Lions Interested In Re-Signing C.J. Mosley?
9:12am: A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that, contrary to Meinke’s report, the Lions have moved on from Mosley. If that is indeed the case, it’s possible that Mosley’s camp is attempting to use supposed interest from the Lions to gain leverage with another team.
8:50am: The Lions’ interior defensive line has undergone some major changes this offseason, but the team may be able to maintain a little continuity heading into the 2015 season. According to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, the Lions have interest in re-signing veteran free agent C.J. Mosley — a marijuana-related incident that resulted in a two-game suspension in 2014 isn’t blocking the defensive tackle’s return. Negotiations are ongoing, and there’s a chance a deal comes together as soon as next week, says Meinke.
While the departure of Ndamukong Suh was the most notable event affecting Detroit’s defensive line, the team also lost Nick Fairley to the Rams, bringing in Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker to fill the hole at defensive tackle. One report in May suggested that the Lions may explore the trade market to fortify the interior defensive line, though team president Tom Lewand said last week that nothing was in the works on that front.
Suh and Fairley, arguably the two top defensive tackles on the market, grabbed the free agency headlines this offseason, but Mosley had a solid 2014 campaign as well. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked him 26th out of 81 qualified defensive tackles, viewing him as slightly above average against both the pass and the run. Re-signing Mosley would give the Lions a solid veteran presence to complement a group that – outside of Ngata – is lacking in experience.
Still, a return to Detroit isn’t a lock for Mosley, who turns 32 in August. According to Meinke, the veteran defender is receiving interest from at least one other suitor, so the Lions may have to offer him for more than just a minimum salary benefit contract to lock him up.
NFC Notes: Crowder, Panthers, Seahawks
Rookie wide receiver Jamison Crowder, selected by Washington in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. As Marvez details, a since-deleted Instagram post appears to accuse Crowder of domestic violence (Twitter link).
“The Washington Redskins are aware of an off-field situation involving Jamison Crowder,” the team said in a statement to FOX. “We have been in touch with the NFL office and will continue to follow proper League protocol and assist them in any way we can to gather all of the facts. We will not be making any further comment at this time.”
As we wait to see what comes of the investigation into Crowder, here are a few other Thursday items from across the NFC:
- “The biggest thing it does for us is it gives us a fixed cost,” Panthers GM Dave Gettleman said of Cam Newton‘s new extension, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “And we’ve been very intentional and thoughtful about how we’re spending our money, and we’ll continue to do that. We’ve been planning for this.” As Person notes, the team has also been planning for a new contract for linebacker Luke Kuechly, which should happen eventually, and the Panthers want to extend linebacker Thomas Davis as well.
- Addressing Jermaine Gresham‘s visit to New Orleans, Saints head coach Sean Payton said the tight end’s meeting went well, and that he thinks Gresham could be a good fit (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune).
- The Seahawks announced a handful of promotions in their front office today, including elevating Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner to co-directors of player personnel. Both Fitterer and Kirchner drew interest from other teams this past winter, as Fitterer interviewed with the Eagles and Kirchner met with the Jets.
- Speaking of those Seahawks, Jason Fitzgerald of The Sporting News takes a closer look at the salary cap situation in Seattle, where the team must make decisions on a number of players eligible for contract extensions and one notable contributor (Michael Bennett) who wants to rework his deal.
- The Lions have moved Xavier Proctor from the defensive line to the other side of the ball, and will try him as an offensive tackle, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).
Broncos Sign Heuerman, Lock Up Draft Class
The Broncos have signed third-round tight end Jeff Heuerman, locking up their entire 2015 draft class, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The team signed top pick Shane Ray earlier this week, after securing second-rounder Ty Sambrailo and its other six draftees in May.
Heuerman, the 92nd overall pick in this year’s draft, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during rookie camp last month and is expected to miss the entire 2015 season. The former Ohio State Buckeye won’t go on the injured reserve list quite yet, since he’d have to pass through waivers to be placed on IR at this point, but he’ll likely land there eventually.
“I feel terrible for Jeff and this is a very unfortunate situation,” said Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, after Heuerman’s ACL injury. “Jeff was going to be a big part of our team this year, and he’s still going to be a big part of our team and organization in the future.”
Heuerman, who is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2016 season, will get a signing bonus worth just under $621K on his rookie contract, which will be worth about $2.9MM over four years. While he recovers from his ACL tear, the Broncos will have to make do with a stable of tight ends led by offseason signee Owen Daniels.
Extra Points: L.A., NFLPA, Stacy, QB Market
The NFL’s owners typically don’t meet in August, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the owners have scheduled an extra meeting this year to discuss the prospect of relocation to Los Angeles. Per Rapoport, the additional owners meeting will take place on August 11 in Chicago.
The purpose of the August meeting isn’t to make any major decisions, according to Rapoport, who indicates no major news is expected to come out of the session. But the NFL believes there needs to be some sort of update between May’s and October’s meetings, particularly to focus on the progress of stadium plans in the St. Louis, San Diego, and Oakland markets.
Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the league….
- The NFL Players Association’s executive committee is pushing for the performance-based pay pool for 2015 and beyond to rise by at least $1MM per team, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who notes that the union and the league are still negotiating the parameters of the program for 2015. Per Marvez, the NFLPA’s executive committee also wants only a single “payee” to appear as the representative on a player’s contract, which would protect players from being sued for commission if multiple agents couldn’t agree on a split.
- Don Banks of SI.com delves into the back story behind the one-word tweet (“Yikes”) that Zac Stacy published after the Rams drafted Todd Gurley in April. Stacy was traded to the Jets two days later, but the running back and Rams COO Kevin Demoff both insist the since-deleted tweet wasn’t meant to be read negatively, and didn’t immediately lead to Stacy being shipped out of St. Louis.
- In the wake of Cam Newton‘s new extension, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes a look at what it will mean for Russell Wilson, Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, and Andrew Luck. Interestingly, Corry suggests Newton’s contract could have more of an impact on Manning’s and Flacco’s negotiations than Luck’s.
- Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports identifies six players drafted in the first round in 2012 who will be under the microscope this season. These players, including linebacker Bruce Irvin and defensive backs Morris Claiborne and Mark Barron, didn’t have their fifth-year options exercised for 2016, so they’re eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
Rams To Waive Bud Sasser
The Rams typically announce the signings of their entire draft class at the same time, generally at the end of the team’s OTAs, so it was a bit of a surprise when the club locked up sixth-round wideout Bud Sasser this week. Two days after word broke of Sasser’s signing, we have an explanation for why the Rams completed the deal early.
According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, the Rams will waive Sasser later today after he was unable to get cleared physically, due to a heart condition. By signing him this week, the Rams ensure that Sasser, the No. 201 pick in the draft, still receives his signing bonus, worth just under $114K. However, it appears the former Missouri receiver won’t play a game for the club that drafted him.
As Wagoner notes (via Twitter), Sasser wasn’t invited to this year’s scouting combine, where prospects typically undergo extensive physical examinations. Had Sasser’s condition been identified at that point, it would’ve saved the Rams a draft pick, but it also would’ve cost the wideout his NFL signing bonus.
We saw a situation similar to Sasser’s play out a year ago, with a player selected at nearly the same spot in the draft. Offensive lineman Garrett Scott, picked 199th overall by the Seahawks, signed his rookie contract and was cut a day later due to a heart condition. Scott landed on Seattle’s non-football injury/illness list for the 2014 season, and Sasser will get a similar designation when his release becomes official.
AFC Notes: Colts, Houston, Dolphins
The Colts now have a wealth of wide receivers after the offseason additions of Andre Johnson and first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, but Dwayne Allen seems to think that their presence will help out the team’s tight ends, not hurt them.
“I think just having the threat of those guys outside, meaning the wide receivers, is going to open things up for the tight ends a ton,” Allen said, according to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star.
Here’s more on the Colts and a couple other AFC teams:
- Colts head coach Chuck Pagano believes that his team’s passing attack will result in fewer “crowded boxes” for newly-acquired running back Frank Gore, as Mike Chappell of Indy Sports Central writes. No running back in the NFL dealt with more stacked boxes in 2014. Of his 255 rushing attempts, 30% of them came against eight- and nine-man fronts. Teams presumably won’t play that heavily against the run when dealing with Andrew Luck and his aerial weapons.
- A source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that, while Justin Houston and the Chiefs have been talking about a contract extension, significant process “has not yet been made” between the two sides.
- It may have seemed this offseason that the Dolphins‘ new decision-makers undid practically all of former GM Jeff Ireland‘s significant moves, but plenty of acquisitions and draftees from Ireland’s stint with the team are still playing key roles in Miami, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Over at FOX Sports, Alex Marvez’s list of the top 10 best offseason additions is headed by a pair of AFC East free agent signings.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Colin McCarthy Announces Retirement
Veteran linebacker Colin McCarthy announced today on Twitter that he is retiring from the NFL. While his Twitter message didn’t explicitly mention retirement, the former Miami Hurricane confirmed in a message to Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald that he is “officially retiring today.”
“Truly blessed to have played the game as long as I have!!” McCarthy wrote on Twitter. “To my family, friends, teammates and fans, Thank You!!”
McCarthy, a fourth-round pick in 2011 by the Titans, is just 27 years old, so it seems fair to speculate that health concerns are largely responsible for his early retirement, given his injury history. Prior to spending the 2014 season on injured reserve after undergoing shoulder surgery, McCarthy also battled a concussion and ankle and hamstring problems earlier in his career.
When he did see the field in Tennessee, McCarthy started 19 of his 36 games, recording 161 career tackles, forcing three fumbles, and snagging three interceptions, including one for a touchdown. McCarthy reportedly paid a free agent visit to the Patriots this offseason, but nothing came of that meeting.
East Notes: Bradford, Wilkerson, Giants
Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur held the same position in St. Louis during Sam Bradford‘s rookie season with the Rams, when the No. 1 pick won Offensive Rookie of the Year and nearly led the team to the playoffs. So, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes, head coach Chip Kelly turned to Shurmur for input and information on Bradford before Philadelphia acquired him in March. While Shurmur’s endorsement didn’t directly lead to the trade, the Eagles OC is optimistic about what Bradford can do with the club.
“I certainly have a very strong, good opinion of what he can accomplish,” Shurmur said. “Had he been able to stay healthy, he wouldn’t have been available for us. When the deal was getting made, I had my fingers crossed in the background that it was going to get done.”
As we wait to see how the Shurmur/Bradford reunion plays out, let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Jets head coach Todd Bowles said yesterday that he wasn’t sure whether or not Muhammad Wilkerson would report to the Jets’ mandatory minicamp this month, but a person familiar with the defensive lineman’s thinking tells Steve Serby and Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post that Wilkerson will be in attendance. Wilkerson has been absent from the club’s offseason activities so far, as he seeks a new contract.
- The Giants continue to keep an eye out for potential offensive line help, general manager Jerry Reese tells Dom Cosentino of NJ Advance Media. With Will Beatty out for the season, the team could use some veteran depth. “Obviously, everybody has around 90 men on their roster right now, so there’ll be some cuts,” Reese said. “There will be some chances to add some offensive linemen.”
- Bills coach Rex Ryan sounds impressed with third-round guard John Miller so far, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes. “When we took him, we thought he’d be our starter and we’ll see,” Ryan said. “But I feel pretty confident that he’s going to be a major contributor for us.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
The NFL’s transaction wire has been fairly quiet so far today, but we’ll round up any additional minor moves made tonight in the space below. For now, here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:
- Yesterday, we heard that the Lions were re-signing running back Rasheed Williams to their 90-man roster, and today Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com confirmed the move. In order to create space on the roster for Williams, Detroit parted ways with wide receiver Erik Lora, who signed with the team a few weeks ago after spending some time with the Vikings in 2014.
- The Raiders waived/injured seventh-round pick Andre Debose with an Achilles injury, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets. Debose figured to play a significant role in the return game, which explains the team’s signing of Trindon Holliday earlier today.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Newton, Jordan, Cards, Bears
Following up on the details we passed along earlier today on Cam Newton‘s and Cameron Jordan‘s new extensions, we have another pair of notes. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com clarifies (via Twitter) that while Newton’s $10MM option bonus isn’t technically guaranteed at the time of the signing, it’s practically guaranteed, since there’s essentially no chance the Panthers will cut the quarterback before picking it up. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Jordan received a significant signing bonus, worth $16MM, from the Saints.
Here are a few more items from across the NFC:
- The Cardinals signed defensive lineman Frostee Rucker to a one-year extension earlier this week, and Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com identifies three more defensive players who could be next in line for new deals. Weinfuss’ list includes safety Rashad Johnson, defensive back Justin Bethel, and cornerback Jerraud Powers.
- Asked about whether he expects Martellus Bennett to attend the Bears‘ June minicamp, head coach John Fox said he “can’t predict” the tight end’s intentions, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Bennett, who wants a new contract, has been absent from the team’s OTAs.
- Having signed a $40MM deal to remain with the Packers this offseason, wideout Randall Cobb vows the new contract won’t change his approach or create added pressure, per Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com.
- According to an incident report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, former Falcons linebacker Prince Shembo admitted to kicking his girlfriend’s dog and considered fleeing the country after the animal’s death. The AJC’s Tyler Estep has the details.