Falcons Release Sam Baker
The Falcons have released offensive tackle Sam Baker, the team announced today in a press release. Because Baker is a vested veteran, he’ll immediately become a free agent without having to pass through waivers.
Bakers, who turned 30 last month, had been recovering from a torn right patellar tendon that forced him out of action for the entire 2014 season. Knee issues limited him to less than 200 offensive snaps in 2013 as well, so health and cap concerns likely both played a part in the Falcons’ decision to part ways with him.
Baker had been set to count for $7.3MM against Atlanta’s cap this year, and that number actually would’ve increased had the team opted to cut him prior to June 1. Instead, he’ll have a $2.8MM dead money cap hit for the Falcons this year, creating $4.5MM in cap room. The remaining $6.4MM in dead money on Baker’s contract will be on the club’s books for 2016.
Baker, a first-round pick in 2008, played 66 games (57 starts) at left tackle for the Falcons from 2008 to 2012 before injuries limited him over the last two seasons. While his solid play earned Baker a big contract, the team drafted Jake Matthews in 2014 intending to make Matthews the long-term left tackle. Had he remained on the team for the 2015 season, Baker likely would’ve played guard.
Depending on his health, Baker could be a low-cost investment with upside for a team in need of offensive line help. I wouldn’t put him at left tackle anymore, but it’s possible he could play on the right side, or at one of the guard spots. Are there any teams you view as a potential fit for the longtime Falcon? Feel free to weigh in below in the comments section.
Eric Weddle To Attend Chargers’ Minicamp
After sitting out the team’s OTAs in search of a new contract, veteran safety Eric Weddle will report to the Chargers’ mandatory minicamp this week, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). Agent David Canter (Twitter link) confirms that his client will be in attendance and will participate in all activities.
Weddle, 30, is scheduled to make $7.5MM in base salary in the final year of a five-year, $40MM deal, making him the fourth-highest paid safety in terms of total compensation in 2015. In late April, GM Tom Telesco indicated that, while he was focused on the draft at that point, he eventually wanted to discuss Weddle’s contract, so it came as a bit of a surprise two weeks ago when a report indicated the Chargers were shutting down talks until after the season.
At the time, Canter called the team’s stance “disappointing,” strongly suggesting that Weddle would opt to hit free agency in 2016 rather than attempting to work something out with San Diego after the season. Still, the Pro Bowler’s agent also indicated that his client would go all-out for the Chargers this season, so it makes sense that Weddle would show up this week.
If Weddle had opted to skip this week’s minicamp, he would’ve been subject to fines for the first time this offseason — OTAs were voluntary, so the veteran’s pay wasn’t docked for missing those. As Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets, Weddle also intends to report to training camp and will be good to go for the season, which may very well be his last with the Chargers.
Dez, Houston, JPP Won’t Be At Minicamp
When the Broncos held their mandatory June minicamp last week, franchised wide receiver Demaryius Thomas wasn’t in attendance. Thomas is one of four players who received the franchise tag but have yet to sign their tenders, and the other three appears set to follow his lead this week. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, and Jason Pierre-Paul won’t report to their respective clubs’ minicamp on Tuesday.
Houston’s anticipated absence from the Chiefs’ minicamp is perhaps the least surprising of the three. Head coach Andy Reid indicated last week that the NFL’s reigning sack leader “probably” wouldn’t be in attendance this week. After Ndamukong Suh signed a record-setting deal with the Dolphins in March, Houston’s asking price likely increased, and there’s no indication yet that he and the Chiefs are anywhere close to an agreement.
Bryant, meanwhile, made a brief cameo at the Cowboys’ OTAs, a hint that perhaps he’d report sooner rather than later. However, a Friday report suggested that he was shifting to a more hard-line negotiating stance, threatening to sit out Dallas’ regular season opener if he and the club haven’t agreed to a multiyear extension by that point.
As for Pierre-Paul, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin had stressed in recent weeks that he expected the veteran pass rusher to attend the team’s June minicamp, but it looks like Coughlin’s prediction won’t come to fruition. The fact that JPP – like Thomas, Houston, and Bryant – has yet to sign his franchise tender means he isn’t subject to fines for missing this week’s supposedly “mandatory” minicamp, since he isn’t technically under contract.
All four franchise-tag players have a month to work out long-term extensions with their respective teams. If a franchised player doesn’t have a multiyear deal in place by July 15, he’ll have to play the 2015 season on a one-year contract, if he plays at all.
Ten Teams Placed Claims On Tim Wright
Tim Wright returned to his old team last week, when the tight end, having been cut by New England, landed with the Buccaneers, who have the NFL’s No. 1 waiver priority this offseason. However, Tampa Bay was far from the only club to place a claim on Wright. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), nine other teams – 10 in total – submitted claims for the former Patriot.
Besides the Buccaneers, the teams that tried to land Wright before he reached free agency were the Jets, Bears, Falcons, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, and Lions, says Yates. Most of those clubs have somewhat uncertain tight end situations — for instance, the Browns and Saints recently lost Jordan Cameron and Jimmy Graham, respectively, and the Bears aren’t sure when Martellus Bennett will report to the team.
The myriad suitors for Wright makes it even more surprising that the Patriots simply waived him last week. The young tight end just turned 25, and had racked up 80 receptions, including 11 touchdowns, in his first two years in the NFL. With Scott Chandler now in New England, Wright may not have fit into the team’s future plans, but the number of waiver claims placed for him suggests that the Pats might have been able to squeeze at least a late-round pick out of an interested club.
The Bucs have taken advantage of their top waiver priority multiple times so far this offseason, with the addition of Wright simply acting as the latest example. Tampa Bay also added former Browns punter Spencer Lanning via waivers last week, and claimed veteran safety D.J. Swearinger back in May.
Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Position: Defense
A week ago, we took a look at the top 10 cap hits for each offensive position, and those lists looked a little different than you might expect. While we tend to view a contract’s value by its per-year salary, its overall money, or its guarantees, the deals that rank atop those categories aren’t necessarily the ones that will consume the most cap space in 2015.
This week, we’re shifting our focus to the defensive side of the ball, where there are a handful of surprises and interesting names as well. Below, you’ll find the top 10 cap hits for 2015 by defensive position, along with a few of my observations for each position.
Let’s dive in….
4-3 defensive ends:
- Charles Johnson (Panthers): $20.02MM
- Mario Williams (Bills): $19.4MM
- Robert Quinn (Rams): $16.744MM
- Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants): $14.813MM
- Jared Allen (Bears): $12.5MM
- Chris Long (Rams): $12.5MM
- Cameron Wake (Dolphins): $10.45MM
- Everson Griffen (Vikings): $8.2MM
- Cliff Avril (Seahawks): $8MM
- Michael Bennett (Seahawks): $8MM
- Williams and Allen will both be asked to play some 3-4 outside linebacker under new defensive coordinators in 2015, but I’ve included them in this group because they’ve traditionally played 4-3 defensive end, and their deals were likely negotiated with that market in mind.
- The Rams had the option of restructuring Quinn’s contract earlier this offseason, but not doing so should pay off in future seasons — after counting for nearly $17MM this year against the cap this year, Quinn will count for between $10.75MM and $12.95MM from 2016 to 2019.
- Speaking of those Rams, they and their division-rival Seahawks have nearly half the players on this list, a reflection of how much those clubs prioritize their outside pass rush.
- Pierre-Paul’s figure is a result of the franchise tag, so it could be reduced if he and the Giants reach a long-term contract agreement.
- The 11th name on this list would have been Michael Johnson, who has a cap number of just $2.6MM for the Bengals this year, but is counting for $7MM in dead money against the Buccaneers‘ cap.
3-4 defensive ends:
- Calais Campbell (Cardinals): $14.75MM
- J.J. Watt (Texans): $13.969MM
- Corey Liuget (Chargers): $7.977MM
- Arthur Jones (Colts): $7.1MM
- Desmond Bryant (Browns): $7MM
- Cameron Heyward (Steelers): $6.969MM
- Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets): $6.969MM
- Kyle Williams (Bills): $6.95MM
- Jurrell Casey (Titans): $6.72MM
- Jason Hatcher (Washington): $5.203MM
- Watt’s cap hit was set to be nearly $22MM before the Texans restructured his contract. The move added an extra $2MM to his cap numbers for every year between 2016 and 2019.
- Cameron Jordan‘s newly-signed extension with the Saints makes him one of the league’s highest-paid 3-4 defensive ends, but his cap hit for 2015 is a modest $4.169MM before jumping to eight digits for the next four years.
- Heyward and Wilkerson have identical fifth-year option salaries for the time being, but both players are extension candidates — the Steelers appear more likely to work something out with Heyward than the Jets are with Wilkerson.
Defensive tackles:
- Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers): $14.595MM
- Ndamukong Suh (Lions): $9.738MM (dead money)
- Geno Atkins (Bengals): $9MM
- Jared Odrick (Jaguars): $9MM
- Haloti Ngata (Lions): $8.5MM
- Marcell Dareus (Bills): $8.06MM
- Dan Williams (Raiders): $8MM
- Haloti Ngata (Ravens): $7.5MM (dead money)
- Ndamukong Suh (Dolphins): $6.1MM
- Brandon Mebane (Seahawks): $5.7MM
- Suh and Ngata dominate this list, showing up twice each, since their old teams are still carrying so much dead money for them. The duo would surpass McCoy and rank atop this list if you were to combine their total cap hits — Ngata is counting for a combined $16MM for the Ravens and Lions, while Suh is counting for a total of $15.838MM for Miami and Detroit.
- His contract is a strong candidate to be restructured next year, but at the moment, Suh is on track to have a staggering $28.6MM cap hit in 2016.
- Williams’ new deal with the Raiders has its big cap hits up front before dipping to $4.5MM in 2017 and $5MM in 2018.
- You could make a case that Odrick should be on one of the defensive end lists, but he played primarily at defensive tackle last year for the Dolphins, so I’ve included him here.
Outside linebackers:
- Justin Houston (Chiefs): $13.195MM
- Clay Matthews (Packers): $12.7MM
- Julius Peppers (Packers): $12MM
- Thomas Davis (Panthers): $9.9MM
- Von Miller (Broncos): $9.754MM
- DeMarcus Ware (Broncos): $8.667MM
- LaMarr Woodley (Steelers): $8.58MM (dead money)
- Paul Kruger (Browns): $8.2MM
- Robert Mathis (Colts): $7.471MM
- Elvis Dumervil (Ravens): $7.375MM
- As expected, nearly every outside linebacker on this list is a 3-4 player, since they’re typically the ones rushing the quarterback most often. Davis is the lone 4-3 OLB here, and he and the Panthers are trying to work out an extension that figures to reduce his cap charges for future seasons.
- Other extension candidates here include Houston and Miller, who are currently playing on the franchise tag and a fifth-year option, respectively.
- Getting after the quarterback is something good teams typically do well, so perhaps it’s not surprising to see perennial contenders Packers and Broncos spending big on outside pass rushers — both teams have two players in the top six here.
- Players who didn’t make the cut on this list include a pair of recipients of big offseason contracts, Jerry Hughes and Pernell McPhee, who will see their cap hits increase in subsequent seasons. Aldon Smith‘s one-year deal has a maximum value of $9.754MM, which would tie him with Miller, but his cap number is under $5MM, since the contract includes a handful of roster bonuses and incentives.
Inside linebackers:
- Lawrence Timmons (Steelers): $12.566MM
- Brian Cushing (Texans): $7.891MM
- NaVorro Bowman (49ers): $7.654MM
- David Harris (Jets): $7.5MM
- Rey Maualuga (Bengals): $7.138MM
- Paul Posluszny (Jaguars): $6.885MM
- Daryl Washington (Cardinals): $6.5MM
- Curtis Lofton (Raiders): $6.5MM
- Jerod Mayo (Patriots): $6.1MM
- Stephen Tulloch (Lions): $5.8MM
- Timmons is an effective player, but his 2015 cap number is nearly 60% more than the second-highest at his position, a sign that the Steelers may have overspent a little on him.
- While inside linebacker salaries are generally trending downward, the Jets and Raiders had plenty of cap space to use this offseason, and both teams used a chunk on a veteran ILB — Harris’ and Lofton’s cap numbers in future seasons won’t increase above their 2015 figures.
- It’s hard to imagine Mayo playing out his contract beyond this season, as it currently stands. His cap number is set to jump to $11MM+ in 2016.
Cornerbacks:
- Darrelle Revis (Jets): $16MM
- Patrick Peterson (Cardinals): $14.791MM
- Brandon Carr (Cowboys): $12.717MM
- Johnathan Joseph (Texans): $12.25MM
- Richard Sherman (Seahawks): $12.2MM
- Joe Haden (Browns): $11.7MM
- Vontae Davis (Colts): $11.25MM
- Brent Grimes (Dolphins): $10MM
- Leon Hall (Bengals): $9.6MM
- Lardarius Webb (Ravens): $9.25MM
- Not only does Revis have the largest cap hit for any cornerback this year — he’s also counting for $5MM in dead money against the Patriots‘ cap, after New England turned down his 2015 option.
- Byron Maxwell‘s new deal with the Eagles averages more than $10MM per year, but it missed a spot on this list due to an $8.7MM cap charge in year one. That number will increase to $11.7MM by 2017.
Safeties:
- Eric Weddle (Chargers): $10.1MM
- Eric Berry (Chiefs): $8.357MM
- Michael Griffin (Titans): $8.1MM
- T.J. Ward (Broncos): $7.75MM
- Reshad Jones (Dolphins): $7.713MM
- Earl Thomas (Seahawks): $7.4MM
- Nate Allen (Raiders): $7MM
- Donte Whitner (Browns): $6.75MM
- Tyvon Branch (Raiders): $6.671MM (dead money)
- Devin McCourty (Patriots): $6MM
- Expect to see Thomas and McCourty on this list for years to come. Their cap numbers both rise significantly in 2016 and beyond, and barring a sudden dropoff, they’re unlikely to be cut loose anytime soon.
- As they did with other free agent contracts this offseason, the Raiders frontloaded Allen’s contract, which has cap numbers between $5-6MM for the remaining three years. Similarly, Ward’s deal with the Broncos has an unusually large hit this season before dipping down below $6MM for its final two years — Denver could rework it if the team needs the room.
- While Branch counts for $6.671MM on the Raiders‘ books, his current cap charge for the team he actually plays for – the division-rival Chiefs – is just $1.288MM.
- Jairus Byrd didn’t quite make this list after restructuring his contract earlier this offseason, but he’ll be on here in future years unless he continues to rework his contract or is cut by the Saints. His cap numbers from 2016 to 2019 all exceed $10MM.
Contract information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.
Dez Bryant Considering Sitting Out Opener
7:12PM: For anyone who doesn’t believe that Bryant is serious about missing actual game time during this contract dispute, the superstar wide receiver is doing what he can to make it convincing. “This is no rumor; it’s legit,” Bryant told Michael Silver of NFL.com (via Twitter).
2:41PM: The Cowboys and Dez Bryant still have more than a month to work out a long-term contract, but if the two sides don’t strike a deal by the July 15 deadline, the star receiver will consider not reporting to the team for its regular-season opener, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
While the Cowboys’ decision-makers, including executive VP Stephen Jones, have said publicly that they want to get a multiyear extension done with Bryant this year, the team hasn’t been aggressive about pursuing a deal, Mortensen suggests. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com hints at this as well, tweeting that he can’t blame Bryant for taking an aggressive approach to contract discussions, given the Cowboys’ negotiating stance, “or lack thereof.”
Bryant, 26, received the franchise tag from Dallas earlier this year, which includes a one-year contract offer worth $12.823MM. Like most of 2015’s other franchised players, Bryant has yet to sign that tender, meaning he’s not subject to fines if he misses the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp next week, or training camp later this summer.
Still, Bryant did make an appearance at one of the club’s OTA sessions, and participated in individual drills. It’s hard to imagine him sitting out a regular season game due to his contract situation, particularly since his options will be limited if no deal is reached by July 15. After that date, teams aren’t permitted to sign franchised players to long-term contracts until after the season.
In my view, this is simply a negotiating tactic and an attempt to regain some leverage for Bryant, who could push the Cowboys to modify his one-year tender offer even if the two sides don’t reach a long-term agreement. Dallas’ deal with Greg Hardy featured a clause that doesn’t allow the team to use its franchise tag on the defensive end in 2016, and Bryant may attempt to get a similar clause in his own one-year contract, barring a multiyear extension.
Evan Mathis Rumors: Friday
The Eagles made Evan Mathis‘ release official today, meaning he’s now a free agent, and can sign immediately with any team. As I noted yesterday, I don’t expect the veteran guard to rush out and join a new team right away, especially since he’ll likely have many potential suitors to consider. Here are the latest rumors and updates on Mathis, including some details on his exit from Philadelphia:
- The Eagles nearly traded Mathis to another team during the draft, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to that same source, however, the club didn’t make a serious effort to move him before releasing him this week. Mathis’ trade value wouldn’t have been particularly high, given his age and his contract, but I have to think the Eagles could have at least landed a conditional late-round pick. Trading Mathis would also have allowed Philadelphia to control the process, meaning the club could have tried to send the veteran lineman to an AFC team rather than risking him signing with a rival.
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer also hears that the Eagles were engaged in trade talks involving Mathis around the draft. However, according to McLane’s sources, that mystery suitor changed its plans after the first round.
- The Rams could use another offensive lineman or two, but don’t expect the team to pursue Mathis unless he comes cheaper than expected, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Meanwhile, Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says you can count on the Dolphins pursuing Mathis, though it’s not clear yet how aggressive their pursuit will be.
- It would be a smart move for the Jets to add Mathis to their roster, but only if the price is right, says Brian Costello of the New York Post.
- While Mathis could be a nice fit for the Vikings, no one should be surprised if Mathis prefers other opportunities, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
Browns Re-Sign Tashaun Gipson
The last restricted free agent on the market is now officially under contract, according to Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange, who reports (via Twitter) that safety Tashaun Gipson has re-signed with the Browns. The team assigned Gipson a second-round tender worth $2.356MM earlier in the offseason.
While Gipson wasn’t happy with the RFA tender he received from the Browns, it’s not a huge surprise that he eventually relented and signed it, given his lack of leverage. As Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal wrote earlier today, Gipson said this week that he intended to rejoin the team after skipping voluntary workouts, and he would’ve risked nearly $2MM had he not signed by Monday.
The NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement indicates that if a restricted free agent hasn’t signed his one-year tender by June 15, his team has the opportunity to withdraw that offer and retain the player’s rights by extending a new offer worth 110% of his previous salary. Since Gipson made just $570K last year, that means the Browns could’ve reduced his offer from $2.356MM to $660K (the minimum salary for a player with his experience).
Instead, it appears Gipson will play the 2015 season on his RFA tender before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016. While the 24-year-old has reportedly discussed a long-term contract with the Browns, he likely won’t hesitate to test the open market if given the opportunity, since he’d certainly draw interest from teams in need of talent in the secondary. Potential suitors this year were almost certainly scared off by the second-round pick they would have had to surrender had they been able to sign Gipson away from the Browns.
Over the last two years, Gipson has started 26 games for the Browns, racking up 146 tackles during that stretch and showing a knack for coming up with big plays — he has grabbed 11 interceptions during the last two seasons, returning two of them for touchdowns. Despite playing just 11 games in 2014, the Wyoming product earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Saints Sign Kevin Williams
The Saints have added some veteran depth to their defensive line, according to the team’s senior VP of communications, Greg Bensel. Bensel tweets that Kevin Williams has signed with the club, replacing tight end Harold Spears, who was waived.
Williams, who will turn 35 in August, visited the Saints last month, but didn’t immediately sign with the team at that point. Shortly after his trip to New Orleans, Williams told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he’d prefer to re-sign with the Seahawks, but the defending NFC champions didn’t seem to share his interest. In New Orleans, Williams will see a familiar face across the line in practice, as center Max Unger has also made the move from the Seahawks to the Saints this offseason.
While Williams isn’t the same dominant defensive force that he was from 2004 to 2009, when he earned five All-Pro nods for the Vikings, he can still be a productive player. In 2014, the former first-round pick ranked in the middle of the pack among defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF’s grades placed Williams 40th out of 81 qualified DTs, as he finished the season with 38 tackles and three sacks.
Rams Sign Todd Gurley, Entire Draft Class
As expected, the Rams have signed their entire 2015 draft class in one fell swoop, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who tweets that first-round running back Todd Gurley and seven other draftees have inked their rookie contracts with the club.
The only Rams draft pick who had previously signed his deal was sixth-round wideout Bud Sasser, who wasn’t physically cleared to play for the team due to a heart condition. St. Louis signed him to his rookie contract, ensuring he’d get his signing bonus, then waived him. Here’s the full list of the remaining Rams draftees who are now under contract with the club:
- 1-10: Todd Gurley, RB (Georgia)
- 2-57: Rob Havenstein, T (Wisconsin)
- 3-72: Jamon Brown, T (Louisville)
- 3-89: Sean Mannion, QB (Oregon State)
- 4-119: Andrew Donnal, T (Iowa)
- 6-215: Cody Wichmann, G (Fresno State)
- 7-224: Bryce Hager, LB (Baylor)
- 7-227: Martin Ifedi, DE (Memphis)
Gurley’s four-year deal will, of course, be the most lucrative of the bunch, with a signing bonus worth about $8.313MM and an overall value of $13.823MM, per Over The Cap. The contract for the 10th overall pick will also be the only one that features a fifth-year option, allowing the Rams to lock up the running back for the 2019 season.
While most teams announce their signings in bunches in the weeks following the draft, the Rams make a habit of waiting until mid-June to confirm their rookie deals. Head coach Jeff Fisher has said in previous years that he likes to make sure his newcomers are educated on financial planning before they sign their first NFL contracts.