all four teams:
- “I didn’t want to lose any money,” Demar Dotson answered simply, when asked why he chose to end his holdout and attend the Buccaneers‘ minicamp this week (link via the Tampa Tribune). The veteran right tackle had been seeking a new contract, but staying away from team activities didn’t appear to improve his leverage, since the Bucs broke off negotiations while he was absent.
- Reserve offensive lineman Tyronne Green tore his Achilles tendon during a practice and will undergo surgery, sidelining him for the 2015 season, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told the media today (Twitter link). Green wasn’t necessarily guaranteed a regular season roster spot, but his injury should open the door for another lineman to earn a place among Carolina’s final 53.
- Wide receiver Carlton Mitchell, who played his college ball at South Carolina and spent time with the Browns after being selected in the sixth round of the 2010 draft, has a tryout today with the Falcons, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Jags Sign A.J. Cann, Lock Up Draft Class
The Jaguars have signed third-round offensive lineman A.J. Cann, the last of the team’s 2015 draft picks to officially ink his rookie contract, the team announced today (via Twitter). With Cann under contract, Jacksonville becomes the 27th club to finish locking up its draft class.
Cann, the 67th overall pick in this year’s draft, was one of a handful of players selected at the start of the third round who had yet to sign their contracts heading into June minicamps. Raiders tight end Clive Walford, the 68th overall pick, put pen to paper yesterday. Meanwhile, Colts cornerback D’Joun Smith (No. 65) and Titans offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi (No. 66) remain unsigned.
According to Over the Cap’s data, Cann will get a four-year contract of about $3.082MM, including a signing bonus worth just shy of $802K. He’ll count for approximately $635K against Jacksonville’s cap for the 2015 league year.
Now that the Jaguars have finished signing their draftees, only the Colts, Patriots, Giants, Raiders, and Titans need to do the same, per our tracker.
Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Position: Special Teams
Within the last couple weeks, I’ve taken a look at the top 10 cap hits by position around the NFL, focusing first on offense before shifting last week to defense. This week, we’ll turn our attention to special teams, a list that will be considerably shorter than the first two, but should still be addressed for the sake of completion.
While most teams use the majority of their cap room on offensive and defensive players, it’s interesting to consider whether successful clubs devote a decent chunk of space to special teams as well, or whether they’re able to get by with inexpensive contributors at those positions, freeing up more cap room for offense and defense.
Considering the top two cap charges for kickers in 2015 belong to the Patriots, the defending Super Bowl champs, and the Jaguars, who have won 14 games over the last four seasons, there may be no clear correlation between team success and cap room devoted to special teams. But our lists below will be accompanied by various observations related to the top 10 cap numbers for each position. Let’s dive in…
Kickers:
- Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots): $4.59MM
- Josh Scobee (Jaguars): $4.388MM
- Phil Dawson (49ers): $4.134MM
- Shaun Suisham (Steelers): $3.665MM
- Sebastian Janikowski (Raiders): $3.61MM
- Robbie Gould (Bears): $3.6MM
- Mason Crosby (Packers): $3.55MM
- Steven Hauschka (Seahawks): $3.325MM
- Graham Gano (Panthers): $3.1MM
- Adam Vinatieri (Colts): $2.75MM
- I was surprised when the Patriots used their franchise tag on Gostkowski, since no other kicker is making more than $3.775MM annually. However, his cap charge for 2015 isn’t an outlier, with Scobee and Dawson also over $4MM as they near the end of their deals. If you think of Gostkowski’s 2015 season as the final year of his previous contract with the team, his cap hit and salary don’t look outrageous. Besides, who better to spend on at the position than Gostkowski, who made 35 of 37 field goals in 2014.
- As is the case at most positions, this list of cap numbers provides a mix of standout contributors and players who look slightly out of place — only three of these players (Gostkowski, Suisham, and Vinatieri) ranked among the NFL’s top 10 most accurate field-goal kickers last season.
- No kicker is locked up for longer than Dan Bailey, who is under the Cowboys‘ control through the 2020 season. Bailey’s cap hit in 2015 is just $2.5MM, but he’ll likely make this list in future seasons, as his figures continue to increase — he’ll peak at $4.2MM in 2018.
- Half of these players will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2015 season. Only Suisham, Janikowski, Gould, Hauschka, and Gano are under contract beyond this year.
Punters:
- Mike Scifres (Chargers): $4.348MM
- Dustin Colquitt (Chiefs): $3.8MM
- Britton Colquitt (Broncos): $3.75MM
- Thomas Morstead (Saints): $3.4MM
- Matt Bosher (Falcons): $3.355MM
- Michael Koenen (Buccaneers): $3.25MM
- Pat McAfee (Colts): $3.2MM
- Sam Koch (Ravens): $3.1MM
- Steve Weatherford (Giants): $3.075MM
- Kevin Huber (Bengals): $2.77MM
- A handful of these punters are under contract for several more years, but their contracts are structured very differently. Morstead will see his cap hits rise above $4MM for each of the next three seasons (2016-2018), while Bosher’s and McAfee’s cap charges over the same period will dip below $3MM.
- Koenen may not be on this list by the time the regular season begins. His contract includes no prorated bonus money, meaning the Buccaneers could clear his entire cap charge from their books, and the club has brought in Spencer Lanning from the Browns to compete for the job.
- Although I suggested earlier that we may not be able to draw any conclusions from these lists, it’s interesting to consider the teams represented here. Outside of the Bucs – and the Giants, who have had a couple down years after an extended run of success – nearly all these clubs were 2014 playoff teams or just missed the cut.
Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.